JN - Thoughts on the TWolves trade

[Derek Bodner]

JoMal: The Kings might very well be fully prepared, I didn't mean to make that statement as if I had any real inkling into how their braintrust operated that night.

I did get to see Thompson play quite a bit, partly because of me being local, but also a big part through DraftExpress.  I've been doing some work for them over the past 6 months or so, mainly sysadmin type work, but in doing so I've gotten access to a scouting service (Synergy Sports Tech).  Mark Cuban was actually instrumental in getting the service online.  What it does is basically collect footage for all prospects, then breaks it down based on each play.  So if I wanted to see every time Jason Thompson was single covered on the left block and turned over his left shoulder, I could see every clip he did that in.  It's really a great service, and is sold to every NBA team for their scouts to use.  Because Jonathan G is good friends with the guys there, we get the opportunity to use it.

Anyway, long story short, because Thompson didn't go to a major, they don't have every game charted and available, as they do for most prospects.  But they do have 13 of them fully charted and viewable, and I saw pretty much every one of those in its entirety. 

He did seem to play up to (and, unfortunately, down to) the level of his competition at times.  Particularly his play against Beasley was impressive.  Playing on a team like Rider, that's not a great sample size, but it is something to cling to.

Defensively, I don't think he holds position well on man-man defense in the post, nor denies his man position.  I don't think he's going to be an impact shot blocker at the next level, as I don't think he's all that quick off his feet, or explosive.  His lateral mobility is average, but not spectacular, so defending some of the perimeter oriented 4's could be an adventure.  He does hustle, and puts in effort defensively, and he has enough athleticism I don't think he'll be a liability, but I don't expect him to be a + defender either.

Rebounding, again, I don't think he's going to maintain his rebounding in the NBA, as at times he struggled to maintain position in college, and this is only going to get worse in the NBA.  He seems to have a very high center of gravity, which combined with not the greatest lower body strength causes him to be dislodged easily at times.  He has good technique, but being able to hold position is going to be key, and is a concern for me.

Offensively, I don't expect his post game to translate much at all.  He's going to have a hard time establishing position, and even finishing around the rim, and his footwork in the post wasn't the greatest.  He seemed to fade away a little too much for my liking when shooting jumpers, particularly turn around jumpers, and this caused his jump shot to be extremely inconsistent.  His left hand is weak, and seems to lose control when finishing in the lane if he takes contact.  All in all I think this causes him to take some bad shots.

After some initial growing pains, I think he'll probably be an 11/7, 12/8 type of guy a few years down the line, getting about a block per game.  A nice role player, but I don't think he has star, or even all-star, potential.  He's probably a guy who's going to be good enough to be considered for the starting 4 spot, but I guy you'll always be amenable to replacing if you can get a better option.  I don't think see him being a fixture in a starting lineup.

[JoMal]

dabods -

Needless to say, that is one heck of a scouting report. It also helps to see how Thompson is probably viewed by League scouts.

As for why the Kings, and in particular Petrie, who seems to do well with his draft picks, he came away impressed with how Jason did in some of the team tryouts pre-draft, where he at times dominated opponents and showed much of that aggressiveness you mentioned. But Petrie freely admits he bases his selections and rankings of potential draftees on other types of reviews, and only twenty percent or so on the pre-draft workouts. In the one game he saw Thompson play in person, which was at Long Beach State, Thompson got in foul trouble early and finished with eleven points. Geoff walked out early in that game.

[Joe Vancil]

I've got a few thoughts on the draft:

The biggest winner in the draft:  PORTLAND.  I had Jerryd Bayless number *4* on my draft board, the number 2 point guard behind Rose.  I'm a big believer in this kid, and think he's going to be AWESOME as a point guard at the NBA level, and have been saying this since the NCAA tournament.  Much as I love Jarrett Jack, I'd give him up in a heartbeat to get Bayless.

The biggest loser in the draft:  This is tough.  Seattle was atrociously bad - Westbrook at 4?  But how can I go against Memphis, who gave up Mike Miller in order to add more pieces to their backcourt and further thin out their front court?  Let's see, there's Mayo, Trenton Hassell, Marko Jaric, and the wonderful chemistry player Antoine Walker...and they give up Cardinal's bad contract (but get Jaric's), Jason Collins - a serviceable big man, and a player to expand the floor for Al Jefferson in Love.  So you're talking a team of Foye, McCants, Miller, Love, and Jefferson for Minnesota, while Memphis gets to decide between Crittendon, Lowry, Conley, Mayo, Buckner, Jaric (pick two), Gay, and Andre Brown, Darrell Arthur, Darko Milicic, Antoine Walker, and Hakim Warrick (pick two, and hope they're big enough).  All you have to do is dump Antoine Walker, and this looks like a D-league team.

I'm happy with Koufos and Tomic as Utah's picks.  I wanted Hibbert, but he was gone at the time.  I'm not happy hearing the free agents that they're talking to include Kwame Brown and Devon George.

Miami was solid.  I'm not convinced that Beasley isn't going to be a problem (of course, Mayo + entourage wouldn't be any better), but they got Mario Chalmers in a trade, and I like that pick-up.  If I'd known what Seattle was going to do, I'd have traded down to 5 and selected Bayless.

Does anyone - and especially anyone in the Indiana front office - have any idea of what the Pacers are up to?  They brought in Ford and Jack - obviously to replace Tinsley, but sent out Jermaine O'Neal.  And Brandon Rush, when you've already got plenty of folks at that position, including his brother?  Anthony Randolph would have better filled their needs.

Lopez was a good pick for New Jersey, and I like the other Lopez to Phoenix pick.

Charlotte's pick of Augustin was terrible.  They need a big - so they get an extra-small.

Lee for Orlando was a nice pick, but they really should have stolen Koufos from Utah.  Houston didn't really help themselves in areas of need.  I loved the Arthur to New Orleans pick, but can't figure out why they sent him out, since NO was a great fit for him.

Milwaukee getting Richard Jefferson was awesome, even if Jefferson isn't happy about it.  I think he'll change his tune once he sees the difference between his new team and what his old team has turned into.  New Jersey is gambling on getting LeBron, but would you want to go to a rebuilding team, and for less money that Cleveland will offer you, if you're an uber-star?

And finally, I want to talk about New York's pick:  Danilo Gallinari BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  (Any time someone says "Danilo Gallinari," you have to boo, apparently.)

First of all, if I'm Gallinari, I tell the media that it was really great to hear the Knicks chanting my nickname...Boo...when I got picked.  Tell me that wouldn't stick - and put New York in this kid's corner just a bit.

I'm going to say that the biggest problem the Knicks have is an astonishing lack of basketball intelligence in their locker room.  (After all the years of Stephon Marbury and Isiah Thomas, go figure.)  That's the first thing they need to correct.  Danilo Gallinari impressed me with his understanding of the game in selecting his favorite player:  TAYSHAUN PRINCE.  I think there's a good chance this kid has his head screwed on straight.  He may actually succeed in the NBA.

[Wolverine]

Does anyone - and especially anyone in the Indiana front office - have any idea of what the Pacers are up to?  They brought in Ford and Jack - obviously to replace Tinsley, but sent out Jermaine O'Neal.  And Brandon Rush, when you've already got plenty of folks at that position, including his brother?  Anthony Randolph would have better filled their needs.

Lee for Orlando was a nice pick, but they really should have stolen Koufos from Utah.

I love Brandon Rush.  Joe and I were talking last night, and I think you're dead wrong on him, buddy.  He's the antithesis of his brother in so many ways.  An excellent defender, a good passer, and a good TEAMMATE who has size and athleticism.  If anything, he'll show his brother in Indiana how to play real basketball.

That said, Indiana continues to collect the same type of player.  Brandon Rush, Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy, Marquis Daniels, Kareem Rush, and even Shawne Williams to a certain extent ... the list goes on.

Uh, guys ... you realize only five players are on the court at the same time, right?  And that half your roster is made up of a bunch of 2-3 combos, RIGHT?

Orlando's pick puzzled me.  Here's a team that really could've gone one of two ways and been fine.  Had they selected a big man to give them front-court depth, I would've applauded.  Had they selected a point guard to take away minutes from Jameer Nelson, I would've set off fireworks and incited a riot.  Instead, they went with a two-guard.  It's not a TERRIBLE pick, but one that I believe could've been used better.  If Lee ends up taking minutes away from Bogans (or supplants him entirely), then it's a solid pick.

If it were me though, I would've gone in a different direction.

[jn]

Short answer, I think it's an okay trade.  Part of that may be that I've watched Love play much more than Mayo. 

More later, including why Mike Miller's comments in an interview I saw today scare me.

[westkoast]

Short answer, I think it's an okay trade.  Part of that may be that I've watched Love play much more than Mayo. 

More later, including why Mike Miller's comments in an interview I saw today scare me.

What were the comments I went fishing for em but couldn't find them!