2023 NBA Draft Thread 3

[thelead]

We have a bright future either way but a top 2 pick could be franchise changing.

[Knightro]

John Hollinger's Top 20

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Scoot Henderson
3. Cam Whitmore
4. Brandon Miller
5. Anthony Black
6. Amen Thompson
7. Ausar Thompson
8. Dereck Lively II
9. Taylor Hendricks
10. Kobe Bufkin
11. Gradey Dick
12. Jarace Walker
13. Cason Wallace
14. Dariq Whitehead
15. Noah Clowney
16. Jaime Jaquez Jr.
17. Bilal Coulibaly
18. Marcus Sasser
19. Leonard Miller
20. Jordan Hawkins

https://theathletic.com/4520965/2023/05/16/nba-draft-2023-hollinger-top-20-prospects/($)

[davey_wavy]

[basketballRob]

John Hollinger's Top 20

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Scoot Henderson
3. Cam Whitmore
4. Brandon Miller
5. Anthony Black
6. Amen Thompson
7. Ausar Thompson
8. Dereck Lively II
9. Taylor Hendricks
10. Kobe Bufkin
11. Gradey Dick
12. Jarace Walker
13. Cason Wallace
14. Dariq Whitehead
15. Noah Clowney
16. Jaime Jaquez Jr.
17. Bilal Coulibaly
18. Marcus Sasser
19. Leonard Miller
20. Jordan Hawkins

https://theathletic.com/4520965/2023/05/16/nba-draft-2023-hollinger-top-20-prospects/($)

Bufkin was 10 on O'Connor's mock also.

I watched tape of him early on when he was a borderline first round pick and saw that he was better than a lot of players projected to be in front of him.

Hopefully, Whitmore drops to us. He won't make it pass Detroit if the fall to 4th or 5th.


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[Petre1978]

People here expect too much.
These expectations to get a top3 will just result in dissapointment if the Magic don't get a top 3.

I am ok with the 7th and 11th pick.

All in all we have to accept where the Magic land,

[jonbob17]

John Hollinger's Top 20

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Scoot Henderson
3. Cam Whitmore
4. Brandon Miller
5. Anthony Black
6. Amen Thompson
7. Ausar Thompson
8. Dereck Lively II
9. Taylor Hendricks
10. Kobe Bufkin
11. Gradey Dick
12. Jarace Walker
13. Cason Wallace
14. Dariq Whitehead
15. Noah Clowney
16. Jaime Jaquez Jr.
17. Bilal Coulibaly
18. Marcus Sasser
19. Leonard Miller
20. Jordan Hawkins

https://theathletic.com/4520965/2023/05/16/nba-draft-2023-hollinger-top-20-prospects/($)

I am not quite as high on Whitmore, or Bufkin, and I am much higher on Wallace, but a pretty good list, though I was hoping that Jaquez, Sasser, or Miller might be available at 36...seems like all might start moving on up.

Looking forward to seeing Kevin Pelton's WAR model on these kids

[Petre1978]

John Hollinger's Top 20

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Scoot Henderson
3. Cam Whitmore
4. Brandon Miller
5. Anthony Black
6. Amen Thompson
7. Ausar Thompson
8. Dereck Lively II
9. Taylor Hendricks
10. Kobe Bufkin
11. Gradey Dick
12. Jarace Walker
13. Cason Wallace
14. Dariq Whitehead
15. Noah Clowney
16. Jaime Jaquez Jr.
17. Bilal Coulibaly
18. Marcus Sasser
19. Leonard Miller
20. Jordan Hawkins

https://theathletic.com/4520965/2023/05/16/nba-draft-2023-hollinger-top-20-prospects/($)

Black at 5. Interesting
Lively at 8. Also interesting

[BCS]

People here expect too much.
These expectations to get a top3 will just result in dissapointment if the Magic don't get a top 3.

I am ok with the 7th and 11th pick.

All in all we have to accept where the Magic land,

I do not think anyone expects to move up but we all hope we do. Just like last year I didn't expect 1st pick, but I sure did hope for it.

No team should expect a top pick as percentages favor the opposite, but to hope, sure.

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[yoyojw17]

People here expect too much.
These expectations to get a top3 will just result in dissapointment if the Magic don't get a top 3.

I am ok with the 7th and 11th pick.

All in all we have to accept where the Magic land,

I dream with zero expectations. Shoot... with the fluidity of this draft 8 and 12 could still be an amazing draft for us. Just can't wait for the WAIT to be over. lol

[VFX]

Picks 2-4: I expect it to be Miller, Scoot, or Whitmore. Probably in that exact order for Orlando.

Picks 6-8: It could be anyone not previously listed. Nothing would surprise me.

Pick 11: Whoever is left over that is a shooter if one wasn't already taken. If one was already selected, then highest upside pick.

Bufkin rising in these mocks does raise my eyebrow though. We know this FO could get cute with drafting another Michigan guy.

[eyriq]

John Hollinger's Top 20

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Scoot Henderson
3. Cam Whitmore
4. Brandon Miller
5. Anthony Black
6. Amen Thompson
7. Ausar Thompson
8. Dereck Lively II
9. Taylor Hendricks
10. Kobe Bufkin
11. Gradey Dick
12. Jarace Walker
13. Cason Wallace
14. Dariq Whitehead
15. Noah Clowney
16. Jaime Jaquez Jr.
17. Bilal Coulibaly
18. Marcus Sasser
19. Leonard Miller
20. Jordan Hawkins

https://theathletic.com/4520965/2023/05/16/nba-draft-2023-hollinger-top-20-prospects/($)

Black at 5. Interesting
Lively at 8. Also interesting

I thought exactly the same thing. No Keyonte though, is there a more divisive player right now? He's either easily top 10 or not even top 20 for people with a lot of people having him in between of course but I'm just saying

[VFX]

John Hollinger's Top 20

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Scoot Henderson
3. Cam Whitmore
4. Brandon Miller
5. Anthony Black
6. Amen Thompson
7. Ausar Thompson
8. Dereck Lively II
9. Taylor Hendricks
10. Kobe Bufkin
11. Gradey Dick
12. Jarace Walker
13. Cason Wallace
14. Dariq Whitehead
15. Noah Clowney
16. Jaime Jaquez Jr.
17. Bilal Coulibaly
18. Marcus Sasser
19. Leonard Miller
20. Jordan Hawkins

https://theathletic.com/4520965/2023/05/16/nba-draft-2023-hollinger-top-20-prospects/($)

Black at 5. Interesting
Lively at 8. Also interesting

I thought exactly the same thing. No Keyonte though, is there a more divisive player right now? He's either easily top 10 or not. Even top 20 for people with a lot of people having them in between of course but I'm just saying

I think there is a segment of the population that just doesn't believe in smaller shooting guards that aren't primary ball handlers in the league. He turns over the ball a lot, so that will limit those chances at being versatile between the two guard spots. He's also kind of a target defensively at 6'3-6'4 and didn't play well against better competition.

[basketballRob]

I'm not really sure that Scoot goes second.

I think lot of GMs will look at Ja Morant and think "can PG who can't shoot really win me playoff games" .

Flip argument is that most GMs leveradge popularity and marketability of star that Scoot can become, regardless of playoff sucess and it will buy them a lot of time before teams fire them. Case and point - took common sense , media & average fans 9 years to figure Embiid is fool's gold in fashion he wants to play.

I think he should fall to 6-8.

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[eyriq]

Black at 5. Interesting
Lively at 8. Also interesting

I thought exactly the same thing. No Keyonte though, is there a more divisive player right now? He's either easily top 10 or not. Even top 20 for people with a lot of people having them in between of course but I'm just saying

I think there is a segment of the population that just doesn't believe in smaller shooting guards that aren't primary ball handlers in the league. He turns over the ball a lot, so that will limit those chances at being versatile between the two guard spots. He's also kind of a target defensively at 6'3-6'4 and didn't play well against better competition.

Yup. Where's badmofopimp when I need him

[orlando_joe]

People here expect too much.
These expectations to get a top3 will just result in dissapointment if the Magic don't get a top 3.

I am ok with the 7th and 11th pick.

All in all we have to accept where the Magic land,

if magic can get hendricks and grady with those picks would not be to bad?

[OrlChamps2030]

Im surprised there’s not more talk around Scoot vs Miller.. the #2 pick seems pretty up in the air

If we do take Scoot what do we do with Fultz? Any chance Portland bites on something based Fultz+Isaac for Simons? Maybe throw in Denver’s pick?

[yoyojw17]

People here expect too much.
These expectations to get a top3 will just result in dissapointment if the Magic don't get a top 3.

I am ok with the 7th and 11th pick.

All in all we have to accept where the Magic land,

if magic can get hendricks and grady with those picks would not be to bad?

I'd be super happy with this outcome too!

There's a lot of options in my opinion that can pan out amazingly for us. Even the George's and Smith's can become absolute steals in the draft. the French players... whitehead.... etc... can all become more than they have shown.

still thinking this will be one of the more talented drafts. not sure bout stars... but even that is a possibility. but i can see a case where are relatively large amount of these draftees become important players on their teams

[JoshuaPotter]

People here expect too much.
These expectations to get a top3 will just result in dissapointment if the Magic don't get a top 3.

I am ok with the 7th and 11th pick.

All in all we have to accept where the Magic land,

I am ok with 7/11 too to be fair.

Today is the day we see if we go higher though. So rather then focus on talent in the 7/11 range might as well shoot for the fences.

TOP 4 all the way! Across the sky!

[Ralof]

Tbh order would matter but not that much to me,#1 aside.

there are players i would not want,projected at every point of the lottery(henderson,black,wallace)so as players i would like so much(whitmore,hendricks,ausar thompson,walker).

good thing in terms of entertainment,nothing seems carved in stone,so between #2 amd #14 everything could happen.

[tiderulz]

People here expect too much.
These expectations to get a top3 will just result in dissapointment if the Magic don't get a top 3.

I am ok with the 7th and 11th pick.

All in all we have to accept where the Magic land,