2009 NBA Draft Winners and Losers

Some teams helped themselves. Others did not. Most stayed the same. In a draft like this, it's tough to determine the winners and the losers, but here we go:

Winners

Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets' only addition on draft night came via trade when they acquired Ty Lawson from the Timberwolves. Lawson gives them a reliable backup point guard to Chauncey Billups, which would be a big boost for the Nuggets. He is ultra-quick and pushes the tempo, a nice fit for this explosive Denver offense, and he can learn from one of the best veteran point guards in the game. Lawson can get other guys the ball in transition and keep turnovers at a minimum. He's one of the rare guys in this draft outside the top few picks that can help his team immediately.

Los Angeles Clippers
This was the easiest draft in team history for the Clips. Take Blake Griffin number 1 and everybody can go home. Their only pick was the clear top choice in the draft. The tough thing for the Clippers is going to be deciding who to build their franchise around and how to trade Zach Randolph and either Marcus Camby or Chris Kaman to find sufficient playing time for their new star.

Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks selected Brandon Jennings with the 10th overall pick. Jennings has amazing talent and highlight reel skills, but he struggled in his one year of international ball and has real difficulty hitting jump shots. However, in a draft like this, you might as well swing for the fences. With the number of sure things scarce (maybe just 1), having a high-upside guy pan out could put you well ahead in the game. Jennings has the talent of a top 3 pick in this draft, and if he doesn't work out the Bucks can still have Ramon Sessions run the point (if they choose to re-sign him). I think Milwaukee got a steal in their second round pick, 41st overall in Jodie Meeks. The shooting guard from Kentucky was a big-time scorer in college, even dropping a mind boggling 54 in a game this past season (and that's not even the only time he's scored at least 45 in a college game). While a tad undersized for the 2, and not a prime athlete, Meeks can still score at this level and can knock down the 3-ball (he hit 10 of them in his 54 point game). Meeks can be instant offense off the bench, like a poor man's Ben Gordon or Jason Terry. I was upset the Lakers weren't able to take him with the very next pick.

Oklahoma City Thunder
I was already intrigued by this team because of their crop of young talent, including one of my 3 favorite players in the league, Kevin Durant. I would have been even more enamored with them had they taken Ricky Rubio with the 3rd overall pick. I still firmly believe that Rubio would have been the proper selection. I just don't see how you can pass up a talent like him. He's got all the tools to become the best passing point guard in the NBA for the next 15 years. Wouldn't you want someone like that getting easy shots for Kevin Durant, a guy who can lead the league in scoring for that same stretch? I would. But I understand why they didn't do it. They took Russell Westbrook high last year, and are committed to making him their point guard of the future. While Westbrook isn't a natural point guard, he did show proficiency at the position as a rookie, and can develop into a better distributor over the years (hopefully). With that being said, James Harden was a solid pick at #3. He's one of the safest bets in this draft, and that's a real asset in such a weak class. He fits right in at the 2 and was a proven scorer in college. Harden has great size, polished skills, a smooth jumper, and the ability to drive the ball to the basket. He can spread the floor for the Thunder and provide them with a reliable second scoring option. I think getting B.J. Mullens as late as 25th is great value. The Thunder need a center, particularly a defensive one, and the 7-1 Mullens can develop into just that. Mullens didn't have a great freshman year in college, but he's another prospect with intriguing upside. I think getting someone who can fill a need long term this late in the first round of a weak draft is smart. If he doesn't pan out, they didn't waste a high pick on him. Good move by the Thunder.

Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers needed a point guard to replace aging free agent Andre Miller and they found a potentially great one in Jrue Holiday at 17th overall. Holiday was highly recruited coming out of high school, but struggled mightily playing out of position in his freshman year. Still though, he's a top 5 talent in this draft with his upside and I am extremely surprised he fell out of the lottery. He's got great size and athleticism for a point guard and the Sixers were delivered a gift this late in the first round.

Phoenix Suns
This is pending a possible trade looming next week, but if it happens the Suns will have a great jump on rebuilding their team. In the draft, they got Earl Clark with the last lottery pick. Like so many in this draft, Clark has a ton of upside and can be one of the best players from this draft class down the road. He's an extremely versatile forward who can do just about anything on a basketball court with great size and length who at times looked like a bonafide superstar in college, but frustratingly disappeared quite often as well (Sound familiar? Lamar Odom anyone?). I think a guy with versatility like that is a great fit in the Suns' frontcourt with the system they run. With Grant Hill as a mentor in Phoenix, he has a chance to be a unique talent in this league for years to come. The rumored potential trade has to have Suns fans salivating, even though their team is being gutted. After trading away Shaq for Ben Wallace's corpse, the Suns are now looking to unload a grumpy Amar'e Stoudamire. Reports have a deal in place that sends Stoudamire to the Warriors for Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli, and the 7th overall pick Stephen Curry. There can be no better value for Stoudamire. Curry was my favorite college player to watch over the last 2 years and I think he can flat out score no matter what. In a system like Phoenix's, his ceiling is lofty. I think he's another Ben Gordon or Jason Terry with his range and confidence. Biedrins is a defensive center who can rebound everything that comes off the boards and runs the floor well. Wright is another versatile, athletic forward who's a good fit and Belinelli can flat out shoot the basketball from deep. If the Suns could just find a young passing point guard to replace Steve Nash, they would have reloaded quicker and better than any team in recent memory. I hear Rajon Rondo is available.

San Antonio Spurs
Once again, we see what a first class organization the Spurs are. Despite not having any first round picks, San Antonio was able to maximize the value of their selections and get guys who can help them contend right now, an important thing with their window of opportunity closing fast. The Spurs pounced on DaJuan Blair, who somehow slipped to 37th overall. After trading away Kurt Thomas, San Antonio's front line was really thin, and they needed another inside presence to rebound, play tough D, and help out Tim Duncan. Blair can do just that coming off their bench. The Spurs have always had trouble coming up with points off the bench. Jack McClinton can help them in a big way there. People call him a reincarnation of Eddie House, meaning he can light you up for 20 points on any given night. He spreads the floor well and gives them basically what Michael Finley has been giving them, only with a much smaller price tag. They've already hit a home run with one French point guard. Why not go for back to back? Nando De Colo is an interesting prospect whom the Spurs can leave in Europe to develop until they need him.

Washington Wizards
In all honesty, there was not a whole lot of help to be had. That's why I think the Wizards made a great deal trading their number 5 pick for a couple very solid players who can help them right away in Mike Miller and Randy Foye. Miller is a world class shooter who can also rebound and get shots for his teammates. Foye is a young combo guard who can pass and shoot it well. He'll be an asset coming off the Washington bench. If Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood are healthy, the Wizards may have instantly upgraded their team to the top 4 in the East this year.

Losers

Blake Griffin
Sure he was the number one overall pick and clearly the best player in this year's draft. But he's going to the Clippers. THE CLIPPERS!!!! I'm truly sorry Blake. If you don't think that means anything, read this Bill Simmons column.

Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs don't just want to win right now, they NEED to win right now to keep LeBron James from skipping away next summer. They're kidding themselves if they think the Shaq trade is enough. Although he is a major upgrade, I still see the Celtics with a healthy Kevin Garnett as the team to beat in the East. And the Magic countered Cleveland's move by bringing in Vince Carter for basically only Courtney Lee, once again pushing them past the Cavs. Cleveland needed to help themselves on draft night and they failed miserably. With the last pick in the first round they took Christian Eyenga, a foreign prospect who will be useless for at least a couple years. Instead they could have solidified their front line by adding DaJuan Blair, DaJuan Summers, or Sam Young; guys who could step in and contribute immediately.

Minnesota Timberwolves
This could have been their greatest draft since they picked up Kevin Garnett. By some miracle Ricky Rubio dropped to number 5 and the T'Wolves had their ultimate point guard of the future. Better yet, they had the VERY NEXT PICK, and guess who was still on the board. That's right...Stephen Curry. They Wolves could have had two of the three most exciting players in the draft, the best passing point guard anyone's seen in a long time, a knock down shooter who could go off for 40 on any given night, and the best rookie backcourt maybe in the history of the NBA. So who do they take with the sixth pick? That's right...Jonny Flynn. Wait...WHAAAAT!?!?!?? Yeah, that was pretty much most people's reaction. It's not that Flynn is a bad player, in fact he's quite good. It's just that Flynn plays the EXACT SAME POSITION AS RUBIO!!!! Why would you spend two top 6 draft picks on the same postion?? I don't know either. It's not even like one can move to the 2 guard either. Although Rubio is 6-5, he's a born passer, weighs only like 180 pounds, and he's nowhere near athletic enough to guard NBA shooting guards. (Besides, he looks like a Jonas brother. Can you imagine what Kobe Bryant would do playing against a Jonas brother??? What? It's true. He does.) Flynn is more of a scoring guard but he's listed 6-1 and is probably closer to 5-11. I see no possible scenario in which those two could play together in the same backcourt. None. There has to be a trade coming. Only Timberwolves GM David Kahn (not to be mistaken with Khan which is a much better name) insists on keeping both and playing them at the same time. Calling this a mistake would be putting it lightly, and it seems that Team Rubio feels the same. Just yesterday, Rubio's father told a Spanish media outlet that his phenom son is prepared to stay in Europe for another or maybe even 2 years. Looks like the T'Wolves have to deal at least one of them. They may have squandered an opportunity to field a tremendous tandem in their backcourt.

Sacramento Kings
The Kings came into this draft desperately needing a point guard. As it turned out, paying Beno Udrih that ridiculous salary WAS a waste of money. Whodathunkit? And with the Thunder passing on Ricky Rubio, the Kings had the perfect point guard to build around fall into their laps. Then they drafted Tyreke Evans 4th overall. Again, it's not that Evans is a bad player. He's terrific and definitely deserves to go in the top 4. But Rubio is a once-in-a-generation type of player, and he is exactly what the Kings needed. Plus, Evans is a shooting guard, not a point. And the last time I checked the Kings employed one of the best scorers in the NBA, Kevin Martin, as their starting 2 guard. Why would you waste time trying to convert Evans into a point (which is impossible because this guy is a pure scorer who domiantes the ball) when an incredible lead guard was sitting right there?? I cannot believe it. But this is what the Kings have become. Perhaps you are sensing a common theme here? Don't Pass On Ricky Rubio. I just love that name. Ricky Rubio. At least the Kings got Spencer Hawes a best friend by drafting Jon Brockman, a vastly undersized and unathletic power forward who's only good for rebounding, something that you need size or athleticism to do in the NBA.

The 2009 NBA draft may have been a tad weak, but it was interesting nonetheless. What's even more interesting is all the big trades that have gone down in the days leading up to said draft. Richard Jefferson to the Spurs, Jamal Crawford to the Hawks, Shaq to the Cavs, Vince Carter to the Magic, and this Amar'e Stoudamire deal looming. The Clippers have to trade one or two of their prominent big men, and the Hornets are still shopping Tyson Chandler, while the Celtics are looking to unload Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. This offseason promises to be full of intrigue. Thank goodness for that (just for the sake of this blog).