2011 DRAFT blather goes here. Part 3...

[Illuminaire]

The Prada piece was more about Leonard & Singleton's fit with the team. After reading the article, it sounds like Leonard would be a bad fit alongside Wall at this point in his development.

I hear that, Closq, I just don't agree with it.

Our biggest problems last year were defensive rebounding, lack of spacing on offense, and defense. Possibly in that order.

It seems to me that none of the possible SF or SF/PFs in this draft address all of those. Leonard is, to me, the closest one and best fit because he nails two categories (rebounding and defense) and can at least slash on offense, with a moderate of chance of developing a passable three point shot.

[Dat2U]

The Prada piece was more about Leonard & Singleton's fit with the team. After reading the article, it sounds like Leonard would be a bad fit alongside Wall at this point in his development.

I really think either will fit with this team. It's just my opinion that Leonard will be the better of the two when all is said and done.

Prada's article really is just: Leonard is a better rebounder and longer. Singleton is a better 3pt shooter. I'm of the belief that you can develop a shot if you're a hard worker, which Leonard looks and sounds to be. Singleton's arms aren't going to get longer.

The NBA, the NBDL, Europe and your local park are filled with hard working basketball players that never developed a consistent jumper.

If it's so easy, he would have done so already. Of course, there's a chance he develops a knock down jumper with range. But I'd say based on history, the odds aren't necessarily in his favor.

[Illuminaire]

Darn it Dat, I'm used to agreeing with you. I see you want war over Kawhi, though, so war we will have!

Have at thee, foul villain!

[Illuminaire]

The Prada piece was more about Leonard & Singleton's fit with the team. After reading the article, it sounds like Leonard would be a bad fit alongside Wall at this point in his development.

I really think either will fit with this team. It's just my opinion that Leonard will be the better of the two when all is said and done.

Prada's article really is just: Leonard is a better rebounder and longer. Singleton is a better 3pt shooter. I'm of the belief that you can develop a shot if you're a hard worker, which Leonard looks and sounds to be. Singleton's arms aren't going to get longer.

The NBA, the NBDL, Europe and your local park are filled with hard working basketball players that never developed a consistent jumper.

If it's so easy, he would have done so already. Of course, there's a chance he develops a knock down jumper with range. But I'd say based on history, the odds aren't necessarily in his favor.

The counter argument is that his FT% is very good, and the trainers working with him said his shot was bad in college because he had an unfixed release point. He's supposedly developing a much more reliable motion now.

(The proof will be in the pudding, of course. I wouldn't select him if we worked him out and he was clanging things all over the place, and I'd still want to trade back to grab another asset if he was the pick)

[Dat2U]

Darn it Dat, I'm used to agreeing with you. I see you want war over Kawhi, though, so war we will have!

Have at thee, foul villain!

We shall fight to the death! Or until I leave for work in the next 3 minutes! Which ever comes first, lol!

[Illuminaire]

his rebounding will be negated a bit by being asked to play on the perimeter.

Emphasis mine. Almost universally, guys who can board in college just find ways to get rebounds in the NBA. Jason Kidd doesn't spend much time close to the basket, but he snags rebounds better than half of our bigs. Guys with a nose for the ball don't lose that edge - and considering one of our big weaknesses as a team is giving up long rebounds, having a ball-hound roaming the perimeter strikes me as a fantastic way to launch another 3-4 fast breaks a game.

Tristan Thompson is a solid prospect. A little high to be taken 6th but I think he projects to be a solid low post defender in a few years. I just wonder will he have enough offense & rebounding to be a starter long term. I don't think he's a significantly lesser prospect than say Trevor Booker.

Even bench guys need to be 1-way bigs. Tristan is a .5-way big... he blocks shots and plays defense, but he doesn't rebound and he can't score. Rebounding is one of those things people rarely develop, so that's probably what he'll always do there. For scoring, he looks very raw and unskilled. In summary, he strikes me as a major project that could take years to be a truly useful player. If he's at 18, sure. I'd never take him much lower.

[Ruzious]

his rebounding will be negated a bit by being asked to play on the perimeter.

Emphasis mine. Almost universally, guys who can board in college just find ways to get rebounds in the NBA. Jason Kidd doesn't spend much time close to the basket, but he snags rebounds better than half of our bigs. Guys with a nose for the ball don't lose that edge - and considering one of our big weaknesses as a team is giving up long rebounds, having a ball-hound roaming the perimeter strikes me as a fantastic way to launch another 3-4 fast breaks a game.

Tristan Thompson is a solid prospect. A little high to be taken 6th but I think he projects to be a solid low post defender in a few years. I just wonder will he have enough offense & rebounding to be a starter long term. I don't think he's a significantly lesser prospect than say Trevor Booker.

Even bench guys need to be 1-way bigs. Tristan is a .5-way big... he blocks shots and plays defense, but he doesn't rebound and he can't score. Rebounding is one of those things people rarely develop, so that's probably what he'll always do there. For scoring, he looks very raw and unskilled. In summary, he strikes me as a major project that could take years to be a truly useful player. If he's at 18, sure. I'd never take him much lower.

Classic line and spot on. I mean, he's long for a 6'9 225 lb PF and can defend tweener forwards. But he pretty much hasn't done anything else. A poor man's Ed Davis? I'd... want to better than that.

[illyasova]

Enes Kanter, who measured at 6-foot-11, recorded a 32.5-inch vertical, had 14 bench press reps, and shot the ball fairly well. He made 56 percent of his spot-up college 3-pointers and 78 percent of mid-range jumpers off the dribble.


http://thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=731

[RT31]

The Prada piece was more about Leonard & Singleton's fit with the team. After reading the article, it sounds like Leonard would be a bad fit alongside Wall at this point in his development.

I really think either will fit with this team. It's just my opinion that Leonard will be the better of the two when all is said and done.

Prada's article really is just: Leonard is a better rebounder and longer. Singleton is a better 3pt shooter. I'm of the belief that you can develop a shot if you're a hard worker, which Leonard looks and sounds to be. Singleton's arms aren't going to get longer.

The NBA, the NBDL, Europe and your local park are filled with hard working basketball players that never developed a consistent jumper.

If it's so easy, he would have done so already. Of course, there's a chance he develops a knock down jumper with range. But I'd say based on history, the odds aren't necessarily in his favor.

maybe, maybe not. but the NBDL, etc doesn't have guys hanging around with a 7-3 wingspan and 8-10 standing reach, and was the leading scorer, rebounder, steal(er) on a top 10 team in the country.

[AnotherFinn]

craig (texas)
who would you draft between valaciunas, Vesely and kanter? Why?

Chad Ford
Vesely because he's a NBA athlete, has played well at the highest level. Has good upside and not a lot of risk. Kanter and Valanciunas both have bigger upsides because of their position ... but both offer more risks as well.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/38575

I don't understand this "played well" business. I mean, what specifically did he do well?

Somehow this guy is getting a lot of collective enthusiasm for whatever reason.

Go look his team :http://www.euroleague.net/competition/teams/showteamstats?clubcode=PAR&seasoncode=e2010

That team went to top 12 from 24 (5W 5L on regular season, 1W 5L semifinals).
Now consider this, from 24 teams they were:
pts/G 23th (65.4 vs av from all games 73)
2pt% 20th (46.5% vs av 50.5%)
3pt% 23th (25.9% vs av 33.6%)
FTA 5th (22/game vs 19.4)
TO 3th (15.8 vs av 14.3)
regular season point dif -57 (-9, +4, -13, +7, +3, +6, -27, -14, +2, -16)
semifinals -37 (-20, -3, -8, -3, -5 +2)

So they are really bad on offence -> must be better on defence.

After looking those stats I am wondering how bad defender that Jan dude is if opponents strategy is to go 1vs1 agains him?

[NbdyBeatsTheWiz]

Today's Post article has us discussing taking Chris Singleton at 6. I love the fact he said "I'm the perfect role player" and IF he's needs to be a star based on situation he can. Also love the fact he absolutely prides himself on DEFENSE. But at 6? That's a little rich for me.

Ideal situations for the draft:

1.) Kanter drops to 6 and Singleton to 18 (would be incredible... incredibly unlikely... but therefore incredible)

2.) We trade back in the lottery to pick Singleton, scoop the best PF/C available at 18. (Faried? Morris?)

3.) We trade up for Kanter (without giving up the farm)

....

99.) We draft Vesley.

[Hoopalotta]

Of Note:

Despite measuring two inches shorter (6-foot-8) than previously listed at, Justin Harper had perhaps the most impressive results of anyone. He shot extremely well for a big man, making 92 percent of his spot-up high school 3-pointers, 72 percent of college 3-pointers, 61 percent mid-range jumpers off the dribble, and 67 percent of timed mid-range jumpers on the move. Rather surprisingly, Harper matched Derrick Williams as the strongest draft prospects with 19 bench press reps each.

http://thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=731

[Ruzious]

Of Note:

Despite measuring two inches shorter (6-foot-8) than previously listed at, Justin Harper had perhaps the most impressive results of anyone. He shot extremely well for a big man, making 92 percent of his spot-up high school 3-pointers, 72 percent of college 3-pointers, 61 percent mid-range jumpers off the dribble, and 67 percent of timed mid-range jumpers on the move. Rather surprisingly, Harper matched Derrick Williams as the strongest draft prospects with 19 bench press reps each.

http://thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=731

Harper's a major reason why the 18th pick appeals to me a lot more than it used to. But note to the writer: that 6'8 measurement was without shoes. We can take that leap of faith that he will wear shoes when he plays, so the listing was effectively off by less than an inch.

[pcbothwel]

I understand that people like Harper for his lights out shooting ability, but I really worry if can do anything more. I'll be honest, I think David Bertans will be better than Harper. He is taller than Harper (though not as big) and shoots the ball just as well. The big difference is that Bertans has the athleticism, creativity and versatility in his game to play more of the 3 and I would love to snag him with our 2nd. Bertans at 34 is MUCH better than Harper at 18, just food for thought.

[Illuminaire]

Oh, the guy can shoot, and he looks ripped. I'd consider him late in the 1st as a bench "big". I have to use quotes for big, though, because it is unclear that he does anything usually expected of tall players, like block or rebound or play great defense.

(Does my bias against guys with a weak motor or bad b-ball IQ show? It's not my fault. I've been in therapy ever since we paired Blatche with McGee.)

[dobrojim]

so much uncertainty, so much more time.

what's the over/under on whether we need one or 2 more threads
of 99 pages each before the actual draft.

I like Singleton. I hope we get him. But if he turns out to be our
top pick, he pretty darn well better be every bit as good as advertised.

[pcbothwel]

^ And thats not to say I dont like harper. I just think his Defense, rebounding, and passing skills are all significantly lacking. But I agree with you guys that his fluidity, skills, and shot are very rare for a player of his size

[Ruzious]

I understand that people like Harper for his lights out shooting ability, but I really worry if can do anything more. I'll be honest, I think David Bertans will be better than Harper. He is taller than Harper (though not as big) and shoots the ball just as well. The big difference is that Bertans has the athleticism, creativity and versatility in his game to play more of the 3 and I would love to snag him with our 2nd. Bertans at 34 is MUCH better than Harper at 18, just food for thought.

Athleticism, really? Meh, he sounds like someone you have to project way out into the future. I've seen very little of him, but he looks too skinny and not quick enough to guard anyone. I don't have the patience for any long-range wing projects.

[Zonkerbl]

I love the word blather. Sometimes I click on this thread because it has blather in the title.

[pcbothwel]

I understand that people like Harper for his lights out shooting ability, but I really worry if can do anything more. I'll be honest, I think David Bertans will be better than Harper. He is taller than Harper (though not as big) and shoots the ball just as well. The big difference is that Bertans has the athleticism, creativity and versatility in his game to play more of the 3 and I would love to snag him with our 2nd. Bertans at 34 is MUCH better than Harper at 18, just food for thought.

Athleticism, really? Meh, he sounds like someone you have to project way out into the future. I've seen very little of him, but he looks too skinny and not quick enough to guard anyone. I don't have the patience for any long-range wing projects.

I think he'll be able to provide average D against 3's whereas Harper is below average, I'll just put it that way. He is skinny but he has the special Dirk/Durant trait of being able to get off his shot when he wants to at that height and lightning quick release. And having 1 of our 3 picks spend time overseas is not that bad of an idea considering our youth as of now and uncertainty of the future with the CBA.