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2015 NBA Draft Thread

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mhi

From the thrill of victory To the agony of defeat
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College season's over. Our NBA season is pretty much over. We have a HUGE off season coming up. This next year's draft, depending on how we do, may end playing an important role into shaping the trajectory that our current nucleus.

We also have the most 1st rounds picks we've had in the post Lebron era in this draft. Miami + Memphis (Fingers cross that Memphis' converts.)

Chad Ford on the top prospects.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- NBA scouts and GMs were out in force last week at the 2014 Nike Hoop Summit, taking in both practices and Saturday's game. Unlike the McDonald's All American Game and Jordan Brand Classic, the Hoop Summit is played more like a real competition than an all-star game. Defense is played, sets are run and the overall atmosphere is more serious, which makes for a better scouting event.
Each year, Team USA's Junior Select Team competes against a World Team comprising the top young international players. Team USA beat the World Team 84-73 this time around.

The event serves as a good preview of the incoming freshman class for the 2014-15 season and as a proving ground where top international talent can come and make their mark.

This year, only one of the players on the floor had a shot at going in the first round in the 2014 draft, Switzerland's Clint Capela.

Capela has generated a lot of buzz this year from international scouts. He's a 6-foot-11 bouncy power forward with a huge wingspan who has been putting up solid numbers in France. Many scouts began speaking of him as a potential lottery pick as early as this year.

But this event really didn't do him any favors. Capela looked extremely raw on both ends. While he made a number of athletic plays above the rim on both ends in practices, he looked lost among the other elite prospects on the floor. In his first seven minutes of the game Saturday, he picked up four quick fouls and was limited to just one rebound by that point. He finished the game with five points, three rebounds and one assist in 13 minutes of play and watched his stock slide considerably. While the physical talent is clearly there, he didn't look even close to being ready for the NBA. I still think he's a first-round pick if he declares for the draft, but his days of eyeing the lottery may be done unless he redeems himself in workouts.

Capela wasn't the only one to disappoint. While many of the prospects here are prime candidates to be lottery picks in 2015, NBA scouts and GMs aren't nearly as enamored with next year's incoming freshmen as they were with what they saw last year.

"I think we saw four or five players here last year we thought could be future NBA All-Stars," one GM said. "While I don't think any of them proved it this year as freshmen, I think we generally are still very excited about them and think they could still be All-Star-caliber players down the road. This year I saw maybe two guys I feel that way about. And it's a bigger maybe. Next year's draft isn't going to be as strong at the top. There's talent, but I wasn't wowed by anyone."

That was the general consensus among the 30 or so scouts and GMs I spoke to here. Say what you will about Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle and Dante Exum, all of whom played at the Hoop Summit last year, but they all projected to be better NBA players than anyone who was on the floor Saturday night. So temper your expectations, NBA and college fans.

Here's a look at several of the more intriguing prospects we saw in Portland:

Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, committed to SMU

Emmanuel Mudiay impressed NBA scouts and GMs with his play in Saturday's game.
If there was one standout prospect from the week, it was Mudiay. Both before and especially after the game, many of the NBA GMs and scouts I spoke with thought Mudiay had the best shot of anyone in this class of being the No. 1 pick and a future All-Star.
NBA folks love point guards with both size and athleticism, and Mudiay has both. He's a quick, powerful guard who can get to the basket and finish above the rim. He led all scorers at the Hoop Summit with 20 points and also had five rebounds, five assists and one steal, with just one turnover.

He can overdribble the ball at times, his decision-making and feel for running the point is still a work in progress and his jumper needs a lot of work, but the raw talent to be a Derrick Rose-type power point guard in the NBA is all there. The fact that Larry Brown, one of the most respected point guard coaches in the NBA, is his head coach next year is also earning him points among scouts who believe that Brown will get the junk out of his game and make him a better point guard for the NBA.

If he has a big season for SMU, he has a great shot at going No. 1.

Jahlil Okafor, C, committed to Duke

Okafor is the other player in this class who gets a lot of attention as a potential No. 1 pick. Okafor is a true center with a huge body, amazing hands and terrific feet. He catches anything you throw at him and has a surprising array of post moves for a player his age. He can score on either block, has a nice little hook, a turnaround jumper and even an up-and-under move.

Okafor's strength allows him to manhandle players in the post, and he has a high basketball IQ, is a good passer out of double-teams and reads the game well. He got off to a slow start in the Hoop Summit before coming on in the second half. He ended up with 14 points and 10 rebounds but did have four turnovers.

So why might he not go No. 1? While Okafor has size and strength, he's not an explosive athlete. He has struggled with conditioning issues in the past, and though he has improved that greatly this year, he still could be in better shape. I've heard the Tim Duncan comparisons and agree that he's a very fundamentally sound player, but Elton Brand might be the better comp right now. Okafor is about an inch taller, but Brand had a longer wingspan, giving them the same standing reach. Duncan was just a bigger, better athlete at Okafor's age.

Myles Turner, C, uncommitted

Turner was struggling with a recurring knee issue all week and wasn't really himself. He's huge and athletic and generally stands out with his athleticism and quickness for his size, but he just didn't look the part in Portland.

Tuner is a bit of a late bloomer and is more polarizing as a prospect. He has the requisite size and athletic ability to be a No. 1 pick, but his game hasn't developed to the same extent as Mudiay's or Okafor's.

Right now he's at his best facing the basket. He has a soft touch on his jump shot and excels when stepping out of the paint. He has all the tools to play inside as well but needs to add toughness and aggressiveness to his game.

Turner is undecided right now on his college choice, but based on the intel I gathered, he seems to be deciding between Kansas (which most believe is the favorite), Texas and SMU.

He'll be a player teams will watch really closely. Players with his size and athletic ability don't come along very often. Remember that Andre Drummond had a very uneven season at UConn as a freshman. It might be the same for Turner, but there's crazy upside there.

Karl Towns Jr., C, committed to Kentucky

Towns made scouts swoon last year when he played for the international team. His play this year was a little more uneven -- he had just six points and two rebounds, mostly because of foul trouble -- but there is so much to like in Towns' game. He's a fluid big man with terrific size, and he's very skilled. He has shooting range all the way out to the 3-point line and isn't afraid to go out there and take those shots. He also can score in the paint and be a good rebounder and shot-blocker when he focuses.

Scouts worry a bit about his toughness; they want to see him fight in the paint more. But he's a third big in this draft who has some serious offensive skills. How often do three guys like that come along in the same class? If John Calipari plays him the same way he did DeMarcus Cousins, Towns might have a shot at going No. 1.

Cliff Alexander, PF, committed to Kansas

Alexander already has the body of a 10-year NBA veteran. He is a beast. He also is an explosive athlete and is very quick for someone his size. While he lacks great height for his position (just 6-foot-8 in shoes), he has a huge wingspan and can be an explosive leaper when he gets a head of steam behind him. The best part of his game is that he's always attacking the rim. He wants to dunk and block everything. The question for him is his lack of elite size and basketball IQ. Alexander plays almost purely off instinct and heart. His decision-making on the court is pretty rudimentary. Alexander didn't have a great game Saturday. He was just 2-for-7 from the field with just one rebound.

Kelly Oubre, SF, committed to Kansas

Oubre is one of the more polarizing players in the class. He was essentially awful in his first few practices here, but he came on when the lights came on. He ended with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists in the game but was just 2-for-7 from 3-point range. He has good size for his position and is an elite athlete, and when he gets his jump shot going, he can be a lethal scorer. He also has no in-between game right now; it's 3-pointer or to the rim for him. His handle needs to tighten, he needs to add a midrange game, he needs to up his 3-point percentage from the low 30s to the high 30s and he needs to improve his shot selection. If he does all that, he has a great chance of being a lottery pick.

Stanley Johnson, SF, committed to Arizona

Arizona recruit Stanley Johnson has NBA strength, but his game needs improvement.Johnson has a number of fans in the NBA. He's a 237-pound small forward. They don't get much stronger than that. He has NBA strength, plays hard and has an emerging jump shot that needs to improve.

He's not an elite athlete, however, and some teams question whether he, like Shabazz Muhammad a few years ago, benefited in high school from being physically stronger than everyone else in his age group. He was just 1-for-6 from the field in the game and didn't look like he could create his own shot against people. He's going to have to develop a consistent skill to be a one-and-done lottery pick, but the potential is there.

Justise Winslow, F, committed to Duke

Winslow was perhaps the best player on Team USA on Saturday night. He's just not the best prospect. He ended the game with 16 points and six rebounds on 7-for-15 shooting. Winslow has the body of a chiseled NBA power forward, but he's just 6-foot-6. He uses his strength and athleticism combined with a great motor to dominate other players. But his skill set is still a work in progress. He needs a more consistent jump shot and handle.

That said, it's hard to dismiss Winslow. He and Okafor were the best players for the Team USA under-19 team in Prague, and he really pushed them over the top in the Hoop Summit. Duke fans are going to love him the same way Kentucky fans loved Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. But will NBA teams love him? The jury is still out there.

Tyus Jones, PG, committed to Duke

Jones is the best pure point guard in this class and is the consummate floor general. He is a pass-first guard who has terrific basketball IQ, plays angles well and almost always makes the right pass. If he were a little bigger or a better athlete, he'd be much higher on our board, but the lack of size and elite quickness and explosion limit his upside a bit. Jones ended Saturday's game with 13 points and six assists and made a number of key plays late for the USA team. He's going to be one of the best point guards in the country next year coming out of the gate, but like Winslow, it's unclear what type of NBA player he'll be. He's probably a first-rounder, but is he a lottery pick? Most of the scouts I spoke with weren't sold on that.

Trey Lyles, PF, committed to Kentucky

Lyles is one of the top players in high school and bears a passing resemblance to Carlos Boozer both physically and somewhat in his game. He's not as skilled as Boozer was, but he is a forward with a high basketball IQ who uses strength and basketball knowledge to beat down his opponents. He's not a great athlete, plays below the rim and was generally disappointing all week in Portland, though he did finish with a game-high 11 rebounds.

And we should mention Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, a 16-year-old from Ukraine who stole the hearts of most of the scouts here. He's a skilled wing who has incredible basketball IQ and skills for his size. While he didn't show it in the game, he was one of the most impressive players on the floor all week. Alas, he's a minimum of two years away from being eligible for the NBA draft. He says he's thinking about coming to college. After what we saw in Portland, every elite program in the country will be beating down his door.
 
Okafor is already an grown ass man. I look forward to seeing him play college ball.
 
I think Okafor and Towns will emerge as the two premier players in this draft. From all accounts, Towns looked very impressive in both the McDonald's All American Game and Nike Hoop Summit practices. Supposedly still growing too.
 
I think Chad Ford is off base with the Elton Brand comparison there. Okafor is just a much bigger, thicker guy than Brand was. DX made a pretty good comparison with Cousins. Both are huge guys with very similar measurements and quick feet, although neither is an elite vertical leaper. I'd say Cousins is more mobile, but Okafor's offensive skill is just unheard of for a guy his size.
 
Emmanuel will be a problem. Can't wait until he joins the NBA. Shit, can't even wait to watch him at SMU and I hate college basketball.
 
We may have to switch spots with the Bulls with our own pick. Gilbert is not happy about that according to reports.
 
We may have to switch spots with the Bulls with our own pick. Gilbert is not happy about that according to reports.

From the Cavs Talk thread on Assets:

Swap option on Cavs 2015 first round draft pick. If the Cavs' 2015 first-round draft pick is a non-lottery pick (outside the top 14), the Bulls have the option to swap draft positions with the Cavs. This applies only to the 2015 pick and does not apply to future years.

So it sounds like the swap only applies to our own pick and not the Heat pick or potential Memphis pick. If that's the case, I feel ok about it as I think the Bulls will be picking in the 20-24 range next year and I expect us to be in the 16-20 range. It was a calculated risk to get Deng to A: try and make the playoffs this year and B: create a scenario where he would re-sign with us. Can't make a calculated risk without the actual risk part.
 
From the Cavs Talk thread on Assets:



So it sounds like the swap only applies to our own pick and not the Heat pick or potential Memphis pick. If that's the case, I feel ok about it as I think the Bulls will be picking in the 20-24 range next year and I expect us to be in the 16-20 range. It was a calculated risk to get Deng to A: try and make the playoffs this year and B: create a scenario where he would re-sign with us. Can't make a calculated risk without the actual risk part.

Bulls gonna be picking 30th when they win the title next year.
 
Appears as though Emmanuel Mudiay, one of the top players in the 2014 prep class and 2015 draft class will be playing overseas, likely in China, instead of SMU next season due to eligibility concerns.

Emmanuel Mudiay had a change of plans on Monday.

Multiple sources informed Scout.com that Mudiay, who finished No. 2 in Scout.com’s 2014 rankings, intends to pursue a professional basketball career overseas, rather than attend SMU.

Mudiay committed to Larry Brown and SMU in August and signed a Letter of Intent in November.

Brandon Jennings, who was the No. 1 player in the 2008 class, was the first high school player to opt out of college and play overseas. Jennings spent last season with the Detroit Pistons. The only other high profile player to make such a move was Jeremy Tyler, who now plays for the New York Knicks.

An elite talent, Mudiay is a dynamic 6-foot-5 point guard. He has terrific size for the point guard position and also possesses tremendous speed and athleticism for a lead guard.

"His ability to get to the rim, create space, finish and play with speed reminds me of John Wall," one NBA scout told Scout.com Monday morning.
Mudiay averaged 16 points, six rebounds and four assists a game, while leading Prime Prep to a 30-6 record.
 
Hey guys we should definitely tank for Okafor. Just one more year.....pleeeeeeeease



God dont let us start the regular season 0-1. I guaruntee we see this post seriously
 
Hey guys we should definitely tank for Okafor. Just one more year.....pleeeeeeeease



God dont let us start the regular season 0-1. I guaruntee we see this post seriously

Okafor!!!!!!!!!
 
Here is a question. If we could take Okafor today over Wiggins would you do it?

Here is the thing Okafor has not played a college game so we are doing even more projecting!

I would take Okafor.

Wouldn't it be funny that after all these years we finally ended up with Stein from UK in the teens.
We are not allowed to trade all our first rounders next year, so I assume we will be looking for the best center available wherever we pick,
 
I would try to steal Chris Walker, depending on how far he falls.
 

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