2013 NBA Draft Grades and Analysis

The 2013 NBA Draft is in the books, and it is time to take a look at how each of the teams fared.  Please note that the grades reflect how the teams picked based on a combination of the player’s draft value and the team’s need for that player. There is no real way of knowing how these picks will play out for at least a few years.

Atlanta Hawks

1^st Round: Lucas Noguiera (16^th, C, Brazil); Dennis Schroeder (17^th, PG, Germany)

2^nd Round: Mike Muscala (44^th, PF/C, Bucknell); Raul Neto (47^th, PG, Brazil)

Grade: B-

Analysis: The Hawks are in the middle of restructuring their roster, and from the look of their draft last night, they aren’t getting help here any time soon. Noguiera is long and athletic, and he could develop into a strong defender, though he has been inconsistent. Schroeder impressed many at the Nike Hoop Summit with his speed and defense, but he isn’t close to ready to handle NBA point guard duties.

Muscala was one of my favorite players in the class, and his versatility on offense should provide the Hawks with some options in their rotation. Neto is a skilled point guard who plays over in Spain, but we likely won’t see him over here any time soon.

Boston Celtics

1^st Round: Kelly Olynyk (13^th, PF/C, Gonzaga)

2^nd Round: Colton Iverson (53^rd, C, Colorado State)

Grade: B

Analysis: Boston’s big news on draft night wasn’t about the draft, but about the dismantling of the roster. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry are heading to New Jersey, and Boston will look to rebuild through the Draft over the next few years. Kelly Olynyk will provide some scoring off the bat from a variety of spots on the floor, but he lacks toughness and defensive skills. Colton Iverson has enough toughness though for both of them and, if he makes the team, he can provide some rebounding and post defense.

Brooklyn Nets

1^st Round: Mason Plumlee (22^nd, C, Duke)

2^nd Round: None

Grade: B+

Analysis: As mentioned just above, the Nets picked up Pierce, Garnett and Terry to add to Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez to give Brooklyn a formidable first unit. Plumlee will provide much needed frontcourt depth and his athleticism should have a chance to shine among this group. Plumlee will end up being a valuable piece as this this team looks to make a playoff run.

Charlotte Bobcats

1^st Round: Cody Zeller (4^th, PF, Indiana)

2^nd Round: None

Grade: B

Analysis: Many scoff at the pick, but I think Zeller is a great fit alongside the young players Charlotte is building around. He can score in a variety of ways and is the most skilled big man in the draft. I do think they could have done much more by taking Ben McLemore, but Zeller is still a good choice. 

Chicago Bulls

1^st Round: Tony Snell (20^th, SG, New Mexico)

2^nd Round: Erik Murphy (49^th, PF, Florida)

Grade: B+

Analysis: Snell came on strong during the pre-Draft period and he should be a good fit in Chicago’s rotation. A strong defender who can stretch the floor, Snell needs to focus on becoming a more consistent shooter.

Murphy is a fantastic value at 49. He is capable of knocking down perimeter jumpers, but he is comfortable around the basket. Also, he should provide some help with the interior defense.

Cleveland Cavaliers

1^st Round: Anthony Bennett (1^st, PF, UNLV); Sergey Karasev (19^th, SF, Russia)

2^nd Round: Carrick Felix (33^rd, SG, Arizona State)

Grade: B

Analysis: Does have Bennett have a lot of upside? Absolutely. However, one of the big men would have been a much better choice to fit with a team built around Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson. Still, Bennett will provide a scoring punch to Cavs, but his lack of defensive ability may hurt. Speaking of lack of defensive ability, the Cavs got a player they reportedly coveted in Karasev. Highly skilled for his age on the offensive end with a high basketball IQ, he could be a solid wing option in another few years.

Felix was one of the strongest defensive players in this draft, and his ability to get out in transition should earn him some minutes quickly in Cleveland’s rotation.

Dallas Mavericks

1^st Round: Shane Larkin (18^th, PG, Miami)

2^nd Round: Ricky Ledo (43^rd, SG, Providence)

Grade: B

Analysis: While I believe Dallas’ plan was to try to get rid of their first without taking on another guaranteed contract, they did move down in the 1^st round. Larkin was a good value here and he should be running the Mavericks’’ offense in a couple of years.

Ledo was a risk, but not at 43. Ultra-talented, but ineligible to play his freshman year of college, Ledo could provide some scoring. It is still up in the air how he will fare against NBA competition.

Denver Nuggets

1^st Round: None

2^nd Round: Erick Green (46^th, SG, Virginia Tech); Joffrey Lauvergne (55^th, France)

Grade: B

Analysis: The Nuggets dealt their way out of the first round, but they got one of the biggest steals in my opinion with Erick Green at 46. The NCAA’s leading scorer, Green can score from anywhere on the court, and most important at his size, he can create his own shot.

I doubt we will ever see Joffrey in the NBA.

Detroit Pistons

1^st Round: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (8^th, SG, Georgia)

2^nd Round: Tony Mitchell (37^th, PF, North Texas); Peyton Siva (56^th, PG, Louisville)

Grade: B-

Analysis: I am not as high on Caldwell-Pope as others, and I think Detroit could have taken care of their Brandon Knight problem by taking one of the point guards on the board. Still, Caldwell-Pope is very athletic, a good perimeter shooter who can create his own shot, and an underrated defender.

Mitchell is a lot of upside, but his sophomore year was a major disappointment. An athletic forward who can hit the mid-range jumper and rebound, Mitchell needs to find a way to focus and become consistent on both ends of the floor. Siva could be a solid back-up and will certainly get the intensity levels up in practice.

Golden State

1^st Round: Nemanja Nedovic (30^th, SG, Serbia)

2^nd Round:

Grade: C

Analysis: Nedovic is an athletic guard who is an inconsistent shooter. A decent defender he could get a shot to make the Warriors roster soon. Still, I don’t see him adding much value to the team.

Houston Rockets

1^st Round: None

2^nd Round: Isaiah Canaan (34^th, PG, Murray State)

Grade: B+

Analysis: A great value pick in the early 2^nd round, Canaan is an accomplished scorer who has been working to show that he can be a real distributor as well. Would be a nice change-of-pace to having Jeremy Lin out on the court.

Indiana Pacers

1^st Round: Solomon Hill (23^rd, SF, Arizona)

2^nd Round:

Grade: B

Analysis: This could have been a big reach for Hill, but when you look at the Pacers’ team makeup, you can see where his versatile skill set fits in. A good perimeter defender for his size, he is also a capable of shooter and he can attack the basket. He should be a solid back-up on the wing.

Los Angeles Clippers

1^st Round: Reggie Bullock (25^th, SG/SF, North Carolina)

2^nd Round: None

Grade: B+

Analysis: The Clippers needed a perimeter shooter out on the wing and they got one of the best in this draft. Bullock is a great spot-up shooter who is a better defender and more athletic than people give him credit for. Could have an instant impact off the bench.

Los Angeles Lakers

1^st Round: None

2^nd Round: Ryan Kelly (48^th, PF, Duke)

Grade: B+

Analysis: A very good pick for the Lakers at 48. Almost 7 feet tall and a very good shooter, Kelly should have no problem getting good looks on this Lakers team. A good defender for his size, I think Kelly could earn some minutes rather quickly.

Memphis Grizzlies

1^st Round: None

2^nd Round: Jamaal Franklin (41^st, SG, San Diego State); Janis Timma (60^th, SF, Latvia)

Grade: B-

Analysis: Many people were high on Franklin; I wasn’t one of them. It is easy to be awed by his athleticism, but I have a thing against shooting guards who can’t shoot well. Still, he can provide energy and tough defense, and was a good value at 41.

Miami Heat

1^st Round: None

2^nd Round: James Ennis (50^th, SF, Long Beach State)

Grade: B

Analysis: Somehow the Heat managed to find a solid player at 50 in Ennis. A very athletic scorer, Ennis was one of the most underrated players in this draft. He may or may not make the team right away, but he could find himself a spot in the near future.

Milwaukee Bucks

1^st Round: Giannis Adetokunbo (15^th, SF, Greece)

2^nd Round: Nate Wolters (38^th, PG, South Dakota State)

Grade: B-

Analysis: It is way too soon to determine what, if anything, the Bucks will have in Adetokunbo, whose rise in the past few months has been remarkable. He has good skill and is long and athletic, but still very raw. There is no clue if he can handle real competition, and it will be a long time before anyone really knows.

Wolters was a great value pick at 38 and he could be a valuable part of the Bucks’ rotation quickly. No matter how they use him, he will find ways to score.

Minnesota Timberwolves

1^st Round: Shabazz Muhammad (14^th, SF, UCLA); Gorgui Dieng (21^st, C, Louisville)

2^nd Round: Lorenzo Brown (52^nd, PG, North Carolina State); Bojan Dubijevic (59^th, PF, Montenegro)

Grade: A-

Analysis: For all the knocks against Muhammad, a situation like Minnesota could be exactly what he needs. There won’t be a lot of pressure for him to produce big quickly and his athleticism should allow him to fit in nicely with the current team. Still, he needs to develop his skill set significantly. The Dieng pick may have been one of my favorites in the 1^st round. Already a very good defender and rim protector, Dieng showed a little more versatility on offense this past season. Would be an excellent backup to Pekovic if he re-signs.

It was surprising to see Brown drop all the way to 52. He is a big point guard who is very good at creating his own scoring opportunities. It may be tough to find room for him in Minnesota though.

New Orleans Pelicans

1^st Round: None

2^nd Round: Pierre Jackson (42^nd, PG, Baylor)

Grade: B+

Analysis: The Pelicans did some dealing out of the 1^st round and turned it into Jrue Holiday, and the draft rights to Pierre Jackson. Jackson was a point guard known more for his scoring, but this past season he showed that he is a capable distributor. He would be a great change-of-pace backup to Greivis Vasquez next season.

New York Knicks

1^st Round: Tim Hardaway, Jr. (24^th, SG, Michigan)

2^nd Round: None

Grade: B-

Analysis: Hardaway is a good shooter and his size allows him to get good looks on the perimeter, but I think the Knicks had better options here, especially if they were looking for a perimeter shooter.

Oklahoma City Thunder

1^st Round: Steven Adams (12^th, C, Pittsburgh); Andre Roberson (26^th, F, Colorado)

2^nd Round: Alex Abrines (32^nd, SG, Spain); Grant Jerrett (40^th, PF, Arizona)

Grade: C

Analysis: It’s tough to argue with Sam Presti’s decision-making, but I don’t like this draft at all. Adams is a strong, athletic center with low skill levels. He improved some over the course of last season, but he still looks lost on the court often. Will be a few years before we see how he develops. Roberson is a rebounding specialist, but he hasn’t improved much the past 2 seasons and I don’t know how well he will rebound when everyone around him has high-level athleticism, which is what he relies on.

Abrines has shown that he can score, but he needs to develop physically and get a better understanding of how to play defense. Jerrett can shoot, but is a lousy defender and doesn’t make good decisions. I see little chance of him developing into much more. That’s not going to work when more and more versatile big men are being developed.

Orlando Magic

1^st Round: Victor Oladipo (2^nd, SG, Indiana)

2^nd Round: Romero Osby (51^st, PF, Oklahoma)

Grade: B

Analysis: A few ways to look at the Oladipo pick. He’s a high-energy player who can be disruptive on the defensive end. He improve his jumper over the last few years, but I still think he may have trouble getting shots off early on in the NBA. Still, he will certainly set the tone for how his teammates play around him.

Osby is another hard-working player who can score around the basket and defend. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made the Magic roster.

Philadelphia 76ers

1^st Round: Nerlens Noel (6^th, C, Kentucky); Michael Carter-Williams (11^th, PG, Syracuse)

2^nd Round: Arsalan Kazemi (54^th, PF, Oregon)

Grade: A

Analysis: The Sixers had to give up Jrue Holiday, but he landed a huge defensive presence in Noel, and will be able to pair him with a dynamic point guard in Carter-Williams. Both have scoring issues, but they are still both developing, and as long as they have some scoring around them, they can be a great nucleus. Don’t forget the 2014 1^st round pick they added as well.

Kazemi is a strong rebounder and a guy who has no problem battling with anyone on the court. Could find himself on the roster in the near future.

Phoenix Suns

1^st Round: Alex Len (5^th, C, Maryland); Archie Goodwin (29^th, SG, Phoenix)

 2^nd Round: Alex Oriakhi (57^th, C, Missouri)

Grade: B-

Analysis: Len has plenty of potential, and he is a skilled offensive player, but he isn’t a good defender and has been inconsistent. Many like to blame it on his Maryland teammates, but Len needs to shoulder some of the blame for his play the past 2 seasons. Goodwin is another risk. Lots of potential, very little understanding of the game, and he will need to time to develop.

Oriakhi has always been a strong defender, but I see little chance of him making the roster.

Portland Trail Blazers

1^st Round: CJ McCollum (10^th, PG, Lehigh)

2^nd Round: Allen Crabbe (31^st, SG, California); Jeff Withey (39^th, C, Kansas); Marko Todorovic (45^th, C)

Grade: A

Analysis: The Trail Blazers nailed this draft in a number of key areas. McCollum is seen by many as very similar to Damian Lillard, and in some ways he is, but they should be able to work together. McCollum is more of a natural point guard and Lillard should thrive off the ball. McCollum is also a very good defender heading into the NBA.

Crabbe was one of the top shooters in this draft and is sneakily athletic. He has great size at the 2, and should find some very good looks. Withey will provide a solid defensive presence in the middle, more than any current Blazers big.

Sacramento Kings

1^st Round: Ben McLemore (7^th, SG, Kansas)

2^nd Round: Ray McCallum (36^th, PG, Detroit)

Grade: A

Analysis: Sacramento ended up with a nice gift having McLemore fall to them at 6. Put aside reports about his workouts and switching agents, and you have the most talented scorer in the draft. He will be an instant impact player for the Kings, who could really use it.

McCallum is a great pickup in the 2^nd round, and will give the Kings a different look at point guard with his size and ability to get to the basket.

San Antonio Spurs

1^st Round: Livio Jean-Charles (28^th, SF, France)

2^nd Round: Deshaun Thomas (58^th, SF, Ohio State)

Grade: B-

Analysis: Jean-Charles had his breakout performance at the Nike Hoop Summit, but he is far from being polished enough to play at the NBA level. Still, he is tenacious on both ends of the floor and may develop nicely under the Spurs’ organization.

There aren’t many who can find a way to score like Deshaun Thomas, but I have no idea how he’ll get time under Popovich with the way he plays defense.

Toronto

1^st Round: None

2^nd Round: None

Grade: N/A

Analysis: Nothing to see here. Please move on.

Utah

1^st Round: Trey Burke (9^th, PG, Michigan); Rudy Gobert (27^th, C, France)

2^nd Round: None

Grade: B+

Analysis: A little bit of dealing got the Jazz exactly what they needed in Trey Burke. Burke will give them a point guard who is capable of getting those around him good looks while also capable of taking on a scoring role if needed, though he does need to work on getting to the basket.  Gobert intrigued many with his measurements at the Combine, but he is extremely raw and no one knows how this will turn out.

Washington

1^st Round: Otto Porter (3^rd, SF, Washington)

2^nd Round: Glen Rice, Jr. (35^th, SF, Rio Grande Valley)

Grade: A-

Analysis: The Porter pick was a no-brainer and he will be a great compliment to the backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. A good perimeter shooter, rebounder, passer, and defender, all Porter needs to work on is his ability to create scoring off the dribble.

Rice showed himself to be a capable scorer at the D-League level, but I’m not convinced he will have the same opportunities at the NBA level.

That wraps up the 2013 NBA Draft.  Thank you all for a great year.