I've got a few thoughts on the draft:
The biggest winner in the draft: PORTLAND. I had Jerryd Bayless number *4* on my draft board, the number 2 point guard behind Rose. I'm a big believer in this kid, and think he's going to be AWESOME as a point guard at the NBA level, and have been saying this since the NCAA tournament. Much as I love Jarrett Jack, I'd give him up in a heartbeat to get Bayless.
The biggest loser in the draft: This is tough. Seattle was atrociously bad - Westbrook at 4? But how can I go against Memphis, who gave up Mike Miller in order to add more pieces to their backcourt and further thin out their front court? Let's see, there's Mayo, Trenton Hassell, Marko Jaric, and the wonderful chemistry player Antoine Walker...and they give up Cardinal's bad contract (but get Jaric's), Jason Collins - a serviceable big man, and a player to expand the floor for Al Jefferson in Love. So you're talking a team of Foye, McCants, Miller, Love, and Jefferson for Minnesota, while Memphis gets to decide between Crittendon, Lowry, Conley, Mayo, Buckner, Jaric (pick two), Gay, and Andre Brown, Darrell Arthur, Darko Milicic, Antoine Walker, and Hakim Warrick (pick two, and hope they're big enough). All you have to do is dump Antoine Walker, and this looks like a D-league team.
I'm happy with Koufos and Tomic as Utah's picks. I wanted Hibbert, but he was gone at the time. I'm not happy hearing the free agents that they're talking to include Kwame Brown and Devon George.
Miami was solid. I'm not convinced that Beasley isn't going to be a problem (of course, Mayo + entourage wouldn't be any better), but they got Mario Chalmers in a trade, and I like that pick-up. If I'd known what Seattle was going to do, I'd have traded down to 5 and selected Bayless.
Does anyone - and especially anyone in the Indiana front office - have any idea of what the Pacers are up to? They brought in Ford and Jack - obviously to replace Tinsley, but sent out Jermaine O'Neal. And Brandon Rush, when you've already got plenty of folks at that position, including his brother? Anthony Randolph would have better filled their needs.
Lopez was a good pick for New Jersey, and I like the other Lopez to Phoenix pick.
Charlotte's pick of Augustin was terrible. They need a big - so they get an extra-small.
Lee for Orlando was a nice pick, but they really should have stolen Koufos from Utah. Houston didn't really help themselves in areas of need. I loved the Arthur to New Orleans pick, but can't figure out why they sent him out, since NO was a great fit for him.
Milwaukee getting Richard Jefferson was awesome, even if Jefferson isn't happy about it. I think he'll change his tune once he sees the difference between his new team and what his old team has turned into. New Jersey is gambling on getting LeBron, but would you want to go to a rebuilding team, and for less money that Cleveland will offer you, if you're an uber-star?
And finally, I want to talk about New York's pick: Danilo Gallinari BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (Any time someone says "Danilo Gallinari," you have to boo, apparently.)
First of all, if I'm Gallinari, I tell the media that it was really great to hear the Knicks chanting my nickname...Boo...when I got picked. Tell me that wouldn't stick - and put New York in this kid's corner just a bit.
I'm going to say that the biggest problem the Knicks have is an astonishing lack of basketball intelligence in their locker room. (After all the years of Stephon Marbury and Isiah Thomas, go figure.) That's the first thing they need to correct. Danilo Gallinari impressed me with his understanding of the game in selecting his favorite player: TAYSHAUN PRINCE. I think there's a good chance this kid has his head screwed on straight. He may actually succeed in the NBA.