1. Miami Heat: Chris Paul PG 20 6'0'' 175 C+ B- A- C+ D+ A - I actually think he should not have been #1. That honor clearly should have gone to Salim Stoudamire, who was an absolute heist at 32. Heck, I passed on him 3 times because I automatically assumed Stoudamire had gone #1.
In all seriousness, Paul is clearly already one of the better PGs in the league and he hasn't played a game. If Milicic keeps developing like he has, then the Heat have a nice guard-center combo to build around in those two. It'll be curious to see what Miami does with Maggette, whether they try to trade him to a team that's going for it and get more picks and youth (as well as a little salary relief), or if they decide to keep him for when they inevitably decide to start winning. Either way, Miami looks to be in good shape as long as they continue the process. Heat Grade: A+
2. Seattle Supersonics: Andrew Bynum C 18 7'0'' 285 C+ C- F+ C+ C+ A - I'm personally not a huge fan of Bynum. I'm not sure whether it was his semi-lackluster notes or his terrible handles or what. What I have noticed, and maybe it's just me, but in FBB, centers with that bad a handles rating end up with a lot of fouls too. I dunno whether it's because when they turn the ball over they foul trying to get it back or what, it just seems to be something I've noticed in a lot of past sims. Anyways, if Bynum does develop as the Sonics hope, then my fears are misguided. He has a good start to his game ratings-wise, I'm just not sure he has 100 potential. Dominant bigs are a great tool in FBB, but in my opinion PGs are what run the game. I would have gone with Deron personally. Seattle needs to hope he develops into a dominant big in the DASL, because otherwise this will set their rebuilding project back 3 seasons, at least.
Zombie Thunder Grade: C+
3. New Jersey Nets: Deron Williams PG 6'3'' 210 21 B- C+ A- C D A - Great pick here. Like I mentioned above in the Bynum category- I'm on the PGs-Own-FBB-Bandwagon. While his defense could be an issue for some, to me, his offensive game and his handles clearly override that. The fact he's good at attacking inside will be a big help for the Nets going forward, and his ability to create for everyone else will certainly make fictional-Jason Richardson very happy. It'll be interesting to see if they shift everyone over a slot to get Deron playing his rookie year or not. If they don't shift everyone over, I'm curious if they could find anyone to take Billups and his contract. Either way, the Nets are looking good going forward. They just need a dominant man in the middle and they'll be set.
Nets Grade: A
4. Los Angeles Lakers (from Pacers): Monta Ellis SG 6'3'' 175 20 B- C C B- C- A - I'm not a big fan of Monta, and his notes were not very encouraging to me. That being said, after Paul and Deron (and maybe Bynum too), there was a decently-sized drop-off from excellent to simply very good. Monta has the potential to be very good, but his lack of an outside shot and, as it said in the notes, his stubbornness in "moddle school" (moddle school must be where Monta got the idea he was as complete a player as RL Dwyane Wade) may end up hurting him in DASL. A shooting guard that can't score outside, to me, is a big risk. Now, on a team like the Lakers, they can afford to let him develop and get playing time as a rookie, which is a good thing for him. I still think this is a big risk at this point. I'm not of the same opinion as a few others that Monta was the clear-cut #4 prospect in this draft after the top 3. I may have gone with a safer guy like Granger or, if they wanted a younger guy with upside, Williams or Ilyasova here. If Monta turns into a capable scorer and improves his outside game, he and the Lakers will be fine. That's a big "if" though.
Lakers Grade: C+
5. Minnesota Timberwolves: Marvin Williams SF 6'9'' 230 19 B- B- D+ C C A - OK, look. I'm a Hawks fan in real life. So when I see Marvin Williams, I cringe internally every time. That being said, Paul and Deron have already been picked in this draft, and the Wolves aren't the 2005 Hawks. Williams actually looks like he could be a pretty good scorer in this league, and if his defense and rebounding end up developing more, Williams may turn out to be one of the top 3-4 players in this class when all is said and done. It all really depends on where that potential ends up being and how he ends up developing. Definitely a boom-or-bust prospect. I like this pick a lot for the Wolves.
Wolves Grade: A
6. San Antonio Spurs: Danny Granger SF 6'8'' 225 22 B- B- C- B C B - Granger is definitely a safe pick here, as long as his offensive game continues to develop. I like the part of his notes where they say his "defense plays like a 4". I've seen that work out well for players in the past like Granger. If he gets better at rebounding it's possible he'll be able to spend time as a stretch-4. For some reason, and it's probably because I'm a Hawks fan, but the potential for his game reminds me of Paul Millsap in real life. They're both 6'8 and everything. If his rebounding gets better, I could see them moving him to the 4 and keeping Deng at the 3. Overall, solid pick for the Spurs.
Spurs Grade: A
7. Atlanta Hawks: Johan Petro C 7'0'' 247 20 C+ D+ D- B- B- A - I like this pick for the Hawks. The shot-blocking potential between him and Smoove is fun. I really like Petro's big-man skill-set, and as long as the rebounding and defense continue to get better, even if the offensive game never gets that much better, he could be a Joel Przybilla with better rebounding. And if the offensive game DOES develop with the defense and rebounding, Petro has the potential to be a big-time center in the league. I'd like to see him get his handles up- like I mentioned before, lower handles in centers, to me, have always fouled a lot, but he is still a center. And he does the things that centers need to do well. Like I said- him and Smoove are gonna block a lot of shots (granted, Josh needs to get his ass in gear and get his offense working for the Hawks to be able to build around him. And Josh- that does NOT mean you shoot more 3s. I hope the Hawks coaches have banned Josh from attempting 3s other than end-of-quarter half-court shots).
Hawks Grade: A-
8. Orlando Magic (from Grizzlies): Sean May PF 6'9'' 266 21 B- C- D B- B- B - I loved this pick. Not necessarily for the Magic, but for me- it allowed me to grab Ilyasova next and May wasn't in my top 2 at this point. That being said, May is definitely a safe pick, and he landed in a good spot with the Magic. Playing the 4 next to Melo will definitely be a good thing, and the Magic are one of the teams that definitely could use that "safe" pick that is already ready to hit the ground running. May, as the notes said, "is as advertised". I don't think he'll be developing much more, but if he gets an A- in there somewhere he'll be fine. Solid pick for the Magic.
Magic Grade: B+
9. Golden State Warriors: Ersan Ilyasova SF 6'9'' 235 18 C+ B- D+ C+ C+ A - I'm not normally one to toot my own horn here, but I love this pick. And yeah, I'm the one that made it. But I honestly expected Ilyasova to go higher. The notes were posted on the same day as the draft was, so there wasn't much time to scout, but as soon as they went up I targeted Ilyasova if I were able to trade up a little higher. And thankfully, he fell all the way to me at 9. He has time to develop, he already has a really solid all-around game, and I can afford to be patient with his development since we are rebuilding still. I do think he'll be able to hit the ground running from day 1. Besides that fact, I now have a team that has a bunch of guys with weird names that a lot of people can't pronounce, let alone spell (Przybilla, Ilyasova, Kirilenko, Diogu, Khryapa, Korolev). Works for me!
Totally Biased Warriors Grade: A+++++
10. Los Angeles Lakers: Jason Maxiell PF 6'7'' 260 22 B D F+ C+ B C - Solid pick here. Maxiell is one of the better scorers coming into the draft, his defense is pretty good and he can absolutely rebound. If that defense develops to at least a B, B+ and his offense and rebounding get better, look out. I liked the notes too. The strength and jumping will definitely help him out in this league. One comment- the Lakers now have a bunch of PFs and Cs- I see them possibly trying to move one to get another guard or wing that can score.
Lakers Grade: B+
11. Boston Celtics: Andray Blatche PF 6'11'' 235 19 B- C+ D- C C A - I like Blatche's offensive game- I wish his defense and rebounding were better though. He's young enough where he can still improve, but there were other PFs/Cs that were available at this point that I liked more (Villanueva, Splitter) than Blatche. Definitely a boom or bust- if his defense and rebounding develop into anything half-way decent and his offensive game improves, he's definitely starting material. If they don't, though, he becomes a liability and a glorified bench-warmer. Definitely a risky pick.
Celtics Grade: C+
12. Seattle SuperSonics (from Raptors): Calvin Miles Jr. SG 6'6'' 210 18 C+ B- D+ C- C- A - CJ is a meh pick here. I like his offensive game, and hate his defensive game. I also hate the fact that the notes said his "IQ is low", "lacks an understanding of the game", "never gets other players involved". The notes, fwiw, were very confusing to me- he "could be a wasted first round pick" but also "his scoring ability is the best and is enough to warrant a high pick". To me, the negatives in these notes far outweigh the positives and essentially prohibit me from taking him with a high pick. Personally, I don't see Miles becoming any more than a Jamal Crawford 6th-man type guy. Knowing Ducky's ways like I do, Miles will probably end up making me eat these words- but right now I really don't like him. Yeah, the Sonics can afford to wait on his development, but I still don't like the pick.
Zombie Thunder Grade: D+
13. Los Angeles Lakers (from Magic): Tiago Splitter C 6'11'' 245 20 B- C- C B- C+ B - I like Splitter's game, he's already pretty polished and should be a solid center in this league. Yeah, he has a B potential, but I liked that note about "comparisons to Pau Gasol". That should be a plus for the Lakers. Even if he doesn't reach the level of Pau, he should still be a solid starting center in the league.
Lakers Grade: A-
14. Miami Heat (from Pistons): Nate Robinson SG 5'9'' 180 21 B- C C C C- A - I like Nate Rob's scoring ability and quickness. And he can dunk. What I don't like his the lack of anything else really in his game. The jumping may actually help him out in those other categories, which can be a good and bad thing. If those ratings are inflated by the jumping, that means the rest of his ratings could be lower in those categories. If they aren't inflated, then he still has a chance to develop those skills further. I WISH he wasn't PG ineligible because a 5'9 shooting guard usually doesn't work in FBB leagues. I actually think that that is a mistake and should be fixed, but that's just my opinion. If he's stuck as a one-dimensional SG, this pick may end up hurting the Heat long-term.\
Heat Grade: C
15. Utah Jazz: Charlie Villanueva PF 6'11'' 240 21 C+ C+ C- C C+ A - Absolutely love this pick. I almost picked him at 9- that's how much Charlie V's all-around solid game appeals to me. His defense is a concern, but the note about "possibly best looking prospect in this class" is a flashing neon sign to me. And the defense just needs to be passable to get by. Again- the rest of his game is so solid, it makes up for the defense. The Jazz got an absolute steal at this pick. Well done.
Jazz Grade: A+
16. Sacramento Kings: Raymond Felton PG 6'1'' 198 21 C C+ B C+ C- B - There was a big drop-off between the top two PGs and Felton, but Raymond looks like he could end up being a decent PG in this league. I think he'll end up starting at some point, especially if the outside shot and defense improve more. Is he the PG to help lead LeBron year after year? I don't know. Maybe. If he develops well it could be a very good pick for the Kings and this grade will be higher.
Kings Grade: B
17. Phoenix Suns: Rashad McCants SG 6'4'' 207 21 B- B C- B- D+ C - I like McCants a lot- solid all-around game, ready to hit the ground running. The potential is eh, but if he can at least improve on a couple of the grades by just a little bit, he'll be totally fine in this league. Solid pick-up for the Suns.
Suns Grade: B+
18. Los Angeles Lakers (from Knicks): Martell Webster SF 6'9'' 210 19 C+ B+ D+ C C A - GAH. I hate the Lakers. This was an absolute steal of a pick. I had been trying to deal up a few picks to grab either him or Charlie V as they kept falling, and when it got to here I was just hoping he'd last one more spot to me. Fantastic pickup here. I think Webster will end up being in a lot of 3-point contests and may be able to start for awhile in the league. I'd be curious what his defense is at SG. Great pick for the Lakers.
Lakers Grade: A+
Just a note, explanations will get shorter from here on out just because we've reached the point where a lot of the prospects start to look similar and, for the most part, the grade is inconsequential since they all fit around where they are picked.
19. Golden State Warriors (from Bulls): Ike Diogu PF 6'8'' 250 22 B D+ D- C C B - I picked Ike because he already has a solid offensive game, and the note about no one "being able to stop Ike inside" was what sold me. He needs to get better on defense and rebounding wise to be effective- but he could be a solid bench guy/role playing starter if given the opportunity.
Warriors Grade: B
20. Miami Heat (from Trailblazers): Gerald Green SF 6'8'' 200 20 B- C+ D+ C C- A - I like the jumping in Green's game. If he's able to actually use any of it to be effective, this is a steal for the Heat. The note about his jump shot being worked on is promising. Solid pick here.
Heat Grade: B+
21. Atlanta Hawks (from Mavericks): Channing Frye C 6'11'' 248 22 C+ B D+ C C A - Frye is weird. The scoring is good, the defense and rebounding not so much. It came down to him and Ike for my pick at 19, and I went with Ike because he seemed a more prototypical PF. I'm curious what Frye will look like at PF- he may fit better there just due to his outside game. I see the Hawks have gone ahead and changed him over to PF. I think that's a good move.
Hawks Grade: B
22. Toronto Raptors (from Bullets): Ian Mahinmi C 6'11'' 230 21 C D+ D- B C A - I like the fact that Mahinmi can play defense. Wish he had better rebounding and/or inside ability. The notes about his potential, however, are VERY promising, so this may end up being one of those players that takes a monster jump in his first couple of seasons. And at this point of the first round, that's a good player to be able to grab.
Raptors Grade: A-
23. San Antonio Spurs (from Clippers): Louis Williams PG 6'2'' 175 19 C+ C C C C- A - Lou Will is certainly young enough and average enough at all the ratings already that, if his game continues to grow with that A potential, this could be a steal.
Spurs Grade: A-
24. Los Angeles Lakers (from Hornets): Martynas Andriuskevicius C 7'2'' 240 19 C+ C- C- C C+ A - I like this pick a lot. Low risk, high-reward at this point of the first. No notes on him, but Andriuskevicius could end up being a solid player in the league.
Lakers Grade: A
25. Philadelphia 76ers: Amir Johnson PF 6'9'' 210 18 C C C- C- C- A - I actually liked a few of the guys picked after Johnson more than him, but at this point picking an 18 year old with A potential isn't a bad idea. Never know- it could work out. He doesn't do anything terribly, but he doesn't do anything well either. Meh.
76ers Grade: C-
26. Sacramento Kings (from Rockets): Brandon Bass PF 6'8'' 240 20 B- D+ F+ C+ C+ B - I actually like this pick a lot- he's pretty solid in all the ways bigs need to be, and with even a little bit of growth, he should see some time off the bench for someone immediately. Nice pickup.
Kings Grade: A
27. Denver Nuggets: Ronny Turiaf C 6'10'' 249 23 C C- C- B C+ B - Turiaf could be a decent bench player in this league with his defense and rebounding. Not sure he will amount to anything more than that with his inside ability, but that's OK.
Nuggets Grade: B
28. Golden State Warriors (from Cavaliers): Victor Khryapa SF 6'9'' 210 22 C+ C C C+ C A - I like Victor a lot as a boom-or-bust type guy. If he doesn't turn into anything, oh well. If he does, it's nice value. He's not horrible at anything, and he's all-around pretty decent. We'll see what happens.
Warriors Grade: B+
29. Milwaukee Bucks: Mike Ilic C 7'1'' 230 22 B C- D+ D C A - Can't defend at all, but he certainly will be able to score. I'm not sure if he'll be able to get minutes for a few years, but if he develops any rebounding he may be able to get time off the bench for someone.
Bucks Grade: B
Not sure what points I'll get for doing an entire round, but I'll let y'all decide. Just as a note- I didn't look at what teams had what FAs out there so some of the explanations may make more sense when you fact that in. Hope you enjoy!
