Basketball Christmas 2017

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Well... it's been a long, long, long time. Basically work has been busier than usual (basically they're cutting people back while simultaneously taking on more work while at the same time being less efficient overall... you know, capitalism) and doing a lot more things with the Everything I Learned From Movies podcast (check it out at eilfm.podbean.com) and this will probably be part of my first Everything I Learned From Sportsball episode... and of course it's about one of my favorite times of the year... Basketball Christmas aka the NBA Draft. So here are my thoughts on some of the picks. Be sure to call me out on my misinformation in the future but... looking back... haven't been too terrible at this.

1.       Philadelphia – Markelle Fultz – Guard from Washington

The Sixers have been talking about “The Process” for years now… and they got the #1 pick two years in a row! He has the potential to be the next Russell Westbrook kind of athletic scoring point guard… and is now surrounded by last year’s #1 Ben Simmons (probably his top competition for ROY), Joel Embiid & Dario Saric (2 of top 3 rookies this year), Jahlil Okafur will probably be traded soon, but then again they’ve been talking about that since they drafted him two years ago, and they still have cap space for potentially signing another big star around these SUPER young stars. Oh my god, the Sixers Dynasty starts today!!! Oh wait… I just remembered… these stars are injury prone… and one knock on Markelle is… he lost his last 13 college basketball games in his one year against real competition. One thing’s for sure though, it could be really interesting and ANYBODY can get an 8 seed in the East / first round exit to the Cavs. They also used later picks on giant Latvian center Anzejs Pasecniks & Australian 6'10" small forward Jonah Bolden so we'll see.

2.       L.A. Lakers – Lonzo Ball – Guard From UCLA

The Ball family is probably going to be a thing in the NBA for a while. Lavar Ball, the patriarch of the family, has done all he can to set this up for his eldest son Lonzo to be the point guard of the Lakers… and the younger brothers are already committed to UCLA as well, and that’s all well & good. With my stepdad being a fellow Lavar, I’m okay with him being in the limelight… but it’s probably not for the right reasons. I think we can all agree that his reaction last night was pretty f**king smug. As for the marketing campaign that he’s been doing, it doesn’t matter at all. Sure, it sounds like Marinovich 2.0 but with a social media twist… but it’s all going to come down to whether or not Lonzo can play. I only watched the Kentucky game where he was definitely not at his best… but he seems to be a great passer and coordinator of the offense that could really blossom with the other pieces that the Lakers have with Ingram, Randle, Russell, Clarkson & even Mozgov there for putbacks. Then again, it could all be a hype machine. Only time will tell whether Showtime is back in L.A.

I also like their selections later in the 1st round with U of Utah alum, forward Kyle Kuzma… representing Utah to the fullest… and of Villanova guard Josh Hart… if only so we can see him talking on the sidelines to his brother from another mother, Kevin Hart. HOLLYWOOD!!!

3.       Boston – Jayson Tatum – Forward from Duke

I LOVE the trade that Boston was able to pull with Philly where they exchanged the #1 pick that they had for this #3 overall pick AND another 1st rounder that’ll likely be a lottery pick. Mostly because they’re already the 2nd best team in the East and now they’re gonna pick the same person that they really wanted at #1 anyway… then potentially another top pick next year or the year after… AND I kind of have to love when a BYU grad like Danny Ainge does good. It’s a Utah thing. Now, as for Tatum, Duke makes some great role players in the NBA. Coach K has done his best to be the next Kentucky with all of the one-and-dones but that’s only recently. In the 90’s & 00’s aside from Grant Hill… you have a lot of Laefftners, Brands, Hurleys, Battiers, and more high end role players versus superstars like they were in college. However, with Brandon Ingram last year, Okafur the year before, and Tatum this year, that trend could change… but we’ll see. He’s another good all-around player but based on a limited sample & the team didn’t fare well in the tournament when pressure was on. We shall see but… he’s 19 years old, great size & athleticism, and the draft is really about potential anyway, right? This guy should be good as long as he can stay healthy. However, keep an eye out for other moves to be made with the ridiculous cap space that the Celtics have too… they’re not done. Gordon Hayward… plenty of good draft picks… watch out!!!

4.       Phoenix – Josh Jackson – Forward from Kansas

For Jackson, the games that I’ve seen he’s been pretty good. Good on offense, above average defender, just a good all around player that’s NBA ready… and he’s adding to a good young core. It may take a few years for them all to take off but this guy seems NBA ready from Day One.

5.       Sacramento – De’Aaron Fox – Guard from Kentucky

Speed, speed, speed… in my opinion, probably the best point guard in this group based on what I’ve seen. Great size, ridiculous speed, decent decision making, my only concern is that he was surrounded by great talent in Kentucky against lesser competition usually so it’s hard to know how he’ll react to the NBA’s speed… and maybe injuries taking that speed away, but that’s always a concern. Great pick! I hope to make fun of his name for the next decade-plus. Now… Sacramento in my opinion WON this draft. They got the point guard that I think will end up being the biggest star… then they turned traded the #10 overall pick that ended up being raw freshman Zach Collins to Portland for two of the next ten picks in this SUPER deep draft… and so then they got another one of my favorites in lanky, awkward, bucketmaker Justin Jackson of champion North Carolina… and a player who would’ve been the #1 pick outta high school but hurt his knee a few times at Duke, center Harry Giles! THEN!!! THEN!!! In the early 2nd round, they picked Frank Mason III who was probably the best college player in the country… but because he’s essentially an old man at 21 years of age, he dropped to the 2nd round.

Speaking of Justin Jackson, the OLD MAN of the draft because he had the audacity to stick around Chapel Hill for three whole years to play great college basketball… the FOOL!!! OK, sarcasm should be obvious… but yeah, it’s weird that somebody who’s been in college more than a year is considered a has-been in draft terms nowadays. The draft has become ALL about potential. That being said… JJ here has long range capabilities, good size & length, and showed that he could handle pressure on the college level… so yeah, he should be ready for the big time, even if as a sixth man or something to start.

6.       Orlando - Jonathan Isaac – Forward from Florida State

The first real big guy of the draft and he made it this far. That’s just the way of the NBA nowadays. You want guys as tall and as fast as possible that you can teach the rest to… but if you have to pick height over dash… dash is going to win in this league with the rules in place. That being said, this guy is young & probably still growing… still agile for a big man… so he could cause some serious problems for future opponents. Tall, nimble, good rebounding, great interior defense, he could be a beast. They also picked a potential steal in Ivan Rabb at #35 in the 2nd round. Now this guy… I actually watched him play in high school on TV for the California state championship… and then he played a year of college here in Berkeley last year… and he was going to be a Top 5 pick last year… but decided to come back for one more year as his freshman teammate Jaylen Brown went #3 and is now riding the gravy train with the Celtics. But after this sophomore year, he hasn’t shown a lot of improvement… and he’s (gasp) a year older… so now he’s drafted here. Probably lost millions by staying in school an extra year. Well, at least he has his degree in…  what am I saying? College is a scam! Get woke! College robbed Ivan Rabb… don’t let it Rabb you! Tall, athletic, raw… great potential… yackity yak… you’re going to sense a theme hear… just a heads up…

7.       Chicago - Lauri Markkanen – Forward from Arizona

A Scandinavian seven-footer that pop three-pointers like tic-tacs… welcome to the NBA that Dirk built for you! Now… since Kyrie Irving has shown me that guys with girls names can still have game, I’m not going to dwell on that with Lauri here… but in the right system he could be a great stretch-four. I’ve never seen him play personally, but hear good things… and the stats at least show that he’s made for a spread-out offense. I’m sure he’ll be around for a while. The next Dirk? Probably not… but he could pass for a Mehmet Okur or Ryan Anderson kind of player for a long time.

Unfortunately what’ll always be the question… is the price that Chicago paid for this pick, as they traded All-Star forward Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, along with the 16th overall pick (Creighton center Justin Patton) in exchange to get Markkanen, recovering super athlete Zach Lavine & lottery pick last year point guard Kris Dunn. If we were to put these players on a scale of 1 to 10, Butler is a 10 & the 16th overall pick in this draft is probably a 5-6 right off the top, totaling 15-16 points for the Wolves. #7 pick we’ll give 7 points to (even if Markkenen may not have been my pick), Lavine is a 6 if he fully recovers as he showed a lot of promise last year… and Dunn, I’ll still give him a 5 but he hasn’t adjusted well as a rookie. That totals 18 on that side. So did Chicago win this trade? Was it fair? Throwing in Butler’s large contract may sway a point or two in either direction as everybody else is on a rookie contract but… He’s already a star & was disgruntled in Chicago. Hopefully this trade will work out for everybody… but only time will tell. On paper though, it seems like a good trade.

8.       New York - Frank Ntilikina – Guard from France

Leave it to the Knicks to make the first controversial pick, all while allegedly shopping its future superstar from last year Kristaps! Everybody is hoping that this guy is the next Tony Parker (unknown French guard that leads sports’ greatest franchise to 5 titles in a decade in spite of a commissioner’s hatred for small markets) but I’ve never seen the guy play… and I’ve been burned by too many Dante Exums, Nikolai Tschkidivitilis, Jan Veselys, and other overhyped international players to get too excited just yet. Again though, young, athletic, we’ll see how it works out. The Knicks seems to be in serious trouble…  I’m actually surprised when they win against tanking teams.

9.       Dallas - Dennis Smith jr – Guard from NC State

Dallas lucks out!!! This draft has a LOT of good to great point guards that should be able to lead teams in the next year or two. Mr. Smith here was originally thought as a #1 pick until some injury issues & bad performances towards the end of the season… but with pro trainers, I think that he could be a VERY sneaky steal of a pick in the late lottery. Keep an eye on this kid.

10.   Portland – Zach Collins – Center from Gonzaga

As mentioned earlier, Portland traded the 15th & 20th picks to get up here to grab him… and Zach had some great spurts in the Zag games that I saw in the tournament… and he’s got great height, but he’ll have to beef up for the big boys & play more than a few minutes a night… but still young & can flourish in the right environment. They also grabbed Purdue forward Caleb Swanigan later in the round too. Portland has had a lot of trades & seems to have a lot of players on contract though around centerpieces Damian (WEBER STATE) Lillard & McCollum… and maybe Jozef Nurkic? The Blazers may be looking to make a few more moves the next month or so… keep an eye on them.

11.   Charlotte - Malik Monk – Guard from Kentucky

Now… Malik can light it up! It seems every game that I saw of him in his freshman year, he ended up scoring 30-40 per game! He can get straight buckets!!! He’s a little undersized for a two-guard… and he’ll need to beef up to really keep it going in the NBA... but I see good things with him. Basically he’s at worst a kind of JR Smith assassin role player… but he could also become an undersized overachiever with a mean streak like Dwayne Wade with just a little work. How he ups his defensive game will definitely help with the latter… and it doesn’t hurt that Michael Jordan may be around to help him out & bring out the competitive nature in him. I really like this pick for the Hornets… and with the trade to get Dwight Howard at center, Nic Batum, they could make some real moves in the East.

13.          Utah - Donovan Mitchell – Guard from Louisville

I’ve never heard of this guy before… but he pops up on a bunch of mock drafts because of his long arms. As Izzy would say here, there’s a lot of arm talent in this draft… but young, freak athlete, I’m sure somebody’s going to take a chance on this guy. I’m seeing him as more of an Avery Bradley that a Kawhi Leonard but either way, supposed to be a great defender. Utah has other things to worry about now with Gordon Hayward’s pending departure to Boston (stay tuned) and how to handle Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert & their other young stars… but good luck, Jazz! I like this pick. I also like them helping themselves on the Favors / Gobert front by drafting UNC center Tony Bradley late in the round. He didn’t get a lot of playing time in his one college year but… young, tall, raw, blah blah blah…

14.          Miami – BAM Adebayo – Forward from UCLA

Now… I feel like the Heat may have reached a little bit for BAM here… but I love the way this guy plays. He’s just a big raw athletic beast who grabs rebound, plays defense, and occasionally will dunk it back in. I LOVE those kinds of players in the right system. So where he might be a reach as I would expect him later in the 1st round, he may also end up being a bit of a steal. He’s 19 so… yeah, that’s a theme with this draft. So far 13 of the 14 players picked this far… one year removed from high school. Jesus…

18.          Indiana - T.J. Leaf – Forward from UCLA

I was REALLY hoping this guy would get drafted by Toronto at #23 & then he was going to change his name to Toronto Maple Leaf… instead they oddly enough ended up picking Indiana guard OG Anunoby… however, this works too. Hmm… maybe they can still work out a trade to bring TJ to Toronto & OG back to Indiana… anyway,  I like Leaf’s game in college, mostly centered around rebounding, distributing, and attacking when needed. He’s no Kevin Love at this point but he could be a Luke Walton kind of player & a great role player for the team. They also drafted UCLA center Ike Anigbogu who was big on everybody’s draft board but… I never saw his appeal other than he’s large. Not shocked that he fell…

22.          Brooklyn - Jarrett Allen – Center from Texas

There needs to be more afros in the NBA!!! They were making a renaissance there for a while but the fro/headband combo game has been in serious decline since Ben Wallace and others have tied their natural hair up in cornrows & whatever the hell Iman Shumpert has been doing with his hair recently. I’m so insanely jealous of people who can properly maintain their hair in that manner… and that’s why I want Jarrett Allen to be a superstar in this league for years to come… and never forget where he comes from… keep it real playa! Oh… tall, athletic, raw… blah blah blah…

31.          New Orleans – Frank Jackson – Guard from Duke

The Pride of Alpine, Utah not only went to Duke, but is now the 1st pick (of the 2nd round) of the NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans… well, by Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets then immediately trade to the N.O. Pelicans but… you get  the idea. UTAH STAND UP!!! Not only did the Big Easy draft a Utah guy… but they also drafted a guy named Dwayne Bacon from Florida State in the 2nd round… Frank & Bacon!!! Delicious!!!

38.          Golden State – Jordan Bell – Forward/Center from Oregon

The World Champions just may have snagged the STEAL OF THE DRAFT!!! They went into the draft with nothing… dropped  a few million bucks to “rival” Sacramento for the pick… and walk away with exactly what they needed… a physical rebounder & solid defender that can finally make the likes of Zaza Pachula’s crooked ass expendable (and Bogut before him). How often does a 2nd rounder step immediately into starting? Rarely… and probably won’t here… but it shouldn’t be long before he’s the odd center out surrounded by Olympians.

Now as for the Spurs… they drafted Colorado point guard Derrick White late in the 1st round & everybody assures me that he’s good but I’ve never seen him play … and then Clemson forward Jaron Blossomgame but… I don’t expect him to even make the team… but Pau Gasol decided to go free agent so that opened up cap space for us to go after a big dawg who wants to help them win a championship next year… so let’s go Spurs!!! Anyway, hoping to add a bunch of pictures from our trip to Iceland shortly but... oh did I not mention that before? Yeah, we went to Iceland. Sorry, I've been neglectful... but I'm looking to get back into this. So until next time, have a great day everybody!!!

Beer Camp & Basketball Xmas 2016

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

 

Last week, Izzy & I watched the 1963 flick “Shock Corridor” starring Peter Breck & written/directed by Sam Fuller. The movie is about a journalist who just wants to win the Pulitzer Prize… so his big idea is to pretend to be insane, get committed in a mental institution, and then tell stories of the inmates (???) and possibly… SOLVE A MURDER!!! Leading up to his commitment, his editor & a psychiatrist trains him to be insane… and his burlesque dancer girlfriend pretends to be his sister… and accuses him of incest, so he’s committed. Well… you can’t spend too much time in a mental institution before the other patients, medications, environment, physical conditions, and your own neuroses come out to destroy you… even if there wasn’t a murderer in the midst. The movie is black & white for the most part… and is REALLY cool & inventive for the time. You may get the feeling that you’ve seen elements of the movie before but… definitely check it out. It’s pretty entertaining… and there are nymphos! I think that just sold it for you, right? Remember that it’s still over 50 years ago when this movie was made. It’s pretty sweet.

 

Saturday, Izzy & I went to a beer festival… but not just any beer festival… this was Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp which tours across the country featuring Sierra Nevada collaborations with many other breweries across the United States… and sometimes other countries too! This particular stop was at Pier 35 and featured dozens of other breweries, including our buddies at Elevation 66 Brewing & FDR (Ferment.Drink.Repeat.) and hundreds of different beers to try… so we were well nourished with regards to barley, hops, water & yeast… and plenty of other adjuncts. Here are some pictures…

 

Sunday night was (the predetermined months ago by the NBA & the actions since the end of Game 4 have obviously proven that) Game 7 of the NBA Finals here in the Bay Area where the record-setting Golden State Warriors went up against the Cleveland LeBrons… and basically Cleveland won its first pro sports championship in over half a century, due to a combination of great personal performances, and the officiating was being reproach… okay, that last one was BS, but it doesn’t matter. They’re not going to change anything so what’s the f**king point. Regardless, the Warriors did well, as did the Cavaliers… and just like the Highlander, there can only be one winner of the Prize. Also, in case you missed the Finals… apparently there’s a “Ghostbusters” reboot coming out… and based on their marketing of everything, it’s really looking like it’s going to suck & they’re trying to get everybody out there opening weekend. Anyway, congratulations to Cleveland!!! Golden State, hopefully we’ll see you back in the Western Conference Finals next year… losing horribly to the San Antonio Spurs on their way to another title.

 

Speaking of predetermined months ago… Basketball’s Christmas has come and passed in the form of the 2016 NBA Draft… and the lottery gave the first two picks to the Philadephia 76ers (within days of them firing  GM Sam Hinkie who spent the past four seasons making a mockery of the NBA draft system by being historically bad & bringing tanking to the forefront, so surprise surprise once he’s out they finally get the #1 pick) and the Los Angeles Lakers (finally without Kobe & last year’s #2 pick is obviously a teenager, so they can now rebuild in the nation’s 2^nd largest market) and everybody pretty much knew who was going with those picks. However, the rest was kind of bonkers… and I like it. Here are some highlights and thoughts…

 

1.       Philadelphia – Ben Simmons – Forward from LSU – Everybody has been touting him as the next LeBron James for two full years now… and his one year at LSU was pretty impressive as he was apparently the only person on that team when he showed up & they didn’t even WANT to be in the postseason tournaments so… in that respect, he’s a lot like Shaquille O’Neal a generation ago. From what I’ve seen, he has a LOT of skills and I really can’t see him NOT being the #1 pick. Need more convincing? The coach of the 76ers (former Spurs assistant Brent Brown) coached Ben’s father in Australia back in the day. Need more? What the f**k else is Philadelphia going to do? Seriously, they need to do something… otherwise the NBA will move them to Seattle or something as punishment for mocking them. Allegedly we may finally get to see a real basketball team in Philadelphia instead of a team the Washington Generals would have a chance against. Let this be the year!!! Tanking works!!! Philly also used later first round picks on international players Frenchman Timothe Luwawu & Turkish player Furkan Korkmaz (or as I’m going to call him… “FURK YEAH!!!”). With the potential of trading away their plethora of big men from past drafts (Okafor, Noel, Embiid, Siric, etc) the Sixers may be a player in the bottom half of the East next year & built for the future… or they may still suck. Who knows? Good draft though maybe…

 

2.       Los Angeles – Brandon Ingram – Forward from Duke – Kobe is finally gone… so let’s now get the Lakers back into the NBA landscape. They have… well, they don’t have a lot to work with. I like Julius Randle’s game… but it really hasn’t taken off. Jordan Clarkson & D’Angelo Russell are in the backcourt but… apparently D’Angelo really is a teenager. Swaggy P or whatever Nick Young is calling himself… is a goddamn joke. Brandon Ingram has great skills… and will have to lead the Lakers from the start. However, he’s from Duke… and as has been documented, there aren’t a lot of superstars to come out of Duke the past few decades. However, there have been some great role players. Hopefully Brandon can break the trend… but let’s be honest, who gives two sh*ts about the Lakers. They’re really trying to go after Kevin Durant or somebody who’ll probably play the same position as Ingram so that’s where the real play is. The Lakers haven’t drafted well since the 80s. They get their star players through free agency. Money talks. They also drafted the 2^nd best 7-foot Croatian in the draft, Ivica Zubac so… we might be pretty good too? Lakers will probably rebuild through free agency.

 

3.       Boston – Jaylen Brown – Guard from California – This was a bit of a surprise… but apparently he’s a tremendous athlete & great size for the point position and super young. Here’s the thing… the Celtics came into the draft with EIGHT picks… and basically used SIX of them… and sent the other two for a 1^st rounder next year, where they already had 2 first-rounders. They were talking about trying to trade for established superstars (or at least Jimmy Butler or the Sixers’ castaways) but they got Brown, some French guy nobody has heard of (Guerschon Yabusele), another tall European guy (Ante Zizic), Notre Dame point guard Demetrius Jackson (not bad), a guy from Providence named Ben Bentil, and another European guy (Abdel Nader). So there’s young talent but… a LOT of them for a team that already has a LOT of young talented prospects but no real superstar (until they trade for Kevin Love or something). You know who’s good at developing young talent? Brad Stevens, the coach who led f**king BUTLER to the championship game TWICE and then has been heading up a gaggle of nobodies in Boston for the past few seasons.

 

4.       Phoenix – Dragan Bender – 7-foot Croatian - Yes, I know… the mysterious “seven-footer” from some Eastern European country that doesn’t have the last name Nowitzki… he’s bound to suck, right? Probably. However, here’s why I think the Celtics may bite on him. First & foremost, he’s apparently really 7 feet tall… and you can’t teach that. He’s also super young like most European exports. One key difference, he actually looks proportionate to his 7 foot frame, not super skinny like Krystaps last year or anything like that. He’s got skills already but will need to develop. He could totally be a Pao Gasol / Chris Bosh kind of player very easily… or another Alex Len or something. We shall see. The Suns also traded four late round picks / busts for the 8^th pick in the draft to grab Washington forward Marquese Chriss. Everybody seems really high on this kid & I’ve never seen him play… but apparently he’s 6’9” and can jump out of the f**king gym. Now a player like that might be really good & marketable in Phoenix if it all works out… and they also got a very good (short) point guard in tournament darling Tyler Ulis. That’s a fantastic draft in my humble opinion. LOTS of potential high-risk / high-reward picks… go big or go home in 105 degree heat in spring.

 

5.       Minnesota – Kris Dunn – Guard from Providence – Apparently Minnesota is FINALLY over Ricky Rubio and whatever they say in him for what seems like forever. They have their key talent now with guys like Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Shabazz Muhammed, etc. but they need somebody who can provide some leadership and set them up to succeed. Enter a four-year starter in college with good size to take over a bit of a leadership role. With new coach Tom Thibodeau having more of an emphasis on defense too, I can really see this working out for them.

 

6.       New Orleans – Buddy Hield – Guard from Oklahoma – Let the record show that I LOVE Buddy Hield’s game. What I’ve seen from him this season in college is… Steph Curry-like. He can just take over a game on offense & has range for days. So why is he at #7 then? Well… he’s absolutely ancient by draft standards at 22 years old… he’s not much of a passer / facilitator from what I’ve seen… and his defense is questionable. He may also be a little too short at 6’4” to be a major threat as a spot-up shooter unless he learns to come off screens or pull some Steph Curry moves to get open. That being said… he’s an all-day three-point shooter, has some great skills all around on offense… and can really help out in spreading out the floor for Anthony Davis down low and work well with their other guards like Jrue Holiday & Tyreke Evans… basically replacing Eric Bledsoe who’s leaving apparently. Honestly, he may be the steal of the draft. He has heart… and as Steph Curry can show, sometimes when heart meets drive, you can make a superstar out of somebody who gets doubted & scrutinized his whole life. They also picked up Kansas forward Cheick Diallo who basically rode the bench so who knows… but rooting for the Pelicans.

 

7.       Denver – Jamal Murray – Guard from Kentucky – He’s a one-and-done guy from Kentucky who is 19 years old and doesn’t really play defense. That being said, he’s very young, great scorer & penetrator, good ball skills that’ll need to develop, good size for a point guard, and can really help the Nuggets by distributing, shooting when needed & setting up those around him to do what they do. Unfortunately, there’s just not a lot to work with in Denver right now. They did pick up FSU guard Malik Beasley at #19 & Spanish superstar Juan Hernangomez at #15 who may play in a year or two… so may be a year or two away from competing? Who knows?

 

9.       Toronto – Jakob Poeltl – Center from Utah – Huge German guy who played at the U of U, goes to Toronto where they LOVE their international players & atmosphere, totally picked this one before the draft (actually I had the same players within one pick of where they were taken for these first 9 picks… and then it all fell apart). He’s a tall center who can score at times & be a defender if only in taking up space. He’s a bit of a project… but I really like the idea of him holding it down in Toronto. I think the Raptors would like that too. They also drafted Pascal Siakam late in the first round from New Mexico State, who’s a 6’9” big fish in a small pond… but has the potential to be a Kenneth Faried-type player with some work. We shall see.

 

10.   Milwaukee – Thon Maker – Center from… Australia, I think? – Mr. Maker didn’t go to college, and instead went pro in Australia or something… and wasn’t too impressive in actual competition but is tall, skinny and… has seen a basketball before. The Bucks may have really reached on this pick. In the right environment for development, he can blossom I’m sure but… I just don’t see it. Doesn’t Milwaukee already have John Henson? Thon seems like John Henson. Tall, skinny, maybe can block shots. Oh well, they also drafted Virginia guard Malcolm Brogdon early in the 2^nd round which seems like a great pickup. He’s a guard in that Alvin Robertson – Avery Bradley – Tony Allen – Bruce Bowen mold where they are defensive minded but can also get buckets from time to time. I like that pick a lot better than their first.

 

11.   Oklahoma City – Domantas Sabonis – Forward from Gonzaga – God damn it… I think the Thunder somehow won Draft Night. They traded center Serge Ibaka for this pick as well as former #2 overall pick Victor Oladipo & defensive specialist Eryan Ilyasova. This is an absolutely INCREDIBLE haul for a player who, while I love, was just completely out of place with Oklahoma City. Oh well, maybe he’s a better fit in Orlando… but they almost immediately replace him with the more offensive-minded Domantas “Son of Arvydas” Sabonis but he can develop well with fellow young big men Steven Adams & Enes Kanter. Dang, the Thunder may still be a contender even if Kevin Durant goes somewhere but… probably not going to happen.

 

12.   Atlanta – Taurean Prince – Forward from Baylor – I hear this guy is good… that’s all I’ve got… but seems like one of those long, lean athletic types. The Hawks also got a versatile passing forward type at #21 with St. Joseph’s DeAndre Bembry and then a 2^nd round French guy named Isaiah Cordinier so… who knows?

 

14.   Chicago – Denzel Valentine – Swiss Army Knife from Michigan State – I LOVE this guy’s game. He’s basically Draymond Green when he came out a few years ago… and waited until the 2^nd round to get picked up… and look at him now!!! Valentine does it all… and is a great leader on the court… and can play multiple positions. Correction: HE will be the steal of the draft. If I’m the Spurs, I’m looking to trade up to get Denzel Valentine. F**k! Even his name is f**king awesome!!! This is actually a great pick for the Bulls after earlier this week they traded away their former franchise player Derrick Rose to the Knicks for Robin Lopez and other dead weight. Let the rebuild begin! They also drafted a German forward named Paul Zipser… but I don’t know anything about him other than how to speak to him in his native tongue a little bit.

 

17.   Memphis - Wade Baldwin IV – Guard from Vanderbilt – With Mike Conley being a free agent, they need to secure up the backcourt… I think Baldwin was the best backcourt player available… and he can light it up from three… and just seems like a good point to start. They also snagged up a raw DeAndre Jordan / Andre Drummond type in Michigan State center Deyonta Davis at #31, a Croatian wing player Rade Zagorac at #35 & a Chinese guy named Wang Zhelin at #57. Not a bad draft for them… but we’ll see how it all works out in free agency too.

 

18.   Detroit - Henry Ellenson – Forward from Marquette – He plays a lot like this year’s Doug McDermott where he could be the next Kevin Love… or another slightly overweight white guy who shoots threes. However, in the highlight reels that I’ve seen (because seriously, who watched Marquette since D-Wade graduated? Do you even know where Marquette is? Spoiler alert: It’s Milwaukee… so surprised he wasn’t taken by the Bucks with the #10 pick) he seems like a pretty good player in that “Stretch-4” mold and can help space things out for the Pistons so that the post doesn’t get too crowded… and Andre Drummond can grab offensive boards and dunk that stuff in… after he learns to shoot free throw.

 

25.  L.A. Clippers – Brice Johnson – Forward from North Carolina – He another long, lanky, athletic guy who has good passing & shooting skills that needs to bulk up… but you just can’t sit on those NC big men. They’re wiry good. Might be a great fit for filling in for Blake Griffin off the bench to start & then go from there. I also think that the Clippers drafted the Name of the Draft at #40 with Vanderbilt center Diamond Stone!!! The competition is between him & Denzel Valentine. Cast your vote now!

 

28.   Sacramento – Skal Labissiere – Center from Kentucky – This guy was the #1 recruit & the second coming of Anthony Davis just over a year ago. I was so excited when he was still around with the Spurs picking at #29… it was meant to be… then the Kings had to go & f**k it up by taking them one spot ahead. Why was he this late in the draft? He played one year of college on a loaded Kentucky team and… well, now everybody is saying late lottery at best. Here, he’s a low-risk/high-reward kind of player that brings great size (will have to put some weight on eventually) but can help on defense while still providing some offensive rebounding, etc. This could be a GREAT steal at #28 for Sacramento. DAMN IT!!! The Kings also actually grabbed TWO EARLIER 1^st ROUNDERS BEFORE THIS GUY with Greek center Georgios Papagiannis at #13 & Syracuse guard Malachi Richardson at #22. Three first rounders for the kings… and they now have three highly touted Kentucky big men in DeMarcus Cousins, Willie Cauley-Stein & Labissiere… damn. Not bad.

 

29.   San Antonio – Dejounte Murray – Guard from Washington – I hear nothing but good things about this guy (as again, didn’t see him & Maurquese Chriss play at Washington) but he has great size & skills apparently… so I’m already dubbing him the future replacement for Tony Parker… and steal of the draft (as usual). ALL HAIL THE DYNASTY!!!

 

52.   Utah – Joel Bolomboy – Forward from Weber State – With trades, they picked up guard George Hill from the Pacers in exchange for the #12 pick… and then continued to just pile up run-of-the-mill point guards by drafting North Carolina’s Marcus Paige at #55 and California’s Ty Wallace at #60… but I absolutely love the game of Weber State alum Joel Bolomboy. He’s a big bodied rebounder & defender who can put it back with the best of them. He’s in that Charles Oakley / Draymond Green / DeJuan Blair mold where he’s built like a brick sh*t house… a little undersized for the position… but makes up for it in heart… and I absolutely love that kind of player. I was also hoping the Spurs would snag him up… but alas, they had no 2^nd round picks… and the Jazz used their first of three late 2^nd rounder on him. I can’t wait to see him up against pro competition.

 

 

Anyway, as usual, just my thoughts & predictions… and as we all know, I’m only 100% correct about 52% of the time… and when you’re right 52% of the time, you’re wrong 48% of the time. Okay, so really I’m more like… 75% when I predict the end results of the picks… but hey, I make my money in another sector.

 

The latest episode of the Everything I Learned From Movies podcast is up and it’s Izzy & I talking about the “Highlander” Cinematic Universe. It’s pretty fun… check it out!!!

 

However, the next episode if a People’s Choice winner… since we got a wonderful bargain basement 4-Pack of Sylvester Stallone movies and there’s just too much awesome for one episode… so the people have spoken… and our next episode will be… “Over the Top”!!! By far the greatest movie about Arm Wrestling that features kidnapping, grand theft auto, assault with a deadly semi-truck & a father-son road trip. This wonderful movie is currently streaming on Netflix so check it out & let us know what you think. You could be featured on the next episode. In the meantime, have a wonderful day everybody!!!

Basketball Christmas 2015

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

 

That’s right boys & girls!!! It’s a basketball nerd’s favorite day!!! Where the world of “amateurs” meets the world of “getting’ f**king PAID”!!! Or at least the opportunity is presented to get paid… but yeah, the NBA Draft in this year of our Lord 2015… and I was a little excited about this one (as I usually am). I had actually watched a handful of NCAA tournament games (ok, like 5 from the Elite 8 on) and even some NBA playoffs but… just in general, I’m excited to see how team organizations work themselves from doormats to perennial championship contenders with a fairly even playing field (salary cap, profit sharing, draft setup, etc) versus other issues (income tax-free Texas, lottery draft rigging, free agency to go to Miami rather than Minnesota, etc) and the Draft is kind of the antithesis of every team trying to maneuver to get that one potential star that can turn their team around… or take a gamble on a foreign guy & have it blow up in your face and alienate your fan base. Anyway, here’s what happened Thursday night:

 

1.       Minnesota – Karl-Anthony Towns – Center from Kentucky – Everybody kinda knew this was going to happen… and it makes perfect sense… and makes the Timberwolves like the new Pelicans… where they’ll be exciting to watch, probably good enough to juuuust miss the playoffs the next few years… but then could be REALLY good if they stay healthy& work together. Towns & last year’s rookie of the year Andrew Wiggins lead the team into the future… and they even picked up the fellow freshman, hometown hero, Minnesota native & Most Outstanding Player of this year’s Final Four, Duke point guard Tyus Jones later in this round… good for them.

 

2.       L.A. Lakers – D’Angelo Russell – Guard from The Ohio State – Not going to lie… I’ve never seen D’Angelo play except for a few highlights… but I hope for his sake that he’s half as good as the Lakers think that he is, because he’ll always be compared to the next pick, Magic Johnson & James Worthy since that was the last time that this team picked this high back in the early 80’s. He’s probably the best guard in the draft, good size, good killer instinct, a little bit of D-Wade in his highlights… but there’s also a lot of rumors that the Lakers are trying to trade to get Kings center DeMarcus Cousins and D’Angelo may be a bit of a bargaining chip… and then the Lakers sign Rajon Rondo & Kevin Love in free agency. It must be good to be the Lakers organization. Oh, they also picked up Wyoming forward Larry Nance jr & Stanford guard Anthony Brown a little later in the draft but… they might not get roster spots when it’s all said & done in free agency.

 

3.       Philadelphia – Jahlil Okafur – Center from Duke – With last year’s lottery pick Joel Embiid’s recovery in serious Greg Oden potential, this pick kinda fell into the Sixers laps after the Lakers picked D’Angelo. I can totally see this guy as a cornerstone for this team… when & if they decide to really kick things into gear with all of their assets. They also had a sh*t ton of 2^nd round picks that probably won’t amount to anything like last year’s plethora but… trust the process is their mantra… but it’s GOTTA be frustrating for their fan base.

 

4.       New York – Kristaps Porzingis – Center from Latvia – Still don’t really know this guy’s dimensions… or if he can play against actual people with skills… but hey, he’s on the world’s biggest stage now teamed up with potential the league’s most overrated superstar… and alleged basketball mastermind Phil Jackson running the whole show… so I hope he’s HALF as good as everybody thinks he could be… and not like famous poster co-star Frederic Weis. I like the attitude. He’s only 19 so he’ll grow… but what will he grow into? Who knows? Although, I really like that later in the first round, the Knicks were able to get tournament darling Notre Dame guard Jerian Grant to potentially run the point from day one. That pick feels like a much safer bet than Porzingis… but time will tell.

 

5.       Orlando – Mario Hezonja – Guard from Croatia – One thing that Orlando really didn’t have was a guy who will throw out Kobe’s patented no-pass look as opposed to the no-look pass… and now they have it. Based on reports, this guy has decent size & skills for a guard… but more importantly, some f**king attitude… and let’s face it, what takes a person from a role player to a potential max contract & marketable player or fan favorite… is incredible skill… and then a little mean muggin’ to back it up. Not crazy Ron Artest BS or Rodman’s legendary theatrics… but just when you see Westbrook or Steph Curry hit that fadeaway three after crossing over somebody… and then pose for the slow motion timeout commercial break. I like it… but have no idea how good this guy really is… I’m willing to watch the highlights (and lowlights).

 

6.       Sacramento – Willie Cauley-Stein – Center from Kentucky – Great defensive presence, VERY raw on offense… it’s going to be really interesting what happens with this DeMarcus Cousins to the Lakers rumor… but if that does go through, at least they have somebody to get posterized under the three-point line. He’s not a stretch guy like all the critics are saying the league needs… but he’s a decent big. I like this pick but… the Kings need a LOT of help at just about every position EXCEPT center… but then again, they know more about the situation than I do.

 

7.       Denver - Emmanuel Mudiay – Guard from Congo/High School/China – He will step in from day one, especially if the Nuggets end up trading Ty Lawson for another player… but I’ve never seen this guy play… but he’s got the build of a future superstar. Tall, athletic guard… stern attitude… and a year of some humility in China for reference. Everybody compares him to Brandon Jennings for obvious reasons (circumstances, features & path to the pros) but we’ll really see how it turns out soon… because he may be the best player on that team right now. Maybe Jusuf Nurkic is better…

 

8.       Detroit - Stanley Johnson – Forward from Arizona – Bit of a head-scratcher as JUSTISE was still on the board… but he’s a decent all-around player… and with fellow Arizona alum Andre Iguodala winning the Finals MVP there’s a lot of need for that grit in Detroit… and Johnson’s a little bigger than Winslow, so this pick can make some sense. I haven’t seen him play more than highlights though so… we’ll see.

 

9.       Charlotte – Frank Kaminsky – Center from Wisconsin – Great pick for the Hornets in my opinion! I had him going higher with the Kings instead of “Willie Trill” but he’d work good with this team too in helping to stretch out the offense & execute great passing. Pleeeeease just don’t let him turn into Cody Zeller… who I still think can be a decent pro… but time will tell.

 

10.   Miami – Justise Winslow – Forward from Duke – GOD DAMN IT!!! How did this guy fall to Miami with the 10^th pick??? Shenanigans!!! Sigh… okay, so Miami basically got this generation’s Paul Pierce with the late lottery pick & he’ll go on to a Hall of Fame career and become a South Beach icon. Meanwhile, at least four teams earlier in the draft are going to have general managers fall on their f**king swords within the next five years & be completely disappointed that they didn’t go with their gut instinct & choose… JUSTISE!!! Steal of the draft… write it down.

 

11.   Indiana – Myles Turner – Center from Texas – I like this pick, especially since Roy Hibbert unfortunately seems on his way out of the league due to injuries (tall man’s burden). Turner is young, versatile & seven feet tall… he had #1 overall pick hype before people actually watched him play at Texas, but he could be a potential steal, especially if he beefs up (with muscle, not fat).

 

12.   Utah – Trey Lyles – Forward from Kentucky – Good passing big who can spread out the floor on the offensive side for the Jazz since they have questionable shooting backcourt, a few slashers like Hayward & then the Stifel Tower in Rudy Gobert. I really like this pick.

 

13.   Phoenix – Devin Booker – Guard from Kentucky – One might say that the Suns are kind of going into the same situation that they did last year where they had far too many undersized point guards on their roster (before the busy trade deadline) after drafting this 3-point sharpshooter & then following it up with drafting his Kentucky teammate point guard Andrew Harrison in the 2^nd round… but I like it. It fits this team who’s on the run & gun, spread-em offense with bigs that can run for the most part… so yeah, shoot em up! Also, I expect

 

14.   Oklahoma City – Cameron Payne – Guard from Murray State – I’ve never seen this guy play… but I liked his confidence in the post-pick interview… and people tell me good things… so yeah, he’s probably an upgrade from Dion Waiters (whose pick I’ve criticized & feel completely vindicated since he entered the league). I also like that they picked up seldom-used Kentucky backup center Dakari Johnson in the 2^nd round. He could either be Daniel Orton… or Kendrick Perkins… or he could be groomed into something far better than Steven Adams… not a horrible gamble for a 2^nd round pick at all. I like it very much.

 

15.   Atlanta (to Washington) – Kelly Oubre – Forward from Kansas – Great fit for this wing player with the Wizards who had an abundance of big guys low & John Wall / Brandon Beal for the backcourt… so potential upgrade from former lottery pick Otto Porter.

 

16.   Boston – Terry Rozier – Guard from Louisville – I guess they have to replace Rondo but… this was really the most questionable pick for me… but hey, coach Brad Stevens is well on his way to turning this franchise back around, so what do I know? They also picked up Georgia State guard R.J. Hunter later in the 1^st& LSU forward Jordan Mickey a few picks later. Not a bad haul for them… but I’m sure there are some trades in the works.

 

18.  Houston – Sam Dekker – Forward from Wisconsin – “The Second Coming of Larry Bird” from my pre-draft post could work out very well as a Trevor Ariza type with Houston. Basically he may be the 2^nd coming of Chandler Parsons at a quarter the salary. Louisville forward Montrezl Harrell had a lot of lottery hype last year before deciding to go back to school, but is a potential beast for an early 2^nd round pick for the Rockets. Great draft by the Rockets in my opinion.

 

20.  Toronto – Delon Wright – Guard from Utah – Great pick for the Raptors… Ute goes to the Raptors… I love it!!! Just sad that the Spurs didn’t get him…

 

21.  Dallas – Justin Anderson – Guard from Virginia – F**K!!! I was so sure the Spurs were going to be able to pick up this guy. I really like Justin’s game. Hopefully it carries over to the pros… and Dallas also drafted the first Indian-born draft pick in Satnam Singh Bhamara, but we’ll see how he pans out… my money’s on fade away…

 

22.  Chicago – Bobby Portis – Forward from Arkansas – DOUBLE F**K!!! I was REALLY hoping he’d fall to the Spurs… lottery potential dropping into a perfect situation for him in Chicago. Great post scorer, decent defender, can learn from seasoned frontcourt veterans the first year or two like Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson & Joakim Noah. Sh*t… this is a good pick for the Bulls. Like… TOO good. Something tragic must be coming… (queue Derrick Rose’s retirement?)

 

23.  Portland (to Brooklyn) – Rondae Hollis-Jefferson – Forward from Arizona – TRIPLE F**K!!! A third straight Spurs gut punch! Okay… it doesn’t matter who the Spurs pick at this point. This guy is pretty good too in the highlights that I’ve seen… a lot like Stanley Johnson’s game, but they were on the same team. Good pick for the Nets… and they also took a good late 1^st round gamble on Syracuse forward Chris McCullough too.

 

26.  San Antonio – Nikola Milutinov – Center from Serbia – Sigh… it must be an odd year… because the Spurs drafted an obscure foreigner who nobody has seen play… but yeah, he’ll probably be another f**king superstar in the greatest system in sports. GO SPURS!!! Wait… who’s still on the board?

 

30. Golden State – Kevin Looney – Forward from UCLA – Okay… so this guy might be the real Steal of the Draft. Winslow in Miami is ridiculously fortuitous, but this guy had lottery potential and lasted all the way to the last pick of the first round… to go to the defending World Champions… and basically replace a key player in their championship run who hits free agency in the next few weeks. Draymond Green is probably going to cash in this summer… and he’s a gritty, all-around great player whose a versatile quick power forward build. He passes, he rebounds, he plays defense, he chips in on offense… and that will get him hella cash. Kevin Looney led the NCAA in double-doubles (games 10+ points & 10+rebounds) including those at the top of the draft board… and he’ll come in on a rookie contract. Also, if the Warriors can somehow unload David Lee’s contract, they can make a play for Green. Worst case, Looney is basically what Lee was… and fills that Green void a bit… perfect pick for them… and he’s 19 years old and about a tenth the cost to the salary cap.

 

56.  New Orleans (to LA Clippers) – Branden Dawson – Forward from Michigan State – Speaking of Draymond Green, I see a LOT of his game in this guy whose going to the Clippers with a later 2^nd round pick… just keep an eye on him. Great gritty defender & boards guy who will play well with everybody else taking shots, especially since DeAndre Jordan may be leaving in free agency.

 

 

Guys who didn’t get drafted but you’ll probably see in the league:

 

Cliff Alexander – Forward from Kansas – This guy was going to be a lottery pick and then some character things came into play… and he didn’t get a lot of play with the Jayhawks so… not even drafted… but if I’m the Spurs, give him a spot on the summer league team & make it work.

 

Robert Upshaw – Center from Washington – You can’t teach big… so don’t be surprised if this guy pops up as an undrafted role player somewhere.

 

Christian Wood – Forward from UNLV – I blame Anthony Bennett for this guy not getting drafted. He has a very similar game, nearly identical stats & same school as the former #1 overall pick… but can’t even get drafted while his teammate guard Rashad Vaughn went in the first round. It’s weird… but I wasn’t at the combine & have never really seen him play.

 

Aaron Harrison – Guard from Kentucky – I totally expect Phoenix to sign him as a free agent so he can join his twin brother on the team… and the Morris twins. Why? Why the hell not? Make it happen, Phoenix!!!

 

Terran Petteway - Guard from Nebraska – I was really surprised by this one. He’s a tall point guard who was the leading scorer on his Big-10 Team… but he had the unfortunate events of his mom dying from cancer & apparently it through him a little out of whack on the PR side. Hopefully he gets the opportunity to prove himself & make his mama proud... can't hate on that.

 

Anyway, thank you for listening to some of my ramblings. Have a great weekend everybody!!!

NBA Christmas Predictions

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

 

That’s right… the NBA Draft “Lottery” has finally happened where a bunch of bouncing balls are placed in a lotto machine, bad teams are given more balls, and then it’s all decided in a room that nobody else is allowed into so that nobody knows what’s really decided (by David Stern/Adam Silver). What’s that? Oh! They did it in front of everybody this year? And Cleveland didn’t win it? Or New York? It was a small market team that free agents don’t want to be exiled to? Weird how that happens… but hey, kudos to the NBA for having the lottery balls drawn in an open environment. So… This draft probably isn’t as deep as last year’s where there were alleged 7-8 franchise players… and this one really boils down to maybe 3 or 4… if they luck out. It’s really down to two HUGE names… Karl-Anthony Towns of Kentucky & Jahlil Okafor of Duke… who had great freshman years in this one-and-done era… great tournaments… all that jazz… so now with the draft order determined… this is how I think the NBA teams should draft in order to turn their team around.

 

1.       Minnesota – Karl-Anthony Towns – Center from Kentucky – Very similar to Okafor, but MUCH better on defense. I could totally see him as the next DeMarcus Cousins but with the defensive fundamentals of somebody like Al Horford mixed in. Big shot-blocker but can also run the floor & has great post-up moves. I’d pick him as #1 for my team. My only concern… is that he had so few minutes of actual playing time… I have no idea if he can do 40+ minutes on an NBA schedule… even working up over a few years… but he’ll be the centerpiece of a franchise from Day One. Personally, as I’ve mentioned on previous draft reviews, I’d bring in Karl Malone or Hakeem Olajuwon or something… get this kid in shape to be an absolute BEAST!!! Also, everybody assumes that this means that Minnesota is going to get rid of man-beast center Nikola Pekovic to make room for him… but why? You don’t have too! Twin Towers in the Twin Cities? Wait… Kevin Garnett is back??? TRIPLE TOWERS IN THE TWIN CITIES!!! Also, a nice player to teach Towns. Andrew Wiggins becoming an elite wing in the next year or two? Ricky Rubio… hopefully staying healthy to orchestrate the offense? Get your NBA League Pass ready… I’m liking this!

 

2.       L.A. Lakers – Jahlil Okafor – Center from Duke – Sigh… look they were horrible this last year… but I hate to think this pick was rigged so they’d get yet another premiere player in their storied franchise history. Anyway, whatever, they had a chance, it turned into the #2 pick. Watching Jahlil play in the final four, you can see that he has limitless potential… it just oozes out of him. Is he perfect? Of course not, he’s 19 years old. He’s big, he’s strong, and he’s really talented on the offensive end of the court… I’d say the best singularly offensive big in college this past year. Frank Kaminsky was a better team player, but straight post-up one-on-one, I’d give it to Jahlil. He reminds me of former Duke alum & #1 overall pick Elton Brand… or a current player would be like Al Jefferson, who will get his 20+ points but not exactly the best defender. Although, I’ve said it a few times before… get a guy like Karl Malone to come in & teach Jahlil how to be a power forward, work the block, pass, and enforce on defense as well. Physical specimen that he could grow into… that’s the real potential that I’d like to see. He’s got the build, just needs to work on a few things… should be a star. As for the Lakers… sigh… they’ll have last year’s lottery pick Julius Randle (who I STILL believe will be great) coming back from his leg injury that missed all of last year… Kobe Bryant will be back in whatever capacity… and yes, I think they’ll get Rajon Rondo at point guard for a discounted price because of his horrible time in Dallas… and I also believe that Kevin Love will sign with the Lakers (like I mentioned two years ago) and then you have this incredible f**king lineup of potential All-Stars… and whatever they can get for the bench (starters this year like Nick Young’s crazy ass) and the Lakers should be back & loaded for the next few years. Then again… what do I really know? Oh… and the BIG red flag with that lineup of Rondo-Bryant-Randle-Love-Okafor… is who plays defense on the low post… because those three frontcourt players, though amazing set of skills on the offensive side & rebounding… are NOT at all known for their defense in really any way. Just a thought…

 

3.       Philadelphia – Emmanuel Mudiay – Guard from China – Shocker! I don’t get Chinese basketball league games… but I may consider it. He’s the prototypical tall 6-foot-5 point guard & athletic (because he’s 19?) but he could totally be a guy in the Victor Oladipo, Brandon Jennings, Jrue Holiday mold… he’ll be a shoot-first kind of player until he realizes that his career won’t be as long since there’s only one ball & winners share it. He can really turn a lottery team around with some leadership & skills (like Damian Lillard does) but yeah, never really seen the guy play… and playing in China is different from college… still the potential is allegedly there… as well as a bunch of questions about game, character, etc. He’ll be a top pick… but I’m not on his bandwagon just yet. I think the 76ers will pick him because… they need a point guard… or anybody that can shoot outside of the paint & he’s the best fit here in my opinion. Another added bonus: He’s playing in China so their GM Sam Hinkie can do what he’s done with so many other players and basically just let him play in China for another year or two of sucking (and he comes back drinking age) for this apparent big push that the franchise is going to do. Crazy… but hey, I hear good things about this guy… like I did with Dante Exum last year… just glad that the 76ers might fall for it instead of the Utah Jazz.

 

4.       New York – Willie Cauley-Stein – Center from Kentucky – Now, I really see the Knicks trying to trade this pick… because they need a LOT of help. They have Carmelo… and then… is their 2^nd best player Andrea Bargnani? Really? 3^rd leading scorer is Langston Galloway? Who the f**k is that? Although I could see them trying to get a more versatile wing player as a scorer… but what I would do is try to give them a real post player… because in looking over their current roster, there’s Jason Smith, Cole Aldrich, the broken old body of Samuel Dalembert & the undersized Quincy Acy as their post players (Bargnani is a 7-footer who stands at the 3 point line). “Willie Trill” (as he’s calling himself) is a towering defender & shot blocker… but barely used on offense. Everybody compares him to Tyson Chandler & DeAndre Jordan (minus the posterizing skill) because all he does is block & put back in rebounds… which isn’t all that bad… but you know some other players that do that? Bismarck Biyombo, John Henson, Hassan Whiteside, Manute Bol, and the like. Now, I could never understand why this guy was so average in the games that I saw of him the past two years… but because the Knicks have built around ‘Melo and not have anybody who will rebound all of his misses… but yeah, they’re kind of screwed for the next few years unless they get some real big free agent signings… which I don’t see happening. Yes, this is high for drafting this guy… but you can’t teach tall. I could also see Justise Winslow going here… because I can already see the billboard set up like a Daredevil premiere – “Justise is coming…”

 

5.       Orlando – D’Angelo Russell – Guard from Ohio State - This guy’s a pretty good shooter… so he’s kind of in that Monta Ellis, Steph Curry mode when he’s brought up… but I see this guy as more of a Wesley Matthews type. He’s a better defender & more physical than Ellis or Curry… and Matthews is a great spot-up shooter. That being said… would you spend a top-five pick on Wesley Matthews? If you would, I’m pretty sure the Blazers GM would LOVE to talk to you right now. I haven’t seen a whole lot of this guy’s play… but I’m optimistic. I think Orlando would go for him because he’s the best talent available… then again, they have Victor Oladipo & last year’s rookie Elfrid Payton already for their backcourt of the future. Do they really wanna “Phoenix Fudge” that by getting three weird-hybrid shooting-point guards who can’t really shoot or run point? That’s why I feel like D’Angelo may focus more on popping threes & spacing the floor like a Wesley Matthews / Aaron Affolo / Danny Green kind of player & find a great niche… but also have the ability to slash to the bucket.

 

6.       Sacramento – Frank Kaminsky – Forward/Center from Wisconsin – I see this as the first real shock of the draft. Sure, the Knicks pick of “Willie Trill” might be unexpected… but the Kings taking “Frank the Tank” at #6 seems almost too realistic… like it already happened & we’re just waiting for it. I mean… they picked Nick Stauskis last year, right? How weird would it really be to draft the National Player of the Year & two-time Tournament Darling who plays a great team basketball format… stretch-five who actually plays some defense… and a great passer out of the post surrounded by people who just want to shoot the f**king ball (DeMarcus Cousins, Stauskas, McLemore, Rudy Gay, etc). It’s a match made in heaven. Also… Vlade Divac 2.0!!! Animated big man who just does all the intangibles & will be a social media darling for the next decade. This guy would be the next Vlade, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin McHale or Pau Gasol as a best case scenario. Worst-case, he’s more like a Christian Laettner, Sam Bowie, never really living up to his potential kind of player… and the Kings still suck like they have for almost 15 years now. There’s really only one way to go for this franchise… and I think this would be a great start.

 

7.       Denver – Justise Winslow – Forward from Duke – I want this guy on my team. I feel REALLY bad that he made it this far down the draft board based on everybody else’s needs. He’s got skills, size for his position, totally see him as the next All-Star caliber player that nobody cares about because he’s on a horrible team like DeMar DeRozan or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Decent shooter, can run the floor with the best of them & slasher/driver with defensive skills… and better yet, the desire to get better. That’s the kind of guy you want on your team… and he steps up for big games too. Future All-Star. Possible steal of the draft if he really makes it this far.

 

8.       Detroit – Devin Booker – Guard from Kentucky – The Pistons need to be able to spread out the floor. Even though Greg Monroe may be bailing soon for greener pastures, they’ll still have Andre Drummond for another year or two at least… and teams are kind of honing in on him because their backcourt can’t shoot the three with consistency. Many scouts out there are saying that Booker is in the mold of Klay Thompson or Kyle Korver and the best shooter in the draft… and that may be true… but he’s not there yet… not at all. However, he does have the potential to be… and in the limited minutes we’ve seen out of him, he can run the floor and all the other guard stuff pretty well… but the key to a successful career is staying healthy & finding your niche… your special skill that is both valuable & in the top 1% of the league. That’s what turns you from just a replaceable cog in the machine into a max-contract player. This might be a bit of a reach with whose still on the board… but it could be a great pick for the Pistons. Besides… he has a great Detroit name… like I could see Devin Booker as that name of a fellow officer for Axel Foley… let’s be real.

 

9.       Charlotte – Kristaps Porzingis – Forward/center from Latvia – So there’s this Latvian guy whose height fluctuates from 6-10 to 7-2 depending on who you ask (I blame the metric system conversion) but it’s fairly certain that he’s about 208 pounds… and he allegedly has some great “point-center” skills. Sigh… now, I blame Dirk Nowitzki for everything to come out of Europe in the past 15 years. He’s great. There is no doubt. When he was drafted, everybody was like “Who the f**k is this German porn star?” He took off… and then EVER franchise wanted to find the next Dirk… so you got all the hype & some rough videos… and you got the likes of guys like Andrea Bargnani, Danilo Gallinari, Darco Milicic, Jan Vesely, Nikolai Tskhitischvili and dozens, possibly hundreds of other catastrophic flops to come out of the international game. That scares me about this guy… but you can’t teach tall… if he really is tall… but then again, he may be the next Dirk or some kind of super-skinny Arvydis Sabonis… like Arvydis’ son who played for Gonzaga & may not even be drafted this year because he played against the semi-competitive NCAA level players. Draft with caution.

 

10.   Miami – Myles Turner – Forward from Texas – The Heat were pretty sure that they had their center of the future all locked up on a sweet contract when Hassan Whiteside blew up on the scene & finally lived up to his potential… and then they realized that he may be a self-destructive entity. Also, with Chris Bosh’s health concerns… that formerly formidable frontcourt is looking pretty sketchy at best. Insert Myles Turner who best case could be the second coming of fellow Texas alum LaMarcus Aldridge (going to the Spurs soon… just act surprised) but even as a worst-case scenario, probably something like a John Henson or Ed Davis type of player… long, lean & mediocre… but does a few things well. He really needs to step up his defense… but yeah, great potential… and I think he’ll take to the Miami lifestyle & veteran leadership with Dwayne Wade& Bosh around for the foreseeable future.

 

11.   Indiana – Stanley Johnson – Forward from Arizona – They could’ve really used a player like Johnson when Paul George missed this last year with a horrible leg injury… and so with PG-13’s health still in some question, why not go with the player with the most upside who will probably backup with quality minutes & maybe eventually replace? He’s still pretty raw like a Giannis Antokoumpo kind of player (big wingspan, unlimited athleticism) but could potentially be a Kawhi Leonard All-Star caliber player. It just won’t be easy.

 

12.   Utah – Kelly Oubre – Forward from Kansas – Everybody in their core is still pretty young & inexperienced… but lucking out with Rudy Gobert is a huge plus… so now they’ll try to add an athletic wing alongside Gordon Hayward and hopefully spread the floor a bit. I don’t see them running the offense through Rudy any time soon… but he’s there to rebound & put back… and occasionally posterize fools on the pick-and-roll. Oubre is the best wing available… so it makes sense… thought I wouldn’t sleep on Sam Dekker at this point either.

 

13.   Phoenix – Mario Hezonja – Forward from Croatia – Athletic wing who can shoot and often draws comparisons to guys like Manu Ginobili, Jamal Crawford, Jason Terry, and other sparkplugs off the bench. Again though… European hype player who many people have in the top 5 of the draft… but I just don’t see it. Would you spend a Top 5 pick on Manu Ginobili? Even in his heyday? However… with the 13^th pick, that makes a lot more sense… and would work well with what the Suns currently have… which is an intriguing mix of players… but could change completely before this draft rolls around.

 

14.   Oklahoma City – Jerian Grant – Guard from Notre Dame – Great shooter as displayed during the NCAA tournament (at least the first weekend) and though he’s probably not the 2^nd coming of James Harden by any stretch… he could potentially be like a Jamal Crawford or Kyle Lowry kind of off-guard. He’ll have to up his outside shooting for the big leagues… but with great slashers like Westbrook & Durant back, he may find a great niche in Oklahoma City… at least until everybody decides to leave the organization. Don’t know if that destruction will really happen… but for the time being, this might be a smart pick.

 

15.   Atlanta – Kevon Looney – Forward from UCLA – I haven’t seen a lot of this guy playing… but he’s apparently a big guy who has sort of underwhelmed at UCLA (a la Shabazz Mohammad) but could be a pretty decent post player like Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap… but I see him more like a slowly developing Jared Sullinger type of player… but that would work well with Atlanta since they already have guys like Al Horford to learn from.

 

16.   Boston – Sam Dekker – Forward from Wisconsin – THE SECOND COMING OF LARRY BIRD!!! Okay, that’s just f**king crazy to even see in type… but hey, if I’m the Celtics & trying to hype up somebody… why not? Oh yes… the horrible repercussions… he’s a good player though. He’ll have to change his game slightly for the pros… but I could totally see him as a taller, more athletic version of Gordon Hayward for the Celtics… and a fan favorite for years to come.

 

17.   Milwaukee – Tyus Jones – Guard from Duke – Another tournament feel-good story not unlike Shabazz Napier last year… but could be a decent backup point guard to Michael Carter-Williams (that’s who’s there now, right? The trade deadline was f**king nuts…) but eventually, I could almost see this guy being like Isaiah Thomas (the new one, not the Hall of Famer). He’s a little undersized… but there have been some good players that are undersized. Even if he’s like a Brandon Knight or Jeff Teague kind of player… mission accomplished. Now I’m going to skip around in the draft a little bit…

 

Picks 18-20, we shall see… probably guys like Bobby Portis (Arkansas) and Montrezl Harrell (Louisville)

 

21.  Dallas – Jakob Poetl – Center from Utah – I totally see the Mavericks taking a bit of a gamble on the Austrian-born center (he & Dirk can chill and speak their native tongue) but he’s got great size (though could beef up a bit) and I’ll be honest… his offensive skills are… okay, not good or great. However, I think that he could totally be a player in the mold of Robin Lopez or like what Roy Hibbert used to be before his body suck “F**k that noise!” He may be a late second-rounder or not even drafted at all… but this is my reach… GO UTES!!!

 

26.  San Antonio – Devon Wright – Guard from Utah – That’s right… I’m calling it now… 6-5 University of Utah point guard comes into the Spurs organization (with LaMarcus Aldridge, wink wink) to eventually take over for Tony Parker for Championship Decade take two!!! On the real though… Wright’s a good distributor and seems to understand the game pretty well… he reminds me a lot of guys like Shaun Livingston who always seem to be in demand but also has a lot of Michael Carter-Williams in his game. I don’t know… may just be hopeful & they already know of some foreign player who’s going to revolutionize the game as we know it… but we’ll see. Fingers crossed!

 

Anyway, that’ll do it for my random picks… like last year, trades will probably happen… injuries will even probably happen… crazy sh*t always happens… and let’s face it, I have a unique perspective… just like everybody else. Have a great weekend everybody!!!