Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part I

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

If the Wizards somehow got Oladipo and Porter in this draft, they'd make me somewhat happy considering this sh*tty season.

Oladipo is rising up the draft charts, and so is Porter. Unfortunately I don't see a way of getting both.

Trade Wall?

Well the grass is always greener on the other side? Right?

I'm certain some team would trade their top 5 pick for Wall. Maybe multiple teams depending on need.

Of course that's because this draft is especially weak at the top. The only ones that seem to love or even like this draft is the draftniks of the world like CCJ, hands, etc.

I think most gm's would take Wall over the players in this draft. Especially since Noel tore his ACL.

If I was a GM on the team with the #1 pick in 2013 and I didn't have a star PG, I'd trade that #1 pick for Wall. Not because Wall is a star right now, but because I'd feel confident that he'd excel outside of the Wizards organization and at 22, there's still a ton of room for growth. Plus the top of the draft is filled with so many question marks.

No matter what you say I can say I have been right once or twice in the past, Dat.

I would take C. J. McCollum and a future pick for Wall because I think McCollum is already a better basketball player than John Wall.

I would take Marcus Smart straight up for Wall. He has four years to learn how to shoot and he's already a better defender and IMO a better leader than John Wall.

The grass did turn up greener with Kyrie Irving. At this point Portland wouldn't give you Lillard straight up for Wall.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Trade Wall?

Well the grass is always greener on the other side? Right?

I'm certain some team would trade their top 5 pick for Wall. Maybe multiple teams depending on need.

Of course that's because this draft is especially weak at the top. The only ones that seem to love or even like this draft is the draftniks of the world like CCJ, hands, etc.

I think most gm's would take Wall over the players in this draft. Especially since Noel tore his ACL.

If I was a GM on the team with the #1 pick in 2013 and I didn't have a star PG, I'd trade that #1 pick for Wall. Not because Wall is a star right now, but because I'd feel confident that he'd excel outside of the Wizards organization and at 22, there's still a ton of room for growth. Plus the top of the draft is filled with so many question marks.

Fair enough, but will you be singing the same tune when we are forced to match a max or near-max offer for Wall? You can be damn sure that those 7 turnover games are going to be a whole lot more painful when he is earning a max salary.

By my count, 14 of the last 29 top 5 draft picks (excluding Wall himself) are better than Wall. That's about a 50/50 chance of an upgrade. And that doesn't count another handful of player picked outside of the top 5 who are also better. I like those odds, particularly when the draftee will be cheap for 4 more years rather than due for a max contract in 2014.

nate, I think that sounds plausible. If you land a top-5 pick in this draft you've got a 50-50 shot at getting a player who is better than John Wall.

[Deivy202]

I actully want Marcus smarts and trade Wall.

[Dat2U]

Fair enough, but will you be singing the same tune when we are forced to match a max or near-max offer for Wall? You can be damn sure that those 7 turnover games are going to be a whole lot more painful when he is earning a max salary.

Only bad organizations like the Wizards worry about off the court related things such as the "threat of a max contract" before it's even a threat.

Right now, Wall getting a max contract is probably the last thing we need to worry about because he's no where close to that. If the Wizards choose to offer that, shame on them.

By my count, 14 of the last 29 top 5 draft picks (excluding Wall himself) are better than Wall. That's about a 50/50 chance of an upgrade. And that doesn't count another handful of player picked outside of the top 5 who are also better. I like those odds, particularly when the draftee will be cheap for 4 more years rather than due for a max contract in 2014.

Meh, and if Wall is no better today than he will be in a year or two then fine. But I reckon its perfectly normal to second guess and push the panic button after a really bad game. Wall's Q rating here has probably reached rock bottom after 20 games into his return. Probably 10 games after his Q rating was at it's highest (when Wiz were 7-3 since his return). So I don't begrudge this continuing wave of emotions that's impacted by his every turnover or bricked shot. Frankly it's typical fan behavior.

[FAH1223]

Wall isn't getting the max of 4 years and close to $60 million from any team in RFA in 2014.

He will get closer to 4 years $45-50 million and to be honest, I'd GLADLY match that. Thats Steph Curry and Holiday money. That is probably what John will get.

I don't think trading him is the answer. We still need an organizational overhaul. A change of philosophy from the coaching (same crap since 2009). Leonsis is suck.

[Dat2U]

No matter what you say I can say I have been right once or twice in the past, Dat.

I would take C. J. McCollum and a future pick for Wall because I think McCollum is already a better basketball player than John Wall.

I would take Marcus Smart straight up for Wall. He has four years to learn how to shoot and he's already a better defender and IMO a better leader than John Wall.

The grass did turn up greener with Kyrie Irving. At this point Portland wouldn't give you Lillard straight up for Wall.

CCJ, excellent point about Irving... till you realize that acquiring him was never an option. Never a realistic position. Maybe your unrealistic position at time, but according to you, every potential draftee you like is a budding HOF'er or a big time difference maker.

For you, when in doubt, you prefer NCAA production over anything else and it's not always so clear cut. I'm still waiting for DeJuan Blair & Paul Millsap to develop into that HOF forces you predicted them to be. Or for Nick Fazekas or Morris Almond to become solid NBA contributors. `

Irving may be the best pure shooter in the NBA. Your not finding an Irving in most drafts. Lillard is not nearly as impressive as Irving. Lillard is 3 months OLDER than John Wall. I wouldn't trade Lillard for Wall. Lillard came in as a polished product.... we all know Wall is still developing an all-around game.

[stevemcqueen1]

Well said Dat. I agree with you about Wall, the potential of the draftees, the GM position on the class, Lillard, etc.

You must be an android to be so dispassionate about the situation.

[Dat2U]

Steve I'm a life long Wizards fan from the Frank Johnson, Jeff Ruland & Greg Ballard days. I should be immune to this all by now, lol

It's why I never bought into that 7-3 run we made. After all these years I should know what fools gold looks like. So it's hard for me to get down on a team I've always expected the worst from.

[stevemcqueen1]

Steve I'm a life long Wizards fan from the Frank Johnson, Jeff Ruland & Greg Ballard days. I should be immune to this all by now, lol

It's why I never bought into that 7-3 run we made. After all these years I should know what fools gold looks like. So it's hard for me to get down on a team I've always expected the worst from.

Spoken like a true fan.

I'm too young for the bad days in the 80s. You must have started following right about the time just after their championship in the late 70s so all you've known is three decades of virtually uninterrupted futility. I'm amazed. If I didn't truly have hope and belief deep down that talent like Wall and Beal could be actualized by us, I don't think I could keep caring. I love basketball too.

I've seen the Nats build themselves up from a laughingstock into something special. I hope I get to see the Wizards do it too.

[closg00]

I'm all-in for this player.
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbc-news/50880711#50880711

[hands11]

I'm with Dat on this with Dipo. I think it's way too early to even whisper MJ or Wade comparisons. I don't think he's going to be that type of scorer. But I could easily see him being the 3rd option/shutdown defender type on a contender, cracking a couple all-star games, and perhaps being a DPOY. But superstar? Let's temper our expectations a bit, and I love the kid.

If you read my post, it was Magic Johnson who said it and it was right after he made a move with really nice hang time. It was Jordenesssss. Not Jordan. He was comparing qualities, not the entire player. That is when he went on the say Jordan/Wade.

Considering Beal gets the Wade/Ray Allen thing it was interesting to hear a Wade/Jordon comment from Magic.

As for the J Craw comparison. Like I said, a smarter J Craw with great D would be a really good player so I don't mind that comparison either.

[hands11]

I actully want Marcus smarts and trade Wall.

I have no where near the confidence that Smart would will be a good NBA player that I do in Victor O and MJ McCullum.

I would want better then Smart in a Wall trade. I could be wrong. I need to watch more of Smart. My first impression was his game isn't going to translate smoothly.

[Ruzious]

I would take C. J. McCollum and a future pick for Wall because I think McCollum is already a better basketball player than John Wall.

McCollum is primarily a shooting guard; not a point guard - and a 6'3 shooting guard at that - from the Patriot League. I think he'd fit in real well as a 3rd guard for the Wiz - but not as a guy to replace Wall.

[hands11]

I would take C. J. McCollum and a future pick for Wall because I think McCollum is already a better basketball player than John Wall.

McCollum is primarily a shooting guard; not a point guard - and a 6'3 shooting guard at that - from the Patriot League. I think he'd fit in real well as a 3rd guard for the Wiz - but not as a guy to replace Wall.

Yeah. He is your 3rd guard. Victor O is the starter material player or a really nice 3rd guard.

[hands11]

McLemore laid a dud. He didn't step up at all.

Smart didn't impress me at all.

Its anyone guess who end up at the top of this draft. My well end up being Noel. You can't disappoint when you injured.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Victor O end up top 2 or 3

I doubt Whitney says down at 27th on DraftX.

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/hollinger/statistics

[dangermouse]

I wouldn't mind trading down for Marcus Smart. We need guys who can put ball in hole. If we get rid of Crawford he could step right into that 3rd guard role, and if Wall is playing crap or injured he has the PG abilities to slot right in.

[Ruzious]

McLemore laid a dud. He didn't step up at all.

Smart didn't impress me at all.

Its anyone guess who end up at the top of this draft. My well end up being Noel. You can't disappoint when you injured.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Victor O end up top 2 or 3

I doubt Whitney says down at 27th on DraftX.

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/hollinger/statistics

It was a strange game. Smart got "injured" 3 times - each time a different body part. He did get to the line a lot - but the officials made some odd calls.

No doubt Olapido is a surer thing than both Smart and McLemore.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I would take C. J. McCollum and a future pick for Wall because I think McCollum is already a better basketball player than John Wall.

McCollum is primarily a shooting guard; not a point guard - and a 6'3 shooting guard at that - from the Patriot League. I think he'd fit in real well as a 3rd guard for the Wiz - but not as a guy to replace Wall.

That's why I posted McCollum and a pick--I think he is a better basketball player than Wall. I think he has a lot of Steph Curry's game, but McCollum is not a PG. I think the spacing of an NBA game and his one-on-one skills will make him able to convert to PG over time, like Derrick Fisher did. IIRC, Billups was a SG in college, too.

McCollum certainly is not a pass-first player. I would want another 1st to give up Wall for McCollum, but I would make that deal.

[stevemcqueen1]

Oladipo will probably be successful but he doesn't have the upside Smart and McLemore do IMO.

It wasn't a great night for any of the top prospects really, as Porter didn't show out either.

I think by the end of the college season we'll probably have weaved around a bunch and end up where we were when the year started with Noel and Shabazz as the top 2.

Zeller seems to be slowly and steadily dropping though. Odd since he's had a great year and got better from last season.

I still want him, Shabazz, or Noel the most.

[jmrosenth]

http://deadspin.com/5985621/have-you-ha ... moment-yet