2013 NBA Draft winners and losers

Despite pundits proclaiming the 2013 NBA Draft to be a weak one, lacking in star power, the actual event turned out to be chockfull of twists and trades, with plenty of memorable moments. Between unexpected selections, plenty of wheeling and dealing, plus the history factor of it being the last draft presided over by NBA commissioner David Stern, there was plenty going on.

[Review all the picks of the 2013 NBA Draft here]

What stood out, which teams or players ought to receive some praise, and what should draw your ire? We have the winners and losers lined-up for you:

WINNER - Anthony Bennett

Raise your hand if you thought Anthony Bennett would be the number one pick. Okay, now put your hand back down you liar. The 6'7" forward out of UNLV had his fans, no doubt, but offseason shoulder surgery made him somewhat of a risky pick. Still, that resulted in genuine surprise on his face when he was tabbed by the Cavs, kickstarting a wild and wooly draft.



WINNER - Orlando Magic

The Orlando got the player with possibly the most upside in Victor Oladipo, an athletic lockdown defender whose offensive game, judging by his last season in Indiana, is growing by leaps and bounds. If the team can also swap current starting shooting guard Arron Afflalo for Eric Bledose of the Los Angeles Clippers, as has been the rumor, they could be challenging for a playoff berth just two years after trading Dwight Howard.

WINNER - Minnesota Timberwolves

There were jokes of former GM David Kahn being hired back as a consultant by the team when they selected point guard Trey Burke with the ninth pick. But former head coach Flip Saunders in fact flipped (no pun intended) Burke to the Utah Jazz for two players who could find a place in the T-Wolves' rotation.

Shabazz Muhammad is an athletic wing whose efficiency could skyrocket now with Ricky Rubio finding him in the right places, while Gorgui Dieng is a paint defender with a nice mid-range jumper who can come off the bench should they retain Nikola Pekovic, or even start. They didn't get the lights-out shooter they were hoping for, but they did get a pair of productive prospects.

WINNER - Alex Len

Len's stress fracture scared the heck out of me, which was one of the reasons why I felt the Cavaliers ought to stay away from him. Sure, he's a young, gifted big man, with the grace of a gymnast (he actually dabbled in it when he was in the Ukraine) but you know who whose career ultimately ended because of a stress fracture? Yao Ming, that's who.

So it's a blessing for the Maryland product that he's headed to the Phoenix Suns, who have a medical staff capable of performing miracles (That Jermaine O'Neal was a productive player for them last season says volumes). After being projected as a possible overall number one choice, sliding to five might benefit Len in the long-term.

LOSERS - "Block City"

For roughly five minutes, the internet was abuzz because the New Orleans Pelicans had taken the plummeting-from-the-sky Nerlens Noel with the sixth choice, pairing him with another Kentucky shot-blocker, last year's number one overall pick Anthony Davis. That's essentially back-to-back number one picks, guys! The duo was quickly dubbed 'Block City', and visions of shot after shot being rejected by the two had fans salivating.

Instead, the guys over at the "Big Easy" felt it would have been too easy to deny each and every incursion whatsoever into the paint and dealt Noel to the Philadelphia 76ers. Somehow, they even had to be the ones to give up a 2014 first rounder in order to nab All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday. Luckily, it's at least top-three protected, or they could have been on the wrong end of a lucky lottery ball bounce resulting in Andrew Wiggins.



LOSERS - Boston Celtics

They traded away Lucas 'Bebe' Nogueira and his afro after this hilarious sequence.



LOSERS (again) - Boston Celtics

Right before the second round started, news broke that the Celtics were in fact blowing up the team, after Kevin Garnett approved of the trade that sent him, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets for an assorted platter of players and picks.

While the deal is still not set in stone, the Nets not only got the two best players in the deal, KG and The Truth, but they are also slated to dump the contract of Gerald Wallace on Boston, and were able to retain young swingman MarShon Brooks, in the process (this could change as the deal gets refined). Those three extra draft picks Beantown picked up better be darn good picks to make this worthwhile.

LOSERS - Toronto Raptors

Reportedly tried multiple times to buy their way into the draft but just couldn't get something going. This despite the fact that by the time the dust settled, something like 15 deals had been cut. Sorry, Canada.  

LOSERS - Oklahoma City Thunder

As part of their compensation for dealing away James Harden, the Thunder got the 12th overall pick, which became New Zealand center Steven Adams, and the 32nd pick, Alex Abrines, a Spanish shooting guard who is expected to be stashed away abroad. They still have a future first rounder via the Dallas Mavericks, and Jeremy Lamb remains on their roster, while Kevin Martin is an unrestricted free agent. Suffice to say though, that deal they swung with the Rockets looks like a bit of a heist on the part of Houston now.

WINNER - David Stern

The commissioner got to go out in style, in the last draft he reigned over, playing to the crowd's playful jeers and getting in some hilarious zingers (personal favorite: "We've had to explain to our international audience that the boo is an American sign of respect"). There was even a great twist with Hakeem Olajuwon, the first pick Stern ever read out, coming back to complete the circle, sending him off after the commissioner led the 30th selection, the last he'd read, as current deputy Adam Silver is set to take over in February of next year.



- GMA News