Comments on: Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Scott Machado

By: oats

oats — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:36:54 +0000

I’d disagree with the idea that the 3rd guard should be a microwave player with two combo guards as starters. The 3rd guard should be someone who could play with either of the top 2 guards. If you have a Ty Lawson type player that makes a combo guard and microwave player more likely. Since both Knight and Stuckey play effectively off the ball, that opens things up for the 3rd guard to be a passer. If you go with a traditional scoring microwave guy, that just means Stuckey/Knight have to spend more time working as the facilitator. Either method seems to make sense to me, but I personally like the idea of allowing Stuckey/Knight a little more time off the ball. I think a Machado type of player could definitely be an offensive spark off the bench, but he’d do it by helping out the other players on the team. Admittedly the 3rd guard role is currently locked down by Gordon, but it’s still a role I could see Machado filling quite well after Gordon finally is no longer on the team. Besides, even if he is always the 4th guard, in the second round you are hoping to get a guy who can be a rotation caliber player. I have a hard time seeing Machado not being a rotation guy, so that makes him a pretty safe pick in the second round. By the way, the FA guards cost more than the second round draft pick, so drafting a 4th guard makes a lot of sense financially.

Machado is probably my favorite second round prospect in the draft. He’s fun to watch, and the fact that Rusell is on the team proves that Detroit could use a guy like Machado. Whenever Detroit finally gets free of Gordon’s contract they would probably want to pick up a bigger and preferably defensively capable SG to be the 4th guard, but that’s not exactly a huge priority until that happens. Of course, I only really like Machado if Detroit gets a decent big man in the first round. Getting a SF or a project player would tip the scales in favor of a big man like Ezeli, Melo, or Ratliffe (Ratliffe could slip to the second Detroit pick, which would be perfect for Detroit). So if Detroit ends up with someone in the Davis (almost certainly not going to happen, but it feels wrong not to mention the dream scenario), Drummond, Robinson, Sullinger, Henson, Tyler Zeller group I would want Machado. Perry Jones might be in that group too if he is stronger than I think he is. So, with the way things are sitting right now (with Detroit at 7), my ideal scenario is likely Sullinger, Machado, Ratliffe/Mike Scott (UVA’s PF).

By: frankie d

frankie d — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:21:08 +0000

interesting matchup for pistons fans…
st. bonaventure vs. florida state…
andrew nicklolson vs bernard james…
nickolson is an offensive machine an james is an excellent defender…
both should be considered for the early second choice…
or if the team is smart enough to get another late first…

By: V.

V. — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:31:53 +0000

Prototypical 3d guard the way I think Dumars sees it would be a Microwave-type player, because he prefers to start two combo guards. But Ben Gordon will never be mistaken for Vinnie Johnson physically, nor for that matter, in shooting prowess. Which is tragic, because he’s getting $10M/year to be that type of guard.

So, you’re looking at a guy who is going to fill a specific role, which is the one more or less played by Bynum, who appears to the on the outside looking in right now. Also, at 6’1″, he’s going to have trouble defending bigger guards, we already have enough smaller guards on our team as it is

Bynum’s contract is reasonable, and we couldn’t move him at the trade deadline. If the Pistons can deal him, then a Machado pick at 40 may make sense. But are you going to draft your 4th guard at 40? I’d think the FA market would be a better place to find one of those.

By: vic

vic — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:54:41 +0000

i can dream can’t i :-)

but you’re probably right. Drummond won’t fall to #7 for us.

ps While Drummond sometimes looks lost, meanwhile he has the most double doubles as a freshman in UCONN history, including Emeka Okafor. And that’s playing for a greedy guard focused team with no confidence from his coach.

By: Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:45:21 +0000

Well, the Wiz are still going to dump Blatche and I believe Jason Thompson is a restricted FA for Sacramento, so both of those teams would probably love another capable young big.

You're probably right on Toronto though, they'll most likely look for wing or PG help early.

By: vic

vic — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:32:29 +0000

Another positive development:

Washington trading for Nene makes one less draft pick likely to take a Big Man.
Washington will probably take an SF (they have Nene)
Sacramento will probably take an SF (they have Demarcus)
Toronto will probably take an SF/SG (they have Valuncianas)

By: vic

vic — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:41:40 +0000

YES PINKIE! Gotta get Machado.

That’s a future championship 3-guard rotation. Knight, Stuckey, Machado – Shooting, Size, Passing