2011 Draft Prospect: Nikola Mirotic

[pad300]

Sounds like the makings of another Scola-type situation - in terms of the potential complicated and expensive buyout.

If he was Scola, it might be worth the wait. He's not Scola though. Scola's a good starting PF. Mirotic is a bench PF... IMO of course.

[SenorSpur]

If he was Scola, it might be worth the wait. He's not Scola though. Scola's a good starting PF. Mirotic is a bench PF... IMO of course.

Good point. I'm not that familiar with him, but I've not heard any declarations about Mirotic being the "best player on his team" or "one of the best players in that league". He may very well be, but I've not heard it.

[Bruno]

It's 2011, NBA is now scouting Europe in depth. The good old time where you can draft players like Ginobili or Scola with a late second round pick is done.

Without all his contract issue, Mirotic would be a lottery pick. He is a damn good prospect.

[yavozerb]

If he was Scola, it might be worth the wait. He's not Scola though. Scola's a good starting PF. Mirotic is a bench PF... IMO of course.

Good point. I'm not that familiar with him, but I've not heard any declarations about Mirotic being the "best player on his team" or "one of the best players in that league". He may very well be, but I've not heard it.

Guys, he is only 20 years old..Scola was not drafted until 2002 when he was 22 years old, but lets look at scola's numbers when he was 20: 18 mpg, 8pts, 4rbs. Not much different than Mirituc's number currently. Not saying he is gonna be the next Scola, but I am saying most players who are drafted from Europe this young have a wide range of how good or how bad they are going to be as they develop there game. Not a bad gamble at #29 in my opinion

[benefactor]

Makes sense. RC talking about not concentrating on reloading through the draft just screams international pick...plus wrapping up guaranteed money in the kind of player that the Spurs will draft at 29 seems like a pretty risky idea(depending on the new CBA of course). The prospects they already have are likely better than any player they take here.

[Uriel]

Spurs will pick him at #29.

I would be delirious if that happened. But I'm just not sure he falls that far. If I'm not mistaken, Chad Ford in his latest mock draft for ESPN has him projected at or near the lottery.

Then again, Tiago Splitter did fall this far too due to contract issues, and he was lottery talent as well, even then. That's probably why DraftExpress currently has us picking him at 29.

[yavozerb]

Good recent video of Mirotic..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-TtTyMH1c8

[Mr. Body]

1) Are teams willing to take him in the late 1st round, knowing the boxed-in salary may not be enough to help defray buy-outs in the next few years?

2) Most GMs are under pressure to produce consistently and in the short term. I could see a team with multiple first rounders or a team with a safe GM seat taking this guy. Otherwise it's hard to gamble on your own future as a GM while taking a guy you won't see for a long time.

[mountainballer]

he is a player, who could turn into a very good NBA player one day.
definitely worth to risk a late 1st rounder (in a weak draft)

btw. I think the owners will want (and get) much better financial options for buy outs. maybe 3 million? it's hard to justify that it is allowed to buy a pick for such a number, or pay it in cash to another team, but not use such a number for a buy out. this limitations to 500K definitely cost the owners and teams money in the long run. because it limites the market of available players. this increases the costs for contracts for available players.
so if such a cange in the buy out rules is part of the new CBA, it might be much easier to bring a player like Mirotic to the NBA in 2 or 3 years.

[mountainballer]

He is a good player for his age. He's not remotely close to being one of the best players in Euroleague. Top 125 maybe, on a good day.

I assume #1 to #125 are all Greek people who can tell a basketball form a watermelon.