Just giving my opinions on the draft. I've started studying the draft tonight. I read scouting reports, watched extensive tape, etc. I don't watch much NCAA basketball but I always prepare like this before the draft to have an idea on the players in it. Here are my opinions.
Wolters looks like good backup PG material. Reminds me of a Kirk Hinrich-type player. Not quick, not athletic but is smart and can shoot the ball.
Giannis Adetokunbo is a guy that I would draft in the 2nd round if we can get a pick (if he lasts that long). If we were to possibly get another late 1st I'd draft him there too because I think the kid has potential. He's only 18 but he's got game and the major weakness he has is strength. That can be fixed. Drafting him and leaving him in Europe to develop with another pick would be a good idea.
Tony Mitchell - one of the few guys I'll be pissed over if we draft. Guy is dumb as rocks and very lazy. If we draft this guy then it's clear Isiah is still involved. He's a total Isiah player. We need to draft players who work hard and play smart, not the opposite. No to this guy all the way. We don't need more stupidity on the team.
I like Reggie Bullock as a role player but he's pretty much a spot up shooter. In Woodson's "offense" (if you can call it that) he would be as useful as Steve Novak...aka useless. If Woodson is not going to call plays for guy to get open off screens or cuts then guys like Bullock are worthless and we will need to draft a player who can create for himself at any position.
Allen Crabbe is a decent player but he can't create for himself and, like Reggie Bullock, would not be a good fit for a Woodson-coached team. He does some things well - especially shoot - but it's all for nothing if your coach is going iso 80% of the time. Also plays SG - not really a position of need, with or without Smith returning.
Tim Hardaway Jr. - nice player but seems to be getting hyped off his father's name. He takes really dumb shots and often settles for shots or forces the shot in traffic. He's not a good decision maker and he's pretty inconsistent. He also can't seem to create for himself consistently because of the poor shot selection, which doesn't really fit with the team. Not a good defender. Plays SG, a position I think we are not in dire need for.
Rudy Gobert - I would take a flier in the 2nd round on this guy. Definitely not a 1st rounder. Too many question marks in his game. He has no offensive game and some of his other weaknesses lie with strength, which can be fixed, but he is very raw. Either this dude is Alexis Ajinca 2.0 or he's a future solid NBA center. The problem is most guys his size never have any post game and are never developed properly. There is no 7 footer in the league that has a post game. Nobody teaches this guy anything anymore. I'd much rather draft this guy in the 2nd round and leave him in the D-League and also give him some time with Olajuwon.
Erick Green is one of my favorites from what I have seen. Not sure why more people haven't mentioned him. He's a quick point guard who can create for himself and for others and can get to the basket and draw fouls. He's a good shooteer and a hard worker. Some of his offensive issues deal with strength (only 185 lbs) but, again, this can be improved. He is a hard worker so I have no doubt he will work on his body and get the strength needed to get to the rim and finish with contact and to also play better defense on stronger players. He also has some defensive issues but that's nothing a little coaching can't fix. He works hard and he has improved his game every year. I think this kid is a future starting PG in the league. He might be my top choice at 24.
Ricky Ledo - monumentally dumb player and questionable-at-best character. You can't transfer to 4 different high schools and tell me you're a normal dude. You also can't sit around for a year doing nothing (not even attempting to go to college or play overseas) and then tell me I can't question your work ethic. This kid has a lot of talent. But so do JR and Jamal and others that have come before Ledo. That doesn't mean he will be a great NBA player. He certainly isn't the smartest or the most hard-working. I'll pass on this guy unless he's available in the 2nd round, which he probably should be. Then I might take a flier on him.
I like Mike Muscala. He's got a nice offensive game. He's a versatile player and he surprised me with the moves he has in the post and his ability to put the ball on the floor. He also has a nice shooting touch. It's a running theme in this draft and with big men in general but he needs to get stronger. He is a hard worker so I think he will focus on that because I think that's all he's missing. He has the intangibles to be a solid NBA center and a future starting center. The guy is smart. He knows when to pass and he knows the art of boxing out. He's a beast on the glass and his positioning on post defense is just great. If he just bulks up he will eliminate some weaknesses, like finishing soft in the paint due to contact or being overpowered in the post. He knows how to play the game. The only thing that's holding him back is the physical part, not the mental part. Very underrated player.
Dennis Schroeder - quick, crafty and has good court vision. His jump shots are limited to catch and shoot plays as he does not shoot well off the dribble or from mid-range. He has trouble making shots when he gets in the paint. He plays great on-ball defense and plays the passing lanes well. His shot looks like it's in slow motion a bit so that could be a problem. Schroeder turns the ball over too much for his position and often because he is lacking focus. He has good awareness on both ends but because he is 19 he has some weaknesses that hold him back. I don't think any of his problems are anything experience and learning in the NBA can't fix. I like this kid. I wouldn't mind us drafting him. He will need some time to fully develop, though.
Gorgui Dieng - agile, mobile, good rebounder, good defender. He has no semblance of an offensive game besides garbage baskets or alley oops...sort of like Chandler. He is a good passer for his size and he knows how to read an offense and get himself set defensively. He needs to develop a consistent mid-range shot to make him a threat on offense since he has no post game. Needs to add another 10-20 lbs of muscle to make a legitimate impact on the glass and on defense. Not much upside to him. I like him but I don't know if I'd take him over Muscala. Muscala has similar parts to his game except he can actually score the ball as well. I called Dieng a future scrub. I don't think he'll be a scrub but I think he'll be a nice backup center for a team. He just needs to work on his offensive game and his strength.
Jeff Withey - impressed with his athleticism and defense, especially in the post. Boxes out and rebounds well. Another big who thrives off the ball and in alley-oop situations than with the ball in his hands. No post game and, like Dieng, needs to add a mid-range shot to his arsenal. Lacks strength and focus. Strength can be corrected but falling asleep and not trying during games...I don't like that. Limited potential due to his age and his limited offensive arsenal and lack of focus.
Isiah Canaan - can score every which way. He can drive to the rim or shoot from the outside. A legit scoring threat but out of position at PG. He has no PG instincts at all. Would be a nice scorer off the bench for the Knicks but I would not take him at 24. He's turnover prone and has poor shot selection. A Nate Robinson/Toney Douglas-type player.
Myck Kabongo - not a good shooter, but has some playmaking skills. He can get to the rim as well but needs to learn how to finish better. He is limited because of his shot but I think if any player could be a Rajon Rondo style of player from this draft it's definitely Myck Kabongo. Not saying I'd take him over guys on my board but I think he has more potential than what people give him credit for.
"Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world." - James K Polk
6/27/2013 4:19 PM