karl malone
Well-Known Member
Drafting at #12 has put us in a somewhat odd position, especially when you look at the talent projected to go in that range. We are far enough away from the top prospects that it would likely take a significant asset or two to get into that range, yet high enough in the draft that we should still be able to get a quality prospect. Unless someone unexpectedly falls to #12, I'm not sure that the type of prospect that we need will be available when we pick (as we have plenty of rotational players & instead need impact players).
This isn't to say that there aren't some intriguing prospects that will be available when we draft. Oubre, Kaminsky, Portis, Turner, Looney, etc, are all solid options, but I'm not sure drafting any of them would be the best use of the #12 pick. Right now, we don't have many needs (star- not available at #12, backup PG- depending on Burke, stretch 4- depending on Booker, & backup C- depending on Tomic/Pleiss). DL has shown in the past that he's all about value, & drafting a backup player with the #12 pick in any draft is not the best use of such a valuable asset.
We have enough future assets (our own 1st's, GSW 1st, OKC 1st) that we could either move up in the draft, if we decided that doing so was the best use of our draft pick (& whatever additional assets were included), or move down (if we decided that the price of moving up was to steep & were able to find a willing trade partner) in order to continue adding to our collection of future assets (for a future trade), while still filling a need later on in the draft. The latter may turn out to be the better option (opposed to moving up at a steep price/drafting a backup player at #12) as it would still allow us to acquire a solid prospect who fills a need (such as D.Booker, T.Lyles, 1 of the PG's, etc) while adding to our stockpile of future draft picks, which could be used to fill whatever holes may develop in the future (if Hayward opts out & signs elsewhere, Exum busts, Hood has injury problems, etc).
Unless we can move up for a potential impact player who could eventually start on this roster (without giving up any of our core players), I think it would make more sense to trade down, collect additional assets, still fill a need, & give the roster more time to develop in order to assess our long-term needs, rather than to settle for a player who doesn't have the opportunity to become more than a backup player on this team with the #12 pick.
This isn't to say that there aren't some intriguing prospects that will be available when we draft. Oubre, Kaminsky, Portis, Turner, Looney, etc, are all solid options, but I'm not sure drafting any of them would be the best use of the #12 pick. Right now, we don't have many needs (star- not available at #12, backup PG- depending on Burke, stretch 4- depending on Booker, & backup C- depending on Tomic/Pleiss). DL has shown in the past that he's all about value, & drafting a backup player with the #12 pick in any draft is not the best use of such a valuable asset.
We have enough future assets (our own 1st's, GSW 1st, OKC 1st) that we could either move up in the draft, if we decided that doing so was the best use of our draft pick (& whatever additional assets were included), or move down (if we decided that the price of moving up was to steep & were able to find a willing trade partner) in order to continue adding to our collection of future assets (for a future trade), while still filling a need later on in the draft. The latter may turn out to be the better option (opposed to moving up at a steep price/drafting a backup player at #12) as it would still allow us to acquire a solid prospect who fills a need (such as D.Booker, T.Lyles, 1 of the PG's, etc) while adding to our stockpile of future draft picks, which could be used to fill whatever holes may develop in the future (if Hayward opts out & signs elsewhere, Exum busts, Hood has injury problems, etc).
Unless we can move up for a potential impact player who could eventually start on this roster (without giving up any of our core players), I think it would make more sense to trade down, collect additional assets, still fill a need, & give the roster more time to develop in order to assess our long-term needs, rather than to settle for a player who doesn't have the opportunity to become more than a backup player on this team with the #12 pick.
