Orlando Pinstriped Post community mock Draft 2014

Before the 2014 NBA Draft, members of the Orlando Pinstriped Post community signed up, at Tyler Lashbrook's urging, to take control of a team of their choosing in a mock Draft. Here are the results, with Tyler's commentary. - ED

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (travell7288) -- Andrew Wiggins
   

   travell7288 first picked Joel Embiid, but came back and switched to Wiggins after the Embiid injury news broke. I don't blame him: Wiggins is a fantastic prospect and also fills a need in Cleveland.

2. Milwaukee Bucks (Aaron Goldstone) -- Jabari Parker
   

   Aaron picks up his guy in Jabari. No real surprise here. Who wouldn't be ecstatic with Mr. Parker?

3. Philadelphia 76ers (HeyRiles) -- Joel Embiid
   

   I like it, Riles. The Sixers and general manager Sam Hinkie can afford to be patient with Embiid. I'm not sure how he fits with Nerlens Noel, but that doesn't even matter at this point.

4. Orlando Magic (Troy Denston) -- Dante Exum
   

   Troy, picking for your dear Magic, grabbed Exum with the fourth overall pick. I'll let the community be the judge here. My take: Even after the Embiid injury news sent the top of the draft through a whirlwind, Troy got his guy. That has to feel nice.

5. Utah Jazz (s.nguyen) -- Noah Vonleh
   

   s.nguyen grabbed Vonleh, solidifying Utah's frontcourt and opening up the possibility of its trading either Derrick Favors or Enes Kanter.

6. Boston Celtics (shaun.osmun) -- Aaron Gordon
   

   shaun grabbed Gordon, a five-tool player who needs to work on his jumper. He might never be a star, but he has all the makings of a versatile, defensively oriented playmaker.

7. Los Angeles Lakers (VinnieDaSquad) -- Julius Randle
   

   If you're going to start your roster with a clean slate, there's few better choices than Randle here.

8. Sacramento Kings (tankapalooza) -- Marcus Smart
   

   You can be happy here, tank. You got the fourth guy on your board with the eighth pick. Smart is an interesting fit in Sacramento: he can play alongside Isaiah Thomas or slide into that starting spot, allowing Thomas to fill a sixth-man role.

9. Charlotte Hornets (Killablin) -- Dario Šarić
   

   To KillaBlin's credit, he sent me his board before news broke that Saric would remain overseas for at least two years. Charlotte could have used someone to come in and play immediately, but Saric will look like a good pick when he decides to come over. I definitely can't imagine the Hornets making this pick, though.

10. Philadelphia 76ers (HeyRiles) -- Doug McDermott
    

    HeyRiles scooped up a type of player Philadelphia desperately needs: a shooter. It's interesting to me how following strictly off a big board works. You guys blindly send me your big boards, unaware of how the draft will unfold. That forces you to very strictly pick players, despite what happens earlier in the draft. In this case, it actually works out for HeyRiles. He gets a long-term project in Embiid at three and someone who can step in and fill a need immediately near the back end.

11. Denver Nuggets (MoveThoseChains) -- Nik Stauskas
    

    I have to think that MTC will be ecstatic selecting Stauskas here. He had him pretty high on his board and Denver now has a running partner for Ty Lawson. Stauskas is an efficient player and scorer. He could help Denver out immediately.

12. Orlando Magic (Troy Denston) -- Zach LaVine
    

    Another case in demonstrating the shortcomings of using a cement big board. Troy grabbed Exum with his first pick, then nabbed LaVine, another high-potential guard, with his second. If Troy knew that he was getting Exum, he may have chosen a different play with this pick. Regardless, he put together a very young and intriguing backcourt rotation, adding Exum and LaVine into the Magic mix with Victor Oladipo.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves (Tyler Lashbrook) -- Gary Harris
    

    MY TURN. GIMME GIMME GIMME.

14. Phoenix Suns (cyberstrike) -- Kyle Anderson
    

    cyber was very high on Anderson and snagged him with the No. 14 pick. I really like Anderson, but I wonder how he fits with Phoenix. The Suns already have two primary ballhandlers in Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic, so it's reasonable to expect Anderson to play mostly with reserve units. Plus, Anderson plays so slow, whereas Phoenix likes to play fast. It's an intriguing option, though, given that shooters would surround Anderson at all times.

15. Atlanta Hawks (BigMac)-- James Young
    

    Atlanta needed a wing and BigMac snagged the... *puts shades on*... YOUNGest one in the draft.
    ... I'll see myself out.

16. Chicago Bulls (BBQ Chicken Madness) -- Rodney Hood
    

    Chicago needs shooting. Chicago gets shooting. Not to mention Hood can play both ends of the floor. Well done, BBQ.

17. Boston Celtics (shaun.osmun)-- Tyler Ennis
    

    This pick is one of the most intriguing ones in the Draft and I like the haul that shaun came away with here: Gordon and Ennis. Ennis could work behind Rajon Rondo for a while and gives Boston the leverage to trade the veteran point guard, if it so chooses.

18. Phoenix Suns (cyberstrike) -- Adreian Payne
    

    Love this pick. Payne would add more floor spacing from the big man position to the Suns' roster filled with floor-spacing bigs.

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19. Chicago Bulls (BBQ Chicken Madness) -- Jusuf Nurkić
    

    I was wondering where Nurkić would land. He fouls a ton, but I'd love to see him work with Tom Thibodeau.

20. Toronto Raptors (Tyler Lashbrook) -- Elfrid Payton
    

    I'm not big on Payton in the top 10, but if the Raptors can scoop him up at No. 20, then they absolutely should. Who knows what's going to happen with Kyle Lowry and, if anything, Payton could provide a similar defensive presence.

21. Oklahoma City Thunder (aidan) -- Glenn Robinson III
    

    Good athlete, big wingspan. Sounds like a guy the Thunder would like.

22. Memphis Grizzlies (Tyler Lashbrook) -- T.J. Warren
    

    I Debated picking P.J. Hairston or Jordan Adams here for their outside shooting, but I'm going to roll with Warren, who I think is, along with Adams, the best scorer left at this point. Memphis could use an extra boost on offense.

23. Utah Jazz (s.nguyen)-- Jerami Grant
    

    At this point in the draft, the Jazz are just accumulating assets. Grant is a fantastic athlete.

24. Charlotte Hornets (killablin) -- Shabazz Napier
    

    My favorite pick of the Draft. Not because I love Napier or anything like that, but because we get Shabazz and Kemba Walker back on the same team. Can we just make this happen??
    

25. Houston Rockets (BigMac) -- P.J. Hairston
    

    Houston adds another shooter who likes to get to the rim and can play a little defense. It'd be ecstatic with Hairston here.

26. Miami Heat (Troy Denston) -- Clint Capela
    

    Miami grabs Capela, turns him into Serge Ibaka because of course.

27. Phoenix Suns (cyberstrike) -- Jordan Clarkson
    

    Sneaky good pick here near the end of the first round. The Suns come away with Kyle Anderson, Adreian Payne, and Jordan Clarkson. Not a bad haul. That's why having so many picks is so much fun.

28. Los Angeles Clippers (Tyler Lashbrook) -- Jordan Adams
    

    I really wanted to grab Jarnell Stokes here, but I'm sticking to my guns and going with Adams. I've blabbered about him enough, but he's just a very good scorer and a better defender than he's given credit for. Not a fantastic athlete, but the dude can play basketball.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder (aidan) -- Nick Johnson
    

    Interesting. If Johnson were to thrive anywhere, it'd be in OKC.

30. San Antonio Spurs (Deroa) -- Bogdan Bogdanović
    

    Let's just go ahead and chalk up Bogdanovic as the 2017 NBA Finals MVP. It's inevitable, isn't it?

Thank you everyone for participating and allowing me to dream up tons of different scenarios for these guys. I hope you guys enjoyed doing this. I think it's a fun little exercise to do before the real Draft.