Draft Day

NBA Draft Recap

The NBA ushered in a new era of basketball as over 60 players have became a part of this private league. The talent was certainly there as teams could find practically anything they needed to take that next step as a franchise. We saw a record seven players drafted by one team in the Philadelphia 76ers. On the other hand, there were three teams without a selection, most notably, the Golden State Warriors. Today, I will recap the draft and give my analysis on a few rookies. 

Biggest surprise

Nik Stauskas going to Sacramento at number eight was the biggest surprise because they needed a big man. Noah Vonleh would have made more sense because of his ability to rebound and be a stretch big man next to Demarcus Cousins. Make no mistake, Stauskas is a good player and worthy of a lottery selection, but where are his minutes going to come from? The Kings already have players that are "shot happy" in Rudy Gay, Isaiah Thomas, and Ben McLemore. The Kings organization might be working on a possible trade to free up some minutes for Stauskas so we will just have to wait and see. The fact that they drafted him should indicate how they really feel about McLemore. After all, the 2013 draft was subpar. Anyway, Stauskas gives the Kings another shooter with slashing ability, instant offense, and a lot of swagger. His energy can serve as a way for them to gain momentum in games.

Biggest Jump

Elfrid Payton really gained some traction after he finished his junior season at Louisiana-Lafayette. He is a raw athlete at point guard with good height at 6'3. He struggles with a broken jump shot, but Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook are proof that you can develop a premier athlete's jumper. Now Payton is a good athlete, but he is not on Rose or Westbrook's level. Then again, who is? He was originally drafted at number 10 by Philadelphia, but we now know that he will be playing in Orlando. The reason why he had such a quantum leap was because of his overall upside. I thought he would go late in the lottery or at least somewhere in the first round, but he ultimately made his way to selection 10. Patience will be key with him on offense; however, on defense he is a bulldog and will fit in well next to Victor Oladipo.

Biggest Fall

One of my favorite players in this draft besides the aforementioned Payton is Cleanthony Early. He really flew under the radar in such a weak Missouri Valley Conference, but he was Wichita State's most consistent player. Against Kentucky, Early put on a special performance in a game that might go down as an ESPN Instant Classic. I thought the work he did all season along with his tournament run would have did enough to push him into the first round, but now I stand corrected. I think he fell into a good spot with the New York Knicks only IF Carmelo Anthony does not return to the blue and orange. Early will have to prove that he can play with the same skills he showed against Kentucky on a nightly basis. I think he will because of his array of moves as a slasher and decent shooting ability. His 6'8 frame will help him on the defensive end and he is an underrated athlete.

Most Ready Players

Jabari Parker played at a mature level for a freshman at Duke. He showed an array of moves as he can post defensive players, slashes to the basket, and showed an adequate jump shot. He is ready to step in and be the franchise player the Milwaukee Bucks so desperately need. The problem with Parker may lie with his lateral quickness to defend small forwards as well as his tendency to get complacent with his jumper. Do not be surprised when you see his ball handling ability on display. Doug McDermott is in the best position as a rookie lottery selection as he will not be asked to be the first, second, or third option on the Bulls. He will be asked to come off screens and do what he does best, which is shoot the ball. He can handle the ball and his length will help him on defense. If Mike Dunleavy and Kyle Korver can survive without athleticism, so too can McDermott. Noah Vonleh is also in a good position to succeed right away as a rookie. He can shoot the ball well as a stretch power forward, but can also do the dirty work inside. Playing alongside Al Jefferson will help him become a formidable professional and step in immediately as a starter for the Charlotte Hornets.

Steals

Kyle Anderson will be one of those typical young Spurs players that will disappear for a year or two then burst onto the scene and make you wonder who he is. Gregg Popovich is not too fond of playing rookies right away with the exception of the soft-spoken Kawhi Leonard. Anderson will eventually see the floor when Pop deems it okay. He can eventually be the predecessor to Boris Diaw and help steer the Spurs toward a new era. Anderson has a good feel for the game and does not allow defenders to play at a pace that could make it uncomfortable for him. TJ Warren may end up playing right away for the Suns or elsewhere depending on what Phoenix does this summer. He plays like an old school player as he is not very athletic and chooses to shoot 17 footers instead of three pointers. If he develops a three point shot, Warren can become a dynamic scorer in an already potent Suns offense. Remember, he was the ACC Player of the Year not the number two pick in Parker.

Most interesting Undrafted Rookies

Not everyone can be drafted, but that does not mean undrafted rookies cannot have an impact on a team's success. Travis Bader is an intriguing undrafted rookie because he broke JJ Reddick's record for three point field goals made in a career. Yes, he played against inferior talent at Oakland, but shooting is something that cannot be underestimated. If he learns to play some defense, he may work his way into the league as a designated shooter off the bench. DeAndre Kane had the talent and the productivity to be drafted in the second round, but his biggest downfalls were not having a consistent jumper and being an older player. Kane can be a big addition to a team that signs him because of his maturity and composure at point guard. Also, he has an uncanny ability to rebound well at his position and did I mention he is 6'4? Artem Kilmenko is a 7'1 center from Russia who lacks the athleticism to play in the NBA and is unproven against solid competition. He has great hands, good pick and roll footwork, and can run like a deer, but his lack of verticality is what holds him back. He is certainly worth a roster spot as a project as the payoff can be tremendous.

Biggest takeaway

The biggest takeaway I got from this draft was the overall depth. There were players like Cleanthony Early, Joe Harris, and KJ McDaniels with first round talent, but that is a result of many underclassmen forgoing their final years in college. A lot of these players were taken later or went undrafted, but I think they will have a chance to make a roster and have an impact. In due time, this will go down as one of the historic draft classes with potential stars at the front and back end of this class. The future certainly looks bright for the players, franchises, and the NBA.

Dynamite

Dynamic Game Changers

Lance Stephenson

Despite his lack of maturity and questionable antics, Stephenson's impact in a game is always felt. He has decent skills on offense as he averaged 14.8 points and 4.6 assists. The catch with him is making sure he is interested and on his best behavior. Early in the season, we saw an All-Star caliber player determined to prove his worth as he looks to garner a big contract. After the All-Star break, Stephenson pouted because he was not named an All-Star. His selfishness was felt as Indiana stumbled to a screeching halt by the Miami Heat. Questions have surfaced as to if "Born Ready" (Stephenson's nickname) is worthy of a big payday. Nevertheless, Stephenson was Indiana's second best player and even their best option at times. His offense comes and goes, but his energy and highlight reel plays can solely swing the momentum in his team's favor.

Nicolas Batum

Batum is often the forgotten man on the TrailBlazers because he does not put up gaudy numbers. He probably has the biggest scoring role to fill on this list because of Portland's less than stellar depth. He still does not have to score a lot as he plays alongside franchise cornerstones LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard. Batum does everything Portland needs him to do like rebounding, defending the other team's best player, run the offense, and score. His size, length, and speed really make him a matchup nightmare when he chooses to be aggressive. In an era where the small forward position is suddenly deep, Batum often gets overlooked.

Boris Diaw

Diaw is like a Swiss Army knife because of all of the qualities he possesses. This is a guy that looked like he was on his way out of the league two or three years ago. In the NBA Finals, Diaw looked like a rejuvenated player we used to see back in 2006 with the Phoenix Suns. When you look at him, he is not an imposing player. He is 6'9, but he is overweight, slow, old, undersized at his position, and lacks athleticism. This is a reminder that looks can be deceiving. Diaw has put on a passing display, imposed his will on defenders with his weight, and used his "speed" to score a few buckets here and there. Credit Tony Parker for being critical of his native Frenchman with telling him to be more aggressive.

Rajon Rondo

Rondo is the only franchise player on this list and it is completely absurd how much of an impact he has on a game without scoring much. It's absurd because the modern day point guard is expected to score 16 to 20 points on a daily basis. Not so fast, Rondo is not your modern point guard. He is a throwback player similar to Jason Kidd before he developed a consistent jumper. Rondo always looks to set his team up as a flamboyant distributor. Also, he rebounds, harasses offensive players, and is a one man show sprinting toward the breakaway rim in transition. We know that Rondo is always on triple double alert the problem with him is just getting the 10 points necessary. I believe his ACL tear was a blessing in disguise because he made more three pointers last season than in any other year. He went 26-90 in just 30 games. It's something to keep your eye on.

Joakim Noah

These last two years have indicated to me that Noah is indeed in his prime as a big man. He is now a Defensive Player of the Year award winner, 2 time All star, and a First Team All-NBA big man. It is an impressive resume, but when you watch the Bulls play you would probably wonder why. Noah's value comes through his passion, hustle, and energy. He receives nothing but high praise from coaches around the league. Noah is a rare stat sheet stuffer as an NBA big. He will grab his nightly double double and with a Derrick Rose-less Bulls team he is essentially their floor general as he averaged 5.4 assists per game. It will be interesting to see the offseason moves made by the John Paxson and Gar Forman. They are concerned with Derrick Rose, but they need to make sure they keep Joakim Noah in mind with their decisions.

Tony Allen

Numbers do lie whenever it concerns Trick-or-Treat Tony's impact in basketball games. Allen is an erratic shooter, but excels in the open court and makes good courts toward the basket. He can occasionally have nights where he rebounds like a big as well. Allen's paycheck is predicated on his defense. Even though he is undersized, he is still able to get up and under defenders at 6'4. His wingspan allows him to bother guys like Lebron James and Kevin Durant. Allen provides a much-needed spark to the Grizzlies when they need it at home because he is a fan favorite.

Feeling Melo

It’s a Melo Situation 

With the hiring of Phil Jackson as the president in March, it is clear the Knicks are on to a new era. However, it is a new era with the same concerns as before, which is whether Carmelo Anthony will sign a long-term deal or leave New York. It seems as if New York has no idea what they want to do because they have had little extension talks with Melo. Also, they never made any efforts to get significant pieces around him during the season. Knicks fans have to be concerned as to what direction the team will choose to go. The Knicks do not have a lottery pick in this year's draft so the chance to build toward the future is on hold. What does the Zen master have in mind? I will try to answer this complex question, but I am sure Phil has no idea what he wants to do.

If the Knicks sign Melo, they will stay squarely in a position to make the playoffs in a lackluster Eastern Conference. The Knicks want to pay Anthony, but still have spare change. In other words, they do not want to give him a max contract. Jackson will more than likely try to clear up more cap space by dumping Amare Stoudemire and Raymond Felton's contracts. Next, he will look for players that fit his triangle offense or have experience in it to help the transition flow smoothly. Lamar Odom should see significant playing time under rookie head coach Derek Fisher. That is of course if his skills are still there. If Jackson and Fisher struggle with implementing the triangle offense, the Knicks will run a more simplified offense predicated around Anthony's strengths. There are not many players that would seem to intrigue Jackson this offseason besides Jordan Hill and maybe Kyle Lowry. If Jackson learned anything under the late Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchak, it is to keep your possibilities to yourself. This means that you Knicks fans should be excited at a possible blockbuster deal. Cough Rajon Rondo cough.

The other option involves letting Anthony walk away and pressing the "reset" button. This would not be a bad idea considering the fact that it is a new regime with Jackson and Fisher at the helm. The problem is finding teams that will take on the contracts of not only Stoudemire and Felton, but also JR Smith and possibly Tyson Chandler. It is very unlikely to get rid of all of these players especially Smith. However, you have to start over somewhere. Getting rid of these players will clear the landscape and allow the Knicks to go after a superstar in next year's offseason or potentially select a player in next year's lottery. Knicks fans are not patient so I do not foresee the Knicks betting it all on some 19 year old. Jackson hardly played rookies as a coach so this route is very unlikely. With or without Melo, Jackson will look to build New York into a championship team overnight. He will clear out enough players to have the money to do so. When we least expect it, Jackson will pull the trigger and control basketball headlines. Heck, he already did so with signing Fisher as his head coach. Strap your seat belts because this ride is barely getting started.