2011 DRAFT blather goes here. Part 3...

[mohammed10]

I'm not thrilled with this. I'm not sure if I would trade McGee straight up for Williams. I'm just not convinced that Williams is a can't-miss star. I'm also real tired of relying upon woefully inexperienced big man to handle defensive rotations.

I've got no problems with drafting Biyombo at #6. Hoopalotta already laid out our plan if we draft him. We leave him overseas for a year during the lockout, while simulataneously trying to pump up Seraphin's value. Next summer, we trade Seraphin for another piece and bring Biyombo over.

nate - I see your point. However, I think DWill answers our issues at the 4 and allows us to pair up Wall with a potentially dynamic big for the forseeable future, a la OKC (Durant and Westbrook).

We all agree that Biyombo would be a certifiable risk at #6. He could be the next Ibaka...or he could be the next Pecherov.

[mohammed10]

Team needs help now though. What does it tell your fanbase and your team that we're picking 6th and we're picking a guy who won't be here until 2013? Draft and stash would be the worse move we could make IMO.

[Illuminaire]

You tell your fanbase how it is - you think he's the best player available, and you're committed to making the right decisions to make this team great, even if it means a few less ticket sales.

I'd prefer that then a front office that makes splashy moves just because they're splashy. Also, see Nate's post. We're looking at tier 3 and 4 players here. Guys with potential who are raw, or guys who can be rotation players but nothing more.

You can't make the draft into something it's not. Either you take your chances with the raw talent, or you resign yourself to a replacement level player on the cheap. I'd prefer the first choice this year, since we're not gearing up to be a competitive playoff team until our bigs show they can help us win during the regular season.

[Hoopalotta]

I've got two stashers up top of my "who I expect to see at 6" board - Johny Valentine and the Congolese Appendage. After that, I'm thinking the 'Mericans Leonard and Knight (with Knight looking better if he measures out longish and/or is still growing).

As Nate was saying, we're not likely to win games because of an incoming rookie playing a large role well, so impact is quite peripheral to my thinking. If winning is a priority next year, we should just throw money at a starting small forward.

One nice aspect of a stash is it pushes a (hopefully productive) rookie scale contract a year further down our payroll, so that'll help balance the books some years out. As is, we've got a whole Pitsnoggle of guys coming off the books at once - though admittedly there might be more trade bait in there than anything - so this would make for better timing with the cap crimping downward.

[Rafael122]

So because we're not going to win it's OK to draft and stash players? Meh. I'd take Leonard if that were the case, he's able to help us out now, and there's still some upside there. Draft and stash is a luxury, and it's something we cannot afford to do at this point.

[pcbothwel]

I am offically on the Leonard/Valanciunas bandwagon. I think Leonard is quickly developing his wing skills and will be a stronger version of Ariza. The main difference I see is that Leonard is a gym rat and i think him and Wall will feed off each other with their work ethic. Leonard may never be a superstar, but he WILL NOT BUST.
I've shown my affinity for JV for a few months now and I am not backing off now. He is already physically maturing and when he shows up for workouts and measurements, people on this board will be suprised how much muscle he has put on over the past year. Those angry about him staying over for another year are underestimating the benefits. (1) It pushes back his rookie contract while he receives more work in Europe and (2) It gives us flexibility when dealing with McGee's extension as nate previously mentioned.

Ideally, I would take Leonard @ 6 and trade #18 plus Blatche to move up and take Valanciunas.

[RT31]

well, at #6, I'm leaning towards Leonard. hopefully he can improve his 3pt shot and be a lock down defender. He'd understudy to Rashard for a year and be our permanent SF of the future.

Vesley's intriguing, but i keep thinking Darius Miles when I watch video of him. The guy can run, jump and dunk....but that's about it. <50% FT shooting? what the crap is that about?

gotta love the latest DX post on Leonard on 5/15:

Amongst all the prospects we saw here, Leonard may be the biggest beneficiary of Impact's on-court training. He's a ridiculous physical specimen with no body fat, long arms, and giant hands, but has room to improve skill-wise. He's been able to take advantage of his time here to the fullest since he loves being in the gym.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kaw ... z1MicFEvKU
http://www.draftexpress.com

Physical specimen, loves being in the gym...sign me up!

[RT31]

So because we're not going to win it's OK to draft and stash players? Meh. I'd take Leonard if that were the case, he's able to help us out now, and there's still some upside there. Draft and stash is a luxury, and it's something we cannot afford to do at this point.

agree 100%
draft n stash, in my opinion, a better strategy for top teams that have their roster set. draft/stash and bring euros over as your talent ages. not for teams at the bottom looking to get better. I don't mind draft/stash with lower picks, but not with #6.

[LyricalRico]

So because we're not going to win it's OK to draft and stash players? Meh. I'd take Leonard if that were the case, he's able to help us out now, and there's still some upside there. Draft and stash is a luxury, and it's something we cannot afford to do at this point.

Leonard has been creeping up my board as well. If the organization isn't sold on any of the bigs in this draft, maybe he becomes the target.

Assuming that Charlotte wants whatever big is still on the board when we pick, maybe Lewis+6 for Diaw+Livingston+Najera+Caroll+9? Works great if we can get Leonard at #9. Follow up with Faried at #18, then deal Blatche for Gortat and we'd be pretty deep.

McGee/Gortat
Diaw/Booker/Faried
Leonard/Najera
Young/Crawford
Wall/Livingston

Booker and Faried fight it out for the starting spot next year and we have even more cap space to make other moves.

[Rafael122]

well, at #6, I'm leaning towards Leonard. hopefully he can improve his 3pt shot and be a lock down defender. He'd understudy to Rashard for a year and be our permanent SF of the future.

Vesley's intriguing, but i keep thinking Darius Miles when I watch video of him. The guy can run, jump and dunk....but that's about it. <50% FT shooting? what the crap is that about?

gotta love the latest DX post on Leonard on 5/15:

Amongst all the prospects we saw here, Leonard may be the biggest beneficiary of Impact's on-court training. He's a ridiculous physical specimen with no body fat, long arms, and giant hands, but has room to improve skill-wise. He's been able to take advantage of his time here to the fullest since he loves being in the gym.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kaw ... z1MicFEvKU
http://www.draftexpress.com

Physical specimen, loves being in the gym...sign me up!

The only problem is he can't shoot. But if he can develop a jumper, then I wouldn't mind this pick. He can guard 3 positions, so he'd be a beast defensively. I'm warming up to him.

[fishercob]

Rico, of all your ridiculousness, listing Najera as a SF might take the cake. The guy can barely walk now.

[Wizardspride]

However, I think DWill answers our issues at the 4

Personally, I'm not at all sure if DWill answers all of our issues at the 4.

Heck, I'm not sure if he is a 4.

[Illuminaire]

If Diaw is starting for us, we have already failed. =p

Meanwhile: What's with all the hate for "draft-n-stash?" I mean, removing the emotional component of wanting someone new, shiny, and preferably talented to root for, what's the actual problem with that? We're not talking about long term stashes here, we're talking about letting Europe rent them for one year, which is possibly a lockout year anyways.

[Dat2U]

Frankly I'd be happy if we came out this draft with Singleton & Faried.

Not sold on Jonas. Not overly impressed with Leonard or Vesely. I hate the Marion comparisons for Leonard. Leonard is not the hyper athletic freak of nature Marion is. Marion is such a unique player, I don't see anything incredibly unique or special about Leonard.

I'd be happy if Walker falls. Like doc says Walker is baller. I'd even be happy if Kanter falls.

One could make a case for Biyombo. He's the wild card in my opinion.

Right now if the draft goes how I think it will go its going to be between Singleton, Faried & Biyombo for me.

[TGW]

well, at #6, I'm leaning towards Leonard. hopefully he can improve his 3pt shot and be a lock down defender. He'd understudy to Rashard for a year and be our permanent SF of the future.

Vesley's intriguing, but i keep thinking Darius Miles when I watch video of him. The guy can run, jump and dunk....but that's about it. <50% FT shooting? what the crap is that about?

gotta love the latest DX post on Leonard on 5/15:

Amongst all the prospects we saw here, Leonard may be the biggest beneficiary of Impact's on-court training. He's a ridiculous physical specimen with no body fat, long arms, and giant hands, but has room to improve skill-wise. He's been able to take advantage of his time here to the fullest since he loves being in the gym.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kaw ... z1MicFEvKU
http://www.draftexpress.com

Physical specimen, loves being in the gym...sign me up!

Yea, between him and Marcus Morris, they are the safest bets at the wings around our pick.

Leonard is intriguing as a defender/rebounder. DX and Ford are now very high on him.

[Black Eyed Sooz]

I definitely think we need to trade up. Including the #18 with the #6 would be the absolute lowest starting point that the teams at 2-4 would consider. I would be more than happy to throw in Blatche as well- but who knows if they would consider that sweetening the deal or not.

What would probably get the deal done immediately would be including next year's 1st round pick- and in fact there are guys on the Utah board suggesting this exact trade. But it looks like almost everyone here - and probably Grunfeld as well- would be dead set against it.

I just think we need to come away with one of Kanter, Valanciunas, or Biyombo- these guys are going to be quality big men in the league. Maybe one of them drops to #6 if the current order stands, but we don't want to have a couple teams trade in front of us to get all 3 of them and leave us with Knight, Walker, or Vesely.

I'm sorry, but tell me again why we would go Euro in the top 2-3 when DWill may still be on the board?

Wizards need athletes, not another Pech

I guess I was thinking more in terms of the #3 or #4 slots for the International Men of Mystery mentioned above. If we could get up to #2- you would have to go DWill... I think. I will say, though, that the times I saw him play in the Pac-10 I was a little concerned about his defense. He got muscled pretty badly against Washington and UCLA at the PF spot. Would it be a better match-up for him defensively going against NBA small forwards? Hard to say.

In any case, I seriously doubt we'll have the goods to trade up to #2, so in all likelihood it's a moot point.

[Mizerooskie]

So, something I've been thinking about: this is essentially a 2 man draft, right?

Would either Williams or Irving have gone in the top 5 of the 2010 draft?

[fishercob]

I hate the Marion comparisons for Leonard. Leonard is not the hyper athletic freak of nature Marion is. Marion is such a unique player, I don't see anything incredibly unique or special about Leonard.

I think the comparisons are more born out of his energy and rebounding/defense. He's obviously not the natural athlete Marion was coming out of UNLV. He was unreal. As I said earlier, I see more of a Luol Deng -- and that's just fine with me if that's what he indeed turns out to be.

[Hoopalotta]

Meanwhile: What's with all the hate for "draft-n-stash?" I mean, removing the emotional component of wanting someone new, shiny, and preferably talented to root for, what's the actual problem with that? We're not talking about long term stashes here, we're talking about letting Europe rent them for one year, which is possibly a lockout year anyways.

That looks to be the main issue to me - it's more fun to go into camp with a high profile rookie. I for one don't believe that anyone projected around 6th is really going to make a difference in terms of accumulating actual wins next year.

Maybe the Morris twins, Faried or Singleton would be the win now guys. Leonard's interesting, but I don't see him coming close to beating out Lewis for the starting spot.

[wake20]

I'd be happy if Walker falls. Like doc says Walker is baller. I'd even be happy if Kanter falls.

.

If Knight or Walker is available, I'd think EG's phone would be blowing up with teams trying to trade up. As a poster said earlier, wait wait wait and have all the scenarios drawn up. If the top 5 is Irving/DWill/Kanter/Knight/Walker, wait a bit to see if anyone wants to jump up to grab Vesely, Leonard, or Biyembo, then grab whoever we thought was the best of the three.