NBA Draft grades are out, and wily San Antonio once again emerges with the most impressive performance of the process. Entering another odd year, the Spurs restored their championship aspirations by adding Richard Jefferson and drafting brilliantly for instant value.

Many of the rest of these grades revolve around Spanish phenom Ricky Rubio, who despite slipping to No. 5, remained the most compelling story of this draft, affecting the futures thanks to the what-if game we'll get to play with him.

Prospects are rarely this polarizing. There are some front office personnel swearing up and down he's going to be a star, potentially revolutionizing the position on his way to icon status. Others aren't as impressed, questioning his build, toughness and potential for erratic play.

Blake Griffin went No. 1, but the debut most will be curious to see will likely be Rubio's, who will unfairly get little grace period as he begins his career looking to prove he's worth all the hype.

The following are this year's grades, separated into the good, bad, mediocre and inconsequential:

The good

San Antonio Spurs
It's no fluke that San Antonio always flourishes at this time of year. A winning organization starts at the top, and the Spurs excel at drafts, hitting the jackpot on Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and always getting the better of trade partners. This year's exploits saw them come up with Richard Jefferson by helping the Bucks gain financial flexibility, dealing three aging veterans and getting younger and more explosive in the process. They might even have a crack at getting Bruce Bowen back. Despite not having a first-round pick, the Spurs cleaned up in getting Top 20-talent DeJuan Blair with the No. 37 pick and guards Jack McClinton and Nando DeColo after 50 selections were already in. Blair is the early favorite to wind up as the steal of the second round, slipping due to concerns over his knees. He'll follow in the tradition of Carl Landry and Paul Millsap and make teams sorry they passed on him. McClinton, a fearless shooter in the mold of Eddie House, could surprise. Grade: A+.

L.A. Clippers
It was impossible for the Clippers to have screwed up this draft. It was like eating at the Soup Nazi's kitchen: step up confidently and order, keep it simple, stand to the side and watch others fumble all over themselves. Blake Griffin, please. No side of bread necessary. Next! Grade: A.

Sacramento Kings
Quietly, the Kings had a brilliant draft. In passing on Rubio in favor of Tyreke Evans, Geoff Petrie and his staff got a player more likely to contribute immediately and equally capable of growing into a star. Omri Casspi and Jon Brockman add an element of toughness the Kings have been badly missing, while Sergio Rodriguez will contend with Beno Udrih for time at the point right out of the gate. Without spending money it doesn't have, Sacramento got deeper via a few promising pieces. Grade: A.

Toronto Raptors
Similar to the Clippers, it became impossible for Toronto to screw up this draft, watching coveted wing DeMar DeRozan fall right into its lap. The Raptors correctly took the 19-year-old ahead of Wake's James Johnson and Duke's Gerald Henderson, identifying his upside as an undeniable enticement. Given who they liked and their glaring need for athleticism, DeRozan was their best shot at landing a superstar. Bryan Colangelo only had to pull the trigger. Grade: A.

Denver Nuggets
Picking up Ty Lawson has to beconsidered a coup. The Nuggets were hot after him last year before he went back to school and managed to get him this year, trading a first-rounder they're owed from Charlotte in 2010. George Karl called it the best draft he's had since taking over as Nuggets coach, thrilled to have such a competent, promising understudy for Chauncey Billups. With a single move, the Nugs made  Grade: A.

Philadelphia 76ers
Although they had their pick of Lawson, Eric Maynor, Jeff Teague and Darren Collison, the Nets went for the homerun and took Jrue Holiday, the point guard with the highest ceiling. Getting Elton Brand back will have the Sixers looking to take that next step come playoffs, but it's not like this team is competing for championships anytime soon. Gambling on Holiday was the right play, especially since he can presumably apprentice under Andre Miller and be brought along slowly. His athleticism and size makes him a potential stopper on the defensive end, while his explosiveness should help him get by on offense. Admire Ed Stefanski's ambition here, not to mention his role in bringing back the team's old logo. A little retro goes a long way. Grade: A-.

Portland Trail Blazers
Victor Claver is someone Kevin Pritchard really believes in, so acquiring his rights with pick No. 22 was a major victory, even though they won't see him for a couple of years. Apparently, it also appeases the Spaniard quota on his roster as Rodriguez got his wish, being dealt to a Sacramento squad expected to give him a bigger role. In return, the Blazers got coveted power forward Jeff Pendergraph while also adding Villanova 'tweener forward Dante Cunningham and St. Mary's playmaker Patty Mills in the second round. In all, the Blazers won the draft game, getting a number of potential contributors who will have a chance to make the team, as well as a project in Claver they don't have to pay for awhile. Next up, a very active free agency period, potentially landing the likes of a Hedo Turkoglu.  Grade: A-.

Milwaukee Bucks
Call it a fortunate twist of fate that Minnesota fell in love with Jonny Flynn and Brandon Jennings started to slide to the point where no one knew where he was going. If Ramon Sessions leaves, Jennings will be the NBA's Rookie of the Year next season. If he stays, Jennings will push him for the starting spot by the All-Star break. A kid who is fearless and owns an elite first step is a major get in a division that features roadrunners Derrick Rose, Mo Williams, Rodney Stuckey and T.J. Ford. Jennings has the confidence to handle the twists and turns ahead and reportedly had Scott Skiles' stamp of approval at No. 10 against a handful of other options. Second-round selection Jodie Meeks shares more than a few similarities with new mentor Michael Redd and thrilled Milwaukee by falling into its lap. The strong draft was a welcome boost after being forced to dump Richard Jefferson's salary for Kurt Thomas, Amir Johnson and Bowen, who is expected to be waived to save a couple millon more. That's the state of affairs for non-contenders, but at least picking up a gem like Jennings eases the pain some. Grade: B+.

Orlando Magic
The Magic had no draft pick, but made a major splash anyway in dealing for Orlando resident Vince Carter. For a more detailed look at this move, read here. As far as the abbreviated version goes, Carter's arrival likely means  Turkoglu is gone, which means Orlando is blowing up a championship contender in search of something better. Carter brings leadership and an increased wow factor. Gone with Turk are the massive matchup problems he posed and a pick-and-roll game that was among the league's toughest to stop. Losing Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie also compromises the Magic's impressive depth, although adding Ryan Anderson will help. His combination of size and shooting ability make him a candidate to start alongside Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard. Grade: B.

New Jersey Nets
The Nets have known they were inevitably going to move Carter the second Jason Kidd was shipped out of town. Devin Harris was an awesome addition. Jefferson went next, netting a questionable asset in Yi Jianlian. In shipping out  Carter, Lee and increased cap space represents the haul for the final piece of the broken up puzzle, which is about as well as Rod Thorn was going to do given the lack of buyers in this market. New Jersey added another rotation player through the draft through personal favorite Terrence Williams, and all in all, have done a nice job putting themselves in position to be competitive next season and an attractive player in the summer of 2010. Grade: B.

Oklahoma City Thunder
James Harden was the natural fit, so GM Sam Presti is clearly pleased with his team's progress and stayed away from the Rubio curveball. There may be temptation to move Russell Westbrook off the ball at a later time, but for now, letting him soak in experience at the point remains the right move. Harden will challenge Sefolosha for a starting spot and will fit right in with the rest of OKC's workaholics. Byron (no longer B.J.) Mullens intrigued the Thunder as they search for a center to place with their core, and at the No. 24 spot, is well worth the gamble, even at an additional cost of an extra second-round pick. Oklahoma City also spent some money to buy the rights of UAB's Robert Vaden, a gunner who will have an opportunity to shoot himself on to the roster. Grade: B.

Golden State Warriors
Assuming Golden State is keeping Stephen Curry and not including him in a blockbuster deal for Amar'e Stoudemire, you have to like his selection. Drafting Curry, who's not really a point guard, to play with Ellis, also not really a point guard, is just crazy enough to work considering Stephen Jackson is really the point guard. Don Nelson has an arsenal of dead-eye shooters with Curry, Anthony Morrow and Marco Belinelli on board, which ensures plenty of ammunition for the Warriors' chuck-and-duck style. Surrendering Crawford was addition by subtraction as far as Nelson was concerned, with import Acie Law likely given a fair chance to contribute. Picking up Stoudemire would be brilliant, even if it may cost them Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright, Kelenna Azubuike and Bellinelli. Stay tuned on that, as Stoudemire would have to marry himself to Golden State by agreeing to ink an extension in order to make a trade happen. Grade: B.

Cleveland Cavaliers
The more you think about it, Congo native Christian Eyenga is a really nice pick. Although someone like Sam Young might have offered more immediate help, Eyenga's potential is so highly thought of that he's guaranteed to eventually come over and provide assistance in roughly three seasons. At that point, he might be physically developed enough to make an impact and the Cavs will be ready and waiting with the right to bring him over. Second-rounder Danny Green has the required athleticism on the wing to compete for a roster spot, not to mention the pre-requisite pre-game dancing experiencing to fit right in with this bunch. Oh yeah, the Cavs also landed Shaquille O'Neal for relatively nothing. Danny Ferry did a nice job, but still has lots of work to do. Grade: B.

New York Knicks
The Knicks continued to be busy bees as they remold the roster that awaits King James or whatever other high-profile free agents they court and land next summer. Maintaining his pledge to keep the team competitive as they rebuild, Donnie Walsh landed Darko Milicic, an agile big who runs the floor well enough to be a major asset in Mike D'Antoni's system. While Milicic is a free agent come season's end and will be auditioning to see how he fits in, No. 8 pick Jordan Hill has a long future in New York and may immediately make David Lee expendable. Knicks fans wanted backcourt help courtesy of Curry or Flynn and whiffed, but did pick up the services of FSU's Toney Douglas, who they bought off the Lakers at No. 29. Douglas shined in the ACC and has the toughness to persevere in a backup role. In all, the Knicks efforts weren't overwhelming, but they were productive. Grade: B-.

New Orleans Hornets
Darren Collison was the top point guard available when the Hornets looked on their board to upgrade an area of need, and he seems like a complimentary fit next to Paul, capable of coming in and pestering opponents while responsibly running the show. The Hornets loved LSU product Marcus Thornton (I had them selecting him at No. 21 in my final mock), so landing him from Miami for second-round picks in 2010 and 2012 seems like a major bargain. Tyson Chandler is still likely a goner and things are bound to get worse before they get better, but New Orlaeans managed to do pretty well for itself in the 2009 Draft. Grade: B-.

Dallas Mavericks
Getting a little cash and a future second-round pick from Oklahoma City was a smooth move late in the first round, but Rick Carlisle insists the real steal might be No. 24  selection Rodrigue Beaubois, comparing him to Rajon Rondo. The Mavs are always on the looking for aids to their Tony Parker containment efforts, especially after losing Devin Harris. Beaubois should get a chance to see what he can do sooner than later. Second round pickups Nick Calathes and Ahmad Givens had their admirers, so you have to like the bang the Mavs got for their buck. Grade: B-.

The bad

Utah Jazz
I was shocked the Jazz passed on Blair, who they were thought to really like. He would've provided insurance as Carlos Boozer and Millsap decide their future, but instead Utah went best available on their board and took VCU's Maynor, a four-year standout who will vie with Ronnie Price for minutes behind Deron Williams. Maynor may have an effective career, but unless something terrible happens to Williams, he won't have the impact in Utah that Blair or even Casspi would have in what's likely to be an area of need. Grade: D+.

Minnesota Timberwolves
The 2009 Draft's busiest team still doesn't have me convinced they're not going to move Rubio, although current indications are that they intend to keep "there's only one Ricky Rubio" and the equally brash Flynn and see if they can co-exist and grow together. It screams of Billy Hoyle/Sidney Deane, one of those silly experiments that do little more than tease you. Rubio didn't sound thrilled to be Minnesota-bound either, so the next few days could be interesting. The Timberwolves got a future first-rounder tied to Charlotte in exchange for Lawson's rights, but kept his UNC backcourt partner Wayne Ellington, selelcted with the 28th choice. He's got a shot to contribute right off the bat if he keeps progressing but was written off by some scouts as undersized. Second-round pickHenk Norel will remain in Europe for the immediate future, but has a good chance to see the light of day. There's a lot of uncertainty in David Kahn's first draft, and although he's happy, that feeling of instability lingers.  Grade: C-.

Phoenix Suns
The dismantling of the Suns continued with the trading of Shaq to the Cavs for a pair of players who aren't expected to ever suit up. At least they'll save more than $10 million, but considering where the Suns were when Steve Kerr took over, it seems dirty that things are unraveling to the point other teams are scavenging through their assets and lining up to pick them dry. As rumors of the impending departures of Stoudemire and Nash ring through the air, Kerr managed to put together a solid draft, taking potential steal Earl Clark with the last pick in the lottery. Taylor Griffin wasn't a bad second-round choice, capable of hanging around if his athleticism is enough of a difference-maker. Still, the stench of failure permeates. It's starting to look like Alvin Gentry won't even have a chance to succeed come October. Grade: C-.

Indiana Pacers
No matter how you slice it, Tyler Hansbrough was a reach at No. 13, especially over Lawson and  Holiday. While you have to admire Larry Bird's conviction, Hansbrough is going to have to play to scrap for playing time behind Troy Murphy and Jeff Foster and will take everybody's best shot given his reputation. If he doesn't perform like a lottery pick, there will be no other way to look at this except as a mistake. Second-rounder A.J. Price doesn't fit with Indy's squeaky-clean image given his past transgressions, but has matured over his time at UConn and will have an opportunity to make the team.  Grade: C-.

The mediocre

Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis chose Hasheem Thabeet to be its defensive anchor, planning on easing him in next to Marc Gasol, with both helping each other to become better players. He was the safe choice, giving Mike Conley another opportunity to prove he's the point guard of the future. Chris Wallace and his staff got lucky that Sam Young was still there for them at pick No. 36, because he should've been their selection at No. 27. Instead, the choice there was DeMarre Carroll, who the Grizzlies envision will become a fan favorite as a high-energy guy. Picking up a point guard to at least push Conley in a draft that was filled with them would've been a good idea. Dealing Milicic opens up more minutes to keep Thabeet and Gasol happy, but the inconsistent Richardson needs to stay interested to keep the move from becoming questionable.  Grade: C+.

Washington Wizards
Rubio and Randy Foye will now be tied to one another over the next decade, because the highest pick the Wizards have had since striking out with Kwame Brown could've yielded la Pistola, the 18-year-old kid soon to be known as Spanish Chocolate throughout the land. He might become the next Steve Nash, but the Wizards felt they couldn't afford to wait on him. That's understandable. They have to strike while they can with the assembled nucleus of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison not getting any younger. It's up to Foye to shake off the nagging injuries that have set him back in the past and emerge as a major threat capable of taking the pressure off Arenas. Mike Miller will be valuable off the bench, but the key to whether passing up on making a No. 5 pick winds up being the right decision hinges on Foye's play and Rubio's learning curve. If he's a quicker study than many expect, all of D.C. will lust after Rubio every time they see him. As it stands now, Washington is in second-guess mode until the season begins. They could've fared better in shopping No. 5, but could've fared worse. Grade: C+.

Charlotte Bobcats
Henderson was a very safe pick at No. 12, a guy the Bobcats were quite comfortable with despite his Duke roots. Don't expect him to be a star, but he's the type of solid rotation player most teams opted for in this draft. Second-rounder Derrick Brown will fascinate Larry Brown as well since he works hard, but his success in this league hinges on developing a wing-worthy mid-range game. Grade: C+.

Atlanta Hawks
Thanks, Mike Bibby. You had a nice run. Not only did the Hawks terrify the eventual champion Celtics with him running point, they also won their first playoff series since in a million years with him at the helm. Picking up Crawford for busts Speedy Claxton and Law would look even better if they managed hold on to Bibby, but odds are they won't. It's likely going to be up to Crawford, Flip Murray and first-round pick Teague to slide in next to Joe Johnson, which means the Hawks are going to ride with a non-traditional approach to replacing Bibby at the point. Crawford should get the first crack, but he's much better off as a sixth man. Don't see a lot of assists in Atlanta's future, though Mike Woodson can run-and-gun if he wants to. He's got no one left on his roster who is remotely shy. Not even second round sniper Sergey Gladyr, who reportedly shoots it a lot in the Ukraine. The Hawks won't be counting on him anytime soon.  Grade: C.

Chicago Bulls
Who knows whether Chicago would've taken Blair had Wake's Johnson not fallen into their laps at No. 16? The way it worked out, the Bulls got a guy they really liked in the middle of the first round, then picked up another big by adding power forward Taj Gibson to the mix. Not taking a point guard has to feel Kirk Hinrich feel safer, though Chicago would've been smarter to protect their backcourt interests with Douglas or Ellington as opposed to adding Gibson. Grade: C.

Detroit Pistons
For my money, Johnson should've been the Pistons pick at No. 15 over Austin Daye, who Joe Dumars couldn't pass up despite his frail frame. He's longer than Johnson, shoots it better, but doesn't mix it up as well. Detroit covered its bases with second-rounder DeJuan Summers, a sleeper with a similar game to Johnson, and Jonas Jerebko, an intriguing prospect who will remain in Italy to hone his skills. Fabricio Oberto's expiring contract came over from Milwaukee in exchange for Amir Johnson, helping the Pistons create even more cap space once they release or trade Oberto. Nothing revolutionary, yet, though the Pistons are in even better position to make a major free agency splash than they were when the week started. Grade: C.

Miami Heat
Patrick Beverley was ranked No. 20 on Miami's draft board, with them joining fellow 2006 finalist Dallas in trying to pluck their very own Rondo from this draft. Beverley impressed Pat Riley in workouts and sounds like a favorite for a roster spot based on how enamored the Heat sound with him, sending a second-rounder and cash to the Lakers for his rights. Robert Dozier, the 60th and final pick, gave us a Mr. Irrelevant we've all heard of. He'll likely make his living overseas. Grade: C.

The inconsequential

Houston Rockets
Houston spent money to add second-rounders Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger and Spanish point guard Sergio Llull to the fold, fully expecting Taylor and Budinger to compete for minutes next season. Both are pretty good gambles, with Taylor's continued improvement the x-factor given how nicely he progressed over his four years playing for Kirk Speraw down at UCF. Grade: C.

L.A. Lakers
After selling their first round pick to the Knicks, the Lakers added a future second-rounder by picking  Beverley for the Heat. They actually kept Chinemelu Elonu, a 6-10 forward from Texas A&M who made the mistake of coming out a year too early. Grade: C.

Boston Celtics
It was a quiet draft for the Celtics, who took scoring point guard Lester Hudson out of UT-Martin to fill out their Summer League roster. He guarantees they won't get shut out, but doesn't offer much consolation if Danny Ainge keeps going out of his way to alienate Rondo. Grade: C-.

Tony Mejia is senior writer for Pro Basketball News. He can be reached at mejia@probasketballnews.com.

MORE 2009 NBA DRAFT COVERAGE

* Bernucca: Winners & losers

* Mejia: Pick-by-pick analysis

* Amico: Random draft thoughts

* Results: Draft board & early-entrants