Don't be afraid of Kanter or Williams

[carrottop12]

Maybe I am just writing this post as a reminder to myself, but I do feel like I am getting this vibe on the board, and that is that there is almost a fear of drafting Derrick Williams or Enes Kanter because we already have Favors, Jefferson, Millsap, and Memo.

We've all heard that KOC puts a picture of Jordan on his draft board to remind himself to take the BPA, and it's an easy thing to say we'd be happy if the Jazz just draft BPA, but there is still this feeling that Knight is the guy we should go with because he fills a void left by Deron Williams.

There is a situation I remember not to long ago that really does have me hoping we disregard position and draft the most talented player, even if it at a position we are stacked at.

In 2005, the Portland Trailblazers won the 3rd pick in the draft lottery (just like we have this year), and found themselves in a draft where the next two players that were going to be drafted were at a position that they felt they had covered. They had Sebastian Telfair, and the 2 best players in the draft at their position were Deron Williams, and Chris Paul.

Instead of drafting either of these two, they traded down with the Jazz for the 6th pick, and two future picks. They drafted Martell Webster at 6, the Jazz got Deron Williams at 3.

As of today, 6 years later, Martell Webster is a career 8/3 guy, Sebastian Telfair who they thought was their future is no longer in the league.

Deron Williams is an Olympic Gold Medalist, a two time all-star, and an All-NBA point guard.

Sebastian Tefair and Martell Webster combined were traded for Luke Babbit (Not in the league), Ryan Gomes, Dan Dickau (Not in the league), Randy Foye, and Raef LaFrentz (Not in the league).

Deron Williams was traded for Derrick Favors (#3 pick in the draft, All-Rookie Second Team), Devin Harris (NBA All-Star), the #3 pick in the draft, and a future lottery pick.

Get the picture. YOU ALWAYS DRAFT BPA, regardless of position. It's far better to have a log jam for a season, and work it out in trades to get more assets than it is to draft to fill a need and end up with a guy who isn't going to have a better NBA career.

Again, maybe I just wrote that for myself and it's easy for you to wrap your heads around the advantages of drafting BPA, but I know sometimes I get stuck on drafting to fill a need because I can see them fit better on our team today versus having the foresight to work out a problem like having a log jam in the future.

[kamazilla]

I would be perfectly happy with either player. Knight, however, just doesn't strike me as a tremendous difference maker. In any case, I don't understand why so many think the Jazz are in such need at PG that they must reach for a guy at three who may not go top 7 in most drafts.

I agree- especially this high in the draft, you take the best player available.

[StocktonShorts]

Portland did a similar thing years ago when they were "set" at SG and passed on Jordan to take Sam Bowie.

[StocktonShorts]

Also, I'm pretty sure Babbitt is still under contract with the Blazers. He's on his rookie deal.

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

In all honesty I'm nervous about Williams and Kanter because I don't want to get my hopes up for them only to have them be busts or end up wanting out of Utah.... I have this fear that all this excitement is going to end up being a disappointing disaster hahaha.

[idajazz]

you nailed it! Always take BPA, a log jam of good players is a good problem to have.

[hoops4life]

Is anybody afraid of them? I would be happy with either of them.

[retiredcoach]

After watching the first day of the combine and then sitting through film, I think there's a strong probability that Brandon Knight won't be any better, and probably not as good, a point guard as Devin Harris. Irving is probably going to be better than Knight, but I don't think he'll be a D-Will or C Paul. I think it's going to take Knight several years to develop a strong NBA game.

Right now, my 3 pick would be Kanter or Biyombo. Biyombo is long and tough and will be a defensive force in the league. Kanter is likely to be a very good PF/C. He can run the floor. He can play with his back to the basket and he rebounds strong. And he's really young with a lot of upside. Hayward, Kanter and Favors could bring a bruising, strong defensive and offensive presence inside and outside. With Jefferson and Millsap the Jazz would have a strong rotation with the option of a decent trade for either Millsap or Jefferson. (My preference would be to keep all of them because guys like these are hard to get in the NBA.)

Of course the wild card is Tomic.

At the 12th pick I like Alec Burks. The Jazz need his ability to score.

One guy that surprised me and really looks like an NBA player is Charles Jenkins from Hofstra. He might climb into the late first round. It's very unlikely the Jazz will get a shot at him, and he's probably not worth a 12th pick, but if the Jazz do get a chance to get him, they should. He's a little small for an SG at 6'3", but that might not be a problem. I think he has really excellent upside potential. He could be a slightly smaller Wesley Mathews.

The problem with the Jazz drafting Fredette is fan expectation. No one will be happy with the way the Jazz play Fredette or how long it takes them to develop him. They'll want him to start immediately and get 20 shots a game. Those two things are not going to happen. It would be better for both the Jazz and Fredette to have him playing somewhere else.

Shelvin Mac is looking good for a second round pick. I was not impressed with him in some of the NCAA games, but he's looked good in workouts.

[hoops4life]

I think that Biyombo is such a terrible idea period... especially at the 3.

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

After watching the first day of the combine and then sitting through film, I think there's a strong probability that Brandon Knight won't be any better, and probably not as good, a point guard as Devin Harris. Irving is probably going to be better than Knight, but I don't think he'll be a D-Will or C Paul. I think it's going to take Knight several years to develop a strong NBA game.

Right now, my 3 pick would be Kanter or Biyombo. Biyombo is long and tough and will be a defensive force in the league. Kanter is likely to be a very good PF/C. He can run the floor. He can play with his back to the basket and he rebounds strong. And he's really young with a lot of upside. Hayward, Kanter and Favors could bring a bruising, strong defensive and offensive presence inside and outside. With Jefferson and Millsap the Jazz would have a strong rotation with the option of a decent trade for either Millsap or Jefferson. (My preference would be to keep all of them because guys like these are hard to get in the NBA.)

Of course the wild card is Tomic.

At the 12th pick I like Alec Burks. The Jazz need his ability to score.

One guy that surprised me and really looks like an NBA player is Charles Jenkins from Hofstra. He might climb into the late first round. It's very unlikely the Jazz will get a shot at him, and he's probably not worth a 12th pick, but if the Jazz do get a chance to get him, they should. He's a little small for an SG at 6'3", but that might not be a problem. I think he has really excellent upside potential. He could be a slightly smaller Wesley Mathews.

The problem with the Jazz drafting Fredette is fan expectation. No one will be happy with the way the Jazz play Fredette or how long it takes them to develop him. They'll want him to start immediately and get 20 shots a game. Those two things are not going to happen. It would be better for both the Jazz and Fredette to have him playing somewhere else.

Shelvin Mac is looking good for a second round pick. I was not impressed with him in some of the NCAA games, but he's looked good in workouts.

Biyombo at the 3rd is insanity to me, he is way too big of a gamble to take with where we are right now as a franchise.

No offense coach but I don't think the fans are going to have as high of expectations about Fredette as you think. Everyone I've talked to doesn't care how much he plays or what he does for the team, they just want him on the team.

In all honesty, it's starting to look like Fredette is going to be the BPA once the 12th pick rolls around. I strongly believe Faried, Burks, Vesley, Leonard and Montiejunas are all gone before the 12th pick and no one else outside of maybe Singleton is going to seem like a better choice at that point (regardless of who our first pick is). To me...he is a bargain at the 12th.

[J_Ray]

Biyombo at the 3rd is insanity to me, he is way too big of a gamble to take with where we are right now as a franchise.

No offense coach but I don't think the fans are going to have as high of expectations about Fredette as you think. Everyone I've talked to doesn't care how much he plays or what he does for the team, they just want him on the team.

In all honesty, it's starting to look like Fredette is going to be the BPA once the 12th pick rolls around. I strongly believe Faried, Burks, Vesley, Leonard and Montiejunas are all gone before the 12th pick and no one else outside of maybe Singleton is going to seem like a better choice at that point (regardless of who our first pick is). To me...he is a bargain at the 12th.

Why is Biyombo at 3rd insanity? The guy has a huge wingspan, well built, and is young no matter how you look at him. If you have seen the impact Ibaka makes for Thunder, Biyombo has the ability to be better. His frame is broad and he could bulk up into an athletic Charles Oakley type frame. Let's not forget he was the starting Center at a young age in a pretty decent league. His shotblocking ability and potential to be a shutdown post defender is something to strongly consider pairing with Favors for years to come if you want to compete with the possible frontcourts in our division. This is if Derrick Williams and Irving are gone also.

JImmer is not the BPA at 12 either man. Utah needs some size and/or athleticism on the wings right now, not Jimmer chucking up shots. I would take a guy like Klay Thompson or Jordan Hamilton before Jimmer. The guy was a nice local college hoops player, but that's all he was. Can people honestly say here the guy has the physical tools to defend and be more than a future bench player in the NBA?

[sunevisions]

I support BPA, and his name call Kanter (assuming DW pick 2)

I don't mind we have so many big mans... Millsap + Jefferson + Favors + Okur + Kanter

we can trade 2 of Millsap, Jefferson or Okur to find our swingman partner for Hayward...~~

We still have Harris (i don't think Knight or Walker is a huge upgrade over Harris) to be our PG...~~

[carrottop12]

Sorry about the Babbit mislabeling, he is still in the league and played 24 games this year, so there is some potential there.

But I do agree with the Biyombo assessment, imo, if you want Biyombo, just take Faried at 12 and be happy. Faried is the same type of player, all defense, no offense, hustle, block shots, grab rebounds, play all out all the time.

Do not waste a top 3 pick on a guy that only plays one side of the floor.

[countrybama24]

I'm perfectly happy with kanter or williams. I just want us to do something with the 12 other than jimmer....

[KayAllTheWaay]

If you draft Kanter another good thing is, that you have a veteran turk on the team.
He could help Kanter getting used to the NBA lifestyle, which every rookie has to do, introduce him to the team etc.

They may even meet in Turkey at Summer and train together ( i think Enes will play at the EC ), talk together and so on...

[Litany]

My concern about Kanter is he is another Kosta Koufos for us:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTeI6WsA7G0[/youtube]

What are the differences you guys notice in their games? Why is Enes so much better? They talk about this kid being a lottery pick, but they don't talk about him being a top 3 like Enes is. Is it the result of the draft?

Enes is probably stronger, thats what I notice, what else.

I am trying not to lump him in a category just cus they are both Euro, but Kosta was at Ohio and he looked pretty good here.

Feedback?

[Toothless]

The risk with Kanter is limited game footage to see what he really can do. But to me he looks a lot more like a dominant, rebounding big man than Kosta Koufus ever was. Lots of big men play small, Kanter looks like he plays big and takes up space -- maybe like Marc Gasol. As much as I like Big Al, I don't think he is a great rebounder and we could use a rotation that included one. I do worry about Kanter's knees since they are unproven, not playing in a lot of games.

Williams on the other hand is cocky and wants to be an all star. This is bad if he is not all star caliber, but not so bad if he can back it up. All of the greats have had this attitude. Deron had it, Kobe has it, etc... If a person can't envision themself as an all star, then they won't ever make it. This can be a driving force, but only if they also have a desire to continually get better. If he thinks he is already there, then there are problems. But from his interview, I liked him, and think the attribute might be more on the positive side.

To tell the truth, I'm getting more excited about either of these guys at 3, and less excited about Brandon Knight, who shows a lot of promise but may take a long time to develop and may only develop into what Harris is now.

I like Kemba as well -- proven winner, variety of skills -- but worry about his size.

[Xanthis]

JazzD15 you always have to worry about a player having bust potential, but there is a reason Kosta dropped from the lottery down to the Jazz that year. Workouts are really important and people didn't think Kosta deserved all the hype he was getting. The guy has a terrible attitude when it comes to work hard. The guy didn't even want to play in the D-League.

Kosta also only did private workouts for teams drafting high. None of them liked him. The Jazz didn't really get a chance to look at him thinking he would be gone and took a gamble on a guy that slid. Now Kosta is still pretty young and may develop on the Timberwolves and turn out to be a rotation guy, but he was never going to get the minutes on the Jazz.

Since the Jazz have a top 3 pick they will be able to work out all the top players and really know these guys better than in the past. The Jazz FO will know who they will take and then it is up to the player to keep working on his game.

I honestly think the Jazz end up with either Williams / Irving / or Kanter at 3 unless B-Knight blows them out of the water. PGs are great, but they rarely win championships. Harris is only 28 and hasn't even had a full year with the team. How quickly people forget how well he played for Dallas before he was shipped to nowhere land.

[idajazz]

I think you just hit on it. Harris is an all star point guard, all he needs is time to get going, He never really got off the ground after the trade. I think a full preseason and camp will work wonders. I really don't see the urgency to take a point guard unless it is somebody in the same class as Deron.
I am firmly in the draft the best player camp

[carrottop12]

Kanter is a low post, back the the basket type guy who is going to get a ton of rebounds, and use his huge frame to move the offense and defense around. Kosta was soft, and prefered to operate farther away from the hoop.