Javaris Crittendon, huh?

Javaris Crittendon - In reality, I'm just deeply relieved that we didn't take Josh McRoberts or, worse, Fat Baby Davis. So Crittendon was met initially by me with a mighty exhale and a sweeping calm. Then I considered the pick. There are two camps, here. Some people think the Lakers took the best available player. I think we ignored the fact that we just took a far more capable, far more polished point guard in Jordan Farmar last year and chose to ignore getting the help we so desperately need on the front line. Whether or not Crittendon develops into a nice player, we shall see, but it should be the Lakers' goal to compete immediately. Always. As if Kobe wasn't jaded already, now this. Jared Dudley went just three picks later. Also would've been content with Tiago Splitter or, hell, even Jason Smith.

Sun Yue - Work with me here, we just used our first round pick on a PG with size who is unpolished, concerned primarily with scoring, and needs to improve his defense. So for our next pick we take... what? His Chinese counterpart? Still available at this point: Derrick Byars, Jared Jordan, Chris Richard. Nice work, Mitch...

Marc Gasol - Chad Ford writes, "Pau Gasol's brother isn't a great prospect, but he does take up space in the middle. He probably stays in Spain." Great... Maybe Staples Center should be held hostage until Jerry West comes back. That's our only hope for regaining any competency in the draft.

Gotta say, I'm sadly unsurprised, yet still disappointed with this haul. I grade the Lakers a D+.

Other thoughts about last night...

Just like everyone else on the planet, I have to give it up to Portland. Sure, they got Greg Oden, but then they went out and made a big statement by shipping Zach Randolph to the Knicks (that'll be an interesting experiment), officially making this Oden's team, while acquiring a very-gifted, all-but-forgotten Steve Francis and another hard-working big man in Channing Frye. They can even be forgiven for picking Josh McRoberts at 37.

Honestly, though, I'm just as impressed with the Spurs for taking Tiago Splitter. The 7-foot Brazillian is an absolute perfect fit in San Antonio and I'm a little burned that the Lakers didn't invest their #19 in this guy. He's been touted for a couple years, now, as having lottery-talent and down on the Riverwalk is the perfect place for him to flourish. The Spurs are also probably the one team in the league that can bend Marcus Williams' ego to their will while maximizing his talent.

Michael Jordan is a terrible GM. Why isn't more made of this? He's awful. (And while we're wondering aloud, why haven't the media castrated David Stern for putting a franchise back in Charlotte after the Hornets left due to lack of interest? This never should have happened!) First, MJ drafts Kwame Brown 2.0 in Brandan Wright (guess he doesn't learn from his mistakes). That is to say, an over-hyped quitter. Then Jordan ships him for a fat contract in Jason Richardson that isn't going to do anything other than fill Gerald Wallace's spot. Maybe.

Al Thornton is a steal for the Clippers at #14. AND they also grabbed Jared Jordan in the 2nd round. It's enough to make me think about jumping ship. Or, you know, kill myself as I'll be in the same city rooting for the other LA team. Big props to the Clipps.

There's been so much said about how Boston screwed up, I don't really feel the need to pile on. Except to say that we'll finally get the answer to the mystery of "What would Oliver Miller look like in green?"