The Official Draft Thread 2: Judgement Day

[bwgood77]

Just found an article evaluating the point guards (including Rivers) on grantland. This guy is usually pretty good...I just started reading it but thought I'd post the link...

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-trian ... int-guards

[jredsaz]

Just found an article evaluating the point guards (including Rivers) on grantland. This guy is usually pretty good...I just started reading it but thought I'd post the link...

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-trian ... int-guards

Good read. Makes feel a little better about Marshals potential on the offensive end. But when he compared Lillard to "a better Isaiah Thomas" I lost it, having an 80's flashback. But then I put it into context and agreed. He has a similar game to the Kings PG.

[bwgood77]

Just found an article evaluating the point guards (including Rivers) on grantland. This guy is usually pretty good...I just started reading it but thought I'd post the link...

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-trian ... int-guards

Good read. Makes feel a little better about Marshals potential on the offensive end. But when he compared Lillard to "a better Isaiah Thomas" I lost it, having an 80's flashback. But then I put it into context and agreed. He has a similar game to the Kings PG.

Did you watch the Rivers' clip (the first one)? No wonder he has the rep of teammates not liking him.

Interesting to read the earlier article about Rivers as well....though he obviously improved quite a bit after it was written.

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-trian ... tin-rivers

[JMac1]

The thing I don't like about Rivers is his delusions of granduer. He talks about James, Jordan, and Kobe being cocky and he is like them Just because you are cocky and compare your cockiness to alltime NBA greats, doesn't mean your game deserves the same praise as the above mentioned.

His problem is he believes he is as good as those guys and he isn't close, so that hurts his game. He believes he should be shooting, when he should be passing

[Kerrsed]

* Did the Suns make a promise to Syracuse shooting guard Dion Waiters? This might become a moot point as talk on Waiters increasingly puts him in the top 10 of Thursday’s draft. Whether the term “promise,” “soft promise” or “Facebook like” was used for Waiters, the Suns definitely expressed their strong interest in Waiters. Too many people inside the league are telling a similar story and citing a close enough tie to make it sound legitimate. It would be silly for the Suns to give Waiters a straight promise. At No. 13, there is no telling who could unexpectedly slip and change their minds. Cleveland was known to give Daniel Gibson a promise when Suns General Manager Lance Blanks was there but it was for a second-round pick. Waiters is an ideal fit for the Suns’ need and system as a potential prototype NBA shooting guard. He is 6 feet 4 and 221 pounds with athleticism, speed, strength and toughness. He is relentless in attacking the basket, good in the pick-and-roll and can finish in transition. As with any Syracuse player, his man defense will be questioned until he shows it more.

*Much of the Suns’ draft focus has rightly been placed on shooting guards, a place of need for the Suns and depth in the draft. They have long liked Connecticut’s Jeremy Lamb and he rewarded that interest with a visit for a workout Saturday after cancelling earlier because of an ankle injury. He was still hobbled for Saturday’s workout but managed to make a good impression nevertheless. Lamb’s draft stock has taken a hit over the past month but he remains a high-potential player because of his shot, athleticism and 6-foot-5 height (but not his size at 179 pounds).

* The players the Suns brought into Phoenix for a second look this weekend were North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall and Mississippi State power forward Arnett Moultrie.

Marshall gets a second look because it is clear that Weber State’s Damian Lillard will not be around at No. 13 for Phoenix. Marshall is widely accepted as the second best point guard and a vastly different one with the style of a floor general who sees the court and passes extremely well but does not have Lillard’s shot or athleticism. Whether Nash stays or not, Marshall is a consideration. He expressed in Toronto a willingness to learn behind a veteran for a year. Point guard or center is considered the most difficult position to nail on a roster and few think there has been as strong of a passing playmaker as Marshall in a while. He would have been ideal for past Suns teams with loads of scoring weapons at his disposal but, as Suns Director of Player Personnel John Treloar said, he makes other players better and will get better.

Moultrie is the most intriguing case heading into draft week. The Suns had him work out against four other first-round big men the first time and brought him back on Sunday for a workout more geared to see his perimeter game. Moultrie can shoot well and projects to extend his range to the NBA 3-pointer but his big draws are a 6-11 frame, a 7-2 wingspan, a rebounding knack, athleticism and a mean streak. There were concerns when he transferred from Texas-El Paso to Mississippi State but some wonder how high of a pick he would be if he had not been in two lesser-known programs. The Suns have spent time visiting his family in Memphis, something they did for the group they honed in on last year in the draft. For Moultrie, this would be a dream leap after he was a player widely targeted for the 20s earlier in the draft. He has been a motivated candidate, traveling from a workout Saturday in Philadelphia to Phoenix for Sunday’s workout and then continuing to Sacramento for his fifth workout in a week. He also would give the Suns an overload of power forwards with Channing Frye, Markieff Morris and Hakim Warrick already under contract. St. Bonaventure's Andrew Nicholson, another big man initially pegged in the 20s, also has captured the Suns' interest.

The Suns have sent some signals out that they may be interested in acquiring a second first-round pick behind their No. 13 slot.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/165158

[Kerrsed]

NBA.com has posted video of the SG working out in Portland.

You get to see Lamb/Rivers/Ross/Marshall/Wroten/Lillard.

http://www.nba.com/blazers/video/2012/0 ... ef:nbahpt1

Also, NBATV's Suns draft preview:

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_t ... X_HOU.nba/

[bwgood77]

The thing I don't like about Rivers is his delusions of granduer. He talks about James, Jordan, and Kobe being cocky and he is like them Just because you are cocky and compare your cockiness to alltime NBA greats, doesn't mean your game deserves the same praise as the above mentioned.

His problem is he believes he is as good as those guys and he isn't close, so that hurts his game. He believes he should be shooting, when he should be passing

That is exactly what I don't like about him. And I think Waiters had a similar attitude as a frosh, so Boeheim made him come off the bench.

He got humbled, but worked hard in the summer, relished the opportunity when he got in the game, and became a MUCH better player.

That is why I am so much higher on Waiters than Rivers. I think he knows he's good, but will also be a much better listener, team player, will take constructive criticism, etc, than Rivers.

And I wonder if when Rivers gets humbled in the nba and his confidence gets shot, if it will hurt him. He may end up working as hard as he has to, to become a great player, but I'd rather have seen him go back to college with a much improved skill set his soph year (like Waiters) than just make a bet on him that it WILL happen when he initially struggles in the nba.

[Kerrsed]

[TheMoochinator]

I find Coro's recent blog entry very interest, lots of good nuggets of information in there.

If Nash is gone Dragic is who I would want us to sign hands down. I think it would be possible to get him for 7-8 million a year, depending on the bidding war with other teams.

I'd rather have Dragic with one of Ross/Lamb/Waiters/Rivers over drafting Kendall Marshall

[Kerrsed]

I'd rather have Dragic with one of Ross/Lamb/Waiters/Rivers over drafting Kendall Marshall

Definitely.

The issue i have is if Houston trades Lowry for a draft pick, there is no way they let Dragic slip out of their hands.

[jredsaz]

Interesting stat from NBA TV's "2012 NBA Draft Preview: The Lottery." When PJ3 made a 3 point shot in a game last season he averaged 21 and 12. When he didn't, he averages 12 and 6.

BTW, NBA TV is terrible in comparison to the NFL network in their programming generally, and especially in their pre-draft coverage. I realize their are 2 rounds compared to 7 but come on, their programming is pathetic.

[Gorilla Warfare]

I literally just let it shuffle once and got this result.

[ATTL]

Someone needs to tell Jeremy Lamb to stop comparing himself to Jamaal Crawford.

[bwgood77]

NBA.com has posted video of the SG working out in Portland.

You get to see Lamb/Rivers/Ross/Marshall/Wroten/Lillard.

http://www.nba.com/blazers/video/2012/0 ... ef:nbahpt1

Also, NBATV's Suns draft preview:

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_t ... X_HOU.nba/

I loved on the Lamb video when they asked him about Drummond and his work ethic. His answer didn't seem too convincing.

[bwgood77]

Someone needs to tell Jeremy Lamb to stop comparing himself to Jamaal Crawford.

He didn't do that did he? They asked him about the Blazers....I just think he had to come up with an answer for who was on the team when they asked him what he thought about the Blazers....didn't he say he admired his game or something. I doubt he is an understudy. I think some of these guys are just in a whirlwind and when they go from team to team and get asked about how they would fit in...they just get confused....I'm not saying they don't know who is on what team...but being on tv, being interviewed, etc...I think many of these guys just get pretty flustered.

[carey]

The issue i have is if Houston trades Lowry for a draft pick, there is no way they let Dragic slip out of their hands.

We'll probably know by Thursday then.

[Kerrsed]

I loved on the Lamb video when they asked him about Drummond and his work ethic. His answer didn't seem too convincing.

Yeah, Lamb is getting alot of flack on twitter right now for kinda throwing Drummond under the bus.

[Kerrsed]

Speaking of Crawford, here he is from today.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fwNdfcD7OE&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

Hits the big 3 to win the game, then walks straight out the gym, like a boss!

[carey]

You get to see Lamb/Rivers/Ross/Marshall/Wroten/Lillard.

http://www.nba.com/blazers/video/2012/0 ... ef:nbahpt1

Is that Dan Dickau at the 1:30 mark? I did a double take because it's unusual to see someone so young running draft workouts.

[ATTL]

Speaking of Crawford, here he is from today.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fwNdfcD7OE&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

Hits the big 3 to win the game, then walks straight out the gym, like a boss!

At least put a hand up. Damn.