Category: Fantasy Basketball (Page 233 of 274)

Coach Z’s scouting report: Being drafted solely on potential… very long and rangy… shot blocker in college, but lack of strength will limit him in the pros… to compare him to Lamar Odom or Tayshaun Prince is an insult to them… raw as a garden full of carrots…risky pick, as bulking up will be his biggest challenge…

Randolph is very raw. Given how Patrick O’Bryant failed to develop under Don Nelson, I’m not optimistic about Randolph’s chances to develop in the same situation.

I’m going to comment on one more pick and then I’ll be back later with a recap of the last half of the first round and some comments on the second round.

Coach Z’s scouting report: Great kid, which can be both good and bad… he’ll be a good teammate, but doesn’t always have the edge you need… capable of ESPN highlights and Rip Van Winkle lowlights… consistency and strength will be key… if he develops the “edge” he will be an All Star… potential All-Defense performer… no edge, no glory…

Blazers are set for the next decade at off guard (Brandon Roy), power forward (LaMarcus Aldridge) and probably center (Greg Oden). Travis Outlaw is probably starter quality, but Rush will provide excellent shooting and good all-around play at the small forward position. He’s a nice addition to the Roy-Aldridge-Oden core, and since he’s willing to defer, he’ll fit in well at Portland. Great pick.

Coach Z’s scouting report: Pundits will knock his competition at Rider… all I know is that he averaged 20 and 10 for 2 years… Long and athletic with a desire to get better will make him a 10 year pro… love his bounce and nose for the ball… rebounds and blocks shots well… could be the sleeper in the draft…

Thompson is a face up power forward that fills a need for the Kings. Scouts have been down on his upside, but he looks good on film. He has a nice stroke and rebounds well.

Coach Z’s scouting report: Nobody dribbled the ball more in college than he has… sometimes he looked like Marques Haynes… will need to get stronger and better on the defensive end… the best passer of all the point guards in the draft… will be a solid addition for someone…

I guess the Bobcats aren’t too high on Ray Felton or Brook Lopez. I suppose they could be drafting Augustin as Felton’s backup, but that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Jay Bilas is high on Augustin, but the knock on him is that he’s too small defensively. He had a great season, but looked pretty bad against Derrick Rose, who pretty much ate Augustin up.

Next up are the Nets, who have traded away Richard Jefferson today and have seen Danilo Gallinari and Joe Alexander drafted ahead of them. Brook Lopez is a possibility as is Brandon Rush, who has seen his stock rise in the last couple of weeks.

Coach Z’s scouting report: Strong and aggressive and a bear when going to the hoop… good at creating contact and getting the call, but may not get as many in the NBA… tremendous deep 3 shooter early in season, but fell off… showed great potential early in the season but played poorly down the stretch… bad shot selection might keep him from reaching his considerable potential…

With Corey Maggette likely on the way out, Gordon seems like a good fit in Clipperland. He was projected to go in the top three until a late season slump raised some questions. With Elton Brand and Chris Kaman in the post, he should get plenty of open looks.

My Bucks are next. Before the Jefferson trade, I would have been happy with Joe Alexander here, but now I don’t know what to think. I’m still bummed about Love being off the board. If they decide to go with a guard, Bayless is a possibility. I just hope they don’t draft Anthony Randolph. The last thing the Bucks need is a project.