posted June 29, 2009 at 13:43 EST in NBA Articles
NBA Draft 2009 Recap
The 2009 NBA Draft was a rousing success for some teams and a big disappointment for others. It did little to impact the chances of most teams going into the 2009-2010 NBA Season to win the NBA Championship.
BetUS online sportsbook fans aren’t going to jump onto the Clippers for instance just because they selected Blake Griffin number one in the draft. What bettors will want to do is pay attention to how each team’s draft played out and then consider the other moves that the teams made that could potentially impact their chances of being a force in whatever conference in which they play.
You have to make the playoffs first before winning the NBA Championship. Let’s take a look at the teams that were impacted not only by the draft but by moves up to and after the draft that could make an impact.
NBA: 2009 Draft Recap
** Teams odds of winning the NBA Championship are listed next to their names.
Best Drafts
1. Los Angeles Clippers +10000 - - If they don’t screw it up, then the Clippers have built a nice young nucleus by drafting Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon last year. Al Thornton is also a nice young player. With Baron Davis at the point, this team could be much better next year than they were last year, but they still have virtually no chance at winning the NBA Championship.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves +10000 - - Some draft watchers believe that picking up both Rick Rubio and Johnny Flynn, the two best point guards in the draft, was a bad move by the T’Wolves. I think it’s brilliant. Both guys have the ability to create which means with both of them on the floor opposing defenses are going to have trouble knowing who to guard. What a move. They still won’t even sniff the NBA Championship, however.
3. Memphis Grizzlies +10000 - - The Grizzlies got three guys that not only will make the team but could contribute right away in Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young. Young and Thabeet are NBA ready and Carroll is a tough hard worker. Like the teams above them, no chance at a ring for now, but they got a nice thing going if they can keep everybody together.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder +10000 - - B.J. Mullens and guard James Harden get to hang with an already improving team. Two, maybe three years from now is when gamblers will need to look at these guys. For now, they have no shot, but what a nice draft!
Combo Teams: Great Drafting Even Better Trading
How about the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs? Both traditionally good Western Conference Squads got much by not only making superb trades but also by making moves to get themselves into a position to be competitive.
Phoenix Suns +5000 - - The Suns unloaded Shaquille O’Neal for Sasha Pavlovic, Ben Wallace, and cash before the draft. Pavlovic and Wallace might actually fit better with Phoenix than Shaq ever did. Then, the Suns went out and drafted Earl Clark, a top five talent, and James Johnson. Both guys are good enough to help Phoenix right away. The Suns have a better than 50 to 1 shot to win the NBA Championship next year.
San Antonio Spurs +900 - - Wow. San Antonio goes out to get the underrated Richard Jefferson from Milwaukee who can score and play defense, then they draft a tough banger like DeJuan Blair from Pittsburgh in the draft? Amazing! With Manu Ginobili hopefully coming back near full strength, the Spurs are loaded at the small forward position with Ginobili, Jefferson and Michael Finley all able to get it done. Tim Duncan and point guard Tony Parker fill in the blanks. Another NBA Championship went from possible to likely in my estimation.
Teams That Didn’t Draft But Made Huge Moves
Both of the two teams in this past season’s Eastern Conference Finals didn’t draft but made huge moves.
Cleveland Cavaliers +300 - - The trade for Shaq is either desperation or truly a move that was inspired by the Bulls trading for Bill Cartwright in the late 1980’s. Sure, Shaq is over the hill but if he’s half the player he was, then he’s a better answer to Dwight Howard than anything the Cavs had. It was a good move. Now, at 3 to 1, I’m still not so sure this team is worth a bet.
Orlando Magic +1000 - - A few days after the Cavs traded for Shaq, the rival Orlando Magic one upped them by trading for Vince Carter. They had to give up Rafer Alston in the process but Carter becomes another scorer on a team loaded with scorers in Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson. The key will be Jameer Nelson. If he can stay healthy, and the Magic can resign Hedo Turkoglu, then the starting five for the Magic becomes one of the best, if not the best, in the entire NBA. Nelson at the point, Carter at shooting guard, Lewis, Turkoglu and Howard in the front-court? Yeah, pretty formidable!
