Draft Lottery tonight

[everyoneneedsasmil]

Here's hoping luck is on our side. I'd love to get Davis, but picking 2nd/3rd would be great too.

I said last year that I expected us to get Perry Jones in this draft. Jones is a lot like Monroe. Both were highly hyped players, both got a rep for not giving 100% all the time, and both ultimately were very good college players anyway. I do think Jones could be a good fit next to Monroe as well. Jones is a much better athlete, and can guard out to the perimeter. He can also stretch the floor a bit and finish around the rim, making him a good compliment to Monroe's passing skills.

But really, tonight is just about hope. Hope to jump up in the draft or, at the very least, not fall any further. It will also be mock draft season once the order is set.

 

[zoombabyzoom]

I want Kidd-Gilchrist, believe this guy is a star.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

I think Kidd-Gilchrist is either the next Andre Iguodala (which is great) or Luol Deng (good but a role player). Kidd-Gilchrist will almost assuredly be a great defender, good rebounder for his size, and athletic finisher. But, what separates that kind of player from a star is an ability to handle the ball effectively (Iggy can, Deng can't), an ability to shoot (Iggy, Tony Allen can't, Kidd-Gilchrist has shown no shooting aptitute, Deng has grown into his shot after many years), or great court vision (Iggy has it, Denge/Allen don't).

Given our need for a defense and athleticism, I think Kidd-Gilchrist would be a fine fit regardless of whether he ever totally gets it on offense. But, I think he and Barnes are second tier kind of players. Guys like Danny Granger or Rudy Gay (Barnes) are fine players, but they can't carry your team. Iggy and Deng (Kidd-Gilchrist) are no slouches either, but can't be your best player if you intend to contend.

 

[tbone413]

9th pick...worthless. You need to either be a top 5 team or tank in the NBA..the pistons are in purgatory

 

[mhughes0021]

kidd gilchrist sliding in some experts eyes....he could be a good value.

Leonard would be perfect but he probably go a couple picks before us.

Henson would be a good fit and is my dark horse. Is projected to go 5 or so slots lower than 9 but i think hed be worth it at 9 and atleast fill a hole.

 

[biggunsbob]

Damn no luck..

 

[mhughes0021]

I think Kidd-Gilchrist is either the next Andre Iguodala (which is great) or Luol Deng (good but a role player). Kidd-Gilchrist will almost assuredly be a great defender, good rebounder for his size, and athletic finisher. But, what separates that kind of player from a star is an ability to handle the ball effectively (Iggy can, Deng can't), an ability to shoot (Iggy, Tony Allen can't, Kidd-Gilchrist has shown no shooting aptitute, Deng has grown into his shot after many years), or great court vision (Iggy has it, Denge/Allen don't).

Given our need for a defense and athleticism, I think Kidd-Gilchrist would be a fine fit regardless of whether he ever totally gets it on offense. But, I think he and Barnes are second tier kind of players. Guys like Danny Granger or Rudy Gay (Barnes) are fine players, but they can't carry your team. Iggy and Deng (Kidd-Gilchrist) are no slouches either, but can't be your best player if you intend to contend.

gotlieb doesnt project him very high. His main reasons are he was a 4/3 in college and bullied guys to get to the basket for most of his offense. In the NBA he will be a 3/2 and wont be able to have that same luxory since all the guys will be his size and he wont have the 1 v 1 moves in the NBA to make an impact.

Its a good argument....dont know how true it is....but at #9 if hes still there i think its worth the risk to find out.

 

[tbone413]

Shocker that New Orleans got the #1 pic...being owned by the NBA has it's perks.

 

[wheels002]

Shocker that New Orleans got the #1 pic...being owned by the NBA has it's perks.

Tom Benson owner of the Saints bought the Hornets a few months ago.

 

[tbone413]

Tom Benson owner of the Saints bought the Hornets a few months ago.

O really? I didn't know that. Maybe stern wanted to help out the struggling franchise lol

 

[cheeno]

Sullinger.

 

[lionsFTW]

Perry Jones, Ty Zeller, Sullinger, Henson would be my preference, in order, of guys we can realistically get.

All of those guys have their +/-'s in how they would fit into our team. Perry has the highest ceiling (legit super star natural ability) but he probably ends up playing the 3 which isn't a major need.

Ty Zeller might be a good fit next to Monroe and could really give us an inside presence or it could be a terrible fit and they could never play on the floor together vs half the teams in the league. If he can somehow guard the 4 spot on the defensive end (cause Greg's a serious liability there) while at the same time moving over to the 5 on offense allowing Monroe to play his more natural 4 spot I would love the pick. Either way though, you can't really ever have enough good big men and I'm fairly confident he's gonna be a solid big.

I love Sullinger's all around game but his ceiling is limited to just a good player IMO. Nothing wrong with this, if he's there and we take him I'm completely okay with it.

Henson is a tough cookie to figure out. His game is exactly what we could use at the 4 to pair with Monroe (athleticism, rebounding, shot blocking) but there's no guarantee his frame can bulk up to play the position in the NBA and he may end up being just a stretch 4 (can't guard either 3's or 4's, can't put the ball on the floor but can't play in the post). He definitely scares me the most of all the guys were being mocked with.

IMO there's zero chance Kidd-Gilchrist is there at #9.

 

[cheeno]

Perry Jones, Ty Zeller, Sullinger, Henson would be my preference, in order, of guys we can realistically get.

All of those guys have their +/-'s in how they would fit into our team. Perry has the highest ceiling (legit super star natural ability) but he probably ends up playing the 3 which isn't a major need.

Ty Zeller might be a good fit next to Monroe and could really give us an inside presence or it could be a terrible fit and they could never play on the floor together vs half the teams in the league. If he can somehow guard the 4 spot on the defensive end (cause Greg's a serious liability there) while at the same time moving over to the 5 on offense allowing Monroe to play his more natural 4 spot I would love the pick. Either way though, you can't really ever have enough good big men and I'm fairly confident he's gonna be a solid big.

I love Sullinger's all around game but his ceiling is limited to just a good player IMO. Nothing wrong with this, if he's there and we take him I'm completely okay with it.

Henson is a tough cookie to figure out. His game is exactly what we could use at the 4 to pair with Monroe (athleticism, rebounding, shot blocking) but there's no guarantee his frame can bulk up to play the position in the NBA and he may end up being just a stretch 4 (can't guard either 3's or 4's, can't put the ball on the floor but can't play in the post). He definitely scares me the most of all the guys were being mocked with.

IMO there's zero chance Kidd-Gilchrist is there at #9.

I gotta agree with all this, especially the Perry analysis. I just think Sully is the safe pick if he's there at 9.

 

[lionsFTW]

Right on, Cheeno. Like I said, I'm 100% fine with Sullinger. Hard to expect a superstar at #9 so if you can pull the trigger on getting a good player that will contribute for the next 10 years and fits a position of need then you do it. To me that's exactly what Sullinger is.

It's not like the NFL where there's so many positions and roster spots to fill that accumulating talent becomes a top priority from a game theory optimal standpoint. In the NBA there's only 15 roster spots. If you can get a guy who will simply be good but he fills an immediate need you pull the trigger because his individual impact becomes realized so much quicker.

/nerdy mumbo jumbo rant

 

[cheeno]

A little game theory raises the sophistication of the board.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

I still like Sullinger as well, and I think the closest current comparison for Sullinger-Monroe is Millsap-Jefferson. That may not sound entirely flattering, but given we've been picking on the backside of the top 10, it's quite the accomplishment. We would be giving up some on defense, certainly, but could pound the ball inside against pretty much anyone except the Lakers.

If not Sullinger, I think Jones would be my next best choice. The talent is just too great, and even if he plays more of a perimeter 4, he CAN defend and rebound, unlike most guys in that position. His athleticism is really the key. We have no elite athletes at the 3-5 positions.

Henson looks like a good fit on paper with his defense and rebounding, but I see him having a terrible transition to the pros. For one, he's already a junior, and played for one of the most talented teams in the nation, so his per game numbers are going to be suspect. He's had three years to adjust to the college game and still is rail thin and has little offensive value besides dunks. In the NBA, those dunks won't be there, and he's going to get muscled out of position defensively. He'll still be able to block shots, but I don't see him doing enough to be a starter.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

By the by, I think it would be a good idea (especially if we see Jones as a 3 or if we have someone like Barnes fall) to look into making a trade into the back third of the first round. Fab Melo, while a project, could become exactly what we are looking for next to Monroe. He's huge, pretty athletic, and defense-oriented. While I'm not a big fan of Monroe chasing PFs around the perimeter, I see a lot of value in a paint clogging center. Someone who protects the rim can go a long way in covering the defensive deficiencies of the rest of our starters.

 

[zoombabyzoom]

Jeremey Lamb might be available.

 

[boogerlovejoy]

O really? I didn't know that. Maybe stern wanted to help out the struggling franchise lol

There was only a 25% chance that Charlotte would win, so this is really not a suprise. N.O. had a 13.7% chance so about 1/7.

Honestly, I like to see Jordan getting fucked over. That guy should just get out right now before he Isiah's his reputation.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

There was only a 25% chance that Charlotte would win, so this is really not a suprise. N.O. had a 13.7% chance so about 1/7.

Honestly, I like to see Jordan getting fucked over. That guy should just get out right now before he Isiah's his reputation.

Side note, but how is it that Isiah has so completely torpedoed his reputation as a basketball mind, but Jordan hasn't? Is it because nobody has ever cared about the Bobcats, while the Knicks are shoved in our face even as failures? Seriously, has Jordan made ANY good picks as general manager, ANY good trades?