Wroten has all the talent in the world. Extreme athleticism at the guard position. But, his Bball IQ is awful. Can't hit foul shots and has an inconsistent jumper. With where were picking I think we should look in a different direction.
If we can't move up above 6/7 I wouldn't mind seeing us trade both picks for doubles later in the first round. I think you could pick up four guys in the second half of the first round and end up getting one or two winners that might be better than Barnes, etc.
The thing is the "top heavy" tier ends pretty much where you pick. After that there's a shitload of talent that is all at a relatively equal level. Davis is a tier of his own. Then MKG/Drummond/Beal/Robinson (many wouldn't put Robinson here either). Then Barnes/Sullinger and after that? If you're not high on Sullinger why not go after Moultrie, John Henson, Myers Leonard, Andrew Nicholson, Festus Ezeli later on? If you don't like Barnes then you have Austin Rivers, Lamb, Moe Harkless, T. Jones, P. Jones, Dion Waiters, Wroten, Terrence Ross, etc.? This draft is really deep and has an abnormally high talent level through the late first/early second. If you see Barnes or Sullinger as flawed prospects and guys ranked much lower as roughly equivalent in NBA talent level then why not trade down and get better value? A lot of those mid-late first guys I just mentioned have high ceilings and a lot of the upper tier prospects have glaring flaws of their own. Sullinger is unathletic and fat. Beal is short and perhaps more Mo Williams/Barbosa than Eric Gordon/Monta Ellis. Robinson is believed by many to be 6'2 (I'm exaggerating because I think he'll be fine in the league but I do understand the concern). Drummond was unimpressive and is kind of riding off of Derrick Favors' success. Everyone loves MKG but the shooting/scoring deficiencies may limit him to an ceiling of Andre Iguodala. Many think Barnes is a spot up shooter in the NBA. Guys like Rivers, Moultrie, Wroten, and Waiters have as much potential as anyone in the class besides A. Davis and they may be available pretty late. Obviously its atypical in the NBA to move down like NFL teams do but if a team is dying to get Sullinger/Barnes and you're not that into them why not take Moultrie/Rivers/P. Jones later and hope they live up to their potential?
I completely agree...I view him more of SG type than a PG...but why trade for Tyreke Evans when you could pick up a clone in Wroten? He would be a good pick if POR went big @ #6 and Beal\Lamb\Rivers were off the board.... I like Rivers a lot, has big shot\big game tendency...a playmaker...something this team sorely needs....Glad you mentioned Waiters as well, he is another guy who can score and does other thigns for you as well....I look at Wroten as a potential Tyreke Evans type of player...Yeah his decision making isn't there yet, but put him at SG and ask him to get points for you...He will be able to score in the NBA.... I think P.Jones is a real sleeper here...Yeah he is a boom\bust type of player....not bust in that he will be out of the league in a few years...but bust in that he has such a high ceiling\potential but he ends up being a rotation player....but if your POR, I say you gamble on the upside of a kid like this....All reports are that he is a good kid, smart, team player, hard worker...ALL positive signs IMO, no real red flags that I see...Look it took Rasheed Wallace some time to develop, the same with LA to some extent...With P.Jones skillset, if the light STAYS on he could easily be one of POR best players a few years from now....and THAT makes it worth the gamble for POR IMO... POR needs talent...specifically top tier talent... I'd love to see a Batum\P.Jones\LA frontline...long, athletic, multi skilled and can run all day.... Sign Dragic...Draft Beal\Rivers\Lamb as your eventual starting SG and bring Freeland over to compete for b\u PF....
My sense is that it's a top heavy draft only in the sense that Davis, Robinson, double-name and Drummond are clearly above the rest; but after that you might do as well at 20 as at 5. That's why they are calling it a deep draft. But I'm still not sure that trading down is ever a good idea.
This team needs to take BPA at #6 and #11 and call it a day. I'm tired of this team rolling the dice.
Tony Wroten is the next Westbrook. He just needs a little refinement, and it might take him a year or two to become a serviceable player, but he definitely has the potential to do it. BRoy has been working out with him, and that's a good thing. If Brandon can help Wroten develop his game, we absolutely need to look at TW.
I agree with this, except for the call it a day part. I'd like them to take BPA/potential at those spots. Go for the home run, twice. Then trade second rounders/Smith/etc. or buy up into the late first round. Wroten would be a good choice there.
+1. That is my point. After the first 5, I think picks 6-25 are very similar players. I would rather have four of them to try out than two. If there were obvious BPA at 6 then you take it, but that isn't the case. Would you rather have: Barnes and Lamb; or Leonard, Rivers/Teague, Wroten and Moultrie? I would rather have the second group.
Wroten does need a lot of work. But, I have to say that after watching some of his highlights he did remind me a bit of Westbrook at UCLA. Westbrook was pretty raw too. He had more tremendous dunks than Wroten, but Wroten seems to have a bit more finesse around the rim.
Agreed. At this point, I'd be cool moving back a few spots from #11 (assuming we will be at #11), acquiring another asset in the process, and picking Wroten. Watching him this year, I thought he reminded me a bit of Rondo. And reading Ford's opinion on him, it's almost like he just described Rondo.
If we are hell bent on trading our picks (barf, btw), we should at least trade back into the first round and take a flier on Wroten. This team needs some young talent.
I wonder if there will be opportunities to buy a pick like in the past? Or trade or 2nd round picks for a late first?
