Saturday, July 3, 2010

Post 2010 Draft Analysis:

Obviously talent is a big factor in a player's success, but finding the right situation is also highly influential in how a player's career starts out. Below the fold will be who I think the winners and losers are in terms of the situation they landed in.

Winners:
Wesley Johnson(4) - The Timberwolves desperately needed an upgrade on the wing and Johnson should be able to get heavy minutes in his rookie season even though he has Brewer, Webster, and Ellington all worthy of minutes in the rotation.

DeMarcus Cousins(5) - The Kings do not need him to start next year with the one-year rental of Dalembert, which should allow Cousins to begin the season coming off the bench and then overtake the starting position mid-season. He and Tyreke should become one of the game's best young duos.

Greg Monroe(7) - Their frontcourt was without a player who could play minutes at Center, so Monroe could have been drafted into a starting role.

Al-Farouq Aminu(8) - He will have little pressure to produce offensively, which was the weakpoint in his game this last season. They will be counting on him, however, to give them quality defense as well as versatility to play both SF and PF, so the minutes should be there. While I'm not an Aminu fan, he couldn't have asked for a better situation.

Cole Aldrich(11) - It doesn't get much better for Cole. All OKC needs is for him to be a passable offensive option in the post, while giving them rebounding and defense. He can do that. Going to a team who would ask more of him would've spread out his focus and made him less effective.

Ed Davis(13) - Bosh is on the way out, and his competition in the frontcourt isn't exactly fierce. He will get his share of minutes, and Amir Johnson should allow Davis to come off the bench and hone his skills offensively against the other team's bench in his first season.

Kevin Seraphin(17) - Drafted higher than most expected, playing next to a stud PG, and landing in a frontcourt with an opening for his skillset... yeah, I'd say this is a pretty good situation for Seraphin.

Eric Bledsoe(18) - Like Aminu, there will be little pressure on Bledsoe to produce right away. Learning behind a vet like Davis will ease the transition back to the PG position after spending much of his time at SG last year in Kentucky.

Avery Bradley(19) - With Rondo there his playmaking wouldn't be on display and he could develop his PG skills while giving the Celtics outside shooting and lockdown D.

James Anderson(20) - Excellent location for Anderson to develop as they have many minutes available at the SG/SF spots and he can smooth over his defensive and handling issues.

Craig Brackins(21), Quincy Pondexter(26) - Both of these guys will be asked to give the Hornets' rotation a boost. Especially Brackins giving their frontcourt an offensive option in the post. Pondexter may be asked to mainly provide a defensive boost until Peja is off the books.

Dexter Pittman(32), Jarvis Varnado(41), Da'Sean Butler(42) - Miami needs players who don't cost very much, and all three of these seniors should be able to provide them with decent minutes right away. Pittman could even "start" games although he may only play for 15 minutes a night.


Losers:
Ekpe Udoh(6) - Financially, he's a winner... but in terms of the playing time he could see, he's a loser. The Warriors already have Randolph, Wright, Biedrins, and Turiaf in the frontcourt - and outside of his playmaking ability I don't see anything which makes me think he should earn big minutes until at least two of those guys are shipped out.

Xavier Henry(12) - Unless Mayo is moved to PG, I don't see how he'll ever get a starting spot in Memphis with Gay just agreeing to his deal. He could very well get 25-30mpg, but without room to grow this doesn't seem like the best situation for him.

Patrick Patterson(14) - He was one of the few guys who could immediately come in and give a team 30mpg if needed... however in Houston there are quite a few players who could get minutes at the PF spot (especially if Scola is brought back) and this could put the squeeze on Patterson.

Larry Sanders(15), Jerome Jordan(44), Tiny Gallon(47) - Gooden and Ilyasova are both there and each deserve minutes, so you have to wonder where these three fit in unless there is an injury.

Dominique Jones(25) - How on earth is he going to get minutes in Dallas? Maybe he'll be used with Dampier's contract in a S&T, but yeah... not good for him.

Daniel Orton(29) - He could easily be moved yet this summer, but as of this point I don't see where the minutes would come from with Howard, Gortat, Lewis, Anderson, and Bass all ahead of him in the rotation.

1 comment:

  1. could dominique jones earn some minutes at SG for the Twolves if he is packaged with Dampier in a sign and trade for big Al?

    ReplyDelete