50 Thoughts: NBA Draft

The first 30 thoughts will follow the draft order and pertain to the team picking at each position. Thoughts 31-50 won’t follow the draft order and will be about anything.

1. Philadelphia traded up from 3rd overall, to 1st, in order to draft Markelle Fultz. With their luck, he’s going to trip up the stairs and hurt himself. Nice prospect, otherwise.

2. Lonzo Ball. Lavar Ball. 15+ years of too much media coverage and stories about nothing. Get ready, Laker fans.

3. Boston takes assets and turns them into more assets. Whoever they get here better end up being better than the top two picks, otherwise, what’s the point in trading out of the 1st spot?

4.  If I’m Phoenix, I’m calling Phil Jackson and offering the 4th pick and Eric Bledsoe for Kristaps Porzingis as a foundation for a deal.

4.5 Ten minutes after I suggested this trade for Phoenix, I read on Twitter that the two teams have no traction for a deal. I guess that means they’re talking, at least? How many times have I told you guys I’m psychic?

5. Sacramento is notorious for throwing drafts off course. I’m secretly hoping they do that again, just for comic relief. That being said, they better take De’Aaron Fox if he’s on the board. I don’t think they’ve had a stable point guard since Mike Bibby.

6.  Orlando is a strange team. The best way I can put it is this – they are like a race car. Their maximum speed is impressive for them, but is well below their competitors. That is their team. Players who are good for them, but wouldn’t be in those roles on other teams.

7. The clock can’t tick fast enough for the Minnesota Timberwolves. I’ve convinced myself that the only thing preventing them from a playoff spot is experience. Throw a Malik Monk on this team with Lavine, Wiggins, and Towns. Do it, Minnesota.

8. The New York Knicks are a circus. They might as well just forfeit their pick and save a prospect from all the headaches. Phil Jackson is about to trade Porzingis (THEY’RE ONLY GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR THE FUTURE) because Phil is upset that he skipped an exit interview. So petty.

9. It’s weird seeing Dallas this high in the draft. Their future is with (Harrison) Barnes & Noble (Nerlens Noel), but they are just pieces. Hopefully the best available player here is a point guard.

10. Sacramento again! Oh happy day. This should be a rule. Sacramento gets every fifth pick in the draft. Just for the hilarity that could ensue. If they pick Fox at 5, there’s no chance they make another solid pick here, right?

11. Charlotte just traded for Dwight Howard for some reason. They have a glut of wing players – give me a shooting guard with this pick. A real three-point threat would do.

12. First year in a new building in a new part of town. You gotta think the Detroit Pistons want to make an impression. They need athletic wing players, but who doesn’t?

13. Denver is in the same boat as Minnesota. The lack of time and experience is their enemy because they have some real talent in Jokic, Murray, and Mudiay if he ever learns how to shoot. They need front court help.

14.  Miami made a mad dash for the playoffs last year and came up just short. Their first year without Wade, since 2002-2003, didn’t turn out so bad. Go draft a scorer, Miami.

15.  I like what Portland is doing, to an extent. Lillard and McCollum should be there forever. I like the trade they made last season for Nurkic. But they need some serious wing help. They have too many bodies trying to cover too many skills.

16. Hey, remember when the Chicago Bulls were a real threat in the NBA about five years ago? Wow, how things change. Might as well trade everyone at this point. Draft whoever you want, it won’t matter.

17. The Milwaukee Bucks are going to draft a guy with a really long wingspan, aren’t they? That’s their M.O. I’d be shocked if they don’t.

18. The Indiana Pacers have one more year with Paul George before he’s leaving. If I were them, I don’t even let him come to training camp this fall. Trade him. Start rebuilding with this draft.

19. Atlanta looks to be in rebuild mode. Take the best player available and hope for the best.

20. Portland again. I could see them trading this pick. This is based on no information, just a gut feeling.

21. Oklahoma City had Westbrook, Durant, Harden, and Ibaka at one point. They traded Harden before they needed to. Durant left, so they traded Ibaka. And now they have Westbrook doing the work of three guys. Good luck. Draft help. Lots of help.

22. Welcome to the draft, Brooklyn! You should have the 1st overall pick, which you desperately need, but you got fleeced a few years ago by trading for old skeletons. I like the D’Angelo Russell acquisition, though.

23. The Raptors need an athletic wing player who can shoot the three, defend, and jump out of the gym. Please, we need this. I’m praying that Semi Ojeleye is available. He would be great. At worst, trade the pick if him, T.J Leaf, or Tyler Lydon aren’t available.

24. I like Utah. I hope Hayward re-signs with them. I feel like they are close. To what? I don’t know. Perhaps third place in the West?

25. Orlando again. They got this pick from Toronto when they acquired Terrence Ross. I can see them drafting a foreign player and stashing them in Europe.

26. Portland for the third time! Maybe they don’t trade the 20th pick like I said. Maybe this is the pick they trade, or they stash a player in Europe. We’ll see.

27. Whoever the Lakers pick here will be overshadowed by Lonzo Ball – his father will make sure of it. Good luck to Mr. 27th Pick.

28. The Lakers, again. See above. Maybe they package these two picks along with Ingram or Randle and make a run at Paul George? But why would they? George is going there next year anyway, right?

29. San Antonio is going to draft someone and everyone will react, “Wow, I can’t believe he was still available for the Spurs. They’ve found another diamond in the rough.” Happens every year.

30. Utah again. I could see them packaging this pick and #42 to move up in the first round. Perhaps Orlando trades them their 25th pick. Then Orlando has picks #6, #30, #33, #35, and #42 in this draft. Hey Orlando, are you listening?

31. Or, Orlando could package #33 and #35 and move into the first round, themselves. Maybe the Lakers trade one of their late round picks, just so they aren’t committed to three guaranteed contracts.

32. I’d love to see Dillon Brooks in a Raptors uniform just because he’s Canadian. However, he isn’t scheduled to go until the early second round and Toronto doesn’t have a second round pick.

33. The Trailblazers and Lakers each have three first round picks. Those are the teams that will get the most phone calls, I think.

34. New Orleans doesn’t pick until #40 and are building their team around a Davis-Cousins front court. If this were 2004, it would be a great idea. I imagine their front office personnel watching the NBA Finals and having panic attacks.

35. The NBA is all about position-less basketball, where athletic wing players and the ability to shoot the three is the current formula for success.

36. Memphis, Houston, Golden State, Washington, and the other team in L.A. don’t have first round picks. Memphis and the L.A. Clippers could desperately use one.

37. Boston has three second round picks. No way they use all three of them. And if they do, I expect some questionable picks. I recall them doing that in a recent draft, where they had multiple picks and completely wasted them.

38. There are always so many trades during the draft, but none of them are finalized until afterwards, so we get guys wearing team hats on stage, while the viewers at home are informed that he will never play a game for that team.

39. Adam Silver was always cheered when he announced the second round picks. Now that he’s moved up to the first round as commissioner, he gets booed. Poor guy.

40. I’m ready for every analyst on my TV tomorrow to blow a gasket as soon as Phil Jackson trades Porzingis. I can’t wait.

41. The Atlanta Hawks need to find a way to get another first round pick. Their team could be very bad next season, might as well put some first round talent out there and see what sticks.

42. I always chuckle when the commissioner begins the draft by announcing that the team picking first has five minutes to make their pick, as if they haven’t been discussing who to take for the last month.

43. I’m fully prepared for 70% of the drafted players to be wearing suits that make you think, “Who the hell allowed them to wear that?”

44. This draft is all about teams positioning themselves for next off-season and beyond. I think they all know the Warriors and whatever team LeBron is on (The Cavs) are making the Finals again next year. And if they don’t know that, I want to know what NBA Finals they’ve been watching for the last 3 years.

45. I wonder if they will ever extend the draft to three rounds now that two-way contracts are being introduced and the D-League will be more like a traditional minor league system.

46. As I said before, I’m fully prepared to laugh at something Sacramento does. Same goes for the New York Knicks.

47. It’s rare that the Brooklyn/New York crowd ever gets something big to cheer about at the draft. This could’ve been the year! Brooklyn would’ve had the first pick. But no.

48. If the Lakers don’t draft Lonzo Ball, his father is going to rush on stage and hijack the draft, right? I mean, he would almost have to.

49. Dwayne Bacon is the best name in the draft.

50. I’m too excited. Bring on the questionable picks and trades!

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