Post by Meathead on Dec 6, 2023 7:55:38 GMT -8
OK, here we are again! The time between these articles was brutal I know!!
Dallas Mavericks: Grant Hill is fun! I was hoping LJ would fall to me in the second round but this fucker sniped me. I hate it! Kenny Anderson is somehow a top 10 PG here probably. Solid draft but I do have questions about their beef. Trade me LJ or Hill!
Grade: B
Denver Nuggets: Will Camby be elite? IDK! I missed the Magic trading those Laker firsts to Denver when writing the eastern conference draft grades. That was a clutch acquisition by braz. I'm not sure if Joe Smith will pan out, he simmed well but I have a suspicion he won't improve a lot. Otherwise they don't have shit. They should be firmly in the lottery so maybe it works out.
Grade: B-
Houston Rockets: Pretty solid draft overall. Richmond is one of the top scorers in the league and I was hoping he would fall to me at some point. Webber should be an elite player. Stockton is old but elite. This team should be a solid playoff team but I don't see them as a huge contending threat.
Grade: B
Minnesota Timberwolves: Marbury should be a fun player. The rest of their picks aren't even worth writing about. They acquired a stash of picks but I'm not sure any of them will turn out to be worth anything. They should be able to tank so we'll see how that plays out.
Grade: C+
San Antonio Spurs: MJ is the best perimeter player on the file, as he should be. Pairing him with a menace in the paint in Mutombo is an amazing start but then....where's everyone else? Not having a second round pick makes this roster look rough. I'm not sure if there's enough value out there to trade Mutombo for a multiple player package but if kobe could somehow get a PG upgrade and a defensive big back this team would look better. It will be interesting to see how this plays out with JEFF MCINNIS currently logging starting minutes.
Grade: B-
Utah Jazz: Rasheed Wallace will be a good player, but not sure he should have gone top 10. Jamal Mashburn is a bucket but 14 may have been a little high for him. I think their draft was marred by drafting guys just a little higher than I thought they should have went in my eyes. They traded their picks and there are some glaring holes staring looms directly in the face. Trade me Mashburn!
Grade: C
Memphis Grizzlies: First look at rosters and this may be the best trio of top players I've seen. They're older sure but damn is that a nice looking lineup. PG is the weak point but join about 22 other teams in that regard. It won't matter a ton as the rest of the team will carry the load. "400 hogs comes to 1600 feet, the markets up and there are people a waitin' on that meat"
Grade: A-
Golden State Warriors: The Warriors grabbed a nice PG. Clyde is also an elite wing here. The Spreewell choice was an odd one, especially trading draft assets to draft him and then ultimately have him pegged in a lineup with GP and Clyde. Their interior situation may be a problem as well. This team screams 8 seed but me. I would probably view their draft a lot differently if not for the Spree pick.
Grade: C
Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers stuck to the script for the most part with their draft. Nash will be a dynamic point guard. Stackhouse of course has handling issues but maybe it becomes something you can live with. I absolutely love the Person pick; I was going to draft him in the 3rd round if he had fell. Montross and Walker may have a chance to be solid starters as well. Solid draft.
Grade: B
Los Angeles Lakers: The team has Kobe and their first this year. That's about all the positives I have. Big Z better have 95+ potential otherwise his starting ratings don't really add up (and they still might not) the Lakers need to be really bad this season and hope the lottery treats them kindly otherwise it could be a grim season or two until Kobe blossoms. It will be worth the wait tho!
Grade: C+
Phoenix Suns: I said I was gonna get weird and I did! I considered AI at 3 but ultimately went with Garnett. Both will be great players but give me the big. EJ may end up a reach but the 2+ BPG bigs were drying up so I snagged him. Kukoc probably went a little earlier than he should have. I held off drafting a PG and it might hurt me badly. Hunter simmed well but he needs camps desperately. I'm not sure what to make of my team and we may waddle in the abyss waiting on Garnett to develop.
Portland Trail Blazers: How good will Peja be? Does Damon have any potential? Can a bear outrun a horse? Can you smell what the rock is cooking? I do like the Isaiah Rider pick. I think 26 was probably a little early for Damon but I can see the rationale. Just not a lot to get excited about in my view.
Grade: C+
Sacramento Kings: Hard to mess up getting the top player in the file in Shaq. Pairiing with Barkley is insanely fun. Mullin was a great fit for what they're trying to do and getting Danilovic was a great find. Strickland or Avery are also great fits. This team isn't set up to be much of a threat past the first few seasons of the league but they'll be firmly in the mix early.
Grade: B
Oklahoma City Thunder: Finley and Eddie Jones were two solid value selections early. I'm also a fan of the Jayson Williams selection. Of course I love the Tony Delk pick although his upside might just be a great 6th man. I'm not convinced this team isn't just stuck in no-man's land though. Clifford Robinson and their wings may win them too many games to tank early on, but they have a nice young core to try and build around.
Grade: B
Dallas Mavericks: Grant Hill is fun! I was hoping LJ would fall to me in the second round but this fucker sniped me. I hate it! Kenny Anderson is somehow a top 10 PG here probably. Solid draft but I do have questions about their beef. Trade me LJ or Hill!
Grade: B
Denver Nuggets: Will Camby be elite? IDK! I missed the Magic trading those Laker firsts to Denver when writing the eastern conference draft grades. That was a clutch acquisition by braz. I'm not sure if Joe Smith will pan out, he simmed well but I have a suspicion he won't improve a lot. Otherwise they don't have shit. They should be firmly in the lottery so maybe it works out.
Grade: B-
Houston Rockets: Pretty solid draft overall. Richmond is one of the top scorers in the league and I was hoping he would fall to me at some point. Webber should be an elite player. Stockton is old but elite. This team should be a solid playoff team but I don't see them as a huge contending threat.
Grade: B
Minnesota Timberwolves: Marbury should be a fun player. The rest of their picks aren't even worth writing about. They acquired a stash of picks but I'm not sure any of them will turn out to be worth anything. They should be able to tank so we'll see how that plays out.
Grade: C+
San Antonio Spurs: MJ is the best perimeter player on the file, as he should be. Pairing him with a menace in the paint in Mutombo is an amazing start but then....where's everyone else? Not having a second round pick makes this roster look rough. I'm not sure if there's enough value out there to trade Mutombo for a multiple player package but if kobe could somehow get a PG upgrade and a defensive big back this team would look better. It will be interesting to see how this plays out with JEFF MCINNIS currently logging starting minutes.
Grade: B-
Utah Jazz: Rasheed Wallace will be a good player, but not sure he should have gone top 10. Jamal Mashburn is a bucket but 14 may have been a little high for him. I think their draft was marred by drafting guys just a little higher than I thought they should have went in my eyes. They traded their picks and there are some glaring holes staring looms directly in the face. Trade me Mashburn!
Grade: C
Memphis Grizzlies: First look at rosters and this may be the best trio of top players I've seen. They're older sure but damn is that a nice looking lineup. PG is the weak point but join about 22 other teams in that regard. It won't matter a ton as the rest of the team will carry the load. "400 hogs comes to 1600 feet, the markets up and there are people a waitin' on that meat"
Grade: A-
Golden State Warriors: The Warriors grabbed a nice PG. Clyde is also an elite wing here. The Spreewell choice was an odd one, especially trading draft assets to draft him and then ultimately have him pegged in a lineup with GP and Clyde. Their interior situation may be a problem as well. This team screams 8 seed but me. I would probably view their draft a lot differently if not for the Spree pick.
Grade: C
Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers stuck to the script for the most part with their draft. Nash will be a dynamic point guard. Stackhouse of course has handling issues but maybe it becomes something you can live with. I absolutely love the Person pick; I was going to draft him in the 3rd round if he had fell. Montross and Walker may have a chance to be solid starters as well. Solid draft.
Grade: B
Los Angeles Lakers: The team has Kobe and their first this year. That's about all the positives I have. Big Z better have 95+ potential otherwise his starting ratings don't really add up (and they still might not) the Lakers need to be really bad this season and hope the lottery treats them kindly otherwise it could be a grim season or two until Kobe blossoms. It will be worth the wait tho!
Grade: C+
Phoenix Suns: I said I was gonna get weird and I did! I considered AI at 3 but ultimately went with Garnett. Both will be great players but give me the big. EJ may end up a reach but the 2+ BPG bigs were drying up so I snagged him. Kukoc probably went a little earlier than he should have. I held off drafting a PG and it might hurt me badly. Hunter simmed well but he needs camps desperately. I'm not sure what to make of my team and we may waddle in the abyss waiting on Garnett to develop.
Portland Trail Blazers: How good will Peja be? Does Damon have any potential? Can a bear outrun a horse? Can you smell what the rock is cooking? I do like the Isaiah Rider pick. I think 26 was probably a little early for Damon but I can see the rationale. Just not a lot to get excited about in my view.
Grade: C+
Sacramento Kings: Hard to mess up getting the top player in the file in Shaq. Pairiing with Barkley is insanely fun. Mullin was a great fit for what they're trying to do and getting Danilovic was a great find. Strickland or Avery are also great fits. This team isn't set up to be much of a threat past the first few seasons of the league but they'll be firmly in the mix early.
Grade: B
Oklahoma City Thunder: Finley and Eddie Jones were two solid value selections early. I'm also a fan of the Jayson Williams selection. Of course I love the Tony Delk pick although his upside might just be a great 6th man. I'm not convinced this team isn't just stuck in no-man's land though. Clifford Robinson and their wings may win them too many games to tank early on, but they have a nice young core to try and build around.
Grade: B
