NBA Draft (live notes as it happened) version 3.0

I'm at the Houston Astros game following the NBA Draft so I thought I would blog my thoughts with the picks...check out what I think of the first round.

1. Chicago Bulls---Derrick Rose
• This is the right pick for the Chicago Bulls because when its all said and done, Rose will be the savior for the franchise. The guy has all the talent in the world and has a good head on his shoulders. No surprise that they went with the home town kid. Pick grade: A+
  
2. Miami Heat--- Michael Beasley
• If the Heat traded this pick or took O.J. Mayo instead of the B-Easy than I would have ripped them but they made the right pick. There is more upside to B-Easy and less chances of failure as compared to the rest of the guys left in the draft. In my opinion, Rose and B-Easy were 1a and 1b in this draft. The thing that separated Rose from B-Easy was that he is a Chicago kid. I think both are immense talents that will flourish in the NBA. Pick Grade: A+
3. Minnesota Timberwolves---O.J. Mayo
• Wow the T-wolves were backed into a corner here...I'm not a big fan of Mayo because I think he has more red flags than most of the guys in the draft. The whole ESPN money story was no small deal. As a player I think Mayo is very stiff and not as fluid as the other guards in this draft. I see Mayo being an average player for the Wolves. Here are some of the other players I would have taken over Mayo at this point: Eric Gordon or Kevin Love. Pick Grade: A
4. Seattle Supersonics---Russell Westbrook
• Now that Rose and Beasley are off the board, we will have more questions than answers. Westbrook is a guy who showed very good FLASHES of a game changing guard but had a lot of moments where he disappeared in the game. If his potential is reached than we will remember him as the big steal at no.4. Three point guards (I'm counting O.J. as a combo point) in the first four picks. Pick Grade: B+
5. Memphis Grizzlies---Kevin Love
• The first true big man taken in the draft to a team that needs a new big man to build the team around. Kevin Love's biggest downfall is his athletic ability. If Scott Pollard can make it in the NBA then I think Love will be fine. His basketball abilities are high and his basketball IQ is probably the best in the draft. A solid player that will be the foundation for the young Grizz. Pick Grade: A
6. New York Knicks---Danilo Gallinari
• This is a bad pick not only from the basketball stand but also the PR stand. The New York Knicks needed to make a pick that would help the fans back on their side with the hiring of D'Antoni. I think the solid pick here would have been D.J. Augustin because he is a Steve Nash protege. He has studied under Nash and knows the offense that D'Antonio runs. Also, there is something to drafting a guard in the best city of guards. Pick Grade: C+
  
7. L.A. Clippers---Eric Gordon
• Last year Gordon showed signs of being the no.1 pick but then hit a wall where injuries and mental breakdowns slowed down his freshman year. Now being in a stable NBA environment under a team that is expected to fail every year, I think Gordon will play without pressure and fill up the bucket. The guy reminds me of Gilbert Arenas but with more potential as a shooter. The Clips needed a guy to be able to shoot from the outside and he fit that bill. He also has the slashing ability of some of the quicker guys but with the body of a Deron Williams to absorb the contact. The Clips will also get back Shaun Livingston at some point next year. Pick Grade: A
8. Milwaukee Bucks---Joe Alexander
• Talk about a guy who improved his stock through the NCAA Tournament. Alexander was not a lottery pick before the NCAA but after the big upset of Duke he hit the national scene. Solid player with a great mid-range game that can jump and grab big rebounds. He is going to be a good fit in Milwaukee with his jump shooting ability. Joe is also well spoken in Chinese so it would have been cool to see him team up with Yi Jianlian but that's not happening because Yi is now part of the Nets. Richard Jefferson and Joe Alexander in one draft, I like it. Pick Grade: B+
9. Charlotte Bobcats---D.J. Augustin
• WHY CHARLOTTE WHY?!!!! Why would they take a point guard like D.J. at 9 when Larry Brown has a track record of sitting rookies. This must be a draft day pick for some other team (maybe New York?)...the Bobcats also have a PG in Felton. If Augustin sticks around then this is a dead situation for him. The chances of Brown trusting a rookie PG with his team is near 0. Pick Grade: C+
10. New Jersey Nets---Brook Lopez
• This is another good pick on potential. I had a chance to watch Lopez during the sweet 16 in Houston and he looked really good against an undersized Texas team. He has shown some good signs throughout the year at Stanford and has the chance to be a very big part of the recruiting process for LeBron James. The Nets now have Lopez, Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. Pick Grade: B
11. Indiana Pacers---Jarryd Bayless (Traded to the Blazers)
    
• The Pacers answered their needs by trading for T.J. Ford yet they wanted to draft a 6-3 combo point guard that will be groomed under T.J. He is going to be a solid fit for the Pacers and will be one of the better rookies this year. The guy has speed and shooting ability. The Pacers will have the fastest back court when Ford and Bayless are out there together! Pick Grade: A-
• With that pick we are now left with a bunch of potential guys and the real BIG names are off the board...Here are some of the names that are left after 11 picks: Brandon Rush, DeAndre Jordan, Kosta Koufos and Anthony Randolph
  
12. Sacramento Kings---Jason Thompson
    
• The Kings like to get in some long and athletic guys that can play multiple positions. By taking Jason Thompson (PF) the Kings picked a long guy that can face the basket and post-up. Thompson is a senior and was the MAC player of the year...Coach Van Gundy said he is ready to play right now and will be a big part of the Kings offense and defense. The scouts are saying he has an NBA body that can take the pounding from bigs in the NBA. Pick Grade: B-
  
13. Portland Trail Blazers---Brandon Rush (traded to the Pacers)
    
• The first national champion taken in the draft...I've been watching Rush ever since he got to Kansas and always thought this guy was going to be a lottery pick no matter what year he left. He has a very fluid game that will blend in great with the young Portland team. Rush will have a chance to come off the bench and get up some big points and rebounds for them. like at Kansas, he will blend in with a lot of good players and will not have the pressures of being the go to guy on a team. The Blazers just added Rush and Oden (because of injury) through the draft...pretty good day for them! Pick Grade: B+
14. Golden State Warriors---Anthony Randolph
• This is a good pick for the Warriors because he is a athletic 4 that can run with the Warriors and throw down sick dunks. He brings some needed size to the Warriors. Randolph's frame will fill out as he gets older but right now he is around 196 so that's not a good thing. This is going to be a project but a fun one to watch. Pick Grade: B
15. Phoenix Suns---Robin Lopez
    
• The Suns needed a center that will help back-up Shaq (or even take over for Shaq after he is injured) so size is a must. By picking Robin Lopez they now have a legit back-up that plays with a lot of energy and will get scrappy. He is going to have a chance to learn from one of the hardest workers (sarcasm) in Shaq. He is not that great on the offensive side but with Nash running point he will get some easy layups. Very strong pick for the Suns. Pick Grade: B+
16. Philadelphia 76ers---Marreese Speights
• According to scouts, Speights is going to be very up and down for the 76ers. I think this is a good pick for the 76ers because they have a solid foundation that made the playoff run and adding another long guy to the team will only help them. Overall, the 76ers had to pick between Speights and Hibbert. They picked Speights because he will be able to fit in better with Andre Miller. Pick Grade: B-
17. Indiana Pacers (via Toronto)---Roy Hibbert
• I really like Hibberts game because he does things right. His offense is not the greatest but he will get some easy layups with T.J. Ford and Bayless on the floor with him. The Pacers are having a good draft so far because they picked up two solid picks at the right place. Hibbert is a cheap cheap Dikembe Mutumbo so that's a plus for the Pacers. Pick Grade: B
18. Washington Wizards: JaVale McGee
• A glorified NBDL guy that will see most of the season in the NBDL. A very potential pick and not picked on his body of work so far. Pick Grade: C
19. Cleveland Cavs: J.J. Hickson
• The Cavs really needed a big time pick here but that's tough to do because of their pick in the draft. They had a big body in DeAndre Jordan on the board and a scorer like Chris Douglass-Roberts. Hickson will provide a spark off the bench and can man up on defense. He will also be a nice post up player for the Cavs. Pick Grade: C+
20. Charlotte Bobcats: Alexis Ajinca
• Who? I have not seen enough of this guy so no comment...Here are what the scouts are saying about him: has skill but very inconsistent player. I'm still mad at the Bobcats for taking DJ and putting him in rookie hell. Pick Grade: C- (who?)
21. New Jersey Nets: Ryan Anderson
• This is slowly starting to turn into a how good of an NBDL team you can field. Ryan Anderson for the most part is a strong forward but has too many holes in his games and that's why he was the 21st pick. He will get up a lot of points but not too much defense. The Nets now have Yi, Brook Lopez and Bobby Simmons. Pick Grade: C+
22. Orlando Magic: Courtney Lee
• Remember him from the NCAA Tournament? This pick goes out to YouTube legend Kige Ramsey out of Western Kentucky. This will be a good pick for the Magic to get another all-around player at 6-5. I like this pick for the Magic because he will play in a good system that let's the all-around player flourish. Pick Grade: B+
23. Utah Jazz: Kosta Koufos
• The prototypical Jazz player! The guy has a nice mid-range game and can extend the floor with his shot! He is a college Mehmet Okur! He is going to fit in really well with the Jazz because he is a nice shooter. He will get better on the defensive side because any player can flop and get some calls. Remember when Ashton Kutcher, I mean Kyle Korver, was a bad defensive player? Yeah well ask Tracy McGrady about his defense. Pick Grade: B+
24. Seattle Supersonics: Serge Ibaka
• HUGE PICK!!!! Not for the Sonics but because now the Houston Rockets have CDR on the board! Let's see if they go with the proven scorer or the potential big time player from France in Nicolas Batum. I'm sure this guy will have a few years over seas or in the NBDL. Pick Grade: C- (WHO?)
25. Houston Rockets: Nicolas Batum
    
• I started writing this post when the Rockets were on the blog and I was sold that they would go with CDR...read and enjoy:What a great pick!! A much needed scorer that will have a chance to come off the bench and get some HUGE minutes when T-mac hits his cold spots. CDR is a proven guy that scored big time buckets.
  
• Well, now let's get back to the real world where the Rockets took Nicolas Batum. The Rockets were really interested in Batum and spent a lot of time looking at him so for them this was a good moment to see him on the board. The Rockets like his play making ability and athleticism but he is soft. Guys that were left on the board: DeAndre Jordan, Darrell Arthur, Mario Chalmers, CDR, and Bill Walker. Pick Grade: B-
  
26. San Antonio Spurs: George Hill
• A 6-2 PG that the Spurs hope to build into a good backup for Tony Parker. The guy can score and get to the line but turnovers will be his downside. The Spurs were desperate for a backup PG last year so much so that they got Damon Stoudamire (That didn't work out). Pick Grade: B
  
27. Portland Trailblazers (by way of New Orleans): Darrell Arthur
    
1. He slipped down to 27 because of a potential kidney problem that he did not get tested out so teams saw a lot of red flags with that decision. Arthur has all the talent in the world for a PF but is very spotty in games. He is a hit or miss for the Blazers but the good thing is that the Blazers are PACKED with talent so he could be traded or just be a nice bench guy. Pick Grade: B-
   
28. Memphis Grizzlies: Donte Green
    
1. An oversized 6-9 small forward that can shoot and get to the holes. He was a good player for Syracuse but will need to get his game into full gear for Memphis because he has all the chances to be big for that team. Green last year put up 18ppg and 7.2 rebounds. This picks makes up 10 freshmen drafted so far. Pick Grade: B-
   
29. Detroit: D.J. White
    
1. Wow, what a steal! This is a Detroit guy to the fullest. He is a tough nosed player that will make a lot of noise off the bench for the Pistons. White has a strong sense of understanding the game and has the physical tools to be a good player in the NBA. Pick Grade: B+
   
30. Boston: J.R. Giddens
    
1. The champs can take anybody they want because they are set for next year but this is a good developmental pick for the Celtics. Has a lot of potential but also some red flags because of his college problems from transferring from Kansas to New Mexico. A good potential pick. Pick Grade: C