Right Down Euclid Mock Draft: 2013 Edition Picks 41-60

Mar 16, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Florida Gators forward/center Erik Murphy (33) shoots over Alabama Crimson Tide forward Nick Jacobs (15) during the semifinals of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2013 NBA Draft quickly approaching on June 27, the Right Down Euclid writer coup of Zak Kolesar, Trevor Magnotti, Dan Pilar and Chris Manning will be conducting the first-ever Right Down Euclid NBA Mock Draft. This series, in which the RDE writers will be selecting 15 picks for 15 NBA teams and giving their reason to why they chose that certain player in paragraph format, will span the three Fridays leading up to the 2013 NBA Draft. Starting on June 7, the picks 1-20 will be debuted. Following that, on June 14 picks 21-40 will be posted and on June 21 picks 41-60 will be posted. On June 26, a collaborated post will be put up with all 60 picks and additional analysis. Thanks for following our (what we hope to be) annual RDE Mock Draft, let us know your reactions to our picks in the comment section below and enjoy the Right Down Euclid Mock Draft: 2013 Edition Picks 41-60.

41. Memphis Grizzlies — Pierre Jackson, PG, Baylor

The Grizzlies drafted Tony Wroten out of Washington last year, but I think that with a guy like Jackson still available at this pick, you just can’t pass. His toughness and his ability to grind and score at Baylor makes him a sexy backup option behind the dazzling Mike Conley. Granted Wroten didn’t get much playing time, but I just don’t think he has a future on this team’s bench and Jackson could take Jerryd Bayless’ spot as second to Conley if he develops well enough. His toughness, like I mentioned earlier, makes up for his small frame. His ability to crash the boards and split defenders for narrow passes (averaged 7.1 assists last season) will prove useful at the next level, but he will need to vastly improve his off-the-ball defense if he wants to stick around in this league. His defense is his weakest point, but he can make it as a bench player if he can keep the leadership attitude that he inherited with the departure of Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy and Quincy Miller this past season. – ZK

42. Philadelphia 76ers – Erik Murphy, PF, Florida

So far, the 76ers have grabbed Allan Crabbe and Mike Muscala to add to what was a very depressing bench last season. The Sixers were horribly thin in the post last year, rolling with Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen as their only worthy bigs for much of the season, so a power forward makes sense here. Not the most athletic forward by any means, Murphy is still a potent inside-outside threat at the power forward position, a dynamic three-point shooter who hit 45 percent from behind the arc last season. He’s also a talented defender in the post, and while he’s not a great rebounder, he has a lot of Ryan Anderson in him and should be able to make it at the next level. Much like his former teammate Chandler Parsons, I think Murphy is a steal in the second round — a guy who should be able to eventually give the 76ers some really interesting looks on offense. – TM

Mar 28, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Solomon Hill (44) dunks against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the second half of the semifinals of the West regional of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

43. Memphis Grizzlies — Solomon Hill, SF, Arizona

Hill had a successful career at Arizona before entering that draft. The Grizz traded away their All-Star small forward, Rudy Gay, to the Toronto Raptors. They have Tayshaun Prince on rent and will look to add depth to the position. Hill will no way replace Gay but can be a visible option of the bench for Memphis after spending some time in the D-League. – DP

44. Dallas Mavericks – Marko Todorovic, C, Montenegro

With a lot of the quality American centers already off the board, the Mavericks do to things here. First, they get a seven-foot center that, age 21, has an NBA body but a raw game. Secondly, they again save money for free agency by selecting a player they don’t have to pay this year. That’s a win-win situation. And like I said when I selected their 13th overall pick, I firmly believe they will deal as many as their draft picks as they can in order to avoid paying for young talent as they pursue a title before Dirk Nowitzki retires.  – CM

45. Portland Trail Blazers – Alex Abrines, SG, Spain

With no major needs, Portland can stash away a payer here. Abrines is another European talent with ideal size to play shooting guard in the NBA and also one who probably won’t play in the NBA right away. In a few years, he could come over and be a contributor that is going to be in need of sidekicks for budding star Damien Lillard. Abrines, who will need to improve his shooting stroke, could be that guy. – CM

46. Utah Jazz – Brandon Davies, PF/C, BYU

Davies was a scoring machine during his time at Brigham Young University. Davies is best known for being suspended in 2011 after he went to his coach and confessed he violated the school’s honor code. His violation of team rules resulted in a lot of losses for BYU after they were ranked in the top 5 when he was suspended. Davies has a 7’2 wingspan and is not afraid to get physical in the paint. His ability to hit jumbo shots is what makes him an intriguing prospect for some teams. Any good coach will be able to find a spot for a 6’11 guy who can fill it from deep. – DP

Mar 22, 2013; Dayton, OH, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack guard Lorenzo Brown (2) shoots against the Temple Owls guard Will Cummings (2) in the first half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at University of Dayton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

47. Atlanta Hawks – Lorenzo Brown, PG, NC State

With Jeff Teague being an RFA and Devin Harris a UFA, the Hawks would be wise to take a 2nd-round flier on Brown, a tall, rangy point guard who’s effective at attacking the basket. Brown’s not the best shooter, but he has good defensive potential and blossomed as a playmaking point guard last year, even on an underachieving NC State team. Brown would likely be an improvement on Shelvin Mack, and no matter who the Hawks’ starting point guard is next year, Brown would be a suitable backup. The Hawks organization also has already turned Mike Scott, last year’s 2nd-rounder, into a serviceable bench player, and I think out of necessity, Brown will get the same opportunities. – TM

48. Los Angeles Lakers – Carrick Felix, SG/SF, Arizona State

The Lakers are going to be a complete mess next season, especially if Kobe is still out of the lineup. Felix was a tenacious defender at ASU, and he would help the Lakers at a position that has an uncertain starter at. I’m not saying that Felix is going to shoot up the depth chart, but he is an excellent player with stellar defense for a player still around later in the second round. He improved a ton from his junior to senior campaign, earning All-Defensive Team honors and improving on his scoring (28.1 percent increase) and rebounding (50.6 percent increase) during that time. He also averaged 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks in his final year. – ZK

49. Chicago Bulls – Ricky Ledo, SG, Providence

I’m not sure why the Bulls went with a big with their first-round pick, as I thought there were many twos (Tim Hardaway Jr., Reggie Bullock) that Chicago could have gone with. Ledo, however, is a player that has been slotted to go in the first round, so Chicago is getting a good deal out of this guy. He has many defensive concerns, but with an excellent coach (and boy does Chicago have one) Ledo’s upside, which was portrayed on the court and at the combine, can turn into pure bench gold. Chicago needs help at this position, and having Ledo fall this far down is a blessing in disguise. – ZK

50. Atlanta Hawks – Livio Jean-Charles, SF/PF, French Guiana

Picking for the Hawks for the 3rd time, I have to resort to grabbing an international to stash. They have at least two players in Karasev and Franklin who can contribute immediately, and Brown fits a need at backup point guard. Therefore, I think Atlanta looks to grab the Frenchman, who’s the highest rated international player left. As a highly athletic guy who fits the style of play for a stretch 4 in the NBA, he could be highly useful eventually. However, he’s not ready to come over just yet, and the Hawks will love the opportunity to have a guy overseas that they can bring over at their will. – TM

51. Orlando Magic – James Ennis, SF, Long Beach State

Ennis isn’t a familiar name to any one, because he went to mid-major school and his production didn’t stand out, but he did put together some highlight plays. Ennis stands at 6’7 and has a wingspan on seven foot. He didn’t go against the greatest competition in college, but he did average over 16 points per game and shot 50 percent from the field. He can be a project player for a franchise, and could serves as a rotational player down the line. – DP

52. Minnesota Timberwolves – Myck Kabongo, PG, Texas

Having already selected two bigs, the David Kahn-less Timberwolves look to add depth in the second round. Ricky Rubio is firmly entrenched as the franchise’s starting point guard, but it can never hurt to add depth at the NBA’s most talented position. Kabongo is 6’3 and has a wingspan of almost 6’7. He’ll, at best, be a solid backup point guard but that’s something every team needs. And if Rubio ever gets hurt, Kabongo could develop enough to aptly fill in. – CM

Apr 10, 2013; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva (3) gestures to the crowd at the KFC YUM! Center during their celebration for winning the NCAA Men

53. Indiana Pacers – Peyton Siva, PG, Louisville

Siva is the right type of player for the Pacers to select at the end of the second round. With George Hill, Lance Stephenson and possibly D.J. Augustin under contract next season as capable ball handlers, the Pacers can let Siva develop in the D-League for a season or two to try and determine if he can be a backup point guard to Hill long term. Or, if they feel confident enough in his skills, they can let Augustin walk this offseason and ask him to contribute right away. Either way, Siva is a good value pick for the Pacers. – CM

54. Washington Wizards – Matt Dellevadova, PG, St. Mary’s

Dellevadova is an Australian point guard who will go down as one of the best in St. Marys’ history. He put up great numbers in his four-year career, including his senior season when he averaged over 15.8 points and 6.4 assists per game. He has above average size for a point at 6’4. He can be a viable backup for a team in a few years, similar to another Australian point guard from St. Mary’s, Patty Mills. – DP

55. Memphis Grizzlies – James Southerland, SF, Syracuse

Southerland makes a lot of sense for Memphis. He is a project defensively, but as a 6’8 combo forward, he has a shot to crack the Memphis roster where they are the thinnest. Southerland adds a couple nice wrinkles to the Grizzlies offense, as a scorer who can space the floor nicely and hit outside shots, something Darrell Arthur and Tayshaun Prince really struggled to do last season. He’s also not bad at off-ball cuts, something that will help him when he plays with the flashy-passing abilities of Marc Gasol. Southerland could absolutely get run with the Grizzlies next season, even being picked this late. – TM

Mar 9, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Phil Pressey (1) goes to the basket against Tennessee Volunteers guard Trae Golden (11) during the first half at Thompson Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

56. Detroit Pistons – Phil Pressey, PG, Missouri

Being one of the best pure passers in the 2013 draft class, Pressey would be a great late edition to this Pistons team that has a clustered, yet confused, group of point guards. He’s not going to dazzle you on the offensive end, but he’ll be able to keep things in tact when called upon off the bench. His passing will be what earns him a spot in Detroit’s rotation, but any team would benefit from having an accurate floor general such as Pressey on their squad. – ZK

57. Phoenix Suns – Ray McCallum, PG, Detroit

McCallum is another point guard talent that could be scooped up late in the second round and could make a dynamic impact on a team that has minutes to spare. McCallum averaged 18.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals as a member of the Horizon League last season, and I have confidence that he can bring production to all phases of the game at the next level. His numbers don’t read like a regular point guard’s numbers would, but that would make him an interesting threat off the bench for Phoenix. – ZK

58. San Antonio Spurs – Arsalan Kazemi, PF, Oregon

An Iranian-born player who’s played at Rice and last season at Oregon, Kazemi is an undersized rebounding power forward who is a project on offense, mostly relying on off-ball cuts and transition baskets and has absolutely no jumper. Defensively he’s pretty solid, even with his physical limitations, but at the next level, Kazemi will be a power rebounder. He’s a nice choice for this Spurs team, and should be able to gel in Popovich’s system. – TM

59. Minnesota Timberwolves — Trevor Mbakwe, PF, Minnesota

Mbakwe was a highly talked about player last year when he returned for his senior season, but he failed to meet those expectations and his stats went down this season only averaging 10 PPG and 8 RPG.  Both respectable stats, but scouts looked for him to improve on his 14 PPG and 9 RPG the year before.  Mbakwe is a physical player who is a rebounding machine.  Watching him play reminds me of Kenneth Faried.  He won’t provide much of a threat offensively but he will be the first one to go up for a rebound.  He will have to play in D-League a while to get use to the NBA game, but given some time, he can be a role player off the bench. – DP

60. Memphis Grizzlies — Bojan Dublievic, PF/C, Montenegro

With the Grizzlies largely set at most positions and no solid small forwards still on the board, the Grizzles go international with the last pick in the draft. The Montenegrin center Dublievic stands 6’10 and has a 7’1 wingspan to go with it. And at 21, he can spend time overseas and develop so that when Zach Randolph starts to decline, they can possibly bring over this young prospect as a look towards the future. – CM

Thanks for following along with the third part of the RDE Mock Draft and make sure to check back on the website on June 26 to see the mock draft in its complete form! Also, comment below to let us know how we did.