NBA draft report card: How each team fared
Kurt Helin of ProBasketballTalk.com grades all 30 teams
OPINION
By Kurt Helin
NBCSports.com
updated 3:21 a.m. ET June 25, 2010
A look at how each team fared in the 2010 NBA draft:
Atlanta
Wow, another athletic swingman in Jordan Crawford -- just what the Hawks really need. But we like Crawford and he's a pretty good find. Since nobody knows anything about Pape Sy it seems an odd pick.
Grade: C
Boston
Avery Bradley could be the regular backup point guard that the Celtics need. It was nice somebody drafted Luke Harangody, though I’m not sure why.
Grade: A-
Charlotte
How do you build a team without picks?
Grade: F
Chicago
Should be an incomplete. They've cleared the deck for big free-agent signings, and that is all that matters. They traded all their picks.
Grade: C
Cleveland
Picks? We don’t need no stinkin’ picks. We need LeBron James to stay. Everything else is window dressing.
Grade: N/A
Dallas
They now have Dominique Jones (after buying him from Memphis), a slashing two guard who needs the ball, to go along side all those point guards they can't find minutes for. But they drafted and traded Solomon Alabi, a high energy power forward, when they need size up front. Maybe I just don't see the master plan.
Grade: D
Denver
The Nuggets, with their focus on signing star Carmelo Anthony to an extension, didn't have any picks.
Grade: N/A
Detroit
Greg Monroe is a good pick at No. 7, a passing big man with a good offensive game coming to a team that needed some scoring along the front line. Nothing fancy here but solid picks that help.
Grade: B
Golden State
The Warriors get a guy who can defend the paint in Ekpe Udoh at No. 6, but how is he going to fit in? Who knows? Depends on who the coach is, which depends on who the owner is. Hard to make a good pick with a team in flux.
Grade: B-
Houston
Patrick Patterson is a very Houston player. Smart, versatile, has a pretty jump hook. Better learn to defend better if he wants to get much run with the Rockets.
Grade: B
Indiana
I like Paul George, and he can back up Danny Granger, but is that what you do with No. 10? I know Larry Bird was working the phones to find a point guard, but the bottom line is they still need one and this is a results-based business.
Grade: D
L.A. Clippers
They get the guy they targeted in small forward Al-Faroq Aminu, who gives them more athleticism on the wing. Then they trade for Eric Bledsoe to come off the bench for Baron Davis and/or Eric Gordon. But watch out for Willie Warren to be the best of the group in three years.
Grade: B
L.A. Lakers
What did the Lakers really need anyway? Devin Ebanks can defend, but he’s going to need to knock down some outside shots to really have a chance of making the roster.
Grade: C
Memphis
They pick up a solid rotation guy in Xavier Henry -- you can always use a shooter. Greivis Vasquez is just going to be fun, and had the best celebration of the night when picked. Can't wait for his first NBA basket.
Grade: B
Miami
Good job stockpiling second-round picks to get good risks like Dexter Pittman, Jarvis Varnado and Da'Sean Butler. It was nice of the Heat to pay attention to the draft, what with the 56 "Keep Wade" rallies going on.
Grade: B
Milwaukee
You don't want to rip a good defensive pick in Larry Sanders, but he will take some time to develop. Thought the Bucks were moving faster, but not a bad pick.
Grade: C
Minnesota
They get the guy they want in Wes Johnson -- they needed a small forward in the triangle offense to spread the floor a little. But did they draft for need instead of taking the best player in DeMarcus Cousins? Aside from that they get three more guys to stash overseas -- pretty soon the Timberwolves will be able to form their own European club team.
Grade: B-
New Jersey
Derrick Favors is a guy who can end up being very good, but like the Nets he's a few years away. Then they went out and traded for another power forward in Damion James, a guy who could provide some physicality off the bench. Solid picks.
Grade: B
New Orleans
I'm down with trading Cole Aldrich but are Craig Brackins and Quincy Pondexter really the answers in the rebuilding process.
Grade: C
New York
Blame one more thing on Isiah Thomas -- rather than picking No. 8 they only had second-rounders. Got a couple guys who can shoot the rock in that round (Andy Rautins of Syracuse has amazing range) but need bigger talent than that and they didn't get it.
Grade: D
Oklahoma City
They get Cole Aldrich to give them some muscle in the middle. Then general manager Sam Presti did what he does and got a bunch of athletes who can have some impact. This is why the Thunder are up and coming.
Grade: A
Orlando
Not great picks, but they used then to get some potential backups for Dwight Howard. If they can do that on the cheap then this looks like a much better draft.
Grade: C+
Philadelphia
They had just one pick, but it was the No. 2 pick and they got a quality player in Evan Turner who can step right in. He’ll fit in perfectly with Jrue Holliday and Andre Iguodala -- if new coach Doug Collins lets them get out and run. They also run a risk because Derrick Favors and DeMarcus Cousins could be better in a few years.
Grade: A
Phoenix
They gained a couple meaningless late rounders. Meaningless because all that really matters is keeping Amare Stoudemire.
Grade: C
Portland
The grade is for Paul Allen, firing his general manager on the day of the draft then making him work it. The draft itself was fine, although those new guys will have a hard time cracking the rotation.
Grade: F
Sacramento
They got a potentially very good big man in DeMarcus Cousins that could be the inside to Tyreke Evans' outside. The second-round flyer on Hassan Whiteside was a good one -- big upside with little risk.
Grade: A
San Antonio
Maybe the best draft of the night. Get a guy who can score in James Anderson down at No. 20, giving them some energy off the bench. They also drafted Ryan Richards, a name you should keep in mind for a couple years from now when he is ready for the NBA.
Grade: A
Toronto
Not sure how Ed Davis fits in: a forward who has no jump shot on a team that wants to run and shoot quickly. But he will be great catching the lobs and he's good around the rim. I like the trade to get Solomon Alabi, a real high-energy guy who could be a poor man's Joakim Noah. Without the hair.
Grade: B
Utah
I'm not big on Gordon Hayward, but I think he works well here. He can't really create his own shot off the dribble but can shoot, and in Utah the system will help create some open looks for him to knock down.
Grade: B
Washington
Nobody could screw this up -- they got John Wall. They got a cornerstone. But they get knocked down a notch because they spent $20 million earlier in the day on a trade that netted them Kevin Seraphin and a mentor for Wall (Kirk Hinrich). Pretty expensive for what they got.
Grade: B
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