The 2009 Draft is all wrapped up. It was a strange day and you could feel it. I got word of MJ's passing about 20 minutes before the draft. I don't want to get into a long thing with that subject, but he will be missed.
So we now get to the draft. It featured a lot of trades and a lot of picks that I am upset about. Too many of these players got drafted to a team that can't really help them reach their full potential because of the situations around them. One is surely Ricky Rubio (pictured above). So now I will give each team a letter grade for their draft. Note that I won't be counting any of the trades of the night unless they revolved around draft picks.
Atlanta - B+
Jeff Teague 19th overall
Sergei Gladyr 49th overall
Jeff Teague is a good fit for Atlanta. An uptempo team that likes to run. This kid has an explosive first step and is very quick. He is still young and will need to grow into the role, but getting him at 19 was good value. As for Gladyr, well we won't really know for a few years, so it would be dumb for me to even try and project him.
Boston - C+
Lester Hudson 58th overall
This was their only pick. A guy who played well in college, but is quite old. We'll see if he makes the roster.
Charlotte - B+
Gerald Henderson 12th overall
Derrick Brown 40th overall
I think Gerald Henderson will be a good fit for them. They have a hole at 2 guard and he is a great athlete that can contribute right away. Derrick Brown at 40 is good value. Another explosive athlete that could be a good off the bench guy if he can make hustle plays. Solid picks for the Bobcats.
Chicago - C-
James Johnson 16th overall
Taj Gibson 26th overall
I wasn't a big James Johnson fan coming into the draft, but at 16 it could pay off. He was a good player at Wake, but I don't think he has the work ethic to follow up on his talent. At 26 im baffled on how they passed up DeJuan Blair for the second time and took Taj Gibson. A pretty raw kid who can really only block shots. Don't they already have that in Ty Thomas? Both picks to me are questionable.
Cleveland - C
Christian Eyenga 30th overall
Danny Green 46th overall
Emir Preldzic - 57th overall
Very surprised by the first round pick of Eyenga here. With all the guys that were on the board that could have potentially came in and contributed this year they chose an overseas project? Hated that pick. Danny Green is saving their draft grade and he is a solid 2nd round pick. I don't even know the other guy they took, but he will probably never play for them.
Dallas - C+
Rodrique Beaubois 25th overall
Nick Calathes - 45th overall
Ahmad Nivins - 56th overall
This grade would have been much higher of the Mavs hang on to BJ Mullens at 24. To trade him for some French PG with some upside was awful. Beaubois will never be good. he has no basketball IQ. They had the big stuffed panda at the carnival and traded it for a goldfish in a bag. I am really happy they got Calathes and I hope he will come play for them right away. He was the guy I thought they would be targeting with their first round pick. Ahmad Nivins isn't a bad choice there either.
Denver - A-
Ty Lawson 18th overall
I think this pick has good value. He can be a good back up to Chauncey on a team with good veteran leadership. This will be a good situation for him and kudos to Denver for trading for him here.
Detroit - B-
Austin Daye 15th overall
DaJuan Summers 35th overall
Jonas Jerebko 39th overall
Another instance where I like the second rounders better than the first. I think Austin Daye is a bust and was a major reach here. Terrible value. DaJuan Summers is a solid 2nd round pick who will find a spot on the roster. Jonas Jerebko is a guy I like a lot for the future and Detroit did a good job of getting him here.
Golden State - B+
Stephen Curry 7th overall
I love Steph Curry. I am going to assume for the time being that they drafted him and are keeping him. We know what he can do and I think having him and Monta Ellis can work for the offense. The defense will get killed however the Warriors don't pride themselves on their D so Curry fits their philosophy well.
Houston - A-
Jermaine Taylor 32nd overall
Sergio Llull 34th overall
Chase Budinger 44th overall
All second round picks from Houston and I like them all. Taylor was a guy that I thought was going to creep into the first round but he didn't and the Rockets capitalize on a guy that can really score the ball. Sergio Llull is apparently a pretty good player for Spain and in a few years could really return big on their investment. Budinger was one of the surprises of the draft slipping this far, but Houston scoops him up. If nothing else the guy can shoot and I think that all these guys will make their roster.
Indiana - C
Tyler Hansbrough 13th overall
AJ Price 52nd overall
Tyler Hansbrough is not a lottery pick. I repeat, Tyler Hansbrough is not a lottery pick. With all the good point guards still left on the board and with Jarrett Jack leaving I thought this was an easy decision. Whatever, they take the goofy white kid and he will be an 8th man. Great work. AJ price might or might not make the roster but was all that was really left at this point of the draft.
LA Clips - A-
Blake Griffin 1st overall
No brainer here by the Clippers. Now if they could only get some sucker to take on a couple of those bad contracts in their front court, Blake would be assured 35 minutes a game. I gave them an A minus because it was their only pick and even Josh Golden (known for saying the 2000 draft was the best ever) would have taken him here.
LA Lakers - C+
Chinemelu Elonu 59th overall
Chime...China, Chine? Oh for god sake I can't say his name and thats what popped out when I tried. I give Lakers a C+ for reasons unknown.
Memphis - B
Hasheem Thabeet 2nd overall
Demarre Carroll 27th overall
Sam Young 36th overall
I have mixed feelings on Thabeet at 2nd. They kind of had to take him when Rubio told them to fuck off. He probably won't live up to the #2 pick, but he can play D. I like their other picks though. Demarre Carroll was something of a sleeper in this draft and he can turn out pretty decent. Same for Sam not so Young who happens to be 24.
Miami - C
Patrick Beverly 42nd overall
Robert Dozier 60th overall
Two second round picks. I mean, we will see if either make the roster and stick for the year but I wouldn't count on it.
Milwaukee - C
Brandon Jennings 10th overall
Jodie Meeks 41st overall
Man do I hate Brandon Jennings. Gets picked 10th and comes out on the 14th pick. I guess the Bucks feel like they have their PG of the future. They will be sadly mistaken, but then again that's why they are the Bucks. I like Jodie Meeks here. He can be a scorer off the bench for them and should fit in nicely here.
Minnesota - C
Ricky Rubio 5th overall
Jonny Flynn 6th overall
Wayne Ellington 28th overall
Henk Norel 47th overall
Obviously I have a lot to say about Minnesota. I can't fault them for taking Rubio. He was by far the best player on the board. Then they took Flynn with the very next pick? Makes no sense at all. He didn't trade one of them and is denying any interest in doing so. Perplexing really. So now they have Rubio threatening to not play for them. They have to trade him and we will see what they can get back for him. Wayne Ellington was a good value pick for the wolves at 28 and we'll see with Henk Norel.
New Jersey - A-
Terrence Williams 11th overall
Love this pick for New Jersey. Williams is a guy that will go well with that young nucleus they have now. An unselfish player, Williams will be a great glue guy that I believe his teammates will learn to like a lot. Happy they didn't reach for Hansbrough here and make the right choice.
New Orleans - C
Darren Collison 21st overall
Marcus Thornton 43rd overall
A little confused as to why New Orleans drafted to small guards when BJ Mullens and DeJuan Blair were on the board at 21. Collison will be a solid back up for Chris Paul, but he's only gonna play like 10 minutes a game. You could have found guys like that in the second round without the three year commitment. I like Marcus Thornton, but I don't know how many minutes he will get with this team.
New York - A-
Jordan Hill 8th overall
Toney Douglas 29th overall
I think New York got a good player at 8 with Jordan Hill. If they indeed don't have the ponies to resign David Lee then Hill is a necessary replacement. I have a strong belief that he can strive in D'Antoni's system with his great motor. Toney Douglas at 29 was a solid pick as well. he will provide some much needed D to that team and a back up to Duhon.
Ok City - B+
James Harden 3rd overall
BJ Mullens 24th overall
Robert Vaden 54th overall
I think Oklahoma did ok in this draft. I would have loved to see Rubio in that backcourt with Westbrook, but apparently Westbrook, who just finished his rookie season bitched around the GM into making sure he didn't take a PG. Harden is a good fit for them, but he does lack the star quality that Rubio has. Mullens at 24th in the draft is a really good spot for him. He is a boom bust type and there is very little risk at pick 24. Oh and Robert Vaden is ok.
Orlando Magic - Incomplete
Did not have any picks.
Philadelphia - B+
Jrue Holliday - 17th overall
I am partial to Eric Maynor as I thought he would have been a perfect fit for them, but I can't argue too much with Holliday. His value was just too much for them to pass up here and I think they made a good pick by getting a PG they need when Andre Miller bolts.
Phoenix - B+
Earl Clark 14th overall
Taylor Griffin 48th overall
Earl Clark is a really good fit for the Suns here. He possesses a lot of talent and I can see him putting up some good numbers in the uptempo offense in Phoenix. Not to mention all the great passes he will be getting from Nash. Taylor Griffin at 48 is alright too i guess.
Portland - C+
Victor Claver 22nd overall
Dante Cunningham 33rd overall
Patrick Mills 55th overall
I don't know why the Blazers continue to stockpile draft picks. They have enough guys on that roster that I could see both 2nd round picks getting cut. I'm not too fond of either of them. Claver is a good pick there as you can stash him in Spain for a few years, but Portland needs to relax.
Sacramento - D
Tyreke Evans 4th overall
Omar Casspi 23rd overall
Jon Brockman 38th overall
Sacramento is going to look back at that 4th pick and realized they passed on a premier point guard for a guy that they thought could play PG but cannot. Evans might be an ok player, but to pass on Rubio, a guy that wanted to play for you, it's insane. It's no wonder why you had the worst record in the league this year. Your front office is just trying to save their jobs with a quick fix this year but all you are doing is tarnishing your reputation. As for the other two picks, whatever.
San Antonio - A
DeJuan Blair 37th overall
Jack McClinton 51st overall
Nando De Colo 53rd overall
Of course the Spurs had the best draft without needing a first round pick. DeJuan Blair inexplicably slides all the way to them at 37. Unbelievable. Steal of the draft easy. Then they follow up with two solid picks in the 50s. This is why they have been good for so long.
Toronto - B+
Demar DeRozan 9th overall
Toronto gets their guy at 9. I feel it's a good spot for him and the Raptors really needed at 2 guard. Derozan has a lot of potential and will be a good fit for their system. Besides you never doubt the Colangelos when it comes to the draft.
Utah - A-
Eric Maynor 20th overall
Goran Suton 50th overall
I love their Eric Maynor pick. It's a good idea to have an insurance policy for Deron Williams what with his injury last year. This kid can step in and be a great backup right now. Good fit for him although I would have liked to see him in a situation where he could have got more minutes. Goran Suton is a throwaway pick to me.
Washington - Incomplete
Did not have any picks.
Zo- I definitely applaud the effort and voice of opinion, but I still think that you are majorly confused with some of your draft grades. How can you possibly give the Sacramento Kings a D for taking Tyreke Evans over Rubio. Do not let Rubio's fine set of Spanish hair lead you to overrate him to a point of possibly thinking he is a better fit for the Kings than Evans. At pick #4, I do not see a player on the board with as much potential and game breaking ability than Tyreke. The kid is a straight BALLER- someone that can come into the league and have an immediate impact. The only player I see having as big of an impact would be Blake Griffin.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where you get your Spanish basketball videos from, or where you've even seen Rubio play. Was it the Olympics? How many games did you see him play? You seem to forget that many international players perform very different on that stage versus the stage of the NBA. Why do you think the USA has had poor succes in previous years? It is a different style game altogether! For you to rip the Kings apart for taking a player who would DEFINITELY fit well into an NBA style game versus a big ass question mark is just assonine. I will not put up with this type of blog nonsense without letting my voice be heard!
I applaud the Kings for taking a player who is going to step right in and have the ability to make a play at the end of the game for them. Team Evans up with Kevin Martin and you have a pretty explosive backcourt. Look at the Kings roster: They need another scorer! They need another playmaker! They need Tyreke Evans!
When Tyreke is doing his thing in Sacramento, I look forward to seeing Rubio become the next Rudy Fernandez- a great role player, nothing special. Maybe the Knicks can trade for Rubio and he can sit the bench and join Darko Milicic as two OVERRATED QUESTION MARKS who do not have the ability to take a team to the next level.
Another thing- stop thinking the Stephen Curry actually has what it takes to play in the NBA. Good thing he is on a team that plays no defense because the bottom line is that teams playing man to man are going to be seeing the 1 or 2 guard get the ball down low posting him up. The kid has no strength. They have going to have to double team OR sit his ass on the bench! But yes, the kid does have 'range', so let's say he's going to be awesome!
I can't wait to see Evans with a Sac jersey on. At least it will make that team interesting. As for Rubio, I can't wait to check out his stats in the Spanish league this winter.
owl/parrot clan ripping willie apart over these 2 players.
ReplyDeleteskyler will admit he is over the top for rickie (he should spell his name this way) rubio to a sense that he is somewhat bias in his analysis...but it is HIS BLOG.
earl clark or t-will for days
I am not over the top for Rubio. I like the kid a lot because he is a special player that will show what he can do whenever he comes to the NBA. Now I think you're being hypocritical with Rubio. You want to call me out for not seeing enough of his play to think he can be a star in the NBA, but I can tell you I have seen more than you and you are already projecting that he will be a bust. Lots of European players games have translated. Don't forget that.
ReplyDeleteAs for your Tyreke Evans man love I think you're mistaken. He is not going to be as good as you think. Kevin Martin is their 2 guard and franchise player. What they needed was a point guard to run the team, not another two guard. As for as being an explosive backcourt I don't know how you came to that conclusion. Neither player is particularly athletic.
As far as Steph Curry is concerned I think you are greatly underrating him. Yes he needs to add strength, but so do a lot of guys that come out of college. I remember a certain someone who could also shoot the lights out who was rail thin coming out of college. He's going into his 3rd year in the league and he STILL needs to put on weight, but he is considered a superstar. I am talking of course about Kevin Durant.
Now I'm not saying Steph Curry will be as good as him or even remotely close, but I am saying that he has time to put on weight. Tyreke Evans isn't going to fix is broken jump shot unless he makes radical changes.
My draft grade for Sacramento is deserved. Why are they drafting a guy for immediate impact when they had the worst record in the NBA last year? Is Tyreke Evans going to be the guy that gets them to the playoffs in the next two years? The answer is no. Meanwhile Rubio gives them a guy with major upside and a much better fit for their team. If Rubio wasn;t on the board when they picked Evans, I wouldn't have given them such a harsh grade, but he was.
Everyone can squawk about how they disagree with certain predictions and opinions I have, but we are all in wait-and-see mode till the season starts. I appreciate you voicing your opinion and a lot of people agree with you on Evans. I am not one of them.