Last June 23, the NBA held its annual draft event in preparation for the 2016-2017 season. And, just like every year, some teams went home with their prized picks while others may have made the wrong decisions.
Best Picks
As noted by NESN, one of the teams that made the best picks of the night were the Philadelphia 76ers. After all, they were able to snatch Ben Simmons as the No. 1 overall pick. But aside from the Australian athlete, the team was also able to secure Timothe Luwawu for pick Np. 24.
The Denver Nuggets also had a great night last week after they were able to select Jamal Murray as the seventh overall pick. Murray, who hails from Canada, averaged 20 points per game during his last season with Kentucky. He's also an all-around player with exceptional three-point shooting abilities.
The Oklahoma City Thunder also got lucky during the draft event after working out a trade deal with the Orlando Magic in exchange for Serge Ibaka. As part of the deal, OKC was able to secure the draft rights for Victor Oladipo, Domants Sabonis and Ersan Ilyasova. Through the three-player deal, the Thunder gained a great defender, a three-point shooter, and an all-around center respectively.
Worst Picks
As for those that can be considered as losers for the night, one of them includes the Sacramento Kings. Although George Papagiannis is still a great player, he was not among the top 25 picks, as predicted by sports analysts. Still, the Kings used their No. 13 pick to get him, instead of going after Wade Baldwin, who was still available just before he went to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Another team that probably made the wrong decision last week were the Milwaukee Bucks after they drafted Thon Maker as their No. 10 pick. Sure, he's a massive player and is probably the tallest one in the league, but the Bucks' don't need another big man guarding the post. In addition, Maker has never played college basketball so making the huge leap to the professional NBA league could quickly turn him into a draft bust for Milwaukee.
But then again, these are just very early predictions of what these players can do for their respective teams. Their overall performance will still depend on their dedication and effort as they prepare for the upcoming season.
