2012 NBA Draft - Part II

[tontoz]

...and who's available. It doesn't change the fact that the Wiz need shooters, and MKG hasn't shown he can shoot from outside.

I am definitely not seeing the logic of picking MKG. I think the Wizards already have met their quota of forwards who can't shoot.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I would bet good money the pick is going to be Harrison Barnes.

Doesn't matter what Robinson, Sullinger, either Zeller do. Doesn't matter that guys like Tony Mitchell, Moe Harkless, Anthony Roberson, and Will Barton are better players, either.

I expect Barnes will be the pick. It wouldn't shock me if the Grunfeld drafted Austin Rivers as high as #6, either. I see this being a pick he's locked in on and advanced metrics won't matter with EG.

They never do.

[Ruzious]

CCJ, do you mean Andre Roberson - from Colorado? I don't know of any Anthony Roberson - though the name sounds familiar. Andre's got some Shane Battier to his game.

[REDardWIZskin]

Beal is definitely the best 2 guard in the draft. Arms are crazy long and he has good IQ finding his teammates decisively in this UF vs UVA game. If we get hosed again with the 6th pick i'd definitely want him. Even over Barnes

[Dat2U]

Is Andrew Nicholson really considered a 2nd round pick? I've only seen 8 minutes of this dude against Florida State and he looks like a lock 1st round pick, even potential lottery material. Incredibly fluid for a guy listed at 6-9 or 6-10. I'm thinking more like 6-9 but the versatility is impressive. He's a complete package offensively.

[FAH1223]

I would bet good money the pick is going to be Harrison Barnes.

Doesn't matter what Robinson, Sullinger, either Zeller do. Doesn't matter that guys like Tony Mitchell, Moe Harkless, Anthony Roberson, and Will Barton are better players, either.

I expect Barnes will be the pick. I wouldn't shock me if the Grunfeld drafted Austin Rivers as high as #6, either. I see this being a pick he's locked in on and advanced metrics won't matter with EG.

They never do.

CCJ, Barnes is a classic EG pick. I agree with you.

I'm hoping for Robinson... since Davis is out of the question.

[Ruzious]

Is Andrew Nicholson really considered a 2nd round pick? I've only seen 8 minutes of this dude against Florida State and he looks like a lock 1st round pick, even potential lottery material. Incredibly fluid for a guy listed at 6-9 or 6-10. I'm thinking more like 6-9 but the versatility is impressive. He's a complete package offensively.

Honestly, I had never heard of him before, but reading the scouting report - it sounds like he was considered very skinny - at 220 lbs, but now I see he's listed at 240 - so he probably filled out late. Also, he's finished the season extremely strongly - 11 straight games with at least 19 points and shooting at least 50% every game. Hits the boards, gets to the line, even made a few 3's. They say he's got excellent length with "a reported 7'4 wingspan". Very interesting. He does turn the ball over a lot - a 1 assist/2.5 to ratio.

[Dat2U]

Dont know where to post this but I hate Nate Lubick. That is all.

[dobrojim]

...and who's available. It doesn't change the fact that the Wiz need shooters, and MKG hasn't shown he can shoot from outside.

I am definitely not seeing the logic of picking MKG. I think the Wizards already have met their quota of forwards who can't shoot.

but where does that lead you? Barnes? I don't know the correct answer but
a lot of people hate Barnes as a potential pick for us. It doesn't seem like most
of the pure SGs are worthy of a top 5 pick. Do you take Beal anyway? Someone
else? Try to trade down?

[Ruzious]

Beal is definitely an option - depending on where we pick and how much Beal shows he has improved. And we might not be picking as high as we assumed - with the Nene trade and 23 games left.

[closg00]

I would bet good money the pick is going to be Harrison Barnes.

Doesn't matter what Robinson, Sullinger, either Zeller do. Doesn't matter that guys like Tony Mitchell, Moe Harkless, Anthony Roberson, and Will Barton are better players, either.

I expect Barnes will be the pick. I wouldn't shock me if the Grunfeld drafted Austin Rivers as high as #6, either. I see this being a pick he's locked in on and advanced metrics won't matter with EG.

They never do.

CCJ, Barnes is a classic EG pick. I agree with you.

I'm hoping for Robinson... since Davis is out of the question.

I agree with CCJ. Ernie locks on a pick and that's it. His staff appear to be sychophants as they were nearly unanimous on selecting Vesely so I don't hold out hope of someone in the room raising their hand.

[tontoz]

...and who's available. It doesn't change the fact that the Wiz need shooters, and MKG hasn't shown he can shoot from outside.

I am definitely not seeing the logic of picking MKG. I think the Wizards already have met their quota of forwards who can't shoot.

but where does that lead you? Barnes? I don't know the correct answer but
a lot of people hate Barnes as a potential pick for us. It doesn't seem like most
of the pure SGs are worthy of a top 5 pick. Do you take Beal anyway? Someone
else? Try to trade down?

I don't know the college players as well as many here. I just don't see drafting another forward who can't shoot. If he was the clear BPA that is one thing but i don't believe that to be the case.

The clear best player in this draft is Davis. After that everyone has some question marks. I think the next best prospect is Robinson. After trading for Nene i would bet that EG is less inclined to look at at another 4.

I think CCJ is right that EG is targeting Barnes. I have no idea if he is a good pick but if i have to choose between him and MKG i would take Barnes. I don't see what makes MKG the clear choice over Barnes. People say he is a great defender but i think Jeffery Taylor might beg to differ.

It helps to have Anothony Davis behind you to clean up your mistakes.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

CCJ, do you mean Andre Roberson - from Colorado? I don't know of any Anthony Roberson - though the name sounds familiar. Andre's got some Shane Battier to his game.

Yes.

He's not nearly the shooter, but his rebounding with steals and blocks caught my attention. That he had the best line in an NCAA tourney win has made me feel a little better about backing him. Roberson's FG% hasn't been real good.

Overall, like DX IIRC stated, his numbers are actually probably better than Kawhi Leonard's NCAA stats. On paper, this kid outshines MKG, but it's hard to fathom MKG's numbers on a team without so many studs.

Yep, Ruz, I like Roberson more than Barnes. I even like Doug McDermott, Barnes' HS teammate, more than Barnes.

This is one where I might be really wrong --Barnes has a beautiful drive to the hoop over small opponents. Barnes' shot looks perfect. He LOOKS like a baller and he seems like a terrific kid. Dude just reminds me too much of Jarvis Hayes, though. Not a volume shooter from deep. Not a real busy rebounder or defender, either.

[Illuminaire]

+1000, CCJ.

Barnes strikes me as a great stats/bad team guy waiting to happen.... or the Nick Young of SF's.

[Ruzious]

Another thing that bothers me about Barnes - If he's supposed to be such a brilliant shooter, why does he make only 1.3 3's a game and only make 37.7 of his 3's - especially when he has the best distributing PG in the country?

Btw, why isn't Henson playing today? I picked UNC to win it all, so he better be back next game. I don't trust McAdoo.

Zeller - 10 foul shot attempts in the first half. He's a player.

[Severn Hoos]

Zeller - 10 foul shot attempts in the first half. He's a player.

Sure, but will he get those calls in the Association?

[Ruzious]

Zeller - 10 foul shot attempts in the first half. He's a player.

Sure, but will he get those calls in the Association?

Nah, he'll only get 9 per half.

He is going to have a problem with physicality in the NBA - especially as a rookie. Hopefully, he gets strong enough to take it.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Is Andrew Nicholson really considered a 2nd round pick? I've only seen 8 minutes of this dude against Florida State and he looks like a lock 1st round pick, even potential lottery material. Incredibly fluid for a guy listed at 6-9 or 6-10. I'm thinking more like 6-9 but the versatility is impressive. He's a complete package offensively.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/colle ... z1pJjW1UOq

Arguably the best to play at St. Bonaventure (20-11) since Bob Lanier, Nicholson the Bonnies are off and running again.

He’s drawn NBA scouts and earned respect across college basketball.

“I am like most of those NBA people taking all the notes on him: I’ve been impressed by the fact that he shoots so consistently from the perimeter and goes over the right shoulder, left shoulder,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said. “He’s a smart-headed player."

That was from before they beat the Bonnies. I knew nada about Nicholson--it's getting tough to keep track of all the good prospects out there.

[Ruzious]

Nicholson made 4 3's today. Cha ching! Cha ching!

FlaSt still won with one of my favorite college players - Bernard James - beasting. James is probably too old to be considered a prospect, but I bet some day he gets a cup of coffee on an NBA roster.

[Severn Hoos]

CCJ, you know how much I love the diamond-in-the-rough stories, the little guys from little schools who make it to the show, and all that. Thing is, we also have to be realistic that those guys can be significant players at the next level, but the odds are astronomical that they will be stars, especially not superstars.

Here are the colleges/high schools of the 2012 All-Star team members:

Syracuse
St. Vincent-St. Mary HS (OH)
Memphis
Marquette
SW Atlanta Christian Academy (GA)
Georgia Tech
Duke
Georgetown
Arizona
Arkansas
Kansas
Kentucky
Illinois

Texas
Oklahoma
Lower Merion HS (PA)
Wake Forest
St. Joseph HS (NJ)
Texas
Barcelona, Spain
UCLA
Santa Clara
Wurzburg, Germany
Paris, France
UCLA

Obviously, there are no more prep-to-pro guys coming out, but it's safe to say that those guys: a) were identified by the age of 18 as being stars in the making, and b) would have gone to a Duke or UNC or UK or whatever if they had gone to college. (Steve Nash graduated HS in 1992, so I hardly think his example is indicative of today's environment.)

Fact is, you're far more likely to get an All-Star drafting from overseas than you are from a US kid who was not recognized as a future star by the time he was 18.

So it's fun to find the Millsaps and Farieds and others - and I'm right there with you. But those guys will always be at best the 4th-8th options on championship teams. Sad fact is, your cornerstones simply have to be blue chippers these days.