2016-2017 College Basketball / '17 NBA Draft Thread

[Arsenal]

Jayson Tatum playing better and better. Not sure if I'd prefer him or Jonathan Isaac at this point.

[Negrodamus]

Jayson Tatum playing better and better. Not sure if I'd prefer him or Jonathan Isaac at this point.

I'm team Tatum at this point.

[LloydFree]

I must admit, Tatum is the safer pick between he and Isaac at this point. It's easy to say as a fan, that I would take the higher upside guy. But if I'm a GM, it's hard to bet on Isaac's body developing fast enough to justify the pick.

[shawn_hemp]

I'd still take Isaac.

Tatum seems like he is moving in quicksand out there

[cksdayoff]

realistically speaking, i want donovan mitchell with one of our picks

[Arsenal]

With the Boogie trade to NO, it's time to start thinking about Ball vs. Fultz vs. Jackson.

Thanks Hinkie. Like Embiid said, you're the GOAT.

[PLO]

With the Boogie trade to NO, it's time to start thinking about Ball vs. Fultz vs. Jackson.

Thanks Hinkie. Like Embiid said, you're the GOAT.

If we have two top 10 picks at this stage I want Jackson and the next someone like Monk; if we just have the one pick in the top 10 and have the choice, Fultz.

[shawn_hemp]

I still think they'd have to go with Josh Jackson right?

There's so many more options in FA at Point Guard than Shooting Guard.

Even someone like Patty Mills would make this a playoff team next to Jackson, Covington, Simmons, and Embiid

[Kobblehead]

Miami at Virginia tonight.

Looking forward to seeing Davon Reed and Bruce Brown go up against the vaunted Tony Bennett defense.

[shawn_hemp]

ok ive been trying to keep a pessimistic view of our lottery night luck in this thread but now im going to do the exact opposite

Lets say we walk into the best case scenario of getting the #1 and #4 pick (chances are higher than they were 24 hours ago)

who do you guys think we should take?

I'll include myself in this group, but I feel like there has been hesitation to even entertain this idea as it being too good to be true.

but now, why not?

I'd see it going something like this

1. Sixers (from SAC swap): Markelle Fultz - whether you think he is the best player or not, he seems to be the best fit for our team and looks to be the most natural and prototypical scorer in the draft. Also plays a lot better defense than Malik Monk, who would be 2nd on that list IMO

2. Celtics (from BKN swap): Lonzo Ball - feel like this would allow them to move on from Avery Bradley. I know Ball is more of a PG skill set but I also feel like Isiah Thomas is really just an undersized SG so their guards would essentially just switch on defense. Im not sure if that would be a good decision, but I think that is how they would see it. Im not as high on Lonzo as a lot of people, cant really put a finger on why. I think he is very talented, but he is also getting a lot of hype due to playing on a very good team that puts up a lot of points (basically his entire family is guilty of this). I dont really see anything that would show him to be a good defender at the next level. He gets killed on screens.

3. Phoenix: Josh Jackson - PHX is in a weird spot in that they already have a fair amount of young prospects on their team and they will have to give up on some of them soon. Im assuming Bledsoe will remain there, which means they go with the BPA in Josh Jackson. Even though TJ Warren looked to be improving this year, you cant pass on JJ. Also, drafting JJ makes them more capable of trading Booker, who seems to be looking awesome one week, and regressing the next two.

4. Sixers (from LAL): Jonathan Isaac - I know a lot of people like Jayson Tatum as well but I feel like he hasnt shown enough to separate himself from Isaac this year. Their athletic ability is about the same, except Isaac has a longer wingspan and is an inch or two taller.

Here are their stats this year, see if you can determine which one is Isaac and which one is Tatum (no cheating!)

Spoiler:

The first one is Tatum, second one is Isaac

Now I get that people see Tatum as a possible 2-3 swingman in the NBA ,whereas Isaac is more of a 3-4 player, but why not just move Roco to 2 and play Isaac at 3? And in another scenario, you can have a lineup where Saric moves to SF after working out over the summer, Simmons plays at 4, Roco at 2, and Isaac comes off the bench at PF with TLC off the bench at SF

I just feel like Isaac will be more suited to switch between SF and PF then Tatum will be to switch between SG and SF. Something about Tatum just makes me hesitant. Whereas, with Isaac, im struggling to figure out why he isnt getting serious consideration as a top-2 pick to Boston. I cant really find any holes in his game besides he doesnt have a PG's ball handling skills but he also isnt a PG so....

just where my head was at after the Kings trade. Not going to go fully in-depth to a mock draft before the order even comes out, that would be a waste of time IMO

[Arsenal]

If we get #1 and #4, I do this:

1) Lonzo Ball
4) Jayson Tatum

I assume Fultz and Jackson would go #2 and #3. My new board for us:

1) Lonzo Ball
2) Josh Jackson
3) Markelle Fultz
4) Jayson Tatum
5) Jonathan Isaac
6) Malik Monk

Hopefully we end up with 2 of these guys.

[Mik317]

I'd take Jackson 1st and then get your "pg" at 4.

[LloydFree]

If we get #1 and #4, I do this:

1) Lonzo Ball
4) Jayson Tatum

I assume Fultz and Jackson would go #2 and #3. My new board for us:

1) Lonzo Ball
2) Josh Jackson
3) Markelle Fultz
4) Jayson Tatum
5) Jonathan Isaac
6) Malik Monk

Hopefully we end up with 2 of these guys.

If we get #1 and number 4, I take Ball and Isaac. With Ball or Jackson in hand, I can afford to take a bigger chance on higher upside at #4. That said, Jackson and Dennis Smith would be very tempting.

I just love the thought of how the 76ers would look on offense with Simmons and Ball moving the basketball around Embiid. I think I could make myself watch something like that for the next 7 years.

[SparksFly87]

76ers need to just use the picks to grab the can't miss project in this draft whether Fultz, Ball or Jackson. All about franchise level talent.

[mrfantast1c]

If we get #1 and #4, I do this:

1) Lonzo Ball
4) Jayson Tatum

I assume Fultz and Jackson would go #2 and #3. My new board for us:

1) Lonzo Ball
2) Josh Jackson
3) Markelle Fultz
4) Jayson Tatum
5) Jonathan Isaac
6) Malik Monk

Hopefully we end up with 2 of these guys.

Why don't you have Dennis Smith on your board? if Smith was there at 4 I can't pass that up. IMO Smith Fultz and Ball are all close. His game is tailor made for the NBA.. I think he will come in and have a Lillard like impact from day one. Please Share your thought process

[Arsenal]

If we get #1 and #4, I do this:

1) Lonzo Ball
4) Jayson Tatum

I assume Fultz and Jackson would go #2 and #3. My new board for us:

1) Lonzo Ball
2) Josh Jackson
3) Markelle Fultz
4) Jayson Tatum
5) Jonathan Isaac
6) Malik Monk

Hopefully we end up with 2 of these guys.

Why don't you have Dennis Smith on your board? if Smith was there at 4 I can't pass that up. IMO Smith Fultz and Ball are all close. His game is tailor made for the NBA.. I think he will come in and have a Lillard like impact from day one. Please Share your thought process

I have Dennis Smith at #7 behind the guys I have listed. Agree that Lillard is his upside, however all the guys I listed have higher upside. I find Lillard to be overrated by fans, but obviously not by coaches since they never pick him for the All-Star game lol.

[smittybanton]

If we get #1 and #4, I do this:

1) Lonzo Ball
4) Jayson Tatum

I assume Fultz and Jackson would go #2 and #3. My new board for us:

1) Lonzo Ball
2) Josh Jackson
3) Markelle Fultz
4) Jayson Tatum
5) Jonathan Isaac
6) Malik Monk

Hopefully we end up with 2 of these guys.

My first inclination is to go Lonzo Ball and Tatum. However, upon further review, and considering the fact that good guards always come out of the second round and other places, I would seriously consider taking Josh Jackson first, then taking either Lonzo Ball, Fultz or Tatum with #4. If Ball and Fultz go #2 and #3, I'd be totally okay with Jackson and Tatum, because we can get a point guard in the 2nd round (Devonte Graham, Juwan Evans, etc.) or free agency. Remember, we have Jerryd Bayless in the back pocket. Simmons, Jackson, Tatum, Saric and Embiid would be the greatest assembly of ballhandling tall people ever.

[JojoSlimbiid]

With #1 and #4 I'd take Jackson and DSJ/Monk.

With just #1 I'd take Fultz

With just #4 I'd take Issac.

[mrfantast1c]

I have Dennis Smith at #7 behind the guys I have listed. Agree that Lillard is his upside, however all the guys I listed have higher upside. I find Lillard to be overrated by fans, but obviously not by coaches since they never pick him for the All-Star game lol.

Hmm I see where you are coming from. IMO if we want to make this into something special, we have to have those dynamic guys that can take over. Defense is important of course, but with biid/Nerlens/Cov/Simmons/TJ we are pretty much stacked with good defenders.

I think Fultz/Smith and to a lesser extent Ball,
would have a greater impact on our long term success because of the offensive versatility they bring to the roster. The things that Fultz/Smith can do with the ball will bring a new dimension to the team. I don't see that from Isaac. Tatum could be that type of guy one day, but Fultz/Smith are almost guaranteed to be offensive superstars.

[LloydFree]

If we get #1 and #4, I do this:

1) Lonzo Ball
4) Jayson Tatum

I assume Fultz and Jackson would go #2 and #3. My new board for us:

1) Lonzo Ball
2) Josh Jackson
3) Markelle Fultz
4) Jayson Tatum
5) Jonathan Isaac
6) Malik Monk

Hopefully we end up with 2 of these guys.

Why don't you have Dennis Smith on your board? if Smith was there at 4 I can't pass that up. IMO Smith Fultz and Ball are all close. His game is tailor made for the NBA.. I think he will come in and have a Lillard like impact from day one. Please Share your thought process

I have Dennis Smith at #7 behind the guys I have listed. Agree that Lillard is his upside, however all the guys I listed have higher upside. I find Lillard to be overrated by fans, but obviously not by coaches since they never pick him for the All-Star game lol.

You think Tatum and Monk have more upside than Dennis Smith? I don't see that at all. Dennis Smith has All-star quality talent, if he figures out how to give consistent effort.