'14 Draft Thread - Parker Declares. List your top 4

[AussieBuck]

common misconception imo. people say the same things about QBs and accuracy. "well he's got the arm, he just needs work on the accuracy part". when that never happens.

i'm honestly struggling thinking of an NBA player who had defensive concerns coming in who became anything more than an adequate defender.

It's probably the easiest thing to improve unless you have no basketball IQ. Most rookies are awful defenders.
Top of the head huge improvements in NBA:
Rose, Conley, Wall
Redick, Klay?
Durant, Lebron, George
Dirk, Aldridge, Millsap, Ibaka
Bogut, Jordan, Hibbert

[Bernman]

I gotta be honest; I don't really understand this argument. I agree that you have to look at how they're scoring, but it seems like you have how the prospects actually scored twisted.

Whenever I watched these guys play, it seemed that Wiggins generally scored on pull-up jumpers, catch-and-shoot opportunities, or fast break opportunities, with some tip-ins as well. None of that has anything to do with Wiggins abusing some size advantage that he has in college that he won't have in the NBA.

On the other hand, Smart and Jabari absolutely used their size to their advantage as they plowed through defenders on their way to the basket or pushed off their defender to set up a step-back jumper.

And yeah...using these "superstar" calls is just a ridiculous argument. All of these guys received the benefit of the whistle here and there, and the occasional phantom foul is such a small percentage of their plays that it really isn't worth bringing up at all. And I love that Smart's reputation as a flopper means that he didn't receive the benefit of the whistle while we ignore the fact that he got ridiculous calls in his favor BECAUSE of those flops.

The difference was Smart more often got in positions to use his physical strength to ensure a basket he was already in position to make in college. His size didn't create the basket he was right next to. The best perimeter scorers around the basket do that all the time in the pros. Whereas more often Wiggins' size/height created the opportunity because he'd shoot over defenders off the dribble in mid range or dunk over them near the hoop on a straight line drive. He's going to have less of those opportunities in the pros, I think.

As for the superstar call argument, you're having an unrealistically nihilistic attitude about it. Lebron James is not treated effectively like Stephen Curry. And there would be a bigger gap if Stephen Curry had a bad reputation. The flopping may help in the beginning, but not in the long haul after you develop the rep. It's the boy who cried wolf. The flopping was over-exaggerated too. It was more like Bogut, most of the time ensuring you get a call you should by reacting more than natural after contact that's significant.

[Baddy Chuck]

Smart gets to the line more then any player we're talking about and he's the one the refs unfairly single out. Right. I'm sure refs get tired of it and let a few slip, but he's getting quite a few that not even 2009 Kevin Martin or 2005 Corey Maggette would get.

[Zeezprah]

common misconception imo. people say the same things about QBs and accuracy. "well he's got the arm, he just needs work on the accuracy part". when that never happens.

i'm honestly struggling thinking of an NBA player who had defensive concerns coming in who became anything more than an adequate defender.

It's probably the easiest thing to improve unless you have no basketball IQ. Most rookies are awful defenders.
Top of the head huge improvements in NBA:
Rose, Conley, Wall
Redick, Klay?
Durant, Lebron, George
Dirk, Aldridge, Millsap, Ibaka
Bogut, Jordan, Hibbert

i'd disagree that any of those guys had huge concerns on the D end though. most of the issues with all those guys were because they were rookies in the NBA.

and some of those guys like klay thompson and millsap still aren't "good defenders" by any means

wasn't like anyone was thinking those guys would have trouble in the nba. i mean who said "i'm worried about derrick rose guarding PGs" - no one.

jabari's biggest problem is that he's a tweener, let's face it. he's not big enough to guard 4s and not quick enough to guard 3s. he needs to play the 3 in my opinion, but unless he majorly transforms his body, he's going to have trouble doing that.

[Bernman]

Ability to get favorable calls should be a positive attribute.

If it translates, I agree.

But I don't see why it would with Wiggins. He won't have the same level of stardom in the pros, unless he develops into a star there thru his play. It's not a skill he possesses that others don't which could aid in him being a star by itself.

[AussieBuck]

Rose was a crap College defender, nobody cared because he was an easy #1 pick. Thompson's a good man defender who covers PGs for Curry every game. Millsap is an excellent defender, you're just flat out wrong there. Dirk is a perfect example.

[Newz]

Rose was a crap College defender, nobody cared because he was an easy #1 pick. Thompson's a good man defender who covers PGs for Curry every game. Millsap is an excellent defender, you're just flat out wrong there. Dirk is a perfect example.

You think Derrick Rose had the same side-to-side and athletic limitations that concern people about Parker on the defensive end?

Because I don't.

I think Dirk is a good example because he isn't great, but he's good enough. I personally don't think Parker will be that elite of an offensive player though.

[AussieBuck]

Rose was a crap College defender, nobody cared because he was an easy #1 pick. Thompson's a good man defender who covers PGs for Curry every game. Millsap is an excellent defender, you're just flat out wrong there. Dirk is a perfect example.

You think Derrick Rose had the same side-to-side and athletic limitations that concern people about Parker on the defensive end?

Because I don't.

I think Dirk is a good example because he isn't great, but he's good enough. I personally don't think Parker will be that elite of an offensive player though.

Yep he's probably quicker.

[Baddy Chuck]

I don't get the defensive questions with Parker. He's not going to slow down LeBron James, but he isn't letting Al-Farouq Aminu score 20 either. He'll probably be able to guard 75%+ of both small forwards and probably 50%+ of power forwards. Not at DPOY level, but adequately. It's like Tobes. He's not a great defender, but he's not going to ruin your defense. Personally, I have more questions about how his offense translates with him being a "tweener" more then I do about his defense.

[Finn]

FWIW i would personally nuch rather have a great o adequate D guy than all D and very little o though i think wiggins will,be better than a guy like moute

Well, the opposite of great O & adequate D is adequate (not very little) O & great D.

[skones]

Based on the, "Jabari Parker's defensive upside is average" arguments, you guys would have never touched Dirk Nowitzki, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden, Blake Griffin, etc.

The argument gets even worse when you consider how much good wing defenders, actually impact a team defense, where the bigs generally make a far larger impact.

[VooDoo7]

Randle decision coming tomorrow.

Part of me hopes he returns so there's no chance we take him. The other part of me wants him to declare since it'd drop one more guy to us at 31.

[TroyD92]

Based on the, "Jabari Parker's defensive upside is average" arguments, you guys would have never touched Dirk Nowitzki, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden, Blake Griffin, etc.

The argument gets even worse when you consider how much good wing defenders, actually impact a team defense, where the bigs generally make a far larger impact.

Dirk is a stupid example nobody knew anything about him. Curry had major questions outside of Defense, Irving was a decent defender at Duke.

Anthony/Harden/Griffin are all player I wouldn't want on my team.

[AussieBuck]

Randle decision coming tomorrow.

Part of me hopes he returns so there's no chance we take him. The other part of me wants him to declare since it'd drop one more guy to us at 31.

I'd rather him in. if we are taking him we're boned regardless.

[wichmae]

Based on the, "Jabari Parker's defensive upside is average" arguments, you guys would have never touched Dirk Nowitzki, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden, Blake Griffin, etc.

The argument gets even worse when you consider how much good wing defenders, actually impact a team defense, where the bigs generally make a far larger impact.

Dirk is a stupid example nobody knew anything about him. Curry had major questions outside of Defense, Irving was a decent defender at Duke.

Anthony/Harden/Griffin are all player I wouldn't want on my team.

So youre saying if you had a choice you wouldnt want Anthony Harden or Griffin on the Bucks? Just trying to understand this post.

[emunney]

I'd rather he stayed. We need him in next year's draft, when we're more likely to be picking after he's gone.

[Newz]

Based on the, "Jabari Parker's defensive upside is average" arguments, you guys would have never touched Dirk Nowitzki, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden, Blake Griffin, etc.

The argument gets even worse when you consider how much good wing defenders, actually impact a team defense, where the bigs generally make a far larger impact.

Is Jabari Parker going to be as good in other aspects of the game as guys like Dirk, Curry, Love, Harden and Griffin? Because then I'll gladly take him first overall.

I personally don't think he's going to be as good as any of those guys though. Maybe Melo or Irving, but I probably wouldn't take either of those guys first in this draft knowing what they've done so far.

[SkilesTheLimit]

Per Wolfley in JS:

Jeff Goodman of ESPN polled 30 NBA executives and asked them which player they would pick number one overall in the June 26th NBA draft.

Forward Jabari Parker of Duke got the most votes (17), followed by Kansas center Joel Embiid (8) and Kansas forward Andrew Wiggins (5).

“Obviously, it will depend on the team and the general manager who winds up getting the No. 1 pick,” Goodman writes in his ESPN Insider blog. “Wiggins could still go with the top selection due to his high ceiling and athleticism, but many NBA folks are worried about his lack of consistency, whether he possesses a killer instinct and also whether he can get by defenders in the half court.

“Most NBA guys gush at Embiid due to his size and potential - but there's a huge lingering concern with the recent back issues,” Goodman says. “Right now many NBA executives would go with Parker because he's the safe selection, the known commodity.”

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft201 ... executives

Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/25 ... z2zZUFj4bg
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[emunney]

Based on the, "Jabari Parker's defensive upside is average" arguments, you guys would have never touched Dirk Nowitzki, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden, Blake Griffin, etc.

The argument gets even worse when you consider how much good wing defenders, actually impact a team defense, where the bigs generally make a far larger impact.

Is Jabari Parker going to be as good in other aspects of the game as guys like Dirk, Curry, Love, Harden and Griffin? Because then I'll gladly take him first overall.

I personally don't think he's going to be as good as any of those guys though. Maybe Melo or Irving, but I probably wouldn't take either of those guys first in this draft knowing what they've done so far.

He's certainly as good as Harden and Curry were as freshmen.

[Newz]

Based on the, "Jabari Parker's defensive upside is average" arguments, you guys would have never touched Dirk Nowitzki, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden, Blake Griffin, etc.

The argument gets even worse when you consider how much good wing defenders, actually impact a team defense, where the bigs generally make a far larger impact.

Is Jabari Parker going to be as good in other aspects of the game as guys like Dirk, Curry, Love, Harden and Griffin? Because then I'll gladly take him first overall.

I personally don't think he's going to be as good as any of those guys though. Maybe Melo or Irving, but I probably wouldn't take either of those guys first in this draft knowing what they've done so far.

He's certainly as good as Harden and Curry were as freshmen.

If we take him and he's the James Harden or Steph Curry of whatever position he ends up playing... then I will gladly eat my crow and embrace him as our franchise player. I just don't see that happening.