2014 NBA draft/off-season thread

I saw yesterday Jabari Parker is considering returning to Duke. I wonder how much of a dent it would put in what is supposed to be the best draft since 2003.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a year, but for my money 1984 and 2003 had the best drafts (at least in the top 5) of the last 30+ years.

1984

Olajuwon
Bowie
Jordan
Perkins
Barkley

2003
LeBron
Milicic
Anthony
Bosh
Wade

So, who will be this year's Milicic or Bowie?

If everyone who is expected to declare comes out, that's Wiggins, Embiid, Parker, Randle, Exum, Gordon, Smart... I'm sure the bust will be whoever the Kings draft.

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

Randle is a beast, but I do wonder if he can get his shot off against longer players. I know that he's listed at 6'9", but he seems shorter by a couple of inches.

Parker would really benefit from another year in school because his defense wasn't great.

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

I'm just waiting for the Lakers to win the lottery and whichever player they take becoming the next LeBron/Jordan/Kobe.

Embiid scares the shit out of me. In one breath there is the Olajuwon comparison and in the next, it's his back issues...

I think whichever team gets Exum will be very, very happy...

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

He's not going to get better at guarding NBA players, and guarding against NBA offenses, by playing another year in college. That will just put him another year behind defensively.

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

That's a good point.

My hope is with this much talent in this draft is that the "wealth" gets spread a bit in the NBA. It would be great to see Wiggins, Embiid, Parker, Randle and Exum go to the Bucks, Kings, Nuggets, Pelicans who haven't been regular contenders in some time...

Maybe Stern taught his protege well and the top four picks will go to the Lakers, Celtics, Knicks and 76ers.

I know someone had the suggestion a few months back where a different team gets the No. 1 pick every year. While I hated that idea, I certainly would not mind something where if you get the No. 1 pick one year, you're not eligible to pick in the top 3 for three years.

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

It is not that clear cut.

You don't think his defense would benefit from another year with K and his raft of former Dukie defender assistants? Assuming he needs help with defensive fundamentals, don't you think his college team would have far more time to work with him on that individually than an NBA team given the NBA's more hectic schedule and limited practice time during the season? If he struggles defensively in the NBA, isn't there a chance his team would simply reduce his minutes to limit the damage rather than leaving him out there to learn by getting beat?

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

Would you like me to run through all the players who are good offensively and terrible defensively who get plenty of minutes? This is especially the case with young guys on bad teams. If they can score, they'll still get plenty of time.

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

I think Parker would benefit more from playing limited minutes as a rookie, or getting his ass kicked a few times as a rookie than he would from another season at Duke.

There's part of me that still hopes he goes back to school just because that's so rare these days with someone who is a top 5 lock.

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

Depends on how good he is offensively right away. And that only addresses one point.

I don't know if he's better off going pro right away in terms of defensive development. I do know it is not as obvious as you made it sound.

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

Looking forward to the conspiracy theories if Lakers win lottery -- even though the team with the sixth-worst record has already won it probably five or six times over the years -- which people will be writing about while the second half of a Chris Paul-dominated Clippers game begins.

I can't see Parker going back, and don't think he should.

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

Marcus Smart did it last year.

 

Re: 2014 NBA draft thread

This is just one example, but it shows how a rookie can be helped in the NBA even if they're not getting a ton of playing time: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/dienghis-khan-gorgui-dieng-on-his-late-rookie-season-flourish/. Another thing with Parker is that he's not going to suddenly have the quickness or length to be a stout wing defender. His best chance to be an average defender is to learn how to play good team defense, which in the NBA usually involves much different things than in college. He'll be lost at first, but the earlier he gets those growing pains out of the way, the better.