Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part V

[SUPERBALLMAN]

What's up Wizards' fans? First off, congrats on getting the 3rd pick. I hope you guys get a good player and along with healthy Wall and Nene, and improved Beal, finally climb into the realm of competitive basketball. Hopefully you guys make enough noise to keep Wall happy.

I'm assuming that you all are more knowledgeable of Len than most. Despite my disdain, his name keeps popping up on our board for our 4th pick. Is Len worth a lottery pick? What's the consensus b/c when I watched him I just saw a ho-hum typical Euro center.

I like Len a lot. Talent-wise he could be a franchise center and turn out to be the best player out of this draft. He could end up better than Hibbert.

My concern with him more than anything is long term health. I hope the Wizards don't take him at 3. If MJ takes him at 4 though I'm sure he'll turn out to be a complete bust.

I'm not familiar with your roster, but I would think you'd take McLemore if he falls to you, or Oladipo or Bennett if he doesn't. But just in terms of potential, Len is at the top of this draft.

[hands11]

Fwiw, I was just listening to ESPN 980 and Brian Mitchell dropped a few nuggets.

Apparently, he talked to someone (in the Wiz organization ?) who said that Len is a REAL possibility at #3.

Also, Cleveland is comfortable taking Len 1st overall.


Take it with a grain of salt but nothing would surprise me.

And why are you surprised to hear that ?

[SUPERBALLMAN]

I am just still so happy about that draft lottery. I just can't even believe it. I keep rewatching it. To move up to #3 what a great thing to happen! All the talk about the team trying to win down the stretch and ruining their draft position. It all worked out in the end. Amazing!

And for this draft, 3 is a great place to be.


Porter and Muscala

Please please please please!

The more I watch this lottery the more I can't believe it really happened. Maybe I'm dreaming.




Hopefully Ernie won't turn my dream into a nightmare.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

LSBF's take:

From the start, there were only three players I wanted in this draft- Burke, Porter, Len.

Flat out, I think they are the best basketball players.

Having moved up to third, you'd think we'd get one of them... But alas, he of the wasted assets is drafting (or perhaps trading the pick for a useless vet or two - why pick up just one bad contract when you can get too. But I digress).

So, I'll pretend I won't get the football pulled away again and give my scenarios for drafting each ... Plus a wildcard plan.

#1. Draft Porter, let Martell walk, resign Price, shed some salary using a second rounder, sign Kyle Korver.

Wall/Price
Beal/2nd round best shooter available/Temple
Porter/Ariza
Nene/Korver/Booker
Oakafor/Seraphin

#2. Draft Len, resign Martell, shed salary, sign Jarred Jack

Wall/Jack
Beal/2nd round shooter/Temple
Webster/Ariza
Nene/Booker/Seraphin
Okafor/Len

#3. Draft Burke. Resign Martell, shed salary, sign Korver

Wall/Burke
Beal/Burke/2nd round shooter
Webster/Ariza
Nene/Korver/Booker
Okafor/Seraphin

Wildcard: trade #3 for Kanter, Utah #14, shed salary, sign Jack, resign Martell

Wall/Jack
Beal/2nd round shooter/Temple
Martell/Ariza
Nene/McDermott (did he declare?)/Booker
Kanter/Okafor

[80sballboy]

I think Bennett is definitely the pick for you guys. Congrats and good luck.

Why, because Chad Ford mentioned it? No f-ing way Ernie picks him over Georgetown's Otto Porter with Georgetown's Ted Leonsis as his boss.

[daSwami]

Gotta think its Otto-Matic at 3, or trade the pick. I'm fine with that, he could be our Paul George (or Danny Green, maybe?)

[EddieJonesFan]

I think Bennett is definitely the pick for you guys. Congrats and good luck.

Why, because Chad Ford mentioned it? No f-ing way Ernie picks him over Georgetown's Otto Porter with Georgetown's Ted Leonsis as his boss.

I don't read or listen to Chad Ford. It made sense to me at the time to say that since I thought you guys could use an athletic offensively skilled big that could stretch the floor a bit. I understand though the issues you guys have with him, Porter does make more sense with that in mind.

[No-Man]

Gotta think its Otto-Matic at 3, or trade the pick. I'm fine with that, he could be our Paul George (or Danny Green, maybe?)

Nowhere near George or Deng, he hasnt that athletic ability.

He's a rich man Prince at best.

[sfam]

I think Bennett is definitely the pick for you guys. Congrats and good luck.

Why, because Chad Ford mentioned it? No f-ing way Ernie picks him over Georgetown's Otto Porter with Georgetown's Ted Leonsis as his boss.

I don't read or listen to Chad Ford. It made sense to me at the time to say that since I thought you guys could use an athletic offensively skilled big that could stretch the floor a bit. I understand though the issues you guys have with him, Porter does make more sense with that in mind.

This is really the debate now. I sort of like Bennett better assuming we are happy with his work ethic. But Porter is as low risk as you can get.

[hands11]

LSBF's take:

From the start, there were only three players I wanted in this draft- Burke, Porter, Len.

Flat out, I think they are the best basketball players.

Having moved up to third, you'd think we'd get one of them... But alas, he of the wasted assets is drafting (or perhaps trading the pick for a useless vet or two - why pick up just one bad contract when you can get too. But I digress).

So, I'll pretend I won't get the football pulled away again and give my scenarios for drafting each ... Plus a wildcard plan.

#1. Draft Porter, let Martell walk, resign Price, shed some salary using a second rounder, sign Kyle Korver.

Wall/Price
Beal/2nd round best shooter available/Temple
Porter/Ariza
Nene/Korver/Booker
Oakafor/Seraphin

#2. Draft Len, resign Martell, shed salary, sign Jarred Jack

Wall/Jack
Beal/2nd round shooter/Temple
Webster/Ariza
Nene/Booker/Seraphin
Okafor/Len

#3. Draft Burke. Resign Martell, shed salary, sign Korver

Wall/Burke
Beal/Burke/2nd round shooter
Webster/Ariza
Nene/Korver/Booker
Okafor/Seraphin

Wildcard: trade #3 for Kanter, Utah #14, shed salary, sign Jack, resign Martell

Wall/Jack
Beal/2nd round shooter/Temple
Martell/Ariza
Nene/McDermott (did he declare?)/Booker
Kanter/Okafor

They arent getting Jack. If they could, #2 would be the way to go.

[80sballboy]

That said I still like Dipo a little better than Porter. Porter just seems to fit the chemistry and scheme and minutes available to play with our core more often. That would be drafting for need not best player. Long term I think Dipo may prove a better player at 2-3 than Porter at 3. But you can win with either of them, so I'll shrug and accept whomever.

I'm just not seeing a lot of minutes for Oladipo at the 3...not at 6-4. Yeah, he's a great athlete but he'll be consistently going up against guys who are 2-4 inches taller than him...many of them long and great athletes as well. I just don't see Dipo's athleticisim always making up for the size difference.

Thank you. I like Dipo a lot-at the 2. Maybe you trade down if somebody is desperate for him at #3. But playing the 3 in college against three-guard lineups and playing 3 in the pro's against 6-8 and 6-9 guys is a different beast.

[No-Man]

Lord, DJ Stephens broke max vertical, 3/4 sprint and max reach records, last one was holded by O'Neal.

The guy is a monkey

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

LSBF's take:

From the start, there were only three players I wanted in this draft- Burke, Porter, Len.

Flat out, I think they are the best basketball players.

Having moved up to third, you'd think we'd get one of them... But alas, he of the wasted assets is drafting (or perhaps trading the pick for a useless vet or two - why pick up just one bad contract when you can get too. But I digress).

So, I'll pretend I won't get the football pulled away again and give my scenarios for drafting each ... Plus a wildcard plan.

#1. Draft Porter, let Martell walk, resign Price, shed some salary using a second rounder, sign Kyle Korver.

Wall/Price
Beal/2nd round best shooter available/Temple
Porter/Ariza
Nene/Korver/Booker
Oakafor/Seraphin

#2. Draft Len, resign Martell, shed salary, sign Jarred Jack

Wall/Jack
Beal/2nd round shooter/Temple
Webster/Ariza
Nene/Booker/Seraphin
Okafor/Len

#3. Draft Burke. Resign Martell, shed salary, sign Korver

Wall/Burke
Beal/Burke/2nd round shooter
Webster/Ariza
Nene/Korver/Booker
Okafor/Seraphin

Wildcard: trade #3 for Kanter, Utah #14, shed salary, sign Jack, resign Martell

Wall/Jack
Beal/2nd round shooter/Temple
Martell/Ariza
Nene/McDermott (did he declare?)/Booker
Kanter/Okafor

They arent getting Jack. If they could, #2 would be the way to go.

Is Jack a lock to return to GS?

Or do you think we'd just lack sufficient cap space? If so, I suppose we could extend Okafor a couple of years at a lower annual number, no.

[sfam]

Jack said he loves playing in GS, loves his role and wants to return.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

The way I see it, drafting Porter is the obvious pick.

From there, I would try to move up from 37, by packaging it with our later 2nd rounder and maybe even a player, perhaps Vesely, or Singleton, or Seraphin if it could get us into the 1st round. From there I would look for a big such as Adams, Dieng, Withey, Muscala.

After the draft I would retain Webster, as well as Price and Temple.

I would look to deal Ariza and his expiring contract for a veteran guard, someone like Jamal Crawford or Salmons for example. Worst case scenario we let Ariza walk after the season and have his cap space. I would also consider Barbosa, maybe for the Bi-annual exception.

[daSwami]

Gotta think its Otto-Matic at 3, or trade the pick. I'm fine with that, he could be our Paul George (or Danny Green, maybe?)

Nowhere near George or Deng, he hasnt that athletic ability.

He's a rich man Prince at best.

Who mentioned Deng? I agree that George appears to me more explosive than Otto, but Otto's got the edge over Danny Green in pretty much every category. I hadn't even thought about comparing him to Deng, they're not comparable skill-set wise. Not sure why you brought up Deng's name.

[80sballboy]

Len would be awful at 3. That's the one outcome I absolutely do not want to see.

I wonder if some or many people on this board have watched college basketball this season or just go by combine numbers. I think he showed up about 5 games for Maryland this year and one of them was against Noel, which doesn't say much for skinny Nerlens. I do think he was misused at Maryland as a back-to-the-basket player. He's not that and if he's not after gaining 30 pounds, then why take a soft big man in the top 3, 5 or even 10?

He is more skilled than Plumlee and Zeller. I don't like any of them. Olynyk can flat out play but has short arms. I'd pass on all these bigs if you want help right away. Noel is the most intriguing for year 2 or 3.

[Upper Decker]

The pick will be Porter if he's there, but I've watched everything I can get my hands on and Porter is not an all-star player in the NBA. I've always felt that for wings to be stars in the NBA they need to either; 1) have excellent dribble penetration ability, or 2) be insanely efficient shooters. I don't get the impression that Porter has either of these traits. None of his highlights showed a "get out of my way" drive / dunk. Zero explosive plays. Zero plays where he rips down the board and flies down the court on a fast break. Very little shot creation off the bounce. This is concerning for a wing player taken top-3.

Not only that, but his shot looks like Ronnie Brewers, I just don't see how he'll become a consistent dead eye shooter. He's longer / taller than his opposition in college so he can shoot over them easier, but what happens when he's playing against equal length with greater speed / explosiveness and has to speed up his shot by half a second? Does he have the mechanics / form / quick release to combat that? It sure doesn't look like it.

Everyone says how he's a Tayshaun Prince with better offense. Is this true? Or are the Hoya colored glasses playing tricks on us? Prince was a better than average post up SF with a deft-lefty baby hook, had a deceptively quick first step, and was a better than average shooter. I don't get the impression it's a lock for Porter to be a better offensive version of Prince. Are we really about to spend a top 3 pick on a 'edge over Danny Green in pretty much every category' player?

[hands11]

I'm not ready to lock in yet. And why do it. We have time.

Its easy to let excitement about one thing or another change your view on things. An emotional decision is usually chancy at best.

In a lot of ways, I still think Burke's a top two offensive talent at the top of this draft and probably the true #1 pick. But clearly Cleveland isn't picking him. Only way he goes #1 is if they trade the pick.

And lets not forget this guy.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQkmaFY7WUs[/youtube]

Small School. Scorer. Foot Injury. Season was cut short as he suffered a foot injury nine games into the season.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9krYCdputlU[/youtube]

If there was a way to get CJM and Len/Diegn/Adams or hell, even Withey, I don't know man. That might be a better draft then Otto. Specially if they could fill it out with Jackie Carmichael/Mike Muscala/Ryan Kelly later in the 2nd.

My early favorites were Otto, VO, and CJM and all have gone way up in the draft, but when I watch CJM play, its hard for me not to see a great fit as the 3rd guard that can play SG/PG. And he has the handles we need to add there. And he is winner. Also a great character guy just like Otto.

Let Price walk. Keep Temple as a guard defender and 3rd SG/PG

Wall, Beal, CJM could easily be the best guard combination in the league for many many years.
You have two solid SF that are only 26/27
And you already have Nene and Okafor who aren't about to die. They are only 30. You can build that front court out. Even in this draft. Jackie would be a stud rebounder power post player. Kelly would make for a real nice S4. And Muscala is just productive.

I don't know. I love the Otto story but there are other options that could yield a better total team.

[80sballboy]

Pretty good evaluation of OP

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/5/6/ ... tto-porter