In the Grizzlies' brief history, what do you think their best and worst drafts were? I broke it down into their three best and three worst in my opinion - <font size="3">Best -</font> 1) 2001 NBA Draft - (#3 - Pau Gasol, #6 - Shane Battier, #33 - Will Solomon, #48 - Antonis Fotsis) Out of the entire draft, Pau Gasol has arguably become the best player. I actually remember people calling Knight crazy for picking Gasol over Richardson, Curry, Diop, and the rest. It's amazing how little they've all done (as well as Kwame Brown and Tyson Chandler) compared to what Gasol has done. The trade to acquire the #3 pick was great too. Through that deal, we also got Lorenzen Wright and Brevin Knight (who eventually turned into Outlaw and Tsakalidas). Not bad, eh? Also, Shane Battier at #6 was a solid pick. He hasn't been playing on the All-Star level that Gasol has, but he's done everything that has been asked of him. He's been everything we could have possibly wanted. Look at the three players drafted right behind him as well: Griffin, Diop, and White. It's arguable as to whether or not they'll even be in the league next year. Great draft Mr. Knight! :thumbsup: 2) 1998 NBA Draft - (#2 - Mike Bibby, #56 - J.R. Henderson) Alright, maybe this isn't that great of a draft but with the Grizzlies' limited available drafts to pick from this came up #2. Sure, they could have had better luck with Vince Carter, but at least they didn't take Raef LaFrentz. 3) 1996 NBA Draft - (#3 - Shareef Abdur-Rahim, #22 - Roy Rogers, #51 - Chris Robinson) Shareef Abdur-Rahim may have been the greatest Grizzlie of all-time, but look who was taken after him: Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Antoine Walker, Kobe Bryant, Peja Stojakovic, Steve Nash, Jermaine O'Neal, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Since there were so many all-stars drafted after Shareef, I didn't put this as the #2 draft. However, it was still a mild success. <font size="3">Worst -</font> 1) 1999 NBA Draft (#2 - Steve Francis, #37 - Obinna Ekezie, #51 - Antwain Smith) This draft barely needs to be explained, because just about everyone remembers this draft as one of the worst drafts in NBA history - not talent wise, but as far as the events that took place. I still view Steve Francis as a punk for demanding a trade. The Grizzlies even drafted his college chum, Ekezie, possibly as an attempt to get him to stay in Vancouver. We would have been much better off with Baron Davis or Lamar Odom. 2) 2002 NBA Draft (#4 - Drew Gooden, #32 - Robert Archibald, #46 - Matt Barnes) I realize that West came into this draft with little preperation time, but this was pretty sad in my eyes. Drew Gooden was a mediocre pick. I personally would have taken Caron Butler, but Gooden was okay for us. The thing that actually kills me is the second round pick. Robert Archibald? That kid was not supposed to even be drafted. I remember yelling at the Grizzlies' draft party "Boozer! Gadzuric! Clancy!". All three would have been great for us. In fact, Boozer is about to become an All-Star, and Gadzuric is quickly making a name for himself as a solid starting center. Clancy could have also been a better player had the injury bug not bit him. 3) 2003 NBA Draft (#16 - Troy Bell, #20 - Dahntay Jones) Maybe it's a little bit early to judge these selections, but they sure did shock the hell out of me. No one expected West to take either of these guys. I'm pretty confident they won't turn out to be anything special in the future either. Jeez, we could have had Banks or Gaines.
Well Reece Gaines hasn't exactly shown a lot either. Banks looks promising though. Still, just looking over these results, the Grizz have gotten very little to zero value in any of their second round picks. While you don't expect second rounders to make any huge impact, the fact that the Grizz haven't drafted anyone in the second round who has contributed in their history could be a slight worry.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Supersonic:</div><div class="quote_post"> Still, just looking over these results, the Grizz have gotten very little to zero value in any of their second round picks. While you don't expect second rounders to make any huge impact, the fact that the Grizz haven't drafted anyone in the second round who has contributed in their history could be a slight worry.</div> Hopefully that will all change this year when the whole draft's focuss for the Grizzlies will be on the second round pick. In previous years, it's been all about the lotto picks.
Worst: 2000. Stromile Swift #2? Sure, he was a good prospect, and it was a weak year, but damn... 1995. I'm mostly pissed because they got the #6, and got stuck with Big Country (who was good, don't get me wrong) instead of Kevin Garnett. 1997. Antonio Daniels number 4? (If it counts for anything, he turned into Felipe Lopez and Carl Hererra) 1999 was probably the only year I hold it against them. Sure, Bibby's decent enough, but there were some damn good players in that draft. Best: 2001. Gasol was the best player in the draft, and we got him. The other "good" ones aren't that great. In Grizzlies history though, the player picked just before our first round pick always seems to be a gem, while we get garbage. Kevin Garnett, as I alluded to earlier, (we ended up with Bryant Reeves) Kenyon Martin (Stro Swift), Elton Brand (Steve Francis). If we'd only been able to pick one spot higher... Ah well, they'd probably only **** it up anyway. (As that's how they did things back in the day.)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ezra:</div><div class="quote_post"> 1995. I'm mostly pissed because they got the #6, and got stuck with Big Country (who was good, don't get me wrong) instead of Kevin Garnett. </div> Although Garnett was drafted before him, who was drafted after him? All I see is Damon Stoudamire and a few mediocre players. Damon Stoudamire had a great rookie year, but I would have still rather had Bryant Reeves for the first for years of the Grizzlies' franchise than Damon Stoudamire. Even if Stoudamire would have been better, that's just one player. I'd call this a fairly successful draft.
you forgot big country under 'worst'. what a joke. i lived in vancouver during those years, and i went to games at GM place all the time, and left in tears
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dj_premium_plus:</div><div class="quote_post">you forgot big country under 'worst'. what a joke. i lived in vancouver during those years, and i went to games at GM place all the time, and left in tears</div> Well, Ezra added him and I responded with this - <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Although Garnett was drafted before him, who was drafted after him? All I see is Damon Stoudamire and a few mediocre players. Damon Stoudamire had a great rookie year, but I would have still rather had Bryant Reeves for the first for years of the Grizzlies' franchise than Damon Stoudamire. Even if Stoudamire would have been better, that's just one player. I'd call this a fairly successful draft.</div>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Wave:</div><div class="quote_post">Well, Ezra added him and I responded with this -</div> ah...well, my bad for missing that part then... but still, obviously everything in hindsight is 20/20, but theo ratliff and michael finley were both drafted well behind big country. your right, that he looked good, a huge guy, who pretty much dominated at the college level...but he really turned out to be a lazy overweight bust
His knees too, if he had a couple good ones, he could've been decent. When he was healthy he got you 18 and 8, which is nothing to sneeze at. In terms of career impact, he's right up there with Bison Dele, and Matt Geiger.
Battier was expected to be better than what he is right? I don't think he should be undermined though, he's one of the best Grizzlies' ever, he brings so much to the table. In particular his will and effort in trying to be better. That alone makes him needed since a lot of the Grizzlies' have usually lacked the will and the hustle.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Magic Johnson:</div><div class="quote_post">Battier was expected to be better than what he is right? I don't think he should be undermined though, he's one of the best Grizzlies' ever, he brings so much to the table. In particular his will and effort in trying to be better. That alone makes him needed since a lot of the Grizzlies' have usually lacked the will and the hustle.</div> That's not the case at all. Everyone knew what they were getting when they drafted Shane Battier. Make no mistake, he could be starting on half the teams in the NBA right now and doing an awesome job. Look at the players drafted right after him anyway. Eddie Griffin? Dasagna Diop? Rodney White?
What about Richard Jefferson (who I hate, but still), or Zach Randolph? Shit, you could maybe even argue that guys such as Sam Dalembart, Gilbert Arenas, Troy Murphy, and Tony Parker has shown more than Battier at times, even if I love the guy. Earl Watson!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ezra:</div><div class="quote_post">What about Richard Jefferson (who I hate, but still), or Zach Randolph?</div> Richardson barely made the lottery. In fact, he was projected to go lower. He was one of those good surprises. So you can't knock on the Grizzlies for passing him up because seven other teams behind them did. He just wasn't in their cards. If the Grizzlies would have picked Jefferson that year, it would have been like the Hawks picking Kris Humphries this year. As for Zach Randolph, the same thing could be said. The only people who really believed in him were Michigan State fans like myself. I remember being laughed at when I posted "Zach Randolph is a future all-star; what a steal" back when Randolph was drafted. He was thought of as undersized and overweight - which he is. However, no one knew he could be efficient despite those negative attributes. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Shit, you could maybe even argue that guys such as Sam Dalembart, Gilbert Arenas, Troy Murphy, and Tony Parker has shown more than Battier at times, even if I love the guy.</div> I wouldn't take Dalembert or Murphy in a trade for Battier; not in a million years. I don't think Jerry West would do that deal either. Arenas and Parker turned out great, and I'd consider deals for both. However, who saw them coming? They were drafted bottom first to early second. When I say that Battier was a good pick, I am looking at the guys immediately after him - Diop, Griffen, White, Brown, etc. All of them were talked about as potential picks for the Grizzlies. No one was talking about Parker and Arenas. Aren't you glad the Grizzlies chose Shane Battier and not Rodney White?
Like I said, I love Battier. Conversely, the only guys I'd consider a trade for from that draft are Dalembart and Murphy. Even though Murphy's a little to fragile for my taste, I like his game. Also, Dalembart's a beast. That guy will average 15 points and 15 boards a game once (if) he matures. He's a bit fragile too, though. I'm happy with the pick of Battier, but some of the guys picked after him are really good. And big. I wouldn't have been especially unhappy with any of those guys, and realize that it would be a stretch to draft any of them at six, and hindsight is 20/20 and all that, but...
