TheCelticTruth wrote:roby is a good player and a great shooter. he toyed with coming out early and got positive feedback but was also told he wasnt very ready. dont remember anything about ainge, but i know roby is kenyon martin's cousin.
I like Rick Roby, too. He is K-Mart's half-brother, btw.
TheCelticTruth wrote:i am unimpressed with rush after his tournament, and would no longer draft him. donte green is a project, mentally. if he hadnt played like a moron and just done what he was capable of syracuse wouldnt have a.) lost to villlanova and missed the tourney (not to mention they probably wouldnt have needed that game as they lost 3-5 games due to subpar performance by their "star" donte green) and b.)lost to umass in the nit
I am not all that impressed by Rush. His upside is ok role player, imo. The thing is, if all these underclassmen stay in the draft, even at pick 30, the Celtics are looking at much better potential values than a player like Rush.
Personally, I would be elated to get a 6'10+ shot-alterer with some rebounding skills. I would be very willing to use Glen Davis as bait to move up or as part of a package to acquire another pick. I would not move Pruitt, Powe, Rondo or Perkins in any deals-- NONE!
The gem of this draft is likely Marreese Speights (way out of Boston's range.) I haven't heard anything recently but from the last batch of mocks I had seen, people are seriously sleeping on three internationals, as well: Nicolas Batum, Alexis Ajinca and Rodrigue Beaubois.
Little by little, I am falling in love with the overall potential of this draft. Buyer beware of Rush, Plaisted, Hansbrough, R. Anderson, Gordon, B. Lopez, Mayo and D. Jordan. Mayo, Gordon and Jordan all have fantastic potential but each is in need of some serious seasoning. Mayo and Gordon are both very terrible defenders and show almost no activity without the ball in their hands. Jordan could potentially be great but he needs strong veterans to mold him. He will likely get drafted high, to a piss poor team, and bust.
Some serious sleepers, relatively speaking in some instances, are R. Lopez, Love, Earl Clark, J. Thompson, JaVale McGee, Ty Smith, Hendrix, D. Hardin, J. Harden (may stay at Az St), Malik Hairston and Bill Walker.
Solid players like Sasha Kaun (Dan Gadzuric clone, imo- useful if used properly), Jamont Gordon (would be an absolute steal in the 2nd RD), Courtney Lee, Kyle Weaver and Bill Walker might not even be drafted until the middle of the 2nd RD!
Then there is my adopted pet player-- Pat Calathes. A 6'10-ish SF who is still growing into his body. Former PG before going through a bunch of late growth spurts. I have him as the highest rated swing forward. Above Ryan Anderson. Above Donte Greene.
Here are a handful of players I have very highly ranked that many might not have considered as 'value':
1. Austin Daye - Yes, he averaged under 20 MPG. On a per minute basis, adjusted for conference, he rates out as the 2nd best SF prospect after Ty Smith in my rating system. As he gets more minutes, look for him to attempt to maintain his great overall game.
2. Marreese Speights - Again, you would like to see him play more minutes. He rates as the best PF/C in this draft, imo. Incredibly active.
3. Pat Calathes - Rates as the best SF/PF in the draft. Shot the ball at a .400 clip from deep and can playmake from the frontcourt.
4. Mario Chalmers - He is the 2nd best PG prospect in the draft after Rose.
5. Richard Hendrix - Best PF prospect in the draft. Yes, even better than Beasley.
6. Blake Griffin - 3rd best PF prospect in the draft. That being said, if I was a team at the top of the draft and both Beasley and Griffin were in, I would move down a few slots to pick up Griffin + for Beasley.
7. James Harden - Best SG prospect in the draft. I would take him over Mayo and Gordon and would have no regrets. If he stays in and doesn't get drafted until mid-to-late teens, some team is going to be extremely happy.