2009 NBA Draft - 6/25/09

[Deleterious]

What: The 2009 NBA Draft

Where: The Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City

When: June 25, 2009

Time: 7 PM EDT

TV: ESPN

Here is the draft order. I will reorder the top 14 after they hold the draft lottery. Here are the odds for each seed to get specific picks in the 2009 lottery (rounded to 3 decimal places) from Wikipedia:

Seed 	      Chances 	1st 	2nd 	3rd 	4th 	5th 	6th 	7th 	8th 	9th 	10th 	11th 	12th 	13th 	14th
Kings 	        250 	.250 	.215 	.177 	.358 										
Wizards 	178 	.178 	.174 	.164 	.347 	.137 									
Clippers 	177 	.177 	.173 	.164 	.195 	.250 	.040 								
Thunder 	119 	.119 	.126 	.132 	.100 	.350 	.161 	.013 							
Timberwolves 	76 	.076 	.084 	.095 		.263 	.385 	.093 	.004 						
Grizzlies 	75 	.075 	.083 	.094 			.414 	.294 	.039 	.001 					
Warriors 	43 	.043 	.049 	.058 				.600 	.232 	.018 	.000 				
Knicks 	        28 	.028 	.033 	.039 					.725 	.168 	.008 	.000 			
Raptors 	17 	.017 	.020 	.024 						.813 	.122 	.004 	.000 		
Bucks 	        10 	.010 	.012 	.014 							.870 	.092 	.002 	.000 	
Nets 	         9 	.009 	.011 	.013 								.904 	.063 	.001 	.000
Bobcats 	 7 	.007 	.008 	.010 									.935 	.039 	.000
Pacers 	         6 	.006 	.007 	.009 										.960 	.018
Suns 	         5 	.005 	.006 	.007 											.982

And the rest of the draft order:

15.  	Detroit  	
16. 	Chicago 	
17. 	Philadelphia 	
18. 	Minnesota (From Miami) 	
19. 	Atlanta 	
20. 	Utah 	
21. 	New Orleans 	
22. 	Dallas 	
23. 	Sacramento (From Houston) 	
24. 	Portland 	
25. 	Oklahoma City (From San Antonio) 	
26. 	Chicago (From Denver and then from Oklahoma City) 	
27. 	Memphis (From Orlando) 	
28. 	Minnesota (From Boston) 	
29. 	LA Lakers 	
30. 	Cleveland

Detroits Picks

Round 1: Pick #15
Round 2: Pick #6 (36th overall)
Round 2: Pick #9 (39th overall)
Round 2: Pick #14 (44th overall)

[Deleterious]

Here are some mock drafts. I will include the top 5 picks, and then the Pistons picks. I will try to link to video of the Pistons picks when I can. If multiple mock drafts list the same guy, I will just link the video once. These mock drafts just use the current draft order. Obviously this will change after the lottery is held.

Real GM Mock Draft 4.0

Full mock here.

1. Sacremento - PF Blake Griffin - Unlike the Oden/Durant showdown and last year's Rose/Beasley debate, Griffin has no peer at the top of this draft. He is the undisputed best player in the pool and his combination of athleticism and a very high skill level will almost immediately make him one of the NBA's best power forwards.

2. Washington - PG Ricky Rubio - Whether or not Rubio will even be in this draft has been a back and forth unknown, but it looks extremely likely that he will now stay in it. He is a transcendent point guard offensively, a very good defensive player and has a huge wealth of big game experience.

3. Clippers - PF Jordan Hill - For the 2008 draft, I really liked Hill as a selection early in the second half of the first round and he came back to Tucson for his junior season with a vastly improved skill set. He has improved his raw offensive game with more refinement and control, which matches his athleticism.

4. Oklahoma - C Hasheem Thabeet - Thabeet has undoubtedly improved his game on the offensive end, but his only difference-making contributions in the NBA will be on defense. In terms of All-Star potential, you would like a lot more out of the fourth overall pick, but he gives the Thunder exactly what they need.

5. Minnesota - SG James Harden - In recent years, there haven't been too many pure shooting guards that are more sophisticated scorers as a sophomore than James Harden.

15. Detroit - SF/PF Austin Daye - His lack of athleticism and slow physical maturity will hurt him in the NBA initially and is why he should stay at Gonzaga for his junior season, but he has all of the natural skills and instincts to become everything Jared Jeffries couldn't at the next level. He has an excellent inside/outside game, both in the post and shooting off the dribble. Youtube

35. Detroit - PG A.J. Price - Youtube

39. Detroit - SG Wesley Matthews -

45. Detroit - PF Leo Lyons -

[lesgoblu02]

Any chance the Pistons can package some of those seconds along with cash to move up?

[sinister porpoise]

Some possible picks at 15 IMO

Patrick Patterson 6'8" 235 20yr SF/PF from Kentucky
Tyreke Evans 6'6" 219 19yr SG from Memphis
James Johnson 6'8" 235 22yr SF/PF from Wake Forest
Gani Lawal 6'9" 233 19yr PF from Georgia Tech

Any of these guys would be immediate, significant contributors. I especially like Patterson and Lawal.

[Deleterious]

NBADraft.net Mock Draft

Full mock here.

I'm actually only going to list Piston picks from now on.

15. PG Eric Maynor VCU - Bio Youtube

36. SG Dionte Christmas - Bio Youtube

39. SG Marcus Thornton

44. SF Vladimir Dasic

[sportz4life]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

NBADraft.net Mock Draft

Full mock here.

I'm actually only going to list Piston picks from now on.

15. PG Eric Maynor VCU - Bio Youtube

36. SG Dionte Christmas - Bio Youtube

39. SG Marcus Thornton

44. SF Vladimir Dasic

Not a Maynor fan..the 3 times I watched him..they easily funneled him away from the lane..and he appeared to have no jump shot..I would prefer Patty Mills..quicker, stronger better shooter, more dynamic player.

Thorton reminds me of Sam Cassell..same style same school.

I am hoping Joe gets creative and figures out how to swindle the Wizards before someone else does.

[Elevate]

I'm hoping for either Jonny Flynn or Jrue Holiday at the 15th pick. Ideally, there would be a PF or a C there, but I don't think either DeJuan Blair or Patrick Patterson are the much different than Jason Maxiell. Holiday and Flynn are the best talent available there. And I'd personally like a true PG to come in and allow Stuckey to play the SG.

For the 2nd round I want either athletic SF or paint-clogging PF/C. Therefore, I like DaJuan Summers, Danny Green, Leo Lyons & Michael Washington in the 2nd round.

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by sportz4life

Not a Maynor fan..the 3 times I watched him..they easily funneled him away from the lane..and he appeared to have no jump shot..I would prefer Patty Mills..quicker, stronger better shooter, more dynamic player.

Thorton reminds me of Sam Cassell..same style same school.

I am hoping Joe gets creative and figures out how to swindle the Wizards before someone else does.

I admit I haven't seen Mills play, but his stats look atrocious. He has a 1.34:1 assist to turnover ratio. That is pretty awful, and that is being generous. And he doesn't even average 4 assist per game in 32 minutes per game.

Also, why do you think Mills is a better shooter than Maynor? Mills has shot 42.9% and 40.2% in his two years. While Maynor has shot 43%, 42%, 45.9%, and 46.3%. Mills shoots 32.3 and 33.8% from the three point line, while Maynor shot 20%, 39%, 39.4%, and 36.1%. Maynor pretty much outshoots him in every category.

He looks like a guy you could bring in as an undrafted free agent or at best, take him in the second round. But like I said, I am strictly going off of stats.

[Hart]

Is there any team in the lottery that would not take Griffin with the first pick or would consider trading the pick if they won the lottery? I would give up a boatload to get Blake Griffin. That would give us somebody to build around.

[lesgoblu02]

Brook Lopez?

[Hart]

I do think Holiday will make it to #15 after workouts. He might be a good fit to pair with Stuckey though. I also like Maynor more than most of the other point guards and he would be a solid pick at fifteen. If we do draft a point guard, then I think we are committed to play Stuckey more at the two next year.

[Hart]

Originally Posted by lesgoblu02

Brook Lopez?

I don't know why I said Lopez. I meant to say Blake Griffin.

[lesgoblu02]

Originally Posted by Hart

I don't know why I said Lopez. I meant to say Blake Griffin.

I figured, but thought maybe I was missing something.

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by Hart

I don't know why I said Lopez. I meant to say Blake Griffin.

I don't think its far fetched that a team like Minnesota could pass on Griffin. Love and Jefferson provide a pretty decent tandem at PF/C already. They really need a PG pretty bad. Problem is, they would probably want Rubio so they would only be willing to trade down to #2 or else they wouldn't get Rubio.

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by lesgoblu02

Any chance the Pistons can package some of those seconds along with cash to move up?

They could probably package some to get into the bottom quarter of the first. Didn't the Pistons take 2 second rounders last year for the 1st? I think it was 27th or 28th.

I would like to see them target someone above them and purchase their pick. Then maybe package it with our original pick to move up more. Phoenix is a team who has sold picks in the past I believe. Problem is, they are just one slot above us, so it doesn't help much.

[Geebs11]

Originally Posted by lesgoblu02

Any chance the Pistons can package some of those seconds along with cash to move up?

thats what Im hoping. Those 2 (2nd's) might move you into the late 1st.

Id love to see Jonny Flynn at #15. Good Leader, Emotional, Vocal, Great Vision

Im not so sure Eric Maynor gives you anything more at the point than Stuckey. Maynor see's the floor well...but he was more a scorer at VCU. I want a PURE point, Maynor does have solid size though. Something Id worry about with Flynn. Flynn is 6'0 170 with Maynor being 6'2/6'3 at 175. Obviously both will gain some weight, but those 2-3 inches are a plus.

[Hart]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

I don't think its far fetched that a team like Minnesota could pass on Griffin. Love and Jefferson provide a pretty decent tandem at PF/C already. They really need a PG pretty bad. Problem is, they would probably want Rubio so they would only be willing to trade down to #2 or else they wouldn't get Rubio.

What if we included Stuckey or the #15 pick in the deal? There will still be some decent point guards at 15. I know we would have to include Hamilton or Prince or both in the deal as well. I would even be willing to take a bad contract back in return but Minnesota doesn't really have any of those right now. I know this is all far fetched but getting Griffin is the only way I see we get a frachise player this offseason.

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by Hart

What if we included Stuckey or the #15 pick in the deal? There will still be some decent point guards at 15. I know we would have to include Hamilton or Prince or both in the deal as well. I would even be willing to take a bad contract back in return but Minnesota doesn't really have any of those right now. I know this is all far fetched but getting Griffin is the only way I see we get a frachise player this offseason.

I wouldn't do it personally. The only way I pass on Griffin is if I end up with Rubio.

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by Geebs11

thats what Im hoping. Those 2 (2nd's) might move you into the late 1st.

Id love to see Jonny Flynn at #15. Good Leader, Emotional, Vocal, Great Vision

Im not so sure Eric Maynor gives you anything more at the point than Stuckey. Maynor see's the floor well...but he was more a scorer at VCU. I want a PURE point, Maynor does have solid size though. Something Id worry about with Flynn. Flynn is 6'0 170 with Maynor being 6'2/6'3 at 175. Obviously both will gain some weight, but those 2-3 inches are a plus.

I'm with you on wanting the pure PG.

[sinister porpoise]

And the frontcourt next year would be... ?

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by sinister porpoise

And the frontcourt next year would be... ?

For what team?

[sinister porpoise]

For the Pistons. They are much weaker at the 4 and 5 than elsewhere.

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by sinister porpoise

For the Pistons. They are much weaker at the 4 and 5 than elsewhere.

Oh you mean if we draft a PG? Yeah, I agree we are thin at the 4/5 spots. I assume our cap space would address that a little bit.

I think we are in full blown rebuild mode now. So we are looking at multiple drafts to fix our problems. Drafting as low as 15, I would probably go with the BPA strategy.

[Hart]

I agree with you about the BPA, especially since seems like a weak draft. I am confident that the BPA will not be a big men at #15. Because there darth of big men in this draft, the teams that really want one will have to reach for them.

I like Flynn and if we didn't have Bynum, I would take him. But I am not sure I want another midget point guard with Bynum on the bench. If he was clearly the BPA, then I would still take him. If I had to chose between Maynor and Flynn, then it is close but I believe I would go with Maynor. Maynor is just as much of a true point guard as Flynn in my mind but has more size. Maynor is the better defender, Flynn is the best shooter. Ultimately, I would be happy with either.

[Omaha Piston]

We better get a PG.

[Deleterious]

Here is a page listing the early entrants for the draft. I would post them here, but its 103 names so its pretty long.

[DrWho17]

I've been starting to look at the latest mock's, some of them are listing Dejaun Blair at #15. Just say no, no more undersized PF's please.

[Omaha Piston]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

Here is a page listing the early entrants for the draft. I would post them here, but its 103 names so its pretty long.

Hmm, 103 underclassmen and 2 rounds. Lots of guys getting bad advice.

[SuperFlew]

Originally Posted by Omaha Piston

Hmm, 103 underclassmen and 2 rounds. Lots of guys getting bad advice.

I think part of it was the date to withdraw your name from the draft was moved up over a month starting next year. This year guys can get an extra 5 weeks of feedback from NBA teams and might be trying out the process when they usually wouldn't.

In past years, nearly 50 guys have pulled out of the draft, and I don't see why that would change this year. That list will probably change quite a bit by June 15.

[Geebs11]

I was assuming we were gonna address the PF/C need via Free Agency since there is alot of depth there. Thus, I stated a true PG at #15 would be nice.

I think Flynn just has that swagger about him, compared to Maynor. Flynn is almost cocky, he feels he's always the best player on the floor. Although I do believe the 2-3 inches in difference between the two is a big deal.

I agree, two midgets in Flynn/Bynum...might be too much. LOL. But, then again...there would be no shortage in heart or desire.

[Deleterious]

Real GM has version 4.2 of their mock draft up. I will list the Piston picks:

15. Austin Daye PF/SF
35. Marcus Thornton SG
39. AJ Price PG
45. Leo Lyons

[Deleterious]

Since some mocks have us taking Maynor and some have us taking Blair, I thought I would post an interview from each player. I am just listing a few highlights here. Click each link for their full interviews.

Eric Maynor

DX: Are there any weak points of your game that you’re focusing on?

EM: Basically with my shooting, I’m trying to get familiar with the NBA three before I go into these camps. I think that would be a good thing.

DX: In the NBA do you see yourself being able to come in and start right away?

EM: That’s my goal. I strive to be the best and I’m never going to settle for anything less than that. I don’t want to be a guy who just goes to the NBA to say that I’m in the NBA. I want to get put in a great situation whether that means backing someone up to begin with or starting. I’m going to work to get playing time though.

DX: At the college level you were a big time scorer from the point guard position. In the NBA, do you see yourself continuing to be a scorer or will you develop as more of a pass first guard?

EM: I think I’m going to establish myself as a pass first guy. You’ve got guys that are all-stars who are putting up 28, 29 points per game. That’s what those guys are paid to do, score. These teams want someone who can get those guys the ball and run a team. They want someone who can get those guys their shots and find them in their sweet spot.

DeJuan Blair

Jonathan Givony: Now that you’re 100 percent in the draft, what are you focusing on most in terms of preparing yourself for the private workouts?

DeJuan Blair: I’m focusing on my quickness and my agility and my jump shot. That’s about it, these things, all my weaknesses, try to power my power, my finesse skills also. So I’m working on a lot of stuff, its going to be a good May for me.

Jonathan Givony: How do you feel about how your rebounding can translate to the NBA level, where everybody is bigger, they’re stronger, they’re longer, they’re quicker, they can jump higher, what are your thoughts on that?

DeJuan Blair: That’s just a bigger challenge you’ve got to step up to. There’s gonna be a lot of big people, a lot of big guys, so I’m just gonna try to keep doing what I was doing. Nobody is gonna stop me from getting the ball, and if they do. I’m going to try harder to go get it. So hopefully I can keep it up in the NBA.

Jonathan Givony: What about your jumpshot? That’s something we didn’t really get to see a lot of in the past two years, do you think that’s going to be something that’ll become a part of your game in the future?

DeJuan Blair: Yeah that’s another thing. Dribbling and my jumpshot, I’m trying to polish all of that. I’m actually working on it right now, and I’m going to be all right around the draft and around the workouts. I just have to keep working at it, and it’ll be where I want it to be.

Jonathan Givony: Do you think your weight is going to be an issue in the NBA over the next few years?

DeJuan Blair: No it’s not. I’m losing all that, I mean that’s what I’m working on now. I’m going to Tampa in the next couple weeks to start on that, and I’m going to be real good by May in Chicago. I’m going to be good.

Jonathan Givony: Where are you at right now, if you don’t mind me asking?

DeJuan Blair: I’m like at 273 or something like that, I wanna get down to about 260, 265. That ain’t nothing. I just have to keep it up.

[SuperFlew]

What are the odds Daye stays in the draft? His stock plummeted during this past season. He could be a huge boom-or-bust type at 15 considering he was a top 5 talent before the season started.

[DrWho17]

One thing is pretty clear, without all the high school kids the draft has become pretty weak, at least the last two seemed to suck.

[djhutch]

I wonder if they package their pick at 15 with their 1st pick in the 2nd round if they can move up into the Top 7-8. That's not a good idea in the NFL, but in the NBA one guy can make a huge difference.

[NotoriousCPC]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

I think we are in full blown rebuild mode now. So we are looking at multiple drafts to fix our problems. Drafting as low as 15, I would probably go with the BPA strategy.

Can't remember where I read it, might have been Langlois, but it said that the Pistons were more likely to trade out of the first round than to trade up or buy a pick. They value that $1.5M in cap space in order to sign or trade for a player than drafting in the mid first round.

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12565

There have been a lot of changes to the Pre-Draft process over the past few years as more and more top-tier players passed on competing in the traditional five on five camp, making the event almost pointless for most NBA teams.

This year the pre-draft process returns to Chicago with a new name - The NBA Draft Combine 09 - and will feature "light skill drills" and "workouts" and will be completely closed to the media. The NBA will host media sessions at a nearby hotel, but the days of the media being able to give a first-hand recount of how the players looked next to each other are gone. Does anyone else see NBATV programming written all over this?

Another interesting wrinkle is that more time in the two-day "combine" will be allocated for teams to meet with players individually. The word is teams had grown frustrated with the "excuses" given for why certain players would not meet with certain teams; now there is more opportunity for teams to at least get a sit down with a player even if their agents may not want the player in that particular situation.
The NBA Pre-Draft Combine is set for May 28th and May 29th in Chicago, so if you're in the area wondering why Blake Griffin is in town, don't get silly - the Bulls have the 16th pick and won't be trading up.

[Deleterious]

Hoopsworld posted their mock. Pistons picks are:

http://www.hoopsworld.com/the_draft/FullMockDraft.asp

15. Jeff Teague PG/SG Wake Forest
36. Danny Green SG/SF North Carolina
39. Jodie Meeks SG/SF Kentucky
44. Emir Preldzic SF Fenerbahce Ulker (Europe)

[djhutch]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

Hoopsworld posted their mock. Pistons picks are:

http://www.hoopsworld.com/the_draft/FullMockDraft.asp

15. Jeff Teague PG/SG Wake Forest
36. Danny Green SG/SF North Carolina
39. Jodie Meeks SG/SF Kentucky
44. Emir Preldzic SF Fenerbahce Ulker (Europe)

I'd be happy with that.

[sportz4life]

Originally Posted by NotoriousCPC

Can't remember where I read it, might have been Langlois, but it said that the Pistons were more likely to trade out of the first round than to trade up or buy a pick. They value that $1.5M in cap space in order to sign or trade for a player than drafting in the mid first round.

If they take that attitude, even though it's "seemingly" a weak draft. They might as well shutter the Palace, it will be empty next season.

Good GM's find players and find a way to acuire them. In the NBA, draft choices are cheap, real cheap, plus you control salaries and rights for long periods of time.

Langlois was a hack at the Oakland Press and he is now a paid Pston scribe, to believe him is to believe a GM publicist when they dicsuss the automakers fiscal conditon.

The Pistons need to get younger, more athletic and tougher..if you can't utilize the draft to do that..it's going to be a long few seasons..with a new GM..coach and lots of losing streaks.

2nd rounders..how's that Walter Sharpe choice looking..Plaistead, Washington..yeah..remember them..