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Still cant believe Dakari Johnson declared

He could have made more in one year as a lotto pick than his entire rookie contract as a #29th pick.

So... It was pretty dumb.

Same with Lyles. Had he come back one year and improved his stock from, say #17 to #8 (reasonable) he could have made an additional $5m over the next four years.

They're essentially taking $20 a week for a month now or $100 a week for 6 months in a year.

The instant money is cool, but its not that much in the grand scheme of things and considering how much money they potentially cost themselves... Well....

Bad decisions all around.
Well, there is your misunderstanding, thinking he was ever going to be a lottery pick.
 
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Think what you want, but I'm not stating an opinion. We pretty much know what Dakari will be at this point, so do NBA scouts. That guy can be a serviceable NBA player, but it isn't a guy someone is wasting a lottery pick on. What is keeping him from being a lottery pick are things that aren't going to change.


Alrighty then, whatever. I hate to tell ya but you are stating an opinion and I don't think you know what scouts think about Dakari nor what they would think of him this time next year if he were to have stayed. I don't understand why you can't just agree to disagree? You obviously have your OPINION and I have my opinion, so it is what it is. For Dakari to be projected as a late 1st round - early 2nd round right now with as little as he has done at UK, why is it IMPOSSIBLE ( as you think) for him to improve his stock with another year to improve and with a lot more mins to play? I THINK Dakari had a tough time this year because of his short leash and I THINK he played timidly because he was afraid to make a mistake and be pulled from the game. Next year, I think he would have a great year playing with Alex and Skal along with Ulis running the point. That's just how I feel and that's my opinion, just like your posts are your opinions. Its not facts, its your opinion. I feel like I've been posting the same thing over and over in this thread, so I'm moving on. Sorry if I offended you with my opinions.
 
I'd love to have seen DJ come back, but he wasn't gonna start if he did. There's no way Cal is gonna platoon again, IMO, so he might have gotten the same minutes this year as last season. With the lack of legit big men in the NBA, I think he will make the end of a roster
 
No reason for it to effect his education unless he lets it and doesn't use it. There is no gamble. Their scholarships are still "waiting" for them according to Cal. Only thing he'll lose is bball eligibility.


How many times does Cal have to say this? Some people only hear what they want.
 
FWIW, I don't think Dakari would have improved his draft position much, if at all. I think going now was the smartest thing for him - and like the other players who have left early, he can come back and work on his degree. Or- if he wants to be done with school, that's fine too. NBA doesn't work out - then overseas somewhere.
I just wish him the best
 
UKCATSFREAK and USMC, I'm not sure why you guys do not understand the point. The things keeping Dakari out of the lottery are things that will not change and that is his athleticism, has nothing to do with production.
 
Why not?

You think if he played 28 mpg he wouldn't improve? Really? Interesting.

How does anyone improve ever?
He'd improve, but the things keeping him from being a lottery pick are things that aren't improving. He's always going to have quickness and athleticism issues. He's years away from being competent enough offensively to make up for that, and I don't think his ceiling is very high on that end either since he has bad hands and he doesn't seem to be that coordinated. His best hope to stick in the league is to be a good rebounder/post defender .
 
Alrighty then, whatever. I hate to tell ya but you are stating an opinion and I don't think you know what scouts think about Dakari nor what they would think of him this time next year if he were to have stayed. I don't understand why you can't just agree to disagree? You obviously have your OPINION and I have my opinion, so it is what it is. For Dakari to be projected as a late 1st round - early 2nd round right now with as little as he has done at UK, why is it IMPOSSIBLE ( as you think) for him to improve his stock with another year to improve and with a lot more mins to play? I THINK Dakari had a tough time this year because of his short leash and I THINK he played timidly because he was afraid to make a mistake and be pulled from the game. Next year, I think he would have a great year playing with Alex and Skal along with Ulis running the point. That's just how I feel and that's my opinion, just like your posts are your opinions. Its not facts, its your opinion. I feel like I've been posting the same thing over and over in this thread, so I'm moving on. Sorry if I offended you with my opinions.
I don't think you understand how the NBA works. Again, think what you want to think, but it wouldn't matter how much he produced next year. He'd still be slow and unathletic. His offense is years away from being able to make up for that. Might as well go now.
 
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I don't think you understand how the NBA works. Again, think what you want to think, but it wouldn't matter how much he produced next year. He'd still be slow and unathletic. His offense is years away from being able to make up for that. Might as well go now.


Wow! Are you still talking about this? I'm just going to say.......if you say so buddy and go on about my way. This discussion is obviously not going anywhere. I just have 1 complaint with you and that is.....why cant you just say that we disagree with our OPINIONS? Doesn't look like either of us are budging from our opinion. So you can sit there and say I don't know what I'm talking about or that I don't understand how the NBA works or anything else that you want to say. Its not going to change what I think. I have read your post, I have considered your point, and come to the conclusion that I am right and you are wrong. Sorry! Just the way it is but don't worry, you may get the next one right. Good luck kid!! Keep swinging!





Lol
 
My issue is more with the NBA making kids like Dakari think they even have a place on an NBA court. dakari is a 4 year guy that graduates and figures out the rest after graduation if this was 1995. Just because it's the old way doesn't mean it's not the right way. This current system blows. It's not really the players fault.

the first 5 picks in the 1995 NBA draft were 4 college sophomores and one high school player. Pretty sure that was the first year of the NBA salary cap on rookies (when they implemented pay scale for first 3 years). Prior to that point in time, all rookies were able to bargain for their contracts just the same as all other players in the league - the way it should be in my opinion. Until it goes back to that "Old Way" you will continue to see Dakari Johnsons leave, because the employer (NBA) has decided that labor required for profitability doesn't need to be of the same quality. This condition is the result of when people used to get horribly pissed off when the top pick in the NBA draft was able to sign for as much money straight out of college as what some of the best players in the league were earning (e.g. Glen Robinson's 70 million dollar contract after being selected No. 1 overall in the 1994 NBA draft - no NBA rookie has earned that much money since). So it's very important for them to get those first 3 years out of the way as quickly as possible. Until they do so, nothing is on their terms.
 
UKCATSFREAK and USMC, I'm not sure why you guys do not understand the point. The things keeping Dakari out of the lottery are things that will not change and that is his athleticism, has nothing to do with production.


Oh, I completely understand the point. I understand it perfectly. I just don't agree with it. There is a difference. Listen, I'm not saying that if he had returned, he would have been an automatic lottery pick or a lock for the lottery. This specific conversation within the thread started with discussions about weighing the pros and cons of making that kind of decision which these guys face with the NBA. I was simply stating my opinion that I thought it was possible for him to progress his way into the back of the lottery and I believe that it is a POSSIBILITY for him. I never stated that he was a lock for the lottery and I even said it would take an awful lot of hard work and a lot of things to go his way but I still feel like it is possible for him. If those things go his way, i think it could be a good posibility. But that is a BIG if but that is just my opinion. Yes, I know that he is not the most athletic guy in the world but I think he COULD overcome his athleticism problems and become a good center for us next year and become good enough to sneak into the lottery. I think he could greatly improve his footwork, which is obviously a major weakness right now, and develop a good low post game with the more minutes he would have played next year. Even with Skal, i think Dakari would have played significantly more minutes as I believe Cal will play Skal at the 4 spot some, especially if he is as good as advertised. Now what he does in the pros is irrelevant to me when making this point, I'm simply talking about next year and the following draft.
So, I know we disagree on this matter and that's perfectly fine. I do see your point and I KNOW that your point is a strong possibility also. Its just my opinion that there is another possibility for him as well, that is where we disagree and theres nothing wrong with that at all. I disagree with guys all the time on here. Lol. I think we have spent enough time arguing our points about this and I know I'm moving on to players that we actually will have next year. Lol.
 
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Sorry but it will. Kid is a very good offensive player and is a 7 footer . he will late 1st but go 1st and make a ton of money over around 10 years. He should of come back and been a lottery pick but you can never blame a 1st round pick for leaving .

Very good offensive player? I must've missed something. Produced 0 and 0 in the Final Four. He will be out of the league in two years.
 
You're terrible.

Also, Dakari wasn't going to get more explosive, and that's what keeps his stock where it is. Teams know what they're getting, they've seen him in extended stretches for two years, and that wasn't going to change with more minutes.

He'll be drafted in a solid spot, and what he develops and improves on from there will decide how long he plays and for how much money. Kendrick Perkins makes several million a year to sit on the bench, and Dakari is already better offensively than Perk ever was. We've seen that he plays hard and works to get better and will accept a role on a team. At 7' 260 pounds, that'll keep you around.


You must not watch the NBA....Perkins is alot better than Dakari.
 
Dakari Johnson plays shorter than most seven footers. He has very little jumping ability, he has a bad habit of bring the ball down to where he is more like a small guard than a seven footer, and gets the ball knocked away by much smaller players. He really doesnt post up very strong for a player his size and lacks overall quickness. His defense is what it is and is not all that great.

If he has a chance at a NBA contract IMO he needs to walk not run out the door at UK. I Know I would not be giving him a first round guaranteed contract if I ran an NBA team. Heck I am not even that sorry he is leaving UK. It would have been nice to have had that extra big bodied banger inside but if Calipari had even been able to recruit even a 3 star or so big to bang inside he would be missed very little.
 
Wow! Are you still talking about this? I'm just going to say.......if you say so buddy and go on about my way. This discussion is obviously not going anywhere. I just have 1 complaint with you and that is.....why cant you just say that we disagree with our OPINIONS? Doesn't look like either of us are budging from our opinion. So you can sit there and say I don't know what I'm talking about or that I don't understand how the NBA works or anything else that you want to say. Its not going to change what I think. I have read your post, I have considered your point, and come to the conclusion that I am right and you are wrong. Sorry! Just the way it is but don't worry, you may get the next one right. Good luck kid!! Keep swinging!





Lol
Yet you keep coming back and replying.
 
A perfect example would be how the twins would have been easy first rounders if they declared after high school, but now there is a question if they even get drafted. That's after noticeably improving over their two years here. People know they have flaws that arent going away.
 
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He'd improve, but the things keeping him from being a lottery pick are things that aren't improving. He's always going to have quickness and athleticism issues. He's years away from being competent enough offensively to make up for that, and I don't think his ceiling is very high on that end either since he has bad hands and he doesn't seem to be that coordinated. His best hope to stick in the league is to be a good rebounder/post defender .

USMC does not get that DJ would not sniff 28 minutes next year. He'd get about 15-20 tops...at best. Skal will play 30+, so I suppose DJ could get 8-10 there and maybe Skal and him could play some together down low. I'd say 15 minutes would be nice actually. He just did not improve at all.
 
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