My Top 30 Prospects

[cloudydays]

Feel Free to Pick This Apart.

1. Blake Griffin
2. Ricky Rubio
3. Brandon Jennings
4. James Harden
5. Tyreke Evans
6. DeMar Derozan
7. Hasheem Thabeet
8. Stephen Curry
9. Eric Maynor
10. Jordan Hill
11. Earl Clark
12. Ty Lawson
13. Jonny Flynn
14. Terrence Williams
15. Gerald Henderson
16. James Johnson
17. Jeff Teague
18. Patrick Mills
19. BJ Mullens
20. Jrue Holliday
21. Gani Lawal
22. Dejuan Blair
23. Chase Budinger
24. Sam Young
25. Wayne Ellington
26. Austin Daye
27. Damion James
28. Marcus Thornton
29. Darren Collison
30. Dajuan Summers


PLEASE NOTE: I have seen nearly every single one of these guys play (the Pac-10 guys I saw live). I am also somewhat biased against the European players (with the exception of Rubio and Jennings) because I haven't seen any of them play.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Do you hate Tyreke Evans? I'd put up at #3 or #4. He's a 6'6" athletic guard with real PG skills.

Jay Bilas listed him as the 5th best prospect in the draft.

 

[cloudydays]

Do you hate Tyreke Evans? I'd put up at #3 or #4. He's a 6'6" athletic guard with real PG skills.

Jay Bilas listed him as the 5th best prospect in the draft.

oh shit wow I left him off.

let me edit it...

 

[cloudydays]

Do you hate Tyreke Evans? I'd put up at #3 or #4. He's a 6'6" athletic guard with real PG skills.

Jay Bilas listed him as the 5th best prospect in the draft.

I like Evans too

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

In terms of prospects, Jrue Holiday is way too low. He's a top-10 talent, IMO.

I think Maynor is going to surprise a lot of people. He's the best pure PG in College and can immediately play on the next level. On my list, I'd definitely rate him above Curry.

 

[cloudydays]

In terms of prospects, Jrue Holiday is way too low. He's a top-10 talent, IMO.

I think Maynor is going to surprise a lot of people. He's the best pure PG in College and can immediately play on the next level. On my list, I'd definitely rate him above Curry.

I disagree about Holiday. I think he is even more of a project than Westbrook was last year. I think somebody in the top 10 will end up falling in love with him (ala Westbrook) and take him early, but in terms of value I don't think he is the 10th best player in the draft.

I also think that Maynor is going to surprise people. He is most definitely the most "NBA Ready" Point Guard in the draft. I've already posted on here that he is like a combination of a Poor Man's Roy and a Rich Man's Sergio lol. For me, him and Curry are neck and neck.

 

[Dufferduck]

Three who I would like to see as Blazers

1) Johnny Flynn- Freak athlete, quick, carried SU this year. Could be this years Westbrook.
2) Patty Mills- I think once the workouts start, his stock is going to soar.
3) Danny Greene- Perfect glue guy, might be there @ 32

 

[cloudydays]

Three who I would like to see as Blazers

1) Johnny Flynn- Freak athlete, quick, carried SU this year. Could be this years Westbrook.
2) Patty Mills- I think once the workouts start, his stock is going to soar.
3) Danny Greene- Perfect glue guy, might be there @ 32

My list

1) Eric Maynor (he will be there at the #11 Pick, which can be had if we take back a contract)
2) Jonny Flynn
3) Patty Mills

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

It depends on how Flynn measures out. I have a feeling he'll be one of those 5'10" guys listed at 6'0".

 

[cloudydays]

It depends on how Flynn measures out. I have a feeling he'll be one of those 5'10" guys listed at 6'0".

Like Aaron Brooks?

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Or DJ Augustin.

Either player I'd love to have on this team.

But I'd still rate Maynor over Flynn, regardless of measurements.

 

[cloudydays]

Or DJ Augustin.

Either player I'd love to have on this team.

But I'd still rate Maynor over Flynn, regardless of measurements.

As would I

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I like this answer from Maynor:

DX: At the college level you were a big time scorer from the point guard position. In the NBA, do you see yourself continuing to be a scorer or will you develop as more of a pass first guard?

EM: I think I’m going to establish myself as a pass first guy. You’ve got guys that are all-stars who are putting up 28, 29 points per game. That’s what those guys are paid to do, score. These teams want someone who can get those guys the ball and run a team. They want someone who can get those guys their shots and find them in their sweet spot.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

That quote shows how mature Maynor is. I also think he will make the biggest impact right away our of the point guards.

The other guard I would want the most is Flynn, dude is a flat out competitor.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I disagree about Holiday. I think he is even more of a project than Westbrook was last year. I think somebody in the top 10 will end up falling in love with him (ala Westbrook) and take him early, but in terms of value I don't think he is the 10th best player in the draft.

I agree. I do not understand how he is rated so highly.. I know he has potential but top 10 is just way too high in my opinion.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Feel Free to Pick This Apart.

1. Blake Griffin
2. Ricky Rubio
3. Brandon Jennings
4. James Harden
5. Tyreke Evans
...

I'm honestly shocked that you don't have Megan Fox at the top of your list. You never cease to amaze, Cloudy.

 

[oldmangrouch]

If Jennings had performed in college the way he played in Europe, he would be lucky to be on the 1st round bubble. He has speed, no size, and no game. I fail to see what people are so excited about.

 

[cloudydays]

I'm honestly shocked that you don't have Megan Fox at the top of your list. You never cease to amaze, Cloudy.

hahaha

 

[VanillaGorilla]

If Jennings had performed in college the way he played in Europe, he would be lucky to be on the 1st round bubble. He has speed, no size, and no game. I fail to see what people are so excited about.

Agreed.

 

[cloudydays]

If Jennings had performed in college the way he played in Europe, he would be lucky to be on the 1st round bubble. He has speed, no size, and no game. I fail to see what people are so excited about.

Jennings is the real deal...

Of course there wouldn't have been much hype had he had those numbers in college, but he wouldn't have had those numbers in college to begin with lol...

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

The Blazers' Chad Buchanan, via courtside, said there is a HUGE dropoff after #20.

With one of our scouts saying that, I have a feeling KP really wants to move up.

 

[cloudydays]

The Blazers' Chad Buchanan, via courtside, said there is a HUGE dropoff after #20.

With one of our scouts saying that, I have a feeling KP really wants to move up.

there is no doubt in my mind KP will try to do that, unless he uses the pick to get a proven player like Conley or Hinrich. Portland has too much talent and not enough room, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Portland move up and get a PG with promise and see if he pans out in the D League or whatever.

 

[RickyRubio]

I hope we move up. The Clippers (I read) might want to trade their pick. Out of anyone, we have the assets to do that. Can you imagine Blake Griffin on our team?

Or if we could get the Clippers pick and trade a couple down to get Rubio? I would like that better I think.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I hope we move up. The Clippers (I read) might want to trade their pick. Out of anyone, we have the assets to do that. Can you imagine Blake Griffin on our team?

Not really.

 

[RickyRubio]

Not really.

Why not? He is supposed to be a phenomenal PF! Karl Malone version 2! Or do you just lack imagination to the point that you cannot even think about a player being on our team?

 

[Wheels]

Why not? He is supposed to be a phenomenal PF! Karl Malone version 2! Or do you just lack imagination to the point that you cannot even think about a player being on our team?

I think its more of "He's not gonna be here so why waste time imagining him in our uniform" not really

 

[gambitnut]

I have no idea about the top 30 prospects, but I just made a full two round mock draft at Draft Express for fun. What do you think? Did I forget anybody? Who do I have too high or too low?

 

[LameR]

I have no idea about the top 30 prospects, but I just made a full two round mock draft at Draft Express for fun. What do you think? Did I forget anybody? Who do I have too high or too low?

Just at a glance...

-Danny Green is more of a second rounder
-Patty Mills goes a bit earlier in most mocks
-Wayne Ellington has been a lottery pick in some mocks, so having him as an early/mid 2nd rounder is wayyyyyy off.

Overall pretty interesting. I love the lead-up to the draft. So many different possibilities and so many players' stocks rising and falling. Thanks for doing that. Mine would be absolutely horrible I think.

EDIT: Also, Holiday is pretty high in your's, but I could see it as a slight possibility depending on how his workouts go.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I heard on the radio the other day that scouts believe there is no different between picks #4 to #10. It's a pretty big drop off after Griffin/Rubio/Thabeet.

 

[gambitnut]

Just at a glance...

-Danny Green is more of a second rounder
-Patty Mills goes a bit earlier in most mocks
-Wayne Ellington has been a lottery pick in some mocks, so having him as an early/mid 2nd rounder is wayyyyyy off.

Overall pretty interesting. I love the lead-up to the draft. So many different possibilities and so many players' stocks rising and falling. Thanks for doing that. Mine would be absolutely horrible I think.

EDIT: Also, Holiday is pretty high in your's, but I could see it as a slight possibility depending on how his workouts go.

Danny Green was more of what I personally think the Blazers should do with their pick. I agree that 24 is probably a bit high for him but several teams right below us have high second round picks, so what I would really do is make a trade like we made with Houston to get Batum last year and pick up Green a bit lower. He is the last of the players I most want though, so I wouln't take a chance on losing him though, and I wouldn't be shocked if some team grabbed him at the end of the first round.

As far as Holiday and Mills go, two of the things I had the most trouble with was deciding on the order in the top ten and deciding what order the PGs will go in and which teams will pick them. Nothing would surprise me as far as those two things go.

I don't remember seeing any mock drafts with Ellington in the lottery, and definitely not recently. There are so many players that seem to be rated about the same that some of them have to fall into the second round.

I agree that the lead up to the draft is fun. I don't know much about some of these prospects other than what I read online, I didn't watch that much college basketball this past season, but I had fun doing this anyway. I hope others do it as well. You sure you don't want to give it a try?