2018 Draft Thread #6

[WindyCityBorn]

If we are in position to draft Luka. I'm all for trading Dunn.

No point in trading him. He doesn't have any value right now. Might as well just see what happens over the next two seasons. He's a project. I have Doncic at SF regardless so they can play together and see what happens.

[Davell]

In other news, Trae Young got his swagger back.

Watching it. Still don’t want to waste a draft pick on him. Bust potential is enormous. Not guaranteed, but obvious.

He’s probably my least favorite of the Big 7. But if he’s the only one left on the board when we pick, I’d draft him without thinking twice.

At this point, I've got a big 8 and taking Carter over Trae.

I might even be persuaded to take Mikal Bridges over him, by the time the draft rolls around.

[DuckIII]

Ayton is not my number 1 anymore after this. I wouldn't draft him if he was still available when we pick. After experiencing Derrick Rose and his Memphis crap, no thanks to Ayton. The Basketball Gods have a way of ending stuff. Doncic is my number one now.

Every elite collegiate recruit you ever liked in football or basketball, this was their story. The NBA won’t give a **** that Ayton took $ and neither will I.

Ok. Those guys didn't have the FBI up the @$$ with wiretaps. It usually ends up with "he said, she said" with no real proof. If the FBI didn't have legit evidence against Ayton then I wouldn't care either. But they do.

How is getting caught relevant in any way to whether or not you would draft him?

EDIT: Oh, I see. The “distraction” factor. When the truth came out about Rose he got asked questions for about 30 seconds. Same with OJ Mayo and Reggie Bush.

The pro writers don’t care, the pro leagues don’t care.

[DuckIII]

In other news, Trae Young got his swagger back.

Watching it. Still don’t want to waste a draft pick on him. Bust potential is enormous. Not guaranteed, but obvious.

He’s probably my least favorite of the Big 7. But if he’s the only one left on the board when we pick, I’d draft him without thinking twice.

I might draft him in that situation. But I’d first shop that pick like crazy to see if a team right behind me in the 8-10 range badly wants him. And even if that doesn’t work I’m not sure I’d draft him.

[DuckIII]

Another point about how once Ayton leaves college (frankly, I figured he’d declare for the draft yesterday and am still expecting it soon) no one will care at the pro level (which as I mentioned above we saw happen with both Rose and Mayo):

Most of you probably don’t remember this, but at the 2008 draft lottery that netted us Rose, Doris Burke interviewed David Stern and asked him if there would be any consequences for OJ Mayo for violating the “regulations.” Here is his actual response to her question word for word:

I don’t know what regulations you are referring to. Those are NCAA regulations and if there's anybody watching that thinks this is a new subject, I have a bridge over in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell them because this has been going on for the last 30 or 40 years.

The NCAA cares a ton. NCAA writers care a ton. But once these guys escape that bubble they won’t be bothered by the scandal anymore because no one else gives a damn and everyone knows it’s happeneing all the time anyway.

[fleet]

I wish the G-League was used like the MLB uses A, AA, & AAA. I wonder if that would help tanking. If the bottom teams had 2 shots at young players it might turn franchises around quicker.

I actually think that is their next step. Someone just has to have the balls to turn their back on the NCAA. Its that simple.

This is how I would do it.

All the NBA has to do is operate the G League teams like NCAA programs. Instead of Zion Williamson electing to play at Duke next year, he decides to play for the Windy City Bulls for a contract.

I agree.

Mitchell Robinson tried to do this and was burned by the system, and couldn't play in college or the G-League.

The rules are for entering the G-League are set up to not take away players who could be in college...they need to get rid of these rules that help the NCAA.

Givony said the GMs also feel this way: "One anonymous general manager was quoted as saying, “Is it really the NBA’s place to tell players what they should or shouldn’t do with their lives before they enter the draft?”"

A private business can make any requirement for employment it wants to. Other than race, gender, etc. I'm fine with straight from high school myself.

[Axolotl]

Like tanking, bribery and payments in NCAA are a public secret. Everyone knows about them, but it's considered rude to talk about them. Need to maintain the illusion, y'know.

This scandal does not change my views on the draftees at all. Top prospects are paid under the table. Some got caught, some did not - why would I treat the caught ones any differently?

[fleet]

Every elite collegiate recruit you ever liked in football or basketball, this was their story. The NBA won’t give a **** that Ayton took $ and neither will I.

Yep. There's no way you can blame kids for taking money that's practically thrown at them. I don't know Ayton's background, but a good amount of top recruits come (or used to) from low-income households. So, when an agency or school gives them money, there's not much thought. It says nothing about a lack of character. If anything, these schools and agencies are taking advantage of them.

March Madness made $900 million dollars last year and usually makes up 90% of the NCAA's yearly revenue.

Players get: 0

The NCAA is the best pimp game there is.

Hell yeah. At his age, I probably take the money, too. But here's the thing. I'm going against the NCAA and their rules. And they will find out one way or another just like what they did with Ayton. NCAA is friggin' good with this.

Yes, the NBA doesn't care. Duh. But, I don't want this crap talked constantly over and over if I chose him. I'll be questioned time and time again until I puke. The media will question Ayton like crazy. Too many distractions. It's not worth it.

"Why you take the money? Why? Why? What made you draft him knowing this about him?" Then Ayton might be a bust as well.

We are not getting the number one pick anyway. But if we do, I rather take Doncic, Porter, or Bagley.

a few temporary distractions should not get in the way of choosing superior NBA talent. Besides, NBA media don't care about college drama any more than NBA cares. He would get asked a few times his rookie season, and once he establishes he's not discussing it, and the Bulls put out their one and only press release on the subject, life goes on. He might talk to Jim Gray some day as he approaches retirement.

[Dresden]

Another point about how once Ayton leaves college (frankly, I figured he’d declare for the draft yesterday and am still expecting it soon) no one will care at the pro level (which as I mentioned above we saw happen with both Rose and Mayo):

Most of you probably don’t remember this, but at the 2008 draft lottery that netted us Rose, Doris Burke interviewed David Stern and asked him if there would be any consequences for OJ Mayo for violating the “regulations.” Here is his actual response to her question word for word:

I don’t know what regulations you are referring to. Those are NCAA regulations and if there's anybody watching that thinks this is a new subject, I have a bridge over in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell them because this has been going on for the last 30 or 40 years.

The NCAA cares a ton. NCAA writers care a ton. But once these guys escape that bubble they won’t be bothered by the scandal anymore because no one else gives a damn and everyone knows it’s happeneing all the time anyway.

That's right. Derrick Rose did something (allegedly) that to my mind is much worse than taking money- he had someone take the SAT for him. That's damning on two accounts- 1) it shows you're willing to outright cheat, and 2) you have to be either pretty dumb or not have done one bit of school work in high school not to be able to get the minimum SAT score to get into Memphis.

And no one cared, and Derrick never paid any price for it, other than technically the wins he got at Memphis don't count. Big deal.

[Dresden]

Its interesting that Ayton had one of his best games last night with this hanging over his head. Maybe it fired him up, knowing it might be his last college game. Maybe he wanted to do it for Sean Miller. Maybe whoever was coaching the team last night made it a point to get Ayton more involved. Whatever the case, that's more the type of game I would expect from him- something like 28/16 with 4 blocks I think. Now that's showing the world that you deserve to go #1.

[DuckIII]

He might talk to Jim Gray some day as he approaches retirement.

If so, then I'm pretty sure Jim Gray is the Highlander. There can be only one.

[Axolotl]

He might talk to Jim Gray some day as he approaches retirement.

If so, then I'm pretty sure Jim Gray is the Highlander. There can be only one.

Instead of chopping heads off other immortals, he gets stronger by destroying knees.

It all makes sense now...

[Peelboy]

Every elite collegiate recruit you ever liked in football or basketball, this was their story. The NBA won’t give a **** that Ayton took $ and neither will I.

Ok. Those guys didn't have the FBI up the @$$ with wiretaps. It usually ends up with "he said, she said" with no real proof. If the FBI didn't have legit evidence against Ayton then I wouldn't care either. But they do.

How is getting caught relevant in any way to whether or not you would draft him?

EDIT: Oh, I see. The “distraction” factor. When the truth came out about Rose he got asked questions for about 30 seconds. Same with OJ Mayo and Reggie Bush.

The pro writers don’t care, the pro leagues don’t care.

Honestly I never thought Rose was "distracted" in the pros by the Memphis stuff. Distracted by other stuff, especially post-injury, sure. but not that. IIRC it was a brief couple questions, and then nada. Which is exactly what I would expect here, in fact here because it's happening now I would expect it to be even less. Ayton is going to get quizzed nonstop about this over the next 6 months. But by the time he hits (Bulls ) camp that will be a distant memory and people will care a ton less about that versus how he thinks he'll fit with his NBA team, what he needs to work on, etc.

[bigworld2017]

https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2018/2/12/17006772/arkansas-daniel-gafford-drums-ole-miss-nba-draft-drumming#

I rate Daniel Gafford in the second tier of available "5"s. He's a project but the athleticism is there. A few years of strength and conditioning at the professional level and jump shot guidance from Fred and he has the potential to be a decent player. Sure, I'd prefer JJJ or Ayton, but if Gafford is still on the board when the Pels pick come up I'm calling his name.

[realEAST]

So Miller has almost 3mil a year salary: wonder if all the professors at the university together have that same amount per year?

How much money do the professors bring to the school compared to Miller

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Don't want to go off topic, but I never saw bringing money as professors primary job description, or for that matter qualification, nor did I see colleges as for-profit institutions.

[TheSuzerain]

https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2018/2/12/17006772/arkansas-daniel-gafford-drums-ole-miss-nba-draft-drumming#

I rate Daniel Gafford in the second tier of available "5"s. He's a project but the athleticism is there. A few years of strength and conditioning at the professional level and jump shot guidance from Fred and he has the potential to be a decent player. Sure, I'd prefer JJJ or Ayton, but if Gafford is still on the board when the Pels pick come up I'm calling his name.

Would be a poor use of the pick. You can find guys like Gafford all over this league.

Grab a wing or guard. Or Jontay Porter.

[kwintz]

Miles Bridges is really making some great slip passes today. If we’re stuck at 8 I think he has more star potential than Mikal—Can Miles play the 3 though??


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[Davell]

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/nba-mock-draft-teams-players-moving-lottery-round/story?id=53255061

We keep giving away 2nd Rounders, but since Paxson brought up "currency", it'd be nice to see them jump into the 2nd or late 1st, by buying a pick, for a change. I'm trying not to laugh at typing this, but in this mock, there's some very solid talent dropping to the 2nd.....

Personally, I'd love to get Diallo or Alkins in the 2nd. McCoy or Preston would work too. Duval would be nice value as well.

If you look into the 21-30 spots, there's plenty to be interested in obviously.

Personally, I see Robinson more likely to go top 20 than not, but he'd be a great flyer to take in the late 1st, if you could grab a pick. Metu and Milton are of some interest to me as well. If you don't keep Nwaba, Khyri Thomas may be a slightly better version....

[Duke4life831]

https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2018/2/12/17006772/arkansas-daniel-gafford-drums-ole-miss-nba-draft-drumming#

I rate Daniel Gafford in the second tier of available "5"s. He's a project but the athleticism is there. A few years of strength and conditioning at the professional level and jump shot guidance from Fred and he has the potential to be a decent player. Sure, I'd prefer JJJ or Ayton, but if Gafford is still on the board when the Pels pick come up I'm calling his name.

I see Gafford as a less athletic less versatile Marquese Chriss coming out of college.

[NDave79]

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