NBA Draft Report Card
Team	Grade	CNNSI.com's Marty Burns
	B	Despite not having a first-round pick, they managed to snare a decent point guard prospect in Dan Dickau from the Kings for a future first-rounder. David Andersen, a 7-foot Australian, is considered one of the better young prospects overseas.
	B	At No. 50, Darius Songaila is a relative bargain. However, the Wake Forest star is probably not going to make the team and the Celtics would prefer he go to Europe for more seasoning.
	A	Jay Williams is a good fit for the Bulls, who could use his leadership and play-making ability. They also got decent prospects in second rounders Roger Mason Jr., who could be insurance in case of a Jamal Crawford trade, and Lonny Baxter.
	B-	Dajuan Wagner is an exciting young scorer who gives the Cavs flexibility in case they lose Andre Miller. They also got decent prospects in Carlos Boozer and Matt Barnes, the latter of whom they picked up from Memphis in a trade for Wesley Person.
	C	The Mavs weren’t going to fill their center needs at No. 55 anyway, so they went with Mladen Sekularac, a 6’8" Yugoslavian swingman. Call us back in a few years.
	C	Got two exciting prospects in Nikoloz Tskitishvili (No. 5) and Nene Hilario (No. 7), but it cost them all-star forward Antonio McDyess. Yarbrough, a scoring small forward from Tennessee, was a decent gamble in second round. He has a shot to make the team.
	C	Tayshaun Prince is a shooter and scorer who can play behind Jerry Stackhouse and Cliff Robinson, so he’s not a bad pick at No. 23. But will they someday regret passing on point guards Dan Dickau or Frank Williams?
	B	Can’t argue with selection of Mike Dunleavy Jr. at No. 3 (though Caron Butler might someday turn out to be a better player). They also added a much-needed shooter in Jiri Welsch, the 6’7" Slovenian acquired in trade from Sixers.
	A	Filled their biggest needs at center and small forward with two outstanding prospects. Yao Ming is a potential franchise player, while 6’9" Bostjan Nachbar is a versatile scorer who could blossom into a star.
	C-	Does GM Donnie Walsh know something everybody else doesn’t? The Pacers need a young shooting guard to bring along behind Reggie Miller, but Frederick Jones wasn’t rated as high as Kareem Rush or Juan Dixon.
	D	Chris Wilcox (No. 8) and Melvin Ely (No. 12) are each fine prospects, but the Clippers already have an all-star power forward in Elton Brand. Apparently L.A. had a deal on the table with the Cavs for Andre Miller, but owner Donald Sterling nixed it.
	B	Traded their No. 27 pick and Lindsey Hunter to Raptors for Tracy Murray and rights to Kareem Rush. Murray gives L.A. another outside shooter, while Rush is a good prospect for this late in the round. Plus, the name Kareem has good karma in L.A.
	B	Drew Gooden is a top prospect, and his arrival gives GM Jerry West flexibility to trade Stromile Swift. Robert Archibald was a reach at No. 32, but the Grizz made up for it by parlaying their No. 46 pick (Matt Barnes) into veteran sharpshooter Wesley Person.
	A	Nice break for Pat Riley, who had a big hole at small forward with the expected free agent departures of Jim Jackson and Kendall Gill. Caron Butler is the kind of young, athletic scorer that Miami needs.
	B-	Marcus Haislip wasn’t supposed to go quite this high, but the Bucks apparently liked the 6-10 power forward over Sam Clancy and Carlos Boozer. They also got a decent center prospect in Dan Gadzuric in the second round.
	D	Can’t blame them for filling a need at point guard, and Marcus Taylor was the best on board at No. 52. However, had they not lost their first round pick in Joe Smith fiasco, they could have snagged Dan Dickau or Frank Williams.
	C	GM Rod Thorn’s "secret" pick at No. 24, Nenad Krstic might someday become another Vlade Divac as he’s been labeled. But he’s under contract in Europe, so we'll have to wait to find out.
	B-	Traded their own No. 17 pick to the Wizards for swingman Courtney Alexander. He’ll help add depth at the perimeter positions, and is probably better than anybody they could have found so far down the board.
	B+	Parlayed their No. 7 pick, along with Marcus Camby and Mark Jackson, into all-star power forward Antonio McDyess and point guard prospect Frank Williams. If McDyess’ knees hold up, and they can land Keon Clark via free agency, it will have been worth it.
	C	GM John Gabriel deserves credit for prying an extra pick from Utah by taking Curtis Borchardt (No. 18) before the Jazz and then trading him for Ryan Humphrey (No. 19) and Jamal Sampson (No. 47). But, really, none of it will make a difference.
	C	They got a first round pick in 2005 from the Warriors for Jiri Welsch, but gave up Speedy Claxton to the Spurs for a prospect (John Salmons) who is at best a sleeper. Lots of shuffling, but very little substance.
	B-	Amare Stoudemire could be another young Shawn Kemp. Casey Jacobsen could be another Dan Majerle. Then again, there are legitimate concerns that neither has the all-around game needed to thrive in the NBA. But at least they fill needs.
	A-	Qyntel Woods is a steal at No. 21, considering the JUCO prospect was rated as high as a top 10 pick on some lists. He won’t help right away, but could develop into a star someday. Second-round pick Jason Jennings is a 7-footer, which the Blazers need.
	C	Traded their only first-round pick, Dan Dickau, for a future first rounder. Second-round pick Corsley Edwards is a high percentage shooter, but a long shot to make team. Didn’t do much here, but they didn’t need to.
	B+	Basically they got a proven backup point in Speedy Claxton, who was a No. 20 pick two years ago, for their own No. 26 pick (John Salmons) and No. 57 pick (Randy Holcomb). Second-round pick Luis Scola isn’t a bad prospect either at No. 56.
	C-	Even at No. 49, they needed more immediate help than this 19-year-old German can give them. Peter Fahse (pronounced Fah-za) might be good someday, but he’s going to stay in Europe for the time being.
	B-	Could have filled point guard needs by gambling on Dan Dickau or Frank Williams, but opted instead to acquire veteran Lindsey Hunter from Lakers in exhange for Kareem Rush (No. 20). Meanwhile they pick up an athletic small forward prospect in Chris Jeffries (No. 27).
	C	Filled a need at center by getting Curtis Borchardt, a legit 7-footer. But Borchardt has a history of foot problems and could well turn out to be another stiff. In the meantime, they passed on more athletic prospects like Kareem Rush, Qyntel Woods and Chris Jeffries.
	B-	Jared Jeffries is the kind of athletic big man the Wizards needed. Juan Dixon has heart, but his lack of size might keep him from making it. Second-round pick Rod Grizzard could be a sleeper. The Wizards added some pieces, but only Jeffries will help immediately.

 

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