2014 Draft Thread

[Ryu]

My boy Bogdan Bogdanovic (I am kind of repetitious, I know):

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

He is the kind of player Spurs could pick 50th and make him new Ginobili.

It always worries me when a guy barely shoots a percentage point or two better from the field than from 3. It usually means they have trouble finishing in traffic and at the rim which is bad for an NBA wing. I like that he has deep range on the 3-ball. 39% is pretty good, but I don't know the quality of guys he's going against. He seems to have a decent handle, but the video always shows him dumping off in traffic which kind of supports my above statement.

Also, can anyone explain the Serbian meaning behind having your first name as a shorter version of your surname? I see this quite often from players over there. There's also apparently a more famous Bogdan Bogdanović that was an architect.

He is playing in the Euroleague which is the second best league in the world so the quality of the play, players and defenses in general are on pretty high level.

Your second question is a really interesting one. Only logical explanation I have is that many of Serbian surnames are derived by first name, usually the name of some family ancestor (for example: Bogdan => Bogdanovic, Marko => Markovic, Jovan => Jovanovic etc) so it`s common over here to have, as you said, first name as a shorter version of surname.

[JoRain]

My boy Bogdan Bogdanovic (I am kind of repetitious, I know):

It always worries me when a guy barely shoots a percentage point or two better from the field than from 3. It usually means they have trouble finishing in traffic and at the rim which is bad for an NBA wing. I like that he has deep range on the 3-ball. 39% is pretty good, but I don't know the quality of guys he's going against. He seems to have a decent handle, but the video always shows him dumping off in traffic which kind of supports my above statement.

Also, can anyone explain the Serbian meaning behind having your first name as a shorter version of your surname? I see this quite often from players over there. There's also apparently a more famous Bogdan Bogdanović that was an architect.

He is playing in the Euroleague which is the second best league in the world so the quality of the play, players and defenses in general are on pretty high level.

Your second question is a really interesting one. Only logical explanation I have is that many of Serbian surnames are derived by first name, usually the name of some family ancestor (for example: Bogdan => Bogdanovic, Marko => Markovic, Jovan => Jovanovic etc) so it`s common over here to have, as you said, first name as a shorter version of surname.

In Slavic countries, historically people didn't have Surnames, but rather where identifying by the father name. So Bogdanovič means son of Bogdan. So if your fathers name is the same as yours, you get somebody like Bogdan Bogdanovič. Nowdays they all have become surnames . In Russia, for example, they still identify people by father names, except they use it along with name and Surname often using it as a second name of a person.

Ironically enough Iceland is the only country in world that doesn’t have Surnames, but still use father names. And they are the only ones that still speak the language of Vikings.

[gaspar]

If the season ended today, the Suns would have 4 picks: #14, #19, #23 and #29.

[Big NBA Fan]

The amazing thing about the Suns doing so well so far is the fact that Len has barely played and I have been disappointed in Goodwin. He can't shoot, is a poor ball-handler and plays selfishly at times.

With that being said, this whole draft class has been a disaster.

I have also been disappointed with Wiggins so far. I think Parker will be better.

[thamadkant]

Goodwin was known to have shooting issues and it shows. But to say he has been selfish is not accurate, he has been panicky but selfish isn't the word I would describe him.

Len has been a non factor but the Suns lucked out big time with Plumlee... Luck or incredible scouting by McD.
Double double big man with shot blocking skills... In essence Plumlee is providing what Len could of been doing...

[INFORMER-93]

With that being said, this whole draft class has been a disaster.

I wouldn't go that far. It was a draft class mired with injury from the get-go, almost to an unprecedented extent. Burke is making a difference already in Utah, Adams has been exactly what OKC hoped for, are perhaps even better. Oladipo looks like he will be a fine player, Olynyk does too, MCW has been nothing short of a stud. Giannis Antetokounpo looks like he's going to be an All-Star, or at worst a team's high-level third option. I think Zeller will be a good player too.

We still have to wait on Porter, after missing all this time with his injury, to get acclimated to the pro game to fairly evaluate him, and there still is Noel waiting in the wings.

I'm not claiming it was a great draft, but I think you'll have 10 or so teams happy with what they were able to get from it.

I wouldn't allow Cleveland's stupidity or McDonough's recklessness to sour my opinion of the entire draft.

[bwgood77]

Yeah, you can't judge this draft yet. I don't think it is fair to evaluate ANYONE too extensively, except those that have shown true talent, like MCW. But you still have Len, Noel and others who haven't played at all, and they could turn into good or great players for all we know. They could be busts too, but it is certainly too early to tell.

[DirtyDez]

Newest mock from Sporting News; unfortunately a slideshow -

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2 ... t/slide/30

They have us with the Wolves/Pacers pick but not Washington's hmm..

[QuickLikeTheo]

Anyone else like GRIII? I think he has great potential and would love to get him with our pick

[INFORMER-93]

I was super high on GR3 last season, but he has looked underwhelming for the majority of this season. Over the last several games he has started to pick it up again, so I haven't completely given up on him. He's definitely worthy of consideration. I like TJ Warren better than him though.

[Ring_Wanted]

GR3's role in the NBA is said now to be basically a defensive specialist with nice athleticism. Is that a 3D role player is the making or does he have more upside?

[INFORMER-93]

Defensive specialist? I can't really see that. He can be an athletic scorer with range out to 3, a third fiddle guy that could average 16-18 ppg.

[Ring_Wanted]

Dunno, you know I don't really follow college bball (tho this season I've been paying more attention, and have actually watched some games here and there). DX says his strenghts are athleticism, efficiency and defensive potential, and draftnet links him to Iguodala. I am not knocking down the prospect, but if his offense is not clicking, what's a probable role in the NBA? Will he be capable of really impact the game on many ways like Iggy?

[INFORMER-93]

Wow, I don't think he's anything like Iguodala. I think that's a horrible comp. GRIII doesn't have the versatility Iguodala did, nor does he have the ball-handling or playmaking ability.

He could develop into a solid defender, but I don't ever see that being his calling card.

[theOriginal]

I think GR3 is more Corey Maggette than Iggy. I don't know if GR3 has that same draw contact ability Maggette had.

[bwgood77]

Aaron Gordon with his best game to date with 18 and 10 in a pretty close game against Washington.

[carey]

Aaron Gordon with his best game to date with 18 and 10 in a pretty close game against Washington.

He isn't what I thought he was going to be. Needs a lot of work on his outside shot. Needs big time work on his FTs. Is a better defender than I originally thought. Doesn't look like a high lotto pick right now to me. Would benefit from staying 1 more year in school I think.

[No-Man]

Gordon should definetely stay, but again, I don't think he has a lot of upside anyway, so maybe he could declare this year that the hype is still strong and he can be a lottery pick.
Who knows with one more year and not real improvement...
He is a miniNoah, or a more complete version of Faried (they are really different players but you get what I mean) he is not going to be a star, like never.
I will be pretty surprised if he ever makes an All Star team, but again, he works hard and do whatever it takes to win if he is capable so..., he can be a productive player.
I like both Ashley and RHJ better than him though.

[bwgood77]

He is a miniNoah, or a more complete version of Faried (they are really different players but you get what I mean) he is not going to be a star, like never.
I will be pretty surprised if he ever makes an All Star team, but again, he works hard and do whatever it takes to win if he is capable so..., he can be a productive player.

It's a little early to be projecting any of these guys all stars. No one in this class has really lived up to the hype. It's still early in the year, so I think it's a little early to see what these freshmen are really made of. I think Gordon has played pretty well. The thing is, he is on a team that is pretty stacked, so he doesn't really need to carry them.

He might be a nice player with a pick in the teens or 20s if he is there. He seems to do a lot of little things well, and be a hard worker, but he's a lot younger than Noah and Faried who didn't come out until after their junior and senior years, respectively. Noah did nothing as a frosh. Faried did pretty well as the main guy for a small school.

I think his best player comp is Luol Deng. They have almost the exact same measurables and freshman stats. I see Gordon as more of a glue guy that does all the little things well on a good team. Here are their comps.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/compar ... ron-gordon

I am more concerned with the Suns getting a sharpshooting 3 in the draft though first and foremost.

[INFORMER-93]

I would say Jabari Parker has met expectations, and Joel Embiid has surpassed them.

I don't like the Luol Deng comp for Gordon. I think the Faried one is a little more accurate. And I agree that Gordon's ceiling is relatively low. I would liken him to a mixture of Faried, Shane Battier, and Robert Horry. He does have a little Joakim Noah to him as well. I think his 3-point shot will come along. I agree with the projection that he'll be a good glue guy.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson really intrigues me. He reminds me of Stacey Augmon. I love his ability to get to the hoop. He's a long way off from being an impact player in the NBA, but I love his potential.