2014 DBR Mock Draft

[Henderson]

It is not like we get the benefit of watching private workouts by these kids. Basically, we are all guessing based on what we read on the interwebs and what we saw (if we saw them at all) in college hoops games last season.

Plus it's not a full time job for us to be scouting these players (though some of us are nearly obsessive enough), and we don't have miles of tape to review and break down. Plus, trades aren't available to us, and we make our picks before knowing who might withdraw.

Still, it would be interesting to do a long term comparison of DRB picks vs. NBA GM picks. I'm not sure there is that much value in the "expert analysis" of GMs that isn't available to those of us who don't get paid to make the picks. The pros make their share of bone-headed moves. A longitudinal analysis would be pretty interesting.

[kAzE]

Plus it's not a full time job for us to be scouting these players (though some of us are nearly obsessive enough), and we don't have miles of tape to review and break down. Plus, trades aren't available to us, and we make our picks before knowing who might withdraw.

Still, it would be interesting to do a long term comparison of DRB picks vs. NBA GM picks. I'm not sure there is that much value in the "expert analysis" of GMs that isn't available to those of us who don't get paid to make the picks. The pros make their share of bone-headed moves. A longitudinal analysis would be pretty interesting.

I'd imagine that comparison wouldn't turn up much of anything over the long term, with a sufficient sample size. The NBA draft is such a humongous crap shoot, what with injuries and off the court issues for some players, other players simply going to the wrong situation for them, or being a wrong culture/personality fit. Sometimes, you hit a home run, and sometimes, you draft Michael Olowakandi #1 overall. It's fun to think about, though.

[NSDukeFan]

Plus it's not a full time job for us to be scouting these players (though some of us are nearly obsessive enough), and we don't have miles of tape to review and break down. Plus, trades aren't available to us, and we make our picks before knowing who might withdraw.

Still, it would be interesting to do a long term comparison of DRB picks vs. NBA GM picks. I'm not sure there is that much value in the "expert analysis" of GMs that isn't available to those of us who don't get paid to make the picks. The pros make their share of bone-headed moves. A longitudinal analysis would be pretty interesting.

We also don't have knowledge about Marfan's syndrome either. (Or at least I didn't.)

[Newton_14]

I'd imagine that comparison wouldn't turn up much of anything over the long term, with a sufficient sample size. The NBA draft is such a humongous crap shoot, what with injuries and off the court issues for some players, other players simply going to the wrong situation for them, or being a wrong culture/personality fit. Sometimes, you hit a home run, and sometimes, you draft Michael Olowakandi #1 overall. It's fun to think about, though.

Listening to sports radio shows, reading major outlets, and reading this thread, it seems there is a strong consensus of doubt Wiggins will ever be anything more than a run of the mill NBA wing with hops, that may make a couple/few All Star games over the course of his career, and certainly will never reach the level of player that Kevin Love is right now. Ok, so that's half the equation. Consensus vote based on just that: Get Love as quickly as possible to have him in your training camp building chemistry quickly, and include Wiggins in the trade if Minny insists on him.

The other half consists of a few key factors.
1. Salary Cap implications. Love costs a lot leaving no room to add stronger role players. Wiggins is on the cheap for 4 years allowing a lot of room to add stronger role players. Ok, so based on that, you most certainly take Wiggins off the table and you possibly do not make the trade at all.
2. Lebron's prime years are right now, not 4 years from now. Consensus: Get Love at any cost, put Wiggins in the trade.
3. There seem to be very few people that view this as realistic, but I still maintain Minny should not be in a position to demand Love's true value in return due to the fact he is in the last year of his contract, and there is no chance in hell he resigns with Minny. Normally that means a team has to take less than full value because teams could just wait them out and get Love next season for nothing in return. My view based on just this factor is take Wiggins off the table, but go hard after Love offering other lesser assets.
4. K says trade Wiggins for Love. Real feelings? Hidden agenda putting the quote out there for an unknown calculated reason? Again: Put Wiggins in the deal

Add it all up though, and it seems the right thing to do is leave Wiggins in the trade and get Love right away.

I have to admit, even with just being a casual NBA fan at this point in my life, this has been the most exciting NBA offseason for me in a very long time, and I cannot wait to see what team Cleveland puts on the floor this coming season and how well they do.

And in honor of the fine human being that is Jason Evans,

signed,
Newton "How crazy would this thread be if Cleveland had drafted Jabari and it was he rather than Wiggins in this debate" 14

[brevity]

We also don't have knowledge about Marfan's syndrome either. (Or at least I didn't.)

Yes and no. The (mock) Spurs had two late 2nd round picks, and I took a look at Isaiah Austin. I learned that he was blind in one eye -- a fairly irreversible health problem -- and figured I'd go with someone else. I was surprised to see him go #42.

[kAzE]

Listening to sports radio shows, reading major outlets, and reading this thread, it seems there is a strong consensus of doubt Wiggins will ever be anything more than a run of the mill NBA wing with hops, that may make a couple/few All Star games over the course of his career, and certainly will never reach the level of player that Kevin Love is right now. Ok, so that's half the equation. Consensus vote based on just that: Get Love as quickly as possible to have him in your training camp building chemistry quickly, and include Wiggins in the trade if Minny insists on him.

The other half consists of a few key factors.
1. Salary Cap implications. Love costs a lot leaving no room to add stronger role players. Wiggins is on the cheap for 4 years allowing a lot of room to add stronger role players. Ok, so based on that, you most certainly take Wiggins off the table and you possibly do not make the trade at all.
2. Lebron's prime years are right now, not 4 years from now. Consensus: Get Love at any cost, put Wiggins in the trade.
3. There seem to be very few people that view this as realistic, but I still maintain Minny should not be in a position to demand Love's true value in return due to the fact he is in the last year of his contract, and there is no chance in hell he resigns with Minny. Normally that means a team has to take less than full value because teams could just wait them out and get Love next season for nothing in return. My view based on just this factor is take Wiggins off the table, but go hard after Love offering other lesser assets.
4. K says trade Wiggins for Love. Real feelings? Hidden agenda putting the quote out there for an unknown calculated reason? Again: Put Wiggins in the deal

Add it all up though, and it seems the right thing to do is leave Wiggins in the trade and get Love right away.

I have to admit, even with just being a casual NBA fan at this point in my life, this has been the most exciting NBA offseason for me in a very long time, and I cannot wait to see what team Cleveland puts on the floor this coming season and how well they do.

And in honor of the fine human being that is Jason Evans,

signed,
Newton "How crazy would this thread be if Cleveland had drafted Jabari and it was he rather than Wiggins in this debate" 14

Oh man, if they took Jabari, I think this deal would already be done, and Jabari would be in Minnesota. I think he brings enough promise, and enough production offensively right away, that Flip Saunders would be willing to give up Love. Then again, LeBron might actually like Jabari enough even as a rookie to pass on Love and just play with Jabari at the 4. That would be pretty interesting, as well. Jabari's certainly not on Love's level right now, but in a couple of years, could definitely get to that point, at least from a scoring standpoint. He'll probably never become that type of rebounder, but he is much more athletic than Love, and a better finisher in the paint. It would be a totally different situation, because Jabari is much more NBA ready right now.

Or you could go in another direction: What if Embiid never got hurt? I think there's no question he would have gone #1 overall and he would be untouchable in any trade scenario. He's a guy who could become the top center in the league in a few years, and is the one thing that the Cavs don't have, and can't get: a young, athletic big man who has the potential to be dominant on both sides of the court.

[NSDukeFan]

Yes and no. The (mock) Spurs had two late 2nd round picks, and I took a look at Isaiah Austin. I learned that he was blind in one eye -- a fairly irreversible health problem -- and figured I'd go with someone else. I was surprised to see him go #42.

My (mock Houston GM) research skills weren't as good as yours.

[Henderson]

I'd imagine that comparison wouldn't turn up much of anything over the long term, with a sufficient sample size. The NBA draft is such a humongous crap shoot, what with injuries and off the court issues for some players, other players simply going to the wrong situation for them, or being a wrong culture/personality fit. Sometimes, you hit a home run, and sometimes, you draft Michael Olowakandi #1 overall. It's fun to think about, though.

The comparison might show us that you are exactly right: The NBA draft is a humongous crap shoot not requiring any specialized skills. The interwebs are a great equalizer where otherwise disparities of information might exist.

I feel like I'm talking about the question whether today's money managers can consistently beat the S&P 500. Similar principles within our overloaded information age. Low life creatures like me have access to data previously reserved for professionals.