After having a few days to let the dust settle and most of the moves made official, here is my breakdown of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (and everything else) of the 2008 NBA Draft.
Quick Note- Several times I discuss how likely an international draft prospect is to come and play in the NBA, and how it plays into their being drafted. The current state of professional basketball leagues overseas is on the rise- the leagues have more money and are willing to spend it on their countries top players. Recently, Jose Garbajosa and Juan Carlos Navarro both decided to leave the NBA for better contracts in Spain. Also, the NBA Draft has a strict structure for salaries and contracts for players taken in the first round, and the later in the first round the pick is, the less money that is guaranteed. The second round has no requirements, and a player controls their own destiny depending on how well they play. Because of these factors, international players taken late in the first round are less likely than ever to come over the play in the NBA. They can simply stay overseas and make more money. Players taken in the 2nd round are more likely to play in the NBA.
The Good- While several teams had "good" drafts, I wanted to highlight a few teams that proactively sought to improve their roster and outlook for the future, short or long term.
Miami Heat (Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers)
The Miami Heat, to me, had the best draft of anyone. After all the discussion of what they would do with Michael Beasley and the number 2 pick, they ended up making the smart move by filling a position of need with the best player in the draft. Even though he doesn't need any motivation on the court, I think all of the doubters will get to Beasley, and will only make him a tougher, better player. If the Heat stick with him, he will start and produce for them from Day 1. Even better, the Heat were able to pick up the perfect point guard to pair with Dwyane Wade in Mario Chalmers. The biggest issues with Chalmers are his ball-handling and foot-speed. He is a great defensive player with a knack for picking up steals, a clutch shooter, and simply a smart basketball player who knows how to win. Since Wade does most of the ball-handling, Chalmers just has to be able to hit open shots and guard the other teams point guard. This is a great situation for Chalmers, and a great value for the Heat, considering that Chalmers worked out extremely well for several teams and there was talk of him going in the 10-15 overall range. Getting him for a future second round pick is a steal, and I think he too could be starting right away for Miami.
I know that Riley doesn't love Beasley and wanted OJ Mayo, but he can't be too upset about a draft where he didn't give up anything long-term and got 2 legitimate starters in the process. They're still going to need a center not named Mark Blount (who should be on his way out, along with Jason Williams), so I don't think the Heat are done making moves, but up to this point a great draft for Miami.
New Jersey Nets (Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, Chris Douglas-Roberts)
Including the trade they made earlier in the day (which I already spoke about), the Nets had a great draft day where they were able to reload with young talent while setting themselves up to get LeBron (or one of the other stars who will be free agents) in 2010. By trading away Richard Jefferson, the Nets finished cutting all significant ties to the team that made it to the Finals in the early 2000s. When all was said and done, the Nets ended up with center Brook Lopez, a top-5 player and the best center in the draft who fell to them at 10, sweet-shooting forward Ryan Anderson, who may have been a reach at 21 but was a luxury pick for the Nets, Chris Douglas-Roberts, a first-round talent at shooting guard who fell to them at 40, and Yi Jianlian, who was the 6th overall pick in last years draft. Anderson wasn't really talked about too much until the days immediately leading up to the draft, but I actually saw him play a few times at Cal, and I think he will be a good player. At 6'10, he's an offensive specialist who right now is sort of a poor man's Dirk Nowitzki. He has good range on his very fundamental jump shot, and has some post moves as well. He isn't very fast, won't drive by anyone and needs to be protected on defense, but he should develop into a good role player. Like I said, he might have been a reach at 21, but after getting such great value for Lopez at 10 they had the freedom to take a player that they really wanted.
Put that crew of young players with young point guard Devin Harris, who they stole from the Mavs in the Jason Kidd deal, and explosive big man Shawn Williams, who is a great defensive player but has no offensive game, and of course the overpaid but under-motivated star Vince Carter, and the Nets really do have a good team. It'll take a while to come together, but I think they have assembled several talented players whose skills all complement each other. A starting line-up of Harris, Carter, Yi, Williams and Lopez with CDR and Anderson coming off the bench can be competitive in the very near future, and if you add LeBron to that mix in 2 years, they could contend for a championship right away.
Portland Trail Blazers (Jerryd Bayless, Nicholas Batum)
Anyone surprised that the Blazers were among the winners on draft day? Combining their slew of assets with the draft-day fall of Jerryd Bayless, Kevin Pritchard and the Blazers were able to pick up a top-5 talent who should be able to play next to Brandon Roy right away. Similar to the Chalmers-Wade situation I described above, Bayless gets to play to his strengths and ignore his weaknesses- he is a great offensive player but not a true point guard, and with Roy doing the majority of the ball-handling and running the offense, Bayless' lack of position becomes less of an issue. They were also able to pick up another player that they liked in Nicholas Batum. He isn't ready to play right now, but he'll play in the D-League or overseas for a year or two before coming in to help Portland. Given the young talent that the Blazers have already compiled, every pick is a luxury pick for them, and if Batum doesn't pan out it isn't that big of an issue. Portland still needs to find a veteran small forward to bring a little experience and maturity to the team, as well as consolidate their assets a little more, so they probably aren't done dealing, but as usual, a great draft for the Blazers.
While we're on the topic, keep an eye on Gerald Wallace. The Blazers already have enough offense, and a versatile player who excels on defense like Wallace would be a great fit in Portland. With all the indecision going on in Charlotte (more on that later), they could be interested in a few of the young players that Pritchard is looking to trade. A deal here might work for both sides.
Indiana Pacers (Brandon Rush, Roy Hibbert)
The Blazers' draft day trade partners didn't fare too poorly themselves. The Pacers were able to completely reload over the course of two days, to the point where I think they can be a playoff team as soon as this coming season. They were able to trade Jermaine O'Neal for the explosive TJ Ford, and then surround him with wing players who can run the floor and shoot from deep in Mike Dunleavy, Danny Granger, and Brandon Rush, their first round pick this year. They also picked up defensive-minded point guard Jarrett Jack, who will be a perfect compliment to Ford coming off the bench, as well as 7'2 center Roy Hibbert, who should start at center next to forward Troy Murphey. Hibbert doesn't completely fit with the run-and-shoot image of the rest of the team, but he's a true center with a lot of offensive skills, and will find a way to contribute.
Funny side-note: Not only can the players drafted by the Pacers (Rush and Hibbert) not wear Indiana hats because the trades haven't been finalized yet (the O'Neal-Ford trade can't become official until July 9), but Larry Bird had apparently been instructed by the league not to even comment on the trades. I really enjoyed seeing Larry Bird stuck talking about how great of a player Jerryd Bayless (who they traded for Rush) is, and talking about the point guard situation that needs to be shored up (which has obviously been solved with the addition of Ford). Say what you will about David Stern, but executives around the league definitely listen to him.
Seattle SuperSonics (Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, DJ White, DeVon Hardin)
I wasn't too sure about the Sonics until the end of the draft. I loved their pick of Russell Westbrook at 4- they stayed in their spot and picked the guy that they wanted, and there's something to be said for that. The pick was justifiable given Westbrook's hot draft stock, and he is a great fit alongside of Kevin Durant. He should be able to step in right away as a Rondo-type point guard before expanding his game (speaking of Westbrook, check out this footage of his personal team workout with the Blazers). However, I didn't like the Sonic's other 1st round pick, taking Congo native Serge Ibaka, who will play overseas in Spain for at least one, if not two, more seasons. Yes, at 24 the risk factor of a player like this is greatly reduced, but the Sonics have tried this before with young center prospects, and none of them have worked out. If you're the Sonics, why not take a flier on DeAndre Jordan, let him develop in the NBDL where they can keep closer tabs on him, and see if that pans out. It's basically the same process, and Jordan, as risky of a prospect as he is, will at least be in the United States, and can form a friendship with Kevin Durant and the rest of the young Sonics as his game develops.
The Sonics redeemed themselves, however, by pairing 2 second-round picks to get Indiana bruiser DJ White, who should be able to play some center in the NBA, as well as Cal center DeVon Hardin, who should follow the path that I described for Jordan. Hardin is a huge, athletic center who even after four years at school is still extremely raw. If he can develop in the D-League, he would be a perfect defensive-minded center (think DeSagana Diop) to play with Durant, Green and Westbrook.
Obviously the future is just that for the Sonics. But they have done a good job starting the rebuilding process, and as some of these big men develop, they have the makings of a legitimate contender.
The Bad- When you look around the league and wonder why you see such a disparity in the overall talent levels between teams, you don't have to look much farther than teams like these to find an explanation. A bad draft could set a team back several years, or in some of these cases, keep them just as bad as they already were.
Sacramento Kings (Jason Thompson, Sean Singletary, Patrick Ewing, Jr.)
I said earlier that you have to respect a team for staying at their draft spot and grabbing the guy that they want the most. The Kings were dealt a bad hand, as the top players on their board (DJ Augustin, Jerryd Bayless) were taken before they had a chance to draft. But the pick of Jason Thompson at 12, when he was a borderline first round talent, is inexcusable. If they really wanted Thompson that badly, they should have traded down, picked up some assets, and gotten their man in the early 20s. If he was off the board by then, no harm done, similar players like JJ Hickson or Darrell Arthur would have been there instead. For example, the Kings could have offered up the 12th pick to the Sonics for their 24th pick and one of their early second rounders, and probably could have gotten Thompson (or a similar player) at 24, and picked up Mario Chalmers in the 2nd round. The Sonics could have grabbed Robin Lopez or Roy Hibbert, and both teams would have been much improved.
None of this is a knock on Thompson- he's a big, skilled player who is probably ready to play right away- but my point is that a team like the Kings, who need so many things, were almost irresponsible in not trying to accumulate more than one impact player here. Their second round picks weren't too bad- Singletary is an explosive scorer, although probably undersized for the NBA, and Patrick Ewing Jr. is an amazing athlete who should be able to contribute as a role player on an NBA team.
Charlotte Bobcats (DJ Augustin, Alexis Ajinca)
The Charlotte Bobcats, as I said in my pre-draft coverage, were actually in a pretty good position before the draft started. Their pick of DJ Augustin at 9 wasn't too bad- there were better players on the board, but Augustin was the best true point guard other than Rose. The problem? The Bobcats already have a point guard, Raymond Felton, who I don't think has ever really been given the chance to prove that he can run a team. I have heard, however, that the Bobcats envision Felton as an explosive scorer off the bench who can come in at either guard spot and change the tempo of the game. So you have Augustin and Jason Richardson starting at the two guard spots, with Felton off the bench. If that's the plan, that sounds like a team that wants to use what they have and win now. So with the 20th pick, you would assume that they take one of the several ready-to-play big men, right? Instead, they go with gigantic Frenchman Alexis Ajinca, who measures out at 7 feet tall with a 7'8 wingspan. and averaged 5 points per game last season in whichever pro league he played in. I forget which analyst said this (I don't want to take credit), but has anyone who has ever made it into the NBA averaged less than 5 points per game at any level? His physical gifts are amazing, and the Bobcats weren't the only team looking at him in the mid-first round, but why take a player who is such a long-term project when you're shaping your roster to compete this year? Now the Bobcats will most likely miss the playoffs again, be in the lottery again next year, and unless they hit the jackpot like Chicago did this year, be right back where they started.
While I am clearly not a fan of their draft strategy, this situation can still be salvaged. Along with Gerald Wallace potentially headed out of Charlotte, it sounds like Felton is being shopped as well. If the Bobcats can swing a deal, either for long-term prospects or short-term rewards, their outlook will at least be clearer. It just frustrates me when teams put themselves in no-mans land and don't have a clear direction.
Golden State Warriors (Anthony Randolph, Richard Hendrix)
The Warriors got what looked like a value pick on the surface with LSU forward Anthony Randolph at the 14 spot. But the problem is that they drafted his exact clone, Brandon Wright, last year, when they got him in a trade for Golden State fan favorite Jason Richardson. They both do all the same things, and I'm not sure that they'll ever be able to be on the floor at the same time. Also, there's the problem of Don Nelson not only disliking young players in general and not giving them playing time, but player development isn't exactly his strong suit either. With the team in limbo, wasting this pick was not an option. If the Warriors wanted a raw player, they should have at least picked someone like Kosta Koufos or Donte Greene, both of which fit the Golden State system currently in place and don't duplicate a player already on the roster. Randolph certainly has potential, but it seems a bit redundant for the Warriors, and he wasn't even the best player still on the board.
The Ugly- While I'm still not sure if this trade helps or hurts either team more or less than the other (I've started to lean slightly in one direction), but only the Grizzlies and Timberwolves could have given us a trade of two top-5 players that didn't even get announced until 2 in the morning. Also, two teams who made good picks on draft day find themselves on this list as well.
Minnesota Timberwolves (Kevin Love)
I'm starting to think that the T-Wolves came out on top of this deal. While OJ Mayo is a great player, the Wolves already have so many players like him, such as Rashad McCants and Kirk Snyder (although Mayo is better than both of them). The bigger thing for me is that I've started to grow on Kevin Love a lot more. I've always said that if you can make an open jumper, you can make it in the NBA. Love can do that all the way out to the NBA 3-point line. But seeing Love at the draft is what really put in perspective how much work he's been putting in since the season ended- he looks like a different person, having easily lost 15-20 pounds. The work ethic is there, and he won't get outhustled by anyone during a game. That said, a frontline of Al Jefferson and Kevin Love isn't going to stop anyone, as neither of them will be a shot-blocking presence. The Wolves better hope they can score a lot of points, because that defense isn't going to get it done.
Minnesota also picked up one of my personal favorite players, Mike Miller, in the deal. He is always in the conversation for best pure shooter in the league, and he is bigger and more physical than people ever give him credit for (averaging over 7 rebounds per game last year). He deserves to be on a contending team, and probably will be moved before the end of the season, but for now he'll have a chance to start and put up good numbers on a young, bad team. Like Love and Jefferson, he's relatively slow for his position and not a good defender, causing more problems on defense. There are plenty of reasons to trash the trade (defensive problems, giving up Mayo, taking on Brian Cardinal's awful contract despite getting rid of Marko Jaric's), but I think the pros outweigh the cons here, and given that the Wolves loved Kevin Love, they had to make the move.
Memphis Grizzlies (OJ Mayo, Darrell Arthur)
At first I liked this draft more for the Grizzlies than I did for the T-Wolves. They got the best rookie in the deal in Mayo, and even though they lost a good power forward in Love, they got a steal in Arthur to offset the loss. But the Grizzlies gave up the best player (currently) in the deal, in Mike Miller, didn't save any money, and didn't get anything but Mayo in return. That isn't to say the acquisition of Mayo isn't a good one. I see Mayo as a complimentary player, one who can fill a stat sheet and do the dirty work and play off of a higher-scoring star. The Grizzlies have that player in Rudy Gay, and if Mayo can develop into his wingman, they have the makings of a good tandem. Plus, getting Darrell Arthur late in the first (after a series of smaller trades) fills the hole at power forward that they thought they had filled with Love. It is clear that the Grizzlies, headed by former Phoenix assistant Marc Iavaroni, want to score a lot of points and do it quickly. Arthur is that type of power forward- fast and athletic, a good midrange shooter and all-around offensive weapon. The main problem is that they now have too many guards. Not counting Marko Jaric, who will just sit on the bench and take up cap space, the Grizzlies have three young point guards who have been first round picks in the past three years, and OJ Mayo now as well. It seems like they want Mayo at the 2 and Gay at the 3, but that still leaves too many point guards. Before the initial stage of their rebuilding process is complete, they need to get rid of at least one of these point guards and get a true big man in return. For now, their center is Darko Milicic, but it's debatable if he'll ever be a legitimate player in the league. They also have Marc Gasol (Pau's brother) coming over this year, and by all accounts he's a bigger and stronger version of Pau, but without any of his brother's offensive skills. My guess is that Kyle Lowry is the guy that gets traded- he and Conley are both small point guards, and they can't really ever be on the floor together. Crittendon is a big point who can play the 2 at times, and a 3-guard rotation of Conley, Mayo and Crittendon is definitely a start.
The biggest issue with having an extra point guard is that they're not the only team looking to get rid of a point guard, and there just aren't that many big men to be had by way of trade these days.
Chicago Bulls (Derrick Rose)
OK, so maybe it's a little harsh to put the Bulls in this list. They did draft the right player at #1, hometown hero Derrick Rose, who should make an immediate impact as well as lead the team into a new, winning era. So what's the problem? The problem, to me, is that the Bulls still have way too many players, and haven't really looked too interested in moving any of them. It also doesn't inspire confidence that the Bulls have had lots of assets for years now, and haven't pulled the trigger on deals that could have gotten them Pau Gasol or Kevin Garnett, among others. I recently read a few articles quoting Bulls officials as saying that they are happy with their current roster. Obviously some of this is just for PR purposes, as they don't want to trash anyone in the media before they know who they're keeping and who is getting traded, but at the same time, it doesn't seem like they've been too active in their search of a trade. Should they clear up their backcourt mess, the Bulls definitely get off of "The Ugly" list, but for now I think they're in a bad situation.
I really think this is something to keep an eye on, as there really don't seem to be many trade options available, so I will have a more extended write-up on this situation in the near future.
New York Knicks (Danilo Galinari)
I actually liked this pick for the Knicks- they have too many needs to try and find one player who will fix everything right away, and Galinari was definitely one of the best players on the board at #6. I put the Knicks in "the Ugly" category because of their ridiculous, obnoxious fans. I understand that they don't know who Galinari is- I follow basketball as closely as anyone, and I still don't know all that much about him. But clearly he's a good player, and the new front office made this decision in the best interest of the team. So why, when his name is called, would you loudly boo him? He's a young kid, and the last thing he wants or needs is to be jeered by the fans who he's going to be playing in front of for the next few years. And if he turns out to be a good player, and the team is looking to resign him somewhere down the line, wouldn't those fans have an impact on him that might make him look at other teams? Maybe I'm looking too far into this, and I know that the Knicks fans would have booed just about anyone who got picked there, but I thought it was a ridiculous thing to do on their part and thought it was worth mentioning.
While we're on the subject of the Knicks, they need to take advantage of all the point guards on the market right now. It sounds like they want Galinari to be their power forward of the future, which would take too many of David Lee's minutes. Since Lee also happens to be their best trade asset, and his stock really can't get much higher than it is right now, the Knicks should really consider trying to move Lee (and maybe a bad contract or two) for a true point guard, and whatever other cost-effective assets they can collect in the process.
The Rest- This draft was surprisingly low-key aside from the moves listed above. Here is a quick run-down of all the other teams and their draft picks, with a few quick thoughts on each.
Los Angeles Clippers (Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Mike Taylor)
The Clippers were targeting Gordon all along, even considering trading up to get him, so getting him at 7 was a good pickup for them. He has the potential to develop into a high-volume scorer and a plus defender. He can't play point guard, so they still need to find a true point. D-League star Mike Taylor might help a little, and his athleticism will make him a fan-favorite, but he isn't the answer if they want to have a playoff caliber team in the near future. I also liked the pickup of DeAndre Jordan in the 2nd round. Yes, he has a while to go, but I think he has a better chance of playing in the NBA, and making an impact within the next 3 years, than most of the players who are staying overseas (for instance, Serge Ibaka, who the Sonics picked). Also, to the casual fan, it makes more marketing sense to have a player in the D-League who you can keep tabs on than stashing a player in a league overseas that the average fan has never heard of and has no way of monitoring.
Like I said, the Clippers are in serious need of a live body at point guard, and the teams who are trying to trade a guard (Bulls, Grizzlies) should be trying to find out what the Clippers could give them.
Milwaukee Bucks (Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute)
Seems like the Bucks really felt they needed help at small forward. After trading Yi for Richard Jefferson, who should be more productive now that he's basically out of the public eye, they drafted Joe Alexander. I love the pick of Alexander, as he will be able to play both the 3 and the 4 right away as an energy player off the bench. Down the road, I think he can really develop into a star, but there's no reason to force him into a starting role right away when he still has so much to learn about the game. Like I said before the draft, the trade for Jefferson means the Bucks are going to try to at least make a playoff run right away, and if they can stay healthy they might be able to do it. Other than a small free agent acquisition (probably a combo guard who can score off the bench), their roster is set for the coming year.
Phoenix Suns (Robin Lopez, Goran Dragic)
I really liked the pick of Robin Lopez for the Suns. Assuming Shaq and Amare Stoudamire are healthy, he'll be the first big man off the bench and will do all the dirty work for the offensive-minded team. The pick of Lopez, a true 7-footer, signifies the continued change in philosophy for the Suns, who in the past would only play one true big (Stoudamire) at a time, but now look like they will have 2 on the floor at all times. Lopez will be a great defensive player right away, and will also be an immediate fan-favorite. Assuming Shaq misses a good chunk of games, almost guaranteed to happen, Lopez will be able to play big minutes alongside Amare as well. I don't really know about Dragic, who was traded for Oregon's Malik Hairson (the Suns original 2nd-round pick) on draft day, but it sounds like he's the chosen long-term replacement for Nash. I think Hairston would have been a better pick, as he's sort of a Raja Bell-type player who would have been able to play the 2/3 spots, play good defense and hit open shots, and be able to contribute immediately.
The Suns still need to figure out what they're doing with Leandro Barbosa and Boris Diaw. They are both clearly Mike D'Antoni players who don't fit into the new Suns philosophy, and keeping them in limbo doesn't help anyone. Diaw is more likely to stay, and become the teams starting 3, but Barbosa doesn't see, to have a role here anymore and there should be plenty of teams who have interest in him. Look for a trade within the next week or two.
Philadelphia 76ers (Marreese Speights)
I also liked this pick by the 76ers. They overachieved as a team last year, but really need a true low-post scorer to continue the growth of the team. The Sixers are a perfect fit for Speights, because he will be protected on defense by defensive standout Sam Dalembert (one of my personal favorites), and the Sixers have enough depth that Speights won't be forced into bigger minutes than he's capable of. That said, Speights should be the starter at power forward right away, as the Sixers continue to look towards the future while still trying to win today. Also remember that the Sixers have the most money to spend of any team this offseason. They could go several directions with their cap space, and whatever they do might dramatically change their team's outlook for this year and the future.
Washington Wizards (JaVale McGee)
Maybe this wasn't the best pick for the Wizards, as McGee is extremely young and raw (look at his videos- he looks like he's still in high school). That said, there's no questioning his talent and his potential to grow into a legitimate starting center. The Wizards don't NEED anything right now, especially not that they could get at the 18th pick in the draft. Their 8-9 man rotation is set for the next year or two (assuming that they can resign Arenas and Jamison), so anyone they picked this year, with the exception maybe of someone like Roy Hibbert or Robin Lopez, both who were off the board, wouldn't have a chance of being a part of the rotation immediately. So why not take a chance on a boom-or-bust prospect who is a few years away, like McGee. He's already a true 7-footer with an absurd 7'6 wingspan, and he definitely has talent. If his body matures and he turns into a good player, the Wizards look great. If not, there aren't too many other players drafted later that would have had an impact anyway, so the losses are minimal.
There is one player who was available who I would have liked to see the Wizards pick, and that is NC State's JJ Hickson- a raw, aggressive big man who could have stepped in immediately and thrown some bodies around and added some physicality to the Wizards frontline. He's just as young as McGee, however, and I think that McGee will be a better player when all is said and done. Overall, I still liked the thinking from the Wizards, and it will be a few years before we can really grade the pick.
Cleveland Cavaliers (JJ Hickson)
Of course the Cavs end up with the player I wanted the Wizards to take. Like I said, Hickson is a big body who will play aggressively, and be an energetic force off the bench. With the Cavs likely to lose Anderson Varejau, Hickson should be able to fill that role right away. But while other teams, specifically the Nets, made moves to try to entice LeBron in the summer of 2010, the Cavs once again did nothing to shake up a team that will always get into the playoffs and always hope that LeBron can do enough on his own to take them to the Finals. Their assets are fairly limited, and Wally Szczerbiak's expiring contract will only get more attractive to other teams as the year goes on, but I think the Cavs sat on their hands again and will regret it when LeBron is a free agent.
Orlando Magic (Courtney Lee)
The Magic are another team that was content to sit back and make their pick, when in my opinion they could have done more. Picking at 22, the Magic needed an athletic shooting guard and a true power forward who could score down low. The falling Darrell Arthur would have been a great fit here, as he could be added to the Rashard Lewis-Hedo Turkoglu forward rotation, and be protected down low by Dwight Howard. Given how far Chris Douglas-Roberts, the next best shooting guard after Lee, fell on draft night, I think the Magic could have gotten a little more creative and filled both their needs, either getting Arthur and then trading for an early second round pick to get Lee or CDR. At the end of the day, they got the man they wanted in Lee, who will be a really good fit in Orlando, but once again I think they could have done more.
Also, look out for the JJ Redick situation. The Magic drafted him higher than he should have been taken a few years ago, and he hasn't seen the court since. I'm not convinced that he can be an NBA-caliber player, but he certainly thinks he is, and has been asking for a trade for a while. I don't see any reason why the Magic would keep him, so if they can find a team that values Redick and would be willing to give an asset up to get him, they should jump on the deal.
Utah Jazz (Kosta Koufos, Ante Tomic)
No surprise that the Jazz grabbed Koufos, who most expected to go in the mid-teens but fell to the Jazz here. They were looking for the best big man available, and Koufos resembles current Jazz player Mehmet Okur, so they know that he will work in their system. As a true 7-footer, he will be able to be their backup center immediately. Tomic was one of the hottest international names coming into the draft, but the Jazz were able to get him with their 2nd round pick. As usual, he will take a few years to come over. The Jazz don't usually use international players coming from overseas, so it should be interesting how this one works out.
Houston Rockets (Donte Greene, Joey Dorsey)
The Rockets did a good job sticking to their current model by adding a shooter (Greene) and an undersized power player (Dorsey). Both will likely see time as role players right away, although Greene could see his role expand over the course of the season and in the future. This also shows that the Rockets are as committed as ever to their pairing of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, hoping that they can get the two of them healthy for the playoffs and contend for the title. Greene is a good fit because he can space the floor, and with versatile players like McGrady and Shane Battier on the floor, doesn't really need to have a true position. He'll be out there to space the floor offensively with his shooting, rebound on both ends, and run the floor. This plays to all his strengths, putting him in a position to succeed immediately. I heard that the Rockets loved Dorsey and the attitude and power that he brings. He'll technically be a bit undersized for power forward, and definitely for center, but Dorsey loves hearing critics talking about his limitations and plays with a chip on his shoulder. He has been billed as the second coming of Ben Wallace, and he could definitely have that kind of impact. On the court he doesn't think there's anything he can't do, and the Rockets could really use that type of attitude on what is otherwise a pretty soft team. I definitely think he will get a chance to show what he can do.
San Antonio Spurs (George Hill, Malik Hairston, James Gist)
You have to love the Spurs. After literally nobody talked about him as a first round pick, the Spurs stepped up and drafted combo guard George Hill. Do they even bother scouting, or did they just like the idea of throwing everyone else a curveball? That said, Hill is a good prospect, and since the Spurs know that nobody can question their drafting methods, they went ahead and got the player that they wanted. I actually laughed out loud when they made their pick. Hill is very athletic and I'm assuming that he'll back up Tony Parker, even though he isn't really a true point guard and Popovich never goes with 2 small guards in the backcourt at the same time. I'm not the only one a little puzzled by this pick. They also got one of my sleepers, Oregon swingman Malik Hairston. Hairston is a very solid all-around player who doesn't do anything great but does everything well. He reminds me of Michael Finley, and will probably be groomed in Finley's role. James Gist is a great athlete who is probably undersized to play the post in the NBA, but can produce some highlight reel plays if he ever gets on the court.
Detroit Pistons (Walter Sharpe, Trent Plaisted, Deron Washington)
Apparently the Pistons had asked everyone who worked out for them if they would be receptive to playing overseas for a year or two before coming into the NBA. All three of these players had said that they would, which played a large factor in their getting drafted by the Pistons. Sharpe is a "tools" guy who has never really done much in his collegiate career, but is big, fast, and a good shooter who could develop into a very good player. Plaisted is a little undersized to play center, not having the wingspan or athleticism of other top prospects, and probably won't make it to the league.
I had the pleasure of watching Deron Washington for the past three years at Virginia Tech, and have always maintained that he could make it as an NBA player. He is way too skinny to play right now, and the new flopping fines will definitely hurt him as his playing style is based on drawing charges and generally being a pest defensively, but he is an amazing athlete who I think could be a 2/3 defensive stopper. He really reminds me of Bruce Bowen, someone who is very limited in some aspects of the game, but his energy on defense will give him a place in the league. I love that the Pistons are giving him a chance, and he will definitely become a fan favorite the second he touches an NBA floor. While overseas, he needs to continue to work (hard) on his shooting as well as filling out his body. There's no reason he can't make it onto an NBA team, and I think the Pistons will definitely give him every chance to do it.
Boston Celtics (JR Giddens, Bill Walker)
The defending champs didn't really have any needs coming into the draft, so instead they went with two talented players who have each had off the court issues, and hope that their strong veteran presence can set these guys straight. Giddens is someone who I had my eye on before the draft- in terms of talent, there isn't much that he can't do, but he's never been too keen on playing defense and putting all of his tools together. If he gets his act together, the Celtics have a steal. If not, they send him to the D-League and forget about it. How great it is to be the champs.
A few teams, including the Hawks, Nuggets, Mavericks and Hornets, basically sat this draft out. For the Hawks and Mavs, their first round picks were already spent on high profile trades. The Nuggets and Hornets traded their picks for cash before the draft in order to save money. I've always wondered why teams do this before the draft actually starts, as opposed to making their pick and then trying to essentially "sell" the pick, or just getting rid of it before their pick if there isn't anyone appealing on the board. Why not just stick around, see if anyone that your scouts liked is falling down the board, and then make your decision. The scouts for every team are working year-round regardless of what picks the team has, they should at least entertain the possibility of making a pick. In my opinion, the Hornets made a mistake by doing this. Chris Douglas-Roberts, eventually taken by the Nets, would have been a great fit for the Hornets and could have probably started for them right away. I understand that they were afraid of the guaranteed first-round contract, but they could have traded their late first-rounder for an early second when they saw that CDR was falling, and then grabbed him there.
Anyway, for those of you who have made it this far, thanks for reading. As always, I would love any kinds of feedback and am interested to hear reviews, good or bad. And if you like it, go ahead and spread the word.
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