 |
| Need that! Want that! |
Tuesday June 24th - The 2014 NBA Draft is set to go down Thursday night and not only is it the most highly anticipated draft since 2003 when Lebron, Carmelo, and DWade came out, but it’s also arguably the most important night for the hometown Philadelphia 76ers since June 1996 when they drafted Allen Iverson.
Why is it so important? Well, there are a few reasons. It
starts with the competence of the new regime hired by the new owner Joshua
Harris. Harris and the Sixers brass are basically taking the antithesis of the
Phillies' approach on how to build a winning organization and to be honest you
have to admire the guts the Sixers had going through an entire season trying to
lose every game they played. Maybe you say how can you admire something that
sounds so atrocious at face value? But that’s how it works in the NBA.
Basically since 2001, and to a larger extent since Iverson left in 2006, the
Sixers have been stuck in NBA purgatory. They might make the playoffs, they
might not. Regardless, they haven’t had any superstar talent on their team for
pushing a decade now and if you follow the NBA you know that you absolutely
positively have to have a superstar to be a contender. Even if you have two,
see OKC, you still might not be good enough.
 |
| Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker |
So the Sixers bottomed out for the 2013-14 season in a hope
to land one of the blue chip freshmen coming out of college. In order to figure
out who the best guy is, and how to get him, Harris hired Sam Hinkie as the General Manager. A nerd, an
analytics guru, a guy that can’t talk to the media, a guy that has the same
skin tone as Casper, a guy who probably hasn’t slept since early June, a guy
that every Sixers fan is praying doesn’t screw up this draft. The Philadelphia
sports radio scene won’t shut up about this fact, mostly because all they like
to do is bitch, so they have to bitch about something. Does anybody really care
if they hear what Sam Hinkie has to say? I could give a shit to be honest with
you. I just want to see results, and after a year under his belt you have to
like where the Sixers sit closing in on this draft. In Hinkie we trust.
Hinkie came in and immediately made moves that you can’t
argue against. He moved on immediately from the Andrew Bynum disaster. He traded anybody of value on
the team aside from Michael Carter-Williams and Thaddeus Young. This allowed
him to land the number 3 overall pick, which was actually unlucky considering
the Sixers were the 2nd worst team in the NBA this season. Wow, the
Bucks were bad. He has the 10th overall pick from the Jrue Holiday
trade. Last year, he took Nerlens Noel with the 6th overall pick and
then sat him the entire season to
rehab a torn ACL. Noel was projected as the number 1 overall pick until he tore
his ACL and you could argue he had a better season riding the bench than
Anthony Bennett, who actually went number 1 overall to the Cavs. The Cavs love to throw up bricks in the draft (This comes in handy since they are picking number again 1 this year). He
also nailed the 11th overall pick by selecting the Rookie of the
Year in MCW.
So where do the Sixers stand? They almost assuredly will
come out of this draft with a serious nucleus of very young, talented,
basketball players. MCW will be starting his second season and they will have
three top 10 picks playing their first year in the NBA. There will be growing
pains, but that’s where Brett Brown comes in. Brown, the Sixers 2nd
year head coach, came from a long tenure of assistant coaching under Greg
Popovich in San Antonio. Pop seems like a decent guy to be learning from if you’ve
been paying attention to the NBA for the last 20 years.
Coming into this draft there was a consensus top 3 players
so the Sixers looked to be sitting pretty at the 3rd pick. If they
weren’t wild about any of them they
could sit back and take whichever one came to them. Andrew Wiggins is the freak
athlete with the up-side that’s higher than his vertical leap. Jabari Parker is
the grown man in a 19 year old’s body who’s ready to play in the NBA right now.
And Joel Embiid kept getting compared to Hakeem Olajuwon until last week. Now
he’s getting compared to Greg Oden after it was revealed he needed surgery to
repair a stress fracture in his foot. Embiid is a 7’ 2”, feet problems
generally do not bode well for big men.
So the monkey wrench has been thrown into this draft and
every one with a top 10 pick (the Sixers have two!) are left scrambling in the
days leading up to the draft. Is Embiid still worth taking? Is Wiggins worth
moving up to get? Are you happy with Jabari Parker at 3? You could probably say
yes to all of those questions so that’s why we’re going to run a live diary of
the NBA Draft at the Hitter’s Count blog. Come back Thursday night to check in
for updates as the players are coming off the board.
Just so I have my wish list down before wheeling and dealing actually begins here is my dream scenario for how Hinkie gets it done for our Sixers:
Trade the number 3 pick and either Thad Young or next year's number 1 to Cleveland for the number 1 pick and take Andrew Wiggins.
Trade the number 10 pick and two of the five 2nd round picks to the LA Lakers and take Julius Randle.
This would leave the Sixers with a starting 5 of:
1. Michael Carter-Williams
2. Andrew Wiggins
3. __________ - free agent X that has to be a knock down 3 point shooter
4. Julius Randle
5. Nerlens Noel
Is that squad young and athletic enough for you?
Just so I have my wish list down before wheeling and dealing actually begins here is my dream scenario for how Hinkie gets it done for our Sixers:
Trade the number 3 pick and either Thad Young or next year's number 1 to Cleveland for the number 1 pick and take Andrew Wiggins.
Trade the number 10 pick and two of the five 2nd round picks to the LA Lakers and take Julius Randle.
This would leave the Sixers with a starting 5 of:
1. Michael Carter-Williams
2. Andrew Wiggins
3. __________ - free agent X that has to be a knock down 3 point shooter
4. Julius Randle
5. Nerlens Noel
Is that squad young and athletic enough for you?
Remember in Hinkie we trust...
If you're following the diary live remember to press refresh every 5 minutes or so to see new posts.
Posts from here down will be shown in reverse chronological order Thursday June 26th.
11:01 PM EST: The Sixers take KJ McDaniels with their first pick of the 2nd round. I'm not going to sit here and pretend like I know much of anything about these guys getting picked in the second round. My knowledge level isn't there, so let's give a recap here.
Where do the Sixers stand?
By all accounts the Sixers were able to draft "the best prospect" in the draft in Joel Embiid but it's a monumental gamble picking him at 3. Until last week, he was most likely going to go 1 overall to the Cavs but he landed in the Sixers' lap because of this stress fracture in his foot. What can you say? Honestly, there's not much you really can say. This is not having Andrew Wiggins come in and run all over the court like crazy while you marvel at his athletic ability. This is not Jabari Parker coming in with a polished NBA ready offensive game. It's a big man coming in who won't play for months on end for the third season in a row for the Sixers (Noel and Bynum prior).
Sure, Embiid could recover fully and pair with Noel to give the Sixers a formidable twin towers defense. Sure, Embiid could develop into a devastating offensive player with an outside shot, nimble feet, and great touch around the basket. These things could happen but if anybody tells you right now that those things are definitely going to happen they are lying to you. Embiid could wind up playing 200 games and washing out in 4 years if he continues to be brittle. Or he could come in, get healthy, get the right coaches and players around him and dominate a league that isn't left with many skilled inside presence big men.
We just don't know.
As far as the 10th pick, and subsequent trade to the 12th pick is concerned, it's yet another wait and see game. Everybody and their mother knew Hinkie was not keeping a point guard who was turnover prone and couldn't shoot so it was nice to see him grab an extra first rounder by only moving down two picks. But Dario Saric is under contract for a team in Turkey for the next two seasons. I have no clue how their season's run and I'm just sitting here hoping that Saric would be able to come over here next year, but that's conjecture.
He's another guy we just won't know about.
So you basically can't even give the Sixers a grade in this draft. It's all to be determined. Hinkie did not go complete mad scientist on us and he didn't give up a ton of assets to go get Andrew Wiggins. He basically stood pat and followed his usual pattern of accruing as many picks and players with potential as he could. If you're a fan you're not upset with what Hinkie did, but you're a bit fed up on the reluctance to get better in the moment. Sixers fans just went through an awful season of tanking and it looks like this season won't be much better. There's a plan and that's understood, but the plan better start working come next year because it's getting a little old.
10:45 PM EST: I'm holding out until the Sixers make their first second round pick. One thing of note from the last bit of action was the Miami Heat trading up to 24 to take Shabazz Napier out of UConn. If anybody watched the Heat play the Spurs in the Finals you know Mario Chalmers is not getting it done any more. Not a bad spot to step into for Shabazz.
10:03 PM EST: We're taking a break here at The Hitter's Count after the Jazz select Rodney Hood from Duke at 23. Ball Screen gets to speak on a fellow alumni.
9:58 PM EST: Jordan Adams out of UCLA goes to the Grizlies at 22. Crickets at first from the panel. They certainly were not talking him up waiting on this pick.
9:56 PM EST: I miss thinkin about Wiggins.
9:55 PM EST: Last two picks felt like a reach with a few notables left on the board. Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament Shabazz Napier being one.
9:51 PM EST: Mitch McGary out of Michigan goes 21 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The second white guy taken out of Michigan tonight. Anybody with some talent can be an asset to the Thunder and that should be like easing in to a warm bath with OKC compared to a team in turnaround. He can help Kevin Durant and company for sure.
9:44 PM EST: The 20th pick goes to the Toronto Raptors and they select Bruno Caboclo. This guys is from Sao Paolo, Brazil. Only a couple of teams saw this guy play this year.
"He's two years away from being two years away," Fran Fruschilla.
This is a project.
9:38 PM EST: My buddy Joe is in attendance tonight in KOP, a man who's been known to DVR a regular season Magic-Sixers game on a Tuesday night in December. We just had this exchange.
Joe - Does Embiid play this year?
Me - Not until after the All-Star break.
We both nodded.
Get prepared Sixers fans.
9:36 PM EST: Finally, Gary Harris goes to the Nuggets (via the Bulls again) at 19. Harris was being talked about at 10 for the Sixers. Every one is declaring it a steal. Harris will certainly come in with something to prove going at 19. That's a lot of shooters for the Nuggets.
9:31 PM EST: Tyler Ennis out of 'Cuse goes 18 to the Suns. Ennis was the point guard for a team that came out like gangbusters and fizzled down the stretch. I'd have to look it up but that's at least the 4th team that's picked twice. Depth for a team with 48 wins.
9:28 PM EST: "Let's do shots I'm excited!" Simmons.
9:25 PM EST: James Young from Kentucky goes to the Celtics. He played real well shooting those lefty 3s and helping Kentucky get to the National Championship. Simmons is in on this pick. The only picks being made within the division are from the Celtics and they are getting better.
9:22 PM EST: Celtics up next. "Thanks Billy King! Thanks!" Simmons wylin about having this pick from the Nets and their GM Billy King.
9:19 PM EST: The Bulls go with Jusuf Nurkic from Bosnia-Herzegovina at 16. This pick is made by proxy for the Denver Nuggets for the Dougie McBuckets trade. Kind of dumb the NBA makes him go up there with a Bulls hat because they can't make the trade "official". I can't comment on Nurkic's game.
9:14 PM EST: We're hearing now that the Sixers are going to receive a future first round pick from the Magic, most likely in 2017. They will also receive a 2015 second round pick. The trade now does not seem like a head scratcher as Hinkie grabs a few "assets" back with zero risk. This is all building for the future. The future's not here, but Hinkie is trying to give it the best chance when it does get here.
9:11 PM EST: Adreian Payne from Michigan State goes to Atlanta at 15. Was always a solid player in college and translates probably to a glue / bench / Tom Izzo coached guy in the NBA.
9:07 PM EST: Just a sick feeling in my stomach right now. Hinkie says not now. Not this year. We're waiting longer than this year to see a marked improvement in play.
9:04 PM EST: The Suns take TJ Warren out of NC State. Every one seems to like the pick. I'm still trying to compute what's happening with Sam Hinkie currently.
9:01 PM EST: Okay, a trade out of Hinkie, but not one anybody was waiting for. The Sixers just traded Elfrid Payton straight up for Dario Saric. Another head scratcher. This was the Sixers' 10th pick for the Magic's 12 pick. Where is the sense in this? Why not just take Saric at 10 if that's where you're headed? Either way Saric will not play here for two years. So it's clear now that if the dust is settling for the Sixers that they will almost certainly be terrible / tanking again for the upcoming season.
8:55 PM EST: The Timberwolves, who are being held hostage by Kevin Love, take Zach LaVine out of UCLA. Ball Screen let's us know he's got an excellent wingspan and incorporates the fact that he knows every one is drinking upon him saying that. You've got to enjoy the self-deprecation. Bottoms up TWolves.
8:51 PM EST: Dario Saric goes at 12 to the Magic. A stash pick for their second lottery pick. He will not be able to leave his Euro league team for 2 years. Simmons is upset he didn't fall to the Celtics next pick as he claims he fell in love with him a few months ago at 3 AM on YouTube. Rose let's him know a lot of people fall in love on a computer at that time. That's good banter.
8:49 PM EST: Immediately McBuckets gets shipped to the Chicago Bulls picks 16 and 19 in our first trade of the night. The Bulls trying to round out that roster and pray Derrick Rose isn't Brandon Roy 2.0.
8:47 PM EST: How did the Sixers pick another point guard who can't shoot at 10? What does Hinkie know that we don't know? What does he KNOW?!
8:42 PM EST: The Denver Nuggets go Dougie McBuckets at 11. 5th leading scorer in college basketball history. You gotta pull for Doug, it will be interesting to see what this guy's game translates to in the NBA. He can shoot like nobody's business, we all know that.
8:40 PM EST: Just reeling here. Something is fishy. It smells, smells bad. HIINNNKKIIIEEEE.
8:39 PM EST: MCW getting interviewed in a baby blue suit. They ask him straight up if there is indication if he'll be moved based on this pick. Bold question, Cotton. Crazy to sit there and get asked that.
8:37 PM EST: Elfrid Payton. Point Guard. Louisiana Lafayette. Confused. Can't shoot apparently. Led the nation in turnovers. The Sixers have a point guard. He can't shoot.
8:36 PM EST: What. The. F&@$.
8:34 PM EST: Glad to see the Cavs' GM David Griffin has a sense of humor. He just got interviewed in Cleveland and says he hesitated to pick Wiggins based on his jacket. Chuckling to myself.
8:32 PM EST: Jay Williams just measured his hand next to Vonleh's. I imagine it'd be like what my hand looks like next to Shaq. Vonleh has some paws on him. Next level analysis.
8:31 PM EST: The Sixers are back on the clock. Oh man. Oh boy. Oh man. Oh boy.
8:29 PM EST: Michael Jordan and his team take Noah Vonleh at number 9. The lanky power forward can shoot and rebound, in the Big 10 anyway. The Hornets have to like getting him there considering there was talk of him going 3-5.
8:26 PM EST: Charlotte Hornets (Bobcats) on the clock.
8:23 PM EST: WOW! Nik Stauskas goes 8 to the Sacramento Kings. We have the first white guy selected in the draft. Stauskas could sure play at Michigan but this feels like a reach to me plus the Kings took a similar player in Jimmer Freddette a few years back. I tend to be biased against white guys though.
8:22 PM EST: We're running out of guys you expect to get picked now. The Kings are on the clock.
8:20 PM EST: "The teams that passed on me will regret it," Julius Randle.
8:17 PM EST: The Lakers go with Julius Randle. We're not seeing many surprises here. Out of the 7 picks, 6 are now one and done guys all under 20. Simmons just bet Ball Screen a steak dinner that Randle was going to start hitting 18 footers this year. He sure couldn't at Kentucky but he can bang down low. The Lakers will need it.
8:16 PM EST: Not one trade (announced) yet. Lakers on the clock at 7.
8:14 PM EST: Boston goes with Marcus Smart out of OK State. I think you gotta like this pick if you're a Celitics fan. He was a bit of a head case and his draft stock dropped this year but he's a serious talent. The Celtics have Brad Stevens at the helm for his second year and he will be a great coach for a guy like Smart. The Celtics just got better. Ball Screen says he is not too good of a shooter though.
8:12 PM EST: Simmons reveals he's having a nervous breakdown when the Celtics time is almost up with the 6th pick. That's a fan on TV.
8:06 PM EST: Dante Exum goes to the Utah Jazz at 5. Exum, an Australian, hasn't turned 19 yet and hasn't played basketball against any serious competition in a year but apparently is good enough to get picked 5 in an NBA draft. Hey, these people know what they are doing. They think.
8:02 PM EST: Utah is on the clock. Just sittin here thinkin about Embiid. It could really work out, but then again it could really blow up in our faces. Biggest risk reward in the draft by far. So if everything holds as of now the Sixers will have taken two big men with major leg related injuries with their number 1 picks in the last two drafts. We're rolling some dice right now.
8:01 PM EST: While I'm sitting here processing Embiid as to whether he's going to be the next Sam Bowie or the next Olajuwon the Orlando Magic make the first splash of the night. Ball Screen says Aaron Gordon is a a "world class athlete" while describing this fairly surprising pick. Most people had the young Australian guard Dante Exum going there.
8:00 PM EST: Now they show a graphic of Embiid being the best big man prospect since Greg Oden. Really makes you feel good about yourself. Man, don't need to think those thoughts.
7:57 PM EST: He's now getting interviewed via satellite. Think Dikembe Mutombo with the voice here.
7:55 PM EST: Okay, they went back to his spot a minute later and he was celebrating. Either he had a delay or he got a text that every one knows he's pissed he's on the Sixers and had to act like he was pumped.
7:54 PM EST: They picked Embiid. And I'm left here speechless after they panned to Embiid recovering from surgery in California. Is he in a painkiller haze or just so pissed he's on the Sixers?! Weirdest reaction you've ever seen.
7:48 PM EST: Oh man. Oh man. Oh man. Sixers on clock. My gut tells me Embiid. You figure it's Embiid. It's gotta be Embiid right?
7:47 PM EST: The Bucks didn't take long for this one. Jabari Parker is now a Milwaukee Buck. We've gone chalk through two picks.
7:44 PM EST: Telling you right now I'm shocked if the Bucks don't go Parker. Which puts the Sixers right between a rock and a hard place. Jay Williams made Wiggins speak about that jacket. Can't believe his mom let him get away with that thing, she and his dad are getting interviewed now.
7:43 PM EST: Second Canadian in a row to go number 1 overall. Can you believe that? Davis has informed us that if any trades went down they have to get approved by the NBA before they can get announced. So Wiggins is a Cavalier for now. Feels like the right pick. Ball Screen just let us know he has a great second jump.
7:41 PM EST: WIIGGGGIIINNNNSSSSSSS!!!!
7:40 PM EST: Pick is in. Took long enough.
7:36 PM EST: Every one on the panel says Parker is the surest thing but nobody is really saying the Cavs should take him 1 overall.
7:33 PM EST: Here we go. Adam Silver's first draft. David Stern had done every one since Jordan. He gave them 5 minutes after reeling off where all the Spurs got picked. Manu went 57th. Nottt baaddd.
7:19 PM EST: ESPN comes back with an intro of Embiid, Wiggins, and Parker taking selfies with a Polariod camera. This is what we're coming to.
7:15 PM EST: Parker is wearing a Jumpman tie clip. Yes!
7:11 PM EST: Ball screen is all over Embiid. Loves him.
7:09 PM EST: Chris Broussard talking back and forth about what's going to happen with Wiggins and the Cavs. He laid out 3 different possibilities. He has zero clue what's going to happen.
7:03 PM EST: Okay, our set is hosted by Rece Davis, Jalen Rose, Ball Screen and Bill Simmons. Simmons is who I bit the idea of the running diary off of. Like his writing or not, he's made a name for himself. We're at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
7:01 PM EST: I hate to say it but the first thing I see is the worst jacket you've ever seen on Andrew Wiggins. This kid is going 1 or 2 and this is the jacket he wears?! I sure as hell can't make that trade Dei Lynam reported for a guy wearing a jacket like this. Wait until you get a look at it. I don't even know if I want to trade up any more based on this jacket.
5:59 PM EST: Staying up on the Twitter gets you nuggets like this one on the right. I guess they want Wiggins huh? I feel like Hinkie will throw anything out there right now to keep people off his scent. Who knows what that scent smells like though?
5:21 PM EST: Pretty pumped to hear Jay "ball screen" Bilas talk about wingspan and second jumpability tonight. Drink every time he says motor, up-side, or plus defender/rebounder tonight and you're bombed before the Sixers make their 2nd pick.
4:48 PM EST: Wishing, hoping, praying that the Cavs pull a Cavs tonight. I mean, come on! They've had the following number picks in the last 3 years: 1, 4, 1. And they are still in the lottery and couldn't make the playoffs in one of the weakest Eastern Conferences in recent memory. The Cavs are bad, we're talking historically bad, so let's hope they continue that trend.
1:30 PM EST: Tell me this guy I snapped a creep picture of at lunch while taking in the USA match doesn't look like Brett Brown. Then tell me that isn't a good sign.
12:14 PM EST: US playing Germany in the World Cup. I'm just thinking about what Sam Hinkie's thinking about.
7:02 AM EST: Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins WIGGINS!!!
Where do the Sixers stand?
By all accounts the Sixers were able to draft "the best prospect" in the draft in Joel Embiid but it's a monumental gamble picking him at 3. Until last week, he was most likely going to go 1 overall to the Cavs but he landed in the Sixers' lap because of this stress fracture in his foot. What can you say? Honestly, there's not much you really can say. This is not having Andrew Wiggins come in and run all over the court like crazy while you marvel at his athletic ability. This is not Jabari Parker coming in with a polished NBA ready offensive game. It's a big man coming in who won't play for months on end for the third season in a row for the Sixers (Noel and Bynum prior).
Sure, Embiid could recover fully and pair with Noel to give the Sixers a formidable twin towers defense. Sure, Embiid could develop into a devastating offensive player with an outside shot, nimble feet, and great touch around the basket. These things could happen but if anybody tells you right now that those things are definitely going to happen they are lying to you. Embiid could wind up playing 200 games and washing out in 4 years if he continues to be brittle. Or he could come in, get healthy, get the right coaches and players around him and dominate a league that isn't left with many skilled inside presence big men.
We just don't know.
As far as the 10th pick, and subsequent trade to the 12th pick is concerned, it's yet another wait and see game. Everybody and their mother knew Hinkie was not keeping a point guard who was turnover prone and couldn't shoot so it was nice to see him grab an extra first rounder by only moving down two picks. But Dario Saric is under contract for a team in Turkey for the next two seasons. I have no clue how their season's run and I'm just sitting here hoping that Saric would be able to come over here next year, but that's conjecture.
He's another guy we just won't know about.
So you basically can't even give the Sixers a grade in this draft. It's all to be determined. Hinkie did not go complete mad scientist on us and he didn't give up a ton of assets to go get Andrew Wiggins. He basically stood pat and followed his usual pattern of accruing as many picks and players with potential as he could. If you're a fan you're not upset with what Hinkie did, but you're a bit fed up on the reluctance to get better in the moment. Sixers fans just went through an awful season of tanking and it looks like this season won't be much better. There's a plan and that's understood, but the plan better start working come next year because it's getting a little old.
10:45 PM EST: I'm holding out until the Sixers make their first second round pick. One thing of note from the last bit of action was the Miami Heat trading up to 24 to take Shabazz Napier out of UConn. If anybody watched the Heat play the Spurs in the Finals you know Mario Chalmers is not getting it done any more. Not a bad spot to step into for Shabazz.
10:03 PM EST: We're taking a break here at The Hitter's Count after the Jazz select Rodney Hood from Duke at 23. Ball Screen gets to speak on a fellow alumni.
9:58 PM EST: Jordan Adams out of UCLA goes to the Grizlies at 22. Crickets at first from the panel. They certainly were not talking him up waiting on this pick.
9:56 PM EST: I miss thinkin about Wiggins.
9:55 PM EST: Last two picks felt like a reach with a few notables left on the board. Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament Shabazz Napier being one.
9:51 PM EST: Mitch McGary out of Michigan goes 21 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The second white guy taken out of Michigan tonight. Anybody with some talent can be an asset to the Thunder and that should be like easing in to a warm bath with OKC compared to a team in turnaround. He can help Kevin Durant and company for sure.
9:44 PM EST: The 20th pick goes to the Toronto Raptors and they select Bruno Caboclo. This guys is from Sao Paolo, Brazil. Only a couple of teams saw this guy play this year.
"He's two years away from being two years away," Fran Fruschilla.
This is a project.
9:38 PM EST: My buddy Joe is in attendance tonight in KOP, a man who's been known to DVR a regular season Magic-Sixers game on a Tuesday night in December. We just had this exchange.
Joe - Does Embiid play this year?
Me - Not until after the All-Star break.
We both nodded.
Get prepared Sixers fans.
9:36 PM EST: Finally, Gary Harris goes to the Nuggets (via the Bulls again) at 19. Harris was being talked about at 10 for the Sixers. Every one is declaring it a steal. Harris will certainly come in with something to prove going at 19. That's a lot of shooters for the Nuggets.
9:31 PM EST: Tyler Ennis out of 'Cuse goes 18 to the Suns. Ennis was the point guard for a team that came out like gangbusters and fizzled down the stretch. I'd have to look it up but that's at least the 4th team that's picked twice. Depth for a team with 48 wins.
9:28 PM EST: "Let's do shots I'm excited!" Simmons.
9:25 PM EST: James Young from Kentucky goes to the Celtics. He played real well shooting those lefty 3s and helping Kentucky get to the National Championship. Simmons is in on this pick. The only picks being made within the division are from the Celtics and they are getting better.
9:22 PM EST: Celtics up next. "Thanks Billy King! Thanks!" Simmons wylin about having this pick from the Nets and their GM Billy King.
9:19 PM EST: The Bulls go with Jusuf Nurkic from Bosnia-Herzegovina at 16. This pick is made by proxy for the Denver Nuggets for the Dougie McBuckets trade. Kind of dumb the NBA makes him go up there with a Bulls hat because they can't make the trade "official". I can't comment on Nurkic's game.
9:14 PM EST: We're hearing now that the Sixers are going to receive a future first round pick from the Magic, most likely in 2017. They will also receive a 2015 second round pick. The trade now does not seem like a head scratcher as Hinkie grabs a few "assets" back with zero risk. This is all building for the future. The future's not here, but Hinkie is trying to give it the best chance when it does get here.
9:11 PM EST: Adreian Payne from Michigan State goes to Atlanta at 15. Was always a solid player in college and translates probably to a glue / bench / Tom Izzo coached guy in the NBA.
9:07 PM EST: Just a sick feeling in my stomach right now. Hinkie says not now. Not this year. We're waiting longer than this year to see a marked improvement in play.
9:04 PM EST: The Suns take TJ Warren out of NC State. Every one seems to like the pick. I'm still trying to compute what's happening with Sam Hinkie currently.
9:01 PM EST: Okay, a trade out of Hinkie, but not one anybody was waiting for. The Sixers just traded Elfrid Payton straight up for Dario Saric. Another head scratcher. This was the Sixers' 10th pick for the Magic's 12 pick. Where is the sense in this? Why not just take Saric at 10 if that's where you're headed? Either way Saric will not play here for two years. So it's clear now that if the dust is settling for the Sixers that they will almost certainly be terrible / tanking again for the upcoming season.
8:55 PM EST: The Timberwolves, who are being held hostage by Kevin Love, take Zach LaVine out of UCLA. Ball Screen let's us know he's got an excellent wingspan and incorporates the fact that he knows every one is drinking upon him saying that. You've got to enjoy the self-deprecation. Bottoms up TWolves.
8:51 PM EST: Dario Saric goes at 12 to the Magic. A stash pick for their second lottery pick. He will not be able to leave his Euro league team for 2 years. Simmons is upset he didn't fall to the Celtics next pick as he claims he fell in love with him a few months ago at 3 AM on YouTube. Rose let's him know a lot of people fall in love on a computer at that time. That's good banter.
8:49 PM EST: Immediately McBuckets gets shipped to the Chicago Bulls picks 16 and 19 in our first trade of the night. The Bulls trying to round out that roster and pray Derrick Rose isn't Brandon Roy 2.0.
8:47 PM EST: How did the Sixers pick another point guard who can't shoot at 10? What does Hinkie know that we don't know? What does he KNOW?!
8:42 PM EST: The Denver Nuggets go Dougie McBuckets at 11. 5th leading scorer in college basketball history. You gotta pull for Doug, it will be interesting to see what this guy's game translates to in the NBA. He can shoot like nobody's business, we all know that.
8:40 PM EST: Just reeling here. Something is fishy. It smells, smells bad. HIINNNKKIIIEEEE.
8:39 PM EST: MCW getting interviewed in a baby blue suit. They ask him straight up if there is indication if he'll be moved based on this pick. Bold question, Cotton. Crazy to sit there and get asked that.
8:37 PM EST: Elfrid Payton. Point Guard. Louisiana Lafayette. Confused. Can't shoot apparently. Led the nation in turnovers. The Sixers have a point guard. He can't shoot.
8:36 PM EST: What. The. F&@$.
8:34 PM EST: Glad to see the Cavs' GM David Griffin has a sense of humor. He just got interviewed in Cleveland and says he hesitated to pick Wiggins based on his jacket. Chuckling to myself.
8:32 PM EST: Jay Williams just measured his hand next to Vonleh's. I imagine it'd be like what my hand looks like next to Shaq. Vonleh has some paws on him. Next level analysis.
8:31 PM EST: The Sixers are back on the clock. Oh man. Oh boy. Oh man. Oh boy.
8:29 PM EST: Michael Jordan and his team take Noah Vonleh at number 9. The lanky power forward can shoot and rebound, in the Big 10 anyway. The Hornets have to like getting him there considering there was talk of him going 3-5.
8:26 PM EST: Charlotte Hornets (Bobcats) on the clock.
8:23 PM EST: WOW! Nik Stauskas goes 8 to the Sacramento Kings. We have the first white guy selected in the draft. Stauskas could sure play at Michigan but this feels like a reach to me plus the Kings took a similar player in Jimmer Freddette a few years back. I tend to be biased against white guys though.
8:22 PM EST: We're running out of guys you expect to get picked now. The Kings are on the clock.
8:20 PM EST: "The teams that passed on me will regret it," Julius Randle.
8:17 PM EST: The Lakers go with Julius Randle. We're not seeing many surprises here. Out of the 7 picks, 6 are now one and done guys all under 20. Simmons just bet Ball Screen a steak dinner that Randle was going to start hitting 18 footers this year. He sure couldn't at Kentucky but he can bang down low. The Lakers will need it.
8:16 PM EST: Not one trade (announced) yet. Lakers on the clock at 7.
8:14 PM EST: Boston goes with Marcus Smart out of OK State. I think you gotta like this pick if you're a Celitics fan. He was a bit of a head case and his draft stock dropped this year but he's a serious talent. The Celtics have Brad Stevens at the helm for his second year and he will be a great coach for a guy like Smart. The Celtics just got better. Ball Screen says he is not too good of a shooter though.
8:12 PM EST: Simmons reveals he's having a nervous breakdown when the Celtics time is almost up with the 6th pick. That's a fan on TV.
8:06 PM EST: Dante Exum goes to the Utah Jazz at 5. Exum, an Australian, hasn't turned 19 yet and hasn't played basketball against any serious competition in a year but apparently is good enough to get picked 5 in an NBA draft. Hey, these people know what they are doing. They think.
8:02 PM EST: Utah is on the clock. Just sittin here thinkin about Embiid. It could really work out, but then again it could really blow up in our faces. Biggest risk reward in the draft by far. So if everything holds as of now the Sixers will have taken two big men with major leg related injuries with their number 1 picks in the last two drafts. We're rolling some dice right now.
8:01 PM EST: While I'm sitting here processing Embiid as to whether he's going to be the next Sam Bowie or the next Olajuwon the Orlando Magic make the first splash of the night. Ball Screen says Aaron Gordon is a a "world class athlete" while describing this fairly surprising pick. Most people had the young Australian guard Dante Exum going there.
8:00 PM EST: Now they show a graphic of Embiid being the best big man prospect since Greg Oden. Really makes you feel good about yourself. Man, don't need to think those thoughts.
7:57 PM EST: He's now getting interviewed via satellite. Think Dikembe Mutombo with the voice here.
7:55 PM EST: Okay, they went back to his spot a minute later and he was celebrating. Either he had a delay or he got a text that every one knows he's pissed he's on the Sixers and had to act like he was pumped.
7:54 PM EST: They picked Embiid. And I'm left here speechless after they panned to Embiid recovering from surgery in California. Is he in a painkiller haze or just so pissed he's on the Sixers?! Weirdest reaction you've ever seen.
7:48 PM EST: Oh man. Oh man. Oh man. Sixers on clock. My gut tells me Embiid. You figure it's Embiid. It's gotta be Embiid right?
7:47 PM EST: The Bucks didn't take long for this one. Jabari Parker is now a Milwaukee Buck. We've gone chalk through two picks.
7:44 PM EST: Telling you right now I'm shocked if the Bucks don't go Parker. Which puts the Sixers right between a rock and a hard place. Jay Williams made Wiggins speak about that jacket. Can't believe his mom let him get away with that thing, she and his dad are getting interviewed now.
7:43 PM EST: Second Canadian in a row to go number 1 overall. Can you believe that? Davis has informed us that if any trades went down they have to get approved by the NBA before they can get announced. So Wiggins is a Cavalier for now. Feels like the right pick. Ball Screen just let us know he has a great second jump.
7:41 PM EST: WIIGGGGIIINNNNSSSSSSS!!!!
7:40 PM EST: Pick is in. Took long enough.
7:36 PM EST: Every one on the panel says Parker is the surest thing but nobody is really saying the Cavs should take him 1 overall.
7:33 PM EST: Here we go. Adam Silver's first draft. David Stern had done every one since Jordan. He gave them 5 minutes after reeling off where all the Spurs got picked. Manu went 57th. Nottt baaddd.
7:19 PM EST: ESPN comes back with an intro of Embiid, Wiggins, and Parker taking selfies with a Polariod camera. This is what we're coming to.
7:15 PM EST: Parker is wearing a Jumpman tie clip. Yes!
7:11 PM EST: Ball screen is all over Embiid. Loves him.
7:09 PM EST: Chris Broussard talking back and forth about what's going to happen with Wiggins and the Cavs. He laid out 3 different possibilities. He has zero clue what's going to happen.
7:03 PM EST: Okay, our set is hosted by Rece Davis, Jalen Rose, Ball Screen and Bill Simmons. Simmons is who I bit the idea of the running diary off of. Like his writing or not, he's made a name for himself. We're at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
7:01 PM EST: I hate to say it but the first thing I see is the worst jacket you've ever seen on Andrew Wiggins. This kid is going 1 or 2 and this is the jacket he wears?! I sure as hell can't make that trade Dei Lynam reported for a guy wearing a jacket like this. Wait until you get a look at it. I don't even know if I want to trade up any more based on this jacket.
 |
| HINNNKKIIEEEEE!! |
5:59 PM EST: Staying up on the Twitter gets you nuggets like this one on the right. I guess they want Wiggins huh? I feel like Hinkie will throw anything out there right now to keep people off his scent. Who knows what that scent smells like though?
5:21 PM EST: Pretty pumped to hear Jay "ball screen" Bilas talk about wingspan and second jumpability tonight. Drink every time he says motor, up-side, or plus defender/rebounder tonight and you're bombed before the Sixers make their 2nd pick.
4:48 PM EST: Wishing, hoping, praying that the Cavs pull a Cavs tonight. I mean, come on! They've had the following number picks in the last 3 years: 1, 4, 1. And they are still in the lottery and couldn't make the playoffs in one of the weakest Eastern Conferences in recent memory. The Cavs are bad, we're talking historically bad, so let's hope they continue that trend.
1:30 PM EST: Tell me this guy I snapped a creep picture of at lunch while taking in the USA match doesn't look like Brett Brown. Then tell me that isn't a good sign.
 |
| The guy I creeped on. |
 |
| Brett Brown |
12:14 PM EST: US playing Germany in the World Cup. I'm just thinking about what Sam Hinkie's thinking about.
7:02 AM EST: Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins Wiggins WIGGINS!!!
That's probably the last time Allen Iverson wore a suit.. next time will be his HOF speech.
ReplyDeleteSo wait, you're gonna have Lebron come off the bench? I'm confused.
ReplyDeleteHe wouldn't look bad slotted in at that small forward spot would he?
DeleteBest case we get Wiggins/Parker at 3, and somehow Aaron Gordan drops to ten...keep MCW and all the draft picks. Next to no chance Bron Bron comes to Philly he's gonna stay put for at least another year
ReplyDeleteDon't you usually shut the blog down for the World Cup and Euro Cup?? Anyhow, I like what the Sixers did, pending injuries HEH.
ReplyDeleteDrew, Spruce Hill - University City
Once i received onto your website even though getting consideration basically somewhat tad submits. Pleasurable strategy for upcoming, I am bookmarking at the same time acquire kinds end rises upwards. NBA 2k18 hack VC
ReplyDeleteInfrastructure upgrades have been the order of the day following a catastrophic period where it simply bled customers due to poor network coverage and performance.
ReplyDeleteThese prrograms such as Turboo - Tax will save your personal information from year to year and automatically
fill in certin blanks wiuthout you having to search through files foor certain numbers.
Foor example, the art world and theater world used to be more unto themselves.
Challenge and adversity are meant to help you know who you are. Storms hit your weakness, but unlock your true strength. Cara Menyembuhkan Tampek
ReplyDelete