Busts and Gems

Every year there are a few guys that don't live up to the hype, and a few that are surprises.

Name 4 guys you think will be drafted in the top 11, and not establish themselves as a starter by year 4. On the flip side, name 4 guys that you think will be drafted after 15, and turn out to be good starters. Here are my picks -

Busts:
1. Andre Drummond
2. Harrison Barnes
3. Perry Jones
4. Meyers Leonard

Gems:
1. John Jenkins
2. Royce White
3. Draymond Green
4. Will Barton

 

I would seriously consider drafting Harrison Barnes #2 overall.

But agree Drummond is very likely to be a bust, reminds me of Olowakandi. Athletic but very little basketball skill.

 

Looking at the top 11, it's always tough to pull out 4 that won't be successful. Everyone looks shiny and new before the draft. Barnes is a tough one. Lots of potential to be very good, but I also see the possibility of him being too specialized and not fitting well with the team he gets put with. For being known as a shooter, he only shot 36% from 3, and 44% from 2.

 

Busts:
Barnes
Lilliard
MKG
Jeremy Lamb (depends on the mock)

Gems:
Royce White
Marquis Teague
Arnett Moultrie
Kendall Marshall

 

Busts
1. Drummond
2. Jeremy Lamb
3. Leonard
4. Beal (I just don't like this guy. No real reason for it other then I think he is small and not as athletic as described but something about him just rubs me the wrong way)

Gems
1. Marshall
2. Andrew Nicholson
3. Royce White
4. Tony Wroten Jr.

 

What makes me love Barnes is his athletic ability. That coupled with a great catch and shoot makes me think as long as he ends up with a decent PG he'll be fine.
I should specify, love him as a prospect but most definitely not on the blazers.

 

Nice pick with Marshall. That guy intrigues me. With the right team, he could really shine.

 

I still want him on the Blazers more then I want Lillard. Id take Dragic over both.

 

MKG. Brave pick there. No one has really talked too much about him not making it.

 

Dragic is a known quantity. I agree. Two weeks before the draft though, it's tough not to dream about what these draft guys 'could be'.

 

Everyone assumes because of his insane work ethic he will improve every aspect of his game. Also a wing defender who can guard 3 positions is always needed. Worst case scenario is Bruce Bowen imo.

 

Bowen became that because he had two things I don't see in MKG. He developed a killer three. He one of he dirtiest players in the game.

 

Busts:
Jared Sullinger - His combine numbers are going to kill him in the NBA. His 11'4" max reach is SG/SF-esque.
Fab Melo - NBA size but doesn't have the talent to play in the NBA. Boumtje-Boumtje, anyone?

Gems:
Thomas Robinson - Has great size at a legit 6'9" with a 7'3" wingspan. A total gamer with that "it" factor.
Bradley Beal - Exudes basketball IQ and awareness. Mediocre regular season, turned it on in the tourny. Only 18 years old.
Jae Crowder - All-around player. A hard-nosed, blue collar guy. Great advanced stats across the board.
Kendall Marshall - He's Ricky Rubio w/o the defense. Though, he's not terrible on the defensive end but he's going to struggle against the likes of Lawson, Wall, etc.

 

I agree with most of the choices already given, so I'll try to add new ones. (Exception: I don't see John Jenkins as a starter, which was a criterion.

Busts
Basically every lottery pick outside of the first two picks has already been mentioned! And it's dumb to name a "bust" who's outside the lottery. But I agree on Drummond, Perry Jones and Leonard especially. I also agree that MKG will disappoint for a while, but his team will mysteriously improve.

Gems
Tyler Zeller (he may be a lottery pick, but I don't think much is expected of him at the moment. But I think he'll be a starter mainly because half-decent seven footers tend to start. Ugly but effective.)
Kostas Papanikolaou (yeah, I'm a broken record)
Jeff Taylor
Drew Gordon

 

Here's a PG who would be an NBA rookie if he played next year that would be a gem (and that New Orleans should really be trying to sign, as he's a native son):
Bo McCalebb:
[video=youtube;eugrg0g7aZI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eugrg0g7aZI[/video]

Part of the reason I'm not keen on drafting Lillard is that I bet McCalebb is a better scoring point. He's another Kyle Lowry, and he should be gettable if we whiffed on D-Will and Dragic.

 

It might be fun to assemble a starting five of players projected outside of the lottery.

Here's mine:
PG: Kendall Marshall
SG: Terrence Ross
SF: Moe Harkless
PF: Royce White
C: Tyler Zeller

 

I like that idea
PG: Tony Wroten
SG: Terrence Ross
SF: Terrance Jones
PF: Royce White
C: Fab Melo (I'd pick Zeller but i'm sure he is going to go in the lottery)

 

Gems:
PG: Wroten
SG: Barton
SF: Harkless
PF: Terrance Jones
C: O'Quinn

Busts :
PG: Lillard (Not a PG. Will be decent bench player)
SG: Lamb (Again, a decent bench player)
SF: Barnes (Can't dribble or pass - may end up being a low level starter)
PF: PJIII (doesn't have a position or the drive)
C: Sullinger (injuries)

 

Starting 5 outside the lottery:
PG: Kendall Marshall (he may be drafted in the lottery - if so, then Scott Machado)
SG: John Jenkins (44% from 3)
SF: Royce White (point foward)
PF: Draymond Green (Between Royce White and Draymond Green, you've got 8.8 assists and 2.7 steals. Lots of activity, and TOs)
C: Tyler Zeller (he may be drafted in the lottery - if so, then Kyle O'Quinn)

Hopefully we can pick up 1 of these guys with our second round picks. Somebody always slides.

 

Busts;
1. Jeremy Lamb
2. Perry Jones III
3. Meyers Leonard
4. Kendall Marshall

Gems;
1. Austin Rivers
2. Fab Melo
3. Terrence Jones
4. Quincy Miller