PG Possibilities.......

dre_1614 · Post #1 » by **dre_1614** » Thu May 22, 2008 10:56 pm

here are the draft possibilities.
bolded are busts imo

Derrick Rose
OJ Mayo
Jerryd Bayless
DJ Augustin
Russell Westbrook
Ty Lawson
Mario Chalmers
Lester Hudson
Kyle Weaver
Shan Foster
Jamont Gordon
Goran Dragic
Anton Ponkrashov

out of all these guards here are the guys i can see developing into a good starting PG in the NBA.

Derrick Rose
OJ Mayo
Jerryd Bayless
Russell Westbrook
Lester Hudson

after those the rest IMO wont make much more than a backup. However there are a few guys who can come off the bench and be key contributers IMO.......

Mario Chalmers
Kyle Weaver
Shan Foster

looking at this we have virtually no shot at Rose.....and less than 50% shot at OJ Mayo.

That leaves us with Bayless/Westbrook/Hudson with the ability to turn into a starter.

Bayless - we can grab him at #4 if we like him enough.
Westbrook - we can trade down and grab him somewhere between 6-15.
Hudson - Will be available at pick #24, and "might" be there at pick #32.

Its of great importance IMO that we grab one of these 3 guys.

As far as the bench guys who can come in a contribute...Chalmers/Weaver/Foster

Chalmers - Will be there at #24, might be there at #32. Great defensive guy who can nail down the 3 with the best of them. Doesnt take very many risks, and is very passive. If we take him he will be the guy we can bring in, in the clutch to knock down 3's, and play pesky defense. Only with a small lineup though, cant guard big guards.

Weaver - Will be there at #24, might be there at #32. like Chalmers is great defensively(better), however is prone to more turnovers, and is not nearly the 3 point shooter. If we take him he will be our Bruce Bowen with point guard skills.

Shan Foster - Will be there at #24, might be there at #32.Cold Blooded killer from 3 point range, with very good size. Also takes very good care of the ball. Also a good defender. If we draft him he will be like Chalmers except he doesnt have the point guard skills, but is bigger and can guard bigger guards.

IMO we need to come out of this draft with 1 guy from the "can eventually start" category, and 1 guy from the "bench player but can come off the bench and contribute" category.

thoughts?

Downtown · Post #2 » by **Downtown** » Thu May 22, 2008 11:33 pm

Curious to know why you label Augustin as a bust. From the few games I watched, plus from the research that I've read, the only thing lacking in his game is size. But he's built tough and doesn't hide from the tough going. I liken him to a better version of Jameer Nelson, which isn't that bad.

I think Wetsbrook is more of a gamble than Augustin because he's shown more of a tweener guard style. I can't count how many combo guards have been drafted that were supposed to be able to handle the point position but haven't mastered either position. Jay Williams, Luther Head, Mardy Collins, and recently Jarvis Crittendon to name a few. Unless you're a superior athlete like Mayo or Bayless then I would be careful of throwing my eggs into the combo guard basket.

With that being said I do think that Hudson is worth looking at in a workout and putting him through a battery of pointguard drills.

Lawson I really don't know about, but Chalmers could be a darkhorse for sure as we know he is a terrific defender and has a pretty good shot. Definitely worth a look as well.

Presti should bring in a couple together, such as Chalmers and Lawson, Hudson and Pargo, etc. and watch them head to head. Then shorten the list and bring in the better two of the five, or six. And have Augustin and Westbrook in after Mayo and Bayless to get an idea of how much of a drop they are from the top two.

Do your homework at workouts and a clearer picture will emerge.

dre_1614 · Post #3 » by **dre_1614** » Thu May 22, 2008 11:38 pm

His size, and his decision making leaves alot to be desired IMO. Obviously its JMO , Hopefully Presti gets these guys in a workout and see what they can do.

I would also like to add from the first post I didn't mention guys like Brandon Rush, or Courtney Lee. Both of those guys are similar to Shan Foster, in the ability to play defense, shoot the ball from deep, and defend big guards. However they are expected to go a little earlier, probably around the #24 range where we pick.

nwsports253 · Post #4 » by **nwsports253** » Fri May 23, 2008 12:49 am

Shan Foster isnt a PG, and why would we waste a 1st rounder on him when hes going to be there in the mid 2nd round.

dre_1614 · Post #5 » by **dre_1614** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:32 am

nwsports253 wrote:Shan Foster isnt a PG, and why would we waste a 1st rounder on him when hes going to be there in the mid 2nd round.

I know he isn't a point guard, and I said in my first post that we could pick him with our second round pick.

girlygirl · Post #6 » by **girlygirl** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:38 am

Chalmers is anything but passive. He's probably the most aggressive player on KU's team (aside possibly from Collins). He's also the player on the Jayhawks most likely to take -- and make -- a clutch shot (as he did in the title game).

He also has a very long reach, which helps him defend much bigger guards effectively.

dre_1614 · Post #7 » by **dre_1614** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:48 am

girlygirl wrote:Chalmers is anything but passive. He's probably the most aggressive player on KU's team (aside possibly from Collins). He's also the player on the Jayhawks most likely to take -- and make -- a clutch shot (as he did in the title game).

He also has a very long reach, which helps him defend much bigger guards effectively.

I dont know, when i watched him he seemed to have trouble guarding bigger/stronger players, and didnt really look for his shot as much as Rush, Collins like you said, and even Darrell Arthur.

kjtruong · Post #8 » by **kjtruong** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:06 am

How about we wait til 2009 and get this kid...

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profile ... rubio.html

If we do the triangle which would minimize the use for a conventional PG we could probably get Stephen Curry in 2009 too.

djthesonicsfan · Post #9 » by **djthesonicsfan** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:38 am

Rome wasn't built in a day & neither will be the Sonics. This team needs everything except more forwards. Best player available at #4 & go from there.

And I do think OJ Mayo will be there at #4. But if he's not, J Bayless will be.

So the more interesting questions are " who's at #24?", "who's at #32?" & "can you get a quality center for a package featuring C Wilcox?"

BBen · Post #10 » by **BBen** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:40 am

Nobody does the triangle except Phil Jackson because he has people like Kobe and Jordan. There's a reason it's not popular (Tex Winter is really the only one who can teach it).

kjtruong · Post #11 » by **kjtruong** » Fri May 23, 2008 6:58 am

Can someone explain the appeal of Augustine and Lawson? I don't like either of them. Both are undersized.

I should also mention that I wouldn't mind it if they were lockdown defenders like Lowry (6ft), but they aren't.

Hiphophead101 · Post #12 » by **Hiphophead101** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:05 am

Man I wish we had Stuckey and that Atlanta woulda taken the Luke for #12 pick trade.

kjtruong · Post #13 » by **kjtruong** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:13 am

Hiphophead101 wrote:Man I wish we had Stuckey and that Atlanta woulda taken the Luke for #12 pick trade.

agreed.

S0yb3anB0y · Post #14 » by **S0yb3anB0y** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:31 pm

DJ Augustin is not a bust. He is a TJ Ford with more court vision.

OzThunder · Post #15 » by **OzThunder** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:53 pm

kjtruong wrote:How about we wait til 2009 and get this kid...

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profile ... rubio.html

If we do the triangle which would minimize the use for a conventional PG we could probably get Stephen Curry in 2009 too.

amen to rubio...that kid is ridiculously talented. I've seen a few of his games and he reminds me of manu ginobli, playing the point, with better handles, and the vision of Magic. He's gonna be a stud.

Downtown · Post #16 » by **Downtown** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:33 pm

Kjtruong, are you saying that because Kyle Lowry is one inch taller than Augustin that is an important factor? I can see 3 or 4 inches because usually it corresponds to longer arms as well which is important for a pointguard, plus the ability to have a little better court vision, but c'mon, a difference from 5'11" to an even 6'?

If it's the lockdown defender quotient, then I have to ask just how important of a factor is that? When I look at the crop of pointguards this draft there are very few that have the entire package. Everyone has an area where they are good and where they have flaws. If a lockdown defender is your preference then Mario Chalmers or Russel Westbrook should be your guy.

If it's about putting up points then Bayless or Mayo. If it's about running a team and getting teamates involved then Augustin is as good as I've seen with this group.

It would be wrong to pigeonhole any of these guys at this stage. I'm sure after watching game tape and putting them through workouts their attributes and flaws will surface. How Presti interprets the information is what counts.

kjtruong · Post #17 » by **kjtruong** » Fri May 23, 2008 6:07 pm

I'm saying I wouldn't mind Augustine or Lawson if they could defend at their size like Lowry.

I figure when our team is ready to compete, we're going to have to deal with Paul, Williams, Rose, etc...and I don't want to have a defensive liablity there.

ISB · Post #18 » by **ISB** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:44 pm

kjtruong wrote:Can someone explain the appeal of Augustine?

A PG who has lightning quickness, superb ball handing, great court vision, and a sweet outside shot? Plus he happens to be Durant's best friend..

He'll have troubles in the NBA guarding the Baron Davis's of the world, but thats true for a lot of PGs. I don't think he'll be atrocious defensively by any means, it's just not going to be his calling card either.