NBA Draft 2008: The Lottery Picks
1. Derrick Rose, PG, Chicago Bulls
The no. 1 overall spot is an unfamiliar territory for guards. There hasn't been a guard selected first in the draft since Philadelphia selected Allen Iverson in 1996 (And before that, Magic Johnson in 1979). But, Rose is the logical pick here. The success of teams with franchise point guards last year (New Orleans with Chris Paul, Utah with Deron Williams) proves the importance of a tremendous floor general. Derrick Rose has the potential to be every bit as good as (even better than) Paul or Williams. He possesses all the intangibles needed to become a player that wins championships in the league: leadership, toughness, explosiveness, defense). Even though the Bulls already have a point guard with Kirk Hinrich and they desperately need a guy that can score inside, if you're lucky enough to grab a player like Rose, you don't pass it up.
Pick Rating: !!!!!
2. Michael Beasley, F, Miami Heat
Pat Riley's efforts to convince the media that he's not picking Beasley has been futile. NBA teams tend to overrate off-court problems as weaknesses. Even MJ had gambling problems off the court, but that never stopped him from winning six championship rings. Beasley is the most NBA-ready player in this draft and will be a great compliment to Dwyane Wade. The only problem with this pick is that Shawn Marion will be the #3 option in the team, the same reason why he wanted out of Phoenix. So I'm expecting Shawn Marion to be out of Miami before opening day tip-off, which is fine if they can trade him for a point guard or a defensive center. Of course, it'll be better if he stays; he's the best garbage man (scoring off plays where you are not designed to get the ball) in the NBA and he can guard the other team's best front court player, something Beasley won't be able to do.
Pick Rating: !!!!!
3. O.J. Mayo, G, Memphis Grizzlies (via trade with Minnesota Timberwolves)
I was giddy over the possibility of the Gay-Love era in Memphis, but out of the two cities involved, Memphis is the better fit for Mayo.u The T-Wolves would've turned him into a point guard, like Wade and Gilbert Arenas in their rookie years. In Memphis, Mayo would play an athletic 2-guard and could join Rudy Gay to form a terrific wing tandem. However, Memphis already has an amalgamation of guards in their roster (Conley, Crittenton, Navarro, Lowry, and add Jaric and Buckner to that). I would've loved it if the Sonics ended up with Mayo. Picks 3 to 5 should have ended like this: Love will spend his basketball years shovelling snow in Minny; Seattle..err...Oklahoma City would've been extremely imposing with Durant and Mayo together; and Memphis should've traded the no. 5 pick and Mike Miller and expiring contracts to the Knicks for David Lee, the No. 6 (Galinari) and expiring contracts (the Knicks would get a point guard, Westbrook perhaps, to lead the Seven Seconds or Less era in New York). Now everyone's happy.
Pick (Trade) Rating: !!
4. Russell Westbrook, G, Seattle (?) Supersonics
I'm head over heels with this pick. Seattle desperately needed a point guard and he'll compliment Durant the best out of all the point guards remaining. Bayless is a shoot-first point guard and will take away shots from Durant, Eric Gordon is a jump-shooter, much like the other Gordon in Chicago, Augustin won't be able to defend anyone. Westbrook is a player that understands whatever role is given to him, either an athletic starter that will get Durant the ball in transition or an energetic bench guy that can guard the opponent's best guard if needed.
Pick Rating: !!!!
5. Kevin Love, F, Minnesota Timberwolves (via trade with Memphis)
Kevin McHale has made a great trade here (yes, you read that correctly). Like I said, O.J. Mayo would never have clicked in Minnesota. But Kevin Love is perfect for the Timberwolves. He's a smart player, he'll compete for 82 games, he can shoot 3's, he's a great rebounder. He can pick-and-pop with Randy Foye or space the floor for Al Jefferson. Plus he can learn how to boost his NBA white-itude from McHale. His only downside is that he might be too small for his position, but small power forwards with excellent work ethic (Barkley then, David West now) can excel in the league.
Pick Rating: !!!!
6. Danilo Galinari, F, New York Knicks
The Seven Seconds or Less era in New York is off on the right path. Galinari is a Toni Kukoc-type player, a forward that can shoot 3's and doesn't play any defense, that would be perfect for Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun system.
Pick Rating: !!!!
7. Eric Gordon, G, Los Angeles Clippers
Eric Gordon, a Ben Gordon-type player (no relations), is a rational pick for the Clippers. They were looking for a shooter, and they got the smoothest shooter available.
Pick Rating: !!!!
8. Joe Alexander, F, Milwaukee Bucks
I hate this pick. Sure, Joe Alexander is a scary athletic-type that wants to dunk on everybody, but why would you want another scary athletic-type that wants to dunk on everybody when you already have Desmond Mason and just traded for Richard Jefferson. However, there's not much available that be a great fit in Milwaukee so I don't blame them. I would've picked Bayless or Brook Lopez or traded the pick.
Pick Rating: !!
9. D.J. Augustin, G, Charlotte Bobcats
Why would you pick the 5'11" Augustin that will be abused on the defensive end when (1) you already have a 6'1" Raymond Felton and 5'7" Earl Boykins on your team, and (2) there's a 6'3" Jerryd Bayless still available. Again, why not pick Brook Lopez so pair up with/back up Okafor for an intimidating front court?
Pick Rating: !
10. Brook Lopez, C, New Jersey Nets
Good pick, although afro-ed twin, Robin Lopez would've been better so that Lebron doesn't miss Anderson Verajao when he moves to Jay-Z's Brooklyn Nets in 2010.
Pick Rating: !!!!
11. Jerryd Bayless, G, Portland Trail Blazers (via trade with Indiana Pacers)
Portland, the scariest team in the NBA three or four years from now, just got scarier with Bayless running the point, as long as he plays his position purely and doesn't become the shoot-first point guard that he was in Arizona. How great is this line-up? Bayless-Rudy Fernandez-Roy-LeMarcus Aldridge-Oden. That's the type of line-up that can win two or three championships in the future. Portland GM Kevin Pritchard has owned draft-day rookie trades: they got the better deal in the Aldridge-Tyrus Thomas trade, the better deal in the Roy-Randy Foye trade, and I predict they will grab the better deal in this swap with Indiana for Brandon Rush.
Pick Rating: !!!!!
12. Jason Thompson, C, Sacramento Kings
The guy from Rider. He's tall. He has the potential to be a Mark Blount or a Loren Woods someday. Let's move on.
Pick Rating: !
13. Brandon Rush, G/F, Indiana Pacers (via trade with Portland)
Brandon joins his brother, Kareem and will battle for minutes as Danny Granger's back-up. You were lucky enough to have a top-8 prospect like Bayless fall on your lap at no. 11, why would you trade it just to host a family reunion?
Pick Rating: !!
14. Anthony Randolph, F, Golden State Warriors
Randolph is an skinny, athletic power forward that plays like Brandan Wright. The only problem is, they already have Brandan Wright.
Pick Rating: !!!
Until next year!
The no. 1 overall spot is an unfamiliar territory for guards. There hasn't been a guard selected first in the draft since Philadelphia selected Allen Iverson in 1996 (And before that, Magic Johnson in 1979). But, Rose is the logical pick here. The success of teams with franchise point guards last year (New Orleans with Chris Paul, Utah with Deron Williams) proves the importance of a tremendous floor general. Derrick Rose has the potential to be every bit as good as (even better than) Paul or Williams. He possesses all the intangibles needed to become a player that wins championships in the league: leadership, toughness, explosiveness, defense). Even though the Bulls already have a point guard with Kirk Hinrich and they desperately need a guy that can score inside, if you're lucky enough to grab a player like Rose, you don't pass it up.
Pick Rating: !!!!!
2. Michael Beasley, F, Miami Heat
Pat Riley's efforts to convince the media that he's not picking Beasley has been futile. NBA teams tend to overrate off-court problems as weaknesses. Even MJ had gambling problems off the court, but that never stopped him from winning six championship rings. Beasley is the most NBA-ready player in this draft and will be a great compliment to Dwyane Wade. The only problem with this pick is that Shawn Marion will be the #3 option in the team, the same reason why he wanted out of Phoenix. So I'm expecting Shawn Marion to be out of Miami before opening day tip-off, which is fine if they can trade him for a point guard or a defensive center. Of course, it'll be better if he stays; he's the best garbage man (scoring off plays where you are not designed to get the ball) in the NBA and he can guard the other team's best front court player, something Beasley won't be able to do.
Pick Rating: !!!!!
3. O.J. Mayo, G, Memphis Grizzlies (via trade with Minnesota Timberwolves)
I was giddy over the possibility of the Gay-Love era in Memphis, but out of the two cities involved, Memphis is the better fit for Mayo.u The T-Wolves would've turned him into a point guard, like Wade and Gilbert Arenas in their rookie years. In Memphis, Mayo would play an athletic 2-guard and could join Rudy Gay to form a terrific wing tandem. However, Memphis already has an amalgamation of guards in their roster (Conley, Crittenton, Navarro, Lowry, and add Jaric and Buckner to that). I would've loved it if the Sonics ended up with Mayo. Picks 3 to 5 should have ended like this: Love will spend his basketball years shovelling snow in Minny; Seattle..err...Oklahoma City would've been extremely imposing with Durant and Mayo together; and Memphis should've traded the no. 5 pick and Mike Miller and expiring contracts to the Knicks for David Lee, the No. 6 (Galinari) and expiring contracts (the Knicks would get a point guard, Westbrook perhaps, to lead the Seven Seconds or Less era in New York). Now everyone's happy.
Pick (Trade) Rating: !!
4. Russell Westbrook, G, Seattle (?) Supersonics
I'm head over heels with this pick. Seattle desperately needed a point guard and he'll compliment Durant the best out of all the point guards remaining. Bayless is a shoot-first point guard and will take away shots from Durant, Eric Gordon is a jump-shooter, much like the other Gordon in Chicago, Augustin won't be able to defend anyone. Westbrook is a player that understands whatever role is given to him, either an athletic starter that will get Durant the ball in transition or an energetic bench guy that can guard the opponent's best guard if needed.
Pick Rating: !!!!
5. Kevin Love, F, Minnesota Timberwolves (via trade with Memphis)
Kevin McHale has made a great trade here (yes, you read that correctly). Like I said, O.J. Mayo would never have clicked in Minnesota. But Kevin Love is perfect for the Timberwolves. He's a smart player, he'll compete for 82 games, he can shoot 3's, he's a great rebounder. He can pick-and-pop with Randy Foye or space the floor for Al Jefferson. Plus he can learn how to boost his NBA white-itude from McHale. His only downside is that he might be too small for his position, but small power forwards with excellent work ethic (Barkley then, David West now) can excel in the league.
Pick Rating: !!!!
6. Danilo Galinari, F, New York Knicks
The Seven Seconds or Less era in New York is off on the right path. Galinari is a Toni Kukoc-type player, a forward that can shoot 3's and doesn't play any defense, that would be perfect for Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun system.
Pick Rating: !!!!
7. Eric Gordon, G, Los Angeles Clippers
Eric Gordon, a Ben Gordon-type player (no relations), is a rational pick for the Clippers. They were looking for a shooter, and they got the smoothest shooter available.
Pick Rating: !!!!
8. Joe Alexander, F, Milwaukee Bucks
I hate this pick. Sure, Joe Alexander is a scary athletic-type that wants to dunk on everybody, but why would you want another scary athletic-type that wants to dunk on everybody when you already have Desmond Mason and just traded for Richard Jefferson. However, there's not much available that be a great fit in Milwaukee so I don't blame them. I would've picked Bayless or Brook Lopez or traded the pick.
Pick Rating: !!
9. D.J. Augustin, G, Charlotte Bobcats
Why would you pick the 5'11" Augustin that will be abused on the defensive end when (1) you already have a 6'1" Raymond Felton and 5'7" Earl Boykins on your team, and (2) there's a 6'3" Jerryd Bayless still available. Again, why not pick Brook Lopez so pair up with/back up Okafor for an intimidating front court?
Pick Rating: !
10. Brook Lopez, C, New Jersey Nets
Good pick, although afro-ed twin, Robin Lopez would've been better so that Lebron doesn't miss Anderson Verajao when he moves to Jay-Z's Brooklyn Nets in 2010.
Pick Rating: !!!!
11. Jerryd Bayless, G, Portland Trail Blazers (via trade with Indiana Pacers)
Portland, the scariest team in the NBA three or four years from now, just got scarier with Bayless running the point, as long as he plays his position purely and doesn't become the shoot-first point guard that he was in Arizona. How great is this line-up? Bayless-Rudy Fernandez-Roy-LeMarcus Aldridge-Oden. That's the type of line-up that can win two or three championships in the future. Portland GM Kevin Pritchard has owned draft-day rookie trades: they got the better deal in the Aldridge-Tyrus Thomas trade, the better deal in the Roy-Randy Foye trade, and I predict they will grab the better deal in this swap with Indiana for Brandon Rush.
Pick Rating: !!!!!
12. Jason Thompson, C, Sacramento Kings
The guy from Rider. He's tall. He has the potential to be a Mark Blount or a Loren Woods someday. Let's move on.
Pick Rating: !
13. Brandon Rush, G/F, Indiana Pacers (via trade with Portland)
Brandon joins his brother, Kareem and will battle for minutes as Danny Granger's back-up. You were lucky enough to have a top-8 prospect like Bayless fall on your lap at no. 11, why would you trade it just to host a family reunion?
Pick Rating: !!
14. Anthony Randolph, F, Golden State Warriors
Randolph is an skinny, athletic power forward that plays like Brandan Wright. The only problem is, they already have Brandan Wright.
Pick Rating: !!!
Until next year!
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