Ok, so in my NBA league (yeah, it’s turning into a thing), I’m going to do a draft later this week or next week. I’ll either add one or two players to each team. These players that will be added will not necessarily be from this season’s draft. They will just be from the whole pool of available players. So if someone broke out last year, they will likely be high on this list. Today, just the draft order, and team needs with analysis for each of the 10 worst teams:
Note: This whole draft is just worst to best record, no playoff adjusted or real lottery.
1. Chicago Bulls: Needs: SF, C. Explosive wing man, perimeter defense, interior scoring.
The Bulls are in a better spot than most with a #1 pick, with Derrick Rose returning next season. Still, they need some help. Kevin Martin is a good fourth option, but a bad second one. Kenneth Faried is a good scrapper, but is not a big interior scorer. Meyers Leonard could turn into something, but the Bulls need a starting center. And Corey Maggette needs to go.
2. Houston Rockets: Needs: Backup PG, Forward, Consistency, Rebounding, interior scoring.
The Rockets need some help (obviously, as they are drafting second). Rondo got hurt, but even with him I’m not sure they would have gone anyway. Rondo and Paul George are good, but PJ3 barely played last year, Henson can’t score, and Bargnani was also hurt. This team needs just about everything.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Needs: SG, SF, PF, Backup C, Scoring
This was really not a good team, and will probably go with the best available non point guard here.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Needs: PG, SF
Watch out for the Cavs next year. Love missed the whole year, but he is exactly what this team needed. They’ll pick up a point guard in the draft, and could well be a playoff team.
5. Indiana Pacers: Needs: Youth, Bench
This is another injury prone team, and the age of Manu, Granger, and Garnett say that this will continue in the future. John Wall has also been injured.
6. Portland Trailblazers: Guards
Al Horford is a top 40 player in this league, if not top 30, but a team with Horford and not much depth isn’t going very far. This team needs Eric Gordon to become a difference maker, or draft someone with potential, because it doesn’t look good right now.
7. Golden State Warriors: PG, SG, PF, Youth
Carmelo Anthony was the leading scorer in this league, too, scoring more than 30 per game, but his field goal % was bad in this league. Who can blame him? They need a lot of help.
8. Boston Celtics: SG, PF
This team wasn’t as bad as it looked, because DeJuan Blair played pretty well in a starting job, averaging about 10 and 6. Still, Dwight Howard was double teamed every time he touched the ball, and with Jason Richardson out, Paul Pierce tired early and the Celtics faded. They need youth and outside shooting, and a replacement for J-Rich, who would make a better 6th man.
9. Denver Nuggets: PG, defense
This is a team that looks like a good fantasy team. Darren Collison did not play well at point guard, becoming selfish at times. David Lee crashed the boards and amazingly led the team in assists, as neither guard is inclined towards passing. They need a veteran guard presence, perhaps moving Collison or Royce White to the 6th man spot.
10. Dallas Mavericks: backup PG, back to the basket scorer, veteran presence
Mostly, they need Kyrie to stay healthy.
11. Orlando Magic
12. Los Angeles Lakers
13. Charlotte Bobcats
14. Toronto Raptors
15. San Antonio Spurs
16. New York Knicks
17. Oklahoma City Thunder
18. Milwaukee Bucks
19. Memphis Grizzlies
20. Sacramento Kings
21. Phoenix Suns
22. Washington Wizards
23. Philadelphia 76ers
24. Detroit Pistons
25. New Orleans Hornets
26. Atlanta Hawks
27. Utah Jazz
28. Miami Heat
29. Brooklyn Nets
30. Los Angeles Clippers