Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part I

[Floater]

I wouldn't mind buying a mid first round pick this year if we can get one for cheap. I'm starting to like some of this guys. It's a deeper draft than most think.

[Jay81]

shabazz has 27 pts but no reb and no assists?

[FAH1223]

shabazz has 27 pts but no reb and no assists?

He made big time shot after big time shot though.

[Severn Hoos]

Jeff Withey continues to impress. His DRtg is ridiculous - granted, they're still in the softer portion of the schedule, but he's currently at 77.5 (Noel is at 73.2, the only big man prospect ahead of him.) And according to sports-reference, he has a Block percentage of 19.6% - which means that he blocks 1 out of every 5 opponent shots inside the 3-point line. That's ridiculous!

Would love to see him as a bench big, he'd look great next to either Nene or Seraphin. If they can get a mid-1st, he'd be a good target. As much as I didn't want to draft the Kansas big man last year, that's how much I do want to draft one this year.

[mhd]

I think I have a set big 3 locked down of Len, Shabazz, and then Noel with a changing order. We need scoring in the worst way.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I bring up Sanders because for two years he was pretty obscure player with the Milwaukee Bucks. Sanders would play 10-15 minutes a game, give 3 or 4 points, 3 or rebounds, and a block here or there. Larry Sanders was nothing special. In fact, at the end of last season Seraphin looked like he might be something special. Seraphin is one year younger than Sanders. Unlike the Bucks, who drafted John Henson and traded for Epke Udoh who are both young guys themselves and not established players; the Wizards acquired Okafor and they started Booker this season ahead of Seraphin. Sanders established himself as ready to be perhaps the best shot blocker in the league this season. He's holding off Henson for now. Seraphin, however, has regressed. I think EG's roster has been the main reason.

CCJ, I continue to reject this reasoning. You have the cause and effect reversed. Seraphin hasn't regressed because others have taken his minutes. Others are taking his minutes because he has regressed. The same thing goes for Vesely. You keep looking at the coach for fault, when the fault lies with the players.

nate, it has to do with guaranteed contracts getting guaranteed minutes. You reject it but I predicted regression the day I learned of the acquisition of Okafor and Ariza. Okafor was going to start, regardless of anything Seraphin did. Less minutes on the court IMO made Seraphin start to shoot much quicker and to have much less patience with his game than he had at the end of last season, when he was playing 30 Minutes a game.

We just disagree, but I think pressing explains most of what is going on. Trying to win minutes through hero ball is also part of it. If you cannot see how Vesely plays in games where he's given 15-20 minutes to play a roving game vs games where in 5 minutes he's expected to go hard on the boards and he's counted on for points on the spot; I can't explain it.

Just read back to what I posted the day of the Okafor/Ariza trade. Vesely and Seraphin will struggle. The Wizards would win less games because of the veterans they acquired. Selfish play, insecure play, and the futures of young players would all come up as a result of Okariza. We can respectfully disagree, but honestly, I don't see how you can't see this the way I do.

[No-Man]

Bazz could develop as a 3, like Pierce did, I like the Wall-Beal-Muhammad trio.

[Induveca]

CCJ, while I definitely agree with you somewhat with the "hero ball" aspect (due to limited minutes)....you would also think that going up against Okafor/Nene daily in practice should equate to PROGRESSION for Seraphin. If anything, it shows he's not fighting for rebounds in practice, as he still hasn't learned how to be physical in the post. I haven't given up on him, he can be a very solid backup player in the league for years.

Vesely is another story, he simply isn't an NBA talent. Period. If he could at least hit free throws, I'd give him a shot. That's something he can work on solo. It shows he simply doesn't give a ****, or is so uncoordinated he simply isn't capable of hitting a free throw.

[DCZards]

CCJ, Seraphin's shooting and minutes are not the problem. It's his rebounding, toughness and inability to get to the free throw line. He is simply too damn "soft" to deserve any more minutes than he's currently getting.

Truth is, if Okafor continues to rebound as he has the last few games, I'd expect KS to get even fewer minutes. Because right now the front court combo that I'm liking is Nene and Emeka.

[montestewart]

CCJ, looking at Vesely's game logs, his better games (on an overall production and per minute basis) tend to be the games with greater minutes. Is that because he was allowed to stay in the game more, get productive, and eventually produce? Or is it because they put him in, he produced, and Wittman let him have more minutes as a result?

He got for him big minutes (21:50) 11/3/12 against Boston. In the first half he played about 12 minutes, got 2 pts, 2 RBs, 2 St, and the team was +4. In the 2nd half, he had a 10 minute stint, got 2 pts, 2 RBs, and the team was +3.

Next game at Boston, Vesely came in again in the 2nd half, Boston went on a big run, Singleton subbed in late in the 3rd, and scored 12 through the remainder of regulation. Nene was injured, neither Ariza or Okafor played n the 4th, and Vesely sat as the Wizards rode the hot hand of another young player who actually got them back into the game.

More recently, Vesely was not all that productive in the 12/21 Pistons game, but he was -7 (by far the best on the team(, got 26 minutes, and finished the game with Okafor on the bench, though the outcome was not in doubt. The next night at home against the Pistons, Vesely had 4 pts, 4 RBs, the team -6 with him in his twelve 1st half minutes of the 12/22/12 game @ Pistons. In ten 2nd half minutes, he had two point, 1 steal, and the team was +2. On the 26th, he was 1-2 FG, 0-2 FT w/ 4 RB in 10 1st half minutes, but -6. In the second half, he 0 pts, 2 RB, 2 PF, and was -2 in 11 minutes.

To me, these comparisons confirm what I see, that Vesely's pulled not in favor of veterans, but when he's playing poorly or not contributing or someone else is playing better, whether for another young player or a veteran. Even when he's playing better, he doesn't contribute many points, rebounds, etc., but he still has the length to contribute to defensive disruption, and he's still sometimes a pretty decent passer and pick setter. Okafor and Nene are almost always a better option on the floor for their scoring and rebounding. Maybe the young players might develop better if they weren't looking over their shoulder at veterans, who knows? Still, Vesely has not looked nearly as good as he did at the end of last year.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

CCJ, while I definitely agree with you somewhat with the "hero ball" aspect (due to limited minutes)....you would also think that going up against Okafor/Nene daily in practice should equate to PROGRESSION for Seraphin. If anything, it shows he's not fighting for rebounds in practice, as he still hasn't learned how to be physical in the post. I haven't given up on him, he can be a very solid backup player in the league for years.

Vesely is another story, he simply isn't an NBA talent. Period. If he could at least hit free throws, I'd give him a shot. That's something he can work on solo. It shows he simply doesn't give a ****, or is so uncoordinated he simply isn't capable of hitting a free throw.

My guess is Okafor is killing him in practice and Kevin is playing like a young guy who knows he can't whip an older guy. Young guy only gains confidence if the rapport is good. Yes, Induveca, I agree that improvement should be seen in Seraphin if he looks at how Okafor works. Yesterday, against Chicago Okafor was a beast on the boards. That type of performance has to win some respect. (Maybe Okafor gets better going against Kevin?)

It is way too early to give up Kevin, and you know that. Vesely is something else, isn't he. Last night I watched a local game. Hawaii had a 6-10 PF shoot 1-8 FTs. He is normally better and is no Vesely. Yet, last night the guy was so scared and his shots were so ugly that Dwight Howard and Shaq would have been shaking their heads. I thought of Vesely. The local announcer said words to the effect of "he's better than that. It is all mental". My thought was that dude sucks. He can't shoot. Nobody should miss FTs that badly.

I think coordination has to be a part of it. Induveca, I wonder about Vesely's balance. Dude might have something going on in his inner ear. Sounds CRAZY, I know. He's got such bad nerves I wonder what his mindset is at the line. NBA talent or not, they have him and the Wizards need to maximize his production. Crowd pleasing dunks, hustle plays, irritating opponents with semi-dirty picks, shooting elbows and he is boney--that should be what they work on. I think FT shooting can be greatly improved.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Jeff Withey continues to impress. His DRtg is ridiculous - granted, they're still in the softer portion of the schedule, but he's currently at 77.5 (Noel is at 73.2, the only big man prospect ahead of him.) And according to sports-reference, he has a Block percentage of 19.6% - which means that he blocks 1 out of every 5 opponent shots inside the 3-point line. That's ridiculous!

Would love to see him as a bench big, he'd look great next to either Nene or Seraphin. If they can get a mid-1st, he'd be a good target. As much as I didn't want to draft the Kansas big man last year, that's how much I do want to draft one this year.

Withey won't last to round two. I like him a lot, too, Sev.

[Dr Positivity]

I don't see Withey falling out of the lottery, shotblocking/defense Cs have too much value. If I'm OKC via Toronto I probably take him. Adding his blocks and IQ beside Ibaka would make them terrifying IMO

[gambitx777]

i think we should at least consider blowing up the roster. either way okariza needs to go and if we can pick up a late round pick from one or both of them. i say we take it in a heart beat. like okafur for Harris, Zaza and their first this year? something like that? that way we can get McDermott or roberson. then use our second rounder on shawn Kilpatrick or hardaway Jr.

[Deivy202]

Im a big Noel fan and I would love to get him as our big man the dude is a monster .

[Wizardspride]

Im a big Noel fan and I would love to get him as our big man the dude is a monster .

Not a big fan of Noel.

He's way too raw for my tastes.


I'd much rather have Len.

In fact, after Muhammad and Len this draft is irrelevant to me.

[gambitx777]

i think that if we can somehow find a way to get both noel and len, or some combination of len, zeller and noel that would be amazing. But most importantly i think we need to get more picks. more importantly than that, we need to get someone who knows how to draft!!!.

[montestewart]

i think we should at least consider blowing up the roaster.

Now that the holidays are over, let's torch the deep fat fryer as well.

[dangermouse]

^ beat me to it

[gambitx777]

The waffle iron should go to, lol I need to learn to turn off auto correct lol.

But, anyway I really am not high on Shabaz I don't really like him as much as I do Len or Noel.