Way too early NBA draft thread 2021

[Chi town]

I think he can certainly play the 5. That's his natural position.

His highlights look good but his full games make him look no bueno.

I mean he's going to be MVP of the Turkish League, so that seems kind of impossible.

Have you watched any of his full games?

[Rose2Boozer]

These are my 3 favorite prospects outside of the top 5. All of these kids have first round talent.

Bennedict Mathurin

Watch on YouTube

Isaiah Todd

Watch on YouTube

Tre Mann

Watch on YouTube

[othawhitemeat]

I like tough nose players or skilled in 2nd round. A sleeper to me is Aaron Henry from Michigan State. He is known as a defender at 6'6 but can create, pass, and is a smart player. Has been up and down from 3 but it is not a total loss there.

[Chicago-Bull-E]

Kind of like both the Florida guards with our 2nd rounder, Tre Mann and Scottie Lewis. I know Lewis has struggled some, but he came in as the 7th best recruit in his class, and the defense is elite. Form is good on his jumper, just has to keep working at it. Mann already has the good shot and good size. Nothing elite though, which is why he’s a 2nd rounder.

[ThisGuyFawkes]

Kevin O'Connor dropped his big board.

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/

Awesome, thanks for sharing. I know almost nothing about these guys except for their names, but it seems like we need a Bouknight.

Edit: Assuming we don't have a top 10 pick.

Bouknight is like the opposite of what we need. Same with Jalen Green.

They are poor man's versions of Lavine.

Gotcha, those rankings made him seem like some sort of floor general.

[Almost Retired]

These are my 3 favorite prospects outside of the top 5. All of these kids have first round talent.

Bennedict Mathurin

Watch on YouTube

Isaiah Todd

Watch on YouTube

Tre Mann

Watch on YouTube

I like all 3 players. And I'd add Euro Ariel Hukparti and David Duke of Providence due to positional need. I wish we could trade some of our dead weight and pick up 2 or 3 more picks at the bottom of the 1st Round or the Top 1/3rd of the 2nd Round. This is potentially a deep draft. Maybe not with superstars, but legitimate rotation players if they develop.

[Almost Retired]

There is unlikely to be one of the elite playmakers left when we draft in the 1st Round. So if we can't get a primary ball handler we have to get at least a secondary playmaker. I think Ayo touches a lot of bases. I like his length and his speed. I like how he gets after it as an on-ball defender, something we sorely lack with our entire backcourt. The Illini had an easy time with Drexel today, as was expected. But Ayo took care of business. 17 points on 8/14 shooting, he had 11 defensive rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. The kid has presence. He knows how to play the game, how and when to contribute whatever is needed at that time in the game. He can impact a game yet only score 10 points, or he can take over an offense for a quarter if that's what his team needs him to do. And he is not afraid of big moments when the game is on the line. If we can land him he'll be a starter next to Lavine on Day #1. Leaving Sato to run the bench squad with Coby as the SG where he needs to play.

[TheSuzerain]

Awesome, thanks for sharing. I know almost nothing about these guys except for their names, but it seems like we need a Bouknight.

Edit: Assuming we don't have a top 10 pick.

Bouknight is like the opposite of what we need. Same with Jalen Green.

They are poor man's versions of Lavine.

Gotcha, those rankings made him seem like some sort of floor general.

Suggs is the dream floor general for us.

[Chi town]

Bouknight is like the opposite of what we need. Same with Jalen Green.

They are poor man's versions of Lavine.

Gotcha, those rankings made him seem like some sort of floor general.

Suggs is the dream floor general for us.

Suggs has been my #1 for the Bulls this whole time. Cade would obviously be a good fit too but I like Suggs better.

[ThisGuyFawkes]

Bouknight is like the opposite of what we need. Same with Jalen Green.

They are poor man's versions of Lavine.

Gotcha, those rankings made him seem like some sort of floor general.

Suggs is the dream floor general for us.

Yeah, but I was originally assuming we wouldn't have a top-10 pick. Anyone remotely similar to Suggs in 10-15 range?

[TheSuzerain]

Gotcha, those rankings made him seem like some sort of floor general.

Suggs is the dream floor general for us.

Yeah, but I was originally assuming we wouldn't have a top-10 pick. Anyone remotely similar to Suggs in 10-15 range?

Not really. Maybe Giddey if you're just hellbent on drafting a playmaker.

Sharife Cooper as well.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

How’d the Tennessee guys look today? Trash?

[DuckIII]

Suggs is the dream floor general for us.

Yeah, but I was originally assuming we wouldn't have a top-10 pick. Anyone remotely similar to Suggs in 10-15 range?

Not really. Maybe Giddey if you're just hellbent on drafting a playmaker.

Sharife Cooper as well.

Giddey, Copper and Ayo are the three main guys I’m eyeing in our range right now. In that order.

[DASMACKDOWN]

Cade having an off game?

[Chicago-Bull-E]

How’d the Tennessee guys look today? Trash?

Not great.

I’ve been down on Johnson, the shooting numbers are rough. Lower than 30% from 3 and 70% from the line isn’t great for a top 10 pick.

Probably not often 2 lottery picks on the same team get smashed like that by a lower seed in the tourney.

[JockItch43]

First time seeing Cade live on TV. Oof.

[Wingy]

First time seeing Cade live on TV. Oof.

Same here, outside of his highlights.

I can see him being a good player, but not even close to being a franchise savior like he’s bring hyped up to be.

In his highlights, he looks like a guy shooting over the top of smaller, lesser athletes. That won’t be so easy vs NBA wings. Then it has been noted that he can struggle getting by his man, and he showed that late tonight. Getting contained, then stuffed by a guy who won’t even sniff the league. Then getting defended well by a different defender, traveling, but getting bailed out by refs missing that, and the defender biting hard on a pump fake. That’s in college.

Edit: Like...why is he not on this poll? To think he’s head and shoulders above the other top 3 prospects is a joke.

[Am2626]

First time seeing Cade live on TV. Oof.

Same here, outside of his highlights.

I can see him being a good player, but not even close to being a franchise savior like he’s bring hyped up to be.

In his highlights, he looks like a guy shooting over the top of smaller, lesser athletes. That won’t be so easy vs NBA wings. Then it has been noted that he can struggle getting by his man, and he showed that late tonight. Getting contained, then stuffed by a guy who won’t even sniff the league. Then getting defended well by a different defender, traveling, but getting bailed out by refs missing that, and the defender biting hard on a pump fake. That’s in college.

Edit: Like...why is he not on this poll? To think he’s head and shoulders above the other top 3 prospects is a joke.

You can’t look at one game and write people off. People were saying the same thing about Jalen Green after his first G League game. Cade didn’t have a good game. That happens to every player. What I do know is he put up 40 against Oklahoma not too long ago and single handily beat Baylor last week which may be one of the most complete and best teams in college this year.

[Chi town]

Yeah, but I was originally assuming we wouldn't have a top-10 pick. Anyone remotely similar to Suggs in 10-15 range?

Not really. Maybe Giddey if you're just hellbent on drafting a playmaker.

Sharife Cooper as well.

Giddey, Copper and Ayo are the three main guys I’m eyeing in our range right now. In that order.

I think Giddey will be awful on D. Same w Cooper and he can’t shoot.

I take Ayo over both of them.

I want Barnes if we miss the playoffs and keep Lauri at C. His edge, D, hustle and playmaking would really help us even though he’s raw and will take years to develop. He’s high IQ and his edge will play day one.

[Grodoboldo]

Not really. Maybe Giddey if you're just hellbent on drafting a playmaker.

Sharife Cooper as well.

Giddey, Copper and Ayo are the three main guys I’m eyeing in our range right now. In that order.

I think Giddey will be awful on D. Same w Cooper and he can’t shoot.

I take Ayo over both of them.

I want Barnes if we miss the playoffs and keep Lauri at C. His edge, D, hustle and playmaking would really help us even though he’s raw and will take years to develop. He’s high IQ and his edge will play day one.

That's fair. If Giddey indeed lacks defense, it's pertinent to question whether Ayo's two way potention would be better long term.