NBA Offseason: SCIC Roundtable – Part 3
Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Aaron Gordon (Arizona) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number four overall pick to the Orlando Magic in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Which Team Had The Best Draft?
Michael Saenz: I absolutely love what the Philadelphia 76ers did in the draft. They got better without “actually” getting better. The Sixers drafted Joel Embiid, who won’t play next season due to injury, and Dario Saric, who won’t play either next season in the NBA (playing oversees) in the first round. Both are huge first round talents, but the Sixers essentially drafted for two or three years down the line while still being in play for next season’s lottery. It’s genius.
John Armstrong: Charlotte and Orlando. Both were teams that had multiple lottery picks and filled needs for their teams, especially Orlando at point with Elfrid Payton.
Morten Jensen: Utah is up there, as is Philadelphia and Boston. Utah napping Dante Exum at No. 5 and Rodney Hood at No. 23 is one I’m pretty keen on. Hood’s shooting and overall and scoring touch will get him immediate minutes off the bench, and Exum is still projected to be the best guard out of this draft. Had they just kept Jarnell Stokes instead of needlessly traded him for a second-rounder two years from now, Utah would have been the only name on my list.
George Middleton: The best draft went to the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets. In terms of talent, the Magic got the best by drafting Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon. Both players are athletic for their position and can defend really well, but they must improve their shooting. The Hornets got the best value as Noah Vonleh fell to them at the ninth selection, and they got PJ Hairston as the 26th pick. Vonleh is a terrific rebounder and can score in a variety of ways. Hairston will give the Hornets what they are lacking as immediate offense off the bench.
Bryce Olin: As far as I’m concerned, the Boston Celtics had the best draft. Marcus Smart would have been the top pick in the 2013 draft had he left Oklahoma State. He went back to school and didn’t improve as everyone expected. James Young from Kentucky was a steal. He would have been a lottery, possibly top-10, pick in any other draft. In two or three years, the Celtics’ Smart-Young backcourt could be one of the best in the league.
David Ramil: Cleveland. Why? Because it turned (or will turn, if the NBA allows this blatant breaking of the laws) into Kevin Love. Andrew Wiggins might be a fine player someday but there’s very little chance of him turning into only a better player than Love currently is. If we’re to believe – as evidence suggests – that LeBron James is less patient than he claimed to be about bringing a title to the Cavs, then Love absolutely gives them a better chance than Wiggins will.
Brandon Osborne: The Bulls. Chicago had one need and it was offense, so they drafted Doug McDermott from Creighton who was the leading scorer last year in college basketball. If he can give them instant offense then the Bulls are very much a title contender.