Originally, I wasn’t going to post anything today. I had already obliterated my previous monthly post record, and there was nothing that had really sparked my interest enough to write about right off the bat…and then I started reading the NBA Draft results. Oddly enough, I had almost no interest in the Draft this year. A guy from my office, Chi, sarcastically asked me if I was going to have an “NBA Draft party” yesterday. In the most deadpan voice I could muster, I replied, “No…just…no.” I have a couple of problems with this draft as a whole. 1st, (and this has been the case for the last 15 years) with the 1-and-done college rule I have no real attachment to any of the players being drafted. 2nd, the drama had been taken out of the top of the draft weeks ago. Anthony Davis was the consensus number 1 pick by mid-February. With the needs of Charlotte and Washington, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Bradley Beal were the all too logical next choices. And 3rd, despite all the talk about how deep this year’s draft class was, I am skeptical as to whether any of them are going to be that good. I couldn’t help myself though. Some notes…
- Call me crazy, but I am not 100% convinced that Anthony Davis is going to be the stud that people are predicting. He could very well be Kevin Garnett, play for 15 years, and make double digit All-Star appearances, but he’s still a rail-thin 19 year old who has only been a big guy for 2 years (it’s been well-documented that he was only 6-3 or so until late into high school) who doesn’t have much of an offensive game yet. I’m not saying…but I’m just saying.
- MKG and Beal were the right choices at 2 and 3, but it’s hard to get overly excited about either. I love Kidd-Gilchrist’s motor, and he seems like a hard enough worker that he will improve on whatever shortcomings he has now, but I’m not sure what kind of player he projects as in the NBA. Beal fills the Wizards’ need as a shooter, but here’s the problem: how can you compare this guy to Ray Allen when he was like the 3rd option on his own college team and only shot 34% from 3? On the other hand, he played with 2 other “chucker” guards, so who’s to say it was entirely his fault?
- Not sure about this Dion Waiters pick. Bill Simmons beat me to the punch, but is it smart to use the number 4 pick on a guy who didn’t even crack his college squad’s starting 5?
- Like Thomas Robinson…don’t necessarily understand what the Kings are doing though. Their roster will probably be great in NBA 2K13 (Robinson, Cousins, Evans, and Jimmer), but not sure how it fits together on an actual basketball court.
- Some thought Harrison Barnes could be a top 5 pick, so I guess if he slides to 7 you have to take him, but why do I get the feeling he will be out of the league in 3 years? So much for a deep draft pool, right?
- Eeeeeeel! Can’t see Austin Rivers being a good pro unless he finds himself playing that Jamal Crawford come in off the bench and start immediately jacking role. Swagger and confidence is nice, but he’s not that big (I would guess closer to 6-2 than the 6-5 he’s listed as on ESPN.com), his jumper is not that consistent, and he is going to get abused on D by quick point guards and athletic 2’s alike.
- I guess Phoenix drafting Kendall Marshall at 13 is the official sign that Steve Nash is not coming back to the Suns next season.
- Looks like the Rockets’ devious plan of stockpiling picks to acquire D12 fell through. I like who they got though (especially Terrence Jones at pick 18). Either way, this draft should position them as a contender for the 8 seed in the West next year…wait, that’s what they already were? F***…
- Even though Fab Melo is likely to be a big useless mop in the pros, I like Boston’s pick of Jared Sullinger at 21. I am a Sullinger skeptic at the next level, but this was a guy that would have probably been a top 5 pick had he decided to enter last year’s draft. When you’re an established team like the Celtics and you’re picking in the 20’s anyway, why not take a shot at someone like that? (I couldn’t help but laugh when Sullinger had to pick up a ladder in 1 of ESPN’s dumb draft promos though. As he put the ladder down, you saw Sullinger grab his back before the camera had time to cut away…classic…too bad f***ing Bill Simmons noticed this and pointed it out already again…Siiiiimmmmmmmoooooonnnnsssss!!!)
- Miles Plumlee…I refuse to actually look up their draft history, but the Pacers just can never resist grabbing a big white guy from the ACC. If Tyler Zeller was still available when they picked, Hoosier nation would have collectively splooged all over their TV sets.
- The most interesting part of the draft might have actually been the end of the 1st round…Perry Jones was still available by the time Miami was picking at 27. Jones would have probably been a top 3 pick had he decided to come out of school last year, but he stayed at Baylor 1 more year, and questions about his motor and knees caused him to drop leading up to this year's draft. This reminded me of Terrence Morris, who was projected as a lottery pick if he had come out after his sophomore season at Maryland many years ago. The thing was Morris had lottery talent, but his personality was more of a guy who just wanted to blend into a lineup…that’s Jones to a T. Morris stayed his full 4 years in college, was a 2nd round pick by the time he entered the draft, and never really caught on in the NBA (he’s still playing overseas I believe). Anyway, Jones may have conceivably been a great fit for the Heat, who already have veteran leadership, but who are old, slow, and small outside of their big 3. Miami passed on Jones to pick Arnett Moultrie, who isn’t as highly touted as Jones, but is also an athletic big man…however, Miami shipped him to Philly for a 2nd rounder and a future 1st rounder…weird. It might be a smart deal, as the trade might yield them a better pick down the road. Also, Moultrie might have filled a need, but the Heat might not have wanted to tie up more salary cap space with a guaranteed 1st round contract. Naturally, the Thunder had the next pick, and they swooped up Jones, adding another lottery-type talent to their young talent-rich core…interesting indeed.
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