Share

I'm not going to rehash too many of my pre-draft thoughts. Here's the running notes I kept during the draft:

"With the first pick of the 2008 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select ..."
1. Derrick Rose, CHIM
No surprise here, although ESPN was anxious to report this was definitely going to happen a few minutes before the draft, like they were brilliant for "reporting" the worst kept secret in the past couple weeks. And I still believe they should have taken Beasley.

2. Michael Beasley, MIA
He and Wade should be quite the 1-2 scoring punch and it allows Shawn Marion (if he isn't traded before the season) to do Shawn Marion things - flying around the court, getting steals, blocks, rebounds, open 3-pointers with his ugly release and garbage points off the offensive glass. The Heat could be good again. While we're at it, is there a more overblown story about Beasley not being able to handle South Beach? What about Rose playing in his hometown - that seems a lot harder to deal with to me.

3. O.J. Mayo, MIN
Judging by his reaction, he really thought he was going ahead of Beasley. He did not look happy to be spending his winters in Minnesota, after living it up in SoCal the past year.

4. Russell Westbrook, SEA
SURPRISE! What a reach! Maybe they need a point guard, but when you draft a point guard and you hear he needs to improve his "point guard skills," you would think that would be a red flag. At least their home fans hate the ownership and probably no one cares.

5. Kevin Love, MEM
Wait - did Chris Wallace just make a good pick? Yes he did. Love becomes the new face of the franchise, and Memphis teams him up with Rudy to begin the Gay-Love Era in Memphis. And his dad has striking similarities to Peter Boyle. Good times.

6. Danilo Gallinari, NYK
Of course they take the Italian - he was impressive shooting over those chairs. Who's made this pick, Isiah? I thought he was out. They need a true point guard, so they take a soft big man that likes to stay on the perimeter. And as you could tell from the NY crowd, they did NOT like this pick. And everyone is fluent in getting jeered. Welcome to NY, buddy.

7. Eric Gordon, LAC
Solid pick, but the fact that the Clippers made it means that he's probably going to flameout or get injured. Seriously, every good player drafted gets injured (Brand, Livingston) or ends up being a terrible NBA player (pretty much every other lottery pick)

8. Joe Alexander, MIL
I think Alexander should have been a top-5 pick (or at least 6th, yes, I'm looking in your direction Donnie Walsh). And this is an interesting pick for Milwaukee because they fleeced the Nets for Richard Jefferson and these two play the same position (although Alexander could be a small PF). Check out the potential lineup for the Bucks: Mo Williams, Redd, RJ, Villanueva, Bogut with Mason & Alexander off the pine. They could be back in the playoffs in the East.

9. D.J. Augustin, CHA
Really? Over Bayless? Wow. MJ might have been the greatest ever, but you have to wonder why he's wasting his time as an executive. Between Ray Felton & Earl Boykins, this team has short PGs covered - so they took another one. They could have used a big man, which this draft has tons of. Just retarded.

10. Brook Lopez, NJN
HAHA. Between picking up Yi and drafting this destined-to-be-a-stiff, what a day for Kiki & the Nets. I can already see Vince Carter attaching a stamp to next season's performance in order to get himself traded for about 20 cents on the dollar by mid-season. Whoa, who knew about that voice! Dikembe Mutumbo is laughing at that voice!

11. Jerryd Bayless, IND
Larry Legend makes the obvious pick – the guy that should have been picked multiple different times, and now he gets him with a chip on his shoulder to boot. But for a team that has a deal in place to get T.J. Ford, you have to wonder if he might he be on the move? Good value pick, but they should consider trading (or just flat out cutting) Tinsley and go with this two-headed PG monster (although with Ford’s injury history, Bayless could big minutes when Ford has his annual trip to the DL).

12. Jason Thompson, SAC
WOW. Did they think this was the 12th pick of the 2nd round? Good numbers, good build, "great motor," but what the hell? Did they consider trading down (WAY down) if they liked him so much? I’m shocked by this pick.

13. Brandon Rush, POR
Look out for the Trailblazers! They’re getting Oden back and adding super-steal Rush - they are going to be very good next year. They’re GM is playing chess and everyone else is playing checkers.

14. Anthony Randolph, GSW
DEE DA DEE DA DUMB. Leave it to the Warriors to take a guy who’s just a freakish athlete with no real discernable basketball skills. Add it to the collection (Check out this draft history).

15. Robin Lopez, PHO
Ah, WHAT? Steve Kerr continues to fuck up the great team that was given to him. Terrible pick. Robin Lopez will be a poor man’s Varajeo and he’s not that good to begin with. Darrell Arthur, Donte Greene or Chris Douglas-Roberts would have been excellent fits for this team. Twin centers from Stanford should not be drafted – the Collins boys taught us that.

First trade of the night – and Portland continues to swindle the league! They just traded Rush’s rights, Jarrett Jack & Josh McRoberts (good bye, garbage) for Bayless & Ike Diogu. Check out the potential lineup for the Blazers now: Bayless, Roy, Webster, Aldridge & Oden. Aldrige is the oldest at 22. They are going to be good for a loooong time. Meanwhile the Pacers will continue to sputter, but they will have the most white-guys in the league with the pick-up of McRoberts. And reuniting the Rush brothers is a nice story, I guess.

16. Marreese Speights, PHI
Great pick! At least I think so, but the “Must Improve: Conditioning” is never a good sign. But he has the tools and the size to be a force down low. Then again, so does Eddy Curry.

17. Roy Hibbert, TOR (for IND)
Indy adds more slow guys to run with T.J. ... ugh. Come on Larry. You’re making a fool out of yourself. Their collection of centers now includes Hibbert, Nesterovic, Foster & Harrison. Lumbering doesn’t even begin to tell the story.

18. JaVale McGee, WAS
I got nothing. Taking a 7’ project is always dumb. The Wizards are a tough team to peg because Arenas and Jamison are free agents and there are so many directions they can go. CDR or Chalmers maybe would have been the wise thing to do. As Danny Ainge proved this past year, getting value is important, because if you stockpile a bunch of youngster, eventually you can trade for the “needs-a-new-home” superstar. And that worked out nicely, did it not?

19. J.J. Hickson, CLE
You know what the Cavs could use? Someone other than LeBron who could create his own shot and not be afraid to shoot the big shot – sounds like CDR. Or a back-up point guard because it Boobie Gibson might miss some time – sounds like Chalmers. Are they trying to drive LeBron out of town when he hits free agency?

20. Alexis Ajinca, CHA
The Frenchie! Thank you, Tony Parker, for opening the door. The whole 7'8 wingspan on this guy is ridiculous; Kevin McHale didn't even have arms that long! He could develop and be a good player, but my money is on he never plays in the NBA.

21. Ryan Anderson, NJN
HAHAHA. Another big stiff drafted by the Nets. Being a C's fan I'm enjoying watching them go down in flames. Of course, they will have the last laugh when the get 25-year old, in-his-prime LeBron in 2010. D'oh!

22. Courtney Lee, ORL
I knew this was their pick, everyone knew the Magic was going to take him (why didn’t some of these teams that could use a scoring SG think about him?) and then I saw his highlight videos and now I think he might be the steal of the draft – like this year's Stuckey.

23. Kosta Koufos, UTA
For a team that could REALLY use CDR or Donte Greene, this was stupid to the tenth degree. But Utah has a history of employing lumbering, un-athletic white centers, so he fits the mold.

24. Serge Ibaka, SEA
What a waste of a pick. This Congo native will never make the NBA. Mark it 8 Dude.

25. Nicolas Batum, HOU
Rumors were that they were trying to trade up to get Donte Greene. So they take the other Frenchman, only this is the one that has heart problems. T-Mac must be thrilled.

26. George Hill, SAS
I would make fun of this pick, but the Spurs are savvy and usually know what they are doing – but if they wanted Hill he probably would have been available with the 45th or even the 57th pick that they held. They must know something we don't. However, put them on the list of another team that could ABSOLUTELY use CDR or Chalmers. If this keeps up they’ll both be available for the C’s – keep sliding, babies!

27. Darrell Arthur, NO (traded to POR)
Relief for Arthur, finally, and he’s going to Portland. Again, look out for the young Blazers – they’re going to be great for years. Whoa, check out his mom, Sandra Arthur! That's a huge bitch! AAAAHHHH, HAHA, they just told us she was a truck driver but quit to watch his games! That’s the best thing I heard all night! Now Stu Scott is telling us about the compassion of these New Yorkers and how nice they are despite their bad rap. Because they’re cheering the last guy picked out of the Green Room? Two things you missed Stu – (1) that was part mock-cheer and (2) what about them booing their top pick 2 hours ago? Stu Scott has officially entered the “Mike Timlin” phase of his career as a broadcaster.

28. Donte Greene, MEM
The obvious pick should be CDR. AND THEY PASS. The take up a guy who apparently is cut from Sam Cassell's cloth - shoot it, no matter what or where. Leave it Chris Wallace to make a bad move.

29. D.J. White, DET
Another good draft pick by Joe Dumars, who's made every correct pick except for the infamous Darko pick. All the big men picked this late are stabs in the dark anyway.

Bringing us to the Celtics, who get to choose between CDR and Chalmers. This is amazing – talk about the rich getting richer. CDR could become Ray Allen’s back-up and understudy; Chalmers would be a nice back-up point guard to Rondo. Hell, I’d even take DeAndre Jordan – he’d be learning from/scared shitless of Kevin Garnett, so he’d work his ass off and maybe fulfill his potential.

30. J.R. Giddens, BOS
Son of a fucking bitch! FUCK! What a stupid pick! This guy sounds like Tony Allen and we already have him. Did Danny Ainge just say fuck it and play pin the tail on the donkey? Projected Mid-to-Late 2nd rounder. D’oh!

Oh wait, we won the title, WHO CARES?!? We’re on house money next year, WOO-HOO!

Some 2nd round thoughts as I fought falling asleep:

-Joey Dorsey picked before CDR?!? UNREAL turn of events.
-Finally Chalmers is taken. Good pick for Minnesota. Then traded to Miami. Much better fit there.
-Same for DeAndre Jordan - good pick by the Clips - whaaaat?
-A Cameroon prince over CDR?!? WHAT IS GOING ON? Do these teams think he was taken or something?
-CDR to the NETS! Maybe he will be playing LeBron’s sidekick after all.
-Stu Scott interviewing Larry Legend – 1st question, Stu asks Larry about Bayless, who he’s drafted and traded away from Brandon Rush. Maybe check the notes before firing questions away, Stu.
-C’s acquire Bill Walker for “cash considerations” (is “cash considerations” the dumbest sports-trade term ever or what). I like that move. Everyone is worried because he tore his ACL two seasons ago, and last season he had a very good year playing 2nd fiddle to Beasley at K-State. Doesn’t it take about 2 years for a guy to be completely healed from an ACL tear? Hmmm, interesting. And he would have been a top-10 pick if he didn’t tear his ACL. Hmmm, also interesting. I like it, Danny.

Post-draft trade I found out this morning:
There will be no “Gay-Love Era” in Memphis. McHale finally swindled someone, it seems – they traded Mayo’s rights plus $22M per year of bad contracts until 2010-11 in Antoine Walker, Marko Jaric & Greg Buckner for Love’s rights plus Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal (both expiring in 2009-10, the good year to have cap space) & Jason Collins (expiring after next season). And Miller is the best player in the trade, adding a much needed shooter to a Minnesota team that will have two great inside presences in Al Jefferson and Love. Foye, Miller, Brewer, Love & Jefferson make a formidable line-up and they will have the cap-space to bring in a free agent in the great free-agent off-season of 2010.

Big Winner of the Night Award: The Blazers. They cemented themselves as a playoff fixture for years to come.

Big Loser of the Night Award: This is a tough call, because there are too many teams to consider. Check out Chad Ford’s grades – I wish I had a professor like that! He hands out the A’s and B’s like it’s nobody’s business and for poor performance! Needless to say, but I have to faithfully disagree with Chad, the so-called “expert.” Without further ado, I’d like to announce that we have an unprecedented seven-way tie for the Biggest Loser of the Night Award. Those seven are: Charlotte, Cleveland, Golden State, New York, Phoenix, Sacramento & Washington. Good work all around.