(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
Trade: T'Wolves send Randy Foye and Mike Miller to the Wizards for Oleksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila, and the 5th pick in the first round.
Round 1 (5) Ricky Rubio 6-4 182 Spain
Rubio is an electric passer and experienced leader in both half-court and full-court sets. He's more athletic than advertised, and has good height and length for the position.
He'll undoubtedly need to hit the weights, and extra conditioning can get him up to par with NBA-level point guards. Contrary to popular belief, his transition shouldn't take too long, and I don't see him going back overseas.
Round 1 (6) Jonny Flynn 6-0 172 Syracuse
Flynn (and the rest) are borderline luxury picks, as the 'Wolves don't have a ton of depth at shooting guard or small forward. A true center was another project they could have tackled, or in a trade.
Still, Flynn is an athletic phenom, who can score at will, by shooting jumpers, or rising above defenders on his way to the rim. It's unlikely Minnesota keeps more than two of the point guards they selected, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them trade both Flynn and Nick Calathes in the next year.
Round 1 (28) Wayne Ellington 6-5 200 North Carolina
Ellington is a bit under-sized for shooting guard, but with a stroke as fine as his, NBA team's tend to look past height.
The Timberwolves lost most of their three-point shooting when they traded Mike Miller and Randy Foye to the Wizards, so Ellington will undoubtedly be used in his first year.
Round 2 (45) Nick Calathes 6-6 194 Florida
Calathes is attached to Greece, and it's doubtful he'll come back to the state to sit behind either Ricky Rubio or Jonny Flynn (or both?).
He has a great shooting touch and a sound feel for the game. With his height and great understanding of the game, he could be a good point guard down the road, or even could make the switch to shooting guard.
Round 2 (47) Henk Norel 6-11 226 Netherlands
Norel has good length and decent strength, but he's definitely a project. Just another guy to stash overseas and see if he develops into something special.
Trade: Sent Ty Lawson to Denver for a first rounder.
They had enough point guards with the two back-to-back picks. Getting rid of Lawson was a good move, despite him being a very solid point guard.
They may have turned some heads with the point guard binge, but adding a shooter in Wayne Ellington, as well as the good, young talent at point guard makes them a better team. Now they just have to pick who they want to keep, and move on from there.
Grade: B-
8. Portland Trail Blazers
Round 1 (22) Victor Claver 6-10 218 PF Spain
Round 2 (33) Dante Cunninghame 6-8 230 SF/PF Villanova
Round 2 (55) Patrick Mills 5-10 175 PG St. Mary's
One of the more surprising plummets of the 2009 draft. Mills is a clutch performer with the ability to change games with his shooting, passing, and overall management of a team's offense.
He has excellent experience from playing with the national Australian team, and he's put in solid performances in big games at the NCAA level. He may only be a second rounder, but he'll be starting for someone within a few years, even if it's not Portland.
Trade: Sent Jon Brockman (38th overall) to Sacramento for the rights to Jeff Pendergraph.
Brockman is a beast down-low, getting after every swatted ball, and out-rebounding most of the players on the court.
He's ultra aggressive and more nimble on his feet than given credit for, as well. He doesn't offer a ton offensively, and he's not a gifted shooter, but he's an energy guy that can definitely carve a niche somewhere in a rotation.
Pendergraph is more of an offensive threat with more versatility and athleticism. He hasn't been able to develop a killer instinct, but has all the talent to be a star in the NBA.
Grade: B-
9. Oklahoma City Thunder
Round 1 (3) James Harden 6-5 218 SG/SF Arizona State
Harden doesn't have ideal size for the 3, and doesn't have the outstanding athleticism desired for the 2. However, what he does have is a sick package of offensive skills, and a great knack for getting to the rim.
Harden is an extremely well-balanced player who can buckle down on defense, play the decoy, or take over games.
If Jeff Green can't handle it, Harden will be fine as Kevin Durant's "Scottie Pippen".
Trade: Vaden traded for cash from Charlotte
Vaden was drafted by the Bobcats, then immediately traded to the Thunder for cash. Vaden has excellent range and is an effective scorer. However, his handle and shot-creating is only average.
Trade: Thunder get B.J. Mullens for the 25th pick in the draft, Rodrigue Beaubois.
The Thunder received B.J. Mullens in a trade with Dallas. This adds more youth and potential to their inside game. Unfortunately, it may be years until we know if it was a good move for Oklahoma City.
Adding Harden allows Durant to slide to his more natural small forward position, while Jeff Green can concentrate on growing as an inside force.
Grade: C+
10. Utah Jazz
Round 1 (20) Eric Maynor 6-2 165 PG VCU
Drafting Maynor doesn't make a ton of sense for Utah, who already has an All-Star caliber point guard in Deron Williams.
However, Maynor's handle and clutch ability make him an excellent back-up point guard, while his offensive prowess makes him a candidate for some time at shooting guard.
Round 2 (20) Goran Suton 6-10 249 PF/C Michigan State
Suton is a big man with a solid shooting touch, with range that is closing in on the NBA three.
Where he lacks athleticism or defensive prowess, he makes up for passion and timely scoring.
Suton is a project, but any big man with a fine stroke is worth taking a look at.
The Jazz didn't really upgrade too much, but after retaining all of their restricted free agents, their "standing pat" could actually pay off.
Grade: C
11. Golden State Warriors
Round 1 (7) Stephen Curry 6-3 185 PG/SG Davidson
In Don Nelson's high-octane offense, it doesn't matter what you call Curry. He can be the point guard, shooting guard, or even the small forward.
The fact is, he's on the court to get open and shoot the ball, as well as manage the offense from time to time.
He's a dynamic offensive threat with endless range and a lightning quick release. He fits their offense perfectly.
Grade: B
12. Los Angeles Clippers
Round 1 (1) Blake Griffin 6-10 243 PF Oklahoma
Everyone knew Griffin was going number one, but most of us just didn't want to believe it. For Griffin's sake, of course.
Regardless of the Clippers' history, as Griffin said himself, the slate must be wiped clean. With Zach Randolph now in Memphis, a huge space has been cleared open for Griffin to begin his legend in L.A.
If their team can actually stay healthy, the Clippers could provide quite the formidable line-up.
Grade: B+
13. Los Angeles Lakers
Trade: Drafted Toney Douglas with the 29th pick fo the first round, traded to New York for future 2nd rounder and cash
Douglas is a good offensive shooting guard with a ton of upside, but is under-sized, and was purely a pick for New York.
Trade: Drafted Patrick Beverly in the second round, then traded to Miami for future second rounder and cash
Beverly has good fundamentals and solid all-around skills, but is under-sized, and doesn't have ideal athleticism.
Round 2 (59) Chinemelu Elonu 6-10 225 PF Texas A&M
Elonu has a ton of potential, but doesn't have great experience, and isn't overly gifted, offensively.
He might be able to help on the boards as a rookie, but there are probably too many big bodies in the way of playing time for him.
The Lakers really didn't do anything in this draft, except for get some money. Adding Ron Artest to their team was their big splash.
Grade: D
14. Phoenix Suns
Round 1 (14) Earl Clark 6-9 220 SF/PF Louisville
Clark has excellent size, length, and versatility. He truly has all the tools to be a star.
Unfortunately, he hasn't found that killer instinct, and was never a consistent threat at the college level. He goes "off" in spurts, but had a bit of the "Rudy Gay" effect in the Big East, as he shied away from taking over the games or attracting too much attention.
That will have to change (much like it did for Gay) in the NBA.
Round 2 (48) Taylor Griffin 6-7 230 SF/PF Oklahoma
He may not have the size and offensive ability as his brother, Blake, but Taylor can throw elbows in the paint with the best of them.
He's an extremely aggressive defenders, relentless on the boards, and an exciting and effective shot-blocker.
Griffin has good athleticism, but will have to get over his lack of size, and must improve his erratic shot.
Round 2 (57) Emir Preldzic 6-9 222 SG/SF Slovenia
Preldzi is a fluid offensive player with great versatility, and excellent size and length.
He needs to get stronger and more consistent, but his solid numbers against decent competition suggest he's ready to compete in the NBA.
With all the turmoil in Phoenix's front office, at least they're drafting fundamentally sound players that could help keep this franchise competitive. With Shaq gone, Clark and Griffin could be in for a lot of playing time.
Grade: B-
15. Sacramento Kings
Round 1 (4) Tyreke Evans 6-5 205 PG/SG Memphis
Many wondered why the Kings passed on Ricky Rubio and went with Evans. While it wasn't an easy decision, Sacramento chose wisely, and ultimately because of Evan's superior athleticism, size, and versatility.
Evans can push the ball with ease, is extremely fluid, and has the makings of a lock-down defender. Whether he begins his career at the point or opposite Kevin Martin, he should be an effective player.
Round 1 (23) Omri Casspi 6-8 227 SF Israel
Very similar to Hedo Turkoglu, Casspi is a good shooter with a solid handle. He's able to take over games, both with his passing, as well as his shooting.
However, Casspi is still a growing and emerging player, and he has not yet developed the consistency an NBA player needs to be a star.
Trade: Sacramento received the 31st pick in the draft, Jeff Pendergraph, for Sergio Rodriguez, the 38th selection, Jon Brockman, and cash.
Pendergraph is an exciting talent that simply hasn't tapped into his potential yet. The same can be said for Rodriguez, while Brockman is a pure energy guy.
The Kings drafted for pure value, and they definitely got it. Passing on Rubio may come back to bite them, though.
Still, they got some needed wing depth, and possibly a point guard for the future in Evans. Potentially, the Kings got three talented players that were considered threats for the lottery at one time or another.
Grade: B
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