Welcome to the Pacers TJ Leaf!

[pacers33granger]

My only concern is that Pritchard was trying to trade the pick up until PG said he was out. Now I don't think the front office did no work on the draft, but I believe it was on the back burner and it was expected they wouldn't have a first. So I just wonder if our pick would have been different had we always planned to make it.

[Wizop]

My only concern is that Pritchard was trying to trade the pick up until PG said he was out. Now I don't think the front office did no work on the draft, but I believe it was on the back burner and it was expected they wouldn't have a first. So I just wonder if our pick would have been different had we always planned to make it.

Carr and his group evaluated everyone. There was an article on their draft prep. I can't remember if it was in the star or brunos blog but they were ready for all possibilities.

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[pacers33granger]

My only concern is that Pritchard was trying to trade the pick up until PG said he was out. Now I don't think the front office did no work on the draft, but I believe it was on the back burner and it was expected they wouldn't have a first. So I just wonder if our pick would have been different had we always planned to make it.

Carr and his group evaluated everyone. There was an article on their draft prep. I can't remember if it was in the star or brunos blog but they were ready for all possibilities.

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I'd hope they evaluated everyone even if we didn't have pick. I guess my concern is moreso that the team still doesn't know what direction it wants to go in, so how can you make the best pick?

[Wizop]

My only concern is that Pritchard was trying to trade the pick up until PG said he was out. Now I don't think the front office did no work on the draft, but I believe it was on the back burner and it was expected they wouldn't have a first. So I just wonder if our pick would have been different had we always planned to make it.

Carr and his group evaluated everyone. There was an article on their draft prep. I can't remember if it was in the star or brunos blog but they were ready for all possibilities.

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I'd hope they evaluated everyone even if we didn't have pick. I guess my concern is moreso that the team still doesn't know what direction it wants to go in, so how can you make the best pick?

We need shooting from the four with or without PG.

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[TTown]

i saw a lot of ucla basketball out here on the west coast. offensively, leaf is a much better shooter than hanbsorough, and plays with a lot more fluidity. he's a lot tougher inside than most people assume. thomas welsch, ucla's starting center, is the marshmellow who got pushed around; leaf's surprisingly aggressive in the paint. very good passer, good basketball IQ. i always thought he played well in the big arenas (rupp, mchale, knight).

defensively, eh... he hustles and at least he tries. his lateral quickness is average. in today's world of stretch 4's, he's adequate.

pair him w/ turner once he's ready and going forward and i think indy has a really unique, versatile frontcourt that can cause a lot of match-up problems. i like the pick. he's not the project a lot of other big's still on the board would be. i don't think hansborough is the proper comparison at all. i heard scola thrown around earlier, but indy got scola late in his career and leaf can move about the court so much quicker than scola ever could. leaf's drive-and-pull-up game separates him from channing frye. i'm not entirely sure who to compare him to, but i very much like the pick.

[boomershadow]

Watch on YouTube

[Global Game]

I wonder if Leaf can play some small forward.

[Bit's]

No way he could play at Small forward, even in a big rotation.

I like what I'm watching from him in the offensive side in this Summer League, he has a lot of skills, can score in different ways, is quick, can score around the basket, has some outside shooting and has good IQ. But on defense...he's just far from being ready, he's getting bullied by some G League Players. He needs to add a lot of muscle, I don't even see him playing so much this rookie season, he has the skills, he has to spend a lot of time in the weight room.

[Grang33r]

A lot of excellent analysis in this thread. Good job guys, you guys rock!

[Scoot McGroot]

I think I may have preferred Collins heading into the draft, but I'm not upset at all with Leaf. He's certainly a mobile big that can shoot, and isn't supposed to be a complete waste on defense. In all, he projects to actually be a solid fit in the NBA as a big man. He can score at multiple levels, and stretch the floor, too. Ultimately, it looks like we can play any 2 of Turner, Sabonis, and Leaf together at the 4/5 positions long term and do ok. He may have been a bit of a safer pick at the time, but again, I have absolutely no issue with it.

[Wizop]

Forget why but I scratched Collins. Shooting perhaps.

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[Scoot McGroot]

Forget why but I scratched Collins. Shooting perhaps.

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Probably, and that's fair. I think why he fell so far, but he strikes me as a guy that is going to be uber productive for a long time. Maybe more of a Zach Randolph type player, but more athletic?

[8305]

I recall reading that Collin's assist/touch percentage was at the bottom of the Draft Express database. In an offense build around ball movement that could be a big deal. It sounds like Collins is the better comp to Hansborough.

[tocooks101]

I wonder if Leaf can play some small forward.

He can't.

Love the pick though, gonna be a great pro.

[SBM]

Collins looks like a steal. All I can say is I called it all alone

[Jstock12]

Collins looks like a steal. All I can say is I called it all alone

Zach or John?

[SBM]

Collins looks like a steal. All I can say is I called it all alone

Zach or John?

John

[Miller4ever]

I finally got a chance to go back and watch some of his summer league action. I like him. He's got more upside and athleticism than people are giving him credit for.

[Moooose]

I personally like the pick as he and Turner can both stretch the floor. He plays a bit awkward / stiff at times but that's the same issue with Turner when he came out of college.

I don't know if it is just me, but his "awkwardness" or lack of flashiness reminds me of Christian Laettner. I think it is too much to hope if he can ever get the athleticism of a Raef LaFrentz, but he can be effective without being overly athletic.