Eric Bledsoe

[Vlade4GM]

I'd really like for us to try to pick him up in the late first. I think he's going to be the Mario Chalmers of this draft I.E. defend, make 3's, and offer some playmaking ability. I think much of his PG skills were hidden behind John Wall, he was forced to play out of position at Kentucky. He would be a great backcourt fit with Tyreke in the long run. What do you think?

 

[Telemachus]

I'd really like for us to try to pick him up in the late first. I think he's going to be the Mario Chalmers of this draft I.E. defend, make 3's, and offer some playmaking ability. I think much of his PG skills were hidden behind John Wall, he was forced to play out of position at Kentucky. He would be a great backcourt fit with Tyreke in the long run. What do you think?

To be honest, I focused more on Cousins and Wall when I watched Kentucky this year. I think I still have 1 or 2 games still on DVR. I might have to go back and watch Bledsoe a bit more. I know my first impression was that he needed another year of school.

 

[=LarryLegend=]

I like the cat. I have heard him called the 2nd best pg in the draft. we do need a backup pg also.

 

[bajaden]

I like the cat. I have heard him called the 2nd best pg in the draft. we do need a backup pg also.

OK, I went and looked it up to be sure. Bledsoe turned the ball over on 27% of his possessions. He had the worse assist to turnover ratio in college for a pt guard. Dead last. So what is it prey tell that makes anyone think he resembles a pt guard. He's a terrific athlete. He has pretty good handles and terrific end to end speed with the ball. He's a decent outside shooter, but inconsistant. Ok! Thats it.. He's a 6'1" (at best) player with few pt guard skills and an inconsistant outside shot. He can probably guard Pt's in the NBA. But so can Avery Bradley, and he's bigger. So why not pick him. Bledsoe is not the second coming of Russell Westbrook. He may develop into a pt guard sometime in the future, but he's far from on right now. To say that he's the second best pt guard in the draft is utterly ridiculous. Jerome Randle is a thousand times better at the position. His only problem is that he's only 5'10". But I would take him over Bledsoe right now.

If you want to reach into the bottom of the first round for backcourt help, then why not go for Elliot Williams, or Armon Johnson. Its possible that Dominique Jones might end up in the bottom of the first round. If not take him at 33. How about Greivis Vasquez, or Terrico White.

Are we going after Bledsoe just for his athleticism? Sorry! Not me. He may well turn out to be a good player at some point down the road, but with so many players that are ready to play right now, why gamble on what you hope a player will turn out to be?

 

[Vlade4GM]

Bledsoe was playing out of position and didn't have much of a chance to play PG. I'm not saying he's a polished point guard, but was thought of as having true pt skills coming out of HS.

Dominique Jones would be an interesting alternative, but Bledsoe probably has better potential as a shooter than he does.

 

[LPKingsFan]

Sounds interesting. But with Miami looking to cut salary, we could also probably just get the real Mario Chalmers for free, should we desire.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Sounds interesting. But with Miami looking to cut salary, we could also probably just get the real Mario Chalmers for free, should we desire.

Why would they look to move Chalmers if they're trying to cut salary? He doesn't make that much.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I have heard him called the 2nd best pg in the draft.

I'm not sure that's saying much. Behind Wall, the #2 PG in this draft is pretty much a late first rounder at best.

 

[Vlade4GM]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/66728/20100521/bledsoe_describes_pg_style/

For whatever it's worth.

 

[Arby's Roast Beef]

In the name of physical tools such as Kyle Lowry, Rodrigue Beaubois and Rajon Rondo, I really want to like the guy. And I do to a certain extent, as I think he has massive defensive potential as a man-to-man defender with that wingspan-quickness-strength combination few PGs enjoy (that's why I like to think of Lowry as an apt physical comparison). It's not all bad--he does have NBA three point range and shows flashes of an all-around offensive game given some proper development. Offensively, he's more of a SG with passing skills rather than a combo guard (his passing isn't good enough), and while he seriously needs to improve his handles of the ball, young players who turn the ball over tend to have a higher development rate.

But I honestly think he could work well as a complement to Tyreke, and they would just crossmatch (Reke playing PG on offense while Bledsoe spots up, Bledsoe guarding the quick PGs while Reke guards SGs) much like Iggy and Iverson did in Philly a few years back. We could be one of those optimal teams for Bledsoe, the more I think about it, especially if Bledsoe develops that shot which he shows potential of. I think he needs to land in the proper team to maximize his potential.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

I also like Bledsoe a lot, but I wouldnt take him at 5, and there are players I like more than him later in the draft. I wouldnt be dissapointed with him on this team at all, but I like the depth this draft has at other spots, rather than reaching for a PG in a PG weak draft when we dont totally need a guy like him anyways.

 

[=LarryLegend=]

I'm not sure that's saying much. Behind Wall, the #2 PG in this draft is pretty much a late first rounder at best.

He is def first rounder. he will not last passed 20.

 

[bajaden]

For what its worth, most of the scouts have a higher opinion of him as a point guard than I do. Obviously they're wrong..