2014 Draft Grades

[BigSlam]

Post your own here as well as any published ones you find.

[Liver_Pooty]

Chad Ford

CHARLOTTE HORNETS | GRADE: B+

Round 1: Noah Vonleh (9), P.J. Hairston (26)

Round 2: Dwight Powell (45), Semaj Christon ( 55)

Analysis: It's hard to believe that the Hornets are adding four rookies to a team with an itch for the postseason. But the truth is they got some serious talent with all four picks. Vonleh slid because teams worried he wasn't going to maximize his obvious physical talents. He can shoot, run the floor and play in the post, but questions about his motor and toughness and conditioning caused him to slide a bit. He's a steal here, albeit a bit repetitive with Cody Zeller.

Hairston would've been a lottery pick had he not been kicked off the Tar Heels team for various offenses. He can shoot and has an NBA body. The Hornets need shooting, and Hairston can fill it up right now. Powell has talent, but he has never maximized it. Christon is a great athlete with good size at the point guard position. Both second-rounders could make the roster.

[JDR720]

Bleacher Report:A http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2111 ... rds/page/5

No. 9: Noah Vonleh, PF/C, Indiana

Noah Vonleh's draft-day slide ends with the Charlotte Hornets, who should be firmly moving on from the Bismack Biyombo era. After all, there's not much of a chance for Vonleh, Cody Zeller and Al Jefferson to all earn major minutes while the Congolese big man is in the rotation.

Josh McRoberts should be gone as well.

The Indiana product is a fantastic shooting threat, which works perfectly for a Charlotte offense in dire need of some floor-spacing abilities, something that Zeller wasn't able to provide during his rookie season.

He's also a rim-protecting big, which should make Steve Clifford and the surging Hornets defense quite happy.

This might prove to be one of the draft's bigger steals, though it might have been more beneficial for Charlotte to draft Doug McDermott or one of the many elite wing players. That's a bigger positional need, even if the shooting woes might be slightly assuaged by the Vonleh selection.



No. 26: P.J. Hairston, SG, Texas Legends

From North Carolina to the D-League. From the D-League to the Hornets, becoming the first player in NBA history to become a first-round selection after last playing in the Association's minor league.

P.J. Hairston is a perfect pick for the Hornets, and he's a nice value at No. 26.

After all, he's an elite shooter with great athleticism, one who can come in and make an immediate impact for a squad that's already prepared to do more than just make the playoffs in 2014-15. The D-League will have prepared him rather well for the rigors of the NBA, and his shooting stroke will ensure instant playing time.

Charlotte shocked everyone by passing up on McDermott at No. 9, but it made up for the lack of elite shooting 17 picks later.

me:A

[JDR720]

Chad Ford

CHARLOTTE HORNETS | GRADE: B+

Round 1: Noah Vonleh (9), P.J. Hairston (26)

Round 2: Dwight Powell (45), Semaj Christon ( 55)

Analysis: It's hard to believe that the Hornets are adding four rookies to a team with an itch for the postseason. But the truth is they got some serious talent with all four picks. Vonleh slid because teams worried he wasn't going to maximize his obvious physical talents. He can shoot, run the floor and play in the post, but questions about his motor and toughness and conditioning caused him to slide a bit. He's a steal here, albeit a bit repetitive with Cody Zeller.

Hairston would've been a lottery pick had he not been kicked off the Tar Heels team for various offenses. He can shoot and has an NBA body. The Hornets need shooting, and Hairston can fill it up right now. Powell has talent, but he has never maximized it. Christon is a great athlete with good size at the point guard position. Both second-rounders could make the roster.

Ford is such a moron

[mrknowitall215]

Overall - A

#9, PF Noah Vonleh - A+

#24 traded for #26 + #55 + future 2nd rounder = SG/SF P.J. Hairston - B+

#45 + Brendan Haywood traded for Alonzo Gee + cash considerations - Incomplete (pending free agent acquisitions)

#55 traded for cash considerations - Incomplete (pending free agent acquisitions)

[freakon0mics]

From USA TODAY Sports Adi Jospeh:

Charlotte Hornets

Additions: PF Noah Vonleh (No. 9 pick, Indiana), SG P.J. Hairston (No. 26 pick, NBA Development League), PF Dwight Powell (No. 45 pick, Stanford).

The Hornets don't need a power forward, but they also have some use for the addition to the roster. For one, drafting Vonleh (and Powell) means they can allow Josh McRoberts to leave in free agency and let Vonleh and Cody Zeller compete for the starting job next to Al Jefferson. And those two Indiana products could be the frontcourt of the future, if Jefferson leaves after three years. Hairston was the money pick, making up for their ignoring needs with the No. 9 pick. Charlotte gets a very NBA-ready shooting guard who should push Gerald Henderson for playing time. The Hornets did what they needed to in this draft and can let Vonleh develop slowly. The only knock is that they could have used the No. 55 pick acquired in the No. 24-No. 26 swap with the Miami Heat instead of selling it to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Grade: A-

[W_HAMILTON]

Have we ever had a project player actually pan out? Even going back to our time as the original Hornets? It just seems like we either can't pick the right players that can actually progress into the stars some imagine or else we aren't capable of developing them the way they need to be developed to become those stars. I wanted Stauskas, but I would have been happy with a "safe" -- albeit possibly low upside pick -- like McDermott as well. I just want someone that can come in and consistently contribute on a playoff team, even if all they turn out to be is a solid 6th - 8th guy.

I don't mind Biyombo and MKG, but I don't want another project player that seems likely to progress as relatively slowly as they have. I don't want it to be 2017 and us talking about Vonleh the same way everyone talks about Biyombo and even MKG now. This team didn't need another one of those type of guys.

I give them a C. I hope Vonleh pans out, but just given our long history of these types of players never reaching their so-called potential, I don't have much faith that he will be the one to buck the trend. We didn't need another player that we might be talking about trading/replacing in a couple of years because he isn't progressing -- we have enough of them already.

[4WhomRajaTolls]

Non-projects we've taken in the lottery:
Okafor
Felton
May
Morrison
Augustin
Henderson
Zeller
Kemba

This is the list of low-risk players we've taken. Some of them are solid. Some of them were not particularly good. I'd still rather roll the dice with a Biyombo and hope for Ibaka than roll the dice with Henderson or a Morrison or McBuckets and HOPE for a Henderson or Morrison or whatever McBuckets is supposed to be. And seriously who is he guarding. If he's playing the 4... what makes him that much different from Steve Novak (yes, that's simplifying things)?

[4WhomRajaTolls]

Anyways, I give it an A-/B+. We got good solid value with both first rounders. The only positioin we could definitely use a starter was wing. And we got a wing. One first round pick was always going to be some sort of overlap. So why not BPA in Vonleh. An Al - McBuckets front court just sounds terrible defensively. Drafting Napier to force a trade the trade with the Heat (even if it was only for a little, it was still for something... and it's not like they really had any player assets that we would want) was a sharp move. Could've done something more with the second round picks.

[ohara]

An A. Got a future stud PF in Vonleh, a terific shooter in PJ, and cleared more cap space. Cannot have done any better. From around the internet, I think I saw 1 B, and the rest were A+, A or A-. Great night.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

Vonleh was BPA in Cho’s mind and he drafted him. I have a really hard time faulting that. I glad that he went that route rather than reaching for need. Noah doesn’t meet and immediate need but projects to do really well over the next few years. This is a REALLY good situation for Vonleh with big men friendly coaches in Cliff and Ewing, shot fixing with Price, and a new team focus on developing talent outside of just raw playing time. Having Al & Cody here helps too IMHO. I honestly think that some of Cody’s development last year came from having McRoberts mentoring him and the bond they developed. Vonleh is coming into a situation where there is a lot of support for him if he is willing to take advantage of it.

Pick #9 Score = 70/70

Hairston was a somewhat predictable pick, but I do honestly believe that he was a lottery talent. The real concerns about his off the court issues not only hurt his draft stock but made Charlotte a somewhat risky landing sport for him IMHO. I honestly suspect that part of what the team is expecting is that the culture they built last year will give PJ a positive environment and provide peer pressure to keep things professional on the court. It wouldn’t surprise me if they think that MJ can apply pressure that will make a difference too. Anyway talent wise Hairston fit a major need in terms of outside shooting and scoring in general. I can’t fault Cho for drafting both BPA and for need … but the risk really worries me.

As an aside I’m REALLY happy with what Cho did in forcing Miami to cough up picks for Napier. It’s the kind of “smart GM move” that I’ve been waiting to see from him for a while. I’ve got to think that this particular gambit wouldn’t have happened with Higgins still here.

Pick #24 Score = 15/20

I’m really torn with the team’s second round picks. I’m completely good with what happened with 45, trading the pick & Haywood for minor cap space. That’s a very sensible GM move that could have nice long term implications in free agency. Given that many of the 2nd round guys I wanted were already off the table this was good.

What wasn’t good was #55. Cho drafted a nice player there and then just traded him for cash. I hate that. I would much rather have seen if Semaj was a good fit for THIS team. He has good size and it’s pretty much a given that the team was going to need 3 point guards anyway. What’s the harm in letting one of them be a rookie with a tiny bit of potential?

What I suspect happened is that the Haywood deal came up early and the Hornets had to use their 45 on Powell in order to make sure it happened. They probably had one or more specific targets in the 2nd round that just didn’t make it to 55. When that happened they just punted, making a deal with OKH to draft whatever guy the Thunder wanted. Just speculating here but I’m willing to bet that the team wanted Micic or maybe Dinwiddie. It’s a real shame if Micic was the target because he almost fell to 55.

Second Round Score = 5/10

Overall 90/100 for an A- / B+

[Liver_Pooty]

Didn't have a designated grade, but Adam Elhassan of ESPN said this

Noah Vonleh | No. 9 | Charlotte Hornets
P.J. Hairston | No. 26 | Charlotte (via Miami)

Noah Vonleh
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Noah Vonleh could be a great fit for the fast-rising Hornets.
Another combo platter! Charlotte transformed itself into a defensive powerhouse this past season, but struggled from beyond the arc, placing in the bottom five in 3-point attempts and in the bottom 10 in accuracy. Both of the Hornets' draftees will address that weakness; Vonleh was efficient in limited attempts from college 3-point range, and he shows all the makings of being able to develop into a pick-and-roll option who can keep defenses honest with the ability to pop out. Even if it's to the elbow or top-of-the-key area, that still gives the Hornets some spacing to operate out of.

Meanwhile, Hairston is a prolific catch-and-shoot talent who had the benefit of playing in the D-League last season, giving us a fair look at how he'll fare from the NBA 3-point line, which is more than what we can say for any other prospect in the draft. It doesn't hurt that he's also a local product, and a former Tar Heel like Hornets managing partner Michael Jordan.

[Eoghan]

Here are my draft grades for the SE division: http://thelotterymafia.com/nba-draft/nba-draft-grades-southeast-division.html

Charlotte Hornets

Picks: Noah Vonleh (9) | P.J. Hairston (26, from Miami) | Dwight Powell (45, traded to Cleveland) | Semaj Christon (55, from Miami)

Traded the rights to Shabazz Napier w/ 24th pick for P.J. Hairston at 26, Semaj Christon 55, and cash considerations.
Traded Dwight Powell to Cleveland along w/ Brendan Haywood for Alonzo Gee
Analysis:

The Hornets momentarily hit the pause button on their ‘win-now’ goal when B-tier prospect Noah Vonleh fell into their laps at nine. Vonleh is more raw potential than skill currently but shows flashes of being the long, athletic stretch 4 that slots in perfectly next to Al Jefferson. Charlotte made up for passing on McDermott for Vonleh by trading back with Miami and getting P.J. Hairston, a fairly athletic SG with deep range and good positional size. They also unloaded Dwight Powell along with Brendan Haywood to Cleveland for Alonzo Gee (likely waived) for cap relief, presumably. At the time of this writing, it is rumored that Semaj Christon has been traded to the Thunder but if not, he gives the Hornets a cheap, big point guard with solid upside.

Grade: A-

I hope that's not too negative for Marino's sensitive eyes.

[Liver_Pooty]

Here are my draft grades for the SE division: http://thelotterymafia.com/nba-draft/nba-draft-grades-southeast-division.html

Charlotte Hornets

Picks: Noah Vonleh (9) | P.J. Hairston (26, from Miami) | Dwight Powell (45, traded to Cleveland) | Semaj Christon (55, from Miami)

Traded the rights to Shabazz Napier w/ 24th pick for P.J. Hairston at 26, Semaj Christon 55, and cash considerations.
Traded Dwight Powell to Cleveland along w/ Brendan Haywood for Alonzo Gee
Analysis:

The Hornets momentarily hit the pause button on their ‘win-now’ goal when B-tier prospect Noah Vonleh fell into their laps at nine. Vonleh is more raw potential than skill currently but shows flashes of being the long, athletic stretch 4 that slots in perfectly next to Al Jefferson. Charlotte made up for passing on McDermott for Vonleh by trading back with Miami and getting P.J. Hairston, a fairly athletic SG with deep range and good positional size. They also unloaded Dwight Powell along with Brendan Haywood to Cleveland for Alonzo Gee (likely waived) for cap relief, presumably. At the time of this writing, it is rumored that Semaj Christon has been traded to the Thunder but if not, he gives the Hornets a cheap, big point guard with solid upside.

Grade: A-

I hope that's not too negative for Marino's sensitive eyes.

I enjoy reading your work.

[TheKingofSting2]

Overall - A

#9, PF Noah Vonleh - A+

#24 traded for #26 + #55 + future 2nd rounder = SG/SF P.J. Hairston - B+

#45 + Brendan Haywood traded for Alonzo Gee + cash considerations - Incomplete (pending free agent acquisitions)

#55 traded for cash considerations - Incomplete (pending free agent acquisitions)

Wait we got two seconds for Shabazz?

[yosemiteben]

Here are my draft grades for the SE division: http://thelotterymafia.com/nba-draft/nba-draft-grades-southeast-division.html

Charlotte Hornets

Picks: Noah Vonleh (9) | P.J. Hairston (26, from Miami) | Dwight Powell (45, traded to Cleveland) | Semaj Christon (55, from Miami)

Traded the rights to Shabazz Napier w/ 24th pick for P.J. Hairston at 26, Semaj Christon 55, and cash considerations.
Traded Dwight Powell to Cleveland along w/ Brendan Haywood for Alonzo Gee
Analysis:

The Hornets momentarily hit the pause button on their ‘win-now’ goal when B-tier prospect Noah Vonleh fell into their laps at nine. Vonleh is more raw potential than skill currently but shows flashes of being the long, athletic stretch 4 that slots in perfectly next to Al Jefferson. Charlotte made up for passing on McDermott for Vonleh by trading back with Miami and getting P.J. Hairston, a fairly athletic SG with deep range and good positional size. They also unloaded Dwight Powell along with Brendan Haywood to Cleveland for Alonzo Gee (likely waived) for cap relief, presumably. At the time of this writing, it is rumored that Semaj Christon has been traded to the Thunder but if not, he gives the Hornets a cheap, big point guard with solid upside.

Grade: A-

I hope that's not too negative for Marino's sensitive eyes.

LOOKS LIKE WE GOT A DEBBIE DOWNER OVER HERE

[TheKingofSting2]

Have we ever had a project player actually pan out? Even going back to our time as the original Hornets? It just seems like we either can't pick the right players that can actually progress into the stars some imagine or else we aren't capable of developing them the way they need to be developed to become those stars. I wanted Stauskas, but I would have been happy with a "safe" -- albeit possibly low upside pick -- like McDermott as well. I just want someone that can come in and consistently contribute on a playoff team, even if all they turn out to be is a solid 6th - 8th guy.

I don't mind Biyombo and MKG, but I don't want another project player that seems likely to progress as relatively slowly as they have. I don't want it to be 2017 and us talking about Vonleh the same way everyone talks about Biyombo and even MKG now. This team didn't need another one of those type of guys.

I give them a C. I hope Vonleh pans out, but just given our long history of these types of players never reaching their so-called potential, I don't have much faith that he will be the one to buck the trend. We didn't need another player that we might be talking about trading/replacing in a couple of years because he isn't progressing -- we have enough of them already.

Vonleh is not a project. He can shoot and rebound both of which translate to the NBA.

[Elden Payton]

Overall - A

#9, PF Noah Vonleh - A+

#24 traded for #26 + #55 + future 2nd rounder = SG/SF P.J. Hairston - B+

#45 + Brendan Haywood traded for Alonzo Gee + cash considerations - Incomplete (pending free agent acquisitions)

#55 traded for cash considerations - Incomplete (pending free agent acquisitions)

Wait we got two seconds for Shabazz?

And a first!

[TheKingofSting2]

We should have..

[BobsBuddy]

Really pleased. Grade A+ on all picks,trades, and sale and trade of both second round picks.
Cho,Baby you the man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!