2013 Draft Targets (#9, #26, #52, #59)

[Esohny]

I'd still wager against Shabazz being on the board @ 9

We can dream.

[Worm Guts]

I'm not sure what you mean, but JR Smith is pretty decent.

He probably means that JR Smith is a brainless chucker who makes terrible basketball decisions, and if he becomes an important part of your team's rotation you probably will never enjoy basketball in June. Which I'd have to agree with.

He was the 2nd leading scorer on the 2nd seed in the East. He's reckless at times, but to call him a brainless chucker is significantly exaggerating things.

[Krapinsky]

I'm not sure what you mean, but JR Smith is pretty decent.

He probably means that JR Smith is a brainless chucker who makes terrible basketball decisions, and if he becomes an important part of your team's rotation you probably will never enjoy basketball in June. Which I'd have to agree with.

He was the 2nd leading scorer on the 2nd seed in the East. He's reckless at times, but to call him a brainless chucker is significantly exaggerating things.

Hyperbole police be damned, I think a majority of Knicks fans would agree with him.

Enjoy this little read : viewtopic.php?f=24&t=1251784

[Rickyoftheyear]

So you guys like Tony Snell?

[nickforthreee]

KCP- like you said his percentage wasnt great because of the amount he had to take on that horrible team and the fact that he doesnt have the best shot selection, but he is the deadliest 3pt shooter of this group. i watched id say 80% of georgias games this year and ive never seen him miss when he was wide open. he consistently hits shots from 3 or 4 feet behind the arc, sometimes off the dribble and unbalanced. he also hits clutch shots, and is excellent at coming off screens. hes much more of a shooter than just a spot up shooter, he can create his shot also which gives him the edge here.

Since you've seen him a lot, maybe you can help me out. The DX scouting video for him called decision-making his 1st weekness. Would you agree with this? They showed a bunch of highlights / lowlights where he made very poor decisions, often forcing up shots in end of game situations, or attempting mediocre shots with too much time left on the clock, or getting a big switched out onto him and trying to force up a long jumpshot rather than trying to get past him. I don't want to make too much of a couple of plays as everyone is entitled to the occasional mental screw-up, but I'm still left with the impression that his basketball IQ isn't very high and it's going to be something the team that drafts him is going to struggle with his entire career. Is this a fair fear, or are these video clips more anomolies in the big picture?

I think part of it is the fact that whenever he did kick it out to an open teammate, they would brick. His team literally looked like a YMCA team out there. He will have so much talent around him in the NBA i dont think its going to be a big issue. Also for those saying JR smith, jr smith has always had an ego, KCP is a very quiet and humble kid, his college coach says hes very easy to coach and a great kid. So while i understand the fear because he did take some questionable shots to say the least, i dont think its going to be a problem in the NBA. he even said in the draftexpress interview that he needs to work on his decision making.

[eyeteeth]

KCP- like you said his percentage wasnt great because of the amount he had to take on that horrible team and the fact that he doesnt have the best shot selection, but he is the deadliest 3pt shooter of this group. i watched id say 80% of georgias games this year and ive never seen him miss when he was wide open. he consistently hits shots from 3 or 4 feet behind the arc, sometimes off the dribble and unbalanced. he also hits clutch shots, and is excellent at coming off screens. hes much more of a shooter than just a spot up shooter, he can create his shot also which gives him the edge here.

Since you've seen him a lot, maybe you can help me out. The DX scouting video for him called decision-making his 1st weekness. Would you agree with this? They showed a bunch of highlights / lowlights where he made very poor decisions, often forcing up shots in end of game situations, or attempting mediocre shots with too much time left on the clock, or getting a big switched out onto him and trying to force up a long jumpshot rather than trying to get past him. I don't want to make too much of a couple of plays as everyone is entitled to the occasional mental screw-up, but I'm still left with the impression that his basketball IQ isn't very high and it's going to be something the team that drafts him is going to struggle with his entire career. Is this a fair fear, or are these video clips more anomolies in the big picture?

I think part of it is the fact that whenever he did kick it out to an open teammate, they would brick. His team literally looked like a YMCA team out there. He will have so much talent around him in the NBA i dont think its going to be a big issue. Also for those saying JR smith, jr smith has always had an ego, KCP is a very quiet and humble kid, his college coach says hes very easy to coach and a great kid. So while i understand the fear because he did take some questionable shots to say the least, i dont think its going to be a problem in the NBA. he even said in the draftexpress interview that he needs to work on his decision making.

KCP looks like an interesting prospect. The kind of guy who has the right skills if he has the right brain. Sometimes decision making can be coached, sometimes it can't. See also: Michael Beasley.

[Esohny]

I'm not a Chad Fraud fan, but he's got the Wolves taking McCollum (with KCP also available) and Karasev at 9 and 26. I definitely wouldn't mind that. It's certainly a better outcome than Draft Express having the Wolves taking 2 overrated SFs at those spots. Unfortunately, history has taught me to expect the bad outcome.

[big3_8_19_21]

Some mocks have KCP going in the 9-ish area, DX has him at 19th. If DX's is more accurate and KCP would probably be availabe in the mid-teens, I wonder if Atlanta would trade 17 and 18 for 9 and 26 and we could get something like KCP and Dieng.

[Klomp]

I'm not a Chad Fraud fan, but he's got the Wolves taking McCollum (with KCP also available) and Karasev at 9 and 26. I definitely wouldn't mind that. It's certainly a better outcome than Draft Express having the Wolves taking 2 overrated SFs at those spots. Unfortunately, history has taught me to expect the bad outcome.

Wings are wings in Adelman's system. Both Muhammad and Rice can play either spot.

[Esohny]

I'm not a Chad Fraud fan, but he's got the Wolves taking McCollum (with KCP also available) and Karasev at 9 and 26. I definitely wouldn't mind that. It's certainly a better outcome than Draft Express having the Wolves taking 2 overrated SFs at those spots. Unfortunately, history has taught me to expect the bad outcome.

Wings are wings in Adelman's system. Both Muhammad and Rice can play either spot.

Not particularly well, but hey, at least they're interchangeable mediocre prospects.

[Klomp]

Not particularly well, but hey, at least they're interchangeable mediocre prospects.

You know you're not getting an AllStar at 26, right?

[Esohny]

Not particularly well, but hey, at least they're interchangeable mediocre prospects.

You know you're not getting an AllStar at 26, right?

I'd love for the Wolves to get somebody who will have an actual NBA career. But yes, there is much more of an issue with striking out at #9.

[wolfcat]

Not particularly well, but hey, at least they're interchangeable mediocre prospects.

You know you're not getting an AllStar at 26, right?

Tony Parker 28. Not our luck but it happens.

[Klomp]

Not particularly well, but hey, at least they're interchangeable mediocre prospects.

You know you're not getting an AllStar at 26, right?

Tony Parker 28. Not our luck but it happens.

I know it happens, but I was referring to this specific draft.

[Klomp]

Not particularly well, but hey, at least they're interchangeable mediocre prospects.

You know you're not getting an AllStar at 26, right?

I'd love for the Wolves to get somebody who will have an actual NBA career. But yes, there is much more of an issue with striking out at #9.

BTW I wasn't trying to say that I like either of those guys (though I wouldn't hate the Muhammad pick). Just saying that expectations should probably be tempered for this draft.

[big3_8_19_21]

Flip's post-lotto interview:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU6bW1AgutA[/youtube]

Nothing new: Need shooters, need size, need vet leadership. Hopefully we can get Kirilenko and Pek back.

[NikolaPekovic]

I think his emphasis on size rules out McCollum.

[Gideon]

I really hope we're on the phone with CHA right away. The way the lotto worked out, Oladipo will almost surely be there at #4 and there's even a chance McLemore will fall (CLE takes Noel, ORL could take either McLemore or Burke, WAS takes Porter if they keep the pick).

I think D-Will, #9, and #26 gets us #4. We really don't need too many more pieces at this point... Rubio/Oladipo or McLemore/AK/Love/Pek with Shved/Budinger/FA Big is a nice rotaton group. Getting a SG who is a great fit with Ricky and who can contribute for years to come is super important right now, though.

[shrink]

I really hope we're on the phone with CHA right away. The way the lotto worked out, Oladipo will almost surely be there at #4 and there's even a chance McLemore will fall (CLE takes Noel, ORL could take either McLemore or Burke, WAS takes Porter if they keep the pick).

I think D-Will, #9, and #26 gets us #4. We really don't need too many more pieces at this point... Rubio/Oladipo or McLemore/AK/Love/Pek with Shved/Budinger/FA Big is a nice rotaton group. Getting a SG who is a great fit with Ricky and who can contribute for years to come is super important right now, though.

I agree. We can also reduce the price of our offer by taking on either of the two guys that CHA really needs to move: Tyrus Thomas (bad contract $8.7, $9.4) or Ben Gordon (bad attitude, bad contract $13.2). I'd actually be interested in adding Ben Gordon, because he has sixth-man skills, is expiring, and will be in a contract year.

This is a team where Roy's contract would have had nice value, since it would have meant pure cap space for the Bobcats .. err Hornets.

[PG24]

I really hope we're on the phone with CHA right away. The way the lotto worked out, Oladipo will almost surely be there at #4 and there's even a chance McLemore will fall (CLE takes Noel, ORL could take either McLemore or Burke, WAS takes Porter if they keep the pick).

I think D-Will, #9, and #26 gets us #4. We really don't need too many more pieces at this point... Rubio/Oladipo or McLemore/AK/Love/Pek with Shved/Budinger/FA Big is a nice rotaton group. Getting a SG who is a great fit with Ricky and who can contribute for years to come is super important right now, though.

I agree. We can also reduce the price of our offer by taking on either of the two guys that CHA really needs to move: Tyrus Thomas (bad contract $8.7, $9.4) or Ben Gordon (bad attitude, bad contract $13.2). I'd actually be interested in adding Ben Gordon, because he has sixth-man skills, is expiring, and will be in a contract year.

This is a team where Roy's contract would have had nice value, since it would have meant pure cap space for the Bobcats .. err Hornets.

Charlotte can't trade Gordon until after the draft is over and he opts into his final year, and his $13.2M salary puts the Wolves in the lux should AK choose to opt in. How would you suppose Minnesota realistically take on his contract?