ESPN Insider: Trey Burke should go #1 overall

Submitted by GRBluefan on

Title basically says it all.  One of the ESPN Insider writers (in this case David Thorpe) makes a case for why Trey Burke should be the overall #1 pick, backing it with STATS!!! 

 

I don't believe this is part of a series where they have different writers make cases for different players.  I believe this is his honest opinion. 

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog/_/name/nba_draft/id/9185758/2013-nba-draft-case-why-trey-burke-no-1-overall-pick

AC1997

April 19th, 2013 at 3:06 PM ^

What I love about this article is that he uses statistics to back up his defense of Burke.  But it does so much more than that as well.  It also shows why guys like GR3 and McGary should stay in school and shows why GM's are so foolish with their picks sometimes. 

What would have been a great addition to his column (if possible) would be to point out how the short guys who didn't get drafted as high were passed over for tall guys that failed.  Look at some of the athletic tall guys with potential that didn't turn into stars. 

At the PG position this year Michael Carter-Williams versus Burke will be an interesting test case.  Will a GM fall in love with the long skinny arms and 6'6" frame of MCW even though he has never played man-to-man defense and can't shoot?  Maybe he'll learn those things and do great, becoming a mismatch for other PGs.  Burke's "potential" may be more limited because he's probably closer to his ceiling both in height and performance. 

taistreetsmyhero

April 19th, 2013 at 3:24 PM ^

would be more interesting if MWC had more initial draft hype, say at Marcus Smart level. As it is, Burke will probably go well before him and I don't think GM's looking at MWC will have a chance at Burke (...because Burke will be long off the board).

UMgradMSUdad

April 21st, 2013 at 8:40 AM ^

Speaking of Marcus Smart, one (or perhaps two) of the reasons he stayed in school is because of Trey Burke.  Smart said he talked to Burke before making his decision.  Also, according to a local (Oklahoma) radio sports show host, Smart told him that he would make his decsion to stay or go based on where he was projected to go in the draft.  If that's true, that suggests someone was telling Smart that he wasn't going to be the first PG taken in the draft.

West German Judge

April 19th, 2013 at 3:19 PM ^

Y Orlando-31year old Jameer Nelson, 30 year old journeyman Beno Udrih



N Charlotte-Has Kemba Walker who put up 18/6 last year.



N Cleveland-Kyrie Irving.



N Phoenix- Has 15/7 Goran Dragic and spent a lotto pick on Kendall Marshall last year.



N New Orleans-Has 14/9 Greivis Vasquez and needs to figure out a way to get Austin Rivers to work alongside Eric Gordon.



Y Sacramento-Could use Burke. No PG play to write home about.



Y Washington-Should take Burke if they can, John Wall has been so injury prone and could walk away as a free agent.



N Detroit-Doesn't need him. I'd take McLemore #1 if I had to. 



N Minnesota-Ricky Rubio.



N Portland-ROY Damian Lillard

Y Toronto-Could use Burke. Kyle Lowry hasnt exactly worked out.



Maybe Philadelphia-Has young 18/8 Jrue Holiday, but no backup.



Y Dallas-Needs any young player with a pulse.

Y Utah-Needs Burke.  PGs are old and journeymen (Earl Watson, Mo Williams, Jamaal Tinsley).

GRBluefan

April 19th, 2013 at 3:25 PM ^

Generally agree with your analysis, but Detroit most definitely needs Burke.  Knight is more of a combo guard who can't really handle the point.  He would be a better fit as a bench guy or a 2 guard than as a starting PG in my opinion. 

The Pistons need to add two things, in my opinion.  A SG / SF who can actually shoot and a PG.  The SG/SF options aren't great in this draft, though as you mentioned McLemore wouldn't be terrible.  I would rather see then add Burke through the draft, since PGs are tough to find in free agency, and then look at a guy like OJ Mayo on the open market.  He is a good shooter and a solid defender / hustle guy.  Believe it or not he seems to 'play the right way.'

West German Judge

April 19th, 2013 at 6:21 PM ^

What logjam?

Brandon Knight only played the 2 because Calderon was brought in.  He may be well-suited as a combo guard off the bench, but if he starts I want him at PG.

Stuckey's contract is only partially guaranteed and expires in 2014.  I want him the fuq out of here.  Cut, traded, allowed to expire, whatever, he's not in my future plans.

Corey Maggette has expired, barely played, and isn't coming back.

Kim English will be a 2nd year player, and, I admit, I am a fan and want him in the rotation.

Assuming no Calderon return, the following players are under contract:

Knight

Stuckey/English

Singler/Middleton

Monroe/Villanueva

Drummond/Kravtsov

If it's me, I'm drafting Oladipo or McLemore to start at SG and moving Stuckey to the bench where he will languish and wither and die (or, back up both guard positions).

taistreetsmyhero

April 19th, 2013 at 7:22 PM ^

The 3 spot is unplayable and an absolute joke, which it currently is. The problem is that if they go two huge laker-style (Monroe and Drummond) they need to surround them with shooters. I really don't see McLemore as a sf, but I guess he could make it. I know smith and iguadala aren't great or even good shooters, but they make up for it with great defense and athleticism. I think Otto porter will shape up into a comparable player, plus he's younger.



Having a star sg is definitely way more valuable, because the era of the great iso sg's is long over and average sg's are garbage across the league now, but I only think you take McLemore if you think he has star potential.

Needs

April 19th, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^

Agree with most of these. There are some good situations there, too. Washington's been looking up and so has Toronto. Utah and Sacto have some interesting pieces that you sense could play better with a good PG orchestrating.

Orlando's tricky because just reinvested in Nelson over the summer for some reason. Only a three year deal though. Could see Burke taking one year as an understudy and then taking over the following year. Hope he doesn't go there, though. Little fan support, no clear idea what they're trying to do in rebuilding, and general fan disatisfaction with small pgs make it seem a bad fit.  

I could see New Orleans going for him, too. I think he and Vasquez could share the court. Rivers seems like a lost cause, people are calling him the worst lottery pick (as in worst player) in recent memory. Potentially fun lineup with Davis and Vasquez, with a generally decent idea what they're trying to do. 

I'm hoping he goes to Sacto and they relocate to Seattle. Fired up fans, kind of a fun lineup (though there are a lot of guys who want to play like Carmelo there), western conference where he can get up and down is probably better than stuck in the more defensive east (Chicago, Indiana, Boston)

He'll probably go to Phoenix and rot on the bench of the worst managed franchise in the NBA behind Dragic and Marshall (and that's including Sacto, which is some feat).

Fab and Fresh

April 19th, 2013 at 5:31 PM ^

At people taking racial offense to a "tar and feather" reference. All your future opinions have been rendered obsolete.



I've been seeing OKC in the lottery on a lot of mock drafts...I don't recall who the pick is coming from. Not sure if the pick is protected up to a certain draft position but regardless. Wouldn't it be nice to see OKC slide Russ off the ball and draft Trey? That would almost guarantee Burke a long and successful career at the next level.