The Draft has come and gone, and we all must wait 365 more days for the next one- the best sports event of the year. Here are some instant thoughts.
*Winners and Losers will come later tonight or tomorrow
- Boston traded their present away. They gave up Pierce, Jet and Garnett for what is likely 3 first round picks in the 20s, 30 million dollars of Gerald Wallace, 12 million dollars of Chris Humphries and a few 12th men. It's going to be a rough few years for Boston fans- better hope Danny Ainge has a plan.
- Have to love what Portland did. McCollum, Crabbe and Withey were all in my top 30, and all filled needs. Have to give major props to Neil Olshey.
- Anthony Bennett #1? Cleveland reached for the 3rd straight year, snagging the #9 player on my big board. As an undersized power forward, I am confused as to how he fits with Tristan Thompson already in place. If they try to play him at the 3 spot, the experiment won't go well.
- Zeller went before Len and Noel. I would have lost a lot of money had someone made that bet with me before the draft. I love Zeller's skill, but he doesn't have the upside of Len or Noel. I think Noel is the top player in the draft, and Philadelphia will be happy to have him, though Jrue Holiday was a steep price to pay. Speaking of that trade...
- Holiday is an interesting fit in New Orleans, and I like the move. Noel wasn't fitting a need, and ideally (to them) the pick they gave up will not be that high. For a Philadelphia team in need of a rebuild, the pieces they added were remarkable. In a strong draft next year, they could add an impact player.
- CJ Leslie and Jackie Carmichael were not drafted despite being rated in my top 40. They have a great chance to make a roster somewhere and have an impact as an undrafted free agent. Both players would have been better picks than the random forward (Osby) that Orlando picked at 51.
- Thought the ESPN crew did a great job tonight. Bill Simmons/Jalen Rose and Jay Bilas were all compatible with each other, and Rece Davis does a nice job hosting. 2014 draft should feature a similar lineup.
- Simmons made a joke about Atlanta hiring David Kahn as a consultant after the team selected back to back point guards (Larkin dealt to Dallas.) This was the joke of the night.
- Quick hit winners: Philadelphia, Portland, Atlanta, Golden State
- Quick hit losers: Boston, Indiana, Phoenix, Toronto
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