2016 NBA Draft mega thread

[Fez Hammersticks]

11 games | 19 ppg | 9 rpg | 7 apg | 39% from three

Denzel Valentine continues to impress. That's probably an understatement as he's probably the front-runner for POY so far.

 

[santeesioux]

I haven't seen him play myself, but people are saying Jamal Murray is another CJ kind of player but can't create for others. Doesn't sound like what we need if CJ is still here next season.

 

[illmatic99]

This dude is climbing on my draftboard

 

[BonesJones]

This dude is climbing on my draftboard

Alex Len 2.0

 

[HailBlazers]

Alex Len 2.0

Yes, Please. Funny him gaming Plumlee.

 

[BonesJones]

Who do you guys want at 4 assuming Ingram, Murray, and Simmons are taken?

 

[BonesJones]

And what's the knock on Valentine? Why isn't he a top 10 pick?

 

[TBpup]

And what's the knock on Valentine? Why isn't he a top 10 pick?

Not overly athletic. A bit like Brandon Roy in that he has grown into a really good player but not as explosive as B-Roy. Jack of All Trades but not a Superstar type. However, he would be very good on a team with an established star already. Think Draymond Green joining Curry but not quite as good.

 

[MickZagger]

Yeah, I like Poetl.

 

[BonesJones]

Not overly athletic. A bit like Brandon Roy in that he has grown into a really good player but not as explosive as B-Roy. Jack of All Trades but not a Superstar type. However, he would be very good on a team with an established star already. Think Draymond Green joining Curry but not quite as good.

So he'd be good next to Dame?

 

[illmatic99]

Who do you guys want at 4 assuming Ingram, Murray, and Simmons are taken?

Kris Dunn.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Alex Len 2.0

I'd say he's more Bogut than Len.

This guy has a polished post game.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

And what's the knock on Valentine? Why isn't he a top 10 pick?

Age.

He'll be a 23 y/o rookie.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Not overly athletic. A bit like Brandon Roy in that he has grown into a really good player but not as explosive as B-Roy. Jack of All Trades but not a Superstar type. However, he would be very good on a team with an established star already. Think Draymond Green joining Curry but not quite as good.

Sounds a bit like Jimmy Butler.

 

[HolyBackboard]

If we keep winning, Denzel Valentine wouldn't be a bad consolation prize.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Domantas Sabonis

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[santeesioux]

Yeah, I like Poetl.

Yeah, he's sounding pretty good.

 

[BonesJones]

Sounds a bit like Jimmy Butler.

Sounds like a typical 3 and D wing, which are always drafted to low (Wes, Butler, Danny Green, DeMarre Carrol, Kawhi Leonard).

 

[PCmor7]

Poeltl scares me. I just don't see the athleticism and the offensive tools in his game. I have a feeling he might be kind of what you see is what you get in that he's not going to improve much. I thought Bogut was more athletic and a more dangerous offensive player when he was in college.

Now, if you are looking for Joel Przybilla 2.0, Poeltl fits the bill (hopefully he's not Bryant Reeves 2.0). I think he can take up space in the paint, set picks, get boards and block little guys who don't attack the rim very strong. I would just hope something better than that can be had in the top 8, and, right now, I see a pretty big gap after the first 5-7.

BTW, I don't put a lot of stock in the great numbers Poeltl put up against Duke. This isn't typical Duke. They don't really have the size to match up with him this year. He still missed some bunnies and got into foul trouble; I just worry against guys his size in the NBA, he becomes just another guy.

I think Valentine's a very poor man's Brandon Roy. Jack of all trades. Master of none. Very savvy. Of course, he's a senior playing against a lot of freshman and sophomores in most of Michigan State's biggest games. Is he athletic enough, because when he gets to the NBA experience isn't going to be in his corner.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Who do you guys want at 4 assuming Ingram, Murray, and Simmons are taken?

Nobody likes Skal anymore?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Nobody likes Skal anymore?

I do, and with any luck he might fall in the draft. He's struggling at Kentucky because he's not a carbon copy of Karl Anthony-Towns. He's skinny and would prefer to play the perimeter but Callipari wants to force him into the post. I approve of Cal doing that, but on the other hand, a perimeter-oriented big man works fine in today's NBA. And he can still block shots, which we really need. He actually makes me think of (blasphemy alert) Aldridge, who also had a "soft" label coming out of Texas (and still for many butthurt posters in this very forum).

He might decide to stay at Kentucky to improve his draft position, or he might even decide to transfer, but I think the most likely scenario is him coming out and relying on his reputation from high school. I'm going to assume he could use the money (and assume that the money you can get playing for Kentucky isn't quite as much).

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I do, and with any luck he might fall in the draft. He's struggling at Kentucky because he's not a carbon copy of Karl Anthony-Towns. He's skinny and would prefer to play the perimeter but Callipari wants to force him into the post. I approve of Cal doing that, but on the other hand, a perimeter-oriented big man works fine in today's NBA. And he can still block shots, which we really need. He actually makes me think of (blasphemy alert) Aldridge, who also had a "soft" label coming out of Texas (and still for many butthurt posters in this very forum).

He might decide to stay at Kentucky to improve his draft position, or he might even decide to transfer, but I think the most likely scenario is him coming out and relying on his reputation from high school. I'm going to assume he could use the money (and assume that the money you can get playing for Kentucky isn't quite as much).

Imagine if we get initially-highly-touted-but-stock-damaged-by-misuse-in-college Skal Labissiere a year after picking up nitially-highly-touted-but-stock-damaged-by-misuse-in-college Cliff Alexander.

 

[HolyBackboard]

Who do you guys want at 4 assuming Ingram, Murray, and Simmons are taken?

Lots of options. I wouldn't mind rolling the dice on a prospect like Bender or taking a gamble on Skal's potential and then there's always Kris Dunn. I don't think Portland's in a position where they should draft for need. If Dunn is BPA, you take him and let the talent sort itself out. You can't forget about Cal's duo of Jaylen Brown or Ivan Rabb either. I think this draft is turning out to be a little deeper than most expected and Olshey's track record come June, since he became our GM, has been awesome.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I think this draft will have good depth as well. Lot of young potential. Which means if they work hard they will be a solid contributor to a playoff team in their 3rd year. It seems like a long time away, but that's how you have to prepare your roster.
Hell it took CJ 3 years and he stayed 4 years of college. The draft is not a quick fix when drafting 19 year olds.

 

[PCmor7]

Nobody likes Skal anymore?

I do. I think he's going through a bit of an adjustment phase right now that are giving people reason to question him, justifiably. But his offensive tools are so good and he has so much upside ... if the Blazers ended up picking seventh and he fell to them, I'd be thrilled, because I'd have thought we got the second best talent (not yet player, but talent) in this draft. Not many 7-footers out there with his shooting touch, range and agility.

I think he might be one of those guys who was a victim of his own hype. But I think there are at least five guys in this draft with the capabilities to be megastars or multi-year all-stars, and Skal is one of them.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Lots of options. I wouldn't mind rolling the dice on a prospect like Bender or taking a gamble on Skal's potential and then there's always Kris Dunn.

I always forget about the Dragan...

 

[HolyBackboard]

If Skal were to drop in the draft, that would have a very Andre Drummond-like feel to it. I'm not saying Skal will produce like Dre has, but if we're picking 7-9 and he falls, we better scoop him up.

 

[BonesJones]

We gotta find out if it's possible to trade for a pick in the top 8... Imagine Bender+Labissiere as a PF/C combo. We could keep up with the small ball style that's trending in the NBA while actually going 7'0 and 7'1 with our bigs... They'd both fit Stotts offense perfectly and would do better than other bigs when switched in pick n rolls (which we do a lot).. Hell even if we could just get a mid 1st round pick, we could trade it up or grab Valentine to go along with our lotto pick.. I think trading for another first is the plan right now.

 

[PDXFonz]