Post by ashes on Jun 19, 2020 21:20:40 GMT -8
Re-Grading the BBS Creation Draft
1. Sacramento Kings - Kobe Bryant SG 22 6'7'' 210 A- B+ B- A C BNow: Kobe Bryant SG 25 6'7'' 216 A- A B+ A+ C B (Orlando Magic)
The man himself is looking pretty sexy these days. The #1 Overall was shipped to Orlando for Antoine Walker, Joe Johnson, and the #2 overall pick in 2002 (Amare Stoudemire) and has continued to improve each season. With the retirement of Jordan, Kobe is finally looking like the best SG in the league and the Magic finally seemed poised to win games. The Magic have a rock-solid core now, and should be in a good position to make it through their CY and move towards playoff success. Kobe really has no flaw in his game and is arguably the highest value piece in the league, outside of one or maybe two other guys. Being a lock-down defender on top of one the best scorers in the league is a rare commodity on the wing, and will translate very well in a playoff series. I only bump the grade down a bit here because of the next man up.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 31/6/5/2 / All-League 1st Team / All-Defensive 2nd Team
2000-2001 Actual: 29/7/5/2 / All-League 2nd Team
Grade Then: A+
Grade Now: A
2. Los Angeles Clippers - Tim Duncan PF 24 7'0'' 260 A- C B- A+ A- BNow: Tim Duncan PF 27 7'0'' 281 A- C B+ A+ A B (Los Angeles Clippers)
If Kobe is the man himself, Timmy D is the god himself. Duncan is truly transcendent and no other player has carried a team like he has. The three-time, reigning Most Valuable Player shows no signs of slowing down, assuming he stays healthy and stays far away from the Small Forward position. I'd honestly be surprised if anyone even sniffs the MVP award for the next 4 or 5 seasons. The Clippers are on a downward trajectory, and it seems like adding pieces around Duncan is getting harder and harder for them, but as long as they have Duncan, they will be a playoff team capable of winning a series. He's had some unfortunate luck in the playoffs, but regardless, he is the best player in the league and that title is pretty secure for awhile.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 28/13/4/1/3 / All-League 1st Team / All-Defensive 1st Team
2000-2001 Actual: 30/15/4/1.5/2.5 / Most Valuable Player / All-League 1st Team / All-Defensive 1st Team
Grade Then: A+
Grade Now: A+
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (Traded to Denver Nuggets) - Shaquille O'Neal C 28 7'1'' 315 A+ F+ C A+ A CNow: Shaquille O'Neal C 31 7'1'' 320 A D- C+ A+ A C (Seattle Supersonics)
Well Diesel has kind of had a rough go at it. His glaring weakness in FT shooting has been far worse than I would have ever imagined, but I suppose it makes a sense that a guy who can't make free throws but is typically at the top in attempts would spell trouble for his team. He is still capable of putting up absolutely gaudy stat-lines in games, some of the coolest I have ever seen, but I question the championship capability of any team built around Shaq at this point. The poor guy is about to go into an Outside offense? Even before the Sonics, the Nuggets never really seemed that threatening with Shaq, maybe he just isn't meant to be a winner.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 32/14/4/1/3.5 / Most Valuable Player / All-League 1st Team / All-Defensive 2ndst Team
2000-2001 Actual: 27/15/4.5/1/3 / All-League 1st Team / Defensive Player of the Year / All-Defensive 1st Team
Grade Then: A+
Grade Now: C+
4. Dallas Mavericks - Tracy McGrady SG 21 6'8'' 210 A- B B- C+ C ANow: Tracy McGrady SG 24 6'8'' 221 A- A C+ A- C+ B (San Antonio Spurs)
Tracy McGrady has always looked real nice. He just hasn't really performed as nice as he looks. Defensively, he is really solid, but offensively he is been good, but not great. I feel like his Inside Scoring ability is a little too inflated with Jumping, but still he even has A outside now. Maybe he will continue to grow as a scorer, or maybe he is fine but just needs to be playing the 2 guard. Either way, McGrady is a great player, but has been eclipsed by far more wings than he really should be. Dude is still 24 though, nothing to worry about in the long run. Bumping the grade down on this one because several guys after have just consistently been better and won't get worse any time soon.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 24/7/4/1/1
2000-2001 Actual: 21.5/7.5/5/1/1
Grade Then: A-
Grade Now: B
5. Boston Celtics - Allen Iverson SG 25 6'0'' 165 A- B+ B- A- C- BNow: Allen Iverson SG 28 6'0'' 165 A- A- B A- C- C (Boston Celtics)
AI has been nothing short of spectacular since the league began. Elite scorer, somehow a good rebounder, and the best thief in the game, Iverson has shown he can do it all and do it very well. The second “franchise” guy we've seen so far, and it makes sense. Celtics haven't had any major reason to move Iverson, but they've still been missing something even after Iverson and Bibby turned out to be one of the best duos in the league. Iverson is in his prime now, and should have plenty left in the tank. It'll be interesting to see if he remains a Celtic for life, or if he takes his talents elsewhere. If you're looking for a cornerstone wing, Iverson is pretty high on that list.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 30/6/4/2 / All-League 2nd Team
2000-2001 Actual: 32/6/4.5/2.5 / All-League 1st Team / All-Defensive 2nd Team
Grade Then: B+
Grade Now: A
6. Denver Nuggets (Traded to Cleveland Cavaliers) - Kevin Garnett PF 24 6'11'' 220 B+ C C A A- BNow: Kevin Garnett PF 27 6'11'' 240 A- C C A+ A- B (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Kevin Garnett has come a long way these past few years. I wasn't exactly down on the pick at the time, but now I think KG is one of the best players in the league. I'd still like to see him shoot less, still seems like a non-option player to me, but his defense and rebounding are elite. He has a good jump shot, and doesn't turn the ball over excessively. The Cavaliers may not be making many moves, but I think keeping KG is a good one.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 21/12/4/2/2 / All-League 3rd Team / All-Defensive 2nd Team
2000-2001 Actual: 18/11.5/3.5/2/2.5 / All-League 2nd Team / All-Defensive 2nd Team
Grade Then: B+
Grade Now: A+
7. Indiana Pacers - Elton Brand PF 21 6'8'' 260 A- C- C- B B+ BNow: Elton Brand PF 24 6'8'' 260 A- C- C- B B C (New Orleans Hornets)
Brand is another guy who hasn't had the best of success around the league. The poor man has been traded like crazy and has fluctuated in ratings so much to the point where he is now back down below his starting grades. He's always been relatively productive, being a solid scorer/rebounder and a good shot-blocker, but it's safe to say he has been a disappointment. When he was first drafted, I questioned if he was already at his ceiling, despite his young age, and it seems like I may have been on to something. Brand is who we think he is, and we aren't letting him off the hook! Definitely went higher than he should have now that we have a few seasons under the belt. He is due for a new contract this year, so I imagine he is about to be overpaid.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 22/10/2/1/2.5
2000-2001 Actual: 18/11/3/1/2
Grade Then: B-
Grade Now: D+
8. Minnesota Timberwolves - Vince Carter SG 23 6'7'' 215 B+ A- C B C BNow: Vince Carter SG 26 6'7'' 221 B+ A C+ B C C (Houston Rockets)
Vince Carter was one of the best SGs in the league when he had some handling issues. Now he looks to be past that and is paired up with arguably the best young gun in the league. A fantastic shooter since day one, Carter is one of the best scorers out there and provides very solid stocks. There are plenty of wings out there, but one that can score and produce defensively? Not so much. VC is fresh and in his prime, and that duo in Houston will be scary for years to come.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 28/7/3/1.5 / All-League 3rd Team / Slam Dunk Contest Champion
2000-2001 Actual: 24/6.5/3/1/1 / 3P Shootout Champion
Grade Then: A
Grade Now: A
9. Indiana Pacers - Steve Nash PG 26 6'3'' 195 C A A C D+ BNow: Steve Nash PG 29 6'3'' 195 C+ A A C D+ C (Sacramento Kings)
Nash has been one of the most efficient players in the league since inception, and is still going strong. One of the best scorers out there, Nash is an outside offense's dream guard. He shoots at awesome percentages. Arguably the best PG of the last three seasons, Nash has led the Kings to recent Finals appearance. Other PGs are starting to emerge, but it doesn't change the fact that Nash is still one of the best there is and a top scorer at that. He's due for some money soon, but should have no issues remaining productive for a long time.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 25/4/10/1.5 / All-League 1st Team / 3P Shootout Champion
2000-2001 Actual: 26.5/4/9.5/1.5 / All-League 1st Team
Grade Then: A+
Grade Now: A+
10. Toronto Raptors - Ray Allen SG 25 6'5'' 205 B- A B- B C- BNow: Ray Allen SG 28 6'5'' 208 B A B B+ C- D (Atlanta Hawks)
On to another prolific SG, Ray Allen has been one of the best guards in the league. Excellent, uber-efficient scorer who takes care of the ball and gets steals. Had some great years with Dallas and now looks to carry the Hawks through their Contract Year. I'm a bit higher on this pick than I was before seeing how consistently great he's been. I'm not sure if the Hawks have done quite enough yet, but Allen should be a good guy to get the job done. He's in his prime, so I'm curious to see what the Hawks do with him should they make it through their CY.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 25/4.5/4/1.5
2000-2001 Actual: 25/5/4/2
Grade Then: B+
Grade Now: A-
11. Houston Rockets - Shawn Marion SF 22 6'7'' 215 B C C A B+ BNow: Shawn Marion PF 25 6'7'' 233 B+ C+ C A- B+ C (Milwaukee Bucks)
Marion has been pretty polarizing around the league. After spending his entire time with a bad, tanking Rockets team, he's put up pretty spectacular numbers, but has struggled a bit with his move to Milwaukee. Being a lower option is ideal for a guy like Marion, but he really has developed pretty well the last few seasons. He has an elite jump shot, and is a very good defender/rebounder. I think one day a GM will crack the code on using him well and he could be a very good piece for a championship team. Just not a number one or two option!
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 14/10/2/1.5/2
2000-2001 Actual: 20/10/3/1.5/1 / All-League 3rd Team / All-Defensive 1st Team
Grade Then: A-
Grade Now: B
12. Golden State Warriors - Dirk Nowitski PF 22 7'0'' 250 B B+ C- C C+ ANow: Dirk Nowitski SF 25 7'0'' 264 B+ A- C- B B+ A (Los Angeles Lakers)
I was a bit harsh on the Dirk pick because he seemed more like a pick for a slow-build and there were still some nicer “ready-now” type players available, but manas ended up getting Billups as well who simmed amazingly. The Dirk/Billups combo performed very well but never really got any support and the plug was pulled before they even got the chance to have talent around them. Dirk himself has become a bona fide superstar. I hate the idea of him playing SF, but there is no doubt his output is insane there. His defense and rebounding have come along way more than I think anyone would've predicted, and of course he is an offensive powerhouse. Awesome player.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 21/8/2/1
2000-2001 Actual: 26/7/2.5/1
Grade Then: B-
Grade Now: A+
13. Seattle Supersonics - Paul Pierce SF 23 6'7'' 220 B+ B+ C C+ C BNow: Paul Pierce SF 26 6'7'' 230 A- A- C C+ C B (New Orleans Hornets)
I pointed out Paul Pierce's shortcomings but made excuses for him because of his position. I was wrong. I'm not a fan of Paul Pierce anymore, though I pretty much stopped being a fan midway through the first season. He isn't very good. He still struggles with turnovers and has made very little improvement to his game since the league started. He is definitely one of the weaker 1st Round picks at this point. Pierce is probably a guy you don't exactly mind having, but wouldn't go out of your way to acquire. Maybe there is still hope for him, but I think he's done developing and this is the guy you're going to get.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 22/7/3/1.5
2000-2001 Actual: 24.5/7/3/2
Grade Then: B+
Grade Now: C-
14. Phoenix Suns - Baron Davis PG 21 6'3'' 210 B- C+ B B C ANow: Baron Davis PG 24 6'3'' 225 B- B A- A- C- B (Phoenix Suns)
Baron has become an interesting PG, he's starting to look like a young Jason Kidd outside of his rebounding getting worse but with better handling. Actually his handling improvement over the years is something you don't often see with a PG, so that's very nice. Much like Kidd, not a real efficient scorer, but his defense is elite. My initial take on Baron is still pretty on point, but I think with his defensive impact. His first year he seemed so behind Marbury and Francis, but is now looking like the better of the three. It was a long climb, but maybe Baron has made it! His only downside is his offense from a position that naturally has a lot of scoring opportunities, but getting his turnovers down I think cancels out that a bit.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 12/5/7/1.5
2000-2001 Actual: 14/5/9/2 / All-League 3rd Team / All-Defensive 2nd Team
Grade Then: C
Grade Now: B
15. San Antonio Spurs - Lamar Odom SF 20 6'10'' 220 B B B B B BNow: Lamar Odom SF 23 6'11'' 233 B B A- A- B B (San Antonio Spurs)
I'm not even sure what to say about Odom's development. He's becomes such a weird but interesting player over the years. Now he's simming to find his niche as a solid stock/good rebounding big man. So weird. Never been an efficient offensive player, so definitely a guy you want as a non-option, but he has a unique skillset that could be fun as a super-sub. I wonder if he has any potential left in him. He's not bad but my initial take on him is still what I'm sticking with. At least he has got his turnovers down a little.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 19/8/5/1/1 / All-League 3rd Team
2000-2001 Actual: 19/9/4.5/1/1
Grade Then: C+
Grade Now: C+
16. New York Knicks - Jason Kidd PG 27 6'4'' 212 B- B- A A C+ BNow: Jason Kidd PG 30 6'4'' 215 B- B+ A+ A C C (Los Angeles Lakers)
Kidd has come a long way offensively over the years. I think he is an acceptable 3rd option guy now. His 56 point awakening changed him into a different man. His turnovers are still a little high, but his elite defense and rebounding at the 1 are pretty much unmatched around the league. Having a guy that can give the high-scoring PG position some trouble on defense is huge, and oftentimes Kidd has been a big difference-maker there. One of the older guys now, he has probably another 4 years or so of really good production and the Lakers seemed poised to take full advantage of that.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 16/7/9/2.5 All-League 2nd Team, All-Defensive 1st Team
2000-2001 Actual: 18/6.5/8/2.5
Grade Then: B
Grade Now: A-
17. Detroit Pistons - Grant Hill SF 28 6'8'' 225 B+ B B+ C+ C+ CNow: Grant Hill SG 31 6'8'' 238 B+ A- B B- C C (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Hill has been relatively the same player since the draft for the same team. But I suppose that's what you expected from Hill. A guy in his prime doing what he was drafted to do. He's been a very nice wing compliment to “cheat code” Keith Van Horn. At 31 he looks like the same player, but may be slowing down just a tad. He re-signed for a bit of a discount, but probably only produces for half of that contract. The Cavaliers have been in the championship mix every season, but just haven't been able to get it done. Do they try one more time or blow it all up? If so, where does Hill go and for what kind of price? Interested to see.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 24/7/4.5/1.5 / All-League 1st Team
2000-2001 Actual: 23/7/4/1.5
Grade Then: B-
Grade Now: B-
18. Denver Nuggets (Traded to Cleveland Cavaliers) - Chris Webber PF 27 6'10'' 245 A- C- C B+ B CNow: Chris Webber PF 30 6'10'' 255 A- C C A- A- C (Philadelphia 76ers)
Webber has always put up numbers, but not at good percentages. He's had a few seasons of inside offense, so it's strange that he still struggles to get to 45% sometimes. He's having a big year with Philadelphia right now. He's a good stock/rebounding big man with just a bit of handling issues, though they've gotten better over the years. Webber actually took a large discount re-signing, which is nice because I don't think you want to pay Webber 14.4M or 16.8M starting. I think he definitely has some glaring issues, but as long as you are able to keep him in the right offense, he's shown that he is a very good system guy that can lead a team to the playoffs. Should have a good run in Philadelphia.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 23/11/4/1/1.5 / All-League 2nd Team
2000-2001 Actual: 22/11/3/1/1.5
Grade Then: B+
Grade Now: B
19. Atlanta Hawks - Steve Francis PG 22 6'3'' 193 B B B C C ANow: Steve Francis PG 25 6'3'' 197 B A- B- C+ C C (Philadelphia 76ers)
Sticking with Philly, we move on to Francis who may have finally found his place. Always been a guy capable of scoring and getting steals, but his ball-handling at PG was just abysmal. At SG, he's looking real fun. Fantastic rebounder and still a high steal guy, while getting his turnovers down significantly with the lower usage rate. I don't know if he quite lives up to that new contract, but he is shaping up to be a fantastic non-option off-guard. Good for you Stevie Franchise!
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 14/6/8/2
2000-2001 Actual: 23/6/7.5/2 / All-League 2nd Team / All-Defensive 1st Team
Grade Then: B-
Grade Now: B-
20. Milwaukee Bucks - Rasheed Wallace PF 26 6'11'' 225 B+ C C A- C+ BNow: Rasheed Wallace PF 29 6'11'' 241 B+ C+ C+ A B- B (Boston Celtics)
Sheed started off a bit rough around the edges, especially in the handling department, but he's taken to his role behind AI and Bibby relatively well. I think he needs a lot of compliments around him to be successful, but he has improved each year, so that's nice. Unfortunately his jumper is still a little rough, but you can't ask for everything I suppose. His value/performance might be near its peak, however, so the Celtics are at a bit of a crossroads, especially with their team starting to struggle more and more. I don't think Sheed has done much to change my initial impressions too much, but I'll acknowledge he is a bit better now.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 20/10/3/1.5/1.5
2000-2001 Actual: 24/11/4/1/1
Grade Then: C+
Grade Now: B-
21. New Orleans Hornets - Alonzo Mourning C 30 6'10'' 261 A- C- C+ A B+ CNow: Alonzo Mourning C 33 6'10'' 267 A- C- C A A- D (Portland Trailblazers)
Still amazes me to this day that Zo dropped so far. He's been amazing so far, and despite his absolute albatross contract, he's still going to produce big time numbers. Portland isn't great, but Zo helped them through their Contract Year at least. If they can somehow get solid value out of Zo and put themselves in a better position for a short rebuild, that may be ideal. Not sure how easy it will be to move that contract, but if anyone doubts Zo will be a good player the next 2 or 3 years, they are cray cray! Elite shot-blocking, awesome rebounding, not completely useless from the foul line. Good stuff!
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 22/12/4.5/1/3.5 All-League 2nd Team / Defensive Player of the Year
2000-2001 Actual: 22/12/4/1/4 / All-League 2nd Team / All-Defensive 2nd Team
Grade Then: A+
Grade Now: A+
22. Miami Heat - Stephon Marbury PG 23 6'2'' 180 B B A- C C- BNow: Stephon Marbury PG 26 6'2'' 186 B- A- A- C C- B (Memphis Grizzlies)
Yuck. Like Francis, but a lot worse, Marbury has proven without a shadow of a doubt that he does not belong at PG. When I look at the Grizzlies I'm a little sad that a team of Big Z/Grant/Rose/etc quickly turned into Stephon Marbury after their memes failed in the playoffs year after year. Marbury's only future is at SG, and he's okay there, but doesn't have the same quality as Francis there. Though I suppose the argument can be made that the 3 year deal is nicer. He has the potential to be an okay non-option starter for someone, so we'll see what happens, but for now Marbury is the biggest bust of the 1st Round.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 17/4/8.5/1.5
2000-2001 Actual: 20.5/4.5/7/2
Grade Then: B-
Grade Now: D
23. New Jersey Nets - Ben Wallace C 26 6'9'' 240 C+ F D- A A- BNow: Ben Wallace C 29 6'9'' 256 B- F D- A+ A B (Sacramento Kings)
Big Ben is amazing. Everything from my initial take is there, except Ben decided to become and even better shot-blocker and rebounder. Obviously his offense is trash, and he can't hit a free throw to save his life, but luckily he only shoots about 4 a game! His real value is his ridiculous stock/TO efficiency and no one does it better than Ben. I said he barely had any hopes for double-double averages, but that's okay because he'll just get 13+ RPG and 5+ stocks a game. A unique, defensive big man that the league will probably never see again, Ben Wallace was and still is one of my favorite picks of the creation draft.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 9/12/2/1.5/3
2000-2001 Actual: 8/11/2/1/2
Grade Then: A-
Grade Now: A
24. Dallas Mavericks - Jermaine O'Neal C 22 6'11'' 226 B D+ D- C+ C+ ANow: Jermaine O'Neal C 25 6'11'' 247 A- C- F+ A- B B (Los Angeles Lakers)
The better O'Neal! My initial take on JO was pretty on point, he was raw but could block shots and potentially break out. He has become the perfect non-option big man. Averages 17.5/13 with almost 5 stocks now and sub 2 turnovers. Pretty stellar. Habes caught some flack over the first few seasons and had to defend this man a lot, and pretty much everyone was questioning if JO was truly worth the contract he was going to receive. With his home in LA now, it's pretty clear JO is worth the money and an excellent piece for the contending Lakers. Assuming his recent 4 BPG doesn't slip back to sub 3, I think JO is going to fight for Defensive Player of the Year awards for seasons to come.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 14/10/1/1/2
2000-2001 Actual: 14/8/1.5/1/1.5
Grade Then: B
Grade Now: A-
25. Chicago Bulls - Marcus Camby C 26 6'11'' 225 B- C- C A B+ BNow: Marcus Camby C 29 6'11'' 243 B C- C A A- C (Orlando Magic)
Judas. Brutus. AKA Marcus Camby. After ditching the Kings for the tanking Jazz, Camby finds his way to Orlando and is helping the Magic secure their BBS safety. Camby has been the absolute same since the beginning, which is fine, he's a great rebounder and a good stocks guy. He shoots a little too much, and for some reason recently had his Inside AC'd, but regardless, Camby is a good defensive anchor for a team and he should've stayed with Ben. Oh well! Big Dong's turn.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 9/12/2/1.5/2
2000-2001 Actual: 13/12.5/2/1/2
Grade Then: A-
Grade Now: A-
26. Utah Jazz - Allan Houston SG 29 6'6'' 200 B- A C+ C+ C- CNow: Allan Houston SG 32 6'6'' 200 B A+ B- B D+ D (New Orleans Hornets)
Pretty much my biggest glaring mistake from my first grades, but it wasn't really about Houston, but I questioned the Jazz's ability to go far for some reason! I think I was really down on the 2nd/3rd Rds of the draft and then the Jazz picked David Robinson and the rest was history! Houston was every bit the efficient scorer that I said he was and more! He proved to be a top 3 SG that year and was Playoff MVP for the Jazz's Championship. The craziest thing about Houston is he hasn't stopped getting better! The only real question I had about him was a short window being 29, and then he said SMD Ashes I'm gonna shoot better and learn defense! Pretty cool! He now resides in New Orleans, and though they are struggling right now, I'm sure they'll get it together, even though their cohesison is kind of strange with two inside focused big men, a spotty 3, and a non-offensive PG. Going to be weird season, I'm sure some more moves are on the way!
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 24/5/4/1
2000-2001 Actual: 30/5/4/1 / Playoff MVP
Grade Then: C
Grade Now: A+
27. Cleveland Cavaliers - Keith Van Horn PF 25 6'10'' 250 B B D C B BNow: Keith Van Horn SF 28 6'10'' 250 B B+ D- B- B B (Cleveland Cavaliers)
I was crazy high on this pick before I knew he'd be dominating SGs around the league, and now him falling to 27 looks even worse! KVH has been incredible. He's basically averaged 26/10 every season and has led the Cavaliers to fantastic success in the regular season. Their playoff stumbles are well-known at this point, but I don't think this takes from KVH's value at all. He's struggling a bit this season, but he'll turn it around. Still in his prime and with a fresh contract, I wonder where KVH ends up and if he has the same success outside of Cleveland.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 24/11/2/1 / All-League 2nd Team
2000-2001 Actual: 25/9/2/1 / All-League 1st Team
Grade Then: A
Grade Now: A+
28. Philadelphia 76ers - Antawn Jamison PF 24 6'9'' 223 A- C+ C C- C C+ BNow: Antawn Jamison SF 27 6'9'' 234 A B D+ B- C+ C (Philadelphia 76ers)
Jamison looks a lot prettier than he did when he was drafted and had some nice looking seasons while the Sixers were tanking, but has struggled to find that same success when surrounded with more talent, even with the inside focus. He is still shooting near 50% from the field however, so you can't be mad at that. He provides nothing defensively, struggles from the FT line, and isn't really a plus rebounder. He has a lot of weaknesses still and pretty much needs the inside offense to succeed. If he could produce the same kind of numbers he did last season with this better roster, he'd be pretty damn solid though.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 22/7.5/3/1
2000-2001 Actual: 19.5/7/2/1
Grade Then: C
Grade Now: C
29. Orlando Magic - Antoine Walker PF 24 6'9'' 245 B+ C+ B- C B- BNow: Antoine Walker SF 27 6'9'' 250 B+ B- A- C+ B C (Sacramento Kings)
Forever tied to Jamison in my mind, Walker still comes out slightly on top like the first round of grading. He's an averagely efficient scorer, usually good for around .460/.730/.360 percentages, but is a plus rebounder with solid handling. He also provides decent stocks and is a versatile body than can be used as a super-sub with success. Like Jamison, he has several weaknesses but he also tends to shine a little more in multiple areas. He's probably better suited to a different offense, but when your team has Steve Nash, you follow his lead.
2000-2001 Season Predictions: 18/9/4.5/1.5
2000-2001 Actual: 21/9/4/1.5 / All-League 2nd Team
Grade Then: C+
Grade Now: B-
Interesting Tidbits
1. The following players still remain on their original team: Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett, Baron Davis, Lamar Odom, Grant Hill, Keith Van Horn, Antawn Jamison.
2. The following teams no longer have a 1st Round Creation Draft player on their team: Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors.
3. Every player taken in the 1st Round of the Creation Draft is a starter in the 2003-2004 season.
4. The following teams are tied for the most 1st Rounders on their roster at 3: Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers.
5. Of the four teams that did not select in the 1st Round (MEM, WAS, LAL, POR) only one team has never had a 1st Round Creation Draft player on their team: Washington Wizards.
6. Jason Kidd has been traded six times, Allan Houston five times, and Elton Brand four times.
Maybe I'll take another look at them in another three or four season!
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