Post by Seattle Supersonics on Jan 24, 2024 6:19:52 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
- Minnesota gave up a lot of assests to draft Elton Brand. I don’t think Brand will be worth it, unless his defense and handling improve or the notes were a troll. He does however fit the best out of the available players for the TWolves. With that being said there were plenty of other players who probably be better players in this league, but this pick was solely based on need.
Grade: B-
3 Los Angeles Lakers (from Hornets, Timberwolves) - Manu Ginobili
Manu was probably the second best player in this class. It’s almost a given that he’ll be a 25PPG guard and should develop that defense. Manu and Kobe is a fun 1-2 punch. The Lakers are another team that targeted a player and decided to move up for him, trading 2 futures and 6 to get Manu. Hefty price, but it appears worth it.
Grade: A
4 New York Knicks - Baron Davis
- BDiddy is one of a kind. He has the athleticism and size to dominate most PGs in the league. Baron will come in from day one and start and not only start but play very well. He is another player who could end up the best player from this draft when it is all said and done. I expect him to contribute right away and help the Knicks turn it around very soon.
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+
6 Heat- via Denver Nuggets (from Hornets, Lakers) - Richard Hamilton
I love Richard. UConn legend. He has elite scoring, but lacks in 3 point. Just camp it and hope it develops. He’ll be a 25PPG guy and will limit turnovers. I want to see him in a balanced offense. Good move here by Eddy.
Grade: A-
7 Detroit Pistons - Shawn Marion
- The Matrix falling this far was surprising to me. He looks like a more developed AK47 with better offense. I understand the blocking and stealing ability puts AK over Marion which is why I thought Marion should’ve went top 4. Either way Andrew got a steal and should be thanking the nimrods picking before him.
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 via Portland Trail Blazers (from Rockets)- Steve Francis
The Hornets paid a hefty price to add this pick. 5 firsts for the 9th pick! Insane. Yes. It’s true. However, we have our lineup set for the future and needed to add a PG. We still have 3 futures and 20M in cap to work with, so it was worth it IMO to spend to get Francis, who we believe can be a 25PPG 2.5TOPG PG in his prime.
Grade: B+
10 Washington Wizards - Lamar Odom
Just not a fan. His notes look atrocious. He has no defined position. Maybe the Wizards develop him as a 6th man who can play each position, but I’m not counting on it. I’m not sure I would have selected Odom in the lottery tbh.
Grade: C
11 Milwaukee Bucks (from 76ers, Pacers) – James Posey
- James Posey is a consolation prize for the Bucks. Traded away defensive stud Robert Horry to get younger. They made this trade because Pippen took a dookie on Horry for the second straight year in the playoffs. Posey probably wont get the stocks that Horry did or even the boards, but I do think he will bring more scoring. Solid pick, there was one other player for consideration in terms of needs for the Bucks but they liked the defense Posey brings.
Grade: B-
12 Atlanta Hawks (From Buls) - Jason Terry
- This was another great pick. The theme from this draft is good picks aside from a few in my honest opinion. JET will be a very good player in this league for a very long time. Him being at PG makes him very good, if he wasn’t I still think he would contribute. Hawks traded a future for JET and the pick was all about him being a homer, but I do believe it was the correct pick at this spot.
Grade: A-
13 Los Angeles Clippers- Wally Szczerbiak
Worth a shot no one noticing Another year picking in the 11-13 spot. It’s a story as old as time. Pick a damn direction and commit to it. Wally looks like just another guy and would not shock me to see him bust out. At the same time, not much options here for the Clippers. It’s rough after this point, but I would have taken Clack given his notes.
Grade: C-
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
- Minnesota gave up a lot of assests to draft Elton Brand. I don’t think Brand will be worth it, unless his defense and handling improve or the notes were a troll. He does however fit the best out of the available players for the TWolves. With that being said there were plenty of other players who probably be better players in this league, but this pick was solely based on need.
Grade: B-
3 Los Angeles Lakers (from Hornets, Timberwolves) - Manu Ginobili
Manu was probably the second best player in this class. It’s almost a given that he’ll be a 25PPG guard and should develop that defense. Manu and Kobe is a fun 1-2 punch. The Lakers are another team that targeted a player and decided to move up for him, trading 2 futures and 6 to get Manu. Hefty price, but it appears worth it.
Grade: A
4 New York Knicks - Baron Davis
- BDiddy is one of a kind. He has the athleticism and size to dominate most PGs in the league. Baron will come in from day one and start and not only start but play very well. He is another player who could end up the best player from this draft when it is all said and done. I expect him to contribute right away and help the Knicks turn it around very soon.
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+
6 Heat- via Denver Nuggets (from Hornets, Lakers) - Richard Hamilton
I love Richard. UConn legend. He has elite scoring, but lacks in 3 point. Just camp it and hope it develops. He’ll be a 25PPG guy and will limit turnovers. I want to see him in a balanced offense. Good move here by Eddy.
Grade: A-
7 Detroit Pistons - Shawn Marion
- The Matrix falling this far was surprising to me. He looks like a more developed AK47 with better offense. I understand the blocking and stealing ability puts AK over Marion which is why I thought Marion should’ve went top 4. Either way Andrew got a steal and should be thanking the nimrods picking before him.
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 via Portland Trail Blazers (from Rockets)- Steve Francis
The Hornets paid a hefty price to add this pick. 5 firsts for the 9th pick! Insane. Yes. It’s true. However, we have our lineup set for the future and needed to add a PG. We still have 3 futures and 20M in cap to work with, so it was worth it IMO to spend to get Francis, who we believe can be a 25PPG 2.5TOPG PG in his prime.
Grade: B+
10 Washington Wizards - Lamar Odom
Just not a fan. His notes look atrocious. He has no defined position. Maybe the Wizards develop him as a 6th man who can play each position, but I’m not counting on it. I’m not sure I would have selected Odom in the lottery tbh.
Grade: C
11 Milwaukee Bucks (from 76ers, Pacers) – James Posey
- James Posey is a consolation prize for the Bucks. Traded away defensive stud Robert Horry to get younger. They made this trade because Pippen took a dookie on Horry for the second straight year in the playoffs. Posey probably wont get the stocks that Horry did or even the boards, but I do think he will bring more scoring. Solid pick, there was one other player for consideration in terms of needs for the Bucks but they liked the defense Posey brings.
Grade: B-
12 Atlanta Hawks (From Buls) - Jason Terry
- This was another great pick. The theme from this draft is good picks aside from a few in my honest opinion. JET will be a very good player in this league for a very long time. Him being at PG makes him very good, if he wasn’t I still think he would contribute. Hawks traded a future for JET and the pick was all about him being a homer, but I do believe it was the correct pick at this spot.
Grade: A-
13 Los Angeles Clippers- Wally Szczerbiak
Worth a shot no one noticing Another year picking in the 11-13 spot. It’s a story as old as time. Pick a damn direction and commit to it. Wally looks like just another guy and would not shock me to see him bust out. At the same time, not much options here for the Clippers. It’s rough after this point, but I would have taken Clack given his notes.
Grade: C-
