Atlanta Hawks- The selection of Shelden Williams, a forward from Duke, was a good move with their first round pick. Williams, like many Chiefs players, is wise beyond his years and polished enough to lead a young team. However, the student leader does not have much luck in the league and the misfortune of Williams has access to one of the smallest and most competitive in the league. Look for Williams to move out of Atlanta the first chance he gets. Forward Solomon Jones from South Florida is a big body on the bench for the Hawks this season and could develop into a solid sixth man.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B-
Boston Celtics – Boston went into the draft market day trading, with forward Leon Powe of California and guard Rajon Rondo with all said and facts. Powe has ACL surgeries under his belt, giving him a potential image, but Powe is a solid rebounder and breaker. just a few coming out of the 2006 NBA Draft. Rondo is a solid defender and passer, but has a non-existent jump shot and negligible scoring ability. The Celtics got some defense in 2006, but little scoring help.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B-
Charles Bobcats
Adam Morrison Gonzaga looks to be a great pickup for Charlotte, who is looking for a few more young pieces to form a solid core for the next dozen or so years. In 2006, expect Morrison to develop into a team leader and dynamic presence on the Bobcats’ roster.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B
Chicago Bulls
Tyrus Thomas is an incredibly talented passer and was on course for the first pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. Thomas will give the Bulls yet another athletic body and someone big enough to be a presence in the paint. In a trade with Philadelphia, the Bulls acquired Thabo Sefolosha from Switzerland, who is yet another athletic European shooter who immediately helped the Bulls in 2006.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B+
Cleveland
Watch out for Shannon Brown and Daniel Brown guard LeBron James and the Cavaliers have some depth in the backcourt positions, though it’s neither. to take pressure off of James Shannon Brown is a tight end at guard and Daniel Brown is athletic but unpolished and ready for the NBA’s neutral positions.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B-
Dallas Mavericks
Michigan State will keep Mauritius Agrum isolated Michigan I would be leery of Ager like the Spartan guards before (read Shawn Respert, Mateen Cleeves). The field is busy but the Mavericks are looking for more talent than anyone to draft another player and rookie guard buried on the Mavericks bench in 2006. 2006 NBA Draft Grade: C+
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets’ only selection in 2006, or at least the only one they kept, was George Washington University guard Danilo Pinnock. Pinnock will be a good player for the Nuggets in 2006, but he won’t overwhelm anyone.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: C
Detroit Baker
The Bakers had only one selection in the 2006 NBA Draft, with the last overall pick. Detroit used it wisely by selecting guard Will Blalock from Iowa State. Blalock is an all-around point guard who can step in immediately in 2006 to help the Pistons return to prominence, even if they lack shooting ability.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B-
Warriors of the Golden State
Centers Patrick O’Bryant and Kosta Perovic give big golden bodies in the paint, with O’Bryant able to start right away for the Warriors and Perovic lined up as a solid backup center. O’Bryant can make some plays in the paint, but at least he can rebound and block, while Perovic is a bit tougher in the paint and can do little more than rebound. However, his six birds will help the Warriors at some point.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B
Houston Rockets
Next up, Steve Novak of Marquette is an excellent shooter and a solid talent who will give Houston an extra threat to compliment Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. Houston also picked up Lior Eliahu from Orlando, but he won’t be NBA ready for another year or two.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B
Indiana Pacers
Indiana reached the middle of the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft by taking Shawne Williams, but settled a bit with the second round selection of James White. Williams benefited from good surroundings in Memphis and may struggle to fit in the NBA. White is a great athlete and could eventually surpass Williams as a better professional player. The Williams pick was a reach and the Pacers could move down or moved out of the first round entirely.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B-
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers took Michigan State’s Paul Davis in the second round, giving them a solid interior backup for the 2006 season. Davis is a steal in the middle of the second round because of his work ethic, great body, and NBA-ready mentality. Miami guard Guillermo Diaz is a decent perimeter player and his talent could be developed in a few years to crack the NBA starting lineup. Right now, however, neither player is ready to play sustained minutes in their rookie years.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B-
Los Angeles Ugly
The Cubs didn’t do well in 2006, with UCLA guard Jordan Farmar not yet NBA ready and center Chuck Samb being a raw international prospect. While Farmar’s potential could be admired in the NBA, it seems unlikely that he will do anything too spectacular in the league.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: C-
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies had a solid 2006 NBA Draft, with guard Rudy Gay giving them a big playmaker for years to come. Good guard Kyle Lowry and forward Alexander Johnson give the Grizzlies some depth off their bench and make Memphis more mobile as early as the 2006 season.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B
Miami heat
Miami did not have any tackles in the 2006 NBA Draft, but they will hold the championship in the 2006 NBA Finals.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: 1
Bucks of Rome
The Milwaukee Bucks, already loaded with athleticism, pulled off yet another strong athleticism for the team in 2006. North Carolina a> David further Noel is a ready kill whose athletic ability makes him dangerous. However, he does not fulfill what is possible as a guard, or a shooting guard, or a backup center.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: D+
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves picked up guard Randy Foye to help make Kevin Garnett’s backcourt plays (or whoever ended up being the playmaker for the Wolves in 2006). Craig Smith is a solid defensive player and a reliable player who will give Wolves maximum effort every minute he is on the ground.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B+
New Jersey Nets
The Nets got two great prospects in Mark Williams and center Josh Boone, with another decent haul in forward Hassan Adams. Williams will be a surprise addition to the Nets and will be an immediate help on the court, while Boone gives the Nets a big NBA-ready center in the 2006 season, though he will have some learning to do. Hassan Adams will have the benefit of sitting out the draft and his coaching and athleticism will give the net another fresh body to rotate through the 2006 season.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: A-
New Orleans Hornets
New Orleans took two big draft picks in the 2006 NBA Draft, selecting Connecticut center Capil Armstrong and forward Cedric Simmons, along with forward Marcus Vinicius Vieria de Souza. Armstrong is a well-rounded player who can slow down defenders in the paint, Simmons is a versatile forward who can make some plays, and de Souza has very good pro potential. With second year player Chris Paul, this draft card will be very solid for the next two years while they are still together.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: A
New York Knicks
The Knicks did not do well in the 2006 NBA Draft, as the first pick of Renaldo Blackman from South Carolina was a big hit. Fabricius was a solid player on a poor team at South Carolina (even though they were winners) and hardworking, but not before material roundness. In the second round, they drafted Mardy Collins as a somewhat guard, which gives them some depth on the floor. But Blackman is inexcusably one of the biggest basketball cities in the United States.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: C-
Orlando Magic
Team J.J Redick is an excellent shooter but like the shooters of the leader of the past (i.e. Traian Langdon) in the NBA he will struggle in game by game Doing instead than the game of HORSES with weaker college competition. Next up, James Augustine is a good pick for the Magic because of his work inside and center Ryan Hollins gives the Magic some bench depth.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B-
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers did quite well in the 2006 NBA Draft, trading forward Rodney Carney to Memphis and selecting Bobby Jones in the second round. Carney is a versatile, well-rounded player who could start mid-season for the Sixers. Jones will be a solid sixth man type for Philadelphia because of his outstanding defensive ability and offensive play during the season will increase the concerns of scouts.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B
Phoenix soles
Phoenix traded away one draft pick, Rajon Rondo, to the Boston Celtics to leave no picks in the 2006 NBA Draft. The Suns have a young core for next season who are only getting better overall since their playoff run.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: 1
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers had a terrific draft, based on the multitude of needs that Portland had coming into the 2006 NBA Draft. In a deal with the Chicago Bulls, the Blazers picked up forward LaMarcus Aldridge at the top of the 2006 NBA Draft, giving them a big athletic body in the paint for the smallest team in the league. Then Portland picked up guards Brandon Roy and Sergio Rodriguez in the first round of the draft. Roy is a creative guard who can make plays and Rodriguez is a seasoned outside player who can give the Trailblazers backcourt. Next England’s Joel Freeland will give them a big body off the bench in a year or two when he finishes playing overseas. Aldridge, Roy, Rodriguez, and Freeland are a great core for the Trailblazers from the 2007 and 2008 NBA seasons .
2006 NBA Draft Grade: A
The Sacrament of Kings
Rutgers guard Quincy Douby added another score to the Kings in 2006, despite his size as a guard. The Kings certainly do not need another competition in the team, but they expect Douby’s career to be done or broken in the morning when he has to debate between bad teams or with team to win games
2006 NBA Draft Grade: C+
San Antonio Spurs
Croatian forward Damir Markota gives the Spurs further evidence of his international reputation, but Markota is no Manu Ginobli or Tony Parker. Markota is a typical European player, tall, lanky and a perimeter player. However, Markota is not gifted enough to stand out in the NBA but will be helped early in the bench play.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: C
Seattle SuperSonics
The SuperSonics used their three picks in the 2006 NBA Draft to select some major players that were unheard of for Seattle fans who want to see quick results. Center Saer Sene from Senegal is very raw, although physically strong, Denham Brown is athletic but doesn’t easily fit into one position, and guard Yotam Halperin is a great point guard but looks like a bench player rather than a prominent NBA import.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: C+
Toronto Raptors
With the first pick overall, the Raptors selected forward Andrea Borgnani. Borgnani, a 7-foot-5 forward, can shoot, is athletic, and could be a cornerstone for the Raptors for decades to come. He has played in over 100 professional games overseas and many international shows. Experience, talent, and strategy will make him a great player in the league. However, the question is whether he will be good enough to be considered the #1 pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. returns on that investment can come in four or five years.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B+
Utah Jazz
Utah picked up solid guards in the 2006 NBA Draft, selecting Ronnie Brewer and Illinois guard Dee Brown back to their court. Next up, Paul Millsap will be a solid presence for the Jazz off the bench in 2006, with the possibility of a solid bench game in his career.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: B
Washington Wizards
The Wizards are looking to the overseas basketball market, drafting Oleksiy Recherov and forward Vladimir Vermeenko to provide solid roster talent a few seasons down the road. However, not much good in 2006 and Wizards fans will hope that the team continues to gel after the playoffs in 2005.
2006 NBA Draft Grade: C-
