Submitted on: 07/07/2010 by
Dustin Toms
1. Washington Wizards – John Wall
Washington lucked out in the Lottery and got the opportunity to select Wall in the Draft, which in turn will make the Wiz a popular team to start a franchise with next year. With Wall at the head of the rebuilding process, the Wiz will be the ideal candidate for the yearly "team to rebuild" award. Though Wall should not be rated as high as some may think -- remember to consider his sub-par set jumper and the whole turnover-prone thing he has going on -- he will still be the focal point on offense. Rating prediction: 75.
2. Philadelphia 76ers – Evan Turner
Turner was the best college player last season, but he was still somewhat overshadowed by Wall. Either way, Philly is not complaining. This team will be another popular rebuilding team in next year's NBA titles. With Turner being similar to Iggy, both in reality and fantasy, there is no need for both to be on the team. Iggy’s rating should also be in the low 80s, which means he is a nice asset that could net you a nice big to play alongside a terrible big -- assuming you choose to trade Iggy before at least trying to make the combo work. Turner should instantly be able to drive to the hole or pull up when he needs too. With Jrue Holiday in the backcourt with Turner, the young guard duo will be an easy choice to play with next year. Rating prediction: 76.
3. New Jersey Nets – Derrick Favors
Everyone knows the Nets tanked this season to land Wall as a possible recruiting chip for LeBron. However, that plan obviously did not work out, and they ended up with Favors instead. Now, Favors is in no way a bad consolation prize, but he is raw at this point. With that in mind, Favors probably won't be an impact guy next year, but he will be a solid role player. Playing alongside a legit true center will help him get open looks and easy buckets, but those jump shots won’t fall very easily. With so many scoring options already, Favors won’t be at the top of the totem pole, but defensively he should be a nice fit with his athletic skill set. Rating prediction: 71.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves – Wesley Johnson
The one team that did not crave Wall still missed out on the player they truly wanted, i.e. Evan Turner. Wes Johnson was not too far back on their Draft board, but he does not have the overall ability of an Evan Turner. Johnson also still seems a bit raw even after coming out as a 22-year-old junior. He did have an amazing junior year, but he still vanished at points. His athleticism will help him succeed in the game, but he will probably never be a star. Playing on a team like this, though, he will get 15-20 shots a game -- assuming Corey Brewer’s offense is terrible, which is the safest assumption I have ever made. While Wes may not be able to drive to the basket much because his handle is not that great, he will still drain open jumpers. Rating prediction: 68.
5. Sacramento Kings – DeMarcus Cousins
Sactown may have been handed the biggest steal of the Draft. I know a top-five pick does not sound like a steal, but if Cousins had not had questions about his attitude going into the NBA Draft, he would have been the one player who could have trumped Wall as the number one overall selection. Still, Cousins should be able to contribute right away and, luckily enough, questions about a player's motor do not really translate to a video game. With Dalembert being the only other competition at center on the roster, a solid 20 minutes a night is not a long shot for Cousins -- and this is assuming Cousins does not start at power forward alongside Dalembert or starts over him (both possibilities). Plus, with Carl Landry and Jason Thompson also in the mix, the group of forwards in Sactown seems like it could easily be one of the best in video game land next year. Cousins needs to improve his jump shot, but in the paint you should be getting at least a double-double out of the guy even if he starts on the bench. Simply put, Tyreke Evans just found his second in command. Rating prediction: 78.
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