Maybe This Year Will Be Different
June 26, 2008 – 1:02 pmI have made no secret of my lack of interest in the NBA Draft. How did Portland do this year with Greg Oden? How about Seattle with Durant?
Let’s take this year’s champs as a perfect summation of what I have been saying regarding tge NBA draft for years. Did the Boston Celtics win the title because of how well they drafted? No. They won because of smart trades for veterans and stifling defense. How did the Lakers get within 2 games of their 15th title? By trading for Pau Gasol before the deadline, not by any draft day maneuvering.
Anyway, the big story today revolves around whether the Chicago Bulls will use the first pick in the draft to obtain local hero Derrick Rose, the freshmen phenom from Memphis, or whether they will trade the pick with a package to Miami for another local star - Dwyane Wade.
Speaking of Miami, they are not sure what they will do with the second overall pick (assuming the Wade to Chicago deal doesn’t go down). Will they take K-State big man Michael Beasley or perhaps, troubled O.J. Mayo from USC? What about the Stanford twins? Will it matter? Doubtful…it will take more than good drafting to knock the Lakers and Celtics off their posts as the best in their respective conferences.