2011 NBA Draft

[Jacob]

Interesting Best case/worst case comparisons from DX:
Irving: Deron/rich man's Maynor
Williams: Beasley w/o mental issues/more athletic Jamison (That's a great "worst case")
Kemba: Lawson/Aaron Brooks (ouch!)
Kanter: Kevin Love/ Pachulia (this makes sense)
Hamilton: Steven Jackson/Mbah A Moute
Klay Thompson: Mike Miller in prime/Bellinelli (would be a good result from pick #12)
Burks: Brandon Roy/Marquis Daniels (ditto)
Jimmer: Mike Bibby/Daniel Gibson (I'd give him slightly more credit)
Knight: Billups/Lou Williams (would be a good pick at #6)


I'd really like for Leonard to be this year's Danny Granger. Ranked in most people's top 6, but plays in a small conference and doesn't have an "elite skill" and drops to pick 17. Except in my dream, he doesn't fall past the Jazz at 12.

Also, I'd hate the Jazz to be the Portland Trailblazers of 2005 and essentially pass on Deron Williams to move down to #6 to take Martel Webster. Take the best player available at 3. If that's Kanter, fine, if it's Knight, fine. If its Kemba, start over.

[Donuthole]

Interesting Best case/worst case comparisons from DX:
Irving: Deron/rich man's Maynor
Williams: Beasley w/o mental issues/more athletic Jamison (That's a great "worst case")
Kemba: Lawson/Aaron Brooks (ouch!)
Kanter: Kevin Love/ Pachulia (this makes sense)
Hamilton: Steven Jackson/Mbah A Moute
Klay Thompson: Mike Miller in prime/Bellinelli (would be a good result from pick #12)
Burks: Brandon Roy/Marquis Daniels (ditto)
Jimmer: Mike Bibby/Daniel Gibson (I'd give him slightly more credit)
Knight: Billups/Lou Williams (would be a good pick at #6)


I'd really like for Leonard to be this year's Danny Granger. Ranked in most people's top 6, but plays in a small conference and doesn't have an "elite skill" and drops to pick 17. Except in my dream, he doesn't fall past the Jazz at 12.

Also, I'd hate the Jazz to be the Portland Trailblazers of 2005 and essentially pass on Deron Williams to move down to #6 to take Martel Webster. Take the best player available at 3. If that's Kanter, fine, if it's Knight, fine. If its Kemba, start over.

I'm with you on Leonard. I'd love him at 12. I'd be fine trading down to 6 or 7 if it meant picking up a decent player and dumping Raja in addition to swapping picks. Hopefully Kanter continues to impress.

[smokymountainrain]

The guy does seem like a huge unknown, but when you think about it, he's not in really all that different a position than most kids coming out of HS, and prior to the new rule teams had no problem drafting kids in that situation.

He started playing professionally in Turkey at like what, 15? He's played for their Jr. national team for years, came over to the states for his Sr. year and was ranked the top overall C in his class by scout and rivals, and this was all before his performance at the Hoop Summit.

I mean the only real difference between this kid and Irving is about 10 college games. Those games certainly help in the evaluation, but I don't see their situations as being drastically different. Does lead to some concern in both cases, though.

I agree. It's like drafting Eddy Curry or Dwight Howard out of HS. Both were ranked #1, but HS kids are complete unknowns in terms of whether they can really play. Ultimately, as with any prospect, you weigh the risk against the potential reward and hope for the best. This is why the one year of college rule is a good thing.

[Jacob]

I agree. It's like drafting Eddy Curry or Dwight Howard out of HS. Both were ranked #1, but HS kids are complete unknowns in terms of whether they can really play. Ultimately, as with any prospect, you weigh the risk against the potential reward and hope for the best. This is why the one year of college rule is a good thing.

Well, at least Kanter's bodyfat is 5.7%, which means he probably won't end up like Curry.

[MarkGrace]

Well, at least Kanter's bodyfat is 5.7%, which means he probably won't end up like Curry.

Have to say that's one of the things that impressed me about him. Coming in that lean at 260 is one seriously developed teenager.

[MartyFunkhouser]

BYU's Jimmer Fredette was a hot topic at the camp. He didn't really stand out in the drills on Thursday or Friday, but he was a major hit in interviews. A number of teams told me Fredette was the best interview they had and came away convinced that all of his celebrity had not gone to his head. "He's a humble, hard-working kid. You can't help but like him," one NBA executive said.

I really an bothered about how Jimmer Fredette makes himself so difficult to dislike. I want to root against him because of his BYU pedigree, but I find myself kind of hoping that he has a decent NBA career. I actually would be thrilled if he slipped to the Blazers. He would make a great backup to Andre Miller.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

I really an bothered about how Jimmer Fredette makes himself so difficult to dislike. I want to root against him because of his BYU pedigree, but I find myself kind of hoping that he has a decent NBA career. I actually would be thrilled if he slipped to the Blazers. He would make a great backup to Andre Miller.

Are the Blazers going to have anyone doing the draft for them this year? Or is Allen going to make the picks himself?

[MarkGrace]

I still want to know about the kid's knees though. wtf is going on with them? That remains the biggest red flag in my mind.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Are the Blazers going to have anyone doing the draft for them this year? Or is Allen going to make the picks himself?

Luckily, Cho is in good with the team. It is probably only another year or so before he pisses off Paul Allen and is fired on the day of the draft. Also, in hindsight firing Pritchard made sense, but the way he was fired made no sense.

[MarkGrace]

I really an bothered about how Jimmer Fredette makes himself so difficult to dislike. I want to root against him because of his BYU pedigree, but I find myself kind of hoping that he has a decent NBA career. I actually would be thrilled if he slipped to the Blazers. He would make a great backup to Andre Miller.

I'm too big a Jazz fan -- and care too little about the hoop rivalry -- to base my opinion of a kid on where he went to college. If Bogut came to the Jazz, I'd be thrilled and really could give a shit that he played at Utah.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Luckily, Cho is in good with the team. It is probably only another year or so before he @#!*% off Paul Allen and is fired on the day of the draft. Also, in hindsight firing Pritchard made sense, but the way he was fired made no sense.

You knew Cho got the axe today, right?

[MarkGrace]

Luckily, Cho is in good with the team. It is probably only another year or so before he pisses off Paul Allen and is fired on the day of the draft. Also, in hindsight firing Pritchard made sense, but the way he was fired made no sense.

Saw him again the other day. He was speaking at a luncheon at the Columbia Tower club.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I'm too big a Jazz fan to care about college rivalries. If Bogut came to the Jazz, I'd be thrilled and really could give a shit that he played at Utah.

For me it all depends on the player. If it was Jimmer Fredette (or really anyone on the current BYU roster), I will be a fan of the player and hope that he does well. If it was the likes of say a Mekeli Wesley, Nate Cooper, or Araujo, I would root for them to be a miserable failure.

[MarkGrace]

You knew Cho got the axe today, right?

Holy crap! I had no idea. That's too bad...good dude.

[MartyFunkhouser]

You knew Cho got the axe today, right?

Um, I didn't. WTF is going on in Portland. Screw you Paul Allen. The guy has been really solid in his first year in Portland. This makes no fucking sense unless we have Sam Presti lined up to take his place. I don't know why anyone would want this job. Burn in Hell Paul Allen.