With the 7th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select .....

[PurpleHaze]

It seems Kings most likely predicament at #7 with other top prospects already off the board will be selecting between Kawhi Leonard the long wingspan, defensive minded SF from San Diego St. and Jimmer Fredette the BYU prolific scorer and deadly deep shooter. I don't know if this highlight vid package has been posted before but it was from first of three conference foes matchups this past season. This is the game in San Diego with Aztecs entering undefeated 21-0. Jimmer and his BYU crew knocked off SDSU 71-59. Later on BYU got them again in Utah 80-67 but Kawii Leonard finally got his ultimate revenge in the MWC championship game at Las Vegas with a 72-54 victory. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWjwlSGIch0

 

[Arby's Roast Beef]

For this draft, our pick at #7 needs to be based on 1) the strength of the players at each position available at free agency, and 2) the strength of the players at each position in the draft. Looking at this year's FA crop, PG and SG are uber weak. Beyond Barea (who's certain to be kept), we're left with Aaron Brooks (you know, next to Tyreke, his threes and waterbug quickness can fit our team) and then flotsam. If we're going by the strength of this year's SG crop alone, I'd honestly suggest us to keep Marcus Thornton. He looks like a star player compared to many of those available here. Although I'd probably make a pitch to Mike Dunleavy--he's not exceptional at three point shooting and passing, but he's very serviceable at both and is versatile enough to play three positions--he's the best SG free agent this year and can pass the ball within the offense.

Centers at free agency are much more lucrative; you have Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, Greg Oden as RFAs, Tyson Chandler, the perenially underrated Chuck Hayes, our own Sam Dalembert, the underrated Jeff Foster, young'un and Roast Beef fav Kyrylo Fesenko, another young guy in Ajinca, and a guy with huge flyer potential in Yao Ming. Unlike the guard crop where we would probably be pinning our targets on maybe 1-2 productive players at most, this is really a gold mine. So while I thought that the defensive big men were more suited to our needs in this year's draft (I'm a huge fan of Biyombo, despite the fluctuating opinions on him, and also TristThompson and Valanciunas to an extent) seeing what we can get in FA just cements my view we should get a PG in the draft (our second neediest position).

So unless Geoff has already narrowed down his options to Brooks and maybe Dunleavy (but given our market situation/locale, pinning our hopes on these players without overpaying them might be problematic), I would really suggest getting maybe a waterbug shooter with our 7th pick. Jimmer fits the shooting to a T, and while more athletic than promised, isn't that waterbug. Kemba is a waterbug but his long range optimization might be questionable. Knight also is a waterbug, but I'm way more iffy on this guy although I know many like his long term potential here.

If I were the GM, the choice probably would be between Jimmer and Kemba. I know there's that "Stephen Curry" potential people see in Jimmer, where the heart overcomes all obstacles and the in-game shiftiness and shooting ability with some side passing will make him look good in the offense. And then Kemba, who's a goodish rebounder who can really ballhawk, take it to the hole, pass well, seems like a surefire NBA ready with a swath of tricks but perhaps with a questionably unreliable long range shot. Considering shooting's the most important thing to improve in the league, and given that I think Kemba should be a good shooter in the league in time, I'm going with Kemba. I like Jimmer, but again, we might have a slight facsimile in Udrih. Kemba's way different, and while the ball dominant clash might hurt between him and Tyreke, I think he might be able to adapt.

 

[kingofthejungle]

I agree that Fredette is a great fit on offense for our Kings. Lets consider what elite skills he brings to the NBA:



3 point shooting: 40% from college 3 taking off balanced shots while double teamed. Range is not a problem for Jimmer and defenses wont be able to key in on him as intensely as they did in college if he shares the court with Cousins and Evans. Just watch his percentage rise to new heights!



Free throw shooting: 90% from the line at 22 years old. This will only increase and addressed one of the Kings' major problem areas, especially in close games.



Mid range jumper: Jimmer was a great college scorer, which means that he didn't get it all from 3's and free throws. He can roll off of screens for catch and shoot mid range jumpers or stop on a dime on a fast break for a 15 footer.



Ability to create space off the dribble and general offensive craftiness: All one needs to do is watch BYU games, even his workout video for the Kings, to see that Jimmer creates plenty of space off the dribble to get off clean shots from mid- and deep-range. I expect that his craftiness will translate not only into excellent one on one play, but that he will adeptly run the pick and role with DeMarcus.



Charisma, marketability, and possibly leadership: I include "possibly" next to leadership becuase I can only suspect that this will be a true leader on an NBA team with a bunch of youngins. But there's little doubt that "the Jimmer" has plenty of charisma and marketability. This is obviously not a basketball skill, but may translate onto the court if it helps renew interest in the team and inspire his teammates in the process.



So that list of elite qualities is not so bad for the seventh pick in this year's draft, at least in my opinion. Other aspects of his offensive game are certainly very good, but not elite by NBA standards. For example, Jimmer is a very good ballhandler and passer, but he's not top 5% when compared to other NBA point guards . With that said, proper development may help propel these skills some. It would certainly not be a first for a point guard to add tricks by their mid 20's, as many NBA point guards are known to do.



-----



Great shooters make the game easier and the driving lanes should be wide open for Jimmer. Thus, his ability to penetrate and find teammates is probably his next big step on the offensive side of the game. Since his athleticism is pedestrian by NBA standards, Jimmer will need to extend his craftiness to include a reliable teardrop to keep defenses honest, otherwise they will play off him and dare him to lay the ball up. Even at the college level Jimmer tended to have his shot blocked when he took it to the rack, so this will be an important skill to develop.



But all in all, in regards to offense, just consider that NBA defenses will have to develop game plans for Jimmer. With the 7th pick in this year's draft the Kings can get a guy that NBA defenses had better prepare for ...



-----



Now defense is a different story, but lets not forget that Jason Williams and Mike Bibby once ran the point on some very good Kings teams. Yes, Jimmer will probably be a defensive liability, especially early in his career, but the Kings can surround him with good team defenders and weak side shot blockers. That's why a small forward free agent like Wilson Chandler makes sense to me: good size, long, athletic, explosive, and an emerging individual defender.



But if the Kings go Jimmer, they need to consider trading Beno and finding a 4th rotational guard who will require fewer minutes but bring specific skills to the table. I would look for a veteran presence who is defense-oriented, some one who can rub off the right way on our three youngins to try and instill some defensive pride/knowledge, kind of like a Ronnie Price, who is an unrestricted free agent. Price averaged 12 minutes a game last year and wont get much on the market, so he could work on a lot of levels ($, playing time, expeirence, and skill set).



Then there's the draft. The Kings could probably find their fifth guard with their 35th or 60th picks, or just save those picks for stashing Euros or addressing another position of need, as they can extend their offer to Jermaine Taylor, who I actually like as a fifth guard. Taylor's still young (24), long, explosive, and has a knack for scoring the ball but wont expect significant playing time. There's upside with Taylor that I've always liked.



-----



Now I've alluded to why Wilson Chandler would work on this team in the past, so I'll only briefly review: defensive potential, youth, improves every season, length, athleticism, and improving 3 point shot are some of his most notable strengths. He just seems like the best free agent prospect at this time. And, as others have mentioned, adding another teenager to the small forward rotation through the draft is probably not the best idea. But here we run into another problem--too many small forwards. Although Casspi has been a punk in regards to his role (in my opinion), he's too talented to let go at this point, so I would consider trying to package Donte Greene with Udrih for some kind of asset.



Lastly, there's the front court. As long as Dalembert is re-signed, I like the three-headed beast of Sammy D, Cousins, and Thompson for now. I would also be just fine if the Kings let Sammy walk with the intention of signing DeAndre Jordan, since Sterling now has to cough up 12 mil to ex-Coach Dunleavy ... who knows how that will impact his free agency plans? Regardless, much like the Kings' 3 guard rotation needed a complment, I think the same could be said for their frontcourt. Jonas Jerebko is my first choice but the Pistons love him, so he is probably an unrealistic target. My second choice is Josh McRoberts: athletic and hit nearly 40% of his 3's last season--giving the Kings a much needed "stretch 4." He has plenty of deficiencies (rebounding and defense), but McRoberts is also only 24, so there is some room for growth.



DEPTH CHART

PG: Thornton/Fredette/Price
SG: Evans/Garcia/Taylor
SF: Chandler/Casspi
PF: Cousins/McRoberts
C: Dalembert/Thompson/Whiteside


+ Trade Chips: Beno Udrih and Donte Greene
+ Second Round Picks: 35 and 60.



Thoughts?

 

[Aenadin]

Jimmer freddette jerseys will sell good. indeed. and his impact to a community.. he is a very likable player and already has a following. got the shooting skills to back it up

i don't see why people treat and see him as another JJ reddick though, Reddick was an undersized shooting guard. lacking point guard skills.

if its going to be between kemba and jimmer, im going jimmer.. we need lil jimmy

 

[Rug King]

I got on the Jimmer Express myself but one thing that worries me more than choosing Jimmer is Jimmer not being there at 7. His stock is rising quickly and there's this workout in Utah coming up with the Jazz. The Jazz know this kid will fill seats because he went to BYU and is well known and liked besides being a great shooter. The Jazz needs a good point guard after Williams left. I've heard rumors that maybe the Jazz trades down with The Wizards for the 6th spot and a player, where they will choose Jimmer with the number 6 spot.

I hope that doesn't happen.

 

[Spike]

If someone moves up to pick Jimmer, there's a good chance that someone of equal or greater value could slip down to us.

 

[Aenadin]

I got on the Jimmer Express myself but one thing that worries me more than choosing Jimmer is Jimmer not being there at 7. His stock is rising quickly and there's this workout in Utah coming up with the Jazz. The Jazz know this kid will fill seats because he went to BYU and is well known and liked besides being a great shooter. The Jazz needs a good point guard after Williams left. I've heard rumors that maybe the Jazz trades down with The Wizards for the 6th spot and a player, where they will choose Jimmer with the number 6 spot.

I hope that doesn't happen.

if they do need a point guard they would be picking knight... there is a chance irving may fall to 3 if cleveland starts by picking kanter.. then williams. then irving.

im rooting for jimmer to be a king he will give us that shooting..

their biggest concern right now is shooting guard and SF. they have harris at the point, Favors at the 4 or 5 and jefferson..

 

[bajaden]

Actually, I'm pretty sure I answered that already. But to elaborate, I'm skeptical to what extent what I saw on the floor was the product of Jimmer avoiding fouls as opposed to simply poor defensive fundamentals. And even if I did ever find myself in a position where a coach specifically told me not to play defense, I would have to ignore them as I think any good player would because defense is 50% of the game. If you save your energy on defense half the time, are you really going all out the other half of the time? Probably not. Bad habits carry over whether you like them to or not. He could carry his team to wins on shooting alone in college, but that's not going to work in the NBA and his defensive assignments are only going to get harder. I'm not trying to character assassinate the guy. His attitude seems like one of his best attributes and if he's already identified defense as a weakness and he's working on it, than he could get there because athleticism is not the problem. I'm skeptical though and I think I have a legitimate reason to be. Athleticism alone isn't enough to make anyone a good defender.

You've been given your answer. You can choose to believe what you want to believe, or you can believe what his head coach said, and what Chad Ford said. But for you to say your going to ignore what your coach tells you is pure nonsense. Players don't live in your idealistic world. They live in the world that the coach dictates. Period!!!! Just try telling a coach like Calapari your not going to do what he tells you to do.

He wasn't totally inept on defense. He did average 1.2 steals a game. If you watched BYU play, Fredette would always rotate away from the ball with Emery, who was a very good defender. It was a way of keeping Fredette out of foul trouble. Now I'll admit that using him the way they did, certainly didn't prepare him for being a good defender in the NBA. You just don't go from not playing defense, whatever the reason, to being a good defender. However, it doesn't mean he can't eventually become a good defender. So I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for a while. Even players that were good defenders in college have to go through a transition period.

The same rule changes that might make playing defense in the NBA more difficult, like not being able to hand check, also make playing offense easier. Fredette went to the line an average of just under 8 times a game. If NBA standards had been applied, he would have gone to the line double that amount. Everytime he drove to the basket, he was shoved, grabbed, and wacked, and had few fouls called. I saw him shoved out of bounds on an inbound play with no call.

My point is, that in college you can get away with reaching in at the ball. I think thats one of the reasons a lot of players, especially big men have trouble adapting at first when guarding the post. Its for this reason that I think players like Jimmer and Kemba will have an easier time scoring in the NBA.

For those that don't know the college rules. There is a hand check rule for the frontcourt, and one for the backcourt. In the front court, up until the player dribbling the ball crosses the halfcourt line, your not allowed to touch him with your hand or your forearm. Once in the backcourt, a defensive player is allowed to put his hand on the player dribbling the ball, but isn't allowed to keep it there, as to direct the offensive player in one direction or the other. At this point it becomes somewhat subjective where the ref's are concerned. And in my opinion, its inturperted very loosely by most ref's. In other words, players are allowed to handcheck. It makes a huge difference when playing defense against quicker players.

 

[hrdboild]

You've been given your answer. You can choose to believe what you want to believe, or you can believe what his head coach said, and what Chad Ford said. But for you to say your going to ignore what your coach tells you is pure nonsense. Players don't live in your idealistic world. They live in the world that the coach dictates. Period!!!! Just try telling a coach like Calapari your not going to do what he tells you to do.

He wasn't totally inept on defense. He did average 1.2 steals a game. If you watched BYU play, Fredette would always rotate away from the ball with Emery, who was a very good defender. It was a way of keeping Fredette out of foul trouble. Now I'll admit that using him the way they did, certainly didn't prepare him for being a good defender in the NBA. You just don't go from not playing defense, whatever the reason, to being a good defender. However, it doesn't mean he can't eventually become a good defender. So I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for a while. Even players that were good defenders in college have to go through a transition period.

Yeah I've already heard what the coach said, but it just sounds like an excuse to me. I also heard Calipari call Brandon Knight the next John Stockton. Coaches always talk up their star players before the draft -- a higher draft pick helps them with recruiting future players. Regardless of what was said after the fact, he didn't look like a guy who was avoiding fouls to me, he looked like a guy who didn't know how to play defense. If you position yourself properly you can still make an impact without putting yourself in foul trouble. I wouldn't ever ignore a coach completely, but there's often room for interpretation. It seems most people are willing to dismiss his defense as a problem because coach said so, and I'm less willing because think the player ultimately has responsibility for their own actions.

This whole pre-draft process is about analyzing whatever available data we have to predict how these players are going to play in the future. I've seen a lot of athletic players completely fail defensively in the NBA because they never disciplined themselves to play defense for an entire game at any level (Kevin Martin immediately comes to mind). If Jimmer just finished four years of college ball for a coach who told him not to play defense, will he be able to change his mentality in the NBA where offensive players are going to be a lot harder to defend?

I know not everyone agrees with me on this but it's my belief that playing defense is every bit a learned skill as shooting or ball handling. It takes a lot of repetition for that skill to be effective in game situations. In my own experience, it's also a lot harder to learn than shooting or ballhandling because you can't learn it by yourself in a gym. I would never say that anyone can't learn it, but nevertheless more often than not it's the players who played defense in high school and college that go on to become good defenders in the NBA.

 

[ElRey]

A lot has been made of Jimmer's defense or perceived lack of. But given that for the KINGS he is projected to be a quality backup guard who comes in to provide 3 pt shooting and keep defense honest on Tyreke and Cousins, I don't think his defense is back that big of a deal. he's not going to be starting and trying to guard the other team's star pg. Besides, he can't be much worse than Beno in terms of defense.

 

[PurpleHaze]

Amick says it's Kawhi Leonard (or Vesely, or Fredette, or Walker, or Burks ??) to Kings at #7 in latest Mock Draft 3.0:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/sam_amick/06/14/mock.draft.3/index.html?sct=nba_t11_a1

 

[sidney]

Amick says it's Kawhi Leonard (or Vesely, or Fredette, or Walker, or Burks ??) to Kings at #7 in latest Mock Draft 3.0:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/sam_amick/06/14/mock.draft.3/index.html?sct=nba_t11_a1

Good thing Sam narrowed it down for us with all that inside info

 

[bajaden]

Yeah I've already heard what the coach said, but it just sounds like an excuse to me. I also heard Calipari call Brandon Knight the next John Stockton. Coaches always talk up their star players before the draft -- a higher draft pick helps them with recruiting future players. Regardless of what was said after the fact, he didn't look like a guy who was avoiding fouls to me, he looked like a guy who didn't know how to play defense. If you position yourself properly you can still make an impact without putting yourself in foul trouble. I wouldn't ever ignore a coach completely, but there's often room for interpretation. It seems most people are willing to dismiss his defense as a problem because coach said so, and I'm less willing because think the player ultimately has responsibility for their own actions.

This whole pre-draft process is about analyzing whatever available data we have to predict how these players are going to play in the future. I've seen a lot of athletic players completely fail defensively in the NBA because they never disciplined themselves to play defense for an entire game at any level (Kevin Martin immediately comes to mind). If Jimmer just finished four years of college ball for a coach who told him not to play defense, will he be able to change his mentality in the NBA where offensive players are going to be a lot harder to defend?

I know not everyone agrees with me on this but it's my belief that playing defense is every bit a learned skill as shooting or ball handling. It takes a lot of repetition for that skill to be effective in game situations. In my own experience, it's also a lot harder to learn than shooting or ballhandling because you can't learn it by yourself in a gym. I would never say that anyone can't learn it, but nevertheless more often than not it's the players who played defense in high school and college that go on to become good defenders in the NBA.

First off, these comment from the coach, and Ford, wern't just before the draft or the combine. They were made during the season. Secondly, I love how you choose to ignore the comments of the one person who would know the truth, and believe what you want to believe, because what you want to believe fits your theory. Therefore, I have nothing further to say to you on the subject.

 

[hrdboild]

First off, these comment from the coach, and Ford, wern't just before the draft or the combine. They were made during the season. Secondly, I love how you choose to ignore the comments of the one person who would know the truth, and believe what you want to believe, because what you want to believe fits your theory. Therefore, I have nothing further to say to you on the subject.

It's alright if we disagree on this point, I'm not trying to change your mind. I'm not ignoring the comments, I just interpret them differently.

 

[Dime Dropper]

Good thing Sam narrowed it down for us with all that inside info

I find it interesting that he says Kings have invested a lot of effort into scouting Vesely. Wasn't aware of that. I'm kind of scared of Leonard with our pick. I've cooled off on him, and there are a few guys I'd comfortably take ahead of him.

 

[ElRey]

Amick says it's Kawhi Leonard (or Vesely, or Fredette, or Walker, or Burks ??) to Kings at #7 in latest Mock Draft 3.0:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/sam_amick/06/14/mock.draft.3/index.html?sct=nba_t11_a1

Please let this be a SMOKESCREEN!

 

[PurpleHaze]

Please let this be a SMOKESCREEN!

It might be but more likely it's just Petire in typical fashion holding everything very, very close to the vest. Amick is wanting to read Kings tea leaves and there are none, unless he got hint somewhere in the organization that Leonard was a possibility. But the way Sam wrote about Kings at #7 makes you think he's really just making a guess.

 

[kingsboi]

I'd throw up in my own mouth if we draft Leonard/Vesely. I hope to god this is all a smoke screen. Yuck just yuck at these two prospects, we need a player that will come in and help contribute right away enough of developing players with no jumpshots.

 

[Dime Dropper]

I'd throw up in my own mouth if we draft Leonard/Vesely. I hope to god this is all a smoke screen. Yuck just yuck at these two prospects, we need a player that will come in and help contribute right away enough of developing players with no jumpshots.

Leonard could contribute right away, particularly if we don't sign a SF through FA (which is unlikely). Yeah, he can't shoot great, but he can do a lot of other things. Having said that, he's not my number one choice. I think I'd go with Vesely over him.

 

[PurpleHaze]

Leonard could contribute right away, particularly if we don't sign a SF through FA (which is unlikely). Yeah, he can't shoot great, but he can do a lot of other things. Having said that, he's not my number one choice. I think I'd go with Vesely over him.

I want to reserve my final opinion of Leonard (which defensively is pretty high) until he completes his Kings workout which is scheduled in a few days. As far as him "contributing," I'm sure he can but how much? Casspi contributes and so does Greene - however terribly inconsistent they both are. If that's all Leonard can do is contribute, how sad that he goes so high in this relatively weak draft (no fault of his). Kings need a star, a marketing sensation - or one who has that potential. Probably at #7 the two "maybe" NBA stars in the making that could be there are Fredette and/or Walker. This could be one of the hardest calls in any draft Petrie has ever had to make. Draft a potential star at guard, draft for need at small forward, or have your lucky stars aligned and get one of the K's - Kanter or Knight falling into your lap.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

People keep mentioning how we need to draft a player that will help us right away. I think I used to agree with that, but after some further thought, I'm not so sure that is the case.

I'll ask the simple question first, Where is the room for this rookies contributions? I see an opening for a fourth big, a starting SF, and 4th guard.

The fourth big spot right now belongs to Darnell Jackson. I'd like to upgrade that spot .. and we can do that through the draft if we want, or we can add a veteran on a short deal for some leadership and grit. But in all likelyhood, a rookie playing as the fourth big isnt going to make a huge splash in his first year.

Same goes for the fourth guard. It wouldnt kill us to add a veteran ball handler there, or a rookie if that is the way we go in the draft .. but the results are the same, whoever our fourth guard is .. the impact will be low.

The only spot where major minutes are available is the 3. But on a team desperate for some veteran leadership, I dont think it would surprise any of us if we went out and signed Prince/Ak/Battier. Then you have Donte/Omri/Garcia to backup whoever starts at small forward ..

The basic point is that we dont have a lot of minutes to give up right now. It doesnt matter if we draft a "NBA ready" guy or a project, at this point in time .. with the roster the way it is, whatever rookies we bring in will play a deep reserve role.

Udrih/Evans/Thornton/Cousins/Dalembert/Thompson. I dont see how any rookie we could draft cracks that top 6. Then you add in the veteran SF we should sign, and your talking about a rookie playing as the 8th man in your rotation .. at best.

 

[Glenn]

People keep mentioning how we need to draft a player that will help us right away. I think I used to agree with that, but after some further thought, I'm not so sure that is the case.

I'll ask the simple question first, Where is the room for this rookies contributions? I see an opening for a fourth big, a starting SF, and 4th guard.

The fourth big spot right now belongs to Darnell Jackson. I'd like to upgrade that spot .. and we can do that through the draft if we want, or we can add a veteran on a short deal for some leadership and grit. But in all likelyhood, a rookie playing as the fourth big isnt going to make a huge splash in his first year.

Same goes for the fourth guard. It wouldnt kill us to add a veteran ball handler there, or a rookie if that is the way we go in the draft .. but the results are the same, whoever our fourth guard is .. the impact will be low.

The only spot where major minutes are available is the 3. But on a team desperate for some veteran leadership, I dont think it would surprise any of us if we went out and signed Prince/Ak/Battier. Then you have Donte/Omri/Garcia to backup whoever starts at small forward ..

The basic point is that we dont have a lot of minutes to give up right now. It doesnt matter if we draft a "NBA ready" guy or a project, at this point in time .. with the roster the way it is, whatever rookies we bring in will play a deep reserve role.

Udrih/Evans/Thornton/Cousins/Dalembert/Thompson. I dont see how any rookie we could draft cracks that top 6. Then you add in the veteran SF we should sign, and your talking about a rookie playing as the 8th man in your rotation .. at best.

I have gone back and forth on this one. I see next year as crucial to exciting the area residents although maybe I'm overly concerned. I just want the team to make a great impression. I think arena money will be more available if there is a fun team to watch. Maybe they will be vastly improved no matter who is picked.

Anyway, the pick will come off the bench. I hope we are all online when the draft occurs because the real decision making will be made after we see the first 6 picks. It'll probably boil down to just a few but I will bet money we don't all agree.

 

[Bricklayer]

People keep mentioning how we need to draft a player that will help us right away. I think I used to agree with that, but after some further thought, I'm not so sure that is the case.

I'll ask the simple question first, Where is the room for this rookies contributions? I see an opening for a fourth big, a starting SF, and 4th guard.

The fourth big spot right now belongs to Darnell Jackson. I'd like to upgrade that spot .. and we can do that through the draft if we want, or we can add a veteran on a short deal for some leadership and grit. But in all likelyhood, a rookie playing as the fourth big isnt going to make a huge splash in his first year.

Same goes for the fourth guard. It wouldnt kill us to add a veteran ball handler there, or a rookie if that is the way we go in the draft .. but the results are the same, whoever our fourth guard is .. the impact will be low.

The only spot where major minutes are available is the 3. But on a team desperate for some veteran leadership, I dont think it would surprise any of us if we went out and signed Prince/Ak/Battier. Then you have Donte/Omri/Garcia to backup whoever starts at small forward ..

The basic point is that we dont have a lot of minutes to give up right now. It doesnt matter if we draft a "NBA ready" guy or a project, at this point in time .. with the roster the way it is, whatever rookies we bring in will play a deep reserve role.

Udrih/Evans/Thornton/Cousins/Dalembert/Thompson. I dont see how any rookie we could draft cracks that top 6. Then you add in the veteran SF we should sign, and your talking about a rookie playing as the 8th man in your rotation .. at best.

I have agreed with this general analysis since late int eh season when things started to come together for us. This pick...is almost expendable. Great if we can nab one more talented kid. But there is no longer much room for instant help, and we're running out of holes/roles a kid can fit into. We've only got one position basically to make a considerable impact on our team, and that's SF. And a vet, and in particualr the sorts of vets availabel this summer, is far more likely to make that splash than a kid, from this calss in particular.

 

[mac]

I have agreed with this general analysis since late int eh season when things started to come together for us. This pick...is almost expendable. Great if we can nab one more talented kid. But there is no longer much room for instant help, and we're running out of holes/roles a kid can fit into. We've only got one position basically to make a considerable impact on our team, and that's SF. And a vet, and in particualr the sorts of vets availabel this summer, is far more likely to make that splash than a kid, from this calss in particular.

Which is why we should be looking at guys that give you fairly sure-fire contributions, namely ball-handling and most importantly 3 point shooting. It doesn't matter whether the guy turns out to be Ray Allen or Jason Kapono at this point, as long as he can hit shots and play good D he'll be able to step in right away.

One thing that we mustn't be afraid of is the rookie coming in and jumping ahead in the rotations. MassachusettsKingsFan said that we only need to upgrade the 4th guard/big. If we can get someone who comes in and plays better than Beno, by all means make him the 3rd guard and let Beno be the 4th. Depth is never a bad thing.

Although there isn't a need for a star player, there is an additional risk in picking a project. Guys who you feel can contribute immediately carry less risk, and I think would be a wiser choice in our scenario. Going back to my previous example, would you rather take a Jason Kapono/ Mike Miller now, or pick another Donte or Omri and hope that they one day become Ray Allen?

 

[Vlade4GM]

BPA, always, and especially in a weak draft. You plan on drafting for need and you're just decreasing your odds of drafting a good player.

 

[Spike]

BPA, always, and especially in a weak draft. You plan on drafting for need and you're just decreasing your odds of drafting a good player.

BPA works great when picks 1-10 are varied enough to bring you tremendous skill/potential. Not so well when 1-4 bring you that skill, and 5-15 are pretty interchangeable. There's a lot of good, not great, in this draft, so I would rather address need. What if BPA is another project SF? No thanks. Tweener? Probably. I'm guessing Petrie already has his guy, and it's probably someone who in most years would be picked lower than 7 because he fits a need, as opposed to BPA.

 

[Vlade4GM]

BPA is always the best strategy, rosters can always be changed around, but you can't go back and re-do your draft pick.

 

[Glenn]

BPA is always the best strategy, rosters can always be changed around, but you can't go back and re-do your draft pick.

I am pretty sure that what Spike means is that at #7, there is no clear cut BPA.

 

[rainmaker]

Appears Fredette won the battle vs Walker in Utah, according to tweets on hoopshype coming out of Utah.

 

[hrdboild]

Appears Fredette won the battle vs Walker in Utah, according to tweets on hoopshype coming out of Utah.

Which is good news for us (I think) because maybe they'll do a Kanter/Fredette swap with Washington. Knight still has to slip past Toronto though, so they'd have to pick Kemba or Vesely or Leonard. That doesn't seem real likely, but it could happen. And who knows what Cleveland does at #4 in that scenario. I guess Knight isn't crazy about playing in Utah.