Official #2 Pick Thread - Ford #7: Parker

[LUKE23]

The injury stuff will always hang over him, but we have to take Embiid at #2 if he's there guys (assuming we get to look at him from a medical standpoint). He projects as a huge, quick footed, both sides of the ball impact big man. I get that Wiggins is the more exciting pick, but if we're talking about winning games and the guy we pick being a part of that, then the pick is Embiid. He's a guy who can anchor your defense on one end, and that you can run offense through on the other.

[jakecronus8]

I'll be singing in the **** streets if I hear, "With the first pick in the 2014 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select [any name other than Joel Embiid]."

Julius Randle. Way to jinx us DB!

[Ruzious]

I'll be singing in the **** streets if I hear, "With the first pick in the 2014 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select [any name other than Joel Embiid]."

Me too, though I'd have this nagging feeling that Cleveland passed on Embiid because of his back... remembering Noel's rookie year.

[driese0824]

Wiggins' holes aren't based on a lack of physical ability. Parker's largely are. You can teach half-court ability and handle. You can't teach lateral quickness or bigger size.

I may go along with you on lateral quickness but larger size huh wtf this guy measurements during the combine was right up there with the top PFs in the NBA,in fact a lot of scouts and know it alls after the measurements were a lot more comfortable in his ability to play the 4 spot.

6'9 with a 7'0 wingspan is NOT elite size for an NBA 4 by any stretch of the imagination. Not undersized for a position =/= plus size for a position. On the other hand, 6'8.75 with a 7'0 wingspan is top-end for a 3 and downright ridiculous for a 2.

never said he size was elite all I said was that his measurements at the combine surprised people as being even better than originally thought.
You are right with wiggins as a 2 with that height and wingspan no argument there,all im saying is that parker is not undersized for a 4 he is in the neighborhood of where NBA 4s are in terms of height and wingspan.

[jakecronus8]

Embiid is someone not on my radar at all. If he's healthy he's number one. If he's not he shouldn't be considered. If he doesn't go #1 he's not healthy, hence he can't be the pick at #2.

If his back doesn't check out how far does he drop?

[ReasonablySober]

I don't even get how Wiggins is the more exciting pick. He's the local sports guy's draft pick. He's the pick if you're paying attention to the draft for two weeks out of the year and you casually hear "Riggin' For Wiggins" or you watch one Kansas game and you hear about the #1 recruit and likely top draft choice.

If you're paying attention to the guys who actually know something about the draft, the choice has been Embiid for six months.

[driese0824]

I'll be singing in the **** streets if I hear, "With the first pick in the 2014 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select [any name other than Joel Embiid]."

Me too, though I'd have this nagging feeling that Cleveland passed on Embiid because of his back... remembering Noel's rookie year.

if Cleveland passes on embiid most likely its because of the back im assuming,if they do would this board still wanna draft embiid even if this back thing isn't all rosy

[LUKE23]

I'd trade the #2 pick even with Embiid on the board for AD, but thought I'd compare the two quickly.

Per 40 (caveat: AD played 32.0 minutes, Embiid played 23.1).

AD: 17.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.7 steals, 5.8 blocks, .654 TS
JE: 19.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 4.5 blocks, .655 TS

Be interesting to see what JE's numbers would have been with more minutes, but it's really tough to argue against how productive he was. That's why I don't understand the "project" label some have put on him. He isn't a project at all. That doesn't mean he doesn't need to improve.

[theFireBlanket]

Here is the Chuck, Wickett and Gery slurpfest update you didn't ask for.

All three of them spent 10 minutes lauding Jabari's character, his parents and Chuck said he thinks that many teams will be trying to trade up to number one with Cleveland to acquire Jabari. So there you have it.

I don't know how anyone regularly deals with listening to these guys talk. Repulsive.

[jakecronus8]

I don't even get how Wiggins is the more exciting pick. He's the local sports guy's draft pick. He's the pick if you're paying attention to the draft for two weeks out of the year and you casually hear "Riggin' For Wiggins" or you watch one Kansas game and you hear about the #1 recruit and likely top draft choice.

If you're paying attention to the guys who actually know something about the draft, the choice has been Embiid for six months.

This just isn't true. If anything Embiid is the guy that got hot for a little while and is now the flavor of the month. For about two years this has been the Wiggins draft. I just hope Embiid's coming out party gives us the lucky fortunes to land Wiggins at 2.

[MiltownHawkeye]

For those who prefer to Wiggins to Parker, would you be disappointed if Cleveland takes Wiggins and the Bucks take Embiid?

Not at all. But I think the Cavs will end up taking him.

I can already tell people are going to overreact to any injury he has from here on out no matter how minor. The back thing isn't even a red flag yet, but people have already declared it so because their minds immediately jump to the worst case scenario. Newsflash: there aren't very many iron man centers out there.

[ReasonablySober]

I don't even get how Wiggins is the more exciting pick. He's the local sports guy's draft pick. He's the pick if you're paying attention to the draft for two weeks out of the year and you casually hear "Riggin' For Wiggins" or you watch one Kansas game and you hear about the #1 recruit and likely top draft choice.

If you're paying attention to the guys who actually know something about the draft, the choice has been Embiid for six months.

This just isn't true. If anything Embiid is the guy that got hot for a little while and is now the flavor of the month. For about two years this has been the Wiggins draft. I just hope Embiid's coming out party gives us the lucky fortunes to land Wiggins at 2.

It's Wiggins' draft if you ignore literally everything that has happened in the last eight months.

[ReasonablySober]

Like I said. You can side with LOCAL RADIO GUY, or you can get on the train with dudes who know better.

[jakecronus8]

I don't even get how Wiggins is the more exciting pick. He's the local sports guy's draft pick. He's the pick if you're paying attention to the draft for two weeks out of the year and you casually hear "Riggin' For Wiggins" or you watch one Kansas game and you hear about the #1 recruit and likely top draft choice.

If you're paying attention to the guys who actually know something about the draft, the choice has been Embiid for six months.

This just isn't true. If anything Embiid is the guy that got hot for a little while and is now the flavor of the month. For about two years this has been the Wiggins draft. I just hope Embiid's coming out party gives us the lucky fortunes to land Wiggins at 2.

It's Wiggins' draft if you ignore literally everything that has happened in the last eight months.

Literally?

C'mon man. You're better than that.

To me Wiggins is the best fit for us for so many reasons. High upside, position of need, nationally known face of the franchise type that will sell tickets and drum up interest. Jabari fits a lot of the criteria too but I cannot stand defensive sieves.

[europa]

I still like Press' analogy about Wiggins being this year's Paul compared to Embiid being this year's Bogut (or Marvin).

[ReasonablySober]

This just isn't true. If anything Embiid is the guy that got hot for a little while and is now the flavor of the month. For about two years this has been the Wiggins draft. I just hope Embiid's coming out party gives us the lucky fortunes to land Wiggins at 2.

It's Wiggins' draft if you ignore literally everything that has happened in the last eight months.

Literally?

C'mon man. You're better than that.

To me Wiggins is the best fit for us for so many reasons. High upside, position of need, nationally known face of the franchise type that will sell tickets and drum up interest. Jabari fits a lot of the criteria too but I cannot stand defensive sieves.

That's perfectly fine if those are among the criteria you value. I only have one: who is the best prospect?

[LUKE23]

I don't think that comparison really sticks. I think people just are talking themselves out of Embiid because of the back, the fact we likely have to re-tool the roster, and the "fit" of Wiggins/Parker. Embiid is ranked highly based on his skill set and production, not just hype. It's very tough to argue he's not the top prospect.

[ReasonablySober]

I still like Press' analogy about Wiggins being this year's Paul compared to Embiid being this year's Bogut (or Marvin).

That's hilarious.

PP, you didn't really say that right?

Paul was a two year player that dominated in the ACC. He fell because the league hadn't yet gone through it's PG revolution; Paul helped usher that era in. Back then you still erred on the side of size.

Now we're in an NBA loaded with quality point guards and very few franchise caliber centers. There a many really good centers, but no one truly dominant. Embiid is as close as we've seen to that kind of prospect in over a decade.

[MiltownHawkeye]

I may go along with you on lateral quickness but larger size huh wtf this guy measurements during the combine was right up there with the top PFs in the NBA,in fact a lot of scouts and know it alls after the measurements were a lot more comfortable in his ability to play the 4 spot.

6'9 with a 7'0 wingspan is NOT elite size for an NBA 4 by any stretch of the imagination. Not undersized for a position =/= plus size for a position. On the other hand, 6'8.75 with a 7'0 wingspan is top-end for a 3 and downright ridiculous for a 2.

never said he size was elite all I said was that his measurements at the combine surprised people as being even better than originally thought.
You are right with wiggins as a 2 with that height and wingspan no argument there,all im saying is that parker is not undersized for a 4 he is in the neighborhood of where NBA 4s are in terms of height and wingspan.

You said that his size was up there with the top PFs so I figured that meant you thought he had plus size. I acknowledge that he is more equipped to play it than when we thought he was 6'8 but he'll still be on the low end of length. I can name more starting PFs that have at least a 2" advantage over him than ones that he matches.

[europa]

I admit the back is a huge concern of mine for Embiid. It's very difficult for me to just ignore a big man with an existing injury when so many big men get hurt after playing in the NBA. The fact many of them suffer the same type of injury Embiid already has is another gigantic red flag for me. Again, my concerns about Embiid have never been about his talent which is why I won't be devastated if he's the Bucks' pick. There's no denying his talent in my opinion. But I think he's by far the biggest risk in this year's draft.

However, it's also very difficult for me to just ignore the fact Wiggins was the guy everyone wanted for nearly two years. I don't think that's all just hype. I think the kid is talented and a major prospect with a very high ceiling. If people are trying to talk themselves out of someone I think it's more Wiggins because they're trying to find a reason not to continue ranking him No. 1 as he was regarded for so long.