2009 NBA Draft Breakdown

Thanks to Turner.com for the report…

Notes from NBA TV’s 2009 NBA Draft Review presented by EA SPORTS

– Thursday, June 25, 2009

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2009 NBA Draft Review presented by EA SPORTS

Announcers: Rick Kamla, Kenny Smith, David Aldridge, Steve Smith, and Bruce Pearl

Aldridge on L.A. Clippers’ No. 1 Draft pick Blake Griffin: “He is a franchise level power forward in my opinion. He’s a guy you can pencil in for multiple All-Star Games, and you can build a Championship team around him.”

Smith on the L.A. Clippers as a franchise: “People say the past doesn’t matter, but I disagree. The history tells you the direction of a franchise. A lot of players view the Clippers as a stepping stone, to get a contract or to get noticed. Once they (Clippers) get out of the stepping stone mentality is when they can change. You have to look at the history.”

Pearl on why Blake Griffin is the No. 1 pick in the draft: “I think he is the No. 1 pick in the draft because he is 6’10”, and for a man his size there isn’t a better athlete in the draft. He’s a tough guy and he can keep his composure.”

NBA TV’s Craig Sager interviews L.A. Clippers’ No. 1 draft pick Blake Griffin.

Griffin on the pressure he faces to turn around the Clippers: “I know it’s not all on me to turn it around. They have a lot of great players and I just hope to come in and help out.”

Kamla on Memphis Grizzlies’ No. 2 pick Hasheem Thabeet: “I think it’s consensus among all of us that this (Thabeet) was the right pick for that team (Memphis).”

Aldridge: “The Memphis Grizzlies were one of the worst defensive teams in the league for the past few years, and Thabeet gives them real size now.”

Smith: “I think if UConn had won the NCAA National Championship, Thabeet would have been the No. 1 pick. A guy like him, 7’3” and athletic, doesn’t come along but every six years or so.”

Pearl: “He’s a game changer and he could be a team changer.”

Smith on Oklahoma City Thunder’s No. 3 pick James Harden: “James Harden is the least talked about pick in the NBA Draft, and he was the third pick, the same as Michael Jordan.”

Aldridge: “He’s going to be Rookie of the Year, in my opinion, because he can score the ball.”

Steve Smith: “I love James Harden, because of his talent, but I don’t know if he will fit in with a guy like Kevin Durant.”

Aldridge on Sacramento Kings’ No. 4 Draft pick Tyreke Evans: “I love this pick. I think Tyreke Evans has the chance to be a star in this league. I think he has the size and the temperament.”

The NBA TV crew interviewed Minnesota Timberwolves General Manager David Kahn.

Kahn on picking two back-to-back point guards in Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn: “I think when you are picking that high in the draft, you need to pick players that you believe have a chance to be great, and I believe (Rubio and Flynn) do. Ricky Rubio has been great for several years. I also think they both can play well together.”

Kahn on his vision for the Timberwolves: “This is a new day. We are going to build a team that is a Championship contending team.”

Kahn on developing his young Timberwolves team: “We are in a different world. We are in the player development business now. Because these kids are so young, we have to have a program to make them the best players they can be.”

Aldridge on the Timberwolves picking four point guards in the draft: “I think what the Timberwolves are doing, and it’s not an unintelligent thing, is they are saying ‘If you want a point guard on July 1st, you’ve got to come to us and make us an offer, because we’ve got them.’”

Smith: “I think that you are right David, but I also know on June 25th a guy looks great, on July 1st he doesn’t have the same value. Meaning teams have made their picks, they have to live with those picks somewhat, and they are usually happy. The thing that baffles me is when (Kahn) said Ricky Rubio was a starting point guard and Jonny Flynn wasn’t. To me, the No. 6 pick in the Draft is a starting point guard. I know that the No. 6 pick does not think the No. 5 pick is a better player.”

Aldridge: “You’re absolutely right. If you think about everything that had to happen just to get Ricky Rubio over here; all the complicated negotiations they had to with the Spanish Basketball League and his team; you don’t then bring in another point guard to play with him.”

Pearl on the Timberwolves’ draft process: “I think Ricky Rubio is a better player. I think there’s a chance that the Timberwolves didn’t expect Rubio to be around for pick No. 5. I think there is a chance that they thought Flynn was going to be the best point guard available. I think they got caught off guard.”

NBA TV’s Craig Sager interviews Timberwolves’ No. 5 Draft pick Ricky Rubio.

Rubio on being ready to play in the NBA: “When I was playing in the Olympics, I thought, if I can play against the best players in the world, then I am can play in the NBA.”

Kamla on speculation about Golden State’s No. 7 pick Stephen Curry: “There is a report in the Arizona Republic by Paul Coro that says likely Golden State’s selection of Stephen Curry as the No. 7 pick was made for the Phoenix Suns as part of an Amar’e Stoudemire trade that can’t be completed until July 1st.”

Smith: “It’s obvious he fits in, he’s probably too explosive to trade, but bringing Amare Stoudemire in changes the dynamic of your team. If he stays (with Golden State) he will be unleashed.”

Pearl on Indiana Pacers’ No. 13 Draft pick Tyler Hansbrough: “(Hansbrough) dominated as a freshmen, sophomore, junior (and senior). He is going to go against all these players in the NBA that he already outplayed (in college). I don’t know why people are worried about how he will do at the next level. I think it was a great pick-up (by Indiana) and I’m glad he was a lottery pick as a four-year player.”

Pearl on whether Detroit Pistons’ No. 15 draft pick Austin Daye will be immediately effective with the Pistons: “No, he is not. Austin Daye is not about today, it’s about tomorrow, because Austin Daye can not play today in the NBA. He is not tough. He has a lot of upside, but he is a couple years away, physically, from being able to play. This was a reach for the Detroit Pistons.”

Aldridge on Sam Young being available at No. 36 for the Memphis Grizzlies in the second round of the draft: “It makes no sense to me at all. All everybody talked about was how tough and athletic Sam Young was. I’m stunned New Orleans didn’t take him at No. 21.”

Pearl: “I’m surprised New Orleans didn’t take him, they could have used a player like him, but Memphis got an absolute steal.”

Aldridge on Orlando Magic trade with New Jersey Nets for Vince Carter: “It’s going to be very difficult for (Magic) to resign Hedo Turkoglu, unless he is willing to take a huge pay cut, which I don’t think he will do.”

Pearl on the Orlando Magic’s trade with New Jersey Nets for guard Vince Carter: “I think when you lose in the NBA Finals, you look at the team that beat you. The L.A. Lakers beat Orlando, so Orlando looked at how and why. Kobe Bryant is now going to cover Vince Carter and vice versa. Orlando didn’t have anyone who would even bother Kobe, so I think their trade has to do with that.”

Aldridge on center Shaquille O’Neal being traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Cleveland Cavaliers: “I don’t think it’s a bad move, but I don’t see it as Cleveland automatically getting to the Finals and winning the Championship. It could work out that way, but not necessarily. I think LeBron James will have to adjust some things in his game and I don’t think it does anything for the Cavaliers on the defensive end.”

Smith: “Shaq is better than Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. The Cavaliers gained in terms of talent level. However, they need to figure out how to implement Shaq on the offensive end.”

Aldridge on teams that helped themselves the most in the 2009 NBA Draft: “I think the Memphis Grizzlies had the best night. They got three players that can change the culture of the team.”

Pearl: “I like Charlotte’s draft. I think they had a really good night.”