Busts and Gems

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42N8Bounce

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Every year there are a few guys that don't live up to the hype, and a few that are surprises.

Name 4 guys you think will be drafted in the top 11, and not establish themselves as a starter by year 4. On the flip side, name 4 guys that you think will be drafted after 15, and turn out to be good starters. Here are my picks -

Busts:
1. Andre Drummond
2. Harrison Barnes
3. Perry Jones
4. Meyers Leonard

Gems:
1. John Jenkins
2. Royce White
3. Draymond Green
4. Will Barton
 
I would seriously consider drafting Harrison Barnes #2 overall.

But agree Drummond is very likely to be a bust, reminds me of Olowakandi. Athletic but very little basketball skill.
 
I would seriously consider drafting Harrison Barnes #2 overall.

But agree Drummond is very likely to be a bust, reminds me of Olowakandi. Athletic but very little basketball skill.

Looking at the top 11, it's always tough to pull out 4 that won't be successful. Everyone looks shiny and new before the draft. Barnes is a tough one. Lots of potential to be very good, but I also see the possibility of him being too specialized and not fitting well with the team he gets put with. For being known as a shooter, he only shot 36% from 3, and 44% from 2.
 
Busts:
Barnes
Lilliard
MKG
Jeremy Lamb (depends on the mock)

Gems:
Royce White
Marquis Teague
Arnett Moultrie
Kendall Marshall
 
Busts
1. Drummond
2. Jeremy Lamb
3. Leonard
4. Beal (I just don't like this guy. No real reason for it other then I think he is small and not as athletic as described but something about him just rubs me the wrong way)

Gems
1. Marshall
2. Andrew Nicholson
3. Royce White
4. Tony Wroten Jr.
 
Looking at the top 11, it's always tough to pull out 4 that won't be successful. Everyone looks shiny and new before the draft. Barnes is a tough one. Lots of potential to be very good, but I also see the possibility of him being too specialized and not fitting well with the team he gets put with. For being known as a shooter, he only shot 36% from 3, and 44% from 2.

What makes me love Barnes is his athletic ability. That coupled with a great catch and shoot makes me think as long as he ends up with a decent PG he'll be fine.
I should specify, love him as a prospect but most definitely not on the blazers.
 
Busts
1. Drummond
2. Jeremy Lamb
3. Leonard
4. Beal (I just don't like this guy. No real reason for it other then I think he is small and not as athletic as described but something about him just rubs me the wrong way)

Gems
1. Marshall
2. Andrew Nicholson
3. Royce White
4. Tony Wroten Jr.

Nice pick with Marshall. That guy intrigues me. With the right team, he could really shine.
 
Nice pick with Marshall. That guy intrigues me. With the right team, he could really shine.

I still want him on the Blazers more then I want Lillard. Id take Dragic over both.
 
Busts:
Barnes
Lilliard
MKG
Jeremy Lamb (depends on the mock)

Gems:
Royce White
Marquis Teague
Arnett Moultrie
Kendall Marshall

MKG. Brave pick there. No one has really talked too much about him not making it.
 
I still want him on the Blazers more then I want Lillard. Id take Dragic over both.

Dragic is a known quantity. I agree. Two weeks before the draft though, it's tough not to dream about what these draft guys 'could be'.
 
MKG. Brave pick there. No one has really talked too much about him not making it.

Everyone assumes because of his insane work ethic he will improve every aspect of his game. Also a wing defender who can guard 3 positions is always needed. Worst case scenario is Bruce Bowen imo.
 
Everyone assumes because of his insane work ethic he will improve every aspect of his game. Also a wing defender who can guard 3 positions is always needed. Worst case scenario is Bruce Bowen imo.

Bowen became that because he had two things I don't see in MKG. He developed a killer three. He one of he dirtiest players in the game.
 
Busts:
Jared Sullinger - His combine numbers are going to kill him in the NBA. His 11'4" max reach is SG/SF-esque.
Fab Melo - NBA size but doesn't have the talent to play in the NBA. Boumtje-Boumtje, anyone?

Gems:
Thomas Robinson - Has great size at a legit 6'9" with a 7'3" wingspan. A total gamer with that "it" factor.
Bradley Beal - Exudes basketball IQ and awareness. Mediocre regular season, turned it on in the tourny. Only 18 years old.
Jae Crowder - All-around player. A hard-nosed, blue collar guy. Great advanced stats across the board.
Kendall Marshall - He's Ricky Rubio w/o the defense. Though, he's not terrible on the defensive end but he's going to struggle against the likes of Lawson, Wall, etc.
 
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I agree with most of the choices already given, so I'll try to add new ones. (Exception: I don't see John Jenkins as a starter, which was a criterion.

Busts
Basically every lottery pick outside of the first two picks has already been mentioned! And it's dumb to name a "bust" who's outside the lottery. But I agree on Drummond, Perry Jones and Leonard especially. I also agree that MKG will disappoint for a while, but his team will mysteriously improve.

Gems
Tyler Zeller (he may be a lottery pick, but I don't think much is expected of him at the moment. But I think he'll be a starter mainly because half-decent seven footers tend to start. Ugly but effective.)
Kostas Papanikolaou (yeah, I'm a broken record)
Jeff Taylor
Drew Gordon
 
Here's a PG who would be an NBA rookie if he played next year that would be a gem (and that New Orleans should really be trying to sign, as he's a native son):
Bo McCalebb:
[video=youtube;eugrg0g7aZI]

Part of the reason I'm not keen on drafting Lillard is that I bet McCalebb is a better scoring point. He's another Kyle Lowry, and he should be gettable if we whiffed on D-Will and Dragic.
 
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Gems:
PG: Wroten
SG: Barton
SF: Harkless
PF: Terrance Jones
C: O'Quinn

Busts :
PG: Lillard (Not a PG. Will be decent bench player)
SG: Lamb (Again, a decent bench player)
SF: Barnes (Can't dribble or pass - may end up being a low level starter)
PF: PJIII (doesn't have a position or the drive)
C: Sullinger (injuries)
 
Starting 5 outside the lottery:
PG: Kendall Marshall (he may be drafted in the lottery - if so, then Scott Machado)
SG: John Jenkins (44% from 3)
SF: Royce White (point foward)
PF: Draymond Green (Between Royce White and Draymond Green, you've got 8.8 assists and 2.7 steals. Lots of activity, and TOs)
C: Tyler Zeller (he may be drafted in the lottery - if so, then Kyle O'Quinn)

Hopefully we can pick up 1 of these guys with our second round picks. Somebody always slides.
 
Busts;
1. Jeremy Lamb
2. Perry Jones III
3. Meyers Leonard
4. Kendall Marshall

Gems;
1. Austin Rivers
2. Fab Melo
3. Terrence Jones
4. Quincy Miller
 
Busts;
1. Jeremy Lamb
2. Perry Jones III
3. Meyers Leonard
4. Kendall Marshall

Gems;
1. Austin Rivers
2. Fab Melo
3. Terrence Jones
4. Quincy Miller

Have you watched him play more than once? Not only did he look terrible at 'Cuse, he's been bombing his workouts -- at least he did in Boston.

Think current-day Jamal Magloire.
 
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Busts
1. The Soup Juggler
2. Jeremy Lamb
3. Myers Leonard
4. MKG

Gems
1. Moe Harkless
2. Royce White
3. Jeff Taylor
4. Which ever of Terrence Ross, Jones III or Moultrie is picked outside 15

Honerable mention to Andrew Nicholson, Jeff Teague, Evan Fournier and Quincy Miller
 
Royce White was throwing Terrence Jones around like a ragdoll, even more impressive now knowing that Jones is 6'9" 255 lbs.
 
BUSTS:
PG- Waiters
SG- Beal (just not high on this guy)
SF- Barnes
PF- Sullinger (one leg shorter then the other ... ugh)
C- Leonard

GEMS:
PG- Wroten
SG- Cunningham
SF- Barton
PF- White
C- O'Quinn
 
you mean Eastern Conference All-Star (TM) Jamaal Magloire? ;)
 
Have you watched him play more than once? Not only did he look terrible at 'Cuse,

Yes, actually I watched the majority of Cuse games last year. Just look at how much better Cuse was last year when he played as opposed to when he didn't play. He should have stayed one more year in college, but he is a very solid defensive presence. He blocked/altered so many shots last year, good rebounder, plus I think once he gets comfortable in the NBA he can give you a solid 10 points a game.
 
Yes, actually I watched the majority of Cuse games last year. Just look at how much better Cuse was last year when he played as opposed to when he didn't play. He should have stayed one more year in college, but he is a very solid defensive presence. He blocked/altered so many shots last year, good rebounder, plus I think once he gets comfortable in the NBA he can give you a solid 10 points a game.

Fab only averaged 7.8 ppg & 5.8 rpg. Those numbers are pretty underwhelming. 2.9 bpg is certainly nice though. I think he's a pretty big long shot.
 
Busts
PG: Dion Waiters
SG: Bradley Beal
SF: Harrison Barnes
PF: John Henson
C: Anthony Davis

Gems
PG: Tyshawn Taylor
SG: Moe Harkless
SF: Jeff Taylor
PF: Draymond Green
C: Arnett Moultrie

Second Rounders:
PG: Scott Machado
SG: Jared Cunningham
SF: Kevin Murphy
PF: JaMychal Green
C: Miles Plumlee
 
Busts
PG: Dion Waiters
SG: Bradley Beal
SF: Harrison Barnes
PF: John Henson
C: Anthony Davis

Gems
PG: Tyshawn Taylor
SG: Moe Harkless
SF: Jeff Taylor
PF: Draymond Green
C: Arnett Moultrie

Second Rounders:
PG: Scott Machado
SG: Jared Cunningham
SF: Kevin Murphy
PF: JaMychal Green
C: Miles Plumlee

Shows how much you know about the prospect you are labeling a bust...

He is not a point guard, he is a SHOOTING GUARD.
 
Shows how much you know about the prospect you are labeling a bust...

He is not a point guard, he is a SHOOTING GUARD.

There wasn't a PG I thought to be a bust in the lottery, and his profile of draft express lists him as a SG/PG. I could have put Beal there too, there's been talk about him trying to convert to PG.
 

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