It does discourage tanking, just not nearly strong enough. Here’s hoping Adam Silver will entertain proposals to reform the draft.
Counter-examples: Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O’Neal, Al Jefferson, Joakim Noah, Marc Gasol, Demarcus Cousins.
And Yao Ming was an 8-time all-star and 5-times All-NBA. He was a franchise player.
And Yao was an obvious #1 pick, anyway. “Growing into the role” seems very subjective and post hoc to me. Look at Dwight Howard vs. Emeka Okafor.
Besides, Embiid was looking for all the world like the obvious #1 pick before he broke his foot.
Garnett is a forward and I think belongs in the Kobe, Lebron, so good they came out of high school to rule the world group. Embiid isn’t that.
Gasol went 48th. If you can get Embiid at 48, you should.
O’Neal also came out of high-school, was already one of the top players in the country, and was drafted 17th. That’s probably not a bad spot to take a runner at Embiid.
Noah and Cousins were good players in college, were drafted 5 and 10, and remain good in the pros. Neither of them made a huge leap. And while both of them are the best guy on their team right now, neither team is very good in that state. If people are projecting that Embiid’s upside is DeMarcus Cousins, I might buy that.
Yao Ming played most of his career with McGrady, so I’m not sure him a franchise player. He had tons of injury problems, and those Houston teams are considered chronic underachievers. If people are projecting Embiid as a chronically injured second best guy on a good team that never quite puts it together, I could buy that too.
When I hear people say an eleven point a game guy is a clear number one pick in a strong draft and could be a two-way franchise player like Olajuwon, I find that wildly optimistic. When you add multiple serious injuries on an eighteen year old body that just started playing basketball, I wouldn’t touch him. Somebody will, obviously, and whoever that is might strike gold, but there are a lot of other guys in this draft I’d rather bet on.
I guess my point was that I never thought he looked like an obvious #1 pick except that the press kept saying he was. I think the NBA draft bets on size and athleticism over guys that are good at playing basketball, and that wouldn’t be my approach.
I have nothing against Embiid. He seems like a good guy who just lost a shitload of money on some bad luck injuries, and I hope he proves me wrong.
Rumor has it that the Lakers might be willing to throw their pick at anyone who takes Nash’s contract from them.
That’s so the Lakers can do what we should all know already: sign Lebron. 
Apparently the Hornets offered Gerald Henderson and the 24th pick for Afflalo. Maybe the Magic’s GM really IS that smart…
I know they want to cut salary as much as possible, but I think Kupchack won’t take just anything for it. They kept Pau after everyone said they were going to trade him before the trade deadline. His reasoning, and he said this on the radio so it comes directly from him, is that the Lakers weren’t afraid of sitting on a guy and possibly getting nothing rather than bowing to pressure and making a move for the sake of making a move. Unless they get Love or Thompson, or some other guy who’s a decent player, I don’t see them getting rid of the pick just to get rid of Nash. I don’t see our front office panicking
Even if they do nothing and let Nash’s deal expire, the money still comes off the books, no need to hastily trade for something. And I have full confidence of the Lakers’ ability to attract free agents.
I am as cautious about believing Kupchak as he is cautious himself. I think his words go through about a hundred filters in his mental chamber before they come out of his mouth. Mitch would make a great politician.
The best thing about this draft, for me, is that there’s no way Atlanta can screw it up.
The best thing about this draft, for me, is that there’s almost no way Atlanta can screw it up.
The best thing about this draft, for me, is that there’s only a few ways Atlanta can screw it up.
ah, crap… :smack:
and why hasn’t anyone glossed Wiggins with the “Ender” nickname?
You did NOT just put Yao into the same category as Kwame Brown and Olowokandi!!
No huge surprises yet. Happy to see Exum drop a little (nothing personal against him, just too much of an unknown.)
I can’t get over how young and athletic this draft class is.
Dante Exum is talking. His accent is rad.
Spoke too soon.
Marcus Smart seems like the next Deron Williams to me. Not sure if that’s a good thing.
Smart kinda gives me a Dion Waiters vibe. They’re both pretty tenacious players. And I still think Waiters can be a much better player, but he’s someone who hasn’t exactly been stellar playing off the ball, and he’s been inconsistent finishing at the rim.
I like Waiters and still root for him, and I think Boston fans will feel the same about Smart.
Wow, if the Hornets take Vonleh I’d be pretty happy. Never thought he’d drop.
Who wins a fight between Nik Stauskas and Boogie Cousins? Cause it’s hard to imagine that doesn’t happen?
Steal for the Hornets.
Nice moment by the NBA to “draft” Isaih Austin. Classy.