#11. Indiana Pacers
Dave: DJ Augustin. The Pacers need to end the Jamaal Tinsley saga now and they'll take the best point guard available. If Augustin is on the board here, I expect him to go to Indy. Jason and others have thi
s pick reversed with the Knicks' #6 selection, but I don't think Augustin is a top ten talent, whereas Russell Westbrook has climbed high in the last few months. Augustin was the best college point guard this past year who wasn't named Derrick Rose, but the NBA game is different and DJ might just be too small for it. Still, he's a good pick for Indy at #11, a competent albeit small guard whose character and attitude will be a huge improvement over Tinsley.
Jason: Russell Westbrook. Westbrook is a hot name in this draft since the NCAA tournament and has been wowing scouts and youtubers alike with his outstanding athleticism. While he is far from a finished product, Indiana would love to find their long term replacement for Jamaal Tinsley to run the point. Westbrook is one of the wild cards of this draft, and while he could go anywhere outside of the top 5 to a team that falls in love with his potential, I see this as a good spot for him.
#12. Sacramento Kings
Dave: DeAndre Jordan. Jordan (no relation to His Airness) is a big man out of Texas A&M whose lackluster season won't derail his lottery hopes. If he waited a year to turn in a more consistent season, he might have been a top 5 pick, but even with a subpar freshman campaign, he's still good enough to go this high. Consistency has been an issue for this kid, but if he plays hard and continues to develop, he can turn into a dominant center in the NBA, leaving everyone to wonder why he was drafted out of the top ten. He'll develop behind an aging Brad Miller in Sacramento and join the starting line-up in the next couple years.
Jason: Anthony Randolph. The Sacramento Kings are a team in transition. Just 5 years ago they were
one of the top teams in the NBA. Now they are a team short on talent about to jettison their most talented player in Ron Artest. While fast rising Joe Alexander would be a good choice to fill the void at the 3 left by Artest, Francisco Garcia was a pleasant suprise last year and deserves more playing time. Randolph is a fast rising prospect whose excellent athleticism and versatility for a big man have drawn comparisons to Chris Bosh. Randolph is another player who has the potential of going as high as #6 to the Knicks, but falls in the laps of the Kings here who are sorely lacking in athletic big men.
#13: Portland Trailblazers
Dave: Joe Alexander. Perhaps no player in the NCAA improved his draft stock in the tournament more than Alexander. By dispatching Arizona and Duke, Alexander proved to be one of the country's best swingmen - a long, 6'8" competitor who can post up or shoot. If Portland keeps this pick, Alexander will slip nicely into its lineup between LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy. I don't expect a huge impact from him right away, but then this entire team is still developing. This squad is built around youth and with Greg Oden taking the court this year, I expect them to make a run at the playoffs in a crowded Western conference and only improve going forward.
Jason: Joe Alexander. The Trail Blazers were the darlings of the NBA early in the season. Their youth and exuberance led them to great early success before falling off. In 2008, this team will finally be able to see last year's #1 overall selection, Greg Oden hit the floor. One of this team's biggest needs is a point guard (Steve Blake just won't be able to cut it game in and game out), but there aren't any point guards available that would be good values at this point. In that case, Joe Alexander is their pick. Alexander has been a darling in scouting circles since declaring. He is an excellent athlete who is a versatile scorer both inside and out. While he is still developing as a basketball player and is the oldest player off the board at this point, the Blazers would love to add another young scorer who can play both inside and out.
#14: Golden State Warriors
Dave: Donte Greene. Greene is a huge talent out of Syracuse whose ceiling is virtually nonexistent. He can shoot, including from behind the arch and at 6'10", 225, he can play the four as well. Another year in 
college would have helped both his draft position and his game and Jim Boeheim would undoubtedly have liked to have seen him play alongside a healthy Johnny Flynn. He'll have to settle for watching him join Baron Davis and Monta Ellis instead. The Warriors will benefit from Greene's size and versatility, as he will first bolster and could eventually lead the front court of Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington. Greene will help balance the Golden State lineup, which now relies heavily on guards for offensive production.
Jason: Kosta Koufos. The Warriors have turned into one of the most fun teams to watch in the NBA with their uptempo style of offense and their plethora of outstanding scoring guards. If Baron Davis gets away this summer they may look to move this pick for point guard help but assuming they don't, they will look to bring in help in the form of a big man. The top two big men on the board at this point on my board are Darrell Arhtur and Kosta Koufos. While Arthur's athleticism would work well in Nelly's system, this team needs a big man who can fight for rebounds down low, be able to step out from time to time and hit the three, and have the ability to pass out of of double teams down low. This team also traded away Jason Richardson last year for Brandan Wright who brings a similar game to Arthur.
#15: Phoenix Suns
Dave: Brandon Rush. Rush is strong and fast, a proven winner who will join a team that needs to win immediately. With an NBA-ready body and a developed game, Rush can make an immediate impact in the one-or-two year window the Suns have before Shaq, Grant Hill, and Steve Nash start collecting social security. Actually, Nash is Canadian so nevermind. Word is that the Suns' front office has fallen out of love with Raja Bell, so Rush might be Phoenix's SG of the future. Either way, he's a safe, smart pick here at 15 and will likely be a big factor for the Suns next season.
Jason: Darrell Arthur. The Shaq trade ended up not turning out as well as the Suns and Steve Kerr would have hoped and this team now finds itself with a new coach going into '08-09. This was a team built this past year and the window has pretty much closed on this team's championship hopes. This team really only has one young building block remaining in the form of Amare Stoudemire who has blossomed into a superstar. It's only a matter of time before Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and Shaq hand up their high-tops. My choice here comes down to two former Jayhawks in Arthur and Brandon Rush. While Rush will most likely have a better NBA career than he did a college career, Arthur has the higher upside and brings the greater versatility. Arthur can play either the 3 or 4 and can help solidify the Suns frontcourt.
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