2020 NBA Draft Thread: Bulls pick #7 (probably)

[GimmeDat]

I want to stress that Nesmith is a big reach at 7.

He can't dribble and he can't pass - like at all.. and he varies between a below average to average defender.

I totally buy the shooting, I think he's a can't go wrong role player, but at 7, I'm not interested.

If you want a wing, Vassell can shoot (is not as proven as an elite-tier shooter like Nesmith, but still very good), and can do almost everything else on the court at a much higher level.

I'm a Vassell guy at 7, all day.

[Chi town]

I want to stress that Nesmith is a big reach at 7.

He can't dribble and he can't pass - like at all.. and he varies between a below average to average defender.

I totally buy the shooting, I think he's a can't go wrong role player, but at 7, I'm not interested.

If you want a wing, Vassell can shoot (is not as proven as an elite-tier shooter like Nesmith, but still very good), and can do almost everything else on the court at a much higher level.

I'm a Vassell guy at 7, all day.

I’d trade back for Vassell and Nesmith.

[Dresden]

I want to stress that Nesmith is a big reach at 7.

He can't dribble and he can't pass - like at all.. and he varies between a below average to average defender.

I totally buy the shooting, I think he's a can't go wrong role player, but at 7, I'm not interested.

If you want a wing, Vassell can shoot (is not as proven as an elite-tier shooter like Nesmith, but still very good), and can do almost everything else on the court at a much higher level.

I'm a Vassell guy at 7, all day.

My opinion is just based on watching some scouting videos of him on You Tube, but I could see him being worth a #7 pick in this draft. I don't see that many prospects that are head and shoulders above him. He's got good size, with a 6'10" wingspan, and a strong body. Some of the scouting on him is that he's got good defensive potential, isn't afraid to challenge shots at the rim, good team defender. And he's regarded as the best 3 point shooter in the draft. A top notch 3 and D guy is worth taking at #7, IMO. Mikal Bridges looks to me like a similar prospect, and that's about where he got picked.

Yes, his ball handling is weak- he's no Scottie Pippen or Kevin Durant with the ball in his hands. But there's some highlights of him driving to the basket and scoring, too. So it's not like he can't dribble at all. And I also see some highlights of him making nice passes on the move for easy baskets for teammates.

Mainly, it's his great 3 point shooting and his size and nba ready body that I like.

[Dresden]

Also, on defense:

Vasell: 1.4 steals, 1.0 blocks per game

Nesmith: 1.4 steals, .9 blocks per game

Although Nesmith did play more minutes per game...

[Kurt Heimlich]

I want to stress that Nesmith is a big reach at 7.

He can't dribble and he can't pass - like at all.. and he varies between a below average to average defender.

I totally buy the shooting, I think he's a can't go wrong role player, but at 7, I'm not interested.

If you want a wing, Vassell can shoot (is not as proven as an elite-tier shooter like Nesmith, but still very good), and can do almost everything else on the court at a much higher level.

I'm a Vassell guy at 7, all day.

I’d trade back for Vassell and Nesmith.

You may he understating vassell (or just being overly optimistic) if you're banking on a trade back value grab. Vassell has the makings of a top 8 pick.

[PrimzyBulls81]

New coach and GM will pretty much decide what we need based on current roster,what to do in draft,thru trades and FA.
As I said multiple times, I really hope we can get experianced PG to be somekind of assistant of coach on the court. We need to move forward from rookie on that spot. We got White, who might develop into solid PG,but he needs mentor and help.

I would maybe trade pick,because I dont see any franchise players at #7 or game changers or just draft BPA,but not PG haha
There should be Avdija, Vassell, Okoro for SF, Okongwu for PF available.. Toppin, Wiseman both will be gone by that pick.

[Andi Obst]

Also, on defense:

Vasell: 1.4 steals, 1.0 blocks per game

Nesmith: 1.4 steals, .9 blocks per game

Although Nesmith did play more minutes per game...

I don't know enough about Nesmith to say how good he is defensively, but comparing steals and blocks generally isn't very useful. It just tells you almost nothing about actual defensive impact.

[drosereturn]

I want to stress that Nesmith is a big reach at 7.

He can't dribble and he can't pass - like at all.. and he varies between a below average to average defender.

I totally buy the shooting, I think he's a can't go wrong role player, but at 7, I'm not interested.

If you want a wing, Vassell can shoot (is not as proven as an elite-tier shooter like Nesmith, but still very good), and can do almost everything else on the court at a much higher level.

I'm a Vassell guy at 7, all day.

I think Vassell is a reach as well at 7. Not that he doesnt deserve or he isnt the 7th best player but he gives me Brandon Clarke vibe where he doesnt stand out that much we can snag him by trading back to mid round picks.
As much as I hate Hali, if Ball, Edwards,Wiseman, Okongwu is gone, hes my pick at 7.

[Andi Obst]

Honestly, i think this narrative is overplayed. I think he plays better defense than most think. His weakness is against big bodied centers in the post which won’t be an issue in the nba. He does have weak side shot blocking ability.

He does have weak side blocking potential at least due to his athletic ability, but his defensive awareness is just really, really bad. Makes wrong reads all the time and is out of position a lot. He just moves around awkwardly and seems completely lost on far too many possessions. Plus, as you said, he gets physically dominated by bigger players.

I love his offensive potential, but his defense scares me a lot.

[Clint Eastwood]

Honestly, i think this narrative is overplayed. I think he plays better defense than most think. His weakness is against big bodied centers in the post which won’t be an issue in the nba. He does have weak side shot blocking ability.

He does have weak side blocking potential at least due to his athletic ability, but his defensive awareness is just really, really bad. Makes wrong reads all the time and is out of position a lot. He just moves around awkwardly and seems completely lost on far too many possessions. Plus, as you said, he gets physically dominated by bigger players.

I love his offensive potential, but his defense scares me a lot.

I hear you. You can totally find a lot of video on bad defensive plays which show unawareness. But honestly, when you watch him for a game, these plays are overblown. He is an unselfish team player, and i believe with proper coaching he can tighten up his mistakes. His team was possibly the best team in the country. And he was the best player on the team. This must count for something.

[sco]

Honestly, i think this narrative is overplayed. I think he plays better defense than most think. His weakness is against big bodied centers in the post which won’t be an issue in the nba. He does have weak side shot blocking ability.

He does have weak side blocking potential at least due to his athletic ability, but his defensive awareness is just really, really bad. Makes wrong reads all the time and is out of position a lot. He just moves around awkwardly and seems completely lost on far too many possessions. Plus, as you said, he gets physically dominated by bigger players.

I love his offensive potential, but his defense scares me a lot.

I hear you. You can totally find a lot of video on bad defensive plays which show unawareness. But honestly, when you watch him for a game, these plays are overblown. He is an unselfish team player, and i believe with proper coaching he can tighten up his mistakes. His team was possibly the best team in the country. And he was the best player on the team. This must count for something.

I think you are probably right. IMO, the road through the East is going through Giannis, KD and Simmons...having a defensive liability at PF seems like a big risk. That said, if he is the BPA, I would take that risk over drafting a lesser player based on need.

[Andi Obst]

Honestly, i think this narrative is overplayed. I think he plays better defense than most think. His weakness is against big bodied centers in the post which won’t be an issue in the nba. He does have weak side shot blocking ability.

He does have weak side blocking potential at least due to his athletic ability, but his defensive awareness is just really, really bad. Makes wrong reads all the time and is out of position a lot. He just moves around awkwardly and seems completely lost on far too many possessions. Plus, as you said, he gets physically dominated by bigger players.

I love his offensive potential, but his defense scares me a lot.

I hear you. You can totally find a lot of video on bad defensive plays which show unawareness. But honestly, when you watch him for a game, these plays are overblown. He is an unselfish team player, and i believe with proper coaching he can tighten up his mistakes. His team was possibly the best team in the country. And he was the best player on the team. This must count for something.

No doubt. He's a very productive player. Super versatile on offense. Not my favorite player in our range, but I could easily see him having a great career in the right situation.

[Chi town]

I want to stress that Nesmith is a big reach at 7.

He can't dribble and he can't pass - like at all.. and he varies between a below average to average defender.

I totally buy the shooting, I think he's a can't go wrong role player, but at 7, I'm not interested.

If you want a wing, Vassell can shoot (is not as proven as an elite-tier shooter like Nesmith, but still very good), and can do almost everything else on the court at a much higher level.

I'm a Vassell guy at 7, all day.

I’d trade back for Vassell and Nesmith.

You may he understating vassell (or just being overly optimistic) if you're banking on a trade back value grab. Vassell has the makings of a top 8 pick.

In this draft you may be right. I just don’t see much of a ceiling. I’d rather go after a player with more upside. Vassell doesn’t show anything that would suggest a franchise changing player. I think Okoro and Nesmith do. Okoro has Jimmy Buckets size and tenacity. Nesmith has Klay like ability to get open and shoot it. Klay didn’t play any D when he came into the league either.

[drosereturn]

I’d trade back for Vassell and Nesmith.

You may he understating vassell (or just being overly optimistic) if you're banking on a trade back value grab. Vassell has the makings of a top 8 pick.

In this draft you may be right. I just don’t see much of a ceiling. I’d rather go after a player with more upside. Vassell doesn’t show anything that would suggest a franchise changing player. I think Okoro and Nesmith do. Okoro has Jimmy Buckets size and tenacity. Nesmith has Klay like ability to get open and shoot it. Klay didn’t play any D when he came into the league either.

If the consensus of Vassell is not top 8 theres no reason to waste a number 7 pick on him when you could get him in mid teens.
A GMs job is to get extra value out of a pick even if it means risking not drafting your favorite player.
Why would you pay extra when you could have a firesale? GMs need to learn from Ainge.

[MrSparkle]

I know we’ve had entirely too many soft 7ft Euro PFs, but anybody else slightly intrigued by Poku in a potential trade down?

He can pass and dribble much better way better than Niko and Lauri, and has a lankier frame. Definitely a long-term project, but if you could develop him properly, he has playmaker potential.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

You may he understating vassell (or just being overly optimistic) if you're banking on a trade back value grab. Vassell has the makings of a top 8 pick.

In this draft you may be right. I just don’t see much of a ceiling. I’d rather go after a player with more upside. Vassell doesn’t show anything that would suggest a franchise changing player. I think Okoro and Nesmith do. Okoro has Jimmy Buckets size and tenacity. Nesmith has Klay like ability to get open and shoot it. Klay didn’t play any D when he came into the league either.

If the consensus of Vassell is not top 8 theres no reason to waste a number 7 pick on him when you could get him in mid teens.
A GMs job is to get extra value out of a pick even if it means risking not drafting your favorite player.
Why would you pay extra when you could have a firesale? GMs need to learn from Ainge.

Hard to know where NBA teams’ heads are at, but Vassell’s stock has been rising among draft analysts - some of whom have intel. Maybe that’s an indication of his real stock, maybe it isn’t, but my guess is that trading down from 7 to grab him will be pretty damn risky come draft day.

[Andi Obst]

I know we’ve had entirely too many soft 7ft Euro PFs, but anybody else slightly intrigued by Poku in a potential trade down?

He can pass and dribble much better way better than Niko and Lauri, and has a lankier frame. Definitely a long-term project, but if you could develop him properly, he has playmaker potential.

He's definitely interesting. Played mostly against very weak competition, but his shot looks real good and he doesn't move like a big at all. He seems like a high risk/high reward kind of guy, which is is always more interesting in a weak draft. Could see a team falling in love with him, even in the lottery.

[MrSparkle]

I know we’ve had entirely too many soft 7ft Euro PFs, but anybody else slightly intrigued by Poku in a potential trade down?

He can pass and dribble much better way better than Niko and Lauri, and has a lankier frame. Definitely a long-term project, but if you could develop him properly, he has playmaker potential.

He's definitely interesting. Played mostly against very weak competition, but his shot looks real good and he doesn't move like a big at all. He seems like a high risk/high reward kind of guy, which is is always more interesting in a weak draft. Could see a team falling in love with him, even in the lottery.

Yeah. Along with Vassell, he definitely stands out in this draft as one of the most intriguing prospects, albeit some red flags. He needs elite coaching and training, and atleast 2 years. Thing that scares me is he might not be able to buy a minute in the NBA for atleast 1 or 2 years. His light frame is that of a HS kid, and it looks like he has poor discipline on the court. Those guys have a very tough development if you can’t earn a minute in your rookie season.

[othawhitemeat]

If there was a market for the pick I'd prefer we trade out of this draft. We need someone to fall in love with a prospect in our range to make that happen. Preferences would be young, cost controlled player or a future pick.

Side note - this team is desperate for a veteran that can play. Someone who's won before and can show the way, push these guys a bit. Scratching my head on who fits that criteria without taking us out of 2021 free agency.

Man I can’t agree with that. The last thing this team needs is to try to settle into the current talent pool with a “steadying veteran presence.” Unless you mean acquiring one completely separate from the draft.

This team needs to be fortunate landing a high end talent. The way to do that is in the lottery, not by trading for an established solid guy. Any known commodity we could get for a pick in this draft will just be “some guy.” Not a significant difference maker. We need to roll the dice.

People shouldn't forget that no one on the roster was acquired by the current GM and the current GM is high on building through the draft AND has given speeches about making trades.

I wouldn't be surprised if several of the existing young guys see the exit door in exchange for players that either change the culture or fit better. I bet that, unless blown away, we will keep the pick.

Lauri, Wendell, Coby, Lavine, Sato, Thad and Otto should pack lightly.

I feel like Zach is one of the most likely to be traded based on description of high IQ, 2 way, ball sharing, and value of a player. For his contract, he could bring a very good return back.

[_txchilibowl_]

Man I can’t agree with that. The last thing this team needs is to try to settle into the current talent pool with a “steadying veteran presence.” Unless you mean acquiring one completely separate from the draft.

This team needs to be fortunate landing a high end talent. The way to do that is in the lottery, not by trading for an established solid guy. Any known commodity we could get for a pick in this draft will just be “some guy.” Not a significant difference maker. We need to roll the dice.

People shouldn't forget that no one on the roster was acquired by the current GM and the current GM is high on building through the draft AND has given speeches about making trades.

I wouldn't be surprised if several of the existing young guys see the exit door in exchange for players that either change the culture or fit better. I bet that, unless blown away, we will keep the pick.

Lauri, Wendell, Coby, Lavine, Sato, Thad and Otto should pack lightly.

I feel like Zach is one of the most likely to be traded based on description of high IQ, 2 way, ball sharing, and value of a player. For his contract, he could bring a very good return back.

I think if you feel that way about Zach then you shouldn't expect much of a return. Every team wants high IQ, 2 way, ball sharing players.

If Zach isn't that...then why would anyone pony up for him?