Are we fifth in a 5-8 player draft?

[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.

 

[[size/HUGE] fixed [/size]]

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

 

[Stifle Tower]

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.)

Are we twins separated at birth?
I find myself agreeing with you an awful lot.

Edit: oh, just read your last sentence again. I'm not sure I want Jabari at the price it would take. He's FAT - and I don't mean PHAT.

 

[Coach Ellis]

Are we twins separated at birth?
I find myself agreeing with you an awful lot.

Edit: oh, just read your last sentence again. I'm not sure I want Jabari at the price it would take. He's FAT - and I don't mean PHAT.

Yeah, I'm not totally off the Jabari train quite yet, but I'm willing to see if Gordon is gone at 5 (anything can happen) and I'd be willing to explore the trade options if he's not. I'm willing to go big for Wiggins, but not outrageous. I'm less enthused about trading up for Jabari, but would consider it. I'd still rather use more picks than players in any deal that gets made. I'm fond of Favors and Kanter, but would part with either of them if that's absolutely what it took to get the deal done. I'd rather keep Burks. I think that he possibly has the greatest star potential currently on the roster and I'd like to cultivate that. My preference is to keep all of our young guys, add a few more to the team and then let them compete with each other and learn the system. They won't be as bad as last year, which should raise their value for potential trades in the future if they don't pan out quite as the Jazz hope they will.

I can see the desire to add a star when there's two guys so tantalizingly close, but they're unproven at the NBA level and I don't want to give up an All-Star player package for a guy who is just as likely as the guys picked 3-6 to break out or bust. Save those trades for actual NBA All-Star players. Change the culture in Utah to a "Championship or Bust" mentality like the Rockets have gone after and I think that you can build a potential competitor. Guys want to play for winners. Start winning and being exciting and it makes it much easier to bring and keep players in Utah.

 

[bigmike]

I think there are definitely tiers in this draft. As you go through the process, everyone has their flaws scrutinized but I'm starting to think some people are undervaluing Embiid, Wiggins and Parker (though of course Embiid's injuries are a factor).

 

[Stifle Tower]

I can see the desire to add a star when there's two guys so tantalizingly close, but they're unproven at the NBA level and I don't want to give up an All-Star player package for a guy who is just as likely as the guys picked 3-6 to break out or bust. Save those trades for actual NBA All-Star players. Change the culture in Utah to a "Championship or Bust" mentality like the Rockets have gone after and I think that you can build a potential competitor. Guys want to play for winners. Start winning and being exciting and it makes it much easier to bring and keep players in Utah.

Agree. Let's get the next Harden or Love when we're close. Then you trade good assets for an actual all-star, not just one people THINK will be an all-star...SOME DAY.