2017 NBA Draft Thread

[Jason Funderburker 111]

lol ^

[magicblue 315]

I love how the door was left open with the "explosive talent" bit. Truly awesome!!

[Tank Vogel 191]

TIL 6'2"/6'3" 195 is very small for a PG

[Justin Jaudon 221]

By the time Smith is scoring what he currently is in college Payton will be a vet in the peak of his career (a few years), doing more things that make a good pg than just scoring. Smith MIGHT be a 17/4/4 guy one day, which will remain to be seen for a while. He may have more 20 point games in his career than Payton but you need to be more well rounded than that to stick at the point in the league. Smith isn't the next CP3 or Derrick Rose. His offense is predictable as are his handles, he doesn't have that good of a J and has yet to show the ability to run a PNR effectively, he is very small and will have trouble defending in the league, and he has a serious injury history at a young age. I'm not saying he isn't a good prospect, he is, just not one of the best ones. He's got explosive talent still so he has a chance to be very good for a while.

 

You can yikes all you want, as it relates to point guards (at a minimum) you have questionable judgement though.

 

I think Smith's floor is probably a 17 4/4 guy, assuming he's a starter. I say floor of 17/4/4 with the understanding that 15/5/4 amounts to the same thing. I don't think there's any reason to assume that, at his peak, Smith would only be averaging 4 APG. He averages more APG in his freshman year than Payton did any year of his college career, and his TO rate is at Payton's junior year level (you don't want to see Payton's freshman year TO%). His usage rate isn't any higher, either. Saying that Smith needs to be more well-rounded in the same sentence comparing him to Payton is almost laughable. Payton has one and a half NBA-level skill (good passer, half a good scorer - on drives only). He's a bad defender at the NBA level (looking at his college stats, it's interesting that his trend of getting worse every year on defense goes back into college as well). He can't shoot (even free-throws).

 

You can guffaw at Smith as a better PG prospect all you want, especially when part of that criteria is apparently that Payton as a 3 year NBA veteran at 23 years old is more advanced than Smith as a 19-year-old college freshman - as if that means something to their overall prospect status - but as it relates to statistics (at a minimum) you have questionable comprehension.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

i mean Smith might end up sucking.

 

But I'm not sure if we should slot him in with those "3 years before he contributes" idea.

 

Paul was a contributor in year 1

Deron Williams was year 2

Westbrook was year 1

Conley was year 4

Devin Harris was year 4

Lillard was year 1

Wall was year 1

Kyrie was year 1

Felton was year 3

Rose was year 1

I don't know how to judge Rubio

Russell was year 1

I don't know how to judge Exum

or Dunn

 

 

these are the point guards picked in the top 6 since 2003. Smith might be good enough to start day 1. Or he might take a while. but there's not really an example of guys who fail or are slow developing as a point guard who was drafted high, averaged 17+ ppg on 50%+ on 2s and 36%+ on threes as a freshman who passes well and rebounds well and has great athleticism

 

Mike conley averaged 11 and 6 on 58% twos and 30% threes. That's a big difference in production (of course their situations were a lot different too).

[TheNameIsOrlando 310]

I'm still trying to figure out where this PGs need 4 years to develop and more time than any other position comes from.

 

It may very well be the case but I have yet to see any evidence besides it being said.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

I'm still trying to figure out where this PGs need 4 years to develop and more time than any other position comes from.

 

It may very well be the case but I have yet to see any evidence besides it being said.

 

With many point guards it takes a while

[TheNameIsOrlando 310]

With many point guards it takes a while

 

I can say that about every position. With that said it may be true but I think it may be over stated at this point.

[Justin Jaudon 221]

 

i mean Smith might end up sucking.

 

 

This is important. Because so might Markel Fultz, or Josh Jackson, or anyone else. Sure things have busted before, and they will again. I just think a reasonable floor for Smith is in the general area of Reggie Jackson. If he sucks, that's not a matter of "he didn't exceed his floor," that's "he was fool's gold."

 

If someone thinks he's fool's gold, fine. But they should back that up with something more than "my knowledge bigger than your knowledge, cuz i said so."

[HeHateMe 697]

Payton at the peak of his career won't be comparable to Smith Jr at the peak of his career.

 

I obviously can't state that as a fact, but Payton has had free reign for 3 years to put up numbers and be the PG for this franchise and failed.

 

I do not think it's remotely far fetched to think Smith Jr puts up better numbers as a rookie than Payton did year 3.

 

Payton is bad. He ranks at the bottom in just about every major statistical category amongst NBA starting PG's. How anyone can really defend that guy is beyond me. And I liked the pick when we drafted him--I was wrong and have no problem admitting that and moving on.

 

You really don't think Smith Jr can averange 12 and 5 as a rookie!? PLEASE.

 

Edit: Also, Murphanator, you don't get to say I have questionable judgements on PG's when your on here actually arguing for Payton. Not only arguing for him but claiming he's a better prospect than Smith--which just isn't true. Payton was never regarded as an elite prospect, never--and that is fact. Wasn't recruited in college, no one knew him until that USA basketball event. Even than he was never more than a high risk high reward player.

[Soul Bro 1,419]

It's also worth noting Payton played 3 years of college ball, too.

[magicdoc1 261]

Smith is one of my favorite players in the PG position. But in reality he can be Chris Paul good or end up been a Muday type of player. All hype but in reality no much better than an average NBA back up PG.

I am currently very high on him but that can change once we see more of him in the nba workouts.