c2c basketball

So, the draft has come and gone. There were in fact winners and of course some losers. This is what I hope to accomplish with this. I ran through each and every team and graded their picks and listed their current starting line-ups and notable bench players. Some may not like my grades, others probably won’t even read this. I also broke it down by division so you can see what each team in your division did during the few days. Either way, here it is. A few notes before we get to the picks:

• No team is going to get a grade after drafting late in the second round unless I see fit.
• Team projected line-ups are taken from the latest roster update.
• The trades listed were made on/around draft day and hinged on the draft picks being acquired.
• Not all trades are listed; trades involving 2nds and future 2nds were left off.
• There are a few guys listed under teams that wound up getting traded, but I admit that I got lazy.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
Boston
Pick 5: Brandan Wright
Pick 20: Nick Young
Pick 26: Juan Carlos Navarro
Pick 29: Wilson Chandler
Pick 41: Tiago Splitter
Via Trade: Traded Pick 24 (Arron Afflalo) for Rashad McCants
Via Trade: Traded Pick 30 (Glen Davis) and 09 2nd for Saer Sene; Package Sene and ‘10 1st for Nene Hilario, 09 1st, and Pick 41 (Tiago Splitter)

Grade: I didn’t grade myself.
Comments: I didn’t grade myself.

Current Starting Line-Up
A. Bynum – B. Wright – D. Granger – N. Young – R. Felton
Notable Bench Players
P. Millsap – R. McCants – J. Navarro – N. Hilario

New Jersey
No Picks

Current Starting Line-Up
S. O’Neal – P. Gasol – M. Finley – A. Iverson – J. Kidd
His Only Bench Player
J. Foster

New York
No Picks
Via Trade: Traded Pick 41 (Tiago Splitter), 09 1st and Nene Hilario for Saer Sene and ‘10 1st

Current Starting Line-Up
S. Sene – L. Aldridge – R. Gomes – M. Webster – S. Livingston
Notable Bench Players
E. Thomas – C. Duhon

Philadelphia
Pick 3: Al Horford
Pick 9: Julian Wright
Pick 25: Alando Tucker
Pick 39: Josh McRoberts

Grade: B-
Comments: Another team that I’m disappointed with. The Horford pick is fine. But, picks 9 and 25 don’t make sense to me. I realize Bill has a man crush with Julian Wright, but Jeff Green was on the board still. I don’t know why you wouldn’t jump at the chance to add him and plug him into the starting line-up ahead of Ricky Davis Also, Alando Tucker had a nice college career, but I don’t know how much he’s going to contribute here.

Current Starting Line-Up
M. Okur – A. Horford – R. Davis – L. Hughes – D. Harris
Notable Bench Players
S. May – J. Wright – C. Wilcox

Toronto
Pick 24: Arron Afflalo
Via Trade: Traded Rashad McCants for Pick 24 (Afflalo)

Grade: C
Comments: This pick was traded for Rashad McCants and then Buddha sleeps past his draft time.

Current Starting Line-Up
R. Nesterovic – T. Duncan – C. Anthony – G. Hill – S. Cassell
Notable Bench Players
B. Wells

Central Division
Chicago
Pick 27: Morris Almond
Pick 56: Brandon Wallace

Grade: C+/B-
Comments: With a late first, the Bulls did the best they could. Almond is a project, which is why the C+/B- grade. I can’t go any higher due to the talent level. At the same time, I’m both impressed and disappointed that Chicago didn’t make any drastic moves to improve their team. Sure they had a successful season last year, but with so many teams making moves, Almond won’t be much of a different maker.

Current Starting Line-Up
S. Dalembert – D. Nowitzki – M. Barnes – K. Korver – S. Nash
Notable Bench Players
M. Almond – S. Telfair

Cleveland
Pick 1: Greg Oden
Pick 13: Rodney Stuckey
Pick 15: Thaddeus Young
Pick 35: Aaron Gray
Via Trade: Traded Pick 17 (Al Thornton) and Joel Freeland for Pick 15 (Thaddeus Young) and Lorenzen Wright

Grade: A+
Comments: I say I hate Clever only because he had an amazing draft and I’m playing catch up to him. Oden, Stuckey, Young and Gray join Roy, Gay, Williams and Lee. What. The. Hell. I know Clever spent a lot of time trying to move back into the Top 10, but even without that he did a hell of a job making some minor moves to ensure he got Young.

Current Starting Line-Up
G. Oden – D. Lee – R. Gay – B. Roy – D. Williams
Notable Bench Players
R. Stuckey – T. Young – D. Gibson

Detroit
Pick 34: Jason Smith
Pick 44: DJ Strawberry

Grade: C
Comments: Not much you can do with second round picks, but Trevor did alright for himself. He desperately needed bodies and an NBA first round pick fell to him at 34. Strawberry doesn’t get any burn in real life, but like he said, the game loves him.

Current Starting Line-Up
Y. Ming – C. Boozer – T. Prince – P. Pierce – J. Jack
Notable Bench Players
K. Brown – R. Balkman – J. Smith

Indiana
Pick 52: Kosta Perovic

Grade: INC
Comments: Once again a team with a late pick.

Current Starting Line-Up
D. Milicic – K. Martin – R. Bell – K. Bryant – E. Boykins
Notable Bench Players
M. Dunleavy

Milwaukee
Pick 18: Luis Scola
Pick 48: Gabe Pruitt
Via Trade: Traded Pick 15 (Thaddeus Young) and Lorenzen Wright for Pick 17 (Al Thornton) and Joel MotherF’n Freeland
Via Trade: Traded Pick 17 (Al Thornton) and Antonio Daniels for Pick 18 (Luis Scola) and Brevin

Grade: B
Comments: A team that I really wanted to give an ‘A’, but because they only had one pick I just couldn’t do it. I still commend Pat on being able to move down in the draft and still get the guy he wants. I’m really just punishing him because he traded for Joel Freeland.

Current Starting Line-Up
N. Mohammed – B. Scola Diaw – R. Lewis – B. Gordon – D. Fisher
Notable Bench Players
B. Jackson – L. Scola – D. Gooden – D. Stevenson

Southeast Division
Atlanta
Pick 50: Sammy Mejia

Grade: INC
Comments: Everyone said that the draft was deep this year. I agree, but only up to a certain point. You can’t really do much with the 50th pick.

Current Starting Line-Up
M. Moore – C. Webber – G. Wallace – J. Richardson – R. Alston
Notable Bench Players
K. Azubuike – K. Lowry – B. Simmons – R. Carney

Charlotte
Pick 4: Mike Conley Jr.
Pick 8: Yi Jianlian
Pick 59: Demetris Nichols
Via Trade: Traded Jamaal Tinsley, Pick 11 (Sean Williams), Pick 55, and 08 1st for Carlos Arroyo, Dorrell Wright and Pick 8 (Yi Jianlian)

Grade: A-
Comments: Jack Li lucked out by having the Warriors miss their pick. Also, with Noah shooting up the draft board, Li wound up with two of the projected top 5 picks. He traded away his starting point guard which means Conley Jr. will have to start. Still, Jack has a great core of players to work with: Arenas, Conley, Yi, and Kaman.

Current Starting Line-Up
C. Kaman – Y. Jianlian – M. Miller – G. Arenas – M. Conley
Notable Bench Players
S. Hunter – D. Songaila

Miami
Pick 38: Marco Bellinelli
Pick 58: Joel Anthony

Grade: C
Comments: Bellinelli could become useful in the coming months. I honestly have no idea who Joel Anthony is, but he sounds like Marc’s brother.

Current Starting Line-Up
M. Camby – J. O’Neal – C. Butler – A. Morrison – J. Terry
Notable Bench Players
A. Jamison – B. Udrih

Orlando
Pick 28: Jared Dudley
Pick 36: Chris Richard

Grade: C
Comments: I don’t like this pick at all for the Magic. They didn’t need a SF with Pietrus and Wally already on the roster. They really could have used someone to come in and relieve Ray Allen, and DaeQuan Cook I felt would have done that. Plus, I don’t think Dudley is worthy of a first round pick.

Current Starting Line-Up
B. Wallace – R. Wallace – W. Szczerbiak – R. Allen – A. Miller
Notable Bench Players
S. Williams – D. West – M. Pietrus – J. Dudley

Washington
Pick 14: Forfeit

Grade: Z-
Comments: Cheater.

Current Starting Line-Up
J. Magloire – Z. Randolph – R. Artest – B. Barry – M. James
Notable Bench Players
A. Harrington – L. Walton

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Southwest Division
Dallas
Pick 46: Taurean Green
Pick 51: Adam Haluska
Via Trade: Traded Pick 26 (Juan Carlos Navarro) for Leon Powe, Antoine Wright, 09 1st, 08 2nd, 08 2nd

Grade: C+
Comments: Traded a late first rounder for some bodies and future picks. The Mavericks needed players and got some at the expense of Navarro.

Current Starting Line-Up
T. Murphy – K. Thomas – V. Radmanovic – V. Carter – K. Dooling
Notable Bench Players
None

Houston
Pick 42: Nick Fazekas

Grade: INC
Comments: I was going to give him a D because I think Fazekas sucks, but I like Wick and won’t do that to him. But, what do you want out of the 42nd pick?

Current Starting Line-Up
B. Miller – C. Villanueva – L. James – J. Crawford – S. Francis
Notable Bench Players
C. Maggette

Memphis
No Picks

Current Starting Line-Up
Z. Ilgauskas – T. Thomas – R. Jefferson – J. Johnson – C. Billups
Notable Bench Players
CHANNING FRYE AND SPEEDY CLAXTON!

New Orleans
Pick 30: Glen Davis
Pick 31: Rudy Fernandez
Via Trade: Traded Saer Sene for Pick 30 (Davis) and 09 2nd

Grade: B/A
Comments: I give Pippy a B now. It turns into an immediate A if Rudy is able to play next season and makes an impact. Glen will give him another piece to his bench, but like I said this grade really hinges on Rudy coming over. I would have liked to have seen him take a backup guard, but I’m sure he will figure it out.

Current Starting Line-Up
T. Chandler – E. Okafor – T. McGrady – M. Redd – J. Nelson
Notable Bench Players
N. Collison – H. Turkoglu – G. Davis

San Antonio
Pick 6: Joakim Noah
Pick 10: Jeff Green
Pick 19: Ramon Sessions
Pick 22: Aaron Brooks

Grade: B+
Comments: Would have been an A if the 6th pick was Yi instead of Noah. This team needed offense in the worst way and didn’t exactly address that with the Noah pick. Still, Green, Sessions and Brooks are going to help this team. Especially Sessions if he continues to progress.

Current Starting Line-Up
N. Krstic – J. Noah – M. Williams – J. Green – R. Sessions
Notable Bench Players
R. Rondo – S. Swift – T. Sefolosha – B. Haywood

Northwest Division
Denver
Pick 47: Marc Gasol

Grade: INC
Comments: Gasol won’t come over for at least another season. So, I won’t hand out a grade for him.

Current Startine Line-Up
C. Bosh – L. Odom – B. Bowen – K. Martin – L. Ridnour
Notable Bench Players
K. Perkins – G. Green

Minnesota
Pick 33: Javaris Crittenton

Grade: B-
Comments: Getting someone I projected to go at 16 in the second round is solid. I can’t necessarily give him a better grade because Crittenton fell to Ronnie as opposed to Ronnie going to get him.

Current Starting Line-Up
R. Swift – H. Warrick – J. Smith – M. Ginobli – T. Parker
Notable Bench Players
J. Crittenton

Portland
Pick 2: Kevin Durant

Grade: A
Comments: Boom Tho

Current Starting Line-Up
H. Armstrong – T. Thomas – L. Deng – K. Durant – L. Head
Notable Bench Players
J. Maxiell – N. Robinson

Seattle
Pick 23: Carl Landry
Pick 32: DaeQuan Cook
Pick 53: Stephen Lasme

Grade: B
Comments: Did the best he could with his picks and wound up with what should have been a late first rounder in Cook. Not a bad day at all for Seattle.

Current Starting Line-Up
A. Jefferson – D. West – S. Battier – S. Jackson – T. Ford
Notable Bench Players
C. Landry – J. Smith – P. O’Bryant – J. Garbajosa – D. Cook

Utah
Pick 45: Jermareo Davidson

Grade: INC
Comments: Not enough to really grade here.

Current Starting Line-Up
D. Diop – D. Howard – M. Harpring – A. Igoudala – C. Paul
Notable Bench Players
A. Mcdyess – A. Parker – E. Curry

Pacific Division
Golden State
Pick 7: Acie Law IV
Pick 16: Spencer Hawes

Grade: C
Comments: I feel bad that Jay missed his picks because Acie Law at 7 hurts a lot. Hawes wasn’t bad at all at 16, but Thornton was still on the board as well. Just a bad draft for a team that was looking forward to it. Could have realistically added Yi and Thornton to this team and looked to contend with an insane amount of depth.

Current Starting Line-Up
A. Biedrins – E. Brand – T. Outlaw – R. Foye – L. Barbosa
Notable Bench Players
A. Bargnani – A. Law – S. Hawes – M. Williams – W. Green – Q. Richardson

Los Angeles Lakers
Pick 11: Sean Williams
Pick 17: Al Thornton
Pick 37: Dominic McGuire
Pick 55: Marcus Williams
Pick 57: Coby Karl
Via Trade: Traded Carlos Arroyo, Dorrell Wright, and Pick 8 (Yi Jianlian) for Jamaal Tinsley, Pick 11 (Sean Williams), Pick 55, and 08 1st
Via Trade: Traded Pick 18 (Luis Scola) and Brevin Knight for Pick 17 (Al Thornton) and Antonio Daniels

Grade: B+/A-
Comments: SJam got the guys he wanted, I know. But, he really received a gift when the Warriors passed on Thornton. That is the only reason you aren’t seeing a solid ‘A’ here. And as much as people like Tinsley, I’m just not a fan of his.

Current Starting Line-Up
A. Stoudemire – S. Williams – A. Thornton – R. Hamilton – J. Tinsley
Notable Bench Players
S. Marbury – D. Stevenson – U. Haslem – L. Williams

Los Angeles Clippers
Pick 49: Herbert Hill
Pick 54: Mario West

Grade: INC
Comments: Picks were too low for me to really care.

Current Starting Line-Up
K. Garnett – S. Marion – A. Kirilenko – M. West – M. Bibby
Notable Bench Players
C. Hayes

Phoenix
Pick 12: Corey Brewer
Pick 40: Ian Mahinmi

Grade: B-
Comments: Another pick I don’t like. Al Thornton was packed and ready for the sunny skies of Phoenix. Thadd Young and Rodney Stuckey were also hanging around their phones in case they were picked. Still, I don’t like Ike Diogu starting. I’ve told AJ this, but he insists Diogu’s 4-ball status warrants his starting position. Brewer is solid, but just not what I would have done with the pick. If anything, I would have traded down and gotten an extra pick out of the deal with the swings that were still on the board.

Current Starting Line-Up
A. Bogut – I. Diogu – J. Howard – R. Brewer – K. Hinrich
Notable Bench Players
J. Boone – C. Brewer – J. Farmar

Sacramento
Pick 21: Jamario Moon
Pick 60: Darius Washington Jr.

Grade: B
Comments: Brian tore down his team, but it is quickly being erected into a contender once again. Moon will give him an energy guy off the bench. I felt as though once pick 21/22 passes, there aren’t any immediate impact players. Brian did well for himself.

Current Starting Line-Up
C. Smith – J. Moon – P. Stojakovic – D. Wade – B. Davis
Notable Bench Players
J. Childress – D. Jones – J. Howard