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Post-Moratorium Official Transactions

July 10th, 2014 at 6:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

The first day after the NBA’s July moratorium is usually among the busiest on the calendar, and this year promises to be no exception. Contract and trade agreements struck during the nine-day moratorium can become official starting today, and many of them assuredly will, leading to a flood of official announcements from teams.

We’ve traditionally brought our posts about agreements during the moratorium to the top of the site when they become official, and that will continue to be the case involving deals in which there are new details to pass along. However, based on reader feedback, we won’t do so today with posts in which the only new information is that the transaction is official. We’ll instead keep those posts in our archives and link to them here, bringing this listing to the top with each simple announcement, just for today. This should help make it easier for you to navigate the site and find the news you’re looking for.

So, each agreement from prior to the end of the moratorium that merely becomes official today will be listed below, with the newest updates on top:

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The Hidden Value Of Brendan Haywood’s Contract

July 8th, 2014 at 4:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

A 34-year-old backup center on the Hornets roster seems an odd selling point for the Cavs to use in their pitch to woo LeBron James back to Cleveland, but Brendan Haywood is reportedly one of the players the Cavs believe can help them win over the four-time MVP. It’s not because of any recruiting message Haywood might deliver to James. Rather, it’s because of a vestige of the amnesty provision that’s scarcely considered outside of NBA front offices.

USA TODAY SportsThe Hornets agreed on draft night to a trade that will send Haywood to the Cavs. It won’t be official until after the July moratorium, which runs through Wednesday. On the surface, the deal seems like a pedestrian exchange of the aging Haywood and 45th overall pick Dwight Powell for reserve small forward Alonzo Gee.

Haywood was in the middle of his ninth season with the Wizards in 2010 when they traded him to the Mavericks, who re-signed him that summer to a six-year deal worth more than $52MM. Dallas also traded for Tyson Chandler that same offseason, and when Chandler beat out Haywood for the starting job, Haywood’s deal quickly became an object of regret. The only saving grace about that contract for Dallas was that his salary for the final season, worth more than $10.5MM, was non-guaranteed. That wasn’t enough to save Haywood from the chopping block in 2012, when the Mavs used the amnesty clause to waive Haywood and clear the cap room necessary to sign Chris Kaman to a one-year, $8MM deal, another contract that didn’t pan out for Dallas.

The then-Bobcats, sensing an opportunity to acquire a serviceable player they might not be able to woo in free agency, since they had just compiled the league’s worst winning percentage of all time, submitted a claim for Haywood. Unlike regular waivers, amnesty waivers allow teams to make partial claims in which they essentially place bids on the player. The Bobcats entered either the highest bid or the only bid — whether they had competition remains unknown — and won the rights to Haywood for $6.15MM. That amount was spread over the three remaining seasons on the contract that were fully guaranteed. The Mavs would pay the rest of his guaranteed salary, but it wouldn’t count against their cap.

The final, non-guaranteed season remained untouched. Dallas isn’t on the hook for that money, and Charlotte would only be responsible for it if it kept him past his contract guarantee date, which is August 1st, 2015, according to Mark Deeks of ShamSports. That gave the then-Bobcats, or any team to which they traded Haywood, full control over the deal’s final season, which is 2015/16. It left an unbalanced contract on Charlotte’s books, with salaries in the neighborhood of $2MM for the first three post-amnesty seasons preceding a hefty leap to more than $10.5MM.

Haywood will almost certainly be waived before next August and never receive that $10.5MM. Still, after next year’s July moratorium, that salary would still count toward the league’s salary matching requirements if the Cavs, once they officially acquire him from Charlotte, were to flip him in another trade. Cleveland could bring in a player making as much as $5MM more than Haywood’s non-guaranteed 2015/16 salary, and the team that gives up such a player could waive Haywood and gain a chunk of cap space equal to that approximately $10.5MM salary. Therein lies the value of Haywood.

The rechristened Hornets aren’t in any position to attract James to their team, or any starry 2015 free agent like Kevin Love or Rajon Rondo, the presence of owner Michael Jordan notwithstanding. For them, the trade will net immediate cap flexibility, since Gee’s $3MM salary is non-guaranteed for 2014/15, whereas Haywood’s salary is guaranteed for this coming season.

Haywood would still have been valuable to the Hornets, who could have traded his deal to acquire a high-dollar player next summer. But it’s even more valuable to the Cavs, who can use it to show another high-dollar player — LeBron — that they have the capability to surround him with game-changing talent.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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2014 Draft Pick Signings

July 8th, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

Teams commonly show their newly minted draft picks off to the public in the days following the event, even going to the trouble of printing up jerseys for them to hold for the cameras. Yet unlike free agency, when such displays only happen after contracts are officially signed, most teams wait a while to finalize their deals with draft picks. In some cases, the players never wind up wearing those jerseys in a game, and that’s especially true of second-rounders.

Still, most first-rounders ending up signing at some point, and the predetermined rookie scale contracts they sign eliminate most of the negotiation. I recently ran down the likely salary for each first-round pick, and that’s what the first-rounders with “signed” by their names are getting, unless otherwise noted. There’s no scale for second-rounders, so they wind up signing deals of varying structure and worth. As we update this post throughout the offseason, you’ll see details on the contracts for each second-rounder who signs with his NBA club.

Each player is listed next to the team that holds his rights, which isn’t necessarily the team that drafted him, since so many picks change hands on draft night. We’ll update this post whenever there’s news of a signing, and you’ll be able to find a link to it under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar so you can keep up to date throughout the summer.

First Round

  1. Cavaliers: Andrew Wiggins — signed
  2. Bucks: Jabari Parker — signed
  3. Sixers: Joel Embiid — signed
  4. Magic: Aaron Gordon — signed
  5. Jazz: Dante Exum — signed
  6. Celtics: Marcus Smart — signed
  7. Lakers: Julius Randle — signed
  8. Kings: Nik Stauskas — signed
  9. Hornets: Noah Vonleh — signed
  10. Magic: Elfrid Payton — signed
  11. Bulls: Doug McDermott — signed
  12. Sixers: Dario Saric — playing overseas
  13. Timberwolves: Zach LaVine — signed
  14. Suns: T.J. Warren — signed
  15. Hawks: Adreian Payne — signed
  16. Nuggets: Jusuf Nurkic — signed
  17. Celtics: James Young — signed
  18. Suns: Tyler Ennis — signed
  19. Nuggets: Gary Harris — signed
  20. Raptors: Bruno Caboclo — signed
  21. Thunder: Mitch McGary — signed
  22. Grizzlies: Jordan Adams — signed
  23. Jazz: Rodney Hood — signed
  24. Heat: Shabazz Napier — signed
  25. Rockets: Clint Capela — signed
  26. Hornets: P.J. Hairston — signed
  27. Suns: Bogdan Bogdanovic — playing overseas
  28. Clippers: C.J. Wilcox — signed
  29. Thunder: Josh Huestis — agreed to sign with the D-League
  30. Spurs: Kyle Anderson — signed

Second Round

  1. Bucks: Damien Inglis — signed to a three-year, $2,650,431 deal
  2. Sixers: K.J. McDaniels — signed to a one-year deal for the minimum salary
  3. Cavaliers: Joe Harris — signed to a three-year, $2,710,369 deal
  4. Knicks: Cleanthony Early — signed to a minimum-salary deal
  5. Grizzlies: Jarnell Stokes — signed to a three-year, $2,550,490 deal
  6. Bucks: Johnny O’Bryant III — signed to a three-year, $2,425,490 deal
  7. Raptors: DeAndre Daniels — playing overseas
  8. Pistons: Spencer Dinwiddie — signed to a three-year, $2,525,490 deal
  9. Sixers: Jerami Grant — signed to a four-year, $3,761,614 deal
  10. Timberwolves: Glenn Robinson III — signed to a one-year deal for the minimum salary
  11. Nuggets: Nikola Jokic — playing overseas
  12. Rockets: Nick Johnson — signed to a fully guaranteed three-year minimum-salary deal
  13. Hawks: Walter Tavares — playing overseas
  14. Nets: Markel Brown — signed to two-year deal for the minimum salary
  15. Cavaliers: Dwight Powell — signed to a two-year deal for the minimum salary
  16. Lakers: Jordan Clarkson — signed to a two-year deal for the minimum salary
  17. Pelicans: Russ Smith — signed to a three-year deal for the minimum salary
  18. Hawks: Lamar Patterson — playing overseas
  19. Bulls: Cameron Bairstow — signed to a three-year deal for the minimum salary
  20. Suns: Alec Brown — unsigned
  21. Knicks: Thanasis Antetokounmpo — agreed to sign with the D-League
  22. Sixers: Vasilije Micic — playing overseas
  23. Rockets: Alessandro Gentile — playing overseas
  24. Spurs: Nemanja Dangubic — playing overseas
  25. Thunder: Semaj Christon — agreed to sign with the D-League
  26. Magic: Devyn Marble — signed to a three-year, $2,710,369 deal
  27. Knicks: Louis Labeyrie — playing overseas
  28. Sixers: Jordan McRae — playing overseas
  29. Nets: Xavier Thames — playing overseas
  30. Nets: Cory Jefferson —signed to a two-year deal for the minimum salary
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Hoops Rumors Originals

July 6th, 2014 at 11:55pm CST by Zachary Links

A look back at the original reporting and analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..

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Hoops Rumors Featured Feedback

July 6th, 2014 at 9:33am CST by Chuck Myron

We value your input on the news we cover here at Hoops Rumors. That’s why we’re passing along some of the best insight from our comments and the Hoops Rumors Facebook page. Share your reaction to and insight on the news and rumors around the league, and you’ll have a chance to see your name here. Check out what readers had to say in previous editions of Hoops Rumors Featured Feedback.

It’s easy to sign up and start commenting on Hoops Rumors. First, read our Commenting Policy. Then, scroll to the bottom of any post, and you’ll see the word “Login” on the right side atop the comments section. Click the word and choose whether you want to comment using a Disqus account or your existing Facebook, Twitter or Google account. If you don’t have a Disqus account and you want to create one, just choose that option and click “Need an account?” at the bottom right of the box that pops up.

The Knicks are willing to reconsider their stance against absorbing Carlos Boozer in a sign-and-trade from the Bulls involving Carmelo Anthony, perhaps following the same logic that reader Resneps2340 laid out.

  • The Knicks shouldn’t dismiss such a trade right off the bat. Yes, Boozer is not worth $16.8MM if the only other thing you are including is picks. The Bulls aren’t trading Taj [Gibson] either since he was in the Carmelo meeting today and I’m sure him being on the team was part of the sales pitch. If the Knicks took Boozer, I think the Bulls would be willing to give up a couple of picks, the rights to Nikola Mirotic (one of the best young players in Europe who is likely to come over this year), and as much as I hate to say it, Jimmy Butler. I think the Bulls are beyond desperate to get ‘Melo and frankly, the Knicks may not be able to do better that that in a sign-and-trade.

Reaction was swiftly negative when the Magic struck a two-year, $9MM deal with Ben Gordon, and jeremy summed up just why he thinks Orlando will regret the agreement.

  • It doesn’t matter how much cap room you have; a bad deal can still be a bad deal. This dude hasn’t been the same player since he left the Bulls. His stat line is nothing that makes him worth $9MM. He’s still a decent player, but I’m not sure he’s worth $9MM.

Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors only handed out one A in our Northwest Division Draft Grades, but it seems like Sky14 might have given out more.

  • I really like what some of the teams in this division did on draft day, especially the Jazz and the Nuggets. The Wolves draft is hard to gauge because it seems like it has an equal chance of being very good or producing absolutely nothing. Based on his first two drafts, Flip Saunders clearly favors upside.

We appreciate everyone who adds to the dialogue at Hoops Rumors, and we look forward to seeing more responses like these from you!

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Free Agency Primer

June 30th, 2014 at 6:46pm CST by Chuck Myron

The clock is ticking down toward the start of free agency, and we at Hoops Rumors have been preparing for months to help you sort through the chaos that always ensues this time of year. Here’s a look at all of the ways you can find out more about NBA free agency through Hoops Rumors:

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Hoops Rumors 2014 Free Agent Tracker

June 30th, 2014 at 11:00am CST by Chuck Myron

With free agency set to officially get underway in a matter of hours, and news and rumors already swirling, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players are heading to which teams this July. We’ve got a new version of a feature we introduced last season: our Free Agent Tracker. Using our tracker, you can quickly sort through contract agreements, sorting by team, position, free agent type, and a handful of other variables.

A few notes on the tracker:

  • During the July moratorium (July 1st-9th), most of the information you’ll find in the tracker will reflect contract agreements, rather than finalized deals. As signings become official, we’ll continue to update and modify the data as needed.
  • Similarly, contract years and dollars will be based on what’s been reported to date, so in some cases those amounts will be approximations rather than official figures. Salaries aren’t necessarily fully guaranteed either.
  • A restricted free agent who signs an offer sheet will be listed under the team that extended the offer sheet, but note that those signings won’t be official unless the player’s original team declines to match within the three-day period to do so. If the original team matches, we’ll update the tracker to show that the player is back with that team.

Our 2014 Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features,” and it’s also under the “Tools” menu atop the site. It will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.

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Hoops Links: Melo, Austin, LeBron

June 29th, 2014 at 11:53pm CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2006, the NBA announced that a new official game ball would be used in the 2006/07 season.  In response to numerous complaints and a Players Association suit, the new ball would cease to be used as of January 1, 2007.

Got a great basketball blog post that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors?  Send it to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere…

Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.

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Draft Grades: Southwest Division

June 29th, 2014 at 6:43pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the 2014 NBA Draft officially in the books, it’s time to take a look back and see how each team used the draft to make improvements and fill needs. I’ve already run down the picks for the Atlantic, Central, Northwest, Pacific, and Southeast Divisions. We’ll finish up with a look at the Southwest Division:

Dallas Mavericks

Team Needs: Small Forward, Point Guard, Depth

Draft Picks:

  •  No picks

The Mavs owed this year’s first-round pick to the Thunder. They also traded last year’s first round selection, Shane Larkin, to the Knicks in the deal last week that netted them Tyson Chandler. Dallas is in win-now mode, and their biggest goal on draft night was to not burn up any cap space that they envision needing to lure Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James to the city. Dallas has tried this plan before and has so far been unable to get a second star or two to pair alongside Dirk Nowitzki.

It’s doubtful the Mavs will miss the second rounder they traded away, but the team has a hole at the point guard spot thanks to the Chandler deal, and the Dallas roster is getting up there in years. Sooner or later they’ll need to acquire some young, cheap depth.

Overall Draft Grade:  D — No picks to work with, but getting Chandler back, two seasons too late though it may be, might ease the sting a little.

Houston Rockets

Team Needs: Defense, Power Forward, Point Guard, Center

Draft Picks:

  •  No. 25 Clint Capela (Power Forward)
  • No. 42 Nick Johnson (Shooting Guard)

The Rockets are another franchise trying to clear cap space for a run at James or Anthony. Taking Capela, who will continue to play overseas for the next couple of seasons, was a smart pick. Capela is incredibly raw, but has off-the-charts athleticism, and has been compared to Serge Ibaka. Capela is a player I was very high on heading into the draft, and he might turn out to be a valuable addition or trade piece in the future.

Johnson was a solid pick. He’s very athletic, can shoot a bit, but he’ll spend more time in the D-League than with the first string this year.

Overall Draft Grade:  C- — Capela is an intriguing prospect and Johnson was a good value pick. The team could have been a bigger player on draft night but instead is hanging its hopes on adding another star to the lineup instead.

Memphis Grizzlies

Team Needs: Small Forward, Point Guard, Scoring

Draft Picks:

  •  No. 22 Jordan Adams (Shooting Guard)
  • No. 35 Jarnell Stokes (Power Forward)*

*Acquired via trade with Jazz for a future second round pick.

I’m not a fan of what the Grizzlies did on draft night. The team badly needs scoring and some athleticism. Adams could provide the scoring, but he won’t blow anyone away with his physical tools. I don’t know if Adams will be able to defend enough to stay on the court, and his lack of speed will make it difficult to get off his own shot. With some of the other players available at No. 22, such as Rodney Hood and P.J. Hairston, I can’t help but think the team overshot on Adams.

Stokes is a punishing inside presence, and should work his way into the team’s rotation by the end of the year. He’ll fit right in with Memphis’ style of play.

Overall Draft Grade:  C — Not a fan of the Adams pick, but the team had him ranked fifth on its draft board, so maybe they know something others don’t. Stokes was a solid pick and should become a useful addition.

New Orleans Pelicans

Team Needs: Small Forward, Point Guard, Depth

Draft Picks:

  •  No. 47 Russ Smith (Point Guard)*

*Acquired in trade with Sixers that sent them the rights to Pierre Jackson.

The Pelicans dealt away their first-rounder to the Sixers in the Jrue Holiday trade last year.  They also traded last year’s second-round pick, Jackson, for Smith. This begs the question, what do the Pelicans have against Jackson? Smith is almost an identical player to Jackson, and with work he could become a decent reserve guard when the team needs a change of pace.

Overall Draft Grade: D  — The team could have had Elfrid Payton with the pick it traded for Holiday. Holiday has a proven track record, but has battled injuries and is more expensive. I also don’t get the logic in trading Jackson for Smith, so that was no help. Thankfully the Pelicans picked up Omer Asik via trade, so that will be their big addition for now.

San Antonio Spurs

Team Needs: Youth, Depth, Power Forward

Draft Picks:

The best organization in the league might have done it again. Anderson is a flawed player, for sure. He’s slow, not very athletic, and will have issues on defense. But he’s also a player who in the right system can make others around him better. That sounds like the prototypical Spurs player to me.

Anderson has been compared to Boris Diaw, who was a very effective and valuable piece for the team’s championship run. Heading into the draft my feeling was that Anderson needed to end up with a heavy ball movement team in order to be of any value. He would be a great fit in the triangle offense, but should benefit equally from San Antonio’s offensive scheme as well.

Overall Draft Grade: A-  — With the last pick of the first round, the Spurs nab a player who fits their system perfectly. Anderson should develop nicely into a productive role player. The rich get richer it seems.

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Draft Grades: Southeast Division

June 29th, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the 2014 NBA Draft officially in the books, it’s time to take a look back and see how each team used the draft to make improvements and fill needs. I’ve already run down the picks for the Atlantic, Central, Northwest, and Pacific Divisions. We’ll continue on with a look at the Southeast Division:

Atlanta Hawks

Team Needs: Small Forward, Center, Point Guard

Draft Picks:

  •  No. 15 Adreian Payne (Power Forward)
  • No. 43 Walter Tavares (Center)
  • No. 48 Lamar Patterson (Shooting Guard)*

*Acquired from Bucks for a future second-round pick.

The Hawks were a team that was hoping to use their first round pick as part of a trade package that would net them a more established player. Unable to do that, the team picked up a nice player in Payne, a stretch four who can help the team out in a number of areas. He’s a bit of a luxury pick for next season considering Paul Millsap is still around, but he’s unlikely to sign as team friendly a deal on his next contract, so in Payne they nab a competent replacement. The only real knock on Payne is that he’s 23 years old, which doesn’t give him as high a ceiling as some of the other prospects in the draft.

If you look up project in the dictionary you very well might see a picture of Tavares. He’s got tremendous size but has only been playing the game a few years. He has an enormous wingspan, huge hands, and a solid frame–all building blocks of successful big men. Whether he can develop into more than a project is definitely up for debate. Tavares will continue to play overseas for the next few seasons and the Hawks hope to benefit from the selection sometime down the line. Tavares is already 23, which means his window for NBA production will be a small one at best.

Patterson is a hard working swingman who does a little of everything, but doesn’t translate to more than a reserve at best. He’ll get some minutes this season, but might not be in the league by 2015/16.

Overall Draft Grade:   B- — The Hawks went the safe route with Payne, but he’s NBA ready and should become an immediate contributor. Tavares probably won’t bear fruit, and Patterson might contribute something off the bench, but won’t be much of a factor in the franchise’s future.

Charlotte Hornets

Team Needs: Shooting, Point Guard, Power Forward

Draft Picks:

  • No. 9  Noah Vonleh (Power Forward)
  • No. 26 P.J. Hairston (Shooting Guard)

*Came via trade from Heat with the No. 55 overall pick, a 2019 second-round pick and cash for the No. 24 pick. Charlotte later sent the 55th pick to the Thunder for cash.

**Traded the 45th pick and Brendan Haywood to the Cavaliers for Alonzo Gee and cash.

One of the biggest surprise teams from last season, albeit in a weak Eastern Conference, managed to improve themselves for next season and long term on draft night. The Hornets most likely cursed aloud when the Kings made Nik Stauskas their pick at No. 8. I have to think that was the player that Charlotte was targeting all along, especially since they passed on drafting Doug McDermott at No. 9.

But things might have worked out for the men from Charlotte after all. Grabbing Vonleh ninth, when he was projected by most to be a top-5 selection, was a good value. The knock on Vonleh has nothing to do with his talent or athleticism, which he has more than enough of. The problem is with Vonleh’s motor and work ethic. Quite a few promising careers were derailed because of players not willing to put in the proper amount of sweat. Vonleh is still young so he gets the benefit of the doubt. The bigger issue is his redundant skill set alongside Cody Zeller.

The pick of Vonleh looks better when you consider the team nabbing Hairston, who was a steal at No. 26. Hairston might not be the shooter that Stauskas is, but he’s a more complete player who will contribute just as much next season. The biggest second guessing the Hornets will have is for passing on McDermott. The team desperately needs scoring, and if McDermott lights it up in Chicago, then Hornets fans will have something to gripe about.

Overall Draft Grade:   A- — The team might not have addressed its biggest need, but they did grab two players who were both steals where they were selected.

Miami Heat

Team Needs: Point Guard, Depth, Center

Draft Picks:

  •  No. 24 Shabazz Napier (Point Guard)*

* Came via trade with Hornets for the 26th and 55th overall picks in Thursday’s draft plus a 2019 second-rounder and cash.

The Heat get their man. Who will he be playing with next season? That’s very much up in the air right now. Assuming that Miami will put a similar amount of talent on the floor next year, then Napier is a solid pick. After getting next to nothing in the Finals from Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers, it was painfully obvious the team needed an upgrade at the point.

While the team probably could benefit more from a veteran upgrade, like say, Jose Calderon, Napier has all the makings of a winner. It’s doubtful he’ll ever be an all-star, but he is the type of player that winning teams need. He’s a solid leader, plays harder than anyone, and is absolutely fearless when games are on the line. If LeBron James returns, one of the selling points will be Napier’s presence.

Overall Draft Grade:  B — The team gets a solid player at a “need” position.

Orlando Magic

Team Needs: Point Guard, Power Forward, Depth, Shooting Guard

Draft Picks:

  • No. 4 Aaron Gordon (Power Forward)
  • No. 10 Elfrid Payton (Point Guard)*
  • No. 56 Devyn Marble (Shooting Guard)

*Came via trade with Sixers. Orlando received Payton, and Philadelphia got Dario Saric, a 2015 second-round pick, and a 2017 first-round pick.

The Magic will be exciting running the fast break next season–that’s the good news. The bad news–the team trying to score when playing halfcourt basketball. Remember, Arron Afflalo was traded away, and he was the team’s best outside threat.

The selection of Gordon is the curious one. There’s no debating his upside, and experts project Gordon’s ceiling as being somewhere between Shawn Marion and Blake Griffin. But for a team in need of scoring, passing on Exum might be something the franchise will regret.

On the positive side, Gordon does bring an enormous amount of potential and physical gifts to the table. But he can’t shoot very well, and is an abysmal free throw shooter. His offensive arsenal right now consists primarily of scoring in transition, off pick-and-rolls, and from lobs. It will take time, but Gordon will improve in those areas. It might take two or three seasons to happen, but Gordon should turn out to be a star.

I really like the selection of Payton, the best pure point guard in the draft. He’s not a good shooter, and some scouts have predicted his mechanics are too broken to be fixed. But as a facilitator and defender, he’s top-notch. His presence will also allow Victor Oladipo to go back to shooting guard, a position he is better suited for.

Overall Draft Grade:   A — I considered giving a lower grade since the team didn’t address its glaring need for a shooter, but the Magic nabbed two long-term starters, and at least one potential star. Hard to find too much fault in that.

Washington Wizards

Team Needs: Center, Point Guard, Power Forward, Small Forward

Draft Picks:

  •  No picks

*Traded No. 46 pick to the Lakers for cash.

The Wizards traded their first-round pick to the Suns for Marcin Gortat. Given Gortat’s play for the Wizards last season, it’s not too bad a return for the pick. If the team re-signs him then it was a good trade. If they let him leave for nothing in return, then not so much. Without Gortat they would have most likely been picking higher in the draft, and could have nabbed a valuable building block.

Overall Draft Grade:  B- — That grade is if Gortat re-signs. If he leaves then one playoff appearance wasn’t worth the sacrifice, and this grade gets bumped down to a D-.

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