Do the Julius dance. Make your off-season predictions here:

1. Way too many options and money to strike out completely. Even if we don't get 1st tier options, there are several second tier. Young is a solid backup with a decent coach, so if we had to keep him, I'm still confident we can address the position adequately.

We aren't making noise in the playoffs for a couple years if we are relying on Ingram as our main SF, so 2nd tier FA isn't any worse. However, much easier to get s star SF vs a Center.

2. Floor on Ingram is a tall Rip Hamilton, ceiling is Durant light. I like him, and certainly would not complain if we picked him.

Floor on Bender could be Darko Milicic, but that was a case of a talented kid on a championship roster that couldn't get any run.

If we pick him, he needs to get 15-20 min a game to develop and grow confident.

Ceiling for Bender: Kirilenko on steroids. Taller, better defender, more skilled, and has handles and range. Great defensive instincts and great passer, so he potentially could man the 5 spot for 15 years as our skinny Sabonis.

 

Because its open season on speculation - Ill throw mine into the ring. I have been looking closely at Ingram. He is the better fit for this Lakers team and might actually be the best talent in this draft. Lakers would be crazy to not go for him unless they are planning on making a deal to get two picks in the first round of this draft (aka Boston's picks). I say no - but if they plan on going for Bender and Sabonis - I'd be shocked. I say the plan is to keep drafting and go with Ingram (assuming that Philly does not take him at No. 1). So the Ingram plan works like this:

Draft Ingram at 2
Draft a big in Rd. 2 (draft is full of 7 footers including Thon Maker, kid from Vandy, etc).
Sign: Whiteside.
Rest is downhill sledding...

If no Ingram and Simmons falls - gets more interesting.

I see Lakers drafting Simmons but considering trades due to Simmons value. If can't grab something that is unimaginable - then trade Julius, Clarkson, Young for some picks (Boston, Phx, Den?) and continue to build around Simmons. Sign Batuum, Noah/Horford, etc.

My mind is blown by the possibilities. But in my view - this is a 'no brainer' just like it was when Durant vs. Oden was the debate. Hands down - Ingram.

 

Agree on floor for Bender. Ceiling could be Pau Gasol - which is what I think has Mitch and Jimmy looking at him closely.
Agree on ceiling on Ingram. Floor looks like Horry.

 

Hmm.....
- A taller Rip Hamilton (a 3-time all-star) is a MUCH better player than all the available FA wings this year, not named Durant and Derozan. So I would say 2nd-tier FA wings this year are far worse.
- Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince (another player often mentioned as Ingram's floor) were good enough for the Pistons to make deep playoff runs for almost a decade. As a matter of fact, the Pistons won a ring in Tayshaun's second year as a pro. So I'm not sure why Ingram, at his absolute worst, would hamper us from making the playoffs.
- None of the remaining 4 playoff teams have a star center and they're doing just fine. However, all of the teams have a star wing which is a necessity in today's NBA. We need to compile as much talent as we can at that position.
- Comparing their ceilings, I'd rather have a Durant Lite than a Kirilenko Plus.

Finally, our 2nd pick can not be used on a possible Darko Milicic, even if the potential reward is the 2nd coming of MJ. That kind of mistake could haunt us for years, if not decades.

 

with the way the league is trending I think we should focus on no position players, which is why we need to grab either Simmons or Ingram! Also a center is easy to grab with our 2nd round pick, free agency has solid centers to sign in biyombo etc. As for derozan he plays sg/sf as well as batum/barnes etc. So let's stop worrying about position we need but best player available

 

It's just a theory

I'm trusting Mitch will make the right call whatever it is

 

For real, realdeal, there 's a center or combo 4/5 coming out named, Diamond Stone?

 

The future of basketball looks a lot like Croatia's Dragan Bender

http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2015/6/8/8745739/dragan-bender-nba-draft-2016-profile

An old Dragan article. He's been on the radar for awhile, but with his fast development and skill level, looks like a can't miss prospect. Might be a player like no one has seen before. Maybe a Dirk with better handles, passing, and D.

 

Are you and your 6 big balls going to be insufferable if you'Re right about this, sirron? Or stay the same conservative, grounded and lovable, shy member at LB you've always been?

 

No one knows what will happen yet, and mine is only a theory. I think no one truly knows how things will play out. Mitch probably has 20 versions of Plan B though.

If I'm right, I'll get a chuckle out of it and hope it goes well. If I'm wrong? Let's just say I'm used to that.

 

Dirk is a much better shooter, but not as good in the post.

Reminds me more of Dirk than Duncan

 

When you read about his back story, and what happened to his brother, and what drives him, I have a feeling this guy will be beyond driven to succeed. It might take a couple years, but the ingredients are there to be something special. It's a crapshoot with all 18-19 year olds IMHO

 

Dirk has done it for close to 20 years though. If you get someone that can do that for 10 years, still an all time great.

Plus, Dirk is a better shooter. Just the closest comparison on style I could come up with.

 

man, people still don't have the proper respect for dirk's game. forget twenty years, there's only a handful of pfs in history who can match his 4-5 year peak.

maybe it's that people don't really appreciate just how much being an insanely good shooter matters? you'd think curry's ascendance would end all that, though. anyway, nothing from bender or porzingis looks even like 19 year old dirk to me. he could already shoot the lights out, and was a better athlete than both.

sorry, this isn't to pick on sirron (who, again, may not be fully serious), just a general comment on all the "next dirks".

i've heard next toni kukoc for bender...that meshes better with the film and scouting reports.

 

Kukoc was a nice player; a role player, but a nice player, nonetheless. That's not worth a number 2 pick, though.