2016 NBA Draft Grades

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Allen Fields

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[author image=”https://www.the3pointconversion.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/image1-3-e1464196614536.jpg” ]Allen Fields, Bronx, NY [/author]

  Atlanta Hawks: C+

Rd 1/21-DeAndre Bembry, SG, St. Joseph’s

Rd 2/44-Isaia Cordinier, SG, Int’l

Rd 2/54-Kay Felder, PG, Oakland

Trades-

Atlanta gets 12th pick (Tauren Prince, SF, Baylor), Indiana Pacers gets Hawks PG Jeff Teague & Utah gets Pacers PG George Hill

 Felder traded to Cleveland Cavaliers for cash considerations

Breakdown:

They helped themselves by getting Bembry & Prince, preparing for possible free agent departures of Kyle Korver & Kent Bazemore. Although I like Cordinier, a “big” would have made more sense because of Horford’s pending free agency (AJ Hammons was available). They are also looking for a back up PG, they had a good one in Felder but traded him(?)

 Boston Celtics: B–

Rd 1/3-Jaylen Brown, SF, Cal

Rd 1/16-Guerschon Yabusele, PF, Int’l

Rd 1/23-Ante Zizic, C, Int’l

Rd 2/31-Deyonta Davis, PF, Michigan St.

Rd 2/35-Rade Zagorac, SF, Int’l

Rd 2/45-Demetrius Jackson, PG, Notre Dame

Rd 2/51-Ben Bentit, PF, Providence

Rd 2/58-Abdel Nader, SF, Iowa St.

Trade-

Davis & Zagorac to Memphis Grizzlies for 2019 1st round pick

Breakdown:

With no deal in place for the 3rd pick, they took the best SF in the draft in Brown. They got more physical up front with Yabusele & Bentil and found a backup PG in Jackson. Zizic will be stashed for a year or two but could help them when he comes back. For a team that was suppose to be sellers, surprised they kept six of their eight picks.

 Brooklyn Nets: D

Rd 2/55-Marcus Paige, PG, UNC

Trades-

Paige to Utah Jazz for PG Isaiah Whitehead

PF Thaddeus Young to Pacers for the 20th pick (Caris LeVert, SG, Michigan)

Brakdown:

They needed a lead guard in the worst way. Dejounte Murray was waiting to be taken. He’s the kind of dynamic player they needed but chose LeVert instead(?) Whitehead is a local kid & nice story but Daniel Hamilton, SF form UCONN was a better fit.

  Charlotte Hornets: F

Rd 1/22-Malachi Richardson, SG, Syracuse

Trade-

Richardson to Sacramento Kings for SG Marco Belinelli

Breakdown:

Why trade the potential of Richardson for a one dimensional, older player? They have veterans already. A possible backcourt of Walker & Richardson could have been scary.

 Chicago Bulls: C-

Rd 1/14-Denzel Valentine, SG, Michigan St.

Rd 2/48-Paul Zipser, SF, Int’l

Breakdown:

Valentine will add quality depth behind Jimmy Butler at SG. Why draft a player at a position (SF) you are set at? You are losing Gasol & Noah up front, maybe draft a big to back up Lopez?

 Cleveland Cavaliers: B

No picks

Trade-

Cash considerations to Hawks for Kay Felder, PG, Oakland

They upgraded the backup PG position with a small but very explosive player in Felder.

 Dallas Mavericks: B+

Rd 2/46-AJ Hammons, C, Purdue

Breakdown:

Anytime you can get a possible starter in the 2nd round, you are doing something right. He’ll be a quality backup at the very least.

 Denver Nuggets: B+

Rd 1/7-Jamal Murray, PG/SG, Kentucky

Rd 1/15-Juan Hernangomez, PF, Int’l

Rd 1/19-Malik Beasley, SG, Florida St.

Rd 2/53-Petr Cornelie, PF, Int’l

Rd 2/56-Daniel Hamilton, SF, UCONN

Trade-

Hamilton to Oklahoma City Thunder for cash considerations

Breakdown:

They upgraded the talent at SG with Murray & Beasley. They also replenished the PF position with versatile Hernangomez and a “stretch 4” in Cornelie.

 Detroit Pistons: B

Rd 2/49-Michael Gbinije, PG/SG, Syracuse

Breakdown:

Gbinije’s versatility is key because he can backup Jackson & Caldwell-Pope.

 Golden St. Warriors: A

Rd 1/30-Damian Jones, C, Vanderbilt

Trade-

Cash considerations to Milwaukee Bucks for Patrick McCaw, SG/SF, UNLV

Breakdown:

Jones has the potential to be good on both ends. McCaw’s upside is scary, he’ll have time to get stronger. The rich get richer.

 Houston Rockets: C-

Rd 2/37-Chinanu Onuaku, C, Louisville

Rd 2/43-Zhou Qi, C, Int’l

Breakdown:

They needed to get frontcourt depth as the Dwight Howard experiment is over. But they failed to get a backup behind James Harden and they had plenty of opportunities.

 Indiana Pacers: B

Rd 1/20-Caris LeVert, SG, Michigan

Rd 2/50-Georges Niang, PF, Iowa St.

Trade-

LeVert and a future 2nd round pick to Brooklyn Nets for PF Thaddeus Young

Breakdown:

Turning the 20th pick into Thaddeus Young was a good move. Niang is a versatile forward with a great feel for the game.

 LA Clippers: C-

Rd 1/25-Brice Johnson, PF, UNC

Rd 2/33-Cheick Diallo, C, Kansas

Trade-

Diallo to New Orleans Pelicans for David Michinesu, PG, Int’l and Diamond Stone, C, Maryland

Breakdown:

Johnson fits in perfectly with Lob City and getting Stone was a plus but they failed to add depth at SG or SF.

 LA Lakers: A

Rd 1/2-Brandon Ingram, SF, Duke

Rd 2/32-Ivica Zubac, C, Int’l

Breakdown:

Ingram plugs right in at SF and will be a star. Zubac has potential and could be their starting center in the near future, they desperately need someone in the middle.

 Memphis Grizzlies: B+

Rd 1/17-Wade Baldwin, PG/SG, Vanderbilt

Rd 2/57-Wang Zhelin, C, Int’l

Breakdown:

Baldwin is insurance in case Mike Conley Jr leaves or will add quality depth behind him. Zhelin will add depth upfront.

 Milwaukee Bucks: C

Rd 1/10-Thon Maker, PF/C, Int’l

Rd 2/36-Malcolm Brogdon, SG, Virginia

Rd 2/38-Patrick McCaw, SG, UNLV

Trade-

McCaw to Golden St. Warriors for cash considerations

Breakdown:

Taking Maker at the 10th pick is a huge gamble but his upside and potential are also huge. His versatility is off the charts. Brogdon will be solid off the bench. They could have really helped themselves by adding depth at SF.

 Minnesota Timberwolves: B

Rd 1/5-Kris Dunn, PG, Providence

Breakdown:

Dunn is talented & has all the tools to be exceptional. Still think taking Hield or Murray would have been a home run.

  New Orleans Pelicans: C

Rd 1/6-Buddy Hield, SG, Oklahoma

Rd 2/39-David Michineau, PG, Int’l

Rd 2/40-Diamond Stone, C, Maryland

Trade-

Michineau and Stone to L.A. Clippers for Cheick Diallo, C, Kansas

Breakdown:

I love them getting Hield. He will help spread the floor with his shooting. They really missed out on adding depth in the backcourt behind Anthony Davis.

 Oklahoma City Thunder: A+

No picks

Trades-

PF Serge Ibaka to Orlando Magic for PG/SG Victor Oladipo, PF Ersan Ilyasova and the 11th pick Domantas Sabonis, PF, Gonzaga

Cash considerations to the Nuggets for Daniel Hamilton, SF, UCONN

Breakdown:

What a great move by GM Sam Presti. He gets a two-way player in Oladipo to play next to Russell Westbrook, frontcourt depth in Ilyasova and a very talented prospect in Sabonis. They get a talented prospect in Hamilton as well.

 Orlando Magic: C+

Rd 1/11-Domantas Sabonis, PF, Gonzaga

Rd 2/41-Stephen Zimmerman, C, UNLV

Rd 2/47-Jake Layman, SF, Maryland

Trades-

SG Victor Oladipo, PF Ersan Ilyasova and 11th pick Sabonis to OKC for PF Serge Ibaka

Layman to Portland Trailblazers for 2019 2nd round pick and cash considerations

Breakdown:

Zimmerman will compliment Vucevic upfront. IBaka will start at PF and have an expanded role on offense (which he is looking forward to). But they gave up a lot to get him. They had an opportunity to get another SG to help soften the loss of Oladipo but did not.

 Philadelphia 76ers: A+

Rd 1/1-Ben Simmons, SF/PF, LSU

Rd 1/24-Timothe Luwawu, SG/SF, Int’l

Rd 1/26-Furkan Korkmaz, SG, Int’l

Breakdown:

Simmons has all the tools to be great, jumper notwithstanding. I think Luwawu could be a really good two-way player and a sleeper. Korkmaz is a flat out shooter.

 Phoenix Suns: A+

Rd 1/4-Dragan Bender, PF/C, Int’l

Rd 1/13-Georgios Papagiannis, C, Int’l

Rd 1/28-Skal Labissiere, PF/C, Kentucky

Rd 2/34-Tyler Ulis, PG, Kentucky

Trade-

Papagiannis, Labissiere, Bogdan Bogdanovic and a 2020 2nd round pick to Sacramento Kings for Marquese Chriss, PF/C, Washington

Breakdown:

Not only do they get the guy they coveted in Bender, they also get possibly the 2nd most skilled “big” in the draft in Chriss. The frontcourt is set. Ulis is small but a gamer, he will be quality depth at PG.

 Sacramento Kings: C

Rd 1/8-Marquese Chriss, PF/C, Washington

Rd 2/59-Isaiah Cousins, PG, Oklahoma

Trade-

Chriss to Phoenix Suns for Georgios Papagiannis, C, Int’l, Skal Labissiere, PF/C, Kentucky, Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG, Int’l and a 2020 2nd round pick

Breakdown:

Chriss will be better than both bigs they traded for, so why trade him? Papagiannis will stay overseas to improve. Labissiere should be a rotational player by the end of the season. Bogdanovic will add depth at SG and Cousins will back up Darren Collison.

  San Antonio Spurs: A

Rd 1/29-Dejounte Murray, PG/SG, Washington

Breakdown:

Another solid pick for the Spurs. They swung for the fences with Murray. He has vast potential and upside. He will have time to learn behind Tony Parker and be tutored in the Spurs way of doing things by Gregg Popovich.

 Toronto Raptors: B

Rd 1/9-Jakob Poeltl, C, Utah

Rd 1/27-Pascal Siakam, PF, New Mexico St

Breakdown:

Poeltl’s defense will compliment Jonas Valanciunas’ offense but Poeltl is not a liability of offense either. Siakam is a Bismac Biyombo clone & ironically his replacement. They really helped themselves by shoring up the frontcourt.