2011 DRAFT blather goes here. Part 3...

[nate33]

Wow! They must really be enamored with Derrick Williams. And if they get Rubio too, they'll have a really young lineup with some serious potential.

Hibbert
Williams
George
FA (maybe they can flip Collison to somebody for SG prospect)
Rubio

For the Wolves, I definitely think they need to make a big "consilidate assets for a veteran" trade. But Granger? He doesn't make them a playoff team IMO. I think they'd be better off going after somebody like Bynum if they are giving up the #2.

I think Minny would get back more than just Granger. Trading Rubio + Beasley + #2 just for Granger is wildly unfair. At the very least, Minny would get back Hansbrough and Indy's first - but even that doesn't make a lot of sense. Minny really needs a defensive center and a good PG to round out that roster. They don't get either one in this trade.

Maybe Hansbrough + Indy's pick goes to a 3rd team with a pick in the 6-10 range which Minny uses to draft Biyombo. Minny effectively trades #2, Rubio and Beasley for Granger and Biyombo.

Indy rolls with: D.Collison, B.Rush, J.George, D.Williams, R.Hibbert (Rubio and Beasley off the bench)
Minny rolls with: J.Flynn, W.Johnson, D.Granger, K.Love, B.Biyombo (Webster, Randolph and Darko off the bench)

[gesa2]

^^^^
I'm with Nate, but would draft whoever was available of Valuncius or Biyombo at 6 instead of Leonard. I think you have to project offense with all 3, and my 2 at least are big. An offensively limited defensive 3 has a pretty limited role.

Given that Leonard has only one season under his belt, I think there's a pretty good possibility that he develops a decent offensive game at the 3. He won't be Paul Pierce or anything, but I think he could be a pretty solid 3&D forward with serviceable 3-point range and the ability to pump fake and drive.

That said, I can't really argue with you. I wouldn't mind drafting Biyombo at #6 instead of Leonard. Talentwise, they're pretty equal in my opinion. I lean toward Leonard because he fills a greater need.

Not a big issue, but Leonard is a sophomore.

edited to add: Leonards birth year is 1991, Valuncius and Biyombo both 1992.

[LyricalRico]

If Cleveland takes Kanter, what about some sort of a trade for Hickson or Varejao? Prob not I guess, Varejao is older than our core, and Hickson wasn't great last year with lots of opportunities.

I'd gladly deal Blatche for Sideshow, but I'm not sure the Cavs do it.

[Rafael122]

Mike Lee's tweet about Enes:

Enes Kanter was asked where he would like to go in draft: "If I had the choice, I like Washington" #wizards met with him on Wed.

ENEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nate33]

^^^^
I'm with Nate, but would draft whoever was available of Valuncius or Biyombo at 6 instead of Leonard. I think you have to project offense with all 3, and my 2 at least are big. An offensively limited defensive 3 has a pretty limited role.

Given that Leonard has only one season under his belt, I think there's a pretty good possibility that he develops a decent offensive game at the 3. He won't be Paul Pierce or anything, but I think he could be a pretty solid 3&D forward with serviceable 3-point range and the ability to pump fake and drive.

That said, I can't really argue with you. I wouldn't mind drafting Biyombo at #6 instead of Leonard. Talentwise, they're pretty equal in my opinion. I lean toward Leonard because he fills a greater need.

Not a big issue, but Leonard is a sophomore.

edited to add: Leonards birth year is 1991, Valuncius and Biyombo both 1992.

Oops. Thanks for clearing that up for me. My original premise still stands though. Leonard went from shooting 20% and 72% from three and the line respectively, to shooting 29% and 75%. (And he shot 40% over the 2nd half of this season.) I still think my point stands that he is a steadily improving shooter rather than a bad jumpshooter having a good summer of workouts.

FWIW, I don't feel all that strongly about it. I wouldn't mind at all if we ended up with Biyombo instead of Leonard. But if you put a gun to my head and askee me to choose now, I'd go with Leonard.

[GhostsOfGil]

Mike Lee's tweet about Enes:

Enes Kanter was asked where he would like to go in draft: "If I had the choice, I like Washington" #wizards met with him on Wed.

ENEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i was really only upset with the 6th pick simply because it made enes un draftable... but if hes calling for washington, this makes me gitty with hope again!

so if wall wants kanter.. and kanter wants washington, get it done EG!

[RT31]

Has anybody seen the measurements from the combine? I'm curios as to what Leonard and Faried measured out at.

[Rafael122]

Kinda makes you wonder if this puts pressure on the Wizards to work a trade.

[Wizardspride]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QZxGrVco3o

Vesely looks to play with a lot of effort but he has bad hands. As we learned with Kwame you can't fix bad hands...

Actually, you can fix bad hands...sometimes.

But what you can't fix (Kwame Brown) are small hands.

[LyricalRico]

Kinda makes you wonder if this puts pressure on the Wizards to work a trade.

Or gives other teams leverage to ask for more. That's probably why they are apparently telling everyone who will listen that they love Jan Vesely.

(At least I hope. )

[GhostsOfGil]

good article on john and this years draft. not toooooooo informative, but its good to hear wall saying all the right things.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wi ... story.html

Grunfeld said, “Now we’re in a different phase. We’re building and we know this is going to be a different process for us. In all likelihood we’ll keep this pick, but people are always calling and have interest and we’ll listen. But in all likelihood, this is a pick we’ll end up making.”
Grunfeld, though, didn’t rule out the possibility of moving up to get a desired player. “We’ll definitely look into it and see what other opportunities come up as we move along,” he said, noting that the Wizards have three of the top 34 picks in the draft, after acquiring the 18th pick from Atlanta in a trade involving Kirk Hinrich.

[TGW]

Mike Lee's tweet about Enes:

Enes Kanter was asked where he would like to go in draft: "If I had the choice, I like Washington" #wizards met with him on Wed.

ENEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow...a player that actually wants to play for our organization. We have to get a deal in place.

Come to papa ENES (NH)!

[Rafael122]

I wouldn't give up the 18th pick, but I would give up the 6th, 34th, and maybe a player to move up (Booker or Seraphin, preferably Seraphin since he has a longer way to go). At 18, you hope there's a 2 guard still there, or one of the Morris twins, could easily replace Kevin's production.

[RT31]

Kinda makes you wonder if this puts pressure on the Wizards to work a trade.

Or gives other teams leverage to ask for more. That's probably why they are apparently telling everyone who will listen that they love Jan Vesely.

(At least I hope. )

yeah, i'm hoping it's a smokescreen. EG usually is quiet on stuff like this, so for him to talk about Vesley, it has to be smoke...

[closg00]

+1

After all my initial Kanter hate, I think I'm there as well nate.

+2 Ernie better make the offer. 6 +18 for Utah's #3 should be a no-brainer for Utah.

[queridiculo]

I'd love to see Kanter supplant Blatche as the starting PF on this team, but given our gaping hole at SF dropping down to the 6th spot may be a blessing in disguise.

Surrounding Wall with players that share his work ethic would go a long way in changing the culture of this team. From everything I've read/seen/heard Leonard seems to be just that kind of guy.

[closg00]

How's this for a tweet, Scott Schroeder:

Scout just told me USC's Nikola Vucevic impressed him more than Enes Kanter at this morning's workout. Didn't expect that.

Mis-information, mis-direction, or true.....for today? Totally forgot about Nikola.

[fishercob]

Mike Lee's tweet about Enes:

Enes Kanter was asked where he would like to go in draft: "If I had the choice, I like Washington" #wizards met with him on Wed.

ENEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow...a player that actually wants to play for our organization. We have to get a deal in place.

Come to papa ENES (NH)!

It's so nice to see that, and it's just the beginning. When our time comes, we're going to be a major FA destination -- thanks to Ted, Wall, etc.

[Dark Faze]

I'm starting to like the idea of this draft just being a culture and defensive shift. If we can't get a two way, all-star caliber player via a decent trade up then I think we should avoid a "best player available" mentality by going with a Vesley or a Valanciunas.

Under such a scenario I'd look towards Leonard/Faired, Bismack/Singleton, Leonard/Singleton and Kyle Singler with the second rounder.

Under such a situation you've at least done a fantastic job of changing the overall "feel" of the club and can send the message to Blatche and McGee to play smart and become pros or get out. Go with a zero tolerance mindset next year and look to trade Blatche/McGee for 2012 picks before the deadline if they don't pan out.

End up getting a robin for Wall with the fantastic 2012 draft and hope to appeal to free agent prospects with the new culture and with a near expiring Shard contract to dangle for sign and trades.

[Jay81]

Kanter is Impressing no one in the workouts. I'm starting to sour on him