Are we fifth in a 5-8 player draft?

[One Brow]

With everything I've been reading the past few days, I don't see any particular pick in the top 7 or 8 as really standing out over any other pick. They all have big question marks or outright minuses. There is no franchise player to be had here.

If we can trade up without giving away our best player (Favors), fine. Otherwise, I don't see the value in it.

 

[seattlejazzfan]

With everything I've been reading the past few days, I don't see any particular pick in the top 7 or 8 as really standing out over any other pick. They all have big question marks or outright minuses. There is no franchise player to be had here.

If we can trade up without giving away our best player (Favors), fine. Otherwise, I don't see the value in it.

Basically, yes. This is why I'm against trading up. A healthy Embiid had his own tier, then there was a drop off. I do believe Wiggins is the top guy and then I'll give Parker the benefit of the doubt based on everybody else's opinions of him, but even those guys are marginally better than the rest.

If you throw out a number, say, give Wiggins a 20% chance of being a 6+ time all-star, I'd put Parker at 18%, Gordon at 16%. It's just too close. Stay at five play the odds.

 

[DForceAUS]

It goes-Wiggins, Parker, Exum, Vonleh (maybe smart if Magic still high on him) and Gordon..Embiid Boston or Lakers may pick him and Randle... thats the Eight give or take ..
Im now ok if we stay at #5 if price grows too much (eg Favors, Burks un protected first etc)

 

[Stoked]

The top 2 players (Wiggins, Parker) are a little above the next 6 players (Exum, Gordon, Vonleh, Smart, Randle, Embiid).

So I think 1-2 will be Wiggins/Parker in some form and the next 6 are up for grabs. Exum will be the front half of that 6 (like 3rd or 4th).

But overall very close.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Basically, yes. This is why I'm against trading up. A healthy Embiid had his own tier, then there was a drop off. I do believe Wiggins is the top guy and then I'll give Parker the benefit of the doubt based on everybody else's opinions of him, but even those guys are marginally better than the rest.

If you throw out a number, say, give Wiggins a 20% chance of being a 6+ time all-star, I'd put Parker at 18%, Gordon at 16%. It's just too close. Stay at five play the odds.

Agree with you and OneBrow. Before the combine and workouts, I generally saw this as a 4+4 draft. Embiid, Wiggins, Parker and Exum top-4 and Vonleh, Gordon, Smart and Randle the next tier down. After we started to hear some feedback, Exum definitely fell a bit and Vonleh started to rise. But you are right...a healthy Embiid was unquestionably the clear #1.

Now, there's no doubt Wiggins is the clear #1. Jabba Parker has eaten his way out of consideration; I wouldn't touch him with a 10-ft fork. He'll still go top-3, but he might have an Oliver Miller type career. Safest pick for Utah is Gordon. I'm still high on Vonleh, but Gordon has impressed with his attitude and confidence.

 

[cowhide]

The top 2 players (Wiggins, Parker) are a little above the next 6 players (Exum, Gordon, Vonleh, Smart, Randle, Embiid).

So I think 1-2 will be Wiggins/Parker in some form and the next 6 are up for grabs. Exum will be the front half of that 6 (like 3rd or 4th).

But overall very close.

I agree. If Embiid was healthy then I think he is the clear top pick with Wiggins slightly ahead of Parker. I am not as high on Exum simply because I don't know enough about him so I put in with all the rest. I think Exum, Smart, Gordon, Randle and Vonleh are equally the same and team need and how you see the player will change how they are ranked. I bet most NBA boards don't have a clear top 8 because Embiid got hurt.

The only guy I am willing to move up for is Wiggins but it has to be a slightly reasonable trade which it won't because Orlando, Philly and even Boston have competitive bids.

 

[cowhide]

In the end I see the Jazz staying at #5 and picking either Gordon, Vonleh or even Randle.

 

[franklin]

With everything I've been reading the past few days, I don't see any particular pick in the top 7 or 8 as really standing out over any other pick. They all have big question marks or outright minuses. There is no franchise player to be had here.

If we can trade up without giving away our best player (Favors), fine. Otherwise, I don't see the value in it.

No. /

 

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Wiggins is absolutely worth trading up for.

 

[MDAV28]

I don't think Wiggins is better than Favors/Gordon and whatever else we would lose to get him. I would be disappointed if the Jazz made the rumored trade especially since I'm sure they would be adding more whether its Burks or more picks.

 

[Twin Towers]

If we don't trade up for the 1st or 2nd pick. I wonder how Favors is going to handle the season after being rumored to be traded.

Hopefully we trade up. As I think Gobert as more promise as a defender then Favors.

If we don't then I think Aaron Gordon is great pick up. Just worry about Favors this year as I don't think he is mentally tough

 

[fishonjazz]

Jabba Parker has eaten his way out of consideration; I wouldn't touch him with a 10-ft fork.

lol

 

[Coach Ellis]

Agree with you and OneBrow. Before the combine and workouts, I generally saw this as a 4+4 draft. Embiid, Wiggins, Parker and Exum top-4 and Vonleh, Gordon, Smart and Randle the next tier down. After we started to hear some feedback, Exum definitely fell a bit and Vonleh started to rise. But you are right...a healthy Embiid was unquestionably the clear #1.

Now, there's no doubt Wiggins is the clear #1. Jabba Parker has eaten his way out of consideration; I wouldn't touch him with a 10-ft fork. He'll still go top-3, but he might have an Oliver Miller type career. Safest pick for Utah is Gordon. I'm still high on Vonleh, but Gordon has impressed with his attitude and confidence.

Great post. Pretty much exactly how I feel about it. I'd rep, but apparently I have to spread it around first (makes me feel a little bit like a rep whore when it tells me that.)

I'm impressed more with Exum's agent than Exum himself. He's definitely got a Darko vibe for me where there's not enough information for a real opinion to have formed. I'm not as high on Vonleh simply because he doesn't jump out on tape to me. That's a concern when he wasn't very productive and doesn't seem to have that alpha leader characteristic that I'm hoping they get.

Aaron Gordon has impressed me throughout this whole process and has risen all the way to 3 on my wish list. I would not trade Favors to move up (and I doubt they will.) I'd just stay put at 5 and draft Gordon. I know he's a kid who is already talented, but he seems to have that drive to be the best there is. Plus he's humble, gracious, funny and smart. Good basketball player. Good person. Seems like a great fit to me AND doesn't cost an arm and a leg to acquire.

 

[MDAV28]

Aaron Gordon has impressed me throughout this whole process and has risen all the way to 3 on my wish list. I would not trade Favors to move up (and I doubt they will.) I'd just stay put at 5 and draft Gordon. I know he's a kid who is already talented, but he seems to have that drive to be the best there is. Plus he's humble, gracious, funny and smart. Good basketball player. Good person. Seems like a great fit to me AND doesn't cost an arm and a leg to acquire.

Exactly.
PG- Burke
SG- Burks
SF- Gordon
PF- Favors
C- Kanter
6th man- Hayward
Bench: Evans, Gobert, #23, fillers

I'm hoping this is what we look like after the draft. Sure we need a superstar but we still are very young and guys haven't hit their peak yet and if anything we have a ton of assets to maybe go get one later down the line.

 

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I really don't think the top 2 picks are available. Cleveland and Milwaukee are doing their due diligence -- figuring out the going rate for lots of young players, etc., entering it into their spreadsheets for later -- but they're keeping those picks. If the jazz can get Gordon at 5 and bring Neto and Tomic over, that's a fairly big upgrade to the amount of creative players on the squad -- a big plus.

In addition to that, I think they should be shopping Burke and Kanter. I'd trade Burke for Gary Harris right now. What could these guys bring if they were paired with #23?

Then you add as much 3&D as you can in free agency.

But, yeah, if you can get Wiggins, then you do it.

 

[Stifle Tower]

^^
Wiggins is the only player I'd trade up for.
And I agree with bringing Neto and Tomic over. Let all these guys play, create competition for spots and then decide who to keep and who to trade. A better W/L record and better performances by Kanter and Favors will increase their value. Burks will likely be a starter; that ups his value.

 

[homeytennis]

Exactly.
PG- Burke
SG- Burks
SF- Gordon
PF- Favors
C- Kanter
6th man- Hayward
Bench: Evans, Gobert, #23, fillers

I'm hoping this is what we look like after the draft. Sure we need a superstar but we still are very young and guys haven't hit their peak yet and if anything we have a ton of assets to maybe go get one later down the line.

Does Gordon's 42% free throw shooting impress you? Hack an Aaron.

 

[Coach Ellis]

Does Gordon's 42% free throw shooting impress you? Hack an Aaron.

No. But his work ethic to improve his free throw shooting and mid-range game does. He's smart enough to know what areas of his game are weak and and is driven to fix it. I believe that he will. Give him professional support and coaching and he will get better. I'd have him start working with Malone and the bigs this summer, then have Quin Snyder help him with his footwork and release. He will get better.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

I have more faith in Aaron Gordon's ability to improve his free throws and shooting in general than I do in Jabari Parker staying in shape and playing defense, than I do in Joel Embiid staying healthy, than I do in Noah Vonleh's developing into an alpha leader and being more productive than he was in college, than I do in Marcus Smart improving his shot long-term, than I do in Randle being more than a rotational scorer off the bench and than I do in Dante Exum being able to compete against professional men competing at the highest level.

There's question marks about all of these guys. Aaron Gordon seems like the most likely of the bunch to answer those questions. I'd love to get Andrew Wiggins, but not at the cost that's been discussed recently. Outside of trading up to #1 to draft Wiggins, staying put at #5 and picking Gordon is my next favorite option (with trading up for Jabari Parker at #2 being my third favorite option.)

 

[BENTLEY]

I have more faith in Aaron Gordon's ability to improve his free throws and shooting in general than I do in Jabari Parker staying in shape and playing defense, than I do in Joel Embiid staying healthy, than I do in Noah Vonleh's developing into an alpha leader and being more productive than he was in college, than I do in Marcus Smart improving his shot long-term, than I do in Randle being more than a rotational scorer off the bench and than I do in Dante Exum being able to compete against professional men competing at the highest level.

There's question marks about all of these guys. Aaron Gordon seems like the most likely of the bunch to answer those questions.

Me too. Except I really don't know about Exum. Guy could end up best player in the draft - but no one knows for sure. The other guys, yeah, I got more faith in Gordon fixing his weaknesses than the rest of that lot.

 

[fishonjazz]

Does Gordon's 42% free throw shooting impress you? Hack an Aaron.

of course it doesnt. what a dumb question

42% from the line is not impressive.

impressive is like 85% and up.

i hope i cleared that up for you