The Silver and Black's 2008 Draft Preview

We’re all over the draft here at The Silver and Black. The major questions for the Spurs is if they draft a player that they can stash overseas (avoiding luxury tax and giving them the opportunity to sign veterans to fill their holes) or get a rookie that can contribute immediately. Before we get underway with the gossip and the likely draft scenarios, let’s recap what the Spurs need:

- Depth at point guard.
Although everyone values Jacque Vaughn’s professionalism, his offensive liabilities really shone through in the 2008 playoffs (forcing Pop to play Brent Barry and Manu Ginobili as the backup point). The guy plays with heart and means business, but, god help him, he just isn’t that offensively gifted. The Spurs could use a steady,
experienced backup point behind Tony Parker (and no, Mighty Mouse isn’t it).

- Young legs at the wings.
This was an issue for, say, the last 4 years, and the Spurs addressed it last year by signing then 29-year-old Ime Udoka. Nonetheless, Brent Barry, Bruce Bowen, and (shudder) Manu Ginobili aren’t getting any younger, and the Spurs need to look for some youth.

- A 4th scorer.
The Spurs relied more heavily on their “big 3” this year than they ever had. The surrounding roster aged, and players like Michael Finley, Robert Horry, and Brent Barry didn’t offer the offensive production they had in the past, due to injuries and age. A scoring-minded bench player, be it a combo guard or Luis Scola-like big man (#$@!), would be welcome.

- Big man depth/rebounding help
Let’s face it: the loss of Tiago Splitter to the almighty dollar (or peseta, or whatever) was crushing. He was penciled in to be a rotation player this year, a banger with experience, youth, and championship experience. Now, the Spurs have to honestly contemplate bringing back dinosaur Horry.

Pipe dreams

This section is dedicated to players who are likely to get drafted before the Spurs pick at number 26. That being said, a player or two always slides, and there is always the chance the Spurs could trade up to nab someone they really like (not something they do often, but possible).

Brandon Rush (G/F): Long, defensively skilled, great shooter, versatile, championship pedigree. Everything the Spurs need, but probably everything a few other teams need, too. A top 15 pick.

Nicolas Batum (G/F): A lottery pick if he came out last year, Batum is suddenly sliding in mock drafts. With the unexpected announcement of a heart condition, some teams may be scared off by Batum. Still, Tony Parker’s countryman offers great athleticism and a tremendous upside, and could be one of the steals of the draft once he develops.

Robin Lopez (C): The less offensively skilled twin from Stanford is more of a dirty work player who can throw some bodies around and grab some rebounds. Can be run out of a game, but he would be a more ready contributor than Ian Mahinmi.

Realistic Prospects

These are the guys that both fit a positional need and are slated to go in the late portion of the first round.

Chris Douglas-Roberts (G/F): The best player on one of the best teams in the NCAA this past year, Douglas-Roberts has a freakish wingspan and can score as well as anyone in the draft. CDR possesses an awkward shot, but his midrange game is one of the best in the draft and he is capable of creating his own buckets or finishing on the break.

How he fits on the Spurs: He’ll have to learn defense first, but if he can earn minutes and prove something with the Austin Toros, he could be a rotation player in his second or third year.

Mario Chalmers (PG): Pen him in as a better version of Jacque Vaughn: a mature, professional point guard from Kansas that could immediately slide into the backup point guard. He’s poised and won’t have the learning curve of most NBA point guards.

How he fits on the Spurs: Chalmers will be in a semi-internship under Vaughn, but can be immediately penciled in as the backup point as soon as he figures it out.

Courtney Lee (SG): A 20-point scorer in college, Lee is an absolutely devastating shooter and has drawn comparisons to the Raptor’s Anthony Parker. Well-spoken and humble, Lee could play for the Spurs immediately. An average athlete, but Lee has quick feet and can stay in front of his man.

How he fits on the Spurs: A long-term replacement for aging shooters like Brent Barry, Lee, like CDR, will have to prove him self defensively before he gets significant playing time. He’d probably get some run in with the Austin Toros.

Serge Ibaka (PF): A relative unknown until the 6-10 Ibaka from Congo developed a buzz after a Reebok camp in Italy. The slender 18-year-old isn’t anywhere near NBA ready, but if the Spurs are looking to avoid the luxury tax they may want to draft a player that they can stash overseas. Ibaka has great hands, incredible length, and terrific athleticism. His lanky frame may scare off a team like the Spurs, who like their bigs to be physical. Consider this a long shot.

How he fits on the Spurs: For now, he doesn’t. Ibaka needs a few years of polish before the Spurs can bring him over, although they could bring him for a year with the Toros (as they did with Mahinmi this season).

Enigmatic foreigner: Let’s face it: the Spurs love to do this to us. Be it Ian Mahinmi, Tony Parker, or Manu Ginobili, the San Antonio brass loves to pick out the diamonds in the rough. After two straight offseasons of losing a first round pick to contract squabbles (Luis Scola and Tiago Splitter), it would be a brave move for the Spurs to pick a player that may or may not be committed to being an NBA player. Omer Asik? Alexis Ajinca? The harder to pronounce, the more likely the Spurs are looking at him.

NBA Draft 2008: June 26th