2021 NBA Draft Thread (#27, #29, #44, #49, #59)

[Lamak]

im assuming we utilize some of these players in creative deals at a later time, this draft seemed to be pretty deep after seeing some of the players taken so glad we had a few chances at building youth and depth. i also feel the g league will play a huge part in our growth with so little cap room

[sashaturiaf]

Sharing this scouting report on Cam Thomas in summer league. It is just one person's take on things but I found it useful especially for those people who didn't watch summer league (I am a hardcore hoops fan but not thaaat hardcore).

Honestly, all I can do with Thomas is laugh to myself every time I watch him. It’s an experience unlike anything I’ve ever evaluated. He legitimately might be the most natural scorer in the 2021 NBA Draft. He just has such an incredible innate feel for how to get to his spots, and he showcased that on his way to winning co-MVP of summer league.

Thomas isn’t the most athletic player on the court by any stretch, but his ability to read the way defenders play him is incredible. If a defender closes out with just 10 percent too much pressure on his front foot, Thomas attacks and knows exactly how to take advantage. Additionally, he’s one of the better players I’ve evaluated at such an early age of being able to re-align his body after planting and rising for a jumper in mid-air. Regardless of how he lands in the midrange in regard to footwork, from any angle or spot, he can get a reasonable look up toward the rim. He can pull up going toward the rim, or getting to his step-back game. His balance is superb, and he has great touch as a shooter. He has a floater package, in addition to a genuine three-level pull-up game. He moves well without the ball to find empty spaces. He led the Las Vegas Summer League in scoring, after finishing fourth in the country in college basketball in scoring as a freshman, after becoming Oak Hill Academy’s all-time leading scorer, after leading the Nike EYBL in scoring during the summer between in his junior and senior years of high school. Every single step of the way, Thomas has not just been a good scorer, he’s been an utterly elite scorer.

But I’ve also never evaluated a prospect who is genuinely so good at scoring the ball and also just displays such a complete and utter lack of interest in any other aspect of the game. He doesn’t pass the ball unless he has to in an escape situation because he’s stuck. He’s trying to score first, second, third and fourth, then maybe he’ll pass if someone is wide open. To say he’s lackadaisical defensively would be an understatement. The level to which he’d have to be elite as a scorer to make up for being a 1-to-2 assist-to-turnover ratio guard and a non-defender is so high. And the crazy thing is, he might be able to reach that threshold! Honestly, Thomas is probably one of those guys who evaluators either love, or they just don’t want on their team.

Legitimately, he plays like he thinks he’s the best scoring option on the court regardless of who else is out there with him. I love it so much. As human beings, we all aspire to the confidence level Thomas has when the basketball is in his hands. Playing for a Brooklyn team that is contending and has more shot creation skill than any other team in the NBA could be either the absolute best or worst thing for Thomas to start his career. He could average 12 points playing 15 relatively critical minutes per game for the Nets and develop into someone who pops off for 25 points per game by the time he’s 25 years old by learning from the stars around him. Or, he could figure out what he needs to do in order to make an impact on this specific Nets team, hone in on his defense and passing skills and round out his game in a real, tangible way that changes who he is as a player going forward. Or, he could piss off Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving so much by gunning for his own shots while they’re out there on the court with him that they demand Sean Marks trades him by midseason. It’s glorious, and I can’t wait to find out how this goes. Anything is on the table for Thomas right now, and I’m so excited for his rookie year.

[MrDollarBills]

Sharing this scouting report on Cam Thomas in summer league. It is just one person's take on things but I found it useful especially for those people who didn't watch summer league (I am a hardcore hoops fan but not thaaat hardcore).

Honestly, all I can do with Thomas is laugh to myself every time I watch him. It’s an experience unlike anything I’ve ever evaluated. He legitimately might be the most natural scorer in the 2021 NBA Draft. He just has such an incredible innate feel for how to get to his spots, and he showcased that on his way to winning co-MVP of summer league.

Thomas isn’t the most athletic player on the court by any stretch, but his ability to read the way defenders play him is incredible. If a defender closes out with just 10 percent too much pressure on his front foot, Thomas attacks and knows exactly how to take advantage. Additionally, he’s one of the better players I’ve evaluated at such an early age of being able to re-align his body after planting and rising for a jumper in mid-air. Regardless of how he lands in the midrange in regard to footwork, from any angle or spot, he can get a reasonable look up toward the rim. He can pull up going toward the rim, or getting to his step-back game. His balance is superb, and he has great touch as a shooter. He has a floater package, in addition to a genuine three-level pull-up game. He moves well without the ball to find empty spaces. He led the Las Vegas Summer League in scoring, after finishing fourth in the country in college basketball in scoring as a freshman, after becoming Oak Hill Academy’s all-time leading scorer, after leading the Nike EYBL in scoring during the summer between in his junior and senior years of high school. Every single step of the way, Thomas has not just been a good scorer, he’s been an utterly elite scorer.

But I’ve also never evaluated a prospect who is genuinely so good at scoring the ball and also just displays such a complete and utter lack of interest in any other aspect of the game. He doesn’t pass the ball unless he has to in an escape situation because he’s stuck. He’s trying to score first, second, third and fourth, then maybe he’ll pass if someone is wide open. To say he’s lackadaisical defensively would be an understatement. The level to which he’d have to be elite as a scorer to make up for being a 1-to-2 assist-to-turnover ratio guard and a non-defender is so high. And the crazy thing is, he might be able to reach that threshold! Honestly, Thomas is probably one of those guys who evaluators either love, or they just don’t want on their team.

Legitimately, he plays like he thinks he’s the best scoring option on the court regardless of who else is out there with him. I love it so much. As human beings, we all aspire to the confidence level Thomas has when the basketball is in his hands. Playing for a Brooklyn team that is contending and has more shot creation skill than any other team in the NBA could be either the absolute best or worst thing for Thomas to start his career. He could average 12 points playing 15 relatively critical minutes per game for the Nets and develop into someone who pops off for 25 points per game by the time he’s 25 years old by learning from the stars around him. Or, he could figure out what he needs to do in order to make an impact on this specific Nets team, hone in on his defense and passing skills and round out his game in a real, tangible way that changes who he is as a player going forward. Or, he could piss off Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving so much by gunning for his own shots while they’re out there on the court with him that they demand Sean Marks trades him by midseason. It’s glorious, and I can’t wait to find out how this goes. Anything is on the table for Thomas right now, and I’m so excited for his rookie year.

He's going to have to excel as a catch and shoot option and he must commit to playing defense. There really is no way around it for him.