NBA 2014 Draft Recap

6/28/2014

Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for coming as we will now begin the 2014 NBA Draft.

Ryan Fox (@Spider_Fox87)

Well after many weeks of deliberation, mock drafts, and even trade scenarios, the night had finally come. Last Thursday night, the NBA had its 68th Annual Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Many NBA fans watched on to see which one of the many young prospects their team will select to guide them for the years to come.

The mood of this year's draft played a lot differently compared to the 2013 NBA Draft. During that draft, former NBA Commissioner David Stern tried to play up the ‘heel’ role, relishing in the and egging on people for their discontent.

This time around, new NBA Commissioner Adam Silver brought an enthusiastic attitude and eagerness that the crowd sensed. Thus every time Silver made an announcement, he was greeted by cheers and applause.

Now after a long awaited period and speculation, the NBA Draft Final happen. If you missed it, here’s the recap of what happened on that fateful evening in Brooklyn.

First Round:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers – SG Andrew Wiggins, 6-8, 200 lbs, Kansas - This was the Cavaliers 3rd time in 4 years that they had the number one overall pick. With that selection, they took Andrew Wiggins. He did one year at Kansas, putting up 17.1 ppg and 5.9 rpg, getting Big-12 All-Team. Be interesting to see if he sticks with the Cavs, since they already have a shooting guard they drafted (Dion Waters).

2. Milwaukee Bucks – SF Jabari Parker, 6-8, 235 lbs, Duke – After Wiggins was taken, the Bucks got the guy they wanted. Parker had 19.1 ppg, and 8.7 rpg (team highs) in his one year at Duke and was named to All-ACC Rookie team that year. His defense is a little shaky but since the Bucks have a big man in defense (F/C Larry Sanders), they just need a scorer and Parker fits that description.

3. Philadelphia 76ers – C Joel Embiid, 7-0, 250lbs, Kansas – The second Jayhawk taken off the board. Missed his final 6 games at Kansas this past season due to a lower back stress fracture. However he still finished with an impressive stat line for his college career (11.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.4 apg, 2.6 bpg). It will be really interesting to see how Embiid and 76ers’ big man lottery pick from last year(C Nerlens Noel) will coexist since both play the same position.

4. Orlando Magic – PF Aaron Parker, 6-8, 230lbs, Kansas – Was named to the 1st Team All-Pac 12 in the NCCA 2013-14. The Magic add a young, athletic talent in the forward position who can play physical down in the paint.

5. Utah Jazz – PG Dante Exum, 6-6, 196 lbs, Melbourne, Australia – The first foreign players taken and perhaps most enigmatic player in this draft, Exum wowed scouts with his athleticism and ball handling skills. The good news for the Jazz is that Exum can play both point and shooting guard positions, which will free up PG Trey Burke for scoring.

6. Boston Celtics – PG Marcus Smart, 6-3, 227 lbs, Oklahoma State – A player highly sought by Danny Ainge, Smart lead OSU in scoring (18.0 ppg), assists (4.7 rpg), and steals (2.8 spg). Though there is some concern about Smart’s character (see 2/14/14 Texas Tech incident where Smart got into altercation with fans in stand), he will more than not replace current Celtics PG Rajon Rondo (who will more than not be traded in the future).

7. Los Angeles Lakers – PF Julius Randle, 6-9, 250lbs, Kentucky – Considered to be the most physical power forward in this draft, Randle gives the Lakers a young, strong big men that they could develop in the years to come.

8. Sacramento Kings – SG Nik Stauskas, 6-6, 196 lbs, Michigan – For a while, there was speculation that the Kings would trade this pick. However they kept it and selected the 2013-14 Big 10 Player of the Year. Good news is that Stauskas is scorer with a good shooting range, which will pair nicely with PG Isiah Thomas in the backcourt.

9. Charlotte Hornets – PF Noah Vonleh, 6-9, 247 lbs, Indiana – The first pick of the new Hornets era was the big man from Indiana. A good shot blocker and rebounder, the plan is to work with current Hornets big man C Al Jefferson to add another big body down low.

10. * Philadelphia 76ers (Traded to Orlando Magic) – PG Elfrid Payton, 6-4, 185lbs, UL Lafayette – The Magic continue to add young talent to their roster with a trade with the 76ers for the rights of Payton. Considered to be a top defending point guard with a top scoring touch (19.2 ppg), Payton is a perfect complimentary piece to the Magic’s young SG Victor Oladipo.

* = Trade Breakdown
Orlando Magic Receive: PG Elfrid Payton
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: PF Dario Saric, 2015 2nd round pick, 2017 1st round pick

11. **Denver Nuggets (Traded to Chicago Bulls) – SF Doug McDermott , 6-7, 218lbs, Creighton – Lead the entire NCAA Division I in scoring last season with 26.7 ppg and is 5th all-time in scoring with 3,150 points. Also McDermott scored a majority of his shots while he was contested by a defender. This will help the Bulls (who traded for him) in two ways: 1. Provide a capable scorer when PG Derrick Rose is out with injuries and 2. A means to lure free agent SF Carmelo Anthony to Chicago.

** = Trade Breakdown
Chicago Bulls Receive: SF Doug McDermott
Denver Nuggets Receive: 16th and 19th picks overall in 2014 Draft, 2015 2nd round pick

12. *Orlando Magic (Traded to Philadelphia 76ers) – PF Dario Saric, 6-9, 223 lbs, Croatia – An interesting pick up for the 76ers from their trade with the Magic. Though Saric has a lot of versatility (can play small and power forward), along with good ball handling skills, and is a strong rebounder, the 76ers will have to wait for 3 years due to Saric’s contract obligations to his Croatian basketball club.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves – PG Zach LaVine, 6-5, 181 lbs, UCLA – This was a head scratcher for most NBA analysts. LaVine mostly played the backup guard at UCLA (9.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.8 apg in 24.4 mpg). While he is a strong athlete with a good 3-point shot (.375 in college), LaVine could just be seen as insurance for current Timberwolves PG Ricky Rubio, who has a history of injuries.

14. Phoenix Suns – SF T.J. Warren, 6-8, 220lbs, NC State – Provides a big time scoring effort (averaged 24.9 ppg) as well as has a good mid-range jump shot and good rebounder (7.1 rpg). The 2013-14 ACC Player of the Year will no doubt be an upgrade over current Suns SF (P.J. Tucker) and probably will be penciled in as a starter by Game 1.

15. Atlanta Hawks – PF Adreian Payne, 6-9, 239 lbs, Michigan State – Was the third best rebounder in the Big 10 Conference (7.1 rpg). Payne is also a big man that can shoot the 3 PT shot (.423) and is also a good free throw shooter (.790). Could possibly start at the Center position if he puts on more muscle weight.

16. **Chicago Bulls (Traded to Denver Nuggets) – C Jusuf Nurkic, 6-11, 280 lbs, Croatia – The good news for the Nuggets is that Nurkic is a physical big man who can grab rebounds as well as make up back baskets. The bad news is that he is prone to make quick fouls and has some maturity issues.

17. Boston Celtics – SG James Young, 6-7, 213lbs, Kentucky – Some insurance incase current Celtics SG Avery Bradley decides to sign somewhere else at the end of the 2014-15 season. However because of his size and ability to attack the basket, Young could play at the SF position and over time can end SF Jeff Green’s Celtics tenure.

18. Phoenix Suns – PG Tyler Ennis, 6-3, 182 lbs, Syracuse – An interesting pick for the Suns. Though Ennis is a good passer and distributor of the ball (5.5 apg) and rarely turns the ball over (1.7 tpg), the Suns already have a proven PG in Goran Dragic.

19. ** Chicago Bulls (Traded to Denver Nuggets) – SG Gary Harris 6-5, 205 lbs, Michigan St. – The second pick/player the Nuggets received from the Bulls from the McDermott trade. The good news is that Harris can shot the three point shot (.352) and free throws (.810). The bad news is that the Nuggets already have a SG in Randy Foye and re-acquired Aaron Afflalo in a trade with the Magic.

20. Toronto Raptors – SF Bruno Caboclo, 6-8, 205 lbs, Brazil – Perhaps the rawest of all the players in the draft. Not too much info on him, could be a desperation pick for the Raptors after missing out on Tyler Ennis to the Suns.

21. Oklahoma City Thunder – PF Mitch McGary, 6-10, 266lbs, Michigan – A big man that gives the Thunder a much needed physical player to play PF or C down low. However two major red flags: 1. Played only 8 games due to a back injury in his junior year and 2. Declared himself for the draft after it came out he was about to face an NCAA suspension due to drug use.

22. Memphis Grizzlies – SG Jordan Adams, 6-4, 209 lbs, UCLA – Set the UCLA single season steals record this past season with 95 as well as being a top scorer on the team (17.4 ppg). Adams scoring style could be complimentary to Grizzlies PG Michael Conley pass-first style.

23. Utah Jazz – SF Rodney Hood, 6-8, 208lbs, Duke - Adds some versatility for the Jazz, able to play both SF and SG. Hood is also a good perimeter shooter and free throw shooter and will be probably a replacement for Gordon Heyward, who is expected to leave via free agency.

24. *** Charlotte Hornets (Traded to Miami Heat) – PG Shabazz Napier, 6-1, 175lbs, University of Connecticut – An all-around strong PG. He can score (17.8 ppg), rebound (5.9 rpg), dish the ball (4.9 apg), and play stellar defense (1.8 spg). Not to mention that he is a good shooter (.425 FG) and can come through in big moments (See UConn’s NCAA tourney run). Was highly sought after by LeBron James, so perhaps Napier was selected to keep LeBron in Miami.

*** = Trade Breakdown
Miami Heat Receive: PG Shabazz Napier
Charlotte Hornets Receive: 26th pick overall, 55th pick overall, 2019 2nd round pick & cash considerations

25. Houston Rockets – PF Clint Capela, 6-10, 222lbs, Switzerland – This is an intriguing pick for the Rockets. Though athletic, there are some questions about his work ethic, attitude, and basketball IQ. Also with rumors swirling around the Rockets trying to acquire Carmelo Anthony, they drafted Capela to have his rights and acquire him next season.

26. ***Miami Heat (Traded to Charlotte Hornets) – SG P.J. Hairston, 6-5, 229 lbs, Texas Legends (NBA D-League) – Played in the NBA D-League last year (21.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.8 apg, .453 FG) and was considered to be a big-time scorer. However Hairston originally found his way into the D-League due to off-the-court transgressions during his tenure in North Carolina (accepting benefits on the side). Could be a high-risk, high-reward player for the Hornets.

27. Phoenix Suns – SG Bogdan Bogdanovic, 6-8, 208lbs, Serbia – A shooting specialist playing in the Euro League (.454 FG and .325 3PT in Adriatic League & .426 FG and .370 3PT in Euro League) who averaged nearly 15 ppg (14.8 ppg to be exact). Will probably be used mostly as a depth guy to produce points coming off the bench.

28. Los Angeles Clippers – SG C.J. Wilcox, 6-5, 222lbs, Washington – Another shooting specialist prospect (.453 FG, .391 3PT, .873 FT) drafted in the later round. Will be used more as a bench guy to spell Clippers PG Chris Paul or SG Jamaal Crawford.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder– SF Josh Huestis, 6-7, 230 lbs, Stanford – Although his numbers don’t speak much (11.5 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.2 apg in 36 games), he is considered to be a top defensive specialist. Most notable Huestis shut down Andrew Wiggins in the NCAA tournament, limiting the #1 pick overall to 4 points in 34 minutes.

30. San Antonio Spurs – SF Kyle Anderson, 6-9, 230lbs, UCLA – The last pick in the first round of the draft. Although he has size and can grab rebounds, Anderson still has some questions about his athleticism and his role on a team. Lucky for him, Anderson is coming into a situation where he has the right coach (Gregg Popovich) and right mentor (Tim Duncan) to set him on the right path.

Teams Without 1st Round Draft Picks: Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Portland TrailBlazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards

Second Round:

31. Milwaukee Bucks – SF Damien Inglis, 6-8, 240lbs, France
32. Philadelphia 76ers – SF K.J. McDaniels, 6-6, 196lbs, Clemson
33. Cleveland Cavaliers – SF Damien Inglis, 6-6, 215lbs, Virginia
34. New York Knicks – SF Cleanthony Early, 6-7, 210lbs, Wichita State
35. ****Utah Jazz (Traded to Memphis Grizzlies) – PF Jarnell Stokes, 6-9, 263lbs, Tennessee

**** = Trade Breakdown
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: PF Jarnell Stokes
Utah Jazz Receive: 2015 2nd round pick

36. Milwaukee Bucks – PF Johnny O’Bryant, 6-9, 257lbs, LSU
37. Toronto Raptors – SF DeAndre Daniels, 6-9, 196lbs, University of Connecticut
38. Detroit Pistons – PG Spencer Dinwiddie, 6-6, 205lbs, Colorado
39. Philadelphia 76ers – SF Jerami Grant, 6-8, 214lbs, Syracuse
40. Minnesota Timberwolves – SG Glenn Robinson III, 6-7, 211lbs, Michigan
41. Denver Nuggets – C Nikola Jokic, 6-11, 253lbs, Serbia
42. Houston Rockets – SG Nick Johnson, 6-3, 198lbs, Arizona
43. Atlanta Hawks – C Walter Tavares, 7-3, 265lbs, Spain
44. #Minnesota Timberwolves (Traded to Brooklyn Nets) – SG Markel Brown, 6-4, 184lbs, Oklahoma State

# = Trade Breakdown
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Cash Consideration
Brooklyn Nets Receive: SG Markel Brown

45. Charlotte Hornets – PF Dwight Powell, 6-11, 234lbs, Stanford
46. ##Washington Wizards (Traded to Los Angeles Lakers) – PG Jordan Clarkson, 6-5, 186lbs, Missouri

## = Trade Breakdown
Washington Wizards Receive: Cash Consideration
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: PG Jordan Clarkson

47. ###Philadelphia 76ers (Traded to New Orleans Pelicans) – PG Russ Smith, 6-1, 160lbs, Louisville

### = Trade Breakdown
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: The rights to 76ers G Pierre Jackson
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: PG Russ Smith

48. Milwaukee Bucks – SG Lamar Patterson, 6-5, 226lbs, Pittsburgh
49. Chicago Bulls – C Cameron Bairstow, 6-10, 252lbs, New Mexico
50. Phoenix Suns – C Alec Brown, 7-1, 230lbs, Green Bay
51. New York Knicks – SF Thanasis Antetokounmpo, 6-6, 205lbs, Delaware 87ers (NBA D-League)
52. Philadelphia 76ers – PG Vasilije, 6-5, 200lbs, Serbia
53. Minnesota Timberwolves – SF Alessandro Gentile, 6-7, 230lbs, Italy
54. ####Philadelphia 76ers (Traded to San Antonio Spurs) – SG Nemanja Dangubic, 6-8, 163lbs, Serbia

#### = Trade Breakdown
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: 58th & 60th picks overall
San Antonio Spurs Receive: SG Nemanja Dangubic

55. @Charlotte Hornets (Traded to Oklahoma City Thunder via Miami Heat) – PG Semaj Christon, 6-3, 186lbs, Xavier

@ = Trade Breakdown
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Cash Consideration
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: PG Semaj Christon

56. @@Denver Nuggets (Traded to Orlando Magic) – SF Roy Devyn Marble, 6-7, 192lbs, Iowa

@@ = Trade Breakdown
Denver Nuggets Receive: G/F Arron Afflalo
Orlando Magic Receive: SG Evan Fournier & SF Roy Devyn Marble

57. @@@Indiana Pacers (Traded to New York Knicks) – PF Louis Labeyrie, 6-10, 200lbs, France

@@@ = Trade Breakdown
Indiana Pacers Receive: Cash Consideration
New York Knicks Receive: PF Louis Labeyrie

58. #### San Antonio Spurs (Traded to Philadelphia 76ers) – SG Jordan McRae, 6-5, 179lbs, Tennessee
59. @@@@Toronto Raptors (Traded to Brooklyn Nets) – PG Xavier Thames, 6-4, 187lbs, San Diego State

@@@@ = Trade Breakdown
Toronto Raptors Receive: Cash Consideration
Brooklyn Nets Receive: PG Xavier Thames

60. +San Antonio Spurs (Traded to Brooklyn Nets via Philadelphia 76ers) – PF Cory Jefferson, 6-9, 218lbs, Baylor

+ = Trade Breakdown
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Cash Consideration
Brooklyn Nets Receive: PF Cory Jefferson

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