2011 NBA Draft Grades: Ranking the Teams Without First-Round Picks

2011 NBA Draft Success Isn’t Limited To The Teams Picking At The Top

A thin draft class like this year’s makes for tough going for a team that doesn’t have a first-round pick. Nevertheless, some teams picking in Round 2 came out surprisingly well:

Miami Heat: By shrewd trading, the Heat converted their No. 31 pick into sharpshooting Cleveland State point guard Norris Cole, who will likely take over for free agent Mike Bibby.

L.A. Lakers: In addition to two future prospects overseas (Chukwudiebere Maduabum and Ater Majok), the Lakers got an enviable pair of backup guards in Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock.

L.A. Clippers: The shaky L.A. bench gets an infusion of talent with two Georgia teammates, high-scoring Trey Thompkins and high-flying Travis Leslie.

Orlando Magic: Orlando brought in size in the backcourt with Kentucky’s 6’6” DeAndre Liggins, then added a skilled shooting forward by trading for Justin Harper.

Memphis Grizzlies: With just one pick to their names, the Grizzlies can’t have been sorry to see athletic point guard Josh Selby fall to them.

Atlanta Hawks: Atlanta’s only selection went to a high-potential project, small-college center Keith Benson.

New Orleans Hornets: The Hornets dealt their lone second-round pick to the Knicks for cash.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for all things related to the NBA Draft, from Live Results to Grades and Trade Rumors.

- Thad Novak

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