ROUND 1: AJ Johnson - Poll Added

[ajb905]

I was originally hypothesizing they selected AJ in the first to extend the years of control on a player that would need years to develop. But I think that's not it, from what I was reading the new second round exception which the Bucks used to sign last year's AJJ to a 4 yr deal makes it moot. I'm not sure how RFA works in the 5 year for these contracts anymore?

[BigO]

I get a kick out of posters talking themselves into the pick, much like they did with Marjon. Ryan Dunn would have helped immediately, although he is one of the few.

For an organization that tends to pride themselves on advanced stats, I wonder what stats attracted them to Johnson. None that I can think of. So if it's all subjective analysis, I'll take Dunn or I would have traded up for Ware.

Horst is losing me and I was on his side for the most part. Take away his mentor who drafted Giannis and traded for Khris, there's not a lot on Horst's resume. I guess the two biggest are signing Lopez and Portis.

His drafts have been pretty bad. He hung onto Bud a year too long. He hired a bad coach to replace him. He's not aging well.

[Ron Swanson]

Reminds me of Dejonte murray

This is probably the best comp I can think of for his theoretical ceiling.

[paulpressey25]

I get a kick out of posters talking themselves into the pick, much like they did with Marjon.

His drafts have been pretty bad. He hung onto Bud a year too long. He hired a bad coach to replace him. He's not aging well.

There was a challenge in having a more open discussion of Marjon back in 2022. Many felt bad for the kid with his tough upbringing and the fact Covid derailed his college plans.

Horst is already a 'made man'. But he's got to make the right moves this offseason, otherwise likely both parties part ways come next May.

[Bernman]

I get a kick out of posters talking themselves into the pick, much like they did with Marjon.

His drafts have been pretty bad. He hung onto Bud a year too long. He hired a bad coach to replace him. He's not aging well.

There was a challenge in having a more open discussion of Marjon back in 2022. Many felt bad for the kid with his tough upbringing and the fact Covid derailed his college plans.

Horst is already a 'made man'. But he's got to make the right moves this offseason, otherwise likely both parties part ways come next May.

If I posted then, I wouldn't have talked myself into Marjon or held back much because of his background. I don't do that. It's a competitive game & these guys are getting paid well. It doesn't have to be too personal.

I think this is somewhat of a different case because there are a lot of people here opining emphatically who have little info on this player. He didn't play a yr in college or the g-league. There was a very small sample abroad & it was negative, but we saw that w/ Giannis & even Jennings. More would have delved into his game & been open to this if this was 2013.

There's more of a feel for the game here than there was for Marjon. Lost years, G-League's not a good setting for team play, & he just may not have the aptitude. Plus he doesn't have the speed to compensate for build unlike Johnson, who's a couple yrs younger to fill out. Marjon was an older, raw prospect too. Those were yellow flags at least. So this isn't a typical Horst pick, unlike many seem to be claiming. There's core upside. Everybody else he drafted had role guy upside.

I get Horst doesn't have a good draft record. I've railed on him for it. But every pick is individual. People shouldn't be contorting to confirm biases. That's a critique which can be made in the opposite direction too. The issue is more w/ the strategy of taking a high risk/high reward, probable project, as a win-now team. Those things might contribute to cooking him. But this does potentially address the need for core players when Dame & Midds age out. We've still not gotten a solution for that from most.

[Profound23]

What's funny is I saw that we were drafting AJ before the draft. My son goes "Who do you think the Bucks will draft?"

I say, "Oh AJ Johnson for sure....he is a swing for the fences and that's what the Bucks will do. I have been watching him for a year now and he is the right pick."

My son now believes I am a draft guru when I have no clue who this guy is.

[MiltownMadness]

I gotta say, I definitely see the intrigue in grabbing this dude while he is still 19 (pause). There's a ton to work with there. Seems like a guy who screwed up going to the NBL, don't see how that decision helped his stock after reading insight from NBL fans on here

[CharityStripe34]

I'm unaware of non-NBA prospects so...go team I guess? From what it sounds like this kid seems like an athletic project.

[Licensed to Il]

I gotta say, I definitely see the intrigue in grabbing this dude while he is still 19 (pause). There's a ton to work with there. Seems like a guy who screwed up going to the NBL, don't see how that decision helped his stock after reading insight from NBL fans on here

I think it is fair to say going to the NBL was a terrible decision for him, a lost year in a lot of ways. But that also doesn’t mean he ceased being an elite prospect. I think both can be true. Obviously the decision hindered development more than helped.

[Bigcat245]

man, i remember i wanted Shane Larkin. and i was like, "who TF is this Giannis guy?? lightning can strike twice, right?"

[buckboy]

he does seem like a nice kid

Read on Twitter

would be thrilled to be wrong about it being a waste of a pick

He didn't cry. That's a great sign.

Every pick we've made that cried ended up being a bust.

When I saw Buzelis bawling last night, I commented to my wife that he was a guaranteed bust.

She had no opinion on the matter.

[buckboy]

Also, anyone who didn't vote 'C' in the poll is kidding themselves.

[fansinceforever]

Exactly, nobody here has any idea what this kid's potential is or his player comp. He basically hasn't played consistently in over a year.

[Dick Tate]

Also, anyone who didn't vote 'C' in the poll is kidding themselves.

Well, sure, but that's not really a snap judgement.

[msiris]

Read on Twitter

Nobody:

Lisa: AJ Acrobatic!

Goodness!!

Where is the chair?

[Frank Nova]

Also, anyone who didn't vote 'C' in the poll is kidding themselves.

Well, sure, but that's not really a snap judgement.

I was disappointed “1st ballot Hall of Famer” wasn’t an option.

[emunney]

What's really funny is that ESPN had AJ 35th on their board, ahead of Holmes (38th). By their record the biggest first round 'reach', by far, was Dillon Jones (51st).

[machu46]

I get a kick out of posters talking themselves into the pick, much like they did with Marjon. Ryan Dunn would have helped immediately, although he is one of the few.

For an organization that tends to pride themselves on advanced stats, I wonder what stats attracted them to Johnson. None that I can think of. So if it's all subjective analysis, I'll take Dunn or I would have traded up for Ware.

Horst is losing me and I was on his side for the most part. Take away his mentor who drafted Giannis and traded for Khris, there's not a lot on Horst's resume. I guess the two biggest are signing Lopez and Portis.

His drafts have been pretty bad. He hung onto Bud a year too long. He hired a bad coach to replace him. He's not aging well.

MarJon was unfortunately my guy that year. Literally my #1 realistic option for basically the entire draft process. So I was thrilled he was the choice. Can’t say I really had much of an opinion of AJ; hard to scout guys that don’t play. Obviously the fact that he didn’t play is in and of itself a concern.

Don’t really agree that Dunn would help immediately either. I think he’s a worse prospect than Jackson was last year and Jackson didn’t really help. It’s possible his defense is just better than Jackson’s but there’s nothing to like about his offensive projection, and unlike AJ, he played a lot so we can be fairly confident that he projects very poorly there.

I do think there’s a lot to like with the eye test with AJ. He moves very well, has some unique gathers that make him very hard to guard if his shots are falling. Is undeniably still growing into his body. A lot of interesting traits as long as you don’t care that they’re purely traits right now.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[M-C-G]

I get a kick out of posters talking themselves into the pick.

Yeah, stupid idiots getting excited about adding a new player to the team. So dumb.

[Badgerlander]

Reminds me of Dejonte murray

This is probably the best comp I can think of for his theoretical ceiling.

Don’t forget Murray tore an acl his 3rd season