It's probably too early to think about the draft, but if that's you're thing, you can start...

It's probably too early to think about the draft, but if that's you're thing, you can start dreaming now. (HT: Ziller)

about 1 year ago JakeTheSnake 18 comments 0 recs |

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draft

looking like a pretty poor draft thus far. not a fan of thabeet

by joshp on Dec 16, 2008 9:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I’ve always viewed him as a player that never takes his advantage of his talent. I will have to watch him more this year, but he seems lazy on the court to me. Is it a bad sign that four of the first five times I hit the lottery button I got the Wizards 3 or 4 and they took James Harden.

"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck

by George Templeton on Dec 16, 2008 9:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No Thabeet for me either

Dude just looks lazy on D. I guess the optimist in me could look at him as a freak athlete who averages 4 blocks anyway. Why can’t these 7’3 guys just automatically be like Dikembe or something? All it takes is a little finger-wagging swagger.

James Harden, on the other hand, I like. He reminds me of Brandon Roy. Relentless scoring ability with great handles. Great on the glass for a SG at 7 boards a game. He has a sick jumper, is smooth as butter, and most of all plays with intensity.

Dear Diary, JACKPOT!!!!!!!!!!

by Evander holyfield on Dec 16, 2008 10:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But can he play D?

Also, Boooooo to Thabeet as well.

The Washington Wizards: providing career scoring nights for unknown opposing bench players since 2004.

by mamemimo on Dec 16, 2008 10:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not so much hype...

but I really like Sam Young from Pitt and Jerel McNeal from Marquette(?). Both of them play sick defense and would be solid options if we were to trade down for some reason.

by Romans12 on Dec 17, 2008 3:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Speaking of Blake Griffin

[a href=“http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=476”Basketball Prospectus profiled him.[/a]

The good:

His real strengths are his counter-move and spin-move capabilities. Because he is so strong, he forces a defender to sit on his high shoulder or risk getting abused in the middle of the floor. Griffin reads this situation well, which sets up his counter and spin moves. This gives him a wide range of maneuvers and ways to score as a back-to-basket player

Blake Griffin is an absolute bear on the boards, especially against players his own size or smaller. His athleticism around the tin is well above average, and while he is not a quick or repetitive jumper, he is a powerful attacker on the glass. He possesses good instincts with his back to the basket and more than one or two ways to score from that position. Griffin uses his strength to his advantage and his counters, spins and shot fakes give him a variety of finishing moves to choose from. A strong passer, he can impact the game in a number of different ways with his energy and motor.

The not quite as good:

Reasonably physical, Griffin also does a fair job moving his feet. His activity level, however, is mediocre at best. He seems largely disinterested in off-ball team defense except when he can position for a blocked shot, and on-ball he is content to stay in front of his man without really challenging the offense. This is one area where he will be in for a rude awakening at the next level, where the teams that are successful preach the right way to play on the defensive end of the floor.

A substandard (or at least unproven) jump shooter, Griffin is only fair in the face-up game. He is not particularly light on his feet and that prevents him from exploding past defenders, and his inability to change direction and speed hurts him when encountering strong help-side opposition. There are small things dealing with his consistency of execution that could be improved in order to compensate for these deficiencies, and Griffin must shore up his weak foul-shooting in order to really score at the next level.

by Jon L on Dec 16, 2008 10:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Whoops

by Jon L on Dec 16, 2008 10:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I did this a couple times...

most had us taking Rubio with the 3rd.

Yea, the picks from this draft don’t have a lot of value.

Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It Dot Net

by Truth About It on Dec 16, 2008 11:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The More I Think About It

The more I think we should draft the best player available and make a trade. Rubio is being touted as a really special talent and a pure scorer the likes of which nobody has seen since Pete Marivich. Some team has got to want him badly, if that’s the case. He could be a huge part of a package for an impact big that can help us get to the next level.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Dec 17, 2008 8:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

For some reason,

I don’t think even a high pick in this draft is worth much more than taking on one of our contracts and a much lower first rounder.

We’ll see, Ernie can wheel and deal.

Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It Dot Net

by Truth About It on Dec 17, 2008 9:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why don't we want Rubio?

Is Arenas the long-term answer at the point? Rubio is young as hell and would probably be better served his first couple years coming off the bench behind Gil, and unless Crittenton is the answer we really need a solid back-up PG. In the future the Wiz might want to ask Arenas to play more 2 guard. I honestly think Rubio would improve the team and shore up a big weakness; I’m less sure that we could improve by trading him.

Getting buckets since 2003.

by Icantfeelmyface on Dec 17, 2008 11:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you there

To me long-term Arenas is a 2-guard and true point is what this team is looking for. Is Rubio that guy?

"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck

by George Templeton on Dec 17, 2008 12:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly...

And that’s why I’d take him over Griffin.

Then again, with foreign guys, there always seems to be the threat of them going back to the mother-land if things down work out to their liking.

Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It Dot Net

by Truth About It on Dec 17, 2008 12:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If We Take and Keep Rubio

Then we’ve wasted our time with Crittenton. It doesn’t help to stockpile PGs when we’re giving up tons of second chance points and points in the paint to hapless teams like the Pacers. Rubio will not improve the Wizards in those areas.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Dec 17, 2008 1:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Kinda like Atlanta passed on...

Deron Williams and Chris Paul because they already had Royal Ivey, Tyronn Lue, and Tony Delk….wait, everyone said they needed a PG and they didn’t take one.

Ok, I’m not exactly sure where I’m going here….and don’t go start thinking that I’m comparing Ricky to Williams and Paul.

But I don’t think the Wiz have invested a ton in Crittenton, so if it all comes down to Rubio being on the board when the Wiz pick, and that by then, he’s more of a ’can’t miss’ talent, then it’d have to be a pretty compelling case for not drafting him……even if we send him somewhere in a trade, which you know, as a Wizards fan, would come back to haunt us no matter what.

Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It Dot Net

by Truth About It on Dec 17, 2008 2:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe cutting down on penetration will help cut down on PiP

Ricky Rubio is a pretty good on-ball perimeter defender. Something the Wizards lack at PG (especially since they cut Dee Brown).

He’s a “pass first” PG (everyone keeps dissing Arenas because he shoots too much for a PG)… with incredible court vision, awareness, and creativity.

He’s been playing against grown men since he was 16 years old, in some of the best Leagues in the world (outside the NBA).

Not sure the Wiz would be “stockpiling” PG’s, since Crittenton, Arenas, and James are all considered combo-Guards. None are considered a “pure” Point Guard.

Unfortunately, as befits the “Curse of Les Boullez”, it looks like Rubio will wait another year or two before he declares for the NBA draft…
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Ricky-Rubio-1155/

Just when the Wizards are bad enough to potentially get a high draft pick, the draft pool is one of the poorest in recent memory, and one of the best players in the world will wait another year or two….decreasing the talent available even more.

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Dec 17, 2008 10:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

This looks like an incredibly weak draft class. Whoever gets Griffin will be happy, everyone else disappointed.

Who's world is it? It's yours.

by BlackOps on Dec 17, 2008 1:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well we just have to deal with what's available when our pick comes up...

None of these guys will have the immediate impact of the top picks this year or last. Just our luck :-)

It suggests we ought to push harder to improve our record this year, develop the talent we have and take whatever comes our way in late June. Think how high JaVale would go if he was coming out this year instead of last!

Neither we nor anyone else should underestimate young Curry in this group, though. His dad was a very good player who invariably hit big shots against us and lots of other people, suggesting that the son’s game is in his genes. If, for example, he is as much better as his dad as Mike Bibby is relative to Henry Bibby, he will be a good catch indeed.

by khrabb on Dec 17, 2008 1:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs