OperationWTF - Day 2
29 days till the lottery ...
Here's the scenario ESPN's Draft Lottery simulator spit out at me today:
7th pick and Al-Farouq Aminu again. I have a hard time believing Davis will go before Aminu. Who would you guys want if Washington took Aminu instead of Davis? I'd go Davis, Udoh, or Whiteside in that order.
According to DX's rankings, these are the guys who'd be available to the Sixers at 7: Davis, Wes-Jo, Vesely, and Udoh. I'd go Wes Johnson without hesitation.
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Simulation #1: 6th pick, Aminu
Simulation #2: 7th pick, Aminu
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There is basically no chance Wes Johnson falls. He’s going to be Wiz wit’. Really need those ping-pong balls to fall the right way. Aminu is not much of a consolation prize. Yet another mid-size athlete without a position or any discernible basketball skills.
Aminu’s a physical stud who I could see rising to top 5 after workouts.
Derek Bodner
by Derek Bodner on Apr 21, 2010 7:24 AM PDT up reply actions
who’s also 3 years younger than Johnson.
Derek Bodner
by Derek Bodner on Apr 21, 2010 7:27 AM PDT up reply actions
That’s something a lot of people are forgetting.
by Michael Levin on Apr 21, 2010 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions
I don’t think so. I see a lot of arguments that Johnson “has no upside left” because he’s 22. I actually saw someone say the other day “I love Johnson the player, I just hate his upside”, as if that makes any sense.
Derek Bodner
by Derek Bodner on Apr 21, 2010 5:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Do you think that age and upside are looked at a bit too much in the draft, too much weight placed upon a players age and room to grow (and vice versa?)
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Yes. Unknown is always worth more than the known. Yes, Xavier Henry might have more room to grow, that doesn’t mean Xavier Henry when he’s done progressing is going to be better than Wesley Johnson when he’s done growing as a player.
All cases are different. Age and upside aren’t a direct correlation. I see someone in Wesley Johnson with the physical attributes he has, and I look in his insane improvement from his age 20 season and his age 22 season, and no way do I view him as a finished product.
Derek Bodner
by Derek Bodner on Apr 21, 2010 6:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Did you read and or agree with any of the D.R.A.F.T initiative stuff on ESPN.com? That chart that broke draftees down by year was interesting
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 7:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Did not. Don’t have an insider account.
Derek Bodner
by Derek Bodner on Apr 21, 2010 7:34 PM PDT up reply actions
While not as good as 30 bucks on my synergy there is some useful stuff there – plus you get their crappy magazine free – or subscribe to their crappy magazine and get inside free :)
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 8:36 PM PDT up reply actions
The wiz are one of those teams that really should think about trading their pick if it’s not 1/2 because they are just full of juvenile immature talent with no one guiding them, including the coach
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 7:35 AM PDT up reply actions
Jordan, the ESPN lottery machine gave the sixers the same pick at 6 and 7? Who did they adjust?
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 7:35 AM PDT reply actions
Weird – that would mean ESPN is taking into account who is picking where / team needs and trends / I don’t thik DX is doing that yet – DX is still purely ranking on talent.
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 7:57 AM PDT up reply actions
Not purely based on talent/evaluation, but also based on the word being heard around the league and how the league perceives the players. This is the time of the year the player rankings and mock drafts start drifting apart.
But yes, team needs aren’t taken into account yet.
Derek Bodner
by Derek Bodner on Apr 21, 2010 8:11 AM PDT up reply actions
“DX is still purely ranking on talent.”
It amazes me they have Aldrich so high based on talent.
Send GT Green packing.
It saddens me that there’s no way I can get Favors in Ford’s mock draft machine.
Send GT Green packing.
Sixers never end up 2 or 3? Or they take turner when they do?
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions
They take Turner at #2, Cousins at #3.
Send GT Green packing.
by depressedfan on Apr 21, 2010 8:21 AM PDT up reply actions
That’s what I figured after I wrote it but waited anyway, and that’s as logical to assign Cousins to the sixers at 3 as slotting peopel PURELY on ability right now.
In fact slotting purely by ranking makes much more sense than trying to figure out who is going to take who without any workouts or interviews being done. What if cousins refuses to interview with the sixers, or fails to impress even a little. Ford is ignoring things that might matter
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 8:25 AM PDT up reply actions
I don’t really have a problem with anyone’s methodology at this point. It’s just an educated guess based on whatever their info is. I think Ford had the Sixers taking Lawson or Maynor for most of the lead up last season, which made sense. The previous year, I’m pretty sure they had Speights or Anthony Randolph.
The lotto machine is just a way to waste some time for me.
Send GT Green packing.
by depressedfan on Apr 21, 2010 8:49 AM PDT up reply actions
And for others it’s meaningful :) That’s the part I love :)
Shame you can’t use synergy at work
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 8:54 AM PDT up reply actions
Does anyone see any value moving down in the draft? In Operation WTF – Day 1, trying to moving up in the draft was discussed. What would be some scenerios that people may consider moving down in the draft?
And if poeple are locked in to Aminu or Johnson at the 6 spot, where does that leave Thad Young?
Not really – unless it somehow sheds the sixers of Brands contract…this team is young and full of holes – moving down doesn’t help plug them…
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 9:32 AM PDT up reply actions
I think Thad’s a bench player at this point. He doesn’t rebound enough to play the four. He doesn’t score enough/shoot well enough to play the three and get away with his bad defense. It’d be ideal for him to come off the bench, provide occasional scoring and energy IMO.
I suppose you could move from 6/7 if Wesley is gone down to 10/11 to grab Whiteside or Udoh, depending on what they’d get in return.
And if poeple are locked in to Aminu or Johnson at the 6 spot, where does that leave Thad Young?
WEll you still need bench players and you can’t project anything so saying (yet again) that you have to decide what to do with Thaddeus Young based on who yo udraft before you even see the team work is silly.
It leaves Thad Young exactly where he is now, coming off a truly crappy season needing to improve almost every aspect of his game
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions
AH, I see the floor in my thinking. I see Iggy as our starting 3, with Thad and Kapman and who ever else we currently have as his backups. So it doesn’t make sense to me to draft another small forward.
I’m pretty much locked in to think draft by need, so a SG with size and a 3 point jumper or PF/C who hopefully has an alround game, but definately has a defensive mindset. (So I guess Monroe is out) Where as I think many people here are locked in to drafting the best talent available regardless of position.
The sixers have massive holes – and you don’t draft by need when you have massive holes.
The sixers only have two players long term who are starters on contending teams (Jrue and Iguodala) and their bench is a mishmash of guys who score and do little else.
Drafting by need when you are that much of a mess is bad strategy – draft the best player available – only worry about need if there is a tie.
Do you pass on John Wall cause you have Jrue Holiday?
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions
Do you pass on John Wall cause you have Jrue Holiday?
That’s one question I’ve been pondering a lot lately. I think it’s possible depending how you view Wall and Turner, and Jrue.
Is Wall really going to be a franchise player? If he is and Turner isn’t, well it’s a no brainer. Take Wall
Will Turner be able to play the same game at the NBA level? or will NBA defenses highlight the disparity between college and the pros. If you think Turner can average the same numbers in the NBA as he did in college as a Junior, hmmm I’m taking Turner to pair with Jrue in the back court.
However my dream scenario is we end up with the 3rd pick and take Favors.
Oh and I can see Sammy D starting on a contending team. Rebound, Block shots, defend the opposing teams C, and put back any offensive rebounds he picks up. If he spins and shoots from more than 5 feet from the basket, fine him. For a C with a good free throw shot, his lack of an offensive game annoys me no end.
The sixers only have two players long term who are starters on contending teams (Jrue and Iguodala) and their bench is a mishmash of guys who score and do little else.
Dalemberts contract expires next year and there’s no guarantee that the sixers re-sign him or that he wants to stay.
Most people believe John Wall is the first pick – it’s a no brainer – the only teams that should consider anyone else are teams with established top point guards.
So Utah and New Orleans
The sixers are a mess, John wall is the consensus #1 pick unless you already got an all star point guard
Take the best player available…the sixers aren’t good enough or close enough to hedge on need unless it’s two equally graded players
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions
The only “need” I give credence to is finding a long term answer at center. Because finding a top center is one of the hardest things to get, and they often take years to grow into their potential.
Otherwise, I don’t think “need” or redundancy should come into play. Worse case if you end up with 2 young stars who can’t co-exist you can always trade one for great value (Say Jrue/Wall). Whereas if you build around need and end up with a middling playoff team you are no closer to your goal and have less assets for trades.
Unless you see them as a contender in 2 years, there is no reason to pick based on need, beyond the fact that some pieces are harder to find than others.
I wonder if Detroit drafted Darko instead of wade because their bigs were getting up in age. maybe they though Wade and Billups could not co-exist? Of course they could have just drafted Bosh…
http://www.phillyarena.com - Philly sports forum/blog
So you don’t think the sixers shold find a power forward who isn’t old and or allergic to defense?
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions
Football Draft analogy time...
I think most teams can get by with fungible players at either swing(SF/SG) or PF if they are decent defenders. Also serviceable swings and PF’s are relatively easy to acquire.
Finding cornerstones at PG and Center is more important, just because you can’t easily find those guys… This is less an issue if you have a stud wing and run a motion offense (triangle, Princeton R&R) or if you have a stud PF (Garnet/Duncan/Sheed.)
So if you think Favors or Turner will be that type of elite player, then grab them. But otherwise PG/C should be the cornerstones of long term rebuilding.
Sort of like QB and Line in football.
PG = QB
Line = Center
LB/TE/possession receivers = SF/PF
WR/CB = SG
So if you are looking to start from scratch get the PG and center and then build from there.
http://www.phillyarena.com - Philly sports forum/blog
The sixers don’t really have a ‘need’ at center if they just re-sign the one they have…with a good roster around him you could win with sam at center (hell the lakers won with derek fisher at point guard and according to you that’s a ‘cornerstone’ position and that dude just sucked last year and this one).
Jrue Sam Andre only pieces i feel ruight now are worth keeping long term but only two of them are ‘signed’ long term
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Where would you place the odds that Sam is a Sixer to start 2011/12?
http://www.phillyarena.com - Philly sports forum/blog
Slim to none
But if was willing to re-sign this off season for 3 years, 7-8 mil per with a mutual option for a 4th year – i’d also sign that deal
(no trade kickers)
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 2:13 PM PDT up reply actions
And I used to be one of the most prolific and vociferous sam haters in the world
by jemagee on Apr 21, 2010 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions

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