Trying to offset the 250 post thread as I prepare a little diatribe for today.
Not a very exciting draft. Hard to get really excited about a guy who was a backup so long but work ethic, athleticism, and defense all seem to be there for Westbrook. I think their view of him has to be that he is a guy who will translate better to the NBA than he did in college.
Serge Ibaka was a pick that got telegraphed a while ago and is no suprise. It is hard not to lump him in with the plethora of foreign busts that Sonics fans are accustomed to but that is probably not fair. Very reminiscent of the Ian Mahimi pick by San Antonio a few years ago. If I want to be an optimist I can look at the picture in this write up and say "WOW! That guy has an NBA Body"
One other thing I like about this pick is that it seems as if the Sonics scouted him, targeted him, and drafted him. They may even have had a plan to get him over here from Europe faster than other teams had anticipated. I always like it when organizations demonstrate a plan and a thought process and accomplish their goals. I don't always agree with the goals but its better than being the Knicks...
Credit where credit is due. The team traded for another first round picka and guaranteed contract and I'm going to assume Clay Bennett authorized the contract. DJ White is an established college player and I expect that they think he will make the team. Not a sexy pick but between him and Devon Hardin there seems to be a theme. The Sonics got players who like to mix it up and do dirty work. In terms of draft philosophy they certainly showed that they are going to load the roster with guys who can defend, rebound, and block shots. Not a bad thing at all.
I like the Hardin pick that low a lot. Both White and Hardin were picked well below where they were projected in mocks so it is hard to argue that they are not both good value picks. I would have really liked to see DeAndre Jordan at #29 but getting Hardin down low makes up for that a lot. We won't know if Jordan is an athletic stud or simply a tall guy with an imposing frame for a while. We have plenty of tall guys.
Thoughts?