RealGM Analysis
This mock draft is not a prediction of what NBA teams will do in the upcoming NBA draft. Instead, following the NBA's own rules as laid out in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, it answers the question "What would you do if you were the general manager?"
The RealGM team affiliates and columnists - and knowledgeable fans where the affiliates or columnists couldn't participate - got together and did everything possible to make their teams better. They made draft choices, traded players and picks, and made one trade not involving any draft choices (Trade7). The deals included a three-team and a four-team! trade. Are the teams any better? You be the judge.
We've tried to make moving around in this article simple and easy. Want to know why your favorite team picked the guy they did, click on the team name and jump straight to the GMs explanation. Want to know about a deal, click on one of the "Trade" links and read all about it.
Here's what happened:
1. Houston - Yao Ming, C, China
2. Chicago - Jay Williams, G, Duke - Trade3, rights traded to GSW
3. Golden State - DaJuan Wagner, G, Memphis - Trade3, rights traded to CLE
4. Memphis - Caron Butler, F, Connecticut
5. Denver - Mike Dunleavy, Jr., F, Duke
6. Cleveland - Qyntel Woods, F/G, Northeast Mississippi Community College
7. New York - Nickoloz Tskitishvili, Benneton Treviso
8. LA Clippers (from ATL) - Chris Wilcox, F, Maryland
9. Phoenix - Drew Gooden, F, Kansas
10. Miami - Jared Jeffries, F, Indiana
11. Washington - Nene Hilario, F/C, Brazil - Trade12 rights traded to MIL
12. Atlanta (from LAC) - Amare Stoudemire, F, Cypress Creek HS - Trade5
13. Milwaukee - Curtis Borchardt, C, Stanford - Trade1, rights traded to NYK
14. Indiana - Kareem Rush, G, Missouri
15. Houston (from TOR) - Bostjan Nachbar, F, Benneton Treviso
16. Philadelphia - Melvin Ely, F, Fresno State
17. New Orleans - Dan Dickau, G, Gonzaga
18. Chicago (from ORL) - Rod Grizzard, F, Alabama - Trade2
19. Utah - Marcus Haislip, F, Tennessee
20. Toronto (from SEA via NYK) - Chris Jefferies, G, Fresno State
21. Portland - Frank Williams, G, Illinois
22. Phoenix (from BOS) - Juan Dixon, G, Maryland
23. Detroit - Jiri Welsch, G, Czech Republic
24. Minnesota - forfeit
25. New Jersey - Fred Jones, G, Oregon
26. Denver (from DAL) - Marcus Taylor, G, Michigan State
27. San Antonio - Roger Mason, G, Virginia - Trade10, rights traded to NYK
28. Washington (from LAL) - Tayshaun Prince, F, Kentucky - Trade8
29. Golden State (from SAC via DAL) - Carlos Boozer, F, Duke - Trade4, Trade9
Second Round
Round 1 ? Trades
30. Orlando - Dan Gadzuric, C, UCLA - Trade6
31. Dallas (from CHI via ORL via GSW) - Jason Jennings, C, Arkansas State - Trade6, Trade9
32. Memphis - Jamal Sampson, C, California
33. Denver - Steve Logan, G, Cincinnati
34. Milwaukee (from HOU) - Vincent Yarbrough, F, Tennessee
35. Cleveland - Mladen Sekularac, G/F, Yugoslavia
36. New York - John Salmons, G, Miami
37. Atlanta - Sam Clancy, F, USC
38. Houston (from MIA) - Smush Parker, G, Fordham
39. Washington (from PHO via DEN) - Tito Maddox, G, Phoenix Eclipse (ABA team)
40. LA Lakers (from WAS) - Casey Jacobsen, F/G, Stanford - Trade14
41. LA Clippers - Nenad Krstic, F/C, Yugoslavia
42. Milwaukee - Darius Songalia, F, Wake Forest - Trade12
43. Portland (from TOR via CHI) - Luis Scola, F, Argentina
44. Dallas (from IND via CHI via ORL via GSW) - Ryan Humphrey, F, Notre Dame - Trade6, Trade9
45. Philadelphia - Predrag Savovic, G/F, Hawaii
46. Memphis (from ORL) - Lazaros Papadopoulos, C, Greece
47. Utah - Lonny Baxter, F, Maryland
48. Milwaukee (from NOH) - Elvin Mims, G, Southern Mississippi
49. Seattle - Aaron McGhee, F, Oklahoma
50. Boston - DeAngelo Collins, F, Inglewood HS
51. Portland - Chris Christofferson, C, Oregon
52. Minnesota - J.R. Bremer, G, Saint Bonaventure
53. Miami (from HOU via DET via TOR) - Maurice Baker, G, Oklahoma State
54. New Jersey - Lenny Cooke, G/F, Northern Valley HS
55. Dallas - Lee Benson, F, Brown Mackie Junior College
56. LA Lakers (from LAL via SAN) - Milos Vujanic, G, Yugoslavia, Trade13
57. LA Lakers (from SAN) - Brian Brown, G, Ohio State
58. Sacramento - Randy Holcomb, F, San Diego State
1. Milwaukee trades: Tim Thomas, Ervin Johnson, the rights to pick #13 to New York for: Kurt Thomas, Mark Jackson and Travis Knight.
2. Chicago trades: Marcus Fizer, Fred Hoiberg, Trenton Hassell and picks #30 and #44 to Orlando
for: Mike Miller, Jeryl Sasser and pick #18.
3. Three-way deal that becomes official on August 26. Cleveland gives: Andre Miller and Lamond Murray, gets: Danny Fortson, Dalibor Bagaric, Jeryl Sasser and the rights to pick #3. Chicago gives: Bagaric, Sasser, rights to pick #2, gets: Andre Miller. Golden State gives: Fortson, rights to pick #3, gets: Murray, rights to pick #2.
4. Four-way trade that becomes official August 2. Indiana gives: Ron Mercer, Ron Artest and Austin Croshere, gets: Nick Van Exel, Brent Price and Bryant Stith. Dallas gives: Van Exel, gets: Artest, Croshere, and pick #29. Sacramento gives: Mateen Cleaves, Lawrence Funderburke, Brent Price and pick #29, gets: Mercer and Chris Mihm. Cleveland gives: Mihm and Stith, gets: Cleaves and Funderburke.
5. Atlanta trades Jason Terry and Chris Crawford to the LA Clippers for Lamar Odom, Keyon Dooling and pick #12.
6. Orlando trades picks #31 and #44 to Golden State for pick #30.
7. Dallas trades Michael Finley, Avery Johnson and Tariq Abdul-Wahad to Utah for Karl Malone, Deshawn Stevenson and John Amaechi.
8. Washington trades Christian Laettner to the LA Lakers for Lindsey Hunter, Mark Madsen and pick #28.
9. Dallas trades pick #29 to Golden State for picks #31 and #44.
10. New York trades Latrell Sprewell, Howard Eisley, Clarence Weatherspoon and the rights to Frederic Weis to San Antonio for David Robinson, Steve Smith and pick #27.
11. San Antonio trades pick #57 to the LA Lakers for a second round pick in 2003.
12. Washington trades rights to Nene Hilario, Chris Whitney and Hubert Davis to Milwaukee for Sam Cassell and rights to Darius Songalia.
13. LA Lakers trade Samaki Walker to San Antonio for Mark Bryant, Stephen Jackson and pick #56.
14. LA Lakers trade a first round pick in 2003 to Washington for pick #40.
What Were They Thinking?
Atlanta Hawks- RealGM: Jason Walker
I got started by trading Jason Terry and Chris Crawford to the Clippers for Lamar Odom, Keyon Dooling, and the 12th pick overall in the 2002 NBA Draft.
Hawks fans know that Terry has been terrific the past two seasons. When Atlanta finally junked experimenting with Terry at SG and moved him back to PG, he averaged more than 20 points and seven assists over the final 50 games of the season. He was the team's unquestioned heart and soul, and its most productive player.
So I traded him.
The offer of a potential top 10 player in Odom, a replacement at PG in Dooling, and a lottery pick (plus an added bonus of dumping Crawford's contract) was too much to pass up. With the newly acquired 12th pick, I chose high school PF Amare Stoudemire.
With Nene Hilario, DaJaun Wagner, and even Jared Jeffries gone, Stoudemire's combination of size, ability and determination to be a great player was too much to pass on, even if the Hawks already had an All-Star PF. With quality players already on the roster, he won't have to contribute immediately.
In the second round, I took USC's Sam Clancy, a fierce competitor with talent and a large, well-muscled body. He brings a fire and aggression the Hawks lack, especially after trading Terry. He was the best player left, and adds to the total team talent quotient, which helps in trying to make trades.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Boston Celtics - RealGM: Daniel Kahn
As planned, the Celtics remained quiet on draft day. Our only pick was at #50, which we used to take high schooler DeAngelo Collins. He'll make the team only if he excels during summer league and training camp.
I did consider adding a high second round pick, but pulled out of a deal that would have sent Vitaly Potapenko to the Knicks for Howard Eisely and the 36th pick. I decided not to make the deal because of concerns about Eisley's contract.
Draft day maneuvering was not as pressing as it might've been because the team inked Omar Cook, a second round pick in 2001. He's a first round value, and would likely have been the third point guard picked this year if he'd waited to enter the draft. The Celtics will be grooming him to be Kenny Anderson's successor. Anderson is entering the final year of his deal.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Chicago Bulls- RealGM: Carlos "Bulls4ever" Mazoni
I felt the Bulls needed an established SF/SG. Jalen Rose is best used as a point forward, and SF Eddie Robinson's health remains questionable for next season. To fill that need, I sent Hassell, Fizer, Hoiberg and both second round picks to Orlando for Mike Miller, Sasser and their #18 pick.
The Bulls also needed a young star. While Jay Williams would've been available with the second pick, I wanted an established NBA player who could propel the team into the playoff race. I entered into a three-way deal with Golden State and Cleveland, packaging the number two pick, Bagaric and the newly acquired Sasser for Cleveland's Andre Miller. I rejected the idea of making a clean sweep of the NBA's Millers by trading for Reggie and Brad.
I hadn't planned to move as many players as I did, but by doing so, I increased roster flexibility and left the team with nearly $10 million in cap room to spend on additional players. That should enable the Bulls to sign some quality players.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Cleveland Cavaliers - RealGM: Billy Smith
When examining the Cavaliers roster, one thing was very clear: change was necessary.
I decided to start with moving Lamond Murray or Wesley Person, knowing that I'd likely have to include Andre Miller to get it done. Ultimately, I swung a three-way deal with Chicago and Golden State, which netted Cleveland the #3 pick, plus Fortson, Bagaric, and Sasser in exchange for Miller and Murray.
Fortson will provide much needed help on the boards. Bagaric is a developing big man, but showed signs of improvement last season in Chicago. Sasser was dubbed prematurely a bust in Orlando. He's 6-6 and can play both guard positions. Dealing Murray clears a starting role for Ricky Davis, who played so well at the end of last season.
Jay Williams may be the top rated PG, but DaJuan Wagner isn't far behind. Both are scoring PGs, and I think that in a few years Wagner will be better. He can score wherever and whenever he wants, while using his "bulky" frame to take advantage of smaller PGs. Miller was a good scorer as well, though with not nearly Wagner's shooting range.
With the sixth pick, I took junior college standout Qyntel Woods. He can play PG, SG and SF at 6-9. He has been compared to Tracy McGrady, but will need time to make the transition to the NBA.
In the second round, I was pleased to find that Mladen Sekularac was still available. At 6-8, he's a SG with great handle, a smooth passing touch, solid rebounding, and the ability to shoot a high percentage in the post or facing the basket. He'll assume a bench role similar to Turkoglu in Sacramento.
I also participated in a four-way trade with Indiana, Sacramento and Dallas, unloading Chris Mihm (who in my eyes is a bust) and Bryant Stith, while getting Mateen Cleaves and Lawrence Funderburke. In my opinion Cleaves has the ability to be a solid backup PG. Funderburke is at best a role player, but could see minutes behind Danny Fortson and Jumaine Jones. Moving Mihm opens up playing time for Diop, which is a must to continue his development.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Dallas Mavericks- RealGM: Peter DeWolf
Entering the draft, we had just the 55th pick. But that didn't stop me from dealing. In a four-team deal, I traded Nick Van Exel for for Ron Artest, Austin Croshere and the 29th pick.
I love Artest's toughness and defense (Kobe stopper?) and think a change in scenery could help Croshere regain the playoff form of a few years ago. Seeking to add rebounding and toughness at PF, I dangled Michael Finley on the eve of the draft. Utah bit, and I swapped Finley, Avery Johnson and Tariq Abdul-Wahad for Karl Malone, DeShawn Stevenson and John Amaechi.
Future Hall of Famer and perennial All-Star Karl Malone appears to be ageless, and Stevenson could bloom in the right system. Amaechi is a spare big man to throw at Shaq.
I was still looking for a big man with the newly acquired 29th pick - either Carlos Boozer, Dan Gadzuric or Jason Jennings. Golden State offered picks 31 and 44 for 29, which I accepted. Boozer went 29th, Gadzuric was chosen 30th, and I was left with Jennings.
Jennings is seven feet tall and weighs 250 pounds. He's good defensively and played four years in college. He needs to get more physical and improve his rebounding, but his offensive and defensive skills make him a very good fit on our team.
At 44 I grabbed Ryan Humphrey who has been working his way up many draft boards. Many see him as a 'tweener, but if he can improve his perimeter play, he can create some matchup problems. We also like his hard-working attitude.
With our final pick (#55) we took Lee Benson. Our reasoning was simple - any guy who can stay that focused and dedicated while spending eight years in prison, deserves to be drafted into the NBA. It also didn't hurt that Benson is 6-11, very strong, and can shoot the NBA three.
The Mavs still need a backup PG and hope to address this in free agency or through a trade. We are looking at someone like Travis Best or perhaps Chris Childs.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Denver Nuggets - RealGM: Greg Jensen
The guy I wanted most in this draft was Mike Dunleavy. With the fifth pick, I thought I'd be choosing between Caron Butler, Nickoloz Tskitishvili, Chris Wilcox, DaJuan Wagner or Qyntel Woods. Instead, the player I wanted most fell to me at number five and I happily selected him.
Dunleavy was the best player available. He will create match-up problems for most NBA teams. He's a good outside shooter and has a 6-10 frame. He'll play anywhere from shooting guard to power forward.
At 25 I took, a 6-3 SG in a PG's body. Marcus Taylor was just a sophomore last year at Michigan State, but led the Big Ten in scoring and assists. He's a true sleeper pick, and I think he's going to be an outstanding pro.
With the 33rd pick, I chose Steve Logan. This 5-10 All-American will have to play point guard, and I was thrilled to get him at 33.
With McDyess healthy and these new additions, the Nuggets can hope to add 15-plus wins to last season's 27. That puts Denver over .500 and in the hunt for the eighth playoff spot.
Taylor and Logan will need time to develop (what 25-plus pick doesn't?), but both can be important parts of the team's backcourt rotation. I would keep Tim Hardaway to help mentor Logan and Taylor.
I was involved in trade talks before the draft, but did not complete a deal. One possibility would've had Hardway, McCloud and the fifth pick going to Cleveland for Andre Miller and Lamond Murray. The Cleveland GM ultimately made another trade involving Miller and Murray.
The Knicks also offered Ervin Johnson (who they'd acquired from the Bucks) and John Salmons for Hardaway and Steve Logan. I turned that down because I think Logan will be a better pro than Salmons.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Detroit Pistons - RealGM: PistonsWeb
Draft explanation was not available at publication.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Golden State Warriors - RealGM: Jeff Deeney
The Warriors big move of the draft was participating in a three-way deal with Cleveland and Chicago. Golden State sent away the third pick and PF Danny Fortson and received Lamond Murray and the second pick in return. The Warriors then got their man in Duke guard Jay Williams. This is the guy I wanted all along, and he's an ideal player to fill the team's PG need and lead the team back respectability.
Moving Fortson makes Antawn Jamison the fulltime PF and gives the Warriors a solid starter at SF.
I wanted Carlos Boozer in the second round, but as the draft progressed felt that he might not make it to me at 31. I packaged picks 31 and 44 to move up two spots, and grabbed him with the 29th pick. He'll back up Jamison at PF and provide a big body to help defend against larger PFs.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Houston Rockets - RealGM: Sam Gafford
Houston played the draft by the book. After trying to trade down to pick up a top-flight small forward, I decided not to let pass the opportunity to get a center. After taking Yao Ming number one, I filled the Rockets other need, taking small forward Bostjan Nachbar. I'd hoped that Qyntel Woods, Kareem Rush or Nene Hilario would slide, but none did.
In the second round, I took a flyer on Smush Parker, half for his name, half for his potential. Perhaps he'll be another second round gem like strangely-named Cuttino Mobley. Either way, he'll make an ideal backcourt mate for Moochie Norris.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Indiana Pacers - RealGM: Don Bardon
The mock draft turned out better than anticipated for Indiana. In a flurry of activity, the Pacers added depth at point guard, improved their financial situation, and added a top draft pick.
I joined in the four-way deal, sending out Artest, Croshere, and Ron Mercer while adding Nick Van Exel and $6 million in expiring contracts (Bryant Stith and Brent Price). Acquiring Van Exel without losing Jamaal Tinsley was a major plus. The duo will make PG a strength for the Pacers. The additional cap room will be important next offseason in pursuing free agents.
With the 14th pick, I chose Kareem Rush, the top shooting guard in the draft. Rush is athletic and a strong long-range shooter. He is a classic shooting guard who can create off the dribble. He can learn much by watching Reggie Miller - and he can earn some playing time with both Artest and Mercer traded.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Los Angeles Clippers - RealGM: Andy Stein
With this draft I had two primary goals: move Lamar Odom and add a quality point guard. In the same way that the Lakers had to trade Eddie Jones in order to let Kobe Bryant blossom, I believe that moving Odom will help Darius Miles become the star he is destined to be. Trading Odom, Keyon Dooling and the 12th pick to Atlanta for Jason Terry and Chris Crawford achieved those goals.
My third goal was to get some muscle on the boards and I was very pleased to find Chris Wilcox, a young, strong and explosive power forward, still available at eight.
With my pick in the second round, I chose Nenad Kristic. This 19 year-old Yugoslavian is considered to be the best center prospect in Europe and will be a welcome addition to the team after he gets a couple of years experience in overseas.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Los Angeles Lakers - RealGM: Richard Oh
What moves could the defending champions make in order to make themselves even better? As the Sacramento series showed, a lot.
The Lakers have needed an upgrade at power forward since trading Elden Campbell. It was unlikely that much help would be available with the 28th pick, so I sent Lindsey Hunter, Mark Madsen and pick #28 to the Wizards for Christian Laettner. Laettner has the ideal skill set for the triangle offense and can help spread the defense with his medium-range jumper.
The Lakers also needed a quality perimeter shooter, so I swapped a first round pick next year for the 40th pick this year, which I used to take Casey Jacobsen. The Stanford star is one of the best pure shooters in the draft. He can handle the ball, hit the pull-up jumper, shoot three-pointers coming off screens, and play catch-and-shoot as well.
I also wanted to address the PG position. We all saw how Fisher got worked by Parker, Bibby, and Kidd, and Hunter was nearly useless. I swapped a future second round pick for the 57th pick in this draft and took Brian Brown, the 6-4 PG from Ohio State. Brown was the Buckeyes leading scorer in Big 10 play.
Finally, I sent Samaki Walker to San Antonio for Stephen Jackson, Mark Bryant and Milos Vujanic. Vujanic was the key to this deal. He's a scoring PG and SG with quickness, a love for penetrating and a knack for scoring. He struggled with consistency early in his European career, but has gotten better recently.
The Lakers will seek to re-sign Devean George and Brian Shaw, and will be active with their cap exceptions in the free agent market. Targets include Keon Clark and Michael Redd.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Memphis Grizzlies - RealGM: Tony Farr
I picked Caron Butler at number four for a simple reason: the guy's a stud. He'll bring character and leadership to a team that desperately needs it. With Michael Dickerson's health a question mark, they need a quality third player to join Shane Battier and Dickerson in the two and three slots.
With the 32nd pick, I took California center Jamal Sampson. He may not be what the team needs right now, but if they can't get someone NBA-ready then a team that's short on size has to stock up on some potential.
With my final pick (#46 overall) I took Greek center Lazaros Papadopoulos. He has long arms and a body that's nearly ready for the NBA. If nothing else, Papadopoulos will help the Grizz get bigger. By picking two centers in the second round, the Grizz hope at least one of the two is able to make a contribution.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Miami Heat - RealGM: Andrew Friedman
Draft explanation was not available at publication.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Milwaukee Bucks - RealGM: Aaron Lilach
I got started by sending Tim Thomas, Ervin Johnson and the rights to the 13th pick to New York for Kurt Thomas, Mark Jackson and Travis Knight. Jackson provides a savvy veteran PG and Kurt steps in as a true NBA starting PF. He'll likely get a few minutes at center when George Karl plays small ball.
Knight is cap filler that comes off the books in two years, but he can't be any worse than Johnson was last season. The trade saves the Bucks $3 million immediately, plus an extra $12-13 million once the Knicks come off the books.
With the 34th pick, I chose Vincent Yarbrough, a pure athlete and solid defender, something the Bucks need at SF with Tim Thomas gone. He averaged close to two steals and one block per game with Tennessee. He could become the next Tim Thomas with some hard work.
At 42 I took Darius Songalia, a forward from Wake Forest, who I later packaged in a deal with the Wizards.
At 48, I gambled on Elvin Mims, but that's what 48th picks are for. Mims is a 6-5 SG with long arms and a big-time vertical leap. He has a questionable outside shot and suspect ball handling, and would likely spend the year on IR if he makes the club (as did Michael Redd).
As the draft wound down, I struck a deal with Washington, trading Sam Cassell and the rights to Songalia for the rights to 11th pick Nene Hilario, and veteran guards Chris Whitney and Hubert Davis.
Hilario could be the best player in the draft. He has huge upside, tremendous wingspan, could grow another inch or two at age 19. Early comparison to Hakeem Olajuwon. Contract problems with his Brazilian team could keep him out for another year or two, but the wait for the 19-year old should be worthwhile.
Whitney and Davis are solid backups. Davis is especially important with both Michael Redd and Ray Allen having knee problems. Whitney and Davis also come off the books in two years; Cassell had four years left on his deal. Cassell has also showed some signs of aging the last two years with all of his injury problems.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Minnesota Timberwolves - RealGM: Wolfbite
Draft explanation was not available at publication.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
New Jersey Nets - RealGM: JerseyJac
With the 24th pick, I took Frederick Jones from Oregon University. The versatile two-guard may be the best athlete in the draft. Jones, who has four seasons of college ball, combines strength and tremendous leaping ability and fits right into the Net's offensive scheme. His speed and ability to put the ball on the floor will increase New Jersey's depth and provide Jason Kidd another weapon in the team's high-paced transition game.
Late second round picks are an opportunity to gamble, and I took high schooler Lenny Cooke with pick number 54. Cooke is considered one of the top prep players in the country. He's a strong rebounder with a mature body. His stock slipped considerably due to his immaturity and tainted reputation, a result from brushes with the law.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
New Orleans Hornets - RealGM: Kevin Broom
The Hornets entered the draft needing depth in the backcourt and at SF behind Jamal Mashburn. While Lee Nailon is an adequate backup, he is a restricted free agent, and ownership has a laughable record when it comes to re-signing free agents.
Attempts to trade for a veteran third guard fell through, so I used the 17th pick on Gonzaga PG Dan Dickau. He may be small, but he's quick, competitive and he can shoot. He gives the Hornets a third guy who can play PG and SG. Adding him will take ball handling pressure off Baron Davis and ease the heavy minutes burden carried by Davis and David Wesley.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
New York Knicks - RealGM: John Bonam, aka knickfan
I entered this draft with the goals of adding a top center and unloading some cumbersome contracts while remaining competitive on the court.
I dealt Kurt Thomas, Mark Jackson, and Travis Knight to the Bucks for Tim Thomas, Ervin Johnson, and the rights to the 13th pick. Acquiring Tim Thomas more than fills NY's SF needs and made it easier to deal the Knicks' most marketable commodity, Latrell Sprewell.
I packaged Spree with horrible contracts Howard Eisley and Clarence Weatherspoon for David Robinson, Steve Smith, and the 26th pick.
I was looking at drafting DaJuan Wagner at number seven, but he went to Cleveland with the third pick. I was pleasantly surprised with Nickoloz Tskitishvili fell to the seventh pick. If Skita had been gone, Drew Gooden was next on the list.
At 13, I took Stanford center Curtis Borchardt. He's an excellent shot blocker, finishes well around the basket, runs well and has a sterling character. He'll need to get stronger, stay healthy (recurring foot injuries are a concern), and learn to rebound better in traffic. Still, he has the tools to be a good pro.
At 26, I picked Roger Mason, a two guard similar to Dajuan Wagner. Mason played PG at Virginia during his entire junior year.
At 36, I hoped to grab Steve Logan but instead settled on John Salmons, a 6-7 point guard who has been raising his stock recently in the draft camps. He started all four years at Miami, playing every position but center. He started last season at PG, but is versatile enough to play SG and SF as well.
The moves should help the team tremendously. Robinson figures to be among the better centers in the East, and allows Marcus Camby to move back to PF. Tim Thomas is a talented SF, and Shandon Anderson and Tskitishvili will provide depth. Sweet shooter Allan Houston is backed up with another sharp shooter in Steve Smith. Mason, Salmons and returning veteran Charlie Ward will duel for the starting PG job in training camp.
Importantly, the trades helped the Knicks horrific cap situation. Salaries this season totaled more than $85 million. After next season it will be $45.4 million. Ward would be entering the last year of his contract. That leaves the Knicks with only Allan Houston's and Shandon Anderson's bad contracts.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Orlando Magic - RealGM: Mitya Mikhailov
Coming into the draft, Orlando wanted to do four things:
1. Unload Mike Miller and get a rebounder
2. Get the first pick in the second round to save cap room for 2003
3. Dump Sasser
4. Dump pick 18.
We dealt Mike Miller, Jeryl Sasser, and the 18th pick for Marcus Fizer, Trenton Hassell, Fred Hoiberg and picks 31 and 44. This deal rid us of Mike Miller, Sasser's contract, and a first round pick's contract.
In exchange we got a big man we liked in Marcus Fizer, and Trenton Hassell to help offset the loss of Miller. Hoiberg was cap filler, and we hoped that the second round picks would land us a good player that slipped and a player to spend some time overseas.
We sent picks 31 and 44 to Golden State to get the first pick in the second round (number 30 overall). The Warriors jumped back in front of us to take our top choice at 30 (Carlos Boozer), but we were still happy to get Dan Gadzuric. The UCLA product can develop into a solid NBA center, and has a higher upside than many think.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Philadelphia 76ers - RealGM: Steven Richardson
I worked hard to make a big trade that would push the 76ers back to the top in the East. In the end, however, the best move was to stand pat and bring in some young talent.
At 16 I took 6-10, 260-pound forward Melvin Ely from Fresno State. Ely, after spending five years in college, is the most NBA-ready forward in this draft. On a team that was thin up front, his shot blocking and rebounding will make him an instant contributor.
In the second round, I got what I think was the steal of the draft, taking 6-6, 225-pound guard/forward Pedrag Savovic from Hawaii. He can flat out shoot the rock. His numbers from Hawaii are extremely impressive, but his performances in the Chicago workouts sealed things.
Playing against other future NBA players, Savovic shot 48 percent from the field, 50 percent from beyond the arc, and averaged more than 14.5 points in 19 minutes per game. He was also the MVP of the WAC tournament and scored 26 points against Xavier in Hawaii's first round NCAA tournament loss. He has drawn comparisons to Sacramento's Hedo Turkolgu.
Savovic shoots with traditional European excellence, but also brings a toughness to the court honed at an American college. Although a little old for a NBA rookie, Savovic's court savvy and experience should put him in position to be an immediate contributor. With his ability to stretch the defense, we expect Iverson to have more room to operate.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Phoenix Suns - RealGM: R. Granger
We are in a rebuilding stage and went after young players with proven records. Drew Gooden has worked hard each year at Kansas to improve his skills, and he has received numerous accolades due to that hard work. Juan Dixon is a versatile guard and will be a very good addition to our team.
We are hoping that Penny Hardaway and Tom Gugliotta can provide veteran leadership to our young nucleus, however we are more confident now in making a trade that could involve either one of them since we are little more solid in their two positions.
With Gooden and Dixon to go with Stephon Marbury and Shawn Marion, the team should be competitive to make the playoffs next season.
Portland Trailblazers - RealGM: Billy
With the 21st pick I selected Frank Williams from Illinois. Williams is big on defense and big in general. At 6-3 and 205 pounds, he has a way of muscling most point guards. His size and strength are an advantage on the defensive end. College teammates called him "The Glove" because of his defensive tenacity. Also because they weren't creative enough to come up with an original nickname. His defense and work ethic should quickly put him in favor with Maurice Cheeks.
In the second round, I took Luis Scola, a strong body who can take a few years to mature either overseas or on the Blazers bench. With rebounding and overpowering as his specialty he could provide some much needed extra muscle.
With my final pick, I took Chris Christofferson from Oregon. At 7-2 and 300 pounds, Christofferson could give Portland another six fouls to use against Shaq.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Sacramento Kings - RealGM: Christopher Broom
This was an easy one for my team. Being pretty well set, I didn't have to make any moves, so I sat back and fielded offers. Ultimately, I traded the last pick in the first round and dumped bench dregs Lawrence Funderburke, Mateen Cleaves and Brent Price and got back Chris Mihm and Ron Mercer, two able back-ups. They'll both give Sacramento good minutes through the season and help push the Kings to the best record in the West again.
Randy Holcomb was a steal as the last pick in the draft. He can score, rebound and he has range. He probably needs to get a little bigger and he certainly needs to add some post moves but the Kings don't need him to contribute significantly right away so he has time. Now we need to re-sign Bibby and find out if we got tough enough to get past the Lakers.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
San Antonio Spurs - RealGM: Micheal DeLeon
Draft explanation was not available at publication.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Seattle Supersonics - RealGM: Jon Hamm
The Sonics head into the summer a bit thin on inside players. Vin Baker's future in Seattle is questionable, and Calvin Booth's health is a concern. In second round pick Aaron McGhee, the Sonics get a smallish power player with a big heart.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Toronto Raptors - RealGM: Mak and alvinwilliams
The Raptors entered the draft planning to take the best available player. Even so, considering our tight cap situation, we knew that the draft would be a good place to address questions at the PG, SF and C.
We looked at four players when we selected, but ultimately took Fresno State junior Chris Jefferies. Jefferies was one of the best college small forwards last year but a knee injury caused him to slide. He's 6-8 and 215 pounds, and if he can bulk up a bit, he?ll be the SF the Raps have needed since Tracy McGrady left. He can also play SG, but won't be needed there with Vince Carter, Morris Peterson and Alvin Williams on the roster.
Other players considered were Mladen Sekularac, Jiri Welsch and Frank Williams . We felt that Jefferies was more of a sure thing than Sekularac. Welsch is a good prospect but the Raptors are deep at SG. We have doubts about whether Williams' solid college career will translate into a solid professional career.
The Raptors were looking to trade for a second round pick or a late first round pick. The price was too high, however. We weren't willing to take on a bad contract to get into the second round.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Utah Jazz - RealGM: Jason Scherbel and Tyler Hilton
We entered this draft hoping to add some young talent. Our primary trade bait was Karl Malone. We had offers from the Hawks and the Knicks that would have moved Greg Ostertag and/or Malone but neither fit in with our goals.
We ended up trading Malone, DeShawn Stevenson and John Amaechi to Dallas for Michael Finley, Avery Johnson and Tariq Abdul-Wahad. Finley is young and athletic and a proven scorer. We viewed Stevenson and Amaechi as dead weight, and were pleased to swap them for role players like Abdul-Wahad and Johnson.
The deal shouldn't cut into Andrei Kirilenko's playing time ? either Bryon Russell or Donyell Marshall will not return. The roster also lends itself to a small lineup, which could help the Jazz against the Kings and other Western teams.
The deal created a need for some size. With the 19th selection, the Jazz picked Marcus Haislip from Tennessee. This 6-10, 230-pound PF would fill in nicely for the departed Malone and, should see some decent minutes in his first year. He's very athletic and shows great potential.
In the second round, Utah picked another big man in Lonny Baxter, a 6-8, PF from Maryland. He's a two-time All-ACC selection who became the first player in Maryland history to receive MVP honors at an NCAA Regional.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades
Washington Wizards - RealGM: Jason Rosenthal
Set at C, PF, and SG, we went into this draft looking to upgrade at SF and PG. Before the draft, I cleared cap space and acquired a late first round pick by dealing Christian Laettner to the Lakers for the 28th pick, Lindsey Hunter and Mark Madsen.
With the 11th pick, I hoped to nab either Qyntel Woods or Jared Jeffries. Both were gone by then, so I turned to the highest rated player left on the board and took Brazilian big man, Nene Hilario. Bostjan Nachbar and Dan Dickau could have filled needs, but neither player was worth the 11th pick. Then I shopped Hilario to see what I could get.
While Hilario could become a wonderful NBA player in a few years, he's a redundancy on a Wizards team stocked with young big men like Brendan Haywood, Kwame Brown and Etan Thomas. After considering several possibilities, I dealt the rights to Hilario along with Chris Whitney and Hubert Davis to Milwaukee for Sam Cassell and the rights to second round pick Darius Songalia.
Cassell is exactly the type of player I was looking for at PG. He's a quality scorer, a good passer, and plays within the team concept at both ends of the floor. His contract (four more years and a total of nearly $24 million) combined with his age (32) made me pause before making the deal. But, Cassell is a quality player and his deal doesn't hurt the Wizards cap situation.
For an All-Star caliber veteran, he came at a relative bargain, and will take scoring pressure off Michael Jordan and Richard Hamilton, while improving the Wizards defense at PG. The departed Whitney was a defensive sieve, and backup Tyronn Lue struggled against bigger guards.
The deal also brought Songalia, a four-year player at Wake Forest, who has a solid post-game and good fundamentals. He is underrated in my opinion and he brings depth at the SF and PF position.
With the 28th pick, I selected Tayshaun Prince, a smooth SF with range, who will immediately join Rip at the buffet table and the weight room. If he gets stronger, Prince could be a legit NBA starter someday, and with his experience will be able to contribute right away.
At 39, I selected Tito Maddox, a PG with first round talent. He has some of those dreaded "personal issues", but his talent is worth gambling a second round pick. With two other solid PG's on the roster in Cassell and Lue, Maddox won't be asked to contribute immediately.
Not in love with anyone left on the board, I traded the 40th pick for the Lakers' first round pick in 2003.
Through the draft, I eschewed dealing players I viewed as a valuable commodity ? holding onto Rip, Etan, Haywood, Kwame, and Courtney Alexander. I added one the NBA's better point guards, and got some nice spare parts in Prince, Hunter, Songalia, and Maddox.
The trades give the Wizards more cap flexibility this year and next. While SF remains a need position for the Wizards, MJ should be back, and Kwame, Alexander, Prince and Songalia will see time there as well. Popeye Jones will be re-signed, and with their cap space, the Wizards will look to add a defensive-minded wing player.
Round 1 -- Round 2 -- Trades