NBA Draft Lottery Done: Time for Bandwagon-Hopping

Can the Grizzlies and Thunder be better in 2009-2010?

Getty Images

Help is on the way, sir.

Certain days are supposed to bring hope, apparently. First thing that comes to mind: Opening Day. NBA Draft Lottery night might be No. 2. So, with it in the books, what are we thinkin' about 2009-2010 in the NBA? Will anything be that different? Short answer: no. Long answer:

(1) The Thunder have a tough road to the playoffs because they're in the West, but if they use No. 3 right, they could contend -- Ric Bucher even says so; (2) this is the current Memphis Grizzlies depth chart; if you add Ricky Rubio to that (read this about Rubio, by the way), that Rubio/Mayo/Gay combo at the 1-2-3 could come together nicely; (3) if you add Hasheem Thabeet to either team, it's probably an upgrade for 'em, at least 2-3 years down the road. Finally, this is Chad Ford's full prospect list. The URL will stay the same, so bookmark it. Good info. And as for the Kings at No. 4…they got done up like Tim Donaghy was in the building. Ouch, too soon.

Print Article . Email Article. Subscribe to The Magazine