Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part I

[SUPERBALLMAN]

What do you all think about Glenn Robinson III ?

From NBADraft.net :

NBA Comparson: Andre Iguodala

Strengths: Not to be confused with NFL's RG3, "GR3" is an above the rim athlete with star potential ... Smooth. Makes everything look easy. Wing player who attacks the basket and makes highlight finishes ... Quick, explosive leaping ability. Gets to the rim in a hurry ... Has a good feel for the game and solid perimeter skills ...Versatile wing with the ISO ability to create shots off the dribble as well as the vision to find teammates ... Runs the floor well and has the fluidity and body control to make acrobatic plays at the rim in transition ... Surprising all around skills for a freshman ... NBA ready body. Focused. Shows strong maturity, both mentally and physically, for a first year college player ... Good decision maker ... Very efficient scorer. 59% from the floor ... Competitive ... Unselfish. Team player. Excellent form on his shot, and shows range to knock down the college three ball consistently. Father was known for being a deadly pull up shooter, and GR3 shows potential to develop the same skill ... Understands spacing. Adept scorer with the ability to find cracks in the defense and moves well to get open ... Solid defender. Gets low, good fundamentals and effort ... Slashes to the basket well for rebounds. Understands positioning and boxing out ... Physical strength and explosiveness allow him to out-rebound bigger opponents. Good anticipation. Very good second leaper allows him to grab a board and make a follow up dunk ... Good length. Wingspan likely in the 6'10 range ...

Glenn Robinson III ? Any opinions ???

Watching the Michigan game... they got a really good team!

[hands11]

I still think way too many people are sleeping on Trey Burke. I know he's diminutive and he doesn't play much D, but defense at the PG position isn't all that important anyhow. Defense in this league is primarily based on executing a good system and having good big men.

There has been too much success lately with highly skilled, undersized PG's for them to be ignored. Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Isiah Thomas, Ty Lawson, Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry; the list goes on and on. These guys all do better in the pros than they did in college. The NBA game these days is perfect for this type of player with the handcheck rules and the quality perimeter shooting. There is just so much space to operate.

Draft Express has him going 17th. That's a steal. Trade both second rounders plus any combination of Booker, Vesely or Singleton to get him. I'd love to have him backing up Wall, and providing a 4th quarter option as a closer since Wall is so lousy in isolation. It would also improve our bargaining leverage when it comes time to resign Wall. (Or it gives us more flexibility to trade Wall.)

Nate. You're missing the most obvious name from your list. Come on buddy.

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=330550130

Trey Burke is playing right now. Having a really nice game. What's not to like. Smart. Leader. Great handles. Lives basketball. Nice stroke. Tones of assists.

[hands11]

2014 looks loaded draft.

would you give up a lotto in loaded draft for somebody in this draft?

also what will be done about player development issues in Washington Wizard?

I think it has already been addressed.

#1) Build a solid team a smart professionals that you can bring in new young players so the transition is smooth.
Have a team identity and a standard they have to measure up to to fit in.

Beal, Webster, Trevor A, Nene, Okafor and hopefully Wall

#2) Draft players who are smart with the right personalities that have identifiable skills that you need.
Beal is a perfect example.

I don't hear anyone complaining about Beal's development. He started off pretty rough and has gotten a ton better. And it all happening in only half a year. I say it has a ton to do with A) Beal fits #2 and B) Nene, Webster, Trevor A and Okafor helped establish #1

As long as they add a players like Otto, Victor O, CJ McCullum, Berk, Withey... they won't have to worry about development.

[Floater]

GR3 and RG3 in the same city?

[stevemcqueen1]

3rd from last in the standings today, a win puts us into 5th ahead of Cleveland and Phoenix. Just behind Sacramento, not too far from New Orleans and Minnesota. I agree with nate, some of those teams will keep winning along with us. I think Orlando and Charlotte are cooked and a lock to finish as the bottom two. We're in a snarl with five other teams to sort out 3-8. Maybe one or even two teams outside this bottom rung gets lucky and leapfrogs all of us. I think we finish with the fifth or sixth worst record and hopefully pick no later than 8th.

At that spot, we'd probably be fine to pick Porter. I doubt he goes higher than 7th or 8th.

I really hope we get lucky and get a higher pick than that though. I want to get Noel or Zeller and get our big man situation settled long term. Barring that, I'm hoping people over think things with Zeller or teams that have too many big men draft in front of us and Zeller drops down to where we pick.

On that note, I don't think Sacramento would take Zeller. Neither would Detroit. Cleveland probably would. Orlando and Charlotte would. Phoenix would and New Orleans might. I'm thinking Minnesota wouldn't but you never know.

[hands11]

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jeff-Withey-5259/

After two unimpressive seasons to start his college career at Kansas, Jeff Withey finally burst onto the scene as a junior, ranking second in our database in blocks per 40 minutes pace adjusted, trailing only 2012 NBA Draft #1 pick Anthony Davis.

Withey has benefited from a lot of time in Kansas' weight room and working with a Kansas coaching staff that has a well-deserved reputation for developing big men.

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Gotta find a way to turn those 2nds and something like Booker into another first.

I would forgo Zeller for one of Otto, CJM, Victor and then just grab Withey

Then look forward to the following year where lots of things could happen by then. One of the youngs like Kevin, Ves or Singleton could develop value if we need to trade up and we don't see them fitting in.

And why not get a 24 year old mature young man that is ready to do what you need from day one. If its a late first, I would rather do that then any of the project types.

[miller31time]

Discussing our lotto pick is one thing but there seems to be little sense in any meaningful analysis of potential 2nd round steals or late 1st rounders. When has Ernie Grunfeld, during his tenure in Washington, shown any innovation and ambition in late draftees?

[nate33]

Discussing our lotto pick is one thing but there seems to be little sense in any meaningful analysis of potential 2nd round steals or late 1st rounders. When has Ernie Grunfeld, during his tenure in Washington, shown any innovation and ambition in late draftees?

He did trade the #29+ #35 to move up to #23 and draft Booker. If Booker could stay healthy, that would be seen as a pretty good move.

[mg]

Otto would be perfect for this team. Not only his skill level but character would fit in perfectly like Beal did.

The league is so perimeter oriented wouldn't worry as much about following the old stereotype of drafting bigs at the top of the draft unless of course they are bpa. Someone serviceable like Withey or even Dieng could be available late. Every year decent bigs are usually moved. Nene, Okafor, Vucevic, Koufas, Bynum even Dwight have all been traded in the past year or two. Someone like Mozgov could be had in free agency at a decent price.

[fishercob]

Otto would be perfect for this team. Not only his skill level but character would fit in perfectly like Beal did.

The league is so perimeter oriented wouldn't worry as much about following the old stereotype of drafting bigs at the top of the draft unless of course they are bpa. Someone serviceable like Withey or even Dieng could be available late. Every year decent bigs are usually moved. Nene, Okafor, Vucevic, Koufas, Bynum even Dwight have all been traded in the past year or two. Someone like Mozgov could be had in free agency at a decent price.

Yeah, I was thinking how Porter has plenty of size (and rebounding ability) to defend many small 4's.

[Ruzious]

For UCLA, a bad game for Shabazz, but his 18 year old teammate, Jordan Adams continues to shine - filling up the box score. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball ... 1302240609 Adams, a 6'5 220 lb shooting guard (has a little baby fat to shed) averages 15 and 4 along with 2 steals in 29 minutes a game and has a low t/o rate. But he's strictly a 2 and wouldn't figure for the Wiz - other than in moving other players down.

Btw, I think people are overrating MCW of Syracuse. Yes, he's a very tall PG, but he's not strong, and despite the assists, he's not a great pure point from what I've seen. He gets a lot of steals, but he's not a great athlete, and he obviously can't shoot. If he goes in the lotto, someone's made a mistake.

[Ruzious]

Gotta find a way to turn those 2nds and something like Booker into another first.

I would forgo Zeller for one of Otto, CJM, Victor and then just grab Withey

Then look forward to the following year where lots of things could happen by then. One of the youngs like Kevin, Ves or Singleton could develop value if we need to trade up and we don't see them fitting in.

And why not get a 24 year old mature young man that is ready to do what you need from day one. If its a late first, I would rather do that then any of the project types.

Maybe we could move up to late 1st again, but this draft doesn't appear to be deep, imo - and most likely you'd get a player not as good as Booker in the late 1st. Imo, the Wiz would need to get another lotto pick to have a good shot at a quality player. The only team I see that'd be fairly easy to convince to trade their pick is OKC - which got Toronto's pick from Houston in the Harden trade. That's currently the 10th pick according NBAdraft.net. I could see OKC being interested in Okafor, because Perkins is not a good player, anymore, and they need to fill that role. Maybe Okafor plus a future heavily protected pick and the Wiz 2nd rounder for Perkins, filler, and the Toronto pick could work.

[stevemcqueen1]

Gotta find a way to turn those 2nds and something like Booker into another first.

I would forgo Zeller for one of Otto, CJM, Victor and then just grab Withey

Then look forward to the following year where lots of things could happen by then. One of the youngs like Kevin, Ves or Singleton could develop value if we need to trade up and we don't see them fitting in.

And why not get a 24 year old mature young man that is ready to do what you need from day one. If its a late first, I would rather do that then any of the project types.

Maybe we could move up to late 1st again, but this draft doesn't appear to be deep, imo - and most likely you'd get a player not as good as Booker in the late 1st. Imo, the Wiz would need to get another lotto pick to have a good shot at a quality player. The only team I see that'd be fairly easy to convince to trade their pick is OKC - which got Toronto's pick from Houston in the Harden trade. That's currently the 10th pick according NBAdraft.net. I could see OKC being interested in Okafor, because Perkins is not a good player, anymore, and they need to fill that role. Maybe Okafor plus a future heavily protected pick and the Wiz 2nd rounder for Perkins, filler, and the Toronto pick could work.

The only way I'd trade Okafor is if we draft a big man to replace him. And there are only a few players I'd want to pick at ten, Otto Porter, etc.

I think it could potentially be a great move on draft day after coming away with Noel or Zeller with our pick, then getting Perkins back and then getting someone like Porter with that Toronto pick.

But it could also cause us to take a big step back if the draft doesn't break out way. Our goal next season has to be the playoffs. Having a crap center again would make our defense crap again, probably make our rebounding crap again. We need a good decision maker at that spot, a good rebounder, and a good defender.

[Ruzious]

I hear ya, Steve, but it's a problem with the way the Wiz roster is set up. I don't think you can plan on Okafor being a significant part of the team's future - with his contract and his age factored in.

[stevemcqueen1]

I hear ya, Steve, but it's a problem with the way the Wiz roster is set up. I don't think you can plan on Okafor being a significant part of the team's future - with his contract and his age factored in.

Yeah he's gone when his contract is up or maybe even before. It's unfortunate, I don't know who we're going to get to really replace him. That's why I'm so big on Zeller. I'm thinking he has the skills to come step in early on offense and you'll just have to cope defensively.

[Ruzious]

I hear ya, Steve, but it's a problem with the way the Wiz roster is set up. I don't think you can plan on Okafor being a significant part of the team's future - with his contract and his age factored in.

Yeah he's gone when his contract is up or maybe even before. It's unfortunate, I don't know who we're going to get to really replace him. That's why I'm so big on Zeller. I'm thinking he has the skills to come step in early on offense and you'll just have to cope defensively.

And it's not like Okafor is a big shot-blocker. He averages 1.1 per game - and just 0.5 in 10 games this month. The Wiz guards seem to block more shots than their bigs. It's funny how the Wiz lose their great shot-blocker (McGee) and became so much better defensively. I'd be fine with Zeller. And a player I'd focus in on the second round is Richard Howell from NC State. He won't win any style points, but he'll grab almost every key rebound down the stretch of close games. And he's improved his open 15 footer. He's basically a young Udonis Haslem.

[pancakes3]

Well, optimistically Zeller becomes our Brook Lopez. Imo, it just won't cut it if we want to even become even mildly competitive. The best case scenario for a core of Wall, Beal, Zeller would be a team that perpetually floats along as a 7 seed. Even if Zeller is singularly more talented than someone like Asik or Perkins, you need that defense and rebounding in order to succeed.

[Nivek]

Agree with nate and Ruzious on Trey Burke. Rates as a top 5 pick in YODA. Superb efficiency, good 2pt%, solid from 3pt range, few turnovers. Would like to see more steals from him, but he should make someone in the middle of the 1st round pretty happy.

[Ruzious]

Well, optimistically Zeller becomes our Brook Lopez. Imo, it just won't cut it if we want to even become even mildly competitive. The best case scenario for a core of Wall, Beal, Zeller would be a team that perpetually floats along as a 7 seed. Even if Zeller is singularly more talented than someone like Asik or Perkins, you need that defense and rebounding in order to succeed.

I think Zeller's defense is underrated. He's not a big shot-blocker, but he actually does have good defensive awareness out there, he's stronger and more athletic than given credit - especially compare his body to his brother's at the same age - he's much stronger. And while he's not as long as Lopez, he's got quicker feet and hands, imo.

[Nivek]

CCJ: To our conversation a few pages back... In YODA, I had Adam Morrison rated as a late 2nd round pick. I had Almond rated a little better than that, but not by much -- late 2nd round grade in YODA.

Some of the names mentioned (if I overlook one, just post again -- I'll get to it):

- Olynyk -- rates at the level of a top 10 pick. BIG jump from his 1st two seasons where he had "don't draft" grades.

- Roberson -- His rating has been dropping during his college career. As a freshman, he rated as a solid 1st round pick; as a soph, an earlyish 2nd round pick, now as a junior he rates as a late 2nd. His rebounding is superb, but his offensive efficiency is AWFUL. His 2pt% is bad, and his FT% is terrible.

- Carrick Felix -- rates like a late 1st/early 2nd round pick so far.