With two years under their belt some of the NBA's sophomore players are becoming game changers. There have been some surprises both good and bad. I will go through and redraft the first round of the 2009'10 draft and give ratings of the top 30 players in the class.
1. Clippers- Actual pick Blake Griffin, Redraft Blake Griffin- Griffin missed his rookie season with a severe knee injury. When this season began noone knew what to expect, critics said that he would not be effective because all he knew how to do was dunk, he was injury prone, his arms were too short. They were all wrong, Griffin came out from day one and proved people wrong. He was dominant on the glass averaging 12 rebounds per game, and he was just as impressive on the offensive end averaging 23 points. The most impressive thing is that he showed that he still hasn't even began to get to his potential. Blake could easily be one of the top 3 players in the league in a few years.
2. Grizzlies-Actual pick Hasheem Thabeet, Redraft Stephen Curry- Thabeet has turned out to be a bust so far and was traded away mid season. Curry on the other hand has turned into a great player. Its true that Conley had a very good season this year, but the combination of the two could have been awesome. Curry can play the point and two guard against smaller 2 guards. He is a crafty passer and can create his own shot. He has been called the closest thing to steve nash out there, and we all know how great of a shooter Curry is.
3. Thunder- Actual pick James Harden, Redraft James Harden- I considered Wesley Matthews here because James Harden hasn't turned out the way most people though he would. He spent his rookie year averaging only 10 points off the bench for a young talented Oklahoma squad. This year began in the same way, but a midseason trade of Jeff Green opened a role as a scorer for Harden and he has not dissapointed. Since the trade he has averaged over 16 points per game and he has really started to find his stride. There may be a few players who have produced more, but for this team he is a perfect fit because he does not need the ball to be productive. He plays like a veteran letting the ball come to him in the flow of the offense.
4. Kings- Actual pick Tyreke Evans, Redraft Jrue Holiday- Jrue Holiday struggled his rookie year but this year he showed marked improvement. He is a shut down defender and he has extremely improved his offensive game. He brings leadership and toughness to the court every night. He is also the youngest player in this class and his ceiling is sky high. The Kings would have been better off taking Holiday over Evans because of the character issues Evans has had and Holiday is a more pure point guard who can still score the ball.
5 Timberwolves- Actual pick Ricky Rubio, Redraft Tyreke Evans- Rubio is still over in Europe and we don't know if he will ever come over, not to mention he played terrible in his Euro league this year. Evans was the rookie of the year last year, but this year he has been plagued by numerous injuries. His jumper hasn't improved much, but he can still score the ball in bunches. During his rookie season he averaged 5 assists per game, but this year he did not match that production. He is still a very good player, but he needs to work on distributing the ball if he wants to stay at the point guard position.
6.Timberwolves- Actual pick Jonny Flynn, Redraft DeMar DeRozan- DeRozan has turned into a very good scoring guard. He has amazing athleticism and has improved his jump shot this season, although it still has a way to go. He looks to be a player that could improve even more in his 3rd season and could become a big time player. Minnesota would of had a physically huge and athletic starting 1 and 2 if this scenario had worked out.
7.Warriors- Actual pick Stephen Curry. Redraft Serge Ibaka- Ibaka has been a huge surprise for the Thunder. He is a rising star in this league, and you can catch him in the highlight reels throwing down an incredible dunk almost every night. He has a good jump shot and is a good free throw shooter for a big man his size, and more importantly his age. He is quickly becoming a dominant big man in this league, and is just what the Warriors need.
8.Knicks- Actual pick Jordan Hill Redraft Ricky Rubio- If this Ricky had actually fell this far he might already be in the NBA playing in NY. Some say that Ricky will be an amazing player becase of his floor vision and size, but so far he has struggled in Euro league. He needs to improve his shot but we all know he is a great passer and would be great in D'Antoni's system. I am skeptical of his potential, but he could fit in NY.
9. Raptors- Actual pick DeMar DeRozan, Redraft Wesley Mathews Jr- Wesley has turned out to be a very good player and the steal of this draft. Matthews went undrafted, but caught a lucky break on the Jazz last season. He is a player that does everything very well. He has proven he can be a starting guard in the league and he has improved along the way. The most impressive improvement he has made is his 3 point range, shooting over 40%. He still has room to grow now that he is a mainstay in the starting lineup, and there is no reason to think he won't do it.
10. Bucks- Actual pick Brandon Jennings, Redraft Brandon jennings- Jennings had a great first half of his rookie year and then kind of dropped off, not saying he didn't play well he just couldn't maintain his extremely high level of play. This year he has been consistently productive for the Bucks. He has battled some injuries, but he has improved his shot selection and knows how to get everyone into the game. He seems to be a good fit in Milwaukee.
11. Nets- Actual pick Terrence Williams, Redraft DeJuan Blair- Williams has already been traded away after producing nothing but headaches for the Nets. Blair would have been a solid player to put next to Lopez. Despite knee concerns and being undersized Blair has continued to be a beast in the paint. Lopez is a little light on the glass and Blair has the perfect attitude to make up for it.
12. Bobcats- Actual pick Gerald Henderson, Redraft Marcus Thornton- Thornton has turned out to be one of the most deadly, and streaky, scorers in the draft. He would give the Bobcats a dangerous outside threat, which they currently lack. Thornton averaged 20 points per game after a midseason trade landed him in Sacramento. Not only is he a scorer but he can play some decent defense as well. The only knock on him is that he is undersized, but that hasn't held him up one bit.
13. Pacers- Actual pick Tyler Hansbrough, Redraft Darren Collison- Darren Collison has already landed with Indiana via trade, but I really like the fit with Granger and Hibbert. Collison is incredibly fast with the ball in transition and knows how to get the ball to the open man in the half court. He has a knack for getting deep into the lane against other teams defenses and he knows how to either finish with a patented floated or kick it out to the 3 point shooters.
14.Suns- Actual pick Earl Clark, Redraft Ty Lawson- Lawson would be awesome in Phoenix's fast break offense. He would be the new point guard after Nash retires. Lawson has proven he can get the job done at this level. He is one of the fastest players in the league and he has learned how to finish in traffic, he has also worked on his 3 point shot.
15. Pistons- Actual pick Austin Daye, Redraft Tyler Hansbrough- Hansbrough is a Detroit kind of player. He is a tough, hard working, big man with a relentless motor. He has proven doubters wrong and showed that he can make a jumper, rebound against more athletic players, and finish around the rim. He will never be a star but he is the kind of tough minded scrappy players coaches love.
16. Bulls- Actual pick James Johnson, redraft Taj Gibson- The Bulls get Taj earlier this time around. Taj is a NBA caliber player for sure. Gibson showed he is a reliable defender and rebounder and can consistently make open jumpers. He has been a nice surprise for the Bulls and is a key part to their front line rotation.
17. 76ers- Actual pick Jrue Holiday, Redraft Jonny Flynn-Jonny Flynn is a quick point guard who could have been effective on the fast break with all of that athletic ability they have. He had a nice rookie campaign, but sat out the first half of this season recovering from a hip injury and has never fully recovered. His status on the Wolves is up in the air and he might be used for trade bait.
18. Timberwolves- Actual pick Ty Lawson, Redraft Hasheem Thabeet- With so many picks the Wolves would take a chance on Thabeet. So far Thabeet has done nothing with his chance in the NBA, but who knows Anthony Randolph and Beasley have both played better in Minnesota. If Thabeet could find himself there he still has a ton of potential to empact the game. His main problem is that he is an offensive liability and he is a fouling machine. If he could score or block shots at the same rate he fouls he might be up for all star consideration.
19. Hawks- Actual pick Jeff Teague, Redraft Eric Maynor- I think maynor is underrated because he comes off the bench for a good team, he doesn't get the attention or stats that others do. Maynor is a very steady and reliable player who already played like a veteran when he joined the league. He can lead a team and is a great back up because of his IQ, steady mid range jumper, and leadership.
20. Jazz- Actual pick Eric Maynor, Redraft Jodie Meeks- The Jazz need a shooting guard and Jodie Meeks would have filled that hole. Meeks has had some good games this season, although he is a streaky score. He has a nice outside game, but he has trouble scoring at the rim because he does not have elite athleticism and does not have ideal height for a 2 guard.
21. Hornets- Actual pick Darren Collison, Redraft Gerald Henderson- Genderson has come on for some big games late this season. He is an athletic player and could have been a nice complement to Ariza and Paul. Henderson can get to the rim and finish and he is improving his mid range shot. He could still become a good player in the league.
22. Trailblazers- Actual pick Victor Claver, Redraft Jordan Hill- The Blazers seem to be good at developing young raw talents such as Lamarcus Aldridge. Jordan Hill has showed some signs of being a good payer, but cant seem to put it together consistently. He could have been an athletic front court big man off the bench for the Blazers who need all the help they can get in that area.
23. Kings- Actual pick Omri Casspi, Redraft Earl Clark- Clark has shown some signs since he's been in Orlando. He barely played at all in Phoenix and they gave up on him. He struggles with his jump shot, but he has some moves in the post. He is very versatile and can take larger players off the dribble and post up smaller players. He still has a lot of work to do, but he still has a ton of potential.
24. Mavericks- Actual pick B.J. Mullens, Redraft Rodrigue Beaubois- The Mavs acquired Beaubois from the Thunder on draft day, so in this draft we will forgo the trade and have the Mavs pick him at 24. Beaubois has a lot of potential but injuries have preventing him from making a full impact.
25. Thunder- Actual pick Rodrigue Beaubois, Redraft Austin Daye- The Thunder actually ended up with Mullens in this draft and he is still in the D league. Austin Daye could back up Durant and fill in for Jeff Green's departure. He is a player that is progressing, he is shooting better and is hitting the glass more consistently this year. He still needs to add a lot of weight and strength.
26. Bulls- Actual pick Taj Gibson, Redraft Wayne Ellington- Ellington has had some big games for the Wolves this season, but he has not been able to keep the effort up consistently. He has an accurate jumper with 3 point range, but he is a bit one dimensional. He could still develop into a consistently productive player in the right system and environment.
27. Grizzlies Actual pick Demarre Carroll, Redraft Omri Casspi-Omri had is playing decently for the Kings off the bench, but he is not having the same impact as he did last year. He is still a tough player who has some range on his jumper. He will stick in the league for a long time because of how hard he competes.
28. Timberwolves Actual pick Wayne Ellington, Redraft Jeff Teague- Jeff teague is starting in Atlanta, but his has struggled with shot selection and turnovers this season. He could improve into a decent starter but he will never be an all star. I think he would be better off the bench, where he could make an impact with his athleticism.
29. Lakers- Actual pick Toney Douglas, Redraft Chase Budinger- Budinger would have been a nice back up for the champs. He can come off the bench and drain threes and he is athletic enough to get to the hoop.
30 Cavaliers- Actial pick Christian Eyenga, Redraft Toney Douglas- Douglas has proved he can play at the point guard position after critics said he was a tweener. He is a very athletic defender at the point guard position and he has worked on the ability to nail the three.
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| Blake Griffin dunked over his opponents all season. |
2. Grizzlies-Actual pick Hasheem Thabeet, Redraft Stephen Curry- Thabeet has turned out to be a bust so far and was traded away mid season. Curry on the other hand has turned into a great player. Its true that Conley had a very good season this year, but the combination of the two could have been awesome. Curry can play the point and two guard against smaller 2 guards. He is a crafty passer and can create his own shot. He has been called the closest thing to steve nash out there, and we all know how great of a shooter Curry is.
3. Thunder- Actual pick James Harden, Redraft James Harden- I considered Wesley Matthews here because James Harden hasn't turned out the way most people though he would. He spent his rookie year averaging only 10 points off the bench for a young talented Oklahoma squad. This year began in the same way, but a midseason trade of Jeff Green opened a role as a scorer for Harden and he has not dissapointed. Since the trade he has averaged over 16 points per game and he has really started to find his stride. There may be a few players who have produced more, but for this team he is a perfect fit because he does not need the ball to be productive. He plays like a veteran letting the ball come to him in the flow of the offense.
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| Jrue Holiday looks like he is the real deal. |
5 Timberwolves- Actual pick Ricky Rubio, Redraft Tyreke Evans- Rubio is still over in Europe and we don't know if he will ever come over, not to mention he played terrible in his Euro league this year. Evans was the rookie of the year last year, but this year he has been plagued by numerous injuries. His jumper hasn't improved much, but he can still score the ball in bunches. During his rookie season he averaged 5 assists per game, but this year he did not match that production. He is still a very good player, but he needs to work on distributing the ball if he wants to stay at the point guard position.
6.Timberwolves- Actual pick Jonny Flynn, Redraft DeMar DeRozan- DeRozan has turned into a very good scoring guard. He has amazing athleticism and has improved his jump shot this season, although it still has a way to go. He looks to be a player that could improve even more in his 3rd season and could become a big time player. Minnesota would of had a physically huge and athletic starting 1 and 2 if this scenario had worked out.
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| Serge has become a premier shot blocker. |
8.Knicks- Actual pick Jordan Hill Redraft Ricky Rubio- If this Ricky had actually fell this far he might already be in the NBA playing in NY. Some say that Ricky will be an amazing player becase of his floor vision and size, but so far he has struggled in Euro league. He needs to improve his shot but we all know he is a great passer and would be great in D'Antoni's system. I am skeptical of his potential, but he could fit in NY.
9. Raptors- Actual pick DeMar DeRozan, Redraft Wesley Mathews Jr- Wesley has turned out to be a very good player and the steal of this draft. Matthews went undrafted, but caught a lucky break on the Jazz last season. He is a player that does everything very well. He has proven he can be a starting guard in the league and he has improved along the way. The most impressive improvement he has made is his 3 point range, shooting over 40%. He still has room to grow now that he is a mainstay in the starting lineup, and there is no reason to think he won't do it.
10. Bucks- Actual pick Brandon Jennings, Redraft Brandon jennings- Jennings had a great first half of his rookie year and then kind of dropped off, not saying he didn't play well he just couldn't maintain his extremely high level of play. This year he has been consistently productive for the Bucks. He has battled some injuries, but he has improved his shot selection and knows how to get everyone into the game. He seems to be a good fit in Milwaukee.
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| Blair is a beast down low despite being undersized. |
12. Bobcats- Actual pick Gerald Henderson, Redraft Marcus Thornton- Thornton has turned out to be one of the most deadly, and streaky, scorers in the draft. He would give the Bobcats a dangerous outside threat, which they currently lack. Thornton averaged 20 points per game after a midseason trade landed him in Sacramento. Not only is he a scorer but he can play some decent defense as well. The only knock on him is that he is undersized, but that hasn't held him up one bit.
13. Pacers- Actual pick Tyler Hansbrough, Redraft Darren Collison- Darren Collison has already landed with Indiana via trade, but I really like the fit with Granger and Hibbert. Collison is incredibly fast with the ball in transition and knows how to get the ball to the open man in the half court. He has a knack for getting deep into the lane against other teams defenses and he knows how to either finish with a patented floated or kick it out to the 3 point shooters.
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| Lawson's speed is often unmatched on the court. |
15. Pistons- Actual pick Austin Daye, Redraft Tyler Hansbrough- Hansbrough is a Detroit kind of player. He is a tough, hard working, big man with a relentless motor. He has proven doubters wrong and showed that he can make a jumper, rebound against more athletic players, and finish around the rim. He will never be a star but he is the kind of tough minded scrappy players coaches love.
16. Bulls- Actual pick James Johnson, redraft Taj Gibson- The Bulls get Taj earlier this time around. Taj is a NBA caliber player for sure. Gibson showed he is a reliable defender and rebounder and can consistently make open jumpers. He has been a nice surprise for the Bulls and is a key part to their front line rotation.
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| Gibson is a key contributor on the Bulls. |
18. Timberwolves- Actual pick Ty Lawson, Redraft Hasheem Thabeet- With so many picks the Wolves would take a chance on Thabeet. So far Thabeet has done nothing with his chance in the NBA, but who knows Anthony Randolph and Beasley have both played better in Minnesota. If Thabeet could find himself there he still has a ton of potential to empact the game. His main problem is that he is an offensive liability and he is a fouling machine. If he could score or block shots at the same rate he fouls he might be up for all star consideration.
19. Hawks- Actual pick Jeff Teague, Redraft Eric Maynor- I think maynor is underrated because he comes off the bench for a good team, he doesn't get the attention or stats that others do. Maynor is a very steady and reliable player who already played like a veteran when he joined the league. He can lead a team and is a great back up because of his IQ, steady mid range jumper, and leadership.
20. Jazz- Actual pick Eric Maynor, Redraft Jodie Meeks- The Jazz need a shooting guard and Jodie Meeks would have filled that hole. Meeks has had some good games this season, although he is a streaky score. He has a nice outside game, but he has trouble scoring at the rim because he does not have elite athleticism and does not have ideal height for a 2 guard.
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| Henderson has often showed off his athleticism. |
22. Trailblazers- Actual pick Victor Claver, Redraft Jordan Hill- The Blazers seem to be good at developing young raw talents such as Lamarcus Aldridge. Jordan Hill has showed some signs of being a good payer, but cant seem to put it together consistently. He could have been an athletic front court big man off the bench for the Blazers who need all the help they can get in that area.
23. Kings- Actual pick Omri Casspi, Redraft Earl Clark- Clark has shown some signs since he's been in Orlando. He barely played at all in Phoenix and they gave up on him. He struggles with his jump shot, but he has some moves in the post. He is very versatile and can take larger players off the dribble and post up smaller players. He still has a lot of work to do, but he still has a ton of potential.
24. Mavericks- Actual pick B.J. Mullens, Redraft Rodrigue Beaubois- The Mavs acquired Beaubois from the Thunder on draft day, so in this draft we will forgo the trade and have the Mavs pick him at 24. Beaubois has a lot of potential but injuries have preventing him from making a full impact.
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| Daye has displayed an improving all around game. |
26. Bulls- Actual pick Taj Gibson, Redraft Wayne Ellington- Ellington has had some big games for the Wolves this season, but he has not been able to keep the effort up consistently. He has an accurate jumper with 3 point range, but he is a bit one dimensional. He could still develop into a consistently productive player in the right system and environment.
27. Grizzlies Actual pick Demarre Carroll, Redraft Omri Casspi-Omri had is playing decently for the Kings off the bench, but he is not having the same impact as he did last year. He is still a tough player who has some range on his jumper. He will stick in the league for a long time because of how hard he competes.
28. Timberwolves Actual pick Wayne Ellington, Redraft Jeff Teague- Jeff teague is starting in Atlanta, but his has struggled with shot selection and turnovers this season. He could improve into a decent starter but he will never be an all star. I think he would be better off the bench, where he could make an impact with his athleticism.
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| Budinger can finish at the hoop when he gets in the lane. |
30 Cavaliers- Actial pick Christian Eyenga, Redraft Toney Douglas- Douglas has proved he can play at the point guard position after critics said he was a tweener. He is a very athletic defender at the point guard position and he has worked on the ability to nail the three.
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