2016 Draft

[Krush32]

I would really like to see Valentine here. He brings alot of versatility and some ball handling. Scares me everytime PJ Tucker dribbles the ball! He has a consistent jumper, and plays really smart. BBall IQ is one thing we are really missing.

[Bogyo]

I would really like to see Valentine here. He brings alot of versatility and some ball handling. Scares me everytime PJ Tucker dribbles the ball! He has a consistent jumper, and plays really smart. BBall IQ is one thing we are really missing.

I don't think he'll ever be more than a 6th man type in the NBA. He is a 6'5 SG who is not the best shooter nor very athletic - a homless mans Green at the wing? Yes, but nothing to write home about. If he is there with the Cle pick, I think about it, but that also means that Archie is not in our future plans and Booker and TJ will have less minutes as well if we want to play him - which would be likely since he is a senior.

[Krush32]

I would really like to see Valentine here. He brings alot of versatility and some ball handling. Scares me everytime PJ Tucker dribbles the ball! He has a consistent jumper, and plays really smart. BBall IQ is one thing we are really missing.

I don't think he'll ever be more than a 6th man type in the NBA. He is a 6'5 SG who is not the best shooter nor very athletic - a homless mans Green at the wing? Yes, but nothing to write home about. If he is there with the Cle pick, I think about it, but that also means that Archie is not in our future plans and Booker and TJ will have less minutes as well if we want to play him - which would be likely since he is a senior.

He's actually a really good shooter. 44% shooting over 7 attempts per game. He would be taking PJ's mins and I could see him knocking down that corner 3 that PJ has struggled with this season. He's not a star but he will be a solid rotation player for a long time. He has the ability to get the rebound and start off the break himself rather than waiting for a pg to come get the ball all the time. NBA nowadays is big on versatility and being able to guard multiple positions when you have to switch on defense. I dont see too many prospects after #10 that can be a solid rotation player next year and Mcdonough has some pressure on him to improve the team asap.

Archie hasnt proven hes able to defend in the nba yet. I like him but his game is too inconsistent.

[Bogyo]

He is 6'5, and about 220, while not too athletic. I think he would struggle against most SFs both ways. He is slotted late teens early twenties for a reason - thats the range where we dont have any picks.

[Saberestar]

Buddy Hield with another outstanding performance...what a skillset and he plays with high energy, his motor is great. I think he is the more sure thing in this draft, you know what's you are gonna get with him.

Right now I only have Ingram and Simmons over him in my mental board. He is neck to neck with Bender and Brown for that third best prospect in this draft.

If he was two years younger he would be a lock for a top three selection in June. Because of his age he is more suited to go between #5 and #8.

[Saberestar]

He is 6'5, and about 220, while not too athletic. I think he would struggle against most SFs both ways. He is slotted late teens early twenties for a reason - thats the range where we dont have any picks.

I think he is gonna be a wing in the pros. He can play SG or SF depending on match ups (6'10 wingspan). I would be OK drafting him with the Wizards pick, not my favourite player by any means but I understand his value and his potential in the league.

His stock is gonna be higher on June...Chad Ford has him #14 now.

[Mulhollanddrive]

On the Hield numbers prototype:

Curry, Lillard, Thompson, McCollum were shooters who weren't taken top 5 because they played 3 / 4 years in college and weren't great athletes.

It's an undervalued prototype - proven shooting numbers from experienced college players.

Guards taken ahead of their picks - Flynn, Rubio, Evans, Turner, Knight, Walker, Waiters, Oladipo, Beal, McLemore, Burke.

All younger, more athletic, worse players.

Not a single one better than any of the 4 mentioned.

History favours Buddy Hield.

[Saberestar]

On the Hield numbers prototype:

Curry, Lillard, Thompson, McCollum were shooters who weren't taken top 5 because they played 3 / 4 years in college.

It's an undervalued prototype of proven shooting numbers from experienced college players.

Example of guards taken ahead of their picks - Flynn, Rubio, Evans, Turner, Knight, Walker, Waiters, Oladipo, Beal, McLemore, Burke.

All younger, more athletic, worse players. The Buddy Hield most similiar 4 are all better than every guard taken ahead.

Yeah, that is why I am closer to prefer Hield over every player on the draft no named Ingram or Simmons.

All can change after some Bender's workouts of course, but we will see.

[Mulhollanddrive]

I suspect people don't want to believe Hield (or Murray) would be the BPA at our pick, because we already have Booker.

Passing on the BPA with an elite pick is a disaster waiting to happen.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Can Hield guard the 1? Because a Booker/Hield back court works on offense, but it only works on defense if one of them can guard the opposing PG.

It would also be nice to have a true PG as a back-up - Ulis is the obvious fit there. But Valentine could also work. Instead of running three point guards, lets run three shooting guards!

[Bogyo]

Can Hield guard the 1? Because a Booker/Hield back court works on offense, but it only works on defense if one of them can guard the opposing PG.

It would also be nice to have a true PG as a back-up - Ulis is the obvious fit there. But Valentine could also work. Instead of running three point guards, lets run three shooting guards!

I think he could guard the 1, becouse he is big enough, his speed would be one question, and our distribution / ball handling the other. Neither he nor Book is a PG in any way shape or form...
But I do like the 3 SGs better than the 3 PGs, thats for sure!

[saintEscaton]

Hield could be anything between Jodie Meeks 2.0 and CJ McCollum, but how will we accommodate him in this logjammed backcourt? We are gunna use a Top 10 pick on a Sixth Man? He''s a great kid with a killer work ethic but I have my reservations with late bloomers he has taken an astronomical leap from his junior year , could be a flukey aberration. He has a TS% near 70% which is unheard of.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Neither he nor Book is a PG in any way shape or form...

“In any way shape or form”??? I simply don’t understand this perspective. Does he have a distributor's mindset? Can he run the P&R efficiently, creating for others while limiting turnovers? The answer is yes and yes. Size isn’t a problem, it’s an advantage. Shooting isn’t a problem, it’s an advantage. So why do people say things like this? Is it simply narrow-mindedness?

[saintEscaton]

Neither he nor Book is a PG in any way shape or form...

“In any way shape or form”??? I simply don’t understand this perspective. Does he have a distributor's mindset? Can he run the P&R efficiently, creating for others while limiting turnovers? The answer is yes and yes. Size isn’t a problem, it’s an advantage. Shooting isn’t a problem, it’s an advantage. So why do people say things like this? Is it simply narrow-mindedness?

Booker is a secondary playmaker who shouldn't be tasked with running a halfcourt offense, that will only hamper his long term development, he's like the SG version of Hayward . A 15% Assist Rate is above average for his position but subpar by PG standards.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Neither he nor Book is a PG in any way shape or form...

“In any way shape or form”??? I simply don’t understand this perspective. Does he have a distributor's mindset? Can he run the P&R efficiently, creating for others while limiting turnovers? The answer is yes and yes. Size isn’t a problem, it’s an advantage. Shooting isn’t a problem, it’s an advantage. So why do people say things like this? Is it simply narrow-mindedness?

Booker is a secondary playmaker who shouldn't be tasked with running a halfcourt offense, that will only hamper his long term development, he's like the SG version of Hayward . A 15% Assist Rate is above average for his position but subpar by PG standards.

Do you think Giannis’s assist rate has changed since Kidd move him to PG? This looks like a misuse of statistics to me. All you gotta do is watch the games.

[bwgood77]

“In any way shape or form”??? I simply don’t understand this perspective. Does he have a distributor's mindset? Can he run the P&R efficiently, creating for others while limiting turnovers? The answer is yes and yes. Size isn’t a problem, it’s an advantage. Shooting isn’t a problem, it’s an advantage. So why do people say things like this? Is it simply narrow-mindedness?

Booker is a secondary playmaker who shouldn't be tasked with running a halfcourt offense, that will only hamper his long term development, he's like the SG version of Hayward . A 15% Assist Rate is above average for his position but subpar by PG standards.

Do you think Giannis’s assist rate has changed since Kidd move him to PG? This looks like a misuse of statistics to me. All you gotta do is watch the games.

Yeah, the kid is 19 and barely played half the season. I would take any assist rate #s with a grain of salt and I don't think anyone should try to encapsulate Booker on what he can become.

[Saberestar]

Hield could be anything between Jodie Meeks 2.0 and CJ McCollum, but how will we accommodate him in this logjammed backcourt? We are gunna use a Top 10 pick on a Sixth Man? He''s a great kid with a killer work ethic but I have my reservations with late bloomers he has taken an astronomical leap from his junior year , could be a flukey aberration. He has a TS% near 70% which is unheard of.

We are a terrible team right now. We need talent everywhere.

We are playing big minutes players like Price, Knight and Tucker...hopefully Price and Knight are not here next year and Tucker plays 16 minutes at most like an energy guy coming from the bench.

We have only three good players on our backcourt in Bledsoe, Booker and Warren. We need more of them, and Hield can be perfect here.

If he is the BPA when we pick we need to select him...do not matter if he is SG or whatever.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Oh and Hield >>> McCollum. No question in my mind.

[bwgood77]

Stock up

Brandon Ingram
Duke
Freshman
Forward

He has been very aggressive and his versatility really shined -- there's very little he can't do. He can shoot it, handle the ball, see the floor, rebound and guard multiple positions.

His lack of strength was evident at times with his inability to finish at the rim. His jump shot remains streaky. And the competition has been pretty weak, as neither team had anyone who could really match up with him.

But the very fact that he's the last elite prospect still playing next weekend helps his cause. For those looking at getting off the Ben Simmons bandwagon, Ingram is providing a compelling alternative.


Buddy Hield
Oklahoma
Senior
Guard

While so many of the top prospects in the draft have underperformed in March, Hield continued his amazing run by dropping 27 points against Cal State Bakersfield and 36 against VCU on Sunday. The VCU performance was especially impressive. After being held to seven points in the first half, Hield exploded for 29 in the second, including scoring 21 of the last 25 points for Oklahoma.

Hield's lack of elite size and his age are the only things holding him back from being a top-three pick. But given how much the rest of the top-10 picks have struggled, if he landed in the top five on draft night I wouldn't be shocked. His shooting, motor, length, athleticism and fearlessness make him an intriguing prospect.

Thomas Bryant
Indiana
Freshman
Center

Bryant might lack elite athleticism, but, man, he has been good. He outplayed Kentucky's bigs on Saturday, hit a key shot in the final minutes of the game and then topped it off with two clutch free throws.

Bryant's length, soft touch, and motor make him an attractive prospect in the No. 12 to No. 20 range if he declares for the draft.

OG Anunoby
Indiana
Freshman
Center

Anunoby is the real sleeper prospect to emerge from the first two rounds. He played sparingly in the first half of his freshman season but has been coming on lately. You could argue he has been Indiana's best player in the tournament.

His combination of elite athleticism, length, NBA body, defensive versatility and shooting ability make him a very attractive 3-and-D prospect. He's raw -- and not ready -- but his defense on Jamal Murray led more than one scout to declare he could be a defensive star in the NBA right now.

It's unlikely he'll declare for the draft, but if he keeps having big performances for Indiana? Who knows? With so little upside in the second half of the first round, to see Anunoby in the No. 15 to No. 25 range is not out of the question.

Tyler Ulis
Kentucky
Sophomore
Guard

Ulis has to be devastated at Saturday's outcome, but he played his heart out, scoring 27 points, shooting 3-for-6 from 3 and generally carrying Kentucky the whole game.

His lack of size is the only thing keeping him from being a top-five pick. But the more I talk to scouts, the more I'm convinced it might not keep him out of the late lottery.

Last week I thought his range was No. 20 to No. 30. After talking to NBA folks this weekend, I'm revising that to No. 12 to No. 20. After Murray and Kris Dunn, I'm not sure there's a better point guard prospect in the draft.



Domantas Sabonis
Gonzaga
Sophomore
Forward

Sabonis had a crazy good weekend, scoring 21 points and grabbing 16 rebounds against Seton Hall, then following that up with 19 points and 10 rebounds against Utah.

Not only was he efficient offensively and on the boards, but he completely shut down Jakob Poeltl, a projected top-10 pick. Watching them on the floor together, it looked as if Sabonis, not Poeltl, was the guy scouts were pegging for the top 10.

His stock has been rising for weeks and I think his strong play this weekend just helped it again. He has a good shot at the late lottery, especially if he continues his tear next week.


Ben Bentil
Providence
Sophomore
Forward

Bentil fouled out with more than seven minutes left in the North Carolina game, but it didn't stop NBA scouts from raving about him.

He's a true inside-outside player who can score from anywhere. He's strong and a good athlete, but is just a bit undersized and still a little wild on the court.

"He's got everything he needs to succeed in the NBA," one GM said. "He just needs more time."

I'm not sure if he'll declare for the draft, but I think a range of No. 20 to No. 35 is pretty realistic. And if he has great workouts, the lottery isn't out of the question.

Stock down

Jaylen Brown
Cal
Freshman
Forward

Brown is in the midst of a massive slump and that continued in Cal's loss to Hawaii. He had only four points with seven turnovers and shot 1-for-6 from the field in only 17 minutes before fouling out. In the past five games, Brown is shooting 10-for-48 from the field and 2-for-12 from 3.

With his shot not falling, he's reverted to bully ball, using his athleticism to force his way to the basket. It's not a good look.

Still, I don't think his draft stock will be affected too much. His elite athletic profile is so intriguing for scouts. Ditto for his motor and toughness. He's going to need a jump shot to open up his game in the NBA, but given the weakness of the draft outside the top three, I still think his range is No. 3 to No. 8.

Jakob Poeltl
Utah
Sophomore
Center

Poetl looked strong against Fresno State on Thursday, scoring 16 points and grabbing 18 rebounds, but he really struggled Saturday. Sabonis dominated him on both ends and Poeltl finished the game with only five points and four rebounds -- his worst performance of the season.

For the scouts who worry that Poeltl still struggles against length and strength, this performance validates them. He's likely to declare for the draft, and I still think he's in the No. 6 to No. 10 range, but this performance raises enough questions that it's no longer a foregone conclusion.

Skal Labissiere
Kentucky
Freshman
Center/forward

Labissiere showed flashes of being a lottery pick against Stony Brook, scoring 12 points and blocking six shots. But against a much stronger opponent in Indiana he reverted back to being a nonfactor and wasn't even on the court down the stretch for UK.

His height, shooting and shot-blocking ability make him an attractive prospect. However, his lack of strength, aggressiveness and ability to play in the paint -- combined with lackluster production -- give teams pause.

Most scouts are hoping he returns to UK for a sophomore season. If he declares, it's pretty tough to peg his stock. I think it's somewhere between No. 7 and No. 20. But that's a very wide range.

Stock neutral

Jamal Murray
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard

Murray has been red hot from 3 for the past month, but he met his match Saturday in Anunoby. Being guarded by a long, athletic 6-foot-8 defender forced Murray into a number of bad shots. He ended up only 7-of-18 from the field (1-for-9 from 3-point range).

The game exacerbated concerns scouts have about Murray's ability to play against elite athletes with length, but given that most scouts feel he'll be a point guard at the next level, it's unlikely he'll be guarded by guys like Anunoby on a nightly basis. With Kentucky out of the tournament, look for Murray to declare for the draft soon and to go in the No. 4 to No. 8 range on draft night.

Kris Dunn
Providence
Junior
Guard

Dunn had 29 points against North Carolina and shot 8-for-10 from the 3-point line in Providence's two games. Those are both big pluses, especially given scouts' concerns about his jump shot. But a blowout loss to UNC and the problems posed by the Tar Heels' Justin Jackson temper the enthusiasm a bit.

Some scouts love him and think he's a lock for the top five. Others are more wary. I think he'll end up in the No. 3 to No. 8 range on draft night.

Ivan Rabb
Cal
Freshman
Forward/center

Rabb had a double-double in Cal's loss to Hawaii. He has been much better than his teammate Jaylen Brown down the stretch, and though scouts feel he needs to get stronger and continue to improve his perimeter game, he's looked at as a mid to late lottery pick in the No. 8 to No. 14 range.


Denzel Valentine
Michigan State
Senior
Forward/guard

The Spartans' loss to Middle Tennessee in the first round was one of the biggest tournament upsets ever. It was a typical Valentine game in some ways. He had 13 points, 12 assists and 6 rebounds. However, his six turnovers didn't help things.

One game won't erase a four-year career and it looks more and more as if Valentine is now in the No. 12 to No. 20 range in the draft.

Deyonta Davis
Michigan State
Freshman
Forward

Davis was solid with 10 points, three rebounds and a block in 15 minutes of play. He's raw and would probably be best served by returning for his sophomore year. But if he declares, he's likely going in the No. 10 to 15 range.

http://espn.go.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/15027574/chad-ford-ncaa-tournament-draft-stock-watch-nba-draft-2016

[thamadkant]

Oh and Hield >>> McCollum. No question in my mind.

That is a big call considering NBA adaption is not a given.


McCollum is a 20ppg player with good range and fundamentals.