Not a lot of dynamic range in these rankings. On a scale of
1-to-10, most of these teams ended up closer to 10 than 1. Or "4," even.

Why is that? Well, considering the talent level in
Thursday’s NBA Draft, most GMs did quite well. Did every one of them pass on
DeJuan Blair, until the Pitt forward went 37th overall to the San Antonio
Spurs? Yes. And that’s why we won’t fawn.

But we’re also not going to criticize too much. There will
be plenty of time for that once hindsight becomes 20/20. For now, though, here are the scores …

Atlanta Hawks — Jeff Teague, Sergiy Gladyr

Atlanta
has a type, they can’t deny it. They love point guards who shoot first, and
Jeff Teague fits the profile. Can you really slam a team for being in love?

Score: 7

Boston Celtics — Lester Hudson

Taking a big NCAA scorer with one of the last picks in the
Draft hasn’t worked out … ever. But for the pittance of a second round pick,
non-guaranteed money, and a camp invite, the C’s could have done a lot worse.

Score: 7

Charlotte Bobcats — Gerald Henderson, Derrick Brown

Despite all the hype and his Duke pedigree, Henderson still feels like a reach. The
Bobcats think they found a starter at the wing, but the guy just reeks of
10th-man. So does Brown, but he wasn’t the one taken in the lottery, was he?

Score: 7

Chicago Bulls — James Johnson, Taj Gibson

Are these really two players that you want to hand
guaranteed contracts to for the next two or three years? Johnson is athletic,
no doubt, but at what point do we start to expect actual, you know,
"production" out of athleticism when you’re 22? Gibson? You don’t draft 24-year
olds. You don’t do it. Unless they’re 24 and absolutely dominating college
ball, and he wasn’t. And you hadn’t heard of Gibson, either. Both players might
make the rotation, sure, but with Blair still available?

Score: 4

Cleveland Cavaliers — Christian Eyenga, Danny Green,
Emir Predzlic

Green can play, but why send guaranteed money Eyenga’s way?
If he’s worth hanging onto, why not trade out of the first round to pick him?
Strange move.

Score: 6

Dallas Mavericks — Rodrigue Beaubois, Nick
Calathes, Ahmad Nivins

Again, guaranteed money for Beaubois? He might turn out to
be a fine player, that isn’t the question. It’s the idea of being forced to pay
the man guaranteed money under terms atypical for players named "Rodrigue
Beaubois." We hear good things about Calathes and Nivins, two proper second
round attempts.

Score: 7

Denver Nuggets — Ty Lawson

Lawson will be fantastic with the Nuggets. He’s hardly
lanky, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting up great numbers and winning
big games in a nasty, nasty conference. Great value for an 18th
pick.

Score: 10

Detroit Pistons — Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers,
Jonas Jerebko

Fine moves from Joe Dumars, grabbing a litany of forwards
that boast a high ceiling. There might be a chance that all three mope their
way out of the NBA, or the triptych could became huge rotation parts. Either
way, for the price of a first round pick (second round cash isn’t guaranteed),
this trio is worth a chance.

Score: 9

Golden State Warriors - Stephen Curry

Curry may or may not (rumors lean toward the latter, at this
point) be on his way to Phoenix
in a deal that would net the Warriors Amar’e Stoudemire. Doesn’t matter.
Doesn’t matter that Monta Ellis might be unhappy with Golden State
selecting a player with a frame similar to his. If Monta Ellis has enough sway
in your organization to call shots, then your organization is shot. Curry can
play. Figure the rest out later.

Score: 9

Houston Rockets — Jermaine Taylor, Sergio Llull,
Chase Budinger

All second rounders, guys you don’t have to throw guaranteed
money at, but three guys you spent a bit of dough on just to secure the rights
to. Call it a bias, but we’re inclined to believe in what Daryl Morey is doing
scouting-wise at this point.

Score: 8

Indiana Pacers — Tyler Hansbrough, A.J. Price

We can joke about Hansbrough’s pigmentation until we’re
white in the face, and make white of Larry Bird’s seeming predilection toward
players of a certain tone. What we can’t joke about is his game. He can play, ably
using up minutes, and he’s a solid pickup for a low-lottery selection.

Score: 7

Los Angeles Clippers — Blake Griffin

Listen, Griffin
has some holes. He’ll be beat defensively. He isn’t the sturdiest in the low
post, as he tends to fall to his left or right when he should be jumping
straight up for jump hooks. The same glitch hurts his jump shot. He isn’t
7-feet tall, either. And that’s about it. The guy is a stud.

Score: 10

Los Angeles Lakers — Chinemelu Elonu

Teams talk themselves into all sorts of nutty things during
the Draft. They talk themselves into thinking that a 29^th pick could
provide insurance for a 10-year starter. The talk? It’s nonsense. The Lakers
grabbed $3 million bucks to dive out of the first round, something a series of
teams should have tried on Thursday night.

Score: 9

Memphis Grizzlies — Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre
Carroll, Sam Young

Young will help right away, and that’s about it. Carroll can
play, and Thabeet will become a hell of a player. It’s become obvious that the
Grizzlies don’t know what they have in Marc Gasol, but we’ll save that
criticism for another column. For now, a solid trio of players, well worth
their picks.

Score: 10

Miami Heat — Patrick Beverley, Robert Dozier

On the surface, you’d have to think that neither of these
guys would play for the Heat, and their selections wouldn’t even be worth
discussing. But considering the way Pat Riley has put together teams since
coming to Miami
in 1995 (high class payroll guys and minimum contracts, no middle class),
Beverley might see some minutes. And apparently he’s worth some minutes.

Score: 8

Milwaukee Bucks — Brandon Jennings, Jodie Meeks

Jennings
has massive holes in his game, fundamental issues with his shooting, handle,
and approach. Meeks won’t set the world on fire. But for the 10th and 41st
picks? Huge potential.

Score: 9

Minnesota Timberwolves — Ricky Rubio, Jonny Flynn,
Wayne Ellington, Henk Norel

When you play basketball, and get the rock in an isolation
situation, it’s never a good idea to subscribe to your move before you even get
the ball, and stay with it no matter what your defender does. Sure, it might
pay off sometimes to know your move before you go into executing your attempt,
but by and large you want to have practiced moves and options that allow you to
think on your feet and adapt to the situation as it unfolds.

The Timberwovles, I’m sorry, but I think they picked a move
heading into the Draft, and stuck with it even as the defender beat them to the
spot.

I can’t blame them. I begged every team to take Rubio to use
as trade bait, and insist that every team take the best player available
regardless of roster makeup. And the Wolves got two very good players, and two
guys worth looking at. They just haven’t looked good in the process. Rubio
and/or Flynn are obviously trade bait, but nobody’s biting. A transparent move,
even if the telegraphed shot goes in, and Rubio/Flynn are brilliant together.

We really shouldn’t rank them (or any other team) until 2012
or so, but for now …

Score: 8

New Jersey Nets — Terrence Williams

Williams can play in this league. And for an 11th pick in a
crummy Draft, I should accept that a rotation part taken at that spot is worth
our time. Just not a fan.

Score: 7

New Orleans Hornets — Darren Collison, Marcus Thornton

The Hornets have holes in the rotation up front, and in the
back court. So they were in full "best player available" mode (or should have
been), even if they took two guards. As it always is, time will tell if they
actually took the best player available. Cop-out analysis, always worth your
time!

Score: 7

New York Knicks — Jordan Hill, Toney Douglas

Listen, the Knicks have holes, everywhere. They are starting
from scratch. Guys like Nate Robinson and David Lee can play, but the team’s
brass wouldn’t care if any of the 2008-09 roster is on board for a 50-win team
in 2011-12. So New York
went for the best players available. Hill doesn’t quite look like a BPA at 8th,
but Douglas does.

Score: 6

Oklahoma City Thunder — James Harden, B.J. Mullens,
Robert Vaden

Harden can play, Mullens has lottery-level talent, and Vaden
can make a team. In a weak Draft like this, even if Harden was taken third
overall, this is still a fine haul. Now it’s up to Scott Brooks to work things
out. We’re OK with that result.

Score: 8

Orlando Magic — No selections

Picked up Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson for expiring
contracts and Courtney Lee. A fine Thursday.

Philadelphia 76ers — Jrue Holiday

I mocked the pick initially, but Holiday
is a lottery talent that the 76ers selected at 17. That’s a good night out.

Score: 9

Phoenix Suns — Earl Clark, Taylor Griffin

Griffin’s
probably not going to make the team, so let’s just dump that idea. Clark can play, but he can also float. Huge talent, but a
bit of a floater. Still, for the 14th pick (and, if Griffin does improve, the 48th pick?)? A workable
turn for Steve Kerr.

Score: 9

Portland Trail
Blazers — Victor Claver, Dante Cunningham, Jeff Pendergraph, Patrick Mills

The Trail Blazers didn’t disappoint by not putting together
12 Draft-night trades, so let’s just lose that idea. I don’t like dumping
Sergio Rodriguez, not at his age, and am not sold on any of the players
Pritchard picked up. But that’s because I don’t know much about them, and each
of the guys (save for Mills) had gotten good marks entering Thursday’s Draft.
And only one (Claver) will get a guaranteed deal.

Score: 8

Sacramento Kings — Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, John
Brockman

There’s nothing actually wrong with any of these selections,
but on a team that can’t rebound to save its life, Blair would have helped.

Evans has huge upside, Casspi can play and was much-bandied
about heading into the Draft, and even Brockman might contribute given a good
summer, but you’re still left wanting with this team. Wanting, maybe, Ricky
Rubio and DeJuan Blair. Time will tell.

Score: 7

San Antonio Spurs — DeJuan Blair, Jack McClinton,
Nando De Colo

Two guys (one a lottery-level talent) that can help right
away? And a man named "Nando De Colo?" Big, productive night for the Spurs, who
didn’t even have a first-rounder to work with.

Score: 10

Toronto Raptors — DeMar DeRozan

There’s a good chance DeRozan could fall on his face, or
never develop. Then again, there’s also a chance he could turn into an All-Star.
And for the ninth pick in an awful Draft, that’s a chance worth taking.

Score: 9

Utah Jazz — Eric Maynor, Goron Suton

Two useful talents that will see minutes, eventually. In a
Draft low on talent, this is a fine night considering Utah entered the evening with the 20th and
50th picks.

Score: 9

Washington Wizards — No selections

Picked up Mike Miller and Randy Foye for a load of bad
contracts and the selection that turned out to be Ricky Rubio. Time will tell.

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