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Monday, July 1, 1996

Timberwolves lead pack, Trailblazers choke in their dust

Every year the self-proclaimed "draft experts" analyze the NBA draft. This year is no different.

The Winners.

By virtue of their theft of point guard Stephon Marbury from the Milwaukee Bucks, the Minnesota Timberwolves had the best draft among the leagues' 29 teams. Paired with Kevin Garnett, the T'Wolves have a young and talented duo with unlimited potential. All they need is one more star, and no, J.R. Rider is not it.

The Vancouver Grizzlies had an excellent draft by acquiring California freshman Shareef Abdur-Rahim as well as Roy Rogers, a steal with the 22nd pick. Along with Bryant Reeves, the Grizzlies have their frontcourt set for the next 10 years. Now they just need to work on their backcourt.

The Losers.

The Milwaukee Bucks improved their team tremendously by selecting Marbury. But in what was the worst trade in the league since the Los Angeles Clippers sent Antonio McDyess to the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota gave him away to the Bucks.

Point guards are a rare commodity in the NBA and prospects like Marbury do not come around often, so to trade him away for a shooting guard and a draft pick two years from now is just plain stupid.

The Portland Trailblazers had the worst pick in the draft with their selection of Jermaine O'Neal with the 17th pick. At 6-feet-11-inches, 226 pounds, O'Neal is skinnier and less skilled than Shawn Bradley. He resembles Dontonio Wingfield more than he does Shawn Kemp.

The Golden State Warriors tried their best to beat out the Blazers for the worst pick by selecting Todd Fuller at No. 11, an obvious reach. Somehow, the Warriors managed to break up a winning team in their ongoing quest for a big man ­ Chris Webber, Tom Gugliotta, Donyell Marshall, Carlos Rogers, Cliff Rozier, and now Todd Fuller. At least Fuller will take up space with his 6-foot-11-inch, 255-pound frame.

Solid Drafts

The Phoenix Suns got a nice point guard in Steve Nash at No. 15. He's not as flashy as Allen Iverson or Marbury, but he's a heady player who will get the job done, and a solid guy to build a team around.

The Indiana Pacers strengthened their frontcourt with the selection of Erick Dampier at No. 10. If either Dale or Antonio Davis (no relation) leave via trade or free agency, Dampier gives them insurance, and Rik Smits only plays about 30 minutes a game anyway.

The Denver Nuggets selected a big center at No. 23, Efthimis Retzias. Which gives them insurance in case Dikembe Mutombo continues to overestimate his worth. The acquisition of Mark Jackson finally gives them someone to distribute the ball, and at No. 37, Jeff McInnis was a steal because he will improve the Nuggets' backcourt.

The Houston Rockets got the best of the second round, with Othella Harrington at No. 30 and Randy Livingston at No. 42. Harrington will bolster the Rockets' thin front line of Chucky Brown and Mark Bryant, and if Livingston can stay healthy, this former high school phenom may become a star in this league.

Not Bad

The Philadelphia 76ers selected the best player in the draft, Iverson, but they didn't address their needs at shooting guard, power forward, small forward, nor center with their three second-round picks. In Iverson, they have an awesome prospect to build around, but they still need to surround him with quality talent.

The Toronto Raptors have two pieces of their puzzle in place, with the addition of Marcus Camby at No. 2, teaming him with Damon Stoudamire. They can get the third and final piece to their nucleus next year when they are in the lottery.

The Boston Celtics got a talented athlete in Antoine Walker at No. 6, but we really don't know how good Walker is because of the limited number of minutes he received at Kentucky.

The Dallas Mavericks didn't hurt themselves by trading down with the Celtics. The acquisition of Eric Montross gives them a true 7-footer who can stand upright and take up space, while Samaki Walker at No. 9 gives them an active power forward who can do the dirty work for the team.

The New York Knicks used their three first-round picks on John Wallace, Walter McCarty and Dontae' Jones. Wallace, a steal at No. 18, can help out at power forward, Jones can put the ball in the hole at small forward, and McCarty can provide an active body at both forward positions.

Pretty Good for Both Teams

Reportedly, the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to send the No. 13 pick, Kobe Bryant, to the Los Angeles Lakers straight-up for Vlade Divac. The Lakers would get a player who may have been the No. 1 pick overall a year or two from now, and Divac's departure would free up salary cap space, increasing the Lakers' chances of acquiring a free agent or two in the off-season. The Hornets would get a top-10 center in Divac, giving them immediate help in their frontcourt.