By Zach Harper - Email Zach
All NBA Team Logos used are property of the NBA and their respective teams

Portland Trailblazers
Grade: A++
Players Acquired:
Greg Oden (1), Rudy Fernandez (24 from Phoenix), Petteri Koponen (30 from Philly)
Josh McRoberts (37), Taurean Green (52), Demetris Nichols (53)
Traded Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau, Fred Jones to NY for Steve Francis, Channing Frye

You couldn't have hoped for a better draft night if you're the Blazers. They get the best guy in the draft and trade for two first round players that they gave up next to nothing to acquire. They end up with 6 quality guys (5 of those projected to be in the first round) and are able to trade their malcontent player in Zach Randolph for the opportunity to revitalize the career of Steve Francis. They have set themselves up for the next 15 years and will have multiple titles in that span.

Seattle Supersonics
Grade: A
Players Acquired:
Kevin Durant (2), Jeff Green (5 from Boston), Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak
Traded Ray Allen and Glen Davis (35) to Boston for Jeff Green (5), Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak
Traded Carl Landry (31) to Houston for Future 2nd Round Pick and Cash

Bold moves by Sam Presti to begin to rebuild this team. He gives up on their franchise player in Allen and grab a new franchise guy in Durant. Landing Delonte West and Jeff Green is a huge upgrade to the overall talent. With Durant, they can now start their new identity as a team and build around this great talent. Great steps towards rebuilding this once vibrant franchise.

Golden State Warriors
Grade: A-
Players Acquired:
Brandan Wright (8 from Charlotte), Marco Bellineli (18), Stephane Lasme (46)
Traded Jason Richardson and Jermareo Davidson (36) to Charlotte for Brandan Wright (8)

Fantastic moves by Golden State to rid themselves of a bad contract and pick up two very talented young players. Bellineli could step in and start right away with his shooting and ability to drive and Brandan Wright can get by just running the floor until he learns some actual basketball skill. Getting rid of J-Rich will allow them to throw some money at Monta Ellis soon.


Minnesota Timberwolves
Grade: A-
Players Acquired:
Corey Brewer (7), Chris Richard (41)

What? Did Kevin McHale fall asleep and did Fred Hoiberg step in to call in the draft selection? Did KG have a knife to his throat so he'd take an actual player that could help them right away? Brewer is a steal at #7 and will be a great player to put alongside Randy Foye for the next decade. Brewer will add to a very good defensive squad already and Chris Richard will provide some much needed toughness inside. Shocked that they got this right.



Los Angeles Clippers
Grade: B+
Players Acquired:
Al Thornton (14), Jared Jordan (45)

Solid draft by the Clippers. Many figured they should take a backup point guard at this slot but with Thornton falling to them here, there's no way they could pass up his scoring ability. They'll be able to trade Corey Maggette now for a backup point guard. Jared Jordan may make the team with Shaun Livingston out but will probably bounce around summer league teams for his career.

Memphis Grizzlies
Grade: B+
Player Acquired:
Mike Conley (4)

This was a very smart pick by new GM Chris Wallace which is usually not the case. Conley will come in and fight Kyle Lowry for the starting job right away. Conley could turn into one of the best in the league but will take some time to learn the NBA ala Tony Parker.


Utah Jazz
Grade: B
Players Acquired:
Morris Almond (25), Herbert Hill (55)

The Jazz needed a shooter and that's exactly what they got. Almond should have gone much earlier (3 or 4 picks) and he'll be able to come in and knock down jumpers from Deron Williams. Herbert Hill is a decent pick here but someone like Zabian Dowdell would have made much better sense. They could have used a solid point guard like him.


Phoenix Suns
Grade: B-
Players Acquired:
Alando Tucker (29), D.J. Strawberry (59)
Traded Rudy Fernandez (24) to Portland for Cash

The Suns did a decent job here. Alando Tucker can knock down open shots and that's exactly what he'll be given the opportunity to do, playing alongside Steve Nash. D.J. Strawberry is a tough defender and a great athlete (best in the draft). Trading Fernandez might seem like a bad move but they got $3 million for the pick and that will help with the luxury tax next year.


New Orleans Hornets
Grade: C+
Players Acquired:
Julian Wright (13), Adam Haluska (43)

Not a bad draft but not a great one either. Should've taken Al Thornton instead of Julian Wright and Adam Haluska was a big stretch at 43. Taurean Green, Demetris Nichols, and Trey Johnson all would have been better options at 43.

Los Angeles Lakers
Grade: C
Players Acquired:
Javaris Crittenton (19), Sun Yue (40), Marc Gasol (48)

The Lakers took a big point guard which Phil Jackson loves but he's a couple of years away from being someone that Kobe wants to play with. Sun Yue was a bad pick at 40 when they could have had Derrick Byars and Marc Gasol is simply a confusing pick to me. He is years away from being in the NBA and won't be very effective when he does come here.


Dallas Mavericks
Grade: C-
Players Acquired:
Nick Fazekas (34), Renaldas Seibutis (50), Milovan Rakovic (60)

I don't see how this draft made their team any better and that's what you should be doing with the draft. Fazekas can shoot but not much else and Seibutis and Rakovic are going to stay in Europe for a long time. Trey Johnson would've made sense here. How is he not taken at all?

San Antonio Spurs
Grade: D+
Players Acquired:
Tiago Splitter (28), Marcus Williams (33), Giorgos Printezis (58)

I can't believe that the Spurs actually had a subpar draft. Splitter is someone they'll keep in Europe for a couple years which will be fine unless they can't get Luis Scola on the team next season. Marcus Williams is highly overrated to me and I don't see him fitting in with the Spurs ideology. Printezis will probably never see the NBA but they said that about Ginobili too so you never know.

Sacramento Kings
Grade: D-
Players Acquired:
Spencer Hawes (10)

Geoff Petrie actually had a pretty terrible selection for the first time in a long time. Al Thornton or Acie Law or anybody else would've been the better pick here. They already have Brad Miller and Hawes is the same player only less athletic. Kings would've been much better packaging this pick and Bibby for a higher pick or a big man.

Houston Rockets
Grade: D-
Players Acquired:
Aaron Brooks (26), Carl Landry, (31)Brad Newley (54)
Traded Future 2nd Round Pick and Cash to Seattle for Carl Landry (31)

Terrible decision by Daryl Morey in Houston. He could have had Aaron Brooks at the 54th pick and instead took him at 26. He's completely undersized, not able to create his own shot against bigger defenders and will have trouble getting his shot off. Landry will be decent off the bench but he doesn't really fit in with McGrady and company. Brad Newley will never play in the league and could have been Trey Johnson instead. I just don't get this league sometimes.

Denver Nuggets
Grade: F
They managed to not have a pick in a loaded draft and will need to address all of their needs in a more expensive way this summer (free agency).