Western Conference Draft Grades

San Antonio Spurs: A+ (37- DeJuan Blair [PF], 51- Jack McClinton [PG], 53- Nando de Colo [PG])
An A+ for the draft, but getting Richard Jefferson makes the week an A++. Blair was a tremendous get considering his potential, and he has a great chance to be one of the best from this draft. McClinton gives the Spurs a great shooter off the bench, ready to grab and pop the kick outs from the post. de Colo is one of the premier guards in Europe, and like his predecessor Tony Parker, will be ready to come over in two years and play. All around a great draft.

Los Angeles Clippers: A (1- Blake Griffin [PF])
The Clippers told everyone from day 1 who they wanted, and they finally made it official. I think the Clippers might be coming out of the cellar with a core of Griffin, Gordon, and Thornton. Add in the veteran presence of Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, and Marcus Camby, and you have the makings of a team that might contend.

Houston Rockets: A- (32- Jermaine Taylor [SG], 34 Sergio Llull [SG], 44- Chase Budinger [SF])
The Rockets receive a high grade for getting Budinger, a possible elite talent, so far down and getting three picks after starting with none. Taylor is a scoring machine that can be a great contributor off the bench. Budinger was a lottery pick two years ago, and has the athleticism and outside shot to really help the team. Llull is a long term project that will play overseas.

Minnesota Timberwolves: A- (5- Ricky Rubio [PG], 6- Jonny Flynn [PG], 28- Wayne Ellington [SG], 47- Henk Norel [PF])
The gurus are not hyped about this draft but I am. The Wolves are getting young, and they are doing it with solid players. Rubio is complaining about time, but the Wolves are set to finds their point guard through a competition. Flynn and Rubio get to settle it on the court. Ellington will give them a cheaper version of Mike Miller as a shooter from the outside, while the points will replace the slashing. Plus, they turned excess picks (#14) into future firsts. Most a perplexed, but I think it was a great move and a great idea in getting the franchise point guard.

Denver Nuggets: B+ (14- Ty Lawson [PG])
The Nuggets went for quality over quantity, getting one of the only holes filled on their roster. Chauncey needed a backup, and in comes Lawson, a player that will be ready to take over from him in two or three years. With only one major free agent leaving (Linas Kleiza), the Nuggets got a major piece in another Western Conference run.

Phoenix Suns: B+ (14- Earl Clark [PF], 48- Taylor Griffin [SF])
The Suns are clearly in rebuild mode, after sending Shaq to Cleveland and shopping Stoudemire. But the pick of Clark, a top 5 talent that lacks drive, is a great way to start. Griffin brings toughness, but I am not sure he has what it takes to play the wing. If they get some parts for Stoudemire (such as Biedrins, Curry, etc.) in a deal, this is a good start to piecing the team back together.

Sacramento Kings: B+ (4- Tyreke Evans [PG], 23- Omri Casspi [SF], 38- Jon Brockman [PF])
The Kings did a lot to get rid of the soft label they garnered after trading Artest. All 3 guys are bangers. Overall, I thought all were fairly safe picks to acquire good role players, although Casspi needs to develop some more. I love the Evans pick, and I think he will be a better pro than Rubio.

Utah Jazz: B+ (20- Eric Maynor [PG], 50- Goran Suton [C])
Everybody was wheeling and dealing on draft night, but the Jazz were the Jazz. They stayed put, didn't get excited, and got two good players for the team. I absolutely love the Maynor pick. Despite coming from a small school, I think he is one of the better players and maybe the most NBA-ready player available. And he gets to come in and backup Deron WIlliams, a low pressure situation that he can excel in. Suton is a project, but he showed he can play in college and should get a few years overseas before coming back.

Dallas Mavericks: B (25- Rodrigue Beaubois [PG], 45- Nick Calathes [PG], 56- Ahmad Nivins [PF])
The Mavericks surprised me by taking Beaubois, although they were said to love him, because they needed help now. Beaubois is at least three years away. They salvaged the grade by grabbing the second rounders. First, nabbing Calathes was a steal, although his immediate presence might not happen since he signed a contract to play in Greece. Second, Nivins is a forward that can give them solid bench minutes and provide some punch. Not a bad overall draft, and just above average.

Golden State Warriors: B (7- Stephen Curry [PG])
The Warriors grade may fluctuate, depending on where Curry plays. If he is dealt to Phoenix for Stoudemire, this grade goes higher as the Warriors become a major threat. If not, the disgruntled Monta Ellis and Curry might not work. Both should thrive in Don Nelson's system, but they are small and defensive liabilities (which never slowed Nelson down before). Even if he stays, the grade is a B because of his ability to shoot.

Oklahoma City Thunder: B (3- James Harden [SG], 24- B.J. Mullens [C], 54- Robert Vaden [SG])
The Thunder were in love with Rubio or Harden, but I think they took the better fit for the current team. Westbrook is a solid player, and teamed with Harden create a great complimentary backcourt to Durant, Green, and their big men. Mullens is raw, but he has the ability to become dominant and the best center in the draft. Vaden is a luxury pick. He might stick because of his stroke, but that is all. He is old and lacks athleticism, something that might shorten his career.

Memphis Grizzlies: B- (2- Hasheem Thabeet [C], 27- DeMarre Carroll [PF], 36- Sam Young [PF])
The Grizzlies backed into an average class, literally. Their best pick was Young, a versatile player that was hurt because he is 24. Carroll was the next best, as he provides another versatile big man that can even run the point. Thabeet was hugely overrated, and I feel may be the next Michael Olowakandi. His size and defensive presence will be felt, but that is all. And strong players negate his defense at times, something he will run into in the NBA. I think it was a waste to get a backup center with the second pick, especially with interested teams looking to move up for Rubio or Harden.

Portland Trailblazers: B- (22- Victor Claver [SF], 31- Jeff Pendergraph [PF], 33- Dante Cunningham [PF], 55- Patrick Mills [PG])
I give the Blazers an average grade because this is a draft for the future. They already have the pieces to win, and only Pendergraph would appear to have any run. Cunningham is too small and is a tweener, while Claver and Mills need to develop in Europe. The big miss will be Sam Young and DeJuan Blair, guys that made the draft for other teams.

New Orleans Hornets: C+ (21- Darren Collison [PG], 43- Marcus Thornton [SG])
The Hornets had a glaring need in the front court, but they spent both of their picks on backcourt players. Collison was weird, considering they have a better version already in Chris Paul. A change of tempo guard would have been great, but with Paul set to never leave the floor again, Collison can sit and watch. Thornton is a local boy that can shoot, even if he is small. Might be a rotation player this year.

Los Angeles Lakers: C- (59- Junior Elonu [PF])
I think the Lakers did themselves a disservice in the draft. They drafted two very good guards, but dealt them away. The idea was to clear cap space for Odom and Ariza. But in the long run, they have clearly auctioned off the future for right now. Toney Douglass (to the Knicks) was the kind of player to replace Derek Fisher. Patrick Beverly (to the Heat) was the kind of guy that could take minutes from Vujacic. Instead of preparing for the future, they are older (Fisher and Vujacic). Hope it pays off...

Wimbledon

Most people are unaware that Wimbledon is going on right now across The Pond. Last year, the tournament had an epic finish. Roger Federer, owner of five straight silver cups, was ousted by the new upstart (Rafael Nadal), showing he wasn't solely a clay wonder. The buzz was ready for a rematch this year. But for those that were aware of this years tournament, that buzz quickly became back page news when Nadal withdrew from the tournament, citing the same creaky knees that limited his French Open play and ended his reign there.

NOT SO FAST! That being said, there is possibility that should pique the interest of sports fans. There is a good chance of seeing history on the Centre Court when it is all said and done. First off, Federer had been looking for history last year at this time. He was one Grand Slam title behind Pete Sampras, and everyone expected his 2008 Wimbledon title to be his tying title. But with Nadal stopping him in the finals, we had to wait. He reached that milestone this year, winning the French Open. Now, we get the opportunity to see his tie-breaking win. A win would likely place him as arguably the best tennis player of all time.

In addition, there is a chance that we will witness something that hasn't been seen since 1936: a Brit hoisting the silver cup. In 1936, Fred Perry lifted it on Centre Court, but not since then has a local had that honor. Players have had opportunities before. Tim Henman, widely considered one of the most successful open era British tennis players, reached the semifinals four times in five years, but never played on the last day. But this year, Andy Murray, a Scotsman, has a chance to change that. He has steadily improved his finishes (3rd round, 4th round, quarterfinals) since turning pro in 2006. In 2008, his quarterfinal defeat was to eventual champion Nadal. This year, he is seeded 3rd going into the tournament.

I will be tuning in. Who knows, perhaps you can recount how you saw history in the making?

NBA: Next Year

The Finals are finally over. The Kobes beat the horribly outgunned Magic (should it have been LeBron? We can all dream of that matchup in our sleep). Now, though, thoughts for the other teams, from top (Lakers) to bottom (Sacramento), get to discuss next year, free agency, and the draft.



I was surfing yesterday and found an interesting article on the free agents in 2009. It predicted the destination of free agents, including restricted free agents and those with early termination options. Here are a few of the big names, and the ones that involve the Rockets. Some of those moves make sense to me, but some seem a little far-fetched.

• Jason Kidd to Lakers: This move seems viable, considering how well Kidd played down the stretch. Fisher showed that he is inconsistent now, and Jordan Farmar is best suited coming off the bench. The only concern would be that money might go to resign Odom, although allowing him to walk now, with a healthy Bynum, Gasol, and Ariza would not be the end of the world.


• Ben Gordon to Utah: While on paper, his offense would boost the Jazz into Finals contender, his defense and attitude might not fly in Utah. Jerry Sloan gets guys he wants, and I am not sure he is a fit with the coach. If it did work, moving Brewer to the bench and bringing him in would give them a sorely needed scorer with a lockdown defender on the bench.


• Allen Iverson to Dallas: Interesting situation because Iverson has shown he cannot play at a high level. Detroit made one of the worst trades in recent memory by giving up Billups for Iverson. Billups might not be "Mr. Big Shot" anymore, but he brought that team together and to the conference finals. Dallas might take a flyer on AI if they lose Kidd, if for nothing else than the added publicity that Cuban craves.


• Ron Artest to Toronto: I think this is a possibility, but a remote one at best. Ron is getting old enough that he is ready to win something. Therefore, I expect him signing a lower money deal (mid-level exception) to play for a contender. I can actually see him resigning in Houston after the way they played in the postseason.


• Lamar Odom to Detroit: This is a risk for Detroit because Odom has shown a propensity NOT to be a huge player when counted on. Look at his time in Miami or the other LA jersey when he could not take charge and carry the team. Odom is best as a third option, creating matchup problems for opponents. In Detroit, he would fill Rasheed's shoes, playing as a small PF. But outside of Hamilton, he would have to score points. A bad combo. If he is smart, he resigns with LA or a similar contender, perhaps even a trip back to South Beach...


• Andre Miller to Portland: If this happens, the Blazers get a boost in experience a play from probably the only position they were considered weak at. Steve Blake is solid, but he is not Andre Miller. With Roy, Aldridge, Oden, and the other great young guys they have, this signing could bring it together. That said, I don't see the Blazers scrapping the rebuild they have started. Decisions such as this have plagued them in the past. Look for them to spend wisely, waiting to see how the talent develops one more year before jumping into the free agent deep end.


• Shawn Marion to Chicago: Another intriguing option, but I don't see it materializing. The Bulls are known to be slashing some payroll, but I don't think a reduced-price Marion will fit the bill. His athletic ability would be a better fit elsewhere, where the pace is up tempo. Perhaps a reunion in New York with his old boss is in order, especially since the Knicks are looking at a bleak shot at getting LeBron and keeping any players around him.

MLB Draft

The MLB Amateur Draft wraps up today. The MLB Draft is different from any other major sport for one reason. In the NFL or NBA, a first rounder, second rounder, or, in the NFL, even a third rounder will start immediately and have an impact on your team. Moreover, the players getting drafted have been seen by fans on Saturdays or playing in March Madness. In baseball, nethier is true. Many are straight out of high school, and college baseball is not nearly as mainstream for everyday fans. Therefore, MLB drafts take some years to sort out and see how the picks perform.

One thing that annoys me is the everyday fan that thinks NFL when looking at a MLB draft. For instance, fans here in Houston were up in arms when a shortstop was selected in the first round. Pitching is an obvious need, but no one outside of perhaps Strasburg will be pitching in the MLB this year. In the long run, drafting for need will get you in trouble. You MUST draft best available player because, as fans must understand, prospects are called "prospects" for a reason. You can never be sure!

Players that appear to have the best future could turn out to be a bust. Even Jiovanni Meir, the new shortstop, could become the next Miguel Tejada, a serviceable player like Julio Lugo, or a flame out that never gets out of the minors. Very few players are "can't-miss" picks. And once you get out of the top 10, it gets even more hit or miss.

For instance, look at the 2004 draft. Players are 5 years removed from selection, and those that are going to be big leaguers are already there. Others may be journeymen, or bench players, but they have already shown their ceiling.

Pick 1. Matt Bush (Padres): made it to A ball, where he batted .219 in 3 seasons; traded after another off-field incident where he threw a high school lacrosse player "defending" his high school as "Matt [expletive] Bush!"

Pick 2. Justin Verlander (Tigers): debuted in July 2005; 53 wins and All-Star in 2007

Pick 3. Philip Humber (Mets): 25 MLB innings in 4 seasons; 22-20 in AAA for last two and a half seasons

Pick 4. Jeff Niemann (Rays): second ML season (7-6); 21-11 in two AAA seasons

Pick 5. Mark Rogers (Brewers): high A ball in two season; out for two years with shoulder surgeries

Missed opportunities for these teams included SS Stephen Drew (Diamondbacks), Jered Weaver (Angels), and Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox). As you can see, even top picks are not immune from never reaching the hype.

The other opportunity to draft best available is that many times, these players don't play for your major league club but will help the club. When the Astros drafted John Halama, Freddy Garcia, and Carlos Guillen, they didn't expect to get Randy Johnson. But by moving those players, they made a trade to try to get to the World Series in 1998. And if the prospect is that good, then the veteran moves for a better piece. If Evan Longoria hadn't displace Ty Wigginton, he wouldn't have been available to trade for Dan Wheeler and Ben Zhobrist, both of which played roles in the World Series run.