2007 NBA Draft Special – 30 Team Evaluation
by Guichard Cadet
Wrap-up of 2007 Playoffs: My pick of a Detroit/Dallas NBA Finals fell short early because the Mavericks faced a team equipped to exploit their key weakness – man-to-man defense.
This is a very long read because it covers all 30 NBA teams, specifying their needs and trade possibilities. I also included a list of players slated as potential lottery picks, and the team that might select them.
#1.
I would pick Kevin Durant then stop all the trade rumors surrounding Zack Randolph. If they do take Oden while not being able to trade
Picks: 1, 37, 42, 52, 53
Needs: SF, PG
Trade Possibilities: Sit tight because after this year, all the young players’ contracts come up as “team options”. Trade all the second rounder picks for cash, unless you can get a PG with size at #37.
#2.
Picks: 2, 31, 35
Needs: Coach
Trade Possibilities: Move Ray Allen to quicken a rebuild, especially if arena situation is not resolved and the franchise plans to relocate.
#3.
Make a pitch for
If they opt not make a major trade, do not draft a PG with #3. Use the #3 pick to draft a big man that way they could move any of the other big men with the #11 pick for a veteran or up-and-coming PG.
Al Horford has the best back-to-the basket game of the big men, but I wonder about his size and handle, whether he can consistently get and hold his position.
Use the #11 pick on Acie Law.
Picks: 3, 11
Needs: PG
Trade Possibilities: Joe Johnson and Josh Smith are the only keepers. They cannot afford to simply use both picks and miss the playoffs again.
#4.
The Grizzlies should draft the best shooting SG on the board. The player should come from a major conference or garnered notoriety for scoring, if from a mid-major. Take this track and do not trade Gasol. Players to watch: Arron Afflalo or Nick Young.
If they plan to trade Gasol or just decide to pick a big. Players to watch: Joakim Noah.
Picks: 4
Needs: C, SF, SG
Trade Possibilities: Stay put until mid-season because they have great youth in Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry and Hakim Warrick.
#5.
The only risk to
The Celtics cannot risk trading all the youngsters because Danny Ainge and
Draft Jeff Green, Julian Wright or Derrick Byars.
Picks: 5, 32
Needs: SF, SG
Trade Possibilities: Do not trade Al Jefferson, Gerald Green and Rajon Rondo, with Ryan Gomes getting an honorable mention.
#6.
Bite the bullet, and pickup the team option on Brian Skinner. Let Ruben Patterson and Earl Boykins walk. Split the MLE between Maurice Williams and Charlie Bell.
Draft: Joakim Noah, Jeff Green, Derrick Byars
Picks: 6, 56
Needs: PF, SF, PG
Trade Possibilities: Make no moves that will hurt the salary cap situation.
#7.
Use the next two years to compete for a championship with a veteran squad. If it fails, the TWolves will be under the cap in 2009.
Draft: Jeff Green, Derrick Byars, Al Thornton, Mike Conley Jr., Acie Law
Picks: 7, 41
Needs: SF, PG
Trade Possibilities: Make a solid move for a bona fide perimeter scorer that will not affect the salary cap situation beyond 2009.
#8.
Patience has paid off for the Bobcats, and they seem poised to continue on this path, as shown by the recent hire of rookie coach, Sam Vincent.
They need a SG who can put the ball on the floor, and very capable of hitting the jumper. If Wallace decides not to stay, sign Rashard Lewis.
Draft: Nick Young, Arron Afflalo, Jeff Green, Julian Wright, Derrick Byars
Picks: 8, 22
Needs: SG, SF
Trade Possibilities: Rashard Lewis, or Jason Richardson.
#9.
This coming year
Draft: Spencer Hawes, Nick Fazekas
Picks: 9, 49, 51
Needs: C, PG, SG
Trade Possibilities: Ben Wallace for a PF/C with a post presence.
#10.
The Kings have decent talent at every position, so it is either a team (player) chemistry or a coaching issue. They can gamble on a player who does not have to contribute right away.
Draft: Brandan Wright, Yi Jianlian
Picks: 10
Needs: C, PG
Trade Possibilities: Ron Artest. Mike Bibby.
#12.
The key to success for
Draft: Best PF (or player available). Or, draft for need – Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo
Picks: 12, 21, 30, 38
Needs: PF, SG
Trade Possibilities: Make no trades.
#13.
Draft: SF or best shooter available in case injuries hit again – Morris Almond, or Derrick Byars.
Picks: 13, 43
Needs: SF
Trade Possibilities: Make no trades.
#14.
If they get the #9 pick, draft Joakim Noah or Sean Williams from
With the #14 pick, draft whichever of these PGs is still on the board: Acie Law, Mike Conley, Jr., or Jarvis Crittendon.
Picks: 14, 45
Needs: C/PF, PG
Trade Possibilities: Chris Kaman.
#15. Pistons: There is a discipline issue in the locker room. I am not talking about Rasheed Wallace’s on-court tirades, but specifically the overconfidence that plagued the Pistons after going up 3-0 on the Chicago Bulls during these past playoffs. From that point, the Pistons lacked focus, and eventually lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Look for the Pistons to re-sign Chauncey Billups unless a team like
As for the draft, this is simply a case of the rich getting richer. I would not be surprised if
Picks: 15, 27, 57
Needs: SG, PG
Trade Possibilities: Rasheed Wallace. Nazr Mohammed.
#16. Wizards: Eddie Jordan is some coach because when you look at the Wizards roster it is hard to fathom how they have made the playoffs for three consecutive years. This is the year
Antawn Jamison is the bait, and the hope is that he can bring back a big man who plays defense and would not wreck the salary cap. A trade along the lines of Jamison for Drew Gooden, Aleksandar (Sasha) Pavlovic, and Donyell Marshall could fit both teams’ needs.
Make a lateral move of either Ethan Thomas or Brendan Haywood for Nazr Mohammed.
Re-sign Andray Blatch.
Picks: 16, 47
Needs: SG, PG
Trade Possibilities: Antawn Jamison. Ethan Thomas or Brendan Haywood
#17. Nets: The rumors state
It does not make sense to lock themselves in to at least three more years of Carter’s salary, with trading Richard Jefferson (with a pick or young player) as the only way to improve the team.
Recommendation: Practice patience until 2009 when Jason Kidd’s salary come off the books, or trade both Kidd and Carter to expedite the rebuild process.
Picks: 17
Needs: SG, PG
Trade Possibilities: Vince Carter. Jason Kidd.
#18. Warriors: The stunning five-game knockout of the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs means the Warriors can no longer hide behind their underdog status. Since trading for Baron Davis, GSW has had been plagued by the injury bug or a bad coaching fit.
If they made no moves, the Warriors will most likely make the playoffs as a
Re-sign Matt Barnes and Kelenna Azubuike.
Picks: 18, 36, 46
Needs: SF, and clear some cap space.
Trade Possibilities: Jason Richardson.
#19. Lakers: The Lakers had a problem even before Kobe Bryant requested a trade. They only have one player who consistently looked for his shot: Bryant. At times, Smush Parker provided a scoring burst but he and head coach, Phil Jackson had a falling out right before the playoffs started.
First, Lakers cannot trade Kobe Bryant because it makes no sense. It might cost them much more when they take on the salary of another max-contract player. If they trade him, they risk being a lottery team for many years, much like the Chicago Bulls when they decided to let Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen walk.
Offer
Do not ship out Andrew Bynum along with Odom in the reported
Re-sign Chris Mihm and Luke Walton.
Use all three draft picks to get the best scorers available, primarily at SF and SG.
Picks: 19, 40, 48
Needs: SF, SG.
Trade Possibilities: Lamar Odom.
#20. Heat: Will Shaquille O’Neal be motivated after getting knocked out in the first round? Will Dwyane Wade fully recover from his shoulder injuries? If the answer to these questions are yes, then the Heat will again contend for the Eastern Conference Championship.
Alonzo Mourning is considering retirement, but his absence will only mean playing time for Wayne Simien.
Re-sign Jason Kapono and James Posey.
Picks: 20, 39
Needs: PG, SG.
Trade Possibilities: Make no trades.
#23. Knicks: Another off-season and the Knicks are still in salary cap hell, with 4 combination Point-Shooting guards. They can simply wait two more years when they will fall below the salary cap, provided they do not sign any new players, offer contracts to the three players (Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, and David Lee) drafted in 2005, or the players with options (Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford, Quentin Richardson and Jerome James) opt out their current deals.
All three of these scenarios are far-fetched unless James Dolan sells the team or fire Isiah Thomas. At the same time, the Knicks should remain patient and try to build from within, while keeping an eye at the salary cap.
Picks: 23
Needs: PF, SG.
Trade Possibilities: Steve Francis. Malik Rose. Nate Robinson.
#24. Suns: The Suns win too many games to concern themselves with dumping salary, particularly Shawn Marion’s contract. Though the rumors have them pursuing Kevin Garnett, they should focus on consolidating Boris Diaw and Marcus Banks’ contracts in a trade for another outside shooter and a big man with defensive intensity.
Picks: 24, 29, 59
Needs: PF, SG.
Trade Possibilities: Shawn Marion. Kurt Thomas. Boris Diaw. Marcus Banks.
#25. Jazz:
Picks: 25, 55
Needs: SG.
Trade Possibilities: Andrei Kirilenko.
#26. Rockets: The Rockets fired Jeff Van Gundy, and replaced him with Rick Adelman. They are hoping to rev up an offense that stalled in a first round loss to the Utah Jazz.
The first move since the hire, a trade of Juwan Howard for Mike James, indicates a greater focus on perimeter scoring and point guard play. With Bonzi Wells accepting the option to stay another year and reunite with his former coach, I would not be surprised to see Shane Battier (with Rafer Alston) traded to acquire another defensive big man, unless
Re-sign Dikembe Mutombo
Picks: 26
Needs: PF, SF.
Trade Possibilities: Shane Battier. Rafer Alston.
#28. Spurs: The Spurs are coming off another championship season, and only need to address bench depth at the perimeter positions.
New contracts for Fabricio Oberto and Bruce Bowen.
Picks: 28, 33, 58
Needs: PG, SG, SF.
Trade Possibilities: None.
#34.
Having shuffled their lineup to hide Erick Dampier’s defensive deficiencies, can
The Mavericks play great team defense but suffer greatly when faced with teams or players who run an offense based on isolation.
Offer Dampier for Andres Nocioni, or Larry Huges (if they do not re-sign Stackhouse).
Picks: 34, 50, 60
Needs: SG.
Trade Possibilities: Erick Dampier. Jerry Stackhouse (sign and trade).
#44.
This is just my guess, but I am quite curious as to what happened to make him change his mind. Either way, Stan Van Gundy steps in to pretty much the same situation he inherited in
The Magic have a puncher’s chance to make the playoffs for the second year in a row. They also have a chance to land Rashard Lewis, trade for Paul Pierce, or even Kobe Bryant. As long as, they have Dwight Howard as the "big man building block", perimeter scorers will make the trip to the Magic’s kingdom.
Concerns: Will Darko accept the Qualifying Offer?
Picks: 44, 54
Needs: SG.
Trade Possibilities: Expiring Contracts to land a scorer: Carlos Arroyo, Pat Garrity, Keyon Dooling
Teams without a pick
Since they experienced success these past playoffs, making it all the way to the NBA Finals, this is the perfect time to revamp the roster. They do not have a particular need at anyone position but could stand to upgrade at PG and PF.
Trade Possibilities: Drew Gooden. Donyell
Trade Possibilities: Make no moves until Kenyon Martin returns from injury.
Trade Possibilities: Jermaine O’Neal if the other team sends a shorter contract with a top-flight young player or lottery pick.
The team just needs to add an interior defender – a role Jamal Magloire can fill if he is willing to accept the MLE.
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