combine results-athletics

[KingsCitizen]

I hope this surprising results from Harden will make OKC take him at #3 so that either Thabeet or Rubio will fall to us. I believe taking Harden at #3 is the only chance that OKC will have if they want him as the Wizards will most likely take the kid straight to WAS for to form a solid backcourt with Arenas.

Also I read in some forums that Memphis is really considering Rubio (Marc Gasol and Memphis GM has talked with Rubio camp), but I'd still be happy if we get Thabeet at least. I'm sure we can still get a solid PG at #23, though it'll be minus the fame factor.

 

[Vlade4GM]

James Harden had impressive numbers, not great mind you, but it's definitely encouraging. This makes me a little more open to him, although I still don't know about picking a player who is strictly a shooting guard, I don't think his measurements make him that overwhelming of a talent to disregard the dilemna it would create. The 10% body fat is a bit concerning, needs to work harder on building muscle.

Flynn, Collison, Holiday, and Beaubois' numbers are very impressive.

DeRozan does not impress. He's so limited skills wise, mediocre height/weight/length, and his max vert is only 38? 29 inches on his no step is very concerning. He's going to be such a bust that it's not even funny, I hope he drops to his proper place in the draft, which is out of the lottery.

Sam Young's measurements are disappointing.

Still, athletic measurements are a hard thing to put that much stock into. I'm always wary when it comes to that.

 

[KingsCitizen]

Another proposition I've read is that Memphis may move Mayo to PG and draft Harden to play as SG. That would still be a sick backcourt combo.

If such will happen OKC will most likely take Thabeet with their obvious need for a defensive C.

Then Rubio will fall to us at #4 without any need to loss some assets.

Anyway, 3 more weeks and I believe in Petrie's capability. He took Kevin Martin at #26. I believe he will bring 2 stars to this team come draft day.

My wish for this draft, a PG, a SF, and a backup big.

 

[Aenadin]

im just hoping we get rubio.. then jt and hawes have monster years!

 

[Hallama]

Harden's tests pretty much cement that he'd be my pick at #4 if Griffin, Rubio, and Thabeet are off the board.

He's a great rebounder at his position, skilled with the ball, and you can put the ball in his hands in the 4th quarter.

Flynn is a very close second option...I'd be happy with either. Interesting that Harden could move up to 2 or 3 leaving either Rubio or Thabeet to the Kings without having to make any trades at all.

 

[Kingster]

Some things really pop out you. Like Tyreke Evans having the same reach as Griffin. Evans isn't slow either.

Another thing that pops out is Damion James and Tony Douglas.

Tony Douglas can play in the NBA. If he fails then Kingster has major egg on his face. I'll put a scamble and an egg over easy. I've seen him play three times, and he carried the entire FSU offense. The guy is the fastest player in this draft. The opposing team could just key on him to defend FSU. He is smooth and he can shoot the lights out. And he competes like crazy. If Petrie bypasses this guy then he better have a very special player to take for that 2nd round pick.

Damion James also has some major potential. Supposedly, both can be had in the 2nd round. If so, then we should definitely come away with a legit player in that second round.

 

[Widowmaker2k]

Harden's tests pretty much cement that he'd be my pick at #4 if Griffin, Rubio, and Thabeet are off the board.

He's a great rebounder at his position, skilled with the ball, and you can put the ball in his hands in the 4th quarter.

Flynn is a very close second option...I'd be happy with either. Interesting that Harden could move up to 2 or 3 leaving either Rubio or Thabeet to the Kings without having to make any trades at all.

I agree. If Rubio is off the board, I think Harden is the next best player available, especially after his Combine results. I actually started getting interested in drafting him after his post-combine interview, where I thought he demonstrated that small bit of arrogance that, combined for his reputation of team-play and versatility, could make him a star at the next level. Now that we see that not only is his size very good, but that his athleticism is too, I think we probably should take him at #4 (again, only if Rubio is off the board), despite the Kevin Martin issue this would raise.

I think he compares very well to Brandon Roy, he's not quite as tall, but his massive wingspan means that he has a higher standing reach. He can't jump quite as high, but his agility test results are identical, and he did better than Roy in the 3/4 court sprint. He's also currently at a higher body fat percentage than Roy was at the same time (by more than 3%), so his athletic ability and quickness could potentially increase by a small bit.

Anyways, who knows who we will draft, but with Memphis seemingly wanting to draft Rubio, I wouldn't be upset if we ended up with Harden. It would certainly create problems for us in terms of minutes and rotations, but I think I rather have those problems than watch Harden go turn into Brandon Roy with somebody else, while we're stuck with TJ Ford 2.0.

 

[asakkings]

Blake Griffin and Jordan Hill almost have the same vertical with Hill being a little bit taller, didnt really expect that.

 

[SacTownKid]

Its actually kind of interesting, because he has always looked like a slug out on the court. Of course his agility didn't measure great, but still, no way you would have expected him to test out on the high end in basically anything. In game it looks like he can barely dunk, he doesn't have great lateral quickness etc. Makes you wonder a bit if it was/is a playing style thing, or if maybe that lumpy thing that often looked like it was under his jersey was holding him back.

Sometimes when a player looks like a "slug" he's actually just playing "in control". In Hardens case it sometimes looks as if he's falling asleep, that's how in control he is. Hehe.

 

[kennadog]

Sometimes when a player looks like a "slug" he's actually just playing "in control". In Hardens case it sometimes looks as if he's falling asleep, that's how in control he is. Hehe.

Wow, I'm gonna tell my boss I am so in control!

 

[Kingster]

I don't want to tell you I told you so, but I told you so. Not you in particular, but all those that were poo pooing his athleticism.

His speed definitely surprised me. That said, it's still like a running back in football - how fast do run when you're carrying the ball? (No pun intended). For example, Collison is very fast, but he plays slow. Unless a guy can translate it on the court, it means something, but not everything.

 

[ElRey]

Be careful about putting too much weight into these measurements. A couple years ago, Kevin Durant had absolutely horrible numbers but look at him now. Baskeball is a game of SKILL as much as athleticism.

 

[hrdboild]

I agree. If Rubio is off the board, I think Harden is the next best player available, especially after his Combine results. I actually started getting interested in drafting him after his post-combine interview, where I thought he demonstrated that small bit of arrogance that, combined for his reputation of team-play and versatility, could make him a star at the next level. Now that we see that not only is his size very good, but that his athleticism is too, I think we probably should take him at #4 (again, only if Rubio is off the board), despite the Kevin Martin issue this would raise.

I think he compares very well to Brandon Roy, he's not quite as tall, but his massive wingspan means that he has a higher standing reach. He can't jump quite as high, but his agility test results are identical, and he did better than Roy in the 3/4 court sprint. He's also currently at a higher body fat percentage than Roy was at the same time (by more than 3%), so his athletic ability and quickness could potentially increase by a small bit.

Anyways, who knows who we will draft, but with Memphis seemingly wanting to draft Rubio, I wouldn't be upset if we ended up with Harden. It would certainly create problems for us in terms of minutes and rotations, but I think I rather have those problems than watch Harden go turn into Brandon Roy with somebody else, while we're stuck with TJ Ford 2.0.

Harden is the most interesting test of the BPA theory in this draft I think. Where we're drafting right now, he's quite possibly the BPA as you described. He doesn't have nearly the handle that Brandon Roy does, but Roy also played two more years of college. He could possibly get there eventually. I don't know that he has the same killer instinct, that's hard to find. Maybe only a half dozen guys in the league have that. But overall he might be the best mix of proven talent and potential on the board at #4. Unfortunately, he really only works at SG and the same is true for Kevin. I don't think you can afford to have your two best players play the same position. One of them would have to go.

If Washington wants to trade the #5 pick for Kevin Martin and whatever else is needed to make the trade work, I suppose Harden would be a good choice (if Oklahoma City doesn't take him first) -- but there's a lot of risk involved in that scenario. I could be talked into it though. After two abysmal seasons in a row, some big changes would feel good psychologically to the team and the fans.

 

[Bricklayer]

Harden is the most interesting test of the BPA theory in this draft I think. Where we're drafting right now, he's quite possibly the BPA as you described. He doesn't have nearly the handle that Brandon Roy does, but Roy also played two more years of college. He could possibly get there eventually. I don't know that he has the same killer instinct, that's hard to find. Maybe only a half dozen guys in the league have that. But overall he might be the best mix of proven talent and potential on the board at #4. Unfortunately, he really only works at SG and the same is true for Kevin. I don't think you can afford to have your two best players play the same position. One of them would have to go.

If Washington wants to trade the #5 pick for Kevin Martin and whatever else is needed to make the trade work, I suppose Harden would be a good choice (if Oklahoma City doesn't take him first) -- but there's a lot of risk involved in that scenario. I could be talked into it though. After two abysmal seasons in a row, some big changes would feel good psychologically to the team and the fans.

Somewhere in one of these threads I threw out a risky proposal to trade Kevin to OKC for the #3 and a whole bunch of enders they have stacked up. The end reuslt being you took Rubio at #3, Harden at #4, and then had $20 million in enders to try to parlay into another Kevin or better level player at the trade deadline or in free agency. And that was back before these measurements were taken. Risky -- anything involving trading Kevin for less than an establisehd star is risky. But I made the argument that having 4 starters 23 or younger as well as big time cap room and likely another Top 10 pick might really give us a future. If Rubio worked out. If Harden worked out.

Then if we can just talk Memphis into it, we buy the #5 as well, take Hill and swap him to Memphis for Thabeet and we've had a heck of a draft.

 

[Bricklayer]

Be careful about putting too much weight into these measurements. A couple years ago, Kevin Durant had absolutely horrible numbers but look at him now. Baskeball is a game of SKILL as much as athleticism.

That is a good warning to throw in -- too much gets made of these things somehow for lack of other evidence. But what makes it intersting in Harden's case at least is that one of his biggest knocks is his athleticism. In fact I think that's really been the biggest. So while him putting up pretty good numbers in no way makes him a star, it does seem to invalidate one of the main reasons people have doubted he could be.

 

[fnordius]

Be careful about putting too much weight into these measurements. A couple years ago, Kevin Durant had absolutely horrible numbers but look at him now.

And last year, those who did really well included Sonny Weems (#1 speed and #1 agility) and Patrick Ewing Jr. (#1 max vert). Combine results are important to take into account, but they're no good for telling whether a guy can play basketball, or will even put forth the effort.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Somewhere in one of these threads I threw out a risky proposal to trade Kevin to OKC for the #3 and a whole bunch of enders they have stacked up. The end reuslt being you took Rubio at #3, Harden at #4, and then had $20 million in enders to try to parlay into another Kevin or better level player at the trade deadline or in free agency. And that was back before these measurements were taken. Risky -- anything involving trading Kevin for less than an establisehd star is risky. But I made the argument that having 4 starters 23 or younger as well as big time cap room and likely another Top 10 pick might really give us a future. If Rubio worked out. If Harden worked out.

Then if we can just talk Memphis into it, we buy the #5 as well, take Hill and swap him to Memphis for Thabeet and we've had a heck of a draft.

Risky, but risk and out-of-the-box thinking is essential in rebuilding a team from mostly scratch.

 

[gunks]

Somewhere in one of these threads I threw out a risky proposal to trade Kevin to OKC for the #3 and a whole bunch of enders they have stacked up. The end reuslt being you took Rubio at #3, Harden at #4, and then had $20 million in enders to try to parlay into another Kevin or better level player at the trade deadline or in free agency. And that was back before these measurements were taken. Risky -- anything involving trading Kevin for less than an establisehd star is risky. But I made the argument that having 4 starters 23 or younger as well as big time cap room and likely another Top 10 pick might really give us a future. If Rubio worked out. If Harden worked out.

Then if we can just talk Memphis into it, we buy the #5 as well, take Hill and swap him to Memphis for Thabeet and we've had a heck of a draft.

Thats some Pritchard moves right there. I'd be way down to swap Beno/Martin for Rubio/Harden. At least one of those guys would have to work out.

But we have GP as GM....So we're probably going to get our #4 and thats that. (while, besides 23,31).