Kings Select in the 2008 NBA DRAFT??

[bajaden]

I've seen some mock drafts lately that have us taking Deandre Jordan. I'm not opposed to this per se. He's not very skilled, but he has immense physical ability. My only question is that, at 7 feet tall, can he play PF? Spencer is showing us that he is likely our C of the future, so we should really focus on power forward this draft (or PG, but Beno is young and pretty good).

I feel that this Kings team is a superstar away from being a great team. As such, I think we need to draft on potential. Jordan has as much 'upside' as anyone in this years draft, and as such, I would definitely support us drafting him. No, he's not very refined, and thus he's certainly a project, but if he pans out....oh boy. (Although, for the record, Spencer was considered a project, and he has exceeded my personal expectations for the season).

OK, first things first. I, nor most of the scouts thought that Hawes was going to be a project. Anyone who had seen him play knew the skills that he had. How that was going to project to the NBA and how long was the only question. He's been everything I thought he would be so far, and I think most would agree that he still has a big upside.
Having said that, I'm not a big fan of projects, especially in the lottery. If your picking at 27 or so, and your a very good team, you can afford a project. When you rebuilding, and in the lottery, you need to get some value from you pick. J. O'Neal had a lot of potential when he was drafted, and certainly turned out to be a very good player. But look how long it took. And, the team that drafted him finally gave up on him.. We don't have that kind of luxury.

 

[=LarryLegend=]

nbadraft now has us taking taj Gibson and JR giddens.


I am a fan of both, jr is a freaaakkkk of nature when it come to dunking.

I would be a happy fan if the kings can draft Dj Augustin, Taj Gibson or DeVon Hardin, and Jr Giddens.

Wow.

 

[hearns]

I've seen some mock drafts lately that have us taking Deandre Jordan. I'm not opposed to this per se. He's not very skilled, but he has immense physical ability. My only question is that, at 7 feet tall, can he play PF? Spencer is showing us that he is likely our C of the future, so we should really focus on power forward this draft (or PG, but Beno is young and pretty good).

I feel that this Kings team is a superstar away from being a great team. As such, I think we need to draft on potential. Jordan has as much 'upside' as anyone in this years draft, and as such, I would definitely support us drafting him. No, he's not very refined, and thus he's certainly a project, but if he pans out....oh boy. (Although, for the record, Spencer was considered a project, and he has exceeded my personal expectations for the season).

I think he could. A Hawes/Jordan combo would work very well IMO. I'd like one of Jordan/Arthur if we draft a big, and I like Collison too if we draft a PG.

 

[hrdboild]

I think he could. A Hawes/Jordan combo would work very well IMO. I'd like one of Jordan/Arthur if we draft a big, and I like Collison too if we draft a PG.

Howard wanted to play PF until this year and everyone compares Jordan to Howard. Besides, I don't think you pass on talent just because you already have a talented player at that position, especially when both are 7 footers. Having two very talented young seven footers puts you in the enviable position of picking your favorite and then trading the other for a King's ransom.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Howard wanted to play PF until this year and everyone compares Jordan to Howard. Besides, I don't think you pass on talent just because you already have a talented player at that position, especially when both are 7 footers. Having two very talented young seven footers puts you in the enviable position of picking your favorite and then trading the other for a King's ransom.

Jordan is not a PF, he is compared to Howard because of his combo of size, length, and athleticism; however he has no offensive game to speak other than dunking.

 

[BMiller52]

Jordan is not a PF, he is compared to Howard because of his combo of size, length, and athleticism; however he has no offensive game to speak other than dunking.

Eh you could probably put Hawes at PF. On offense that would work anyway. He has Nozitzki/Gasol like skills.

 

[Gary]

What about DJ White instead of Hendrix if available? Both are 6'7.5, but Hendrix has Shelden Williams type skills (maybe Hendrix is the better passer) but White is the athletic type with a 7'0+ wingspan which helps make up for some of the height issues.

I wouldn't rely on what nbadraft has to say at this moment. They haven't taken into accounts team needs like a couple others.. No way we draft two SGs lol..

 

[Vlade4GM]

What about DJ White instead of Hendrix if available? Both are 6'7.5, but Hendrix has Shelden Williams type skills (maybe Hendrix is the better passer) but White is the athletic type with a 7'0+ wingspan which helps make up for some of the height issues.

I wouldn't rely on what nbadraft has to say at this moment. They haven't taken into accounts team needs like a couple others.. No way we draft two SGs lol..

I like them both actually. White has more athleticism in his favor, while Hendrix has a more polished inside game. Hendrix has been consistently ranked above White, however that can change pretty fast after the combine results. Hendrix does seem a lot like Williams, so maybe White over Hendrix. I like White, Hendrix, Weaver, Pekovic (contractual issues may result in a wait though), Dragic, and Gibson. If we get any of those guys in the 2nd round, I'll be very happy.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Koufos' mom is apparently interviewing agents, doesn't really mean a whole lot at this point, but if he were to enter the draft that could be pretty good for us.

 

[Gary]

Ahh yah true.. Think his stock MIGHT go down staying another year especially with Mullens going to Ohio St, and playing the same position.. Hrm.. If Koufos enters this year it might make up for the absence of Griffin and a certain player i like might fall to 12!

 

[Vlade4GM]

Ahh yah true.. Think his stock MIGHT go down staying another year especially with Mullens going to Ohio St, and playing the same position.. Hrm.. If Koufos enters this year it might make up for the absence of Griffin and a certain player i like might fall to 12!

I also read he was considering playing overseas for a year. I think he knows that it probably won't be good for his stock to be playing with Mullens.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Apparently we're sending a lucky season ticket holder to represent us at the draft lottery.

 

[Dime Dropper]

Apparently we're sending a lucky season ticket holder to represent us at the draft lottery.

Yeah, that's true. Nice touch, I think. Once in a life time experience for someone whose paid alot of money to support the Kings. Nothing major, but I think it's nice of the Maloofs.

As an aside, I'm not at all familiar with Koufas. I'm still liking Arthur although he's not really GPs type of pick. DeAndre Jordan would be a great pick if he fell, you can never have enough freak atheltes at 7'. He has potential and should be a no brainer even though we have Hawes.

NBA draft has updated their mock, it looks better now. Rose 1, Beasley 2 and Mayo 3. That would be my top 3, providing OJ enters. It has us taking Batum, which I would be 100% fine with. Hopefully it would also mean we're not trying to resign Ron if he opts out, and if he doesn't that we are looking to trade him. He's not a part of our future.
Batum has star potential.

BMiller52, glad someone generalised all Europeans. It just wouldn't be an American sports site unless someone generalised all Euros as the same. You may as well go into the whole black and white thing if you're going to do that, which is what you really mean.
Got to love the way Brazilians, Agrentinians etc. are classed as Euros too when they're clearly not.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Yeah, that's true. Nice touch, I think. Once in a life time experience for someone whose paid alot of money to support the Kings. Nothing major, but I think it's nice of the Maloofs.

Anything to break the chain and maybe get some good luck for once.

 

[BritishColumbia]

Got to love the way Brazilians, Agrentinians etc. are classed as Euros too when they're clearly not.

People call them Euros sometimes, because they play so-called Euro or FIBA basketball style, many (not all of course) came to Europe when they were young, were developed in Europe and came to NBA as stars of European leagues. Many of them have very strong connections with European countries. For example, Manu who is a descendant of Italian immigrants and speaks Italian fluently, came to play to Italy and has an Italian citizenship also.

 

[bajaden]

Ahh yah true.. Think his stock MIGHT go down staying another year especially with Mullens going to Ohio St, and playing the same position.. Hrm.. If Koufos enters this year it might make up for the absence of Griffin and a certain player i like might fall to 12!

Gosh, and who might that be?

 

[bajaden]

As an aside, I'm not at all familiar with Koufas. I'm still liking Arthur although he's not really GPs type of pick. DeAndre Jordan would be a great pick if he fell, you can never have enough freak atheltes at 7'. He has potential and should be a no brainer even though we have Hawes.

If you don't think Arthur is a Petrie type, then certainly Jordan isn't. Arthur has more skill than Jordan. He's not as big, but I could see Petrie taking Arthur over Jordan. This teams needs its assist total to go up if it wants to win more games, and your not going to get that with a big that can't, at this point, pass the ball. Arthur has shown, at least on occasion, the ability to pass the ball.

What we do in the second round I think depends on what we do in the first round. If we pick a big in the first, I think we go for a Pt in the second. Or vice versa. I still like De Marcus Nelson in the second. He never had a chance because of injuries at Duke, to really show what he could do. He's quick, a great defender, at least at the college level and a decent shooter and passer of the basketball. Otherwise I would love to pick De Von Hardin in the second. At worst, he would be a good rebounding defender off the bench. I guess I just love people with (De) starting their name.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Not really suggesting we take Koufos, just that he'll add some big man depth and maybe push back a big towards us.

 

[BritishColumbia]

Koufos played great for the Greek junior national team at the 2007 U18 European championships in Spain. I saw two games and he was amazing. However, I think that he had a mediocre NCAA season. At the end, he was like Kosta Koufos, real one, but still less than 7 rebounds per game (avg) for 7'1".

 

[Big Cuz 15]

theuss wants toughness and size. who fits the bill?

 

[=LarryLegend=]

Beasley......lets hope the "lucky kings season ticket holder" has a lucky rabbits foot.....or something.

 

[hrdboild]

theuss wants toughness and size. who fits the bill?

In our range -- Marreese Speights would be ideal. Kevin Love has size and toughness but is he too short and slow to play PF? Earl Clark and Darrell Arthur have potential. Roy Hibbert is big and tough but really slow. Last year he matched up well with Oden, but he didn't impress anybody this year other than nailing a couple of buzzer beater jump shots. Gets in foul trouble a lot. Hasheem Thabeet is certainly tall but may have trouble guarding post players. At the wing positions Nicholas Batum has good size but is he tough enough? Russell Westbrook as a PG has both size and toughness, but is he ready to play PG? He hasn't committed to the draft yet either. And then you've got guys like Anthony Randolph and Donte Greene who have great size (height) but skinny frames that can't take a lot of contact. If they can put on weight and learn to play tougher, they might fit the bill. That's more or less what I see.

And in the same vein, these are the guys to avoid -- Eric Gordon (undersized), Chase Budinger (not very strong), JaVale McGee (not very strong, shies from contact, poor defender), D.J. Augustin (undersized), Darren Collison (undersized)

 

[fnordius]

In our range -- Marreese Speights would be ideal.

I haven't seen him play, but what I've read has gotten me very excited about him, aside from one huge concern. He's said to have no concept whatsoever of defense, aside from the occasional block.

Does anyone who has watched him play have any comment on that?

 

[upinsmoke]

JaVale McGee should be the pick you cant pass his potential.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

JaVale McGee should be the pick you cant pass his potential.

Both NBADraft.net and DX put his floor at Patrick O'Bryant. Now, it may be too early to call O'Bryant a bust, but he's two years into his career and has logged 218 minutes. Owie.

As for the other side, NBADraft.net puts McGee's ceiling at Andrew Bynum. Sounds great. But DX puts his ceiling at Channing Frye. No thanks. Obviously it depends on who's right and how he pans out, but if DX is right, that's potential you can definitely pass on.

 

[hrdboild]

I haven't seen him play, but what I've read has gotten me very excited about him, aside from one huge concern. He's said to have no concept whatsoever of defense, aside from the occasional block.

Does anyone who has watched him play have any comment on that?

I only saw him play once, so this is hardly a scouting review, but I think I see where the concern was. He spent a lot of time floating on defense. But it seemed to me that the problem for him is more a matter of coaching. Physically he's an ideal PF and he's got a lot of skill in the low post already. He looked pretty mobile moving up and down the paint too. If you get somebody working with him 1 on 1 and telling him where to be, I suspect he can became a good defensive player. At the very least he's got enough size to hold his position in the paint which is extremely important for a post defender. It's hard to teach instincts, I don't think he'll ever be an elite shot blocker. But then if he were a sure thing we wouldn't be drafting him at our 12th pick anyway. (If he's as good as I think he is, we probably won't be anyway.)

 

[fnordius]

Now, it may be too early to call O'Bryant a bust, but he's two years into his career and has logged 218 minutes. Owie.

I consider O'Bryant to be a total mystery.

There are two kinds of players Nellie will almost never use: big ones (who are not named Dirk) and young ones. Both of GS's first rounder rookies rotted on the bench all year, and their early second rounder, a big, got zero PT until January 19th, and a grand total of 38 minutes after.

I hope that Nellie will retire before he ruins the careers of all his younger players.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I consider O'Bryant to be a total mystery.

There are two kinds of players Nellie will almost never use: big ones (who are not named Dirk) and young ones. Both of GS's first rounder rookies rotted on the bench all year, and their early second rounder, a big, got zero PT until January 19th, and a grand total of 38 minutes after.

I hope that Nellie will retire before he ruins the careers of all his younger players.

You have a point there. Wright hardly ever saw the floor, either. I didn't even realize Jermareo Davidson had made the team, he was so invisible.

 

[upinsmoke]

Both NBADraft.net and DX put his floor at Patrick O'Bryant. Now, it may be too early to call O'Bryant a bust, but he's two years into his career and has logged 218 minutes. Owie.

As for the other side, NBADraft.net puts McGee's ceiling at Andrew Bynum. Sounds great. But DX puts his ceiling at Channing Frye. No thanks. Obviously it depends on who's right and how he pans out, but if DX is right, that's potential you can definitely pass on.

I dont like when a college player is compared to nba players because its so early to tell.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Does anyone know when they do the tie breakers for position?