The 2015 NBA Draft Thread: Draft Day Is Here

[keel252]

Slide Gordon to the PF slot . He is athletiche can beat all rival pf off the dribble.

i feel thats the only position for Gordon...kid should never play mins at the 3 for them.

 

[frshstunna]

Why even taken Gordon that high?

Should've taken Randle or if your gonna reach Nik or something.

NBA GMs

As a magic fan I was pissed and still am about that pick, took a energy player with no position in the top 5 ...my homeboys was laughing at my anger and pain

 

[carver]

Go BPA and worry about everything else later. I wouldn't worry about fits/needs or anything when your team is bad and that high in the lottery.

 

[Arthur Shelby]

Why even taken Gordon that high?

Should've taken Randle or if your gonna reach Nik or something.

NBA GMs

at picking Nik

That PF group of Randle, Gordon and Vonleh has no clear cut stand out will see how it goes in the years

 

[Arthur Shelby]

Orlando could go with Justise Winslow or Mario Hezonja

 

[essential1]

Why even taken Gordon that high?

Should've taken Randle or if your gonna reach Nik or something.

NBA GMs

at picking Nik

That PF group of Randle, Gordon and Vonleh has no clear cut stand out will see how it goes in the years

Randle by far was the best player of the 3.

 

[100027]

Randle by far was the best player of the 3.

When?

 

[awwsome]

When?

Idk, every year of his career until he broke his leg in the first game of the season?

 

[essential1]

Going into the draft. He was the best player of the 3. And that's what I was basing that comment off of.

We were talking about how could the Magic pick Gordon. And that's where it stems from.

Randle was by far the best player of the 3 going into the draft. And it's not like Gordon or Vonleh even set a bar while Randle played 14 minutes.

 

[Arthur Shelby]

Randle by far was the best player of the 3.

I didn't see it that way like Noah Vonleh game better in HS and the College season

 

[Arthur Shelby]

 

[Moheezy]

 
Denver could get a MAJOR haul if they package Lawson, Faried, and the 7th pick.

to who and for what?

For Melo

 

[trynafeelmink]

If i'm the Knicks Faried, Lawson, & still keeping the 7th pick would absolutely be something i'm intrigued with.

Like Stated, you get WCS along with those two... I think the Knicks automatically become a top 4 team in the East and still put themselves in position for the future with the 7th Pick & Lawson't contract coming off the books.

A frontcourt of Melo, Faried. WCS would dominate the boards, & Lawson is a great shooter and a guy who could get to the paint at will. They add another shooter at the guard spot and this that team is pretty balanced on both ends.

 

[ballinsam23]

How much cap (if any) would we have remaining if the Knicks do that Lawson, Faried, #7 for Caldo, #4?

 

[johnnyredstorm]

off the top of my head we lose at least 6 million or so from that deal. main reason I'm not in favor of it. rather hold this cap space for better options.

 

[100027]

How much cap (if any) would we have remaining if the Knicks do that Lawson, Faried, #7 for Caldo, #4?

...why?

You're not going to be a championship contender with that team.  

 

[pmatic]

Ford and Pelton:

Best fits for top four NBA draft picks

Following Tuesday's NBA draft lottery, we finally have the official order for the 2015 NBA draft. Both Chad and Kevin have their own Big Boards and now it's time for them to play GM, weighing in on the best fits for teams making the first four picks: the Timberwolves, Lakers, 76ers and Knicks.

First up is the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 1.


If you were drafting for the Timberwolves, whom would you take No. 1?


Ford: Karl-Anthony Towns. I think five guys in this draft are worthy of the No. 1 pick, but the choice in Minnesota would be an easy one for me. Not only do I think Towns is the best player in the draft, but I also think he fits a need. The Wolves have a talented young point guard in Ricky Rubio and a dynamic wing in Andrew Wiggins, so what they need now is a dominant big. Towns' ability to score inside and out, combined with his rim-protection abilities, make him the perfect choice. Yes, they have Gorgui Dieng and Nikola Pekovic, but Pekovic isn't going to be a big part of their future. Plus, I think that because of Towns' versatility, he and Dieng could play together.

Pelton: Agreed on Towns. Last season opponents shot a league-high 67.2 percent against the Timberwolves in the restricted area, per NBA.com/Stats, a number that figures to come down with Towns patrolling the rim. While I think Dieng has the potential to be a full-time starter down the road, let me throw out this possible partner for Towns in the frontcourt: Nemanja Bjelica, the Serbian forward Minnesota acquired in the second round of the 2010 draft who was recently named Euroleague MVP. Bjelica projects as an above-average NBA player based on his translated European statistics.


The Los Angeles Lakers have the next pick. Whom would you take No. 2?


Ford: That's a much tougher one, but my first instinct is to say Jahlil Okafor. The Lakers could use a center and Okafor is going to be a beast on offense. But I don't know that he's an ideal fit next to last year's lottery pick, Julius Randle. And I think it would be tough to pass on D'Angelo Russell or even Emmanuel Mudiay here. Jordan Clarkson had a great rookie season but he's not the talent that Russell or Mudiay is. The Lakers could especially use Russell's shooting. I'm going to stick with Okafor but it's very, very close between him, Russell and Mudiay.

Pelton: In the event the Timberwolves take Okafor, the Lakers should rush to pick Towns as soon as possible. Don't even use the whole five minutes -- too risky! Otherwise, I'm leaning toward Russell. The Ohio State guard comes out as the best prospect in the draft by my WARP projections, and I have too many questions about Okafor's ability to anchor a top defense. Though he had a promising rookie season, I don't think Clarkson is good enough to sway me from going with the best player available.


The Philadelphia 76ers are on the clock with the third pick. Whom would you take?


Ford: Russell. I actually think Sixers fans can take a deep breath that they ended up with the third pick. With Okafor and Towns off the board, they're free to address their biggest need in the backcourt. I'm a huge Mudiay fan, but the Sixers really need shooting assistance and I think Russell's confidence will be a huge boon for them. He's a leader in a way that Michael Carter-Williams never was.

Pelton: I love the fit of Russell in Philadelphia. He can be the perimeter counterweight Philadelphia needs to balance its promising young big men. In this scenario, with Russell off the board, I think I would go Mudiay because I'm not convinced Okafor is a better prospect than a healthy Joel Embiid. The really bold move (if the draft played out like this) would be for Sam Hinkie to take Okafor and try to extract a ransom from the New York Knicks for him, along the lines of last year's Elfrid Payton-Dario Saric swap that netted the Sixers the return of their protected 2017 first-round pick plus the 35th pick in this year's draft.


Finally, the New York Knicks have the fourth pick. Any hope still left in Gotham?


Ford: Absolutely. I really am a big fan of Mudiay and think he has the game and maturity to be a star in New York. He's not a great fit in the triangle, but I don't think you can pass on him just because of that. The Knicks need a potential star and I believe Mudiay could be one -- and sooner than later. I'll also point out here that on my own Big Board, Kristaps Porzingis is very worthy of this pick. I just don't know that they can take him in New York without getting booed out of the city.

Pelton: In my scenario, New York would still land Okafor despite dropping to the fourth pick, which would be an excellent result. In reality, Okafor will probably be off the board, leaving the Knicks choosing between Mudiay and Porzingis. Let me make the case for Porzingis. Having succeeded against far tougher competition in Spain, he figures to have more immediate impact, and he's only seven months older than Mudiay. Also, I have some concerns about how well Mudiay -- a poor shooter whose best attribute will probably be running the pick-and-roll -- will fit in the triangle offense. There's flexibility there, but a pick-and-roll-heavy style isn't what Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher ideally want to play. I would take Porzingis.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draf...ating-picks-timberwolves-lakers-knicks-sixers

 

[ballinsam23]

How much cap (if any) would we have remaining if the Knicks do that Lawson, Faried, #7 for Caldo, #4?

...why?

You're not going to be a championship contender with that team.  

Just curious. Trust me I rather draft Mudiay/Russell and overpay Millsap/Draymond/Monroe.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

off the top of my head we lose at least 6 million or so from that deal. main reason I'm not in favor of it. rather hold this cap space for better options.

What better options?

Stat?

why rush into committing to 14 million in salary before seeing what you can do in free agency. like dude just mentioned, that team isn't winning a ring either so why do the deal?

 

[ballinsam23]

If Knicks draft Winslow instead of a PG....

I rather have Dragic for Lawsons 12 mill per
I rather have Millsap/Monroe/Draymond for Farieds 12 mill per

 

[jjs07]

Are the Kings crowdsourcing their pick this year?

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Sixers are secretly in the best spot, they can take Russel with zero backlash and may end up with the best player in the draft.

 

[100027]

Just curious. Trust me I rather draft Mudiay/Russell and overpay Millsap/Draymond/Monroe.

Word

 

[awwsome]

If Knicks draft Winslow instead of a PG....

I rather have Dragic for Lawsons 12 mill per
I rather have Millsap/Monroe/Draymond for Farieds 12 mill per

Dragic is staying where he's at long with Milsap and Draymond.


Only one yall have a legitimate shot is Monroe, he's definitely better than Faried though.

 

[mgrand15]

Are the Kings crowdsourcing their pick this year?

If by crowdsourcing, you mean doing some dumb marketing campaign for attention then just having Vivek make the final call based on nothing. Then probably