Empty the Bench

Most NBA observers have called the NBA’s Class of 2009 a weak one; we can only hope it’s not as weak as the Class of 2006 has proven to be 3 years later.

The 2006 and 2009 NBA Drafts were both considered generally bereft of high-impact players destined for stardom. But while handing out draft grades for 2009’s picks is fun, much of that analysis can be thrown out the window for obvious reasons. So, instead, let’s take a look back at the ‘06 draft now that we’ve had a full three seasons to see how the picks panned out.

I’m warning you though: it’s not pretty.

In alphabetical order:

Atlanta Hawks
- Shelden Williams, PF, 5th overall
- Solomon Jones, F, 33rd overall
Comments: At least a third of this year’s lottery picks can now safely be called “duds,” and the lethargic Williams is near the head of that class. Now riding the bench for the frontcourt-strapped Minnesota Timberwolves, Williams’ stay in Atlanta lasted just two seasons before he was traded to Sacramento as leftovers in the Mike Bibby deal. The 6-9 forward has career per-game averages of 4.7 points and 4.2 rebounds and will likely play his way out of the league shortly. Jones is still on the Hawks’ roster, playing in 63 games last season and averaging about 3 points and 2 boards in just under 11 minutes per.

Boston Celtics
- Rajon Rondo, PG, 21st overall
- Leon Powe, F, 49th overall
Comments: They probably couldn’t have predicted it on draft day, but Rondo has already developed into one of this draft’s top talents and one of the best young PGs in the league at the age of 23. With a well-earned championship ring on his finger from the Celtics ‘08 title, the cat-quick guard from Kentucky took another step towards All-Star status in ‘09, averaging 12 points, 8.2 assists, 5.2 boards, 1.9 steals, 50% FG, with five triple-doubles and 12 games of at least 10 rebounds as a 6-1 PG (including the playoffs). We’re not sure why Danny Ainge seems to have developed a complex this offseason when it comes to Rondo; the kid is already very good and will only get better.

Powe was another steal at 49th overall; in fact, if the draft was redone today he’d probably be a lottery pick given the misfortune of most players taken ahead of him. At 6-8 Powe is a bit undersized as a power forward and too bulky to keep up with small forwards, but he’s stocky, strong, and like the Knicks’ David Lee has a knack for getting himself in good position for rebounds, easy putbacks, and follow-up dunks. He also flaunts a surprisingly soft touch around the rim. In seven games as a starter last season, Powe averaged 14.3 points (57% FG), 8.1 boards, and 1.4 blocks in just under 26 minutes per.

Charlotte Bobcats
- Adam Morrison, F, 3rd overall
- Ryan Hollins, F, 50th overall
- Walter Herrmann, F, Undrafted
Comments: The most productive player of the Bobcats’ ‘06 draft class wasn’t even drafted, as Herrmann and His Beautiful Hair averaged 9.2 points (52% FG), 3 boards, and 1 triple per during his rookie season. Compare that with Morrison’s per-game freshman averages of 11.8 points (37% FG), 3 boards, and 1 triple in over 10 minutes more a night. If you surveyed NBA GMs this summer and asked them all things equal who they’d rather sign between Morrison and Herrmann, I’m betting that at least 85% would pick Herrmann, who could have his sights set on a return to international ball, where he’ll get more PT.

Morrison will get a NBA championship ring as a “member” of the Los Angeles Lakers, and is scheduled to make $12 million more over the next two seasons of his rookie contract on top of the millions he’s already collected for being a bad NBA player. In other words, despite his status as one of the biggest lottery-pick busts of the decade, he still has plenty to be happy about. Well done, Adam.

Chicago Bulls
- Tyrus Thomas, F, 4th overall
- Thabo Sefolosha, G/F, 13th overall
Comments: Thomas has emerged as this draft’s biggest enigma: supremely athletic, shows flashes of Amare Stoudemire-like talent, but somewhat of a head case who struggles to bring it all together on a nightly basis. One night he’ll post a high double-double with 4 - 5 blocked shots thrown in, the next he’ll shoot 16% from the field and mope his way to the bench. He won’t turn 22 until August, and had the best overall season of his career last season (11 points, 6.4 boards, 1.2 steals, 1.9 blocks per), but don’t be surprised to hear his name pop up in offseason trade rumors… again.

If you’ve spent any time on ETB, you know we’re big fans of Sefolosha, who’ll now be competing with the Thunder’s first-round pick, James Harden, for minutes at SG. His production may never match our hype, but we’re confident this kid can be a plus player for a winning team and will be in the league for a long time.

Cleveland Cavaliers
- Shannon Brown, G, 25th overall
- Daniel Gibson, G, 42nd overall
- Ejike Ugboaja, F, 55th overall
Comments: Though he never found his way in Cleveland, Brown may have found a home with the Lakers after bouncing around between the Bulls and Bobcats. The 6-4 guard averaged a respectable 13 minutes per off Phil Jackson’s bench during LA’s most-recent championship run, though his total output in the Finals was just 1 rebound. Still, Jackson has singled Brown out as a player he likes, which bodes well for the 23-year-old’s future. He was often turned to instead of Jordan Farmar, who was taken one pick later in this draft and at one point was deemed the Lakers’ “Point Guard of the Future.”

Gibson took a backseat in the Cavaliers’ backcourt rotation this season after the arrivals of Mo Williams and Delonte West, but as a rookie played an instrumental role in the Cavs’ surprising march to the NBA Finals in 2007, including 31 points over the Detroit Pistons in his team’s Eastern Conference Fianls series-clinching win. Still only 23 years old, Gibson’s specialty is the three-pointer, though he tends to hit them more at crucial times than with consistent accuracy (41% from behind the arc on his career).

Dallas Mavericks
- Maurice Ager, G, 28th overall
- Jose Juan Barea, PG, Undrafted
Comments: Ager, now a member of the New Jersey Nets, has averaged 2 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.2 assists per in 78 games played; yep, he’s going places. Barea has proven to be a great find for Dallas and a solid backup at the point, averaging 7.8 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.2 boards in 79 games played last season, 15 of which he started.

Denver Nuggets
- No Picks
Comments: The Nuggets traded their only pick, 49th overall, to the Boston Celtics, who took Leon Powe, a solid, high-energy contributor off the bench who averaged 7.7 points and 5 boards on 52% shooting last season.

Detroit Pistons
- Cheikh Samb, C, 51st overall
- Will Blalock, G, 60th overall
Comments: After being traded to the Denver Nuggets as part of the Billups-Iverson deal, the 7-1 Samb saw action in 18 games last season between three teams (Denver, Los Angeles Clippers, New York) and might be headed overseas for good this summer. Blalock is now in Germany and enjoyed a starring role in this classic Pistons holiday video:

Looking back at the rest of the NBA’s ‘06 draft stories, from Golden State to Washington, after the break…

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