REALISTIC DRAFT POSSIBILITIES

Like everyone on this board, I would take Smart or McLemore with the hornets pick. However; it is increasingly apparent both of these players will go in the top 3 picks and I do not feel we will be in that position. I feel we will be picking 6-10 as many of you have been posting for some time now. In those spots it looks like the following players will be available in no particular order:

Cody Zeller, C, Indiana
Ht: 7-0 Wt: 240 lbs. | Class: Sophomore

Alex Len, C, Maryland
Ht: 7-1 Wt: 255 lbs. | Class: Sophomore

Isaiah Austin, C, Baylor
Ht: 7-1 Wt: 220 lbs. | Class: Freshman

Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 214 lbs. | Class: Junior

Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 205 lbs. | Class: Sophomore

Alex Poythress, SF, Kentucky
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 239 lbs. | Class: Freshman

Trey Burke, PG, Michigan
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 190 lbs. | Class: Sophomore

Rudy Gobert, PF, France
Ht: 7-1 Wt: 231 lbs. | Class: International '92

Out of the above prospects, 3 intrigue me and they play 3 different positions.

Alex Len, C, Maryland-- I like him over the other 2 center prospects above. He has the most upside and is 7-1 255 with a pick and pop game.

Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown-- have seen him described as a "Jack of all trades, master of none." Good not great about as good as we can do out of this draft class.

Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana-- could he fill Eric Gordon's sneakers?

Think Alex poythress is staying an extra year

If Porter and Oladipo are gone it's time to start looking at trades. I think there's a high chance the Clippers hold onto Bledsoe because they think he's worth more than the offers they'll get, but McNamara proposed a good trade last week of Vasquez and the Hornets pick for Bledsoe and the Clippers pick. I could see something like Zeller and Vasquez for Bledsoe and Withey as a win win trade for both teams. The Pelicans improve the defense and the Clippers make essentially a lateral move at PG to pick up cheap depth on a team that is capped out.

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Originally Posted by NOLa.

Think Alex poythress is staying an extra year

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He's discussed coming out. So who knows. I still like him as a prospect. Even more than I liked Terrence Jones.

Austin need to stay at Baylor longer I think

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Originally Posted by Eman5805

He's discussed coming out. So who knows. I still like him as a prospect. Even more than I liked Terrence Jones.

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Wonder if he feels his playing time will be reduced to fit UKs incoming class

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Originally Posted by NOLa.

Wonder if he feels his playing time will be reduced to fit UKs incoming class

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I think this is why Goodwin left. This is an example of when being a one and done prospect at a one and done school goes wrong. Do you leave even after a subpar season or do you stay and protentially have your role taken from you and/or have your roll reduced?

No way we pick later than the 7th pick and im fine with any of the top 7

Mclemore
Noel
Smart
Porter
Burke
Bazz
Oladipo

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Originally Posted by HornetGuru

No way we pick later than the 7th pick and im fine with any of the top 7

Mclemore
Noel
Smart
Porter
Burke
Bazz
Oladipo

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I think I agree with your board. I might personally switch Burke and Porter, but can't go wrong either way.

Marcus Smart would make us a team. Victor Oladipo would do the samd in a different way.
Porter….no. We could attain someone that would contribute as much as Porter could initially for rather cheap. No knock on him, but we gotta get good before Davis' contract is up, real good.

Of all the bigs, it's a no-brainer to me. RUDY GOBERT's possible availability would scare people to submission defensively, and that's who I want. 6 years ago they would have him higher but teams have gotten burnt really bas on Euro's. But black Frenchmen do buck this trend. Watch his tapes, he's fluid with either hand..
7'9" reach???? Guards. Point guars will line up to play in the real alley-oop city.
if this is accurate, I wouldn't covet Larry Sanders anymore; we would have the most beastly front-court ever with reaches of 7'5" and 7'9". Heck, with the food down here, they'll gain some weight.

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Originally Posted by Pelicans78

I think I agree with your board. I might personally switch Burke and Porter, but can't go wrong either way.

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Ya I basically have them as 4a and 4b

It all depends if we keep gordon or not honestly

I think our pick is strongly weighted towards a small forward due to the severe lack of talent we have at that position. I would prefer Len should we not strike a top 3 pick, but methinks its gonna be Shabazz or Porter. Not terrible consolation prizes, particularly with Shabazz; but I certainty believe Len has the highest celing amongst the "tier 2" players of this draft.

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Originally Posted by Smow-

I think our pick is strongly weighted towards a small forward due to the severe lack of talent we have at that position. I would prefer Len should we not strike a top 3 pick, but methinks its gonna be Shabazz or Porter. Not terrible consolation prizes, particularly with Shabazz; but I certainty believe Len has the highest celing amongst the "tier 2" players of this draft.

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Just curious. Is Burke in your Tier 1 or 2?

Alex Len... yuck.

Ya I keep thinking we sign brandon jennings and jj hickson and draft bazz or porter and call it a day. Not ready to give up on gordon, he could be a 22 point 5 assist type of guy

I do not think the Hornets should sign Jennings when we have Rivers and potentially Burke sitting in our laps. I'd take Burke over Jennings right now, because I expect Burke to be a top PG in 3 years.

Shabbazz Muhamed will be the best player to come out of this draft class. Book it

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Originally Posted by Make It Rain

Shabbazz Muhamed will be the best player to come out of this draft class. Book it

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Def best scorer

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Originally Posted by Eman5805

He's discussed coming out. So who knows. I still like him as a prospect. Even more than I liked Terrence Jones.

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Poythress, himself, has already confirmed that he's staying another year.

Bazz= JR Smith

Book it Dano!

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Originally Posted by PelsFan2313

Poythress, himself, has already confirmed that he's staying another year.

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Be that as it may. Have we passed the deadline? If not, then his word is worth is weight in itself. Heard plenty of cats say they were staying then they had a change of talk.

Burke! Hey, he's still in the game, just watch and not be sold! gonna be hard!! He'll perform and break Syracuse's Zone D.

Everybody's something and Trey Burke is now IT ( and a Freshman!!) , for me at least. plus we could REALLY use the quickness that he'd bring, more than Len would be better in any way, than our current 7'rs or PF's , Porter or Shabbaz would bring over Aminu, or Smart over Rivers, Vasquez, or Roberts, or Noels over AD, or McElmore or Oladipo over Gordon....

He;s also a prolific scorer and when he's within 15 ft he's deadly. Watch him outscore Syracuse.

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Originally Posted by HornetGuru

Def best scorer

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And this game has always been, and will always be, about BUCKETS!

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Originally Posted by Sujaguar00

And this game has always been, and will always be, about BUCKETS!

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If that were true then we wouldn't be itching so bad to get rid of Vasquez.

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Originally Posted by Inner_GI

Just curious. Is Burke in your Tier 1 or 2?

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Well I have yet to really watch a minute of these guys play, so my opinion is based on tons and tons of scouting reports and post game recaps.

With that disclaimer out there, I would have to say he is tier 2 material in my opinion because of his size limitations on the defensive side of the ball. Cp3 was averaging nearly 2 steals per game in his two years of college, where is Burke is barely over 1.5 steals per game his sophomore year. Burke is going to backed down and manhandeled much more unless he can learn to pick pockets like CP3.

Offensively, he's teir 1 no doubt; but the uncertainty of wether he can learn to compensate for his size on the defensive side gives me my doubts. I also don't believe he possesses the super athleticism of the Rose or Westbrook types to keep up on the perimeter, but I feel as if I may be wrong on that.

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Originally Posted by Smow-

Well I have yet to really watch a minute of these guys play, so my opinion is based on tons and tons of scouting reports and post game recaps.

With that disclaimer out there, I would have to say he is tier 2 material in my opinion because of his size limitations on the defensive side of the ball. Cp3 was averaging nearly 2 steals per game in his two years of college, where is Burke is barely over 1.5 steals per game his sophomore year. Burke is going to backed down and manhandeled much more unless he can learn to pick pockets like CP3.

Offensively, he's teir 1 no doubt; but the uncertainty of wether he can learn to compensate for his size on the defensive side gives me my doubts. I also don't believe he possesses the super athleticism of the Rose or Westbrook types to keep up on the perimeter, but I feel as if I may be wrong on that.

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Well this is from someone who watched Burke. 1st he's much stronger than CP3 was leaving Wake Forest and longer also. He's almost as good at "picking pocket" where Paul had an significant advantage is playing the passing lane. Burke has improved this year in that area.

People seem to forget how bad Paul was as a defender his 1st few seasons. He went for steals far too often, didn't stay in front of the ball handler and feel asleep guarding off the ball. It's wasn't until his 1st Olympic experience the following season where he committed to both ends of the court.