gswhoops' 2009 Mock (newest version page 5)

[gswhoops]

What do you think of him? More specifically, what do you think of him as a fit for the Warriors? What do you think it'll mean for Monta if we draft this kid?

I think the Warriors take Jennings simply because he's the best PG in this draft (after Rubio) and PG is our biggest need. He's a fast, instinctive scorer with good playmaking and distributing ability. The debate came down to Jennings or Tyreke Evans for me, but in the end I decided to go for the better talent at the expense of better fit. The Warriors FO also has a history of going with talent over fit (Randolph, POB, Pietrus).

[gswhoops]

Anyway...5/3/09

1. Kings - Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
2. Wizards - Ricky Rubio, DKV Joventut
3. Clippers - Jordan Hill, Arizona
4. Thunder - James Harden, Arizona State
5. Wolves - Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
6. Grizzlies - Earl Clark, Louisville
7. Warriors - Brandon Jennings, Lottomatica Roma
8. Knicks - Tyreke Evans, Memphis
9. Raptors - DeMar DeRozan, USC
10. Bucks - Ty Lawson, UNC
11. Nets - James Johnson, Wake Forest
12. Bobcats - Gerald Henderson, Duke
13. Pacers - Patrick Patterson, Kentucky
14. Suns - Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
15. Pistons - BJ Mullens, Ohio State
16. Bulls - DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh
17. Sixers - Stephen Curry, Davidson
18. Wolves - Jrue Holiday, UCLA
19. Hawks - Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
20. Mavericks - Terrence Williams, Louisville
21. Jazz - Eric Maynor, VCU
22. Hornets - Chase Budinger, Arizona
23. Kings - Patrick Mills, St. Mary's
24. Trailblazers - Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech
25. Thunder - Jeff Pendergraph, Arizona State
26. Bulls - Austin Daye, Gonzaga
27. Memphis - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
28. Wolves - Wayne Ellington, UNC
29. Lakers - Nick Calathes, Florida
30. Cavaliers - DeJuan Summers, Georgetown

[Cammo101]

The Thunder would be much better off taking Thabeet and Ellington in this situation.

[Krapinsky]

^^^I disagree. I like Harden and Hansborough for the Thunder. Ellington is nothing special and compares to other undersized shooting guards in the draft like Thornton, Taylor, and possibly Meeks. Hansborough would give them a player to run around and do the dirty work, set screens, grab rebounds, draw fouls, and be a nuisance, which is a type of player that is becoming more and more valuable in the NBA, a la Verajao and Noah. I'm not big on Pendergraph and think he belongs probably near the bottom of the second round with players like Taj Gibson, Dante Cunningham, and Derrick Brown.

[Cammo101]

Tyreke Evans is the most overrated player in this draft. Wayne Ellington is the most underrated. It seems people can not see past stats here. Ellington played within a system for the good of the team, and in doing so got himself a title. He is vastly better defensively than any of the guys you listed and only Jermaine Taylor matches up offensively.

Ellington is a top 20 player in this draft.

[Star-Lord]

What do you think of him? More specifically, what do you think of him as a fit for the Warriors? What do you think it'll mean for Monta if we draft this kid?

I think the Warriors take Jennings simply because he's the best PG in this draft (after Rubio) and PG is our biggest need. He's a fast, instinctive scorer with good playmaking and distributing ability. The debate came down to Jennings or Tyreke Evans for me, but in the end I decided to go for the better talent at the expense of better fit. The Warriors FO also has a history of going with talent over fit (Randolph, POB, Pietrus).

That's fine, but I suppose I was trying poorly to ask what you, as a fan of the Dubs, thinks of drafting Jennings. Whether or not you think it's a bad move, what it means for Monta to bring in another smaller point guard, and whether you think Jennings can be the elite lead guard the Warriors need to take that next step.

[gswhoops]

What do you think of him? More specifically, what do you think of him as a fit for the Warriors? What do you think it'll mean for Monta if we draft this kid?

I think the Warriors take Jennings simply because he's the best PG in this draft (after Rubio) and PG is our biggest need. He's a fast, instinctive scorer with good playmaking and distributing ability. The debate came down to Jennings or Tyreke Evans for me, but in the end I decided to go for the better talent at the expense of better fit. The Warriors FO also has a history of going with talent over fit (Randolph, POB, Pietrus).

That's fine, but I suppose I was trying poorly to ask what you, as a fan of the Dubs, thinks of drafting Jennings. Whether or not you think it's a bad move, what it means for Monta to bring in another smaller point guard, and whether you think Jennings can be the elite lead guard the Warriors need to take that next step.

I think it's a good move. IMO we need to go for a home run pick if we're ever going to be an elite team, and by the time the #7 pick rolls around he's really the only guy with home run potential left. Picking a solid but unspectacular PG like Lawson would be a big mistake, since it would leave us mired in 7-12 pick mediocrity. I don't think that it necessarily means Monta is gone, since we have some big guards on the bench (Kelenna and Marco) who can D up, but it does give us more flexibility if we want to deal Monta. I'm not opposed to the idea of trading Monta for the right price (especially if he can land us a young, high potential SF) but I wouldn't give him away.

[gswhoops]

The Thunder would be much better off taking Thabeet and Ellington in this situation.

I guess I just don't see what you see in Thabeet. Having watched him a bit (my roommate is a die-hard UConn fan), all I see is a shot blocker. He doesn't have the skills to be any kind of offensive threat aside from put-backs and wide open dunks, which leaves him on the caliber of a Sam Dalembart-type player - an athletic shot blocker with few other skills. Harden gives them a true second scoring option and an ideal compliment to Westbrook and Durant.

[Cammo101]

The Thunder would be much better off taking Thabeet and Ellington in this situation.

I guess I just don't see what you see in Thabeet. Having watched him a bit (my roommate is a die-hard UConn fan), all I see is a shot blocker. He doesn't have the skills to be any kind of offensive threat aside from put-backs and wide open dunks, which leaves him on the caliber of a Sam Dalembart-type player - an athletic shot blocker with few other skills. Harden gives them a true second scoring option and an ideal compliment to Westbrook and Durant.

Thabeet can be a defensive anchor. OKC is an awful defensive team who already has scoring. There is no better fit for him than OKC. We are talking about the team starting 6'9'' Nick Collison at center right now.

Harden is a decent fit there, but they already have Thabo and can much more easily grab at guard with their second pick than they can grab a defensive center.

[Krapinsky]

No they have Krstic starting at center with Collison coming off the bench.

[gswhoops]

The Thunder would be much better off taking Thabeet and Ellington in this situation.

I guess I just don't see what you see in Thabeet. Having watched him a bit (my roommate is a die-hard UConn fan), all I see is a shot blocker. He doesn't have the skills to be any kind of offensive threat aside from put-backs and wide open dunks, which leaves him on the caliber of a Sam Dalembart-type player - an athletic shot blocker with few other skills. Harden gives them a true second scoring option and an ideal compliment to Westbrook and Durant.

Thabeet can be a defensive anchor. OKC is an awful defensive team who already has scoring. There is no better fit for him than OKC. We are talking about the team starting 6'9'' Nick Collison at center right now.

Harden is a decent fit there, but they already have Thabo and can much more easily grab at guard with their second pick than they can grab a defensive center.

Perhaps, but they could just as easily draft Harden and then trade expirings for a guy like Dalembart or Chandler and be much better off then if they wasted a top pick on a one-dimensional player like Thabeet.

[BIRDMAN BIRDMAN]

Disregard need, who do you think will end up being the better pro, James Johnson or Mullens?

[gswhoops]

Disregard need, who do you think will end up being the better pro, James Johnson or Mullens?

Mullens, a scoring C with athleticism > a tweener F.

[FiveMan]

I personally think Mullens will not be a good pro, too slow and soft

Johnson could be the steal of the draft for a good team late in the 1st, but what do I know?

[FiveMan]

Tyreke Evans is the most overrated player in this draft. Wayne Ellington is the most underrated. It seems people can not see past stats here. Ellington played within a system for the good of the team, and in doing so got himself a title. He is vastly better defensively than any of the guys you listed and only Jermaine Taylor matches up offensively.

Ellington is a top 20 player in this draft.

Agree 100%

[john2jer]

I personally think Mullins will not be a good pro, too slow and soft

Jihnson could be the steal of the draft for a ggo team late in the 1st, but what do I know?

Apparently not the spelling of anyone's name.

[vincecarter4pres]

Tyreke Evans is the most overrated player in this draft. Wayne Ellington is the most underrated. It seems people can not see past stats here. Ellington played within a system for the good of the team, and in doing so got himself a title. He is vastly better defensively than any of the guys you listed and only Jermaine Taylor matches up offensively.

Ellington is a top 20 player in this draft.

I'm sorry, but I think you are so dead wrong on Ellington it isn't even funny. I am not looking at stats or a system, I am looking at the player and I am not seeing anything he does well but spot up shooting. He's not a good athlete, his handle makes Chase Budinger blush, his defense is meh, his measurements are undersized, he has no first step, he doesn't draw fouls and doesn't get in the lane, he is a mediocre passer and crap playmaker, he shoots like crap off the dribble and he disapears for large chunks of games, constantly. He has a decent tournament on a truly dominant team with a likely top 7 pick in 2010 coming off the bench and has now gone from mid 2nd rounder to a lotto pick directly because of it. Stop me when I'm wrong. He's a one trick pony that will likely go to high, maybe somewhere around 20 to 30, but guys like Dionte Christmas and Thorton will wind up being much better and successful, all while being maybe 2 or 3 trick ponies.

[Villanova1L]

Tyreke Evans is the most overrated player in this draft. Wayne Ellington is the most underrated. It seems people can not see past stats here. Ellington played within a system for the good of the team, and in doing so got himself a title. He is vastly better defensively than any of the guys you listed and only Jermaine Taylor matches up offensively.

Ellington is a top 20 player in this draft.

Wayne will get out played in every work out, just like he did last year. There's a chance he goes top 20, but if there was an over/under on pick 19 I'd take the under.

[djthesonicsfan]

Some people hope that Thabeet can become a defensive anchor.

Fixed that for you Cammo. Don't you remember how far Lopez fell last year? On way less concerns. This Thabeet situation reminds me of your 2008 mock draft views on DeAndre Jordon.

There is no better fit for him than OKC. We are talking about the team starting 6'9'' Nick Collison at center right now.

I'm beginning to think you're Thabeet's agent. You're certainly not too familiar with the notSonics. The starting center is Krstic, a legit 7 footer. Just so you know...

Starters - Westbrook, Harden, Durant, Green, Krstic
Rotation - Watson or Livingston, Collison, Sefolosha, White
Bench - Weaver, #25, Wilkins, Atkins,

Harden is a perfect fit there, but they already have Thabo and can much more easily grab at guard with their second pick than they can grab a defensive center.

Fixed another one. If you've seen Thabo play, you'll know he brings a difference making amount of energy on the defensive end but he just can't shoot. His shooting is so bad teams double off him and give him the outside shot. Which he either won't take or misses. Same problem he had in Chicago. Unless he develops a legit shot, Thabo can't be anything more than an effective role player. Certainly not a starter for a contending team.

And it's getting to the point in the development plan where a #25 pick probably doesn't matter a whole lot to Presti. There's certainly not anyone in this draft at the bottom of the 1st round that's likely to make a difference. Way more likely that Presti's able to use his expiring contracts, extra picks and/or cap space to upgrade at center (eg Bynam, Bogut, Kaman, etc). And I'm not saying that's likely.