Monday Thoughts

Sorry for the lack of posts around these parts recently. I have been depressed since the Magic lost the NBA finals. No, I don't particularly like the Magic. And I like Lamar Odom, so it's not a total loss. I just had to come to terms with the end of the season.

Thankfully, there was the draft. And it was good.

Here's a quick Monday recap of the draft after a weekend to fully digest it.

PICKS I LIKED

James Harden - Oklahoma City (#3)
I don't really have to reiterate this, but screw it. James Harden is perfect for the Thunder. He can score, he can facilitate, he can defend. And the beard.

Brandon Jennings - Milwaukee (#10)
He is going to be good. Seriously, with V-Nuv, Ramon Sessions, Amir, and Jennings, the Bucks are must-watch basketball. And we care that he came late to the draft?

Jrue Holiday - Philadelphia (#17)
I don't understand any hostility towards this pick. Mock drafts don't accomplish much, and you can't take Chad Ford too seriously, but the dude was definitely in the lottery. I think he's going to be a terrific player even if he doesn't reach his potential. Knock his college stats, but he played off the ball significantly at UCLA. For a team that needed a long term solution at the point and already has Louis Williams coming off the bench, grabbing Holiday at 17 is a coup.

Jeff Teague - Atlanta (#19)
Imagine a Teague-Crawford backcourt off the bench. Yeah, you also like this pick.

Eric Maynor - Utah (#20)
Duke-VCU. Need I say more?

PICKS I DISLIKED

Surprisingly, I don't have much to say here. Weak draft? I guess. Hansbrough? Let's see what he can do before we knock the pick. The TimberLOLves (Trey wins, yet again)? They aren't done yet. Mullens? At the end of the first round, the upside is worth it.

And now, the long summer begins. Summer league, trades, endless speculating, endless waiting. But after the Shaq and Carter trades, and a draft full of storylines, it's time to get excited.

Meet Your Takers

Blake Griffin: The Clippers? THE CLIPPERS? You have got to be freaking kidding me! I mean, at least the Grizzlies have O.J. Mayo. I'm doomed.

[Phone rings]

Who could that be?

Hello?


Zach Randolph: Hello? Is this Blake Griffin?

Blake Griffin: Yes, this is he.

Zach Randolph: Hey Blake, it's me, Zachary Randolph. I just wanted to check in with you and see how you were feeling. Big night for you, sir.

Blake Griffin: Yeah, I guess. Can you tell me a bit about the Clippers?

Zach Randolph: Oh, Blake. The Clippers are quite splendid. You are going to love it here.

Blake Griffin: Really? I, uh, wasn't expecting you to say that.

Zach Randolph: Nah, we just have a bad reputation. It's great. Really great.

Blake Griffin: How are the other guys on the team?

Zach Randolph: They're awesome. Chris Kaman is my bud. He's hilarious. And this one time, me and Baron stayed up until 10 PM playing Mario. 10 PM! And Marcus Camby is always doing jumping jacks. Oh, and Eric Gordon. He's a peach.

Blake Griffin: And Coach Dunleavy?

Zach Randolph: Coach Dunleavy is the best person I've ever known. He's kind, snuggly, and the best tactician this side of Napoleon.

Blake Griffin: Wow, that sounds great. I'm excited. I can't wait to meet you guys.

Zach Randolph: And we can't wait to meet you.

Blake Griffin: Thanks, Zach. Take care.

Zach Randolph: Take care, bud.

[Hangs up the phone]

Blake Griffin: Wow, I was not expecting the conversation to go like that. Maybe it's not so bad after all.

Somewhere in California...

Mike Dunleavy: *releases Randolph from chokehold* Good job, Zach.

Zach Randolph: YO COACH WHAT WAS THAT YOU CANT TREAT ME LIKE THAT IM YO FRANCHISE IM YO FRANCHISE THAT WAS STRAIGHT UP WEAK IM GULLY IM A GROWN MAN YOU CANT TREAT ME LIKE THAT.

Mike Dunleavy: *elbows Randolph in the chest* Shut up, punk.

Totally Awesome NBA Draft Lottery Preview!

It's time for the NBA Draft Lottery again, folks. That means hope for some and heartbreak for others. And there is glory for the strong.

But you might not know what to expect. It is a confusing night. Well, I will tell you what to think. Here is a rundown of the highs and lows of this epic event.

TEAM THAT I WANT TO GET THE FIRST PICK: Sacramento Kings
This is for you, Ziller. Also, presuming that Shock & Hawes are firmly entrenched already, it is unlikely that Blake Griffin is selected by the Kings. Ricky Rubio must come to Sacramento. He seems like the perfect complement to Kevin Martin in the backcourt, and his playmaking will set up Thompson and Hawes with easy shots. Plus, no one wants to see Beno Udrih start. Unless you are Beno Udrih.

ANOTHER TEAM THAT WOULD BE COOL WITH ME IF THEY GOT THE FIRST PICK: Oklahoma City Thunder
Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin. Dominance. I wish Patrick Patterson was still in the draft. He would be perfect for OKC.

TEAM THAT SHOULD NOT GET THE FIRST PICK: Los Angeles Clippers
Sorry, Arnovitz and ClipperSteve. I can't. I just can't.

TEAM WITH A COOL LOTTERY REPRESENTATIVE: Charlotte Bobcats
D.J. Augustin is representing the Bobcats. He had a great rookie season, considering the draft pick was canned with Brook Lopez still on the board. Dude offered a 14.95 PER this season. Larry Brown used him effectively, and I like that he is getting the credit he deserves.

TEAM WITH AN UNCOOL REPRESENTATIVE: Minnesota Timberwolves
I have already expressed my distaste for Kevin Love. Why not send Al Jefferson? He's the franchise player, he's actually good, and he isn't just a gimmick who can rebound. Maybe they want him to throw outlet passes with the ping pong balls. Or send Craig Smith. Why? Because Craig Smith is awesome, that's why.

TEAM THAT I AM AMBIVALENT ABOUT: Milwaukee Bucks
I've been to Milwaukee. It's nice. Quiet, but nice. I wish them no harm.

PRELIMINARY DRAFT ANALYSIS

PLAYER THAT I LIKE AROUND THE FIFTH PICK: James Harden
Harden probably won't be a star, but he is a great shooter and facilitator. He propelled the Arizona State offense as a shooting guard, and would be a solid option next to a non-traditional point guard because of his excellent passing. He would be a great fit in OKC, provided they do not grab a top pick.

PLAYER THAT I LOVE AT THE END OF THE LOTTERY: Jeff Teague
Jeff Teague is the future. He can create his own shot and is terrific off the dribble. He is super athletic. He has a scorer's mentality. He can learn to be a point guard. This is a guy you want on your team. Phoenix, pray that he falls to you.

PLAYER I DO NOT LIKE: Hasheem Thabeet
I think he will be a terrific defender, but I am concerned about his offensive development. If he continues to progress at his current rate, then I will be wrong. That said, I do not want to be the team with the third pick.

PLAYER I WANT TO GO TO THE RAPTORS: Demar DeRozan
The Raptors would be great with an athletic wing player. Demar DeRozan needs time to develop, but his play in the NCAA Tournament was very encouraging. Playing with Jose Calderon, a hyper-controlled point guard, could give DeRozan significant usage next season. He would be a great piece paired with Chris Bosh over the long-term.

PLAYER I WANT TO GO TO THE WIZARDS: Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Evans and Gilbert Arenas. Need I say more?

I hope this was enlightening. I have a gift for completely arbitrary draft analysis.

(H/T DraftExpress for everything. If you aren't reading them, start now. Also, FanHouse for the image)

Point Guards and Point Centers

In Shoals' indispensable Then & Now column this week, he mentioned this potential externality of the postseason:

A thought for the draft: While Williams's Jazz, who are absolutely inept on the road, shouldn't be doing much in the postseason, what happens if the Hornets go on a run, Billups takes the Nuggets deeper into the playoffs than they've been in years, or Derrick Rose puts his name back on the map by going down in a blaze of nationally-televised glory against Boston? Does the stock of the PG in general shoot up? Or if Bynum provides the Lakers with the ammunition they need to coast right past even the Cavs or Celtics, or Dwight Howard's Magic (admittedly Hedo-less for the time being) surprise us all and make the Finals, is there a run on big men? When the class is considered weak, "best available" gives way to a referendum on what kind of players matter.

I think he even underestimates the impact of a CP3 or Rose explosion. Any indication of point guard domination will completely reorient this draft. Looking at the latest DraftExpress 2009 mock, here are the point guards likely to get snatched in the first round:

• Ricky Rubio (2nd)
• Brandon Jennings (6th)
• Tyreke Evans (8th)
• Stephen Curry (10th)
• Ty Lawson (12th)
• Jonny Flynn (15th)
• Jeff Teague (19th)
• Eric Maynor (20th)
• Jrue Holiday (23rd)
  
• Darren Collison (28th)
  
• Nick Calathes (30th)

Patty Mills and A.J. Price follow early in the second round. This list does not count either James Harden or Willie Warren, although anyone who watched Harden this year (5.1 ast/40 pace-adjusted) knows how much he facilitated ASU's offense. Any change in point guard value will affect Harden and possibly Warren as well.

Beyond Blake Griffin, the stock of big men is relatively weak. Hasheem Thabeet is extremely limited offensively. Ed Davis and Greg Monroe are likely to return to school and need more experience. Cole Aldrich will probably follow the same course. B.J. Mullens is the definition of raw.

If Chicago pulls off an upset or Paul leads the Hornets to the Western Conference finals, what's to stop Jonny Flynn, Jeff Teague, or even Eric Maynor slipping into the lottery? What if Rajon Rondo, not Paul Pierce or KG, leads the Celtics past the Cavs? Given the right team, Ricky Rubio could unseat Griffin at the top of the draft or Jrue Holiday could skyrocket up the boards. This could even have lingering effects on the 2010 offseason. If point guards are really the way forward, how does this change the market for Chris Bosh?

The NBA playoffs are always a spectacle. This year may be a panacea.