Draft Predictions Thread

[Jake0890]

Who does everyone have the Pacers taking tomorrow? Trade up? Down?

As a fun exercise, get your predictions and hot takes in here so you can quote your post and claim the glory later.

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Personally, I think the Pacers stay at #18, and take Romeo Langford. I think it makes a lot of sense while Oladipo is out and with Joseph and DC (hopefully) gone.

This is one draft where there's a ton of guys around the middle I like. Hachimura, PJ Washington, Langford, Herro, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Grant Williams all come to mind.

[Lazlo4D]

Might as well have fun now, since I will very likely be disappointed on draft night.

Pacers trade Sabonis to Atlanta for the # 10 & # 17 picks in the first round.

Pacers take # 10 Brandon Clarke, # 17 Romeo Langford, # 18 Bol Bol, & #54 Jordan Poole

[Wizop]

I'll predict a trade down although I don't know with whom. Kevin Porter, Grant Williams, and Jaylen Norwell,

Others I'd be happy with include Clarke, Washington, both Johnsons, Tybulle, Okpala, and Samanic.

[MUpacersSIC]

Pacers trade Domantas Sabonis and #18 pick to the Celtics for Jaylen Brown and the #14 pick. They then draft Brandon Clarke with the #14 pick.

[Wizop]

Pacers trade Domantas Sabonis and #18 pick to the Celtics for Jaylen Brown and the #14 pick. They then draft Brandon Clarke with the #14 pick.

I'm not a fan of trading Domas but if I were sending him to Boston, I think Hayward would be the target, not Brown. granted either would allow us to let Bogie walk.

I also question why they'd want the 18 unless they were including one or both of their picks in the 20s. I can't see Boston wanting 3 first round picks. I can see us wanting 2 though. I can also see Boston wanting to trade firsts this year for future firsts to maintain their flexibility. plus, the super-draft is out there some year when both 18 and 19 year olds will be eligible in the same year.

[MUpacersSIC]

Pacers trade Domantas Sabonis and #18 pick to the Celtics for Jaylen Brown and the #14 pick. They then draft Brandon Clarke with the #14 pick.

I'm not a fan of trading Domas but if I were sending him to Boston, I think Hayward would be the target, not Brown. granted either would allow us to let Bogie walk.

I also question why they'd want the 18 unless they were including one or both of their picks in the 20s. I can't see Boston wanting 3 first round picks. I can see us wanting 2 though. I can also see Boston wanting to trade firsts this year for future firsts to maintain their flexibility. plus, the super-draft is out there some year when both 18 and 19 year olds will be eligible in the same year.

I think Brown fits the Pacers timeline much better than Hayward, and he's not vastly overpaid (granted it's because he got injured). I like Hayward, but they'd have to pay the Pacers big time to take on his contract for the amount of production he gives.

[Wizop]

I like Hayward, but they'd have to pay the Pacers big time to take on his contract for the amount of production he gives.

and they have the draft picks to do it.

[Scoot McGroot]

I like Hayward, but they'd have to pay the Pacers big time to take on his contract for the amount of production he gives.

and they have the draft picks to do it.

If we’re giving up Domas, and eating Hayward’s deal, I want Tatum.

[MUpacersSIC]

I like Hayward, but they'd have to pay the Pacers big time to take on his contract for the amount of production he gives.

and they have the draft picks to do it.

If we took Hayward into cap space, that would leave very little to fill out the remaining part of the roster. I'd want #14 and #20 (minimum) for Hayward, and still it would be tough to swallow. What's the best lineup we could field with that trade?

-Sign: Kevon Looney (3/$21mil - $7/per)
-Sign: Corey Joseph (2/$15mil - $7.5/per)

PG Corey Joseph/Aaron Holiday/(MLE)
SG Victor Oladipo/Romeo Langford (#18)/Edmund Sumner
SF Gordon Hayward/Doug McDermott/Darius Bazley (#20)
PF Domas Sabonis/Brandon Clarke (#14)/Alize Johnson
C Myles Turner/Kevon Looney/TJ Leaf

I mean, I don't hate it, but I don't think the Pacers would want 3 rookies. However, if you get Brandon Clarke, and the Sabonis/Turner pairing doesn't work, at least you have someone to step in at PF after a potential trade. Not sure Boston would do that unless they were certain that free agents were coming there.

[Wizop]

in general, I'm glad Pritchard is making the choices and not me or most of the rest of us. draft projections and trade rumors are areas where there really is a lot of fake news. Pritchard (and Ballard at the Colts) has earned my trust. Bird (and Grigson) not so much.

[Scoot McGroot]

Seeing as how we haven't brought in 2 1st round draft picks in the same year since 1999 (two deals, Antonio for Bender at 5, and our pick Vonteego Cummings and future 1st, which became Troy Murphy in 2001 for Jeff Foster), I'm going to go on a limb and say we won't have two 1st round picks coming in this year. My gut instinct is that we move down, but wouldn't be surprised at any thing. I'm going to guess NAW? But definitely not strong on that. 2nd rounder? A move for Grant Williams if he falls, or Iggy Brazdeikas if we stay late.

[Wizop]

I'm going to guess NAW?

I can see that at 18. I can also see Kevin Porter, Jr. there. many mocks have Clarke and Washington going higher, but I like them both if they are on the board at 18.

so much depends upon how you feel about the market for Thad and Bogie. I'm much higher on Sumner than Alize so talent being equal I'd go front court over back court unless we're very confident that Thad and Bogie will return at affordable prices. I don't see a lot of front court options at 50 unless you want to take a flyer on Morgan or Iggy. I like Okpala, Cam Johnson and Grant Williams but ideally you'd want them to slide to the 2nd where you can give them a 2-way.

Okeke is also interesting if you discount the red shirt year, note that Krauskopf has moved from the Fever to the Pacers and she knows how well drafting Tamika despite an injury rehab year worked out.

[Scoot McGroot]

so much depends upon how you feel about the market for Thad and Bogie. I'm much higher on Sumner than Alize so talent being equal I'd go front court over back court unless we're very confident that Thad and Bogie will return at affordable prices.

I'll be honest, I wouldn't let Sumner or Alize, or even Thad and Bogie, impact my draft strategy. I'm ok drafting a wing, as long he's not a pure 2 guard and nothing else, and as long as he can provide enough play to play next to either Myles or Dom, even if it's a center (why I'd be ok with Goga, but not a Jaxson Hayes).

As far as Thad/Bogie, I'd be ok with pricing them mentally, and if they go over that, I'll look elsewhere, but i'm not going to draft based on they're decisions. 40% of the league is a free agent, so there's options. And, I don't have a young SF or PF to come along, and most wings can play 2 and 3, or 1 and 2, so I can figure out how to get talent on the court. But with Sumner and Alize, I'm hoping they prove enough to let me redshirt my draft picks. I'm just not going to change my strategy in any way based on having them, though.

[Pacers_Freak]

Might as well have fun now, since I will very likely be disappointed on draft night.

Pacers trade Sabonis to Atlanta for the # 10 & # 17 picks in the first round.

Pacers take # 10 Brandon Clarke, # 17 Romeo Langford, # 18 Bol Bol, & #54 Jordan Poole

I'd be very disappointed if we let Sabonis go so cheap. I think you can get more value out of him than a late lotto and a late teen pick.

[Lazlo4D]

Might as well have fun now, since I will very likely be disappointed on draft night.

Pacers trade Sabonis to Atlanta for the # 10 & # 17 picks in the first round.

Pacers take # 10 Brandon Clarke, # 17 Romeo Langford, # 18 Bol Bol, & #54 Jordan Poole

I'd be very disappointed if we let Sabonis go so cheap. I think you can get more value out of him than a late lotto and a late teen pick.

I really like Sabonis too but I think you are overvaluing his open market value especially when he is due a very big contract soon. The Pacers need assets, they barely have anything to trade anybody this year. Need to turn one asset in to 2 or 3 assets.

It looks like Oladipo won't be back until December probably. So use the opportunity to draft a bunch of good young players and play them along with Holiday and Turner.

[winter_mute_13]

I'm generally clueless about the draft, and even more this year than normal

I'd be ok though if the Pacers went for a development guy this year, think someone along the lines of Shawne Williams (yeah, I know he didn't pan out). Even if it's a big man who contributes to the Turner/Sabonis logjam. I just feel like we're not really close to the point of filling specific spots from the draft. BPA, but with more of a future focus.

[Moooose]

I have a feeling this will be a crazy draft night in terms of trades. And as usual, I am not expecting us to participate in any of them.

My two guesses for this year:

Scenario No. 1:
#18 - Nicolas Claxton, PF/C, Georgia
#50 - Jaylen Nowell, SG/PG, Washington

Scenario No. 2 (my fantasy scenario which I doubt would happen)
#18 - Nickeil Alexander-Walker
#50 - Jontay Porter

[Pacers_Freak]

Might as well have fun now, since I will very likely be disappointed on draft night.

Pacers trade Sabonis to Atlanta for the # 10 & # 17 picks in the first round.

Pacers take # 10 Brandon Clarke, # 17 Romeo Langford, # 18 Bol Bol, & #54 Jordan Poole

I'd be very disappointed if we let Sabonis go so cheap. I think you can get more value out of him than a late lotto and a late teen pick.

I really like Sabonis too but I think you are overvaluing his open market value especially when he is due a very big contract soon. The Pacers need assets, they barely have anything to trade anybody this year. Need to turn one asset in to 2 or 3 assets.

It looks like Oladipo won't be back until December probably. So use the opportunity to draft a bunch of good young players and play them along with Holiday and Turner.

I don't disagree with your thought process. I just am not as enamored with draft picks as everyone else. In the NFL I'm all about acquiring picks. But in the NBA I think it important to draft well but silly to trade proven guys for average picks. You are just hoping one of those 2 guys turns into a Dom like player. That to me is going in the wrong direction. Most were upset when we didn't get picks back in the PG trade. But we got 2 lottery selections that had NBA tape for evaluation purposes and it worked out very well.

[Wizop]

Scenario No. 2 (my fantasy scenario which I doubt would happen)
#18 - Nickeil Alexander-Walker
#50 - Jontay Porter

We've had multiple Hills and Youngs. how would you feel about drafting two Porters?

draft Party is at Brothers Bar and Grill. perhaps it would help if I drank a porter?

[Scoot McGroot]

Might as well have fun now, since I will very likely be disappointed on draft night.

Pacers trade Sabonis to Atlanta for the # 10 & # 17 picks in the first round.

Pacers take # 10 Brandon Clarke, # 17 Romeo Langford, # 18 Bol Bol, & #54 Jordan Poole

I'd be very disappointed if we let Sabonis go so cheap. I think you can get more value out of him than a late lotto and a late teen pick.

I really like Sabonis too but I think you are overvaluing his open market value especially when he is due a very big contract soon. The Pacers need assets, they barely have anything to trade anybody this year. Need to turn one asset in to 2 or 3 assets.

It looks like Oladipo won't be back until December probably. So use the opportunity to draft a bunch of good young players and play them along with Holiday and Turner.

Indy’s been valuing Dom as the #4 pick. They’ve been unwilling to talk Myles or Aaron Holiday deals, so at lost, Dom/18 for 4. New Orleans might not see it that way, but that appears to be how Indy values him, so it’s what Indy would look for in a deal right now.