Not as athletic or defensively inclined as Giannis nor is he as skilled or as good a shooter as Parker (though he is put together a bit better than him). While Giannis and Parker are more naturally threes (though really Antetokounmpo is perhaps more of a natural two who has simply grown to center-size), I think Lyles is much more a natural four who can play the three if needed. I appreciate the sentiment though.
2015 Draft Prospects:
- Thread starter bajaden
- Start date
I agree with you. I think his natural position is PF. It's just that I was surprised at his ability to guard at the SF position. Of course it is college and he's not trying to guard Melo or Lebron. I also agree that 26 is too low. I'll be stunned if the lasts that long. I like the way he carries himself, his confidence and his quiet demeanor, which belies the way he plays.
Hey Bajaden, do you know much about Olivier Hanlan from BC? I watched his game vs Wake Forest, and he was really impressive. Combo guard who can score from almost anywhere on the floor.
Cameron Payne is another PG who can shoot lights out. My biggest knock on him is probably his size. Very thin and fragile. He also has a very awkward shooting stroke..but that doesn't seem to bother him when you take a look at his numbers.
I think the Kings need a 2nd round pick. Lots of good late rounders in this draft.
Curious, if the Kings missed out on WCS and the next best option was Porzingis or Turner, would you trade down to pick up 2 1st rounders?
Boston has 2 1st round picks. Their own(10), and the Clippers(25).
Philly currently has 3 1st round picks. Their own(2), Miami's(12), and OKC's(19). (Lakers?)
Wow does Philly have a lot of picks. They can potentially have up to 9 draft picks this year.
Cameron Payne is another PG who can shoot lights out. My biggest knock on him is probably his size. Very thin and fragile. He also has a very awkward shooting stroke..but that doesn't seem to bother him when you take a look at his numbers.
I think the Kings need a 2nd round pick. Lots of good late rounders in this draft.
Curious, if the Kings missed out on WCS and the next best option was Porzingis or Turner, would you trade down to pick up 2 1st rounders?
Boston has 2 1st round picks. Their own(10), and the Clippers(25).
Philly currently has 3 1st round picks. Their own(2), Miami's(12), and OKC's(19). (Lakers?)
Wow does Philly have a lot of picks. They can potentially have up to 9 draft picks this year.
Embiid, WCS and Boogie 
But thanks for analysis. I keep flip-flopping back and forth between those three bigs as who I would take. And while I think WCS has the lowest ceiling of the 3, I think you could pretty much pencil him in as a 8-10PPG, 8-10 RPG-1.5-2 BPG and being an excellent defender/ team player. And there's a lot of value in that kind of player where you don't really have to worry about him working out in the NBA.
But thanks for analysis. I keep flip-flopping back and forth between those three bigs as who I would take. And while I think WCS has the lowest ceiling of the 3, I think you could pretty much pencil him in as a 8-10PPG, 8-10 RPG-1.5-2 BPG and being an excellent defender/ team player. And there's a lot of value in that kind of player where you don't really have to worry about him working out in the NBA.
Embiid, WCS and Boogie
But thanks for analysis. I keep flip-flopping back and forth between those three bigs as who I would take. And while I think WCS has the lowest ceiling of the 3, I think you could pretty much pencil him in as a 8-10PPG, 8-10 RPG-1.5-2 BPG and being an excellent defender/ team player. And there's a lot of value in that kind of player where you don't really have to worry about him working out in the NBA.
But thanks for analysis. I keep flip-flopping back and forth between those three bigs as who I would take. And while I think WCS has the lowest ceiling of the 3, I think you could pretty much pencil him in as a 8-10PPG, 8-10 RPG-1.5-2 BPG and being an excellent defender/ team player. And there's a lot of value in that kind of player where you don't really have to worry about him working out in the NBA.
Yesterday evening and into the wee small hours of the morning, I watched four Texas games back to back to focus on Myles Turner. So where do I start. First, he's clearly not in the same conversation with Okafor, and Towns. Both are more skilled and fluid athlete's. Now granted, Turner has a very nice jumpshot and Okafor doesn't, but that's not what I'm talking about. What Okafor does, he does better than anyone else, and it's the same for Towns. Towns is a true inside/outside player. Turner is a decent to good outside player offensively, but he becomes very mechanical in the post, and that's when he actually dares to go there. Only 21/22% of his scoring comes in the post. Now having said that, I'm not that pleased with some of the decisions that Isaiah Taylor makes. It's as though a switch goes on in his head and suddenly believes he's Allen Iverson. In other words, he tends to ignore his big's from time to time.
Defensively, Turner is a very good rim protector, but just an average to good rebounder. he seldom rebounds out of his area, at least in the games I've watched. Away from the basket he's not bad defending the pick and roll, but if he gets caught in a switch on a smaller quicker player, he really struggles. His lateral quickness is just average. That's where Cauley-Stein shines. The irony of the situation is, that after watching four games, I came away more impressed defensively with Prince Ibeh than I did Turner. Ibeh blocked more shots, and rebounded well in the games I watched. Not sure why Ibeh doesn't get more minutes, but then I'm not the coach. I've moved Turner down my list, and at this point, if my choice was between Lyles and Turner, I'm leaning toward Lyles. I'd like to say I'll wait till I see Turner play in the tournament, but right now, I'm not sure they'll make the tournament.
If we end up keeping our pick, which means were picking somewhere between one and ten, then no, I wouldn't trade down. Most of the really good talent is at the top of this draft and I place more value on getting one really good player, than a couple of bench rotational players. Once you get past the top 7 or 8 players, the chance of getting a starter, or perhaps even a star diminish greatly. Don't get me wrong, there will be a couple of very good players taken at the bottom of the draft. It happens every draft. But its a crap shoot at best. Cauley-Stein should go somewhere between 6 and 9, depending on the needs of the team picking. If we end up at 6 or 7, I think the odds favor us. But not to worry, were going to be choosing in the top three this year.
As for Hanlan and Payne. I know who both of them are, and I've seen Hanlan play more than Payne, simply because Boston College is on TV more than Murray St. is. To be honest, when I was watching BC, it was because they were playing Duke or North Carolina etc. But I like Hanlan. He's capable of playing either PG or SG. Pretty good outside shooter and decent rebounder for his size. I really can't comment on Payne that much. I think I only saw him play one time this year and my focus wasn't on him.
As for Hanlan and Payne. I know who both of them are, and I've seen Hanlan play more than Payne, simply because Boston College is on TV more than Murray St. is. To be honest, when I was watching BC, it was because they were playing Duke or North Carolina etc. But I like Hanlan. He's capable of playing either PG or SG. Pretty good outside shooter and decent rebounder for his size. I really can't comment on Payne that much. I think I only saw him play one time this year and my focus wasn't on him.
Of the two, I like Cousins the most. Of course I've focused on him more since he came out of highschool when he was highly recruited. I think Oklahoma surprised some people this year, just like Texas did, except with the two teams going in opposite directions. Oklahoma going up, and Texas gong down, for those that don't follow college basketball. Cousins has several things going for him. One is his last name. Another is his first name. It would be like getting the best of both worlds. Seriously, Cousins is a very very good shooter. He's not the volume shooter that Hield is, who is also a good shooter. Just not quite as good as Cousins. But the fact that both are the focus of the offense isn't a surprise. Oklahoma doesn't have a lot of size on their team. The tallest player is a 6'10" freshman that's yet to play a minute. So their mostly a guard oriented team. I can see Cousins as an NBA player. Not sure about Hield. I'll have to go back and watch a couple of Oklahoma games and focus on him. Wish I could be more helpful...
First, he has an NBA body. Second, he's a very good athlete. Most scouts see him as a combo guard, but I see him as a SG. Personally, I think he turns the ball over too much to play the point. He reminds me a bit of Marcus Thornton, in that he's either hot or cold. When he's hot, he can carry the team. His overall three point percentage isn't bad, somewhere around 37/38%, but he does it by going 4 for 5 in one game and 1 for 5 in another. I think his shot mechanics need some work. I think if your a SG in college, you have to display one of two things, because there are probably more 6'4"/6'5" players in college than any other height. You have to be a freak athlete with a huge upside because of it, or you have to be fundamentally sound with highly developed skills. Right now, Purvis falls more into the grey area between the two. I think he's improving, but needs to stay right where he is for at least another year.
By the way, except for one game, he's played really well in four of his last five games.
By the way, except for one game, he's played really well in four of his last five games.
After watching Dez Wells for two nights in a row have to wonder, why no one sees him as draftable. Yes, he's an old senior and will be 23 in a month, but:
he has an NBA ready body and all-around athleticism
moves his feet well on D
active and talks on defense, he asks guys to huddle on court from time to time - guy has some leadership in him
gets a lot of tough rebounds, always plays hard
was willing to take a step back yesterday, when Trimble clearly had better matchup, so ego doesn't seem to be the problem
solid shooter
good passer
finish very well inside
has a good post game, and can abuse SGs in PG bodies
Don't ask him to create, and TOs would go away.
he has an NBA ready body and all-around athleticism
moves his feet well on D
active and talks on defense, he asks guys to huddle on court from time to time - guy has some leadership in him
gets a lot of tough rebounds, always plays hard
was willing to take a step back yesterday, when Trimble clearly had better matchup, so ego doesn't seem to be the problem
solid shooter
good passer
finish very well inside
has a good post game, and can abuse SGs in PG bodies
Don't ask him to create, and TOs would go away.
Nice game by Karl Towns yesterday. 25 minutes and 21 points on 8 of 10 shooting. Throw in 11 rebounds and 3 blocked shots and have what he's capable of when they start going to him. The game comes easy to him. I haven't wanted the first pick in the draft this bad since Cousins was in the draft. We got lucky and he dropped to us. That won't happen with Towns. I think he goes number one, unless Philly ends up with the first pick. And then, I think they should trade down a couple of spots where they can get either Russell or Mudiay.
You know, Wells has improved his game from when he was a freshman at Xavior. He's become a more well rounded player. He used to be very ball dominate. He spent too much time just dribbling the ball with little result. Plus, they had him playing the point, and he looked for his own shot more than his teammates. But he's matured and he's a far better player now. He's improved his three point shot this year. I do think he's draftable, and I think he will get drafted. Most likely in the second round. The problem with being a 6'5"/6'4"SG, is that you have to be somewhat special. There are more 6'5"players in college than any other height. In other words, they're a dime a dozen. So you have to stand out. Like DeAngelo Russell does. Wells got the reputation of being a little selfish with the ball early on, and perhaps the memory still lingers with the scouts. Plus, he still has a couple of question marks about his game.
The more I see Russell the more I like. Ball Handling, Shooting Ability, Court Vision, Passing Ability, plays with a swagger. Although he's not a great athlete, if he can become an elite level shooter he has enough to be incredibly dangerous. Reminds me of Steph Curry, but Curry was a better pure shooter at the same ages(not sure if stats back that up, but I remember being amazed by Curry's pure shooting, while Russell is more of a shot maker/scorer).
Memories can be a little shaky. Especially for me as I grip the edge of reality with white knuckles just one short step away from senility. However, your close. If Russell declares for the draft, and he'd crazy not to since he'll definitely be a top three pick with a chance of being the number one pick if Philly gets lucky with the ping pong balls, he'll be a freshman. Curry was a junior when he entered the draft. But if we were to compare them in their freshman years, you'd be surprised to learn that Russell has a slight edge, although both are quite good.
D'Angelo Russell: Freshman year. 19.6 ppg - 46.0% fgp - 42.0% 3pp - 1.6 stl's - 5.0 apg
Stephen Curry: Freshman year. 21.5 ppg - 46.3% fgp - 40.8% 3pp - 1.8 stl's - 2.8 apg
As you can see, Russell has a slight edge in three point percentage, but it's nit picking to even bring it up. Both put up very good numbers. As a sophmore Curry shot 48.3% overall, and 43.9% from the three, while totalling 2.9 assists. It wasn't until his junior year that he really started looking more like a PG than a SG, when he posted 45.4% overall, 38.7% from the three, and 5.6 assists per game. Bear in mind, that Russell is averaging 5 assists a game while not playing the PG position. The starting PG on Ohio St. is Shannon Scott, who is pretty darned good in his own right, averaging over 6 assists a game. Russell plays a similar role that James Harden played at Arizona St. Sort of running the point from the SG position. Although I have no doubt he could be a full time PG in the NBA.
The big question mark about Curry was, would what he did at Davidson translate to the NBA? Could he defend at the NBA level? Was he strong enough, or could he become strong enough to stand up to the rigors of the NBA? And mainly, was he really just an undersized SG in a PG's body? Of course he's answered all those questions and excelled. I doubt that any of those questions are there for Russell. Unlike Curry, he plays in a major conference against top competition. I think he's a better athlete than Curry, and has more of an NBA body than Curry did. And if you think he's really a SG, well, he's 6'5", so whats the problem? He has incredible court vision and the ability to use that vision. He's going to be a special player.
D'Angelo Russell: Freshman year. 19.6 ppg - 46.0% fgp - 42.0% 3pp - 1.6 stl's - 5.0 apg
Stephen Curry: Freshman year. 21.5 ppg - 46.3% fgp - 40.8% 3pp - 1.8 stl's - 2.8 apg
As you can see, Russell has a slight edge in three point percentage, but it's nit picking to even bring it up. Both put up very good numbers. As a sophmore Curry shot 48.3% overall, and 43.9% from the three, while totalling 2.9 assists. It wasn't until his junior year that he really started looking more like a PG than a SG, when he posted 45.4% overall, 38.7% from the three, and 5.6 assists per game. Bear in mind, that Russell is averaging 5 assists a game while not playing the PG position. The starting PG on Ohio St. is Shannon Scott, who is pretty darned good in his own right, averaging over 6 assists a game. Russell plays a similar role that James Harden played at Arizona St. Sort of running the point from the SG position. Although I have no doubt he could be a full time PG in the NBA.
The big question mark about Curry was, would what he did at Davidson translate to the NBA? Could he defend at the NBA level? Was he strong enough, or could he become strong enough to stand up to the rigors of the NBA? And mainly, was he really just an undersized SG in a PG's body? Of course he's answered all those questions and excelled. I doubt that any of those questions are there for Russell. Unlike Curry, he plays in a major conference against top competition. I think he's a better athlete than Curry, and has more of an NBA body than Curry did. And if you think he's really a SG, well, he's 6'5", so whats the problem? He has incredible court vision and the ability to use that vision. He's going to be a special player.
RHJ is better defensively by a margin. The moment Rondae sat on the bench, Ohio State went on a mini-run. If only RHJ could shoot...He has good handles even at SG, position, he can play defensively. Very good court vision and passing. Excellent finisher around the basket. Actually RHJ-Stauskas might even work as 1-2 vs backup backcourts in a couple of years, when both are acclimated to NBA.
Devin Booker in the lottery is fool's gold...
Can a shooter really be drafted in the top 15? I don't get it..
I think he's comparable to Klay Thompson because both are natural catch and shoot players with quick triggers. However, in college, Klay absolutely took over his team. He devoured everything in his path. Booker is a role player who's unafraid to shoot any ball that comes his way.
My question being is straight on shooter really wroth a lotto pick? There are a thousand other shooters in the draft. What separates Booker from the rest of them? Klay was scoring like 20pts per game which does justify the lotto pick.
Just interesting..
Can a shooter really be drafted in the top 15? I don't get it..
I think he's comparable to Klay Thompson because both are natural catch and shoot players with quick triggers. However, in college, Klay absolutely took over his team. He devoured everything in his path. Booker is a role player who's unafraid to shoot any ball that comes his way.
My question being is straight on shooter really wroth a lotto pick? There are a thousand other shooters in the draft. What separates Booker from the rest of them? Klay was scoring like 20pts per game which does justify the lotto pick.
Just interesting..
Whenever there was no body on WCS, it was a cut/oop attempt. Every time he was bumped to prevent dunking, it was foul, so WCS will be fine next to Boogie and Rudy, even if he never develops jumper, cause these two will just send WCS on his way to a dunk every time. Plus people underestimate, how more effective very quick guys become,when they get to NBA. Getting stronger is a must though, since DeBerry showed, that Caulie-Stein can't handle big centers physicaĺly at the moment, though same happened with Towns as well. Improving FTs to above 70% is essential too to be able to finish games.
Birdman is a good athlete, and Cauley-Stein is a freak athlete. You can put Stein on any player on the other team, and he'll shut him down. I've seen him lock down the other teams PG. That's where he has the edge on Anderson. Stein's lateral quickness is off the charts. Him against Davis would be fun to watch. Stein has the height advantage, but Davis is a better offensive player. Pretty even defensively...