2014 College/Draft Prospects Thread II

[LamarMatic7]

Props to Cho, Hennigan and Ujiri for doing the leg work.

Don't forget Tim Connelly and John Hollinger.

[Elden Payton]

Props to Cho, Hennigan and Ujiri for doing the leg work.

Don't forget Tim Connelly and John Hollinger.

Cheers for the heads up Lamar, I completely missed them!

[Snidely FC]

seems clear now CHA mgmt looking for fit and chemistry more than athleticism/all around play. Stauskas being bigger and better 3 pt shooter (44% v. Harris 34%) and more of a leader with bigger cajones looks to me like a better fit for this team.

[catch20two]

I'm still on the James Young and Zach Lavine bandwagon if we get DET pick.

[JDR720]

i wouldn't want John Hollinger being one of the Bobcats scouts, he is way to numbers driven for me

[No-Man]

I got you drafting McDermott at 10# ahead of Gordon, Anderson, Hood, Saric, Adams or Stauskas.
For me it was a close call with James Young, who seems to be a good fit, maybe even better because he is a good defender and can play in the backcourt, but the winning mentality that you have stablished this year... I can see the team going after a NBA-ready player before a project.

But those two are going to be the BPAs at 10#, McDermott and James Young.
I've got Vonleh, Harris, going before and LaVine not declaring.
with Portland's pick, I have you going for boom or bust with Andrew Harrison, he can play both Guard spots from the bench, Delon Wright, PJ Hairston or Elfrid Payton could be other options of boom or bust pick at that point for the backcourt, I got all of them gone before, but they could be there at mid twenties.
That's another reason why I've got you McDermott first, the depth in backcourt positions is insane in this class, tons of players there.

[Eoghan]

I'm totally sold on McDermott. He'd fit like a glove with MKG being able to guard the better wing scorer. He can do a Nowitzki one legged fade away which already makes him better than Hendo.

[mrknowitall215]

I would be shocked & appalled if Charlotte drafted McDermott to start alongside MKG. I'm not saying that it might not be a bright idea contrary to conventional wisdom to play MKG at SG with McDermott at SF, but I highly doubt that Clifford would be willing to bend that much. I've yet to even see MKG on the floor as a SG this season with a PG and 3 other bigger frontcourt players, nevertheless Biyombo alongside Jefferson. I believe that if Charlotte drafted McDermott, his expected role would be similar to Tolliver's as a SF/PF off the bench that can stretch the floor

[dmutombo321]

If McDermott is drafted and is able to be at least a passable defender and is even 1/3 as offensively productive as he's been in college, Gilchrist will be the one going to the bench.

MKG is a good wing defender with no jump shot or meaningful offensive game to speak of who averages fewer than 8ppg and has specialist (defensive) written all over him. The folks who still think he's on the verge of becoming young Shawn Marion are going to be disappointed.

If we had an offensive dynamo like James Harden at 2, MKG would be fine logging big minutes at 3. But our perimeter offense is so atrociously poor from the starting 2/3 spots, I think we can expect some type of upgrade through the draft and/or FA with one or both of MKG/Hendo being displaced in the starting lineup.

[fatlever]

I've yet to even see MKG on the floor as a SG this season with a PG and 3 other bigger frontcourt players, nevertheless Biyombo alongside Jefferson. I believe that if Charlotte drafted McDermott, his expected role would be similar to Tolliver's as a SF/PF off the bench that can stretch the floor

you beat me to it. this was never more obvious than it was on saturday vs the grizzlies when we opted to play ben gordon in the 2nd half at SG, instead of using MKG at SG and tolliver at SF.

[No-Man]

I think the line-up is going to be similar, with the possibility of Zeller starting over McBob, or McBob leaving.

Walker-Ridnour-Harrison
Henderson-Taylor-Neal
MKG-McDermott
Zeller-McBob-Tolliver
Jefferson-Biyombo-Haywood

I'd fine with that, you can bring back Tolliver for the minimum, good locker room guy, same with Ridnour if he wants to re-sign.

You can draft James Young or Hood instead of Doug, and Payton, Wright instead of Harrison, it's the same kind of squad.

You can add a young unproven guy like Vesely, Jordan Hamilton, Chris Singleton, Shengelia, Darius Miller... for the 15th spot.

[MasterIchiro]

I would be shocked & appalled if Charlotte drafted McDermott to start alongside MKG. I'm not saying that it might not be a bright idea contrary to conventional wisdom to play MKG at SG with McDermott at SF, but I highly doubt that Clifford would be willing to bend that much. I've yet to even see MKG on the floor as a SG this season with a PG and 3 other bigger frontcourt players, nevertheless Biyombo alongside Jefferson. I believe that if Charlotte drafted McDermott, his expected role would be similar to Tolliver's as a SF/PF off the bench that can stretch the floor

Not sure I'm OK with taking Anthony Tolliver with the Detroit pick. I realize McDermott is in a different stratosphere when it comes to versatility but if we're putting too much into floor spacing when we already have one backing up MKG, then it seems overkill to me and like we need to diversify (and maybe find a shooter at SG in place of Hendo). I'm also not too keen on drafting a backup with the 9 or 10 pick. I want a starter and someone who can relegate Hendo to the bench is good for me, Zeller comes in second place. So I want Stephenson (to oust Hendo) and Randle to challenge Zeller.

No dicking around with backups and tinkering with players we already have on the roster.

Of course if they feel McDermott is NBA ready to start at SF, then that changes things.

[catch20two]

Y'all need to get out of this looney tune world that we're going to sign Stephenson nevermind overpaying him with Cho at the helm. I wouldn't mind McDermott but we need to draft somebody to replace Hendo because he's just not it at starting SG. James Young or Zach Lavine should be our options to groom behind Hendo for 2 years until his contract expire since we can't trade him because nobody else want him and I don't like Gary Harris so he's not a option in my eyes. Please say no to Gary Harris.

[Elden Payton]

I've just got this funny feeling that Randle will drop.

From the start of the year projections to now, it seems that Smart and Randle have taken the biggest hit in terms of stock.

If Randle is available at #9 then we have to take him, no brainers like that have kept Joe Dumars employed after mistake, after mistake, after mistake.

Young, Hood and Harris could be available also and any of them would fit us like a glove imo.

[Elden Payton]

Y'all need to get out of this looney tune world that we're going to sign Stephenson nevermind overpaying him with Cho at the helm. I wouldn't mind McDermott but we need to draft somebody to replace Hendo because he's just not it at starting SG. James Young or Zach Lavine should be our options to groom behind Hendo for 2 years since we can't trade him because nobody else want him and I don't like Gary Harris so he's not a option in my eyes. Please say no to Gary Harris.

Good post and I agree about Stephenson, probably doesn't fit Cho's mould and with good reason.

I like Gary Harris for some reason, he kind of reminds me of Bradley Beal, but that may just be me.

I don't get to watch much college ball anymore and I rely on youtube and the draft sites so I could be completely wrong!

What about Harris do you not like Catch?

[MasterIchiro]

I don't see Randle dropping because there are too few players who might leapfrog him. Aaron Gordon? Saric? I can see maybe Vonleh, maybe Gary Harris.

However, I do see him being the most talented player that missed the cut for the untouchable pick list and a team owning the pick where he falls would listen to our offer of Pistons + Blazers pick if we really want to be aggressive. Now perhaps we kept that pick at the deadline (while being 1.5 games out of the 5 seed) because we we want to use it to replace Sessions but maybe they're thinking they can bring back Ridnour and use that pick to climb up. And if we're climbing up, Randle seems realistic outside those untouchable guys.

He's a double double machine and might not never be a star but I like how there's an emphasis on rebounding during every post game interview given by Clifford. Having 10 from your PF is a huge advantage, especially when your center is a 20-10 guy. Sprinkle in the NYC connection with Kemba and Lance and you have something.

Kemba, Stephenson and MKG are also all excellent rebounders for their positions and all play hard - as does Randle. I think he fits damn well. And we have excellent rebounders on the bench in Biz and Zeller for a backup guy anyways.

Defense, rebounds, hard work, playmakers/take-charge types in the backcourt, sprinkle in a couple one-trick ponies like Neal and Tolliver.

We're good, young too.

[catch20two]

Y'all need to get out of this looney tune world that we're going to sign Stephenson nevermind overpaying him with Cho at the helm. I wouldn't mind McDermott but we need to draft somebody to replace Hendo because he's just not it at starting SG. James Young or Zach Lavine should be our options to groom behind Hendo for 2 years since we can't trade him because nobody else want him and I don't like Gary Harris so he's not a option in my eyes. Please say no to Gary Harris.

Good post and I agree about Stephenson, probably doesn't fit Cho's mould and with good reason.

I like Gary Harris for some reason, he kind of reminds me of Bradley Beal, but that may just be me.

I don't get to watch much college ball anymore and I rely on youtube and the draft sites so I could be completely wrong!

What about Harris do you not like Catch?

I don't like Harris for the very same reasons why you said, because he reminds me of Beal, a poor man's version at that. I don't really even like Beal. I don't want a slightly undersized chucking SG in our starting lineup. Every time I watch Michigan State and even when Harris has good games I just don't like the way he play. He's not a great shooter, more streaky than anything. And I think he benefit from the slow footed competition of the Big 10 to look better than he really is. I've seen many of players like Manny Harris and Brandon Paul do what Harris is doing in the Big 10 and neither of them were quite legit NBA material not to mention lottery or starter material.

[MasterIchiro]

I love James Young, but not on a 2 year development plan for when Hendo expires because Jefferson also expires at the same time. So this window of development doesn't exist anymore imo. We need NBA ready guys. So for me it's either McDermott because he's an NBA ready 3pt guy or Randle, who is an NBA ready rebounder whose learning curve could jump off the charts under Ewing and Big Al.

And since we have MKG and Tolliver I think you gun for Zeller's spot.

That leaves Hendo unattended, which is why I want Stephenson.

[Elden Payton]

Y'all need to get out of this looney tune world that we're going to sign Stephenson nevermind overpaying him with Cho at the helm. I wouldn't mind McDermott but we need to draft somebody to replace Hendo because he's just not it at starting SG. James Young or Zach Lavine should be our options to groom behind Hendo for 2 years since we can't trade him because nobody else want him and I don't like Gary Harris so he's not a option in my eyes. Please say no to Gary Harris.

Good post and I agree about Stephenson, probably doesn't fit Cho's mould and with good reason.

I like Gary Harris for some reason, he kind of reminds me of Bradley Beal, but that may just be me.

I don't get to watch much college ball anymore and I rely on youtube and the draft sites so I could be completely wrong!

What about Harris do you not like Catch?

I don't like Harris for the very same reasons why you said, because he reminds me of Beal, a poor man's version at that. I don't really even like Beal. I don't want a slightly undersized chucking SG in our starting lineup. Every time I watch Michigan State and even when Harris has good games I just don't like the way he play. He's not a great shooter, more streaky than anything. And I think he benefit from the slow footed competition of the Big 10 to look better than he really is. I've seen many of players like Manny Harris and Brandon Paul do what Harris is doing in the Big 10 and neither of them were quite legit NBA material not to mention lottery or starter material.

Cheers for the heads up and I agree that Beal will probably be the better player than Harris but considering where each was/will be drafted you'd probably assume that!

He is slightly undersized and his handle is not great, which gives me pause for concern but if he can be that jack of all trades type player, who has legitimate range, then at #9 he holds value imo (depending on who's available)

Randle would be my first choice and then Harris/Hood/Young.

Harris v Hood v Young is a very legitimate discussion to be had considering the DET pick is looking likely to come our way.

[MasterIchiro]

Also I hate to be cheap (tax-and-spend liberal here) but getting Randle allows probably a 5 M savings on McRoberts, possibly more. And you can actually increase Zeller's minutes without having to start him, maybe split down the middle with Randle and have one guy with a developing jumper and another who won't get slammed on his spine when he goes up for a layup or fall on his ass like Bambi when he comes down with a rebound.