Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part II

[AFM]

Wow. I need to watch more Burke. Kyrie and CP3?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Burke is a guy I admit I didn't want to like but I think is a safe pick.

Looking at his HS career, he has been coached in AAU by his own father. His HS coach was his teammate, and current Celtic Jared Sullinger's dad. Trey has been winning at all levels and he has improved a lot from his freshman to sophomore season.

Burke is going to be a successful pro. Will he be a great pro? I don't know but he is certainly a leader and a good offensive player. Stat-wise his offensive execution is through the roof efficient. His attributes are he commits few turnovers with his good shooting. He makes a lot of different shots. Pull ups, floaters, and lay ups. Burke gets to the FT line.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

This draft is strongest IMO at PG. I wonder how good Marcus Smart, CJ McCollum, Lorenzo Brown, Ray McCallum, Isaiah Canaan, and Nate Wolters are going to be post-NCAA?

I won't be surprised if another PG prospect, Matthew Delladova of St. Mary's, has a strong NCAA run. Myck Kabongo has put up some really strong numbers at Texas, and is another Canadian prospect. I see a lot of players from Canada are very high on mock drafts (including Anthony Bennett), and guys like Tristan Thompson have had NBA success coming out of Canadian prep programs. I don't know much about Kabongo but he projects to go in round one. Guys like Shane Larkin, Phil Pressey, and Pierre Jackson have had impressive runs with good stats.

With all the good PGs out there, I hope the Wizards can use a round two pick. I believe Ray McCallum is very underrated. He plays for his father at Detroit Mercy. I think he is right up with Burke and McCollum.

http://nbadraft.net/players/ray-mccallum

[Ruzious]

Burke is a guy I admit I didn't want to like but I think is a safe pick.

Looking at his HS career, he has been coached in AAU by his own father. His HS coach was his teammate, and current Celtic Jared Sullinger's dad. Trey has been winning at all levels and he has improved a lot from his freshman to sophomore season.

Burke is going to be a successful pro. Will he be a great pro? I don't know but he is certainly a leader and a good offensive player. Stat-wise his offensive execution is through the roof efficient. His attributes are he commits few turnovers with his good shooting. He makes a lot of different shots. Pull ups, floaters, and lay ups. Burke gets to the FT line.

Another PG to look at is the improving sophomore from Texas - Myck Kabongo (a typical Texas name, right?). He's back from a mysteriously long NCAA suspension. His to's are high, but he's a real up and comer, imo. Sort of like Rajon Rondo physically - with the long arms and slender build.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I was adding him in a follow up PG post, as you posted, Ruz.

[thricethefun]

As much as I want Burke I know Ernie will never have the balls to pick another point guard in this lottery.

[stevemcqueen1]

Wow. I need to watch more Burke. Kyrie and CP3?

I'm skeptical of those comparisons. Those guys didn't exactly fly under the radar. If Burke were in their class he would probably be the first overall pick this year. I don't see any places ranking him nearly that high. DX has him 16th in the class, NBAdraft.net has him going 17th.

[nate33]

As much as I want Burke I know Ernie will never have the balls to pick another point guard in this lottery.

I don't see Ernie drafting Burke with our top pick (assuming it's in the 2-7 range). But if we could acquire a second pick in the late lottery, it would make sense. We are in need of a backup PG after all. It's tough to see how we could acquire that late lotto pick though. Seraphin has some trade value, but probably not THAT much. Maybe if we throw in Okafor or Ariza and take back a crappy contract, it could work out.

How about: Seraphin + Ariza + #35 pick to Phoenix for Channing Frye + #14 pick? Phoenix gets a low post big with upside, they shave a year off of Frye's contract, and the bring Ariza in to play some D.

Another option could be Seraphin + Vesely (expiring filler) to OKC for Perkins plus the Toronto pick. OKC saves $3M instantly plus the savings of not paying the draft pick (about $2.5M). Seraphin provides a low cost replacement for Perkins, freeing up more room for them to resign or replace Kevin Martin.

[nate33]

Wow. I need to watch more Burke. Kyrie and CP3?

I'm skeptical of those comparisons. Those guys didn't exactly fly under the radar. If Burke were in their class he would probably be the first overall pick this year. I don't see any places ranking him nearly that high. DX has him 16th in the class, NBAdraft.net has him going 17th.

You put too much faith in these draft sites, stevemcqueen. They are wrong all the time, particularly this early in the process. I suggest you pay close attention to the guys on this board, especially Dat2U, Ruzious, CCJ, Nivek and doclinkin. They're much better at evaluating talent than the guys at DX or nbadraft.net.

Chad Ford is worth paying attention to in June because he has sources that know what GM's are thinking. But right now, GM's aren't thinking anything about the draft so Chad Ford is only going on his personal opinions, which aren't that accurate.

But all that aside, the league in general has been consistently slow at recognizing new trends. A while ago, they missed the undersized PF boom that allowed guys like Boozer, Millsap and Love to radically outperform expectations. The latest trend is that being undersized at PG isn't the liability it once was. You don't need a 6-4 PG like Westbrook, Rondo or Wall. Little guys like Lowry, Lawson, Lillard and Collison are tearing the league up, and all were taken fairly late. DX may be right that Burke goes late, but they're wrong if they think he'll perform like a 16th pick.

[pancakes3]

Then there's also the added discrepancy of where guys are drafted vs where they should be drafted.

That being said, I do agree that I'm not buying the CP3 comparisons for Burke either.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Wow. I need to watch more Burke. Kyrie and CP3?

I'm skeptical of those comparisons. Those guys didn't exactly fly under the radar. If Burke were in their class he would probably be the first overall pick this year. I don't see any places ranking him nearly that high. DX has him 16th in the class, NBAdraft.net has him going 17th.

You put too much faith in these draft sites, stevemcqueen. They are wrong all the time, particularly this early in the process. I suggest you pay close attention to the guys on this board, especially Dat2U, Ruzious, CCJ, Nivek and doclinkin. They're much better at evaluating talent than the guys at DX or nbadraft.net.

Chad Ford is worth paying attention to in June because he has sources that know what GM's are thinking. But right now, GM's aren't thinking anything about the draft so Chad Ford is only going on his personal opinions, which aren't that accurate.

But all that aside, the league in general has been consistently slow at recognizing new trends. A while ago, they missed the undersized PF boom that allowed guys like Boozer, Millsap and Love to radically outperform expectations. The latest trend is that being undersized at PG isn't the liability it once was. You don't need a 6-4 PG like Westbrook, Rondo or Wall. Little guys like Lowry, Lawson, Lillard and Collison are tearing the league up, and all were taken fairly late. DX may be right that Burke goes late, but they're wrong if they think he'll perform like a 16th pick.

Agreed.

Three little guys who will be able to score in the NBA are Isaiah Canaan, Ray McCallum, and Nate Wolters.

Probably the smartest pick anybody could make would be Nate Wolters if he for some dumb reason is still on the board at #55.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Another undersized PG prospect, but I think he's a SG is Russ Smith. I'm just now looking at Russ Smith's scouting video on DX.

He's less of a PG than Kemba Walker, but similar. Like a cross between Kemba and Nate Robinson. Smith looks to be very strong for his size. No way the guy is 6'0" but he's the type who can get his shot off anywhere because he is extremely quick. He has not PG skills and he forces a ton of shots.

I have a hard time seeing why DX rates Smith so high, except on quickness and athleticism, as they think will translate to the next level. I guess that is why they rank him so much higher than Erick Green.

[Ruzious]

And there aare other little guards to watch - 5'11 sophomore Larson of Miami I think will start in the NBA some day. UConn has 2 cocky little guards - Napier and Boatright - who can score. Napier reminds me of Lou Williams, and Boatright is a great penetrator. Louisville's 6' Russ Smith isn't much of a shooter, but he's electric - too bad he's not a PG. Same with Phil Pressey - who's smaller but is a PG. Maybe the most fun to watch small guard in the country is LSU soph Anthony Hickey - who will pick your pocket better than anyone I've ever seen.

Edit - sorry CCJ - I missed your post on Smith. That time you were too fast for me.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Ruz, it's like we could finish each other's sentences today.

Now is the time I really start paying close attention to NCAA ball. They guys who can play step it up about now. The draft is going to be shaped in part by NCAA Tourney play. A few guys not getting much publicity are really standout players.

I have noticed Napier, Ruz. He plays with NBA-type poise and athleticism. I saw their game early this season against Michigan State. They played on a naval ship, dressed in camouflage unis. Harris and Payne both are good enough to go pro now, IMO.

I am having a harder time with the years or maybe there are just a lot of guys who can play of near the same ability level this season. Picking out the studs is tougher this year.

[AFM]

As long as we are talking about small guys who can ball, CCJ/Ruz/Dat, have you guys been following DJ Cooper?
This week he became the first player in NCAA history to amass 2000 points, 900 assists, 600 rebounds, and 300 steals.

With a little more than eight minutes left in the first half and Ohio down 23-19 at Buffalo, Cooper hit his second three of the game — which, as the Hustle Belt describes it, was a patented, five-feet-behind-the-three-point-line, DJ Cooper special — which gave him 2,002 points for his career.

He had already eclipsed 900 career assists. And 600 career rebounds. And 300 career steals.

He’s the only player, in the history of the sport, to ever accomplish that feat.

One draft board I saw had him going 60th. There's no way this guy can't play at the next level.

He also set the Ohio St record with 17 assists in a game.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player ... -dj-cooper
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/D.J ... 862/stats/



AFM, just looking at him I would say he's closer to 5'10" ( 5'11" at best). Cooper has some red flags when it comes to shooting. He is an exceptionally bad FT shooter for a PG and before this season did not exceed 35% on 2pt FGs.

Ohio U is not exactly in a power conference. I think Cooper will have to hope to play internationally. There are a lot of PGs ahead of him.

(Aaron Craft is Oh State's PG, and he's a very good defender)

[AFM]

My bad. Ohio not Ohio State. There are a few videos on YouTube of DJ. He's a pretty great passer but yeah, he's small

[thricethefun]

That first half against the Nets make me so angry that Wiggins and Jabari aren't in this class.

[dangermouse]

I don't know how anyone who has seen Porter play can;t see he would be perfect for us. I think he's gonna be a damn good player.

[CLIN]

^^^

I think you guys have now listed every PG in this class lol

If the wizards pick porter, it will be unanimously praised. I don't think i've seen anyone on here say anything bad about him. I think he'll be really solid in the pros.