The 2015 NBA Draft Thread: Draft Day Is Here

[keel252]

bruh Doug was healthy the 4 months of the season and got no smoke.

hes not seeing the floor over Dunny Jr, Pau, Jimmy, Gibson, Snell, or Miroti.

Yea its early but this dude is in a bad situation his time will come after next when Snell is up.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Quick to give up on rookies 

 first it was Noel is trash now it's Dougy

Relax man

Give him a chance under a different coach and possibly a different team down the road

He was going to be a role player regardless

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Quick to give up on rookies   first it was Noel is trash now it's Dougy

Relax man

Give him a chance under a different coach and possibly a different team down the road

He was going to be a role player regardless

remember there was a huge thread on here labeling Wall a bust

 

[keel252]

Quick to give up on rookies   first it was Noel is trash now it's Dougy

Relax man

Give him a chance under a different coach and possibly a different team down the road

He was going to be a role player regardless

hey i will never be a fan of Noel, kid game is so damn ugly.

i dont see it with Doug up another hype.

 

[hoosierdaddy317]

 
Quick to give up on rookies 

 first it was Noel is trash now it's Dougy

Relax man

Give him a chance under a different coach and possibly a different team down the road

He was going to be a role player regardless

All I'm saying is that at one point in the season I believe Jimmy and another wing player were hurt at the same time and this ***** STILL wasn't getting any tic.

I just don't see him taking any players minutes unless they get hurt on THIS squad at least. Until then, hes trash.

 

[kevlar]

Thibs is stubborn on playing rookies

Only way he was getting burn was if every wing player plus Hinrich were injured at the same time

 

[pmatic]

Making the Case for being the No. 1 pick: D'Angelo Russell

Underrated.

D'Angelo Russell knows the word all too well. He owns it proudly when I ask him the inevitable question players like Russell get asked this time of year.

He was asked by a pool of reporters at the NBA draft combine: "Are you the best player in this draft?"

Russell offered a bold "Yes."

It created a little stir online. Doesn't Russell know that Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor are in this draft?

Russell's been working out with Towns for the past several weeks -- his prime competition, along with Okafor, for the No. 1 pick.

Towns is bigger, more athletic, and in many ways, just as skilled. Towns was recruited heavily by the top college program in the country, Kentucky. He was invited to the prestigious Nike Hoop Summit as a 16-year-old. He's been prepping for this his whole life.

Russell didn't even begin playing basketball until he was 12. Spent as much time practicing karate and softball as he did playing hoops. He seriously considered giving up basketball for football when he entered high school. He never cracked the Top 10 in ESPN's high school rankings.

Russell led Montverde to back-to-back ****'s Nationals Championships. But, despite the winning pedigree and being a native of Louisville, he never was offered a scholarship by John Calipari. He was only lightly recruited by Rick Pitino.

One-and-done?

"I didn't plan on it," Russell said. "I mean, it was always a dream. But to suddenly have the dream happen so soon. It was kind of scary."

Towns was ranked No. 3 on our Big Board to start the season. Russell didn't make the initial cut in the Top 30 in July and didn't crack the top 10 until December. In our latest Big Board 10.0, Towns is now the No. 1 prospect. Russell is at No. 3.

He remains undeterred. Unbent. Undefeated.

"I want to know what you are supposed to say to that?" Russell says, shaking his head when I ask him whether he's the best player in the draft. "You know what I'm saying? I really want to know. You can ask anyone and they'd say yes. But I believe it."

Better than Towns?

"He's unbelievable, man," Russell says. "His talent is undeniable. I've never seen anything like it." But then he leans in and looks me in the eye. "But yeah. I'm confident in my abilities."

Ask Russell who the toughest player he's ever had to play against and he skips high school altogether and names one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game.

"Playing with Chris Paul," Russell said. "He's a great dude. Being able to communicate with him on and off the court. Getting the knowledge that he brings. We were competing. He's made me a better player. And he's making me a better person."

It's the "We were competing" line that stood out. Competing with Chris Paul? "Yeah."

That would sound cocky except five other people that saw it in the gym the past week in Thousand Oaks said the same thing. Not better than Chris Paul. But competing.

Tell him he's unathletic and he calmly, after an on-the-court basketball workout and weight-lifting session, has the staff put up the vertical jump apparatus.

First jump. A standing vert. 30.5 inches. Not bad. O.J. Mayo, Andre Iguodala and Jeff Teague measured the same in past draft combines.

Onto the max vertical where players get a three-step start. First jump. 37 inches. Very good. Russell Westbrook measured a 36.5-inch vertical at the combine.

He's not done. Russell wants to try again.

Second try. 37.5 inches. Brandon Knight hit that mark in 2011.

Now Karl-Anthony Towns is egging him on. All of us are gathered around. The competitive juices are flowing. Third jump. 39 inches. That's the number John Wall hit in 2010. John Wall.

He doesn't say anything as he walks back to the group. But the body language says everything. "Unathletic?"

Like I said, underrated.

When the competitive juices start flowing, that's when Russell comes out to play. That's why seeing him in a workout setting like I saw Monday in Thousand Oaks can be a bit deceiving.

All the tools are still there. The silky smooth jumper. The elite ball handling skills for a player his size. The crafty footwork, hesitations and floaters.

From an offensive point of view, there isn't a more complete guard in the draft. Russell is equally adept at stroking the long ball and getting to the basket. He shot 62 percent at the rim this season and 41 percent from 3, according to Hoops-Math.com.

But what makes Russell an elite prospect worthy of the No. 1 pick in the draft is something that's hard to see in a workout setting like this. He sees the game, the floor and his teammates as well as anyone in the draft.

He might have the body and skills of a shooting guard. But he sees the game like a point guard.

"He asks the best questions," Don MacLean, a former NBA player says about Russell. "Most guys come in here and their questions are basic. He's asking graduate school questions. He constantly trying to figure out how to get an advantage."

In drills, he's obviously talented. But it's in the 5-on-5 that he shines.

"He's the most creative passer in the draft," one GM said. "He sees things developing before the rest of us do."

He means plays like this one against Northwestern.

Here's close up footage of the same play. And this one versus Iowa. Those two aren't isolated examples.

Russell didn't even play point guard for his team this season (senior Shannon Scott got those honors) and he still racked up five assists per game for the season. Many of them in spectacular fashion.

So when teams question, as they are wont to do, whether he's a point guard, that "underrated" word keeps creeping up again.

Why aren't teams sure he's a point guard?

"I don't know," Russell says. "I focus on being a basketball player. If it's me having the passing ability or having a shooting guard size, whatever it is, I just try to be the best basketball player I can be all around. I don't want any holes in my game. So if it's being a passer or a scorer if need be, whatever I need to do I feel like I can adapt and translate."

If some scouts aren't sold on how his game will translate, the numbers people certainly are. Kevin Pelton has Russell ranked No. 2 on his Statistical Big Board and No. 1 overall in projected WARP. In speaking with a number of NBA teams that use analytics to evaluate players, he's either No. 1 or No. 2 in virtually every system used by teams.

Writes Pelton: "Russell tops all NCAA prospects in projected WARP, with one of the 10 best projections for any freshman in my database back through 2003. His strength is his versatility. Per Sports-Reference.com, Russell is the only major-conference freshman to average at least five rebounds and five assists per game since 2009-10. Russell's statistics suggest he should be able to play point guard in the NBA. In fact, his projected assist rate would put him in the top 25 percent of all point guards in my database."

His top projected NBA comp according to Pelton? The Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard with a 96.0 similarity score.

Other scouts compare him to Stephen Curry, Manu Ginobili and James Harden. Russell sees all of them as possible fits, though he thinks he's unique enough to make his own way.

"[I've been] watching players like Manu Ginobili and Steph Curry. Players who can really pass the ball gave me that knowledge. I see a lot of James Harden. I'm not at the level of any of those guys. But I'm definitely focused on trying to be at that point or even better. I want to come into the league and be my own player. Do a little bit of everything and take a little bit from everybody and create my own player."

Lillard, Curry, Ginobili, Harden? One was MVP. Another was the runner-up. Another Rookie of the Year. The fourth, a perennial Sixth Man of the Year with several NBA rings.

That's lofty company and why Russell is getting serious looks from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia Sixers and New York Knicks. Yes, even the Wolves at No. 1 have scheduled a workout.

It has a lot to do with the players I just mentioned. There was a time and era where big men ruled the league. That time and era has passed.

Steph Curry is the league MVP. People questioned his athleticism, his is point guard skills; whether he was tough enough or could play defense in the NBA. Curry's skill level and work ethic were so high, he answered every question. And in a league where the rules make it almost impossible to guard crafty, versatile guards, there's a strong argument to make that having a player like Russell is more valuable than just a big.

Harden faced similar question marks when he entered the league. What position did he play? Is he athletic enough? Is craftiness and basketball IQ enough to lead to stardom?

In this league, at this time, the answer is yes. And the truth is that the Wolves have a talented point guard, Ricky Rubio, but he can't shoot. The Lakers' Kobe Bryant is aging and while Jordan Clarkson had a terrific rookie season, he's not the prospect the Russell is. The Sixers are devoid of shooting or playmaking in the backcourt. And the Knicks, despite all their talk about defense, they really need someone other than Carmelo Anthony who can put the ball in the basket.

The hardest thing to find in the NBA is scoring, virtually every GM will tell you. And Russell is the most versatile, lethal scorer in this draft.

"He's my favorite basketball player in this draft," one general manager said. "Maybe you have to take Towns because of his abilities at his size. But I don't think it's a given the way it was a decade ago, when Greg Oden went ahead of Kevin Durant. I think with success of Curry, Harden and Draymond Green, you'll see more guys focusing on skills and playmaking abilities. To have great size or jump-out-of-the-gym athleticism is great. But watch the most successful teams and you'll see they have talented playmakers who don't necessarily beat you with raw athleticism or size (LeBron's the exception to everything), but with knowing how to play the game. Bigs don't rule our game any more. Versatile guards do. And Russell is the best guard in this draft."

Underrated no more.

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2015/in...30/nba-draft-making-case-no-1-dangelo-russell

 

[hoosierdaddy317]

^^ I don't see why he wouldn't go #1. I'm kind of confused as to why Wolves want one of the bigs when they have Pecovic and Dieng who killed it the second half of his rookie season. Guess outside of those two, front court is kind of weak so it does make sense. They could always trade one of the bigs for better pieces.

Russell is my favorite player in the draft man. I've seen dude play against IU and he was a complete total monster. His IQ for a young player is out of this world and his dribbling skills are A1 for a 2 guard. 

**** if I'm the Lakers I'm taking Russell and starting that ***** at point (if Wolves select one of the bigs) but I guess Clarkson is pretty solid too. 

Tough choice mane.

 

[awwsome]

@ that article about Russell hyping up his vertical, Kevin Love had a great vert too.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

the Mayor is going to use Dougie a lot this year. guy isn't trash, he'sa knockdown shooter and in the right situations will be effective off the bench.

 

[MIKE LOWERY]

Favorite prospects in this draft seem to be WTCS and Justin Anderson.


Trillie to the Kings and Anderson to the Cavs.


Day 1 contributors guaranteed

 

[awwsome]

the Mayor is going to use Dougie a lot this year. guy isn't trash, he'sa knockdown shooter and in the right situations will be effective off the bench.

He was never gonna get minutes under Thibs being the terrible defender he is.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Tony Snell isn't a better athtlete than doug and he isn't playing all that well. I'm sure Doug will find a way on or he will get traded.


The Mayor is an offensive guy who loves 3 point shooting, gotta think Doug will get burn.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

the Mayor is going to use Dougie a lot this year. guy isn't trash, he'sa knockdown shooter and in the right situations will be effective off the bench.

He was never gonna get minutes under Thibs being the terrible defender he is.

yeah which i get since that's thibbs prerogative but still, the guy can be a good weapon in spurts to give you some buckets/space the floor.

 

[ricardo malta]

Tony Snell isn't a better athtlete than doug and he isn't playing all that well. I'm sure Doug will find a way on or he will get traded.


The Mayor is an offensive guy who loves 3 point shooting, gotta think Doug will get burn.

The offense he ran at ISU will get Dougie Fresh at least 5 good looks a game from deep.

 

[shoeking2102]

 
^^ I don't see why he wouldn't go #1. I'm kind of confused as to why Wolves want one of the bigs when they have Pecovic and Dieng who killed it the second half of his rookie season. Guess outside of those two, front court is kind of weak so it does make sense. They could always trade one of the bigs for better pieces.

Russell is my favorite player in the draft man. I've seen dude play against IU and he was a complete total monster. His IQ for a young player is out of this world and his dribbling skills are A1 for a 2 guard. 

**** if I'm the Lakers I'm taking Russell and starting that ***** at point (if Wolves select one of the bigs) but I guess Clarkson is pretty solid too. 

Tough choice mane.

What? You don't not draft a talented, generational big like KAT for Dieng and Pekovic

 

 

[hypebeast5]

Once in a Generation bigman? Idk but to me Embiid was a better prospect than both Jah and KAT

 

[hoosierdaddy317]

 

 
^^ I don't see why he wouldn't go #1. I'm kind of confused as to why Wolves want one of the bigs when they have Pecovic and Dieng who killed it the second half of his rookie season. Guess outside of those two, front court is kind of weak so it does make sense. They could always trade one of the bigs for better pieces.

Russell is my favorite player in the draft man. I've seen dude play against IU and he was a complete total monster. His IQ for a young player is out of this world and his dribbling skills are A1 for a 2 guard. 

**** if I'm the Lakers I'm taking Russell and starting that ***** at point (if Wolves select one of the bigs) but I guess Clarkson is pretty solid too. 

Tough choice mane.

What? You don't not draft a talented, generational big like KAT for Dieng and Pekovic

 

Generational big? If he's a "generational big" he would be a no doubt, undisputed pick if he was "generational". When I think of generational i think of Bron so don't go there.

He's good though don't get me wrong. 

Edit: I forgot Wolves have Lavine too so there's really no need for Russ. KAT or Jahlil it is.

 

[shoeking2102]

 
Generational big? If he's a "generational big" he would be a no doubt, undisputed pick if he was "generational". When I think of generational i think of Bron so don't go there.

He's good though don't get me wrong. 

Edit: I forgot Wolves have Lavine too so there's really no need for Russ. KAT or Jahlil it is.

You don't pass on KAT for Dieng and Pekovic. Period.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

agreed. Dieng is too raw. Pekovic is getting up there in age, injury prone and overpaid.

 

[pmatic]

@IanBegley The #Knicks will work out PG Emmanuel Mudiay on Monday, his agent Jason Martin confirms. It was 1st reported by the NY Post.

 

[tomdiginson]

Thibs is stubborn on playing rookies

Only way he was getting burn was if every wing player plus Hinrich were injured at the same time

This. Funny thing is, that was the only time dude was able to play. The moment when everyone got healthy, Doug got buried on the bench.

 

[pmatic]

@chadfordinsider Mudiay is a HUGE PG. Gained 9 lbs of muscle since I saw him last. In great shape.

View media item 1568384

 

[pmatic]

Who's the best wing in the draft: Winslow or Hezonja?

With less than a month to go before the draft, we're ranking and debating the best players by position in the draft. After beginning with point guards last week, it's on to wings this time around.

Q: Who is the best wing in the draft?

Ford: Mario Hezonja, FC Barcelona

I've been back and forth for the past few months on Duke's Justise Winslow and Hezonja. I think it is very, very close. Three things really put Hezonja on top for me. One, I think he's the best or second-best shooting wing in the class. Shooting comes at such a premium, and what I especially love about Hezonja is that he's fearless in letting it fly.

Second, Hezonja has great size for his position. Winslow measured on the short end at the combine (6-foot-4½ without shoes), giving Hezonja a 2- to 3-inch advantage. Finally, I love Hezonja's aggressiveness. It borders on cocky. But to be great in the NBA, you have to believe in yourself. Hezonja does, and I think he has the tools to back up that confidence.



Pelton: Justise Winslow, Duke

You could talk me into either Hezonja or Winslow. Both players seem to have really high floors -- it's unlikely, given their skills, that they fail to develop into contributors. In that case, I suppose I default to the player with more upside, and that favors Winslow. If his 42 percent 3-point shooting at Duke carries over -- I'm skeptical, given Winslow made just 64 percent of his free throws, an important factor in projecting NBA 3-point shooting -- and if he plays as aggressively as he did in the second half of the season, Winslow could be a top-10 small forward at both ends of the court. I don't see that potential with Hezonja.

Q: Who is the second-best wing in the draft?

Ford: Justise Winslow, Duke

I see it just a little differently. To me, Winslow is the safe guy. He has all the intangibles of a Michael Kidd-Gilchrist sort of player. Great defender, gritty player. Unselfish. Doesn't need the ball in his hands to make a difference. I love him for all of those reasons. But I worry about his jump shooting. (He shot an abysmal 27 percent on 2-point jumpers this season, per Hoop-Math.com, and as you pointed out, his free throw percentage was poor as well.)

Toss in his very pedestrian measurements at the combine, and I worry that those limitations will keep him from becoming a star. Hezonja is bigger, equally athletic, a much better shooter and more aggressive offensively (though I too worry a bit about his failure to get to the line in Spain). That's why I think Hezonja has the better chance of breaking out into a star. He has more bust potential than Winslow but more upside, in my opinion.

Pelton: Mario Hezonja, FC Barcelona

You beat me to mentioning Hezonja's free throw rate, which I've raised as a concern in the past. He projects to attempt more 3s than 2s in the NBA, and it's hard to be a star that way. There have been just four All-Stars in NBA history who took more than half of their shots from beyond the arc: Dan Majerle (1995), Rashard Lewis (2009), Jason Kidd (2010) and Kyle Korver (2015). Maybe that will prove solely a function of Hezonja's role on a stacked FC Barcelona team, but I don't think he's going to play a significantly larger role early in his NBA career, and it's hard to think of a lot of guys who have gone from spot-up specialist to well-rounded star.

Q: Who is the third-best wing in the draft?

Ford: Kelly Oubre Jr., Kansas

This is where things get convoluted for me. I could make the case for several players here including Oubre, Stanley Johnson, Sam Dekker (if he's really a wing), Devin Booker and R.J. Hunter. I even have a fondness for Rashad Vaughn of UNLV. But I'm going with Oubre for a couple of reasons. One, he has the best physical tools of anyone in the draft. He stands at 6-7 with a crazy 7-2 wingspan. He's a very good athlete as well, especially when moving laterally.

Second, I think he has the best chance to be a coveted "3-and-D" type of player in the NBA. His 3-point shooting was a bit erratic this season (36 percent), but after watching him in workouts, I don't think that will be a long-term issue for him. He has a great stroke (although that free throw percentage -- 72 percent -- scares me).

When he arrived in Lawrence, Oubre was clueless about how to defend, which drastically limited his minutes in the first month of the season. However, by the end of the season I thought he was Bill Self's best weapon on defense. With his length and mobility, he can guard multiple positions. I think his lack of playing time early and questions about his maturity have artificially deflated his stock. If he gets it (and I agree that there's an "if" there), he has the highest upside of any wing in the draft. I'm assuming the numbers won't be kind, however. There's a risk involved with Oubre. But the upside is phenomenal.

Pelton: R.J. Hunter, Georgia State

It's crazy to me that Kentucky's Booker is getting looks inside the top 10 and Hunter is still likely to go outside the lottery. Booker projects as the slightly better 3-point shooter -- though not as dramatically better as their 3-point percentages last season would make it appear -- but everything else statistically favors Hunter, a much more versatile prospect who doesn't have the same kind of red flags as Booker does in terms of steal rate. If teams are looking for a shooter with size and Hezonja is off the board, Hunter should be the choice.

Q: Who is the fourth-best wing in the draft?

Ford: R.J. Hunter, Georgia State

I'm actually with you on Hunter. I like Booker a lot. And if a team took Booker ahead of Hunter, I wouldn't have a major issue. But I wonder how much the system at Kentucky hid some of his strengths (or, the reverse argument could also be true that it hid his weaknesses). Players of Booker's quality typically would get many more opportunities than he got at Kentucky. And I think what hurt Hunter is that he didn't play with any other real NBA talent, which meant he never got open looks.

I agree that Hunter has an advantage in size and is Booker's equal athletically, and both guys can really shoot. But Hunter's passing ability is what intrigues me. In a league that is increasingly looking for playmakers who can shoot the ball, Hunter is a prime candidate for me. I worry about his lack of strength. I worry that he struggled to get his own shot off the bounce at times. I worry about his defense. But I worry about all of those things with Booker, too. And I also believe that, given where Hunter will be drafted, he won't be asked to do it all on his own.

Pelton: Sam Dekker, Wisconsin

To me, this last spot comes down to Dekker and the other top freshman small forwards (Oubre and Stanley Johnson). I wouldn't say the numbers are unkind to them -- all three have similar WARP projections. The difference is that what Johnson and Oubre become in the NBA will depend on their ability to improve as shooters. I don't know what they provide offensively at this point. Dekker will get points efficiently in the flow of the offense, and his superior size (6-7¾ without shoes) allows him to finish in the paint. That also gives him the ability to play as a small-ball power forward at times, something that might be tough for Johnson despite his strength because he's just 6-5.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draf...se-winslow-mario-hezonja-best-wings-nba-draft

 

[rck3sactown]

 

@chadfordinsider Mudiay is a HUGE PG. Gained 9 lbs of muscle since I saw him last. In great shape.

dang, Manny got a nice frame