It was a rather anticlimactic night, but during the draft, there were definitely some shockers that happened. It started out as expected, but as the night went on, some serious miscalculations by clubhouse administration ensued. Here is my take on each pick of the draft and whether or not the team got it right.

1. LA Clippers – Blake Griffin: Nothing needs to be said, the Clip show couldn’t even mess this up, they drafted the best player available. Griffin is a monster and once he gets out of that embarasing organization, he’ll make the all star team anually
2. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet: This will slowly phase Marc Gasol back to Spain, where he belongs, and in time, Thabeet will be a defensive presence. He’ll suffer big man foul trouble for the first three years of his career. I predict he’ll never have any offensive ability, just a big shot blocker and tough rebounder.
3. OK City – James Harden: This helps solidify the back court, now its clear that once Durant turns out to be dominant next year, Harden is smooth enough to complement him well in the backcourt, Westbrook will benefit from Harden’s distribution skills greatly.
4. Sacramento – Tyreke Evans: You can’t argue with this pick. I know Ricky Rubio has been blabbering about how he would fit great in Sacramento, but truth of the matter is when Rubio, Evans, and Jonny Flynn did a work out together at pre-draft camp, Evans was like a man amongst boys. He will bring a presence to Sac-town and be the only starting-caliber player on the roster.
5. Minnesota – Ricky Rubio: There is plenty to be noted about this pick, so much to talk about that I’ll have to post about it later. Just know now, that Minnesota made the right pick, they took the best player available in future all star Ricky Rubio.
6. Minnesota – Jonny Flynn: Ok, a little strange to take a second point guard. Jonny Flynn seems like more of a combo guard so maybe Minnesota wants to pair them in the back court??? Nah, too small. The only explanation that could hold water is perhaps Minnesota holds the Ace in their hands now (Rubio) and won’t give him up unless they get a great deal out of it.
7. Golden State – Stephen Curry: I don’t like this pick for many reasons. Golden State has a combo guard already in Monta Ellis, and Stephen Curry won’t translate well to the NBA. Yes, I know its Nelly Ball and he will have free reign to fire three’s in transition, but in the end, he’s a shooting guard thats too short and too light to play with other two’s in the league and there are already enough of those in the NBA that don’t play.
8. New York – Jordan Hill: Another questionable pick. Yes he’s an athletic Forward who can finish at the rim, but I think NY could have done better than this (the crowd at MSG let them know what they think). I think Brandon Jennings would have been a better pick, he would run that D’Antonni offense with such fluidity.
9. Toronto – DeMar DeRozan: I think he is one of the most overrated top prospects in the draft. I don’t think he won’t be a great talent, I just don’t think he was lottery material. He will be a project for Toronto, not great for those Canucks that want to keep Chris Bosh-ey?
10. Milwaukee – Brandon Jennings: In 3 years, people will wonder why this guy fell so far in the draft. After his experience playing with grown men overseas he learned that he has a lot of work to do, now he will prove to be a huge upgrade at the point guard position for Milwaukee. In a few years, this team could shape out pretty nicely.
11. New Jersey – Terrence Williams: He will replace Vince Carter and round out this young, strong core of players. In about 2 years Jersey will be a solid playoff team. Williams is a patient, smooth SG that will score the ball and distribute.
12. Charlotte – Gerald Henderson: This is another pick that people will be scratching their heads down the line wondering why he slipped so far. Charlotte would be wise to hold on to this guy. The last time they drafted a player by the name of Kobe Bryant at 13, they traded him for a big guy. Since then, one of those guys has 4 rings, the other isn’t in the league, and that franchise that was in Charlotte left town. Don’t make that same mistake again.
13. Indiana – Tyler Hansbrough: He was drafted right about where I thought he would land. Everyone thinks he isn’t lottery material because of his limitations but I think out of the gate, he is more NBA ready than any player drafted ahead of him. His body is more mature, he has refined post skills, and he can shoot a mid-range jumper well enough. He will give Indiana a solid 10-8 stat line everynight and be a reliable rotation player.
14. Phoenix – Earl Clark: With Phoenix opting to start the rebuilding process, this is a player that will add to a solid core of players over the next few years. It will be tough times in Phoenix for a few years, but in the end, this was the right pick for the direction they are going.
15. Detroit – Austin Daye: He brings some size and shooting to the team……wait…..6′11”, three point shooter……there already is this guy on the team and his name is Rasheed Wallace. Watch for Sheed to be traded soon.
16. Chicago – James Johnson: Another steal pick in my opinion. Johnson is a physical specimen that has great range and some nice moves around the basket. I think he will be a player that can play both the three and the four. He’s kinda like Tim Thomas, except he’ll care about his job.
17. Philadelphia – Jrue Holiday: This could be another hint that Philly likely won’t resign Andre Miller. Jrue has been playing out of position at UCLA because of Darren Collison, but don’t mistake it and think he is a combo guard. He is definitely a point guard and should fit nicely on that team.
18. Minnesota – Ty Lawson: Another perplexing pick. It made some sense when they traded this pick to Denver for next years number 1 pick but that leaves me with two problems. One, unless Denver finishes in the bottom two in the west, Minnesota will get a pick in the twenties, not improving their pick. Two, just waiting a year to pick up another player doesn’t gain you anything. Whether you picked him this year or next year he will eventually leave because playing for that franchise is so freaking depressing.
19. Atlanta – Jeff Teague: This pick is alright. After trading for Jamal Crawford earlier in the week, and now drafting Teague, the backcourt is filling up. Perhaps, Bibby has hinted to the front office he won’t resign, adding another nice veteran to this offseason free agent class. Teague won’t be a great point guard because he suffers from combo-guard-that-is-a-dime-a-dozen-itis.
20. Utah – Eric Maynor: Veteran Front Office, Veteran Coach, Veteran Franshice, that all equals, they know what they’re doing. They shored up the point guard positions now by taking an NBA ready, 4 year college point guard that is great at running an offense. He will turn heads and become a great back up for Deron Williams.
21. New Orleans – Darren Collison: This is a good pick for the same reason that Utah/Eric Maynor is a good pick. Solid back up point guard for CP3.
22. Portland – Victor Claver: We’ve hit the point in the draft where teams start taking “potential” rich international players that will probably never log a minute in the NBA regular season. Claver will stay overseas and maybe he’ll make a preseason roster in about three years.
23. Sacramento – Omri Casspi: Read pick 22 for my analysis of this pick.
24. Dallas – B.J. Mullens: He will be a solid back up center for some team in about three years. Dallas, for some reason, traded him for an international player that won’t play in the NBA.
25. OK City – Rodrigue Beaubois: Again, refer to pick 22 for analysis. Good job Dallas.
26. Chicago – Taj Gibson: Solid rotation player, long and athletic, adds to Chicagos plethora of skinny, undersized, athletic forwards.
27. Memphis – DeMarre Carroll: Another solid rotation player that can run the floor nicely and finish at the rim, down the road he can be a good compliment to Thabeet (if this franchise still exists).
28. Minnesota – Wayne Ellington: With good big men and fowards still on the board, Minnesota stayed true to their form and drafted a combo guard. Now to add to three undersized point guards (though one already was traded, and one probably won’t play there), the T-wolves added an undersized shooting guard. Minny really is going small in this draft, too small (get it?).
29. LA Lakers – Toney Douglas: This is a high value player, but the pick doesn’t make sense for them. That’s probably why they traded him. Even so, it doesn’t really matter who you draft, because that player probably isn’t playing on a team that just won a championship.
30. Cleveland – Christian Eyenga: Pick 22, refer.
31. Sacramento – Jeff Pendergraph: Solid big man pick for Sac-town. In a year or so, he will be a good rotation player in the paint.
32. Washington – Jermaine Taylor: They traded this pick to Houston, not sure what the thought process was with this pick.
33. Portland – Dante Cunningham: Nice pick, it will be hard to find minutes in this group of forwards on the team (Oden, Aldridge, Przybilla) but he’s good injury insurance (or foul trouble insurance……GREG!).
34. Denver – Sergio Llull: This pick was also traded to Houston. Strange pick, but we’ll see what happens. If you want a real analysis, refer to pick 22.
35. Detroit – Dejuan Summers: Nice forward pick up here. This is another team in transition and they will like this guy down the road.
36. Memphis – Sam Young: He dropped pretty far, but he will turn out to be a nice pick for Memphis. Memphis is slowly starting to look like a glorified college team, that’s almost good enough to compete at the NBA level.
37. San Antonio – DeJuan Blair: Wow. Words can’t even describe. San Antonio got a great player at number 37. He should have been a lottery pick. Amazing he fell this low. That franchise is the luckiest franchise. They just traded to get back into being contenders out West, now they get a great draft pick so late in the draft. Its strange how no matter what has happened, when the Spurs’ pick is announced everyone is almost dumbfounded at how brilliant the pick seems. Here is another example.
38. Portland – Jon Brockman: This pick was traded for Pendergraph. That gives portland another insurance policy at forward for injury or fouls (whichever is more prevelant……GREG!).
39. Detroit – Jonas Jerebko: Pick 22
40. Charlotte – Derrick Brown: Another high value that slipped to the second round. Charlotte will be please with this pick, it will take time, but he will be a reliable contributor.
41. Milwaukee – Jodie Meeks: Lights out shooter. Not as athletic, but he will be great off the bench. Solid pick for a franchise trying desperately to tread water.
42. LA Lakers – Patrick Beverly: This pick is traded to Miami, good for them, he wouldn’t have played in LA because they have enough point guards.
43. Miami – Marcus Thornton: Traded to Indiana for two futures picks. He wouldn’t have fit in Miami.
44. Detroit – Chase Budinger: Another pick that fell too far. Nice pick for Detroit, who seems to be stacking up on small forwards…..that seems to be the one position I thought they were set on going into draft night (Prince is young and a great three, doesn’t make sense).
45. Minnesota – Nick Calathes: Stay true to yourself I guess is Minnesota’s motto. Another combo guard. This guy ran the offense at Florida, he is basically a point guard. Wow….just….wow!
46. Cleveland – Danny Green: High Value, 2nd round steal, again. I always thought he had the most NBA talent of any of the players on the UNC roster this past year. He has a great NBA body, athleticism, shooting touch, defensive ability, he just needs to add some fluidity and some offensive pollish and he will be great. Cleveland got a steal here.
47. Minnesota – Henk Norel: Pick 22, oh yea, my esteemed colleague calls him the Flying Dutchman, you heard it at UndeReview first.
48. Phoenix – Taylor Griffin: Another washed up brother of a star in Phoenix. Maybe he’ll be alright, it’s tough to tell here. He is a project.
49. Atlanta – Sergiy Gladyr: Pick 22.
50. Utah – Goran Suton: They already have a big European guy that is too soft to play inside and shoots a lot of threes. Maybe he is the long term replacement to ‘Mehmo’ (Okur).
51. San Antonio – Jack McClinton: Here we go again with the Spurs making another plainly obvious pick that leaves us scratching our heads. San Antonio has never had a back up PG that can actually shoot the ball (Jacque Vaghn go work on your threes instead of driving). McClinton is a terrific shooter and can get his shot off quickly, basically Eddie House reincarnated. He will feed off the driving abilities of Ginobili and Parker and the interior presence of Tim Duncan. Another great pick up for the Spurs, they are my early front runners to win the title next year.
52. Indiana – A.J. Price: He is a solid player that could eventually make their rotation in a few years. He has to beat out Jarrett Jack who I think will be a great point guard in a few years.
53. San Antonio – Nando De Colo: With all the wows, the Spurs gave in an make us all refer back to pick 22.
54. Charlotte – Robert Vaden: Traded to OK City. Not a very well known player, could make the roster eventually.
55. Portland – Patrick Mills: He will be a good point guard on this team. When Steve Black eventually becomes old, he will step right in and make a smooth transition.
56. Dallas – Ahmad Nivins: 22
57. Phoenix – Emir Preldzic: 22
58. Boston – Lester Hudson: Maybe he’ll make the roster in a few years.
59. LA Lakers – Chinemelu Elonu: 22
60. Miami – Robert Dozier: Underachiever who hasn’t reached his potential. He will spend a few years overseas and perhaps down the road he will crack the Heat’s roster.

Related posts:

1. NBA Draft: More Thoughts
2. NBA Draft Diary – 2009
3. NBA Draft 2009: First Round Grades and Other Random Thoughts
4. NBA: Major Moves – Good or Bad?