Building through the draft

[cynic]

When given a chance to rebuild, Babcock chose risky trades for 'established' veterans. He felt that it wasn't necessary to get bad in order to rebuild. The fact is, nearly every team that has played in the finals in the last 20 years has drafted its best player (Bulls, Rockets, Celtics, Knicks, Magic, Jazz, Sonics, Blazers, Pistons, Spurs, Pacers, Sixers, Lakers-80's).

The three finals teams whose best player was not acquired through the draft? The recent Laker teams (Shaq), the Nets (Kidd), and the Suns of '93

(Barkley).

BTW, those teams' best players: MJ-3, Olaj-1, Bird-6, Ewing-1, Shaq-1, Malone-13, Payton-2, Drexler-14, Thomas-2, Duncan-1, Miller-11, Iverson-1, Magic-1.

[KB21]

I don't think it is all about getting your best player via the draft. I think the draft is also the best way to build good depth on the team, and that is equally important, IMO.

That is precisely where the Hawks failed during the 1990s. They had a good starting 5 for most of those years, but not much after that because of draft picks like Adam Keefe, Doug Edwards, Gaylon Nickerson, Priest Lauderdale, Ed Gray, and Roshown McLeod. In Pete's first 9 drafts, he selected only 2 players who are still in the NBA - Stacey Augmon and Alan Henderson. Only Augmon and Henderson made an impact early in their career for the Hawks, and that completely killed any depth the team would have had.

[Diesel]

I think Babcock lacked the scouting and the ability to get good players out of the draft. WHat he needed was somebody who was familiar with the college game on his staff. That's why year after Year we made bad picks. Not to mention that we picked in a place where it required that we needed to KNOW talent.

[cynic]

Actually, we were able to acquire, over the years, very good players who had been very high picks.

Dominique Wilkins was essentially our draft pick (#3 overall), since we trade for him immediately. This is similar to the trade the Bulls made for Pippen (Supersonics).

Mutombo had been a #4 pick and Steve Smith #5.

I think the Mutombo teams could've made the finals if the team had drafted well. Not because we'd have gotten a superstar through the draft, but because we'd have built value.

The Mutombo teams, especially were so thin because we had nothing to trade. We didn't have anything of value. It also hurt us that Laettner and Henderson both decided not to play hard anymore. Of course, Henderson just wasn't very good to begin with.