Bulls Beat #116 - The first draft preview

[Ralphb07]

HeavyC wrote:

dougthonus wrote:

ryguy24 wrote:

Mullens has a load of potential, but I don't know, he looked awfully far away. Never trust a 7 foot guy with his athleticism and bulk who can't rebound in college. That's a really big red flag that something is wrong with the dude.

Kind of a certain somebody mentioned with Brook Lopez last year?

I don't think you can blame anyone for that though, it seemed like Lopez just turned into a different player in terms of rebounding once he reached the NBA. It's probably pretty tough to project that kind of a turnaround with any accuracy.

It's a fair point, Brook Lopez's stats really scream bust when you project them to the next level. Low FG% and rebound rate in college while towering over everyone he plays against.

It's really interesting how well he's performed thusfar in the NBA. It certainly goes to show that you never know what a guy will do on the next level.

At 16, to me, Mullens would be a gift. Anybody they pick there will have shortcomings. I'd rather get lucky taking a 7'1 Center then get lucky taking a SG or SF.

At 16 it might be hard to pass on a guy like him. 7'1 270lb freshman he could turn into something nice. If he panned out a Mullens/Noah front court would be big

The guys I'm looking at now are Ellington,Johnson,Williams,Mullens,Clark,Patterson and Blair

If we went with Mullens at 16 and if none of those guys I mention above fall to 26 maybe take a chance on Jermaine Taylor from UCF. The kid can shoot from the highlights I saw and has a nice NBA ready body to him. If Blair measures in under 6'7 I see him falling in the 20's

 

[dougthonus]

I wouldn't waste my pick on someone with modest talent.

You wouldn't waste your #26 pick on modest talent? If you get someone at #26 who is worth being on a roster for all 4 years of his rookie deal then you've done well.

 

[dougthonus]

Ralphb07 wrote:

Doug what's the story with James Johnson. You mention him as a guy you like and from the little highlights I can watch he looks pretty good. Do you consider him a 4? Does he have a little inside game?

From what I watched he kinda reminded me of Thad Young

I want to see how he measures out. His listed measurements would make him a 4, but he has really great ball handling skills for a 4, so I think he can definitely play as a 3 as well. If he projects out as a pure 3 defensively then I'd be less interested because we don't really need a 3.

 

[HeavyC]

Ralphb07 wrote:

HeavyC wrote:

dougthonus wrote:

ryguy24 wrote:

Mullens has a load of potential, but I don't know, he looked awfully far away. Never trust a 7 foot guy with his athleticism and bulk who can't rebound in college. That's a really big red flag that something is wrong with the dude.

Kind of a certain somebody mentioned with Brook Lopez last year?

I don't think you can blame anyone for that though, it seemed like Lopez just turned into a different player in terms of rebounding once he reached the NBA. It's probably pretty tough to project that kind of a turnaround with any accuracy.

It's a fair point, Brook Lopez's stats really scream bust when you project them to the next level. Low FG% and rebound rate in college while towering over everyone he plays against.

It's really interesting how well he's performed thusfar in the NBA. It certainly goes to show that you never know what a guy will do on the next level.

At 16, to me, Mullens would be a gift. Anybody they pick there will have shortcomings. I'd rather get lucky taking a 7'1 Center then get lucky taking a SG or SF.

At 16 it might be hard to pass on a guy like him. 7'1 270lb freshman he could turn into something nice. If he panned out a Mullens/Noah front court would be big

The guys I'm looking at now are Ellington,Johnson,Williams,Mullens,Clark,Patterson and Blair

If we went with Mullens at 16 and if none of those guys I mention above fall to 26 maybe take a chance on Jermaine Taylor from UCF. The kid can shoot from the highlights I saw and has a nice NBA ready body to him. If Blair measures in under 6'7 I see him falling in the 20's

I'd love Mullens at 16 and Taylor at 26. Even if Taylor rates out to a 2nd round pick, I'd roll the dice and grab him at the end of the 1st.

 

[Ralphb07]

dougthonus wrote:

Ralphb07 wrote:

Doug what's the story with James Johnson. You mention him as a guy you like and from the little highlights I can watch he looks pretty good. Do you consider him a 4? Does he have a little inside game?

From what I watched he kinda reminded me of Thad Young

I want to see how he measures out. His listed measurements would make him a 4, but he has really great ball handling skills for a 4, so I think he can definitely play as a 3 as well. If he projects out as a pure 3 defensively then I'd be less interested because we don't really need a 3.

Is he starter quality?

Draft express and draft.net have him at 6'8 235lbs. Wake Forest has him at 6'9 245lbs

IMO as long as he comes in at 6'8 235lbs that's enough size but if he's really 6'9 and 245lbs that would be awesome

 

[ryguy24]

Yeah, Johnson is starting to grow on me a bit after watching more tape. Very skilled with the ball.

I'm trying to find guys who can play the pick and roll game with Rose since we run it so often, and it looks like Johnson has the traits. He's got some bulk for the picks, he can hit the midrange jumper, and he can take a pass and get to the hoop off of a roll and finish strong.

That's what kills me about Blair. I love the guy so much from watching him, but I feel like a main priority is getting players to build towards Rose's skills, and Blair lacks in alot of those things. Can't really hit the jumper off of the pick, too slow (and iffy ball handling) to take the pass and score off of alot of rolls, and definitely not a guy who will run on the break with Rose. Still though, he was probably me favorite player in college ball this year, so it's tough.

 

[ryguy24]

Johnson is apparently a big fighter (black belt) and can do standing backflips, if anyone cares.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/luke_winn/01/28/james.johnson/index.html

I've seen alot of Jeff Green comparisons by the way.

 

[Dpauley23]

I think Green likes to play on the perimeter alot. My question is why is this guy going 16? He has to be horrible defensively or something.

 

[Ralphb07]

ryguy24 wrote:

Yeah, Johnson is starting to grow on me a bit after watching more tape. Very skilled with the ball.

I'm trying to find guys who can play the pick and roll game with Rose since we run it so often, and it looks like Johnson has the traits. He's got some bulk for the picks, he can hit the midrange jumper, and he can take a pass and get to the hoop off of a roll and finish strong.

That's what kills me about Blair. I love the guy so much from watching him, but I feel like a main priority is getting players to build towards Rose's skills, and Blair lacks in alot of those things. Can't really hit the jumper off of the pick, too slow (and iffy ball handling) to take the pass and score off of alot of rolls, and definitely not a guy who will run on the break with Rose. Still though, he was probably me favorite player in college ball this year, so it's tough.

Doug brought Johnson up and I've been watching as much film as I can find and this guy really interests me. I like Blair a lot too but I'm leaning more towards Johnson based on how he would fit Rose and I see him more as a potential starter over Blair.

If he measures out okay and is a PF he will cause some match up problems.... We'll see have to wait until all the measurements come out.

 

[Dpauley23]

For those of you watching Johnson what is his potential: a solid starter or All star?

 

[dougthonus]

Dpauley23 wrote:

For those of you watching Johnson what is his potential: a solid starter or All star?

I wouldn't ever predict someone outside the top 10 is a future all-star. It's not to say that it won't happen, but guys who you can readily call future all-stars go in the top 10. Guys outside it have lots of issues that you have to hope get worked out.

 

[Rose1]

dougthonus wrote:

Dpauley23 wrote:

For those of you watching Johnson what is his potential: a solid starter or All star?

I wouldn't ever predict someone outside the top 10 is a future all-star. It's not to say that it won't happen, but guys who you can readily call future all-stars go in the top 10. Guys outside it have lots of issues that you have to hope get worked out.

He can be with his skill-set. He has Pierce or Caron Butler game.

 

[ryguy24]

Dpauley23 wrote:

I think Green likes to play on the perimeter alot. My question is why is this guy going 16? He has to be horrible defensively or something.

He's not the best defender from what the reports say.

 

[Dpauley23]

From everything this board is saying he seems like he has really good skill sets so it can't figure out why hes around the late lottery-mid 1st round.

 

[dougthonus]

Might be too small to play PF, maybe not athletic enough to be a 3.

His jumper still has a lot of work to become NBA quality, especially if he plays more as a 3 than a 4.

 

[Rose1]

dougthonus wrote:

Might be too small to play PF, maybe not athletic enough to be a 3.

His jumper still has a lot of work to become NBA quality, especially if he plays more as a 3 than a 4.

Exactly, that's what I saw from him this season. I thought people were going to defer to Aminu. Then I notice Johnson playing like the guy and taking the ball from Teague. I had no idea who he was but saw he was the leader on the floor.

 

[Ralphb07]

Dpauley23 wrote:

From everything this board is saying he seems like he has really good skill sets so it can't figure out why hes around the late lottery-mid 1st round.

We think he brings stuff to us at 16. Would we be talking about him if we were in the top 5.....no

Just like Blair a lot of us on the other forum(Which I won't mention because Doug rules :laugh: ) like Blair, Terrance Williams and Patterson but they don't think they're superstars or anything. All the posters are saying is what he brings if he reaches his potential. His style would bring a lot of match up problems at the PF positions. He might not even measure out to be a PF which then makes his skill set not as needed

Everything I read say he's 6'8-6'9 but I'm thinking it's not 6'9 and probably 6'8 with shoes on but last time I checked they wear shoes when they play.

I haven't seen anything saying he weighs under 230 which is another good sign

 

[Dpauley23]

I haven't really seen Johnson play so I was just wondering. I actually thought I read that Patterson has all star potential, but doesn't have great work ethic, and he is stupid

 

[Rose1]

Dpauley23 wrote:

I haven't really seen Johnson play so I was just wondering. I actually thought I read that Patterson has all star potential, but doesn't have great work ethic, and he is stupid

From the interview I've seen, Patterson doesn't appear to be stupid. From his gamelog, I would insist he might of had the best year all round than anybody else. His skill and horse like motor just doesn't make sense. The only flaw he has is the way he lays it all out. Right now, his body doesn't look like it will hold, similar to Dwayne Wade it seems. He look more chaste during his highschool days than now. He takes a beaten man.

 

[Dpauley23]

DT said that he was as stupid as rocks. Considering he has some people who know these guys I would trust him over your take on interview. His team also sucked though so they could be one of reasons about his work ethic