Tracking the Draft Stock of Louisiana's Elfrid Payton

[Zeebart21]

Brutal

[bigearl]

I think the part about his game is accurate though . I hope the kid makes it and latches on with a coach/team that can tap his potential.

[DieHard1280]

"lower than a mid-major" Sheesh.

[BrockMeaux]

Just be prepared, that's the kind of analysis he's going to get. It's the job of scouts and GMs to pick guys apart from now until the end of June, and that includes his program and competition. If he finds himself at the end of the first round and a great organization like San Antonio is on the clock, they'll look past Hyphen U at what he can do; the problem with that is that we can't forecast who might slip, or who might be willing to trade up to get another 1st round pick in a way that makes more sense for the Spurs than Payton. They may like Payton, but they could LOVE additional cap room and an extra 1st round pick next year, or somebody they had rated as lottery-worthy slips to them. We don't know how it'll shake out on draft night. If a lesser organization is picking (let's say the Bobcats; they had a decent year but I'm still not convinced of their organizational strength), they'll hold up Payton and Russ Smith go with Smith every time because he's from a bigger program with a more pedigreed coach. The good thing about all this, though, is that it only takes one team to fall in love with a guy to make it happen, and if he impresses during pre-draft workouts, they'll look at more tape than just a scouted game against Centenary.

This mock draft would be great, however. Mid-to-late 1st round to OKC, where he wouldn't be expected to start but would go to a really good, young, exciting team and get some minutes behind Russell Westbrook, who signed a big contract extension that'll keep him in town for at least two more years (barring a trade) but has missed some time due to injury.

[wcd35]

He's good enough to start for Donovan and Shaka on the national team so I find it a little silly for them to bring up the competition as much as they do.

[CrazyCajun]

because scouts never lie about their true evaluations to make a player they want slide in the draft. not saying they dont have any valid points but i would say the same thing above if i had my eye on him and my team was picking late in the draft.

[cajunhawk]

because scouts never lie about their true evaluations to make a player they want slide in the draft. not saying they dont have any valid points but i would say the same thing above if i had my eye on him and my team was picking late in the draft.

I agree this screams of a smoke screen to ward off potential onlookers.

[burdman]

The scout is right about his shooting, but he's not going to get drafted to be a shooter on a team. He's got 2 NBA ready skills, penetrating and defending. And the team that drafts him won't ask him to do more than that at first.

[Bandwagon King]

Very well written & very accurate. I surely hope this was the kind of honesty which was sought out & given before the decision to jump the ship was made. It's a big world out there, & there's a lot of competition for just a few jobs. I hope San Antonio has their eyes on him as their project. Otherwise, draft day could be a cold hard slap of reality.

[CrazyCajun]

Yeah bc EP has no idea what it's like to be over looked and have to prove people wrong.