NBA Draft 2011: Winners, Losers, Surprises, Trades, and Championships

Winner

Alex: Bobcats

A lot of idiots (Chris Mannix) have been criticizing Michael Jordan and the Bobcats organization’s moves in the 2011 NBA Draft. Mannix writes on his Sports Illustrated article “Bismack Biyombo, at No. 7, was a stretch. Lots of potential (have you not heard the Ben Wallace comparisons?) but an offensive game that makes Alexis Ajinca look like Hakeem Olajuwon.” Mannix is also well known for his praise of Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio and claims that he will be an all-star in three years. At the end of the 2014 season, when Kemba Walker and Biyombo both outscore Rubio, I expect some acknowledgment Mannix.

Chris: Washington

Equipped with the 6^th and the 18^th pick in a weak draft, Washington came out wonderfully. With their 6^th overall selection, Washington chose Jan Vesely, the 6'10 Small Forward from the Czech Republic. With a nickname like the dunking ninja you know this guy has gotta be awesome. With the 18^th pick, Washington selected Chris Singleton SG/SF out of Florida St. Singleton is without a doubt the best defender in this draft and possesses the skills to be a top-flight defender in the NBA. Singleton is extremely long with quick feet and infectious energy. These two players will fill out the wing positions for the next ten years and on. Both are very athletic and can finish passes on the break from John Wall.

Loser

Alex: Raptors

The Raptors with their one and only selection took PF/C Jonas Valanciunas from Lithuania with the 5^th overall pick. The fact that the Raptors did so poorly in this draft is not a reflection of the abilities and potential of Valanciunas, but more the fact that the Raptors only have one moderately skilled player and that is their center. Going with Brandon Knight probably would have been the better choice for the Raptors. I don't expect to see any improvement in the off-season and neither should you. Expect to see Toronto in the lottery again next season.

Honorable Mention: Knicks

Just read Spike Lee’s comments on the draft. New York fans have a lot to be annoyed with right now.

Chris: Minnesota

Is this even a question with David Kahn at the helm. I'm almost convinced that Kahn believes there are three positions in the NBA: Point Guard, Small Forward, and Power Forward. In Kahn's first draft he selected three Point Guards (Ricky Rubio, Johnny Flynn, Ty Lawson). So in Kahn's second draft he selected three Small Forwards (Wesley Johnson, Luke Babbitt who was exchanged for Martell Webster, and Trevor Booker who was exchanged for Lazar Hayward. In Kahn's third draft you would think he would learn, hey in my tenure I've gone 32-132 as the GM, maybe I shouldn't pick only players from one position in the draft. Well Kahn STILL didn't learn! In this draft he picked Derrick Williams despite having Kevin Love, Michael Beasley and Anthony Randolph who play the same position. On top of that, Minnesota made trades to keep moving down and acquire assets. You can do that if you're a contender, but if you're Minnesota you need some impact players, not just a bunch of mediocre players. On top of that, Kahn effectively gave up on Johnny Flynn after only two years and traded him for next to nothing.

First Lottery Team to Win

Alex: Jazz

This choice has little to do with the quality of a draft Utah had. The Jazz has better ownership than many teams, and they did address a ton of needs so far. Kanter will likely become a star in the league sooner rather than later. And with the Eastern Conference gaining power over the West, and teams like the Spurs, Mavericks and Lakers aging quickly, a team like the Jazz could apply a few more pieces for a dynasty. Out of the 14 lottery teams, watch for the Utah Jazz to have an NBA title first.

Chris: Washington

While it will be a stretch for any of the lottery teams to win a championship in the next few years, Washington has the best chance because of all their young talent. With John Wall, who will become an elite Point Guard in the near future, their new wings (Singleton and Vesely) and an athletic big man in Javale McGee, they certainly have a bright future. When Washington gets older and gets a post player that can score down low, they will have the best chance to compete for a title.

Best Trade

Alex: Heat getting Norris Cole

The Heat got a little more dangerous with this trade. The trade between the Heat and Timberwolves giving Minnesota the rights to Bojan Bogdanovic (No. 31 pick overall) and a future second-round pick plus cash considerations, while Miami received the rights to Norris Cole (No. 28 overall pick). Adding more size to the Miami line-up will greatly add to the Heat’s offensive power and take pressure off of the big-3. Cole will be an instant impact player for this Heat team.

Chris: Warriors trading up for Jeremy Tyler

The Warriors have lacked defense, rebounding and big men for several years now and hopefully Tyler can fill some of that role. During his Junior year of High School in San Diego, Tyler was one of the highest rated prospects in the country. At 6'10 and 260 pounds, Tyler has great athleticism but also a classic back to the basket game. While Tyler chose to turn pro internationally after his junior year, this helped him grow and mature at a rocket pace. If he went the traditional route, he could have been a top-ten pick. When and if Tyler figures it out, he could be a scary NBA players for years.

Biggest Surprise

Alex: Thompson going No. 4

I was in shock when Stern announced that the Cavaliers chose Thompson instead of Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas. As mentioned in the June 23^rd posting, I believe that the Cavaliers would be better off with selecting Arizona’s Derrick Williams and Kentucky’s Brandon Knight with the No. 1 and No. 4 picks respectively. The choice of picking Irving No. 1 is a topic for another discussion, but why pick Thompson instead of a center? Cleveland's two best players are Antwan Jamison and J.J. Hickson, both power forwards. Cleveland picking Tristan Thompson at No. 4 was the biggest surprise of the 2011 NBA Draft as it just added another reserve PF to their already massive list.

Chris: Brandon Knight going 8

Brandon Knight was regarded as one of the top prospects in the draft because of his potential to be a true floor general for a team. Knight can get to the rim but carries an excellent three point shot in his arsenal. I thought Knight wouldn't get past the Raptors at five but he slipped in this draft possibly because of the international players. Knight could be a tremendous steal for the Pistons and might the best player in the draft in five years.

NBA Draft 2011: 6 Burning Questions

Hello all you sports fans, this is the first post of The Duck Nuts! We are Chris Brooklier and Alex Shoemaker, two University of Oregon journalism students with an extreme passion for sports. Whenever we have a burning issue we'll give both of our takes on it and it's up to you to decide who made the best argument!

1.  Cleveland has an abundance of issues that they need to address in this draft. The loss of LeBron James crippled the Cavalier franchise and ultimately landed them in a position to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Who should Cleveland draft with the No. 1 pick?

Alex:It is clear that Kyrie Irving is the best player in this draft class, but ultimately the Cavaliers should go with Derrick Williams as their No. 1 pick. The fact that they have the No. 4 overall pick in the draft as well gives them the flexibility to go with a point guard in their next selection. Cleveland, pick Williams at No. 1 and Brandon Knight at No. 4.

            Chris: Kyrie Irving – PG, Duke

            The NBA is starting to turn into a point guards league and an elite PG is the best way to build your team for the future. While Kyrie Irving only played 11 games in a somewhat unfulfilling freshman year at Duke, he was the best player on a stacked Duke team including 2010 All-Americans Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith. After missing 26 games due to a toe injury, Irving scored 20+ points in the NCAA tournament. Irving has all the tools to become a great point guard in the NBA: excellent court vision, ability to get to the rim, and the necessary leadership to run a team.

2. In the 2006 NBA Draft, players like Andrea Bargnani and Adam Morrison looked like future NBA stars. But that clearly wasn’t the case as both of these players are considered some of the biggest draft busts of all-time. Who will be the best player five years from now?

Alex:The best player in five years will undoubtedly be Kyrie Irving. He is the most talented player in the draft and even with only playing less than half of a season at Duke, teams are not shying away from him. With a few years to develop, Irving will be an all-star before it’s all said and done. Irving will not falter like the aforementioned draft busts. He will be a star before his career is finished.

            Chris: Brandon Knight – PG, Kentucky

Brandon Knight had some great moments and some horrible moments during his freshman year at Kentucky. However even when Knight had his down moments, including going one for eight against Princeton in the NCAA Tournament, he converted his only basket on a game winning shot. Knight is only 19 years old and comes with boatloads of potential. Knight is one of the best in the draft at getting his own shot and getting to the rim. Knight is one of the best shooters in the draft and broke the single season record at Kentucky. Finally, Knight shows the mental acuity to run an NBA team and be a pure point guard.

3. The record for most international players taken in the first round is eight. That number may be broken today as an abundance of international players look to make their names known. Who is this year’s best international player?

Alex: The best international player is Enes Kanter out of Turkey. The 6-11 center who once committed to the University of Kentucky is now a year removed from high school and primed to excel in the NBA. While it is not certain if Kanter will play the four or five spot, he will eventually make the adjustment and be a force down low.

Chris: Jan Vesely – SF, Czech Republic
European players have had the reputation of being finesse and soft. Jan Vesely breaks that mold by being a fierce competitor with an incredible motor. Vesely is quite possibly the most athletic European player of all time who can jump out of the gym. Vesely is a matchup nightmare at 6'11 and would thrive in an up tempo system such as Washington or Toronto.

4. Each draft class has a sleeper or two that ends up being that ‘diamond in the rough’ type of player. Who will be the 2011 sleeper in this draft?

Alex: This seems like a ridiculous question. The answer is undoubtedly Kemba Walker out of Connecticut. How quickly people forget his accomplishments in college and how he essentially singlehandedly won the Huskies their national championship. Size will be the only issue that Walker will face in the transition into the NBA, but he has the raw talent to overcome it.

            Chris: JaJuan Johnson – PF, Purdue

In 2010 JaJuan Johnson was the Big Ten Player of the year and Defensive Player of the year; Becoming one of only three players ever to do that. Johnson has a gluttony of low post moves and a sweet midrange jumper to go along with his imposing defense. Johnson is expected to be a second round pick, which seems to be far too low for someone of his caliber.

5. Burks vs Thompson. Who is the best player at the shooting guard position this draft?

Alex: Right now, I’d go with Klay Thompson out of Washington State. It’s hard to judge the transition each player will make into the NBA, but I look the future for Klay Thompson. It’s hard to say whether he’ll play small forward or shooting guard in his career, but Thompson is arguably the most dangerous shooter in this class.

Chris: Alec Burks – SG, Colorado
Alex Burks showed his versatility by scoring 20 ppg., getting 6.4 rpg. and 3 assists a game. Burks possesses excellent ball-handling and passing skills. Burks' counterpart Klay Thompson has troubles with his foot speed and his attitude during games. Thompson was arrested in March and seemed to tune out and become flustered against hostile crowds.

6. Would you take Jimmer Fredette in the top-10?

Alex: Yes, and with no hesitation. As I mentioned earlier, people too quickly forget what these players did just a few months ago. Fredette was the nation’s best scorer and willed BYU to the sweet sixteen. Without Jimmer, BYU is not even an NIT quality team. In the Mountain West Conference, rival San Diego State lost 3 games all season. Two of them against BYU and the other in the tournament to eventual national champion UCONN. Take Fredette!

            

            Chris: Jimmer Freddette will find it hard to become a lead guard in the NBA and is to small too become a 2 guard. Jimmer has not shown the ability to play defense or the athleticism to keep up with the likes of Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose. The best case scenario for Jimmer will be to be a bench scorer. On top of that, Jimmer has maxed out most of his potential. No on Jimmer!