Hoops

NBA Draft 2015 thread - Karl Anthony Towns goes #1

I agree with Butler and Winslow, but if they are your 2nd or 3rd best player you would be a really strong team. (Winslow in a few years if he develops to somewhere around Butler/Deng level which im backing him to do.)

Both are very nice players.

Winslow was a steal for the Heat.

By the way, why are you just repeating a previous post?

Well, @Nix65 I will agree with one thing there and that is that the game is changing, it is always changing and I guess it always will...

However, one thing that doesn't chyange is that teams will always be looking for a player who can help the team win and if that means a shooter then that is what the coach will be after.

I don't think we will see 5 shooting guards on the floor any time soon, but you never know do you??

I really like Winslow as well, however best player in the draft seems a little ridiculous to me. Although time will tell, I see him being more of a Trevor Ariza type guy.

What's wrong with Butler?

You could argue he is the best player on that Bulls team. Perhaps one of the next best players in the East not named Lebron.

Surprised one Harrison didn't get drafted. May work out better for him as he will get TC invites and could elect which team to go to.

Was also surprised Booker went so high. I understand he is young but I see him as a bit of a one-dimensionally skilled player. Time is on his side but I didn't see a secondary skill when he played for UK.

Russell is an absolute stud. His college stats are mighty impressive.

Yeah i see the above points.

I just think scoring wise the game is very guard/perimeter heavy at the moment.

The days of giving it to your C and allowing him to go to work are dwindling. Funnily enough, this seems to be replicated at junior level - how many kids struggle to make an entry pass/simply don't do it.

C'S are very valuable don't get me wrong, but my own opinion is that piece Centres are the way to go i.e. great role playing C's who support very well. Look at all recent ship team and each had C's who were great as a supportive cast - Bogut (normally was), Splitter, Anderson (?), Chandler, Bynum.

Just personal opinion but i believe in drafting a great piece C like Chandler (absolutely love that guy) and go with stud perimeter players.

I mentioned small ball but players are getting taller.

What i meant when i referred to small ball is we are seeing more 6"6 - 6"7 dudes but IMO gone are the days of a true centre.

So yes although it sounds contradictory teams are getting taller in terms of median range but are opting for small ball if that makes sense.

Cliff Alexander and Aaron Harrison both went undrafted! At the start of the college season cliff was a top 5 pick and Harrison was a lottery pick

We are yet to see where David Lee will be traded to.

If your a NBA GM, knowing the 76ers are all about accumulating assets do you offer all your draft picks for the next 3 years for Okafor? Leave them unprotected if required, especially if your a decent club like the Bulls and unlikely for them to be top 5 picks.

Is it worth a risk like that?

Anyway, here is the top 20 so far, great to see Kaminsky go top 10:

Pick Team Player Pos School
1 Minnesota Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns PF/C
Kentucky

2 Los Angeles Lakers D'Angelo Russell G Ohio State
3 Philadelphia 76ers Jahlil Okafor C Duke
4 New York Knicks Kristaps Porzingis F/C Sevilla
5 Orlando Magic Mario Hezonja G/F FC Barcelona
6 Sacramento Kings Willie Cauley-Stein C Kentucky
7 Denver Nuggets Emmanuel Mudiay PG Guangdong
8 Detroit Pistons Stanley Johnson SF Arizona
9 Charlotte Hornets Frank Kaminsky PF Wisconsin
10 Miami Heat Justise Winslow SF Duke
11 Indiana Pacers Myles Turner C Texas
12 Utah Jazz Trey Lyles F Kentucky
13 Phoenix Suns Devin Booker SG Kentucky
14 Oklahoma City Thunder Cameron Payne PG Murray State
15 Washington Wizards (via Hawks)
Kelly Oubre SF Kansas
16 Boston Celtics Terry Rozier PG Louisville
17 Milwaukee Bucks Rashad Vaughn SG UNLV
18 Houston Rockets Sam Dekker SF Wisconsin
19 New York Knicks (via Hawks via Wizards) Jerian Grant G Notre Dame
20 Toronto Raptors Deion Wright PG Utah

Disagree with your last comment MACDUB, seriously, how can you underestimate the value of size in the NBA, or basketball in general for that matter?

Big players are becoming more versatile, able to shoot and play several positions, perhaps not just at centre.

Your memory must be failing you if you can't recall the NCAA D1 final and how that game was won.

Even the NBA final was influence by Iguodala, not a small ball player, a big who can shoot and is versatile...

Kid will be a star IMO.

Typical NY fans who have a case of "if I haven't heard of him, he must be rubbish"

Always seems commonplace in the NBA. Dare I say it its the media hype nature of the NBA whereby more media exposure = better player.

People will be quick to call him a bust because he is European (ala Darko), forgetting of course that theres been a fair few American busts as well.

This kid is seriously skilled and could be the next Dirk alebit with more mobility and athleticism.

Plus I don't know what people see in the likes of Okafor and Towns and this affection with drafting Centres.

NBA is moving to small ball and thats the current trend. Recent champions have tended to play small.