2020 NBA Draft Thread: Bulls pick 4th: PT 2

[gobullschi]

Thoughts on Patrick Williams? Obviously not at 4, but if the Bulls traded down or somehow added another lottery pick, he seems like a good fit on paper.

*Just turned 19
*Athletic 6’8” SF
*Elite defender
*80% free throw

I’ve seen a few Khawhi Leonard comparisons. That comparison always makes me cringe. Anyone see him play?

Love the guy!!! Would seriously contemplate picking him with another mid-first if Nesmith was gone.

Pro comparison?

[Jcool0]

Thoughts on Patrick Williams? Obviously not at 4, but if the Bulls traded down or somehow added another lottery pick, he seems like a good fit on paper.

*Just turned 19
*Athletic 6’8” SF
*Elite defender
*80% free throw

I’ve seen a few Khawhi Leonard comparisons. That comparison always makes me cringe. Anyone see him play?

Unless some crazy development happens he will be a 4 in the NBA. Not athletic enough to guard 3s.

[TheSuzerain]

I want Okongwu or Hayes.

Both would immediately start and play a key role for us.

Haliburton takes the bronze.

[Grodoboldo]

Thoughts on Patrick Williams? Obviously not at 4, but if the Bulls traded down or somehow added another lottery pick, he seems like a good fit on paper.

*Just turned 19
*Athletic 6’8” SF
*Elite defender
*80% free throw

I’ve seen a few Khawhi Leonard comparisons. That comparison always makes me cringe. Anyone see him play?

Love the guy!!! Would seriously contemplate picking him with another mid-first if Nesmith was gone.

Pro comparison?

Wow, that's hard to say, he's so raw right now. If everything works out, a hybrid between Jae Crowder and Marcus Morris, but with creation ability? IDK.

[Andi Obst]

Pat Williams is coming out too early. He is really undeveloped. Ceiling is nice but should go somewhere between #12-#24. He could be a hidden gem later in the draft much like many of these prospects. I wouldn't bother with him. It's a huge gamble and likely won't pay off.

I think coming out early might actually pay off for Patrick Williams. There are a few teams in the late lottery/mid first round who could really use him and should be able to let him develop slowly. Boston, Portland, Dallas or San Antonio for example. I think going into his rookie year without sky-high expectations could be great for his career. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he ends up as one of the 10 best players of this class when it's all said and done, but it will take time.

[arusinov]

Watch on YouTube

Another evaluator basically saying Avdija will never be an all-star type player. Projected him to have Joe Ingles/Dario Saric level of success in the NBA. ie. starters but not all-stars.

The author himself agreed with my comment that Saric and Ingles aren't very good comparisons.

He also answered to my comment that the most probable outcome for Deni is 3rd option on playoff team for many years - which is clearly better than Joe (especially in the "many years" part as Ingles is already 32 and got to the current level only several years ago) and certainly not comparable with Saric

[rtblues]

Duncan Robinson is such a weapon --- The more I see him --- The more I wonder why Nesmith couldn't do the same thing...

Yeah, and Nesmith is stronger, has a longer wingspan, a better defender, and more athletic than Robinson.

[sco]

https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/nba-draft-rumors-warriors-higher-deni-avdija-lamelo-ball

[Andi Obst]

https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/nba-draft-rumors-warriors-higher-deni-avdija-lamelo-ball

There have been reports that the Warriors were basically all in on Wiseman and Edwards before. I wouldn't worry about any of that right now, seems to be all speculation.

[PlayerUp]

It wouldn't surprise me at all if he ends up as one of the 10 best players of this class when it's all said and done, but it will take time.

You could say that about most of this draft. This draft could have alot of hidden gems in it.

[PlayerUp]

the most probable outcome for Deni is 3rd option on playoff team for many years

This draft lacks #1 options. You have Anthony Edwards as a potential #1 and outside of that, everyone else is a question mark. Killian Hayes, Cole Anthony, Tyrell Terry, Kira Lewis if they turn out to be gems could be a #1 but overall this draft is a role player type draft.

[kodo]

I do think the success of Bam is going to increase the stock of lookalikes (would have happened even before the playoffs), but I think just taking any 6' 9" center with athleticism and saying he's the next Bam is skipping why Bam works where most other centers are just rim runners. If that was all that was needed, Robert Williams on the Celtics would be the next Bam, since he's 6' 9" and just as explosive off two feet.

Bam excels as a playmaker. He averaged 5 apg in the regular season, an average a lot of guards don't even reach. In this series he's averaging 6.5 apg and has the 2nd most total assists of any player on either team. So even though on the surface he's the polar opposite of Jokic, he has a similar impact minus Jokic's incredible shooting. He's out there on the perimeter setting screen-assists for his teammates instead of just hanging around as a non-shooter.

Whoever is going to be drafted as "the next Bam" is going to have to be more than just a small center with athleticism, they're also going to need the capability of leading a contending team in assists like Bam is this series, or Jokic is on his team. I have no idea if Okongwu has that kind of skillset, but it looks like Wiseman certainly doesn't since finding teammates and awareness are repeatedly noted as big deficits in his game.

[Andi Obst]

It wouldn't surprise me at all if he ends up as one of the 10 best players of this class when it's all said and done, but it will take time.

You could say that about most of this draft. This draft could have alot of hidden gems in it.

Wouldn't say most of this draft, but yeah, there are quite a few guys who fall into that category. To me, Williams is easily one of the most interesting guys who is probably not going top 10, though.

[MrSparkle]

For all the talk of how bad this draft will be...

When is the last time we had this many high-level passers and creators in the top-20 projected range?

Short of the athletic super-wonder with elite scoring ability (cough once in a generation, Lebron/Durant)...

Isn't an elite passer basically the type of 'untradeable' player you want out of a draft? Granted, there are the Lonzo and Rubio examples, but you add height and/or a go-to scoring move to most these guys (Hayes, LaMelo, Hali, Deni, Maxey, Hampton, Poku). For all the talk of how Hali can't create his own shot.. Could Rubio or Lonzo? Yet they still have starting jobs, while not being able to shoot wide-open jumpers. Hali could actually swoosh the open 3P all-day. Where would Rubio and Lonzo be with "slow" but very consistent 3P shots? Probably never getting traded out their draft-spot, and making some all-star games.

I think I'm settling on it as a high-ceiling, low-floor draft. Really glad we got a top-4 pick AND they hired Artunas in time for this draft, cause no doubt in my mind that GarPaxCollins would've jagged this draft really badly even with a #1 pick. They don't know how to evaluate passers AT ALL. The only time I can say they did something right in that dept. was when they dumped Nocioni and Gooden and managed to steal Brad Miller's expiring from the Sacramento ship-wreck... oh and of course the infamous Rondo stint, where they decided to actually remove his healthy body from a ~.500 team's line-up for about 1 month before they realized he did indeed bring more to the table than Jerian, MCW and Payne ever did (and will).

If we get a 3rd-eye passer who can start, defend and score 14+ ppg by year two, I'd say that's a big win for a 4-pick. I think I'm over-thinking this draft. Artunas knows how to evaluate passers; he picked up several unlikely rookies and vets who had the skill without anyone else realizing it (Plumlee, Murray, Morris). Of course Joker. There are enough bizarre circumstances with the Covid limitations, and enough fascinating but red-flagged prospects where I think AK is really gonna have a pool of at least 5 guys to pick from that can fit that passing vision.

Or maybe he just goes with a falling Wiseman. But I don't think he will. And if he does, I don't think it's that stupid if he's confident he can develop the dude while handing Coby the keys and improving the middle of the roster with trades and FAs.

[PlayerUp]

When is the last time we had this many high-level passers and creators in the top-20 projected range?

I mentioned this yesterday as well. We've been complaining for decades about not getting playmakers. This draft is loaded with them and this team badly needs a playmaker. Why it maybe time we draft on need not just BPA.

LaMelo Ball
Killian Hayes
Deni Avdija
Tyrese Haliburton

Take your pick.

[dougthonus]

It wouldn't surprise me at all if he ends up as one of the 10 best players of this class when it's all said and done, but it will take time.

You could say that about most of this draft. This draft could have alot of hidden gems in it.

Really hidden gems is a nicer way of saying lack of certainty.

There are a lot of players that need to make major steps in one way or another, and if they do could be great players, but because those leaps are major, we don't really know who will make them and who won't. There will be some people in the corner of each of these various players, and some of those people will be right. However, those same people aren't consistently right (or if they are, they're working in the wrong profession), because the best NBA draft evaluators aren't even consistently right with more tools analysis, and time spent.

[cjbulls]

https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/nba-draft-rumors-warriors-higher-deni-avdija-lamelo-ball

I feel like there have been warriors reports tying them to every lottery-ranged player at #2. Sounds to me like they are working the media to drum up interest in their pick.

[cjbulls]

When is the last time we had this many high-level passers and creators in the top-20 projected range?

I mentioned this yesterday as well. We've been complaining for decades about not getting playmakers. This draft is loaded with them and this team badly needs a playmaker. Why it maybe time we draft on need not just BPA.

LaMelo Ball
Killian Hayes
Deni Avdija
Tyrese Haliburton

Take your pick.

This team needs a star more than any position. So they should draft BPA or highest upside.

I would love to see the team with a playmaker (that would be my personal top priority), but not at the expense of trying to draft the best player.

[Lexluthor]

If Obi Is the next Amare Stoudemire then he should go 1 in the draft . Amare was going to be a hall of famer until the injuries destroyed his career

[Repeat 3-peat]

Duncan Robinson is such a weapon --- The more I see him --- The more I wonder why Nesmith couldn't do the same thing...

Look up Sam Merrill. He could be the Robinson of this class.