Official 2020 NBA Draft Thread Part 2

[Optimus_Steel]

This draft shouldn't be difficult. We had horrid 3pt shooting so draft the best shooter available but these are the Orlando Magic management team, who out think themselves into less skill. "We are gonna be cute and draft for less skill because we like long guys that are nice people!"

[MagicFan101]

With Ennis opting out, Wes still a free agent at the moment and Isaac injured we have no answer at SF.

If we stay at #15 and Aaron Nesmith is on the board the fit looks to be perfect. That’s my pick now.

[yoyojw17]

Sam Vecenie's latest mock

1. Anthony Edwards
2. James Wiseman
3. LaMelo Ball
4. Deni Avdija
5. Obi Toppin
6. Tyrese Haliburton
7. Patrick Williams
8. Isaac Okoro
9. Onyeka Okongwu
10. Aaron Nesmith
11. Jaden McDaniels
12. Devin Vassell
13. Saddiq Bey
14. Killian Hayes
15. Orlando Magic
Kira Lewis Jr. | 6-3 guard | 19 years old, sophomore | Alabama

The player: Has a case as being the fastest player in the draft. Incredible speed, both in the open court and with his first step in the halfcourt. Will have very few issues blowing by most players. Has also really improved this year as a halfcourt player, though. Has built in some real diversity off the bounce. Better set up moves, better footwork in pick-and-roll. Very few bigs will be able to stay in front of him at the NBA level because he will blow by them. In that vein, he just scores at a high level. Gets buckets at all three levels. Generates shots at the rim, as mentioned above. Has a nice in-between game. Can also hit the pull-up 3. He’s also a very willing defender. The big question here is strength, as Lewis is only 175 pounds or so and could struggle to deal with the physicality of the NBA.

The fit: This would be one of my favorite picks in the draft. The Magic are said to be interested in Lewis. There is also a thought that they’re looking to move up on draft night into the lottery, potentially even to target Lewis. Here, he falls to them at 15, where his speed and shooting ability would be a perfect blend with Markelle Fultz’s size and scoring in the backcourt. The two could play together pretty easily at some point. Honestly, I kind of hope this happens.

Lewis’ Draft Range: Starts in the mid-lottery and stretches down to about here.

On one hand, I really so like Kira Lewis Jr and think he has the tools to potentially be a starting point guard in the NBA.

Oh the other hand, it would be a real pisser for Hayes to go 14th. In this scenario, I would try and jump to 12 or 13 and lock in Hayes.

https://theathletic.com/2198283/ ($)

I'm impressed with how high he has Jaden McDaniels.

I'm losing interest in Lewis. 3PT% was not great and we already have a PG that can blow by defenders. Fultz can be our Jimmy Butler aka the one guy on the team who can't shoot from deep... but we need to surround him with shooters.

I was thinking to myself that McDaniel's is gonna be this years random riser whose name gets called earlier than people expect.

[yoyojw17]

This draft shouldn't be difficult. We had horrid 3pt shooting so draft the best shooter available but these are the Orlando Magic management team, who out think themselves into less skill. "We are gonna be cute and draft for less skill because we like long guys that are nice people!"

Expecting BPA.... and just hoping that person also fits the bill. lol

[nymets1]

There are some guys I like in the 2nd round ( Malachi Flynn, Tre Jones, Devon Dotson, Payton Pritchard, Cassius Stanley and Immanuel Quickley). If we keep both picks, I'm only drafting guards. I would definetly try to trade up and get Lamelo Bell, he would be a SUPERSTAR on the magic and be one of the fan favorites in Magic history. For one I'm thinking Cole Anthony or RJ Hampton and one of those 6 guys with the 2nd round pick.

[KillMonger]

I'm starting to be intrigued with Terry. Am I crazy?

[pepe1991]

7 teams from East including Orlando didn't win playoff series in last 4 years.

4 rebuilding team are stuck in no men's land unable to make playoffs on East or even be close to competitive ( Bulls, Hawks, Knicks and Hornets).

Is there path from tanking to contending? In theory, yes OKC with 3 future MVPs did it. In reality, not really. Hawks won't just come this year after 3 years of sucking and dominate Bucks in first round. They will probably once again miss playoffs or be swept in first round. That's a cycle of rebuidling. Than they will trade vast majority of assets for actual star. Star that will probably be 28-32 years old and completly change their "sucess window" and narrow it down to a point. It happends in every single rebuild. And "assets" ( read: bunch of failed lottery picks) will be re-located to new rebuilding team that they traded their star from.

Once again cycle of NBA rebuilding and compeating.

Fans just elect to cherrypick what rebuild they like the most and cry themselfs to bed why their team isn't that.

Last year Pelicans were model of "sucess" and how to make a trade for 3 top 2 picks in one year. There were some crazy hypes calling their starting 5 best starting 5 in basketball. Year later....yea... they just traded their best defender, 36 years old JJ Redick is their starting SG, their former 2# pick PG can't shoot to save a life and their "future superstar" is 300 pounds heavy and 60 pounds over-weight. But there is Ingram. Still, they are years away from being even average team.

New shiny new toy is OKC because of unnamed, probably still yet to hit puberty- future draft picks from 7 years in advance. You guys know those guys you are projecting to "save OKC" are now bunch of 13-15 years old and probably younger than your car?


I remember days of 2016 and how Minessota Timberwolves were projected to be playoff team and soon to be contender. here we are 4 years later. They had 1 playoff series thanks to Jimmy Butler and went back at sucking right away. What a sucess story.

I remember how some of you guys were blown away how Suns menaged to steal Booker and get 1# pick and have lot of money.
Nobody wanted to sign there, they drafted Ayton and now they are so desparate to keep Booker that they will pay $46M for service of 36 years old point guard who is one foot away from being retired from basketball

"sucess".

NBA is, as i said, cycle of collecting assets and trying to compete. Most teams are never good and all contenders are created behind closed doors between stars themselfs. Sooner you let notion of "building" in modern nba go, easier it will be to watch it.
Look at current contenders: Clippers- Kawhi and George had secret deal
Lakers- Davis agent happend to be Lebron's best friend
Nets : Durant and Irving agreedment to join them and Harden pushing his way there

opposite side : Booker, Towns already looking to exit their teams that drafted them, Giannis low-key said he is ready to move on if Bucks don't make star trade.

[Orl_Magic]

I bet we are moving up and taking Saddiq Bey and I am okay with that. High motor 3 and D guy.

[tiderulz]

I bet we are moving up and taking Saddiq Bey and I am okay with that. High motor 3 and D guy.

isnt that what Okeke is? why draft a similar player with similar strengths?

[tiderulz]

7 teams from East including Orlando didn't win playoff series in last 4 years.

4 rebuilding team are stuck in no men's land unable to make playoffs on East or even be close to competitive ( Bulls, Hawks, Knicks and Hornets).

Is there path from tanking to contending? In theory, yes OKC with 3 future MVPs did it. In reality, not really. Hawks won't just come this year after 3 years of sucking and dominate Bucks in first round. They will probably once again miss playoffs or be swept in first round. That's a cycle of rebuidling. Than they will trade vast majority of assets for actual star. Star that will probably be 28-32 years old and completly change their "sucess window" and narrow it down to a point. It happends in every single rebuild. And "assets" ( read: bunch of failed lottery picks) will be re-located to new rebuilding team that they traded their star from.

Once again cycle of NBA rebuilding and compeating.

Fans just elect to cherrypick what rebuild they like the most and cry themselfs to bed why their team isn't that.

Last year Pelicans were model of "sucess" and how to make a trade for 3 top 2 picks in one year. There were some crazy hypes calling their starting 5 best starting 5 in basketball. Year later....yea... they just traded their best defender, 36 years old JJ Redick is their starting SG, their former 2# pick PG can't shoot to save a life and their "future superstar" is 300 pounds heavy and 60 pounds over-weight. But there is Ingram. Still, they are years away from being even average team.

New shiny new toy is OKC because of unnamed, probably still yet to hit puberty- future draft picks from 7 years in advance. You guys know those guys you are projecting to "save OKC" are now bunch of 13-15 years old and probably younger than your car?


I remember days of 2016 and how Minessota Timberwolves were projected to be playoff team and soon to be contender. here we are 4 years later. They had 1 playoff series thanks to Jimmy Butler and went back at sucking right away. What a sucess story.

I remember how some of you guys were blown away how Suns menaged to steal Booker and get 1# pick and have lot of money.
Nobody wanted to sign there, they drafted Ayton and now they are so desparate to keep Booker that they will pay $46M for service of 36 years old point guard who is one foot away from being retired from basketball

"sucess".

NBA is, as i said, cycle of collecting assets and trying to compete. Most teams are never good and all contenders are created behind closed doors between stars themselfs. Sooner you let notion of "building" in modern nba go, easier it will be to watch it.
Look at current contenders: Clippers- Kawhi and George had secret deal
Lakers- Davis agent happend to be Lebron's best friend
Nets : Durant and Irving agreedment to join them and Harden pushing his way there

opposite side : Booker, Towns already looking to exit their teams that drafted them, Giannis low-key said he is ready to move on if Bucks don't make star trade.

1 - Ball shot 37% from 3 on 6+ attempts last year and his FT increased (still bad for a PG but actually increasing). still young and it all can increase.

2 - please go ahead and continue to tell me how to watch and enjoy the NBA. you obviously think you know more than anyone else on the board and how we should spend our time. you used to make factual arguments with stats to back your ideas. Now you seem to just want to tell everything how smart you are and how they should spend their time

[Blue_and_Whte]

I bet we are moving up and taking Saddiq Bey and I am okay with that. High motor 3 and D guy.

Bey looks like he's running through cement. I'd rather draft Nesmith if they're looking at Bey.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

Vecenie's Update Day of Draft Mock

1 T Wolves - Edwards
2 Warriors - Wiseman
3 Charlotte - Ball
4 Bulls - Avdija
5 Cavs - Toppin
6 Hawks - Haliburton
7 Pistons - Williams
8 Knicks - Okoro
9 Wizards - Okongwu
10 Suns - Vassell
11 Spurs - Bey
12 Kings - Hayes
13 Pelicans - Lewis Jr.
14 Celtics - Hampton
15 Magic - Maxey
16 Rockets - Poku
17 TWolves - Achiuwa
18 Mavericks - Josh Green
19 Nets - Nesmith
20 Heat - Bane
21 76ers - Terry
22 Nuggets - Jalen Smith
23 Jazz - McDaniels
24 Pelicans - Stewart
25 OKC - Maledon
26 Celtics - Bolomaro
27 Knicks - Anthony
28 OKC - Woodard
29 Raptors - Nnaji
30 Celtics - Tillman

[MagicFan101]

The outside world of draft “experts” seems to be converging on Maxey for Orlando if we both stay at #15 and do not make significant trades to change the current roster.

I just have not been able to get myself excited about Maxey. He seems to fall short of every single thing he is hyped to be good at. Every single talking point comes with an asterisk.

All prospects at #15 have question marks but a few options have at least one skill that is pure money. I might favor that at this point.

[j-ragg]

It’s easy to critique a team strategy. It’s more difficult to come up with a strategy that works.

It’s easiest to implement no strategy (currently stuck here).

[MartinsIzAfraud]

The outside world of draft “experts” seems to be converging on Maxey for Orlando if we both stay at #15 and do not make significant trades to change the current roster.

I just have not been able to get myself excited about Maxey. He seems to fall short of every single thing he is hyped to be good at. Every single talking point comes with an asterisk.

All prospects at #15 have question marks but a few options have at least one skill that is pure money. I might favor that at this point.

Kentucky players usually sacrifice a lot of what they can do for Calipari and his system. A Maxey Fultz backcourt would be pretty nasty IMO but I've been on the Maxey train for a while now.

[Blue_and_Whte]

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[MartinsIzAfraud]

Read on Twitter

Interesting stuff here.. Fournier & AG now on the block, not shocking but good to see

[Knightro]

Seeing Hayes, Lewis Jr. and Hampton go 12-13-14 and being stuck with Maxey would really make me sick

[Nyce_1]

I fully expect, without a hesitation, if Vassell is within affordable reach, we're moving up. 100%

[Knightro]

Kentucky players usually sacrifice a lot of what they can do for Calipari and his system. A Maxey Fultz backcourt would be pretty nasty IMO but I've been on the Maxey train for a while now.

Even if this were true, which I'm not totally convinced it is, Maxey was still *significantly* less efficient and productive than all the other first round guards who have come through Calipari's system.

That means something to me.

If Calipari's system is such a numbers killer for guards, then why didn't it hurt those other player's stats as much?