2014 NBA Draft

[INFORMER]

Len is not comfortable doing anything at this point. In college, he did look good in the high post, either from the wing or top of the key.

It just would feel like the Kendall Marshall pick all over again. The utility of Nurkic on this roster would be too limited to spend a top 20 pick on him, IMO, unless there are plans to jettison Len.

[Sunsfan4life]

Warren Stock rising

http://hoopshype.com/twitter/media.html

Still think he wounds up on the Suns...

[Sunsfan4life]

Walter Tavaras is a guy I like and would consider at 27....Alex Kennedy reporting one exec called him "one of the most intrguing prospects in draft"

Porzingas apparently has a promise from OKC at 21

Mitch Mcgary may have a promise because he's cancelling workouts. Another guy I liked at 27

[INFORMER]

I've never understood why people are so high on McGary, no pun intended.

[Sunsfan4life]

a mobile big man who shot 60% from the field and was excellent at Michigan in the screen and roll in 2012-2013. I agree that I thought he was overrated had he come out last yr, people were saying a lotto pick maybe, but now he might be worth the gamble at 27. Certainly in the 2nd rd when there is little risk.

He probably cost himself a bunch of money coming back to school

[INFORMER]

Warren Stock rising

http://hoopshype.com/twitter/media.html

Still think he wounds up on the Suns...

I wouldn't take what Alex Kennedy reports as gospel.

Nevertheless, if Minnesota is going to try to keep Love, I think T.J. Warren may make sense for them at 13.

[Ring_Wanted]

Len is not comfortable doing anything at this point. In college, he did look good in the high post, either from the wing or top of the key.

It just would feel like the Kendall Marshall pick all over again. The utility of Nurkic on this roster would be too limited to spend a top 20 pick on him, IMO, unless there are plans to jettison Len.

Mmmh yes, Len is not comfortable at all on an NBA court, we agree on that. maybe with the exception of altering shots in the paint and fighting for offensive rebounds.

But his game is not similar to Nurkic. So if we have a player who could go either way in terms of performing or going into oblivion, and another guy whose game is not the same, and who does something nobody else on our roster is adept at, I just can't see why Len would make me disregard Nurkic. I hope McD doesn't operates under the premise that Len precludes him from drafing Nurkic.

[Ring_Wanted]

I've never understood why people are so high on McGary, no pun intended.

He doesn't stop moving. That can be seriously good for your team when the guy is as big as McGary.

By the way, I have him on the Spurs.

[INFORMER]

a mobile big man who shot 60% from the field and was excellent at Michigan in the screen and roll in 2012-2013. I agree that I thought he was overrated had he come out last yr, people were saying a lotto pick maybe, but now he might be worth the gamble at 27. Certainly in the 2nd rd when there is little risk.

He probably cost himself a bunch of money coming back to school

Him going back to school probably saved a general manager his job.

Sure, late first round, early second isn't bad, but I just don't see him as an impact player at the NBA level. I don't think he's a good fit at the 4 or 5, I don't think he really has any significant offensive ability. I also don't see him rebounding well at the pro level.

[INFORMER]

So if we have a player who could go either way in terms of performing or going into oblivion, and another guy whose game is not the same, and who does something nobody else on our roster is adept at, I just can't see why Len would make me disregard Nurkic.

If Ryan is looking at Len that way after only one year, then he's an idiot for drafting him with the freaking 5th pick in the draft.

[INFORMER]

I've never understood why people are so high on McGary, no pun intended.

He doesn't stop moving.

Neither does Tyler Hansbrough.

[Ring_Wanted]

I don't know exactly what you mean INF. At this point Len is an unknown and could end up being just a bust, a RoLo kind of back up or something more. McD drafted him because he was extremely agile and quick for a guy his size, and that is major potential. He even was discussed as the #1. As for actual skills, I saw a face to the basket game on offense, and maybe a hook, but not the type of footwork, fakes, etc that make you a low post animal. That's exactly what Nurkic is so I wouldn't hesitate to have them both on the roster.

[Ring_Wanted]

I've never understood why people are so high on McGary, no pun intended.

He doesn't stop moving.

Neither does Tyler Hansbrough.

Yeah, but their size is not the same, and if you are throwing yourself around, 20 pounds make a world of difference. McGary also has a little more wingspan and standing reach.

[INFORMER]

I don't know exactly what you mean INF.

It's catch-22. You'd like a GM to be able to admit when he's wrong, but you also want him to have confidence in his decisions and to give them a chance to succeed. If Ryan sees Len as "a player who could go either way in terms of performing or going into oblivion" after just one year, then I wouldn't call that confident at all, which means it probably wasn't a good choice to begin with.

[INFORMER]

I've never understood why people are so high on McGary, no pun intended.

He doesn't stop moving.

Neither does Tyler Hansbrough.

Yeah, but their size is not the same, and if you are throwing yourself around, 20 pounds make a world of difference. McGary also has a little more wingspan and standing reach.

Honestly, I don't think it makes a difference. I just think all that means is that Hansbrough is limited to playing the 4 and McGary will be able to see time at the 5. But you essentially will still have the same player: energy? Yes. Intangibles? Sure. Productivity? Better look elsewhere.

[Ring_Wanted]

I've never understood why people are so high on McGary, no pun intended.

He doesn't stop moving.

Neither does Tyler Hansbrough.

Yeah, but their size is not the same, and if you are throwing yourself around, 20 pounds make a world of difference. McGary also has a little more wingspan and standing reach.

Honestly, I don't think it makes a difference. I just think all that means is that Hansbrough is limited to playing the 4 and McGary will be able to see time at the 5. But you essentially will still have the same player: energy? Yes. Intangibles? Sure. Productivity? Better look elsewhere.

Meh. Even if you were right, it's still a low pick. If we don't want to live in that catch 22 world, we need to concede that absolutely more often than not you have done well if you extract that out of a low 1stR. As far as I know nobody is advocating drafting him #20, for instance.

[INFORMER]

Right. Like I said earlier, late first round/second rounder isn't a big deal. My initial point was my disbelief over why people were so high on him in the first, meaning when he was being discussed as a guaranteed lotto pick.

[Ring_Wanted]

I don't know exactly what you mean INF.

It's catch-22. You'd like a GM to be able to admit when he's wrong, but you also want him to have confidence in his decisions and to give them a chance to succeed. If Ryan sees Len as "a player who could go either way in terms of performing or going into oblivion" after just one year, then I wouldn't call that confident at all, which means it probably wasn't a good choice to begin with.

What you think of a prospect when you draft him and what happens is a different story. Len has had a lot of trouble with health and is nothing more than a project at this point. Even the guy who drafted him has to see this. At the same time, it doesn't mean that things can't get better. Now, we are discussing what to do with a pick in the 2014 draft. If the player at hand was similar to Len, I could see how McD would hesitate. Nobody wants to waste a #5 let alone two picks in a row.

But the point is that they are not similar and that they can be part of the same rotation. That's it. If McD can't see it, or doesn't agree, it is a matter of talent evaluation, not being too stubborn wanting to give his high pick all the possible room to prove him right unless his judgement was clouded by the pressure of not dropping this particular soap. I hope that's not the case, but I have no way to know until the picks are made, and even then you'd have to listen an honest evaluation of this situation from his mouth.

Why didn't you draft Jusuf Nurkic, Ryan?

[INFORMER]

Nurkic is a good prospect, but he's not sooooooooooooo good that I would be compelled to spend a top 20 pick on a player who only plays one position, a position where we already have two prospects.

And this is a loaded draft. So you also have to consider that you'd be passing on other high level talent that could potentially have more utility.

[Ring_Wanted]

Wether he is the best player available or not is another issue altogether. As for what we already have, neither Miles nor Len is a low post scorer. Beyond that I don't know what else to say.