NBA Draft update: Workout expected for 76er's, Cousins; Wizards make way for UK's Wall

1st – Washington Wizards: John Wall

The consensus No. 1 pick is former UK point guard and has the potential to become one of the NBA’s most exciting players in a matter of weeks. Wall—if selected with the first overall pick—would become the starting point guard, with recent head case Gilbert Arenas moving over to the shooting guard position. The succession of veteran to rookie, leads the new look Wizards as management revamps an underwhelming roster of former first and second round picks. Wall would become the ‘go-to-guy’ in his first year on the job.

Wall could end up working out for several teams, but if Washington gives a clear indication that Wall will be the No. 1 pick, teams will likely move on to the next guy on the list. The Wizards will get what GM’s consider the ‘hands-down, best pick in the draft,’ giving Washington fans a reason to cheer for their NBA basketball team. Wall is the future point guard of the Washington Wizards.

4th – Minnesota Timberwolves: DeMarcus Cousins (6, 7, 4, 4, 3, 4)
Cousins stock has been slipping recently due to what many think is now a weight-issue that adds on to the notion that he has ‘character issues.’ Cousins can’t get a break and may suffer from that when the draft roles around in June. We’ll go with the former Kentucky center getting taken at No. 4 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, as three of the sites used had Cousins heading up north to team up with Kevin Love in the post.

Cousins needs to recognize the importance of staying in shape and proving the naysayers wrong. He had a very good year while at Kentucky, but could struggle with the change in lifestyle in the NBA. There really shouldn’t be any problems moving forward and could be a great pick up for any team that grabs him early in the draft. NBADraft.net has him at No. 7 going to Detroit, while I have him going to New Jersey at No. 3. There is word that the 76er’s are looking to work out both Cousins and Georgia Tech’s Derrick Favors which could lead to a potential one-two punch, as Kentucky snags the top two selections in the draft.

11th – New Orleans Hornets: Patrick Patterson (22, 20, 6, 11, 11, 11)
Patterson is all over the boards ranging from 22nd—ESPN’s Chad Ford has him going to Portland—as high as being the sixth overall selection going to the Warriors—NBADraft.net slates Patterson as a top-pick—making Patterson one the higher-paid rookies of 2010. For our sake, he comes in at No. 11, just on the very fringe of the first-round lottery selections.

The former Wildcats superstar did very well in the NBA pre-draft camps and played his to the top of draft boards while doing interviews with league and team management. Personnel rave that Patterson is mature beyond his years and can fit in with any organization that selects him in June’s draft. It will be interesting to see where he’s ultimately taken, but we’ll go with 11th to the Hornets with three sites having Patterson going to New Orleans.

13th – Toronto Raptors: Daniel Orton (18, 21, 13, 13, 11, 13)
Orton appears to be a lottery pick, but no one knows for certain where he’ll end up when everything is said and done. The controversial center made headlines for not finishing out his time at Kentucky, forgoing the rest of his classes while working out in California to get ready for the draft. Despite the fact, Orton still projects as a solid contributor for one of the lottery teams.

The former Wildcats reserve gets noticed for his defensive abilities, with an overlooked offensive game that will develop with more time and dedication. It appears that Toronto could get Orton’s services, bolstering a fairly week front-line that includes All-Star Chris Bosh. It looks as if Bosh could be elsewhere next season via free agency, leaving Orton to man the middle for a depleted Raptors lineup. Hoopsworld.com has Orton going 21st to the Thunder, which would give them another solid young athlete. ESPN’s Chad Ford has Orton heading to New Orleans and playing for the Hornets. Hoopsworld.com even went as far as to say that Orton is ‘over-hyped,’ his talents far off from what people like Ford believe is true. We’ll go with 13th to the Raptors.

25th – Oklahoma City Thunder: Eric Bledsoe (25, 36, 26, 38, 18, 26)
Bledsoe is making recent news due to a report that he could have been involved with violating NCAA rules while in high-school. The report that was first reported by the New York Times and Pete Thamel now brings unwanted attention to a program that has dealt with NCAA infractions years ago. For draft’s sake, Bledsoe is making news in other ways, particularly with his athleticism and ability to transition to the next level.

Bledsoe’s game could very well be more fit with the NBA style, but there are still some glaring holes to his game. Lack of focus, turnovers, and inconsistencies on offense give way to Bledsoe slipping in the 2010 NBA Draft. He’s a force getting to the rim and has the strength of Paul Bunyan, but will have to work hard to get to the top. ESPN’s Chad Ford has him going 18th to the Miami Heat with Hoopsworld.com dropping all the way to the 38th pick and the New York Knicks. We’re going to go with Bledsoe being selected with the 26th overall pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Mock Draft Contributors: Hoopsworld.com, NBADraft.net, DraftExpress.com, Andrew Hardison’s Mock Draft, HoopsHype.com, ESPN’s Chad Ford Mock Draft (in no particular order)

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