DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Cavs, NBA Playoffs, and the Draft

Starting to read more and more about Alex Len going #1.

It is so hard to know who we're going to take ..... or even who we should take. Everyone at the top of this draft is flawed. No one is a sure thing. Every one could bust.

McLemore might be a future All Star. Porter is a high floor, low ceiling type kid. Noel is an injury question, along with size questions, and questions about his offensive game. Bennett is an undersized PF. Burke looks like a solid PG type .. but we already have Irving. Muhammad has a major head case for a father, and who knows how that will impact him? Zeller, once though to be the #1 player in this draft has fallen. Len has that dreaded stress fracture in his foot. He's got talent and upside though.

The only thing I know for sure is that there are no sure things in this draft. With 4 picks, it will be interesting to see what the Cavaliers do.

Anyone else enjoying LeBron's so-so performance in the Finals?

He has had games in his career where he seems to have that killer instinct. But he has way more games where he seems to want to shy away from the big moments. Really interesting dynamic. If he had MJ's mentality, he'd probably go down as the best ever.

I don't know what's going on inside his head.

I don't know if he feels like he's not getting enough support from his teammates, or what. Still, I look at 25 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists, and I have a hard time calling that a bad game.

He does not look like he is having fun though. He has also had very inconsistent help from the other "Big 2".

He was only 8/22 from the field though which makes his night rather mediocre.

I lay the blame on Chalmers and Cole getting ran through on the defensive end, having to guard Tony Parker is taking a lot out of LeBron on the offensive end.

I'm 85% certain that the Cavs are taking Porter #1. Its the only player listed at the top of boards that they aren't tied to at all. Chris Grant works so well as misdirection each year. We heard nothing of Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson leading up to the draft.

I still think it is Noel, Porter, or trade. It's just hard to see anything else. I did percentages before but I'm going to shy away from that because of all of the negative reports on Noel's knee and not knowing whether those are smokescreens or legit. Either way, it's just one of those drafts that nobody really seems to know what is going to happen at the top. I wouldn't be shocked with anything at this point.

The past few years, the Cavs have followed pretty close to the stat methods of ranking collegiate players. Those systems have a pretty solid 1-2-3 of Noel- Porter- McLemore. I think the Cavs are scared off of Noel between the knee, the stories of his group of friends, and lack of offensive game. I will be perfectly fine if they draft Noel, but my gut is screaming Porter right now.

I have a sleeper for our pick. Don't laugh.............Victor Oladipo.

I think this kid is tremendously athletic. He has a 6'9" wingspan. He is great defensively. He has a very high ceiling. I know his offense still leaves a lot to be desired, but he really improved last year and I think he will keep getting better and better.

I think this kid is going to end up being a great player. Not a good player, but a great player. I know he doesn't have the name recognition, but I think his upside deems him worthy of being considered for the top pick in this very weak draft class.

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Anyone else enjoying LeBron's so-so performance in the Finals?

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Absolutely! I've only turned it on when they've been getting their butts kicked cause I can't stand to see that guy play anymore but I'm glad it's not proving any easier for him there than it was here.

Oladipo has tons of name recognition. He's certainly in the mix of the top picks this season. If he was taller/longer, then he'd be the MKG of this draft (SG's need to be able to shoot and it's his biggest question mark).

6'9" reach is okay, but the SF's in this draft are over 7' in reach. Kawhi Leonard has a 7'3" wingspan which is a big reason he's so disruptive.

My NBA draft big board (non-Cavs specific).

Note: Ranking insdie the tiers aren't really in order because they would depend on team need as well as background/medical reports, etc.

Tier1 (destined to be a star) – no one. None deserve it, so let’s not kid ourselves by forcing the issue.
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Tier2 (likeliest to be best in this class)

Nerlens Noel – I’ve pretty well documented my feelings on him. Both positives and negatives.

Alex Len – Injury is the biggest issue and ‘could’ be bigger than Noel (we don’t have reports).

Victor Oladipo – if he were a SF, then he’d possibly be in tier1. SG’s need to shoot and it’s not a certainty for him.
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Tier3 (wouldn’t shock me to see any actually be the best)

Trey Burke – propped up by being a PG, but everyone needs a good PG in today’s NBA.

Otto Porter – limited upside IMO. Solid guy though who could develop into good
3&D guy.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – best mid-range game, which is what NBA defenses gift-wrap. Good D guy too.

Jamaal Franklin – close to Oladipo’s measurables, more innate skill on offense. He’s this drafts Kawhi Leonard (but at PG/SG).

Michael Carter-Willliams – all the measurable, but doesn’t blow you away. If he figures it out, then he could be amazing.

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Tier4 (obvious flaws)

Ben McLemore – such a sweet shooting stroke, he played decent defense too. But, he just feels like a pure 3&D guy w/o the stat-stuffing that Porter does and from SG.

Anthony Bennett – man can he score, but he’s likely a Paul Millsap guy at best.

Shabazz Muhammad – his dad is nuts, he might be. Background check could push him into Tier2 or make him nearly undraftable.

CJ McCollum – he can score, but he’s not Curry. He will need to prove he can play defense and play PG (because he’s small for SG). I’d love him as a backup PG/SG, but not as a starter.

Cody Zeller – he’s proven a lot, but he’s also more of a project than I’ve seen some claim. He needs better post moves, more strength, and a tougher mindset on defense. He has all the tools and some great footwork though.
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Tier5 (1st round grades, but we are getting much riskier now)

Shane Larkin – if only he were a little taller (MCW) or a little tougher (Burke). Likely a backup waterbug PG, but could be a Ty Lawson in the right system.

Giannis Adetokunbo – one of youngest players in draft. Likely needs a season or two in Europe to season. Ridiculous upside and lots of
great reports (and some not so nice). Can get more into what I have read if necessary, but he seems like the best overall Euro-prospect.
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Tier6 (fringe 1st rounders IMO)

Tony Mitchell – only because of his off-the-court stuff. On the court, he’s as good as Anthony Bennett but 2” taller.

Sergey Karasev – read some great things and some not so
great things. I don’t know because I haven’t actually seen him. Reports, age, and measurable all less than Giannis, which is why he is here instead of above.

Dennis Schroeder – really, skinny. No, really, really skinny. From reports, seems like a backup PG at best and the unknown is the only reason I don’t have some other guys I do like above him here.

Steven Adams – okay, he’s young. But, man, he was brutal last year. He’s not ready and I don’t know why he didn’t go back for another year. Whoever gets him has to understand that and develop accordingly.

Rudy Gobert – lots of conflicting reports on him. Some had me higher on him earlier, now waning. I really don’t know about him, so safest to put him here.

Gorgui Dieng – only here because he’s so much older than all other prospects. He has some nice footwork around the basket and some nice defense, but he’s limited in what he can do or develop into. Should make a fine draft pick in the 20s for someone though.

Tony Snell – prototypical SG size and skillset. The right coach/team is going to make this guy the next Danny Green. The wrong coach/team
is going to have this guy be out of the NBA in 3 years.

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Tier7 (guys to consider with our 2nd rounders)
Olynyk
Plumlee
Bullock
Crabbe
Hardaway Jr.
E. Green
L. Brown
Ledo
P. Jackson
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Tier8 (guys to stash in Europe with our 2nd rounders if we don’t have roster room and cannot trade)

Livio Jean-Charles – I really like him and ESPN showed him on the Nike Summit. Tons of motor and passion. Funky shot mechanics, but could become reliable 3&D guy for a small cost.

M. Jaiteh


“Bebe” Nogueira

So yeah, we kind of missed an entire NBA Finals.

Glad to see the old guys still have fight in them.

Danny Green is a 1man fastbreak defensive machine

There's no guarantee that Kawhi would have been anywhere CLOSE to being as good as he is with the Spurs had he come here instead and been asked to be a key player immediately, rather than role player that had time to learn a system under a trio of seasoned pros and Pops. Heck, even Danny Green has blossomed into a pretty good player there after we bailed on him here.

Hopefully this isn't Timmy's last ride. However I'd love to see a swan song type of performance out of him tonight. Also when Timmy goes I think Popvich will go as well.

GO SPURS!

He's playing like he's mad at the bottom of the net to start.

I wonder what Spo will do at halftime. They haven't doubled Duncan all series long because they didn't have to, what do they do now? Giant wrinkle thrown in by Duncan into this series that might be the difference in the game. This is 2003 Duncan.

Yeah and he's a good passer, too, to where he'll hit open shooters if they help out on him. Manu hasn't been himself and Parker has yet to do much, but they're up despite that. Love watching him degrade Bosh. Leonard is making me kick myself over having TT on the roster.

LeBron's jumper has completely abandoned him. He was actually a really good shooter this season, but man is his confidence done. You can see it in his form too, especially on that last 3. Elbow was all over the place.

You are Mike Miller in this .GIF

http://thefakeespn.lockerdome.com/articles/108188841

LeBron's body language looks like he's already defeated.

Second half is going to be interesting.

D. Wade is already preparing his injury excuse.

It's very close despite the epic game on Duncan's part. If Ginobli doesn't play like trash tonight, this is a double digit game.

I think the Heat know who Danny Green is now. He's not getting another open tray...

Manu is done. He put everything he had left into game 5. He just doesn't have any lift or his quickness that made him so deadly.

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It's very close despite the epic game on Duncan's part. If Ginobli doesn't play like trash tonight, this is a double digit game.

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Same can be said for Parker tonight, and he's about to pick it up it looks like.

He's at least taking some energy out of Lebron on the other end of the floor (and could take even more out IMO). Ginobli hasn't really served that function. He's seemed content to just loaf around the perimeter and take "Meh" shots when he has decided to be assertive.

Duncan's just been a monster. I mean 30 and 12 and it's not the fourth quarter yet...

Danny Green has been incredible, but this championship pressure is getting to him.

Yeah, he just had two open looks that you'd expect him to knock down based off this run. If I'm Pops, I just sit Ginobli. He's not even being intelligent on the defensive end. Duncan on the help was more than enough but he stupidly sent James to the line.

And Duncan isn't reacting well enough to the added attention sent to his way yet, either.

Only down by one! They (Spurs) can still do this!