"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[MarkGrace]

Would much rather have Robinson for that 1st rounder.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Read two rumors from different teams of Mavs offering the 13th if they will take Marion. Mentioned this earlier, but for a team like Utah that has to get to the minimum anyway, isn't that worth it? Then you have greater flexibility to move up this draft, and you likely either buy Marion out at some point, or move him at the trade deadline to a contender if he is playing well to try to accumulate other assets.

[MarkGrace]

Read two rumors from different teams of Mavs offering the 13th if they will take Marion. Mentioned this earlier, but for a team like Utah that has to get to the minimum anyway, isn't that worth it? Then you have greater flexibility to move up this draft, and you likely either buy Marion out at some point, or move him at the trade deadline to a contender if he is playing well to try to accumulate other assets.

I'm not entirely sure here, but can they do this? I thought they won't have space until after the draft?

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

I'm not entirely sure here, but can they do this? I thought they won't have space until after the draft?

True. Would they have to renounce guys before clearing their cap holds? So probably not going to happen just in case a trade opportunity comes up after free agency starts. With Mo, Foye, Al, and Millsap all with cap holds they probably don't have room to take the $8 M of Marion on. Bummer.

Unless Dallas wants to take someone for Utah with a trade done later.

[MarkGrace]

Ford's mock 6.0 has:

14 - Nogueira
21 - Canaan
46 - Wolters

I'd be ok with that. Wolters would be a steal at 46.

[smokymountainrain]

A day later, after watching some videos, I've cooled down on Wolters but not because of the Redick arms - rather because I don't trust his shooting stroke. It's ugly. Shot 41% from three his soph season, 29% junior and 38% senior. His form just doesn't scream consistency and that's a concern. That said, yes, at 46, he'd be a steal. I'd still go Dieng over Nogueira at 14.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

A day later, after watching some videos, I've cooled down on Wolters but not because of the Redick arms - rather because I don't trust his shooting stroke. It's ugly. Shot 41% from three his soph season, 29% junior and 38% senior. His form just doesn't scream consistency and that's a concern. That said, yes, at 46, he'd be a steal. I'd still go Dieng over Nogueira at 14.

Am I remembering right that Dieng has had knee issues?

What surprised me when I looked at Wolters stats is what a good percentage he shot from inside the arc. I wasn't expecting that. My original perception of him was this guy who could get hot from range. But when he played his best competition, he actually did pretty well but it wasn't by shooting it from 3. He must be pretty good at getting in the lane and using his height to get decent shots off. There were games against solid competition where he'd be 9-15 but 0-2 from 3.

I like Canaan as a Bobby Jackson type back up guard. I don't know if I like him at 21. I know these mocks have comments like "Wolters was considered at 21", but I don't buy it. I think Utah could trade back from 21 and still have a shot at Canaan. But I like his attitude on the court.

With teams reportedly ready to make a run on Euro players that won't be on their payroll this year, I wonder if Tomic could be in play as a trade to get another first. If Dallas can't find a taker for Marion, instead of drafting Karasev there would they rather have Tomic?

[smokymountainrain]

Am I remembering right that Dieng has had knee issues?

What surprised me when I looked at Wolters stats is what a good percentage he shot from inside the arc. I wasn't expecting that. My original perception of him was this guy who could get hot from range. But when he played his best competition, he actually did pretty well but it wasn't by shooting it from 3. He must be pretty good at getting in the lane and using his height to get decent shots off. There were games against solid competition where he'd be 9-15 but 0-2 from 3.

I like Canaan as a Bobby Jackson type back up guard. I don't know if I like him at 21. I know these mocks have comments like "Wolters was considered at 21", but I don't buy it. I think Utah could trade back from 21 and still have a shot at Canaan. But I like his attitude on the court.

With teams reportedly ready to make a run on Euro players that won't be on their payroll this year, I wonder if Tomic could be in play as a trade to get another first. If Dallas can't find a taker for Marion, instead of drafting Karasev there would they rather have Tomic?

I don't remember knee issues for Dieng, but of course that would be a red flag if there is anything lingering. Agree about Canaan. Seems to be a playmaking, shooting/scoring, sparkplug type who would be good off the bench, although I might like Pierre Jackson in that role just as much, if not more.

Tomic is a complete mystery to me. I don't understand what the Jazz plans for him are at all.

[Blueintheface]

I'm not high on Wolters either but at 46 that seems ok. His midrange game and height make him appealing while his lateral quickness does not. Noguiera would instantly be a fan favorite (could you imagine a late-game line-up of Evans/Nogueira in the frontcourt? Hilarity would ensue.) But he looks to have zero instincts on gaining position and simply tries to outreach players for rebounds rather than gaining position. A rim protector and nothing more.

I'm more and more intrigued by Canaan though. At 21 it might be a reach but a PG with leadership and moxy is just what the Jazz need. He may lack the passing ability but he's shown he can get to the rim. I wouldn't be upset with that pick.

[MarkGrace]

Andy Katz @ESPNAndyKatz 14m

CJ McCollum very impressive. Told one of the three teams outside the top 10 trying to trade up for him (Utah, Phily, Port).

Wonder if the Jazz are really after him.

[smokymountainrain]

In DX's "Just By the Numbers" feature they do every year, where they take the top 15-20 draft prospects by position and break them down statistically, the last statistical category is PER. From 2007 to 2012 (DX started the Just by the Numbers feature in 07, so unfortunately can't go further back than that), at PG, the top guy in PER has been:

2012 - Damien Lillard (by a wide margin)
2011 - Kyrie Irving
2010 - Greivis Vasquez
2009 - Steph Curry
2008 - Lester Hudson (#2 was George Hill, #3 Ty Lawson)
2007 - Rodney Stuckey

Here we have top 10 type prospects, late first prospects, big schools, smalls schools, etc. To a man, with the exception of Hudson in '08 (he was never a serious prospect anyway and certainly has never been given an opportunity in the league) the best PG in the draft in terms of PER has outperformed his draft position, or in the case of Irving, definitely lived up to it.

That's right, I've finally found the fool proof draft predictor for PGs, we've all been searching for!!! What does this mean for this year's draft, you all ask? Trade the hell up for CJ McCollum! He is the top PER PG this year (Wolters is #2, FWIW). You trade up and get him at #7, you will be getting one of the top 3 guys in the draft.

Sample size, shmample size.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

In DX's "Just By the Numbers" feature they do every year, where they take the top 15-20 draft prospects by position and break them down statistically, the last statistical category is PER. From 2007 to 2012 (DX started the Just by the Numbers feature in 07, so unfortunately can't go further back than that), at PG, the top guy in PER has been:

2012 - Damien Lillard (by a wide margin)
2011 - Kyrie Irving
2010 - Greivis Vasquez
2009 - Steph Curry
2008 - Lester Hudson (#2 was George Hill, #3 Ty Lawson)
2007 - Rodney Stuckey

Here we have top 10 type prospects, late first prospects, big schools, smalls schools, etc. To a man, with the exception of Hudson in '08 (he was never a serious prospect anyway and certainly has never been given an opportunity in the league) the best PG in the draft in terms of PER has outperformed his draft position, or in the case of Irving, definitely lived up to it.

That's right, I've finally found the fool proof draft predictor for PGs, we've all been searching for!!! What does this mean for this year's draft, you all ask? Trade the @#!*% up for CJ McCollum! He is the top PER PG this year (Wolters is #2, FWIW). You trade up and get him at #7, you will be getting one of the top 3 guys in the draft.

Sample size, shmample size.

With rebounding carrying too much weight in PER, it makes sense to see those numbers, and then add in the talk that rebound rate for guards has proven to be one of the nice predictors of future success in the NBA. Find a guard that can shoot well, has good athleticism, decent wingspan, and then uses that athleticism and span to be a good rebounder in college, and you've probably got a good pick for the NBA.

[smokymountainrain]

With rebounding carrying too much weight in PER, it makes sense to see those numbers, and then add in the talk that rebound rate for guards has proven to be one of the nice predictors of future success in the NBA. Find a guard that can shoot well, has good athleticism, decent wingspan, and then uses that athleticism and span to be a good rebounder in college, and you've probably got a good pick for the NBA.

Yep. The other thing they have in common is that all are 6'2" or better, - which helps in terms of rebounding and wingspan - other than Lawson.

[MarkGrace]

While Barcelona are no stranger to the accomplishment that is having the best defense in Europe, one certain name on the roster had been quite unfamiliar to that territory, up until he joined Pascual’s ranks in the summer of 2012. A lanky gem that had remained unwrought for the most of his career, Ante Tomic was always a liability on defense. When he left Real Madrid in the summer, many thought Laso’s side wouldn’t miss him as well as that he would be a definite downgrade on defense over Boni N’Dong and Fran Vazquez. Almost a year later now, those who doubted Tomic’s abilities, including me, are proven wrong and have witnessed the redemption story of one of the finest big men in European basketball, if not in the world.

To say that Tomic has been a key contributor for Barcelona this season would surely be underselling it. Croatian center has been “the” difference maker, the guy upon whom was Pascual’s heightened. Barcelona allowed their opposition a crushing 88.6 points per 100 possessions while Tomic was on the floor —would rank as the best in the league— meanwhile teams managed to score 100.1 points when Tomic is not around.

http://euro-step.net/countdown-to-london-10-ante-tomic/

[Maximus]

http://euro-step.net/countdown-to-london-10-ante-tomic/

too badhe has no interest in the nba