2018 NBA Draft Thread

[Originalticketholder 133]

12 hours ago, WarDamnMagic said:

Problem is I don’t think we’re going to be this low in the lottery next year. We had an insane amount of injuries this year that enabled us to be where we’re at so I don’t think we’ll be in the bol bol range

We could depending on who we draft,  who we keep, who we trade, how FA agency works.  It would take a youthful rebuild mode.  Really bad teams are going to get better too.  

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

 

[A Better DJ & Photographer 457]

2 hours ago, ?4thewin said:

I really like jjj. Bamba is just who I've turned my attention to as I'm pretty confident we'll have the opportunity to draft him

I really like JJJ too and agree that unless we get lucky and move up he will be gone when we pick. That leaves Bamba, Young, and Porter of the 2nd tier. If management isn't really high on any of them I wouldn't be disappointed if we traded our pick to the Clips for 12, 13, and a future 1st and grabbed SGA and Robert Williams.

[A Better DJ & Photographer 457]

13 minutes ago, Magicman28 said:

Any chance JJJ goes first because of that? 

I've seen a mock where he did go 1st to the Suns.

[Mike1989 68]

4 hours ago, ?4thewin said:

Neither Chris's nor vonleh played defense similar to jjj. 

How can you look at that skill diversity and not see something special?

There are similarities between the prospects. For instance, they have similar measurements and frames to JJJ, not exactly, but close enough to draw a comparison. Both Chriss and Vonleh were deemed stretch four prospects when they came out of college with potential to play small ball center, in fact Chriss has started as a center this season at times. Currently JJJ is listed as a PF/C prospect. I think he currently is listed around 240lbs, which is pretty similar to Chriss (235lbs) and Vonleh (247lbs). So there are comparisons between the prospects even though I would rate JJJ as a better prospect. Now I do agree that JJJ was better on the defensive end and was a superior shot blocker, but Vonleh out rebounded JJJ and Chriss was only .4 less on his TRB average than JJJ. On the offensive end they could all be pretty similar which is a concern because we don't need another work in progress at that end.

Do I think JJJ can be special? Sure he can, but he is a work in progress. As exciting a prospect as he is when he knocks down those treys or blocks those shots, he is also a frustrating prospect because he is apt to disappear and has done that as recently as the NCAA tournament and regularly gets into foul trouble. If he can put everything together he can be special, but he's a project that is going to take a few seasons to realize his potential (if he does at all). If we are okay with continuing to be bad for another couple of seasons, then we can afford to be patient as JJJ (and Isaac) develop, but it could mean moving on from Gordon since he'll want to start competing for play off basketball as he enters his prime years, and other players might need to be moved as well to ensure we can get another top pick or two to add to the mix. 

He strikes me as another Isaac like pick. Both players have tremendous upside if they can put everything together, however both appear more likely to be third or fourth options on good teams at the offensive end rather than go to options. I honestly do not expect Isaac to be a 20+ a night guy, nor do I expect JJJ to become a 20+ a night guy. I think both players are likely to settle in the dozen to mid-teen points per game mark, which is okay as third and fourth options, and when you factor in their potential defensive contributors it can make them important pieces of the puzzle. But we really do need to find a first option to help us improve because Gordon is more of a second option, and the last thing we need is another project pick that won't solve our existing problem. 

For me, I would prefer to stay clear of JJJ and Bamba, but I can understand why both players are appealing to this team and do fit what this front office look for. My preference at five is for Trae Young because I think he can be a potential 20 a night guy and rack up assists if his game translates. Obviously if it doesn't he could end up in the Lou Williams category, but by that same notion if JJJ doesn't put everything together he will be a bit part player, so there's a risk either way. I would also rate Porter and Bagley ahead of those two bigs, but their selection would create an issue with Gordon and Isaac both being forwards, so the fit is not ideal but if they offer a significant upgrade that could be a way to go. So currently I lean more towards the offensive impact players than the defensive ones with a lot of work to do on the offensive end, but I suspect our pick is going to be Bamba or JJJ if they are there at five. 

[ML6 520]

1 hour ago, ?4thewin said:

 

This is tantalizing 

[Magicman28 295]

2 hours ago, ?4thewin said:

 

Holy crap! Dude's legs are almost longer than the defender's entire body!

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

35 minutes ago, Mike1989 said:

There are similarities between the prospects. For instance, they have similar measurements and frames to JJJ, not exactly, but close enough to draw a comparison. Both Chriss and Vonleh were deemed stretch four prospects when they came out of college with potential to play small ball center, in fact Chriss has started as a center this season at times. Currently JJJ is listed as a PF/C prospect. I think he currently is listed around 240lbs, which is pretty similar to Chriss (235lbs) and Vonleh (247lbs). So there are comparisons between the prospects even though I would rate JJJ as a better prospect. Now I do agree that JJJ was better on the defensive end and was a superior shot blocker, but Vonleh out rebounded JJJ and Chriss was only .4 less on his TRB average than JJJ. On the offensive end they could all be pretty similar which is a concern because we don't need another work in progress at that end.

Do I think JJJ can be special? Sure he can, but he is a work in progress. As exciting a prospect as he is when he knocks down those treys or blocks those shots, he is also a frustrating prospect because he is apt to disappear and has done that as recently as the NCAA tournament and regularly gets into foul trouble. If he can put everything together he can be special, but he's a project that is going to take a few seasons to realize his potential (if he does at all). If we are okay with continuing to be bad for another couple of seasons, then we can afford to be patient as JJJ (and Isaac) develop, but it could mean moving on from Gordon since he'll want to start competing for play off basketball as he enters his prime years, and other players might need to be moved as well to ensure we can get another top pick or two to add to the mix. 

He strikes me as another Isaac like pick. Both players have tremendous upside if they can put everything together, however both appear more likely to be third or fourth options on good teams at the offensive end rather than go to options. I honestly do not expect Isaac to be a 20+ a night guy, nor do I expect JJJ to become a 20+ a night guy. I think both players are likely to settle in the dozen to mid-teen points per game mark, which is okay as third and fourth options, and when you factor in their potential defensive contributors it can make them important pieces of the puzzle. But we really do need to find a first option to help us improve because Gordon is more of a second option, and the last thing we need is another project pick that won't solve our existing problem. 

For me, I would prefer to stay clear of JJJ and Bamba, but I can understand why both players are appealing to this team and do fit what this front office look for. My preference at five is for Trae Young because I think he can be a potential 20 a night guy and rack up assists if his game translates. Obviously if it doesn't he could end up in the Lou Williams category, but by that same notion if JJJ doesn't put everything together he will be a bit part player, so there's a risk either way. I would also rate Porter and Bagley ahead of those two bigs, but their selection would create an issue with Gordon and Isaac both being forwards, so the fit is not ideal but if they offer a significant upgrade that could be a way to go. So currently I lean more towards the offensive impact players than the defensive ones with a lot of work to do on the offensive end, but I suspect our pick is going to be Bamba or JJJ if they are there at five. 

That's not a good way to compare prospects though. Vucevic, Brook Lopez, Greg oden, Dwight Howard, Darko, Steven Adams, and Festus Ezeli have almost identical measurable. Doesn't mean they're similar prospects. 

[A Better DJ & Photographer 457]

2 hours ago, ?4thewin said:

 

He IS impressive although I would rather see him play close enough to the basket to get ALL the rebounds. I would not be unhappy taking him with the fifth pick at all. It's a nice draft and Porter is the only one of the top guys that would make me unhappy with the fifth pick. 

[Mack1085 57]

2 hours ago, ?4thewin said:

 

He moves well for a 7-footer. Not sure there's much more to take away from this video. But it's probably a good sign he's working on his perimeter game since it looks like TJ McConnell will be able to keep him off the block next season.

[Mike1989 68]

55 minutes ago, ?4thewin said:

That's not a good way to compare prospects though. Vucevic, Brook Lopez, Greg oden, Dwight Howard, Darko, Steven Adams, and Festus Ezeli have almost identical measurable. Doesn't mean they're similar prospects. 

They are similar prospects in terms of size, athleticism, and the idea that they can space the floor. The main thing that Jackson brings to the table that they didn't do is better defense and shot blocking, but the dominance he showed in college will only be replicated in the NBA if he adds more weight and muscle to his frame to become strong enough to deal with the bigger and stronger centers in the league. Otherwise he will end up being a similar player to Chriss or Vonleh, a lengthy and athletic player that is better suited to stretch four or center in certain lines up and match ups. 

Some have said that Jaren Jackson is Rudy Gobert with a 3 point shot. If he can become that caliber of player that is great news, but that still doesn't fix our problem that we don't have a go to scorer. Sure it gives us a potentially really good front court at the defensive end, but as important as defense is, we do need to find that go to scoring option because we don't currently possess one. Gordon and Fournier are more second options than first options. I guess we can go to a scoring by committee approach, or try to acquire a scoring point guard through trade or free agency (e.g. Isaiah Thomas is a free agent, Kemba Walker could be available), but I suspect our best route to getting a go to scorer is through the draft and that's why I prefer Ayton, Bagley, Doncic, Porter and Young to Jackson and Bamba. That's not to say I would complain if we pick them, but they currently sit 6th and 7th on my board.  

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

25 minutes ago, Mike1989 said:

but that still doesn't fix our problem that we don't have a go to scorer.

I think this is an overrated problem for who we are now. Why chase the most difficult thing to find and ruin opportunities to get good players when it's not something we need to solve today? We have Isaac, we have Gordon. Keep adding talented players that add to their talent and worry about primary scorer later. The way primary scorers come out of nowhere sometime like Butler or you trade for oladipo and he suddenly transforms into a first option or you draft an ok power forward from the mountain West conference in the middle of the first round and he turns out to be Kawhi Leonard. Gordon or Isaac or Bamba or Johnathan Simmons or Fred VanVleet might just suddenly become a primary scorer.