09-10 WizFans Official Draft Thread

[verbal8]

Durrant is great but in year three his team is just sneaking in at #8

They could easily end up 6th or 7th(currently a 3 way tie). At 6th or even 7th I think they have a decent chance of being in the conference finals.

While scoring is not the whole story, what he is doing this season puts him in good company:
[url]http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/psl_finder.cgi?request=1&sum=0&per_minute_base=36&type=advanced&is_playoffs=N&year_min=1980&year_max=2010&season_start=1&season_end=5&age_min=0&age_max=24&height_min=0&height_max=99&lg_id=&franch_id=&is_active=&is_hof=&pos=&qual=&c1stat=pts_per_g&c1comp=gt&c1val=28&c2stat=g&c2comp=gt&c2val=30&c3stat=&c3comp=gt&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=ws
[/url]

Compared with Lebron at similar ages, he is a better shooter, equal in rebounding, but not as good a passer or crab dribbler

[nate33]

Durrant is great but in year three his team is just sneaking in at #8

You gotta be kidding me.

Durant is "sneaking in" at #8 in a conference where the 8th seed is going to get 50 wins! If OKC played in the East, they'd have 55-60 wins and would be the #2 seed.

[miller31time]

Looks like lots of teams are going to get good players. What it will boil down to is, who put together the best team with those players. Example, you can rave about CP3 and Gil, etc but what have they won.

They've made their teams better. That's all you can ask of a good player when they aren't surrounded by a good team. Chris Paul transformed New Orleans from bottom-feeder to playoff team. Gilbert, with his defensive faults, has a greatly positive impact on our team when healthy.

Durrant is great but in year three his team is just sneaking in at #8

That's baseless. I'm not sure how one can make that assumption/prediction.

This isn't a one player league. Players like Jordon, Kobe, LeBron just don't happen very often. and even they needed players around them.

Kind of like how players like Gilbert and Chris Paul need players around them?

Personally, I wouldn't draft a PG who is 6-4 195 with the #1 overall. For me my top 5 pick is best used on a SF, PF, or center and they would have be able to be two way player. In a draft this deep, I think you can be real value quality at 5-25.

Broad generalization, here. As Ruzious correctly points out, you're not going to go with Paul or Deron Williams in 2005?

It easily could go down like this.

Turner could still go #1.
Favors
Wall
Cousins

Turner will not be picked first, no matter who ends up with the #1 selection. Unless John Wall tears both MCLs walking from his car to his house, he'll be taken first. Adding insult to injury, Favors will not go #2 before Wall. That's as ridiculous as Turner going 1st overall.

But remember, you have to design a team to get out of your division and conference. That mean us needing a big body to deal with D Howard who will be around a while. We need to stay focused. Adding Wall isnt going to fix our D Howard problem.

That's a short-sighted view of the drafting/rebuilding process. Who in the world is going to solve the D Howard problem? Who is going to solve the Kobe problem? Or the LeBron problem? There are superstar players at every position. What the Wizards need to do is draft the best player available, provided he isn't a total head-case and build around that player. In time, provided he's good enough, others will come that will help us get to that elite status.

[nate33]

But remember, you have to design a team to get out of your division and conference. That mean us needing a big body to deal with D Howard who will be around a while. We need to stay focused. Adding Wall isnt going to fix our D Howard problem.

That's a short-sighted view of the drafting/rebuilding process. Who in the world is going to solve the D Howard problem? Who is going to solve the Kobe problem? Or the LeBron problem? There are superstar players at every position. What the Wizards need to do is draft the best player available, provided he isn't a total head-case and build around that player. In time, provided he's good enough, others will come that will help us get to that elite status.

Exactly. If we draft John Wall, other teams will have to figure out how to fix their "John Wall problem".

[Dat2U]

Looks like lots of teams are going to get good players. What it will boil down to is, who put together the best team with those players. Example, you can rave about CP3 and Gil, etc but what have they won.

Durrant is great but in year three his team is just sneaking in at #8

This isn't a one player league. Players like Jordon, Kobe, LeBron just don't happen very often. and even they needed players around them.

Personally, I wouldn't draft a PG who is 6-4 195 with the #1 overall. For me my top 5 pick is best used on a SF, PF, or center and they would have be able to be two way player. In a draft this deep, I think you can be real value quality at 5-25.

It easily could go down like this.

Turner could still go #1.
Favors
Wall
Cousins

I would actually consider trade down if we could turn our say #4 and #30 into a #5-6 and #20

Everything is on the table.

But remember, you have to design a team to get out of your division and conference. That mean us needing a big body to deal with D Howard who will be around a while. We need to stay focused. Adding Wall isnt going to fix our D Howard problem.

Incredibly shortsighted & and too many generalizations.

What's the point of "desigining a team to get out the conference" if you don't have the players to compete.

You hopefully draft a stud like Wall and hopes he develops to the point where you can worry about adding that piece to defend Howard or LeBron later on.

It's like saying having toast is an important part of a complete breakfast but then forgetting about the bacon & eggs.

And you don't make determinations about a draft pick based on their size. That's how you end up with Marvin Williams with the 2nd pick in the draft. He's a 6-9 SF who's a decent two way player. Would you take him over Paul & D. Williams?

And while your right its not a one player league, it is a superstar league. And often, you need more than one:

Kobe & Gasol
Garnett, Pierce & Allen
Duncan, Ginobili & Parker
Wade & Shaq
Shaq & Kobe
MJ & Pippen

Paul can't do it alone. Arenas can't do it alone. OKC may do it eventually with Durant & Westbrook but those guys are barely the drinking age.

So, bottom line, add a star first, worry about the other stuff later.

I think sometimes we can be too smart for our own good and overthink stuff.

[nate33]

Wiretap says that the salary cap next year will exceed $53M and could exceed $54M. That's bad for us. I want as many teams as possible struggling to get under the cap and/or luxtax so we can make BOYD trades.

On the other hand, if teams blow their wads now anticipating further positive financial results in the future, it may result in lots of teams locking mediocre players into bad contracts. When the "double dip" recession kicks in next year, followed by the new CBA complete with a harder cap, we could be sitting pretty.

[verbal8]

Wiretap says that the salary cap next year will exceed $53M and could exceed $54M. That's bad for us. I want as many teams as possible struggling to get under the cap and/or luxtax so we can make BOYD trades.

On the other hand, if teams blow their wads now anticipating further positive financial results in the future, it may result in lots of teams locking mediocre players into bad contracts. When the "double dip" recession kicks in next year, followed by the new CBA complete with a harder cap, we could be sitting pretty.

There is a slight advantage for the Wizards to have a tighter cap. It puts more of a premium on cap space which the Wizards will have a good amount of. However a higher cap can benefit the Wizards in other ways. More interest in S&T players(Miller and Foye). Also having some cap/lux tax flexibility may make teams more willing to deal draft picks if they see Free Agency as a way to address their needs.

[hands11]

Personally, I wouldn't draft a PG who is 6-4 195 with the #1 overall. For me my top 5 pick is best used on a SF, PF, or center and they would have be able to be two way player. In a draft this deep, I think you can be real value quality at 5-25.

It easily could go down like this.

Turner could still go #1.
Favors
Wall
Cousins

Why? In the 2005 draft, Chris Paul (6'1 178) and Deron Williams (6'3 202) arguably should have been the top 2 picks.

I see this as a pretty average talent draft - with a very big drop after the top 4. With so many inexperienced players, it's harder than ever to evaluate it. I'm sure there will be some bargains, but overall - it doesn't seem impressive.

That draft wasn't so hot.

But I wouldn't mind having

Danny Granger #17

Andrew Bynum at 10 could still end up being a really good pick. Bigs take long and he can't seem to stay on the court enough.

David Lee at 30th was a steal.

And EG picked through the garbage and found the steal of the draft in the second round pick 49.

His name is 7Day Dray.

Sure you go with CP or DW but CP is already starting to break down.

I believe in building from the inside out. We totally have needed a PG from years but you need bigs and they are harder get cheap. We need a Haywood type big real bad.

[hands11]

Durrant is great but in year three his team is just sneaking in at #8

You gotta be kidding me.

Durant is "sneaking in" at #8 in a conference where the 8th seed is going to get 50 wins! If OKC played in the East, they'd have 55-60 wins and would be the #2 seed.

I wrote just a bit more than that but nice cherry picking.

[hands11]

Looks like lots of teams are going to get good players. What it will boil down to is, who put together the best team with those players. Example, you can rave about CP3 and Gil, etc but what have they won.

They've made their teams better. That's all you can ask of a good player when they aren't surrounded by a good team. Chris Paul transformed New Orleans from bottom-feeder to playoff team. Gilbert, with his defensive faults, has a greatly positive impact on our team when healthy.

Durrant is great but in year three his team is just sneaking in at #8

That's baseless. I'm not sure how one can make that assumption/prediction.

This isn't a one player league. Players like Jordon, Kobe, LeBron just don't happen very often. and even they needed players around them.

Kind of like how players like Gilbert and Chris Paul need players around them?

Personally, I wouldn't draft a PG who is 6-4 195 with the #1 overall. For me my top 5 pick is best used on a SF, PF, or center and they would have be able to be two way player. In a draft this deep, I think you can be real value quality at 5-25.

Broad generalization, here. As Ruzious correctly points out, you're not going to go with Paul or Deron Williams in 2005?

It easily could go down like this.

Turner could still go #1.
Favors
Wall
Cousins

Turner will not be picked first, no matter who ends up with the #1 selection. Unless John Wall tears both MCLs walking from his car to his house, he'll be taken first. Adding insult to injury, Favors will not go #2 before Wall. That's as ridiculous as Turner going 1st overall.

But remember, you have to design a team to get out of your division and conference. That mean us needing a big body to deal with D Howard who will be around a while. We need to stay focused. Adding Wall isnt going to fix our D Howard problem.

That's a short-sighted view of the drafting/rebuilding process. Who in the world is going to solve the D Howard problem? Who is going to solve the Kobe problem? Or the LeBron problem? There are superstar players at every position. What the Wizards need to do is draft the best player available, provided he isn't a total head-case and build around that player. In time, provided he's good enough, others will come that will help us get to that elite status.

Give me a break. Someone mentioned Blodsoe and I commented that I liked him also then I said what players I liked and how I would approach it. It's my opinion. If you have a different approach, how about just posting it.

Amazing.

Oh, Im sorry. I forgot. I'm always wrong even when I'm not and your always right even when your not.

Any people wonder why things go down hill sometimes on here.

[hands11]

Looks like lots of teams are going to get good players. What it will boil down to is, who put together the best team with those players. Example, you can rave about CP3 and Gil, etc but what have they won.

Durrant is great but in year three his team is just sneaking in at #8

This isn't a one player league. Players like Jordon, Kobe, LeBron just don't happen very often. and even they needed players around them.

Personally, I wouldn't draft a PG who is 6-4 195 with the #1 overall. For me my top 5 pick is best used on a SF, PF, or center and they would have be able to be two way player. In a draft this deep, I think you can be real value quality at 5-25.

It easily could go down like this.

Turner could still go #1.
Favors
Wall
Cousins

I would actually consider trade down if we could turn our say #4 and #30 into a #5-6 and #20

Everything is on the table.

But remember, you have to design a team to get out of your division and conference. That mean us needing a big body to deal with D Howard who will be around a while. We need to stay focused. Adding Wall isnt going to fix our D Howard problem.

Incredibly shortsighted & and too many generalizations.

What's the point of "desigining a team to get out the conference" if you don't have the players to compete.

You hopefully draft a stud like Wall and hopes he develops to the point where you can worry about adding that piece to defend Howard or LeBron later on.

It's like saying having toast is an important part of a complete breakfast but then forgetting about the bacon & eggs.

And you don't make determinations about a draft pick based on their size. That's how you end up with Marvin Williams with the 2nd pick in the draft. He's a 6-9 SF who's a decent two way player. Would you take him over Paul & D. Williams?

And while your right its not a one player league, it is a superstar league. And often, you need more than one:

Kobe & Gasol
Garnett, Pierce & Allen
Duncan, Ginobili & Parker
Wade & Shaq
Shaq & Kobe
MJ & Pippen

Paul can't do it alone. Arenas can't do it alone. OKC may do it eventually with Durant & Westbrook but those guys are barely the drinking age.

So, bottom line, add a star first, worry about the other stuff later.

I think sometimes we can be too smart for our own good and overthink stuff.

Fine. I'm completely wrong and you a completely right except I dont see any 6-4 195 PG in your list who were taken number 1 but I see plenty of C, PF, SF and SF/SGs.. Ah Parker is in there. One PG. selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 28th overall pick.

Look I said "I" would take a 6-4 195 PG. I said " personally I wouldn't " You don't have to agree. I didn't say it was wrong or stupid or idiotic or shortsighted if someone did.

You people are amazing sometimes.

[pancakes3]

please, hands. i got way worse when i suggested trading butler for gay a year ago. heck, some people get way worse if they wander in here asking for fantasy advice. it's a vicious crowd that hangs around realgm. you've been around long enough to know that.

in response to your opinion, tyreke evans is a 6'5 pg that's working out rather nicely for Sac. Jason Kidd from 15 years ago...

oh yeah. ccj, i hope you were using hyperbole in thinking cousins has the potential to come in and get 22/12 with 40mpg. 16/10 is his absolute ceiling for his rookie year imo.

[NbdyBeatsTheWiz]

Sure you go with CP or DW but CP is already starting to break down.

Hands you're the man, I'm not trying to pile on, but CP3 is all of 24 years old, and regardless of your sound theory of building inside out if I had a chance to trade Blatche for him RIGHT NOW and lock down the next decade of his career as a Wizard I'd do it in a heartbeat. He's no different than Wade, who has been injured in the past because he's carrying an entire team on his back. (I'd take Wade too). But I don't think he's breaking down at all, not with a 24 year old's body. The fact is he can carry a team as a borderline MVP candidate, and he has.

(P.S. I still can't look at the guy the same after he punched Julius Hodge in the nuts years ago in the ACC tourney. He'll always be a partial punk in my book.)

But don't sweat it on Wall, doubt we have to make that decision on whether to pick him 1st. Somebody else will make that 'mistake', and hopefully we can land Favors or Cousins to muscle next to your boy Blatche.

[miller31time]

Give me a break. Someone mentioned Blodsoe and I commented that I liked him also then I said what players I liked and how I would approach it. It's my opinion. If you have a different approach, how about just posting it.

Pretty sure I DID post it. You just didn't respond. (awaiting response soon, hopefully you'll oblige)

Amazing.

Oh, Im sorry. I forgot. I'm always wrong even when I'm not and your always right even when your not.

Any people wonder why things go down hill sometimes on here.

Nice way to divert attention away from your post. Classic debate 101. When one person doesn't have a good argument, attack the opponent and not the message.

And don't for a second try to give anyone on this board the sarcastic "I'm always wrong even when I'm not and your always right even when your not" BS because you are the KING of constantly, incessantly, obnoxiously pointing out how incredibly right you were at every turn.

My post was a simple and direct response to yours. I wasn't mean. I wasn't confrontational. I just posted where I disagree. If you have a problem with that, you have a problem with internet message boards.

Now, can we get back to basketball? Arguing about posters is unproductive and boring.

[DCZards]

John Wall -- If you get the first pick you simply have to take him...unless you already have a young superstar PG on your roster. Wall will be a dominant player at the PG position. On both ends of the court. Playmakers like JW don't come around that often. He'll make everyone around him a whole lot better.

Turner -- Would strongly consider taking him #2 if Wall is gone. Love his all-around game. Reminds me a lot of Brandon Roy. Maybe a little bigger than Roy and a better ballhandler.

Cousins -- Have to dig his talent. I understand the concerns about his maturity, but Cousins is a young. spoiled kid who just needs to grow up. So I would not hold his pouting and selfish behavior against him too much. I do worry that he doesn't seem to jump that well and I don't believe he's 6-11 as they claim.

Orton -- Interesting, very interesting. A physcial presence who will probably be an impact player simply because of his tremendous size and strengh.

[nate33]

If Minnesota lands #1 and we land #2, I wonder what it would take to move up and get Wall. You gotta figure that Minnesota really wants Turner anyhow. They may posture as if the #1 pick is untradable, but I bet we could trade up with little more than the #30 as incentive.

[Dat2U]

Right now here's my top 7:

1. John Wall. Best PG in the draft since Chris Paul. And Wall imo appears to be the better player at the same stage.

2. Evan Turner. His handle still concerns me a bit, considering the TO problem. In fact its probably my only concern I really have with him although that's a big issue. Unless that handle gets tighter, it will likely keep him from being a PG or point forward at the next level. But he should still be a damn good SG/SF.

3. DeMarcus Cousins. His immaturity makes me pass on him at 1 & 2. His legit C size, skill level & productivity ensures he'd be my pick if Wall & Turner are gone.

4. Derrick Favors. In reading more about him, I came away really impressed with his character & demeanor. Still he's more physical speciman than ball player at this stage so I got to give Cousins the nod.

5. Greg Monroe. Blatche & Monroe would be too tempting a combo to pass up at this stage. Alot does depend on Monroe's workouts and what type of shape he's in. I want to see Monroe with a trainer like Tim Grover b/c I don't think he's maximized his athletic potential in college. Weak lower body, weak upper body. I think there's room to grow there. But the Vlade Divac comparison seems dead on to me.

6. Al-Farouq Aminu. Skill wise, I did see a good deal of improvement offensively to the point where he actually became a decent offensive weapon at Wake Forest. He still has a long way to go before anyone could say he'll be a solid scorer on the NBA level but at 19, there's definitely room for optimism. What position is he? Size wize at 6-8 210 he's a SF but skill wise right now, he's a PF. Right now he's one of the harder prospects for me to peg.

7. Wesley Johnson. Older prospect at 22 but he's probably ready to contribute from day one. Would be a good system fit at SF. Lack of ballhandling skills is dissapointing and limits his upside IMO but he knows his limitations are rarely tries to do to much with the rock. Beautiful jumper. I hate to say this, but a good comparison would be Jarvis Hayes on steriods. Johnson appears to be a bit longer & quicker so at least he's a true SF.

[nate33]

2. Evan Turner. His handle still concerns me a bit, considering the TO problem. In fact its probably my only concern I really have with him although that's a big issue. Unless that handle gets tighter, it will likely keep him from being a PG or point forward at the next level. But he should still be a damn good SG/SF.

I'm most concerned about his ability to play off the ball. Can he blend into a system and still be a top-notch player or does he need the ball in his hands to stand out? I wish he shot better from the perimeter. He needs more arc on his shot if he wants to develop 3-point range. I can't really object to you liking him above Cousins based on his attitude though. I'd lean towards Cousins at #2 but it's not a strong preference. I'd be perfectly happy with Turner as well.

5. Greg Monroe. Blatche & Monroe would be too tempting a combo to pass up at this stage. Alot does depend on Monroe's workouts and what type of shape he's in. I want to see Monroe with a trainer like Tim Grover b/c I don't think he's maximized his athletic potential in college. Weak lower body, weak upper body. I think there's room to grow there. But the Vlade Divac comparison seems dead on to me.

Imagine if Andray Blatche would work with Tim Grover.

6. Al-Farouq Aminu. Skill wise, I did see a good deal of improvement offensively to the point where he actually became a decent offensive weapon at Wake Forest. He still has a long way to go before anyone could say he'll be a solid scorer on the NBA level but at 19, there's definitely room for optimism. What position is he? Size wize at 6-8 210 he's a SF but skill wise right now, he's a PF. Right now he's one of the harder prospects for me to peg.

The more I read about Aminu, the more I disllke him. The kid just can't shoot to save his life. If he's not within 5 feet of the basket, he's a self-check on offense. I just don't see such a massive difference in physical potential between Aminu and Johnson that would make me turn down Johnson's radically superior outside touch.

[pancakes3]

i don't think they'd be so quick to give up wall. whatever team drafts wall keeps wall, even if it's the Hornets/Jazz/Suns. the twolves could just as easily trade flynn or rubio for a sg than part ways with wall for turner specifically. plus i would be much happier with the ping pong balls making the wall/turner decision for us. the difference to me is so close that it's not worth parting with extra assets to make it happen.

[miller31time]

i don't think they'd be so quick to give up wall.

+1

I'm not saying they would keep him no matter what, but they'd need much more than the 30th pick to compensate for the tremendous difference between the 1st and 2nd pick in this year's draft.

It would probably take the 2nd pick and either Blatche alone or McGee and next year's 1st rounder. That'd be my guess.