Official #2 Pick Thread - Ford #7: Parker

[emunney]

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

I'm not quite on board with what you wrote. I'd take Embiid #1 or #2 and not look back.

Where I'm siding with Wiggins is when it comes down to Jabari v. Wiggins. There I see a tie, but am giving the tie to Wiggins based on what people saw in him the last three years. I don't think the scouts missed with Wiggins, even though some are having second thoughts on him now.

What about what people saw in Parker? He's been on the radar longer than Wiggins.

[Matches Malone]

I think he's a better prospect than Anthony Davis was and if he stays healthy will be a better pro.

That's a strong statement.

[LUKE23]

Better pro than AD is a bold statement. AD was like 21/10/1.5/2.9/.580 TS at the same age Embiid is now.

[paulpressey25]

What about what people saw in Parker? He's been on the radar longer than Wiggins.

I'm able to conveniently negate your critique since after that magazine cover Jabari went on to fracture his foot and sit out six-months, and Wiggins cemented has status as the hype alpha-dog.

Again that's my main issue with Jabari and I can't articulate it exactly. When I see his body, I don't see an ergonomically designed guy. Add in the foot fracture history and issues raised about conditioning, and I just feel like he's the biggest injury risk of the top three.

If I didn't have that gut feeling about his body type being a problem, I'd be all for drafting him over Wiggins based on the skill set, personality and family background.

[Licensed to Il]

I love Parker's pedigree. That cover reminds me of what a special prospect he is.

Because so many in the Wiggins camp value ultra athleticism and the allure of unlimmited potential, Jabari has kind of been inserted in to a narrative that labels him as the opposite (the over-developed, try hard, upperclassman). Can you imagine how different the discussion would be if Wiggins was not in this draft and Parker was going up against a sophmore or junior for the top pick? I think the crowd that currently celebrates Wiggins untapped development would be much quicker to recognize Parker's age, uncommon skills, and measurements as the positives that they are.

[MrPerfect1]

I'm not a Melo fan but he is an elite talent. If he was on the Spurs, I think Pop would figure out a way to make it work. Both the Heat and Spurs have players who are better than Melo.

This is my other issue with Melo/Parker. Unless there is good reason to believe he will become significantly better than Melo ( I have not seen any), then I do not see how we can draft him. This could be our highest Draft Pick of the next 20 years. We need someone who has a reasonable chance to become a legit Superstar and Best Player on a Championship team. Last thing we need with the #2 Overall is a prospect whose ceiling is 2nd Best on a Title Contender.

I also do not understand why some bring up Parker being the most NBA ready as a positive. I think it is a large negative since it will only hurt our pick next year.

[Ron Swanson]

I think the "20+ PPG scorer" label is a pretty overrated aspect of the evaluation process. There's a laundry list of players in this league that can put up 20+ PPG on average efficiency if given enough usage. Hell, our own Brandon Knight nearly accomplished it this past season on a 15 win ball club.

Not diminishing offense or saying that it isn't an important trait for a player to possess, but if your main selling point is something that you share in common with guys like Rudy Gay, Joe Johnson, Devin Harris, and Monta Ellis, I would hope to get more out of the #2 pick in a loaded draft class.

[Chapter29]

Knight for #8 would be hilarious/awesome.

Done. We can sweeten the pot if need be.

[paulpressey25]

Better pro than AD is a bold statement. AD was like 21/10/1.5/2.9/.580 TS at the same age Embiid is now.

People need to throw this age thing out in comparing Davis and Embiid. Embiid can only be the age he is, because it is when he started playing and came over to the US versus the age AD's parents started him in school young. And it isn't like Embiid is Yi and is secretly age 24 or something like that. The guy just turned 20 back in March.

Embiid just has far more diverse offensive and passing skills than AD. He just does. And AD right now has the benefit of blowing up this year in the NBA, so we compare NBA AD that already made it big to college freshman Embiid.

May 2012 AD versus May 2014 Embiid would be a great debate. If Embiid played the whole year healthy, IMO 2014 Embiid would win out over 2012 AD in the minds of GM's and scouts.

This health issue with Embiid is a real risk, but it has caused people to lose focus of the talent of Embiid. This guy is insanely talented. His issues are health and whether he can mature and refine his game over years of play.

[Wooderson]

Davis grew like 6 inches his jr year of HS forcing him to change positions, so you could say he also was/is still early on in his developmental curve. And he was on a stacked UK team which masked his offensive skill as well.

[ReasonablySober]

I'd probably rank the pro-prospects since the new millennium as:

1 - LeBron
2 - Oden
3 - Davis
4 - Durant
5 - Embiid
6 - Ming
7 - Rose
8 - Howard
9 - Wall
10 - Griffin

[paulpressey25]

Davis grew like 6 inches his jr year of HS forcing him to change positions, so you could say he also was/is still early on in his developmental curve. And he was on a stacked UK team which masked his offensive skill as well.

All fair points.

I'm just noting that psychologically these things are always easy in hindsight. I was a huge AD guy from day one at Kentucky and I just don't remember the bandwagon being so full as it is now in June 2014.

Yes it was a big bandwagon, but like any bandwagon it grows after the fact as the player excels in the pros. The same way everyone and his brother today insist it was clear that MJ was a future HOF'er coming out of NC in 1983. He was a mega-watt prospect, but people didn't talk about him pre-draft in the exact way they later claimed they talked about him pre-draft.

[europa]

The same way everyone and his brother today insist it was clear that MJ was a future HOF'er coming out of NC in 1983. He was a mega-watt prospect, but people didn't talk about him pre-draft in the exact way they later claimed they talked about him pre-draft.

Do people really try to do that? I'm old enough to remember that draft as you are. Nobody saw MJ coming. Not like that. I remember all the hype around him when he was in college. Plenty of folks liked him a lot but even then nobody saw the GOAT.

[Badgerlander]

3 Andrew Wiggins Philadelphia 76ers
This is a dream scenario for the 76ers. They would take Wiggins at No. 1 if they could, and having him fall to No. 3 would be a godsend. The Sixers actually have engaged the Cavs about moving to No. 1. They aren't willing to give up both the Nos. 3 and 10 picks, but a combination of No. 3 and Thaddeus Young is a possibility. And it's a great scenario for Wiggins, as well. Of the three top teams, his camp prefers the Sixers as the best possible fit. This could be a win-win for both. If Wiggins isn't on the board for the Sixers, I'm told they'll take whoever is left between Embiid and Parker. Dante Exum also isn't out of the question here, but I hear he'll need to wow them when he rolls into Philadelphia next week for his workout with them.

[ReasonablySober]

Davis grew like 6 inches his jr year of HS forcing him to change positions, so you could say he also was/is still early on in his developmental curve. And he was on a stacked UK team which masked his offensive skill as well.

All fair points.

I'm just noting that psychologically these things are always easy in hindsight. I was a huge AD guy from day one at Kentucky and I just don't remember the bandwagon being so full as it is now in June 2014.

Yes it was a big bandwagon, but like any bandwagon it grows after the fact as the player excels in the pros. The same way everyone and his brother today insist it was clear that MJ was a future HOF'er coming out of NC in 1983. He was a mega-watt prospect, but people didn't talk about him pre-draft in the exact way they later claimed they talked about him pre-draft.

The bandwagon really was that big. I remember saying Davis would be a top ten player by his second season and I don't remember anyone arguing that.

[ReasonablySober]

3 Andrew Wiggins Philadelphia 76ers
This is a dream scenario for the 76ers. They would take Wiggins at No. 1 if they could, and having him fall to No. 3 would be a godsend. The Sixers actually have engaged the Cavs about moving to No. 1. They aren't willing to give up both the Nos. 3 and 10 picks, but a combination of No. 3 and Thaddeus Young is a possibility. And it's a great scenario for Wiggins, as well. Of the three top teams, his camp prefers the Sixers as the best possible fit. This could be a win-win for both. If Wiggins isn't on the board for the Sixers, I'm told they'll take whoever is left between Embiid and Parker. Dante Exum also isn't out of the question here, but I hear he'll need to wow them when he rolls into Philadelphia next week for his workout with them.

This is my dream scenario.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

I'd probably rank the pro-prospects since the new millennium as:

1 - LeBron
2 - Oden
3 - Davis
4 - Durant
5 - Embiid
6 - Ming
7 - Rose
8 - Howard
9 - Wall
10 - Griffin

That's pretty good. My instinct is to bump Ming a bit higher, but it's hard to figure out who should drop. Healthy Yao was a pretty incredible player.

[europa]

I think you could make a strong case for putting Yao second. His combination of size and skill was incredible.

[Diggr14]

How different is his body type than Carmelo for instance?


The broken foot does bother me, but honestly.. Wiggins jump shot, lack of dribbling skills (dominant hand only), and his affinity to disappear completely in games bothers me more.

[ReasonablySober]

Ming may be the only guy regarded as a disappointment relative to the hype but was better than most realize.

And I have no idea if that makes sense. It does in my head.