Draft

[Posterize246]

There just aren't many bigs that I think they could rate highly that could drop unless it's Mullens. Blake Griffin and Thabeet won't drop, that's guaranteed. Jordan Hill is the only one I could see slipping on draft day. Earl Clark maybe but with Speights already here I doubt they would go for him. I believe they expect Mullens to be there around 17 anyway. If he's picked before that it won't be many picks before that.

Jordan Hill's really the only guy I could see dropping to 17 on draft day and us taking a chance on him over a guard. Otherwise I think we'll go with a guard.

When I think that there's Rubio, Jennings, Curry, Flynn, Lawson, Maynor, Holiday, and Teague all in the draft...is it really possible that 8 of the first 16 picks will be point guards? One of those guys will be there for certain.

[SixersFan76]

I hope it's not Lawson. I don't think he'll ever be able to play 30 minutes at the NBA level and stay healthy. I don't disagree with you at all on the odds of us drafting a guard. My point was more along the lines of: If Stefanski believes Mullens (or another big) is vastly underrated and badly wants him at 17, he'll never mention the kid to anyone - he might not ever bring him in. He'd tell everyone gladly that he's looking solely at guards without giving the slightest hint of interest, and if his guy drops to us, he'll gladly snatch him up. This is especially true if he thinks the kid is likely to go somewhere in the range where we are picking.

Personally, I'm not sure there is a big who would be a good fit in Philly. Hill could very well drop because he didn't test well, but people love bigs and he's not a kid like Jordan, who played poorly for one season, but tested well. He might drop to 10 or 12, but it would be shocking if he slipped to 17. At worse, he should be a Varejao type player in the NBA. He has a pretty low bust potential and is a legit 6-10.

Daye, Hansborough, Clark and Blair aren't very good fits for various reasons. Daye is very raw and is more of a 3 who is versatile, but not a great shooter (we have Young and Iggy), Hansborough has questionable NBA potential - I know he tested better than expected, but eyes don't lie. Reddick tested better than expected too, but Magic made a mistake when they took the tests over what the eyes showed in games. Clark seems more like a hybrid big rather than a true 4 and I'd be pretty shocked if he was there at 17. If he is, I think Ed takes a long, hard look just because the kid has serious talent. Blair is likely to drop if the doctor reports about his knees are accurate. Teams don't want to invest a high pick and a guaranteed contract into an undersized player with weight issues when he might have bum knees to boot.

You are right that Mullens might be the only one in that range. Although there are two kids who I think could go either way - much higher than currently projected or much lower - Gani Lawal from G-Tech is one. He has prototypical athleticism and can rebound and possibly block some shots at 4. He's young and raw, but he is someone who teams might be talking down while secretly wishing he drops down to them. Another kid is James Johnson -he was hyped, then put down and now barely talked about. But he is a very athletic kid with a lot of talent. Might be a little small by NBA 4 standars, but wingspan and athleticism should make up for height and he seems to be still filling out.

It's actually shocking how few big man there are in this draft. Griffin will go one and Thabeet isn't likely to last past 5, although I don't think it's guaranteed he goes 2nd. After that, guys who are projected as NBA 5's or 4's are few and far in between (I think Daye and Claver are looked at as 3's) - it's Hill, Blair, Hansborough, Clark, Johnson, Mullens, Derrick Brown from Xavier, Lawal, Pendergraph. Guys like Harangody and Brockman might be drafted in the second round because of recent success of some undersized PFs. Taj Gibson is in the mix. There is always one or two big Eastern European kids, although this year there isn't anyone who is projected top 30. I'm hard pressed to think of anyone else who might get drafted in the second round, let alone in the first. Make the big kid from Gonzaga, Heytvelt, maybe Lyons from Missou?

Can't think of anyone else really. The two local kids - Nevins and Cunningham? Doubt they get picked, although someone will invite them to camp, but I suppose late in the second someone gives them a look. Would someone draft Goran Sutton or Aminu in the second round? Long shot, but I guess possible.

Presuming we aren't looking at SFs, really guard heavy draft.

[GOBB]

On talent, Williams is a lottery pick. He's had some personal issues and there have been other questions about him. An underachiever to date, but certainly someone the Sixers should be looking at if he's around at 17.

To be honest, I'm hopeful that they are just looking at the best prospect available and not on position. If they rate Williams as the best player on the board at 17 and he's a SG and not a PG, they should take him. If they feel the best player is BJ Mullens, a C, they should take him. Teams always get in trouble when they target a position and not the best player. That's generally applicable across all sports, but it's particularly important in basketball, where rosters are smaller and individual players have more of an impact on the long term success of the team.

I'm all for the best guard available approach moreso than best player given the fact I'm not high on many of the centers, power forwards in this draft. The guys I want will most likely be gone...but I never rule out guys slipping. I think thats the treat with drafts for me. Seeing a prospect fall. Imo the best prospects are at the guard position after guys like Blake and Thabeet are gone.

[SixersFan76]

I think Williams should be around at 17, although he could go higher. Right now he's projected anywhere from 15 to 25.

I would be absolutely shocked if a guy like Jennings slipped to 17, but I'd take him in a heartbeat if he somehow falls that low. 17 is probably too low for him no matter how the draft shakes out. The only other highly rated guard I think could slip is Gerald Henderson, but I don't really want him in Philly even though he's a local kid. I think he'll be a back up his entire career. He seems to be too small to be a shut down defender at the 2 and he doesn't have a great handle or a particularly nice stroke from outside.

I know you think Holiday could slip. Like with Jennings, I would be pretty shocked if he did, but even if he was there, I'm not so sure I'd want him in Philly. He's too far away from being ready and he's not a great shooter. He could be a very good defender and a decent, if unspectacular PG, but to me he looks like a kid who will take 3 years before he reaches his potential, by which time Brand will be on his last legs. If Williams showed a little more PG prowess, I'd be more excited about a kid like that slipping, although I'm guessing if he's at 17, Sixers still take him.

I don't like Lawson at all. Think 17 is way too high for Collison. Like Teague's potential over Maynor, who is clearly a much more polished product right now. Would not be too disappointed with Williams, although he reminds me of Carney a little bit, which isn't a good thing. Think Budinger will be better than people think, but will never be a good defender so with Young and Kapono here, I'd pass. I think they could trade down and get McClinton or Douglas if they love them. I view both as a Williams type combo guard and not PGs.

Is there a particular kid you like?

[GOBB]

That would be a dream if Brandon Jennings dropped to 17. lol I'm with you I'm taking him but a guy like Holliday? Bleh.

I don't like Lawson at all.

There are things about him I dont like. Like can he even run a half court offense? He fits the Sixers uptempo style, get out on transition and push it. However when that is taken away, isnt working then what can you expect from Ty Lawson? Eh, I have mixed views on him. Arguments that say I like him and arguments that say I dont.

Is there a particular kid you like?

Eric Maynor is who I am high on. As far as kids who want be there at 17 I wished Sixers could get? Jonny Flynn, Stephon Curry and Tyreke Evans altho I'm not super high on him (kinda critical about his game) I still like his talent.

[SixersFan76]

Flynn would be awesome but I'd be shocked if he doesn't go in the top 10. Knicks wouldn't let Curry slip past them at 8, but he might go even earlier. He would be a nice fit here without a doubt. Evans is definitely going in the lottery. He might go top 5. Similar to Iggy a bit, but interesting player. Lots of talent - young.

Maynor scares me because there are a lot of valid comparisons to Acie Law. It would be interesting to hear from someone who's watched him a lot in college.

[GOBB]

A knowledgable sportsfan had this to say about Maynor in the draft forum

Link to his twist on a mock draft

I guessed the Sixers would look at Maynor at 17 (which I figure is why you ask). In my string, I had Jennings falling to them there (which I figure would be a dream scenario for you).
I like Maynor all right. I'd say he's got a shot to be a real plus defender. He's 6-2, but he's long. And he's really quick and athletic. And coming out of VCU, they play a particularly frenetic style of defense, so he's been schooled, and he's agressive defensively. Offensively, he's a guy who'll really push the tempo, and while it may not have the asthetic of what it looks like when someone like Lawson does it, he'll be effective. Not great, but effective. And he won't stop attacking the rim. That's his game. His weakness is a really awkward shot. In fact, if he had any real jumper at all, he would have been an ACC player instead of playing at VCU out of high school. He did work it to the point of becoming effective though, so perhaps it'll continue to develop, but there's definitely a cieling on him as a shooter.

I don't know if you remember him, but he kind of reminds me of Gary Grant, a really physical, agressive, athletic PG who floated around for a while in the nineties. He had some good seasons in Miami.

He and Teague grade out pretty close to me, and this was another choice I was torn on. Teague's got so much pure offense, and he's got the potential to be a legit catch and shoot guy, that I really though pairing him with both Iggy and Thad would make sense, because those guys can create shots for him. But something about Maynor's physicality and aggressive approach feels like the type of player Philly has been built around lately. Maynor's is on a much different level than Teague defensively.

[SixersFan76]

Thanks. This actually doesn't sound too bad.

[Posterize246]

Eric Maynor
Jeff Teague
Greivis Vasquez
Lester Hudson
Jermaine Taylor
Stefon Jackson


That's our next batch of workouts set to come in Sunday morning. I thought we already worked out Jackson once, maybe we took a liking to him? Or maybe he didn't attend his first scheduled workout. Don't know about that. Hudson, Jackson, and Vasquez are all supposed to go 2nd round which brings up again why I think we're looking for a 2nd round pick.

And it'd be very interesting to see Maynor and Teague go up against eachother. Teague's great offense going against Maynor's great defense.

[GOBB]

Yeah we worked him out with the Ty Lawson group last week.

[SixersFan76]

I think as with most workouts and with most teams, some guys are just bodies for workouts, and others are guys who either will go in the second round or might go undrafted and we want to see them in person. Vasquez is a guy I don't like one bit for the league. He lacks great shooting ability or elite athleticism and doesn't have a true position - he should be playing in Europe the next few seasons. I think Jackson is a hometown kid whom they might be doing a bit of a favor for.

Hudson is another high scoring combo guard and Jackson and Taylor, like Christmas, are high scoring shooting guards who might not get drafted, and might be kids we take a look at signing for the summer league. Not sure where they project.

[artificial]

That's our next batch of workouts set to come in Sunday morning. I thought we already worked out Jackson once, maybe we took a liking to him? Or maybe he didn't attend his first scheduled workout.

He did attend. He is interviewed in the clip Gobb posted in another thread.


I had also read that analysis on Maynor, and coming from Thorpe you can trust him. Still I'm unsure about his lack of a shot, but it's as much as we can probably get with #17.

Who you guys would take between Lawson and Maynor?

I liked what I saw from Lawson in college. Good leadership skills, great handle and speed. He has a solid shot and I think he can develop into a solid 3pt shooter. But his defence worries me, and he's a little short. Also, I have doubts about how well he can manage the offence. It could very well that NC's system made him look so good...

Maynor, I like a lot what I read from him, although I really didn't saw him play. But from what I read (besides Thorpe's post) it doesn't looks likely that he ever develops an outside shot, and Philly really needs that.


Anyway, next workout with Teague and Maynor should be very interesting.

[Posterize246]

Who you guys would take between Lawson and Maynor?

Maynor.

I think the biggest question I have with Lawson besides his size is, can he play at more than one speed? One of the things I've noticed about Maynor is that he can play fast, slow, or in between and sometimes all in the same possession. He has great change of pace/speed ability. A lot of that leads to him being one of the best at the "secondary break".

[SixersFan76]

There is another issue with Lawson - health concerns. Either because of his size or because he is brittle, or from the way he plays, etc., not sure - but he was always hurt or nicked up. He never had any major issues, but he was hurt quite often. And look at his minutes and games played and think about how that load would increase as a starting PG in the NBA. Plus, his size is a serious concern - there are only a handfull of PGs that size who have been successful in the NBA. Maynor has other issues obviously. We're drafting 17, not 1, so any pick we'll make will be a trade off - there won't be any complete players in our range. Maynor concerns me because he was used to dominating the ball, is not a particularly creative passer, was a bit turnover prone, is very light, and doesn't have a great jump shot. I think between the two, I would probably prefer Maynor if the goal is to get a kid who can start right away. Lawson probably has a lower bust potential - he seems like he should at least be an Anthony Johnson level of quality back up in the pros, but Maynor seems like the more likely of the two to develop into a starting quality NBA point guard.

[SixersFan76]

By the way, I'm still hoping that it's neither Lawson nor Maynor. Give me Jeff Teague. Go upside. A back up PG in the NBA is a dime a dozen. Take the kid who has the best chance of developing into a good starter or better. That of course is presuming he'll be there at 17, which is far from guranteed.