The RealGM Wizards Board Draft Thread 2008/2009

[Induveca]

Agree with Harden being a major bust, I don't see his game translating to the NBA. He can't even step it up in the tourney.......and he's far from athletic.

[Ruzious]

I'm becoming more and more intrigued by Evan Turner. It just dawned on my who he reminded me of: Steve Smith. Take Turner, Hoplacize his 3-point shot, and you've got Steve Smith. And Steve Smith would be a perfect compliment to Arenas because he can handle much of the ball distribution duties.

Meh, when I think of Steve Smith, I think of 2 things - deep 3 range and tough defense. I'm not sure I see either of those qualities in Turner, yet. I like physically tough guards, and while Turner has upside - he seems more like a finesse player that's a little on the soft side - a Calbert Cheaney type. But I haven't seen much of him - maybe he'll change my mind.

[WizarDynasty]

i am pretty sure EG sees aminu the way i do. Aminu is like Howard. Not much experience but do you pick junior emeka okafur or the guy that will dominate on both sides at his position once he learns his the nba. Aminu just like Howard already has the agility, tools, and drive to dominate a game on both sides just as a raw d. howard did. And these same people putting down Aminu would have picked Emeka Okafur over a raw and under developed D.Howard. The key is D.Howard had a ton of potential but what made him reach his ceiling quicker was because he has the same kind of motor that aminu has plus the raw physical talent to dominate on both sides at s/f spot. Aminu is a blue chipper that will easily be able to refine his game on a team like the wiz as opposed to the clippers. I suspect if we don't get Griffin'..and we are in the 4th to 5th spot, miny D.Howard...aka Aminu will be our man to solve the longterm problem at the s/f spot. You guys can argue all you want, no guard in the draft is better than Young, and arenas is already going to demand that his running mate guard the point guard on most occasions. So these guard infatuation to me are waste of font.

[Induveca]

I think you're forgetting if Howard went to Kansas he would have dominated the NCAA. Aminu isn't doing that, also Aminu isn't a center. He's a SF/PF. Depends how his game develops.

He's a fine player, but personally I just want to draft someone who can contribute immediately. I feel like I've been watching/waiting for the Navarros/Browns/McGees/Blatches/Youngs for the past 10 years. Oh wait, I have.......would be nice to get a starter for once.

[Ruzious]

WD, he's more like a jumbo Desmond Howard than a mini Dwight Howard. He's got a ton of potential, but I think he's a 4; not a 3. And if he becomes a 3, it'll take him years to learn to play it. Who played 3 for Wake Forest this season?

[fishercob]

And let's not forget the shooting people element.

[miller31time]

And let's not forget the shooting people element.

That old bag....

[mhd]

Aminu couldn't dominate a 6'4 Dave Neal. How does he let a MAryland team with NO frontcourt outrebound him?

[dobrojim]

Chad Ford's latest mentions some of the same names we've been talking about. He thinks DeRozan might be a top 10 pick. He says "trusted scouts" call Turner the most underrated player in the draft. He gave some luke warm praise to Terrence Williams. He called Harden the biggest disappointment in the tourney (really going out on a limb there).

It looks to me like the lottery is shaping up to have Henderson, DeRozan and Turner go somewhere in the 5-13 range, with most of the other SG names mentioned recently going a bit later.

DeRozan at this point doesn't have guard skills. He might project to be a guard, but if the Wiz draft him to be a guard, he's going to be more of a mess than Young is. He's a draft for potential player. He might be worth it, but I don't think the Wiz have the luxury of waiting for him to develop.

I still think Harden should and will be the 1st 2 taken.

from everything I've seen of him, I think that would be a HUGE mistake.
I just don't get it when I watch Harden. What's so special about him?

[dobrojim]

I think you're forgetting if Howard went to Kansas he would have dominated the NCAA. Aminu isn't doing that, also Aminu isn't a center. He's a SF/PF. Depends how his game develops.

He's a fine player, but personally I just want to draft someone who can contribute immediately. I feel like I've been watching/waiting for the Navarros/Browns/McGees/Blatches/Youngs for the past 10 years. Oh wait, I have.......would be nice to get a starter for once.

Not only that but Howard was a high character kid from a strong family
with ZERO apparent knucklehead factor. And that has proven to be basically
true to this day.

Aminu still has questions in that dept.

[fishercob]

I wouldn't call them questions actually. I think it's a pretty hard and fast rule that you don't draft guys who shoot people.

[yungal07]

I wouldn't call them questions actually. I think it's a pretty hard and fast rule that you don't draft guys who shoot people.

Elaborate....

[fishercob]

I wouldn't call them questions actually. I think it's a pretty hard and fast rule that you don't draft guys who shoot people.

Elaborate....

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=847551&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=1110

[pancakes3]

WD, he's more like a jumbo Desmond Howard than a mini Dwight Howard. He's got a ton of potential, but I think he's a 4; not a 3. And if he becomes a 3, it'll take him years to learn to play it. Who played 3 for Wake Forest this season?

James Johnson, who i think is a better player as of right now.

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/pr ... erId=36120

[Dat2U]

I'd have no problem drafting Rubio with the sole purpose of trading him in a package for a superstar or star player.

But keeping him cannot be an option. If people want to compare him to Kidd and Nash, how would Kidd/Nash look on the Wiz with Arenas? - Not as good as some might think, IMO.

Kidd, Nash and Arenas all need the ball in their hands to be effective. You can't have two of those kinds of players as your starting backcourt.

And this is assuming he WILL be a Kidd/Nash-level player, which is not a guarantee.

I disagree big time. I think Arenas did just fine with Larry Hughes & Antonio Daniels and to a lesser extent Juan Dixon, all guys who could dominate the rock and dribble it into the ground. One of Arenas' best attributes is his versatility. IMO he's equally effective playing off the ball, or having the offense solely run through him.

I'm not sure why we've pigeonholed Gil into this narrow framework where he only works well with a low skilled scrub like DeShawn & JJ. Those type of guys don't make the team better, it just forces the players around them (including Gil) to do more b/c of their limitations.

As for Rubio. He's definitely intriguing, but I still have concerns about his footspeed. I already know that guarding PGs may be a problem for him, but is he quick enough to break defenders down off the dribble to get in the lane? Can he draw fouls and finish in traffic? To be worthy of a #2 selection, those of the type of questions I'd want answered.

[Zerocious]

sorry for my ignorance,...what is the projected top five in this years draft?

1. griffin
2. rubio?
3.
4.
5.

thabeet in top 5?

[miller31time]

I'd have no problem drafting Rubio with the sole purpose of trading him in a package for a superstar or star player.

But keeping him cannot be an option. If people want to compare him to Kidd and Nash, how would Kidd/Nash look on the Wiz with Arenas? - Not as good as some might think, IMO.

Kidd, Nash and Arenas all need the ball in their hands to be effective. You can't have two of those kinds of players as your starting backcourt.

And this is assuming he WILL be a Kidd/Nash-level player, which is not a guarantee.

I disagree big time. I think Arenas did just fine with Larry Hughes & Antonio Daniels and to a lesser extent Juan Dixon, all guys who could dominate the rock and dribble it into the ground. One of Arenas' best attributes is his versatility. IMO he's equally effective playing off the ball, or having the offense solely run through him.

I'm not sure why we've pigeonholed Gil into this narrow framework where he only works well with a low skilled scrub like DeShawn & JJ. Those type of guys don't make the team better, it just forces the players around them (including Gil) to do more b/c of their limitations.

As for Rubio. He's definitely intriguing, but I still have concerns about his footspeed. I already know that guarding PGs may be a problem for him, but is he quick enough to break defenders down off the dribble to get in the lane? Can he draw fouls and finish in traffic? To be worthy of a #2 selection, those of the type of questions I'd want answered.

Keep in mind I never said he wasn't still a very good player off-ball. But, unlike you, I feel that there is a noticeable drop-off in performance between the Gilbert with the rock in his hands at the start of a possession, and the Gilbert who relies on someone else to set him up.

What Hughes, and to a lesser extent Daniels, did for Gilbert was relieve the pressure of ball-handling up to halfcourt. Gilbert wasn't playing a lot of off-ball when with Hughes and Daniels. Occasionally, you'd see Gilbert give it up to Hughes/Daniels, then run off a quick screen and pop a 3. That was about the extent of it, from what I remember. But the ball was still in Gilbert's hands most of the time. With Rubio, you won't have that. You'll have a guy who wants to facilitate the offense - something Gilbert, not Ricky, needs to do.

Take into account the fact that neither of them have enough height to play the shooting guard position and that our backcourt would be abused on a regular basis with mis-matches galore, and you have a resounding "NO" from me on the selection of Rubio based on the assumption we will keep him.

[Dat2U]

If I had to rank guards, it would probably go like this.

PGs: (WOW, this is a deep class for PGs/combo guards)

( ) = Overall ranking

1. (1) Ricky Rubio - by default - has the most trade value. Amazing court vision. How athletic is he?
2. (6) Brandon Jennings - world class speed. Raw as the sun is hot.
3. (7) Ty Lawson - very fast. I think he's more a of a PG than Ray Felton. Not as tall, but more speed.
4. (8) Eric Maynor - Chauncey Billups lite. A gamer, quick, explosive. Can make big shots.
5. (12) Jonny Flynn - love his toughness. Mistake prone but he makes plays.
6. (15) Darren Collison - his size will cause limitiations. Projects as a change of pace off the bench.

Combo Guards:

1. (2) Stephen Curry - most aren't sold on his PG skills. I am, he's got great court vision.
2. (3) Tyreke Evans - not a true PG, but a nice skillset. Would complement Gil nicely in time.
3. (9) Jeff Teague - Has no idea of how to run a team. Very good scorer but not a PG...yet.
4. (11) Willie Warren - shows combo guard talent, needs a yr on running the show w/o Griffin.
5. (14) Jrue Holiday - athletic and good size. Excellent defender already but needs more seasoning.

Shooting Guards:

1. (4) Evan Turner - good athlete, great skillset, high IQ, OSU ran their offense thru him. I love him.
2. (5) Gerald Henderson - great athlete, slasher, developed mid-range game. J needs work.
3. (10) DeMar DeRozan - elite athlete. Handles need work, must get better at creating off dribble.
4. (12) James Harden - terribly overrated. Smart heady player who gets nullified by better athletes.
4. (13) Terrence Williams - multiskilled. Can rebound & pass. His J was a huge concern. His desire too.

[AgentOvechkin08]

Good Job Dat

I really agree with most of your assessments, but the dark horse is definitely T Will from Louisville. Man if that guy can develop a Jump shot (hopla cough cough) he will be special. He has amazing athleticism (up there with Griffin), has an NBA ready body, and can do everything (rebound, pass, score, blow by his man, improving J)

Someone here mentioned D wade as a comparison. That could be spot on. He is a 1st rounder for sure.

[doclinkin]

I like Dat's list as a starter, but I'd slot Patty Mills in there somewhere (11-13 ish). Kid has proved on an international level that he can score on NBA quality defenders, and has an intangibles thing I just like. And again, I'd try to find a 2nd round spot for Nick Calathes who has a heady team-leader quality, like a better-rebounding Steve Blake. And Jodie Meeks still intrigues me.

That said I haven't run the metas yet on most of these guys so I'll prob'ly change my mind a couple times once the flaky factor is taken into account...