Time to start the official Draft thread.

Come on college fans - time to share the knowledge

John Wall will got #1

Paul Wall is jealous.

Harangody

Cole Aldrich would be awesome in a Pistons uni. That's a career 15/12/2 guy.

Cole Aldrich would be awesome in a Pistons uni. That's a career 15/12/2 guy.
I agree with Kstat, even if his projections for Thabeet are looking a bit shaky right now.

hard to play well with a shattered jaw.

The shattered jaw happened about 15 hours ago.

Joe has to get a big, right?

That big kid out of FSU reminds me a little of a taller, harder-working Erick Dampier.

Not real excited about this class outside of Wall, Favors, and Motiejunas.

I have a theory of looking at the rebounding numbers the college players put up and draft from that.

Stuff everything else they do, just going from rebounding numbers seems to go ok.

Paul Millsap and Jason Thompson were my favourites the last couple years going from their rebounding numbers, and I know absolutely nothing about college basketball.
Maybe just lucky, but when some numbers start coming in for this season we can find out who to draft!

Gotta go big unless there is some guaranteed gun available when we pick.

This is a pretty important pick for the franchise considering who we have and what we have.

Our guards are set (or will be). Rip, BG, Stuckey and Bynum (is a RFA so we should keep him) are all gonna be locked in.

Our forwards are set. Nova, Wilcox, Maxiell, Daye, Jerebko and Summers should all be here for the next 2-3 years, if not longer.

At C? Ben should be brought back but other than him we've got squat.

And from looking on Draft Express it looks like there are a lot of bigs that should declare for the Draft. That would really help us.

And we don't even need a star big. We simply need a Mutombo/Ratliff type to man the boards, block some shots and hit the odd jumper.

Dudes, to keep an eye on:

Derrick Favors - Georgia Tech Freshman

Cole Adrich - Kansas Junior

Greg Monroe - Georgetown Sophmore

Solomon Alabi - Florida State Sophmore

Craig Brackins - Iowa State Junior

Jerome Jordan - Tulsa Senior

DeMarcus Cousins - Kentucky Freshman

Andrew Ogilvy - Vanderbilt Junior

Anyone else out there?

Can someone edit my post to include links to DX profiles and shit?

Cole Aldrich please, TIA.

Why GD?

I ain't downloading College highlights - drop some knowledge.

I don't know shit about college basketball, but from what I've seen of him, he's big and skilled. Kinda what we need.

John Wall is probably going number 1.

There's also that one kid from Wake Forest, with the weird last name as well.

:chad:


New NBA Draft Blog: I break down top college seniors include Pondexter, Booker, Robinson, Varnado http://tinyurl.com/nbadraftblog

Maybe someone can put this 'somehwere'?

The 'Sacre' guy from Gonzaga looked okay against Cincinnati's frontline.

5-10, 10 pts, 5 rebs, 3 bs, 3 to, 4 pf in 38 minutes.

Maybe an early second-rounder.

NBA Draft.net has Aldrich going top 5.

We almost there boys...

Or maybe we get lucky in the Lotto?

Damn, that would be like having the Darko pick all over again.

Freddy (Los Angeles)
How many bigs will be selected in this year's draft? Comparable to the amount of pgs taken this past year's draft?

Chad Ford (2:00 PM)
I have 11 PFs in my Top 30. That's a lot.

we don't need PF's.

We need SGs.

^ Gla agrees. He's very happy we stocked up like he said we should.

^ Gla agrees. He's very happy we stocked up like he said we should.

Really? This is what you are resorting to?

You didn't spend all last season saying we needed to stock up on SGs?

You know exactly what my position was before Rip got his extension.

Yes, I was in favor of signing or trading for a SG if the Pistons knew that they weren't going to give him an extension or if they knew that he was going to leave.

You're being even more of an a-hole than you normally are today.

You're being even more of an a-hole than you normally are today.

Seriously, what's happened? This isn't you.

Just making it a great day, as usual.

A.W. (Plano, Texas): It seems the Pistons might be targeting a big man in the next draft. Based on their potential draft position, what big men do you think might be available to them?

Langlois: It’s a draft pretty heavy in talented big men, A.W. – though more power forwards than true centers. Unless the Pistons get in the lottery and come up with a top-three pick, they probably won’t have a chance at a player like Georgia Tech frosh Derrick Favors or Carolina’s Ed Davis. Cole Aldrich of Kansas is probably going in the top 10. Let’s say the Pistons finish somewhere in the mid to late teens. There, they’ll be looking at the prospect of one from another group of big men – Georgetown’s Greg Monroe, Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson, VCU’s Larry Sanders, Iowa State’s Craig Brackins among them – to fall to them.

Aldrich is on ESPN vs. UM, if anyone cares to check him out.

Scouting note, Cole not ready to handle the 1-3-1 zone.

In case you didn't know this (and I didn't), Memphis has three 1sts in this year's draft.

Damn.

They have the Lakers and Nuggets picks. I wouldn't expect either to be very good picks. They also owe 2nd rounders in 6 of the next 7 years.

Also keep in mind the Lakers pick is probably for Gasol (they got fleeced there).

They may have gotten fleeced, but the more Marc Gasol plays, the less it looks like they got fleeced.

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/Search/SearchResults.php?Player=marc+gasol&Team=&PlayerMovementChkBx=yes&BeginYear=&BeginMonth=&BeginDay=&EndYear=&EndMonth=&EndDay=&submit=Search

Could have had both play next to each other. Marc is a back to the basket center, Pau can play PF and face up. They could have traded a 2nd rounder for Marc I'm sure (given it is almost a first rounder where they'd be drafting).

If they had both Gasols they could have passed on Thabeet and taken Rubio/Flynn/Harden/Evans/Curry there instead.

Conley/2009 Guard/Mayo/Gay/Gasol/Gasol would be a pretty sweet core if you ask me.

On top of that they could have kept Q Rich and not had Randolphs 17 mil on the books next year (replacing it with Gasol's 17 mil) so they would still have money for Gay with Pau there.

I think they're probably thrilled with what they have, even if Thabeet is starting to smell like a bust.

It sounds stupid, but Zach Randolph is almost earning his money.

They have to keep Gay, though (restricted).

They have the money for him. They'll be about 5 mil under the cap so when they extend him they won't be that far over. Certainly not near tax range unless he gets max money. They shouldn't be afraid to go a little over with Zach (17 mil) and Jaric (7.5) coming off the following year.

Fuck Memphis - we fucked up the pick they owed us and it haunts this franchise to this day.

We need to either trade our first with Kwame and Prince for a quality big or just keep losing so we can get our quality big in the Draft

It sounds stupid, but Zach Randolph is almost earning his money.
People were telling me I was nuts and off my rocker for wanting him.

http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showpost.php?p=327854&postcount=107
http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showpost.php?p=332836&postcount=111

Unless we gave up RIP and Max for Zach we'd be in cap hell for 3 years. I don't remember seeing any actual Randolph trade ideas on here.

right now we're in line for the #6 pick and are 'rising' (getting closer to an even higher pick) with each game. after tonight's loss we'll be in line for #4 or so.

the season isn't even halfway done but i think we will be in line for about the #5 pick or so. hoping we get lucky and win the lottery.

john wall is the type of franchise player we desperately need. true, we need a big, but i don't care who we have at PG- if you have a shot at john wall, you take him.

worry about the depth chart later. maybe we make a trade to balance things out more. but wall is the best PG i've seen in the last 15 years or more.

it's going to take a while to turn this team around so we need the BPA and he would be it. by far. i'll be rooting for the development of our young guys but i can't help but hope we keep piling up the losses. we badly need a high pick.

The higher the pick the more valuable it is in a trade and I'm on record as saying it's better to be in the Lotto than be spanked as the #8 seed.

The only time it's worth being the #8 seed is if you're team is rising and it's the beginning of your run. IF we were to be the #8 seed I seriously doubt anyone here would ever claim that it's the "beginning".

Last season wasn't the end & it wasn't the beginning, it wasn't even the beginning of the end. It was the end of the beginning.

Now Joe has "started" again and this is actually Season 1 of his "new" Pistons.

In order to help the rebuilding phase we should all be hoping for the Lottery. That pick could help us move Rip out of town. Or get us the quality big we lack.

Either way a higher pick is damn essential at this point.

What do you guys think of Cousins (haven't seen him play at all). He's 6'11 and very skilled. The knock on him is his desire. He's slid on the draft board lately. I'm just not sure I see Davis or Favors able to play the 5 spot when they are listed at 215 right now. Other than Aldrich is there another possible starting center in the lotto?

What do you guys think of Cousins (haven't seen him play at all). He's 6'11 and very skilled. The knock on him is his desire. He's slid on the draft board lately. I'm just not sure I see Davis or Favors able to play the 5 spot when they are listed at 215 right now. Other than Aldrich is there another possible starting center in the lotto?

Favors could on the right team.

I see him listed at 245 on NBADraft.net

That's a big difference. Prince is only 215. Big Ben and Wilcox are 240 and 235 respectively. Bosh is 230, Amare 249, Dyess 245.

At 245 I could could see him playing C. At 215 there is no way.

He could use a little more beef (high school picture), but he doesn't look 215 here:
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0331/recruit_i_favors_580.jpg

Him at GT:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wKdnBR38E_A/SwlgBPuEtSI/AAAAAAAAAK0/8OLXNwYe9Xc/s1600/IMG_9306.JPG

Artsiom Parakhouski is my pick for a good late pickup. Going with my theory of good rebounders and cool names.

What do you college ball fans think about Hassan Whiteside?

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/hassan-whiteside

Check out the dunk at about :35 in that video.

I caught about 20 minutes of the KU game, what did you guys think of Aldrich?

His numbers weren't great, but he's not as lumbering as he looks like he might be, and he can take up space in the paint and block some shots, for sure. Pretty decent moves and touch around the rim , too.

If he's the worst we end up with, I think I'll be okay with that.

He looks like he could be an average NBA center, at worst, to me. I highly doubt he's a bust.

He could be Kwame. I'm not sure if that's a bust at #8.

He should get a new non-Ostertag, Montross, Reeves inspired haircut

He could be Kwame. I'm not sure if that's a bust at #8.

If we picked the next Kwame at #8, everyone here would count that as a negative Joe Dumars draft pick. In the top 10, you'd better be getting than a mediocre backup C.

Yeah, you'd better if you want to win. But it's what you get more often than now. I guess Amare and Bynum were taken around there, so it can happen.

Missed most of the game, how did Aldrich look?

I haven't seen much of Cousins, who is most compared to?

Kinda looks like Dampier from the few minutes I've seen tonight.

Dampier if he was good for 17 points a game. Think a young Sheed before he learned about the 3. Big but can still move down the court.

Aldrich looked like Aldrich. Good defender, limited with the ball.

LOL @ Dampier getting out on the break like this.

Dood, I based that on how he looked in pregame warmups (largely just physical appearance) and about 3 minutes of game action, lol. I told you that I had hardly ever seen him before.

Cousins' game reminds me nothing of Sheed.

Cousins' post moves are limited to baseline spins, up-and-unders, and the occasional faceup drive.

Sheed's ratio of fadeaway turnarounds to spins and to-the-basket moves is pretty lopsided.

On top of that, Cousins isn't especially long or athletic. He's more bulky/slow.

Sheed didn't play like that in 1996.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3tuqcUPPtg

Yes, he's stronger than Sheed, but he sure as shit ain't slow.

At the same age?

Cousins is considerably slower than Sheed.

DX says this about Cousins comparisons:


Best Case: Taller Al Jefferson
Worst Case: Derrick Coleman On His Worst Days

Although I did see a GSW message board that compared him to Dampier, at worst, lol.

Ok, but like sheed he's both very quick and very fast for a thick 6-11 guy with a 7-3 wingspan. Sorry if Sheed was a trackstar. Cousins is fast for a 5, Sheed was fast.

He's smart when not acting like a jackass

He's skilled with great footwork

His hands are incredible for a guy that size

He can handle the ball a bit and can score in multiple ways wherever he catches it.

Sheed used to be known primarily as an incredibly gifted post scorer with a jumper to match. Cousins is the best post scorer in hoops, and has a little jumper.

Sorry if you can find a knock on the comparison, but it's a pretty good one.

Dime

Player Comparisons: Al Jefferson, Zach Randolph and Andray Blatche

We Ballin' (lol)

NBA Comparison : Andray Blatche/Brendan Haywood (more skilled)

And I see a lot of references to someone comparing him to Shaq and getting a lot of heat for it.

Watched Favors some this weekend too. I still like him, but he looks like more of a 4 (that would need a space eater along side him). Has enough size to play it, but probably not well suited there (like Amare). He has very good footwork and is pretty quick for his size.

Didn't see any of Cousins.

Saw Aldrigde against NIU. He was better than I thought defensively. Good awareness on shot blocks. He's very sound technically too. Not very agile though. He plays a lot like Kaman. Don't know if he'll be as good, but a similar style game.

Mad about Cousins

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=jn-cousins031610&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Mad about Cousins

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=jn-cousins031610&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Really does remind me of the stories about Sheed at UNC.

(Not trying to compare their playing styles, I'm staying away from that one...)

Cousins is a post player though, so I doubt he becomes a lazy spot up shooter.

I agree though it seems like his character could be blown out of proportion. Just don't want another Darko (great measurables but a 10 cent head).

:chad:


Here's our updated Lottery Mock Draft (free). Bledsoe now in Top 14. http://espn.go.com/nba/lottery2010/mockdraft

I like Favor's play this week. He shows a willingness to go in the post, and has great finishing around the basket.

Most of the problems with him I've heard are PG's that can't get him the ball so he doesn't get any touches. Not that it would be any better here with no real PG on the roster.

fucking kings are going to lose to the nets. the NETS! damnit.

AND the wizards lost to the pacers. good the pacers will win, but would've been better if the wiz won. we might not be able to catch them anyway though so....

on a positive note, philly looks like they'll win.

What's up with Milwaukee laying an egg in Philly? Oh well, I'll take it!

is there an echo in here? lol. but yeah, thanks for the backup.

I'd rather not finish as one of the 3 worst teams.

How often has a team oustide the bottom 3 made the leap into 1 of those spots?

I'm guessing it happens pretty often.

Obviously you don't wanna finish 10th in the Lotto, but I wouldn't mind 5th or 6th and "hope and pray" we're the lucky team to jump to the front of the line.

And can anyone imagine the shitstorm if Joe landed the #1 Draft pick?

Fuck!

The entire season would be worth it.

Or would we then all complain about our guard heavy roster and wonder WTF we're gonna do for big men?

i think we're a virtual lock to finish outside the top 3 anyway. i'm guessing we're the 6th worst team when all is said and done. 5th if we're lucky. 4th might be a best case scenario with 3rd an extreme longshot IMO:

http://espn.go.com/nba/standings/_/sort/winPercent/group/1

Here are some lottery vs final finish results:

http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/FinalStandings_LotteryOrder.html

#1 picks - team, record finish
2009 - Clippers, 3rd
2008 - Chicago, 9th
2007 - Portland, 6th
2006 - Toronto, 2nd
2005 - Bucks, 6th
2004 - Orlando, 1st
2003 - Cavs, 2nd
2002 - Houston, 5th
2001 - Washington, 3rd
2000 - NJ, 7th

One of the things that we really haven't discussed here is the value of our 2nd round pick this year. We're going to be right near the top of the 2nd, and should have good players on the board when it's our turn.

Whether Joe takes the right guy is another matter, but at least they'll be on the board.

He should be able to find a solid PG there (like Chalmers a couple years ago). That's probably what I would look at (assuming we get a big in the first round). It would allow you to move RIP and still have good guard depth.

We'll probably move down to the end of the 2nd.

Or even a 2 guard that we can convert to a PG.

LOL. Warren is listed as BG/Stuckey comparison. We should take him and make him a PG.

Thats our guy!

LOL. Warren is listed as BG/Stuckey comparison. We should take him and make him a PG.


How can anyone be compared to both Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey?

Other than both being guys that have played PG and never should have, what do they have in common?

Hell, might as well throw Tay into that comparison.

At this point, I'm pretty sure our best bet for guard depth is finding a starting point guard. We have two backup PGs and 3 SGs right now.

Draft Warren and convert him to something.

Cousins' avgs as a high school senior - 26 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists.

(allegedly)

From source at Kansas...Cole Aldrich will declare himself eligible for the NBA Draft this afternoon.

How can anyone be compared to both Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey?

Other than both being guys that have played PG and never should have, what do they have in common?

Hell, might as well throw Tay into that comparison.

I guess the fact that they are combo guards. But their game isn't that similar, I agree.

I've found their comparisons are pretty sketchy sometimes. Their comparison for Lucas is Cleaves. Is that simply because of MSU? They don't seen that similar to me.

Cousins' avgs as a high school senior - 26 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists.

(allegedly)

So is he really a headcase or not? It would seem to me he would be a dominant center in the league, but will his head get in the way?

What did they say about Shaq when he was drafted? Was character an issue with him? He turned out well. Then again Kwame Brown was a huge bust despite great measurables.

Seton Hall Pirates' Herb Pope to enter NBA draft - ESPN http://tinyurl.com/yak7kyc


"He's the best rebounder in the country," one NBA general manager GM told ESPN.com earlier in the year. "He's the DeJuan Blair of this year's draft."

Great, another guy to pass on in the early second that provides something we desperately need.

George (Grand Haven, Mich.): I know that Cole Aldrich has committed to the NBA draft. Where do you think he will go? Chad Ford on ESPN.com has him eighth. Will the Pistons be looking at him and who in the NBA does his game most resemble?

Langlois: The guy to whom Aldrich is most often compared is another native Minnesotan, Joel Przybilla. I agree to a certain degree. I think Aldrich has more offensive potential than Przybilla, but I don’t think he’ll be the defensive or rebounding presence, necessarily. Przybilla looks considerably bigger to me – maybe it won’t measure that way, but it’s the impression I get looking at Przybilla and Aldrich. Will the Pistons look? They’ve already got a thick dossier on Aldrich, rest assured. Much will depend on how the lottery works out. If the Pistons land a top-five pick, I think they’ll be looking for someone with greater upside. If a few teams leap over them and they’re picking closer to 10 than five, then Aldrich will be more thoroughly dissected and discussed. I think he’s a safe pick. I don’t see him evolving into an All-Star. He might be the type who starts games but doesn’t finish them. But I think he’ll have a long career and be valued by the teams that employ him.

Joel P. seems like a good comparison. Could Aldrich be Big Z?

Joel P or Big Z (young version of course) wouldn't make us contenders. We need a Bosh type big for that to happen, or a dominant scoring wing.

Cole would be a very good complimentary center to a stud PF. Other than that, you don't take him.

i compare him to kaman a bit. depends on what spot we're looking at. he's not going to blow anyone away but he could be a solid player who we could really use.

but ideally we'd get someone with even more upside. in the right spot i could be happy with him on our team.