Links to the Present: Draft Combine Edition
2013-05-19
More draft combine news out. The agility, speed, and leaping measurements are out, at least for those who participated. Here is the link. One of the best bloggers in the business, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, does a good job pondering what it all does and doesn’t mean, here.
The big winners? Shane Larkin of Miami bested the vertical (44″), the 3/4 court sprint (3.08 seconds), was tied for second in no step vertical (34.5″), and was 5th in agility drills. At 5’10”, Larkin can jump and touch four inches above the rim from a standstill. I’m 5’10”, Shane Larkin, and I hate you.
Other winners include N.C. State’s C.J. Leslie (pictured above) who had a 40″ vertical, a 10.19 agility drill (#1), and a 3.10 second 3/4 court sprint (#2). At 6’7″ with a 7’2″ wingspan, expect this showing to push Leslie into the first round, where he would be a good backup plan to Otto Porter. Cody Zeller had a very nice showing as well, with a 37’5″ standing vertical, a sprint time of 3.14 (#6), and an agility time of 10.4. Those are extremely good numbers for a guy who measured over 7 feet in shoes. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the 6’6″ shooting Guard from Georgia also posted very nice speed and agility numbers, likely increasing his draft stock after a season where he posted good numbers, but his team played poorly.
Players who didn’t fare so well included Deshaun Thomas who posted the worst agility drill at 12.94, the fifth worst sprint at 3.53 and a 32″ vertical. My boys Rudy Gobert and Kelly Olynyk were the slowest of the bunch at 3.59 and 3.57 seconds respectively. Olynyk at least posted a decent agility drill, but Gobert trailed only Thomas at that too. DraftExpress has been tracking these things for a while now, and their results weren’t good historically, either. In Gobert’s defense, players of his size rarely compete in these events, and I give him his props for trying. His numbers compare favorably with a guy not quite his size, Brook Lopez.
In other news, Mary Schmitt Boyer of Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer explores whether the Cavs should acquire Paul Pierce and many other topics in her “Hey Mary” Q&A.
In the big man round-up, Terry Pluto drops the intel that the Cavs are interested in Greg Oden still, and the News Herald’s Bob Finnan notes that the Cavs could be a landing spot for Pau Gasol, as well as conjecturing on multiple topics like whether Andrew Bynum will get a max contract.
I wish I knew what we’d get and whom we’d be trading with. Ultimately, I trust in Chris Grant to do the right thing.
@Ben F If we trade back, what could we get? I think there are 5-6 teams that are on the playoff bubble or could really use a McLemore/Oladipo/someone in the top 10 as the final piece or even decent teams that would want to cut costs- Boston, Atlanta (if JSmith stays), OKC, Memphis, Chicago and maybe even Dallas. Boston needs to restock talent with youth sometime, and I know Shabazz Muhammad has been compared to Pierce. Possibly Package #1, Zeller and Miles for Jeff Green. It is a stretch. ATL- They are going to need someone who can really be… Read more »
Adam – if we should happen to lose out on both Porter and Noel…I would not object to Alex Len (despite the red flag that is his foot surgery.) I also would not object to trading back. It’s a deep draft…but not a star draft. If we can’t get Porter/Noel…try for a quantitative approach to quality.
J Hill- Good points on the differences between Porter and Oladipo. The point you missed was that Porter is playing much closer to his ceiling than Oladipo. Oladipo is so athletic that the sky is the limit. He could improve drastically, Porter is good now and will be good in the NBA but is not athletic enough to get significantly better than he is right now.
I’m not big on the idea of drafting Leslie with a first rounder. I’ve watched him for 2 years basically every game he played for NC State. He’s a freak athlete and exciting to watch but he can’t shoot a jumper or a free throw, has no 3 point range, and his effort is inconsistent. When he wanted to play hard, he was electrifying in college. But, he relies basically 100% on his athleticism. To be honest, he’s a lot like Alonzo Gee but with even more hops and no 3 point shot. He’s not a starter in the NBA.
I really don’t think that Oladipo is the better player, when you take into consideration, size, the expectations handed to them thus far in their basketball careers, skills and intangibles I’d say Oladipo is the best 2 in the draft and Porter is the best 3, But Porter is the better player and best available at a position we are very weak in. While both players shot similar from the 3 last year, one player doubled his assists and was the number one option and clear best player on his team, meaning that he had much more burden on him… Read more »
Not really a typo as much as a brain fart. I corrected.
@Ben, I was bringing Oladipo up mostly on the premise of some bad lottery luck that the cavs miss out on Porter/Noel, and the team that drafts him doesn’t want to trade picks (i.e. The Wizards)
If the Cavs dont’ get Porter or Noel… who do u think they should draft
Nate – There is no way that Oladipo can slide over to the 4. I hope (and suspect) that was just a typo.
Adam – Yeah, I’m a huge fan of Oladipo…I think he is about as sure a thing as exists in this draft (to be a successful NBA player). However, he’d be a luxury pick for us and still leave gaping holes at the 3 an 5 for us. I know he could play some 3 with his length and athleticism…but I want a long term solution with my lottery pick.
Oladipo sliding to the 4? I assume you mean the 3. I’d be happy with Oladipo, but I prefer Porter. If Porter is not on the board when we pick (let’s assume that means we’re picking 4th or 5th) and Oladipo and Bennett are there, I’m not sure I’d pass on Bennett. I love me a good defensive player, but Mike Brown has proven he can put together a good defensive system. I’ll take length + defense with the 19th pick and second rounders (to stash), or in free agency. I’m not sure I’d choose a player in the top… Read more »
Oladipo is the most can’t miss product in the draft. He’s a slightly shorter Andre Iguodala. If he was two inches taller, everyone would want him over Porter. The draft logic has always been: take the best player available. I would be fine with Oladipo over Porter, cause he’s frankly a better player. Eventually with Kyrie and Oladipo starting, Waiters comes off the bench and guns for sixth man of the year, backing up both guard spots a la James Harden. Oladipo can slide over to the three in stretches. There should be 40 minutes a night for everyone in… Read more »
@Ben – Agree Oladipo would be small, he is my favorite player in the draft so I might be looking through rose colored glasses… I agree he couldnt guard durant/lebron/melo types for 35 minutes a game, but I believe his Length/Athleticism/Tenasity could bother most 3’s Wouldnt be a permenant solution… Eventually would draft/acquire a normal 3, next years draft is loaded with SF’s, and then either Dion or Oli would come off the bench and Dion would play backup Point alot @Not Sure… Yes that is alot of Centers, I thought the same thing after I posted it but: Oden… Read more »
Forgot Thabo in the wing spots. So 2 if no second rounder at SF, and if there is, 1 spot is still open.
@Adam With Zeller, Andy, Pau, Adams and Oden, there’s really little minutes to spread around there. Good for Andy and Pau, probably not good enough for Adams, Oden, and Zeller. Also I’m way higher on Adams than Gobert. Gobert might just end up being Roy Hibbert, and that isn’t a bad thing, but I think Adams has extremely high potential with his already NBA-ready body. 7 feet, 250 lbs. Maybe end up being a Brook Lopez that shoots 60% from the field and rebounds more, or something we’ve never seen. To me, Gobert could be another Hasheem Thabeet too. Not… Read more »
Adam – at 6’4, Oladipo isn’t playing SF in this league except in small ball situations. While Mike Brown would love his tenacity…I doubt he attempts to play him at the 3 if only because so many SF’s will be able to shoot over him.
@Not sure… Damn thats interesting, I have never liked Pau at all but for ‘that” team you assembled it makes alot of sense, we can hide his footspeed, and rebounding deficiencies with every other frontcourt player we have… He would essentially be Luke Walton last year to the 900n’th degree; passing, floor spacing, etc. , I think Brown would start him at Center, and have him play with Thompson most of the time because they are such different players I would rather keep our pick even if we didnt get Porter initially, and just pick Oladipo and play him at… Read more »
I get the idea, but I doubt the Cavs do it. In McLemore/Oladipo they would probably be giving up the best player. Also, as time goes on, the odds of Perry Jones being a success in the NBA diminish greatly. I really like Adam and Sefalosha, but i’m not sure the Cavs are better with them instead of Oladipo, Gee, and Zeller. Also, OKC should be good for long enough that the first round pick won’t be high enough to be of much value.
Anyone think a trade with OKC would work if Porter isn’t available wherever we pick? Would let us go for the centers without making them the high risk top 5 pick. OKC gets: McLemore/Oladipo, Gee, Zeller Cavs get: Adams/Gobert and two of three: Thabo Sefalosha/Perry Jones/Future 1st rounder Basically we swap lotto picks with them, if we are 3, 4 or 5 and Porter isn’t there, get a new center, upgrade wings and maybe get a pick. I don’t want to give up Tyler that soon, but They get a Harden replacement that would be cheaper (probably) than Kevin Martin,… Read more »
I brought up Pierce a few month ago in the comment section. The only realistic way that happens is if Cleveland trades for him. If Ainge exercised the $5 million buyout he won’t sign with Cleveland. Still all in on Shawn Marion. Younger than Pierce and would give them a vet who could play some d and help out on the boards. Still leaves their 2014 books clean. Pau Gasol is still my main target. If he’s an amnesty it’s a very real possibility. No one in LA knows which direction the Lakers will go this year. King Buss is… Read more »