Event The "OFFICIAL" 2017 NBA draft thread - Feb. 2017 edition

I see a lot of Westbrook in him, with that alpha mentality that is more important than pure shooting ability. Of course, that could also mean Brooks would drive us crazy...

I didn't watch any of Brooks prior to his improved 3-ball, so my perception is probably more indicative of current ability than of his overall body of work.

 

I've watched Brooks a lot....saw him live twice in Eugene...not sure his game will look the same in the NBA but he could become a Wes Mathews 2 guard..he's got a motor and is strong for his size. ...he won't look the same in the paint on the next level I'm afraid though...the Ducks success has been team defense as much as anything...great coach in Altman. I do think he'll have a better chance at the NBA than Lorenzo Ball.....that kid gets knocked down a lot by smaller college defenders...as good as his shot is...Ball to me will be an Adam Morrison if he goes high in the draft.....I've seen half a dozen of his games this season

 

Steph curry also got knocked down in college. Everyone said he was too small.

Ball is what? 19? He will gain mass as he gets older and will be fine. I think he has a GREAT chance of being the best player from this draft class.

 

Another solid mid-major prospect:

 

I've watched him and my feeling is, he's not going to be all that....I wouldn't take him very high in this draft personally..my prediction...somebody will draft Ball early and get burned...like I said...people were hyped in a similar way about Adam Morrison and that's who I think Ball is...a great college player.

 

A list of this years PF draft class...I know BGD listed them earlier but this way you can click on their names.
NBA Draft Prospect Rankings: Power Forwards


Howard Megdal ranks his top 2017 draft prospects ahead of the NBA Draft.
2017 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings
Rank Player School Year POS HGT WGT
1 Lauri Markkanen Arizona Fr. PF 7-0 230
2 Robert Williams Texas A&M Fr. PF 6-9 237
3 Johnathan Motley Baylor Jr. PF 6-10 230
4 Isaiah Hartenstein International - PF
5 Caleb Swanigan Purdue Soph. PF 6-9 250
6 TJ Leaf UCLA Fr. PF 6-10 225
7 Ivan Rabb California Soph. PF 6-11 220
8 John Collins Wake Forest Soph. PF 6-10 235
9 Thomas Bryant Indiana Soph. PF 6-10 255
10 Ethan Happ Wisconsin Soph. PF 6-10 232
11 Alec Peters Valparaiso Sr. PF 6-9 235
12 Harry Giles Duke Fr. PF 6-10 240
13 Chimezie Metu Southern California Soph. PF 6-11 225
14 Tony Bradley North Carolina Fr. PF 6-11 240
15 Mathias Lessort France - PF 6-9
16 Angel Delgado Seton Hall Jr. PF 6-10 240
17 Jordan Bell Oregon Jr. PF 6-9 225
18 DJ Hogg Texas A&M Soph. PF 6-9 220
19 Tim Kempton Lehigh Sr. PF 6-10 245
20 Gary Clark Cincinnati Jr. PF 6-8 225
21 Nigel Hayes Wisconsin Sr. PF 6-8 240

 

The Ducks Jordan Bell could be an interesting guy...he has the frame to put on 20 more pounds of muscle and already has an NBA body...TRob with a high BBIQ...

 

If Williams is out of reach I'm leaning towards Bell. It's tough to project where he goes - he could be gone before the Memphis pick. Do you reach for Bell?

"The statistical comparisons for Bell are historic. In his junior season, Bell’s production is similar to what Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Patrick Ewing were doing with their NBA teams in the 90’s. With a defensive rebound percentage of 20.4, an offensive rebound rate of 10.5, with per game averages of 2 blocks and 1 steal (3 stocks), Bell is putting up incredible numbers for one of the top teams in the country."

 

I think Bell has Ben Wallace potential, if we decide not to move the picks I would definitely support us taking him with one of our later first round picks. I'm also a Duck homer so... yeah.

 

Why does our future PF have to be from the draft?

 

Doesn't but we now have 3 first round picks...that's a place to start

 

You better watch out for that kid Payton Pritchard. He's coming for Gonzaga.

 

Lonzo Ball's father said in a radio interview he would only play for the Fakers. Man. Silver is going to love this!

 

https://www.google.com/amp/www.silv...a-draft-top-three-protected-lottery-odds-ucla

 

Donovan Mitchell and Johnathan Motley are the guys I'm locking in on with our late firsts. There's a dearth of starting potential sleepers late in the first this year from what I've watched so far, but these two have a reasonable chance to be "cheap" (if we can manage to get under the tax) rotation level players that might be able to play a little right away, which we sorely need.

Our first is the one I'm having a lot of trouble with. I don't really like any of the guys that are projected to go after the top 6-7, so at this point it's luck into top 3 or trade it for a useful player for me. Still a ways to go until June though.

 

Excited to watch him climb mocks during the tournament.

 

The dude probably won't even get drafted. Let alone in the first.

 

Seems all Blazers fans want at the end of the first is some prospect that should go at the end of the 2nd, or a Ducks player.

 

I'm slowing getting on the Robert Williams train. I still think he's most liking an energy big if he's an undersized center, but if he can develop the coordination and fundamentals to guard space/pnr (he literally has no clue at this point) and push his range out to 3 (his mechanics are pretty fluid) he has all-star potential as a PF in the mold of a Serge Ibaka. There's a fairly small percentage chance of it happening, but it's there.

Just have to be willing to wait and not sure if the Blazers are in a spot to do that.