Going Commando

I agree ACW. Blake has had a full year of exposure to NBA training and coaching. Granted he didn't play on the court but he had a huge advantage in terms of understanding the game at the professional level over the actual rookie draft class of 2010.

This particular NBA rule is complete BS.

Agreed. Plus he was a college sophomore when he came out so he's a good two seasons ahead of Wall already. Let's compare this year to Wall's third in the league and see how it stacks up.

Getting a beast low-post presence is a priority.

Agreed. I just don't like Blatche for this team. He needs a fresh start and I'm not crazy about thrusting Seraphin, Booker, or Jianlian into a starting role. I really want us to come away with Sullinger this draft since we could run our offense through him. Next year's class is completely stacked with small forwards in the lottery.

Let me ask you...we've had conversations about Harrison Barnes. I wonder how much of an effect Larry Drew II had on his game? Reason I say this is he's had a bump in productivity since Marshall has been getting the minutes at PG and Drew quit. Can't wait to see how he does tonight vs. Duke. From what I've been reading, Drew was a cancer on that team. Harrison Barnes has the pedigree, so let's see how he does as we approach the home-stretch of the season going into the NCAAs. He has a real chance to shut a lot of his critics up.....

I didn't know Drew II was considered a cancer. That would explain some of UNC's transformation. I know there was some speculation about why he quit and it was pretty obvious that it was because he lost his starting job. As for whether or not Marshall's promotion has had an effect on Barnes, I think the answer is most definitely. Drew II was just not a very good offensive player and I felt like the offense was always running in fits and starts when he carried the ball. The whole team is playing better with Marshall. He just sees and paces the floor so much better than Drew II did, I understand why Roy Williams gave him the job.

I've thought most of Barnes' problems early in the year came from him playing too uptight and pressing too much. His shot was supposed to be one of his biggest strengths and it just wasn't falling early on. I think he was focusing on the hype and trying to be superman instead of keeping it simple and finding his own fit in the locker room and on the court. A lot of times, a guy like Barnes is supposed to profile as an alpha dog and that's just not his style. He's a complimentary player and selfless almost to a fault.

I don't think Barnes profiles as a #1 offensive player like Carmelo who you can run the offense through. When he first got to UNC, I think people thought he'd be a Grant Hill (Duke and Detroit years) where he could be that top offensive assassin. Instead, on offense I think he's your second best player on a contender--a Scottie Pippen. On the defensive end I think he can be your top perimeter stopper with time and he'll probably be able to defend 1-4's with some strength development.

I like the way he fits onto our roster, which already has an alpha dog 2 guard in Young and a quality facilitator in Wall. The nice thing about Barnes is that I think he has very little bust potential because of how skillful, humble, and smart he is. But I'd rather take Sullinger and trade Blatche than take Barnes.

I with we had two top five picks this year. It'd be nice to come away with both Sullinger and Barnes.

*Oh as far as Austin Rivers....dude can flat out play. He's got an ego the size of Texas and at times can have a bad attitude if things aren't going his way. He needs to be humbled a bit. I think going to Duke and playing for Coach K will be good for his game. Nothing will be given to him at that program and he'll have to earn his minutes. Kid is special....if there wasn't an age-limit in the NBA, he'd be a top-5 pick in 2011. He's that good.

I didn't know about the ego concerns. Makes sense. He plays like a ****y **** with some of the stuff he pulls off. He's an impressive player and there is already talk of him going first overall in 2012. Duke guys usually take a bit of a beating at first since they play within the team, but they haven't had a player like him in a while. Imagine if Kyrie Irving stays for next year and Rivers plays SG. They're going to be impossible to stop.

What do you all think of Alec Burks? I'd say he's more of the "smooth" than "explosive" variety of athlete unlike Selby or Perry Jones. But I liked what little I've seen of him so far. He's got a feathery shot and strong handle and has been very productive the past two seasons despite being a very young player. I don't know that a 2 guard is our biggest need but Burks seems like a strong option there because he's long and will be able to defend the big ones in the NBA. He'd be well down my list of choices with our first round pick but we could probably do considerably worse than him--especially if Nick Young isn't retained.

Also, have any of you seen videos of Austin Rivers play? The kid is absolutely incredible. Wow. Too bad they have that rule where you have to be a year removed from high school to enter the draft.

I really hope we come away with a top three pick this year. I really, really want to get either Sullinger, Perry Jones, or Barnes. Probably in that order. Sullinger would be ideal. Then figure we've got about one more year of picking in the lottery after this one. Maybe next year we'd get lucky and come away with a talent like Rivers or Michael Gilchrist in the first. I think a Wall/Sullinger/Gilchrist core would be extremely strong. Have Gilchrist and Nick Young switch off at the wings and Javale would be the athletic big who can run the floor and play above the rim to compliment Sullinger.

Marshon Brooks is fun to watch. What range do you think he gets taken in? Late first? Any way you think we can flip Blatche for a late first?

Brooks is from Stone Mountain, Georgia, home of the four horsemen of the Confederacy--Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson, and Pacman. http://video.adultswim.com/squidbillies/early-in-hotlanta.html

I think the top guy in this class will end up being the one who has the best tournament. Jared Sullinger has certainly been the best college player with lottery potential. But Kevin Loves and Luis Scolas don't get picked first overall. He'll slip no matter what he does when people see how slow he is.

Carmelo didn't have a lot of draft momentum until the tournament. A performance like his from someone this year will vault him into the first overall spot.

Kyrie Irving was a natural choice before the injury. Harrison Barnes could go back to being the top guy if he keeps up this rate of play and has a nice tournament. If Perry Jones goes off in March he'll be a shoe-in.

I like the idea of trading back if Barnes and Sullinger are already off the board when we pick. There are some foreign bigs worth waiting on and I've seen mocks where Brandon Knight and Josh Selby slip into the late teens and twenties. If we maneuver around and come away with a nice big like that kid from Georgia and a scoring 2 like Selby I'd be very happy. Say we pick third or fourth and Sullinger and Perry Jones go first and second, Barnes stays in school, and Irving is BPA for us. If we could trade back and still get Trey Thompkins or maybe even a stud 2 like Alec Burks, and then Josh Selby later on. Then with our high second round pick we could hopefully either land a rebounding machine like Jordan Williams or a wing with high upside like Rodney Williams. Even better would be getting a late first from someone for Blatche and staying put with our high first and coming away with a Barnes or a Sullinger and still getting a combo scorer like Selby.

It'd be a lot of fun watching Selby and Wall work together.

The Wiz need some big men who can rebound. McGee needs to stop flying around and trying to get a blocked shot on every play. He gets way out of position and makes scoring for the other teams big men a piece of cake. At least that's what the deal was last night.

It'd be nice if we had a PF that was a rebounding machine like Kevin Love. McGee would look a lot better if that were the case. He could play the ball and his partner could play for the rebound. Blatche is the useless one. We can't have two soft bigs who don't rebound and Blatche is the one to go IMO.

For all who think McGee is a lost cause though, just take a loot at Josh Howard's remarkable development. Howard was a dumber player than McGee for a long time before he became the force he currently is. I'm willing to be patient and wait on McGee because there aren't any better options forthcoming.

The Cavs now hold the record for most consecutive losses at 24. Yet they've at least won on the road 3 times. 0-25 sounds worse. Why the **** are they so bad?

Because they don't have the most brilliant basketball player of his generation playing for them any more. The Cavs were always a suspect team. The fact that they were ever even a contender is astonishing. That they led the NBA in wins last season? Staggering in retrospect. Their owner is an utter moron who managed to squander the goldenest goose of all golden geese. I don't like LeBron but I certainly appreciate his talent now. The fact that the Cavs go from the league's top seed to one of the worst teams in NBA history the moment he walked out the door will be one of the most interesting and lasting parts of his legacy. Pointing that out is probably the simplest and most effective way he can tell his hypocritical critics like Jordan and Barkley to STFU.

You all are taking the back story/details of my scenario way too seriously. It wasn't about the possibility of it happening but about the whole BPA thing. I was just thinking about how far one would take it.

Well, I wouldn't adhere so strictly to BPA that I'd take a guy who'll be the backup PG with the 5th overall selection. Unless... could a Wall-Irving backcourt work? Probably not. Irving would probably play the 2 since he's the better shooter and we don't need to be yanking around a John Wall averaging almost 10 assists as a rookie. There's no way Irving could defend the Kobe Bryants of the league at 6'2.

It'd be doomed. Kind of like the opposite of what the Warriors have in Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis.

No BPA inside the lottery gives you Oden over Durant, Darko over 'Melo, Bowie over MJ, etc. The examples are endless.

Was Durant markedly the BPA at the time though? Oden had an excellent NCAA tournament and his freshman season, while not Kevin Durant good, was still pretty good. The choice looks awful in hindsight but that's because Oden's medical problems look obvious now when at the time, they were anything but. I liked Durant a bit better at the time and thought he would have made an ultra talented lineup with Roy and Aldridge but I also remember it being really close between him and Oden.

Still, Portland could have used both a 3 and a center. We already have a stud PG on the roster so our situation with Irving isn't totally comparable.

yeah Kanter's injuries scare me as well, but from what i've read his skill undeniable. then again, skill is useless if he can't see the floor. i would feel alot better if we changed medical staffs before selecting him if we go that route. between the two, i'd take Barnes as well

I''ve seen Horford comparisons with Kanter and that sure would be nice to have. The problem is that knee problems are no joke with a big. Greg Oden had them and one wonders if he'll ever get back on the court. I think Oden's deal was one of his legs was an inch shorter than the other. That seems minor enough but apparently it was the root cause for his micro fracture surgery.

Kanter would be the homerun pick for us but it's just too much stress and risk for my taste. We have absolutely got to get this pick right. I wish I had more faith in our FO to do it.

i probably take Enes Kanter or Barnes (who's stepped his game up the last few) at that point, or try to trade with a team who needs a pg

Those first four picks blow, but my consolation is Barnes. Sullinger is the player I want and I'd be really upset if he's off the board when we pick. But I'd settle for Barnes in a heartbeat.

I'm skeptical of Kanter. It'd be nice to have a player like him, but he's supposedly got knee problems. I don't trust them to hold out on him.

I'm going to crow loudly when Barnes gets taken high this year. There are draft websites that actually have Barnes falling out of the lottery and yet have Perry Jones being taken first overall hahahahaha. What, because he's averaging a whole point per game more despite playing six more minutes?

I think we're a playoff team if we can get rid of Blatche and replace him with Jared Sullinger.

No love for Terrence Jones McQueen? I see him and I see a man. At only 19. He's just a beast with a well rounded game to go along with it. I had some questions about his explosiveness but he really brought it this last game against South Carolina with a couple of absolutely sick dunks.

Completely forgot about him. Yeah I know what you mean about explosiveness. You don't really see him catapult from the floor like you do Perry Jones or Derrick Williams. But he strikes me as being much stronger than they are and it's not like he's an unathletic slouch.

I've seen Lamar Odom comparisons for Williams and I can definitely see him. Like you said, he's very well rounded. He's a good shotblocker, good shooter, has a post game, good rebounder, good runner, etc. If we want to go big he can play 3, if we want to go quick he can be a 4. He's probably the most skilled or second most skilled combo forward in the class. Derrick Williams might be the only guy who's got him beat at that and he's a year older.

I still like Sullinger the best for our team. But say he's not there and Perry Jones is already off the board, I think Terrence Jones makes a lot of sense. There are about 7-8 players in this class who I think could make a big difference on our roster: Sullinger, Barnes, Thompkins, Burks, Jones, Jones, and Williams.

If I had my preference, I would take Sullinger in the first and then take a flier on an athlete like Rodney Williams III in the second round. Williams has ridiculous athleticism. He looks like Vince Carter leaping around. But he hasn't done **** for Minnesota because I think he's had some problems with Tubby Smith. With a second rounder though... I think we could do a lot worse and if Williams pans out, he's got a starter's ceiling.

Drafting Sullinger makes Blatche completely obsolete IMO. He's the one I would trade, not Booker. Blatche would have higher value and he'll expect to start. We don't need both Sullinger and Blatche on the roster as defensively challenged PFs. I'd settle for draft picks from Blatche.

I think last night was a preview of days to come from Javale and John. When they put it all together in a few seasons and get a strong supporting cast to help them out, we're going to be a really tough team to beat. We've already come so far from where we were at the beginning of the season. Beating the Celtics in a back to back? Especially after falling so flat the night before. No way we would have won that game two months ago.

This draft is going to be extremely important because I think it's going to be our final shot at a top 5 pick with this core. We need to get a strong contributing forward or a superstar 2 guard. I don't see any clean 2s at the top end in this class except for Alec Burks. On websites I see him being compared to Eddie Jones and Evan Turner. That's not exactly what I'm looking for to usurp Nick Young's job.

I've seen mock drafts having us take Enes Kanter but I don't really like that pick. I don't like what I've read about his knees and I think his career longevity might be suspect. We need to get this pick right and Kanter is way too hit or miss for my comfort level.

The players I want the most are Jared Sullinger, Harrison Barnes, and Perry Jones. Barnes would be a smooth fit and a talent upgrade at the 3 and give us one of the most talented and versatile backcourts in the conference. Perry Jones would give us another freak athlete to run the floor with Wall and McGee. But Sullinger is the player I want the most and he brings something radically different to our team. He's a true scrapper and I think he's got the ability to become a Kevin Love presence in the front court. He'd be the strongest player on our team and he's got a polished offensive game with a full array of post skills. He's got a high basketball IQ and a huge motor, and he'd be our top offensive weapon and give us the ability to grind out a half court game. I think he'd be the perfect compliment to McGee's athleticism and above the rim defense. He'd give us each night what Andray Blatche gives us what, once every 10-15 games?

Sullinger is a top 4 or 5 pick though, so we have to pick early to get him. I really hope that Irving and Barnes both come out early, because if they do, those two plus Derrick Williams and Perry Jones are probably your top four and will push Sullinger down a bit. If we don't get Sullinger, Trey Thompkins is probably your next best bet for acquiring that type of player.

I really hope we can trade Blatche this year. I'd deal him for a bad contract and a first round pick. We can afford a bad contract with our pay scale and total inability to sign attractive free agents. What else are we going to do with the cap space? Then, even if the first round pick is a fairly late one, we stand to draft a good player because this is a deep class. nbadraft.net's mock has Brandon Knight slipping all of the way to 19. C.J. Leslie and Jan Vessley at 20 and 21. They have Josh Selby all of the way at 24! How sweet would it be to draft Sullinger and then get Selby or Knight later in the class to backup Wall and play off the ball when Nick Young needs a breather. Or you could go small and quick at 1-3 and play each of them at the same time. It'd be a defensive liability but they'd be very dangerous on offense.

---------- Post added January-23rd-2011 at 10:43 AM ----------

It was also about a fresh start. We can't completely move on from the Arenas era when Arenas is still on the team. And Shard actually has played really well. I'm still holding on to hope that we can deal him to a contender at the deadline for some prospects/picks/cap relief.

That'd be nice. I really want us to pick up another first this year or next, even if it were to come towards the end of the round. But he's been a good influence on our team it seems. It also wouldn't be the end of the world to keep him until his contract plays out because he gives us good production from the wing and can play PF too.

Hot Damn!!!

Boy if it doesn't look like we won that Arenas--Lewis trade. Dare I say it? Was McD5 right all along? At least about us coming out on top in that deal.

And no offense to you as well, SM, but I don't think YOU have watched much of Perry Jones. If you did, you'd know he's had a good season and is playing well within his conference games...not to mention shooting at a high clip, etc. His upside is FAR greater than Barnes. And yes..please find me one article or person who have mentioned the word "bust" when talking about Jones like they do for Harrison Barnes. You keep comparing the #'s like that's supposed to mean something. Watch the games bro...In a TERRIBLE ACC, Barnes should be dominating especially for being the #1 recruit in the country. But yeah...we'll take solace in the fact that he's doing a lot of things well that don't show up in the score sheet...*shrugs*

Jones was the #2 recruit and his expectations were just as high. He was the #1 player the year before.

The reason you haven't heard the same "bust" talk about Jones this season is because he hasn't been under the microscope like Barnes has. I've hardly heard anything one way or the other about him. Jones will have a great game and then be held scoreless the next. He's an inconsistent player who's almost as likely to come up invisible as he is to dominate. This is something that's been the case for him since high school.

Also, what difference does upside make when you've got a prospect like Barnes who already has the upside to be an All-Star caliber player in the NBA? After a certain point, there is a diminishing return. One thing I'll say that's as true with the NBA as it is with the NFL--more franchises have been raped and pillaged by falling in love with "upside" than probably anything else.

Barnes has played well. He's not going to light the scoreboard up for UNC. When was the last time any freshman player at UNC did? Never under Roy Williams as far as I can recall. Barnes is still the go to guy in the crunch and he plays well within the structure of that team. It's the same role he'd be asked to play here--good defense, good passing, good BBall IQ, great locker room guy, toughness, versatility on offense, clutch scoring. We already have Wall as our facilitator and Young as our go to guy. We need a second banana wing who will perform all of those aforementioned functions for us or we need a strong PF who can bring us a paint presence.

Perry Jones is a great SF prospect too who brings unique athleticism and length to the position and he'd probably be my #2 wing. I just don't think he's as good a player as Barnes is.

But as a 4, I'd rank Jones well behind Jared Sullinger, who abused Jones during All-Star games. I'd also rank him behind Terrence Jones who fits the combo forward role much better IMO. And Derrick Williams is a similar athlete to P. Jones with a similar blue chip background and similar upside who's been producing at a higher and more consistent level all season long. If I were looking specifically for a 4 or an athletic combo forward, I'd take Sullinger and strongly consider taking T. Jones and Williams ahead of him. I'd take P. Jones specifically if I'm looking for a 3 and Barnes is unavailable.

I couldn't disagree more with anything you've said.

1) You can't judge players on stats and box scores. Pointing out that Perry Jones is only averaging 1/2 point more than Barnes and 5 more minutes means absolutely nothing to me. You can't judge basketball players by stats.

Did you read anything I said about Barnes? Clearly I'm not basing my argument off of stats. I'm just pointing out how neither have had the kind of scoring impact they were expected to have. But no one is dumping on Jones for his inconsistent effort and then on the other hand people are talking about how Barnes shouldn't even declare this year. Maybe if you just started following the season a week or two you'd think Jones has been great. But he's been just as inconsistent as Barnes.

2) You say that Jones isn't a lock because he isn't the best at his position this year...which has nothing to do with where he will be drafted this year. Kemba Walker is arguably the best player in the NCAA this year and he likely wont sniff the lottery

What does Kemba Walker have to do with Jones? I gave you three forwards who are either freshmen or sophomores who have all been better than Jones this year by a substantial margin. Terrence Jones, Derrick Williams, and Jared Sullinger are all definitely lottery picks. They'll probably go top five. The athletic upside for Williams and T. Jones is comparable to Perry Jones's as well so it's not like he's going to go first overall by default. I understand how the draft works. There is no consensus top player in this class yet. There might not be one when draft day arrives unless someone has a dominant tournament.

3) Perry Jones is definitely a 4 at the next level. You can't teach size. You need to go look at tape of KG when he came out....he didn't have the "size" of a 4 either...you are acting like this guy isn't going to grow anymore...like he isn't going to put on weight. PFs need to be able to shoot in today's NBA to be elite...look at Gasol and TD.

Why would you take someone who has the ability to be a truly special wing player and turn him into a mediocre 4? I know that 19 year old players grow, I'm not an idiot. I'm talking about his skill set, which is far more suited to playing the wing than the post. I don't care what his height and reach numbers are, he needs to play on the perimeter. He's a great runner, great passer, great shooter, great ball handler, and a good perimeter defender--with absolutely no post game whatsoever. He'll get abused in the post by even mediocre athletes at PF like Jared Sullinger. This from draftexpress.com:

Jones had no problem putting behind a very disappointing high school senior season behind him, showing immediately in the practices why he’s arguably the best long term prospect of any player in this class. His body has developed noticeably since we last saw him, and his athleticism and upside is clearly off the charts. He did a great job of showing his perimeter skills as well, in particular his shooting stroke, which looked outstanding even out to the 3-point line. Defensively, he was active and aggressive rotating from the weak-side as a shot-blocker, but struggled at times in man to man situations, particularly when being backed down by the super strong and tough Jared Sullinger.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Perry-Jones-5713/#ixzz1BjkvuGJb

Also from that site:

In terms of weaknesses, there are a few you could point towards. One would be his complete lack of a back to the basket game, something you’d like to see him develop considering the quickness and nifty footwork he displays. He needs to get stronger in the lower body first, and probably quite a bit tougher in the paint as well.

He also doesn’t always box out for rebounds, and is way too upright trying to guard the post, often just waiting for an opportunity to go and chase a blocked shot, rather than trying to deny position and play solid man to man defense. These are not very rare things for a big man this young, especially one who is a very late bloomer, like Jones clearly is, having experienced a late growth spurt that saw him shoot up dramatically over the course of a few years.

He's a perimeter player in the NBA. If you take him and play him at the 4 it'll put him in a position he's not nearly as good at and give us another soft big with a mediocre basketball IQ to pair alongside Javale... lovely.

Also, Perry Jones looks more like Tracy McGrady than KG. He doesn't play with a fraction of the aggression and ferocity that KG plays with.

---------- Post added January-22nd-2011 at 12:09 AM ----------

Agreed.

Perry Jones' versatility is unmatched in college b-ball today. When is the last time you saw a guy 6'10+ TRUSTED to bring the ball up the floor? What...Odom at URI? Anyways, Jones has lived up to his billing IMO (and that's what has separated him and Barnes). You can tell that his upside is tremendous and he doesn't need another year at Baylor. I really hope he somehow lands in DC next year.

Barnes on the other hand has been awful. It's no knock on the guy or you, but it seems like you've convinced yourself that he's playing better than he actually is. He's been a bust and clearly needs another year of seasoning in Chapel Hill. Like I said before, maybe his game will translate better to the pros, but I'm not seeing it.

On what grounds are you making this argument? No offense, but it seems like you haven't watched him play. How can Perry Jones have lived up to his billing and put up nearly the same numbers as Barnes and you consider Barnes to have been awful?

---------- Post added January-22nd-2011 at 12:14 AM ----------

why don't you think he'll be good? He has the height, can put on the muscle (weight) and can score inside or out. I think he could be the next KG

Why force a square peg into a round hole when he can be one of the best 3s in the league one day? He's not the next KG. He's a beta dog and looks more like the next Javale McGee when he's playing the post. He's too soft to be the force in the paint that KG is.

More Kevin Seraphin please. I thought he was actually pretty good tonight. I think he should get some of Blatche's minutes.

Also I agree wtf did McGee go in the second half? Did he have to run home because he forgot his inhaler? Jesus this team is soft in the paint. The Suns of all teams worked us there!

I dunno bro...I'm not seeing it w. Barnes. For a 5* recruit, he's been awful. For his pedigree, it's easy to make an argument that he's been one of if not THE biggest freshman bust this season. I'd like to see him get more agressive out there and have a better shot-selection. The fact that we are saying that the positives for the #1 recruit in the country are things that don't show up in the stat sheet is kinda alarming, no? Should he declare after this season he'll most likely go in the lottery...I just wouldn't want any parts of him if the Wizards are drafting in the top 3-5. I hope he stays in CH for at least one more year to work on his game...with the looming CBA problems, that may become a reality for him.

He's not been that bad though. Perry Jones was a 5 star guy too and he's the one you said you want to draft. What's separated them this year? Jones is averaging a point and a half more in scoring and one more rebound per game? That's not a significant difference to me. Especially not since Jones plays 5 more minutes a game than Barnes, and in general, plays more than any of the other top freshmen in the country save Brandon Knight.

I've been watching UNC steadily this year and, after a rough first few games, Barnes settled down and has been steady. I'll watch a game and at no point think, this guy is awful. He actually looks really good now that his shot has been falling.

The thing about UNC is that nobody on that team is going to put up big scoring numbers. Look at their typical box score and nobody ever breaks 20, but they'll have five or six guys put up double digits. I think Barnes' lack of scoring is more about the system than anything else. And in any regard, he's a good shooter with a versatile offensive game, plus he does everything else quite well. Anyone who rules Barnes out because of mediocre scoring numbers this season is ruling themselves out of a damn good player.

---------- Post added January-21st-2011 at 09:38 AM ----------

The only two prospects who have impressed me much this year is Krye Irving and Perry Jones. At this point Jones is a lock for #1 overall and Kyre doesn't fill a need for us. I'd still rather draft him over any of the other projected top 5 (minus Perry). This is not a good year to be in the lottery.

Grunfeld doesn't have anything to do with how the players are used...that is all on the coach. I'm hoping Flip makes a post all-star exit from our team. I say give the team for Sam the rest of the year, If he impresses, keep him; If not, we need to find a new coach for 2011-2012.

How would you use Perry Jones? Would you put him on the wing, or put him down low and develop post moves. I personally, would put him down low at the 4 and try to turn him into KG.

Jones certainly is no lock to be taken first overall. For one thing, he hasn't even been the best at his position this year. Terrence Jones, Derrick Williams, and Jarred Sullinger have all been better and far more consistent. If you put Irving on the list of impressive freshmen, Brandon Knight and Josh Selby should be on there too.

Also, Perry Jones is tall but he's definitely not an NBA 4 and playing him there would waste his best talents. Sometimes he looks lost playing that position for Baylor. He's a great shooter and ball handler, he needs to play the wing at the next level.

Harrison Barnes has been extremely underwhelming this year. Maybe his game will translate better to the pros, but at this point, I wouldn't want him on the team. Sullinger on the other hand....the kid is an absolute BEAST. Reminds me a little bit of Boozer.

Barnes is a good player and he hasn't been bad. He plays on a pretty balanced UNC team where he doesn't need to score like Sullinger. He's averaging about 12 points per game for instance, and Perry Jones is averaging 13 and a half.

Sullinger is an offensive beast but I'd prefer Barnes honestly. Sullinger is like Luis Scola Or Paul Milsap. He's a gifted scorer with a powerful post presence but he's going to be a big liability on the defense. Net-net, Barnes and Blatche are better than just Sullinger or Sullinger and Thornton. Sullinger is basically like a bit slower version of Blatche with a better IQ and post game. He'll be a good NBA player no doubt and he's a great locker room guy whereas Blatche seems kind of ****ty. But I don't think he'll be an All Star down the road.

Barnes has that potential because he's a great athlete with a really high basketball IQ. And FWIW, I watched him go off on VT and came away extremely impressed. He's also the kind of player who's impact isn't measured in points and rebounds per game. He just makes a lot of great plays that aren't stat book types--the stop and good pass that leads to the pass that leads to the score for instance. And when he gets into a rhythm he'll drain his shot.

He'll take longer to develop than expected, but I see him as having the ability to become an excellent pro in a couple of seasons. He'd be a valuable starter and excellent offensive second wheel to Nick Young.

agreed, thats why the losses don't really upset me that much. As stevemcqueen said earlier in the thread, i'm rooting for competitive losses that leads to a top 3 pick

Top 3 sounds good. We don't need to pick first overall in this class because there is no consensus top player.

From what I'm reading in this thread, everyone has a different player they life for us.

I mean, depending on how you feel about Blatche, we're pretty open at the 3 and 4 positions and it probably wouldn't hurt to find another quality 2 although I think Nick Young can be a good starting 2 on a Eastern Conference contender.

So given the fact that we need forwards and there are a lot of good ones in this class, everyone will probably have their own favorite.

I like Barnes and Sullinger personally. But I can see different cases being made for Perry Jones, Terrence Jones, Derrick Williams, or even a big like Kanter.

I also really like watching Josh Selby play and I think Brandon Knight could be an undersized 2.

Two steps forward, one and a half steps back is to be expected with a rebuilding team. It's frustrating now but I'm not worried about it. This time two years from now we'll be watching a good team and the only thing we'll remember about this season is how it ended up getting us Harrison Barnes or Jared Sullinger .

What now? Nick Young isn't a starter?

Also what happened to the "nothing but a catastrophic John Wall injury can bring me down this year" attitude? We won this game fellas.

Nick Young may not be eddie house. But he is not a starter. He only starts for us because we have no one else who can score. Most of those stats are skewed because nick was a 6th man for half the season.

I don't see how a 2 guard who averages 20 points a game (when he starts) and plays good defense isn't a starter. It's not like we've got Kobe Bryant ahead of him on the depth chart.

Young is a good player. I don't see why that's so hard to accept. He looks like a different man on both sides of the floor this season.

Brandon Knight is a beast. Louisville was able to keep the pressure on Terrence Jones today but that just left things open for Knight. I think he made something like 4 three pointers today. The kid can really shoot. If Nick Young hadn't come on so strong this season, I'd say we could look hard at drafting Knight and moving him in as an undersized shooting guard much like O.J. Mayo or Eric Gordon. He's bigger than Josh Selby is. The main problem I see though--can he defend guys like Kobe Bryant and Tyreke Evans?

I guess I'm still higher on McGee than most. There's no way I would trade him at this point. I'd love to see what he could do when paired with an above-average power forward.

I wouldn't trade him either. Who are we going to pick up that's better? Nobody any time soon that's for damn sure. If we want a better center, we'll have to draft one and wait years for him to develop. There won't be a better athlete coming out any time soon. Enes Kanter could be a good option this season but he's about 6'9 without shoes. Andre Drummond will be a better prospect than McGee, but lord know when he'll be available, I think he's only 17 or 18. And he'll definitely require a first overall pick.

There isn't anyone on the roster already I'd play ahead of McGee. **** no to Yi and Armstrong. N'Diaye is also older and far less polished/talented. We can't afford to trade McGee unless we get something incredible in return for him.