Spurs' future draft picks

[Darkwaters]

I didn't like the idea of Dudley very much at first. I thought he was a pretty poor choice. But the more I look at him the more I realize that hes probably actually an excellent choice. The guy plays Spurs basketball and seems to be what we want. But his work ethic and high basketball IQ make him exceptional. I only wish he were a better on man defender and wish he was better at pulling up off the dribble. A nice midrange game is so effective at the NBA level. All and all though, I think he wouldn't be a bad choice.

[Darkwaters]

Question:

Assuming we draft a PG with our first round pick and we're sitting at 33 with both Jared Dudley and Dominic McGuire available...who do you take? Both have had good showings at the predraft camp. But we have two VERY different players. McGuire symbolizes all the specific things we wanted in a SF (potential lockdown defender, long, athletic) while Dudley represents everything that we currently are and have been succesful with (high basketball IQ, good passer, good work ethic, nice shooter).

Who do you take?

[Mr. Body]

I take Dudley. I'm still enamored of upside, athleticism, the chance to be a star. But we're in 'win now' mode and McGuire is no sure thing, and would take a couple years to round out, if he ever does. Dudley you can put in nearly right away.

But, damn, it's a tough choice. McGuire is having a spotty Orlando camp, but with good reports in general, while Dudley is almost consensus the guy topping everyone's list (for attending players).

[mountainballer]

I only wish he were a better on man defender

the way he defended the much higher rated Jeff Green in the NCAA (forced him to 4-12 FG and 5 TOs) showed that he might also be underrated in this area.

[EvenFlow]

At first I wasn't thrilled by Dudley and I was completely sold on McGuire. Now I realized that Dudley is more of what you look for in a player if your a championship quality team especially if your a team built on smarts and hustle like the Spurs. I've heard alot about McGuire's potential, but I also have heard that with James White and we all know Pop thinks White currently lacks the head for the game to play in his system (and I still think the Spurs will let him go). Also the guys who were commentating the pre-draft camp last night immediately mentioned the Spurs when talking about Dudley. I think he's just a perfect fit. But that's no guarantee the Spurs are gonna draft him.

[Mr. Body]

Yeah, Dudley didn't want to lose that game vs. Georgetown. He did everything in his power.

[mountainballer]

Who do you take?

as Body said, tough choice.
and I would also take Dudley.
some weeks ago I would have said it's a no brainer to take McGuire, but I changed my mind a bit.
it's just the fact that athletic players without enough fundamentals and BBIQ don't have a chance to find a place on this team anyhow, or have quite a hard time to learn and adjust.
White wasn't able to even make the team, same with Ely (a far better athlete than all other bigs on the roster), Elson lost his spot to Oberto.
the McGuire pick might have more upside, but I think Dudley will have more impact for the next 2 seasons (when Spurs will still compete for the le).

[EvenFlow]

I take Dudley. I'm still enamored of upside, athleticism, the chance to be a star. But we're in 'win now' mode and McGuire is no sure thing, and would take a couple years to round out, if he ever does. Dudley you can put in nearly right away.

But, damn, it's a tough choice. McGuire is having a spotty Orlando camp, but with good reports in general, while Dudley is almost consensus the guy topping everyone's list (for attending players).

Good point, if McGuire ends up becoming an all star one day, I won't be dissapointed at all as long as Dudley helps the Spurs when a few more championships.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Whether or not we do take Dudley, I doubt we will let James White go. That would be a nice SF lineup of Bowen, White, and Dudley. I'm pretty sure that the duo can take over just fine after Bowen starts declining.

[mountainballer]

Whether or not we do take Dudley, I doubt we will let James White go. That would be a nice SF lineup of Bowen, White, and Dudley. I'm pretty sure that the duo can take over just fine after Bowen starts declining.

considering that White will still be on a cheap (700K) contract next season and the Spurs still around the lux tax threshold, I also think they will keep him, he might again not play much, but a team needs some insurance for the case of some injuries anyhow. but I'm not sure if he is in their big plans.
and if a nice trade needs some additional pieces to get things done, I'm also sure the Spurs won't hesitate to trow him in.

[mountainballer]

4 months ago a Boston columist wrote a nice story about Dudley.
don't know about his ability to see the future, but it sounds quite nice.

http://www.boston.com/sports/college...tch_by_dudley/

You can set your watch by Dudley

By Jackie MacMullan, Globe Columnist | February 7, 2007

A couple of years from now, when he's helping Tim Duncan and Tony Parker win another NBA championship for the San Antonio Spurs, you will be kicking yourself for not paying closer attention to Jared Dudley while he was right here, under your nose, poised to steal your basketball heart.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

And Jackie MacMullan whoops ass on Around the Horn.

[K-State Spur]

Obviously Dudley is your classic tweener (not news to this conversation, i realize), but it seems to me that he would fit quite well as a '4' in a small ball line-up. He can defend the post & is nasty on the boards.

[timvp]

Taurean Green, PG, Florida
10 points, 5 assists

Green had former teammates Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer cheering him on from the sidelines today.

Along with Jordan, Green is the steadiest guard here -- which makes it odd that they were put on the same team.

Green isn't great at anything, but he shoots the ball well, runs the offense and showed again that he can get to the rim.

I doubt he'll be a starter in the NBA, but he'll be a good backup point guard for someone.

This just feels like a pick the Spurs will make. Pop was an assistant coach when Sidney Green, Taurean's dad for the couple people who don't know that by now, played for the Spurs. Taurean quarterbacked a college team with great players that played an inside-outside style. He played his best ball late in the tourney. He survived and thrived in the pressure that it took to repeat.

The Spurs also like to draft players who play well in the draft camps. Green has been said to be shooting the ball well, which is a nice plus in the Spurs system.

I know it wouldn't be a sexy pick but I like Taurean Green at #33. I see no reason why he can't be a steady backup point guard for a decade. He's thrived in pressure. He plays defense. He knows how to play inside-out. Pop knows the family.

It just makes too much sense.

[picnroll]

Green is a turnover machine. Jared Jordan ia a Nashesque passer, too bad he's small and not real quick.

[Darkwaters]

Taurean Green and Jared Dudley? That matches our needs perfectly...but they're not the sexy picks that everyone had been hoping for. With talk of Thaddeus Young, Acie Law and Rudy Fernandez I suppose most of us don't want to concede that the Green/Dudley draft is most likely imminent.

But really, can you complain with those two choices (well, clearly you can...I give it 5 seconds)? But these players seem like smart choices for the moment. The Spurs only have a handful of additional years to make championship runs. We have to live in the now and not think too much about the future. Players that are capable of stepping in and filling a role next year is what we need at this point in time. In a draft laden with potential there are few players can will be able to perform from day one...these two can. A two-time NCAA champion PG and a player of Dudley's basketball IQ will be capable of performing from day one. While I too would prefer to take Thaddeus Young or the like...but they're just not realistic. And players like McGuire are just too far away from contributing.

Taurean Green and Jared Dudley...I doubt I ever would have said it, but I can live with that.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

#28 Jared Dudley
#33 Taurean Green
???
What ever happened to Stuckey and Koponen and Pruitt? Not to say I don't like these picks, but no one mentioned these two people at all in pretty much every page of this thread except this one and the one before.

[Darkwaters]

#28 Jared Dudley
#33 Taurean Green
???
What ever happened to Stuckey and Koponen and Pruitt?

I think we take Stuckey if hes there. But chances are that he isn't. I'm not all too high on Pruitt though. Koponen would be a nice player to have...but hes nowhere near ready and would be a long-term plan.

With the 58 though I like the plan of taking Sun Yue. Its a Spurs type pick...and it makes sense.

[picnroll]

I'll be disappointed with Green. Doesn't look like a very good BBall IQ. Be real surprised if the Spurs pick him. After two games McGuire looks like another athlete without a basketball brain.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

With the 58 I want either Yue or Wyatt.

[yavozerb]

Dudley and green will i think def. be there during both our picks, so in essence they are safety picks..Nothing spectacular but decent nba players that will add depth.
My new 3 preferred picks would be: #28 Morris Almond #33 Jared Dudley #58 Jamaal Tatum.

[A.H 21-50]

it will not be bad to pick dudley but with the 33 rd pick

for the first round maybe the team will take the best player available ??

if they could land a guy like stuckey if he still there or derrick byars ......

the problem is are we sure they will draft a pg and a wing player , the spurs organization always surprise me during drafts so maybe they could be some surprises

IMO with the 28 th pick Derrick Byars and a pg with the 33 rd will be good options

dudley can be a good pick for the team also , he shows very nice things during the predraft camp

http://www.nba.com/news/predraft_070531.html

[Darkwaters]

I think that if Dudley is there at 33 we take him. He just makes too much sense for us at the moment. I'd love to take Byarswith the 28...but we would have an absolute ton of wings then. Barry would have to be traded along with a few other pieces I'm sure.

[EvenFlow]

Byars or Afflalo, to me, are a lock to be Spurs, while I don't think Dudley is. I think the Spurs will draft Byars or Afflalo with their 1st round pick and probably go after a pg with the 33 pick. When it comes to the pg I like what I'm hearing about Zabian Dowdell. He's a big ,6'3, muscular pg who has a 6'9 wingspan and great lateral quickness. He seems like a career back-up pg who can do things such as control the tempo and play great defense. His size would be a bonus since the Spurs struggle against big point guards.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

JARED DUDLEY DURING PRE-DRAFT CAMP TODAY.

Jared Dudley, 6’7, SF/PF, Boston College

13 pts, 8 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 to, 5-7 fg’s, 3-3 ft’s, 0-1 3-pt

Jonathan Watters

No, Jared Dudley doesn’t appear to have a natural NBA position. It doesn’t look like he’s worked much on his physique since the season ended. But after today’s phenomenal performance, it is fairly obvious that he will find a place in the NBA. His predecessor at Boston College, Craig Smith, had a phenomenal year in Minnesota and Dudley brings much of the same court savvy and experience to the table.

Dudley positively impacted the game nearly every time he touched the ball, whether it was finding teammates with beautiful passes (the 1 assist he was credited with in the box score is flat out wrong), hitting the glass with reckless abandon, always making the right decision on whether to take off up the court on his own or fire off a crisp outlet pass, or knocking down the open jumper with ease. Dudley is clearly on a different level in terms of his understanding of the game, and even though his team didn’t always get him looks in the halfcourt, Dudley found a way to make his presence felt.

Dudley is going to be the type of player that every successful team needs. He might not blow anybody away with any fancy individual skill, but the remarkable efficiency with which he seeks out small ways to contribute and converts is going to get him drafted, perhaps in the first round.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

TAUREAN GREEN DURING PRE-DRAFT CAMP TODAY.

Taurean Green, 6-1, Junior, Point Guard, Florida
10 points, 5 assists, 3 turnovers, 3-4 FG, 1-1 3P, 3-4 FT

This was another excellent showing in what is turning out to be a terrific pre-draft camp for Taurean Green so far, particularly with the work he did getting his team well ahead in the box-score in the first half. Green showed the things that make him an intriguing prospect in terms of his combination of shooting, slashing and playmaking ability, making some excellent passes off the dribble on the drive and dish and putting outstanding pressure on the defense (going left or right) getting into the paint all game long, displaying nice toughness in the process. He also pulled up off the dribble from well beyond the NBA 3-point line on one occasion, swishing the shot and sending his three compadres from Florida who made a cameo—Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer—cheering visibly on the sidelines. More than possibly any other guard in this camp, Green has shown the quickest adaptation to the NBA 3-point line, at least from what we’ve seen in the games and drills so far.

More than anything, though, what this pre-draft camp has shown us is the incredible confidence that Green has in himself. He’s playing here without a care in the world, as if he’s been on some much bigger stages already in his career and doesn’t have much left to prove.