My Early 2013 Mock Draft

[carolina-chuck]

I am very exciting with the news of Higgins' "Bobcats(Hornets) will sign max-level free agent".

I really believe that MJ will try to go "HARD" at CP3, even though a lot of people doesn't believe that he'll want to come here. I have my reasons to think that CP3 would want to come here, but as of now lets just look at other Free Agents.

FA (max-level) signing:

Al Jefferson "Center", 6'9" 289lbs

Jefferson and Paul Millsap are both "unrestricted free agents" after this season. I think the Jazz will definitely let both of them test the market. Behind them are two young guys (Favors/Kanter) whom the Jazz will want to see more minutes out of them. Either one of the two (Jefferson/Millsap) will be a great addition, but if I have to pick I'd go with Jefferson.

2012-2013: 17.2PPG, 9.5RPG, 2.0APG

Players that we should seriously consider parting way with:

-Gerald Henderson

Hendo has vastly improved, but hes not the long term answer. Trade him while to can to a team like the Lakers who can really use him off the bench.

-BJ Mullens

Our biggest man on the team doesnt know how to play like a big. Its really sad. Mullens is not an asset to build a Playoffs caliber team with.

2013 NBA MOCK DRAFT

(1st RD, NO.1) Ben McLemore, Kansas SG, 6'5" 195lbs

This year, we will land the no.1 overall pick. I think we're a lot worse than the Wizards with John Wall at the moment. We are really bad at the SG position with Hendo and Gordon. We really lack that sharp shooter who can light the board up. McLemore will definitely be that guy, and an upgrade over who we have now. McLemore is the best player in this draft and he has tremendous size to play SG. He'll be a great compliment to Kemba!. An amazing young back court to build your team for the future (Kemba, McLemore, MKG).

(1st RD, No.14/15) Rudy Gobert, France PF/C, 7'0" 230lbs

It's looking more and more likely that we will get Portland's pick in this upcoming draft. As of right now, Portland is holding the no.15 pick. At no.15, I have us taking Rudy Gobert a "BIG" from France. I want to go with a Tony Mitchell or Willie Cauley-Stein here, but we are already packed at SF. And, I think Gobert has the better upside over Stein. Gobert has insane size to play in the paint along with a 7'9 wingspan. We are really, really bad at PF/C, and the addition of Gobert and Jefferson to go along with Biz would be pretty nice to build a Playoffs caliber team with.

2013-2014 LINEUP

PG: Kemba, Sessions

SG: McLemore, Hendo

SF: Kidd-Gilchrist, Taylor

PF: Biz, Mullens

C: Jefferson, Gobert

[Captain Morgan]

we're not gonna get screwed again...we will be picking first.

I'll be very happy with McLemore.

at 14, there's a good chance we could get Plumlee. I hate dook, but I think he'll come in and

fight for rebounds. I'm very cautious about euro players.

[ZackAttack23]

Gobert will be just another Alexis Ajinca. No thanks. I hate Duke too, but I would love Plumlee. Also I heard we will try to trade that 2nd 1st rd pick away for a veteran.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Stay away from Euro players. I don't know of a foreign big man that has developed in the past 5 years.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

For the 14th pick, I take one of Isaiah Austin (if he falls) or Mason Plumlee.

Plumlee essentially has the talent level of Zeller and can be had at a later pick.

I'm also on board with Jefferson, he is a must sign.

[thatlookseasy]

Stay away from Euro players. I don't know of a foreign big man that has developed in the past 5 years.

Ibaka and Omer Asik- both taken after Alexi Ajinca in '08

Gortat, Pekovic, Vucevic have all been impressive lately, as well as Marc Gasol (who has been around a bit longer)

Also I think you are underestimating Zeller's skill level, there is a reason he was an impact player as a true freshman while it took Plumlee a few years to blossom

[ZB1224]

All I know is that I want to come away with Al Jefferson this off season. I've always been a Big Al fan and he would help fix a lot of the problems that we have. He isn't going to come in and really protect the paint on defense, but he will come in, grab rebounds, dominate in the post (seriously a top 3 post player in the NBA), and be our #1 option to take pressure off of Kemba.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Ibaka and Omer Asik- both taken after Alexi Ajinca in '08

Gortat, Pekovic, Vucevic have all been impressive lately, as well as Marc Gasol (who has been around a bit longer)

Also I think you are underestimating Zeller's skill level, there is a reason he was an impact player as a true freshman while it took Plumlee a few years to blossom

He's got skill, but he plays the same way as Tyler, it just took Tyler three extra years to play the same way.

As far as Bobcats drafting Euro/Foreign players, it shouldn't be allowed. Neither Ajinca nor Biz were worth the draft picks spent on them. Biz could have easily been replaced with Faried but then again you can do that sort of thing with all the Bobcats draft picks except for MKG and Kemba.

[thatlookseasy]

He's got skill, but he plays the same way as Tyler, it just took Tyler three extra years to play the same way.

As far as Bobcats drafting Euro/Foreign players, it shouldn't be allowed. Neither Ajinca nor Biz were worth the draft picks spent on them. Biz could have easily been replaced with Faried but then again you can do that sort of thing with all the Bobcats draft picks except for MKG and Kemba.

He does look a lot like Tyler when he plays, but I think Cody has a significant quickness advantage. Both of them can run the court well, but while Tyler is limited offensively (he either shoots the hook shot straight away or tries to set his defender up so he can come back to it) Cody is a lot more comfortable working on the block and has some counter moves and pump fakes that make him more effective.

I think Zeller is a legit top 5 draft pick, though I dont know how good he will be running the pick and roll (Indiana doesnt run it)

[yasuhara2241]

Here is my question to all of you...

Do you all think a core of Kemba, McClemore or Shabazz, MKG, Jefferson and Biz is a future championship team? I feel like this is a future playoff team but will constantly lose in the first or second round.

So do we sign a max player i.e Jefferson this year or try and build thru the draft one more yr and hope to get lucky with the "superstar 2014" class?

[d-run]

Here is my question to all of you...

Do you all think a core of Kemba, McClemore or Shabazz, MKG, Jefferson and Biz is a future championship team? I feel like this is a future playoff team but will constantly lose in the first or second round.

So do we sign a max player i.e Jefferson this year or try and build thru the draft one more yr and hope to get lucky with the "superstar 2014" class?

We should not, under any circumstance, give Jefferson a max contract. You only give max contracts to guys that can be the best player on a championship team. Jefferson is not that type of player and never will be. These are the top bigs in FA in my opinion: Howard, Bynum, Jefferson, Millsap, Pekovic (restricted)

We would have to give Howard, Bynum or Jefferson a max contract. Howard and Bynum probably wouldn't want to come here anyway. Jefferson isn't worth it.

We would have to give Millsap 10-12 million/year and could possibly get Pekovic for 8-9. Potentially we could sign Millsap or Pekovic for very close to what a single max contract would cost. Or one of them and JJ Hickson. Point is, we can get two very good players for what Jefferson would cost, and since he would never lead us to a championship, I would go that route instead

[carolina-chuck]

Ibaka and Omer Asik- both taken after Alexi Ajinca in '08

Gortat, Pekovic, Vucevic have all been impressive lately, as well as Marc Gasol (who has been around a bit longer)

Thank you

[carolina-chuck]

Here is my question to all of you...

Do you all think a core of Kemba, McClemore or Shabazz, MKG, Jefferson and Biz is a future championship team? I feel like this is a future playoff team but will constantly lose in the first or second round.

So do we sign a max player i.e Jefferson this year or try and build thru the draft one more yr and hope to get lucky with the "superstar 2014" class?

We'll have to build through the draft in 2014. That's a badddda$$$$ draft!

I'm taking some heat on this for a while but im sticking to it. If we want to win a Championship or just games in the Playoffs, Kemba at PG isnt the answer. We can use an upgrade there. Kemba is a great 6th man who change the pace of the game and give you points when needed. Overall, Kemba isn't the long term answer at PG if he doesn't improve his game dramatically.

Wishful thinking, but now if a back court of CP3, McLemore, and MKG? Of course

[carolina-chuck]

For the 14th pick, I take one of Isaiah Austin (if he falls) or Mason Plumlee.

Plumlee essentially has the talent level of Zeller and can be had at a later pick.

I'm also on board with Jefferson, he is a must sign.

What about Willie Cauley-Stein?