2014 NBA Draft Discussion Thread

[GreenShooter]

Would love for the C's to land Doug McDermott. The kid can flat out shoot. He'd be the best shooter on this team immediately (not that it's a big feat right now). He's no Adam Morrison so please none of those comparisons.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Would love for the C's to land Doug McDermott. The kid can flat out shoot. He'd be the best shooter on this team immediately (not that it's a big feat right now). He's no Adam Morrison so please none of those comparisons.

He will be drafted around 12-14, so it's really unlikely that we'll get him.  We'll most likely draft top 7 and then our Nets/Hawks pick will be in the 18 to 22 range.  Maybe if we traded our N/H pick plus our 2015 Clips pick, but I would honestly hold tight on that.  We are a Chris Paul injury away from that being a lottery pick next year

[Tr1boy]

Would love for the C's to land Doug McDermott. The kid can flat out shoot. He'd be the best shooter on this team immediately (not that it's a big feat right now). He's no Adam Morrison so please none of those comparisons.

At worse he will be a 3 pt sharpshooter. That is worse

At best, one of the best 2nd or 3rd scoring option in the league.

Its tempting to draft him. Also saric and anderson.

Maybe we should just build a amazing offensive team and forget about defense

[Galeto]

Gary Harris is really growing on me.  I didn't like him at all when I saw him play in the high school all-star games.  I didn't think he was a good enough athlete or skilled enough for his size to be much of a NBA player.  Since then, he looks slimmer but stronger and all-around more athletic and skilled.  He's a really well-rounded player.  He can shoot, drive to the basket in the half-court as well as in transition, create for others and defend. 

I think I would take him over Smart who might not have the athleticism or shooting touch to produce good efficiency. 

[D.o.s.]

Just finished making a mock draft on my website. Please check it out and tell me what you think. I should be posting one a month until the draft happens in June.
http://www.thepickandpop.com/2014/01/14/the-pick-and-pop-diaries-nba-mock-draft-i/

Could use another edit.

While the draft is still 163 days away (only a 163 days!)

That turns me off right away, and it's in the first paragraph. Which is a shame because the formatting is really good,and the gifs break up the text nicely.

[rondohondo]

wow smart is a really poor shooter, looks like another Tyreke Evans.....

[Tr1boy]

wow smart is a really poor shooter, looks like another Tyreke Evans.....

I agree. He is streaky at best. But he is not really like evans who is a under the rim player. Definitely more like Dwade bc of his athleticism, rebounding, passing. Likely a poor man version bc Dwade is Dwade

[Tr1boy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6oPQMpmuT8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6YWflzxpnI

This kid has ridiculous hops. Not only can he outjump everybody but he jumps up so quickly. Like Kenneth Faried.

Is listed as a SF at 6'9 but with more weight i can see him become the next Serge Ibaka. And the Celtics could really use Ibaka right about now

Raw offensively and is not a go to guy for Syracuse. But when he sees an opening will drive strong to the basket like the second clip above. I like the fact also he can dribble with his left and has a great first step. 

wow

[Atzar]

wow smart is a really poor shooter, looks like another Tyreke Evans.....

I agree. He is streaky at best. But he is not really like evans who is a under the rim player. Definitely more like Dwade bc of his athleticism, rebounding, passing. Likely a poor man version bc Dwade is Dwade

I haven't seen that Smart plays above the rim all that much either.  Certainly not like Wade used to do. 

I see people try to use the Wade comparison for Smart fairly often, and I just don't see it.  Not nearly the dynamic playmaker that Wade was, either for himself or others.  I think the Tyreke comp fits a lot better in my opinion - and that's assuming the team that drafts him allows him to just do whatever he wants with the ball.  We saw what happened when Reke wasn't allowed to do that.  I wonder how well Smart would adjust to playing off of the ball, if he's required to do so.

[Tr1boy]

wow smart is a really poor shooter, looks like another Tyreke Evans.....

I agree. He is streaky at best. But he is not really like evans who is a under the rim player. Definitely more like Dwade bc of his athleticism, rebounding, passing. Likely a poor man version bc Dwade is Dwade

I haven't seen that Smart plays above the rim all that much either.  Certainly not like Wade used to do. 

I see people try to use the Wade comparison for Smart fairly often, and I just don't see it.  Not nearly the dynamic playmaker that Wade was, either for himself or others.  I think the Tyreke comp fits a lot better in my opinion - and that's assuming the team that drafts him allows him to just do whatever he wants with the ball.  We saw what happened when Reke wasn't allowed to do that.  I wonder how well Smart would adjust to playing off of the ball, if he's required to do so.

Thats why i said poor man version. Wade is as beastly as you can get as a SG in the NBA. And he can jump high and really quick off the ground.

Smart not as high and not as quick. But still better than Evans who barely at times gets off the ground. How he scores those circus shots at times is pretty incredible if you think about it

[Moranis]

cnnsi big board

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20140116/nba-big-board-jabari-parker-andrew-wiggins-joel-embiid/?eref=sihp

[Evantime34]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6oPQMpmuT8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6YWflzxpnI

This kid has ridiculous hops. Not only can he outjump everybody but he jumps up so quickly. Like Kenneth Faried.

Is listed as a SF at 6'9 but with more weight i can see him become the next Serge Ibaka. And the Celtics could really use Ibaka right about now

Raw offensively and is not a go to guy for Syracuse. But when he sees an opening will drive strong to the basket like the second clip above. I like the fact also he can dribble with his left and has a great first step. 

wow

A comparison I heard and like is Josh Smith without the terrible mid range jumpers.

[rondohondo]

cnnsi big board

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20140116/nba-big-board-jabari-parker-andrew-wiggins-joel-embiid/?eref=sihp

#8 Marcus Smart

Smart has picked up his production again after a mid-December lull in which his scoring numbers dipped and his turnovers increased. He posted 46 points combined in back-to-back wins over Texas and West Virginia last week. The turnovers are still a problem -- Smart’s 1.53-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks (gulp) 236th nationally -- and several scouts commented that they would like to see him be more of a playmaker when he penetrates. But Smart’s superior size and ability to score through contact make him most coveted pure playmaker in the draft.

Smart has a terrible ast/ to ratio , wow that was shocking to me consider he is supposed to be a top 5 pick. Combine that with his really ugly shot and I think he is going to be a big time bust .

Really hope C's don't draft him, he is definitely not in my top 5 .

My top 5

1)Embiid
2)Parker
3)Wiggins
4)Exum
5)Randle

Danny probably takes Parker over Embiid , I don't think you can go wrong with either .

[Tr1boy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6oPQMpmuT8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6YWflzxpnI

This kid has ridiculous hops. Not only can he outjump everybody but he jumps up so quickly. Like Kenneth Faried.

Is listed as a SF at 6'9 but with more weight i can see him become the next Serge Ibaka. And the Celtics could really use Ibaka right about now

Raw offensively and is not a go to guy for Syracuse. But when he sees an opening will drive strong to the basket like the second clip above. I like the fact also he can dribble with his left and has a great first step. 

wow

A comparison I heard and like is Josh Smith without the terrible mid range jumpers.

I can see the josh smith comparisons but grant is more physical  already.

[oldmanspeaks]

It is easy to see the potential of Embid and Parker and Wiggins is a great athlete that just needs to learn how to play in the half-court. However I simply don't grasp the hype for Randle and Smart. Randle is all about his strength which will be negated in the NBA. And Smart with all his talent isn't very quick/fast. Frankly some of the lesser talents have more upside in my humble opinion. I would like to see how Hood, Young etc do the rest of the year. The way to look at great talent is to see how they do when their top moves is taken away by another top player. If they can adjust with secondary moves, they are the real deal. However for example if their game is strength and that doesn't work and they have nothing else to offer, they will fade in the NBA. (same is true for evaluating top NFL prospects. I have been a draftnik for 40 yrs and it is all about seeing how a player doesn't when their main advantage is taken away. If the guy has secondary strengths, he is the real deal).