Middle of the pack (familiar territory)- '15 NBA Draft Thread

[DH34Phan]

I like Qualls as a guy in the 2nd. Seems like he could have upside despite being a junior.

He's the next Darvin Ham. We need moar Ham Slamwiches.

[20110913]

Make a promise to Sabonis already. He's who we need.

no, I dont think so.

Bucks need a big center, he is not

Aleksandar Vezenkov is a perfect bench for parker

[Turk Nowitzki]

Am I the only one not totally sold on Okafor? He's a monstrous offensive talent on the block but I think he could be more Brook Lopez-ish than a real superstar.

[M-C-G]

Am I the only one not totally sold on Okafor? He's a monstrous offensive talent on the block but I think he could be more Brook Lopez-ish than a real superstar.

I haven't watched him enough to comment, but I did see it as a bit of a red flag that nbadraft.net comp for him is Al Jefferson.

When I just scanned his weaknesses saw;

Weaknesses: Not a great athlete, rebounder, or shot blocker ... Lack of athleticism and ability to be a game changer on the defensive end limits his upside ...

[DarvinHam]

Am I the only one not totally sold on Okafor? He's a monstrous offensive talent on the block but I think he could be more Brook Lopez-ish than a real superstar.

I haven't watched him enough to comment, but I did see it as a bit of a red flag that nbadraft.net comp for him is Al Jefferson.

When I just scanned his weaknesses saw;

Weaknesses: Not a great athlete, rebounder, or shot blocker ... Lack of athleticism and ability to be a game changer on the defensive end limits his upside ...

I like the site, but some of those comps are just atrocious. Kaminsky is Nenad Krstic/Sean Marks. What?

[bucksfansince88]

I like Qualls as a guy in the 2nd. Seems like he could have upside despite being a junior.

He's the next Darvin Ham. We need moar Ham Slamwiches.

Much better all around player than Darvin, but thats a great comparison. I thought he was desmond mason lite

[Badgerlander]

Stock Watch: NCAA tourney
Which players have helped, hurt their stock with March Madness performances?
By Chad Ford

Scouts were raving about Winslow after the game and if you were to ask me who, out of the elite prospects in the draft, has helped themselves the most in the tournament, right now the answer would be Winslow. If the draft were held today, I think scouts would take him as the first wing.

The Badgers' big three are all playing great in the tournament, which, if their continues, will make them a very tough out.

Kaminsky has moved into the discussion for a lottery pick and his play in the tournament so far supports that lofty draft position. He had 27 points and 12 rebounds and shot 3-for-5 from three against Coastal Carolina on Friday and then 16 points and seven rebounds against Oregon. Shot blocker Jordan Bell gave him a few issues, but he still got it done. What role he'll play in the NBA is still a source of serious debate, but Kaminsky's run of good tournament performances continue.

Dekker has had a solid, if unspectacular season, but so far he's been great in the tournament. He had 20 points and shot 4-for-8 from 3 against Coastal Carolina and followed it with 17 points, five rebounds while shooting 3-for-8 from behind the arc. It's the combination of size, toughness, athleticism and 3-point shooting that really interests scouts. He's struggled a bit from beyond the arc as a junior. A good shooting tournament probably is the best outcome for Dekker who sits firmly on the first-round bubble.

Hayes is also making a strong charge into the first round. Like Dekker, he's a versatile forward who can do a little bit of everything. He scored 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds and hit a three pointer versus Coastal Carolina. Against Oregon he had 14 points, nabbed five boards and dished out three assists (though he shot just 1-for-5 from three). If he declares for the draft, he has a very good chance of hearing his name called in the first round.

Kris Dunn, PG, So., Providence

The downside of Dunn was on full display against Dayton on Friday. He had seven turnovers and shot just 4-for-13 from the field in a bad loss to Dayton. Dunn's stock has been rising the past month to the point that some scouts were looking at him in the late lottery. I doubt this performance will damage that momentum much. Everyone who has scouted him knows he can play out of control and can try to do too much. In many other Big East games, scouts were treated to his terrific scoring ability, elite court vision, elite athleticism and length for his position. One game won't kill his stock. He'll likely go somewhere in the 13 to 20 range if he declares.

Jakob Poeltl, C , Fr. Utah Delon Wright, PG, Sr., Utah

Wright has been getting most of the accolades this year, but it was Poeltl who carried the Utes in the past two games. Poeltl had 30 points on 12-of-13 shooting, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked six shots against Steven F. Austin and Georgetown this weekend. Teams were willing to draft him in the mid-first round even without this type of production. But Poeltl has been playing great of late and may be able to play himself into the late lottery if he keeps this up against Duke's Jahlil Okafor on Friday.

Wright struggled shooting in both games, going 4-for-14 from the field and had six turnovers against SF Austin. Averaging more turnovers than assists in the tournament is not helping Wright's draft stock at the moment. He's a senior, scouts expect more. He's needs a big game against Duke or risks perhaps falling out of the first round.

Tyus Jones, PG, Fr., Duke

Jones continues to make the argument that he's the best "pure" point guard in the draft. While he doesn't put up dominant offensive numbers or flashy passes, he's had 13 assists and just three turnovers so far in the tournament. Scouts continue to be pretty divided on his NBA potential. His basketball IQ and court vision clearly are there, but does he have the size and athleticism to be compete with the NBA's current crop of elite point guards? He remains in the 15 to 25 range in the draft.

Domantas Sabonis, PF, Fr., Gonzaga

Sabonis had big games against North Dakota State (7 points, 11 rebounds, in 23 minutes) and Iowa (18 points, 9 rebounds in 27 minutes) and has turned into one of the two or three most important players for the Zags. I've been writing for weeks that he's got a legit shot of getting drafted in the first round if he declares. His strong play in the tournament is going to keep fueling that fire.

Other prospects of note

Tyler Harvey, SG, Jr., Eastern Washington

Harvey proved he could hang with just about anyone again in an opening round loss to Georgetown. The Hoyas went all out to stop Harvey and he still managed 27 points on 9-for-20 shooting and hit six of the 12 3-pointers he took. He also turned the ball over just twice despite tons of pressure from Georgetown. It's sacrilegious to compare him to a young Stephen Curry given what Curry is doing right now in the NBA, but there are enough similarities that teams will give him a long look in the first round. Harvey graduates this spring, so he could make the leap to the NBA if he wants to. Given how hot his draft stock is right now, it probably would be a very good idea

[machu46]

Am I the only one not totally sold on Okafor? He's a monstrous offensive talent on the block but I think he could be more Brook Lopez-ish than a real superstar.

I haven't watched him enough to comment, but I did see it as a bit of a red flag that nbadraft.net comp for him is Al Jefferson.

When I just scanned his weaknesses saw;

Weaknesses: Not a great athlete, rebounder, or shot blocker ... Lack of athleticism and ability to be a game changer on the defensive end limits his upside ...

I like the site, but some of those comps are just atrocious. Kaminsky is Nenad Krstic/Sean Marks. What?

I'm not positive, but I think they might just kinda throw out comparisons in each player's freshman year and then don't bother to update it.

Anyways, regarding Okafor, his touch and just all-around ability around the rim is amazing. He should be a great, great scorer. He's not a great rebounder or defender, but he's good enough IMO that he should be a perennial all-star. He turns it over a lot for a big man though, but that's something that I think will be coached out of him.

[coolhandluke121]

Sorry if anyone has already broken this down, but I looked at some schedules to see if the Bucks could get a lotto pick and here's what I found:

Miami has a pretty easy schedule, and we obviously need them to capitalize and pass the Bucks.

Brooklyn might be the next most likely candidate to pass the Bucks. They have 10 home games, very few good teams left on the schedule, and most importantly no incentive whatsoever to lose. They don't keep their draft pick. Lopez wasn't a great fit for their previous rosters, but I think he helps them a little too.

Indy has a moderately easy schedule and is probably better than Charlotte or Boston, so they're our best hope of the teams that still have every incentive to tank. Maybe George comes back and helps out a little. It's a sliver of hope.

Charlotte probably has the toughest schedule of the bunch, is missing Jefferson, and has some dysfunctional idiots on the team. I don't like their chances.

Boston is an x-factor. They don't have a lot of easy games, but they have the most games against other teams in the running for the last few playoff spots. They could win several of those.

I counted 14 head-to-head games between the 5 times still in the running. Even if everyone is tanking, one team has to win each of those games. We just can't have every team splitting those matchups, or the standings won't change much. I'm reasonably optimistic about Miami. Brooklyn has work to do, but I think they can do it. We need one of Indy or Boston to step up.

[cinematographer]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/tpcourier/status/580072958607126530[/tweet]

Mudiay/Towns for no. 1.

[SupremeHustle]

Stock Watch: NCAA tourney
Which players have helped, hurt their stock with March Madness performances?
By Chad Ford

Scouts were raving about Winslow after the game and if you were to ask me who, out of the elite prospects in the draft, has helped themselves the most in the tournament, right now the answer would be Winslow. If the draft were held today, I think scouts would take him as the first wing.

The Badgers' big three are all playing great in the tournament, which, if their continues, will make them a very tough out.

Kaminsky has moved into the discussion for a lottery pick and his play in the tournament so far supports that lofty draft position. He had 27 points and 12 rebounds and shot 3-for-5 from three against Coastal Carolina on Friday and then 16 points and seven rebounds against Oregon. Shot blocker Jordan Bell gave him a few issues, but he still got it done. What role he'll play in the NBA is still a source of serious debate, but Kaminsky's run of good tournament performances continue.

Dekker has had a solid, if unspectacular season, but so far he's been great in the tournament. He had 20 points and shot 4-for-8 from 3 against Coastal Carolina and followed it with 17 points, five rebounds while shooting 3-for-8 from behind the arc. It's the combination of size, toughness, athleticism and 3-point shooting that really interests scouts. He's struggled a bit from beyond the arc as a junior. A good shooting tournament probably is the best outcome for Dekker who sits firmly on the first-round bubble.

Hayes is also making a strong charge into the first round. Like Dekker, he's a versatile forward who can do a little bit of everything. He scored 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds and hit a three pointer versus Coastal Carolina. Against Oregon he had 14 points, nabbed five boards and dished out three assists (though he shot just 1-for-5 from three). If he declares for the draft, he has a very good chance of hearing his name called in the first round.

Kris Dunn, PG, So., Providence

The downside of Dunn was on full display against Dayton on Friday. He had seven turnovers and shot just 4-for-13 from the field in a bad loss to Dayton. Dunn's stock has been rising the past month to the point that some scouts were looking at him in the late lottery. I doubt this performance will damage that momentum much. Everyone who has scouted him knows he can play out of control and can try to do too much. In many other Big East games, scouts were treated to his terrific scoring ability, elite court vision, elite athleticism and length for his position. One game won't kill his stock. He'll likely go somewhere in the 13 to 20 range if he declares.

Jakob Poeltl, C , Fr. Utah Delon Wright, PG, Sr., Utah

Wright has been getting most of the accolades this year, but it was Poeltl who carried the Utes in the past two games. Poeltl had 30 points on 12-of-13 shooting, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked six shots against Steven F. Austin and Georgetown this weekend. Teams were willing to draft him in the mid-first round even without this type of production. But Poeltl has been playing great of late and may be able to play himself into the late lottery if he keeps this up against Duke's Jahlil Okafor on Friday.

Wright struggled shooting in both games, going 4-for-14 from the field and had six turnovers against SF Austin. Averaging more turnovers than assists in the tournament is not helping Wright's draft stock at the moment. He's a senior, scouts expect more. He's needs a big game against Duke or risks perhaps falling out of the first round.

Tyus Jones, PG, Fr., Duke

Jones continues to make the argument that he's the best "pure" point guard in the draft. While he doesn't put up dominant offensive numbers or flashy passes, he's had 13 assists and just three turnovers so far in the tournament. Scouts continue to be pretty divided on his NBA potential. His basketball IQ and court vision clearly are there, but does he have the size and athleticism to be compete with the NBA's current crop of elite point guards? He remains in the 15 to 25 range in the draft.

Domantas Sabonis, PF, Fr., Gonzaga

Sabonis had big games against North Dakota State (7 points, 11 rebounds, in 23 minutes) and Iowa (18 points, 9 rebounds in 27 minutes) and has turned into one of the two or three most important players for the Zags. I've been writing for weeks that he's got a legit shot of getting drafted in the first round if he declares. His strong play in the tournament is going to keep fueling that fire.

Other prospects of note

Tyler Harvey, SG, Jr., Eastern Washington

Harvey proved he could hang with just about anyone again in an opening round loss to Georgetown. The Hoyas went all out to stop Harvey and he still managed 27 points on 9-for-20 shooting and hit six of the 12 3-pointers he took. He also turned the ball over just twice despite tons of pressure from Georgetown. It's sacrilegious to compare him to a young Stephen Curry given what Curry is doing right now in the NBA, but there are enough similarities that teams will give him a long look in the first round. Harvey graduates this spring, so he could make the leap to the NBA if he wants to. Given how hot his draft stock is right now, it probably would be a very good idea

Mark me down as agreeing with the scouts who don't see Tyus Jones being anything great in the NBA.

[Badgerlander]

Spoiler:

Stock Watch: NCAA tourney
Which players have helped, hurt their stock with March Madness performances?
By Chad Ford

Scouts were raving about Winslow after the game and if you were to ask me who, out of the elite prospects in the draft, has helped themselves the most in the tournament, right now the answer would be Winslow. If the draft were held today, I think scouts would take him as the first wing.

The Badgers' big three are all playing great in the tournament, which, if their continues, will make them a very tough out.

Kaminsky has moved into the discussion for a lottery pick and his play in the tournament so far supports that lofty draft position. He had 27 points and 12 rebounds and shot 3-for-5 from three against Coastal Carolina on Friday and then 16 points and seven rebounds against Oregon. Shot blocker Jordan Bell gave him a few issues, but he still got it done. What role he'll play in the NBA is still a source of serious debate, but Kaminsky's run of good tournament performances continue.

Dekker has had a solid, if unspectacular season, but so far he's been great in the tournament. He had 20 points and shot 4-for-8 from 3 against Coastal Carolina and followed it with 17 points, five rebounds while shooting 3-for-8 from behind the arc. It's the combination of size, toughness, athleticism and 3-point shooting that really interests scouts. He's struggled a bit from beyond the arc as a junior. A good shooting tournament probably is the best outcome for Dekker who sits firmly on the first-round bubble.

Hayes is also making a strong charge into the first round. Like Dekker, he's a versatile forward who can do a little bit of everything. He scored 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds and hit a three pointer versus Coastal Carolina. Against Oregon he had 14 points, nabbed five boards and dished out three assists (though he shot just 1-for-5 from three). If he declares for the draft, he has a very good chance of hearing his name called in the first round.

Kris Dunn, PG, So., Providence

The downside of Dunn was on full display against Dayton on Friday. He had seven turnovers and shot just 4-for-13 from the field in a bad loss to Dayton. Dunn's stock has been rising the past month to the point that some scouts were looking at him in the late lottery. I doubt this performance will damage that momentum much. Everyone who has scouted him knows he can play out of control and can try to do too much. In many other Big East games, scouts were treated to his terrific scoring ability, elite court vision, elite athleticism and length for his position. One game won't kill his stock. He'll likely go somewhere in the 13 to 20 range if he declares.

Jakob Poeltl, C , Fr. Utah Delon Wright, PG, Sr., Utah

Wright has been getting most of the accolades this year, but it was Poeltl who carried the Utes in the past two games. Poeltl had 30 points on 12-of-13 shooting, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked six shots against Steven F. Austin and Georgetown this weekend. Teams were willing to draft him in the mid-first round even without this type of production. But Poeltl has been playing great of late and may be able to play himself into the late lottery if he keeps this up against Duke's Jahlil Okafor on Friday.

Wright struggled shooting in both games, going 4-for-14 from the field and had six turnovers against SF Austin. Averaging more turnovers than assists in the tournament is not helping Wright's draft stock at the moment. He's a senior, scouts expect more. He's needs a big game against Duke or risks perhaps falling out of the first round.

Tyus Jones, PG, Fr., Duke

Jones continues to make the argument that he's the best "pure" point guard in the draft. While he doesn't put up dominant offensive numbers or flashy passes, he's had 13 assists and just three turnovers so far in the tournament. Scouts continue to be pretty divided on his NBA potential. His basketball IQ and court vision clearly are there, but does he have the size and athleticism to be compete with the NBA's current crop of elite point guards? He remains in the 15 to 25 range in the draft.

Domantas Sabonis, PF, Fr., Gonzaga

Sabonis had big games against North Dakota State (7 points, 11 rebounds, in 23 minutes) and Iowa (18 points, 9 rebounds in 27 minutes) and has turned into one of the two or three most important players for the Zags. I've been writing for weeks that he's got a legit shot of getting drafted in the first round if he declares. His strong play in the tournament is going to keep fueling that fire.

Other prospects of note

Tyler Harvey, SG, Jr., Eastern Washington

Harvey proved he could hang with just about anyone again in an opening round loss to Georgetown. The Hoyas went all out to stop Harvey and he still managed 27 points on 9-for-20 shooting and hit six of the 12 3-pointers he took. He also turned the ball over just twice despite tons of pressure from Georgetown. It's sacrilegious to compare him to a young Stephen Curry given what Curry is doing right now in the NBA, but there are enough similarities that teams will give him a long look in the first round. Harvey graduates this spring, so he could make the leap to the NBA if he wants to. Given how hot his draft stock is right now, it probably would be a very good idea

Mark me down as agreeing with the scouts who don't see Tyus Jones being anything great in the NBA.

ok got it

[SupremeHustle]

Spoiler:

Stock Watch: NCAA tourney
Which players have helped, hurt their stock with March Madness performances?
By Chad Ford

Mark me down as agreeing with the scouts who don't see Tyus Jones being anything great in the NBA.

ok got it

Seriously lol'd.

[Ron Swanson]

Some people are taking the Tyus Jones defending to a weirdly personal level...

More on topic, mark me down as being sold on Poeltl at our current slot (#17). He's got a good mix of athleticism, size, and touch around the rim. I don't know if he'll be a long term starter in the league but I feel he's a lock to have a lengthy career as a rotational big that can rebound and defend, even if he won't ever be an elite shot-blocker.

[machu46]

I gotta see more of Poeltl. I was watching the Utah game the other night but it was at a bar so I wasn't really focused on seeing how he did.

I know drafting where we'll most likely be isn't as exciting as picking in the top 3, but it's more interesting to me at least. A lot more mystery to the guys in our range so I like seeing how the process all shakes out. Also leads to more love-hate IMO. Like I can talk myself into pretty much any of the top 3 picks each year, but I remember dreading the draft the year we got Henson because everyone said the Bucks liked Henson and Terrence Jones and I despised both of them as prospects, whereas I was praying we would take Giannis.

None of that is really all that important, but my main point is that I love getting into scouting these mid-first round guys lol.

[coolhandluke121]

Am I the only one not totally sold on Okafor? He's a monstrous offensive talent on the block but I think he could be more Brook Lopez-ish than a real superstar.

That's the exact comparison I was going to use. I think liking Okafor more than Towns would be akin to liking Lopez more than Noah. Obviously trajectories can change a lot at that age, but that's what I see so far.

[Profound23]

The Sixers could get the #1 pick but with Embiid/Noel I don't think they go bigman again.

The Twolves are the team that could really do some damage if they get lucky in the lottery. Wiggins and another stud taken this year could solidify them as a top tier team ala OKC very quickly.

[DanoMac]

Am I the only one not totally sold on Okafor? He's a monstrous offensive talent on the block but I think he could be more Brook Lopez-ish than a real superstar.

I haven't watched him enough to comment, but I did see it as a bit of a red flag that nbadraft.net comp for him is Al Jefferson.

When I just scanned his weaknesses saw;

Weaknesses: Not a great athlete, rebounder, or shot blocker ... Lack of athleticism and ability to be a game changer on the defensive end limits his upside ...

Draftnet sucks. Deshawn Stevenson = Michael Jordan

[M-C-G]

Draftnet sucks. Deshawn Stevenson = Michael Jordan

Yeah, some names should never be used as comps. Period.

[M-C-G]

The Sixers could get the #1 pick but with Embiid/Noel I don't think they go bigman again.

The Twolves are the team that could really do some damage if they get lucky in the lottery. Wiggins and another stud taken this year could solidify them as a top tier team ala OKC very quickly.

I could see them trading down if that is the case. But any of the teams in basically the top 4, will probably be happy with what they get. But wouldn't shock me if a team like Orlando would give up a package to move up, there are in desperate need of an identity.