NBA Draft 2011: ‘The NBA Is Stupid’, And Other Stray Thoughts

Here’s one thing about the NBA Draft that bugs me every single year. Why does the league insist on waiting until the end of the first round to consummate every NBA Trade? At first, it’s funny, because watching top ten picks pretend to be excited about [City X] when they know they’re going to [City Y] is pretty great.

But especially as the round goes on and we’re already processing like ten different trades and twenty different names, trying to remember who’s going where becomes pretty much impossible.

Again, this is something the NBA could solve instantly. Just let the NBA prospect wear the hat of whatever team is really picking him. And if the trade falls through afterward? BOOM. We get to enjoy the comedy of reliving all the stupid photos and interviews, just like we’re doing today. Except today, all the photos of Jimmer Fredette in a Bucks hat are mostly just a reminder that the NBA’s stupid.

With that, some other leftover thoughts on the draft...

Brandon Knight will end up being really good. He looked pissed to have fallen to the Pistons, but it’s probably a blessing. Instead of having to live up to the expectations of, say, going no. 3 to Utah, he has added motivation to kick ass, and less pressure to deliver immediately.

It’s true, Knight looked like a mess about 50% of the time at Kentucky, and he probably needed another year in school. But now that he’s in the NBA, he’s still a great athlete, he’s smart, and he’s still the guy who was insanely clutch in the NCAA Tournament this past year. He’ll need time to blossom, but other than Derrick Williams, he’s probably the player from last night’s draft who’s most likely to make an All-Star game one day. Yes, including Kyrie Irving.

Speaking of Derrick Williams... Things couldn’t have gone better for him Thursday night. By going no. 2, he avoids all the added scrutiny that comes with going number one, still gets paid almost as much, and winds up going to a much better situation than Cleveland. Minnesota’s not exactly a playoff team, but assuming Rubio’s half as good as David Kahn has advertised, the T’Wolves core is looking pretty great right now.

“It’s only a matter of time before David Kahn screws it up,” you say.

Yeah, but still.

Who’s excited for Jimmer Fredette to hang out with Tyreke Evans? Also, who’s excited for the first-ever on-court fistfight between teammates? You know, after Jimmer has his first 20-shot game while Tyreke fumes in the background. And what are the odds that the Sacramento Kings have a fistfight between teammates that doesn’t involve DeMarcus Cousins? I’m tellin you, it could happen.

The line of his night. After Jonas Valanciunas stumbled his way through an interview with ESPN’s Mark Jones, one of the ESPN analysts explained, “Good on his feet, he’ll get better at his English.” The only line that compares was when Jay Bilas called Dontas Motiejunas a “conscientious objector on the glass”, but that one’s not as good because it came from Jay Bilas, who was definitely way too pleased with himself for the cleverness.

Finally, the Draft was completely forgettable, but these lapels are forever.