Finally the draft is over, so now we will endure a long hot summer of speculation on who made great moves and who slit their own wrists. Here, of course is my humble (and sure to be mocked) assessment of:
The lottery picks:
1. I understand Chicago taking Rose #1. He's a hometown boy, he's a winner and their PG's have been playing soft. Still, all of this nonsense about him being the best player in the draft is absurd. Beasley was far and away the best player in the NCAA all of last season and it was a forgone conclusion that he would be the overall #1 until Memphis' great NCAA tourney run. If Beasley had Rose's teammates he would've beaten Kansas in the title game.
2. Riley was almost too smart for his own good when as the draft got closer he started waffling on Beasley. Lucky for the Heat they made the right move. In one season Marion will be gone (if not sooner). In two seasons Wade will be gone (if not sooner). Beasley is a natural scorer and while Mayo will indeed be a star in the league, there will be other PG's available in two seasons, interior scorers will be less plentiful.
3. I like Kevin Love very much, but if McHale was gonna go for an interior player he needed more size, and while it's hard to knock this pick, Mayo along with Foye and Jefferson would've given the Wolves more threats offensively.
4. The best possible scenario for Seattle (Oklahoma?). They needed to surround the defensively challenged Durant with defensive players on the perimeter and Westbrook fits that need perfectly. Bayless would've taken shot attempts away from Durant and clearly the Sonics are looking for KD to be in Kobe mode for his career.
5. Memphis is headed nowhere fast. Mayo is a great talent, but unless they have some plan to get some interior scoring, Mayo is going to exit stage left at the first opportunity. They keep drafting guards (Lowry, Conley, Mayo) and odn't forget they also have Crittendon. Maybe, hopefully, another deal is on the near horizon.
6. Why not draft Garllinari here? He's no less than the fifth best scorer in this year's draft. The impact players were off the board, well maybe not all of them and the Knicks need to rejuvinate the fan base more than anything since winning basketball games isn't going to be easy as long as Marbury is on the roster. New York is essentially Little Italy so they'll love him in Gotham.[ Side note: I'm amazed that Brandon Rush, who was supposed to be a top five pick two seasons ago faded so far. I would've loved to see the Knicks go with an upperclassman with some intestinal fortitude here. Rush will be a star in the NBA for years to come, this was the Knick's chance to show some real draft insight and they blew it.]
7. Eric Gordon, like someone else said earlier, is a an undersized choke artist. He's not a skilled enough ball handler to play the 1, and if he thinks that he'll be getting that jump shot off against 6' 6" SG's in the NBA he's sadly mistaken. A lot of hype behind this kid, but I really didn't see much of an NBA game while in colege. Rip me if you want, there are always huge busts in the top ten, Gordon will be one of them. The Clippers are the perect place for him, he's one Al Thornton punch in the grill away from heading to Europe.
8. Joe Alexander looks like he could be a real good NBA player. He reminds me of Rex Chapman and Chapman was a solid pro. He goes to the rim hard and has a natural knack for scoring. If the Bucks can find time for him, RJ and Mo Williams on the florr at the same time, they'll be a contender for the post season again. A good replacement for Bobby Simmons.
9. The Bobcats could've gotten the same deal from Toronto that Indiana got, instead they get D.J. Augustin. Even if they are shopping Felton, I don't think that Augstin is any better than Acie Law was last year. I don't get it.
10. The Nets are gearing up for the arrival of King James and they are doing a very good job of it. This team is huge now and they have Devin Harris running the point. This is the team of the future in the East.
11. The Pacers have reinvented themselves overnight and getting T.J. Ford, Hibbert and Rush after losing O Neal was a great move. Look out for this team..wait a minute...who's coaching them? Oh yeah Jim O Brien!!! They're back in a big way. I really like this team now.
12. I don't know much about Jason Thompson aside from what I heard Jay Bilas say, but it's not like the Kings were planning on contending anyway. Why waste the money on someone who'll want $60 million in three seasons?
13. The Blazers end up with Bayless, who will #### off Barndon Roy sooner than later. A lot of people were high on Bayless, I was not one of them. He's a great colegiate scorer but has not shown to be a great passer, which is what he must learn to do first and foremost on a team with a former ROY and the supposed second coming of Duncan.
14. Baron Davis is soooooo gone.
Other notes:
Is it me, or do the Utah Jazz go out of their way to draft white players?
Tiago Spliier is not coming to San Antonio right now, but how many people realize that Luis Scola was on their roster last season? This team may actually have seen it's last hurrah.
Why didn't the Wizards make themselves busy with trades for picks? Do they really think that team is going to contend after losing three straight years to the One Man James Gang?
Wow! Have the Suns done an about face or what?!
Where is Coutney Lee going to find shots on the Magic's roster? Shouldn't they have found a big body to put around Howard?
Detroit you are the first team officialy on the (trade) clock.
Curly Mo
I'm bemused as to what it is that the Nets are trying to achieve. They send Jefferson to the Bucks in exchange for Yi and basically a bucket of nothing. All in the hope that they can lure LeBron in '10.
Well here's to Rod Thorn and Marc Ratner , I just hope that is doesn't pi## all over your parade. 'cause more likely than not James'll end up going elsewhere.
As to the draft itself there was nothing there that one could really describe as being astounding at all. Save for the fact that the opportunist known as David Stern was on camera basically the majority of the night introducing each of the draftees as if they were contestants in the Miss Universe beauty pageant.
I'd read your piece within the wordpress forum and I commented on it. I found it to be very insightful and well thought out.
I've now started to do my own pieces within that very same forum under the guise of abritishman. Anytime you're in the vicinity just stop and by and take a peek to view what's on tap.
I think Rose has the tools to be a great point guard. But I'm amazed that so many teams passed on Chris Douglas-Roberts. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't CDR -- not Rose -- Memphis' leading scorer in the tournament.
Noah was the MOP in the Gators first championship, that so obviously does not translate to being the better pro Hoff. CDR is like a Mo Evans or Devean George...role player at best, and maybe an above avg year or two if in the right situation.
CurlyMo, I bet you wrote the same garbage about D-Wade who barely pushes 6'4" and didn't have excellent ball-handling skills coming out of Marquette. You should watch kids play before you pin them as future busts, look at whatever measurables you want with Gordon, the kid is a gamer and he's gonna make you eat your words.
CurlyMo, I agree with you on comment #9. And in my opinion I think a Toronto deal with the Bobcats would have worked out better for both teams than the Pacers deal...
D Wade could do things in college that Gordon could never dream of...like um...singlehandedly lead his team to the Final Four and singlehandedly torture the entire Kentucky Wildcats team. Also, Wade didn't come out after his freshman year. I don't know why SRM Genius is riding Gordon's jock strap so hard, they must be related. But it is certainly SRM that has no basketball knowledge whatsoever, it's obvious by the way he never provides any insight to his assertions, just Stephen A. Smith style definitives.
Tophatal - Sizzel: The LeBron to New Jersey deal was a wrap as soon as the team got the okay to move to Brooklyn. I'm surprised that the league doesn't file tampering charges against NJ with all of the smoozing that James and Jay Z do in public.
Hoff: You make a good point despite the stupidity of SRM. CDR was the one player on that team whose skillset seemed to translate to the NBA immediately. I think that Rose will indeed be an all-star caliber player, but we've seen too many times in recent drafts teams that buy into hyp instead of just picking the best talent available.
People forget that Milwaukee and Atlanta drafted Bogut and Williams when Deron Williams and Chris Paul were both on the board. Bogut was destined to be mediocre at best in the NBA and Williams didn't even start for his college team.
Curly Mo
You do realize that once LeBron hits Brooklyn he's liable to become like Stray-Rod and start nailin' any female within 100yds of him that's got a pulse ?
Have you seen the size of my bat New York ? You knows I got's mad skillz' in the bedroom
But then again he mightn't be that prolific when it comes to the chicks as he supposedly is on a basketball court.
Come square up in person like a man punk. I wish you would but you're an internet tough guy like everyone else around this place. I spit in your face you worthless heap of flesh and bones.
