Another Poll

[Buzzard]

I have come to this conclusion:

There are three distinct camps here at HawkSquawk.

1-Best player available, meaning Bogut or Marvin.

2-Bogut or Point Guard at all cost (this would include trade downs or not if Bogut is gone.)

3-Point Guard at all cost group, this would be a point guard regardless of our choices.

Please don't argue the best player available selection, for that one obscure site you can find that has a Point Guard ahead of either Bogut or Marvin, I can find at least five solid sites that have Bogut or Marvin 1 and 2 respectively.

So just for the fun of it please vote!

[Wretch]

This a tough choice for me, because I really like the potential of all of the top prospects...

At the end of the day though, we will only have one of them in our pocket. So, if I'm BK and I have to make a decision...I'd go with a PG. A good point has a certain effect on teams and a great one...oh man. I like the young guys we got. I'm so excited about them and our future and I can only imagine what a star PG would do for their game.

I can't say there is a BPA at the top of this draft. I know the mocks and experts say one thing, but if anyone knew who the BPA was year in and year out then they would be getting paid a f#ckload of money! ...and guys like Smoove, Wade, Dirk, and Pierce wouldn't likely be playing where they are.

I would take a PG over Marvin, with a very nervous grain of salt tossed over my shoulder. I am a FIRM believer in drafting BPA regardless of position or what a team "needs." So I look at it as if both Paul/Deron/whoever and Williams reach stardom. A star like Marvin could become will be VERY VERY good, but only makes guys better through the attention he commands. A star PG on the other hand, is going to bring out the best in everyone. Both are great kinds of players to have, but I take the Magic over the Nique so to speak.

Bogut...?

BogutBogutBogutBogutBogut...

I am completely on the fence with Bogut. In no way do I think he is going to bust. At the same time, I'm not sure sure he's going to be everything people want him to be. I love his attitude and his offensive game. I'm not sold on his defense or his ability to keep up with an NBA frontline(playing in an NBA setting) on the boards. I don't think he'll be terrible on the glass, I just don't expect him to be great (in the Rodman, Wallace, Mutombo sense of greatness).

In the end, I am afraid of all these guys' positives coming back to haunt us when we look back at this draft; and I am afraid of all of their weaknesses going into this draft.

So, again, I'd take my chances with a PG.

[Buzzard]

I understand the Marvin or Bogut option as best player available being a stumbling block for some people. I appreciate the honest response. If it was not for the fact that they do seem to be the consenus from here to China I would not have worded it that way.

This poll shows that there are some very intelligent and experienced basketball fans here at HawkSquawk. Which does not come as a suprise and is the reson this is the only board I come to.

Even fans from other teams come out here on a regualr basis to see what the opinions are from posters on this board.

I appreciate the responses, and it looks like so far there are primarily two major camps and then one minor camp being the pg at all cost group.

[Churchill]

Well said Wretch.

In my perfect world we would be able to swing a trade and get Paul/Deron while picking up another pick or a player who can contribute immediately. Although it can happen I do not think it will so that would leave taking a PG w/ #2 in which I am ok with. Now the question would be which one and I'll leave that choice up to BK.

[Traceman]

reason. When you list Bogut and Williams as the best players available, the assumption must be that those two guys are CLEARLY better than the rest of the field. This is where BK's talent evaluation skills are most important. If BK truly believes there is a big gap between M. Williams and Paul (or D. Williams), I think he needs to take Marvin and go from there. If he evaluates M. Williams and Paul (or D. Williams) as being virtually equal, he should take Paul (or D. Williams) because we clearly need a PG. To me, its that simple.

Those who say we should pass on M. Williams because we have Smoove and Big Al are being extremely shortsighted in my opinion. I don't think there is any question that most GMs would take Williams over Al or Smoove even though he is still somewhat unproven. I have heard many (including GMs, teammates, peers and current NBA players) say that Williams will play in multiple All Star games at some point in his career. Big Al has yet to sniff an All Star invite and Smoove has a LONG way to go before he will merit All Star consideration. If we have a chance to gobble up a guy that many believe will be a future All Star, I can't fathom passing on him for a lesser talent at a so-called position of need.

[Weez]

pretty much exactly how I feel...which is why my best scenario would be for the BUcks to take Bogut, we take Marvin, immediately trade him to the team below us that drafts Deron and come away with the player we want, an extra pick (perhaps) or some sort of sweetener.

That's my best case.

If Bogut falls to us, we take Bogut and learn to live with it. That's how I see this draft coming out...

[Wretch]

Yep, and that's why this is so tough for me. I guess what my biggest issue is, I haven't seen enough of Marvin. Right now, it just people talking...but they are all saying the right things.

I was a person who had never seen LeBron. Not once. All I got from him was the hype machine and the talk. But as we all know now, there was a good reason why there was so much talk about him. With that, I trust the judgement of the people who are talking about Marvin.

If Bogut were projected to fall to us at #2, I'd feel the same way. Except it would be him that I would take nervously as I consider what Paul or Deron could be.

I don't know if this draft is just funny like that, or if I'm feeling this way because we've never had such a huge drafting decision on our hands.

...either way, there are few GMs that I would want to go to war with here than BK.

[Lascar78]

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This is where BK's talent evaluation skills are most important. If BK truly believes there is a big gap between M. Williams and Paul (or D. Williams), I think he needs to take Marvin and go from there. If he evaluates M. Williams and Paul (or D. Williams) as being virtually equal, he should take Paul (or D. Williams) because we clearly need a PG. To me, its that simple.

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I agree wholeheartedly. As far as the PGs, I prefer Deron. But really it comes down to whether or nont BK thinks Marvin will clearly be better than Deron or Paul. If so, I can live with having an all-wingman team. Otherwise, I want Deron, as he clearly fits our existing core better.

If we settle on Deron, we should of course talk to the 3,4,5 teams and see if they want williams and will give us their pick +goodies for him.

[Diesel]

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If BK truly believes there is a big gap between M. Williams and Paul (or D. Williams), I think he needs to take Marvin and go from there. If he evaluates M. Williams and Paul (or D. Williams) as being virtually equal, he should take Paul (or D. Williams) because we clearly need a PG.

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I'm not going to go through your whole post and say this or that about it... I will just say these few things..

1. I think that when you talk about Bogut, Williams, Paul, D. Williams... One thing really stick out:

You know what Paul and Deron can do. They have been battle tested and they have shown their metal. They are the top 2 PGs in the draft and probably the best PGs that have been in the draft since Jason Kidd came out. That includes the class of 1999 and that includes a whole lot of others.

I think the problem is that Historically.. You always pick a big man over a PG.

However, sometimes you got to look at the whole story. We know little about how Bogut can play against pro-like talent. Don't quote me his stats unless you are ready to concede that he accumulated his stats against a lot of 6'7 and 6'8 Centers and many Centers who will never think about getting into the draft.

We know even less about Marvin Williams. IN my eyes... Marvin Williams' hype machine is about as big as Bogut's hype machine. In the biggest games, I have seen Williams disappear. IN the other games, I have seen him be athletic but seeing Williams is no different than seeing Hakim Warrick. People talk about his potential, but when you compare him to Paul/Deron Williams and say that he's going to be so much better, I really have to shake my head. On top of that.. I would say that whatever position Williams will play, Smoove is already playing it.

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Those who say we should pass on M. Williams because we have Smoove and Big Al are being extremely shortsighted in my opinion. I don't think there is any question that most GMs would take Williams over Al or Smoove even though he is still somewhat unproven.

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I am not so quick to suggest what any GM will say until after draft night. And to be honest you don't know either. Smoove is probably the hottest commodity out of last yrs draft after Howard, Okafor, and Iguodala. That's saying a lot because last years draft was a lot stronger than this years. Plus J-Smoove is a player that you can build a franchise around. About Al... I think we should trade him because of his contract and because he's not a banger... BUT.. I don't think BK sees it that way. I think BK see's a 6'9 250 PF who can run the floor better than most PFs.

I just won't be so quick to pick these guys over:

Paul - The brightest talent to come out since James.

Williams - The best playmaker since J-Kidd. I honestly think Deron will probably be better than Kidd!!

[Traceman]

and if I believed you were right about EITHER guy, I'd take them #1 overall without blinking (as would every other GM in their right mind). Do you really think Paul has more talent than Dwight Howard and do you really think Williams will be BETTER than Kidd? I don't.

[Diesel]

I certainly think that Howard has more potential because he's a big man...

But right now... Paul is more talented.

Paul is a scorer, a floor leader, a good defensive player, fast, shows up in big games, and makes his teammate better. If you were to subtract Howard and replace him with Paul, i think Orlando gets more wins. Will that always be the case? I don't know. I'm a big Howard fan and I believe that Howard will be a monster in a few years... However, I can't really say what Paul will be. Like I have said from the beginning, my biggest question about Paul is his durability. Not weather or not he will be injured, but can he keep up his style of play for an 82 game season. The kid is Allen Iverson with a little less defense but definitely more floor Generalship.

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Williams will be BETTER than Kidd

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Yes.

Deron Williams is the guy I would pick because he has it. He's not the flashy talent that Paul is because Paul can definitely score better. But Williams doesn't need to score. If you listen to what Rick Majerus says about WIlliams. He says that Williams is a guy who can pass and get the ball where he wants it to go. This has always been evident about Williams... But to hear it at this level is a testiment. When Kidd was at Cal, he was good, he was darn good, but he didn't do the things that DWill can do. For instance, WIlliams is a lock down defender. He doesn't need help defense. He ask to cover the other teams best Gaurd and he shuts them down. I wasn't that surprised by what he did to Salim Stoudamire. He really demoralized him by pressuring him all game. I was surprised how he stopped Francisco Garcia. Garcia is about 5 inches taller and maybe had a step on Williams, but Williams locked him up so tight that in the second half, his team had started to look for other options. And if I'm not mistaken, these two were the best % long range shooters in college (I may be wrong, but I think Salim was 52%)...

Kidd has always been a Wizard with the ball in the open court... But defensively, has Kidd on any level ever locked down the best offensive player. Like Kidd, Williams may struggle with his outside shooting, but the way this guy can run an offense, I think he will make those around him better...

[OGRat]

[Diesel]

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I certainly think that Howard has more potential because he's a big man...

But right now... Paul is more talented.

Paul is a scorer, a floor leader, a good defensive player, fast, shows up in big games, and makes his teammate better. If you were to subtract Howard and replace him with Paul, i think Orlando gets more wins. Will that always be the case? I don't know. I'm a big Howard fan and I believe that Howard will be a monster in a few years... However, I can't really say what Paul will be. Like I have said from the beginning, my biggest question about Paul is his durability. Not weather or not he will be injured, but can he keep up his style of play for an 82 game season. The kid is Allen Iverson with a little less defense but definitely more floor Generalship.

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Williams will be BETTER than Kidd

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Yes.

Deron Williams is the guy I would pick because he has it. He's not the flashy talent that Paul is because Paul can definitely score better. But Williams doesn't need to score. If you listen to what Rick Majerus says about WIlliams. He says that Williams is a guy who can pass and get the ball where he wants it to go. This has always been evident about Williams... But to hear it at this level is a testiment. When Kidd was at Cal, he was good, he was darn good, but he didn't do the things that DWill can do. For instance, WIlliams is a lock down defender. He doesn't need help defense. He ask to cover the other teams best Gaurd and he shuts them down. I wasn't that surprised by what he did to Salim Stoudamire. He really demoralized him by pressuring him all game. I was surprised how he stopped Francisco Garcia. Garcia is about 5 inches taller and maybe had a step on Williams, but Williams locked him up so tight that in the second half, his team had started to look for other options. And if I'm not mistaken, these two were the best % long range shooters in college (I may be wrong, but I think Salim was 52%)...

Kidd has always been a Wizard with the ball in the open court... But defensively, has Kidd on any level ever locked down the best offensive player. Like Kidd, Williams may struggle with his outside shooting, but the way this guy can run an offense, I think he will make those around him better...

Maybe I should apply to be assistant GM with the Hawks.