The Official Draft Thread

[Kerrsed]

One nice thing is, look at the teams that will be drafting before us, most all have a young stud PG.

Wizards - Wall
Nets - DWill
Pistons - Knight
Warriors - Curry
Hornets - ?????
Rockets - Lowery/Dragic
Bobcats - Walker/Agustine
Bucks - Jennings
Kings - Evans/Jimmer
Grizzlies - Conley/Selby
Cav's - Irving

[Cutter]

You're quite optimistic about the Suns this year having us picking at 12 . At the way they are playing now and with this upcoming road trip we could pick in the top 7, and if things really go south pick in the top5 .

But you make a good point, most of the scrub teams this year have the PG slot filled and probably won't be looking at Kabongo. If we could get him in the late teens (#17) he would be a steal at that position. As I posted earlier, Draft Express has him at a #5 pick in the 2013 draft. get him a year early and maybe let him mentor with Nash.

[MrMiyagi]

Yeah, if the Suns keep losing, they'll probably need another first rounder in order to get Kabongo unless they really want to reach. I hope by the time we know it's not gonna happen this year that we start stripping down the team, especially someone like Frye, Hak, or Chilly so they can make room for one of the good wings or bigs.

[mybloodisorange]

http://www.nbadraft.net/
^If you hadnt already seen it, pretty decent for summaries and they do a cool stat bar thingy

After all the bad luck we've had in the past im hoping we get to move up a couple spots this draft with some lottery love.

[7Insomniac]

http://www.nbadraft.net/
^If you hadnt already seen it, pretty decent for summaries and they do a cool stat bar thingy

After all the bad luck we've had in the past im hoping we get to move up a couple spots this draft with some lottery love.

That site's NBA comparisons always make me lol. Here's an example

http://nbadraft.net/players/deshawn-stevenson

[MarPenMar]

One nice thing is, look at the teams that will be drafting before us, most all have a young stud PG.

Wizards - Wall
Nets - DWill
Pistons - Knight
Warriors - Curry
Hornets - ?????
Rockets - Lowery/Dragic
Bobcats - Walker/Agustine
Bucks - Jennings
Kings - Evans/Jimmer
Grizzlies - Conley/Selby
Cav's - Irving

These teams won't all draft before us and how does it matter anything anyway since there is not even 1 lottery worthy PG in the draft?

If you want Kabongo (I like him), then you have to acquire a later pick.

Also you don't need to build around a PG. Suns have tried that for 25 years now and they have not been able to go all the way.

[NiGhtWiSh]

Draft wing & forward with a franchise player potential, sign from FA or just trade starting PG, swap Lopez for another backup center. That's the way of the Suns.

And here is hoopshype draft prognosis:

http://hoopshype.com/draft.htm

Suns going for Perry Jones.

[Cutter]

Draft wing & forward with a franchise player potential, sign from FA or just trade starting PG, swap Lopez for another backup center. That's the way of the Suns.

And here is hoopshype draft prognosis:

http://hoopshype.com/draft.htm

Suns going for Perry Jones.

I would love to draft PJ3 for his potential and go into full Hope & Dream mode that he turns into an NBA beast.......but he is falling in the draft because apparently he does not "bring it" every game. If he doesn't have intensity or a hunger to be the best on the court, then having great physical skills will make you seductive to a team which will, down the road, look back and think "wasted draft pick".

[Ryu]

Draft wing & forward with a franchise player potential...

correct.

I would be happy with any of those: Gilchrist, Beal, Miller, Barnes.

[Revived]

I think if we draft a PG it will be Marquis Teague.

He shows a lot of potential and we know how the Suns have a fetish for brothers. The kid's the brother of Atlanta Hawks point guard, Jeff Teague.

[eastsidecrossover]

Call me crazy but MKG reminds me of D-Wade

Crazy. I think NBAdraft.net's comparison is alot closer.

NBA Comparison: Gerald Wallace

when I watch him, I see more of Gerald Wallace then Dwade.

[eastsidecrossover]

One nice thing is, look at the teams that will be drafting before us, most all have a young stud PG.

Wizards - Wall
Nets - DWill
Pistons - Knight
Warriors - Curry
Hornets - ?????
Rockets - Lowery/Dragic
Bobcats - Walker/Agustine
Bucks - Jennings
Kings - Evans/Jimmer
Grizzlies - Conley/Selby
Cav's - Irving

These teams won't all draft before us and how does it matter anything anyway since there is not even 1 lottery worthy PG in the draft?

If you want Kabongo (I like him), then you have to acquire a later pick.

Also you don't need to build around a PG. Suns have tried that for 25 years now and they have not been able to go all the way.

Agree 100%. dont need to build around a PG who is not that great of a player in this years draft.

[MrMiyagi]

I think we need to target Gilchrist and Davis. If we could get one of those guys, we'd be stepping in the right direction. Both are sound defensive players with great athleticism with would allow the Suns to get out and run. I doubt it's possible to get both, unless we really tank hard and can trade for a crap load of picks but I definitely think grabbing one of these guys must be a priority.

[DRK]

We'll target MKG and Beal. For sure.

[bwgood77]

From Chad Ford's chat today:

Nick (Wisconsin)

Chad, there was a ton of hype going into this season about how good this upcoming draft class was going to be, is it safe to say that NBA scouts agree with this assessment? I'm not sure if there's a franchise game changer like Rose, Durant or Griffin, but the quality in depth that exists for like 12-15 picks is pretty crazy. What is your opinion on this years' potential draft class so far?

Chad Ford (1:41 PM)

I think that hype has actually cooled down a bit. Don't get me wrong, scouts think it's a good draft. Anthony Davis has lived up to expectations, though scouts don't quite see him in the same group as a Dwight Howard or Derrick Rose franchise changer. The next tier with Andre Drummond, Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson and Perry Jones III are all super talented, but all have weaknesses that could keep them from being All-Stars some day. After that, there's talent, but I actually think the 2011 Draft may have gone a little deeper.

[Beas4pres]

Meyers Leonard 7-1 C Illinois / Sophomore
Name the last American-born white center with the size, strength and athleticism of Meyers Leonard? Leonard shined in his big match up with Jared Sullinger, helping Illinois upset the Buckeyes. He's a fluid big man with great size and ability to add strength. He's still a work in progress and would benefit from another year of development in college, but his upside is enough where he will get looks in the mid to late lottery based on his upside. His jump in production from his freshman to sophomore years has been remarkable.
Comparison: Robin Lopez Stats: 13.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.1 bpg
Rookie season salary*: $2,308,320 Ranking: 1st Center / 5th Sophomore



HOPEFULLY WE DONT GET HIM



THEY COMPARE HIM TO LOPEZ... WHO WANTS THAT

[Kerrsed]

Interesting piece on Quincy Miller:

Quincy Miller "This is the best thing that's happened to me"
January 5, 2011
It was never a case of Quincy Miller not taking the game of basketball seriously – he did. But like so many gifted youngsters with the world at their feet, standing on the cusp of greatness, he simply didn't know how good he had it. He didn't understand how quickly it could all be taken away. Few ever do.

A native of Chicago, Miller may have been the poster child of his class for this character dynamic. Having burst onto the scene as a junior and continued his assault on the class rankings well into last summer, the 18-year-old made almost as many waves for his confident, bordering on brash nature, as he did for his exceptional play on the court. But then harsh reality reared its ugly head.

For Miller – a consensus top-5 player in the class of 2011 who has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant for his combination of size and skill – his moment of clarity came less than a month ago. On December 10th, playing in just his fifth game with his new school Westchester Country Day (NC), the 6-foot-9 small forward felt a pop in his left knee. Though player and team remained hopeful for the best, the final diagnosis was in stark contrast to the otherwise optimistic expectations: torn ACL.

Not surprisingly, despite his oft described tough exterior, Miller became emotional upon learning the extent of his injury. No McDonald's All-American game. No Jordan Classic. No Nike Hoop Summit. No more high school basketball. Nothing but time and an arduous seven-month long rehabilitation process that has tested many athletes, far more experienced in the injustices of life than a teenager.

It was then that Neeton Moore, Miller's AAU coach with D-One Sports, sat down with the broken star and painted a very black and white picture. Moore didn't pull any punches, he didn't cut corners and sugar coat things for the youngster. He spoke to Miller man to man and the response has been striking.

“This is probably the best thing that's happened to me, even though it is kind of a negative,” Miller says in an explicit tone, almost saturated with perspective. “It's going to give me time to watch what other high school guys do, what I was doing, how I can change and get ready for college. It's going to enhance my work ethic to be even greater than it was before.”

“I think he's developed a sense of humility so to speak about the talent he has,” adds Moore. “He knows not to take it for granted because it can be taken away so quickly.”

Following a successful surgery, Miller began physical therapy within days of the procedure, regaining a full range of motion within the first week, he says. From there, and with his newfound dedication to his craft, the focus turned to improving as a basketball player by any means necessary, without stepping onto the court.

In preparation for the rugged, physical play of the Big 12 he is set to face next year as a freshman at Baylor, Miller is working to gain strength in his upper body. He is watching tape and attending his team's games, observing closely the happenings on the court and in practice. In short, he's becoming a student of the game.

“With him having to sit out and view things through a different lens, he sees the things he could have done on the court and he sees the mistakes that other guys make,” says Moore. “He's become almost more of a coach in many ways.”

While there's no substitute for consistently playing a high level of competition, certainly a player of Miller's talent stands to gain a considerable edge by observing under proper tutelage and developing into a more cerebral athlete.

Few freshmen enter the college game having spent considerable time studying the game in the manner that Miller now has the opportunity to do. Few have the time to work on their bodies, to get stronger and improve their physical limitations. It's an opportunity the blue chip recruit isn't taking lightly.

Brian Clifton – CEO of D-One Sports – has watched Miller blossom from obscure prospect to projected future pro and has seen the developmental process as close as anyone. The change in the young star's mindset, Clifton says, was almost instantaneous once he came to grips with the reality of his injury.

“It's his level of maturity and his desire to prepare that has changed. It's all starting to make sense to him,” he says. “It's giving him a greater appreciation for [basketball] and making him take a more business minded approach to the game. He's not sitting around being down about things, he's looking at what he needs to do and he's doing it.”

Just in case the counseling and advice he is receiving from the coaches around him isn't enough, Miller is assuredly heeding the words of a former teammate with a similar meteoric rise in the basketball world: John Wall.

Wall and Miller were teammates on D-One two years ago, the same year the current Washington Wizards rookie exploded onto the national scene, elevating himself from relative unknown to the #1 recruit in the country.

The two players formed a close friendship, one that continues today and one that has been fruitful for the younger Miller, manifesting itself into a mentor-student relationship in the last year. Wall has provided a constant stream of guidance since departing for the University of Kentucky last year, preaching to Miller the importance of viewing the game through the lens of a professional, years before he begins being paid as one. Not surprisingly, Miller's realization of his own potential coincided with the rise of Wall's stardom.

“I think when Quincy was able to go on a couple of trips and compete against guys playing at a high level and see them changing their lives through basketball, I think those guys had something in common that maybe he didn't have at that time,” says Clifton. “Most kids grow up idolizing big time basketball players, but they don't get the luxury of those guys walking into the gym and saying ‘hey, this is how it's done.' Quincy was able to see it living and breathing in front of him.”

Miller's tunnel focus has extended beyond improving physically in the wake of his injury, but to his ultimate goal of the NBA. It can wait.

Faced with the possibility that he could be forced to spend two seasons at the college level before entering the draft as part of the new NBA collective bargaining agreement negotiations, Miller doesn't seem to be fazed. Rather than focusing on the potential of being locked out of pro basketball a year longer than he may intend to be – something he does say isn't fair to those select players who are ready to make the jump – Miller maintains his only concern right now is ensuring he is ready to contribute at Baylor.

“If the NBA comes, it comes, but right now I'm just worried about being a great college player and helping my team win games,” he says. “I want to be one of the best defensive players in college. I want to be a go-to guy at Baylor. I want to be one of the best.”

There will be more questions than anticipation when Miller arrives on Baylor's campus for the 2011-12 season. The limitless expectations will be replaced by the hopes of an entire community for a clean bill of health. There in the center of it all will be a college freshman, hardened by experience, refined by dedication, but not without his trademark swagger. Think Miller is concerned with people writing him off?

“I definitely think people are going to sleep on me, but they're going to wake up.”

Granted this article was written a year ago, but it says alot about his character. I think if we strike out on Barnes/Gilchrist for a SF, Miller would be a good player to look at.

Ive seen a-lot of people making a Durant comparison.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLe1whvhI-E[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKu8-ZZAsyQ[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubfbLCa-ieU[/youtube]

[King Of Wang]

why are we discussing quality young players here??? suns are going to get 9th seed and get 14th pick and draft pee wee herman or sell the pick. i dont want to get my hopes up reading about good young players because of a man named robert sarver

[Kerrsed]

why are we discussing quality young players here??? suns are going to get 9th seed and get 14th pick and draft pee wee herman or sell the pick. i dont want to get my hopes up reading about good young players because of a man named robert sarver

If thats the case, why are you even in this thread?

[King Of Wang]

why are we discussing quality young players here??? suns are going to get 9th seed and get 14th pick and draft pee wee herman or sell the pick. i dont want to get my hopes up reading about good young players because of a man named robert sarver

If thats the case, why are you even in this thread?

to cry and look at players we will never get while other teams keep stacking the young beasts