NBA Draft 2011 Grades: 5 Teams That Improved the Most in Last Night's Draft

NBA Draft 2011 grades are out, and we're looking at the teams that made the biggest impacts on their rosters last night.

Last night's draft class wasn't the deepest in recent memory, but there was talent there, and some teams took more advantage of it than others. Inside, you'll find the five teams I think improved the most from last night's draft and my reasons why.

If you want to have your voice heard, leave your thoughts in the comments along with the teams you thought improved the most through the draft.

Indiana Pacers

Sometimes you don't need a draft pick to improve your roster.

Indiana used its first-round selection of Kawhi Leonard to entice San Antonio into trading George Hill in exchange for the small forward. The Hill trade won't steal many headlines, but it is one of those moves that teams make when they want to become serious contenders.

The Pacers played well down the stretch, and even though their record won't show it, they were a tough team to beat in the final months of the season (just ask the Chicago Bulls). Indiana is looking to make noise next year, and a player like Hill will make this team one you have to watch out for each and every night.

By no means are they a contender, but the Pacers got better last night.

Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards needed to give John Wall options on the offensive end, and they did just that.

Jan Vesely may not be a great shooter, but the man is a high-flyer, and I can already see him on the receiving end of plenty of passes from Wall on the fast break. The same goes for Chris Singleton, another athletic forward the Wizards picked up at the end of the first round.

Washington is clearly trying to change the culture around the team and it shows in its actions over the past year.

You have the drafting of Wall, changing the uniforms to reflect the team's history and taking some athletic players to go with the core of Wall, Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee last night.

The Wizards won't just be better, they'll be fun to watch.

Charlotte Bobcats

Coming into the draft, there could not have been a more bland franchise than the Charlotte Bobcats.

This was a team that had traded away both Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace, its two best players, in the span of a couple of months. Charlotte has gone nowhere for most of its existence, and now, after last night, there is a reason for hope.

Michael Jordan not only got Corey Maggette in the deal that sent Jackson to Milwaukee, but was able to take Bismack Biyombo and Kemba Walker with the seventh and ninth picks.

I may not be a fan of Biyombo's game, but you can't deny the man's defensive ability and his upside. Walker may not be a perfect fit on the roster, especially with D.J. Augustin there, but after the way he played in the NCAA Tournament, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more worthy selection at that juncture in the draft.

The Bobcats will be intriguing next year, to say the least, and for a franchise that was going nowhere before last night, that's a step in the right direction. 

Cleveland Cavaliers

This one is almost by default.

Last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers were as low as you can get if you're an NBA franchise. Not only did their star player leave through free agency, he did it on national television and he joined two All-Stars in the process.

It was one of the biggest punches to the gut in the history of sports, and the Cavaliers carried those wounds with them all season long. However, when you hold the first and the fourth picks in any draft, it gives you the chance to start rebuilding, and that's exactly what Cleveland did.

Irving was a no-brainer, because we all know Baron Davis is not the point guard of the future and neither are the rest of the players at that position. 

Tristan Thompson was a reach with the fourth pick, but the Cavaliers are looking for instant impact, and with Enes Kanter off of the board, Thompson became the easy choice for Cleveland.

This team will be better next year. It won't be a playoff squad, but it will be better.

San Antonio Spurs

Coming into the draft, we knew San Antonio would be active in the trade market, and by the end of the night, the Spurs got a young small forward.

Kawhi Leonard may have some rough edges to his game, but the man was built to be a small forward in this league. He has giant hands and attacks the glass, something that makes him a perfect fit in Gregg Popovich's system.

The Spurs know how to develop talent like few teams in this league, and Leonard is just the type of guy who can add a spark to a veteran team trying to keep its championship window open just a few years more.

I love the addition of Leonard, and I can't wait to see how he fits in on this San Antonio roster.