The NBA draft: The day every year where millions of basketball fans truly believe that they could, and should, be a NBA General Manager.
Lets face it: Running a franchise on NBA 2k12 doesn't make you qualified to run a NBA team, and most fans view the salary cap rules as akin to learning a foreign language. But with picks like these, you cant blame the fans for at least believing.
Without further ado, the 5 biggest head scratchers from the 2012 draft.
1. Two early picks: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist at No. 2 and Dion Waiters at No. 4
The Bobcats had a lot of options with the 2nd overall pick. The best of those options was to trade down. MKG was a long way down the list of options. The Bobcats did need a small forward since the departure of Corey Maggette, but the Bobcats need a lot of things. MKG is a solid player, but he has limited potential. MKG, with his current skill set, is not going to be a franchise changer. The Bobcats are getting a solid player with a great motor, likable personality, a winner, and a jump shot that stretches to about 15 feet. That doesn't cut it in the NBA. But hey, MJ has got to get a pick right sometime.. Right?
Waiters, who came off the bench for Syracuse, was a surprise pick by the Cavs at number 4. Like a lot of decent basketball players, Waiters could come in and start for the Cavs from day 1.
[caption id="attachment_57" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Even Waiters looks surprised"]
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The 6'4 scoring guard will presumably be paired with Kyrie Irving in the Cavs backcourt, where he will routinely face players who can shoot over him. Bottom line is that the Cavs reached here. Waiters' stock was rising, but most expected he would go around the 8-10 range. It would have been nice to see Waiters go to Toronto, his hometown, at 8.
2. Perry Jones III falls to 28th (Oklahoma City)
The Oklahoma City Thunder only had 1 pick in the 2012 draft, and they nailed it. What do you think was going through GM Sam Presti's mind when he saw PJIII was available at 28?
Is it possible that 20ish other NBA teams literally forgot he existed? It's obvious that PJIII could have put up better numbers at Baylor, but the skill set is there, he has every tool necessary to be a great NBA player. 6'11 with agility, ball skills, and a jump shot, at 28th overall. Talk about value. PJIII won't be asked to come in and have an overwhelming role, he will simply be another contributor on a loaded roster, a role that fits him well for now. Bottom Line: Theme detected... Sam Presti makes good picks. Ibaka at 24, Westbrook at 4, Harden at 3, and now Jones at 28. PJIII and OKC will be a perfect marriage.
3. Everyone realized that Andre Drummond isn't that good. (Detroit, 9th pick)
It was a forgone conclusion that some unfortunate team would select Drummond, the UConn Center, very high in the lottery.
However I have got to give it to the GMs here, they all realized the painfully obvious, that Drummond is average. He is big (6'10, 270) and young (only a Freshman) but so was Kwame Brown. Drummond will continue his averageness in the NBA, and will soon be just another big guy.
4. Miles Plumlee goes in the first round. (26th, Indiana)
Ok, seriously, maybe the average NBA fan could be a GM. Plumlee is seven feet tall. Allegedly, he can jump (Duke claims he has a 40 inch vertical.)
[caption id="attachment_55" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Coach Frank Vogel Doesn't look too happy with Plumlee"]
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His youngest brother routinely tries to dunk 3 basketballs at once (And Fails). Maybe the Pacers need a big unskilled white guy to replace the departure of Jeff Foster, who previously filled that role. Beyond that, the eldest Plumlee is a terrible pick. I can understand going for a big guy who will play hard in the second round, but the NBA draft is about value and talent, and Indiana must have forgotten these seemingly elementary facts. On the positive side, Tyler Hansbrough should be extremely happy that he will now be going against Plumlee in practice.
5. How ridiculous the hats were (All Picks)
No one could have seen this coming. The NFL draft certainly took the crazy draft-hats theme to a new level this year, but why would you ever try to duplicate them?
First, you have the crazy flat flatbrims. Then the incredibly tall, bucket-like portion of the hat dwarfs even these NBA giants heads. Add in the odd fit of the hats (most hats just kind of sat on top of draftee's heads) and you have an incredibly bad lid.