A Trip Back In Time: A Comprehensive Breakdown The 2006 NBA Draft

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

With the 2009 NBA draft rapidly approaching, I figured it might be a good time to look to the past and study how the 2006 NBA draft impacted teams in the league today.

Most analysts agree that a draft can only be accurately judged three years down the road. That gives enough time for the players to develop their game and adjust to the league, while giving managers, coaches, and fans the chance to see what a player can do, what he can’t do, and what role he can serve on his team.

With that as an introduction, I present my analysis of the 2006 NBA Draft. Overall, the 2006 draft class is an underwhelming one due to the number of major busts at the top of the draft.

Andrea Bargnani hasn’t shown the dominance expected of number-one picks, while Sheldon Williams, Adam Morrison, Patrick O’ Bryant, and Mouhamed Sene log major minutes on the inactive list.

As always, there were a number of picks traded on draft day, before draft day, and in the case of the 22nd pick of the first round, six years prior to the selections being made. Trades involving draft picks occurring a year before the draft will be counted as part of the draft because under many circumstances actual players are more important than picks.

To give context of how each player turned out in relation to what number he was drafted, I’ve created a list of the top 5 players at each position, and the top 10 players overall, based on talent, impact on their team to date, and player potential.

Top Five Centers

1) Andrea Bargnani
2) Josh Boone
3) Hilton Armstrong
4) Ryan Hollins
5) Paul Davis

Top Five Power Forwards

1) LaMarcus Aldridge
2) Paul Millsap
3) Tyrus Thomas
4) Leon Powe
5) Craig Smith

Top Five Small Forwards

1) Rudy Gay
2) Rodney Carney
3) Renaldo Balkman
4) Adam Morrison
5) Shawne Williams

Top Five Shooting Guards

1) Brandon Roy
2) Ronnie Brewer
3) Thabo Sefolosha
4) Randy Foye
5) J.J. Redick

Top Five Point Guards

1) Rajon Rondo
2) Daniel Gibson
3) Jordan Farmar
4) Kyle Lowry
5) Sergio Rodriguez

Top Ten Overall Players

1) Brandon Roy
2) LaMarcus Aldridge
3) Rajon Rondo
4) Rudy Gay
5) Paul Millsap
6) Ronnie Brewer
7) Tyrus Thomas
8) Leon Powe
9) Andrea Bargnani
10) Daniel Gibson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_nba_draft

* Order of team grades will be determined by which teams had the earliest remaining pick. Grades will take into account players drafted and picks traded. A number in parenthesis indicates the number of pick. A player in parenthesis indicates what player a traded pick turned into.*

Toronto Raptors

Picks involved in: (1) Drafted Andrea Bargnani. (20) Traded Jalen Rose and the pick (Renaldo Balkman) for Antonio Davis. (35) Drafted P.J. Tucker.

Players Received: Andrea Bargnani, Antonio Davis, P.J. Tucker
Players Lost: Jalen Rose, Renaldo Balkman

Review: The Raptors not only failed to select the best player in the draft, Brandon Roy, but they also missed out on LaMarcus Aldridge, the best big man in the draft. Bargnani’s been a slow-to-develop creampuff who is too slow for a perimeter player and too soft for an interior player. Plus, his defense is among the worst in the league. And why would the Raptors invest in a finesse-oriented big man when they already had Chris Bosh?

Trading Jalen Rose for Antonio Davis and Renaldo Balkman netted the Raptors financial flexibility which helped in their making the playoffs the next two seasons. While Balkman is a long-armed defender, Toronto was well-equipped with solid defensive wings in Morris Peterson and Anthony Parker.

P.J. Tucker was a miss that should’ve been Paul Millsap, Leon Powe, or Craig Smith considering the dearth of muscle power that has plagued Toronto in the Bosh era. Too many misses means a failure as a grade.

Grade: F

Chicago Bulls

(2) Traded Eddy Curry, Antonio Davis, and the No. 23 pick (Wilson Chandler) to New York for the pick, Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney, Jermaine Jackson, the No. 9 pick in 2007 (Joakim Noah), the No. 38 pick in 2007 (Kyrylo Fesenko), and a second-round 2009 pick. Chicago then drafted LaMarcus Aldridge and traded him and the No. 53 pick in 2007 (Demetrius Nichols) for the rights to the No. 4 pick Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa. (13) Philadelphia drafted Thabo Sefolosha, then traded him to Chicago for the rights to the No. 16 pick Rodney Carney, and the No. 38 pick in 2007 (Kyrylo Fesenko).

Players Received: Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney, Jermaine Jackson, Joakim Noah, 2009 second-round pick, Tyrus Thomas, Viktor Khryapa, Thabo Sefolosha
Players Lost: Eddy Curry, Antonio Davis, Wilson Chandler, Demetrius Nichols, Rodney Carney

Review: Chicago essentially traded Eddy Curry and Wilson Chandler to the Knicks for Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah. Surprisingly, Wilson Chandler may actually be the best player in the deal.

Worse, they drafted LeMarcus Aldridge and shipped him to Portland for Thomas. Thomas is athletic and improving, but Aldridge is the superior defender and post player, and doesn’t make nearly the mistakes Thomas does. Considering how similar Thomas and Joakim Noah are, the Bulls are kicking themselves for not having Aldridge. Their lack of a post presence has been their biggest drawback the last three seasons.

Thabo Seflosha has more talent than Rodney Carney, he just hasn’t been able to reach his potential. Overall, an awful draft with awful personnel decisions and ramifications.

Grade: D-

Charlotte Bobcats

(3) Drafted Adam Morrison. (50) in 2005, traded Jason Hart to Sacramento for the rights to the pick. Drafted Ryan Hollins

Players Received: Adam Morrison, Ryan Hollins
Players Lost: Jason Hart

Review: Despite Adam Morrison being a talented college scorer, Charlotte’s scouting department failed to account for Morrison’s complete inability to play defense, handle contact, or play with confidence against superior athletes. He’s another example that non-athletes don’t make good lottery picks.

Ryan Hollins has survived in the league as an energetic backup big man. Still, Charlotte should have had Brandon Roy.

Grade: F

Portland Trail Blazers

(2) Chicago drafted LaMarcus Aldridge then traded him and the No. 53 pick in 2007 (Demetrius Nichols) for the rights to the No. 4 pick Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa. (6) Boston drafted the No. 7 pick Randy Foye and traded him Dan Dickau, and Raef LaFrentz to Portland for Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, and the No. 46 pick in 2007 (Trent Plaisted). Portland then traded Randy Foye to Minnesota to the rights for No. 6 pick Brandon Roy.

(30) In 2005, Portland traded the No. 3 pick in 2005 (Deron Williams) to Utah for the pick (Joel Freeland), the No. 6 pick in 2005 (Martell Webster), and No. 27 pick in 2005 (Linas Kleiza). Drafted Joel Freeland. (31) Drafted James White then traded him to Indiana for the rights to No. 45 Alexander Johnson, the No. 42 pick in 2007 (Derrick Byars), and the No.55 pick in 2008 (Mike Taylor). Then traded Alexander Johnson to Memphis for the No. 33 pick in 2008 (Joey Dorsey).

Players Acquired: LaMarcus Aldridge, Demetrius Nichols, Dan Dickau, Raef LaFrentz, Brandon Roy, Martell Webster, Linas Kleiza, Joel Freeland, Derrick Byars, Mike Taylor, Joey Dorsey
Players Lost: Tyrus Thomas, Viktor Khryapa, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, Trent Plaisted, Deron Williams, James White

Review: Portland had an action-packed draft and overhauled their team for the better. All the excitement over Portland’s potential championship future has come as a result of the 2006 draft.

Not only did they get the best player in the draft, but they got the two best players in the entire draft, a stunning success. Brandon Roy has the talent and the craftiness to someday be an MVP. LaMarcus Aldridge is a finesse oriented big man, but he’s the only player in the entire draft who can both post for points and swat shots.

The only mistake they made came the season before when they essentially traded Deron Williams to Utah for Martell Webster, and Joel Freeland. Williams has become an elite point guard, while Webster is strictly a backup and Freeland hasn’t played a minute in the NBA, the only first round pick not to do so. Still, acquiring the two best players in the draft more than makes up for it.

Grade: A+

Atlanta Hawks

(5) Drafted Sheldon Williams. (21) Traded Boris Diaw, the pick (Rajon Rondo) and the No. 15 pick in 2008 (Robin Lopez) to Phoenix for Joe Johnson. (33) Drafted Solomon Jones.

Players Received: Sheldon Williams, Joe Johnson, Solomon Jones
Players Lost: Boris Diaw, Rajon Rondo, Robin Lopez

Review: Shelden Williams has been a nobody in the league and a waste of a lottery pick. Solomon Jones is a respectable shot-blocking big. Acquiring Joe Johnson was a good move, even if they had to get rid of the human Swiss-army knife Boris Diaw, and a future superstar point guard Rajon Rondo, to do so.

Johnson gives the Hawks a big time scorer and playmaker, something they needed more than the distributing skills of Rondo and Diaw.

Grade: B-

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