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What player would you like your favorite team to pick (realistically) in the first round? Why?
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If that player is not available, who would you settle for?
My favorite teams, the Spurs and Mavericks, will be so far down in the draft, I’ll have to settle for the best player left on the board.
My third favorite team, the Rockets, are all but certain to pick the Chinese Center, Yao, which strikes me as a mistake. I know they already have a good point guard, so Jason Williams may seem like a waste… but better a superfluous star point guard (whom they could turn around and trade later) than a lanky center who has a nice shooting touch, but will never be able to bang under the boards with Shaq.
The basketball execs I respect most say Yao reminds them a lot of Rik Smits… and I tend to agree. And, while I don’t wish to insult Rik Smits, who’s had a solid career, I don’t think anyone regards Smits as a franchise player. I seriously doubt whether Yao is, either.
It’s probably helped Yao Ming that not many here in the West have seen him play; it helped Shawn Bradley, and he too was drafted first. This lack of information on Ming - his recent workouts notwithstanding - builds up his potential, rather than taking it down a few notches. And NBA general managers generally are drafting for potential, anyway.
I think the consensus is that Ming has the physical attributes, but it’s not known whether the longer NBA season (not to mention those larger NBA players) will take a mental toll on him.
As for the OP, I have the Sixers, and they’re a little far down the list to make an impact pick…
Same with the Lakers. I’m hoping they draft someone who can play the low post or a good perimeter shooter. But I don’t have as much faith in Kupchak as I did in West. So my hopes are not too high.
My opinion on the Ming situation?
I say Houston should draft him. No one can bang with Shaq, so it’s stupid to ask him to do so. And in any case, Shaq is really the last low-post center out there…except for maybe Olowakandi. Sharpshooting, high-post centers are the future, for better or for worse. Maybe not a franchise player, but they already have Stevie for that. I say draft Ming.
My concern is the Clippers. What. The. Hell. Just what they need. MORE draft picks. MORE young players. Sounds like Sterling has no intention of resigning anyone. Bye Olowakandi. Bye Brand. Bye Miles. Bye Q. And if they do pick up Miller…bye Miller. Pathetic. Just pathetic. They have no hope.
The Golden State Warriors will find a way to do something idiotic.
The Wizards, I hope, will have 3 first rounders, tho now they have 2 firsts (11,17) & 2 seconds. It all depends on how the after 3rd pick Draft falls out, but if Caron Butler is still floating around at picks 7-9 I’d love to see the Wiz move up to grab him.
If not, I hope they grab Qyntel & trade for Crawford from Chicago (not trade for Posey from the Nuggets & grab some PG 18th in the draft).
It really doesn’t matter tho, They’ll lose patience (Wallace,Webber) and let a star go or bring in a veteran – anything to ensure that that they are picking 6th-11th in the Draft through-out the next 15 years … or maybe MJ will make it all right … NOT being sarcastic