The trade winds were blowing at the 2008 draft as 20 of the 60 players selected were traded with Darrell Arthur moving twice. Combine that with the number of "upside picks" rising and falling and you had one of the wildest drafts in years. The following is a report card based on how teams used their picks to improve. Grades and comments by Aran Smith.
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| Atlanta | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | I | None | Atlanta's first rounder went to Phoenix in the Joe Johnson trade. Considering how well Johnson has worked out for them, and this team actually made the playoffs, Hawks fans can live without having a pick. The Hawks are finally out of the basement and have a team to be proud of, having extended the champion Celtics a lot further than Kobe and company. But with success comes adversity, as the team must now decide who to build around, and who to let go of. The Hawks had no picks and made no moves during the draft so they draw an incomplete. |
| Boston | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B- | | From worst to first, credit Danny Ainge for steadily building assets. His one big mistake: giving away the pick that could have netted Brandon Roy or Rudy Gay for Sebastian Telfair will have to be chalked up as a mulligan. Ainge has proven himself as one of the sharpest talent evaluators in the game. His decision to hold onto Paul Pierce as well as trade for Ray Allen was a leap of faith that achieved flight when ex-teammate Kevin McHale finally decided to unshackle KG, gift-wrapping him to his former team for a Big Al Jefferson and change. The rest is history. With DeAndre Jordan, Mario Chalmers and CDR available here, you have to wonder if Ainge might have fixated on Giddens instead of taking one of the sliders. Giddens head looks about three sizes too small for his body, but he's an NBA athlete, and might be asked to assume James Posey's role sooner than later, as Posey could test the free-agent market. Bill Walker is too athletic for his knees, having blown a gasket four times now. Erden makes a clean sweep of three draftees that scouts had question marks regarding mental make up. If Ainge can get just one of these three to check their heads and play to their physical abilities, he'll have done well. With an atmosphere of winning and so many seasoned vets, Giddens and Walker find themselves in a great situation to succeed. A year ago I said Ainge should be fired; what a difference a year makes. |
| Charlotte | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | C+ | | GMs like to put their stamps on teams (sometimes at the expense of the franchise, i.e. Steve Kerr) and MJ with the help of Larry Brown is doing just that. Drafting DJ Augustin likely signals the imminent departure of Bernie Bickerstaff pick Raymond Felton. Ajinca was a favorite of International scout and Nike rep Rich Shoebrooks who actually predicted Ajinca would go ahead of the higher rated Batum in May. Ajinca is a project with nice upside but is a long ways from being ready to contribute. Weaver is a very nice pick in the early second round who should be able to fill in at both guard positions bringing excellent defense. |
| Chicago | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | A |  (1) Derrick Rose (36) Omer Asik | After much deliberation, the Bulls wisely decided on the local point guard who should instantly become one of the better floor generals in the league. Rose gives them a franchise talent to build around. The team will look to move Kirk Hinrich for frontcourt help. Michael Beasley offered a tempting option for them, but with Rose being from the Windy City, Paxson's support from the fans would have instantly dropped 50 percentage points. For a number of reasons, Rose is the safer pick, and though Beasley will probably start more impressively out of the gates, Rose is likely to improve more over the next five years, not to mention he makes those around him better. |
| Cleveland | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | D |
| The Cavs appear to be floundering, struggling to add talent around LeBron in the draft, free agency and trades. Hickson is an undersized four-man (6'8) with good length and solid muscle but lacks the upside of other freshman prospects. If he's not able to bring the team much in the short term, there' a good chance he will struggle to improve much over time. The Cavs also brough in the Kansas duo Kaun and Jackson in trades. Neither is expected to keep Lebron in Cleveland. LeBron and NYC, tick-tock... |
| Dallas | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | D | (51) Shan Foster | The Mavs panicked after the Lakers pulled off the Gasol deal making a terrible decision to acquire Jason Kidd. At the time, it was obvious this team was not a legitimate contender even with Kidd and the team went overboard, giving away far too much to obtain the aging playmaker. If Kidd was 2-3 years younger, the deal would make sense, but giving away a young, talented point guard like Devin Harris plus Diop and 2 first rounders was a huge mistake. Some feel that a championship team cannot be built around a European player. Dirk's Mavs came incredibly close, but unless Dallas can reload its roster after Kidd's contract expires in 2009, that ship might be on the verge of sailing. |
| Denver | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | A- | (39) Sonny Weems (Trade) | Denver opted out of their pick at 20, deciding a worthwhile point guard would not be available to them. Adding a future Charlotte first rounder is as good as gold. Now if they can just figure out a way to pry Raymond Felton from Charlotte, they will really have something. Weems is an elite level athlete with improving skills who should have a good shot to make the Nuggets roster. |
| Detroit | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B- | (32) Walter Sharpe (Trade) (46) Trent Plaisted (59) Deron Washington | Joe Dumars is one of the top GMs in the business, but giving away DJ White for Sharpe (at 32) was a bit of a head scratcher. Sharpe never evolved into a dominant player at UAB, but showed flashes of nice potential. He is a very athletic forward, but will need to put on significant weight. However, with the way Detroit has developed Amir Johnson, don't put it past them to work similar magic with Sharpe. He's raw, and a long ways from being NBA ready, but certainly has the potential to develop into something. Trent Plaisted and Deron Washington are nice athletes at their respective positions, but despite being seniors may not be ready for the NBA grind and could find themselves in Europe or D-League next season. |
| Golden State | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
| | A- | | While Randolph is this draft's tech stock IPO, credit the Warriors for gambling on him. Any higher and he was a risky pick, but considering where they got him, this is an excellent value (even if he's eerily similar to Brandan Wright). Apparently the Warriors are ready to re-enact "Hands Across America," and with their past three first round picks, they've already got Oakland covered. Hendrix could be a solid pick for the Warriors if he can keep up with their athletes. The Warriors are still having flashbacks of the way Carlos Boozer abused them in the second round of the playoffs two years ago. Maybe the team sees Hendrix as a possible match up for Boozer. Good luck Mr. Hendrix! |
| Houston | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B- | | Trading for Arthur and Dorsey was a great move, although dealing Arthur for Greene probably wasn't. Greene has a lot of potential. Although, so did Rudy Gay when they traded the #8 pick away. The quick-fix trades have a success rate of about .04 percent. Adding Dorsey should help bolster their run defense, freeing up Mario Williams on the pass rush. Seriously, has this guy ever thought of strapping on some football pads? Maybe he could play in the NFL without them. Leunen is a crafty forward with solid skills but might be too slow and position-less to find a spot in the league. |
| Indiana | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | D | | Larry Legend did not start off his GM tenure in Indiana very well. Unloading Jermaine O'Neal and his 2-year $40-million deal was necessary, but he didn't get enough in return as TJ Ford, like O'Neal, is injury prone and could be more trouble than he's worth. He also has yet to prove that he can be an elite-level point guard. Their draft philosophy makes sense for a team that's close to contending, adding Rush and Hibbert a couple of NBA ready players with not a lot of upside. Unfortunately the Pacers are in rebuilding mode and don't have the talent in place to make "solid" picks. Rush's career took a big turn for the worse when he was informed that he was being traded to Indiana instead of playing for Portland. The expectations and role that the Pacers have in mind for him will make it difficult for him to succeed. He is a defensive standout with solid shooting ability, but asking him to be more than that is asking for trouble. Taking Hibbert at 17 was also a mistake as he's limited athletically, and will be nothing more than a solid center. While these picks might look solid in a year, they likely won't appear so solid in 4-5 years when other players they could have taken (like Bayless and McGee) potentially become standouts. |
| LA Clippers | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
| | A |  (7) Eric Gordon (35) DeAndre Jordan (55) Mike Taylor (Trade) | Pacman Jones said he'll pray for Don Imus, but who will pray for these guys? Gordon hit a stroke of bad luck somewhere along the line (wrist injury, Sampson) and apparently that continued right through the draft as there isn't a worse situation for a young player to start their career than Clipper-land. Considering that DeAndre Jordan and Michael Beasley were spotted at Downtown Disney (the bar area of Kissimmee, Fla.) at midnight the night before they were to get measured and tested athletically, it's no surprise that Jordan fell to 35. Aside from being the answer to a trivia question, Taylor is a very intriguing guard who just needs to tone down his game to stick in the league for years to come. |
| LA Lakers | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B | (58) Joe Crawford | Mitch Kupchak was heard on his cell phone after making the Crawford pick saying "Hey Kobe, tell me how my draft tastes." The Lakers gave up their first-rounder (pick No. 28 overall) in the infamous Pau Gasol trade. So aside from losing in the finals, he has to be pleased. Joe Crawford, no not the referee, had a standout Orlando draft-camp performance, and could potentially find a spot on the roster. |
| Memphis | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | A- |  (3) OJ Mayo (Trade) (27) Darrell Arthur (Trade) | GM Chris Wallace dodged a crap storm that was heading his way when he drafted Love by moving him for Mayo. Outside of Love and Mayo, the trade heavily favored the T-Wolves, as McHale did a solid job of getting some value (Miller) in the deal. But credit Wallace for targeting Mayo and getting him as well as swinging a deal for "Shady" Arthur who gets the Brady Quinn award (someone needed to find him a backroom to hide in) agonizing through 26 picks before hearing his name called, only to be traded twice after being selected. Welcome to the NBA kid! |
| Miami | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | A |  (2) Michael Beasley 35) Mario Chalmers (Trade) | Even if he's not a "Riley guy," you take "B-Easy," hope he doesn't become too swept up with South Beach, and watch him get his 20-10 for a year or two, then move him for another franchise talent. Riley was intrigued by Mayo, and although he's got that new-car smell, the Heat made the only sensible choice with Beasley. The talent gap between him and Mayo is just too great. Purchasing Chalmers in the second round was a great move, as he was under-valued falling out of the first round. Darnell Jackson late in the second round, ho hum. |
| Milwaukee | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | A- |  (8) Joe Alexander (37) L.R. Mbah a Moute Richard Jefferson (Trade) | The deal to bring in Richard Jefferson makes this team instantly better and gives them legitimate hope for earning a playoff spot in the East next season. Alexander's emergence from not being projected as a first rounder early in the season to a top 10 pick has some concerned, but his combination of athleticism, character and work ethic give him a great chance to live up to the pick. The Yi Jianlian trade leaves just one similar quasi-forward, Charlie Villanueva, for "Vanilla Sky" to compete with. Mbah a Moute was a solid mid-second rounder who might become a defensive standout in the league. |
| Minnesota | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | C- |  (5) Kevin Love (Trade) (31) Nikola Pekovic | Quite frankly, Kevin Love was a good sport with the "Stephen A. Smith heckling league of gentlemen," and has said all the right things since arriving in Minnesota. Whether or not he can be even a shadow of his "all-time favorite NBA player" Kevin McHale and live up to the fifth pick of the draft is another story. McHale's right-hand man is Serbian-born Zarko Durisic, so it only made sense that they would take Europe's most dominant bigman, the Serbian Nikola Pekovic, with the first pick of the second round. Pekovic is locked into a deal that will likely keep him from signing with the T-Wolves for three years, but Pekovic should provide them with a nasty interior force in a few years and valuable trade chip (ie. Marc Gasol) if necessary. |
| New Jersey | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | A- |  (10) Brook Lopez (Trade) (21) Ryan Anderson (40) C.Douglas-Roberts Yi Jianlian (Trade) | The Nets have a history of selecting Pac-Ten guys and continued with that trend by adding bigmen standouts Lopez and Anderson. Both are solid picks where they were taken and should provide an instant contribution. CDR was the biggest slider of the draft falling to the 40th pick. The post-Jason-Kidd rebuilding era is off to a fine start. However, the final grade can't be accurately tallied until the summer of 2010. The LeBron James Fire Sale began just prior to the draft when Kiki Vandeweghe sent Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian, Bobby Simmons and a ton of future cap space. Yi makes a lot of sense on a marketing level with the team's plans to move to NYC. |
| New Orleans | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | F | Pick Sold | Players the Hornets could have added at the 27th pick: Darrell Arthur, Donte Greene, DeAndre Jordan, Mario Chalmers, and Chris Douglas-Roberts -- a player who happens to be exactly what they're missing. Now if they had known that those players would all be available, would they still have sold the pick to Portland? The Blazers were hot to trot and would have bought this pick at the 11th hour, so why sell the pick two days before the draft? Selling picks is no way to run an NBA franchise, and the team's fanbase should be outraged. Wouldn't Darrell Arthur or CDR at $800k per year help this team? With the top point guard in the game in Chris Paul and one of the most exciting young teams in the league, this was inexcusable. This is no way to show Paul how much they appreciate him, and cracks the door open for him to bolt in free agency. Hopefully they insisted on Euros for the pick. |
| New York | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | C- |  (6) Danilo Gallinari | Donnie Walsh's clean-up job began by taking the pride of Italy. The D'Antoni connection ended up being a factor as the Knicks opted for the sweet-shooting forward from Italy. Gallinari is a bit of a safe pick as he's already a proven professional in Europe and shows a high basketball IQ. This pick could end up terribly wrong as the pressure on Gallinari will be greater in the Big Apple than any team in the league. If he gets off to a slow start, it would be difficult for him to win over the team's fan base. Jerryd Bayless is the player that made the most sense for the Knicks, as he had the most upside of anyone left on the board. But his lack of a position and with Marbury still in the fold, it made taking him more difficult. |
| Orlando | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B | | Despite rating Lee lower than this, this is actually a very solid selection for the Magic. In an effort to spread the floor and free up the paint for their superhero Dwight Howard, they are desperate to add a quality shooter at the 2-guard position. JJ Redick appears likely to be joining Trajan Langdon in Russia in the near future if a spot on Dick Vitale's "Def Poetry Jam" doesn't open up. Lee is a better pick for Orlando than someone like CDR as he stands out in a certain area (shooting) while CDR is good at everything but great at nothing. |
| Philadelphia | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B+ |  (16) Marreese Speights | Speights jumped the gun on his pro career, and it could be a few years before he can give the team anything, but he's a guy who was projected as a likely top-10 pick for 2009. The Sixers have a lot of young talent in the back court, so this was an excellent choice for them. He's got terrific touch on his shot and the ability to become a force in the paint with his size and strength potential. He just needs to become tougher and develop more intensity. The Sixers appear to be a team on the rise in the East, and Speights gives them a promising prospect in the paint. |
| Phoenix | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B | ( 15) Robin Lopez (45) Goran Dragic (Trade) | The Suns added the other Lopez twin as Robin went just 5 spots after his bother Brook. The duo provided a lot of entertainment in their draft preview segments as well as their draft interviews. Hopefully the shock of being away from one another for the first time won't negatively affect their careers. Robin can focus more of his time on girlfriend Michelle Wie and won't have to suffer through watching Sex and the City with Brook. Robin is clearly the more mobile of the two, and there are some that feel he could ultimately end up the better pro. It's unclear whether Dragic will immediately join Phoenix but he's a solid European guard with both size and speed. His point guard skills and outside shooting are both areas he's working on. |
| Portland | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | A+ |  (11) Jerryd Bayless (Trade) (25) Nicolas Batum (Trade) | Blazers GM Kevin Prichard is quickly becoming one of the top GMs in the business. Obviously it helps when you have Microsoft's Paul Allen's deep pockets, but Prichard is turning the draft into a clinic, bobbing and weaving like his name was Muhammad Ali (as he did in 2006). This year he started with one first-round pick (No. 13) and turned it into two potential top-five players out of this draft. It hardly seems fair. Bayless and Batum are two more excellent pieces to what appears to be a dynasty in the making. |
| Sacramento | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B- |  (12) Jason Thompson (42) Sean Singletary (43) Patrick Ewing Jr. | Sacramento added a solid bigman who actually has potential left to develop, despite being a senior (the first taken). Thompson has a lot of versatility and should instantly bolster the Kings frontcourt. Sacramento's second rounders were questionable decisions by the club, but both are seniors with good experience who will compete to make the roster. Singletary has tremendous heart and quickness, but his size could make things difficult for him. Ewing has the bloodline but lacks great skills to accompany his elite level athletic ability. |
| San Antonio | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B- |  (26) George Hill (48) Malik Hairston (Trade) (57) James Gist | With Duncan beginning to show his age, and San Antonio not reaching the Finals, a change in draft philosophy appears to be taking place. The Spurs went with athleticism on the perimeter with all three of their picks. Hill was a bit of a reach at 26, and they may be second guessed for passing on Mario Chalmers, but Hill was one of the most impressive players in the Orlando pre-draft camp and should provide a solid back-up to Tony Parker. |
| Seattle | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | A- | (4) Russell Westbrook (24) Serge Ibaka (29) DJ White (Trade) (50) DeVon Hardin | The team without a home had a solid draft adding one potential star in the backcourt (Westbrook) and some solid frontcourt potential. Gm Sam Presti did a solid job to resist the temptation to add Brook Lopez and take a player with considerably more upside at the fourth pick in Russell Westbrook. It's decisions like this that define a GM, and Presti made an excellent one. Ibaka is a solid gamble for the future who likely won't see NBA action for 3-4 years. DJ White, while on the small side (reportedly measuered 6'6.25 without shoes) has an enormous wingspan 7'3 and great leaping ability making him a Jason Maxiell type of player. Hardin is a tremendous athlete at his size with limited drive and skill. |
| Toronto | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B |  Jermaine O'Neal (41) Nathan Jawai (Trade) | The Jermaine O'Neal trade was a risky one as he's owed nearly 40 million over the next two years and has been extremely injury prone over the past few seasons. If he can stay healthy, he could turn out to be an excellent addition for the Raptors, as he's proven that when healthy he's one of the top interior forces in the game. TJ Ford had a solid season, but they probably moved him at the right time as some feel he was a bit of a disruptive force and faded in important situations. Jawai is an interesting bigman, who despite playing in Australia has a fairly polished offensive game. Can he find the same success against NBA level athletes is the question. |
| Utah | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | B+ |  (23) Kosta Koufos (44) Ante Tomic (52) Tadija Dragicevic | Koufos is very similar to current Jazz center Mehmet Okur only with a little more inside potential. He fits in very well with the Jazz style of play and could end up a steal at 23 for them. While he still must get stronger and tougher, his combination of offensive skill, touch and work ethic gives him a lot of potential. Tomic and Dragicevic may struggle to play at the NBA level. |
| Washington | Draft Grade | Additions | Comments |
 | A- |  (18) JaVale McGee | The Wizards made a solid gamble taking McGee with their only pick. He's an extremely long and unpolished center, in the mold of the Warriors Patrick O'Bryant. The big difference is that McGee has some fire to accompany his shooting touch and potential and and has a chance to develop into something special in a few years. While McGee slipped from a possible lottery pick, going 18 sets up an excellent situation for both parties. |
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