Pre-draft combine

[Bullet]

From Chad Ford:

Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams, Brandon Knight, Kemba Walker, Tristan Thompson all skipping drills portion of pre-draft camp tomorrow.

Now hearing Alec Burks also pulling out of predraft drills. Enes Kanter and Kawhi Leonard also considering skipping drills.

I still don't understand why guys skip. Shaking my head on Kawhi, most especially. I kinda feel sad for these guys who are supposedly good kids but get influenced by greedy agents.

Or am I looking at it wrongly? Someone enlighten me please?

[kamazilla]

Full participation should be mandatory in order to be draft eligible. Lets hope it gets addressed in the new CBA (though I think we all know it won't).

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

Full participation should be mandatory in order to be draft eligible. Lets hope it gets addressed in the new CBA (though I think we all know it won't).

Agreed. Pretty pathetic that they can choose to opt out of them.

I'm sure Leonard is just getting pressure from his agent, he isn't the type of player to skip.

Sad.

[carrottop12]

Not a huge deal, all of these guys are going to have to do the drills in their individual workouts anyway. In the individual work outs if you screw up, one team sees you, you mess up at the combine every team sees you.

I wouldn't do it either.

[gojazzmjsucks]

Leonard isnt....he is a hard worker. Ive read up on him because i wanted the jazz to take him at 12. His stock is rising through word of mouth so thats probably why he is skipping. Derrick Williams and Leonard would really give us a boost at our wings. D-Will gives us the offense and Lenard our D.

[Hoops Addict]

From Chad Ford:

I still don't understand why guys skip.
Or am I looking at it wrongly? Someone enlighten me please?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If a player such as Leonard is very likely to be taken around 6-10.....he takes a risk by performing at the combine. If he shoots badly or another 3 shows him up....he could slip.

If you are likely to get a $9 Million contract ....but if you look bad at the combine and you slip to #14....it could cost you several million dollars.

[Litany]

From Chad Ford:

I still don't understand why guys skip.
Or am I looking at it wrongly? Someone enlighten me please?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If a player such as Leonard is very likely to be taken around 6-10.....he takes a risk by performing at the combine. If he shoots badly or another 3 shows him up....he could slip.

If you are likely to get a $9 Million contract ....but if you look bad at the combine and you slip to #14....it could cost you several million dollars.

I don't think this means he skips all of the portions involved in the pre-draft, just the drills. So we should get to see some 5 on 5 right? Or what does it mean?

[kamazilla]

5 on 5? What a great concept: actually being able to observe the top prospects competing against one another in a real game context. Unfortunately, no. That scenario could only play out accidentally in pick-up games before agents show up, which actually did happen once.

The drills they are skipping are basketball drills. They will still be measured, and normally will perform physical tests such as bench press, no step vertical jump, etc. Were a player to skip those portions of the combine, it would appear they were unwilling to exhibit a major shortcoming, or were unable to preform due to injury.

[HammerDunk]

Leonard is skipping the shooting because he is a bad shooter. It's smart really. He said he will work out tomorrow.

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

Anyone else watching the combine coverage?

Here is my breakdown from what I saw...

Enes Kanter sure looks like a legit top 3 pick. He has a big body, can run the floor well and looked plenty athletic. He looked really smooth during the shooting drills, looked like a much more refined player than any of the other guys he was working out with. I really didn't get to see much of him since they showed the commentators more than anything...

I was very impressed with Singleton the few times I saw him in the drills. He is a lot bigger than I originally thought he was. He looked like a man amongst boys during the drills. He just looked like an NBA player. Would be very, very interested in him at the 12 spot.

Markieff Morris was interesting to watch. He can stroke it for a big man and he has one big solid body on him. I'm interested to see what his measurements turn out to be.

Faried sure looks like an NBA player...great NBA body. Wasn't super impressed with him outside of that though. Watched him brick a few shots pretty badly. I almost wonder if he had a bad case of jitters or something....he just looked bad at times. He really needs to work on his jump shot and his overall offense, the other guys looked way ahead of him on that end of things. Overall I was pretty disappointed watching him but I still feel like he could be an option at 12 just because of his rebounding. The guys ESPN had there seemed impressed by him but I'm not sure if they really watched him run the drills. His interview was the best thing.

Justin Harper was an interesting guy to watch too. I wish I could have seen more of him. Has a great NBA body and looked very skilled.

Sounds like Jimmer had a good first day but I missed most of the pg workouts/drills.

I really wish Biyombo would have been there for the drills...Chard Ford threw his name out as a possible pick for Minny at the two which I thought was crazy...but there ya go.

[kamazilla]

Wow... Scotty Layden! Nice to have a guy there in the middle of everything. Also, I hope Irving's decision costs him being #1.

[Litany]

I watched the combine as well, still can't believe how much of the camera time is spent showing the commentators...we can still hear them, just show the video of the players.

Anyone else watching the combine coverage?

Here is my breakdown from what I saw...

Enes Kanter sure looks like a legit top 3 pick. He has a big body, can run the floor well and looked plenty athletic. He looked really smooth during the shooting drills, looked like a much more refined player than any of the other guys he was working out with. I really didn't get to see much of him since they showed the commentators more than anything...

I was very impressed with Singleton the few times I saw him in the drills. He is a lot bigger than I originally thought he was. He looked like a man amongst boys during the drills. He just looked like an NBA player. Would be very, very interested in him at the 12 spot.

Markieff Morris was interesting to watch. He can stroke it for a big man and he has one big solid body on him. I'm interested to see what his measurements turn out to be.

Faried sure looks like an NBA player...great NBA body. Wasn't super impressed with him outside of that though. Watched him brick a few shots pretty badly. I almost wonder if he had a bad case of jitters or something....he just looked bad at times. He really needs to work on his jump shot and his overall offense, the other guys looked way ahead of him on that end of things. Overall I was pretty disappointed watching him but I still feel like he could be an option at 12 just because of his rebounding. The guys ESPN had there seemed impressed by him but I'm not sure if they really watched him run the drills. His interview was the best thing.

Justin Harper was an interesting guy to watch too. I wish I could have seen more of him. Has a great NBA body and looked very skilled.

Sounds like Jimmer had a good first day but I missed most of the pg workouts/drills.

I really wish Biyombo would have been there for the drills...Chard Ford threw his name out as a possible pick for Minny at the two which I thought was crazy...but there ya go.

Kanter looked good to me as well. I just want to see his actual measurements. If he is actually 6 11' it would be intriguing to me. I still love BKnight but if Jazz think Kanter is the BPA, I will be fine with it. Kanter moved well and looked athletic and I was surprised by his speed as well.

Agree on Singleton.

I am not enamored by either of the Morris twins. they are both about 6 9', but their arms are disturbingly short. I think they have 6 7' wingspans. Thats is just baffling to me. I am 6 3.5' and I have a 6 5.5' wingspan. Aren't peoples wingspans usually longer than their height by an inch or two? Just seemed odd to me.

I was also surprised at how much they were in love with Faried. He does have an NBA body. Interested in measurements.

I missed seeing Jimmer as well (I read the wrong start time for the combine) and they didn't talk about him besides his shooting which we know is good.

[babyjax13]

I like JaJuan Johnson, if we can pick up another pick he would be a nice prospect. I also really like Iman Shumpert - wouldn't be at all displeased with him at 12.

[StocktonShorts]

If you missed it I believe you can re-watch it on ESPN3.com.

[carrottop12]

I really think Kanter is going to end up in the top 3.

Based on the fact that pretty much no GM's have seen him until now, all this exposure will probably help him a ton.

[Ming Kong!]

According to ESPN's Chad Ford, Enes Kanter impressed general manager's at the combine with his impressive athleticism.
He was reportedly more athletic than many expected him to be, and Ford goes on to say that fellow first-round prospects Kenneth Farried and Marshon Brooks looked good too. As for Kanter, this report should only add fuel to the fire that he's a serious candidate to be selected in the second overall slot.
Source: Chad Ford on Twitter

[carrottop12]

I am starting to get the impression that the 2/3 spot is going to go to Kanter and Williams, and team preference will be the only determination between the two.

We may end up with a very clear cut top 3 by the end of the combine.

[Ming Kong!]

I am starting to get the impression that the 2/3 spot is going to go to Kanter and Williams, and team preference will be the only determination between the two.

We may end up with a very clear cut top 3 by the end of the combine.

I really wouldn't mind getting the BPA between Williams/Kanter/Knight. Ofcourse this is with the given that Irving is not going to be available.

My preference:

1. Derrick Williams - some people think he's the best player of the whole draft
2. Brandon Knight - I'm not sold on Harris yet, kid is only 18 and looks this good already
3. Enes Kanter - could he realistically start over Jefferson? How about Favors? Millsap would need to play a lot of SF to give Kanter a chance, though I may not mind it.

[eLo]

According to ESPN's Chad Ford, Enes Kanter impressed general manager's at the combine with his impressive athleticism.

so its start to look quite clear that T'wolves may try a luck with Kanter and Williams will be available when Jazz gonna pick. I dont now if you heard that but new D-Will is repeating all the time that he is sf not pf, ok i also think that it would be good for him to play at that 3 spot cuz of athletic advantage, but that proves me in my opinion that guy is not tough, he is simply afraid that coach may get that kind of idea to put him as pf, at least thats how i read that.

I like JaJuan Johnson, if we can pick up another pick he would be a nice prospect.

was very impressed with Singleton the few times I saw him in the drills. He is a lot bigger than I originally thought he was. He looked like a man amongst boys during the drills. He just looked like an NBA player. Would be very, very interested in him at the 12 spot.

Justin Harper was an interesting guy to watch too. I wish I could have seen more of him. Has a great NBA body and looked very skilled.

shame that Jazz dont have some extra picks in that 1 rd, ok peps are saying that this draft is weak but imo is not completely true as there are few guys in that mid/late first round that could have really decent nba career.

ps.

"I think I'm the No. 1 pick because I have more star quality I would think," the small forward said. "I'm just a bigger person. Just trying to fill in for a big star like LeBron like they're missing. That missing piece. I think that's me."

Derrick is also "very" modest person so maybe it wouldn't be bad to trade down or take Knight at that 3( or trade down to get Knight )

[StocktonShorts]

I'm watching the combine right now, kinda funny to see Scott Layden introducing all the assistant coaches in their polo shirts and shorts to the players.