phunwin
The name's Bond...James Bond.
How many teams pooch-screwed the NBA draft last night? At least half a dozen. How many teams did okay but could have improved? Plenty. So, here's one man's opinion (mine), on what every team should have done...
Milwaukee - Marvin Williams - most talented player in the draft and a worthwhile building block. Ship Desmond Mason's overrated @$$ somewhere else for a serviceable big man and give Marvin the 3 spot.
Atlanta - Chris Paul - best player in the draft. I've no idea why they passed on him. He will be an all-star point guard. Guaranteed.
Portland - Andrew Bogut - if I'm running the Blazers, I don't make that ****amamie trade in the first place.
Utah (from New Orleans for 6, 27 and a future first) - Deron Williams - actually, I thought the Jazz did the right thing.
Charlotte - Gerald Green - the Bobcats can afford to be patient.
New Orleans (from Utah) - Danny Granger - had no business falling to 17 in the real draft.
Toronto - Raymond Felton - the Raps need a real point guard. They never had a chance to draft Felton last night, of course, because the 'Cats reached for him, but how many guys would have been a better pick than Charlie Villanueva? At least a dozen.
New York - Channing Frye - one of the few picks that actually made sense.
Golden State - Hakim Warrick - the Warriors are closer than you think to being competitive. They need a little more rebounding and a little more scoring from the frontcourt. Enter Warrick.
Los Angeles Lakers - Fran Vazquez - considered by many to be the most pro-ready big man in the draft, which is a good thing considering Phil Jackson's short shelf life.
Orlando - Antoine Wright - in the absence of a big point guard, the Magic take probably the best available swingman.
Los Angeles Clippers - Martell Webster - could use a long-range shooter to stretch the defense, plus they're probably losing Bobby Simmons.
Charlotte - Sean May - the Bobcats are conscious of the local fanbase, and could use a good low post scorer, to boot.
Minnesota - Rashad McCants - another team that probably made the right pick. Either McCants becomes a star or he's appearing on "a very special Outside the Lines" in a couple years. At 14, you take gambles like that.
New Jersey - Ike Diogu - they could really use help at the 4.
Toronto (from Philadelphia via Denver and New Jersey) - Joey Graham - adding Felton and Graham would really help the rebuilding process around Chris Bosh.
Indiana - Charlie Villanueva - the Pacers are thinner than you think at power forward, plus seeing him on the same team as Ron Artest might be fun.
Boston - Andrew Bynum - I love all the talented young kids they're putting together. A frontcourt of Bynum and Al Jefferson might be unstoppable in three or four years.
Memphis - Jarrett Jack - best available point guard for a team that's probably losing Earl Watson and would like to lose Jason Williams.
Denver (from Washington via Orlando) - Francisco Garcia - perfect pick for a team that needed some long-range shooting.
Phoenix (from Chicago) - Nate Robinson - who didn't love this pick when it first went to the Suns? If I'm the Suns, I'm not sending this pick to the Knicks. That trade started out as Thomas for Richardson, with the Knicks sending a #1. Then it was the Suns sending a future #1. Now, all of a sudden, the Suns were sending away their #1 pick, when the team made the Western Conference Finals, was just 6 guys deep and needed immediate depth? No way.
Denver - Johan Petro - insurance policy against the always-fragile Marcus Camby.
Sacramento - Wayne Simien - could be the new Chris Webber...right down to the frequent injury problems. Very talented player, though.
Miami (from Houston for the #29 and a future #1 pick) - Luther Head - With looming backcourt issues, Head can play a few different spots. More on the Rockets in a moment.
Seattle - Julius Hodge - call this "Ray Allen Insurance". If Allen leaves, the cupboard is suddenly bare at the 2. Antonio Daniels might be leaving too, making Hodge that much more valuable.
Detroit - Chris Taft - million dollar talent, ten cent head. I'm betting that the Pistons put up with his crap for about five seconds before Taft starts working hard.
New Orleans (from Utah, see above) - Martynas Andriuskevicius - Was a lottery pick prospect last year. I can't believe the Hornets wouldn't take a chance on his talent.
San Antonio - Yaroslav Korolev - the Spurs, unlike the Clippers, can actually afford to take a guy and let him develop overseas for a few years.
Houston (from Miami, see above) - Jason Maxiell - everyone seems to think Houston was brilliant to pick Luther Head, and to be sure, he was a good pick. But when your offense runs through Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, you can get by with Mike James, Bob Sura and David Wesley distributing the ball. What the Rockets REALLY needed was a sharp-elbowed, glass-eating, belligerent power forward to allow Yao Ming to flourish. Juwan Howard is a sixth man, not a starting 4. Maxiell is a tad undersized, but his wingspan makes up for it, and his toughness and attitude take care of the rest.
New York (from Phoenix via San Antonio) - Andray Blatche - in a roster filled with over-the-hill mediocrities, the Knicks need some upside.
Milwaukee - Marvin Williams - most talented player in the draft and a worthwhile building block. Ship Desmond Mason's overrated @$$ somewhere else for a serviceable big man and give Marvin the 3 spot.
Atlanta - Chris Paul - best player in the draft. I've no idea why they passed on him. He will be an all-star point guard. Guaranteed.
Portland - Andrew Bogut - if I'm running the Blazers, I don't make that ****amamie trade in the first place.
Utah (from New Orleans for 6, 27 and a future first) - Deron Williams - actually, I thought the Jazz did the right thing.
Charlotte - Gerald Green - the Bobcats can afford to be patient.
New Orleans (from Utah) - Danny Granger - had no business falling to 17 in the real draft.
Toronto - Raymond Felton - the Raps need a real point guard. They never had a chance to draft Felton last night, of course, because the 'Cats reached for him, but how many guys would have been a better pick than Charlie Villanueva? At least a dozen.
New York - Channing Frye - one of the few picks that actually made sense.
Golden State - Hakim Warrick - the Warriors are closer than you think to being competitive. They need a little more rebounding and a little more scoring from the frontcourt. Enter Warrick.
Los Angeles Lakers - Fran Vazquez - considered by many to be the most pro-ready big man in the draft, which is a good thing considering Phil Jackson's short shelf life.
Orlando - Antoine Wright - in the absence of a big point guard, the Magic take probably the best available swingman.
Los Angeles Clippers - Martell Webster - could use a long-range shooter to stretch the defense, plus they're probably losing Bobby Simmons.
Charlotte - Sean May - the Bobcats are conscious of the local fanbase, and could use a good low post scorer, to boot.
Minnesota - Rashad McCants - another team that probably made the right pick. Either McCants becomes a star or he's appearing on "a very special Outside the Lines" in a couple years. At 14, you take gambles like that.
New Jersey - Ike Diogu - they could really use help at the 4.
Toronto (from Philadelphia via Denver and New Jersey) - Joey Graham - adding Felton and Graham would really help the rebuilding process around Chris Bosh.
Indiana - Charlie Villanueva - the Pacers are thinner than you think at power forward, plus seeing him on the same team as Ron Artest might be fun.
Boston - Andrew Bynum - I love all the talented young kids they're putting together. A frontcourt of Bynum and Al Jefferson might be unstoppable in three or four years.
Memphis - Jarrett Jack - best available point guard for a team that's probably losing Earl Watson and would like to lose Jason Williams.
Denver (from Washington via Orlando) - Francisco Garcia - perfect pick for a team that needed some long-range shooting.
Phoenix (from Chicago) - Nate Robinson - who didn't love this pick when it first went to the Suns? If I'm the Suns, I'm not sending this pick to the Knicks. That trade started out as Thomas for Richardson, with the Knicks sending a #1. Then it was the Suns sending a future #1. Now, all of a sudden, the Suns were sending away their #1 pick, when the team made the Western Conference Finals, was just 6 guys deep and needed immediate depth? No way.
Denver - Johan Petro - insurance policy against the always-fragile Marcus Camby.
Sacramento - Wayne Simien - could be the new Chris Webber...right down to the frequent injury problems. Very talented player, though.
Miami (from Houston for the #29 and a future #1 pick) - Luther Head - With looming backcourt issues, Head can play a few different spots. More on the Rockets in a moment.
Seattle - Julius Hodge - call this "Ray Allen Insurance". If Allen leaves, the cupboard is suddenly bare at the 2. Antonio Daniels might be leaving too, making Hodge that much more valuable.
Detroit - Chris Taft - million dollar talent, ten cent head. I'm betting that the Pistons put up with his crap for about five seconds before Taft starts working hard.
New Orleans (from Utah, see above) - Martynas Andriuskevicius - Was a lottery pick prospect last year. I can't believe the Hornets wouldn't take a chance on his talent.
San Antonio - Yaroslav Korolev - the Spurs, unlike the Clippers, can actually afford to take a guy and let him develop overseas for a few years.
Houston (from Miami, see above) - Jason Maxiell - everyone seems to think Houston was brilliant to pick Luther Head, and to be sure, he was a good pick. But when your offense runs through Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, you can get by with Mike James, Bob Sura and David Wesley distributing the ball. What the Rockets REALLY needed was a sharp-elbowed, glass-eating, belligerent power forward to allow Yao Ming to flourish. Juwan Howard is a sixth man, not a starting 4. Maxiell is a tad undersized, but his wingspan makes up for it, and his toughness and attitude take care of the rest.
New York (from Phoenix via San Antonio) - Andray Blatche - in a roster filled with over-the-hill mediocrities, the Knicks need some upside.
