2020 NBA Draft

[azcatz11]

I don’t know why, I feel so uncomfortable with LaMelo at the top. First I wonder about his body, if it’ll be similar to Lonzo’s, I wonder about his jumper and I worry about who he is as a person. Having watched him almost all of his high school career I have some serious doubts. But people grow and change, specifically kids. And I’m sure hes gone through a lot with that rollercoaster of family drama. Plus one of his best friends had heart surgery. And he left the US to play overseas as a kid. I wonder if those life experiences made him a better player. He’s a really good player right now, I’m just uneasy putting him up there.

What's the trajectory for a PG without a jumper to be drafted high?

[clyde21]

I don’t know why, I feel so uncomfortable with LaMelo at the top. First I wonder about his body, if it’ll be similar to Lonzo’s, I wonder about his jumper and I worry about who he is as a person. Having watched him almost all of his high school career I have some serious doubts. But people grow and change, specifically kids. And I’m sure hes gone through a lot with that rollercoaster of family drama. Plus one of his best friends had heart surgery. And he left the US to play overseas as a kid. I wonder if those life experiences made him a better player. He’s a really good player right now, I’m just uneasy putting him up there.

What's the trajectory for a PG without a jumper to be drafted high?

Ja just went 2nd

[Ruzious]

So, Paul Reed. Is he going to shoot up in the mock drafts? How does he compare as a prospect to Brandon Clarke?

[Mecca]

I don’t know why, I feel so uncomfortable with LaMelo at the top. First I wonder about his body, if it’ll be similar to Lonzo’s, I wonder about his jumper and I worry about who he is as a person. Having watched him almost all of his high school career I have some serious doubts. But people grow and change, specifically kids. And I’m sure hes gone through a lot with that rollercoaster of family drama. Plus one of his best friends had heart surgery. And he left the US to play overseas as a kid. I wonder if those life experiences made him a better player. He’s a really good player right now, I’m just uneasy putting him up there.

What's the trajectory for a PG without a jumper to be drafted high?

Ja just went 2nd

Ja is an athletic specimen, plays with fire under his ass, elite character.

[Ambrose]

What's the trajectory for a PG without a jumper to be drafted high?

Ja just went 2nd

Ja is an athletic specimen, plays with fire under his ass, elite character.

Also, on what planet doesn't Ja have a jumper? He shot 36% last season from 3 and is at 42% this season. He's a good FT shooter. LaMelo has been shooting 25% from deep for the last 3-4 years.

[clyde21]

Ja just went 2nd

Ja is an athletic specimen, plays with fire under his ass, elite character.

Also, on what planet doesn't Ja have a jumper? He shot 36% last season from 3 and is at 42% this season. He's a good FT shooter. LaMelo has been shooting 25% from deep for the last 3-4 years.

1) I never made an argument either regarding whether LaMelo should be draft that high, I was answering his question

2) Ja's jumpshot was BY FAR his biggest weakness as a prospect. this isn't new information, look at his draft prospect thread.

[Ambrose]

Ja is an athletic specimen, plays with fire under his ass, elite character.

Also, on what planet doesn't Ja have a jumper? He shot 36% last season from 3 and is at 42% this season. He's a good FT shooter. LaMelo has been shooting 25% from deep for the last 3-4 years.

1) I never made an argument either regarding whether LaMelo should be draft that high, I was answering his question

2) Ja's jumpshot was BY FAR his biggest weakness as a prospect. this isn't new information, look at his draft prospect thread.

I view 'not having a jumper' and 'his jumper is a weakness but decent' as two completely different things. Probably just semantics.

[clyde21]

Also, on what planet doesn't Ja have a jumper? He shot 36% last season from 3 and is at 42% this season. He's a good FT shooter. LaMelo has been shooting 25% from deep for the last 3-4 years.

1) I never made an argument either regarding whether LaMelo should be draft that high, I was answering his question

2) Ja's jumpshot was BY FAR his biggest weakness as a prospect. this isn't new information, look at his draft prospect thread.

I view 'not having a jumper' and 'his jumper is a weakness but decent' as two completely different things. Probably just semantics.

J's jumper in college was bad, it was/still is super mechanical, not much follow through and doesn't really have a high release point, LaMelo also has a lot of mechanical issues with shot. it's a weakness for both.

also, Ja shot less than 4 threes a game in college, LaMelo shoots twice that, so the percentages aren't exactly apples to apples.

[Ambrose]

1) I never made an argument either regarding whether LaMelo should be draft that high, I was answering his question

2) Ja's jumpshot was BY FAR his biggest weakness as a prospect. this isn't new information, look at his draft prospect thread.

I view 'not having a jumper' and 'his jumper is a weakness but decent' as two completely different things. Probably just semantics.

J's jumper in college was bad, it was/still is super mechanical, not much follow through and doesn't really have a high release point, LaMelo also has a lot of mechanical issues with shot. it's a weakness for both.

There is a big difference between 36% in college, 42% on low volume in the NBA vs. 25% on high volume in the NBL. They are not close to the same thing.

[clyde21]

I view 'not having a jumper' and 'his jumper is a weakness but decent' as two completely different things. Probably just semantics.

J's jumper in college was bad, it was/still is super mechanical, not much follow through and doesn't really have a high release point, LaMelo also has a lot of mechanical issues with shot. it's a weakness for both.

There is a big difference between 36% in college, 42% on low volume in the NBA vs. 25% on high volume in the NBL. They are not close to the same thing.

again, not apples to apples, LaMelo shoots a lot more, attempts more difficult shots, the point is that shooting for both was/is a weakness, the poster asked what PG drafted that high had that issue...and I answered Ja.

this isn't that difficult.

[Ambrose]

J's jumper in college was bad, it was/still is super mechanical, not much follow through and doesn't really have a high release point, LaMelo also has a lot of mechanical issues with shot. it's a weakness for both.

There is a big difference between 36% in college, 42% on low volume in the NBA vs. 25% on high volume in the NBL. They are not close to the same thing.

again, not apples to apples, LaMelo shoots a lot more, attempts more difficult shots, the point is that shooting for both was/is a weakness, the poster act what PG drafted that high had that issue...and I answered Ja.

this isn't that difficult.

I agree, it's not. You're just wrong. Below average and terrible aren't the same thing.

[clyde21]

There is a big difference between 36% in college, 42% on low volume in the NBA vs. 25% on high volume in the NBL. They are not close to the same thing.

again, not apples to apples, LaMelo shoots a lot more, attempts more difficult shots, the point is that shooting for both was/is a weakness, the poster act what PG drafted that high had that issue...and I answered Ja.

this isn't that difficult.

I agree, it's not. You're just wrong. Below average and terrible aren't the same thing.

they were both terrible shooters. Ja wasn't good at all shooting. 34% on 3.8 attempts at Murray St. is not good at all, especially for a PG. it's not that much better than 25% on double and more difficult shots.

[doordoor123]

again, not apples to apples, LaMelo shoots a lot more, attempts more difficult shots, the point is that shooting for both was/is a weakness, the poster act what PG drafted that high had that issue...and I answered Ja.

this isn't that difficult.

I agree, it's not. You're just wrong. Below average and terrible aren't the same thing.

they were both terrible shooters. Ja wasn't good at all shooting. 34% on 3.8 attempts at Murray St. is not good at all, especially for a PG. it's not that much better than 25% on double and more difficult shots.

Wasn’t Kris Dunn shooting 37% from 3 at one point?

[Jamaaliver]

Anyone know much about this kid? He seems like a solid combo guard option to develop off the bench behind Trae. He could be a solid backup for Trae Young.

Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL Basket

Height: 6’4” | Weight: 175 | Age: 18

Maledon is arguably the top international-born player in this draft class, coming off a successful 2018-19 season with ASVEL in which he averaged 14.5 points, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals per 36 minutes and shot 38% from three-point range on 4.3 attempts per game. Those totals are made all the more impressive given he played the entire season as a 17-year-old. Maledon’s size and natural, fluid athleticism coupled with a disciplined approach has helped set him apart at a young age, and he may end up perceived as one of the players with the highest floors in this class. Stylistically, he’s more of a straight-line attacker and ball-screen distributor than someone who’s going to go get a bucket. But coupled with his ability to catch and shoot from outside, multi-positional defensive potential and nice intangibles, Maledon’s all-around game and fast-tracked learning curve all bode well long-term. He’s already part of the French senior national program, and his club team is owned by Tony Parker, who has helped groom him over the past couple of years.

He’s not overly flashy, but there’s a lot to like. Maledon’s defensive potential and size makes him a viable fit [in Atlanta].

SI.com

[No-Man]

Really do not know what to do with Trayce Jackson-Davis, has length, toughness, plays physical, obvious touch, solid mobility and coordination, runs the floor (awesome at stablishing position), motor is there, timing too, he may shoot it if he gets trained towards that, poised, but, he is like 6'9 in shoes with a super long neck, so basically functionally like 6'7, has not shown any dribble ability other than like 1 dribble and go, not bringing much value as a passer (the offense has him as a finisher but people I know who watched him in HS thought he was not a high IQ guy in that sense) and he is kinda under the rim for the most part, can get up and dunk if needed, but not going to be a lob guy (having said that, moves really well around the rim and times his moves too, really nice touch like I mentioned).

He reminds me of Brandon Clarke, with more length, both arms and neck , and nowhere near the athleticism, I'd say he is about average there

If he were the same player and like 6-11 I'd probably have him as a top5 pick

[No-Man]

If he can be a PF, meaning the shooting getting there, at the moment it isn't, not really attempting much at all, him improving skill wise, has to put it on the floor and at least attack close-outs, pass, etc, I would take him top10

His tools are not bad to in theory become that BUT, hasn't shown any of it yet, so it's all tools based (good balance, poise, low to the ground, long arms, shooting touch, good FT%)

[doordoor123]

Really do not know what to do with Trayce Jackson-Davis, has length, toughness, plays physical, obvious touch, solid mobility and coordination, runs the floor (awesome at stablishing position), motor is there, timing too, he may shoot it if he gets trained towards that, poised, but, he is like 6'9 in shoes with a super long neck, so basically functionally like 6'7, has not shown any dribble ability other than like 1 dribble and go, not bringing much value as a passer (the offense has him as a finisher but people I know who watched him in HS thought he was not a high IQ guy in that sense) and he is kinda under the rim for the most part, can get up and dunk if needed, but not going to be a lob guy (having said that, moves really well around the rim and times his moves too, really nice touch like I mentioned).

He reminds me of Brandon Clarke, with more length, both arms and neck , and nowhere near the athleticism, I'd say he is about average there

If he were the same player and like 6-11 I'd probably have him as a top5 pick

This is the kind of thinking that messes with people. You see the height and make it impact you in a big way. Look at his skill and judge him by that. At the end of the day skill and energy used translates. 6’7 isn’t 6’5 anyway. Montrezl Harrell and Paul Millsap are 6’7. And of course Clarke.

[No-Man]

Clarke and Trez are way more athletic than TJD, both over the rim players with instant leaps, Millsap is a 4, has been an all star as a PF i said that if TJD could play the 4 I would take him lotto

Clarke also showed more dribble drive ability in school, obviously TJD is way younger but hasn't done that so hence why I am talking about projecting theoretically

[HeadtopChunes]

Love these videos

Film Room Breakdown with Anthony Edwards

Watch on YouTube

[clyde21]

Paul Reed is solid, modern NBA combo big, I think he should be a top20 guy probably