My opinion is that the NBA Draft nowadays is highly overrated. Sure it is one of the most exciting basketball events of the year, and something all basketball fans should pay attention to. But still, its importance seems to decrease year by year.

The rookie salary cap was put into effect a couple of years ago, and it had major results. In general, the rookie salary cap system is very good for the league: it makes NBA a fair place for the veterans to work. But since it is impossible to sign long-term deals with rookies, it sometimes is relatively unimportant which player you pick, because you are guaranteed to have him only for three years. 

What astonishes me most, is that teams pick 18 year old kids with high picks so often. It makes no sense to me to draft a high school player in the lottery, because they usually don't deserve playing time during their first pro years. After they start to become valuable, they become free agents and are able to pick whatever team they want. Of course, old teams may have a good shot at resigning them, but there are no guarantees.

For example, the Toronto Raptors can only watch their “superstar of the future” Tracy McGrady leaving town. He has been a starting caliber swing-man only for about half a year, and now when he starts to bring dividends to his club, he moves on. Instead of high school player McGrady, the Raptors could have used their 1997 first round pick wisely by picking Maurice Taylor, then out of Michigan University. Taylor has been a solid starter and 17 points per game scorer each of the past two years, while McGrady averaged only 9.3 ppg a year ago. Taylor would have helped the Raptors in the short run, and now that McGrady is worth something, they could have tried to sign him. In McGrady’s case, like many others, the team that really benefits from his extraordinary talent is the one that is able to sign a long term contract with him. And that probably is Chicago or Orlando in this case.

Add this “three year rookie contract" factor to the trend that young players are becoming more and more choosy about where they want to play, and it is no wonder that Orlando decided to invest in free agents instead of draft picks this year. 

TheDraft is not only about finding the best talent anymore. Because of players like Steve Francis, you have to be very careful when you draft. Nowadays you have to be sure that player wants to play for you. You can't count on your 20 year old draftee being happy just because he got a chance to play in the big league; he may also want to play in a big city. And of course, that city can not be located in Canada.

In the draft, General Managers should concentrate more on players that are more ready to play in the league. That doesn't necessarily mean only college seniors, but players who already have what it takes to earn playing time and help a team win. When it comes to raw talents and long term projects, you can get them after three years when youngsters are done with their first contracts and learning seasons.

In the 2000 NBA draft, Dallas and Toronto were smart and drafted experience. The Mavericks picked Etan Thomas, and Toronto chose Morris Peterson. Meanwhile, Utah decided to draft high schooler DeShawn Stevenson, who is not likely to contribute until he is free to leave Salt Lake City. In the second round, Atlanta made a great move and picked 24 year old Hanno Mottola, who next year will be more effective than any other second round selection, and many of the first rounders. (And that last opinion has nothing to do with the fact that I am also from Finland.)

Jukka Myllyniemi
Espoo, Finland

____________

Back to InsideHoops Home

Say what you've got to say on the InsideHoops NBA MESSAGE BOARD

Sign up for a free web-based email account @InsideHoops by clicking  here.

Basketball fans who don't use InsideHoops as their primary web-based email account might as well forget basketball forever and become diehard water polo fans.