2014 NBA Draft

2014 NBA Draft Team Rankings

Top 10 Grades of the NBA Draft

10) Atlanta Hawks
Picks: Adreian Payne (15), Walter Tavares (43), Lamar Patterson (48)
Payne was a GREAT pick for the Hawks, whoa re quickly trying to become Spurs East. Without tanking, the Hawks can build upon their solid playoff debut under head coach Mike Budenholzer, while maintaining cap flexibility. Payne will play a solid 20 minute backup role for the Hawks until Paul Millsap comes off the books next year. Lamar Patterson will also be an early contributor off the bench and honestly reminds me of Demarre Carroll. Smart draft by a smart team. 
Grade B-

9) Denver Nuggets
Picks: Jusuf Nurkic (16), Gary Harris (19), Nikola Jokic (41)
I don't like Timofey Mozgov 2.0 at 16 for the Nuggets, but Gary Harris is a steal at 19. He should have been a top 15 pick, but when words like "potential" and "girth" get thrown around, shit gets messed up. Harris can shoot and defend. He's a bit of a gamble because he could be the second coming of Jeremy Lamb. Either way, he will be a rotation player in the NBA. If the two Euro dudes can play quality backup minutes a year down the road, the Nugs will definitely deserve a top 10 spot in this draft.
Grade: B-


8) Miami Heat
Picks: Shabazz Napier (24)
The Heat are here for the same reason the Spurs are. They picked up a quality NBA player, despite being at the tail end of this draft. If they wind up keeping their Big 3 and adding two more quality players, they will be back in the Finals. Shabazzkets is a great ballhandler, tough defender and big time shotmaker. Great scoop for the Heat.
Grade: B

7) San Antonio Spurs
Picks: Kyle Anderson (30)
Yeah the Spurs did it again. They found a very, very skilled player in Kyle Anderson. He doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but he can do it all! They will try to mold him into the next Boris Diaw, in a Lamar Odom type of role. For a team that just won the title, this is a great move.
Grade: B 

6) Los Angeles Lakers
Picks: Julius Randle (7), Jordan Clarkson (46)
The Lakers made a smart choice here by keeping their pick and drafting Julius Randle. If anything, Randle will have the motor and energy to clean up the offensive boards on a lot of Kobe Bryant misses. He will also provide a low post option with Pau Gasol on the move. I expect a career 15 and 9 out Randle, not an all-star, but not a scrub.
Grade: B

5) Milwaukee Bucks 
Picks: Jabari Parker (2), Damien Inglis (31), Johnny O'Bryant (36)
The Bucks are here for the same reason the Cavs are. They knew who they wanted the whole time and he was right there after the first pick. Jabari is going to be great for the Bucks, and they drafted two other guys who might find a couple minutes this year. Parker makes this a great draft for Milwaukee.
Grade: B+

4) Cleveland Cavaliers
Picks: Andrew Wiggins (1), Joe Harris (33)
The Cavs should not be praised for making an easy pick, but then again, it's the Cavs. Great job by picking Wiggins who will make an immediate impact on defense. They could have picked ANOTHER offensive player in Parker or a potential big time Center in Embiid, but they did the smart thing. Joe Harris doesn't really factor in here...
Grade: B+

3) Philadelphia 76ers
Picks:  Joel Embiid (3), Dario Saric (12), K.J. McDaniels (32), Jerami Grant (39), Vasilije Micic (52), Nemanja Dangubic (54), Jordan McRae (58)
The Sixers are not messing around with their "Tank and Build" strategy. They have Nerlens Noel, Michael Carter-Williams, Thad Young and a bunch of garbage on their roster now, but in 3 years, this team could be great. Or they could be the 2013/14 Jazz. In all, this draft works. They got Embiid, the supposed #1 pick, at 3. Then they added Saric who should at the least be a rotation player in the future. Neither will play next year. They added 5 other guys of which at least 2 should be able to crack an NBA rotation. So if you think about it, the Sixers added at least 4 NBA players to their Franchise,  and at minimum, one will be a quality starter. In all, a quality, smart draft for the Sixers. Not for now, but later.
Grade: B+

2) Boston Celtics
Picks: Marcus Smart (6), James Young (17)
The Celtics came up big and brought on two players that coach Brad Stevens will love. Smart, who would have been a top 3 pick last year, is an NBA ready guard who will make an impact immediately. If Rajon Rondo is shopped, Smart will be a top candidate for ROY. Young could be a very solid wing player down the line if he continues to develop his shot and works on his defense. A great draft for the rebuilding Celtics. Getting Smart alone warrants at least a B, Young only adds to that.
Grade: A

1) Utah Jazz
Picks: Dante Exum (5), Rodney Hood (23)
The Jazz somehow came up huge in this draft and might have the best group of under 25 prospects and players in the league. Exum is a big PG that will be able to guard both positions while giving the Jazz a little swag and pop on offense. Hood was probably overlooked in this draft, but he was a STEAL for the Jazz. A solid wing player that can shoot and score, with length to defend at the wing. The Jazz edge the Celtics here because Exum could become a better player than Marcus Smart and Hood is better than James Young right now.
Grade: A

Bottom 5 Grades of the 2014 NBA Draft

5) Oklahoma City Thunder
Picks: Mitch McGary (20)

You know, the more I sat and thought about this one, the more I really despised this pick. Let's really take a look at what the Thunder got here, the same exact type of player that Nick Collison is/was. And don't get me wrong, I love Nick Collison! He is a great player, who does everything to help his team win. But does he ever get more than 20 minutes a game? No. Will he take you to the finals? No. Do the Thunder need to make a good move, since their last 30 have all been bad? Yes. I think the Thunder should have really swung for the fences on this pick and got someone that has a higher ceiling. Well, who would that be Catz? Glad you asked. They should have gone for someone like Kyle Anderson who went to the Spurs with the final pick of the evening. This guy is sick, do not be surprised if he ends up being one of the top five players in this draft, especially now because he landed with San Antonio. The Thunder could have let him come in and play the point forward on their second team alongside Reggie Jackson. He is a playmaker and match up nightmare. Once again a tall point guard, and you know Dirty Picks loves tall point guards.

Grade: C

4) Sacramento Kings 
Picks: Nic Stauskas (8)

You know this pick is not even because I think Stauskas is going to be bad. With his shooting he should always be able to find a spot on an NBA rotation, the main reason for this ranking is because it is the Kings. The most under the radar dysfunctional organization in the last 10 years. How many guys have they drafted to a terrible situation and ruined the career of? Well you can add Stauskas to the list, because he is going to come in and realize that he will not be shooting, barely getting any touches, and if he calls for the ball Boogie might hit him. Because that is what happens when you play with Boogie, Rudy Gay, and Isiah Thomas. It really is too bad because Stauskas had a decent amount of promise, but unfortunately now the world will never know. Kings get a C- here, and only because of the three point shooting prowess of Nic.

Grade: C-

3) Charlotte Hornets
Picks: Noah Vonleh (9), PJ Hairston (drafted by Miami) 

So the Hornets took another PF with athleticism and outside shooting ability? Did they not just draft a similar player (albeit a white guy) last year in Cody Zeller? And then just in case you were not sure if Michael Jordan was indeed the worst owner in the history of professional sports, he traded Shabazz Napier to the Heat. To the HEAT!!! He just traded the guy that carried his team a college national championship to the team that has played in the last four finals! Either MJ is a huge fan of LeBron and wants to help him equal the number of titles he won, or he enjoys watching LeBron get there and then lose and is willing to go whatever lengths possible to make that happen? Either way, MJ really screwed the pooch with that trade, and took an almost identical player to the lottery player he selected just a year ago.  So he gets a D, and the only reason it is not lower MJ? Because I like Hairston and he could be a DECENT player someday.

Grade: D

2) Minnesota Timberwolves 
Picks: Zach LaVine (13), Markel Brown (44), Glenn Robinson III (40)

I hope Zach LaVine does not read our blog (he might) because these next few lines are going to be directed at him and pretty rough. He will not play in the NBA. He will not even become a decent rotation player in the best possible scenario. He will follow the mold of all the incredible physical intangibles prospects of the last fifteen years and end up in Europe somewhere. To summarize, this guy is not good and this was a terrible pick. To make matters even worse, you have Kevin Love who is leaving the team after the season (or sooner, if he gets traded) and to entice him to stay you draft one of the rawest players in the pool? This pick just does not make any sense, and the only reason it is not a F, like their Northern brothers received, is because of their second round picks. I think both Brown and Little Big Dog can be serviceable NBA bench players, which is more than you can say for Mr. LaVine.

Grade: D

1) Toronto Raptors

Picks: Bruno Caboclo (20), Deandre Daniels (37), Xavier Thames (59)

What the hell were the Raptors thinking here?? In the deepest draft in years they took a player who does not look like he can play in the NBA (youtube him). Best case scenario only if he improves by 700%, it is going to take him a minimum of four years!! Who drafts for four years down the road? You made the playoffs as a three seed this year TORONTO! But, I guess they do not like winning, or maybe they enjoy the lottery as much as I do and just really want to be a part of it? I even knocked them down another letter grade because Kyle Anderson and Shabazz Napier were still on the board (more on Kyle later).

Grade: F