Official 2011 NBA Draft thread

I think a top five of Irving, Williams, Barnes, P. Jones and T. Jones would be looked on much more favorably than the five that will end up getting picked.

 

During the 90s our paper would do a story every year on how "because there are so many non-seniors coming out, this draft is especially deep."

That may be true for the first 1-2 years this started happening, but beyond that it's just another draft. If John Wall coming out three years early "helps" the 2010 draft, then his not being there in 2013 "hurts" the 2013 draft.

 

That's true. It's just interesting to note because this year more guys who were projected lottery picks decided to stay than was normal in the past half-decade or so.

 

But if Irving isn't toppled from No. 1, then the main problem of this class doesn't change. I keep hearing about Irving that he's good, but not as good as Rose, Paul and some of the other young stars. Williams is good, but he's a tweener. OK. So they aren't projecting to be sure-fire stars.

Well, adding more players out of the freshman class doesn't change that. But I do agree, it's a deeper draft if everybody's out, but still a draft without signature talents. Would you agree with that?

 

Does anyone stay in school long enough to be really sure of what you have? Next year, with the guys Dre listed, you will have a better idea about them as players, but these guys are so young, that you never really know.

 

They need it to be like the NFL where you have to be three years removed from high school. Then there would be fewer busts, especially at the top of the draft.

 

I think Barnes might have the opportunity to get to that level. He was very impressive at the end of the season. I think there's a chance he would have gone first. Also, I love Williams' game and don't really see him as a tweener. Scouts seem to love P. Jones' game as well, even if his numbers weren't great with Dunn getting most of the shots on that team. I'm with you, though, that there still would have been no superstud this year.

 

I suppose that's true, but is it me or do I hear more about the downside of prospects now than in year's past. All I hear about Irving is his limitations. All I hear about Williams is that he may not have a position. Kanter isn't athletic and hasn't played in two years. Vesely can't shoot. Knight is a clear notch or two below past Calipari point guards. The Lithuanian guy doesn't rebound or defend. Walker's too short and is just a scorer. Fredette can't guard anybody and isn't a true point guard and is too short for the 2.

Everybody this year seems to be defined by their limitations more than their strengths.


EDIT TO ADD: I was responding to Devil's post, but forgot to quote it.

 

I don't think that's true. Look back at drafts when players had to stay in for four years, or usually just did. There were just as many lousy-ass picks and busts. In some way, getting a younger player can be a blessing for a franchise, because you take a year or two and put him on the end of the bench, and know that after a few years of you working with him he can be a very good player. A bad GM that can't spot talent and project the future for an 18-year-old probably is going to be just as bad with a 22-year-old.

 

I think you're right. I was looking back, ready to blast past drafts since they've become so youth heavy, and I really can't. Probably the most shaky-looking picks are Oden and Bargnani. Well, Bargnani developed into a 21 ppg scoring at age 25 last year, so he's turning into a star. Oden has had injuries and there's never a good way to project that (unless he had a history).

 

Bargnani can score. I don't think he's turning into a star since he can't really do anything else.

 

As bad as Portland gets slammed for taking Bowie over Jordan and Oden over Durant, there were defensible reasons for both. In Jordan's case, Portland had a pretty damn fine shooting guard in Clyde Drexler, and needed a center. In Durant's case, Portland had a pretty damn fine power forward in LaMarcus Aldridge, and needed a center.

Of course, those picks are also a case for taking the best player available, instead of drafting for need high in the draft. Not taking Jordan might have made sense, but Bowie's injury history made him beyond a reach at No. 2. Oden had less of an injury history, so I don't consider that as bad of a whiff. But sometimes you have to draft the best player, and work out everything else later.