The 2013 NBA draft is less than ten days away. As draft night draws closer, what have the former Syracuse Orange players been doing to solidify their position?
Michael Carter-Williams: It's been well established that MCW could very well be the best point guard prospect in this draft class. Trey Burke is the darling after leading his Michigan Wolverines to the NCAA title game. It's hard to argue that Burke isn't the better player right now. But I'm not sure he's that much better to overshadow MCW's sky high potential. I think Burke tops out at Jameer Nelson status. MCW, though, could reach Jason Kidd levels. I'm going to go on record and say that I think Carter-Williams will be the first PG taken. It's just a matter of which team pulls the trigger. The New Orleans Pelicans, Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks are all possibilities.
James Southerland: If Southerland is drafted next Thursday, the first thing he needs to do is look up Danny Green and buy him dinner. Most people (myself included) see Southie as a little more than a 3-point specialist. Green's game is slightly better rounded than that, but his NBA Finals record 25 3's have put long distance shooting front and center in the minds of basketball fans and executives. Southerland has a great chance to ride Green's coattails to a second round pick or, at the very least, a summer league invite. If J-Sizzle(TM) shows up in Vegas and/or Orlando, you can bet Southerland finds a spot on a roster as a younger, cheaper version of James Jones or Mike Miller.
Brandon Triche: Triche has been doing his best Kris Joseph impression; making the rounds, grinding through workouts. Most recently he was in Los Angeles working out for the Lakers. There have been other workouts as well, but the trip to Laker Land is particularly interesting because of who the Lakers already have on the roster. Clearly Steve Nash is the starter, but he's also old as dirt and can't play minutes like he used to. So that's guaranteed minutes for backup points Steve Blake and Chris Duhon. Read that again. Steve Blake and Chris Duhon. It's not tough to argue that Triche could be an upgrade over both of those guys. There's nothing they can do that Triche can't do just as well or better. And he's bigger, stronger and more athletic than both. And while it may seem like weak praise to compare Triche to those guys, each have been in the League for nearly a decade. Much like Jason Hart (he's Brandon's cousin, guys) a 10 year career as a solid role player and sometimes NBA starter isn't anything to be ashamed of.