admin - June 23, 2016

The GWHH 2016 NBA Mock Draft

Tibs: If thereÔÇÖs one thing that can cure the blues of a Derrick Rose trade, itÔÇÖs the NBA Draft!

Better yet, itÔÇÖs coming up with our own Mock Draft…┬áthat means *nothing* after we get the second pick wrong like last year. ┬»_(Òâä)_/┬» ┬á

I say ÔÇ£weÔÇØ because my college buddy Jose and I have now done an alternate pick Mock Draft for the third year in a row, truly making this one of the long-lasting annual traditions in my life. ItÔÇÖs like, thereÔÇÖs Christmas at my familyÔÇÖs house, watching the July 4th fireworks from a rooftop, and coming up with a mock draft with Jose.

Jose: Hi! IÔÇÖm Jose.

Jose & Tibs representing their respective fanbases (Minnesota Timberwolves & Chicago Bulls)

Tibs: What a picture.

The concept for this is just as simple┬áÔÇö┬áJose and I alternate making picks for the first round of the NBA Draft as we analyze what we know about the prospects, what types of players teams are looking to add, and what trades may happen. WeÔÇÖre about as accurate as a wide open Harrison Barnes three-pointer, but this is still fun as hell. And if you happen to catch this today, this is a fun follow-along as the real picks are made.

Last year, JoseÔÇÖs Minnesota Timberwolves had the #1 overall pick and he was correct and rightfully joyous┬áwith the addition of Karl-Anthony Towns. This year, the Wolves signed our former coach Tom Thibodeau and are prime to enter a string of playoff appearances.

Jose, what do you hope the Wolves do tonight?

Jose: Hi! IÔÇÖm Jose.

I donÔÇÖt know what to do with my hands or face.

IÔÇÖm in the minority here. ┬áThereÔÇÖs been a lot of Wolves fans calling for Dragan Bender, but really, I want shooting. ┬áDragan can shoot, but I just think a deeper guard rotation is better for this team at the moment. ┬áThis league is becoming a shooterÔÇÖs league like the NFL is becoming a passing league. ┬áWe were second-worst in 3-point attempts and bottom five in 3-point percentage as a team last season. ┬áI think a 2 guard like Jamal Murray or Buddy Hield is the best fit to our team. ┬áWeÔÇÖre not looking to draft superstars. ┬áWeÔÇÖre now looking to get people that can fit ThibsÔÇÖ system. ┬á I tell you what Tibs, it doesnÔÇÖt suck getting to say ÔÇ£ThibsÔÇÖ systemÔÇØ going forward

How about your Bulls?

Tibs: IÔÇÖm jealous and nostalgic. For the Bulls, I just hope they donÔÇÖt trade Jimmy Butler, but if they do I hope itÔÇÖs to your Wolves so I can just officially pledge my #1 team fandom to you guys. Otherwise, the one trade I hope they make is Robin Lopez, Jose Calderon, and Jerian Grant for Derrick Rose, Justin Holiday, and a 2017 2nd Round Pick. The numbers work out.┬áWe┬ácan pretend like yesterday never happened.

Jose: First stage of grieving – Denial.┬á

First pick of the draft – De Aussie

* * * *

Tibs: I don’t know… this comp is kind of a stretch…

Get you a man who can do both like @BenSimmons25 https://t.co/iPXWzcElmQ

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 21, 2016

Tibs: OK, I’M SOLD!

1. Philadelphia 76ers┬á | ┬áBen Simmons ÔÇö LSU

Jose: Not much to dig around with here.  Promised the #1 pick.  I just hope his nickname becomes The Process.

2. Los Angeles Lakers ┬á| ┬áBrandon Ingram ÔÇö Duke

Tibs:┬áLmao. ÔÇ£The ProcessÔÇØ is gold. Rooting for Ben Simmons and those beautiful Philly jerseys to be relevant again.

Not digginÔÇÖ around much here too. The ÔÇÿ16 Draft has long been considered a two-star draft and the Lakers will gladly take Brandon Ingram. Great fit for their roster as currently constructed too.

3. Boston Celtics┬á | ┬áKris Dunn ÔÇö Providence

Jose:┬áThe Lakers need help everywhere. ┬áAnyone is a ÔÇ£great fitÔÇØ for their roster at this point.

The more I read about Dunn, the more IÔÇÖm convinced that Kris Dunn wonÔÇÖt get past 4. The hype train is moving hard for this guy, and with reports about how he could be a great defender, itÔÇÖs only added fuel to the fire.

HereÔÇÖs the thing, IÔÇÖm not convinced that Boston makes this pick. ┬áHot take I know. ┬áBut IÔÇÖve been reading a lot of Twin Cities beat writer Darren Wolfson on twitter, and heÔÇÖs convinced Dunn doesnÔÇÖt make it past 4. ┬áI agree. ┬áThe value of this pick wonÔÇÖt be higher than it will be in the ten minutes after the Lakers pick, so I think a trade could happen in that time. ┬áBut if Boston keeps the pick, drafting Dunn to go with Thomas doesnÔÇÖt make sense. ┬áSo IÔÇÖm banking on some kind of movement here. ┬á

Hey Tibs, if Dunn is taken by another team in the this slot, IÔÇÖm still calling the pick good!

4. Phoenix Suns┬á | ┬áMarquese Chriss┬áÔÇö Washington

Tibs:┬áCount it! WeÔÇÖre making our picks while also predicting potential trades. ItÔÇÖs easy to anoint Kris Dunn as the third best prospect and predict heÔÇÖll just go there. No one knows yet what Boston is going to do but odds are if they pick or trade, Dunn has the greatest chance to land in that spot.

Another guy whoÔÇÖs about a lock as you can assume in the draft (which shouldnÔÇÖt mean much) is Marquese Chriss to Phoenix. This guyÔÇÖs an athletic stretch 4, whoÔÇÖs raw but could develop to be deadly on both ends.

That said, his NBA comp is Tyrus Thomas and Antonio McDyess. There are lots of things I am grateful for in life and one of them is not being a Phoenix Suns fan tonight.

5.┬áMinnesota Timberwolves┬á| ┬áJamal Murray ÔÇö Kentucky

Jose:┬áHey now! ┬áI was an Antonio McDyess fan back in his Denver days. ┬áItÔÇÖs just that now IÔÇÖm an emotionally wrecked Minnesota fan. ┬áI mean, we were just talking about our worst moments as sports fans, and my top 3 involved brutal Vikings losses. ┬áNot to mention the Wolves losing in ÔÇÿ04 to the Lakers in the WCF after years of first round exits.

I bring this up because itÔÇÖs made me a sports pessimist. ┬áTo this point, while I want this Jamal Murray pick to happen, IÔÇÖm very, very paranoid that we donÔÇÖt take him if available (yes, even over Dunn). ┬áHereÔÇÖs a guy who put up numbers similar to Buddy Hield despite being three years younger. ┬áAnd like Hield, heÔÇÖll add something our team is sorely missing: shooting. ┬áConsidering the salary cap rise could lead to second round picks getting more money than first round picks, this yearÔÇÖs market for shooting is going to be incredibly expensive. ┬áIf IÔÇÖm the Wolves, I lock in the cheap contract that comes with having a first round pick after a salary cap spike. ┬áThen you have shooting on the cheap and can use the money for elsewhere.

Pick Murray and let it ride.  Please.

6. New Orleans Pelicans┬á | ┬áJaylen Brown ÔÇö┬áCal

Tibs:┬áI love hearing what you think about for your Wolves and I hope for your sake that youÔÇÖre actually wrong. IÔÇÖve been reading a lot of one-dimensional talk on Murray with The RingerÔÇÖs Jonathan Tjarks probably the biggest of skeptics. Buddy has a similar game to Murray but I also think he proved this past college season heÔÇÖs got the intangibles to mesh well with our former coach/your new coach. I was swept up in Buddy mania by March and think heÔÇÖll add another dynamic and even charisma with his game and personality. For a team as on the rise as Minnesota, I hope they keep the pick and draft Buddy.

With Buddy still available, he could very well go to the Pelicans and I almost picked him there. Davis and Hield would be a fun 1-2 combo. But I settled on Jaylen Brown because of his athleticism and potential. HeÔÇÖs supposed to have a higher ceiling and I would think that the Pels, who could use help anywhere, might swing for the fences with Brown. ItÔÇÖll be very interesting if this time next summer, the Pelicans have a hope for a second star to go with Davis (and keep him around.) This pick may be it.

7. Denver Nuggets ┬á| ┬áDragan Bender ÔÇö┬áMacabbi Tel Aviv

Jose:┬áI could absolutely be wrong. ┬áBut I donÔÇÖt know why people are underselling shooting in favor of ÔÇ£potentialÔÇØ (which seems to work out half the time). ┬áWe want players that can fill strong roles for us, and shooting is so desperately a need. ┬áI know IÔÇÖm in the minority, but IÔÇÖm okay with that. ┬á

For Denver, at this point itÔÇÖs all about the value. ┬áBuddy Hield may be a better pick, but Bender is a potential top 4 guy whoÔÇÖs dropped to 7. ┬áPair him up with Nurkic and Jokic and you have your frontcourt fortified for years. ┬áAdd in the shooting Bender (still canÔÇÖt stop loving that name) can provide and you have a floor spacing 4 that can let the other promising bigs do work on the inside.

It also gives Denver insurance if they were to get rid of Faried in a trade.

8. Sacramento Kings┬á | ┬áBuddy Hield ÔÇö Oklahoma

Tibs:┬áThe Draft feels like it has two clear tiers: Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram in Tier 1 and Dunn, Chriss, Murray, Brown, Bender, and Hield in Tier 2. The Kings should take whoÔÇÖs left in this tier, and in our case, itÔÇÖs Buddy. (I hope weÔÇÖre wrong, Buddy deserves better. Here are some Buddy highlights.)

Of course, these are the Kings and they may take someone outside of the top 8 and shock us all. My best surprise bet: Domantas Sabonis, because of his last name and Vlade knows his father well.

9. Toronto Raptors┬á | ┬áDeyonta Davis ÔÇö┬áMichigan St.

Jose: Masai Ujiri came out and said they may look for a player they can develop over time with this pick considering they have a strong rotation as is. ┬áDavis is a moldable big that can come in, sit on the bench, and learn. ┬áHe wonÔÇÖt have any pressure to perform except in very limited capacity, and heÔÇÖll be able to redshirt a year and learn the system. ┬áPlus he already is a competent rebounder, which is a skill that could come in valuable immediately. ┬á

10. Milwaukee Bucks ┬á| ┬áDejounte Murray ÔÇö Washington

Tibs: IÔÇÖm not sure what to think about Dejounte Murray, but from what IÔÇÖve read of the freshman point guard, he has the physical tools and length that indicates a high ceiling, even over some of the guard prospects ahead of him. ItÔÇÖs that length that I feel like Jason Kidd could fall in love with, especially as MCW gets weeded out and Point Giannis takes the reins next year. Whoever the Bucks take, I just hope heÔÇÖs an athletic, long player that fits in with their young nucleus already.

11. Orlando Magic┬á | ┬áSkal┬áLabissiere┬áÔÇö Kentucky

Jose: Gonna admit, IÔÇÖm not all that familiar with LabissiereÔÇÖs game. ┬áA lot of mocks have him going to Orlando, which makes sense if heÔÇÖs viewed as a rotation big who can play defense. ┬áThere is a knock on the mental side of the game for him (heÔÇÖs only been playing since 2010), but his physical profile is similar to a Tyson Chandler. ┬áAnd as we learned from the Thunder and Cavs in the playoffs, having a tall, lengthy big that can switch on everything is becoming extremely valuable. ┬áAnd Labissiere profiles for that. Are there bigger needs for Orlando? ┬áI have no idea.

12. Atlanta Hawks┬á | ┬áJakob Poeltl ÔÇö Utah

Tibs: The Atlanta Hawks just traded for this pick yesterday, and the reports immediately after were that they were going to package both of their first round picks in an effort to clear cap space to re-sign Al Horford, and maybe others. With more uncertainty, IÔÇÖm slotting Poeltl here, who may be the highest NBA-ready center on the board.

13. Phoenix Suns ┬á| ┬áMalachi Richardson ÔÇö┬áSyracuse

Jose: I was torn on this pick. ┬áRichardson has been shooting up draft boards recently after SyracuseÔÇÖs run in the NCAA tournament. ┬áIÔÇÖm always wary of tournament risers, especially from Syracuse (see Johnson, Wesley), so IÔÇÖm naturally wary of this pick. ┬áBut heÔÇÖs a good shooter and another guy who could pair with Devin Booker to create a sweet shooting rotation going forward.

14. Chicago Bulls┬á | ┬áTimothe Luwawu ÔÇö France

Tibs:┬áTo be honest, IÔÇÖm still too distraught from the Derrick Rose trade yesterday to say anything here with much conviction.

*throws third Kleenex box across the room*

IÔÇÖm even moreso on Team #FireGarPax after yesterday that I hope they take a prospect that no one really knows about so they get even more heat on them.

Welcome to Chicago, Timothe Luwawu!

To be completely serious, I do hope the Bulls take an athletic wing with their pick. Gar even said yesterday theyÔÇÖre hoping to get younger and more athletic. I agree with that because Jimmy needs some help on the wing and itÔÇÖs clear that Tony Snell isnÔÇÖt that and Doug McDermott is a luxury offensive player, at best.

IÔÇÖve read and watched highlights of Luwawu, whoÔÇÖs drawn a Thabo Sefolosha comparison and even a Paul George best case scenario comp. IÔÇÖm fine with the former given our roster now and the way the NBA is trending.

Other possible picks: Denzel Valentine (but hes not athletic), Wade Baldwin IV, and Malik Beasley. Theres not really a player here that I wouldnt talk myself into. Whatever the case, its still on the backburner when my emotions are still raw for the end of the Derrick Rose Era. (Im actually still trying to write the right words for the D. Rose Tribute Post on here so stay tuned for that, maybe?!)

15. Denver Nuggets┬á | ┬áDenzel Valentine ÔÇö┬áMichigan St.

Jose: I really do feel for you Tibs.  When we traded away KG it hurt a lot, and we even knew it was coming.  Grieve now, Grant later.

Having picked Bender earlier in the draft, I canÔÇÖt envision a scenario where they take another big, even with Ellenson falling in this mock. ┬áAt this point I see it coming down to Malik Beasley (who we definitely have way lower in this mock than he should be) or the solid senior with the medical red flag in Valentine. ┬áPurely on skill and seasoning, Valentine is deserving of a pick in this range, but heÔÇÖs got some teams worried about the cartilage in his knees. ┬áBut if Denver looks past that, they have a guy who can come in immediately and be a glue guy, allowing for this team to gel fairly quickly. ┬áPlus, with Gary Harris, theyÔÇÖre three dudes away from having a full Michigan State starting 5! Start the irrational Draymond trade scenarios Tibs!

16. Boston Celtics ┬á| ┬áHenry┬áEllenson┬áÔÇö┬áMarquette

Tibs:┬áHey, thatÔÇÖs why I wouldnÔÇÖt be upset if Valentine ended up with my Bulls but the front office has passed on the real Draymond once already for Marquis Teague soÔǪ

The Celtics have another first round pick and if they keep this one, they go best player available. I may have overlooked Sabonis here, but Ellenson is another good one and a big who can shoot. I thought of how those are valued in a Brad Stevens offense (Olynyk and Sullinger get open looks above the free throw line a lot.) So maybe Ellenson would work here…

(Jimmy may or may not have given his fellow Marquette alum $100 to keep this game going…)

17. Memphis Grizzlies┬á | ┬áWade Baldwin IV ÔÇö┬áVanderbilt

Jose: Short answer, this move is done with the assumption Conley is out the door.  

This is a team in flux as they go from perennial playoff team to anywhere from fringe playoff team to rebuild. ┬áWeÔÇÖll see how Gasol comes back from his foot injury, but at this point in the draft it doesnÔÇÖt hurt to start thinking about replacements at any position on the team. ┬áHowever, the most glaring need seems to be at PG if Conley is gone. ┬áSo it only makes sense to grab the second best PG in the draft – depending on where you see Jamal Murray playing – and let him learn the ropes on the job.

18. Detroit Pistons┬á| ┬áFurkan Korkmaz ÔÇö Turkey

Tibs:┬áIf you didnÔÇÖt think I was in ÔÇÿWho the hell knows?ÔÇØ mode with my last pick, you should know now.

There are good things being said about many of the first round international prospects in this yearÔÇÖs draft and Stan Van Gundy loves his shooters. Korkmaz is 18 and may stay out in Turkey for another year, but he feels like heÔÇÖd be a good compliment that the Pistons can afford to wait on while more of their young guys (Drummond, Reggie, KCP, Stanley Johnson) continue to develop.

19. Denver Nuggets┬á | ┬áDomantas Sabonis ÔÇö┬áGonzaga

Jose:┬áMy third Nuggets pick of the night is purely a value pick. ┬áOdds are, if Denver keeps all three picks, then they draft a guy to stash like a Hernangomez or Zubac, or a Zagorac. ┬áBut in the meantime, if Sabonis is on the board at this point in the draft, then they have to take the value. ┬áHereÔÇÖs a guy projected to go Top 12 dropping all the way to 19. ┬áIf anything, having him here could increase the trade value of the pick. ┬á

20. Brooklyn Nets┬á| ┬áJuan Hernangomez ÔÇö┬áSpain

Tibs: You gotta love that thereÔÇÖs a second Herangomez coming to the league. JuanÔÇÖs brother Willy was drafted in the second round by the Knicks last year and word from the Chad FordÔÇÖs of the world is that Juan is rising up draft boards into the teens. Since weÔÇÖre now at pick #20, and Brooklyn, who acquired the pick today, could use help anywhere, why not grab the Spaniard?

21. Atlanta Hawks┬á | ┬áMalik Beasley ÔÇö Florida St.

Jose: Rumors are Beasley could go to Atlanta at 12 and doesnÔÇÖt make it past Indiana. ┬áIf thatÔÇÖs the case, then weÔÇÖre absolutely wrong. ┬áBut if Atlanta really does like him and they still own the 21st pick with his name on the board, then they absolutely take the young SG from Florida St. ┬áAfter having traded away Justin Holiday and with a 35 year old Kyle Korver on the wing, it makes sense to replenish the cabinet with a high upside scorer. ┬áGood value at this point in our mock.

22. Charlotte Hornets┬á| ┬áDeAndre Bembry ÔÇö St. Joseph’s

Tibs:┬áOh man, Kyle Korver is 35?! I have vivid memories of my white, blonde friend imitating Kyle Korver during his Creighton tournament run like it was yesterday. Not to mention his Bulls Bench Mob DaysÔǪ Life comes at you fast.

Alas, the Hornets have been likened to Denzel Valentine in mocks that IÔÇÖve seen this week so I thought, since Valentine is off our board, that another versatile, experienced forward could be the pick: DeAndre Bembry. The senior showed some polish this past season and has reportedly performed well in workouts. I can get behind this pick if I were in the Bee Hive (?) Hornets Hive? Whatever theyÔÇÖre called, but I want to see a game in person on their honeycomb floor. Jose, youÔÇÖre still down for that, right?

UPDATE:

Sacramento is trading guard Marco Belinelli to Charlotte for the No. 22 pick, league sources tell @TheVertical.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 23, 2016

But this means I get to use this GIF here instead…

23. Boston Celtics┬á | ┬áIvica Zubac┬áÔÇö┬áMega Leks

Jose:┬áThatÔÇÖs two guys drafted from Mega Leks! (Luwawu is the other.) And I know youÔÇÖre lying if youÔÇÖve ever heard of Mega Leks before this draft. ┬á

Let’s take a step back from this pick and look at BostonÔÇÖs situation. ┬áWhile their future is still bright, the money pick has always been the Brooklyn pick. ┬áWhen the draft turned out to be a weak one and Boston wasnÔÇÖt guaranteed the elite tier of players, they were suddenly stuck with 3 first round picks and bajillion 2nd round picks in a draft where no one wants to trade. ┬áI think because of that, they just focus on grabbing a high upside Euro they can flip in a trade sometime in the future.

That Euro ends up being Zubac in this case. ┬áHereÔÇÖs what I know about him:

HeÔÇÖs big HeÔÇÖs Euro He plays for Mega Leks HeÔÇÖs 16th on Draft ExpressÔÇÖ mock draft. ┬á

Value!

24. Philadelphia 76ers┬á| ┬áTaurean Prince ÔÇö Baylor

Tibs:┬áPhilly could use more help on the wing, as well as some experience over yet another prospect, so if they keep this and Taurean Prince is still available, he feels like a good fit. I hope he goes to a bigger market though for more high-profile interview possibilitiesÔǪ

25. Los Angeles Clippers┬á |┬áBrice Johnson ÔÇö┬áNorth Carolina

Jose: DoesnÔÇÖt it seem like the Clippers are slowly moving closer and closer to selling everything off and starting over? ┬áThis is a team with all the starting talent in the world but zero bench. ┬áDoc Rivers hasnÔÇÖt proven he can run the dual role of coach and front office executive, so it doesnÔÇÖt look like theyÔÇÖll add much help. ┬áAnd then they have to compete with the Warriors, Spurs, and possibly the Thunder (depending on Durant) for the foreseeable future, and they may be stuck in playoff purgatory. ┬áPlus with the team playing better without Griffin at times last season, and it doesnÔÇÖt seem all that surprising that drafting a backup 4 as a ÔÇ£just in caseÔÇØ could happen. ┬áWhich is too bad, because I want to see the Clippers be successful. ┬áJust with a different logo. Yeesh.

26. Philadelphia 76ers┬á| ┬áDemetrius Jackson ÔÇö┬áNotre Dame

Tibs:┬áI wasnÔÇÖt quite nodding my head at the first part of your Clippers paragraph (I think Doc will roll with essentially the same squad and see what happens by February) but I did nod at the pick of Brice Johnson and then shook my head again at the thought of their logo. *Klay Thompson voice* Sheesh.. Way off.┬á

Klay Thompson badly misreads stat sheet: "Is that right? Nope, nevermind. 15. Way off" pic.twitter.com/TYmP7o0M1a

— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) May 25, 2016

(This proved to be my favorite moment of the playoffs when all was said and done.)

I was hoping IÔÇÖd get to pick Brice on an even number though to talk about him, but I will here anyway.

If you didnt think Im a basketball nerd by now, my buddy GR and I started a 2K Franchise in April, created ourselves (obviously), and then did a Fantasy Draft. Were the Lakers (we both just moved to LA) but drafted a host of former Bulls (Joakim, Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Kyle Korver, etc.)  and holdonasec, now they all are really former Bulls  Anyways, we won the title the first year, then did an NBA Draft with this class going into year two. Right around here, we picked Brice Johnson and he became our starting Power Forward in Year 2. And man I love the 2K version of Brice Johnson. Hes athletic, can get rebounds, and finish around the basket. I went from being completely indifferent on the UNC senior to rooting for him IRL as much as I am Buddy Hield. Ill even root for him on the Clippers.

Alas, IÔÇÖm picking here for Philadelphia again. I actually know Demetrius Jackson first from Steph Curry shoutouts on Twitter when Jackson attended his camp. The co-sign is a good first impression and he seemed to have a good season at Notre Dame. I feel like he can help a lot of teams at backup point in this part of the first round.

27. Toronto Raptors┬á | ┬áAnte Zizic ÔÇö┬áCroatia

Jose: Another draft and stash player for the Raptors, who can take advantage of the low cost draft slot to bring him over in a few years for a ridiculously below market rate. Seriously, the next CBA negotiations might be ugly.

28. Phoenix Suns┬á| ┬áCheick Diallo ÔÇö┬áKansas

Tibs: One of those raw potential guys who barely played and was productive at Kansas but was highly rated going in and projects well to the NBA game. Who knows if heÔÇÖs good but if he ends up here (behind where IÔÇÖve seen him in other mocks) then someone will roll the dice ÔÇö the Suns, or otherwise.

29. San Antonio Spurs┬á | ┬áDamian Jones ÔÇö Vanderbilt

Jose: The Spurs always seem to know what theyÔÇÖre doing. ┬áSo IÔÇÖll trust whoever they take here will have a decent NBA career. ┬áBut despite his cult status, Boban Marjanovic isnÔÇÖt the future at center after Duncan retires. ┬áWorking in a big into the culture makes the most sense from this perspective.

30. Golden State Warriors┬á| ┬áDiamond Stone ÔÇö┬áMaryland

Tibs: How dare you undervalue Boban?! I hope the Bulls max him out this summer (Jose: Because athleticism!)

Better yet, maybe the Warriors should after the pu-pu platter performance from Festus Ezeli and Anderson Varejao in Game 7 (This wound is still raw, too. Was hella rooting for the Warriors.) With nearly all of the Dubs centers in flux as free agents this summer, I feel confident in assuming they go big with their 30th pick. Diamond Stone is a big body and another highly rated young guy who could fall this late. Why not go the redshirt route with a freshman prospect as the Dubs figure out more pressing questions this offseason? #LetHarrisonBarnesGo

* * * *

Jose: As always, how many do you think we got correct? ┬áI was pretty optimistic and said seven last year. ┬áI think we had four. ┬áSo this year IÔÇÖm doing a full 180 and saying we only have three right.

Tibs: Hah! I always think we do well and weÔÇÖll get double digits but weÔÇÖre so wrong. My crowning jewel last year was nailing the Spurs obscure pick. Alas, this year, I think weÔÇÖll get a solid 7. I feel good about our top 8 and if we mess that up early then it screws up everything else.

By the way, IÔÇÖm reading Ingram is the Lakers pick barring a last minute blockbuster trade so weÔÇÖll definitely have 2 picks right off the bat!

Jose: Which should say something about how pessimistic I am weÔÇÖll get this right. ┬áIt all hinges on the Boston pick, and I think I made a pretty big leap of faith. ┬á

Tibs: Well, FWIW, I would pick Dunn too there and heÔÇÖs up there with Buddy as my rookies that IÔÇÖm rooting for next season/beyond.

So I hope your Wolves take one of them because Im looking for a new team..

Jose: Never thought IÔÇÖd see the day where a Bulls fan is thinking about jumping on the Wolves bandwagon. ┬áPretty sure hell has frozen over. ┬áI canÔÇÖt wait until we sign Noah and bring on Hinrich as an assistant. ┬áYouÔÇÖre going to lose your damn mind.

Tibs: Hell, IÔÇÖd embrace all the former Bulls in Minnesota. This is what management does to a fanbase sometimes (Jose: Because someone who had to live through Kevin McHale and David Kahn would know ÔÇöÔÇö i thought of you and Danny). As a matter of fact, trade Jimmy to your Wolves too and IÔÇÖll fully commit. ┬áWolves-Knicks Finals 2017!

Jose: ┬áIÔÇÖm rooting for Wolves-Bucks in 2019. ┬áThink about how pissed off the TV networks would be having to showcase Minneapolis and Milwaukee to the country. ┬áAt least Ôàô of the viewing audience probably couldnÔÇÖt point out both cities on a map!

Tibs: Hah! IÔÇÖd love it. For that reason, and honestly, those two young cores are League Pass fun already.

Jose: Game 7, Giannis is guarding Towns or vice-versa. ┬áIÔÇÖd freak out harder than I do when I see a triple layer chocolate fudge cake. ┬áWhich, if you didnÔÇÖt know, is more than it should be. ┬á

Tibs: IÔÇÖm honestly going to drive and get ice cream now because Rose.

Jose: Trust me when I say that the best sports sadness ice cream is Ben and JerryÔÇÖs.

Tibs (10:48pm last night):

* * * *

Thanks for reading, seriously guys. If you made it this far, you honestly might want to check our last two mocks ÔÇö 2014 and 2015 ÔÇö because reading things in hindsight are always fun, embarrassing, and about 5% of the time correct.

This was at the end of last year’s post and I deemed it appropriate to close out this year’s post too.

The post The GWHH 2016 NBA Mock Draft appeared first on Gowhere Hip Hop.

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