| "How much does the draft mean..." (August 21, 1998)
Here's another installment in the Best of Hoop-LA. The lockout is still ongoing. Nothing to write about. I hope you enjoy this article.
I've been wondering which teams have really improved themselves from the draft over the past few years. Orlando had the number one picks for two years running and ended up with Shaq O'Neal and Anfernee Hardaway and 3 first round picks (1996, 1998 and 2000). They also drafted Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott to give them a very good draft records, even with relative busts of Brian Williams (although he flourished after he left), David Vaughn and Brian Evans. Through the draft they built themselves into a contender but it was not until they added Horace Grant via free agency, that they became a serious championship contender. So this is the thought pattern that I've been working on over the past few days. Houston is an example of a team that built a championship through other means besides the draft. Hakeem was picked by the Rockets, but that was in 1984. It wasn't until the 1990s that they became a contender. They had some acquisitions, namely Kenny Smith, Clyde Drexler and Mario Elie who helped push them over the top. This isn't to say they didn't help themselves with the draft, Robert Horry comes to mind, but they developed their team beyond the just the draft.
Which team over the past few years has had good drafts. The LA Clippers for about or four years in the late 1980s had some great drafts. Danny Manning, Charles Smith, Gary Grant, Ken Norman, Benoit Benjamin, Danny Ferry (who was subsequently traded, and for arguments sake still follows the idea of trading through the draft) and others were the backbone of a team that made it to the playoffs for two years (under Larry Brown) and then was dismantled. Similar circumstances surrounded the New Jersey Nets. With the draft, they picked Chris Morris, Dennis Hopson, Kenny Anderson and Derrick Coleman but got no farther than the first round.
So how important is the draft? The best players to come into the NBA in the past 5 years have done what in the playoffs? Grant Hill? Coupled with Doug Collins' aggressive defensive philosophy and Grant Hill versus the world approach single handily moved them into the playoffs, but some of the most recent drafts have yielded nothing. Lindsay Hunter was find, then a bust and now back to a find. Allan Houston was a bust, then a budding super star and now he's gone. Don Reid was a great find, but Jerome Williams rarely played. The two trades for big men (ie. Otis Thorpe and Grant Long/Stacey Augmon) were huge busts and cost them draft picks.
How about Vin Baker and Glenn Robinson? Nothing. Jason Kidd, Jamal Mashburn and Jimmy Jackson? Or how about that whole three J's phenomenon. That experiment died out because they had super egos and no one could hit an open jumper. Philly drafted Shawn Bradley and he did nothing. They added Stackhouse and he did nothing. They turned the reigns over to Allan Iverson and did they show an improvement? Nope. In fact, most of the teams that were bad last year and the year before, are still bad. Joe Smith? Rasheed Wallace? Jerry Stackhouse? Even the Hornets with LJ and Zo didn't get far. Denver worked the draft pretty well for a couple of years. They got Brian Stith, Chris Jackson (aka Mahmoud Abdul Rauf), Dikembe Mutumbo, LaPhonso Ellis and Marc Macon (although he sucked). They built the team from the ground up after the Paul Westhead fiasco and built a potential powerhouse. They defeated Seattle in the first round and were poised to become the next great team, right? In the span of one year, they traded Abdul-Rauf, lost Ellis to injury and Mutumbo to free agency and the team will never be the same again.
Chicago, the best team, has not drafted well over the past few years. Think about it. This doesn't mean Jerry Krause isn't a bad GM, actually, he's a very good GM. Jordan was drafted before Krause, but he did trade Olden Polynice for Scottie Pippen (smart move). He did draft Horace Grant. This was all ancient history. How about picking Tony Kukoc in the 2nd round and he did it again with another European whose name I forget (Pedrag something (CN: no idea here)). But can anyone name their last few draft picks. Travis Knight (renounced rights), Jason Caffey (passed over Michael Finley to get him), Dickey Simpkins (didn't even dress for the finals), Corey Blount (traded), Byron Houston (traded for Rodney McCray), Mark Randall (did he ever play for the Bulls?), Stacey King (cough, cough, with 3 picks in the 1988 draft, their best player selected was BJ Armstong), the aforementioned BJ and Jeff Sanders (never really played). Krause did build a good team with free agency and trades. While the draft is important, it seems it is over shadowed by putting together a good supporting cast. The last few championship teams have had one or two super stars and a good supporting cast (either from the draft, trades or free agency).
Chicago has Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Houston has Hakeem and Chuckster and Clyde (at least for one year). Detroit had Isiah Thomas and to a lesser extent Joe Dumars. The Celtics had Bird, McHale and Parish. The Lakers had Magic, Kareem and Worthy. The Sixers had Dr. J and Moses Malone. All these teams had super stars, but created a winning formula beyond just the draft. I personally, believe the draft is overrated. Free agency might be a better way to develop a winning team over trading for draft picks.
Jerry West, who knows something about winning, has drafted well (Nick Van Exel, Elden Campbell, Vlade Divac, Eddie Jones) and then signed some free agents, Shaq included and is well on his way to making the Lakers a championship contender.
The best bet is to try to get that one impact player (this year, it is Tim Duncan) and then build around him. Teams that seem to frequently get the mid lottery picks (6-9) never seem to escape. That's why I like what I hear from Stu Jackson of the Grizzlies, who has said he'll move down to pick up a big man and then draft a point guard. Maybe Jayson Williams and their pick for the Grizzlies. Teams that hoard draft picks never seem to improve.
Minnesota started to improve when they dumped their old high round picks (Christian Laettner and Isaiah Rider) and drafted Marbury and Garnett. But also added via free agency Terry Porter and GM Kevin McHale.
San Antonio is very lucky. They will have two impact players as well as a decent supporting cast with Elliot and Avery Johnson. But will it be enough. History has shown that the last few championship teams have been very deep and San Antonio is not. They will have to swing some deals to bring in some backup talent. Either resign Nique, or some other free agents and maybe trade a future pick for some decent bench filler.
In the end the draft is just another piece to the puzzle, not the only means to the end, to become a championship team.
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