There are three ways to acquire elite talent in the NBA. Teams can either acquire a star player from another team via trade, sign a talented player as a free agent or they can position themselves to be in the NBA draft lottery. However, occasionally there are exceptions to this rule when teams find hidden gems late in the draft.
Marc Gasol, last year’s Defensive Player of the Year, was selected 48th overall in 2007.
The San Antonio Spurs built a dynasty by drafting Tim Duncan with the first pick in the1997 draft, then selecting Manu Ginobili (57th in the 1999 draft) and Tony Parker (28th in the 2001 draft).
Manu Ginobili was drafted with the 57th pick in the 1999 draft. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
When considering the past 25 years of the NBA, there has been at least one major steal in almost every draft.
A player doesn’t have to have been drafted late in the second round to be considered a steal. A very productive player like Parker, who was the last selection in the first round in 2001, was a steal. Where a player was chosen in the draft, longevity in the NBA, production and postseason success are all factors in determining how much of a steal a player is.
Too Soon to Tell
There have been several players drafted in recent years who have exceeded expectations. However, it is too soon to tell where they will finish their careers ranked among the top NBA draft steals.
Paul Millsap was drafted 47th overall in 2006 but he has played more games than any other player from his draft class. In terms of career win shares, he ranks second behind only LaMarcus Aldridge.
He has averaged 12 points and seven rebounds per game in his career. Millsap has shot nearly 52 percent for his career, and he has played in every regular season game three times in his career.
Marc Gasol has averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game in five seasons in the NBA. He is a career 52 percent shooter and was an All-Star in 2012. Gasol has the third-most win shares among players drafted in 2007, behind the second (Kevin Durant) and third (Al Horford) picks.
Isaiah Thomas was the final pick in the 2011 draft. The four players selected immediately before him never played a game in the NBA, which gives a sense of how far down he was in the draft.
Thomas has become a starter for the Sacramento Kings at point guard. He has averaged 12.8 points and 4.0 assists per game in his two seasons in the NBA. He was a member of the All-Rookie Second Team for 2011-12 and he has the fifth-most win shares of any player drafted in 2011.
Honorable Mention
There have been many steals in the last 25 years who deserve consideration for the list. An argument can be made for each one of them to be on the list, but they came up just short.
Nick Van Exel was the 37th pick in the 1993 draft. He averaged 14.4 points and 6.6 assists per game over the course of his 13-year career. Van Exel was a one-time All-Star and is 18th all-time in career three-point field goals made.
Toni Kukoc was the 29th selection in the 1990 draft. He averaged 11.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in his 13-year career. Kukoc was the 1995-96 Sixth Man of the Year and a three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls.
Antonio Davis was selected 45th in the 1990 NBA draft. Davis averaged 10.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in his 13-year career. He was an All-Star in 2001, and he is in the top 100 players of all time in terms of career blocks and rebounds.
Rashard Lewis won his first NBA title last season with the Miami Heat, but the best days of his career were in the mid-2000s.
Lewis was the 32nd pick in the 1998 draft, and it took two seasons before he became a major contributor in the NBA.
He averaged at least 20 points per game from the 2004-05 season through the 2006-07 season. For his career, Lewis has averaged 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He is a 45 percent shooter for his career and has made nearly 39 percent of his three-point attempts.
Lewis was a starter and averaged 19 points per game in 2009 when the Orlando Magic made the NBA finals. He is a two-time All-Star and is eighth all-time in three-point shots made in a career.
9. Luis Scola
The San Antonio Spurs have a knack for finding the diamond in the rough in NBA drafts. The Spurs drafted Luis Scola 55th in the 2002 draft, then dealt him to the Houston Rockets years later.
At his peak, in the 2010-11 season, Scola averaged 18.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. For his career, the Argentinian forward has averaged better than 14 points and seven rebounds per game, as well as a career shooting percentage above 50 percent.
Scola’s durability is almost as impressive as his statistics. He has played 468 regular season games out of a possible 476 in his career.
Now that he is on the Indiana Pacers, he has helped transform the Pacers into a legitimate title contender now that they have a bench.
While his shooting percentages have declined in recent years, he has still proven to be a prolific scorer. He has averaged 19.4 points, 4.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game for his career. He has the 67th highest scoring average per game all-time in the NBA.
To go from a middle of the second round draft pick to a player who can average more than 25 points per game for an entire season (2009-10) is remarkable.
Ellis has only made the playoffs twice in his career and can get a little trigger happy, both of which may indicate he is just a player who can put up big numbers on bad teams. However, he still has enough time left in his career to improve his shot selection and become the second or third scoring option on a good team.
7. Gilbert Arenas
Agent Zero was the second pick in the second round of the 2001 NBA draft. Arenas was a starter and averaged double figures in scoring his rookie season.
He averaged 29.3 points per game in the 2005-06 season for Washington and averaged more than 20 per game for his career.
Arenas was a three-time All-Star, the 2002-03 Most Improved Player and a three-time All-NBA selection.
6. Clifford Robinson
Clifford Robinson was drafted 36th in the 1989 NBA draft but had the second-most win shares out of the players in his draft class. Robinson had an 18-year career in which he was an All-Star in 1994, the Sixth Man of the Year for the 1992-93 season, a two-time member of the NBA All-Defensive second team and played in the NBA finals twice.
He played the ninth-most games in NBA history. Robinson ranks 49th in all-time field goals, 34th in three-point field goals, 100th in made free throws, 48th in steals, 44th in blocks and 46th in points for his career.
He averaged 14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in his career. He also shot better than 35 percent from behind the three-point line.
5. Tony Parker
Tony Parker wasn’t drafted as low in the draft as his teammate Manu Ginobili, but he was still taken 28th. He has had the second-most win shares among players in the ’01 draft behind only Pau Gasol.
Parker has started for San Antonio since his rookie season. For his career, he has averaged 17.1 points, 6.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. Parker is a five-time All-Star, three-time NBA champion, an NBA Finals MVP (2006-07) and has averaged at least 20 points per game in the playoffs five times.
Despite being 31 years old, Parker’s career is by no means over. In fact, his points per game has increased in each of the last three seasons. He is nearly a lock for the Hall of Fame and, considering that he was the last player drafted in the first round in 2001, his career is even more special.
4. Cedric Ceballos
Cedric Ceballos was drafted 48th (out of 54 picks) in the 1990 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns. He was a starter by his third year in the league and played 11 seasons in the NBA.
In the 1994-95 season, Ceballos averaged 21.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game for the Los Angeles Lakers. He consistently shot a high percentage, especially early in his career. He had the second-highest shooting percentage in the NBA in 1992-93 when he made more than 57 percent of his shots.
Ceballos was a member of the Suns team that made the NBA finals in 1993, and he was an All-Star in 1995.
3. Stephen Jackson
Stephen Jackson was drafted 42nd in the 1997 NBA draft but has the sixth-highest amount of win shares from his draft class.
He was a starter for the San Antonio Spurs when they won the 2003 NBA title, and he played 14 games in last postseason for San Antonio.
For his career, Jackson has averaged 15.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He averaged at least 20 points per game for three consecutive seasons in the late 2000s. Jackson is also 35th all-time in career three-point field goals made.
2. Michael Redd
Michael Redd has the third-most win shares of any player drafted in 2000, and he was the 43rd selection in the first draft of the new millennium. Redd averaged more than 20 points per game for six consecutive seasons, including 26.7 points per game in the 2006-07 season.
He shot nearly 45 percent for his career and was a 38 percent three-point shooter. Redd was an All-Star in 2004, has the second-lowest career turnover percentage in NBA history and helped lead the Milwaukee Bucks to the playoffs five times.
Redd was one of the few bright spots in what turned out to be a disappointing draft.
1. Manu Ginobili
Manu Ginobili has done it all. He is a three-time NBA champion, a two-time All-Star and was the 2007-08 Sixth Man of the Year. Not bad for the 57th and second-to-last pick in the 1999 draft.
The Argentinian wing has taken on a number of different roles for the Spurs, and he has been instrumental to San Antonio’s success in all of them. He has been both a starter and an important player of the bench; he has been a scorer and a facilitator. He led the team in scoring during the 2007-08 season. For his entire career, Ginobili has averaged 14.9 points, 4.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.
The 57th pick in the three previous drafts were Torraye Braggs, Roberto Duenas and Drew Barry. Most basketball fans haven’t heard of any of those three players. Instead of fading into anonymity, Ginobili became a champion and a potential future Hall of Famer.
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Even though the general consensus on the 2013 NBA draft is that is was a “down” year for talent, the NBA will still honor five players with All-Rookie First Team recognition upon the completion of next season. Lottery picks Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo, Otto Porter Jr., Cody Zeller, Alex Len, Ben McLemore and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are among the players with the best chances of being recognized.
Playing time, health and immediate impact are the three main criteria when considering the top candidates for next season’s All-Rookie First Team.
The players with the best chances of being named on of the league’s top rookies are ones who can start (or play significant minutes) for their new teams, who are not battling serious injuries, who performed well in the summer leagues and who have skills that are immediately transferable to the next level.
Here are the top 25 candidates for the 2013-14 All-Rookie First Team.
25. Ryan Kelly
Former Duke forward Ryan Kelly is destined to be a stretch-forward in the NBA. At 6’11”, he has the size to body up with most players in the league, but he also has great outside shooting ability.
As a senior, he averaged 13 points and five rebounds per game. He shot 42 percent from behind the arc. Kelly has the ability to have a big scoring night when he gets hot, as he did when he scored 36 points on 7-of-9 shooting from three-point range against Miami last season.
With the aging Laker core and the departure of Metta World Peace, Kelly could be a solid scorer off the Los Angeles bench next season.
24. Trey Burke
Trey Burke, who dazzled in last season’s NCAA tournament, is low on this list after a disappointing Summer League performance.
Via Sean Deveney of Sporting News, who gave Burke an F for his play: “Burke struggled badly this summer, scoring 8.8 points and averaging just 4.0 assists against 2.3 turnovers. He shot 24.1 percent from the field and was an unsightly 1-for-19 from the 3-point line.”
23. Peyton Siva
For being one of the final picks of the 2013 NBA draft, Peyton Siva performed beyond his draft position in the summer league. Siva averaged nearly eight points, six assists and three steals per game. His assist-to-turnover ratio was 4-to-1.
Despite his college resume and solid showing in the summer, Siva is not a lock to make Detroit’s roster. The Pistons also have Brandon Jennings, Chauncey Billups, Will Bynum and Rodney Stuckey to play the point.
Even though Siva is only 6’0″, he is very quick with the ball, which makes it difficult for defenders to stay in front of him.
(Siva) scares some scouts because he can be careless with the ball. But he’s not afraid of the bright lights and the big stage.
The Pistons have a variety of scoring options (Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond and Josh Smith) for their point guards to pass to, so Siva could end of being one of the steals of the draft.
22. Allen Crabbe
The Portland Trail Blazers drafted Allen Crabbe at the tail end of the first round after the California guard posted numbers of 18.4 points on 46 percent shooting and 6.1 rebounds per game in his junior season.
Portland has a roster full of young shooting guards, which means that Crabbe may have to wait his turn before he can regularly be in the Trail Blazers rotation. Portland also has Will Barton, Terrel Harris, Wesley Matthews, C.J. McCollum and Elliot Williams in the mix for playing time at the 2.
21. Tony Snell
Unfortunately for Tony Snell, the Chicago Bulls have two players, Luol Deng and Jimmy Butler, who can start at small forward. Deng proved to be injury prone down the stretch of the season, which means that Snell could be his backup if Butler starts at shooting guard.
The 6’7″ former New Mexico Lobo averaged 12.5 points per game as a junior and shot 39 percent from three-point range, which is an area that the Bulls struggled in as a team last season.
CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein tweeted that Snell can be successful in Chicago.
Tony Snell has all the requisites to be a solid piece under Tom Thibodeau. Can guard multiple positions + make 3’s. Solid pick at 20.
Gorgui Dieng is a “project” player who could contribute immediately for the Minnesota Timberwolves with their rebounding and defense. He averaged nearly a double-double in points and rebounds at Louisville. On offense, Dieng shot 53 percent.
If Minnesota re-signs Nikola Pekovic, then Dieng will definitely be a part of the T-Wolves’ second team.
Dieng could come off the bench to replace Pekovic or Kevin Love and help protect the rim for Minnesota.
The most points he scored in a summer league game was 10 and he was limited on the boards. It will take time, but Dieng could be a valuable frontcourt player off the bench for the T-Wolves.
19. Ricky Ledo
Ricky Ledo is one of the biggest question marks from the 2013 draft because he never played in college.
According to Bryan Gutierrez of ESPN Dallas, Ledo is “considered to have big upside.”
There is a reason he was available in the second round. He never played for Providence. After moving from high school to high school, the guard sat out his freshman year as a partial academic qualifier before declaring for this year’s draft.
The 6’7″ shooting guard could be in the mix at the 2-guard for the Mavericks this season. However, he will have to come off the bench, and the most likely scenario for him is to be Dallas’ third-string shooting guard. Monta Ellis, Wayne Ellington and Vince Carter are the leading off-guard options for the Mavs.
18. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is buried on the Bucks depth chart right now, according to ESPN.
The shooting guard won’t see much time behind new Milwaukee Bucks—but established NBA veterans—O.J. Mayo and Gary Neal.
17. Rudy Gobert
The Utah Jazz have only two centers on their 2013-14 roster, one of whom, Enes Kanter, averaged only seven points and four rebounds per game last season.
That means Rudy Gobert could contend to be a starter or a key player off the bench.
While Gobert could be limited by his athleticism, his length is unparalleled. He has a wingspan of nearly 7’9″ and a standing reach of 9’7″.
Rudy Gobert with a 25 inch standing vertical and a 29″ max vert. Not great numbers.
Gobert made nearly 74 percent of his shots last season but he clearly needs to refine his game after averaging only eight points and five rebounds per game.
Gobert’s greatest contributions this season may be altering shots and keeping opposing players out of the paint, which won’t be reflected by his stats, but he can be an immediate contributor for Utah this season based on his size.
16. Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel‘s health and weight are looming issues for his success in the NBA but he has the makings to potentially be a very good rim protector at the pro level.
An Associated Press article from Noel’s introductory press conference in Philadelphia reported that Noel may not play until 2014, which would all but ruin his chances of earning any rookie honors.
Noel weighed barely over 200 pounds at the combine but is now approaching 230 pounds, which is a much more realistic playing weight for an NBA big man.
Noel nearly averaged a double-double at Kentucky and blocked as many as 12 shots in a single game. When healthy, he can be similar to Larry Sanders—an athletic rim protector who grabs rebounds and also contributes some on offense.
Noel is a different breed of center than Spencer Hawes, who is a capable outside shooter, which means both players could be on the court at the same time for Philadelphia and it wouldn’t ruin the team’s offensive spacing.
15. Jamaal Franklin
The Memphis Grizzlies have two shooting guards on their roster and their starter, All-NBA First Team defender is known more for his defensive prowess than his shooting. Allen plays an important defensive role for Memphis, which means Franklin could be very valuable if he proves to be a better offensive player.
Recently signed forward Mike Miller will also be an option for the shooting guard spot for Memphis, but Miller is a one-dimensional spot-up shooter.
In his junior year at San Diego State, Franklin averaged 17 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game.
He needs to improve on his shooting if he is going to play a prominent role for the Grizzlies. He shot just 41 percent from the field and 28 percent from three-point range last season.
14. Steven Adams
Steven Adams joins an Oklahoma City squad that has three centers, Kendrick Perkins, Daniel Orton and Hasheem Thabeet, but none of them are offensive weapons. Adams only averaged seven points per game at Pittsburgh but if he can develop an offensive game then he immediately becomes very valuable for the Thunder.
He scored in double figures only six times in his freshman season, which means that he has a long way to go to develop a consistent offensive prowess.
Adams is considered to be a “project” player and with four centers on the Thunder’s roster, Adams’ production could very well be minimal next season.
With two All-Stars in OKC’s starting lineup, the focus won’t be on Adams, and he won’t be expected to put up big numbers from the start of the season.
Low expectations could be beneficial to his development.
13. Tim Hardaway Jr.
J.R. Smith was named the Sixth Man of the Year last season but fell apart in theplayoffs, where he made only 33 percent of his shots. Smith was also suspended for one game for elbowing Boston’s Jason Terry in the chin.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is the only other shooting guard on the Knicks roster. Whether the former Michigan standout starts or is Smith’s backup, Hardaway should get a good amount of playing time. Smith has proven to be just as much of a risk as he is a contributor, which is why Hardaway could get an opportunity to contribute to New York’s offense.
Great pick by the Knicks…Tim Hardaway JR doesn’t take a drill off in practice much less games . issue is he’s 2 hard on himself..good issue
Hardaway averaged 14.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game as a junior. If he improves his shooting, Hardaway will be in the Knicks rotation.
12. Jeff Withey
Jeff Withey was overshadowed in the draft by the likes of Nerlens Noel, Alex Len, Cody Zeller and Kelly Olynyk, but he could prove to be as good a pro as any of them.
As a senior, Withey averaged 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and just under four blocks per game. He was also a 58 percent shooter.
Withey was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers then dealt to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans have just two centers on their roster, so Withey could possibly contend for a starting role. He would only have to beat out Greg Stiemsma, who has averaged three points and three rebounds per game in his NBA career.
The Pelicans have talented guards in Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans. Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson are productive power forwards. Withey can be an immediate contributor as a defender and rebounder. He wouldn’t have to carry a major load offensively, but he is a very efficient player when he does have the ball.
For a guy selected with the No. 39 pick, Withey is a high-value prospect for New Orleans.
11. Michael Carter-Williams
The Philadelphia 76ers are rebuilding and Michael Carter-Williams is currently the only point guard listed on their depth chart on ESPN.
Carter-Williams could be the starter for the Sixers next season, and by playing that many minutes, MCW could potentially put up big numbers.
However, The former Syracuse point guard will be limited by the rest of Philadelphia’s roster. Jason Richardson could potentially miss the entire season with a knee injury, and Nerlens Noel will miss the beginning of the season.
Carter-Williams played very little in his freshman year with Syracuse and skyrocketed up draft boards after his sophomore season. There are concerns on both ends of the floor about Carter-Williams—he played in a 2-3 zone defense at Syracuse, and he shot only 39 percent last season.
Those concerns about his shooting only intensified after he was drafted; he shot just 27 percent in the summer league.
However, as a playmaker at Syracuse, he distributed the ball well, averaging 7.3 assists per game last season, and at 6’6″ he will have a size advantage against opposing point guards.
Success for Carter-Williams will most likely depend on how many minutes he plays, but he could be in store for a rough start to his NBA career in Philadelphia.
10. Dennis Schroeder
Some observers compare German point guard Dennis Schroeder to Rajon Rondo.
Schroeder compared to Rajon Rondo, which means Atlanta won’t be trading the pick to the Clippers.
The 19-year-old will have to compete with Jeff Teague and Shelvin Mack for playing time, but if he gets on the court for the Hawks and lives up to the hype, he could be one of the best point guards from the 2013 draft.
Schroeder will have scorers around him in Al Horford, Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap. In the summer league, he averaged nearly 11 points and six assists per game but shot just 34 percent from the floor. His shooting will need to improve, but he has the tools to be successful in the NBA.
9. C.J. McCollum
The Portland Trail Blazers have many guard options for next season. C.J. McCollum is in the mix with Damian Lillard, Earl Watson, Terrel Harris, Mo Williams, Wesley Matthews and Allen Crabbe. Lillard was the NBA Rookie of the Year last season, and Williams brings a lot of experience to the point guard position.
That means that McCollum may need to adapt to a role as a combo guard.
Based on his college stats (23.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game as a senior), McCollum can play. Watch any interview with him and it’s obvious that he is very thoughtful and intelligent.
The Canton, Ohio native can be successful in the NBA. His early development will be contingent on how much playing time he can get since Portland has a nunber of guards, especially talented point guards.
CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein tweeted that McCollum will be a scorer off the bench for the Trail Blazers, which isn’t a bad role to be in for a rookie.
C.J. McCollum gives Portland a reserve scorer. Should be an asset to the Blazers second unit.
He won the SEC Player of the Year Award by carrying Georgia offensively last season. As a sophomore, KCP averaged 18.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and made 43 percent of his shots, including 37 percent of his attempts from behind the arc. Last year, Caldwell-Pope attempted 207 more shots than his teammate with the second-most attempts.
While the 6’5″ shooting guard will need to work on his shot selection and offensive efficiency, he could still be immediately effective in terms of spreading the floor for Detroit. The Pistons have a pair of talented players in the frontcourt in Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. With Brandon Jennings running the offense and Josh Smith getting his share of touches at forward, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can complement the pieces already in place on the Pistons.
At Georgia, Caldwell-Pope averaged nearly 20 points per game, even though opposing teams knew that he was the Bulldogs’ only real scoring option. With Detroit, defenses will focus on Jennings and the Pistons’ frontcourt, which means an aggressive wing shooter like Caldwell-Pope is likely to get plenty of scoring opportunities.
7. Otto Porter Jr.
The Washington Wizards have many small forwards on their roster but Otto Porter Jr., who has be described as a “complete” player, could be a regular in the Wizards’ rotation.
Porter averaged 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He shot 48 percent from the field and 42 percent from behind the arc.
According to Draft Express, Porter is nearly 6’9″ and has a wingspan longer than 7’1″. And he’s versatile on both ends of the court.
Washington has a very talented backcourt with John Wall and Bradley Beal, which will take some of the pressure off of Porter.
The former Georgetown forward will be part of a young core for the Wizards. Expect Porter to contribute enough in various facets of the game that he makes an impact for Washington next season.
6. Alex Len
The Phoenix Suns only have two centers on their roster, one of whom is rookie Alex Len. Len averaged 11.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Maryland.
The 7’1″ center has recently undergone surgeries on both ankles, which could put his jeopardize his timetable, according to NBC Sports’ Brett Pollakoff.
Due to his injuries, Len did not participate in the NBA summer league.
While Len is at a disadvantage because of surgeries and missed summer league action, he still proved his worth against other NBA prospects last season. He scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Nerlens Noel, and he nearly averaged a double-double against Mason Plumlee in Maryland’s three games against Duke.
There are several talented centers in this year’s rookie class, and each comes with his own health issues or questions about his talent level. But, if healthy Len should be among the best from June’s draft.
5. Kelly Olynyk
The Boston Celtics are clearly rebuilding, which was evident by their deals with the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets this offseason. Boston has four centers on its roster who have played a combined six minutes in the NBA. In other words, the starting center position is up for grabs.
Kelly Olynyk, who was drafted 13th by the Celtics, was ranked the number one player in NBA.com’s rookie ladder based on his play in the summer league. He averaged 19.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Olynyk shot nearly 58 percent from the field.
Wow, Mavericks. Wow, Boston. Great. Pick. If Kelly Olynyk were French and had some grainy YouTube footage, he would have been a top-10 pick.
Olynyk is no stranger to putting up big numbers. In his junior year at Gonzaga, he averaged 17.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He shot 63 percent from the field and 30 percent from behind the arc.
There is a very good chance that Olynyk will start for the Celtics, and he will have lots of opportunities to score playing alongside Rajon Rondo.
4. Anthony Bennett
Anthony Bennett was a bit of a shocker to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft, especially after Nerlens Noel and Alex Len dominated the conversation in the weeks leading up to the draft.
Been through a bunch of drafts. This is one of the weirdest. Anthony Bennett? Really?
Bennett has an NBA body and his 16.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season indicate that he is ready for the next level.
However, due to the talent on Cleveland’s roster—Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson, Andrew Bynum, Jarrett Jack and Anderson Varejao—Bennett won’t be featured as much as he would on a worse team.
While Bennett’s natural position is power forward, his 6’8″ size and the defensive struggles he had in summer play will present challenges for him as he attempts to find his role on the Cavs this season.
3. Cody Zeller
Even though Charlotte Bobcats fans were not too pleased about the team drafting Cody Zeller with the fourth overall pick in the NBA draft, the former Hoosier could very easily end up winning over their hearts.
NBA.com’s Drew Packham ranked Zeller second on his “Rookie Ladder,” a scale which rates how rookies perform in the NBA summer league.
The 7-footer averaged 16.3 points on 52 percent shooting and 9.3 rebounds per game this summer. Zeller could potentially start at power forward alongside Al Jefferson or he’ll be one of the leaders of Charlotte’s second team.
Even though he played center in college, Zeller is a great athlete who can run the floor. ESPN’s Chad Ford reported that Zeller had the fastest sprint at the combine among bigs.
Cody Zeller with the fastest sprint time among bigs 3.15 sec
It also doesn’t hurt that he will be coached by one of the game’s all-time great big men, Patrick Ewing.
With Charlotte’s weak roster, Zeller can play and potentially put up big numbers immediately.
2. Ben McLemore
Ben McLemore is one of two shooting guards on the Sacramento Kings roster and he joins a team that was 28-54 last season.
For those reasons, he will have a lot of opportunity to play significant minutes in his rookie campaign.
He scored at least 26 points on two occasions during the summer league. While his consistency was an issue last season and again this summer, McLemore has proven to be a tremendous athlete and a great scorer when he’s at his best.
McLemore had his share of poor shooting performances in college, but he also showed that he can go off for 30 points when he gets hot.
He is potentially the best scorer in the 2013-14 rookie class.
1. Victor Oladipo
Victor Oladipo was drafted second overall by the Orlando Magic. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Victor Oladipo was named to the Southwest Airlines All-Summer League First Team after averaging 19.0 points, 5.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. The former Indiana University guard was 7-for-13 from behind the arc and 33-for-40 from the charity stripe.
The Magic tested the No. 2 overall draft pick at point guard in the summer league, but he will be successful no matter which position he plays when the regular season rolls around. As his college coach, Tom Crean, mentioned on Twitter, Oladipo entered college ranked as the 144th best prospect in his class yet ended up as the second overall selection in the 2013 NBA draft.
The 6’5″ guard’s development is still trending upward and he made a name for himself in the summer league with his offense, defense and late-game heroics.
Victor Oladipo led Orlando Summer League in isolation points (21). He was the only player w/ 10 iso plays to score more than 1 pt per play.
Oladipo can potentially start for Orlando next season, and he is ready to contribute immediately on both ends of the floor at a high level. Oladipo’s chances of making the All-Rookie First Team increased because he will likely play at both guard positions instead of being limited to one role.
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Most of the big-name free agents in the NBA have found a home for next season, whether they chose to stay in the same city or sign elsewhere for more money or to have a better chance of winning a championship.
While Dwight Howard, Andrew Bynum, Al Jefferson, Jarrett Jack and Tony Allen have inked new deals this offseason, there are still other promising free agents available.
There are savvy veterans with championship experience on the market such as sharpshooter Mike Miller and power forward Lamar Odom.
Injuries have limited the careers of Greg Oden and Kenyon Martin, but both could potentially start for the right team.
Former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden has been limited to only 88 games in his NBA career, but he is drawing interest from teams after three years out of the league. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Brandon Jennings is a point guard who could be an attractive free agent for teams looking to add a potential starter or depth at the position.
Here are the some of the best remaining unrestricted free agents and the teams that have shown an interest in them.
Mike Miller
The defending champion Miami Heat used the amnesty provision to waive shooting guard Mike Miller “as part of a financial move that will save them as much as $17 million on luxury-tax payments next season,” according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Even though Miller has moved out of the everyday starter role he once played earlier in his career, he was a key contributor to the Heat’s back-to-back NBA championships. He was 47-111 from behind the arc in the past two postseasons.
Windhorst reported that Miller cleared amnesty waivers, and several contenders have expressed interest in the 13-year veteran. The Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers are among the interested teams.
ESPN’s Marc Stein tweeted that the Thunder and Grizzlies are the front-runners for Miller.
Oklahoma City makes the most sense for Miller. He expressed his intentions of signing with a contender, according to Windhorst, and the Thunder will have available minutes at shooting guard after losing Kevin Martin to free agency.
The pieces are in place for Oklahoma City to make another NBA Finals run, and Miller would be another important piece of the puzzle. Miller scored 23 points in the decisive Game 5 of the 2012 finals against Oklahoma City, and surely he would like the opportunity to have a similar performance next summer against the team that recently waived him.
Greg Oden
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, Greg Oden, is eyeing a comeback after not playing in the league since the 2009-10 season.
The Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks have expressed interest in the seven-footer, according to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman and Marc Stein.
Luckily for Oden, he has a number of different options. The Heat and Spurs are among a handful of legitimate championship contenders for next season. New Orleans, Sacramento and Dallas are rebuilding, which means there wouldn’t be as many expectations for him. Consequently, there would also be less pressure from the media.
Oden signing with Miami would be an ideal scenario for both sides. The Heat could finally sign a true center instead of playing Chris Bosh or Chris Andersen at the 5 all of the time, and Oden would have a relatively cheap price tag. Oden would get the chance to play in a winning environment where he would be only be expected to rebound and play defense in a supporting role.
ESPN reported that Miami is considered the leader in the pursuit of Oden.
Miami has actually been considered a leading contender for Oden for months after Heat president Pat Riley hosted him for a two-day visit earlier this year. That was even before Oden’s comeback, through workouts back home in Indianapolis or at Ohio State, progressed to the serious stage it has reached now.
Brian Windhorst wrote that Miami could potentially be a big player in free agency next summer. The Heat could sign Oden to a one-year contract with a team option for a second year if they want to have as much cap space as possible in 2014.
Kenyon Martin
All indications are that the New York Knicks are close to re-signing power forward Kenyon Martin. According to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com in an interview with New York GM Glen Grunwald, talks between the Knicks and Martin are “going pretty well.”
“We are still very interested in Kenyon and giving him full consideration,” said Grunwald, who can only offer the 35-year-old forward a contract in the veteran’s minimum range. “We’re just having discussions with Kenyon and his agent, and they’re going pretty well at this time.”
Teams can never have enough veteran leadership and toughness, both of which Martin provides. He played very well in his 18 games in New York last season. He averaged 7.2 points and 5.3 rebounds in 24 minutes per game last season.
Also, since New York’s latest big man, Andrea Bargnani, is more of a finesse player, Martin would play a crucial role alongside Tyson Chandler as a big who is willing to do the dirty work.
While Martin will likely sign with New York, Zwerling tweeted that the Spurs are very interested in acquiring the power forward.
Martin could also choose to go to Los Angeles or Brooklyn to play for his former teammate, Jason Kidd, according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard.
The Spurs, Clippers and Nets are Martin’s best chances of winning a championship, so he would be best off not re-signing with the Knicks. However, given how well talks are going between him and New York, he will probably return to the Big Apple next year.
Lamar Odom
Similarly to Kenyon Martin, Lamar Odom is likely to sign with his most recent team, the Los Angeles Clippers. According to ESPN Los Angeles’ Arash Markazi, the Clippers are interested in signing Odom.
Odom, who was drafted by the Clippers, averaged four points and six rebounds per game in L.A. last season.
The Lakers have also expressed interest in signing the 14-year veteran, according to CBS Sports. While Odom won two titles with the Lakers, the Clippers are currently the best NBA team in Los Angeles. Being a role player on the Clippers with Doc Rivers as the head coach is a better option for him than returning to the dysfunctional Lakers.
Brandon Jennings
Despite averaging 17.5 points and 6.5 assists last season in Milwaukee, point guard Brandon Jennings remains unsigned this offseason.
According to Sports Illustrated‘s Rob Mahoney, Jennings’ offense is worrisome.
According to Synergy Sports Technology, Jennings rated miserably in defending both isolation sequences and spot-up opportunities last season — a basic indicator that he’s become a liability both on and off the ball. Quickness alone just can’t save a defender who takes such an open stance (thus surrendering easy blow-bys) in coverage and gets caught ball-watching on a frequent basis.
For those reasons, the Bucks wanted to part ways with Jennings, which is why they made an offer to sign Atlanta’s Jeff Teague.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel‘s Michael Hunt wrote that even though it would be “awkward” for Milwaukee to re-sign Jennings to a one-year deal, it could work out well. Hunt wrote that the combination of a contract year for Jennings, a new coach and the absence of Monta Ellis could improve the point guard’s play next season.
Even though NBC Sports reported that Jennings does not want to return to Milwaukee next season, there isn’t a team in the NBA that has showed significant interest in signing him. His best option may be to return to the Bucks for one more year.
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The 2013-14 NBA season will be uniquely competitive. There will be the usual playoffs race to win an NBA title as 29 teams will attempt to prevent a three-peat by the Miami Heat. However, several teams will devote next season to plummeting in the standings in order to maximize their chances of winning the Andrew Wiggins Sweepstakes, otherwise known as the 2014 NBA draft lottery.
“Tankapalooza” has several layers. There are teams—the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz—that are not being discreet about their intentions to tank next season.
The Boston Celtics hired Brad Stevens to lead their tanking and rebuilding process. (Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
Matt Moore of CBS Sports wrote that it’s not just the actions of teams that show signs of tanking, but also their inaction:
But it’s clear judging from the draft and free agency that nearly half the league has the same thing in mind, to various degrees. For some, it’s not about what teams did; it’s what they didn’t. The Suns and Magic did almost nothing in free agency. They just hung out. That’s subtle tanking.
The Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns had lottery picks in the 2013 NBA draft but didn’t land any major free agents. Both teams finished last in their respective divisions last season, and on paper they are on pace to be on the outside looking in on the playoffs next year.
The third category is one with teams who either unsuccessfully tried to improve this offseason or disguised their intentions of tanking by mediocre signings. Whether these teams intend to or not, tanking is definitely an option next season if they get off to a slow start.
The Milwaukee Bucks signed O.J. Mayo, Zaza Pachulia and Carlos Delfino in addition to drafting 18-year-old Greek shooting guard Giannis Antetokounmpo. That’s not exactly an inspiring offseason for a franchise that has lost in the first round of the playoffs in nine of its last 10 postseason appearances.
The Charlotte Bobcats, soon to be renamed the Hornets, signed free agent center Al Jefferson, who averaged 17.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last season. However, Jefferson has built a reputation for being a defensive liability, which won’t help a Charlotte squad that finished 29th in points allowed per game last season.
Here’s a segment about Jefferson’s defense (or lack thereof) that Grantland’s Zach Lowe wrote in an article about the Utah Jazz last year:
I pointed out last month that Utah was having its bigs jump out hard on pick-and-rolls, even though Jefferson especially isn’t very good at that, lacking the foot speed and general awareness to run out beyond the 3-point arc and recover in time.
Here is how the top “tankers” in the NBA have positioned themselves to potentially win next year’s draft lottery.
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are the ultimate example of a franchise undergoing a rebuilding period.
First, Boston sent its head coach, Doc Rivers, to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for a 2015 first-round pick.
The Celtics then tradedKevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and D.J. White to the Brooklyn Nets for Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks, Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans, Kris Joseph and first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018. The Celtics will also have the right to swap first-round draft picks with the Nets in 2017.
Boston then replaced Rivers with former Butler University coach Brad Stevens, who signed a six-year, $22 million contract with the Celtics.
Boston now has nine first-round draft picks over the next five years and the Celtics have shown their commitment to Stevens with his six-year contract.
Seven-year veteran point guard Rajon Rondo can either be the centerpiece for Boston’s future or yet another trade asset for next season:
If Rondo, who was involved in a physical altercation with Rivers last season, does not step up and fill the void in the locker room left by Garnett and Pierce, this motley crew of Celtics may be devoid of leadership next year.
A lack of leadership and a first-time head coach would likely lead to an atrocious season, which is just what Boston needs if it wants to tank next year.
Looking at the Celtics roster, a top lottery pick seems in store for Boston.
Boston lost its top two scorers and its sixth-leading scorer from last season. The Celtics now have three centers—Fab Melo, Colton Iverson and Kelly Olynyk—with a combined 36 minutes of NBA regular season experience.
Luckily for the Celtics, they could be bad with or without Rondo on the roster. That will give Boston’s front office even more possibilities to tank in preparation for the 2014 NBA draft.
Rondo is an elite talent, which is why trading him would further set back Boston. However, he could cause internal problems within the organization next year, and he would still provide the Celtics with a trade chip down the road.
Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia chose not to re-sign Andrew Bynum, Dorell Wright and Nick Young this offseason.
The 76ers then traded their All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday and the 42nd pick in the 2013 NBA draft to New Orleans for the rights to the sixth pick in the draft and a top-five protected first-round draft pick in 2014.
Philly’s intentions of tanking could not be more obvious. The 76ers parted ways with two former All-Stars and replaced them with draft picks (Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams).
Noel is recovering from an ACL injury and has a listed weight of roughly 225 pounds. Both issues make the former University of Kentucky center a project, and it is unlikely that he will be an immediate major contributor at the next level.
Carter-Williams shot just 39 percent at Syracuse last season, and he made only 29 percent of his three-point attempts, which means that Philadelphia is prepared for a major drop-off from Holiday.
Philadelphia then traded for Furkan Aldemir and Royce White, two 2012 NBA draft picks who did not play in the NBA last season.
The 76ers haven’t hired a coach to replace Doug Collins, which is another question mark for next season. Philadelphia was a 34-win team last season and no matter who the 76ers hire to be the new coach, they’ll be even worse next season.
After trading and not re-signing some of their best players, the 76ers will likely end up with two lottery picks next season—their own and the one they acquired from New Orleans.
Utah Jazz
Utah failed to re-sign Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson, Earl Watson and DeMarre Carroll. Jefferson and Millsap were the team’s leading scorers and rebounders so parting ways with the big men was a telltale sign that Utah is looking to rebuild.
The Jazz also traded Kevin Murphy and Randy Foye for more than $24 million of the expiring contracts of Andris Biedrins, Richard Jefferson and Brandon Rush. Utah also acquired two future first-round (2014 and 2017) draft picks, three future second-round (2016, 2017 and 2018) draft picks and cash considerations.
Biedrins, a seven-foot power forward, averaged 0.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game last season. Jefferson averaged 3.1 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. Rush has averaged nine points per game over the course of his career.
Utah also traded for point guard Trey Burke, center Rudy Gobert and point guard Raul Neto, who were all selected in this year’s draft.
The Jazz completely downgraded their roster for the sake of tanking next season. With two first-round draft picks next year and having a lot of cap space next summer once its expiring contracts are up, Utah could have a very successful offseason in 2014.
Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns
The Magic and Suns drafted second and fifth, respectively, in the 2013 NBA draft. They acquired Victor Oladipo and Alex Len with those picks.
However, since selecting two of the top prospects in this year’s draft class, both teams’ offseason took a turn for the worse.
The Magic also drafted former Oklahoma forward Romero Osby, but Orlando’s biggest free agent signing was Jason Maxiell, an undersized power forward who has averaged six points and four rebounds per game in his career.
Orlando is at a crossroads as it has the remainder of the Magic team that made the 2009 NBA Finals, Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu, as well as a handful of talented young prospects.
The Suns also drafted former University of Kentucky guard Archie Goodwin and former Missouri forward Alex Oriakhi. They have not signed a free agent this offseason.
More than half of the players on the Suns roster are 24 years old or younger so Phoenix is still a work in progress.
Both teams chose inaction in free agency and will likely be among the teams that tank next season.
Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Bobcats
The Milwaukee Bucks are stuck in no man’s land, which is the worst place to be in the NBA. They have won between 26 and 46 games every year since the 2000-01 season.
To be a successful franchise in the NBA, a team needs to consistently win playoff series or tank in order to get a top lottery pick. Simply making the playoffs and getting defeated handily in the first round is not a good short- or long-term plan.
Losing Samuel Dalembert, Mike Dunleavy, Monta Ellis, Drew Gooden and J.J. Redick makes a mediocre team even worse.
Milwaukee’s latest signings of Pachulia, Mayo and Delfino don’t offset the loss of players. Whether the Bucks like it or not, they’re going to be in the running for the top pick in next year’s draft.
This offseason, the Charlotte Bobcats re-signed Ben Gordon to a player option, re-signed Josh McRoberts and signed Al Jefferson. The Bobcats lost Reggie Williams and Byron Mullens to free agency, as well as waived forward Tyrus Thomas under the amnesty provision.
Charlotte drafted former Indiana University center Cody Zeller with the fourth overall pick. The Bobcats’ new additions to their roster may be a step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go to completely change the losing culture that exists in Charlotte. They too could be among the tankers if they are not a viable playoff team next season.
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In an offseason in which more than one-third of the players selected in the 2013 NBA draft were traded on draft night and, as ESPN’s Marc Stein tweeted, 12 teams changed head coaches, the National Basketball Association has been revamped in the past three weeks.
Are we really down to last head coach opening in NBA universe??? TWELVE new ones hired already. Only Philly (said to be Brett Brown) to go!
The combination of drafting talented prospects, hiring new coaches and signing free agents who can make an immediate impact has allowed several teams to enter next season better off than where they finished last year.
Houston courted seven-time All-Star Dwight Howard but are the Rockets the most improved team this offseason? (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Playoff teams improved to potential title contenders and teams that missed the playoffs last season now seem destined to make the postseason in 2014.
The combination of several All-Star-caliber players becoming free agents this offseason and the hype around the 2014 NBA draft class, which has been rumored to be the best since 2003, has forced some teams to make a tough decision.
They could either make a run at Dwight Howard, Andrew Bynum, Andre Iguodala or another big name in free agency or they could put together a weak roster for next season that will put them in position to have one of the best draft picks next June, as noted by Sports Illustrated.
While the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers appeared to choose the latter, most teams tried to sign free agents who will fill a void in their rosters.
Money is no object to Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov. The Nets will owe at least $80 million in salary cap tax penalties after they traded for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry and then signed Andrei Kirilenko. Brooklyn now has one of the strongest starting lineups in the NBA.
Without further ado, here are the five teams that improved the most this offseason.
Note: When evaluating the most improved teams, last season’s results and the best-case scenario for teams based on their offseason additions do play a factor. Additionally, signing a free agent from another team has a greater impact than re-signing a free agent who played for the same team last year. The return of an injured player to the same team that he played for last season is not part of the criteria.
Honorable Mention
The Portland drafted former Lehigh guard C.J. McCollum with the 10th overall pick. McCollum could become the third guard for the Trail Blazers and back up his NBA likeness, 2012-13 Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard.
When comparing the two guards—both of whom both played at schools not known for producing NBA lottery picks (Lillard played college ball at Weber State and Lehigh has never had a player play in the NBA, according to ESPN Stats & Info)—their senior seasons, at least statistically, were eerily similar. Both averaged roughly 24 points, exactly five rebounds, a couple assists, 1.5 steals and nearly three made three-pointers per game.
The Trail Blazers then exchanged two future second-round picks for the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ 31st pick, which materialized into former California shooting guard Allen Crabbe.
Portland then capitalized on Houston’s participation in the Dwight Howard sweepstakes by trading for last year’s fifth overall pick, Thomas Robinson, in return for two future second round picks as well as the rights to Kostas Papanikoaou and Marko Todorovic.
The Trail Blazers also signed veteran free agents Dorell Wright and Earl Watson this offseason.
In short, Portland acquired a starting center coming off of the best season of his career, two of the top 31 picks in the draft, one of last year’s top prospects and a couple of veteran guards who can add depth to the bench.
Last season Portland finished with a 33-49 record, 12 games behind the eighth seed in the Western Conference. With LaMarcus Aldridge in his prime, an improving Robin Lopez, Lillard and a handful of talented players under the age of 25, the Trail Blazers could make a run for the seventh or eighth seed in the West next season. However, Portland fell short of the top five because of its youth; the Trail Blazers had a good offseason but are a year or two away from getting the most out of the talent on their roster.
A few other teams have had a productive offseason but not enough to put them in the top five most improved teams.
Minnesota finished 20 games below .500 last season at 31-51. Similarly to Portland, the Timberwolves could potentially contend for one of the final playoff spots, if they re-sign Nikola Pekovic, but their rookies need a few seasons to develop before Minnesota will be viewed as a postseason threat.
Finally, the Indiana Pacers quietly had a good offseason. Former Arizona forward Solomon Hill could be one of the steals of the draft or a player that makes Pacers fans question why Indiana reached to draft him 23rd overall.
He could provide a three-point scoring threat, which Indiana lacked last season.
The Pacers re-signed power forward David West and signed free agents C.J. Watson and Chris Copeland. Watson gives Indiana depth at point guard and Copeland is a versatile forward who shot 42 percent from beyond the arc last season.
Indiana forced a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. A deeper postseason run next year would be likely be fueled by the return of a healthy Danny Granger, more so than Indiana’s new signings, which is why the Pacers are an honorable mention most-improved team.
5. Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers have learned that “Lob City” works in the regular season as it led to a 56-26 record and the Clippers earning the fourth seed in the West. However, the playoffs are a completely different animal. Teams play defense on every possession, and offenses must be able to run half-court sets. Players have to make free throws.
Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead against the Memphis Grizzlies and then lost four consecutive games in the conference quarterfinals.
Vinny Del Negro was fired and has since been replaced by Doc Rivers, who will bring championship experience to a Clippers organization that desperately needs to capitalize on surpassing the Lakers, even if it’s only for a year or two.
Rivers knows how to coach all-stars after successfully leading the Boston Celtics through a rebuilding process that involved Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo.
However, a coach can only do so much if he doesn’t have the right players, which is why signing free agent Darren Collison and re-signing Chris Paul, Matt Barnes and Ryan Hollins was important for the Clippers.
Rivers can utilize Redick as a poor man’s Ray Allen; he and the other guards recently acquired by the Clippers give Paul more scoring options.
With the 25th pick in the draft, the Clippers selected former North Carolina shooting guard Reggie Bullock, who averaged nearly 14 points and seven rebounds last season with the Tar Heels.
While some of the honorable mention teams may have more upside among their draft picks and free agents, the Clippers acquired one of the best coaches in the NBA to go along with one of the top point guards in the league.
L.A.’s best-case scenario is earning the second or third seed in the West and advancing to the conference finals.
Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustratedwrote that the Clippers are a dangerous team with their new additions.
The Clippers aren’t going to be favorites to win the West next season—neither Paul nor Blake Griffin has ever played beyond the second round. But they are going to give themselves a chance because the team has filled out the perimeter with shooters that will provide space for the two stars to create.
However, Los Angeles is fifth on the list because it still has deficiencies at power forward and center. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan are athletic but are huge liabilities at the free-throw line late in games. Plus, most of their offense is at or near the rim, which makes them limited offensively.
4. Detroit Pistons
After signing free agent forward Josh Smith to a four-year, $54 million contract, the Detroit Pistons suddenly have one of the youngest, most intimidating frontcourts in the NBA. Smith can start at small forward with Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond at power forward and center, respectively.
Sports Illustrated‘s Rob Mahoney wrote about Smith’s potential at small forward even though he may naturally fit better at power forward.
Detroit didn’t exactly need Smith, but his addition—and rumored positioning at small forward—isn’t an incontrovertible disaster. He’s oscillated between both forward slots for years, and though Smith’s skill set may better jibe with conventional definitions of a power forward, that in itself didn’t stop him from being a tremendously effective wing option for Atlanta in the right lineups.
While the trio will have to figure out how to play together in Detroit, they averaged more than 40 points, 25 rebounds and four blocks per game last season.
Detroit was 29-53 last season. The Pistons’ best-case scenario is that their strong frontcourt carries them to 10 to 12 more wins next season to capture one of the higher playoff seeds in the East.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
A strong argument can be made for the Cavaliers to be in the top two most improved teams this offseason.
Cleveland has several up-and-coming players in its starting lineup and the team that was spurned by LeBron James is looking like it will make the playoffs for the first time since “The Decision.”
No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett, who averaged 16.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season at UNLV, has the potential to be a very productive small forward, despite his defensive limitations.
The Cavs drafted two players who can play both shooting guard and small forward. They selected Russian Sergey Karasev with the 19th pick and Arizona State’s Carrick Felix 33rd overall.
While Cleveland made some noise in the draft, the Cavaliers were only getting started with their offseason acquisitions. They signed ex-Laker forward Earl Clark, ex-Warriorbackup guard Jarrett Jack and most notably, free-agent center Andrew Bynum, who had more hair styles (too many to count) than games played (zero) in Philadelphia last season.
ESPN’s Marc Stein tweeted that it was smart for Cleveland to only guarantee $6 million of the $24 million contract.
Cavs played it smart. Guaranteeing $6M in a $24M deal sounds like a lot based on Bynum’s health history, but it’s really not. Cleveland …
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 10, 2013
Injuries have limited point guard Kyrie Irving to only 110 games in two seasons, but when he’s healthy, he’s good for 20 points and six assists per night. Last year, rookie shooting guard Dion Waiters averaged nearly 15 points per game. Power forward Tristan Thompson became a full-time starter in his second season and is on his way to being a dependable double-double player for a long time.
Cleveland has its share of questions and uncertainty around its two biggest signings: Bennett and Bynum.
The Cavs have to figure out how to fit Bennett, an undersized power forward, into their rotation. Plus, there had been rumors, according to ESPN’s Chad Ford of Bennett’s weight ballooning this offseason. Then there’s the fact that he needs improvement defensively.
Cleveland took a risk in signing Bynum. His agent told interested teams that Bynum wouldn’t work out for them, which raises major red flags about his health and passion for basketball.
However, amid these concerns, there is a positive vibe about the Cavaliers this offseason. If the 2011-12 version of Bynum shows up (18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game) next season and Bennett becomes an immediate contributor, then Cleveland is suddenly in the conversation to potentially earn the fifth or sixth seed in the Eastern Conference next season.
While the Cavaliers will rely on a lot of young players who don’t have playoff experience, they could advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals if they get the right first round matchup.
It also doesn’t hurt that two of their biggest strengths, point guard and center (again, assuming Andrew Bynum is healthy and motivated), are at positions where the Miami Heat are vulnerable.
2. Brooklyn Nets
Two questions loom over the Brooklyn Nets this offseason.
First, how will Jason Kidd, who is only a few years older than some of his players and does not have any previous coaching experience, fare in his first season as the head coach of the Nets?
Even though Kidd lacks experience directing games from the sidelines, Nets fans should be encouraged by his attitude and mindset. ESPN’s Michael Wallace tweeted that Kidd said Brooklyn has the “horses” to compete with the Miami Heat.
Secondly, how will Brooklyn’s team chemistry develop with many accomplished veterans who all want their share of touches and have a history of being the alpha male on their respective teams?
If Brooklyn can answer those questions and keep their players healthy, the sky is the limit for the Nets.
They traded for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and D.J. White in a blockbuster deal with the Boston Celtics.
On draft night, the Nets selected former Duke power forward Mason Plumlee.
Then Brooklyn signed free agent Andrei Kirilenko for $3.1 million for next season after Kirilenko decided to take $7 million less than he would earn in Minnesota.
The Nets improved their bench even more by signing backup guard Shaun Livingston.
Next season, Brooklyn can have a starting five of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Brook Lopez. On the bench, the Nets will have Andrei Kirilenko, Jason Terry, Andray Blatche, Reggie Evans and Shaun Livingston as their second team.
As the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference last season, the Nets were eliminated in the first round by a Derrick Rose-less Chicago Bulls team that, late in the series, played without even Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich.
The Nets will likely finish somewhere between second and fourth place in the East but they have a roster that is built for the playoffs, unlike last season.
Brooklyn’s season will come down to head coaching, health and team chemistry. But if all goes well, then the Nets are among the seven teams—Miami, Chicago, Indiana, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Houston—that can legitimately compete for an NBA title next season.
1. Houston Rockets
Dwight Howard finished second in MVP voting in the 2010-11 season ahead of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki. That season he averaged 23 points and 14 rebounds per game and made nearly 60 percent of his shots.
Howard has made the All-Star Game every year since 2007. He has been named the Defensive Player of the Year on three occasions, in addition to leading the league in rebounding five times.
And he’s durable. He is averaging more than 77 games played in the regular season in his nine-year career.
Maybe DH12 cares more about becoming a brand and getting attention than he does about winning a championship, but Houston was the best fit for him. He has talented young teammates on the Rockets in James Harden, Chandler Parsons, Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin and rookie point guard Isaiah Canaan.
If Howard cares as much about his image as the media suggests, then LeBron James winning back-to-back championships has to be the best motivation for Houston’s new center. James went from a villain after “The Decision” and leaving Cleveland to an admired hero once he added a couple pieces of NBA jewelry to his hand.
The Rockets have just as much, if not more, talent as the Orlando Magic squad that Howard led to the NBA Finals in 2009 and now that Houston has assembled a powerhouse roster, there’s no reason why he can’t be a part of multiple more deep playoff runs in the Western Conference.
CBS’ Gary Parrish tweeted that Houston can win a title because there is no one else like Howard in the league.
Houston tops the list over Brooklyn because the Nets could be hampered by Kidd’s lack of coaching experience and some of its older players’ bodies breaking down over the course of the season. The younger Rockets also have a longer window to potentially win a championship than the veteran Nets.
Houston was the eighth seed in the Western Conference last season and its best-case scenario is to finish in the top three and potentially make the NBA Finals. The best part for the Rockets is that as long as Howard and Harden are together, Houston will be a dangerous team for years to come.
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Deron Williams was drafted by the Utah Jazz with the third overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft, which was full of difference makers at the point guard position (Chris Paul, Raymond Felton, Nate Robinson, Jarrett Jack and Monta Ellis).
Williams has been a starter in the NBA since his rookie season. In his eight years in the league, he has averaged 17.8 points, 9.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game.
With his three-point shooting ability, Williams can score at least 40 points on any given night and his court vision allows him to find the open shooter.
Watching Knicks-Jazz. Man, Deron Williams is a tremendous point guard. Always looking to pass, but’ll put 25 on you too
Williams has a number of dribbling moves and shots in his arsenal, which is why he is such a dangerous offensive player.
Deron Williams is a three-time NBA All-Star who has averaged 17.8 points and nine assists per game in his career. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
5. The Floater
With his deceptive dribbling, size and change of speeds, Williams has no problem breaking down his defender one-on-one. However, once he gets into the lane, it’s a different game when he faces seven-foot centers and multiple bigger defenders collapse on him.
Since he can’t always throw down a dunk in the face of a 7’2″ center, Williams has learned how to choose the safer route and float shots over the outstretched arms of defenders.
4. The Hesitation Dribble
This move can go hand-in-hand with Deron Williams’ crossover dribble. As a point guard, it is very important for Williams to penetrate and to drive past his defender so that he has more room to operate.
The best way for that to happen is to keep his defender off-balance and to be one step ahead. In his eight seasons in the NBA, D-Will has mastered the art of the hesitation dribble.
Deron Williams just taught me the hesitation cross while rejecting the pick!!!! Thirsty to use it now!!!!!
He briefly hesitates when he pulls the ball back, often before or after a crossover, and then he dribbles full speed to the lane.
At 1:52 in the video, he draws a bigger defender after the defense switches on a screen. Then, he crosses over from his right hand to his left, hesitates and he drives past his defender in two dribbles. Williams then kicks it out to an open teammate, who makes a three-pointer.
3. The Bounce Pass
A bounce pass sounds simple and ordinary but it’s not for Williams. He appears to have 360-degree vision and he exploits passing lanes that most players wouldn’t consider.
Whether it’s a no-look, backwards bounce pass between the legs to an open three-point shooter (0:26 second mark) or a cross-court pass that splits two defenders on a fast break that reaches a teammate in stride as he’s cutting to the basket (0:51 second mark), D-Will adds flair and creativity to the point guard position.
Based on that pass, Deron Williams is probably a better bowler than Bynum
While Williams has averaged nearly 20 points per game in his career, he is just as good of a facilitator as he is a scorer and it’s largely because of his ability to get his teammates the ball in positions to score through bounce passes.
2. The Three-Pointer
Williams made a name for himself on the national stage in his three seasons at the University of Illinois, which was capped off with an appearance in the national championship game in 2005.
That Fighting Illini squad was known for their three-point shooting ability after shooting nearly 40 percent from behind the arc as a team and making an average of almost nine threes per game. Of the five starters, Williams is the only who still plays in the NBA and he hasn’t lost his shooting touch from the outside.
As D-Will’s shots per game have increased over the course of his career, so have his three-point attempts. He can score from anywhere in three-point range and he’s deadly from the corners. He made nearly 47 percent of his corner threes last season, according to Vorped.
Williams can create his own shot, pull-up for three in transition or play off the ball for catch-and-shoot opportunities.
His best three-point shooting performance of his career was in a 95-78 win against the Washington Wizards last season when he set the NBA record for most three-point field goals in a half. He scored 23 points in the first quarter and started the game eight-for-eight from behind the arc.
In the video, D-Will knocked down threes from both wings and the top of the key. Williams made a few threes in transition, his teammate Gerald Wallace assisted him on a couple of catch-and-shoot threes and he even had one turn-around jumper.
Williams’ three-point shot is even more dangerous because he can use a shot fake to get his defender to jump in the air to block his shot. Once his defender is in the air, he can either draw a foul or he can drive past the defender.
At 3:51 in the video, Williams gets John Wall to jump past the three-point line to put a hand in Williams’ face but the Nets point guard takes a few dribbles to get by Wall and he knocks down an open jump shot.
1. The Crossover
At 6’3″ and 209 pounds, Williams is bigger than the average point guard in the NBA. While his size gives him an advantage against his smaller competition, Williams doesn’t shy away from using his handles to blow past his opponents.
Deron Williams has a deceptively wicked crossover. Not explosive, just deceptive. Simply, smoothly amputates your ankles.
What makes D-Will’s crossover dribble so lethal is that he dribbles multiple times–often between his legs–to break down his defender.
In this video, he took five crossover dribbles to keep Toney Douglas off-balance and at one point, Douglas had his back turned to Williams. Williams then finished him off by pulling up for a three-pointer as time was expiring in the first quarter.
For my money, I’ll put Deron Williams’ crossover up against anybody’s.
— Mr. Sports Journo (@BIGSPORTSWRITER) April 4, 2012
Williams can be a nightmare to guard because defenders have to play him straight-up instead of trying to force him in one direction. He is able to quickly crossover dribble with both hands, which makes defenders liable for getting their ankles broken.
If you don’t believe me, go to YouTube. Search “Deron Williams crossover” and the next time that you check the clock, a few hours will have passed. You’ve been warned.
“With the first pick in the 2013 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select [pause] Anthony Bennett of Toronto, Canada and the University of Nevada, LasVegas.”
The 2013 NBA draft will forever be remembered for its enigmatic, unpredictable nature, which started with the Cavaliers drafting the 6’7″, 240 pound forward with the first overall pick. With the selection, Cleveland made Bennett the first Canadian to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
Anthony Bennett is the first Canadian to be draft with the number one overall pick in an NBA draft. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
While the average basketball fan may not be familiar with Bennett, it didn’t take long for the Findlay Prep product to draw the attention of the national media last season.
@darrenrovell: POLL RESULTS: 49.1% say they never heard of #1 overall pick Anthony Bennett pic.twitter.com/dg62PAnyPt
By December, ESPN college basketball writer Myron Medcalf tweeted that Bennett had National Player of the Year potential and CBS national columnist Gary Parrish jokingly tweeted that the UNLV forward should declare for the NBA draft in the middle of his eighth game at the collegiate level.
@MedcalfByESPNForget freshman of the year. Anthony Bennett is national POY material.#BringOnTheHype
@GaryParrishCBS: UNLV’s Anthony Bennett ought to just go ahead and enter the NBA Draft at halftime. Looks like a man playing with kids out here right now.
Bennett was the seventh best prospect in the 2012 recruiting class, according to ESPN and Rivals. At Findlay Prep, Bennett averaged 16.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game on his way to becoming a McDonald’s All-American.
He drew interest from universities around the country and ultimately chose UNLV instead of Oregon, Kentucky and Florida.
@JeffRabjohns: Rivals.com 2012 No. 7 Anthony Bennett (Findlay Prep) to UNLV means Rebels have two top 40 players (also No. 38 Katin Reinhardt).
UNLV’s 2012 freshman class that was headlined by Bennett was ranked seventh in the country by ESPN and the Running Rebels’ new additions allowed them to crack the top 20 of last year’s preseason AP poll.
Bennett averaged 16.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, in addition to shooting nearly 38 percent from behind the arc. He led his team in all three categories.
The forward’s season highs were 28 points against Cal State Bakersfield and 16 rebounds against Air Force. He racked up 12 double-doubles in 35 games last season.
After posting a 25-9 (10-6) regular season record, UNLV earned a No. 5 seed in last season’s NCAA tournament. No. 12 seed California upset the Rebels 64-61 in the second round of the tournament. Bennett recorded a double-double but he made just four of his 11 shots.
Bennett suffered from left shoulder pain in February, according to the Las Vegas Sun, but he never missed a game. He had surgery on May 8 to repair a torn rotator cuff.
In an interview with ESPN’s Chad Ford, Bennett’s doctor David Altcheck said, “He can return to the court in four months. His prognosis is for 100 percent recovery.”
Bennett’s size along with his ability to rebound and shoot from the outside makes him versatile. Depending on the combination of players that Cleveland has on the court, he can play his natural position of power forward or potentially small forward.
Last December, Yahoo’s Jeff Eisenberg wrote about Bennett’s unique skill set.
What’s particularly impressive about Bennett is he pairs light feet and soft touch with a powerful frame. He showcased that repeatedly down the stretch against Cal, following a soaring baseline jam with a smooth 12-footer from the opposite side of the floor.
With power forward Tristan Thompson, Cleveland’s first round pick in 2011, emerging as a key contributor to the Cavaliers, Bennett could back up Thompson or develop into a small forward in the NBA.
Bennett’s biggest concerns in the offseason are rehabilitating his injured shoulder after undergoing surgery, getting back to playing weight and improving on defense.
Many fans and analysts like to compare prospects to established NBA players to project their upside.
His jump shooting and rebounding abilities could make it hard for Cleveland head coach Mike Brown to take him off the court; Bennett’s frame, which is undersized for a power forward in the NBA, and his struggles on defense could make it hard for him to succeed at the next level.
Anthony Bennett looks the part of a lottery pick and he showed his potential during his one-year stint at UNLV but only time will tell if the Canadian power forward will live up to the expectations of being the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft.
Click here to read this article on Bleacher Report.
Former University of Kentucky center Nerlens Noel was once considered to be the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2013 NBA draft but he slipped to sixth, where he was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night.
@darrenrovell: Nerlens Noel will lose about $4.4M over the 1st two contract years by going 6th instead of 1st.
Noel dropped out of the top five picks due to teams worrying about his health after he tore his left ACL, according to ESPN’s Andy Katz.
@ESPNAndyKatz: Word out of the top five is there was too much concern about Nerlens Noel’s knee.
After being selected by the Pelicans, Noel told Shane Battier in an interview that there is going to be a “block party” in New Orleans, referring to him teaming up with another former University of Kentucky big man, Anthony Davis.
@RealSkipBayless: Like that from Noel: “Gonna be a shot-blocking party down in New Orleans.” Yes, it will be.
Within minutes of being drafted, Noel was involved in trade rumors and the fantasizing about the Pelicans’ block party was over.
Nerlens Noel was drafted with the sixth overall pick by the New Orleans Pelicans and he was then traded to the Philadelphia 76’ers. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that the Pelicans were going to trade Noel and their first-round pick in the 2014 NBA draft to the Philadelphia 76ers for point guard Jrue Holiday and the 42nd pick in Thursday’s draft.
@WojYahooNBA: Philadelphia sends Jrue Holiday and a first-round pick in 2014 to New Orleans for Noel, league source says.
@WojYahooNBA: Correction: New Orleans sends a 2014 1st round pick to Philadelphia in the deal.
@WojYahooNBA: Philadelphia also sends the 42nd overall pick in this draft to Pelicans with Holiday, source tells Y!
Noel averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.4 blocks in 24 games last season.
Philadelphia likely traded for Noel to replace center Andrew Bynum, who did not play last year due to knee injuries but still received more than $16 million. Bynum will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Spencer Hawes is currently the only Philadelphia center under contract for next season.
By trading for Noel the 76ers can pay for a center on a rookie contract rather than the amount of money that it would cost to re-sign Bynum.
Philadelphia replaced one center coming off an injury with a younger center coming off an injury. While it was risky to trade for Noel amid the questions surrounding his ACL, weight and offensive prowess, it is less of a risk than re-signing the unmotivated and more expensive Bynum.
@CP_KCallahan: here at #Sixers draft head quarters where stunned silence upon hearing team just traded for a center with a bad knee …
The first-round pick that the 76ers will receive next season is protected for the first five picks, according to ESPN.
By acquiring Holiday, New Orleans received a point guard with four years of experience who can start immediately. Holiday started every game that he played in over the course of the past three seasons and had a breakout season last year.
He averaged 17.7 points, eight assists and 4.2 rebounds per game, which were all career highs.
The Pelicans have three point guards on their roster—Greivis Vasquez, Brian Roberts and Terrel Harris—and all of them will become restricted free agents after next season.
New Orleans acquired a second point guard on Thursday night when they took control of Philadelphia’s 42nd overall pick, which the Pelicans used to draft former Baylor point guard Pierre Jackson.
Both teams are rebuilding and made important improvements with the trade, but the players that Philadelphia received have a higher upside.
Philadelphia needed a younger, less expensive and more motivated center. The 76ers also cleared more than $40 million in cap space by trading Jrue Holiday. The loss of their leading scorer and starting point guard was lessened when they selected Michael Carter-Williams with the 11th pick.
While a frontcourt of Anthony Davis and Nerlens Noel would have been incredibly exciting to watch, the Pelicans instead acquired an emerging, young point guard in Holiday who is already established in the league.
However, New Orleans now has five point guards in the mix for its roster next season, which means the Pelicans could get the short end of the stick considering that they potentially gave Philadelphia two lottery picks. New Orleans had the fifth-worst record in the NBA last season and a similar record next year could potentially give Philadelphia a draft pick in the six to 10 range in 2014.
Vasquez has shown consistent improvement in each of his three seasons in the NBA and his statistics in the 2012-13 season were comparable to those of Holiday. He averaged 13.9 points, nine assists and 4.3 rebounds per game last year.
Considering that New Orleans needs to improve its depth at small forward and center in order to make a playoff push next season, trading for Holiday and drafting Jackson does not make sense.
Unless the Pelicans plan on trading Vasquez, it appears that they gave up too much when the players they received in return will add depth to a position that doesn’t need it.
Vasquez, who will make just over $2 million next season, will be valuable on the trade market, and if New Orleans gets enough in exchange for him, the Pelicans could benefit a lot from their trade with the 76ers.
Philadelphia was the ninth-best team in the Eastern Conference last season, and while this trade may not allow them to make the playoffs next year, especially since Noel won’t be available for the first few months of the season, it does give them hope for the future.
The 76ers received the greater upside, potentially two lottery picks in a two-year span, in the trade, while New Orleans will have to test the trade market to get the most out of its half of the trade.
The Pacers are tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for having the fifth-best odds, according to the sportsbook. Indiana’s chances of winning a championship in 2014 can only increase after the 2013 NBA draft on Thursday night.
Danny Granger only played five games for the Pacers last season due to a knee injury. With the addition of Granger and two draft picks, Indiana can make a run at winning an NBA championship next season. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
After finishing last season with the eighth-best regular season record in the league at 49-32, the Pacers have the 23rd and 53rd selections in the draft.
By forcing a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, Indiana proved it is a true championship contender and the addition of a healthy Danny Granger, a former All-Star who only played five games last season due to a knee injury, will elevate the Pacers to an even higher level next season.
When the Pacers’ ownership and management takes inventory of its roster, Indiana is well-stocked at small forward and center. Granger and Paul George have both been named All-Stars in their careers. The Pacers will have three centers, headlined by 7’2″ Roy Hibbert, who is under contract next season.
Indiana fans want to see the Pacers draft a power forward and a point guard on Thursday.
With most of Indiana’s core players in or near the primes of their careers, there is a sense of urgency for the Pacers. Fans want to see Indiana draft two players who can be in the rotation next season as opposed to “project” players who may never pan out.
On July 1, six Pacers players—Tyler and Ben Hansbrough, Jeff Pendergraph, D.J. Augustin, David West and Sam Young—will become free agents, with the first three becoming restricted free agents.
Indiana’s focus will be to resign West, who is the only starter among the Pacers’ soon-to-be free agents.
Tyler Hansbrough and Pendergraph were West’s backups last season.
Hansbrough established himself as a rotational player in Indiana, where he averaged seven points and 4.6 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game last season.
Pendergraph has never averaged more than 10 minutes per game in his three-year career. His best statistical season was last year when he averaged just shy of four points and three rebounds per game.
Indiana can move forward in its title pursuits without either player but the Pacers would be best suited to re-sign Hansbrough and to draft a power forward to replacePendergraph.
With Ben Hansbrough and Augustin becoming free agents next week, the Pacers can decide to cut ties with them and draft a point guard to back up George Hill.
The top point guard prospects in this year’s draft class—Trey Burke, Michael Carter-Williams, C.J. McCollum, Shane Larkin and Dennis Schroeder—will likely be long gone by the time the 23rd pick rolls around.
The Pacers have another option to acquire a point guard using the 23rd pick but it’s not through the draft. ESPN’s NBA insider Chad Ford tweeted there are rumors of the Pacers trading Gerald Green and the 23rd pick to the Sacramento Kings for JimmerFredette.
@chadfordinsider: Pacers push to swap Gerald Green and No. 23 forJimmer just got a little more realistic. Larry Bird loved Jimmer in 2011 Draft.
Indiana General Manager Kevin Pritchard, who helped make seven draft-night trades from 2006-08 with the Portland Trail Blazers, acknowledged his history of trading draft picks in an interview with ESPN 1070 The Fan’s Conrad Brunner.
We always look at everything. It’s been my history to move and be active. Sometimes it’s worked, sometimes it hasn’t. We like 23 and we think we’ll get a good player, somebody that can get in our rotation.
If none of the point guards fall to Indiana in the first round and the Indiana-Sacramento trade doesn’t happen, the Pacers would be better off drafting a combo guard in the second round.
One of the reasons the Pacers earned the third seed in the Eastern Conference last season and were successful in the postseason was due to the emergence of shooting guard Lance Stephenson.
While he is a promising young 2-guard, Stephenson can be very unpredictable, sometimes out of control and he is not a skilled three-point shooter.
Indiana, a team whose nucleus is in its frontcourt, would benefit from adding another scoring guard to spread the floor and to add depth to the backcourt.
Shooting guards Allen Crabbe and Ricky Ledo, Greek forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, small forward Tim Hardaway Jr., point guard Shane Larkin and French center RudyGobert are projected to go to Indiana in the first round, according to the mock drafts.
It is difficult for any NBA team or fanbase to make up its mind about what players it wants to draft when there is so much uncertainty about every pick, especially the No. 1 overall pick that belongs to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
No matter how the draft plays out, Indiana needs to come out of Thursday night with a guard and a big man to round out its roster.
Pritchard told Scott Agness of NBA.com there will not be elite talent available at the 23rd pick but Indiana could still select a good player with its first-round pick.
Every single year, you look at the draft and on average there are seven or eight really special players. And then you have a lot of guys that can be starters and rotation players. And it’s about trying to find that diamond in the rough when you’re picking at 23. You’re not getting the top guys but you can still get a good player that can be a part of the program and help us win.
If Schroeder or Larkin are available at the 23rd pick, the Pacers should select whichever one is available (and Larkin gets the advantage if they are both available). Larkin is an incredible athlete—he had the highest maximum vertical jump at the NBA combine with 44 inches—and he has experience leading a veteran team at the University of Miami.
The Pacers’ next best bets are Gorgui Dieng and Rudy Gobert, in that order. Both players are very long rim protectors who can rebound, which would make them good fits for Indiana.
@ChrisBHaynes: At 7-2 Rudy Gobert has one of the largest wingspans recorded at 7’9. With hands up, he’s a shade over 10ft. That should translate to blocks!
If none of those players are available, Indiana should select Crabbe. He has good size, has a knack for scoring and he rebounds well for his position.
Depending on whether the Pacers draft a guard or a big man in the first round, they should draft the other position in the second round.
Peyton Siva, Phil Pressey and Myck Kabongo are point guards who could be available at the 53rd pick.
DeShaun Thomas, Kenny Kadji and James Southerland are big forwards who were some of the main scoring options on their respective college teams last season.
The Indiana Pacers have a legitimate shot to win an NBA championship next season if they can re-sign David West and if their core players stay healthy. The Heat showed signs of age in the playoffs and they do not have a single draft pick this year.
@Pacers: Congratulations to the @MiamiHEAT on a hard-fought Eastern Conference Championship. We’ll see you next season.
If Indiana can add a point guard and power forward, the Pacers will not have any serious liabilities in their rotation next season.
While the 2013 NBA draft lacks apparent transcendent talent and perennial All-Stars, it has depth in prospects who can become role players, which is all that Indiana needs to be the last team standing next June.
Click here to read this article on BleacherReport.com.
The NBA free agency period begins on July 1 and with 163 players becoming free agents this summer, the offseason will be a busy time as players will shop around on the open market.
At least one player from every team will become a free agent, with the Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers each having nine players whose current contracts will expire this summer.
As unrestricted free agents this offseason, Dwight Howard and Chris Paul will sign multi-million dollar deals worth upwards of $15 million per year.
While Howard and Paul may be the two best free agents in 2013, there are better bargains on the market who will “outperform” their contracts.
Players like Andray Blatche, Darren Collison, Kenyon Martin and O.J. Mayo are among these overachievers.
Darren Collison has averaged more than 12 points and five assists per game in his career. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Honorable Mention
Several soon-to-be free agents are on the cusp of being some of the biggest bargains on the market.
Philadelphia 76’ers center Andrew Bynum did not play last season due to knee injuries. According to Sporting News, Bynum underwent bilateral arthroscopic surgery in mid-March.
Dr. David Altchek of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, Bynum’s longtime orthopedist, performed the surgeries, according to the team. The primary focus: Cleaning out loose debris from within the joints in an effort to relieve chronic pain and swelling.
The center earned $16.1 million last season in the final year of a four-year contract worth more than $57 million, according to Spotrac.
Due to the concerns about Bynum’s health and passion for basketball after he didn’t play last season, there could be limited interest in the center in the offseason. If a team signs Bynum for less money than his previous contract but gets production similar to the 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game that he averaged in 2011-12 for the Lakers, Bynum has the talent to be a steal if given a smaller contract.
Tony Allen, a nine-year veteran and NBA first team All-Defense selection, averaged 8.9 points on 45 percent shooting and 4.6 rebounds. Allen earned $3.3 million last season, which made him the 190th highest paid player in the league but he had the 165th best player efficiency rating. As a shutdown defender, Allen could be a potential bargain this offseason.
Chris “Birdman” Andersen signed two 10-day contracts with the Miami Heat before signing for the remainder of the season for $540,000. In the playoffs, he is averaging 6.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game to go along with his 81.8 shooting percentage. Andersen is limited offensively and he will struggle to continue shooting as well as he has in the postseason but his production with Miami should garner some attention in the open market.
Kenyon Martin
According to Spotrac, Kenyon Martin started his season with the Knicks in mid-February when he signed the first of two 10-day contracts. New York eventually him for the remainder of the season for $270,000.
And why exactly was Kenyon Martin recently unemployed again?
Martin averaged 7.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in the regular season. The former number one overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft made 58 percent of his shot attempts in the postseason.
He was the 100th highest paid power forward but had the 63rd highest efficiency rating among all forwards.
Despite being 35 years old and experiencing more than his share of injuries throughout his career, Martin can provide valuable experience and size off the bench for a cheap price.
Andray Blatche
After being amnestied by the Washington Wizards last summer, Andray Blatche signed a one-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets worth $1.1 million.
Blatche played an average of only 19 minutes per game last season as the backup center but averaged 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
He was the 80th highest paid center last season but had the 29th best PER among centers.
While Blatche made more than $23 million, which he was scheduled to earn over a three-year span, after being amnestied by the Wizards, the free agent market said that he was worth barely more than one million dollars last season.
That figure could increase in the offseason for the eight-year veteran but if Blatche can repeat his production next season, he would be worth the cost.
O.J. Mayo
O.J. Mayo was the Dallas Mavericks’ second scoring option last season behind Dirk Nowitzki.
He earned $4.2 million last season, which made him the 156th highest paid player in the NBA. Mayo’s average of 15.3 points per game was 53rd in the league.
Regarding the NBA Coast to Coast #1on1 rankings. Kyrie Irving & O.J. Mayo are 1-2 in iso points per play, according to Synergy Sports.
He has started at least 81 regular season games in three of his five seasons, proving his ability to be a durable starter. Mayo increased his average assists per game by 1.8 from the 2011-12 season to last season, showing his ability to get his teammates involved.
Depending on how much he signs for in the offseason, Mayo’s track record as a young shooting guard shows that he can become even better and have tremendous upside in the future.
Darren Collison
Despite having his yearly statistics plateau through his first four seasons, Darren Collison is a talented young point guard.
Collison averaged 12 points and 5.1 assists per game in the final option year from his rookie contract. He was the 36th most efficient guard in the NBA last season in a year in which he earned $2.3 million, which made him the 51st highest paid point guard in the league.
Andy Wittry 