2014 Draft Thread

[bhnole 153]

I am on the Exum bandwagon and would happily grab Embiid (if the back is good) or Wiggins if available.

 

Parker would make me happy as well but I might be interested to see what the Jazz would offer to swap picks? That organization would go Nuts to build a team around him.

 

Gordon Hayward anyone? Then grab Smart at #5 to fill our PG need.

 

Hayward gives us our shooter to spread the floor with a Dipo/Smart back court.

 

Then use the 12th pick for the best PF available or try to move up with AA as trade bait for Vonleh, Gordon or Randle.

[jmmagicfan 302]

I am on the Exum bandwagon and would happily grab Embiid (if the back is good) or Wiggins if available.

 

Parker would make me happy as well but I might be interested to see what the Jazz would offer to swap picks? That organization would go Nuts to build a team around him.

 

Gordon Hayward anyone? Then grab Smart at #5 to fill our PG need.

 

Hayward gives us our shooter to spread the floor with a Dipo/Smart back court.

 

Then use the 12th pick for the best PF available or try to move up with AA as trade bait for Vonleh, Gordon or Randle.

 

I don't think they would part with #5 and Hayward. I think they are too high on him for that.

[Nyce_1 311]

I am on the Exum bandwagon and would happily grab Embiid (if the back is good) or Wiggins if available.

 

Parker would make me happy as well but I might be interested to see what the Jazz would offer to swap picks? That organization would go Nuts to build a team around him.

 

Gordon Hayward anyone? Then grab Smart at #5 to fill our PG need.

 

Hayward gives us our shooter to spread the floor with a Dipo/Smart back court.

 

Then use the 12th pick for the best PF available or try to move up with AA as trade bait for Vonleh, Gordon or Randle.

Jazz offer better start with #5 & 2015 first rounder of their own (not GSW) + young player just to get Rob to answer the phone. Hayward (who I like for our team) is a RFA and we can make a push for him this summer.

[jmmagicfan 302]

Interesting compilation of mock drafts from around the web done by nba.com. 12 mocks of the lottery selections, all done from 5/20 - 5/21 (one done 5/23).

All 12 have Wiggins, Parker, and Embiid as the top three in some order, 10 of the 12 have Exum going to us at #4 and 6 of the 12 have us taking either Young or Stauskas with #12. How much is based on actual knowledge, and how much based on their own suppositions/convinced by others? Who knows, but interesting.

 

http://www.nba.com/news/2014-consensus-mock-draft/

[TreyMachine 398]

But that is kinda the point. You aren't maximizing your capabilities by having Victor as the primary ballhandler. Sure he could do it, I guess, but not very efficiently or effectively. He has always played off the ball previously, and so his best fit is doing that. I like his value and ability as a secondary ballhandler, but he should be playing off the ball primarily

 

I think you write off Vic too early saying he's better without the ball. I would obviously much rather have a true PG, but by no means do I think this experiment has failed. Did you see Russell Westbrook's numbers the 1st year he was in the league as a PG?

 

Russell Westbrook: PPG: 15.3 RPG: 4.9 APG: 5.3 SPG: 1.3 TOPG: 3.3 MinPG: 32.5

Victor Oladipo: PPG: 13.8 RPG: 4.1 APG: 4.1 SPG: 1.6 TOPG: 3.2 MinPG: 31.1

 

Russell Westbrook, while not a passing PG, did average almost 7 APG this year and most certainly is seen as one of the best PG in the league.

 

Don't give up on this experiment in one year IMO. This kid is a work horse and WILL get better if given the experience and time.

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,032]

Steven Adams and Giannis Antetokounmpo were playing against girls and 15 year olds and they are some of the best players from last year's draft (not saying much, but still). Exum will be fine IMO

[CTMagicUK 1,488]

Steven Adams and Giannis Antetokounmpo were playing against girls and 15 year olds and they are some of the best players from last year's draft (not saying much, but still). Exum will be fine IMO

 

Huh? Steven Adams played in the NCAA and Giannis played pro ball (albeit a laughably poor standard of pro ball that could have included 15 year olds i guess).

[Secretly Space Jesus 670]

And while he may have a lot of potential as a freak athlete, Giannis Antetokounmpo also averaged just 7/4.5/2 on bad efficiency last year.

 

Obviously, you shouldn't instantly dismiss all foreign players, but the criticism that a player coming from non-US, lower level of competition will likely struggle early and have a steep learning curve in the NBA is a pretty valid one.

[HeHateMe 697]

And while he may have a lot of potential as a freak athlete, Giannis Antetokounmpo also averaged just 7/4.5/2 on bad efficiency last year.

 

Obviously, you shouldn't instantly dismiss all foreign players, but the criticism that a player coming from non-US, lower level of competition will likely struggle early and have a steep learning curve in the NBA is a pretty valid one.

 

Yea I never understood the Giannis Hype. A freak athlete that has nothing else developed to his game. So many guys like that.

[Catman 380]

You attacked first man, your point was lost on more than one count; first because you think that since we already have SF's that we shouldn't get BPA (in this contrived instance where Wiggins is available) and get a good scorer in Hood (for example) if available because we have Hark and Harris. Also, the logistics of your perspective is asinine (as already pointed out yet glossed over by you out of convenience), not your mindset-thats just small picture, but understandable. Wiggins will be a SF out the gate because of his defense. His ability to guard the other teams' best player alone will put him in the SF spot...in addition, his rawness on the offensive end would require another scorer next to him to lighten the burden (Shooting guard). The only exception to this would be a situation like Philly where personnel (Thad) dictates that he plays the SG while Young plays the tweener. He will be a good enough player where he could conceivably play 4 positions at times, but out the gate he will be a SF wherever he plays by way of his strengths/weaknesses. Your point was also lost because I never said he should just play SF, in fact mentioned him playing SG as well, so what the hell are you even arguing with me over? That's where it becomes invalid. What did I say that was wrong, what spinning do you see? You just trying to feel better about yourself?

 

I never once said that. I stated that Wiggins would play SG primarily. Not sure how you could misread it, but you pulled it off. to be clear, I have never once said that the Magic should not take Wiggins, and only someone with zero ability to read and comprehend would say that I did.

 

Everything you said after that is babble because it is not even addressing what I actually said.

 

Apparently this is a competition to you since you haves to declare yourself the winner each post. I love that little bizarre trait of yours.

[Catman 380]

I think you write off Vic too early saying he's better without the ball. I would obviously much rather have a true PG, but by no means do I think this experiment has failed. Did you see Russell Westbrook's numbers the 1st year he was in the league as a PG?

 

Russell Westbrook: PPG: 15.3 RPG: 4.9 APG: 5.3 SPG: 1.3 TOPG: 3.3 MinPG: 32.5

Victor Oladipo: PPG: 13.8 RPG: 4.1 APG: 4.1 SPG: 1.6 TOPG: 3.2 MinPG: 31.1

 

Russell Westbrook, while not a passing PG, did average almost 7 APG this year and most certainly is seen as one of the best PG in the league.

 

Don't give up on this experiment in one year IMO. This kid is a work horse and WILL get better if given the experience and time.

 

Exactly, plus the Magic want to replicate the Spurs lineup in which there are multiple ball handlers on the floor.

 

A lot of people think too traditionally, but if you watch OKC, they use RJackson and Westbrook, or Durant and Westbrook or all 3 to initiate offense.

 

The Magic could take Exum and let him and Dipo initiate. It opens up the floor for a lot of unique PnRs that are a lot tougher to cover than traditional 1-5 PnRs.

[Mauro Pedrosa 1,032]

Huh? Steven Adams played in the NCAA and Giannis played pro ball (albeit a laughably poor standard of pro ball that could have included 15 year olds i guess).

I should've been more specific but I was talking about some "horror stories" before Adams came to America. It was said that sometimes he had to practice with girls in NZ because basketball isn't that big over there