NBA Draft Day Grades: Cavs, Magic, Wizards, Bobcats, Suns

The decisions that were made on Thursday night weren’t only surprising, but they were big game-changers.  Each and every team had an unusually large amount of selections to strongly consider and choose between.  Every single process in picking the team’s player was important, such as watching game tape, the NBA Draft Combine, and individual team workouts.  However, sometimes these can be somewhat misleading.  That’s why instinct is a huge part of this crucial decision-making, especially in a draft where the seventh pick is supposed to be the most talented player.  I am going to tell you how well I think each team did (in different parts) in the 2013 NBA Draft, as well as give my opinionated ceilings and floors for some draftees:

Cleveland Cavaliers: 

Pick #1. 6-7 PF Anthony Bennett

Ceiling – Larry Johnson

Floor – Brandon Bass

In my mock draft, I said the Cavs had a bundle of options.  Honestly, the Cavs may not have made their decision until just hours before the draft started.  At the end of the day, I think this was a safe decision.  Bennett is a very exciting and very physical player.  I don’t see him being afraid to take a big role from day one and help turn around the Cavs’ franchise.

Pick #19. 6-7 SF Sergey Karasev

Having the knack for picking out European players that are capable of being effective NBA players is not easy (unless you’re the Spurs).  I’m sure the Cavs invested some time in Karasev and saw him fitting in well with their current group of young players.  Karasev speaks very confidently about himself and envisions a successful NBA career.

Pick #33. 6-6 SG Carrick Felix

Grade:  B+

Orlando Magic: 

Pick #2. 6-4 SG Victor Oladipo 

Ceiling: Dwyane Wade

Floor: Avery Bradley

The comparisons for Oladipo are tough to come up with because there have been very few all-star shooting guards that were defensive specialists (aside from Wade).  Oladipo’s jump shot is probably the biggest concern at this point.  However, I see no reason he won’t develop into a solid shooter.  Oladipo is the type of player that will put extra hours in the gym but it may take him a few years to possibly get to all-star level.

Pick #51. 6-7 PF Romero Osby

Grade: B+

Washington Wizards: 

Pick #3. 6-8 SF Otto Porter

Ceiling: Luol Deng

Floor: Al-Farouq Aminu

I really like what the Wizards are doing.  In my opinion, John Wall was the start of a good future in D.C.  Adding Porter to a mix of Wall and Beal gives Washington the potential to be a young, upcoming team full of very good, explosive players.  Porter is definitely going to have to spend some time at PF as the Wizards don’t get consistent production at that position.

Pick #35. 6-6 SF Glen Rice

Grade: A-

Charlotte Bobcats:

Pick #4. 7-0 C Cody Zeller

Ceiling: David Lee 

Floor: Zaza Pachulia

Most definitely a stretch at #4.  Although Charlotte’s bigs were M.I.A. last season, their biggest need was any type of talent.  MJ must have seen a ton of risk in Ben McLemore not to take him.  Don’t get me wrong; Cody Zeller is a workhorse and he could surprise just as David Lee did.  However, he isn’t the most ideal center to be selected fourth overall.

Grade: D+

Phoenix Suns:

Pick #5. 7-1 C Alex Len

Ceiling: Zydrunas Ilgauskas 

Floor: Rasho Nesterovic

The Suns must have seen the same problem, whatever it was, in Ben McLemore than the Bobcats did.  The fact of the matter is that this is another squad that needs a player to bring them to life.  Alex Len has the potential to be a stable starting center for several years.  It depends on how agile and coordinated he can prove himself to be.  On the bright side, Charlotte and Phoenix are two teams sure to remain in the top five in the 2014 draft.

Pick #29. 6-5 SG Archie Goodwin

Pick #57: 6-9 PF Alex Oriakhi

Grade: C

This isn’t it…I’m just breaking my draft review up into a few different sections.  Stay tuned for more draft analysis to come in the near future…

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San Antonio Spurs’ glory days continue

In 2007, the Spurs were the unmistakeable kings of the NBA.  Their toughest playoff opponent that year was Phoenix in the second round.  The Spurs defeated them in six games.  After knocking out the Utah Jazz in five games, the Spurs met the LeBron James-led Cavaliers in the 2007 NBA Finals.  Cleveland did not have nearly enough to compete with the Spurs.  San Antonio cruised to the Larry O’Brien trophy as they won in four games.

After a long six-year absence from the NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs are back.  Surprisingly enough, the Spurs still have the same core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili.  Many teams would feel the need to break up the core after not returning to the finals for so long.  However, the Spurs didn’t feel it was necessary because they knew this trio had what it took to, someday, return to the NBA Finals.

Manu Ginobili is back and hungry for more at 35 years old.  At 37 years old, Tim Duncan defies the law of aging as he is still an elite big man.  This time around, 31-year-old Tony Parker carries the most responsibility for the Spurs.  Parker is an MVP-caliber point guard that helps Duncan stay in top-notch game shape.  Tim Duncan deserves a ton of credit as he takes care of himself.  But Parker’s excellent stamina and leadership gives Duncan a lift.  Younger players such as Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green also play big roles in the team’s success.

Russell Westbrook’s injury definitely helped open up the door for the Spurs to get to the Finals.  But nobody can use that as an excuse because it is what it is.  At the end of the day, the San Antonio Spurs are the last Western Conference team standing.  You cannot consider this a fluke because we all know the Spurs are made of concrete material.  Only the more unbreakable product can break the Spurs.

The Spurs didn’t just reach the NBA Finals in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007.  They won the NBA Finals.  San Antonio has made it clear that they don’t get to the final stage to lose.  They get to the final stage so they can put the icing on the cake.  Whether it’s the Heat or the Pacers, this will be San Antonio’s toughest finals matchup since the 2005 Detroit Pistons.  The Heat and that Pistons team are fairly unlike each other.  But the Pacers are very similar to the ’05 Pistons in that they rely on tenacious defense and don’t depend on a superstar.

No matter who the Spurs play, you can bet they will be fully prepared.  Perhaps, Gregg Popovich will be over-prepared.  If there is any coach that acts as the sixth man, it is Gregg Popovich.  Nobody gets the message across to their players better than Popovich does.  Pop is a genius and a viscous man when it comes to the coaching industry.

As for Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan, they want to make this season unforgettable (in a good way).  One common rule that we have seen throughout the history of the league is that winners stay winners.  Tony Parker’s craftiness with the ball might blow you away, but he plays the game to win.  Tim Duncan’s superiority at 37 years old might be satisfying enough for some, but he plays the game to win.

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