RebKell's Junkie Boards

[root_thing]

Shooting guard is the easiest position to fill in this league. If people really want Durr, you should trade down for her. You wouldn't take her at #2 unless she had Augustus-like accuracy or Taurasi-type clutch ability. Those two are also big guards. Durr is listed at 5-10 but watching the ND games she looked noticeably shorter when standing next to 5-11 Mabrey.

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You can always do something else.

[J-Spoon]

I am going to try and keep an open mind about this draft.

What I don't like about #2 is if the bigs go 1 and 2 then our choice is made by who LV takes and in theory we get the weaker one. So even if one of the bigs proves to be a close to sure bet we won't be getting that one. There are more question marks about the top players then we are used to. There will even be months of debate over who should go #1. If there are still question marks about both bigs I would rather take a player I feel confident will be a good scorer if nothing else I think both Durr and KlS and Ogunbowale will be effective on the offensive end.

One of the reasons I was ok with the 4th pick was I was going to like who we drafted and not have to worry about whiffing on the star at the next level who we might now miss if we go with the 2nd best big instead of the 2nd best player.

Hopefully Brown and McCowan kill it this season and are clearly the two best in the draft.

Because I don't want to be losing games to chicago with Durr and Deshields killing our guards or Indy with KlS and the Mitchell's lighting us up.

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

[J-Spoon]

OK here's a fun hypothetical

What if Ionescu comes out? Do you offer Charles for the #1 pick? Is Ionescu the next once in a generation guard?

(I love Charles this is not meant as offense to her, but in another thread a Jefferson and #1 for Fowles trade was suggested and I though I could see that offer for Charles if Ionescu didn't enter so if she did would straight up or with the Jefferson throw in be considered. I also have to admit when this trade crossed my mind it was when some were suggesting if we stay in WC Tina might want out and we might need a full scale rebuild and starting with the #1 and #2 pick in a draft isn't a bad place to start. Wilson and Charles as a modern position-less from-court with Tina's game working in both the high post and out to the perimeter and Wilson on the block, with Plum, McBride and for now Young would be an intriguing combination).

[root_thing]

If I didn't go big, I would personally prefer KLS. She is unique in her shooting ability at that height. I know some people say she's a bad defender. I don't agree. Defense is more than just staying in front of your man. It includes help defense, being in the right place, knowing when to switch, boxing out after the shot, etc. I would also point out that people have been saying for years that Taurasi, Bird, Dupree, and Parker are bad defenders. That's enough bad defense to make three of them sure hall-of-famers and the fourth a strong candidate. They've also got some rings.

As I've been re-watching games lately, it appears that Brown and McCowan are different enough so that I'm not sure who is "better." Both have obvious strengths and weaknesses. Brown is clearly more skilled offensively in just about every way imaginable. On defense, Kalani is more of a question mark. I found the Oregon State game to be rather telling. First off, why does Kim Mulkey send 6-4 Cox out there for the opening tip rather than 6-7 Brown? Is Cox a great leaper or is Brown a below average jumper? Then halfway through the game, Mulkey grew frustrated with Brown's defense and she switched to Cox guarding Gulich. Later, trailing in the 4th Qtr, the coach went offense-defense by swapping out Brown but leaving Cox on the court. At one point, with Baylor trailing by 3 and only 57 seconds left in the game, she continued the swap even after Cox had fouled out. It was rather shocking that with her season in jeopardy of ending, Mulkey pulled her supposed star player. For anyone scouting, that's not exactly a vote of confidence from the coach.

As for McCowan, she is a monster rebounder and appears to be a somewhat better shot-blocker than Brown. I'm not totally sure if it's actually better or if Teaira is just more active. Brown can back-off because she has Big 12 DPOY Cox helping her out. What we can say is that McCowan probably has more room to grow, which is an important consideration. Teaira is the choice for anyone who prefers defense, so my guess is that Laimbeer would choose her. Obviously, players can improve their game between now and draft day, rendering our current assumptions moot.

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You can always do something else.

[LibFan25]

Our wonderful Coach is in town to watch the "Games" I call it



I would love to see Nayo back in a Liberty Uniform

[Shades]

[toad455]

[Shades]

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Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[Ay Mate]

If both KLS and or Collier don’t go somewhere in the first 4 picks, those GM’s should be fired. You ain’t gonna win championship’s without Uconn players on your roster.

[Richyyy]

[Randy]

The Aces, Sky and Liberty already meet that "mandatory" requirement. Pokey could pick up Chong on the cheap though and save her job.

[toad455]

[J-Spoon]

[J-Spoon]

So let's say just for a fun hypothetical that NY doesn't go big with the #2 (feel free to solve this decision however you like maybe Ionescu declares and falls to #2 as Laimbeer goes with a big at #1 which is my latest save the Liberty fantasy, or KLS or Durr have insanely great seasons and NY simply believes they are the best available, what ever floats your boat) and instead goes big at #14

for those watching the Worlds how would you feel about NY swinging for the fences and drafting Han Xu or Li Yueru? (Probably doesn't fit with the Charles window but Ionescu and Han Xu could be great building blocks for the future, ok I am grasping at straws a little bit just trying to stir things up).

Also what other bigs would be possible at 14 and how would you rate them I am thinking (if Anigwe and Sheppard are gone) maybe Gustafason or Jennings?

would Durr/Jennings or KLS/Gustafason be better than say Brown/Mabrey or McCowan/Moore?

[toad455]

I've been thinking the same thing. I prefer Durr over KLS. Anigwe may be available at #14.

PG: Boyd/L. Allen(off waivers)
SG: Durr/Rodgers/Hartley
SF: Nurse/free agent
PF: Charles/Raincock-Ekunwe
C: Zahui B./Anigwe/Stokes

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[Shades]

Boyd/Hartley
Nurse/Rodgers/BPA at #16 or #18
BAllen/Zellous
Charles/Raincock-Ekunwe/BPA at #14
Stokes/Brown(#2)

Only 3 signed for 2019.

Since Charles wasn’t signed to an extension, I’ll say she gets cored.
If the Liberty are lucky, they’ll get Raincock back.
It’s hard to predict stability for this roster with Boyd and Zahui both looking for raises, and Rodgers, Prince, Zellous, Coleman, and Vaughn all looking for their vet salaries.
I’ll go with letting Vaughn walk, and Prince walking unless she is willing to work for dirt cheap, like what Coleman supposedly worked for last season.
I’ll go with trading Zahui for #16 or #18, and that will become your rookie guard addition.
#14 will be best available at PF (or guard if preferred. I know Spooner has had an eye on Mabrey. Perfect way to waste a pick)

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Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[root_thing]

Again, someone please explain to me why Anigwe is going to fall out of the 1st Round when she was arguably the best player in her class for the first two years. There's no lack of athleticism or height, and Anigwe's statistical drop-off as a junior is no worse than that of Collier. If somehow Anigwe is available at #14, we should grab her and then do cartwheels.

I'm not convinced Li Yueru is 6-7. On TV, she looks noticeably shorter than both Cambage and Han Xu. I'm not sure she's even taller than Alex Bunton (6-5). Neither Chinese center appears anywhere near WNBA-ready to me. However, Han seems more active and she has all that length going for her with decent mobility. If you want to roll the dice on Han with #14, that's fine. However, I doubt she'll contribute much in her 1st year.

Just to put size in perspective, USA Basketball lists Griner at 6-9 205, K. Brown at 6-7 245, and McCowan at 6-7 238. Han Xu looked taller than Cambage, so she's probably a legitimat 6-9. However, she had a fraction of the girth. Han is thinner than Griner with less muscle definition, so I'm guessing maybe 180 lbs?

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You can always do something else.

[Randy]

[toad455]

Both Han Xu and Li Yueru need to build some muscle to complete in the WNBA. Cambage, Griner, Williams, and even Zahui B, Dolson and Paris will out muscle them inside.

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[Shades]

[toad455]

Han Xu should only be a late second round pick. Someone willing to make her their project. Vadeeva was late and actually saw her playing time increase throughout the season. Sometimes getting more minutes than Lavender. Let's see what Vadeeva does next season. Ji Su Park showed promise, and according to Laimbeer, has a very high basketball IQ.

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[Richyyy]

[root_thing]

[Nixtreefan]

There is 250Lbs of slo-mo and 250Lbs of Cambage go-mo 2 quite different things