2014 Re-Draft: The Top Ten

[Tr1boy]

Parker is like a taller Boris Diaw.

Statements like this just call into question everything else you might say about assessing NBA players.

No it doesn't.  We will see who is right my friend. 

[Quetzalcoatl]

I don't think there are many people outside of Celtic fans that would rank Smart over Elfrid Payton right now. Payton is averaging 11ppg 7apg 5rpg for a Magic team that is currently 6-4. His shooting percentages aren't good but neither are Smart's.

I love Smart and I think he'll wind up having the better career but based on what they've accomplished so far, Payton ranks higher.

None of those numbers are accurate.  He isn't even averaging ten points and the Magic are 5-6

looks like he took per36 and not his actual numbers based on his 31 minutes a game.

So the Magic would be 6-4 if we counted wins per 36?

[Donoghus]

Parker is like a taller Boris Diaw.

Statements like this just call into question everything else you might say about assessing NBA players.

Yeah, I'm sorry. I just don't see the Boris Diaw comparison at all.  Parker's ceiling is much higher also.

[Moranis]

I don't think there are many people outside of Celtic fans that would rank Smart over Elfrid Payton right now. Payton is averaging 11ppg 7apg 5rpg for a Magic team that is currently 6-4. His shooting percentages aren't good but neither are Smart's.

I love Smart and I think he'll wind up having the better career but based on what they've accomplished so far, Payton ranks higher.

None of those numbers are accurate.  He isn't even averaging ten points and the Magic are 5-6

looks like he took per36 and not his actual numbers based on his 31 minutes a game.

So the Magic would be 6-4 if we counted wins per 36?

No.  what kind of goofy logic is that?

[Quetzalcoatl]

No.  what kind of goofy logic is that?

It was a joke

[colincb]

I don't think there are many people outside of Celtic fans that would rank Smart over Elfrid Payton right now. Payton is averaging 11ppg 7apg 5rpg for a Magic team that is currently 6-4. His shooting percentages aren't good but neither are Smart's.

I love Smart and I think he'll wind up having the better career but based on what they've accomplished so far, Payton ranks higher.

Smarts advanced stats are better this year pretty much across the board and were better last year too. Payton's stats are actually regressing this season.

http://bkref.com/tiny/MTu31
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/smartma01.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/paytoel01.html

[LarBrd33]

I don't think there are many people outside of Celtic fans that would rank Smart over Elfrid Payton right now. Payton is averaging 11ppg 7apg 5rpg for a Magic team that is currently 6-4. His shooting percentages aren't good but neither are Smart's.

I love Smart and I think he'll wind up having the better career but based on what they've accomplished so far, Payton ranks higher.

I'm not even sure it's Celtic fans that overrate Smart... Maybe just Celticbloggers.  Bill Simmons is one of the biggest Celtic homers out there and he's repeatedly referred to Smart as being potentially as good as Tony Allen "some day" in his conversations with Zach Lowe... And it was said in an optimistic tone like "I think smart is an asset... He could be as good as tony Allen eventually".  It's kind of uncharacteristic for Simmons to say Smart's ceiling is Tony Allen while in the same podcast raving like a lunatic about how good RJ Hunter looks.  If Simmons made those comments about Smart on this blog he'd be labeled a instigator/troll/baiter.  Maybe it's just a reflection of how the rest of the world sees Tony Allen compared to this blog.  Tony evolved into one of the best defenders in the league... Comparing someone to him isn't an insult. I personally expect Smart to end up a hybrid of tony Allen on defense and Rodney stuckey on offense.

Still, I'm not completely sold on Payton.  He seems to project as the second coming of Rondo (can't shoot, good stats across the board), but I still think Smart is a better prospect and I'd still take Smart over Payton in spite of Payton's stats being better so far.   I dunno, maybe it's the Celticsblog homer in me, but I think there's still a chance Smart surpasses expectations.

[crimson_stallion]

I really don't get why people are rating Jabari Parker so high, aside from just the pre-draft hype and the fact that he was drafted so high.

So far he's putting up (Per 36) numbers of 11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.0 blocks and is shooting 49% / 0% / 67%. 

His offensive efficiency is absolutely woeful (1.03 Points Per FGA) thanks to the fact that he's not attempted a single three and has a horrible Free throw Rate (8.6%).

Also his defensive RPM (in the 25 games he played last year) was one of the worst in the entire NBA. 
 
If you compare those numbers to the likes of Marcus Smart, Aaron Gordon, Julius Randle, Elfrid Payton and Zach Lavine - every one of those guys looks better overall than Parker right now.

I understand they he's still got he upside going for him, but his actual production has been really very disappointing so far.  The Boris Diaw comparison kinda makes sense.

[Tr1boy]

I really don't get why people are rating Jabari Parker so high, aside from just the pre-draft hype and the fact that he was drafted so high.

So far he's putting up (Per 36) numbers of 11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.0 blocks and is shooting 49% / 0% / 67%. 

His offensive efficiency is absolutely woeful (1.03 Points Per FGA) thanks to the fact that he's not attempted a single three and has a horrible Free throw Rate (8.6%).

Also his defensive RPM (in the 25 games he played last year) was one of the worst in the entire NBA. 
 
If you compare those numbers to the likes of Marcus Smart, Aaron Gordon, Julius Randle, Elfrid Payton and Zach Lavine - every one of those guys looks better overall than Parker right now.

I understand they he's still got he upside going for him, but his actual production has been really very disappointing so far.  The Boris Diaw comparison kinda makes sense.

+1

Hype can take a backseat. 

He looked gassed 2nd half of his first year in college ball.  Ineffective near the end.    And he needs to work on his body and defense quite a bit.  He is a "tweener" good in some ways but also (like which position can he defend?)

The trend continues in the NBA against better competition

Imo, he does get better if he puts in the effort in the off season but I doubt he will live up to a number 2 draft status in his career.

I'm just happy  Smart fell on the Celtics lap

[oldtype]

This post just reminds me how depressing the 2014 draft class has been. Didn't we think we were getting 5-6 franchise players from this draft? We might not even end up with 5-6 regular starters.

[Csfan1984]

 I really need two more years. I'll do 2012 draft.

1.Davis
2. Lillard
3. Drummond
4. Green
5. Barnes
6. Beal (injuries cause slip should be 4)
7. Middleton
8. Sully
9. MKG
10. Henson

[Tr1boy]

I really need two more years. I'll do 2012 draft.

1.Davis
2. Lillard
3. Drummond
4. Green
5. Barnes
6. Beal
7. Middleton
8. Sully
9. MKG
10. Henson

Good list but I disagree with the bottom half. My list

1.Davis
2. Lillard
3. Drummond
4. Green
5. Barnes
6. Beal
7. Middleton
8. T. Jones
9. Sulliner
10. Henson
11. MKG
12. Crowder
13. Ezeli
14. T. Ross
15. Kyle O'Quinn

60. Fab Melo

[sofutomygaha]

Parker is like a taller Boris Diaw.

Statements like this just call into question everything else you might say about assessing NBA players.

No it doesn't.  We will see who is right my friend.

I don't know where I fall on this, because now I have to figure out how you feel about Boris Diaw. You must not think Diaw is a very good defender, which is weird to me again because I think of Diaw as a solid-to-good defensive player as long as he's not trying to mark a 5.

As a scorer, though, I think Jabari has a lot more talent than you realize.

But as you say, we shall see. File this away to revisit in 2020 I guess

[PhoSita]

This post just reminds me how depressing the 2014 draft class has been. Didn't we think we were getting 5-6 franchise players from this draft? We might not even end up with 5-6 regular starters.

Embiid's been a disappointment due to health, but otherwise in the top 10 the only other guys who have really been disappointing are Stauskas, who always seemed like a reach, and Vonleh, who hasn't really had a chance to get much playing time, yet.

Wiggins, Jabari, Smart, Gordon, Saric, Randle, Lavine, Warren, Nurkic, McDermott, Harris, Hood, and maybe Exum and Capela -- there are lots of guys who have shown enough to make you think they could turn into regular starters.  A handful look like potential stars.

[MJohnnyboy]

Parker is overrated. He is and will be a mediocre defender unless be builds much better body. 

And what position also will he defend?

I think that you are taking the common criticism of Parker's weaknesses to an illogical extreme. Offensively, he is such an elite prospect- so skilled but also crazy strong, crazy smart, and more explosive than people seem to acknowledge... he's going to score and draw fouls like few others. He will continue be compared to Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony as a pro. I'd much rather bet on a player like that to learn how to play respectable defense and round himself out than bet on, say, Zach Lavine to figure out how to make a leap in every respect (except the literal one-- he can jump really nice, haha).

Parker is like a taller Boris Diaw. Overrated per where he got drafted but still a good player on some established team down the line.

  Diaw was selected 21st in the 2003 draft. That's not exactly top of the class. And how the hell is he overrated? He's a decent role player on a contender. I don't think anyone ever thought, "That Boris Diaw is going to be a potential franchise cornerstone!" Not to mention Parker and Diaw are the same height.

I think the player comp you're looking for is Marvin Williams. Am I right?