2013 Draft Prospects
- Thread starter Vlade4GM
- Start date
- Status
It has to be any of those guys because we already have a pretty good frontcourt (with the exception of the SF position). Noel is a center, and he's probably going number 1, so even if he was still on the board by our pick, I wouldn't draft him for fear of how making him play out of position would work out (not to mention he wrecked his knee). Mclemore, same thing, we already have two good and proven SG's. Otto Porter would be great, but it's almost a guarantee that he'll go before our pick. My pick would be either Porter or Smart, who are both unfortunately going to go ahead of our pick, which leaves Muhammad and Burke as our best options. Out of those two, I would pick Burke. He's a passer, and would definitely pit in nicely next to Tyreke. He's projected to go ninth overall, so he wouldn't be far from our pick. I think with us projected to get number 6, he's the best and safest option.
Last edited:
Yeah, it sucks (screw the NCAA), he definitely belongs in the lottery in terms of talent. He should stay in school if there's any chance he'll slip to the 2nd round.
Supposedly he's put on 10 lbs since last year, so perhaps he'll be able to fill nicely when he's fully matured physically. He has a 6'7 wingspan as well, pretty good for his size.
Supposedly he's put on 10 lbs since last year, so perhaps he'll be able to fill nicely when he's fully matured physically. He has a 6'7 wingspan as well, pretty good for his size.
So here's the fantasy. In April, the BOG chooses Sacramento. The Mastrov-Maloof deal occurs within 2-3 weeks. Mastrov steals a top scout or major player in the San Antonio organization (or some other heavyweight in personnel) as our GM. The ex-San Antonio official already knows all the players in the draft, so there is no learning curve. He then chooses the best of the bunch.
Absent that, we're looking at a Petrie choice supported by a bare bones scouting staff, or maybe a new GM that doesn't have recent background in college players so he has a huge learning curve. I like the fantasy scenario a lot better.
Absent that, we're looking at a Petrie choice supported by a bare bones scouting staff, or maybe a new GM that doesn't have recent background in college players so he has a huge learning curve. I like the fantasy scenario a lot better.
I don't disagree with your analysis of where players might go in the draft, but Noel isn't a center, and there's no way he plays center in the NBA. Doesn't have the frame of a center, or the strength. He'll be a PF and shouldn't have any trouble playing that position. He's more than athletic enough, as a matter of fact, he's probably more athletic than most of the PF's in the league. Right now, he's not as good as Anthony Davis, but he's a similar player with his quickness, and ability to play out on the perimeter and still get back to help under the basket. We need more size in our frontcourt. Whether its as a starting defensive PF next to Cousins, or a backup center behind Cousins. What we don't need, unless we get rid of some of our current PG's, is another PG. Technically, we have 5 players right now that could play the position, when you add Tyreke and Salmons into the mix, and none of them are up to the quality of PG that I desire.
We don't need McLemore, but you still take the best player available, and I have him at number one right now. My fears with Smart is that he's another guy thats not a pass first PG. The other night he took 22 shots. The most on the team, and only made 9 of them. He had a whole 3 assists. Which is why I say that if I want a PG I'll take Burke. At least he puts up 7 or so assists night in and night out. I want no part of Muhammad. I watched UCLA the other night, and Muhammad scored 14 pts on 4 of 19 shooting, and was 2 of 11 from the three. He added a whole 3 rebounds, and had ZERO assists. He exactly the kind of player we don't need on our team.
I'm still a Willie Cauley-Stein fan. I think he has the size and the potential to be a very good player in the NBA. He's big enough to play some center, and athletic enough to play some PF. Of course, I love Porter, and just hope and pray that somehow he falls to us. Or, we get lucky in the lottery enough to perhaps move up to at least number 2.
We don't need McLemore, but you still take the best player available, and I have him at number one right now. My fears with Smart is that he's another guy thats not a pass first PG. The other night he took 22 shots. The most on the team, and only made 9 of them. He had a whole 3 assists. Which is why I say that if I want a PG I'll take Burke. At least he puts up 7 or so assists night in and night out. I want no part of Muhammad. I watched UCLA the other night, and Muhammad scored 14 pts on 4 of 19 shooting, and was 2 of 11 from the three. He added a whole 3 rebounds, and had ZERO assists. He exactly the kind of player we don't need on our team.
I'm still a Willie Cauley-Stein fan. I think he has the size and the potential to be a very good player in the NBA. He's big enough to play some center, and athletic enough to play some PF. Of course, I love Porter, and just hope and pray that somehow he falls to us. Or, we get lucky in the lottery enough to perhaps move up to at least number 2.
Your speaking in generalities and not specifics. Yes, I would take Noel over any of those players, but not Len. I would take Porter second, and McLemore third, even though I have McLemore at number one on my board right now, subject to change. As I said before, I would take Burke over Smart if I wanted a PG. I could be dead wrong, but I'm not sold on Smart yet, and I've seen him play at least 15 or 16 times so far. On a team overloaded with guards, the last thing we need is another guard, unless he's very special, and I think McLemore is going to be special. I'm also very high on Oladipo. Of course this is just my humble opinion, and its free! 
Your speaking in generalities and not specifics. Yes, I would take Noel over any of those players, but not Len. I would take Porter second, and McLemore third, even though I have McLemore at number one on my board right now, subject to change. As I said before, I would take Burke over Smart if I wanted a PG. I could be dead wrong, but I'm not sold on Smart yet, and I've seen him play at least 15 or 16 times so far. On a team overloaded with guards, the last thing we need is another guard, unless he's very special, and I think McLemore is going to be special. I'm also very high on Oladipo. Of course this is just my humble opinion, and its free!
As for Noel, I think he'd probably be an amazing PF, but again, we need to address our weakest positions first. Our PF's aren't great, but they'll get the job done, until we can upgrade. No, for us to be a winning team, we need to draft either an SF that isn't Shabazz Muhammad, or draft a PG that isn't Michael Carter-Williams.
Yeah but you can't do that. If you see a serious complication than you should think long and hard about looking in another direction (like Shabazz Muhammad's value being primarily as a scorer and our team suffering from an abundance of guys looking for their shot already). But barring that, you can't let your concerns about this current roster prevent you from acquiring a potential franchise talent. Most of this current roster will be gone in a couple years anyway.
Yes we have a lot of guards right now but Oladipo or McLemore can still help us. McLemore doesn't need the ball, he scores off of screens, cuts to the basket, fast breaks, etc. That's good for us. And as a good rebounder, defender, and passer he still has value if he's not scoring. Oladipo is an elite perimeter defender and a very good athlete who can explode to the basket and finish but isn't going to be creating shots off the dribble very often. That's good for us too. He'll need to continue to work on his jumpshot but he's gotten a lot better this year. He really just has to keep getting stronger and adding range. Both Tyreke and Thornton have trade value if we decide that somebody has become redundant.
Yes we do need an upgrade at PF. That's Nerlens Noel. If he didn't have a serious knee issue (two ACL tears in three years for a big guy is something to think about) I would take him first overall in this draft without hesitation. We have a 20pt scorer in our frontcourt already -- we have a real need for someone who can block shots, grab rebounds, and stay out of the way on offense. Jason Thompson and Patrick Patterson are not the type of talent that makes you pass up a potential DPOY at PF. They're just not. And the chances of us finding a player like Noel through free agency are slim to none. Teams find players like that and they don't let them go.
Finding a capable SF is a serious issue and priority #1 but this isn't a very deep draft for that position. Porter is excellent. Maybe Bennett can fill that position, maybe Oladipo can play there a bit. But other than that you're probably looking at a trade or free agency. Which is fine. Get the best player you can get in the draft and then fill your other holes elsewhere. We can trade for a SF if we don't get lucky in the draft. (I still like Derrick Williams btw )
And lastly, I think anyone who really thinks we need to draft a PG this year needs to have their head examined. Unless you're extremely confident that there is a guy available who is a perfect fit for your system or if there's a one in a hundred truly talented playmaker that you can't pass on (no pun intended) then I would ask you if pulling in another 20 year old and handing them the keys to this rebuild where countless others have been tried and failed seems like the best use of our resources. I'd rather we continue to work with IT and Tyreke and let them learn from a new coach before I went the rookie PG route. Depending on how much you trust either of those guys to run an offense (and my personal feeling is that both are capable, they just haven't been given the chance with our terrible coaching staffs) we'd probably be better off bringing in a vet starter and relegating the incumbants to backup PG duties are bringing in a solid backup. And I know this isn't exactly consistent with the first paragraph I wrote (Marcus Smart is still worthy of consideration) but after you make the same mistake 4 or 5 times in a row, it's time to start re-thinking your decision-making strategy.
Yes we have a lot of guards right now but Oladipo or McLemore can still help us. McLemore doesn't need the ball, he scores off of screens, cuts to the basket, fast breaks, etc. That's good for us. And as a good rebounder, defender, and passer he still has value if he's not scoring. Oladipo is an elite perimeter defender and a very good athlete who can explode to the basket and finish but isn't going to be creating shots off the dribble very often. That's good for us too. He'll need to continue to work on his jumpshot but he's gotten a lot better this year. He really just has to keep getting stronger and adding range. Both Tyreke and Thornton have trade value if we decide that somebody has become redundant.
Yes we do need an upgrade at PF. That's Nerlens Noel. If he didn't have a serious knee issue (two ACL tears in three years for a big guy is something to think about) I would take him first overall in this draft without hesitation. We have a 20pt scorer in our frontcourt already -- we have a real need for someone who can block shots, grab rebounds, and stay out of the way on offense. Jason Thompson and Patrick Patterson are not the type of talent that makes you pass up a potential DPOY at PF. They're just not. And the chances of us finding a player like Noel through free agency are slim to none. Teams find players like that and they don't let them go.
Finding a capable SF is a serious issue and priority #1 but this isn't a very deep draft for that position. Porter is excellent. Maybe Bennett can fill that position, maybe Oladipo can play there a bit. But other than that you're probably looking at a trade or free agency. Which is fine. Get the best player you can get in the draft and then fill your other holes elsewhere. We can trade for a SF if we don't get lucky in the draft. (I still like Derrick Williams btw
)And lastly, I think anyone who really thinks we need to draft a PG this year needs to have their head examined. Unless you're extremely confident that there is a guy available who is a perfect fit for your system or if there's a one in a hundred truly talented playmaker that you can't pass on (no pun intended) then I would ask you if pulling in another 20 year old and handing them the keys to this rebuild where countless others have been tried and failed seems like the best use of our resources. I'd rather we continue to work with IT and Tyreke and let them learn from a new coach before I went the rookie PG route. Depending on how much you trust either of those guys to run an offense (and my personal feeling is that both are capable, they just haven't been given the chance with our terrible coaching staffs) we'd probably be better off bringing in a vet starter and relegating the incumbants to backup PG duties are bringing in a solid backup. And I know this isn't exactly consistent with the first paragraph I wrote (Marcus Smart is still worthy of consideration) but after you make the same mistake 4 or 5 times in a row, it's time to start re-thinking your decision-making strategy.
Yeah but you can't do that. If you see a serious complication than you should think long and hard about looking in another direction (like Shabazz Muhammad's value being primarily as a scorer and our team suffering from an abundance of guys looking for their shot already). But barring that, you can't let your concerns about this current roster prevent you from acquiring a potential franchise talent. Most of this current roster will be gone in a couple years anyway.
Yes we have a lot of guards right now but Oladipo or McLemore can still help us. McLemore doesn't need the ball, he scores off of screens, cuts to the basket, fast breaks, etc. That's good for us. And as a good rebounder, defender, and passer he still has value if he's not scoring. Oladipo is an elite perimeter defender and a very good athlete who can explode to the basket and finish but isn't going to be creating shots off the dribble very often. That's good for us too. He'll need to continue to work on his jumpshot but he's gotten a lot better this year. He really just has to keep getting stronger and adding range. Both Tyreke and Thornton have trade value if we decide that somebody has become redundant.
Yes we do need an upgrade at PF. That's Nerlens Noel. If he didn't have a serious knee issue (two ACL tears in three years for a big guy is something to think about) I would take him first overall in this draft without hesitation. We have a 20pt scorer in our frontcourt already -- we have a real need for someone who can block shots, grab rebounds, and stay out of the way on offense. Jason Thompson and Patrick Patterson are not the type of talent that makes you pass up a potential DPOY at PF. They're just not. And the chances of us finding a player like Noel through free agency are slim to none. Teams find players like that and they don't let them go.
Finding a capable SF is a serious issue and priority #1 but this isn't a very deep draft for that position. Porter is excellent. Maybe Bennett can fill that position, maybe Oladipo can play there a bit. But other than that you're probably looking at a trade or free agency. Which is fine. Get the best player you can get in the draft and then fill your other holes elsewhere. We can trade for a SF if we don't get lucky in the draft. (I still like Derrick Williams btw )
And lastly, I think anyone who really thinks we need to draft a PG this year needs to have their head examined. Unless you're extremely confident that there is a guy available who is a perfect fit for your system or if there's a one in a hundred truly talented playmaker that you can't pass on (no pun intended) then I would ask you if pulling in another 20 year old and handing them the keys to this rebuild where countless others have been tried and failed seems like the best use of our resources. I'd rather we continue to work with IT and Tyreke and let them learn from a new coach before I went the rookie PG route. Depending on how much you trust either of those guys to run an offense (and my personal feeling is that both are capable, they just haven't been given the chance with our terrible coaching staffs) we'd probably be better off bringing in a vet starter and relegating the incumbants to backup PG duties are bringing in a solid backup. And I know this isn't exactly consistent with the first paragraph I wrote (Marcus Smart is still worthy of consideration) but after you make the same mistake 4 or 5 times in a row, it's time to start re-thinking your decision-making strategy.
Yes we have a lot of guards right now but Oladipo or McLemore can still help us. McLemore doesn't need the ball, he scores off of screens, cuts to the basket, fast breaks, etc. That's good for us. And as a good rebounder, defender, and passer he still has value if he's not scoring. Oladipo is an elite perimeter defender and a very good athlete who can explode to the basket and finish but isn't going to be creating shots off the dribble very often. That's good for us too. He'll need to continue to work on his jumpshot but he's gotten a lot better this year. He really just has to keep getting stronger and adding range. Both Tyreke and Thornton have trade value if we decide that somebody has become redundant.
Yes we do need an upgrade at PF. That's Nerlens Noel. If he didn't have a serious knee issue (two ACL tears in three years for a big guy is something to think about) I would take him first overall in this draft without hesitation. We have a 20pt scorer in our frontcourt already -- we have a real need for someone who can block shots, grab rebounds, and stay out of the way on offense. Jason Thompson and Patrick Patterson are not the type of talent that makes you pass up a potential DPOY at PF. They're just not. And the chances of us finding a player like Noel through free agency are slim to none. Teams find players like that and they don't let them go.
Finding a capable SF is a serious issue and priority #1 but this isn't a very deep draft for that position. Porter is excellent. Maybe Bennett can fill that position, maybe Oladipo can play there a bit. But other than that you're probably looking at a trade or free agency. Which is fine. Get the best player you can get in the draft and then fill your other holes elsewhere. We can trade for a SF if we don't get lucky in the draft. (I still like Derrick Williams btw
)And lastly, I think anyone who really thinks we need to draft a PG this year needs to have their head examined. Unless you're extremely confident that there is a guy available who is a perfect fit for your system or if there's a one in a hundred truly talented playmaker that you can't pass on (no pun intended) then I would ask you if pulling in another 20 year old and handing them the keys to this rebuild where countless others have been tried and failed seems like the best use of our resources. I'd rather we continue to work with IT and Tyreke and let them learn from a new coach before I went the rookie PG route. Depending on how much you trust either of those guys to run an offense (and my personal feeling is that both are capable, they just haven't been given the chance with our terrible coaching staffs) we'd probably be better off bringing in a vet starter and relegating the incumbants to backup PG duties are bringing in a solid backup. And I know this isn't exactly consistent with the first paragraph I wrote (Marcus Smart is still worthy of consideration) but after you make the same mistake 4 or 5 times in a row, it's time to start re-thinking your decision-making strategy.
I pretty much agree with this, except for your last paragraphy. I think after SF, PG is our biggest need. IT is not a starter on a good team and even though he's a solid player and I like him, he's not very good at setting up the offense. He's definitely suited to a 6th man role. I think Tyreke is best suited to SG (although I want him playing the 1 depending on the match-up, and I'd prefer to see him there over anyone else on our roster at the minute). I think Smart will be the best PG in the draft, and I'm pretty confident on that. More on this later. I agree with your general views. Don't pass on McLemore or Noel to reach for fit. That kills teams every single year and it seems as if people never learn. Besides, Noels is a pretty perfect fit next to Cuz, providing his knees hold up. I haven't seen enough of Odalipo to know if he can play SF, or if he's good enough to take anyway, but from what I have seen, I'm a fan. Also, as you pointed out, if we take BPA, we can always move someone else for someone that plays our position of need, and there's always free agency to look into.
Re: Baja. I think you're overly critical of Smart, but that's just my opinion. You picked a game where he took 22 shots, which is fair enough, but he rarely gets close to that number of shot attempts. And anyway, he finished that game with 24pts, 8rebs, 5stls, and 3ast. Yes, his shooting is not good. Personally, I don't care. I think he'll get there. Being honest we're not going to be winning a ton of games in the near future. And, the important thing is, even without a solid outside shot I still think Smart can add more wins to this team than possibly anyone else in the draft. I know you're weary of whether he's a true PG, but I'm pretty confident he is. He doesn't average a high number of assists, but watching the games, I think it's clear that he's very good at running the team. He gets people in position, he's a very good passer IMO, and he has a very high IQ. I'd been worried prior to the season that he was going to be a dreaded combo guard, but I've been pleasantly surprised. In my eyes, he's not going to have any problems playing PG. He's a PG through and through, and a good one at that. I don't think Oklohoma St. have many weapons (besides Nash, who can't create his own shot, and Markel Brown - who I actually like) and that limits his numbers. I regularly see him make some impressive passes, and they are almost always the right passes to make.
Anyway, the thing I really like about Smart is that he flat out impacts the game, regardless of how he's shooting from the field. He's a physical specimen for the PG position. He's pretty effective at posting up and very good at getting to the foul line. But apart from this, he does everything else on the floor. He rebounds very well, he's an excellent defender with surprising lateral quickness for someone so big, he rarely gets beaten off the dribble. And his hands are unbelievable. He gets his hands on everything and if he sees the opposing PG not paying attention, his quick hands are in to poke it away. He reads the passing lanes extremely well. I honestly believe he'll be one of the best, if not THE best, defender in the NBA at the PG position in the future. He really has that type of potential. He even gets some impressive, athletic weak-side blocks. Smart just does a little of everything. He's a competitor and I do believe he makes his teammates better.
Obviously I'm a fan, I'm selling him hard, but it's how I feel. He reminds me of Deron Williams but probably a better athlete, and a much better defender. That's a bold statement but I feel strongly about him. And I'm having visions of him and Tyreke in the backcourt dominating physically on both ends.
I do like Trey Burke, but I don't think his upside is anywhere near as high as Smart's. And I think Smart is already a better all-round player, just not as good a shooter.
Last edited:
Dime Dropper,
I'm with Baja on Marcus Smart -- I do like him a lot, I still have him in my top 5, but I'm a little nervous about his shot selection and decision-making. The last Oklahoma State game I watched was the game against Texas and they won that game, but if that was the only time I'd seen him this year I would question his capability to run a team. Markel Brown and LeBryan Nash were carrying the scoring and really it just came down to Texas' inability to get past OK State's trapping defense in the second half. Aside from the defense, Smart was a non-factor in that game. He's played better game's obviously, but that's my problem. The inconsistency. I know he's capable of playing the position at a high level, but if he hasn't fully put it together at the college level yet, it's not going to get any easier in the pros.
But I can understand why other people really like him. The talent is there. If you're really sold on Smart as a future NBA PG, which clearly you are, then sure he fits our team and should be drafted with a top 5 pick. If I'm drafting 5th and the other guys I like are already off the board I trust his talent and find a way to make it work despite those reservations. My general criticism was directed more toward someone who would say "we need to get a PG out of this draft" without having anyone specific in mind. And that's just because an inexperienced PG is going to take time to develop and if you're ready to chuck aside the time already invested in IT, Tyreke and Jimmer at the position and try to develop another young player you have to understand that it could take another 2 or 3 years to get them up to speed. It's not a quick fix. Maybe it's time to consider other options. The idea of bringing in a vet like Aaron Brooks wasn't a bad one -- the problem was you couldn't draw up a worse fit in terms of play-style for this team.
I'm with Baja on Marcus Smart -- I do like him a lot, I still have him in my top 5, but I'm a little nervous about his shot selection and decision-making. The last Oklahoma State game I watched was the game against Texas and they won that game, but if that was the only time I'd seen him this year I would question his capability to run a team. Markel Brown and LeBryan Nash were carrying the scoring and really it just came down to Texas' inability to get past OK State's trapping defense in the second half. Aside from the defense, Smart was a non-factor in that game. He's played better game's obviously, but that's my problem. The inconsistency. I know he's capable of playing the position at a high level, but if he hasn't fully put it together at the college level yet, it's not going to get any easier in the pros.
But I can understand why other people really like him. The talent is there. If you're really sold on Smart as a future NBA PG, which clearly you are, then sure he fits our team and should be drafted with a top 5 pick. If I'm drafting 5th and the other guys I like are already off the board I trust his talent and find a way to make it work despite those reservations. My general criticism was directed more toward someone who would say "we need to get a PG out of this draft" without having anyone specific in mind. And that's just because an inexperienced PG is going to take time to develop and if you're ready to chuck aside the time already invested in IT, Tyreke and Jimmer at the position and try to develop another young player you have to understand that it could take another 2 or 3 years to get them up to speed. It's not a quick fix. Maybe it's time to consider other options. The idea of bringing in a vet like Aaron Brooks wasn't a bad one -- the problem was you couldn't draw up a worse fit in terms of play-style for this team.
Hey, I can't disagree. I'm not saying he's the finished article. I just feel he has the physical traits, IQ and skill set to be one of the better PGs down the line. But that's just my opinion. I understand the PG situation, and I agree depending on whose on the board. I just think that Smart is so far ahead of IT/Jimmer that it would be worth it, and the other intangibles he brings would add wins regardless of the learning curve. A good coach would go a long way towards helping that. I should also add that my opinion is of course subject to change, and there's more guys I need to see more of (Porter, Oladipo, Bennett, Zeller) before forming a definitive opinion.
First let me say, Georgtown is playing today on ESPN I believe. So its a good chance for you to see Porter in action. Bucknell is also playing for anyone wanting to see Mike Muscala on CBSSN around 1 PM pacific I believe. Gonzaga is playing later today around 6 PM on ESPN2, and you'll have a chance to get a look at Kelly Olynyk, the 7 ft center. And lastly Kansas and McLemore are playing around 3 PM on ESPN. Anyway, a lot of good games today with players of interest.
Now, back to our discussion. I think Hrdboild an I are in agreement that yes, Smart is a terrific talent, but, we'd perfer to go after an experienced PG through freeagency or trade. Because regardless of how talented Smart is, he's still going to be a rookie thats going to make mistakes. We had our chance last year to draft Lillard, and we passed, and thats a shame. We wouldn't be having this discussion if we had drafted him. But whats done is done. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that if Smarts name was Rose or Irving, I'd jump all over him, because I had no doubts about either of those guys.
Who did I have some doubts about? John Wall, and for a few different reasons, but none the less, the doubts were there. Now will Wall go on to be a very good PG? I think so, but look how long its taking him. Thats where my reservations come from. Not his potential, but the amount of time it might take to tap that potential. Right now, I don't think the average Kings fan has the stomach for watching yet again, another PG develop. And sadly, I happen to agree with them. Having said all that, I'm certainly going to carefully watch Smart in the tournament, and perhaps he'll change my mind. I do agree with Hrdboild, that if all the players I like better are gone, then I take Smart in a heartbeat.
For a moment, lets go with the scenario that we draft Smart. Then what? Well, if I were GM, I'd do everything within my power to sign Calderon in freeagency, and give him the starting job, and let Smart be his backup, and learn. I'd trade IT and Jimmer. I'd resign Douglas as my third PG, and emergency defensive specialist that when you needed a stop at a crucial part of the game, you could move Smart to SG, Tyreke to SF and put in Douglas at PG. Just for that defensive sequence. But in short, I'd be clearing out all the players that just get in the way. No offense to IT, but if you have Calderon, or a Lowery and Smart, he becomes non-essential, and also becomes good trade bait. Jimmer becomes a victim of numbers, and I wish him well.
Now, back to our discussion. I think Hrdboild an I are in agreement that yes, Smart is a terrific talent, but, we'd perfer to go after an experienced PG through freeagency or trade. Because regardless of how talented Smart is, he's still going to be a rookie thats going to make mistakes. We had our chance last year to draft Lillard, and we passed, and thats a shame. We wouldn't be having this discussion if we had drafted him. But whats done is done. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that if Smarts name was Rose or Irving, I'd jump all over him, because I had no doubts about either of those guys.
Who did I have some doubts about? John Wall, and for a few different reasons, but none the less, the doubts were there. Now will Wall go on to be a very good PG? I think so, but look how long its taking him. Thats where my reservations come from. Not his potential, but the amount of time it might take to tap that potential. Right now, I don't think the average Kings fan has the stomach for watching yet again, another PG develop. And sadly, I happen to agree with them. Having said all that, I'm certainly going to carefully watch Smart in the tournament, and perhaps he'll change my mind. I do agree with Hrdboild, that if all the players I like better are gone, then I take Smart in a heartbeat.
For a moment, lets go with the scenario that we draft Smart. Then what? Well, if I were GM, I'd do everything within my power to sign Calderon in freeagency, and give him the starting job, and let Smart be his backup, and learn. I'd trade IT and Jimmer. I'd resign Douglas as my third PG, and emergency defensive specialist that when you needed a stop at a crucial part of the game, you could move Smart to SG, Tyreke to SF and put in Douglas at PG. Just for that defensive sequence. But in short, I'd be clearing out all the players that just get in the way. No offense to IT, but if you have Calderon, or a Lowery and Smart, he becomes non-essential, and also becomes good trade bait. Jimmer becomes a victim of numbers, and I wish him well.
Last edited:
Believe it or not, I would do that trade. Burke is a taller version of IT, but a better passer with better court vision. We'd probably be giving up too much, but it would solve the congestion at PG. At that point, I'd still try to sign Calderon, and let Burke back him up and learn. We keep throwing our young guys right into the fire, instead of sitting them on the bench, and, as Adelman said once, putting them in a position to succeed.
Well, I suspect that you and I could be undervaluing IT. He probably does have value around the league, but more for a spark plug, change of pace PG off the bench. I know some people tend to take that as insulting IT, but at the same time, those same people love Bobby Jackson, and that was his main contribution for the majority of his career. The book is still out on Jimmer, and its probably not fair to paint him into any corner just yet. But in my opinion, Jimmer has to be a PG. There aren't many 6'2" SG's in the league, and if there are, I suspect they're more athletic than Jimmer. Jimmer is a pretty resourceful guy, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him contributing regularly for some team, if not us, in the future.
Noel and McLemore feel like 1 and 2 right now. I feel like Porter and Smart will make up two of the top 5. Not sure who that 5th guy in is. Out of those 4, I'm only really interested in Noel and Porter.
And honestly, after Noel and Porter I might just reach for WCS. If we win a few more games we'll be drafting around 7 / 8. At that point you can reach a little bit.
Right now, there are 11 lottery teams with no more than 25 wins. The Kings have 22. We could fall out of this thing if other teams really pick up on the tanking. And we've quietly been playing better basketball the last 2 weeks. I suppose we will have to wait and see.
And honestly, after Noel and Porter I might just reach for WCS. If we win a few more games we'll be drafting around 7 / 8. At that point you can reach a little bit.
Right now, there are 11 lottery teams with no more than 25 wins. The Kings have 22. We could fall out of this thing if other teams really pick up on the tanking. And we've quietly been playing better basketball the last 2 weeks. I suppose we will have to wait and see.
I wouldn't be so sure. Shabazz can overpower most guys he will face in workouts into submission, Cody Zeller is still a skillful seven-footer and Len is even bigger. Plus we haven't seen March Madness unfold that usually brings up a couple of guys that are considered in mid-teens at this point right in the middle of the lottery. There will be March Madness heroes. Out of all top prospects Porter has probably the least hero potential since he's playing in very team oriented offense.
And as for wins you can check how many games teams have left against Charlotte and Orlando, and add automatic wins just as Kings did.
And as for wins you can check how many games teams have left against Charlotte and Orlando, and add automatic wins just as Kings did.
I wouldn't take Shabazz. He's a ballhog, and he has personality issues. I would use our draft pick on Otto Porter, then (as stated on the previous page) trade IT and Jimmer for the draft rights to Trey Burke. That gives us a great offensive starting lineup, an at least servicable defense, and, once the chemistry is right, a good team system. Our bench is very strong defensively, and our starting lineup makes up for it's partial lack of offense.
Starters:
PG: Burke
SG: Reke
PF: JT
SForter
C: Cuz
2nd unit:
PG: Toney D
SG: Lil' Buckets
PF: Pat
SF: Fish
C: Aldrich (Waive/trade Chuck)
Benchwarmers:
JJ
Outlaw
Starters:
PG: Burke
SG: Reke
PF: JT
SF
orterC: Cuz
2nd unit:
PG: Toney D
SG: Lil' Buckets
PF: Pat
SF: Fish
C: Aldrich (Waive/trade Chuck)
Benchwarmers:
JJ
Outlaw
I wouldn't take Shabazz. He's a ballhog, and he has personality issues. I would use our draft pick on Otto Porter, then (as stated on the previous page) trade IT and Jimmer for the draft rights to Trey Burke. That gives us a great offensive starting lineup, an at least servicable defense, and, once the chemistry is right, a good team system. Our bench is very strong defensively, and our starting lineup makes up for it's partial lack of offense.
Starters:
PG: Burke
SG: Reke
PF: JT
SForter
C: Cuz
2nd unit:
PG: Toney D
SG: Lil' Buckets
PF: Pat
SF: Fish
C: Aldrich (Waive/trade Chuck)
Benchwarmers:
JJ
Outlaw
Starters:
PG: Burke
SG: Reke
PF: JT
SF
orterC: Cuz
2nd unit:
PG: Toney D
SG: Lil' Buckets
PF: Pat
SF: Fish
C: Aldrich (Waive/trade Chuck)
Benchwarmers:
JJ
Outlaw
True, that would put us in a bit of a pickle. From what I've heard, the Wiz and Cavs are both pretty high on him, and they're both likely to draft before us. I say we use our pick on Burke; once we've done that, the only hole in our roster is SF. We'd have to use Chuck, IT, and Jimmer as barganing chips to find a solution. Let's think: what team has a good wingman that they'd be willing to exchange for scorers and/or a defensive veteran? After this, we'd be close to my dream roster.
Don't forget that there's this thing called freeagency as well. You don't always have to trade for what you want. Not that I'm against making the right trade. A few unrestricted freeagents that might be of interest are:
Kyle Korver: 31 years old
Andrei Kirilenko: 32 years old
Dorell Wright: 27 years old
Marvin Williams: 26 years old
Luke Babbit: 23 years old
Trevor Ariza: 27 years old
Wesley Johnson: 25 years old
These are all guys you wouldn't have to trade for. Just offer the right amount of money. Some, like Johsnson are a little risky since he's considered somewhat of a bust at the moment. Marvin Williams has played well this year, and Luke Babbit really impressed me last summer during summer league. Korver is thought of as backup SF, but his offense could really help, and everyone knows what Kirilenko brings.
Kyle Korver: 31 years old
Andrei Kirilenko: 32 years old
Dorell Wright: 27 years old
Marvin Williams: 26 years old
Luke Babbit: 23 years old
Trevor Ariza: 27 years old
Wesley Johnson: 25 years old
These are all guys you wouldn't have to trade for. Just offer the right amount of money. Some, like Johsnson are a little risky since he's considered somewhat of a bust at the moment. Marvin Williams has played well this year, and Luke Babbit really impressed me last summer during summer league. Korver is thought of as backup SF, but his offense could really help, and everyone knows what Kirilenko brings.
If, and its a big if, we could draft Porter, then I would go after Chris Kaman through freeagency. He's also a unrestricted freeagent. Kaman can't play 35 minutes a game anymore, but he's good for 22/23 minutes a game, and he's a very good center, who does play defense as well as being able to score. He would be good insurance for the nights that Cousins has one of his episodes, or gets into foul trouble. We could use our second round pick on Nate Wolters, the 6'4" PG from South Dakota St. He would bring some versitility to the team. He has good size at 6'4", and he's an excellent shooter so he could play some SG as well.
Great game by Nate Wolters yesterday as he led his team to winning the conference championship. He played all 40 minutes and scored 27 pts on 8 of 15 shooting. He added 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. Almost all of his points came when his team would go stagnent and start losing the lead. Every time he rose to the occasion and put a dagger in North Dakota's heart. The kid is a real gamer.
- Status