I agree with coachbadlee in one important aspect. We need to take advantage of this draft, because there is no way someone trades next years pick. The hype about next year is already here, and rightly so because there is going to be at least 5 sure ballers to draft, but a lot of people are sleeping on this draft just because it is weaker at the top. There is no doubt that this draft lacks "sure things", so these are the drafts were teams that do extensive research on a lot of players might get a star/above average player at the 5 to 10 range easier then in previous years. But I disagree with coachbadlee when he says that we should trade players just to stockpile draft picks. That is just wrong, because you lose value. Because we already have 2 picks in the 1st round, and an early 2nd (love this draft position), what you do is , preferably,package the 23rd pick with a veteran, to a team in the top 10 that says that needs "veteran help". And by doing that you draft the guy you are targeting in the draft (4 to 10 range), and you use the 14th pick to draft the need (in this draft at that position, it would be a SF like Jordan Hamilton, Klay Thompson etc) But of course, there will be nothing done before the draft, because as we know, DM is all about value, and he will not trade for the 5th if the dude is still there with the 7th. My bet is that come draft day, it will be very very "easy" to trade for the 4th pick of Cleveland, if Irving Williams and Kanter go 1 2 and 3, because now, they have 2 PGs, Kemba and Knight and 2 unknowns, very risky, very green Europeans in Vesely and Valanciunas that I don´t see that franchise having the patience or the personnel to deal with and drafting Kawhi Leonard with the 4th pick would be a reach. Come draft day more picks will be available, because alot of teams may have a 1a 1b option and the next one is a 23z option, meaning that if they don´t have that 1a or 1b player available when they are at the clock, they will trade the pick because they don´t see value on the board, one of the reasons would be lack/bad research, my prediction..... PeAcE
Just enough to replace our one way players with very good two way players. Maybe two more than we've got. Replace Bud with a good two way SF. Get another PG. Get that all important big man(or two) the we have been crying about for years now. Another SG to replace Martin if need be, whether it be immediately or sometime in the future. Also get a project and either send them overseas or to the D-league. We have enough talent on this team to stay competitive and at the same time build for the future.
you are wrong that trade is top 18 protected if i'm not mistaking , and if i am then it's top 14 protected; so that trade is not changing rox opportunity at a top 10 or lower pick.
No way to know for sure how good the 2012 draft will be until we see who performs well from the incoming freshman class and see who stays in and who decides to not declare. However, if I were a wagering man I would expect the 2012 class to be better than average but probably not as good the best ever. The 2011 class is in part weak because there are no sure things, or players that look like they are on their way to stardom. My guess is that the strength of this draft will be in the foreign big men, and 1-2 become perenial all stars. Still, Williams just doesn't seem special, and there are serious issues with Kyrie's athleticism.
Like a poster mentioned earlier, this draft is only considered weak because of the non-star like players at the top. There will be some good role players all throughout the 2011 draft. People are looking for superstars and when they think they don't see any, they call the draft weak.
