Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part I

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

About Marcus Smart, he is having more shooting woes than Bradley Beal did in the NCAAs. I like him, but will see how he shoots this full season.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... rcus-smart
http://www.nbadraft.net/players/marcus-smart
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Marcus-Smart-6284/

[AFM]

He a bust he a bust.
CCJ, what do you think of CJ Leslie?

[Dr Positivity]

LBN could go either Derrick Williams or MKG. Either way, I wouldn't put the franchise label on him. Cody Zeller is closer and he's not a sure thing either.

Nash reminds me most of Rudy Gay. Nash looks like a natural scorer to me. He knows how to create space, draw fouls, play in the post, etc. I think he will fit the SF position just fine. Right now my top 3 is 1. Len 2. Zeller 3. Nash. I don't like Noel as a top 5 pick and I don't know what to make of Goodwin, Poythress, Shabazz yet.

Goodwin could be the most special of the 3. I hesitate to compare him to Dwyane Wade but he looks like he has some Wade in him with his explosiveness, build and finishing style. If Goodwin starts playing well statistically I honestly think he he has a chance to be the #1 pick in the draft. He's one of the few players in the draft I could see getting hyped up as a potential superstar. Regardless of where he goes I think his pick will carry the "high upside! This team could be getting a superstar!" label with it. Cody Zeller has almost no chance at going #1 for this reason, he's the prototype of a player who gets labelled ''low upside" a la Greg Monroe and Brook Lopez in their drafts because of how much physical tools/measurements get connected to players' perceived upside. The fact that Cody has flatlined statistically from his freshman to sophmore year will also hurt him big time. Finally, the problem for Cody is that wherever he is going into the combine and workout stage, he's going to drop from there, since his T-rex arms + the draft's obsession with the measuring tape will bring him down, and he won't be a high flyer in the workout stage. I see Cody falling out of the top 5 and being a steal. I don't see Noel and Poythress getting enough attention on the offensive end to get called superstar upside players. Len could go #1 but he looks like one of those players to me that just doesn't have the media on his side, if he did he would already be ranked top 3 IMO with the way he's started the season. Then there's Shabazz who's still probably the frontrunner but I think UCLA being a mess is going to tag him, another thing NBA GMs are obsessed with is killing a prospect for being on a college team who's mediocre/bubble tourney quality or worse and blaming it on him being a loser. With UCLA having a hugely hyped up recruiting class, they could be Lamb/Drummond's UConn 2.0

[pancakes3]

Shabazz benefits from having no other studs at his position as well as all of the physical bonuses.

I would agree that Lebryan Nash is a Rudy-Gay-esque player except for the sub-30 college 3p%. Otherwise he's a great shooter and his ability to get to the FT line is astounding even considering the heavy minutes he's playing.

As for Zeller falling out of the top 5. I don't think so. He's got every positive that Sullinger had going and almost none of the negatives (weight, health, height). I think GMs know they'll get a more polished David Lee out of this kid and they won't let the lack of shotblocking deter them out of a top 5 pick.

I also disagree about Noel being a flop. He's a very fluid big man and isn't just a stiff like Whiteside or whatever super-tall shotblocking walking stick dejour comes out. He dives, hustles, and has active hands. He's Joakim Noah 2.0

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

He a bust he a bust.
CCJ, what do you think of CJ Leslie?

He a bust he a bust.

Or, Leslie could be like Jeremy Evans, a dunker extraordinaire and a guy who has a long career.

What I am curious about, AFM, is whether reuniting him with HS teammate, John Wall would be a good thing. Dez Wells of the Terps also went to their HS, Word of God, in NC. Sounds crazy, but having three guys from the same HS team is possible if not feasible.

[AFM]

I heard they call it "Word Up, Gawd".

In nbadraft's mock draft, he's being taken at 38. We should have pick #31 and wouldn't mind taking him and dumping vesely

[AFM]

This kid is a freak
Imagine him and Wall tearing it up
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR4jBUqsIhk[/youtube]

Great video channel by the way.

WizD: you would like this guy. Great explosive first step, incredible hand speed.

Look at his first step:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCCZCZCaLVM[/youtube]

[kirubel94]

Leslie seems to have same attributes as Perry Jones last year, elite athleticism, quick, nice size. He also seems to have the same questions questions as Perry Jones, inconsistent jump shot, passion for the game, lack of motor. I wouldn't mind taking a shot at him if we somehow acquired a late first.

[AFM]

And he doesn't need to develop his hand speed.

[closg00]

The Tank Race looks the same as last year although the Cavs should improve once Irving returns.
http://espn.go.com/nba/standings/_/group/1

[BruceO]

A few teams have been over to scout lebryan nash and marcus smart. I'm not saying nash is a top pick but he is someone I'd definitely consider a trade mid season with the idea of getting into his draft space because like kawhi i believe he'll be good value.

In fact other than the C. If i was gm, I'd draft shabazz muhammad first because we need a closer or a scorer. make a mid level trade for maybe top 11 with Chicago to get lebryan nash. And use my second rounder on ricky ledo if he sticks. That way I'd have my wings solidified for next season. Possibly trade ariza, singleton, seraphin and okafor for deng, the 11th and the salary dump that may become boozer. Bring back singleton

wall / livingston / Crawford
shabazz/ Beal/ Ledo
Deng/ Lebryan / martell
boozer, booker, Singleton, Vesely
Nene. barron

only thing i'd be unhappy about is center depth and a quality backup pf. I think our starters would be solid and i think our back up wings are also going to be good in crawford, beal , lebryan and martell. Plus ledo could end up being a surprise since he can handle and shoot.

[pancakes3]

I'm optimistic about Webster and Singleton. I'm less so about Okafor/Seraphin. I think with so many quality big men available in this draft, it'd be a good opportunity to grab young talent at both ends of the court.

Plus I think I've said it before that in the bizarre cycle of draft prospects, this year is a big man draft and next year has a bumper crop of talented SF's. If we go against the grain, we only end up out-thinking ourselves and end up with less overall talent.

I don't think our team is going to be very good next season either and Nene will be another year older. Seraphin is not going to be a full time starter in the frontcourt - he just isn't defensively capable enough. We need to lock up a PF/C and between Zeller, Len, Noel we have a great chance at getting a legitimately good center.

Save the swing man for 2014. We'll probably be lotto-bound for that draft also. We can even ensure it by trading Ves/Book/etc. for top3 protected picks this season. in 2014 there are no less than 3 blue chip wing prospects and as many as 5. (Wiggins, Parker, Harrison are locks, a Euro and NC State dark horse TJ Warren are probables).

[BruceO]

i know next year is good as far as wings go. I always find as we move closer to draft day these guys are not as good as we'd hope. yes this year is full of bigs. we can go that way. Alternatively you can argue its better to go for the rarer available position in the draft ie muhammed if he's going to be good. also the other kentucky guard just like brandon knight might cause less rush for shabazz since theres another legit prospect available. marcus smart too. i like nash, atheletically and strength no weakness and might convert well. Gets to the line at a tremendous rate

[BruceO]

when the thunder built their team it was built on the identity of the wings. they had no big men and it was obvious what their weakness was. we need to create positional strength pairings. either wings like thunder or bigs like memphis. shabazz plus wall, with beal being a harden or manue can help. luol starting and lebryan backing up is an identity. we'd then be one big away in free agency

[pancakes3]

Well, you could argue that the Spurs have their success because they've got a good point guard, wing, and big man and that has proven to be more successful than OKC. I won't make that argument because I think Shabazz can help the wizards too. I'm just playing the odds that Shabazz is not a Durant-esque player or even a better player than the 3 C's available.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I think the Wizards should go best player available, regardless of position. They should address improving field goal percentage, because shooting is what they lack the most.

--A wing who is efficient and a closer would be a godsend.

--The Wizards should be open to trading young player(s) for pick(s). That way they could use the extra pick(s) on shooter(s). One player with skills the Wizards need is Erick Green of Virginia Tech. He could be available in round two--if the Wizard GM doesn't trade or sell the pick.

Erick Green is currently scoring 25 ppg. Va Tech is 7-0 and has played tough teams. Green might be a Devin-Harris type player. Shooting is his specialty. His senior bump in production reminds me of Marshon Brooks.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Erick-Green-16580/

[Knighthonor]

WTF why you all want to get rid of KS?
that guy the best player on the team!

[Nivek]

WTF why you all want to get rid of KS?
that guy the best player on the team!

I'll bite. In what way is Kevin Seraphin the best player on the team?

And wait a minute, weren't you the guy pimping Jordan Crawford as the team's best player?

[Jay81]

what a disaster year to be bad. At least it wont kill us when we move from 1 to 4

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketb ... -with-that

[popper]

We need to do whatever is necessary to flip Vesely and Booker for another first round choice. I suspect EG won't do it though because it would be an admission of prior mistakes. This is why we need a new GM.