![]() The Hall of Fame has more than 400 inductees and 40,000 sq. Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level. A four-time NBA All-Star, he led the league in total rebounds in 20, rebounds per game in 20, and blocked shots in 2002. Wallace paired quickness and footwork with power and great hands to make him a disruptor anywhere and everywhere on the hardwood. The matchup in the paint was one for the ages. The Detroit Pistons won the 2004 NBA championship with Wallace anchoring the defense against a Shaq-led Los Angeles Lakers squad. A Division II First Team All-America at Virginia Union, he was named All-Defensive First Team in the NBA on five occasions. Wallace earned Defensive Player of the Year honors four times during his career, tied for the most all time with Dikembe Mutombo. Big Ben earned his keep on defense, the immoveable object standing his ground against the likes of Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning and Dwight Howard. But most importantly, Ben Wallace was motivated. ![]() The result is that 40% of all first-round picks over the next seven years belong to eight teams.He was big, he was strong, and he was undrafted. Rebuilding teams have taken that to heart. Not every top draft pick will be a home run or even a solid single, so get as many swings as possible. The 76ers landed Joel Embiid, the cornerstone of a title contender, through the process, but also drafted Jahlil Okafor, Markelle Fultz, and Ben Simmons (to be fair, Simmons was an All-Star level player who may not have fit in Philly but they were able to trade him for James Harden). The idea is that, even with the best scouting and eye for talent, the draft is a crap shoot. The other is part of Sam Hinkie’s philosophy with “the process” in Philadelphia - get as many swings as you can take. Teams are willing to use picks and swaps in trades to be better now, even if that is not contender-status better. (You can argue that trading for Gobert was the right move for the Timberwolves, but that was an overly steep price they paid to do it, the market was not that intense for his services.) Cleveland went all-in on Donovan Mitchell with three picks, again a trade that does not make the Cavaliers an instant contender ( it could, in a few years, if things go right). This summer we saw Minnesota give up four unprotected picks to land Rudy Gobert - a center who makes them good, a playoff team, but not a contender. The Milwaukee Bucks gave up a lot to land Jrue Holiday, but that move resulted in a ring. That’s not totally new, but it used to be reserved for moves like the Lakers made to get Davis - trades that vault teams into contender status. One is teams using draft capital to go all-in on roster upgrades. While the added picks and swaps are nice, their own picks are generally the most valuable for these teams - Utah is not going to win a lot of games this year and if they get a high draft pick in a stacked class it is most likely their own. The Jazz and Thunder each have 14 picks first-rounders under their control when you count their own picks plus trades and swaps. That’s 40% of all the first-round picks in the next seven years. The result is a wild stat from Bobby Marks of ESPN: eight teams control 85 first-round picks over the next seven years. Teams like San Antonio, Orlando and Indiana are stockpiling picks as well. This summer, we saw Utah tear it down by trading Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell for a combination of seven first-round picks and some first-round swap rights. Oklahoma City has been stockpiling picks, including a few from the Clippers in the Paul George trade. Brooklyn sent four unprotected first-round picks and four first-round pick swaps to Houston for James Harden. The Lakers traded three first-round picks plus the swap rights to another to the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis ( a trade that won the Lakers a ring). ![]() Years before Los Angeles Rams GM Les Snead saying “f*** them picks” went viral, GMs of NBA contenders had started living that mantra. ![]()
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