Winners and Not-winners from the NBA Draft

Previously, I posted my mock draft of picks 1-5 in the 2012 NBA draft. I meant to do more picks before the draft, but never got around to it. It's difficult to tell who the losers are in a draft, considering that not one of these players have played a single NBA game. Sure things turn out to be busts. Bad picks turn into All-Stars. This is the NBA. Having said that, let's take a look at the "Winners" and "Not-Winners" of this year's draft. 

The Winners

1. New Orleans Hornets

The Hornets needed a break and they got it in the form of Anthony Davis. He has all the makings of a franchise player. If there is a sure thing in this draft, he's it. His defensive-minded, high energy approach should give the Hornets an identity as they now try to find the right pieces to put around him. I'm not sold on the Austin Rivers pick, but he has potential to make this a HUGE WIN for the Hornets.

2. Sacramento Kings

Thomas Robinson was supposed to go to the Bobcats at No. 2. He was exactly what they needed. He filled a need and supplied the talent. Didn't happen. The Bobcats went with the second best player in the draft, MKG, and Robinson fell another two spots down to the Kings. This pick is a win in a couple ways. First, he's a huge talent. Two things translate extremely well from college to the pros: athleticism and rebounding. Robinson has two elite skills: athleticism and rebounding. Second, he's a perfect fit. The Kings needed a wing, to be sure, but as big men go, he's a great fit. It's no secret that the Kings had been looking for an athletic, high energy power forward to put next to Cousins. They no longer need to look. Lastly, he's a great influence. A team that was too often lackadaisical or lethargic just got a guy who doesn't quit. Huge pick for the Kings, huge break for a franchise in turmoil. 

3. Golden State Warriors

When I saw Harrison Barnes fall to No. 7, I couldn't believe it. This guy was a sure fire top 5 pick, one of the best players in the draft. Then he fell a little bit and was a top 5 pick, but probably fourth or fifth. Suddenly, on draft night he falls to seven. This is a guy who was the top ranked high school player in his class. He had a great college career (although he didn't and couldn't live up to the hype from high school). He fills a need, gives the Warriors a huge talent, and should fit perfectly with the starting lineup. The Warriors may not play much defense this year, but I have a feeling they're going to score some points. 

4. Boston Celtics

Jared Sullinger has plenty of red-flags. He's got a bad back. He's undersized. Not a great athlete. He plays below the rim in an increasingly above the rim league. However, he also has a big strength: he's the best low-post scorer in the draft. And we've seen below the rim bigs do well in the NBA before, plenty of times. He was a top 5 pick (possibly No. 1) in a weak draft last year. To get him at No. 21 this year? Winner. They also got a project in Fab Melo who was worth the risk at No. 22. I like it.

5. Oklahoma City Thunder

I love this pick. Perry Jones III is a huge, huge talent. He has the talent, size, and athleticism to be the number one pick, even in a draft this strong. The only questions are about his motor and how bad he wants to be great. I don't see motivation being a problem on OKC. Aside from having a great coach, they also have great players (see Durant, Kevin) who know how close they are to a championship and won't let one underachieving rookie keep them from it. I think they'll push him to be better. He could be incredible. He could turn into a Lamar Odom-type player (a 6-11 ball-handling, shooting forward? Yes, please.). But I have to admit, I'm most excited about the Zombie Sonics playing this lineup: PG: Russell Westbrook, SG: James Harden, SF: Kevin Durant, PF: Perry Jones, C: Serge Ibaka. The would be the running-gunningest, lengthy-defendingest, funnest to watchest lineup ever. So awesome that I just had to make up words. Win win win.

Honorable Winner Mentions: Toronto Raptors (Terrence Ross), Charlotte Bobcats (Michael Kidd-Gilchrist), Chicago Bulls (Marquis Teague), Denver Nuggets (Quincy Miller)

The Not-Winners

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

Dion Waiters is probably going to be a fine player. Unfortunately, in a draft this deep and this strong, you don't take a "fine" player at No. 4. Not with Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson, and Andre Drummond on the board. If Waiters is your guy, you trade down a couple spots to get him. On paper, he looks like Dwayne Wade: undersized SG, scoring machine, makes his living going to the basket with power, poor shooter. But how many Dwayne Wades are there? How many guys coming out of college fit the above profile? Tons. How many of them become All-NBA caliber players? Few. I'm a fan of the philosophy that you draft talent and trade for need. Even if you're trading the player you just drafted, the talent is worth more! This pick could haunt Cleveland for years. This draft was their golden opportunity to find that sidekick to play next to Kyrie Irving for the next...well, let's not start counting years until they take their talents elsewhere. The point is, this was their chance to get that guy. I don't think the sixth man from Syracuse is going to be that guy.

2. Phoenix Suns

I can't help but feel that drafting Kendall Marshall at 13 was a reach. In a draft this deep, if you're going to reach and draft a player higher than projected, it's gotta be a guy with potential. Like Perry Jones or John Henson or Terrence Jones (all of who were available). Not Kendall Marshall. He'll be a fine passer and a mediocre to poor scorer and defender in the NBA. That's not what I would be looking for at 13. 

3. Miami Heat

Arnett Moultrie seemed like a great fit on the Heat - long, athletic, good shooter for a big man. He led the SEC in rebounding and was second in scoring (that's right, he played in the same league as No. 1 pick Anthony Davis and still led the league in rebounding). To trade him for a second round pick and a future first round pick? The Sixers aren't headed for the lottery for a while, and I don't see another draft coming up where you could get a talent like Moultrie this far down in the draft. Bad call for the defending champs. 

4. Los Angeles Lakers

Wait, the Lakers didn't have a pick! Exactly. To not have a first round pick in the 2012 draft is a huge mistake. Their only pick was 60th. On a team needing to begin to stack up young assets (either to rebuild post-Kobe or trade for another superstar to avoid the previously mentioned post-Kobe rebuild), they missed out on a giant opportunity. 

5. Indiana Pacers

I don't care if he eats a magical jelly bean and turns into Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2.0, I will never believe that taking Miles Plumlee when Arnett Moultrie, Perry Jones, and Marquis Teague are available is a good idea. 

Honorable Not-Winner Mentions: Philadelphia 76ers (Maurice Harkless and Arnett Moultrie), Houston Rockets (Terrence Jones and Royce White), Atlanta Hawks (John Jenkins)