I've watched a lot of the Euro so far but I haven't been as obsessive as I might normally be over a big summer soccer tournament because of USA's run in the Copa America. Euro is still better soccer (shut up, you know its true) and there are still 8 solid contests left and I look forward to all of them. I wouldn't put money of any of these predictions, just wanted to get a sense of what I think I think.
Poland v Portugal
Poland has narrow wins over Northern Ireland and Ukraine, draws against Germany and Switzerland. They're not scoring a ton but the defense has been stout. Portugal drew their way out of the group, tying up Iceland, Austria and Hungary before finally getting a goal against Croatia. Portugal is doing just enough to advance but I think that ends here. I'll take Poland to move on.
Wales v Belgium
Wales lost to Slovakia but got big wins against England and Russia before squeaking past Northern Ireland in the round of 16. Belgium lost to Italy before hanging wins on Ireland and Sweden and then dropping a bomb on Hungary. I'm still not as impressed with Belgium as I'm supposed to be but hard to pick against them here, I say Wales' historic run ends in the quarters.
Germany v Italy
Germany had wins over Ukraine and Northern Ireland and a draw against Poland before thumping Slovakia. Italy had convincing wins over Beligum, Sweden, Ireland and Spain. Germany is still Germany but they're younger than usual, shaky in the back and don't look as unbeatable as usual and while Italy was not high on anyone's list coming into this tournament, I'd say they're playing as well as anyone right now. I'll take Italy over Germany (I think I think the winner of this game wins it all).
France v Iceland
Iceland got through their group by drawing Portugal and Hungary and a win over Austria before shocking England. France cruised by Romania and Albania then had a draw with Switzerland and a nailbiter against Ireland. Iceland is obviously the big underdog but, man, they dig in and defend well. France is good but I feel like seeing an upset. I'll take Iceland to get to the semifinals.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Copa America Final
Argentina 0-0 Chile (Chile wins 4-2 on PKs)
The first half was all over the place; the second half was sedate. Overtime went back to being kinda crazy but wound down to not much. The story of the 1st half was the ref: started tossing around cards like a blackjack dealer and made it all about himself. I thought he was doing pretty good until the first red card: a second yellow is a harsh punishment for that play, there really wasn't anywhere for the defender to go, it was a foul but I didn't think a card was necessary. I didn't think Messi's yellow card for flopping in the box was necessary, the ball went out of bounds for a goal kick, no foul, just move on. Yeah, Messi fell over and he embellished but I think he genuinely and, yeah, he was trying to get a call, so what? Thought that card really just made for some bad blood. And the next red card may have looked ugly from his vantage point and it was a foul, but on the replay the contact was not that bad. Most of the ugliness of the forward going down was his foot getting caught underneath himself, which made for an awkward fall. I understand that maybe the ref thought it looked worse than it was but I'm not sure a straight red was necessary. By halftime both teams were down to 10 men and the locker rooms must've been pretty gloomy because both teams came out determined to not foul in the second half. Seems like this should've worked in Argentina's favor (more room for Messi to get loose) but I thought it worked for Chile (less aggressive defense meant they held possession more confidently than before).
Both teams played hard, my man. And in the end it probably ended the way it should have. A lot was made of Messi (and probably Mascherano, Aguero, Higuain and Biglia) retiring from international play after a 'devastating loss'. But I suspect they were all retiring anyway, win or lose. If they do all retire (and they might change their minds), it means none of them ever won anyting in Argentine uniforms, which is kind of amazing to imagine. So much brilliance and never did take home a trophy? Wow. (Kind of humbling to us USA fans that keep wondering if winning a World Cup in our lifetimes is even possible. Dude if Messi didn't win one...I mean...shit)
USA 0-1 Colombia
Would've been nice for USA to get a win but this was definitely a better game than that brutal loss to Argentina or the disappointing showing against Colombia in group play. I'd have preferred a win but this was a hard fought contest and I'm pleased with USA's effort. Colombia's goal was a nice piece of teamwork, caught USA off guard, a professional piece of finishing, nothing for USA fans to get too pissed about. The worisome part for me was USA's inability to get a good shot, it reminded me of some of those 1990's USA teams: decently confident possessing the ball but once we get into the box there was still no hope of scoring. Oh well.
Howard, Beslor, Cameron, Orozco, Yedlin were the defensive starters. Thought Howard looked really good, though his time with USA is probably coming to a close, he's one of the best we ever had and if he wants to stick around (behind Guzan), I'd be more than happy to keep him, still moves like a cat, great instincts, as long as he still wants to play, I suspect he'll be around. Beslor stepped in for Brooks and handled himself just fine. (Personally I still favor a 3-6-1 lineup, with Beslor alongside Brooks and Cameron in the back; just my personal opinion) Cameron, along with Brooks and Guzan, really gave me hope for USA's future, thought they made a great team in front of the goal. Orozco seemed to be getting beat as all of Colombia's 1st half pressure came up his side, but I just think that's the way he plays: he sags so that other can go forward and if gets lopsided, no matter, its gotta go somewhere. He had a really lame red card (though the ref is to blame for the time wasted) but I generally thought he was solid. Yedlin did not have a great tournament and I'm still waiting to see some development in his game. He's got a ton of speed but if he gets beat in the back and has no skill in the front, then who cares how fast he is? I'm not ready to give up on him but I am ready to start thinking about giving up on him.
Jones, Bradley, Bedoya, Zardes started in the midfield. I get that Jones and Bradley have veteran smarts and when then opportunity arises they move with more confidence than anyone else on the squad, but it just looks to me like their presence will bring a steady decline in the opportunities. Jones is still pretty good with the ball but off the ball he always looks 3-4 steps away from where he ought to be. And Bradley needs to be the force that turns defense into offense and yet too often he gets dispossessed, makes a bad pass and just slumps the ball backward. Personally, I'm ready for both of those guys to go. I thought Bedoya had a really good tournament and I hope he's firmly in the starting lineup going forward. Zardes works hard and that is appreciated but his touch is heavy and his decision making is not very mature. He's capable of making plays in 2018 but if he doesn't, it may look like time wasted.
Dempsey, Wood started up front. The more I see of Wood the more I like him. He's a bit bratty with the refs, which is not endearing, but he works hard and occasionally his efforts really pay off. I'm in on Wood (hope that Altidor can be a worthwhile mate for him up front). I wonder about Dempsey: I still like his veteran presence but his pace and his hubris limit his potential. I can live with him being there through 2018 but I'd like to see some other candidates throughout the qualifying period.
Pulisic, Nagbe came off the bench. I thought Nagbe should've started and I still think that. Granted, I'm less of a fan of Jones and Bradley than everyone else apparently, but I'm ready for Nagbe to be the guy. I think he's got good skill and pace but he needs the reps to be useful as a playmaker and it feels like Jones is in the way of his development. I don't mind using Pulisic as a spark plug off the bench but I can't help thinking that 90 minutes is the way to go for him. I'd like to see him paired in the center mid with Nagbe, let them work off each other to make plays for everyone else. I don't want to lose Dempsey though, so perhaps push Pulisic out wide and let him attack with speed (either supplanting Zardes on one side or Yedlin on the other).
Brooks and Johnson didn't play due to injury; Guzan was given the night off. I thought Brooks was one of the best players USA had this tourney and I look forward to him being a rock on the backline through the next World Cup. Johnson was fine, not sure what his role was but I liked his effort and his skill. I think he'll be in the starting lineup in 2018. I like Guzan, thought he played in this tournament and I think this is his team now. I thought playing Howard in the final game was a lovely sendoff to one of the best players USA has ever produced (though if he wants to stick around as a backup, that'd be fine with me).
I think my ideal USA team for qualifying would be a 3-5-2 with this lineup: Goalie (Guzan); Defenders (Brooks, Cameron, Beslor); Midfield (Johnson, Pulisic, Dempsey, Nagbe, Bedoya); Forward (Altidor, Wood). With Howard, Orozco, Beckerman, Yedlin, Bradley, Jones, Zardes, Miazga off the bench. Still need some skill and speed up front, not sure who steps up for USA. We'll see.
The first half was all over the place; the second half was sedate. Overtime went back to being kinda crazy but wound down to not much. The story of the 1st half was the ref: started tossing around cards like a blackjack dealer and made it all about himself. I thought he was doing pretty good until the first red card: a second yellow is a harsh punishment for that play, there really wasn't anywhere for the defender to go, it was a foul but I didn't think a card was necessary. I didn't think Messi's yellow card for flopping in the box was necessary, the ball went out of bounds for a goal kick, no foul, just move on. Yeah, Messi fell over and he embellished but I think he genuinely and, yeah, he was trying to get a call, so what? Thought that card really just made for some bad blood. And the next red card may have looked ugly from his vantage point and it was a foul, but on the replay the contact was not that bad. Most of the ugliness of the forward going down was his foot getting caught underneath himself, which made for an awkward fall. I understand that maybe the ref thought it looked worse than it was but I'm not sure a straight red was necessary. By halftime both teams were down to 10 men and the locker rooms must've been pretty gloomy because both teams came out determined to not foul in the second half. Seems like this should've worked in Argentina's favor (more room for Messi to get loose) but I thought it worked for Chile (less aggressive defense meant they held possession more confidently than before).
Both teams played hard, my man. And in the end it probably ended the way it should have. A lot was made of Messi (and probably Mascherano, Aguero, Higuain and Biglia) retiring from international play after a 'devastating loss'. But I suspect they were all retiring anyway, win or lose. If they do all retire (and they might change their minds), it means none of them ever won anyting in Argentine uniforms, which is kind of amazing to imagine. So much brilliance and never did take home a trophy? Wow. (Kind of humbling to us USA fans that keep wondering if winning a World Cup in our lifetimes is even possible. Dude if Messi didn't win one...I mean...shit)
USA 0-1 Colombia
Would've been nice for USA to get a win but this was definitely a better game than that brutal loss to Argentina or the disappointing showing against Colombia in group play. I'd have preferred a win but this was a hard fought contest and I'm pleased with USA's effort. Colombia's goal was a nice piece of teamwork, caught USA off guard, a professional piece of finishing, nothing for USA fans to get too pissed about. The worisome part for me was USA's inability to get a good shot, it reminded me of some of those 1990's USA teams: decently confident possessing the ball but once we get into the box there was still no hope of scoring. Oh well.
Howard, Beslor, Cameron, Orozco, Yedlin were the defensive starters. Thought Howard looked really good, though his time with USA is probably coming to a close, he's one of the best we ever had and if he wants to stick around (behind Guzan), I'd be more than happy to keep him, still moves like a cat, great instincts, as long as he still wants to play, I suspect he'll be around. Beslor stepped in for Brooks and handled himself just fine. (Personally I still favor a 3-6-1 lineup, with Beslor alongside Brooks and Cameron in the back; just my personal opinion) Cameron, along with Brooks and Guzan, really gave me hope for USA's future, thought they made a great team in front of the goal. Orozco seemed to be getting beat as all of Colombia's 1st half pressure came up his side, but I just think that's the way he plays: he sags so that other can go forward and if gets lopsided, no matter, its gotta go somewhere. He had a really lame red card (though the ref is to blame for the time wasted) but I generally thought he was solid. Yedlin did not have a great tournament and I'm still waiting to see some development in his game. He's got a ton of speed but if he gets beat in the back and has no skill in the front, then who cares how fast he is? I'm not ready to give up on him but I am ready to start thinking about giving up on him.
Jones, Bradley, Bedoya, Zardes started in the midfield. I get that Jones and Bradley have veteran smarts and when then opportunity arises they move with more confidence than anyone else on the squad, but it just looks to me like their presence will bring a steady decline in the opportunities. Jones is still pretty good with the ball but off the ball he always looks 3-4 steps away from where he ought to be. And Bradley needs to be the force that turns defense into offense and yet too often he gets dispossessed, makes a bad pass and just slumps the ball backward. Personally, I'm ready for both of those guys to go. I thought Bedoya had a really good tournament and I hope he's firmly in the starting lineup going forward. Zardes works hard and that is appreciated but his touch is heavy and his decision making is not very mature. He's capable of making plays in 2018 but if he doesn't, it may look like time wasted.
Dempsey, Wood started up front. The more I see of Wood the more I like him. He's a bit bratty with the refs, which is not endearing, but he works hard and occasionally his efforts really pay off. I'm in on Wood (hope that Altidor can be a worthwhile mate for him up front). I wonder about Dempsey: I still like his veteran presence but his pace and his hubris limit his potential. I can live with him being there through 2018 but I'd like to see some other candidates throughout the qualifying period.
Pulisic, Nagbe came off the bench. I thought Nagbe should've started and I still think that. Granted, I'm less of a fan of Jones and Bradley than everyone else apparently, but I'm ready for Nagbe to be the guy. I think he's got good skill and pace but he needs the reps to be useful as a playmaker and it feels like Jones is in the way of his development. I don't mind using Pulisic as a spark plug off the bench but I can't help thinking that 90 minutes is the way to go for him. I'd like to see him paired in the center mid with Nagbe, let them work off each other to make plays for everyone else. I don't want to lose Dempsey though, so perhaps push Pulisic out wide and let him attack with speed (either supplanting Zardes on one side or Yedlin on the other).
Brooks and Johnson didn't play due to injury; Guzan was given the night off. I thought Brooks was one of the best players USA had this tourney and I look forward to him being a rock on the backline through the next World Cup. Johnson was fine, not sure what his role was but I liked his effort and his skill. I think he'll be in the starting lineup in 2018. I like Guzan, thought he played in this tournament and I think this is his team now. I thought playing Howard in the final game was a lovely sendoff to one of the best players USA has ever produced (though if he wants to stick around as a backup, that'd be fine with me).
I think my ideal USA team for qualifying would be a 3-5-2 with this lineup: Goalie (Guzan); Defenders (Brooks, Cameron, Beslor); Midfield (Johnson, Pulisic, Dempsey, Nagbe, Bedoya); Forward (Altidor, Wood). With Howard, Orozco, Beckerman, Yedlin, Bradley, Jones, Zardes, Miazga off the bench. Still need some skill and speed up front, not sure who steps up for USA. We'll see.
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Copa America Semifinals
I wrote that USA losing 2-1 to Argentina was an optimistic prediction and, man, was I proven right about that. I would love to look back at that game and see a 2-1 loss for USA.
Imagine you're playing a match against Roger Federer, you've got solid groundstrokes, a world class backhand, fantastic footwork but you can't serve worth a shit and your return isn't very good. (Do you see where I'm going with this?) If a rally breaks out, you'll have a chance--you might even win a majority of points...but a rally isn't going to break out and you're gonna get smoked. Likewise, USA put 11 soccer players on the field, they wore uniforms and cleats, they ran around like world class athletes...but they didn't control the ball for more than 15 seconds at a time. Thus, USA was never in this game--never even close to getting within shouting distanace of being in this game. Some complained that the USA players gave up but I didn't see it that way. Look, man, when everything you've tried has failed for 60 solid minutes, what are you gonna do in the last 30? Dude, nothing worked, nothing at all. It isn't that they didn't try, they didn't succeed and by the end there was no success even imaginable.
I watched the post-game press conference, where the reporters asked a lot about USA's nervousness and deference to a superior Argentine squad. (Let me just say this: reporters live in a bubble where they invent their own news, where the convenient storyline is what they considered the 'news' rather than what actually transpired. *smh* The reporters totally missed the point of the game and, frankly, wasted Coach Klinnsman's time, made him answer dumb questions and never bothered to ask worthwhile ones. Like, what was the gameplan tonight, Coach? Were we bunkering or pushing forward? Looked like we were trying to do both and didn't do either. My suggestion going into the game was a 3-6-1 where the defenders are locked in front of the goal and the midfield is swamped with counterattack opportunities, which is kinda what USA ended up with by the end. While a semi-final appearance in the Copa America is a good result, USA's crushing defeat when the pressure was on is still quite disconcerting.
Okay, time to move on. Colombia beat USA 2-0 in the very first game of this tourney but I'm expecting a much better result tonight. I'd love to see a win, wouldn't be at all surprised if USA hung a shocker on Colombia. But that requires USA picking up its game. Suggestions: I'm ready for Nagbe to start, I'm ready for Bradley and Wondolowski to exit the rotation, and I can live with Pulisic off the bench but I wouldn't mind seeing him for 90 minutes (in Jermaine Jones' spot). I look forward to seeing Dempsey up front, wouldn't mind seeing Tim Howard in this game becuase I think this might (should) be the last time we see either of those guys in USA uniforms. Bradley was always a bit overhyped but still better than anyone else at that spot but now I'm not sure what he does anymore that can't be done by some youngster with more fire (I'd rather go down fighting rather than going down by passing backward). Push the ball forward aggressively against the Colombians because there's a decent chance that Colombia has already checked out and won't be bringing their A+ lineup. The easy call is to say this game goes to penalty kicks, where anything can happen, but I want to see USA win and I think they can.
Argentina reminded me of that dominant run Spain had recently: dominated possession, no bad passes, solid on-ball defense, pounced on every mistake and had plenty o' shots. Chile, too, is steady balling right now, this is going to be a balls-out final. Can't wait. I'll go with Argentina to take it in PK's (Higuain will be the star).
Imagine you're playing a match against Roger Federer, you've got solid groundstrokes, a world class backhand, fantastic footwork but you can't serve worth a shit and your return isn't very good. (Do you see where I'm going with this?) If a rally breaks out, you'll have a chance--you might even win a majority of points...but a rally isn't going to break out and you're gonna get smoked. Likewise, USA put 11 soccer players on the field, they wore uniforms and cleats, they ran around like world class athletes...but they didn't control the ball for more than 15 seconds at a time. Thus, USA was never in this game--never even close to getting within shouting distanace of being in this game. Some complained that the USA players gave up but I didn't see it that way. Look, man, when everything you've tried has failed for 60 solid minutes, what are you gonna do in the last 30? Dude, nothing worked, nothing at all. It isn't that they didn't try, they didn't succeed and by the end there was no success even imaginable.
I watched the post-game press conference, where the reporters asked a lot about USA's nervousness and deference to a superior Argentine squad. (Let me just say this: reporters live in a bubble where they invent their own news, where the convenient storyline is what they considered the 'news' rather than what actually transpired. *smh* The reporters totally missed the point of the game and, frankly, wasted Coach Klinnsman's time, made him answer dumb questions and never bothered to ask worthwhile ones. Like, what was the gameplan tonight, Coach? Were we bunkering or pushing forward? Looked like we were trying to do both and didn't do either. My suggestion going into the game was a 3-6-1 where the defenders are locked in front of the goal and the midfield is swamped with counterattack opportunities, which is kinda what USA ended up with by the end. While a semi-final appearance in the Copa America is a good result, USA's crushing defeat when the pressure was on is still quite disconcerting.
Okay, time to move on. Colombia beat USA 2-0 in the very first game of this tourney but I'm expecting a much better result tonight. I'd love to see a win, wouldn't be at all surprised if USA hung a shocker on Colombia. But that requires USA picking up its game. Suggestions: I'm ready for Nagbe to start, I'm ready for Bradley and Wondolowski to exit the rotation, and I can live with Pulisic off the bench but I wouldn't mind seeing him for 90 minutes (in Jermaine Jones' spot). I look forward to seeing Dempsey up front, wouldn't mind seeing Tim Howard in this game becuase I think this might (should) be the last time we see either of those guys in USA uniforms. Bradley was always a bit overhyped but still better than anyone else at that spot but now I'm not sure what he does anymore that can't be done by some youngster with more fire (I'd rather go down fighting rather than going down by passing backward). Push the ball forward aggressively against the Colombians because there's a decent chance that Colombia has already checked out and won't be bringing their A+ lineup. The easy call is to say this game goes to penalty kicks, where anything can happen, but I want to see USA win and I think they can.
Argentina reminded me of that dominant run Spain had recently: dominated possession, no bad passes, solid on-ball defense, pounced on every mistake and had plenty o' shots. Chile, too, is steady balling right now, this is going to be a balls-out final. Can't wait. I'll go with Argentina to take it in PK's (Higuain will be the star).
Friday, June 24, 2016
New NBA Free Agents
Anthony Barber (NC State), Kyle Wiltjer (Gonzaga), Troy Williams (Indiana), Jarrod Uthoff (Iowa), Zach Auguste (Notre Dame), Julian Jacobs (USC), Wayne Selden (Kansas), Perry Ellis (Kansas), Alex Poythress (Kentucky), Gary Payton II (Oregon), Robert Carter (Maryland), Dorian Finney-Smith (Florida), Prince Ibeh (Baylor), Fred Van Vleet (Wichita State), Andrey Desayatnikov (Russia), Ron Baker (Wichita State), are now free to find new homes in the NBA. We'll be seeing a lot of these guys at Summer League in a coupla weeks.
Draft Thoughts (#46-60)
#46. AJ Hammons (Mavs) -- Great pickup for the Mavs, I think he'll play for them right away....or be out of the league in six months.
#47. Jake Layman (Magic) -- The interest in Layman kinda came and went all year long. Not sure if this is a good pickup or fool's gold.
#48. Paul Zipser (Bulls) -- The Bulls makeover continues. Zipser is another that only recently appeared in the mocks. I'm guessing he's a bit of Nikola Mirotic type...?
#49. Michael Gbinje (Pistons) -- Interesting prospect off the bench for the Pistons.
#50. Georges Niang (Pacers) -- Could be roster filler for the Pacers but I suspect he's gone by opening night.
#51. Ben Bentil (Celtics) -- Man, the Celtics D League squads are gonna be stacked next year. Bentil had a lot of interest, he definitely could've gone earlier. I figured by now the Celtics would be looking for foreigners to stash but maybe packing the D League is a better way to go.
#52. Joel Bolomboy (Jazz) -- Another one that had consistent interest in the mocks all year long. A little surprised he fell this far. Not sure how he fits the Jazz, could be a D Leaguer.
#53. Petr Cornelie (Nuggets) -- I suspect he'll go back to Europe for a year or two.
#54. Kay Felder (Hawks) -- Felder will either be gone before you know it or he'll be one of the most exciting rookies in this class. If he can score, he could really be a star for the Hawks.
#55. Marcus Paige (Nets) -- I liked him in college, not sure he translates to the next level. He kinda reminds me of Tyus Jones, who became a solid 3rd string PG by the end of the season. Nets needs anything and everything, so I guess he'll get a shot but I'm not really high on his chances of sticking through next summer.
#56. Daniel Hamilton (Nuggets) -- Like the Celtics, looks like the Nuggets are usng this draft to fill out their D League rosters. Had interest most of the year but didn't really shine last season. My guess is he's a D Leaguer.
#57. Wang Zhelin (Grizzlies) -- No idea who this is or when he gets to the NBA.
#58. Abdel Nader (Celtics) -- Seems like a D League roster filler.
#59. Isiah Cousins (Kings) -- He fell a long way and the Kings need everything, wouldn't be surprised to see him playing for the Kings next year.
#60. Tyrone Wallace (Jazz) -- Interesting West Coast talent, fell a long way.
#47. Jake Layman (Magic) -- The interest in Layman kinda came and went all year long. Not sure if this is a good pickup or fool's gold.
#48. Paul Zipser (Bulls) -- The Bulls makeover continues. Zipser is another that only recently appeared in the mocks. I'm guessing he's a bit of Nikola Mirotic type...?
#49. Michael Gbinje (Pistons) -- Interesting prospect off the bench for the Pistons.
#50. Georges Niang (Pacers) -- Could be roster filler for the Pacers but I suspect he's gone by opening night.
#51. Ben Bentil (Celtics) -- Man, the Celtics D League squads are gonna be stacked next year. Bentil had a lot of interest, he definitely could've gone earlier. I figured by now the Celtics would be looking for foreigners to stash but maybe packing the D League is a better way to go.
#52. Joel Bolomboy (Jazz) -- Another one that had consistent interest in the mocks all year long. A little surprised he fell this far. Not sure how he fits the Jazz, could be a D Leaguer.
#53. Petr Cornelie (Nuggets) -- I suspect he'll go back to Europe for a year or two.
#54. Kay Felder (Hawks) -- Felder will either be gone before you know it or he'll be one of the most exciting rookies in this class. If he can score, he could really be a star for the Hawks.
#55. Marcus Paige (Nets) -- I liked him in college, not sure he translates to the next level. He kinda reminds me of Tyus Jones, who became a solid 3rd string PG by the end of the season. Nets needs anything and everything, so I guess he'll get a shot but I'm not really high on his chances of sticking through next summer.
#56. Daniel Hamilton (Nuggets) -- Like the Celtics, looks like the Nuggets are usng this draft to fill out their D League rosters. Had interest most of the year but didn't really shine last season. My guess is he's a D Leaguer.
#57. Wang Zhelin (Grizzlies) -- No idea who this is or when he gets to the NBA.
#58. Abdel Nader (Celtics) -- Seems like a D League roster filler.
#59. Isiah Cousins (Kings) -- He fell a long way and the Kings need everything, wouldn't be surprised to see him playing for the Kings next year.
#60. Tyrone Wallace (Jazz) -- Interesting West Coast talent, fell a long way.
Draft Thoughts (#31-45)
(Deyonta Davis and Cheick Diallo have dropped quite a bit by now. The intriguing Zhou Qi still out there (though the intriguing Thon Maker is long, long gone))
#31. Deyonta Davis (Celtics traded to Grizzlies) -- Fell a long way, think the Grizzlies got a reasonably priced guy that should fit their rotation.
#32. Ivica Zubac (Lakers) -- Don't know much about him. I think he's expecting to play next year, the Lakers look to have room on the roster for him.
#33. Cheick Diallo (Pelicans) -- Pelicans traded up to get him, if he can score, he can play for them.
#34. Tyler Ulis (Suns) -- Finally! The Suns needed another Kentucky guard. Whew! They must've been sweating the last few picks. I think Ulis can play, he reminded me of Shaun Livingston (offensively only, not defensively): he wants to pass first, get to the elbow for a 15 footer next. For teams that want to play high energy basketball, Ulis is a great fit (to the Nuggets with Jamal Murray might've been even better but he'll hook on with the Suns).
#35. Rade Zagorac (Grizzlies) -- Don't know him, not sure if he comes next year. If he can score from the perimeter then the Grizzlies will play him.
#36. Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks) -- Great pick. Brogdon in college was one of those guys that just does whatever needs to be done, I think his work ethic and smarts give him a great shot at making an NBA rotation. I think he'll play for the Bucks.
#37. Chinanu Onuaku (Rockets) -- Another Louisville product for the Rockets. Seems like the Rockets have piled up a lot of size tonight. Got a feeling Onuaku doesn't make the opening day roster.
#38. Patrick McCaw (Warriors) -- If he can score, he can hang. He'll probably be a practice player for a while but he'll be getting the best practice in the world.
#39. David Michineau (Clippers) -- No idea who this is.
#40. Diamond Stone (Clippers) -- Little surprised he fell this far, I thought he was really impressive in the U17 World Cup last summer. Rookies often get lost at the end of Coach Rivers' bench but I think he can play.
#41. Stephen Zimmerman (Magic) -- Fell too far, I think this guy can really play. Again, not sure where the Magic are going with any of these moves--don't dislike the choices just not sure I get them. I think this guy's gonna be a solid athlete at the next level.
#42. Isiah Whitehead (Jazz) -- Great pick, this kid can ball. The Jazz are one of those teams with a deep rotation, he'll get some run.
#43. Zhou Qi (Rockets) -- Curious to see him in action, he sounds great. Rockets might've picked up the real score of this entire draft.
#44. Isaia Cordinier (Hawks) -- Not sure if he plays right away or spends another year in Europe.
#45. Demetrius Jackson (Celtics) -- Celtics got another quality guard. Not sure if he gets playing time, unless a lot of trades take place (absolutely possible).
#31. Deyonta Davis (Celtics traded to Grizzlies) -- Fell a long way, think the Grizzlies got a reasonably priced guy that should fit their rotation.
#32. Ivica Zubac (Lakers) -- Don't know much about him. I think he's expecting to play next year, the Lakers look to have room on the roster for him.
#33. Cheick Diallo (Pelicans) -- Pelicans traded up to get him, if he can score, he can play for them.
#34. Tyler Ulis (Suns) -- Finally! The Suns needed another Kentucky guard. Whew! They must've been sweating the last few picks. I think Ulis can play, he reminded me of Shaun Livingston (offensively only, not defensively): he wants to pass first, get to the elbow for a 15 footer next. For teams that want to play high energy basketball, Ulis is a great fit (to the Nuggets with Jamal Murray might've been even better but he'll hook on with the Suns).
#35. Rade Zagorac (Grizzlies) -- Don't know him, not sure if he comes next year. If he can score from the perimeter then the Grizzlies will play him.
#36. Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks) -- Great pick. Brogdon in college was one of those guys that just does whatever needs to be done, I think his work ethic and smarts give him a great shot at making an NBA rotation. I think he'll play for the Bucks.
#37. Chinanu Onuaku (Rockets) -- Another Louisville product for the Rockets. Seems like the Rockets have piled up a lot of size tonight. Got a feeling Onuaku doesn't make the opening day roster.
#38. Patrick McCaw (Warriors) -- If he can score, he can hang. He'll probably be a practice player for a while but he'll be getting the best practice in the world.
#39. David Michineau (Clippers) -- No idea who this is.
#40. Diamond Stone (Clippers) -- Little surprised he fell this far, I thought he was really impressive in the U17 World Cup last summer. Rookies often get lost at the end of Coach Rivers' bench but I think he can play.
#41. Stephen Zimmerman (Magic) -- Fell too far, I think this guy can really play. Again, not sure where the Magic are going with any of these moves--don't dislike the choices just not sure I get them. I think this guy's gonna be a solid athlete at the next level.
#42. Isiah Whitehead (Jazz) -- Great pick, this kid can ball. The Jazz are one of those teams with a deep rotation, he'll get some run.
#43. Zhou Qi (Rockets) -- Curious to see him in action, he sounds great. Rockets might've picked up the real score of this entire draft.
#44. Isaia Cordinier (Hawks) -- Not sure if he plays right away or spends another year in Europe.
#45. Demetrius Jackson (Celtics) -- Celtics got another quality guard. Not sure if he gets playing time, unless a lot of trades take place (absolutely possible).
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Draft Thoughts (#15-30)
#15. Juan Hernangomez (Nuggets) -- Any guy the Spurs like is a guy worth getting to know. This draft is turning into a foreign affair (and that's counting Simmons and Sabonis as Americans). Those players hard to predict, how to get to know, and the draft itself is unknowable, could be a classic draft, could be the worst class in eons. If Hernangomez scores the way I think he can, he'll play right away and fit right in to the Nuggets motif. Or perhaps he's a stash and we'll see him in 2017-18.
#16. Gerschon Yabusele (Celtics) -- I had Yabusele going #43, either there a lot of reaches tonight or the mock drafts I look at are way out of the know. Don't know much about Yabusele, my guess is he's a stash job, we'll probably see him when it comes time to decide what to do with Marcus Smart or Avery Bradley.
#17 Wade Baldwin (Grizzlies) -- Great pick. I think Baldwin is one of the more underappreciated (American) players in this draft. He'll score and play hard, exactly what the Grizzlies need. Grizzlies might be a grease fire next year or they might have that old timey Grizzlies grit to 'em, we'll see. Either way I think Baldwin is a great pick here.
#18 Henry Ellenson (Pistons) -- He'll fit well with their offense. With Drummond down low and Jackson dominating the ball, he fill the swing spot opposite Tobias Harris nicely. Could even play some minutes at the C in small ball lineup. Not an ROY candidate but I think he'll put a solid part of their rotation by year's end.
#19 Malik Beasley (Nuggets) -- The Nuggets are really adding a lot of young scoring tonight, huh? I wonder if Beasley slips ahead of Hernangomez on the depth chart (or if this pushes Hernangomez for one more year of Europe). Murray and Beasley are in a fight to supplant Gary Harris or it could be that three of them form a great platoon. (Hmmm, trade rumors were swirling about Kenneth Faried wonder if Beasley or Harris or Hernangomez gets moved soon? Telling ya, man, tonight is a night of subterfuge, everybody's dealing tonight)
#20 Caris LaVert (Nets) -- Brooklyn needs anything and everything but LaVert seems like a bit of a reach. Oh well, if he can play, he will play, so not a bad pick. He'll get a chance to play so if the Nets excede expectations in the least, LaVert could get some ROY consideration.
#21 Deandre Bembry (Hawks) -- Hmm, Hawks are going for a squad of Bazemore replacements. I dunno, could work. Hard working small forward, he'll be learning alongside Taurean Prince, if they lose Horford, they might both get time as the Hawks revamp.
(Forkan Korkmaz, Deyonta Davis, Timothe Luwawu and Dejounte Murray still on the board)
#22 Malachi Richardson (Kings) -- Kinda feel like the Kings should've kept the foreign vibe going with this pick. Richardson had a nice run in the NCAA Tourney this year but I still felt like he was too young to really discern his game yet. The Kings need finished products, not experiments, but his size and ball handling skill makes him worth it I guess.
#23 Ante Zizic (Celtics) -- Not sure if the Celtics bring him over sooner or later, but they need help down low.
#24 Timothe Luwawu (Sixers) -- Raw talent but kinda Antetokounpo-ish and the Sixers need everything, I think this is a good pick. He and Simmons might be great together. (If they take Zimmerman at #26, could mean Nerlens and Okafor are both on the move)
#25 Brice Johnson (Clippers) -- Great pick. Johnson has the ability to be the perfect contributor for a good team and Chris Paul is just the guy to keep the discipline on him. I think this is a great fit, think Johnson is going to be a solid player off the Clipper bench all year long.
#26 Furkan Korkmaz (Sixers) -- With Dario Saric on his way to Philly, Korkmaz might get another year in Turkey but I kinda thought he was ready play right away. Maybe he is, Philly has been featuring mostly rookies for the last coupla years, this year the rookies will actually be highly touted. I love a youth movement and I can tell I'll be watching a lot of the Sixers next year.
#27 Pascal Siakam (Raptors) -- Raptors are really stocking up on big guys tonight, not planning on getting Biyombo back, I guess. Don't know much about Siakam, not sure how he fits in for the Raptors.
#28 Skal Labissiere (Kings) -- Honestly, after watching him for a season at UK, I don't think he's worth the #28 pick but I do think this is a more realistic spot for him than the lottery where most mocks projected him. I think Skal will be a better scorer than defender, so perhaps he gets attention when he does get some playing time. I suspect we won't see much of him next year, he's a long term project.
#29 Dejounte Murray (Spurs) -- Murray was routinely projected as a lottery pick, so was he overrated (like Skal) or is he gift from God to the Spurs? It's the Spurs, man, you know its gift from god time! I don't know much about Murray but he's bigger PG than the Spurs have been used to. If he can swing the ball around and knock down an occasional 3, he'll fit in perfectly. And with Pop's rotations, he'll probably get regular playing time (perhaps a lot if Tony Parker gets nicked up). No idea what kind of player he is but he's a Spur now, so he's probably really good.
#30 Damian Jones (Warriors) -- A center from Vandy...guess the post-Ezeli era will be a smooth transition. When it comes to starting pitchers, Vandy has been great lately but if you're looking low post scoring, not sure Vandy is the basketball Wal-Mart. If indeed they do let Ezeli go (I think they ought to), then Jones will get some time. If he can score down low, he might be a neat little toy for Draymond and Curry and if he's a hard nosed defender he could be a real asset for them. We'll see.
#16. Gerschon Yabusele (Celtics) -- I had Yabusele going #43, either there a lot of reaches tonight or the mock drafts I look at are way out of the know. Don't know much about Yabusele, my guess is he's a stash job, we'll probably see him when it comes time to decide what to do with Marcus Smart or Avery Bradley.
#17 Wade Baldwin (Grizzlies) -- Great pick. I think Baldwin is one of the more underappreciated (American) players in this draft. He'll score and play hard, exactly what the Grizzlies need. Grizzlies might be a grease fire next year or they might have that old timey Grizzlies grit to 'em, we'll see. Either way I think Baldwin is a great pick here.
#18 Henry Ellenson (Pistons) -- He'll fit well with their offense. With Drummond down low and Jackson dominating the ball, he fill the swing spot opposite Tobias Harris nicely. Could even play some minutes at the C in small ball lineup. Not an ROY candidate but I think he'll put a solid part of their rotation by year's end.
#19 Malik Beasley (Nuggets) -- The Nuggets are really adding a lot of young scoring tonight, huh? I wonder if Beasley slips ahead of Hernangomez on the depth chart (or if this pushes Hernangomez for one more year of Europe). Murray and Beasley are in a fight to supplant Gary Harris or it could be that three of them form a great platoon. (Hmmm, trade rumors were swirling about Kenneth Faried wonder if Beasley or Harris or Hernangomez gets moved soon? Telling ya, man, tonight is a night of subterfuge, everybody's dealing tonight)
#20 Caris LaVert (Nets) -- Brooklyn needs anything and everything but LaVert seems like a bit of a reach. Oh well, if he can play, he will play, so not a bad pick. He'll get a chance to play so if the Nets excede expectations in the least, LaVert could get some ROY consideration.
#21 Deandre Bembry (Hawks) -- Hmm, Hawks are going for a squad of Bazemore replacements. I dunno, could work. Hard working small forward, he'll be learning alongside Taurean Prince, if they lose Horford, they might both get time as the Hawks revamp.
(Forkan Korkmaz, Deyonta Davis, Timothe Luwawu and Dejounte Murray still on the board)
#22 Malachi Richardson (Kings) -- Kinda feel like the Kings should've kept the foreign vibe going with this pick. Richardson had a nice run in the NCAA Tourney this year but I still felt like he was too young to really discern his game yet. The Kings need finished products, not experiments, but his size and ball handling skill makes him worth it I guess.
#23 Ante Zizic (Celtics) -- Not sure if the Celtics bring him over sooner or later, but they need help down low.
#24 Timothe Luwawu (Sixers) -- Raw talent but kinda Antetokounpo-ish and the Sixers need everything, I think this is a good pick. He and Simmons might be great together. (If they take Zimmerman at #26, could mean Nerlens and Okafor are both on the move)
#25 Brice Johnson (Clippers) -- Great pick. Johnson has the ability to be the perfect contributor for a good team and Chris Paul is just the guy to keep the discipline on him. I think this is a great fit, think Johnson is going to be a solid player off the Clipper bench all year long.
#26 Furkan Korkmaz (Sixers) -- With Dario Saric on his way to Philly, Korkmaz might get another year in Turkey but I kinda thought he was ready play right away. Maybe he is, Philly has been featuring mostly rookies for the last coupla years, this year the rookies will actually be highly touted. I love a youth movement and I can tell I'll be watching a lot of the Sixers next year.
#27 Pascal Siakam (Raptors) -- Raptors are really stocking up on big guys tonight, not planning on getting Biyombo back, I guess. Don't know much about Siakam, not sure how he fits in for the Raptors.
#28 Skal Labissiere (Kings) -- Honestly, after watching him for a season at UK, I don't think he's worth the #28 pick but I do think this is a more realistic spot for him than the lottery where most mocks projected him. I think Skal will be a better scorer than defender, so perhaps he gets attention when he does get some playing time. I suspect we won't see much of him next year, he's a long term project.
#29 Dejounte Murray (Spurs) -- Murray was routinely projected as a lottery pick, so was he overrated (like Skal) or is he gift from God to the Spurs? It's the Spurs, man, you know its gift from god time! I don't know much about Murray but he's bigger PG than the Spurs have been used to. If he can swing the ball around and knock down an occasional 3, he'll fit in perfectly. And with Pop's rotations, he'll probably get regular playing time (perhaps a lot if Tony Parker gets nicked up). No idea what kind of player he is but he's a Spur now, so he's probably really good.
#30 Damian Jones (Warriors) -- A center from Vandy...guess the post-Ezeli era will be a smooth transition. When it comes to starting pitchers, Vandy has been great lately but if you're looking low post scoring, not sure Vandy is the basketball Wal-Mart. If indeed they do let Ezeli go (I think they ought to), then Jones will get some time. If he can score down low, he might be a neat little toy for Draymond and Curry and if he's a hard nosed defender he could be a real asset for them. We'll see.
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