Teams look for answers
Unpredictability looms as top prospects recover from injuries
NEW YORK — Nerlens Noel is coming off a major knee injury. Alex Len is in a walking boot.
One of them could be the No. 1 pick tonight in an NBA Draft short on stardom.
Neither looks ready to get his career off to a running start.
“This draft is really unpredictable, a lot of guys with injuries, and you don’t have any, like, LeBron James,” Len said. “So it’s going to be interesting.”
Ten years after James climbed onstage to start a draft that goes down as one of the best in recent memory, the No. 1 pick is Cleveland’s.
The Cavaliers won’t find anyone who can play like James, if they keep the pick.
Even climbing the stage will be a challenge for the big men who opened their college seasons against each other and are competing again now.
The 6-foot-11-inch Noel tore the ACL in his left knee on Feb. 12, ending his lone season at Kentucky.
The only basketball work he did during his visit to Cleveland was shooting some free throws. Perhaps the pants he wore with his sports jacket and orange tie were just too tight, but Noel was walking gingerly as he exited a hotel ballroom after meeting with the media on Wednesday.
“I wanted to do more. Unfortunately I got hurt, but I mean I definitely felt right before I got injured,” Noel said.
Len, the 7-1 center from the Ukraine who spent two seasons at Maryland, has climbed into the mix at No. 1. His left foot started bothering him in Febru- any sport,” Roberts said.
Who will be the No. 1 overall pick? Roberts’ odds: Kentucky’s Nerlens Noel (-160), Maryland’s Alex Len (+180), Georgetown’s Otto Porter Jr. (+240), Kansas’ Ben McLemore (+450), Field (+350).
The over/under for Bennett’s draft position is 4 (under140), according to Roberts. The former Rebels star is a candidate to go No. 1 to Cleveland, but he’s more likely to be drafted by Charlotte at No. 4 or Phoenix at No. 5.
Roberts’ prop for Shabazz Muhammad’s draft position is 12 (over-130). Muhammad, from Bishop Gorman High School and UCLA, once was considered a sure top-10 pick but his stock has slipped. One offshore site lists Muhammad’s over/under as 14.
Orlando has the No. 2 pick, followed by Washington, Charlotte and Phoenix.
McLemore, Indiana’s Victor Oladipo, Georgetown forward Otto Porter and national player of the year Trey Burke of Michigan are among the players who will hear their names called early at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center by NBA commissioner David Stern in his final draft.
Brooklyn Nets general manager Billy King said teams are trying to trade out and acquire extra picks next year, which is expected to be a stronger class. He doesn’t know whether other teams will be interested in being partners in those deals.
The Cavaliers are considering trade options, but they need a big man. The 6-foot-11inch freshman, coming off a knee injury, appears to be their man, almost by default.
A 6-5 shooting guard and tenacious defender, the junior’s stock has been rising. His high motor indicates he won’t be a bust and can contribute immediately.
The Wizards are looking for a low-post scorer, and Porter is a low-risk pick. The 6-8 sophomore is steady, doing everything well but nothing great.
If the Wizards pass on Bennett, the 6-7 freshman won’t slip far, even with concerns about his weight and a shoulder injury. He’s not Larry Johnson, but he can score.
Some sources say McLemore, a freshman who might be the best player on the board, is a good bet to go No. 2. Oladipo was more impressive in predraft workouts.
The Pelicans need a point guard and a scorer, and McCollum, a 6-3 senior, can do both. He might not go this high, but he should go in the top 10.
What direction the Kings will go is a mystery. But Caldwell-Pope, a 6-6 sophomore, is one of the best shooters available, and his stock has been rising.
This pick fills the Pistons’ biggest need, a point guard who can score. Burke is polished, though small at 6-1, and he could go higher to Phoenix or New Orleans.
As a freshman, the 7-1 center was not that productive, but his skills impress scouts. He might go No. 1, though he’s a high risk at that spot and a potential bust.
The 6-11 freshman is an intriguing prospect who has made a late surge. The Trail Blazers are looking for size, and Adams might be the right fit.