2024 NBA Draft Thread - June 26/27

[JayMKE]

A lot of you guys also thought Walker Kessler was going to be a total bust and were having a meltdown about the thought of drafting him a few years ago, good thing we nabbed Beauchamp instead. Me thinks the death of the big man is overstated narrative especially when we had ultra-plodder Lopez on the roster for years being an impact player. Edey is a lot more athletic than Boban who had a max vert of like 23", I really think people are prejudicing his appearance which is like 50% of people's projection when it comes to prospects. Don't think he's Boban or Tacko Fall, two time national player of the year in the 2nd round would be a gamble worth taking especially if he can extend his range imo. His combine numbers are better than Brook's from 15 years ago.

Problem is, I was one of the few that liked Kessler but still don't like Edey. Edey showed what he is in the national championship game when he finally had to face a full sized center.

Also, NBA refs won't protect him like they did in college. Edey's trainer prepared him well for the combine drills, but he's not that agile in real games.

Put up 37 & 10?

[machu46]

Re: Edey, Givony reported the other day that some teams have him in the top 10 on their big boards. I'd be surprised if he slides to the 2nd round. Don't think he'll be the guy I want at 23 anyways, but not really confident he'll be available there either.

[Frank Nova]

I still love Dillon Jones where he's getting mocked. 6'11 wingspan, built like a fire hydrant, gets lots of deflections and steals. I think his defensive upside is being super underrated, and he's got an NBA-ready offensive game. Not the best distance shooter but he's an 85% guy from the line while getting there a ton (6.8 attempts per game). He can actually run your half-court offense in a pinch. Solid passer and pick & roll operator.

How do you think he projects as a defender? His offensive game seems pretty complete. He’s crafty with the ball in his hands but he’s not gonna do a lot of that in the NBA atleast right away. Hes built like Lu Dort and even a little taller by 2”, can he be an up in your face style defender with the lateral quickness to not be a doormat?

[Ruben Quevedo]

A lot of you guys also thought Walker Kessler was going to be a total bust and were having a meltdown about the thought of drafting him a few years ago, good thing we nabbed Beauchamp instead. Me thinks the death of the big man is overstated narrative especially when we had ultra-plodder Lopez on the roster for years being an impact player. Edey is a lot more athletic than Boban who had a max vert of like 23", I really think people are prejudicing his appearance which is like 50% of people's projection when it comes to prospects. Don't think he's Boban or Tacko Fall, two time national player of the year in the 2nd round would be a gamble worth taking especially if he can extend his range imo. His combine numbers are better than Brook's from 15 years ago.

Problem is, I was one of the few that liked Kessler but still don't like Edey. Edey showed what he is in the national championship game when he finally had to face a full sized center.

Also, NBA refs won't protect him like they did in college. Edey's trainer prepared him well for the combine drills, but he's not that agile in real games.

You mean when he put up 37 and 10 on 25 shots?

As JAYMKE said, Edey is far more athletic and mobile than Boban. He's skilled, he's tough, and he's gotten better every year. To me he's a rotational big at worst, with All-Star upside. Getting him outside the lottery would be a steal.

[Frank Nova]

I’ve narrowed my list down to Kel’el Ware, Tristan Da Silva, Bub Carrington, Johnny Furphy, Zach Edey and Dillon Jones.

I’d feel good about any 1 of them at 23.

[The Wet Whistle]

How do we like Alex Karaban, Baylor Scheierman, and Payton Sandfort? Seem like nice positional size at the 3 or small ball 4's with good touch on the 3 ball. I didn't see much of Iowa to know Sandfort but from watching the Big East I do like Karaban and Scheierman

[BroncoBuck]

A lot of you guys also thought Walker Kessler was going to be a total bust and were having a meltdown about the thought of drafting him a few years ago, good thing we nabbed Beauchamp instead. Me thinks the death of the big man is overstated narrative especially when we had ultra-plodder Lopez on the roster for years being an impact player. Edey is a lot more athletic than Boban who had a max vert of like 23", I really think people are prejudicing his appearance which is like 50% of people's projection when it comes to prospects. Don't think he's Boban or Tacko Fall, two time national player of the year in the 2nd round would be a gamble worth taking especially if he can extend his range imo. His combine numbers are better than Brook's from 15 years ago.

Problem is, I was one of the few that liked Kessler but still don't like Edey. Edey showed what he is in the national championship game when he finally had to face a full sized center.

Also, NBA refs won't protect him like they did in college. Edey's trainer prepared him well for the combine drills, but he's not that agile in real games.

You mean when he put up 37 and 10 on 25 shots?

As JAYMKE said, Edey is far more athletic and mobile than Boban. He's skilled, he's tough, and he's gotten better every year. To me he's a rotational big at worst, with All-Star upside. Getting him outside the lottery would be a steal.

Too many people are hung up on the lack of a 3 point shot. Get me a big who can set screens, protect the rim, grab boards, and finish at the rim. If this draft was better he’d be a greater risk at 23, but this draft is weak as ever. I’m at the point where I don’t think he makes it to 23, some team will take him top 15.

[JonHeist]

just sat down and watched a little film on the guys in our range for the first time all year

Tyler Smith immediately jumps off the page as a potential fit

Reminds me of MarJon, but 6'10" and with a better functioning brain

Watch on YouTube

[JonHeist]

Ulrich Comeche would be a fun home run swing in the 2nd

youngest guy in the draft and should be a great mentee for Giannis

Watch on YouTube

could easily talk myself into him at 23 if he was brought in for a workout and impressed

[JonHeist]

Really like Kel'el Ware as our potential "center of the future", don't see him falling to 23 tho

Watch on YouTube

[Ron Swanson]

I think the Boban comps are unfair to Edey and not really that accurate. But what exactly makes him a better prospect than a guy like Alexis Ajinca, who couldn't cut it in this league, other than as a situational role guy, less than a decade ago? Massive rim-protector with better shooting touch than Edey will ever have, yet was still played off the floor like the NBA dinosaur that he was.

I don't care how well he looks shooting jumpers and doing agility drills in an empty gym. We have 4-years of college tape showing he's a guy who got his numbers simply by being a massive dude initiating and absorbing a ton of contact with smaller, less athletic college defenders. His post touch is tremendously overrated, and when guys like Chucky Hepburn are putting you in the blender on pick & roll defense, dude doesn't have a prayer of defending space in the NBA other than as a situational drop defense big. Some old hat GM will probably fall for it and use a 1st round pick on him, but I pray it isn't us.

[JayMKE]

Alexis Ajinca is a massive pull from wherever, I remember him well Other than both being tall I fail to see any similarity between he and Edey. One was a totally raw skinny French kid and the other is a senior & 2x National Player of the Year 7’4” 300lbs + 8 ft wingspan. If Edey can move as good as Brook at his size then he’ll be a rotation player in the league imo, people are going way overboard with anti-big agenda calling them dinosaurs when there are plodders all over the league playing big roles including on our team. I like guys who produce on biggest stage, I think a lot of the meltdown about Kessler a few years ago was simply because they couldn’t get past him looking like a 7 foot Grayson Allen in the face.

[Fotis St]

Not a bad idea to draft the Marquette pick n roll duo ... Both PG Kolek #23 + C Oso #34 ... already established chemistry... etc

[Ron Swanson]

Alexis Ajinca is a massive pull from wherever, I remember him well Other than both being tall I fail to see any similarity between he and Edey. One was a totally raw skinny French kid and the other is a senior & 2x National Player of the Year 7’4” 300lbs + 8 ft wingspan. If Edey can move as good as Brook at his size then he’ll be a rotation player in the league imo, people are going way overboard with anti-big agenda calling them dinosaurs when there are plodders all over the league playing big roles including on our team.

Dude had at the time the 4th longest wingspan in NBA history, played at 250-260 lbs., and was starting in the top French league at the same age Edey currently is. And no, Edey can not move as well as young Brook. Like, young Brook would be talked about as a Top-3 pick in this draft. There's a reason why Zach Edey isn't.

[machu46]

Alexis Ajinca is a massive pull from wherever, I remember him well Other than both being tall I fail to see any similarity between he and Edey. One was a totally raw skinny French kid and the other is a senior & 2x National Player of the Year 7’4” 300lbs + 8 ft wingspan. If Edey can move as good as Brook at his size then he’ll be a rotation player in the league imo, people are going way overboard with anti-big agenda calling them dinosaurs when there are plodders all over the league playing big roles including on our team.

Dude had at the time the 4th longest wingspan in NBA history, played at 250-260 lbs., and was starting in the top French league at the same age Edey currently is. And no, Edey can not move as well as young Brook. Like, young Brook would be talked about as a Top-3 pick in this draft. There's a reason why Zach Edey isn't.

My initial thought was that young Brook goes #1 in this class with no question, but then I think on it more and Clingan compares pretty well to young Brook. Clingan could go #2 but it feels like everyone is kinda like "Clingan's alright but we can't take him this high". I think it's possible young Brook still goes #1 because of his self-creation, but man, Clingan's production on a per 40 basis is so hilarious. 23/13/4.4 blocks per 40, a 34.8 PER, and 15.0 BPM is just ridiculous.

But yes, Brook is much more in the Clingan tier of being the potential top pick vs. the Edey, late lottery/late 1st tier.

[Bernman]

A few standouts from the combine games:

Michael Ajayi - late growth spurt to 6'6" w/out shoes, strong, 7' wingspan, wing, averaged 17 pts (47% 3) & 10 rebs in only yr at Pepperdine, athletic guy, impacted all around in Chicago, worth consideration on 1st or 2nd rounder, may go to Gonzaga

Nikola Djurisic - 6'7 wing, evokes classic eastern euro slasher types such as Dragic, Jaric, etc. Plays a little above the rim. Some lateral ?'s on d, but not total stiff. Creative. Still needs work on his shot. Productive in Serbia. 1st or 2nd rd consideration

Coleman Hawkins - saw him multiple times in college & was a pest 6'10 big, always around the ball, can guard the perimeter pick/roll, not useless at the rim, tenacious, not a strong rebounder but that can be alleviated some in NBA weight room, showed he can create for himself & teammates pretty well for a 4/small ball 5, sufficient shooter, 2nd round pick consideration

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The 1st 2 have some core player potential. Hawkins has clear role player projection, but would have been seamless fit last yr.

[JayMKE]

Alexis Ajinca is a massive pull from wherever, I remember him well Other than both being tall I fail to see any similarity between he and Edey. One was a totally raw skinny French kid and the other is a senior & 2x National Player of the Year 7’4” 300lbs + 8 ft wingspan. If Edey can move as good as Brook at his size then he’ll be a rotation player in the league imo, people are going way overboard with anti-big agenda calling them dinosaurs when there are plodders all over the league playing big roles including on our team.

Dude had at the time the 4th longest wingspan in NBA history, played at 250-260 lbs., and was starting in the top French league at the same age Edey currently is. And no, Edey can not move as well as young Brook. Like, young Brook would be talked about as a Top-3 pick in this draft. There's a reason why Zach Edey isn't.

I don’t remember Brook being way more athletic when he was young, he’s taken tremendous care of his body, but not talking about young Brook rather the current one who still has a role in the league dinosaur as he is.

iirc Ajinca put that weight on after he washed out of the league in his first stint. Don’t think that’s a fair or apt comparison either for Edey. Not saying Edey should be a top 5 pick either just defending idea he can be an NBA contributor at his size, think people going too far dismissing bigs. Like teams were still trotting out Demarcus Cousins a few years ago.

2nd round would be a no brainer, even #23 wouldn’t be crazy considering usual prospects in that range. Nobody is coming without warts.

[jakecronus8]

I'll see your Alexis Ajinca and raise you one Pavel Pokodzline

[Frank Nova]

Edey is massive and has a knack for scoring and disrupting shots at the rim. A good coach/staff will find a way to make him useful. Much more useful than the likes of Boban. I’m not real big on that comp, I think Edey is much more fluid in his movements than Boban who is the definition of clunky. I thought Clingan and UConn overall exploited a lot of Edey’s flaws and shortcomings he’s gonna have in the NBA. But if the combine numbers suggest he moves faster than he appears to, I think he’s a good gamble at 23 if he falls. But in reality, with strong combine numbers he’s likely a lotto pick now anyway.

[benultimate]

I'll see your Alexis Ajinca and raise you one Pavel Pokodzline

More Martynas Andriuskevicius IMO