Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part VI

[nate33]

Continued from here

And by popular demand, here's a link to all 5 of the 2013 Draft Threads

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V

[SUPERBALLMAN]

Post by Chocolate City Jordanaire on Fri May 31, 2013 12:40 am


Reggie Bullock, Dario Saric, Tony Snell, Vander Blue, Michael Snaer, Brandon Paul, Carrick Felix, D. J. Stephens


______________________________________________________________________________________________________



I like Bullock a lot. Others worth mentioning are Hardaway and Rice. Also just noticed Solomon Hill has dropped to late 2nd round on DX.

[sfam]

DA's Center Big Board.
http://www.nba.com/2013/news/features/david_aldridge/05/20/david-aldridges-big-board-centers-2013-draft/index.html

...and PF Big Board
http://www.nba.com/2013/news/features/david_aldridge/05/06/david-aldridges-big-board-power-forwards-2013-draft/index.html

Someone needs to inform DA what a sucky pick Bennet is. DA even quoted vet scouts as saying Bennett is one of the "safest picks in the draft". Jeeze, talk about amateur hour. The dude's rep as an expert is taking a big hit here...

[montestewart]

Okay everybody, it's that time again, it's time to NAME THAT PROSPECT!

Here's an excerpt from a Draft Express scouting report on a big man in this draft:

Weaknesses:

Fundamentals On Defense
- technique & fundamentals have a long way to go
- closes out wildly contesting shots on the perimeter
- gives up deep position, prone to getting lost off of the ball
- very average defensive rebounder, misses box outs

Without cheating, who is this prospect?

Spoiler: It's Steven Adams, although it just as easily could have been Anthony Bennett. Funny how lots of guys on this board freak out about Bennett's effort on D, but then those same guys are hyping up Adams as the steal of the draft... Hypocrites.

Re hypocrisy regarding assessment of Adams defense vs. assessment of Bennet's defense, comments about Bennett's defense are mostly related to his effort/focus and whether he has sufficient height/reach to defend at his position. I don't think Adams' height or reach are at issue, and that DX scouting report mentioned gave no indication that his effort was an issue. The problems mentioned sound like typical problems for young bigs. Also, Bennet is projected pretty high (3-5), but Adams seems to be projected in the 10-15 range. Bennet at #10 might be a real steal.

So where were we? Oh yeah, I'll take your word for Adams and Leonard looking like very similar players. They are both white. Looking at their numbers, they don't look so identical.

[hands11]

Continued from here

Nate,

If you have them handy, any chance you could post the links the previous draft threads when we start a new one so wherever we end, the others will be easier to access.

[montestewart]

DA's Center Big Board.
http://www.nba.com/2013/news/features/david_aldridge/05/20/david-aldridges-big-board-centers-2013-draft/index.html

...and PF Big Board
http://www.nba.com/2013/news/features/david_aldridge/05/06/david-aldridges-big-board-power-forwards-2013-draft/index.html

Someone needs to inform DA what a sucky pick Bennet is. DA even quoted vet scouts as saying Bennett is one of the "safest picks in the draft". Jeeze, talk about amateur hour. The dude's rep as an expert is taking a big hit here...

From the article:

Bennett is seen as a power forward prospect with room to grow in the NBA.
One veteran scout believes Bennett will not be more than 6-foot-6 ½ when he's measured in Chicago. That's dangerous territory for a power forward, even one with Bennett's potential.

Another concern is Bennett's history of injuries. He was sidelined for long stretches in his last two seasons at Finlay (Nev.) Prep, and suffered back and shoulder injuries at UNLV. Indeed, his shoulder -- which some NBA teams think was just tendinitis, though others aren't sure -- and an asthma diagnosis are still issues that will have to be assuaged by NBA team doctors when they examine him before the Draft. Bennett's numbers in the Mountain West also leveled off after a hot start.

[nate33]

The bad news, at least IMO, is that so far all I can think about when I'm looking at tape and reading scouting reports on Adams is Meyers Leonard. Very similar players in many ways. They both have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, but the big picture for them both is eerily similar. To be fair, Leonard was seen as a bit of a project as well, so it's probably too soon to write him off after only his rookie season, where he did alright. But I've never been a Meyers Leonard fan, and I don't anticipate him ever being an above average starting center.

Interesting comp. Physically, they are indeed quite similar. Leonard didn't appear in my screen because he had only a 9-0 standing reach whereas Adams' is 9-1.5". Leonard actually had quicker feet, with an outstanding lane agility time of 11.34 (compared to Adams' time of 11.85). Adams was a better rebounder and shot blocker than Leonard in college, though. And he did so while committing more steals, fewer fouls, and fewer turnovers, suggesting that he has better body control and reflexes.

Hey WizD, what was your opinion on Leonard last year?

[nate33]

Continued from here

Nate,

If you have them handy, any chance you could post the links the previous draft threads when we start a new one so wherever we end, the others will be easier to access.

Yeah. I'll edit my original post.

[sfam]

DA's Center Big Board.
http://www.nba.com/2013/news/features/david_aldridge/05/20/david-aldridges-big-board-centers-2013-draft/index.html

...and PF Big Board
http://www.nba.com/2013/news/features/david_aldridge/05/06/david-aldridges-big-board-power-forwards-2013-draft/index.html

Someone needs to inform DA what a sucky pick Bennet is. DA even quoted vet scouts as saying Bennett is one of the "safest picks in the draft". Jeeze, talk about amateur hour. The dude's rep as an expert is taking a big hit here...

From the article:

Bennett is seen as a power forward prospect with room to grow in the NBA.
One veteran scout believes Bennett will not be more than 6-foot-6 ½ when he's measured in Chicago. That's dangerous territory for a power forward, even one with Bennett's potential.

Another concern is Bennett's history of injuries. He was sidelined for long stretches in his last two seasons at Finlay (Nev.) Prep, and suffered back and shoulder injuries at UNLV. Indeed, his shoulder -- which some NBA teams think was just tendinitis, though others aren't sure -- and an asthma diagnosis are still issues that will have to be assuaged by NBA team doctors when they examine him before the Draft. Bennett's numbers in the Mountain West also leveled off after a hot start.

The title of the entire article is "Bennett a star-in-waiting among power forward prospects" with the follow-up headline indicating his potential has scouts salivating - these are professionals he's been talking to. He even starts off his post:

In a year where there are a lot of maybes, UNLV's freshman power forward Anthony Bennett is as close to a certainty as you will get -- and that's among the reasons why Bennett is almost certain to be a top-four pick in June.

Clearly there are concerns, but if we quote the whole article, its fairly clear how much he likes the guy. Far from envisioning Bennett as a lard-a$$ lazy scrub some are making him out to be here, DA makes clear that Bennett is right at the top of the draft board for most scouts he's talked to.

[rockymac52]

Okay everybody, it's that time again, it's time to NAME THAT PROSPECT!

Here's an excerpt from a Draft Express scouting report on a big man in this draft:

Weaknesses:

Fundamentals On Defense
- technique & fundamentals have a long way to go
- closes out wildly contesting shots on the perimeter
- gives up deep position, prone to getting lost off of the ball
- very average defensive rebounder, misses box outs

Without cheating, who is this prospect?

Spoiler: It's Steven Adams, although it just as easily could have been Anthony Bennett. Funny how lots of guys on this board freak out about Bennett's effort on D, but then those same guys are hyping up Adams as the steal of the draft... Hypocrites.

Re hypocrisy regarding assessment of Adams defense vs. assessment of Bennet's defense, comments about Bennett's defense are mostly related to his effort/focus and whether he has sufficient height/reach to defend at his position. I don't think Adams' height or reach are at issue, and that DX scouting report mentioned gave no indication that his effort was an issue. The problems mentioned sound like typical problems for young bigs. Also, Bennet is projected pretty high (3-5), but Adams seems to be projected in the 10-15 range. Bennet at #10 might be a real steal.

So where were we? Oh yeah, I'll take your word for Adams and Leonard looking like very similar players. They are both white. Looking at their numbers, they don't look so identical.

Why are Adams' defensive shortcomings excused because they are typical of young big men?
Moreover, why can't Bennett use this exact same excuse?
Why are Bennett's defensive issues related to his effort and focus, but Adams' are not?

I agree with you that Adams clearly has great height/reach/weight/etc., and likewise, that there may be some valid concerns along those lines for Bennett. But I simply don't think it's fair to see the exact same issues defensively in two players, and then arbitrarily labeling them as the result of a poor work ethic for one player, and typical growing pains for the other. Honestly, we don't need to go down this road, but I think this inconsistency might be the result of subconscious racism. Think about it.

As for my earlier Leonard comparison, I'll back off that a little bit now that I've seen more game tape, but I still think it's not too far off. The number one reason why both of them will be drafted in the late lottery is their size. They both have prototypical size for a modern day center, and will likely continue to fill in their big frames. The strengths of their game are largely directly the result of superior physical gifts and athleticism, but they have serious weaknesses in all other aspects of their game that might never be improved. Adams gets a lot more offensive rebounds than Leonard, but of course, he's terrible on the defensive boards, where Leonard has been good.

[hands11]

The bad news, at least IMO, is that so far all I can think about when I'm looking at tape and reading scouting reports on Adams is Meyers Leonard. Very similar players in many ways. They both have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, but the big picture for them both is eerily similar. To be fair, Leonard was seen as a bit of a project as well, so it's probably too soon to write him off after only his rookie season, where he did alright. But I've never been a Meyers Leonard fan, and I don't anticipate him ever being an above average starting center.

Interesting comp. Physically, they are indeed quite similar. Leonard didn't appear in my screen because he had only a 9-0 standing reach whereas Adams' is 9-1.5". Leonard actually had quicker feet, with an outstanding lane agility time of 11.34 (compared to Adams' time of 11.85). Adams was a better rebounder and shot blocker than Leonard in college, though. And he did so while committing more steals, fewer fouls, and fewer turnovers, suggesting that he has better body control and reflexes.

Hey WizD, what was your opinion on Leonard last year?

I think Adams will develop faster. For one, he has more of a tough guy approach. Leonard is one to hang his head. I don't see Adams being that way. Also, Adams already showed some form on a jumper. He seems to be a quick learner.

I think Leonard will develop into something useful in 2-3 years but it will be a tougher road for him.

If I could chose between them at 11th, I would take Adams.

And if I needed a center prospect, I would take Adams over Shabazz Muhammad in this draft. That probably has him getting drafted somewhere around where Leonard was. Maybe sooner if a team really likes what they see and hear when evaluating him.

[sfam]

Okay everybody, it's that time again, it's time to NAME THAT PROSPECT!

Here's an excerpt from a Draft Express scouting report on a big man in this draft:



Without cheating, who is this prospect?

Spoiler: It's Steven Adams, although it just as easily could have been Anthony Bennett. Funny how lots of guys on this board freak out about Bennett's effort on D, but then those same guys are hyping up Adams as the steal of the draft... Hypocrites.

Re hypocrisy regarding assessment of Adams defense vs. assessment of Bennet's defense, comments about Bennett's defense are mostly related to his effort/focus and whether he has sufficient height/reach to defend at his position. I don't think Adams' height or reach are at issue, and that DX scouting report mentioned gave no indication that his effort was an issue. The problems mentioned sound like typical problems for young bigs. Also, Bennet is projected pretty high (3-5), but Adams seems to be projected in the 10-15 range. Bennet at #10 might be a real steal.

So where were we? Oh yeah, I'll take your word for Adams and Leonard looking like very similar players. They are both white. Looking at their numbers, they don't look so identical.

Why are Adams' defensive shortcomings excused because they are typical of young big men?
Moreover, why can't Bennett use this exact same excuse?
Why are Bennett's defensive issues related to his effort and focus, but Adams' are not?

I agree with you that Adams clearly has great height/reach/weight/etc., and likewise, that there may be some valid concerns along those lines for Bennett. But I simply don't think it's fair to see the exact same issues defensively in two players, and then arbitrarily labeling them as the result of a poor work ethic for one player, and typical growing pains for the other. Honestly, we don't need to go down this road, but I think this inconsistency might be the result of subconscious racism. Think about it.

As for my earlier Leonard comparison, I'll back off that a little bit now that I've seen more game tape, but I still think it's not too far off. The number one reason why both of them will be drafted in the late lottery is their size. They both have prototypical size for a modern day center, and will likely continue to fill in their big frames. The strengths of their game are largely directly the result of superior physical gifts and athleticism, but they have serious weaknesses in all other aspects of their game that might never be improved. Adams gets a lot more offensive rebounds than Leonard, but of course, he's terrible on the defensive boards, where Leonard has been good.

Just for the sake of completeness, I would again point out that short, lazy defenders (the knock on Bennett) usually aren't averaging 1.4 BLKs and over 8 rebounds.

[rockymac52]

The bad news, at least IMO, is that so far all I can think about when I'm looking at tape and reading scouting reports on Adams is Meyers Leonard. Very similar players in many ways. They both have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, but the big picture for them both is eerily similar. To be fair, Leonard was seen as a bit of a project as well, so it's probably too soon to write him off after only his rookie season, where he did alright. But I've never been a Meyers Leonard fan, and I don't anticipate him ever being an above average starting center.

Interesting comp. Physically, they are indeed quite similar. Leonard didn't appear in my screen because he had only a 9-0 standing reach whereas Adams' is 9-1.5". Leonard actually had quicker feet, with an outstanding lane agility time of 11.34 (compared to Adams' time of 11.85). Adams was a better rebounder and shot blocker than Leonard in college, though. And he did so while committing more steals, fewer fouls, and fewer turnovers, suggesting that he has better body control and reflexes.

Hey WizD, what was your opinion on Leonard last year?

I don't think that's necessarily the case. Unless you are talking about pace adjusted numbers, in which case you should probably disregard the rest of this post. But since Adams played only 23 MPG, compared to Leonard's 31 MPG as a sophomore, it follows that he's going to have less turnovers and fewer fouls. Furthermore, I think Adams actually has terrible body control and reflexes, and it's quite evident on the offensive side of the ball, where he legitimately might be the most rigid and uncomfortable player in the post that I've ever seen. Maybe a slight exaggeration there, but you get my point.

I think some of Adams' stats are greatly exaggerated because of his smaller role on offense. He had a usage rate of about 17%, compared to Leonard's usage rate of 22% as a sophomore. That's a fairly significant difference, and as is the case at every level of basketball, including college and the NBA, when a player has a smaller usage rate, he will generally increase his efficiency accordingly, as he's now only taking the easy gimme shots that are handed to him, whereas the player with the higher usage rate has to carry a much bigger load for his team, which often results in him taking more difficult shots.

[nate33]

The bad news, at least IMO, is that so far all I can think about when I'm looking at tape and reading scouting reports on Adams is Meyers Leonard. Very similar players in many ways. They both have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, but the big picture for them both is eerily similar. To be fair, Leonard was seen as a bit of a project as well, so it's probably too soon to write him off after only his rookie season, where he did alright. But I've never been a Meyers Leonard fan, and I don't anticipate him ever being an above average starting center.

Interesting comp. Physically, they are indeed quite similar. Leonard didn't appear in my screen because he had only a 9-0 standing reach whereas Adams' is 9-1.5". Leonard actually had quicker feet, with an outstanding lane agility time of 11.34 (compared to Adams' time of 11.85). Adams was a better rebounder and shot blocker than Leonard in college, though. And he did so while committing more steals, fewer fouls, and fewer turnovers, suggesting that he has better body control and reflexes.

Hey WizD, what was your opinion on Leonard last year?

I don't think that's necessarily the case. Unless you are talking about pace adjusted numbers, in which case you should probably disregard the rest of this post. But since Adams played only 23 MPG, compared to Leonard's 31 MPG as a sophomore, it follows that he's going to have less turnovers and fewer fouls. Furthermore, I think Adams actually has terrible body control and reflexes, and it's quite evident on the offensive side of the ball, where he legitimately might be the most rigid and uncomfortable player in the post that I've ever seen. Maybe a slight exaggeration there, but you get my point.

I think some of Adams' stats are greatly exaggerated because of his smaller role on offense. He had a usage rate of about 17%, compared to Leonard's usage rate of 22% as a sophomore. That's a fairly significant difference, and as is the case at every level of basketball, including college and the NBA, when a player has a smaller usage rate, he will generally increase his efficiency accordingly, as he's now only taking the easy gimme shots that are handed to him, whereas the player with the higher usage rate has to carry a much bigger load for his team, which often results in him taking more difficult shots.

I was using pace adjusted per 40 stats. You may well be right that Leonard has a more advanced offensive game, but frankly, I don't really care much about that. I don't think either guy will ever be a guy who is a primary option scorer. Offensively, they just need to finish when they get offensive boards, and they need to be able to hit a 17-footer on the pick and pop.

I was focusing on defense and rebounding. Adams' numbers suggest he's better at it.

[nate33]

From that Aldridge article on Bennett:

He's a phenomenal teammate. He's serious. He does his work. He's still young, but you have to take him. He's one of the safest guys to take in the draft.

Interesting. I consider work ethic to be critical for Bennett. Is his poor defense due to laziness or indifference? This scout doesn't think so.

[rockymac52]

Interesting comp. Physically, they are indeed quite similar. Leonard didn't appear in my screen because he had only a 9-0 standing reach whereas Adams' is 9-1.5". Leonard actually had quicker feet, with an outstanding lane agility time of 11.34 (compared to Adams' time of 11.85). Adams was a better rebounder and shot blocker than Leonard in college, though. And he did so while committing more steals, fewer fouls, and fewer turnovers, suggesting that he has better body control and reflexes.

Hey WizD, what was your opinion on Leonard last year?

I don't think that's necessarily the case. Unless you are talking about pace adjusted numbers, in which case you should probably disregard the rest of this post. But since Adams played only 23 MPG, compared to Leonard's 31 MPG as a sophomore, it follows that he's going to have less turnovers and fewer fouls. Furthermore, I think Adams actually has terrible body control and reflexes, and it's quite evident on the offensive side of the ball, where he legitimately might be the most rigid and uncomfortable player in the post that I've ever seen. Maybe a slight exaggeration there, but you get my point.

I think some of Adams' stats are greatly exaggerated because of his smaller role on offense. He had a usage rate of about 17%, compared to Leonard's usage rate of 22% as a sophomore. That's a fairly significant difference, and as is the case at every level of basketball, including college and the NBA, when a player has a smaller usage rate, he will generally increase his efficiency accordingly, as he's now only taking the easy gimme shots that are handed to him, whereas the player with the higher usage rate has to carry a much bigger load for his team, which often results in him taking more difficult shots.

I was using pace adjusted per 40 stats. You may well be right that Leonard has a more advanced offensive game, but frankly, I don't really care much about that. I don't think either guy will ever be a guy who is a primary option scorer. Offensively, they just need to finish when they get offensive boards, and they need to be able to hit a 17-footer on the pick and pop.

I was focusing on defense and rebounding. Adams' numbers suggest he's better at it.

Very good point, and I agree completely. Like you said, neither player is ever going to be a go-to scorer for their team. All they need to do is convert the easy lay ins and grab some offensive boards. Adams clearly has a big advantage on the offensive boards, as he looks like he could be a real game changer in that regard. While Adams has been terrible on the defensive boards, his size and abilities on the offense glass lead me to believe that he'll figure out how to be a decent defensive rebounder as well in due time.

But you're right in that for our purposes, the priority is defense and rebounding at the center position. Adams was the better defender in college, and definitely has a much higher upside going forward on that side of the ball. I believe that Adams can develop into a very good defensive player and rebounder, but we might need to be willing to be patient and wait 3 years or so before he figures it out.

Just to clarify, even though I made the Leonard/Adams comparison, I am in no way advocating for us acquiring Leonard or a player of his exact skill set, because I just don't think he's very good. He's not awful, but he's definitely not good, and I hope we can find a better option at C going forward. Given the choice between Leonard and Adams I'd probably take Adams too at this point, and I don't think I'd have to think about that one very hard.

I will say though, that while Adams' offensive game is definitely very limited at the moment but may still eventually develop into a respectable offensive skill set, he does remind me of Jan Vesely a lot on offense. The high flying dunks are nice when they happen here and there, but it's not a reliable source of consistent offense (that's okay though). But when he gets the ball down low and tries to post up, or really do ANYTHING with the ball in his hands, it is U-G-L-Y. He has that same deer in the headlights look that Vesely gets sometimes right before he throws up the ugliest layup you've ever seen. So that scares me quite a bit.

[nate33]

I will say though, that while Adams' offensive game is definitely very limited at the moment but may still eventually develop into a respectable offensive skill set, he does remind me of Jan Vesely a lot on offense. The high flying dunks are nice when they happen here and there, but it's not a reliable source of consistent offense (that's okay though). But when he gets the ball down low and tries to post up, or really do ANYTHING with the ball in his hands, it is U-G-L-Y. He has that same deer in the headlights look that Vesely gets sometimes right before he throws up the ugliest layup you've ever seen. So that scares me quite a bit.

Fortunately, that type of offensive ineptitude isn't all that problematic when it's your center. In general, a team needs 3 good offensive players, plus a fourth who can hit open shots. The fifth guy only has to set picks and crash the glass. Usually, that guy is your center. The problem with Vesely is that he sucks at offense and he can't play center (or really even power forward). As a result, the only way he can coexist on the court is if he is playing alongside an offensively skilled center. But offensively skilled centers who also do their job on defense are extremely rare.

[rockymac52]

From that Aldridge article on Bennett:

He's a phenomenal teammate. He's serious. He does his work. He's still young, but you have to take him. He's one of the safest guys to take in the draft.

Interesting. I consider work ethic to be critical for Bennett. Is his poor defense due to laziness or indifference? This scout doesn't think so.

Very interesting. I've been saying for a while now that I don't know where people are getting the idea that he has a bad attitude.

Along these same lines, I just came across an interesting quote about Steven Adams from last week:

According to one Eastern Conference executive, it looked "like the game was too fast for him," and his carefree attitude in combine interviews rubbed a few teams the wrong way.

Again, that's the type of thing that this board would have you believe was said about Bennett, not Adams. But it appears that Adams has plenty of serious flaws himself. It's okay though, you Adams stans/Bennett haters can keep ignoring facts when it's convenient for your point of view/argument.

[GhostsOfGil]

Thanks, if Noel was there @ 3 would you take him? I like Porter or Bennett for the 3rd pick. I'm ok with having three guys below the age of 24 starting because we are not wining a title next year. Just asking about Noel because he seems to be to thin as of today to compete against other centers. It might take 3-5 years to put on enough mass to get on the starting squad.

Just win baby!

I would definitely take Noel at 3. Also there are reports that he's already gained 6 lbs since the combine and his playing weight was 220.
[tweet]https://twitter.com/ESPNAndyKatz/status/340159210560053248[/tweet]

[WizarDynasty]

Adams has intangibles for a bigman that are amazing. Alot of fans take it for granted but we Wizards fans appreciate it because we know the side effects of a bigman who doesn't have those traits.
Number one Adams is an alpha male on the court. Meaning he naturally assumes dominance in the paint. You see it in his behavior. He misses a shot and even after the whistle blows he grabs the ball and just walks through the lane and bumps against guys in his way.
A guy like Haywood, A guy like Seraphinn, A guy like McGee, a guy like Vesely, a guy like thomas, they are timid, they don't establish their ranking on the court as the baddest dude on the court. YOu see it when adams goes for rebounds, he isn't afraid of retaliation when getting physical. When he jumps for a rebound, he claws, bangs his body and makes his presence felt. That's a trait that Tim Duncan would show. Players with superior lower body strength.
Having a player like that on your team for a decade gives your perimeter player confidence that the baddest dude on the court has their back and will win the physical battle when the game is on the line. This is a critical trait that stats will never capture. This trait alone is a huge difference between leonard, who is timid and non physical and not alpha amongst bigs and Adams.
Cousins is a an alpha but he isn't refined and in control of his emotions. Adams is an alpha who is in control like a tim Duncan. So again, stats dont' measure it.
Then you look at his motor. Usually bigmen who weight int he 260 range have to do use twice as much energy to move their bodies versus smaller guys and when you see a seven footer out leveraging a shorter player who is thick, you know their is something special. Leonard does not have elite lower body strength. Adams does.
Adams has Tim Duncan stiffness. Tim Duncan isn't the smoothest player but when Adam executes a move it highly coordinated and but not refined. Meaning, his mechanics are strong but he hasn't practiced them against high level competition. He hasn't refined his moves within the structure of an offense.
But again, Adams is elite in teh basics of a bigman. He is an elite shotblocker, he is an elite offensive and defensive rebounder, he haelite leverage ability for a seven footer with a 7'4 wingspan and he effectively uses his body to give his team an advantage. He knows how to use his body to help out his team mates.
He does alot of the same things i love about Tim Duncan and he does them naturally.
the problem with the wizards is that they have experimented for a decade and still haven't figured out how to pick the traits of an elite bigman prospects. they experimented with Haywood...he had elite length but no body coordination with the basketball and no explosiveness. He had average strength. Key ingredients missing from haywood...no body control with teh basketballl, no explosivness. He had length but couldn't finish regularly through contact. He should have never been a wizard.
the problem with the wizards is that they think traits like Explosiveness, body control with the basketball, and ability to finish through contact, and elite rebounding are traits that can be coached.
The good teams know this and they will never let a bigman with these traits slip down into the teens. the only reason lopez and hibbert slipped was because of incompetent management from historically pathetic teams.
Thomas robinson--no body control...wasn't elite at the basics yet he was picked 6th and now teams just want his salary cap space. wes Johnson..the next shaun marion? Wizard pick Vesely...i guy who can't chew gum and walk at the same time. Absolutely zero body control with the basketball and never showed the ability to finish through contact. Using my basic rules most of the bust would easily have been discovered.
mcgee and figured out length and wingspan help but lower body strength needs to be there.
McGee has length but below average body control with the basketball and no explosiveness. He should never have been a wizard. We spent nearly 4 years training him improve his body coordination with the basketball. Huge waste of time. We have seraphin, He really isn't explosive...He has average to below average body control and he can't finish through contact. He also was above average at the basics of a bigman before he came to the wizards. He should never have been a wizard.
you look at porter. No explosiveness. Huge red flag. cAn he make up for it by having extremely high body coordination with the ball---i don't think he does but some will argue. and finally can he finish through contract consistently. I think that is a huge no. Was he above average at the basic stat categories of a small forward in the NCAA.
If you use that criteria going through all the prospects, you should be able to narrow down which prospects are wizards material. Bigmen should be elite at the basics...shotblocking and rebounding. Shooting and advanced skills are icing on the cake but will never trump a bigman not being elite at the BASICS.
Same with every position.