DestroidMengars

This year, I'm mostly hoping Suggs takes a big enough step forward with his shooting to take hold of the starting SG spot or Jett flashes and shows defensive potential at the position. SG is our biggest weakness by far. We really need someone to take the reins there.

He was the highest scorer with 18 points, two rebounds, and four steals. Hit the game winning shot.

There seems to be a lot of backlash due to the team not playing Kai Sotto. I could care less, personally.

Nope. The Cavaliers first season with LeBron was actually very similar to Paolo's first season: "The Cavaliers lost their first five games of the season, leading them to an awful 6–19 start. However, they played .500 basketball for the remainder of the season, finishing fifth in the Central Division with a 35–47 record."

Shaq played three years of college basketball before coming to the NBA. Paolo played one. Do you not understand how much further along in their development players with three years of college ball are compared to those with one year? There's a reason why players with that much college experience are seen as closer to their ceiling than players with one year of college. Shaq's first season is not a reasonable comparison. Do you really think the Magic win 41 games in Shaq's first year if he came out after his freshman year?

The only way to judge rookies is by the stats and Paolo's first year stats hold up well against some of the best who've played the game. The learning curve means rookies aren't going to impact winning very much. Did you see the Cavs record LeBron's first year? According to you, that guy would be earmarked as a trash player, too.

I really don't see Orlando as a good third team for that deal for Portland. The assets we have available to trade are guards. Portland doesn't need guards.

The Ingles deal seems pretty sensible, considering the type of money other teams are throwing around.

I do feel a little bad for Anthony. What this Arkansas write up fails to understand is that our animosity has very little to do with Anthony Black himself in a vacuum. It's much more about this front office constantly drafting this archetype of player who has positional size, is a good defender, and a poor shooter, and then that player never develops a shot with us. The issue might have more to do with our shooting coaches? Indeed, a lot of our animosity is due to Anthony specifically reminding us of Elfrid Payton who ended up being a terrible pick. If you took all that Magic history out of the equation and Anthony wasn't didn't match the player archetype we always draft and who never works out, I bet we'd be more excited or at least intrigued with him. But that animosity has very little to do with him as an individual and he doesn't deserve the hate.

Gary Trent isn't available anymore, he opted in.

Here's the thing, most people outside of Orlando feel like we have our backcourt starting lineup set but feel like we don't have any long-term starters in the frontcourt. While we like Kelle here, and I count myself among those who do, most of the league views him as a backup, and he hasn't exactly established trust as durable over the long-term. So, is it a bad idea to take another shot at a PG if most in the league view our guard room as full of backups? Hopefully, with another year of development and a new face, someone can differentiate himself from the pack and step up to clearly become that long-term lead guard. I don't get the hate for Anthony Black. I don't love the fit, but most scout rankings would have said he was best available (outside of Whitmore, who seemed to have other issues) or very close to it. If we're talking best player available and not concerning ourselves with fit, he was the right pick and I get it. If nothing else, we don't have to worry so much about not having a pass first playmaking PG if Kelle decides to stub his toe again and miss a quarter of the season.

For anyone who ends up feeling disappointed tonight by whoever we draft, just remember... you probably felt that same way when we picked Franz, and look how well that's turned out.

FυɛӀɛժ ву мσтσωη on Twitter: "Jonathan Wasserman of BR reports that some teams in the lottery are concerned with Cam Whitmore’s medicals. This could be a reason we are starting to hear his name slipping down boards across the league. #Pistons" / Twitter

I just see Whitmore as a bowling ball playing bully ball and he's a black hole that never passes the ball; he'd likely clog the paint playing next to Paolo. Coulibaly seems to be a more balanced prospect, in the Bufkin sense of being pretty decent at a lot of things while not particularly excelling at any one. I can see Bilal as more likely to develop into someone who can start at shooting guard down the road and feel like he's more likely to develop a three ball and become a floor spacer.

I hope so. Either him or Ausar if available, but I have a slight preference for Bilal even then. I don't love the fit of Whitmore or Black for this team but would accept one of them if that's the direction the team goes. Then, fill a need with Hendricks, Dick, Hawkins, or Lively at 11.

Reports suggest that some scouts now believe Bilal Coulibaly will be drafted in the 6-8 range. Dunzo on Twitter: "Marc Stein reporting that Bilal Coulibaly could go as high as 6th tonight. He quotes an NBA scout that believes his range is 6th-8th. That's a wild jump from where he was projected just a few weeks" / Twitter

Vassell is exactly the type of player this team could use at the two. A lot of people here are undervaluing him.

I thought I saw that the no trade clause not only gave Beal power to choose a team, but also gave him power to veto a trade to that team if he felt they were giving up too many assets in the trade where it would leave them thin. So yeah, Washington could have gotten better compensation, but would Beal have approved it?

Not sure if this is anything, but Paolo follows Ausar and Amen on Instagam, while Ausar follows Paolo, Gary Harris, and Jalen Suggs.

Literally, the only projected lotto guy that I'm having trouble talking myself into is Jarace Walker. I'm probably a tiny bit less enthusiastic about Anthony Black, Cam Whitmore, Amen Thompson, Keyonte George, Cason Wallace, and Dereck Lively than I am Ausar Thompson, Bilal Coulibaly, Taylor Hendricks, Gradey Dick, and Jordan Hawkins for this team, but I'm not locked in on anyone.

I don't think there's anyone we could get in this draft where we'll be positive it will work and won't be, 'ok well let's see.' '

I'd love the value of getting both Amen and Hendricks while standing pat.

Yeah. I'm not as worried about getting the best playmaker out of the 6'7"ish guard we might draft. We need a shooting guard who can spread the floor more than a primary playmaking point guard. I'm more confident in Coulibaly's ability to spread the floor than Ausar's as his three looks better to me. He doesn't project to be as good of a defender as Ausar, but I'd say he looks better than Dick or Hawkins in that regard.

I used to like Ausar at 6, but now feel Coulibaly at 11 offers basically the same size and wingspan, with a similar skillset, is a year younger, and plays in a professional league that's easier to gauge. My preference now is Hendricks at 6, Coulibaly at 11.

Seems to be. I've seen quite a few mocks over the last week flipping Ausar and Amen: Ausar going 4, Whitmore 5, Amen 6. I guess teams are more sold on Ausar's increased shot mechanics now?