Caseloads wrote:I'd go D. Russell - it's a guards league.

hen Melo is gone and KP has the space to do what he wants in and out with better more athletic guards to share the ball hes going to be great. We have to get out with the old first and he needs to get stronger--doesnt need to put on weight just strength.

Caseloads wrote:I'd go D. Russell - it's a guards league.

In this "Eat-em-up" guard era, I don't see D. Russell ascending to that level. KP has height,which can't be taught, and a skill set that can be improved on. Other than Towns, KP was/is the right pick.

BRIGGS wrote:

Caseloads wrote:I'd go D. Russell - it's a guards league.

hen Melo is gone and KP has the space to do what he wants in and out with better more athletic guards to share the ball hes going to be great. We have to get out with the old first and he needs to get stronger--doesnt need to put on weight just strength.

Kristaps isn't a superstar either, it remains to be seen what his peak is. However he is ahead of where Dirk was at 20/rookie, and has much more defensive ability. I think the question with Kristaps will not be whether he can be an all-star, it'll be whether he can be the number 1 guy on your team or not. He's definitely a willing gunner, very willing to make and take shots. Now whether he'll become as good as Dirk or some of the stars that have been great number 1 options can be remains to be seen.

I would take Towns, Porzingis and Okafor before Russell. I would have taken Russell 4th in the draft, and still would. You look at Curry, Paul, Irving. They looked like star point guards right from the get go. Russell I'm not seeing that. He'll be a notch below the star point guards in the league - a very good player though.

Clean wrote:I would still go with KP. It seems like KP's better than expected start is making people forget he still does not have an NBA body. If he is doing this without and NBA body and without an NBA level PG I can't wait to see him in 2 years. KP in his prime will be a center. What we are doing now is grooming him for when his body is ready for the change.

I've harped on KP's physical development a lot.

Kind of funny because I don't think a lot of folks really understand the physical/maturation difference between KP, and almost all of the other players in this draft.

He is 20, but has the physical maturation of a guy who is about 18. Might have been the anemia issue...I don't know, but it isn't hard to see the difference in bodies when you compare KP with Towns, Mudiay, OK4, Winslow, and even Russell.

He's also a player who was not involved in posting up during most of his time in Spain, thanks to his maturation level, strength, and the fact that he was used as a stretch 4. Its that aspect of his game which will really determine how great he can be, because he really does have a chance to be nearly unstoppable in the post.

He has more room to improve as far as his basketball and physical maturation than just about any player in this draft, and folks who don't see or understand this and aren't able to imagine what his game will be like in the future are simply foolish.

I liked Russell before the draft, and would have been satisfied if we had gotten him, but in the end- Porzingis will be able to do more things to help a team win than Russell.

And of course...we did not have a chance to pick Russell, or Towns, the player I thought was the best coming out of the draft, and who KP still has a very good chance to surpass as a player down the road, especially because of his defensive potential.

Caseloads wrote:I'd go D. Russell - it's a guards league.

KP and its not even close. Pretty sure you are the only one who will pick Russell. It's a guard's league, yes, but KP is the ideal big man for the future of the league. He's got elite potential on both sides of the ball. 30 out of 30 GMs would pick KP in a redraft, no question about it.

yellowboy90 wrote:

mreinman wrote:mudiay duh

Frank Kaminsky or WCS

portis