Draft prospects - Who do we want?

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

How many guys who have been dismissed from their program have ended up being any good and end up having long careers? Not being eligible is one thing like a Kanter. Getting straight up kicked off the team says to me he has no shot in the pros of making it. Recent examples of Hairston and Rice Jr. show it doesn't bode all that well.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Can someone share Ford's new mock draft? Twitter says it has the Wolves taking Towns over Okafor.

[Coolbreeze44]

http://espn.go.com/nba/lottery2015/mockdraft

He does have us taking Towns over Okafor

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

To me it's down to Towns and Russell. Towns fills the bigger need. Russell is the better player (my opinion).

One thought I had is to draft Towns and then trade for David Lee in a salary dump situation. Maybe we could have them take Bennett or Bud off our hands. Lee would give you efficient scoring and rebounding. This would be a contending starting five (in the east anyways)
C- Towns
PF- Lee
SF- Wiggins
SG- Martin
PG- Rubio

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Why would the Warriors dump Lee just to take on two garbage players and waste two roster spots? Sometimes on this board we go overboard with the unrealistic deals, myself included (but even I say that I don't think Team A would do it).

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

Why would the Warriors dump Lee just to take on two garbage players and waste two roster spots? Sometimes on this board we go overboard with the unrealistic deals, myself included (but even I say that I don't think Team A would do it).

They aren't playing him. Thompson's salary jumps by 12 million. They have Green they have to resign, he will be costly. They need cap space. Why pay a guy 15 million a year to play 18 mins and some games not play at all. They wouldn't take both spare parts. Maybe one and some other parts.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Since everyone's been down on Stanley as of late, it's fair to bring up his good game today. 19 pts (8-14 FG, 3-5 3P) and 7 reb in 26 mins in Arizona's win against Cal. I still like him, and if we fall out of the top-four, he'd be a guy I'd pick and feel good about.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Since everyone's been down on Stanley as of late, it's fair to bring up his good game today. 19 pts (8-14 FG, 3-5 3P) and 7 reb in 26 mins in Arizona's win against Cal. I still like him, and if we fall out of the top-four, he'd be a guy I'd pick and feel good about.

Just for the record, cam, I'm still solidly on the Johnson band wagon, although I agree his stats haven't been as impressive lately. But he's a guy you really have to watch to appreciate...his box score isn't always going to tell the story. He's my pick if the Wolves get the 5th pick, and I even consider him at 4.

Russell continues to amaze me with how easy the game comes to him. He is the smoothest ball handler I have seen at the college level in some time. He was in a little bit of a funk last night against the gophers after he hurt his left thumb, but he still found a way to control the game. Last night I noticed his defense for the first time...rather impressive for a 6-5 freshman to block 3 shots. He hasn't protected the ball as well the past two games, but that hasn't been a problem most of the year. I still love Towns and Okafor, but I think Russell is the best basketball player in the NCAA this year.

[bleedspeed]

We need the best player. I would go with Russell if we picked first, but would be very happy if Town had a monster tourney and made it difficult decision.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I'm not seeing how Russell is better than Towns or Okafor. His stats are pretty, no doubt, but he's got full freedom with the offense at Ohio State. I hate to compare him to Evan Turner, but it's quite the same situation. The disclaimer here is that Russell is a much better long range shooter.

Okafor's the better scorer in my book. And Towns is productive/skilled in all areas, especially without the ball, and able to take over games in his own right. I like Russell, but think it's time to pump the breaks. Top player in this draft he is not. In all honesty, I'm not even sure he's a better talent than Mudiay; though, he certainly has more exposure. Mudiay would be dominating NCAA basketball just the same. Too much physically for college kids.