Packfill

The guy is so skinny he would get absolutely physically abused in the paint. He is light years from contributing to an NBA team.

Dougherty was not white.

Quote: There is no reason that Bogut can't be as good as Duncan in all aspects of the game. He's better than him in virtually every area at the same age. Of course it's no sure thing, but where would the Spurs be without TD? I don't think it is fair to compare Bogut to Duncan. Duncan is the best player in the world and it is asking an awful lot of an unproven 20 year old - whether his surname is Bogut, Brown, Howard or Okafor - to live up to those lofty expectations. I think alot of people forget just how good Okafor was for UConn - and remember he has not played basketball for a very long time and improved exponentially in his three years at UConn.

As great a draft as that may be, it would likely leave the Hawks completely devoid of veteran talent and leadership. I don't think that is a good idea.

I think the draft is 2 deep in terms of individual talents, but runs 5 deep in terms of talents that will result in wins. The three extra - you guessed it, Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Raymond Felton. All have demonstrated the ability to make the players around them better and lead their teams to victory. It is no small coincidence that their respective teams performed so well. All three could do for Josh Smith what Steve Nash has done for Amare Stoudamire.

That is exactly why Jerry West is trying to get rid of him - he realizes that JWill has no value in the playoffs.

I know this runs contrary to what most people here think, but I absolutely would not be disappointed of the Hawks drafted Deron at 2 or traded down to get him at 4 or 5.

Darko absolutely was a consensus top pick. There is no question about that. The article referred to Darko being a dark horse candidate for the number 1 pick.

I have a buddy who is a UK grad and follows them religiously. He says people there are down on Morris and his long term potential. That is why I choose Bynum, that and the fact Bynum is bigger.

Darko absolutely was the consensus number two pick. He was being refered to as the dark horse candidate for the number one pick.

My first choice is Bogut for obvious reasons and second choice is Bynum based solely on potential.

Quote: Look at Lebron, Dwight Howard, Okefur, Carmelo, and on and on. These guys were projected to be special in the NBA and so far they all are living up to expectations. If they ALL the GMs, critics, writers say a guy is going to be good, most likely they are going to be good when it is unanimous like that. You made my point for me. Look at Carmelo Anthony (and Darko for that matter) in the 2003 draft. Carmelo is a good player yes, but he is not as good as Dwayne Wade (the number 5 pick) and potentially will not be as good as Bosh (the number 4 pick). In the 2002 draft Amare Stoudamire (no. 9 pick) has turned out to be a better player then the number one pick Yao Ming. Again, a 1 or 2 pick is not a guarantee unless you are talking about Tim Duncan or LeBron James. Marvin and Mogut are not Duncan and James.

I think there is a rationale basis to consider a trade down. When dealing with prospects nothing is absolute so there is no guarantee that either Marvin or Bogut become stars. Similarly there is no reason to believe Paul or Deron won't be hall of famers.

Quote: not true. 1st off its hard to compare NBA to other leagues because of the rule differences, court differences, etc. but Jason Kidd is the best PG in the world, not Jasikevicius. i'm sorry these foreign guys get a lot of hype in general. i mean he's good, but not the best in the world and his team didnt medal. look at the draft if my man Kevin Pittsnoggle were foreign, he would be a lotto pick, same for Darius Rice last year, all this extra foreign hype makes me sick. they have had just as many busts as the high school kids but it gets swept under the rug. I think you are off-base in terms of the "hype" factor for foreign players. Sure some are hyped based on potential, but so are high-schoolers and early entry candidates. For every Darko and Skita there is a Kwame, Bender and Diop. Some top foreign players, without any hype, slip to the late first or second round and end up as huge successes - such as Ginobilli, Parker and Kirilenko. Some top US college and high schoolers without "hype" slip and become great successes - Redd, Smoove, Boozer, etc. The point is there are plenty of foreign born players that justify the draft hype they receive - Dirk, Gasol, Ming, etc. Similarly there are plenty that bust. I don't thik it gets swept under the rug. I think everyone realizes that there is a HUGE risk in drafting a teenager, whether he comes from Texas or Prague.

Quote: I did a little more reading on Bynum... He's a guy that has come out of no where this past year. He uses his size to put up good numbers... BUT.. He lacks good fundamentals especially shooting outside of 5 feet. I would try to get either: May, Frye, Diogu, Villanueva, Simien in no particular order here. With his size, if he can consistently stick the ball in the whole from 5 feet then I see no need for him to have an outside game. I think all those other guys are power forwards, good ones mind you, but power forwards. Bynum has size and athletic ability which means he may be Jerome James/DeSagana Diop or Shaq/Ewing. Deron and Bynum is certaintly an interesting draft.

The biggest problem I have with trading Al is that it would leave the Hawks exceptionally young and without a go to scorer. Having two starting forwards that are 19 is a little scary.

I am really torn on the idea of trading down. I think if the Bucks draft Marvin first then the resolution is easy - draft Bogut as he fills one of the teams biggest needs. If the Bucks take Bogut, I would strongly consider trading down because I think the Hawks desperately need either a topflight center or topflight point guard from this draft. So trading down to 5th and 13th with Bogut off the board makes a lot of sense. At the same time, there is the fear that Marvin becomes a superstar and the Hawks regret trading his rights away. I am not really as sold on Marvin as others as to me he does not seem like a LeBron, but who knows.

Tim Duncan or LeBron James.

Quote: felton may mccants or mwilliams. So you are a Duke fan?

Quote: You are always willing to just take on insane contracts but thank God Billy would never do something like that. Fisher is signed through 2009/2010. Do you realize that? His average salary is about 6.5 million over that time as well. His production isnt anywhere near that either. Plus, Al by himself is at least worth the #9 pick, if not a #5 like Jamison got. Then you want to take on Fishers contract, plus give up the Lakers pick? No way dude. I like the thought of getting Deron and Frye, but I would do it another way. If Deron isnt available at #5 then I keep Marvin Williams and let the roster sort itself out. If he is there I move him to Charlotte and take their #13. I might be willing to move down in the 2nd to move up a bit in the 1st to get Frye if I really think he is worth it. Otherwise I take Petro and drive on. The reason the Mavs got the 5th pick from the Wizards for Jamison is partly because they were willing to take on Stackhouse's large contract.

Quote: Desiel - IMO, your best arguments are not that point guards are more scarce or better than similarly elite big men. Your best arguments are that the risk is too high to go with anything less than a superstar pick (David Robinson, Shaq, Duncan, etc.) and that there is no superstar big man in this draft. You can then argue that the next most important position and hardest to fill is at PG and that we will get maximum value by filling that spot in this draft. That all makes sense but the arguments about the effect of a dominant big man or the scarcity of point guards v. centers don't make any sense to me or seem to me to be arguing a different point (such as you taking the argument that point guards are more scarce and converting it into an argument that it is not as necessary to have a dominant big man). Well said.

If he is there at 31 then he is definitely worth the risk. Obviously, there is no guarantee he amounts to anything but in the second round he is worth it. Probably will be taken in the bottom third of the first round.

Quote: You don't draft a PG guard with the #2 pick in the draft. We take Bogut or Williams and add a PG later. The last PG who won the MVP in the Championship game was Isiah (1990). Lets get some BIGS! Chauncey Billups was finals MVP last year. He was also the number 3 pick in the draft.

Deron was one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball last year. He shut down NBA caliber talents/athletes S. Stoudamire, D. Garcia, C. Paul and all comers in the Big 10. By comparison no one questions Jason Terry's foot speed but he is a crappy defender. John Stockton was not fleet of foot but was still an excellent defender. Same with Dennis Johnson, Terry Porter, and Fat Lever. Every player in the draft has huge question marks - is Bogut athletic enough? Does Marvin have a position? Is Chris Paul tall enough? Can Gerald Green put on weight? Is Chris Taft lazy, stupid or both?

I agree. Swift is a waste of money.