Nba Draft Helps Some Very Little

On draft day, all teams think they did a great job. Well, it’s five days after the NBA draft, and not only have many teams failed to improve their roster, some teams could have done better by not participating at all.

Here’s an assessment (overall draft position in parenthesis):

Atlanta Hawks

Picks: Alan Henderson, F, Indiana (16); Donnie Boyce, G, Colorado (42); Troy Brown, F, Providence (45); Cuonzo Martin, G, Purdue (57).

Grade: C-. Isiah Thomas and Mike Woodson are the only Indiana players in the past 15 years to perform well in the NBA. But Boyce is a tremendous talent who suffered serious leg injuries as a senior.

Boston Celtics

Picks: Eric Williams, F-G, Providence, (14); Junior Burrough, F, Virginia (33).

Grade: B. Williams reminds one of a young, strong, healthy Derek Smith. He can play defense and has a quick first step.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Picks: Bob Sura, G, Florida State (17); Donny Marshall, F, Connecticut (39).

Grade: C. Sura is a solid choice. Marshall is more of a question mark as a strong running, inconsistently shooting small forward.

Charlotte Hornets

Pick: George Zidek, C, UCLA (22).

Grade: C. Zidek has skills and potential for growth. He’s probably liked more here than in most circles.

Chicago Bulls

Picks: Jason Caffey, F, Alabama (20); Dragan Tarlac, F, Greece (31).

Grade: D. Caffey has skills, but Mario Bennett’s left knee would have had to be disconnected from the rest of his leg before he should have been passed up.

Dallas Mavericks

Picks: Cherokee Parks, F, Duke (12); Loren Meyer, F, Iowa State (24).

Grade: D. Dick Motta was the man behind this draft, and neither of these guys appear to have NBA toughness. Both are technically sound, though, and capable of handling the high-post position Motta favors for his centers.

Denver Nuggets

Picks: Brent Barry, G, Oregon State, (15); Anthony Pelle, C, Fresno State (44).

Grade: A. The rights to Barry and forwards Rodney Rogers and Brian Williams were dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers for Antonio McDyess.

Detroit Pistons

Picks: Theo Ratliff, F, Wyoming, (18); Randolph Childress, G, Wake Forest (19); Lou Roe, F, Massachusetts (30); Don Reid, F, Georgetown (56).

Grade: C. New bigwig Doug Collins traded No. 8 for Nos. 18 and Otis Thorpe in a deal that has yet to be completed. Childress reportedly will go to Portland. Thorpe will provide immediate help, but this team really could have used Childress.

Golden State Warriors

Picks: Joe Smith, F, Maryland (1); Andrew DeClerq, F, Florida (34); Dwayne Whitfield, F, Jackson State (40); Martin Lewis, F, Seward County CC (50); Michael McDonald, F, New Orleans (55).

Grade: A. Smith makes this draft. He could be an All-Star very quickly if the Warriors stay healthy. Their final three picks reportedly are headed to Toronto for B.J. Armstrong, who will back up Tim Hardaway and Latrell Sprewell. Not bad.

Houston Rockets

Pick: Erik Meek, F-C, Duke (41).

Grade: D. They don’t need much and may have gotten less.

Indiana Pacers

Picks: Travis Best, G, Georgia Tech (23); Fred Hoiberg, G, Iowa State (52).

Grade: C. Best can score, and he can make plays. The rap is he needs the ball too much.

L.A. Clippers

Picks: Antonio McDyess, F, Alabama (2); Constantin Popa, C, Miami (53).

Grade: D. They traded McDyess, a sure-fire defensive force with strong offensive potential for the erratic but athletic Williams, the offensively oriented Rogers and Barry, who needs only to add strength to be good. Popa is strictly a project.

L.A. Lakers

Pick: Frankie King, G, Western Carolina (37).

Grade: B. He’s built like a rock (6-foot-1, 185) and can score (30 against Duke, 35 vs. Tennessee and 41 against Louisville). He’s been playing in the Sacramento Pro Summer League.

Miami Heat

Picks: Kurt Thomas, F, TCU (10); George Banks, F, UTEP (46).

Grade: B. The mark includes the acquisition of rookie guard Terence Rencher and veteran guard Rex Chapman from Washington for forward Jeff Webster and center Ed Stokes. In terms of talent, the Heat abused the Bullets, although Webster is a scorer.

Milwaukee Bucks

Picks: Gary Trent, F, Ohio (11); Rashard Griffith, C, Wisconsin (38); Eric Snow, G, Michigan State (43).

Grade: C. May have gotten outfoxed, as they traded a 1996 first-rounder to move up to No. 8 in hopes of grabbing Damon Stoudamire. They then traded Trent to Portland for Shawn Respert, a strong player with a lethal jumper and good disposition.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Picks: Kevin Garnett, F-C, Farragut Academy (Chicago), (5); Mark Davis, F, Texas Tech (48); Jerome Allen, G, Penn (49).

Grade: B. No one knows what kind of player Garnett will become, but he has all the tools.

New Jersey Nets

Pick: Ed O’Bannon, F, UCLA (9).

Grade: A. Hard to do better than this kid. His surgically repaired knee scared off some, but he may make the quickest impact of any player in the draft.

New York Knicks

Picks: No selection.

Grade: None. But they still did better than the Clippers.

Orlando Magic

Pick: David Vaughn, F, Memphis (25).

Grade: C-. Vaughn suffered a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee as a sophomore but still blocks shots and rebounds.

Philadelphia 76ers

Pick: Jerry Stackhouse, F-G, North Carolina (3).

Grade: A. VP/coach John Lucas waited out Golden State and the Clippers and got the player he wanted without giving up anything.

Phoenix Suns

Picks: Michael Finley, F-G, Wisconsin (21); Mario Bennett, F, Arizona State (27); Chris Carr, G, Southern Illinois (56).

Grade: A. No team got more athleticism and talent considering its draft slots.

Sacramento Kings

Picks: Corliss Williamson, F, Arkansas (13); Tyus Edney, G, UCLA (47); Dejan Bodiroga, F, Italy (51).

Grade: B. It’s hard to argue with the talent level they got with the first two choices. Williamson has star potential despite the critics’ knock of size. If Edney can do any of that racehorse stuff he did for the Bruins, he’ll earn a spot and force another move by Geoff Petrie.

San Antonio Spurs

Picks: Cory Alexander, G, Virginia (29).

Grade: C. Alexander has big-time skill with a small-time right ankle. If he can stay healthy, he can play well.

Seattle SuperSonics

Picks: Sherell Ford, F, Illinois-Chicago (26); Eurelijas Zukaukas, F, Lithuania (54).

Grade: B-. Ford’s shooting ability was impressive during workouts, and that fills a need.

Toronto Raptors

Picks: Damon Stoudamire, G, Arizona (7); Jimmy King, G, Michigan (35).

Grade: B. Stoudamire can score and assist but will have to become a better defensive player. King may become one of the best guards taken in this draft. He is extremely versatile.

Utah Jazz

Picks: Greg Ostertag, C, Kansas (28).

Grade: F. The worst pick of the first round. Check that, make it the draft.

Vancouver Grizzlies

Picks: Bryant Reeves, C, Oklahoma State (6); Lawrence Moten, G, Syracuse (36).

Grade: D-. Reeves had as much business going ahead of Stoudamire, O’Bannon, Williamson and Bennett as big-headed Porky Pig. He can score, but th-th-that’s all, folks.

Washington Bullets

Picks: Rasheed Wallace, F-C, North Carolina (4); Terence Rencher, G, Texas (32).

Grade: C. Wallace’s athleticism and talent is strong, but he’ll have to harness his emotion.