2012 NBA Draft - Part II

[Ruzious]

CJ Leslie is making a little name for himself in the tournament. He has no position in the NBA yet but he has a lot of potential. I'd like to see him stay another year and choose which position he wants to develop in.

Dion Waiters is the best shooting guard in college basketball and if you don't believe it ask him.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBfV68jgOnI[/youtube]
He doesn't wow me with anything. He's a two way player and he's really effective on both sides of the court. Due to his physical limitations I'm going to predict he'll be the Kenneth Faried of this upcoming draft. A player during his rookie season where it becomes obvious he's going to be better than a lot of players drafted ahead of him.

Leslie just doesn't have an NBA body - He makes Henson look like Mr. Universe by comparison. And he doesn't have close to the skills to play the 3. I don't see him playing in the NBA.

I like Beal better than Waiters, but I'd take Waiters over UConn Lamb.

[dandrews]

Jae Crowder is as can't miss as they get.

Not even close. He needs to be able to create his own shot much better than he can do now to be anything more than a role player in the NBA.

Spoken like a scout who saw Faried dominate all four years and who said he is too short to play PF, and that Faried cannot create his own shot.

Crowder at SF will out rebound his counterpart. If left open he has three point range. Crowder playes with what is starting to be categorized as a skill: Energy/high motor.I agree that he's likely a role player, but I think he's a sure bet to be a good role player. It wouldn't shock me if he starts somewhere, right away.

What does MKG do better than Crowder right now? I realize there is a 4-yaar age gap, but I think that makes Jae ready to step in and contribute immediately in the NBA.

Faried is the exception, not the norm. There's a reason why scouts don't like to draft guys who can't create their own shot. Usually they aren't productive. When push comes to shove and Faried needs to make a shot in crunch time where half court is his only option, how is he going to score?

And I like Crowder, but your idea of can't miss and my idea of can't miss is extremely far apart. Lebron and Durant were can't miss. Crowder is a late 1st round pick at the earliest.

Crowder can outrebound his counterpart now because at small forward he has a few inches on most other small forwards in the NCAA. Will this be the case in the NBA where nowadays 6'6" is below average height for a small forward? I don't know, but I wouldn't put my money on it. He's not explosive off the dribble like MKG is, and doesn't have the leaping or finishing ability like MKG. Neither one has a jumpshot, but like you said MKG has 4 extra years to get one.

[dandrews]

Speaking as the person who pumped up Crowder here last year and before anyone had him even as a second round pick, MKG has much better defensive ability, and much better ability in transition, penetrating, and finishing. Crowder can be a good all-around role player, while MKG - who's still a Kidd - could develop into an all-star caliber player.

this.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

CJ Leslie is making a little name for himself in the tournament. He has no position in the NBA yet but he has a lot of potential. I'd like to see him stay another year and choose which position he wants to develop in.

Dion Waiters is the best shooting guard in college basketball and if you don't believe it ask him.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBfV68jgOnI[/youtube]
He doesn't wow me with anything. He's a two way player and he's really effective on both sides of the court. Due to his physical limitations I'm going to predict he'll be the Kenneth Faried of this upcoming draft. A player during his rookie season where it becomes obvious he's going to be better than a lot of players drafted ahead of him.

Leslie just doesn't have an NBA body - He makes Henson look like Mr. Universe by comparison. And he doesn't have close to the skills to play the 3. I don't see him playing in the NBA.

I like Beal better than Waiters, but I'd take Waiters over UConn Lamb.

Does it matter that CJ Leslie and John Wall were HS teammates?

I doubt there will be another player like Faried for at least the next 5 years. Anthony Davis is better, but who else in this draft is? MKG or Beal have great physical attributes, but right now Faried has a PER of 23.6. Leslie is not in his category. Nobody else in this draft is, either--except Anthony Davis.

MKG will take a while.

[Earth2Ted]

Anyone else think Henson might be a decent option for us? If we are building around Nene, we will need rebounding, shot blocking, length/athleticism, and all around front court defense, and Henson is showing all of that right now. He even has a decent looking stroke from mid range and seemed to hold his ground against the bulk of Creighton's center a lot better than Tyler Zeller. And all this while taking shots to a banged up wrist. Obviously you would like to see a little more offensive firepower from him, but he certainly would be a huge upgrade in every facet defensively over our hero JaVale McGee. I was impressed.

Looking forward to seeing what he can do against Davis, Robinson, Sullinger, or any of the other top rated bigs down the road.

[Nivek]

I think scouts and GMs overrate shot creation. Shot "creation" as it's commonly used describes guys who go one-on-one (or one-on-multiple) to "create" a shot that's usually difficult. I want guys who create open, make-able shots. I don't want the Carmelo "creator" who "creates" contested shots with a high-degree of difficulty, some of which go in, but many of which don't. In general, I don't want to see contested shots -- I want to see a team that moves the ball to the open man.

When I hear about a guy who "creates" shots, I'd prefer a Magic or a Nash to a Carmelo or a Dominique. Give me the guy who MAKES shots, but who creates open looks for teammates. Or give me a Jordan or a Lebron -- a guy who can TRULY create make-able shots for himself.

[Rafael122]

Anyone else think Henson might be a decent option for us? If we are building around Nene, we will need rebounding, shot blocking, length/athleticism, and all around front court defense, and Henson is showing all of that right now. He even has a decent looking stroke from mid range and seemed to hold his ground against the bulk of Creighton's center a lot better than Tyler Zeller. And all this while taking shots to a banged up wrist. Obviously you would like to see a little more offensive firepower from him, but he certainly would be a huge upgrade in every facet defensively over our hero JaVale McGee. I was impressed.

Looking forward to seeing what he can do against Davis, Robinson, Sullinger, or any of the other top rated bigs down the road.

I like Henson but not as a top 10 pick.

[mhd]

My updated rankings:

1) Davis
2) Robinson
3) Beal
4) MKG
5) C. Zeller
6) Drummond

[Nivek]

Davis reminds me physically of Alonzo when he was a senior in high school. I think Davis's game is more developed than Alonzo's at a similar age. I didn't see that mid-range jumper from Zo, and I watched/played against him for a week at a 5-Star camp in Pittsburgh in the summer of 1987. Yikes that was a loooooong time ago.

[Rafael122]

I'm just not impressed with Harrison Barnes. Smart player, obviously has an NBA body but where's the fire?

But then I read articles like this, and it's like, damn this is exactly the type of kid we need to draft: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/0 ... thing.html

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I'm just not impressed with Harrison Barnes. Smart player, obviously has an NBA body but where's the fire?

But then I read articles like this, and it's like, damn this is exactly the type of kid we need to draft: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/0 ... thing.html

I still say McDermott is the better player from that HS he and Barnes went to in Ames, IA.

[DCZards]

I still say McDermott is the better player from that HS he and Barnes went to in Ames, IA.

McDermott is a nice player. But Barnes is better.

[tontoz]

In the broadcast McDermott was quoted as saying that Barnes' work ethic rubbed off on him and made him a better player.

[7-Day Dray]

What about Hollis Thompson with our late 2nd rounder? Smooth shooting stroke.

[rl25g]

im still almost 90 % positive we will draft Barnes.

[DCZards]

im still almost 90 % positive we will draft Barnes.

Given how desperately the Zards need shooting from the three position, if Nene is healthy, and Booker and Seraphim continue to develop, Barnes might actually be the best pick for the Zards....assuming, of course, we don't get the #1 pick and Davis.

[tontoz]

They should use their second round pick on a shooter, i dont care whether it is a 2, 3 or 4. Get some shooters in here.

[llcc25]

They should use their second round pick on a shooter, i dont care whether it is a 2, 3 or 4. Get some shooters in here.

Any chance we can parlay Vesely/Singleton for a mid first? I was hoping at least one of them would show some semblance of a developing shot or offensive skill set but i just don't see it happening.

[truwizfan4evr]

Does anyone like Arnett Moultre? I haven't heard his name come much in these threads often. Can anyone explain his game to me?

[truwizfan4evr]

on nbadraft.net They have Thomas Robinson going number 10. Why is his stock so low? He was a beast this year in my opinon. http://www.nbadraft.net/