[Izulde]

Lottery Results
14. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Portland Traiblazers
12. Sacramento Kings
11. Phoenix Suns
10. Cleveland Cavaliers
9. Chicago Bulls (-1)
8. Denver Nuggets (-2)
7. Atlanta Hawks (-2)
6. New Orleans Pelicans (-2)
5. Miami Heat (-3)
4. Detroit Pistons (+5)
3. Washington Wizards (-2)
2. Memphis Grizzlies (+5)
1. Toronto Raptors (+1)

Huge win for the Pistons and Grizzlies here, leapfrogging into the Top 5 and 2 respectively. Miami has to feeling bitterly disappointed right now to crash so far. Nice to see all three Southeast teams drop in the order.

Awards
MVP
Damian Lillard - Portland Trailblazers

Defensive Player of the Year
Kristaps Porzingis - Dallas Mavericks

6th Man of the Year
Kevin Looney - Golden State Warriors

Rookie of the Year
Ja Morant - Memphis Grizzlies

Coach of the Year
Brad Stevens - Boston Celtics

All-League 1st Team
PG Damian Lillard - Portland Trailblazers
SG James Harden - Houston Rockets
SF LeBron James - Los Angeles Lakers
PF Kristaps Porzingis - Dallas Mavericks
CE Karl-Anthony Towns - Minnesota Timberwolves

All-League 2nd Team
PG Stephen Curry - Golden State Warriors
SG Devin Booker - Phoenix Suns
SF Paul George - Los Angeles Clippers
PF Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks
CE Nikola Vucevic - Orlando Magic

All-League 3rd Team
PG Kemba Walker - Boston Celtics
SG Bradley Beal - Washington Wizards
SF Kawhi Leonard - Los Angeles Clippers
PF Anthony Davis - Los Angeles Lakers
CE Joel Embiid - Philadelphia 76ers

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Damian Lillard - Portland Trailblazers
SG James Harden - Houston Rockets
SF LeBron James - Los Angeles Lakers
PF Kristaps Porzingis - Dallas Mavericks
CE Joel Embiid - Philadelphia 76ers

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Russell Westbrook - Houston Rockets
SG Jrue Holiday - New Orleans Pelicans
SF Paul George - Los Angeles Clippers
PF Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks
CE Andre Drummond - Detroit Pistons

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Ja Morant - Memphis Grizzlies
SG Kendrick Nunn - Miami Heat
SF Rui Hachimura - Washington Wizards
PF Brandon Clarke - Memphis Grizzlies
CE Bruno Fernando - Atlanta Hawks

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Darius Garland - Cleveland Cavaliers
SG RJ Barrett - New York Knicks
SF Cam Reddish - Atlanta Hawks
PF Zion Williamson - New Orleans Pelicans
CE Goga Bitadze - Indiana Pacers

I think Nerlens Noel got robbed of 6th Man of the Year. Biggest shock - Zion not exactly lighting the world on fire (11.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals), though I think he and Barrett both deserved to be on the 1st Team ahead of Nunn and Clarke. Very questionable voting there.

Michael Jordan is mad we didn't get it done against the Bucks, but says he'll give me another year. I talk him down to expecting only the playoffs next season in exchange for a cut in the player budget. Which is fine - we weren't going to be FA players if we renounced everyone anyway.

Not that I care about coach hiring, but David Joerger is tapped to lead the Heat and Mark Jackson becomes the top man for the Washington Wizards in Southeast head coach hiring news.

Pre-workout Notes
Some elite looking talent at first blush at the top of the draft. My scouts have been raving about Sam Murphy, a 21 year old, 6 foot PG out of UConn as an All-Star. He's slated to go 5th to the Heat in the mocks. I personally love the mocked 1st overall pick - Kirk Miller - a 6'9, 280 lbs 22 year old bulldog from Tulsa. Those thick horses are always tough for opponents to deal with, and the only knock I can see before the workout is IQ, which can be worked on. 20 year old Croatian Zvonimir Bicanic looks good too - a 6'9, 218 lbs hybrid forward with two-way game. Picked to go 3rd.

Draft class appears loaded with quality point guard depth. Talent falls off everywhere else once you get out of the lottery. So while big man is a need for us, we're going to be focusing heavily on the point guards - especially since Kadeem Allen proved last season he's a great reserve, but should never start.

When I dig deeper into these guys I feel like there's more talent than I thought at first glance. So we wind up going with a wide spread of positions in our workouts, including looking at some intriguing second round options, just in case we end up acquiring one via trade.

Draft Night
1. C Kirk Miller - Tulsa - Toronto Raptors
Exceptional player with no real weaknesses. He and Pascal Siakam are going to be a deadly All-NBA frontcourt duo together. It wouldn't shock me to see them be terrors that hint at Tim Duncan/David Robinson levels. Obviously not both Hall of Famers, but still really, really good.

2. PG Bruce Huggins - Alabama State - Memphis Grizzlies
People are shocked that he went this early, especially since at 6'2, he's too short to play the 2. And they already have Ja Morant. But I actually don't hate the pick. Huggins is a defense-first point who knows how to run the offense and won't eat shots from Morant. Do I think there's potentially better talent on the board? Yes. But this isn't as huge a reach as it looks at first blush.

3. PF Vicenc Estrada - Spain - Washington Wizards
A lot of mocknicks were super high on the 19 year old, one of the youngest players in the draft. I just don't see it, to be honest. Maybe he surprises everyone, but nothing really stood out to me, and I didn't work him out. Feels like a bust waiting to happen.

4. PG Sam Murphy - UConn - Detroit Pistons
I found out during the workouts why my staff kept screaming All-Star. This kid is absolutely going to score at will and probably be a darn good shooter while doing it. Floor general and defense skills are nothing to write home about, but his ability to create his own shot means he'll be the glitzy points producer who gets All-Star mentions.

Denver really wants Monte Morris back. They offer me Bol Bol. I laugh and say no. Then the Thunder offer me Steven Adams for Andrew Wiggins straight up. I can't say Yes fast enough. Sure he's two years older at 27, but I tried hard to get Adams last season and couldn't get it done. Plus, now I can boot Cody Zeller next summer with no regrets. It also lessens the pressure to resign Kenneth Faried. Still going to bring back Nerlens Noel, though.

5. SF Jamal Powell - Texas - Miami Heat
UGH!!!!!! This kid was my second favorite player in the class next to Kirk Miller and he goes to a division rival. Stellar two-way player who wowed me in workouts. Frankly I think he should have gone Top 3. This is a huge steal for the Heat.

6. SF Cordell Shannon - Maryland - New Orleans Pelicans
Boom-bust pick. He didn't impress me at all in workouts, but my staff and the talking heads swear he has elite, franchise-changing upside. All I saw was a super raw kid who looked vastly overrated in my opinion. We'll see what happens, but I'm betting on this bombing out.

7. PF Zvonimir Bicanic - Croatia - Atlanta Hawks
Sadly, a smart selection by our Southeast foes here. Really good all-around player by my lights. He fell according to the mock draft, and at 6'9, 218 lbs he has the size to play the 3, so I wish the Pelicans would have taken him instead.

8. PF Curtis Blake - Kansas - Denver Nuggets
Who? I seriously know nothing about this kid. Seems like a major, major reach here.

9. SG Kenyatta Granger - Baylor - Chicago Bulls
Bulldog defender with great handles. Average everywhere else. I personally really like this kid, but believe he was drafted higher than warranted. Honestly thought he'd go a little later.

10. PG William Jenkins - Arkansas - Cleveland Cavaliers
I'm stunned the Cavs made this pick when they already have Colin Sexton. Not only is Sexton supposedly their point guard of the future, Jenkins wasn't even close to the best point left in the class. Even the commentators are aghast at this selection.

There's two guys left on my board that I'd be happy to get. And one of them I would absolutely LOVE to draft. Let's see if I can move up from 18 to 11 and get him.

Nope.

11. PF Kenny Williams - Weber State - Phoenix Suns
The talking heads have been talking about this guy literally all night. Pretty talented player, but is so inconsistent his stock dropped right to about where I think he should be. This wasn't my guy, so I'm still hitting up the phone lines.

Charlotte Hornets receive
PG Cory Joseph
PF Nmanja Bjelica
#12
Sacramento Kings 2022 1st rounder
Sacramento Kings 2021 2nd rounder

Sacramento Kings receive
CE Cody Zeller
PG Devonte Graham
#18

Review will come later.

12. PG Xavier Smith - Oklahoma - Charlotte Hornets
The experts pan the pick, but whatever. I see a strong scorer with a good stroke, elite-level handles, and somebody who can be disruptive in forcing turnovers. Sure he's not a great passer or defender, but he's 6'3, so can push over to SG if need be. IMO, he'll be the galvanizing force we need. Averaged 19.9 points, 7.9 assists, and 1.6 steals playing for a Power 5 conference team. I love this kid. Then again, I'm not surprised the pick was panned - the general scouting had him at 2*. Our guys had him at 5*.

13. SF Leroy Rashaw - Arkansas - Portland Trailblazers
Good, safe selection. He was in play for 18 consideration if he was there. Not a world-beater by any means, but a jump-shot specialist who should be a solid contributor. Didn't see a starter out of him, necessarily, though.

14. PG Thomas Davis - Vanderbilt - Oklahoma City Thunder
The talking heads fall all over themselves praising this pick, and sure, his video looks really, really good. But when you look at his actual production at the college level, you're going eh... seems like a guy who has a lot of talent, but doesn't know how to put it all together to win games. Just couldn't buy the hype on him, especially since the SEC isn't exactly a hoops powerhouse like it is in football.

15. PF Richard Humphries - Boston College - Indiana Pacers
Terrible. Just terrible.

16. SG James Walton - Dayton - Brooklyn Nets
Came in highly rated in the college season and predraft period, but the more teams looked at him, the more they realized he was nothing special. Too bad. There were a lot better talents on the board to put next to Kyrie.

17. SF Brandon Anderson - Iowa - Dallas Mavericks
I personally didn't like him.

18. C Ryan Dryden - Michigan State - Sacramento Kings
Defense-only big man. Feels like a reach here, considering there's still talent on the board. Talking heads slammed the pick. So there's a chance Smith could still have been here - it depends on if the Thunder had him rated higher than Davis. Still glad I made the move, though - we got an extra first round pick out of it.

Honestly, there was one guy who I'd have dice-rolled on if I were the Kings. Let's see when he gets drafted. I'm going to skip the other picks. Only thing left is rotational defensive pieces of what I've scouted.

20. PG Bobby Spitler - UConn - Orlando Magic
Wait, one more mention. Spitler was the second guy on my list. Lights out handling and defense. Didn't contribute much to the Huskies' points because Jay Murphy was raining holy hell everywhere, but this is the kind of player every roster wants to have. Bar the Wizards screwing up their #3 pick, it's been a great draft for the Southeast.

21. SF Steve Joyce - Eastern Illinois - Golden State Warriors
My absolute fallback pick. My gut says he's the best pure defender in this class. Perfect piece alongside the Stephen Curry/D'Angelo Russell duo if he develops into a starter-level talent.

24. C Roy Bakken - Florida - Milwaukee Bucks
Major run on centers. Noting this guy because he was mocked to go in the teens but slipped to the end of the first. Put up really impressive stats in college and the video looks good, but when you actually see him work out, he looks like a bench player who dominated less-skilled opposition, but can't compete at the pros.

The guy I want to take a swing on is still there at #31, so I trade both future 2nd round picks to the Wizards and snatch up...

31. C Jason Minor - Cincinnati - Charlotte Hornets
He was in the draft preview video and my scouting department couldn't shut up about how awesome he was. At this point in the draft, he's worth taking the flier on, since I didn't give up any major assets.

Renouncements
After thinking long and hard about it, I renounce the rights to everyone but Joe Harris and Nerlens Noel. I can most likely bring Noel back, though Minor has me tempted to not. Harris pretty much *has* to return, but I also need to find a way of bringing him back while still getting under His Airness' budget restrictions, which isn't going to be easy.

Draft trades review and free agency next time.