Official 2013 NBA Draft Thread

Ford:
2013 NBA Mock Draft 5.0

With just nine days to go before the 2013 NBA draft, it's time for another update of our mock draft.

In the past few weeks, teams have been taking players through interviews and strenuous workouts in an attempt to finalize their draft boards. While most teams tell me they're still a week or so away from settling things, we're starting to get a little bit of clarity.

I've been speaking with numerous NBA team sources about how the draft might play out on June 27.

Here's our latest update on how we see things going.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Nerlens Noel

Analysis: The Cavs have been talking to teams for weeks about a trade, but they are finding a limited market and at this point are likely to keep the pick.

Sources in Cleveland strongly suggest that the Cavs have yet to make their decision. Anthony Bennett, Ben McLemore, Victor Oladipo, Otto Porter, Alex Len and Noel all have visits and/or workouts scheduled in Cleveland this week. Noel is scheduled to visit the team Thursday and has a chance to seal the deal as the No. 1 pick if he performs well.

Noel remains on top because he fits the profile of a player the Cavs prefer to draft -- the player with the most long-term upside. That's why they picked Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters at No. 4 the past couple of years and why Noel remains the favorite. Sources say Noel's strongest competition right now is Len, whom some in the organization favor because he, too, has size and defensive ability, but he's less raw and should be cleared to play much sooner than Noel.

2. Orlando Magic - Victor Oladipo

Analysis: The Magic are in the hunt for Eric Bledsoe. If they can address their point guard issue via trade, they're free to take the best player available at this spot. Indiana's Victor Oladipo and KU's Ben McLemore are widely seen as the two best fits in Orlando. While McLemore might have more pure upside, I continue to hear that Oladipo has the upper hand. McLemore was in Orlando last week, but according to multiple accounts, his workout wasn't terrific. Noel is a strong possibility, too, if he doesn't go No. 1 to the Cavs.

3. Washington Wizards - Otto Porter

Analysis: The Wizards continue to be in a strong position at No. 3. The two players they really like -- Porter and UNLV's Anthony Bennett -- are both on the board here. Both are getting looks from the Cavs, but neither is the favorite at this point. There continues to be a pretty strong debate on this one inside the front office, and it might come down to risk aversion for the Wizards. Do they go with more of a sure thing (Porter) or gamble on the guy with more upside (Bennett)?

4. Charlotte Bobcats - Anthony Bennett

Analysis: This one sounds like it's coming down to a showdown between Bennett and Len. Either player would give Charlotte's front line a much-needed scoring boost. The Bobcats have Bismack Biyombo as a defensive presence but not a lot else. Also, don't totally write off Cody Zeller here. I hear he's a dark horse.

5. Phoenix Suns - Ben McLemore

Analysis: McLemore remains in the top 5, but I'm starting to have my doubts. I love the talent. But his lack of preparation for the draft is hurting him. Multiple sources told me that his workout in Phoenix was not impressive. McLemore, according to sources, wasn't in shape and struggled to keep up in the workout. I heard similar things in Orlando. McLemore is in a tug-of-war right now between advisor Rodney Blackstock and his agency Rivals. It's kept McLemore out of the gym and, for the most part, out of workouts. How much will all of this affect the draft stock? I'm told teams are worried. But how worried? Enough for one of the most talented players in the draft to slide further? Stay tuned. If the Suns move on past McLemore, both C.J. McCollum and Michael Carter-Williams are possibilities here.

6. New Orleans Pelicans - Alex Len

Analysis: Len could go as high as No. 1 to the Cavs or No. 4 to the Bobcats, but I doubt he gets past the Pelicans at No. 6. Pairing him on the floor with Anthony Davis makes for a terrific front line. Small forward and point guard are the other two directions in which the Pelicans could go.

They love Porter, but its doubtful he'll still be there at No. 6 and after Dario Saric withdrew from the draft on Monday, there weren't any other small forwards to be really excited about. They like Trey Burke and Carter-Williams, but sources continue to say that they think Austin Rivers can still make the transition to point guard.

7. Sacramento Kings - Michael Carter-Williams

Analysis: The good news: the Kings finally have a general manager in Pete D'Alessandro. The bad news: he started on Monday, which is after the Kings had completed workouts with most of the prospects in their range. So, either the Kings drag players back to Sacramento or new head coach Mike Malone and owner Vivek Ranadive will be heavily influencing the call.

From what I can gather, UCLA forward Shabazz Muhammad had the best workout, though the Kings weren't particularly high on him prior to that. The team loved Carter-Williams before he came in, but weren't impressed with his workout. Sounds like Trey Burke isn't particularly high on their list, either. Ditto for C.J. McCollum.

I'm not sure what to make of all that, but here's the best I can do: One of the biggest reasons the Kings hired D'Alessandro was because of his analytics work. Muhammad looks horrible in virtually every analytics model I've seen. Carter-Williams looks good in almost of all of them.

8. Detroit Pistons - Trey Burke

Analysis: The Pistons are hoping, for a third year in a row, that one of the top seven players on the board slides to them on draft night. However, it the draft holds true to form, look for them to try to address their backcourt at No. 8. The team thinks Brandon Knight is more suited to play the two and would like to bring in a "pure" point guard to run the team. While Burke is a little undersized, he's highly skilled as both a shooter and a penetrator and has great leadership capabilities. McCollum and Zeller also are possibilities here, especially if both Burke and Carter-Williams are off the board.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Analysis: It sounds like the Timberwolves have narrowed things down to Caldwell-Pope and Muhammad here. While Muhammad is more of a natural scorer, it's hard to believe the Wolves will pass on Caldwell-Pope's shooting abilities. The team really needs shooters and Caldwell-Pope has a chance to be one of the two or three best shooters in the draft.

10. Portland Trailblazers - C.J. McCollum

Analysis: The Blazers also are in need of a shooter and would have strong interest in Caldwell-Pope if he doesn't go at No. 9. McCollum is another good option. While he's a bit undersized to play the two (Damian Lillard has the point guard spot on lockdown) his shooting and driving ability should complement Lillard nicely. The Blazers also are looking at bigs, and Pittsburgh's Steven Adams looks like a potential fit here as well.

11. Philadelphia 76ers - Cody Zeller

Analysis: The 76ers are looking for size. With Andrew Bynum a free agent, Spencer Hawes and Arnett Moultrie are the closest things they have to bigs. Zeller is more of a four than a five, but his athletic ability, combined with his shooting stroke, should allow them to stretch the floor. Adams, Duke's Mason Plumlee and Brazil's Lucas Nogueira are also possibilities in Philly.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto Raptors) - Steven Adams

Analysis: The Thunder are in win-now mode, but it's unlikely whoever they draft here will be of much help next season. The Thunder have swung and missed a few times with big guys in the draft (Cole Aldrich and Byron Mullens) but could do it again for Adams. While he's miles away from contributing offensively, defensively he already has the body and instincts to be a good rebounder and shot blocker. With time much more might come. Russia's Sergey Karasev also is a strong possibility here.

13. Dallas Mavericks -Sergey Karasev

Analysis: The Mavericks continue to lean heavily toward trading the pick (if they haven't already). Multiple sources say it's unlikely the Mavs will be selecting for themselves when they make this pick on draft night. However, if they do keep the pick, selecting an international player that the Mavs can stash over in Europe offers the cap flexibility Dallas is seeking. With their favorite, Dario Saric, out, a player like Karasev seems like a great fit. His ability to shoot the basketball and his experience playing at a high level in Russia put him ahead of the curve. He'd be a great fit in Dallas whenever he comes over (either this season or next) and at this point his draft stock looks high enough to justify the pick.

14. Utah Jazz - Lucas Noguiera

Analysis: Yes, the Jazz are in the hunt for a point guard. But from what I can gather (and the Jazz are notoriously tight lipped) the team isn't in love with any of the point guards who would be left on the board (Shane Larkin and Dennis Schroeder are the two most likely here). They also need bigs (both Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap are free agents this summer) and it looks like they're open to using the draft to help address that need as well. The Jazz have been high on Nogueira for a while, but his performance at the Eurocamp might have sealed the deal for this lithe, long, athletic shot blocker. I don't think he'll be around when they draft again at 21.

15. Milwaukee Bucks - Shane Larkin

Analysis: With their starting backcourt of Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis both heading into free agency, the Bucks likely are to focus on point guard. Both Larkin and Schroeder are the two most interesting candidates. Schroeder has more upside, but after dealing with Jennings for the past few years, they might opt for a more traditional guard like Larkin. Murray State's Isaiah Canaan also has a shot here. His impressive workout turned heads in Milwaukee.

16. Boston Celtics - Shabazz Muhammad

Analysis: Muhammad's stock is all over the place. But then again, so are the Celtics. He could go as high as No. 7 to the Kings or No. 9 to the Wolves or even No. 12 to the Thunder or No. 14 to the Jazz. But if he does slide this far, it's hard to see Danny Ainge passing on him. There's just too much talent there, and what the Celtics are going to need -- if they really are going into full rebuild mode -- is more talent.

17. Atlanta Hawks - Mason Plumlee

Analysis: The Hawks could use just about everything. Plumlee isn't a particularly sexy prospect, but he runs the floor very well and is one of the most athletic bigs in the draft. If he rebounds and uses his strength and mobility, he could be a valuable rotation player for the Hawks. Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk, San Diego State's Jamaal Franklin and Michigan's Tim Hardaway Jr. also are possibilities.

18. Atlanta Hawks (via Houston Rockets) - Giannis Antetokounmpo

Analysis: Antetoukounpo turned a lot of heads last week in Italy playing for the Greek Under-20 team. While he still projects as the rawest prospect in the draft, teams were impressed with how he handled himself against stronger competition. The word out of Italy was that there was no way he was getting past the Hawks. He might go higher (the Thunder, Mavericks and Jazz all have interest) but it now looks like he's secured a top-20 selection.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Los Angeles Lakers) - Reggie Bullock

Analysis: If the Cavs grab Noel at No. 1, look for them to add a small forward or shooter with the second first-round pick. They would love to get their hands on Karasev, but I'm told they believe Bullock wouldn't be a bad consolation prize. Bullock shot 44 percent from 3-point range this year and has the size to play both wing positions.

20. Chicago Bulls - Jamaal Franklin

Analysis: He's had just one workout with the Knicks, though that's about to change. The Bulls really need a shooter, and that isn't exactly Franklin's forté. However, his jumper has improved considerably. What head coach Tom Thibodeau will love immediately is Franklin's defensive presence on the floor. Thi is one of the toughest players in the draft and a kid who should contribute immediately -- a smaller version of Kawhi Leonard. Hardaway Jr. also is a strong possibility here.

21. Utah Jazz (via Golden State Warriors) - Dennis Schroeder

Analysis: The Jazz do need a point guard and after a series of shaky workouts, I think there's a good chance Schroeder will be here when they draft at 21. The bigger question? Is Schroeder the point guard the Jazz would draft? The team also like's Murray State's Isaiah Canaan -- a lot. Do the Jazz go for upside or a proven guard with a little lower ceiling? Obviously, if the Jazz pass on Nogueira earlier, he'd be in play here.

22. Brooklyn Nets - Tony Snell

Analysis: Snell quietly is flying up the draft boards after a series of terrific workouts. He's in play now with Chicago, Utah, Brooklyn and Indiana. The appeal? He's a super athletic wing with NBA length and defensive abilities. He was very inconsistent at New Mexico, but I'm told numerous NBA teams love the talent. Louisville's Gorgui Dieng and Hardaway Jr. also are in play here.

23. Indiana Pacers - Kelly Olynyk

Analysis: The Pacers are hoping someone in the top 15 or 20 on our Big Board slides to them. In this scenario, their wish is granted. Olynyk is getting looks as high as the 76ers at No. 11, the Jazz at No. 14, the Celtics at No. 16. But if he slides past those teams, he'd be welcomed with open arms in Indy. The team needs depth everywhere, and Olynyk's ability to play a stretch four would offer another weapon off the bench. Snell, Canaan and Virginia Tech's Erick Green also are in the mix here.

24. New York Knicks - Tony Mitchell

Analysis: I continue to hear the Knicks have a strong affinity for Mitchell. He has all the physical tools to succeed in the NBA -- strength, length, elite athletic ability. And the Knicks really need help on the front line. I also hear South Dakota State's Nate Wolters is a sleeper here.

25. Los Angeles Clippers - Ricky Ledo

Analysis: Ledo continues to draw praise from every team for whom he works out. I know the Celtics are a team that likes him a lot. If the Clippers and Celtics end up doing the Doc Rivers-Kevin Garnett trade, it's likely Boston will end up with this pick. Look for Ainge to swing for the fences with it.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Memphis Grizzlies) - Rudy Gobert

Analysis: The Timberwolves will need depth in the middle, and while Gobert has been sliding steadily on draft boards the past few weeks, at this point in the draft he is a steal. Hardaway Jr. and Cal's Allen Crabbe also are possibilities here.

27. Denver Nuggets - Tim Hardaway Jr.

Analysis: The Nuggets are in danger of losing Andre Iguodala this summer after he opted to become a free agent. While Hardaway is a far cry from Iguodala, he's one of the more NBA-ready players in the draft and could step in immediately and along with Evan Fournier, help with some of the minutes used by "Iggy."

28. San Antonio Spurs - Gorgui Dieng

Analysis: Injury concerns for Dieng (ankle and a knee) have hurt his stock a bit, and he's slowly sliding into the 20s. Teams like him, but given his age, injuries matter. That shouldn't stop the Spurs from taking him here. They have big needs on the front line and Dieng is one of the more NBA-ready big men in the draft.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder - Alex Abrines

Analysis: Again, the Thunder have a ton of flexibility right now, and with two first-round picks they don't need a player to come over immediately. Abrines is an interesting player. He's playing limited minutes for one of the top teams in Europe and has significant upside. The team can afford to be patient and stash him in Europe for a year or two until he's ready to come in and contribute.

30. Phoenix Suns (via Miami Heat) - Glen Rice Jr.

Analysis: If the Suns get their 2-guard with their first pick, don't be surprised if Phoenix tries to add another wing who can shoot the ball with its second first-rounder. Rice dominated the D-League last season and probably is big enough to spend time at the 3. He's also one of the two or three most NBA-ready prospects in the draft.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
The biggest difference between Ben McLemore and Xavier Henry? Perception

The general consensus I get from Kansas basketball fans is that Xavier Henry was a bust in his one-and-done year, while Ben McLemore was a success.

It's simply not true if you look only at the numbers.

For the last few years, Ken Pomeroy has listed "player comparables" in his advanced stats on KenPom.com.

The full explanation for the measure is on his site, but basically, a score of 900 or more means two players are "a great match."

McLemore and Henry's player comparable score is 917 — the highest mark for each player. Keep in mind that's comparing their statistics to every other Div. I freshman over the past eight years.

The similarity between the two is even more striking when looking at the advanced statistics. I've highlighted in red the categories where the two put up nearly the same stat line.

Henry_vs_McLemore_t600x321.jpg


m http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/newell ... ben-mclem/
Click to expand...
 
Article confirms my weariness on McLemore, I think he's overrated in this weak draft.

Really interested to see which team gets Reggie Bullock, solid defender at the 2/3 and will be a 40% shooter from 3
 
From DX:
Box-scores don't always tell us everything we need to know about what happened in an actual game, and season averages can be misleading at times in attempting to project what type of NBA player a NCAA or international prospect will become.

That's why it makes sense to branch out and explore other alternatives that are available to us, including those offered by Synergy Sports Technology, whose detail-heavy archives include a staggering number of data-points representing the play of prospects all over the world.

With that in mind, we've taken the top-100 prospects in this draft class, and sorted them into five groups by position. We've then looked at how each group of players stacks up in Synergy's various playtypes, with the biggest emphasis being on the specific skills they'll need to succeed at their position at the NBA level.

Breaking Down the Top 18 Point Guards

-Trey Burke is widely considered the top point guard available in the 2013 draft and nothing we found in studying his situational stats would lead us to believe otherwise. He does not stand out in a major way on paper, but ranks well across the board and excels in a few key areas that should aid him in his transition to the next level.

Looking at the bigger picture, Burke's 18.5 possessions per-game, 0.999 overall points per-possessions (PPP), and 11.5% turnover rate all place him in the top-six of those respective categories. Erick Green, C.J. McCollum, and Nate Wolters all rank similarly well by those standards, and maybe even a little better, but Burke's standing in both usage and efficiency are especially impressive considering the quality of defense he faced on a nightly basis in the Big Ten and the pressure associated with being the top threat on a National Championship caliber team.

Burke did his best work as a scorer in the half court, where he once again hovers around the top-five in usage and efficiency. More a facilitator in transition, Burke sports a terrific 4.3-to-1 assist to turnover ratio on the fast break. His biggest weakness relative to his peer group may be his average scoring efficiency in transition, which is mostly due to the fact he got to the line on a sample worse 12.3% of his transition possessions.

Perhaps more so than any position in the NBA, point guards are defined by their ability to excel in one particular situation: the pick and roll. While Trey Burke ranks well in both the number of possessions he used dribble off of ball screens and the rate at which he turned them into points, what is truly remarkable about his numbers in the two-man game is the degree to which he valued the ball. Turning it over on just 8.2% of his pick and roll possessions, Burke's command of the ball makes him the only player with a single-digit turnover percentage.

Aside from the pick and roll, Burke ranks average to above average as a spot-up shooter, isolation scorer, and off screen threat. A 44.7% jump shooter off the catch and effective slasher with his left hand, Burke is a crafty shot creator with an array of weapons at his disposal to get the ball in the basket.

His biggest weapon as a scorer is his pull-up jump shot, which accounted for a sample leading 46.4% of his attempts in the half court last season. Yielding 1.01 points per-shot, Burke's pull-up is on par with Damian Lillard's coming out of Weber State (1 PPP) and was almost more effective for him than a finishing opportunity, where his 1.052 points per-shot ranks below average. It will be worth tracking how Burke fares when he attacks the rim at the next level, as his shooting at the basket and ability to create easy opportunities for himself at the line could be the key to his ability to take the next step as a pro.

-Every year there's a player who puts up outrageous numbers in a season shortened by any number of factors. That player this season is C.J. McCollum, who ranked third in overall usage at 20.8 possessions per-game and first in scoring efficiency at a tremendous 1.104 points per-possession.

Ranking second in both transition scoring efficiency at 1.26 PPP and half court scoring efficiency at 1.065 PPP, it was McCollum's prolific jump shooting prior to injuring his foot that helps him here. Connecting on more than 50% of his jump shots overall, with splits of 49% off the dribble and 61% off the catch, McCollum leads this group in field goal percentage on the pick and roll and in spot-up situations and ranks second one-on-one thanks to his hot perimeter shooting as a senior. Knocking down 36.6% of his jump shots in 35 games as a junior, McCollum clearly benefits from some sample size bias, but has a proven track record of being able to put pressure on opposing defenses with his ability to score from all over the court.

A slightly above average finisher and foul drawer, if McCollum has a true weakness on paper in this limited sample of games, it is that his profile reinforces that the role he filled was more aligned with playing off the ball than those of his peers. He did less creating for his teammates on the pick and roll than any player other than Lorenzo Brown at 2.6 pass outs to possessions per-game, well below the average of 6.1, and used screens without the ball to get open for 12% of his possessions, almost double the next closest player in this group.

Doing what he needed to as a scorer to lead Lehigh to wins, McCollum has acknowledged in interviews that he's prepared to make whatever adjustments he's asked to make as a lead guard at the next level to fit in stylistically.

-This study is not kind to Michael Carter-Williams who ranks as the least efficient scorer in this group at 0.746 points per-possession. His 22.1% overall turnover rate is the second worst among his peers, as is his 0.683 PPP in the half court. Those two stats are representative of the two key areas his scouting report notes he need to make strides in to reach his potential as a pro: his decision-making and perimeter shooting.

Turning the ball over on 28% of his pick and roll possessions, the highest among his peers, ball security was an area of concern for Carter-Williams in the half court last season. Sporting a 3.6 assist to turnover ratio in transition, he's more efficient as a playmaker in the open floor at this point in his career.

Carter-Williams' well documented issues as a shooter cost him here as well, as his 26.2% shooting on pull-up jumpers and 28% shooting off the catch are a major limiting factor on his scoring ability in the half court, resulting in his ranks as the second worst spot-up and 5th worst pick and roll shooter in this group.

Often lauded for his ability to score at the rim, a bit of fishing shows that Carter-Williams shoots a slightly below average 48.8% as a finisher in the half court, though he compensates by shooting nearly 60% at the basket as the ball-handler in transition.

While Carter-Williams doesn't look great here, this doesn't reveal anything teams don't already know about him. Whoever drafts him will be excited about his size, solid one-on-one ability, athleticism in the open floor, and the player he has the opportunity to become as he begins to work on his two very much improvable weaknesses.

-Shane Larkin's value proposition at the next level is simple, he created more combined points on the pick and roll for himself and his teammates last season than any prospect in the country at 14.3 points per-game. Playing in a pick and roll heavy, pro-style offense, Larkin kept defenses honest with his jump shot, which ranks second most efficient in this group at 1.137 points per-shot, and showed excellent command of the ball, turning the ball over on just 11.3% of his possessions creating in the two-man game. While scouts will scrutinize his size, his efficiency as a scorer and prolific shot creating ability seem tailor made for the NBA game.

-Dennis Schroeder is a fascinating case. Over the past few years, international players have more often than no looked entirely out of place in these studies as the roles they fill and style they are asked to play don't line up well with their NCAA counterparts.

That is not the case with Schroeder, whose significance to Braunschweig on the offensive end places his usage and efficiency only slightly below average relative to the other top point guards in this draft.

His main weaknesses on paper are his efficiency in transition, where he sports the second lowest field goal percentage at 44% and third highest turnover rate at 27.3%, and his pull-up jump shot, which he made a below average 30.6% of the time.

His biggest strength on paper, which lines up with what we saw at the Nike Hoop Summit, is his prolific ability creating for others on the pick and roll, as he ranks second in pass outs resulting in possessions per-game. His catch and shoot jump shot also warrants noting, as he knocked it down at a phenomenal 52.6% clip, albeit on 1.6 attempts per-game.

The apple to the NCAA oranges in this group, the fact that Schroeder ranks well or near the mean in any category bucks the trend of sub-par showings from international prospects in these articles over the years. Playing a key role in the German league at just 19 years of age, it isn't difficult to see why Schroeder is perhaps the highest climbing international prospect in this draft relative to where he stood a year ago.

-Erick Green stacks up exceptionally well against the top prospects in this class on paper, further reinforcing why he won ACC Player of the Year honors after carrying Virginia Tech's offense on his own for long stretches last year. Leading this group in usage at 22.8 possessions per-game, Green still managed to rank second in overall efficiency at 1.068 PPP, thanks in large part to his incredible low 9.2% turnover rate, which ranks as the lowest in this group by an impressive margin.

Green's low-mistake style of play and third-ranked overall free throw rate of 19.2% are conducive to success in this study, as his scoring efficiency ranks third in one-on-one, fourth in pick and roll, and fourth in transition. An above average jump shooter and finisher, who spent plenty of time creating for his teammates on the pick and roll despite his team's reliance on his jump shot, Green stands out here in a major way relative to his draft stock.

-Nate Wolters shares a number of similarities with Green on paper, despite the disparity in the quality of competition they played during their teams' respective conference schedules. Ranking a few spots behind Green in usage at 20.5 possessions per-game, Wolters edges him in scoring efficiency by a fraction of a point scoring 1.074 PPP overall. Turning the ball over slightly more, but getting to the line just as often, Wolters holds an advantage over Green as a shooter, ranking as the samples third most efficient jump shooter and fourth-most efficient finisher.

-Despite his reputation as a scorer, Isaiah Canaan did plenty of shot creating on the pick and roll, ranking right around average in possessions created from his passes out of the pick and roll. His 9.7 jump shot attempts per-game is tops in this group, and his 1.103 points per-possession on those attempts is above average.

-Lorenzo Brown faces the same obstacles as Michael Carter-Williams in reaching his potential. Scoring a sample low 0.671 PPP in the half court due to his sample leading 23.4% turnover rate, Brown will need to improve on his decision-making and bottom ranked 27.6% jump shooting to make the most of his size and achieve his NBA upside.

-Ray McCallum's 1.317 PPP in transition is terrific, and he drew fouls on a sample leading 18.9% of his possession in the half court, as his athleticism and aggressiveness as a finisher manifest themselves well here. Ranking right around average as a pick and roll and spot-up scorer, McCallum is at his best attacking the rim one-on-one. A 60.6% shooter around the basket, the Detroit product is the second best finisher in this group. A below average jump shooter, having converted a bottom-three ranked 29.4% of his attempts, there's some things to like about McCollum already as he continues to refine his perimeter shot.

-Myck Kabongo got to the rim more often than any player in this sample, with 59.3% of his shot attempts coming in the paint. He finished just 41.2% of those attempts, though, and needs to improve on his 30% shooting from the perimeter, but his speed translates here, as he ranks as the third most efficient scorer in transition scoring 1.25 points per-possession on the break.

-UNLV guard Anthony Marshall is far from a lock to hear his name called on draft night, but he deserves mention here for his interior scoring ability. A 64.6% shooter around the rim, Marshall is a tough and incredibly strong finisher for a point guard. He's also the only player in this sample who was used with any real frequency in the post, where he scored a respectable 0.886 PPP on 1 possessions per-game. Despite those merits, Marshall's 11.7 possessions used per-game is the second lowest in our sample and his 23% turnover-rate is the highest.

-Nemanja Nedovic doesn't stand out, but like Dennis Schroeder, doesn't look entirely out of place either. Scoring 1.058 points per-jump shot, Nedovic showed improve perimeter scoring ability in some of the best leagues outside of the NBA to go along with his oft noted athleticism.

-Australian point guard Matthew Dellavedova doesn't stand out as a scorer, but his 10.4 possessions resulting from passes out of the pick and roll per-game lead this group by a wide margin and are a reflection of his tremendous feel for setting the table dribbling off ball screens.
Click to expand...
 
JJs07 said:
eek.gif
@ the Wizards having a strong chance of ending up with either Noel, Porter, or Bennett.

*Got a feeling that Ledo will go lottery.
Click to expand...
you really think if caves did take len number 1, the magic wouldn't take noel 2 just cause he has the best value? or teams start blowing up the magic's phone to trade up?
 
Cavs are idiots if they don't take Noel, shouldn't even be a discussion.

I wouldn't be surprised though they did pick Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters with lottery picks
 
I'm shocked if the Cavs pass on Noel, I'd be even more shocked if Orlando doesn't take him.
 
Bigmike23 said:
you really think if caves did take len number 1, the magic wouldn't take noel 2 just cause he has the best value? or teams start blowing up the magic's phone to trade up?
Click to expand...

Magic would be in a great spot if Len goes #1.

Take Noel, or trade back.

Cavs about to shake everything up :lol:
 
Pierre Jackson injures left knee

Baylor's Pierre Jackson suffered a minor, acute patella injury to his left knee and won't be able to work out in the final week leading up to the NBA draft on June 27.

Jackson's co-agent, Colin Bryant of Dutt Sports Services, told ESPN.com Tuesday that Jackson needs "nothing more than rest the next two to three weeks. It's unfortunate about the upcoming workouts. He will be 100 percent for summer league."

Jackson led Baylor to the NIT title last March with 17 points and 10 assists against Iowa. He had started to be a strong contender for a first-round spot in the draft. He had already worked out for five teams with first-round picks -- Utah (14), Boston (16), New York (24), L.A. Clippers (25) and San Antonio (28).

Bryant said he will make the MRI available to all teams to prove that only rest is needed. Jackson will interview by Skype, or possibly in person, with Dallas (13), Phoenix (5, 30), Chicago (20), Atlanta (17, 18) and Indiana (23).

Jackson was interviewing, but not working out, with Portland (10) Tuesday.
Click to expand...
Link

Talk about bad timing.
 
JJs07 said:
Bigmike23 said:
you really think if caves did take len number 1, the magic wouldn't take noel 2 just cause he has the best value? or teams start blowing up the magic's phone to trade up?
Click to expand...

Magic would be in a great spot if Len goes #1.

Take Noel, or trade back.

Cavs about to shake everything up :lol:
Click to expand...

Regardless Alex Len aint the end of the world, Im hearing theres actual substance behind this rumor unlike Ersan for #3

Alex len has good potential but i never trust these international players, didnt he just start learning to play recently? In my opinion the cavs if they choose him will throw him out to the lions to early and he will fail his first season

Like Jay Williams said alot of these guys are coming out to early and a record high of the players will be sent down to the NBDL, im hoping that betters these guys though
 
I'm confused weather it's that or just because he decided not to **** with the usual suspects (World Wide Wes, Rich Paul) and its causing them to throw shade.

Regardless it's tough for 19 year old kid to make all the right decisions especially about those close to him.
 
With Noel, the same guy who in that NYTimes article last year where he was portrayed as his handler, is still the guy leading his camp I believe.
 
short and long of it:

Nerlens signed to an agency and it flew under the radar. He's with Andy Miller and ASM.

Gets interesting with the dude who went on recruiting visits to Syracuse and Florida with him- Erroll Randolph - turned into a runner for ASM after he was at Everett HS as basically an equipment manager. Of course, the Syracuse angle is why Pete Thamel never went further with his 'story' that everyone around Everett knows he could have broken open.

He and Driscoll both moved Nerlens to Tilton for their own interest - kind of tried to pull him in different directions for college- but now the gang is back together with Randolph getting him to ASM while Driscoll still gets to be his 'manager.' They both brainwashed the kid and it seems that Nerlens didn't have the stomach to cut one or both of them off. Mrs. Noel doesn't have much of a say in anything, still relies on a translator.

He's a smart kid and will find his way eventually, just is getting used right now. I'd have thought his brothers would have stepped in and ran the show by now.
 
Last edited:
Alex Len it is then!!!!!!!!!

Woohoooooo

Don't think 50 of his jerseys will sell. No chance in hell

I hope Gilbert is selling the team

Holy mother.

Cleveland "sources" are almost as bad as Broussard.. They don't know **** and just *** talk.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

The ultimate sneaker enthusiast community.

NikeTalk was created as a way of giving back to both the sneaker enthusiast community and to the greater global community of which we are all a part.

NikeTalk is NOT affiliated with Nike Inc. in any way, shape, or form. All opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Nike, Inc.

© 1999-2024 NikeTalk.com

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom