ACTION: The Nuggets win the lottery (and are the only team to jump).
REACTION: Well, talk about your boring draft lotteries. The Nuggets jumped, what, 2 spots? That's not much of a jump at all. With all the intrigue sucked out of the first few picks, I guess we'll really be looking to see who gives up stuff to trade up.
Wig Liveblogs the 2011 Draft
Wig Liveblogs the 2011 Draft
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Re: Wig Liveblogs the 2011 Draft
ACTION: The Nuggets select Klay Thompson with the #1 pick.
REACTION: A lot of talk around league owners was that Klay Thompson looks a lot like (sp)Ray Allen - a one-dimensional scorer who's really incredible at that dimension but probably has to be the second-best player on a championship team. Whether or not that's true, this clearly sets up the Nuggets' backcourt - Rondo will pass the ball to Klay and Klay will do the shooting. I probably would have taken Kahwi Leonard over Klay because of his two-way game but there's no doubt the Nuggets picked up the guy who likely becomes the most potent scorer out of this class, and since Rondo's offense is a little iffy, it gives them a nice complementary backcourt. Now we'll see if they can add anything up front via trade or Free Agency.
REACTION: A lot of talk around league owners was that Klay Thompson looks a lot like (sp)Ray Allen - a one-dimensional scorer who's really incredible at that dimension but probably has to be the second-best player on a championship team. Whether or not that's true, this clearly sets up the Nuggets' backcourt - Rondo will pass the ball to Klay and Klay will do the shooting. I probably would have taken Kahwi Leonard over Klay because of his two-way game but there's no doubt the Nuggets picked up the guy who likely becomes the most potent scorer out of this class, and since Rondo's offense is a little iffy, it gives them a nice complementary backcourt. Now we'll see if they can add anything up front via trade or Free Agency.
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ACTION: The Grizzlies select Kahwi Leonard with the #2 pick.
REACTION: There was some thought that Kyrie Irving or Jimmie Butler might go here, but Kahwi projects as a good offensive player and a great defender. I think this was the right pick for the Grizzlies and since they have the #5 pick, they're probably looking to pair Kahwi with big man Jonas Valancuinas once the consensus picks (Butler and Irving) are gone.
REACTION: There was some thought that Kyrie Irving or Jimmie Butler might go here, but Kahwi projects as a good offensive player and a great defender. I think this was the right pick for the Grizzlies and since they have the #5 pick, they're probably looking to pair Kahwi with big man Jonas Valancuinas once the consensus picks (Butler and Irving) are gone.
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ACTION: The Bucks select Kyrie Irving with the #3 pick.
REACTION: Some thought the Bucks would chase Butler, but to me the reasoning on this pick isn't hard to see. Look at the other point guards currently residing in the Central Division: Deron Williams, Chris Paul, James Harden, Tony Parker, and Devin Harris. The Bucks need some sort of counter to these guys and Brandon Jennings ain't it. Even if there is concern Kyrie is more of a score-first point guard, you can always move him to the 2.
REACTION: Some thought the Bucks would chase Butler, but to me the reasoning on this pick isn't hard to see. Look at the other point guards currently residing in the Central Division: Deron Williams, Chris Paul, James Harden, Tony Parker, and Devin Harris. The Bucks need some sort of counter to these guys and Brandon Jennings ain't it. Even if there is concern Kyrie is more of a score-first point guard, you can always move him to the 2.
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ACTION: The Jazz select Jonas Valancuinas with the #4 pick.
REACTION: That the Jazz passed on Butler was a bit of a stunner until you look closer at the Jazz and realize they already have Paul George, CJ Miles, and Ricky Rubio starting in the backcourt and Budinger, Crawford, and Vasquez backing them up... and something called an Andray Blatche in the front court. The Jazz didn't need yet another wing, they needed to find bigs... and find one they did. It will take a couple seasons for Valancuinas to be a quality player but the Jazz are young enough to wait.
REACTION: That the Jazz passed on Butler was a bit of a stunner until you look closer at the Jazz and realize they already have Paul George, CJ Miles, and Ricky Rubio starting in the backcourt and Budinger, Crawford, and Vasquez backing them up... and something called an Andray Blatche in the front court. The Jazz didn't need yet another wing, they needed to find bigs... and find one they did. It will take a couple seasons for Valancuinas to be a quality player but the Jazz are young enough to wait.
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Re: Wig Liveblogs the 2011 Draft
ACTION: The Grizzlies select Jimmie Butler with the #5 pick.
REACTION: Well, I guess it goes to show you that VanMemphis means you can be indecisive and still get both things anyway, just like this team playing half their home games in Vancouver and the other half in Memphis. If you thought the Grizzlies might regret selecting Kahwi over Butler, I guess you worried for nothing. Now they get both and should have their wings taken care of for a while with a couple of two-way players. It's a nice way to kickstart the rebuild.
REACTION: Well, I guess it goes to show you that VanMemphis means you can be indecisive and still get both things anyway, just like this team playing half their home games in Vancouver and the other half in Memphis. If you thought the Grizzlies might regret selecting Kahwi over Butler, I guess you worried for nothing. Now they get both and should have their wings taken care of for a while with a couple of two-way players. It's a nice way to kickstart the rebuild.
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ACTION: The Sonics trade Monta Ellis and Yao Ming to the Bulls for Manu Ginobili and the #6 pick
REACTION: Darth gonna Darth. The Bulls get rid of an underperforming player on a too-large contract (Manu)... and get two underperforming players on too-large contracts in return. And all it cost them was a future building block! I guess the Bulls think Yao on the downside of his career is going to suddenly turn into a good Center and Monta is suddenly going to learn how to shoot but I wouldn't bet on it - but they gave up a cost-controlled piece for the next 4 seasons at a time when they're going to have to start paying their players big bucks to keep them (starting with Nick Young this season). The Sonics, on the other hand, get rid of a player they've been publicly shopping for a long time without adding appreciably to their long-term salary and set themselves up with another cost-controlled young piece next to Blake Griffin. Unless the pieces jell perfectly this season and the Bulls make a deep playoff run, this was a disaster for the Bulls and a coup for the Sonics.
REACTION: Darth gonna Darth. The Bulls get rid of an underperforming player on a too-large contract (Manu)... and get two underperforming players on too-large contracts in return. And all it cost them was a future building block! I guess the Bulls think Yao on the downside of his career is going to suddenly turn into a good Center and Monta is suddenly going to learn how to shoot but I wouldn't bet on it - but they gave up a cost-controlled piece for the next 4 seasons at a time when they're going to have to start paying their players big bucks to keep them (starting with Nick Young this season). The Sonics, on the other hand, get rid of a player they've been publicly shopping for a long time without adding appreciably to their long-term salary and set themselves up with another cost-controlled young piece next to Blake Griffin. Unless the pieces jell perfectly this season and the Bulls make a deep playoff run, this was a disaster for the Bulls and a coup for the Sonics.
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ACTION: The Sonics select Isaiah Thomas with pick #6
REACTION: Thomas is going to be kind of a Kyrie-lite. The Sonics' second lotto pick (#10) will really shape them as up-and-comers this season with Thomas, Griffin, and whatever they have there. The Warriors and Clippers will still be elite in the division this season, but in a couple of years the Sonics team could be scary.
REACTION: Thomas is going to be kind of a Kyrie-lite. The Sonics' second lotto pick (#10) will really shape them as up-and-comers this season with Thomas, Griffin, and whatever they have there. The Warriors and Clippers will still be elite in the division this season, but in a couple of years the Sonics team could be scary.
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ACTION: The Suns select Kemba Walker with pick #7
REACTION: Walker projects nicely as a two-way point guard but will take some time to get there. Will Kevin Love and Biendrins be able to carry the team until he's ready? The Suns will have to work Free Agency mighty hard this season to add pieces around this trio as Love is about to get paid next season and Biendrins will have to be paid again so they'll have to hope Walker can perform quickly - and it's not a bad bet; only Klay and Kyrie look more ready to contribute offensively now than Kemba does.
REACTION: Walker projects nicely as a two-way point guard but will take some time to get there. Will Kevin Love and Biendrins be able to carry the team until he's ready? The Suns will have to work Free Agency mighty hard this season to add pieces around this trio as Love is about to get paid next season and Biendrins will have to be paid again so they'll have to hope Walker can perform quickly - and it's not a bad bet; only Klay and Kyrie look more ready to contribute offensively now than Kemba does.
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ACTION: The Kings send the #8 pick to the Bucks for the #9 pick and the Lakers 2012 first.
REACTION: Clearly the Bucks have someone they REALLY want at #8. The Kings get yet another first out of this (I have to wonder, how come some GMs are able to just stockpile first round picks with such relative ease?)
REACTION: Clearly the Bucks have someone they REALLY want at #8. The Kings get yet another first out of this (I have to wonder, how come some GMs are able to just stockpile first round picks with such relative ease?)
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ACTION: The Bucks select Enes Kantor with pick #8
REACTION: Kantor is a bit of a project but has some nice upside. Wonder if this means Favors has already fallen out of favor in Milwaukee? The Bucks clearly thought Kantor was worth giving up an extra first round pick but it seems like he won't be ready for another 3 seasons at least. Will Doug wait that long?
REACTION: Kantor is a bit of a project but has some nice upside. Wonder if this means Favors has already fallen out of favor in Milwaukee? The Bucks clearly thought Kantor was worth giving up an extra first round pick but it seems like he won't be ready for another 3 seasons at least. Will Doug wait that long?
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ACTION: The Kings select Chandler Parsons with pick #9
REACTION: Parsons can shoot the three but doesn't project to do anything else terribly well. Might he be this generation's Howard Eisley? Somehow I think Tani will manage to flip him for eight first round picks anyway. We often talk about Darth and his trades but I don't think we give Tani's ability to make trades that allow the Kings to stockpile multiple firsts year in and year out enough credit...
REACTION: Parsons can shoot the three but doesn't project to do anything else terribly well. Might he be this generation's Howard Eisley? Somehow I think Tani will manage to flip him for eight first round picks anyway. We often talk about Darth and his trades but I don't think we give Tani's ability to make trades that allow the Kings to stockpile multiple firsts year in and year out enough credit...
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ACTION: The Sonics select Nikola Vucevic with pick #10
REACTION: The Sonics add a center to go along with their young stud PF Griffin and PG Thomas. With veterans Manu Ginobili and Mike Miller in the fold, they're already looking like a complete team and after just missing the playoffs last season look like they have a leg up on getting into the playoff picture this season.
REACTION: The Sonics add a center to go along with their young stud PF Griffin and PG Thomas. With veterans Manu Ginobili and Mike Miller in the fold, they're already looking like a complete team and after just missing the playoffs last season look like they have a leg up on getting into the playoff picture this season.
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ACTION: The Kings select Reggie Jackson with pick #11
REACTION: The Kings pick up a player who projects as a scorer off the bench but the bet here is that with the Kings' young depth in the backcourt, he doesn't see much playing time - if he plays at all - this year.
REACTION: The Kings pick up a player who projects as a scorer off the bench but the bet here is that with the Kings' young depth in the backcourt, he doesn't see much playing time - if he plays at all - this year.
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ACTION: The Knicks draft Kenneth Faried with the #12 pick.
REACTION: Faried projects to be a nice, defensive-minded role-player. Of course, what the Knicks needed was a nice offensive-minded star player... but they weren't going to get that at 12 so Faried is a decent consolation prize. I think he'll perform fairly well this year, stat-wise... but his stats will suffer as soon as the Knicks start bringing in real talent around him.
REACTION: Faried projects to be a nice, defensive-minded role-player. Of course, what the Knicks needed was a nice offensive-minded star player... but they weren't going to get that at 12 so Faried is a decent consolation prize. I think he'll perform fairly well this year, stat-wise... but his stats will suffer as soon as the Knicks start bringing in real talent around him.
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ACTION: The Celtics select Brandon Knight with the #13 pick.
REACTION: Not sure I'm a fan of this pick. The Celtics have a big (Asik), a point (Wall), and needed everything in the middle... and yet they chose to take another PG. Knight has decent offensive and perimeter defensive projections but it will take him some time to get there, and you can't play him at SG because he's undersized. I think Mirotic or maybe Tobias Harris, or Markief Morris, who could lend some size at the SF/PF position, would have been a better play here.
REACTION: Not sure I'm a fan of this pick. The Celtics have a big (Asik), a point (Wall), and needed everything in the middle... and yet they chose to take another PG. Knight has decent offensive and perimeter defensive projections but it will take him some time to get there, and you can't play him at SG because he's undersized. I think Mirotic or maybe Tobias Harris, or Markief Morris, who could lend some size at the SF/PF position, would have been a better play here.
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ACTION: The Rockets select Bismack Biyambo with the #14 pick.
REACTION: Actually kind of like this one. Horford is their offensive-focused big (you know he's coming back in RFA) and Biyambo can handle the defensive duties against whatever stud big man their opponents roll out there.
REACTION: Actually kind of like this one. Horford is their offensive-focused big (you know he's coming back in RFA) and Biyambo can handle the defensive duties against whatever stud big man their opponents roll out there.
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ACTION: The Lakers select Nikola Mirotic with pick #15.
REACTION: The Lakers had an opening at PF and Mirotic fits nicely with their needs. Not sure he'll ever be great, but he should be at least a non-disaster at PF when he grows into his potential.
REACTION: The Lakers had an opening at PF and Mirotic fits nicely with their needs. Not sure he'll ever be great, but he should be at least a non-disaster at PF when he grows into his potential.
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ACTION: The Pacers trade the #16 pick to the Nets for the #18 pick, Smush Parker, and cash (points)
REACTION: The Pacers didn't really need Smush, so I'm guessing they have at least 3 players they like equally well and were happy to trade down. And on the other hand, the Nets must have their eye on someone in particular.
REACTION: The Pacers didn't really need Smush, so I'm guessing they have at least 3 players they like equally well and were happy to trade down. And on the other hand, the Nets must have their eye on someone in particular.
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ACTION: The Nets draft Tristan Thompson with the #16 pick.
REACTION: I guess Thompson has nice "Defensive Big" potentials and gives the Nets some Kaman insurance, but for some reason I think Thompson would have been there at 18 if the Nets had waited.
REACTION: I guess Thompson has nice "Defensive Big" potentials and gives the Nets some Kaman insurance, but for some reason I think Thompson would have been there at 18 if the Nets had waited.
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ACTION: The Wizards select Markieff Morris with pick #17.
REACTION: Morris looks like he might become a decent scorer in the mold of RFA Carl Landry but he's still years away. The guess here is the Wizards will hope he develops quickly so that in 2-3 years either Morris or Landry can be moved for something better.
REACTION: Morris looks like he might become a decent scorer in the mold of RFA Carl Landry but he's still years away. The guess here is the Wizards will hope he develops quickly so that in 2-3 years either Morris or Landry can be moved for something better.
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ACTION: The Pacers select Iman Shumpert with the #18 pick.
REACTION: Shump projects to be a good defender but you have to wonder if his offensive game will ever come around. Of course, the Pacers DO have plenty of offense already in the backcourt in the person of Deron Williams so maybe they feel they don't need to worry about offense at their off-guard spot. Ivan will have time to mature behind Joe Johnson and Jason Richardson this year anyway, so this is probably a long play.
REACTION: Shump projects to be a good defender but you have to wonder if his offensive game will ever come around. Of course, the Pacers DO have plenty of offense already in the backcourt in the person of Deron Williams so maybe they feel they don't need to worry about offense at their off-guard spot. Ivan will have time to mature behind Joe Johnson and Jason Richardson this year anyway, so this is probably a long play.
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ACTION: The Mavericks select Tobias Harris with the #19 pick.
REACTION: I guess this is a decent depth pick but the Mavs already have Caron Butler and Stephen Jackson manning the wings and Steve Novak backing both of them up. I would have expected them to look for an upgrade at backup point guard or maybe backup PF/C instead - maybe even by trading the pick - but I guess the Mavs feel you can't have too many wings.
REACTION: I guess this is a decent depth pick but the Mavs already have Caron Butler and Stephen Jackson manning the wings and Steve Novak backing both of them up. I would have expected them to look for an upgrade at backup point guard or maybe backup PF/C instead - maybe even by trading the pick - but I guess the Mavs feel you can't have too many wings.
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ACTION: The Blazers select Jimmer Fredette with the #20 pick.
REACTION: This might be the type of backup point guard the Mavs should have picked. Jimmer projects to be a one-dimensional player, but when that dimension is shooting, you can probably stick to a roster somewhere. Besides, what better mentor could Jimmer have than Adam Morrison?
REACTION: This might be the type of backup point guard the Mavs should have picked. Jimmer projects to be a one-dimensional player, but when that dimension is shooting, you can probably stick to a roster somewhere. Besides, what better mentor could Jimmer have than Adam Morrison?
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