NBA Draft Winners and Losers
Now that the NBA Draft is over, its time to give a rapid reaction to what we just witnessed.
WINNERS
Sacramento Kings – I like what they did getting Thomas Robinson and Orlando Johnson. Robinson will give them a strong presence along with DeMarcus Cousins. Orlando Johnson is a solid guard who won’t make any immediate impact but will learn from Tyreke Evans.
Golden State Warriors – Harrison Barnes fits in great with this team and he’ll compete for a starting job immediately with Dorell Wright. He’ll be a great complement to Steph Curry and will have a positive impact. I also like their selection of Festus Ezeli. They could use the help on the interior.
Detroit Pistons – The Pistons had three picks to work with and I think they did a great job. Andre Drummond is a bit of a project but he’s got as much potential as anyone in the draft. Khris Middleton and Kim English won’t be asked to contribute right away but they’ll add depth to a relatively shallow backcourt.
Oklahoma City Thunder – I feel bad for Perry Jones because he fell so far in the draft but I’m happy for him because he ended up in the best case scenario. He’s an impact player who’s now at best, the fourth option on a championship caliber team. This is possibly the best value pick in this year’s draft, in my opinion.
Milwaukee Bucks – The Bucks got some great value picks at 14 and 42 in John Henson and Doron Lamb. Henson is a solid low post player who will benefit from learning from a veteran like Samuel Dalembert and Lamb, fresh off of a national title win, can come off the bench behind either Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis.
Queens, New York – Yeah, they won. Maurice Harkless and Kyle O’Quinn are both Queens natives. I’ll throw Brooklyn in the mix as an honorable mention because of Doron Lamb.
LOSERS
Cleveland Cavaliers – Not only did they draft someone (Dion Waiters) who needs the ball almost as much as their star player (Kyrie Irving) but they also traded three picks to get Tyler Zeller. Don’t get me wrong, Zeller is a great player but the Cavs got swindled by the Mavericks on this deal.
Philadelphia 76ers – I love Maurice Harkless. I was excited before his first game at St Johns, I watched him play live a few times and I really do believe that his skillset on the right team could help him become an All Star. Its just not going to happen in Philly. They already have two players that do the same things that he can do in Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young.
Boston Celtics – The jury is still out on this one. Jared Sullinger has back issues and Fab Melo is a headcase. With the right training and coaching, these guys could end up being quality contributors to a playoff contender. Couldn’t hurt to play with Rondo.
New York Knicks – I don’t understand why the passed on Darius Johnson-Odom to take Kostas Papanikolaou. I can only hope they say something in him that will be a benefit down the road.
