OT for a slow summer - NBA Draft: What sayeth ye?
I can only assume that at least some of you are full-flush with NBA Draft Fever*. Here are my non-expert thoughts:
There is Anthony Davis, and then there is everyone else. I wouldn't trade Davis for the next ten picks in the draft. I'm not totally convinced that he'll be a great player, but I'm convinced that he'll at least be very good, especially as an anchor to a defense. His eyebrow alone will block a shot a game.
After Davis, I'd take...ugh. Robinson is solid. I think he'll solidly be solid. He'll rebound solidly - maybe even better than that - and he'll be a solid scorer. What I'm trying to say is that I think he'll be solid. And I went to Kansas, so I have nothing against the guy.
I like Kidd-Gilchrist the best after Davis. He's a hard-nosed player and a leader, as far as I've seen, so I don't think he'll let his potential go to waste. He doesn't strike me as a future superstar, but I think he'll be a guy who can help turn your team into a winner (Luol Deng comes to mind as an example of the kind of player I'm thinking of).
I don't understand the apparent love of the kid from Florida, Bradley Beal. He's 6'4", and he shot 32% (or something like that) from three.
Barnes was a guy for me who I liked less and less the more I watched him. He's very talented, but he just doesn't put it all together. He seems to force the action at times and then disappear at others. He also floundered against Kansas when UNC needed him the most. I don't hold that last point against him too much, but you should do better than that if you want to be a top 5 pick in the draft.
Anyway, I do not pretend that I have accurately assessed the above players or predicted the future. I am not capable of predicting the future when it comes to the NBA*. So, what do you think? Who do you want your team to draft?
*The cure: avocados, xanax, and the love of a good woman.
*Harness racing is another matter.
Drummond strikes me as a pro player, and not a college player. He didn't look like himself at UCONN. It seemed like he was trying to fit into a system or play a particular role, rather than just being himself.
You don't go from this (High School Mixtape):
To whatever it was we saw at UCONN without something else going on.
reaches higher, per draft combine measurements.
As an avid Thunder fan, I'm curious to see if they make any big moves today or not. There have been rumblings about a potential swap for the #3 pick to get Beal, probably sending Harden away... Apparently Sam Presti (Thunder GM) is in love with the kid.
Personally... this idea kinda terrifies me. The Thunder has a chance to win it all next year, and I'm pretty sure Harden>Beal....
I didn't watch Beal very much at all, so I have no opinion of the guy in general, but I know there's a chance they can't afford Harden after this year.
I honestly don't think they'll pull the trigger on Beal, but if they do... that will definitely make the Thunder's chances of getting back to The Finals a lot more difficult.
You keep Harden if he's willing to take less than a max contract. Otherwise you have to move him in a year anyway.
I'd swap a top 3 pick for him, but personally I'd do it for Robinson. The Thunder could use an interior scoring threat more than a 3rd perimeter option.
Robinson would be a much better fit than Beal for the Thunder. The need someone to rebound and score on the block
As far as personal fanfare goes, Ibaka is the love of my life. I would never trade him. EVER. My heart flutters every time he blocks a shot and waves his finger back and forth.
(Assuming "I aka" is referring to Ibaka)
Otherwise yes, I understand the Harden move. He has said, however, that he would take less money to stay with the team. I just don't see a reason to break up something (and someone) that has already brought you to The Finals and still has another potentially ten years of progression to look forward to. I have a hard time thinking that Harden won't improve since he's only been in the league three years.
Very good player and already a brilliant decision-maker. Under normal circumstances you put a giant flashing 'untouchable' sign around him, but the Thunder have done such a great job building their roster besides him that he's somewhat superfluous.
You make a good point though. They're obviously a title contender right now - don't mess with success. Even if they risk lose Harden for less later, it's worth it for a shot at the title next year.
when I taught high school and if you think he's a good ball player, he's an even better person. The kid deserves this.
I hope this is legit, and nothing like that RDT bullshit. I have heard he's a good kid, but it's always great to hear stories like this. I really hope he succeeds.
Not familiar with that acronym
Wait, is that Roll Damn Tide? I know the guy makes posts about Alabama, but that's about all I know about him. So I still don't get the reference.
No I'm not lying or exaggerating. I had Anthony as a freshman at Perspectives Charter Schools South Loop Campus (now called the Joslin Campus). He is a good kid, quiet for the most part. That was 5 years ago and I was taller than him back then (and I must say, I guarded him pretty well in the students vs. teachers game, but he wasn't the star we know him as now, but he was a freshmen starter). Now he's like 9 inches taller than me. And all my former colleagues, who still teach there, tell me he's still as good of a kid. And that's he's always coming in to school (even after graduating) to hang out with some of the teachers and last year's seniors.
Camby averaged 20-7 with nearly 4 blocks a game in collge. I see the comparison, but Henson isn't nearly as good. Camby's a very underrated player though. Henson will be solid.
The difference between PF and C doesn't really matter much. You need 2 big guys. Between them, one has to be able to be be a very good defender, a good rebounder, and a good jump shooter. You can't have two guys that don't have range, can't rebound, or can't defend. However, you can have players that lack one or the other as long as their teammate makes up for it.
True about Camby but Camby also had more blocks and way more defensive attention.
My point about positions was that it doesn't matter about the PF vs Center thing as long as they fit. Position has nothing to do with moving Monroe off the post. You only do that if you draft a better low post scorer - that could be a center (like Bynum) or a PF (like Thomas Robinson). Semantics I guess.
I don't have enough points to post but Jourdan Lewis Is now an all american. He just received invite to army bowl.
do I post information that hasn't been reported yet? I realize this was a baskeball post but I chose this post because it was the most current or last posted.
You should just comment on a bunch of things until you get 100 pts and then you can post it. go go go
Although we won't be seeing Zack Novak and Stu Douglass drafted, there will be some Big Ten players getting drafted tonight.
Meyers Leonard, Illinois: Late Lottery.
Jared Sullinger, Ohio State: Late first round.
Draymond Green, Michigan State: Late first round.
William Buford, Ohio State: Mid-Late second round.
Stretches: Robbie Hummel (Purdue), John Shurna (Northwestern).
Overall, not a great draft for the BIg Ten.
-Meyers Leonard stunk. perhaps he has NBA value but he stunk. I don't see it. He's a slightly better Paul Davis only not as ugly. Well it's close.
-Green is the PF Equivalent of Mateen Cleaves. Great work ethic and enthusiasm and good enough to dominate the B1G, but too small at their position and unskilled to make it in the NBA. He will be considered a bust.
-Buford is a going to thrive in the NBA. I would take him in the lottery
-Sullinger will be around for a cup of coffee until injuries end his career early.
-Hummel and Shurna will get paid in Euros.
Charlotte thinking of trading #2 pick
http://twitter.com/ESPNAndyKatz/statuses/218458377863438336
"Charlotte is "getting closer" to dealing the No. 2 pick, according to high-level source. Adds intrigue leading up to the draft at 7:30 p.m."
to the Pistons. If his background checks out as well as Dumars thinking that his medical condition isn't a big problem, he has star potential IMO. Long, athletic and can ball. He's the kind of player who would really help the team long-term.
I see we have an anonymous NBA hater downvoting everybody. Honestly man, get another hobby.
He's right on cue.
Seriously, that guy can't drink a vial of arsenic, set himself on fire, and jump off a cliff soon enough.
The best part about the NBA downvoter is that he's too much of a coward to downvote the actual post so everyone will know who he is.
but I downvote people who complain about downvoting
I couldn't care less about the downvotes, but it caves in half of the comments on the page. The points system is absolutely useless, and if you're doing it just to troll people, get that shit out of here and back to mlive. It's childish.
makes most threads better...but I hear you. Now somebody label this offtopic so no one else has to read it.
Well, Houston is making a major play on that front. They're going for the number 5 pick right now. By the end of the night they could have half of the draft picks.
Steal of the draft: Whoever Boston takes in the first round. They have two picks. They will have plenty of PT available. Both picks will get Rondo for their PG. This is almost a mortal lock.
If you were redrafting the NBA today - where every player's contract, age, etc. counted (like a real life "keeper" league fantasy draft) - where does Anthony Davis stand? I would probably take him at the 5th pick after Durant, Lebron, CP3, and DRose were off the board.
CP3 and DRose have injury concerns. Big guys like Davis win championships. Durant and James are above him because of their current dominance and age, but Davis may be even more valuable in the end - obviously he's a bigger risk though.
Probably not worth its own thread. Lakers reportedly make qualifying offer to Darrius Morris at $940,000, making him a restricted free agent. He's claimed he wants to look for someplace with more playing time, but that offer gives him some security.
"SEC" chants after Kidd-Gilchrist goes.
Bleagh.
Well, this draft is not exactly going the way most people had predicted. Can't remember seeing Waiters or Kidd-Gilcrist going that high. (I do like the Kidd-Gilcrist pick a lot. He plays hard, defends, and gets to the rim, three of the many things that the Bobcats need).
Leave it to the Cavs to make the first reach of the draft......DammitalltoHell.
Not much of a reach. Jeff Goodman, (correct on the first 6 picks), had the Cavs selecting Waiters