What is up everybody? I went dark there for a few days, from the night of the NBA draft until tonight. I am on vacation so I'm making this brief, but wanted to get something on here about the NBA draft. Here are my quick thoughts:
- I'm happy that Craig Brackins went in the first round. He worked hard in workouts, and many teams apparently were interested in him. Craig should be getting about $1 to $1.1 million/year for the next two years guaranteed with team options in year three and four. Either way, the guy is going to be a millionaire, and should be on a NBA roster for at least the next couple of years.
- I'm not sure what I think about Brackins on the Hornets, however. With the team possibly dealing Chris Paul, they may continue to struggle for a while. At the same time, having players like Okafur, Collison, David West, etc., are still a younger nucleus. It will be interesting to see how he does.
- The polarizing Wesley Johnson is going to be making about $3 million/year over the same time period. I'm not a Wesley Johnson hater. I hate the way the guy left ISU, but by going to a better team, and doubling his earnings potential over the first part of his contract, it's hard to fault the guy to an extent. I don't think there's anyway a guy goes in the Top 5 in a McDermott-led team had he stayed here. He would have been like Brackins last year, going in the 10-20 range. Good cash, but not Top 5 kind of cash. Most guys don't play college basketball to represent a school. They play college basketball hoping to go to the NBA, using college basketball as a vehicle to get there. Very few guys grow up hoping to be a Cyclone, and most out of the state don't know anything about Iowa State. Remember, the years 2000 and 2001, most of the prospects now were 8 or 9 at the time. Can you remember who went to the Elite 8 when you were 8?
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Tiny Gallon and Willie Warren got the worst advice regarding the draft. Who leaves as much eligibility on the table, when you aren't a lock for the First Round?
- Lastly, I'm not surprised Gilstrap didn't get drafted, but getting the summer league contract really isn't that much different than getting picked in the 2nd round. Remember, the 2nd round doesn't offer any guaranteed money, and often times these guys don't make the final roster anyways. Gilstrap is going to be in Charlotte, hoping to make the team. I think we'll see Gilstrap overseas (if he's willing to go there) or in the D-League.
Again, my apologies for not getting anything up here earlier. What were your thoughts on the draft?
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