2014 Draft Prospects:

[bajaden]

I'm not going to be surprised because I don't like Smart at all and with Ennis you don't know enough about him to not like him. If Ennis comes out, his workouts are going to be extremely important to his evaluation because he's a black box on the floor.

Well, I must be the kiss of death, because the minute I mentioned that Syracuse was undefeated, they went and lost to Boston College in overtime. There are a few things that we do know about Ennis. He doesn't turn the ball over very much, and his assists are very consistent game to game. He makes good decisions and is a good, and on occasion, a flashy passer. Of course the question is whether he'll be able to defend at the next level. Hard to say now since were stuck with the Syracuse zone. But he's a better athlete than some give him credit for. One thing is for sure, he's a better shooter from the three than Smart is. In fact, stat wise he matches up with Smart extremely well except for the rebounding.

Tyler Ennis: 34.8 MPG - 11.8 PPG - 9.1 Attempts PG - 42.2% FGP - 36.4% 3PP - 5.7 APG - 1.6 Turnovers - 2.0 Steals - 3.3 Rebounds

Marcus Smart: 31.6 MPG - 17.5 PPG - 12.3 Attempts PG - 42.2% FGP - 28.1% 3PP - 4.3 APG - 2.7 Turnovers - 2.3 Steals - 5.7 Rebounds.

Of course stats don't tell the whole picture. Their totally different kind of players. Smart has the tendency to play like a bull in a china shop at times. He takes off balance shots, and in my opinion, tries to do it all by himself a little too much. However, on the defensive side of the ball he's a terrific defender that's been blessed with excellent lateral quickness and anticipation. Ennis plays more in control, not only of himself, but of the entire team. He gets where he wants on the floor with quick stop and start, or hesitation moves. He always seems to have a method to his maddness. His decision making is excellent, and may be the best of any PG in this draft.

I think either of these guys, on the right team, can be very productive. On a personal level, I'm not sure I would draft either of them. If I had the question about Ennis ability to play defense at the NBA level answered, then I might be interested in him because I like how he plays the game offensively. So for now, as far as PG's go, its Exum, or I go in another direction.

 

[randymoss1881]

I would take Ennis over smart, his assist to tournover ratio is out if this would and he is a true freshman. I'm gonna see if I can get the video but number never lie (dumb show) was comparing him and jabri parker as the more impressive freshman and Ennis advance stats blew parker out the water.

Also he probably is on the same level athlete as Trey Burke which isn't bad and he is averaging 2 spg.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I would take Ennis over smart, his assist to tournover ratio is out if this would and he is a true freshman. I'm gonna see if I can get the video but number never lie (dumb show) was comparing him and jabri parker as the more impressive freshman and Ennis advance stats blew parker out the water.

Also he probably is on the same level athlete as Trey Burke which isn't bad and he is averaging 2 spg.

It seems unlikely that there are many advanced stats in which Ennis is "blowing Parker out of the water". Parker's PER and WS are well higher than Ennis', they both shoot almost exactly the same rate from three and the FT line, but Parker takes more of each, and Parker shoots a much better 2P% (so Parker's TS%, which I don't have calculated, will be higher as well). Ennis is going to have more assists, more steals, and a higher A/T (as well as fewer rebounds) because they play vastly different positions. But unless "advanced stats" means "look at Pure Point Ratio and nothing else because Ennis is a PG", then I'm skeptical.

 

[randymoss1881]

It seems unlikely that there are many advanced stats in which Ennis is "blowing Parker out of the water". Parker's PER and WS are well higher than Ennis', they both shoot almost exactly the same rate from three and the FT line, but Parker takes more of each, and Parker shoots a much better 2P% (so Parker's TS%, which I don't have calculated, will be higher as well). Ennis is going to have more assists, more steals, and a higher A/T (as well as fewer rebounds) because they play vastly different positions. But unless "advanced stats" means "look at Pure Point Ratio and nothing else because Ennis is a PG", then I'm skeptical.

Ya I forgot what this stats were but they were impressive.

 

[Toasty]

My sleeper is shabazz napier

 

[randymoss1881]

http://m.bleacherreport.com/article...is-the-next-cant-miss-2014-nba-draft-prospect

When I first heard Tyler Ennis committed to Syracuse back in August 2012, I had thought the Orange just found their floor general for the next three to four years.

...
Ennis is one of those rare pass-first point guards. He's as pure as they come at his position. That's not to say he can't score; rather, he chooses to score opportunistically as a secondary option—the ideal mentality you want your point guard to operate with.

...

MOD NOTE: This post was edited to comply with copyright law. You CANNOT post entire articles from most other websites. You may only post a brief except and a link to the article.

 

[Gilles]

1. Ennis will be 20 before he plays an NBA game, so he's a year older than his class
2. You can't copy-paste entire article.
3. Ennis and Vonleh have the same date of birth.
4. Don't want PG with suspect defense and shot in the lottery.

 

[bajaden]

1. Ennis will be 20 before he plays an NBA game, so he's a year older than his class
2. You can't copy-paste entire article.
3. Ennis and Vonleh have the same date of birth.
4. Don't want PG with suspect defense and shot in the lottery.

Don't care about number one. Your dead right about number two. Number three is interesting, if nothing else. Number four is yet to be determined. Now if I were drafting somewhere between 7 and 12, I'd certainly have to give Ennis a hard look. I really like the kid. He just has a look and feel that gives you confidence. As stated, he has that special something that can't be taught. But, if I'm picking somewhere in the top five, he's off the board as far as I'm concerned.

 

[bajaden]

My sleeper is shabazz napier

First, I would hardly call Napier a sleeper. Everyone knows who he is after four years at UCONN. The problem with Napier is that he's a SG in a PG's body. If you don't like the way IT plays, you certainly won't like the way Napier plays. He can score though, and I'm sure he has a future in the NBA. I do question the 6'1" height he listed at. He's too much of a gunner for my taste. But that's what makes the world go round. Everyone has different taste.

 

[bajaden]

Here's my latest wish list of my top 12, since we have to pick somewhere in the top 12 in order to retain our pick. Once again, this isn't the order I think they'll be chosen in. It's just my personal preference. Feel free to criticize!

1. Joel Embiid - 7 foot center - Possible two way player (means both offense and defense)
2. Jabari Parker - 6'8" SF who can play some PF if needed.
3. Dante Exum - 6'6" PG who can also play some SG if needed - Possible two way player
4. Andrew Wiggins - 6'8" SF who can play some SG if needed - Possible two way player
5. Noah Vonleh - 6'10" PF - Possible two way player
6. Julius Randle - 6'9" PF
7. Willie Cauley-Stein - 7 foot center - Mostly defensive specialist
8. Tyler Ennis - 6'2" PG - Best pure PG in college
9. K. J. McDaniels - 6'6" SF/SG - Possible two way player - Great athlete, and excellent defender
10. Marcus Smart - 6'4" PG - Possible two way player - Can play SG if needed
11. Jerami Grant - 6'8" SF - Possible two way player - Can play some PF if needed
12. Doug McDermott - 6'8" SF - May be the best offensive player in the draft

You'll notice that except for a few players, the majority have the potential to be two way players. That's not to say that Parker or Randle etc. can't become good defenders, its just that they have question marks in that area. There are some other players that just missed my list of two way players like Harris, or Hairston, both of which are talented, but it's not particularly a position of need. Or at least I didn't think it was a position of need at the beginning of the year. If you haven't seen McDaniels of Clemson play, I recommend that you do. He's averaging something like 2 blocked shots a game from the SF/SG position. The kid has serious hops. His three point shot is a little suspect, but it's not terrible.

 

[Gilles]

Based on value at specific pick my choices are rather limited:
1. Embiid is going #1. He's the best talent in the draft.
2. Exum is a mystery. The only thing he can show in workouts is shooting. He has good, but not great form - not sure, what can be gathered from the fact, that he shoots 78 or 86% from outside in specific workout. I guess, you expect him to come into the draft process with much improved body as he's now in the USA and will be working on putting on muscle. So if he's still around 200 pounds by draft night, I would stay away. Barring that #4-#6 looks to be his range.
3. Moving down I would look at Noah Vonleh in #6-#8 range. He checks out above average for his position in handles, shooting, lower body strength, lateral movement and quickness. Top-5 defensive rebounder in the country.
Don't expect Kings to finish outside of top 8, and don't see bargains later in the lottery, that would be worth trading down for.

 

[bajaden]

Based on value at specific pick my choices are rather limited:
1. Embiid is going #1. He's the best talent in the draft.
2. Exum is a mystery. The only thing he can show in workouts is shooting. He has good, but not great form - not sure, what can be gathered from the fact, that he shoots 78 or 86% from outside in specific workout. I guess, you expect him to come into the draft process with much improved body as he's now in the USA and will be working on putting on muscle. So if he's still around 200 pounds by draft night, I would stay away. Barring that #4-#6 looks to be his range.
3. Moving down I would look at Noah Vonleh in #6-#8 range. He checks out above average for his position in handles, shooting, lower body strength, lateral movement and quickness. Top-5 defensive rebounder in the country.
Don't expect Kings to finish outside of top 8, and don't see bargains later in the lottery, that would be worth trading down for.

Yeah, I'd be surprised if we picked any later than 8th. One of the things that surprised me about Vonleh, is his handles. Really really good for a 6'10" player. He also has a very quick first step off the face up. You can see where he could be very dangerous to guard out at 15 to 18 feet. He's proven he can shoot from out there, and when you add his ability to put the ball on the floor and go to the basket, he could develop into an very good offensive player down the road. Terrific rebounder and while I wouldn't call him an explosive leaper, he's quick, and long enough to become a good shotblocker. He appears to have good instincts in that area. I think he has a lot of upside.

There are some players lower in the first round that I like, but most don't play a position of need, and therefore I wouldn't trade down to get one of them. Now if we were to acquire another lower 1st round pick, that's a different story. I've seen Exum play a little more than you, so naturally I have a little different prespective. But your right about his outside shot. He's aware of the criticism, and its the one thing he's working on more than anything else. I saw a recent video of him, and his form in the video looks improved. I'll post it if I can find it again. The other thing he's working on is his strength. By all the accounts, he's a workacholic, so I would expect him to show up for team workouts and impress a few GM's.

 

[LPKingsFan]

It pains me to admit not watching my alma mater very closely the last few years, but finally watching them today I'm curious--might Dwight Powell merit a look in the second round? A high profile recruit to take a while to bloom in college, I feel like his skill set could be a good fit. Today vs. UCLA he isn't looking to score too often but is facilitating in the high post. Not sure about his defense, though, as I see him get outmuscled for a rebound.

 

[Gilles]

Powell is skilled, but he's weak for a post player and not good enough shooter (though he's getting there) or ball handler to be a strong contributor offensively. He's getting a Summer league invite for sure, but he better move to Europe.
Josh Huestis has a better chance as a "3&D" swingman (though for the moment 3 would only be a corner 3) with strong rebounding.

 

[bajaden]

I think Powell has a chance of being drafted late in the 2nd round, but for the most part, I agree with Gilles. His future may lie in europe. Without going into all the gory details, Powell is a senior. And what your looking for in a player, along with whatever he brings to the table as a freshman, is potential growth. Well when you spend four years in college, your burning up a lot of your potential. In other words, the player you are as a senior should be better than the player you were as a freshman. And while Powell is certainly better today than he was when he first arrived at Stanford, the difference isn't dramatic. At least to me it isn't. If anything, his performance this year is a little bit worse than his junior year. He gets out rebounded by his running mate 6'7" Josh Huestis.

He did make a good leap forward from his sophmore to junior year. He's a pretty good athlete with decent length, and he has shown some potential on the defensive side of the ball. So he's worth a look. The question is, how much upside does he have left?

 

[Kingster]

How are we in tank mode now more than we were before? I doubt MT counted for more than 1 extra win.

More McCallum, more McLemore, no Terry, and just one 1 win can make a difference in 4th or 6th very easily.

 

[Kingster]

Well, I must be the kiss of death, because the minute I mentioned that Syracuse was undefeated, they went and lost to Boston College in overtime. There are a few things that we do know about Ennis. He doesn't turn the ball over very much, and his assists are very consistent game to game. He makes good decisions and is a good, and on occasion, a flashy passer. Of course the question is whether he'll be able to defend at the next level. Hard to say now since were stuck with the Syracuse zone. But he's a better athlete than some give him credit for. One thing is for sure, he's a better shooter from the three than Smart is. In fact, stat wise he matches up with Smart extremely well except for the rebounding.

Tyler Ennis: 34.8 MPG - 11.8 PPG - 9.1 Attempts PG - 42.2% FGP - 36.4% 3PP - 5.7 APG - 1.6 Turnovers - 2.0 Steals - 3.3 Rebounds

Marcus Smart: 31.6 MPG - 17.5 PPG - 12.3 Attempts PG - 42.2% FGP - 28.1% 3PP - 4.3 APG - 2.7 Turnovers - 2.3 Steals - 5.7 Rebounds.

Of course stats don't tell the whole picture. Their totally different kind of players. Smart has the tendency to play like a bull in a china shop at times. He takes off balance shots, and in my opinion, tries to do it all by himself a little too much. However, on the defensive side of the ball he's a terrific defender that's been blessed with excellent lateral quickness and anticipation. Ennis plays more in control, not only of himself, but of the entire team. He gets where he wants on the floor with quick stop and start, or hesitation moves. He always seems to have a method to his maddness. His decision making is excellent, and may be the best of any PG in this draft.

I think either of these guys, on the right team, can be very productive. On a personal level, I'm not sure I would draft either of them. If I had the question about Ennis ability to play defense at the NBA level answered, then I might be interested in him because I like how he plays the game offensively. So for now, as far as PG's go, its Exum, or I go in another direction.

To my mind, the question with Ennis isn't just defense. I want a pg who is going to put pressure on a defense with his penetration and scoring and makes a big impact on the game. I haven't seen that with Ennis. He's too passive for me.

 

[Hallama]

The more I watch Wiggins (conf clinching win against OK) the more I like his NBA prospects. He really is a NBA type of player stuck in a college system right now. I still would consider him at #1...but Embiid also continues to be way ahead of where I thought he'd be as far as bball skills. Pretty natural out there for a freshman center, with only a few years of bball experience total.

 

[Hallama]

That big center for Arizona State - Jordan Bachynski - is certainly helping his draft stock this season too...seems like a solid 2nd rounder at this point. 12pts, 9rebs, 4.5 blocks per game.

McDermott: can he play in the NBA? Will he be more like other past college studs; Laettner, Cleaves, Jimmer, Hansborough? One thing he has going for him is he's already a player that can score off your bench.

Smart: good start on the comeback trail for his draft stock. Stat filler.

Vonleh: agree with baja about his ball handling skills...wow. Not totally in control yet, but promising in the more open NBA game. Reminded me a little of Mashburn the way he handled the ball. Also, pretty clean jump shooter. Could see him having NBA spot-up range.

Caris LeVert: another Michigan player making a name for himself.

Ennis: I lean more towards Kingster's opinion. Solid but not a disruptor.

 

[Gilles]

I think, McDermott is about to set the record for worst sum of (block%+steal%) among players drafted. Speaking of steal%, one guy that is flying completely under the radar is Edwin Fuquan. Well, technically not completely as DX have him at #58. He's a senior from Seton Hall, who will turn 23 y.o. in September, but he's also 6'6" 215 pounds with close to 7' wingspan, very good mobility, very good shot, solid rebounder and ballhandler, and is 3rd in the entire Division I in steal rate. In other words, this guy looks like a steal.
Caris LeVert is very intriguing guy. Defensively he's much better suited to defending PGs, so if he can adequately run the show after Stauskas is gone, he might propel himself into the teens next year.

 

[randymoss1881]

Vonleh is a monster espiscially if we are picking 6 or 7. Dude is a monster rebounder, good defender, and has rang on his shot. He is playing great defense on kaminski.

 

[Hallama]

9. K. J. McDaniels - 6'6" SF/SG - Possible two way player - Great athlete, and excellent defender

Gotta admit I haven't paid much attention to KJ this season. DraftExpress just featured him with a scouting video the other day. I like him a lot too, as a role player for sure. NBA type of player. Could develop his 3pt shot and be a 3 and D player. He's not shooting it all that great, but on spot ups he's over 40%.

 

[Kingster]

Here's my latest wish list of my top 12, since we have to pick somewhere in the top 12 in order to retain our pick. Once again, this isn't the order I think they'll be chosen in. It's just my personal preference. Feel free to criticize!

1. Joel Embiid - 7 foot center - Possible two way player (means both offense and defense)
2. Jabari Parker - 6'8" SF who can play some PF if needed.
3. Dante Exum - 6'6" PG who can also play some SG if needed - Possible two way player
4. Andrew Wiggins - 6'8" SF who can play some SG if needed - Possible two way player
5. Noah Vonleh - 6'10" PF - Possible two way player
6. Julius Randle - 6'9" PF
7. Willie Cauley-Stein - 7 foot center - Mostly defensive specialist
8. Tyler Ennis - 6'2" PG - Best pure PG in college
9. K. J. McDaniels - 6'6" SF/SG - Possible two way player - Great athlete, and excellent defender
10. Marcus Smart - 6'4" PG - Possible two way player - Can play SG if needed
11. Jerami Grant - 6'8" SF - Possible two way player - Can play some PF if needed
12. Doug McDermott - 6'8" SF - May be the best offensive player in the draft

You'll notice that except for a few players, the majority have the potential to be two way players. That's not to say that Parker or Randle etc. can't become good defenders, its just that they have question marks in that area. There are some other players that just missed my list of two way players like Harris, or Hairston, both of which are talented, but it's not particularly a position of need. Or at least I didn't think it was a position of need at the beginning of the year. If you haven't seen McDaniels of Clemson play, I recommend that you do. He's averaging something like 2 blocked shots a game from the SF/SG position. The kid has serious hops. His three point shot is a little suspect, but it's not terrible.

I'm not going to criticize. Well, maybe I'll criticize myself. Regarding Parker, I look at him and think he's the real deal. He's a very good scorer, seems to have a feel for the game. Defense? He'll probably be decent because he's not an extraordinary athlete by NBA standards. But then I think of Porter. I thought Porter was a low risk proposition because of his size, shooting, passing, and BBIQ. What the hell happened to Porter?

Lastly, I still like Hood in the top 10. I'll take Hood over Smart, Ennis, and Grant.

 

[Gilles]

Hood is a below average defender, and unlikely to change that as he lacks both foot speed and defensive awareness. Everyone needs to remember, that what we see right now is how prospects LOOK within their team's systems: guys in Kansas guys look better on defense, than they really are, and Duke have GOAT spacing for college, so there dribble-drive looks much better compared to other prospects.

 

[Kingster]

People are so sleeping on Early from Witchita St. He looked good last year in the NCAAs (I remember thinking: Who is this kid?) He continues to look like he has the bod, athleticism and shot for the pros. Last year in the NCAAs he jumped out at me; this year it is no different. I expect him to show again very well in the NCAAs when he plays against the "big boys".

 

[bajaden]

People are so sleeping on Early from Witchita St. He looked good last year in the NCAAs (I remember thinking: Who is this kid?) He continues to look like he has the bod, athleticism and shot for the pros. Last year in the NCAAs he jumped out at me; this year it is no different. I expect him to show again very well in the NCAAs when he plays against the "big boys".

The first question I would have, is were his parents drunk when they named him? I mean how do you come up with the name Cleanthony. When I was sitting around thinking of names for my kids, that one just didn't leap out at me. The second question is, what position does he play? Is he an undersized PF, or is he a SF. If he's a SF, can he guard NBA SF's. A question I get tired of asking. He's on an undefeated team, and that has to count for something. However, one has to wonder how he would fare on a major conference team. He's a decent post player but an inconsistent outside shooter. I just don't see him as a good post player in the NBA. The one thing you get in the NBA that you don't get much of in college, is familiarity. In the NBA teams quickly know your game, and then take it away if they can.

The NBA is a league of adjustments, and if you can't adjust, you become at best, a role player off the bench. If you can, you may be a starter, or even a star. Right now, Early screams role player off the bench at best to me. But I could be wrong. God knows I've been wrong before. Mid level conference players are harder to judge. But in general, those that excell in the NBA tend to dominate in their conference. Players like Lillard and C.J. McCullum wern't just good players on their team. They wern't just good players in their conference. They were the best players in their conference. They dominated in their conference. And despite that, they had scouts that questioned their ability to play in the NBA. The upcoming tournament will be a good measuring stick for Early. Hopefully Wichita St. doesn't suffer an early upset and he gets a chance to show what he can do against top conpetition.

 

[Kingster]

The first question I would have, is were his parents drunk when they named him? I mean how do you come up with the name Cleanthony. When I was sitting around thinking of names for my kids, that one just didn't leap out at me. The second question is, what position does he play? Is he an undersized PF, or is he a SF. If he's a SF, can he guard NBA SF's. A question I get tired of asking. He's on an undefeated team, and that has to count for something. However, one has to wonder how he would fare on a major conference team. He's a decent post player but an inconsistent outside shooter. I just don't see him as a good post player in the NBA. The one thing you get in the NBA that you don't get much of in college, is familiarity. In the NBA teams quickly know your game, and then take it away if they can.

The NBA is a league of adjustments, and if you can't adjust, you become at best, a role player off the bench. If you can, you may be a starter, or even a star. Right now, Early screams role player off the bench at best to me. But I could be wrong. God knows I've been wrong before. Mid level conference players are harder to judge. But in general, those that excell in the NBA tend to dominate in their conference. Players like Lillard and C.J. McCullum wern't just good players on their team. They wern't just good players in their conference. They were the best players in their conference. They dominated in their conference. And despite that, they had scouts that questioned their ability to play in the NBA. The upcoming tournament will be a good measuring stick for Early. Hopefully Wichita St. doesn't suffer an early upset and he gets a chance to show what he can do against top conpetition.

It's got to be a combination of CLEopatra and Mark ANTHONY. Are we going to have the first transgender player declare?

 

[bajaden]

It's got to be a combination of CLEopatra and Mark ANTHONY. Are we going to have the first transgender player declare?

Now that's something I could get excited about!

 

[Kingster]

If you saw the Oklahoma St vs Kansas game, you saw Chad Ford just cream Marcus Smart with his comments regarding his shooting selection. If I have the time, I'll post one in particular. What gets me is that if you play the ESPN draft lottery ping pong ball machine several times, you'll see the Kings picking Smart more than any other player. The "machine" is put together by Ford. Thank you, Chad Ford.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

It feels like Aaron Gordon is slowly starting to play better. He could be in line for a huge March. Not sure I'd go anywhere near him on draft day, but man .. at 18, there is some potential there.