Successful basketball franchises are often built through free agency, very high draft picks or major trades. However, there are also organizations that rely heavily upon drafting well throughout. They rely upon picking up future role players in the second round. Those roles players can play absolutely huge roles when it comes to the long regular season and tough playoff runs. We break down the second round picks in 2013 that have the greatest potential to benefit their teams in that way down the line.

Jeff Withey (Kansas) 39th overall – Portland Trail Blazers

The Trail Blazers surprised a few people by picking up a point guard in C.J. McCollum in the first round considering the presence of 2012-13 rookie of the year winner Damian Lilliard on their roster. However, they grabbed an excellent pick in the second round in former Jayhawks forward Jeff Withey.

Withey may never have an offensive impact in the NBA, though he surprised a few with his effectiveness in the NCAA tournament, but he has good size and should be a strong role player coming off the bench in terms of defensive presence and rebounding ability. Portland will look for Withey to have an impact virtually straight away.

Ryan Kelly (Duke) 48th overall – Los Angeles Lakers

The reasons for Kelly dropping down the draft despite a pretty successful collegiate career. However, that doesn’t mean that the Lakers haven’t done a pretty good job by grabbing him pretty late in the second round at the weekend. Kelly can play defensively, he can rebound and he can shoot the basketball.

Kelly’s position in the NBA will be interested. He was drafted technically as a power forward, but considering his shooting ability, and slight weakness in terms of build, it is quite possible that Kelly will see a lot of time at small forward. Either way, it is very easy to see Kelly forging a role for himself on this Lakers’ team in the future as a bench player.

Peyton Siva (Louisville) 56th overall – Detroit Pistons

Siva’s presence and demeanor in the run to an NCAA championship title this past spring with the Louisville Cardinals cannot be easily forgotten. He developed slowly and effectively over time under the tutelage of Rick Pitino in Louisville. He wasn’t a huge scorer and doesn’t possess outstanding playmaking skills, but it is pretty easy to see Siva fitting in as a reserve point guard on a successful NBA team.

Siva is a tough character, has leadership qualities, handles the ball well, can manage the offense and plays extremely tough defense as any Cardinals point guard must. The Pistons should feel confident that Siva has a role on their roster in the future.

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