The 2014 NBA Entry draft is slightly more than 24 hours in the books and now that it is we can sit back and criticize the selections and critic the players who have yet to even play. Of course this process isn’t fair and nor is it terrifically just to anyone involved, but it is what it is and it’s entertaining to speculate on one’s career before it even starts.
So without further ado let’s have a look at those teams who maybe didn’t make the most out of their draft day opportunities. Now some teams did exceptionally well and their picks made sense given their needs. Some on the other hand drafted regardless of team needs and player skill. Here’s who flopped on draft day.
The New Orleans Pelicans get us started here as they swung a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers for what amounted to the 47th overall pick, which was used on Russ Smith formerly from Louisville. This deal involved the Pelicans sending point guard Pierre Jackson back to Philly; you see it was the 76ers who originally drafted Jackson in 2013 with the 42nd overall pick and who later swapped him to New Orleans.
Jackson didn’t crack the Pelicans roster so he was sent down to Idaho in the D-League where he played in 31 games, started 27 games and posted averages of 29 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 6.2 apg. Why would the Pelicans trade away a point guard who established himself against stronger competition in favour of an untested collegiate athlete who plays the same position. Philadelphia obviously recognized Jackson’s maturity and have plans for him to help spell of Michael Carter-Williams at the point during the season.
From New Orleans we move onto the Los Angeles Clippers who used their 28th pick to address a position that they are good and well stocked at already. I like C.J. Wilcox as a player, he is a solid shooting guard who could very well contribute at the NBA level given the chance, a chance that he won’t get in Los Angeles. The Clippers have J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford and Jared Dudley already at the spot and all under contract.
Staying in the Western Conference we jump over to Sacramento where we have the Kings and their 8th overall draft slot. With this pick the Kings really reached in picking the Michigan product Nik Stauskas. Stauskas is a shooting guard who can flat out shoot the rock, no question about it. The question is why was he drafted so high here and why did Sacramento feel the need to take him here?
The Kings have Ben McLemore at shooting guard already and they used their 7th overall pick in last year’s draft to take him. Despite McLemore’s slow start to the season he did finish up strong and proved he can play at this level. He has been rumoured to be available in potential trades and maybe something will come to fruition on that front but till that time comes what was the purpose behind this pick?
Can you imagine if Sacramento gave up on McLemore after a season in favour of Nik Stauskas. It would be akin to the team giving up on their 5th overall pick in 2012 Thomas Robinson after a handful of games. Here’s a tip for the Kings; you are a terrible team and the draft is established to help teams like you...quit wasting lottery picks.
I’ve saved the worst for last and sadly we have identified the Toronto Raptors as the single biggest loser on draft day. As I mentioned on draft day, it is hard to be a Raptors fan in the face of such questionable personnel decisions.
The Raptors used their 20th overall pick to take an unheralded international prospect who didn’t even project as a second round pick. Bruno Caboclo is a Brazilian prospect who has been compared to Kevin Durant, albeit through Brazilian media outlets not through North American reports. Caboclo is probably at least two years away from coming to the NBA and even trying his hand against the best in the world. He does have a big upside, but the Raptors were a playoff team last season that desperately in need of a contributing draft pick.
A player like Shabazz Napier would have been a much better fit for the Raps as they need help at point guard. The Raptors also passed on shooting guard Rodney Hood who could have contributed nicely off the bench as scorer. Instead of getting a player who could help now, the Raptors choose a prospect who won’t have any roster impact till 2016-17 at best; how that helps them to make the playoffs come next season is as much of a reach as this pick was.