Quixotic wrote:
Thunder: I actually hold Presti in higher regard than BC, but you cannot possibly say Durant + Westbrook + Ibaka > Bargnani + DeRozan + Davis, therefore Presti gets a better grade. Maybe he does, but not for that reason. The Sonics/Thunder had a 2nd overall, 3rd overall and 4th overall pick, all in decent or strong draft years. Durant was a consensus Top 2. There's nothing hard about picking Portland's leftover. Does Presti get a high mark for Harden? How about Aldrich (who was picked ahead of Davis)? Good job on Westbrook and super good job on Ibaka though.
Clippers: Dunleavy wasn't GM when Gordon was picked, nor was he GM when Bledsoe and Aminu were picked. What grade does Dunleavy get for picking Blake Griffin, the consensus #1, in his one year? Bledsoe was a good pick by his successor, Olshey, but what about Aminu? Neither GM was in office long enough to really compare.
Bulls: Again, who are we judging here? Paxson or Forman? Forman was responsible for Gibson (good pick) and Johnson (was dumped on Toronto after two years, so you tell me), what is his grade? Paxson gets credit for picking Rose over Beasley, and a lot of credit for picking Noah, but what about Gordon, who under your standard might not even be the 10th most valuable player in his draft despite being picked 3rd, and Tyrus Thomas, who Paxson traded Aldridge for? Sefolosha was a decent pick, and though he was traded away not too long after, they effectively got Gibson for him.
Portland: Pritchard gets credit for Aldridge and Batum, but Oden and Roy? I can't possible see how Oden is deemed a positive and Bargnani a negative. Oden earned the entirety of a 1st overall rookie scale contract to play fewer minutes over the four years than a typical starter plays in a year. Pritchard struck gold with Roy performing better than anyone thought he would, but then got bit by Roy living up to his injury concerns and Portland is now stuck with paying Roy franchise player money the next three years if the league doesn't create an amnesty clause. Grade?
76ers: Yes, they did a pretty decent job considering their mid/late picks, but the jury is still out on Turner.