Grade the Wizard's Draft

[keynote]

I give it a B.

Three tough, physical players (Hinrich, Seraphin, Booker); two of whom are from all accounts elite athletes. And, the Wizards still have a little cap room to play with to further flesh out the roster or facilitate trades between now and the trading deadline.

The difference between Seraphin/Booker and previous EG projects is that the previous projects needed to develop NBA skills *and* NBA strength/girth. Previous EG picks were long and spindly; these guys are stout and strong. Seraphin already has the NBA body. If he has good hands and good coordination, he should be able to contribute with bench minutes on a young rebuilding team from day 1.

Now, I don't have any illusions that Booker will morph into a pure SF. He's a long way off from developing that kind of offensive skill set. But, imagine active SF/tweener PF scorers having to deal with both Thornton *and* Booker playing physical, chest-to-chest perimeter defense: grabbing and clawing, Artest-style, with the best of 'em. Now, imagine Hinrich playing gritty D on the ball at the top. With "Nene 2.0" handing out stiff forearms underneath. Flip may not have to resort to as many gimmicky zone defenses with the second unit to hide the softies.

Bottom line: acc. to DA, the Wizards are "tired of getting pushed around." The projective starters (Wall, Arenas, Blatche) compete with skill, speed and/or dexterity, but that new second unit can come in like a bunch of bullies. That's what *I'm* talking about. So, I give the Wizards a "B."

[WallToWall]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/w ... ?eref=sihp

Somebody thinks we rocked!

[dobrojim]

I'll try to read more of this thread later -

The one thing I think we should all do is take a deep breath
and admit that we can't really know how it will turn out for
quite some time.

Seraphin may take multiple years to develop.

Booker probably less.

We don't know if Hinrich will stay, go or be a good mentor/3rd
guard.

We kinda did what most predicted, in a general way, that we would
do. We took a 'bad' contract to get a first. And we moved up a bit
from the 30-35 picks to a place where we were more confident
that the guy we took would help us.

But it's still a major crap shoot until they start playing ball.
THEN my friends, we can grade this draft night.

N'dyia (sp?) seems like a cheaper and possibly just as good
version of Vernado.

We got a C project with an NBA body.
We got a PF/SF with a motor and an attitude (a good one).

And we got the player that most folks feel has the best
chance to be a transcendent player in the entire draft.

I'm sleeping OK tonight.

[keynote]

^

Booker is an aggressive 6-7 senior defender from Clemson who will not only mix things up inside but also challenge the alarmingly recalcitrant Andray Blatche at practice each day.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/w ... z0rqDwpH87

That's how you change a team's culture. Before, Blatche was "banging" with Jamison in practice every day - which is to say, they were feinting and up-and-undering each other with few physical consequences. At a minimum, Booker and Seraphin will be capable sparring partners for Dray.

Frankly, Booker and Seraphin probably show up on the first day of training camp as the strongest guys on the team; perhaps their work ethic in the gym will rub off on Big Daddy Wookie Iron Man, too.

[dangermouse]

Booker is drawing Milsap/Blair comparisons (who wouldn't want a taller, more athletic Blair/Milsap with big-time finishing ability?).

I was under the impression he was slightly shorter?

[spaceman_E]

Incomplete. Grading a draft immediately after it's done is inaccurate.

Not if you are using actual use of assets and value of draft picks. A solid D for Ernie. Horrible draft for the 2nd year in a row.

[Silvie Lysandra]

Booker is drawing Milsap/Blair comparisons (who wouldn't want a taller, more athletic Blair/Milsap with big-time finishing ability?).

I was under the impression he was slightly shorter?

6'6.5 without shoes, 6'7.5 with, standing reach of 8'10.

Compare with Millsap who has a longer wingspan, but a half inch shorter standing reach at the same height. Booker is also way more athletic, and posted better bench numbers while being a lot lighter.

[JonathanJoseph]

Most of the posters on this board get an F.

Yup. "They went with a different iffy prospect than the one I liked! Wah!!!!"

This.

[Severn Hoos]

Booker is drawing Milsap/Blair comparisons (who wouldn't want a taller, more athletic Blair/Milsap with big-time finishing ability?).

I was under the impression he was slightly shorter?

According to the DX Measurements database, he's the same height as Millsap and an inch taller than Blair. And while they both had wingspans that were over 7' and 4-5" wider than Booker, Trevor's standing reach (8'10") is right between the two, .5" shorter than Blair but .5" higher than Millsap. Factor in significantly lower body fat and the athleticism and Booker has a much higher max vertical, for what that's worth.

I think he'll be just fine for the role the team wants him to play - bring toughness, primarily as a backup PF and sometimes as a SF to punish the other team. I think back to when Larry Hughes was 1st team All-Defense, and I just scratched my head. I never felt like other guys would look at the schedule and say "Aww, man! I do NOT want to play against that guy..." like they would against Artest, Battier, Bowen, Christie, etc. I think Booker is a step toward having other teams look forward to the Wiz games with a creeping dread instead of licking their chops. Plus Hinrich is an annoying defender, and no one's going to want to try keeping up with Wall.

After further review, I'll call tonight a good start to a new era.

[Kanyewest]

Ever since I've been following the draft here in 2006, a majority of Wizard fans always hate the first round pick when it happens. After a few weeks, or months followed by a period where intrigue is drawn by a player. Slowly, the Wizard fan begins drawing bold comparisons- McGee is Tyson Chandler with offense or Nick Young's a poor man's Kobe, and the best one, Pech can be just like Dirk Nowitzki after a few summer league games. Then when the regular season rolls around, the Wizard fan blame the coach for not playing the pick that they so hated at the time and it bewilders them why the coach is holding them back from reaching their ultimate potential.

[JonathanJoseph]

It's too early to know the results, but I'll grade Grunfeld's performance an A-. The guy obviously had players and a goal in mind before the draft and he accomplished what he wanted. Aldridge said on NBA TV that the Wizards were looking for the pick in the teen's to go after Seraphin and it's clear that they targeted Booker as well.

Both are physical and tough which is exactly what you'd call Kirk Hinrich. Ndyiae? Big East DPOY. Grunfeld solidified the front court with 3 young prospects, added Hinrich to be the 3rd guard and the Wizards STILL have ~$13M in cap space.

Excuse me while I go over to the Grunfeld thread....

[spaceman_E]

Most of the posters on this board get an F.

Yup. "They went with a different iffy prospect than the one I liked! Wah!!!!"

This.

And we gave up actual assets to do it, which makes your point completely null and void.


The whole value of the undersized PF's are that they are undervalued and you can get them late in the draft. Almost all of the effective ones also have ginormous wingspans to make up for their height. Packaging the 30 + 35 for Trevor Booker is a very poor decision. I've watched him for 4 years in the ACC. Yes, he is aggressive and will dunk on people and has an ok jumper. He isn't a particularly good defender or rebounder though and he's 6' 6.25" without shoes and a poor wingspan to boot. He can no longer beat up on Landon Milbourne and Lance Thomas.

The whole value of the BOYD trade was to get a TOP prospect in the lotto and take on an expensive expiring. Instead, we got the 17th fricking pick, and an above mle, MULTI-YEAR! deal. And I've actually wanted Heinrich on this team for ages now. This just de-values Arenas even more and quite possibly foreshadows some future horrible move like just buying Gil out before the season starts or taking on some other teams albatross contract attached to a lesser player.

Also, you don't get points for drafting John Wall #1. You can only lose points for not doing it. This draft is a D, with potential to move to F if this leads to a poor Gil trade. I AM happy we finally took a guy who will be ready to play right away(booker), even if his potential is only as a solid bench guy. Seraphin isn't who I wanted, but forgetting that drafting 2 PF's that can't play C when you have Blatche at PF already is mildly (Please Use More Appropriate Word), I'm willing to give KS a chance.

C+ on players acquireed (not including Wall), F on how they were acquired. D overall.

[Silvie Lysandra]

A 6'9, 6'10 player with impressive length and wingspan can't play C? Really?

And nobody was giving up a high lottery pick, okay? Getting #9 + AK47 was a pipe dream all along; the Jazz intend to keep the core together and then resign AK47 to a modest deal. Nobody else, repeat, NOBODY else was giving up a decent lottery pick. The best we could have gotten is taking on Mo Pete + 13, and then the Thunder still had to give up a pick.

[Illuminaire]

I like the direction and the strategy behind each selection. Energy, defense, rebounding, and guys that can keep up with Wall in transition - if we actually get Seraphin over here and on the team, I think this is going to be a really fun group of guys to watch. They're going to scrap, they're going to fight, they're going to dunk over people on sweet no-look alley-hoops while leading us to one more year in the low lottery.

That rocks.

The execution, however, seems suspect. Ernie is perennially overpaying and rarely seems to find multiple options to execute a plan. GMs like Presti and Pritchard will hound a half-dozen teams until they find one willing to give them what they want; I never get the impression that Ernie drives after deals that way.

I give Ted an A+ for franchise vision. I give Ernie a temporary D+ for acting on that vision.

[DaRealHibachi]

It's too early to know the results, but I'll grade Grunfeld's performance an A-. The guy obviously had players and a goal in mind before the draft and he accomplished what he wanted. Aldridge said on NBA TV that the Wizards were looking for the pick in the teen's to go after Seraphin and it's clear that they targeted Booker as well.

Both are physical and tough which is exactly what you'd call Kirk Hinrich. Ndyiae? Big East DPOY. Grunfeld solidified the front court with 3 young prospects, added Hinrich to be the 3rd guard and the Wizards STILL have ~$13M in cap space.

Excuse me while I go over to the Grunfeld thread....

+1

For all the flak he's catching around here, he's actively changing the entire culture of this team... From an old, all-offense, no D, me-first prima donna team to a young, athletic, hardworking, D-playing and mature (maybe) bball team with a bright future...

I grade him a very solid B+...

Yeah he *may have* gotten some players without trading up, but at least he did something most didn't expect; Taking risks instead of playing it safe...

[JonathanJoseph]

A 6'9, 6'10 player with impressive length and wingspan can't play C? Really?

And nobody was giving up a high lottery pick, okay? Getting #9 + AK47 was a pipe dream all along; the Jazz intend to keep the core together and then resign AK47 to a modest deal. Nobody else, repeat, NOBODY else was giving up a decent lottery pick. The best we could have gotten is taking on Mo Pete + 13, and then the Thunder still had to give up a pick.

TWO first round picks for MoPete and 13 (was it 12?).

We gave up nothing.

[JonathanJoseph]

It's too early to know the results, but I'll grade Grunfeld's performance an A-. The guy obviously had players and a goal in mind before the draft and he accomplished what he wanted. Aldridge said on NBA TV that the Wizards were looking for the pick in the teen's to go after Seraphin and it's clear that they targeted Booker as well.

Both are physical and tough which is exactly what you'd call Kirk Hinrich. Ndyiae? Big East DPOY. Grunfeld solidified the front court with 3 young prospects, added Hinrich to be the 3rd guard and the Wizards STILL have ~$13M in cap space.

Excuse me while I go over to the Grunfeld thread....

+1

For all the flak he's catching around here, he's actively changing the entire culture of this team... From an old, all-offense, no D, me-first prima donna team to a young, athletic, hardworking, D-playing and mature (maybe) bball team with a bright future...

I grade him a very solid B+...

Yeah he *may have* gotten some players without trading up, but at least he did something most didn't expect; Taking risks instead of playing it safe...

And Michael Lee reports in the Post that the Cavs were trying to get pick #20 to take Seraphin.

But don't forget high character along with tough, hardworking and athletic.

[Ruzious]

I think Hamady weighing around 230 is a concern. Booker being 6'7" and Seraphin being 6'8" and staying in France a while are concerns. At least EG went beefy and tried to go for athleticism, shotblocking, and defense.I give him a solid D. Too bad he buys things at over market prices. He could have done a lot more if he were a wheeler dealer.

I'm probably being generous not giving him an F (EDITED TO ADD because of adding Hinrich's deal and me ASSUMING a bad Gil is to follow), but just on N'Diaye and Booker being athletes I'll wait and see.

As much as I ripped the two trades up to overpay at least I'm comfortable EG got NBA athletes in Wall and Booker.

He didn't do as bad as he did last year when that was just straight up STANK bad on draft night.

LOL, I've seen Seraphin listed at 6'9, 6'10, 6'10.5, and 6'11; but this is the first time at 6'8.

Anyway, I gave it a B. Wall and Seraphin were the 2 players I really wanted, and they got them both. I like Seraphin better than several of the bigs drafted before him - especially after hearing he's playing here this coming season. I would have approved of the trade of 30 and 35 if it was to get Pondexter. Booker... I was very surprised he went in the 1st round. I love the way he competes, he's a great character player, he does run the court great, but he's simply physically overmatched at both ends in the half court at PF, and he's not a 3. He's going to have to learn to be a 3. One positive thing that gets overlooked about him - he's a heckuva passer. I just don't understand why he made the move for Booker instead of Pondexter. I'm guessing it's because he misread where Pondexter was going, and that's a cardinal sin for a GM to make

[closg00]

Washington Wizards: The Wizards take John Wall, and it should be a merry night in the District. But then GM Ernie Grunfeld goes and trades for Kirk Hinrich (owed $17 million over two years) so he can draft French power forward Kevin Seraphin, a nice prospect but not worth all that Hinrich salary. Armed with the No. 30 and No. 35 picks, Washington trades up to get promising Clemson power forward Trevor Booker, who should have been available at 30 if not 35. Wall will change the franchise, and maybe the league. But a decent population of Wizards fans won't be able to enjoy that fully because their front office is still making weird, hard-to-explain decisions. Alanis Morrissette almost had it right. This ain't irony, but it is like rain on your wedding day. The bizarre moves can't ruin this draft because of Wall, but you'd still prefer Grunfeld didn't rain his crazy all over the place. Final Grade: B.

^^^^
I think this sums-up my views and many others here. I hope the medial staff checked-out Seraphin's knee injury before making the final decision.

[willbcocks]

Washington Wizards: The Wizards take John Wall, and it should be a merry night in the District. But then GM Ernie Grunfeld goes and trades for Kirk Hinrich (owed $17 million over two years) so he can draft French power forward Kevin Seraphin, a nice prospect but not worth all that Hinrich salary. Armed with the No. 30 and No. 35 picks, Washington trades up to get promising Clemson power forward Trevor Booker, who should have been available at 30 if not 35. Wall will change the franchise, and maybe the league. But a decent population of Wizards fans won't be able to enjoy that fully because their front office is still making weird, hard-to-explain decisions. Alanis Morrissette almost had it right. This ain't irony, but it is like rain on your wedding day. The bizarre moves can't ruin this draft because of Wall, but you'd still prefer Grunfeld didn't rain his crazy all over the place. Final Grade: B.

^^^^
I think this sums-up my views and many others here. I hope the medial staff checked-out Seraphin's knee injury before making the final decision.

No. NO! Not the medical staff!