The Olympic Basketball Playoff - Part 2

So I liked that last idea so much that I actually decided to just randomize teams myself and project how it would play out. Oh and I also decided to split it into three arenas: Los Angeles and Miami for the first two rounds (to establish who's getting on the Olympic roster) and then New York City for the final four to determine the winner of the tournament. The games will be staggered so the national TV audience will watch one game while the other game's players are warming up.

As in any bracket, the 1 and 8 seeds will play and then the winner will play the winner of the 4/5 seed game. Pretty much standard:

The Los Angeles Bracket

1. Lou Williams, Andrew Bynum, Paul Pierce
2. Jeff Teague, JaVale McGee, Rudy Gay 
3. Jrue Holiday, LaMarcus Aldridge, JR Smith
4. Rajon Rondo, Greg Monroe, Kevin Durant
5. Mike Conley, Blake Griffin, Tyreke Evans
6. Brandon Jennings, Dwight Howard, OJ Mayo
7. Chris Paul, Josh Smith, Andre Iguodala
8. Jameer Nelson, Carlos Boozer, Danny Granger

The Miami Bracket

1. Kyrie Irving, Kevin Garnett, Carmelo Anthony
2. John Wall, Roy Hibbert, Trevor Ariza
3. Ty Lawson, Kevin Love, Joe Johnson
4. Derrick Rose, Paul Millsap, Kobe Bryant
5. Deron Williams, Tyson Chandler, Ray Allen
6. Russell Westbrook, Chris Bosh, LeBron James
7. Kyle Lowry, DeMarcus Cousins, Dwyane Wade
8. Monta Ellis, Al Jefferson, Gerald Wallace

Being that this was entirely random, obviously some teams are a little unfair. Miami6? In Miami? Oops. That was an accident. But I love it. Chris Bosh may never touch the ball. 

Round 1

• Los Angeles
• LA1 beats LA8. Danny Granger goes 3-45 from the field. 
• LA7 beats LA2. I would love to see Paul, Smith, and Iguodala play together. I think they'd complement each other nicely as a threesome. 
• LA3 beats LA6. Dwight Howard requests a trade halfway through the game, is told he can't be traded because that would make absolutely no sense, and quits on his team. Brandon Jennings stabs him. 
• LA4 beats LA5. This is the blowout game of the tournament. A team full of young stars against a team full of athletic guys that can't really do anything on a basketball court. 
• Miami
• Miami1 beats Miami8. This team can make a deep run if Kyrie and 'Melo can figure out how to play offense together. Because you know KG has the defense on lock. 
• Miami2 beats Miami7. This is a disappointing game. It happens. Maybe John Wall can build some steam. Because his team is about to get steamrolled by...
• Miami6 beats Miami3. I don't even care who is on team 3. Team Six is going to do big things. (And no, I didn't plan that.)
• Miami5 beats Miami4. This is a phenomenal game. Potentially the best game of the first round. I don't see anyone guarding Kobe from outside the paint. I think that would be the trump card if not for the fact that 3's are worth more than 2's and the Williams-Allen combination with Tyson "The Rebounder" Chandler is deadly. 

Round 2 - Making the Olympic Team

• Los Angeles
• LA4 beats LA1. Rondo-Monroe-Durant over LouWill-Bynum-Pierce. Significantly better at two positions and only slightly worse at the third. Solid team inside and out. Durant is kind of a weak link on defense, but come on. It's Durant. 
• LA7 beats LA3. Paul-Smith-Iguodala over Holiday-Aldridge-Smith. Significant point guard advantage and significant "Smith" advantage. 
• Miami
• Miami1 beats Miami5. Another phenomenal game. This comes down to two points: Williams is slightly better than Irving, and Allen can't guard 'Melo. 
• Miami6 beats Miami 2. Who is on team two? I don't care. Team Six for the win. 

Round 3 - The Final Four in NYC

• I can't even pick the LA4-LA7 game. All-Stars at all three positions on both teams. 
• But you know that I can pick Miami6 to win... 

Round 4 - The Championship

• ..and again. Honestly, a team with Westbrook, Bosh, and LeBron probably won't even lose a game to anybody. 

And as far as selecting an MVP/captain for the Olympic squad, it's gotta be LeBron. 

I understand that the logistics of this will never happen in real life. And it makes me sad.  

The Hypothetical Olympic Basketball Trials - Part 1

Take this how you will: I enjoy watching the Olympic trials. Whatever. Gymnastics is fun to watch. Whatever. Also: at the end of the day, everyone knows that the USA is going to win gold in basketball. It won't be close. So, in order to create a little excitement in the field of non-NBA basketball, let's get a little creative with the American trials. 

Here in the States, we are blessed with more great basketball players than every other county in the world - combined. Rather than just throw the 12 best guys out on the floor every four years and dominate (because that's no fun), why don't we have a fun little tournament for the American public to enjoy?

We're going totally hypothetical 3-person-per team bracket and because it's hypothetical we'll just assume that everyone's healthy. And because I can, let's say that the selection committee that makes up the trial roster is comprised of both USA basketball guys and NBC executives. So we know they want to get the most exciting guys out on the floor. Oh yeah, and the final four teams left in the tournament will make up the 12-man US Olympic roster. Sound fun? I mean, I can tell you that I'd watch it for an hour. Or 3. Or 7. Or however long the tournament took to play out.

The first problem that comes up is the possibility of  having a team of three small guards matched up against a team of large forwards/centers. And while I understand that each team will have strengths and weaknesses, but nobody wants to watch a game like that. We want to get fairly well-balanced teams that are simultaneously random. So we'll create pools (keep in mind that I'm just rattling most of these names off the top of my head):

Pool A: The Small Guys (Point Guards)
Chris Paul
Derrick Rose
Rajon Rondo
Deron Williams
Russell Westbrook
John Wall
Brandon Jennings
Mike Conley
Kyrie Irving 
Monta Ellis
Jrue Holiday
Lou Williams
Jeff Teague
Ty Lawson
Jameer Nelson
Kyle Lowry

Pool B: The Big Guys (Power Forwards and Centers)
Dwight Howard
Andrew Bynum
Kevin Love
Al Jefferson
Kevin Garnett
Paul Millsap
LaMarcus Aldridge
Tyson Chandler
Roy Hibbert
Greg Monroe
Josh Smith
Chris Bosh
DeMarcus Cousins
Carlos Boozer
Blake Griffin
JaVale McGee

Pool C: The In-Between Guys (That Would Fall Somewhere Between an A and a B)
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Carmelo Anthony
Paul Pierce
Danny Granger
Rudy Gay
Andre Iguodala
Gerald Wallace
Joe Johnson
Kobe Bryant
Dwyane Wade
Ray Allen
OJ Mayo
Tyreke Evans
Trevor Ariza
JR Smith

Play out the possible team combinations in your head. If we were more technologically advanced I'd put up a thing that would generate random teams for you on command.

My notes on the tournament itself:

• 16 teams of three
• teams are randomly selected (it's good if someone big like Blake Griffin gets eliminated - we're going to win gold anyway)
• final four teams remaining make the Olympic team, but keep playing through until there is a winner
• tournament MVP is selected from the winning team - that's your Olympic captain
• full-court, games to 21 by twos and threes
• that makes 15 games, which shouldn't take longer than the trials for swimming or gymnastics
• guaranteed $1 trillion in advertising revenue during the trials
• also, the ability to buy a JaVale McGee USA jersey becomes a possibility

NBA Draft Pickup Game

Situation: a random inner-city basketball court. Jason and Toph are each coaching a team. The players available for them to pick are everybody that's available for Thursday's draft. That's basically it.

Jason: Well I guess I'll just give myself the first pick. And it's a pretty easy one. I'm taking Anthony Davis out of Kentucky. I wish there was somebody else I could take here to make it more interesting. But if we're being any sort of serious, I have to pick The Brow. Just know that I'm not happy about it from a blogging perspective. From a basketball perspective though, I'm ecstatic.

Chris: Well, I can't say I'm surprised. However, I can already tell you my team will be better looking. That counts for something, correct?  I guess I'm going to take Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the Small Forward out of Kentucky. I think he's one of the most athletic guys in the field, and I don't trust Andre Drummond.

Jason: Toph, normally picking the most superficial team is my strategy, not yours. But I'm going to keep it in the front court and take Andre Drummond because I trust him more than you do. I think his athleticism will be both entertaining and useful. Team Jay is going to own the paint, the glass, and the rim.

Chris: Well, feel free to enjoy that headache. That was horrible strategy as I basically told you I wasn't taking Drummond. Unless you thought I was bluffing, you could've gotten him way later, at a much better value. That being said, I'm taking Bradley Beal from Florida. I think he's the best shooter in the draft, and I think those will come at a premium in this crop of players. A lot of size, not a lot of shooters.

Jason: See there really isn't a strategy here because the draft goes at least 3 deep at every position. I'm going Kendall Marshall with my next pick because I like how he orchestrates the offense and finds open guys. And when Davis and Drummond and (you know who else) flying around, it's going to be an assault on the rim. And see, there was a little strategy in that pick because I know you still need a point guard. So there.

Chris: I commend that. Well done, as I was going to take him next. I'm going to take Thomas Robinson, simply to rebound. If we're going up against Drummond and Davis, we're going to need some boards. Since there's nobody left as tall as them, I should probably take the guy who seems the widest/strongest, and thats Robinson.

Jason: Harrison Barnes. Easy and smooth all the way. Future rookie of the year with the Cleveland Cavaliers and future member of the Jason-Owns-My-Jersey club. Boom.

Chris: There's another shocker. I'll take Barnes' teammate, John Henson, to play almost a Serge Ibaka role in my squad. Robinson can provide the interior strength and physicality, while Henson can roam on the weak side and block shots.

Jason: I'll take that size advantage. Drummond is going to make Henson look like, well, me. To round out my squad I'm taking Terrence Ross out of Washington. He and Barnes will give the squad a rounded offense (the ability to shoot) and Ross brings some length on defense. Marshall-Ross-Barnes-Davis-Drummond is the team.

Chris: To be totally honest, I have no idea who that is. That being said, I'll take Damian Lillard from Weber State, and prior to five minutes ago, I had no idea who he was either. Given that he's from Weber State, I think going up against guys like Davis and Barnes could be troubling, however he'll be matched against Marshall, who is a subpar athlete. According to ESPN's scouting report he's a good scorer. I'm going to need it, as I think I drafted three athletes and Beal. However, I'm loving my squad.

Jason: We should make these teams up on NBA 2k13 and duke it out a few times. For the record, I think I'm going to thrash you. But part of that is I think I'm better at 2k than you.

PS: Let's add up the spots all of our guys get picked tomorrow night and see who does better? I don't feel confident.

Chris: Oh, you'll absolutely thrash me, but that the reason why. And we can keep track, lowest total wins. I, on the contrary, feel fantastic about this.

NBA Offseason Checklist - Part 2

Last time I was here, we talked about what the Heat and Thunder can do this offseason to ensure their returns to the Finals next year. Now, let's get into the other playoff teams.

And because I tend to get bored I'm going to give you fourteen teams and fourteen needs. You try to match them up:

The Teams (in order of how they finished this year)

• Chicago Bulls
• San Antonio Spurs
• Indiana Pacers
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Memphis Grizzlies
• Los Angeles Clippers
• Atlanta Hawks
• Boston Celtics
• Denver Nuggets
• Orlando Magic
• New York Knicks
• Dallas Mavericks
• Utah Jazz
• Philadelphia 76ers

The Needs (in no particular order)

• Blow it up.
• Continue to be mediocre because that seems like the best you'll be able to do. 
• Maybe make one blockbuster trade, but generally sit on your hands and let the team grow together more. 
• Invest in a good knee doctor. 
• Your current best player is not good enough to be the best player. Your current second-best player is going to probably leave this summer. Your President left you. Panic. 
• Give your big three another shot (yes, another one) to prove themselves. I mean, they are good enough in terms of talent. 
• Get rid of Dwight Howard!!!!
• Continue to grow as a team. I can't even think of a single move to make. 
• Figure out who your best player is, and then let NBA teams and fans know who it is.  
• Fire your point guard talent evaluator. Look into trading the guy that everyone expects you to trade. 
• Shooters and big men!
• Don't even listen to my advice, because everyone knows you guys are a bunch of wizards that never seem to make the wrong move. 
• Try and turn one of your (five or six) decent players into a bona fide superstar. 
• Go for Deron and Dwight. 

(Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Indiana, Atlanta, Orlando, 

Denver, Utah, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, San Antonio, Memphis, Dallas)

There's only a few notes that I really want to make:

• Yes, the Magic should get rid of Howard. If Houston offers you THREE FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS you take them. Especially when they could absolutely all turn into starters. Shooting guard, power forward, and point guard could all be filled. Who gives a shit how Dwight feels. Think of your organization and your fans. Not your dickhead ex-superhero.
• I do think the Celtics glorious run is over. They weren't far off this year, but I don't think you can justify paying Kevin Garnett $20 million. Ray Allen is probably going to Miami. Go forward with Rondo/Bradley/Pierce/Bass/Jujuan Johnson/Greg Stiemsma. If a team offers your a decent draft pick for Pierce, think about it. You guys know how I feel about keeping guys that mean a lot to the organization and to fans. But just... think about it. 
• The following teams (from the list above) don't really need to do anything: Knicks, Sixers, Bulls, Pacers, Hawks, Nuggets, Grizzlies. They either are young and just need to "find themselves" or are essentially at their peak. Indy may have some work to do if Hibbert leaves. 
• The Clippers are kind of in the same spot as the Heat. They need outside shooting (and LAC needs it more than Miami) and some big bodies that they can stuff in the paint. 

Next time we'll get into the shit teams. Oh fun. 

Mock NBA Draft: Jay Edition

Just wanted to let you guys know the future winning entry for the Bullets Blog NBA Draft 2012 Tee Shirt Giveaway (check it out here), and give you some thoughts about a few players in the draft. 

1. Hornets – Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky

That's pretty much a gimme for every single entry. I think people's heads would literally explode if The Unibrow didn't go first overall. 
2.       Bobcats – Andre Drummond, C, UConn
The Bobcats need to sell tickets. The ultimate gamble in this draft is Drummond - he could fill seats like Dwight Howard and be the cornerstone of their franchise. He could just be a big, athletic bust. 
3.       Wizards – Bradley Beal, SG Florida
In trading Rashard Lewis to New Orleans for Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor, Washington basically solidified that they will be selecting Beal to round out their starting lineup of Wall/Beal/Ariza/Blatche/Nene.
4.       Cavaliers – Harrison Barnes, SF, UNC

I cannot wait for this to happen. Forget Tristan Thompson.

5.       Kings – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky

Good players go to Sacramento to die. I can only hope that MKG can help turn the franchise around.
6.       Trail Blazers – Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas
7.       Warriors – Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky
8.       Raptors – Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
9.       Pistons – John Henson, PF, UNC
10.   Hornets – Tyler Zeller, C, UNC

I love this pick, especially with the departure of Okafor. It would give NOLA a starting rotation of Jack/Gordon/Lewis/Davis/Zeller with a lot of young legs on the bench.
11.   Trail Blazers – Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
12.   Bucks – Perry Jones, PF, Baylor
13.   Suns – Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn
14.   Rockets – Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
15.   Sixers – Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse

It seems inevitable.
16.   Rockets – Royce White, SG, Iowa State
17.   Mavericks - Austin Rivers , SG, Duke
18.   Timberwolves – Terrence Ross, SG, Washington

I pray to the basketball gods that Ross falls to Minny and that Kahn snatches him up. He seems like he could be the solution to the gaping hole in the T’wolves’ starting lineup.
19.   Magic – Kendall Marshall, PG, UNC

All I’m saying is look out for when Dwight Howard gets to play with an NBA-starting-caliber point guard. Not sure if Marshall is the guy. Deron Williams, on the other hand, would definitely be the guy.
20.   Nuggets – Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky
21.   Celtics – Draymond Green, PF, Michigan State

This would be a really smart pick.
22.   Celtics – Fab Melo, C, Syracuse

This pick would not be that smart.
23.   Hawks – Moe Harkless, SF, St. John’s
24.   Cavaliers – Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt

Irving/Free Agent 2-Guard/Barnes/Thompson/Varejao/? Don’t sleep on that squad. Ezeli doesn’t really play into that. But every team needs role players.
25.   Grizzlies – Arnett Moultrie, PF, Mississippi State
26.   Pacers – Kyle O’Quinn, C, Norfolk State

White, talented, hardworking. Right up Indiana’s alley.
27.   Heat – Jae Crowder, F, Marquette
The classic energy/rebounding/shooting/hustle guy. And maybe he could donate some hair to LeBron.
28.   Thunder – Evan Fournier, SG, France

Not that this is a slap in James Harden’s stupid beard or anything, but Harden needs something to push him to rebound from the brutal/gruesome/feminine showing he put up in the Finals.
29.   Bulls – Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

Could be a contributor instantly because, you know, Chicago has a huge need for backcourt bodies.
30.   Warriors – Jeff Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt

Mock First Round: Team Trova

Did you hear the news? The geniuses at the Bullets Blog have created a contest that lets you win a free t-shirt, and bragging rights, for knowing more about the NBA draft than your peers.

Anyway, I just submitted my first round picks, and I enjoyed it so much that I decided to write a blog explaining some of them in more detail.

Here are my picks, 1-30:

1. New Orleans - Anthony Davis, Kentucky
*2. Charlotte - Thomas Robinson, Kansas
3. Washington - Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
*4. Cleveland - Bradley Beal, Florida 
5. Sacramento - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky 
*6. Portland - Andre Drummond, Connecticut
7. Golden State - John Henson, UNC
8. Toronto - Perry Jones 3, Baylor
9. Detroit - Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
10. New Orleans - Kendall Marshall, North Carolina
11. Portland - Austin Rivers, Duke
12. Milwaukee - Meyers Leonard, Illinois
*13. Phoenix - Jared Sullinger, Ohio State 
14. Houston - Damian Lillard, Weber State
*15. Philadelphia - Dion Waiters, 'Cuse 
*16. Houston - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
*17. Dallas - Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut 
18. Minnesota - John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
19. Orlando - Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State
20. Denver - Terrence Ross, Washington
21. Boston - Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt
22. Boston - Moe Harkless, St. John's
*23. Atlanta - Royce White, Iowa State 
24. Cleveland - Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
*25. Memphis - Jae Crowder, Marquette 
26. Indiana - Marquis Teague, Kentucky
27. Miami - Evan Fournier, France
*28. Oklahoma City - Draymond Green, Michigan State
29. Chicago - Will Barton, Memphis
30. Golden State - J'Covan Brown, Texas


I placed a star next to the players I wanted to talk about:


2.) Thomas Robinson, Power Forward from Kansas, to the Bobcats --- this is the smartest pick with number 2 in my opinion. Robinson has an NBA ready game, and dominated in the Big 12 last year (over 17 points and about 12 boards per game). He can produce immediately, and is the safest pick for a historically bad team to make.
4.) Bradley Beal, Shooting Guard from Florida, to the Cavs --- he is the best shooter in this year's draft class, hands down. He has superior athleticism to boot. If he can be teamed with the Cavaliers and Kyrie Irving, watch out for this team in 2 years. They will have the best back court in the NBA.
6.) Andre Drummond, Center from UConn, to Portland --- this is a tough pick. Portland needs athleticism and strength up front after officially dumping Greg Oden. LaMarcus Aldridge is a stud, and putting a gifted center next to him could spell disaster for all opposing NBA front courts. It can backfire though. Remember the last big man, who was a project, to come out of UConn in the first round? It was Hasheem Thabeet. Oof.
13.) Jared Sullinger, Center, from OSU, to Phoenix --- Phoenix will be in rebuilding mode next season, with the likelihood of Steve Nash departing. Drafting an NBA ready center is the perfect way to rebuild a franchise. I believe Sully will be one of the best 7 players from this draft class.
15.) Dion Waiters, Shooting Guard, from 'Cuse, to Philly --- Jason is crapping his pants as he reads this. Waiters is the classic high risk/high reward player. Incredible athleticism, beautiful jumper, solid defensively. BUT, after watching him play about 30 times last year at Syracuse, I can honestly say I think he's a bust waiting to happen. For whatever reason, he takes plays, minutes, and games off. Cheers, Philly.
16.) Terrence Jones, Power Forward from Kentucky, to Houston --- quick, if I asked you who's body type Terrence Jones best matches with in the NBA, who would you say? The answer is LeBron James. Jones is 6'9'' and 252, LeBron is 6'8'' and 250. The biggest difference? Jones is an exceptional three-point shooter. Watch out for Mr. Jones, ladies and gentlemen. 
17.) Jeremy Lamb, Shooting Guard from UConn, to Dallas --- I am very high on Jeremy Lamb. He will fall to the middle of the first round, where he will be taken as a STEAL of a pick. He has an awesome jump shot, is supremely athletic and can take over games. I think he is a top 5 prospect in this draft class, but apparently I'm the only one.
23.) Royce White, Power Forward from Iowa State, to Atlanta --- Royce White is a 6'8", 270 pound machine. He was consistently double teamed all of last season and still managed 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists per game. Atlanta would love to put him alongside Al Horford in the post, and free Josh Smith to be his athletic and monstrous self on the perimeter.
25.) Jae Crowder, Power Forward from Marquette, to Memphis --- Crowder reminds me a lot of Kenneth Faried, a.k.a the Manimal, due to his high energy and freakish athleticism. He has a better jump shot than Faried though, and because of this, will become one of most productive bench players in the league next season, spelling Rudy Gay when he needs to, or going into the post to give quality rest to Z-Bo or Marc Gasol.
28.) Draymond Green, Power Forward from Michigan State, to OKC --- Draymond Green is a winner, plain and simple. Tom Izzo is probably my favorite coach in any sport, at any level, and when you have a player as versatile as Green coached by someone as detail-oriented as Izzo, the result can be incredible. His game is similar to LeBron, albeit less productive in every area.

Absorb, digest and use this information at your own risk. I play for keeps in T-shirt contests!

NBA Offseason Checklist - Part 1

In the days leading up to the draft, I'm going to give every NBA team a checklist of things to do to get better. Because every team can get better - even the champs. In fact, let's start with the champs and work our way down from there.

Miami Heat
The Heat are in a position that they can just sit on their heels and basically bring back their entire championship roster (minus Juwan Howard, Eddy Curry, and Terrel Harris - combined 2.1 points per game) without even having to re-sign anybody.

They could possibly trade some of their shooters/useless big men for other shooters/useless big men. If they do, the goal should be youth so they can sustain this run of winning. I could see a young team on the verge (maybe a Utah or a Minnesota) trading some young legs for a veteran like Shane Battier. No idea if Miami would say yes or if Battier would like it.

As far as the draft goes, the obvious hole they need to plug is the mess of Anthony/Turiaf/Curry/Pittman at center. But if you listen to the Bullets Blog Podcast (link here) you know that Chris and I think the Heat are better when they don't even play a center. The downside of playing LeBron/Bosh/three guards is the lack of rebounding. Which is why I think the Heat should pick...

• Jae Crowder, F, Marquette

Crowder is young, active, and can rebound like nobody else. He can also shoot to spread the floor and can run (although admittedly not on James' level). And it appears that he will for sure be around when Miami is on the clock at #27. 

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder, like the Heat, are going to retain most of their team without having to make any moves (minus Derek Fisher, Nazr Mohammed, and Royal Ivey). Unlike the Heat, the Thunder cannot get better just by adding in new pieces. They don't really need shooters, because Durant/Westbrook/Harden took 63% of their shots this season. It's hard to say that they need rebounders, because their starting five all averaged more than five rebounds per game over the course of the season. 

They really just need to grow together and have a serious "We Need To Figure Out Who We Are" moment like LeBron and Wade did. Stupid people will say that Durant needs to be taking 5-8 more shots than Westbrook. That's not how they operate. Westbrook's aggressive play (aka taking a lot of shots) opens the floor for the smoothest shooter on the planet. 

But I guess I have to make a draft prediction, so here it is:

• Draymond Green, F, Michigan State

He would bring a new dimension to the Thunder on offense. Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka are decent in the post but Draymond put Michigan State on his back in the paint this season. He averaged 16 and 10 (and in the Big Ten, which is like averaging 40-20 in a normal basketball league).