Comments on: The Pacers Draft Miles Plumlee

By: Pacers Sign Miles Plumlee | Eight Points, Nine Seconds

Pacers Sign Miles Plumlee | Eight Points, Nine Seconds — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:51:02 +0000

[...] This is basically just bookkeeping as the Pacers have announced they have signed their first-round pick (#26 overall), center Miles Plumlee of Duke. [...]

By: PG24ShootMore

PG24ShootMore — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 16:36:06 +0000

Jason S.
Do you understand what the word “potential” is? If you look it up in the dictionary you’ll see a picture of Perry Jones. The guy is 6’11, quick, athletic, has good handles, a decent jumper, a high release, and a great NBA body. While his rebounding was underwhelming in college it was because of his tendency to be passive and for the Baylor coaching staff not to push him. Yes, the truly great players are self motivated. But with veterans on the team such as David West and Danny Granger he would get that push. And he would be great trade bait. The reason he fell so far is because of his “knee problems”. Everyone else knows how much potential the kid has, they’re just afraid of an injury. But at the 26th pick he’s an absolute steal, and if he stays healthy he’ll have great trade value while he’s young.

Yngwie
PJ wasn’t criticizing his coach. If you watched all the Baylor’s players interviews they all said the same thing. They had to sacrifice some of what they could do (scoring, rebounding, ballhandling, etc) to please the coaching staff AND so that they could be the best team possible. Quincy Miller said the same thing, that he had to sacrifice his ability to score to help the team.

But I have thought more and I’m not AS disappointed by the pick of Miles Plumlee as I was before. He really does fit that need. But if PJ3 goes on to have a solid career I’m gonna be angry

By: Yngwie

Yngwie — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 04:02:29 +0000

1. Can’t believe people constantly expecting every draft pick to be a success. If you aren’t picking in the top half of the lottery, it’s a total crap shoot. The difference between the average guy drafted at 10 and 26 is very small because the average 10th pick still doesn’t have a great career.

Average 10th pick:
10.2 ppg 4.4 rpg 2.2 apg in 24.6 min

Average 26th pick:
6.0 ppg 2.8 rpg 1.3 apg in 15.8 min (only 3 out of 20 26th overall picks have averaged more than 15 (pts + reb + ast) / game in their careers).
For fun, Jeff Foster: 4.9, 6.9, 0.9

LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS. GETTING A POOR MAN’S FOSTER IS AN ABOVE AVERAGE OUTCOME FOR THE 26TH PICK.

2. Perry Jones seems not to be a very smart kid. I listened to an interview and basically he threw all his coaches at Baylor under the bus for not using him correctly. Even if he thinks that’s true, you cannot say stuff like that. Complaining about your coach when you KNOW people are paying attention to what you’re saying prior to the draft? That’s like interviewing in a wife-beater. Besides it’s not like PJ produced in college much more than Plumlee so that argument seems moot.

3. I think the Pacers FO’s opinion is that the team is going to improve organically. All their rotation players are still on an upward career trajectory except West who has been steady and productive. Obviously they were looking to fill a need.

They could have went with Draymond Green but they have watched more film than me so who am I to second guess. Green has less size as well–I think the FO thinks there’s at least some chance they can coach Plum up like they have done so well with Hibbert.

By: Jason S.

Jason S. — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 04:00:09 +0000

The certainty with which some of you assert your opinions is frustrating. A dose of humility for a business (the trading and what teams will or won’t do) most of you likely have no first-hand knowledge of would be refreshing.
Our beloved Pacers, sadly, have never drafted a superstar. Their NBA draft history is very hoosier–in the 1st round we get generally good, solid journeyman players that stick in the NBA.Nothing flashy but they are productive. Dale Davis, Antonio Davis, Jeff Foster, Al Harrington, Austin Croshere. Reggie Miller is the only star we have ever drafted.
And I checked out this Perry Jones; he is not superstar material. First, he can’t rebound and we need rebounding. And why would any team trade for a guy that no one wanted to draft in the first round? The guy went 26th! I think because he is small (A Kevin Garnett body without the skill and drive that makes KG great). What’s more, he did not improve from his freshman to sophomore year. He may be more Olodokandi than anything else.

By: Jason S.

Jason S. — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 23:34:09 +0000

Gregors nails it. Pacers don’t have a backup center, so they drafted one. A backup center, not a PF playing out of position, would have made a big difference in the Heat this year.

By: PG24ShootMore

PG24ShootMore — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 01:26:25 +0000

That’s the thing though. Jones is a top 10 talent though. His two drawbacks are his lack of motivation (which can be cured with veteran leadership and coaching aka Vogel, West, Granger) and his knees (it’s the 26th pick and you’re gambling on a potential allstar). Meanwhile he is athletic as hell, is 6’11 (so he could wind up playing 3 positions in the NBA), he has handles, a decent shot, and a long wingspan. I just personally think that a top ten talent must be taken this late in the draft, especially on a team already as strong as the Pacers. So we pass on Plumlee. I bet he’ll be a decent center too. But we could have ended up with an allstar.

Another example would be would you have taken Michael Kidd-Gilchrest over Anthony Davis because you have solid power forwards and centers and you’re drafting for need? Hell no. And MKG is far more talented than Plumlee.

By: Realist

Realist — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 01:12:00 +0000

Hey don’t get me wrong, I’m still annoyed we didn’t take Jones.

But Mike’s right though. I think everyone drasticly overrates the goings on of anything in the 20′s.

Free agency is what matters to us.

By: PG24ShootMore

PG24ShootMore — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 01:00:52 +0000

Realist
Why did so many people pass up on Danny Granger? He was flagged for potential injuries so he slid just like PJ3. Granted he didn’t slide as far, but look at the strength of that class as opposed to this one. We seriously missed out on a player with the potential to be amazing. Nobody that’s 6’11 should be that athletic and have the skillset he has. He’s a rare player that we just missed. Granted I just read that the T’Wolves (I think) were gonna trade up and take Plumlee at the 27 spot

By: Realist

Realist — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 00:42:35 +0000

Why did so many other teams pass on PJ3 though? Are they as dumb as we are?

By: gregor t.

gregor t. — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 22:12:35 +0000

I went back and watched game 4 of the Pacers v Heat in Indy and came away with the same thought i had at the time. When Hibbert and West got into foul trouble in the 3rd, James and Wade immediately began attacking the rim. Lou and THans could not stop them or come up with rebounds. All i was thinking that if the Pacers had a healthy Jeff Foster, he could protect the rim and keep the Heat from getting those offensive rebounds. One good role player could have turned that game into a Pacers win and 3-1 lead, with a good shot at winning the series and making the Finals. I am convinced that is why the Pacers took Plumlee. Could the Pacers have played the draft better? YES! Do i think we could have got Dray Green, Plumlee, and OJohnson anyway, with smart moves? YES! Are the Pacers better today? I still say yes. 7 footers that play defense and rebound, with no history of injury, are rare; and the ones that can hit shots, like Kaman, make 14mil. Pacers cant pay that. There is a reason that Foster played 15 mins off the bench against the Bulls last year and immediately became the most hated man in Chicago. They called him every name in the book. Jeff Foster. One of the best NBA role players ever. Even as they won. Why? Cause he played defense and rebounded, strong. And they complained, cause they are weak. Can Plumlee play that role? Man, i hope so. But that is how the Pacers can win. Strength Not Stars. Defense Not Divas. Men Not Milquetoasters. The Pacers are close.