2012 NBA Draft

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

I didn't see when, so it might be old news, but Patric Young of Florida says he's definitely going back to FL next year.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Agreed about MKG at #2, also McAdoo at 7, Barnes at 5, Zeller at 8 and Lillard at 9, seem like reaches.

For value I like, Drummond at 6, Marshall at 12, Ross at 23, Taylor at 26 and Green at 28. If the Plumlee he has at 29 is Mason, that's an absolute steal.

Mason did declare. I think he wanted to go pro after last season, so I think he stays in this year even if he isn't getting near the lottery.

From that mock I think the best values are Lamb and Henson. The environment around UConn's program has been such a dumpster fire that I think it has tarnished Lamb's rep a little. But he looked really good in the tourney as a freshman and followed that up with a positive showing with the U-19 team. (Isn't that where Hayward really impressed KOC?) I view him as having a style similar to OJ Mayo, a nice complimentary guard that can be the ball handler, shooter, or passer as dictated by line-up. I think Lamb is one of the safest picks in the 2nd half of the lottery.

I don't necessarily like Henson for the Jazz, but his improvement has been steady at UNC. The biggest question with him has been and will continue to be his weight. But he has gained about 25 lbs in college, so he might be able to continue to add a few more. His FT shooting is still bad but it has gotten better each year. He's actually pretty solid on his 15 foot jumper in games. And he's a game changer on defense. He's been lost in some of the Anthony Davis hype, but Henson has averaged a double-double + 3 bpg two years in a row now. Because he'll rebound and play defense, I again view him as a fairly safe pick, but obviously not with the ceiling of Davis or Drummond.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

MK-G likely in:

Multiple sources close to Kidd-Gilchrist told ESPN.com on Thursday that Kidd-Gilchrist will enter the 2012 NBA draft after Kentucky's season ends..."He hopes he'll be able to announce right after they win the NCAA championship," one source said. "But even if they don't win it all, he's coming. He knows he's going to be a Top 5 pick. He can't pass that up."

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog/...ot-draft-stock

[MarkGrace]

That's good news. He seemed pretty intent on staying at UK, though most kids do until they see the $.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Sullinger essentially announced he's gone during their press conference when he was talking about how his back-up is really good but doesn't get a chance to show it because he's playing behind Sullinger. He followed that with, "So watch out for him next year." Kind of what everyone expected, but makes it seem pretty certain.

Tyler Zeller is averaging 16, 14, and 4 through 3 tourney games. And the 2nd game where he only scored 11 he played just 25 minutes and only got 7 shots. I wonder how many players could match his feat of having improved his ppg, rpg, bpg, FG%, and FT% every year for 4 years at UNC. He's a hard one to peg for me because he has seemed passive for long spurts during his years in Chapel Hill. But he's improved, his production is good, and he's going to really do well on all of his athletic testing. I think paleness and being a senior are affecting his pre-draft assessments to some degree.

[CardiacCoug]

Perry Jones III is one guy I would not want after seeing the way he has disappeared in some of these important games for Baylor. He can't do anything against this Kentucky front line (granted it is NBA-caliber).

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Perry Jones III is one guy I would not want after seeing the way he has disappeared in some of these important games for Baylor. He can't do anything against this Kentucky front line (granted it is NBA-caliber).

The worst part is that he looks like he doesn't' even want to try to do anything against them. MK-G is killing them with 17 points already, but he's also got 2 fouls. But when he's been matched up against Jones or Miller of Baylor, they just float along the perimeter and don't force the issue to try to get the 3rd foul on MK-G.

[smokymountainrain]

One guy who is definitely being overlooked in this draft, and it may be because people assume he's coming back, is Deshaun Thomas. Possibly the MOP so far of the tournament. He compares extremely favorably to Harrison Barnes - I'd say if you really break them down, compare production, size, athleticism, etc, Thomas gets the slight edge, yet Barnes is a top 5 guy (an embarrassment, to be sure) and Thomas is nowhere to be found.

[smokymountainrain]

Coming off a 10 block performance, playing another good game today and a solid regular season, Jeff Withey is an interesting prospect as a true 7' player with some athleticism and skill to go with it. His numbers are about like Ostertag's were at Kansas, but Withey is so much more athletic, moves better and seems to be slightly more advanced offensively.

I think he's a guy to consider late first to mid-second round.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

UNC announced that Barnes, Henson, and Marshall are all headed to the draft. Interesting that it didn't say anything about McAdoo.

Before the season started I would've said no way does Marshall leave after this season. I just thought he had too many holes in his game. And for much of the season he didn't do much do dispel many of them. But as someone said, him missing games to finish the year might've bumped his value way up when scouts saw how that still very talented team squandered without him.

I wonder if McAdoo wants to come out now and get drafted high based on his potential, or go back to UNC as the BMOC for a year, albeit with a much younger and likely inferior team.

[smokymountainrain]

UNC announced that Barnes, Henson, and Marshall are all headed to the draft. Interesting that it didn't say anything about McAdoo.

Before the season started I would've said no way does Marshall leave after this season. I just thought he had too many holes in his game. And for much of the season he didn't do much do dispel many of them. But as someone said, him missing games to finish the year might've bumped his value way up when scouts saw how that still very talented team squandered without him.

I wonder if McAdoo wants to come out now and get drafted high based on his potential, or go back to UNC as the BMOC for a year, albeit with a much younger and likely inferior team.

Barnes has to come out. Staying would be disastrous. As a soph, he still has "potential". As a junior, in the eyes of NBA people, he is who he is. I could see him dropping from top 5 this year to late first if he stays.

Marshall is smart to come out now as well - I don't see his stock rising much or falling much if he were to stay. If he stays, maybe he improves his offense a little, but his assist numbers probably drop a bit without as much talent around him. The more wide open NBA game could be a better fit for him anyway.

Henson should stay, IMO. His game is raw and if he can be the man and continue to show improvement in his offensive game, he could work his way into the lottery - even into the mid-lottery, IMO.

If McAdoo is where Ford thinks he is, he has to come out. It's unfortunate, because it would be fun to see him in a more prominent role on that team and really see what he can do.

[scottie]

2.0 is out. Zeller (Indiana) moved up 2, Rivers up 4, McAdoo dropped 3. Royce White from Iowa St is new at #18, Leslie from NC State dropped out.

[SloanHater]

2.0 is out. Zeller (Indiana) moved up 2, Rivers up 4, McAdoo dropped 3. Royce White from Iowa St is new at #18, Leslie from NC State dropped out.

With some luck, I'd love to see the Jazz grab Lillard at #8 and Marshall at #15.. with A Lot of Luck. I'm also surprised to see both Zellers in the lottery in the latest mock.

[Donuthole]

With some luck, I'd love to see the Jazz grab Lillard at #8 and Marshall at #15.. with A Lot of Luck. I'm also surprised to see both Zellers in the lottery in the latest mock.

If the Jazz had gotten rid of Big Al that scenario might have been more likely.

[SloanHater]

If the Jazz had gotten rid of Big Al that scenario might have been more likely.

If the Jazz had gotten rid of Big Al they'd be looking at Kidd-Gilchrist.