Big Cuz 15
All-Star
who would you pick. lets say durant, oden and brandon wright are selected... we are pick 4, who would you want?
if the kings don't get the top 3 pick...
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Big Cuz 15
All-Star
www.nbadraft.net and www.draftexpress.com are some good resources to see the talent available.
Gargamel
Starter
In that scenario, convention is Joakim Noah. He's already passed muster in college. It's a safe bet (which isn't always what you might want if yer lookin for a quick turnaround), but he's also a legit big w/ post instincts whose main drawback at the NBA level is weight -- which is fixable.
Jechtsphere
Starter
They won't get a top 10 pick in my mind.
I agree with Jecht. Maybe the 8th, 9th, or 10th picks are realistic, but the team is just too talented right now to end up with one of the worst records in the NBA.
Interestingly, the chances of us getting picks 1-3 should be much higher than that of us getting picks 4 or 5 or so. With the lottery system, the Kings can finish with, say, the 9th worst record in the league and still get picks 1-3. (Of course, it's still highly unlikely, so I really think that people should not be carried way with their Oden/Durant/whatever hopes.) But it would be mathematically impossible for the Kings to end up with picks 4 or 5 if the Kings have the 9th worst record in the league.
Interestingly, the chances of us getting picks 1-3 should be much higher than that of us getting picks 4 or 5 or so. With the lottery system, the Kings can finish with, say, the 9th worst record in the league and still get picks 1-3. (Of course, it's still highly unlikely, so I really think that people should not be carried way with their Oden/Durant/whatever hopes.) But it would be mathematically impossible for the Kings to end up with picks 4 or 5 if the Kings have the 9th worst record in the league.
Vlade4GM
All-Star
al horford.
Vlade4GM
All-Star
his main drawback is a lack of offensive game. he's a tyson chandler who can pass.
Gargamel
Starter
Chandler looked pretty good stomping a mudhole in the Lakers frontline a few days ago...
supamari0
Bench
Tyson Chandler is one of the best defensive centers in the game and certainly one of the most athletic. Noah's athletic but not on Chandler's level. Also, he can't dominate the boards on Chandler's level.
I'm not a Noah fan at all, and unless he turns out to have Dikembe Mutombo defensive skills (Deke mind you had a better post game than Noah), he's not worth getting at such a high pick. This team desperately needs some offensive fire power, not a one dimensional defensive player.
I'd take Horford over Noah any day of the week. Horford has at least shown that he can play in the post and will be more reliable down there.
Also on Thabeet, I'd pass on him for now too. I hope he goes to school one more year, because he is REALLY raw. The guy needs to learn some really basic fundamentals of basketball. Someone better mail him a copy of Magic Johnson's fundamentals of basketball instructional videos. I saw him get clowned by West Virginia on national tv (who's tallest player is 6-8), granted West Virginia is probably the epitome of basketball IQ and Thabeet (for now) isn't. But as some have said, he has Mutombo written all over him.
Finally, don't forget about the other Wright (Julian Wright). The guy is just as athletic as the guys going in the top 3. His only problem is that his jump shot sucks but that's something that should be correctable. I really like his game and he's definitely improved this year. He'll be a top 10 pick for sure and has the type of athleticism you'll want in a franchise player.
Vlade4GM
All-Star
ok...what's your point? we need something more than a defensive specialist, sure we could really use that kind of player, but we need someone that we can build around at least somewhat. horford is a much better choice than noah, has good potential on both ends of the floor.
nbrans
All-Star
I don't agree with you on Noah, he's as athletic as Chandler and plays with twice the motor. His only possible weakness is that he's got such a skinny frame and he has bad form on his jump shot, but there aren't many guys his size with that kind of athleticism and energy.
Thabeet is definitely lost against smaller players, but he won't have to guard quick 6'8" guys in the NBA -- that's just a mismatch you only find in college. He's definitely raw, but I like his intensity and hustle.
The problem with Julian Wright is that he's the worst kind of tweener - not enough skills to play the 3 and not big enough to play the 4. Tons of super-athletic but not very skilled 3/4s like him have been drafted over the years (Kedrick Brown/Chris Porter/Rodney White) and none have really panned out. If you're going to be a perimeter player, time has shown that athleticism alone is never enough, you have to have skills.
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Vlade4GM
All-Star
i totally agree with you about noah. as far as thabeet, well if there wasn't much potential on the board at the time i'd pick him and stash him in the d-league, but i highly doubt he enters this year.
as far as the other wright goes, if we blow up the clown and didn't have a top 3 pick i'd consider him considering he might possibly be the high ceiling prospect on the board at the time, but it's still hard to pick a swingman in a big man's draft. if he had a shot, we'd probably be slotting him in at no farther down than the 4 spot.
SacKings384
Starter
There is no if here... The Kings have chance of getting the top 3 pick... The last guy I would want the Kings to take if they had a very high pick is Noah. I think he is overrated and will be undersized in the NBA. He will be like a thinner Anderson Vareajo
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Noah -- I would avoid in our condition. If I was a team just needing a piece, a roleplayer etc., yeah, Noah would be at the top of my list as a guy I could bring in and know he was going to contribute. But if I'm a team needing a star, Noah is not it.
Thabeet -- its a 7'3" center, so he always has to be in consideration. But again, in our condition maybe not. One of those guys once again where I would kill to have two lotery picks and take him wiht the second. But his high end is as a Mutumbo type player. Which would make him your starting center forever and an impact guy, but not a franchise superstar. But it will take a few years for hiim to get there, if he is going to.
Julian Wright -- a 6'8" tweener forward. That's a red flag. Haven't we had enough of those? Super talent of course, and could make somebody happy. But there are far far too many examples int he NBA of that player not being able to cut it in the NBA because he has no position. In search of a star maybe you take that chance, but I think he also might have the highest percentage chance of really bombing of any of these guys.
Al Horford -- opinions vary. I am not truly wild on the guy, and see him as a solid rock type. Fill a hole in your lineup, maybe high end 18-20ppg 10reb. Which is damn nice, but not a franchise turner. Not really dominant even in college, so hard to figure if he will/can in the pros.
Yi Jianlin -- the Chinese wildcard. Remarkable speed, agility, and coordination for a 7'0" player, but also has a very skinny build with a small frame. Will never be able to put on much muscle. Guy's going to be a scorer in the NBA, and he has some nasty in him -- looks competitive and even arrogant. That's a good thing. But can he rebound and defend against the big bodies in the NBA?
So throw all that together and, for us, the Kings, a team in rebuild mode I look at it this way: in this draft, we need a star. We desperately need defensive players, rebounders etc. But more than all of that, first we need a star. Then after we get him we can start throing defenders around him at will. So would set aside Noah (or better yet draft him for somebody else, and then trade down to get the guy we can really use) as solid but not the star we need, and Wright, who might be that star, but who is risky because of his tweenerhood. Then looking at the remaining three, Horford is the sure bet contributor but lacks high end IMHO, Thabeet is a project, and Jianlin a gamble. Thabeet is tempting, but there just may be too much chance he leaves you holding the bag after years of development and never gets past being a mechanical 8 and 8 with 2 blocks in 28min type guy. Which would be very useful, but not going to turn things around. He may also fulfill his detiny and be Deke/Wallace in there, but if he doesn't you've still got this colossal hole to fill. So I look at Horford and Jianlin, and I think I take Jianlin who has the size and attitude of a #1 option, and cross my fingers it translates.
Thabeet -- its a 7'3" center, so he always has to be in consideration. But again, in our condition maybe not. One of those guys once again where I would kill to have two lotery picks and take him wiht the second. But his high end is as a Mutumbo type player. Which would make him your starting center forever and an impact guy, but not a franchise superstar. But it will take a few years for hiim to get there, if he is going to.
Julian Wright -- a 6'8" tweener forward. That's a red flag. Haven't we had enough of those? Super talent of course, and could make somebody happy. But there are far far too many examples int he NBA of that player not being able to cut it in the NBA because he has no position. In search of a star maybe you take that chance, but I think he also might have the highest percentage chance of really bombing of any of these guys.
Al Horford -- opinions vary. I am not truly wild on the guy, and see him as a solid rock type. Fill a hole in your lineup, maybe high end 18-20ppg 10reb. Which is damn nice, but not a franchise turner. Not really dominant even in college, so hard to figure if he will/can in the pros.
Yi Jianlin -- the Chinese wildcard. Remarkable speed, agility, and coordination for a 7'0" player, but also has a very skinny build with a small frame. Will never be able to put on much muscle. Guy's going to be a scorer in the NBA, and he has some nasty in him -- looks competitive and even arrogant. That's a good thing. But can he rebound and defend against the big bodies in the NBA?
So throw all that together and, for us, the Kings, a team in rebuild mode I look at it this way: in this draft, we need a star. We desperately need defensive players, rebounders etc. But more than all of that, first we need a star. Then after we get him we can start throing defenders around him at will. So would set aside Noah (or better yet draft him for somebody else, and then trade down to get the guy we can really use) as solid but not the star we need, and Wright, who might be that star, but who is risky because of his tweenerhood. Then looking at the remaining three, Horford is the sure bet contributor but lacks high end IMHO, Thabeet is a project, and Jianlin a gamble. Thabeet is tempting, but there just may be too much chance he leaves you holding the bag after years of development and never gets past being a mechanical 8 and 8 with 2 blocks in 28min type guy. Which would be very useful, but not going to turn things around. He may also fulfill his detiny and be Deke/Wallace in there, but if he doesn't you've still got this colossal hole to fill. So I look at Horford and Jianlin, and I think I take Jianlin who has the size and attitude of a #1 option, and cross my fingers it translates.
Vlade4GM
All-Star
a defensive specialist who no shot blocking skills. splitter is a potential double double guy with good man d, but we need a little more than that.
greypoupon
Prospect
It's very, very, very, very unlikely the Kings get the #4 pick.
Remember, the lottery only determines the Top 3. After that, the rest of the picks starting at #4 are all arranged in order of worst to best record.
So if the Kings wind up with the 8th worst record in the league, for instance, they have a small chance to get into one of the Top 3 picks through the lottery. If they DON'T land in the Top 3, then that means they can't move up. The only possibilities would then be pick #8, #9, or #10.
They would need a much, much worse record than they have right now to wind up exactly at the #4 pick in the draft.
rhythmless
Starter
our pick is definitely not gonna end up being top 5. after oden, durant, and noah are snatched up, i dont see to many big bodies that i would like to have. id stay away from the tweeners, and to me thabeet is like this years sene (look how well thats progressing). that being said, id have high hopes for jianlan, a 7 footer with great skills. take him, and hope that his game translates to the nba. hes dominating in china, and needs to take the next step.
this is a totally biased answer, as im all for having more asian players enter the nba (damn you ha seung jin).
this is a totally biased answer, as im all for having more asian players enter the nba (damn you ha seung jin).
greypoupon
Prospect
Plenty of teams in the NBA have worse records than the Kings. They have younger and more inexperienced rosters and they're going to lose more games.
They've played hard too. But their rosters have somewhat been "designed" to suck, because that's they want to get better through the draft.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Jianlian has intrigued me for quite awhile but I seen him play quite a bit in the World Championships and the Olympics last time I think think and I just don't think he'll be an impact player in the NBA. Very good role player maybe.
Probably have to go with the most known talent in Noah.
If not I would probably say Thaddeus Young is a dang good pick. He reminds me a little of an Antawn Jamison type and I think he could be on that level of player one day. He has a swagger and loads of talent.
Probably have to go with the most known talent in Noah.
If not I would probably say Thaddeus Young is a dang good pick. He reminds me a little of an Antawn Jamison type and I think he could be on that level of player one day. He has a swagger and loads of talent.
Vlade4GM
All-Star
i think jianlian can accomplish what gasol has offensively, but i don't think he's going to be a big rebounder or shot blocker because of not much lower body strength. i'd pick him if horford was off the board, but i fear that he's another darko milicic.
HighFlyingMonkey
Starter
I see it this way: Horford has the potential to help a franchise, Jianlian has the potential to be a franchise, namely ours.
Vlade4GM
All-Star
i don't think jianlian has superstar potential, he's not a franchise player imo. i'd say his downside is darko and his upside is pau, not much better than that. his lack of strength is going to hold him back from being a dominant rebounder or shot blocker. don't mistake mystery with potential.
That's exactly what I say.
IMO we should pick Horford if we don't get a top 3 pick and Wright/Oden/Durant aren't on the board.
SLAB
Hall of Famer
I agree with no to Noah...I just cannot see him as a dominate player on either end...I really cant say much to support it, because I dont watch college ball and have seen him play once, but he just does not seem to impress me.
The guy I would want to take a chance on is Thabeet...He's averaging 4 blocks a game, and he is huge...He is who I want...Outside of the obvious Oden/Durant.
The guy I would want to take a chance on is Thabeet...He's averaging 4 blocks a game, and he is huge...He is who I want...Outside of the obvious Oden/Durant.
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