Eastern Conference teams had their first four picks in the 2014 NBA Draft and in my opinion, did a better job of drafting than the Western Conference teams. The clearcut winner out of the west was the Los Angeles Lakers. Here are my 2014 NBA Draft grades for the Western Conference. Check out my Eastern Conference NBA Draft grades as well.
Dallas Mavericks B-
The Mavs included their two second round picks in the trade with the Knicks that brought Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to Dallas. I liked the trade from the Mavericks’ point of view so I am okay with them including a pair of second round picks.
Denver Nuggets B+
16. Jusuf Nurkic, C, Bosnia
19. Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State
41. Nikola Jokic, C, Serbia
Denver turned the 11th pick into a pair of potential role players in Nurkic and Harris. Nurkic’s size alone makes him an intriguing prospect although he may not come to the NBA right away. Harris was one of the great values of this draft but Denver did just trade for Aaron Afflalo and have Randy Foye so I’m not sure where Harris factors into the equation from day one. Jokic is another draft and stash guy who can maybe contribute down the road.
Golden State Warriors INC
The Warriors did not have a pick.
Houston Rockets B+
25. Clint Capela, PF, Switzerland
42. Nick Johnson, G, Arizona
Daryl Morey may have been swayed to go the international route in hopes of saving some cap space for a potential run at Carmelo Anthony. Capela is an upside type of player who could be a significant role player in a few years. Though he’s undersized, Johnson could carve out a niche and was a solid mid-second round pick.
Los Angeles Clippers D
28. C.J. Wilcox, SG, Washington
The Clippers just drafted Reggie Bullock last year and have J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford, and Jared Dudley, who all play the same position as Wilcox. This simply congests the wing even more in L.A. They would have been better off adding someone like Jarnell Stokes who could have provided some needed depth inside.
Los Angeles Lakers A
7. Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky
46. Jordan Clarkson, G, Missouri
The Lake Show got great value with both of their picks. Randle should be a factor from day one and was once considered a top three pick in this draft. Clarkson has first round talent but somehow slipped into the mid-second round.
Memphis Grizzlies B-
22. Jordan Adams, SG, UCLA
35. Jarnell Stokes, PF, Tennessee
The Griz needed an offensive minded wing and Adams is a pure scorer but is severe lack of NBA athleticism is a big red flag for me. I think there are players who were selected below him who will be better players in the league. Memphis traded to bring Stokes to his hometown and he bring some physicality to the frontcourt.
Minnesota Timberwolves D
13. Zach LaVine, G, UCLA
40. Glenn Robinson III, SF, Michigan
I’m not high on either of these guys. LaVine is nowhere near NBA ready and GR3 never wowed me at Michigan to the point where I thought he could be a real NBA contributor. Are we sure David Kahn wasn’t making these picks.
New Orleans Pelicans B
47. Russ Smith, PG, Louisville
The Pelicans dealt D-League stud Pierre Jackson, an undersized but offensively explosive point guard to get Smith, an undersized but offensively explosive point guard. I like Smith’s potential to crack a rotation better than Jackson’s so I’m okay with deal.
Oklahoma City Thunder D+
21. Mitch McGary, C, Michigan
29. Josh Huestis, SF, Stanford
OKC reached for both guys. McGary might be a future replacement for Nick Collison but there were better players on the board at that time. I didn’t have Huestis in my mock draft at all so for the Thunder to spend a first round pick on him seems like a waste. Maybe he can develop into a defensive specialist but OKC did just spend a first round pick on a similar guy last year, Andre Roberson.
Phoenix Suns C
14. T.J. Warren, SF, N.C. State
18. Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse
27. Bogdan Bogdanovic, G/F, Serbia
50. Alec Brown, C, Green Bay
The Suns most pressing need was adding talent on the wing and Warren will certainly provide some scoring punch to the line-up. Bogdanovic figures to spend another year overseas. As for Ennis, I am not sure how he fits into the rotation with Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe, though Bledsoe is a restricted free agent. Brown won’t make the roster.
Portland Trail Blazers INC
The Blazers did not have a pick.
Sacramento Kings C+
8. Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan
The Kings did just take a shooting guard with their first-round pick last year in Ben McLemore, so this pick doesn’t necessarily add up for me. Yes, Sacramento needs a shooter, but does the club really think Stauskas is a better fit and prospect than say a Noah Vonleh? Someone like Vonleh could be the front-court mate of the future that the Kings need alongside DeMarcus Cousins?
San Antonio Spurs B
30. Kyle Anderson, G/F, UCLA
54. Nemanja Dangubic, SF, Serbia
The Spurs would. Anderson is a terrific value with the final pick of the first round and if anyone can figure out how to utilize his all-around ability, it is Gregg Popovich. The Spurs moved their two late second round picks for a foreign guy who will probably be an All-Star someday since that’s what San Antonio does.
Utah Jazz A-
5. Dante Exum, G, Australia
23. Rodney Hood, SF, Duke
Exum and Trey Burke should form a solid one-two punch in the Utah backcourt and don’t forget about Alex Burks either. Exum could be the go-to scorer that the Jazz have been searching for. Hood was a terrific value and adds needed depth on the wing. I think he was being undervalued in this draft.
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.