Some of my impressions from the draft last night…
In the end, the Bulls and Heat had to select Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley. While I personally believe that Beasley would have been the better fit on the Bulls, potentially making them elite, there was no way that they could pass on a perceived stud point guard from Chicago in the point-guard loving climate spear-headed by Chris Paul, Steve Nash and Deron Williams. Likewise, despite the pre-draft rumors there was simply no way that the Heat could pass on the elite talent that Beasley possesses. Fantasy-wise I expect Beasley to have a much bigger impact than Rose next season, though both are likely starters from day 1.
Most of the Timberwolves fans on the message boards seem to be down on trading OJ Mayo to the Grizzlies in the package that brought back Kevin Love and Mike Miller, but my initial impressions on the deal are favorable to both sides. The Grizzlies have now swung for the fences in three consecutive drafts, yielding a perimeter grouping with huge upside talent in Rudy Gay, Mike Conley Jr. and Mayo. Those three players have styles that fit together very well, and they each have elite athleticism. This could be a fun team to watch in the near future. For the Wolves, Miller is a very good player that immediately becomes the second-best player on their team. I don't like the Love/Al Jefferson pairing on defense, but considering that the Wolves started 6-7 Ryan Gomes at power forward last season they really needed a big man. I would not have drafted Love over Mayo straight up, but with Miller in the fold to bridge the talent gap I like what the Wolves did. They effectively raised their floor…they have the makings of a solid young team with talent at every position, and though they still need a legitimate center and a proven point guard they have the potential to be both competitive and entertaining this season. That is a step in the right direction. Fantasy-wise, I think that Mayo could be the most productive rookie this season. I don't know that Love will be fantasy-worthy, but Miller should remain a strong roto producer in Minnesota.
I like Danilo Gallinari going to play for Mike D'Antoni. On the other hand, I am not sure that I like Gallinari playing in front of a fed-up New York crowd. Ultimately, if Gallinari performs well he can win the crowd, but it is always unpredictable how a European talent will adjust to the NBA. I don't currently see Gallinari as a fantasy prospect for next season, but it will be interesting to watch him over the summer and see if he can generate any buzz.
The Supersonics and Bucks both got ridiculous athletic talents in Russell Westbrook and Joe Alexander, but I am not convinced that either of them will be fantasy producers out of the gate
The Clippers and Bobcats both replicated players on their current teams with their picks. Eric Gordon appears to be a younger, more talented version of Cuttino Mobley. D.J. Augustin was an interesting pick for a team that spent a top-5 pick on point guard Ray Felton just three years ago. Of the two, I think that Gordon has the better chance to be a fantasy producer right off the bat as he could step in and replicate Mobley's numbers. Unless Felton is moved, I can't imagine Augustine getting the starting nod in Charlotte anytime soon.
Rounding out the top-10, I liked the Brook Lopez pick for the Nets. Lopez has the size and skill to be a good center, but his lack of athletic ability is a concern. In New Jersey he is in a low-pressure situation, and if he really is legit he could pair with Yi Jianlian to make an interesting young frontcourt combo. But I'm not planning to spend a fantasy pick on either of them.