Notes from Jonathan Givony

[big3_8_19_21]

2 articles about the combine by Givony - one for DX one for nba.com:
http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/Jonath ... ition-3235
http://www.nba.com/2009/news/05/28/comb ... index.html

What I found interesting:
Lawson has very little, if any, positive buzz. Called injury prone and a product of the system by others, there is an anonymous quote saying he is "100% behind Flynn." It doesn't look like he will go in the lottery.

Larry Brown is high on Curry...also:

Curry is getting love from teams as high up as Washington and also has a chance to be drafted 6th (Minnesota) or 7th (Golden State). While the Knicks clearly like him, he isn’t the only player they will consider—the other top candidates on their board currently appear to be Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday.

Holiday looked great skill wise and physically. Curry, Flynn and Beaubois were the other stand outs in the PG group (Beaubois mostly for his physical attributes).

Henderson's athleticism was on full display - and Jermaine Taylor's athleticism is actually very close to Henderson's.

Daye showed off incredible smoothness and his shots barely touched net going in.

DeRozan/T-Will look impressive athletically, but need to polish up their game

B.J. Mullens looked very impressive with his athleticism, great touch around the hoop and some decent framework for a perimeter shot

[Esohny]

Mmm. I'd much prefer Holiday to Curry.

[Twizman]

Curry is GREAT

[collin_k41]

No to Curry at 6...we don't need another undersized SG.

[revprodeji]

I am hearing Curry shocked a lot of people with his athletic ability. Collin---he is a pg prospect.

[john2jer]

Not for this team, though. He'd need to be paired with a big guard, and we don't have that. I want size out of this draft.

[Vega06]

Miller and Brewer are big guards. Foye is not starting material. I don't know why everyone assumes he'll be starting.

I agree we need to make it a priority to get bigger though I'm starting to prefer Holiday over Curry.

[4ho5ive]

I agree, a 6'3/6'3 backcourt of barely passable defense doesnt cut it for me, especially if we dont get bigger in the front court. I like Curry, just not here at #6.

Evans/Clark-Mullens-Teague/Summers for me. If we can manage to put hands on Holiday i would love that.

[collin_k41]

He may be a PG prospect but I don't know if I see him ever becoming a true pg. He's athletic, he can shoot like few others can, he definitely has BBIQ, but I think j2j said it best that he needs to be paired with a big guard. He and Foye paired in the backcourt would be bad news for us. I would be fine if we drafted DeRozan, then traded up to draft Curry but I just don't see validity in drafting him #6 unless we can, again, trade up to get gerald henderson or someone like him.

[Esohny]

Miller will probably be traded, and Brewer should not be a starting 2 guard.

[ChazzleDazzle]

I don't think it's safe to assume anyone is in the long term plans at this point other than Jefferson and Love (or whoever we get by trading Love and the #6) so the players picked or brought in just have to build the core that will run whatever style the new staff is after.

Curry is the best compliment to Jefferson, as he's fully capable of handling the ball, initiating the offense, making an (occasionally nifty) entry pass and, most importantly, nailing the outside jumpers on a pnr/p or kickout.

He's also a savvy defender who plays passing lanes well.

For now, a three guard rotation of Curry, Foye and Brewer would do just fine, I think.

[IcemanMN]

I like Curry + Jefferson + Love. What this all shows is, the Wolves need a starting SG, not just a starting PG, out of this offseason. A lot of holes to fill.

[horaceworthy]

He may be a PG prospect but I don't know if I see him ever becoming a true pg. He's athletic, he can shoot like few others can, he definitely has BBIQ, but I think j2j said it best that he needs to be paired with a big guard. He and Foye paired in the backcourt would be bad news for us. I would be fine if we drafted DeRozan, then traded up to draft Curry but I just don't see validity in drafting him #6 unless we can, again, trade up to get gerald henderson or someone like him.

We don't have to stop adding players after we use the #6. We could try to find a big guard with the #18, our various expirings, dealing from the guys who aren't part of our core (which I look at as Jefferson/Love at the moment). Curry has good size for a PG, a strong handle, good court vision and a killer jumper like his creates a lot of passing angles for PG's (see Nash, Billups, Cassell, etc.). He also gets underrated as an athlete because he looks like he's 12. Whatever PG we have will need to be paired with a bigger guard than Foye, just as whatever big guard we draft will have to be paired with a better PG than Foye or Telfair. There's no single player in this draft who fills both holes.

[john2jer]

Evans and Foye wouldn't be a bad pairing. Evans defends shooting guards, Foye defends points. Evans runs the offense, Foye can shoot, both can attack. Both can rebound.

[invno1]

Curry does kinda seem like Sam, and will demand some attention making the inside game alot less crowed. He also can put the ball in the hole, even on an oft night, Curry contributes well. Maybe Timberwolves go in another direction, we dont know.
Interesting to see L. Brown showing some love, and Brown really value's defense so the whole Curry is a inadquate defender is prolly an old idea, his steals are good.
Maybe Phi still has a crush on Foye?

[dunkonu21]

I agree with u horace. I'd say whoever we pick at #6 is more part of our long term plan than Foye or Brewer or any other ball handling player we have for that matter.

[invno1]

Foye just seems to have a very low BBIQ, putting his head down and driving to the hoop, or tossing up shot that just really dosent go with the flow, instead of playing with whats happening in the game he just kinda seems to make his mind up and do that regardless of what's happening. Larry Brown could prolly turn things around for Foye but as a Timberwolves fan I would rather see the whole thing just go away.....He has to have some value as a sixth or seventh man on a good team. Y'all are right Timberwolves are not looking for someone to pair with Foye to minimize his shortcomings

[JMillott]

Foye is simply getting crapped on because he isn't the PG many of thought he could be and he isn't a top of the roster SG either.

Foye should absolutely be projected as the Wolves starting SG they just need to understand that he needs to become the third option before this team turns the corner. On a good team Foye should be more of a 10-12 shots per game who can really light it up from time to time.

He just isn't good enough to handle the load of a top 2 guy on a capable team.

[dunkonu21]

On the same note as JMillott. Foye could be comparable to Odom to the Lakers. He aint a Kobe, cause he doesn't have that fire...but he is deeply talented and when motivated he can be one of those guys that just makes u shake your head cause he's so damn good.

I'm frustrated with Foye, but I don't think Wolves fans need to give up on him.

[big3_8_19_21]

I don't think most people have given up on him so much as realized what he is and is not. He can be an effective scorer off the bench 3rd/4th option, but he's not "the man" and he's not a point guard.