Post by Respected GM on Mar 15, 2024 6:48:13 GMT -8
1. Indiana Pacers - Yao Ming C 7'6'' 310 22 B C D+ B C+ A
Without the question the consensus number one pick in the draft, Yao Ming goes to Indiana where he will hopefully be one of the leagues centers for years to come. Camp the rebounding off the bat and let this dude rise to cream of the crop.
2. Atlanta Hawks - Amare Stoudemire PF 6'10'' 245 20 A- C- C- C+ C A
There has been a little bit of controversy thus far over Amare and whether he is a flawed player. Some GM's have been complaining about how he is built and due to that he is never going to be an elite player in the league. As I illustrated somewhere on these boards, I think there is a pretty clear roadmap to get Amare to A- C C- C+ C+ A before the first TC with camps. I also think it is pretty evident he will be loaded with potential. Hawks take their shot here knowing that the league is very wing heavy and that with the potential he could be a stud in the making.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers - Tayshaun Prince SF 6'9'' 212 22 C+ C+ C B+ C A
Weird spot for the Cavs here as they have Antoine Walker already on the wing. Prince seems like he is BPA by a good margin at this location. Could see Prince maybe going at #2 as well. Prince is a really strong wing that will be coveted none the less. Also, how are the Cavs this bad?
4. Los Angeles Clippers - Udonis Haslem PF 6'8'' 235 22 C+ C C B B- B
Gasol needs a friend in the front court, and I think Game goes ahead and takes Haslem here to solidify a great frontcourt tandem. Game (kinda) has a team already set up for offensive output so he takes a really strong utility piece with great notes and a very clear camp roadmap. This is the part of the draft where we start GM's having tough decisions and a lot of different options could be made here, however Haslem provides the most value if he is camped off the bat.
5. San Antonio Spurs - Caron Butler SG 6'7'' 228 22 B C+ C C C A
Spurs have holes at a lot of locations. I think Butler is probably the best overall player at this juncture but this pick could also go a couple different ways as well. Butler projects as a really solid #2 option with camps behind Paul Pierce. Camp roadmap looks to be 3PT, Handles and either Inside Scoring or Steals but he should have enough POT to be at least a 20+ scorer a game.
6. Memphis Grizzlies - Carlos Boozer PF 6'9'' 258 21 B+ C C- C B B
When we get outside of shot blocking, Boozer actually has some really good notes. Potential might be lower than some other guys still out on the board, however there seems like there is a way to get him really serviceable. I think last BBS he was camped pretty poor which didn't help him grow at all. If you don't want to start him, I think he trends very well as a powerful 3-4-5 combo off of the bench.
7. Portland Trail Blazers - Nenê C 6'11'' 250 20 C+ C- D+ B C+ A
Nene might be able to go as high as 4 and maybe even 3. I am putting him at 7 because I am just not a fan of the notes I saw with him, especially on the rebounding side. I also worry about how many MPG he can get a game as last version of BBS he was built at sub-30 as a starter. At this point though, I think the gamble is worth it as this is where we see maybe a bit of a drop off in the talent present.
8. Miami Heat - Jay Williams PG 6'2'' 195 21 C+ C+ C+ C+ C- A
Meh, what to do here? Rip is really really good, but who else are you going to put around him? Ed Smith is not the long-term answer at PG and Jay Williams looks like he could be really solid with camps at 3 Point, Handles and Steals. I am not wild about the pick, but at least I know what the three deficiencies are I need to camp and hopefully he has some POT. Definitely could become a starting PG on a very good team.
9. Detroit Pistons - Drew Gooden PF 6'10'' 250 21 B C D C B B
Going with Gooden here since there is such a log jam at the wings in Detroit, I don't think a guy like Dunleavy makes a whole lot of sense here. Looks like he is Carlos Boozer light but can provide some services required winning in this league.
10. Golden State Warriors (From Oklahoma City) - Mike Dunleavy SF 6'9'' 230 22 C+ B C C+ C A
Knowing CC has this pick it is probably going to jump but the Warriors are in the lotto after the OKC 02 1st roulette ends up in his hands. It looks like CC is going to try to start a rebuild, so with that in mind.....Dunleavy is probably BPA on the board at this juncture. Jury is still out on how good his handles actually are, but Dunleavy looks like he can be a spot starter and/or a good rotational piece at a minimum. This pick could easily be DaJuan Wagner as well.
11. Brooklyn Nets - Dajuan Wagner SG 6'2'' 200 19 B- B C C D A
Wagner could be the most fun player in the draft. While there are some certain flaws in his game that might prevent him from ever being a starter, Nets are a little devoid of young, high octane scoring at this point and Wagner would help fit the bill from that regard. What do you camp here though? Do you try to make him well rounded and try to maximize his ability to start sometime in the future or do you go balls to the walls with his scoring?
12. San Antonio Spurs (From Phoenix Suns) - Jamal Sampson PF 6'11'' 235 19 C D F+ C C+ A
Phoenix cataclysmic freefall allows the Spurs to get back into the lotto at 12 with this pick. They have the core of Butler and Pierce and probably want to get involved in the tanking wars next year. Enter Jamal Sampson who seems like the quintessential "boom or bust" prospect that should very minimal risk for them at this juncture. Sampson has some pretty solid notes, and if he has any potential, he could be the steal of this draft.
13. Chicago Bulls - John Salmons SG 6'7'' 210 23 C+ C+ C+ C+ C+ B
To be honest I am not really sure what you do here if you are the Bulls. I am drafting Salmons here because I like his potential as a 1-2-3 combo guard off the bench. Not sure there are any massive game changers left. There are also a couple big still on the board you can interchange with Salmons that I think works fine as well.
Without the question the consensus number one pick in the draft, Yao Ming goes to Indiana where he will hopefully be one of the leagues centers for years to come. Camp the rebounding off the bat and let this dude rise to cream of the crop.
2. Atlanta Hawks - Amare Stoudemire PF 6'10'' 245 20 A- C- C- C+ C A
There has been a little bit of controversy thus far over Amare and whether he is a flawed player. Some GM's have been complaining about how he is built and due to that he is never going to be an elite player in the league. As I illustrated somewhere on these boards, I think there is a pretty clear roadmap to get Amare to A- C C- C+ C+ A before the first TC with camps. I also think it is pretty evident he will be loaded with potential. Hawks take their shot here knowing that the league is very wing heavy and that with the potential he could be a stud in the making.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers - Tayshaun Prince SF 6'9'' 212 22 C+ C+ C B+ C A
Weird spot for the Cavs here as they have Antoine Walker already on the wing. Prince seems like he is BPA by a good margin at this location. Could see Prince maybe going at #2 as well. Prince is a really strong wing that will be coveted none the less. Also, how are the Cavs this bad?
4. Los Angeles Clippers - Udonis Haslem PF 6'8'' 235 22 C+ C C B B- B
Gasol needs a friend in the front court, and I think Game goes ahead and takes Haslem here to solidify a great frontcourt tandem. Game (kinda) has a team already set up for offensive output so he takes a really strong utility piece with great notes and a very clear camp roadmap. This is the part of the draft where we start GM's having tough decisions and a lot of different options could be made here, however Haslem provides the most value if he is camped off the bat.
5. San Antonio Spurs - Caron Butler SG 6'7'' 228 22 B C+ C C C A
Spurs have holes at a lot of locations. I think Butler is probably the best overall player at this juncture but this pick could also go a couple different ways as well. Butler projects as a really solid #2 option with camps behind Paul Pierce. Camp roadmap looks to be 3PT, Handles and either Inside Scoring or Steals but he should have enough POT to be at least a 20+ scorer a game.
6. Memphis Grizzlies - Carlos Boozer PF 6'9'' 258 21 B+ C C- C B B
When we get outside of shot blocking, Boozer actually has some really good notes. Potential might be lower than some other guys still out on the board, however there seems like there is a way to get him really serviceable. I think last BBS he was camped pretty poor which didn't help him grow at all. If you don't want to start him, I think he trends very well as a powerful 3-4-5 combo off of the bench.
7. Portland Trail Blazers - Nenê C 6'11'' 250 20 C+ C- D+ B C+ A
Nene might be able to go as high as 4 and maybe even 3. I am putting him at 7 because I am just not a fan of the notes I saw with him, especially on the rebounding side. I also worry about how many MPG he can get a game as last version of BBS he was built at sub-30 as a starter. At this point though, I think the gamble is worth it as this is where we see maybe a bit of a drop off in the talent present.
8. Miami Heat - Jay Williams PG 6'2'' 195 21 C+ C+ C+ C+ C- A
Meh, what to do here? Rip is really really good, but who else are you going to put around him? Ed Smith is not the long-term answer at PG and Jay Williams looks like he could be really solid with camps at 3 Point, Handles and Steals. I am not wild about the pick, but at least I know what the three deficiencies are I need to camp and hopefully he has some POT. Definitely could become a starting PG on a very good team.
9. Detroit Pistons - Drew Gooden PF 6'10'' 250 21 B C D C B B
Going with Gooden here since there is such a log jam at the wings in Detroit, I don't think a guy like Dunleavy makes a whole lot of sense here. Looks like he is Carlos Boozer light but can provide some services required winning in this league.
10. Golden State Warriors (From Oklahoma City) - Mike Dunleavy SF 6'9'' 230 22 C+ B C C+ C A
Knowing CC has this pick it is probably going to jump but the Warriors are in the lotto after the OKC 02 1st roulette ends up in his hands. It looks like CC is going to try to start a rebuild, so with that in mind.....Dunleavy is probably BPA on the board at this juncture. Jury is still out on how good his handles actually are, but Dunleavy looks like he can be a spot starter and/or a good rotational piece at a minimum. This pick could easily be DaJuan Wagner as well.
11. Brooklyn Nets - Dajuan Wagner SG 6'2'' 200 19 B- B C C D A
Wagner could be the most fun player in the draft. While there are some certain flaws in his game that might prevent him from ever being a starter, Nets are a little devoid of young, high octane scoring at this point and Wagner would help fit the bill from that regard. What do you camp here though? Do you try to make him well rounded and try to maximize his ability to start sometime in the future or do you go balls to the walls with his scoring?
12. San Antonio Spurs (From Phoenix Suns) - Jamal Sampson PF 6'11'' 235 19 C D F+ C C+ A
Phoenix cataclysmic freefall allows the Spurs to get back into the lotto at 12 with this pick. They have the core of Butler and Pierce and probably want to get involved in the tanking wars next year. Enter Jamal Sampson who seems like the quintessential "boom or bust" prospect that should very minimal risk for them at this juncture. Sampson has some pretty solid notes, and if he has any potential, he could be the steal of this draft.
13. Chicago Bulls - John Salmons SG 6'7'' 210 23 C+ C+ C+ C+ C+ B
To be honest I am not really sure what you do here if you are the Bulls. I am drafting Salmons here because I like his potential as a 1-2-3 combo guard off the bench. Not sure there are any massive game changers left. There are also a couple big still on the board you can interchange with Salmons that I think works fine as well.
