Last week, we here at RealGM took at look at the winners of the trades that were made during the 2007 NBA Draft.  This week, we will assign grades for each team based on the outcome of their draft selections.  This will be a two-piece series, first looking at the teams in the Eastern Conference, and concluding with a report card for those out West.  The criterion that will compose the overall grade will be based on three subjects ? overall quality and talent of player(s) selected, team needs addressed, and an added plus for teams who landed a steal versus a minus for those who jumped on a guy who could be a potential first round bust.

This column will consist of a division-by-division analysis of the players selected or obtained on Draft Night by each team in the Eastern Conference.  The ?Talent Selected?? category will rank from a low score of 1 to a high score of 5.

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics

Round 1: None
Round 2: Gabe Pruitt (32nd), Glen Davis (35th)

The Celtics sent their 5th overall selection, along with Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak to the Seattle Supersonics in exchange for Ray Allen and the rights to Glen Davis with the 35th selection.  The Celtics needed more veteran leadership along with help at the off-guard and low post positions.  They added all three with their blockbuster trade and their effective early second round selections.  

Talent Selected? 3
Addressed Team Needs? Yes
Steal or Bust?  Glen Davis could be a potential steal.

Grade: B+

New Jersey Nets

Round 1: Sean Williams (17th)
Round 2: None

The Nets walked away with the player who brings the highest risk, highest reward ratio packed away in his laundry list of baggage.  While it is true that Sean Williams was a problem child at BC, he still has the talent and tenacity to become a premier player in this draft.  Scouts who watched him work out in Houston indicated that he reminded them of an Amare Stoudemire type of athlete, who could turn out to be the third best player in the draft, outside of The Big Two.  

Talent Selected? 5
Addressed Team Needs? Yes
Steal or Bust?  If not for Oden and Durant, we could be calling this The Sean Williams Draft.

Grade: A+

New York Knicks

Round 1: Wilson Chandler (23rd)
Round 2: Demetris Nichols (53rd)

The Knicks entered Draft Night needing a long distance shooter and a tougher power forward that can rebound and block shots.  They added a shooter with the acquisition of Nichols, while grabbing a rebounding low post presence with the Zach Randolph acquisition.  The Knicks, however, failed to tab a shot blocking presence and once again took a flyer on an unknown slasher in Wilson Chandler.  With Jared Jeffries and Renaldo Balkman already battling Quentin Richardson for time at the small forward position, this selection makes little impact on the imminent success of the squad.

Talent Selected? 3
Addressed Team Needs? Mostly
Steal or Bust?  Chandler could be a first round bust, while Nichols can emerge a steal at the end of the Draft.  These two cancel each other out.

Grade: B

Philadelphia 76ers

Round 1: Thaddeus Young (12th), Jason Smith (20th)
Round 2: Derrick Byars (42nd), Herbert Hill (55th)

With the Sixers seeking athletic wing players and some help in the post, they added a glut of young talent that can come in and make an immediate impact.  With veteran leader Andre Miller as the catalyst for the Sixer offense, look for Thaddeus Young and Derrick Byars to have significant impacts by midseason.  Both Jason Smith and Herbert Hill provide big bodies and a ton of depth for the Sixer frontcourt.  Their performance ranks as one of the best of this year?s draft.

Talent Selected? 5
Addressed Team Needs? Yes
Steal or Bust?  Derrick Byars was on Jay Bilas? list as the 20th best overall draftee; he could be proving about 21 teams wrong by being snatched by Philly with the 42nd pick.

Grade: A+

Toronto Raptors

Round 1: None
Round 2: Giorgos Printezis (58th)

Armed with only the 58th overall selection, the Raptors didn?t do much for their immediate future with the draft.  Printezis is expected to stay overseas in Greece while he continues to improve his game from the small forward position.

Talent Selected? 2
Addressed Team Needs? No
Steal or Bust?  Neither.

Grade: C

Central Division

Chicago Bulls

Round 1: Joakim Noah (9th)
Round 2: Aaron Gray (49th), JamesOn Curry (51st)

Unless the Bulls turn Joakim Noah into Kevin Garnett, Pau Gasol, or someone else who can provide offense from the low block, it is a questionable pick with the other talent available in Spencer Hawes and Jason Smith.  While Aaron Gray will be able to provide a decent offensive game off the bench, it is unclear what Noah will bring to the table that is not already served up by Ben Wallace, Tyrus Thomas, and P.J. Brown ? if he remains with the team.

Talent Selected? 3
Addressed Team Needs? No
Steal or Bust?  Aaron Gray falling to 49 was great for the Bulls.

Grade: C+

Cleveland Cavaliers

Round 1: None
Round 2: None

With no picks in the draft, it is difficult to justify giving them a grade.

Talent Selected? N/A
Addressed Team Needs? NA
Steal or Bust?  N/A

Grade: N/A

Detroit Pistons

Round 1: Rodney Stuckey (15th), Arron Afflalo (27th)
Round 2: Sammy Mejia (57th)

With team leader Chauncey Billups on the verge of resigning in Detroit, the Pistons utilized their two first round draft picks on two guys who can come in and provide immediate impact off the bench for the very thin Piston backcourt.  With little depth behind Billups, Richard Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince, the versatile games of Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo will allow Detroit fans to rest assured when their starters are catching their breath.

Talent Selected? 4
Addressed Team Needs? Yes
Steal or Bust?  Neither.

Grade: A

Indiana Pacers

Round 1: None
Round 2: Stanko Barac (39th)

The Pacers traded away their first round pick to Atlanta for Al Harrington, and ended up with little to show after this draft.  While Stanko Barac has the potential to be a very skilled big man in the league, it is widely believed that he will remain overseas and offer little to the fan base of Pacer Nation.  

Talent Selected? 3
Addressed Team Needs? No
Steal or Bust?  If Barac comes over and delivers on the buzz he has created, Indy may have found a steal.

Grade: C+

Milwaukee Bucks

Round 1: Yi Jianlian (6th)
Round 2: Ramon Sessions (56th)


The selection of Yi Jianlian is a questionable one by the Bucks for two reasons: 1) Yi doesn?t want to be in Milwaukee, which they knew beforehand, and 2) They passed on upgrading their greatest position of need.  While they wanted to add depth and scoring to their frontcourt, they should have made a move to upgrade their small forward position.  While it is understood that Charlie Villanueva can play the three, he is often injured and is too big to be playing the wing on defense.  A selection of Corey Brewer would have spelled the biggest need in Milwaukee.

Talent Selected? 4
Addressed Team Needs? Mostly
Steal or Bust?  Sessions could become a reliable point guard who can battle for the starter?s position if the Bucks fail to retain Maurice Williams.

Grade: C+

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks

Round 1: Al Horford (3rd), Acie Law IV (11th)
Round 2: None

The Hawks walked into the draft needing a point guard, a scorer from the block, and experience.  They almost addressed all three of these with their two lottery selections.  Both Al Horford and Acie Law IV are experienced winners and will be able to provide immediate impact in Atlanta.  However, while they didn?t add an experienced league veteran, they upgraded their two weakest positions immediately.  I love the landing of Acie Law, who could prove to be a steal ? even at the 11th pick ? in this draft.

Talent Selected? 5
Addressed Team Needs? Yes
Steal or Bust?  Neither.

Grade: A

Charlotte Bobcats

Round 1: Jared Dudley (22nd)
Round 2: Jermareo Davidson (36th)

The Bobcats also dealt the rights to the 8th pick, Brandon Wright, to the Golden State Warriors for shooting guard Jason Richardson.  With glaring needs at the two and three positions, the Bobcats hit the nail on the head.  Richardson is a great athletic scorer and Dudley is a hard nosed player who can provide a team the glue it needs in order to squeak out those victories won solely on heart.  

Talent Selected? 4
Addressed Team Needs? Yes
Steal or Bust?  Neither.

Grade: B

Miami Heat

Round 1: Daequan Cook (21st)
Round 2: None

With aging talent at every position, the Heat snatched one of the players with the most talent and potential in the draft.  Daequan Cook is a young athletic scorer that is capable of getting hot and scoring in streaks, much like Daniel Gibson.  The Heat also added some insurance behind Dwayne Wade, now that Jason Kapono has bolted South Beach for much much colder winters.

Talent Selected? 4
Addressed Team Needs? Yes
Steal or Bust?  Neither.

Grade: B

Orlando Magic

Round 1: None
Round 2: Milovan Rakovic (60th)

The Magic landed this Serbian big man with the final pick in the draft.  After dealing away their first round pick to Detroit for Darko Milicic, it is beginning to look like that deal may have been a disaster for the Magic.  With Darko likely to sign elsewhere and the Pistons landing the exciting and dynamic Rodney Stuckey with their pick, the Magic have little to show following one of the most memorable Draft Nights in recent history.

Talent Selected? 2
Addressed Team Needs? No
Steal or Bust?  Unlikely.

Grade: D

Washington Wizards

Round 1: Nick Young (16th)
Round 2: Dominic McGuire (47th)

Nick Young could have easily been a top ten selection in any of the past five NBA Drafts.  With little depth at shooting guard, expect to see a deadly starting backcourt of Gilbert Arenas and Nick Young by the All Star break.  Washington also gained another incredible athlete to back up Caron Butler at the wing position.  The only reason the Wizards do not land an overall grade of an ?A? is because they failed to address their drama and deficiencies at the center position.

Talent Selected? 5
Addressed Team Needs? Mostly
Steal or Bust?  If McGuire can gain a strong jump shot, this tremendous athlete could be a steal.

Grade: B+

Agree? Disagree?  Feel free to contact Jason M. Williams with your thoughts.  He can be reached at [email protected] for comments or questions.