The NBA Draft goes tonight and it could prove to be a pretty exciting event in regards to this season's off season activity. Traditionally the draft can be home to some of the off seasons biggest activities. For instance, think back to the moves that Boston made just a few years back in acquiring their big 3, that went on to become NBA champions that following year. This year the draft holds an even more significant part to play as there is looming doubt over a NBA contractual agreement that could leave the NBA locked out heading into next season. A lockout would mean no more player movement for any of the teams looking to boost their team heading into next season and also could mean a plethora of new things regarding salary caps and that sort of things for players out there without a deal in place beyond next season and an assortment of scenarios like that. So let's hope for fireworks, but for those looking for something monumental, remain assured that Pat Riley will be keeping that same Miami Heat squad together and that won't be one of Thursday Night's big happenings. Okay so without much further introduction let's take a look at who has what picks, what players are available and what I prognosticate each team will do as we move through the lottery. There is no denying that this draft might lack some of the superstars we've seen in the past but it does have a lot of guys that have the potential to be starters just not the all stars and superstars of the past. A good, but not great draft.
First up we have the feel could story of the NBA lottery draft (cough, cough conspiracy), Cleveland Cavs owner Dan Gilbert had his 'sick' son represent him at the lottery draft and Clevelant pulled a horseshoe out of their ass, turning the Clippers 8th overall standing and the draft pick received in Baron Davis deal into their own top pick of 2011. The Cavaliers were also quite brutal themselves in the 2010-11 season and for that they have also been rewarded with the 4th pick in the draft as well. So whenever Cleveland is able to get over the fact that Lebron dissed them on national television last July, spurning them and taking his talents to South Beach, they'll begin to realize that they have been given a golden opportunity to turn their seemingly facile franchise back into a winner. Hard to imagine, one player meaning that much to a team but it would as though losing Lebron meant losing everything to last years Cavs and starting from scratch the Cavalier will look to draft a couple of new cornerstones to lead the franchise into the future.
It seems the Cavaliers have already committed to taking Kyrie Irving with their first selection, buying into the recent notion (one I too am buying into) that you need a first tier point guard (re: playmaker ) to be a legitimate title contender in the modern NBA. The Cavs certainly are in need of a point so this pick makes sense. Will Irving become the NBA cornerstone point god the Cavaliers dream of? I hope so. But I think it's hard to say with such a limited resume of college work. Despite this, I still think he goes first overall and will be at worst a quality pg in the L for years to come.
1st Overall : Cleveland Cavs Select Kyrie Irving
***Breaking News***
As expected, the draft has sparked some trade talk and the first trade to go down features Stephen "Captain Jack" Jackson leaving the Bobcats and heading to the Bucks.The Bucks will get Jackson and Charlotte's Shaun Livingston, Sacramento's Beno Udrih and the 19th pick from the Bobcats in Thursday night's draft, while Charlotte obtains the No. 7 pick from Sacramento and forward Corey Maggette from Milwaukee.The Kings will get guard John Salmons from Milwaukee and the 10th pick in the draft. Charlotte still holds the number 9 pick as well, and will be looking to rebuild their future, following the departure of former vets Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson.
With the number 2 pick who knows what the Minnesota Timberwolves will do. David Kahn has shown us that he is nothing, if not unconventional. Some might have just left it at nothing. But despite a history of drafting underachieving guards far too high (Ricky Rubio, Johnny Flynn) Kahn has shown a penchant for keeping things exciting on draft day, so look for the TWolves to get involved in some kind of action. As far as their pick is concerned, I think the TWolves most need help at shooting gaurd or point guard (sadly). With Rubio coming in for this season from Spain look for the TWolves to add some wing scoring with the addition of Derrick Williams. The Arizona swing forward has show the ability to score and defend and looks to be the most NBA ready prospect in the draft. The 25 first half points he put up in the NCAA tourny on Duke were no joke either. I expect the Twolves to see him as the best available player and to scoop him up, which likely means, they won't.
2nd Overall Pick - Minnesota Timberwolves Select Derrick Williams
With the 3rd pick in this years draft the Utah Jazz look to use a pick they received as part of the Deron Williams trade at the deadline back in the spring. The Jazz too, are most in need of some wing scoring look
The seem solid up front with Millsap, Al Jefferson, and Favours. So look for them to go in the direction of a guard. With Devin Harris in the fold, the Jazz will likely look for another guard that can push the tempo and knock down shots and that looks to fit the mould of Brandon Knight from what I can see. It's possible the Jazz go in another direction but this makes the most sense to me as Knight seems to be the considered the second best guard in this draft to Kyrie Irving.
3rd Overall Pick - Utah Jazz Select Brandon Knight
The 4th pick in this years draft, as mentioned earlier, falls to the hapless Cleveland Cavaliers. With Irving already in tow, look for the Cavs to go in a different direction here and bolster things up front. This years draft certainly seems slim on potential big man with big futures and European product Enes Kanter appears to be the best of the bunch. Kanter brings some real size and athleticism to the center position and seems to have an NBA ready body. Kanter was a blue chip recruit for the Kentucky Wildcats this passed NCAA season, only to have his eligibility rejected for having played professionally back in his homeland, Turkey. I expect the Cavs to go big here and select the big man.
4th Overall Pick - Cleveland Cavaliers Select Enes Kanter
And that brings us to the moment you've all been waiting for, the Toronto Raptors. I just assume this because of where we live and the people I know who read this. Well as we all know, all too well, the Raps need a lot of help and hopefully Colengelo has been told that he has not has his contract extended because of his sweet Europeanization of their roster. Pardon my french here but I think the Raps need a good scoring, athletic (re: Black), tough, gritty, did I say tough already? and above all else I would like the player to be tough on D. Hard to say what the Raps will do but I think we can see that the Euro methods have sucked and just led to shitty Raptor teams that can't guard anyone. So where does that leave us. I hope it means the Raps select Kemba Walker, the most NBA ready, gritty, guard out of UCONN. Do I think he is the answer? Not really, because I think the Raps are full of holes and I'm not sure Kemba is a saviour but I do think they should cut ties with Calderon and let Bayless or Walker duel it out for control of the teams reins. If not Walker then hopefully Kawhi Leonard, he's got tattoos and cornrows and I in the NBA I trust those more than 6 syllable European pylons with a 3 point stroke. Juss sayin.
5th Overall Pick: Toronto Raptors Select Kemba Walker (Hopefully not Vesely)
This years draft is rather weak looking and that's not good for the Wizards. The Wizards need a boatload of help and were looking to trade down for a better pick and an opportunity at one of possibly 2 projected future all stars. The Wiz are solid at the point after taking John Wall first overall last season, beyond that the Wiz could use some help at all other positions. I think that Jan Vesely, a rangy, gangly, athletic forward out of Belgrade will head to Washington with this pick. The swingman has some international experience and plays above the rim, has range but has no defence, which means the Raptors will probably have already selected him.
6th Overall Pick: Washington Wizards Select Jan Vesely
In the 7th hole we get a look at the new look Bobcats now that they have moved Stephen Jackson and embraced the youth movement. With no more veterans around the Bobcats will move out of the mediocrity that has plagued this franchise for a few years now and will start over some scratch. Unfortunately they'll likely be bac for a few years to come and look for them to have a bigger impact on next years draft, but for this years they'll be looking to use the 7th pick as well as the 9th pick to start that rebuilding process. I expect the Bobcats to take a big and the best one available is Jonas Valanciunas out of Lithuanian. With their 9th selection I expect the Bobcats to look to their forwards either with a swingman or a power. That could mean Kawhi Leonard, Tristan Thompson, or Chris Singleton. I'll root Canadian here and have them taking Thompson.
7th Pick Overall - Charlotte Bobcats Select Jonas Valanciunas
9th Pick Overall - Charlotte Bobcats Select Tristan Thompson
In the eight hole the Detroit Pistons are a franchise in disarray. Long gone are the memories of 2004's championship squad and I expect a return to the defensive approach that got them there in the first place. Last year's Pistons squad was quite disappointing on the defensive end of the court, some of that may have had something to do with the team quitting on coach Jon Keuster mid season with his strange decisions regarding vets Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince among others. So yeah the Pistons could certain use guard help here but I don't think that's what they'll be looking for. I think the Pistons will look to find this years Ben Wallace and rebuild their defence from the top down with relative unknown, Bismack Biyombo out of the Congo. But what do I know?
8th Pick Overall - Detroit Pistons Select Bismack Biyombo
At the 10th selection we see the Sacramento Kings who has essentially traded down through their earlier deals, sliding from the 7th pick down to the 10th pick. The pick doesn't really change the Kings plans as it seems they have plans on Jimmer Fredette. With former ROY Tyreke Evans at the point I expect the Kings to look for another wing shooter to compliousins up front so that is certainly an option but I can't see them passing on Fredette's potential as a wing scorer for them at the next level.
10th Overall Pick - Sacramento Kings Select Jimmer Fredette
Alright there's the first 10 picks previewed. I'd like to do more but I've run out of time so we'll put this out for now.
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