2020 NBA Draft Prospects: Thread II

[KGdaBom]

Good analysis from SI in their just-released big board:

The case for Edwards at No. 1 centers on the likelihood he’ll eventually anchor a team’s offense. He has the tools and skills to do it, and while he made plenty of freshman mistakes in his lone season at Georgia, there were moments of offensive brilliance during which he looked like a potential star. The primary question is whether his decision-making struggles stem simply from inexperience, or if there’s a deeper issue with feel and on-court processing that may hamper his team success if deployed in a high-use capacity. But Edwards played only three years of high school basketball at a small high school before reclassifying, and he consistently flashes the ability to see and complete some impressive passes while going downhill, and the context leaves some room for optimism. While he was at times an uninterested defender, he has the physical capacity to defend opposing ballhandlers late in games, and given how much was asked of him on offense as an 18-year-old freshman it’s hard to hold him to a ridiculous standard on that end. Edwards will require time and patience, but the ceiling here is substantial.

https://www.si.com/nba/2020/09/16/2020-nba-draft-big-board-updated-top-80-rankings

Good analysis. That substantial ceiling is why he's #4 on my personal draft board.

[KGdaBom]

The more I think about Avdija the more I like him. There are 4 players that if we take at #1 overall I'm not going to whine. Wiseman, Okongwu, Deni and Edwards. Anybody else and I'm whining, throwing bricks at TV Screens and looking for a bridge to jump off. Good for me there are no significant bridges, but the Grand Canyon is only 75 miles away.

[shangrila]

Good analysis from SI in their just-released big board:

The case for Edwards at No. 1 centers on the likelihood he’ll eventually anchor a team’s offense. He has the tools and skills to do it, and while he made plenty of freshman mistakes in his lone season at Georgia, there were moments of offensive brilliance during which he looked like a potential star. The primary question is whether his decision-making struggles stem simply from inexperience, or if there’s a deeper issue with feel and on-court processing that may hamper his team success if deployed in a high-use capacity. But Edwards played only three years of high school basketball at a small high school before reclassifying, and he consistently flashes the ability to see and complete some impressive passes while going downhill, and the context leaves some room for optimism. While he was at times an uninterested defender, he has the physical capacity to defend opposing ballhandlers late in games, and given how much was asked of him on offense as an 18-year-old freshman it’s hard to hold him to a ridiculous standard on that end. Edwards will require time and patience, but the ceiling here is substantial.

https://www.si.com/nba/2020/09/16/2020-nba-draft-big-board-updated-top-80-rankings

This is why it would be wise to give him a few years of bench minutes around 15-20 mins max to slowly get acclimated while constantly being taught what is best by his coaches and the starters in front of him showing how to get things done the right way.

Or you could go the Minnesota classic route and start him for 36+ minutes for his first 328 games and see if he improves play slowly through trial and error over years. You can see how an amazing talent like Simmons hasn't changed in three seasons of constant starts. No improvement on what he could already do coming in. So other teams make this mistake as well when these players are drafted so high. Teams feel the pressure to start them regardless of what they really need to reach their best play the fastest way.

You want to bench a #1 pick for developmental reasons?

Very 'unlucky' that MIN won the lotto in a year that you even consider benching the #1 pick.

I don't think you gift him the starting spot, especially in the context of this team. We've presumably got Beasley coming back and he's the kind of shooter we need playing off Towns and Russell, but then we need a defender somewhere so that necessitates either Okogie or Culver starting at the 3. If Edwards can beat these guys out for a spot that's fine but otherwise there's no shame in bringing him off the bench and letting him develop slowly. Have him prove he can show proper shot selection and defensive effort.

But yeah, it totally sucks that the first time we move up in franchise history there's no one even close to a sure fire prospect at the top.

[Dewey]

Still no matter how you slice it… Two or three of these players at a minimum will anchor their NBA team in the future. There may not be a Michael Jordan, but then again he wasn’t picked until number three, but there will still be some good Ballers

[KGdaBom]

This is why it would be wise to give him a few years of bench minutes around 15-20 mins max to slowly get acclimated while constantly being taught what is best by his coaches and the starters in front of him showing how to get things done the right way.

Or you could go the Minnesota classic route and start him for 36+ minutes for his first 328 games and see if he improves play slowly through trial and error over years. You can see how an amazing talent like Simmons hasn't changed in three seasons of constant starts. No improvement on what he could already do coming in. So other teams make this mistake as well when these players are drafted so high. Teams feel the pressure to start them regardless of what they really need to reach their best play the fastest way.

You want to bench a #1 pick for developmental reasons?

Very 'unlucky' that MIN won the lotto in a year that you even consider benching the #1 pick.

I don't think you gift him the starting spot, especially in the context of this team. We've presumably got Beasley coming back and he's the kind of shooter we need playing off Towns and Russell, but then we need a defender somewhere so that necessitates either Okogie or Culver starting at the 3. If Edwards can beat these guys out for a spot that's fine but otherwise there's no shame in bringing him off the bench and letting him develop slowly. Have him prove he can show proper shot selection and defensive effort.

But yeah, it totally sucks that the first time we move up in franchise history there's no one even close to a sure fire prospect at the top.

I wouldn't mind us picking Edwards so much. I'd just trust that Rosas and the scouts put in the work and they're confident in him. However, unless he's MUCH BETTER than I think he will be his rookie year he should be a backup. Kobe was a backup his rookie year.

[Jedzz]

Still no matter how you slice it… Two or three of these players at a minimum will anchor their NBA team in the future. There may not be a Michael Jordan, but then again he wasn’t picked until number three, but there will still be some good Ballers

They might just come in picks 4 through 15 though, maybe even 30th. The trouble is both spotting that correct player and then having the guts to overdraft them in the eye of a bunch of draft idiots that don't believe you should, or trading down to the right spot to get them where these draft idiots don't care and hope a different team doesnt snatch them one pick before. Then it turns out the guy you targeted is actually the biggest bum ever, or you become known as the best draft GM ever. Or maybe you just get a perfectly capable NBA player that sticks around for more than 4 years and that would be enough.

[Neeva]

Still no matter how you slice it… Two or three of these players at a minimum will anchor their NBA team in the future. There may not be a Michael Jordan, but then again he wasn’t picked until number three, but there will still be some good Ballers

And picking one of those is luck more than anything.
I just have a strong feeling two of those three will
be Ball and Maxey which is what the wolves should go with.

[KGdaBom]

Still no matter how you slice it… Two or three of these players at a minimum will anchor their NBA team in the future. There may not be a Michael Jordan, but then again he wasn’t picked until number three, but there will still be some good Ballers

And picking one of those is luck more than anything.
I just have a strong feeling two of those three will
be Ball and Maxey which is what the wolves should go with.

YUCK. We will see who's right and wrong eventually.

[Jedzz]

Still no matter how you slice it… Two or three of these players at a minimum will anchor their NBA team in the future. There may not be a Michael Jordan, but then again he wasn’t picked until number three, but there will still be some good Ballers

And picking one of those is luck more than anything.
I just have a strong feeling two of those three will
be Ball and Maxey which is what the wolves should go with.

I actually think it's a pretty strong draft, loaded with 6-5, 6-6, 6-7 range guards. Just loaded with them and many can actually shoot. I think what might start becoming the norm is people claiming it's a horrible draft (already typical) because there isn't a overwhelming player with enough playing history to judge. But last year everyone was claiming that year was a weak draft and that this one was going to be way better and loaded with guards. Sure enough, loaded with guards and possible small forwards and yet "it's another weak draft". Maybe whoever it is that has been projecting players at the top every year are a bunch of clueless bumbling idiots, or like I've claimed just not being really truthful.

Watch Maxey become the next Butler because he drops in the draft and becomes jaded by it, has to work for minutes like a dog and comes out the other end a stud in a couple years. Or someone else that isn't getting the free hype at the very top. But at least Maxey got the realGM wolves board free love this year. He can count on that even though he couldn't shoot after leaving highschool. 2013 all over again and just like 2013 every team will draft pretty much how all the mock masters prepared it for them. Yet everyone at the top will end up like second round players. Can only hope I'm wrong with Wolves sitting on top.

[KGdaBom]

Still no matter how you slice it… Two or three of these players at a minimum will anchor their NBA team in the future. There may not be a Michael Jordan, but then again he wasn’t picked until number three, but there will still be some good Ballers

And picking one of those is luck more than anything.
I just have a strong feeling two of those three will
be Ball and Maxey which is what the wolves should go with.

I actually think it's a pretty strong draft, loaded with 6-5, 6-6, 6-7 range guards. Just loaded with them and many can actually shoot. I think what might start becoming the norm is people claiming it's a horrible draft (already typical) because there isn't a overwhelming player with enough playing history to judge. But last year everyone was claiming that year was a weak draft and that this one was going to be way better and loaded with guards. Sure enough, loaded with guards and possible small forwards and yet "it's another weak draft". Maybe whoever it is that has been projecting players at the top every year are a bunch of clueless bumbling idiots, or like I've claimed just not being really truthful.

Watch Maxey become the next Butler because he drops in the draft and becomes jaded by it, has to work for minutes like a dog and comes out the other end a stud in a couple years. Or someone else that isn't getting the free hype at the very top. But at least Maxey got the realGM wolves board free love this year. He can count on that even though he couldn't shoot after leaving highschool. 2013 all over again and just like 2013 every team will draft pretty much how all the mock masters prepared it for them. Yet everyone at the top will end up like second round players. Can only hope I'm wrong with Wolves sitting on top.

The problem with this draft being strong in guards is that is the least of the Wolves needs. Need forwards.

[Neeva]

And picking one of those is luck more than anything.
I just have a strong feeling two of those three will
be Ball and Maxey which is what the wolves should go with.

I actually think it's a pretty strong draft, loaded with 6-5, 6-6, 6-7 range guards. Just loaded with them and many can actually shoot. I think what might start becoming the norm is people claiming it's a horrible draft (already typical) because there isn't a overwhelming player with enough playing history to judge. But last year everyone was claiming that year was a weak draft and that this one was going to be way better and loaded with guards. Sure enough, loaded with guards and possible small forwards and yet "it's another weak draft". Maybe whoever it is that has been projecting players at the top every year are a bunch of clueless bumbling idiots, or like I've claimed just not being really truthful.

Watch Maxey become the next Butler because he drops in the draft and becomes jaded by it, has to work for minutes like a dog and comes out the other end a stud in a couple years. Or someone else that isn't getting the free hype at the very top. But at least Maxey got the realGM wolves board free love this year. He can count on that even though he couldn't shoot after leaving highschool. 2013 all over again and just like 2013 every team will draft pretty much how all the mock masters prepared it for them. Yet everyone at the top will end up like second round players. Can only hope I'm wrong with Wolves sitting on top.

The problem with this draft being strong in guards is that is the least of the Wolves needs. Need forwards.

I don’t see it, there is DLO and then a bunch of unprovens. Ball and Maxey have star potential and Rosas can always trade Okogie/Beasley/Culver/Nowell for a forward or sign a free agent forward.

[younggunsmn]

I don't get the hype with Ball. He can't shoot or finish and I don't see plus athleticism.
When your efficiency is that terrible against mitch creek level athletes that should be a huge red flag.
Edwards so far is just an inefficient volume scorer, and the floor on a volume scorer is really low because if you fail you don't have another skill to fall back on. And he has yet to show the BBIQ to be more than a volume scorer.

The thing that scares me most about Ball and Edwards is that if they are even mediocre, not only have you wasted a #1 overall pick, you have a guy that needs minutes, touches, and shots and is an albatross on the offensive end, and takes up offensive oxygen better spent on efficient players. You're almost better off not even having them on your roster.

If we draft Wiseman and he busts (which i don't think he will) you still have a guy who will rebound and block shots at an above average level, and as a big he can do things like set picks and finish lobs which a guard can't.

I am in the just draft Wiseman camp. If we get something really good in a trade down (like a 2021 lottery pick) and take okongwu or maybe even avdija I could live with that.
I really like Beasley and Culver and Okogie look like decent rotation pieces. Culver still has a chance to be a decent starter if he can fix his shot. I'm not a fan of adding to the backcourt with #1 unless we can pull off something unique like moving DLO for SImmons.

[KGdaBom]

I actually think it's a pretty strong draft, loaded with 6-5, 6-6, 6-7 range guards. Just loaded with them and many can actually shoot. I think what might start becoming the norm is people claiming it's a horrible draft (already typical) because there isn't a overwhelming player with enough playing history to judge. But last year everyone was claiming that year was a weak draft and that this one was going to be way better and loaded with guards. Sure enough, loaded with guards and possible small forwards and yet "it's another weak draft". Maybe whoever it is that has been projecting players at the top every year are a bunch of clueless bumbling idiots, or like I've claimed just not being really truthful.

Watch Maxey become the next Butler because he drops in the draft and becomes jaded by it, has to work for minutes like a dog and comes out the other end a stud in a couple years. Or someone else that isn't getting the free hype at the very top. But at least Maxey got the realGM wolves board free love this year. He can count on that even though he couldn't shoot after leaving highschool. 2013 all over again and just like 2013 every team will draft pretty much how all the mock masters prepared it for them. Yet everyone at the top will end up like second round players. Can only hope I'm wrong with Wolves sitting on top.

The problem with this draft being strong in guards is that is the least of the Wolves needs. Need forwards.

I don’t see it, there is DLO and then a bunch of unprovens. Ball and Maxey have star potential and Rosas can always trade Okogie/Beasley/Culver/Nowell for a forward or sign a free agent forward.

D'Lo, Beasley, Okogie, Culver, J Mc those are all pretty solid guards. If Ball and Maxey had star potential I guess they would be worth considering, but Wiseman, Avdija, and Okongwu have so much more star potential at positions of greater need.

[Jedzz]

Okogie is only 6-4 on a tall hair day and he been playing some SF. Landry Shamet plays some backup SF minutes for Clippers behind Kawhi and Shamet is only 6-4. There are oodles of 6-6 players supposedly in this draft and any of them might be able to play SF here if they can prove some 3 and D and slashing skills. Of course it would be nice to find a tru 6'7 player with some length to wreck the role here.

[KGdaBom]

Okogie is only 6-4 on a tall hair day and he been playing some SF. Landry Shamet plays some backup SF minutes for Clippers behind Kawhi and Shamet is only 6-4. There are oodles of 6-6 players supposedly in this draft and any of them might be able to play SF here if they can prove some 3 and D and slashing skills. Of course it would be nice to find a tru 6'7 player with some length to wreck the role here.

Once again there's no way to know how tall these players are because all the sites just make up whatever they want. I trust Basketball reference pretty well and they have Okogie at the 6'4" you mentioned. They have Culver at 6'6" and they have Deni Avdija at 6'7" while many reports are he's 6'9". I really believe he has every bit as much potential as Edwards plays a position or greater need, actually defends people and creates better for his teammates. I like the big guys Wiseman and Okongwu, but supposedly per doogie no way in hell we are taking a big so lets at least take someone sort of big.

[shangrila]

Okogie is only 6-4 on a tall hair day and he been playing some SF. Landry Shamet plays some backup SF minutes for Clippers behind Kawhi and Shamet is only 6-4. There are oodles of 6-6 players supposedly in this draft and any of them might be able to play SF here if they can prove some 3 and D and slashing skills. Of course it would be nice to find a tru 6'7 player with some length to wreck the role here.

The thing with Josh though is his 7ft wingspan. Not a lot of guys his height with that kind of length.

[Rookie-Mistake]

Random question.

Would drafting Killian Hayes be a mistake?

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[minimus]

Okogie is only 6-4 on a tall hair day and he been playing some SF. Landry Shamet plays some backup SF minutes for Clippers behind Kawhi and Shamet is only 6-4. There are oodles of 6-6 players supposedly in this draft and any of them might be able to play SF here if they can prove some 3 and D and slashing skills. Of course it would be nice to find a tru 6'7 player with some length to wreck the role here.

The thing with Josh though is his 7ft wingspan. Not a lot of guys his height with that kind of length.

+ 213lb

[minimus]

Random question.
Would drafting Killian Hayes be a mistake?

Nope. I think he can be our version of Jamal Murray, combo guard with shooting and passing. But I hope we can trade down and draft him at 4/5/6.

[Rookie-Mistake]

Yep. My thoughts. Rosas is not going to pick 1, 17 & 33. This will be the true test of talent evaluation and fit into the 1-3-1.

He has murmured talent as assets, which I interpret to be take Ball #1 because he has the biggest profile and the IT factor if no one comes to the table for what he perceives to be assets.

He could be to cute though.. the League is watching with interest.

Random question.
Would drafting Killian Hayes be a mistake?

Nope. I think he can be our version of Jamal Murray, combo guard with shooting and passing. But I hope we can trade down and draft him at 4/5/6.

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