If he falls I’m drafting him!

Welcome to the second part of the 2011 “MY Take” on the draft. In part one I talked about the importance, from my perspective, of the need to have a plan as the draft approaches. But we all know that what we think might happen in the draft landscape always changes, as teams trade and draft before us.

This “My Take” will focus on the players, from the cumulative “mocking the draft “, as of 5/29/11. Two players,  Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams, will not be discussed here, nor included in the “I’m taking them if they fall” poll. Ziggy has set up a poll in the  Bobcats Planet draft forum that gives everyone a chance to vote for three players that, if they drop, you’d draft them without hesitation. Why are Irving(97) and Williams(100) not included, you might ask? They are recognized as the two best players in this draft and we’re pretty sure everyone would grab them if they tumbled to the ‘Cats with the #9 pick.

The players I will discuss, again the other six players listed to go before we pick, are: Enes Canter(98), Brandon Knight (96), Jonas Valanciunas (93), Kemba Walker(95), Kawhi Leonard (93), and Jan Vesely (95). Alec Burks (95) is currently listed, again from the cumulative mock, to us at the number nine pick. Burks was also selected by the majority of those voting in the “who do you take” with the #9 pick poll on Bobcats Planet. NBAdraft.net is one of the few mock draft sites that attaches an evaluation number to prospects. The numbers in parenthesis next to the players is the overall evaluation score NBAdraft.net has assigned that player and is included for comparison.

I admit that I love this time of year. Hope springs eternal for those of us that consider ourselves “draft junkies”. I’ve never considered the term, at least for me, as being one of an “all-knowing” seer but rather as one of an all-knowing hope, as in, I’m hoping we get it right. This will be my first real draft to get a good handle on our GM, Rod Higgins, and the scouting staff now employed by the Bobcats. I’d like to feel, after the draft, that we went in with a plan and accomplished at least part of that plan. So let me share what my plan, if I were the GM, would be for this particular draft.
First I’ll share what I think our team weaknesses are and then how I’d fill them. Bench scoring (we can call it the sixth man) coupled with a lack of shooting guard depth is a major problem for this team. We also have a starting small-forward, Stephen Jackson, that’s 33 years old and has two years left on his contract, so this would be a good time to get a small-forward starter-in-training. Point Guard depth, and some would say the starter, is a problem. Our primary back-up,  Shaun Livingston, has a history of injury issues. The center spot has always been a concern for the ‘Cats but I’ve put it next to last since I see little help for that need in this draft. Big-man depth is a team issue since we only have one center, DeSagana Diop, under contract.

The Angel of Stern has determined that the Cleveland Cavaliers are the winners of the #1 overall draft pick this season. Kyrie Irving who was on hand during the lottery proceedings looked like he was on the verge of a severe crying  jag as a result of the outcome. I would suggest that those closest to him to hide all sharp kitchen utensils and to lock up any medications stronger than baby aspirin. Of course if by some strange reason the Cavs pass on Kyrie then he will be sitting right there available for the T-Wolves at #2… Lord knows they have no reservations against drafting yet another point guard.

The Bobcats did not receive Stern’s blessing, so they will be sitting at #9 in this year’s draft. The Cats will likely be looking at a pool of players like Bismack Biyombo, Alec Burks, the Morris twins among others.

We are going to discuss potential draft picks until we are blue in the face right here. But what are your initial thoughts on who the Bobcats should take with the 9th pick?

Last night Andrew Bynum punched another ticket on his goon card with this absurdly cheap shot on the 5’2″  118 pound J.J. Barea. I have no problem with hard fouls, but if you are going to dish one out, then man up and do it in game one of the series to give the Mavs a chance to retaliate. Don’t do it when you are down by 30 in game 4 on your way to getting swept.

Lets take a closer look at Andrew Bynum’s goon history.