Usually when a team has the third pick in the NBA Draft, the team would be lucky to reach the .500 point the following season. For the Thunder, they were able to reach the 50-win plateau for the first time since they moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City. With a core that includes Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, the future could not be brighter. However, it could all come together this coming off-season. Let’s be honest; the chance of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, or Amare Stoudemire coming to Oklahoma City is pretty much 0%. However, there will be other all-star caliber players on the market such as Carlos Boozer and David Lee. Do not put it past Oklahoma City management to shell out money for a big man.

Oklahoma City, Seattle, or whatever you want to call them, have lacked a big man for a long time. Since the days of Shawn Kemp, they have not had a huge inside presence. They passed up on Brook Lopez, although they are hardly at fault due to the success of Russell Westbrook. But this team has gone through big men of the likes of Robert Swift and Jerome James. This can all be fixed in the 2010 off-season, if management solves the big man problem.

by David at the Sports Fan Blog Network

The Detroit Lions have the 2nd pick in Thursday’s NFL draft, and they face a difficult decision. Believe it or not, the Lions 2-14 record was actually a major improvent on their historical 2008 mark of 0-16. The Lions were actually competitive in a number of games and have something to build on with Matthew Stafford, who at times looked like a star and other times looked like a rookie, and Calvin Johnson who is an absoulte stud. The question for the Lions is who do they take with the #2 pick in the draft. I think you have to narrow it down to two guys, the best offensive lineman in the draft, Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung, and prehaps the best player in this years draft, Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Like nearly every unit on a 2-14 team, the offensive and defensive lines need upgrades, but with Jeff Backus and 2008 first round pick Gosder Cherilus, the Lions are pretty solid at the offensive tackles. The defensive line however, is another story. The Lions ranked 26th in rush defense and 29th in sacks, so their defensive line neither plugged holes nor rushed the passer effectively. For those reasons, Ndamuknog Suh should be the selection. Suh was the most dominant player in college football last season, as he was often double and triple teamed, but was still very productive in one of the top two conferences in college football. Many believe that Suh has the ability to step into the NFL right away and help a team improve, which is something that the Lion’s defense sorely needs. If the Lions take Suh, it will be a big step forward for their defense, as he will be able to anchor that side of the ball for the next decade.

by Josh Weiner at the Sports Fan Blog Network

From the day that the Rams secured the #1 overall pick in Thursday’s NFL draft, there was debate as to who the Rams should take to jumpstart the rebuild of the franchise. Well the answer to this debate should be clear, the Rams must start with a quarterback, and more specifically, Sam Bradford. Look at the teams who have been consistent winners over the past 5 years: the Steelers, Colts, Eagles, Giants, Chargers, Patriots. What do they all have in common? A pro bowl level quarterback. When you have the ability to get a franchise quarterback, you have to take it, especially when you look around the league at the teams that have not been able to have sustained success and it is largely due to subpar quarterback play. The Rams in particular, have been hampered for several years with the likes of an injury plagued Marc Bulger, Kyle Boller, Keith Null, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Sam Bradford has been given a clean bill of health and if he had declared last year, would have been selected ahead of both Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez. A minor shoulder injury should not scare the Rams away from taking a potential franchise changing player. The NFL is now a pass happy, quarterback driven league, so when Roger Goodell reads the first name from the podium on Thursday night, he better read: Sam Bradford, quarterback, Oklahoma.