NBA Draft Tonight

[alphaorange]

The Lakers would be insane to trade russel, his game reminds me of westbrook.

He is nothing like Westbrook. Westbrook is smaller, great driver, not a great passer, and explosively athletic. Russell is a very good shooter, below average athletically as far as NBA standards go, much bigger, and a brilliant passer. Other than that, they're almost identical.

 

[alphaorange]

I think the only team that would actually give up a rookie potential superstar PG AND a future first round draft pick on top of that for an aging superstar would be the Knicks.

Everybody's a potential superstar until they aren't. Right now, they all are. Russell is good and maybe will be an all star, but Melo will be top 10 for the next 5 years. LA's pick would be around 17-20. Not much to pay. Aging? He is still in his prime.

 

[alphaorange]

How does Russell have high bust potential? Because of that stupid thing ESPN put up during the draft where they put a number on his superstar potential, and bust potential?

As I see it, he can shoot, handle the ball, pass, can shoot off the dribble, has a nice crossover and quick first step, can make the floaters in the lane, and seems to understand the game. Barring injuries, I really have a hard time seeing him "bust". He's too skilled to not at least be a solid player, in my opinion.

A #2 pick that ends up a solid player is a bust. At #2, you damn well better be a perennial all star or you very much ARE a bust.

 

[bpo57]

Brian Scalabrine spent 11 years in the NBA. What specialty did he bring? I think Rak is better than he was.

We could play that game all day long. Rak has talent but odds are heavily against a 10+ year NBA career. Stats overwhelmingly support that point of view.

 

[Cusefan0307]

If the Knicks could somehow get Green and Monroe that wouldn't be terrible. It still doesn't solve your point guard situation or big situation, but at least you have above average players at three of five starting spots.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Everybody's a potential superstar until they aren't. Right now, they all are. Russell is good and maybe will be an all star, but Melo will be top 10 for the next 5 years. LA's pick would be around 17-20. Not much to pay. Aging? He is still in his prime.

Carmelo's one of the top-10 highest paid players in the league, but he's not one of the top 10 players.

 

[longislandcuse]

Carmelo's one of the top-10 highest paid players in the league, but he's not one of the top 10 players.

I think he's fringe Top 10. Lets see him healthy again without a complete **** team.

 

[MikeSU02]

Not sure they can even get West, Monroe at 15 and Afflalo at 12 eats up pretty much all the available cap space. West opted out of 1/12, I assume he thinks he can sign for 2 or 3 years at around 7 or 8 per?

We are gunning for that 6 seed in the east. Can't wait to play Chicago in the first round next year.

Afflalo has to have a serious renaissance to earn that much money.

I'm warming up to Monroe, because I have to, but him at the five with Melo at the four... Yikes. We'll have to score a LOT of points.

Hopefully Zombie Fisher improves on the sidelines.

 

[AlpharettaCuse]

We could play that game all day long. Rak has talent but odds are heavily against a 10+ year NBA career. Stats overwhelmingly support that point of view.

Stats don't matter. Odds don't matter. I just showed you 9 2nd round draft picks in one draft that played 10+ years, including a scrub like Brian Scalabrine. It's actually fairly common. None of that effects Rak or his performance or longevity in the NBA.

 

[Alsacs]

Stats don't matter. Odds don't matter. I just showed you 9 2nd round draft picks in one draft that played 10+ years, including a scrub like Brian Scalabrine. It's actually fairly common. None of that effects Rak or his performance or longevity in the NBA.

Don't insult the White Mamba he put a beatdown on one of former walkons Matt Tomaszweski.

 

[OrangeDW]

A #2 pick that ends up a solid player is a bust. At #2, you damn well better be a perennial all star or you very much ARE a bust.

I don't agree.

For example...our own Derrick Coleman made 1 all star team. He wasn't a bust. Larry Johnson made 2 all star teams. Not a bust. Glenn Robinson - 2 all star teams. Not a bust Those guys were good players. Olawakandi was a bust. Shawn Bradley was a bust. Kwame Brown was a bust. Those guys weren't good players.

If you're a good player, you're not a bust.

 

[OrangeDW]

Carmelo's one of the top-10 highest paid players in the league, but he's not one of the top 10 players.

His last 2 healthy seasons he put up 28 and 7 and then 27 and 8. Arguably his 2 best seasons. Was 3rd in MVP voting in 2013.

He has one "bad" season where he put up 24 and 7 on one healthy leg for 40 games before being shut down, and he's not top 10 all of a sudden?

Not taking into account contracts and age and thinking like a GM and all that...for right now, I don't think there's 10 better players in the league.

 

[Knicks411]

I don't agree.

For example...our own Derrick Coleman made 1 all star team. He wasn't a bust. Larry Johnson made 2 all star teams. Not a bust. Glenn Robinson - 2 all star teams. Not a bust Those guys were good players. Olawakandi was a bust. Shawn Bradley was a bust. Kwame Brown was a bust. Those guys weren't good players.

If you're a good player, you're not a bust.

Do people think the #2 pick becomes a 8 time all star every year? Just look at the draft history.

His last 2 healthy seasons he put up 28 and 7 and then 27 and 8. Arguably his 2 best seasons. Was 3rd in MVP voting in 2013.

He has one "bad" season where he put up 24 and 7 on one healthy leg for 40 games before being shut down, and he's not top 10 all of a sudden?

Not taking into account contracts and age and thinking like a GM and all that...for right now, I don't think there's 10 better players in the league.

I'm not sure about this, but I'm sure it would be a fun thread. My projection might also build some decline into his game, since he's on the other side of 30 and has the bad knee. I'm gonna name the guys I think are for sure, no question, better than Melo

Lebron
Durant
Davis
Harden
Curry
I want to put Gasol here. So that's basically first team all NBA, plus Kevin Durant. Then there are some guys I think are better; I'm sure I'll get heat for some of these
Paul
Griffin
Westbrook
Cousins
Duncan

A lot of it will come down to defensive evaluation; just compare Melo to a guy like Jimmy Butler. I'm not saying Butler is better, but he had a really good scoring year and is a lock down defender and just turned 26.

I think assuming Melo comes back and is healthy, he's somewhere in the 10-15 range.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I'm gonna name the guys I think are for sure, no question, better than Melo

Lebron
Durant
Davis
Harden
Curry
I want to put Gasol here. So that's basically first team all NBA, plus Kevin Durant. Then there are some guys I think are better; I'm sure I'll get heat for some of these
Paul
Griffin
Westbrook
Cousins
Duncan

A lot of it will come down to defensive evaluation; just compare Melo to a guy like Jimmy Butler. I'm not saying Butler is better, but he had a really good scoring year and is a lock down defender and just turned 26.

I think assuming Melo comes back and is healthy, he's somewhere in the 10-15 range.

Good list.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

I don't agree.

For example...our own Derrick Coleman made 1 all star team. He wasn't a bust. Larry Johnson made 2 all star teams. Not a bust. Glenn Robinson - 2 all star teams. Not a bust Those guys were good players. Olawakandi was a bust. Shawn Bradley was a bust. Kwame Brown was a bust. Those guys weren't good players.

If you're a good player, you're not a bust.

If you make it inti the NBA, you're not a bust, it's a more-exclusive club than Augusta National. Less than 4,000 people have made it to The Association.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Should we start an NBA free agency thread?

 

[longislandcuse]

There's a difference between "projecting" players when talking about a Top 10 and actually having an "in the now" Top 10.

Of course, for example, most teams would take a young Demarcus Cousins over an older Carmelo Anthony to build with but, right now, Melo is a better player than Cousins.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Should we start an NBA free agency thread?

Good idea. In the meantime, lotta good free agency scuttlebutt, including that Doc Rivers may be interested in Wes Johnson (penultimate item in this article http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/07/nba_free-agency_begins_updates.html#incart_2box)

 

[Knicks411]

There's a difference between "projecting" players when talking about a Top 10 and actually having an "in the now" Top 10.

Of course, for example, most teams would take a young Demarcus Cousins over an older Carmelo Anthony to build with but, right now, Melo is a better player than Cousins.

I agree with the first part, but not the second. Cousins was awesome last year. A big man who can pass, and he put up a 24/12 last year. I'd take him over Melo next year 10 times out of 10 I think. (Especially if i could hire Mike Malone...)

 

[shandeezy7]

Do people think the #2 pick becomes a 8 time all star every year? Just look at the draft history.



I'm not sure about this, but I'm sure it would be a fun thread. My projection might also build some decline into his game, since he's on the other side of 30 and has the bad knee. I'm gonna name the guys I think are for sure, no question, better than Melo

Lebron
Durant
Davis
Harden
Curry
I want to put Gasol here. So that's basically first team all NBA, plus Kevin Durant. Then there are some guys I think are better; I'm sure I'll get heat for some of these
Paul
Griffin
Westbrook
Cousins
Duncan

A lot of it will come down to defensive evaluation; just compare Melo to a guy like Jimmy Butler. I'm not saying Butler is better, but he had a really good scoring year and is a lock down defender and just turned 26.

I think assuming Melo comes back and is healthy, he's somewhere in the 10-15 range.

Carmelo is a better player than Duncan right now. Not sure if Griffin or Cousins have passed Melo either.

 

[Knicks411]

Carmelo is a better player than Duncan right now. Not sure if Griffin or Cousins have passed Melo either.

Duncan is still really awesome. Second team all league last year? I get that one cause he's so old, but if i'm trying to win a title next year and I can have Duncan or Melo, I'm probably still taking Duncan

 

[MikeSU02]

Duncan is still really awesome. Second team all league last year? I get that one cause he's so old, but if i'm trying to win a title next year and I can have Duncan or Melo, I'm probably still taking Duncan

Duncan's per 36 minute stats are basically just as good as his peak years, which is incredible.

 

[Knicks411]

Duncan's per 36 minute stats are basically just as good as his peak years, which is incredible.

I remember being amazed by this in like 2011. And it's still true!
If you want to ding him comapred to Melo because he plays a lot fewer minutes, that's fair. Maybe I should take Melo over him.

 

[shandeezy7]

Duncan is still really awesome. Second team all league last year? I get that one cause he's so old, but if i'm trying to win a title next year and I can have Duncan or Melo, I'm probably still taking Duncan

He's still a really good player, no doubt. But I just don't think a guy that averages 14 and 9 for a season is a cream of the crop player in the NBA right now, regardless of his per 48 minute stats, impressive as they may be.

 

[Knicks411]

He's still a really good player, no doubt. But I just don't think a guy that averages 14 and 9 for a season is a cream of the crop player in the NBA right now, regardless of his per 48 minute stats, impressive as they may be.

Like I said above, you're probably right. His per minute stats are awesome, but he can't give you 37-38 MPG like Melo can.