Draft Lottery Liquorish Lace

The rich get richer, and the poor only get poorer.

After this year's draft is over, the Western teams will only become greater juggernauts while the East will have to settle for hoping for draft steals.

I can't say I was too ecstatic about the outcome of the draft lottery, mainly because my favorite team didn't get the first pick; but you have got to be happy for the winners anyway, especially knowing the fact that it's about time that they were able to hit the jackpot and jump up the NBA rankings as others take their place as NBA losers.

Let's talk about the top three winners and how their draft picks will create the future NBA dynasties.

The first overall pick goes to: The Portland Trailblazers

You have got to be happy about the Trailblazers here. Throw out the 'jailblazers' moniker, and bring back the glory days brought upon by Clyde Drexler, Bill Walton, Jerome Kersey, Steve Smith, Scottie Pippen, Rod Strickland, Dale Davis, Arvydas Sabonis. Brian Grant, Rasheed Wallace, Detlef Schrempf, Damon Stoudamire, and a bunch of other old guys that we have forgotten. Too many names? Well, they had too many playoff appearances, I'm talking about the NBA-record of 21 straight post-season appearances, there were just too many guys I wouldn't dare to leave out. If you can catch my drift, I'm talking about a Trailblazer reappearance in the Playoffs. Why? Because of this year's jackpot, that's why. The obvious OBVIOUS obvious pick the Trailblazers need to snag without any discussion whatsoever is none other than GREG ODEN.

Take a look at this line-up: Brandon Roy, the 2006-07 Rookie of the Year, will run the point guard position. Roy may be a point guard with a dominant forward inside (Randolph), but he isn't afraid and isn't incapable of lighting up the scoreboard. He led all rookies in scoring with almost 17 points per game as well as a decent number of rebounds and assists. Roy playing as a shooting guard is another option, similar to the position shift of Dwayne Wade and LeBron James. On the other guard position, Portland can choose between Martell Webster or Jarrett Jack. If they pick Jarrett Jack as the other main guard, he can run the point, and Roy can move to the shooting guard. Either way, it doesn't matter. Just ask Roy's back-court partner, whether Webster or Jack, to practice shooting 50,000 three-pointers and 20,000 free-throws after practice daily. That's it. It's an exaggeration but you get what I mean. On the forward positions, the Trailblazers have LaMarcus Aldridge (expecting he fully recovers from the Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome) and Zach Randolph. LaMacrus has shown in some occasions during the season that he is indeed a monster underneath the basket, and he will only get better, trust me. Zach Randolph on the other hand, is Zach Randolph. No explanations needed. The middle will be manned obviously by Greg Oden. If he adjusts properly and adapts quickly enough to NBA basketball, his low-post play will become a feared asset. In the West, where the big men rule, wouldn't you love that line-up? It is complete, you couldn't have asked for anything more: Oden, Randolph, Aldridge, Jack/Webster, Roy. Everyone loves it. I know I do.

What if the Blazers pick Kevin Durant? Well, let's put it this way: The Trailblazers will become an underachieving team filled with middle-sized players who will have horrible team chemistry on the court. The Blazers need a center, not a forward. No matter how much better Durant is compared to Oden, taking Durant is just plain wrong. Remember that it's not all skills, it's a battle of match-up, chemistry, and will.

The second overall pick goes to: The Seattle Supersonics

One team that I am not too happy about getting one of the top picks. Why? Whichever of the two top-picking teams pick Durant, is on the raw end of the deal. Personally, I don't like it. I like Durant a whole lot more than Oden, the guy has some mad skills; unfortunately, the two top-picking teams don't need Durant, they need Oden. That is why I was hoping for a team like Sacramento, a long-shot though, to have gotten 2nd. Sacramento can and will use and abuse with Kevin Durant and Mike Bibby running the pick-and-roll, no doubt about it. What can I say, I'm a guy who likes everyone to win. One example of why I don't like Durant going to Seattle: I doubt Seattle will re-sign Rashard Lewis if they can get their hands on Kevin Durant. I just wish he would go to a team and FILL THE MISSING PIECE, not cause the puzzle to jumble up once more trying to adjust to him. So back to Seattle, what can we see them do with this pick? The only way for Seattle to utilize their top-pick to its fullest potential is if Portland makes a mistake and drafts Durant. Here's the bright spot anyway for Seattle if they pick Durant: Acquiring Kevin Durant is like re-signing Rashard Lewis, only he is much cheaper, not as seasoned but has some great skill, and has potential to grow even better than Rashard if given time; sadly, Ray Allen doesn't have time. If they can replace Rashard Lewis with Kevin Durant, then they'd have all the salary cap space in the world to sign a big-time free agent. Maybe Chauncey Billups? Yeah right.

IF the Sonics can miraculously pick Greg Oden, then well and good. Maybe Rashard Lewis would like to come back and try his luck with the Sonics one more time. Check it out, Greg Oden in the middle with two wing-players: Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. You can't forget about Chris Wilcox crashing the boards. What do you think?

The third overall pick goes to: The Atlanta Hawks

Why do I love this pick? First of all, Atlanta won't have to pick Durant or Oden because they were already picked earlier (The media will DISMANTLE you if you pass up on Oden or Durant no matter how horrible they fit in your line-up, damn the hype). Second is they can pick ANYONE ELSE in the draft. It's like having the first overall pick in a draft that doesn't include Oden or Durant. Finally, the Atlanta Hawks can draft a POINT GUARD! The Hawks have already proven their drafting-incompetence by selecting Sheldon Williams, but at least they have a chance to redeem themselves this season. If the Hawks pick Al Horford or Brandan Wright, I will personally go to Atlanta, go slap-nuts, and run the Hawks' management out of the NBA and I will take over the Atlanta Hawks(I'd like that). Not another forward, please! I beg you! An interesting scenario: Since the Hawks have two draft picks (poor Indiana), they can gamble on the draft. The Hawks can get Horford or Noah on the 3rd pick, then HOPE and PRAY that nobody picks Mike Conley until the 11th pick. If someone actually picks Mike Conley before the 11th pick, then the Hawks are screwed. All I'm saying is, the Hawks can never go wrong with Mike Conley. He is the absolute best choice for the Hawks. He is young, he is skilled, and he has nuts of steel, something he has shown too many times in the NCAA Tournament. Mike Conley Jr. Hands down. By now, the Atlanta Hawks should have already realized that the missing pieces in their line-up are: a point guard and a decent center. I'm leaning towards getting a point guard first. They can probably pick a solid-contributor of a center in the 11th.

Mike Conley Jr. Hands down.
Atlanta can't go wrong.
If they do, they are screwed for another season.

Here are the results of the draft lottery:
1.) Portland Trailblazers
2.) Seattle Supersonics
3.) Atlanta Hawks
4.) Memphis Grizzlies
5.) Boston Celtics
6.) Milwaukee Bucks
7.) Minnesota Timberwolves
8.) Charlotte Bobcats
9.) Chicago Bulls
10.) Sacramento Kings
11.) Atlanta Hawks
12.) Philadelphia 76ers
13.) New Orleans Hornets
14.) Los Angeles Clippers

P.S.
Atlanta Hawks, draft the damn point guard!

If anyone has their own opinions and suggestions and comments and rants and discussions and other things about the draft lottery, please e-mail me. Thank you.

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