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.
They're taking Barnes. Pistons may have the Drummond/Henson choice no one thought they would have.
Someone's reporting Austin Rivers, which, wow, that's a bad pick.
Dear Lebron James:
I'm sorry. I hereby takeback all the anger, all the hate and all the vitriol I've aimed at you over the past two years. After watching the Cavs so called "brain trust" fuck-up two straight fourth picks in the draft I know realize they truly are too stupid to have a player of your quality on the team. The only thing they've managed to not screw up was the Kylie Irving pick and my 7 year old could've gotten that one right.
Anyways will you accept my apology? Let's get together next time you're in town for a couple of cold Great Lakes Brewing drafts and maybe a burger and onion rings from Swensons and let bygones be bygones.
Go Heat!
MGrowold
Wow, I was gonna say. Either Barnes or Drummond falling to the Pistons at 9 would be huge, but both?
I was seriously debating whether or not to post that, but Joe D could still ruin it.
It's beyond me now...
Best comment on the SI draft chat:
"Seattle's going to have a good team when Sacramento moves."
DRUMMOND! DRUMMMOND! DRUMMOND!
I swear that was him leading Terrance Ross to the stage.
Get Drummond!!!
This has kind of been their MO the past couple drafts.
Dumars is a lucky guy. For the 3rd year in a row he has an exceedingly obvious selection.
And this is why giving up ANY 1st rounders is a bad idea -- never know who will drop.
The names associated with Drummond in the Chad Ford/Bill Simmons draft column were... Darko/Kwama/Thabeet and ... Dwight Howard. Ford said, "If he gets with the right team and mentor and dedicates himself to becoming a good NBA player — he could do exactly what Dwight does and start dunking over everyone. Dwight is the only player in the NBA with his physical abilities."
Can the Pistons just go out and sign Hakeem with the mid level exception just to teach him some post moves and how to play hard?
Buddha doesn't count?
Loved that fadeaway. I think it was written into his contract that he got the first shot of every game.
Laimbeer usually guarded the centers. Mahorn/Edwards were both PFs. Buddha was tall enough to play the 5 but a little soft on D. But that fadeaway was awesome. I had a "Buddha Train" t-shirt back then. (Why did they stop making all those shirts with goofy caricatures?)
Admittedly I never watched Drummond so I couldn't tell you anything about him. After hearing J. Bilas break him down while watching those highlights, I'm on board.
Well, realistically you're not likely to go to a great environment when you're a lotto pick . He'll have Greg Monroe to learn from, who seems like a good teammate.
Here's an evaluation from the coach who's been breaking down tape for grantland. At 9, this was a great pick.
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/30791/2012-nba-draft-evaluating-the-big-men
I love it. He and Monroe could be a monster frontline.
U-M connection - his agent is Rob Pelinka.
I hope this pans out...I feel like the spectrum on him is as wide as anyone in the league. I don't think he'll be Dwight Howard because he has NO offensive game and shoots 29% at the line. However he can be a solid NBA starter...DeAndre Jordan was a solid comparison.
At the same time he could be a lifetime Brendan Haywood which isn't terrible, but not #9 worthy (not sure if there was better that you can identify right now).
Or I could see him in the D-League in 5-6 years.
...this is the pick that will make/break Dumars' career. He could redeem himself or he could be gone.
With that said, I'm not sure there was any other choice unless you went with Henson and rolled with Monroe playing center for the rest of his immediate career.
At #11?? lulz I honestly did not know he was a that highly regarded and I like to think I know a bit about the game of basketball (though my knowledge of things NBA-wise has declined over the years; I don't watch much of the stuff). Can anyone answer for me if Portland has taken a big man since Greg Oden?
Pistons fans...Chris Broussard just said the 76ers are looking to trade Iguodala.
I'd be willing to trade for him in a heartbeat, what are your thoughts?