2008 NBA Draft

[Zen653]

The draft begins tonight (6/26) at 7PM ET on ESPN and ESPN Radio. Already, we've seen a couple of big trades.

1. The Milwaukee Bucks traded 2007 1st round draft pick Yi Jianlin and Bobby Simmons to the New Jersey Nets for Richard Jefferson.

2. The Indiana Pacers traded Jermaine O'Neal to the Toronto Raptors for T.J Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, the 17th pick in tonight's draft, and a player to be named later.

My brief analysis: New Jersey wants to purge its larger contracts in an effort to lure LeBron James to Brooklyn in 2010. Jay-Z is part-owner of the Nets and a good friend of James. The deal also allows the Nets to get worse this year and next, which means a higher spot in the 2009 and 2010 NBA Drafts. Anything the Nets can get from Yi will be a bonus. Vince Carter won't last the year in the Jersey swamps.

I'm not sure what Indiana is thinking here. O'Neal, while hampered by injuries the last few years, can still play high level basketball. Even last year Bird could have fetched a lot more for Jermaine O'Neal than a backup PG (Ford), mediocre center (Nesterovic) and late first round draft pick in a weak draft. The Pacers don't even need Ford. Tinsley is their starting PG. From Toronto's perspective, this is a steal. O'Neal will enjoy a resurgence with the change in scenery, and won't have to bruise as much inside on a team that includes Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. The Raptors wanted to move Ford anyway because of the emergence of Jose Calderon as an All-Star caliber PG. Right now, this deal looks almost as lopsided as the Gasol trade.

[Zen653]

Some surprises in the first round:

1. Chicago Bulls - Derrick Rose, Memphis.
2. Miami Heat - Michael Beasley, Kansas State.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves - O.J Mayo, USC.
4. Seattle Supersonics - Russell Westbrook, UCLA.
5. Memphis Grizzlies - Kevin Love, UCLA.
6. New York Knicks - Danilo Gallinari, Italy.
7. Los Angeles Clippers - Eric Gordon, Indiana.
8. Milwaukee Bucks - Joe Alexander, West Virginia.
9. Charlotte Bobcats - D.J Augustin, Texas.
10. New Jersey Nets - Brook Lopez, Stanford.
11. Indiana Pacers (traded to Portland Trailblazers) - Jerryd Bayless, Arizona.
12. Sacramento Kings - Jason Thompson, Rider.
13. Portland Trailblazers (traded to Indiana Pacers) - Brandon Rush, Kansas.
14. Golden State Warriors - Anthony Randolph, LSU.
15. Phoenix Suns - Robin Lopez, Stanford.
16. Philadelphia 76ers - Marreese Speights, Florida.
17. Toronto Raptors (selecting for Indiana Pacers) - Roy Hibbert, Georgetown.
18. Washington Wizards - JaVale McGee. UNC.
19. Cleveland Cavaliers - J.J Hickson, NC State.
20. Charlotte Bobcats - Alexis Ajinca, France.
21. New Jersey Nets - Ryan Anderson, California.
22. Orlando Magic - Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky.
23. Utah Jazz - Kosta Koufos, Ohio State.
24. Seattle Sonics - Serge Ibaka, Congo.
25. Houston Rockets - Nicolas Batum, France.
26. San Antonio Spurs - George Hill, IUPUI.
27. Portland Trailblazers - Darell Arthur, Kansas.
28. Memphis Grizzlies - Donte Greene, Syracuse.
29. Detroit Pistons - PJ White, Indiana.
30. Boston Celtics - J.R Giddens, New Mexico.

Brook Lopez was taken about 5 selections later than expected. Jason Thompson and Robin Lopez were taken well ahead of where they were expected to be drafted. J.J Hickson, Courtney Lee, Serge Ibaka and George Hill were supposed to be second round draft picks. Kansas' Darell Arthur, apparently suffering from a kidney ailment, did not get selected until the 27th pick. He was supposed to be a borderline lottery selection. And why hasn't Mario Chalmers been drafted? NBAdraft.net had him going #15 to Phoenix.

I don't understand the Giddens pick by the Celtics. NBAdraft.net had him projected to go 58th, just two spots in front of where Boston would be picking again in the second round. Giddens apparently has a lot of mental problems and had a reputation for being disruptive at New Mexico. I probably would have drafted one of the foreign 7-footers and hope to find a diamond in the rough. Kendrick Perkins could use a good backup.

[Zen653]

Second Round Draft picks:

31. Minnesota Timberwolves - Nikola Pekovic, Serbia.
32. Seattle Supersonics - Walter Sharpe, Alabama-Birmingham.
33. Portland Trailblazers - Joey Dorsey, Memphis.
34. Minnesota Timberwolves - Mario Chalmers, Kansas.
35. Los Angeles Clippers - DeAndre Jordan, Texas A&M.
36. Portland Trailblazers - Omer Asik, Turkey.
37. Milwaukee Bucks - Luc Mbah a Moute, UCLA.
38. Charlotte Bobcats - Kyle Weaver, Washington State.
39. Chicago Bulls - Sonny Weems, Arkansas.
40. New Jersey Nets - Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis.
41. Indiana Pacers - Nathan Jawai, Australia.
42. Sacramento Kings - Sean Singletary, Virginia.
43. Sacramento Kings - Patrick Ewing Jr., Georgetown.
44. Utah Jazz - Ante Tomic, Croatia.
45. San Antonio Spurs - Goran Dragic, Slovenia.
46. Seattle Supersonics - Trent Plaisted, BYU.
47. Washington Wizards - Bill Walker, Kansas State.
48. Phoenix Suns - Malik Hairston, Oregon.
49. Golden State Warriors - Richard Hendrix, Alabama.
50. Seattle Supersonics - DeVon Hardin, California.
51. Dallas Mavericks - Shan Foster, Vanderbilt.
52. Miami Heat - Darnell Jackson, Kansas.
53. Utah Jazz - Tadija Dragicevic, Serbia.
54. Houston Rockets - Maarty Leunen, Oregon.
55. Portland Trailblazers - Mike Taylor, Idaho NBDL.
56. Seattle Supersonics - Sasha Kaun, Kansas.
57. San Antonio Spurs - James Gist, Maryland.
58. Los Angeles Lakers - Joe Crawford, Kentucky.
59. Detroit Pistons - Deron Washington, Virginia Tech.
60. Boston Celtics - Semih Erden, Turkey.

Three more trades to report:

1. Minnesota trades the draft rights of Mario Chalmers to Miami for two future 2nd round draft picks and cash considerations.

2. Washington trades the draft rights of Bill Walker to the Boston Celtics for cash considerations.

3. Portland trades the draft rights of Mike Taylor to the Los Angeles Clippers for a future second round draft pick and cash considerations.

[djwhokid]

The Pacers don't even need Ford. Tinsley is their starting PG.

Give me a break. Ya, that ought to make Pacers fan feel good.

O'Neal, while hampered by injuries the last few years, can still play high level basketball.

He has been on the decline the past three years.

Right now, this deal looks almost as lopsided as the Gasol trade.

You are overrating O'Neal. The reality is, his value has really fallen the past year and is about the same worth as T.J Ford.

It is a good deal for the Pacers because they are rebuilding. TJ Ford is only 25. They also got Brandon Rush, Jarrett Jack, Roy Hibbert and Josh McRoberts.... all young players.

The Pacers need to get young. Having vets like O'Neal and Tinsley didn't get the job done... They couldn't even make the playoffs.. time to move on.

[djwhokid]

Best draft:

Houston Rockets:

Donte Green is a Rashard Lewis clone. He should be the missing link the Rockets need to compliment T-Mac and Yao Ming.

Joey Dorsey is nice. A bigger body than Chuck Hayes although I don't know how much more offense he brings.

New Jersey Nets:

Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, Chris-Douglas Roberts

It didn't really work out with Kidd-Carter-Jefferson so they are going young. I like the new direction. If they sign LeBron James... whooo!

Indiana Pacers:

Like the Nets, they needed to get younger. Getting Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert is a good start.

They also added Jarrett Jack and T.J. Ford.

Again, the Pacers were a veteran team that didn't even make the playoffs in a weak Eastern Conference.... They had to get younger and did.