2023 NBA Draft watch

[GTR11]

In short, probably.

I like Bridges, but 1) I don't see an easy path to contention in the next 1-2 years, and 2) I do honestly wonder if his value will be any higher than it is at the present.

He'll be 27 at the start of the season. He's put up good offensive numbers as a lead player on a mediocre Nets team; but I think he'd be best as a 3rd option on a contending team.

As a non-1st (or even 2nd) option, he should still have the energy to be a great defender while still providing reliable offense.

Scoot looks like he could be a legit franchise cornerstone. Ideally, I'd like if POR would include Simons with the #3 pick, but I have a feeling that they might turn that down.


I haven't watched enough of Miller to know how good he is. I've only heard that he performed poorly in the tournament and has?/had? a murder charge, which isn't a good look for any franchise taking him on unless he's fully cleared of any involvement.

Not for a "chance" to draft Scoot. If Scoot is Marks' guy, a trade can't happen until after Charlotte selects Miller. You can't make a trade for #3 & then not get the player you wanted.

Yes, you are right. I should've been more clear.

I wrote with the assumption that 1) CHA doesn't select Scoot, leaves him available to be drafted at #3 and 2) POR is willing to draft him and then trade him to us.

You good, everyone here know trade can be done just before knowledge of availability. Luka for Trae for example was latest one.

I'm more interested to find out what Cronin and Kupchak doing lately. Won't sleep on Hammond, Cuban and Sheppord either. All three of them expressed interest in type players we got. Apparently they want to compete now and said that much in post season presser.

[Eatgreenz]

Not only a chance at scoot which you would have to think about. If the hornets pick scoot, lamelo could be traded with new ownership wanting to go a different direction and not pay him his upcoming extension. This will be a very interesting off season for us.

[JoseRizal]

With Portland jumping to pick 3rd in this year's draft, there are a lot of possible scenarios that could impact us.

Hypothetical question. If the Hornets draft Brandon Miller 2nd (which is possible since they have LaMelo), that means Scoot will be free to take at the 3rd. Knowing Dame wants to still compete and play alongside Mikal, would you guys be willing to trade Bridges to the Blazers for a chance to land Scoot and a few more players (for salary matching)?

Alternatively, it could also make it easier for Portland to trade away Dame, and build around Scoot.

Edit. Come to think of it, Brandon Miller won't be a bad exchange as well.

Thoughts?

In short, probably.

I like Bridges, but 1) I don't see an easy path to contention in the next 1-2 years, and 2) I do honestly wonder if his value will be any higher than it is at the present.

He'll be 27 at the start of the season. He's put up good offensive numbers as a lead player on a mediocre Nets team; but I think he'd be best as a 3rd option on a contending team.

As a non-1st (or even 2nd) option, he should still have the energy to be a great defender while still providing reliable offense.

Scoot looks like he could be a legit franchise cornerstone. Ideally, I'd like if POR would include Simons with the #3 pick, but I have a feeling that they might turn that down.


I haven't watched enough of Miller to know how good he is. I've only heard that he performed poorly in the tournament and has?/had? a murder charge, which isn't a good look for any franchise taking him on unless he's fully cleared of any involvement.

Don't get me wrong. I love Bridges. I love his attitude, demeanor and his ability to always be available playing. However, he is (at best) a good #2. Like you said, he'll be 27 at the start of the season, so building around him might not be a good idea.

Likewise, I agree that his value may not be as higher as this season. We've seen how his efficiency dropped in the last few regular season games. I'm not saying he has no upside as I think he still has a lot to improve.

Scoot in a different draft class is projected by scouts as the overall #1 pick and it's really not a given that Charlotte will pick him considering how bad that franchise is managed and how bad they are at drafting and he plays the same position as Melo.

Scoot is only 19 yo this year and already has an NBA body. Drafting him is the equivalent of he 1st overall pick in previous years (yes, I'm looking at you 2000) as he still has a lot of upside. Granting he still needs to improve his outside shooting, but all the tools are there.

At worse, if it didn't pan out for us, we still have a multitude of picks at our disposal (though none is controlled by us).

Brandon Miller is hyped like crazy, since he has the length, shooting prowess and scoring ability. Though he lacks the athleticism, his upside is a future top 5 scorer.

Anyway, all of these are hypothetical. But as a Nets fan, it makes the offseason all the more exciting with countless options and possibilities to improve.

[Netaman]

With Portland jumping to pick 3rd in this year's draft, there are a lot of possible scenarios that could impact us.

Hypothetical question. If the Hornets draft Brandon Miller 2nd (which is possible since they have LaMelo), that means Scoot will be free to take at the 3rd. Knowing Dame wants to still compete and play alongside Mikal, would you guys be willing to trade Bridges to the Blazers for a chance to land Scoot and a few more players (for salary matching)?

Alternatively, it could also make it easier for Portland to trade away Dame, and build around Scoot.

Edit. Come to think of it, Brandon Miller won't be a bad exchange as well.

Thoughts?

it's a great question and i think it's a fair decision whichever way you go with it. i dont feel strong enough about scoot or miller to say yes, but enough respectable writers think both are very good that i'd have no big argument with someone who says they are good enough.

i do feel strongly that bridges is a very good player so id be sooner trying to horsetrade my way up to the 10 range. it's very possible though that they see scoot or miller on a normal year 1OA level though, and if they do i think you have to be willing to give up bridges as much as that would suck. it would just open up a much longer window.

[Netaman]

A few prospects linked to nets in mocks and their scouting reports courtesy of Sam Vecenie:

Leonard Miller | 6-10 forward | 19 years old | G League Ignite
The Scout: I’m calling my shot on Miller. This is earlier than just about everyone will have him. But he’s a 6-10 forward who is a terrific, fluid athlete with unique body mechanics that allow him to get defenders off balance as he handles the ball as a driver or in transition. He’s an elite finisher with incredible touch, having made 67 percent of his shots at the rim. In 14 games from Feb. 8 onward, Miller averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game with one steal and one block. He shot 55.6 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3 and 82 percent from the line. He figured out the G League quickly last season, really his first season of high-level basketball. I think he has real upside long term, and I bet he rises as people see him throughout the process.

Jordan Hawkins | 6-5 wing | 21 years old | Connecticut
The Scout: Hawkins has a case as arguably the best movement shooter in the class. Connecticut had him sprint off screening actions, using his pristine shooting mechanics and ability to stop on a dime to get open and can open 3s. He averaged 16 points and was a critical piece of the national champion Huskies, keying their perimeter attack with how much teams had to respect his gravitational force. Hawkins also improved a bit off the bounce this past season, becoming an impactful, effective attacker of closeouts. He works defensively, but this is where his lack of strength comes in. Hawkins is extremely skinny and will need to put on some real weight in the coming years to hold up on that end. But he’s an elite shooter who wants to play on that end. Those guys tend to work out.

Jett Howard | 6-8 wing | 19 years old | Michigan
The Scout: I’m a bit lower on Howard than most, but let’s mention the good first on why he’s projected to be taken in the first round. He’s a tremendous shot maker and shooter who has some of the best shot prep in this draft, which allows him to be a genuine threat off NBA-caliber actions. Michigan ran a ton of Zoom and Pistol actions, using him in dribble handoffs. The Wolverines ran him off screening actions regularly to try to get him loose. He’s a teenager who averaged 14 points and hit 37 percent from 3 on high volume and also showcased the ability to relocate and score from the midrange. Here’s the issue: Michigan was about seven points per 100 possessions better when Howard was off the court because he was such a negative defender. He can’t move in space and also isn’t strong enough now to guard down the lineup. He has a ways to go on that end.

https://theathletic.com/4513228/2023/05/16/nba-draft-lottery-mock-draft-wembanyama/

[Tha King]

Marcus Sasser I think could be a great pick with one of the firsts. Highly productive dynamic guard that can make threes on volume and is a very willing defender with a 6'7 wingspan for a point guard.

Even though the team has two late firsts, I'd even consider getting another one (i.e. for O'Neale) because the later part of the first imo is similar to the middle and late top 10 in this draft. I think this is a draft to have several picks.

[CalamityX12]

I be so happy with this:
21. Jordan Hawkins, 6’5” shooting guard, UConn, sophomore

22. Leonard Miller, 6’10” forward, G League Ignite, 19 years old

or

21. Max Lewis, 6’7” wing, Pepperdine, sophomore

22. Leonard Miller, 6’10” forward, G League Ignite, 19 years old

[TheNetsFan]

A lot of mocks have have us selecting Leonard Miller: ESPN, NBADraft.net, Chad Ford, Yahoo, and Sporting News. It may mean nothing or be coincidence, but typically when so many mocks agree on a pick in the second half of round 1 some kind of info (e.g. a promise) is out there. We've seen it with our own past picks like Sean Williams & Day'Ron Sharpe. Usually when mocks all agree, they're right.

[CalamityX12]

A few prospects linked to nets in mocks and their scouting reports courtesy of Sam Vecenie:

Leonard Miller | 6-10 forward | 19 years old | G League Ignite
The Scout: I’m calling my shot on Miller. This is earlier than just about everyone will have him. But he’s a 6-10 forward who is a terrific, fluid athlete with unique body mechanics that allow him to get defenders off balance as he handles the ball as a driver or in transition. He’s an elite finisher with incredible touch, having made 67 percent of his shots at the rim. In 14 games from Feb. 8 onward, Miller averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game with one steal and one block. He shot 55.6 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3 and 82 percent from the line. He figured out the G League quickly last season, really his first season of high-level basketball. I think he has real upside long term, and I bet he rises as people see him throughout the process.

Jordan Hawkins | 6-5 wing | 21 years old | Connecticut
The Scout: Hawkins has a case as arguably the best movement shooter in the class. Connecticut had him sprint off screening actions, using his pristine shooting mechanics and ability to stop on a dime to get open and can open 3s. He averaged 16 points and was a critical piece of the national champion Huskies, keying their perimeter attack with how much teams had to respect his gravitational force. Hawkins also improved a bit off the bounce this past season, becoming an impactful, effective attacker of closeouts. He works defensively, but this is where his lack of strength comes in. Hawkins is extremely skinny and will need to put on some real weight in the coming years to hold up on that end. But he’s an elite shooter who wants to play on that end. Those guys tend to work out.

Jett Howard | 6-8 wing | 19 years old | Michigan
The Scout: I’m a bit lower on Howard than most, but let’s mention the good first on why he’s projected to be taken in the first round. He’s a tremendous shot maker and shooter who has some of the best shot prep in this draft, which allows him to be a genuine threat off NBA-caliber actions. Michigan ran a ton of Zoom and Pistol actions, using him in dribble handoffs. The Wolverines ran him off screening actions regularly to try to get him loose. He’s a teenager who averaged 14 points and hit 37 percent from 3 on high volume and also showcased the ability to relocate and score from the midrange. Here’s the issue: Michigan was about seven points per 100 possessions better when Howard was off the court because he was such a negative defender. He can’t move in space and also isn’t strong enough now to guard down the lineup. He has a ways to go on that end.

https://theathletic.com/4513228/2023/05/16/nba-draft-lottery-mock-draft-wembanyama/

Would kill to get both Miller and Hawkins...

Hawkins is the shooter we need badly... gotta get him and not trade his ass.

Miller has the talent to be an all-star and its worth investing into him to see it come true. It will add to our length and positionless bs i mean, basketball.

[Papi_swav]

A lot of mocks have have us selecting Leonard Miller: ESPN, NBADraft.net, Chad Ford, Yahoo, and Sporting News. It may mean nothing or be coincidence, but typically when so many mocks agree on a pick in the second half of round 1 some kind of info (e.g. a promise) is out there. We've seen it with our own past picks like Sean Williams & Day'Ron Sharpe. Usually when mocks all agree, they're right.

I wouldn't buy too much into it. I remember we drafted Levert nobody had us taking him. I don't think anybody had us taking Jarrett Allen either. I definitely don't remember anybody having us select Claxton. Marks has his own way of drafting and I trust him and his scouts, they've done well so far.

[TheNetsFan]

A lot of mocks have have us selecting Leonard Miller: ESPN, NBADraft.net, Chad Ford, Yahoo, and Sporting News. It may mean nothing or be coincidence, but typically when so many mocks agree on a pick in the second half of round 1 some kind of info (e.g. a promise) is out there. We've seen it with our own past picks like Sean Williams & Day'Ron Sharpe. Usually when mocks all agree, they're right.

I wouldn't buy too much into it. I remember we drafted Levert nobody had us taking him. I don't think anybody had us taking Jarrett Allen either. I definitely don't remember anybody having us select Claxton. Marks has his own way of drafting and I trust him and his scouts, they've done well so far.

We didn't trade Young for the LeVert pick until a couple of days before the draft. In the Allen draft, everyone knew we wanted a big, specifically a "Blocks & Lobs big." Most mocks had Allen on the fringe of the lottery. He "slid."

The point is not about the consistency of picking right. Things don't always leak out. It's more pointing out that when there seems to be a large consensus on where a later pick is going (doesn't normally happen), that consensus is usually right.

[Netaman]

here are some profiles of players in the 5-15 range on the big board who i think could be guys marks would be willing to move up for.

with the number of teams supposedly putting their picks on the market and the nets having some pieces/picks to move up, im really hoping marks feels very strongly about someone and makes an aggressive move up. i really want that mavs pick by sending DFS back to them.

getting another star to play with bridges/clax through the draft >>>>>>>> free agency/trades

Cam Whitmore | 6-7 wing | 18 years old | Villanova
The Scout: Whitmore has ridiculous upside because he has an elite blend of explosiveness and strength. Coming in at about 230 pounds, Whitmore is a 40-inch vertical leaper who actually plays like he has one. He rises up through contact powerfully and throws down around the basket. But there’s more to it than that. He is a real shot creator who can knock down pull-up jumpers from behind the 3-point line. He has a real first step when attacking the basket. Defensively, he’s a very good on-ball defender with real switchability because of his strength and quickness. The main concern here is his overall feel as an offensive player. Whitmore had a historically low assist rate and consistently missed passing reads throughout the course of his time at Villanova. That’s where he needs to improve. But his ceiling is immense.

Taylor Hendricks | 6-9 forward | 19 years old | UCF
The Scout: Hendricks is the biggest riser of this draft class. He’s over 6-9 in shoes and has over a 7-foot wingspan. He’s an elite defensive player and has real athleticism. He slides his feet incredibly well as an on-ball defender and has real switchability. Off the ball, he’s very impactful as a weakside rim protector who can fly over in help situations and block shots. And offensively, Hendricks was very valuable. He averaged 15.1 points and seven rebounds while shooting 39.4 percent from the field on real volume. Hendricks need to improve as an offensive playmaker and ballhandler. But it’s easy to imagine Hendricks stepping into the NBA early and playing relatively early as a useful 3-and-D player while he continues to round out his game.

Jarace Walker | 6-8 forward | 19 years old | Houston
The Scout: Walker is about as well-rounded a forward/big prospect as you’ll find. He’s 6-8 with a 7-2 wingspan. He’s a terrific passer and playmaker, particularly as a short-roll weapon out of ball screens. Walker improved a bit as a shooter this past season, making 34.7 percent from 3, albeit on limited volume. But where he really makes his mark is on defense. Walker is a tremendous, instinctive defensive player whose reactivity and basketball IQ makes him a wildly impactful help defender flying all across the court. On top of it, he’s switchable as a man-to-man defender who can manage all but the quickest guards (and that includes sliding up onto centers because of his shredded 240-pound frame). There are some questions on how he’ll score effectively in the NBA if the jumper doesn’t come along, and that could resign him toward being more of a rotation player if it doesn’t happen. But Walker will help you win basketball games.

Ausar Thompson | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | Overtime Elite
The Scout: Thompson is an elite athlete who impacts the game in a wide variety of ways. He’s a very strong defender who flies around in help as a good rim protector and playmaker in passing lanes. He’s a strong, technical on-ball defender. Offensively, he can really get out on the break and score, and in the half court, he’s a sharp cutter and driver of the basketball in straight lines. His passing is maybe my favorite skill of his, especially as a secondary ballhandler. As a finisher, Thompson has a terrific package of touch finishes and layups in addition to above-the-rim athleticism. The guy Thompson reminds me of most is Andre Iguodala, even down to the shooting questions that Thompson will have to work through early in his career. My bet is Thompson is an impact player on winning basketball because of how well-rounded his game is.

Anthony Black | 6-7 guard | 19 years old | Arkansas
The Scout: Black is maybe the smartest player in this draft class in terms of basketball IQ. He consistently makes the right play. Black averaged 13 points, five rebounds and four assists while shooting 45 percent from the field and is entirely reliable as a 6-7 point guard. On top of it, he’s a terrific defensive player and one of the best in the class at the point of attack while also being switchable because of his size and strength level. I buy Black making decisions at an exceedingly high level and being able to reliably attack both ends of the court.

Dereck Lively II | 7-1 center| 19 years old| Duke
The Scout: Lively struggled to start the season, but by the end of it, there was not a more impactful defender in college basketball. He’s an elite rim protector who averaged 2.5 blocks per game this past season in 20 minutes. He defends ball screens well and can do so in a variety of different schemes. He can hard hedge and recover, he can drop, and he can play at the level. He’s mobile and runs the court very well. Offensively, he’s extremely limited right now, but Lively has immense tools with a 7-7 wingspan that portends potential to not just be a good defender but a great one.

Cason Wallace | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | Kentucky
The Scout: Wallace is one of those dudes you just trust to be a hooper. He gets how to play and impact winning basketball. He’s an elite defensive guard with incredible hands and disruptive hand-eye coordination. He’s extremely strong and can slide up the lineup because of how capable he is at getting his chest in front of players and cutting off their momentum. Offensively, you’d like to see more with how Wallace can create off the bounce. But he’s good enough in ball screens and is strong as a catch-and-shoot weapon. He suffered a few injuries this past season, so teams want to learn a bit more about those, but Wallace is a very trustworthy player.

getting 2 good rookies out of this year's class is key for the roster if they want to avoid repeater tax and still have some financial flexibility to add other ways (like fvv).

[Netaman]

one more starting to get linked to nets more often and sounds very much like a nets type of pick:

• Bilal Coulibaly, Wembanyama’s teammate with Metropolitans 92, is a hot name currently for NBA front offices. A 6-foot-7 or so wing with something in the ballpark of a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Coulibaly has elite length for a wing, and the flash plays he showcases from time to time are absurd. Coulibaly is a classic highlight guy right now. There are moments when he looks like a lottery pick with his mix of mobility, explosiveness and length. You get him out in space, and it’s a show. He’s going to throw down all over everyone. There are also moments he looks like he’s nowhere near ready for the NBA as a teenager playing in a tough professional league. When you watch full games of Metropolitans — which many NBA scouts have done throughout the season because of Wembanyama — he’s not quite as impactful as his athleticism would indicate. He’s still very much a project.

But he’s a project whom teams are fascinated by because of those athletic tools. If you get him out in transition, he’s a freight train. The jumper mechanics look projectable — albeit a bit hitchy with a long release — even if he’s only made 34 percent from 3 so far this season across all competitions, including in the Espoir youth league in France. Coulibaly is assured to be drafted at some point, and it’ll likely come in the first round. The only question for him is whether to try his luck this season when he’s still this unfinished product or to go next season after an offseason of development into a weaker 2024 class. Right now, I have him as a late first rounder.

[TheNetsFan]

Cason Wallace is very intriguing to me. He fills a need, is projected in a range that shouldn't cost a crazy amount to get to, and Kentucky guards usually develop very well in the NBA. He's probably my top unexpected trade up candidate. Nobody is projecting PGs to us.

[vincecarter4pres]

I don’t know a ton about this draft, especially outside the top 10ish rotating guys, but I’d be highly disappointed if Marks can’t figure out a way to move somewhere into the lottery with the 2 later picks and a current player not named Bridges/Clax/future pick.

Now I don’t mind if there’s a separate trade that involves Bridges or Clax if it’s a crazy dope move, but would really like to see something such as 21/22/Dinwiddie for 11.

[Netaman]

Cason Wallace is very intriguing to me. He fills a need, is projected in a range that shouldn't cost a crazy amount to get to, and Kentucky guards usually develop very well in the NBA. He's probably my top unexpected trade up candidate. Nobody is projecting PGs to us.

he was basically jrue at kentucky. whether or not he will get to that level in the nba who knows, but i watched him a pretty good amount and he was the initial guy i was hoping they'd find a way to trade up and get.

at this point i think id rather just s&t for fvv and draft one of the upside guys but id have no issue with moving up for wallace (or black) to groom behind dinwiddie.

[Netaman]

I don’t know a ton about this draft, especially outside the top 10ish rotating guys, but I’d be highly disappointed if Marks can’t figure out a way to move somewhere into the lottery with the 2 later picks and a current player not named Bridges/Clax/future pick.

Now I don’t mind if there’s a separate trade that involves Bridges or Clax if it’s a crazy dope move, but would really like to see something such as 21/22/Dinwiddie for 11.

for whatever it's worth dallas fans seem on board with moving their 10th pick for some combo of dfs/royce/picks. that's the move imo.

[vincecarter4pres]

I’d like to see 2 or 3 moves that culminate into a top 10 pick and wind up with Taylor Hendricks or Cam Whitmore and Fred VanVleet.

Maybe Orlando would bite on 21/Dinwiddie for the 11?

22/O’neale for the 10?

Something like Harris expiring, Cam Thomas and one of the lesser future picks for VanVleet?

11 and 10 for 5.

[Netaman]

I’d like to see 2 or 3 moves that culminate into a top 10 pick and wind up with Taylor Hendricks or Cam Whitmore and Fred VanVleet.

Maybe Orlando would bite on 21/Dinwiddie for the 11?

22/O’neale for the 10?

Something like Harris expiring, Cam Thomas and one of the lesser future picks for VanVleet?

11 and 10 for 5.

great minds think alike, just posted this on trade board. i dont see how toronto could get a better return than 3rd pick for siakam and i dont see how portland could get a better player to pair with dame than siakam. i gave fvv the brunson contract bc i think it will be in that ballpark.

at 10 if nets take a guard then they they can move dinwiddie otherwise roster gets balanced out with a wing or big to replace DFS.

[vincecarter4pres]

I’d like to see 2 or 3 moves that culminate into a top 10 pick and wind up with Taylor Hendricks or Cam Whitmore and Fred VanVleet.

Maybe Orlando would bite on 21/Dinwiddie for the 11?

22/O’neale for the 10?

Something like Harris expiring, Cam Thomas and one of the lesser future picks for VanVleet?

11 and 10 for 5.

great minds think alike, just posted this on trade board. i dont see how toronto could get a better return than 3rd pick for siakam and i dont see how portland could get a better player to pair with dame than siakam. i gave fvv the brunson contract bc i think it will be in that ballpark.

at 10 if nets take a guard then they they can move dinwiddie otherwise roster gets balanced out with a wing or big to replace DFS.

Funny, right after I posted that I had some shower thoughts along the lines of the following:

Toronto trades: Spicy P

Portland trades: 3rd overall, ‘25 1st with some protections, Anfernee Simons



Then a big follow up looking something like:

Toronto trades:
FVV

Toronto receives:
22nd overall pick
Joe Harris
Cam Thomas
1st round pick(aforementioned future 1st)
2 future likely favorable 2nd’s


Brooklyn trades:
Spencer Dinwiddie
Dorian Finney-Smith
Joe Harris
Cam Thomas
21st overall pick
22nd overall pick
Future 1st(one of the least likely to be super high)
Multiple 2nds

Brooklyn receives:
7th overall pick
FVV

Indiana trades:
7th overall pick

Indiana receives:
11th overall pick
Dorian Finney-Smith
2nd round pick(future)


Orlando trades:
11th overall pick

Orlando receives:
Spencer Dinwiddie
21st overall pick



Great minds indeed!