2014 Draft Thread

[magicblue 315]

What we're talking Parker now? Now we have to wait for Magicblue to come on here and ask why we're talking Parker because he's probably not a realistic option for us at #4.

 

No, because we would actually take Parker at #4, unlike Randle. Are you seeing the difference?

[ball junkie 277]

Chad Ford with his just released "Top Ten" International players....He's got our boy at "Number 1" !!!.....Right after many of us were picking and making fun of his opinions this morning, lol....

 

Top 10 international players

 

1. Dante Exum, G, Australia

 

Exum is just the third international player in the past eight years to be ranked in the top five on our Big Board (Ricky Rubio and Jonas Valanciunas are the other two). He's also, far and away, the most mysterious. Only a handful of NBA GMs have ever seen him play live (at the 2013 Nike Hoop Summit) and even a majority of NBA scouts have seen him only once or twice.

 

So how does he go from that to being a potential top-five pick in this year's draft? Exum's strong play at the Hoop Summit and in practices against other elite talent, combined with a strong performance at the Under-19s in Prague this summer have many convinced he could be a Penny Hardaway-like point guard who has speed, quickness and an uncanny ability to get to the rim. His jump shot is still a question mark and his playmaking skills could use polish, but Exum's physical tools, background and skill set make him a prospect worthy of this lofty ranking.

 

He's got Saric number 2 followed by Porzingis at number 3....

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft2014/story/_/id/11055110/nba-draft-dante-exum-leads-top-10-international-draft-prospects?ex_cid=InsiderTwitter_fordinternationals

[Nyce_1 311]

Ryan D

How’s it going, Steve?

I have a question about Dante Exum. How worried/confident are teams about how he projects in the NBA–based on the limited exposure and competition level? Do you think he can become one of the best PG’s in the league down the road?

 

Steve Kyler

There is no sense of concern about Exum any more than exists about Embiid, Parker or Wiggins — they are all four just scratching the surface of their potential. None of them are proven NBA players, all of them have concerns and issues.

As for playing and competition level — Dante has played against a lot of top tier guys, many much older than he is and did well. I think people think because he didn’t log 40 NCAA games that teams haven’t seen him. I personally have seen him play in six games plus scrimmages via Adidas Nations, in which a lot of NBA scouts were there. He also played in Adidas Super 64 that year in Vegas. So he has played a lot of high caliber basketball in places NBA teams scout. So trying to ding him because he didn’t play NCAA is a little unfair, he played everyone he could given his age and has been training in a pro-style training environment in Australia .

As for best point guard in the league — that tough to call — some of its situational, some of it is developmental, some of it who does he play with. Way to early to say he could be the top guard, but he has some impressive tools.

 

Adam

Steve – a couple questions here. Are there any legs to the Afflalo and Charlotte rumors? Is the 9th pick something you could see working for both sides? You have stated before that Milwaukee likes Exum but taking him at #2 would be too high. Could you see the #4 and #9 moving Orlando up to #2?

 

Steve Kyler

.....As for the Charlotte — I can tell you for about 9 months the Bobcats have been at Orlando regarding Afflalo. Steve Clifford is supposedly a big fan and views him as an answer to some of their big problems. Orlando has been unwilling to make a deal.

I don’t think the #9 has a ton of value to Orlando. They have a closet full of young guys, so much so that there is talk here in Italy that the #12 might be used on a “draft and stash” guy. The Magic want to be a playoff team next year and bringing two or three rookies in, may not help them achieve that. I believe Arron is more valuable to them as a veteran and efficient score than he is in trade, unless he returns rookie scale veterans — guys in their third or fourth year. Not saying they won’t deal Arron to move around, because I know that they would, but they do not feel “urgency” to move Arron.

 

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/chat/nba-eurocamp-chat-with-steve-kyler-6914/#7kt3toGrb3GylLTk.99

[ML6 520]

Here's a curve ball for all...

 

Young is a top 10 player for me. The more I consider him, the more I want that dude.

 

It is killing me that I can't decide how I feel about this guy. He was pretty underwhelming for UK due to inconsistency and part of me thinks he could very well be a bust/benchwarmer. Then I consider how good he could be if he ever becomes less streaky and think he might be a good pick at #12. Gotta love draft season.

[BN 44]

 

 

So in other words, we're shooting for Saric but potentially settling for Porzingis?

 

I suppose Nurkic could also be a Gortat-like option..

[MagicFanInNevada 51]

No, because we would actually take Parker at #4, unlike Randle. Are you seeing the difference?

 

It was a joke bro, It was more due to the fact that Parker will more than likely be gone before we pick so why even mention him in the Orlando plans.

 

Edit: IF Parker is available for us at the 4th pick I'll PERSONALLY get back on here and say that you're the man.

[HeHateMe 697]

I like Steve Kyler at times but I just don't see how that logic makes sense. I see 5 "young" guys on this team that I think have potential to be good players (Harris, Harkless, Vic, Vuch and Quinn). I find it hard to believe that Rob would feel that there isn't a player at 9 that would be an improvement over Lamb, Moore or Nicholson. There are a handful of guys at 9 that I think could make us a better team next year. Obviously not one guy that is going to come in and have as big of an impact at Affalo, but I don't see us as a team that has so much "young talent" that we can't take on 3 lottery players in the draft this year.

 

As for stashing talent overseas, again, I will take all the talent we can get on this team now. I don't see how we are in a position to stash a good player overseas and I don't believe that would be our mindset with either of our current 2 picks or if we acquired a third. Again, any player at 9 would be an upgrade over the three players mentioned earlier, and we also are wasting a roster spots with Price and Maxiell. Even if our goal is to win as much as possible next season (which I think it is and should be) the player we get at 9 will be an instant upgrade over Price, Maxiell, Moore, Lamb and Nicholson.

 

I'm sure most of you could name 5 players from the draft you would want to target at 9 and have them be taking up a roster spot over the other 5 guys on our team.

[MagicFanInNevada 51]

I like Steve Kyler at times but I just don't see how that logic makes sense. I see 5 "young" guys on this team that I think have potential to be good players (Harris, Harkless, Vic, Vuch and Quinn). I find it hard to believe that Rob would feel that there isn't a player at 9 that would be an improvement over Lamb, Moore or Nicholson. There are a handful of guys at 9 that I think could make us a better team next year. Obviously not one guy that is going to come in and have as big of an impact at Affalo, but I don't see us as a team that has so much "young talent" that we can't take on 3 lottery players in the draft this year.

 

As for stashing talent overseas, again, I will take all the talent we can get on this team now. I don't see how we are in a position to stash a good player overseas and I don't believe that would be our mindset with either of our current 2 picks or if we acquired a third. Again, any player at 9 would be an upgrade over the three players mentioned earlier, and we also are wasting a roster spots with Price and Maxiell. Even if our goal is to win as much as possible next season (which I think it is and should be) the player we get at 9 will be an instant upgrade over Price, Maxiell, Moore, Lamb and Nicholson.

 

I'm sure most of you could name 5 players from the draft you would want to target at 9 and have them be taking up a roster spot over the other 5 guys on our team.

 

I for one wouldn't mind keeping Price on this team for another year. He seems like a good locker room guy and he knows the PG position. Price and Jameer could help out big time with the development of young PG whoever that may be. I'd keep him over Lamb and Maxiell that's for sure.

 

Plus Maxiell rubbed me the wrong way when Orlando was playing at Sacramento and he didn't want to sign this 9 year old kid's ball who was a Magic fan. You're playing way on the west coast and you have about 8-10 fans in the arena supporting you, I mean that was the least you could do was sign a basketball. Smh

[Catman 380]

Kyler is correct that pick 9 probably does not have much value since high potential/athleticism guys like Gordon will be gone by then.

 

I would not be a bit surprised if the Magic took Saric at 12 if he was available. Simply because he is probably a top 5 talent in this draft and should actually go right after Exum in terms of BPA.

 

It would make more sense to hold on to Afflalo and play him at SF (rather then trading him for pick 9), if you want a chance at the playoffs. If Saric comes over, he competes to start at PF against Harris.

 

The reality is our opening day roster could easily look like this :

 

Jameer/Victor/Afflalo/Harris/Vuc starting with Exum Harkless Oquinn and Saric ( if he comes over) as your bench.

 

Super unsexy until you think forward and see how Exum and Saric would end up starting at some point, Harris would be the 6th man and the Magic would have a slim playoff shot due to roster familiarity.

[magicblue 315]

It was a joke bro, It was more due to the fact that Parker will more than likely be gone before we pick so why even mention him in the Orlando plans.

 

Edit: IF Parker is available for us at the 4th pick I'll PERSONALLY get back on here and say that you're the man.

 

You don't have to do that and, for the record, I don't think he will be.

[ufballer1986 12]

i would be more than ok stashing a pick overseas. if we wind up with 3 1sts somehow then I think one has to be a stash pick. no need in wasting a year or two of their rookie contract if theyre unable to contribute. let them develop, then bring them over for cheap when we're capped out

[CTMagicUK 1,491]

Saric, Capela and Micic are all solid draft and stash players. Micic is only a fringe 1st rounder but if we did pick up that kind of a pick he'd be a guy I'd look at.