2016 NBA Draft

#304
#304
NBA Draft Grades: Eastern Conference

Atlanta Hawks: Taurean Prince (12), DeAndre Embry (21), Isaia Cordier (44)

Grade: D

Review: Prince seems like a good Hawks fit. Can shoot the three, decent athlete, a solid role player. Except we have no clue if he can play defense. I mean, at 12, if that's the guy you want then go get him but can't you trade back and get an asset? Also, wasn't Bembry going to be there late also? Why not take a big man? Why take a guy who plays the same position that you took at 12? No clue what Atlanta was thinking here.

Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown (3), Guerschon Yabusele (16), Ante Zicic (23), Demetrius Jackson (45), Ben Bentil (51), Abdel Naber (58

Grade: F

Here you are, a top five seed in the East with a top three pick. Something very rare. And yet Danny Ainge (a good NBA GM) completely screwed it up. Brown wasn't a top five prospect. He wasn't going in the top six. Trade down. I understand the stash guys. Boston has a ton of players on their roster so that made sense. But then, you get a top 15 player fall in your lap at a position of need at 31 and you trade that pick for a lottery protected pick in 2019????????? What are you doing? I like the Jackson/Bentil picks, but Danny Ainge really screwed this one up.

Brooklyn Nets: Caris LeVert (20), Isaiah Whitehead (42)

Grade: B

I like the Levert pick. If he's healthy, he's a top 10 guy in this draft and you don't have anyone like him on your team. You have nothing to lose if you are the Nets and roll the dice. Whitehead can't shoot, but he can really play some defense and is a great athlete. Maybe he can turn into something.

Chicago Bulls- Denzel Valentine (14), Paul Zipser (48)

Grade: C-

Valentine doesn't seem like an NBA caliber athlete and I don't think he will be able to guard. He has skills and could be a rotation player but if Chicago thinks this is their Derrick Rose replacement, this was a bad idea.

Charlotte Horners: No Picks

Cleveland Cavaliers: Kay Felder (54)

Grade: B+

So the one area Cleveland is weak at is point guard and they took a point guard with a lot of talent. I doubt he is as good as Isaiah Thomas, but Felder can definitely be a solid backup point guard in the NBA. I like him better than Ulis actually. Solid job by Cleveland.

Detroit Pistons: Henry Ellenson (18), Michael Gbinije (49)

Grade: C+

Ellenson definitely has talent and can rebound, but doesn't he seem like he doesn't fit in today's NBA? He supposedly can shoot, but struggled all year from deep and struggled around the rim. I highly doubt he turns into Kevin Love. But they do need frontcourt help and Ellenson can rebound. Gbinije can shoot but he's 24 and who knows if he can play D.

Indiana Pacers: Georges Niang (50)

Grade: C+

Miami Heat: No Picks

I just draft picks, not trades for NBA players, but I will give my thoughts on the trades. I like it. Teague/Ellis/George/Young/Turner is a really fun starting five. That will get them back in the playoffs. Niang can score but he can't defend and isn't a good athlete. But if he can work on his three point shot he can turn into something.

Milwaukee Bucks: Thon Maker (10), Malcolm Brogdon (36)

Grade: B-

They could have traded down and waited on Maker, but they decided to for the goal and get him. They need an athletic center and even though you hear about the guard skills, I think Maker has a better chance to become Tyson Chandler than a 7'0 Draymond Green. I love the Brogdon pick. He has a chance to be a starter. Solid 3-and-D guy.

Orlando Magic: Steven Zimmerman (41)

Grade: C

The Ibaka trade makes sense but I still don't love it. Oladipo is legit. I think they overpaid. Zimmerman is a nice value pick at #41. He has skills but he really needs to work on his body.

Philadelphia 76ers: Ben Simmons (1), Timothe Luwawu (24), Furkan Korkmaz (26)

Grade: A

Why do they get an A? They get the star of the draft. I'm higher on Simmons than most. I see franchise player. I don't mind taking one of Luwawu or Korkmaz, but I would have liked to see them get Djonte Murray because they really need a point guard.

Toronto Raptors: Jakob Poeltl (9), Pascal Siakam (27)

Grade: C+

I get the Poeltl pick. They need some scoring off the bench and Poeltl is a legitimate 7'0 with skills. The Siakam pick really underwhelms me. Grab a risk like Skal or Davis or Diallo and roll with it. It's a shame Bender or Chriss didn't fall to them.

Washington Wizards: No picks
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#309
#309
Z: good post. We agree on Simmons and it will be fun to track. Although ainge couldn't make anything work this year in terms of a deal, he will obviously continue to try dealing throughout the season. Best part of the Celtics situation is that they still have some future picks from the awful Nets.
Again, they'll need lottery luck next year for that to allow the franchise to make a leap... But they're set up fairly well in a lot of ways. Next year's draft is supposedly a bit deeper.

LeBron drafts a guard who can fill it up, probably, and forces other teams to guard. Can Felder be impact beyond the arc?
He got Cole to supplement the PG position in Miami, and Cole caused tons of excitement then had a negative overall impact. Will be interesting to see how another experienced guard works out.

I agree on Levert. I think we disagree slightly on Valentine, which could be painted partially by the teams we like. Interestingly, we have the same concerns about valentine, I just think he'll be a little better than you do. Vision like that is big with the space in today's game. He'll have an impact on fast breaks despite not being the most fleet of foot. And he will be able to hold his own on post defense.
 
#310
#310
NBA Draft Grades: Western Conference

Dallas Mavericks: A.J. Hammonds (46)

Grade: B+

No first round picks, but they get a first round pick. Yes Hammonds is older and is crazy. But the dude can play and Dallas needs to center. This is a solid roll of the dice at this spot.

Denver Nuggets: Jamal Murray (7), Juan Hernangomez (15), Malik Beasley (19), Petr Cornelie (53), Daniel Hamilton (56)

Grade: B+

I really loved the Murray pick. I think he's a future all star. He reminds me so much of a healthy Eric Gordon. I like the Hernangomez pick. Not a huge fan of Beasley but he plays hard and can guard wings. A Mudiay/Murray backcourt is going to be super fun.

Golden State Warriors: Damian Jones (30), Patrick McCaw (38)

Grade: B

Jones figures to be a solid rotation player in the NBA and the Warriors need a big. Jones can play right away and can help. McCaw has potential on the wing, but will need time to develop. If Jones can figure it out, he can be a steal at 30.

Houston Rockets: Chinanu Onuaku (37), Zhou Qi 43)

Grade: B

I liked the Onuaku pick. Him and Capella aren't Dwight Howard, but they can replace some of that production. He's a long defender that can rebound and is a very good athlete. I highly doubt Qi is anything in the NBA.

Los Angeles Clippers: Brice Johnson (25), David Michineau (39), Diamond Stone (40)

Grade: B+

Loved what the Clippers did. They really needed frontcourt help and Johnson can play right away as a rebounder/defender. He's also great at guarding the PNR. Stone is a bully (in a good way). He needs to improve his conditioning but he can score and can be a nice backup for DeAndre Jordan. This was a good draft.

Los Angeles Lakers: Brandon Ingram (2), Ivica Zubac (32)

Grade: A

Ingram is going to be an all star and really fits with Russell and Randle if you ask me. Zubac is a lottery talent that wants to play right away. The Lakers need center help. To me, you take that risk and bring him to Los Angeles. The Lakers had a very solid night in the post Kobe era.

Memphis Grizzlies: Wade Baldwin IV (17), Deyonta Davis (31), Rade Zagorac (35), Wang Shelin (57)

Grade: A

Other than the 76ers and Lakers, I think the Grizzlies had the best draft. I loved the Baldwin pick. He's a top 10 player that was overlooked playing on a weird team. He can shoot and defend and can pass. Awesome pick. Davis is a lottery talent they got in the second round. Davis won't play much the first year but I bet he's going to be a really solid player in a few years. Loved what Memphis did.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kris Dunn (5)

Grade: B

Everyone loves this pick except for me. I think Dunn is very talented but he isn't a good shooter on a team with very few good shooters. I would have went with Murray instead who can shoot and create. Dunn will be behind Rubio for a little bit but I do think he can be an NBA starter eventually.

New Orleans Pelicans: Buddy Hield (6)

Grade: C

I don't like Hield. He's old, he had an offense specifically designed for him to shoot as much as possible, and he can't play defense. I don't get it. I'm sure he can give you 12-15 mpg as a shooter but I don't see much else.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Domantas Sabonis (11),

Grade: B+

The Oladipo trade was an absolute steal and if Durant stays, to me, OKC is the favorite for the title. Sabonis has a lot of talent. His style of plays doesn't remind of him, but I can definitely see a Luis Scola type career for him. He plays hard and he rebounds like hell. OKC can let him develop too.

Phoenix Suns: Dragan Bender (4), Marquese Chriss (8), Tyler Ulis (34)

Grade: B

Bender/Chriss seem like the perfect big man combo in the future. One is a polished offensive player that can stretch the floor; the other a super athlete that can rebound and defend. In this draft, I don't mind giving up another late first to move up. Chriss is more of a center to me and now you can trade Tyson Chandler or Alex Len and get something in return.

Portland Trail Blazers: Jake Layman (49)

Grade: C-

Not a Layman fan. I'd rather have Felder, Bentil, Cousins, or Wallace. I just don't see where Layman plays in the NBA. But it's the 49th pick. It's not really worth a lot to begin with.

Sacramento Kings: Georgios Pagagiannis (13), Malachi Richardson (22), Skal Labissiere (28), Isaiah Cousins (59)

Grade: F

It's probably not good I like your #59 pick more than your #13 pick. I don't get this. You trade down. You got Wade Baldwin, a true PG, on the board. You need a PG. And instead you draft a stash center when you have three centers on the roster already. Then you draft another center in the first round in Skal. And you draft a wing who wasn't in my personal top 30 in Malachi Richardson. What a clown organization.

San Antonio Spurs: Dejounte Murray (29)

Grade: B+

I know he can't shoot, but if anyone can teach someone to shoot, it's the Spurs. He's 6'5, great athlete, good court vision. He's super young. I love this pick. I don't know if he's a starter, but I love that the Spurs saw a super athlete at a position of need and went for it.

Utah Jazz: Joel Bolomboy (52), Marcus Paige (55), Tyrone Wallace (60)

Grade: B-

They traded the 12th pick for George Hill which is a decent pick up (I'd rather have Jeff Teague though, just my opinion) for a team desperate to make the playoffs. I don't hate that trade because this is a weaker draft. Anyway, I bet one of those three late second rounders becomes an NBA rotation player.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#311
#311
005 said:
Z: good post. We agree on Simmons and it will be fun to track. Although ainge couldn't make anything work this year in terms of a deal, he will obviously continue to try dealing throughout the season. Best part of the Celtics situation is that they still have some future picks from the awful Nets.
Again, they'll need lottery luck next year for that to allow the franchise to make a leap... But they're set up fairly well in a lot of ways. Next year's draft is supposedly a bit deeper.

LeBron drafts a guard who can fill it up, probably, and forces other teams to guard. Can Felder be impact beyond the arc?
He got Cole to supplement the PG position in Miami, and Cole caused tons of excitement then had a negative overall impact. Will be interesting to see how another experienced guard works out.

I agree on Levert. I think we disagree slightly on Valentine, which could be painted partially by the teams we like. Interestingly, we have the same concerns about valentine, I just think he'll be a little better than you do. Vision like that is big with the space in today's game. He'll have an impact on fast breaks despite not being the most fleet of foot. And he will be able to hold his own on post defense.
Click to expand...

Well it's not a horrible scenario for the Celtics at all I just don't like what they did. I don't Nerleans Noel is a superstar. But neither is Jaylen Brown to me. Why not trade that #3 pick and pickup a center (which they really really need) who has some talent? I just didn't like him turning that move down.

Felder is going to get a lot of open shots in Ceveland so I think he will develop a jump shot.

I just don't see Valentine as an NBA defender. He has great skills but he struggled against elite athletes in college.
 
#313
#313
zjcvols said:
Well it's not a horrible scenario for the Celtics at all I just don't like what they did. I don't Nerleans Noel is a superstar. But neither is Jaylen Brown to me. Why not trade that #3 pick and pickup a center (which they really really need) who has some talent? I just didn't like him turning that move down.

Felder is going to get a lot of open shots in Ceveland so I think he will develop a jump shot.

I just don't see Valentine as an NBA defender. He has great skills but he struggled against elite athletes in college.
Click to expand...

I think ainge tried like hell... But... I also think, as Russillo mentioned on his podcast this week, the Celtics think their assets are a lot better than they actually are. The trade for a star is gonna hurt. But it has to happen at some point.
 
#317
#317
Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown (3), Guerschon Yabusele (16), Ante Zicic (23), Demetrius Jackson (45), Ben Bentil (51), Abdel Naber (58

Grade: F

Here you are, a top five seed in the East with a top three pick. Something very rare. And yet Danny Ainge (a good NBA GM) completely screwed it up. Brown wasn't a top five prospect. He wasn't going in the top six. Trade down. I understand the stash guys. Boston has a ton of players on their roster so that made sense. But then, you get a top 15 player fall in your lap at a position of need at 31 and you trade that pick for a lottery protected pick in 2019????????? What are you doing? I like the Jackson/Bentil picks, but Danny Ainge really screwed this one up.
Click to expand...

As a Celtics fan I certainly wasn't happy with how the draft went. However, I disagree with whichever website gave them that F grade. I gave them a C- myself. If we hadn't gotten Jaylen Brown I probably would have dropped us down to a D- but still not an F. I think we got our best players later in the draft if you ask me.

The only NBA ready player we drafted was Ben Bentil(#51st pick) out of Providence. He has the skills good enough to play right away but other than him the only other one I would give a shot is actually Jaylen Brown but he's got raw talent. I think he's still 2-3 years away from being a major contributor.

The Euro guys we drafted will continue to be just that for a couple of years at least. The rest of the draft picks are going to be D-League bound in my opinion. So, 2 drafted players at most will make the opening day roster for next season.

I think Ainge is going to sign one star/semi-star player though. It might not be a semi-star player(s) until 2017. Then, he can have even more CAP space money to spend & bring in two star players. We have $58 million in CAP space for 2016 but it will be around $80 million for 2017.

Unless we get a semi-star/star player to go with Thomas then next season we aren't going to be much better than this past season. We might even be a little worse due to having at least a couple of younger & unproven players on the roster from the draft.

However, the Hawks are going to be noticeably worse come 2017. Especially if Horford signs with another team. I think we make the playoffs for sure but we are not going to be near good enough for 2016 to make a run unless more happens. Looks like Ainge has 2017 on his mind to make this team an actual real contender. That's my opinion anyhow. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top