FanPost

2014 NBA Draft: Fantasy impact of what all 30 teams did in the draft

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA draft has come and gone, every team has done what they think is best, for both the future, and the present. Right before free agency begins, I am summarizing all the moves teams have made, and explaining how it impacts you as a fantasy basketball owner.

Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks had one first round pick, but still have thirteen million dollars of cap room, so free agency is where they are expected to be more active. With pick fifteen the Hawks selected power forward/center Adrian Payne out of Michigan State. Payne is locked in the depth chart behind Al Horford and Paul MIllsap, so expect limited minutes, but a good amount of points and rebounds while on the floor. In the second round the Hawks selected a European draft and stash, and Lamar Patterson, a five-year swing man who averaged 17.1 points for Pittsburgh last year.

Boston Celtics: As a rebuilding team with two first rounders, this draft was very important to the Celtics. As I mentioned here, the pick likely means that Avery Bradley will walk in free agency, and Smart will help owners in all three major categories, and steals. At seventeen, the Celtics selected James Young out of Kentucky. Young will compete with Gerald Wallace for time at small forward, and will provide owners with the three point shot, which he made twice per game as a freshman.

Brooklyn Nets: Not much to see here. Originally didn't have picks, but Prok bought three second rounders from three different teams and selected three players that likely won't be impact players, if they even make the roster.

Charlotte Hornets: The Hornets have a two young bigs, the problem is that neither was very good last year. Biyombo and Zeller both played bench minutes, combined 31 minutes a game, and couldn't do anything but rebound, combined 20 points and 21.3 rebounds per 36, so Vonleh, and his massive size, points, and rebounds, should get immediate minutes and results for owners. With their second pick, the Hornets selected D-Leaguer PJ Hairston, who should get at least some of Gerald Henderson's minutes right out of training camp. Hairston shot a low three point percentage, 36%, but can still make some for owners, and will also continue to score at a high rate, 24.3 per 36 last year, but in less playing time.

Chicago Bulls: The Bulls made a big trade up to eleven, by giving up picks 16 and 19 in order to get Doug McDermott at 11. I stated last week that I don't like McDermott's game, but I think that Chicago fits him well. He'll be a great option for owners that need threes, and should get a good amount of minutes as long as neither Melo or Love come to Chicago.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavaliers picked Andrew Wiggins with the first pick, likely signifying the end of the Dion Waiters era (NOOOO), The Cavs also traded Alonso Gee, in order to clear cap room and minutes for Lebron. I already talked about Wiggins in the other post. In the second round the Cavs picked up scorer/shooter Joe Harris, who shouldn't make any fantasy impact, and Dwight Powell, who is even less likely to make an impact.

Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs traded both of their picks, three fantasy irrelevant players, and assister Jose Calderon, for defensive stud Tyson Chandler. Chandler struggled with injuries last year, but still averaged a low double-double and a block a game last year (around his career averages), expect his impact to stay around the same next year.

Denver Nuggets: The team that traded down in the Bulls trade, the Nuggets selected draft and stash Jusuf Nurkic at sixteen, and Gary Harris at nineteen. Harris is probably a better real life player then he is fantasy, due to his strong defensive potential, but he will still provide the seemingly typical three pointers and steals. It is unclear how many minutes Harris will get now that he is sharing a backcourt with Ty Lawson and Aaron Afflalo, but Harris has a game that will translate to the NBA.

Detroit Pistons: The only pick the Pistons had was pick 38, which they used on Spencer Dinwiddie. Dinwiddie had very similar stats to Gary Harris, except with one point less, and two assists more per 40 minutes, and the same steals and three pointers. The difference between the two is that Dinwiddie tore his ACL in January, so he won't be able to help owners until later in the season.

Golden State Warriors Didn't have any picks

Houston Rockets: Daryl Morey that genius somehow managed to get the Pelicans to take Omer Asik's contract off his hands, in order to clear cap room for Lebron, and got a future first for it. The Rockets then drafted Euro stash Clint Capela in order to save cap room, so nothing of fantasy impact happened with them.

Indiana Pacers: Didn't have any picks

Los Angeles Clippers: Picked shoot guard CJ Wilcox at 28, and he's another one of those 3-and-D guys that today's NBA loves so much. With Jamal Crawford, JJ Redick, and Matt Barnes all still on the roster, I can't see him getting enough minutes to make a significant impact.

Los Angeles Lakers: I already covered the impact of Julius Randle in the other article, but basically he will be able to do everything he did in college, getting points and rebounds. Lakers also bought second rounder Jordan Clarkson was a good scorer in college, 20 points per 40 last year, and while he had a low 3.8 assists per 40, his 23.3 assist percentage indicates that there is room for improvement there, but I don't really know what to expect from him.

Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies had a good draft, picking yet another 3-and-D guy in Jordan Adams, except he's better. Adams averaged 2.6 steals per game, good for second in the nation, and also had 5.3 rebounds per game. He should be able to get himself the starting job from Tony Allen relatively quickly, so he will be able to help fantasy owners. Second rounder Jarnell Stokes is harder to describe, he's a 6'8" forward who 18.6 points, and 13.1 rebounds per 40, but isn't put in a good situation in Memphis, where they have Jon Leuer and Zach Randolph at the power forward spot.

Miami Heat: The Heat traded up to get Lebron favorite, and NCAA Champion, point guard Shabazz Napier. A very good overall player, averaging eighteen points, six rebounds, five assists, 41% on threes, and 1.8 steals last year. The problem with Napier is that the Heat will likely bring back the Big Three and a fourth, which will stop him from handling the ball at the same 27% rate he did last year in UConn.

Milwaukee Bucks: The roster barren Bucks needed everything, and had the second pick, the 31st pick, and the 36th pick in the draft. I already described Melo, um I mean Parker, With 31 the Bucks chose eighteen-year old physical freak Damien Inglis of France, who will stay in France for a couple years. With 36, the Bucks selected Johnny O'Bryant, power forward/center from LSU. O'Bryant provides the typical big man stats of twenty points and ten rebounds per 40 minutes, and should be given playing time on the tanking Bucks.

Minnesota Timberwolves: I don't even know, Flip Saunders makes no sense, he didn't trade Kevin Love, and he drafted two athletic players who lack talent with Zach LaVine and Glenn Robinson III. They fill position needs, and will get to play, but LaVine was a backup in college, and despite his athleticism, only had 1.5 attempts at the rim per 40 minutes, and converted on a pathetic 46% of them.

New Orleans Pelicans: The Pelicans traded for Omer Asik, who got little minutes last year because of Dwight Howard, but still had 14.1 rebounds per 36 minutes last year, and will benefit from playing beside Anthony Davis, who will get the blocks while Asik gets the rebounds.

New York Knicks: The Knicks trade with the Mavericks confused me. They drafted project D-Leaguer Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and forward Cleanthony Early out of Wichita State, who's like Doug McDermott, in that he's a dominant scorer, 24 points per 40, who also rebounds, 8.6 per 40, but has a high usage rate of 28.5%. It's very hard to analyze the Knicks, without knowing if Melo is resigning and, if they will tank.

Oklahoma City Thunder: With the 21st and 29th picks in the draft, the Thunder selected Mitch McGary, center out of Michigan, and Josh Huestis, small forward out of Stanford. The Thunder needed a center, as the terrible, and overpaid, Kendrick Perkins, split time at the center spot with the not much better Steven Adams. In 25 minutes a game last year, approximately what he'll get next year if Perkins is amnestied, McGary averaged 9.5 points and 8.3 rebounds, so not anything significant. Huestis will only be a backup to Durant, won't make an impact.

Orlando Magic: The Magic traded Aaron Afflalo, and drafted Elfrid Payton, which will allow Oladipo to move to his natural position of shooting guard. Payton averaged nineteen points, six assists, and six rebounds, in 36 minutes last year, and his passing presence should help owners of Tobias Harris, who will benefit from the passing, and the fourth pick in the draft, Aaron Gordon. Speaking of Gordon, he has a logjam of young power forwards on the team, and his athleticism, lack of scoring, and 42% on free throws makes him better in real life then fantasy.

Philadelphia 76ers: With six picks in the draft, the Sixers took one injured star, three draft and stashers, and two college forwards. The SIxers roster is full of DLeaguers, and another tankolicious year is in store for their fans, so Kj McDaniels and Jerami Grant will get minutes, especially if Thaddeus Young gets his wishes of being traded granted. McDaniels, an undersized forward out of Clemson averaged 20.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.3 blocks and 1.4 steals per 40 minutes last year, and will get a lot of minutes, so he will warrant a late round look from owners. Grant was similar in terms of getting points and rebounds, but doesn't have the blocks or steals that make McDaniels valuable.

Phoenix Suns: With three first round selections, the Suns picked a high scoring wing, a talented point guard, and a draft and stash Euro, in TJ Warren, Tyler Ennis, and the great named Bogdan Bogdanovic. TJ Warren is a dominant scorer, averaging 28.1 points per 40 minutes, and also provides rebounds, 8.1 per 40, and steals, two per 40, but also had a very high 35.5% usage rate, which he won't be able to duplicate in Phoenix's two point guard system. The selection of Tyler Ennis, indicates that they will let Bledsoe walk, but still continue with the two point guard system that worked so well. Ennis averaged 14.5 points, 6.2 assists and 2.3 steals per 40 last year, and his usage rate is lower then Bledsoe's so that could fare well for Dragic, who will be able to handle the ball more.

Portland Trailblazers: No picks in the draft

Sacramento Kings: I wrote about Stauskas as a Hornet last week, and the exact same thing still applies, because the player the Kings got in the mock draft was the almost identical Doug McDermott. Expect threes, threes and more threes, though we said the same thing when the Kings got Jimmer Freddette.

San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs got a very Popovician player in Kyle Anderson, with pick 30. Anderson is a lot like finals star and current free agent in that he's big and slow, but can handle and pass the ball like a guard. Anderson is a great all around player, averaging 17.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per 40 minutes, so with Diaw leaving in free agency, expect him to get at least Diaw's 25 minutes, and probably more because of his age and talent.

Toronto Raptors: With the 20th pick in the NBA Draft the Toronto selected the completely unknown Bruno Cabocolo. The eighteen-year old Brazilian is basically Giannis Antetokounmpo, but from Brazil, he has no high level pro experience, but is supposedly 6'-8" with a 7'-7" wingspan. He likely won't have any fantasy impact.

Utah Jazz: I already described Dante Exum along side Michael Carter Williams, and the same thing applies when next to Victor Oladipo, except on a more talented roster, and with bigs to pass to, in Enes Kanter, Derrick Favors, and the potential full Rudy Gobert. In Rodney Hood, the Jazz are getting a potential sixth man to play behind Gordon Hayward if he returns. Hood averaged 19.5 points, and 4.8 rebounds, per 40, with 42% shooting from three, but likely won't be valuable to fantasy owners.

Washington Wizards: No picks in this draft