Which players were drafted into great situations?
Perry Jones seems to have major self-esteem problems, so the friendly Thunder community with loyal fans and little pressure seems like the perfect place for him
Drummond will get major minutes from day 1 and won't be asked to do much on the offensive end since Monroe is there - great
Barnes will get plenty of opportunities from day one, if the Warriors are healthy (which is unlikely) - he can be a major contributor on a playoff team in his rookie year
OKC-perry jones just to be abale to work with hardworkers like durant,ibaka and westbrook makes it a great situation for this guy who has top 5 in the draft potential and athletic ability his motor would definitly be tested
detroit-andre drummond-probably the guy with the most upside working with the best passing big men in the game today monroe would make him agressive and work his butt off and he just loves the city he is a guy who in one blog said that worked with dumars at 11pm in the gym workin on his game if thats not a great situation for him i dont know what is
celtics-sulinger,fab melo-working with garnett would make them learn the ropes on the being a great nba pro the should be able to make good in thier careers
sacramento-thomas robinson would be a perfect fit in sacamento with cousins and isaiah thomas and tyryke evans
Draymond Green on the Warriors. That team has a SOLID starting five of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, David Lee, and Andrew Bogut. So Draymond Green looks like a good bench guy for that team who can fill in at the 3 and 4. I think he would be great next to either Barnes or David Lee.
Draymond Green won't be asked to do a lot, just contribute here and there. That team has talent with some great rebounders and long range bombers. Green will mainly be asked to provide leadership, hustle, toughness, and smarts. He can help out on the boards and make some plays with his passing and ball handling skills. The Warriors have plenty of offensive weapons so I think he can get some good looks on his jump shot opportunities.
They could use another playmaker and I think Green could be that guy coming in off the bench. Too bad Don Nelson still isn't the coach at Golden State. Draymond Green would make a PERFECT point forward. ... I think that Draymond Green can contribute all around as a third rebounder (or fourth if they keep Biedrins and he can stay healthy), about the fifth or sixth option on offense and perhaps the 2nd or 3rd offensive play maker (behind Curry and probably another guard).
I think his role will be like a bigger version of James Harden. But, while Harden is OKC's third option on offense, the Warriors have Curry, Thompson, and Harrison Barnes to score points. Then they still have Bogut and David Lee who always seem to put a few points on the boards. Draymond Green's weaknesses are that he might be a tweener. But, out west they don't play as physical as out East. So I think he can get away with playing power forward. His defense isn't great either (or that is another one of his perceived weaknesses), but the top Warriors players aren't really known for defense. Mark Jackson is trying to instill a defensive ethic into the team so I think all the guys will improve defensively together. Maybe they work on team defensive schemes instead of trying to have man-to-man shut down defenders. Even so, they went after a defensive intimidator in the draft in Festus Ezeli so I don't think they will be looking for Draymond Green to block a ton of shots.
The Warriors look to be a young team on the rise with plenty of talent (usually a fun team to be with) who are flying a bit under the radar (which makes it easier to develop). I think they can pull off some upsets, since this looks like a team that can beat ANYBODY if their shots are falling, and could be a sleeper pick to sneak into the Western Conference playoffs. But, there's more pressure on other western teams including all three other Cali teams: Lakers, Clippers, and even the Kings.
Hope this post isn't too long.
Two late picks in solid situations:
I think Robbie Hummel going to the T Wolves was a pretty good situation for Hummel. Obviously, they added another white guy, but Hummel can play -- in the right situation and given an opportunity. They are getting rid of Beasley and Anthony Randolph so he should have a shot at playing some minutes at small forward. He is playing with a great passer in Rubio and a great rebounder in Love. The T Wolves need some more shooting and some more toughness. Hummel can provide both on a young team on the move.
Justin Hamilton for the Heat. Anytime you can go to the champs you are in a position to learn a lot. The Heat traded down to save some money so the Heat fans will be more interested in who they pick up in free agency. Then they will be more worried about next year's Sixers pick. Low expectations for Justin Hamilton. Also, the Heat have NO CENTERS. So Hamilton will have a chance to play. Supposedly he has decent skills to go along with his size. If he does ANYTHING next year he will be a big fan favorite. Justin Hamilton doesn't have to look as good as Dwight Howard or Andrew Bynum. He just has to do as well as Joel Anthony and Dexter Pittman. And, I think he can.
Perry Jones is obviously one of them
Fab Melo is another defensive minded player who gets to learn from KG how to be a big man in the NBA, for a guy I assumed was going to be worth nothing in the NBA was put into perfect position to learn from one of the NBA's greatest and now he might just hang around in the league for several more years.
Drummond is another one, with the Piston's already deep at the pf spot he has time to develop although he could immediatley play it really is all up to him.
Barnes is another guy who has an opportunity to jump right in and start right away, although with rookies somtimes its a good thing somtimes its a bad thing, I am not a huge barnes fan either.
Moe Harkless can come in and learn from iggy until the 76ers finally move him and give moe the starting job or let thaddeus young play is normal postion.
Brad Beal- Perfect fit for Wizards
Harrison Barnes - Will be great for the Warriors
MKG- Just come and give it your all.
Drummond- Play defense while you develop an offensive game
Bad situations?
Waiters - Better be worth the #4 over Barnes, Robinson, and Drummond
A couple of 2nd round guys really lucked out in my opinion.
Doron Lamb - The Bucks were looking for a SG, but really really high on Henson who happened to fall in their lap, but Lamb is a young player who will get minutes as a rookie backing up Ellis and spreading the floor for Brandon Jennings. This is a situation in which I feel Lamb can make an All-Rookie 2nd team because he'll get minutes and shooting certainly translates to the NBA. My rookie year predictions for him are 9.2 ppg 2 rpg and 1.3 apg
Tyshawn Taylor - With the acquisition of Joe Johnson, the Nets let go Jordan Farmar and Taylor is looking at being the backup point guard if they can retain Deron Williams. This New York native not only got to go home, but may have the opportunity to play big minutes and for a coach who was a very smart NBA point guard. A guy Taylor can learn a thing or two from as far as decision making goes.
PJ3 ... he will learn from the older clone of himself that height doesn't determine your position
Harrison.. he can start right away...and the team seems to love em.
Beal.. no pressure to perform as much as other guys maybe.. if the team doesn't win the blame goes to wall
For those of you saying D lamb i think thats a terrible fit... he's now behind BJ and Monta whom both will use 40 minutes a night.. his perfect fit was the bulls.. His game just isn't built for rebuilding.. its built for winning
Ellis was at 36 minutes last year, Jennings was at 35. There is no other SG on the Bucks roster after Ellis which gives 12 minutes to Lamb off the bat, not to mention with Jennings on the bench that leaves 13 minutes.
A 2nd round prospect who can pretty much be the backup at any position is in a good situation, not to mention he'll probably pick up a few minutes next to Ellis when Jennings on the bench. Whether you see it or not he's gonna get 15-19 minutes per game next season. For a 2nd rounder, that's a great situation.
If Waiters proves to be the scorer that Cleveland drafted him to be, he can put up some good numbers and he and Kyrie will be one of the highest scoring backcourts given their age.
Darius Miller, more pressure will be on Davis and Rivers, but Miller not only will not have much pressure, but he will fall right back into the role he had in college. Which he has proven time and again he is most comfortable with that role.
Sullinger in the lineup with KG could be absolutely deadly because they both can go down low or step out. If Allen returns or they replace him with Mayo to provide the deep ball threat, the inside can open up that much more.
Ezeli and Green are in good positions to help GSW without a ton of pressure to do much right away
Jeffery Taylor, I know a lot of people are confused because he and MKG are similar players but Taylor will be an excellent 3rd guy in that rotation with MKG and Henderson. They have 3 guys that can really defend. When you spell MKG for Taylor, the athleticism is still there, and while you may lose some rebounding and ballhandling, with Taylor you gain better shooting.
Dion Waiters is in a bad spot for the Cavs. He was picked really high and they really need him to play well right away. I think he has a lot of pressure on him. He is also a ball-dominant guard who must figure out a way to work with Kyrie Irving. It might take a while to adjust.
On the other hand, I like the spot that Tyler Zeller is in. Even though he will be under pressure to produce, too, he has a great young point guard in Kyrie Irving who can lead the team and get Zeller some easy shots. Zeller isn't known as a tough guy. He is more of a finesse player. But, they have Tristan Thompson to do the dirty work. Zeller can just let Irving set him up inside and then use his post moves to score.
Tyler Zeller can also learn how to play hard, and how to defend from Andy Varejao who is great veteran to learn from.
I think the guys at the top of the draft have tons of pressure, but guys picked later will have more leeway. Tyler Zeller is a guy with mid-lotto talent, but he fell to 17. So although the Cavs had to trade some picks to get him, he is still more of a mid-first round pick, so that should lower expectations a bit. But, Zeller can play. He seems like a great guy and he should be a fan favorite and a favorite target for Kyrie Irving.
Tony Wroten Jr- a lefty, in Memphis is in a prime time spot with OJ Mayo on the way out to be the back up pg behind Conley- another lefty coach by ex NBA pg LHollins-a lefty.
****TWJr body bagged ARivers and locked him up one on one and was the best player on the floor even though Duke won the game.
PJIII in OKC he can come off of the bench w/ no pressure and give OKC an explosive athlete as long as he's healthy.
Sullinger in Boston. If his back is right he will give the Celtics a nice big off of the bench along with Bass (if re-signed) behind KG at PF.
Robert Sacre aka Mr Irrelevant on the Lakers will give them a mobile reserve big especially if they trade away either Bynum or Pau.
Scott Machado- wherever he ends up will be getting a steal- this kid should have been drafted.
Btw both TWJr & PJIII are my steals of this draft......along with TRoss at #8.
A few come to mind;
Drummond got exactly what he needed; a place where he isn't the big man savior. Monroe isn't as fast as Drummond, so Andre can tailor his game to the pick and roll where speed and athleticism are so important, and leave the low-post stuff to Monroe. They complement each other perfectly, I can see Drummond playing a Serge Ibaka role right off the bat except with much higher offensive upside.
Sullinger and Melo both lucked out obviously, they are in a great situation in Boston with great vets mentoring them, and a brilliant PG who makes players around him better in Rondo.
Beal is another obvious one, he'll be asked to stretch the floor, score in isolation a little and defend his man, but this team is clearly going to rely heavily on Wall's transition game and their size inside with Okafor and Nene.
As far as MKG I disagree that he's in a great situation, he's going to be looked at as the face of the future, but that just isn't his game. He's best served as the ultimate role-player, but he won't be given that opportunity in Charlotte.
With Barnes I think he is in a complicated situation; he's a great fit in terms of what he brings to the table - his skills match their needs - but the presence of all those scorers already in the mix with Curry, Thompson, Bogut and Lee means he's going to be the guy taking a back seat and simply playing his role. So there's no pressure on him, but I think it will hinder his development as he won't be asked to do anywhere near as much as he's capable of doing.
Also, nobody has mentioned Meyers Leonard yet, but he's another guy who landed in just the right place. Even if the Blazers get Hibbert, Leonard will be given minutes off the bench backing up Aldridge and Hibbert, and will be able to learn alongside a bonafide All-Star in Aldridge.
Sometimes all a player needs is the right opportunity and he can break out. Which players do you think were drafted into the right team situation this year?