Post by chipper on Jan 24, 2024 6:11:23 GMT -8
1. Orlando Magic - Andrei Kirilenko SF 6'9'' 220 18 C+ C C+ B C+ A - Good blocks and steals. Solid quickness, handling, jumpshot, strength. Mediocre post d, perimeter d, rebounds and inside scoring. Poor 3-point shooting.
I loved this pick. I thought AK was the best player in the draft, with those blocks and steals. All-around he's pretty good- great starting ratings. Obviously you want that rebounding higher (so maybe have him go through TC at PF, although after camps he went up to B- which is a great, great start), but he looks to be a jack-of-all-trades. How is Ding Dong Boys getting all this lotto luck??!?
Grade: A
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Hornets) - Elton Brand PF 6'9'' 275 20 B C- C- C+ B A - Elite strength. Good inside scoring and post defense. Solid jumpshot and rebounding. Mediocre blocks. Poor handles and passing.
I like the pick. I don't love the trade up to get there. I'll try to separate both in the grades. I think Brand can be a good big in this league- obviously his blocks need work, as do his handles, but depending on how many turnovers he'll produce, might be better to hit the inside scoring and jump shot/rebounding to make those strengths to stand out. The trade was too much- by all indications Brand wasn't going 2nd and no one was going to move up to get him 2nd. I get moving up to ensure you get your guy- but I think the Wolves would have been best staying at 3 and getting Brand there. Sargo makes out with maximum value for this trade.
Pick Grade: B+, Trade Grade for Wolves: D-, Trade Grade for Hornets: A+++, EDIT- Tyga is a Falcons fan so his grade now for this trade is A++++ and the pick is A++++
3. Los Angeles Lakers (from Timberwolves via Hornets) - Manu Ginobili SG 6'6'' 205 22 B- B- C C+ C A - Good jumpshot and quickness. Solid inside scoring, handles, steals, strength and perimeter defense. Mediocre 3-point shooting. Poor passing.
I actually really like Manu- he was my #2 player in the draft because of his starting ratings. I love that his inside has already gone up to B after camps. I think Sargo is making out like a bandit in these trades though, because there were definitely 6 REALLY good prospects in this class and he's guaranteed 1 by dropping down to 6 (originally). At the same time- from Nanz's perspective I get it because Manu could win ROY season 1 with that scoring. Manu fits perfectly on that Lakers team next to Kobe and Shard. Although one of those 3 either is going to have to play PF or sit on the bench- and it's not gonna be Kobe.
Pick Grade: A, Trade Grade for Lakers: B+, Trade Grade for Hornets: A
4. New York Knicks - Baron Davis PG 6'3'' 209 20 C+ C+ B- B C A - Good steals and quickness. Solid jumpshot, strength and handling. Mediocre 3-point shooting and inside scoring.
Baron's a good pick here. And I love it even more after seeing his inside and outside go up after camps. Probably going to be the best PG out of this draft. With how PGs are valued by FBB, very much could challenge for ROY his first season. Knicks have a really amazing young team going here.
Grade: A
5. Charlotte Hornets (from Nuggets) - Ron Artest SF 6'7'' 260 20 B- C+ C A- C A - Elite steals and strength. Good perimeter defense and jumpshot. Mediocre handles, quickness and inside scoring. Poor 3-point shooting and blocks.
I REALLY like Artest. Elite steals and strength is an incredible starting point. Already has a good jump shot. Meh inside scoring and bad 3-point scoring I can honestly live with, plus he'll get camped anyways. I also love this trade from Sargo's perspective AGAIN- utilizing a tiny bit of the insane draft capital he's just picked up, he gets to move up one spot and grab his guy- which was the absolute right move in this case. Artest is a beast. The trade is fine from Braz's perspective too, considering what he did with pick 6 after the fact.
Pick Grade: A+, Trade Grade for Hornets: A++, Trade Grade for Nuggets: B+
6. Miami Heat (from Nuggets via Hornets, Lakers) - Richard Hamilton SG 6'6'' 185 21 B+ C C B C- B - Elite jumpshot. Good inside scoring, handling, quickness, and jumping. Solid steals and perimeter defense. Mediocre strength. Poor 3-point shooting.
Shawn Marion was RIGHT THERE. RIGHT THERE!! That being said- Rip could be really good with that elite jump shot. He already has good on a lot of things as well. It's the lack of 3s that hurt him in the eyes of many. But if they get a +10 and have the right TCs, he could honestly be a beast scorer. And he's already a solid defender too. I just like Marion more. Trade-wise- I love Braz going out and getting Zo- still in his prime. S-Jax is good and pick 6 would have been a nice asset, but can't fault Braz going for it.
Pick Grade: B, Trade Grade for Heat: B, Trade Grade for Nuggets: A-
7. Detroit Pistons - Shawn Marion SF 6'7'' 220 21 B- C D+ B- B- A - Good strength, jumping and steals. Solid jumpshot and handles. Mediocre blocks, rebounds, and inside scoring. Poor 3-point shooting.
I love Marion here. Thought he should have gone 6th. Already a great starting base, and all-around his profile fits the league very well. And the Pistons needed an improvement at small forward and got one. I think Marion's gonna be a great player in the league. 2nd-highest potential in the draft class based off of the draft page. Good pick.
Grade: A
8. New York Knicks (from Jazz) - Corey Maggette SF 6'6'' 218 20 B+ C C C C B - Good inside scoring, strength, jumping and jumpshot. Solid handles and quickness. Mediocre steals. Poor perimeter D, 3-point shooting and blocks.
I like this pick. Especially with Maggette already at A- inside after camps. Having good inside scoring, strength, and jumpshot guarantees he's going to be able to be a really good scorer- even without the 3s. I think the Knicks can afford a one-trick pony (and he really is a one-trick pony because he does not defend whatsoever), and he was probably the best fit for them of all the players left. Andy is killing it as usual.
Grade: A-
9. Hornets (from Rockets via Trail Blazers) - Steve Francis PG 6'3'' 195 22 B C+ C+ C C A - Elite jumping and quickness. Good jumpshot. Solid steals. Medicore handles and 3-point shooting.
And there it is- Sargo cashes out on all the draft capital he just picked up to get the best PG left. And Francis seems like a classic FBB PG that's going to be a stud with all the right gains in TC and camps. His outside is already up to B-. Can't fault Broph for dealing this pick at all- getting FIVE firsts is crazy. But, weirdly, I totally get it for Sargo too. All 5 of those picks may be non-lottos, which is a small price to pay for a franchise PG. And they got THE franchise- Stevie Franchise! Love this all-around.
Pick Grade: A, Trade Grade for Hornets: A-, Trade Grade for Blazers: A++
10. Washington Wizards - Lamar Odom SF 6'10'' 220 20 C+ C+ B C C+ A - Solid strength, jumpshot, passing and inside scoring. Mediocre handles.
Now we're seeing a tiny bit of a talent drop-off, but Lamar is still really good. I was surprised there weren't more questions asked about him in the notes, but he clearly has very good potential. I'm curious how his other scoring ratings are rated. At this point, he was PROBABLY the BPA so it's a fine pick. I just wish we knew more about him.
Grade: A-
11. Milwaukee Bucks (from Pacers via 76ers) - James Posey SF 6'8'' 215 23 C B C- B+ C B - Good jumpshot. Solid handles, quickness, steals and strength.
I like this pick from the Bucks. I think Posey was kind of flying under the radar. I'm very curious to see where his 3-point shooting is at. Has a great baseline elsewhere too- should start right away for the Bucks. Good pick.
Grade: A-
12. Atlanta Hawks (from Bulls) - Jason Terry PG 6'2'' 185 22 C B B C D+ B - Good quickness and jumpshot. Solid 3 point shot, handles and steals. Mediocre inside.
Yesss- I got my guy! I'll attempt to be non-biased here. Looking at Terry- he's already got the makings of a classic BBS PG with his jump shot and 3s, and his handles being fine. Should do well in an outside offense like I plan to run. From play's perspective- I think this was the best deal he could have gotten- a Chip first when I don't own my 2000 and half my roster is in FA right now. That very easily could turn into Pau if it goes badly for me. Considering play didn't need a PG or SF, the two positions that were left here, this was a great trade for him. I'd like to think it's a good risk for me too, especially if Jet turns into what I think he can be. He's already up to B+ outside shooting, so I have to hope for a good TC to keep those ratings going up.
Pick Grade: N/A, Trade Grade for Hawks: N/A, Trade Grade for Bulls: A
13. Los Angeles Clippers - Wally Szczerbiak SF 6'7'' 244 22 C+ B+ C- C C B - Good jumpshot and strength. Solid 3 point shot and handling. Mediocre inside scoring. Poor steals.
I like Wally a lot. I considered him briefly when I traded in at 12, but I'm a homer so I went with the former Hawk. But Wally's already really good from the outside, and has the strength to help increase those shot attempts. I hope the Clippers can continue surrounding Nash with talent, because they are stuck in no-man's land otherwise. They need bigs but there were none available here. So solid pickup in Wally. There was one guy I thought they probably SHOULD have taken here, and he's coming up soon.
Grade: B+
14. Sacramento Kings - Andre Miller PG 6'3'' 200 23 C+ C B B C- B - Good jumpshot. Solid steals, handles and strength. Mediocre Inside shooting. Poor 3-point shooting.
Andre's a solid player- but I would have liked to have seen the Kings go with the next guy, who I think could be a real difference maker based on his notes. That being said- Andre's no slouch. Already has the jump shot, which some argue is the most important rating in the game. Already should do at least 1 steal per game with the solid on his steals. And solid handles. He'll be a fine PG in the league with camps. If he gets any boosts in TC to his scoring rating, he could be really good.
Grade: B
15. Golden State Warriors (from Trail Blazers) - Kris Clack SF 6'4'' 236 22 C C+ C B- B- C - Elite handling and quickness. Good jumpshot, strength and post defense. Solid blocks and steals.
LOVE this pick and I'm pissed at CC for getting this deal done before I had a chance to try something. Having elite ratings this far down is great. And he has solid blocks AND steals, so he might be doing 2 stocks a game right out of the gate. Already has a jump shot and the strength to help with shot attempts. This guy should have gone a couple of picks higher. The Philly 02 1st that Broph gets COULD be good, depending on how FA and talent development goes for the Sixers. But it remainds to be seen on whether that player will be as good as Clack seems like he could be.
Pick Grade: A+, Trade Grade for Warriors: A+, Trade Grade for Blazers: B
I loved this pick. I thought AK was the best player in the draft, with those blocks and steals. All-around he's pretty good- great starting ratings. Obviously you want that rebounding higher (so maybe have him go through TC at PF, although after camps he went up to B- which is a great, great start), but he looks to be a jack-of-all-trades. How is Ding Dong Boys getting all this lotto luck??!?
Grade: A
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Hornets) - Elton Brand PF 6'9'' 275 20 B C- C- C+ B A - Elite strength. Good inside scoring and post defense. Solid jumpshot and rebounding. Mediocre blocks. Poor handles and passing.
I like the pick. I don't love the trade up to get there. I'll try to separate both in the grades. I think Brand can be a good big in this league- obviously his blocks need work, as do his handles, but depending on how many turnovers he'll produce, might be better to hit the inside scoring and jump shot/rebounding to make those strengths to stand out. The trade was too much- by all indications Brand wasn't going 2nd and no one was going to move up to get him 2nd. I get moving up to ensure you get your guy- but I think the Wolves would have been best staying at 3 and getting Brand there. Sargo makes out with maximum value for this trade.
Pick Grade: B+, Trade Grade for Wolves: D-, Trade Grade for Hornets: A+++, EDIT- Tyga is a Falcons fan so his grade now for this trade is A++++ and the pick is A++++
3. Los Angeles Lakers (from Timberwolves via Hornets) - Manu Ginobili SG 6'6'' 205 22 B- B- C C+ C A - Good jumpshot and quickness. Solid inside scoring, handles, steals, strength and perimeter defense. Mediocre 3-point shooting. Poor passing.
I actually really like Manu- he was my #2 player in the draft because of his starting ratings. I love that his inside has already gone up to B after camps. I think Sargo is making out like a bandit in these trades though, because there were definitely 6 REALLY good prospects in this class and he's guaranteed 1 by dropping down to 6 (originally). At the same time- from Nanz's perspective I get it because Manu could win ROY season 1 with that scoring. Manu fits perfectly on that Lakers team next to Kobe and Shard. Although one of those 3 either is going to have to play PF or sit on the bench- and it's not gonna be Kobe.
Pick Grade: A, Trade Grade for Lakers: B+, Trade Grade for Hornets: A
4. New York Knicks - Baron Davis PG 6'3'' 209 20 C+ C+ B- B C A - Good steals and quickness. Solid jumpshot, strength and handling. Mediocre 3-point shooting and inside scoring.
Baron's a good pick here. And I love it even more after seeing his inside and outside go up after camps. Probably going to be the best PG out of this draft. With how PGs are valued by FBB, very much could challenge for ROY his first season. Knicks have a really amazing young team going here.
Grade: A
5. Charlotte Hornets (from Nuggets) - Ron Artest SF 6'7'' 260 20 B- C+ C A- C A - Elite steals and strength. Good perimeter defense and jumpshot. Mediocre handles, quickness and inside scoring. Poor 3-point shooting and blocks.
I REALLY like Artest. Elite steals and strength is an incredible starting point. Already has a good jump shot. Meh inside scoring and bad 3-point scoring I can honestly live with, plus he'll get camped anyways. I also love this trade from Sargo's perspective AGAIN- utilizing a tiny bit of the insane draft capital he's just picked up, he gets to move up one spot and grab his guy- which was the absolute right move in this case. Artest is a beast. The trade is fine from Braz's perspective too, considering what he did with pick 6 after the fact.
Pick Grade: A+, Trade Grade for Hornets: A++, Trade Grade for Nuggets: B+
6. Miami Heat (from Nuggets via Hornets, Lakers) - Richard Hamilton SG 6'6'' 185 21 B+ C C B C- B - Elite jumpshot. Good inside scoring, handling, quickness, and jumping. Solid steals and perimeter defense. Mediocre strength. Poor 3-point shooting.
Shawn Marion was RIGHT THERE. RIGHT THERE!! That being said- Rip could be really good with that elite jump shot. He already has good on a lot of things as well. It's the lack of 3s that hurt him in the eyes of many. But if they get a +10 and have the right TCs, he could honestly be a beast scorer. And he's already a solid defender too. I just like Marion more. Trade-wise- I love Braz going out and getting Zo- still in his prime. S-Jax is good and pick 6 would have been a nice asset, but can't fault Braz going for it.
Pick Grade: B, Trade Grade for Heat: B, Trade Grade for Nuggets: A-
7. Detroit Pistons - Shawn Marion SF 6'7'' 220 21 B- C D+ B- B- A - Good strength, jumping and steals. Solid jumpshot and handles. Mediocre blocks, rebounds, and inside scoring. Poor 3-point shooting.
I love Marion here. Thought he should have gone 6th. Already a great starting base, and all-around his profile fits the league very well. And the Pistons needed an improvement at small forward and got one. I think Marion's gonna be a great player in the league. 2nd-highest potential in the draft class based off of the draft page. Good pick.
Grade: A
8. New York Knicks (from Jazz) - Corey Maggette SF 6'6'' 218 20 B+ C C C C B - Good inside scoring, strength, jumping and jumpshot. Solid handles and quickness. Mediocre steals. Poor perimeter D, 3-point shooting and blocks.
I like this pick. Especially with Maggette already at A- inside after camps. Having good inside scoring, strength, and jumpshot guarantees he's going to be able to be a really good scorer- even without the 3s. I think the Knicks can afford a one-trick pony (and he really is a one-trick pony because he does not defend whatsoever), and he was probably the best fit for them of all the players left. Andy is killing it as usual.
Grade: A-
9. Hornets (from Rockets via Trail Blazers) - Steve Francis PG 6'3'' 195 22 B C+ C+ C C A - Elite jumping and quickness. Good jumpshot. Solid steals. Medicore handles and 3-point shooting.
And there it is- Sargo cashes out on all the draft capital he just picked up to get the best PG left. And Francis seems like a classic FBB PG that's going to be a stud with all the right gains in TC and camps. His outside is already up to B-. Can't fault Broph for dealing this pick at all- getting FIVE firsts is crazy. But, weirdly, I totally get it for Sargo too. All 5 of those picks may be non-lottos, which is a small price to pay for a franchise PG. And they got THE franchise- Stevie Franchise! Love this all-around.
Pick Grade: A, Trade Grade for Hornets: A-, Trade Grade for Blazers: A++
10. Washington Wizards - Lamar Odom SF 6'10'' 220 20 C+ C+ B C C+ A - Solid strength, jumpshot, passing and inside scoring. Mediocre handles.
Now we're seeing a tiny bit of a talent drop-off, but Lamar is still really good. I was surprised there weren't more questions asked about him in the notes, but he clearly has very good potential. I'm curious how his other scoring ratings are rated. At this point, he was PROBABLY the BPA so it's a fine pick. I just wish we knew more about him.
Grade: A-
11. Milwaukee Bucks (from Pacers via 76ers) - James Posey SF 6'8'' 215 23 C B C- B+ C B - Good jumpshot. Solid handles, quickness, steals and strength.
I like this pick from the Bucks. I think Posey was kind of flying under the radar. I'm very curious to see where his 3-point shooting is at. Has a great baseline elsewhere too- should start right away for the Bucks. Good pick.
Grade: A-
12. Atlanta Hawks (from Bulls) - Jason Terry PG 6'2'' 185 22 C B B C D+ B - Good quickness and jumpshot. Solid 3 point shot, handles and steals. Mediocre inside.
Yesss- I got my guy! I'll attempt to be non-biased here. Looking at Terry- he's already got the makings of a classic BBS PG with his jump shot and 3s, and his handles being fine. Should do well in an outside offense like I plan to run. From play's perspective- I think this was the best deal he could have gotten- a Chip first when I don't own my 2000 and half my roster is in FA right now. That very easily could turn into Pau if it goes badly for me. Considering play didn't need a PG or SF, the two positions that were left here, this was a great trade for him. I'd like to think it's a good risk for me too, especially if Jet turns into what I think he can be. He's already up to B+ outside shooting, so I have to hope for a good TC to keep those ratings going up.
Pick Grade: N/A, Trade Grade for Hawks: N/A, Trade Grade for Bulls: A
13. Los Angeles Clippers - Wally Szczerbiak SF 6'7'' 244 22 C+ B+ C- C C B - Good jumpshot and strength. Solid 3 point shot and handling. Mediocre inside scoring. Poor steals.
I like Wally a lot. I considered him briefly when I traded in at 12, but I'm a homer so I went with the former Hawk. But Wally's already really good from the outside, and has the strength to help increase those shot attempts. I hope the Clippers can continue surrounding Nash with talent, because they are stuck in no-man's land otherwise. They need bigs but there were none available here. So solid pickup in Wally. There was one guy I thought they probably SHOULD have taken here, and he's coming up soon.
Grade: B+
14. Sacramento Kings - Andre Miller PG 6'3'' 200 23 C+ C B B C- B - Good jumpshot. Solid steals, handles and strength. Mediocre Inside shooting. Poor 3-point shooting.
Andre's a solid player- but I would have liked to have seen the Kings go with the next guy, who I think could be a real difference maker based on his notes. That being said- Andre's no slouch. Already has the jump shot, which some argue is the most important rating in the game. Already should do at least 1 steal per game with the solid on his steals. And solid handles. He'll be a fine PG in the league with camps. If he gets any boosts in TC to his scoring rating, he could be really good.
Grade: B
15. Golden State Warriors (from Trail Blazers) - Kris Clack SF 6'4'' 236 22 C C+ C B- B- C - Elite handling and quickness. Good jumpshot, strength and post defense. Solid blocks and steals.
LOVE this pick and I'm pissed at CC for getting this deal done before I had a chance to try something. Having elite ratings this far down is great. And he has solid blocks AND steals, so he might be doing 2 stocks a game right out of the gate. Already has a jump shot and the strength to help with shot attempts. This guy should have gone a couple of picks higher. The Philly 02 1st that Broph gets COULD be good, depending on how FA and talent development goes for the Sixers. But it remainds to be seen on whether that player will be as good as Clack seems like he could be.
Pick Grade: A+, Trade Grade for Warriors: A+, Trade Grade for Blazers: B
