Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part V

[tontoz]

Where are you guys seeing star potential in Bennett? He's an explosive leaper that runs the floor like a bull. His biggest strength is his dribble drive. How effective is that going to be against NBA 4s? How many undersized PFs reach star status? These arnt rhetorical questions, I'm seriously wondering.

He doesn't need to be a star to be a good pick. It isn't like this draft is loaded with star talent.

But i doubt Bennett is smaller than Zach who is still playing. Marion says hi. Amare and Horford aren't undersized at the 4 but they are at C where both have made All-Star appearances.

Josh Smith is actually a half inch shorter than Porter, and his shot/ball handling skills are rudimentary. He doesn't have much of a first step but can still beat 4s off the dribble easily.

Going back in time Barkley/Dantley/Aquire/Buck were all undersized 4s that were stars.

[fishercob]

This just in from the twitter....

Jonathan Givony ‏@DraftExpress 3m
I also made some changes at the top of our 2013 mock draft reflecting some of the intel we're getting http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2013/ …

For the first time, Givony is showing Porter to the Wiz at 3.

[fishercob]

DX Just posted an updated scouting video on Porter too:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdMAPF0rvvU[/youtube]

[hands11]

When healthy, your team is dangerous and all you need is a productive SF. How about this trade?

Bulls Get: #3 Pick & Trevor Ariza
Wizards Get: Luol Deng & CHI 2015 Pick

Assuming McLemore is still available at #3, this deal gives us a young-athletic shooting guard that can develop next to Rose and allows Butler to become the starting SF. The Wizards on the other hand is one reliable SF away from becoming a dangerous team in the East. If you're team is not sold on Porter, we have Deng to offer to provide production at SF and veteran leadership in the locker room. He is also an All-Star who will fit perfectly next to Wall and Beal.

Fillers would have to be included to make the salaries match. Ariza will probably opt-in on the final year of his contract so he has to be in the trade to make the trade work.

I would absolutely not make that deal. I would much rather use the pick on Porter than trade for Deng. And Chicago's late future draft picks are practically worthless as team building assets to us. Why would we give Ariza up on top of that?

Ariza would have to be in the deal to make the trade work financially. I understand the intrigue about Porter, but to me your Wizards is on a win-now mode, and Deng provides solid production at SF that can propel the Wizards to a Top 5 team in the East when healthy.

When healthy, they are already be there. The problem is when not healthy and moving Trevor A for Deng doesn't really help that. They need depth. That's really about it.

[hands11]

Lol, Porter is a better prospect than George was, and there's nothing pointing to him being more athletic. George refused to do the vert tests at the combine when he came out.

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2010/6/17 ... ct-profile

Bulletsforever at the time predicted he had a vertical slightly under 37, but that's not in stone. If that's the case though, Porters is better.

Porter is a better prospect than George. He's better at every aspect of basketball other than ball handling. He has a significantly better foul rate.

People need to stop comparing Otto to Tayshaun. People say that because they both play D and have awkward form because of their length. Otto has a chance at being considerably better than Tayshaun offensively. He has more tools than Tayshaun ever had on that end.

Mental note.

Dark Faze likes Potter as the pick.

[Knighthonor]

Sorry if this has already been posted, I don't have the time to read through 40 pages haha.

Ernie Grunfeld's post-lottery reactions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImbWLC-uknk

Reporter's Question: A lot of people think that this is a 2 player draft, people are talking pretty much just about Noel and McLemore, how do you feel about that?

Ernie's Answer: *Laughs* Well, I think it's a 3 player draft. But I won't tell you who that 3rd player is *laughs*


Don't want to read into this too much, but that to me sounds like Ernie agrees that Noel and McLemore are in the top 3. The question is who is the 3rd.

The question right before that one, Ernie talked about the possibility that the player we get at 3 is the same player we might have got at 8. Again, can't read too much into it. But I hope we didn't fall in love with some guy we thought might be there at 8, and now are going to reach too high for him (Len).

Interesting stuff.

this also been a major concern for me as well. Man,, this guy is a nightmare. Literally...

[AFM]

Porter a bust he a bust
The american Jan Vesely

[hands11]

I'm really leery of Bennett's alleged disinterest in defense. That's weird. Do not want to take a step back from the high quality defense culture we established last year.

Or maybe we have the culture that could change Bennett's habits.

If Bennett has a defensive juggernaut, he wouldn't be available at #3.

So basically we have to babysit him too? Along with Seraphin? Pass. It seems like "Bennett not playing D"argument is getting overlooked. Wittman has shown with Vesely that he'll bench you no matter how high you were picked. Bennett isn't going to get up off the bench much if he doesn't play defense. Then we're gonna sit here and argue in December and January about how Wittman is horrible for doing so. Whatever Bennett brings to the table offensively is kinda moot if he gives up just as many points on the other end of the court, no?

See ... AJ for more details.

Though as a young man I don't know much about in that regards, who knows if he will get on board or not.

I'm more interested in Bennett then Shabbazz. For what that's worth.

My guess is rookie of the year will come down to Burke, CJM, Bennett and VO.

[Knighthonor]

DX Just posted an updated scouting video on Porter too:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdMAPF0rvvU[/youtube]

Damn it I have to wait till I get home to watch that!!!! Stupid 3G

[Knighthonor]

Porter a bust he a bust
The american Jan Vesely

Huh? What leads you to believe that?

[hands11]

What was our offensive efficiency when Wall and Beal and Nene were all healthy? I don't care what it was during the 4 -infinity streak.

21st.

And pt differential ?

[Dark Faze]

This just in from the twitter....

Jonathan Givony ‏@DraftExpress 3m
I also made some changes at the top of our 2013 mock draft reflecting some of the intel we're getting http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2013/ …

For the first time, Givony is showing Porter to the Wiz at 3.

Whoa thats pretty huge, because Givony was pretty high on the Wiz picking Bennett after the lottery results were released. Hope its true.

[No-Man]

This just in from the twitter....

Jonathan Givony ‏@DraftExpress 3m
I also made some changes at the top of our 2013 mock draft reflecting some of the intel we're getting http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2013/ …

For the first time, Givony is showing Porter to the Wiz at 3.

he probably has top9 right.

I only have doubts about Len at 6, I think Muhammad and Burke have a real shot there, but other than that...

His top5 is on the money right now I think.

I'd go different with the rest of the top10

at 6, Burke
7, Zeller
8, McCollum
9, Len
10, Muhammad

[hands11]

My order is Porter > Zeller > Dipo > Bennett.

Dipo gets devalued because of his position, Bennett gets devalued because I think our coach would let him rot on the bench.

If Dwight Howard is serious about leaving LA, and he let LA know that's what he wanted to do, then I wonder if we could do a S&T for him?

I would offer Okafor or Nene, the third pick, trade ballast, and our 2014 first for him.

If you're LA, you have to listen to that offer. S&Ts usually suck because your leverage is so low. Getting the third pick and a second 2014 pick could help jump start a rebuild plus you either get a quality big in Nene or a big who is expiring. It's more than LA gave up themselves in acquiring Dwight...

I think Dwight could win a championship with Beal and Wall. If we keep Nene, that's a nice PF to pair with him. We like playing a slow pace, shooting threes, and we're defensively focused. We're probably not his best fit out there, but we're better than Dallas or Golden State probably. Dallas doesn't have comparable young talent and GS is a running team that doesn't play defense. So is Houston for that matter.

And more importantly, can Houston, Dallas, or GS beat our offer in a S&T? The mere fact that they're all in the Western Conference hurts them compared to us. A S&T to a team with a solid core is the best outcome for Dwight, so he can have his cake and eat it too.

Interesting to even read a post like this. Going back a few years into full on hell mode, I remember posting about how they needed to get to the point they could add a Howard or even a Melo type but the team was so messed up you couldn't consider that at all. Specially with Gil boat anchor contract on the books.

They needed to get some young core set up and turn the culture around for that to even start to be an option. And clean out the Gil contract.

Not saying it will happen but if back then there was zero chance, that chance have greatly increased in just two years..

And trading him out of conference makes sense. Glad you posted that. Interesting idea to play around with. Even if he doesn't happen, it is a good check to see how things are progressing.

[nuposse04]

This just in from the twitter....

Jonathan Givony ‏@DraftExpress 3m
I also made some changes at the top of our 2013 mock draft reflecting some of the intel we're getting http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2013/ …

For the first time, Givony is showing Porter to the Wiz at 3.

Cannot say I know much about L. Brown, but if you told me our draft haul would be Porter+E. Murphy, that would not be too bad at all. I'd take Pierre over Lorenzo simply cause I've seen Pierre play some.

I don't see Burke falling past the Pelicans. If you rely on Austin rivers to be a starting guard for you in the future, your franchise most likely will be mired in futility.

for some mild hilarity:

http://nbadraft.net/2013mock_draft

Shabazz goes to the Celtics in their draft...I know he has his detractors and some would say he should go lower but I find it hard to believe someone in the late lottery doesn't take him. Oh and Mclemore number 1 overall is hysterical. I like him as the best SG prospect in the class but the fit just seems awful.

http://walterfootball.com/nbadraft2013mock.php

another interesting take...seems to think CLE WILL take porter number 1 overall and Orl would take Noel as oppose to burke/mclemore. June 27th seems so far....

[truwizfan4evr]

Porter a bust he a bust
The american Jan Vesely

Huh? What leads you to believe that?

I really hope he's being sarcastic.

[AFM]

I am not being sarcastic. I see his ceiling as Jan Vesely's sophomore year and his floor as Jan Vesely's high school sophomore year.

[hands11]

My choice right now is:
Bennett -> Porter -> Zeller -> Olapido

That said, I'd be fine with porter, and could perhaps live thru both a Zeller or Olapido pick. In short, I don't see an imminent possibility for suicide based on who the Wizards pick. We're bound to come out of this lots stronger than where we were last year.

Then don't log in draft day. I expect there will be a good bit of that. Regardless of what they do.

[truwizfan4evr]

I am not being sarcastic. I see his ceiling as Jan Vesely's sophomore year and his floor as Jan Vesely's high school sophomore year.

I don't even know how to respond to that.

[Dark Faze]

Im kind of surprised we're not hearing more about McLemore going 1st to Cleveland. Matches perfectly with Kyrie as an off ball guy. Waiters is ball dominant and moving him to a 6th man role off the bench would work well.