2014 Draft morphing

[SirStefan32]

This is why I don't want the Suns to fritter away their picks unless they can get an impact type player in return. There is some deep talent in this draft even into the second round.

I think Young will eventually develop into a complete beast. He is two a year or two away from contributing, but he will be an impact player on both ends of the floor.

I've only seen Capella in two games, and the problem with watching Euro games for me is that I am terrible at figuring out how something translated from Euro ball to the NBA.

I was really surprised to see how well he could handle the ball and drive to the hoop for someone as awkward-looking as Capella. He's got to be 6'10 with extremely long arms, and he can't possibly weigh more than 220lb soaking wet. He drove to the hoop like someone 6 inches shorter. I was also amazed at his lateral quickness- in pick-and-roll situations, he'd switch and was able to stay in front of the guard. I have no idea how this will translate from Euro ball to the NBA, where everyone is much quicker.

His rebounding will translate into the NBA once he put another 30lb on. He seems to have that instinct that very few players have. I am not quite sure how to describe it, but he just seems to know where the basketball will end up.

I'd draft him, leave him in Europe for another year or two and ensure he is spending a couple of hours at the gym every single day. Until he gets to 240-250 lb, he won't see much success in the NBA.

Also, if he's gonna play PF in the NBA, he's gonna need to develop something that resembles a jump shot.

 

[slinslin]

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Damien-Inglis-Scouting-Report-and-Video-Breakdown-4500/

 

[HooverDam]

I hope Aaron Gordon drops to #14 as I see him as a Faried / Marion type of guy whose athleticism will allow him to produce even if he is limited offensively..

That'd be great, I'd be thrilled with that even though I'm a big UofA hater. But has there been any notion that he might slip that far? I haven't been following the draft very closely and thought he was a top 10 lock.

 

[slinslin]

I still think Vonleh would be the best fit for us, a Lamarcus Aldridge type PF.

I hope we go big in FA too, I'll take Monroe and whatever else we can get Monroe+Gasol or Monroe+Deng/Parsons/Hayward/Ariza/Turner.

Not a huge fan of Monroe but he can get better and he adds something we don't have. Plus I like that he could play PF or C.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I still think Vonleh would be the best fit for us, a Lamarcus Aldridge type PF.

I hope we go big in FA too, I'll take Monroe and whatever else we can get Monroe+Gasol or Monroe+Deng/Parsons/Hayward/Ariza/Turner.

Not a huge fan of Monroe but he can get better and he adds something we don't have. Plus I like that he could play PF or C.

How in the world would we get Vonleh? I think there is more of a chance of the Suns getting a top 3 pick than a 4-6 which is where Vonleh is going to go. At least we have a lottery chance.

I agree with you about him being a good fit though.

 

[Phrazbit]

I was just wondering...

During the lotto show does the league amend the logos in the envelopes to reflect previous trades? Say the 14th pick is shown as the Suns, then it gets to the 13th pick and its NOT the Wolves, would we then have to wait in agony to see if it was actually the Wolves that jumped the board or is it the Suns who jumped, pushing the Wolves back to 14th... which made it ours? Or, on the 1.8% chance the Suns jump, would they open the 14th pick envelope and it would be the Wolves logo, their rep would weep and we could immediately pee our pants?

 

[AzStevenCal]

I was just wondering...

During the lotto show does the league amend the logos in the envelopes to reflect previous trades? Say the 14th pick is shown as the Suns, then it gets to the 13th pick and its NOT the Wolves, would we then have to wait in agony to see if it was actually the Wolves that jumped the board or is it the Suns who jumped, pushing the Wolves back to 14th... which made it ours? Or, on the 1.8% chance the Suns jump, would they open the 14th pick envelope and it would be the Wolves logo, their rep would weep and we could immediately pee our pants?

Good questions. I'd suggest wearing rubber pants just in case though.

Steve

 

[JCSunsfan]

I was just wondering...

During the lotto show does the league amend the logos in the envelopes to reflect previous trades? Say the 14th pick is shown as the Suns, then it gets to the 13th pick and its NOT the Wolves, would we then have to wait in agony to see if it was actually the Wolves that jumped the board or is it the Suns who jumped, pushing the Wolves back to 14th... which made it ours? Or, on the 1.8% chance the Suns jump, would they open the 14th pick envelope and it would be the Wolves logo, their rep would weep and we could immediately pee our pants?

If it goes like the past, the 14th pick would come up as the Wolves' and then they would say that since it is #14 it will convey to the Suns. So we will know immediately.

Why in the world would I hope for it though. It's just torture. It will never happen.

 

[slinslin]

Gordon measured 6'8 1/2 in shoes, Vonleh measured 6'9 1/2 in shoes.

Vonleh has the 5th best standing reach in the class . He has a 7'4+ wingspan and very big hands.
Gordon doesn't have particularly long arms.

Kyle Anderson is bigger than Gordon and about the same size as Vonleh.

Some interesting measurements from the combine..

James Young has long arms for his size (6'7).

 

[Russ Smith]

Now the annual frustration. JOrdan Adams plays overweight for 2 years at UCLA then drops 22 pounds for the combine.

LaVine doesnt' do a thing the last 15 games and is apparently one of the combine stars has people projecting him at PG. I don't think he is a PG and I think that will become apparent if someone actually plays him there, but frustrating that he's apparently looking so good after looking so bad down the stretch at UCLA.

 

[JCSunsfan]

McDermott showed in the combine that he has the athleticism and speed to play SF. He just made himself alot of money.

http://nbadraft.net/2014-nba-draft-combine-athleticism-test-analysis

Wouldn't mind trading up into the 7-10 range to get one of: McDermott, Gordon, or Randle if he slips.

 

[AzStevenCal]

McDermott showed in the combine that he has the athleticism and speed to play SF. He just made himself alot of money.

http://nbadraft.net/2014-nba-draft-combine-athleticism-test-analysis

Wouldn't mind trading up into the 7-10 range to get one of: McDermott, Gordon, or Randle if he slips.

I'd jump at the chance to get Randle in that range, I'd settle for the opportunity to draft Gordon there but I'd hate to spend that high of a pick on McDermott. I like him but there is too much talent in this draft for a (probable) rotation player to go that high. I think his ceiling is somewhere around Markieff's level and in a strong draft, 7 to 10 is too soon to pick those types IMO. If he's there at the Washington pick, and he may well be, I'd give it consideration.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'd jump at the chance to get Randle in that range, I'd settle for the opportunity to draft Gordon there but I'd hate to spend that high of a pick on McDermott. I like him but there is too much talent in this draft for a (probable) rotation player to go that high. I think his ceiling is somewhere around Markieff's level and in a strong draft, 7 to 10 is too soon to pick those types IMO. If he's there at the Washington pick, and he may well be, I'd give it consideration.

Steve

I'd only do that for Randle. Gordon's a man without a position in the league, a tweener with short arms who can't shoot.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Nobody trades top 10 picks for picks in the late teens and 20's so the point is moot.

I think Gordon is a bit underrated. He'll play for at least ten years in the league even if he continues to struggle shooting simply due to his defense.

 

[SunsTzu]

Nobody trades top 10 picks for picks in the late teens and 20's so the point is moot.

I think Gordon is a bit underrated. He'll play for at least ten years in the league even if he continues to struggle shooting simply due to his defense.

The Jazz traded the 14th and 21st pick last year for the 9th pick.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

The Jazz traded the 14th and 21st pick last year for the 9th pick.

Okay I guess I forgot about the absolute horror show known as the TWolves front office. Either way, 2013 was an anomaly of a draft in many ways. This year's top 10 talent has significantly more upside.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'd only do that for Randle. Gordon's a man without a position in the league, a tweener with short arms who can't shoot.

He can be dynamite in an up-tempo offense and he can guard just about anyone. I agree it will be tough to find a spot for him but his hustle will earn him some playing time. If I'm drafting near the tenth spot I think I'd have to take him and gamble that a good coach could teach him how to shoot during the offseason. Unlike many tweeners, he has the physical attributes to play an NBA position, just not the game. He can handle the ball as a three, he can defend as a three and I'd rather try to teach someone to shoot than have to figure out how to cover up their inability to move laterally.

Steve

 

[SunsTzu]

Okay I guess I forgot about the absolute horror show known as the TWolves front office. Either way, 2013 was an anomaly of a draft in many ways. This year's top 10 talent has significantly more upside.

Outside the top 6 I'm not so sure about it. If anything this draft seems to have more depth than most.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'd only do that for Randle. Gordon's a man without a position in the league, a tweener with short arms who can't shoot.

Short arms? I hadn't heard that and when watching him, I hadn't seen that. Did he measure poorly at the combine?

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

Outside the top 6 I'm not so sure about it. If anything this draft seems to have more depth than most.

Agreed. Unless a specific player falls, I'd rather have the 14th and the 18th pick than trade them for the 7th pick. The top six of Wiggins, Parker, Exum, Randle, Embiid and Vonleh are pretty locked in right now but after that it's anyone's guess and there will be multiple starters out of this class not drafted in the top 20 IMO.

Steve

 

[SunsTzu]

Short arms? I hadn't heard that and when watching him, I hadn't seen that. Did he measure poorly at the combine?

Steve

Longer wingspan and same standing reach as Blake Girffin(still not great length for a PF though, Randle only had .25 inch and .5 inch advantage respectively).

 

[AzStevenCal]

Longer wingspan and same standing reach as Blake Girffin(still not great length for a PF though, Randle only had .25 inch and .5 inch advantage respectively).

I think he has a better future at the three although obviously he has further to go to get there right now. I didn't think he was short armed though so glad to know he measured okay. I've recorded all the combine shows but I haven't watched them yet so I'm a little in the dark on measurements and testing.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

Short arms? I hadn't heard that and when watching him, I hadn't seen that. Did he measure poorly at the combine?

Steve

I thought I read that.

 

[Russ Smith]

He can be dynamite in an up-tempo offense and he can guard just about anyone. I agree it will be tough to find a spot for him but his hustle will earn him some playing time. If I'm drafting near the tenth spot I think I'd have to take him and gamble that a good coach could teach him how to shoot during the offseason. Unlike many tweeners, he has the physical attributes to play an NBA position, just not the game. He can handle the ball as a three, he can defend as a three and I'd rather try to teach someone to shoot than have to figure out how to cover up their inability to move laterally.

Steve

The concern with Gordon and a good coach teaching him to shoot is he's already tried that. his HS coach played college ball and worked closely with him. then after HS he hired a shooting coach(the videos are still on youtube). Then he got to UA and they remade his shot. Then he turned pro hired a shooting coach and HE remade his shooting stroke.

At some point you have to say some people are just not good shooters.

Great defender and rebounder, but his I'm a 3 or even a 2 has been completely disproven.

It's interesting his year in college took him from top 5 to top 12, now 2 days at the combine have people talking top 6.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The concern with Gordon and a good coach teaching him to shoot is he's already tried that. his HS coach played college ball and worked closely with him. then after HS he hired a shooting coach(the videos are still on youtube). Then he got to UA and they remade his shot. Then he turned pro hired a shooting coach and HE remade his shooting stroke.

At some point you have to say some people are just not good shooters.

Great defender and rebounder, but his I'm a 3 or even a 2 has been completely disproven.

It's interesting his year in college took him from top 5 to top 12, now 2 days at the combine have people talking top 6.

No it hasn't. You might be convinced but look around you, the NBA is looking to draft him pretty high. How often do they draft a sub 6'8 guy with no real back to the basket game with intentions of playing him at the power forward spot? I think it's clear that someone in the NBA believes he can eventually play on the wing. As for not learning to shoot, he shows enough potential during practice to suggest he can learn to do it in the game. If he were hard headed or lazy I'd agree with you but to write him off because of the little work he's had in the past, no. You don't correct a lifetime of bad habits overnight and now that he has nothing else to work on he should have a better chance at it.

Steve