Grade this 'what-if' draft

[Fez Hammersticks]

Say the Blazers trade into the top-8 (Sacramento #7?) while keeping our #21, how would you grade this draft:

#7 - Jimmer Fredette
#21 - Kenneth Faried

Both prospects are four year players who are NBA ready.

 

[Natebishop3]

I would give it a B or a B-. I think it would depend heavily on what we were trading, but I wouldn't be unhappy with that draft because I think it addresses two major needs for us.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I guess that's an OK draft ... I like Farried and don't Jimmer, but given the absolute dearth of difference makers that appear to be in this year's ultra-watered-down class, you could probably do a whole lot worse.

B

 

[Natebishop3]

I guess that's an OK draft ... I like Farried and don't Jimmer, but given the absolute dearth of difference makers that appear to be in this year's ultra-watered-down class, you could probably do a whole lot worse.

B

I think it matters more what we actually give up to get Jimmer.

 

[BrianFromWA]

If Jimmer and Faried are 7 and 21 and we get them, A+. Finals team with Oden.

WTF is an "A" draft, those who think that this is a B-? I would like Knight or Kemba as much as Jimmer, but neither one of them shoot well enough (or in Knight's case, has shown the stones to make a clutch shot) to get of the bench in Nate's system.

 

[MickZagger]

#7 - Alec Burks
#21 - Faried

Thats an 'A' draft.

 

[BrianFromWA]

so reaching 10 spots or so to get a ball-controlling SG/SF to play behind Roy, Wes, Wallace (and that's IF Batum is sent out for the #7) vice getting a good-shooting PG makes it go up a full grade?

Not sure I agree.

 

[MickZagger]

so reaching 10 spots or so to get a ball-controlling SG/SF to play behind Roy, Wes, Wallace (and that's IF Batum is sent out for the #7) vice getting a good-shooting PG makes it go up a full grade?

Not sure I agree.

I dont give a shit who we have, you draft best available player. Always.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Totally disagree with your absolute, but whatever.

So you're saying that in your mind, Burks is the best available player at 7? Seriously?

 

[Natebishop3]

so reaching 10 spots or so to get a ball-controlling SG/SF to play behind Roy, Wes, Wallace (and that's IF Batum is sent out for the #7) vice getting a good-shooting PG makes it go up a full grade?

Not sure I agree.

Like I said, I think it depends a lot on what we have to give up to get the 7th. I guess I'm not that impressed with Jimmer. He doesn't strike me as a pure point guard, so does that mean we are just going for Steve Blake on steroids?

 

[BrianFromWA]

Steve Blake on steroids would be a helluva player for this team. Most of Jimmer's detractors just aren't sure he can get to that level.

 

[Natebishop3]

Steve Blake on steroids would be a helluva player for this team. Most of Jimmer's detractors just aren't sure he can get to that level.

It's hard to say honestly, but I don't think I'd give up Miller, Batum, or any of our other assets for Jimmer at this point. If we can score someone like Knight or Walker, that's great.

 

[DaLincolnJones]

Steve Blake on steroids would be a helluva player for this team. Most of Jimmer's detractors just aren't sure he can get to that level.

would bet these are the same guys that said the Love would not do well in the NBA. Every year it is the same thing, the experts try to show their collective stuff, and they blow it on some average athlete, that is too milk toast on the charts, but possess the drive. Jimmer is going to kill it at the next level, he just does not know how to fail.

 

[RR7]

I don't think I could give a good grade without knowing what was given up for the 7, and who was on the board. Assuming Irving, Williams, Kanter, Knight and Walker are all gone, that puts us at pick 6 with Biyombo, Valanciunas, Vesely, all there. I think I'd prefer one of Biyombo or Valanciunas over Jimmer, personally.
I'm assuming you draft Jimmer with the hope that he could be a half way decent distributor, but a scorer primarily at this level, and I'm not a huge fan of building around a PG as one of your top scorers. Especially with Camby, Wallace and Matthews filling out the other 3 starting spots.

 

[RR7]

would bet these are the same guys that said the Love would not do well in the NBA. Every year it is the same thing, the experts try to show their collective stuff, and they blow it on some average athlete, that is too milk toast on the charts, but possess the drive. Jimmer is going to kill it at the next level, he just does not know how to fail.

Except Love actually measured out pretty well as an athlete, surprisingly, having a higher vertical than DeAndre jordan and Javale McGee. His lane agility was better than Augustin and bayless and rose, and his sprint was better than Beasley, as well as, again, Jordan and McGee. I think it was surprising for many that he tested out so well athletically, given his pudgy look.

 

[Rhal]

Depends hugely on what we have to give up. I'm not big on Jimmer at all and don't want him while we have a glut at the 2 guard position. At 7 he seems like a huge risk when there should be a lot of other players i'd much rather have at around that pick. Love Farried at 21 though.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I think jimmer is over rated as well. I said it before, I would take him at #21, but even that is a stretch. I think he will make the NBA, but he will not be a star. So i would not give much up to move up for him.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

i like others better at 7 probably, but would be happy to add ANY talent, depending on what we gave up

 

[3RA1N1AC]

so B-ish

 

[Rhal]

I was just thinking that Jimmer ceiling is basically JJ Redick 2.0, would you use the #7 in this draft to draft JJ Redick?

 

[BrianFromWA]

He's not JJ Redick 2.0....he's JJ Redick 2.0 with PG skills. He might be a better Steve Blake. He's probably a white Steph Curry.

That said, you would use the #7 on Alec Burks, and call it an "A" draft? Sure, maybe he turns into Brandon Roy, but I doubt that he will on a team with Brandon Roy, among others, taking his minutes. Just look at what Luke Babbitt went through. Everyone on this board is hammering this guy b/c he didn't get minutes behind Gerald Wallace and Nic Batum, and when he did, it wasn't in the one-on-one situations he dominated in college.

BPA doesn't mean a ton if your BP isn't going to get off the bench, and if he's going to be misused when he does. I highly doubt that Jimmer (or Biyambo or Faried, for that matter) will be bad fits for the team in terms of time played or usage.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

If we're going scoring point guard and non-scoring frontcourt player, I think I'd prefer Biyombo/Jenkins over Fredette/Faried. Plus, I think there'd be less chance of our pick-21 target being taken early, and more alternatives if he were.

 

[illmatic99]

I was just thinking that Jimmer ceiling is basically JJ Redick 2.0, would you use the #7 in this draft to draft JJ Redick?

I compare Jimmer to the guy who torched teams in the playoffs this year, Jason Terry.

 

[DaLincolnJones]

I compare Jimmer to the guy who torched teams in the playoffs this year, Jason Terry.

bingo

If you have a guy that can hit from 40 ft out....well that does open up the lanes a bit.

 

[MickZagger]

Totally disagree with your absolute, but whatever.

So you're saying that in your mind, Burks is the best available player at 7? Seriously?

I wouldnt be surprised to see Burks a top 5 pick on draft day.

 

[MickZagger]

I think Jimmer will be better than people think. I dont agree with the Redick comparison because one of Jimmers biggest strengths is his ability to shoot off the dribble. Reddick couldnt do that at Duke.

 

[Pinwheel1]

bingo

If you have a guy that can hit from 40 ft out....well that does open up the lanes a bit.

Thats not what made Terry effective. Lots of guys can hit the long ball. But if thats all they can do then they are easy to guard. Jason Terry has a large repertoire of shots. Jimmer may end up having them also. But that is yet to be proven in the NBA.

Jimmer has a long ways to go before he is the instant offense Terry is. I think he will be Ok, but again I will be surprised if he is the 6th man of the year like Terry was.

The floater is key IMO. Terry has it down pat.

 

[Minstrel]

Thats not what made Terry effective. Lots of guys can hit the long ball. But if thats all they can do then they are easy to guard. Jason Terry has a large repertoire of shots. Jimmer may end up having them also. But that is yet to be proven in the NBA.

Jimmer has a huge repertoire of shots also. What he doesn't have is Terry's quickness. Other than that, they actually are rather similar...but the quickness makes a massive difference in terms of getting to the hoop against NBA defenses.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Jimmer has a huge repertoire of shots also. What he doesn't have is Terry's quickness. Other than that, they actually are rather similar...but the quickness makes a massive difference in terms of getting to the hoop against NBA defenses.

Yeah that's a good point. He is creative. But like you said if he is not quick enough to create separation between he and the defenders than the creative shots are useless. I have not heard any "jet" references used with the Jimmer.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Jimmer has Nash-like athletic ability -- He's quick but not explosive.

Here's a good writeup on Jimmer from Slam Magaine: LINK