Blake Griffin is going #1. The only question is to whom?
As we move towards June, radio talk-shows and NBA analysts may spin stories about Ricky Rubio in hopes of creating drama about the 2009 NBA Draft, but Blake Griffin is/was/always-has-been the top prospect in the draft.
Griffin had 30 double-doubles in his last season at Oklahoma, one short of the NCAA record held by NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson. Griffin is a beast, and the comparisons to Carlos Boozer don’t do him justice.
Accepting that Griffin will be the top pick, regardless of who wins the NBA Draft lottery, here’s a look at how he would fit into each of their respective rosters.
SACRAMENTO KINGS (25% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINE-UP
C: Spencer Hawes, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Franciso Garcia, SG: Kevin Martin, PG: Beno Udrih
Key Reserves: J. Thompson, A. Nocioni, R. McCants
Sacramento reluctantly selects the consensus #1 pick in Blake Griffin because he’s the best player in the draft, but now finds itself with a crowded young frontcourt of Griffin, Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes. Whoever the Maloofs hire to replace the recently dismissed Kenny Natt will have to find enough playing time for all three. While Griffin is better in the post than Hawes or Thompson, the team has bigger holes to fill.
In truth, the Kings won’t be too upset if they slip in the lottery or trade down so long as they’re able to land Rubio. This international star is everything that the underachieving Beno Udrih is not, and he would allow Sacramento to put its best five guys on the court.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 3 STARS OUT OF FIVE
WASHINGTON WIZARDS (17.8% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINE-UP
C: Brendan Heywood, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Antawn Jamison, SG: Caron Butler, PG: Gilbert Arenas
Key Reserves: Dominic McGuire, DeShawn Stevenson, Andray Blatche
Washington introduces Blake Griffin into the starting lineup by sliding Jamison and Butler each down a spot to small forward and shooting guard respectively. Neither Butler nor Jamison have excelled in these roles in the past, but new coach Flip Saunders will make it work. With a healthy starting five that includes Griffin, the Wizards will improve greatly over last season’s 19 wins and easily turn into a playoff team in the East.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 4 STARS OUT OF FIVE
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (17.7% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
C: Chris Kaman, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Zach Randolph, SG: Eric Gordon, PG: Baron Davis
Key Reserves: Marcus Camby, Al Thornton, Ricky Davis
The Clippers have a plethora of talented big men on their roster, but you don’t say no to a relative sure thing in the draft. Griffin would go a long way toward healing the wounds that Elton Brand inflicted on LA’s “other team” when he left. Griffin would most likely send Camby to the bench, that is until Kaman unavoidably gets hurt at some point during the season.
The Clippers have a lot of valuable pieces, but none of them seem to fit. They could be a playoff team, even in the West, if they could get their act together. Hopefully, Griffin’s hustle will rub off on the rest of the team and not the other way around. Otherwise, the current squad of underachievers will erode Griffin into the next Derrick Coleman.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 2 STARS OUT OF FIVE
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (11.9% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINE-UP
C: Nick Collison, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Jeff Green, SG: Kevin Durant, PG: Russell Westbrook
Key Reserves: Nenad Krstic, Earl Watson, Thabo Sefolosha
Blake Griffin would be a dream come true for the Thunder and for Sooners fans. Griffin’s addition would instantly increase ticket sales, and he’ll help the team win games too. The Thunder lured Krstic from Europe in hopes he would provide inside scoring, but he never regained any semblance of reliability. Griffin instantly provides needed points in the paint and added help on the glass. Green and Durant slide down to make room, giving the Thunder four reliable scorers both inside and out.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 4 STARS OUT OF FIVE
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (7.6% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINEUP
C: Al Jefferson, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Ryan Gomes, SG: Mike Miller, PG: Randy Foye
Key Reserves: Kevin Love, Craig Smith, Sebastian Telfair
If the Timberwolves find themselves with the first pick in this year’s draft, they’re going to wish they could take back that O.J. Mayo for Kevin Love trade as Foye-Mayo-Miller-Griffin-Jefferson fits a lot better than the line-up with Love. While they’re at it, they might consider a do-over on the Foye-Brandon Roy trade as well.
Griffin gives the T-Wolves a crowded frontcourt that’s big on scoring and weak on defense. What they really need is improvement at the 2 or the 3 spot, but with a record of 22-55, you take the best player in the draft and find a way to get him on the court.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 2 STARS OUT OF FIVE
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (7.5% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINE-UP
C: Marc Gasol, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Rudy Gay, SG: OJ Mayo, PG: Mike Conley
Key Reserves: Hakim Warrick, Darko Milicic, Darrell Arthur
Grffin would slide right into the Memphis lineup and provide an immediate inside scoring presence and someone that can help Gasol on the glass. Griffin’s addition moves Hakim Warrick and Darrell Arthur to the bench, but Warrick proved last season that he’s better coming off the bench, and Darrell Arthur is inconsistent.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 3 STARS OUT OF FIVE
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (4.3% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINEUP
C: Andris Biedrins, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Corey Maggette, SG: Stephen Jackson, PG: Monta Ellis
Key Reserves: Jamal Crawford, Kelena Azubuike, Ronny Turiaf
While it seems like Don Nelson sets his starting five with tarot cards, he’d be crazy not to play Griffin consistently n the 4-spot. Now that he’s bullied Jamal Crawford to leave town, or at least promised him to the bench, Ellis, Jackson, Maggette, and Biedrins fill out the roster card nicely with a strong supporting bench. Griffin won’t do anything to help with the teams’ awful defense, but even a lock-down defender like Bruce Bowen couldn’t turn that ship around.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 3 STARS OUT OF FIVE
NEW YORK KNICKS (2.8% chance of winning NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINEUP
C: Al Harrington, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Wilson Chandler, SG: Larry Hughes, PG: Chris Duhon
Key Reserves: David Lee, Nate Robinson, Cuttino Mobley, Danilo Gallinari
Surprisingly enough, the Knicks are nearing the end of their long-suffering salary cap hell (although Eddie Curry and Jared Jeffries will still be overpaid for another few seasons). What better way to start a new New York era than with an athlete like Blake Griffin at power forward.
Now this means that David Lee will once again be pushed to the bench to the all too familiar groans of his fantasy fans. But Blake Griffin sits for no one, and he shouldn’t. If the Knicks are lucky enough to draft Griffin, they might let Lee go, depending on the offers Lee gets from other teams.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 2 STARS OUT OF FIVE
TORONTO RAPTORS (1.7% chance of winning NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINEUP
C: Andrea Bargnani, PF: Chris Bosh, SF: Joey Graham, SG: Jason Kapono, PG: Jose Calderon
Key Reserves: Blake Griffin, Marcus Banks, Kris Humphries
Landing Blake Griffin with the #1 pick is a bittersweet victory for Toronto. Truthfully, the only position they DON’T need is a power forward, but all signs point to Bosh fleeing south at the end of the season, and Griffin’s arrival solidifies Bosh’s exit. Griffin will play out of position at small forward or come off the bench this season, and next season make for a more than capable replacement at power forward and as the face of this franchise.
The bigger picture; superstars don’t last long in Toronto. B.J. Armstrong refused to report to training camp following his selection in the 1995 expansion draft, and it’s been downhill ever since. Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, soon Bosh; how long would Griffin last? Remember when Vancouver had a franchise?
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 2 STARS OUT OF FIVE
MILWAUKEE BUCKS (1.0% chance of winning NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINEUP
C: Andrew Bogut, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Richard Jefferson, SG: Michael Redd, PG: Ramon Sessions
Key Reserves: Luke Ridnour, Charlie Villanueva, Joe Alexander, Charlie Bell
Blake Griffin would be a godsend for the Milwaukee Bucks; their greatest need is at power forward. Bogut and Redd will be back from injury and adding Griffin to this squad gives them legitimate scoring options at every position. If the Bucks are lucky enough to win the lottery, they’ll easily emerge as a playoff team in the Eastern Conference.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 5 STARS OUT OF FIVE
NEW JERSEY NETS (0.9% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINEUP
C: Brook Lopez, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Bobby Simmons, SG: Vince Carter, PG: Devin Harris
Key Reserves: Yi Jianlian, Ryan Anderson, Trenton Hassell
Stumbling upon Blake Griffin this year would certainly put a hiccup in the Nets plans to coronate LeBron James as King of Brooklyn in two seasons’ time. Still, this is a developmental snag that any team would love to find themselves in. Griffin and Lopez make a formidable attack inside, opening up space for vintage Carter.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 3 STARS OUT OF FIVE
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (0.7% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINEUP
C: Emeka Okafor, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Gerald Wallace, SG: Raja Bell, PG: DJ Augustin
Key Reserves: Boris Diaw, Vladimir Radmonivic, DeSagana Diop
The Bobcats are happy to have won the first pick, and although Michael Jordan wants to use this pick to re-draft Kwame Brown, clearer heads prevail and the Bobcats select Blake Griffin. Griffin will start immediately in the frontcourt alongside Emeka Okafor. Okafor’s defense paired with Griffin’s inside scoring and rebounding make for a great combination.
Boris Diaw moves to the bench, where he’ll win the NBA Sixth-Man Award.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 3 STARS OUT OF FIVE
INDIANA PACERS (0.6% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINEUP
C: Troy Murphy, PF: Blake Griffin, SF: Mike Dunleavy, SG: Danny Granger, PG: TJ Ford
Key Reserves: Marquis Daniels, Roy Hibbert, Jarrett Jack, Jeff Foster
The Pacers are quickly becoming one of the faster-paced teams in the league, and Griffin is athletic enough to fit right in. However, his presence presents defensive issues for the team. He slides into the 4-spot, pushing Troy Murphy to center where he is sometimes overmatched. Griffin manning the 4-spot also keeps Dunleavy and Granger out on the wings where they get beat by the quicker players in the league. Still, Griffin’s addition puts five guy on the floor that can create their own shot, making this offense difficult to stop.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 4 STARS OUT OF FIVE
PHOENIX SUNS (0.5% chance of winning the NBA Draft lottery)
POTENTIAL 2009-2010 STARTING LINEUP
C: Squaquille O’Neal, PF: Amare Stoudemire, SF: Jason Richardson, SG: Leandro Barbosa, PG: Steve Nash
Key Reserves: Blake Griffin, Robin Lopez, Goran Dragic
The only team in the lottery with a winning record, the Phoenix Suns have one more year to try to right the ship before it sinks completely. Griffin, who would come off the bench behind Stoudemire and O’Neal, is a powerful weapon to place beside either of these two superstars. And he will make a superb building block once the rebuilding process inevitably begins.
For the upcoming year, Griffin is certainly athletic enough to fit into the up-tempo D’Antoni pace that Alivin Gentry revived midway through last season. That’s assuming that Gentry is retained. Either way, Griffin is a superb talent that can thrive in any offensive system.
OVERALL IMPROVEMENT: 2 STARS OUT OF FIVE
