Official #2 Pick Thread - Ford #7: Parker

[jakecronus8]

I'm skeptical Parker becomes as good of a scorer as prime redd. Redd had an insanely quick release that allowed him to get his shot off any time he wanted.

Parker will be a much more complete player than Redd, albeit one with similarly terrible man defense. Ultimately u think they have similar impacts which would be all-starish from year to year but in that tier two to tier three player.

Not trying to sell Parker short here. Prime Redd was really underrated, and I think Cleveland might have a title if they sign him instead of Larry Hughes.

[machu46]

If we do draft Jabari, I hope that he ends up having this passing ability that some people think he has, but he really didn't do anything at Duke to suggest that he's a good passer. Carmelo was a more willing passer at Syracuse with a less talented supporting cast (offensively anyways).

I'll understand if we do take him, and he should be pretty good no matter what, but I'd definitely rather get my hands on one of the other top 4 guys.

[MadBlueEdwards]

Can someone post just the Saric part from Fran's new insider article?


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Dario Saric | PF | Cibona (Croatia)

The 20-year-old Saric has been on the NBA radar since he was 16. He has long been considered the best player his age in Europe. Yet he is one of the two most polarizing prospects, along with Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart, among NBA scouts. Like Smart, his feel for the game and his competitiveness supersede elite NBA athleticism, but in the past, his game has usually translated into winning.


I was not a fan of Saric early in his young career. However, he has grown on me, but not to the level where I think he's a can't-miss prospect.

Saric's greatest potential strength as an NBA player is his passing and ballhandling ability as a forward, and his relentlessness nature on the boards. For his age, he's already one of the great competitors in Europe.

However, I have two major concerns with Saric. First, can he can defend NBA small forwards or power forwards? Second, does he have the ability to knock down jump shots at a more consistent rate than he has in the past (this season he is shooting below 35 percent from behind the arc).

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I believe that he has to be best utilized as a playmaking power forward with the ball in his hands. And while he will struggle defending elite NBA players at that position, I am confident he can guard most of the second-unit power forwards in the league. He can compete with his toughness. But if you're an NBA team, can you risk using a lottery pick to draft a guy who will play just 20 minutes a game on a second unit? Indeed, an NBA coach whose team ends up drafting Saric must have a specific plan for him because of his unique and unorthodox game.

If Saric's outside shooting can improve and teams have to defend him honestly, it will open the ball skills that make him unique at his size. He then becomes a dangerous weapon as a multiskilled big man. If that can happen, he has a Lamar Odom-type of ability to make his teammates better.

When I saw Saric play against Cedevita last weekend, he did not have his best game. He struggled to make shots and turned the ball over. But I was not concerned with what I saw in that particular performance.

Why? Saric is completely spent and fatigued. He has played competitively for 11 straight months starting with the Under-19 World Championships last July. That nonstop run has also included the FIBA EuroBasket tournament (as a member of the Croatian national team) and his Cibona season, which started back in September.

On Cibona, he is playing heavy minutes and is understandably not competing with the same intensity as he did earlier in the season. At his best this past spring, he led Cibona to the Adriatic League title, a huge accomplishment for someone who is the equivalent of a college sophomore.

Saric has hinted at the possibility of pulling out of this draft if he is not selected by the Celtics or Lakers, both of whom have top-10 picks. I am guessing both teams will go in a different direction, so he has a difficult decision. If he remains in the draft, I see him selected between the No. 11 and No. 18 picks.

[Baddy Chuck]

I'd be fine with Saric in that 11-18 range, start talking 5-9 and I think that's a big reach over some much better talent. Also think the fit isn't good at all on our team.

[Zeezprah]

i totally see saric staying in europe 3-4 years if he doesn't get on the team he wants.

that's not something i want to deal with.

i'm not a fan of taking euro prospects early that don't intend on coming over right away. i would've been so pissed if i was the magic with that whole fran vasquez thing.

ultimately the risk isn't worth the reward, especially in this draft.

[VooDoo7]

i totally see saric staying in europe 3-4 years if he doesn't get on the team he wants.

that's not something i want to deal with.

ultimately the risk isn't worth the reward, especially in this draft.

100% agree.

Also, elbows too pointy. Do not want.

[emunney]

i totally see saric staying in europe 3-4 years if he doesn't get on the team he wants.

that's not something i want to deal with.

ultimately the risk isn't worth the reward, especially in this draft.

100% agree.

Also, elbows too pointy. Do not want.

[Aaron It Out]

I think the best part about Saric is that he probably wouldn't want to come over right away. Would it be so bad to get him when he's 22?

[Zeezprah]

I think the best part about Saric is that he probably wouldn't want to come over right away. Would it be so bad to get him when he's 22?

yea sure it's fine if it's 2 years for sure.

but it could easily be 6 or never.

[Frank Nova]

Saric wins the 2014 NBA draft eye sore award. Damn that's an ugly dude. Sheeeeesh.

[JayMKE]

What if Saric never comes over like Fran Vasquez? I can't imagine we're high up on his list of teams he wants to play for.

[Aaron It Out]

I think the best part about Saric is that he probably wouldn't want to come over right away. Would it be so bad to get him when he's 22?

yea sure it's fine if it's 2 years for sure.

but it could easily be 6 or never.

Not a chance in a million years.

[Zeezprah]

I think the best part about Saric is that he probably wouldn't want to come over right away. Would it be so bad to get him when he's 22?

yea sure it's fine if it's 2 years for sure.

but it could easily be 6 or never.

Not a chance in a million years.

how so? it happens all the time with euros.

[Aaron It Out]

Something tells me a couple billionaires would have something to say to convince him.

[Frank Nova]

What if Saric never comes over like Fran Vasquez? I can't imagine we're high up on his list of teams he wants to play for.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that said, he said, if Boston or LAL doesn't take him he's likely to stay overseas.

[TheWig]

i totally see saric staying in europe 3-4 years if he doesn't get on the team he wants.

that's not something i want to deal with.

i'm not a fan of taking euro prospects early that don't intend on coming over right away. i would've been so pissed if i was the magic with that whole fran vasquez thing.

ultimately the risk isn't worth the reward, especially in this draft.

More time to tank

[theFireBlanket]

What if Saric never comes over like Fran Vasquez? I can't imagine we're high up on his list of teams he wants to play for.

I'd imagine Hammond will do the necessary diligence re: those matters by contacting Saric and his agent ahead of time.

[JayMKE]

I would never invest in a high pick in any guy that doesn't want to play in the NBA right away, I don't understand the mindset at all. I can understand buyouts, I can understand stashing a guy, but a guy choosing to play overseas rather than come to the NBA is a major red flag to me. Didn't Saric say something about only considering coming over this year if like Boston or LA takes him? I don't want that headache, he might never come over.

[machu46]

yea sure it's fine if it's 2 years for sure.

but it could easily be 6 or never.

Not a chance in a million years.

how so? it happens all the time with euros.

I agree that Saric isn't really a good fit here, but is this part actually true? I feel like Vazquez is one of few, hence why he's remembered so well for never coming over.

[Bernman]

Something tells me a couple billionaires would have something to say to convince him.

If we plan on paying him under the table like Prokhorov did w/ AK47 ("allegedly") to lure him to our team, we shouldn't be making it public on a fan forum.