Written by: O

Very interesting draft.  Not too surprising, but interesting.

Atlanta: none        

Boston: J.R. Giddens (30)                       

            Bill Walker (trade_47)

            Semih Erden (60)

Ainge continued his very good work on draft nights.  Giddens is a player and may even be able to be productive this season.  Getting Walker in a trade could be a big-time move because Walker already has the athleticism to excel.  Erden is a project and don’t expect to be on the team for a long time if ever.

Charlotte: D.J. Augustin (9)

                Alexis Ajinca (20)

                Kyle Weaver (38)

I don’t understand the Augustin pick when the Bobcats have had so much difficulties with the frontcourt, even though most of the difficulties are because of injuries.  The good thing is that heat will be put on Raymond Felton.  Ajinca was a Brown favorite and defensively, he will scare the living daylights out of teams, especially if he is able to team with Emeka Okafor.  Weaver will bring surprising versatility and if he can find his niche, he could be a decent player.

Chicago: Derrick Rose (1)

              Omer Asik (trade_36)

Although I disagree with the notion of drafting Rose instead of Beasley, Rose does bring a ton of excitement and expectation to the Windy City.  Give him some time and he may be a big-time PG.  Asik is another surprising defensive player, but he may be in Turkey for 3 or 4 more years.

Cleveland: J.J. Hickson (19)

                Darnell Jackson (trade_52)

                Sasha Kaun (trade_56)

Hickson could ended up being the sleeper of the draft.  Give him two years and he will be starting, regardless of what the rest of the team looks like.  I don’t think either Jackson or Kaun will make the team.                   

Dallas: Shan Foster (51)

Although Foster was THE MAN in the SEC, there’s something about Foster can says that he just will not be that good in the NBA, unless he can just be a spot-up shooter and even then, that would need improvement.

Denver: none

Detroit: Walter Sharpe (trade_32)         

             Trent Plaisted (trade_46)

I was very surprised that the Pistons traded D.J. White as I thought he would fit their future needs.  That being said, Sharpe was an underrated prospect and even though he could easily start in the D-League, Sharpe could eventually be a player.  Plaisted is one of the most athletic players in the draft, but he does not like contract and rarely goes strong to the basket, despite his ability to jump over most.

Golden State: Anthony Randolph (14)

                      Richard Hendrix (49)

I am very confused with the Randolph selection, especially when the Warriors already has Brendan Wright.  To me, they are almost identical in style of game, except that Wright is bigger.  Do not like that pickup.  Hendrix is a bruiser and while his offensive game needs work, he has absolutely no problem in getting rebounds.              

Houston: Joey Dorsey (trade_33)

              Donte Greene (trade_28)

              Maarty Leunen (54)

I was perplexed with the Rockets’ early moves, but trading for Dorsey made perfect sense.  Talk about a PF and a physical presence for Yao.  No more cheap shots at Yao because of Dorsey.  Greene is one who could develop into the small forward or wing opposite McGrady that the Rockets have been looking for, but he’ll need some time.  Leunen is one who has surprising rebounding skill, but he is a perimeter big man.  He would fit well with Dorsey as well. 

Indiana: T.J. Ford (trade)

             Rasho Nesterovic (trade)

             Jarrett Jack (trade)

             Josh McRoberts (trade)

             Brandon Rush (trade_13)

             Roy Hibbert (trade_17)

The Pacers totally remade their team and Pacer fans should be excited.  Ford is a substantial upgrade at the PG position and is one of the really good young PGs in the league, despite him being traded.  Nesterovic had two productive seasons in Toronto and could do some good things in Indiana.  Jack will challenge for the starting PG spot, but I think he will backup.  The only question is how many will he have to backup?  McRoberts never had much of an opportunity in Portland, but he should do much better now that he is back in his hometown.  Rush was one of the really underrated talents in the draft and may get to play with his brother Kareem.  Hibbert will bring the Pacers some size they haven’t had in quite a while now.         

LA Clippers: Eric Gordon (7) 

                   DeAndre Jordan (35)

                   Mike Taylor (trade_55) 

The Clippers took a gamble in Gordon because he is a small 2-guard.  There is no questioning his ability, but there may be questioning his ability to guard.  Jordan fell rapidly once his poor offensive game was there to show everyone.  He still has a ton of defensive ability and size though.  Taylor was impressive in the D-League and at the pre-draft camp.  Taylor will be on someone’s roster next season.

LA Lakers: Joe Crawford (58)                  

I like this pick.  The Lakers know that they need some tough player and Crawford is about as tough as they come.  He showed that in the last two months when he led a very weak Kentucky team to the NCAAs.  If he can find a niche, he could very well stay in the league.

Memphis: O.J. Mayo (trade_3)

               Antoine Walker (trade)

               Marko Jaric (trade)

               Greg Buckner (trade)

               Darrell Arthur (trade_27)

I have continually thought that the best overall guard in the draft was O.J. Mayo and somehow the Grizzlies got him with the 5th pick.  Walker has showed his age last year and Jaric has not shown anyone his potential since early on in his career while Buckner is a hustle guy who can stay in the league by doing the little things and glamourless assignments.  Arthur could be a big-time sleeper as he as this past season at Kansas.  He is not flashy, but he is good.         

Miami: Michael Beasley (2)

           Mario Chalmers (trade_34)

Beasley quite simply is the best plater in the draft and is my early favorite for this upcoming Rookie of the Year award.  Chalmers was one of the best clutch players in all of college basketball season last year.  Both of them could play early and often and while Beasley is a certainity, Chalmers could as well. 

Milwaukee: Richard Jefferson (trade)

                  Joe Alexander (8)           

How in the world did the Bucks get Jefferson?  An absolute steal for Jianlian and Simmons.  He and Michael Redd could do major damage.  Alexander is a combo forward with deceptive range and deceptive quickness, but most of all, he plays to win.

Minnesota: Kevin Love (trade_5)

                 Mike Miller (trade)

                 Brian Cardinal (trade)

                 Jason Collins (trade)

                 Nikola Pekovic (31) 

Love was the best low-post presence in the nation last year and Minnesota needs somebody on both ends of the floor.  Miller is one of the best shooters in the league and still has other ways of putting the ball in the basket as well.  Cardinal has been totally lost since he left Memphis and maybe Minnesota could be the place you for him to find his game.  Collins is strictly a defensive player with a very little offense in his game.

New Jersey: Yi Jianlian (trade)

                   Bobby Simmons (trade)

                   Brook Lopez (10)

                   Ryan Anderson (21)

                   Chris Douglas-Roberts (40)

The Nets may have had the best trade of the night.  Jianlian showed a ton of potential last year and will be better barring injury.  Simmons is a tough guy who can play either forward and can big-time basketball.  Lopez is the better low post scorer in the draft and that makes him a solid pick here, especially since they haven’t had a solid low post scorer since Buck Williams.  Anderson can score and rebounder in bunches, but he isn’t the most physical player, but he can play.  Douglas-Roberts at 40?  Well, let’s just say that the Nets look a lot better already.        

New Orleans: none                                   

New York: Danilo Galliani (6)

Galliani heard the boos, but he should have cheers waiting for him because he can play.  The thing is that he had better play very hard, very long in order to win the fans.  The good part is that it should not be that difficult to way the Knicks have played basketball for almost all of the decade.

Orlando: Courtney Lee (22)

Lee is one of those players who will probably be a better pro than he was in college and he was really good in college.  The only curious thing is to see how much playing time he gets because of the logjam with Turkoglu and Lewis both playing the wing.

Philadelphia: Murresse Speights (16)

The 76ers make a good pickup of a big man that should be able to compliment Samuel Dalembert, both offensively and defensively.  Speights will challenge shots and when motivated, will go strong to the boards.  On the defensive end, he consistently challenges the shot and can block a few of them as well.

Phoenix: Robin Lopez (15)

              Goran Dragic (trade_45)

Everyone seems to love Robin Lopez instead of his brother Brook in terms of potential.  They point to Robin’s defense and how his offensive game is just starting to come around.  Lopez should fit perfectly with Phoenix’s new philosophy.  Dragic is not necessarily sure where he will be, but he has very good size and can shoot the rock.

Portland: Jerryd Bayless (trade_11)

               Ike Diogu (trade) 

               Nicholas Batum (trade_25)                  

               Sonny Weems (trade_39)

Bayless is an explosive combo guard with big-time scoring ability and a knack for getting to the basket, a dangerous combination when Oden starts to play.  Diogu snatches everything he is near off of the glass and has an underrated post game.  Batum has a lot of ability, but it appears that he does not go all-out at times and is not aggressive when going to the basket.  Weems is a player that will need to bring up his defensive ability in order to stay in the league.          

Sacramento: Jason Thompson (12)

                    Sean Singletary (42)

                    Patrick Ewing Jr. (43)

Most people do not know of Thompson, but the Kings took a good one.  He can really rebound and while his offensive game needs some work, he will not hurt anyone with his offense.  I think Singletary will be one of those 2nd rounders who surprise next season.  He does most everything a PG should do, but he is short, one of his few negatives that he has.  Ewing Jr. will go all-out, especially on the defensive end.  If he makes the team, he will be respected early.

San Antonio: George Hill (26)

                    Malik Hairston (trade_48)

                    James Gist (57)

Another mostly unknown player is Hill, even though he was clearly one of the best players in the college basketball last year.  He can really score, but sometimes decision-making can be questioned.  Hairston is one player whose growth never exceeded where people saw him.  Good player, but he could have been and probably should have been better.

Seattle: Russell Westbrook (4)

             Serge Ibaka (24)

             D.J. White (trade_29)

             DeVon Hardin (50)

             Sasha Kaun (56)

I don’t understand the fascination with Westbrook, especially at #4.  Good player, but not at #4.  Ibaka is definitely raw, but give him 3 years and he should be ready to contribute a low.  Meanwhile, White could be ready to play next year, especially if he can continue to stay away from the injury bug.  Hardin has the ability to contribute, but will he?  Sometimes he just disappears from the game, which could make him disappear from this roster.  Kaun will not make the team.

Toronto: Jermaine O’Neal (trade)

         Nathan Jawal (trade_41)                 

The Raptors took a big gamble in bringing O’Neal.  If his injuries are not behind him, then they look very foolish.  Jawal is an underrated big man who can really play defense and could surprise many offensively.

Utah: Kosta Koufos (23) 

         Ante Tomic (44)

         Tadija Dragicevic (53) 

I am definitely not a fan of Koufos, even though he really played well at the end of last season.  He does not do anything great, but he is adequate at a lot of things.  I don’t expect Tomic or Dragicevic to play in the NBA for a while, even though I believe Dragicevic will be a good player in the NBA one day.

Washington: JaVale McGee (18)

The Wizard fans probably had another heart attack because McGee is a project, even though he has great athleticism.  His low-post skills leave a long to be desired.  He will have to make an impact on the defensive end in order to play.

Tags: Sports

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