NBA draft update: A last look before Tuesday's official lottery selection – Could Wall and Bledsoe be teammates for the Nets?

by Andrew Hardison

It’s been a while since the season ended, but Tuesday will bring some NBA team’s great fortunes while others sit back and watch their team’s future go down the drain. Franchises’ like the New Jersey Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Sacramento Kings could land the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and change the outlook of their immediate and distant future’s. For others, they won’t be so lucky. Here’s a look at the last ‘unofficial’ NBA Draft outlook:

1st – New Jersey Nets: John Wall, point guard (6’4”, 195 lbs.)
Despite the presence of current point guard and former All-Star Devin Harris, the Nets have their sights on one of the nation’s most talented players regardless of position. Wall would give the Nets a new ‘icon’ to build around even if they strike out on free agent and superstar LeBron James.

Wall gets it done with his speed and athleticism. He’ll need a lot of work on his shooting, but current Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose now has a serviceable jumper from about 18-feet in all due to hard work and dedication. If Wall can get that end of his game down, defenders will struggle to keep the fastest player in college basketball in front of them.

There has been only one indicator that would push Wall out of the top spot and that would be if the Utah Jazz somehow received the first overall selection via the New York Knicks (a 2.2% chance that occurs) simply because the Jazz already have the best point guard in the game in Deron Williams. Look for Wall to be the first player selected in the 2010 NBA Draft.

4th – Golden State Warriors: DeMarcus Cousins, center (6’11”, 280 lbs.)When was the last time the Golden State Warriors had a dominate center?  Probably never. Cousins could change all of that if he is selected by the Warriors with the fourth overall selection. Chris Webber is probably the last formidable big man Golden State has seen suit up for the Warriors, but he was more of a power forward rather than NBA center.

Cousins has an all-around game for a center, but lacks the ability to hit a consistent jump-shot. He’s quick around the basket and has incredible hands and feet for someone so young. NBADraft.net has an updated mock draft that has Cousins slated as the sixth overall pick to the Philadelphia 76er’s, but to me that is far too low for a talent like Cousins. If any team passes on him, they’ll be forgoing a future NBA All-Star down the road.

11th – New Orleans Hornets: Daniel Orton, center (6’10”, 255 lbs)
This is probably the biggest shocker of the 2010 NBA Draft if it comes true. Months ago, Orton wasn’t even considered a lottery pick as many questioned his decision to even think about coming out early to enter the 2010 draft. However, playing alongside and against the nation’s most dominate player (Cousins) apparently has prepared Orton enough to put and keep his name in this year’s draft.

Orton has shot up the draft-board’s and now sits as the 10th best prospect according to ESPN’s Chad Ford. Some team is going to take a look at Orton early on in the draft because he provides a ton of upside and you can’t teach size in the NBA. At 6’10” and 255 lbs. Orton would give the Hornets a solid front-line playing alongside the likes of David West and Emeka Okafor.

12th – Memphis Grizzlies: Patrick Patterson, power forward (6’8”, 235 lbs.)
Patterson’s position within this year’s draft has been fairly consistent. He’s been projected as a Top-15 pick since the 2009-2010 seasons started and much hasn’t changed. Patterson is rated as the 20th best prospect coming out according to Chad Ford and has the ability to make an impact in his first season based off of experience and production from years past.

Patterson’s improvement on the offensive side of the game has many NBA scouts and general managers salivating simply because the junior All-American added a jump-shot to his repertoire. His workouts last summer fortified his physique, creating an NBA-ready body that could have him in a starting role or a key backup position with any team that drafts him.

31th – New Jersey Nets: Eric Bledsoe, point guard (6’1”, 195 lbs)
Bledsoe has been the most inconsistent in terms of positioning within the 2010 NBA Draft going from the lottery to as low as the second round all within a month of the 2009-2010 college basketball seasons ending.

The most interesting thing going for Bledsoe is the fact that he is the second highest rated point guard in this year’s draft, behind former teammate John Wall. According to NBADraft.net, the Nets will look to add depth at the point guard spot with the selection of Bledsoe at the 30th overall pick. Bledsoe brings a lot of talent to the court, but has yet to have experience in leading a team. I think that will be his biggest setback going forward and NBA teams may waver on picking Bledsoe so high without knowing everything about him. It could go the other way however, if teams select Bledsoe with their lottery selection and he shines in the point guard role because of his exceptional talents. Outside of Orton, Bledsoe is the hardest former Kentucky player to project in the 2010 NBA Draft.

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