2011 NBA Draft Discussion Thread (Lottery Tonight!)

[can o peas]

here is ford's write-up that he tweeted about over the weekend. he moved bismack up to 11 from 16, and sounds like he thinks lucas should spend a year overseas.

2011 NBA draft prospects
Bismack Biyombo, PF, Congo
Top 100 Rank: 11

Many of the scouts and GMs who came to Portland, Ore., made the trip just to get a good look at Biyombo. Over the course of the last month or so he's become one of the hottest names in the NBA draft, but only a handful of scouts and GMs had a good handle on who he was. Seeing him playing against future NBA lottery picks certainly helped.

And they weren't disappointed. Biyombo wowed all week with his toughness, athleticism, shot-blocking abilities, leadership and motor. He was a defensive powerhouse with a Ben Wallace-esque body and a crazy 7-foot-7 wingspan.

In Saturday's game Biyombo dominated on the defensive end, recording a crazy 12-point, 11-rebound, 10-block game against Team USA in 28 minutes. He was simply dominant in the paint. Offensively, he's much more of a mixed bag. He can clearly finish around the basket -- but short of dunks, there isn't much to fall in love with right now.

That, however, hasn't deterred scouts, who, in a draft like this, would take a Ben Wallace type of player. The question for NBA teams is: Is Biyombo more Saer Sene (who once blocked nine shots in a Hoop Summit game and ended up as a top-10 pick) or is he Serge Ibaka? Given the evidence both in Portland and in Spain, where he's been playing significant minutes in the best pro league in Europe (the ACB), they're leaning strongly toward Ibaka.

Biyombo has declared for the draft. If he stays in, he's likely a late lottery to mid-first-round pick.

Lucas Nogueira, C, Brazil
Top 100 Rank: 33

Nogueira was on the radar screen before Biyombo. His dominant performance against Team USA in the under-18s this summer drew rave reviews from scouts. But since then, he's been toiling away on a low-level Spanish team. Could Nogueira repeat the magic that saw him post 22 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks against Team USA this summer?

Not so much. Nogueira played just 13 minutes, scored four points, grabbed six boards and blocked a shot. He also has a crazy wingspan and excellent athleticism, but unlike Biyombo, he desperately needs to add weight and polish to his game.

While scouts say he'd likely get drafted in the first round if he declared for the draft, another year in Europe filling out that body and polishing his game could make him a lottery pick in 2012.

[TrueWarrior]

Well in saying if freshmen pull out.... Perry Jones announced that he will be returning to school via the Baylor twitter feed. So thats another player that will make everyone else move up a spot, hurting us. Him and Sullinger were sure fire top 5 picks, so if Barnes, Knight, Thompson, and T. Jones all return also this is draft is going to be straight ass cheese. Maybe the worst in history. Next year will be epic and we wont be involved.

Meh. Good thing we're in the playoffs. The draft is going to be hella lame.

[captain subtext]

Lol, I think we're gonna end up with Jimmer Fredette.

I still don't think Jimmer makes it past the second Jazz Pick (#12 right now). That's a "Get fans in the seats to watch a bad team"-Move they won't pass up.


Bad news for the Knicks if true:
"I'm hearing Harrison Barnes will stay @ UNC. Remarkable to keep all 3 - Lockout must have kids scared"

...tweeted by ESPN's Scott Van Pelt today.

That would be, what, the fourth or fifth potential lottery pick to go back to school? (Sullinger, Perry Jones, Tristan Thompson, Henson,...)


Gonna be slim pickings at #17.

[Manhattan Project]

It's funny the year some players are choosing to go back to school. If this was any other year they would be touted as smart to refine their game and get better, but the lockout that is looming makes people think otherwise.

Even with this recent blow, I still like our pick and who we can land.

[N8Knick12]

We should trade the pick if we can, this draft just keeps getting worse.

[Johnny Hoops]

Listening to Bucher on Doug Gottlieb radio show yesterday and Bucher said word on street (talking to NBA execs) is that is possible 30 of the 60 2011 draft picks could be foreign players.

I think he also said after # 3 --- next 4-5 picks were going to be foreign players.

He claimed teams have been trying to stash (hide) guys internationally (maybe like Knicks did with Moz)...but maybe not exact situation.

I'm sure 30 is way high but we could see a much heavier International flavor this year and maybe Knicks are already hiding someone themselves.

[Manhattan Project]

Jonas Valanciunas
Bismack Biyombo
Enes Kanter
Jan Vesely
Donatas Motiejunas
Nikola Mirotic
Bojan Bogdanovic
Xavi Rabaseda
Lucas Nogueira
Davis Bertans

Late second round picks:
Giorgi Shermadini
Michael Dunigan
Jeremy Tyler
Augusto Lima
Nihad Djedovic
Leon Radosevic [Signed extension]
Tomislav Zubcic [Signed extension]
Pablo Aguilar

That's 18 players and I was being fair with some of the late second round picks. 30 of 60, I honestly just can't see it.

[ibraheim718]

chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Sources say Wolves, Cavs, Raptors, Jazz and Kings would all take Kyrie Irving 1. Wizards, Pistons & Bucks - Barnes or Derrick Williams
15 minutes ago

This pencil neck Kahn probably will take Irving if they get the no.1 pick...smdh.

[captain subtext]

This pencil neck Kahn probably will take Irving if they get the no.1 pick...smdh.

Why wouldn't he? They have no PG.

[NBA Fan 1234]

I think it's really interesting that some people are worried about the lockout but others aren't.

Malcom Lee is entering the draft...I remember when draft guys were saying he's going to be lottery pick because of his strong showing playing with team USA (I think). Now he's a late first/borderline second...funny how that happens.

[moocow007]

I think it's really interesting that some people are worried about the lockout but others aren't.

Malcom Lee is entering the draft...I remember when draft guys were saying he's going to be lottery pick because of his strong showing playing with team USA (I think). Now he's a late first/borderline second...funny how that happens.

I would have at least thought that no one would commit (not withdraw and/or hire an agent) until at least the last minute just so they might be able to get a vibe or feel on whether there's a lockout or not. But apparently some of these guys either don't know or don't care that there might be a lockout, or if they know don't know what that means. Others, I'm guessing they are using the "hey I may not get drafted or may not go in the 1st round normally but with all these other guys pulling out I might" logic. But yeah, I said quite a while back that a lot of teams will probably be looking to draft "Euros" so that they won't have to worry about signing contracts right away and possibly wasting a year of rookie contract. Biyombo definitely gone by the time the Knicks pick unless they find he's 30 years old. Would not be totally surprised if Bebe also is gone.

[moocow007]

Jonas Valanciunas
Bismack Biyombo
Enes Kanter
Jan Vesely
Donatas Motiejunas
Nikola Mirotic
Bojan Bogdanovic
Xavi Rabaseda
Lucas Nogueira
Davis Bertans

Late second round picks:
Giorgi Shermadini
Michael Dunigan
Jeremy Tyler
Augusto Lima
Nihad Djedovic
Leon Radosevic [Signed extension]
Tomislav Zubcic [Signed extension]
Pablo Aguilar

That's 18 players and I was being fair with some of the late second round picks. 30 of 60, I honestly just can't see it.

I think the point of teams going Euro is so they won't have to worry about them wasting one year of (cheap) rookie scale contracts on a guy that they will have to sign in the 1st and also not having to have to worry about having the guy sit around collecting dust in the meantime.

To which...Kanter and Tyler probably wouldn't qualify. Kanter, from what I've read, has basically been sitting around all season (after being ineligle to play for Kentucky) and Jermey Tyler has already walked out on his Japanese team, isn't under contract. Both guys would technically will have nothing better to do than to push to sign right away.

Also...if Tyler does well during workouts (likely) he may actually sneak right into the 1st round. The size and athleticism will still outweigh the laziness and reported bad prima donna attitude.

[Johnny Hoops]

Dumb question here but could we just simply sign someone like a Jeremy Tyler before the draft since he isn't in the NCAA and hasn't been drafted or would that have to come after 7-1-11 if he wasn't drafted at all?

Just wondering how something like that might be similar with what we did with Moz last year --- post July 1st.

[NBA Fan 1234]

Dumb question here but could we just simply sign someone like a Jeremy Tyler before the draft since he isn't in the NCAA and hasn't been drafted or would that have to come after 7-1-11 if he wasn't drafted at all?

Just wondering how something like that might be similar with what we did with Moz last year --- post July 1st.

You can't just sign players if they didn't enter the draft...they need to go undrafted. If he goes undrafted, then after the draft we can sign him. Moz went undrafted and that's what allowed us to sign him.

I think it's really interesting that some people are worried about the lockout but others aren't.

Malcom Lee is entering the draft...I remember when draft guys were saying he's going to be lottery pick because of his strong showing playing with team USA (I think). Now he's a late first/borderline second...funny how that happens.

I would have at least thought that no one would commit (not withdraw and/or hire an agent) until at least the last minute just so they might be able to get a vibe or feel on whether there's a lockout or not. But apparently some of these guys either don't know or don't care that there might be a lockout, or if they know don't know what that means. Others, I'm guessing they are using the "hey I may not get drafted or may not go in the 1st round normally but with all these other guys pulling out I might" logic. But yeah, I said quite a while back that a lot of teams will probably be looking to draft "Euros" so that they won't have to worry about signing contracts right away and possibly wasting a year of rookie contract. Biyombo definitely gone by the time the Knicks pick unless they find he's 30 years old. Would not be totally surprised if Bebe also is gone.

The bolded is what I thought initially...but it could end up hurting them if they go undrafted. So it's a high risk high reward kind of thing. It would make sense to stockpile players that have high potential overseas so the idea that many European players will be drafted makes a lot of sense.

As for Biyombo...I really hope that someone finds out his real age and just releases that info. I want to draft him, but if he really is 18, he's gone way before us. If he's closer to 21/22, he's still worth our pick IMO. Following what happens with his draft stock is going to be interesting because ever since he came onto the draft scene, he's been flying up draft boards.

[Manhattan Project]

I think the point of teams going Euro is so they won't have to worry about them wasting one year of (cheap) rookie scale contracts on a guy that they will have to sign in the 1st and also not having to have to worry about having the guy sit around collecting dust in the meantime.

To which...Kanter and Tyler probably wouldn't qualify. Kanter, from what I've read, has basically been sitting around all season (after being ineligle to play for Kentucky) and Jermey Tyler has already walked out on his Japanese team, isn't under contract. Both guys would technically will have nothing better to do than to push to sign right away.

Also...if Tyler does well during workouts (likely) he may actually sneak right into the 1st round. The size and athleticism will still outweigh the laziness and reported bad prima donna attitude.

I understand why they would go Euro, but at the end of the day I don't see many teams reaching on marginal talent to essentially save two million dollars. I can see more teams selling picks rather than wasting them.

Kanter and Tyler I just added because well I was trying to reach 30. Kanter has been allowed to practice with the team I thought, that had to help playing with the talent they have. Tyler was switching teams and countries every other week and I completely stopped following. I honestly don't know anything about him anymore. First round? That's a damn good Chicago to justify him going in the first. Same situation with Dunigan, amazing soft hands, excellent back to the basket game and absolutely nothing else.

Ive actually see a lot of these players a few times [thanks to X-Box 360 and ESPN partnering up. They have the foreign games from a lot of the leagues, well worth the watch for anyone interested.]

A lot of these guys have that swing man mentality and can really stroke it. I absolutely love Bojan Bogdanovic even though he doesn't fill a pressing need, certainly someone that really impresses me.

[NBA Fan 1234]

Selby is officially entering the draft...stupid stupid stupid move.

[Manhattan Project]

Selby is officially entering the draft...stupid stupid stupid move.

He said a week ago that he was, it was REALLY STUPID then. Now? Less stupid. I mean with all the players that pulled put he will go first. He will probably go somewhere in the twenties, but I think a team is really going to have to be committed in making him a combo guard. Nice change of pace guard off the bench.

[KnickScoop]

selby is melo's boy.. suspended when he was tied to melo's manager... BMORE...

he was number one hs player in a system that didnt make him the man...
he would actually be a better fit in the nba.. there is no point of him going back to a kansas team where he will have a similar role and entering an even deeper draft... could prove to be a steal for some team

I would love for knicks to buy a later first or some seconds to get cheap young prospects like selby tobias harris honeycutt malcom lee and see how they develop... they all have tons more talent than rautins

[NBA Fan 1234]

Selby is officially entering the draft...stupid stupid stupid move.

He said a week ago that he was, it was REALLY STUPID then. Now? Less stupid. I mean with all the players that pulled put he will go first. He will probably go somewhere in the twenties, but I think a team is really going to have to be committed in making him a combo guard. Nice change of pace guard off the bench.

I guess it's less stupid now that people have been pulling out left and right...it's going to be interesting to see where he goes. He has talent, but he proved absolutely nothing this year (injury problems and he was unable to play his role with Kansas).

[ibraheim718]

This pencil neck Kahn probably will take Irving if they get the no.1 pick...smdh.

Why wouldn't he? They have no PG.

The dude drafted Rubio and Flynn then signed Sessions and then signed Ridnour and now he's going to draft Irving. What is he going to keep drafting and signing point guards every year for the rest of his tenure. If he can't evaluate the position good enough he shouldn't have a freaking job to beging with. He should stick with Ridnour and draft a SG.