2015 NBA Draft Thread

#152
#152
The fan base turned on him and called him soft. That's his reward for playing through multiple serious injuries.
 
#155
#155
Boston Celtics offered six picks for Charlotte Hornets' No. 9 pick, sources say

Is this real life? I wasn't happy about the Titans turning down the "potential" Eagles package but he's(Mariota) in a position that automatically propels him to the face of the franchise by the Titans passing on the offer. Hey may suck, be mediocre, or be great... but he's put in the position to be so.

Winslow, I was upset he didn't make it to the Pacers but, what? That's an insane haul for a player 9 other teams ended up passing on(including passing up an insane offer from one team). This wasn't potential 1 vs 2 overall picks at the same position. This was somebody other teams just passed on due to picking other players. I know the draft is a crapshoot but why did he fall? 9 teams saw 9 players they preferred prior. This was no toss up and or character issue. This was a player who fell and that's a huge offer for the 10th pick. Not the same at all as the Titans passing up the "potential" Eagles offer. Not sure what to make of it. If I were a Hornets fan, I'd probably kill myself. At least they have Frank Kaminsky....



[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hri1NvWPtB4[/youtube]


Gained one Wisconsin fan, lost one hundred thousand Hornets fans.
 
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#161
#161
So here are my draft grades for each team. Start with the Eastern Conference

Atlanta Hawks- No. 15 pick traded to Washington/Marcus Eriksson, SG, Spain/Dimitrios Agravanis, PF, Greece

I don't get why the Hawks were so desperate to save a couple million dollars. There were so many good prospects they could add to a 60 win team and instead punted and gave up a first round pick for a guy who is far from proven in the NBA. The second round picks were stash picks. I'm disappointed and thought Bobby Portis would be perfect here. It's not often you get an opportunity like the Hawks. And they blew it.

Grade: D-

Boston Celtics- Terry Rozier, Guard, Louisville/ R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State/Jordan Mickey, PF, LSU/Marcus Thornton, SG, William & Mary

The Celtics already have a logjam at guard with Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, and Avery Bradley. Taking Rozier doesn't make sense. They Celtics needed a big man in the first round with two first round picks and picked guards. I like Rozier. But not at #17 and not for the Celtics. Hunter was the "Best Player Available" at #28 and I understand that pick, but not already grabbing Rozier. Jordan Mickey has really nice value at #33 and I like that pick because he can protect the rim.

Grade: C-

Brooklyn Nets- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona/Chris McCoullough, PF, Syracuse/Juan Vaulet, SF, Argentina

I like what the Nets did. Mason Plumlee is a good player, but he doesn't truly fit with Brook Lopez. Jefferson has big time potential. At the very least, he can be Tony Allen and a shutdown defender. If he develops any kind of shot you get great value at #23. Chris McCoullough needs to gain weight and his health is a concern but he is a first round pick if healthy. Vaulet is probably a stash guy, but I felt the Nets had a nice draft and added some talent.

Grade: B-

Charlotte Hornets- Frank Kaminksy, C, Wisconsin

This isn't a bad pick if the board had fell the way it's supposed to. But it didn't and a guy like Justise Winslow available at #9 was a lucky draw for Charlotte. Instead, they took Kaminsky, who isn't a bad player, but probably isn't a legitimate NBA starter. Kaminsky doesn't really fit a need in Charlotte, they have a guy similar to him in Spencer Hawes, and took a guy who is better at a more needed position. They are the losers of the draft.

Grade: F

Chicago Bulls- Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas

Chicago needed a guard. I have no clue why they didn't take Tyus Jones or R.J. Hunter, but Bobby Portis is a top 15 talent so it's hard to kill their draft. Portis can come in and play now or they can sit him for a year and let him develop. Either way, Portis can be a starter in the NBA.

Grade: B-

Cleveland Cavaliers- Cedi Osman, SF, Macedonia/Rakeem Christmas, PF, Syracuse/Sir'Dominic Porter, SF, St. John's

I'm not sure how I feel about the draft. At #24, Tyus Jones and R.J. Hunter made so much sense, but Rakeem Christmas is a nice pick for the trade and while Osman will wait two years, he has a lot of talent. Sir'Dominic Porter is a talented defender at the wing that could help in the future, but I still feel like Jones or Hunter would have really helped. Christmas is a steal at #36.

Grade: C+

Detroit Pistons- Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona/Darrun Hilliard, SG, Villanova

To me, Johnson is a future all-star, so I'm a little biased, but I love this pick. They need a physical wing that can score and defend, which Johnson can do and will fit perfectly with Stan Van Gundy. Darrun Hilliard has a shot to be a rotation player, but Detroit could have used a big man to develop in that spot. To me, taking Johnson over Winslow is nowhere near as bad as Kaminsky over Winslow, so I won't hate them for that pick.

Grade: B

Indiana Pacers- Myles Turner, PF/C, Texas/Joseph Young, Guard, Oregon

Turner has a long ways to go but he has an incredible amount of talent to develop and the Pacers need a young big man to work with. I doubt he plays much his first year. Joseph Young is a position less guard who needs the ball to score and I'm not sure he is an NBA player, but he has a chance. To me, I like a couple more big men over Turner, but if it works, he could be a great pick.

Grade: B-

Miami Heat- Justise Winslow, SF, Duke/Josh Richardson, SG, Tennessee

What a break for the Heat. Winslow is going to be a great defender and finisher in the NBA and they need a young, athletic wing in Miami. Winslow will come in, play 15-20 minutes per night on a contender and can develop into a great player. Richardson is a very good defender and can score that can play multiple positions. He needs some time to develop but he can be a nice NBA rotation player. But the real coup is Winslow.

Grade: A

Milwaukee Bucks- Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV

At first, I didn't like this pick. But without any potential centers that can defend the rim that you can legitimately take at #17, and Vaughn is a really good scoring guard that can be a really good defender. The Bucks do need a scoring guard with some wing players being free agents. I felt like they needed more of a shooter, and Vaughn needs to get better from the perimeter but this good be a nice value pick.

Grade: C+

New York Knicks- Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia/Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame

Porzingis has talent, but I think he's a bust. I think Winslow, Cauley-Stein, and Johnson would have been much better picks here. Porzingis can shoot and score while being a good athlete but it's going to take a long time for him to develop. Jerian Grant is a nice pick and the Knicks didn't give up much. I'm not sure Grant is a great fit but he has a lot of talent and the Knicks need backcourt help

Grade: C

Orlando Magic- Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Croatia/Tyler Harvey, SG, Eastern Washington

The Magic needed shooting and got two of the better shooters in the draft. Hezonja might not become a star, but he can at least be a solid shooter from the outside and give the Magic some spacing. He also has the athleticism to become a really good defender. Harvey is a fringe NBA player, but with the right system can be a rotation player. He can shoot and drive and with the Magic's strength of athleticism on the wing, they can hide him on defense.

Grade: A-

Philadelphia 76ers- • Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke, Richaun Holmes, PF, Bowling Green, Arturas Gudaitis, C, Lithuania, J.P. Tokoto , SF, North Carolina, Luka Mitrovic, SF, Serbia

You can't blame the 76ers for taking the best player available. But at the same time, another center for the third straight year isn't a great strategy. I think Okafor can be a great NBA player though, so it's hard to be mad at this pick. They drafted two stash guys in the second round, Richaun Holmes isn't going to be much (and another big that can't stretch the floor), but Tokoto has a chance to be something in the NBA if he develops a shot. He can do everything but shoot and he will find a role in the NBA.

Grade: C+

Toronto Raptors- Delon Wright, PG, Utah/Norman Powell, SG, UCLA

With trading Greivis Vazquez and Lou Williams being a free agent, Wright was a great pick. He can do a little bit of everything and play both guards spot. He also has a chance to be a lockdown player. Powell can score in a variety of ways but will need to be a great defender to stick in the NBA. They needed some frontcourt help, but it's hard to pass up Wright at #20.

Grade: B+

Washington Wizards- Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas/Aaron White, PF, Iowa

If the Wizards plan on moving Otto Porter to the PF spot full-time, then Oubre makes a ton of sense. He doesn't do anything well but is an elite athlete with tons of potential and the Wizards can afford to take a long term project. Aaron White can do a little bit of everything, but nothing great, but he produced well in college. Oubre isn't going to play much to start, but this could be a really nice pick.

Grade: B-
 
#163
#163
I didn't read all that. Basically stopped after the Hawks. I disagree with you on that. They need cap space because Carroll and Milsap are both free agents and while Hardaway Jr. isn't special, he's probably going to give you more than any rookie at that spot and he is cheaper and will be off the books faster.

They didnt have a good draft but it wasn't egregiously bad.
 
#165
#165
GahLee said:
I didn't read all that. Basically stopped after the Hawks. I disagree with you on that. They need cap space because Carroll and Milsap are both free agents and while Hardaway Jr. isn't special, he's probably going to give you more than any rookie at that spot and he is cheaper and will be off the books faster.

They didnt have a good draft but it wasn't egregiously bad.
Click to expand...

Nobody should want Hardaway Jr IMO.

You should read it all. It was good analysis byt of course no one is going to agree with all of it.
 
#166
#166
Toronto made the most of the draft by getting Wright, IMO. He's an incredible talent, he's NBA ready, and despite being versatile he has untapped potential.
 
#172
#172
n_huffhines said:
Nobody should want Hardaway Jr IMO.

You should read it all. It was good analysis byt of course no one is going to agree with all of it.
Click to expand...

He's a decent 3-point shooter, I imagine he will benefit from leaving New York and going to a team like Atlanta. They saved money short and long term while getting a guy that's got some experience under his belt.
 
#173
#173
I completely forgot to do the Western Conference. It's kind of late but I'll still do it anyways

Dallas Mavericks: Justin Anderson, SG/SF, Virginia/Satnam Singh, C, India

I actually really liked the Anderson pick. He is a really good defensive player with a solid shot that can thrive in Dallas. I think he can be a starter in the NBA. Reminds me of a bigger Courtney Lee. Singh was a wasted draft picked and won't amount to anything. But getting Anderson was a nice coup.

Grade: B

Denver Nuggets: Emmanuel Mudiay, Guard, Congo/ Nikola Radecevic, SG, Serbia

Mudiay has a ton of talent and getting him at #7 is a nice job by the Nuggets. I'm not sure how great of a scorer he can be, but he reminds people of Russell Westbrook with his size, vision, and athleticism. Radecevic is a stash pick, a good athlete from Europe. Mudiay is going to be really interesting to watch since some people felt earlier in the process he was the top talent.

Grade: B

Golden State Warriors: Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA

Look, who knows if Looney will pan out because of his hip problems. But to get him at #30 is a steal. He's long, athletic, can rebound and D up, and has enough offense skills to develop his game. He fits their style perfectly and he was going to be a top 15 pick. If you are the Warriors, he's worth the risk.

Grade: A-

Houston Rockets: Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin/Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville

I thought the Rockets had the second best draft. Dekker wasn't a lottery pick, but at #18, he's good value. At the very least, he can be a DTA guy and provide depth at the wing. Harrell is underrated. Look, he's barely 6'8, but his motor never stops, he loves to rebound, and is a good enough athlete to finish at the NBA level. He won't be great defensively, but he's definitely a role player in the NBA. Both these guys can help Houston in the very near future.

Grade: A

Los Angeles Clippers: Branden Dawson, PF, Michigan State

Dawson has a chance to be an NBA player. He's a very good athlete, really works hard, and he is a Tom Izzo guy, which counts for something. But I'm not seeing it. However, maybe he can become Reggie Evans. A good rebounder that can guard the pick and roll, which would give him some playing time for the Clippers. This isn't a bad pick for the 50's.

Grade: C+

Los Angeles Lakers: D'Angelo Russell, Guard, Ohio State/Larry Nance Jr, SF, Wyoming/Anthony Brown, SG/SF, Stanford

Between Russell and Okafor, you can't lose. It a very close call and I understand the allure of building your future backcourt around Clarkson and Russell. I think they made the right call. I don't like the Nance pick. There were too many better players at #27 they could have grabbed. Anthony Brown isn't a bad pick, but he doesn't do anything great. I felt like the Lakers blew their last two picks but Russell is the key.

Grade: C+

Memphis Grizzlies: Jarell Martin, PF, LSU/Andrew Harrison, SG, Kentucky

It was a perfect fit. The Grizzlies needed a shooter. R.J. Hunter was on the board. And they passed on him for another big man. I know Zach Randolph is getting older and you want to develop somebody to take his place, but you are also trying to win a title. Martin has talent and will fit right in Memphis, but a shooter here made too much sense. Andrew Harrison will benefit to moving off the ball and he has a nice stroke but he has a long way to go.

Grade: D+

Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky/Tyus Jones, PG, Duke

Towns is going to be a superstar, one of the top ten player in the association, and someone you can build with Andrew Wiggins perfectly. This was a win no matter what. Tyus Jones is icing on the cake. He's not a great athlete, but he's a great basketball player that can do everything and I think could become an NBA starter. The Timberwolves did a great job.

Grade: A

New Orleans Pelicans: No draft picks

Oklahoma City Thunder: Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State/Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky

I'm not as big on Payne as others are. He is a true point guard that will immediately help and I like how his game fits but I think he needs the ball too much to really thrive in this system. I think a bigger wing player would have been the better fit. Johnson has an NBA body and some skills to play, but he won't see the court with the logjam in Oklahoma City. I wouldn't be surprised if he's traded in the near future when OKC gets active on the deadline

Grade: B-

Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky

The Suns needed a good perimeter shooting guard and they got the best one in Booker. He's a great shooter, a decent athlete, and hard enough worker on defense to really do well in the NBA. They traded their second round pick for Jon Leuer, which isn't bad value, but Booker is the guy here. He will fit great in Phoenix even if he needs a year to develop.

Grade: B+

Portland Trailblazers: Pat Connaughton, SG, Notre Dame/Daniel Diez, Forward, Spain

The Trailblazers traded their first round pick. Since they knew they would lose both their starting big men, getting Mason Plumlee to help sure up the hole at center was a good move. Connaughton is a nice second round pick that should be an NBA rotation player and Diez is a stash guy. Portland could have used some help with the first round pick but Plumlee is a true center that will help.

Grade: B-

Sacramento Kings: Willey Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky

Cauley-Stein makes sense. But I felt like Mudiay would have been the better fit here and given a true point guard to run with Cousins. Cauley-Stein will sure up the defense and give them a finisher at the rim, but the foot injuries are a concern. Honestly, I would have traded down to #10 and still gotten Cauley-Stein and picked up some extra value, but that's just me. I don't hate the pick but don't love it either.

Grade: C

San Antonio Spurs: Nikola Mitlutinov, C, Serbia/Cady Lalanne,

Mitlutinov is a draft and stash and this makes sense. He's really young and the Spurs needed cap space to win one more title, so this was okay and Mitlutinov has some talent. He could be a nice piece. Lalanne is a hell of a rebounder and he might make in the NBA. At the very least, the Spurs can put him in the D-League for a couple years and see if he can play.

Grade: C+

Utah Jazz: Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky/Olivier Hanlan, Guard, Boston College

I have no clue what the Jazz were doing. They could have used a third wing that can help stretch the floor but a big man made some sense. They need someone to back up Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert. Why take a guy that can't stretch the floor, can't protect the rim, isn't a great rebounder, or isn't a great athlete? Lyles has good size, a great wingspan, and some skills, but I don't see how he fits in the NBA and I don't see how he fits Utah. I thought Lyles was a huge reach here. Hanlan is a shooter that can find a niche in the NBA in the right system.

Grade: D+
 
#174
#174
I'm with you on the Jazz missing the mark. I hope I am wrong.

The Jazz just need to draft white boys and foreigners. Nobody from hip hop culture wants to live in SLC. Even if Lyles is good, he'll most likely be gone in 3 years.
 
#175
#175
Pretty much agree with everything. I don't anyone really had a bad draft outside of the Grizz, Jazz, and maybe the Thunder/Kings. Some arguments could be made for better picks/fits, but overall everyone pretty much got what they needed.

I would say that Lyles is a floor-stretcher though. His problem is gonna be inside play. Rebounding/defending at the 4. Can he do it? Not sure. He was protected at UK with Cauley-Stein and Karl behind him usually. If not then he'll be an interesting 3 at the size. But then his athleticism/speed will be tested.
 
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