Post by kobe24 on Jun 30, 2010 13:56:04 GMT -5
2013 UOSLR Draft Grades
#1 Memphis Grizzlies - Fab Melo C 7'0'' 274 21 B+ D D B A- A
The Grizzlies were the lucky ones coming out of the lotto as they moved up 5 spots. They needed it to as they were heavily criticized for trading Dwyane Wade. One of the pieces they got in the deal was this pick so it’s safe to say that the deal worked out for them. With the #1 pick the Grizzlies got to decide which of the big guys they would take. They went with the 7 footer, Fab Melo, who was considered the consensus #1. Melo had a good first TC, going +3 overall(+1 Inside and +2 Rebounding) After new GM Biggie was forced to rebuild after the Grizzlies had been on top for so long, they could already have their next franchise player in Fab Melo. He has the body and skill to be one of the best big men in the league for a long time. There are a few questions about his game, but his weight problems and athleticism should be overlooked a bit when he is putting up 20+ and 10+.
Draft Grade: A-
#2 Dallas Mavericks-Jonas Valanciunas PF 6'11'' 260 20 B+ C+ C B A- A
The Mavericks at #2 basically just had to wait and see who the Grizzlies picked and then pick the other big guy. When the Grizzlies took Fab the Mavericks were excited since Jonas was who they really wanted. The Mavericks liked Jonas more because they felt he had the potential to be the better player between the two when it was all said and done. Jonas’ skill range is unbelievable at such a young age, he is already a 20 and 10 player in this league and is one of the best passing big men in the league as well. The only thing really holding him back is his shot blocking. That could be covered up with a shot blocking C to play alongside him which the Mavericks have in Udoh and Johnson. Jonas looks to have a bright future and it looks like he is the early favorite for Rookie of the Year.
Draft Grade: A
#3 Los Angeles Lakers- Jordan Price SG 6'6'' 215 18 A- C C+ B C A
The Lakers were the ones who the Grizzlies bumped from the #1 spot and they fell all the way to the third pick. The next 2-3 best players were all SGs so the Lakers just had to decide which one they liked most. They decided to go with the youngster, Jordan Price, who looked very intriguing with A- inside and B defense at 18 years old. The Lakers had a similar player in Avery Bradley already there but Tomas’s defense probably scared them off and they were really high on PG Cory Joseph. Jordan only went +1 Handles in TC but he is only 18 years old so he still has a lot of potential left. And he already had some pretty sick ratings to begin with so I didn’t expect a huge jump. Once he becomes a better shooter and combines that with his athleticism he will be a very explosive player.
Draft Grade: B
#4 Charlotte Hornets- Austin Rivers PG 6'4'' 175 20 C+ B+ C A- C A
I had Rivers third on my list so the Hornets get good value at 4 here IMO. Rivers is listed at PG right now but I think he will be better suited and end up playing at SG. Rivers had a good TC, going +1 Outside, +2 Defense and +1 Rebounding. He did go -1 Handling but I think that will make his move to SG that much quicker. The Hornets do have Josh Selby who also plays SG so that could be a problem in the future, but I think Rivers will be the better player. The Hornets were able to bring back Evan Turner and are on their way to another lottery selection. If they can pick up a nice big man or PG in this draft then they will be set with Turner already in place and Rivers getting better and better. Rivers was just traded to the Warriors for LeBron James. This pick ended up being really good for the Hornets.
Draft Grade: B+
#5 Detroit Pistons - Tomas Satoransky SG 6'6'' 190 20 B- B B C C A
Tomas was once considered the third best prospect behind Fab and Jonas but Price and Rivers were selected before him. Likely because his defense is so bad that it doesn’t quite make up for his offensive game. Tomas went +1 Outside and +1 Handles, already looking like the next Joe Johnson. Tomas will struggle on defense in his first couple of seasons but once he gets stronger and learns the game more than he will be fine. His offensive game will be what he is known for though. I could see him getting B+ A- scoring ratings or even A- A- if he is camped correctly. Not to mention his passing ability as a 2 guard. His game really isn’t suited to play PG though, he will get your 4-5 apg at SG though. The Pistons need a lot of help right now and Tomas is a step in the right direction.
Draft Grade: B
#6 San Antonio Spurs - Tobias Harris PF 6'10'' 234 21 B C+ C B- B- B
I like this pick a lot for the Spurs. If Harris would have had A scouted potential he would have went a few picks higher but instead he goes to the Spurs at 6. Forward really wasn’t a position of need for the Spurs with CJ Leslie and Al-Farouq Aminu already in place but I think Harris was the best player available. He had a good first TC, going up in Outside and Rebounding. The improvement in his outside shooting leaves the door open for him to play SF, but he is more suited to play PF. If he can get stronger and work on his defense then he will be a very good player for the Spurs for a very long time. CJ Leslie and Tobias Harris could form one of the best forward duos in a few years if they are camped right.
Draft Grade: B+
#7 Washington Bullets - Rodney Williams SF 6'7'' 200 21 B- C+ C- B- C A
The draft kind of got iffy for me after Harris went off the board so it’s hard to say who the next best player was. The Bullets thought Rodney Williams was that dude so they went with him over PG Quinn Cook. I thought Cook would have been a better fit with Gilchrist holding down the SF spot in Washington but the Bullets saw something in Rodney that they liked. He had a bit of an uneventful TC, only improving his handling and rebounding. He did have some decent ratings coming in and still kept the A scouted potential so the Bullets shouldn’t give up on him yet. He will need a lot of work and some good TCs to live up the expectations of the 7th overall pick. I wasn’t very high on Rodney but there really wasn’t a better player on the board. A +3 to his inside, outside and defense next year in TC could have him looking very good so it’s not a stretch to say he could become a good player even after an average first TC.
Draft Grade: C+
#8 New York Knicks - Quinn Cook PG 5'11'' 155 20 C C+ B+ A- C- A
I wasn’t sure if I liked Cook or not but after a nice first TC I think I am going to like him lol. C C scoring coming in is pretty ugly and pretty hard to overcome unless you string together a few nice TCs and camp him a lot. C C+ after TC looks better but he isn’t going to be known for his scoring in this league. His handling ability and defense is already on par with the rest of the PGs in the league. His size could be a bit of a problem vs. bigger guards and some forwards who play PG but he will make up the size difference with his ball handling ability and quickness. I could see Quinn becoming C B A A C- in his prime which is sick and not that much of a stretch for him. And he gets to pass the ball to Perry Jones every night so that should help his stats out.
Draft Grade: A-
#9 Utah Jazz- Dominic Cheek SG 6'6'' 185 21 C+ B- C- C+ C- C
The Jazz really needed to pick a player that could help them right away and after TC it is clear Cheek was not that guy. He went -1 in TC and was soon thereafter traded to the Suns for Kobe Bryant. Cheek will fade away after his rookie tract is up and probably be on the FA list for his career. I mean he could have some untapped potential still left in there, but I just don’t see it. Bad break for the Jazz.
Draft Grade: D
#10 Sacramento Kings- Mouphtaou Yarou PF 6'9" 240 22 B- D D A- B- C
Yarou slipped a bit in my mind but the Kings are happy to take him at 10 as they add more depth to their front court. Yarou had a nice first TC going +3 overall. He did drop to C scouted potential, causing some to wonder if he has much potential left. He probably won’t play much his first year as he will sit and learn behind Bosh, Varejao and Whiteside. Yarou has A- defense but his size makes it hard for him to be a good shot blocker in this league. B- A- B- after one TC is great, with a few upgrades and just no negative TCs from here on out he could be a very good player.
Draft Grade: B
#11 Washington Bullets - D.J. Richardson SG 6'3'' 200 22 B- B C A- C B
DJ was rated better than a few of the guys taken ahead of him but he was a bit older and slipped a bit because of his height. DJ had one of the best TCs among the rookies and is looking like he could be a top 3 or 4 player from this draft. He is a good rebounder and defender for his size and he is also an above average passer at the SG position. I think he will have to develop his shooting though if he wants to be a great player in this league. The Bullets will need to put upgrades into his scoring as I don’t really think he has a lot of potential left to keep going up in TC like he did this year. I could be wrong though the Bullets could have a perennial All-Star on their hands.
Draft Grade: A-
#12 Phoenix Suns - Quincy Miller PF 6'10'' 225 20 B- C- B+ C C+ A
I thought Miller would go a bit higher than he did with his age and unique skill but his defense scared a lot of people away. The Suns definitely take a big risk with this pick since Miller’s defense and rebounding are below average but if he can get stronger and work hard than he should improve dramatically. C defense will be tough to overcome, but I don’t think B- or B is out of the question if he has good potential and you camp his strength. Miller is a pretty good scorer on the inside, he can also step out and make a 15 foot jumper from time to time. The biggest part of his game is his passing ability though. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this guy end up at PG if his defense and rebounding don’t improve much over the next few TCs. I liked Miller coming in so I will have my eye on him to see how he does in this league.
Draft Grade: B-
#13 Toronto Raptors - Mason Plumlee PF 6'11'' 223 22 C+ C+ C- B B C
Rounding out the lotto this year was the Toronto Raptors. They had their eye on Quincy Miller before the Suns took him a pick before. So they went with the next best PF in their mind, Mason Plumlee. Plumlee is a good athlete for his skin color and he can do a bit of everything out on the court. Mason had a nice first TC, improving both his defense and rebounding. I think Mason is best fit coming off bench at SF, PF and C and I think that is what he will end up being, a very good bench player.
Draft Grade: B-
#14 Memphis Grizzlies - Delvon Roe SF 6'7'' 220 23 C+ C+ D+ B+ C B
The draft really evens out from here on out so there really isn’t a wrong pick to make here but I don’t like the selection of Delvon Roe here for the Grizzlies. They should have went with a younger player that has more potential.
Draft Grade: C
#15 Los Angeles Lakers - Adreian Payne C 6'10'' 235 21 C+ D D A- B C
With the Lakers being without their pick this year they needed to bring in someone who could help right away. So they went with big man Adreian Payne who didn’t have as much potential as some of the other guys but he was more ready to play right away. Payne had a good first TC, improving his defense to A-. He could be a huge help off the bench for the Lakers as soon as this year.
Draft Grade: B+
#16 Cleveland Cavaliers - Dwight Powell C 6'10'' 220 21 B C- D+ B- C B
The A scouted potential of Dwight Powell attracted the Cavaliers and they decided to take him at 16. Dwight rewarded them with a nice first TC where he improved both his inside and defense. He is still a few years away from being a starting player in this league with his rebounding being so bad but if he still has any potential left and the Cavs camp him then he could be a good player.
Draft Grade: B
#17 Phoenix Suns - LeBryan Nash SF 6'8'' 220 19 B C C C+ C A
I thought Nash should have stayed in school another year or two but he decided to come out early. I figured he would go a bit higher because of his age and potential but C defense scares away people. He improved upon his defense in TC and surely has a lot of potential left at 19 years old.
Draft Grade: B+
#18 Los Angeles Lakers - John Jenkins SG 6'5'' 190 21 C A- C- C+ D+ B
I don’t think John was the best player available here but his A scouted potential made him go higher than a few guys he shouldn’t have gone before. He didn’t do much in TC, but he is a pretty good shooter. If he can improve the other parts of his game even slightly then he could be a nice bench player.
Draft Grade: C
#19 Cleveland Cavaliers - Dexter Strickland PG 6'3'' 185 22 B- C+ B- B- D+ C
I like this pick for the Cavs, Strickland should have gone a bit higher IMO but the Cavs are happy to pick him up at 19. He has good size for a PG and after his first TC he looks pretty decent. He will need some work obviously but it isn’t a stretch to say that he could be a starting PG one day.
Draft Grade: B
#20 Memphis Grizzlies - D.J. Cooper PG 5'11'' 165 23 C C+ A- B- C- C
Cooper had similar ratings to Quinn Cook who was a lottery pick so this looked like a pretty good pick, but after doing nothing in TC and dropping to C scouted potential, I don’t think Cooper will be much more than a backup on a average team. He does have A- handles already so maybe if you like him a lot and work on the other parts of his game he could be decent.
Draft Grade: C+
#21 Golden State Warriors - Dante Taylor SF 6'8'' 215 22 B- D+ D- B B- B
With B- B- B- ratings I thought Taylor would go a bit higher than he did but GMs must have not liked something about him. The Warriors were happy to pick him up so late though as they look to rebuild after trading LeBron James. Taylor has the game of a PF but is in the body of a SF so it’s hard to say how successful he can be. If he puts on some weight and gets stronger then he could make the transition to PF smoothly.
Draft Grade: B-
#22 Chicago Bulls - Ryan Kelly PF 6'10'' 230 22 C+ B D C+ C+ B
I had my eye on Kelly coming in and so did the Bulls as they take him at 22. He didn’t improve in TC but he had some pretty good ratings already and he kept his scouted potential. I think with a move to SF and a little work that he could be a pretty decent player.
Draft Grade: C+
#23 Dallas Mavericks - Noel Johnson SG 23 6'7'' 196 C+ C+ C B+ C+ B
The Mavericks needed guard help so they decided to take a chance on Johnson. Johnson had decent ratings going into TC and he raised his defense to B+ in TC. One good TC could have Johnson being B- B- C A- C+. He probably doesn’t have that kind of potential but the Mavericks can hope.
Draft Grade: C+
#24 Atlanta Hawks - Patric Young PF 6'9'' 240 22 C+ D+ D B- A- B
The Hawks were happy to take Patric Young at 24 and he did show some signs in TC as he improved his shooting range and went from C scouted to B scouted. That leaves hope that he still has some good potential left to become a good player.
Draft Grade: B-
#25 Charlotte Hornets - Karron Johnson SF 6'7'' 220 22 B- C+ C- C+ C+ C
You never want to see a rookie decline in TC but that is exactly what Karron Johnson did for the Hornets. Johnson had good ratings but the potential just isn’t there. He could be out of the league pretty soon if he keeps dropping in TC.
Draft Grade: D+
#26 The Spurs forfeited this pick
#27 Los Angeles Clippers - Christian Watford SF 6'8'' 220 21 C+ B- C- C C C
Watford was one of the guys who could have very high potential so the Clippers decided to take a chance on him since they didn’t see anyone they liked. After one TC he doesn’t look like that guy.
Draft Grade: C-
#28 New Jersey Nets - Kyryl Natyazhko PF 6'10'' 255 23 C C- D C B B
The Nets were very happy to pick up Kyryl so late since he had A scouted potential and since they thought a move to C would improve his defense. But after a bad TC he has been traded a few times and now resides on the Kings.
Draft Grade: D
#29 New York Knicks - Durand Scott SG 6'3'' 195 22 B- C+ B- C+ C+ C
Any improvement in TC is nice from the 29th pick and Scott went +2 for the Knicks in TC this year. He still needs a lot of work and unless he still has some potential left, I don’t see him improving much more.
Draft Grade: C+
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