> Best and Worst of the NBA Draft

The 2009 NBA Draft has wrapped and now it’s time to break down the picks and see which teams and players made off like bandits and which teams just got left standing.

Each of these first three categories is broke down into four parts: the lottery (L), the remainder of the first round (R1), the first half of round two (2F) and the second half of round two (2S).

>The Best Picks
L: Ricky Rubio - #5 to Timberwolves
R1: Ty Lawson - #18 to Nuggets (via Timberwolves)
2F: Dejaun Blair - #37 to Spurs
2S: Jack McClinton - #51 to Spurs

>The Worst Picks
L: Tyler Hansbrough - #13 to Pacers
R1: Taj Gibson - #26 to Bulls
2F: Sergio Llull - #34 to Rockets (via Nuggets)
2S: Sergey Gladyr - #49 to Hawks

>The Steals
L: Jordan Hill - #8 to Knicks
R1: Jrue Holiday - #17 to 76ers
2F: Dejaun Blair - #37 to Spurs
2S: Patrick Mills - #55 to Trail Blazers

>Winning teams
Minnesota Timberwolves
-Great guard draft with Flynn, Rubio and Ellington. Other three picks wil help them down the road.

San Antonio Spurs
-The Richard Jefferson pickup was nice but the Spurs stole Dejuan Blair and Jack McClinton in round 2. These guys are two that could have gone in round one.

Oklahoma City Thunder
-James Harden is a better pick than most people think at #3. The helped their depth by adding Robert Vaden via a trade late.

>Losing teams
Los Angeles Clippers
-They drafted Griffin, he's not THAT big of a difference maker. Not making any other moves was a dumb decision.

Atlanta Hawks
-The Hawks have a lump to get over that Jeff Teague won't help with. They needed another point or maybe a way to grad some round two picks.

Houston Rockets
-With no picks, the Rockets made moves thrice in round two, giving up only future considerations or money. But did they help themselves at all with Jermaine Taylor, Sergio Llull and Chase Budinger?

>Winning players
Jonny Flynn - #6 to Timberwolves
-Flynn does not have to be a huge player right away. Coupled with his other rookie teammates and what Minnesota already has, Flynn can develop naturally.

Taylor Griffin - #48 to Suns
-Thank god his brother is who he is because Taylor should not have gotten drafted, let alone so early in round two.

>Losing players
Blake Griffin - #1 to Clippers
-Can you win as a Clipper?

Stephen Curry - #7 to Warriors
-Unless they pull the trigger on a trade for Amare Stoudamire, the Warriors have just left Curry on an island by himself.

>Who got left out that should have gone
Tyrese Rice – Boston College
Dionte Christmas - Temple
Ben Woodside – North Dakota State
Jerel McNeal - Marquette
Orlando Mendez-Valdez – Western Kentucky