2006 OFF-SEASON COVERAGE
2006 NBA DRAFT
Welcome to the 2006 NBA Draft, where one right pick can change the face of a franchise, and one bad pick can set a team back a few years. Without further ado let's cross direct to the Draft as NBA Commissioner David Stern is about to read out the 1st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.
1st ROUND
Stern: “With the 1st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select Marvin Williams of the University of North Carolina.”
1. Chicago: SF- Marvin Williams, North Carolina
NLSC: “This pick was a gimme for Chicago as they did not need Bogut as they already have Curry, Chandler and Kwame Brown manning the middle. Marvin Williams should start on the bench as a 6th man, playing behind former Dukie Loul Deng. However, with his upside and feel for the game, I feel that Williams will become a star in this league. He’s a big score for the Bulls and I’m interested to see if Chicago can build on this pick this off-season and build an Eastern powerhouse.”
Stern: “With the 2nd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select Andrew Bogut of Utah University.”
2. LA Clippers: C - Andrew Bogut, Utah
NLSC: “This is a great scoop for the Clippers. I think even if they had of had the No. 1 pick that they would have picked the kid from Down Under. Andrew Bogut dominated the college scene as he scooped all the Player of the Year honours to help lead the Utes to its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1998. Bogut should immediately help Elton Brand up front and should provide the presence in the middle that Chris Kaman was suppose to provide when they drafted him 2 years back. Good pick here for the Clips, lets just hope they don’t ruin him like they have with so many rookies before.”
Stern: “With the 3rd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors select Martynas Andriuskevicius of Lithuania.”
3. Golden State: C- Martynas Andriuskevicius, Lithuania
NLSC: “Another obvious pick here as the draft is running to course so far. The Warriors, as always are in dire need of a talented big man and this Lithuanian sure is. He’s a few years away though and you have to wonder how long the Warriors and their fans can wait. Perhaps they should have looked at picking Kiwi PG Mark “Match_66” Moore who is the best PG prospect available. Speedy Claxton and Derek Fisher are just not the answer at PG and I feel they could have really upgraded that position rather than waiting on this big Lithuanian. Ah well, it’s the Warriors, they run by their own rules.”
Stern: “With the 4th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select Mark Moore of Otago University, New Zealand.”
4. Philadelphia: PG- Mark “Match_66” Moore, Otago University (New Zealand)
NLSC: “This really is a strange pick for the Sixers. Who knows what they were smoking when they made this pick. The last thing that Philly needed was another PG as they already have Iverson and 2005 All-Rookie 1st Team member Joshua Fowles who man that spot well. Maybe they’re looking to move Iverson to the SG, because that could be the only possible conclusion here. Maybe they’ll play Iverson and Moore together in a small backcourt. I can’t help but feel that the 76ers would have benefited more from drafting PF Chris Taft or high school SG Gerald Green. Let’s hope Philadelphia can prove me wrong here, but I just don’t think this was a smart pick given their current roster situation.”
Stern: “With the 5th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the New Utah Jazz select Chris Taft of the Pittsburgh University.”
5. Utah: PF- Chris Taft, Pittsburgh
NLSC: “Am I the only one who thinks that the Jazz and 76ers’ war rooms got their communication lines mixed up?!? Hmmm, Chris Taft impressed in workouts, but the Jazz have Carlos Boozer and last year’s draftee Rajabu Ojigwe in the fold and seemed pretty set for years to come. I guess you can never have too much depth, but a PG might have been a good pick here. Cocobee was the best PG on the board or even high schooler Gerald Green. Perhaps the Jazz have a trade in the works that might clarify this pick a bit more. Either way, it’s not a bad pick, as you can’t teach height, and Taft has more than just that going for him. If he can play centre in the West then this could be a great pick.”
Stern: “With the 6th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Portland Trailblazers select Cocobee out of the University of Virginia Commonwealth.”
6. Portland: PG- Cocobee, Virginia Commonwealth
NLSC: “For the second straight year, the Trailblazers have gone with PG’s with consecutive lottery picks. This pick seemingly spells the end of Van Exel and possibly Damon Stoudamire’s reign at PG in the Rose Garden. Cocobee is an interesting prospect as he comes from a small program, but brings the ability to play as a combo guard. I feel he needs to continue to work on his shot and PG skills, but he has proved many wrong throughout his basketball career to date.”
Stern: “With the 7th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select Gerald Green out of High School (TX).”
7. Cleveland: SG- Gerald Green, High School (TX)
NLSC: “I heard a collective groan from the Bobcats’ war room with this pick. Charlotte thought the Cavs would go with a PF like Splitter or Vazquez, but it should come as no surprise that they used this pick on Gerald Green. I’m actually surprised he wasn’t picked a little higher to tell you the truth. Green brings supreme athleticism to the Cavs at the SG position, and this should allow Lebron to slide back to the SF position. He’s not ready to start off the bat, but he could be playing big minutes within a season or two. Playing with LBJ will be a dream come true for Green and can only help his game. Very nice pick by the Cavs.”
Stern: “With the 8th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select Tiago Splitter of Brazil.”
8. Charlotte: PF- Tiago Splitter, Brazil
NLSC: “Rumour had it that Splitter had a poor workout in Charlotte, so many thought that he wouldn’t be picked by the ‘Cats. They were wrong, as with the 3 other players that Charlotte coveted being snapped up in the last 3 picks, Charlotte were left with a dilemma. Either take the safe pick and take Splitter and either trade him or hope he develops, or take a punt on Biason, Santos or Xu. They went with the former, and although they didn’t upgrade their weak SG spot, you can’t fault them as they’ve added another talented big body to their improving frontline.”
Stern: “With the 9th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select Silva “Melo” Biason of Madrid, Spain.”
9. Washington: SG- Silva “Melo” Biason, Madrid (Spain)
NLSC: “This pick comes as no surprise as the Wizards figure this pick will bring more fans through the door. Biason is without doubt the best athlete to come out of Europe, ever. He’s a highlight reel waiting to happen and could become the first European to win the Slam Dunk Contest. However, the Wizards are expecting bigger things than that from Biason, and hope he can develop the rest of his game to complement his athleticism. This was a good pick at this juncture by Washington.”
Stern: “With the 10th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns select Danny Granger of the University of New Mexico.”
10. Phoenix: SF- Danny Granger, New Mexico
NLSC: “I thought the Suns might take the falling Vazquez with this pick, but they were not impressed either. This pick actually makes a bit of sense for the Suns as Granger comes from a high octane college program and figures to feature off the bench as a SF who can do a bit of everything. This pick allows them to play Granger at SF against bigger lineups instead of the 6’4” Quentin Richardson. Whilst I think Vazquez would have been a better pick to help sure up the middle, the Suns seem to have fell in love with this kid. Let’s just hope he can stay.”
Stern: “With the 11th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select Fran Vazquez of Spain.”
11. Toronto: PF- Fran Vazquez, Spain
NLSC: “Vazquez finally gets picked at 11. He was ranked at #5 on most mock drafts but doubts over his game after his poor workout in Charlotte must have really affected his stock. I really like this pick for Toronto. They didn’t need another SG or SF at this pick, and extra help up front for rising star Chris Bosh is always helpful. I think Vazquez’s bad workouts are just an aberration and he should do well. Vazquez is a very good score for the Raptors and they should be very happy with the outcome of this pick.”
Stern: “With the 12th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets select Johan Petro of France.”
12. New Jersey: C- Johan Petro, France
NLSC: “The Nets needed a starting SG in the worst kind of way and passed on three very talented ones (Xu, Santos and Wright). Although SG’s are a dime a dozen, a big man with the athleticism and potential of this Frenchman was too much to pass on for the Nets. With the recent retirement of Zo, this pick makes even more sense. A nice pick here for New Jersey, they’ll just have to be patient with Petro.”
Stern: “With the 13th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Seattle Supersonics select Jing Xu of Amherst High school.”
13. Seattle: SG- Jing “jxuusa” Xu, Amherst HS
NLSC: “The Sonics needed insurance off the bench at SG to fill the void left by Ronald Murray’s departure a season back. Xu will back up Ray Allen so I don’t think he will be getting too many minutes for a while, but this is a good pick. Xu can run all day and this fits in perfectly with the Sonics’ playing style. I thought Sonics would have taken a look at Joey Graham, but obviously they felt that Xu was the guy for them.”
Stern: “With the 14th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Hornets select Antoine Wright of the University of Alabama-Birmingham.”
14. New Orleans: SG- Antoine Wright, UAB
NLSC: “This was a nice pick for the Hornets and Wright should combine with JR Smith to make one of the best young SG combos in the league. Wright could develop into a nice SG in this league, and he should get every chance to do that in New Orleans. Nice pick.”
Stern: “With the 15th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic select Will Morris out of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.”
15. Atlanta: SF- Joey Graham, Oklahoma State
NLSC: “This is a strange pick for the Hawks. Without a starting PG after Raul Lopez was not re-signed, the Hawks should have taken a hard look at Will Sit or Leo Reyes at this juncture. Instead they’ve brought in another SF. The Hawks were already well stocked at SF, so you have to wonder what they are thinking here. Bad pick.”
Stern: “With the 16th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic select Will Sit of St. Peter’s College.”
16. Orlando: PG-Will Sit, St. Peter’s
NLSC: “This is a very strange pick. The Magic already had Francis and Nelson at PG, and now they’ve added another one. You really have to feel for Sit as he was hoping to make a big splash as a rookie and this pick doesn’t help his cause.”
Stern: “With the 17th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks select Russel Santos out of the Philippines.”
17. Milwaukee: SG- Russel “Micchy_boy” Santos, Philippines
NLSC: “Santos was finally selected. I’m really surprised he slid this far as he was a projected late lottery pick. I guess the teams picking in that range just didn’t need a SG. Although, I don’t know if the Bucks really needed one either as they already have Michael Redd and Erick Strickland ahead of Santos in the depth charts. I guess it can’t pay to add some more depth and insurance at the SG spot. Overall, to get a player of Santos’ calibre at this pick is a bit of a steal and you can’t fault the Bucks for grabbing him.”
Stern: “With the 18th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the New York Knickerbockers select Rudy Fernandez out of Spain.”
18. New York: SG- Rudy Fernandez, Spain
NLSC: “Hmm, this pick is a bit of a surprise as Rudy was expected to go around the #25 spot but he must have shown the Knicks he has the ability to play both the guard spots well. Fernandez has pretty nice potential and this pick could indicate the end of Allan Houston’s career in the Big Apple. This pick could have been worse, the Knicks could have picked another undersized PF like Wayne Simien, but all-in-all, solid pick.”
Stern: “With the 19th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Leo Reyes out of Argentina.”
19. LA Lakers: PG- Leo “Seraph” Reyes, Argentina
NLSC: “
I can’t help but laugh at this pick. The Lakers were in dire need of a PG and Reyes was the last quality PG available in the 1st Round. However the surprising twist of this pick is that the Lakers never brought Reyes in for a workout. Word is that Reyes is not a fan of the Lakers and didn’t want to end up here. The Lakers took a gamble here hoping that they can convince Reyes that the glitz and glamour of playing in LA will change Leo’s mind. I’d normally say this was a good pick but it all depends on Reyes accepting his new role on the Lakers.”
Stern: “With the 20th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Miami Heat select Hakim Warrick out of Syracuse University.”
20. Miami: SF- Hakim Warrick, Syracuse
NLSC: “This is a great pick. The Heat need a SF badly and the athletic Warrick, who is a lottery-level talent, has the potential to develop on both ends for the Heat and become a factor. Playing next to Shaq and Flash is only going to help Warrick’s future. Superb pick at this point. I don’t think they could have done any better with this pick.”
Stern: “With the 21st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets select Honor Glow out of UCLA.”
21. Houston: SG- Honor Glow, UCLA
NLSC: “I had a feeling that the Rockets would take Glow with this pick. Houston has always been in love with spot-up 3-point shooters, and Glow rivaled JJ Reddick in shooting ability. Whilst I don’t think he’ll ever be a star in the league, Honor Glow is the perfect complementary player who can slide in beside Yao and T-Mac and hit the many open looks that the 2 superstars will provide. A very solid pick here for Houston with no good PG’s already being snapped up at this point.”
Stern: “With the 22nd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets select Kennedy Winston of the University of Alabama.”
22. Denver: SG- Kennedy Winston, Alabama
NLSC: “This is the perfect pick for the Nuggets who were very happy to see the guy they wanted available at their pick. Denver was in dire need of a talented SG to fill one of the few remaining holes on the roster. With Winston, the Nuggets could possibly move beyond the 2nd Round of the playoffs next season. Very good pick.”
Stern: “With the 23rd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select Wayne Simien of the University of Kansas.”
23. Memphis: PF- Wayne Simien, Kansas
NLSC: “This is a pretty solid and unusually safe pick by Jerry West as he picked the All-American from Kansas. Simien was projected to go about 5 or 6 picks higher so this is a pretty nice pick. Simien should provide extra insurance at the PF position position for the already deep Grizzlies.”
Stern: “With the 24th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Indiana Pacers select Francisco Garcia out of the University of Louisville.”
24. Indiana: SG- Francisco Garcia, Louisville
NLSC: “The Pacers were already pretty stocked in the frontcourt so it figured a guard would be on the cards. With no significant PG prospects remaining, the Pacers took the multi-faceted guard Francisco Garcia who can play anywhere from the 1 to 3, with SG being his probable position in the NBA. Bird has an eye for talent and I think this pick will prove no different.”
Stern: “With the 25th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select Charlie Villanueva of the University of Connecticut.”
25. Boston: SF- Charlie Villanueva, Connecticut
NLSC: “I really didn’t expect Villanueva to slide this far. The Celtics got an absolute steal at this pick. Villanueva is exactly the type of player the team needed, a guy who can play both forward positions and take it inside and outside. He’s got pretty good potential and if he can pull his thumb out, this could eventually become one of the steals of the draft.”
Stern: “With the 26th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Ronny Turiaf of the University of Gonzaga.”
26. Minnesota: PF- Ronny Turiaf, Gonzaga
NLSC: “Another very good pick. The Timberwolves have always been weak up front outside of Garnett, and a tough guy like Turiaf is just what they needed to hopefully push them over the edge. Smart pick here for Minnesota.”
Stern: “With the 27th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select Salim Stoudamire of the University of Arizona.”
27. Detroit: SG- Salim Stoudamire, Arizona
NLSC: “The one thing that seemed to fail them in the NBA Finals against the Spurs was the lack of depth in the backcourt. Well, the Pistons have just added another piece in the sharp-shooting Salim Stoudamire, who is as clutch as they come. Stoudamire will make a good addition to an already good team.”
Stern: “With the 28th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Nate Robinson of the University of Washington.”
28. Sacramento: PG- Nate Robinson, Washington
NLSC: “The Kings are worried about the on-going health issues relating to Bobby Jackson, and to a lesser extent, Mike Bibby. This pick I don’t feel holds too much risk as at worst, Nate Robinson makes a great third string PG. At best, well let’s just say, the Kings will have to find minutes for him as a backup. Worth the gamble and I’m interested to see how it will pan out for the Kings.”
Stern: “With the 29th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select Channing Frye of the University of Arizona.”
29. Dallas: PF- Channing Frye, Arizona
NLSC: “Extra help up front for the Mavs is always on the agenda so this is a solid pick at this point.”
Stern: “With the 30th the San Antonio Spurs select Erazem Lorbek out of Slovenia.”
30. San Antonio: PF- Erazem Lorbek, Slovenia
NLSC: “The final pick of the first round was used by the Spurs to grab this Slovenian big man, Erazem Lorbek. Lorbek has no athleticism to speak of but the Spurs will hope an extra big body can help protect Duncan during the regular season as they try and go back-to-back in 2007.”
2nd ROUND
David Stern hands the podium to Vice Commissioner Russ Granik to finish off proceedings.
31. LA Clippers: PG- Paul Watson, Brisbane (Australia)
NLSC: “This pick holds some irony. Last season Paul’s younger brother shot up the charts to be drafted at #31, and this season Paul has followed the lead by moving up a half dozen spots to go at the top of the second round to the Clippers. He’ll probably be the third string PG as a rookie.”
NLSC: “The rest of these guys are scrubs, I’m headed down to the pub, I’ll be back in an hour or so to see who got picked in the rest of the second round.”
32. Philadelphia: SF- Ryan Gomes, Providence
33. Utah: SF- Angelo Gigli, Italy
34. Portland: SG- Mickael Gelabale, France
35. Golden State: PF- Vladmir Veremeenko, Belarus
36. Chicago: PG- Daniel Ewing, Duke
37. Cleveland: SG- Julius Hodge, North Carolina State
38. Charlotte: SG- Luther Head, Illinois
39. Washington: PF- David Lee, Florida
40. Phoenix: SF- Jawad Williams, North Carolina
41. Toronto: SG- Dijon Thompson, UCLA
42. New Jersey: C- Luke Schenscher, Georgia Tech
43. Atlanta: PG- Travis Diener, Marquette
44. Seattle: SG- Donnell Taylor, UAB
45. Orlando: SF- Sean Banks, Memphis
46. New Orleans: SF- Stefano Mancinelli, Italy
47. Milwaukee: PF- Lawrence Roberts, Mississippi State
48. New York: PF- Chevron Troutman, Pittsburgh
49. LA Lakers: SG- Alan Anderson, Michigan State
50. Miami: PF- Uros Slokar, Slovenia
51. Houston: SG- Josh Pace, Syracuse
52. Denver: SG- Eddie Badsen, UNC-Charlotte
53. Memphis: SG- BJ Elder, Georgia Tech
54. Indiana: PG- Chris Thomas, Notre Dame
55. Boston: PG- Aaron Miles, Kansas
56. Minnesota: PG- Filberto Riveria, UTEP
57. Detroit: PF- Jason Maxiell, Cincinatti
58. Sacramento: PF- Alex Hervelle, Belgium
59. Dallas: Forfeits draft pick
60. San Antonio: PF- Sharrod Ford, Clemson
NLSC: “Back just in time to see Ford get picked, ahh well, he won’t make the team anyway. As for the guys who didn’t get drafted today, the biggest snubbees were Ismail Muhammed, Milan Majstrovic, Deng Gai, Moussa Badiane and Taylor Coppenrath. They’ll have to do the hard way in summer leagues.”
Well that concludes the 2006 Draft. To recap, the Bobcats ended up drafting PF- Tiago Splitter (#8) and SG- Luther Head (#38).
Let me know what you think of the draft coverage and who you think won and lost on the day. Some of you might be happy where you ended up, but I know for sure a couple of you won't.
I'll post Free Agency signings and the trade period probably tomorrow to bring me up to the start of the new season.
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