2021 NBA Draft Thread

[New Guy 11]

4 hours ago, crisby pancakes said:

Minnesota will not start winning. They lose their pick if its not top 3. They also have one of the toughest remaining schedules. Cleveland, Sacramento, Detroit and Oklahoma all have favourable schedules. Houston have the toughest remaining schedule and are regularly resting their better players, they most likely end up with a top 2 seeding for the lottery alongside Minnesota with Detroit rounding out the top 3. We could potentially run Detroit close but most likely end up with the 4th or 5th worst record with a slight chance of sneaking into a 3rd seed placing.

Regardless, our chance of a top 6 pick (which is what you want in this draft) is very good.

Minnesota isn’t “tanking”, so their pick and team success don’t really coincide at all. They’re trying to win games...none of those players care if that pick stays with them or goes to golden state. Game in and game out their best players are on the floor. Talent wise...they’re actually pretty loaded. I really don’t see them finishing in the basement when they have the likes of two all-stars, the number one overall pick out there, and get Beasley back. The math doesn’t add up. That team is more talented than ours on an individual talent level...they just have to learn to play cohesively. 

From a pure talent level...they’re def a notch above the likes of Orlando, Cleveland, and Detroit. 

[New Guy 11]

Don’t get me wrong...they’re terrible. But it doesn’t really make sense for them

to be THIS terrible, with all their talent. I really do think the smart money is on them winning enough not to have the worst record. 

Orlando has a horrendous stretch coming up where they may easily reel off like 8-10 straight losses or worse. I haven’t peaked in a minute, but it’s like a 10 game stretch against all playoff teams...and then a couple “winnable games” and then more bleh. Lol

[New Guy 11]

As far as Jaylen Green...the 3 point ball lacks consistency, but it’s terrence Ross quick at times. He doesn’t need much space to sink it and it’s incredibly high arcing. 

His athleticism really pops off the screen. Jaylen Brown comps are mentioned with regularity. He’s an exciting talent and he has an array of moves to beat you, and he’s a very creative finisher at the basket as well. He does have that perennial all-star, leading/go to scorer ceiling. 

 

Cade is much more methodical in his approach and his offensive game is extremely well rounded. Admittedly he does look a little slower at times or average-ish as far as foot speed...but it’s not a detriment to his game. It’s kind of like when you see Durant, set up his opponent. Despite the quality of defense, they make the hard ones look easy. Doesn’t need much room to get the look he wants, but can easily create his own offense. Cades offensive game is impressive and polished in all facets. He looks like a seasoned professional against college ball players. 

[crisby pancakes 126]

23 minutes ago, New Guy said:

Minnesota isn’t “tanking”, so their pick and team success don’t really coincide at all. They’re trying to win games...none of those players care if that pick stays with them or goes to golden state. Game in and game out their best players are on the floor. Talent wise...they’re actually pretty loaded. I really don’t see them finishing in the basement when they have the likes of two all-stars, the number one overall pick out there, and get Beasley back. The math doesn’t add up. That team is more talented than ours on an individual talent level...they just have to learn to play cohesively. 

From a pure talent level...they’re def a notch above the likes of Orlando, Cleveland, and Detroit. 

No they're not.

When we talk about tanking we're talking about the front office, not players and coaches. No players and coaches tank. Their FO is tanking to make sure their pick has the best odds of staying top 3 this year otherwise they lose it. They do this by being careful with injuries, keeping them out longer, giving minutes restrictions and resting for 'player load' which is exactly what minny are doing. They will finish with one of the worst 3 records with ease this year.

As for talent. They have picked #1 #6 #7 #5 #1 #13 #9 #58 #2 #4 in the last 10 years on top of acquiring a number of additional mid 1st round picks. At no point in the last 10 years have they been a good team, they've been one of the worst teams in the entire league since they lost Garnett and at no point have they looked like changing that.Teams that are full of lottery picks are always 'bad' teams. In order to make that jump you need to bring in experienced vets to guide and be a presence in the locker room via trade and free agency, something Minnesota has been unable to achieve.

Fully fit, the Magic would be fighting for no4 playoff seed in the East, a fully fit Timberwolves team would be doing nothing other than fighting for top seeding in lottery. Even with a crazy amount of high lottery picks on the roster, they still can't attract anyone of note via free agency. This is the problem we have in modern NBA. Small markets have little chance when players are colluding and making super teams in big market areas. Orlando is building the only way they can, slowly acquiring solid vets to supplement their lottery picks and then hopefully you can trade for someone to take you to that final level. Fans want a quick fix. There isn't one.

Orlando is actually in a unique position this year in that we will be drafting in the high lottery due to injuries, without those injuries we would be picking outside the lottery again. So we could actually end up with a potential all star caliber player that will have some solid vet players around him.

The opinion that Timberwolves are more talented than Orlando is ridiculous, they are perpetual bottom dwellers.

[New Guy 11]

How is their front office tanking? They had legitimate injuries to Russell and KAT. And had continued to play Beasley who was breaking out, opposed to Edwards...which would probably equate to more losses initially.

 

that team is uber talented. They’re just incredibly young and have had some bad breaks this year. It’s completely feasible that healthy, they can certainly finish better than last. Not light the league ablaze....but win some games. They legitimately have three players capable of playing at an all-star level right now, and last years top pick, getting by on pure athleticism. They could right the ship...a bit. 

And orlando needs to just stop the charade. Going into this season...the teams ceiling was probably no better than a 7th seed, and that’s fully healthy. 

Im thankful for all of Voochs work and accolades but the full rebuild needs to be embraced...not remain with the status quo and add an “all-star caliber” rookie to that mix.

orlando is in for a couple rough years ahead...and Vooch’s trade value has never been higher. Big time rookie or not...that one player will not change the entire landscape of the franchise. At least as far as this team being truly competitive within the next few years with Vooch. 

 

This team  desperately needs a clean slate. Obviously this includes the likes of Fultz and Isaac, who the team has identified as key structural cogs in the machine...but even these two aren’t going to just be good to go next year. Major surgery, difficult rehabilitation. Isaac May be ready early on but will be eased back in...Fultz May not even be ready until a couple months deep and again minute restriction. It would equate to another wasted year of Vooch’s golden years, which will probably see a steep decline sooner than later, as he progresses into his 30s.

now all that said....I highly doubt Orlando trades Vooch any time soon, which would be a mistake 

[New Guy 11]

And Minnesota absolutely has more talent than Orlando. Has it amounted to wins? No. But seriously?

KAT when healthy is a 25 and 11 player in his mid 20s.

D-Lo is an all-star guard...who is literally far and away more talented than any player on Orlando. Beasley same case.

and Edwards is a Dwayne Wade starter kit...who again...is more talented/gifted than any player on our team.

Indivisual talent...they have a lot more than Orlando and it’s not even close.

to say otherwise is blatant homerism. Teams can be incredibly talented and still lose games. The Bulls are absolutely loaded with talent and they’re in the same boat. They may be losing...But who is in better shape for the future? It ain’t us. 

 

Orlando’s cupboard is absolutely bare...outside of guys like Fultz, Isaac, and Cole. Jury is still out on what Chuma can do and we won’t even talk about Mo. 

[crisby pancakes 126]

You clearly didn't read my post,

I stated how Wolves FO are 'tanking.'(not rushing injured players back, minute restrictions and load management (Russell and KAT in particular) and I made no comment as to whether Orlando's roster was 'good' or 'bad.' You stated Timberwolves roster is more talented than Orlando's. Orlando's roster as constructed right now is a playoff roster, fully fit they would be challenging for 4th seed this year (4 games separate 4-11 seeds in East.) Timberwolves as constructed right now is a lottery team. Best player across both teams is Vooch by a considerable margin. Timberwolves will never get out of the lottery when they have 61 million being eaten up by KAT and Russell alone next year. No one is trading for those players, both are on very bad max level contracts. Neither are close to max level players.

As far as Edwards goes. Last years draft was one of the worst talent wise in the last 20 years and if it was redrafted today, he wouldn't even go top 6 due to the fact he is chucking and offers no skills at an elite level other than athleticism. That's not to say he won't improve but as of right now, saying Timberwolves has a better roster than Orlando is flat out false.

 

 

 

[CTMagicUK 1,491]

Jalen Green dropped 30 on 11-20 shooting to go with 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals. That was in the first round of the G league playoffs where they unfortunately lost to the (probable eventual winners) Raptors 905.

In Magic adjacent news the Lakeland Magic are through to the semi finals of the playoffs too. Karim Mane has had a rough season but I listened to an interview with Matt Lloyd the other day and he said there's been real progression for him between the start of the season and now which I guess is all you can ask for for a kid who only began basketball as his main sport at 16 and up until now had only played basketball in HS in Canada. 

[Albert Lergier 99]

On 3/5/2021 at 11:26 AM, New Guy said:

As far as Jaylen Green...the 3 point ball lacks consistency, but it’s terrence Ross quick at times. He doesn’t need much space to sink it and it’s incredibly high arcing. 

His athleticism really pops off the screen. Jaylen Brown comps are mentioned with regularity. He’s an exciting talent and he has an array of moves to beat you, and he’s a very creative finisher at the basket as well. He does have that perennial all-star, leading/go to scorer ceiling. 

 

Cade is much more methodical in his approach and his offensive game is extremely well rounded. Admittedly he does look a little slower at times or average-ish as far as foot speed...but it’s not a detriment to his game. It’s kind of like when you see Durant, set up his opponent. Despite the quality of defense, they make the hard ones look easy. Doesn’t need much room to get the look he wants, but can easily create his own offense. Cades offensive game is impressive and polished in all facets. He looks like a seasoned professional against college ball players. 

Cade comparable at this time is none other than GRANT HILL.....I checked some of Cade's videos and he is a true floor general. If we can get him...watch out !!!!

[CTMagicUK 1,491]

22 hours ago, CTMagicUK said:

In Magic adjacent news the Lakeland Magic are through to the semi finals of the playoffs too. Karim Mane has had a rough season but I listened to an interview with Matt Lloyd the other day and he said there's been real progression for him between the start of the season and now which I guess is all you can ask for for a kid who only began basketball as his main sport at 16 and up until now had only played basketball in HS in Canada. 

Update on this: the Lakeland Magic are through to the finals where they play a Delaware team with Paul Reed who's probably the G League MVP. They're definitely underdogs but it's nice to see them in the finals, it tends to bode well when franchises have successful G-League affiliate teams. 

EDIT: Robert Franks might be coming for Gary Clarks roster spot. 

 

 

 

 

 

[fan for too long 2 534]

Franks looks smooth. Nice stroke. Gary Clark who???  

[CTMagicUK 1,491]

I have no idea if he's someone Weltman and Hammond would ever consider but I'd love us to draft Josh Giddey in the second round or (more likely) with a late first.

He's not a super athlete and his jumper is a work in progress but a 6'8 guy who can pass and handle the ball like he can could be a real weapon. He's kind of a similar player to Kyle Anderson from what I've seen but maybe not quite as slow Mo as Anderson. I imagine he'll get comped to Joe Ingles by the media on account of him being an Australian forward who can pass.