Pre-Draft Thread / Workout Updates

[Howard Cosell]

The Twolves will be picking a Guard with the 9th pick. We may pick a defensive Center like Whithy with the 26th pick, but we need to go backcourt early in this draft.

[Twolf16]

I wouldn't say I want Zeller, but he's 7 feet fricken tall. He can play center.

This is my stance too.

Ahh that makes sense, in that case ill take Michael Carter-Williams as a shooting guard because he is 6'6.

[Devilzsidewalk]

That reminds me, they have a thread on the Pistons board that linked an ESPN insider article that said about Carter Williams:

Sources say a number of teams that rely heavily on analytics have Carter-Williams rated higher than Burke. While both players look good in the various analytical approaches teams employ, Carter-Williams is coming up at No. 1 and No. 2 overall on several teams' reports. For teams that value analytics, that's a big deal.

Second, the more old-school scouts and GMs are looking at Carter-Williams' performance against Indiana. Carter-Williams sliced through the Hoosiers' defense -- anchored by Victor Oladipo -- as if it were warm butter. Carter-Williams' ability to get to the basket and finish (31 percent of his shots were at the rim, and he shot 62 percent from the field) is impressive.

now there's a lot of ambiguity in there such as which teams and what kind of analytics put MCW at the top, but it's still interesting food for thought since I never hear anybody talking about MCW as a top 5 player, much less one of the top 2 players in the draft.

[[RCG]]

I wouldn't say I want Zeller, but he's 7 feet fricken tall. He can play center.

This is my stance too.

Ahh that makes sense, in that case ill take Michael Carter-Williams as a shooting guard because he is 6'6.

[Klomp]

The Twolves will be picking a Guard with the 9th pick. We may pick a defensive Center like Whithy with the 26th pick, but we need to go backcourt early in this draft.

There isn't much difference between prospects considered at 9 from both SG and C positions. However, I'd argue that the prospects available at 26 are better at SG than at C.

I think we will be adding a vet SG at some point this offseason, either via trade or FA. So it's really not picking between a starting SG and a backup C at 9 like many here seem to be saying. It's picking between a backup C and a backup SG.

The only SGs I'd feel comfortable starting from day one are Oladipo or McLemore. If we don't get one of those two via trade up, center needs to get strong consideration at 9.

[shrink]

If Zeller is on the board at #9, I would not be surprised to get a pretty nice trade offer for our pick on draft night.

[AQuintus]

[
There isn't much difference between prospects considered at 9 from both SG and C positions.

Maybe not, but SG is a significantly bigger need. And while the difference in SG and C prospects at 9 might not be big, the difference in SG prospects at 9 vs SG prospects at 26 is pretty big.

[Krapinsky]

[
There isn't much difference between prospects considered at 9 from both SG and C positions.

Maybe not, but SG is a significantly bigger need. And while the difference in SG and C prospects at 9 might not be big, the difference in SG prospects at 9 vs SG prospects at 26 is pretty big.

FWIW I just listened to a DX podcast where he said the exact opposite, which is why has KCP ranked 20.

[cpfsf]

The Twolves will be picking a Guard with the 9th pick. We may pick a defensive Center like Whithy with the 26th pick, but we need to go backcourt early in this draft.

There isn't much difference between prospects considered at 9 from both SG and C positions. However, I'd argue that the prospects available at 26 are better at SG than at C.

I think we will be adding a vet SG at some point this offseason, either via trade or FA. So it's really not picking between a starting SG and a backup C at 9 like many here seem to be saying. It's picking between a backup C and a backup SG.

The only SGs I'd feel comfortable starting from day one are Oladipo or McLemore. If we don't get one of those two via trade up, center needs to get strong consideration at 9.

i think it's more likely that the wolves will draft a euro stash or trade the pick. i would guess adetokunbo (i can finally spell his name w/o looking). i have no idea where he's going to be drafted though.

[minimus]

Hope Flip will take best available player. I'd like to see both Olapido and Dieng

[Klomp]

The Twolves will be picking a Guard with the 9th pick. We may pick a defensive Center like Whithy with the 26th pick, but we need to go backcourt early in this draft.

There isn't much difference between prospects considered at 9 from both SG and C positions. However, I'd argue that the prospects available at 26 are better at SG than at C.

I think we will be adding a vet SG at some point this offseason, either via trade or FA. So it's really not picking between a starting SG and a backup C at 9 like many here seem to be saying. It's picking between a backup C and a backup SG.

The only SGs I'd feel comfortable starting from day one are Oladipo or McLemore. If we don't get one of those two via trade up, center needs to get strong consideration at 9.

i think it's more likely that the wolves will draft a euro stash or trade the pick. i would guess adetokunbo (i can finally spell his name w/o looking). i have no idea where he's going to be drafted though.

Are you talking 26? DX updated their mock tonight. Adetokundo is at 15. An interesting stash would be Nogueira, who's now mocked at 27.

[Murphs56]

If MClemore and Oladipo are off the board, personally, I want Caldwell-Pope. Forget this Zeller garbage

[cpfsf]

i considered that before i posted it (nbadraft wasn't that much different). i think he can fall anywhere, but it really depends on the team's situation. nogueira is another guy i considered too, but i'm biased since i would generally prefer someone who could play oversees a year or two more.

[Klomp]

Am I the only one who gets a Paul George vibe from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope?

[Klomp]

i considered that before i posted it (nbadraft wasn't that much different). i think he can fall anywhere, but it really depends on the team's situation. nogueira is another guy i considered too, but i'm biased since i would generally prefer someone who could play oversees a year or two more.

Why couldn't Nogueira?

[cpfsf]

i considered that before i posted it (nbadraft wasn't that much different). i think he can fall anywhere, but it really depends on the team's situation. nogueira is another guy i considered too, but i'm biased since i would generally prefer someone who could play oversees a year or two more.

Why couldn't Nogueira?

i should have worded that better. i like guys who can be stashed overseas. that is part of the reason to why i like adetokunbo and nogueira. i don't have a favorite between the two yet because it's hard trying to figure out how international prospect compare.

[moss_is_1]

I'd take a center at #9 and then try to secure someone like Ricky Ledo later, who I like more than KCP.

[Saltine]

I haven't seen anyone advocate drafting a PF

You missed the entire Zeller discussion???

The man is a total pussy at the 5, in college ball, no way he'd make it in the NBA unless it's at the 4.
The gophers kicked his butt;
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=330570135
Mbakwe - 21 pts, 12 boards, 25 minutes
Zeller - 9 points, 7 boards, 32 minutes

Though I think he's a bust either way.

[Tirion]

I'd rather draft Zeller than Len. Or Bennett.

The only bigman better than Zeller in this draft is Noel.

[Worm Guts]

I haven't seen anyone advocate drafting a PF

You missed the entire Zeller discussion???

The man is a total pussy at the 5, in college ball, no way he'd make it in the NBA unless it's at the 4.
The gophers kicked his butt;
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=330570135
Mbakwe - 21 pts, 12 boards, 25 minutes
Zeller - 9 points, 7 boards, 32 minutes

Though I think he's a bust either way.

Everybody who wants to draft him thinks he can play the 5, which means no one wants to draft a PF.