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[Skooby]

2016 MLB draft: AL team-by-team breakdown

2016 MLB draft: AL team-by-team breakdown

After posting the summaries and opinions of the first 10 rounds of the MLB draft for all 15 National League teams yesterday, today I have the AL team-by-team breakdown.

As I've stated in previous years, I don't do "winners and losers," a fool's exercise in the baseball draft. Instead, I tell you what I liked and didn't like for each team, and highlight players of note. To see the full Draft Tracker for Rounds 1-10, click here. I've also added a few players taken after the 10th round if they're notable and I think there's a reasonable chance they'll sign.

A few relevant notes:

• The number in parentheses indicates the round in which that player was selected.

• When I refer to "my rankings," I'm referring to my Big Board, my top 100 draft prospects, which can be found here.

• I also wrote about the highlights of Round 1 and Round 2, and Eric Longenhagen had pick-by-pick analysis of Round 1 through the competitive balance Round A, then round-by-round analysis of Rounds 2-10.

• If we have scouting profiles of the player mentioned, his name will link to his profile, written by Eric Longenhagen.

• We use the 20-80 grading scale for all MLB prospects.



Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles coughed up their first-rounder for Yovani Shoulder … I mean Gallardo, but they did well to land Illinois right-hander Cody Sedlock (1A) at pick 29, well after I expected him to be off the board. He's a three-pitch starter with a delivery that caused some scouts to think he'd have to return to relief work, and he was badly overused by the Illini in his first season as a full-time starter, pitching into the 10th inning twice. … Keegan Akin (2) is a squat 6-foot lefty from Western Michigan with a plus fastball at 92-95 mph, an average changeup and a fringy breaking ball. I think he does end up in relief, and Sedlock remains a starter. … Right-hander Matthias Dietz (2), from John A. Logan College in Illinois, is 90-95 from a strong 6-foot-5 frame and more arm strength than command right now, with an average or better slider and very quick arm. … Austin Hays (3) is a 6-foot outfielder from the Jacksonville University Dolphins who speaks in clicks and whistles; he put up huge numbers for them this year but is light on tools, and his swing doesn't look as if it will produce hard contact or power with the wood bat.

Prep right-hander Brenan Hanifee (4) is a huge projection gamble, a very athletic kid with feel to pitch and a good delivery but fringy present stuff; he's a "double-projection" guy with big upside if the velocity comes. … Alexis Torres(5) might be a good value pick here, as he was a potential top-100 guy coming into the spring but performed poorly at the plate, losing his approach and visibly pressing at times. He's listed as a shortstop but probably ends up at second base. … Tobias Myers (6) is a 6-foot high school right-hander with a very quick arm, 90-92, touching 94, with a solid-average changeup and some depth on a slow curveball. … Preston Palmeiro (7) has the famous finger-pointing father but didn't inherit the hit gene and will probably be a good organizational bat.



Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox nabbed the best high school player in the draft in Jason Groome (1) with the 12th overall pick. He fell because of some minor off-field concerns, but on the field, Groome's stuff and character are top-notch: He has a present 70 curveball, sits 90-94 touching 97, with an easy delivery and strong competitive streak. His fastball command is below average, and he will need to develop a better changeup since he barely used it in high school. Paying him might require some under-slot deals through the rest of the top 10 rounds, so the Red Sox took only one other top 100 prospect in Mike Shawaryn (5), a starting pitcher at Maryland who projects 100 percent as a reliever in pro ball due to his arm action, but should be an above-average right-handed middle reliever or setup man.

The Red Sox took CJ Chatham (2) out of Florida Atlantic with the 51st overall pick, a reach for me given that he probably won't remain at shortstop and has too little power for another position. … Florida closer Shaun Anderson (3) is a three-pitch guy who could convert to starting, although I think he's probably a reliever in the long run due to the lack of a plus pitch when he starts. He does have the command and control for any role and could move very quickly through the minors as a reliever. … Bobby Dalbec (4) is a third baseman and reliever for the University of Arizona with 80 power and a 70 arm, but he struck out 76 times in 250 plate appearances this spring and may be a better prospect on the mound, where he's 92-95 with a surprisingly good delivery and a sharp slider. He also threw 126 pitches in Arizona's super regional this weekend after spending nearly all of the season working in short stints for the Wildcats, which had to thrill the Red Sox. I've never bought his plate discipline or approach at the plate, but there is absolutely 30-homer power in there. … The Red Sox did take one more potential over-slot guy in Las Vegas prep shortstop Nick Quintana (11), who was probably a third-round talent. He can hit with plus bat speed, but he's not a shortstop, so he either has to move to second or try to convert to catcher.



Chicago White Sox

The White Sox popped Zack Collins (1) with the 10th overall pick, taking one of the best overall bats in the class, a player who's a star if he stays behind the plate -- which is unlikely -- but could be a star even if he moves to first. … Zack Burdi (1A), younger brother of Nick Burdi in the Twins' system, is 98-100 with a slider up to about 92 mph, stuff that would play in the majors right now, but his fastball command isn't quite ready. … The White Sox really rolled the dice with Oklahoma right-hander Alec Hansen (2), whom I thought had a chance to end up going 1-1 before his miserable spring of poor performance (he walked 39 in 51 innings, with 75 K's) and up-and-down velocity. Hansen has a screw in his elbow from a high school injury, and was then shut down in the fall with forearm tightness, so it's possible he's just not fully healthy and tried to pitch through it. If the worst-case scenario here is Tommy John surgery and its an 85 percent chance of full recovery of stuff, the White Sox took a really smart gamble. And if it's mechanical, the White Sox have a pretty good track record with those guys, too.

Alex Call (3) is an undersized hitter from Ball State who profiles as a fourth outfielder due to a lack of power. … Jameson Fisher (4) is a 22½-year-old senior who put up comical numbers for Southeastern Louisiana University this year, but he's limited to first base due to below-average speed and arm strength, and those stats came against weak pitching in the Southland Conference this year. (As far as I can tell, the Southland saw one pitcher drafted through the top 20 rounds this year, a lefty taken in the 16th.) … Jimmy LambertLuis Curbelo (6), who moved to Florida and played at Cocoa High School, will have to move to second or third but has good feel to hit and future average power.



Cleveland Indians

Cleveland took one of my favorite prep players with their second pick, which balanced out the slight reach of their first pick in a lot of ways -- in risk and in present skill set as well. The first pick was Will Benson (1), a very tooled-up high school outfielder from Georgia, a fantastic athlete with four present tools -- all he's missing is the most important one, the hit tool. He has changed his swing a bunch of times, and it still doesn't really work for him; he has plus raw power, but in games, he tends to hook everything he drives. He's a great student as well -- he has a commitment to Duke -- so there's a lot of optimism that he'll be able to learn quickly and make adjustments with pro coaches. Just bear in mind that so far, changing his swing hasn't produced results. … Second-rounder Nolan Jones (2) was a top-15 talent in my mind because the one thing he can really do is hit. He's a shortstop now but is already way too big for the position; I think he moves to third base now and may end up in right field, since he has a plus arm but is getting close to Kris Bryant size. His swing works, he has power to all fields, and he has a good idea at the plate.

Logan Ice (2A) is a bit of a sleeper, a very strong defensive catcher who couldn't do anything offensively before this spring, when he hit .310/.432/.563 for Oregon State. Before 2016, he didn't seem to have the strength to profile as even an average hitter, let alone having any power. That said, it won't take much offense for him to profile as an everyday catcher. … Aaron Civale (3) put up good numbers for Northeastern this year, but he's a bad-bodied 6-foot-1 right-hander who tops out at 91 with an average slider. He projects as an org starter or middle reliever. … Shane Bieber (4) may have his "beliebers" thanks to only 37 walks in 285 career innings for UC Santa Barbara, but he pitches with a grade-45 fastball and a fringy slider. This could (or should) be a money-saver to reallocate bonus pool money to the first two picks … or to Conner Capel (5), a fairly toolsy center fielder from a Houston-area high school who can run, field and throw but needs to get stronger to hit enough for everyday duty. He just turned 19 a few weeks ago, so he's an older high school kid, and he's committed to Texas. … Ulysses Cantu (6) is at the other end of the spectrum from Capel; he's strong, can hit and has some power, but has no position. He'll go out at third base but needs work there; he caught some this year in high school, but Cleveland has no plans to leave him there. … Kansas catcherMichael Tinsley (7) is like the yin to Logan Ice's yang, a solid hitter who never strikes out, but other than arm strength, he doesn't do anything even average behind the plate and will be a project back there. I don't know if the team's plan was to pair up picks like that -- Benson/Jones, Capel/Cantu, Ice/Tinsley -- but I like the portfolio it forms.

 

[Skooby]

Detroit Tigers

Sacramento prep right-hander Matt Manning (1) is a beast, a 6-foot-6 hoops star who has been up to 98 with a sharp spike curveball that most scouts felt Manning would have to scrap in favor of a traditional breaking ball. The Tigers are betting on his athleticism and off-speed development, but it's a bet I'd be willing to take with his size and fairly limited usage in high school. … They didn't pick again until the fourth round, when they took Kyle Funkhouser (4), who was a sandwich pick last year by the Dodgers and turned down something in the range of $2.2 million to return to Louisville. He won't get close to that this year, but he did see his stuff tick back up at the end of the spring, and there could be some hidden value here as a back-end starter or perhaps a power reliever. Before his fade last spring, he had been sitting 93-95 and would occasionally flash an above-average slider, although his control has always been a problem.

Mark Ecker (5) was the strike-machine closer for Texas A&M, a 6-foot right-hander who's 93-96 with a power curve and average changeup. He has a starter's arsenal and control -- four walks in 42 innings this year -- but his stride is short, so he has an abrupt finish and no downhill plane. … Austin Sodders (7) is a 6-foot-4 lefty who has been up to 92, but with no breaking ball and poor athleticism. … Jacob Robson (8) plays center for Mississippi State with 70 or 80 speed and a slap swing that produces no power at all; his ISO (isolated power) over four years for the Bulldogs was .057. … The Tigers also drafted Virginia shortstop Daniel Pinero (9) last year when he was sophomore-eligible; he's a below-average runner and is awkward at short, but he has enough feel to hit that he might end up finding his way to the majors at another position. … Mississippi State swingman Zac Houston (11) has been up to 97 and can miss bats with the pitch, although the delivery is rough and limits him to relief work. … Late picks of note include Drew Mendoza (36), probably unsignable and heading to college; Keegan Thompson (33), a potential top-two-rounds guy for 2017 who missed this year after Tommy John surgery; and Clemson starter Clate Schmidt (20), who has recovered from lymphoma during his junior year.



Houston Astros

The Astros started off with one of the best high school pitchers in the class, then followed up with largely college players, although not always the "good stats" guys you'd expect. Forrest Whitley (1) blew up this spring, showing up in better shape with a tick more velocity and a sharper curveball, with several teams considering him in the back of the top 10. He's great value where the Astros were picking and gives them one of the highest-upside arms in their system. … Ronnie Dawson (2) is built like a running back -- which he was in high school -- with a power/speed combination limited by his propensity to swing and miss. I thought he had more fourth-outfielder probability than upside to be a regular. … Tulane catcher Jake Rogers (3) is a plus defender all-around behind the plate but has shown no ability to hit, anywhere. He hit just .200/.289/.318 in conference play this year, and hit .233/.333/.309 across all games in his three years for the Green Wave.

Brett Adcock (4) walked 62 and struck out 100 in 78 innings for Michigan this spring. He's up to 94 with four pitches, including two breaking balls, so there's at least a floor of a lefty reliever here, but enough of an arsenal to try to develop him as a starter. His finish is very abrupt, which could be tied to the control issues. … Third baseman Abraham Toro-Hernandez (5) was born in Venezuela, raised in Montreal and drafted out of Seminole State College, a juco in Florida. He has a plus arm and showed power from both sides of the plate this year in a dominant season for the Trojans. He has caught in the past but is likely to go out as a third baseman. … Stephen Wrenn (6) was a good value pick, as he never quite recovered from getting hit in the face with a fly ball during a preseason practice and had a disappointing season. There's still too much swing and miss here, but he's a plus runner with a little pop and could still have everyday upside. … University of Houston right-hander Nick Hernandez (8) had an outstanding season as the Cougars' closer, working with a deceptive 91-92 mph fastball that he likes to use up in the zone and an improved slider in his first full year over from Alvin Community College.



Kansas City Royals

The Royals gave up their first-round pick to sign Ian Kennedy, so their first pick was A.J. Puckett (2) at No. 67 overall, whose mere eligibility for the draft is a miracle of science, as he once spent two weeks in a coma due to an epidural hematoma. Puckett posted a 1.27 ERA for Pepperdine this year with a fastball that has been up to 97 (mostly 92-94) and plus changeup. He rushes through his delivery, starting with an exaggerated leg kick and landing well before he has his arm pronated, so it's a little shocking that he throws as many strikes as he does, and I do worry about his arm health long-term. … Khalil Lee (3) was a two-way player at Flint Hill prep school in Fairfax County, Virginia, a fleet-footed outfielder and left-handed pitcher, with more scouts preferring him on the mound where he'd reach 94, although the Royals appear to want to develop him as a hitter.

Jace Vines (4) spent one year at Texas A&M, his third school in three years, and posted an ERA near 5.00 but with better peripherals.
He'll turn 22 in September and is 88-93 with a good body and repeatable delivery (but with a little wrist-wrap in back). … Cal Jones (6) is a 6-foot righty-hitting/righty-throwing outfielder from Alabama who was committed to the Crimson Tide. He's a plus runner, but he's a very long way off with the bat, probably a two-year rookie ball guy. … Oregon State senior Travis Eckert (7) sits 87-92, touching 94, with a fringy breaking ball and changeup. He's a solid athlete but will also turn 23 in September, so there's not much hope for projection. … Chris DeVito (8) is a big, stiff slugger with huge power and no position. He's nicknamed "Red Hercules" for his red hair, which is as good a reason as any to take him in the eighth round. … Vance Vizcaino (11) is the son of longtime Royals scout Junior Vizcaino, a senior sign out of Stetson who can run and has a sound swing but slumped this spring after a strong junior season for the Hatters.



Los Angeles Angels

Virginia catcher Matt Thaiss (1) was a very popular name among teams looking for a college bat in the first round because of his outstanding hand-eye coordination; Thaiss struck out only 16 times in 279 plate appearances this year, and while he hit 10 homers, he projects more as a hitter for average and doubles power in pro ball. He's a catcher now but a poor receiver and more likely to end up at another position. … Brandon Marsh (2) is a Georgia prep outfielder who has a plus arm, plus speed, projects for big power and has a big question mark around his hit tool. His swing gets long and he doesn't use his lower half enough to get to that power right now, making him something of a project pick. … Nonie Williams (3) is their most intriguing pick, a home-schooled shortstop from the Kansas City area who reclassified a year ago to enter the draft this year at age 18, rather than in 2017. He reminds me a bit of Jacoby Jones, another tall, athletic prep shortstop who was going to need another position in pro ball, with a lot of upside as a hitter and perhaps on defense at another position. Williams is a switch-hitter with a simpler swing left-handed, a plus runner, with power to come if the hit tool develops. The Angels haven't taken guys like Marsh and Williams since before Jerry Dipoto became GM, so this marks a real change in drafting direction.

Chris Rodriguez (4) was a very late pop-up guy, unusual for a Florida prep player, a slightly projectable right-hander who started showing big velocity late in the spring. … Georgia Tech shortstop Connor Justus (5) burst out with a huge year at the plate after slugging .315 his first two years for the Ramblin' Wreck. He has some uppercut to his swing but stays inside the ball OK, while in the field he's going to end up at second base. … Kansas City area prep armCole Duensing (6) is a max-effort guy with an upper 80s fastball and slow-roller curveball in the upper 60s. He's committed to Kansas State. … Jordan Zimmerman (7) with one "n" is a bat-first second baseman from Michigan State who may not stay on the dirt but can hit enough that he might end up a bench bat or utility player who can play some at second and bounce around the outfield corners. … The Angels also took Anthony Molina (13), who was featured heavily in Jeff Passan's book "The Arm." He looked like a first-rounder as an underclassman but lost some velocity and had off-field troubles, which cost him his college commitment.


Minnesota Twins

Alex Kirilloff (1) was one of the top power bats in the prep class, winning the home run derby at the Perfect Game All-American Classic last August. He plays center field now and pitches (upper 80s) but will end up in right field in pro ball, with real upside at the plate. … Ben Rortvedt (2) is one of two Wisconsin prep players to go in the top two rounds this year -- a banner season for the Badger State -- as a catcher who seems very unlikely to stay behind the plate but who projects to hit for average and get to 15-20 homer power. … Jose Miranda (2A) was the final cut from my final Big Board -- so you could say he truly was No. 101. He's a Puerto Rican shortstop who'll have to move to third base but shows a very advanced feel to hit, with some power projection as he fills out, although I think he'll be mostly a high-average/doubles guy. … Georgia prep outfielder Akil Baddoo (2A) is tooled-up with an appealing power-speed combo and explosive hands at the plate, although he wraps his bat, and his approach at the plate is still raw. … Griffin Jax (3) became the highest-drafted player out of the Air Force Academy -- the previous high was a 10th-rounder in 2013 -- thanks to a 92-94 mph fastball and power breaking ball at 83-84, coming from a very high slot that has everything coming straight down at the strike zone. He might have been a higher pick had he been at another school, without the threat of a military commitment (which the Air Force is apparently willing to defer). … St. John's senior righty Thomas Hackimer (4) is a sidearmer, throwing an average fastball with 55 life and a frisbee slider, but the low slot and lack of a third pitch means he's a right-handed specialist at best.

Canadian right-hander Jordan Balazovic (5) is young and super-projectable physically, up to 90 now with life and sporting a short, slurvy breaking ball that is pretty effective for its shape, but he has a really rough delivery, with an arm action like Daniel Hudson's. … Alex Schick (6) would probably have gone in the top 3-4 rounds had he not injured his knee in January, limiting him to only 13 mediocre innings this spring for the California Bears. He was in the same high school rotation as Brady Aiken, one year ahead of the Cleveland farmhand. … Bryant outfielder Matt Albanese (7) had a huge year at the plate but is a well below-average runner and defender in center with questions even around his power with wood bats.

 

[Skooby]

New York Yankees

The Yankees were the beneficiaries of one of the more surprising slips in the draft, as Blake Rutherford (1), a top-five pick coming into the year and still every bit the player we thought he was six months ago, slid all the way to 18 due to apparent concerns about his signability. Rutherford is already 19, and thus would be sophomore-eligible in 2018 if he had gone to UCLA, but at this point, I think he's going to sign. Rutherford can hit and has power, so while he may end up in left field, he still profiles as at least an above-average regular.

Nick Solak (2) was a quiet favorite of a lot of scouts -- I've heard from quite a few since this pick about how much they like him as a player -- as a hard-nosed player with a quick line-drive stroke and above-average speed, but no clear position. He played second for Louisville but might wind up in the outfield in pro ball. … Nolan Martinez (3) is a slightly projectable SoCal right-hander with a clean delivery, a fastball up to 93 and feel for an average curveball. I think he has more back-end upside, but a higher probability to get there because the delivery works. … Nick Nelson (4), a right-handed pitcher from Gulf Coast State College (formerly Community College), works with a plus fastball up to 95 and a plus curveball, with good command for his age, and his arm action and delivery point to future plus command as well. … South Carolina center fielder Dom Thompson-Williams (5) is a plus runner with enough pop to profile as a potential regular out there, at worst a good fourth outfielder thanks to his speed and plate discipline.

The Yankees then took college seniors in Rounds 6-10, probably to save money to pay Rutherford over slot. They did take Zach Linginfelter (16) on Day 3, but he's probably headed to Tennessee, where he'll be sophomore-eligible in 2018.



Oakland Athletics

The A's draft was largely one of opportunism; many of their picks were players who fell below their expected range in the draft or who slipped for non-performance reasons. A.J. Puk (1) was in the mix to go first or second overall, but the 6-foot-6 Florida Gators lefty had a very middling season, frequently failing to get past the fifth inning despite a 93-97 mph fastball and big changeup. His breaking ball is inconsistent, as is his command; his lower half is frequently out of sync with his upper half in his delivery, so even though he gets great extension out front, he doesn't have downhill plane on his stuff or depth on the breaking ball. Still, he's a giant lefty with arm strength, and the A's have nothing like him in their system. … Daulton Jefferies (1A) would have gone in the top 15-20 picks if healthy, but he had what's known as a SLAP tear (in the front of his shoulder) that cost him about six starts, although his velocity was fine when he returned late in Cal's season. He's a command right-hander without a clear out pitch and is just 6 feet tall so he lacks plane, but he should rip through the low minors because he throws everything for strikes (he had only 46 walks in 221 innings for the Golden Bears). … Florida's Logan Shore (2) is another command righty, 88-91 with an above-average changeup, succeeding with good deception and, like Jefferies, throwing a ton of strikes -- 59 walks in 300 innings and a career 2.46 ERA -- although I wish he had a better breaking ball.

Wright State catcher Sean Murphy (3) broke his hamate bone after just 28 at-bats this spring and wasn't completely recovered when he came back a month later, so his offensive stats suffered. He does have good bat control and, when he has all his hand strength, above-average to plus raw power. He has a plus-plus arm and projects to stay behind the plate, with a Mark Parent kind of floor and above-average regular catcher ceiling. … Right-hander Skylar Szynski(4), from an Indianapolis-area high school, is 89-93 from a high three-quarters slot that gets him some downhill plane and depth on his power 12-to-6 curveball. He even has some feel for a lively low-80s changeup, and the delivery works very well. I thought he'd go about a round higher. … Kentucky third baseman JaVon Shelby (5) tested positive for Adderall in MLB's pre-draft drug testing, and also hit only .212/.335/.470 with 67 strikeouts in 236 plate appearances.

In a bit of draft comedy, the A's took diminutive Gonzaga starter Brandon Bailey (6), who is often compared to former A's farmhand Bubba Derby (now with Milwaukee), with their sixth-round pick. And who did they take in the sixth round last year? Bubba Derby. How about that? Bailey is generously listed at 5-foot-10, works at 90-93 with a slider and changeup, and pitches very aggressively. He profiles as a good middle reliever or better. … Minnesota right-hander Dalton Sawyer (9), a college senior, probably begins in pro ball as a starter but ends up in the pen, possessing a fastball up to 94 but more of a reliever's arm stroke. … Stetson right-hander Mitchell Jordan (10) is a finesse right-hander, throwing strikes with a fringe or below-average fastball. He's probably an org starter in the end, but with enough command and feel to bear watching.



Seattle Mariners

Everyone thought the Mariners would take Boston College right-hander Justin Dunn, and maybe they would have, but when Mercer outfielder Kyle Lewis (1) fell to pick 11, he was their selection. Lewis has 30-homer upside, probably ends up in right field and has some mechanical stuff to work out at the plate, starting with the high leg kick that I think interferes with his timing. This draft had little power, especially right-handed power, and Lewis was one of the best in the class for that. … Virginia prep infielder Joe Rizzo (2) is a bat-first prospect, with a future-plus hit tool but questionable power and no shot to play on the dirt other than at first base. … Bryson Brigman (3) is one of those plays-hard-all-the-time types that scouts love more than the numbers would. He can run, never strikes out or walks and has grade-30 power, so you have to think he'll either stay at shortstop or succeed with a move to center field.

Alabama right-hander Thomas Burrows (4) could be a quick-moving reliever, 92-95 from a low three-quarters slot with plus life and a hard sweeping slider; he struck out a third of the guys he faced this year. … Oklahoma State shortstop Donovan Walton (5) is a senior sign, perhaps a money-saving pick. He has limited tools, lacking the power to profile at second or third. … Brandon Miller (6) played at Millersville University, a Division II school in Pennsylvania. He's 90-93 with some sink, throwing four pitches, with the curve and slider both showing average. The arm isn't quick and the body is not projectable, but he has present command and control that should help him succeed in the low minors. … Arizona State third baseman David Greer (10) won't turn 21 for a few more weeks. He has good hand-eye and feel to hit, below-average game power and likely will end up at first base. … UCLA right fielder Eric Filia (20) is an interesting pick, a fifth-year senior who missed two years after getting caught plagiarizing a paper. He returned this season to hit .295/.415/.411 with a very high contact rate and seemed to be able to square up good velocity even with the long layoff.



Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays took one of the more prominent boom-or-bust prospects in the draft in Georgia prepster Josh Lowe (1), who played third and pitched for Pope High School (Marietta, Georgia), although many scouts projected him to move to center field. Lowe has real, now power, is a solid athlete overall, and of course has a plus-plus arm. There's a lot of swing and miss to his game, however, which is why I think he created two very distinct camps; some teams were all-in on him as a first-rounder, and the rest were totally out. The upside here is substantial -- a 30-homer bat somewhere at a skill position -- but with the risk that he'll strike out too much to get to the power. … Ryan Boldt (2) was a first-round talent out of high school, but he played one game between bad weather and a knee injury his senior year, so he went to Nebraska, where he has been solid but not up to expectations. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds and looking bigger, he still hits like a little guy, slapping everything the other way when he has the strength and bat speed to pull the ball for power. If the Rays can unlock that, they got great value for the pick; if not, he's safe, certainly a big leaguer, but maybe just a fringe regular in a corner.

LSU outfielder Jake Fraley (2A) has to play in center to profile as a regular. He can run and has a contact-oriented swing without power, so he'll have a hard time remaining an everyday player in a corner. … Austin Franklin (3) is a raw right-hander from the Florida panhandle with a live arm, featuring a low-90s fastball but a high release point and unpolished (but not necessarily bad) delivery. … Easton McGee (4) is a very intriguing projection right-hander with a good delivery and arm action, a lot of upper 80s now with great extension out front from his 6-foot-7 frame. His curveball doesn't have great spin, although I suppose that might pick up as he gains velocity. He also restores the balance of the universe by putting a McGee back in Tampa's system. … Right-hander Mikey York (5) was 90-94 for College of Southern Nevada this year, his first back from Tommy John surgery, flashing an average curveball, with some cross-body in his delivery. … J.D. Busfield (7) struggled in Loyola Marymount's rotation this year and was only slightly better last year, so despite his size (6-foot-7) and occasional above-average velocity, he's a project. … Zach Thompson (11) is another project. After recovering from a 2015 shoulder injury, he touched 95 this spring and flashed a plus curveball. It seems like after the first day, the Rays wanted to load up on prep arms who were projectable either on physical development or delivery refinement.

 

[Skooby]

Texas Rangers

The Rangers gave up their first-round pick to sign Ian Desmond -- a move I didn't like, but one that has worked out extremely well for Texas -- so their top selection was Cole Ragans (1A) in the compensation round. The lefty from the Florida panhandle has intriguing physical projection with some present feel to pitch; he's 89-92 from a high slot with depth on his curveball, but his delivery is awful, as he lands offline, which forces him to come back across (and over) his body at release. There's No. 2 starter upside here, but a lot of development remains. … Alex Speas (2) is a typical Rangers pick as a highly athletic prep kid from Georgia, in this case a pitcher rather than an outfielder. Speas looks like the perfect starter physically, and his arm is loose and quick, but he has legit grade-20 command; some guys can't hit the broad side of a barn, but Speas might not even get it in the right county. However, if your system is loaded, which Texas' is, and your major league team is good, which is also true here, there's a spot to take a beautiful arm like this and see if you can mold it into a pitcher.

Orlando-area prepster Kole Enright (3) is a switch-hitting third baseman with strong hands that produce power, although his body lacks projection, and he might not be athletic enough to stay at third. … Pitt shortstop Charles Leblanc(4) will move to second base but is very interesting, given his youth (he turned 20 last week, after his season ended), his swing and his performance, including a .494 OBP, good for 17th in all of Division I. He's an average runner without the footwork for short, but should be more than adequate at second. He was eligible as a 20-year-old sophomore because he had completed a 13th year of grade school in Canada. … Lefty Kyle Roberts (5) touches the mid-90s with projection remaining and has a good slider, but he walked 43 in 46 innings this year for Henry Ford (Community) College (along with 71 strikeouts). I'm not sure I'd want him and Speas on the same staff.

Kyle Cody (6) was drafted last year in the second round by the Twins but didn't sign, and actually threw much better this year than last, only to go a hundred picks later. I'd send him out as a starter, but I think he might profile as an elite reliever who could sit in the upper 90s with a high-80s slider. … Arizona prep catcher Sam Huff (7) receives well and has an average arm, but the bat speed is just fair, and it has to improve if he's going to go face pro pitching. …Hever Bueno (9) is an unusual pick: He threw just six innings for Arizona State this year, touching 97 with a plus change and average slider, but hurt his elbow and is having Tommy John surgery next week. I don't know his opinion on the frequency of 'urricanes in 'artford, 'ereford and 'ampshire, though.



Toronto Blue Jays

T.J. Zeuch (1) missed the first month of the season because of a groin injury, then came back throwing 92-95 from a very high slot that made the ball really tough for hitters to elevate. The secondary stuff just isn't there now and you don't see a lot of successful starters from that arm slot, so while he has to go out as a starter, he has a lot of reliever risk for a first-rounder. … J.B. Woodman (2) is a four-tool player, minus the one that matters -- the hit tool -- having led the Cape Cod League in strikeouts last summer and continuing to swing and miss all spring against better quality pitching. He can put on a show in workouts and may have a chance to stay in center, but the strikeout rate is likely to be enormous. … Bo Bichette (2), yet another son of former major leaguer Dante to be a prospect, is a better hitter than his older brother Dante Jr. (in the Yankees' system) and a better athlete as well. Bo has the potential to hit for average with 15-18 homers, probably at second base or third. His swing and approach remain noisy but he has quieted them substantially since last spring, and he showed last summer he could hit high-quality pitching.

Zach Jackson (3) was handled strangely at the University of Arkansas this year, serving as a swingman rather than given one consistent role. He has a fast arm with a mid-90s fastball and hard slider, profiling as a reliever due to his long arm stroke and poor fastball command. … Auburn center fielder Joshua Palacios (4) is a 'tweener, lacking the speed for center in pro ball or the power or on-base skills for either corner. … Cavan Biggio (5), son of Hall of Famer Craig, played second base for Notre Dame this year, getting on base but hitting for little power. He's not capable of handling second going forward, requiring a move to left or first that, given his lack of pop, probably makes him an org player. … D.J. Daniels (6) is a strong two-sport athlete who had an awful swing, sporting no load, no trigger and no weight transfer whatsoever. He's an average runner who'll need a swing makeover to hit for any kind of power, and maybe to hit at all.

I don't like giving draft grades, as I note in the lead, or even calling any draft class the "worst," but I can say this is my "least favorite" of all 30, considering the picks and pool available, as well as the players taken.

 

[Frump]

Five NBA draft trades we'd like to see

 

[Skooby]

Five NBA draft trades we'd like to see

Five game-changing NBA draft trades we'd love to see



There's a flurry of trade talk happening around the NBA draft.

Here are five big trades that make sense, featuring five top-10 draft picks, six All-Stars and 11 teams -- including the Lakers, Celtics, Sixers, Knicks and Cavs.


We are not reporting these deals as actual trade talks. But in each case the teams involved have been rumored to be talking about various scenarios.





The massive three-teamer
Knicks send: Carmelo Anthony and Robin Lopez to Cleveland
Cavaliers send: Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Mo Williams and Sasha Kaun to Phoenix
Suns send: Eric Bledsoe to Cleveland; Brandon Knight, Alex Len, P.J. Tucker, Archie Goodwin and the Nos. 4 and 13 picks to New York

View in ESPN's trade machine

Why the Cavs do it: If the Cavs fail to beat the Warriors in the Finals, it might be time to make some changes. Love still seems like an awkward fit. Irving is special but hasn't clicked consistently with LeBron James the last two years, despite Irving's incredible scoring display in Monday's Game 5.

This deal brings in two players LeBron has wanted to play with for a while: Anthony and Bledsoe. Would this be a talent upgrade? Maybe, maybe not.

But chemistry seems to be a significant issue in Cleveland and the hope would be for a trade like this to improve the team's synergy -- and its chances to win a title. Also, Lopez would be a serviceable big man to help control the paint.

Why the Suns do it: Owner Robert Sarver has been eager to avoid a total rebuild in Phoenix. This would give him a chance to make a big splash right now. Irving has a higher ceiling than Bledsoe and is two years younger. Love would fill a huge gap at the 4.

Most importantly, it also allows the Suns to do this while still hanging on to Devin Booker, whom they are very high on. With Knight departing in this trade, Booker could step into the starting lineup for Phoenix right away.

Why the Knicks do it: First of all, Anthony has the ability to veto any trades. But given his friendship with LeBron and his desire to compete for an NBA championship, it's quite possible he would endorse this deal.

The Knicks would get multiple pieces for Melo and speed up the rebuild around Kristaps Porzingis. The big prize would be the No. 4 pick in the draft. That pick should be able to net them Kris Dunn, Jamal Murray, Marquese Chriss,Jaylen Brown or Buddy Hield.

The No. 13 pick should land a player like Dejounte Murray, Wade Baldwin or Furkan Korkmaz. In short, there's a lot of talent there. Len was the No. 5 pick in 2013 and still has terrific upside. Goodwin is only 21 and a solid scorer.

While this trade wouldn't improve the Knicks' record by much next season, it would give them a solid foundation for building a contender down the road. Knicks fans might hate rebuilding, but this is the way to go.





The Jimmy Butler deal
Bulls send: Jimmy Butler to Minnesota
Wolves send: No. 5 pick, Zach LaVine, Gorgui Dieng and Nikola Pekovic to Chicago

View trade in ESPN's trade machine

Why the Wolves do it: Because coach Tom Thibodeau loves Butler. Thibodeau has plenty of elite young players on the roster. He wants to put them in a winning culture and Butler would help tremendously with that.

The Wolves won't be the only team pursing Butler and this package might not be enough. But if Thibs could get this done, it's a slam dunk.

Why the Bulls do it: The Bulls are potentially facing a total rebuild. Pau Gasol might leave via free agency. Derrick Rose looks like he'll never be able to fully bounce back after several years of injuries.

Getting the No. 5 pick -- they really covet Dunn -- along with LaVine and Dieng, to go along with their own No. 14 pick, would allow the Bulls to start the rebuild process quickly.

The Celtics might be able to make a better offer, so keep an eye on that. Either way, the Bulls are likely missing the playoffs again next year. But this kind of deal would give them significant hope for the future.





The Lakers-Celtics swap
Lakers send: D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle to Boston
Celtics send: Picks Nos. 3 and 16 along with Jonas Jerebko, R.J. Hunter and Jordan Mickey to Los Angeles

View in ESPN's trade machine

Why the Lakers do it: The Lakers have hoped Russell would be the face of the franchise, post-Kobe Bryant, after drafting him with the No. 2 pick a year ago. It might still work out. But so far, it hasn't gone as hoped.

Russell struggled early in the year and turned the locker room against him after the Nick Young incident. Given Russell's high draft value, there is reason to believe the Lakers might be better off moving him and giving him a fresh start while finding comparable young players.

The Lakers hold the No. 2 pick in the draft, likely to be Brandon Ingram, and are enamored with two other prospects: Dunn and Chriss.

Adding either player -- along with another mid-first-round pick, plus other young prospects like Hunter and Mickey -- would give them a stronger base to build upon.

Why the Celtics do it: The Celtics would essentially get two picks for the price of one. Russell can do many of the things Evan Turner did for Boston last year, but for less money with far more upside. Randle is an athletic, versatile 4 -- another need on Boston's list.

It's clear the Celtics would prefer to package these picks along with other players on their roster for a veteran superstar. But that trade might not be available

This would give the Celtics two players who are a little more ready to come in and contribute right now and grow with a team full of young veterans.





Big for small
Sixers send: Jahlil Okafor to New Orleans
Pelicans send: No. 6 pick and Alexis Ajinca to Philadelphia

View in ESPN's trade machine

Why the 76ers do it: They don't believe Okafor and Nerlens Noel can thrive together on the court. Head coach Brett Brown wants to play fast, which makes Okafor more expendable.

In addition to likely taking Ben Simmons with the No. 1 pick, the Sixers would love to add a guard in the draft. Dunn, Jamal Murray or Hield should still be on the board at No. 6.

Why the Pelicans do it: Pairing Anthony Davis and Okafor gives them a powerful front court. It also allows them to shop Omer Asik for another potential backcourt player.

New Orleans isn't a perfect fit for Okafor -- I'm not sure there is one -- but this is the best the Sixers will do if they want to land another top pick.





The backcourt boosts
Hawks send: Jeff Teague and Thabo Sefolosha to Sacramento
Kings send: No. 8 pick, Kosta Koufos and Ben McLemore to Atlanta

View in ESPN's trade machine

Why the Hawks do it: The Hawks are shopping Teague hard. It looks like Dennis Schroder is their point guard of the future. This would give them a chance at a prospect like Jaylen Brown, Hield or maybe Jamal Murray to pair with Schroder. Or they could go in a different direction and take a big man like Jakob Poeltl or Skal Labissiere.

McLemore hasn't been great in Sacramento, but maybe a chance of scenery would do him good.

Why the Kings do it: The Kings are in playoff-or-bust mode. The last thing they want is another rookie (especially given their awful track record in developing them).

Teague would give them a very good starting point guard and keep them from overpaying Rajon Rondo. Sefolosha would give them a veteran 2-guard to help as well.

 

[Alexander The Great]

LeBron having best NBA Finals ever?

 

[Skooby]

LeBron having best NBA Finals ever?

Is LeBron James having the best Finals ever?



Is LeBron James putting up the best NBA Finals performance ever by an individual player?

Have any of the NBA's biggest stars, from Michael Jordan to Wilt Chamberlain, shined this brightly on the biggest stage?

After James put together another 41-point double-double to help his Cleveland Cavaliers force a deciding Game 7 on Sunday, it's worth considering how his Finals compares with the best in NBA history. James is now averaging 30.2 points, 11.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game and leads the Finals in all three categories -- plus steals and blocks, too.


Ranking LeBron's Finals by points, rebounds and assists

If we're looking for the best Finals ever, we have to start with basic player stats. After all, throughout the Finals careers of Chamberlain and Bill Russell, the NBA merely tracked points, rebounds and assists by players. For that matter, we don't even have assists before 1960, so I used that as my cutoff.

It doesn't make sense to just use raw points, rebounds and assists per game because that doesn't take into account the decline in pace since the high-scoring 1960s. When Elgin Baylor averaged 40.6 points per game in the 1962 Finals, he accounted for a lower percentage of the total points in the series (17.5 percent) than James did in averaging 35.8 points last year (18.5 percent).

I used similar measures (the percentage of series totals for both teams) for rebounds and assists. Surprisingly, adding those three percentages yields a top 10 made up exclusively of post-1978 Finals and headlined by James' last two.

NBA Finals production
Player Team Year Pts% Reb% Ast% Total
LeBron James CLE 2015 .185 .145 .227 .557
LeBron James CLE 2016 .148 .136 .208 .493
Michael Jordan CHI 1991 .162 .088 .243 .492
LeBron James MIA 2012 .143 .130 .219 .492
Tim Duncan SAS 2003 .142 .192 .153 .488
Magic Johnson LAL 1991 .096 .107 .264 .467
Shaquille O'Neal LAL 2001 .170 .180 .116 .465
Magic Johnson LAL 1988 .106 .070 .277 .453
Kobe Bryant LAL 2009 .169 .071 .213 .453
Magic Johnson LAL 1987 .116 .098 .239 .452

The best pre-merger Finals by this performance were Russell in 1962 and 1963, at .448 and .441, respectively. Those are followed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1974 (.427) and a pair of Chamberlain Finals six years apart (.425 in 1964 with San Francisco and .414 with the L.A. Lakers in 1970).

If James' 2016 Finals can be said to be better than any before 1978, that allows us to use more advanced measures to rank how he has played. After all, while he certainly carried a heavier load than anyone else a year ago, it's hard to call James' 2015 Finals the best ever when he had a .477 true shooting percentage. James has been much more efficient with more help this time around.


Ranking LeBron's Finals since 1978

Using advanced stats, it's possible to compare James' Finals effort to other players since 1978, the first year the NBA tracked individual turnovers. Since then, James' 2.18 wins above replacement player (WARP) by my metric rank second, behind Tim Duncan in the San Antonio Spurs' 2003 win over the New Jersey Nets. Meanwhile, James' 2015 Finals comes in 18th.

Most Finals WARP
Player Team Year WARP
Tim Duncan San Antonio 2003 2.56
LeBron James Cleveland 2016 2.18
Dwyane Wade Miami 2006 2.16
Shaquille O'Neal L.A. Lakers 2000 2.08
Magic Johnson L.A. Lakers 1988 2.08
Hakeem Olajuwon Houston 1994 2.01
LeBron James Miami 2013 2.00
* Since 1978

With another big effort, James could surpass Duncan for the most WARP in a Finals. Of course, he'll have the advantage of playing seven games. The other three players among the top four on the list all saw their teams win in six games, and shouldn't be punished for taking care of business earlier. The better measure is WARP per Finals game, which yields a slightly different list.

Most Finals WARP per game
Player Team Year WARP/G
Tim Duncan San Antonio 2003 .427
Michael Jordan Chicago 1991 .399
Shaquille O'Neal L.A. Lakers 2001 .383
LeBron James Cleveland 2016 .364
Dwyane Wade Miami 2006 .360
Tim Duncan San Antonio 1999 .360
Shaquille O'Neal L.A. Lakers 2002 .359
Shaquille O'Neal L.A. Lakers 2000 .347
* Since 1978

This version appropriately gets Michael Jordan on the list -- he has three others in the top 20 -- and shows just how dominant Shaquille O'Neal was during the Lakers' five-game win over the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001 and their sweep of the Nets the following year.

James doesn't fare quite as well here, but the series hasn't concluded yet, giving him the opportunity to move up. He's been getting stronger over the course of the Finals, with his best two performances coming in the last two games. According to Basketball-Reference.com, in Game 6 James had the best game score (invented by former ESPN Insider John Hollinger to summarize box-score contributions in a single game) in its Finals database, which dates back to 1984. And that came after James' Game 5 performance, which rated third by the same measure.

Even if James isn't having the best modern Finals, he's surely having the most versatile one. Consider that since 1978, 482 players have seen at least 100 minutes of action in a Finals series. Of them, James ranks in the top 20 in assists (9.4, 20th) and steals (3.3, 16th) per 100 team plays, blocks (5.4, 16th) per 100 opponent 2-point attempts and usage rate (.336, 15th).


LeBron the MVP, win or lose

After exploring the history of MVPs on losing teams, I made the case before Game 6 of last year's Finals that James should be the MVP no matter the outcome. Remarkably, his case is even stronger this year. Not only has James played better, no Warriors player has been as good this year as Stephen Curry and 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala (who beat James 7-4 in balloting among 11 voters) were in last year's Finals.

In the event the Cavaliers come up short, James' current edge over the second-best player in WARP would be the largest ever for a player on the losing team.

Best losing Finals performances
Player Team Year WARP Edge
LeBron James CLE 2016 2.18 1.13
Dwyane Wade MIA 2011 1.80 .97
Shawn Kemp SEA 1996 1.60 .46
LeBron James CLE 2015 1.74 .34
Julius Erving PHI 1982 1.18 .32
Chauncey Billups DET 2005 1.60 .21
LeBron James MIA 2014 1.31 .20
Karl Malone UTA 1998 1.60 .03

Moreover, the No. 2 player in WARP in this series is Cleveland teammate Kyrie Irving (1.05). The top Golden State player by this metric is Curry at 0.70 WARP. So regardless of what happens in Game 7, I think James is again the MVP of this series.

As for best Finals, that's going to require another huge outing from James on Sunday night. The one thing missing from his 2016 Finals résumé is a strong clutch performance. James hasn't even really had an opportunity to play well in the clutch since every game has been decided by double figures. If Game 7 is close and James stamps his imprint on the fourth quarter to lead the Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit in the series, he'll be able to make a strong case for the best Finals performance ever.

 

[iTripCripples]

Will LeBron pass Michael Jordan for greatest of all time?

 

[Lucky_Lefty]

Will LeBron pass Michael Jordan for greatest of all time?

When ESPN's panel voted on the greatest NBA players of all time at midseason,LeBron James finished in third place, behind Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Now it's worth revisiting that list after James won his third Finals MVP in leading his Cleveland Cavaliers to the first comeback from a 3-1 series deficit in NBA Finals history, giving Cleveland its first major professional sports championship since 1954.

What will it take for James to be No. 1? And after this postseason, is he already in second place?


James' résumé
Truthfully, whether the Cavaliers won or lost a game that wasn't decided until the final minute shouldn't change James' historical legacy much. His performance in this series was equally brilliant no matter the result.
If anything, James' ability to claim another championship trophy highlights how strong his historical résumé already was. For instance, at just age 31, James has four MVP awards and ranks among the NBA's top 25 in total points (11th), assists (18th) and steals (24th).

In part because of the expansion of the postseason, James' playoff numbers stack up even better historically. Sunday's Game 7 was the 199th game of James' playoff career -- just eight players have played in more. James already ranks fourth in career postseason scoring, third in assists and ninth in rebounds.

In addition, James' third Finals MVP (which, we should admit, is an award that didn't exist until 1969) puts him even with Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal and behind only Jordan (six).

And there's even stronger evidence to back up the argument for putting James near the top of the list.

James' championships added
The goal is to win, and to give your team its best chance to win championships, and that's where James really has stood out.

By the championships added measure I introduced in January, James has put himself on the short list of the most valuable players in history.

Championships added uses Basketball-Reference.com's win shares to estimate how much a player helped his team's chances of winning the title each regular season and playoffs, also factoring in awards for a subjective component.

Because championships added emphasizes peak performance over compiling statistics with longevity, James looks great by this metric. When I ranked players in February, he came in third behind Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.

Each additional season, including this one, gives James more opportunities. I estimate based on his win shares and All-NBA First Team selection that he added 0.115 championships during the regular season and another 0.24 during the playoffs -- in other words, this credits James for a quarter of a title based only on his playoff performance, and that might be conservative, given that he posted two of the three best Finals games since 1984 by the game score metric,both in potential elimination games.

There are three components to championships added, and James is moving up in all three: regular season, awards and postseason.

If we look at regular season only, James is fourth, moving ahead of Karl Malone:


Championships Added (Regular Season)
PLAYER CHAMPIONSHIPS ADDED
1. Wilt Chamberlain 3.04
2. Michael Jordan 2.19
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2.15
4. LeBron James 1.89
5. Karl Malone 1.63

Based on his four MVP trophies and 10 appearances on the All-NBA First Team (plus two more Second Team nods), James is now second in estimated championships added based on awards:

Awards Championships Added
PLAYER CHAMPIONSHIPS ADDED
1. Michael Jordan 3.05
2. LeBron James 2.83
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2.72
4. Larry Bird 2.26
5. Shaquille O'Neal 2.07
And then there's the playoffs. Adding 2016 puts James atop the list of postseason championships added:

Postseason Championships Added
PLAYER CHAMPIONSHIPS ADDED
1. LeBron James 1.78
2. Michael Jordan 1.67
3. Wilt Chamberlain 1.53
4. Bill Russell 1.52
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1.34
If that seems preposterous, remember that James has now played in more Finals than Jordan. And while it didn't always translate into victories for his team, James' best Finals performances have rated better individually than Jordan's best.

James also won his three championships in an era with 29 other competitors for the title, as compared to the relatively few teams Russell's Celtics had to beat out (as few as seven in some seasons, as many as 13 in another). Combining all three as I did for my rankings (the average of regular-season and playoff scores, added to the playoffs) brings James to 4.13 championships added in his career, decimal points ahead of Chamberlain and only a little behind Jordan.

Total Championships Added
PLAYER CHAMPIONSHIPS ADDED
1. Michael Jordan 4.29
2. LeBron James 4.13
3. Wilt Chamberlain 4.06
4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 3.77
5. Bill Russell 2.91
There's still room for debate of the precise order of the top five. Chamberlain's score is still within the margin of error with James. If you favor contributions to winning over individual performance or believe win shares short-change him, Russell could be the pick for No. 2, and Abdul-Jabbar -- the leader by a wide margin in career win shares -- remains the choice of those who believe in longevity over peak performance.

But with another peak James postseason, at the very least this much can be said: There's nobody but Jordan who clearly ranks ahead of him in NBA history. And if and when we vote for all-time #NBArank again, James will be No. 2 on my ballot.

Can James become the GOAT?
Putting James second would leave only one more peak to conquer: Jordan himself, for the title of greatest of all time. From the perspective of championships added, Jordan is within sight. A couple of more seasons like James' standard would push him past Jordan for No. 1.

For some fans, that notion is unthinkable. For those observers, Jordan's perfect 6-0 record in the Finals, and the disappointing finish to James' 2010 and 2011 postseasons, rules out the possibility of a change at the top. But if we're looking for the player who has done the most to give his team the best chance, James is knocking on the door. And the discussion may shift quickly if James can surpass Jordan's career totals in years to come.

For most people, James probably needs at least another championship -- and maybe two more -- to get in the discussion with Jordan. Sunday's win gives him a more realistic path to getting there.

 

[Max.]

NBA trade ideas: Love, Cousins, Melo, more

 

[Lucky_Lefty]

NBA trade ideas: Love, Cousins, Melo, more

As the trade talk heats up, here are five big deals that would make sense, featuring four top-10 draft picks, six All-Stars and 12 teams.


Last week, we offered five draft trades I believe would work for both teams.

We are not reporting these deals as actual trade talks. But in each case, the teams involved have been rumored to be talking about various scenarios.

The Boogie
Kings send: DeMarcus Cousins to OKC; No. 8 pick to New Orleans
Thunder send: Steven Adams and Cameron Payne to Sacramento; Enes Kanter to New Orleans
Pelicans send: Omer Asik to OKC; Tyreke Evans to Sacramento

View in ESPN's trade machine

Why the Thunder do it: OKC came incredibly close to knocking off the Warriors this year, but once again, the Thunder fell short.

Assuming Kevin Durant agrees to a short-term deal to return, the Thunder have to do everything they can to try to win a title before facing the possibility of both KD and Russell Westbrook leaving in the summer of 2017.

Cousins is a huge risk. Talent wise, he's a major upgrade. But his character would test the Thunder's culture. If he would buy in, they'd be the favorites to win it all. But it's a big if.

Why the Kings do it: Cousins has been more trouble than he's worth. Vlade Divac really wants to reset the team without going back into rebuilding mode.

Both Adams and Evans would help right away, and Payne could be the long-term answer at point guard. While this trade may be a small downgrade talent wise, it would be a major upgrade for team culture. Adams and Evans would bring toughness, and that's something the Kings need.

Why the Pelicans do it: Kanter could be a nice fit next to Anthony Davis. Kanter's an offensive powerhouse but a liability on the defensive end. Pairing him with Davis in the front court should cover many of his weaknesses.

And grabbing the eighth pick would allow the Pelicans to get help at both backcourt positions. Some combination of Buddy Hield, Jamal Murray, Kris Dunn and Jaylen Brown might be there for them with the No. 6 and No. 8 picks in the draft.

In the long run, this looks like a very good move for the Pelicans. They would be getting a lot of value for Asik and Evans.

The do-over
Suns send: Brandon Knight, Alex Len, Jon Leuer and picks Nos. 4 and 28
Spurs send: LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills, Jonathan Simmons and No. 29 pick

View trade in ESPN's trade machine

Why the Spurs do it: It's very tough to break up a team that won 67 games last season. But Father Time is coming for the Spurs.

Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are all slowing down significantly. If they don't act quickly to retool on the fly, the Spurs could be in for a much longer rebuilding process down the road.

Aldridge was good for them this year, but he doesn't look good enough to carry this team with Kawhi Leonard. Knight would give them a young, athletic combo-guard who can play both backcourt positions. Len has some real potential in the paint. And those two lottery picks from the Suns should allow San Antonio to add two talented young pieces to its core.

If they could walk away with Dragan Bender or Kris Dunn, then the Spurs would have a nice, youthful foundation going forward without having to bottom out. In fact, I think this roster would still be a playoff team in the West.

Why the Suns do it: Owner Robert Sarver has been pretty impatient in Phoenix. While they look like they are rebuilding, the Suns are trying to follow the Celtics' blueprint of collecting valuable players and picks and flipping them into veteran stars.

Aldridge was a player the Suns pursued avidly in 2015, and he showed interest in playing in Phoenix. He would fit a major need for the Suns at the 4, immediately improving their chances of being a powerful playoff team in the West. And while the cost of a lottery pick, Knight and Len is high, the Suns would still get to hang onto their most coveted young piece in Devin Booker as well as Eric Bledsoe.

The combination of Aldridge, Booker, Bledsoe and T.J. Warren should be a formidable one.

The Bulls-Bucks swap
Bulls send: Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson and No. 14 pick
Bucks send: Jabari Parker, Khris Middleton, Greg Monroe and Tyler Ennis

View in ESPN's trade machine

Why the Bulls do it: With both Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol likely leaving via free agency this summer, and with Rose struggling to regain his MVP form, it looks as if now is the time to rebuild. Adding Parker, Middleton and Monroe would get the team significantly younger without sacrificing talent. All three are potential 20 points-per-game scorers.

Parker is the real prize here. The former No. 2 pick in the draft is from Chicago, is just 21 years old, and still has a bright future in the league. While the defense will suffer, that's not where the Bulls and Fred Hoiberg need to improve.

Why the Bucks do it: The Bucks regressed back to the mean last season, and coach Jason Kidd, fresh off a three-year extension, wants a contender, not a rebuilding project.

While the Bucks have turned down several offers for Parker already this offseason, landing a player of Butler's quality could cause them to change their mind about moving the young forward.

Butler and Gibson would improve the defensive profile of the team significantly, and Butler would be the best scorer the team has had in Kidd's tenure.

Rose, released from the expectations of his home fans in Chicago, might be able to flourish under Kidd's coaching, and the Bucks still have two lottery picks to keep adding young talent. At No. 10 and 14, the Bucks should be able to get their hands on both a young big like Jakob Poeltl and a young point guard likeDejounte Murray or Wade Baldwin.

Add it all up, and this Bucks team would be a playoff contender next season.

The Love-Melo trade
Knicks send: Carmelo Anthony to Cleveland
Wolves send: Tyus Jones to Cleveland; Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng,Nikola Pekovic and No. 5 pick to New York
Cavs send: Kevin Love to Minnesota

View in ESPN's trade machine

Why the Knicks do it: Melo loves the Knicks. But he's 31 years old. The Knicks are not going to be contenders anytime soon. If he's ever going to get a shot at being a major contributor to a championship team, it's now. I think the Cavs are one team for which he'd be willing to waive his no-trade clause.

The Knicks, in the meantime, would pick up significant pieces at multiple positions. Dieng is a 26-year-old center. Muhammad would add scoring punch off the bench and with the No. 5 pick, New York could bring back a talented young guard like Kris Dunn or Jamal Murray.

The Knicks would be younger and better in the long run.

Why the Cavs do it: Kevin Love hasn't been the fit the Cavs had hoped for, although his workmanlike performance in Sunday's Game 7 made the case for the Cavs bringing him back. But if Cleveland isn't sold on Love as a key part of its future, adding Melo to the mix, a player LeBron James has coveted for a while, would give the Cavs another strong scoring option that plays with more versatility than Love.

Melo is older than Love, but the Cavs' window with LeBron is another two to three years. Melo should keep contributing at a high level for that long.

Why the Wolves do it: The Timberwolves dumped Love two summers ago to get younger, and it paid off. Andrew Wiggins was the direct result of the trade, and Karl-Anthony Towns was the indirect result.

But now that Minnesota has its two young cornerstones in place, Love looks like a terrific fit in between Wiggins and Towns. He isn't a great defender, which may give the Wolves pause, but I think he'd flourish back in Minnesota.

The Okafor deal

Sixers send: Jahlil Okafor, Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry and picks Nos. 24 and No. 26
Celtics send: Avery Bradley, Terry Rozier, R.J. Hunter and picks Nos. 16 and No. 23

View in ESPN's trade machine

Why the Sixers do it: The team has been shopping Okafor around the league and finding out he doesn't have the trade value they hoped he would. And withBen Simmons expected to come aboard and Joel Embiid looking as if he might be able to play this season, Okafor just isn't a great fit in Philly.

Plus, the Sixers are going to need to surround Simmons with players who complement him -- especially shooters and elite defenders. Bradley is both; he's an especially good fit if the Sixers decide to play Simmons as a point guard on offense.

Rozier would give the Sixers a tough backup point guard, and Hunter is the sort of shooter who could help them if he hold his own defensively. The No. 16 and No. 23 picks would be upgrades over what the Sixers already have, and with No. 16 especially, the Sixers might be able to add another valuable contributor to the roster.

Why the Celtics do it: The Celtics get a big man they've liked a lot in Okafor without having to give up the No. 3 pick or core young players Marcus Smartand Kelly Olynyk. Okafor immediately helps them in the middle, and the Celtics can replace Bradley with the No. 3 pick -- whether that turns out to be Kris Dunn or Jamal Murray.

 

[Lucky_Lefty]

^^^^^did Bill Simmons ghostwrite that dumb ass article?

 

[Max.]

Damn awful trades lmao

 

[#1 pick]

^^^^^did Bill Simmons ghostwrite that dumb ass article?

These were some shyt ass trades