2014 NBA Draft

My own first round preferences, in order.  Basing it more on my own observations versus the draft gurus.  They don't seem to hit the target more often than chimps throwing darts anyway...

Rodney Hood.....Duke.....SF;  Appears quicker than teammate Parker, may have more LT potential.

Willie Cauley-Stein.....Kentucky.....C;  Above average defense, shot blocker, better offensive game than most think.

Marcus Smart.....OK State.....SG;  Combo G/has played point, very good shooter, very good passing skills, unselfish player.

Gary Harris.....Michigan St.....SG;  Possible combo guard, one of the better shooters around.

...all are sophomores.

Guessing Embiid, Wiggins and Parker are all gone if the ping-pong balls do what they usually do, so I left them off my list.  I think there will be several others getting more ping-pong balls than us. Never wild about drafting freshmen, which is a personal concern about Embiid, Parker, Wiggins and Randle.  I like Randle a lot, but he looks small for an NBA PF, and we've already cornered the market on undersized PFs.  If all were there when we pick (how would that happen?), I might be tempted to take Embiid first.  Wiggins over Parker if those two were available (we pick second; really?).

**My son and I are going to Duke for Duke vs North Carolina, so I'll look forward to seeing Parker and Hood in person.  We're invited to a pre-game booster/alumni party as guests of one of the Duke assistant athletic directors; should be interesting!

I'm thinking mainly between Embiid and Parker. I like Wiggins, but his weight will have to go up. He's only about 200 lbs, and unless he'll be a SG in the NBA he'll be frequently outmuscled. But he has a great future ahead of him as long as he doesn't go the way of Tracy McGrady.



KJ

dBOSS...AS MUCH AS I LKE pARKER I'm WITH YOU NOW ON GETTING eMBIID FIRST...we need a center more than anyone else. Period.

Draftexpress has us taking Randle @4 and the Lakers taking Aussie Dante Exum @5.  Our record keeps flipping between 4th and 5th.  Actually, given the Lakers' needs they'd get a major upgrade with either Randle or Exum.

Our needs, in my opinion:

1.  Center.  Not a stretch 4, not a 4/5, a 5.  Rim protector.
2.  Lights out shooter, especially at 2/3 ala Pierce, who can create his own shot and be the assassin.  
3.  Back up PG.  That would let Bay Leaves move closer to 2 than to 1.

I'm assuming that Bass stays and Hump re-signs for fair market value in this CBA.  If one or more of them get traded for Asik then forget this.


bob


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bobheckler wrote:Draftexpress has us taking Randle @4 and the Lakers taking Aussie Dante Exum @5.  Our record keeps flipping between 4th and 5th.  Actually, given the Lakers' needs they'd get a major upgrade with either Randle or Exum.

Our needs, in my opinion:

1.  Center.  Not a stretch 4, not a 4/5, a 5.  Rim protector.
2.  Lights out shooter, especially at 2/3 ala Pierce, who can create his own shot and be the assassin.  
3.  Back up PG.  That would let Bay Leaves move closer to 2 than to 1.

I'm assuming that Bass stays and Hump re-signs for fair market value in this CBA.  If one or more of them get traded for Asik then forget this.


bob


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my kind of thread here!

1) IF Ainge isn't looking to tank another year. In other words 2105 is the year he's looking at making the big move and will try to improve the team next season, record wise.

2) there is no BIG deal to be made (see Love, etc)

3) center is to be addressed.

4) we end up getting picks where we are now (around 5 and 18).

my current thoughts:


trying to find an NBA starting center who can play some defense is difficult always.

no one there in the draft is there after Embiid.

Trades are the usual, Asik, Sanders options.

Free agents are Hawes, Bynum, Kaman and Gortat (these all have been NBA starters).




draft:
5. Harris or Hood (if Hood can play the 2 guard spot).

18. W. Cauley- Stein -not for his rookie year, he'll need time to develope.

Trades:
Bass to Charlote for Gary Neal and B. Biyombo (both expiring deals and about the same and bass' number)

Re-sign:
IF Bradley gets a deal over $5M per year, I try to work out a sign and trade for future draft picks, trade exceptions, players I can cut, etc and let him go.
then i re-sign Bayless at $7M over 2 years.

Free agents:


M. Gortat(wash) $24M/3 years.


Roster:

C- Gortat

C- Fav

C- Cauley-Stein

PF- Sully

PF- Olynyk

PF- Biyombo (expiring)

PF- Anthony (expiring)

SF- Green

SF- Wallace

F/G- Johnson

G- Neal (Expiring)

G- Harris

G- Rondo

G- Bayless

G- Pressey


I was panned over at Boston.com for posting this, but I really think it could be a best case scenario for next season, IF Ainge feels the need to get a NBA starting center next year.

we keep all our draft picks.

we're at about $65M in salary next year and have plenty of flexabilty moving forward.

dboss wrote:NY Celt

In another post under another thread I mentioned that Hood could be a sleeper in the draft.  He is quicker than Parker but Parker I think is a can't miss player and if Boston was in a position to draft him it would be hard to pass.  Same with Wiggins.  I think both Parker and Wiggins are going to be better in the NBA because they are playing against zones every game so I think some of their skills have been muted.

I also like the kid Randal but he is redundant. He is averaging 10 rebounds per and with his size he is going to be a good rebounder and he can score the basketball.

If the Celtics ended up with the # 1 pick I have been leaning towards Parker however it would be very difficult to pass on a center that has shown all of the potential do be very good.  I probably would go with Embiid and pick up a wing later in the draft.  For example Hood may still be on the board when the Celtics make their second pick

Another possibility would be for the Celtics to draft the 6' 6" kid out of Australia.  While he is a developmental player he is very skilled.  Also it may be time for Boston to start grooming a PG behind RR.  

DA could of course trade one or both of those picks for a veteran player.  Or he could move up or down in the draft. But I do think we can get two solid players.

My dream would be to get Embiid and Hood but that is probably not going to happen.

dboss

dboss,

I agree with you 100%.  I simply left the three top names off since we seem to have a problem with ping-pong balls!  Hood is going to be a player, and I think he could even be a safer bet than his teammate, Parker.

I think it's much harder to find a center right now than any other position, so I think Embiid easily goes #1.

If I was to make a list in order, including the three impossible dreams, specifically for our needs I'd make it...

Embiid
Wiggins (tie @ #2)
Hood (tie @ #2)
Parker
Cauley-Stein
Smart
Harris
(*Randle)

I like Parker (looking forward to seeing him play in person this weekend!) but even though he's just a freshman I think what we see is nearly as much as there will ever be.  I make Wiggins and Hood a toss-up because although I think Wiggins may have more upside than Hood or Parker, I'm convinced Hood is a lock as an NBA 2G or SF. I still am uncomfortable with drafting freshman, unless they happen to be a center that might contribute big within 2 or 3 seasons.  I only include Randle as an afterthought due to the fact that I would only take him if we were to package Sully out in a trade deal.

Based on my track record calling Celtic drafts, I've now guaranteed we get none of the above 7.  If I have now indeed cursed us, we'll probably just take a couple of Syracuse players, trade one and assign the other to the D league.

Regards

dboss,

I'd agree that for the long term, developing a young center (as the Pacers have done) would give this team an anchor for years to come. Asik isn't "old" but it's hard to imagine how many years he will continue to play (my guess is 4-6 years).



KJ

dboss,

I think you're right about drafting and developing a young center. There really aren't any outstanding options among current NBA players that appear to be attainable.

I also agree about Asik. I see no reason why we would give up anything of value to get him. I'm completely underwhelmed by his game.

Regards

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/nba-saturday-scouts-take-on-2014-draft/


NBA Saturday: Scout’s Take on 2014 Draft
By Alex Kennedy | Senior NBA Editor
Updated: March 8, 2014






As the 2013-14 NBA season winds down, it’s clear that a number of teams are already looking ahead to the 2014 NBA Draft. At this point, certain teams seem more concerned with getting ping pong balls than wins, which is understandable considering this is a very talented class that may include a number of franchise-changing players at the top of the draft board.

NBA decision-makers have now had months to evaluate the draft’s top prospects, so executives and scouts have a pretty good read on each player. While March Madness will certainly influence their opinions as well, the sample size is big enough for people in NBA circles to break down a player.

Basketball Insiders wanted to see what NBA talent evaluators are saying about this draft class and its top prospects, so we caught up with an Eastern Conference scout to get his take on the 2014 NBA Draft. The scout spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the situation.

On the 2014 NBA Draft as a whole:

“It’s a good draft. There isn’t a consensus prize at the top of the draft – no LeBron James or Derrick Rose or Kyrie Irving – which means the team that gets the No. 1 pick will have a difficult decision to make.

“This draft is much, much better than last year’s draft. There’s no doubt about that. I believe this draft class will have multiple All-Stars, whereas last year’s draft may not produce a single All-Star.

“Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Julius Randle have failed to live up to expectations, but they are still very talented players. They may not have played as well as everyone hoped this season, but they all have a chance to be special players and have long, successful NBA careers. Even though they didn’t blow everyone away, they are all so young and they all have a ton of potential.

“There’s no question that this is an important draft. A lot of teams are hoping to land a player that they can build around in this draft. It’s also a big deal because of the importance of rookie deals in the new collective bargaining agreement.

“In a draft like this, with so many intriguing prospects, the best pick may be No. 3 or No. 4 so that you can just see who falls to you rather than having to make that tough choice.”

On Andrew Wiggins:

“He’s lightning quick and he has one of the best first steps that I’ve ever seen. He doesn’t get his shoulders low, he stands straight up and down and is kind of mechanical when he plays. He also has a tendency to settle for jump shots. He’s extremely athletic, though, and he can get by anyone.

“I’m not sure about his body language. He’s not a pouter or anything, but it just seems like he’s either happy or overwhelmed. I’d like to see him get angry and fired up. I really haven’t seen any competitive emotion from him.

“I think he has a high ceiling, but I don’t think he’ll be a LeBron James or Kevin Durant type of player like some people are projecting. I could see him making a major impact on a team because he is such a great athlete, he can get by anybody and he shows flashes of brilliance. Every so often, he’ll make an incredible move and then you just don’t see it again for a long time. That consistency has to improve.

“He was put in a difficult position this year because all eyes were on him and the expectations were through the roof. He failed to live up to the hype, but he can still become a very good player who has a successful career in the NBA.

“He’s still so young and has so much room to grow, so it’s difficult to say what his ceiling will be. I’ve heard some people say that his upside is Tracy McGrady or Paul George, which makes sense. I could also see him becoming a lot like Rudy Gay.”

On Jabari Parker:

“Jabari is a player who scares teams. You’re scared to pass on him because he has the ‘it’ factor, smoothness and intangibles. Nobody says a bad thing about him. Even players in the league who know him speak very positively about him. He seems like a great kid and someone who would be great in a locker room. He’s very talented.

“The reason you’re scared to take him is because there is a history of players who played the four in college whose games haven’t translated to the NBA, such as Michael Beasley or Derrick Williams. There’s some concern that he’ll struggle and become a tweener. The best thing for him is that players like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Paul Pierce have been moving over to power forward lately and thriving in the position, because it shows teams that having a player like that at the four can work.

“Still, there are questions about Parker’s body and athleticism. He’s not the quickest guy and his athleticism has been questioned. He’s had some explosive moments, but there are a lot of times when he doesn’t look like a good athlete. Teams will likely want to change his body and conditioning once he gets to the NBA.

“He was shooting the ball really well early in the season, which skewed his numbers, but he has come back down to earth lately. I think he’ll be a very good player in the NBA, but I don’t know if he can be a franchise-changing savior that some people peg him to be. My NBA comparison for him is Paul Pierce.”

On Joel Embiid:

“He has had the biggest impact on this draft so far. Entering the season, the conversation was about Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Julius Randle, and then scouts starting falling for Embiid. Scouts were falling in love with him and then looking over their shoulder hoping that no other teams were noticing how great he looked. Obviously, he kept improving and the secret got out.

“He’s able to do so many things at his size that nobody else can. He has amazing footwork, great athleticism, nice touch and a beautiful stroke on his shot. He may have the highest upside in the draft because he still has so much room to grow.

“His footwork reminds me of Hakeem Olajuwon and his power, outside shot and skills remind me a little of Patrick Ewing. He could be really, really good.

“I do think the pressure of being hyped up as the consensus No. 1 pick did start to get to him a little bit. He hasn’t been the same player recently. Yes, he’s had the health issues, but he doesn’t seem as loose and his demeanor has changed. A team will definitely have to look into his background and learn about him before using such a high pick on him.

“The back issue is kind of scary too for a big man. You never want to see that in a young center. The team that picks him will have to look into that and make sure it’s not something that’s going to limit him.”

On Dante Exum:

“I have seen him play live a limited number of times, but I have to say that he’s really intriguing. He has a legitimate chance to go No. 1 in this draft. He’s that good. His upside is enormous. I won’t be surprised if he goes No. 1 on draft night. If we land the No. 1 pick, he’s a guy who we’re seriously going to look at.

“There is nothing that suggests that he won’t be a great player. He’s athletic, he can shoot and he can handle the ball. He’s incredibly versatile. He really can play three positions, which is attractive to a lot of teams. I’m excited to watch him develop and see what kind of player he becomes.

“He hasn’t played against great competition yet, but he’s a phenomenal prospect and I think his game will translate well to the NBA. I think he’ll be an All-Star in this league.

“When I see him, I think his upside is Anfernee Hardaway. I could see him being a similar type player, someone who is able to impact a game in many ways and cause a lot of problems for opposing teams.”

On Julius Randle:

“He’s a man, and he won’t get pushed around by other players. He has the ability to face up and take guys off of the dribble. Right now, he’s left-hand dominant, so he must work on his right hand and keep improving his jumper if he wants to take the next step and really wreak havoc.

“I really think he’s someone who will benefit from playing with a better team. If you watch Kentucky, their point guard play and shooters have been bad, which has made things really tough for him. The team is a mess. It’s a chaotic situation since there isn’t much leadership and the group is so inexperienced.

“He should be able to play in the league for a really long time, but the question is how good will he be?

“People around the league are really interested to see how he measures out – how tall and how long he is. You’d love if he could play the three to utilize his ball handling and skills, but that’s not his game.

“When I look at Randle, I see some Jamal Mashburn and some Paul Millsap.”

On Marcus Smart:

“He’s one of those guys who has been over scouted. It’s tough being under the microscope for two seasons. He’s had to deal with tons of pressure. With that said, you could put him in an NBA game right now and he’d be alright.

“He’s a great athlete, very strong, and I really like his game. His shooting will come along, the question is how much? He’ll benefit from having NBA talent around him at the next level; that should help him as a facilitator and he won’t have to carry the scoring load like he is now.

“Look how bad that team was without him. I think that says a lot about his impact on a team. When I see him, I see a mix between Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups in terms of his body type and leadership and fire. I think he’s going to be a very good player. He has All-Star potential.

“A lot of people have asked me if I’m concerned about the ‘fan pushing’ incident. Not at all. Honestly, I kind of liked it. I love that he gets fired up, that he gets that competitive. Others may not have liked it, but I love the intensity.

“His decision to go back to school this year says a lot about who he is. The biggest fear for an NBA team is that we’re going to draft a kid and then he’ll lose his hunger right when he gets a paycheck. I’m not worried about that with Smart. He had a chance to get a payday last year and turned it down because he wanted to stick with his team and keep improving at the collegiate level. That says a lot about him.”

On Noah Vonleh:

“Vonleh is a very interesting player. He needs time to develop, but he could end up being really good. I would definitely say he has All-Star potential. The upside is there.

“He can score with both hands, he has an outside shot and he’s a long, great athlete. He hasn’t had the chance to be a go-to guy at Indiana because their point guard shoots the ball a lot, but this is a kid who has all of the tools to be very special and he’s so young.

“Because he just turned 18 years old in August, it’s easy to see why a team would fall in love with him. He’s younger than a lot of the other prospects at the top of the draft, and he just has so much potential.

“He hasn’t gotten the same amount of attention as some of the other players on this list, but he’s definitely someone to keep an eye on. A few years from now, he could be one of the best players from this class and an All-Star. The tools are there for him to be great.”



bob
MY NOTE:  Jabari Parker isn't a franchise player but he reminds the scout of Paul Pierce?  Huh?  I would be giggling uncontrollably for the next 12 years if we draft Parker and he's like Paul Pierce.



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Here's an article about Dante Exum, the 6'6" Aussie PG that is so highly touted.  The article cites Fran Frascilla, former head coach of St. John's and current ESPN analyst (easier job than actually coaching).


http://www.basketballinsiders.com/fraschilla-compares-exum-to-young-jordan/


Fraschilla Compares Exum To Young Jordan
By Jabari Davis | NBA Writer and Columnist
Updated: March 4, 2014





Australian NBA prospect Dante Exum has already caused a great deal of debate among analysts and fans, and he hasn’t even set foot on the court for a pre-draft workout yet. Just as there are plenty of believers in the somewhat limited (but highly impressive) footage and statistics we have available on Exum, there are many who believe we need to see the 18-year-old phenom against stronger competition before determining whether he is worthy of a top five pick in the upcoming 2014 NBA Draft.

Highly regarded former college basketball coach and current ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla is one of the few who has seen Exum play against stronger competition on more than one occasion. Fraschilla offered his views on the 6’6 guard during a recent interview with 710 ESPNLA’s John Ireland.

“He reminds me of a young, 1982 circa North Carolina Michael Jordan,” Fraschilla said of Exum. “He’s not going to be as great, obviously, unless I’m wrong… but he kind of reminds you of a young colt that’s just about to run his first claimer race, and you’re looking at him (thinking), ‘This guy could win the Kentucky Derby someday.’”

Obviously, he’s not comparing Exum to the Jordan that finished a legendary NBA career with six titles. There’s certainly no need to place that type of added pressure and increased expectation on any young player, but Fraschilla is drawing a direct parallel to what he sees in Exum and what he saw out of an 18-year-old Jordan as a freshman at North Carolina.

“He’s got great basketball instincts,” Fraschilla said. “He’ll drive in, and when you think he’s going to use his right hand, he’ll switch to the left hand at the last minute. He’ll take off about a half step earlier than you think he should, but then he’ll hang in the air and bank it off the glass…Getting your own shot in the league is a skill.”

High praise of that nature, whether you agree, is certain to turn a few heads and raise an eyebrow or two when it comes from someone as respected as Fraschilla, and he certainly didn’t back away from his praise of Exum when asked about his actual draft stock.

“If I had to pick today, it would be in some order of Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker and Dante Exum,” Fraschilla concluded.

Part of why Fraschilla is so impressed with Exum is a result of how he performed at the 2013 Nike Hoop Summit. Exum was able to showcase his all-around game against a team that boasted Duke’s Jabari Parker, Kentucky’s Aaron and Andrew Harrison and Julius Randle, and Arizona’s Aaron Gordon.





Exum turned even more heads just a few months later, when he led Australia to an impressive win over Spain at the FIBA Under 19 Men’s tourney in Prague. He was absolutely dominant in the quarterfinal game, notching 33 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals.





The footage from these clips makes it easy to see why scouts have also compared Exum to players like Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose. Not only is he lightning quick with the ball in transition, but Exum’s first step has him routinely attacking the paint and rim in the halfcourt set as well.

Perhaps a slight difference between his game and that of a young Westbrook and particularly Rose is that Exum already appears to have an outside game. His jump-shot is smooth, and he appears to have the ability to comfortably rise above a defender off the dribble and hit catch-and-shoot opportunities.  He even appears to be able to handle the pick-and-roll effectively, which should please a growing number of coaches.

Fraschilla is not in the business of throwing out hyperbole or ranking a player that high just for the sake of grabbing a headline, so these are not words to be taken lightly. Praise and limited footage aside, Exum should have plenty of opportunities to prove himself during the pre-draft process. Reportedly already working out in Southern California in preparation for that early-to-mid June period, Exum can expect to hear from many lottery teams.

Whether he’s truly worthy of some of the recent hype will soon be known, when everyone will have the opportunity to judge his game for themselves. It doesn’t appear that Exum will by shying away from that spotlight anytime soon.



bob



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And Joel Embiid's stock just dropped ala Sully.  Won't need surgery, but it is a stress fracture of the spinal column.  Yikes!  That's gonna scare a few GMs off, I'll bet.


Joel Embiid Won't Need Surgery, Likely Out Until At Least Sweet 16
Mar 10, 2014 9:27 PM EDT


Joel Embiid is out indefinitely after being seen in Los Angeles by a spinal specialist, but he will not require surgery.

The doctor confirmed the diagnosis of a stress fracture.

Embiid will miss the Big 12 Tournament and likely the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Bill Self is hopeful that Embiid could return for the later rounds.

Via Rustin Dodd/Kansas City Star


bob


.

bobheckler wrote:And Joel Embiid's stock just dropped ala Sully.  Won't need surgery, but it is a stress fracture of the spinal column.  Yikes!  That's gonna scare a few GMs off, I'll bet.


Joel Embiid Won't Need Surgery, Likely Out Until At Least Sweet 16
Mar 10, 2014 9:27 PM EDT


Joel Embiid is out indefinitely after being seen in Los Angeles by a spinal specialist, but he will not require surgery.

The doctor confirmed the diagnosis of a stress fracture.

Embiid will miss the Big 12 Tournament and likely the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Bill Self is hopeful that Embiid could return for the later rounds.

Via Rustin Dodd/Kansas City Star


bob


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Potential steal in the making?


KJ

I don't think the injury is going to drop Embiid at all.

Look for him to go 1 or 2.

Saw Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood in person this weekend and will try and write about it here or a new thread if I can get a few minutes. I've been fortunate to have seen a lot of great players, and I think Parker is going to have a shot at being something special. 30 pts, 11 rebs and 2 assists while often in double coverage. Hood is just about right there with him too.

Ditto, dboss, on the style of play.

Moreover, I would have difficulty being excited about the Celtics acquiring an alleged PG whose credentials focus so strongly on shooting to the nearly complete exclusion of defense and playmaking.  I mean, 33 points (that's nice) and four assists?  He sounds more like a very good SG to me.

Sam

dboss,

Napier is listed as 6-1, but we'll see how tall he really is come draft time. He's a very good player, but he looks tiny out there. Still, Kemba Walker and Chris Paul seem to have found a home in the NBA, so I'd think Napier can, too.

Kaminsky's case is curious. He is one of the most effective players in this year's tournament, yet like you point out, he doesn't get the love from guys who rate players for the media. My guess is that those guys (who aren't NBA scouts) see him as a plodder with limited athleticism who needs to build up his upper body strength. I see a guy with a nose for the ball, skills, and a high basketball IQ. Napier can't get any taller, but Kaminsky can hit the weights.

dboss,

I was essentially agreeing with you that these guys are flying under the radar when they shouldn't be.

dboss wrote:Outside I was just making a point that there are several players in this draft that are not projected to go very high.  Napier is one of the.  He is a PG and is pretty solid from what I have seen of him.  He is listed at 6' 1" probably with shoes but he has been pretty solid all year long and during the tournament he has been outstanding.  (21 PPG, 4.8 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 steals 91% from the free throw line)

I also like Kaminsky for the reasons that you pointed out.

These mock drafts leave much to be desired.  

There is some kid out there that will be overlooked and that kid is going to be a star in this league.  Who is he?  That is the questions.

dboss

Kaminsky has said he's staying in school for his final year.  He's only had one good season out of three so far.

Dboss, thanks for starting and continuing your contributions to this thread.  Let's make this our official 2014 Draft Thread to consolidate all draft-related posts and include the actual drafting process.

I wasn't that enthusiastic about Exum earlier, because he sounded to me more like a SG than a PG.  But, upon reflection, I like the fact that he seems to have excellent potential at both PG and SG.  Drafting him (if no intimidator is available ahead of him) could actually kill two birds with one stone.

• A lot of people want to draft a potentially great PG to back up Rajon Rondo.  My question is how long will a potentially great PG be content to back up Rajon Rondo?  It would be ideal insurance if Rondo leaves after next season; but, in all probability, it would just make that more of a sure thing, so the Celtics could lose him for noting.

• But if the drafted backup could also be a potentially great SG as well as a potentially great SG, that would give the Celtics insurance at two positions at the very least and a solid three-or four-guard rotation of Rondo and/or Exum and/or Bradley and/or Bayless (I really like his potential as a combo sixth man catalyst).  Pressey might even remain as a fifth guard and a third option at PG, with Exum also being available to slide into the SF position.

• Moreover, although I don't know anything about Exum's defensive skills, having a 6' 6" guard would be a luxury when the Celts (whose "core" guards now average 6' 1" or 6' 2") face a tall opposing guard.

• Embiid could be a good pickup if the Celtics want to bet double or nothing on the likelihood that a big man's bad back won't cause problems.  I'd still prefer to have them acquire a more proven big-league intimidator, because a team can develop constructively at just so many positions at one time; and it would be nice to have the two most important positions (PG and center, in my opinion) occupied by guys with records of NBA success.

Although I'd be happy to see them get either Asik or Gortat, I'd prefer Asik because (1) he's younger and (2) in my estimation, he better fits the description of intimidator (which, to me, means defensive toughness as well as rim protection).  Moreover, if they were to sign Gortat as a FA (as distinct from a sign-and-trade), such a move could exacerbate cap problems.

Sam

dboss wrote:Outside I was just making a point that there are several players in this draft that are not projected to go very high.  Napier is one of the.  He is a PG and is pretty solid from what I have seen of him.  He is listed at 6' 1" probably with shoes but he has been pretty solid all year long and during the tournament he has been outstanding.  (21 PPG, 4.8 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 steals 91% from the free throw line)

I also like Kaminsky for the reasons that you pointed out.

These mock drafts leave much to be desired.  

There is some kid out there that will be overlooked and that kid is going to be a star in this league.  Who is he?  That is the questions.

dboss

by overlooked do you mean not drafted or not in mock drafts?

because when I look at undrafted rookies, I don't see too many anymore that can be called anything like a star in the NBA anymore. The teams are too good at player scouting today.

a list of the top non drafted players the past couple years:( I used MP per game)

2013- Hollis Thompson, Ray McCallum, Phil Pressey

2012- Chris Johnson, Henry Sims, DeQuan Jones

2011- Greg Smith, Lance Thomas, Chris Wright

2010- Jeremy Lin, Manny Harris, Sarmado Samuels

hardly any NBA starter on that list, much less anyone we can consider stars in the NBA.

reality is IF a rookie player will be an NBA starter he will be drafted in todays NBA.