Draft Prospects thread

[Covert Rain]

Bottom line is we have to move up IMO. More now then ever. I don't know what it will take but barring some magical offseason move by the Suns with a Vet, at the very least we need a rookie who can contribute now.

 

[Diawsome]

Bottom line is we have to move up IMO. More now then ever.

Suns don't have very many tradeable assets to do a whole lot in the draft. Would Detroit consider this as a fair offer?

James Jones + #24 to Detroit for the #15 (assuming Acie Law is off the board by this pick).

 

[TBaslim]

Suns don't have very many tradeable assets to do a whole lot in the draft. Would Detroit consider this as a fair offer?

James Jones + #24 to Detroit for the #15 (assuming Acie Law is off the board by this pick).

Doubt it. What is Detroit's cap situation?

Maybe if they have someone they want to sign coming up with cap issues looming...

EDIT: Of course, Detroit has gone the 'draft and stash overseas' route before, so they may be less likely to sell picks. Like another team we know and love...

 

[Hugh D'Man]

Bottom line is we have to move up IMO. More now then ever. I don't know what it will take but barring some magical offseason move by the Suns with a Vet, at the very least we need a rookie who can contribute now.

His name is sean williams

and we shouldn't have to do anything but pick him. Find a better post player from 24 on....

 

[azirish]

His name is sean williams

and we shouldn't have to do anything but pick him. Find a better post player from 24 on....

Perhaps, but there is an equally strong chance he will fall to #59. He's got a very bad rep from a character standpoint.

 

[Hugh D'Man]

Perhaps, but there is an equally strong chance he will fall to #59. He's got a very bad rep from a character standpoint.

Some mocks have Williams going in the first round, most have him in the early second. The kid's affection for the green bud cost him many green backs. BTW, smoking weed is permitted in the NBA...players union has struck it from the drug testing.

Take him...rep be damned. We need talent.

as I said earlier...Is there a better post player from 24 on? From 16 on ?
He fits the bill.

 

[azirish]

One guy to keep an eye on is Terry from UNC

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=2087

Reyshawn Terry, 6-8, Small Forward, Senior, North Carolina

One player to pass the look test over the course of the first evening was the recent Tar Heel graduate. Terry showed up to camp looking more toned than ever, and sporting increased polish on his jumper. Throughout the first workout session, he might not have missed a single outside shot. Terry certainly has all the physical tools to play the SF spot in the NBA, and if he can follow through on tonight’s hot start with a couple of good shooting exhibitions, the first round isn’t out of the question.

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=1007

May 28, 2007
Terry only made it in for the 2nd day of workouts because of his graduation ceremony in Chapel Hill. What we did see in the short time we had to evaluate him left a great taste heading into the Orlando pre-draft camp, though.

Terry is basically the prototype for what an NBA caliber small forward should look like. He has excellent size, a great frame, nice strength, good quickness, and plenty of fluidity to his movements too. On top of that, the trainers here have helped clean up the footwork on his shooting mechanics considerably, to the point that he no longer flails his body around and instead sets his feet neatly with good balance and gets off a nice looking shot. It indeed fell with some solid consistency from what we saw. His ball-handling skills still need some polish, but it’s not hard at all to envision him having some excellent workouts after the pre-draft camp, as we talked about yesterday. He can help himself in Orlando considerably by playing great perimeter defense and knocking down his shots when given the opportunity to do so. Everything else beyond that would be gravy as far as his future role in the NBA is concerned.

 

[sunsfn]

A report on 16 players who stood out on the 1st day of the NBA draft camp.
Most of these players will be drafted in the second round, but a couple may move up to the first round where the suns have the late 29th pick. The suns also have the 59th pick in the 2nd round.

http://members.tripod.com/nbadrafter/

 

[azirish]

A report on 16 players who stood out on the 1st day of the NBA draft camp.
Most of these players will be drafted in the second round, but a couple may move up to the first round where the suns have the late 29th pick. The suns also have the 59th pick in the 2nd round.

http://members.tripod.com/nbadrafter/

The Chad Ford mock was very interesting. He has the Suns taking Byers at #24 with a profile that matches what I've been reading.

PICK

24

You must be registered for see images

Phoenix
(via Cleveland)

You must be registered for see images attach

Derrick Byars
Position: SF
Height: 6-7
Weight: 220
Age: 23
School: Vanderbilt

The skinny: Byars is a bit of a sleeper. He really didn't come on strong at Vanderbilt until his senior season.

The Suns love players who can play multiple positions on the floor and shoot the long ball, so Byars should be a great fit in their system.

He's listing Fernadez to the Suns at #29. If so, I'd expect them to leave him in Europe.

 

[slinslin]

Before we go for Byars at #24 we can just go international and take 2 european SG , Belinelli and Fernandez..

I also think we would take Almond.. best shooter in the draft and not a bad athlete.

 

[azirish]

I'm hoping Byars lasts to #29. nbadraft.net is the only mock showing him above #29 (which is where draftexpress list him).

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/derrickbyars.html

NBA Comparison: Brandon Roy/Shane Battier
Strengths: Complete player with good lateral quickness and athleticism … Defensively Byars does a great job staying in front of his man … Fundamentally there are few guards in the draft that have his array of tools … Plays the game with a good level of moxie and toughness … Excellent ball handler who has played point guard several times during his collegiate career … Above average passer with solid court vision … Has legit three point range on his jumper that he can hit with regularity … Great finisher on the break where his body strength and athleticism allow him to finish with some flair … Adequate rebounder who does a good job of getting rebounds out of position … Has the ability work off screens for the quick jumper … Is an explosive scorer who has the mentality and skill to take control of a game … Possesses an NBA ready body that is strong enough to absorb contact and finish … Unselfish almost to a fault as he will often look to pass off to open teammates … Intelligent player with a good feel for the game … Will be viewed as one of the most complete prospects in the draft …

Obviously he's far from perfect, but he's the type of player I like.

http://probasketball.about.com/od/nbadraft/a/07mock2530.htm

Derrick Byars, SG, Vanderbilt University, SG, 6'7"
Player Comment: I have to admit to loving Byars game. He's a complete player that does a lot of things well and has a body ready for the NBA game. But, the thing I like best is that Byars is just as tenacious on defense as he is on offense.

 

[panfolk]

Dudley and Jordan (yet another JJ for Phoenix?) sure sounded like players Phoenix could use (from the day three pre-draft writeup on DraftExpress.)

 

[azirish]

Dudley and Jordan (yet another JJ for Phoenix?) sure sounded like players Phoenix could use (from the day three pre-draft writeup on DraftExpress.)

I don't think Dudley is a first round prospect, but that's mostly because he's not a great defender.

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=181

West Coast Workout Swing: Day 5 (Marcus Williams, Jared Dudley, more)
May 25, 2007

In the one on one drills against Marcus Williams his weaknesses began to come out, though. Williams took him off the dribble with ease for the most part, exposing his lack of lateral quickness and biting too often for the series of pump-fakes and jab-steps he threw his way.

Jordan presents similar issues

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=1094

Orlando Pre-Draft Camp: Day Two: He has trouble staying step-for-step with his man on defense, not possessing the lateral quickness to stay in front for a long time.

By contrast, I'm becoming more interested in Dowdell,
http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=472

Orlando Pre-Draft Camp: Day Three
June 1, 2007
Zabian Dowdell had a very solid performance in his second game here at Orlando, even though he left with a tweaked ankle after playing only 15 minutes. It didn’t look too serious, and it’s assumed he’ll be back playing again tomorrow. Dowdell’s stats may not jump out at you, but he played very well on both ends of the floor, playing great man-to-man defense and using his mid-range game effectively on the offensive end.

Dowdell used his excellent crossover and his combination of hesitation moves and fakes to consistently get into the lane, where he can smoothly pull-up for his mid-range jumper coming off either hand, something that always makes him a threat to score. He hit two pull-up jumpers of this variety, one from 10 feet out and one from 15, as he usually settles in the lane rather than taking it all the way to the hoop. He did take it to the hoop nicely on one occasion on a left-handed drive off a high screen, which he also finished with his left hand. Dowdell didn’t score on a great number of plays, but he got into the lane using his crossover and fake crossover moves often, dribbling through the defense and making dump-off and kick-outs to his teammates. He was highly controlled with the ball in his hands, not getting phased by the pressure defense Jamaal Tatum was playing on him for most of the game, just taking his time and slowing the tempo down so he could protect his dribble before getting into his team’s offense. Dowdell earned his two assists on a dump-off in the halfcourt and a drive-and-dish play in transition, but he also dished out some other nice passes that weren’t finished by his teammates. His nicest passing possession was on a play where he dribbled the ball behind his back before making a strong one-handed pass through two defenders to a cutter going to the basket. Dowdell’s only turnover of the game wasn’t even his fault, as teammate Mohammed Abukar dropped a pass thrown right to his torso.

Defensively, Dowdell also did a great job, playing aggressive defense on Jamaal Tatum for almost every possession, using his wingspan and lateral quickness to keep him from doing pretty much anything with the ball, contesting his shot with his long arms and poking the ball away when he tried dribbling.

Taurean Green of Florida also deserves a long look, although I am not convinced his defense is strong enough.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

One guy to keep an eye on is Terry from UNC

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=2087



http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=1007

depending on who is still available at the #24, i wouldn't be upset to take a flier on him. i've always liked his athleticism and defensive prowess. i was always surprised he didn't have a larger role on the heels. he'd be a great run-out athlete for the suns.

 

[azirish]

depending on who is still available at the #24, i wouldn't be upset to take a flier on him. i've always liked his athleticism and defensive prowess. i was always surprised he didn't have a larger role on the heels. he'd be a great run-out athlete for the suns.

I'm backing off from Terry after some weak performances in Orlando.

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=1007

Orlando Pre-Draft Camp: Day Three
June 1, 2007
After a fairly invisible first half, Reyshawn Terry came alive and finished up having a pretty decent stat-line in the end. He showed up some of the same concerning lack of assertiveness that plagued him for much of this year, getting lost in the shuffle when he wasn’t showing poor ball-handling skills creating his own shot from the perimeter. His pocket was picked on one occasion by Zabian Dowdell, and he forced his dribble on two other occasions to pick up a charge and a bad turnover. While extremely athletic, Terry is not the most fluid or reactive player in the world, not being the type of guy that can change directions on the fly while putting the ball in the floor or hanging in the air for a finish. He also went back to his old habit of fading away for no particular reason on his 3-point shot, something that he seemed to have corrected when we saw him a few weeks ago working out at Tim Grover’s gym.

It wasn’t all bad for Terry, though. Later on in the game, he picked up some easy baskets to get himself going, scoring two easy layups in transition and knocking down a wide open 12 foot jump-shot. He also played some solid defense at the small forward position on Quinton Hosely and Mohamed Abukar, who really struggled.

 

[hcsilla]

Dowdell is a talented, athletic shooting guard in PG body. I do not think that the Suns will take him. He is not a playmaker and he wasn't at Virginia Tech either.

Actually he seemed quite undisciplined player in NCAA. If he had a good day, he could beat anyone singlehandedly (as he did in fact vs the Tar Heels) but sometimes he lost by himself the game when he was cold.

 

[hcsilla]

I don't think Dudley is a first round prospect, but that's mostly because he's not a great defender.

I disagree. He is not your typical 1st round pick but someone who is dare enough to pick him at the late 1st-early second, will have a steal, IMO. In a strong team Dudley can become a very valuable contributor ala his Eagles-buddy, Craig Smith.

I wouldn't be against taking him at #29.

 

[azirish]

Dowdell is a talented, athletic shooting guard in PG body. I do not think that the Suns will take him. He is not a playmaker and he wasn't at Virginia Tech either.

Actually he seemed quite undisciplined player in NCAA. If he had a good day, he could beat anyone singlehandedly (as he did in fact vs the Tar Heels) but sometimes he lost by himself the game when he was cold.

I think that's what he will have to overcome if he's going to be taken in the first round. Virginia Tech definitely overachieved because they did not have a very good team.

Right now Dowdell is playing against other 2nd rounders, so it's hard to know if he's growing as a playmaker.

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=472

Dowdell earned his two assists on a dump-off in the halfcourt and a drive-and-dish play in transition, but he also dished out some other nice passes that weren’t finished by his teammates. His nicest passing possession was on a play where he dribbled the ball behind his back before making a strong one-handed pass through two defenders to a cutter going to the basket. Dowdell’s only turnover of the game wasn’t even his fault, as teammate Mohammed Abukar dropped a pass thrown right to his torso.

Orlando Pre-Draft Camp: Day Two
May 30, 2007
Although his shot might not have fallen for him at a great rate, Dowdell played some very aggressive basketball and did a nice job setting the table for his teammates and keeping his team from getting too stagnant in the half-court. When given the opportunity, he also pushed the ball well in the early offense, making simple, but effective kickouts to Russell Carter for example, or pulling up off the dribble from 17 feet. Dowdell is doing a nice job convincing teams that he is indeed a full-time point guard so far, especially in the work he did in the scrimmages we saw in the morning drills. He’s utilizing a great crossover and trying to either drive and dish with a dropoff in the lane or go all the way to the hoop and finish with a floater in the lane. He may have forced his dribble a bit when getting deep into the paint, leading to some tough shots, but again, it was difficult to fault his aggressiveness considering what we saw from some of the other guards here. Dowdell also played solid defense on Jared Jordan when given the opportunity to match up with him. While perhaps not a brilliant performance, there is plenty to build on from what Dowdell shows in the first game.

 

[hcsilla]

I think that's what he will have to overcome if he's going to be taken in the first round. Virginia Tech definitely overachieved because they did not have a very good team.

I'm not sure they overachieved so much. They had an experienced team. Dowdell was a dangerous scorer while Gordon was a very solid, pass 1st, defensive-minded PG. They had a talanted, athletic PF/C in Coleman Collins (definitely one of the better bigmen in ACC) while Deron Washington is one of the best athletes in NCAA. Add a solid shooter in AD Vassallo and an experienced coach in Greenberg and you have a MM team.

 

[azirish]

I'm not sure they overachieved so much. They had an experienced team. Dowdell was a dangerous scorer while Gordon was a very solid, pass 1st, defensive-minded PG. They had a talanted, athletic PF/C in Coleman Collins (definitely one of the better bigmen in ACC) while Deron Washington is one of the best athletes in NCAA. Add a solid shooter in AD Vassallo and an experienced coach in Greenberg and you have a MM team.

The reviews I've seen of Collins are not that favorable.

 

[hcsilla]

The reviews I've seen of Collins are not that favorable.

Of course they are not if we are talking about his pro potential, however he may be picked up in the 2nd round.

 

[sunsfn]

Day 2 at Orlando: the good and the ugly

http://members.tripod.com/nbadrafter/

 

[Ronin]

D.J Strawberry would be a good second round pick. The only flaw that D.J Strawberry has is from 3-pt stripe.

D.J. Strawberry, 6-4, Guard, Maryland, Senior
6 points, 2 steals, 3/7 FG, 0/2 3PFG

Mike Schmidt

After a strong performance during the pre-draft camp yesterday, Strawberry continued with a good game today. The strong point here comes on the defensive end of the floor, where he was able to lock down whoever he was matched up against for the second day in a row. The combination of athleticism and great fundamentals allow him to create major problems for opposing point and shooting guards. With many defenders, they limit their effectiveness on defense by gambling for steals and creating a numbers advantage for the offensive team. Though Strawberry racks up a good number of steals, he does so using quick hands and anticipation rather than gambling in the passing lanes.

Offensively, Strawberry needs to make some improvements to make the NBA a sure thing. He can hit the mid-range jumper with good accuracy to about 20 feet, and even knocked down a pair of 15 footers off the dribble today. His range does not extend out past 20 feet however, and his form changes once outside the NBA three point line. Inside, Strawberry needs to become stronger with the ball going to the basket, and work on drawing contact once inside the paint. He lost the twice on drives to the hoop today, and didn’t attempt a single free throw during any point in the game.

Despite his offensive shortcomings, Strawberry has all the makings of an NBA role player. His defensively ability will make many GMs think long and hard about drafting him, and the development of a spot-up three pointer would solidify his spot in the NBA.

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=1076

 

[azirish]

After preaching defense, I'll say that I don't think Strawberry is strong enough on the offensive end to get minutes.

The question of whether a guy plays good enough defense is going to be a major issue in evaluating Taurean Green of Florida. His playmaking and shooting skills are quite good. Last season, he averaged 44% shooting and 40% for three with a reputation for running the offense very well.

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=1023

Orlando Pre-Draft Camp: Day Three
June 1, 2007
This was another excellent showing in what is turning out to be a terrific pre-draft camp for Taurean Green so far, particularly with the work he did getting his team well ahead in the box-score in the first half. Green showed the things that make him an intriguing prospect in terms of his combination of shooting, slashing and playmaking ability, making some excellent passes off the dribble on the drive and dish and putting outstanding pressure on the defense (going left or right) getting into the paint all game long, displaying nice toughness in the process. He also pulled up off the dribble from well beyond the NBA 3-point line on one occasion, swishing the shot and sending his three compadres from Florida who made a cameo—Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer—cheering visibly on the sidelines. More than possibly any other guard in this camp, Green has shown the quickest adaptation to the NBA 3-point line, at least from what we’ve seen in the games and drills so far.

West Coast Workout Swing: Day 5 (Marcus Williams, Jared Dudley, more)
May 25, 2007
It was pretty interesting to take in the difference between watching Taurean Green participate in the drills in day one compared with his effort in the 5 on 5 game.

If a team brings him in for a workout not knowing his background (starting point guard for the back-to-back national champion Florida Gators), they might be disappointed by watching him run through cones and shoot three pointers off the dribble all by himself. He sure didn’t impress us doing that, particularly trying to stay in front of Aaron Brooks on the defense end.

But once the ball went up on the five on five pick-up game, his stripes as a floor general really started to show. Green controlled the tempo of the game for his team, running pick and roll plays to perfection and making outstanding decisions. He showed a variety of passing skills, including lobs, bounce passes, drive and dish plays, and simple post-entry passes. When the lane was too clogged he settled gladly for the pull-up jumper, showing slightly unorthodox mechanics but a super quick release that is consistent from shot to shot and goes in at a very high rate. If the lane was open he finished nicely with a beautiful floater, scoring a good amount of points in this fashion, and aided greatly by his excellent upper body strength.

Unlike some players, the reviews on his defense is simply inconsistent. Some of it is that he is not very big nor a super athlete, So he struggles to keep guys like Brooks out of the paint, although he has had some very good games defensively against guys like Conley and Collison. If his defense is considered to be at least adequate, Green could be a sleeper candidate for the #29 pick.

 

[sunsfn]

Wrapping up Orlando: lottery picks, first-rounders and sleepers

http://members.tripod.com/nbadrafter/