Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part III

[Dat2U]

I haven't heard anyone compare McLemore to Ray Allen...at least not on this board.

It's been a very common comparison (with lots of caveats) on some draft sites.

I haven't seen those comparisons to Allen. That's high praise for McLemore. The last college frosh to be compared to Allen-- Bradley Beal-- looks like he's going to be a damn good NBA player. Interestingly, both McLemore and Beal have the same weakness--ball handling. I expect both St. Lou kids to improve significantly in that area.

You almost made my point. Beal's weakness is his ball-handling, and yet he's clearly more advanced than McLemore. I would definitely not put them in the same category. If Beal was an "average" ball-Handler for a guard, then McLemore is "deficient" or "below average". Ray Allen was "above average". Ray had near PG level handles. Neither Beal or McLemore is approaching that level of skill.

IMO it would be foolish to draft McLemore. Your getting a role player. One that isn't as good as Beal. He may be a better athlete than Beal but he lacks the necessary skill to take advantage of that.

[hands11]

So far as I can tell, the only good things Wittman has been able to accomplish are getting the team to play hard and play defense despite the fact our season was over mid way through week 3.

You are way undervaluing this. Do you remember what a complete wreck of a team Wittman took over? The inmates were running the asylum! We had absolutely no positive culture since gungate, and no commitment to defense since before Eddie Jordan. In a year and a half he took a team with no real vocal leaders and created a professional culture and a top 10 defense, while having to play 2-3 either D League players or first round busts in his 8 man rotation. You can point to lack of development of the crappy players EG drafted. I think if we had either of Faried or Leonard on our team they would be just as good as they are with their current teams, and we would have been significantly better.

There are only a few coaches in the league that are clearly better than the rest - Phil, Adelman, Popovich, maybe Van Gundy. For the rest of them, success is completely dependent on talent. Wittman is comfortably in that next group IMO. Blame Ernie, not WItt for the last 2 years.

Or Nikola Vucevic. Who if we already had would remove the idea of center completely from the equation. Okafor would be backing him up next year. Then if you could resign him for 2-3 we could be totally set there. Imagine that for a second.

Can we just forget about that draft. Its just to painful. At least we sucked next year and we got Beal.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I've given no thought to McLemore. I would rather have Wolters, who can pass as well as score, McCollum, who is ideally suited to backup Beal and eventually Wall, or someone like Jamaal Franklin over McLemore. Franklin is an energetic guy who will defend and rebound like a beast. He's an energy guy off the bench.

McLemore may become a Walter Davis/Alex English (probably not as good as this HOFer)/Allan Houston/Reggie Miller kind of player. I doubt he becomes prime Ray Allen even if he can get up like Ray Allen and his shot is pure. What I noticed about McLemore is that he didn't command the ball when Kansas lost games, particularly in the NCAA tourney. His teammates didn't even trust him to be THE MAN. Dat is right. McLemore does NOT handle the ball. What he does well is rise up and shoot. He is great at that.

But so is Bradley Beal.

There are guys like Allen Crabbe in round two if he stays in the draft who can give what McLemore does, with less athleticism. Reggie Bullock might be a real good pick. (I prefer Wolters, though, because he's a PG for sure who can play SG.)

[DCZards]

Or Nikola Vucevic. Who if we already had would remove the idea of center completely from the equation. Okafor would be backing him up next year. Then if you could resign him for 2-3 we could be totally set there. Imagine that for a second.

I'm not a fan of dwelling on a lot of "what ifs" or "what could have been." Vucevic is not on the Zards so why spend time even trying to imagine it?

[popper]

I wouldn't be disappointed if we traded our pick for number 15 or 16 and a solid rotation player. I'd use the pick on Steven Adams or Dieng and let them develop behind Okafor. If they show steady progress by the trade deadline then I'd move Okafor or Seraphin.

Edit - Include Singleton or Vesely to make the numbers work

[sfam]

The problem with Young, McGee, and Blatche on the Wizards is there were 3 of them on the same team (Ernie). Their childish behavior was encouraged by each other. Know they are on teams where they are the only fools and they feel like they have no support or encouragement when they do something stupid.

Yup, very few Zards fans questioned Blatche's talent. It was his discipline and focus that were the question marks. Now that Blatche is surrounded by quality vets like Williams, Joe Johnson and Lopez, he's able to just play ball rather than to be a vet leader himself or the focal point of the offense... as was the case here in DC.

I don't think it has anything to do with Blatche all of a sudden being "developed" by an organization or coach.

As Nate says, Javale is pretty much the same player he was here in DC and Nick hasn't gotten any better.

Just pointing out, Blatche has a history of doing well in stretches before completely sucking. The question I would have is how long will Blatche do well? Personally I'm expecting the real Blatche to show up in the offseason.

[hands11]

The problem with Young, McGee, and Blatche on the Wizards is there were 3 of them on the same team (Ernie). Their childish behavior was encouraged by each other. Know they are on teams where they are the only fools and they feel like they have no support or encouragement when they do something stupid.

Yup, very few Zards fans questioned Blatche's talent. It was his discipline and focus that were the question marks. Now that Blatche is surrounded by quality vets like Williams, Joe Johnson and Lopez, he's able to just play ball rather than to be a vet leader himself or the focal point of the offense... as was the case here in DC.

I don't think it has anything to do with Blatche all of a sudden being "developed" by an organization or coach.

As Nate says, Javale is pretty much the same player he was here in DC and Nick hasn't gotten any better.

Just pointing out, Blatche has a history of doing well in stretches before completely sucking. The question I would have is how long will Blatche do well? Personally I'm expecting the real Blatche to show up in the offseason.

Some people are better when they are the underdogs and just can't deal with success.

Then again, maybe what happen to him at the end of his time here helped him hit rock bottom.

Time will tell. He isn't a kid anymore. He is getting a taste of the playoffs and then he hit the free market to see who wants him. I think that entire process can help him mature even more.

[gambitx777]

I would be fine with trading back for a pick and a solid player. I think if we get in the top 3 we should consider taking a shot at kanter.

[doclinkin]

Projected to go undrafted, but a Spurs or similar team will snap him up, one name unmentioned in the production vs. potential conversation is iranian Arsalan Kazemi. Kid has been nothing but consistent, I had questions despite production in past years due to Rice always having a standout player and playing a crappy schedule year after year (ahem Morris Almond...) but in transferring to a big time program in Oregon Kazemi's numbers never took a hit.

Glue guy, hustle guy he will star in Europe if he doesn't find a role here but Id love to take him as a replacement for any of our other frontcourt players who can't shoot from outside. Fits the profile (hustle guy, rebounds, defends, good character, hasn't really shown an outside shot).

I'm curious to see other seniors in the PIT this year, like Jamal Olaseware of Long Island who put up good numbers even against his toughest competition (shooting ~50% and 10 FT attempts vs Maryland, Kentucky) though he's basically an undersized PF.

Senior Elias Harris also manages to make it the FT line a ton.

[FAH1223]

We're trading the pick. Its obvious that management i.e. Ernie is trying to go all in for the postseason next year to save his job. I'm sure they will trade the pick for a veteran. I'm trying to think of who... it's got to be on the level of 2009 Mike Miller/Foye or 2004 Jamison..

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

doc, I am glad you brought up Kazemi. He is a good glue guy. People like Kazemi and D. J. Stephens help teams win. Kazemi's numbers, as you said, doc, did not go down at Oregon. He did well in the NCAA tournament and raised his profile enough to get to PIT.

I don't know a thing about Olaseware, doc. I do recall LIU had a high-octane offense that Maryland's Coach Turgeon was concerned about.

[Knighthonor]

so are any of your suggesting a trade down?

[hands11]

Projected to go undrafted, but a Spurs or similar team will snap him up, one name unmentioned in the production vs. potential conversation is iranian Arsalan Kazemi. Kid has been nothing but consistent, I had questions despite production in past years due to Rice always having a standout player and playing a crappy schedule year after year (ahem Morris Almond...) but in transferring to a big time program in Oregon Kazemi's numbers never took a hit.

Glue guy, hustle guy he will star in Europe if he doesn't find a role here but Id love to take him as a replacement for any of our other frontcourt players who can't shoot from outside. Fits the profile (hustle guy, rebounds, defends, good character, hasn't really shown an outside shot).

I'm curious to see other seniors in the PIT this year, like Jamal Olaseware of Long Island who put up good numbers even against his toughest competition (shooting ~50% and 10 FT attempts vs Maryland, Kentucky) though he's basically an undersized PF.

Senior Elias Harris also manages to make it the FT line a ton.

Tiago Splitter
Matt Bonner

SA reminds me of an old Celtics team.

Why can't the Wizards ever add any of these solid white dude types. Instead we get Ves and OP. They are to soft. They need to add someone who is tough or pesky.

I like what Nene adds and what Okafor and now Beal add personality wise. Now they need to add a tough white dude.



Nice target Doc.

Something tells me Withey would be a SA type as well.

And why is it that players like Bonner who are 33 years old don't look old when they are playing for SA ?

[fishercob]

Lots of similarities between Porter's and Granger's college stats. Granger was superior on the boards and in steals and blocks; I wonder if any of that is mitigated by the competition he faced at Bradley and New Mexico. YODA?

[Dark Faze]

I can't imagine a player that we could trade for that would be worth gambling on the upside of a Len or Shabazz. If we can move one of Nene/Ariza/Okafor in combination with it to pick up a high tiered, younger vet like Aldridge then I might be for it, but otherwise it's probably going to end in disaster.

[No-Man]

Ernie would do something like, pick+Ariza for Jeff Green

[DCsOwn]

Where is this idea that we have all the young talent we need being promulgated from? This organization cant truly believe that, can they? We don't need to add another top 8 caliber draft pick because we have Wall, Beal and....and.....um.....Seraphin and Booker? We absolutely need more young, potential difference makers.

[nate33]

Ernie would do something like, pick+Ariza for Jeff Green

I'm not too worried about them trading the pick in that fashion. In order to get anything useful back in return we would have to include a large contract with that outgoing salary.

I don't think EG will want to get rid of Ariza, Okafor or Nene. EG knows full well that trading pick+Ariza for Jeff Green would be like trading 2 rotation players for just one. We lack the depth to make those kinds of trades because we only have 7 legit players on the roster right now (counting Webster and Booker).

The only trade I could see would be one involving the pick plus some combination of Vesely, Seraphin, or Singleton as the cap ballast. That kind of trade wouldn't bother me all that much (as long as the guy we get back is 28 or younger) because we are really only sending out one asset (the pick) and getting back one good player. In this weak draft, that may be a viable option.

If it was, say, #8 plus Vesely plus Seraphin for Ilyasova, I wouldn't cry about it. I think that's overpaying a bit for Ilyasova, but there's no doubt in my mind that the team would improve as a result of the trade. And Ilyasova is young enough to stick around for a long time.

[verbal8]

I can't imagine a player that we could trade for that would be worth gambling on the upside of a Len or Shabazz.

I don't really see the high upside of Shabazz, but I could be missing something. I see him as being similar to Al Thornton or Lazar Hayward. He seems to be a short small forward who isn't very good at handling the ball(few assists, weak right hand). His wingspan does compensate somewhat for his lack of height.

If he was bigger and a PF, I would be more optimistic about his game translating to the NBA.

[jivelikenice]

We're trading the pick. Its obvious that management i.e. Ernie is trying to go all in for the postseason next year to save his job. I'm sure they will trade the pick for a veteran. I'm trying to think of who... it's got to be on the level of 2009 Mike Miller/Foye or 2004 Jamison..

Not necessarily, but I think they want to de-prioritize the need for the pick to be an impact player right away.