Draft Prospects thread

[cly2tw]

I'd like that we take Sean Williams. With the strong personalities of Nash, Amare on the team, we will have no problem with his offcourt issue. We need bigs whether the KG trade goes down or not.

 

[mathbzh]

I'd like that we take Sean Williams. With the strong personalities of Nash, Amare on the team, we will have no problem with his offcourt issue. We need bigs whether the KG trade goes down or not.

A contender can't afford to deal with offcourt issue... I don't wan't him in our team.

 

[HooverDam]

I'd like that we take Sean Williams. With the strong personalities of Nash, Amare on the team, we will have no problem with his offcourt issue. We need bigs whether the KG trade goes down or not.

I'm not following your logic here. Nash and Amare do have strong personalities, but I dont understand how that will keep this kid from being an idiot off the court. I'd rather not risk the distraction.

 

[mathbzh]

Y
Obviously if Belinelli is the next Manu (minus the flops), I'd take him a heartbeat.

Without the flops, Manu wouldn't be so efficient

 

[azirish]

D'Antoni wants guys who play hard all the time. I don't see Sean Williams having the temperment to fit that need.

 

[SunsTzu]

If Nash and Amare could stop someone from being such a knucklehead the Suns should just sign Eddie Griffin.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

D'Antoni wants guys who play hard all the time. I don't see Sean Williams having the temperment to fit that need.

it wasn't really ever his on-court temperment that was a problem, only off-court mistakes. if he's clean he's a player and dantoni won't have a problem him. are you privy to information not available to the rest of us or are you making assumptions based on his off-court behavior?

 

[SunsTzu]

it wasn't really ever his on-court temperment that was a problem, only off-court mistakes. if he's clean he's a player and dantoni won't have a problem him. are you privy to information not available to the rest of us or are you making assumptions based on his off-court behavior?

I think it's coming from all the stuff writen on draftexpress. They are really hammering Williams for his off court problems.

 

[sunsfn]

Has anyone heard that Noah was ever in for a workout with the suns?

 

[sunsfn]

Never mind found this........
-----------------------------------
Noah tries to show Hawks he's worthy of No. 3 pick

By CHARLES ODUM, AP Sports Writer
June 22, 2007

ATLANTA (AP) -- Joakim Noah mocks those who publish NBA mock drafts.
"I heard one of them is like a kid who is 16 years old in his basement," Noah said.
But Noah knows enough to realize the NBA draft guessing game this year begins with the Hawks' No. 3 pick, and that's why he was in Atlanta on Friday for a workout.
Greg Oden and Kevin Durant are almost certain to be taken by Portland and Seattle with the first two picks on Thursday.
Some draft projections have the Hawks taking a Florida teammate of Noah's -- center Al Horford -- or Ohio State point guard Mike Conley Jr.
Noah, a power forward, tried to convince Hawks general manager Billy Knight and coach Mike Woodson that he should be the third pick.
"That's why I'm here," he said. "If I didn't think I had a chance I wouldn't be here."
The Hawks also pick 11th, but Noah hopes he's not around by then.
The draft decision by Knight, who wasn't talking on Friday, will affect the rest of the first round. Noah is as curious as anyone.
"You know who's going one and two," Noah said. "Then you have no idea."
It's a big decision for the Hawks.
"It's huge for our franchise," Woodson said. "We're in a position where we can either trade them if the trade makes sense or we pick two young guys who come in and fit in with the young guys we already have. I think the big thing about this draft is you can pick a guy who can come in and play right away. Last year we got caught when the injuries occurred, we just didn't have backup players that were ready to play."
Noah also has worked out for Boston (picking at No. 5), Minnesota (No. 7), Charlotte (No. 8) and Chicago (No. 9). He will work out for Memphis, which has the fourth pick, on Saturday.
Noah said trade speculation involving NBA stars Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett and the phone call he got Friday from the Phoenix Suns adds more mystery to the draft.
"The craziest thing about it is you have no idea also what's going to happen if these big guys go in trades, these superstars," he said. "As a player you just have to be ready for anything.
"Just today, I had an opportunity to go work out in Phoenix. Phoenix isn't in the lottery. Why would they call my agent and say 'We want him to work out?"'
Noah said he accepted the invitation of the Suns, who aren't scheduled to pick until No. 24
The 6-foot-11 Noah averaged 12.0 points and 8.4 rebounds as a junior to help Florida win its second straight national championship.
Florida's wealth of talent made it difficult for any player to consistently play a lead role, and Noah's scoring average fell from his 14.2 points per game as a sophomore.
Woodson said he doesn't consider Noah to be a "great scorer." Woodson also said the 232-pound Noah will need to add weight and strength to be a productive inside player in the NBA.
Even so, Woodson said he thinks Noah could make an immediate impact.
"You kind of cue in on what he actually does for his team," Woodson said. "The fact he defends and he rebounds and he runs the floor, for a 7-footer that's all you can really ask for. He's not a great scorer. He can finish at the rim. The fact he gets up and down the floor, he'll get buckets that way.
"I look at guys who can rebound and play defense and run the floor, and if you can do those three things you have a future in our league."
Knight has been criticized for failing to draft a point guard while instead picking versatile forwards in recent years. Knight picked forwards Shelden Williams and Marvin Williams in the first round the last two years, and in 2004 he took wing player Josh Childress and forward Josh Smith with two first-round picks.
The Hawks, who hit bottom with 13 wins in 2004-05, improved to 30 wins last season. Still, they finished in last place and missed the playoffs for the eighth straight year.
Last year the Hawks signed point guard Speedy Claxton to a four-year, $25.5 million deal, but Claxton missed 36 games with a sore left knee and started only 31 games. The team's lone All-Star, Joe Johnson, missed the final 21 games with a bruised right calf.
Woodson said he believes Claxton and another veteran point guard, Tyronn Lue, will be stronger in the 2007-08 season, possibly influencing their decision on Conley.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-nbadraft-hawks&prov=ap&type=lgns

 

[Chaplin]

That's... interesting. All of a sudden, my mind is moving in even more directions now.

It's cool that he accepted the invitation, regardless of how confused we are as to why they invited him. I wonder if they are inviting Conley, Horford or Brewer as well?

 

[Cheesebeef]

D'Antoni wants guys who play hard all the time. I don't see Sean Williams having the temperment to fit that need.

George - have you ever seen him play? Off-court incidents don't necessarily transfer to on court lack of fire. I don't think anyone who watched this kid could say the above. (NOTE - THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL ATTACK - IT'S MERELY A QUESTION!)

 

[azirish]

I think it's coming from all the stuff writen on draftexpress. They are really hammering Williams for his off court problems.

No, it is mentioned by everybody.

Chad Ford:
The skinny: The Nets desperately need some interior defense, and Williams is the best shot-blocker in the draft. Off-court problems got him kicked off the team at Boston College, but at this point in the draft, the reward starts to exceed the risk.

nbadraft.net
Weakness: Off the court behavior got him repeatedly suspended and ultimately kicked off the BC team halfway through his junior season ... His work ethic and commitment to basketball are very much in question, and his dismissal surely cost his draft stock consideerably ... Doesn’t always play the game with intensity often it’s not uncommon for him to get out worked by players with lesser talent … Despite having all the physical tools, Williams is not a good out of position rebounder due to his unwillingness to hustle … Suffers from a lack of focus, at times it doesn’t seem like he is interested in playing … Could stand to bulk up and add more upper body strength to his physique … Tends to get pushed away from the basket when posting up because of this … Doesn’t always take care of the ball when executing his moves on offense as he is prone to strips … Still learning the game so his basketball IQ isn’t the best … Has a tendency to pick-up fouls with regularity … Can be a little too aggressive for his on good on defense … Would benefit from continuing to expand his offensive game facing the basket …

It is generally like that.

 

[azirish]

One guy that might warrent a second look is

Generally, I'm reluctant to take another big, slow, soft inside guy who can shoot. But this piece in DX caught my attention

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=2132

June 22, 2007
-Nick Fazekas has been one of the most impressive workout players around from what we’re told, shooting 75%+ from NBA 3-point range in virtually every city he’s visited. Some are wondering whether he’s not only the best shooting big man in this draft, but maybe the best shooter period. Considering he shot 57% from the field, 43% from 3-point range and 85% from the free throw line this season, that probably isn’t a fluke. If a team like New Jersey trades down in the first round, it could very well be to take him. He also seems to fit well in Los Angeles in the triangle offense, in Houston next to Yao, or even in Phoenix as a shot-maker. The only concern is his uncommonly high foot arches, which some worry may lead to injury problems down the road.

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=175&page=playerblog

May 17
For one, his body obviously looks a lot better after spending the last 6 weeks here in Carson. He was criticized by some in the media for dropping out of classes and heading here to prepare himself as best as possible to maximize himself for his professional career, but after seeing the results, it’s impossible to argue with that. Fazekas has added 11 pounds to his frame so far while dropping 1.5% of his body fat, looking a lot better in his upper body in particular. Beyond just pumping iron and putting on weight the way a bodybuilder would, they seem to have restructured it completely the way you would hope it would be proportioned. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that most Nevada fans would have a hard time believing what the people at Athletes’ Performance have been able to do with his body in such a short time.

Beyond his frame, Fazekas has clearly spent some time working on his shot. It’s not like he was a bad shooter before he came here, but he’s an even better one now. We charted him at an extremely impressive 80% from the NBA 3-point line on over 100 shots over the course of the workout. For any player that would be considered a very solid showing in an NBA private workout, but for a player who measured out here at 6'9 3/4" barefoot, that is especially noteworthy.

Any way you look at it, his shooting mechanics with his feet set are nothing short of gorgeous—especially the rotation he gets on his shot. In motion is where is percentages drop considerably, though, as his body tends to drift along with his feet and he lacks the same dead-eye accuracy he gets from a stand-still position. Considering what his role will be in the NBA, we’re not sure that is going to be all that much of an issue.

Fazekas in general is not the most productive player in the world once he gets in motion. He noticeably lacks quickness and explosiveness, which limits his ability to create his own shot either in the post or on the perimeter. For that reason exactly he will have to adjust to being the type of player in the NBA that keeps things nice and simple—catch and shoot jumpers from 18 feet and out with his feet set, pick and pop plays, jump-hooks and turn-around jumpers in the post, etc etc.

That’s not to say that there isn’t a role for a player like that in the NBA—maybe even a substantial one—but a team and especially their head coach will need to realize exactly what they have on their hands before they decide to commit to him. From what we understand, Fazekas will not be participating in the NBA pre-draft camp later this month. That might be a little disappointing for those looking to evaluate his defense and rebounding in a competitive setting against more athletic players than he normally went up against at Nevada, but the counter argument to that is that big men like him don’t usually touch the ball much in those settings. Regardless, it’s our belief that anyway you slice it, there is a place in an NBA rotation for a player like Nick Fazekas

 

[slinslin]

Chances of Sean Williams playing for the Suns next season are smaller than Lebron playing for the Suns next season, at the side of Nash and Amare.

 

[hcsilla]

It's cool that he accepted the invitation, regardless of how confused we are as to why they invited him.

The reason could be:

Stoudemire, Diaw, #24,#29 for KG, #7.

 

[hawaiiansun]

I will be pissed if we draft an international player!!!!

 

[Diamondback Jay]

George, I'm on the Fazekas bandwagon. Have been since last year and I really don't think he did anything to negatively affect his draft value this year.

Another name I'm gonna throw out there, who may not generate the WOW factor, but is one I'd not mind seeing the Suns take at 29 is Carl Landry.

Although he'd be a bit undersized for a PF, at 6'9, he makes up for his size in other capacities. He's a very good, fundamentally sound rebounder who busts his ass every game. He's also got a very good basketball IQ and seems to always know where the ball will wind up when boxing out. These things seem little, but they're the little things you look for in a big man.

 

[azirish]

George, I'm on the Fazekas bandwagon. Have been since last year and I really don't think he did anything to negatively affect his draft value this year.

Another name I'm gonna throw out there, who may not generate the WOW factor, but is one I'd not mind seeing the Suns take at 29 is Carl Landry.

Although he'd be a bit undersized for a PF, at 6'9, he makes up for his size in other capacities. He's a very good, fundamentally sound rebounder who busts his ass every game. He's also got a very good basketball IQ and seems to always know where the ball will wind up when boxing out. These things seem little, but they're the little things you look for in a big man.

Landry has not generated much interest. DX has him going 53rd and they are now ranking more based on scout/GM feedback than on their own views. IMHO, he's just not athletic enough to make up for being unsized.

 

[F-Dog]

Generally, I'm reluctant to take another big, slow, soft inside guy who can shoot...

Yeah, me too.

 

[slinslin]

Fazekas is a bust, the Suns won't take the least athletic player in the draft even if he can shoots lights out.

 

[HooverDam]

If the Suns stay at 24/29 I think a Belinelli/Koponen draft would be pretty good in my opinion. Koponen is a bit of an unknown, but if he is in indeed a good pass first/floor general PG who can shoot a bit, that would be perfect. Belinelli would give the Suns another shooter and in the immediate future would probably play an Eddie House type of role.

It still leaves the Suns shallow up front though.

Speaking of the draft, what are the Suns doing as far as draft parties? Something at the Dodge?

EDIT: I was at USAC today watching my cousin play in a charity basketball tourney, I got to wander into the Suns practice court area, I took this picture with my phone. Not that interesting, but kinda neat:

You must be registered for see images

 

[slinslin]

Mmmm

MB is that the shooting percentages of Marco Belinelli? Can't read the numbers though?

27/37 <44/60 ?

 

[azirish]

Fazekas is a bust, the Suns won't take the least athletic player in the draft even if he can shoots lights out.

I'd sure think not, although Faz seems to have a lot of fans.

 

[azirish]

Fazekas is a bust, the Suns won't take the least athletic player in the draft even if he can shoots lights out.

I'd think they wouldn't, but he does have a lot fans.