UK Basketball: Analyst says having Miller as a teammate should help Davis in New Orleans

Ed Isaacson of NBAdraftblog.com spends all season evaluating players who will be picked in the NBA draft and now he’s already getting set to start watching those players just drafted as well as others in summer league play.

Isaacson says his site has “real analysis and true player reports” that are more than just statistics.
He offered these insights into how the draft played out for six University of Kentucky players.

Question: What do you feel getting Anthony Davis, Austin Rivers and Darius Miller adds to New Orleans? Does it help/hurt Miller to be going to the same team as Davis?
Isaacson: “Davis and Rivers will add a lot of excitement to a New Orleans team that really needs it. While the Eric Gordon situation is still up in the air, these two are a solid foundation to build the future around. I think it will help Davis more than it will help Miller that they are going to the same team. The amount of composure that Davis has showed at his age is remarkable, but he is still going to be under a very big microscope, so having Miller around should help him continue to have a comfort level during a period of unrealistic expectations. Besides that, New Orleans is a good place for Miller to continue his career. They have a need for him and he should get a good opportunity there to play.”
 
Question: What do you think made Charlotte take Michael Kidd-Gilchrist at No. 2, or do you think that was the plan all along?
Isaacson: “I think the tipping point for picking Kidd-Gilchrist had to be character, energy, and desire to win; the Bobcats could have done a lot better in terms of upgrading talent with a different pick, but MKG's reputation helped him here. I don't believe this was the plan all along, but he was certainly one of three of four possible options.”
 
Question: How good a fit will Marquis Teague be in Chicago?
Isaacson: “It's tough to tell at this point how Teague will fit in Chicago, but he is nowhere near ready to play as a NBA level point guard for one of the league's best teams. I am sure with Rose's status still uncertain at the start of next season, Teague will be the 3rd point guard on the roster and will have an opportunity to learn how to make NBA-level decisions.”
 
Question: What are your feelings on Terrence Jones to Houston and do you think he stays there?
Isaacson: “I think Houston got good value getting Jones at number 18, but it certainly wasn't the best place for Jones to go.  A quick look at Houston's roster and you notice immediately the large amount of 3's and 4's on the roster, including ex-Wildcat Patrick Patterson.  Houston is looking to be active, but because of his rookie deal, there is a good chance he gets to stay in Houston if they need to move some of the glut to other teams.”
 
Question: What do you think made Dorn Lamb's stock drop a bit more than expected?
Isaacson: “I don't know if Lamb's stock really dropped all that much.  I know I have told you before that I saw him as a second round pick, and once the second round starts, it is tough to target where players will go within the round.  Add to that, certain teams seemed to reach in the first round, so potential first round picks started to slide into the second.  Lamb's demise was the fact that he is a one-dimensional player and he really was only going to go to a team that needed to add a spot-up shooter.”

Question: What was the biggest surprise about the UK players to you from the draft?
Isaacson: “The biggest surprise to me is, outside of Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist (going one-two), how little teams valued them. There was certainly a legitimate scenario where, if it wasn't for Houston, Jones could have dropped to the mid-20's. Teague also could have easily slid to the beginning of the second round. I would have expected at least a little bump up for these guys based on the championship, but I think (I may be wrong though), if we look back, this is pretty much the range I expected these players to go before the NCAA Tournament.”

Question: Finally, could you see a scenario where incoming UK freshman Nerlens Noel could be challenging for that No. 1 draft spot next year?
Isaacson: “Without a doubt. I really can't say exactly how he will look his freshman season, but we know Calipari will use him in a way that highlights his strengths while hiding his flaws. I assume he will be in the conversation along with Shabazz Muhammad and one or two others.”