Here's my view of the NBA Draft. You thought LeBron would get the Cavs in the top slot? Not quite.
Good or bad, comments are always welcome.
The Good
1) Detroit Pistons:
Round 1: Darko Milicic, PF/C, Serbia and Carlos Delfino, G, Italy
Round 2: Andres Gliniadakis, C, Greece
It just isn't fair. The best team in the Eastern Conference just got a whole hell of a lot better. If Larry Brown isn't the luckiest man alive, I don't know who is. If you thought Ben Wallace was a force inside before, wait until Darko gets accustomed to playing in the NBA. Imagine how many different scenarios will run through any player's mind before they try to take it to the hole against the Pistons next year. Darko alone makes this a successful draft. But wait! It gets better! Delfino just might have been the best pick of the second half of round one. At first I thought they would let him stay in Europe for another year, but now the decision seems to be up to him and all signs point to him playing this year. He can step right in and back up Rip Hamilton, can play typical Pistons style defense and Wallace will love him because of just how tenacious he can be all over the court. Don't expect to see Gliniadakis anytime soon, but in a few years they'll have another big man show up ready to play. Scary.
2) New York Knicks:
Round 1: Mike Sweetney, F, Georgetown
Round 2: Maciej Lampe, F/C, Poland and Slavko Vranes, C, Serbia
What's that? The Knicks had a good draft? I know I had trouble believing it at first too. Sweetney is the typical tough Georgetown player, but there were much better players left on the board -- Hayes, Pietrus, Gaines -- who Sweetney is hardly bigger than. Obviously they wanted a post player and the three players I just mentioned are guards and God knows they have enough guards. But the Knicks are a franchise that can never go wrong with the best available talent. Nonetheless, Sweetney will bang down low and in the Eastern Conference that will go a long way; it's just too bad he isn't three inches taller. The jewel of their draft was Lampe. Many -- myself included -- had him projected as a top ten pick but rumors about his contract (Which I'm sure Scott Layden had nothing to do with spreading) and the fact that no team outside of the lottery had worked him out caused him to plummet. If his contract buyout can be worked out then he will push fellow seven footers Travis Knight and Michael Doleac to the bench for good, which is a gift from above if you're a Knick fan. Even if he stays overseas, the Knicks will have something positive to look forward too. The crowd at MSG wanted Marcus Hatten with the other second round pick, but wouldn't be appeased. And they certainly booed when they heard Vranes' name called, but got very quiet when they saw him walk on stage because he's HUGE -- approx. 7-4 -- and even if he ends up being a complete stiff, you can't teach 7-4.
3) Los Angeles Lakers:
Round 1: Brian Cook, PF, Illinois
Round 2: Luke Walton, SF, Arizona
Another case of the rich getting richer. Unlike the Pistons, however, the Lakers had to hope players would fall to them and they did. Brian Cook is an absolute steal at the end of the first round. The comparisons to Horry are easy, but the Lakers would be wise to send him to live and train with Shaq for the summer so he can improve his low post game and overall toughness. At the front end of the second round they picked up Luke Walton who has first round talent, but an ankle injury and the lack of respect for college seniors caused him to drop. Walton will pick up the triangle offense in about a week and could end up being a major player as part of LA's fourth title in five years. No other team has two players coming from the draft that can step in right away and contribute this much.
4) Orlando Magic:
Round 1: Reece Gaines, G, Louisville
Round 2: Zaur Pachulia, F, Turkey and Keith Bogans, G, Kentucky
How many teams can send out a legitimate backcourt of 6-6 and 6-8 night in and night out? One. And it's the Magic. Reece Gaines is the perfect fit for the Magic and, more specifically, T-Mac. Even if Gaines has trouble running the point, they can move him to the shooting guard although I don't envision anyone on Orlando's roster giving him a run for his money. Pachulia was projected as high as a mid first rounder over the past couple weeks and is a great second round pick. He'll probably be overseas for another year, but for a team that relied on Shawn Kemp for an inside presence this past year, it gives them a legitimate post presence waiting in the wings. I like Bogans a lot too. He has just the right makeup to play for Doc Rivers and I can all but guarantee he will get decent reserve minutes.
5) Denver Nuggets:
Round 1: Carmelo Anthony, SF, Syracuse
Round 2: Sani Becirovic, G, Italy and Xue Yuyang, C, China
Anthony was a no brainer for the Nuggets. LeBron is the best overall talent in the draft and Darko was the best big man, but Anthony will contribute right away more than anyone else will. He scored at will in college and while it won't be quite that easy at the next level, he won't have any trouble finding the basket. Any team that drafts the rookie of the year deserves to be in the top five. You didn't think the Nuggets would get through a draft without going international did you? Of course not. So they take Becirovic with their second pick and to make up for taking a domestic product in Anthony, they trade for Yuyang. Becirovic won't have much of an impact if he comes over this season and Yuyang has already announced he's staying in China for one more year.
6) Cleveland Cavaliers:
Round 1: LeBron James, G, HS
Round 2: Jason Kapono, F, UCLA
LeBron will get the Cavs on every "best of" list. You've heard it all before: he can shoot, he can pass, he can jump through the roof, etc. Guess what? It's all true. Plus he gives this horrible franchise instant credibility. He has Cleveland fans thinking playoffs right off the bat. While I don't think even LeBron could turn this franchise around THAT quickly, in the Eastern Conference nothing would surprise me. Kapono is a good piece to have. He can't create his own shot and I question his defense, but he can be deadly from the perimeter. Now lets hope D-Miles, Ricky Davis and Dajuan-Dajuan let the kid shoot.
7) Utah Jazz:
Round 1: Aleksandar Pavlovic, SG, Serbia
Round 2: Mo Williams, PG, Alabama
Quite possibly the most overlooked draft class. Pavlovic can step in right away and start on this team. I know a lot of foreign players take some time, but who on this team are you going to start in front of him? They need people to put the rock in the whole and if Malone leaves than they need Pavlovic to be even more of a prolific shooter. If Raul Lopez is healthy they will have on nasty international backcourt. And if he isn't healthy than that makes Mo Williams an even better pick. He's a great pick either way, but will really help this team out if Lopez' injuries don't go away quietly. Similar to the Lakers, although not to the extent, they were able to pick up two players that can put in quality minutes from the start.
8) Miami Heat:
Round 1: Dwyane Wade, G, Marquette
Round 2: Jerome Beasley, C, North Dakota
Riles demands 100% out of every player all season long. Wade won't disappoint; similar to the way Caron Butler didn't disappoint him last year. He single handily carried Marquette through the NCAA tournament and can guard multiple positions on the court. Offensively he can get to the basket and should be a nice compliment to Butler. Zo is gone and Riley wanted to come away from the draft with a big man, so he takes Beasley in the second round. You have to question the strength of his conference in college, but there's no doubt he'll be able to fill the lane and Riley will get every bit of talent out of him.
9) Toronto Raptors:
Round 1: Chris Bosh, F, Georgia Tech
Round 2: Matt Bonner, F, Florida and Remon Van de Hare, C, Spain
Bosh has the ability to be a dominant player in a couple years, which should keep Vince Carter happy while they suffer through the losses this season. If the Raptors don't trade Antonio Davis than Bosh will be able to come along at his own pace without having to worry about carrying the load on the boards. Sit back and watch his game get better every day. Bonner is another big guy that loves spending time on the perimeter mainly because he has no post game. Having another shooter on the roster can only help them though. Van de Hare is a perfect second round gamble. As I've said before, if you're gonna roll the dice on a seven footer, you better be doing it in the second round.
10) Seattle Sonics:
Round 1: Nick Collison, PF, Kansas and Luke Ridnour, PG, Oregon
Round 2: Paccelis Morlende, G, France
The Sonics draft looked a lot like the Celtics. They needed a point and power inside. The difference between the two is the Sonics actually filled their needs. I really like what the Sonics did with their two picks. Ridnour lives on the edge a bit too often, but it shouldn't be too hard to get some control over his game. He can penetrate, hit the outside shot and will get everyone involved. Everything a good point guard is supposed to be able to do. Collison isn't going to be a dominant pro, but he will reliable in the post and he's a born leader. Seattle definitely took a step in the right direction in the first round. Morlende won't step foot on the court for the Sonics this year.
11) Atlanta Hawks:
Round 1: Boris Diaw, SG, France
Round 2: Travis Hansen, G, BYU
The Hawks got better, but don't expect them to offer their season ticket holders a refund if they don't make the playoffs like they did last year. Diaw will immediately stretch the defense more than anyone else on the Hawks roster did last year. He should be able to step in from day one and put in quality minutes. I really thought the Pistons would take Hansen to come in a backup Rip Hamilton, but when they saw Delfino on the board they couldn't pass him up. So the Hawks get lucky and the polished Hansen falls to them in the second round. Neither player will rock the NBA, but both will help improve this team. As if they could get worse.
12) Chicago Bulls:
Round 1: Kirk Hinrich, G, Kansas (No. 7)
Round 2: Mario Austin, F, Mississippi St. and Tommy Smith, F, Arizona St.
This is the best draft the Bulls have had in some time. With Krause gone, they were finally able to draft players that will help NOW. Hinrich will be a great pro and I see no reason why he and Crawford can't play together. On a smaller team it wouldn't work, but with two seven footers underneath and Jalen Rose on the wing, I can't understand why anyone would question the two playing together. Mario Austin is another second rounder that has first round skills. He'll make the team and be given the chance to get minutes as the third guy off the bench. Smith was another good second round pick although I can't quite see where he fits in with Chicago. Hard to question them taking the best available there. If the Bully learn how to play on the road they could be a playoff team. That's right, I said playoff team.
13) New Jersey Nets:
Round 1: Zoran Planinic, G, Croatia
Round 2: No Pick
If they could have come up with a steal in round two they would have landed in the top six or seven on this list. But they traded their pick (which was turned into Kyle Korver) to the Sixers for cash considerations. Planinic is a huge point guard that can guard almost anyone on the floor. He fell to the Nets because of some injury concerns, but if those injuries are truly healed than he will step in and help right away. Especially if Kidd bolts for the Western Conference. You didn't think they'd let Anthony Johnson run the point, did you?
14) Golden State Warriors:
Round 1: Mickael Pietrus, G, France
Round 2: Derrick Zimmerman, G, Mississippi St.
Jerry West was praying the Warriors let Pietrus fall to his Grizzlies at No. 13, but the Warriors decided to go with best available instead of trying to fill a need. I love Pietrus' game and I hope he finds a way onto the floor for more than garbage time because he is ready to contribute right now. The first time I see Dunleavy log more minutes than him I am writing a letter. Zimmerman was another case of taking the best available which you can never argue with in the second round.
15) Phoenix Suns:
Round 1: Zarko Cabarkaba, F, Serbia and Leandrinho Barbosa, G, Brazil
Round 2: No Pick
Now it's not that I have any problem with Cabarkaba, it's more that I don't trust the Suns drafting anyone over seven feet. The last player they took over seven feet was "Baby" Jake Tsakalidis who has turned out to be nothing but a bust. They saved their draft by getting Barbosa in a trade with San Antonio. He'll give them a ton of versatility in their backcourt and stop them from having to rely on Penny for quality minutes.
16) Dallas Mavericks:
Round 1: Josh Howard, F, Wake Forest
Round 2: No Pick
I'm amazed they were able to get someone as good as Howard late in the first round. The Mavs really aren't far off from the Spurs, which they showed in the playoffs this year. If Howard can step in and give them some physical play -- and there's no reason why he can't -- than they will have their best chance to reach the finals in years.
17) Washington Wizards:
Round 1: Jarvis Hayes, G/F, Georgia
Round 2: Steve Blake, PG, Maryland
Hayes helps the post-Jordan era get off to a fast start. He is a legitimate shooter who got screwed when Georgia was banned from postseason play. He would have been able to show the world in the NCAA tournament just how special he is. The Wiz should be able to slot him right into the SF role and keep Stackhouse at shooting guard, a position he never wanted to give up for Jordan. Without a true point on the roster, Blake will actually get a chance to compete for serious minutes. This says more about Washington's lack of talent than Blake's ability. Don't get me wrong, I think Blake is a great kid one of the hardest workers you will find, but he isn't anything more than a bench player. At least they'll get through an off season without acquiring a Tar Heel.
The Not So Good
1) Boston Celtics:
Round 1: Marcus Banks, PG, UNLV and Kendrick Perkins, PF/C, HS
Round 2: Brandon Hunter, F, Ohio
The Celtics wanted to get a point and some muscle inside. They certainly did both, but did they improve on either? If Banks can prove in camp he's clearly better than the other PGs than he makes sense here, otherwise it was an early wasted pick. The ceiling on Perkins is ridiculously high. Many have touted him as the best prep player to come out of Texas since Shaq. Obviously he will never be the force the Big Aristotle is, but even coming from high school he is tougher than anyone else Boston has inside. Hunter is another tough player and a nice second rounder, but he certainly doesn't have the ability Perkins does. In the end the Celtics got tougher inside, but the point still isn't a lock to be all that improved. Just missed making the "Good" list, so they'll have to settle for the top of this one.
2) New Orleans Hornets:
Round 1: David West, F, Xavier
Round 2: James Lang, C, HS
I wanted to put the Hornets up in the list of teams that had a good draft, but I banished them down here simply because there were better players on the board in round one and two when they selected. They needed someone to step in right away, which West will do, but Brian Cook would have been a much better pick here. I like West and he carried Xavier all year long, but the Hornets could have went several different directions instead. Lang is the least talented of the high schoolers and deserved to be at the end of the second round. He's big and very wide, but too wide even for the NBA. If he intends on playing at this level he has to get his body into much better shape. The other prep players in the draft will be asked to put on weight, but Lang will be forced to lose it. Lots of it.
3) Los Angeles Clippers:
Round 1: Chris Kaman, C, Central Michigan
Round 2: Sofoklis Schortsanitis, PF, Greece
I thought Kaman was overrated, so I guess that means he makes sense for the Lost Angeles Clips. He also fits because Olowokandi was out the door long before the season ended, so they needed a center. Does it really matter if he develops here or not? The Clippers won't pay him when his contract is up in four years and the rest of the league won't pay attention while he's playing in the Staples Center. Except when they're playing the Lakers of course. Their second rounder, Schortsanitis, could be a steal though. "Baby Shaq"(He hates the nickname) isn't as imposing as the real deal, but he does have a wide body and would love banging down low in the Western Conference. I think he'll be a top flight PF in a couple years and would be best served by spending those years with his team in Greece.
4) Philadelphia 76ers:
Round 1: No Pick
Round 2: Willie Green, G, Detroit and Kyle Korver, SF, Creighton
The Sixers desperately need someone else on their roster other than AI that can score. Both Green and Korver did it well in college but how will it translate? Neither played in a top flight program and have holes in their game. Korver is shorter version of Keith Van Horn: can shoot the lights out, can't take Mark Madsen off the dribble and stands around on defense. Although the main difference between the two is Korver you might be able to rely on to make a clutch shot. Green is well rounded and saves them from being further down on the list.
5) Memphis Grizzlies:
Round 1: Troy Bell, PG, Boston College and Dahntay Jones, SG/F, Duke
Round 2: No Picks
I think Jerry West is a brilliant executive and maybe he knows something the rest of us don't, but this is not what you want to come away with when you have two first round selections. I love Bell's game because he can do it all and if he were a few inches taller he would have been in the middle of the lottery, but he would have been better off in Boston's offense. Right off the bat there are two point guards in front of him, so you have to ask just how many minutes he'll be able to get? Unless they plan on playing him in a miniature backcourt with Jason Williams. Jones is your typical Coach K product: great athlete, tough defense and hard worker. But as we've seen in the past that doesn't always translate into NBA success. Essentially he's a shooting guard that can't shoot. Hmmm.
6) Milwaukee Bucks:
Round 1: T.J. Ford, G, Texas
Round 2: Szymon Szewczyk, F, Germany
The Bucks definately dropped the ball here. No pun intended. I don't care that they traded Cassell and that Payton might leave, I really don't like Ford's game at all. If a horrible first round pick isn't a clear sign that MJ is at the helm, then I don't know what is. The Bucks should have learned from what the Bulls went through last year that a small point guard that can't shoot won't succeed in the NBA. Given, Ford is much quicker than Williams ever was, but it doesn't matter how quick he is if he shoots 30% from the floor. Even if all he did was dish, the Allen/Payton trade stripped the Bucks of their best shooter. The only thing that can save this draft is if Szewczyk turns out to be a player when he finally comes over from Europe.
7) Minnesota Timberwolves:
Round 1: Ndudi Ebi, F, HS
Round 2: Rick Rickert, C, Minnesota
Okay, this is the plan: you end the season one win away from advancing in the playoffs for the first time in a century -- or however long KG has been around -- and want someone who can step in right away and be a role player. So of course the Wolves draft two projects! Ebi has ridiculous raw ability. And you can't argue the fact that the Wolves are one of the best teams to try and develop a high schooler. But as talented as Ebi is, he won't be able to start next to the Kid for at least two years and by then KG could be playing somewhere else. If you know what Rickert was doing leaving school early than you know more than the rest of us. At least if he makes the team he'll get to stay in Minnesota. That's a good thing, right?
8) Portland Trail Blazers:
Round 1: Travis Outlaw, F, HS
Round 2: Nedzad Sinanovic, C, Bosnia
I hate to get on all the teams that took kids out of high school because I thought these specific players are all great talents, but the wrong teams are taking them. As the Jail Blazers showed last season with Qyntel Woods, they have no patience for players not sure how to make the physical adjustment to the NBA. Although they do get style points for adding another "Outlaw" to the roster. Hopefully he can be the only one that is an outlaw in name only. Sinanovic is a big man that won't be a part of the Blazers roster. Poor Cheeks.
We Participated Because We Had To
1) Indiana Pacers:
Round 1: No Pick
Round 2: James Jones, SF, Miami
I think they sent Ron Artest's nephew to act as their entire War Room staff. They wanted to send Artest himself, but figured he'd take the term too literally and start throwing things at the other teams. For only have one pick, Jones isn't a bad guy to put on your roster but there won't be much playing time for him.
2) Houston Rockets:
Round 1: No pick
Round 2: Malick Badiane, F, Germany
If Van Gundy got off the beach to even watch the draft I'd be surprised. I was pretty shocked they even held onto this pick. They certainly don't have any holes that a second round pick could fill, but they seem to think Badiane can contribute after playing another year with his European team. Yo.
3) San Antonio Spurs:
Round 1: No Pick
Round 2: No Pick
Traded their first round pick to the Suns for a future first rounder. I think they were too busy getting ready for J-Kidd's visit to worry about trying to draft anyone.
4) Sacramento Kings:
Round 1: No Pick
Round 2: No Pick
The least of their worries was the draft. Getting a healthy Chris Webber back will be the most important thing for the Kings this summer.
:: Ryan 7:08 PM
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