Our mock draft rolls on with the latter half of the Top 10, where many of the prospects are graded very equally and it comes down to either what teams need or who they like for a particular reason. The consensus picks in this year's draft really end after pick No. 1, but we think our next two have a good chance of being plucked at five and six.
And so, let us continue our 2009 NBA Lottery Mock Draft with the Washington Wizards on the clock (for now).
5. Wizards: Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona
There is a lot of talk about the Wizards trading this pick, possibly for another proven veteran, but many of the teams they are presumably talking to are also interested in Hill. Despite our saying that this was more of a guard heavy draft, Hill becomes the third big man taken in the top five picks. With the lack of quality big men available later, it makes sense. Hill made some great strides at Arizona this season with averages of 18 points and 11 boards per contest, and his 6-10 size is ideal for a power forward in the NBA. While he has a lot of potential, particularly at the defensive end of the court, his offensive skill set is questionable at this point. Still, he's talented enough to warrant this pick--regardless of which team eventually owns the selection.
6. Timberwolves: Tyreke Evans, G, Memphis
Stop us if you've heard this before: a Memphis guard with the ability to create his own shot, pass the ball effectively, use his quickness to force turnovers on the defensive end, and bring a game changing ability to the NBA. Evans is a very intriguing young guard for all of the above reasons, and the Timberwolves are certainly doing their homework on him. He needs to improve his shot from long range, but many of his shots are in transition as he makes offense out of sound defense. There are some flaws in his game, but there is enough talent and, as NBA draft experts love to say, upside to overcome his weaknesses.
That's it for this edition of our 2009 NBA Mock Draft. Check out the previous entries in the upper right hand column of this page and stay tuned for more throughout the weekend.
