[Demarcus OnealParticipant]

Who do you guys think will be the top sleeper picks from this year draft. These are players not top draft picks but will suprise and be good NBA players my sleeper pick is lLarry Sanders since he is a glue guy and long and a defensive monster kinda similiar to a very poor mans Shawn Marion but taller

what are your thoughts?

[MagikKnickParticipant]

how do u get Larry Sanders from Shawn Merion?

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

I have one guy I want to talk about: Gordon Hayward

That’s right. The Jazz drafting him 9th was retarded, he should not have been the 9th pick, but he’s a sleeper here because of how he’s been hated on. Two factors play into this: The Jazz got terrible grades on draft night mainly because they should have taken a big in a big man-heavy draft, especially considering that they would likely lose Boozer, but improbably acquiring Jefferson means they have an extremely solid front court (Jefferson, Millsap, Okur, AK), and signing Raja Bell means they have another exceptional outside scorer to lessen his load; Bell is also the perfect mentor for him, in showing him how to play tougher and really buckle down on D. Lots of expectations were very fairly placed on Hayward’s shoulders on draft night, as the Jazz had all but renounced Boozer and Korver, who probably could not have co-existed with Hayward. The Butler rookie would have been expected to produce in a major way from day one, and his career would have gotten off to the rocky start that many expected. But now…now there’s now a lot less pressure on him, and he’ll be able to really play his game and immediately and become more comfortable. He just turned 20 four months ago, he has a very refined and dynamic offensive repertoire, he has invaluable guts and experience for a guy his age, he can play the 2 or the 3 with equal ease, and lest we forget, he recorded a higher max vertical than Al-Farouq Aminu at the combine. With the Jazz expecting to make another playoff run, an all-world point guard in Deron Williams getting him the best looks possible, and a lot less pressure on him, I think he’s now in a great position to prove a lot of people wrong.

[Demarcus OnealParticipant]

The way they both play outstanding defense, run the floor well, rebound well and are the glue guys for their team and extremely versatile I may be a bit off but I thought taller Shawn Marion when I saw him play

[bishopm.dotParticipant]

I like Xavier Henry in Memphis, James Anderson in San Antonio, and Lance Stephenson in Indiana. Henry has a nice stroke and will fit in nicely as a back up for Mayo. He provides them with something they’ve been missing. Anderson is a long line great Spurs draft picks. he gives them an athletic shooter who also has some defensive potential. He could be an important player for the future of Spurs basketball. Stephen showed the kind of player he could be for Indiana as a playmaker and scorer. If he can keep his head on straight he could be a dynamic player for them off the bench.

[Demarcus OnealParticipant]

All good points and I didnt know he Outjumped Al- Faroq Aminu at the combine and he is considered a top athlete Hayward is only seen as unathletic because he is white and he he may not have outstanding physical abilities but he has a high skill level and knows how to play the game which means alot more then having great speed or elite athleticism.

Also James Anderson will be really good on the Spurs since they always draft good last year Dajaun Blair, Parker, Hill etc
Lance Stephenson has always been outstanding and I always knew he would be a much better pro then college player
Xavier Henry- He is talented however i thought he was a bit overated at Kansas an due to contract dispute he didnt play in Summer league so the jury is still out on hm

[gregoden08Participant]

VERTICAL means nothing…Luke Babbitt had a higher vert than D-Wade…Heyward isn’t even close to the athlete that Aminu is.

[don042488Participant]

If Sanders work hard, I think he could be the 2nd coming of Amare

[gregoden08Participant]

Sanders will never be Amare. Completely different players/talent level.

[JNixonParticipant]

Sanders at best will be like Josh Smith, but that’s unlikely.

I see him as a 13 or 14 ppg scorer with 7 or 8 rpg and 2 bpg chipped in realistically. He should benefit from playing with Jennings and being a perfect compliment to Andrew Bogut, because he can block shots and has potential as a floor spacer and pick and pop/roll option player. The situation he’s in is ideal for him, as he can be brought along slowly behind Gooden (great because Sanders still has alot to learn and is still raw) and play when ready.

[flibbenmcgParticipant]

Personally I like Domonique Jones, the guy has good handles, pretty good mid range J, takes it to the bucket and is insane strong. He is also a wicked defender from what I saw anyway. He turned a poor South Florida team into a 21-10 team in the Big East which was the toughest conference in the NCAA until March Madness and essentially rocked the summer league for the Mavs.

[bigblackNbeautifulParticipant]

Anyone???? He was solid in the summer league. There is a reason the knicks drafted him. I believe the suns promised him a selection if the knicks didnt take him. Idk he is a shooter and defender in the dundley mold. As much as it pains me to say it. the knicks did their homework and got a player.

[EGbball3Participant]

Hassan whiteside anyone?

[OhCanada-Participant]

Guys stop reading peoples statlines and using comparisons. Just tell facts.

Fact is Hayward will never be a steal unless Jefferson becomes a steal for Utah. If Jefferson can become the post presence they were looking for Hayward is a great selection because he can knock down the 3 and still be a very good utility guy which is an upgrade from Korver in the complete game aspect. If Jefferson plays bad and lets down Utah then that means they passed up on 2 talented bigs Davis and Sanders who adress their needs in Shot Blocking, Length, and Physical Presence in the Paint.

The true steals are

Damien James
Dominique Jones
Hassan Whiteside
Lance Stephenson
Devin Ebanks
Derrick Caracter
Magnum Rolle
Gani Lawal
Soloman Alabi

Jeremy Lin
Sherron Collins
Ishmeal Smith

[ChrispyParticipant]

Ish Smith is a point who can’t shoot, can’t make a free throw and turns the ball over at a ridiculous rate. D-league all star- fring NBA player

Alabi- Slow, slow, slow. Will be exposed in NBA. Roy Hibbert without the mid range J.

I agree w James and Jones, but all the other guys are ranging from Boom or Bust players to annual fringe NBA or summer league/D-league guys. Hardly ‘Steals” or “Sleepers”. Just my opinion, tho.

[BasterdInABasketParticipant]

He has said that he models his game after him and it shows. He has the length, athleticism and the jumpshot (thats the one thing that surpprised me is how nice his shot is). Not saying he’ll even be as close to as good as Garnett- which he wont- but they do have very similar games.

[UofAxWildcatsParticipant]

Lance Stephenson ,, specially if he plays the pg position .. could be a tyreke evans for the pacers

[Scottoant93Participant]

Larry Sanders- long, lanky but can get stronger, can be shaped into basically any type of player a team wants(shooting big ex Bargnani Miller, post player(needs to improve strength), or combination

Lance Stephenson- a better pro than college player type. Has the ability to become an allstar all depends on his work ethic and state of mind.

Jeremy Lin- reported to sign with Golden State will thrive in Nelson’s uptempo style and make a name for himself like morrow, and williams.

Damien James- Can help the Nets out at SF besides Terrance Williams(can play pg,sg,sf) they don’t have much at that position.

Devin Ebanks- 2nd coming of Ariza but a little raw but will be a can contribute in a few years along with Derrick Character

James Anderson- Spurs do it again find players who complement their team. Anderson will fit nice into their system

Hamady Ndiaye- defensive center who is extremely raw on offense can complement a team defensively and maybe a little offense down the road if continues to improve every year as he did in college he might have a chance to help a team,

Hassan Whiteside- Shot blocking and shot changer presence. known to be immature but has a lot of upside

At the time of the draft I would have said Daniel Orton. summer league is more guard based but thats not an excuse for shooting around 28%. He has the body but conditioning, offensive ability, rebounding and just overall game is extremely raw. He looked lost out there and Patrick Ewing has a lot of work to put into him. If he can turn him into a rebounding and blocking machine with a little offense he might be a sleeper at 30 but till then he’s not.

[ghettosermonParticipant]

Larry Sanders will be what Tyrus Thomas was supposed to be.

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