The Quest for Tony's Eyebrows: the 2012 NBA Draft

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2012/0427/nba_a_bobcats_fan_b1_576.jpg

http://reddogreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Anthony-Davis-Kentucky-National-Champions-600x386.jpg

Tonight someone will learn that they will be drafting this dude. Also, maybe the Warriors will get a top seven pick and maybe they won't! Here's Chad Ford's top 20 prospects:

1. Anthony Davis PF 6-10 220 19 Kentucky
2. Michael Kidd-Gil. SF 6-7 210 18 Kentucky
3. Bradley Beal SG 6-5 195 18 Florida
4. Thomas Robinson PF 6-9 237 21 Kansas
5. Andre Drummond C 6-11 275 18 Connecticut
6. Harrison Barnes SF 6-8 210 19 North Carolina
7. Damian Lillard PG 6-2 185 21 Weber State
8. Perry Jones PF 6-11 235 20 Baylor
9. Dion Waiters SG 6-4 215 20 Syracuse
10. Jeremy Lamb SG 6-5 185 19 Connecticut
11. Tyler Zeller C 7-0 250 22 North Carolina
12. Jared Sullinger PF 6-9 280 20 Ohio State
13. Terrence Ross SG 6-6 195 21 Washington
14. Terrence Jones PF 6-8 244 20 Kentucky
15. Arnett Moultrie PF 6-11 225 21 Mississippi St.
16. John Henson PF 6-10 210 21 North Carolina
17. Austin Rivers SG 6-4 199 19 Duke
18. Kendall Marshall PG 6-4 188 20 North Carolina
19. Meyers Leonard C 7-0 240 20 Illinois
20. Moe Harkless SF 6-8 190 19 St. John's

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft/results/top100/_/year/2012

This Davis kid is the real deal. I hope he stays healthy so we can watch him for a long time. NBA centers grow into the job slowly.

I barely even watched the tourney this year. I'm not sure I could pick most of these dudes out of a lineup.

I thought the lottery was tomorrow?

it is.

oh I read that it was tonight. oops

So many guys in the top 10 are crazy overrated imo. I feel like this might be a Dirk-Pierce year where the lotto is almost backwards.

tho obvs. Davis is the bomb.

top 4 is very solid imo, drummond could go either way. barnes will turn into a decent pro. 7-10 on that list is def shaky. zeller, jones and henson will be good.

henson is the most underrated player in the draft imo. he's def a bit thin but he's athletic as hell for a center, has game changing blocking ability and is a solid offensive player. i think he's gonna be great in the nba, esp if teams start to trend smaller.

kinda hope the kings get this somehow. davis, cousins, reke, and thomas on the same team? hello new favorite team

ugh god, no

what would not be awesome about that?

only one ball, and Tyreke would still hog it.

the kings are depressing... they are not fun to watch

thomas and cousins are cool, but no team with tyreke and thornton is ever gonna be fun to watch -- shit is just frustrating

come on cavs..... gotta make it happen.

Not meaning to be cruel here, but Davis going to the Sacramento Kings would be as exciting as Kareem going to the Milwaukee Bucks.

i'm rooting for the kings. you guys would rather watch him on the bobcats?

I'd rather him on the Cavs

If the Bobcats get Jerry Sloan then I'm for it.

top 4 is very solid imo, drummond could go either way. barnes will turn into a decent pro. 7-10 on that list is def shaky. zeller, jones and henson will be good.

― fapper don (J0rdan S.), Wednesday, 30 May 2012 04:33 (13 hours ago) Permalink

You mean Chad's top 4? I don't see it. Thomas Robinson is tweener city and Beal is "the next ray allen" but he shot 33% from 3.

Drummond is the most terrifyingly risky top 5 prospect I can remember.

thabeet :(

what about the wizards w 1st pick? davis-wall could be brutal

You mean Chad's top 4? I don't see it. Thomas Robinson is tweener city and Beal is "the next ray allen" but he shot 33% from 3.

― Matt Armstrong, Wednesday, May 30, 2012 2:07 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark

well i think this is generally the consensus top 4 -- robinson is def a bit small for PF but he got his numbers in college and has pretty advanced post moves. he isn't a tweener in the derrick williams sense, tho, yeah he's not gonna be a star. i think he could be a productive offensive PF who is somewhat deficient in other areas of the game a la al jefferson

i've heard beal as "next eric gordon" not "next ray allen"... and his body and game are def similar to gordon's. he was pretty impressive in the tournament and he's still not even 20

If a SG's upside is Eric Gordon I'm not taking him in the top 4.

re: allen

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=off&sclient=psy-ab&q=%22ray+allen%22+%22bradley+beal%22&oq=%22ray+allen%22+%22bradley+beal%22&aq=f&aqi=g-bsK1&aql=&gs_l=hp.3..0i8i10i30.962.8414.0.8619.36.28.5.0.0.0.286.2439.22j4j2.28.0...0.0.0t2MNhi5s14&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=df268a9968e5cef1&biw=1366&bih=643

well i think this is generally the consensus top 4 -- robinson is def a bit small for PF but he got his numbers in college and has pretty advanced post moves. he isn't a tweener in the derrick williams sense, tho, yeah he's not gonna be a star. i think he could be a productive offensive PF who is somewhat deficient in other areas of the game a la al jefferson

― fapper don (J0rdan S.), Wednesday, May 30, 2012 9:42 PM (42 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Bill Self's tweeners always get their numbers.

re: allen

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=off&sclient=psy-ab&q=%22ray+allen%22+%22bradley+beal%22&oq=%22ray+allen%22+%22bradley+beal%22&aq=f&aqi=g-bsK1&aql=&gs_l=hp.3..0i8i10i30.962.8414.0.8619.36.28.5.0.0.0.286.2439.22j4j2.28.0...0.0.0t2MNhi5s14&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=df268a9968e5cef1&biw=1366&bih=643

― Matt Armstrong, Wednesday, May 30, 2012 6:22 PM (11 minutes ago) Bookmark

weird... seems like a bizarre comparison

i think beal's upside is that he'd be better than eric gordon... probably a better shooter. similar players tho.

Bill Self's tweeners always get their numbers.

― Matt Armstrong, Wednesday, May 30, 2012 6:25 PM (11 minutes ago) Bookmark

yeah. i mean he's definitely smallish... i think there's a difference between being a smallish player and a tweener. robinson is just a small power forward, but his game is pretty advanced. i think guys like that can succeed even if a few random guys below him will explode into better players. but a low floor can be attractive, too. he's definitely better than aldrich or the morris twins imo.

gilberts son
:( 4th pick

cho is sad

1st NOH
2nd CHA
3rd WAS

wau

wizards are a playoff team next year

errrr misread that

man this sucks, who the hell wants to watch davis play on the hornets

lol c-o-n-spiracy

I'm waiting for the picture of the Hornet logo with Davis' eyebrows instead of the antennae. I'm disappointed I haven't seen it yet.

so cavs ended up w drummond?

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1144336/hahaha_medium.gif

is there a good reason why the NBA doesn't televise the actual drawing of the lottery?

nba likes to cultivate mystery

feel for the bobcats but they'll love MKG

hahaha @ sternspiracy

these results blow btw

Cavs are actually a great, low pressure situation for Drummond I think.

as far as drummond goes

1 nola - obv this is not happening

2 cha - this could be interesting, not sure if the bobcats could develop him or that the culture would be right for him but him & biyombo would def be interesting.

3 was - this would be awful. learn under the tutelage of andray blatche!

4 cle - agree w/ matt that this would be great. would take some pressure of tristan thompson too

5 sac - this would be horrifying, obv

6 por - i think this would be fantastic, outside of the curse of portland taking centers high. but he would have no pressure to be an offensive force down low. this could be great for all.

7 golden state - doubt he even lasts this long and i guess it could work but idk, toxic franchise. plus they have bogut.

i would really like to see portland take him

another team that would be great for drummond tho i don't see it happening would be the sixers. they need an athletic big man in the worst way... maybe they could deal igou and their pick for a team looking to get out of the top 6 or 7 or so? i'm not sure if that would work.

drummond & biyombo could be like a younger, much less polished version of the perkins/ibaka frontcourt

the ford/simmons podcast is pretty frustrating but once they get into talking about drummond like 1/3 of the way thru it gets pretty interesting

fascinating talk about how dwight, amare, chandler, okafor, kwame, oden etc were perceived when coming out of the draft

Behind the scenes at the lottery:

http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2012/05/30/nba-draft-lottery/

2 cha - this could be interesting, not sure if the bobcats could develop him or that the culture would be right for him but him & biyombo would def be interesting.

they would block a billion shots. I don't really think the Bobcats have a "bad culture" or anything. They had a bunch of awful picks and then they decided (smartly) to tank last season. nbd

3 was - this would be awful. learn under the tutelage of andray blatche!

They're pretty much set at the 4/5 with Seraphin, Nene and Vesely. Doesn't make sense.

5 sac - this would be horrifying, obv

They would have to take him here though. As crazy as that roster would be, Drummond makes sense from a basic Xs and Os perspective.

It kinda flew under the radar, but the Wizards frontcourt looked pretty rad after the McGee trade. Vesely started coming along and Seraphin looked like a legit starting C.

the one thing from listening to the chad ford podcast is that i probably overrated "culture" -- some guys just don't give it their all in high school or college or in workouts and then when they get to the nba they just start to turn it around on their own volition

that said i'm not sure i'd like to see drummond go to some teams like was and sac that have run loose ships before -- was at least seems to be trying to clean that up but...

one thing in that podcast that i really agreed w/ simmons about was austin rivers. i think he's gonna get way under drafted. the one and done rule has its benefits to GMs i think (obv we now know that harrison barnes isn't the next kobe) but i think it can also throw them off the scent of a really good player

Only worries with Rivers is he's a volume shooter. Like a less talented Monta Ellis. If he ends up on the right team he could be a great second unit scorer. You just can't let him take 20 shots a game and make 8 of them.

rivers is definitely a high volume scorer but he's bigger physically than monta and is a smarter basketball player. and he'll play/try on defense. simmons made the comparison to jason terry, which i think was pretty solid, altho rivers' body means that he could be a bit more than that, at least as an all around player.

Golden State: "I think we kept our integrity," said general manager Bob Myers. Not exactly, but you did keep your draft pick.

hollinger :-)

Terry's jumper is much purer than Rivers'. Rivers reminds me of Jimmer Fredette.

ehhhh Jimmer isn't a terrible comp but he can't get to the rim at all. Rivers will need to learn to finish better but his skill in that regard is much higher than high volume combo guards like Jimmer or Kemba. I think his size gives him an advantage over those guys too even if it means he can't play the point.

I think kemba was a much better finisher in college than Rivers. Just from what I saw.

Size-wise Rivers is basically Jimmer isn't he?

ah ok rivers is about 1.5" taller nvm

both have T-Rex arms

lol

I mean Rivers isn't a great finisher right now but I think he can get better with time. His biggest problem is playing when everything doesn't come remarkably easy to him like it did in high school. But the skills are there, and I think he'll end up being worth closer too where we would've been picked out of high school (top 5) then where he will be here (low teens)

In terms of value. I would take him anywhere after, like, 9 myself.

i've been a rivers hater since day 1 so take this with the requisite grain of salt, but i'm not sold on him at all. has no idea how to play basketball, which has become more and more apparent as he's risen levels - his questionable mechanics are gonna be more problematic in the NBA when he's a C athlete compared to the rest of the league

I like the swag.

rivers will definitely have to adjust to the nba but he'll be in a better system than he was in at duke, but he can get to the rim and he can shoot, and he was seen as a top 5-type player coming out of college, and i'd risk a low top 10 pick on that. i'd rather have him than waiters, and i think he's up there with lamb (not a huge fan of lamb's body, tho i think there's a chance he morphs into a paul george type -- don't think he's that athletic tho) and terrence ross, who's pretty underrated

top 5 outta high school obv

The Dubs didn't tank. Tired of people saying that.

oh sure they did

that was like the most transparent tanking in recent memory -- the front office barely tried to hide it

trading for bogut was the tank.

they traded their top scorer for an injured person (which might work out in the long run but it's hard not o see the short term benefit as "we will lose more games this way") XP

The players were trying anyway. They just weren't very good players. But it gave some valuable minutes to Klay who stepped his game up and showed some of what he could do.

the rosters they were putting out there at the end of the year were sub-D league. obv guys who are sub-D league are going to try, because they'll be out of the NBA. but the front office and marc jackson were purposefully putting a team out there that gave them the best opportunity to keep their pick.

I'm not complaining.

(which might work out in the long run but it's hard not o see the short term benefit as "we will lose more games this way") XP

They didn't trade Ellis so they could lose more games. They have been trying to trade for size all fucking year.

I mean I don't blame you guys for not watching Warriors games but all those meaningless games where they trotted out a broken down Curry and Lee and let Ellis play big minutes so they could get into the playoffs ... very infuriating shit.

Or all the games where they played Nate Robinson instead of developing Charles Jenkins ... or etc. etc.

(which might work out in the long run but it's hard not o see the short term benefit as "we will lose more games this way") XP

They didn't trade Ellis so they could lose more games. They have been trying to trade for size all fucking year.

― polyphonic, Thursday, May 31, 2012 6:28 PM (6 minutes ago)

...

they traded ellis for bogut. bogut had already suffered a season-ending injury

And in doing so their SG play improved. And center is their weakest position by far.

dude, the trade was made after their chances of making the playoffs were already out the window. no one is condemning the move, but they did it 1) because bogut is better than ellis anyway and 2) to keep that pick

Lee and Curry were hurt, so they didn't play. Ellis was traded in a totally reasonable move. Otherwise they played the healthy players on their roster.

on my phone so i'm not gonna link but Zach Lowe's two posts on the lottery today were pretty informative. I didn't realize that they draw it out like an actual lottery with all the teams having a set of four number combos that they wait to pop up. that would be really boring + almost impossible to televise.

It's cool I already linked to it.

Lee and Curry were hurt, so they didn't play. Ellis was traded in a totally reasonable move. Otherwise they played the healthy players on their roster.

― polyphonic, Thursday, May 31, 2012 6:42 PM (9 minutes ago)

no one is saying this. a team trying to make the postseason doesnt trade its best scorer for a player on injured reserve. the front office made a long-term move

actually, if i remember right, they WERE putting out some funky lineups toward the end there, but that's not the point i'm trying to make. all i'm saying is the front office traded their most productive player for a player on injured reserve, which was widely seen as a tanking move

Jackson played his veterans too much until the day they were eliminated from the playoffs, April 11th. On that day David Lee played 40min despite being hurt.

On April 12th, even though the Warriors were already eliminated and Lee was suffering with his sprained groin, he still played 40 min.

........

cool dots!

a lot was made about the Mikki Moore signing, but he actually helped them.

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2012/story/_/id/7996057/michael-jordan-needs-sell-hornets-michael-kidd-gilchrist

scoop jackson with the dumbest NBA draft article I've ever read.

The Bobcats' problem -- well, there are many, but for the sake of this column we'll just focus on one or two -- is that they can't stop other teams from scoring. Plus, they don't have one player who can make it difficult for opponents to score.

bobcats had like the worst offense in NBA history, genius.

that entire thing is just incoherent and completely wrong

GUYS DON'T READ SCOOP

If you learn nothing else from this thread, please don't read Scoop, don't listen to Skip, and fuck Derek Fisher.

wow that's truly one of the dumbest things i've ever read in my entire life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0

really tho

fapper don (J0rdan S.), Friday, June 1, 2012 5:51 PM (12 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Charlotte already has three players who can legitimately score at three different positions: D.J. Augustin at the point, Gerald Henderson at small forward and Kemba Walker off the bench.

first of all, no. secondly, "off the bench" is a not a position in basketball.

― fapper don (J0rdan S.), Friday, June 1, 2012 5:59 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

No disrespect, but an upgrade from Bismack Biyombo in the middle is urgently necessary.

because of how in basketball you only play one big man for the entire game

― fapper don (J0rdan S.), Friday, June 1, 2012 6:00 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Jordan needs to go deep, take the Hornets through his own personal history. Remind them of what happened in 1984 when a team with a higher pick (Portland) chose another great big man from Kentucky (Sam Bowie) and passed on a special shooting guard. (And then Jordan can have Cho follow that up and remind them about the Greg Oden-Durant outcome.)

he should also remind them of the time that the bulls missed out on michael beasley or the time the clippers missed out on hasheem thabeet or the time the cavs missed out on darko milicic

― fapper don (J0rdan S.), Friday, June 1, 2012 6:02 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark

Does Jordan have enough Bishop Juan skill as an owner

smfh 1 million times

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2012/story/_/id/7996057/michael-jordan-needs-sell-hornets

^^the article would actually make more sense if it was about this

lol @ players running away from workouts in both charlotte and sacramento

drummond & biyombo could be like a younger, much less polished version of the perkins/ibaka frontcourt

what about ayon and davis? unheard of

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Best-CaseWorst-Case-NBA-Comparisons-Added-to-All-2012-Prospects-3943

chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Lots of teams buzzing about a Dion Waiters promise. Teams say he's canceled all upcoming workouts. Blazers, Raptors, Suns all suspects

lol at "all suspects"

it'd be a crime to take him, I guess.

i'l never forget when the hawks promised sheldon williams with the 5th pick. like were you really worried that one of those 4 teams ahead of you were gonna lose their shit over him in a workout?!?

Skulls like that don't grow on trees.

hahaha classic hawks

wasn't even the worst pick of the top 5 that year

2006 draft had four outright nuclear bombs in the top 10: adam morrison, shelden williams, patrick o bryant & mohammed sene

rough year

Shelden Williams is the best of that bunch, and yet the worst basketball player in his marriage.

i'l never forget when the hawks promised sheldon williams with the 5th pick. like were you really worried that one of those 4 teams ahead of you were gonna lose their shit over him in a workout?!?

― Moreno, Friday, June 8, 2012 12:01 AM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this was so strange. Maybe the strangest pick ever.

Anthony Davis arrived for his pre-draft media interview wearing a T-shirt that read "Check my stats."

Thomas Robinson wasn't afraid to share his thoughts when asked to give his input.

"If you wanted to check the stats, then I'd be the No. 1 pick easily -- if that's what you want to do," Robinson said. "I should get one of those shirts. I'll get a shirt that says, 'Numbers don't lie.' "

Robinson thinks he’s the best available player, despite Davis’ accomplishments.

"I think I play with a different level than everyone else, a different intensity level," Robinson said. "I'm going to play every night -- that's not something every guy [does]. Everybody don't show up every night on a consistent basis. I think out of this group, I probably would say that I'm one of the players that do."

(Thomas Robinson carefully places a "Kick Me" sign on his back)

http://p.twimg.com/Au3yA49CIAIAxgb.jpg:large
http://p.twimg.com/Au3yCVECIAEPPUD.jpg:large

insider shit

yeah, interesting stuff -- surprised henson is only 6' 10" in shoes... that scares me. and shit, perry jones is almost 7 feet in shoes? i feel he almost has to be a top 5 pick. you just have to risk it. that's insane.

also tyler zeller is a legit 7 footer, i think he's really underrated. dude can run for that size and is very skilled.

but then again, henson's measurements are exactly the same as anthony davis. i'm still high on him.

henson's 9'3.5" standing reach is pretty bonkers

henson > zeller > marshall > barnes (imo)

jeremy lamb weighs 179 pounds

royce white's 4 inches shorter than zeller but has the exact same wingspan O_O. also: huge hands. apparently he grew a beard in honor of john lennon.

someone is gonna get an absolute steal with white at the end of the first round

can we declare a moratorium on discussing player height in shoes iit, i mean their heights not in shoes are right there, this stat is also known as 'height'

do some guys really wear shoes w/inch and a half soles, im skeptical!

the differnce between height in shoes and in socks can vary wildly from player to player!

yeah if u wear 3 pairs of socks and a pair of tom cruises, you could easily add 3 inches

yeah and maybe some guys wear huge shoes just to get measured!

its even possible that players might wear some diff shoes throughout their careers, why are they measuring their draft camp workout shoes!

if i wanna feel tall, i'll wear a rly thin shoes like toms or chucks, then wear some oversized jordans over those THEN i put on snow shoes over that THEN i put on some mini canoes

i have dece size in roller skates

my hand width w/catchers mitt is elite

think how many steals you could have wearing one of those #1 foam fingers

or if i got that stretch armstrong surgery ive been BEGGING my plastics guy for, dunks from half court ALL DAY

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4242093/ns/health-cosmetic_surgery/t/limb-lengthening-tests-human-willpower

dont want more bones, just stretchy arms for cartoon dunks

understandable

perry jones is almost 7 feet in shoes? i feel he almost has to be a top 5 pick. you just have to risk it. that's insane.

also tyler zeller is a legit 7 footer 6-11, i think he's really underrated. dude can run for that size and is very skilled.

― J0rdan S., Friday, June 8, 2012 10:46 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah youve got to think that perrys stock will rise in workouts w/the type of player he is big athletic and all - agree that zeller is underrated

Scouts split on Perry Jones
By Chad Ford

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- On Thursday I made the trip up the California coast from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara to take in the BDA sports group workout.

Led by agents Bill Duffy, Kevin Bradbury, Todd Ramasar, Rade Filipovich, Calvin Andrews, David Mondress and Ugo Udezue, BDA has a number of clients in this year's draft training at the University of California at Santa Barbara. On Thursday they invited more than 80 NBA GMs and scouts to witness a three-hour workout of their clients.

I was on hand to both watch the workouts and to talk to the GMs and scouts in attendance.

Here's what I learned:

The two biggest enigmas in the draft are Connecticut Huskies big man Andre Drummond and Baylor Bears forward Perry Jones. I'll see Drummond in New York early next week.
Jones was the headline attraction Thursday. Whether his performance answered the questions NBA teams have about him is open to interpretation.

The workout featured Jones as a wing -- a smart move to validate NBA scouts who believe that Jones was miscast as a center in Baylor's offense the past two years. While Jones has the size of an NBA center, he's a perimeter-oriented big man who shies away from contact in the paint. He always looked more comfortable with the ball in his hands facing the basket than he did backing down a defender in the paint.

Thursday's workouts capitalized on Jones' strengths and featured him in a number of drills alongside other wings like the Vanderbilt Commodores' Jeff Taylor and UC Santa Barbara's Orlando Johnson.

Jones wowed early. He's unusually quick and fluid for a player his size. While he's not a lights-out shooter, he's got a nice stroke and knocked down 7-of-15 from NBA 3-point range in one drill. He's also a solid ball handler for his size and looked very comfortable running all the drills on the perimeter.

What was most impressive was his explosiveness in the paint. When Jones hit the lane, he blasted off the ground for a number of thunderous, highlight-reel dunks.

In many ways he reminded me of another unusually big wing -- Paul George. George measured 6-foot-10 in Indiana Pacers training camp and played the 2 and 3 all season for Indiana. Both are excellent athletes who are comfortable putting the ball on the floor and pulling up for jumpers. Both players were accused of not dominating the game during their two seasons in college. George didn't even make first-team All-WAC as a sophomore.

While George's numbers were slightly better across the board, he was allowed to play the wing in college. Jones, on the other hand, played the 4 and 5 the entire season.

After the workout, some things were clear. Others were not.

Jones is going to look terrific in individual workouts. There are very few players in this or any draft who can do the things he does at his size. A team could easily fall in love with his potential and make him a top-5 pick. George fell all the way to No. 10 on draft night and virtually every team that passed on him now regrets it. If we were to do over the 2010 draft today, he'd be the second or third player off the board.

What is less clear is whether a position change will improve Jones' motor and overall mental toughness. He disappeared for long stretches during Baylor's season and shied away from contact. Was Jones just unhappy with his role at Baylor and therefore not as engaged as he could've been? Or is there something deeper in his personality that saps the competitive edge out of him?

In speaking with Jones on Thursday, he's aware of what teams are concerned about and said he's working on improving his mental toughness and body language. He specifically said he's trying to improve his attitude when his shot doesn't fall early.

Jones has excellent athletic ability.
As for the GMs in the room? Everyone I spoke with came away with a different opinion. Here were two of the most representative:

"That sort of talent doesn't come along very often," one GM said. "As I was watching the workout, I thought you finally got to see what a freed-up Perry Jones could do if a coach just lets him be himself. He could be a dominant, and I mean dominant, forward with his size, athletic ability and skill set. I think he's a hard worker and will be a much better contributor if you give him the chance to be himself. I'd have no concerns drafting him in the top five. He could be a home run of a pick."

And the other side ...

"Of all the guys that are in your top 10, I'd have the hardest time taking him," another GM said. "I know he wants to be a 3, but I don't think he does anything that we ask our 3s to do that is special. He's not a great shooter. He doesn't have a great handle. He's not an aggressive defender. He's got great size and athleticism, but he's not skilled enough. That means he'll end up being a stretch 4, which is a euphemism for a guy who doesn't have a position.

"Could he be great? Sure. But I think he's a major project and a major risk. There are safer picks in the top 10 with very good upsides. I think there's a good chance that he slides in the draft as people continue to wrestle with who he is."

I wish I could tell you which camp I'm in. Both seem right, paradoxically.

yeah, my first thought was paul george when i saw those measurements. feel like jones has to be in consideration for every pick after anthony davis, tho i'd still take MKG over him.

also he was miscast at baylor and scott drew is a terrible, terrible coach

someone is gonna get an absolute steal with white at the end of the first round

― the route is ban (k3vin k.), Saturday, June 9, 2012 4:38 PM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I think he'll go at the end of the lotto in the end.

PJ3 has no excuses for how he played at Baylor. He showed zero desire or intensity and that's on him.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003736036_draft06.html

Durant, who will likely be chosen No. 2 in the June 28 draft by the Sonics, was the only player who could not bench press 185 pounds at least once. His overall performance ranked 78th out of 80 prospects, and his lackluster workout appears to have widened the gap between him and Ohio State center Greg Oden, who had an impressive combine.

ha iirc durant said re his bench press 'a basketball doesnt weigh that much'

any insider wanna put up the chad ford mock draft? I and ILH would be very grateful

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

New Orleans

Anthony Davis

Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-11
Weight: 222 pounds
Age: 19
School: Kentucky
Analysis: How hot of a commodity is Davis? As I wrote on Monday, sources said the Cavs offered the Hornets picks 4, 24, 32 and 33 for the No. 1 pick -- a deal the Hornets quickly and firmly declined. Davis is the one player in this draft that a team can immediately build around, so you can expect the Hornets to continue to receive and decline great offers.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Charlotte

Thomas Robinson

Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 244 pounds
Age: 21
School: Kansas
Analysis: The Bobcats are actively talking to teams about trading the No. 2 pick. Why? Not only is there no franchise player at No. 2, but I'm told there's a bit of a split right now in Charlotte between taking Robinson or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Sources say Michael Jordan isn't sold on building around the limited offensive arsenal of Kidd-Gilchrist, but the team also has questions about how high Robinson's ceiling is.

I think MKG is the second best prospect in the class, but it's very close between him, Robinson and Bradley Beal. If the Bobcats keep the pick and take Robinson, they'd be getting a super-athletic, physical 4 who should be an instant upgrade over Tyrus Thomas and D.J. White.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Washington

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 233 pounds
Age: 18
School: Kentucky
Analysis: The Wizards are happy at the No. 3 spot and I continue to hear it will come down to Kidd-Gilchrist or Beal. In this mock, both players are still on the board, so the choice is difficult.

Kidd-Gilchrist would give the Wizards some much-needed toughness and defense at the 3, albeit with a less advanced offensive game. Meanwhile, Beal would give them a dominant 2-guard, who can shoot the basketball, to pair with John Wall. I'm still not sure which way they'll go, but either player would be a very good addition to their roster.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Cleveland

Bradley Beal

Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 202 pounds
Age: 18
School: Florida
Analysis: The Cavs need a wing and like MKG, Beal and Harrison Barnes. Andre Drummond is also in the mix, but the Cavs don't yet have a comfort level with him. If this comes down to Beal or Barnes, I think Beal will have the slight edge here. But it's not a given. The Cavs have been interested in Barnes for the past year and could decide that his size is what they need.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Sacramento

Andre Drummond

Position: C
Height: 7-foot-0
Weight: 279 pounds
Age: 18
School: UConn
Analysis: Drummond measured out very close to DeMarcus Cousins last weekend at the draft combine. If the Kings draft him, they would suddenly have a massive front line, adding Drummond's athleticism, rebounding and shot-blocking to Cousins' polished offensive game.

The Kings have not shied away in recent years from prioritizing talent over players with question marks; Drummond, who has a questionable motor, has such a high upside, I'm not sure they pass here, either. If they do, however, it's because they fell in love with UNC's John Henson and feel he's more mature and willing to blend.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Portland (via Nets)

Damian Lillard

Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 189 pounds
Age: 21
School: Weber State
Analysis: If Drummond falls here, I think they take him. But if he doesn't, I'm hearing Lillard could be the man. He wowed at the draft combine and measured very similar in size and athletic ability to Derrick Rose. While Lillard isn't nearly the same prospect as Rose, the Blazers need a point guard and Lillard has the potential to be very, very good. Taking him at No. 6 is no longer a reach. Harrison Barnes and Jeremy Lamb would also be in the mix here.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Golden State

Harrison Barnes

Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 228 pounds
Age: 20
School: North Carolina
Analysis: I think both the Warriors and Barnes' camp, who want Barnes to go to a big market and an up-and-coming team, would do backflips if he slides this far. The team desperately wants to get a great small forward out of this draft and there's a pretty big drop-off after Barnes.

The Warriors worked out both Terrence Jones and Perry Jones on Monday, but weren't blown away with either player. Both are really 4s trying to pass themselves off as 3s. Jared Sullinger is also in the mix here and I'm hearing Moe Harkless is a potential dark horse for this spot, as well.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Toronto

Dion Waiters

Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 221 pounds
Age: 20
School: Syracuse
Analysis: The Raptors adamantly denied they were the team that persuaded Waiters to drop out of the combine with a promise to draft him in the lottery. Given the team's attempts to trade the pick, I sort of believe them. But that won't stop them from drafting Waiters if they keep the pick and he's still on the board.

The Raptors have a roster full of soft jump-shooters. What they really need is a tough player who can get to the basket and get his own shot at the end of games. Someone like Waiters. Damian Lillard and Jeremy Lamb are also possibilities at No. 8.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Detroit

John Henson

Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 216 pounds
Age: 21
School: North Carolina
Analysis: Greg Monroe has been a revelation in the middle for the Pistons, but they really need to pair him alongside an athletic shot-blocker. Although Henson is painfully thin, he rebounds, blocks shots and defends multiple positions.

It wouldn't be a perfect solution in Detroit, but the Pistons don't have a lot of other options here unless they want to reach a bit for Meyers Leonard who, after his stellar showing at the draft combine, might be worth it.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

New Orleans
(via Wolves)

Jared Sullinger

Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 268 pounds
Age: 20
School: Ohio State
Analysis: We've been assuming the Hornets would try to fill their hole at point guard here with a player like Damian Lillard or Kendall Marshall. They may. But the buzz has been around Jared Sullinger's name here. I could see why the Hornets would think that Davis and Sullinger would be an ideal pairing together. They complete each other.

I do, however, wonder whether Sullinger's weak results in the athletic testing portion of the draft combine might change their mind. Sully may be the worst athlete in the draft.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Portland

Jeremy Lamb

Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 179 pounds
Age: 20
School: UConn
Analysis: If the Blazers get Lillard at No. 6, they'll be tempted to reach for a big like Leonard. However, this might also be a great opportunity to fill out their backcourt with another guard.

Lamb has great length for his position, is a smooth athlete and, combined with Lillard, would give the Blazers a powerful scoring punch. Don't count out Austin Rivers and Dion Waiters here, either; I hear Portland's new GM, Neil Olshey, is a fan of both.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Milwaukee

Meyers Leonard

Position: C
Height: 7-foot-1
Weight: 250 pounds
Age: 20
School: Illinois
Analysis: The Bucks gambled a few years ago on Brandon Jennings and it paid off big time. At this point in the draft, Leonard is risky but could have huge upside. The Bucks really need a center after trading Andrew Bogut to the Warriors at the trade deadline. Leonard is a work in progress, but has the size and athletic ability to be a dominant big man down the road.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Phoenix

Austin Rivers

Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 203 pounds
Age: 19
School: Duke
Analysis: The rumor du jour in Chicago was that the Suns had promised to select Dion Waiters at No. 13. However, if it's true, a promise doesn't guarantee that he'll be there when they're drafting. If he's already off the board, it could come down to Austin Rivers or Terrence Ross.

Rivers didn't play a minute at the combine, but I was told by multiple NBA GMs that he really was impressive in interviews and lessened fears that he could be uncoachable. Ross played and played well, but doesn't have quite the star power that Rivers brings to the table. It could be a tough call, but I hear Phoenix is leaning Rivers' way.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Houston

Tyler Zeller

Position: C
Height: 7-foot
Weight: 247 pounds
Age: 22
School: North Carolina
Analysis: The Rockets' biggest need is in the middle and Zeller should be a solid option. Scouts don't think Zeller is going to be an All-Star someday, but he's big, he runs the floor very well and he has a great touch around the basket. Meyers Leonard has now passed him on our Big Board, but Zeller should ultimately land somewhere between Picks 8 and 14.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Philadelphia

Terrence Jones

Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 252 pounds
Age: 20
School: Kentucky
Analysis: The Sixers might have a tough choice here between Jones, Terrence Ross and Arnett Moultrie. They need size, but also shooting. Jones may be the compromise. He measured out very well for a power forward at the combine, has an NBA body and proved to be a solid rebounder and shot-blocker in college. He has tremendous upside if he puts his heart into it.

Ross, meanwhile, would give the Sixers the starting-caliber sniper that they've long lacked, while Moultrie is a long, bouncy, athletic big man who could stretch the floor for them.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Houston (via Knicks)

Moe Harkless

Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 207 pounds
Age: 19
School: St. John's
Analysis: We have the Rockets going safe at No. 14, so I think they can afford to gamble a little at No. 16. Harkless was another high riser at the draft combine. He is a great athlete, has toughness and has tremendous upside.

The Rockets have generally played it safe in the draft the past few years. The upside is that they've gotten solid players. The downside is that they haven't necessarily gotten any elite talent. Harkless could be that guy. Moultrie is another real option for them here.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Dallas

Kendall Marshall

Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 198 pounds
Age: 20
School: North Carolina
Analysis: With Jason Kidd 39 and a free agent and Rodrigue Beaubois more of a combo guard, Marshall would bring much of what Kidd brings to the table -- incredible court vision and size -- right away. He's not a great athlete or a great shooter, but he could keep Dirk & Co. happy.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Wolves (via Jazz)

Terrence Ross

Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 197 pounds
Age: 21
School: Washington
Analysis: The Timberwolves' biggest need is to put a shooter in the backcourt with Ricky Rubio. Ross is not only a sharpshooter from 3-point land, but he is also a great athlete and has great size for his position. He's a steal at 18.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Orlando

Perry Jones III

Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-11
Weight: 234 pounds
Age: 20
School: Baylor
Analysis: This is a long way for Jones to slip in the draft. Many believe he's a top-five talent, but no one knows what position he'll play in the pros. His situation reminds me a lot of the one Josh Smith was in a few years ago. Jones may find a home in the lottery, but if he doesn't he could slide this far. Given Jones' raw talent, he's definitely worth the risk at this point.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Denver

Arnett Moultrie

Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-11
Weight: 223 pounds
Age: 21
School: Mississippi State
Analysis: Moultrie made the head-scratching decision to sit out the draft combine drills. He would've looked great in that setting, but instead saw several players leapfrog him on the draft board. I doubt he slips much past the Nuggets or Celtics, though.

His length, athletic ability and shooting touch should all come in handy in Denver. Kentucky point guard Marquis Teague is also an option here.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Boston

Andrew Nicholson

Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 234 pounds
Age: 22
School: St. Bonaventure
Analysis: Nicholson is another draft sleeper who may really rise with workouts. He's a big stretch 4 who has drawn some comparisons to David West. He would be another welcome addition to the Celtics' summer makeover.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Boston (via Clippers)

Royce White

Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 261 pounds
Age: 21
School: Iowa State
Analysis: White may have helped himself as much as anyone in the draft last week. His play on the court was solid, but his interviews were stellar. Most of the NBA executives I spoke with felt that they would be comfortable drafting White somewhere outside the lottery. If the C's can add Nicholson and White -- two value picks this late in the draft -- the rebuild will be well on its way.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Atlanta

Tony Wroten Jr.

Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 203 pounds
Age: 18
School: Washington
Analysis: The Hawks have been cursed at the point guard position ever since they decided to pass on Chris Paul to draft Marvin Williams. Wroten is no Paul, but he may have the most raw talent of any point guard in the draft. He's big, he's athletic and he can get to the basket. If his shot wasn't broken, and if he had a better rep as a teammate, he'd be a top-10 pick.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Cavs (via Lakers)

Fab Melo

Position: C
Height: 7-foot
Weight: 255 pounds
Age: 22
School: Syracuse
Analysis: The Cavs could really use more help at the 5. Anderson Varejao is around for a few more years but after that the cupboard is bare. Melo might need a few years anyway before he's ready to be a serious contributor at the next level.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Memphis

Evan Fournier

Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 206 pounds
Age: 19
School: France
Analysis: I'm hearing the Grizzlies are looking to stash a player over in Europe this year. Fournier, a scoring wing from France, is the best European prospect on the board.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Indiana

Marquis Teague

Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 180 pounds
Age: 19
School: Kentucky
Analysis: Teague would've been a top-10 pick had he decided to stay in school. Instead he followed the rest of Kentucky's stars into the draft. He could go as high as the mid-first round but I doubt he slips past the Pacers here. Adding Teague would allow them to use Darren Collison as trade bait this summer.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Miami

Draymond Green

Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 236 pounds
Age: 22
School: Michigan State
Analysis: The Heat need players with experience who excel in bringing out the best in their teammates. Green can be a point-forward type who does a little of everything. Think of him as a better-passing Udonis Haslem.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Oklahoma City

Jeff Taylor

Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 212 pounds
Age: 23
School: Vanderbilt
Analysis: An elite athlete, Taylor can be a lockdown defender and has range on his jumper. He's probably undervalued at this point, but that happens to seniors. The Thunder will capitalize.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Chicago

John Jenkins

Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 212 pounds
Age: 21
School: Vanderbilt
Analysis: The Bulls need a shooter and Jenkins has one of the best strokes in the draft. His super-quick release and ability to finish at the basket make him an interesting prospect here.

PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

Golden State
(via Spurs)

Festus Ezeli

Position: C
Height: 7-foot-0
Weight: 264 pounds
Age: 22
School: Vanderbilt
Analysis: If the Warriors can nail down the small forward spot earlier in the draft, don't be surprised if they go big with their second pick. Ezeli has the size and experience to come in and be a solid backup. I'm told Norfolk State's Kyle O'Quinn is also an option here.

Can anyone who watched Syracuse this year tell me anything about fab melo? Can't tell if he's a Dan Gadzuric type of guy or what

If that mock draft plays out as ford foresees I will be both shocked and extremely impressed. After Davis at #1, the picture gets very muddy very quickly. But it is a fun exercise all the same and just as much a requirement for a hoops columnist as the end of the year top ten list for a movie critic, so I can hardly blame him for trying.

royce is amazing and i hope he's matured but he was a colossal fuckup in minnesota. lots of questions marks.

garnett, bass/nicholson, pierce/white, bradley/allen & rondo: that's the plan?

hahahaha reading this mock i realized knicks doesnt have a pick at all

fab melo is a def-minded C who doesn't do well at school

hes like.... stiemsma! (?)

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2012/

Another mock draft...

ha http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8K-EKA_vwOU

can he do that in a game tho ?

nice unguarded jumper awesome

dude looks awful handling the ball. he'd turn it over 50,000 times in the nba.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/y-sports-draftexpress-2012-nba-mock-draft-no-235200883--nba.html;_ylt=Av3BqzBFh0N3HREV6xyW.zu8vLYF

Givony writes at a 9th grade level.

"7-footer Meyers Leonard has a terrific combination of size and athleticism, and huge upside to continue to develop. Him and Tyler Zeller are the early favorites here."

oh dear

i find it kind of baffling that sullinger is gonna be picked in the top 10.

ohio state has quite the streak of overdrafted busts going

sullinger is so awful

Withey's total demolition of Sullinger is hard to forget

you really can't be that unathletic & successful in the nba

he's just not great enough at anything to overcome his physical limitations imo. Kevin Love is athletically limited but he's a rebounding genius. Also I feel like he scores too much by bullying people which won't work in the NBA.

also he's a star in college & gets ton of calls. that's not gonna happen in college.

uh, the nba*

guys I like: White, Harkless, Zller

is davis going to play center in the league? seems like he's big enough now that there are exactly two (2) centers of actual size to worry about between bynum and howard

thanks for the display name chad ford

sullenger is gonna be trash in the nba and i predict d-leagueing it most of his rookie year

I think Davis is so versatile that you can even play him some at SF if you want. Just depends on your roster. Since NOH still has Okafor I'd imagine Davis mostly plays PF.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/601162_355283094542125_752696048_n.jpg

^^credit to Turbozone

Since NOH still has Okafor I'd imagine Davis mostly plays PF.

I'd like to see Ayon and Davis play together.

i forgot okafor ended up in noh since he really didn't play this year (btw my fantasy team says fuck u emeka) but i'm not sure that really factors in much once games start happening and okafor inevitably gets injured

ayon-davis is more intriguing to me

on the draft lottery show they put up NOH's roster and left off Okafor

Sullinger's athletic testing positively Sweetney-esque

if the warriors take sullinger, like some mocks have them doing, i may actually die of laughter

I don't know what the fuck Draftexpress is thinking mocking Sullinger to the Warriors. How does that make any sense?

i don't know but i hope it happens

Since yaller talking about my Dubs, do we still owe the Jazz a pick in later years, or is Utah completely out of luck now we're #7?

later years, i think

it's top 6 protected next year.

actually kind of a mixed bag for Utah since this year's draft is mediocre

http://82games.com/bestdraftingteams.htm

rap game draft rater

It's possible that mere moments after David Stern hands off the Larry O'Brien Trophy to Micky Arison or Clay Bennett that he will be in Newark, N.J., announcing that the New Orleans Hornets are on the clock. The Finals are slated to end June 26 (or really, the morning of June 27 if you factor in the ceremony, the interviews, the analysis and all the responsibilities of the players and the league), and the NBA draft is on June 28.

This is why we need to interrupt this riveting NBA Finals for a moment to talk about a bunch of 19-year-olds who have never played a professional game before.

That's right: It's Draft Rater time. I've developed a tool that analyzes college stats to predict NBA performance and have refined it over the past several years. It's something we can use to help identify draft steals and busts.

To review, last season was a pretty good one for the Rater. The 2011 pick with the top chance of success (Kyrie Irving) won Rookie of the Year, three other players it rated highly (Kawhi Leonard, Jon Leuer and Nikola Vucevic) provided great value for their draft position, and long-time favorite Daniel Green emerged as a starter on the West's best regular-season team.

Meanwhile, the Rater was down on Jan Vesely, Josh Selby and Jimmer Fredette. The biggest whiff was on MarShon Brooks, whom it rated as a late second-rounder but was a solid late first-round pick by the Nets. The others were players nobody else rated highly either; Isaiah Thomas, for instance, was No. 57 on my board. It was probably too optimistic about Tristan Thompson as well; he had the highest raw rating of any player but struggled at times as a rookie.

I made a few minor tweaks compared to a year ago -- most notably, I ditched the "Howland" variable, even though it was statistically significant, because it felt like an "overfit" (fitting the model to past results that may not necessarily be predictive) and I had enough significant variables without it. Otherwise, it's basically same as it ever was -- a giant regression model that gets incrementally smarter as we fill it with more data each year and one that I've segmented by position. It's still less predictive with one-and-done players, whom it sees less of statistically before they turn pro, and it's not perfect -- we're trying to project what 19-year-olds will be like at 25, a profoundly inexact science.

Nonetheless, let's zoom back out to the big picture and go through the results from this year's Draft Rater, because I think you'll see that a few points remain paramount.

1. Anthony Davis is obviously the best player

Good thing we came up with this neat model, because I don't know how we could have discerned this information otherwise. Yes, this is a one-star draft. Davis blew up my Draft Rater, as expected, but just as notable is the huge gap between him and the next place on the list.

Davis rates several points ahead of every other player on the board. In fact, the difference between Davis and the No. 2-rated player, Jared Sullinger, is greater than the gap between Sullinger and No. 16 Bradley Beal. And Sullinger's rating comes with asterisks that don't afflict Davis.

2. Remember, we're projecting PER

This gets extremely important when you look at the next few players that Draft Rater highlights and when you look back at some of the players Draft Rater has fawned over mistakenly in recent seasons. In each, you'll notice a huge propensity toward defensively lacking power forwards -- players like Michael Beasley, Charlie Villanueva and Tyrus Thomas, who had some of the best marks in recent seasons.

That's not a failure of Draft Rater as much as a failure of what I've asked it to do: project NBA PER from college stats. It did that; Beasley, Villanueva and Thomas all have excellent career PER marks. They just aren't very good in spite of those numbers due to their defensive shortcomings and questions about their fit in the team concept.

So let's take a closer look at two relatively short, stocky power forwards who are among the next names on the list: Sullinger and Draymond Green. Will these guys put up numbers? Very likely. Will they be able to guard their position? That is a much more open question and why they won't go as highly as Draft Rater places them. Green, in particular, is a massive defensive question mark.

This applies to a lesser extent to the next several players. Terrence Jones and Royce White, who also has anxiety issues that may affect his draft position, are much more offensive players who are an inch short for the power forward spot, and Furkan Aldemir of Turkey -- who rates as a mid-first-rounder although he probably won't be taken until the middle of the second round -- has defensive shortcomings too.

At least that makes it easy to pick out the second-best big man this year: Thomas Robinson of Kansas, who has no such defensive shortcomings and should be able to score effectively with his athleticism around the rim.

Also warranting looks later in the lottery are two project-level bigs with more upside, especially at the defensive end: Andre Drummond and John Henson. Henson has a slightly higher rating, but as a 7-foot center, Drummond is virtually certain to be the higher pick.

Finally, a sleeper among bigs is Henry Sims of Georgetown. He is not a great athlete and will struggle defensively, but he is a high skill guy who could be a second-round steal.

Bigs: The Best
Name College/Country Rating
Anthony Davis Kentucky 22.23
Jared Sullinger Ohio State 16.86
Thomas Robinson Kansas 15.20
Draymond Green Michigan State 14.84
Terrence Jones Kentucky 14.28
Royce White Iowa State 14.07
Furkan Aldemir Turkey 12.87
John Henson North Carolina 12.11
Andre Drummond Connecticut 12.05
Henry Sims Georgetown 10.38

3. High-rated wings usually deliver

As I noted with Leonard a year ago, wing players -- especially bigger ones -- with strong Draft Rater marks virtually never fail. Of the eight players to rate above 13 in the past decade, the worst among them was Josh Childress. Five of the players have played in an All-Star Game, and Rudy Gay may play in an All-Star Game soon. The seventh player is Leonard.

This year, we have two names to add to that list: Dion Waiters and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Kidd-Gilchrist is probably the safest pick on the board -- a big wing who plays defense, has strong stats and comes with no character questions. From a risk-aversion perspective alone he should be a top-five pick; I have him third on my board after Robinson. (See below for how I would rank the prospects, regardless of their Draft Rater numbers.)

I have Waiters fourth for similar reasons. His size, 6-foot-4, is more of a concern, but whatever team made him a promise did a wise thing. Waiters projects as the best small wing since Dwyane Wade, and he'd be a steal if somebody got him in the Nos. 8-10 range currently being discussed.

The other wing everybody is sleeping on is Quincy Miller of Baylor, who put up a strong mark despite coming off an ACL injury. He has more questions marks because of the knee and his bony build, but he is long and can score. The stories of him slipping have me baffled, because he rates as a top-10 pick.

Two other wings who will be drafted highly don't rate as strongly: Beal and Harrison Barnes. Most players in their range turn out to be solid, but this part of the pool doesn't produce many stars. I'd be more comfortable taking these two in the later part of the lottery.

Doronand Jeremy Lamb added to the perpetual confusion between the two by posting virtually the same rating, although this may be the only one that had Doron rated higher. Jeremy is likely to go 15 picks sooner given his higher ceiling, but Doron could be a great pickup in the late first or early second round as a Courtney Lee clone who hits 3s and defends.

The other wing worth a first-round look is Memphis' Will Barton, whom most have slotted as a second-rounder and who rates as a nice sleeper.

Perimeter Players: The Best
Name College/Country Rating
Dion Waiters Syracuse 14.12
Kendall Marshall North Carolina 13.84
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Kentucky 13.58
Marquis Teague Kentucky 13.18
Quincy Miller Baylor 12.94
Tony Wroten Washington 12.21
Bradley Beal Florida 11.65
Kostas Sloukas Greece 11.51
Harrison Barnes North Carolina 11.11
Will Barton Memphis 10.90
Doron Lamb Kentucky 10.65
Jeremy Lamb Connecticut 10.50

4. The point guard conundrum

Point guard is the hardest position to draft because so much depends on improvement once the player turns pro. Unless it's an overwhelming talent such as Chris Paul or Irving, the smarter play is usually to draft this position late and hope for the best.

This year, several point guards rate as first-round talents, and there is little to separate them. North Carolina's Kendall Marshall is the highest rated of the bunch and the safest pick, but he offers the least upside. Often compared to Mark Jackson because of his size, acumen and lack of athleticism, he is a solid mid-first-round pick. A poor man's version of Marshall might be Kostas Sloukas of Greece, who has solid translated Euroleague stats but will be a late second-rounder if he's drafted at all because of his questionable athleticism.

On the other hand, Marquis Teague of Kentucky and Tony Wroten of Washington have talent to spare and star upside. The question is whether each can harness it. Teague was plagued by turnovers, especially early in the year, but he is an athletic scoring point guard in the mold of his older brother, the Atlanta Hawks' Jeff Teague. Wroten, meanwhile, is enormous for a point guard (6-6) and can really see the floor, but he can't shoot and has lots of character questions.

Among Marshall, Wroten and Teague, it really is dealer's choice as to how much risk you're willing to take on for the reward. By the mid-first round I start liking Wroten's star potential quite a bit, but others may wish to play it more safely.

5. The rest of the bigs

In the tail end of the first round and throughout the second, we're sorting through several big men with fairly weak Draft Rater résumés. The Rater is a particularly harsh judge at the center position, where it frowns on the prospects of four centers with first-round aspirations -- Tyler Zeller, Meyers Leonard, Fab Melo and Festus Ezeli -- and flat-out mocks Miles Plumlee, who is off-the-charts bad with a 2.49 Draft Rater projection.

Plumlee aside, the other four are probably worthy of late first-round picks despite any misgivings, simply because size is such a rare commodity. Even if they can become just decent backup centers, taking them low in the first round makes sense. Two other 7-footers, Garrett Stutz of Wichita State and Robert Sacre of Gonzaga, shape up as solid second-rounders if we apply similar reasoning.

At the power forward spot, Perry Jones III is rated several notches lower than most, while two other likely first-rounders, Andrew Nicholson and Arnett Moultrie, rate as second-round picks. Also of note is Croatian forward Leon Radosevic as a decent second-round value play.

Bigs: The Rest
Name College/Country Rating
Perry Jones III Baylor 8.77
Leon Radosevic Croatia 8.77
JaMychal Green Alabama 8.73
Drew Gordon New Mexico 8.39
Tyler Zeller North Carolina 8.23
Andrew Nicholson St. Bonaventure 8.22
Quincy Acy Baylor 8.16
Fab Melo Syracuse 7.73
Garrett Stutz Wichita State 7.68
Mike Scott Virginia 7.50
Robert Sacre Gonzaga 7.37
Cameron Moore UAB 7.03
Meyers Leonard Illinois 7.02
Mitchell Watt Buffalo 6.77
Festus Ezeli Vanderbilt 6.54
Arnett Moultrie Mississippi State 6.42

6. Potential perimeter busts

One player that Draft Rater isn't crazy about is Damian Lillard of Weber State, who compiled strong numbers but did so against a weak schedule and is much older than most of the prospects at his position. He not only failed to outrank the top point guards above but also rates behind the less-heralded Tyshawn Taylor of Kansas. No. 6 clearly seems a stretch for Lillard, who looks more like a mid-to-late first-rounder in this analysis.

On the wings, a few potential first-rounders also fare poorly. Moe Harkless of St. John's had one of the worst ratings of any first-round prospect. While the error rate on one-and-done players has been higher, the difference between Harkless and the other lottery candidates is well outside the standard error of the Rater.

In addition to Harkless, first-round prospects John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor of Vanderbilt fared poorly. Another first-round prospect from overseas, Evan Fournier of France, didn't play in the Euroleague this year and thus has no projection. Subjectively, I'm not sold on him -- he's basically a slashing scorer who isn't athletic enough to score that way in the NBA -- but he at least has the benefit of being only 19.

One player gathering momentum is Kostas Papanikolaou of Greece, who shapes up as a solid second-round stash pick. Two other wing prospects -- Austin Rivers and Terrence Ross -- shape up about where we'd expect as mid-to-late first rounders, but after those two, the pool thins out quickly.

A final sleeper to watch is Maryland point guard Terrell Stoglin, another guy who would make a great second-rounder.

Perimeter Players: The Rest
Name College/Country Rating
Tyshawn Taylor Kansas 10.19
Austin Rivers Duke 9.85
Terrell Stoglin Maryland 9.82
Damian Lillard Weber State 9.75
Kostas Papanikolaou Greece 9.26
Terrence Ross Washington 9.12
Elias Harris Gonzaga 8.64
William Buford Ohio State 8.58
J'Covan Brown Texas 8.49
Jordan Taylor Wisconsin 8.19
Reggie Hamilton Oakland 8.18
Maalik Wayns Villanova 8.02
Hollis Thompson Georgetown 8.01
Tony Mitchell Alabama 7.91
Jae Crowder Marquette 7.90
Jared Cunningham Oregon State 7.76
John Jenkins Vanderbilt 7.76
Khris Middleton Texas A&M 7.68
Scott Machado Iona 7.57
Tornike Shengelia Republic of Georgia 7.33
Moe Harkless St. John's 7.15
Tu Holloway Xavier 7.14
Orlando Johnson UC Santa Barbara 7.11
Darius Miller Kentucky 6.65
Jeffery Taylor Vanderbilt 6.59

7. Making my board

Knowing everything we know, here is how my board looks heading into draft day. This is taking into account everything from the Draft Rater as well as what we know about the players' red flags, defensive pluses and minuses and one or two subjective calls:

1. Anthony Davis
2. Thomas Robinson
3. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
4. Dion Waiters
5. Andre Drummond

6. Quincy Miller
7. Jared Sullinger
8. Terrence Jones
9. John Henson
10. Royce White

11. Bradley Beal
12. Harrison Barnes
13. Tony Wroten
14. Kendall Marshall
15. Marquis Teague

16. Draymond Green
17. Jeremy Lamb
18. Damian Lillard
19. Austin Rivers
20. Doron Lamb

21. Furkan Aldemir
22. Will Barton
23. Tyler Zeller
24. Evan Fournier
25. Tyshawn Taylor

26. Meyers Leonard
27. Terrence Ross
28. Perry Jones
29. Festus Ezeli
30. Fab Melo

31. Kostas Sloukas
32. Henry Sims
33. Terrell Stoglin
34. Kostas Papanikolaou
35. Moe Harkless

36. Leon Radosevic
37. JaMychal Green
38. Andrew Nicholson
39. Drew Gordon
40. Garrett Stutz

41. Robert Sacre
42. Arnett Moultrie
43. Elias Harris
44. William Buford
45. Jae Crowder

46. Jared Cunningham
47. Jordan Taylor
48. John Jenkins
49. Orlando Johnson
50. Jeffrey Taylor

51. Quincy Acy
52. Maalik Wayns
53. Tornike Shengelia
54. Scott Machado
55. Mike Scott

56. J'Covan Brown
57. Reggie Hamilton
58. Khris Middleton
59. Tony Mitchell
60. Miles Plumlee

Sullinger apparently has a health red flag concerning his back.

know-it-all jay bilas:

1. Anthony Davis, Kentucky Wildcats
Davis is the best prospect in this draft and a "once in a decade" talent. His length, athleticism and stunning defensive range alone make him the top selection. Add in his tremendous hands, offensive potential and his selfless attitude, and you have a winner.

2. Bradley Beal, Florida Gators
Beal is likened to Ray Allen, even though he shot only 34 percent from 3-point range as a freshman. But Beal shot the ball better in the last half of the season, including better than 43 percent from deep in the last six games. Allen also shot his lowest percentage as a college freshman at UConn. Beal is athletic, efficient and can defend and rebound. He needs work on his handle, but he's a really good prospect.

3. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky
The only thing you can complain about with MKG is his shooting mechanics. He doesn't square his body to the target or release it on the way up, and he does not have a natural, repeating stroke with a consistent release point. So what? You are not drafting this guy for offense. He is long, athletic, defensively versatile and absolutely relentless. He can guard anyone and is great in transition and attacking the rim. If his shot improves, great. If not, he is still worthy of this ranking.

4. Thomas Robinson, Kansas Jayhawks
Robinson has started for only one season at Kansas, and his outstanding per-minute averages did not go down a bit when his minutes more than doubled. He is a prototype power forward who can face up, post deep, move his feet on ball-screen action and rebound at a really high rate. His post game is not refined, and he is not a passer, but he is productive and should continue to improve. He may not be a superstar, but he will be a productive workhorse.

5. Harrison Barnes, North Carolina Tar Heels
In high school, I thought Barnes was super athletic and always made the right play. In college, I questioned his athleticism and his basketball IQ. Well, I am doubling down on Barnes because I think he will be a better pro than a college player. He is an outstanding jump shooter, really good at midrange and incredibly athletic with potential at both ends. Barnes is a thinker who is process-oriented, but with more time to work on his game, I like him better as a pro. And he was a heck of a college player, notwithstanding the super high expectations.

6. Andre Drummond, Connecticut Huskies
Size, athleticism, length and impressive "measurables" make Drummond a man of intrigue in this draft. You hear both Dwight Howard and Kwame Brown when his name is mentioned. Drummond's future depends on one thing -- his internal drive. If he works and is passionate about his game and development, he can be really good. If not, he can fail to live up to his potential. He lacks offensive polish and does not make free throws. But he is a freak athlete who can block shots, rebound and finish around the goal. He really moves his feet and can really run. Drummond could make you look really smart or get you canned.

7. Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut
Lamb is a scorer and shooter with really good athleticism and length. He is a good defender and can get his own shot and get it off over size with his long arms and high release. Lamb is not a passer and does not get to the free throw line as much as he should, but he is good in transition and has terrific ability.

8. Damian Lillard, Weber State Wildcats
Lillard has great tools as a scorer, including explosive athleticism and a will to improve. He is a terrific shooter from range, does a great job in transition and can really attack the lane and get to the free throw line. Whether he can be a point guard is the real question. Lillard is not a great passer or decision-maker, and he needs to better see the game, especially off of ball screens. He is, however, the best point guard prospect in this draft.

9. Dion Waiters, Syracuse Orange
Waiters is an attack guard who is terrific in transition, a powerful driver and an aggressive scorer. His body, strength and attack mentality make him a weapon, especially on the offensive end. Even though Waiters played mostly in Jim Boeheim's zone, I believe he will be a good defender in the NBA.

10. Perry Jones III, Baylor Bears
If you are old enough or watched Nickelodeon as a kid, you will recall Greg Brady's foray into music when he was selected to be the next Johnny Bravo because he "fit the suit." Jones is Johnny Bravo. He has the size, athleticism, tools, skills and look that makes him fit the NBA suit. There is only one question about Jones: Is he tough enough and does he have the inner drive to do it under the brightest lights? He is still really young in the game and is worth the risk. He has upside and is a terrific kid.

11. Austin Rivers, Duke Blue Devils
Rivers is really good with the ball, breaks down defenders without the need for a ball screen and can get by most anyone. With tremendous quickness, especially when the ball is in his hands, Rivers can get the ball to the rim in a hurry, and he has great instincts to score. He is 6-foot-5 and has a terrific competitive spirit. He gets some heat for being cocky, but what really good player is not confident to the point of cockiness? He is good defensively and accepts challenges of guarding the best perimeter players, and he gets to the free throw line at a high rate. Can Rivers play point in the NBA? I think he can, but he needs to learn to play without the ball.

12. Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
Zeller has a skill that sets him apart from any big man in this draft, and the vast majority of big men in the NBA: He can really run the floor. Zeller's ability to change ends puts tremendous pressure on opposing big men. Zeller is a good post defender who breaks contact to get deflections and rebounds at a really high rate. He needs to better hold position down low, but he is strong and has a good frame. He has a nice touch, hits a trail jumper and knocks down his free throws.

13. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State Buckeyes
Sullinger is not tall, but he is really long and uses his big body well around the paint. He rebounds very well but is not a shot-blocker or shot-changer. Sullinger is not a great athlete and, in fact, tested at the bottom among prospects at the NBA draft combine, which was not a surprise. His level of success in the NBA will depend upon his ability to hit a face-up jumper to 20 feet, which he improved upon last season.

14. John Henson, North Carolina
Henson was projected as a small forward coming out of high school, but it seems that power forward is his best spot. He has freaky length and can block shots and rebound, and his offensive game has improved to the point of being able to hit a face-up shot to 17 feet or so. He is unorthodox and does not carry a lot of bulk, but his length, shot-blocking ability and rebounding make him a very good prospect.

15. Meyers Leonard, Illinois Fighting Illini
Leonard is a true 7-footer who is very athletic, blocks shots, can step out and shoot or drive and has a really nice offensive skill set. Leonard is still very young in the game and improved greatly last season. The only question about Leonard is his toughness. There are times he settles and doesn't go into contact and use his size and strength. He does not rebound at a high rate, and he needs to fight harder for post position on both ends of the floor. That said, Leonard is a fine prospect who has terrific potential as an NBA center.

16. Terrence Jones, Kentucky
Jones is a lefty who is athletic, very strong and has improved his rebounding and toughness during the past year. He has a really good frame, can drive it past an opposing big and can step away and knock down a perimeter jumper. Like most players with size and skills, the only question marks have to do with consistency.

17. Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State Bulldogs
Moultrie is a really good rebounder with length and size who has improved every year. He has a nice touch and improved his free throw shooting, which speaks very well of him and is an indicator he will continue to work on his weaknesses. Moultrie has athleticism and mobility, and most impressive is his willingness to move without the ball and willingness to do the dirty work. He played on a dysfunctional team and didn't always have the best body language, but he has ability.

18. Kendall Marshall, North Carolina
Marshall is a left-hander with extraordinary vision, passing ability and leadership. He has good size but lacks foot speed and the ability to get by people off the dribble. Marshall is not a great shooter or scorer but is excellent in transition, and his teammates run because he will find them. He averaged almost 10 assists per game but did not score efficiently. He can hit a wide-open standstill jumper but is not a driver or penetrator. His defense is lacking, but he is able to use his size and is smart about playing off of quicker guards and using angles to cover up speed and quickness disadvantages. Marshall has decent straight-line speed but not quickness.

19. Moe Harkless, St. John's Red Storm
Harkless is really talented and athletic. He has good rise and the ability to get to the rim going right, and he can rebound at a high rate. He was guarded mostly by interior players, which gave him a driving advantage, but he is good in transition and has the ability to be a really good and versatile defender. Harkless lacks physical strength and is not a shooter or handler, and he needs to be able to drive it to his left and finish, but he has a willingness to work and can improve those areas.

20. Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure Bonnies
Nicholson has an NBA frame with length and strength, and he can rebound and score at a high rate. He is a very good offensive rebounder, can step away and hit a face-up jumper, and he blocks shots and can guard in the post. Nicholson also does a nice job on the block offensively and has really good feet and post moves. The masses may not know him, but Nicholson will be a very good NBA player.

21. Tony Wroten Jr., Washington Huskies
Wroten was the best passer coming out of high school last year and is a lefty with size and athleticism. He can get by people and bully his way into the lane, and he gets fouled at a very high rate and shoots a ton of free throws. Wroten can be a very good defender but is not one yet. He turns the ball over at a high rate because of questionable decisions, and he is a non-shooter, neither from deep nor from the free throw line. He can be a point with size, and he has great tools. I liken him to a bigger but very raw Rajon Rondo.

22. Marquis Teague, Kentucky
Teague was overshadowed by the super talent on his title team, but he is a very good point guard prospect. He has good size, length and athleticism for a point guard, and he has very good speed with the ball. Teague is not a shooter and has had some trouble with turnovers and adjusting to running a team. He can drive it and is very good in the open floor, and he is good off of ball screens and finishing at the goal. His challenge is to improve his decision-making in the half court.

23. Terrence Ross, Washington
Ross is an excellent shooter and athlete who is very good in catch-and-shoot situations and coming off of screens. He runs hard in transition, and Washington looked to him for shots and lobs after timeouts. He is a good defender on the ball but needs to improve off the ball. Ross is not a great handler and drives right to get to the rim and left to pull up.

24. Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt Commodores
Taylor is an outstanding athlete who is a very versatile defender and has the ability to play in the open floor and get to the rim and finish. He is a vastly improved shooter and has become far more consistent. He still needs to improve his free throw shooting, but he has become a tougher player on both ends.

25. Fab Melo, Syracuse
Melo improved his mobility, his conditioning and his strength last season, and he was a reliable player who could change ends, challenge shots and has the ability to rebound (although he does not rebound at a high enough rate on the defensive end). Melo improved his free throw shooting and finishes around the rim, but he is not a naturally gifted offensive talent. He is raw and needs work, but he has good hands and has made some limited strides.

26. Royce White, Iowa State Cyclones
White has the tools to be outstanding at the pro level. He is versatile, big and really strong, and he has an uncanny knack for passing after getting by a defender and making a play off the bounce. With a 7-foot wingspan, he can rebound and has really good body balance to take contact and finish. White is not a shooter or (despite his steals) a consistent or willing defender, but he led Iowa State in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. He has some questions regarding his anxiety disorder and some off-court issues, and all are legitimate questions. If, however, a team is satisfied those questions are answered, he could be a real theft late in the first round.

27. John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
Jenkins is the best shooter in this draft and gets his shots off of screens and relocations. He does not get his own shot and is neither a great handler nor defender. Jenkins has a specialized skill, and that is of a shooter. With a penetrating point and an interior threat, Jenkins can help spread the floor and knock down perimeter shots with consistency.

28. Quincy Miller, Baylor
At 6-10 with skills and talent, Miller has a lot of tools. He came off of a knee injury last season but showed his scoring instincts and midrange and face-up skills in having some extraordinary performances for a first-year player. Miller was not consistent, however, and did not always play with fire. He is versatile and lengthy with very good ball skills, midrange shooting and the length to be a decent defender. He is not a great athlete, needs to get much stronger and tougher and must improve his shooting range, but Miller has some ability and skills.

29. Draymond Green, Michigan State Spartans
Green is a classic "tweener," who has really long arms and tremendous heart and will. He can rebound, pass, face up and step away, and he can hit the college 3-point shot. Green is very good in the post and does the little things a team needs to win. He is not, however, an NBA athlete. I still believe he can play at the next level because of his ability to rebound, but guarding more athletic small forwards or bigger power forwards will be a challenge.

30. Evan Fournier, France
I have not seen Fournier in person, but he has physical tools, finishing ability, good feet and a very good skill level. Fran Fraschilla noted that Fournier is the best foreign prospect in this draft and was the best prospect at this year's Eurocamp. Fournier is very young and lacks strength, but he can help a team, if given the necessary time to develop.

Bilas uses the word "really" 24 times in that Mock.

Ohio State Buckeyes big man Jared Sullinger has been medically red flagged by NBA doctors, multiple league sources told ESPN.com on Monday.

Alas! I would that they had flagged Mr. Oden, late of Ohio State, as promptly. Alack-a-day!

_Ohio State Buckeyes big man Jared Sullinger has been medically red flagged by NBA doctors, multiple league sources told ESPN.com on Monday._

Ford has him sliding to 20 in his latest mock. He dropped perry jones out of the lottery too (19).

Picks 2 through 5 look like a toss up right now.

Idly wondering. Has any SG, PG or SF lottery pick (or even later) come into the league being touted as mainly a lockdown defensive specialist right from the start? Seems like smaller players are sorted into this bin only after they arrive, not before.

avery bradley def was

also iman shumpert

ford's mock has the kings picking barnes at no. 5, which would be awesome cuz they def need another offensive minded wing player

Idly wondering. Has any SG, PG or SF lottery pick (or even later) come into the league being touted as mainly a lockdown defensive specialist right from the start? Seems like smaller players are sorted into this bin only after they arrive, not before.

― Aimless, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 17:33 (4 hours ago) Permalink

Nah it happens plenty of times.

ford's mock has the kings picking barnes at no. 5, which would be awesome cuz they def need another offensive minded wing player

― J0rdan S., Tuesday, June 19, 2012 5:35 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the only thing they need is to trade Evans.

chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Hearing similar RT @JohnCanzanoBFT: NBA GM tells me he thinks Blazers take Lillard at No. 6, & wouldn't chance trying to get him at No. 11

Looks like drummond might slip to warriors.

that would be quite the coupe for them

Chad Ford's tier system article below. Also, rumors that the Cs made a promise to Royce White.

Tier 1

Anthony Davis

Note: This category is usually reserved for guys who are sure-fire All-Stars/franchise players. Last year, we didn't have anyone here. In 2010, John Wall was the only guy in this tier. In 2009, Blake Griffin was the only one. This year Davis is the only player in the draft to get the nod.

Tier 2

Harrison Barnes
Bradley Beal
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Thomas Robinson

Note: Tier 2 is reserved for players who are likely locks for the top half of the lottery and are projected as either very good starters or potential All-Stars by scouts. Robinson, Beal and Kidd-Gilchrist got the nod for Tier 2 from every GM I spoke with. Barnes, who has been rising on draft boards the past few weeks after some stellar athletic testing numbers at the NBA combine, was on 75 percent of the lists.

Tier 3

Andre Drummond
Damian Lillard
Dion Waiters

Note: This is a smaller than usual Tier 3. These are the only three players (outside of the five mentioned already) that were consensus top-10 picks among the GMs I spoke with. Of the group, Drummond and Lillard had every vote. Waiters was on most of the ballots. Drummond is the toughest guy to peg. One team has him No. 2 on their draft board. Others are much more nervous about him and see a high bust potential. He barely missed the Tier 2 cut. Interestingly, a few teams had Waiters in Tier 2, while a few teams had him in Tier 4. That's a pretty big spread.

Tier 4

John Henson
Perry Jones III
Terrence Jones
Jeremy Lamb
Meyers Leonard
Kendall Marshall
Austin Rivers
Terrence Ross
Jared Sullinger
Tyler Zeller

Note: After Tier 3, it's very difficult to find a real consensus here. There are 10 players here for a total of five spots left in the lottery. A few players, like Jeremy Lamb and Austin Rivers, got a few votes in Tier 3. A few others, like Kendall Marshall, got some Tier 5 votes. But in general, this group makes up the 10-20 range of the draft. (We should note that I received some of these responses before GMs had a chance to review Sullinger's physical. He is in Tier 5 on some teams' boards now.)

Tier 5

Moe Harkless
Fab Melo
Quincy Miller
Arnett Moultrie
Andrew Nicholson
Marquis Teague
Royce White
Tony Wroten Jr.

Note: This next group looks like locks for the first round, but most likely won't make the lottery. A few teams had Harkless, Melo and Moultrie in Tier 4, but not quite enough for them to make the cut. Wroten and Miller were borderline picks here. Both players dropped out of the top 30 on at least one NBA team's draft board.

Tier 6

Furkan Aldemir
Will Barton
Jared Cunningham
Festus Ezeli
Evan Fournier
Draymond Green
John Jenkins
Orlando Johnson
Doron Lamb
Kyle O'Quinn
Kostas Papanikolaou
Miles Plumlee
Jeff Taylor
Tyshawn Taylor

Note: This is what I would call the first-round bubble group and where the consensus really started to break down. A few teams had Fournier, Green, Jeff Taylor and Barton in Tier 5, but many did not. Overall there are just four spaces left in the first round ... so most of the players on this list are falling to the second round.

I pay fuck-all attention to NCAA hoops but, reading up on draft previews / etc., I'm actually excited about Pacers' #26 pick, where I'd be pumped for Draymond Green (shorter, tubbier version of Hansbrough), Fab Melo (name), or Royce White (fun OCD stories and +++upside+++).

Looks similar, though not quite as deep, to the 2009 draft where there's lots of good value in the late teens to mid-twenties.

yeah I agree, I hate this draft from 2-10 but like it a lot from 12 to 25

hey quick q, is the reasons why gm's pick shitty dudes early in the first round bc they hope they get lucky on a poss allstar instead of picking a probable role player that ends up getting picked later?

The problem with picking a probable role player is that you'll be picking a rookie who needs to be paid, trained, and takes up space on the bench - and rookies rarely contribute as role players - that usually comes years later. So, you pick a possible all-star any time you can, and maybe what you get is an eventual role player, but at least you gave it a shot.

Despite having the fifth pick, it appears the Kings will not work out the player that they may very well wind up taking. Someone is bound to slide from the top-tier group that includes Beal, Barnes, Kidd-Gilchrist and Robinson, but they have all decided against working out in Sacramento and -- unless something changes -- don't appear to be scheduling anything in the eleventh hour here, either.

hey quick q, is the reasons why gm's pick shitty dudes early in the first round bc they hope they get lucky on a poss allstar instead of picking a probable role player that ends up getting picked later?

― he bit me (it felt like a diss) (m bison), Saturday, June 23, 2012 12:07 AM (55 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

The problem with picking a probable role player is that you'll be picking a rookie who needs to be paid, trained, and takes up space on the bench - and rookies rarely contribute as role players - that usually comes years later. So, you pick a possible all-star any time you can, and maybe what you get is an eventual role player, but at least you gave it a shot.

― Aimless, Saturday, June 23, 2012 12:12 AM (51 minutes ago) Bookmark

nah it's cuz the nba above all is a superstar league, and sometimes you just gotta risk it on potential. sometimes you end up jan vessley, but sometimes you end up with paul george.

that said, the middle of the first rounds of the last few drafts have been really strong.

& "safe" players also end up as busts. it's really such an imperfect science.

actually Vesely's most common projection was as a role player.

hey quick q, is the reasons why gm's pick shitty dudes early in the first round bc they hope they get lucky on a poss allstar instead of picking a probable role player that ends up getting picked later?

― he bit me (it felt like a diss) (m bison), Saturday, June 23, 2012 4:07 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah pretty much. All those shitty dudes have big talent. Of course inexplicable things like Jason Collier and Shelden Williams still happen anyway.

Shelden Williams was only inexplicable to Billy Knight.

Melo is a true character

The 7-foot, 255-pound center is the biggest teddy bear since Glen "Big Baby" Davis. Think about this: Syracuse had two Melos, but only one Fab. Fabricio de Melo is one of a kind. He's the guy who shows up to camp with cuts on his face, and you find out that he dove into the shallow end of a pool. He's the kid who checks in at a camp, gets handed his jersey, goes to the trainer to receive treatment (he hasn't even played yet) and somehow loses his jersey within the first 30 minutes of receiving his gear. That is Fab Melo, and he's one of a kind.

sounds like a keeper

Think about this: Syracuse had two Melos, but only one Fab. - okay ive been thinking abt this, and still nothing

UConn G Jeremy Lamb on UConn C Andre Drummond's NBA potential: "It depends on if he wants to work."

:/

playermetrics on nba.com looks ace!!!

http://www.nba.com/draft/2012/prospects/anthony-davis/
http://www.nba.com/draft/2012/prospects/harrison-barnes/
http://www.nba.com/draft/2012/prospects/bradley-beal/
http://www.nba.com/draft/2012/prospects/jeremy-lamb/
http://www.nba.com/draft/2012/prospects/michael-kidd-gilchrist/

I don't really get how Royce White fits in Boston. Seems too much like a low post version of Rondo. Not a great shot, needs the ball in his hand, great vision/passing. Maybe they're just looking for a playmaker for when Rondo sits? Seems like they'd be more interested in replacing Ray.

Probably shouldn't question Ainge's drafting or Doc's ability to utilize him..... Mostly just wish he'd slide a little further so my team could grab him. Great value in the 20s.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/46544/does-motor-matter

I was reading today about Drummond as a prospect for the Blazers. He is so young and callow that he doesn't have a clue how clueless he is. Doesn't bode well for any team that stuffs him full of money and expects him to act like a man.

This is interesting

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/seth_davis/06/25/NBA-draft/index.html

Doesn't bode well for any team that stuffs him full of money and expects him to act like a man.

― Aimless, Tuesday, June 26, 2012 3:14 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark

people said this about dwight howard & amare stoudemire, too

so can someone tell me about damian lillard?

here is chad ford

Over the weekend, I made visits to three California gyms to watch workouts -- one in Santa Monica, another in Reseda and a third in Oakland on Saturday.

The three workouts were all different. Over 80 general managers and NBA scouts attended a group workout for the Wasserman group on Friday morning. The workout was headlined by Terrence Jones, Fab Melo and Tony Wroten Jr. The workout was drill-oriented and didn't involve any actual competition.

On Friday afternoon, I was in the 360 gym to watch trainer Joe Abunassar work out his clients -- Terrence Ross, Arnett Moultrie, Jet Chang and Terrell Stoglin. After the workout, I was able to see the top prospects compete in some competitive four-on-four action alongside and against NBA players Austin Daye and Rasual Butler.

On Saturday, Aaron Goodwin invited me to Oakland to watch a grueling private workout for Damian Lillard.

Here's what I learned:

• If the draft plays out the way we expect it to, nine of the top 10 players in the draft will come from five of the biggest programs in college basketball -- Kentucky, UConn, North Carolina, Kansas and Baylor.

The 10th will be from lowly Weber State. The Big Sky school is located 30 minutes north of Salt Lake City and isn't known for producing draft picks (its best player was Willard Sojourner, a second-round pick of the Chicago Bulls in 1971) -- let alone lottery picks. So pardon Lillard if he thinks that his sudden thrust into the limelight is a bit surreal.

Yes, he was the second-best scorer in college basketball last season at 24.5 ppg. Yes, he ranked with the lowest turnovers per possession (one turnover every 8.9 possesion) for any point guard in the country. Yes, he ranked No. 2 in John Hollinger's college PER at 33.58 behind only Anthony Davis. And yes, that efficiency ranking was especially impressive because Lillard used 25 percent of his team's possessions while Davis used just 15 percent.

Nevertheless, juniors from Weber State who were lightly recruited out of high school and missed almost their entire sophomore seasons with injuries aren't supposed to be lottery picks.

"I was surprised," Lillard said when I asked him how he reacted when we pegged him as a lottery pick in Feb. 21. "I was hearing second round. Maybe late first round. When you come from a school like Weber State, that's the most you can hope for. But lottery? Don't get me wrong, I think I belong. I just didn't think anyone else did."

[+] Enlarge

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
Lillard owns a solid jump shot and showed that again during workouts.
Three months later, virtually everyone else does. The majority of scouts and GMs I spoke with this weekend had Lillard in the lottery. Many had him in the top 10. Most believe he'll be the first point guard taken on draft night. Once they see him in workouts, the few teams that are holding out are likely to come into the fold.

Lillard put on one of the most impressive workouts I've seen in a while. The grueling 1½-hour session had Lillard going full speed for the entire workout. He ran the length of the floor repeatedly, shuffled side to side with medicine balls, shot jumpers with a huge tether around his waist and, as the sweat poured down his face, he just kept hitting shot after shot after shot.

There are very few holes in Lillard's game. He's got a terrific jump shot with excellent range. While some scouts have questioned just how athletic he is, his agent, Aaron Goodwin, told me that he's consistently measuring out with a 40-inch vertical. On Saturday he was still exploding off the floor for emphatic dunks, even at the end of the workout. Lillard is quick with the ball and has a tight handle. While we didn't get to see this in the workout, he's a willing passer who is comfortable finding the open man.

Above it all, everyone who knows him says that the most impressive thing about Lillard is his work ethic. He is constantly trying to improve his game, and it's hard to get him out of the gym. He looked like he was incredible shape and has clearly been putting in the work to make sure teams know how good is.

It's tough to blame him.

Lillard was a late bloomer who didn't get much attention from scouting services or high-major recruiters (he was ranked as the No. 48 point guard in his class by ESPNU). He played AAU ball for the Oakland Rebels, not the elite Oakland Soldiers club. When Weber State came calling, Lillard was happy. After a terrific senior year in high school, a few major programs started to show interest, but Lillard felt like Weber State would be the best fit.

"I didn't want to be someone's backup plan," Lillard said. "I wanted to go to a team that wanted me to play an important role. I felt like Weber State would give me the chance to start over and become who I believed I could become. It was a great decision."

Lillard came in and was an instant impact player for the Wildcats. He averaged 11.5 ppg as a freshman and earned Big Sky freshman of the Year honors. As a sophomore, he averaged 19.9 ppg, shot 43 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3 -- earning him first-team, all-Big Sky honors and getting him an honorable mention on the AP All-America team. As a junior, he broke his foot 10 games into the season and was given a medical redshirt by the NCAA.

Lillard spent the time off lifting weights and watching game film. He watched all 71 games the Wildcats had played in his time there and returned with both a stronger body and a higher basketball IQ.

Lillard was special as a junior and by midseason a number of scouts were predicting he could be the top point guard off the board on draft night. Lillard is now in competition with North Carolina's Kendall Marshall and Syracuse's Dion Waiters to be the first point guard off the board.

With several teams, including the Blazers, Raptors, Hornets and Suns (and possibly the Jazz if the Warriors fall to eighth in the lottery), on the prowl for a point guard, he could go as high as No. 6 and it's likely that he doesn't slip past 13 on draft night.

I don't really get how Royce White fits in Boston. Seems too much like a low post version of Rondo. Not a great shot, needs the ball in his hand, great vision/passing. Maybe they're just looking for a playmaker for when Rondo sits? Seems like they'd be more interested in replacing Ray.

Probably shouldn't question Ainge's drafting or Doc's ability to utilize him..... Mostly just wish he'd slide a little further so my team could grab him. Great value in the 20s.

― Moreno, Tuesday, June 26, 2012 12:49 PM (5 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yah im sure ainge just thinks hell be a steal and isnt really worrying abt fit

and pruiti

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/30610/2012-nba-draft-evaluating-the-point-guards

thanks!

so can someone tell me about damian lillard?

― @cavsdan (Clay), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 21:50 (12 minutes ago) Permalink

if he went to a bigger school I think he'd be going number 2.

I'm watching the Nike hoops summit, the tall kid from massachusetts w/the hair is in it

4. Andre Drummond, C, UConn

Selected by: Daniel Gibson

"He's a young, athletic 7-footer with great potential," says Cavs guard Gibson about Drummond, who ranked in the top 30 in both offensive rebound and block percentage. "And, as they say, you just can't teach height." (Drummond averaged 10 ppg, 7.6 rpg and 2.7 bpg in just over 28 minutes per game.)

Has this been posted?

www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/gm-ratings/

Rates all current GMs draft performance. Guess whose at the bottom

feel like it needs to be related to draft position - Pat Riley and Donnie Nelson have (for the most part) been picking in the teens and twenties as GMs, they haven't had the freebies of a Lebron/Durant/etc.

feel like it needs to be related to draft position - Pat Riley and Donnie Nelson have (for the most part) been picking in the teens and twenties as GMs, they haven't had the freebies of a Lebron/Durant/etc.

Yeah that's factored in there

Also all the Royce white/Anthony Mason comparisons reminded me of Anthony Mason's awesomeness

Guess whose at the bottom

Guess who's in second place ... Geoff Petrie! And then Billy King at 3!

Scrap the whole thing and start over imo

Yeah forming a coherent team out of those draft picks clearly isn't a factor. Nor is who you passed on

i've always loved this feature http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8100861/ford-vs-simmons

also chad ford SAVAGES austin rivers

SAVAGES might be too kind. He all but calls him the homeless man's Tyreke.

this is the strongest i've ever heard chad ford speak against a prospect

FORD: Look, Lillard was a late bloomer. He wasn't lightly recruited until his senior season. You may be right that Rivers would've put up better numbers as a freshman. However, here's my knock on Rivers. He thinks he's Kobe. He's not. He doesn't have the length, the height, nor the athletic ability. Take those things away from Kobe, and he's Ricky Davis — an irritating ball hog no one wants to play with and who isn't good enough to warrant the diva act.

SIMMONS: Wow, you just waved two middle fingers at Doc Rivers — you compared his son to his least favorite player to have ever coached. Why didn't you just throw a Dominique Wilkins barb in there while you were at it?

FORD: Lillard is a willing passer. Rivers isn't and will never be. Lillard made dramatic improvements from year to year. I thought Rivers was the exact player in college that he was in high school. Lillard is a team player. He was the second most efficient player in college basketball DESPITE being the only decent player on his entire roster; teams game planned to stop him and him alone every night. I just don't see Rivers ever being anywhere near as unselfish or efficient. I think Rivers will be shocked at the athleticism and length at his position. He'll try to do the same things at which he excelled in high school, spend a lot of time on the bench, get into it with his coach and teammates, get traded in a year or two to a desperate team, put up huge numbers for a cellar-dweller for a year or two, make some money, and eventually, teams will realize he can't be the alpha dog on a winning team.

SIMMONS: Other than that, you're a huge Austin Rivers fan.

FORD: I honestly think Rivers is the one guy I wouldn't touch in the lottery. Too toxic for team chemistry, doesn't have the same physical tools to make it worth it.

‏@Chris_Broussard
G State is eyeing several SFs via trade: Rudy Gay, Iguodala, Marvin Williams, in addition to Wil Chandler, sources say. Nothing imminent.

Marvin Williams, yikes

hahahahahahahahaha

smh

curry-thompson-ACTUALLY GOOD SF X-lee-bogut

that's a decent team! as long as "actually good SF X" isn't marvin williams

Marvin Williams isn't actually any good so doesn't change your equation.

Pablo S. Torre ‏@SIPabloTorre

Royce, on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: "I don't like that kid. He's too hyped up. He's not as good as they think he is. He's a kid. I'm a man."

Asked Royce what he told Drummond, who'd downplayed ISU frontcourt, in ISU-UConn: "'You f----- up. You talked too much.'

also chad ford SAVAGES austin rivers

― J0rdan S., Wednesday, June 27, 2012 2:31 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ya ive been v surprised at how much love rivers has gotten, chad ford otm

Beckley Mason ‏@BeckleyMason
Important report from the draft: loooooots of staring at reporters trying to match faces to Twitter profile pictures

i've been low on austin rivers since he was in high school

oh man, ford has the nuggets taking royce white in that thing. PLEASE

i can't decide whether i want the nuggets to take a stretch 4 or a back up point guard. i'm giddy at the thought of either.

"he's roy tarpley before the drugs"

this draft is gonna be fun. does NBA tv do live coverage? has to be better than ESPN's right?

espn's nba draft coverage is amazing in its wall-to-wall spectacle of ineptitude.

it's kind of nuts that TNT once had the draft. i would pay an embarrassing sum of money for that to happen tomorrow night.

srsly

omg it's today

please don't fuck it up gms (esp. blazers)

@ESPNStatsInfo: Since 1999, Spurs have made 27 picks, 15 have been international players. That is the most int'l players drafted by a team since then

dispite all the darko/grainy video/workout wonder bashing the spurs of course know whats up

the nba today podcast from this morning with ryan rueselio & chad ford was very good

of those drafted, offhand:
Parker
ginobili
splitter
Scola
dragic
barbosa (I think?)

that's not a bad starting 5 tbh
god why couldn't we have had Scola

xpost cause bron wont have a ring

Chad Ford ‏@chadfordinsider
Just going up on ESPN with @ESPNSteinLine: Celtics pessimistic they can get high enough in draft No. 1 target Austin Rivers

o jesus

doc over compensating for being a horrible father

hahaha
doc yelling at Austin
FUCK U DAD
AUSTIN YOURE GROUNDED
ESPN reports the team has suspended Austin Rivers for his potty mouth

austin rivers has been send to bed w/o dunks

o my god they cannot be serious

Austin you get to shoot 4 more three pointers before bed because you earned 4 downtown bucks on your star chart

this has to be some thing where doc sat danny down and was like "look let's leak to the press that we tried to get austin so he doesn't hold any resentment but don't actually try and draft him"

docs the only one who can salvage austins career that hes dooming via his selfish style of play which he developed in a desperate attempt to get his coach father to pay attention to him

aw

look dad a contested fade away three off the dribble im not a little kid anymore

lol first line of chad fords bobcats mock draft Analysis: The Bobcats need help everywhere. They don't have a starting-caliber player on their roster right now.

Austin Rivers DNP - ungrateful son

*unfortunate son

austin rivers has been send to bed w/o dunks

― lag∞n, Thursday, June 28, 2012 5:33 PM (28 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Austin Rivers DNP - ungrateful son

― Moreno, Thursday, June 28, 2012 5:56 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Also praying that the Celts move up to take him so the Pacers don't try to do the same.

but what if doc really is the only one who can get through to him, then he would be a steal

I cant care for this on the same day healthcare was decided

that's how i feel about healthcare

i mean i care about healthcare being upheld, it's obviously great but it's not like i'm gonna spend tonight reading the justices decisions or watching cable news analysis instead of the draft

there is enough room in my heart for both, also i watched soccer

Metta WorldPeace ‏@MettaWorldPeace
Today is boring Anything exciting on TV?

haha

I'm choosing to celebrate the health care ruling by mock-drafting/trading the Pacers all the way to Dwight Howard.

j0rdan otm.

Today is also Bradley Beal's birthday!

i knew there were gonna be austin rivers/celtics rumbles but there's no way they move up that or he falls that far

i believe in doc though if danny somehow makes that happen

also im pretty sure pierce and especially one kevin crazy eyez garnett can set any yappy lil alpha dog straight

man i swear andy katz just said that sullinger had bulging dicks

booooooooooooooooooo

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

omg stern straight trolling talking about the heat in ny!

Goodell could learn a thing or two from this dude.

{:-] official

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1212916/sternlol.gifhttp://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1212916/sternlol.gifhttp://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1212916/sternlol.gif

"CANT HEAR YOU HATERZ"

lol tear up the mocks

lmao
David stern is better than Vince McMahon imo

last mock I looked at had mkg at #8. writer dudes are just outthinking themselves imo

yeah had been hearing he might be falling as far as eight! good for mkg, i think he's going to be around for quite awhile. XP

He couldn't even talk. So sweet.

actual speechlessness! XP ha

mkg mom!!!!!!

Washington lucked out to get Beal. He and Wall should compliment each other well.

All three of these guys seem like the nicest fellas.

in dis bitch

first of all, MKG's mom just spoke the release of talk!

"accept your strengths and weaknesses and keep it moving"

^ YES

glad the bobcats didn't fuck that up & just got him. i would've taken him at 2.

poly did you just friendzone the draft

"the release of talk" ?

ok i'm gonna have to go to some wiz games next yr

realest*

i don't know what friendzone means in that context

loved the "Bradley Beal: Happy Birthday (turned 19 today)" text.

@johnhollinger
Because who needs Thomas Robinson when you have Jan Vesely.

i was just joking that you were calling them nice guys.

yeah i don't think hollinger likes beal

okay, realest makes more sense.

xposts

it's too bad that the cavs took tristan thompson last year and can't just take t rob now

Now why can't the NFL Draft be like this? Nobody's talking on cellphones, nobody's leaking picks on twitter.

NICE

loving this draft

Waiters is a surprise. Seems like a solid dude.

omg dan gilbert

no trades so far today? usually there's a blockbuster or two by this point.

Dion Waiters! Too much pepper in my paprikosh. #rip_nora

waiters is huge but looks kinda unexplosive to me

I think some of these guys might move later. Trades always seem to be a little slow to happen.

Calipari is scum.

nice to see DOO DOO JUMP still getting some play

seeing a lot of "does portland have the stones to take drummond over lillard" talk. idk dudes, take lillard it's a no-brainer imo.

‏@Dlee042
Announcement : Andy Katz just said J. Sullinger has "bulging dicks" in his back, that may not help his draft status #liveTV

I wish Robinson was going somewhere besides the Kings.

cousins + t-rob is a A- frontcourt

hollinger hates lillard cuz he's 22

that interview was really sweet!

...

...

it's good?

:~

poor girl

lol @ spinning a move from DC to sacramento by saying "you're moving to california!"

I really don't think Robinson is happy about going to the Kings.

thanks to brooklyn for damian lillard btw.

I really don't think Robinson is happy about going to the Kings.

― polyphonic, Thursday, June 28, 2012 5:04 PM (34 seconds ago) Bookmark

@DraftExpress Thomas Robinson just walked by me. He looks PISSED.

yeah i wonder if he's pissed about going to sacto in particular or just pissed that he didn't go second as everyone thought he would

Golden State will select North Carolina's Harrison Barnes with the 7th pick in the NBA Draft, league source tells Y!

Drummond fallin

Sacramento is an armpit, for one thing.

Glad Blazers didn't fuck that one up.

Drummond fallin

― he bit me (it felt like a diss) (m bison), Thursday, June 28, 2012 5:06 PM (36 seconds ago) Bookmark

portland apparently passed partly because they think he'll be available at #11.

lol what is this nonsense

STEALING PRUITI'S SWAG

1.1 points per game? yeah, i don't think that's right

there's now way drummond falls to 11

It'll be interesting to see how good Lillard is with other decent players on his team. His efficiency when he was the only option was impressive.

v excited abt lillard

lillard seems pretty good

something is wrong with that hat.

wow that hat looks awful

i think barnes is really good. i'd rather have him than beal.

seriously that hat looks like a blue and yellow duck.

haha

that hat. did it have a double bill or something?

no way raptors take drummon. pistons wouldn't take henson over him would they

yeah i think pistons have to grab him

xpost idk detroit seems locked on henson

someone should draft terrence ross early

apparently henson looked a lot better head to head at the pistons work out, but yeah they can't pass on drummon.

woj: Toronto will select Terrence Ross with the 8th pick, source says.

this guy was regularly mocked in the mid-late teens.

rocking the bowtie!

terrence ross!

wow terrence ross i would wear that suit

ross has a dope look.

!!!!!

i guess this is the end of the demar derozan era?

demar can now fulfill his destiny as the sixth man.

wait, a 6' 7" guard???

that can't be life

Pistons happy with Drummond. Wonder if it's mutual.

cool. pistons may actually be cool one of these days.

lol @ daryl morey btw

austin rivers still on the board, hint hint portland war room.

Drummond's a nice fit with Monroe.

yeah he is

how the hell do you shoot 29% from the line

NOLA should pick Marshall here

they're taking rivers...

Even Ben Wallace shakes his head at 29%.

barnes suit is so boring

apparently no one thinks marshall can play defense in the league

yeah that's been the word on him

http://i.imgur.com/qN6UB.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/qN6UB.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/qN6UB.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/qN6UB.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/qN6UB.png

thanking u

that hat looks like it's a ufo trying to land softly on the top of his head

re: best suit so far?

waiters

waiters & ross were both great

so portland has to take henson here right

sure doc is happy to see austin go to the west

ross wins best dressed. thought lillard looked fantastic too.

honestly i like rivers i think he could be a supe dynamic scorer but i don't see how he works w/ eric gordon on the same team

lol rivers in NOLA, wd be hilarious if he ends up with more FGA per game than davis

i like rivers' suit too

i love doc

considering Eric Gordon has been telling everyone since he was traded that there is no way he's staying I think a flyer on Rivers is fine.

i still don't believe that a player up for his first big extension is gonna turn down mega money from the team that controls him

i like henson, if they take him

oh...

meyers looks good!

so are the rockets keeping all their picks?

this guy seems kinda shitty imo

man all these guys were born around the time i started watching basketball

so are the rockets keeping all their picks?

― he bit me (it felt like a diss) (m bison), Thursday, June 28, 2012 8:36 PM (7 seconds ago) Bookmark

morey is under the conference toom table in the fetal position, softly sobbing. so i don't think anyone knows.

friend of mine on twitter: "His father was killed in a bicycle accident." Well then, Portland won't be an awkward city at all.

hahaha, sheeit

i had no idea who randy whitman was

Randy Wittman (R-Iowa)

"there's no question to the way he can stroke it"

Hollinger hates every pick it seems. Something crawled up his butt and died.

lamb looks good!

RIP kevin martin

The hats this year all suck.

xpost maybe hollinger was expecting trades

hollinger's player rater always has him dissing conventional wisdom for better or worse

Hollinger just wants everyone to go by his evaluations, and when GMs don't he gets all grumpy.

i don't know. i don't think he's getting grumpy. he's just criticizing picks based on his own evaluations. it's actually more interesting than what you get from most draft people in any sport who will almost always just re-enforce traditional wisdom

phx is the most boring team to me

they draft in the same position every single year

He's just being the nerd version of Dick Vitale. But I've slowly gotten tired of Hollinger's schtick, so my patience for his usual bull is at an all-time low.

i liked marshall a lot but everyone has been shitting on him *shrugs*

i guess the suns have never worried about defense

i think your assessment is totally off but anyway you should prob just unfollow him on twitter

teams with pg's like steve nash don't often draft pg's, just sayin

yeah i don't think stevie is coming back to phoenix

I'm just going to ignore Hollinger till the drafts done. Though I think twitter isn't the best format for getting the best from him; I follow him just to know when he's written something I might want to read.

i'm excited to watch henson in the league... if the bucks are ever on TV. one of my fav players to watch.

i had to ignore chad ford b/c he's ruining the suspense by announcing the picks 5 min beforehand

Henson's a bit Sally-esque, which could be a good thing. Bucks could be solid if things gel.

yeah i've just abandoned twitter tonight

i'm prepared to have an opinion on moe harkless even tho i've never seen him play in my entire life

or maurice, whatever the case may be

this guy played PF???? he looks like a shooting guard

relentless wingspan

hope 76ers threw brand away

chad ford and sam berger are being total dicks by trying to break picks on Twitter. Like that one minute makes a difference. Ferret out actual news, dudes.

I wanted Royce on the Celtics :(

morey is at least making the best of his picks

Twitter reporting Zeller getting traded to Cleveland.

irving-waiters-random player-varejao-zeller w/ thompson off the bench sounds pretty good

clears $1.3 million off Dallas' cap too.

nah cuz they're getting the 24 pick, unless they deal that one, too

they will if they can.

Mavericks will receive the 24th, 33rd, and 34th pick from Cavaliers for draft rights to Tyler Zeller, according to sources that spoke with Marc Stein.

jared sullinger would've been a top 5 pick last year

I dont know - he couldnt jump last year either.

yeah but it was a weak draft & people were high off his production. i.e. there's no way cleveland would've taken tristan thompson over him.

THE NUGGETS ARE ON THE CLOCK

his ceiling just seems so low to me. He's somewhere between the broken Elton Brand and Big Baby.

you gotta think somebody's gonna take a gamble on PJ III pretty soon here

stash pick.

AW FUCK :-[

SUllinger to C's ?!

sadly i think so. :(

booooooooooooooooooooooo

:/

Take Jones III too - get the broken guys together.