This would be a great draft to have two picks in the top 16... thoughts?

[Anthony1]

Obviously, any year in which you would have two top 15 picks would be awesome, but in this draft, looking at the talent available, there are some outstanding players that are going to last to 15, 17, even 20 overall. Seems like there are 5 truly elite players. After that, you have a group of players that are somewhat of a crapshoot. I mean, the guy that is picked 6th overall or 9th overall or 13th overall aren't going to be dramatically different levels of talent. If only the NBA was like the NFL, and it was super easy to trade back and get extra picks.

Unfortunately, in the NBA, that RARELY happens.


Three teams have 2 picks in the top 16. New Orleans, Portland and Houston.

New Orleans - Likely picks pre-lottery = 4 & 10 overall - It's unlikely we could trade with New Orleans, unless we end up at No.1 or No.2 and New Orleans gets screwed and ends up at No.5 or something. If that scenario did happen, not sure we would want to trade down anyways.

Portland - likely picks pre-lottery = 6 & 11 overall - Now, this is much more interesting. We could get two very good players with 6th and 11 overall. 2 very good players. If we end up at 4th overall, and Beal is available, do you think Portland would consider a swap?

Houston - likely picks pre-lottery = 14 & 16 overall - The top 16 players in this draft is very deep. Once you get past the top 5 players, it's very much a guessing game from 6 to 16, so I could see this being a consideration, but the downside is that you have to hope that a few GM's make some big mistakes, so some nice talent slips to you at 14 and 16. If all the GM's make good decisions, you'll still end up with some decent players at 14 and 16, but you might not end up with two potential starters.

 

[Uncia03]

Very deep draft.

If we ended up with the 5th pick or later, I wouldn't be opposed to making a trade that would net us 2 1st round picks.
Here are some of your choices:


SF:

Jeffrey Taylor Best wing defender along-side MKG. Best spot shooter (percentage wise) of the SFs
Perry Jones (Major Risk/Reward) Could end up the best player in the draft or completely flame out
Quincy Miller Could be the 2nd best SF in the draft after MKG

PGs:

Kendall Marshall (Great floor general. Can he score and defend enough to make it in the NBA?)
Tony Wroten (If you like Tyreke's game you'll love him, and if you hate Tyreke's game you'll hate him) Would be the ultimate non-shooting PG/SG ultra-attack mega-physical pairing next to Tyreke. Super aggressive, great floor vision, but doesn't seem to like to make the easy pass, and is a horrible outside shooter and FT shooter. (He's a left-handed version of Tyreke with better floor vision and worse shooting.)

SG:

Terrence Ross Good athlete and shooter (Could play some SF)
Jeremy Lamb (Could slip outside the top 10)

Bigs

Terrence Jones (Probably play PF. Can be very aggressive and good defender)
Royce White (Love his all-around game. Has panic issues)
Meyers Leonard (Great Length and Athleticism. Very Raw)
Arnette Moultrie (Great Length and Athleticism. Very Raw)
Festus Ezeli (Would be a late 1st Rnd pick. Good size/strength. Quick learner. )

 

[Bricklayer]

Guys...I understand the appeal, and in former years have hatched similar schemes. And we do have holes. But do we seriously want to become even YOUNGER? That's truly the Clippers spiral to eternal lottery hell. You are just fielding a college team after awhile.

I seriously think we are more in a Wizards position when they traded for Nene -- we need quality and stability more than we need quantity and even more youth.

 

[bajaden]

Guys...I understand the appeal, and in former years have hatched similar schemes. And we do have holes. But do we seriously want to become even YOUNGER? That's truly the Clippers spiral to eternal lottery hell. You are just fielding a college team after awhile.

I seriously think we are more in a Wizards position when they traded for Nene -- we need quality and stability more than we need quantity and even more youth.

I don't find fault with your position. I completely understand, and I agree, that what we need is to add not only experience, but quality experience. My problem is, that with the capspace we have, and needing to resign JT, and if not, then spend similar money replacing JT, were not going to have a lot money left over to make any big signings unless we use the amnesty clause. So leaving it at that for now, the only other way to improve, is through the draft, the slow, but steady way if you choose wisely, or through trades.

I have no idea what the mindset of the FO is. I have no idea, other than Cousins, who they really value. I'm all on board for bringing a good player via trade, but our track record hasn't been too good of late. So all thats left for the time being that I can speculate on is the draft. I'm certainly open to all ideas. But they have to be realistic ideas, and not some of these hairbrained proposals I see in some of these threads The problem is, Petrie, or the Maloofs, I have no idea whose running this franchise anymore, have put the Kings in a bad position with the Salmons trade, and by picking up Outlaw. I may be a little too harsh on Outlaw, but I'm not sure which is the real Outlaw. Not only did those moves eat up capspace, but they did so for 3 years.

 

[DesertFox]

When I see that it is a deep/muddled draft after the top 4, I see it as a chance to move down while trading a piece for an upgrade. Maybe turn Thornton and filler into Batum, or Salmons into a better fitting flawed player.

 

[Glenn]

I am sure I am simply saying what has been said. For argument's sake let us say pick 5 is that point where all the picks after that t0 25 or so tend to be very good and the ones before have the possibility of being stars, I would keep the 1-5 pick. Otherwise if we slide back in the lottery, let's try to trade to get a real star at SF or PF/C. I have arguments against getting a PG or SG but that's a little murky.

I would package Thornton with the pick and maybe even another player to get an Iggy or Granger or someone of that caliber. There are probably options even the best of us don't know. In any case get a vet and not two lower draft picks using Brick's argument. Vets are good on the court and they also help young, rich, and horny young guys behave themselves on the road. The road is our enemy for many reasons and part of it is that the guys don't sleep. The only way we go younger is if we get a potential star.

I think we are in a nice position to trade and somehow we have to unload one or two guards or one or two SFs or a combination thereof. I think we have usable players looking at it from the outside. I don't want any promises that we spend a lot of money other than to retain JT. We need to preserve money to have it available when Tyreke and then Cousins' become RFA. Can't forget that. We have too many players with contracts one or two years too long so trades have to occur.

 

[Uncia03]

Guys...I understand the appeal, and in former years have hatched similar schemes. And we do have holes. But do we seriously want to become even YOUNGER? That's truly the Clippers spiral to eternal lottery hell. You are just fielding a college team after awhile.

I seriously think we are more in a Wizards position when they traded for Nene -- we need quality and stability more than we need quantity and even more youth.

I don't disagree with this.
If we end up with the 5th pick and I could package it for a solid SF(Iggy, Batum, ect.) or Defensive Big then that would be my preferred route.

But if I can't make that sort of deal and I have the option to either walk away with Barnes or walk away with Taylor + athletic defensive big, I'll trade down to get the two players that fill holes in the roster on the cheap, especially since Taylor is going to be a 'safe' pick, and you can work in the athletic defensive big into the rotation, provided that you are able to re-sign JT.

 

[bajaden]

I don't disagree with this.
If we end up with the 5th pick and I could package it for a solid SF(Iggy, Batum, ect.) or Defensive Big then that would be my preferred route.

But if I can't make that sort of deal and I have the option to either walk away with Barnes or walk away with Taylor + athletic defensive big, I'll trade down to get the two players that fill holes in the roster on the cheap, especially since Taylor is going to be a 'safe' pick, and you can work in the athletic defensive big into the rotation, provided that you are able to re-sign JT.

I agree! And its funny, I have Taylor a lot higher on my board than just about everyone, except maybe you. I just don't get it. Even listening to the scouts, they all agree that Taylor is a sure bet lockdown defender at the next level, and that he can defend three positions. Thats a huge deal to me. And then when you add in that he can shoot the rock from behind the line at a plus 40% clip, I'm just not sure why they have him rated as low as they do.

I know that he's not the greatest ballhandler in the world, but he's a better ballhandler than Barnes, and has the ability to go to the basket and draw fouls. He's far better at coming off screens and shooting than Barnes is. I only see two advantages that Barnes has over Taylor. He's taller and longer at 6'8" with a 6'11" wingspan, vrs Taylor's 6'7" with a 6'6" wingspan. And that Barnes is younger. But height and length considered, Taylor is still a far better defender than Barnes.

If I could move down and pick up Taylor, and then Leonard or Moultrie, I'd be happy as a clam and go home. Taylor is capable of stepping in and playing right away. Leonard would take a while, but the reward could be a large one. Moultrie could also step in and get some minutes right away.

Edit: As an added note. Not to get too far ahead of myself, but in next years draft, I would do everything I could to make sure that I draft Aaron Craft. I don't care about his shooting. He is, hands down, one the best defensive PG's I have ever seen in my entire lifetime of watching BB. You simply cannot get past him. To have guy like him sitting on your bench when you absolutely need a stop would be incredible. And by the way, he's not bad at being a PG either.

 

[Uncia03]

I agree! And its funny, I have Taylor a lot higher on my board than just about everyone, except maybe you. I just don't get it. Even listening to the scouts, they all agree that Taylor is a sure bet lockdown defender at the next level, and that he can defend three positions. Thats a huge deal to me. And then when you add in that he can shoot the rock from behind the line at a plus 40% clip, I'm just not sure why they have him rated as low as they do.

I know that he's not the greatest ballhandler in the world, but he's a better ballhandler than Barnes, and has the ability to go to the basket and draw fouls. He's far better at coming off screens and shooting than Barnes is. I only see two advantages that Barnes has over Taylor. He's taller and longer at 6'8" with a 6'11" wingspan, vrs Taylor's 6'7" with a 6'6" wingspan. And that Barnes is younger. But height and length considered, Taylor is still a far better defender than Barnes.

If I could move down and pick up Taylor, and then Leonard or Moultrie, I'd be happy as a clam and go home. Taylor is capable of stepping in and playing right away. Leonard would take a while, but the reward could be a large one. Moultrie could also step in and get some minutes right away.

Edit: As an added note. Not to get too far ahead of myself, but in next years draft, I would do everything I could to make sure that I draft Aaron Craft. I don't care about his shooting. He is, hands down, one the best defensive PG's I have ever seen in my entire lifetime of watching BB. You simply cannot get past him. To have guy like him sitting on your bench when you absolutely need a stop would be incredible. And by the way, he's not bad at being a PG either.

I just have this feeling that Taylor is going to really impress with his athletic markers and he'll end up being taken higher in the draft than he's currently projected. Sort of reminds me of Udoh. Loved him all year, never was too high in the mock draft, and then gets taken at 6 right after we take Cousins. I would reference Tristan Thompson as the 4th pick last year, but I thought that was a very poor choice by Cleveland at the time. I liked Tristan but really felt he needed another year in school and most certainly was not top 5 material.

As to Craft, I have to 2nd this. Aaron Craft's lateral quickness and bulldog defensive mentality is utterly phenominal. I would love to somehow draft Craft. And the thing is, he's not going to be a lottery pick. So he's a guy who will probably be availabe towards the latter half of the 1st round and is just a lock-down PG stud.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

As to Craft, I have to 2nd this. Aaron Craft's lateral quickness and bulldog defensive mentality is utterly phenominal. I would love to somehow draft Craft. And the thing is, he's not going to be a lottery pick. So he's a guy who will probably be availabe towards the latter half of the 1st round and is just a lock-down PG stud.

Well, the J.J. Hickson trade basically guarantees that we won't have a non-lottery first rounder next year...unless we trade for one.

 

[bajaden]

I just have this feeling that Taylor is going to really impress with his athletic markers and he'll end up being taken higher in the draft than he's currently projected. Sort of reminds me of Udoh. Loved him all year, never was too high in the mock draft, and then gets taken at 6 right after we take Cousins. I would reference Tristan Thompson as the 4th pick last year, but I thought that was a very poor choice by Cleveland at the time. I liked Tristan but really felt he needed another year in school and most certainly was not top 5 material.

As to Craft, I have to 2nd this. Aaron Craft's lateral quickness and bulldog defensive mentality is utterly phenominal. I would love to somehow draft Craft. And the thing is, he's not going to be a lottery pick. So he's a guy who will probably be availabe towards the latter half of the 1st round and is just a lock-down PG stud.

Craft just might slide into the second round next year. Of course it all depends on how he plays. He's just an OK PG thats certainly solid, but he's not a great shot creator for others like Marshall is. He's also not a great scorer, although, its hard to get a read on that since he doesn't take many shots. He only took just under 6 shots per game, and did shoot 50% from the floor overall, so he's not terrible.

His biggest attribute is his ability to completely shut down the other teams PG. He's just a nightmare for his opponent, most of whom become quite frustrated during the game. He's like a big mosquito that just drives you nuts. My main reason for watching Ohio St. was to watch Craft play defense. Plus, he always has the constant smile on his face, which must just drive his opponent nuts