Your Friendly Neighborhood Draft Order (3/16)

The Utah pick is going to go right down to the wire as only 1.5 games separates teams 3-7 in the West conference.

I kind of, sort of, hope that Utah’s pick get’s differed to 2010. I really don’t see us being able to effective use 4 1st round picks this year – especially with Big Al’s recover being less than certain by draft time (he should be running, but no cutting by then)

And the Wolves surprised me this week by winning two out of four. I really thought we were ready to implode, paving the way for OKC and Memphis to surpass us in W’s. I’m definitely not rooting againt us, but I wouldn’t be heartbroken either to see us get a few more ping pong balls.

The best thing we can hope for now is that this draft starts to take on more depth, such that a pick in the 6-9 range yields a potential big-time talent. Two things would help the cause tremendously. First, Rubio enters the draft. I’ve got to believe there is a good chance he enters. Griffin is the only possible player on this earth that anyone would rate higher than Rubio. Harden and Thabeet have too many question marks. Second, a player or two blows up during the tourney, when the lights are the brightest. We’ve already seen DeMar DeRozan start to assert himself more over the course of this past week. There could be others currently lurking in the 15-25 range on various mocks that take a big leap forward with a string of impressive performances in the Big Dance.

I’m filling out my brackets and will be rooting for the Gophers. But I will also be desperately rooting for potential 2009 draft prospects to absolutely kick butt in the tourney and make us all feel better about the talent available this summer.

2009 1st round pick from Utah via Philadelphia (Carney trade); top 22 protected in 2009, top 17 protected in 2010, top 15 protected in 2011, top 16 protected in 2012 and 2013, unprotected in 2014)

That is really weird that it goes to 15 in 2011 then back up to 16 in 2012 and 2013. I wonder why that is.

Let’s hope they get the 16th pick in 2011, then.

I worry about so many picks in one draft, as well. I don’t know if McHale and the gang have the attention span to make wise decisions with the later picks. By the time we get to the Celtics pick, they’ll all be drunk or taking their beauty naps or something.