Fleming vs CMB, who you like more?

[JMAC3]

I think Murray Boyles is pretty overrated, he averaged 2.4 apg, Draymond averaged 4.1 as junior and 3.8 apg a senior.

Just from watching him, I think it's pretty obvious that CMB is a good passer. He just happened to be on a terrible team starved for any kind of offensive talent. Hard to take the raw numbers as an indication of ability for him.

Fleming ends up a 6’9’’ and 240lbs PF who shoots threes and collects stocks.

What am I missing?

Why is this guy ranked often in the 20s? Isn’t this guy an out of the box NBA rotational PF?

I would also draft him higher but I'll point out that his shooting is still a bit of a question mark, and it's not quite clear if he can make a positive impact when his shot isn't falling and when he's forced to make decisions.

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On the question: I think they are in a similar range for me (and I like both of them). CMB is the more talented basketball player but Fleming has an easier path to a clear NBA role. In the range where I'd pick them (probably late lottery but I haven't finalized my board yet) I could see team need factoring into the decision. Gun to my head I think I'd roll the dice on the better basketball player in CMB and hope he uses his natural talent to develop well and can carve out a consistent role.

It is hard to draft a guy that has caveats who doesn't project as an allstar. That is the main issue with CMB to me, he is 4 man who can't shoot at all, so you either are playing him as a small ball 5 and running out a super small team, or you have to pair him with a shooting 5 or your offense likely doesn't work. That is a tall task for me if I am drafting you 13th to then have to consider you in every future roster construction decision.

[EMG518]

Fleming, I think he would be a terror in some lineups as a small ball five and can definitely play the 4 defensively.

Offensively I think he will thrive with more space and less attention.

[TB]

I like both of them a lot but predict their draft day outcome will be different than their career outcome…

I see Fleming rising up the boards on draft day and ending up flirting with a top 10 spot, jumping many players that have consistently been mocked ahead of him. While I see CMB dropping into the teens with teams a bit worried about his size, shooting, and the correct theory that Draymond comps are a bad idea because Draymond is more of a unicorn player than anyone realized.

That being said I think CMB is the better prospect and will have more impact in his career.

Fleming is going to be a good pick imo. He’s not nearly as skilled as Naz but the things Fleming is good at fit the exact archetype that NBA teams want in a stretch big. He’s big enough and tough enough to manage inside with post players. Athletic enough to manage himself defending on the perimeter. Finishes inside on rolls, cuts, drop offs, and glass cleanup. Very solid 3 ball that probably won’t hit the leaderboards but will space the floor very well. Just your prototypical stretch big that should have a chance to handle the role that guys like Naz, John Collins, Obi etc have. And who knows, maybe his intangibles are through the roof and he becomes a better version of those guys, but for now I see those players as what you are hoping to get with Fleming.

As for CMB, I think his top skills are more unique and elite. Again, I don’t want to fully do the Draymond comp because it never works out…. but CMB is one of the rare prospects that has defensive awareness that is multiple steps ahead while also being versatile enough physically to fill every role on the defensive end at any given time. He just instinctually makes All-NBA defense level decisions routinely. And on the offensive side I think his handle is going to be great for a PF allowing him to really push tempo and be a secondary ball-handler as a release valve for PG’s on the roll.. combine that with his plus passing and solid finishing inside, I think he gets by on offense as a good role player that is always impacting things in a winning way… and if his shot (which has decent mechanics) ever comes around and he develops anything going right, he’s going to be a player every team in the NBA wishes they had.

TLDR: Like both of them, think Fleming ends up drafted first, have CMB as the better player when its all said and done.