2013 Draft Thread Part 4

[ATTL]

When I see hibbert play, the words "former gymnast" don't come to mind.

[Kyler Murray]

I'm happy with our draft. I genuinely believe that Len and Oladipo were our 1 and 2 priorities (don't know in which order).

[Revived]

This draft could have been worse, honestly. I'm hopeful our medical staff will fix Len's foot and ankle issues and Hornacek will fix goodwin's shot. If our other Alex hussels and works hard he could have a place on our team in the future too. I'm excited for summer league play for the first time in a long time.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the offseason.

Is Len gonna play in summer league?!

[Ryu]

With Len...

Didn't know he grew up as a gymnast... Wow 7'1 with agility...
I'm surprise some thinks he is Ilgauskas part deux, although Ilgauskas was a solid to good center when he was younger... But the only other big man I know who had a sort of gymnastic type agility was David Robinson....
I'm not saying Len is David Robinson but, maybe he can try to outplay his opponents by being really mobile and dynamic instead of getting inside fed all game.

Although I also understand the Hibert comparisons... But Len can be a more dynamic big man... Not just vertically but overall.

Len`s build actually reminds me of Tyson Chandler`s. Considering his basketball smarts (as McDonough said) he can be Chandlersque force on defence (with much better offense) in a couple of years.

[Ryu]

This draft could have been worse, honestly. I'm hopeful our medical staff will fix Len's foot and ankle issues and Hornacek will fix goodwin's shot. If our other Alex hussels and works hard he could have a place on our team in the future too. I'm excited for summer league play for the first time in a long time.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the offseason.

Is Len gonna play in summer league?!

No, but he should be ready for the training camp.

[DirtyDez]

This draft could have been worse, honestly. I'm hopeful our medical staff will fix Len's foot and ankle issues and Hornacek will fix goodwin's shot. If our other Alex hussels and works hard he could have a place on our team in the future too. I'm excited for summer league play for the first time in a long time.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the offseason.

Is Len gonna play in summer league?!

No, but he should be ready for the training camp.

Yeah no reason to risk anything in summer league.

[Revived]

Yea but it would have been nice to get an early glimpse of his play against NBA pros...oh well.

[Revived]

Losers: Phoenix Suns: For almost exactly the same reasons as the Bobcats above. McLemore, in particular, seemed like a no-brainer. Instead, Phoenix opted for Len over both McLemore and Noel. The Maryland center should be a solid pro but the rest of the Suns roster is so terrible they could have used an injection of upside. This wasn’t a total loss. Disgruntled center Marcin Gortat is now totally available for trade offers and the tank is on for 2014.

http://nba.si.com/2013/06/28/nba-draft- ... s-trade/2/

[thamadkant]

When I see hibbert play, the words "former gymnast" don't come to mind.

Hence why I was surprise with some of the things I read comparing him to Hibbert.
But what I see is his ability to be a focal point inside... But I don't think it's his strength... Make him a pick and roll big man and he would be hard to stop.

[Revived]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA 36m

Undrafted N.C. State forward C.J. Leslie has reached agreement on a deal with the New York Knicks, league source tells Y! Sports.

Damn he could have been a taller, younger, more athletic version of PJ Tucker. McD tripping up.

[MathiasPW]

So, we need a shooting guard and possibly a small forward, and we draft two centers, and a SG we want to run point? Oh, and get another SG, who can't shoot.

Wow, not sure how I feel about this right now.

Keep in mind we are collecting assets on a BPA-criteria, not filling positions to form a team yet. This will come via massive trades and FA signigns in a season or two.

[BobbieL]

Until proven otherwise, I love the draft - as again, until proven otherwise, there are two things about this draft that are new this year:

1) Robert Sarver is not making any draft picks or trades
2) Lance Blanks is not making any draft picks or trades

Yes, it did seem like a golden ticket landed in the Suns lap with Noel at 5 - but if Ryan McD has Len higher, go with McDonough. As for Goodwin/Lee, who knows about this one but for $845k in cap space, big deal. Just might mean a veteran is being traded.

This team has a long way to go. The shenanigans of the summer of 2006 and the summer of 2010 adding what Blanks did will not be fixed in one draft. So, lets sit back and see what happens.

I just think this means Scola, Dudley and Gortat are gone. And hopefully Dudley goes to OKC as he would be perfect there.

[JMac1]

Losers: Phoenix Suns: For almost exactly the same reasons as the Bobcats above. McLemore, in particular, seemed like a no-brainer. Instead, Phoenix opted for Len over both McLemore and Noel. The Maryland center should be a solid pro but the rest of the Suns roster is so terrible they could have used an injection of upside. This wasn’t a total loss. Disgruntled center Marcin Gortat is now totally available for trade offers and the tank is on for 2014.

http://nba.si.com/2013/06/28/nba-draft- ... s-trade/2/

Yea...I heard the workout and interview for the SI. staff went well for McLemore......Damn what were we thinking

[MathiasPW]

That'd be awesome if RealGM instituted word filters for the forums.

I would filter the words "tank" and "tanking" so freakin' hard.

Also, hey RealGM, kinda sorta would be nice to institute a search function that works AND an ability to look at prior posts by user by each individual post, not by thread.

Kinda off topic, but kinda not.

+1 !!

I was trying to search the prophet that said "We will pick Ben McLemore and whoever says something else is severely intelectually limited" (smt along those lines). I only remember rsavaj replied "Hi McDonough, thank your for creating a RealGM account", but couldn't find the post....

[RunDogGun]

Thanks for explaining the undrafted player situation.

@RunDogGun: I can agree with you besides the playoff theme. Even with McLemore, man the West is so strong. And apart from Utah, LA and maybe Dallas what team has gotten weaker? Maybe Denver, but they are out of reach regardless. I have a hard time seeing us in the playoffs even with McLemore AND a trade in the offseason.

I didn't mean to imply that McL made us a playoff team, just saying he had the best chance to be a starter, out of our current roster. With the playoffs, I'm not going to judge the team at this moment. I don't know who will be on the roster, nor how the guys will work under new coaching.

But since last year was a mess with poor offense, defense, and then a complete lack of effort by a few players, that can all be improved. Our 2010 team wasn't thought to go anywhere near what they did. If Frye plays, we still have three guys from that squad.

As far as the West being tough, it always is, but strange injuries ran rapid last year, so who knows who slips. Utah is going to change most of their roster, and not the head coach, yet. And they just lost their best assistant. LA could start the year without their best players. Portland could have one of their best players either gone, or causing problems all season until he is traded, and their med staff has the either the worst evaluations, or the worst luck.

So to me, there are too many variables to say we won't make the playoffs at this time. Plus if so many want us to draft Wiggins, our luck we will make the playoffs, and get the 15th pick. And because we have the Minny pick, they will somehow get the 12th pick, which is protected then.

[RunDogGun]

That'd be awesome if RealGM instituted word filters for the forums.

I would filter the words "tank" and "tanking" so freakin' hard.

Also, hey RealGM, kinda sorta would be nice to institute a search function that works AND an ability to look at prior posts by user by each individual post, not by thread.

Kinda off topic, but kinda not.

+1 !!

I was trying to search the prophet that said "We will pick Ben McLemore and whoever says something else is a (Please Use More Appropriate Word)" (smt along those lines). I only remember rsavaj replied "Hi McDonough, thank your for creating a RealGM account", but couldn't find the post....

I want to find the guy who told me buying picks was never going to happen anymore.

[BobbieL]

So, we need a shooting guard and possibly a small forward, and we draft two centers, and a SG we want to run point? Oh, and get another SG, who can't shoot.

Wow, not sure how I feel about this right now.

Keep in mind we are collecting assets on a BPA-criteria, not filling positions to form a team yet. This will come via massive trades and FA signigns in a season or two.

Exactly - when you have the 4th worst record in the league - you cannot be picking for position - you have to pick talent. Especially in the NBA where one player can so totally affect a game unlike MLB or NFL. Now, I don't know if Len is the best player - a lot of us wanted McLemore. But I am going to trust Ryan McD more than Sarver and Blanks. So lets see if this works out. The Suns had him number 1 on their board and they got him at 5. That is GOOD VALUE!

I like the Goodwin pick and even Malcolm Lee. What the heck - bring in young talent and see what happens. And a guy like Tucker is more suited for a playoff team at this point - he might be good trade filler if a Dudley or Gortat is moved to match salaries.

[bwgood77]

I can say with 99.9% certainty, we will not make the playoffs next year.

As much as I was hoping we got McLemore, I am hoping that Len ends up being a Pau Gasol type player with more muscle/size. He seems to have a nice touch around the basket. But he is 35 pounds heavier than Gasol was when he came in (both were 7'1 when drafted but Len is 255 and Pau was 220). Actually maybe the better comp, now that I think about it, is that hopefully he can end up like Marc Gasol is now.

As for Goodwin, I am excited about the upside but he is so raw, and Calipari even said he can't coach the guy, that it's going to be quite a project for Hornacek, and I'm not sure what we can expect within the next few years from the guy. Guys like this are tough because they may just be really turning the corner by the time their rookie contract is up, but I guess that's kind of the case with many one year guys.

[Frank Lee]

Until proven otherwise, I love the draft - as again, until proven otherwise, there are two things about this draft that are new this year:

1) Robert Sarver is not making any draft picks or trades
2) Lance Blanks is not making any draft picks or trades

Yes, it did seem like a golden ticket landed in the Suns lap with Noel at 5 - but if Ryan McD has Len higher, go with McDonough. As for Goodwin/Lee, who knows about this one but for $845k in cap space, big deal. Just might mean a veteran is being traded.

This team has a long way to go. The shenanigans of the summer of 2006 and the summer of 2010 adding what Blanks did will not be fixed in one draft. So, lets sit back and see what happens.

I just think this means Scola, Dudley and Gortat are gone. And hopefully Dudley goes to OKC as he would be perfect there.

Though I dont love this draft (due to Goodwin) every once in a while, Sanity surfaces.

I felt some others at 29 could have been more helpful.... but then again, McDo and Co must see something there.

[RunDogGun]

So, we need a shooting guard and possibly a small forward, and we draft two centers, and a SG we want to run point? Oh, and get another SG, who can't shoot.

Wow, not sure how I feel about this right now.

Keep in mind we are collecting assets on a BPA-criteria, not filling positions to form a team yet. This will come via massive trades and FA signigns in a season or two.

Exactly - when you have the 4th worst record in the league - you cannot be picking for position - you have to pick talent. Especially in the NBA where one player can so totally affect a game unlike MLB or NFL. Now, I don't know if Len is the best player - a lot of us wanted McLemore. But I am going to trust Ryan McD more than Sarver and Blanks. So lets see if this works out. The Suns had him number 1 on their board and they got him at 5. That is GOOD VALUE!

I like the Goodwin pick and even Malcolm Lee. What the heck - bring in young talent and see what happens. And a guy like Tucker is more suited for a playoff team at this point - he might be good trade filler if a Dudley or Gortat is moved to match salaries.

But the talent was there at the position we needed. There is no point collecting a butt load of guys at one position if they won't get off the bench to show their talent to trade, right? Again, if there is a trade to come, cool, possibly no problem. But if we drafted second and third stringers that have their development stunted because they are waiting in line to play, then I'm pissed about our draft.