2008 NBA Draft Preview-Part 2

The 2008 NBA draft is set to begin on Thursday night, June 26 in New York City. As always there are the big prospects that know they will be drafted in the lottery. This years front runners are Michael Beasley from Kansas State University, Derrick Rose from Memphis University, and O.J. Mayo from USC, all were spectacular freshman this year. Because of the NBA rule stating that players must play at least one year of college basketball before entering the draft, these players who probably would have entered right out of high school were forced to go to their respective universities where each of them shined this year. This is deep draft with a few potential superstars available, and definitely some solid pro’s in the mix.

Rather than break down where each prospect will go, I will go through each team and break down their rosters, and look at their needs. This is part 2 of 6 parts breaking down all the NBA teams. Each part will include 5 teams, and this one includes the: Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, and the Houston Rockets. I am no mock draft guru, and will never be because some teams draft based on need, others draft based on best talent available. So instead of trying to predict the unpredictable, I will detail the best route.

I am of the mindset that if a good player is not available for the spot that you need then trade down. I firmly believe that if you draft based on the most talented available, then you end up with pieces that don’t fit, and your long-term success is threatened. The same philosophy goes to drafting a less talented player higher than you usually would because you need a serviceable player in that spot. The issue with drafting need if the player is not a good value for that pick is you have to still pay that player that spots money because the NBA has slotted rookie salaries.

The tides turn quickly, and windows close faster than you would think in the NBA, and the Dallas Mavericks can attest to that first hand. They were on the cusp of a championship 3 years ago, and this past year they struggled to make the playoffs. The Detroit Pistons could identify with the Mavericks on that level, but at least they managed to get a championship in there, but have suffered from over confidence since then.

Denver, Golden State, and Houston several key pieces away from getting to that next level. Houston and Denver have not been able to make it out of the first round of the playoffs for years. It is just not enough to make the playoffs in the competitive western conference, that gets coaches fired theses days. When you talk about the draft, you have some teams that need major makeovers, others that are in need of a couple of pieces, some are just lost causes.

Dallas Mavericks

After losing the 2006 NBA Finals in a very disappointing fashion to the Miami Heat, the Dallas window to the ultimate success seems to have been shut. The Finals loss was followed by a first round loss to the Golden State Warriors after having the best regular season record. This year also in ended in a sour first round defeat at the hands of the up-and-coming New Orleans Hornets led by Chris Paul. These debacles led to the dismissal of coach Avery Johnson, as he was replaced my Rick Carlisle. 

The biggest change last year was the Jason Kidd trade, which was nonsense from the beginning. The Mavericks gave up youth, size, and the future in the forms of Devin Harris and Desagana Diop, in return for a 35 year old over the hill point guard, and some spare parts. This moved was doomed from the start as Kidd never meshed with the team as the style had changed from years past under Don Nelson, maybe it would have worked 4 years ago.

So as the Mavericks only hold the 51st pick in the upcoming draft as they were bamboozled out of their next 2 first round picks by the New Jersey Nets. They still maintain the core of Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, and Jason Terry, but the supporting parts are older and getting less effective by the year. Jerry Stackhouse is 33 but has the knees of a 40 year old, Juwan Howard is 35, and Eddie Jones is 36. To be honest it looks as if the Mavericks are in a rebuilding stage as it will take years to undo what Mark Cuban has done with this team, and the 51st pick in the 2nd round of the draft is not going to be a good start.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets made another first round exit thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers this year. It was thought that they would make strides as Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson spent the whole year together. But in the tough Western conference they ended with a 50-32 record and snuck in the playoffs in the last days of the season. This was the 5th year in a row they were taken out in the first round, never wining more than 1 game in a series, and being swept this year. 

For years the problem seemed to be that they did not have a spot up shooter to free up their offense, and that is still the case today. But last year even though they acquired a great player in Allen Iverson, they also got another player that needs the ball in their hands a lot and is a volume shooter. Between Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, and J.R. Smith there are close to 60 shots per game taken between these 3 players. That does not leave a lot of involvement from other players. During this offseason it has been rumored that it is a deal in place to move Carmelo Anthony to Detroit in a trade, but at this point it is all rumors. 

The Nuggets have the 20th pick in the draft, and it still remains that they need a specialist who can shoot the ball. Or at lest a distributing point guard who can knock down open jump shots. The Nuggets are not lacking in the talent department, it is the cohesion as a team that they lack. I like George Karl, but is it time for a new voice in the locker room?
It would be nice to see someone hold the players accountable on the defensive end, even just a little bit would help.

Detroit Pistons

“There will be change” is what Joe Dumars promised after the Piston bowed out to the eventual champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Immediately following, coach Flip Saunders was fired, and replaced by Michael Curry. Ever since they won the title in 2004, the Pistons have been sleepwalking through seasons. They have seemed o have the attitude that they were the best “team” in the NBA so all you would have to do is roll the ball out and they would win it all. Under Saunders the veteran Pistons seemed uninterested, and satisfied.

One of the mainstays that may be moved this offseason, is Rasheed Wallace. Although supremely talented, his emotions have gotten the best of him in key spots in games. Under Joe Dumars, Detroit has been of the best run franchises in the league for years including good drafts, and acquisitions. Detroit holds the 29th, and 59th picks, and I can only speculate that they will look to pick up another forward, or center, and begin to phase out Wallace. They are 2 deep at every other position with solid back ups. I do have faith that whatever direction that Dumars decides to go, it will be well thought out, and executed well.

Golden State Warriors

On Nelson has a way of bringing teams from the ashes to back to a competitive team. He accomplished this once with the Dallas Mavericks and now twice with the Golden State Warriors. Although they missed the playoffs by 2 games this year, they are still a team on the cusp. They were without their captain Stephen Jackson the first 7 games of the year due to suspension, and it took them a while to get into their flow. They have a solid core of guards with Baron Davis, Monta Ellis emerging as a star, and Stephen Jackson.

Because of the style of offense “Nellie” employs, big men with skills are at a premium for this team. Andres Biedrens has shown signs of being the center that Golden State needs to continually be a competitive team. The only thing that holds them back is their lack of discretion with the 3 point shot. The Warriors should look to develop last years pick in Brandan Wright, and get him some minutes this year.

The Warriors also possess the 14th, and 49th picks in this years draft. I personally would look to add an athletic power forward who can play in the post as well as run and gun. If I were Golden State I would look along the lines of trading the pick, or executing a sign and trade deal for someone the likes of Shareef Abdur-Raheem, or a Kenyon Martin, just someone who can bring toughness to the table.

Houston Rockets

I have talked about the Rockets needs in my column NBA Texas Round-Up, and the problems are numerous to count. The Rockets have not made it out of the fist round of the playoffs since 1997, and have missed it numerous times since then. I have been privileged enough to see them in person many times since 2000 and this current teams is one of the least athletic teams they have fielded. I will not dispute that they play very hard, and hustle their butts off, but they are fatally flawed.

When you look at the Rockets at power forward, they have Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes, and Carl Landry. Landry is a good leaper, hustles, but he is listed at 6’9” which is a joke because when he stands next to Tracy McGrady who is a legit 6’8”, Tracy is noticeably taller. Chuck Hayes is and always will be a borderline NBA player. Luis Scola has skills, and is a legit basketball player, but he just not finish strong at the rim. A couple of years ago the Rockets drafted Rudy Gay, and athletic small forward but shipped him to Memphis for Shane Battier, because simply put the Rockets could not afford to sign him

The Rudy Gay situation highlights many of the bad roster moves, and poor upper management that has been displayed by the team since it won the back-to-back championships in the 1990’s. I will not dip into the injury issues, and “heart” issues with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady respectively, but the Rockets are not going to get the help they need with the 25th pick in the draft. More first round exits await them in the years to come.