fredericklove wrote:PRESTIGE wrote:
If we end up drafting 6th (I'm just saying if), and that once Irving, the jones brother, barnes and sullinger are off on the radar...and we are left with no choice but to choose one of those soft euros, then yes, I can totally see a judgment day happening on realgm.
At the rate Barnes is falling, he will not only be available, he might be available at 15. He has to work big time to just to put an end to his free fall.
As for the best pick at #4, if that were our lot, there is a reason DraftX is holding rock solid on Valanciunas at #3 and it's time we focus a little more on why.
The kid is 18, 6'11 in bare feet, with a 9-4 wingspan. But he's not the Bargnani type of skilled big man with no aggression, or Ajinca type whose size is under-utilized - he's more assertive/aggressive in a more North American kind of way. First off, as an 18 year old on a Euroleague team, he doesn't get minutes like the veterans so when he gets into a game, he attacked the offensive boards to make an impression. He's got a strong face the basket game, and a lot of what he does can be described as high energy grappling in the paint. He's a good defensive rebounder, a very promising shot blocker and intimidator. He very much needs to develop a back to the basket game, but we're talking about an 18 year old - there's time.
Oh, and he's a 90 percent free throw shooter, so he will not get hacked, at least not deliberately because on the offensive boards in particular, it's like giving up a high percentage three point play.
He's passionate about the NBA, but might have to wait until the 2012-13 season to come over. On the face of it, thats a negative, but could be great for us in two ways - first, if there is a lockout, he keeps playing at a high level so of his development isn't lost. Secondly, if there isn't a lockout, it helps us suck enough to get another high pick - so for 2012-13 we'd have two very high picks arrive at the same time, which would be a compelling thing to watch and would clearly mark the start of the way back up.
I track all his game. He gets real minutes, usually in the first half. In his last game on Wednesday, which was an upset win for Rytas in the Euroleague Round of 16, he had eight points (4-6) and seven boards (3 offensive) in 16 minutes. His numbers are larger in the Lithuanian League games, played on weekends.
I'm not picking draft favorites yet, but this kid has as much right to be in the draft conversation as any other 18 or 19 year old on the board and shouldn't be dismissed out of hand because of his skin color or nationality. He does play a position of need, comes out of a country with a history of developing good big men, is playing in higher competition than a lot of NCAA prospects, and seems to have the kind of mental makeup that one would want in a high pick. And think any big who practices 200 free throws a day is dedicated to being the best possible pro.
Just watch him, don't commit to him, don't exclude him, just don't ignore him.
I expect the RealGM servers to be down for a while if that happens.
