8th pick prospects in that range

Stillwater · Post #1 » by **Stillwater** » Sat Apr 14, 2018 2:20 am

Since there is nothing to watch with the Nets pick anymore I decided to start this focus'd on players that may be options for the Cav's at 8th. And also listing my targets if we are in the top 3 at the end of this.

Big Board after top 7 given odds of Doncic,Ayton,Bagley,Jackson,Bamba & Porter don't drop past 7th and Mikal goes 6 or 7th:

If Lebron indicates strongly he is returning:
Khyri Thomas The big east dpoy 6'3" w/ a 6'10"ws shoots over 50% from the floor and over 40% from deep on 5 attempts per contest.
high level of quickness laterally ,ball hawk,can score from all 3 levels.Great slasher who can muscle through and score in traffic.Length and athleticism to defend 1-3 at the next level and is nba ready.Knocks on him are Height(makes up for it with length).

Zhaire Smith 6'5" w/ 6'9"ws top 3 defender in the nation under 7', probably the best athlete in the draft if not the 2nd best.
intangibles coachability ,high motor etc. gets to his spots on defense/high bb iq. elite shot blocker for a wing.high level offensive rebounder and finisher above the rim. Knocks on him are work in progress 3 point shooting(promising improvement over the course of the season), not a great playmaker or ball handler/ not a first option.

MIles Bridges 6'7" W/ 6'8" WS elite strength and athleticism for a wing knock down mid-ranger and can attack the rim and score at a high level. Rebounds very well and is a lock down defender 1-4. Knocks on him are pedestrian length and not a primary ball handler.

If Lebron gives indication he is non committal :

all of the above still in play but players like Sexton,Young,and Knox come into the picture as viable options.
Sexton 6'3" w/ a 6'7" ws high level floor general and extremely competitive high motor and probably the fastest player in the draft (john wall quickness). Also a ball hawk and a relentless lock down defender. rebounds very well for a pg.
Knocks on him are over-driving instead of making the right pass, and needs to get stronger.

Young 6'2" w/ 6'4" ws One of the best ball handlers and 3 point shooters in the draft plays within the offense (usually).
Excellent bb iq and knows where to be defensively. Knocks on him are that he lacks the size to defend and is in need of adding alot of strength. Low release on shot.

Knox 6'9" w/ 7'ws Quick,explosive and elite leaping ability. Can create his own shot ,has a high smooth release that is unblockable.
Can defend or at least cover 4 positions and has a high defensive upside based on length and speed.
Knocks on him are, Needs to get smarter as a player,not a great decision maker yet.

edit: adding these 4 as outside sleepers for the 9th or 10th if we get pushed back by leapfrogging:
Shai Gilgeous Alexander 6'6" w/ 6'11" ws big scoring combo guard with solid steal rate and overall solid defender,plays with a decent motor and is a natural leader. Knocks are needs a quicker release and improve his court vision.

Anfernee Simons 6'4" w 6'7"ws and still growing...elite shooter esp from deep and an elite scorer and strong handle.
plays above the rim and can finish below the rim, one of the fastest releases in the draft etc. Can play on or off the ball and is adept at both positions. Knocks: didn't play in College and needs to get stronger/undersized for a sg.

Robert Williams 6'10" 7'6"ws long extremely athletic prototypical rim running center.Excellent rim protector and rebounder, Plays withing himself is a better version of rookie Tristan Thompson with better length and athleticism and no Kardashian curse. Knocks: turnover prone, still raw offensively.

MItchell Robinson 7' w/ 7'5"ws fast explosive and long high upside boom or bust project Should at worse be a high level rim protector with quick twitch athleticism to become a gifted 2-way player if the intangibles are there which leads to the knocks; does he have a good work ethic,can he add more strength without changing his agility etc.

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If we win a top 3 pick:
Luka Doncic : 6'8" w/ 6'11" ws Elite playmaker and extremely gifted passer with elite level skills and knowledge to play at all 3 pg/sg/sf positions. Smooth stroke from way beyond nba 3.
Excellent off the dribble creating for others and himself and always keeps the ball moving,rarely gets caught over dribbling. Overall elite feel for the game and fights hard on every possession. dead eye catch and shoot threat as well. Knocks on him are lack of elite athleticism and how it may hurt his ability to be a + defender.

DeAndre Ayton: 7' w/ 7'6" ws. strong explosive athlete who can get to the rim on anyone. Has a high level post game and can go out an hit the 3 or glide up the floor in transition with very solid handle for any big man. He has the upside to become an elite level defender,which leads to his Knocks; he doesn't have a high motor consistently and often does not do enough on defense despite showing the skill to do so.

Jaren Jackson Jr. 6'11" 7'4"ws elite athleticism with speed to defend on the perimeter and protect the rim which he was 2nd in the nation at doing. Excellent timing and the ability to knock down shots from mid range and improved his 3 point shooting at MST.
Overall has a very high ceiling but is one of the youngest players in the draft.Knocks are needs to continue to get stronger.

Stillwater · Post #2 » by **Stillwater** » Thu May 3, 2018 3:57 pm

RCM88x · Post #3 » by **RCM88x** » Fri May 4, 2018 8:28 pm

Sexton is probably the guy I'd watch out for, Gilbert loves flashy PGs and he's the main one in this draft after Young fell off so much late.

Stillwater · Post #4 » by **Stillwater** » Sat May 5, 2018 7:28 pm

https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/478109/
This is my final pre lottery drawing mock based on current standings that only includes players who have hired agents and cannot return to school.
Obviously several players such as Khyri Thomas, Battle,Frazier,Porter,DiVincenzo,Okogie,Martin,Wiley etc would get first round looks,some would be first round locks.

tundraknight · Post #5 » by **tundraknight** » Wed May 9, 2018 3:26 am

NBA Draft Lottery is next week!

Stillwater · Post #6 » by **Stillwater** » Wed May 9, 2018 3:06 pm

tundraknight wrote:NBA Draft Lottery is next week!

Not expecting a top 3 pick obviously given the odds, but as good as the prospects at the top are projected this year in comparison to recent draft classes There is a solid chance if we win a top 3 spot we get a franchise cornerstone type player. The great thing about having the Nets pick THIS year is many of the players that will be available at 8 or 9 are typical top 5 pick talent in most drafts.
I fully expect after the Combine that several testing the water type prospects will shoot up draft boards and sign agents.
I think there is a decent chance Trae Young will fall in rankings after the combine and players like Khyri Thomas and Divincenzo will rise

Stillwater · Post #7 » by **Stillwater** » Wed May 9, 2018 11:17 pm

Here's the realgm link to list of combine invites in the days following the draft lottery https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/249798/NBA-Announces-List-Of-69-Players-Attending-2018-Draft-Combine

NYG · Post #8 » by **NYG** » Sun May 13, 2018 12:47 pm

Lets say Cleveland has no clue on LeBron's intentions, which guys make the most sense in terms of fit and NBA readiness?

yoyoboy · Post #9 » by **yoyoboy** » Sun May 13, 2018 4:48 pm

NYG wrote:Lets say Cleveland has no clue on LeBron's intentions, which guys make the most sense in terms of fit and NBA readiness?

Mikal Bridges, Wendell Carter, and JJJ (Jackson won't be there at 8 though) all make sense from a fit and NBA readiness standpoint. Bamba and Young are two riskier prospects but they have the potential to be more than just complementary pieces - they could become the second best player on the team assuming LeBron sticks around.

And then Doncic and Ayton will be the top 2 picks. Bagley won't fall that far and I'm honestly not a fan of him anyways. And I'm not buying Michael Porter Jr's stock right now; I don't trust back injuries and I wasn't too high on him even coming out of high school. Not to mention he doesn't fit on a team with LeBron and Love at the 3/4 in the event that the team is kept intact.

Stillwater · Post #10 » by **Stillwater** » Sun May 13, 2018 4:53 pm

NYG wrote:Lets say Cleveland has no clue on LeBron's intentions, which guys make the most sense in terms of fit and NBA readiness?

I'm inclined to think that the communication between Lebron and Altman is far more significant than most assume.
I don't think that they will be going into the draft blind as far as his intentions even if he is non committal.
That being said at 8 or 9 the bpa will be taken and moved in a trade 75% of the time if he indicates he wants to stay provided they can get him another ball handler or wing defender. Of course Mikal or Young or Thomas could be that guy and may also be the bpa at 8 or 9 so even if the player picked isn't moved it's an asset Lebron would be good with.
On the flip side if he absolutely gives them nothing I think they would do the same thing if the vibe from him was the same.
If they feel he is unhappy and will probably leave there is a strong possibility they go for a higher ceiling less safe pick like Sexton or Simons or possibly if he falls Porter.
I think the ownership and Altman will consult Lebron and Lue if they have not already about who they think is the best option for the team and would not be surprised if Miles Bridges name becomes an option as well.

Stillwater · Post #11 » by **Stillwater** » Sun May 13, 2018 11:05 pm

Lottery drawing Tuesday 7:30 espn before game 2
how sweet it will be if we win the overall #1 or even 1-3.
how sour it would be if the Philly Laker pick is 2 or 3 and goes to Boston where we are pushed to 9th.
Not superstitious but I hope our lucky charm is in attendance

Stillwater · Post #12 » by **Stillwater** » Mon May 14, 2018 11:24 pm

https://gocreighton.com/news/2018/5/13/mens-basketball-khyri-thomas-hires-agent-will-remain-in-nba-draft.aspx
If Mikal is gone and esp if Mikal and Young are gone this is a deep sleeper at 8 [ not saying it will happen that we would pick him this high], but the defensive efficiency paired with a solid offensive game is really intriguing as a plug and play option over higher upside candidates like Sexton,Smith or Simons. Depends a lot on if this org is dead-set on keeping the player.

baldur · Post #13 » by **baldur** » Tue May 15, 2018 6:07 am

NYG wrote:Lets say Cleveland has no clue on LeBron's intentions, which guys make the most sense in terms of fit and NBA readiness?

the obvious answer is mikal bridges. versatile modern wing, perfect wing for the modern nba.

yoyoboy · Post #14 » by **yoyoboy** » Tue May 15, 2018 5:55 pm

Tonight is the real Finals, gentlemen. Let's get that top 3 pick.

If not, give me Bridges or Young.

Stillwater · Post #15 » by **Stillwater** » Tue May 15, 2018 6:00 pm

baldur wrote:
NYG wrote:Lets say Cleveland has no clue on LeBron's intentions, which guys make the most sense in terms of fit and NBA readiness?

the obvious answer is mikal bridges. versatile modern wing, perfect wing for the modern nba.

Yep nobody would argue he is the safest pick at 8, but he does have some limitations and I could see us going for a higher ceiling player.

Stillwater · Post #16 » by **Stillwater** » Tue May 15, 2018 6:06 pm

yoyoboy wrote:Tonight is the real Finals, gentlemen. Let's get that top 3 pick.

If not, give me Bridges or Young.

Yeah if we are at 8 or 9 I think we could miss out on both of them which I would have no problem with because it means a higher ceiling option becomes available esp if porter falls coming off injury pushing him down seeing Mikal going 7th or even 6th. Young going as high as 5 to Orlando being over picked etc
We need at 2 or 3 pick to grab Jackson or Doncic.
Don't be surprised if this org takes Miles over Young either.

Stillwater · Post #17 » by **Stillwater** » Tue May 15, 2018 11:28 pm

Get your popcorn ready it's showtime

Stillwater · Post #18 » by **Stillwater** » Wed May 16, 2018 12:34 am

No shock but still a bummer
Luckily this draft is deep.
I would consider trading down to 12&13 with LAC
Depends on who's available at 8 etc.
Two late lottery picks in this loaded draft gives this org more versatility than riding with 1 at 8 if they can't help from day 1 etc.

NYG · Post #19 » by **NYG** » Wed May 16, 2018 8:55 am

If LeBron hints towards a departure, but doesn't guarantee he will leave (I only present this hypothetical because it clearly will impact the Cavs draft strategy) and the draft breaks like this...

1. Phoenix Suns - Luka Doncic
2. Sacramento Kings - DeAndre Ayton
3. Atlanta Hawks - Jaren Jackson Jr.
4. Memphis Grizzlies - Marvin Bagley III
5. Dallas Mavericks - Michael Porter Jr.
6. Orlando Magic - Trae Young
7. Chicago Bulls - Mikal Bridges

Which of the following is the most likely pick?

Mohamed Bamba
Miles Bridges
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Wendell Carter Jr.
Collin Sexton
Some one else entirely?

Stillwater · Post #20 » by **Stillwater** » Wed May 16, 2018 6:55 pm

NYG wrote:If LeBron hints towards a departure, but doesn't guarantee he will leave (I only present this hypothetical because it clearly will impact the Cavs draft strategy) and the draft breaks like this...

1. Phoenix Suns - Luka Doncic
2. Sacramento Kings - DeAndre Ayton
3. Atlanta Hawks - Jaren Jackson Jr.
4. Memphis Grizzlies - Marvin Bagley III
5. Dallas Mavericks - Michael Porter Jr.
6. Orlando Magic - Trae Young
7. Chicago Bulls - Mikal Bridges

Which of the following is the most likely pick?

Mohamed Bamba
Miles Bridges
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Wendell Carter Jr.
Collin Sexton
Some one else entirely?

don't see Bamba falling past Orlando even if Dallas passes on him if he's there which I doubt at least not for Porter.
Definitely don't see Chicago taking Bridges over Bamba.
So Porter or Mikal are the most likely pick barring a huge workout by Sexton or Miles.