Depressed Fan has gone all Sixers. I will still be blogging the Yankees and the Eagles, just in a different place. You can find my Yankee coverage at In Mo We Trust and the Eagles at Don't Boo The Birds. I'll be able to focus on each team better this way.
After weeks of preparation for quite possibly the worst draft of the decade, the time is finally here. I'll be taking part in a live blog of tonight's draft over on Arin It Out (check after the jump for the link). I highly encourage everyone to join me there. It should be fun to see my head explode when someone drafts Curry.
I could see them trading Camby and the #1 pick for a complete stud w/ a sick contract. Like Gilbert Arenas, maybe. The Hibachi could pack the Staples Center on a nightly basis :)
I'd say there is a decent chance now Sixers will have a shot at Holiday. They'll at least have an opportunity for Holiday or Lawson. Should be interesting.
The way I see it, he's an elite athlete, awesome size for the position, known as a tenacious defender, excellent character, and unbelievable value for the #17 pick. He reminds me a ton of Thad at the time, actually. Top ranked out of HS, dropped due to a poor role, for him, in college.
Brian - Everything I've read says he is just an okay athlete, far from elite. All the positives about him is size and defense. Offensively he is a long, long way away. And most ppl have him as a tweener.
I will come around if he really makes a dramatic impact on defense and doesn't turn the ball over.
Ellington is still on the board need to make something happen to get him since they didn't address shooting in the back court.
You can't base everything on the combine, but for defense, especially from guards, I think you have to look at lateral speed. Take a look at this.
He had a better agility time than Flynn, Mills, Lawson, Maynor, Teague and pretty much everyone of consequence besides Collison. That's pretty impressive for a guy who is so much bigger. Good wingspan, and if you can believe anything David Thorpe says about a guy he trained at IMG, Holiday really has a desire to play defense.
For what it's worth, I also heard tonight that his jumper has very good form and shouldn't be very hard to improve.
I'll have a longer piece on him later tonight/tomorrow. Still completely psyched he dropped.
You know what, I'm reading the same things you are about OK athleticism. I think I was speaking from what I saw of the combine. He was very, very impressive on the three-man break drills they were running. Looked like an extremely strong finisher, handled the ball well and moved well. His numbers were pretty good from the combine as well.
The feeling I am hearing is Lawson may look better now but Holiday is expected to have a much better NBA career. But, as we know, time will tell. I am not an expert, but he was a lottery pick by the experts, so, they must know something I don't know.
Chad Ford's Analysis: Holiday can take a huge sigh of relief. He slipped a bit, not because of his talent, but because of some concerns about a shoulder injury that were just enough to scare some teams away, a la what happened to Danny Granger with mild concerns about his knee a few years ago. This is a great pick for Philly, which gets a lottery talent at 17 and has its point guard of the future.
I was thinking the same thing. Don't see how Budinger makes sense now that we have Kapono. Danny Green I would like though and Dionte Christmas as an undrafted guy.
I was disappointed at first about Holiday but the more I hear, the better I feel. What I hear about Holiday is he has a very good chance of being an Allstar in a few years. He is only 20.
I like Lawson better, but on the theory that potential is measured by a weighted average of height and vertical leap, I suppose he has more potential. It'll be a couple years at least before Holiday's any good on the NBA level, but that aspect of the pick is fine, I don't think anyone thought we were going to contend next season or the season after that.
Entering college Holiday was a consensus top 2 prospect. He is a similarstory to Thad, in that he had a somewhat challenging Freshman year playing in a new position (off the ball as SG.)
Also, like Thad, eventually he should be able to play that new position, and the year of work actually may have been good for him. Just like Thad can play both forward positions, Holiday projects to play both guard positions. It willtake some time to see if he can reach his potential. A lot of scouts were disapointed by how he performed in college. Again, much like Thad. we will have to see if it works out just as well.
A lot of people here thought Harden was a great pick if we moved up (trading Speights). Well, as a freshman, playing out of position, Holiday locked him up and held him to 15 points on a ton of shots and forced him into 8 turnovers.
We got a guy that has a chance to be very good, and if he gets that good we use another piece to get our shooter.This assures me A.Miller is back, not sure how I feel about that.He fills Ivey!s role to start and go from there.With L.Will. supposedly a big part of this team it makes sense to get a big p.g. .
I really, really am thrilled that this is the guy we got. I think he's going to be a good fit, especially when sharing floor time with Willie or Lou.
A point guard that is good defensively is a diamond in the rough these days and I've always emphasized good defense. If we start Dalembert and Brand is fit we should be a rebounding force and I'm sure we'll be able to generate enough offense to be much better (and more well-rounded) than last season.
I'm okay if Miller stays, I don't think that puts us in luxury tax territory, does it?
Oh come on - LAC aren't on the clock - even the clippers can't screw this up :)
I could see them trading Camby and the #1 pick for a complete stud w/ a sick contract. Like Gilbert Arenas, maybe. The Hibachi could pack the Staples Center on a nightly basis :)
You never know - this michael jackson news could mess up donald sterlings chakras
At the draft. Will provide what updates I can on my site.
Sergio and 38 for 31 will be announced soon. Nothing major.
No huge surprises so far. I'm a little surprised GS picked Curry. 3/4 of their team is combo guards (the other 1/4 seem to be really skinny PFs).
Unbelievable. He was as high as #4 on a ton of mocks, even this week. That's a steal, fellas. I'm excited.
I'd say there is a decent chance now Sixers will have a shot at Holiday. They'll at least have an opportunity for Holiday or Lawson. Should be interesting.
I think we gotta take holiday here
Nice Pick
Holiday
Brian you will have to sell me on Holiday I didn't want him.
The way I see it, he's an elite athlete, awesome size for the position, known as a tenacious defender, excellent character, and unbelievable value for the #17 pick. He reminds me a ton of Thad at the time, actually. Top ranked out of HS, dropped due to a poor role, for him, in college.
Brian - Everything I've read says he is just an okay athlete, far from elite. All the positives about him is size and defense. Offensively he is a long, long way away. And most ppl have him as a tweener.
I will come around if he really makes a dramatic impact on defense and doesn't turn the ball over.
Ellington is still on the board need to make something happen to get him since they didn't address shooting in the back court.
You can't base everything on the combine, but for defense, especially from guards, I think you have to look at lateral speed. Take a look at this.
He had a better agility time than Flynn, Mills, Lawson, Maynor, Teague and pretty much everyone of consequence besides Collison. That's pretty impressive for a guy who is so much bigger. Good wingspan, and if you can believe anything David Thorpe says about a guy he trained at IMG, Holiday really has a desire to play defense.
For what it's worth, I also heard tonight that his jumper has very good form and shouldn't be very hard to improve.
I'll have a longer piece on him later tonight/tomorrow. Still completely psyched he dropped.
You know what, I'm reading the same things you are about OK athleticism. I think I was speaking from what I saw of the combine. He was very, very impressive on the three-man break drills they were running. Looked like an extremely strong finisher, handled the ball well and moved well. His numbers were pretty good from the combine as well.
Draft Xchange gives Sixers pick an A and says Holiday is the perfect choice...
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/11888745
The feeling I am hearing is Lawson may look better now but Holiday is expected to have a much better NBA career. But, as we know, time will tell. I am not an expert, but he was a lottery pick by the experts, so, they must know something I don't know.
Current news about why Holiday dropped:
Chad Ford's Analysis: Holiday can take a huge sigh of relief. He slipped a bit, not because of his talent, but because of some concerns about a shoulder injury that were just enough to scare some teams away, a la what happened to Danny Granger with mild concerns about his knee a few years ago. This is a great pick for Philly, which gets a lottery talent at 17 and has its point guard of the future.
Saw that. I consider us lucky.
Ecstatic.
Funny thing is I think he dropped after your boy Curry lit him up i a work-out. Good thing he did...
Just read you shoulder story. Guess can't give credit to Curry. ;)
Ellisngton gone, would be good to get Budinger.
Why would it be good to get Budinger?
I was thinking the same thing. Don't see how Budinger makes sense now that we have Kapono. Danny Green I would like though and Dionte Christmas as an undrafted guy.
We need a 2nd round pick, guys!
I was disappointed at first about Holiday but the more I hear, the better I feel. What I hear about Holiday is he has a very good chance of being an Allstar in a few years. He is only 20.
Where do you hear that? I haven't heard that.
Actually, I think Holiday is 19. He is young for his draft class.
I do not know who it was, but it was a commentator (or sixer rep, not sure) on ESPN 950 stating that above. It was not a caller.
I like Lawson better, but on the theory that potential is measured by a weighted average of height and vertical leap, I suppose he has more potential. It'll be a couple years at least before Holiday's any good on the NBA level, but that aspect of the pick is fine, I don't think anyone thought we were going to contend next season or the season after that.
Entering college Holiday was a consensus top 2 prospect. He is a similarstory to Thad, in that he had a somewhat challenging Freshman year playing in a new position (off the ball as SG.)
Also, like Thad, eventually he should be able to play that new position, and the year of work actually may have been good for him. Just like Thad can play both forward positions, Holiday projects to play both guard positions. It willtake some time to see if he can reach his potential. A lot of scouts were disapointed by how he performed in college. Again, much like Thad. we will have to see if it works out just as well.
I mentioned elsewhere, but on espn, 53% believe the sixers w/ Jrue got the steal of the 1st round.
A lot of people here thought Harden was a great pick if we moved up (trading Speights). Well, as a freshman, playing out of position, Holiday locked him up and held him to 15 points on a ton of shots and forced him into 8 turnovers.
Holiday just turned 19 on June 12. The Sixers like his size and compare his off-court attitide to Thaddeus Young.
We got a guy that has a chance to be very good, and if he gets that good we use another piece to get our shooter.This assures me A.Miller is back, not sure how I feel about that.He fills Ivey!s role to start and go from there.With L.Will. supposedly a big part of this team it makes sense to get a big p.g. .
I really, really am thrilled that this is the guy we got. I think he's going to be a good fit, especially when sharing floor time with Willie or Lou.
A point guard that is good defensively is a diamond in the rough these days and I've always emphasized good defense. If we start Dalembert and Brand is fit we should be a rebounding force and I'm sure we'll be able to generate enough offense to be much better (and more well-rounded) than last season.
I'm okay if Miller stays, I don't think that puts us in luxury tax territory, does it?