Miami Heat Team Needs

Miami Heat


Draft Picks - #31

Team Needs - PG, C, shooting

Draft History Under Pat Riley (picks that were kept)
2010 - Dexter Pittman (#32), Jarvis Varnado (#41), Da'Sean Butler (#42)
2009 - Patrick Beverley (#42), Robert Dozier (#60)
2008 - Michael Beasley (#2), Mario Chalmers (#34)
2007 - Daequan Cook (#21)
2006 - N/A
2005 - Wayne Simien (#29)
2004 - Dorell Wright (#19), Albert Miralles (#40), Matt Freije (#54)
2003 - Dwayne Wade (#5), Jerome Beasley (#33)

Current Projected 2011-12 Roster

PG -
SG - Dwayne Wade/Mike Miller
SF - LeBron James
PF - Chris Bosh/Udonis Haslem
C - Joel Anthony/Dexter Pittman

Whether the Heat bring in some more ring chasers or resign their own, their positions of need will remain the same. The Heat are obviously set at SG, SF, and PF. To complement them, a point guard who can shoot and a big man who can clean up trash are both welcomed. Defense and character also should be present. If they can't re-sign James Jones, they could also go for a wing shooter.

Pat Riley loves his college players. While many times the team with the first pick of the second round chooses an international player, Riley most likely will not. And with his current roster, it is hard to blame him. He needs to find a player who can contribute now and believe it or not, there are some players in the second round that could help the Heat.

The point guard position is strong around this part of the draft. Riley likes PGs with prototypical size who will get after it defensively.

Nolan Smith could be there. As a proven winner, Nolan Smith would be a great fit. He's not the most pure point guard, but in Miami he doesn't have to be. He will fill his role by hitting outside shots and playing defense. He's compared by some to Mario Chalmers.

Shelvin Mack and Ben Hansbrough can bring similar "winners" attitudes and quality shooting to the Heat. Hansbrough is an interesting fit and it wouldn't be the first time Pat Riley went with a Notre Dame point guard (Chris Quinn). Hansbrough is an excellent spot up shooter and would not be intimidated playing with the Big Three. His defense isn't great individually, but the Heat's excellent help defense will help cover for him. He, himself, knows how to play quality help defense.

Malcolm Lee is another option. He is not as polished offensively as Smith or Mack, but he can be a terrific defensive player. Some think of him more as a SG, but he would be perfect as a point next to Wade and LeBron. A consisent three point shot is in the works - if he gets that down, he is the perfect fit for Miami.

I think Iman Shumpert is a notch below these guys, but his stock is rising on some boards out there. It is scary to think of a defense led by three elite athletes like Shumpert, Wade, and LeBron but Shumpert has little offensive game to add. While Lee isnt an offensive player either, he manages to take care of the ball and make good decisions. The same can not be said for Shumpert.

Two other guys to mention are Charles Jenkins and Drew Goudelock. Jenkins is an incredibly efficient scorer who is in-between positions at 6'3. Playing besides LeBron and Wade would ease that transition for him. He is built sort of like Wade, thriving off getting to the hoop with his stocky frame. He also can keep teams honest with his shot and is an ideal teammate. As for Goudelock, he would be viewed as a boring choice for the Heat. He doesn't offer as much potential in terms of starting as any of the other guys, but he has one skill that stands out - his shooting.

With so many options out there at point guard, I truly believe the Heat will end up going that route. The centers available in this area aren't ready to contribute in the upcoming season. There also aren't any big time shooting wings projected early second round either - #31 might be too high for Jon Diebler.

Miami Heat Big Board
1. Ben Hansbrough
2. Malcolm Lee
3. Nolan Smith
4. Shelvin Mack
5. Charles Jenkins
6. Andrew Goudelock
7. Iman Shumpert

Oklahoma City Thunder Team Needs

Oklahoma City Thunder


Draft Picks - #24

Team Needs - Offensive Big, Bench Scoring, Combo Forward

Draft History Under Presti (picks that were kept)
2010 - Cole Aldrich (#11), Tibor Pleiss (#31), Latavious Williams (#48), Ryan Reid (#57)
2009 - James Harden (#3), BJ Mullens (#24), Robert Vaden (#54)
2008 - Russell Westbrook (#4), Serge Ibaka (#24), DJ White (#29), Devon Hardin (#50)
2007 - Kevin Durant (#2)

Current Projected 2011-12 Roster

PG - Russell Westbrook/Eric Maynor/Nate Robinson
SG - James Harden/Thabo Sefolosha/Royal Ivery
SF - Kevin Durant
PF - Serge Ibaka/Nick Collison
C - Kendrick Perkins/Cole Aldrich/BJ Mullens

The Thunder have had a fair amount of success drafting, starting with grabbing their superstar in Kevin Durant. Their main goal since then has been to surround Durant with players that compliment his style. They have gone after high character players that dont mind doing the dirty work, while having the physical profiles to play great defense. Ibaka, Aldrich, Westbrook, and Sefolosha all fit that description. Harden was the perfect "do-it-all" wing to place alongside a superstar. The Thunder now feature a championship caliber roster, with a core that should be in place for years to come.

When looking for team needs, you can cross out a defensive-minded big. With Ibaka, Aldrich, Collison, and Perkins on the team, they are in no need there. However, they could look to find a big man to mix it up with a different kind of offensive game. A big who can space out the floor would be welcomed. Richmond's Justin Harper should draw interest.

They could also look for a combo forward type of big in the mold of Jeff Green. Jereme Richmond, Tobias Harris, Jimmy Butler, Kyle Singler, Nikola Mirotic, and Chandler Parsons all fit that mold.

Richmond provides the most potential, it would be like their pick of BJ Mullens in the late first round a few years ago - all or nothing.

Singler and Butler are more of small forwards who can step in and backup Durant and play solid team basketball. Both have the kind of character the Thunder are built around.

Mirotic may be the most talented, but has contract issues. At #24 though, Mirotic is worth the risk whether he comes over or not. The Thunder have a strong history of taking Euros.

Chandler Parsons probably isn't the best fit of the group. He isnt a scorer, shooter, or defender. He is a facilitator type that the Thunder can do without.

There has been lots of Tobias Harris hype as of late that may carry him out of the Thunder's range. His high character and role playing ability make him an ideal Thunder player, but like Parsons, he isn't exactly what they need. He also has trouble shooting and defending. If he does slip, though, he will have to be considered.

By focusing on defense for so long, the Thunder's roster is a little dry in terms of scoring. With Harden likely moving with the first unit next season, they are going to need a scoring wing to spice up the second unit when playing with Maynor and Sefolosha. There is a chance that either Jordan Hamilton or Marshon Brooks falls to the 24th spot. Brooks has the ridiculous length the Thunder like and is also one of the best scorers in this draft. Hamilton has cleared up some character issues and would be instant offense off the bench.

Thunder Big Board
1. Jordan Hamilton
2. Tyler Honeycutt
3. Nikola Mirotic
4. Justin Harper
5. Marshon Brooks
6. Jereme Richmond
7. Jimmy Butler

Chicago Bulls Team Needs

Chicago Bulls

Draft Picks - #28, #30, #43

Team Needs - Stretch PF, Scoring SG, Backup guard

Draft History Under Paxson (picks that were kept)2010 - N/A
2009 - James Johnson (#16), Taj Gibson (#26)
2008 - Derrick Rose (#1)
2007 - Joakim Noah (#9), JamesOn Curry (#51)
2006 - Tyrus Thomas (#4), Thabo Sefolosha (#13)
2005 - N/A
2004 - Ben Gordan (#3), Luol Deng (#7), Chris Duhon (#38)
2003 - Kirk Hinrich (#7), Mario Austin (#36), Tommy Smith (#53)

Current Projected 2011-12 RosterPG - Derrick Rose/CJ Watson
SG - Ronnie Brewer/Keith Bogans
SF - Luol Deng/Kyle Korver
PF - Carlos Boozer/Taj Gibson
C - Joakim Noah/Omer Asik

The Bulls have a pretty complete roster, which is why rumors of the Bulls trying to package their picks to move up makes sense. The #28 and #30 picks won't get them into the top 20, but it would give them a better chance to get the player they want/ For the Bulls, getting their main guy will probably be their top priority. Losing a first round pick isn't going to be a huge concern for a playoff team already tight on roster space.

Who could they target?

Based on history, the Bulls like winners. Noah, Tyrus Thomas, Hinrich, Duhon, Deng, Ben Gordan, and Derrick Rose all had final four experience. That is an incredible trend that is no coincidence. Players that the Bulls could look at this year that are proven winners are...

Nolan Smith
Shelvin Mack
Kyle Singler
JaJuan Johnson
E'Twaun Moore
David Lighty

They also seem to like combo guards. Guys with great instincts defensively have been targeted as of late too with Tom Thibodeau as the new coach. If a guy like Chris Singleton slips into the twenties, Im sure the Bulls would be actively trying to jump up to grab him. The same thing could be said about Klay Thompson or Jordan Hamilton.

Another player stands out because of a new dimension he could bring to the Bulls. Justin Harper would provide a great shooting option for the Bulls at power forward.

Id imagine their big board would look something like this...

1. Klay Thompson (trade up)
2. Chris Singleton (trade up)
3. Jordan Hamilton (trade up)
4. Marshon Brooks
5. JaJuan Johnson
6. Nolan Smith
7. Justin Harper
8. Shelvin Mack
9. Kyle Singler

Moore and Lighty would be options with the #43 pick along with any of the above that fall. I also hear that they could take Bojan Bogdanovic. One of their longtime scouts, Croatian Ivica Dukan, is the guy who brought Toni Kukoc over and could push for another fellow country man to be picked. This would be a good option to save a roster space and could also be an option at SG longterm.

Boston Celtics Team Needs

This is going to be a series and I'll try to break down every team with a first round pick. If you want to make sure I get to your team, email me at almosttournamenttime@gmail.com or message me on twitter at almostournytime.Boston Celtics

Draft Picks - #25, #55

Position Needs - BPA besides small, defensive minded guards

Draft History Under Danny Ainge (picks that were kept)2010 - Avery Bradley (#19), Luke Harangody (#52)
2009 - Lester Hudson (#58)
2008 - JR Giddens (#30), Bill Walker (#47), Semih Erden (#60)
2007 - Gabe Pruitt (#32), Glen Davis (#35)
2006 - Leon Powe (#49)
2005 - Gerald Green (#18), Orien Greene (#53), Ryan Gomes (#50)
2004 - Al Jefferson (#15), Delonte West (#24), Tony Allen (#25), Justin Reed (#40)
2003 - Marcus Banks (#13), Kendrick Perkins (#27)

Current Projected 2011-12 Roster

PG - Rajon Rondo/Avery Bradley
SG - Ray Allen
SF - Paul Pierce/Jeff Green
PF - Kevin Garnett
C - Jermaine O'Neal

The Celtics could look in a number of directions this draft. They most likely aren't going to solve any of their problems with the draft, so it is best they just add some young, athletic talent to their aging roster. The one thing they don't need is another small, defensive guard. Or a point guard who can't shoot. Ainge still has plenty of faith in Bradley so I doubt he goes that direction. That eliminates Darius Morris. He could use the pick to find a Tony Allen or Big Baby replacement, however. To fill Allen's shoes, they could look at Travis Leslie or Malcolm Lee. Leslie is often compared to Allen, but his shooting isn't a great fit next to Rondo. Lee's offensive skills are better, but he still isn't much different from Avery Bradley.

For a Big Baby replacement, they could look at Tobias Harris, Jordan Williams, Trey Thompkins, or Justin Harper in the first round. Jordan Williams played for former Celtics' coach John Carroll during his AAU days at John Carroll.

Examining Ainge's draft style, he doesn't discriminate with age. He has swung for the fences with high school players Perkins and Green, while taking other young players like Walker and Bradley. With Walker and Bradley, he grabbed two guys that were big time recruits in high school only to have their NBA draft stocks drop down. Ainge has no problem rolling the dice with talented guys, even with character problems. He took JR Giddens and Delonte West for example. He also took an ancient college player in Lester Hudson. In the second round, he has shown a liking to undersized power forwards - Harangody, Gomes, Powe, and Davis. All three high character guys...he seems to put higher stress on character with his second rounders.

Based on this info, he could gamble in the first on Jereme Richmond, Jeremy Tyler, Greg Smith, or Scotty Hopson. He could also hope the best Providence player since Ryan Gomes slips to him at #25 in Marshon Brooks. In the second, there is a chance one of the names mentioned above will still be available. Undersized power forwards aren't in great supply this year, but they could look at Rick Jackson or Jamie Skeen.

Of course, given Ainge's BYU background, the name Jimmer Fredette has to be brought up. In the unlikely case that he is there at #25, you would have to expect the Celtics to take him. Even though he is another undersized guard, his shooting provides something the Celtics haven't had since Eddie House left. He would be a nice complement to Rajon Rondo.

In the end, I see them going after one of the big men first. Nikola Vucevic, Jeremy Tyler, Jordan Williams, Trey Thompkins, Justin Harper, and Greg Smith are all options.

EDIT: There has been speculation that Reggie Jackson received a guarantee from a team and its rumored to be the Celtics. Ainge was at plenty of Boston College games this season and wanted to keep his stock under the radar. It is a good attempt and I expect the Celtics to take him if he's there (Ainge has made promises in the past - he took Oriene Greene over Amir Johnson only because he already had a promise in place with Greene), but I doubt he slips to #25.

Cleveland Wins the Lottery

The city of Cleveland has needed some help. Even before the LeBron saga, Cleveland has had a long history of disappointments. Jordan over Ehlo. Byner's fumble. Modell moving the Browns to Baltimore. Things never seem to go Cleveland's way. Everything seemed to be sticking to script this year. The Cavaliers were the worst team in the NBA for the majority of the year, only to be "beaten out" by Minnesota at the end of the season. They were able to get two lottery tickets to the draft, acquiring the Clippers pick at the deadline, but all the college stars started heading back to school. A once promising lottery began to look like total crapshoot of role players.

But the ping pong balls bounced Cleveland's way. Or as David Kahn would say, David Stern picked the Cavaliers as this years story line. Rigged or not, this should be an exciting time for Cavalier fans. Their front office has both the #1 and #4 pick to work with. In no way does it make up for LeBron leaving, but there is now hope for the future.

Which players do the future hold in store for the Cavs? Lets take a look at the guys who will be making the decisions first...

Chris Grant (General Manager) - Grant spent nine years with the Atlanta Hawks, while serving as their assistant general manager from 2004-2010. Of course, that means he took part in the decision making process in 2005 when the Hawks took Marvin Williams over Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Could he do the same thing by taking another athletic combo forward (Derrick Williams) over Kyrie Irving?

Or what about two years later when the Hawks still needed a point guard. Grant and company once again chose perceived talent over need by taking Al Horford. The same guy who is often used as a comparison for Enes Kanter. Hmmm...

Ok, I'm just playing. I have little doubt the Cavs will take Irving with the first pick and absolutely no doubt that they will at least take a point guard in the top 5. Rumors have said all along that the Cavaliers WILL take a point guard with one of their lottery picks. Now that they could have either Knight or Irving, two guys they are very high on, it is a no-brainer.

Besides, assistant general manager David Griffin knows all about what a great point guard can do for a franchise after spending the last 17 seasons with the Suns. In March, I compared Steve Nash coming out of college to Brandon Knight' first college season. Maybe he is one of the members of the Cavs organization very high on Knight?

Then there is coach Byron Scott. Talk about understanding the importance of point guard play. He played with possibly the greatest ever in Magic Johnson and has coached Jason Kidd and Chris Paul! Chris Paul just so happens to be the player that Irving is most often compared to. So Scott would be one step ahead of the game knowing how to run the offense to best utilize Irving.

But will it be Irving picked first?

This is a unique situation in draft history. If the Cavs didn't have another pick in the lottery, this pick would be a slam dunk. There would be no thought needed for this pick. Take Irving and be happy with your franchise point guard until he leaves for South Beach.

But the Cavs also own the fourth pick. Should they read into this situation more and get a little creative in choosing their 1-2 combo? They could nab Derrick Williams first and still get a point guard they are very high on in Knight. It would fit the bill of what they are going for in Cleveland - hardworking, high character, young players.

If they elect to take Irving number one (which is definitely the likely scenario), they may be left to choose from a group of players they don't like as much as Knight.

Again, it comes down to their own evaluations. Personally, I would find it very hard to pass on the best player in the draft. Irving is the surest thing in this draft. The gap between him and Brandon Knight in my mind is greater than a few spots in rankings. Knight might not even be a starting point guard! It would be a very risky move on Cavs part, a move I'm not sure has ever been mirrored.

Assuming Irving is the pick, who do the Cavs look at with the number four pick?

Jonas Valanciunas - The Cavs could go with more of a project in Jonas. Down the road, he could form a deadly pick and roll combo with Irving. Irving runs the pick and roll well and Valanciunas makes a living off finishing rolls. His great hands and touch make him effective around the basket, at the free throw line, and rebounding the ball. And he has a terrific wingspan to play center and the body to put on weight.

The biggest problem is his contract. Teams are worried that he is going to stay overseas for a few more years. That might not be a terrible thing for Cleveland - they could guarantee themselves another lottery pick in a strong draft next year if he stays in Europe - but you don't want another Rubio situation. Cleveland would have to be realistic with this pick and do their research. Lets be honest, the city of Cleveland isn't an appealing destination and neither is their basketball team at this point. Buyer beware.

Enes Kanter - Kanter loses a few points since he hasn't been seen in a competitive environment in over a year. Cleveland doesn't strike me as a team willing to take a huge chance with this pick. That said, Kanter has apparently been looking impressive against the same chair the couldn't stop Yi Jianlian (credit goes to a Bill Simmons podcast for that line). His jumpshot looks very good, and as I said before, he has drawn comparisons to former Chris Grant draftee, Al Horford. Kanter has gotten into great shape as well, but he still doesn't have good explosiveness around the hoop - definitely not on Horford's level in that regard.

Jan Vesely - If they elect to go with a combo forward, it will be fun in the future to compare the careers of Irving/Vesely vs Knight/Williams. Vesely is a terrific athlete, a player who would definitely excel next to a great point guard. Unlike the players listed above, Vesely has both played competitive basketball recently and should have no problem leaving Europe for the NBA. He throws down ferocious dunks in transition like Blake Griffin and has the ability to impact the game defensively like Andrei Kirilenko. His offensive game is a work in progress, but it is definitely progressing. Vesely is a very solid option at #4 that should not be ignored.

Other names will get mention as well. There is Alec Burks, who is currently projected by Ryan Feldman of TheHoopsReport to go #4. If the Cavs shy away from a Euro, he could come into discussion. It is worth noting that neither the Hawks or Suns housed many Euros on their teams during Grant and David Griffin's respective tenures.

Another name that got mentioned was Kawhi Leonard by Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Apparently the Cavs were high on him as well, but that was before they found out they would be picking #1 and #4. Leonard is a stretch that high and that idea has already been shot down by respected draft experts.

Marcus Morris has the experience, work ethic, and production that could cause the Cavaliers to check him out. The fourth pick just seems a little too high for him.

Bismack Biyombo also warrants a mention. I think the Cavs will ultimately end up falling for a guy with more potential than the defensive-minded Biyombo, especially when they already have Varejao. Whether it be Valanciunas or Kanter, one will likely catch their attention more than the Congo native.

I dont think it will take long for the unofficial word to come out that the Cavs will take Kyrie Irving. It already seems like a done deal if you look at the mock drafts. What is not a done deal, though, is what will be done with the fourth pick overall. That pick holds a lot of weight in the Cavs future. Knowing the luck of Cleveland, there is plenty of bust potential there.

Scouting Report: Charles Jenkins

I took more of a "scout form" style of writing for this report on Charles Jenkins. Jenkins was one of the leading scorers in the country coming out of Hofstra. He is a 6'3 guard who is viewed as a late first to mid-second round pick.

"Great midrange game, always in control. Steady player. Solid ball handling ability. Shows a good crossover to help get open. Not great at dribbling through traffic, but uses size and strength well to protect the ball. More than just a straight line driver, he has shown impressive drives snaking through traffic. Unselfish and good decision maker. Most of his assists were to 3-pt shooters, Hofstra was the best 3-pt shooting team in CAA. Not a PG, but plays with a high IQ. Can play spot duty at PG due to BBIQ. Ran some point at Hofstra while getting experience playing off ball too. Good passer. Doesn’t always see the entire court due to his style of play. Likes to turn his back to defenders to prevent ball from getting stolen and overpower them. Not much of a post game, however he likes to back down defenders until he gets into the paint where he is nearly automatic. Strength and touch make him a good finisher at the college level. Not that explosive at the rim, though. Will have adjustments to make at the NBA level since he relies too much on strength in college. Strength helps hide an average first step at the moment. Quick release on shot with range back to NBA 3-pt line. Smooth shooter who can shoot from anywhere. Makes it look easy shooting off the dribble. Can get his own shot fairly easy, but passes up too many shots to get teammates involved. Excellent character and leadership. Very good kid who grew up from a tough background in NYC. Hardworker. Has improved his game each year, especially his ball handling. Has had his share of clutch moments during his career. Stayed positive during multiple coaching and style changes. Played 37 minutes per game showing great conditioning. Good actively defensively, especially considering his minutes and offensive role. Gets low and displays good lateral quickness. Seems to have good awareness on defense and plays great help defense. Knows when to double team. Effort wont be a problem defensively at the next level. His size will prevent him from being a great defender, but he’ll be ok. Played a lot of zone in college and didn’t mix it up to much on the glass. Solid wingspan, although he is definitely undersized at 6’3 for a 2 guard. Built like a NFL RB. Finding a role will be tough for him, he doesn’t have the 6^th man scorer’s mentality of the bench, but if he develops his PG skills his versatility will be welcomed."

Bottom Line: Jenkins will have to adjust to a new style, where he won't be able to constantly use his strength to aide his scoring. In college, he used his strength to carve out space in order to get into the paint. It helped hide his average first step and ball handling, but it won't work the same way at the next level. The fact that his athleticism doesn't translate well in terms of getting to the rim at the NBA level is concerning, since his game in college was based upon getting into the painted area.

He will most likely never start, but he it would help him stick around if he improved his point guard play. He racked up assists in college, but it was mainly due to the amount of defensive attention he drew. As a very unselfish player, of course he was going to find open teammates for easy dimes. For a point guard prospect, he dribbles with his head down and back to the basket way to much. His bullish style is part of his game, but it doesnt help his future as a point guard.

As I said, he most likely will never start. Nor does he have to mindset of a scoring guard off the bench. He will need to find a niche, most likely as a do-it-all combo guard off the bench. His best shot is carving out a role as a poor man's James Harden, providing solid play off the bench without hurting the team on either side off the ball. Harden has better size and explosiveness, but they do play in a similar fashion.

Perhaps the player that reminds me of Jenkins the most, especially when looking for a great low/mid-major college scorer that actually isn't a chucker, is Trey Johnson. Johnson has been one of the best players in the D-League for years and has earned a few NBA cameos. The only thing preventing him from getting a contract now is age. Seeing that Charles Jenkins had a more successful college career (Johnson was a late-bloomer who didnt start playing until his sophomore year), he has a better shot of being drafted and ending up in a good situation. For these fringe players, all it takes is a good situation to change fates. Trey Johnson could have easily been an NBA player if scouts had caught onto him earlier.

Sleeper Alert: Tyler Honeycutt

Tyler Honeycutt ranks 24th and 25th on ESPN's and Draftexpress's big board respectively. If you ask me, he should be in the lottery discussion.

Skill, size, and athleticism. Those are three major checkpoint when looking at a prospect. Honeycutt has them all.

Note: All stats are per 40 minutes pace adjusted.

Honeycutt has been praised for his all-around game, although he is knocked because he doesn't do one thing that stands out. Keep in mind that he is only a sophomore, though, and not having a key weakness is a big deal. His shot has a ton of potential. He has a smooth, compact stroke with great elevation. He is one of my favorite players in this draft to watch shoot. He went from only taking 1.6 threes a game as a freshman to taking 5.2 this season. This improvement seems to go unnoticed as his stock has failed to rise from the beginning of the year. His stroke is effortless and NBA range is already there. He shot 36.2% from three this year and should only get better.

His passing ability also shows good signs. He actively looks to get teammates involved, which is good since he will be a complementary scorer in the NBA, but in college, he was way to passive. His tentativeness saw him hesitate on open shots and resulted in him trying to force many bad passes. He has great vision, but he tries way too hard to get his teammates involved. If he had a scorer's attitude, he could have put up some impressive numbers this year.

You can't ignore his mindset, but I would expect it to get better with age. He improved his shot last year, and at 20 years old, he should continue to get better at knowing what to do with the ball. Its not like he has a bad feel for the game - as I said, he makes plenty of good passes too and shows excellent awareness on the defense end. He is just too passive right now. His game gets compared to Tayshaun Prince and I see similar things in their character too. Like Prince, his style should end up fitting in better with NBA guys. Repetitions and familiarity will also help.

The complexity of UCLA's offense sure doesn't help either. We saw it with Russell Westbrook and Jrue Holiday - playing off the ball on the wing in Howland's offense isn't ideal. Especially for great athletes like all of them were. What makes Honeycutt's situation even worse is point guard play. Westbrook and Holiday had the luxury of playing with Collison. UCLA had no point guard this year. Honeycutt ended up second to Lazeric Jones on the team for assists and Jones only had 3.6 per game.

Honeycutt shot only 40.6% from the field this year, but it doesn't speak for the kind of player he is. In the faster pace game of the NBA, he should be able to use his athleticism to get out for some easy transition buckets. Look at Honeycutt for what he has to offer. He is the complete package of athleticism and skills. How many other guys in this draft have that?

I don't think his athleticism is appreciated enough due to his passiveness and UCLA's style. Check him out on defense if you want a real representation. He's had some LeBron James-esque chase down blocks (or Tayshaun Prince circa 2004 ECF if you will). Last year, he showed off his ability to get steals to the tune of 2.2 a game and then decided to switch his interest to blocking shots this season (2.3 a game). If you need some proof of his leaping ability, you can check out this dunk too.

Ok, so we know he has the athleticism, size, and skill set for a small forward. His mindset isn't ideal, but there aren't red flags due to it either. He sounds like a lottery pick, right?

His turnovers are his biggest problem, but if you listen to John Hollinger, it can be viewed as a good thing. History shows that young wings with high turnovers can be a positive indicator. Last year, Honeycutt ranked 5th in turnovers per possession. Two spots below him was Darius Morris, arguably the most improved player in the country. Honeycutt also has a negative pure point ratio which is a bit of an anomaly for small forwards who rack up assists. His -3.35 PPR is one of the worst among guys with similar assists numbers, but there have been successful small forwards with similar numbers. Manny Harris (his was actually above -5), Hakim Warrick, Paul George, Sonny Weems, and Dominic McGuire all had worse. Caron Butler, Marquis Daniels, Evan Turner, Klay Thompson, Marquis Blakely, Corey Brewer,  Earl Clark, Courtney Lee, and Landry Fields were all worse than -2 as well. A poor pure point ratio doesn't seem to be a bad thing at all if you look at the rest of the list. The most successful players seem to have had trouble in that area.

Workouts are coming up and Honeycutt will have a great opportunity to make a leap ahead of the late lottery to mid-first round pack. Just remember that I called his leap before it happened.

For Comparisons Sake Part II (Jereme Richmond)

Due to the length of this article, I'll limit this to strictly one player. I feel strongly about this comparison so I have a lot to say.

The first time I saw Richmond play in an Illinois uniform, I thought of Devin Ebanks. As it turned out, they have a lot of similarities on and off the court.

The physical similarities stood out first. They both possess long and slender frames, while playing tougher than they appear. Their toughness benefits them on the offensive glass, where they each pulled down over 3 offensive boards per 40 minutes. Without great skill sets, both players make the most of the opportunities they get to crash the boards and get easy buckets.

As I said, their skill sets aren't great - neither can hit a three pointer and struggle driving all the way to the basket - but they still show good feel on offense. Even without great quickness and handles, they both surprise you with sneaky good passes and cuts around the basket. They both managed a positive assist to turnover ratio and in the process, averaged over 3 assists per 40 minutes (pace adjusted). That is rare to find for two guys with average ball handling abilities at best.

Offensively, their futures revolve around being a slasher. They both have good touch around the hoop and have shown signs of a mid-range game. Their jumpers inside the arc are way too inconsistent now, but both enjoy taking the shot and can learn to convert in the future. And even though I praised their feel for the game, their IQs on offense could use some work. Richmond didn't average 22 minutes a game because he had zero flaws and Ebanks made plenty of boneheaded plays at West Virginia (most notably his decision at the end of the Villanova game late in the year).

Note: Oddly enough, Ebanks and Richmond both averaged 13.9 points per 40 minutes (pace adjusted) their freshman seasons.

While their offense has a ways to go, both have all the physical tools to contribute immediately on defense at the next level. In college, they were forced to play the PF position more often than they would have liked, but they both showed they had the toughness to battle inside. They rebounded extremely well and floated around 1 steals and block per game. In the NBA, they will guard SFs for the most part, and despite great lateral quickness, they both have a shot at being successful in this venture.

If their on court style seems similar, dig further into their off the court track record. While being willing teammates on the court, both have reportedly been in altercations with teammates off the court (Ebanks got in a fight with Truck Bryant, Richmond fought Brandon Paul). Ebanks was also suspended at the beginning of his sophomore year for academic reasons (apparently).

Richmond was no stranger to fights back in high school either, which makes his character perhaps more suspect than Ebanks. Devin seems to be adjusting fine in the NBA. In high school, Richmond also got in a fight with a teammate and in a separate incident, he got kicked off the team after getting into an argument with his coach. His history sends up some major red flags.

Reaching for some more similarities, both of them were big time recruits in high school. Richmond was an All-American and Ebanks most likely would have been if not for his post-grad status.

The draft results may end up being similar as well. Richmond would be lucky to be drafted by a team with the Lakers, and since they have 4 second rounders, his odds aren't awful. Of course, going in the first round would be ideal, and I wouldn't count that out either. Nobody likes to give guaranteed contracts to players with major red flags though.

For Comparisons Sake (Scotty Hopson, Iman Shumpert, Chandler Parsons)

This article is a bit hypocritical, but I enjoyed doing the research in order to find comparisons for this years draft class. So many comparisons get thrown around these days for fans looking for a simple answer, rather than taking the time to read a quality scouting report like those provided by draftexpress.com. There is much more to learn by taking time out to read in-depth reports, as no two players are exactly alike, but not everyone is a draftnik willing to spend their precious time reading delicate scouting reports.

That is where we get comparisons like the famous DeShawn Stevenson to Michael Jordan comparison by nbadraft.net. In their defense, comparisons can include a lot of things. You can compare one player to another because of how good they will be, their production level, college success, or their playing style. Rarely are you going to find two players with all those things in common.

For the sake of this article, I came up with some comparisons, but I will attempt to explain how they are alike as well as their difference. Most of these players are late first to early second round picks because I find that players with star potential are a lot more individually unique. LeBron James, Dirk, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Wade, etc are all their own player without anyone matching their style or production. Lesser players have more similarities because they are forced into their own role and style once they hit the NBA.

Note: My research was helped immensley by draftexpress.com's college stats search found here. If you want to search for all the years in their database at once, change the web address from what ever year you originally seached for and insert the word "all". Because I used their database, my comparisons are fairly recent, dating back only to 2001. I wouldn't be able to compare farther back anyway, though, due to my age.

Scotty Hopson
Hopson entered the college ranks as one of the best high school players in the country. He has improved each year at Tennessee, but has failed to become a star. He physically looks the part, but his college numbers are more similar to a role playing shooting type like Thomas Gardner. While Gardner was built for that role, Hopson has a higher ceiling and a different mindset. I find it hard to see him lasting in the league as strictly a shooter, unless his defense picks up.

The two guys I would relate him to over anyone else would be Rodney Carney and Rasual Butler. Carney had even better athleticism than Hopson, but wasn't able to put it to use either. With their average ball handling skills, they were both relegated to more of a jump shooting role, which takes away from their strengths. They both have solid form, but aren't what NBA guys would classify as shooting specialists. They need more from the defensive end. Despite their athletic tools, though, they both put up underwhelming numbers in college in terms of rebounds, steals, and blocks. They have the tools to defend, but haven't shown the consistent effort and awareness to be an above average defender.

With Rasual Butler, I think they played similarity offensive in college. Butler had a more consistent jumpshot, while Hopson is somewhere in between Carney and Butler in that area, although Hopson has also shown some promise with his shot. Statistically, they mirror each other with a bad assist to turnover ratio and the lack of free throw attempts. They both move well, but have proven to be more effective off the pass or one or two dribbles. They aren't the type of guys to make teammates better.

In terms of draft stock, I see Hopson going somewhere in between where Carney (#16) and Butler (#24 in round 2) went. He has above average athleticism, but not on Carney's level where he has a good shot at intriguing a team with a mid-first rounder. He's a late to early second round pick right now.

Iman Shumpert
Shumpert's strength is fairly obvious to even a casual viewer - his defense. Right now he is labeled as a late first to early second round pick which is right where Kyle Weaver's draft range was. Weaver was also a very versatile defender who could handle and distribute offensively, but lacked a jumper or anything to stand out on that end. He has bounced around from the D-League and the NBA, but I believe Shumpert has a lot better chance of making an impact.

While Weaver is a very good defender, he isn't as gifted athletically as Shumpert. When looking at college numbers, he rivals Dwyane Wade (a fellow Chicago guard - he also shutdown another guard out of Chicago, Evan Turner, in last year's tournament) and Rajon Rondo with his ability to rebound and rack of steals from the guard position. Shumpert, Wade, Mardy Collins, and Cedric Jackson are the only guys to have over 7 rebounds (per 40 min pace adjusted) and 3 steals ("") in a college season since 2001.

Not only does his athleticism give him more of a chance to be effective defensively than Weaver, but offensively too. He has a better chance of playing point guard and with Paul Hewitt coaching him his entire college career, I think some qualified NBA coaching could really help him. Shumpert was another top 25 recruit that failed to improve under Hewitt. Guys like Anthony Morrow, Derrick Favors, Will Bynum, Jarrett Jack, Chris Boh, and Thaddeus Young were all better off after leaving for the pros.

For a late first to early second rounder, Shumpert is a good guy to take a flier on. He can step in right away and be a great defender and there is plenty of untapped potential offensively too.

Chandler Parsons
Searching for comparisons for Parsons is a meticulous task, as Parsons is a rare kind of player. He won SEC player of the year despite not being a big time scorer or a great defender. Instead, he showcased a wide variety of skills and unselfishness that ultimately helped his team earn a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

The first player that stood out to me as similar was Luke Walton. Walton has probably close to 35 pounds on him which has made him more effective posting up in the triangle offense, but the rest of their games are similar.

Like Parsons, Walton has a great feel for the game which shows up in the win column. During Walton's two years at Arizona, his team reached the Sweet Sixteen twice - one time making it to the Elite Eight. For their high skill level and feel for the game, both surprisingly struggled to shoot the ball, although Walton has gotten better over times. As I've said previously, I think Parsons will become a better shooter too, as he already showed signs of finding his stroke by shooting over 40% from three in conference play this year.

The second, and most accurate comparisons for Parsons, would be Mike Dunleavy. The Dukie, was yet another point forward type that was part of a winning college tradition. His physical strength more closely represent Parsons' than Walton, while Walton and Parson are more similar in their lack of consistent shooting. They all have an outstanding feel for the game in common though.

Parsons may be slightly behind these two in terms of stock, but he did outshine both of them in rebounding despite playing with Macklin, Young, and Tyus. He is one of my sleepers and he would make a fine choice early in the second round. He would fit best with a team that pushes the ball, just like Dunleavy.

2011 NBA Draft Senior Rankings (#6-10)

A week ago, I started this series by ranking the top 5 seniors in the draft. A week later, this have changed for the better for this senior class. The top 5 guys all look like first round picks now that Barnes, Jeff Taylor, and others have announced that they are staying. This makes these senior rankings all that more important. In one of the weakest drafts ever, seniors offer a sense of security with a pick, and the second round could end up looking like one from 15 years ago when kids stayed in school. This senior crop isn't great, but many of these guys can get drafted and take advantage of the lack of underclassmen entering.

 Top 5 Seniors

6. Keith Benson - I wrote about Benson in March.

There is no doubt that Keith Benson will be taking his talents to the draft, as he has already turned in 4 productive years in college. He has put up great numbers and has all the measurables, but it may not be enough to get him in the first round. One may blame it on the small conference, but it is obvious from watching him play that he could for put up great scoring numbers anywhere in the country. He is that talented offensively. He can shoot it, put it on the floor, and moves wonderfully for a center. The problem, though, is his strength. At the age of 22, he still lacks the muscle to hang in the post at either end of the floor. That will surely effect both his gaudy rebounding and block shot statistics, and probably make him more of a liability on defense despite a great wingspan. It doesnt help that he doesnt have the best BBIQ. Offensively, his strength is going to make him mostly and jump shooter and driver.

His weakness makes him a strong candidate for the D-League where he will almost certainly spend his fair amount of time over the next year or two. In the right organization, he can eventually work his way into an NBA rotation, maybe even as a starter. More than likely, though, you will still find him as a fringe NBA player years down the road. He reminds me of Courtney Sims of the D-League, who puts up excellent numbers each year, but never gets more than a 10 day call-up. To avoid being like Sims, Benson needs to gain that strength and become more gritty. OKC would be an ideal fit for both parties. They have their own D-league team and do a good job of developing their own players, while the Thunder would benefit by having an athletic big with a face-up offensive game. The Thunder love athletic, super long centers so it could be the perfect match. Right now, he would be a stretch in the first round.

The first round is more of a possibility now, as there aren't many options at center, especially if you want a athlete like Keith Benson. Lucas Nogueira and Nikola Vucevic are his biggest competition for a team looking for a center late in the first round.

7. Chandler Parsons - I'm one of the biggest Chandler Parsons supporters around. I think a key reason that people are underrating him is the perception that he can't shoot. He looks like a stereotypical shooter, but that has been his weakness - up until conference play this year. He shot over 40% from three in conference play and his stroke is fine. With the rest of his game, he can be an excellent role player if his shooting keeps up. He has a great feel for the game, showing excellent passing instincts (and unselfishness), and solid ball handling. It is impressive the way he impacted the game in many ways, while Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton controlled the ball most of the time. He was clutch his juniors year, but Walker and Boynton stole his thunder this season. He needs to get stronger, but he would fare well in an up-tempo system. I honestly see some Mike Dunleavy in him (beyond skin color, people!) with point forward potential.

8. Jimmy Butler - Butler is a guy I've thought highly of for two years. He is yet another Marquette player to look appealing to NBA teams for their role playing abilities (Wes Matthews and Lazar Hayward). He plays very smart - filling up the stat sheet while making great decisions that put his team in better position to win. It is no surprise that his team won the Portsmouth Invitation Tournament with their teamwork and togetherness. Butler certainly had a big part in that and led by example. He is a bit of a tweener, but if you ask me, he is a basketball player. He can defend multiple positions (see the Xavier game where he helped shutdown Tu Holloway), pass the ball, make open shots, and crash the boards. He may not be a lockdown defender or a guy you can count on for buckets, but he will be a guy that will fill his role and do whatever it takes to win. He's looking like a lock to get drafted now.

9. Kyle Singler - In a Singler versus Parsons debate, I like Chandler but Singler could fit better into a halfcourt offense. His toughness is unrivaled and he sports great awareness and intelligence. Early on at Duke, he looked great playing at the power forward while capitalizing on mismatches, but he is definitely a small forward in the NBA. His time playing small forward his last two years exposed some of his weaknesses, but in the long run, it will help him. He struggled at SF, especially last year, until Coach K made it a point to run screens for him to get him open shots. That will not happen in the NBA and I don't see him creating many shots for himself. His footspeed is average as well and his athleticism doesn't help him finish inside. There are a lot of things going against Singler, but he is a winner who will lay his body on the line every game. Can that body survive an NBA season?

10. Andrew Goudelock - Goudelock helped his stock a lot at Portsmouth as I predicted. He's a fairly simple player to understand - a combo guard with deep range on his jumper who can run the point at times. I believe his jumper and fearless mentality on the court is strong enough that he can help a team. With Goudelock, its as simple as that - make shots. His shot making ability can get him into the league.