Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: NBA Draft Edition

The NBA Draft has came and gone. Now it's time to analyze who made the right decisions and who may have set back their franchise by making the wrong draft choices. I'm not going to make things complicated by giving letter grades and such. Every team in the NBA is getting either a thumbs up or a thumbs down. It's that simple.

Washington Wizards

#1 John Wall (PG), Kentucky

#17 Kevin Seraphin (PF), France

#23 Trevor Booker (PF), Clemson [pictured]

#56 Hamady N'Diaye (C), Rutgers

The Wizards get a THUMBS UP for their draft primarily because they got the draft's only potential superstar. They also added two power forwards (Seraphin and Booker) that will increase the teams toughness, rebounding, and defense. If the Wiz can turn N'Diaye into a pro shot blocker, it's possible that this could be a solid draft class from top to bottom.

Philadelphia 76ers

#2 Evan Turner (SF), Ohio State 

The 76ers get a quiet THUMBS UP for taking the obvious choice with there only draft pick of the night. Philly's going to be really bad next year, but Turner is a nice puzzle piece for the future.

New Jersey Nets

#3 Derrick Favors (PF), Georgia Tech

#24 Damion James (SF), Texas

The Nets get a THUMBS UP for drafting Favors and creating one of the best young front lines in the league. Yi Jianlian can now be a valuable player off the bench. James also has all the makings of a quality NBA role player. He is a good athlete who plays defense, rebounds, and can finish on the break.

Minnesota Timberwolves

#4 Wesley Johnson (SF), Syracuse

#30 Lazar Hayward (SF), Marquette

#36 Nemanja Bjelica (PF), Serbia

#45 Paulo Prestes (PF), Brazil

Martell Webster (SG/SF), Portland Trail Blazers

It should come as no surprise that the Wolves would get the first THUMBS DOWN for their draft efforts. No one can argue with choosing Wes Johnson, but GM David Kahn failed to pick up anybody else that could help his team. Bjelica and Prestes are top international prospects, but they are probably not that willing to play in Minnesota. They are probably both very familiar with Ricky Rubio's situation with the T-Wolves and will follow suit to an extent. Hayward was the worse pick of the draft value-wise. It's a shame that he's going to have a guaranteed rookie contract. Picking up Webster was the second best move of the night, but the Wolves missed out on a chance to make a major improvement on Thursday.

Sacramento Kings

#5 DeMarcus Cousins (PF), Kentucky

#33 Hassan Whiteside (C), Marshall

The Kings get a THUMBS UP for drafting the second best player in this draft at the five spot. The also got another first round talent in the second round by drafting Whiteside. The Kings don't seem to have much of a plan for their future, but they added two solid pieces on Thursday.

Golden State Warriors

#6 Ekpe Udoh (PF), Baylor

The Warriors get a THUMBS UP for adding a defensive presence that can contribute to their unique offensive style.

Detroit Pistons

#7 Greg Monroe (PF), Georgetown

#36 Terrico White (PG/SG), Ole Miss [pictured]

The Pistons get a big THUMBS UP for picking up the best passing big man coming out of college since Chris Webber and a big guard who can play the point and shoot from distance.

Los Angeles Clippers

#8 Al-Farouq Aminu (SF), Wake Forest

#18 Eric Bledsoe (PG), Kentucky

#54 Willie Warren (PG/SG), Oklahoma

The Clippers have to get a THUMBS DOWN for drafting a player at #8 that has significantly less potential than the player they drafted at #54. Aminu is an athlete, but he isn't much of a basketball player. That limits his potential greatly. Bledsoe will probably be the best player of this bunch, but Bledsoe's lack of shooting is another limiting factor for a Clippers draft pick.

Utah Jazz

#9 Gordon Hayward (SF), Butler

#55 Jeremy Evans (PF), Western Kentucky

The Jazz get a big THUMBS UP for getting an ideal fit for their team in Hayward. He will start for the Jazz by season's end. Who cares about Jeremy Evans. The #55 pick in the draft has every right to be a bust.

Indiana Pacers

#10 Paul George (SF), Fresno State

#40 Lance Stephenson (SG), Cincinnati 

#51 Magnum Rolle (PF), Louisiana Tech

The Pacers made it a point to get more athletic and they did, but Indy gets a THUMBS DOWN for taking a player who can only play behind the team's best player and not with him. Stephenson is a high risk, high reward pick for the Pacers. Rolle is most likely a non-factor. I just don't see either of these players being starters for this team at any point.

Oklahoma City Thunder

#11 Cole Aldrich (C), Kansas [pictured]

#31 Tibor Pleiss (C), Germany

#48 Latavious Williams (SF/PF), Tulsa 66ers

#57 Ryan Reid (PF), Florida State 

Morris Peterson (SF), New Orleans Hornets 

Daequan Cook (SG), Miami Heat 

OKC had one of the overall best draft nights on Thursday. Reid and Williams are throw away picks, but Aldrich is a solid center for the team, and Peterson and Cook are proven shooters that will stretch defenses. Pleiss is a top prospect in Europe and could be a great pick down the line. This draft gets TWO THUMBS UP. The Thunder are going to be a force next year.

Memphis Grizzlies 

#12 Xavier Henry (SG), Kansas

#28 Greivis Vasquez (PG), Maryland 

The Grizz purchased their Rudy Gay insurance by picking Henry and then made a smart decision by selecting Vasquez. Vasquez has the type of talent to be a major contributor very soon in Memphis. This draft gets a THUMBS UP as Memphis continues to be a team on the rise.

Toronto Raptors

#13 Ed Davis (PF), North Carolina

#50 Solomon Alabi (C), Florida State

The Raptors get a THUMBS DOWN for trying to replace Chris Bosh with an often injured forward who is more potential than production. Alabi could be a secound round steal for the Dinos, but the Raptors lack enough talent to take a risk on Davis.

Houston Rockets

#14 Patrick Patterson (SF), Kentucky

The Rockets get a THUMBS UP for picking an NBA ready forward than can help them immediately and eventually replace Shane Battier. This is how good teams stay that way.

Milwaukee Bucks

#15 Larry Sanders (PF), VCU

#37 Darington Hobson (SF), New Mexico [pictured]

#44 Jerome Jordan (C), Tulsa 

#47 Keith "Tiny" Gallon (PF), Oklahoma

The Milwaukee Bucks were the runaway winners on draft night. The Bucks picked four players that can make their roster and contribute. Sanders is a big time defender and Hobson is an NBA ready scorer. Jordan is a quality big man and Gallon is a high potential prospect. The Bucks just added a wealth of talent to a good young roster. Their will be plenty of reasons to "Fear the Deer" next season. This haul of prospects gets TWO THUMBS UP. I'd give it three if I had an extra thumb.

Portland Trail Blazers 

#16 Luke Babbitt (SF), Nevada 

#22 Elliot Williams (PG/SG), Memphis 

#34 Armon Johnson (PG/SG), Nevada

The Blazers get a THUMBS UP for bagging both of Nevada's very talented draft entries along with Williams, who is a very athletic defender on the perimeter. Playoff teams need to pick kids that can help the team sooner than later. That's what the Blazers did.

Boston Celtics

#19 Avery Bradley (PG/SG), Texas

#52 Luke Harangody (PF), Notre Dame

The Celtics get a big THUMBS UP for landing two prolific scorers that will find a home on the Celtics bench next year. Bradley has an outside shot at being a starter if Ray Allen leaves. Remember that Bradley was ranked ahead of John Wall coming out of high school.

San Antonio Spurs 

#20 James Anderson (SG), Oklahoma State

#49 Ryan Richards (PF), England

The Spurs have mastered the art of drafting players. This year was no exception. THUMBS UP for grabbing one of the draft's best shooters in Anderson and one of the year's most promising international prospects (Richards). Anderson may eventually replace Manu in the lineup, and Richards is another front court prospect that is being groomed in the twilight of Tim Duncan's career.

New Orleans Hornets

#21 Craig Brackins (PF), Iowa State [pictured]

#26 Quincy Pondexter (SF), Washington

The Hornets added two promising role players in the first round. Pondexter will be a strong defender and Brackins can provide low post scoring and a change of pace behind David West. This duo definitely gets a THUMBS UP.

Atlanta Hawks

#27 Jordan Crawford (SG), Xavier

#53 Pape Sy (SF), France

The Hawks realize that they will probably lose Joe Johnson next week as a free agent. Crawford is an ideal fit for ATL who can fill the role of Jamal Crawford, who will probably become a starter after Johnson's departure. Pape Sy is a nobody. We won't be seeing him in the league...ever.

Dallas Mavericks

#25 Dominique Jones (SG), USF

The Mavs get a THUMBS UP for landing a capable scorer who is NBA ready, and tailor-made for Dallas' style of play.

Orlando Magic 

#29 Daniel Orton (C), Kentucky

#59 Stanley Robinson (SF), Connecticut

The Magic get a THUMBS DOWN for spending a first round pick on a college bench player who averaged three points a night as a freshman. The Magic are a contender right now. It doesn't make sense for them to waste assets on three year projects. Robinson may help the Magic before Orton does.

Miami Heat

#32 Dexter Pittman (C), Texas

#41 Jarvis Varnado (PF), Mississippi State

#42 Da'Sean Butler (SF), West Virginia [pictured]

The Heat get a THUMBS UP from me for not wasting time with upside in the second round. They selected three proven college commodities. Pittman has the potential to dominate if he can get in shape. Varnado is college basketball's all-time leading shot blocker and Butler is a prolific scoring talent. The Heat are trying to find low cost pieces to a puzzle that keeps D-Wade in South Beach.

New York Knicks 

#38 Andy Rautins (SG), Syracuse

#39 Landry Fields (SF), Stanford

Of course the Knicks get TWO THUMBS DOWN for their back to back choke job in the second round. New York could have left this draft with Lance Stephenson and someone with a very high ceiling like WVU's Devin Ebanks. Instead they picked two players that weren't even on anyone else's board.

Los Angeles Lakers 

#43 Devin Ebanks (SF), West Virginia

#58 Derrick Caracter (PF), UTEP 

The Lakers get TWO THUMBS UP for drafting two very talented and skilled basketball players in the second round. Getting a roster worthy player such as Caracter in the fifties is always a sign of good drafting. Ebanks would have been a lottery pick next year.

Phoenix Suns 

#46 Gani Lawal (PF), Georgia Tech [pictured]

#60 Dwayne Collins (PF), Miami FL

The Suns are notorious for throwing away draft picks, but they actually drafted a good player this year in Gani Lawal. I'm giving the Suns a THUMBS DOWN due to the fact that I don't trust their ability to utilize Lawal. The former G-Tech standout will have to ask Earl Clarke what it's like to be a talented rookie in Phoenix. He'll tell him it involves a lot of watching from the sidelines. Collins is a non-factor for Phoenix.