Post by KingsOfKings on May 23, 2008 1:50:20 GMT -5
1. Dallas - C John Riek, St. John's - The defense and rebounding look good. He kept his A potential. With ATC's for inside scoring, Riek will turn into an excellent player.
2. Toronto - SG Tyreke Evans, Memphis - Evans had a great training camp, keeping his A potential and making a jump defensively. He's looking like a good complete player already.
3. Denver - PG Kalin Lucas, Michigan State - Good pass-first point guard for now, but he didn't get much love on the defense and scoring. He does still have A potential, so with ATC's for scoring and defense, he can be a good player.
4. Houston - SF DeShaun Thomas, Indiana - I had a feeling that Thomas was the best player in the draft. He jumped up in defense and outside scoring from B+ to A-. He looks good as is and he still has A potential to grow some more.
5. Memphis - C Derrick Favors, Clemson - Favors got a bump to rebounding in training camp and still has room to grow. He's going to be a very good player.
6. Orlando - C Kenny Kadji, Florida - He got a bump to rebounding, but really needed a bump to scoring and rebounding. He will need ATC work to really be a good long-term solution for Orlando.
7. New Jersey (from UTA) - SG Xavier Henry, Kansas - This is looking like an especially good pick after he jumped from B to B+ inside scoring and B- to B defense. With ATC work on defense, Henry will be a very good player.
8. Chicago - PF James Johnson, Wake Forest - Johnson jumped from B to B+ defensively and evidently he's on the borderline between B and A potential because that went up in training camp. This went from a poor grade to a hopeful player for the future.
9. Philadelphia - SF Scotty Hopson, Tennessee - Hopson blew up in training camp, jumping from B to B+ inside scoring and B to A- outside scoring. With a focus on inside scoring in TC, it looks like Hopson will be a threat to score 20 ppg and push for the rookie of the year this year.
10. Boston - C Cole Aldrich, Kansas - Aldrich didn't get anything from training camp, but he still looks good and with ATC's he can become a very good player.
11. Philadelphia (from LAL) - C Kenny Frease, Xavier - Frease turned into a big man during training camp, jumping from B to B+ defensively and B+ to A- rebounding. He still only has B potential and he'll need some manual work on inside scoring, but he's looking like a solid pick now.
12. New York - SF Delvon Roe, Michigan State - Roe did make an improvement in inside scoring from B- to B and rebounding from B- to B, but his potential dropped from A to B. He looks like a tough project at this point, and he needs more than a few ATC's to become a very good player I think.
13. Philadelphia (from DET) - PF Michael Holmes, South Carolina - Holmes jumped from B- to B inside scoring. That is a good start, but he needs some bumps from his potential in the future and he'll need ATC work to become something more than an average player.
14. San Antonio - SF Chris Wright, Dayton - Wright had a rough training camp, dropping inside scoring from B- to C+ and raising outside scoring from C to C+. He'll need a lot of help from his potential in the future and ATC work on scoring, but at least he can still play D.
15. Golden State - C John Henson, North Carolina - Henson had an excellent training camp, jumping from C+ to B- in inside scoring, B to B+ in both defense and rebounding, while maintaining A potential. Henson has the potential to be a very good center now and looks like a much better pick now.
16. Minnesota - C D.J. Magley, Western Kentucky - Unfortunately for the T-Wolves, Magley actually got a bit worse, D+ to D in handling. Nothing about him intrigues me, and I'll be surprised if he gets playing time over incoming FA backups.
17. Los Angeles Clippers - PG Kemba Walker, Connecticut - Walker is looking like an even stronger pick, with his outside scoring raising from B- to B and his defense raising from B to B+.
18. Phoenix - SG Manny Harris, Michigan - Harris had a mediocre training camp. His handling made a large jump from C+ to B and his defense rose from C+ to B-. However, his potential dropped to B and it looks like he'll need a lot of ATC's to become more than an average player.
19. Milwaukee - PF Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech - Lawal got a small bump from B to B+ rebounding, but his potential dropped to B. He didn't get the bump to scoring that he needed to become a good player so he'll likely need ATC work to push him over the edge into a starter job.
20. Toronto (from IND) - PG DeAndre Liggins, Kentucky - Liggins had an excellent training camp, raising his outside scoring from C+ to B and his defense from B+ to A-. He looks like a startable point guard and he has A potential still. This looks like an even better pick now.
21. Washington - SG LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor - Dunn got a bump from B+ to A- outside scoring and C+ to B- in defense. He kept his A potential so after training camp, he is looking like a very solid pick.
22. Forfeited (Atlanta) - Forfeited
23. Houston (from NJN) - PG Patrick Mills, Saint Mary's - Mills got a bump from B+ to A- handling and kept his A potential but unfortunately didn't improve his defense at all. He'll need ATC work on his defense to be a longterm starter.
24. New Jersey (from MIA) - C/PF Josh Southern, Boston College - Drafted at B potential, Southern dropped a little in handling, but got a bump that's possibly more ideal than any basic rating, his potential rose from B to A. The Nets can have hope that he gets a bump from his potential and put some ATC work into him, he could be a solid player, getting rotation minutes.
25. Seattle - SF Gary Johnson, Texas - Handling rose from C- to C and defense rose from B+ to A-. His potential dropped to B without any scoring improvements, so this pick is looking a little worse now, but not too bad.
26. Sacramento- PG Corey Fisher, Villanova - Fisher had a solid training camp, his defense raising from C to C+ and his rebounding raising from C- to C. He needs ATC's and a bump from development to become a starter, so the jury is still out on him, but he does still have A potential.
27. Cleveland- SF Scott Martin, Notre Dame - Martin got a good bump in training camp while staying at B potential. His outside scoring rose from A- to A, and his defense rose from C+ to B-. He's looking sort of old Peja-esque, but the pick looks a little stronger than at draft-time.
28. Forfeited (Charlotte) - Forfeited
29. Portland - SG Corey Stokes, Villanova - Stokes rose from A- to A outside scoring and from C+ to B- defense, staying at B potential. A very good training camp that makes his pick even stronger.
2. Toronto - SG Tyreke Evans, Memphis - Evans had a great training camp, keeping his A potential and making a jump defensively. He's looking like a good complete player already.
3. Denver - PG Kalin Lucas, Michigan State - Good pass-first point guard for now, but he didn't get much love on the defense and scoring. He does still have A potential, so with ATC's for scoring and defense, he can be a good player.
4. Houston - SF DeShaun Thomas, Indiana - I had a feeling that Thomas was the best player in the draft. He jumped up in defense and outside scoring from B+ to A-. He looks good as is and he still has A potential to grow some more.
5. Memphis - C Derrick Favors, Clemson - Favors got a bump to rebounding in training camp and still has room to grow. He's going to be a very good player.
6. Orlando - C Kenny Kadji, Florida - He got a bump to rebounding, but really needed a bump to scoring and rebounding. He will need ATC work to really be a good long-term solution for Orlando.
7. New Jersey (from UTA) - SG Xavier Henry, Kansas - This is looking like an especially good pick after he jumped from B to B+ inside scoring and B- to B defense. With ATC work on defense, Henry will be a very good player.
8. Chicago - PF James Johnson, Wake Forest - Johnson jumped from B to B+ defensively and evidently he's on the borderline between B and A potential because that went up in training camp. This went from a poor grade to a hopeful player for the future.
9. Philadelphia - SF Scotty Hopson, Tennessee - Hopson blew up in training camp, jumping from B to B+ inside scoring and B to A- outside scoring. With a focus on inside scoring in TC, it looks like Hopson will be a threat to score 20 ppg and push for the rookie of the year this year.
10. Boston - C Cole Aldrich, Kansas - Aldrich didn't get anything from training camp, but he still looks good and with ATC's he can become a very good player.
11. Philadelphia (from LAL) - C Kenny Frease, Xavier - Frease turned into a big man during training camp, jumping from B to B+ defensively and B+ to A- rebounding. He still only has B potential and he'll need some manual work on inside scoring, but he's looking like a solid pick now.
12. New York - SF Delvon Roe, Michigan State - Roe did make an improvement in inside scoring from B- to B and rebounding from B- to B, but his potential dropped from A to B. He looks like a tough project at this point, and he needs more than a few ATC's to become a very good player I think.
13. Philadelphia (from DET) - PF Michael Holmes, South Carolina - Holmes jumped from B- to B inside scoring. That is a good start, but he needs some bumps from his potential in the future and he'll need ATC work to become something more than an average player.
14. San Antonio - SF Chris Wright, Dayton - Wright had a rough training camp, dropping inside scoring from B- to C+ and raising outside scoring from C to C+. He'll need a lot of help from his potential in the future and ATC work on scoring, but at least he can still play D.
15. Golden State - C John Henson, North Carolina - Henson had an excellent training camp, jumping from C+ to B- in inside scoring, B to B+ in both defense and rebounding, while maintaining A potential. Henson has the potential to be a very good center now and looks like a much better pick now.
16. Minnesota - C D.J. Magley, Western Kentucky - Unfortunately for the T-Wolves, Magley actually got a bit worse, D+ to D in handling. Nothing about him intrigues me, and I'll be surprised if he gets playing time over incoming FA backups.
17. Los Angeles Clippers - PG Kemba Walker, Connecticut - Walker is looking like an even stronger pick, with his outside scoring raising from B- to B and his defense raising from B to B+.
18. Phoenix - SG Manny Harris, Michigan - Harris had a mediocre training camp. His handling made a large jump from C+ to B and his defense rose from C+ to B-. However, his potential dropped to B and it looks like he'll need a lot of ATC's to become more than an average player.
19. Milwaukee - PF Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech - Lawal got a small bump from B to B+ rebounding, but his potential dropped to B. He didn't get the bump to scoring that he needed to become a good player so he'll likely need ATC work to push him over the edge into a starter job.
20. Toronto (from IND) - PG DeAndre Liggins, Kentucky - Liggins had an excellent training camp, raising his outside scoring from C+ to B and his defense from B+ to A-. He looks like a startable point guard and he has A potential still. This looks like an even better pick now.
21. Washington - SG LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor - Dunn got a bump from B+ to A- outside scoring and C+ to B- in defense. He kept his A potential so after training camp, he is looking like a very solid pick.
22. Forfeited (Atlanta) - Forfeited
23. Houston (from NJN) - PG Patrick Mills, Saint Mary's - Mills got a bump from B+ to A- handling and kept his A potential but unfortunately didn't improve his defense at all. He'll need ATC work on his defense to be a longterm starter.
24. New Jersey (from MIA) - C/PF Josh Southern, Boston College - Drafted at B potential, Southern dropped a little in handling, but got a bump that's possibly more ideal than any basic rating, his potential rose from B to A. The Nets can have hope that he gets a bump from his potential and put some ATC work into him, he could be a solid player, getting rotation minutes.
25. Seattle - SF Gary Johnson, Texas - Handling rose from C- to C and defense rose from B+ to A-. His potential dropped to B without any scoring improvements, so this pick is looking a little worse now, but not too bad.
26. Sacramento- PG Corey Fisher, Villanova - Fisher had a solid training camp, his defense raising from C to C+ and his rebounding raising from C- to C. He needs ATC's and a bump from development to become a starter, so the jury is still out on him, but he does still have A potential.
27. Cleveland- SF Scott Martin, Notre Dame - Martin got a good bump in training camp while staying at B potential. His outside scoring rose from A- to A, and his defense rose from C+ to B-. He's looking sort of old Peja-esque, but the pick looks a little stronger than at draft-time.
28. Forfeited (Charlotte) - Forfeited
29. Portland - SG Corey Stokes, Villanova - Stokes rose from A- to A outside scoring and from C+ to B- defense, staying at B potential. A very good training camp that makes his pick even stronger.