2009 NBA Draft Thread

[RedFlash]

Thats from draft.net. Look its easy to compare him to Tyrus Thomas since he went to the Bulls, but they arent the same type of player at all. His ball handling skills by themselves seperate him from TT so much that its laughable. Nevermind the fact hes 40-50lbs bigger, has an outside shot, and will mix it up down low.

 

Agreed. nbadraft compares him to Danny Granger/Ryan Gomes. draftexpress compares him to Ryan Gomes. CBSsportsline compares him to Ryan Gomes. And looking at Gomes comparasion, that is not at all bad. Gomes career numbers are 11.6 and 5.3. So if James can be a cross between Granger and Gomes and the Bulls are likely to have gotten a nice steal at 16. And with TT coming up to an extension time, I would say drafting Johnson and Gibson, means Thomas is prolly gone.

 

Oh and the comparison from Chad Ford give me a break. He says he reminds him of TT in 1 WAY! And that 1 way has nothing to do with the talents of either player, hes talking about how both seem to take plays off. Well almost all college players, and NBA players take plays off. Again he wasnt comparing their actual GAME!

 

Chad Ford is like Peter Vescey, Sam Smith, Skip Bayless, and Jay Mariotti are roll into one. Ford=idiot and anybody who gives that turkey anything more a grain of salt is asking to be call an "idiot". (Not that I am calling anybody an idiot specifically.)

[shnsajax]

I really like what the Spurs have done this offseason so far.

[Tyrant]

Blair is a good pick outside the lotto. Not all short, wide guys are going to have the poor success that Traylor had in the NBA. Blair's game is more advanced, he has a better work ethic and his rebounding will translate well. But when you get into the 20s and into the 2nd round, he's an amazing value.

 

Way better value than Taj Gibson.

 

And while Blair is "short" in terms of height, he has really long arms. His standing reach is higher than Blake Griffin's, so it's not accurate to say he's undersized. People need to get over using height alone as a measurement.

[SpongeWorthy]

If Johnson is Ryan Gomes I'll be pretty disappointed in that pick even at #16. Admittedly, I don't know a whole lot about Gomes but he's just another guy it seems like. Is he a difference maker?

[RedFlash]

If Johnson is Ryan Gomes I'll be pretty disappointed in that pick even at #16. Admittedly, I don't know a whole lot about Gomes but he's just another guy it seems like. Is he a difference maker?

 

Are you supposed to find "difference makers" in the middle of the first rd? The last decent player picked at 16 was Hedo Turkaglu and that was 2000, I believe. At this point if Johnson turns out to be Gomes, then it is a solid pick.

[SpongeWorthy]

If Johnson is Ryan Gomes I'll be pretty disappointed in that pick even at #16. Admittedly, I don't know a whole lot about Gomes but he's just another guy it seems like. Is he a difference maker?

 

Are you supposed to find "difference makers" in the middle of the first rd? The last decent player picked at 16 was Hedo Turkaglu and that was 2000, I believe. At this point if Johnson turns out to be Gomes, then it is a solid pick.

 

That's a little extreme. I'm talking about good players on winning clubs...guys like that are found in the middle to late parts of the 1st round every year.

[hawkeyecub]

I don't always agree with him, but Bill Simmons writes one funny draft diary.

 

It's what he does best and I really like a lot of his stuff. This year's wasn't as good as some in the past though. Here are some of my favorites:

 

4:44: Mike Dunleavy's mundane interview with Scott earns this e-mail from Chad in Denver: "In the history of the world, has there ever been someone who looked more like a 1930s Movie 'Bad Guy' than Coach Dunleavy? Do you think when players are cut or released, he tells them it's 'curtains' for them? Are contracts and salary figures discussed in terms of 'loot?' During timeouts, I can't tell if he's drawing up plays or figuring out the getaway route for an armored car job." And you forgot to mention that he's robbing the Clippers right now.

 

...

 

4:50: Jones asks Thabeet, "What does it mean to be the first player in the NBA from Tanzania?" This could be a long night. On the bright side, Thabeet apparently bought Andre the Giant's voice on eBay. I keep waiting for him to challenge Big John Studd to a lumberjack match.

 

4:51: OK, who would be the funniest celebrity to try to say the name "Hasheem Thabeet?" Tom Brokaw? Bob Cousy?

 

4:51: I have to come clean: If the Zombie Sonics take Rubio or Curry, they will be employing my favorite college player of the decade (Kevin Durant); my favorite international player of the decade (Rubio) OR my favorite college player of the past two years (Curry); two other college guys I loved (Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook); and if that's not enough, they have my favorite young coach (Scottie Brooks) and my favorite GM who didn't go to MIT (Sam Presti). At some point, all these things will override "They have scummy owners who hijacked the team from Seattle." I don't trust myself to handle this well. I am an only child. I'm selfish. I care about me only. And if I'm watching 75 Zombie Sonics games next season, at some point, I'm going to want to go to one.

 

Just know that, if I switch to the dark side, I won't do it half-assed. It will be like when Hulk Hogan joined the nWo. I'd see my editor (and die-hard Seattle fan) Kevin Jackson at the ESPYS, shake his hand, pretend to be nice, then hit him with a steel chair, do 10 leg drops on him and rip off my Hugo Boss suit to reveal a jersey of the Team That Shall Not Be Named as Erin Andrews screams, "Nooooooo! Nooooooo!" like Tony Schiavone. You'll get your money's worth. So again, I'm giving you a heads-up now. OK? OK.

[RedFlash]

If Johnson is Ryan Gomes I'll be pretty disappointed in that pick even at #16. Admittedly, I don't know a whole lot about Gomes but he's just another guy it seems like. Is he a difference maker?

 

Are you supposed to find "difference makers" in the middle of the first rd? The last decent player picked at 16 was Hedo Turkaglu and that was 2000, I believe. At this point if Johnson turns out to be Gomes, then it is a solid pick.

 

That's a little extreme. I'm talking about good players on winning clubs...guys like that are found in the middle to late parts of the 1st round every year.

 

Maybe, but the Bulls are not looking for "impact players", there looking for players who can contribute and play towards Derrick Rose's abilities.

[SouthSideRyan]

If Johnson is Ryan Gomes I'll be pretty disappointed in that pick even at #16. Admittedly, I don't know a whole lot about Gomes but he's just another guy it seems like. Is he a difference maker?

 

Are you supposed to find "difference makers" in the middle of the first rd? The last decent player picked at 16 was Hedo Turkaglu and that was 2000, I believe. At this point if Johnson turns out to be Gomes, then it is a solid pick.

 

That's a little extreme. I'm talking about good players on winning clubs...guys like that are found in the middle to late parts of the 1st round every year.

 

Maybe, but the Bulls are not looking for "impact players", there looking for players who can contribute and play towards Derrick Rose's abilities.

 

You shouldn't purposely draft mere contributors(I read this as bench players) unless you're a team at the doorstep of a championship.

[RedFlash]

You shouldn't purposely draft mere contributors(I read this as bench players) unless you're a team at the doorstep of a championship.

 

Normally I would agree with you, but in this yr's class there isn't a sure-fire, you know for a fact, 100% guarantee superstar. Not even Griffin---the best player in the draft---is a player you know will be a superstar. So getting players who can contribute in certain roles in a draft very light in big time college players is prolly the ceiling for this draft.

[Outshined_One]

You shouldn't purposely draft mere contributors(I read this as bench players) unless you're a team at the doorstep of a championship.

 

Normally I would agree with you, but in this yr's class there isn't a sure-fire, you know for a fact, 100% guarantee superstar. Not even Griffin---the best player in the draft---is a player you know will be a superstar. So getting players who can contribute in certain roles in a draft very light in big time college players is prolly the ceiling for this draft.

 

Yep. Outside of Griffin-Rubio-Harden, this was a really questionable draft at best. Expecting your team to pick a future starter this year outside the Top 5, much less outside the lottery, was just unrealistic. Yeah, I'm sure some of these guys will pan out, but this draft was just filled with long term projects and future bench players.

 

If the Bulls got two guys who can effectively contribute from the bench in this draft, I won't complain about it.

[hawkeyecub]

You shouldn't purposely draft mere contributors(I read this as bench players) unless you're a team at the doorstep of a championship.

 

Normally I would agree with you, but in this yr's class there isn't a sure-fire, you know for a fact, 100% guarantee superstar. Not even Griffin---the best player in the draft---is a player you know will be a superstar. So getting players who can contribute in certain roles in a draft very light in big time college players is prolly the ceiling for this draft.

 

Yep. Outside of Griffin-Rubio-Harden, this was a really questionable draft at best. Expecting your team to pick a future starter this year outside the Top 5, much less outside the lottery, was just unrealistic. Yeah, I'm sure some of these guys will pan out, but this draft was just filled with long term projects and future bench players.

 

If the Bulls got two guys who can effectively contribute from the bench in this draft, I won't complain about it.

 

Yeah it's unrealistic to expect Jonny Flynn or Stephen Curry to be a future starter.

 

Obviously the draft was weak but there are a good number of guys outside of the lottery (especially the top 5) who will be regular starters on bad teams in the next few years.

2000 was the worst draft in recent history and look at how many regular starter's came out of that draft. Jamal Crawford, Joel Pryzbilla, Turkoglu, Desmond Mason, Quentin Richardson, Jamaal Magloire, Morris Peterson, DeShawn Stevenson and Michael Redd have all started more than 300 games. That's 9 guys drafted 8 or lower.

[Outshined_One]

You shouldn't purposely draft mere contributors(I read this as bench players) unless you're a team at the doorstep of a championship.

 

Normally I would agree with you, but in this yr's class there isn't a sure-fire, you know for a fact, 100% guarantee superstar. Not even Griffin---the best player in the draft---is a player you know will be a superstar. So getting players who can contribute in certain roles in a draft very light in big time college players is prolly the ceiling for this draft.

 

Yep. Outside of Griffin-Rubio-Harden, this was a really questionable draft at best. Expecting your team to pick a future starter this year outside the Top 5, much less outside the lottery, was just unrealistic. Yeah, I'm sure some of these guys will pan out, but this draft was just filled with long term projects and future bench players.

 

If the Bulls got two guys who can effectively contribute from the bench in this draft, I won't complain about it.

 

Yeah it's unrealistic to expect Jonny Flynn or Stephen Curry to be a future starter.

 

Obviously the draft was weak but there are a good number of guys outside of the lottery (especially the top 5) who will be regular starters on bad teams in the next few years.

2000 was the worst draft in recent history and look at how many regular starter's came out of that draft. Jamal Crawford, Joel Pryzbilla, Turkoglu, Desmond Mason, Quentin Richardson, Jamaal Magloire, Morris Peterson, DeShawn Stevenson and Michael Redd have all started more than 300 games. That's 9 guys drafted 8 or lower.

 

I should have rephrased that and said "future quality starter," in that case. I really did not like this draft.

[RedFlash]

Yeah it's unrealistic to expect Jonny Flynn or Stephen Curry to be a future starter.

 

Neither Flynn or Curry are going to be long-term starters. In fact, I bet both will be the first guard off the bench for the better part of the careers. I like both players games, but neither strikes me as a player who can start for a championship team, or even a contender. I see Flynn in the Nate Robinson/Earl Watson energy guard role for the Wolves. And Curry to me looks like a guy you bring in for a clutch 3 pointer. Both will be solid players, but neither are long term starters, IMO.

[TruffleShuffle]

Yeah it's unrealistic to expect Jonny Flynn or Stephen Curry to be a future starter.

 

Neither Flynn or Curry are going to be long-term starters. In fact, I bet both will be the first guard off the bench for the better part of the careers. I like both players games, but neither strikes me as a player who can start for a championship team, or even a contender. I see Flynn in the Nate Robinson/Earl Watson energy guard role for the Wolves. And Curry to me looks like a guy you bring in for a clutch 3 pointer. Both will be solid players, but neither are long term starters, IMO.

 

did anyone really think that rajon rondo or derek fisher would be players who started for a championship team when they were drafted?

[hawkeyecub]

Yeah it's unrealistic to expect Jonny Flynn or Stephen Curry to be a future starter.

 

Neither Flynn or Curry are going to be long-term starters. In fact, I bet both will be the first guard off the bench for the better part of the careers. I like both players games, but neither strikes me as a player who can start for a championship team, or even a contender. I see Flynn in the Nate Robinson/Earl Watson energy guard role for the Wolves. And Curry to me looks like a guy you bring in for a clutch 3 pointer. Both will be solid players, but neither are long term starters, IMO.

 

He's nothing like Nate Robinson. He's 4 inches taller and actually has an idea of how to run a team. He's simply much better than Earl Watson. Curry is more than just a shooter. He'll get an opportunity to run the point.

And since when are we only talking about starters on a championship team or contender? There are 22 non-contenders every year who have 5 starters.

 

As Truffle alluded to, people have gotten carried away with how bad this draft class is. There aren't stars but there will be a good number of regular starters on bad teams and nice complimentary players on good teams. And just like every year you'll have your couple guys drafted in the 20's and 30's who become regular starters that no one anticipated. Except for DeJuan Blair.

[SpongeWorthy]

Don't know where to put this but http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-yaorockets062909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

Yao likely out for all of next year and possibly the rest of his career.

[illiniguy]

Yeah it's unrealistic to expect Jonny Flynn or Stephen Curry to be a future starter.

 

Neither Flynn or Curry are going to be long-term starters. In fact, I bet both will be the first guard off the bench for the better part of the careers. I like both players games, but neither strikes me as a player who can start for a championship team, or even a contender. I see Flynn in the Nate Robinson/Earl Watson energy guard role for the Wolves. And Curry to me looks like a guy you bring in for a clutch 3 pointer. Both will be solid players, but neither are long term starters, IMO.

 

did anyone really think that rajon rondo or derek fisher would be players who started for a championship team when they were drafted?

Rondo maybe, a lot of people were pretty high on him.

[snoodmonger]

Don't know where to put this but http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-yaorockets062909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

Yao likely out for all of next year and possibly the rest of his career.

 

 

I feel bad for that dude.

[Tyrant]

Neither Flynn or Curry are going to be long-term starters. In fact, I bet both will be the first guard off the bench for the better part of the careers. I like both players games, but neither strikes me as a player who can start for a championship team, or even a contender.

 

I see no reason Stephen Curry couldn't start for a contending team.

[Magnetic Curses]

Don't know where to put this but http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-yaorockets062909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

Yao likely out for all of next year and possibly the rest of his career.

 

 

I feel bad for that dude.

 

i give him credit though, i thought his career was over the first time he broke it. big dudes with foot problems don't last long in the nba. however, ilgauskas was able to get over his early foot problems and have a relatively productive nba career, so why not?

[Mike Aller]

Don't know where to put this but http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-yaorockets062909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

Yao likely out for all of next year and possibly the rest of his career.

 

 

I feel bad for that dude.

 

i give him credit though, i thought his career was over the first time he broke it. big dudes with foot problems don't last long in the nba. however, ilgauskas was able to get over his early foot problems and have a relatively productive nba career, so why not?

Yeah, Yao reminds me a lot of big Z. I just hope he can have the same luck Z did, because he has twice the talent.

[Keener98]

Is this the NBA Offseasn Thread? Dont know where else to put this put the Pistons fired Michael Curry today after 1 year of being their head coach. I must admit I like seeing the Pistons in disarray.

[RedFlash]

Is this the NBA Offseasn Thread? Dont know where else to put this put the Pistons fired Michael Curry today after 1 year of being their head coach. I must admit I like seeing the Pistons in disarray.

 

Yeah, I saw that, and I agree. Any GM who passes on Wade/Anthony and Bosh to take Darko should be instantly fired. But I digress. I hear the new coach will either be Doug Collins or Bill Lambeer.

[SpongeWorthy]

I wonder if this precludes them from making a midnight offer to Gordon.