NBA Draft Grades

By Gary Lloyd
Love of Sports Correspondent

I’m still a student, but for this article, I’m going to pretend to be a professor.

Thursday’s NBA Draft, to me, was fairly predictable relative to where certain players were drafted.

So, let’s jump right in, shall we?

Let’s see how each team faired, going right down the list.

NBA DRAFT GRADES

Atlanta Hawks: Atlanta would’ve had the No. 15 overall selection in the draft. However, the Hawks are still feeling the effects of the Joe Johnson deal with the Phoenix Suns from a few years back. No picks = no grade.

Boston Celtics: J.R. Giddens was a bit of a surprise as the last first-rounder (No. 30), but I like the pick for Boston. Danny Ainge and company addressed the team’s most desperate need and went with who they were comfortable with. Bill Walker is an excellent pickup for where he was drafted (47th by the Wizards), despite the knee injuries. Semih Erden may not be on the roster this season, but could be a nice player down the road. Boston gets a B.

Charlotte Bobcats: D.J. Augustin has definite first round talent, but I’m skeptical of him at No. 9. He’ll be a solid pro, though. Alexis Ajinca was a pick purely based on potential, and I’m not sure if he’ll fill out over time. Kyle Weaver (No. 38) may turn out to be the most ready player for the league right away for Charlotte. They gets a B-.

Chicago Bulls: The Bulls got their man at No. 1 overall in Derrick Rose, who should be the point guard for at least the next decade. Picking up Omer Asik in the second round was a great move as well. John Paxson could use some front court help. The Bulls get an A-.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs made a great move by selecting J.J. Hickson with the 19th pick. Darnell Jackson (No. 52) may turn out to be a solid backup power forward down the road as well. They received the rights to Sasha Kaun (No. 56), but he’ll be playing in Russia next season for sure. I would’ve liked Cleveland to go after another point guard or shooting guard, but free agency is right around the corner. Cavs receive a B+.

Dallas Mavericks: I bet Mark Cuban wishes he would’ve never dealt for Jason Kidd. Devin Harris was molding well in Dallas, so why mess with a winning formula? The Mavs lost out on a few picks and must now pay the price. Shan Foster is a respectable pick at No. 51, but that late-season trade should never have happened. Dallas is now paying for that with a D-.

Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets traded out of their No. 20 pick for cash and ended up with only Sonny Weems on draft night. He’s probably a top three athlete in the draft, so he should fit well in Denver, assuming he can make the team, of course. Nuggets get a C.

Detroit Pistons: Joe Dumars continues to roll the dice come draft night. D.J. White was selected with the 29th pick, but was sent to the Sonics for Walter Sharpe (No. 32) and Trent Plaisted (No. 46). Deron Washington is a solid athlete for the next-to-last pick, but he may end up in Europe. Sharpe’s a boom or bust type guy, so I’ll give the Pistons a B- for now.

Golden State Warriors: Anthony Randolph could’ve been a Top 5 pick, so getting him at No. 14 was solid for the Warriors, even if he doesn’t live up to the potential. Richard Hendrix was somewhat of a steal at No. 49. He would’ve been a first-rounder for sure next year. Warriors get an A-.

Houston Rockets: After a couple trades, the Rockets ended up with Donte’ Greene as their top prospect. He’s got a lot of upside, and his game should translate fairly well to the league, assuming he learns a little about shot selection. Joey Dorsey (No. 33) and Maarty Leunen (No. 54) are solid second round pickups who could both make the team. Houston gets a B.

Indiana Pacers: It all started the day before the draft for Indiana. Jermaine O’Neal and a second-rounder went to the Raptors for T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston and the No. 17 pick. Indiana was able to move up again and grab Jerryd Bayless at No. 11, who was ultimately sent to Portland for Brandon Rush (No. 13). The Pacers got Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts in that deal as well. Roy Hibbert was then taken with that 17th pick. I really love what the Pacers did in this draft, so for that, they get an A.

Los Angeles Clippers: Selecting Eric Gordon with the seventh pick has its pros and cons, but it was overall a solid pick. He should be able to stretch the defense with his range, allowing room in the post for Chris Kaman and Elton Brand to work. Grabbing DeAndre Jordan in the second round has no negative aspects, as he was expected by most to be a Top 20 pick. The Clippers also picked up Mike Taylor (NBDL/Iowa State) late in the draft. The Clips get a B+.

Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers were left only with the 58th pick after the Pau Gasol trade earlier this year. That trade ultimately helped L.A. make the Finals, so it was a positive move. Joe Crawford was taken with the 58th pick and will probably only see action in the summer league. The Lake Show gets a B, but mainly for the Gasol deal.

Memphis Grizzlies: After taking Kevin Love fifth overall, Memphis almost immediately traded him to Minnesota for O.J. Mayo in a blockbuster deal. There goes my hope of a Gay-Love tandem in Memphis. The Grizzles ended up with Mayo, Darrell Arthur (who shouldn’t have fallen to No. 27 overall, by the way), Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner. Mayo will be a big-time scorer, and Arthur should see adequate playing time from the get-go. The Grizzles get a B+.

Miami Heat: The Heat got an instant playmaker in Michael Beasley, who may be the Rookie of the Year next season. Picking up Mario Chalmers in the second round is an absolute steal, in my opinion. He doesn’t have a lot more potential than what he’s already shown in college, but he’ll be a solid point guard for years. I love what Miami did in this draft, so for that, they get an A.

Milwaukee Bucks: The addition of Richard Jefferson makes you scratch your head a little bit about the selection of Joe Alexander. He’ll still make a solid pro, though. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute will never be a superb offensive player, but he may end up as an exceptional defender. Milwaukee gets a B- from me.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Swapping O.J. Mayo for Kevin Love was a nice move, as Minnesota also picked up Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins. Nikola Pekovic was a nice international selection in the early second round. Love and Al Jefferson could be a nice front court tandem for years. Minnesota earns an A-.

New Jersey Nets: The Nets seemingly had everything fall to them in the draft. Brook Lopez at No. 10 was a steal, despite talks of him busting in the league. Ryan Anderson was a great pick at No. 21, and Chris Douglas-Roberts could be the steal of the draft as a second-rounder. Ridding the franchise of Richard Jefferson and his contract could free up space for a LeBron James addition once the team moves to Brooklyn. Nets get an A+.

New Orleans Hornets: The Blazers received the Hornets’ first round pick (No. 27) for $3 million. Therefore, the Hornets had no picks and receive an incomplete grade.

New York Knicks: The Knicks had just one pick and selected Danilo Gallinari from Italy. He’s a great pick for a team in desperate need of change. The Knicks get an A- for taking the best option for their team.

Orlando Magic: Orlando addressed its most glaring need with its only pick of the draft by selecting Western Kentucky’s Courtney Lee in the first round. He can be a solid player, but probably won’t be the player who puts the Magic over the top.

Philadelphia 76ers: Personally, I thought it was obvious the Sixers were going with Marreese Speights. He fits Philly’s system well, and only time will tell how good he turns out to be. Nice pick for the 76ers on paper. They get a B.

Phoenix Suns: Robin Lopez is an instant fit for the Suns system, as he gives new head coach Terry Porter a defensive presence in the middle. Goran Dragic may not be in the NBA for a few seasons, but he’ll have a nice impact when he does make it. Suns get a B-.

Portland Trail Blazers: Yet again, Portland was the most active team on draft night. After all was said and done, they ended up with top point guard Jerryd Bayless and top foreigner Nicolas Batum, both lottery pick type players. Along with Greg Oden’s likely return, Portland should be poised for a playoff run next season. They get a solid A.

Sacramento Kings: Jason Thompson was a big surprise at No. 12 overall, and the Kings will either look like geniuses or morons because of it. Sean Singletary, taken in the mid-second round, might turn out to be a bit of a surprise in the league. Patrick Ewing, Jr. was taken right after Singletary, and I’m not sure if he’ll be in the States for a long period of time.

San Antonio Spurs: George Hill from IUPUI was the Spurs’ first round pick, but taking him over Mario Chalmers was a mistake. Not a good pick, in my opinion. Malik Hairston is respectable at No. 48, as is James Gist at No. 57, but he won’t be anything like the last No. 57 pick the Spurs had, Manu Ginobili. Spurs get a C-.

Seattle Supersonics: Russell Westbrook at No. 4 made Kevin Durant very happy, and it does the same for me. Serge Ibaka is a great selection at No. 24, even though he may remain overseas for a couple years to develop. The rights to D.J. White was excellent for Seattle, making him the third first-rounder Seattle received. DeVon Hardin, the 50th pick, should provide defensive intensity in the coming years for the Sonics. I love what Sam Presti did this year, and for that, Seattle gets an A.

Toronto Raptors: The Raptors lost T.J. Ford, but added Jermaine O’Neal. The only draftee Toronto got was Nathan Jawai, a bruising forward from Australia. Jawai has a great shot at a roster spot in Toronto. The Raptors get a B-.

Utah Jazz: I didn’t expect Kosta Koufos to fall to the Jazz at No. 23, but he should be a nice addition. Ante Tomic might have the most upside of any European player, but he’ll play in Croatia for a couple more seasons in order to mature. Tadija Dragicevic was Utah’s final pick, and I’m honestly not too sure how he’ll turn out and when. Utah gets a B+ for landing Koufos and Tomic.

Washington Wizards: JaVale McGee was the only addition for the Wizards in the draft. To put it lightly, he’s nowhere near polished offensively. However, his potential is through the roof, which makes him an intriguing prospect. Washington gets a B- for trying to fill a need in the paint.