2016 NBA Draft

[Ranma]

While Ben Simmons may not be as mentally fragile as Lamar Odom, his cockiness and lack of winning attitude has signaled to me that he lacks the drive, competitive fire, and commitment necessary to fulfill his immense potential. Like I've said, he certainly has the skill set to dominate, but so did Lamar. If I had the 1st overall pick in the draft, I wouldn't be confident enough to draft him there. I'd either trade down or outright just draft Brandon Ingram depending on the offer.

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[Ranma]

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[Ranma]

I don't know where they keep or will move his interview to in an archives section, but Wojnarowski interviewed PG prospect and projected top-5 pick Kris Dunn. The interview is currently the active podcast. Dunn is another prospect who went through a lot growing up with hardships. He seems to have grown quite a bit from such experiences into a very mature person and basketball player. No wonder the kid is getting high marks.

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Dan Woike, Orange County Register (6/21/16)

25. Clippers: Juan Hernangomez, F, Movistar Estudiantes (Spain)

Comment: Salary cap situation demands Clippers immediately fill needs, and Hernangomez, a versatile big, can help depth instantly. — Dan Woike, Orange County Register

Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram Go 1-2 in Second Annual NBA Beat Writers Mock Draft

[Don Tommy]

Is there anyone that we could draft that would make you guys really angry? Honestly, I can't keep up with all of the players we have worked out. I'm waiting until after the draft to look up who we take instead of having a guy I targeted. Last year, I knew I wanted Devin Booker and that we had no chance on getting him. This year we have a pick and I'm lost!

[TucsonClip]

how do you reconcile that he has so many similarites to crawford in skill type and he'd have virtually no court time behind crawford/rivers though?

i don't see crawford going anywhere and i could see him wanting to play for a few more years.

I dont see Murray as a guy ready to play as a rookie anyway. He's a long-term investment.

Also, I dont see that many similarities to Crawford either, other than they are both from Seattle are skinny, long-armed guards who can create. Murray has much more potential as a defender than Crawford has ever shown, is an infinitely better rebounder (was actually better on the glass than Marquese Chriss) and he can finish at the rim.

That said, if we draft a guy at 25 who has anywhere near the type of skills or career as Crawford, we hit a home run. All things considered, people comparing him to Crawford are missing the other parts of his game. That doesn't mean I think he will be better than Crawford, but I love the untapped potential he shows.

Also, I would be really happy with Bembry at 25 and I think he is our most realistic target.

[og15]

how do you reconcile that he has so many similarites to crawford in skill type and he'd have virtually no court time behind crawford/rivers though?

i don't see crawford going anywhere and i could see him wanting to play for a few more years.

I dont see Murray as a guy ready to play as a rookie anyway. He's a long-term investment.

Also, I dont see that many similarities to Crawford either, other than they are both from Seattle are skinny, long-armed guards who can create. Murray has much more potential as a defender than Crawford has ever shown, is an infinitely better rebounder (was actually better on the glass than Marquese Chriss) and he can finish at the rim.

That said, if we draft a guy at 25 who has anywhere near the type of skills or career as Crawford, we hit a home run. All things considered, people comparing him to Crawford are missing the other parts of his game. That doesn't mean I think he will be better than Crawford, but I love the untapped potential he shows.

Also, I would be really happy with Bembry at 25 and I think he is our most realistic target.

In college, NBA might be a different story, though I haven't seen any numbers for his inside 3 feet percentages from his college season.

What I did see is this from Draft Express, which again does sound a lot like Jamal:

Lacking a degree of strength and explosiveness as a finisher around the basket, Murray is highly dependent on his floater to bail him out when he can't draw contact and get to the free throw line. He shows impressive touch and range on it, and made more floaters than any other draft prospect in the country this season according to Synergy Sports Technology, converting them at a decent 45% rate. There's a reason why more prospects don't take (or make) that many of those shots, though, as it's a very difficult way to make a living. Murray really struggles finishing in traffic otherwise, even in the open court, which is one of the reasons he shot just 46% from 2-point range.

That's basically Jamal, who is not a great finisher at the rim even though he can get there, and he loves his floater in the lane. Jamal also compared to other players has weak finishing at the basket even in transition / in the open court. From the film they showed he looks just like Jamal attacking the rim too.

Defensively, similar to Jamal, he has the tools, long arms, but Jamal also was said to be a poor defender in college that needed to improve there:

Defensively, Murray's long arms and excellent instincts give him some potential to grow into, but he was largely ineffective on this end of the floor as a freshman. He doesn't put much effort into this part of his game at this stage of his career, as he has poor fundamentals and isn't particularly attentive either. His lack of strength made it easy for players to bulldoze their way straight through him, he rarely gives a second effort after getting beat, and often looks very upright just standing straight up off the ball.

Sadly that again sounds a lot like Jamal for most of his career including the lacking strength part, but of course being young we don't know how Murray will progress in that area.

Like you said though, what shows better potential is that he competes on the glass, and of course steals are in no way a good measure of defense, but he also showed a great ability to great steals based on his numbers. Still, outside of those two things, being a PG/SG like young Jamal, questionale decision making, hunting for his own shot, the game set up by a lot of crossovers, the weak finishing in the paint, the use of floaters, etc, that's all Jamal.

I don't know if I've seen any comparisons about it, but the first time I watched film of him, I thought to myself, Jamal Crawford? Then I saw that he was from the Seattle area and such and I was like come on, no way there isn't some influence there.

[og15]

Question to people, if Denzel Valentine drops to the Clippers, do you take him despite his injury concerns and poor defense?

[Ranma]

Question to people, if Denzel Valentine drops to the Clippers, do you take him despite his injury concerns and poor defense?

It would depend on who else is available when we pick, but I'd personally lean against it based on current projections. I'm personally not that high on him but that has to due with lacking upside even before the injury risk. He should still be able to help us in the short term, but I have doubts he could do it regularly as a SF in the NBA.

[og15]

I don't know what his NBA comparisons are, but an unathletic 6'6 basically PG type guy makes me think of Greivis Vasquez, though Vasquez was not the shooter or rebounder Valentine has been in college

[Ranma]

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[TucsonClip]

Lacking a degree of strength and explosiveness as a finisher around the basket, Murray is highly dependent on his floater to bail him out when he can't draw contact and get to the free throw line. He shows impressive touch and range on it, and made more floaters than any other draft prospect in the country this season according to Synergy Sports Technology, converting them at a decent 45% rate. There's a reason why more prospects don't take (or make) that many of those shots, though, as it's a very difficult way to make a living. Murray really struggles finishing in traffic otherwise, even in the open court, which is one of the reasons he shot just 46% from 2-point range.

That's basically Jamal, who is not a great finisher at the rim even though he can get there, and he loves his floater in the lane. Jamal also compared to other players has weak finishing at the basket even in transition / in the open court. From the film they showed he looks just like Jamal attacking the rim too.

When I look at Murray I see a guy who is 6'5", 170 LBS and very underdeveloped. Meaning, I think he can put on some weight and might not be done growing before he hopefully fills out quite a bit. Additionally, a a 170 LB freshman, Murray shot 58.6% at the rim, while a chiseled redshirt Junion in Kris Dunn shot three percentage points better on nearly the same percentage of shots at the rim.

While you would like to see that percentage go up as he matures and fills outs, he still isn't as bad around the rim as you might believe in that breakdown. The real question is if he can mature physically so that he can fight through contact at the next level. Thats my upside play, as he looks underdeveloped and needs time to work on filling out his frame.

Defensively, similar to Jamal, he has the tools, long arms, but Jamal also was said to be a poor defender in college that needed to improve there:

Defensively, Murray's long arms and excellent instincts give him some potential to grow into, but he was largely ineffective on this end of the floor as a freshman. He doesn't put much effort into this part of his game at this stage of his career, as he has poor fundamentals and isn't particularly attentive either. His lack of strength made it easy for players to bulldoze their way straight through him, he rarely gives a second effort after getting beat, and often looks very upright just standing straight up off the ball.

Sadly that again sounds a lot like Jamal for most of his career including the lacking strength part, but of course being young we don't know how Murray will progress in that area.

Like you said though, what shows better potential is that he competes on the glass, and of course steals are in no way a good measure of defense, but he also showed a great ability to great steals based on his numbers. Still, outside of those two things, being a PG/SG like young Jamal, questionale decision making, hunting for his own shot, the game set up by a lot of crossovers, the weak finishing in the paint, the use of floaters, etc, that's all Jamal.

I don't know if I've seen any comparisons about it, but the first time I watched film of him, I thought to myself, Jamal Crawford? Then I saw that he was from the Seattle area and such and I was like come on, no way there isn't some influence there.

Defensively is where I do have some worries. Although, Romar isnt exactly known for having stifling defenses, nor demanding them. He has the wingspan and the athleticism and the hope is that the right organization can sell on him earning playing time early in his career by working on his defense.

Again, a lot of his potential relies on him filling out his frame and maturing physically. So he's definitely a risky selection, but if he were someone available at 25, thats a guy with creation skills that you dont typically see hang around the board that late in the draft.

I think there is some influence, but Murray looked more explosive and with more all-around attributes to help him at the next level (again, the if he develops clause) than Crawford.

I can see the hesitation towards selecting someone that looks like Jamal, but I believe I have even seen the Will Barton comparison thrown out there, which I think is a bit more on point.

[Ranma]

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[Ranma]

Hawks are reportedly trying to trade both their first-rounders in order to make re-signing Al Horford easier. Doc should rectify his mistake and trade Jeff Green's expiring contract for them. That would turn a lemon into lemonade.

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[thanumba2clippersfan]

I'm curious to see who we draft and/or if we make any deals. I'm not really leaning towards anyone at 25. Any player that can help our bench depth would be great, but no guarantee that we'll find that.

[Forte IV]

Jeff Green is a free agent Ranma. He can't be traded like how you are thinking.

[Ranma]

Jeff Green is a free agent Ranma. He can't be traded like how you are thinking.

Actually, you're right. It would have to be a sign-and-trade, which won't happen. For some reason, I was thinking of the mechanics of a team option even though I knew he was an UFA. Thanks for setting me straight.

[Ranma]

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[Quake Griffin]

Can we sign Gabe York if he doesn't get drafted please?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRyRcXQ7qYc[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTdyG3oxK-w[/youtube]

[Ranma]

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[TucsonClip]

Can we sign Gabe York if he doesn't get drafted please?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRyRcXQ7qYc[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTdyG3oxK-w[/youtube]

Please, no more York. 4 years was too much as it is. He's not an NBA player at all.