2013 CB Draft: Southwest Division Press Conferences

[fitzhickey]

Smiths main role in the offence will be cutting to the basket for open dunks. And we know he can do them

I'm curious about the pace you'll be playing at.  You've got some great athletes and rebounders, but you've also got some older and/or banged up guys.

Do you see your team as primarily a fast-paced, transition offense, or a half-court team that is opportunistic with transition opportunities?

Primarily half court, but if we see an opportunity to break we are going at the speed of heat

[The Walker Wiggle]

Here's how I rank the division:

1-Houston
2-Dallas
3-San Antonio
4-Memphis

(Teams) Feel free to tell me why I'm wrong.

But nobody likes to be told why they're wrong, do they?

Houston - It depends on how highly you value offense? The Rockets will score a ton of points but they're defensively the worst team in the division. Dragic and Harden are both poor defenders, and every guard behind them back to Jimmer gets progressively worse. Gortat is an offensive only big similar to Al Jefferson, and Faried while a great rebounder is a poor team defender and short at his position. That leaves Prince as the only plus defender on the team. Batum makes big plays but is otherwise generally overrated.

Dallas - Injury concerns are worse than San Antonio's. Nash, Gordon, and Kaman struggled to stay on the court last season, and their bench is thinner. Young is the far better sixth man than Hansbrough or Jerebko. Ridnour is a much better point guard at this stage than Knight (who might be an undersized 2?) Thornton can score in more ways than Neal.

[The Walker Wiggle]

I've got San Antonio as a significant step below.

Every summer.

[The Walker Wiggle]

SA, have you given any thought to playing Thad Young at SF, at least some of the time?  I'm not sold on either backup at SF, and Granger, well, others have covered it pretty well there.

You don't have to worry about Datome and Carroll if you don't trust them. There aren't that many minutes to be had except when Granger is out. Young plays both forward positions or Iguodala slides to the 3 with Thornton or Ridnour at the 2.

[KGs Knee]

Here's how I rank the division:

1-Houston
2-Dallas
3-San Antonio
4-Memphis

(Teams) Feel free to tell me why I'm wrong.

But nobody likes to be told why they're wrong, do they?

Houston - It depends on how highly you value offense? The Rockets will score a ton of points but they're defensively the worst team in the division. Dragic and Harden are both poor defenders, and every guard behind them back to Jimmer gets progressively worse. Gortat is an offensive only big similar to Al Jefferson, and Faried while a great rebounder is a poor team defender and short at his position. That leaves Prince as the only plus defender on the team. Batum makes big plays but is otherwise generally overrated.

Dallas - Injury concerns are worse than San Antonio's. Nash, Gordon, and Kaman struggled to stay on the court last season, and their bench is thinner. Young is the far better sixth man than Hansbrough or Jerebko. Ridnour is a much better point guard at this stage than Knight (who might be an undersized 2?) Thornton can score in more ways than Neal.

So what you're really saying, is each team in this division has it flaws.  Seems about right, as I don't think I'd put any of them in the top 4 in the conference.

You do bring out a good point about Dallas' injury concerns at guard.  Maybe I'll reconsider, and vault the Spurs ahead.

I just don't see anyone topping Houston though.  They seem the most (relatively) flaw-free.

[Who]

San Antonio Spurs

PG - Kemba Walker, Luke Ridnour
SG - Andre Iguodala, Marcus Thornton
SF - Danny Granger, Diatome
PF - Kevin Love, Thaddeus Young
 C - JaVale McGee, Cody Zeller

End of Bench: Toney Douglas, DeMarre Carroll, Cody Zeller
Head Coach: Rick Carlisle

Iggy + K-Love

This was one of my favourite two man combinations in the league.

Kevin Love had a season to forget last season but he was downright dominant the year before. Phenomenal rebounding and high level offensive play. Arguably the best PF in the league today. Andre Iguodala was a very interest running mate with his top notch defensive play, strong rebounding and facilitating play (ball-handling, playmaking) offensively.

I thought the Spurs were in great shape after such a strong start with their first two picks. A title contender in the making.

Rounds 3, 4 and 5

Next pick was a big one and it was Danny Granger. Obviously because of his health, Granger was a major risk. I was down on his ability to play at a high level again next season. Too much of a question mark for a team making a title push.

Then there was JaVale McGee, Thaddeus Young and Kemba Walker.

Kemba Walker -- I just do not like. I think he is one of the most over-rated players in the league. Did a lot of damage to the Charlotte Bobcats last season and was one of the main reasons they lost 60+ games. A weak defensive player (too small to contest shots). A limited floor general and passer. A decent but unexceptional scorer (volume scorer, 51.7% TS%). I think Kemba is a very good backup PG in the making but I do not like him as a starting PG. I think Iggy can mitigate Kemba's limited PG skills some but not enough.

Thaddeus Young -- a round too early for me. In a 25 team draft, I think he is round 6 or early 7th. On a team like this with K-Love as starting PF, I also wonder if there is enough available playing time at PF to justify taking him high in the draft despite his talent.

JaVale McGee -- This is the pick I liked the most. A lot of talent. Doesn't know how to use it. But a lot of talent.

Bench

Luke Ridnour is a very solid backup PG. Marcus Thornton one of the best backup SGs in the West. Don't know enough about Diatome to comment. Thaddeus Young is one of the strongest backup PFs in the league.

The third stringers have talent. Toney Douglas is a fine third string PG. DeMarre Carroll gives you a nice hard nosed defensive SF/PF. D.Motiejunas is a very talented backup PF who I think has a very bright future ahead of him.

Cody Zeller

I like Cody Zeller as an individual player but not so much on this team. I loved how San Antonio in the DKC League protected Zeller by coupling him with Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter. Two centers who can take the more difficult matchups. Duncan whose high post game opens the floor for Zeller. Splitter flexibile enough to defend both big man spots. Duncan can switch defensive assignments at times too. Always kept a shot-blocker alongside him. Very good.

On this Minnesota team, playing backup center and being asked to protect the basket while McGee rests and coupled with non-shot blocking PFs like K-Love, T.Young or D.Motiejunas ... I think C.Zeller is going to have a tough time defensively. 

Head Coach

Rick Carlisle is one of the best business and gives the team a good bump.

[KGs Knee]

SA, have you given any thought to playing Thad Young at SF, at least some of the time?  I'm not sold on either backup at SF, and Granger, well, others have covered it pretty well there.

You don't have to worry about Datome and Carroll if you don't trust them. There aren't that many minutes to be had except when Granger is out. Young plays both forward positions or Iguodala slides to the 3 with Thornton or Ridnour at the 2.

This is what I was hoping to hear.  Thad Young is a player I really like, and wanted to draft myself.  Iggy too.

Just don't trust Granger much anymore, but you do seem reasonably equipped to handle it.

[fairweatherfan]

Dallas: I don't like to assume injuries in advance, but I think contingency plans are important.  Eric Gordon has had some significant injury issues recently.  I'm sure you think and hope he'll be healthy, but how would you adjust if he was to go down for an extended period?

[KGs Knee]

I'll also say this.  I can't state enough how much I love Iggy.  Nothing infuriated me more than seeing him drafted one spot before me.  I had every intention of pairing him with George to form the (easily) most devastating wing combo anyone has seen.

[The Walker Wiggle]

I'm a fan of a lot of San Antonio's guys (Iggy, Thad, Kemba, McGee to a limited extent).  I'm having a hard time picturing how they'll fit together, but to me their talent keeps them in the conversation.

Spurs play up tempo and get the bulk of their offense off the two best shots in basketball, at the rim and behind the arc. Kemba, Iggy, and Thad are excellent in transition, and our bigs - McGee and Zeller - run rim to rim better than the rest of the Southwest. Love is the best outlet passer in the league. Iguodala's ball handling allows Walker to remain aggressive. Love, Granger, Thornton, Ridnour and Datome can all stretch the floor. McGee is at his best alongside a stretch four, if that stretch four is also All NBA calibre so much the better.

Defensively, the Spurs force a ton of turnovers, Walker, Iguodala and Young are all top 20 in steal rate. "The better to get out in transition, my dear." We have great size 2 through 5, are strong on the glass, and have an elite shot blocker. We also have a core of high character, high effort players, and the team's basketball IQ, even averaging in McGee, is high.

[Who]

I think Dragic is a very good defensive PG. Phoenix has a weak coach in Alvin Gentry who doesn't prepare his team well enough defensively. If Dragic (or Gortat) were on another team, a good defensive team, I think both players would be well regarded for their defense once again.

I think Harden middle of the pack.

Batum is pretty good defensively. Very good on team defense with his quickness and length. So-so as a man-to-man defender but many opponents are intimidated by his athleticism and don't exploit it often enough. I like that he can defend multiple positions (PG, SG, SF).

Faried is undisciplined on team defense. Makes life difficult for his teammates at times. I liked the improvement he showed last season as a one-on-one defender especially in the low post against bigger PFs like Zach Randolph. I think he is trending in a positive direction defensively. Middle of the pack defender.

[Who]

I'll also say this.  I can't state enough how much I love Iggy.  Nothing infuriated me more than seeing him drafted one spot before me.  I had every intention of pairing him with George to form the (easily) most devastating wing combo anyone has seen.

That would have been amazing defensively. Pippen + Jordan-esque.

[fitzhickey]

Dallas - Injury concerns are worse than San Antonio's. Nash, Gordon, and Kaman struggled to stay on the court last season, and their bench is thinner. Young is the far better sixth man than Hansbrough or Jerebko. Ridnour is a much better point guard at this stage than Knight (who might be an undersized 2?) Thornton can score in more ways than Neal.

Nash-50 games
Kaman-66 games
Eric Gordon-42 games
Not blowing you out of the water but Nash will bounce back, Kaman only missed 16 games, and Gordon is coming back strong.
And Gordon was playing all the games at the end of the season.
Hansbrough isn't my 6th man, Neal, Knight or Kaman will be.
Neal hasn't had too much opportunity to showcase his ability behind Manu and Green. So he will show all of you non-believers up by scoring 15 off the bench

And nobody can match my team at all 5 positions.

Dallas: I don't like to assume injuries in advance, but I think contingency plans are important.  Eric Gordon has had some significant injury issues recently.  I'm sure you think and hope he'll be healthy, but how would you adjust if he was to go down for an extended period?

If Gordon goes down we would have to rotate either Neal or Knight into the starting line-up. It wouldn't be too devastating as our team has a multitude of weapons capable of torching the defence on any given night.

[fitzhickey]

I'll also say this.  I can't state enough how much I love Iggy.  Nothing infuriated me more than seeing him drafted one spot before me.  I had every intention of pairing him with George to form the (easily) most devastating wing combo anyone has seen.

That would have been amazing defensively. Pippen + Jordan-esque.

That is terrifying me
And, if possible, TA defending the point
Iggy could play point on offence
Nightmares

[Who]

I am surprised so many are high on Houston's offense.

This was the big problem I had with the team after they traded away Big Al. I love Harden as a first option but I think Dragic + Batum leave a lot to be desired as 2nd and 3rd options.

Losing Big Al's 20+ppg threat ... losing one of the best low post scorers in the league, a good mid-range to long range jump-shooter and solid enough passer nowadays was a major, major blow for the Rockets offense.

And then replacing him with Kenneth Faried who cannot make a shot outside of 10 feet and was one of the biggest offensive liabilities in the league (at starting PF) just made things so much worse for Houston.

Gortat - 11ppg, 54% TS%
Dragic - 14.7ppg, 54% TS%
Batum - 14.3ppg, 56.6% (38.5mpg)

With Faried in there mucking up their spacing ...

That is not a lot of firepower outside of Harden.

The bench doesn't have a lot of scoring either (W.Bynum, T.Prince, Kenyon Martin, B.Diaw) unless you are a big believer in Jason Terry returning to his 15-18ppg ways.

Edit: I had Houston as a top three team in the West / CB League prior to the Big Al trade. The drop-off in the offense was worryingly enough for Houston to drop from title contender to borderline playoff team (in a mighty competitive Western Conference).