For NBA executives looking for future All-Stars at the top of the draft Thursday, a look at the list of prospects might be disconcerting.
For Ryan Blake and others who closely follow the draft, it sets up a potentially entertaining draft.
“You don’t know what to expect,” said Blake, the NBA’s co-director of scouting. “That’s the big question. That’s what makes this really exciting.”
Cleveland is widely expected to select Duke point guard Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 pick. Arizona forward Derrick Williams likely will be drafted No. 2 by the Timberwolves.
After that is when the intrigue begins.
The Jazz, picking No. 3, is in need of a point guard after trading All-Star Deron Williams during the season. The highest-rated point-guard prospects after Irving are Brandon Knight of Kentucky, Kemba Walker of Connecticut and Jimmer Fredette of BYU.
But Utah also owns the No. 12 pick, and might use its first pick on Enes Kanter, a center prospect from Turkey and hope one of the point guards is available for their second pick. Or the Jazz could include one or both of those picks in a trade.
Once Utah decides, the other lottery dominoes will fall. The Cavaliers also own the No. 4 overall pick and could be involved in trades.
Hawks general manager Rick Sund said there has been less trade activity because of the uncertainty of the collective bargaining agreement that expires June 30.
“People [are] unwilling to pull the trigger,” Sund said.
Irving and Williams are potential standouts, but they lack the same can’t-miss labels that were applied in recent drafts to players such as Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard and LeBron James. This draft also isn’t considered to have much depth.
Even if first-round picks become solid starters rather than stars, they provide good value because of salary restrictions and contracts that are guaranteed for only two seasons.
“When you are looking at franchise players, guys with high ceiling, an unusual amount of skills, I don’t see that in this draft,” Blake said. “There are guys with upside who can develop.”
The trend of younger prospects dominating the top of the draft figures to continue.
There’s only one college senior (Morehead State’s Kenneth Faried) and five juniors among the top 20 prospects rated by draftexpress.com, There list includes four freshman (with three in the top 10), four sophomores and six international players.
The Hawks don’t have a first-round pick after trading it to Washington in February as part of the deal to acquire Kirk Hinrich (Washington’s pick is No. 18 overall). Atlanta’s second-round pick is No. 48 overall.
Blake said it’s difficult but not out of the question for the Hawks to find a player deep in the draft that can help them.
“You never know what is going to happen,” he said. “I think there will be some surprises of guys left going into the second round that might fall into their lap.”
