4/07/2016

 

The Draft is done for another year and a flurry of activity and a new chat server brought about a whirlwind of messages and likely chatting to the radio show that was our draft. Teams were happy. Teams were sad. Teams were angry at other teams absence and teams declined to trade for ZBo. Here’s how it shook out.

Sorry it took some time guys! And it's not as in depth as last year.

 

Atlanta Hawks - A

#14 – Denzel Washington
#16 – DeAndre Bembry
#25 – Malik Beasley

The Hawks held pick 7 until the day before the draft, and that turned out to be Buddy Hield, who is good, but they won’t be losing sleep. Turn that pick into 2 high character, high work ethic guys who really know how to play. Washington will probably play some point forward and will get minutes right away, particularly if OJ Mayo walks. Bembry further sures up that wing position in the transfer of the team from DWade, and they got great value out of Malik Beasley, one of the best shooters in the draft, way down at 25 when he arguably could have been selected before Bembry.

 

Boston – NA

No Picks

JMac had a sleep in!

 

Brooklyn – A

#28 – Caris LeVert
#29 – Guerschon Yabusele

The Nets have been moving and shaking and while not holding their own pick, they slipped through the cracks here and grabbed the French Larry Johnson at 29 (projected 16^th) and an upside flier at 28 (projected 20^th). What does that spell? Great value! Honestly, neither guy is likely to play much next season for the Nets so they can get a much needed development year under their belt and step in a year after. Stash Yabusele overseas while the roster is stacked, nurture the oft injured LeVert, bring in the winning in the years to come.

 

Charlotte – A+

#2 – Brandon Ingram
#8 – Jamal Murray (traded for Pick 3)
#10 – Thon Maker
#11 – Dejounte Murray

What do you do when you have a super young, long, athletic team? Get 4 picks in the top 11 and get even more young, long and athletic! A mishap saw Brown drafted at 3 but a post draft 3 way trade saw the Hornets claim their #3 man, Murray behind who could be the best player in the draft, Ingram. They swung for the fences on Maker at 10 but this writer was trying to get to pick 11 to take the same shot, so we like it. Dejounte was projected 29^th, but was a lottery talent that’s a couple of years away, so why not!

 

Chicago – A

#6 - Dragan Bender
#7 - Buddy Hield
#32 – Damian Jones (Via Livingston trade)

The Bulls hit the refresh button this season and with a handful of contracted players already on the books, they pulled the trigger on a couple of trades to move up and out. Robin Lopez came in for two of their later picks, tick. They packaged 14 and 16 to move to #7 and took the draft board riser in Hield. He’s older than some, but looks like he could help right now and have a long NBA career, tick. At pick 6 they took Bender who “slid” ever so slightly and he’s a nice looking young prospect too. Lastly, they turned their good, but reserve PG into a hail mary and a future pick. Good rebuild move there too. No real arguments here.

 

Cleveland – C

#57 – Daniel Hamilton

Cavs were never a player in the draft due to past management mostly, and their own second was way late. There’s nothing wrong with having taken Hamilton really, but you’re clearly pushing the bottom of the barrel by this deep with limited guys to choose from. Hamilton is a good rebounder, but struggles shooting the ball. Maybe his work ethic will win out eventually?

 

Dallas – B+

#26 – Ivica Zubac
#42 – Paul Zipster
#59 – Wang Zhelin
#60 – Nader Abdel

The Mavs got a great kid in Zubac who was lined up to be drafted 23^rd had Hernangomez not been on the board. He’s big, he has a nice offensive skillset and a great frame to build on. After that though, they opted for the stash approach with Zipster who could be a nice 3&D guy in a couple of years, and got the last 2 guys left on the board. For what it’s worth, Wang has some nice size. Zing.

 

Denver – NA

No Picks.

Rootsey also had a sleep in!

 

Detroit – A+

#1 – Ben Simmons
#21 – Henry Ellenson
#51 – Kay Felder

It’s pretty hard to fail a draft from the #1 spot…at least until the players actually play a few years. Take the player who has been projected #1 forever, simple! Simmons though seems to have a all the tools of a star and a really high floor. Ellenson was projected as a lottery pick for a long time, finally projected late teens and then grabbed at #21, can’t argue with that! Felder could be hit or miss, but then so can any 2^nd round pick.

 

Golden State – B

#44 – Demetrius Jackson
#45 – Stephen Zimmerman
#50 – Marcus Paige

The Warriors did…solidly really. Right about a middle grade. They got a PG who has good tools, was projected at the pick they took him but possibly only reserve PG upside, average. They got Zimmerman who could be a bit like a Frank Kaminsky…so average. And they got some more PG depth in Paige late, which again is just a solid selection. Solid. Did I say that already?

 

Houston – B

#55 – Isaiah Cousins

You’re drafting this late and you get a solid combo guard, with size, who can shoot and play D? And you’re looking at possibly losing 4-5 guards in free agency? Yeah I’ll give you a B for that. Cousins actually looks like he could come in and play.

 

Indiana – C

#52 – Georges Niang
#56 – David Michineau

The Pacers were never going to get much down here, let’s be honest, but they did get a playmaking forward at about his projected spot who has a high basketball IQ. They also got a guard who slipped way down the board, but is a stash and can’t shoot. While he wouldn’t have made it over yet, perhaps a big Wang might have fit better on a squad that lacks size?

 

LA Clippers – B

#18 – Ante Zizic
#30 – Tyler Ulis
#54 – Joel Bolomboy

The Clips once owned as many as 5 picks in this draft we believe…but they ended up with 3 and now have every single pick in the 2017 draft. At 18 they grabbed Zizic whom is touted as the likely steal of the draft. His only knock is he hasn’t been playing ages and his IQ is suffering because of it. He’s your hustle guy who should have a long career anyway. Ulis is a nice looking PG who is just short, and Bolomboy is nice value this late.

 

LA Lakers – B

#49 – Malcolm Brogdon
#53 – Ben Bentil
#58 – Tyrone Wallace

The Lakers bought themselves some late 2nds for cash to have some fun on draft day. They go solid value with Brogdon falling 13 places from his projection at 36, with concerns over a foot injury and lack of athleticism hurting him. Bentil too is another solid player, and his concern was his height. And Wallace started the season strong before slipping down draft boards. All in all, the Lakers picked some strong talent who could really outplay their draft positions if they overcome their limitations.

 

Memphis – A

#4 – Marquese Chriss
#24 – Georgios Papagiannis
#46 – Michael Gbinije

The Grizz did great here. What did they need? Size. What did they get? Chriss, arguably the most upside of anyone in the draft not named Simmons or Ingram, Papagiannis a 7’2 giant who was projected 10 spots higher, and then a 6’7 point forward with a great IQ and feel for the game, who could have gone much higher if he was younger. Hell, why am I not giving this A+?

 

Miami – NA

No Picks.

Proid slept in too?

 

Milwaukee – B

#9 – Jakob Poeltl
#13 – Wade Balwin IV
#20 – Taurean Prince
#22 – Skal Labissierie
#33 – Deytona Davis
#48 – Petr Cornelie

You look at this draft haul and part of you wonders why move out the pieces they did to get here? Poeltl should have a long career, but will he be more than a role playing big…or better even than Nurkic? Baldwin looks kind of tweeny but can play. Prince is all potential, as is Skal, and then Davis who was projected higher but struggled so bad against NLL sized players in workouts that he slipped down this far. Cornelie is a great looking stash though. But yeah, I can’t help but wonder why you go this path.

 

Minnesota – B+

#43 – Chinanu Onuaku

I like this pick. You have one pick in the draft and you get a 19 year old with size, an NBA body and could remind me a bit of Bismack Biyombo…all D and no O. But then he’s 19 and it’s just what the Wolves need.

 

New Orleans – C+

#15 – Furkan Korkmaz
#17 – Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
#39 – AJ Hammons
#40 – Cheick Diallo

I don’t really like saying it, but I’m just not feeling this draft for the Pels. I like Luwawu. For a while I was big time on him and he is young and looks like he should fit the NLL system nicely, replace Parsons if he leaves? But Korkmaz is set for at least a year overseas and has some holes in his game. Hopefully he seasons well, but that doesn’t help them right now. AJ Hammons seemed to be a guy everyone wanted. But for 25 GM Points? Diallo looks like a good talent but will be limited in his 1^st year also. Overall, they covered a couple of needs…but not immediately.

 

New York – NA

No Picks.

Tim didn’t sleep…but he wished he could!

 

Oklahoma City – B

#23 – Juan Hernangomez
#31 – Patrick McCaw
#34 – Isaia Cordinier
#37 – Zhou Qi

The Thunder had grand plans to trade up or even somewhat out of this draft…and yet here we are with 4 rookies. They caught the sliding Juan Hernangomez, who looks the goods right now. McCaw could have been a mid 1^st round pick too, and is in a good situation. But they had to swing out to the unknown stash players again at the end and got 2 guys with some promise but might never make it…plus they reached to grab them. They did however sell their last 2 picks at the right peak time.

 

Orlando – A

#19 – Malachi Richardson
#38 – Pascal Siakam

The Magic got a ready made big man and possibly the best scorer in the draft, that equates to A grade drafting! Neither player factors into being in the rotation this year if they can bring back their FAs, bit that’s not a problem for a Orlando team pushing for playoffs. If DeRozan doesn’t return, look for Richardson to trouble the league for ROY honours.

 

Philadelphia – B+

#12 – Domantas Sabonis

For the record, he’s someone I would have strongly considered if not drafted at 12 too. That said, he doesn’t project as star potential type pick like some swing for the fences picks around him. That said he’s one of the best rebounders ij the draft and he just knows how to play. Long career ahead.

 

Phoenix – NA

No picks.

Penny was up and about kicking ass on the radio show. Nicely done man!

 

Portland – D

#3 – Jaylen Brown
#27 – Brice Johnson
#47 – Jake Layman

The Blazers actually drafted Kris Dunn, which would have significantly upgraded their draft grade here…but they traded him away for Brown who wasn’t expected to go at #3 but a clerical error made it so. Brown is solid…but can’t shoot and the Blazers needed a PG BAD! Then they draft tweener Johnson with much better talent on the board and finally Layman whom projects as an 8-10^th man at the next level. The Blazers have a long road and did it just get longer?

 

Sacramento – NA

No Picks.

Klemm tried to sleep in but his kids woke him.

 

San Antonio – NA

No Picks.

Leeroy bought a radio station and the league is forever in his debt for this.

 

Toronto – B+

#5 – Kris Dunn
#35 – Diamond Stone
#36 – Rade Zagorac
#41 – Isaiah Whitehead

Have you heard that ZBo is available? All jokes aside, the Raptors did pretty well in the draft. They have traded MCW and straight away replace him with Kris Dunn who on paper looks like 10 times the player MCW is, but we will see of course. The Dunn pick really carries the load though as Stone is a foul machine and said to not be athletic enough…which makes it worse for the NLL. Zagorac is a stash pick so we won’t see him a while, but Whitehead looks like he should get minutes right out of the gate behind Dunn.

 

Utah – NA

No Picks.

Merencio literally slept in causing quite the stir…

 

Washington – NA

No Picks.

Darko is scared of the draft.