NBA Draft Reactions

The NBA draft was everything you could possibly ask for.  Intrigue and anticipation leading up to the start, Cleveland keeping their choice under wraps from literally everyone (Kanye needs to take notes on how to not let something leak), major trades - and so many minor ones you couldn't keep track of, big slides down the draft board (most notably Nerlens Noel and Jamaal Franklin), and David Stern's last hurrah.

In other words, it was awesome.

Now that all the dust has settled and the madness has had time to sink in, lets look at the draft's winners, losers, and some takeaways.

Team Winners *draft pick in parentheses*
Dallas Mavericks - Shane Larkin (18), Richard Ledo (43)
The Mavs picked up their point guard of the future in Shane Larkin.  Wonder why Miami suddenly had a good college basketball team this year? Look no further than this guy.  He is a little short a 6-0, but runs the pick-and-roll extremely well, is an excellent passer, very quick and athletic (was the 2nd best athlete ever tested at the scouting combine), and has a rangey 3-point jumper.  Plus, he has the attitude, desire, and work ethic to continue is improvement as a player.

Richard Ledo is an interesting guy.  He was a top prospect coming out of high school, went to Providence, but didn't play a single minute for them due to eligibility reasons for off the court concerns. The talent is still there for the 6-6 shooting guard (who according to scouts would tear up other top prospects in AAU tournaments and drop 35 or 40 points whenever he wanted to) - but the question still remains about his off-court persona without playing in college and attending 4 high schools in 5 years.  However, 2nd round picks are not guaranteed a contract, so this was a great value pick.  I do fully expect him to make the team and be a major contributor on the court in the next 2-3 seasons.

Detroit Pistons - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (8), Tony Mitchell (37), Peyton Siva (56)
Caldwell-Pope can do one thing and do it well - shoot the basketball.  He's not very well known to the public because he played his college ball at Georgia, but he can really fill it up.  The Pistons desperately need help in the backcourt, and KCP should be able to contribute solid 6th or 7th man minutes right away.

Tony Mitchell was the best athlete in this class (prompting this picture to rule Twitter for a day), which is a scary thing when you consider he's already around 7 feet tall.  The guy has top-10 talent and potential, but has some big off-court issues he needs to get in order - which is why the guy played for North Texas and you've never heard of him.  But in the second round, where players don't usually stick anyways, this was another smart gamble that I think will work out for the Pistons (Side note - Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond, and Mitchell are gonna form one hell of a front line in Detroit).

And then there's Peyton Siva!  I was really hoping Siva would get drafted because he works so hard and is so much fun to watch.  You may know him as Louisville's point guard from the past four years, and the great Rick Pitino calls him his favorite player he's ever coached.  He's lightning-quick, can finish around the rim, and great defensively.  He will wind up getting minutes at the point for the Pistons this season.

Minnesota Timberwolves - Shabazz Muhammad (14), Gorgui Dieng (21), Lorenzo Brown (52), Bojan Dubljevic (59)
Shabazz Muhammad was the top rated high school player in the country last year, and was projected to be a top-3 pick this year.  However, he had a dismal season at UCLA in Ben Howland's offense that makes everyone look like a second-round pick, and questions were raised about his character (for example, he was visibly upset after a teammate made a game-winning shot because he didn't get to take it).  I'm not the biggest Muhammad fan, but the reward has to outweigh the risk at some point.

I love Gorgui Dieng (must be something about Louisville players).  He's 6-10, runs the floor well, good shot blocker and rebounder, and has a good mid-range jumper.  He fell to 21 because he's "too old" and raw offensively at 23.  Even if he doesn't improve much, he already has the tools to be a solid role player in Minnesota.

Lorenzo Brown is a 6-5 point guard from NC State who's talent is better than he's shown, but I love his game.  He fell victim to the Wolfpack's allergy against defense last year, but he has great court vision and passing ability to match, plus he can get to the rim and finish.  He just has to work on his jumper a bit.

Bojan Dubljevic is a draft-and-stash player (meaning they gain his rights, but as an international player, he can still play in Europe and develop and come over for Minnesota when they deem he's ready), someone the T-Wolves are hoping will develop overseas that they can bring over in a few years.  He won't be on the team anytime soon, but the other 3 picks were all fantastic.

Portland Trail Blazers - C.J. McCollum (10), Allen Crabbe (31), Jeff Withey (39), Marko Todorovic (35)
You might remember C.J. McCollum as that guy from Lehigh who absolutely destroyed Duke in the NCAA Tournament last year.  He came back to school for his senior season, but broke his foot halfway through.  The kid is a knockdown shooter with a great feel for the game and can play both guard positions.  Perfect backcourt-mate for the reigning rookie of the year Damian Lillard.

Allen Crabbe is another one of those guys you bring in for one reason - to shoot the ball.  He's 6-6 and can get his shot off in various ways, and that's what his job will be at the next level.  He does need to improve his defense, but he's a good role player.

Jeff Withey had 25 blocks total his first two years at Kansas when he was stuck riding the bench.  Now, the 7-footer left Kansas as the Big 12's all-time leader in career shots blocked.  He's another guy brought in to do one thing - block shots - and he does that extremely well.  Another good role player.

Marko Todorovic is another draft-and-stash guy.

Washington Wizards - Otto Porter (3), Glen Rice, Jr. (35)
Sometimes its best just to not over think it.

Otto Porter was the best player in the best basketball conference (Big East) who is 6-9 and can do everything on the basketball court.

Glen Rice is uber-talented at 6-6, won the D-League MVP and championship last season after being kicked out of Georgia Tech (why he fell to the second round).

Just pick the proven players who will help your team win.  Easy.

Team Losers
Atlanta Hawks - Lucas Nogueria (16), Dennis Schroeder (17), Mike Muscala (44), Raul Neto (47)
Nogueria and Neto are both described as raw.  For every one "raw" player that develops and becomes a solid contributor in the NBA, there's at least 20 others swimming in the NBA abyss never to be heard from again.  The best thing about Nogueria is his outrageous afro, which is quite stellar, but unfortunately afro's don't translate into basketball skills (Dr. J and Ben Wallace were skilled basketball players with afro's, not skilled afro's that were basketball players).

Mike Muscala is everyone's favorite mid-major gonna-be-good-in-the-league-sleeper in this years draft. They're wrong.  Why haven't you heard of him before? For one, he played at Bucknell.  Why does everyone like him? He's close to 7-0 with a jumper and soft touch.  Why don't I like him? He's soft.  Didn't play well at all against good competition in college.  Had 14 points against Purdue on 38% shooting, 10 against Penn State, and 9 against Butler in the NCAA Tournament on 23% shooting.  The NBA's the best of the best, and quite frankly I don't think he can handle the competition day-in and day-out.

I actually really like Schroeder, who's described as the German Rajon Rondo. He can get to the rim, but his main asset is his passing.  Only problem, counting these 4, the Hawks have 7 players on the roster - and I just ripped apart 3 of them.  Who is he gonna pass to?

Boston Celtics - Kelly Olynyk (13), Colton Iverson (53)
First there was the trade that gutted the heart and soul of their team - giving away Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett for a bunch of terrible contracts, draft picks, and MarShon Brooks (whom I like).  So what's your first step in rebuilding mode? Wasting a first-round pick on a guy who is very limited athletically and has the skills to be a solid role-player.  They needed more than that.

Colton Iverson is a 6-10 power forward at Colorado State who is known for rebounding.  Limited both offensively and defensively, as well as athletically, and rebounded based on size in college.  He'll big an average sized big in the NBA.  He won't be very effective - bench player at best.

Charlotte Bobcats - Cody Zeller (4)
The Bobcats were in great position to win the lottery, which would have resulted in them taking Noel.  As Bobcat luck would have it, they wound up picking fourth - but Noel was still on the board!! I think Cody Zeller can be a somewhat productive NBA player, but the Bobcats could've gotten better.  I guess Charlotte just wanted that one last Bobcat 'WTF are they doing?' moment.



Indiana Pacers - Solomon Hill (23)
Last year it was Miles Plumlee who the Pacers picked in the end of the first round, and he played 3 minutes per game this year.  They had a chance to redeem themselves....and they didn't.  Hill was a major reach who likely would have been available in the second round, since many didn't expect him to even get drafted.  He won't play much, if at all.



Oklahoma City Thunder - Steven Adams (12), Andre Roberson (26), Alex Abrines (32), Grant Jerrett (40)
Book on Steven Adams - potential.  Andre Roberson - rebounding.  Abrines and Jerrett - chance to be good down the road.  When the words people used to describe your draft picks are chance, potential, can be, needs to come around, and need to develop, you didn't really have that great of a draft.  Plus, the Thunder picked everything that they already have! They had a chance to go out and make up for the defects in their roster that were exposed after Russell Westbrook's injury, and they didn't do it.

Individual Winners
Trey Burke - Utah (9)

Burke hit the shot of the year against Kansas

I love Burke's game.  He's a smart player with range, finishing ability, and great on defense.  He runs the pick-and-roll extremely well, and is a very good passer, all of which led him to become the National Player of the Year last year and put Michigan in the national championship game (you're welcome).  Utah has pieces in place, specifically down low in Al Jefferson and Derrick Favors, to allow Burke to utilize all of his skills on the perimeter.

Anthony Bennett - Cleveland (1)
You have to be a winner when you go number 1 overall right?  Plus, you get to play with Kyrie Irving?  Bennett's perfect for what Cleveland needs, and he was going to be my steal of draft - but the number one pick doesn't really qualify as a steal now, does it?  I think he has the best chance of being a 20-10 guy out of anyone in the draft.

Isaiah Canaan - Houston (34)

Canaan will make shots from anywhere

Steal of the draft!! Other than having a cool name that you probably remember from Murray State almost going undefeated two years ago, Canaan is a point guard that can do everything you want.  He likely would've been a first round pick last year when his stock was peaking, but he went back to get his degree and to get Murray State back in the tournament (which didn't happen).  Canaan can pass the ball very well and play solid defense, but first and foremost he is a gunner who can hit shots from everywhere and is not scared to shoot at any time.  Think of him as the 6-0 version of J.R. Smith without all the J.R. Smith-ness.  He'll make the team as Jeremy Lin's back-up, and will have an immediate impact off the bench for Houston.


Nate Wolters - Milwaukee (38)
You've probably never heard of Nate Wolters, and that's because he played at South Dakota State.  But Wolters is a tall, heady, crafty point guard who does it all, and stepped his game up when the Jackrabbits (what a great nickname) faced their best competition.  Having a chance to play right away off the bench in Milwaukee will help his development, and he'll be a good contributor throughout his career.

Pierre Jackson - New Orleans (42)
Pierre Jackson was the first player to lead his conference in points and assists in the same season since the mid-90's.  So why didn't he go in the first round?  Because he's 5-10.  The talent's all there for Jackson to do some special things, and being the third guard in the Jrue Holiday-Eric Gordon rotation is a great place to learn and get solid minutes.  He will have a major impact for the Pelicans this season.

Individual Losers
Nerlens Noel - Philadelphia (6)
Michael Carter-Willams - Philadelphia (11)

Philly fans won't like Carter-Williams

I'm making this a two-for-one special since I feel bad for both of them.  Both wound up in Philly, where new GM Sam Hinkie is gutting the team and trying to rebuild, which is where the problem lies.  Nerlens Noel will be expected to fill the shoes Andrew Bynum didn't play in, and Noel will be out til Christmas recovering from his torn ACL.  Carter-Williams is replacing an All-Star in Jrue Holiday, which will be tough to measure up to when you absolutely can not shoot and really struggle to score the ball.  The one thing Carter-Williams is lauded for is his size (6-6 point guard) and passing ability, but you can't utilize that when you have no one to pass to.  I like Noel and think he will eventually pan out into an above average player, but I think relying on Carter-Williams to be your guy won't bode well for Philly, which hurts both of these rookies.

Jamaal Franklin - Memphis (41)
Described as Tony Allen 2.0 by scouts (for those who don't know, Tony Allen is one of the best on-ball defenders in the league, but has next to no offensive game), which isn't a problem, expect for when you're drafted to play behind Tony Allen.  No team has ever said "Man, we need more Tony Allen."

Alex Len - Phoenix (5)

Alex Len will struggle in Phoenix

Len is gonna be forced to be the guy in Phoenix.  Everybody who was singing his praises before the draft saying he should be the number 1 pick obviously didn't watch him play at Maryland this season.  He had some great games, but he had just as many downright dreadful ones.  His inconsistency will be even more exposed in the NBA.  He can be a solid role player somewhere else, but his Phoenix days will be tough.

Ben McLemore - Sacramento (7)
Just because he went to Sacramento.  I love his game, but Sacramento is just a place where careers become irrelevant.  You won't here much from him until he gets traded/signs elsewhere, not because he won't be playing well, but because he'll be in Sacramento and no one will care.

5 Takeaways
Those jersey jacket things are pretty cool - if you have a jersey to put in your jacket
I thought this was a nice personal touch to the draft that looked pretty cool.  The trend will probably catch on among future draftees and athletes in other sports, but will probably only be reserved for the athletic elite.  No need for Joe Schmo to sew his JV practice jersey into the inside of his suit jacket.

The Nets might be championship good next year
This is not draft related, but the trade went down championship night, so it qualifies.  Having a starting lineup full of All-Stars is pretty cool especially when your owner has the funds to drop $180 mil on payroll and the luxury tax this upcoming season.  The problem is they're really old, but they'll be fun to watch compete with the Heat and Bulls for 2 years.

P.S. Getting Jason Terry means Jason Kidd will now be coaching a guy he was teammates with two years ago.  I wonder how that dynamic is gonna play out.

A lot of teams are starting to build really solid foundations
The Cavs have a lineup of Irving, last years number 4 pick Dion Waiters, Alonzo Gee, Bennett, and and Anderson Varejao.

The Magic will have Eric Bledsoe, Victor Oladipo, Mo Harkless, Glen "Big Baby" Davis, and Nik Vucevic.

The Wizards have John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, Nene, and Emeka Okafor.

Charlotte has Kemba, Gerald Henderson, MKG, Bismack Biyombo, and Zeller.

Those were the top 4 teams in this years draft, and all of them could be playoff contenders after the 2014 draft when the add franchise players (with the exception of the Wizards, who already have John Wall and can compete now).

The NBA is gonna be fun to watch in the next few years.

I love how prospects randomly come out of the crowd
The NBA Draft, like its counterpart in the NFL, invites a handful of early draftees to attend the draft to shake the commissioners hand after they're selected.  But in the NBA, guys can actually buy their own tickets to draft and sit will all the regular sized people, and then shake the commissioners hand once they get picked.

It's a great element of surprise when Adam Silver announces pick number 49 and row 3 in section 108 of the Barclays Center absolute explodes in cheers and applause.  Fantastic stuff.

Side note: I love how NBA teams don't call prospects right before they pick them like in the NFL.  It takes the surprise and anticipation out of it for players and fans alike.  Plus it leads to reactions like this:

We will all miss David Stern

He was funny.  He encouraged booing.  He interacted with the crowd.  And he might be the best commissioner in sports history.  Shame he's retiring in February.