2013 Draft Prospects

[bajaden]

Argh, I just can't not like Marcus Smart. Depending where we pick and whose on the board, I'd take him. Yes his outside shot is shaky, but he has good form and a good work ethic. He has the makings of a star and if you put him at the point next to Reke, that's a beastly defensive backcourt. He's an intelligent guy too, and has the personality of a star, which is more important than people think.


On Austin, I don't know what to think of him. I'm not a big fan at the moment. He has a small frame and is unbelievably weak. He needs to stay in school at least another year and maybe then I'll revise my opinion of him.

I like Smart a lot, but I'm going to reserve my judgement on him for a while yet. He does seem to have very good BBIQ, and he borders on being a freak athlete. One thing he has that Tyreke lacks, is leadership ability. He does drive me nuts at time with his outside jumpshot. He'll go 4 for 6 from the three in one game, and in the next game go 1 for 5. But your right, he does have very good form on his shot. Lets see how he plays in the tournament. If it came down to choosing between McLemore and Smart, I'd be very torn.

 

[Vlade4GM]

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/NBA-Draft-Prospect-of-the-Week-Giannis-Adetokunbo-4090

Looks like a very unique talent with a huge upside if developed right. I don't know if a draft and stash would be the right move for us, but I'd hate to miss out on what this kid could become, he's got Durant-like physical attributes.

 

[Gilles]

He's a complete wildcard and right now all he has is similarity to Durant bodywise and some underdeveloped skills. I don't think anybody in top-5 dares to pick him, unless he wows everybody in Hoops Summit, where it seems he's headed.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

It appears that Calapari has finally lit a fire under Poythress, who turned in his second nice game in a row, and seems to have delegated Wiltjer to the bench, and fewer minutes. 16 points on 7 of 11 shooting, 1 of 2 from the three. 8 boards, 1 assist and 1 blocked shot.

This Poythress stuff is interesting. I had written him off, but he appears to be playing tougher and harder since Noel went down. Am I missing something? or has he sort of switched to more of a power/big man game? Kind of in the Terrence Jones mold.

I still don't think I would draft him. He's playing well, but i'm not sure he has a position.

 

[Vlade4GM]

He's a complete wildcard and right now all he has is similarity to Durant bodywise and some underdeveloped skills. I don't think anybody in top-5 dares to pick him, unless he wows everybody in Hoops Summit, where it seems he's headed.

It's not just body wise, but also athletically with his fluidity, body control, and long strides.

Yeah, he still needs a lot of developing, and I'm not saying he's the right pick for us, but with the potential he has, he can really make you regret not taking him in a few years, especially in this draft.

 

[bajaden]

This Poythress stuff is interesting. I had written him off, but he appears to be playing tougher and harder since Noel went down. Am I missing something? or has he sort of switched to more of a power/big man game? Kind of in the Terrence Jones mold.

I still don't think I would draft him. He's playing well, but i'm not sure he has a position.

With the type of offense that Calapari runs, its hard sometimes to define exactly what position a player is playing. But at the moment, your not seeing much of Wiltjer, who was playing the PF position, so I'd have to say he's getting Wiltjer's minutes. As to what his future position is, I think he's better suited for the SF position. He's certainly athletic enough, and has the size for the position. I know some scouts see him as a Rudy Gay/Josh Smith type. Not saying he'll be that good, but both those guys fall into the stretch four type catagory.

I saw Poythress play in quite a few highschool games, and as a result, I had very high expectations for him. So I was disappointed with his game up until lately. He wasn't as aggressive as he was in highschool, and I have no idea why. I can only guess that Calapari was asking him to play in a way to which he was unaccustomed, and it was causing him to think too much while on the floor instead of just react. For whatever reason, he's starting to look like the player I saw in highschool. I've said all along that he was a very talented kid, all he had to do was just let himself go.

 

[bajaden]

It's not just body wise, but also athletically with his fluidity, body control, and long strides.

Yeah, he still needs a lot of developing, and I'm not saying he's the right pick for us, but with the potential he has, he can really make you regret not taking him in a few years, especially in this draft.

I read the same write up on Draftexpress. I also did a web search and a Youtube search. Not a lot of info out there on him other than some mock draft sites. He does sound intriguing, and I had the same Durant comparison spring up in my mind. Probably not realistic, but if he were to become 70% of what Durant is, I'd be happy. I tend to agree with Gilles, that I probably wouldn't use a top 5 or maybe even a top 10 pick on him. But if I were able to aquire another 1st round pick in the 20's, I'd certainly take a gamble on him there.

 

[Vlade4GM]

I read the same write up on Draftexpress. I also did a web search and a Youtube search. Not a lot of info out there on him other than some mock draft sites. He does sound intriguing, and I had the same Durant comparison spring up in my mind. Probably not realistic, but if he were to become 70% of what Durant is, I'd be happy. I tend to agree with Gilles, that I probably wouldn't use a top 5 or maybe even a top 10 pick on him. But if I were able to aquire another 1st round pick in the 20's, I'd certainly take a gamble on him there.

He may not be there in 20's though in a draft like this. He could build up some hype by the time of the draft, and even as raw as he is, his combination of tools don't come around very often.

 

[bajaden]

He may not be there in 20's though in a draft like this. He could build up some hype by the time of the draft, and even as raw as he is, his combination of tools don't come around very often.

You may be right. Right now, at least in my opinion, the Kings need to draft a player thats closer to a finished product, and that has high BBIQ. They already have too many players on the team that are learning how to play the game. So, Porter may not have the higher potential of the two, but right now, he's more able to step in and contribute. If the Kings were the Kings of old, with players like Vlade, Webber and company, then I'd say take the gamble, but not now!

 

[Gilles]

If he shows up big in Hoops Summit like Kanter, Biyombo or Saric, Adetokunbo can get a lot of hype. Top half of the lottery would be guaranteed and with the lack of elite prospects top-5 is still wide open.

 

[beb0p]

He's long and can jump, but he lacks agility, quickness and explosiveness. Noel is a great at 2nd and 3rd jumps, Austin is really bad. If you think Henson or Noel have bad frames, take a close look at Baylor's center. Everybody moves him from the paint to three-point line in a couple of seconds. His future outside of uncontested dunks is stretch 4 (his handles and mobility are lacking to be a faceup 4) who can rebound with suspect defense.

Have to disagree with you there. Austin's agility, quickness, and explosiveness are off the cart for a 7'1" guy. Noel is a 6'10" PF, one cannot compare a PF's second, third jump to a center's; besides I pick the 7'1" center with a good first jump and less impressive second and third jump over a 6'10" PF with great second and third jump anytime.

Austin's frame is way better than Henson, and can certainly pack on more muscle as opposed to guys like Henson and Anthony Randolph. And I don't get why you say his defense is suspect.

Austin is a 5. He's 7'-1" 220, that's a center. In comparison, Tyson Chandler is 7'-1" 240, and I think that's the type of body that Austin will eventually grow into. The sky is the limit for this kid. The only thing holding him back is the body. Once he has one, it's game over.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

I have quite bit of family in Athens, and a few of them pretty deep into the basketball scene over there. I'll see if I can dig up anything on Adetokunbo. I'll be going over there in august, and I'd love to check him out. We'll see if he can get on the national team this summer.

We are actually a prime candidate for storing someone overseas. We already have a ton of young talent that needs continuing development. We saw how little playing time Thomas Robinson was getting before we shipped him out. This team will have cap space, and does need veterans. This would leave very little playing time for any rookie.

This is also the reason why I'd have no issues drafting Noel if he were to fall. Give him all the time he needs to recover. We are in no rush.

 

[Dime Dropper]

I'm very intrigued by Adetokunbo, but I can't say I've seen him play apart from youtube. I'll try to catch some of his games but I don't know if that'll even be possible. Workouts will determine a lot with him.

McLemore had 37 the other night. Would not be surprised if he turns into the first pick in the draft.

 

[Darth Divac]

I preach Marcus Smart to the Kings.

 

[bajaden]

I preach Marcus Smart to the Kings.

I'm not sold on Smart just yet. We have a player on the team that resembles Smart right now, and his name is Tyreke. And, Smart suffers from the same desease that Tyreke suffers from. An inconsistent outside shot. Smart is a good defender, but so is Oladipo and Mclemore, and both those guys can shoot the ball better than Smart, and both those guys are taller than Smart. Not saying Smart won't be a good player, but even his PG skills don't blow me away. If I wanted a PG I'd draft Trey Burke. My top three players right at the moment are Noel, Porter, and McLemore.

 

[Kingster]

I'm not sold on Smart just yet. We have a player on the team that resembles Smart right now, and his name is Tyreke. And, Smart suffers from the same desease that Tyreke suffers from. An inconsistent outside shot. Smart is a good defender, but so is Oladipo and Mclemore, and both those guys can shoot the ball better than Smart, and both those guys are taller than Smart. Not saying Smart won't be a good player, but even his PG skills don't blow me away. If I wanted a PG I'd draft Trey Burke. My top three players right at the moment are Noel, Porter, and McLemore.

We won't get any of those three. We never do. So let's get real - err pessimistic - and figure 6, 7, 8 for our draft slot. How about Len? If we pick him, will we be happy or sad?

 

[Darth Divac]

We won't get any of those three. We never do. So let's get real - err pessimistic - and figure 6, 7, 8 for our draft slot. How about Len? If we pick him, will we be happy or sad?

Extremely sad. Seeing as we already have Cousins, Patterson, Thompson and Aldrich, and as it would probably be silly and inefective to play him at SF, I don't think we need him.

 

[Dime Dropper]

I'm not sold on Smart just yet. We have a player on the team that resembles Smart right now, and his name is Tyreke. And, Smart suffers from the same desease that Tyreke suffers from. An inconsistent outside shot. Smart is a good defender, but so is Oladipo and Mclemore, and both those guys can shoot the ball better than Smart, and both those guys are taller than Smart. Not saying Smart won't be a good player, but even his PG skills don't blow me away. If I wanted a PG I'd draft Trey Burke. My top three players right at the moment are Noel, Porter, and McLemore.

Both those guys are also SGs, whereas Smart is a PG. I'm not worried about Smart's shooting. He has the stroke, he will get it down. It's much easier to correct than Tyreke's. I like Burke, but right now I think Smart translates into a much better NBA player. He does share some similarities to 'Reke, both are big, physical, can get into the lane, play defense and shoot poorly from the outside. On the other hand, I think Smart is actually stronger than Tyreke, which is saying something, a superior defender, and has a higher BB IQ. He runs the offense very well - there's no doubting that he's a full-time PG. He is also a born leader, something this team desperately lacks. I think adding him to the team improves us significantly, and not too far down the line, he and Tyreke (if we re-sign him) could make a huge, punishing backcourt, creating mismatches on almost every offense, and being equally as dominant on the other end of the floor.

I don't actually believe there's much risk with Smart. The extra space at the next level will suit his game. But as always, we probably won't be in a position to get him when the time comes.

 

[Darth Divac]

I'm not sold on Smart just yet. We have a player on the team that resembles Smart right now, and his name is Tyreke. And, Smart suffers from the same desease that Tyreke suffers from. An inconsistent outside shot. Smart is a good defender, but so is Oladipo and Mclemore, and both those guys can shoot the ball better than Smart, and both those guys are taller than Smart. Not saying Smart won't be a good player, but even his PG skills don't blow me away. If I wanted a PG I'd draft Trey Burke. My top three players right at the moment are Noel, Porter, and McLemore.

But we do need to draft a PG. It's our weakest position besides SF (love you, Fishy, but your just not a good long term option.)

 

[bajaden]

Extremely sad. Seeing as we already have Cousins, Patterson, Thompson and Aldrich, and as it would probably be silly and inefective to play him at SF, I don't think we need him.

Ahhh, since Len is a 7'1" center, I doubt well play him at SF. I think Len can be pretty good down the road. He's not bad now, and he plays on a team loaded with shoot happy guards. There are games where he only gets 5 or 6 shots the whole game despite the fact that he has the highest shooting percentage on the team. Don't expect Aldrich to be here next season!.

 

[bajaden]

Both those guys are also SGs, whereas Smart is a PG. I'm not worried about Smart's shooting. He has the stroke, he will get it down. It's much easier to correct than Tyreke's. I like Burke, but right now I think Smart translates into a much better NBA player. He does share some similarities to 'Reke, both are big, physical, can get into the lane, play defense and shoot poorly from the outside. On the other hand, I think Smart is actually stronger than Tyreke, which is saying something, a superior defender, and has a higher BB IQ. He runs the offense very well - there's no doubting that he's a full-time PG. He is also a born leader, something this team desperately lacks. I think adding him to the team improves us significantly, and not too far down the line, he and Tyreke (if we re-sign him) could make a huge, punishing backcourt, creating mismatches on almost every offense, and being equally as dominant on the other end of the floor.

I don't actually believe there's much risk with Smart. The extra space at the next level will suit his game. But as always, we probably won't be in a position to get him when the time comes.

I will admit that I'm biased. Frankly, I'm sick of players coming out of college that can't shoot, and saying to myself that its easily corrected. Tyreke is in his 4th year, and maybe, just maybe he's finally going to be consistent, and maybe not. But in general, I want a big or a damm good SF. I'm sick up to my neck with guards. Now thats just me, and it doesn't affect my opinion about Smart and his capablities. I certainly give you that he's definitely more of a leader than Tyreke, and he's more athletic than Tyreke. I don't know about stronger, but either way, he's certainly strong enough for the NBA right now.

I do want a PG for the team. But I want one with experience. PG and Center are the two positions that take the longest to learn, and I'm tired of waiting for a young player to run this team. Smart is a freshman, and he'll be one year removed from highschool if he declares. Your going to be looking at another 2 or more years of mistakes by a young PG if we draft him. Thats not saying he won't be very good at some point. But if we do draft him, then get rid of IT, Jimmer and any other PG left sitting around and go get a Calderon or a Lowery to come in and run the team while we wait for Smart to get up to speed.

 

[bajaden]

But we do need to draft a PG. It's our weakest position besides SF (love you, Fishy, but your just not a good long term option.)

I beg to differ! SF is our biggest need, not PG. We also have a need for a good backup center. We need some damm size on this team. I'm tired of watching a bunch of midgets run around out there.

 

[Gilles]

Right now Smart isn't my first choice as I cooled down a bit on him and feel Otto Porter has more to offer than he's shown in his college career, but spot shooting IS easy to learn if you put hours in and don't have bad mechanics set in stone. Jason Kidd admitted he never worked on his shot until late in his career, Tyreke fooled around until last March and two college players shooting up everybody's draft boards, Oladipo and Porter, are latest examples. Oladipo went from .170 to .500 on catch-and-shoot from last season to this. Off the dribble jump shot is harder to improve on because much bigger range of motion you usually have to change.

 

[Kingster]

Both those guys are also SGs, whereas Smart is a PG. I'm not worried about Smart's shooting. He has the stroke, he will get it down. It's much easier to correct than Tyreke's. I like Burke, but right now I think Smart translates into a much better NBA player. He does share some similarities to 'Reke, both are big, physical, can get into the lane, play defense and shoot poorly from the outside. On the other hand, I think Smart is actually stronger than Tyreke, which is saying something, a superior defender, and has a higher BB IQ. He runs the offense very well - there's no doubting that he's a full-time PG. He is also a born leader, something this team desperately lacks. I think adding him to the team improves us significantly, and not too far down the line, he and Tyreke (if we re-sign him) could make a huge, punishing backcourt, creating mismatches on almost every offense, and being equally as dominant on the other end of the floor.

I don't actually believe there's much risk with Smart. The extra space at the next level will suit his game. But as always, we probably won't be in a position to get him when the time comes.

Can Smart guard the super quick 6' pgs in this league? If so, it could work. If not, it wouldn't.

 

[bajaden]

Can Smart guard the super quick 6' pgs in this league? If so, it could work. If not, it wouldn't.

Well you never really know until put him up against some of the quicker PG's in the NBA. But if I had to guess, I'd say yes. Smart is a terrific athlete. He, McLemore and Oladipo are all outstanding defenders. I know that Smart is a PG and both McLemore and Oladipo are SG's. As a matter of fact, Oladipo can guard some SF's because he's 6'6" and has a huge wingspan. Porter is a good defender as well at the SF position. Right now you have about 5 guys that are almost interchangable for the top five in the draft, and anyone of them could be number one, depending on a teams needs. Noel was the consensus number one until he tore his ACL.

If we end up picking 7th or 8th, its hard to say who might be there. Muhammad might break into the top five. Or someone desperate for a center might take a gamble on Len in the top five. When you get a group of around 10 or 11 players that are all close to being equal in skill level to some degree, it becomes hard to predict who will go where. I'm sticking with my wish list right now. Noel, Porter, McLemore, Olapido, Smart, Len, Bennett, Stein, Zeller, Muhammad. Thats not how they'll get drafted of course, but thats the order I would take them. By the way, I see Anthony Bennett as a SF in the NBA. I know he plays PF at UNLV, but he's a very good athlete, and he already has a good jumpshot.

 

[Tetsujin]

In local prospect news, Corey Hawkins is having his coming-out party tonight on national TV for the Aggies. Sure it's two, er, smaller schools but basketball is in his blood.

Carry on with your actual prospect discussions

 

[Vlade4GM]

How do we feel about Myck Kabongo now that he's back playing again?

 

[Cwebb#4]

It's gotta be either Marcus Smart, Trey Burke, or *wince* Shabazz Muhammad...though I think his ball-hoggyness and his potential to be a team cancer are to big a risk while we're in rebuild mode.

 

[bajaden]

How do we feel about Myck Kabongo now that he's back playing again?

I thought Kabongo got a raw deal from the NCAA, but is playing pretty well right now. I liked him coming out of highschool, and this was susposed to be his breakout year until the NCAA stepped in and screwed things up for him. If your looking for a pass first PG he fills the bill. He's not a bad shooter, and he's a very good athlete, and has decent size, at least in height, for the position. He definitely needs to get stronger though. I don't think Texas having a bad year is helping his case in the draft, and its likely Texas won't make the tournament either, so he won't get any extra exposure.

I like him, and I definitely think he can play in the NBA. And although he was projected as a 1st round pick coming out of highschool, its likely he'll get drafted in the second round now.

 

[bajaden]

It's gotta be either Marcus Smart, Trey Burke, or *wince* Shabazz Muhammad...though I think his ball-hoggyness and his potential to be a team cancer are to big a risk while we're in rebuild mode.

Why does it have to be any of those guys? And whats wrong with McLemore? Or Noel? Or Porter? And I wince at the thought of us drafting Muhammad as well. I do like Burke, but I'm betting he'll go somewhere in the teens, and after our pick.