Pre-NCAA Tourney NBA Draft Outlook: Hawks Edition; 2 Guards

[Superiorblogman]

We continue on.

Jeremy Lamb- I compared these guys against Marcus Thorton and Eric Gordon. Lamb's numbers were not on par with those 2 other than he is a better rebounder than Gordon. If you want to take the negative approach stop reading because it really gets no better this class is overrated. Lamb is a talent though, just overrated at this point and does not really produce at a high enough level to go nuts over.

Austin Rivers- He is a combo guard and we know the Hawks love those. Rivers numbers are also lackluster when compared to Eric Gordon and Marcus Thorton. Even with the combo guard label his assist numbers are only slightly better than those of Thorton and Gordon. His point per minute and rebound per minute numbers are subpar to both of those guys.

Will Barton- He is another guy that some feel can play 2 positions which are SG and SF. Barton's rebounding rates are really good, they are better than Gordon's and overall better than Thorton's also. His assist rates are also better than both Gordon and Thorton at similar stages. His scoring rates fall short but 2 out of 3 is not bad. His listed height and the look of his length is also more impressive. Interesting prospect.

John Jenkins- Jenkins actually has some of the more impressive scoring rates amongst these guys. His scoring rates are better than Thorton's at the same age currently, but he falls short in the assist and rebounding departments. He might be a good fit as a guy that can just knock down shots off of curls or kickouts.

Orlando Johnson- Impressive numbers across the board but the guy will be 23 before the NBA season starts and is doing this in a smaller conference. There are always these type of guys around in the draft and people always claim they are sleepers sometimes it is true sometimes it is not. I don't know about this guy. His rates are just as impressive or more impressive as Marcus Thorton at similar points in careers, but against lessor competition.

Honorable Mention

Tim Hardaway Jr.- Good player and I like his skillset, his rates of production when it comes to rebounding and assists are worth mentioning in comparison to Gordon.

William Buford- Rebounding and assist rates are worth mentioning in comparison to Gordon's and rebounding wise he has always been better, his assist have gotten better and better.

You would hate me if I did not mention

Bradley Beal- Has better rebounding rates than anyone on this list had at such a early stage. That's about it though.

Very weak class of SG's when it comes to putting potential with production.

[baseline33]

when i watch Lamb, he looks like a rich man's Rudy Gay, and Rudy Gay is pretty good.

Lamb doesn't have PG skills like alot of elite SGs, like Wade, Kobe, Drexler, or Jordan, which does concern me.

Lamb's game reminds me of what Rudy Gay and Danny Granger are doing now. Lamb has monster athleticism and watching him, scoring just looks easy and boring for him.

his play making is not going to be some the same level as Wade, but i hope im wrong with his PG skills. i think he is going to be a perennial all star and possibly a 25ppg scorer. kinda like a prime Toronto Vince Carter with less highlight dunks.

Rivers is a guy that has no real weakness, does every okay, but doesn't do anything great. i think that is a good sign for having a long NBA career. i think Rivers could be a rich man's Kirk Hinrich. Rivers athleticism is better than Kirk. Prime Kirk was a good NBA starter. I think Rivers could be a very very good NBA starter and be one of those guys who are "almost all stars", guys who get mentioned for all star teams, but don't make it, like Loul Deng.

[Superiorblogman]

All of the guys listed from the initial list made it to the NCAA tourney except Orlando Johnson.

Tony Wroten is a guy I slept on in my first list. I compared these guys to Eric Gordon a recent one and done success and he is slightly off of Gordon in scoring rates but better in assist rates and rebounding rates. I put him at SG instead of PG because he averages more TO's than assists and just don't see him as a PG right now. He is a great combo guard prospect though.

Damian Lillard is a guy that I consider more of a combo guard also. His assist rates are not on par with the good PG candidates but his scoring rates are really good and not far from a elite scorer like Gordon and his rebounding rates are stronger than a bigger guy like Gordon, his assist rates are also superior. He will be playing PG for someone but unless he vastly improves his assist rates he is going to be really a combo guard playing PG.

Orlando Johnson continued his impressive production even though he can't even lead his team to the NCAA tourney. He has comparable scoring rates to Gordon's one and done numbers and they have stayed there for his 3 years he has better rebounding rates and his assist rates are just as good. He is already 23 though but he could be a 2nd round steal.

Will Barton of Memphis is seriously underrated and scores at a good rate for a SG rebounds great and is a good assist guy. He is another 2nd rd steal type.

Bradley Beal is overrated IMO his scoring rates are not that good for a SG but his rebounding rates are good.

John Jenkins has had good scoring rates since his sophomore year, but he really does nothing well other than shoot. He is a Daquean Cook type guy to me.

Jeremy Lamb is overrated also. He does nothing on par with a guy like Eric Gordon other than rebound slightly better.

Austin Rivers is a better scorer than Lamb and Beal but he is a worse rebounder and to be a combo guard like he is he needs a better assist to turnover ratio.

Terrence Ross is a good rebounder but his other rates leave a lot to be desired also.

Dion Waiters scoring rates have been good as a sophomore and his assist rates are good. They are 2 to 1 and that is good for a combo guard or SG. His rebounding rates are not so good though.

[Superiorblogman]

Overall the best 1st rd SG selections for the Hawks would be: Tony Wroten a combo guard that is 6"4 he is a PG you get something special if he is a SG you have a dynamic guy off the bench.

Austin Rivers is also a combo guard that could be a dynamic 6th man a lot like Jamal.

Dion Waiters is another good combo guard that could be a dynamic 6th man off the bench.

Best 2nd rd selections: John Jenkins (knockdown shooter) Will Barton bulldog tough SG and Orlando Johnson upper class proven player