Your guys.

[OregonHuskerMan]

Glenn Robinson
Shabazz
Oladipo
Gobert (on the fence)
Kentavious Caldwell (on the fence)
Guy like Batum (on the fence)

 

[OregonHuskerMan]

I agree with you BGD that if they found a quality 3 then take him and slide Nic over. However I would prefer to have a SG with really good handles in addition to Nic and Lillard. The more guys on the floor who can dribble and pass the better. That is why I am not opposed to playing with 2 PG's for a portion of the game. And why I would not be opposed to drafting Smart if for some reason he fell.

But at the same time if a big fell to us that was the best player available, I would take him too. (and still sign someone like Pachulia)

Bottom line: just take the BPA and worry about how they fit later. We need quality players at every position even PG and PF (If we lose out on Maynor and JJ. )

THis is why I love GR3. Guy has an above average playmaking ability as well as creating shots off the dribble for himself or others. Would love if we drafted him.

 

[Pinwheel1]

THis is why I love GR3. Guy has an above average playmaking ability as well as creating shots off the dribble for himself or others. Would love if we drafted him.

Well I look forward to watching him on Monday. I really think that this year's mock drafts will prove to be the hardest to predict in a long time. What they have now is going to change quite a bit once the personal workouts start and the underclassmen decide if they are entering the draft or not.

I think there wil be good talent at #12. I mean #12 is damn near the same as #1. Ok I may be exaggerating a little bit, but you all have to admit that GR3 has as much potential as Ben McLemore.
The draft is not top heavy this year. No big stars. This draft will be fun to watch.

 

[PapaG]

Well I look forward to watching him on Monday. I really think that this year's mock drafts will prove to be the hardest to predict in a long time. What they have now is going to change quite a bit once the personal workouts start and the underclassmen decide if they are entering the draft or not.

I think there wil be good talent at #12. I mean #12 is damn near the same as #1. Ok I may be exaggerating a little bit, but you all have to admit that GR3 has as much potential as Ben McLemore.
The draft is not top heavy this year. No big stars. This draft will be fun to watch.

I see it as the opposite, because there aren't twelve guys who would go #1 in most drafts in this draft. McLemore as the #1 overall is just sad.

 

[RR7]

I see it as the opposite, because there aren't twelve guys who would go #1 in most drafts in this draft. McLemore as the #1 overall is just sad.

I don't think he was saying there's 12 #1s. 12 being the same as 1 in that, like you said, McLemore shouldn't be a #1 overall. There's not top level talent, but there's good depth of talent.

 

[PapaG]

I don't think he was saying there's 12 #1s. 12 being the same as 1 in that, like you said, McLemore shouldn't be a #1 overall. There's not top level talent, but there's good depth of talent.

See, to me, that's a watered-down draft.

You know who intrigues me as a prospect? Jeff Withey, who can defend the rim from the weak side. Don't laugh...

 

[ABM]

See, to me, that's a watered-down draft.

You know who intrigues me as a prospect? Jeff Withey, who can defend the rim from the weak side. Don't laugh...

I'm laughing so hard, it hurts!

 

[Denny Crane]

Where did you hear that Clyde Drexler was drafted as a SF? I never heard that at the time, nor have I ever read that since. He was always a SG and that is why we did not draft THEE SG a year later.

Jordan was a SF when he first played for the Bulls.

Quentin Daily played ~27 minutes a game at SG during Jordan's rookie season. MJ played 39.

The Bulls acquired George Gervin to play SG for MJ's second season, but MJ ended up missing almost the whole year.

 

[RR7]

Jordan was a SF when he first played for the Bulls.

Quentin Daily played ~27 minutes a game at SG during Jordan's rookie season. MJ played 39.

The Bulls acquired George Gervin to play SG for MJ's second season, but MJ ended up missing almost the whole year.

Daily was doing a lot of that as PG as well. Orlando Woolridge was the primary SF, playing 37 minutes a game.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Jordan was a SF when he first played for the Bulls.

Quentin Daily played ~27 minutes a game at SG during Jordan's rookie season. MJ played 39.

The Bulls acquired George Gervin to play SG for MJ's second season, but MJ ended up missing almost the whole year.

I have no idea what your point is. What does this have to do with what position Clyde was drafted as?

 

[MickZagger]

I also like Mitch McGary. Not sure I'd want him where were going to pick though.

 

[Denny Crane]

Daily was doing a lot of that as PG as well. Orlando Woolridge was the primary SF, playing 37 minutes a game.

He still started at SF for the first bunch of games in his career. I watched the games live, or listened on the radio.

His move to SG was a project early on in his career. He was absolutely going to play SF full time his second season with Wooldridge moving to PF. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...7_1_bulls-coach-stan-albeck-gervin-bulls-plan

Later in his career, I think he played SF or PF for the Bulls. Pippen was the PG and Ron Harper was the SG. Jordan was automatic from the low post, where a PF normally plays, during the 2nd threepeat.

During the 1st threepeat, Pippen played PG and 3pt specialists played the SG position - guys like Paxson, Hodges, Armstrong, and Rory Sparrow.

Granted, Pippen played SF on defense. But you guys in Portland know what he can do as PG, as do we Bulls fans.

 

[Denny Crane]

I have no idea what your point is. What does this have to do with what position Clyde was drafted as?

It doesn't. It just means that if Portland had drafted Jordan, one would have played SF, the other SG.

 

[Pinwheel1]

It doesn't. It just means that if Portland had drafted Jordan, one would have played SF, the other SG.

Oh. Yeah there is no question that it was the fuck up of the century.

 

[Sinobas]

I'm hoping we get Glenn Robinson or Oladipo.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Noel
McLemore
Oladipo
Porter
McAdoo
Bennett
Shabazz

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Of guys who might be available. Oladipo, Porter, Alexei Len. If none of those available; I don't know. Mc Adoo if they can figure out why he shot so poorly both from the field and free throw line.

 

[NOVoodoo]

Of guys who might be available. Oladipo, Porter, Alexei Len. If none of those available; I don't know. Mc Adoo if they can figure out why he shot so poorly both from the field and free throw line.

He shot so poorly from the field because UNC misused him. His role as a Tarheel was schizophrenic, and coach Roy and company never really developed his talent (not really a shocker given their history with talent). He should really have been developed as a post player, but they did everything they could do to have him shooting perimeter jumpers, trying to put the ball on the floor, and guarding guys who were too quick for him. I still like his potential, but he's not a three. I think he could be a great four, maybe with a pick-and-pop aspect to this game, but just because the guy hit some outside shots in the past doesn't mean he's a three.

 

[STOMP]

I think Batum could play SG just fine and he showed that last season. Clyde Drexler was drafted as a SF and he never had very good handles. Drexler always drove to the basket with his head down.

he was all right hand too, but such a good athlete that it really didn't matter as he'd either rise above or blow by everyone. Being such a lethal scoring threat, helped him average a robust amount of assists for a SG (which was always his primary position). To me it's not really a SG's handles, it's their ability to create offense for himself and others and Clyde certainly could do that

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/drexlcl01.html

of the guys in this draft I'm most intrigued by Smart and Gobert. The addition of Maynor has shown how much a second playmaker from the wing improves PDX's attack and Smart seems much more physically capable of defending 2's then Dame or Eric. I figure Batum can help shed some light on whether Rudy has the drive to put in the work that he'd obviously needs to reach his physical potential. There are others I'm intrigued by but want to see the pre-draft stuff to reveal whats really what especially regarding the incoming SGs... as usual, I think some are really fudging their listed size.

btw, I'm guessing/expecting some draft day movement shaking up the starting lineup a little

STOMP

 

[BigGameDamian]

I'm hoping we get Glenn Robinson or Oladipo.

I'm with ya on this one! We don't need another young big save those for free agency.

 

[NOVoodoo]

Noel
Burke
Patric Young
Oladipo
Withey
Craft

I like Patric Young as well, but he just announced he's returning. Good decision on his part. Florida's shaping up to be a great team next year, and with another year, he can go from a mid-first to a lottery level player.

I also very much agree with you on Aaron Craft. He's been one of my favorite players in college ball for a while, and I really think he's being slept on too much. I love his defensive tenacity and his floor general skills. He's never going to be a go-to-guy, but he could be a great back-up pg for years.

If guys like Mario Chalmers and Steve Blake can make it in the league, then I don't see any reason why Craft won't. I don't think he was ever in the conversation for leaving early though. He's only a junior and will almost undoubtedly be back for his senior season. (Although, I honestly thought he was a senior as well until recently. He's one of those guys that got a lot of playing time for a big time program off the bat as a freshman, so it seems like he's been playing college ball forever.)

 

[NOVoodoo]

BTW - To all the casual NCAA fans out there, get ready to be repeatedly hit over the head with Aaron Craft propaganda next season. Just looking at the landscape, he's very likely to return, and his team loses it's primary offensive weapon (DeShaun Thomas, even though he shouldn't declare early as a fringe first rounder), but they do return enough talent to keep Ohio State in the top 10-20 all season long, and Aaron Craft will be the quarterback of that effort.

He's got all of the makings of a media darling, being a short, white, unassuming kid that plays a style of basketball that is all about defense, effort, and playmaking, but when called upon he's clutch. Not to mention he's always on the All-Big 10 Academic team, was valedictorian, and has a pretty difficult major (Finance I think). He's the perfect powder keg of media publicity ready to get ignited.

 

[Blazer4ever]

He reminds me of JJ Barea

 

[jwhoops11]

I want to throw a name out that I don't think many people have on their radar. End of the first round, high second round guy now, but I wouldn't be surprised after workouts if he didn't move up into the teens. 6'10, Power Forward, has a pretty decent back to the basket game and this season became solid out to the college 3 pt line.

Adreian Payne from Michigan St

Not a lottery pick, but I'm looking forward to seeing where he's drafted. I think their's a lot of untapped potential, and with each college year he's shown good improvement.

 

[Run BJM]

Yeah I think Payne's got a chance to stick in the NBA, he even shows some good athleticism at times. Seems like he'll be a sieve on defense though.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Yeah I think Payne's got a chance to stick in the NBA, he even shows some good athleticism at times. Seems like he'll be a sieve on defense though.

Max Payne?

 

[Blazinaway]

Max Payne?

I want Gorgui Dieng, either trade down or get another pick. I agree, I want this guy, yes he is 23 but can play D and block shots and has developed a decent outsode shot, at 6-11, 245 a nice fit with meyers IMO and he seems like hard worker/smart/great guy and reportedly has a 7'4' to 7'6" wingspan

http://www.nbadraftblog.com/2013-scouting-reports/scouting-report-gorgui-dieng.html

 

[Blazinaway]

I want Gorgui Dieng, either trade down or get another pick. I agree, I want this guy, yes he is 23 but can play D and block shots and has developed a decent outsode shot, at 6 11 245 a nice fit with meyers IMO and he seems like hard worker/smart/great guy

http://www.nbadraftblog.com/2013-scouting-reports/scouting-report-gorgui-dieng.html

more on Dieng:

"In a game that lived up to all the hype, Louisville won Rick Pitino's second national title with a thrilling 82-76 victory over Michigan. There were a number of NBA-caliber matchups on the floor, which was part of what made the game so intriguing. Even players in high-level conferences like the Big East and the Big Ten don't see other NBA prospects at their position all that often during the season. On Monday night, almost all of the Wolverines and Cardinals best players were tested on both sides of the floor. Some passed the test, but others came up a bit short.
1. The Big Men
The importance of individual matchups can't be overemphasized when it comes to evaluating players. In the Wolverines' win over Syracuse, Mitch McGary looked like a superstar, dissecting the 2-3 zone from the high post and using his bulk to push around the Orange's long and lean big men. Against Louisville, he ran into a reality check in the form of Gorgui Dieng, one of the only NBA-caliber centers in the college game. McGary didn't play that poorly, with six points and six boards, but he had a hard time impacting the game on either end of the floor against a big man who was taller, faster and longer than him. In the NBA, they're all going to be like that.
That's what makes evaluating college big men so difficult. They don't face NBA-caliber defensive players at the 4 and 5 very often. Last season, one of the biggest reasons why I was so down on Thomas Robinson was his struggles against Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones in two losses to Kentucky. As it turns out, that meant more than his ability to dominate teams like Missouri, who didn't have one scholarship player above 6'9.
McGary, at 6'10 and 250 pounds, isn't big enough to deal with centers like Dieng and he isn't quick enough to deal with the new breed of small-ball power forwards. He'll turn 21 in a few months, so it's unclear how much higher his ceiling is. He should have a long NBA career as a productive third big man off the bench, but the days of "Magic Mitch" and his super cool unicycle have come and gone.

The rise of Gorgui Dieng
More on Louisville's excellent NBA prospect.
And while McGary struggled, Dieng showed why he may be one of the most underrated prospects in the country. He controlled the paint, effectively eliminating McGary as an offensive threat, and protected the rim, blocking three shots. On offense, he smoothly knocked down mid-range jumpers and picked apart the Michigan defense to the tune of six assists. With his size, skill and athleticism, he'll be a serviceable two-way center on a rookie contract. In a league where guys like DeAndre Jordan make more than $10 million, that's great value.

 

[RR7]

more on Dieng:

"In a game that lived up to all the hype, Louisville won Rick Pitino's second national title with a thrilling 82-76 victory over Michigan. There were a number of NBA-caliber matchups on the floor, which was part of what made the game so intriguing. Even players in high-level conferences like the Big East and the Big Ten don't see other NBA prospects at their position all that often during the season. On Monday night, almost all of the Wolverines and Cardinals best players were tested on both sides of the floor. Some passed the test, but others came up a bit short.
1. The Big Men
The importance of individual matchups can't be overemphasized when it comes to evaluating players. In the Wolverines' win over Syracuse, Mitch McGary looked like a superstar, dissecting the 2-3 zone from the high post and using his bulk to push around the Orange's long and lean big men. Against Louisville, he ran into a reality check in the form of Gorgui Dieng, one of the only NBA-caliber centers in the college game. McGary didn't play that poorly, with six points and six boards, but he had a hard time impacting the game on either end of the floor against a big man who was taller, faster and longer than him. In the NBA, they're all going to be like that.
That's what makes evaluating college big men so difficult. They don't face NBA-caliber defensive players at the 4 and 5 very often. Last season, one of the biggest reasons why I was so down on Thomas Robinson was his struggles against Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones in two losses to Kentucky. As it turns out, that meant more than his ability to dominate teams like Missouri, who didn't have one scholarship player above 6'9.
McGary, at 6'10 and 250 pounds, isn't big enough to deal with centers like Dieng and he isn't quick enough to deal with the new breed of small-ball power forwards. He'll turn 21 in a few months, so it's unclear how much higher his ceiling is. He should have a long NBA career as a productive third big man off the bench, but the days of "Magic Mitch" and his super cool unicycle have come and gone.

The rise of Gorgui Dieng
More on Louisville's excellent NBA prospect.
And while McGary struggled, Dieng showed why he may be one of the most underrated prospects in the country. He controlled the paint, effectively eliminating McGary as an offensive threat, and protected the rim, blocking three shots. On offense, he smoothly knocked down mid-range jumpers and picked apart the Michigan defense to the tune of six assists. With his size, skill and athleticism, he'll be a serviceable two-way center on a rookie contract. In a league where guys like DeAndre Jordan make more than $10 million, that's great value.

The flip side of going off of head to head match ups in the tournament, take a look at the box score of the LSU-Texas matchup that pitted Big Baby and Tyrus Thomas against LaMarcus Aldridge.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/2006-03-25-louisiana-state.html

Aldridge went 2-14, 4 points, 10 boards.
Tyrus went for 21 and 13. Davis went for 26 and 9

 

[NOVoodoo]

I want to throw a name out that I don't think many people have on their radar. End of the first round, high second round guy now, but I wouldn't be surprised after workouts if he didn't move up into the teens. 6'10, Power Forward, has a pretty decent back to the basket game and this season became solid out to the college 3 pt line.

Adreian Payne from Michigan St

Not a lottery pick, but I'm looking forward to seeing where he's drafted. I think their's a lot of untapped potential, and with each college year he's shown good improvement.

Agreed. I was talking him up in the draft thread back in January -

As far as Michigan State goes, I don't think any of their guys will come out this draft, but Adreian Payne is a player to watch. He came to Michigan State as a very raw post player that made most of his plays off of his length and athleticism, but it looks like he's worked his ass off on his shot. He's gone from a player that only attempted two threes in his first two years at MSU to a player that's knocked down a three in five of his last six games, including going 3-4 from 3pt against Indiana. He also brought his FT% up from 48.6% to 77.8% this season.

Call me crazy, but I think Payne has late lottery potential if he stays another year. He's a legit 6'10" with the length of a seven footer, he's one of the most athletic and explosive players in the collegiate game, and now he's developing a legitimate perimeter game. There aren't too many players with his athleticism and length that can actually knock down outside shots. He'll kill it in the combine if he decides to leave early.

The only thing is, I don't know if he's coming out. As far as the Spartans go, Appling, Harris, and Payne have asked to have their draft stock evaluated. Appling's almost definitely returning, Harris has a shoulder issue that he might need surgery on this summer, so he's probably more likely to come back, but Payne is a complete coin flip at this point.

Out of all the juniors looking at the draft though, I think Payne could benefit the most from another year in school. Every year he's improved and added something to his game.