One thing I noticed is that the draft has kind of SUCKED over the years. Thank God this draft is actually a pretty good one in terms of talent and we have our pick for a change.

2014	                                                Pre-Lottery 	
Pick	Team	                Record	Odds	Chances Position      Pick Change  Player Taken  
1	Cleveland Cavaliers	33-49	1.70%	17	9th	      +8	   Andrew Wiggins
2	Milwaukee Bucks	        15-67	25.00%	250	1st	      -1	   Jabari Parker
3	Philadelphia Sixers	19-63	19.90%	199	2nd	      -1	   Joel Embiid	
4	Orlando Magic	        23-59	15.60%	156	3rd	      -1	   Aaron Gordon	
5	Utah Jazz	        25-57	10.40%	104	4th	      -1	   Dante Exum	
6	Boston Celtics	        25-57	10.30%	103	5th	      -1	   Marcus Smart	
7	Los Angeles Lakers	27-55	6.30%	63	6th	      -1	   Julius Randle
8	Sacramento Kings	28-54	4.30%	43	7th	      -1	   Nik Stauskas	
2013                                                    Pre-Lottery
Pick	Team	                Record	Odds	Chances	Position      Pick Change  Player Taken	
1	Cleveland Cavaliers	24-58	15.60%	156	3rd	      +2	   Anthony Bennett	
2	Orlando Magic	        20-62	25.00%	250	1st	      -1	   Victor Oladipo
3	Washington Wizards	29-53	3.50%	35	8th	      +5	   Otto Porter	
4	Charlotte Hornets	21-61	19.90%	199	2nd	      -2	   Cody Zeller	
5	Phoenix Suns	        25-57	11.90%	119	4th	      -1	   Alex Len	
6	New Orleans Pelicans	27-55	8.80%	88	5th	      -1	   Nerlens Noel	
7	Sacramento Kings	28-54	6.30%	63	6th	      -1	   Ben McLemore	
8	Detroit Pistons	        29-53	3.60%	36	7th	      -1	   Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
2012                                                    Pre-Lottery
Pick	Team	                Record	Odds	Chances	Position      Pick Change  Player Taken
1	New Orleans Pelicans	21-45	13.70%	137	4th	      +3	   Anthony Davis
2	Charlotte Hornets	7-59	25.00%	250	1st	      -1	   Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
3	Washington Wizards	20-46	19.90%	199	2nd	      -1	   Bradley Beal
4	Cleveland Cavaliers	21-45	13.80%	138	3rd	      -1	   Dion Waiters	
2011                                                    Pre-Lottery
Pick	Team	                Record	Odds	Chances	Position      Pick Change  Player Taken
1	Los Angeles Clippers	32-50	2.80%	28	8th	      +7	   Kyrie Irving	       Cleveland Cavaliers
2	Minnesota Timberwolves	17-65	25.00%	250	1st	      -1	   Derrick Williams	
3	New Jersey Nets	        24-58	7.50%	75	6th	      +3	   Enes Kanter	       Utah Jazz
4	Cleveland Cavaliers	19-63	19.90%	199	2nd	      -2	   Tristan Thompson	
5	Toronto Raptors	        22-60	15.60%	156	3rd	      -2	   Jonas Valanciunas	
6	Washington Wizards	23-59	11.90%	119	4th	      -2	   Jan Vesely	
7	Sacramento Kings	24-58	7.60%	76	5th	      -2	   Bismack Biyombo
8	Detroit Pistons	        30-52	4.30%	43	7th	      -1	   Brandon Knight
2010                                                    Pre-Lottery
Pick	Team	                Record	Odds	Chances	Position      Pick Change  Player Taken
1	Washington Wizards	26-56	10.30%	103	5th	      +4	   John Wall	
2	Philadelphia Sixers	27-55	5.30%	53	6th	      +4	   Evan Turner	
3	New Jersey Nets	        12-70	25.00%	250	1st	      -2	   Derrick Favors
4	Minnesota Timberwolves	15-67	19.90%	199	2nd	      -2	   Wesley Johnson
5	Sacramento Kings	25-57	15.60%	156	3rd	      -2	   DeMarcus Cousins
6	Golden State Warriors	26-56	10.40%	104	4th	      -2	   Ekpe Udoh	
2009                                                    Pre-Lottery
Pick	Team	                Record	Odds	Chances	Position      Pick Change  Player Taken
1	Los Angeles Clippers	19-63	17.70%	177	3rd	      +2	   Blake Griffin
2	Memphis Grizzlies	24-58	7.50%	75	6th	      +4	   Hasheem Thabeet
3	Oklahoma City Thunder	23-59	11.90%	119	4th	      +1	   James Harden	
4	Sacramento Kings	17-65	25.00%	250	1st	      -3	   Tyreke Evans	
5	Washington Wizards	19-63	17.80%	178	2nd	      -3	   Ricky Rubio	       Minnesota Timberwolves
6	Minnesota Timberwolves	24-58	7.60%	76	5th	      -1	   Jonny Flynn	       Minnesota Timberwolves
2008                                                    Pre-Lottery
Pick	Team	                Record	Odds	Chances	Position      Pick Change  Player Taken
1	Chicago Bulls	        33-49	1.70%	17	9th	      +8	   Derrick Rose	
2	Miami Heat	        15-67	25.00%	250	1st	      -1	   Michael Beasley
3	Minnesota Timberwolves	22-60	13.80%	138	3rd	       0	   O.J. Mayo	
4	Seattle SuperSonics	20-62	19.90%	199	2nd	      -2	   Russell Westbrook	
5	Memphis Grizzlies	22-60	13.70%	137	4th	      -1	   Kevin Love	
6	New York Knicks	        23-59	7.60%	76	5th	      -1	   Danilo Gallinari
7	Los Angeles Clippers	23-59	7.50%	75	6th	      -1	   Eric Gordon	
8	Milwaukee Bucks	        26-56	4.30%	43	7th	      -1	   Joe Alexander
9	Charlotte Hornets	32-50	2.80%	28	8th	      -1	   D.J. Augustin
2007                                                    Pre-Lottery
Pick	Team	                Record	Odds	Chances	Position      Pick Change  Player Taken
1	Portland Trail Blazers	32-50	5.30%	53	7th	      +6	   Greg Oden	
2	Seattle SuperSonics	31-51	8.80%	88	5th	      +3	   Kevin Durant	
3	Atlanta Hawks	        30-52	11.90%	119	4th	      +1	   Al Horford	
4	Memphis Grizzlies	22-60	25.00%	250	1st	      -3	   Mike Conley
5	Boston Celtics	        24-58	19.90%	199	2nd	      -3	   Jeff Green	
6	Milwaukee Bucks	        28-54	15.60%	156	3rd	      -3	   Jianlian Yi
7	Minnesota Timberwolves	32-50	5.30%	53	6th	      -1	   Corey Brewer
2006                                                    Pre-Lottery
Pick	Team	                Record	Odds	Chances	Position      Pick Change  Player Taken
1	Toronto Raptors	        27-55	8.80%	88	5th	      +4	   Andrea Bargnani
2	New York Knicks	        23-59	19.90%	199	2nd	       0	   LaMarcus Aldridge	Chicago Bulls
3	Charlotte Hornets	26-56	13.80%	138	3rd	       0	   Adam Morrison
4	Portland Trail Blazers	21-61	25.00%	250	1st	      -3	   Tyrus Thomas	
5	Atlanta Hawks	        26-56	13.70%	137	4th	      -1	   Shelden Williams
2005                                                    Pre-Lottery
Pick	Team	                Record	Odds	Chances	Position      Pick Change  Player Taken
1	Milwaukee Bucks	        30-52	6.30%	63	6th	      +5	   Andrew Bogut
2	Atlanta Hawks	        13-69	25.00%	250	1st	      -1	   Marvin Williams
3	Portland Trail Blazers	26-56	11.90%	119	4th	      +1	   Deron Williams	Utah Jazz
4	New Orleans Pelicans	18-64	17.80%	178	2nd	      -2	   Chris Paul	
5	Charlotte Hornets	18-64	17.70%	177	3rd	      -2	   Raymond Felton
6	Utah Jazz	        27-55	8.80%	88	5th	      -1	   Martell Webster	Portland Trail Blazers

mreinman wrote:

fishmike wrote:I like this draft a lot and there are 5 guys I view as franchise ceiling players so Im not sweating it. We all have our preferences but ultimately walking away with OK4/Russel/Towns/Mudiay/Hezonja gives us a prospect with legit franchise caliber talent.

to me its top 3 or bust(ish) and that is only a 65% chance which are good odds but #4 slot has a 35% chance which sucks.

Mudiay or the euro does not excite me at all.

Hezonja blew me away. He's a legit 6'8 SG. He's an above the rim player who can really hit the 3. He looks like a white version of Tracy McGrady. Get comfy with his name... he's the kind of player the triangle was build for. He could be Phil's superstar SG.

fishmike wrote:

mreinman wrote:

fishmike wrote:I like this draft a lot and there are 5 guys I view as franchise ceiling players so Im not sweating it. We all have our preferences but ultimately walking away with OK4/Russel/Towns/Mudiay/Hezonja gives us a prospect with legit franchise caliber talent.

to me its top 3 or bust(ish) and that is only a 65% chance which are good odds but #4 slot has a 35% chance which sucks.

Mudiay or the euro does not excite me at all.

please watch some vids on Hezonja. Draft express as a bunch. Mudiay doesnt really excite me either but I keep reading the talent is there so he's kind of a place holder.

Hezonja blew me away. He's a legit 6'8 SG. He's an above the rim player who can really hit the 3. He looks like a white version of Tracy McGrady. Get comfy with his name... he's the kind of player the triangle was build for. He could be Phil's superstar SG.

Can't see a Euro going that high.

I did watch him but I am no scout so not sure that it will help much. Hard for me to envision how he would play in the NCAA

NardDogNation wrote:Am I the only guy that believes that Stanley Johnson should still be considered as a "can't miss" player? Arizona has really handicapped him by taking the ball out of his hands but he has really been moving well without the ball and developing his intangibles. I think he'll be one of those guys that catches fire at the combine and becomes considered a 1st tier talent in the draft. He's basically James Harden with lock down defender potential.

VCoug wrote:Gotta love nixluva preemptively justifying us trading our pick.

I can't tell if you're serious of joking, but I actually am anti trade unless we get an offer we can't refuse. This is a really good draft IMO. Better than a lot of drafts in term of depth and the top 4 picks all seem to be high value. If I was thinking of trading the pick it would have to be for a lot cuz I think if the Knicks land the #1 pick they can get a franchise player, which is super valuable for any franchise much more so for the Knicks, with our current situation.

It is insane how often the worst team doesn't get that top pick tho. I can't believe the NBA was even considering changing the lottery considering that it's actually working better than intended. You can pretty much say that it doesn't matter how bad you are in terms of that #1 overall pick. It only matters in terms of not being able to fall past 4. Other than that it's really not proving to be much of a lock except for 2nd overall which has come up more often than not for the worst team.

StarksEwing1 wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:Am I the only guy that believes that Stanley Johnson should still be considered as a "can't miss" player? Arizona has really handicapped him by taking the ball out of his hands but he has really been moving well without the ball and developing his intangibles. I think he'll be one of those guys that catches fire at the combine and becomes considered a 1st tier talent in the draft. He's basically James Harden with lock down defender potential.

i like his talent but i wouldnt put him over okafor towns russell or mudiay. We most likely will pick in top 3

I wouldn't put him in that Okafor, Russell or Mudiay category but I do think he can make due in the Towns, Hezonja category.

StarksEwing1 wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:Am I the only guy that believes that Stanley Johnson should still be considered as a "can't miss" player? Arizona has really handicapped him by taking the ball out of his hands but he has really been moving well without the ball and developing his intangibles. I think he'll be one of those guys that catches fire at the combine and becomes considered a 1st tier talent in the draft. He's basically James Harden with lock down defender potential.

i like his talent but i wouldnt put him over okafor towns russell or mudiay. We most likely will pick in top 3

I wouldn't put him in that Okafor, Russell or Mudiay category but I do think he can make due in the Towns, Hezonja category.

id still take towns over him even though i feel towns needs a few years to develop. His ceiling may be the highest. Russell is still my top choice. If russell had a decent team around him he probably still would be playing now

That's fair. Part of me wonders if I'm being unduly harsh on Towns. Every time I see him, I just see a guy who can easily be a bust. That sentiment may be overwhelming the other side of that spectrum. Time will tell.

Swishfm3 wrote:

mreinman wrote:

fishmike wrote:

mreinman wrote:

fishmike wrote:I like this draft a lot and there are 5 guys I view as franchise ceiling players so Im not sweating it. We all have our preferences but ultimately walking away with OK4/Russel/Towns/Mudiay/Hezonja gives us a prospect with legit franchise caliber talent.

to me its top 3 or bust(ish) and that is only a 65% chance which are good odds but #4 slot has a 35% chance which sucks.

Mudiay or the euro does not excite me at all.

please watch some vids on Hezonja. Draft express as a bunch. Mudiay doesnt really excite me either but I keep reading the talent is there so he's kind of a place holder.

Hezonja blew me away. He's a legit 6'8 SG. He's an above the rim player who can really hit the 3. He looks like a white version of Tracy McGrady. Get comfy with his name... he's the kind of player the triangle was build for. He could be Phil's superstar SG.

Can't see a Euro going that high.

I did watch him but I am no scout so not sure that it will help much. Hard for me to envision how he would play in the NCAA

I would normally agree with you on this topic. Especially when all we have to go by his highlight youtube videos but that Hezonja kid looks legit.

Really a guy worth watching

fishmike wrote:

mreinman wrote:

fishmike wrote:I like this draft a lot and there are 5 guys I view as franchise ceiling players so Im not sweating it. We all have our preferences but ultimately walking away with OK4/Russel/Towns/Mudiay/Hezonja gives us a prospect with legit franchise caliber talent.

to me its top 3 or bust(ish) and that is only a 65% chance which are good odds but #4 slot has a 35% chance which sucks.

Mudiay or the euro does not excite me at all.

please watch some vids on Hezonja. Draft express as a bunch. Mudiay doesnt really excite me either but I keep reading the talent is there so he's kind of a place holder.

Hezonja blew me away. He's a legit 6'8 SG. He's an above the rim player who can really hit the 3. He looks like a white version of Tracy McGrady. Get comfy with his name... he's the kind of player the triangle was build for. He could be Phil's superstar SG.

Watched the video but the music was really heavy urban with dropping "Bytch" this and "Bytch" that and over use of the "N" word just did not match the kids game!

I was thinking some euroTech music might have worked better! I get where your coming from and don't know this kids buy out status because I have not seen him on every mock draft.
Was wondering what his make up is. To be taken so high if by knicks and given the keys to the triangle I wonder if phil thinks he has the stones to be a team leader. Based on his previous Triangles, he was able to take uber Type A and turn bring out a near sociopath focus. Zen removes the fear and this is what Jordan and Kobe were able to embrace and move beyond into iconic figures.

This is no small task and not every player can handle it.

Remove the fear of failure and success can be allowed.