NBA Draft Quick Hitters

The NBA Draft is probably my favorite non-sporting sporting event of the year. Brinson and I were talking earlier this week about how the NBA off season is more entertaining than the actual basketball. Speaking of the site bitch mastermind, Happy Birthday, Brah. Here are some of my takes on last night’s Draft.

• Hasheem Thabeet will be a bust.  He’s not going to suddenly develop an offensive game. 
• Harden was a great pick by the Thunder- NBA ready and a position of need.  They have a nice little core of Durant, Green, Westbrook and Harden.
• Tyreke Evans was a terrible pick by the Kings.  He’s not a point guard by any means and shooting guard is the one position on your team where you have talent (Kevan Martin).  With two first round picks and a draft full of true point guards, who do you egg that?
• The Twolves have to be ecstatic Rubio fell to them.  They’ve got time to wait for him to develop and with that kind of court vision he could be special.
• Jonny Flynn was the real head scratcher of the night.  I don’t think he or Rubio can slide over to the two.  Curry would have been the better pick, although Rubio and Curry would have trouble guarding NBA backcourts.  I heard new TWolves GM, David Kahn, on the radio this morning say Rubio might stay overseas for a couple of years, which makes the Flynn pick a little more understandable.
• Much to the dismay of Knicks fans, Steph Curry will flourish in Nelly ball.
• I like Brandon Jennings at 10 to the Bucks.  I’m not sold on the kid, but he has the most upside of anyone left on the Board and in what is considered a very weak draft, why not gamble?
• The Bobcats are cornering the market on ACC players.  I was waiting for Courtney Fells in the second round.
• 13 Hansbrough is a little high for Hansbrough.  I’ve watched the kid for four years and he’ll be decent, but never special.  He won’t have the benefit of the baby blue uniform and that awkward shoulder high push shot will get but in the stands by the likes of Rudy Gay.  I’m sure Hans is thrilled at going in the lottery, but he would have been perfect on an established team where he could fill a role off the bench.
• TWolves go PG again at 18 with Ty Lawson (great shot of Roy Williams saying “That’s 3 point guards), but the pick was traded to Denver.  Great pickup by the Nuggets.  Lawson is another kid I’ve watched for a few years and he’s good.  End to end he’s as fast as they come and he became a deadly shooter from three by his junior year.

Second Round Thoughts:

• Spurs got a steal at 37 with Dejuan Blair.  With a paper thin frontcourt after the trade for Jefferson, Blair can step in and contribute right away.  The guy is a warrior on the boards with a seven foot wingspan.  I seem to recall him dominating a certain #2 overall pick.
• What a slip for Chase Budinger.  He was once a certain lottery pick early in his career, but slid all the way to 44.  Moral of the story:  If you are white and projected to go high in the first round, you have to go immediately.  We’re looking at you Shavlik Randolph and Josh McRoberts.
• I can’t believe I’m showering more praise on a UNC player, but I like the Cavs pick of Danny Green.  He doesn’t blow you away, but he can shoot and play D, both huge needs for the Cavs. Getting a contribution from a secon round player is always a major bonus.  He should be a nice role player for years to come.
• With the pick of Jack McClinton, I wonder if the Spurs will look to move Roger Mason to shore up that aforementioned frontcourt.

That’s it for now.  Give us your take in the comments section.

Tagged as: NBA Draft