O what a night

Wow.  I have been an NBA fan for as long as I can remember and I can guarantee I have never seen a night like last night (15 trades!!!!).  It’s going to take a few weeks for me to catch my breath so discussing everything that happened would take far too long (and no one needs that on a Friday afternoon).  So what I decided to do was pick out three teams I thought drafted well and three teams that I think have to be questioned.

I'm also staying away from the blockbuster Nets-Celtics trade from last night in this post.

(Frankly, I need more time to figure out my thoughts on the trade.  However, I am happy Danny Ainge took my advice from earlier this week!  If you need somebody to help you out in the front office, I’m available, Danny.  Just wanted to let you know.)

Three teams I liked

Philadelphia 76ers
Now this is how you rebuild!  The 76ers got worse last night but I think they had the best night of any team in the league.  The Sixers were stuck in neutral.  They swung and missed on last year's Andrew Bynum trade and had no discernible direction going forward.  With Bynum now a free agent and without a superstar, Philadelphia's new General Manager Sam Hinkie decided to hit the reset button.  He traded all-star point guard Jrue Holiday to New Orleans for the rights to center Nerlens Noel and a top-5 protected pick in next year's loaded draft.  Later in the first round, Hinkie selected point guard Michael Carter-Williams out of Syracuse and, while I am not a huge fan of MCW (or Noel for that matter), they are two explosive athletes with lots of potential.  More importantly, Hinkie has given his team a direction.  With the team looking to bottom out this year and two potential lottery picks in next year's draft, the 76ers should soon boast one of the best young cores in the league.  Well done.

Orlando Magic

By taking Victor Oladipo with the second pick last night, not only did the Magic get the player I think will turn out to be the best from this draft class, they changed the culture of their entire franchise.  NBA teams take on the personality of their best player.  Jordan's Bulls played hard every night because MJ refused to let them take a night off.  Oladipo will do this for the Magic.  He plays so with such intensity on the defensive end that I think it will rub off on his teammates.  With Oladipo, Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris and Andrew Nicholson, the Magic have built a young group of guys who play hard and are committed to winning.  While I don't expect much from the young Magic next season, things are certainly headed in the right direction. 

Los Angeles Clippers

Not much was expected of the Clippers' draft.  They were picking at the end of the first round in a draft that wasn't all that great.  What the Clippers showed last night is that they are learning.  In today's NBA you need wing players who can shoot 3's and play defense (see: Danny Green).  While I never think Reggie Bullock will be a star, he can do two things at the next level: make 3's and defend his position.  There is value to these guys, especially in the playoffs where floor spacing and defense become even more important.  For the Clippers to reach the next level, they will need guys like Bullock.

Three teams I question

Charlotte Bobcats

I just don't know what this team is doing and every year it seems to get worse.  I have nothing against Cody Zeller.  I actually think he may be able to find a niche in the league and be a productive player.  However, this team had to do better with the fourth pick.  This team has no identity.  While I don’t think any true superstars were available, Ben McLemore and Noel at least have upside and have the chance to become something special.  In Zeller, you got a guy who will work hard and do a lot of things at a reasonable level.  But that's his upside.  A team like the Bobcats needed to swing for the fences and instead played in safe.  When Ben Gordon is your highest paid player, you can't afford to not take risks.

Detroit Pistons   

I'm actually a huge Kentavious Caldwell-Pope fan.  He had maybe the best jump shot of anybody in this draft and I think was underrated because he played at Georgia.  (He also had the best name by far of anyone in the draft.  Seriously considering naming my first son Kentavious.)  With all that being said, I'm not quite sure how he fits in with the Pistons.  Since the season ended, the word out of Detroit was that the team was committed to moving Brandon Knight from point guard to shooting guard.  The thinking is Knight is better off the ball and doesn't have the court vision to fully utilize the talents of Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond.  I happen to agree with that, however KCP also plays shooting guard.  This means they either have to backtrack and try Knight again at the point (which we already know won't work) or bring him or KCP off the bench.  With every point guard still on the board, this felt like a luxury pick to me, and the Pistons aren't at the point where they can make luxury picks.

New Orleans Pelicans

I'm legitimately mad at this team.  For a brief moment in time, I thought we would see a front line containing Anthony Davis and Noel.  I am convinced these two would've averaged roughly 1,000 blocks per game and probably would have broken YouTube.  Players going up against them would be terrified of going to the basket and constantly be looking over their shoulders.  This would have been so much fun but my dream was not meant to be as Noel was traded to the 76ers for Holiday.  Not only was I mad about my fun being ruined, I'm not sure how this trade makes sense for New Orleans.  Even with Holiday and Davis, this team isn't close to contending.  The Western Conference is brutal and the Pelicans are still a few years away.  Plus, by giving up their first round pick next year, it's going to be tough for them to get a lot better in the next few years.  This seemed like a move a contending team would make, not a team like New Orleans.