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| Draft
Shuffle |
March 31, 2010
By Ron
Richards
During the the next month or so the draft
board will resemble a Chinese Fire Drill,
and with about as much organization. Players
will drop and rise like the tide around the
Emerald Isle, and while a few players will
be consistently rated about the same, the
combine, workouts and GM's love affairs will
take their toll or inflate ratings at a
furious pace.
Some players won't be subject to this
shuffle, I can see John Wall, Derrick
Favors, Evan Turner and the Johnson kid from
Syracuse holding firm around the top five.
But I can also see Cousins stock catch fire
or drop like a rock, depending on the
combine, workouts, interviews and how he
deals with the whole process. Questions
about his maturity, mental state,
conditioning, all could affect profoundly
where he's drafted. I wouldn't be surprised
to see him picked 2nd, or drop out of the
top ten. My guess is that he won't pass the
Detroit Pistons, as they're hungry for a
center. I'm guessing he'll get drafted about
4-6, but who knows for sure. Much is to be
determined.
I can also see a couple of players climb
right into the top ten, as I think the
process will favor their particular set of
skills. Cole Aldrich....Well, I've just got
a feeling his stock will climb the closer
the draft gets. I could be wrong, but he
reminds me of Tyler Hansbrough in that the
closer the GM's look at him, the better he
will look.... Just as I think Cousins might
not look quite so good under close scrutiny.
It will be interesting for those two.
One player whose stock I think will rise
that many aren't talking about is Eric
Bledsoe. A large part of that is John Wall
has been playing Bledsoe's position, and
Bledsoe has been playing two guard.....And
he's a point guard. Now as far as the Jazz
go, Bledsoe won't even get a second glance,
because of Deron Williams, of course. I
think the workouts and combine will help
Bledsoe immensely.
I could easily see Indiana picking Bledsoe,
got a feeling about that. Just seems like a
good fit. There are a couple of teams that
need a point guard who will look long and
hard at Bledsoe. Not the Jazz.
I can also see Hassan Whiteside climb into
the top ten, probably right around the tenth
pick, but he's an incredible talent whose
risk or reward factor is higher than anyone
in the draft except Donatas Motiejunas...Who
also could go anywhere from five to fifteen
depending on workouts, his buyout, the
combine and measurements.......I've also got
a feeling that this kid is going to be
really good, but sometimes the really good
Euros are hard to get over here, because the
money is just as good over there until you
become a superstar. Does Motie have the
talent to become a superstar? I think so,
but so do a lot of guys who never make it.
It depends on so many things, like desire,
who drafts them, maturity, a whole bunch of
factors. Right now, I wouldn't be bummed if
the Jazz draft him, but that could change in
a hurry in the next month or so. To me, he's
the biggest puzzle in the draft. I want to
know more about the kid before I get on his
bandwagon. I'm not there yet, despite what
some think.
Whiteside is a couple of years away from
really helping an NBA team, but finding kids
with those kind of talents at center is the
hardest thing to find in the draft. He's
extremely athletic, perhaps one of the best
natural shot blockers to come along in a
while....But he's really young, and really
raw. He could easily climb in the top ten as
high as sixth or seventh, or he could drop
out of the lottery. He's declared for the
draft, and is hiring an agent, or so I
understand.
There are a host of players who could move
up or down in this draft. Al-Farouq Aminu,
for example. He's got superior athletic
ability, can play the 3 or 4 spot, and
reminds me a little of Rudy Gay. His shot
looks nice, he's hesitant to use it from
long range, but he has the tools to be top
five pick. I think the way his college team
used him hurt his draft stock a little, and
he's one that could really use the workouts
and combine to regain a little of that
stock.
Greg Monroe is another. Right now he's
hanging around the eighth or ninth pick, but
he too could move higher in the draft, or
drop out of the top ten. I've gotten a
little closer look at him, watched a couple
of games and am gradually warming up to him.
Incredible passer for anyone in the college
ranks, very skilled but not incredibly
athletic. He should be available at where
the Jazz draft, and he's another one who I
wouldn't mind seeing the Jazz draft.
Now we just have to see where the Jazz
actually draft after the lottery, and then
we can narrow this process down a little.
Right now, if the Jazz wind up in the 8th
spot, which is where I think they will wind
up unless they get lucky with the ping pong
balls, I think we're looking at about four
or five players.
Aminu, Monroe, Aldrich, Henry, Motiejunas.
While the first three are good looking
enough to take to the dance, I'd like more
options, please.
A 2nd or 3rd pick would do just fine. |
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