Pre-Draft Hub: Joel Embiid Is A Young Zydrunas Ilgauskas D:

lol at fags thinking the draft lottery is just ping-pong balls representing the lottery teams and the league drawing only 3 balls once to determine the top three picks and that tanking gives you more ping-pong balls...

http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/lottery- ... lot-more...

It begins in the days following the regular season. The non-playoff teams are ordered by final record – worst to first – and are allotted pre-determined lottery odds based upon that order.

If two teams finish the season with a same record, their odds split evenly and a coin is flipped to determine which team is awarded an extra combination (if the total is an odd number) and is slotted higher in the case that neither is awarded one of the three top selections determined via the lottery system (the remaining 11 picks are awarded based upon regular season record). This season, the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics each finished with a 25-57 record (tied for fourth-worst); Utah won the ensuing coin flip and as a result was awarded 104 combinations as opposed to the 103 allotted to Boston. More on what exactly these combinations mean later; for now, think of each as one chance out of 1,000 that a particular team will be awarded the top pick.

Note that no team can fall more than three spots (since, at most, only three teams below them could be propelled into the top three) and only the first three selections are determined by lottery. This means that some teams cannot mathematically end up in certain spots, regardless of what happens on lottery night.

One representative from every team is ushered into a room where the lottery is conducted in private – the results are shared on live television later in the evening.

Fourteen ping pong balls numbered 1-14 are placed into a machine for 20 seconds. Then, the first ball is drawn, 10 seconds later, the second is drawn, another 10 seconds, and a third ball is removed from the machine, finally, after 10 more seconds, the fourth ball is drawn.

The order in which the four numbers were drawn is not important – meaning a drawing of 1, 2, 3, and 4 is the same as a drawing of 4, 3, 2, and 1. A league official refers to a massive board showing 1,000 combinations of four digits with a team name assigned to each (this is where the number of combinations each team has factors into the odds). Whichever team’s combination was drawn first is awarded the top pick.

The four balls are then returned to the machine and the process is repeated to determine the winners of the second and third picks. In the event that a combination is drawn for picks #2 or #3 that belongs to a team that has already been awarded a pick via the lottery, the drawing is repeated until a unique winner is determined.

After the top-three selections have been determined, the remaining 11 lottery picks (as well as the 16 non-lottery picks) are sequenced based upon regular season record, from worst to best.

The results are kept a secret until being announced...The 14 representatives on stage for each team during this process are unaware of the results of the lottery until this on-air reading.

tl;dr afaik
- tanking doesn't give a team more ping-pong balls, it gives the team more number combinations

- the combination is composed of 4 numbers, since there are 14 balls there are 1001 possible combinations to be made using 4 numbers out of 1-14 (if my math is correct)

- the sets of combinations allotted to teams are predetermined based on odds, which is based on the lottery team's record, so one team may have 100 combinations allotted for them out of the 1001 available while another team may have 50/1001

- there are two sets of team representatives, one set is the representatives of all 30 teams that monitor the drawing of the ping-pong ball combinations done in private, the second set are the representatives of the lottery teams that you see on tv like Mallory Edens (Bucks) or Anjali Ranadive (Kings)

- 4 ping-pong balls out of 14 are drawn to determine a combination, whichever team has the allotted combination gets the 1st pick, process is repeated for the 2nd and 3rd pick

- once done the rest of the teams not in the top 3 spots are ordered based on team record

It's a complicated process indeed.

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They acting good.

Is that a picture of Yao Ming?

lol at the shitty board displaying all the combinations.

It's not a complicated process, just tedious.

Any guess on whom the Heat are going to draft or player you want see the Heat draft? This year's draft pool is quite rich so I think the Heat can snatch usable talent even in late round.

I am hoping for Tyler Ennis, a solid looking PG if available at 26th. More realistically, I think it'll be Shabazz Napier that will be available though if the Heat go for a PG. Both lack defense so that's a concern though it's probably something you can teach them.

Choice at PG:
1) Tyler Ennis
2) Shabazz Napier
3) Elfrid Payton - (lengthy athletic PG with defense but below average range-shooter/finisher/playmaker)

As for the big, there are couple nice european talents that realistically will be available at Heat's pick. Yup, they look soft and could use more weight.

Choice at Frontcourt:
1) Kristaps Porzingis
2) Clint Capela
3) Mitch McGary

My personal favorite is Mitch McGary though it'll be a surprise pick. His cons are his height and non existent star potential. But he can be a lane clogger with his wide/fat frame, and his potential as a role player looks quite promising. His hustle and banger type of game could play a huge role particularly for the Heat imo.

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So whom do you guys want your team to draft?

In this article, Bill Simmons suggests some changes to the lottery system that might not be bad ideas. The trading of ping pong ball chances is a bit contrived, but the first two sanctions have some merit.

So in other words, he's butthurt about the Celtics and wants to limit the ability of bad teams to get better through the only methodology they have. (Especially small market teams.)

Quite possibly.

So in other words, he's butthurt about the Celtics and wants to limit the ability of bad teams to get better through the only methodology they have. (Especially small market teams.)

He's an interesting guy, and I like some of the topics he brings up but gotdamn his Boston homerism at times rivals Tommy Heinsohn's. It's really annoying.

Simmons is nowhere near Tommy

Tommy Heinsohn's homerism is entertaining, maybe because of being old and that senile image, while guys like Simmons or Sean Elliot are just annoying.

I imagine Heinsohn is quite self-aware, Simmons has a weird insincere self-awareness.

I want to be entertained Stacey King and Tommy should do a Celtics-Bulls game together, with a neutral third guy with them.

From Andrew's link, quoting simmons...

Q: Wait … what? You watched Joel Embiid work out last week?

A: Yes — at a secret location in Santa Monica. He wasn’t playing against anyone, just going through a two-hour workout with Will Perdue. Here’s what I can tell you: He moves around as effortlessly as a 7-foot Serge Ibaka; he’s such an athletic freak that he’s one of those “still going up as he’s finishing the dunk” guys; his freakish wingspan might make Jay Bilas pass out; he has been playing basketball for only four years (which seems impossible); he gave up a world-class volleyball career; he has 3-point range; he can shoot jump-hooks with both hands already; he couldn’t have seemed more coachable/agreeable/likable; he’s a hard worker with a goofy sense of humor; his voice is just a touch Mutombo-y (deep with a heavy African accent); and his friends call him “Jo-Jo.” And again — his back seemed totally fine.

News flash: As I said on TV before the lottery, Embiid was always going first. None of these teams was passing on him. Repeat: none of them. The amount of smokescreening going on in April and May was high comedy. We keep hearing his back is really screwed up, this could be another Oden situation … Just stop it. This was like sitting at a fantasy football auction next to someone who kept claiming that he wasn’t going to pay big money for a QB … and then, two hours later, he’s bidding $49 for Aaron Rodgers. The truth is, Wiggins and Parker never separated themselves enough this season to warrant anyone saying, “We’re passing on a potential franchise center with a good chance of becoming the 7-foot Serge Ibaka.”

2015 LBJ returns to the Cavs to team up with Irving in his prime, and semi-developed Hakeem-Embiid. Is that the plan?

I'm guessing this means Wiggins for the 76ers, and Parker for the Bucks. Shit, I can't wait for next season to start already.

I think Simmons is an entertaining writer and I believe that he does know his sports, but when he does have a good point to make, it's quite often diluted by his style of throwing out an off-the-wall suggestion. It's done for flair and to be entertaining, sure, but it I think it does distract somewhat from any valid points and suggestions.

For example...the idea of preventing teams from winning the number one pick in back-to-back years? It isn't completely without merit, especially if we're going to consider tanking a terrible problem that must be discouraged and prevented at all costs. It wouldn't be completely without precedent either; when the Raptors and Grizzlies entered the league, there was a restriction on them getting the first pick for their first few seasons in the league. Toronto won the lottery in 1996, but per that stipulation, they received the second pick (choosing Marcus Camby) while Philadelphia got the top pick (picking Allen Iverson).

His second rule is a bit harsh, but it's something you could re-work into a fairer compromise. The third rule is where it gets needlessly complicated and contrived, while the fourth rule is basically just a snarky joke. By that point, you can't help but think "OK, he doesn't really have a great idea for fixing things, he's just complaining about the results and throwing out some ideas that even the producer of a reality television series would balk at". A suggestion that's interesting to ponder gets cast aside because he takes things too far.

Of course, that's assuming that Simmons actually believes a majority of what he wrote there is a good idea, and that it would be beneficial to the league, as opposed to simply writing it for entertainment value and to provoke a reaction.

lol at Simmons scouting Embiid.
Bill Simmons trying to be the new Chad Ford?
There's only one Chad Ford dammit!

He wasn’t playing against anyone, just going through a two-hour workout with Will Perdue.

Yeah...

If Chad Ford has taught us anything all these years is that private no-defender non-game workouts mean less than practice. Practice, where Dwight Howard makes 80% of his free throws.

c/o benji:

Darko Milicic | PF | 7-0 | Serbia
Why? The Pistons made this decision as soon as they got the No. 2 pick. Milicic can have an impact next season. The word out of Detroit is that Larry Brown will play him plenty to give him the necessary minutes to develop. Milicic is the best European player to come out since Dirk Nowitzki, at least that's according to the scouts.
Moderator: You were expecting somebody else? Well, Will in Grand Rapids, Mich. still has questions about the European teenager. "Chad, from what you have seen, does he look like the real deal? And still being so young, can he put on the muscle mass to bang with some of the stronger PFs and Cs in the league today?"

Chad Ford, ESPN Insider: He's the real deal. He's really one of a kind. He runs the floor, handles the ball, shoots the NBA 3-pointer, plays with his back to the basket, so you can slot him in at the 3, 4 or 5. What sets Darko apart is his toughness in the post. You have to love a guy who has the footwork to spin by an opponent, but still prefers to lower a shoulder and bang. Fact is, Milicic plays in attack-mode at both ends of the floor. The more you push, the more he pushes back. He's got a great frame. He'll definitely get stronger. He'll have no problem holding his own in the post.

Pavel Podkolzine
Notes: Podkolzine, for those who can't remember, is the 7-foot-5 Siberian sensation who took the NBA draft by storm last June and then, just as quickly, disappeared from the radar screen. After being projected as a lottery pick by many NBA scouts and GMs, a diagnosis of acromegaly (a growth hormone secreting pituitary adenoma) just before the deadline pushed him to withdraw from the draft. This year, with the acromegaly under control and a ton of exposure, Podkolzine will definitely be in the draft. His agent already has an NBA buyout in place based on where he's drafted. At this point he has very little to lose. A gaggle of NBA scouts watched him play very week at the Reebok Big Man camp in Italy in early June.
Upside: He's enormous. He's got a thick body, is very strong, yet is coordinated and an above average athlete for someone his size. He has soft hands, a very nice jump shot from 18 feet in and can really run the floor. He's even shown the ability to put the ball on the floor and hit the open man in transition. He's not afraid of contact and has the tendancy to pummel people.

Downside: Inexperience. He's only been getting real playing time in the last two months of the season. He still is very raw in his post play. He's just learning the game and still doesn't take advantage of the size and strength advantage he has over just about everyone Teams are still a little concerned with his health after the acromegaly incident last year.

Insider Projection: By all accounts Pavel is a much better draft prospect than he was last season. Considering that he was a likely mid-to late lottery prospect last year, what does that mean for this year? He impressed just about everyone in Treviso two weeks ago. He's really starting to come on. He has as much or more upside than anyone in the draft. He could go anywhere from 5 to 14 on draft night however because of the risks involved.

Chad Ford's Analysis: The Hawks were tempted to draft Chris Paul because of their need at the point, but at the end of the day they took the best player available. Marvin Williams is an upgrade over Al Harrington and Josh Smith. It will be interesting to see what the Hawks do from here. Obviously they're going to have to clear up a logjam at the forward position. Maybe they'll be able to trade Harrington in an effort to acquire the team's real needs at point guard and center.

Draft Projection: No. 1 to 3 overall

Notes: Williams flirted with declaring for the NBA draft after his senior season of high school. Insider projected him as a late lottery pick at the time. After one year of coming off the bench at UNC, he's now a top-three pick in the draft.

Positives: In a draft bereft of players with star potential, Williams is one of the few guys scouts are universally excited about. Williams is an unbelievable specimen. He has a great NBA body, top-notch athleticism and the ability to play just about anywhere on the court. He has one of the most developed inside-outside games of any prospect, something the Tar Heels rarely took advantage of. He also possesses a fantastic basketball IQ and work ethic.

Negatives: Williams is still young and inexperienced. He came off the bench all season for the Tar Heels and played in a supporting role to Sean May, Raymond Felton and Rashad McCants. He let his nerves get the best of him during North Carolina's run in the Final Four and didn't have the impact you'd think from such a highly-rated player. There were no Carmelo Anthony-like shining moments for Williams.

Summary: Williams is Insider's No. 1-ranked player in the draft. He's a versatile forward who can play both inside and out. Still developing but has the trappings of a superstar.

OK. I liked the Channing Frye and Nate Robinson selections. David Lee, not so much. Don't get me wrong, I like Lee. He is very athletic (he measured as the top athlete in the power forward category at the Chicago combine), has a great motor and is very tough. He's a more skilled version of Bo Outlaw or Mark Madsen. But with guys with much bigger upside, like Chris Taft and Andray Blatche, still on the board, I'm not sure why Isiah decided to play it safe. Lee will be a rotation player in the league for 10 years. But given their deficiencies up front, Isiah should have swung for the fences. Instead he hit a solid single at 30.

Notes: Andriuskevicius has been tutored the past few years by Arvydas Sabonis. Andriuskevicius declared for the 2004 draft but withdrew when he couldn't get a top-five commitment from a team. However, he wasn't far off that quest. The Suns, who had the No. 7 pick, seriously were considering taking him and leaving him in Europe before he pulled out of the draft. "I saw Dirk [Nowitzki] when he was 18, and I'm not sure he was as comfortable with the ball as this kid is," Mavs president Donnie Nelson told Insider in May. "I think his true position in the pros is at forward. He's really talented." Andriuskevicius looked solid this summer at the European Under-18 Championships in Zaragoza. He averaged 16.9 ppg and 13.4 rpg there but didn't exactly dominate. He's played sparingly this season for Zalgris this year. Andriuskevicius is expected to stay in the draft this year.

Positives: Andriuskevicius has great hands, is a fantastic passer and doesn't shy away from contact despite his thin frame. He has great quickness for his size and is capable of playing both inside and outside. The fact that he's being tutored daily by Sabonis is evident. Right now, Andriuskevicius is much more comfortable playing as a finesse 4. At the Reebok Eurocamp last June, he showed excellent court vision and made a number of picture-perfect passes off the dribble to driving big men. He has great court instincts and always seemed to know when and how to make the right play. The game comes easy to him. He ran the floor as well as anyone in the camp and showed impressive athleticism for a guy his size. He also has a stellar perimeter shot. He shot 15-for-25 from the international 3-point line and has the ability to shoot off the dribble.

Negatives: While he shows a ton of skill, his body is still too weak to hold position in the paint. If that's a problem at the junior level, you can only imagine what will happen in the pros. Martynas' game is still pretty raw. He still needs more strength and playing experience, but there is little not to like. Is he a little injury prone?

Summary: Andriuskevicius may have the most upside of anyone on the board, but he's also the furthest away. He'll have to spend a minimum of two years overseas or in the NBDL bulking up. But once he does, he has everything else. Big risk, high reward means that his draft stock will be all over the place. The Suns almost promised him at No. 7 last year; getting him at No. 21 this year seems like a steal.

Count Arizona's Loren Woods among those whose draft stock is on the rise. After an impressive private workout Friday in Chicago several teams are beginning to buzz about Loren Woods. Woods, who has been in a vigorous workout program this spring has been adding muscle to his lanky frame. According to his agent, Matt Muehlebach, Woods has added 20 pounds to his frame since we last saw him in the Final Four. Woods now reportedly weighs 250 pounds.

That's good news for teams who have worried about whether Woods can survive the physical nature of the NBA game. Woods reportedly shot the ball extremely well in workouts and his added bulk is making teams give him a second look. One GM. whose team is in the lottery, told Insider that Woods might really rise on draft boards in the next two weeks. "He was a projected top 5 pick last year, he played well in the tournament this year, he's 7'1" and is now showing the ability to bulk up," the GM told Insider. "When the smoke clears, he might sneak right back up into the top 10. I don't think he'll slip past Boston. If things keep going well the next two weeks, he may go as high as 6."

"A lot of people would die to be in the position I'm in," Woods said. "So I'm not by any means saying I had a rough year. It's just unfortunate that because I had some ups and downs this year, (people say) I can't play. I'm a way better player than I was last year, and last year I would have gone in the top five if I had gone to the draft."
Chad Ford - Sportstalk.com (June 12th)

Not Chad Ford but reading how Simmons described Embiid...

Dare is only in his third year of organized ball, yet has already drawn comparisons to the likes of Ewing, Olajuwon, Motumbo and O'Neal. Like those players, Dare is a power player. Unlike those players, he is still learning the game.

Defensively, Dare is a good post defender, strong enough to defend the biggest centers, who is athletic enough to defend on away from the basket. He is a big time shot blocker who will be able to keep opposing players from getting clear shots at the basket from close range. He still has a lot learn as far as positioning and staying out of foul trouble. Dare is also a topnotch rebounder.

Offensively, Dare has little more then a dunk for a repertoire. He also had poor footwork and will require a lot of work. The potential upside to Dare's game will more then likely make him the first center taken (definitely a lottery pick).

It wouldn't be completely without precedent either; when the Raptors and Grizzlies entered the league, there was a restriction on them getting the first pick for their first few seasons in the league. Toronto won the lottery in 1996, but per that stipulation, they received the second pick (choosing Marcus Camby) while Philadelphia got the top pick (picking Allen Iverson).

The Grizzlies "won" in 1998 too.

Which was a dumb rule. The Raptors drafted well and made a playoff run yet with only one of the players they "drafted" in Vince Carter, the Grizzlies in the same situation drafted less well and took far longer to make the playoffs, with none of the players they drafted in the first five years. Miami went through something similar not ever drafting high.

On the other hand compare to Orlando, who drafted 2 future starters, blew one draft, then got two number one picks that instantly put them in the playoffs and then the Finals and then 60 wins/Conf. Finals before Shaq bolted for LA. Charlotte got 1 and 2 in back to back drafts, with Zo being a top pick player if Shaq wasn't there and that also propelled them into the playoffs. (LJ's back and Zo leaving halted that.)

My personal favorite is Mitch McGary

You dog. We all know you're in love with him just because he reminds you of Big Country,

So whom do you guys want your team to draft?

I don't own a team.

McGary's different from Big Country who was a solid franchise big man otherwise for health issues.

the Grizzlies in the same situation drafted less well and took far longer to make the playoffs, with none of the players they drafted in the first five years.

Antonio Daniels, Steve Francis (who clearly didn't want to stay), Stromile Swift were painful drafts. But Big Country, Bibby, and Shareef were fun picks. I enjoyed watching them here. But that restriction on new expansion team was dumb. We were winning literally 10 games a season.

McGary's different from Big Country who was a solid franchise big man otherwise for health issues.

You can't go around the fact you have a thing for big fat white guys.

Shuush. Don't let Jao see that post.

Shuush. Don't let Jao see that post.

Would be awkward. It's not dumb monday.

So in other words, he's butthurt about the Celtics and wants to limit the ability of bad teams to get better through the only methodology they have. (Especially small market teams.)

Yep, that's been established for at least a few months now. That dude can't be taken seriously. I bet he wouldn't consider these rules such good ideas if the Celtics had snatched a top3 pick in one of the recent drafts. Shameless green idiot.


Looking back at this masterpiece always makes me smile:

Step 5: If you can affect the playoff race just to be dicks, even better.

Philly gift-wrapped Turner and Allen for Larry Legend for 10 cents on the dollar. Then, the Sixers bought out Granger to save $500K over keeping his sign-and-trade rights and hoping one of the league’s most respected veterans affected Carter-Williams in a positive way. Granger signed with the Clippers, meaning Philly potentially improved two of the league’s five best teams. (Note: I still think Granger has a salad fork sticking out of his back. We will see.) If someone made those two moves in your fantasy league, it would ignite a 125-email chain that included snarky insults, obscenities in all caps and semi-threats like, “Why don’t you drive over to my office right now and say that to my face?” When the Sixers do it? Totally fine. The NBA enables this behavior — there’s no trade committee, no “spirit of the league” rule, nothing. So, why not?

Turner, Allen and Granger have truly shifted the balance of this league.

Tanking is only a problem when Philly is doing it, folks.

I think Parker is the one that won't last till #3 for sure. So it's going to be either Wiggins or Embiid for the 76ers imo. Not bad.

I really, really hope you're right. I'd rather have either of Wiggins and Embiid than Parker. And with the 10th pick... Harris, maybe? I mean, it'd be nice for the Sixers to draft somebody who can shoot the ball for once, too.

Well, Turner did contribute to the Pacers tailspin. Game two was the first time they lost in the playoffs when he hasn't played.

I really, really hope you're right. I'd rather have either of Wiggins and Embiid than Parker. And with the 10th pick... Harris, maybe? I mean, it'd be nice for the Sixers to draft somebody who can shoot the ball for once, too.

I think it's a roll the dice situation between Parker and Wiggins. But I think the teams want Parker more because he was a better player this season. He played pretty good while Wiggins was shadowed by teammate Embiid.

I think the best scenario for the 76ers is Embiid at 3rd and Doug McDermott at 10th. MCW at PG, Doug at SF, Embiid at C, *shudders*, gahh... let this happen for the basketball fanz.

Here's Embiid workout stuff
http://www.brewhoop.com/2014/5/24/57481 ... ker-andrew

And this is Jabari Parker
http://www.brewhoop.com/2014/5/25/57498 ... uts-friday

I didn't find Wiggins one. Feel free to post if you do.

Chad Ford
Jabari Parker's measurements at workout on Friday: 6' 9" in shoes, 6' 11.75" wingspan, 8' 11.5" standing reach.
Andrew Wiggins measurements from today. 6' 8.75" in shoes, 7' 0" wingspan, 8" 11" standing reach.
Joel Embiid's measurements at the workout on Fri: 7' 1" in shoes, 7' 5.75" wingspan, 9' 5.5" standing reach.