Author Topic: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?  (Read 8351 times)

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Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« on: June 16, 2008, 08:37:01 AM »

Offline indeedproceed

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Bill Walker is one of if not the most intriuging prospect that could be left to us at number 30 in this year's draft.

Quote from: ESPN's Profile
Positives: Super athletic, versatile wing is a beast when he puts the ball on the floor and gets to the rim. Jumps out of the gym. Very quick. Good handle. Sees the floor well. Excellent perimeter shooter with deep range. Already possesses an NBA body.

Negatives: Three ACL injuries, one to his right knee in 2003 and one to his left in 2007, are the biggest knocks right now. He's struggled to lose all the weight he gained after his last injury and still doesn't seem 100 percent recovered. There was a time when scouts wondered a little about his ballhandling, but they say he's improved that weakness.

Summary: Walker's second ACL injury ended all the talk about him being a top-5 pick. Given that Walker's freakish athleticism was his greatest strength, the ACL injury permanently damaged his stock. His strong play through part of the second half of the season helped put him in the first-round discussion.

IF he could completely bounce back from his ACL injuries, THEN he'd make an absolute steal in the first round. We're talking Gilbert Arenas in the second round kind of steal.

That's an even bigger IF now...its like an "IF"

Quote from: ESPN
Representatives for Kansas State redshirt freshman Bill Walker were scrambling to secure a commitment from a team drafting late in the first round after Walker injured his right knee during a workout in California this weekend.

Multiple sources close to Walker, and at least one who attended the workout in the Bay Area, said Sunday night that Walker would undergo another MRI on his knee Monday. Walker was one of 24 players at the Golden State Warriors' facility to work out in front of representatives from 21 NBA teams. The players in attendance were projected as being between the 20th and 45th picks.

Third injury, needs an MRI, probably won't disclose the severity of the injury until either they get a 1st round commitment or withdraw from the draft. Would you still take a rider on this guy even though he's the definition of injury prone?

"You've gotta respect a 15-percent 3-point shooter. A guy
like that is always lethal." - Evan 'The God' Turner

Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2008, 08:43:03 AM »

Offline Roy Hobbs

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After the most recent injury, and without seeing any injury reports, I doubt any team makes him a first round guarantee.  He'd be better off going back to K-State at this point.

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Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2008, 09:00:42 AM »

Offline kw10

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I think before this most recent injury (in the past few days-knee), he completely recovered from his previous injuries, so if this is only a minor injury, I do think Walker will be a reward late in the first round. But that's a big IF as you pointed out.
Anything is possible!!!

Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2008, 09:10:07 AM »

Offline Roy Hobbs

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I think before this most recent injury (in the past few days-knee), he completely recovered from his previous injuries, so if this is only a minor injury, I do think Walker will be a reward late in the first round. But that's a big IF as you pointed out.

I think the problems with Walker are that:

1) He *hadn't* fully recovered from his previous injuries.  He was playing at a high level, but he lost a lost of that Vince Carter athleticism that at one point had him projected as a top five pick; and

2) I don't think there will be time for teams to examine Walker's medical records related to this most recent injury in advance of the Monday deadline for withdrawal.

If Walker stays in the draft, I can see a team taking a flyer on him.  However, I think it's unlikely that any team will give him a commitment to making him a first round pick, without first examining Walker and all information related to his most recent injury.

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Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2008, 09:50:30 AM »

Offline quikblink

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I can see Danny taking Walker.  He took a risk on Powe who had a knee issues.  I know that pick was later so the risk was less, but Walker is the kind of talent that should be top 15 if healthy.

Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2008, 10:07:42 AM »

Offline Roy Hobbs

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I can see Danny taking Walker.  He took a risk on Powe who had a knee issues.  I know that pick was later so the risk was less, but Walker is the kind of talent that should be top 15 if healthy.

Danny wants players who can contribute now, though.  If Walker is having ongoing knee issues, his ability to help next year will be limited.

I really like the kid's potential and his game, too.  However, I just don't see a team giving him a guaranteed contract if he's not consistently healthy.  I think Danny would rather wait and see who slides, rather than make a commitment at this stage.

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Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2008, 10:28:34 AM »

Offline indeedproceed

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I can see Danny taking Walker.  He took a risk on Powe who had a knee issues.  I know that pick was later so the risk was less, but Walker is the kind of talent that should be top 15 if healthy.

Danny wants players who can contribute now, though.  If Walker is having ongoing knee issues, his ability to help next year will be limited.

I really like the kid's potential and his game, too.  However, I just don't see a team giving him a guaranteed contract if he's not consistently healthy.  I think Danny would rather wait and see who slides, rather than make a commitment at this stage.

Im with Roy on that..in that while I'd love Danny to take a risk on Walker, I recognize that with free agency coming and it being a virtual certainty that one, some, or all of Tony Allen, James Posey, Eddie House PJ Brown and Sam Cassell will be gone next season the need for a rookie to bring something to the table right away is pretty high. I think along those same lines Hollinger has our "Euro" pick all wrong. Guys like DeVon Hardin, Hibbert, Douglas-Rberts, or even Ryan Anderson are more the guys to look at. 

"You've gotta respect a 15-percent 3-point shooter. A guy
like that is always lethal." - Evan 'The God' Turner

Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2008, 10:33:37 AM »

Offline quikblink

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I can see Danny taking Walker.  He took a risk on Powe who had a knee issues.  I know that pick was later so the risk was less, but Walker is the kind of talent that should be top 15 if healthy.

Danny wants players who can contribute now, though.  If Walker is having ongoing knee issues, his ability to help next year will be limited.

I really like the kid's potential and his game, too.  However, I just don't see a team giving him a guaranteed contract if he's not consistently healthy.  I think Danny would rather wait and see who slides, rather than make a commitment at this stage.

If I was a betting man I would say Walker goes back to K-State

Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2008, 10:52:02 AM »

Offline Chris

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After the most recent injury, and without seeing any injury reports, I doubt any team makes him a first round guarantee.  He'd be better off going back to K-State at this point.

I agree, although if he allows a team to have their doctors examine the knee (or the MRI) themselves, then there still might be a chance of a guarantee.  For all we know, it is just a sprain.

Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2008, 10:57:26 AM »

Offline winsomme

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I can see Danny taking Walker.  He took a risk on Powe who had a knee issues.  I know that pick was later so the risk was less, but Walker is the kind of talent that should be top 15 if healthy.

Danny wants players who can contribute now, though.  If Walker is having ongoing knee issues, his ability to help next year will be limited.

I really like the kid's potential and his game, too.  However, I just don't see a team giving him a guaranteed contract if he's not consistently healthy.  I think Danny would rather wait and see who slides, rather than make a commitment at this stage.

the thing about the sliding issue is that it only works if a bunch of prospects don't pull out of the draft. and until the injury to Walker he was almost certainly in, so that is one more potential drop out and one less potential slider...

i like the "slide" option, but with so many prospects seriously thinking about dropping out, that weakens that strategy and if Danny really likes some kid that might drop out, i say give him the guarantee to keep him in the draft.

it works either way because you either get a player that you really like or someone picks him ahead of you which helps the "slider" option...

Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2008, 10:57:54 AM »

Offline Roy Hobbs

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After the most recent injury, and without seeing any injury reports, I doubt any team makes him a first round guarantee.  He'd be better off going back to K-State at this point.

I agree, although if he allows a team to have their doctors examine the knee (or the MRI) themselves, then there still might be a chance of a guarantee.  For all we know, it is just a sprain.

The question is, can he get all that coordinated by 5:00pm today?

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Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2008, 11:00:18 AM »

Offline cordobes

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IMO, and I know it's not the most popular opinion, he was already a high risk/high reward pick - and not because of the knee injuries. Now the risk is higher/the reward potentially lower.

He should go back to Kansas, learn to play within himself and prove he can lead that team.

p.s. - Here's a link to watch all games from the NCAA tournament, btw
http://www.ncaasports.com/mmod/player/

Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2008, 11:03:06 AM »

Offline Chris

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After the most recent injury, and without seeing any injury reports, I doubt any team makes him a first round guarantee.  He'd be better off going back to K-State at this point.

I agree, although if he allows a team to have their doctors examine the knee (or the MRI) themselves, then there still might be a chance of a guarantee.  For all we know, it is just a sprain.

The question is, can he get all that coordinated by 5:00pm today?

[dang], it's already the deadline?  This whole finals thing has thrown off my draft addiction...I am OK with it though.

I suppose he needs to get the MRI ASAP, and if it is just a sprain or something, he will likely stay in, and go around showing everyone the MRI so they know he is OK.  If its something worse, he will wait till next year.

Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2008, 11:06:37 AM »

Offline winsomme

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draft express reported a meniscus tear and that they were sending around his MRI from over the weekend to interested teams..

http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/Jonathan-Givony/

Re: Bill Walker: Risk/Reward?
« Reply #14 on: June 16, 2008, 11:08:34 AM »

Offline Brickowski

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Walker probably can't go back to K-State and remain eligible.