Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part V

[stevemcqueen1]

Cleveland isn't going to take Porter first overall. Everyone is saying this is a two player class and McLemore and Noel are those two players. They'll take one of those guys most likely, or they will trade down. If they trade down while targeting Porter, then he'll be there at three for us unless we trade down too. I'm pretty confident Porter is going to be there for us if we want him.

Agreed. Noel goes first, as someone else mentioned CLE wants to suck for another year (despite what Gilbert's kid said during the lottery). Then I can see somebody like Charlotte moving up for McLemore. That leaves Porter for us, which is just fine by me.

I also agree with those that are saying we need to try to get back into the mid-first to get a big man prospect. We may have to take on a contract to do it, though. Something Ariza+2nd for somebody with an extra year on their deal and a first.

I'd give up a decent amount to try and get back into the 9-12 range. Probably put everything on the table except Wall, Beal, and the 3rd. I'd consider including a top five protected '14 pick with no protection in 2015 to move back into the top ten.

[GhostsOfGil]

How about we draft Porter at the 3. Package our 2 second round picks to move up to the late first round. Trade our late first + ariza to Sacramento for Salmons +7th.

Take Zeller.

[Ruzious]

Porter's max vert is 36" and his standing reach of 8'10.5" is very good for a 3.

I've seen only 8'9.5 standing reach for him - still very good for a 3.

[pancakes3]

I don't think it's urgent to trade down in order to get a C. We have quite a bit of money coming off the books in 2014. OkaRiza combines for 22 million of which only ~7mil of which will go towards Wall's extension. That leaves us the ability to offer Cousins the max as well next season. At least that's where my personal pipe dream is headed.

Wall
Beal
Porter
Nene
Cousins

is just a hell of a team. A much better version of the current Rockets.

[pcbothwel]

Just as a reference Zach Randolph measured in at 6'7 w/o shoes and a 7'1 wingspan. That and his non-existent neck make him almost identical to Bennett. But Bennett has much more athleticism and perimeter game. Z-bo can certainly do work down low, but do not discount Bennett. His raw Vert numbers would probably not stand out as "elite", but he is an explosive two foot jumper( what you need down low) and has a quick/strong "second jump" which is extremely important.
The important thing is that Whitman can afford to make him earn the spot. Him going against a guys like Ariza, Booker, and Seraphin will make him deal with all sorts of combinations of guys who will play D on him, out-hustle(Booker), and take him to school with footwork/Brute strength (Seraphin/NeNe). Two years ago Bennett would have been a bad choice for this organization, but we have a different presence now.

None of this matters because EG has clearly made his decision with his interview.

[tontoz]

Porter's max vert is 36" and his standing reach of 8'10.5" is very good for a 3.

I've seen only 8'9.5 standing reach for him - still very good for a 3.

I must have been looking at Tony Mitchell right beneath him at Draft Express.

[tontoz]

None of this matters because EG has clearly made his decision with his interview.

What did he say? I can't see vids at work.

Thanks

[AFM]

With the 3rd pick in the 2013 NBA draft the Washington Wizards select.... John Vesely! Jan Vesely's brother. He just started playing basketball last year but has a 50 inch vertical.

[Dark Faze]

None of this matters because EG has clearly made his decision with his interview.

What did he say? I can't see vids at work.

Thanks

He said he thinks its a 3 man draft (though couldn't tell how serious he was when he said this) but he also said that who he'd pick at 3rd might have been who he'd picked at eight.

Bennett probably wouldn't be available at eight either.

It really was a bunch of non talk.

[stevemcqueen1]

I would not trade the 3rd overall pick for a top 3 protected 2014 pick. You'd probably end up with something in the late lottery if you did that.

I still think Zeller is going to go way earlier than 10ish. I would much rather we pick the guy we want at 3 even if it's a reach than trade down to the mid/late lottery and have to settle for what's left and try and shoe horn them into our construction.

Yeah, if they don't trade the pick, I would go with Zeller - assuming Noah isn't there. He had a bad NCAA tournament, so fans are down on him, but his combo of size, skills, athleticism, and work ethic are rare. Quality bigs are very hard to find - especially ones that play both ends of the court. Porter is probably as good a 3 as Zeller is a 4/5, but quality 3's are nowhere near as difficult to find. And the Wiz need to add 2 quality bigs for the long term, imo. If they add zero this offseason, it puts them in a bind for the future.

I would still favor a trade with Utah - getting Kanter and the 14th pick - and taking the BPA regardless of position (other than a guard who can play only 1 position) with that pick.

Most of the prospects had a bad NCAA tournament. McLemore and Burke had awful games, Bennett and Muhammad were out in the first round, and Noel wasn't even there. I was a little reassured reading old James Harden profiles that talked about how horrible he was in the NCAA tournament and how that cast doubt over him becoming a star in the future. People simply over react to the tourney games, but OKC certainly didn't. They took him at 3, where he was rated, and where hindsight tells us he should have gone. If you redid that draft, I imagine it would go:

1.) Griffin
2.) Curry
3.) Harden
4.) Rubio
5.) Holiday
6.) Lawson
7.) Tyreke
8.) Jennings
9.) DeRozan

It ended up being a much better class than people expected in hindsight. I kind of get that feeling about this draft class. I don't see it being as awful as 2011 was. I think it's got more clean players to choose from, more depth, plenty of seven footers and an excellent group of two guards. I think this class replenishes the league's waning two guard quality.

Anyway, DX currently has Zeller going 11th and NBADraft.net has him 7th. Chad Ford has him ranked 9th. That makes him somewhat unpalatable at 3. I've thought they are wrong to rank him so low, but what if I'm wrong? You might be able to trade back into top ten around 9 or so and still get Zeller. If that's the case, you could conceivably come away with both Porter and Zeller. Historically, late top ten and late lottery picks have not been very hard or expensive to deal for.

[pancakes3]

Just as a reference Zach Randolph measured ...

He also didn't put up stats until his 3rd season and didn't play a part on a winning team (>41 wins) until his 10th season.

[Nivek]

All of Porter's measurements and physical tests are within the norm for a SF. No concerns there.

[stevemcqueen1]

How about we draft Porter at the 3. Package our 2 second round picks to move up to the late first round. Trade our late first + ariza to Sacramento for Salmons +7th.

Take Zeller.

I would love this draft. It'd be a dream scenario. But I don't think Sacramento necessarily takes us up on that deal. I would include a protected 2014 pick in the deal if it would get it done.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Maybe we should trade our 3 picks to a team with 2 1st rounders, like ATL, maybe some team that wants Burke. Instead of 1 good player, we can come out with something like McCollum & Adams, or Dieng & Bullock for example.

Trade down for two picks . Sign McCollum and Muscala.

[Dat2U]

I would not trade the 3rd overall pick for a top 3 protected 2014 pick. You'd probably end up with something in the late lottery if you did that.

I still think Zeller is going to go way earlier than 10ish. I would much rather we pick the guy we want at 3 even if it's a reach than trade down to the mid/late lottery and have to settle for what's left and try and shoe horn them into our construction.

Yeah, if they don't trade the pick, I would go with Zeller - assuming Noah isn't there. He had a bad NCAA tournament, so fans are down on him, but his combo of size, skills, athleticism, and work ethic are rare. Quality bigs are very hard to find - especially ones that play both ends of the court. Porter is probably as good a 3 as Zeller is a 4/5, but quality 3's are nowhere near as difficult to find. And the Wiz need to add 2 quality bigs for the long term, imo. If they add zero this offseason, it puts them in a bind for the future.

I would still favor a trade with Utah - getting Kanter and the 14th pick - and taking the BPA regardless of position (other than a guard who can play only 1 position) with that pick.

I gotta say your wrong here. Regardless of what you & I think of Zeller (and we are far apart on him), productive bigs are easier to come by these days than quality 3s. Quality 3s are scarce. LeBron & Melo play the 4 almost exclusively now. After Durant, who else is there? Paul George? A 35 yr old Paul Pierce? If Otto Porter is the next Tayshaun Prince, that would make him a top 5 SF in this era.

[nate33]

Getting back to Porter, i don't think Ariza/Webster should factor into the decision at all. Webster is a UFA and Ariza has one year left.

Porter can create his own shot off the dribble. Ariza/Webster couldn't do that much at all.

I don't understand why Webster shouldn't be a factor. He likes it here. We like him in on the court and he is a locker room leader. He is young enough to be part of our core for another 5 or 6 years. He's a perfect fit offensively for John Wall. And his price range is something we can afford with the MLE. All indications are that he will remain with the Wizards if we want him. Just to blindly write him off as if he's not a factor in the decision is senseless. You are arbitrarily trying to simplify a decision that isn't that simple.

[Ruzious]

Chad Ford, DX, and all of them will change their mocks a dozen or more times before the draft. Where will these guys be ranked come draft day by NBA GM's is the question. Didn't Love keep moving up week after week? If they can trade down and still get Zeller, do it. But my guess is that the NBA folks rate him higher than the internet folks.

[GhostsOfGil]

How about we draft Porter at the 3. Package our 2 second round picks to move up to the late first round. Trade our late first + ariza to Sacramento for Salmons +7th.

Take Zeller.

I would love this draft. It'd be a dream scenario. But I don't think Sacramento necessarily takes us up on that deal. I would include a protected 2014 pick in the deal if it would get it done.

Lottery protected, I'd do it.

[nuposse04]

My big Board would like this at the moment:

1. Noel
2. Trade for Kanter+lower pic
3. Porter
4. Bennett
5. Random trade down scenario.

I think Porter played at 205 last season, I suspect he'll at least be able to play at that by season start, I want to see him get to 225 within a year or two though. He has the frame to fill out. Although bench press isn't a great way to judge NBA strength I guess it is encouraging he did 9 reps at the combine even though he's still on the Tauyshaun side. I think Porter's ceiling is a rich man's Batum.

I've pretty much taken Bennett off my board. I just don't see him working with Wittman.

Porter looks like he has good upper body strength. He's got good muscle tone. He's just got no bulk and has a skinny base.

But he gets it done. That kind of defines him for me:
- Didn't play AAU, still ended up a top college player and NBA prospect.
- Not that strong nor a leaper, but he gets a TON of rebounds outside his area.
- Not fast and looks awkward when he runs, but he creates space for himself to shoot and finishes well in transition.
- Got a funny looking jumper but it goes in.

People are always going to be wondering how he's as good as he is throughout his career because he's so unconventional. But he's going to play winning basketball and get great results in spite of being an abnormal player. He's just figured out what works for himself and mastered his own approach to the game. He's an odd bird.

The way the team is constructed today, I'm starting to agree that you just take Porter and be done with it. You got a good player who fits perfectly, move on to the next step in the build--finding a long term C.

I wonder if Sacramento would trade DeMarcus Cousins for the 3rd pick straight up?

I'm thinking:
1.) Cousins
2.) Porter
3.) Zeller
4.) Trade down

is my board for #3.

I'd understand why they'd take Bennett. I think he has very mix of upside and ability contribute right away. I don't think hes necessarily going to achieve his ceiling, but I wouldn't be upset if they wanted to gamble on him at the 3/4.

I think it really comes down to Porter/Noel or trade. I don't think Oladipo is a better prospect then porter because they're both high level role players. I don't believe you Oladipo can single handily win you games. I'd honestly be surprised if he turned out to be Eric Gordon level offensively. I strictly see him as a 2 guard too. I maintain he'd get abused as a 3. He's big enough for 2 guard standards so it would be stupid to try to take that advantage away from him.

I'm not sure what SAC's interest is in dealing Cousins but I'd definitely attempt to make an offer.

#3+Vesely+Okafor+2nd might be a starting point, maybe swap Vesely with Seraphin.

[P'Oed]

Is it unrealistic to think Cleveland might pull the trigger on Porter with the #1? If Orlando then goes Nerlens with #2 would you take Mclemore for the hell of it? I understand Beal has starting SG locked up for some time (and rightfully so) but it's not like this team has an arsenal of really talented guards.

Either way, if Porter is there he has to be the pick. Seems to me like people want a go-to superstar out of this draft but there just isn't anyone that sticks out in that mold. The goal should be to gather the talent to knock off the best team in your conference in the playoffs (and of course, for us, MAKING the playoffs in the first place) and I think Wall-Beal-Porter gives them a shot at defending against a team like the Heat in the playoffs.