2014 NBA Mock Draft: Presto in the Paint Staff

7 of 11

Mar 29, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Aaron Gordon (11) high-fives teammates during player introductions before the finals of the west regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Picks 6-10

Zach Oliver

Zac Cleary

Zach Palmer

Quentin Haynes

Boston Celtics

Julius Randle

Joel Embiid

Aaron Gordon

Noah Vonleh

Los Angeles Lakers

Marcus Smart

Julius Randle

Marcus Smart

Sacramento Kings

Aaron Gordon

Julius Randle

Aaron Gordon

Charlotte Hornets

Nik Stauskas

Dario Saric

Nik Stauskas

Doug McDermott

Philadelphia 76ers

Dario Saric

Gary Harris

Jusuf Nurkic

Dario Saric

After the top five, a multitude of things could happen. We all agree, in principle, to the fact that the Celtics will go with a big at six, it’s just a matter of which one. If Embiid were to fall to them there, they could potentially be getting a steal, and their man in the middle for the next 10 years or more.

With the Lakers, they just need talent and youth. They’ve got Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant under contract next season, and neither one of them are getting any younger.It’s the Lakers, so they’ll most likely go and try to make a big splash in free agency as well, but to start, they need to hit a home run with their pick, and getting Smart could just give them that run.

Sacramento is in a very interesting position here. Rumors have floated they’re interested in moving that pick for a veteran, so they might not even be picking here. If they are, however, grabbing Aaron Gordon seems like the best move for them. They’re atrocious defensively, and they’ve got a solid offensive unit already, so getting a defensive compliment next to DeMarcus Cousins would be ideal here.

The ~~Bobcats~~ Hornets could look to go in a couple directions. They might be in need of a power forward with Josh McRoberts opting out of his contract, but they also need to add another floor spacer. Getting Michigan’s Nik Stauskas or Creighton’s Doug McDermott could be their best options here. They’d both add shooting to the roster, and McDermott could possibly play some power forward.

Their second of seven picks this year, the Sixers just need more talent. Dario Saric could potentially stay overseas and continue to perfect his game, which would give the Sixers someone NBA ready in a couple years. They could also look to go with someone who’s going to come into the league right away and make an immediate impact. Like the Hornets, they need shooting, so Michigan State’s Gary Harris could be a legitimate option here as Cleary has happening.