NBA Draft Stock Report

Stock UP:


Trey Burke- Top PG in the class, has now surpassed Smart and MCW.  Has to perform well at combine/workouts to stay in this spot.
Russ Smith- Deserves lottery consideration.  I have been very high on him all season, I hope all of the other experts come around soon.  I would be very happy if Portland drafted him at #12, or traded down a few spots to snag him.
Jeff Withey- Low upside, but in this draft he deserves lottery consideration as well.  He looks like the next Omer Asik.  I'd take that in the late lottery.
Kelly Olynyk- Olynyk has looked the part this season of a true 4 man who can shoot.  Think a better rebounding Bargnani as his ceiling. (low floor too though...)
Gorgui Dieng- Dieng, like Withey, deserves consideration in the late lottery.  He is a great rim protector and a solid rebounder.  He also has a consistent mid-range shot.  Both he and Withey are old, limiting their potential, but they can be successful contributors at the very least.
Giannis Adetokunbo- A very intriguing prospect who could be the best Euro in the class, and the highest drafted.  At only 18 he is very raw, but has a really high ceiling.  A point forward, Nic Batum could be a potential comparison.
Kentavious Caldwell Pope- Advanced stats love Caldwell-Pope.  He was a volume shooter, but may have been forced into it by being on a bad team.  His workouts and play at the combine will be important for his success.  He could be a top 20 pick.

Stock DOWN:
Shabazz Muhammad- I thought Muhammad could be the top pick for a while, but concerns about his age (he lied, saying he was a year younger- his crazy Dad mostly) and his lack of care at times are worrying.  I still have him ranked #3, but his stock is falling, and he could potentially slip out of the top ten.
Cody Zeller- Zeller is solid, but he has failed to impress when the games mattered most.  He looks like a good NBA player, but one with a low ceiling.  He may be at best a #4 starter.  Not sure that's worth a top 10 pick...
Isaiah Austin- Austin desperately needs another year under Scott Drew at Baylor.  He can shoot from the inside and outside, but has to add a lot of strength.  With improvements with his body, and physical game, he could be a top 10 pick next year in a strong draft.  If he leaves this year, there is a lot of risk.
James McAdoo- McAdoo doesn't even look like a first round pick anymore.  He looks like a 4 man who will turn the ball over, and play below the rim.  He has to go back at this point to keep improving.  A core of Hairston, Bullock and McAdoo could be very good for all of their stocks.
Tony Mitchell- Mitchell just didn't dominate the way his potential suggested.  He is a good rebounder and great athlete, but he seems like a poor man's Perry Jones at this point.  I liked Jones a lot last year, and still like Mitchell, but he also needs another year in school.

Here are the players who have already declared early for the draft: Did they make a good decision?
     *Note- some players haven't hired an agent, and can still withdraw
CJ Aiken PF/St. Josephs- Bad decision, late rd. 2 pick at best
Anthony Bennett PF/UNLV- Good decision, though I would not take him in the top 8.
Lorenzo Brown PG/NC State- OK decision, fringe rd. 1 pick, stock likely wouldn't have improved.
Archie Goodwin SG/Kentucky- Good Decision, will go in round 1, playing time will go down at UK next year.
CJ Leslie PF/NC State- OK decision, will go in early 2nd round, but could have gone in the same spot if he stayed for his senior year.
Amath M'Baye SF/Oklahoma- Bad decision, late rd. 2 pick at best
Tony Mitchell PF/North Texas- OK decision, could go late rd. 1, but probably goes early 2.
Eric Moreland PF/Oregon State- Very bad decision, undrafted FA
Marshawn Powell SF/Arkansas- Very bad decision, undrafted FA
Tony Snell SF/New Mexico- Bad decision, rd. 2 at best.  Could be late rd. 1 next year with good season.
BJ Young G/Arkansas- Bad decision, stock is at all-time low, could improve with good season next year.

Bonus Note- I raved in a post earlier this year about "Silver Linings Playbook" as a movie that had to be seen.  Similarly, both "Argo" and "Life of Pi" are can't miss movies.  Go watch them, you'll thank me later.  For the record, "Life of Pi," which lost best picture at the OSCARs to "Argo", was phenomenal.