The NBA Draft: Let's have Chinese

[Scruffy]

Ahh, the glamour, the glitter, the stars

But enough about Chuck Sagers wardrobe, the NBA drafft is a few weeks away. Any hoops fans have thoughts on the subject? It looks like the rockets will pick a man described by many as "the Asian Shawn Bradley" with the number one pick.

But more to the point, is this a weak draft or am I crazy? Not as weak as last years but weak all the same. Mike Dunleavy is being touted as "potentially the best player in the draft" and he's, what? A Streaky shooting 3/4 with iffy skills on the boards.

Thoughts?

 

[Marxist]

I heard that the Chinese dude needs a bunch of different people to approve his release. This could get messy.

 

[Ballboy]

It is a weak draft

with an Asian Shawn Bradley probably being the first pick (assuming he is allowed to leave China). Certainly no impact players. Too many high schoolers think they can be Kobe or Garnett (see Chicago Bulls). I believe the best player in the draft will prove to be Juan Dixon. His play in the tourney reminded me of a Mitch Richmond that can play defense. Jay Williams wants to be Allen Iverson, but doesn't the skill.

 

[Scruffy]

Re: It is a weak draft

with an Asian Shawn Bradley probably being the first pick (assuming he is allowed to leave China). Certainly no impact players. Too many high schoolers think they can be Kobe or Garnett (see Chicago Bulls). I believe the best player in the draft will prove to be Juan Dixon. His play in the tourney reminded me of a Mitch Richmond that can play defense. Jay Williams wants to be Allen Iverson, but doesn't the skill.

I think you're off the wall about Dixon, the college game doesn't translate that well.

No, I think there are three or four legitimate guys who will be "good" NBA players(Ming, Butler, Gooden and Williams) and two guys who could be all stars(Dunleavy and Wagner, who could be the next AI)

But in terms of quality? Unless the europeans produce another Stojakaovic or Nowititzki then it's one of the weaker drafts I can remember, excluding last year.

 

[Svedish_Chef]

They no longer just come up to you knees..

On the positive side.. it seems equally week. Between pick about 10-40 it doesnt really matter.

 

[Scruffy]

They no longer just come up to you knees..

On the positive side.. it seems equally week. Between pick about 10-40 it doesnt really matter.

I wonder, are the days of the Tim Duncan, AI or Vince-esque Superstar right out of the gate draftpick over? I think they are. With the exception of the exception of a Gasol the fact of the matter is that if a guy even has the potential to be a decent NBA player he'll declare a few years before he's ready. In that way the Draft has become less like shopping and more like, I don't know, the futures market.

It's probably a more effective way of doing business but it sure makes the drafts less fun.

 

[Ballboy]

Most people don't agree with me about Dixon; time will tell. I am not impressed with the players you named with the exception of Butler and Wagner. I thought Gooden could be another Duncan-type player, but I think he's too soft.

 

[Scruffy]

Most people don't agree with me about Dixon; time will tell. I am not impressed with the players you named with the exception of Butler and Wagner. I thought Gooden could be another Duncan-type player, but I think he's too soft.

Maybe, the real enigma surrounding Ming is that unless he is as gawky and uncoordinated as Bradley then being 7'5" will have results. He'll board fairly well and apparently even has some decent low post moves.

He won't be Shaq but he could be Manute bol with better offense.

 

[Svedish_Chef]

Duncan stayed in for the full years

Vince did to I think, AI I'm not sure...

There's that whole cash jump stuff nowadays, leave while you are hot and get the big dough, cause next year you may not have done quite as well as college.

Its probably more a symptom of the US getting fatter, les kids play so therefore less kids are good and so on.

Kobe was 8th pick in 96... who knows whether any in this draft will stack up to that, I do know that Jerry West will earn his money, and the weak draft makes it easier for Phil Jackson to keep the Lakers all together and run to a title again next year.

 

[Scruffy]

Duncan stayed in for the full years

Vince did to I think, AI I'm not sure...

There's that whole cash jump stuff nowadays, leave while you are hot and get the big dough, cause next year you may not have done quite as well as college.

Its probably more a symptom of the US getting fatter, les kids play so therefore less kids are good and so on.

Kobe was 8th pick in 96... who knows whether any in this draft will stack up to that, I do know that Jerry West will earn his money, and the weak draft makes it easier for Phil Jackson to keep the Lakers all together and run to a title again next year.

Vince left a year early, I think AI did as well. I don't think the reason the Players are leaving early is really because of any change in the players. I think teams nowadays are more willing to wait a few years for picks to develop.

I mean, if the Wizards had gotten some instant help from their no. 1 they would have made the playoffs.

Kobe is a perfect example of what I'm saying. In 96 the idea of throwing a high pick on a High schooler was a risky idea. Garnett had been a success but there were more than enough failures to compensate for that.

But what Kobe did, in part, is to make using your pick on a high schooler more attractive.

The assumption that picking players younger is a phenomenon of the players changing is undercut by the basic idea of the draft, which is that the players don't pick the teams, the teams pick the players. If the Teams didn't like the idea of picking High Schoolers(There is the idea that a College kid who could already be a star at the national level might be a bit trickier to sign) than they wouldn't pick them.

 

[Svedish_Chef]

Well I guess all we have to do is see chicago and golden state in 3 years

Or maybe the Clips proved it this year, take your medicine and live with the kids till they grow up and can really play

I guess if you get em at 18-19 and train em to your system, you get 15 years out of the players. You sign a senoir at 23 years, it takes you a year to deprogram colleg, another to program the NBA, and you have a 7 year player (Using 32 as a slide age).

What would you do?

 

[Scruffy]

Well I guess all we have to do is see chicago and golden state in 3 years

Or maybe the Clips proved it this year, take your medicine and live with the kids till they grow up and can really play

I guess if you get em at 18-19 and train em to your system, you get 15 years out of the players. You sign a senoir at 23 years, it takes you a year to deprogram colleg, another to program the NBA, and you have a 7 year player (Using 32 as a slide age).

What would you do?

I think you have to base it on a player-by-player basis. If you have to choose between two players who have the same NBA potential but one of them has 4 years of College I'd probably go with him, age be damned. He'll step into the team quicker and have better fundamentals.

But if the high schooler had much higher potential? It'd depend on how patient my boss was.

 

[Ballboy]

One of the problems with developing young players is the mandatory minimum salaries and 3 year contracts. When Curry and Chandler of the Bulls are developed and ready to contribute; they're gone because they demand high salaries that do not fit under the salary cap.

 

[Scruffy]

One of the problems with developing young players is the mandatory minimum salaries and 3 year contracts. When Curry and Chandler of the Bulls are developed and ready to contribute; they're gone because they demand high salaries that do not fit under the salary cap.

If they develop that quickly.

You're right though, although, to be fair that hasn't happened anywhere but in Toronto so it's not textbook yet.

 

[Svedish_Chef]

But if the high schooler had much higher potential? It'd depend on how patient my boss was.

Chicago traded Brand for a first rounder.

Maybe a choice of taking all the pain at once, instead of having Brand get sick of losing and leave... that and the Bulls have infinite patience.

Would you rather a 23 year old 4 year NBA player, or a 23 year old just coming out of college ball? Even assuming they play the exact same game etc.

I guess we will see just pre draft to who trades picks for players and who holds theirs. Both the nets and the Spurs in the last 5 years had a shocker of a year with injuries etc, took the number one pick and bounced themselves back up into playoffs with one player. Spurs took duncan, and the Nets had martin, and traded their pick away for players with more now time.

I really think I've lost all track of sense now

 

[Ballboy]

It should be interesting if they develop on schedule. Also, remember that Orlando couldn't keep Shaq and Penny Hardaway and Minnesota couldn't keep Kevin Garnett and Stephon Marbury. The salary cap makes for some tough choices.

 

[Scruffy]

It should be interesting if they develop on schedule. Also, remember that Orlando couldn't keep Shaq and Penny Hardaway and Minnesota couldn't keep Kevin Garnett and Stephon Marbury. The salary cap makes for some tough choices.

No, that's true I just meant in terms of High Schoolers. At least in those situations the teams got some pretty good years out of those players while they had them.

In fact when you consider that Shaq was making the rookie maximum those teams made out like bandits.

 

[HighSchoolJock]

the nba draft is about potential, and thats what players are drafted on. Yao Ming is a much better player than shawn bradley in that he has more offensive skills. as far as jay williams i think it is always unfiar to compare younger players to more established ones. with the high school players who knows how they will do. you really have to give a high school player at least 4 years before you can judge him. high school picks are becoming more successful not only is there kobe and kevin, there is also t-mac, jermaine o'neal and i think darius miles is coming into his own.

so revive this thread in 4 years and then you can tell me if it was a weak draft.