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| Michael Simmons/New York Daily News |
By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)
The NBA Draft Thursday was as wild as people were expecting as there were trades were flying all night. Some teams did better than others tonight in a draft that was tough to navigate with no consensus number one pick, leading to surprises right from the first pick through the 60th. This is also the last draft that David Stern will be conducting as commissioner, as he is stepping down February 1st, 2014. Here are the grades for each team with the players that they ended up with at the end of the night.
Atlanta Hawks: Number 16: Lucas Nogueira, Center, Brazil. Number 17: Dennis Schroeder, Point Guard, Germany. Number 47: Raul Neto, Point Guard. The Hawks draft will not be able to really be graded until a few years down the road. Nogueira and Schroeder have a lot of potential but it most likely won’t be recognized for some time. Schroeder was a good get for the Hawks as insurance for Jeff Teague and because he has already shown growth in his game between the last two season. Nogueira is a question mark still for Atlanta who could lose a big chunk of their rotation and could have used players ready to contribute right away. He does have an awesome afro though. Neto most likely will never appear in an NBA game for the Hawks. Grade: C+
Boston Celtics: Number 13: Kelly Olynyk, Center/Power Forward, Gonzaga. Number 53: Colton Iverson, Center, Colorado State. The Celtics made more noise outside of the draft with their trade in place to send Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets, breaking up the final pieces of what has been the best thing the Celtics have had in 20 years. This year the Celtics didn’t add much in the draft, just adding two bigs in Olynyk and Iverson. Olynyk does not seem to have skills that will translate to the NBA and if he is used at Center he can be exposed. He will be a part of the new Celtics young core. Iverson brings toughness and six fouls but no one is expecting much from him; whatever he adds to the Celtics is a bonus. Grade: B
Brooklyn Nets: Number 22: Mason Plumlee, Center, Duke. The pick may have been all the Nets were willing to talk about Thursday night, but this is not the biggest move they made. The trade they made with the Celtics to bring in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry will dominate the headlines. They shipped Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph and three future first round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 to make it happen. Plumlee has size and is athletic but will most likely not see the court for the Nets much as they are in win now mode and with Garnett, Reggie Evans and Brook Lopez all way ahead of him on the depth chart. Grade: B-
Charlotte Bobcats: Number 4: Cody Zeller, Center/Power Forward, Indiana. Zeller was a surprise pick in the top five, just adding to the list of questionable picks Michael Jordan has made. This one makes some sense for the Bobcats though, as they need players that are pretty sure bets to play well in the NBA instead of going for players with upside. This is a team that needs anything positive to come their way after another loss filled season. Zeller is one of the safer guys in a draft full of question marks, a big factor as to why he landed with the Bobcats at four. He will make for an interesting combination with Bismack Biyombo in the Bobcats frontcourt. Grade: C+
Chicago Bulls: Number 20: Tony Snell, Shooting Guard, New Mexico. Number 49: Erik Murphy, Power Forward, Florida. Snell will have every opportunity on the Bulls as they have lacked a shooting guard since Michael Jordan retired. He adds a perimeter threat that can knock down the three and he should slide right into the Bulls lineup somewhere. There were other guys that might not have as much upside as Snell available but with better track records like Reggie Bullock, Allen Crabbe and Tim Hardaway Jr. Murphy will add another dimension to the Bulls bench as a stretch-4 and add shooting, something they lacked last season after moving Kyle Korver and C.J. Watson. Grade: C
Cleveland Cavaliers: Number 1: Anthony Bennett, Power Forward, UNLV. Number 19: Sergey Karasev, Small Forward, Russia. Number 33: Carrick Felix, Shooting Guard, Arizona State. They surprised some by taking Bennett with the first overall pick, but he brings great instincts and a lot of skills to the Cavaliers and should produce right off the bat. Karasev has some questions of his own, but fills needs at small forward and for a perimeter shooter. He can come in right away and play at the NBA level. Felix was a little bit of a reach at 33 with other players falling into the second round that were looked at as first round talents, but if he can contribute defensively it is a pick well spent. Grade: B+
Dallas Mavericks: Number 18: Shane Larkin, Point Guard, Miami. Number 43: Ricky Ledo, Shooting Guard, Providence. It was a busy night for the Mavericks, who were looking to shed more salary in pursuit of a big free agent price; *cough Dwight Howard cough*. They saved some money moving back from their original spot at 13 and got a player they like in Larkin. Larkin is scrappy, aggressive and fearless. He is a knock down shooter whose only knock against him isn’t talent wise but his size. He is less than 6 feet tall so that turned off teams. Ledo never appeared in a game for Providence so he is a mystery for teams. He had been talked about going in the low 20’s but fell to the second round as teams just don’t know enough about him. If the Mavericks give him a chance to succeed he will surprise some people. If not he will just be another player lost in the shuffle. Grade: B
Denver Nuggets: Number 46: Erick Green, Point Guard, Virginia Tech. Number 55: Joffrey Lauvergne, Power Forward, Mulhouse. The Nuggets trade Rudy Gobert, the longest player in the draft and got back the rights to Green and cash. Time will tell if that was a worthwhile swap, but Green can score with the best of them. He led the NCAA in scoring last season for a very poor Tech team as he had to do everything on offense for them to score. He has a future in the NBA as a gunner off the bench. Lauvergne has very little potential in the short or long term for the Nuggets in the NBA. Grade: C-
Detroit Pistons: Number 8: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Shooting Guard, Georgia. Number 37: Tony Mitchell, PF, North Texas. Number 56: Peyton Siva, Point Guard, Louisville. KCP will bring perimeter shooting to a Pistons team that lacks it. His struggles sometimes in college are overblown as Georgia was a BAD team. If Brandon Knight can continue his development at point guard they Pistons have a strong backcourt/frontcourt combo with KCP and Knight with Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. Mitchell is a huge steal for the Pistons to add to an already budding front court of Monroe and Drummond. He struggled as the go-to guy at North Texas but as a role player he should succeed as an energy guy. Siva brings a winners pedigree and mentality to a Pistons team void of it in recent years. Don’t be shocked if Siva makes the team as a backup or third guard. Grade: A-
Golden State Warriors: Number 30: Nemanja Nedovic, Point Guard, Serbia. The Warriors started the night without a first round pick and ended it having one at multiple slots thanks to trades. They ended up with an intriguing player in Nedovic, who many NBA scouts believe can be a stud in the NBA. He is an athletic combo guard that does not look to be a stash player for the Warriors. Expect him to play in the Summer League and play for a roster spot as the fourth guard behind Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Jarrett Jack if he returns. Grade: B
Houston Rockets: Number 34: Isaiah Canaan, Point Guard, Murray State. The Rockets did not have a first round pick because of the trade to acquire James Harden in the offseason but essentially landed one anyway. Canaan is a first round talent and a steal at 34 for the Rockets who have been very successful drafting in the second round recently. He isn’t a pure point guard but he has a lot of value as a great scorer that can shoot the ball and is an outstanding athlete. The Rockets look to have added yet another asset to their roster. Grade: B+
Indiana Pacers: Number 23: Solomon Hill, Small Forward, Arizona. The Pacers look to have whiffed again in the draft. They must not have learned from last year that drafting college seniors does not necessarily mean they can come in and produce right away for a playoff team. Hill is solid across the board but does not excel at one, making this a head scratcher of a first round pick. The Pacers will say all the right things about Hill but it is fair to question if it was the right choice with players like Reggie Bullock, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Isaiah Canaan that would have filled bigger needs. Grade: D
Los Angeles Clippers: Number 25: Reggie Bullock, Shooting Guard, North Carolina. The Clippers came into the draft looking to add a wing who could shoot and that is exactly what they got. Bullock isn’t a homerun pick but he filled the need of what they were looking for. He is a three-point specialist with better defensive abilities than people give him credit for. He best compares to Danny Green of the San Antonio Spurs and if he ever gives the Clippers a performance like Green put on in the NBA Finals they will be ecstatic. Solid pick for the Clippers who are distancing themselves even more from the Lakers as Los Angeles’ team. Grade: B
Los Angeles Lakers: Number 48: Ryan Kelly, Power Forward, Duke. Without any first round picks because of the Steve Nash trade last season, the Lakers had to wait a while to make their first selection. The Lakers need younger bodies badly so it was unfortunate they had no picks but they landed a Mike D’Antoni player at 48 in Kelly. Kelly is a great shooter and can handle the ball, making for a point-forward type D’Antoni loves. Kelly was a fringe prospect at best for any other team but in D’Antoni’s system he could thrive. Grade: B+
Memphis Grizzlies: Number 41: Jamaal Franklin, Shooting Guard, San Diego State. Number 60: Janis Timma, Small Forward, Europe. The Grizzlies very well may have gotten the coup of the draft. Franklin was rated in the top 20 prospects in the draft yet fell to the Grizzlies all the way to 41. Like the Rockets, the Grizzlies basically got a first round pick without having one. They also picked up Kosta Koufos for Darrell Arthur and the 55th pick. Koufos will help balance the Grizzlies lineup as he and Ed Davis matchup much better than Davis and Arthur did. It was a successful draft for the Grizzlies. Grade: A
Miami Heat: Number 50: James Ennis, Small Forward, Long Beach State. When you are the two-time defending NBA Champions there is not much you can add in the draft to supplant what you already have. The Heat came into the night with no picks but left with one of the sleepers in the draft with big upside. Ennis has not played high level organized basketball for long but has tantalizing tools. He is a long, athletic wing that impressed in workouts. He has a chance to stick with the Heat who could use an infusion of youth on their roster. Grade: B-
Milwaukee Bucks: Number 15: Giannis Adetokundo, Small Forward, Greece. Number 44: Mike Muscala, Center, Bucknell. The Bucks drafted from a position of need as they moved Tobias Harris last season to land J.J. Redick, leaving a big hole at the small forward position. It was a swing for the fences by the Bucks by taking Adetokundo, who looks like Kevin Durant and plays like him as well. He looks years away from the NBA as he hasn’t played against the greatest of competition yet. He is only 18 years old still and will be either a big hit or a no show for the Bucks Muscala is one of the more talented players in this draft. He can score on offense and rebound with the best of them. He will have to show he is worth a roster spot as the Bucks have a lot of players up front already in Ersan Ilyasova, Ekpe Udoh and John Henson at power forward and Larry Sanders at center. Grade: C Right now, if Adetokundo turns out anything this grade raises exponentially.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Number 14: Shabazz Muhammad, Small Forward, UCLA. Number 21: Gorgui Dieng, Center, Louisville. Number 52: Lorenzo Brown, Point Guard, NC State. Number 59: Bojan Dubljevic, Power Forward, Montenegro. The Timberwolves moved down from ninth in the draft after their guy Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was scooped up by the Pistons a pick earlier. They picked up Muhammad, who has a chance to succeed with Minnesota. He will not be the go-to option and can just fill a role. If he can stretch his range to the NBA three he would be that much better for the T’Wolves. Dieng will be great in a Rick Adelman run offense. His passing abilities will be on display and alongside Kevin Love they should own the glass. He is also a defensive menace and will protect the rim. Brown is a first-round talent with great value at 52. He provides another option at point guard for them behind Ricky Rubio. Dubljevic is the typical Euro-stash player. Grade: B-
New Orleans Pelicans: No Pick: The Pelicans made a splash on their first ever draft night. After having Nerlens Noel fall into their laps at six with people concerned about his knee, they flipped him to the 76ers for All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday. They had to surrender a 2014 first round pick, but getting an all-star like Holiday is an immediate upgrade. A lineup with Holiday, Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson and Anthony Davis should challenge for the playoffs. At worst they should challenge for the playoffs, making that draft pick less appealing. Grade: A
New York Knicks: Number 24: Tim Hardaway Jr., Shooting Guard, Michigan. Hardaway Jr. has the name recognition but is not the player that his father was. It will be interesting to see if Hardaway Sr. ever dawns Knicks apparel after it has been well publicized that he hates the Knicks. On the court Hardaway Jr. will help the Knicks in some areas. He can shoot the ball from deep and has great size for his position. He is a hard worker and should slide right into the Knicks rotation. The question is if he will be able to amount to anything more than a rotation player. Grade: B-
Oklahoma City Thunder: Number 12: Steven Adams, Center, Pittsburgh. Number 26: Andre Roberson, Power Forward, Colorado. Alex Abrines, Shooting Guard, Spain. Number 40: Grant Jerrett, Power Forward, Arizona. The Thunder are pretty much set on the roster so getting Adams is a pick for the future. He is raw but has loads of potential to eventually replace Kendrick Perkins. This was the pick that the Thunder received for James Harden, as if that trade didn’t hurt enough already. Roberson will most likely not contribute this season but has some tools that should keep him around the NBA. Abrines is a good playmaker and scorer that is very athletic. He fills a potential void on the roster if Kevin Martin doesn’t return. He should be able to help right away. Jerrett has potential after a disappointing freshman year at Arizona, but he is a year removed from being a McDonald’s All-American. The trade for Harden brings their grade down though, as Jeremy Lamb, Martin and Adams is a steal worthy of an FBI investigation. Grade: C+
Orlando Magic: Number 2: Victor Oladipo, Shooting Guard, Indiana. Number 51: Romero Osby, Power Forward, Oklahoma. Oladipo was a great get for the Magic. With rumors swirling that Arron Afflalo will be heading to the Los Angeles Clippers for Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler, SG was a need. Oladipo fills a need and was the best player on the board at the time. He is a culture changer and will be part of an exciting backcourt in Orlando with Bledsoe once the trade goes through. Osby is a 23-year old second round pick that is a warrior with toughness and hustle. It will be tough for him to make a Magic team loaded with younger, more talented options up front. Grade: B+
Philadelphia 76ers: Number 6: Nerlens Noel, Center, Kentucky. Number 11: Michael Carter-Williams, Point Guard, Syracuse. Number 38: Nate Wolters, Point Guard, North Dakota State. Number 42: Pierre Jackson, Point Guard, Baylor. Number 54: Arsalan Kazemi, Power Forward, Oregon/Iran. The biggest news of the draft was that the 76ers moved All-Star Point Guard Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans for Noel and a 2014 draft pick. Noel was projected as the number one overall pick so for the 76ers to get him is a nice get. His knee problem causes concern after that disaster that was Andrew Bynum last year, but the 76ers must have confidence in Noel’s knee. Carter-Williams will get the first crack at taking over for Holiday this season and has the tools and size to be a successful NBA point guard. Point guard became a huge need after Holiday was moved, so the 76ers brought in Wolters and Jackson as well. Whichever of those two performs more in Summer League will have the inside track to the backup point guard spot. Kazemi is a strong inside presence that can rebound and will have to put on a show in Summer League to make the roster. That pick next year could be a huge asset in what should be a loaded draft class. Grade: A+
Phoenix Suns: Number 5: Alex Len, Center, Maryland. Number 29: Archie Goodwin, Guard, Kentucky. Number 57: Alex Oriakhi, Power Forward, Missouri. Picking Len surprised some as Nerlens Noel was still on the board, but he brings some intangibles and familiarity to the Suns. GM Ryan McDonough has been on Len since he was in Europe and always loved him. Goodwin can really pay off if the Suns are patient. He struggled last season at Kentucky being forced to play point guard, but is super athletic and reminds some of a young Russell Westbrook. Knocking down jumpers is next on his to-do list. Oriakhi is a warrior and will bang in the paint. He isn’t much of a scorer, but if he has any chance at making it in the NBA it will be rebounding and defending. Great value pick for where he was gotten. Grade: B
Portland Trail Blazers: Number 10: C.J. McCollum, Point Guard, Lehigh. Number 31: Allen Crabbe, Shooting Guard, California. Number 39: Jeff Withey, Center, Kansas. Number 45: Marko Todorovic, Center, Serbia. McCollum is a combo guard that can score at will. He and Damian Lillard in the same backcourt will be scary. If McCollum comes off the bench it boosts one of the weakest units in the NBA. He can create off the dribble and covers up some holes Lillard has. Crabbe adds another weapon off the bench and improves the Blazers three point shooting immensely; he was a steal for the second round. Center was a position of need, so Withey makes sense but him and last year’s first round pick Myers Leonard would make an awkward pairing on the court together. Todorovic is a stash pick and may never appear in the NBA for the Blazers. Overall, Blazers had a strong draft adding players that can contribute now by upgrading their second unit. Grade: B+
Sacramento Kings: Number 7: Ben McLemore, Shooting Guard, Kansas. Number 36: Ray McCallum, Point Guard, Detroit. McLemore has a chance to be the most successful player in this draft class. He is the most talented player of the group with crazy athleticism. Shooting and athleticism was something the Kings lacked and McLemore will provide both. He has some off-court issues to smooth out but the Kings got a great player to build with. McCallum fills the need of a point guard that the Kings were seeking. He is a good floor leader that put stats up across the board, averaging 18.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists. If the Kings continue cleaning house he has a chance to really make a name for himself. Grade: A
San Antonio Spurs: Number 28: Livio Jean-Charles, Small Forward, French Guiana. Number 58: Deshaun Thomas, Small Forward, Ohio State. Jean-Charles will most likely stay in France for another year after he impressed a lot of people with his performance at the Nike Hoop Summit. He can play either forward position and has a nose for the ball and finds ways to help the team; a perfect Spurs player. Thomas looks like another second round steal the Spurs are used to making. Thomas is one of the top scorers in this draft but slipped because of he does not always show effort on the defensive end. If any coach can motivate Thomas to play on both ends of the court its Gregg Popovich. Grade: B-
Toronto Raptors: No Picks: The Raptors pick that they traded to acquire Kyle Lowry from the Rockets ended up being in the Thunder’s hands. They used the pick on Pittsburgh big man Steven Adams. Right now that looks like a good trade for the Raptors who would benefit more from a proven commodity in Lowry than another unknown prospect like Adams. Grade: N/A
Utah Jazz: Number 9: Trey Burke, Point Guard, Michigan. Pick 27: Rudy Gobert, Center, France. Burke gives the Jazz what they desperately need in a point guard. It was a trade that worked out well for both the Jazz and Timberwolves. Burke will have every opportunity to grow with other youngsters Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks. Gobert is just another piece of the youth movement in Utah. Gobert is another young talent up front where the Jazz have been stacking talent through the past few drafts. His size is tantalizing as he is only five inches away from touching rim when he puts his hands straight up in the air. This will be a fun team to watch the next couple of seasons. Grade: B
Washington Wizards: Number 3: Otto Porter, Small Forward, Georgetown. Number 35, Glen Rice Jr., Small Forward, NBA D-League Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The Wizards had the perfect pick in Porter fall into their lap at number three overall pick. Porter does not need the ball in his hand to succeed and will fit in perfectly alongside John Wall and Bradley Beal. He is a good two-way player. Rice is a steal if he has grown up and matured from his rough days at Georgia Tech. He plays small forward like Porter, but dominated the D-League last year as an elite athlete and sharp shooter. Both will contribute right away and can push the Wizards into the playoffs in the Eastern Conference next season. Grade: A+
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