draft analysis

[DJessen33@aol.com]

The following is the best overall analysis of the draft. The only thing I 
don't agree with is that I think the Kings will be in the playoffs with or 
without Williamson...

DJessen33
 

Bulls, T-Wolves stand out from pack 

Sunday, July 4, 1999













By JOHN BRENNAN
Staff Writer

It's not true that the NBA season never ends -- but it sure comes 
awfully close.

The NBA Finals ended nine days ago, the draft was four days ago, and 
teams began negotiating with free agents -- theirs and others -- three 
days ago. Summer leagues and rookie camps begin later this month, and 
contract extensions and free agent signings can be concluded starting 
Aug. 1.

Well, at least September is usually a slow month.

The draft was as unpredictable as expected, with five first-round picks 
changing teams within hours of their selection. The Chicago Bulls also 
kept everyone guessing before finally taking Elton Brand with the first 
pick.

The flurry of activity made it difficult for a fan to spot trends. For 
example, one division dominated the draft, and many teams had no 
first-round picks.

Here's a division-by-division review of the draft, and a glance at the 
top players in each division who will be getting attention as free 
agents this month:



ATLANTIC DIVISION



Draft movers and shakers: Washington (seventh pick Richard Hamilton), 
Orlando (traded for 13th pick Corey Maggette).

Foolish picks: none.

No first-round players: NETS, Boston.

Five best free agents: Anfernee Hardaway (Orlando); Mitch Richmond 
(Washington); Bo Outlaw (Orlando); Calbert Cheaney (Washington); Eric 
Snow (Philadelphia).

Analysis: Only two of the top 24 picks were chosen by teams in this 
division, and one of them -- Frederic Weis, 15th by the Knicks -- may 
not have a significant impact next season. Hamilton, meanwhile, serves 
only as a consolation prize if Richmond heads out of Washington as a 
free agent at the end of the month as expected. So Orlando's acquisition 
of Maggette for over-the-hill Horace Grant (he turns 34 today) makes the 
Magic the big winners in the division -- unless Hardaway departs and 
they don't get much in a sign-and-trade deal. Philadelphia made a 
questionable move, dealing a future first-round pick for this year's 
27th overall pick (Jumaine Jones of Georgia, picked by Atlanta). Anyone 
think the 76ers will be good enough to be picking that late any time 
soon?

CENTRAL DIVISION



Draft movers and shakers: Chicago (first pick Elton Brand, 16th pick Ron 
Artest); Atlanta (three first-rounders, acquired another future 
first-rounder from Philadelphia); Charlotte (third pick Baron Davis); 
Cleveland (eighth pick Andre Miller); Indiana and Toronto (Pacers will 
acquire fifth pick Jonathan Bender from Raptors for Antonio Davis).

Foolish picks: Cleveland (11th pick Trajan Langdon); Atlanta (17th pick 
Cal Bowdler).

No first-round players: Detroit, Milwaukee.

Five best free agents: Charles Oakley (Toronto); Ron Harper (Chicago); 
John Wallace (Toronto); Dell Curry (Milwaukee); Chris Crawford 
(Atlanta).

Analysis: This is where the action was on draft day. Seven of the top 12 
picks wound up here, and 11 of the top 21. Nice job by the Bulls, who 
with their four picks -- Brand, Artest, Michael Ruffin (32nd), and Lari 
Ketner (49th) -- nonetheless will be back in next year's lottery. 
Langdon is a shorter version of Wesley Person -- whom the Cavaliers 
already have. It was a weird pick by the Cavs, who could have traded way 
down and gotten the same player. Hawks needed frontcourt depth, but 
could have picked Bowdler later or settled for someone similar. They did 
make a great draft-eve deal to dump fading Mookie Blaylock on Golden 
State and replace him with 10th pick Jason Terry. Pacers are a baffling 
bunch, with who-needs-college bookends Bender and Al Harrington teaming 
with what otherwise is the league's oldest roster. Oakley is presumedly 
headed to the Lakers, where he will try to shake some sense into Shaq.

MIDWEST DIVISION



Draft movers and shakers: Minnesota (sixth pick Wally Szczerbiak, 14th 
pick William Avery); Vancouver (second pick Steve Francis).

Foolish pick: Dallas (acquiring 29th pick Leon Smith from San Antonio).

No first-round players: San Antonio.

Five best free agents: Terrell Brandon (Minnesota); Charles Barkley 
(Houston); Cedric Ceballos (Dallas); Nick Van Exel (Denver); Joe Smith 
(Minnesota) -- not counting Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Jeff 
Hornacek, who are staying in Utah.

Analysis: Slam-dunk for the Timberwolves, who have added a pair of gems 
to go with Kevin Garnett and now have Brandon-Smith insurance. The only 
other team in the division to improve was Vancouver. We're starting to 
like the idea of that backcourt of Mike Bibby and Francis. Don Nelson 
got stuck guaranteeing at least three years to Smith, a 6-foot-10 high 
school kid from Chicago who won't have an NBA impact until long after 
Nelson deservedly gets fired. The Mavs picked 7-footer Wang Zhizhi of 
China in the second round, hours after he was made eligible. The Jazz 
had an underrated draft, adding 18-year-old, 6-9 Russian Andrei 
Kirilenko (24th) for the long run and Minnesota's Quincy Lewis (19th) 
and Kentucky's Scott Padgett (28th) to help immediately.

PACIFIC DIVISION



Draft movers and shakers: L.A. Clippers (fourth pick Lamar Odom); 
Seattle (traded 13th pick Corey Maggette to Orlando for Horace Grant).

Foolish pick: Phoenix (ninth pick Shawn Marion).

No first-round players: Seattle, Portland, Sacramento.

Five best free agents: Corliss Williamson (Sacramento); Clifford 
Robinson (Phoenix); Lorenzen Wright (L.A. Clippers); Derek Fisher (L.A. 
Lakers); Sherman Douglas (L.A. Clippers).

Analysis: Have the Clippers finally gotten lucky? Only two of the top 22 
picks wound up in the Pacific Division, and Marion is a question mark 
after playing only one year at Nevada-Las Vegas. Odom has a chance to be 
a huge star, but he's coming to an awful team where six of the top eight 
players are free agents. They might not be a great loss -- the Clippers 
did finish last. The Sonics were smart to pick Maggette once he dropped 
that low, but getting Grant and $1 million in cap room isn't enough in 
return. If Jerry West thinks Devean George of Augsburg (Minn.) is a 
sleeper at the 23rd pick, we believe him. The Warriors soon will realize 
they were had on Tuesday by Atlanta in acquiring Mookie Blaylock. The 
Kings must sign Williamson, or this will have been a one-season revival. 
Knicks fans desperate for a point guard can dream of acquiring retread 
Douglas or improving Fisher