Kon Knueppel

[JMAC3]

Would you rather take Kon 5th or Liam McNeely 25th?

[Jcool0]

Would you rather take Kon 5th or Liam McNeely 25th?

McNeely shot 39% overall and 31% from 3 (32% overall and 23% from 3 over his last 11 games). Not sure what positives you are getting from him.

[JMAC3]

Would you rather take Kon 5th or Liam McNeely 25th?

McNeely shot 39% overall and 31% from 3 (32% overall and 23% from 3 over his last 11 games). Not sure what positives you are getting from him.

Yes and Reed Sheppard shot 52% from 3 in college and then under 34% from 3 in the NBA. I’m not saying McNeely is better than Kon but people take 3pt% with certitude.

Liam was rated higher heading into college than Kon went to a much worse team where he played a much tougher role as a primary handler and a lot less open 3s. Had Kon went to UConn and Liam to Duke the gap to me is likely much smaller.

[Jcool0]

Would you rather take Kon 5th or Liam McNeely 25th?

McNeely shot 39% overall and 31% from 3 (32% overall and 23% from 3 over his last 11 games). Not sure what positives you are getting from him.

Yes and Reed Sheppard shot 52% from 3 in college and then under 34% from 3 in the NBA. I’m not saying McNeely is better than Kon but people take 3pt% with certitude.

Liam was rated higher heading into college than Kon went to a much worse team where he played a much tougher role as a primary handler and a lot less open 3s. Had Kon went to UConn and Liam to Duke the gap to me is likely much smaller.

Reed Sheppard didn't play his rookie year. Not sure what that has to do with anything.

[Klomp]

It feels like people are quick to group him in with past busts like Adam Morrison, Jimmer Fredette, Cody Zeller, etc (hmmm I wonder why)....

But if we are going that route, I would actually comp his career projection more towards a Kirk Hinrich. While he never had that elite upside that others in his class had, I think he represents a player who can have a long career in this league as a solid role player.

[greg4012]

It feels like people are quick to group him in with past busts like Adam Morrison, Jimmer Fredette, Cody Zeller, etc (hmmm I wonder why)....

But if we are going that route, I would actually comp his career projection more towards a Kirk Hinrich. While he never had that elite upside that others in his class had, I think he represents a player who can have a long career in this league as a solid role player.

Kirk Hinrich was one of the best guard defenders in the NBA for a stretch (and had a PG game).

Shorter Mike Dunleavy Jr is my comp.

[Klomp]

It feels like people are quick to group him in with past busts like Adam Morrison, Jimmer Fredette, Cody Zeller, etc (hmmm I wonder why)....

But if we are going that route, I would actually comp his career projection more towards a Kirk Hinrich. While he never had that elite upside that others in his class had, I think he represents a player who can have a long career in this league as a solid role player.

Kirk Hinrich was one of the best guard defenders in the NBA for a stretch (and had a PG game).

Shorter Mike Dunleavy Jr is my comp.

I wasn't comparing skill sets

[tmorgan]

But likely skill set matters. What’s likely for Kon besides very nice stationary shooting?

Can he develop as a movement shooter and/or off the dribble shooter? This I think is somewhat likely, but will take some time.
Can he develop as a secondary ball handler and play initiator? This is 50/50 at best, less so under higher intensity defense like the playoffs.
Can he develop as a solid defender? This depends on the mix between experience (which he’ll eventually get) and physical skills (which he won’t).

You can project say 75th percentile outcome Kon as a great shooter off the catch and a solid one off movement, with some playmaking skill playing as a 2 or 3. He can learn enough to be an adequate team defender that still gets targeted in the P&R, especially in the playoffs. He’ll work hard, play smart, and be a bigger plus on offense than he is a minus on defense.

So that’s an optimistic without being unrealistic outcome. What is that worth in this draft? To me, it’s just inside or just outside the lottery. But he’s going to go higher than that, almost assuredly. What I don’t really understand is ‘why’. Are teams so petrified at drafting a bust that they’re willing to draft a guy with obvious physical shortcomings? Charlotte, in particular — we drafted for physical profile and got burned badly last year, so let’s take a guy we know can play and live with the average+ player upside. Seems dumb.

[GiggitySmalls]

I think he's the last player in that tier 3 of wings (Bailey, Fears, Johnson, Edgecombe), so I'd be comfortable taking him at 7 or 8. But I am 95% convinced Charlotte is going to take him at four, because they're the Charlotte Hornets.

yeah we will take him and it will suck. especially after drafting slauan

Kon will look like an all-star next to Salaun.

Not sure if it's because he's that level, or Salaun is that bad at basketball.

[SeattleJazzFan]

Would you rather take Kon 5th or Liam McNeely 25th?

i think this is a fair question. probably mcneeley 25th, tbh.

[EmpireFalls]

yeah we will take him and it will suck. especially after drafting slauan

Kon will look like an all-star next to Salaun.

Not sure if it's because he's that level, or Salaun is that bad at basketball.

Salaun is that bad

Easily the worst top 10 pick Charlotte has ever had

[Bucks4005]

One reason I think a Knueepl isn’t as much of a long shot on defense is the fact that as a SG, he has bulk. This is a big, stronger kid who in a switch has the bulk to not be helpless against a SF/PF type. A lot of great defenders that don’t have the feet you’d expect succeed just because they are stronger than their peers, which Knueppel might have. Like, Dort isn’t the quick footed defender or athlete that Shai or Jalen Williams are, he wins because he’s so damn strong that he doesn’t get overpowered by anyone. Everyone who thinks Knueppel doesn’t have the feet to defend I feel,and underselling this guys strength and bulk. Like, you play him at SG, he’s gonna outweigh most guards every night by about 20 lbs. That physically wears on a player throughout the game, if your able to turn him into that physically wears defender that physically beats an opponent 30 MPG, it could easily work.

[Klomp]

Different play style, but honestly, he's probably not that different physically from what Austin Reaves was coming into the league

[babyjax13]

Different play style, but honestly, he's probably not that different physically from what Austin Reaves was coming into the league

There was a 20 pound weight difference between the two (still 15lbs). Height/wingspan/standing reach all about the same, but despite that their build is really different, Kneuppel is just bigger.

[FarBeyondDriven]

Would you rather take Kon 5th or Liam McNeely 25th?

I will have McNeeley ahead of Kon on my big board

[Klomp]

Read on Twitter

[EvanZ]

One reason I think a Knueepl isn’t as much of a long shot on defense is the fact that as a SG, he has bulk. This is a big, stronger kid who in a switch has the bulk to not be helpless against a SF/PF type. A lot of great defenders that don’t have the feet you’d expect succeed just because they are stronger than their peers, which Knueppel might have. Like, Dort isn’t the quick footed defender or athlete that Shai or Jalen Williams are, he wins because he’s so damn strong that he doesn’t get overpowered by anyone. Everyone who thinks Knueppel doesn’t have the feet to defend I feel,and underselling this guys strength and bulk. Like, you play him at SG, he’s gonna outweigh most guards every night by about 20 lbs. That physically wears on a player throughout the game, if your able to turn him into that physically wears defender that physically beats an opponent 30 MPG, it could easily work.

He could easily suck on d, but I agree there's some chance he's ok. The one guy I always think about and it's not a coincidence because I'm a Warriors fan is Klay Thompson. He was supposed to be a terrible defender coming out. Was never a great athlete. Hardly ever dunked. But he was big enough and moved pretty well laterally and turned out to be a very good defender for a decade. Having said that, it should be noted his wingspan was around 6'11", so he definitely had a length advantage over Kon. I thought Huerter (who is a better athlete than Kon) would be decent but he turned out to be a **** defender. I still lean towards Kon being bad on d, but you never know for sure until they lace them up for your team.

[ReggiesKnicks]

Would you rather take Kon 5th or Liam McNeely 25th?

I will have McNeeley ahead of Kon on my big board

You two will sleep well at night.

[CptCrunch]

Hornets GM read Jmac's post and said why not both

[bucknut]

White American guard experiment for charlotte

Don't see it. Mcneeley I don't think is a g league player. Couldnt play dead in the nba. Bad shooter unathletic, and has poor balance

Knueepal has some Doug McDermott and hornecek. Back to basket, two feet fundamental player.

But I watched them in college and both struggled putting the ball on the floor in college and looked strainful to get shots off

Think charlotte had the worst draft behind Brooklyn