Post by autumn harold on Jan 30, 2023 14:35:35 GMT -8
1. Philadelphia 76ers - Julius Erving - B+
Notes: Elite inside scoring, quickness and jumping. Good jumpshot and handles. Solid stocks and rebounding
Dr. J was the obvious no. 1 pre-notes, and I’m sure he’ll end up being one of the best wings in the league, but the notes and ratings aren’t what I expected, and I could never pass on Gilmore at 1. Still, this is 100 potential guaranteed and we could be looking at A/A-/B/A-/B prime ratings from Julius E.
Best case scenario: Billy Cunningham with better stocks.
2. Cleveland Cavs - Artis Gilmore - A
Notes: Elite inside scoring, blocks and strength. Good handles, post defense and rebounding
Don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone with notes and starting ratings this good. I don’t have KAJ’s, Wilt’s, or Bill’s notes in front of me, but elite inside, blocks, and strength with A- rebounding and good handles is hard to top. Just camp his jump shot and he should be a top three player in no time.
Best case scenario: Al Jeff with more volume.
3. Orlando Magic - Elmore Smith - A
Elite inside scoring, blocks and strength. Good post defense and handles. Solid rebounding.
Another stud big. Elite inside and blocks, probably gets to A- rebounding in his prime. I hate the combination of high volume + a bad jump shot, so gotta +9 his jump shot. Should be great. No one else even in consideration at 3.
Best case scenario: Alonzo Mourning.
4. Sacramento Kings - Hector Blondet - B-
Notes: Elite inside, jumpshot, handles, blocks, steals.
I’m done with wings without threes, but this guy was designed to be as good as possible with C+ ratings across the board, so seems destined to be a 23/8 wing with 4-5 stocks and <1 turnover per game. And there’s not much opportunity cost here—Austin Carr should’ve been the pick, but you can get a scoring SG fairly easily. Fine pick.
Best case scenario: I’m blanking. Bill Walker without threes?
5. Denver Nuggets - Austin Carr - A-
Notes: Good inside scoring, jumpshot, handles, perimeter defense and quickness.
Just look at three guys who went after him–brutal dropoff. Easy pick but a great one. Not saying this guy is a superstar, but he’ll be a good scoring wing with nice defense.
Best case scenario: Larry Jones with better handles.
6. Portland Trailblazers - Sidney Wicks - C+
Notes: Good inside scoring and jumpshot. Solid handles, post defense, quickness and strength.
The good: this guy had a really good NBA career, so I think the potential is going to be high. The bad: This guy stinks! If he doesn’t have blocks or rebounding, there’s nowhere for him to play. I would bank on him being a nice scorer, but really need the rebounds and blocks to come along for him to pan out.
Best case scenario: Slides to SF and turns into that goofy retro player Kobe and Braz had. But worse midrange and handles. So pretty bad.
7. Los Angeles Lakers - Steve Hawes - C
Notes: Good inside scoring, steals, post defense and strength. Solid jumpshot and handles
Pretty same situation as Hawes, though seems like he was worse IRL. A big without rebounding or blocks has a lot of ground to make up before he can be useful.
Best case scenario: Spencer Hawes’s uncle.
8. Phoenix Suns - Don Buse - B
Notes: Good jumpshot, handles and quickness. Solid 3 point shot, steals and jumping.
I like this guy just fine! He looks like Walt Hazzard did. I like Hazzard but said he’s more of a mid/late lotto type than a top pick. Same for Buse, so good value for John at 8. Just needs inside scoring to come along and he’ll be a good starting PG.
Best case scenario: Walt Hazzard.
9. San Antonio Spurs - Odis Alison - A-
Elite handling and quickness. Good inside scoring. Solid jumpshot, post defense and rebounding.
I was all over this guy. Elite handling and good inside scoring, plus the B- rebs mean he’ll be an elite wing rebounder. Just develop the outside shot and he’s a star. Bummer to miss out on him by one pick. Also loved the Marv Roberts pick–had him on my 10-man list. No one asked about him, but great notes and great starting ratings.
Best case scenario: Demar Derozan before the outside shot exploded.
10. Detroit Pistons - Tom Owens - B+
Notes: Good inside scoring, jumpshot, handles, post defense and strength. Solid rebounding.
It came down to Freddie Brown and Tom Owens. Brown had a great NBA career so I figured the potential was real, but I love Lantz and figured Ownens could be a really good big if the blocks developed. Definitely not expecting a star here, but he has nice notes and starting ratings.
Best case scenario: B+ version of Alex Groza.
11. Indiana Pacers - Fred Brown - A-
Notes: Good jumpshot, handles and quickness. Solid inside scoring, 3 point shot and steals.
He was meant to go a lot higher, probably top five or so, so this is a steal. Fred looks good, but hard to get too excited about C- rebounding and solid inside scoring. If the handles are really good and the inside scoring develops, he could become Gail Goodrich, but how valuable is that player? IDK. Need Skillz to bring back the value rankings.
Best case scenario: Gail Goodrich
12. Portland Trailblazers - Larry Steele - B+
Notes: Elite jumpshot, handles and steals. Good quickness. Solid post defense and perimeter defense.
Great late lotto addition. I struggle with guys like this (Keith Thomas was one of them) because they’re hard to start. You really want way more volume at SG and rebounding at SF. But Larry looks great, and if you have scoring around elsewhere in your lineup, he could be a great piece at SG. Elite in three important categories with no true deficiencies is a great base.
Best case scenario: Richard Jefferson
13. Los Angeles Lakers - Dave Robisch - B
Notes - Elite post defense. Good inside scoring, jumpshot, handles and strength.
I loved Robisch’s notes, just wish he had solid blocks. Still think he could be really nice but definitely gotta +9 those blocks.
Best case scenario: Luke Jackson
Notes: Elite inside scoring, quickness and jumping. Good jumpshot and handles. Solid stocks and rebounding
Dr. J was the obvious no. 1 pre-notes, and I’m sure he’ll end up being one of the best wings in the league, but the notes and ratings aren’t what I expected, and I could never pass on Gilmore at 1. Still, this is 100 potential guaranteed and we could be looking at A/A-/B/A-/B prime ratings from Julius E.
Best case scenario: Billy Cunningham with better stocks.
2. Cleveland Cavs - Artis Gilmore - A
Notes: Elite inside scoring, blocks and strength. Good handles, post defense and rebounding
Don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone with notes and starting ratings this good. I don’t have KAJ’s, Wilt’s, or Bill’s notes in front of me, but elite inside, blocks, and strength with A- rebounding and good handles is hard to top. Just camp his jump shot and he should be a top three player in no time.
Best case scenario: Al Jeff with more volume.
3. Orlando Magic - Elmore Smith - A
Elite inside scoring, blocks and strength. Good post defense and handles. Solid rebounding.
Another stud big. Elite inside and blocks, probably gets to A- rebounding in his prime. I hate the combination of high volume + a bad jump shot, so gotta +9 his jump shot. Should be great. No one else even in consideration at 3.
Best case scenario: Alonzo Mourning.
4. Sacramento Kings - Hector Blondet - B-
Notes: Elite inside, jumpshot, handles, blocks, steals.
I’m done with wings without threes, but this guy was designed to be as good as possible with C+ ratings across the board, so seems destined to be a 23/8 wing with 4-5 stocks and <1 turnover per game. And there’s not much opportunity cost here—Austin Carr should’ve been the pick, but you can get a scoring SG fairly easily. Fine pick.
Best case scenario: I’m blanking. Bill Walker without threes?
5. Denver Nuggets - Austin Carr - A-
Notes: Good inside scoring, jumpshot, handles, perimeter defense and quickness.
Just look at three guys who went after him–brutal dropoff. Easy pick but a great one. Not saying this guy is a superstar, but he’ll be a good scoring wing with nice defense.
Best case scenario: Larry Jones with better handles.
6. Portland Trailblazers - Sidney Wicks - C+
Notes: Good inside scoring and jumpshot. Solid handles, post defense, quickness and strength.
The good: this guy had a really good NBA career, so I think the potential is going to be high. The bad: This guy stinks! If he doesn’t have blocks or rebounding, there’s nowhere for him to play. I would bank on him being a nice scorer, but really need the rebounds and blocks to come along for him to pan out.
Best case scenario: Slides to SF and turns into that goofy retro player Kobe and Braz had. But worse midrange and handles. So pretty bad.
7. Los Angeles Lakers - Steve Hawes - C
Notes: Good inside scoring, steals, post defense and strength. Solid jumpshot and handles
Pretty same situation as Hawes, though seems like he was worse IRL. A big without rebounding or blocks has a lot of ground to make up before he can be useful.
Best case scenario: Spencer Hawes’s uncle.
8. Phoenix Suns - Don Buse - B
Notes: Good jumpshot, handles and quickness. Solid 3 point shot, steals and jumping.
I like this guy just fine! He looks like Walt Hazzard did. I like Hazzard but said he’s more of a mid/late lotto type than a top pick. Same for Buse, so good value for John at 8. Just needs inside scoring to come along and he’ll be a good starting PG.
Best case scenario: Walt Hazzard.
9. San Antonio Spurs - Odis Alison - A-
Elite handling and quickness. Good inside scoring. Solid jumpshot, post defense and rebounding.
I was all over this guy. Elite handling and good inside scoring, plus the B- rebs mean he’ll be an elite wing rebounder. Just develop the outside shot and he’s a star. Bummer to miss out on him by one pick. Also loved the Marv Roberts pick–had him on my 10-man list. No one asked about him, but great notes and great starting ratings.
Best case scenario: Demar Derozan before the outside shot exploded.
10. Detroit Pistons - Tom Owens - B+
Notes: Good inside scoring, jumpshot, handles, post defense and strength. Solid rebounding.
It came down to Freddie Brown and Tom Owens. Brown had a great NBA career so I figured the potential was real, but I love Lantz and figured Ownens could be a really good big if the blocks developed. Definitely not expecting a star here, but he has nice notes and starting ratings.
Best case scenario: B+ version of Alex Groza.
11. Indiana Pacers - Fred Brown - A-
Notes: Good jumpshot, handles and quickness. Solid inside scoring, 3 point shot and steals.
He was meant to go a lot higher, probably top five or so, so this is a steal. Fred looks good, but hard to get too excited about C- rebounding and solid inside scoring. If the handles are really good and the inside scoring develops, he could become Gail Goodrich, but how valuable is that player? IDK. Need Skillz to bring back the value rankings.
Best case scenario: Gail Goodrich
12. Portland Trailblazers - Larry Steele - B+
Notes: Elite jumpshot, handles and steals. Good quickness. Solid post defense and perimeter defense.
Great late lotto addition. I struggle with guys like this (Keith Thomas was one of them) because they’re hard to start. You really want way more volume at SG and rebounding at SF. But Larry looks great, and if you have scoring around elsewhere in your lineup, he could be a great piece at SG. Elite in three important categories with no true deficiencies is a great base.
Best case scenario: Richard Jefferson
13. Los Angeles Lakers - Dave Robisch - B
Notes - Elite post defense. Good inside scoring, jumpshot, handles and strength.
I loved Robisch’s notes, just wish he had solid blocks. Still think he could be really nice but definitely gotta +9 those blocks.
Best case scenario: Luke Jackson
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