2014 NBA Draft Discussion Thread

[SHAQATTACK]

Watched most of the KS/OK game. Embiid looked lost at times, but clearly the best athlete among the big men. Wiggins made some nice plays but unless you were watching for him explicitly you forgot where he was for large sections of the game (you never forgot where Embiid was).

Ellis looked okay I guess. Same with Selden.

The white guys for OKA looked like they might be in the running for 'most annoying players to play against'.

Wiggins maybe uncle snooze part II ...or Jerald green s second coming ...I'm not convinced he has the killer instinct.......I think he won't be taken till 6 or seven .....he needs a lot of growing up

I'd go with Randle before Wiggins...... Randle got the Zbo attitude going on

[PickNRoll]

Anyone else feeling that Stauskas might be a good use of our late-first round pick?

This draft is just too deep.  If PJ Hairston, Warren, or any number of other guys are available you can't take Stauskas, but I do see him as a value pick around 20.

[letsgoblue86]

I like Clint Capela, Stauskus, or McDermott with our ATL/BKN pick.

[Mr October]

I like Clint Capela, Stauskus, or McDermott with our ATL/BKN pick.

The foreign players keep coming out of the woodwork. I hope the celtics give this raw kid a long look. Capela has a litte greek freak or Larry sanders to him.

He also has some Ryan hollins and Mikki Moore to him....

[henr1k]

http://espn.go.com/nba/lottery2014/mockdraft

Man, I just played espn's mock lottery for fun, almost puked. Lakers got Embiid with 1st pick 3 times in a row 
Wow, what are the odds. I hope i just jinxed them.
We got 6th (Exum), 7th (Gordon - my #1 bust potential guy) and 2nd (Parker).

On topic, speaking of international prospects, a guy i would love C's to get is Mario Hezonja. He is 19, played for Barcelona's B team last season. This season he is with senior team but isn't getting much playing time.

Lat year he was invited to Nike Hoop Summit but injury forced him to miss the event. I am not sure he declares but he is the guy I wouldn't mind picking (late 1st or early 2nd) and stashing for couple of seasons.

DraftExpress report (from last year Junior tournament I believe)

Strengths:
-Terrific size, frame and athleticism for a wing prospect
-Can make shots from anywhere on the court, with feet set, off the dribble, and with a hand in his face
-Creates separation from defender very well and has excellent shooting mechanics
-Very good in transition
-Can beat man off the dribble in half-court with excellent first step, and then finish over the top of the defense
-Shows intriguing court vision, especially off the pick and roll. Threads needle to diving cutters with bounce passes for layups

Weaknesses:
-Looked disconnected mentally from his teammates, and from the game in general. Constantly talking to opponents. Seems to lack focus on the court
-Struggles operating within a team concept. Only really looks comfortable in isolation or pick and roll settings
-Goes too many possessions where he dribbles the ball incessantly and then settles for a contested pull-up jumper
-Needs to improve ball-handling skills in half-court. Doesn't change speeds or directions. If can't simply blow by his man, immediately pulls up off the dribble
-Struggles defensively off the ball. Shows poor awareness

Edit: Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su6TAa55N94

[JBcat]

I'm not seeing a ton of separation from say the 6th or 7th pick through 20.  Could be really good for us if someone slides with our second pick that Ainge really likes.

[Birdman]

Just saw on NBADraft.net:

#4-Julius Randle
#17-T.J. Warren

[PhoSita]

I like Clint Capela, Stauskus, or McDermott with our ATL/BKN pick.

The foreign players keep coming out of the woodwork. I hope the celtics give this raw kid a long look. Capela has a litte greek freak or Larry sanders to him.

He also has some Ryan hollins and Mikki Moore to him....

Nine times out of ten these bean poles that people go nuts over end up becoming Alexis Ajinca / Ryan Hollins / Anthony Randolph / Austin Daye / Al Farouq Aminu / Hilton Armstrong etc.

[Tr1boy]

Just saw on NBADraft.net:

#4-Julius Randle
#17-T.J. Warren

I would be super happy if this were to happen

[Galeto]

I like Clint Capela, Stauskus, or McDermott with our ATL/BKN pick.

The foreign players keep coming out of the woodwork. I hope the celtics give this raw kid a long look. Capela has a litte greek freak or Larry sanders to him.

He also has some Ryan hollins and Mikki Moore to him....

Nine times out of ten these bean poles that people go nuts over end up becoming Alexis Ajinca / Ryan Hollins / Anthony Randolph / Austin Daye / Al Farouq Aminu / Hilton Armstrong etc.

Have you seen Capela on video?  He's not a beanpole or whatever you mean.  He's not frail, he's not all bones like JaJuan Johnson, Ajinca or Daye were.  He has some muscle definition and looks like he'll be able to add weight.  If you just want to dismiss him because you've pulled some ratio out of thin air, well, I don't know what to tell you.  The guy's an elite athlete--maybe the best athlete in this draft alongside Wiggins--and he can rebound, block shots and finish around the basket at 19 in a professional league that's sent many fine players over to the NBA.  There are lots of meh prospects from the late lottery on.  He's one of the few who is pretty tantalizing.

[mqtcelticsfan]

I'd be pretty happy with Capela with our Hawks/Nets pick. I think one of the biggest benefits of having so many draft picks is the ability to shoot for the stars with a project like Capela and not cripple your future if he busts.

[Tr1boy]

I'd be pretty happy with Capela with our Hawks/Nets pick. I think one of the biggest benefits of having so many draft picks is the ability to shoot for the stars with a project like Capela and not cripple your future if he busts.

Danny is going to draft someone that can work with Stevens who likes guys with decent iq. So guys like Fab Melo are out of the question. And Capela from the scouting video and reports doesn't look like he has a decent iq.  He will be one step too slow constantly and rarely get to play

Unless Danny drafts a pg with our 1st pick, with our 2nd 1st pick i think danny chooses a PG to backup rondo and/or in case rondo is traded/jets. Some decent ones sb available are Micic, clarkson, christon, burton, payton

[mqtcelticsfan]

I'd be pretty happy with Capela with our Hawks/Nets pick. I think one of the biggest benefits of having so many draft picks is the ability to shoot for the stars with a project like Capela and not cripple your future if he busts.

Danny is going to draft someone that can work with Stevens who likes guys with decent iq. So guys like Fab Melo are out of the question. And Capela from the scouting video and reports doesn't look like he has a decent iq.  He will be one step too slow constantly and rarely get to play

See, I don't buy this. If a coach can only succeed with high basketball IQ guys, then maybe the coach isn't very good.

[Tr1boy]

I'd be pretty happy with Capela with our Hawks/Nets pick. I think one of the biggest benefits of having so many draft picks is the ability to shoot for the stars with a project like Capela and not cripple your future if he busts.

Danny is going to draft someone that can work with Stevens who likes guys with decent iq. So guys like Fab Melo are out of the question. And Capela from the scouting video and reports doesn't look like he has a decent iq.  He will be one step too slow constantly and rarely get to play

See, I don't buy this. If a coach can only succeed with high basketball IQ guys, then maybe the coach isn't very good.

But you know there is so much a coach can do. And if they value time and not to mess up the system they won't draft guys that you need to be patient with. Look at the spurs. When was the last time you seen them draft a guy with little to no iq but with a world of physical tools?  They rather draft tiago splitter, cory joseph vs fab melo any day of the week

Rivers on the other hand i noticed loves athletic players. Then he will try to work on the other things. For example Tony Allen , Gerald Green. He did succeed with Tony Allen who earlier in his career made bonehead mistakes but didn't later on and is now a good player

Stevens imo is more like Pops. Thats why guys like Brooks didn't get to see the light of the day. Faverani the same. Dantoni on the other hand is more like rivers and is playing bazemore and brooks alot

[Tr1boy]

I bet also Danny wasn't dying to draft Olynyk if it were his choice. Olynyk the few times he faced Butler really took it to them and Stevens on the sidelines had this look, "how do i figure out, stop this guy?".  Its these kind of players he wants on his team.