Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part II

[SUPERBALLMAN]

Good Lord Bennett just had an amazing few minutes that sparked a big run. Drained a three ball, drew another foul on a long 2, blocked a three pointer that caused a fast break, scooped up an offensive rebound and put it back, playing great defense and helping out, then throws down a reverse dunk on a break.

He's more than a Paul Milsap. He's really good. But his conditioning and motor are questionable. He just gets tired.

He's kind of like a big, heavy Kawhi Leonard.

Yeah seems he is always looking out of breath, is this being played in Colorado? His foot speed and reactions aren't the quickest, but jeez his monster shoulders and long arms are sick and what a shooting stroke. I got him 3rd (for the Wizards) after Noel and Porter.

[Dat2U]

Bennett is an impressive physical package but honestly he looks like a project to me. I don't know if he's going to come in and contribute right away.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

Bennett is an impressive physical package but honestly he looks like a project to me. I don't know if he's going to come in and contribute right away.

True, that is what is comes down to IMO after Noel and Porter... do you take the guy who may contribute right away in Zeller, or the potentially better player down the road in Bennett. That's where the draft starts to get interesting and more uncertain. That's why I'm really hoping Porter is on the board for us, so we don't have to make that choice.

[stevemcqueen1]

I think Bennett might be better than Porter. Much more athletic, more of a dominant presence when he's on. Porter is more consistent and cognizant but his upside isn't as high.

Bennett's scoring was very diverse today. That's the thing that impressed me the most. Very good handles, good jumper, great finisher around the basket.

If Bennett had Shabazz's motor and post game, man he would be so good. I want to see him have a monster tourney.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Bennett looks like a man among boys. His body screams PF but he does move pretty quick.

He's apparently got rep as a dog defensively but is stepping it up today on that end of the court.

His measurements are going to be oh so crucial. I got him 10 or 11 at the moment on my draft board but he can certainly move up if his standing reach is acceptable for a PF.

I watched parts of a game they lost the other day. Bennett spent a fair amount of time on the bench and his coached subbed him out on defense.

Bennett must have been in his coach's doghouse because he only played 17 minutes and had 5 point and 2 rebounds against Fresno State. It made me wonder about him.

I'm not tuning in yet but will to UNLV today -- WHOOPS, too late. They beat Air Force ...


EDITED-- I forgot about his shoulder injury. Looking at game logs that has to be the explanation.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/res ... ny-bennett

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Bennett is an impressive physical package but honestly he looks like a project to me. I don't know if he's going to come in and contribute right away.

True, that is what is comes down to IMO after Noel and Porter... do you take the guy who may contribute right away in Zeller, or the potentially better player down the road in Bennett. That's where the draft starts to get interesting and more uncertain. That's why I'm really hoping Porter is on the board for us, so we don't have to make that choice.

I think Bennett might be better than Porter. Much more athletic, more of a dominant presence when he's on. Porter is more consistent and cognizant but his upside isn't as high.

Bennett's scoring was very diverse today. That's the thing that impressed me the most. Very good handles, good jumper, great finisher around the basket.

If Bennett had Shabazz's motor and post game, man he would be so good. I want to see him have a monster tourney.

Personally, I prefer guys who impact the game in more ways than scoring. Bennett has a nice touch with good range. He's a scorer with a great body and good athleticism. However, I like Porter's rounded game and I think Otto is going to be more versatile and better as a pro.

They are both the same age as Beal, about to be 20 in a few months. Porter has a body that isn't finished filling out. I would pick him over Bennett.

[Ruzious]

Good Lord Bennett just had an amazing few minutes that sparked a big run. Drained a three ball, drew another foul on a long 2, blocked a three pointer that caused a fast break, scooped up an offensive rebound and put it back, playing great defense and helping out, then throws down a reverse dunk on a break.

He's more than a Paul Milsap. He's really good. But his conditioning and motor are questionable. He just gets tired.

He's kind of like a big, heavy Kawhi Leonard.

Great discussion on Bennett. If he measures close to Leonard's (he of the ridiculously long fingers) wingspan, I'm sold. The only thing with Bennett is sometimes he plays too much finesse and seems to forget that he can simply bully people around with his strength and natural aggressiveness. He's a very compelling player.

Porter is to small forward as Beal is to shooting guard, imo.

[Ruzious]

To me it seems he wants to be Earl Clark, but should be JJ Hickson.

Well said.

[hands11]

Like I said, Bennett at SF is going to be interesting.

Baby Barkley.

Defensive issue that need addressed. But after 2-3 years in the pros, I think he could be an impact player.

[stevemcqueen1]

Personally, I prefer guys who impact the game in more ways than scoring. Bennett has a nice touch with good range. He's a scorer with a great body and good athleticism. However, I like Porter's rounded game and I think Otto is going to be more versatile and better as a pro.

They are both the same age as Beal, about to be 20 in a few months. Porter has a body that isn't finished filling out. I would pick him over Bennett.

Bennett impacted today's game with his D, stepping out to defend the ball on the perimeter plus throwing his weight around inside. He's a big time rebounder too, probably even a little better rebounder than Porter in that he can use his body to clear out space in the lane in a way that Porter can't. He's versatile too. I think he's a natural PF in terms of size and strength and rebounding ability but he has the skills and speed to play SF. I love his confidence. He's got that "it" quality star players have.

I like Porter's height advantage over Bennett and he's just more consistent. Night in, night out, he's usually the same player. He plays hard but under control. Very very cerebral. Consistent effort from start to finish. But with Bennett, he's got obvious NBA caliber strength and athleticism.

Both players have a serious flaw IMO. Bennett's motor and conditioning level is genuinely something to worry about. Gottlieb said he's got asthma and it limits his minutes and his effort level. But I have an equally hard time getting past Otto Porter's level of speed and agility and leaping ability. He's an awkward player.

[stevemcqueen1]

Good Lord Bennett just had an amazing few minutes that sparked a big run. Drained a three ball, drew another foul on a long 2, blocked a three pointer that caused a fast break, scooped up an offensive rebound and put it back, playing great defense and helping out, then throws down a reverse dunk on a break.

He's more than a Paul Milsap. He's really good. But his conditioning and motor are questionable. He just gets tired.

He's kind of like a big, heavy Kawhi Leonard.

Great discussion on Bennett. If he measures close to Leonard's (he of the ridiculously long fingers) wingspan, I'm sold. The only thing with Bennett is sometimes he plays too much finesse and seems to forget that he can simply bully people around with his strength and natural aggressiveness. He's a very compelling player.

Porter is to small forward as Beal is to shooting guard, imo.

Porter does seem to have a lot in common with Beal in terms of temperament and mentality and intelligence. But they are very different caliber athlete's. Beal is a pretty explosive and strong athlete. Porter isn't very explosive at all.

Bennett looks gigantic. I doubt he's actually just 239 like he's listed. His shoulders and arms are huge and he's not as big around the middle as I first thought. I wouldn't be surprised if he's in the 250's.

Porter is much more of a true SF than Bennett though. He's taller, probably longer, a better shooter with more of a perimeter scoring game. Definitely more consistent. A better defender at the college level and he looks like he's going to be a good team defender.

Just from listening to interviews, I get the sense Porter is more serious and emotionally mature. Bennett sounds like a kid.

But I think Bennett is more talented than Porter. He's got a man among boys quality about him I've never really felt from Porter. He's imposing. Has an ability to dominate a game and make everyone else look like college kids when he's having a good day. He would be scarier to walk out on the floor and play against than anyone else I've seen this year. Pushes people around with his body and his shoulders. No hesitation spotting up and shooting the jumper and he's a terror when driving the basket. Just get out of his way because he's going to hurt you and throw down a nasty dunk. His teammates always pass it to him on fast breaks if he's running with them. And some of his D was nice today. Those blocked shots he gets on long jumpers are special. I'd say his problems as a perimeter defender are mostly about effort rather than a lack of ability.

I think he might be one of the highest upside guys in the class. I'd be a little scared to pick him though. I worry about how many minutes he can get, that shoulder problem he's had, the maturity level and the motor. But if he hit his potential, that would be a really nice scoring forward to have. He definitely would give us something different. Martell and Ariza can't do the things he does. Huge upgrade over Booker, Ves, and Singleton IMO.

[stevemcqueen1]

John went off the past two games. I think we've got something special in the making in the back court. We need a scoring big man or forward IMO. Someone to give us that last bit of offense to get us over the hump on a tough night.

Personally, I'm ruling out guys who seem like pure guards as a fit for us early. I'd draft one but I'd be doing so to try and trade him.

Right now the four players I want are Noel, Zeller, Porter, Muhammad, and Bennett. I don't think we can go wrong with one of those five. Figure McLemore and Dipo and Smart are all top 8 picks too. We'll probably get a good player so long as we pick top 8. I'm just hoping we don't have to settle for Austin or Len and have to wait five years to see results.

I'm liking Bennett a lot after what I saw last game. Having him basically be a swing forward depending on our lineup appeals to me:

PG: Wall
SG: Beal
SF: Webster
PF: Bennett
C: Okafor/Nene

or,

PG: Wall
SG: Beal
SF: Bennett
PF: Nene
C: Okafor

That first lineup would be so good from 3. The second lineup would be beefy and powerful.

Today is Otto Porter's chance to shine. I want to see him have a big day scoring in a variety of ways.

[Ruzious]

Steve, I've come to the realization that we're never going to see eye to eye on the athleticism of a lot of players, fwiw.

I haven't seen Bennett in a while, but I consider him a PF first and foremost. When there's a doubt about whether a college player fits better at the 3 or the 4 in the NBA, most of the time he belongs at the 4, because the skill level and lateral quickness and speed needed at the 3 is so much higher in the NBA. Bennett's biggest strength is his ability to impose his will near the basket.

[nate33]

Steve, I've come to the realization that we're never going to see eye to eye on the athleticism of a lot of players, fwiw.

I haven't seen Bennett in a while, but I consider him a PF first and foremost. When there's a doubt about whether a college player fits better at the 3 or the 4 in the NBA, most of the time he belongs at the 4, because the skill level and lateral quickness and speed needed at the 3 is so much higher in the NBA. Bennett's biggest strength is his ability to impose his will near the basket.

Agreed.

I also think that Bennett won't have all that easy of a time scoring against NBA SF's, but he'll be a real asset to the offense as a stretch four.

And Ruzious is right. Tweeners are ALWAYS better off at the bigger position. Always.

[Dat2U]

I personally don't see any issues with Porter's athleticism. No, he's not an elite athlete but that doesn't make him a below average one. I think he's got the requisite NBA athleticism for someone that's 6-8 with his length. In other words, it's not really an issue, except against elite talent.

Is Bennett a better athlete than Porter? IMO, No. Bennett is a more physically imposing athlete. Bigger and likely much stronger. Bennett doesn't appear athletically quicker or more explosive than Porter. I don't know if Bennett can really guard 3s consistently. I know Porter can.

Mental makeup and maturity? Porter all day every day. Bennett needs to get in shape, needs to commit to giving 100% effort defensively and doesn't consistently dominate a weaker conference like Porter dominates the Big East.

As of now I still have Porter #2 on my board and Bennett in the late lottery. Bennett is intriguing, but very much a project. When considering the fact that Bennett is a tweener from a middlin' conference who may not be the most mature kid, I'm not sure he's someone I'd be in a rush to draft.

[stevemcqueen1]

Steve, I've come to the realization that we're never going to see eye to eye on the athleticism of a lot of players, fwiw.

I haven't seen Bennett in a while, but I consider him a PF first and foremost. When there's a doubt about whether a college player fits better at the 3 or the 4 in the NBA, most of the time he belongs at the 4, because the skill level and lateral quickness and speed needed at the 3 is so much higher in the NBA. Bennett's biggest strength is his ability to impose his will near the basket.

I think he'll play both positions in the NBA. Kawhi Leonard was a PF at SD St. IIRC. He's not as big as Bennett so PF wasn't really viable as a home position for him and he had to settle in a SF and learn to shoot. Bennett already can shoot and he's a good ball handler that can drive from the perimeter so he'll probably play both positions. Yesterday was a showcase game for him because he demonstrated an ability to stay in front of a much smaller player out on the perimeter. He carries his weight very well.

I think he's a do it all forward. It's a bit of a new role in the NBA having these face up forwards with shooting range but it's getting to the point where you pretty much have to have at least one of your forwards shoot the three ball well.

He'll be able to fulfill some of the plays we'd run for Martell, camping out on the wings and in the corners from 18+ feet. He'll also be able to post up and play a big man role, useful as a pick and fade weapon, good transition finisher. I think he'll be a really valuable offensive weapon. Defensively there will be question marks. I'm thinking you put him on the PF but his ability to walk out to the perimeter and block so many long jumpers should be utilized.

I think his ability level is tremendous all in all. My main concerns with him are mostly about his motor and his conditioning and his injury. If he can satisfy some of those concerns, then he'd be a great value for us and give us a powerful scoring forward. If David Lee can be an All Star and the best PF in the league this year, then Bennett is a potential AS too IMO.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Steve, I've come to the realization that we're never going to see eye to eye on the athleticism of a lot of players, fwiw.

I haven't seen Bennett in a while, but I consider him a PF first and foremost. When there's a doubt about whether a college player fits better at the 3 or the 4 in the NBA, most of the time he belongs at the 4, because the skill level and lateral quickness and speed needed at the 3 is so much higher in the NBA. Bennett's biggest strength is his ability to impose his will near the basket.

Agreed.

I also think that Bennett won't have all that easy of a time scoring against NBA SF's, but he'll be a real asset to the offense as a stretch four.

And Ruzious is right. Tweeners are ALWAYS better off at the bigger position. Always.

See, I still disagree with this, nate. For years and years I've said stuff like play McGee at PF with Seraphin at C, or Jamison at SF and get (then decent) Blatche time at PF. Let Butler play SOME SG. I really think Vesely would be better off playing SF as much as any other position.

What I think is this reminds me of the NFL experiencing a paradigm shift on thinking a quarterback's arm was primarily all that matters, since in the NFL QBs were not supposed to be runners. Now, teams love guys who can run. Kaepernick, Griffin, Wilson, even Luck can run. Suddenly, quarterbacks need to be runners with great arms, too. Geno Smith never would have been the top overall pick in the old days. They probably would have done with him what they did with Anquan Boldin, converted him to receiver.

From that rant, back to basketball …

I think what makes Lebron great is he's the size of a PF but he can effectively play SF and SG. Dude is huge. I would rather have a tweener be a big guy who can rebound, provided he can score efficiently and be a decent team defender. Certainly, having a quickness advantage and going small has its place. But back in the day, Larry Bird was a SF (and a HUGE one). I think he could have been called a SF/PF tweener at nearly 6'10".

As far a Anthony Bennett goes, he certainly seems like a stretch four but he's only going to become great in the NBA at SF if he becomes a star (which I doubt he will). OTOH, Otto Porter at 6'9" has a chance to fill out and be a big SF.

Seems to me tweeners that tower over guys but who have enough quickness to defend reasonably well have the advantage playing at the SF or smaller position just as much as when they have to give up size.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Steve, I've come to the realization that we're never going to see eye to eye on the athleticism of a lot of players, fwiw.

I haven't seen Bennett in a while, but I consider him a PF first and foremost. When there's a doubt about whether a college player fits better at the 3 or the 4 in the NBA, most of the time he belongs at the 4, because the skill level and lateral quickness and speed needed at the 3 is so much higher in the NBA. Bennett's biggest strength is his ability to impose his will near the basket.

In the NBA they're going to posterize Bennett a lot of the time.

Ruz, after that long post, I think of Bennett and guys like Barkley and Millsap who play(ed) PF. They cleaned the glass. Does Bennett? He is similarly skilled to those guys but not as productive IMO. I can see your POV that his quickness with strength will enable Bennett to score at PF in the NBA.

Because I am not sure about Bennett, I hope he's not the pick. Iffy motor on defense and a tweener I'm not sure about. In a way he's sort of like Plumlee and Zeller each. There is a potential he's a bit overrated.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I'm starting to watch guys whose names keep coming up and their play suggests they are potential NBA players.

Romero Osby is a grown man in the NCAA game.

Alex Oriakhi went from NCAA champ at UConn to real solid SEC big man at Mizzou. He and teammate Laurence Bowers are pretty close to being decent round 2 picks (better than Satoransky for darned sure).

Bowers, Ryan Kelly, Kenny Kadji are all mature players who would be good camp invites as potential stretch 4s.

I'm totally 100% sold on both Doug McDermott and Nate Wolters. DX is flat wrong to rate both players so low. McDermott should be a round one pick and I would take Wolters in the 30s. They and Jack Cooley are getting rated down because they are white and perceived non-athletic. If they were 7 footers or close like Mike Muscala, they would get the benefit of a doubt. Unlike Alex Len, McDermott and Wolters have the will and just know how to play. Valpo has a couple international players, Broekhoff and Van Wijk, who have NBA potential.

Don't want to put too much out there just yet but I like a lot of guys in this draft. Osby is underrated.

[stevemcqueen1]

I personally don't see any issues with Porter's athleticism. No, he's not an elite athlete but that doesn't make him a below average one. I think he's got the requisite NBA athleticism for someone that's 6-8 with his length. In other words, it's not really an issue, except against elite talent.

I don't think it'll be too big an issue for him because he's not a slasher or a ball dominant player on offense and he's long enough and a good enough team defender to find a home in a defense. He won't be a stopper you throw on an opponent's best guy, but he should be able to carry his weight. Offensively, he's a shooter and will get his points without having to put the ball on the court much. Plus he gets to the FT line. But his lack of athleticism limits his upside. He's probably never going to be an AS SF because he's not going to be able to get any shot he wants like LeBron, Melo, and KD do to get score in the mid 20s per game. KD is a long, wiry jump shooter too but he's also a monstrous slasher and leaper that can just go George Gervin and lay that ball up against anyone.

Is Bennett a better athlete than Porter? IMO, No. Bennett is a more physically imposing athlete. Bigger and likely much stronger. Bennett doesn't appear athletically quicker or more explosive than Porter. I don't know if Bennett can really guard 3s consistently. I know Porter can.

I think Bennett is a better athlete than Porter. Porter is a very ordinary athlete IMO. He is a type that really gathers himself to change directions and looks awkward running the floor. Plus he's not a leaper. He's got great length and he knows how to use it. And while Bennett looks like a rumbler that only has straight line speed, he actually does a surprisingly good job shifting his weight for such a big player and he's an explosive leaper that can really throw down scary dunks. You can't undersell how physically imposing he is. When he goes up with two hands he looks like he's going to bring the whole basket down. I bet he's extremely strong.

The questions I have about Bennett are much more of the intangible sort. I'm impressed with what I saw in terms of the physical tools and the skill set and don't see a lot to complain about there. It's sort of the opposite with Porter, where I have no questions about all the intangibles but it's the physical tools I have questions about.

Right now I'm torn between the two and don't have access to the kind of intangible information I'd need to get a feel for Bennett. But I would definitely like to have a forward like Bennett in this construction. Someone who can play some big man basketball and aggressively score from inside and outside with ease.