Official Speculation Thread (Pt. LVI - NBA Draft Edition)

[BadMofoPimp]

Some of you armchair scouts are ridiculous lol. Noel isn't even my favorite prospect this year but you're lying if you say he doesn't have the most potential in this draft

Noel has the most potential to be a bust out of every player in the draft.

[jgosche]

However, it is worth noting that Noel's game will make him more injury prone. Feels weird having a guy's athletic ability as a potential negative though.

Look here everybody....an actual concern that actually has MERIT. Thank you so much, Mr jgosche.

A.I's play style made him pretty injury prone too.....10/10 times i still take A.I though lol.

I think he will be fine as long as he doesn't go superman mode and try a million chase downs lol

That's what I mean though. His style of play is kind of like a "superman mode". If he's not running around making athletic plays, he isn't playing to the best of his ability. He's going to be doing a lot of full speed jumps. His acl tear was on a pretty standard play.

I'm not a sports trainer. I don't have an accurate estimate how much of a concern that will continue to be. If the Magic feel that they can put him through a workout program that will strengthen his legs and allow us to use him to his maximum ability without frequent injury, I would be happy if we took him. We already passed on the injury prone Sullinger for a safer Nicholson. If we end up with Noel, I'll know the Magic are confident in his ability to have a healthy career, and I'll be ecstatic with the pick.

[Noonskadoodle]

Oh I know he does much more on the defensive end, I didn't say all HE does is block shots, I said there are other guys in the draft who can block shots who you don't have to use the #2 on.

My reservations against him is that at #2 overall I really don't want a guy who only impacts one end of the floor. I know he has the ability to become very very good defensively.

Watching him he has great instincts at staying down & not going for every head fake & that impressed the heck outta me. Cause most guys who block shots jump at everything. He will benefit from the NBA going smaller these days, because another concern I had was with him banging inside against these grown *** men that he will have to bang inside with. No more being able to camp in the lane as much as he used to with the no 3 secs on D in college.

He has the potential to singlehandedly take your team leaps and bounds upwards in defense ratings and Defensive EFF. THAT is the type of impact a player like Dwight gave us on that end of the floor.

That is what is called a game changer, and he looks to be the only game changing presence in this entire draft. That is impact. Maybe it's not the pretty impact we like to see with flashy dunks, threes, and offense, but he above all players in this draft make the biggest singlehanded IMPACT.

I know his potential on that end.

If we are taking a big & staying put at #2 there is no question he is the guy.

I'm just saying I have my reservations with him. (Seems with every other player towards the top in this draft as well).

[Orlando Prodigy]

Getting Noel over any other top prospect is like saying " I don't want a perfectly healthy player who has no history of serious injury. Instead, I want someone who has had a record of multiple serious injuries."

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDe79qY6CSw[/youtube]

Your profile says you support Rose 100%. I'm sure you'd still take him ten times out of ten. Don't be hypocritical.

Rose is a proven super-star. Noel is not.

Coming out of college Rose didn't have any serious injury issues. Noel has a RECORD of SERIOUS injuries.

Don't see anything "hypocritical" about my philosophy here.

I'm over it lol. People are over blowing a growth plate injury that has no correlation to the ACL and no lingering issues.

ACL injuries in 2013 don't worry me either.

[Orlando Prodigy]

Some of you armchair scouts are ridiculous lol. Noel isn't even my favorite prospect this year but you're lying if you say he doesn't have the most potential in this draft

Noel has the most potential to be a bust out of every player in the draft.

I would say Oladipo has a bigger bust chance but it's close so I'll agree

[Noonskadoodle]

IMO there are TWO guys in the top 10 that you know what you are getting from day 1.

Burke & Porter.

Everybody else you have to have a lot of faith in your scout teams & "roll the dice" on some players. Some will obviously hit & some will miss. I'm just glad we have Henny & CO. working on our side.

[Skin]

He has the potential to singlehandedly take your team leaps and bounds upwards in defense ratings and Defensive EFF. THAT is the type of impact a player like Dwight gave us on that end of the floor.

That is what is called a game changer, and he looks to be the only game changing presence in this entire draft. That is impact. Maybe it's not the pretty impact we like to see with flashy dunks, threes, and offense, but he above all players in this draft make the biggest singlehanded IMPACT.

I would agree that Noel would bring the biggest DEFENSIVE impact (IF he gets over all of his risk factors), but the biggest overall impact (with a low risk factor) for us would be Trey Burke. He would be our team's LEADER. Can't say that about Noel. Burke would fill the most important position in basketball, fill our biggest need, and would do it the right way by making everyone around him better. That's what this team needs most of all. We have talent. We need a talent coordinator and a guy who will lift everyone's expecations and take them to the next level. Burke's success and high efficiency numbers speak for themselves. But it is a combination of his excellent intangibles and skills. He can outsmart a defense by scoring outside, inside, or creating for others. He's a winner.

[jgosche]

I still can't find myself to be sold on Oladipo. He turns the ball over too much when he's trying to make his own play.

And if his deep shot doesn't pan out, our team could be horrendous from beyond on the arc, especially if we flip Afflalo for Bledsoe.

PG: Bledsoe
SG: Oladipo
SF: Harris/Harkless
PF: Davis
C: Vucevic

Great team defensively, but a pretty dreadful shooting team, assuming our players don't develop lethal 3pt shots. Teams would be able to crowd the paint when we're on offense, and we wouldn't be able to do much about it. I still have a lot more faith in McLemore.

[MellowRose]

Some of you armchair scouts are ridiculous lol. Noel isn't even my favorite prospect this year but you're lying if you say he doesn't have the most potential in this draft

Noel has the most potential to be a bust out of every player in the draft.

I would say Oladipo has a bigger bust chance but it's close so I'll agree

How? Most experts and analysts agree that at worst, Oladipo can be a great defensive stopper. Any contending team would find that kind of player valuable.

[Noonskadoodle]

How? Most experts and analysts agree that at worst, Oladipo can be a great defensive stopper. Any contending team would find that kind of player valuable.

Yes & where do contending teams pick in the draft & where is Oladipo slated to go?

[Howard Mass]

I hope Noel has a great career but I have a bad feeling that he might be made of glass (very injury prone). He also will need to add a lot of muscle to succeed in The NBA.

I would pass on him if I was Orlando.

[Neon1]

I would say Oladipo has a bigger bust chance but it's close so I'll agree

How? Most experts and analysts agree that at worst, Oladipo can be a great defensive stopper. Any contending team would find that kind of player valuable.

Do we REALLY not see the hyprocrisy here? Really?

[Blue_and_Whte]

Some of you armchair scouts are ridiculous lol. Noel isn't even my favorite prospect this year but you're lying if you say he doesn't have the most potential in this draft

Are you not an armchair scout? If not, what separates your opinion?

I'll tell you why Noel doesn't have the most potential in this draft. His offensive potential is poor. His injury history is a risk. His body has a lot of growth to do.

That opinion you have about potential.... it gets guys fired.

I'll tell you what I believe. I believe potential is only realized when you have a player willing to put in the work to get there. So intangibles like character, motor, intelligence, background, values.... all of which are not easily or impossible to measure carry a lot of weight in my evaluation of prospects. Stat junkies don't like this. They would much rather latch on to a sparkling 3pt % and dunk highlights to form their opinions.

Never said I wasn't an armchair scout. Just saying some of you guys have ridiculous opinions. Dwight had a horrible offensive game too. Or are we forgetting all of those years?

Nerlens Noel is not dwight howard, he's Nerlens Noel. Just like Burke isn't Chris Paul and McLemore isn't Ray Allen. Stop only comparing these guys to All Stars/HOF's. You can't just point to KG and Dwight without also pointing out Tyrus Thomas and Hakim Warrick. It's like some of you are ignoring worst case scenerios. Also, I think your Dwight comparison is off by a huge margin. He has wider shoulders and it was blatantly obvious that he could put on more muscle/weight. The reason professional scouts mention his frame/build as a weakness is because it is a weakness.

[Skin]

Are you not an armchair scout? If not, what separates your opinion?

I'll tell you why Noel doesn't have the most potential in this draft. His offensive potential is poor. His injury history is a risk. His body has a lot of growth to do.

That opinion you have about potential.... it gets guys fired.

I'll tell you what I believe. I believe potential is only realized when you have a player willing to put in the work to get there. So intangibles like character, motor, intelligence, background, values.... all of which are not easily or impossible to measure carry a lot of weight in my evaluation of prospects. Stat junkies don't like this. They would much rather latch on to a sparkling 3pt % and dunk highlights to form their opinions.

Never said I wasn't an armchair scout. Just saying some of you guys have ridiculous opinions. Dwight had a horrible offensive game too. Or are we forgetting all of those years?

Nerlens Noel is not dwight howard, he's Nerlens Noel. Just like Burke isn't Chris Paul and McLemore isn't Ray Allen. Stop only comparing these guys to All Stars/HOF's. You can't just point to KG and Dwight without also pointing out Tyrus Thomas and Hakim Warrick. It's like some of you are ignoring worst case scenerios. Also, I think your Dwight comparison is off by a huge margin. He has wider shoulders and it was blatantly obvious that he could put on more muscle/weight. The reason professional scouts mention his frame/build as a weakness is because it is a weakness.

Dang, that might be the best B&W post I've ever seen. And 1 buddy.

[Skin]

I would say Oladipo has a bigger bust chance but it's close so I'll agree

How? Most experts and analysts agree that at worst, Oladipo can be a great defensive stopper. Any contending team would find that kind of player valuable.

Do we REALLY not see the hyprocrisy here? Really?

Well there is an elimination of the injury history and weak frame, so the hypocrisy is not as clear cut as you would like it to be.

[tiderulz]

I really like the afflalo bledsoe trade. They may want Moore too, doc coached him in Boston, and he could replace bledsoe.

Would combo Bledsoe+Ben better than trey+AA?

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Bledsoe is already a capable NBA PG; one of the toughest jobs in sports. Burke has no experience and is years from being NBA capable. The Afflalo vs. McLemore is a flip of the last sentence, but in a job that is less hard. So overall, yes, I would rate Bledsoe and McLemore as superior to Burke and Afflalo.

..

i would say that Burke is already a better passer than Bledsoe, from what I have seen between the two. Bledsoe isnt really a traditional PG. He can attack the basket and plays great defense, but he isnt a good passer and is a horrible shooter.

[Skin]

I hope Noel has a great career but I have a bad feeling that he might be made of glass (very injury prone). He also will need to add a lot of muscle to succeed in The NBA.

I would pass on him if I was Orlando.

He will miss games every year of his career. I just hope that if we draft him, that those can be kept at a minimum. Getting 5-7 years out of him should be the expectation.

[Carlos Arroyo]

O. Pinstriped Post ‏@OPPMagicBlog 10m
Rumor: Magic and Clippers are "expected" to do Afflalo/Bledsoe/Butler trade on Thursday http://sbn.to/10gNJZ9
Details

[jgosche]

O. Pinstriped Post ‏@OPPMagicBlog 10m
Rumor: Magic and Clippers are "expected" to do Afflalo/Bledsoe/Butler trade on Thursday http://sbn.to/10gNJZ9
Details

[Carlos Arroyo]

O. Pinstriped Post ‏@OPPMagicBlog 10m
Rumor: Magic and Clippers are "expected" to do Afflalo/Bledsoe/Butler trade on Thursday http://sbn.to/10gNJZ9
Details

Strap in? lol