1st rd pick general discussion #2 overall (Poll Added)

[BigSlam]

Cho is adamant about following the OKC model, lets go get our Durant

At least you didn't say Barnes is our MJ Stun..................I guess?!?!

[Liver_Pooty]

Lol. You guys had me giggling at your little pictures you put up after the "lets go get our Durant" comment.

Nice!

[Walt Cronkite]

At least you didn't say Barnes is our MJ Stun..................I guess?!?!

Well, now that you mention it...

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

I noticed that Barnes wore #23 in a lot of the online video.... :p

[Badd_Intentions]

Interesting take from Hoopsworld on our pick:

What We Know About The Bobcats? Over the course of the next few weeks we’ll delve into the state of each of the teams drafting in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft and what we know about their draft plans and the players and situations they are targeting.

On Monday we hit on the New Orleans Hornets, so today let’s hit on the Charlotte Bobcats.

While conspiracy theorists cried foul over the Hornets landing the top pick, the Bobcats walked into the NBA Draft Lottery with a 75% chance of not landing the top selection. They knew it was possible and cautioned staffers to avoid offering predictions. The fact that Charlotte has the second overall pick is not surprising. The fact that the team is shopping the 2nd picks for potential value isn’t surprising either.

At the end of the day getting anything of real value for the 2nd pick is always hard, and the Bobcats, like all teams without the top overall pick, are looking at getting what they can fetch for the 2nd pick in the draft. Whether the Bobcats find a deal or not is something else entirely.

Sources close to the process say the Bobcats are preparing for all manner of contingency plans. They are ready to use the pick if they need to. They have scenarios for moving down in the draft and they have scenarios for not being involved in the draft at all.

The dream scenario is to flip the 2nd pick and unwanted roster players like DeSagana Diop, Matt Carroll and Tyrus Thomas for a proven talent. The question is will anyone take Diop’s ending $7.3 million or Carroll’s $3.5 million owed for the chance at Thomas Robinson, Michael-Kidd Gilchrist or Bradley Beal, and let’s not get into Thomas’ mega-deal that has three more years on it.

The Bobcats have $43 million in salary commitments for next season so they have lots of room to absorb contract dollars before hitting the salary cap. Adding a serious veteran player seems to be more appealing than adding a young guy in the draft.

If the Cats can move off some roster luggage in a deal, they’d do it… the question is will Memphis part with Rudy Gay? Will Houston part with Kevin Martin? Will Philadelphia part with Andre Iguodala for the 2nd pick, some roster toss-ins and the ability to off load some cap cash? The Cats do hold the 31st pick to toss in as grease, but even that pick might not be enough to swing a serious deal.

The Bobcats don’t have a deal in place, but expect over the next 14 days that they will try extremely hard to craft one.

The odds that Charlotte picks a player they will keep with the 2nd pick are extremely slim. The more likely scenario is they are picking someone else’s player at #2 and making a deal in July once the new salary cap numbers are set and they can absorb some contract dollars in a trade for a proven veteran.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-am-is-jam ... opting-out

[fatlever]

i guess we shouldnt get too excited about any of these top 6 prospect then.

[Badd_Intentions]

Woo hoo, let's build around Kevin Martin!

[fatlever]

yahoo mock via jon g, released today

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/y-sports-d ... yW.zu8vLYF

2. Charlotte
Thomas Robinson PF
21 years old; 6'9"; 240 lbs., Kansas, Junior

Although the Bobcats and their fans will certainly be disappointed not to end up with Anthony Davis after the miserable season they endured, they should get over that fairly quickly when they realize they are about to add an extremely important piece to their roster who is arguably more ready to compete from day one than Davis.

Robinson will bring a blend of strength, athleticism and competitiveness that the team sorely lacked this season inside the paint. He will pair well with 2011 draft pick Bismack Biyombo to form one of the longest and most explosive interior frontcourts - certainly defensively - in the NBA.

Robinson is scheduled to visit Charlotte on June 22 nd and remains the clear frontrunner at #2. Despite reports to the contrary, it appears highly unlikely that they will move the pick at this stage

not sure who to believe anymore

[raleigh]

not sure who to believe anymore

Believe your brain.

The Bobcats aren't shuffling the #2 pick for a mediocre veteran and they aren't trading down unless they get a good deal.

[hhvo]

yahoo mock via jon g, released today

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/y-sports-d ... yW.zu8vLYF

2. Charlotte
Thomas Robinson PF
21 years old; 6'9"; 240 lbs., Kansas, Junior

Although the Bobcats and their fans will certainly be disappointed not to end up with Anthony Davis after the miserable season they endured, they should get over that fairly quickly when they realize they are about to add an extremely important piece to their roster who is arguably more ready to compete from day one than Davis.

Robinson will bring a blend of strength, athleticism and competitiveness that the team sorely lacked this season inside the paint. He will pair well with 2011 draft pick Bismack Biyombo to form one of the longest and most explosive interior frontcourts - certainly defensively - in the NBA.

Robinson is scheduled to visit Charlotte on June 22 nd and remains the clear frontrunner at #2. Despite reports to the contrary, it appears highly unlikely that they will move the pick at this stage

not sure who to believe anymore

"highly unlikely at this stage", that's a bold statement. The draft is two weeks away. 90% of the time draft trade aren't made til the day of the draft. I cant take that article serious with that statement.

[Badd_Intentions]

Top guys are just now starting to do workouts for teams in their range, can't see how he is so sure the pick won't be moved. I can easily see someone falling in love with a player after a workout and offering a decent trade. I know teams have done just about all the scouting on these guys as humanly possible, but seeing them in live workouts I believe can have a big impact.

[TheKingofSting]

MKG is a cry baby
T-Rob is an egotistical snob who thinks he is better than he actually is.

[BlackOutBuzz]

MKG is a cry baby
T-Rob is an egotistical snob who thinks he is better than he actually is.

Man I can't wait until we draft one of these guys...maybe Cho will get us another early pick and we can land both of them

[Snidely FC]

Cho keeps saying he wants to build the OKC way. To argue that we will trade our #2 for a vet is inconsistent with what Cho is saying he wants to do. The reason high picks are attractive is because they give you replacement value players at beginner salaries. I don't see why Cho would trade a low contract high upside pick for a vet with an already onerous contract. I don't believe Hoopsworld.

[TheKingofSting]

MKG is a cry baby
T-Rob is an egotistical snob who thinks he is better than he actually is.

Man I can't wait until we draft one of these guys...maybe Cho will get us another early pick and we can land both of them

I would have to be placed on suicide watch!

[penquin11]

Cho is adamant about following the OKC model, lets go get our Durant

At least you didn't say Barnes is our MJ Stun..................I guess?!?!

The Durant-Barnes comparison isn't totally negligent- just mostly. Barnes has the potential to be Durant, he has the size, length, athletism (apparently), and shooting ability- if he only had the drive and ability to create his own shot (not to mention the ability to rebound) he would be a Durant clone.... That stated- as of right now Barnes is more of a Deng...

Also what is with the Thomas Robinson love? He is undersized, old, and while he has shown the ability to shoot he still isn't a "great" shooter- which is a problem given his vast lack of height. I could understand giving him some love if he was say 6'10 or 6'11- but he isn't, hell he isn't even 6'9 with shoes on (he is 6'8), and because of his age he isn't likely to grow much - so we would essentially be selecting a finished product of a player at a position that we can't afford to be undersized at..... I would rather go and get Beal or Barnes then Robinson- at least they have potential- Beal having grown 2 inches since the beginning of his senior year of high school, and Barnes already possessing the length- reach to be elite at his position.

[jstar5]

If you look at the OKC model you have sure fire #2 pick in Durant, but he was still a potential pick. Westbrook was an absolute potential pick. Then Harden was the safe pick, the guy with the old man game.

Unfortunately, we have no sure fire 2 but the potential picks in my opinion are Drummond and Beal. So, we have to go with one of those two guys unless Barnes somehow shows he's a sure fire (which I don't think he is)

[Stun704]

If you look at the OKC model you have sure fire #2 pick in Durant, but he was still a potential pick. Westbrook was an absolute potential pick. Then Harden was the safe pick, the guy with the old man game.

Unfortunately, we have no sure fire 2 but the potential picks in my opinion are Drummond and Beal. So, we have to go with one of those two guys unless Barnes somehow shows he's a sure fire (which I don't think he is)

T-Rob and Barnes are the best combination of Sure fire with potential in the draft. Drummond could totally bust out of the league. Beal has role player written all over him. If T-Rob or Barnes don't live up to their potential they'll still be really good starters. however if they do they'll be perennial all-stars.

and LMAO @ 21 being old. I'm 21 and I take that as an insult

[TheKingofSting]

If you look at the OKC model you have sure fire #2 pick in Durant, but he was still a potential pick. Westbrook was an absolute potential pick. Then Harden was the safe pick, the guy with the old man game.

Unfortunately, we have no sure fire 2 but the potential picks in my opinion are Drummond and Beal. So, we have to go with one of those two guys unless Barnes somehow shows he's a sure fire (which I don't think he is)

T-Rob and Barnes are the best combination of Sure fire with potential in the draft. Drummond could totally bust out of the league. Beal has role player written all over him. If T-Rob or Barnes don't live up to their potential they'll still be really good starters. however if they do they'll be perennial all-stars.

and LMAO @ 21 being old. I'm 21 and I take that as an insult

Robinson is just as much likely if not more likely to be a bust, he doesn't have all of the physical tools that Drummond does.

[Stun704]

If you look at the OKC model you have sure fire #2 pick in Durant, but he was still a potential pick. Westbrook was an absolute potential pick. Then Harden was the safe pick, the guy with the old man game.

Unfortunately, we have no sure fire 2 but the potential picks in my opinion are Drummond and Beal. So, we have to go with one of those two guys unless Barnes somehow shows he's a sure fire (which I don't think he is)

T-Rob and Barnes are the best combination of Sure fire with potential in the draft. Drummond could totally bust out of the league. Beal has role player written all over him. If T-Rob or Barnes don't live up to their potential they'll still be really good starters. however if they do they'll be perennial all-stars.

and LMAO @ 21 being old. I'm 21 and I take that as an insult

Robinson is just as much likely if not more likely to be a bust, he doesn't have all of the physical tools that Drummond does.

He has the physical tools but he doesn't have the mental capacity to put it together. theres about a 5% chance Drummond lives up to his potential