The What Should We Do With the 5th Pick II: IBJ Edition

[Wizards2Lottery]

IN BEFORE Ji.

Had to get it done to avoid disaster. Thank me later.

[hands11]

Why was the other thread closed. Now it's just going to drift off the board and that's were are the early predictions where made.

[miller31time]

Why was the other thread closed. Now it's just going to drift off the board and that's were are the early predictions where made.

RealGM has a policy that no thread can exceed 100 pages. If it does (or gets close), it has to be locked and a new thread about the same subject is to be made.

[pancakes3]

and also to make it harder to go back call people out on outlandish predictions.

CCJ: Blair
WizD: Mullens, Earl Clark
Doc: Curry
Me: Meeks/Buddinger

[Zerocious]

Why was the other thread closed. Now it's just going to drift off the board and that's were are the early predictions where made.

RealGM has a policy that no thread can exceed 100 pages. If it does (or gets close), it has to be locked and a new thread about the same subject is to be made.

C'mon Mills, i know you have the power to stretch the rules a bit. a finals game thread in general basketball doesn't get cut in half when it reaches 140 pages by halftime. it's only a few more days till the draft and then you can close it up, i bet it won't even go much past 120 pages.
show your good will milly!

[closg00]

Hard to predict when you don't know if we'll get a pick via the trade that is inevitable.
Just waiting til draft-day to see what happens after the smoke has cleared.

[closg00]

Why was the other thread closed. Now it's just going to drift off the board and that's were are the early predictions where made.

RealGM has a policy that no thread can exceed 100 pages. If it does (or gets close), it has to be locked and a new thread about the same subject is to be made.

The Raps draft thread is at 139 pages as of this post.

[badinage]

"Re: What Should the Wizards Should Do with the 5th Pick?
by Chocolate City Jordanaire on 13 Jun 2009 01:10

Ji wrote:
if we get Curry...how are you going to distribute minues with Areneas,Deshawn,Curry,Nick Young and Critteon. How many minutes do you all see Curry getting?

PREDICTION: This is what I think will happen if Curry's the pick at 5.

Wizards will move DeShawn, OPEC, and either James or Thomas; ALONG WITH CURRY to bring back Larry Hughes and NY's #8.

I believe Hughes will be a Wizard again and that Washington will give the Knicks Curry.

Wiz might get Duhon or someone affordable.

Wizards are determined to trade the #5 away.

At #8, watch them get Jordan Hill IF they select Curry for the Knicks.
Just waiting for the inevitable bad Wizards draft.

Jordan Hill over Curry, Evans, Harden, or Blair sounds about what will happen."

-------

I'm responding to CCJ's post, above. From the other thread. Which has been locked. Whatever. Love me some arbitrary rules.

ANYhoo ...

I don't love the idea of a deal with NY, but I am intrigued by the idea that we could get back Duhon.

I think Duhon would be, in many ways, a terrific backcourt partner for Gilb. He can hit the 3, he makes good decisions with the ball, he plays strong D, and he doesn't force the issue very often. Steady as she goes. I see the two of them as a kind of Fisher-Kobe pairing.

If, at 8, you have a Hill there, and you can dump some salary in addition -- which you'd have to do, in order to take back Duhon -- it wouldn't be such a bad thing.

One more thought ...

We keep hearing about Indy, Houston, Dallas as being interested in No. 5. We all know who we'd consider from Dallas, but who from Indy and Houston?

I would consider this offseason to be a stunning success if somehow we were able to come away with Scola, but I don't see that happening. Scola, I think, would transform this team with his ruggedness and efficiency, his nasty streak. And actually, I think Jamison would be a good fit for Houston, because his outside game would free room up in the middle for Yao to work. Only, I can't see Morey biting on Jamison. I just can't.

I don't want Landry, although I like him. And Battier, likewise, is going nowhere.

From Indy? Eh.

[Mr. Grundle]

The more I think about this draft the more I dislike it. Why do we always get caught with high picks in bad drafts? Is there any way we could deal our pick to a bad team for their 1st next year? A team bad enough to pretty much assure us a top 10 pick? What would a deal like that entail? I don't know how much future 1sts are valued in the NBA.

[miller31time]

Why was the other thread closed. Now it's just going to drift off the board and that's were are the early predictions where made.

RealGM has a policy that no thread can exceed 100 pages. If it does (or gets close), it has to be locked and a new thread about the same subject is to be made.

The Raps draft thread is at 139 pages as of this post.

Take that up with the Raps mods.

[LyricalRico]

Here's the latest on what the Wiz are doing with the #5:

On other Wizards fronts, according to insiders, they have yet to make any trade offers to opposing teams, and are simply in the exploratory stages of checking their options as far as that No. 5 pick goes both as trade bait, or as a selection for themselves. I -- and everybody else monitoring the team -- think the Wizards still are likely to trade the pick. It's just a matter of when and for what.

http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/outl ... s-shaddow/

[doclinkin]

Preserving the history:

The 08/09 Draft thread volume 1.

Volume 2. Became the Non-Wiz draft thread.

"With the 5th Pick..." volume 1 (after Lotto).

I'm not scared of my own predictions. Here's anything I have a feeling about re: the Wiz' draft:

EARLY (trade up or 5th pick)
--------
Blake (of course).
Rubio (as a trade up, then trade away piece)
Curry (will prove a true PG, plus shooting)
Harden (as a fit for the Wiz needs, key roleplayer in playoffs, quiet chemistry catalyst)

TRADE DOWN
-------------------
James Johnson (tubby now, but he'll be able to score, will prove a solid 'strong SF', eventual 'how'd he fall so far?' pick)
Eric Maynor (too skinny but he'll find a role as a distributing true PG with clutch mindset)
Nick Calathes (draft and stash if we have extra picks on a trade down)
Darren Collison (ideal low-risk back-up PG)

WITH RESERVATIONS
----------------------------
Ty Lawson (only concern is his emotional adaptation from true MVP of his team to back-up roleplayer, but another underrated champion PG)
DJ Blair (the knees, but then again the toughness)
Terrence Williams (Team game. The defense, the personality, training with Gary Payton. Something about this kid, more I watch him the more I like him. Can the squad afford another facilitator type? We have a ton of offense)


SOLID LATE PICKS (or 2nd round)
----------------
Danny Green (reliable, has a role off any bench with: defense + 3pt gunning)
jeff pendergraph (dependable defensive Big with low-post skills)
Jack McClinton (deep range gunner with a ton of skitter to his game, reliable bench scorer)
Sam Young (Solid prototypical SF)

DRAFT AND STASH
-------------------------
Nando de Colo
Rod Beaubois

UNDERRATED
------------------
This draft class taken as a whole. There are fewer sure fire allstars, but a number of solid role players. also:
Alade Aminu. (but I don't see the role for him here).
Jon Brockman (deep bench hustlef8ck who can weaken 'em with body blows. Adds 'energy' and 'force'...)
Taylor Griffin (fine career in Europe awaits)

A TON OF ATHLETICISM AND ONE WILL BREAK OUT BUT I'M NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO PICK for this squad, especially with a high pick. AKA: Possible 'Potential vs Production' projects
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tyreke Evans (needs the ball to be effective, can't shoot yet)
DeMar DeRozan (what's his position?)
Earl Clark (LeBron stopper or headache? the 3/4 Blatche redux?)
Jrue Holliday (hasn't yet found his role)

PLAYERS I"D BE FINE WITH (on trade down especially) BUT NOT EXCITED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Henderson
Chase
Jordan Hill (if we trade away a frontcourt player and pick up a player of need at 2-guard but keep the pick)

PLAYERS I'M INTRIGUED WITH BUT NOT CONFIDENT ABOUT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aaron Jackson
Marcus Thornton

Mostly a moot point since we'll probably trade every pick we have...

[doclinkin]

Nice 3-on-3 footage with Terrence Williams and Nick Calathes and others. Nick has one really pretty sequence of moves in a one-on-one. The Kings put up high quality vids.

This one with Earl Clark vs James Johnson. Scrappy scrimmage. Got to say earl Clark looks so smooth for his size.

[AgentOvechkin08]

I dont know why Earl Clark is not getting a lot of love. The guy can play 3 positions and has all the tools and a ton of potential to get even better.

I would not mind him in a trade down. He has the talent to be a top 5 pick. He could be a rich mans Rashard Lewis. He can handle, more athletic, very long, and has a good jumper.

[DallasShalDune]

There are so many one-dimensional players in this draft, by the looks of it, that it makes it hard to love ANYBODY available. I'm thinking that Harden looks solid, so I hope we nab him, or trade up for Rubio.

What is ideal is to trade the pick for a vet SG. Ginobili (I personally liked that rumor). Rip (Homecoming). Maybe even Redd or Allen if nothing else is available (I'd rather not have Redd, though, because he is the epitome of one-dimensional).

Giving up the pick and maybe Jamison or Butler for Amare, which has been suggested by a lot of people, doesn't seem too bad of an idea. The idea of having Okafor here seems appealing too, but none of these great players coming to DC seems feasible, especially with the weak draft. Where would Jamison play? Would they take him in a trade? I think not.

All in all, I bet we end up with Harden.

[Kanyewest]

There are so many one-dimensional players in this draft, by the looks of it, that it makes it hard to love ANYBODY available. I'm thinking that Harden looks solid, so I hope we nab him, or trade up for Rubio.

What is ideal is to trade the pick for a vet SG. Ginobili (I personally liked that rumor). Rip (Homecoming). Maybe even Redd or Allen if nothing else is available (I'd rather not have Redd, though, because he is the epitome of one-dimensional).

Giving up the pick and maybe Jamison or Butler for Amare, which has been suggested by a lot of people, doesn't seem too bad of an idea. The idea of having Okafor here seems appealing too, but none of these great players coming to DC seems feasible, especially with the weak draft. Where would Jamison play? Would they take him in a trade? I think not.

All in all, I bet we end up with Harden.

Wizards Insider said there is nothing to the rumor. The Spurs asked what it would take to get the #5 pick. The Wizards answered Ginobli and then the talks stopped then.

It unclear whether James Harden lasts as long; it's rumored he will go as high as number 2.

[Kanyewest]

Preserving the history:

The 08/09 Draft thread volume 1.

Volume 2. Became the Non-Wiz draft thread.

"With the 5th Pick..." volume 1 (after Lotto).

I'm not scared of my own predictions. Here's anything I have a feeling about re: the Wiz' draft:

EARLY (trade up or 5th pick)
--------
Blake (of course).
Rubio (as a trade up, then trade away piece)
Curry (will prove a true PG, plus shooting)
Harden (as a fit for the Wiz needs, key roleplayer in playoffs, quiet chemistry catalyst)

TRADE DOWN
-------------------
James Johnson (tubby now, but he'll be able to score, will prove a solid 'strong SF', eventual 'how'd he fall so far?' pick)
Eric Maynor (too skinny but he'll find a role as a distributing true PG with clutch mindset)
Nick Calathes (draft and stash if we have extra picks on a trade down)
Darren Collison (ideal low-risk back-up PG)

WITH RESERVATIONS
----------------------------
Ty Lawson (only concern is his emotional adaptation from true MVP of his team to back-up roleplayer, but another underrated champion PG)
DJ Blair (the knees, but then again the toughness)
Terrence Williams (Team game. The defense, the personality, training with Gary Payton. Something about this kid, more I watch him the more I like him. Can the squad afford another facilitator type? We have a ton of offense)


SOLID LATE PICKS (or 2nd round)
----------------
Danny Green (reliable, has a role off any bench with: defense + 3pt gunning)
jeff pendergraph (dependable defensive Big with low-post skills)
Jack McClinton (deep range gunner with a ton of skitter to his game, reliable bench scorer)
Sam Young (Solid prototypical SF)

DRAFT AND STASH
-------------------------
Nando de Colo
Rod Beaubois

UNDERRATED
------------------
This draft class taken as a whole. There are fewer sure fire allstars, but a number of solid role players. also:
Alade Aminu. (but I don't see the role for him here).
Jon Brockman (deep bench hustlef8ck who can weaken 'em with body blows. Adds 'energy' and 'force'...)
Taylor Griffin (fine career in Europe awaits)

A TON OF ATHLETICISM AND ONE WILL BREAK OUT BUT I'M NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO PICK for this squad, especially with a high pick. AKA: Possible 'Potential vs Production' projects
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tyreke Evans (needs the ball to be effective, can't shoot yet)
DeMar DeRozan (what's his position?)
Earl Clark (LeBron stopper or headache? the 3/4 Blatche redux?)
Jrue Holliday (hasn't yet found his role)

PLAYERS I"D BE FINE WITH (on trade down especially) BUT NOT EXCITED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Henderson
Chase
Jordan Hill (if we trade away a frontcourt player and pick up a player of need at 2-guard but keep the pick)

PLAYERS I'M INTRIGUED WITH BUT NOT CONFIDENT ABOUT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aaron Jackson
Marcus Thornton

Mostly a moot point since we'll probably trade every pick we have...

Italicized is what I agree with and the bolded is I guess we have to disagree.

1) Nick Calathes; I would be happy with with a 2nd rounder but not a 1st rounder.

2) Darren Collison: same as Calathes

3) I agree that in potential vs production, there is a high risk/reward. But that's what EG is paid to do. As terms of a fit,

4) I like DeRoazan's frame and mid range game. While he's friends with Nick Young, he s a much better rebounder and even plays a some defense. He's actually less than 2 weeks older than Harden.

5) Tyreke Evans did a pretty good job keeping Memphis competitive with a team that lost Derrik Rose, CDR, and Dorsey. Maybe Evans learned something from Callipari .

6) James Harden- from what I've seen from him in games, granted only 2-3 times, nothing has jumped out at me. He's called a winner but he certainly didn't help his cause in the NCAA tournament. He's helped make Arizona State relevant again. Maybe there's something behind the scenes that we don't see like how he's a leader inside the locker room. People compare him to Paul Pierce and Caron Butler but I just don't see it. Aside from shooting, I don't see what separates him from Gerald Henderson (who I don't like that much). He is young and if his role on the Wizards is simply to b a defender and knock down the open 3 I would be fine with that.

7) Stephen Curry: as of this moment, I like him more than Harden but a bit less than the high potential/risk guys in Evans and DeRoazan. If he has the tools to become a solid defender, I take him even if it's only on point guards. Remember Gilbert has had problems with his defense as well. With Curry stretching the floor will make it that much easier for Gilbert Arenas can get to the rim; he also provides insurance if Gilbert isn't healthy. I also like the scenario of just drafting him and trading him to the highest bidder.

Overall, while I think the Wizards could use someone who could step in right away, I just don't see the Wizards becoming true contenders this season because the roster as a whole lacks enough playoff experience especially with the young guys. I think the Wizards realistically should pick someone who can step in but improve down the line.

[Optms]

They should keep the pick because more than likely they aren't going to get a player back who is going to make them an instant contender against next years Celtics, Cavs, or Lakers, Orlando. And a lot of teams out in the league today are improving rapidly especially in the East. Denver is going to make another run at it as well. And a lot of teams in the East are all improving quickly such as Chicago with Rose blossoming, Hawks, Sixers and even the Bobcats. Unless Washington can snag an immediate star, hopefully for Jamison and fillers, to improve upon some defensive areas, then yes. I see this team, with a broken down Arenas making a serious run at it.

Wizards should look at Evans. I love his ball handling skills and play making ability and I strongly believe this is a guy outside of Griffin that has a strong chance to be a potential super star in this league. I see him as a slasher who can break teams defensive schemes and absolutely kill them once he gets in the lanes and can either score with his strong frame or look to pass as he's got point guard skills. He can improve upon his jumper as he matures as he still young. He has an amazing NBA body already. Very young and extremely talented. He's one player I'd love to see playing along side Arenas. If Harden is off the boards, I would not be disappointed as a Wizards fan taking him.

[Ruzious]

I dont know why Earl Clark is not getting a lot of love. The guy can play 3 positions and has all the tools and a ton of potential to get even better.

I would not mind him in a trade down. He has the talent to be a top 5 pick. He could be a rich mans Rashard Lewis. He can handle, more athletic, very long, and has a good jumper.

To me, it's toughness (physical and mental) and intensity. He's just not strong/tough enough to play PF in the NBA, imo, so then at the 3, he has to show he's going to nail the 3 and be comfortable out on the perimeter. But there're just too much Jared Jeffries similarities to make me feel confident in him.

[Ruzious]

One player we haven't talked about enough is Johnny Flynn. I would have never guessed he's the 195 lbs he measured in at, and that really raises him in my eyes - 30 lbs heavier than Maynor. This guy is... really good. And if he develops a decent 3 point shot, he'll be a star. He's just super tough and super quick/explosive. He's like Lawson - you can't stop either one from getting in the lane. Lawson is a little better distributor, open shooter, and more of a pure point, while Flynn is a better scorer and a tad more explosive. I think Flynn steps in as a rookie and puts up big numbers - because he's got that extra level of intensity and confidence. Lawson being more the type who works within the team framework, will likely take more time to get acclimated. I would love to have either one.