The Dream Shake 2012 Mock Draft: Pick Eighteen

The draft order has been established. Your devoted writers here at the Dream Shake have set up a mock draft, bacon by bacon, to be delivered to you fresh daily. We will be going through the first round of the draft with our selections and I’m not sure anyone reads this anymore and our reasons why we think we will correctly predict the whole damn thing. Pork.

1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis

2. Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

3. Washington Wizards: Andre Drummond

4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Harrison Barnes

5. Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson

6. Portland Trail Blazers: Bradley Beal

7. Golden State Warriors: Terrence Jones

8. Toronto Raptors: Perry Jones III

9. Detroit Pistons: John Henson

10. New Orleans Hornets: Damian Lillard

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Jared Sullinger

12. Milwaukee Bucks: Meyers Leonard

13. Phoenix Suns: Dion Waiters

14. Houston Rockets: Jeremy Lamb

15. Philadelphia 76ers: Tyler Zeller

16. Houston Rockets (Via New York): Kendall Marshall

17. Dallas Mavericks: Austin Rivers

The Minnesota Timberwolves own the 18^th pick in the draft. This is their only first rounder because New Orleans owns their 10^th pick. The Timberwolves enter the offseason out of the playoffs after a great deal of promise with Rick Adelman at the helm and a hot start. Kevin Love increased his stardom by putting his foot down hard on the Argentine face of the hardwood (Yes, I needed to get this one out). I have wrestled with this pick because, frankly, it’s really hard to screw this pick up if your David Kahn, which he excels at. I’m inclined to pick a PF because this draft is stocked on them and this club’s draft history is pick a position then pick it two or three more times…

With the 18^th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Moe Harkless, 6’8" St. John’s. I grappled with a couple of players here but settled on Harkless because I like his ability to drive to the hoop. There is a reasonable expectation that Beasley won’t return to Minnesota and a replacement wouldn’t be bad (Even if it means down the line). Harkless can attack and I feel like he can be taught a jumper. As it stands his jumper isn’t too terribly far off from extending. He’s good out to about the 20 and he’s got great athleticism for drafting at this point. Let’s face it, once you’re in the mid to late teens in the draft you’re looking for potential and athleticism. I think Harkless offers you that defensive length and disruption you really want as well. My only issue with using that as a line of reasoning is we’re talking about a Rick Adelman team here. Defense is a no-no.

My second place finisher here was Arnett Moultrie. I like his size and I like that he played the SF and PF in college but I don’t like that his size makes him more a 4/5 because his 3 skills aren’t developed enough to actually justify playing him there at the NBA level. The Wolves seem content with Love and Pek at the 4 and 5 and although Moultrie will provide some death I feel like Harkless offers the Wolves the chance to look to sign/trade for back up depth guys and potentially ensure their SF position is stable and set for the next few years. Moultrie lost out really only because I’m not a fan of stacking talent at positions when you have someone like Kevin Love on your squad. You get that team a SF and let your assist-master point guard take care of who is doing what.

The Orlando Magic are on the clock.