***Official*** NBA Draft Thread 2015

[phillybear 366]

Just remembered Julius Randle is coming back for LA. Okafor and Randle front court is nice. Kobe may have one more playoff run left.

 

Randle + Okafor = the worst defensive front court in the NBA. Layup drill. The Lakers would have 4 healthy guys and one gimp on the court on every play capable of giving up 300 points per game.

[MDC 7,496]

Okafor's defense isn't good for a legit 7-footer but it's correctable. He is possibly the single best prospect in the draft just based on his offensive game and LA should take him without reservation.

[The Moz 69]

Okafor's defense isn't good for a legit 7-footer but it's correctable. He is possibly the single best prospect in the draft just based on his offensive game and LA should take him without reservation.

while I don't like oak a for much and all he had is a great inside offense I agree la would have to take him ... who plays d in the west anyway other than sa

[The Moz 69]

Within 5 years Towns will be the best center in basketball not just the draft... If I were phily I trade Embiid and my first in 16 for the #1 pick. and then take Russel at 3 have Russel then Noel and Towns in the back court they are playing for titles in 3 years.

[phillybear 366]

Within 5 years Towns will be the best center in basketball not just the draft... If I were phily I trade Embiid and my first in 16 for the #1 pick. and then take Russel at 3 have Russel then Noel and Towns in the back court they are playing for titles in 3 years.

 

It's a matter of opinion. I wouldn't trade Embiid for Towns and two 1st round picks. I see Embiid as a prospect on the same level as A Davis. Towns, not so much. Towns is very good, but don't get so hyped on him now. It's just my opinion. Embiid, if healthy, and that's a big if, has every tool you want in a big man and a much higher upside than Towns.

[MDC 7,496]

Within 5 years Towns will be the best center in basketball not just the draft... If I were phily I trade Embiid and my first in 16 for the #1 pick. and then take Russel at 3 have Russel then Noel and Towns in the back court they are playing for titles in 3 years.

I like KAT but I don't think his upside is any greater than Embiid's. To be honest I think Okafor is the overall better prospect and a guy I see as a 20-10 type player within a couple years.

[The Moz 69]

 

It's a matter of opinion. I wouldn't trade Embiid for Towns and two 1st round picks. I see Embiid as a prospect on the same level as A Davis. Towns, not so much. Towns is very good, but don't get so hyped on him now. It's just my opinion. Embiid, if healthy, and that's a big if, has every tool you want in a big man and a much higher upside than Towns.

Embiid o n the same level as AD u drunk man?

[DankNuggs 305]

Embiid o n the same level as AD u drunk man?

:nutso:

[phillybear 366]

If it will make you queebs a little bit less butt hurt, how about Embiid is the best big man prospect to enter the NBA since Davis, and in my opinion, there isn't a player drafted since Davis that I would trade Embiid straight up for, including anybody this year. But the proof will be in the pudding, so let's see what happens. Embiid and a Sixers first for Towns is silly.

[The Moz 69]

If it will make you queebs a little bit less butt hurt, how about Embiid is the best big man prospect to enter the NBA since Davis, and in my opinion, there isn't a player drafted since Davis that I would trade Embiid straight up for, including anybody this year. But the proof will be in the pudding, so let's see what happens. Embiid and a Sixers first for Towns is silly.

so a player that was hyped to be better than he was in college because people kept throwing the word great potential around is the best player to come out since AD. Noel is a better player than what I saw of emviid at KU. You would rather have a player with a,bum knee who really wasn't much in college other than showing potential than 2 can't miss healthy player in towns and oakafpr. That thinking is why the 6ers suck so bad

[phillybear 366]

so a player that was hyped to be better than he was in college because people kept throwing the word great potential around is the best player to come out since AD. Noel is a better player than what I saw of emviid at KU. You would rather have a player with a,bum knee who really wasn't much in college other than showing potential than 2 can't miss healthy player in towns and oakafpr. That thinking is why the 6ers suck so bad

 

Players taken with lottery picks are always drafted for potential. Most of these kids come out before they are NBA ready after one year in college and you have no choice than to draft for potential. It's dumb to draft a guy with no upside with an early pick because what you see is what you get, with little chance that guy will ever improve. In my opinion, that's Okafor. He's a solid offensive prospect, but he has holes in his game and I don't know if he will be able to patch them up. In the right system, he could succeed. He would not fit for the Sixers, since they emphasize playing good defense.

 

Embiid did not have a knee injury. He had a foot issue and a stiff back at one point. He's fine now. He looked tremendously talented in practice at the end of the season. Before his foot issue, he was the consensus top pick in the draft and was being compared to Olajuwon. I don't know if he can live up to those lofty standards, but that is his comparable skill set and Milwaukee and Cleveland will look foolish for passing on him. Embiid has all the tools to be a franchise player. Noel was the consensus first pick in his draft, but blew out his knee prior. Considering how he was playing in the 2nd half of the year, I'd say he's completely recovered. He put up the best defensive numbers for a big man since David Robinson.

 

You can try to say the Sixers suck. When Hinkie arrived just about 2 years ago, the Sixers had zero talent, had traded away all talented young players, and gave up nearly all their draft picks for many years to come. People around the NBA don't get how Hinkie has rebuilt everything so quickly with the cupboard bare. Just two years. Before that, the Sixers were led by Doug Collins and a bunch of dopes in the front office. Adding Embiid and a top #3 pick this year to the roster will be the start of the ascent. The team already hustles so it was never a tank job like the Knicks, Lakers, or TWolves. Adding talent to hustle is going to be a good dynamic.

 

edit: if you put Embiid, Towns, and Okafor into this year's draft, Embiid is the consensus #1 pick.

[The Moz 69]

Actually the top puck that year was basically a,coin toss even before injury between emviid and wiggins. I s9bt think Embiid is anything or will be I remember him in college and thinking the same that he epuld be another over drafted hype machine.

[phillybear 366]

Actually the top puck that year was basically a,coin toss even before injury between emviid and wiggins. I s9bt think Embiid is anything or will be I remember him in college and thinking the same that he epuld be another over drafted hype machine.

 

I will agree that Embiid and Wiggins were the two best prospects in that draft, with Parker on a lower tier. Parker had less upside but was more NBA ready. Embiid and Wiggins had more raw potential. If Embiid doesn't get hurt, he goes to Cleveland, Parker goes to Milwaukee, and Wiggins falls to Philadelphia. Brett Brown even said at some point last year that he expected to come away with Wiggins after the draft because he thought Embiid and Parker were going one two. Which would have been fine, as Wiggins a good wing player. Me, I'd rather have the talented big and then try to get the wing players later because talented bigs are harder to acquire. There are so few of them in the NBA right now.

 

We clearly disagree about Embiid. We will see how it shakes out this year and next year. He will probably play less minutes than expected due to taking the year plus off which will effect conditioning and regaining confidence in his foot. Also, Embiid has not been playing basketball for all that many years, only started when he was 15 so he'd been playing ball for 5 years total, so he certainly has a lot of improvement potential.

[MDC 7,496]

Okafor is a sure fire 20 PPG post scorer in a league that has very few players of that kind. I'm not sure how anybody decided his ceiling is low when his D is pretty mediocre for a big man due almost entirely to poor technique. He can be the best center in the league.

 

KAT's higher ceiling is conventional wisdom but I would take the center whose floor is "elite post scorer" all day and twice on Wednesday. And for anyone saying Okafor doesn't fit with the Sixers cause of his D, how do you justify drafting Russell?

[phillybear 366]

Okafor is a sure fire 20 PPG post scorer in a league that has very few players of that kind. I'm not sure how anybody decided his ceiling is low when his D is pretty mediocre for a big man due almost entirely to poor technique. He can be the best center in the league.

 

KAT's higher ceiling is conventional wisdom but I would take the center whose floor is "elite post scorer" all day and twice on Wednesday. And for anyone saying Okafor doesn't fit with the Sixers cause of his D, how do you justify drafting Russell?

 

I think I'm on record as not necessarily being thrilled with the prospect of adding Russell. He's just OK, but not head and shoulders above the other players that are highly regarded.

 

You have the two bigs. Then the next tier, in no particular order, Hezonja, Russell, Mudiay, Porzingis, Winslow. Cauley-Stein is redundant to Noel, with slightly less skill, so he isn't on the draft board for Philly. The Sixers could easily trade down and still grab a guy in the same tier. Or they could used future capital and try to move back into the lottery if somebody drifts, like Hezonja or Porzingis. Russell is no slam dunk for the Sixers at #3, that's just media speculation. And the media has no idea what Hinkie is doing because the front office is terrific at not leaking information. It could be argued that Russell is the worst defensive player of that 2nd tier. However, if the Sixers are to run the pick and roll, they need a PG to knock down the jump shot if the defender cheats underneath. Russell can do that. Mudiay may or may not be able to do that for now. Hezonja is the wing player they need, Robert Covington notwithstanding. Winslow is the wing/slasher. Porzingis is the biggest boom or bust player among the top players.

 

Okafor doesn't fit with what the Sixers want to do on defense. I believe they finished in the top 10 on defense. Okafor doesn't fit with what Embiid and Noel are going to be doing, and neither are going to be traded. Okafor is a draft and trade player, like Elfrid Payton was last year.

[DankNuggs 305]

Connaughton will be the best player out of this weak draft class.

[KSB2424 3,148]

Connaughton will be the best player out of this weak draft class.

 

ummmm. No

 

I think he is very underrated as not only a shooter but an athlete, and will stick in the league, but let's not get carried away.

[phillybear 366]

Connaughton will be the best player out of this weak draft class.

 

Isn't this guy in a situation where a baseball drafted him, so it's less likely he gets drafted at all.

[MDC 7,496]

KAT and Okafor are almost certainly going 1-2. After that my draft board is:

 

Russell

Hezonja

Winslow

Mudiay

 

In that order. I have no interest in a string bean "stretch forward" like Porzingis.

 

Russell is an excellent shooter and an elite passer - I will take him without hesitation. In the unlikely event that he is drafted #2, the Sixers will almost certainly trade down because half the league will see Okafor as a franchise player and they'll be willing to deal up to draft him.

 

In that scenario I'm dealing down for Winslow or Stanley Johnson in the 7-8 range of possible.

 

Most likely it's Russell. He's a special player who fills a dire need for a PG and shooter. No need to overthink it.

[DankNuggs 305]

 

Isn't this guy in a situation where a baseball drafted him, so it's less likely he gets drafted at all.

I don't think it will be a Samardjia situation as basketball has the most player friendly contracts in all of sports. If he is a potential first round pick you have to play ball

[DankNuggs 305]

KAT and Okafor are almost certainly going 1-2. After that my draft board is:

 

Russell

Hezonja

Winslow

Mudiay

 

In that order. I have no interest in a string bean "stretch forward" like Porzingis.

 

Russell is an excellent shooter and an elite passer - I will take him without hesitation. In the unlikely event that he is drafted #2, the Sixers will almost certainly trade down because half the league will see Okafor as a franchise player and they'll be willing to deal up to draft him.

 

In that scenario I'm dealing down for Winslow or Stanley Johnson in the 7-8 range of possible.

 

Most likely it's Russell. He's a special player who fills a dire need for a PG and shooter. No need to overthink it.

I don't get why people are so big on Winslow... Guy is nothing more than bench depth energy guy

[MDC 7,496]

I don't get why people are so big on Winslow... Guy is nothing more than bench depth energy guy

Elite athlete and lock down wing defender. His offensive game needs a lot of work but he should contribute right away in transition.

 

I basically see him as Andre Igoudala.

[DankNuggs 305]

Elite athlete and lock down wing defender. His offensive game needs a lot of work but he should contribute right away in transition.

 

I basically see him as Andre Igoudala.

a notoriously overrated guy who has been paid to be a star and has proven to be nothing more than a glorified role player

[MDC 7,496]

a notoriously overrated guy who has been paid to be a star and has proven to be nothing more than a glorified role player

I'm not sure if this is your very first NBA draft, but getting an elite wing defender who has some offensive upside in the mid lottery is actually a pretty good buy.

 

You may be surprised to learn that most players in the draft will not end up being franchise cornerstones.

[DankNuggs 305]

I'm not sure if this is your very first NBA draft, but getting an elite wing defender who has some offensive upside in the mid lottery is actually a pretty good buy.

 

You may be surprised to learn that most players in the draft will not end up being franchise cornerstones.

Not my first, and a guy that limited going top 5 is why i feel this draft is pretty weak.

[phillybear 366]

KAT and Okafor are almost certainly going 1-2. After that my draft board is:

 

Russell

Hezonja

Winslow

Mudiay

 

In that order. I have no interest in a string bean "stretch forward" like Porzingis.

 

Russell is an excellent shooter and an elite passer - I will take him without hesitation. In the unlikely event that he is drafted #2, the Sixers will almost certainly trade down because half the league will see Okafor as a franchise player and they'll be willing to deal up to draft him.

 

In that scenario I'm dealing down for Winslow or Stanley Johnson in the 7-8 range of possible.

 

Most likely it's Russell. He's a special player who fills a dire need for a PG and shooter. No need to overthink it.

 

I fundamentally believe in tier drafting for value, so I've scrapped having an ordered list. As long as the front office doesn't make a reach pick, it's fine.

 

I realize that you dislike Porzingis. Right now, it's been rumored that Orlando likes him a lot at #5. So if you trade down past the Knicks, you probably won't have to worry about him. It's actually possible the Sixers could get Hezonja around #8 or #9.

 

The biggest obstacle in trading down this year for the Sixers is that few of the candidates for partners have picks they can deal you back. Or you would need to wait 4 to 5 years for them to convey.

[MDC 7,496]

Not my first, and a guy that limited going top 5 is why i feel this draft is pretty weak.

Well to be fair Winslow has a similar skill set as Igoudala with greater offensive potential. So you're not drafting a guy at 5-8 who necessarily shares the same floor.

 

I'm just saying, at worst I think Winslow will be a lockdown wing defender and a guy who scores in transition and rebounds well. Scouting reports make it sound like the draft is full of all stars but that's actually a pretty solid haul for the mid lottery.

 

I wouldn't do cartwheels over the pick but if Russell is off the board at 3 I would be plenty happy with the Sixers trading back for Winslow while adding a future pick.

 

I have no doubt at all that he will be a solid contributor from day one, something I would not say about Mudiay or Porzingis.

[The Moz 69]

Winslow imo is the best duke player in the draft. Again no respect for oakafpr at all. He cant shoot at all , plays Olay defense for a 6'11 center, he has good post moves. To say he is sure fire 20 ppg guy is a little dumb as he wilted as the season wore on against the good,teams duke played. Ad a gm I would take Winslow and russel over oak ... granted I alone there just a gut feeling he will bust

[DankNuggs 305]

 

I fundamentally believe in tier drafting for value, so I've scrapped having an ordered list. As long as the front office doesn't make a reach pick, it's fine.

 

I realize that you dislike Porzingis. Right now, it's been rumored that Orlando likes him a lot at #5. So if you trade down past the Knicks, you probably won't have to worry about him. It's actually possible the Sixers could get Hezonja around #8 or #9.

 

The biggest obstacle in trading down this year for the Sixers is that few of the candidates for partners have picks they can deal you back. Or you would need to wait 4 to 5 years for them to convey.

Celts if they felt they could get a big... I'd like them to land Kaminski

[MDC 7,496]

Celts if they felt they could get a big... I'd like them to land Kaminski

I'd like them to land Kaminski too.

[phillybear 366]

Celts if they felt they could get a big... I'd like them to land Kaminski

 

Kaminsky is right on the edge of top ten. Boston definitely has the draft capital to move up. I think they were in love with Cauley-Stein, but I think he will go much earlier than initially expected, probably between Sacramento to Detroit.

[DankNuggs 305]

I'd take Justin Anderson over Winslow and get the same think but with a guy who can shoot

[phillybear 366]

Well to be fair Winslow has a similar skill set as Igoudala with greater offensive potential. So you're not drafting a guy at 5-8 who necessarily shares the same floor.

 

I'm just saying, at worst I think Winslow will be a lockdown wing defender and a guy who scores in transition and rebounds well. Scouting reports make it sound like the draft is full of all stars but that's actually a pretty solid haul for the mid lottery.

 

I wouldn't do cartwheels over the pick but if Russell is off the board at 3 I would be plenty happy with the Sixers trading back for Winslow while adding a future pick.

 

I have no doubt at all that he will be a solid contributor from day one, something I would not say about Mudiay or Porzingis.

 

I'd rather settle for Stanley Johnson than Winslow. Johnson got bogged down stat wise in that Arizona defensive system, but he can be a very good shooter. Initiallly, he was projected as a top 5 draft pick, but his value dropped. I think value wise, he could be a guy you could trade up for in the teens of the lottery with some of those 1st rounders next year as bait.

[DankNuggs 305]

 

Kaminsky is right on the edge of top ten. Boston definitely has the draft capital to move up. I think they were in love with Cauley-Stein, but I think he will go much earlier than initially expected, probably between Sacramento to Detroit.

WCS is the most surefire bust in the draft... That guy is a loser and no chance he succeeds in the NBA

[DankNuggs 305]

I'd like them to land Kaminski too.

Cool... They could run quite an offense with Olynyk and Kaminski as the bigs who can shoot from 3... Would be fun to watch.

[MDC 7,496]

WCS is the most surefire bust in the draft... That guy is a loser and no chance he succeeds in the NBA

That's true, there's not much of a role in the NBA for a 7-foot elite run protector who runs like a gazelle.

 

The Celts should definitely take the white guy who has "grit" instead.

[DankNuggs 305]

That's true, there's not much of a role in the NBA for a 7-foot elite run protector who runs like a gazelle.

 

The Celts should definitely take the white guy who has "grit" instead.

You throw around the word elite alot....

[Drizzay 723]

Within 5 years Towns will be the best center in basketball not just the draft... If I were phily I trade Embiid and my first in 16 for the #1 pick. and then take Russel at 3 have Russel then Noel and Towns in the back court they are playing for titles in 3 years.

 

I am not sure why the twolves would do this. Embiid and this years #1, maybe. But no way they would give up the #1 overall this year for a pick next year that might not even be a top 7.

[KSB2424 3,148]

Justise Winslow is a dynamite prospect. He has a lot of James Harden type game. Probably the highest upside in the whole draft.

[The Moz 69]

I think he is the best player after KAT