2013 NBA Draft Live Results

With the first pick of the 2013 NBA Draft almost in, Sports Junkie Online will be live-blogging the entire first round with results and analysis

1. Cleveland Cavaliers select forward Anthony Bennett of UNLV
Analysis: It didn't take long for the first surprise of the draft, as the Cavaliers passed on Nerlens Noel and Alex Len. The Cavaliers have a need in the frontcourt, and Bennett reminds me some of Timberwolves forward Derrick Williams. He's a bit of a tweener, but has the athleticism, size and overall game to become a very good NBA player. It will be interesting to see how he fits alongside Tristan Thompson, as they will be competing for minutes in the frontcourt.

2. Orlando Magic select shooting guard Victor Oladipo of Indiana
The has a need at shooting guard, and Oladipo could potentially develop into a great offensive player. An excellent athlete, Oladipo has the length, strength and athleticism to defend wings right away, and can hit the open three while at Indiana. While Nikola Vucevic is there, I'm surprised that the team did pass on Noel. Perhaps the knee injury is scaring teams off. Oladipo has a very high floor, and at very worst, should be a more athletic version of Portland guard Wesley Matthews.

3. Washington Wizards select small forward Otto Porter of Georgetown
With a need at small forward, Porter is a safe pick whose versatile game will fit in well with John Wall and Bradley Beal. He's not necessarily a great defender, and will need to improve his jumper, but has above-average court vision and like Oladipo, should be a starter right away for the Wizards. Ariza is best as a high-energy reserve, but Porter could come in as a second-unit facilitator.

4. Charlotte Bobcats select forward/center Cody Zeller of Indiana
Charlotte with a bit of a reach here, as the team sorely needs to improve it's interior defense, as well as on the wing. Ben McLemore would have made a lot more sense, as would taking someone with a high ceiling like Alex Len or Nerlens Noel (one of whom will likely go next to Phoenix). Zeller has better athleticism than he gets credit for, but needs to get stronger to hold position in the post defensively.

5. Phoenix Suns select center Alex Len of Maryland
Len is another good athlete who is a bit of a project. Like Zeller, he'll need to add play with more consistency and effort, but flashes more defensively than Zeller and has a solid offensive game. My biggest concern over taking someone this high is that he didn't land on any of the three All-ACC teams. He should be in the rotation for new coach Jeff Hornacek, and should develop into a serviceable NBA center in a couple of years. The lack of production against collegiate competition is a concern.

6. New Orleans Pelicans select forward/center Nerlens Noel of Kentucky (proposed trade to Philadelphia)
Back-to-back years that New Orleans selects a Kentucky big man with their first pick in the draft. While frighteningly similar to Anthony Davis in body build and game, Noel is the slightly better athlete, but needs more development to his offensive game, which consists of mostly of putbacks and dunks. I almost think this pick was made for another team, as their potential front line is too similar for my liking.

Update: According to ESPN, Noel is likely on the move the 76ers, who have the 11th pick.

7. Sacramento Kings select shooting guard Ben McLemore of Kansas
A high-ceiling player who projects as a top-tier shooting guard down the road. He's got a great jump shot, but like Bradley Beal last year, needs to work on the ability to create his own shot. This likely shows that the team isn't likely to retain guard/forward Tyreke Evans, who is a restricted free agent this summer.

I'm going to guess this Pistons will take Michigan point guard Trey Burke, which would allow Brandon Knight to slide to his more natural two-guard position.

8. Detroit Pistons select shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of Georgia
Caldwell-Pope is a good athlete whose long wingspan will wreak havoc on the passing lanes. He's also got a great shooting stroke, but needs to develop his ball-handling and positioning on defense. It looks like the Pistons believe that Knight will be their long-term answer at point guard. A nice young core is developing in Detroit, as Knight, KCP, Monroe and Drummond could develop into an exciting young team.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves select point guard Trey Burke of Michigan (proposed trade to Utah)
With Ricky Rubio still in the fold, this has got to be a selection for another team. Burke is a winner, and has a solid shooting stroke, but his lack of size and only average athleticism will make it more difficult to get into the lane like he was able to in college. He'll make good decisions with the basketball, and whoever gets Burke (assuming Flip Saunders isn't taking a page out of former GM David Kahn's book in drafting point guards) should have a solid point guard and excellent leader.

ESPN is reporting that Burke is potentially on his way to Utah, who badly needs a point guard.

10. Portland Trail Blazers select guard C.J. McCollum of Lehigh
McCollum will likely come in as a reserve, but has the ball-handling ability to play alongside Lillard to get more looks off the ball. McCollum has a great shooting stroke, and can come off screens, as well as create his own shot. Portland was in dire need of bench production last year, and if McCollum is actually Portland's pick, should fill a major need for the team.

11. Philadelphia 76ers select point guard Michael Carter-Williams of Syracuse
With Jrue Holiday rumored to be on the move (reported by Yahoo! and ESPN) in the deal to acquire Noel, the Sixers grab their new point guard of the future. At 6'6", MCW has the size to be a major disruptor, and has great floor vision. While his decision-making and shooting need some work, he has the biggest upside of any point guard in the draft.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder select center Steven Adams of Pittsburgh
Kendrick Perkins' effectiveness has waned some over the past year, so the Thunder grab a bit of a project in Adams. Adams flashed above-average athleticism at the draft combine, and has an NBA-ready body. Adams can learn behind Perkins for the next year, and will likely be a defensive cog in the middle a couple of years down the road.

13. Dallas Mavericks select forward/center Kelly Olynyk of Gonzaga
According to a Yahoo! report, Olynyk is on the move to the Celtics. If that holds true, the team gets a stretch big man who can contribute in a rotation right away. He's got a decent face-up game, and is also a good passer for a big man. He won't do much of anything defensively, but should work as a high-post facilitator as well.

14. Utah Jazz select guard Shabazz Muhammad of UCLA (proposed trade to Minnesota)
The Timberwolves need scoring at the wing, and while Muhammad needs to work on his right hand, he has an NBA body and should be able to attack the basket effectively in the pros. He's got a great wingspan, but needs to work harder on the defensive end to become a good starter down the road. Backcourt shots should be available for Minnesota, and Muhammad is not shy about taking them.

15. Milwaukee Bucks select small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo
A Youtube highlight reel waiting to happen, Antetokounmpo has a solid all-around skill set. While he doesn't want to stay in Europe another season, he'll need to add more muscle and learn the game of basketball more before he can be a contributor for the Bucks, who seem to be in rebuilding mode.

16. Boston Celtics select center Lucas Noguiera of Brazil (proposed trade with Atlanta through Dallas)
Noguiera has a great wingspan and the ability to block shots, but doesn't rebound at a high rate and needs to add more bulk to his seven-foot frame (215 pounds). While his offense is almost non-existent, interior defense is always at a premium, and "Bebe" should find his way into an NBA rotation in the future.

17. Atlanta Hawks select point guard Dennis Schroeder of Germany
A long, athletic point guard, Schroeder has shown the ability to score in a variety of ways in Europe, and has the potential to develop into a good perimeter defender. With Jeff Teague a restricted free agent, Schroeder could be a potential replacement if the team were to lose Teague this offseason.

18. Atlanta Hawks select point guard Shane Larkin of Miami (FL) (proposed trade to Dallas)
The son of Hall of Fame baseball player Barry, Shane is somewhat undersized at 5'10", but has great athleticism. A heady player, Larkin's ability to shoot the ball helps open up the lane, where he does a great job of finding the open shooter on the kickout.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers select shooting guard Sergey Karasev of Russia
Karasev is only a so-so athlete, but plays has a great basketball IQ, and his jump shot is NBA ready. Karasev is has the potential to be a starter if he can improve his defense more, but he'll earn most of his playing time in the second-unit.

20. Chicago Bulls select shooting guard Tony Snell of New Mexico
The Bulls lacked perimeter shooting last season, and with Derrick Rose returning next season, a floor spacer was an absolute must. Snell has a great jumpshot, and has enough length and athleticism to become a respectable defender in the league. Great pickup by Chicago.

21. Utah Jazz select Louisville center Gorgui Dieng (proposed trade with Minnesota)
Dieng reminds me of a little more polished offensive version of Festus Ezeli. While Dieng may not have a lot of upside, he has an emerging face-up game to go along with good shot-blocking, cleans the glass well and has a great defensive IQ.

22. New Jersey Nets select center Mason Plumlee of Duke
Plumlee is a high-energy player that rebounds at a high rate and provides the team with an athletic frountcourt player. While his offensive game is still evolving and he isn't a great defender, Plumlee fits nicely into the Nets' rotation.

23. Indiana Pacers select forward Solomon Hill of Arizona
Hill is a 'tweener forward, and he does a little bit of everything well. While he lacks the lateral quickness to guard the best NBA small forwards, Hill has a good basketball IQ and could find himself in the rotation backing up Paul George and Danny Granger.

24. New York Knicks select shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. of Michigan
With Iman Shumpert already in the fold, the addition of Hardaway likely means the team is likely going to allow J.R. Smith to walk in free agency. A good athlete who can shoot the ball well and has the potential to become a good defender due to his combination of length and athleticism.

25. Los Angeles Clippers select guard/forward Reggie Bullock of North Carolina
A solid shooter, Bullock can defend both wing positions, and is also a solid rebounder. Bullock will likely find himself in the rotation early, as Caron Butler's effectiveness fading and Grant Hill retiring leaves a lot of wing minutes open.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves select Andre Roberson (proposed trade with Thunder through Golden State)
Roberson is a bit undersized for a power forward at 6'7" and 206 pounds, but he's a great rebounder and weakside shot-blocker. His offensive game is still developing but can play both forward positions if the team decides to go with a small lineup.

27. Denver Nuggets select center Rudy Gobert of France
Gobert needs to spend another year in Europe to continue his development, as the Nuggets have a good amount of depth in the frontcourt. With a 7'9" wingspan, Gobert has the length to be a very good shot-blocker, and is a decent athlete.

Update: There is apparently a trade in the works between the Nuggets and Jazz regarding Gobert. If it's true, Gobert has a better chance of coming over, as both Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson are free agents this summer, and Gobert provides the team a complimentary backup to likely '13-'14 starter Enes Kanter at center.

28. San Antonio Spurs select forward Livio Jean-Charles of France
Jean-Charles provides the team with a potential Euro-stash that could develop into a rotation-caliber combo forward in the mold of Travis Outlaw. He has a great wingspan, and if he wants to play for Pop, Jean-Charles will need to develop more on defense.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder select shooting guard Archie Goodwin of Kentucky (proposed trade with Phoenix through Golden State)
Goodwin struggled mightily in SEC play for the Wildcats, but shows a willingness and ability to get to the free throw line. He'll need to develop his jump-shot more, as NBA defenses will sag off of him until it improves.

30. Phoenix Suns select shooting guard Nemanja Nedovic of Serbia (proposed trade with Golden State)
Nedovic is an attack but undersized two-guard who relies heavily on his athleticism to get to the basket. It will be interesting to see whether the Suns bring him over this season (which is highly likely as the Suns are clearly in rebuilding mode).