Ford's New Board

by Ziller on Apr 29, 2008 6:44 AM PDT Comment 17 comments

Draftboard_medium

Chad Ford's updated mock draft machine has Russell Westbrook going #11, leaving the Kings to pick Marreese Speights, the stout center out of Florida. This is not a scenario which makes me mad.

Speights tossed up great numbers in limited minutes behind Joakim Noah and Al Horford in 2006-07. This year, with a cupboard mostly empty of supporting talent, he managed to have a wonderful season. Efficient and frequent scorer, superior rebounder, great shotblocker, not prone to turnovers. If he slips to #12, it's because of his weight (he's on the Kevin Love Conditioning Program) and his height (6'10-6'11).

He'd be an incredible match with Spencer Hawes, since Speights figures to hang around the rim. Also, Speights' defense figures to be best on the ball ... whereas Hawes struggles in man defense in the post, but is surprisingly good from the weakside. It's not a potential Duncan-Robinson pairing, but maybe a poor man's Hakeem-Sampson ... which I'll certainly take.

Draft fever, yeah!

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Hmm, I am still wondering if...

Michael Beasley is the number one pick, you’d have to figure that Rose would be a true contender for the number one overall pick, and when you look at the immaturity always associated with Beasley in articles you would figure that Rose would have the edge.

by moproblemz on Apr 29, 2008 9:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think it depends on the team … some teams would take Rose in Ford’s machine, some would take Beasley.

by Ziller on Apr 29, 2008 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

FYI

Rose missed media day leading up to the Final game because of stomach aches. His teammate CDR went on record saying that his stomach got sick because of his horrible eating habits. He went on to say Rose’s breakfast consist of skittles and Starbursts….and he wasnt joking

Jim Rome even devoted a segment to it on his show…

I think its fair to say that Rose’s maturity level is at least on-par with Beasleys, if not worse

by Hoops916 on Apr 29, 2008 6:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Plus 1

The Beasley maturity thing has not been an issue since the season began. By all accounts he was a model citizen and a team leader throughout his freshman year.

That said, I’ll take either one/both of them, please.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Apr 29, 2008 6:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

REALLY??

Yeah I’d rather have Westbrook, with CP3, Deron Williams, Tony Parker running around all over the floor I want Westbrook to run with them and shut them down. Having Westbrook, Artest, and Cisco will really give teams trouble. When Artest get tiered of chasing Kobe around we can switch and it wont be much of a drop off.

by shadowchicken on Apr 29, 2008 9:27 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

I agree with you as well chicken,

the problem is that we are saturated at two as Petrie has a hard-on for swingmen. However, I really think that picking Westbrook would help us a bunch defensively. We are about two to three solid players and one star away from contending, so at this point whether we go big or small shouldn’t matter in the big picture. I am pretty sure thats Petrie’s perspective as well and he’ll just go with best available.

by moproblemz on Apr 29, 2008 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Good points, shadow and mo. Pairing Westbrook with Martin, in particular, would really bolster the backcourt defense in the long-run. In the near-term, Westbrook and Garcia off the bench would be tough to score against from the perimeter.

I’d be just as happy with Westbrook as anyone (besides the top 2) at this point … though it clouds the Beno situation.

by Ziller on Apr 29, 2008 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Westbrook and Beno

I think if you draft Westbrook, it could be with the idea of playing him behind Beno, at least for the first year. If Westbrook overtakes Udrih in year #2 then Udrih becomes a back up guard earning the mid level, or trade bait.

As far as Speights goes, I like Darrell Arthur a little more (and maybe JaVale McGee), but I’d be OK with it.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Apr 29, 2008 1:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Javale McGee

You HAVE to be wary of a prospect whose worst possible scenario is Patrick O’Bryant. How many Mid-Major bigs have struggled adjusting to the pro game? I’m not a Conference elitist, but 14 and 7 in the WAC? Without that signature game against North Carolina (a game where he averaged…14 and 7…) I think he’d be a borderline first rounder. He worries me more than any other player flirting with the Lottery.

by rbiegler on Apr 29, 2008 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

To be fair,

DeAndre Jordan is also getting hit with the Patrick O’Bryant comparisons, but I see your point.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Apr 29, 2008 2:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

McGee

You tube clip.

Keep in mind rbiegler’s astute observation about the level of competition while viewing or you’ll think this kid is the 2nd coming.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Apr 29, 2008 2:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

And after saying I’m not a conference elitist I fully admit to digging DeAndre Jordan. I hate the phrase “he’s shown flashes” but with Jordan I saw flashes. I think he’s capable of…at some point…taking a game over athletically. I worry with McGee if his back to basket game doesn’t develop like people hope it will and his mid-range game gets spotty as defenders get bigger and the three point lines get longer he’ll turn into Keon Clark. Not that I don’t love Keon Clark, and not that I’m not fully aware that Jordan could become Stromile Swift, but I always worry about Jack of All Trades Master of None bigs and how they transition in the pro game.

by rbiegler on Apr 29, 2008 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's an interesting point

Any bigs that fit that description that you can think of off hand?

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. It's simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get tangled, you tango on

by pookeyguru on Apr 30, 2008 2:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think if we draft a PG 1st

it will hurt our chances to resign Beno. We’ve got 3 things going for us. 1st no one really has money to out bid us, so it’s Mid-level from everyone. 2nd as it stands now he gets starter minutes here. 3rd Loyalty, we gave him the chance. Drafting Westbrook clouds number 2(maybe not in year 1,but down the road for sure, and it’s a message to Beno right now when we want to resign him), which leaves us with Loyalty vs. possible starting job elsewhere or backup duty on a contender.

That being said, I trust GP to take this into consideration, and if he feels Westbrook is worth the risk and he’s the player we need, that’s fine with me. As long as we don’t draft a swingman, or an undersized 2 guard to convert to the point, I’m ok.

by Kfan in Korea on Apr 29, 2008 7:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You draft the best player period

You don’t worry about whether re-signing Beno is effected or not. That’s something that only Beno has the control over since the market for him will be roughly the same everywhere.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. It's simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get tangled, you tango on

by pookeyguru on Apr 30, 2008 2:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

but, you must weigh “best player” by position. ie, a good PF might be a better pick than an excellent SF, because good SFs are very common, but good PFs are not.

by Kfan in Korea on Apr 30, 2008 4:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There is no argument that is true as well

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. It's simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get tangled, you tango on

by pookeyguru on Apr 30, 2008 6:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs