I went through the NBA and ranked the top 25 players that are 25 years older or younger. Rankings were based on the idea that salaries and teams do not matter - solely the value of that player. So for instance, right now, Andrea Bargnani is clearly not as good of a player as Gerald Wallace. However, because of potential, the Raptors would not trade him straight up for Wallace.
The top eleven or so picks were pretty easy, but the rest of the way was very difficult. At the end, I had sixteen or so guys for ten spots. I had to leave off: Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor, Leandro Barbosa, Al Horford, Monta Ellis, Rajon Rondo, T.J. Ford, Devin Harris, Chris Kaman, Mike Conley, and David Lee.
Here were my rankings:
1) LeBron James
2) Dwight Howard
3) Dwyane Wade
4) Chris Paul
5) Carmelo Anthony
6) Amare Stoudamire
7) Chris Bosh
8) Kevin Durant
9) Greg Oden
10) Al Jefferson
11) Deron Williams
12) Andrew Bynum
13) Kevin Martin
14) Tony Parker
15) Yi Jianlian
16) Brandon Roy
17) Andrea Bargnani
18) LaMarcus Aldridge
19) Josh Smith
20) Marvin Williams
21) Gerald Wallace
22) Luol Deng
23) Andre Iguodala
24) Danny Granger
25) Al Horford
Showing posts with label Greg Oden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greg Oden. Show all posts
Monday, December 31, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Reaction from Bill Simmons' Annual Trade Value Column
Here is the link for the column:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/071218
Some parts I really liked:
-When you strike the jackpot with a first-round pick in the 20s, it's like a double jackpot because you're locking up a young contributor at an obscenely low price. To wit: Rondo (No. 21 in 2006) and David Lee (No. 27 in 2005) make a combined $11 million total over the next three seasons.
This is a great point. Just looking at this years draft - Jeff Green was the fifth pick and Alando Tucker was the twenty-ninth pick. Green is scheduled to make $3,058,200 this year and more than fourteen million dollars over the first four years of his deal. Tucker stands to make $931,920 this year and less than six million dollars in the first four years of his deal. If Tucker becomes a significant player in their rotation, they are getting a guy who is wrapped up in a long-term deal for basically minimal money. Most likely, Green will play at or near contract level, but if he's a bust, then they are locked up in a long-term deal that could hamper their franchise. With Tucker, if he's bad, it makes a minor impact on the franchise.
-Andre Iguodala: This summer's Gerald Wallace, a quality supporting guy forced to become "The Guy" on a lottery team -- with bad results, of course -- who now wants to be overpaid because he was miscast for a few months as "The Guy." But wait, what would you have done without me. I carried us to 26 wins! Love that logic.
This is one point I often make when in discussions about players. If Andre Iguodala/Ron Artest/Luol Deng/Michael Redd/Gerald Wallace is your best player, you're probably not going to be a good team. Now of course, the exception is that you have a lot of players with equal talent level. However, this rule is generally correct.
Nevertheless, the point Simmons makes here is when a teams best player is looking for an extension and they are coming off a bad team, more logic needs to be used. Josh Smith in Atlanta, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon in Chicago, and Iguodala in Philadelphia are all up for extensions after this season. Each one of these four could be considered the best player on a potential non-playoff team. It'll be interesting to see how each general manager deals with the dilemma.
-25. Al Horford
His ceiling: Elton Brand with a better low-post game. I loved how he was traumatized by his inadvertent role in T.J. Ford's latest injury and spent most of the night with Ford at the hospital to make sure he was
24. Greg Oden
His ceiling: Patrick Ewing, only if Ewing had major wrist surgery and microfracture knee surgery before even playing an NBA game.
23. Josh Smith
His ceiling: Andrei Kirilenko with a better everything. Although the sourpuss worries me. Would you want to pay someone $75 million this summer when he always looks like he just finished watching that infamous Internet video that involves more than one girl and a cup?
22. Andrew Bynum
His ceiling: The NBA's best center not named "Dwight Howard" or "Yao Ming."
21. Al Jefferson
His ceiling: The next Kevin McHale, only if McHale couldn't guard anyone. Hey, did you enjoy how I broke the "don't compare white guys with black guys" media rule twice in the same section? I couldn't be prouder.
This is the main way I like to look at the NBA Draft. For a team like the Bulls who appeared to be ready to make a run for the championship, I was able to rationalize selecting a player with a low ceiling like Joakim Noah this year. They just needed to fill in some bench spots, so they selected a guy who would be ready immediately. The type of move I have a problem with is the type of decision Minnesota made in the 2005 draft.
Rather than selecting a guy with a higher ceiling like Danny Granger or Gerald Green, the Timberwolves chose Rashad McCants. McCants was an impact college player, who is clearly undersized and unable to standout in the NBA at the shooting position. He struggles to defend, had shown some selfishness, and isn't a great distributer.
The same arguement is there for the Hawks selection of Shelden Williams in the 2006 draft. Coming out of Duke, Williams was seen as a great rebounder, who worked hard. Most people though saw him to have a low ceiling because of a lack of athleticism and a knack for giving up big games to talented post players. He doesn't have a great deal of post moves and has passing ability had been questioned. The Hawks passed on two players with much higher ceilings - Rudy Gay and Brandon Roy. Both posses great size and athleticism and would fit well at the shooting guard or small forward spots in Atlanta.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/071218
Some parts I really liked:
-When you strike the jackpot with a first-round pick in the 20s, it's like a double jackpot because you're locking up a young contributor at an obscenely low price. To wit: Rondo (No. 21 in 2006) and David Lee (No. 27 in 2005) make a combined $11 million total over the next three seasons.
This is a great point. Just looking at this years draft - Jeff Green was the fifth pick and Alando Tucker was the twenty-ninth pick. Green is scheduled to make $3,058,200 this year and more than fourteen million dollars over the first four years of his deal. Tucker stands to make $931,920 this year and less than six million dollars in the first four years of his deal. If Tucker becomes a significant player in their rotation, they are getting a guy who is wrapped up in a long-term deal for basically minimal money. Most likely, Green will play at or near contract level, but if he's a bust, then they are locked up in a long-term deal that could hamper their franchise. With Tucker, if he's bad, it makes a minor impact on the franchise.
-Andre Iguodala: This summer's Gerald Wallace, a quality supporting guy forced to become "The Guy" on a lottery team -- with bad results, of course -- who now wants to be overpaid because he was miscast for a few months as "The Guy." But wait, what would you have done without me. I carried us to 26 wins! Love that logic.
This is one point I often make when in discussions about players. If Andre Iguodala/Ron Artest/Luol Deng/Michael Redd/Gerald Wallace is your best player, you're probably not going to be a good team. Now of course, the exception is that you have a lot of players with equal talent level. However, this rule is generally correct.
Nevertheless, the point Simmons makes here is when a teams best player is looking for an extension and they are coming off a bad team, more logic needs to be used. Josh Smith in Atlanta, Luol Deng and Ben Gordon in Chicago, and Iguodala in Philadelphia are all up for extensions after this season. Each one of these four could be considered the best player on a potential non-playoff team. It'll be interesting to see how each general manager deals with the dilemma.
-25. Al Horford
His ceiling: Elton Brand with a better low-post game. I loved how he was traumatized by his inadvertent role in T.J. Ford's latest injury and spent most of the night with Ford at the hospital to make sure he was
24. Greg Oden
His ceiling: Patrick Ewing, only if Ewing had major wrist surgery and microfracture knee surgery before even playing an NBA game.
23. Josh Smith
His ceiling: Andrei Kirilenko with a better everything. Although the sourpuss worries me. Would you want to pay someone $75 million this summer when he always looks like he just finished watching that infamous Internet video that involves more than one girl and a cup?
22. Andrew Bynum
His ceiling: The NBA's best center not named "Dwight Howard" or "Yao Ming."
21. Al Jefferson
His ceiling: The next Kevin McHale, only if McHale couldn't guard anyone. Hey, did you enjoy how I broke the "don't compare white guys with black guys" media rule twice in the same section? I couldn't be prouder.
This is the main way I like to look at the NBA Draft. For a team like the Bulls who appeared to be ready to make a run for the championship, I was able to rationalize selecting a player with a low ceiling like Joakim Noah this year. They just needed to fill in some bench spots, so they selected a guy who would be ready immediately. The type of move I have a problem with is the type of decision Minnesota made in the 2005 draft.
Rather than selecting a guy with a higher ceiling like Danny Granger or Gerald Green, the Timberwolves chose Rashad McCants. McCants was an impact college player, who is clearly undersized and unable to standout in the NBA at the shooting position. He struggles to defend, had shown some selfishness, and isn't a great distributer.
The same arguement is there for the Hawks selection of Shelden Williams in the 2006 draft. Coming out of Duke, Williams was seen as a great rebounder, who worked hard. Most people though saw him to have a low ceiling because of a lack of athleticism and a knack for giving up big games to talented post players. He doesn't have a great deal of post moves and has passing ability had been questioned. The Hawks passed on two players with much higher ceilings - Rudy Gay and Brandon Roy. Both posses great size and athleticism and would fit well at the shooting guard or small forward spots in Atlanta.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Big Market Teams Utilizing Their Deap Pockets
I wanted to post a portion of a column that Bill Simmons wrote the other day after the Boston Red Sox won the world series. It touches on how franchises with large budgets should spend their money and how they have gone about it in the past. He makes a point that I never really thought about:
Not only are the people running professional sports teams getting smarter and smarter, but some franchises with deep pockets have figured out it's better to funnel that money into development and scouting instead of just overpaying veterans for splashy, "quick-fix" signings. After the NBA Draft in June, a friend who works for another team fretted that Portland had finally figured out how to spend Paul Allen's money: Instead of handing out lavish extensions to the likes of Darius Miles and Zach Randolph, the Blazers started buying extra first-round picks and even stashing prospects in Europe, with the long-term goal to maintain financial flexibility, build around young stars (Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden) and stockpile as many assets as possible. My friend was petrified of a Portland resurgence, pointing out it's one thing to have a significant financial advantage; it's another thing to know what you're doing with that significant financial advantage.
In the old days, big-market teams spent money like rappers happily spending record royalties, especially in baseball, where ludicrous contracts have been handed out for 31 years and counting (Barry Zito for $126 million???). Even if Boston GM Theo Epstein has a mixed record with free-agent signings (and that's being kind), his overall mindset hasn't wavered since 2003: build up the farm system, build up scouting, don't give away younger assets unless you're getting a blue-chipper back (such as Beckett), don't mortgage the future for one season. You can't argue with the 2007 results or the long-term outlook. I grew up watching Boston teams that threw money at the wrong guys, traded the wrong guys and never seemed to have more than a few blue-chipper prospects per decade. The only other time in my life when the Sox had a perfect blend of young guys and older guys was 1975 -- the World Series team that featured Freddie Lynn, Jim Rice, Carlton Fisk and Luis Tiant -- and the front office botched that situation within a few discouraging years.
Not only are the people running professional sports teams getting smarter and smarter, but some franchises with deep pockets have figured out it's better to funnel that money into development and scouting instead of just overpaying veterans for splashy, "quick-fix" signings. After the NBA Draft in June, a friend who works for another team fretted that Portland had finally figured out how to spend Paul Allen's money: Instead of handing out lavish extensions to the likes of Darius Miles and Zach Randolph, the Blazers started buying extra first-round picks and even stashing prospects in Europe, with the long-term goal to maintain financial flexibility, build around young stars (Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden) and stockpile as many assets as possible. My friend was petrified of a Portland resurgence, pointing out it's one thing to have a significant financial advantage; it's another thing to know what you're doing with that significant financial advantage.
In the old days, big-market teams spent money like rappers happily spending record royalties, especially in baseball, where ludicrous contracts have been handed out for 31 years and counting (Barry Zito for $126 million???). Even if Boston GM Theo Epstein has a mixed record with free-agent signings (and that's being kind), his overall mindset hasn't wavered since 2003: build up the farm system, build up scouting, don't give away younger assets unless you're getting a blue-chipper back (such as Beckett), don't mortgage the future for one season. You can't argue with the 2007 results or the long-term outlook. I grew up watching Boston teams that threw money at the wrong guys, traded the wrong guys and never seemed to have more than a few blue-chipper prospects per decade. The only other time in my life when the Sox had a perfect blend of young guys and older guys was 1975 -- the World Series team that featured Freddie Lynn, Jim Rice, Carlton Fisk and Luis Tiant -- and the front office botched that situation within a few discouraging years.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Kevin Pritchard's Blueprint for Success
Blazers’ barometer
GM Kevin Pritchard: The way to wins starts in the locker room
Despite loss of Greg Oden for the season, positivity and pressure flow to keep team on track
By Kerry Eggers
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=119092559145694500
The Portland Tribune, Sep 28, 2007
Pritchard takes the helm of the Blazers, as announced by owner Paul Allen during a game last spring. Pritchard faces his first full season as general manager, already having overcome the disappointment of losing expected star Greg Oden for the season.
It’s a personal item the media and the public never will see. Pritchard has been doing it since high school in Tulsa, Okla., where he was the state’s player of the year his final two seasons at Edison High.
“It’s just a collection of my thoughts, notes about what I’m thinking, private things I believe in,” says the Trail Blazers’ general manager. “Every year since high school, I’ve written kind of a manifesto. I try to think about what’s important – what were the issues I faced today, and how did I handle them? I can look back a year from now and say, ‘These were my mistakes, and I learned from them.’ ”
Before this season – training camp begins Tuesday – Pritchard will list in his diary five things he wants to accomplish with his management team. He chooses to keep them private, but offers one hint.
“I want each of (the Blazer executives and coaches) to enjoy a balanced life,” he says. “I’m going to push you hard. If I’m not pushing you hard enough, tell me. If I’m pushing you too hard, tell me. I expect hard work and production, but I want them to have a life away from basketball, too.”
Pritchard is organized and ambitious. He wants to be inspirational as he begins his first season running the Blazers’ basketball operations. Those around him say they believe he is on the right track.
“Kevin is one of those guys you could pay to be a motivational speaker,” Blazer broadcaster Mike Barrett says. “After three years in our organization, he definitely has the staff behind him.
“I remember going to the press conference when he was announced as GM. The staff was gathered in an open area, and as he came down the hallway, people were chanting, ‘Kevin! Kevin!’ He told everyone it was a defining moment in his life, and he had to stop several times to hold back tears.
“Every time he speaks, people leave feeling better about the direction of the team. And it’s not like he’s selling us a bill of goods – it comes from the heart,” Barrett says. “The staff looks to him about how to feel about things, using him as a barometer. He knows he has that responsibility, and he thrives on it. He’s genuinely optimistic and looking for positives, and that’s exactly what we’ve needed after what we’ve gone through the last few years.”
Oden mishap is first test
“Kevin is a very loyal person,” says Chad Buchanan, beginning his first season as Portland’s director of college scouting. “That’s important in me having trust in working for him. If you work hard and do your job, he’s going to be very good to you. He also knows when it’s time to tell you you’re not living up to his expectations.
“That’s why his staff loves to work for him. He’s going to push you to reach your maximum potential. The guy is just a natural-born leader.”
Remember when Pritchard said Greg Oden felt the weight of the world on his shoulders after the rookie underwent season-ending knee surgery two weeks ago? To a degree, Pritchard feels the same way with those in the organization whose spirits were wounded when the budding franchise player was lost for the year.
Pritchard’s comments to the media were upbeat and encouraging, even though he surely felt depressed over what is really the first major setback since taking over the club’s basketball operations in March.
“The biggest thing is for me to stay positive, especially for Greg and our staff,” Pritchard concedes. “It’s a tough blow to take, but I have to make sure we keep on track. Once we get him back, we’re going to be better for it.”
Though a segment of the Blazers’ following second-guessed Pritchard’s selection of Oden over Kevin Durant and wondered whether the Blazers might have blown it in predraft medical exams, Pritchard won’t admit to such thoughts.
“We did our homework,” he says. “We did MRIs on both of his knees. It was reported there were a lot of concerns, but we were the one team that was allowed to do an MRI. We were comfortable with the results. We did our diligence.
“Obviously, we don’t feel good about what happened. It’s a setback, but we got a great player and a great kid. I’m very happy we have Greg Oden. He’s going to be a Blazer for a long time.”
Character counts a lot
Pritchard’s basketball pedigree is top-drawer. He played for Larry Brown and Roy Williams at Kansas. Two of Brown’s assistants during his time there were Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford, who run the San Antonio organization that has won four NBA championships over the past nine seasons.
Pritchard spent two years as a scout for the Spurs before coming to Portland in 2004. Brown, Williams, Popovich and Buford are his basketball mentors, and he wants to mirror their philosophies as he develops his own with the Blazers.
“San Antonio kind of put the stamp on me,” Pritchard says. “The common denominator of championship teams is that the locker room is great. Players don’t have to hang out or do everything together, but somebody was willing to step up and take responsibility. Good locker room, good people.
“Maybe I overemphasize it. Has it turned me away from talented players who maybe aren’t the best people? Absolutely. What it boils down to, I want to be a part of something really special, and I want to be in the trenches with people I admire.”
It’s why Pritchard traded Zach Randolph and wanted nothing to do with guard Steve Francis. He didn’t want their influence around his team’s young players. It’s why Pritchard says he will do everything he can to support coach Nate McMillan and help the Blazers’ young fleet of executives learn the business.
“I want to be a great assist person for Nate,” Pritchard says. “I want to make sure he has every tool to work with so he can succeed. I never walk into Nate’s office and say who to play. I know his challenges. I believe in him. He doesn’t do it exactly how I’d do it, but he works his tail off, he’s committed, and he’s a very good coach.
“I want my management team to learn and move up. I’d like to be like Coach Brown and Coach Williams, to have 12 or 15 guys move up in the management ranks around the league.”
Pritchard has lit a fire under owner Paul Allen, who ceded the Rose Garden to creditors, then considered selling the club as his once-proud franchise plummeted to the worst record in the NBA.
Owner comes around
The Blazers are once again Allen’s favorite toy, exemplified by multimillion-dollar expenditures that allowed the team to draft Brandon Roy and Sergio Rodriguez in 2006 and Rudy Fernandez and Petteri Koponen in 2007.
“Paul loves basketball,” Pritchard says. “I’ve been to a Seahawk game with him, and we talked basketball the whole time. He went through the emotions of owning a team and losing money, but the biggest thing to him is, winning is really important.
“The dynamics have changed for Paul. We wouldn’t have Brandon or Sergio without him stepping up.”
Allen agreed to the trade of Randolph to New York and the $31 million buyout of Francis’ contract because of his faith in Pritchard’s master plan. The Knicks deal included receiving a trade option that allowed the Blazers to acquire small forward James Jones from Phoenix and, in the process, procure the pick that landed Fernandez, a high-potential shooting guard who will wind up in Portland after playing one more season in Barcelona.
It’s a gamble, but an educated one, Pritchard insists.
“You can’t know everything in this business,” he says. “When I don’t, I tell Paul. No matter what the situation, he’ll do what he can to help me out. That’s where he’s really good for me.
“Our draft book is intense, and he reads every bit of it. He is very educated on all our opinions. I send him player videos throughout the season. We talk or e-mail at least every other day. I love that. One of the keys in this business is that the owner, general manager, coach and players all understand where we’re going and what we’re doing. It is one of the great challenges for a GM, but if you can accomplish that, you have a much better chance for success.”
Getting money under control
Pritchard’s master plan for the Blazers is to have salary-cap flexibility in 2009. It’s why he signed free agents Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake to two-year contracts, with conditional guarantees for the third season.
At a time when the league’s salary cap will be at about $60 million and the luxury-tax threshold about $70 million, Portland’s salary commitment (minus first-round picks the next two years) could be about $31 million – and $9 million less than that if Darius Miles’ surgically repaired knees force the enigmatic forward into retirement.
If Pritchard so chooses, the Blazers could have only Oden, Roy, Rodriguez, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joel Przybilla (plus draft picks) on their books for the 2009-10 season. That would leave ample room for the club to dip into the league’s high-ticket free-agent market for the first time ever.
“We’re going to get offered some deals over the next year and a half,” Pritchard says. “I will under no circumstance trade the future of this organization for a short-term fix.
“The ultimate goal is to compete for a championship down the road. We’ve set it up so we have a good young core of players who can grow together, and in a couple of years still have financial flexibility to add pieces of the puzzle we don’t have.”
If it all comes together, Pritchard’s diary will include material Blazer fans could only dream of a couple of short seasons ago.
“We believe it will happen under Kevin’s leadership,” says Tod Leiweke, chief executive officer of Allen’s Vulcan Sports & Entertainment Inc. and the man in charge of hiring Pritchard as GM. “He’s one of the bright young minds in the NBA and a pied piper for his vision of the Blazers. We feel lucky to have him.”
kerryeggers@portlandtribune.com
GM Kevin Pritchard: The way to wins starts in the locker room
Despite loss of Greg Oden for the season, positivity and pressure flow to keep team on track
By Kerry Eggers
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=119092559145694500
The Portland Tribune, Sep 28, 2007
Pritchard takes the helm of the Blazers, as announced by owner Paul Allen during a game last spring. Pritchard faces his first full season as general manager, already having overcome the disappointment of losing expected star Greg Oden for the season.
It’s a personal item the media and the public never will see. Pritchard has been doing it since high school in Tulsa, Okla., where he was the state’s player of the year his final two seasons at Edison High.
“It’s just a collection of my thoughts, notes about what I’m thinking, private things I believe in,” says the Trail Blazers’ general manager. “Every year since high school, I’ve written kind of a manifesto. I try to think about what’s important – what were the issues I faced today, and how did I handle them? I can look back a year from now and say, ‘These were my mistakes, and I learned from them.’ ”
Before this season – training camp begins Tuesday – Pritchard will list in his diary five things he wants to accomplish with his management team. He chooses to keep them private, but offers one hint.
“I want each of (the Blazer executives and coaches) to enjoy a balanced life,” he says. “I’m going to push you hard. If I’m not pushing you hard enough, tell me. If I’m pushing you too hard, tell me. I expect hard work and production, but I want them to have a life away from basketball, too.”
Pritchard is organized and ambitious. He wants to be inspirational as he begins his first season running the Blazers’ basketball operations. Those around him say they believe he is on the right track.
“Kevin is one of those guys you could pay to be a motivational speaker,” Blazer broadcaster Mike Barrett says. “After three years in our organization, he definitely has the staff behind him.
“I remember going to the press conference when he was announced as GM. The staff was gathered in an open area, and as he came down the hallway, people were chanting, ‘Kevin! Kevin!’ He told everyone it was a defining moment in his life, and he had to stop several times to hold back tears.
“Every time he speaks, people leave feeling better about the direction of the team. And it’s not like he’s selling us a bill of goods – it comes from the heart,” Barrett says. “The staff looks to him about how to feel about things, using him as a barometer. He knows he has that responsibility, and he thrives on it. He’s genuinely optimistic and looking for positives, and that’s exactly what we’ve needed after what we’ve gone through the last few years.”
Oden mishap is first test
“Kevin is a very loyal person,” says Chad Buchanan, beginning his first season as Portland’s director of college scouting. “That’s important in me having trust in working for him. If you work hard and do your job, he’s going to be very good to you. He also knows when it’s time to tell you you’re not living up to his expectations.
“That’s why his staff loves to work for him. He’s going to push you to reach your maximum potential. The guy is just a natural-born leader.”
Remember when Pritchard said Greg Oden felt the weight of the world on his shoulders after the rookie underwent season-ending knee surgery two weeks ago? To a degree, Pritchard feels the same way with those in the organization whose spirits were wounded when the budding franchise player was lost for the year.
Pritchard’s comments to the media were upbeat and encouraging, even though he surely felt depressed over what is really the first major setback since taking over the club’s basketball operations in March.
“The biggest thing is for me to stay positive, especially for Greg and our staff,” Pritchard concedes. “It’s a tough blow to take, but I have to make sure we keep on track. Once we get him back, we’re going to be better for it.”
Though a segment of the Blazers’ following second-guessed Pritchard’s selection of Oden over Kevin Durant and wondered whether the Blazers might have blown it in predraft medical exams, Pritchard won’t admit to such thoughts.
“We did our homework,” he says. “We did MRIs on both of his knees. It was reported there were a lot of concerns, but we were the one team that was allowed to do an MRI. We were comfortable with the results. We did our diligence.
“Obviously, we don’t feel good about what happened. It’s a setback, but we got a great player and a great kid. I’m very happy we have Greg Oden. He’s going to be a Blazer for a long time.”
Character counts a lot
Pritchard’s basketball pedigree is top-drawer. He played for Larry Brown and Roy Williams at Kansas. Two of Brown’s assistants during his time there were Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford, who run the San Antonio organization that has won four NBA championships over the past nine seasons.
Pritchard spent two years as a scout for the Spurs before coming to Portland in 2004. Brown, Williams, Popovich and Buford are his basketball mentors, and he wants to mirror their philosophies as he develops his own with the Blazers.
“San Antonio kind of put the stamp on me,” Pritchard says. “The common denominator of championship teams is that the locker room is great. Players don’t have to hang out or do everything together, but somebody was willing to step up and take responsibility. Good locker room, good people.
“Maybe I overemphasize it. Has it turned me away from talented players who maybe aren’t the best people? Absolutely. What it boils down to, I want to be a part of something really special, and I want to be in the trenches with people I admire.”
It’s why Pritchard traded Zach Randolph and wanted nothing to do with guard Steve Francis. He didn’t want their influence around his team’s young players. It’s why Pritchard says he will do everything he can to support coach Nate McMillan and help the Blazers’ young fleet of executives learn the business.
“I want to be a great assist person for Nate,” Pritchard says. “I want to make sure he has every tool to work with so he can succeed. I never walk into Nate’s office and say who to play. I know his challenges. I believe in him. He doesn’t do it exactly how I’d do it, but he works his tail off, he’s committed, and he’s a very good coach.
“I want my management team to learn and move up. I’d like to be like Coach Brown and Coach Williams, to have 12 or 15 guys move up in the management ranks around the league.”
Pritchard has lit a fire under owner Paul Allen, who ceded the Rose Garden to creditors, then considered selling the club as his once-proud franchise plummeted to the worst record in the NBA.
Owner comes around
The Blazers are once again Allen’s favorite toy, exemplified by multimillion-dollar expenditures that allowed the team to draft Brandon Roy and Sergio Rodriguez in 2006 and Rudy Fernandez and Petteri Koponen in 2007.
“Paul loves basketball,” Pritchard says. “I’ve been to a Seahawk game with him, and we talked basketball the whole time. He went through the emotions of owning a team and losing money, but the biggest thing to him is, winning is really important.
“The dynamics have changed for Paul. We wouldn’t have Brandon or Sergio without him stepping up.”
Allen agreed to the trade of Randolph to New York and the $31 million buyout of Francis’ contract because of his faith in Pritchard’s master plan. The Knicks deal included receiving a trade option that allowed the Blazers to acquire small forward James Jones from Phoenix and, in the process, procure the pick that landed Fernandez, a high-potential shooting guard who will wind up in Portland after playing one more season in Barcelona.
It’s a gamble, but an educated one, Pritchard insists.
“You can’t know everything in this business,” he says. “When I don’t, I tell Paul. No matter what the situation, he’ll do what he can to help me out. That’s where he’s really good for me.
“Our draft book is intense, and he reads every bit of it. He is very educated on all our opinions. I send him player videos throughout the season. We talk or e-mail at least every other day. I love that. One of the keys in this business is that the owner, general manager, coach and players all understand where we’re going and what we’re doing. It is one of the great challenges for a GM, but if you can accomplish that, you have a much better chance for success.”
Getting money under control
Pritchard’s master plan for the Blazers is to have salary-cap flexibility in 2009. It’s why he signed free agents Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake to two-year contracts, with conditional guarantees for the third season.
At a time when the league’s salary cap will be at about $60 million and the luxury-tax threshold about $70 million, Portland’s salary commitment (minus first-round picks the next two years) could be about $31 million – and $9 million less than that if Darius Miles’ surgically repaired knees force the enigmatic forward into retirement.
If Pritchard so chooses, the Blazers could have only Oden, Roy, Rodriguez, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joel Przybilla (plus draft picks) on their books for the 2009-10 season. That would leave ample room for the club to dip into the league’s high-ticket free-agent market for the first time ever.
“We’re going to get offered some deals over the next year and a half,” Pritchard says. “I will under no circumstance trade the future of this organization for a short-term fix.
“The ultimate goal is to compete for a championship down the road. We’ve set it up so we have a good young core of players who can grow together, and in a couple of years still have financial flexibility to add pieces of the puzzle we don’t have.”
If it all comes together, Pritchard’s diary will include material Blazer fans could only dream of a couple of short seasons ago.
“We believe it will happen under Kevin’s leadership,” says Tod Leiweke, chief executive officer of Allen’s Vulcan Sports & Entertainment Inc. and the man in charge of hiring Pritchard as GM. “He’s one of the bright young minds in the NBA and a pied piper for his vision of the Blazers. We feel lucky to have him.”
kerryeggers@portlandtribune.com
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The Wildcards for the Portland Trail Blazers
With the news that Portland's center, Greg Oden, will be out for the entire 2007-08 season, the Portland Trail Blazers clearly lose one of their most important pieces.
However, the Blazers still have a great deal of young talent. Jarrett Jack, Steve Blake, Sergio Rodriguez, and Taurean Green will play point guard; Brandon Roy and Rudy Fernandez will be the primary shooting guards; Martell Webster, Darius Miles, and James Jones will play the small forward spot; Channing Frye, Travis Outlaw, and Josh McRoberts will play power forward; and LaMarcus Aldridge, Raef Lafrentz, and Joel Pryzbilla will share time at the center position.
With Zach Randolph being traded in the offseason and Oden not playing this season, Portland will need someone to really step up and fill in the missing production. Randolph joined Kevin Garnett, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, and Tim Duncan as the only players last season to average more than 20 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, and 2 assists per game.
By my estimation, Darius Miles and Travis Outlaw will be the major factors to determine if Portland will be able to improve on last year's 32-win season. Outlaw will need to improve upon on his numbers from last season, his most productive year in the NBA. Outlaw, who signed a three year extension with Portland on July 18, is a terrific athlete who has shown great potential. He has made great strides in his free throw shooting accuracy and his ability to score from mid-range. Outlaw needs to continue to polish his skills on both ends of the floor, however. He is not a good ballhandler and needs to gain more strength. Defensively, Outlaw needs to concentrate more on stopping his man and provide the team with more help on the defensive boards. It will also be important for Outlaw to develop go-to post moves in order to expand his scoring abilities.
For Miles, providing scoring and versatility off the bench will be very important towards Portland's success. Miles is returning from microfracture surgery on his knee and by all indications, he has worked hard this summer in order to have a strong upcoming season.
Both Miles and Outlaw have more versatility and athleticism than any other player on the Portland roster. With Randolph being traded and Oden out for the season, this versatility will be important for Portland to continue to make strides. With most of the players on their roster, head coach Nate McMillan knows what kind of production he is going to get. However, with Miles coming off injury and Outlaw having another summer to develop, the Blazers do not know exactly what type of seasons they will have.
However, the Blazers still have a great deal of young talent. Jarrett Jack, Steve Blake, Sergio Rodriguez, and Taurean Green will play point guard; Brandon Roy and Rudy Fernandez will be the primary shooting guards; Martell Webster, Darius Miles, and James Jones will play the small forward spot; Channing Frye, Travis Outlaw, and Josh McRoberts will play power forward; and LaMarcus Aldridge, Raef Lafrentz, and Joel Pryzbilla will share time at the center position.
With Zach Randolph being traded in the offseason and Oden not playing this season, Portland will need someone to really step up and fill in the missing production. Randolph joined Kevin Garnett, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, and Tim Duncan as the only players last season to average more than 20 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, and 2 assists per game.
By my estimation, Darius Miles and Travis Outlaw will be the major factors to determine if Portland will be able to improve on last year's 32-win season. Outlaw will need to improve upon on his numbers from last season, his most productive year in the NBA. Outlaw, who signed a three year extension with Portland on July 18, is a terrific athlete who has shown great potential. He has made great strides in his free throw shooting accuracy and his ability to score from mid-range. Outlaw needs to continue to polish his skills on both ends of the floor, however. He is not a good ballhandler and needs to gain more strength. Defensively, Outlaw needs to concentrate more on stopping his man and provide the team with more help on the defensive boards. It will also be important for Outlaw to develop go-to post moves in order to expand his scoring abilities.
For Miles, providing scoring and versatility off the bench will be very important towards Portland's success. Miles is returning from microfracture surgery on his knee and by all indications, he has worked hard this summer in order to have a strong upcoming season.
Both Miles and Outlaw have more versatility and athleticism than any other player on the Portland roster. With Randolph being traded and Oden out for the season, this versatility will be important for Portland to continue to make strides. With most of the players on their roster, head coach Nate McMillan knows what kind of production he is going to get. However, with Miles coming off injury and Outlaw having another summer to develop, the Blazers do not know exactly what type of seasons they will have.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
College Basketball's Super Freshman
Last college basketball season, thirteen true freshmen in the BCS conferences averaged more than ten points per game with a minimum of 22 games played.
1.) Kevin Durant, Texas, 25.8
2.) Greg Oden, Ohio State, 15.7
3.) Spencer Hawes, Washington, 14.9
4.) Brandan Wright, North Carolina, 14.7
5.) Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, 14.5
6.) Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech, 14.4
7.) D.J. Augustin, Texas, 14.4
8.) Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech, 14.4
9.) Wayne Ellington, North Carolina, 11.7
10.) Edgar Sosa, Louisville, 11.4
11.) Mike Conley, Ohio State, 11.3
12.) Ty Lawson, North Carolina, 10.2
13.) Ryan Anderson, Nebraska, 10.1
Of the thirteen players listed above, the top four players plus Crittenton, Young, and Conley all entered the draft this year and were picked in the first round. The other six players will surely be counted on for even more scoring this year for their respective teams.
Here is a look at each of the six current college players who will surely look to be a future NBA first round pick:
Deonta Vaughn, PG/SG
Vaugn ins a 6'1", 200 pound combo-guard from Indianapolis. The Bearcats guard started slow in his first year, but came on quick after that. With big games against Xavier, North Carolina State, South Florida, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, and Seton Hall, Vaughn made a nice impression in the conference in his first season. This season, the Bearcats hope to have a better season, which may mean Vaughn's scoring will go down. Vaughn is an outstanding shooter with strong ballhandling skills. His passing ability at the point guard will be important to develop as he looks towards the NBA. For a guard, Vaughn has excellent strength and has shown great competitiveness and toughness.
D.J. Augustin, PG
Augustin is an undersized point guard standing 5'11" and weighing 175 pounds. Augustin, a New Orleans native, played his best in big games last year against Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Kansas. Augustin started every game at point guard for Texas in his first season and was named to the second team All-Big 12 team. Augustin takes care of the ball well and plays at very high speeds. His explosiveness, quick hands, and court awareness allows him to excel at the point gaurd position. As Augustin gets more experience, he will become a better passer and will run his teams offense more effectively. Perimeter shooting is the next big thing that Augustin needs to focus on. Augustin's quickness and explosive first step allows him to beat up on defenders. Playing next to Kevin Durant, Augustin mastered the ability to penetrate into the lane and then pass out to an open teammate.
Wayne Ellington, SG
A natural scorer, Ellington will be relied on to take a bigger role this season with North Carolina. Coach Roy Williams will look for more consistency this season. Ellington had some great games last season (Ohio State, Kentucky, Wake Forest, Maryland, Florida State), but struggled in several critical one's (Gonzaga, Duke, Michigan State, Georgetown). He can score from the perimeter off the dribble, pulling up, or going right to the basket. Ellington has great body control and gets to the foul line at a strong rate. Creating for his teammates to score is another skill Ellington posseses. He doesn't have ideal NBA size, but is talented enough to play in the league. Defense will be an important aspect for Ellington to improve. In order to guard NBA shooting guards, he will need to shore up that aspect of his game. Ellington has good strength and finishes well at the basket in college basketball, but will need to add some for the NBA.
Edgar Sosa, PG/SG
Sosa is a hardworking guard originally from the Dominican Republic and now resides in New York. Sosa stands at 6'1" and 175 pounds and had a strong freshman year finishing second on his team in points per game and assists per game. In Louisville's first six games, Sosa averaged double figures in five of them. Sosa played his best game in his teams tournament game against Texas A&M. In that game, Sosa scored 31 points included fifteen for seventeen from the free throw line. Sosa still has a great deal of work to do to become a first round pick. He needs to become a better distributor and work on his shot selection. Based on his dimensions, Sosa will strictly be a point guard in the NBA. To get to this level, he will need to show that he can lead a team and run an offense.
Ty Lawson, PG
Lawson is an accomplish, undersized point guard who played high school basketball at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. Lawson stands at 5'11", 193 pound Maryland native, who played in the McDonald's All-American. Lawson is super quick and has a great ability to change speeds. He penetrates well and finishes effectively around the basket. Lawson has good court vision and keeps his turnovers to a minumum. During last season, Lawson made strides in becoming a strong perimeter shooter. Last season, North Carolina really went as Lawson went, which was shown in key losses (Gonzaga, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Georgetown) and significant wins (Duke, Boston College, Michigan State). This season, Lawson needs to become a better free throw shooter and develop more of a mid-range game. He needs to become more consistent from the perimeter to make up for his small frame.
Ryan Anderson, SG
Anderson is a 6'4", 195 pound shooting guard who comes from Seattle, Washington. Anderson shoots the ball well from the perimeter, but was overlooked by a handful of teams from the northwest. Anderson started the season strong, but was very inconsistent during Big 12 play. In twelve pre-Big 12 season games Anderson played in, he scored double figures in seven of them, including 19 against Creighton, 17 against Rutgers, 15 against Oregon, and 29 against Hawaii. Anderson needs to look to be more of an effective passer in the upcoming season. He shot a very high percentage, especially from the free throw and three point line, which he will need to maintain. Nebraska will look to improve on their 17-14 record from last season, and Anderson will certainly be a big part of this.
1.) Kevin Durant, Texas, 25.8
2.) Greg Oden, Ohio State, 15.7
3.) Spencer Hawes, Washington, 14.9
4.) Brandan Wright, North Carolina, 14.7
5.) Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, 14.5
6.) Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech, 14.4
7.) D.J. Augustin, Texas, 14.4
8.) Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech, 14.4
9.) Wayne Ellington, North Carolina, 11.7
10.) Edgar Sosa, Louisville, 11.4
11.) Mike Conley, Ohio State, 11.3
12.) Ty Lawson, North Carolina, 10.2
13.) Ryan Anderson, Nebraska, 10.1
Of the thirteen players listed above, the top four players plus Crittenton, Young, and Conley all entered the draft this year and were picked in the first round. The other six players will surely be counted on for even more scoring this year for their respective teams.
Here is a look at each of the six current college players who will surely look to be a future NBA first round pick:
Deonta Vaughn, PG/SG
Vaugn ins a 6'1", 200 pound combo-guard from Indianapolis. The Bearcats guard started slow in his first year, but came on quick after that. With big games against Xavier, North Carolina State, South Florida, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, and Seton Hall, Vaughn made a nice impression in the conference in his first season. This season, the Bearcats hope to have a better season, which may mean Vaughn's scoring will go down. Vaughn is an outstanding shooter with strong ballhandling skills. His passing ability at the point guard will be important to develop as he looks towards the NBA. For a guard, Vaughn has excellent strength and has shown great competitiveness and toughness.
D.J. Augustin, PG
Augustin is an undersized point guard standing 5'11" and weighing 175 pounds. Augustin, a New Orleans native, played his best in big games last year against Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Kansas. Augustin started every game at point guard for Texas in his first season and was named to the second team All-Big 12 team. Augustin takes care of the ball well and plays at very high speeds. His explosiveness, quick hands, and court awareness allows him to excel at the point gaurd position. As Augustin gets more experience, he will become a better passer and will run his teams offense more effectively. Perimeter shooting is the next big thing that Augustin needs to focus on. Augustin's quickness and explosive first step allows him to beat up on defenders. Playing next to Kevin Durant, Augustin mastered the ability to penetrate into the lane and then pass out to an open teammate.
Wayne Ellington, SG
A natural scorer, Ellington will be relied on to take a bigger role this season with North Carolina. Coach Roy Williams will look for more consistency this season. Ellington had some great games last season (Ohio State, Kentucky, Wake Forest, Maryland, Florida State), but struggled in several critical one's (Gonzaga, Duke, Michigan State, Georgetown). He can score from the perimeter off the dribble, pulling up, or going right to the basket. Ellington has great body control and gets to the foul line at a strong rate. Creating for his teammates to score is another skill Ellington posseses. He doesn't have ideal NBA size, but is talented enough to play in the league. Defense will be an important aspect for Ellington to improve. In order to guard NBA shooting guards, he will need to shore up that aspect of his game. Ellington has good strength and finishes well at the basket in college basketball, but will need to add some for the NBA.
Edgar Sosa, PG/SG
Sosa is a hardworking guard originally from the Dominican Republic and now resides in New York. Sosa stands at 6'1" and 175 pounds and had a strong freshman year finishing second on his team in points per game and assists per game. In Louisville's first six games, Sosa averaged double figures in five of them. Sosa played his best game in his teams tournament game against Texas A&M. In that game, Sosa scored 31 points included fifteen for seventeen from the free throw line. Sosa still has a great deal of work to do to become a first round pick. He needs to become a better distributor and work on his shot selection. Based on his dimensions, Sosa will strictly be a point guard in the NBA. To get to this level, he will need to show that he can lead a team and run an offense.
Ty Lawson, PG
Lawson is an accomplish, undersized point guard who played high school basketball at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. Lawson stands at 5'11", 193 pound Maryland native, who played in the McDonald's All-American. Lawson is super quick and has a great ability to change speeds. He penetrates well and finishes effectively around the basket. Lawson has good court vision and keeps his turnovers to a minumum. During last season, Lawson made strides in becoming a strong perimeter shooter. Last season, North Carolina really went as Lawson went, which was shown in key losses (Gonzaga, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Georgetown) and significant wins (Duke, Boston College, Michigan State). This season, Lawson needs to become a better free throw shooter and develop more of a mid-range game. He needs to become more consistent from the perimeter to make up for his small frame.
Ryan Anderson, SG
Anderson is a 6'4", 195 pound shooting guard who comes from Seattle, Washington. Anderson shoots the ball well from the perimeter, but was overlooked by a handful of teams from the northwest. Anderson started the season strong, but was very inconsistent during Big 12 play. In twelve pre-Big 12 season games Anderson played in, he scored double figures in seven of them, including 19 against Creighton, 17 against Rutgers, 15 against Oregon, and 29 against Hawaii. Anderson needs to look to be more of an effective passer in the upcoming season. He shot a very high percentage, especially from the free throw and three point line, which he will need to maintain. Nebraska will look to improve on their 17-14 record from last season, and Anderson will certainly be a big part of this.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Top Prospect Videos
Around draft time, Yahoo! posted video of a majority of the top ninety players. Each players video is around four minutes long.
To watch the videos, go to:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/prospects?rank_type=1
To watch the videos, go to:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/prospects?rank_type=1
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Pre-Draft Individual Workout Videos
The NBA has posted videos on YouTube, which show Kevin Durant, Greg Oden, and Corey Brewer's individual workouts.
Kevin Durant:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OZndlb18d0s
Durant's video shows him working with his personal trainer, Eric Hughes, on coordination, ball handling, and agility.
Greg Oden:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FRgLyKehpug
Oden's video is comprehensive and shows how well he runs the floor and moves around the basket. The video also showed the Trail Blazers testing his agility, strength, and hands. Throughout the video, you could see his determination, as well as his outgoing personality.
Corey Brewer:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-0pi5ALiMEc
Brewer's video shows him working out for the Milwaukee Bucks. This video shows the Bucks testing his endurance and shooting ability. Additionally, Brewer's confident and bubbly personality is shown in the video.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=H4LAJav5Hr4
In this video, the Memphis Grizzlies have Brewer in for a workout with two other players. Brewer is shown doing ball handling and one-on-one drills against Acie Law. His strength and footwork are shown off here in this video.
Kevin Durant:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OZndlb18d0s
Durant's video shows him working with his personal trainer, Eric Hughes, on coordination, ball handling, and agility.
Greg Oden:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FRgLyKehpug
Oden's video is comprehensive and shows how well he runs the floor and moves around the basket. The video also showed the Trail Blazers testing his agility, strength, and hands. Throughout the video, you could see his determination, as well as his outgoing personality.
Corey Brewer:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-0pi5ALiMEc
Brewer's video shows him working out for the Milwaukee Bucks. This video shows the Bucks testing his endurance and shooting ability. Additionally, Brewer's confident and bubbly personality is shown in the video.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=H4LAJav5Hr4
In this video, the Memphis Grizzlies have Brewer in for a workout with two other players. Brewer is shown doing ball handling and one-on-one drills against Acie Law. His strength and footwork are shown off here in this video.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
My 2007 Mock Draft
The NBA Draft is tonight and there certainly should be a great deal of movement. With many star players rumored to move, the draft slots may not look anything like they do right now, but I will try to predict where the players will fall.
1.) Portland: Greg Oden, C, Ohio State
2.) Seattle: Kevin Durant, SF, Texas
3.) Atlanta: Mike Conley, PG, Ohio State
4.) Memphis: Brandan Wright, SF, Milwaukee
5.) Boston: Al Horford, PF, Florida
6.) Milwaukee: Corey Brewer, SF, Florida
7.) Minnesota: Jeff Green, SF, Georgetown
8.) Charlotte: Joakim Noah, PF, Florida
9.) Chicago: Yi Jianlian, PF, China
10.) Sacramento: Spencer Hawes, C, Washington
11.) Atlanta: Javaris Crittenton, PG, Georgia Tech
12.) Philadelphia: Julian Wright, PF, Kansas
13.) New Orleans: Nick Young, SG, USC
14.) LA Clippers: Acie Law, PG, Texas A&M
15.) Detroit: Thaddeus Young, SF, Georgia Tech
16.) Washington: Al Thornton, SF, Florida State
17.) New Jersey: Jason Smith, PF, Colorado State
18.) Golden State: Marco Belinelli, SG, Italy
19.) LA Lakers: Rodney Stuckey, PG, Eastern Washington
20.) Miami: Derrick Byers, SF, Vanderbilt
21.) Philadelphia: Rudy Fernandez, PG/SG, Spain
22.) Charlotte: Jared Dudley, SF, Boston College
23.) New York: Wilson Chandler, SF, DePaul
24.) Phoenix: Petteri Koponen, PG, Finland
25.) Utah: Daequan Cook, SG, Ohio State
26.) Houston: Nick Fazekas, PF, Nevada
27.) Detroit: Gabe Pruitt, PG/SG, Golden State
28.) San Antonio: Morris Almond, SG, Rice
29.) Phoenix: Tiago Splitter, PF, Brazil
30.) Philadelphia: Josh McRoberts, PF, Duke
1.) Portland: Greg Oden, C, Ohio State
2.) Seattle: Kevin Durant, SF, Texas
3.) Atlanta: Mike Conley, PG, Ohio State
4.) Memphis: Brandan Wright, SF, Milwaukee
5.) Boston: Al Horford, PF, Florida
6.) Milwaukee: Corey Brewer, SF, Florida
7.) Minnesota: Jeff Green, SF, Georgetown
8.) Charlotte: Joakim Noah, PF, Florida
9.) Chicago: Yi Jianlian, PF, China
10.) Sacramento: Spencer Hawes, C, Washington
11.) Atlanta: Javaris Crittenton, PG, Georgia Tech
12.) Philadelphia: Julian Wright, PF, Kansas
13.) New Orleans: Nick Young, SG, USC
14.) LA Clippers: Acie Law, PG, Texas A&M
15.) Detroit: Thaddeus Young, SF, Georgia Tech
16.) Washington: Al Thornton, SF, Florida State
17.) New Jersey: Jason Smith, PF, Colorado State
18.) Golden State: Marco Belinelli, SG, Italy
19.) LA Lakers: Rodney Stuckey, PG, Eastern Washington
20.) Miami: Derrick Byers, SF, Vanderbilt
21.) Philadelphia: Rudy Fernandez, PG/SG, Spain
22.) Charlotte: Jared Dudley, SF, Boston College
23.) New York: Wilson Chandler, SF, DePaul
24.) Phoenix: Petteri Koponen, PG, Finland
25.) Utah: Daequan Cook, SG, Ohio State
26.) Houston: Nick Fazekas, PF, Nevada
27.) Detroit: Gabe Pruitt, PG/SG, Golden State
28.) San Antonio: Morris Almond, SG, Rice
29.) Phoenix: Tiago Splitter, PF, Brazil
30.) Philadelphia: Josh McRoberts, PF, Duke
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Thoughts on NBA Draft 2007 Candidates
This year's draft class certainly has the potential to be one of the best since the 2003 class, which featured Lebron, Darko, Melo, D-Wade, Bosh, Hinrich, T.J. Ford, Diaw, Barbosa and Josh Howard among many others. This group may not have the depth that group did, but the star power at the top is certainly there. I am going to go through a handful of players and provide my thoughts the day before the draft.
Durant & Oden - Both of these players project similarly in the NBA. I see both players being outstanding in their first year and will be all-stars throughout their career. The Durant-McGrady comparison and Oden-Robinson comparison are right on in my mind. I think both young players will have similar types of careers. The difference though is Durant, who I see as more of a winner than McGrady.
Al Horford - Outside of Durant and Oden, I think Horford is the next best player in this class. Horford is very similar to Elton Brand in his ability, but with more of a mean streak. If Horford could master that midrange jump shot that Karl Malone perfected, he could be a perennial all-star.
Mike Conley - Conley's success early on will be largely based on what team he lands with. He certainly is a great leader with outstanding court vision. The biggest weakness right now for Conley is his perimeter shooting ability along with his smaller size. If Conley can shore up his shot and get himself in the right environment, I can see him being a perennial all-star between the age of 24 and 30.
Corey Brewer - Brewer is a Bruce Bowen-type who will be one of the league's best perimeter defenders the moment he is drafted. With long arms and quick feet, Brewer can take on the best guards and small forwards the NBA has to offer. Brewer will struggle to create his own shot, similar to Bowen, but shoots very well from behind the arc. Down the line, on a playoff team, Brewer will be the fourth best player. If any team looks for more than that from him, they will not be competing past April.
Julian Wright - In a good situation, Wright will excel in the league. With his ball handling abilities and long arms, Wright is a tough matchup for opposing teams. He will continue to improve his post came and has shown to be a hard worker. Unfortunately, Wright's closest NBA comparison is Darius Miles. Miles came into the league possessing many of the same qualities, including a weak jumpshot. If Wright can improve in that area, his potential is unlimited. I don't think Wright will ever be an all-star in the league, but he certainly should be an impact player on the bubble of being an all-star.
Brandan Wright - Wright projects as a lottery bust in my mind. Wright is a 6'10" power forward who in my mind, has no interest in banging bodies in the post. He has shown a great lack of strength and very limited post moves. He gets disrupted and pushed away from the basket and lacks the strength to finish after contact occurs. Although I do think he will have a long NBA career, it will not garner the success he should have as a potential top five pick. In order to make the leap in ability, Wright needs to work much harder on the floor and in the weight room. He has gotten by in the past strictly based on his athleticism, but he is now at the point where that will not be enough to succeed.
Joakim Noah - Noah is the most unique prospect in the draft. With extremely long arms and great mobility, Noah certainly has ability to be a great defensive player in the league. Like Tyson Chandler and Ben Wallace, I don't see Noah ever averaging more than ten points in the league. At the same time, like those two defensive stars, I do think Noah will be a success in the NBA. On a championship team, Noah certainly could be the fourth best player. The situation that he falls into, will be very important in determining his success. Noah could stand to improve his strength and develop a consistent midrange jumper.
Other Players I Like:
Yi Jianlian, Al Thornton, Thaddeus Young, Rudy Fernandez, Acie Law, Alando Tucker, Sean Williams, Arron Afflalo, Tiago Splitter, DJ Strawberry, Glen Davis, Taurean Green, Aaron Brooks, Morris Almond.
Other Players I Would Avoid:
Jeff Green, Spencer Hawes, Nick Young, Jason Smith, Daequan Cook, Wilson Chandler, Josh McRoberts, Jared Dudley, Nick Fazekas, Aaron Gray.
Durant & Oden - Both of these players project similarly in the NBA. I see both players being outstanding in their first year and will be all-stars throughout their career. The Durant-McGrady comparison and Oden-Robinson comparison are right on in my mind. I think both young players will have similar types of careers. The difference though is Durant, who I see as more of a winner than McGrady.
Al Horford - Outside of Durant and Oden, I think Horford is the next best player in this class. Horford is very similar to Elton Brand in his ability, but with more of a mean streak. If Horford could master that midrange jump shot that Karl Malone perfected, he could be a perennial all-star.
Mike Conley - Conley's success early on will be largely based on what team he lands with. He certainly is a great leader with outstanding court vision. The biggest weakness right now for Conley is his perimeter shooting ability along with his smaller size. If Conley can shore up his shot and get himself in the right environment, I can see him being a perennial all-star between the age of 24 and 30.
Corey Brewer - Brewer is a Bruce Bowen-type who will be one of the league's best perimeter defenders the moment he is drafted. With long arms and quick feet, Brewer can take on the best guards and small forwards the NBA has to offer. Brewer will struggle to create his own shot, similar to Bowen, but shoots very well from behind the arc. Down the line, on a playoff team, Brewer will be the fourth best player. If any team looks for more than that from him, they will not be competing past April.
Julian Wright - In a good situation, Wright will excel in the league. With his ball handling abilities and long arms, Wright is a tough matchup for opposing teams. He will continue to improve his post came and has shown to be a hard worker. Unfortunately, Wright's closest NBA comparison is Darius Miles. Miles came into the league possessing many of the same qualities, including a weak jumpshot. If Wright can improve in that area, his potential is unlimited. I don't think Wright will ever be an all-star in the league, but he certainly should be an impact player on the bubble of being an all-star.
Brandan Wright - Wright projects as a lottery bust in my mind. Wright is a 6'10" power forward who in my mind, has no interest in banging bodies in the post. He has shown a great lack of strength and very limited post moves. He gets disrupted and pushed away from the basket and lacks the strength to finish after contact occurs. Although I do think he will have a long NBA career, it will not garner the success he should have as a potential top five pick. In order to make the leap in ability, Wright needs to work much harder on the floor and in the weight room. He has gotten by in the past strictly based on his athleticism, but he is now at the point where that will not be enough to succeed.
Joakim Noah - Noah is the most unique prospect in the draft. With extremely long arms and great mobility, Noah certainly has ability to be a great defensive player in the league. Like Tyson Chandler and Ben Wallace, I don't see Noah ever averaging more than ten points in the league. At the same time, like those two defensive stars, I do think Noah will be a success in the NBA. On a championship team, Noah certainly could be the fourth best player. The situation that he falls into, will be very important in determining his success. Noah could stand to improve his strength and develop a consistent midrange jumper.
Other Players I Like:
Yi Jianlian, Al Thornton, Thaddeus Young, Rudy Fernandez, Acie Law, Alando Tucker, Sean Williams, Arron Afflalo, Tiago Splitter, DJ Strawberry, Glen Davis, Taurean Green, Aaron Brooks, Morris Almond.
Other Players I Would Avoid:
Jeff Green, Spencer Hawes, Nick Young, Jason Smith, Daequan Cook, Wilson Chandler, Josh McRoberts, Jared Dudley, Nick Fazekas, Aaron Gray.
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