The Golden Era | A Golden State Warriors Dynasty (NBA 2K20)

[marshdaddy]

2023 NBA Offseason - The Draft Lottery

The NBA can rest easy on this draft lottery night; the Warriors don’t have any draft pick, let alone a pick in the lottery. Barring a trade of some kind, Golden State will be sitting out the first round of the NBA Draft.

The Phoenix Suns, fresh off a 20-win season, enter the lottery with the best odds to take home the top pick. It’s a perilous time in the desert, as the Suns have shown regression rather than progression, which has driven franchise linchpins Devin Booker and DeAnre Ayton into frustration. Booker has just one year remaining on his contract before he enters unrestricted free agency, while Ayton enters his last contract before becoming unrestricted himself. They need to add talent, but is a high draft pick the talent they need?

Cleveland enters draft night with the second best odds to take home the top pick, and need to hit. Their first round picks a year ago, Emanuel Barkley (sixth overall) and Nico Claver (seventh overall) both struggled to crack the rotation. If they can’t find lottery luck they very well may be looking at an even longer rebuild than even they expected.

This is what happens when you trade all your draft capital for a few players. Houston, coming off a 30-52 season, will be sending their first round pick to the Timberwolves as part of the Robert Covington trade. Kareem Livingston, their third overall selection a year ago, continues to improve, but without the ability to fill in around him and their veteran backcourt, questions swirl if they’ll be able to keep things giong.

Lastly, what are we fighting for? What’s on the line? That would be Jason Sanders. Sanders is a talented small forward out of Arizona State who is widely considered by many to be the best player in the draft. Sound familiar? This year, however, seems to be different. While Ibraham Mobley was considered to be the top pick but fell to two, there aren’t as many high profile names that could unseat Sanders from the top overall pick. And the teams with the best odds, Phoenix, Cleveland and Brooklyn, could all benefit from a scoring wing like Sanders.

Full draft results below, original pick in parenthesis, but as always the story is first.

The end of the lottery was once again quiet, which considering the odds at that point shouldn’t be surprising. The Thunder, Grizzlies, Pistons, Timberwolves and Knicks all stayed put from 14-10. Someone should check the odds on the ninth overall pick though.

For the second straight year, the team with the ninth best odds jumped into the top four, this year being the Wizards claiming lottery luck. This pushed the Kings down to eight, with the Timberwolves, by way of Houston, fell into seven.

Then, unlike previous years, everything stayed quiet. The Bulls, originally slotted for six, fell to seven. The Pelicans, via the Lakers, clocked in with the sixth pick, down just one spot, and the Pacers fell from four to five.

This left the Suns, Cavs, Nets and jumping Wizards left in the top 4. If the lottery to this would be any indication, we shouldn’t be hearing gasps.

And we didn’t. The Wizards picked up the fourth overall pick, the only team in the Lottery to make a substantial jump.

Phoenix, however, wouldn’t be so lucky. After having the best odds for the top pick, the Suns logo appeared at three, leaving the Nets, rebuilding after the loss of both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Cleveland Cavaliers, one of the luckiest lottery teams of the last 20 years, left on the board.

The Nets would appear first, meaning the Cavaliers, like they had a number of times since the great haul of 2003, would have the first overall pick in the 2023 draft.

2023 NBA Draft
Pick	Team	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt
1 (2)	Cleveland Cavaliers
2 (3)	Brooklyn Nets
3 (1)	Phoenix Suns
4 (9)	Washington Wizards
5 (4)	Indiana Pacers
6 (5)	New Orleans Pelicans (via LAL)
7 (6)	Chicago Bulls
8 (7)	Minnesota Timberwolves (via HOU)
9 (8)	Sacramento Kings
10	New York Knicks
11	Minnesota Timberwolves
12	Detroit Pistons
13	Memphis Grizzlies
14	Oklahoma City Thunder
15	Orlando Magic
16	Denver Nuggets
17	Charlotte Hornets
18	Portland Trail Blazers
19	Atlanta Hawks
20	Philadelphia 76ers
21	San Antonio Spurs
22	New York Knicks (via DAL)
23	Milwaukee Bucks
24	Los Angeles Lakers (via NOP)
25	Toronto Raptors
26	Los Angeles Clippers
27	Boston Celtics
28	Utah Jazz
29	Oklahoma City Thunder (via MIA)
30	Orlando Magic (via GSW)

[trekfan]

Jeez, once more the lottery Gods have smiled on Cleveland and given them a gift. The question is, will it ever matter without LeBron? The Cavs haven't been good this century without King James. Feel bad for the Nets that they missed out, but a top-2 pick ain't bad. I feel like Phoenix needs to blow it up before Booker and Ayton bolt, they can't compete out West.

[marshdaddy]

Quote: Originally Posted by trekfan

Jeez, once more the lottery Gods have smiled on Cleveland and given them a gift. The question is, will it ever matter without LeBron? The Cavs haven't been good this century without King James. Feel bad for the Nets that they missed out, but a top-2 pick ain't bad. I feel like Phoenix needs to blow it up before Booker and Ayton bolt, they can't compete out West.

And once again, the Cavs don't deserve that luck. They didn't play Barkley or Claver a year ago, and when you look at who else was available (Tre Hunter, sharpshooting PG; Memphis Reed, defensive leader; Elton Dawkins, switchable five) it's just embarrassing.

They gave long-term contracts to both Sexton and Garland and while Sexton has looked somewhat worthy of it, Garland is barely a starter-level talent in the NBA.

They've been given so many chances to build something and still haven't made it count, but keep getting re-dos. Assuming Sanders is first off the board, his supporting cast will be garbage outside of Onyeka Okongu, so he'll be faced with the same issues a young LeBron was, but he's not even as good as LeBron. Disappointing to see this from Cleveland.

On a personal note, I do enjoy that there has been some poor management decisions like this. Makes it feel much more realistic.

[marshdaddy]

Note: I'm trying to space out some of the posts as we get closer to the in-game modern day, so won't be as many barrage of posts. That being said, we'll get Part I and II of The Draft Class this morning because Part I is so short. I'll also bold face some of the names to watch in the college tournament as players who could be worth keeping an eye on in the NBA.

If you'd like, I highly encourage anyone following along to read the season recap and/or scouting reports that JB puts together. Not only does it build the world well, but he does a great job of telling a succinct story. Also, quick reads.

Let's get to it.


2023 NBA Offseason - The Draft Class: Part I

Again, before we jump into the draft itself we’ll introduce the class and some of the players available. We are importing JB’s DC-2, available here for a full season recap: https://forums.operationsports.com/f...classes-7.html

Warriors Draft Board
This one will be easy. The Warriors don’t own a draft pick thanks to trades in the past. While we are keeping our eyes on the draft, the draft board is bare in terms of players we are actively seeking to get. We will try to get some guys on two-way deals, but for the most part our targets are none.

Guys we'd like to get by either trading into the second round or on two-ways:
Kofi Toupane, C, Bayler - Toupane would fill the roll of backup big who can protect the paint. He won't be a day one starter, and likely not even a contributor, but could be a project worth investing time into considering his athleticism.

Rowan Abdul-Karim, SF, Arizona - You'll see a quick note on RAK below, but what some like about him is his scoring ability and age. He's a senior, and while some scouts will consider that a negative, let's look at the positive. He's a mature guy who isn't afraid of stepping up when needed, and when he does step up he can score plenty. If he slips through the cracks in the second round, a two-way contract from Golden State will be waiting for him.


2023 NBA Offseason - The Draft Class: Part II
2023 Conference Championships

2022 NCAA Conference Championships

AAC
AAC Tournament Winner: Memphis over Cincinnati | MVP: Franklin Reed, G, Memphis

ACC
ACC Tournament Winner: Duke over Syracuse | MVP: Sidney Cross, PG, Duke

Big 12
Big 12 Tournament Winner: TCU over Texas | MVP: Zain Shipp, PG, TCU

Big East
Big East Tournament Winner: Marquette over Villanova | MVP: Jaheim Briggs, SG, Marquette

Big 10
Big 10 Tournament Winner: Michigan State over Iowa | MVP: Javon Shumpert, PG, Michigan State

Mountain West
Mountain West Tournament Winner: UNLV over Nevada | MVP: Parker Ellis Jr., PG, UNLV

PAC 12
Tournament Winner: Arizona over Arizona State | MVP: Rowan Abdul-Karim*, SF, Arizona
*Abdul-Karim is a senior who is expected to go in the second round or undrafted, but single-handedly leads Arizona to the upset over Arizona State and projected top pick Jason Sanders.

SEC
Tournament Winner: Kentucky over Auburn | MVP: Zavier Flynn, SG, Kentucky

WCC
Tournament Winner: Gonzaga | MVP: Carson Tate, SG - Gonzaga

NCAA Tournament Results
Sweet 16
South Region

(1) Duke 77 – (5) Maryland 71
(Injury update: Trace Butler, a top-five prospect, suffered a torn ACL) Duke beats Maryland by 6 to advance to the Elite 8. PG Sidney Cross finished with 16 points and 6 assists.

(7) Marquette 68 - (6) UNLV 64
Marquette with an upset win--this time knocking out UNLV. Marquette SG Jahiem Briggs had a game high 31 points in the victory. UNLV PG Paker Ellis Jr. had a rough night—9 points and 6 assists in the loss.

West Region

(1) Gonzaga 74 – (4) UCLA 66
Gonzaga advances to the Elite 8 with a 74-66 win over UCLA. PF Aubrey Cage had 18 points and 8 rebounds; and Everett Quinn finished with 11 points and 5 assists.

(6) Arizona State 74 – (7) Baylor 64
Arizona State moves on with a 10 point win over Baylor. ASU forward Jason Sanders finished with 17 points (6-17), PG A.J. Naulls picked up the slack finishing with a team high 19 points and 7 assists. Baylor center Kofi Toupane* finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.
*Toupane is a talented big who is projected to go in the late-first, second round of the NBA Draft.

East Region

(1) Michigan State 78 – (5) Kansas 66
Michigan State takes care of Kansas 78-66. PG Javon Shumpert finished with 21 points and 8 assists. SF Keon Granger added 16 points (3-5 3pt).

(2) Michigan 76 - (3) UNC 73
Michigan beats UNC to set up a game vs. Michigan State in the Elite 8. SG Ramiro Ermis had a game high 26 points for the Wolverines. UNC PF Franklin Knox led the Tar Heels with 18 points in the loss.

Midwest Region

(1) Kentucky 76 – (4) Syracuse 57
Kentucky has too much fire-power in rout of Syracuse. SG Zavier Flynn had a game high 22 points; SF Jace Redding and SF Darian Chasan each added 15 points. For Syracuse, PF R.J. Wallace finished with 8 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocked shots.

(3) Memphis 61 - (2) TCU 60
Memphis moves on as guard Franklin Reed nails the game winning shot as time expires. Reed finished with 24 points on the night, including the game winning shot from about 18 feet out—very similar to the game winning shot he hit last year in the Sweet 16 when Memphis knocked out #1 seeded Kansas.

[marshdaddy]

We wrap up Parts III and IV of the 2023 Draft Class with the final stages of March Madness and postseason awards

2023 NBA Offseason - The Draft Class: Part III

Elite 8
(1) Duke 84 – (7) Marquette 64
Duke routs Marquette 84-64 to advance to the Final Four. PG Sidney Cross had 17 points and 10 assists; center Darwin Ollie added 15 points and 12 rebounds. For Marquette, SG Jahiem Briggs finished with 23 points and 2 steals in the loss.

(6) Arizona State 68 - (1) Gonzaga 62
ASU continues their impressive tournament run, this time beating #1 seed Gonzaga 68-62 to advance to the Final Four. SF Jason Sanders has another stellar night with a game high 28 points.

(1) Michigan State 71 – (2) Michigan 67
Michigan State defeats rival Michigan 71-67 to advance to the Final Four. PG Javon Shumpert continues his impressive tournament—21 points and 5 assists, he also had 3 steals.

(1) Kentucky 72 – (3) Memphis 62
Kentucky knocks out Memphis to return to the Final Four in their quest for back-to-back national championships. SG Zavier Flynn out-dueled Memphis guard Franklin Reed. Flynn finished with 23 points while Reed had a bit of an off night—scoring just 13 points on 5-15 shooting.

Final Four
(6) Arizona State 73 – (1) Duke 70
Arizona State knocks out #1 seed Duke 73-70. SF Jason Sanders scored 31 points on the night, including 21 in the 2nd half and 10 points in the final 5 minutes. Duke really missed PF Trace Butler this game—PG Sidney Cross was the Blue Devils leading scorer with 18 points.

(1) Michigan State 84 – (1) Kentucky 77 (OT)
Michigan State defeats last year’s champs 84-77 in overtime. Kentucky tied the game in the final seconds of regulation on a shot by Darian Chasan, but Michigan State took control in overtime—starting the OT on a 9-0 run fueled by 3 quick baskets by PG Javon Shumpert who had a game high 28 points to go along with his 9 assists. SG Zavier Flynn led the Wildcats in scoring with 20 points.

2023 National Championship Game
(1) Michigan State 74 – (6) Arizona State 66
Michigan State wins the National Championship game—defeating Arizona State 74-66. It was quite the year for PG Javon Shumpert, who last year came off the bench and didn’t see much playing time at all—to being named the NCAA Tournament MVP. He ended the night with 23 points and 6 assists; teammate Terrance Braun had 14 points and 8 rebounds; and senior SF Keon Granger had 15 points.

ASU forward Jason Sanders will likely be the top pick in the upcoming draft, and he almost won ASU a National Championship—he ended the night with 24 points and 4 rebounds.

NCAA Tournament MVP – Javon Shumpert, PG – Michigan State

---

2023 NBA Offseason - The Draft Class Part IV

Below are the awards for the 2023 NCAA Basketball season. Some players to watch in the upcoming draft and subsequent seasons, as well as JB’s scouting report for a handful of players.

JB Scouting Report: https://docs.google.com/presentation...it?usp=sharing

Jason Sanders, SF, Arizona State
Projected: Top 3
Sanders enters the draft as the presumptive top overall pick. The freshman small forward has a laundry list of awards and will enter the league as one of the better scorers. His deep-range shooting needs work, but at 6’9”, 216, should be able to score well from across the court. Should develop into a nice two-way player.

Franklin Reed, G, Memphis
Projected: Mid/Late 1st
Reed is the younger brother of Memphis Reed, and possesses a similar skill set. A talented scorer, Reed is better suited as a teams two-guard, but may lack size at 6’4”, 177. A better three-point shooter than his older brother, Reed should be able to produce wherever he is drafted.

R.J. Wallace, PF, Syracuse
Projected: Mid 1st
Wallace is an interesting prospect. A top-flight defender, Wallace earned Defensive Player of the Year recognition and fits as a small-ball center. The issue being his scoring ability. A 45% shooting from the free throw line, Wallace will need to play exceptional defense to stay on the court, or improve on the offensive end.

Sidney Cross, PG, Duke
Projected: Top 5
Alongside Javon Shumpert, Cross is one of a handful of point guards teams will hope can develop into number one options. He’s quick and has the ability to get teammates involved. If he can develop his shot (shot 46.7% from the floor) he could be a difference maker.

Javon Shumpert, PG, Michigan State
Projected: Lottery / Mid 1st
Shumpert enjoyed a bounceback season at Michigan State in leading the Spartans to the National Title. The question will be, will teams get his freshman year or sophomore year when it comes to the NBA. He’s quick but scored just 12.9 points per game. He is projected to go in the late-lottery but his fantastic NCAA tournament could sway teams to take him higher.

Trace Butler, PF, Duke
Projected: Top 10
Butler suffered a torn ACL in the NCAA Tournament, but prior to the injury was a projected Top 5 pick. He’s a good mid-range scorer that checks a lot of boxes on the offensive end. Could develop into a good defender, but questions abound with his knee.

Other names worth noting:
Terrance Braun, C, Michigan State - Projected: Top 5
Jace Redding, SF, Kentucky - Projected: Top 5
Jahiem Briggs, SG, Marquette - Projected: Lottery
Zain Shipp, SG, TCU - Projected: Mid 1st
Keon Granger, SF, Michigan State - Projected: Mid 1st


2023 NCAA Awards

2023 NCAA Basketball Awards
Award	Player	Pos	Team
John R Wooden Award	Jason Sanders	SF	Arizona State, FR
Bob Cousey Award (Top PG)/td>	Sidney Cross	PG	Duke, FR
Jerry West Award (Top SG)	Jahiem Briggs	SG	Marquette, JR
Julius Erving Award (Top SF)	Jason Sanders	SF	Arizona State, FR
Karl Malone Award (Top PF)	Franklin Knox	PF	UNC, SR
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Top C)	Benito Hernandez	C	Texas A&M, FR
Defensive Player of the Year	R.J. Wallace	PF	Syracuse, FR
Freshman of the Year	Jason Sanders	SF	Arizona State, FR

2023 Conference Players of the Year

2023 Conference Players of the Year
Award	Player	Pos	Team
ACC Player of the Year	Franklin Knox	PF	UNC, SR
AAC Player of the Year	Franklin Reed	G	Memphis, JR
Big 12 Player of the Year	Zain Shipp	SG	TCU, SR
Big East Player of the Year	Jahiem Briggs	SG	Marquette, JR
Big 10 Player of the Year	Ian Gavel	SF	Iowa, SR
PAC 12 Player of the Year	Jason Sanders	SF	Arizona State, FR
SEC Player of the Year	Zavier Flynn	SG	Kentucky, FR
WCC Player of the Year	Carson Tate	SG	Gonzaga, SR

2023 All Americans

Award	Player	Pos	Team
1st Team All American
1st Team All American	Sidney Cross	PG	Duke, FR
	Jahiem Briggs	SG	Marquette, JR
	Jason Sanders	SF	Arizona State, FR
	Franklin Knox	PF	UNC, SR
	Benito Hernandez	C	Texas A&M, FR
2nd Team All American
2nd Team All American	Franklin Reed	PG	Memphis, JR
	Zain Shipp	SG	TCU, SR
	Ian Gavel	SF	Iowa, SR
	R.J. Wallace	PF	Syracuse, FR
	Kofi Toupane	C	Baylor, SO
3rd Team All American
3rd Team All American	Javon Shumpert	PG	Michigan State, SO
	Zavier Flynn	SG	Kentucky, FR
	Keon Granger	SF	Michigan State, SR
	Aubrey Cage	PF	Gonzaga, FR
	Terrance Braun	C	Michigan State, FR

[trekfan]

Happy to see Kentucky lose and Izzo grab a title. Sanders was pretty close to accomplishing a hell of a feat, NCAA title AND first overall. He missed out on the former, we'll see if he does the same for the latter.

[marshdaddy]

2023 NBA Offseason - The NBA Draft

Cleveland enters draft night with an opportunity to make a major upgrade in their rebuilding plans. With Colin Sexton and Darius Garland under their rookie extensions, the Cavs have backed themselves into a financial corner. They’ve lucked their way into a get out jail free card with the top overall pick. Will they beagle to use it?

Brooklyn enters the draft looking to kick off what they believe is a promising summer. Despite having the third worst record, the Nets have the second overall pick as well as max-level cap space as they look to return to playoff contention immediately. Sean Marks does not tolerate mediocrity.

It’s a big draft for the Suns, who own the third overall pick. Do they stay put and keep building a young core, or look to acquire some pieces to go around Booker and Ayton.

Full results below, story to come first.

The Cavaliers did what everyone expected, and this time that’s a good thing. With the first overall pick, Cleveland scooped up Jason Sanders out of Arizona State. The young shooting guard will fill an immediate hole in the starting lineup, but also hopefully provide a scoring punch that they have been lacking.


With Sanders off the board, as expected, Brooklyn was next with an opportunity to start their own rebuild. To do that, they went with Sidney Cross, the talented point guard out of Duke. Cross should fit nicely alongside Spencer Dinwiddie, if he is ready to start in the NBA. But it’s a good move regardless. The Nets had a plethora of holes to fill and with no guarantees on the board, Cross should at least fill one of the many gaps in the roster.


The Suns made the first shocking pick of the draft when they selected Javon Shumpert out of Michigan State. The sophomore guard had entered the season as a lottery or mid first round selection, but after earning Big 10 Player of the Year honors and leading the Spartans to an NCAA title and NCAA Tournament MVP, Shumpert rose up some scouts draft boards. For Phoenix, that rise apparently took him to the top. The lone knock on Shumpert may be about his ability to produce immediately in the NBA, which is why the Suns picking him might be a head scratcher. Scouts are unanimous in thinking he should eventually become a very good NBA player but for a Phoenix team that doesn’t seem to have the time to wait, it’ll be interesting what ends up coming of it.


Clement Norel was the first international player off the board. The French point guard had been considered a lottery selection, but the Wizards are taking an early chance on him. Washington has had limited success and may be looking to move one of John Wall and Bradley Beal, so the move may be coming as a result of them looking towards the next chapter. Perhaps the surprising thing about the selection is that Washington, who was originally slated to pick ninth, picked him when they jumped. With players like Jace Redding out of Kentucky and Terrenance Braun from Michigan State still available and both projected as top five selections, the Wizards are showing confidence in the Frenchman.

Redding would be the next name called for Indiana. The small forward out of Kentucky was considered by some scouts to be the second best available prospect in the draft. Redding is an athletic phenom who can provide immediate assistance on the defensive side of the ball. His jump shot is still a work in progress, but he should be able to provide for Indiana immediately as a rotation wing behind Andrew Wiggins.

That rounds out the top five, let’s take a look at five sleepers and other selections.

Terrence Braun, C, Michigan State.
Picked: 13th, Memphis
Braun was considered by many to be a top five talent but slid all the way to 13 for the Grizzlies. Memphis is now deep at the center position, with Jonas Valanciunas and Jaren Jackson Jr. on the roster. Braun may serve a similar role as Jackson with his ability to hit the midrange and occasionally connect from deep. If he improves there this could be a steal for the Grizz.

Trace Butler, PF, Duke
Picked: 11th, Minnesota
The Timberwolves are betting on the Duke forward to rehab from the torn ACL he suffered in the NCAA Tournament. Without a doubt, the injury is what led to Butler’s drop in the draft, as he began as a top five pick. If he can recover and the Wolves don’t rush him back, this could be a good one.

Quincy Everett, PF, Gonzaga
Picked: 19th, Atlanta
Atlanta gets lucky that Everett dropped as far as he did. Originally considered a top 10 pick, Everett’s ability to stretch the floor (38.8% from deep) should fit nicely around what the Hawks are hoping to do.

Franklin Reed, PG, Memphis
Picked: 23rd, Milwaukee
The Bucks already have R.J. Hampton on the roster, but it’s hard not to like what Reed brings to the table. A talented defender and hard worker, Reed has the late game prowess you need, having hit buzzer beaters in consecutive NCAA Tournament seasons. Great pick for where they got him.

Parker Ellis, Jr., PG, UNLV
Picked: 12th, San Antonio
There are a few reasons to ponder this pick. To acquire the 12th pick, San Antonio sent Dejounte Murray to Detroit, who was in need of a defensive player, albeit not at the guard position. But assumedly, the Spurs were moving up to pick up a wing considering their depth at the guard position. So the reason they take Ellis Jr. here is a bit confusing.

Bonus:
Keon Granger, SF, Michigan State
Not picked in the 1st round
Granger was a very solid piece as part of Michigan State’s run to the NCAA Title and for him to not go in the first round is surprising. Granger is a fantastic 3-and-D player, shooting 42.2% from deep and has the size at 6’7”, 221 lbs to provide a great presence on the perimeter. He was expected to go in the middle of the first round, so the drop is certainly surprising.

Draft Night Trades
MIN & CHA
MIN receives Luke Kennard, Darius Miller; CHA receives 8th pick, '27 1st Round Pick

DET & SAS
DET receives Dejounte Murray, Mo Harkless; SAS receives 12th pick, Quinn Cook

DEN & SAC
DEN receives B Hield; SAC receives 16th pick, '24 2nd


PHI & CHA
PHI receives Devonte Graham; CHA receives 20th pick

SAS & OKC
SAS receives Bogdan Bogdanovic, Dorian Finney-Smith; OKC receives 21st pick, Noah Vonleh


2023 NBA Draft

2023 NBA Draft
Pick	Team	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt
1 (2)	Cleveland Cavaliers	Jason Sanders	SF
2 (3)	Brooklyn Nets	Sidney Cross	PG
3 (1)	Phoenix Suns	Javon Shumpert	PG
4 (9)	Washington Wizards	Clement Norel	PG
5 (4)	Indiana Pacers	Jace Redding	SF
6 (5)	New Orleans Pelicans (via LAL)	Dusan Cvetkovic	SG
7 (6)	Chicago Bulls	Jaheim Briggs	SG
8 (7)	Minnesota Timberwolves (via HOU)*	Kane Sampson (dealt to Charlotte)	PG
9 (8)	Sacramento Kings	R.J. Wallace	PF
10	New York Knicks	Maxwell Fulton	C
11	Minnesota Timberwolves	Trace Butler	PF
12	Detroit Pistons*	Parker Ellis Jr. (dealt to San Antonio)	PG
13	Memphis Grizzlies	Terrance Braun	C
14	Oklahoma City Thunder	Boyko Fesenko	PG
15	Orlando Magic	Tomas Satoransky	PF
16	Denver Nuggets*	Pavle Nikolic (dealt to Sacramento)	SF
17	Charlotte Hornets	Kasey Nixon	SG
18	Portland Trail Blazers	Franklin Knox	PF
19	Atlanta Hawks	Quincy Everett	PF
20	Philadelphia 76ers*	Spencer Nixon (dealt to Charlotte)	SG
21	San Antonio Spurs*	Zain Shipp (dealt to Oklahoma City)	SG
22	New York Knicks (via DAL)	Everett Quinn	PF
23	Milwaukee Bucks	Franklin Reed	PG
24	Los Angeles Lakers (via NOP)	Rashad Tiggs	PG
25	Toronto Raptors	Ramiro Ermis	SG
26	Los Angeles Clippers	Lucas Beaubois	PF
27	Boston Celtics	Lorenzo Basile	PG
28	Utah Jazz	Ian Gavel	SF
29	Oklahoma City Thunder (via MIA)	Martin Arroyo	C
30	Orlando Magic (via GSW)	Darin Chasan	SF

[trekfan]

Not a ton of surprises in the draft -- Jason Sanders has his work cut out for him. Can he do what only LeBron has managed to do in this current century? Can he make Cleveland relevant and a postseason contender?