RealGM

So, some important upcoming dates:

* 2021 NBA Draft Lottery: June 22

* Draft Combine: June 21-27

* Draft: July 29

We had a record tie-breaker, and the results are in:



EDIT to add:



-------

UPDATED LIST OF PLAYERS WE'VE WORKED OUT / INTERVIEWED

(* = Spurs show extra interest)

- Joe Wieskamp, 21, 6'6", 6'11" WS, 212lbs, SG/SF - workout (projected draft range: average of mid-second round)

- Jordan Hall, 19, 6'9.5", 210lbs, PG / point-forward - workout (PDR: withdrew from draft; reversed transfer to Texas A&M and will instead return to St. Joseph's)

- L.J. Figueroa, 23, 6'6", 7' WS, 200lbs, F - zoom meeting (PDR: withdrew from draft; transferring from St. John's to Oregon)

- * Kai Jones, 20, 6'11.5", 7'1.75" WS, 221lbs, PF/C - zoom interview, meet and greet, dinner, two-day workout (PDR: latter half of lottery)

- * Keon Johnson, 19, 6'4.75", 6'7.25" WS, 185lbs, SG/SF - interview, workout (PDR: big range from mid lottery to 20s)

- Trey Murphy III, 21, 6'9.25", 7' WS, 206lbs, SF/SG - workout (PDR: consistently around 20, give or take a spot)

- Yves Pons, 22, 6'6", 7'.75" WS, 215lbs, PF - workout (PDR: in draft; not listed on mocks; potential undrafted invite)

- Corey Kispert, 22, 6'7", 6'7" WS, 224lbs, SF, interview (PDR: latter half of lottery to around 20)

- Joshua Primo, 18.6, 6'5", 6'9.25" WS, 189lbs, SG, workout (PDR: end of first round to early second round)

- Ethan Thompson, 22, 6'5", N/A WS, 195lbs, SG, workout (PDR: undrafted; potential invite?)

- Chris Duarte, 24, 6'6", 6'7" WS, 190lbs, SG, workout (PDR: late draft to late teens, stock rising)

- Tre Mann, 20.5, 6'5", 6'4" WS, 178lbs, SG, workout (PDR: late first round)

- Terry Taylor, 21, 6'5" N/A WS, 226lbs, G/F, workout (PDR: not listed on mocks; undrafted; potential invite?)

- Jordan Burns, 23, 6'0", N/A WS, 187lbs, PG, workout (PDR: not listed on mocks; undrafted; potential invite?)

- Davion Mintz, 23, 6'3", N/A WS, 191lbs, PG/SG, interview (PDR: withdrew from draft; returning to Kentucky)

- Colbey Ross, 22, 6'1",N/A WS, 180lbs, PG, workout (PDR: not listed on mocks; undrafted; potential invite?)

- Jaden Springer, 18.8, 6'4.25", 6'7.75" WS, 202lbs, SG, workout (PDR: latter third of the first round)

- * Moses Moody, 19.2, 6'6", 7'0.75" WS, 211lbs, SG, met at Combine, spoke to agent (PDR: mid-first round)

- Vrenz Bleijenbergh, 20.8, 6'11, 7'1" WS, 209lbs, SG/SF (PDR: mid-second round)

- A.J. Lawson, 21, 6'6", 6'10" WS, 180lbs, SG/SF, workout (PDR: undrafted; potential invite?)

- Isaiah Miller, 22, 6'0", N/A WS, 190lbs, PG/SG, workout (PDR: undrafted; potential invite?)

- Jay Huff, 23.93, 7'1" N/A WS, 240lbs, PF/C (PDR: late second round)

- Jordan Goodwin, 22, 6'3", N/A WS, 205lbs, PG/SG, workout (PDR: undrafted; potential invite?)

- Aaron Wiggins, 22, 6'6", 6'9.75" WS, 190lbs, PG/SG, workout (PDR: mid-second round)

- Alperen Sengun, 19, 6'10" N/A WS (?!), 240lbs, C, workout (PDR: mid-to-late first round)

- David Duke, Jr. 21.8, 6'5",N/A WS, 205lbs, PG/SG, workout (PDR: late second round-to-undrafted)

- Devontae Shuler, 23, 6'2", N/A WS, 185lbs, PG/SG, workout (PDR: Undrafted)

- Trendon Watford, 20.8, 6'8", 7'1.5" WS, 220lbs, SF/PF, workout (PDR: end of second round to undrafted)

- Jericho Sims, 22.9, 6'10", 7'3.25" WS, 250lbs, C, workout (PDR: mid to end of second round)

- Giorgi Bezhanishvili, 22.8, 6'9", 7'2" WS, 230lbs, PF, workout (PDR: end of second round to undrafted)

- Isaiah Jackson, 19.5, 6'10.5", 7'2.5" WS, 206lbs, PF/C, workout (PDR: consistently around #20, give or take a spot)

- Alan Griffin, 21, 6'5" N/A WS, 190lbs, SG, workout (PDR: undrafted)

- Davion Mitchell, 22.9, 6'1.25", 6'4.25" WS, 202lbs, PG, workout (PDR: late lottery to mid first round)

- Alex Antetokounmpo, 19.11, 6'8", 7'2" WS, 214lbs, SF, workout (PDR: undrafted)

- Jamorko Pickett, 23.7, 6'9", N/A WS, 206lbs, SF, workout (PDR: undrafted)

- Ziaire Williams, 19, 6'9.75", 6'10.25" WS, 188lbs, SF, workout (PDR: late lottery to latter third of the first round)

Sure, makes sense. We did great last season given the restrictions (I'd have loved Devin even if we'd seen a lot more of him in person, plus we landed Keldon without his working out for us!). We're currently 12th, but that's before the lotto balls fall:

Nice.

Keldon, Derrick White, DeJounte Murray, Lonnie Walker, Devin Vassell.

Some good picks over the years. Here's to adding another piece to the puzzle.

Some news of workouts is starting to trickle in. The first is Joe Wieskamp, a 6'6" sharpshooting SG (I know I know, another one?! ) who declared for the draft but has yet to sign with an agent so as to maintain college eligibility:



On the mocks he's listed, he's projecting in the latter half of the second round if he stays in the draft.
Here's some background info:

Wieskamp is a big guard who impacts all aspects of the game but has one special NBA talent and that is hitting the 3pt shot. He’s hitting over 48% from 3 as a junior and has a shot that projects well to the next level. He’s also got a decent dribble drive game and can make plays off the bounce.

At 6-6 he’s got NBA size and he’s a well built athlete with good strength. He doesn’t have elite foot-speed or explosive above the rim ability but has more than enough athleticism to hold his own at the next level.

He appears to have a plus wingspan and shows a good ability to rebound the ball.

Joe doesn’t get a ton of draft hype but with that type of shooting ability at his size he’ll be on NBA radars.

https://nbadraftroom.com/joe-wieskamp/#more-8915

It has been an offseason of change for the Iowa Hawkeyes, but one player that has the option of returning next season is star wing Joe Wieskamp. He ranked second on the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg). The native of Muscatine, Iowa, ranked fourth in the league in 3-pointers made per game (2.35) and seventh in defensive rebounds per game (5.45).

Earlier this week, college basketball reporter Andy Katz listed his 10 most important NBA Draft decisions for the 2022 season. Wieskamp checked in at No. 6.

"As a junior, the 6-6 guard averaged a career-best 14.8 points per game alongside national player of the year Luka Garza," NCAA.com wrote. "Wieskamp had the best 3-point shooting season of his career as he made 46.2 percent of his 5.1 3-point attempts per game. He also grabbed a career-high 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He scored in double figures in Iowa's last 14 games of the season, including a season-high 26 points against Rutgers."

He led all players in 3-point accuracy, making 49.5 percent of his attempts (51-of-103) in Big Ten play. The native of Muscatine, Iowa, scored in double figures in 27 of Iowa’s 31 games in 2020-21 and 72 career times.

https://247sports.com/college/iowa/Article/Joe-Wieskamp-2021-NBA-Draft-Decision-Iowa-Hawkeyes-Basketball-Fran-McCaffery-166057549/

We also worked out Jordan Hall, a 19-year-old 6'8" (!) PG / point-forward?:



(Source: https://www.poundingtherock.com/2021/6/14/22533724/report-the-spurs-have-conducted-a-pre-draft-workout-with-jordan-hall)

Hall transferred from St. Joseph's in Philadelphia to Texas A&M:

Hall prepped at Neumann-Goretti, where he won a PCL title in 2020. Lange called Hall one of the 10 best passers he’s ever coached before the season. Hall finished first in the nation among freshmen in assists.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaabk/atlantic-10-all-rookie-selection-jordan-hall-entering-transfer-portal-leaving-st-joe-s/ar-BB1ga2lm

Lange was Hall's coach at St. Joseph.


Yeah a lot of these passes are beautiful - vision, accuracy, impact. Nice pace to the game, can dribble comfortably with both hands, 3-level shooter. Wow.



Very good body control for someone still growing, too:










Yeah I don't think this young man will remain a sleeper for long... I kind of love his game already.

Interesting that we are working out both guard positions who have size, can shoot the 3, and make truly seeing-ball, creative, pin-point passes.

We also talked with L. J. Figueroa, a 23-year-old 6'6" SF who played for Oregon:

In the 2020-2021 season, he posted 12.3 points per game including 6.1 rebounds and 37% shooting from the 3-point line, and 46% shooting overall in 26 games played.

He's described as a versatile player who can score in waves and is a strong rebounder.

(https://news4sanantonio.com/sports/spurs-zone/oregon-forward-figueroa-meets-with-spurs)

45 more minutes!

Pick #12 it is! A great number. Someone will fall to us. They just do!




GO SPURS GO!!!

We're in the midst of the Combine. On Thursday, we zoom interviewed raw, athletic prospect PF/C Kai Jones:





More info tomorrow...

EDIT to add:

Ok, so to whatever extent Kai is raw he makes up for at least as much with his relentless motor and drive to improve. Surprisingly he only started playing organized basketball in high school, but his coach from the link above says Kai has "... the best work ethic of any 6-11 player he's ever coached...."

The list of all the other 6-11 players he's coached in the article includes Jarrett Allen, Jaxson Hayes, and Mo Bamba. Bamba's reputation in the NBA so far is that of unfulfilled potential, to whatever extent that's fair or not based on his development / the way he's being developed (I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Bamba, for what it's worth).

Anyway, Kai coming off the bench isn't really a factor. Patrick Williams was a bench player last season and he was selected 4th. So Kai's 8.8/4.8 in 22.8MPG isn't as revealing of his game as the way he plays and the hunger he has to improve are even as he improved in just about every stat from his rookie year. Nevertheless, he's being selected for the potential teams think they can help him realize rather than who he is now. He is a project, so if we draft him we'll have to wait on his development (though how much is a factor of bigs taking longer to development and on him as to how fast he progresses in our program).

That he is a threat at rim protection, in transition, and from the arc with unteachable athleticism is an intriguing starting point.

He has unique mobility for his size and an expanding offensive game, but was never an especially consistent producer at Texas and will still be very much a project for whoever drafts him. Jones needs to get a lot stronger in order to contribute much in the paint, but his ability to protect the rim and potentially space the floor from the frontcourt creates a clear blueprint for eventual success.

https://www.si.com/nba/2021/06/23/nba-mock-draft-post-lottery-projections-pistons-cade-cunningham

Extra long, bouncy and quick off his feet, Kai Jones has all the upside and all the tools to be a lottery pick, even though his college production doesn’t jump out at you.

His activity around the rim is impressive and his open court ability at over 6-11 really stands out. He plays above the rim with ease and finishes most of his moves with a dunk.

At 6-11+ he shows really good handles and he can run the fast break or take his man off the bounce in the half court set. He still needs to polish up his ball-handling but that will come with time. For now, he’s far advanced compared to most other players his size and age.

Jones has a super quick first and second jump. His ability to recover defensively is impressive and he’s a high level shot blocker and solid overall defender. His defensive versatility and ability to step out and guard smaller players gives him a ton of added value at the NBA level.

At this point he’s very thin and he’ll have to hit the weights hard and continue to grow into his frame. He weighted in at 221 pounds at the combine, which is a nice improvement over where he was at last year.

https://nbadraftroom.com/p/kai-jones/

Just from the limited videos I've seen, he's at times surprisingly coordinated for a guy with his height and long limbs, and at times they get crossed up. When it works, he can switch directions of his body and use quick feet to be a versatile defensive positional switch as well as getting around defenders on drives. Has a knack for landing out of the way of players he's blocking. He's anchored by his booty. It makes him look a little lumbering but also keeps him balanced as he uses it to create some space in tight situations for finishes at the rim and putbacks. Nice timing on blocks and touch on shots from various distances. Surprising jump off one foot. O moves aren't polished so he TOs the ball in the handles attempts. Needs to get stronger.

Comes across as a decent, calm if sort of a callow young man. Every time prospects speak publicly it's a job interview so you expect some skill highlights, but it's also refreshing to hear a guy with more humble confidence.




We're likely going to have a dearth of scoring and distribution we'll need to shore up, but there are many options with cap space and trade assets as well as the draft to fill in. As with all prospects, it's BPA. Teams will have to decide how much of a project they're willing to take on.

We also interviewed projected mid-lottery prospect SG/SF Keon Johnson:



More info tomorrow...

EDIT to add:

Athletic to the nth degree, another late bloomer who didn't start playing organized basketball until high school, he moves beautifully, rhythmically, gliding through the air, very coordinated even as he finds ways of finishing in unconventional ways.

Whereas Kai addresses our need at the 4/5 and athleticism, transition, and floor spacing there, Keon addresses our need for slashing shot creation.

Pros:

Solid scorer off the dribble

Can post up smaller players

Excels at scoring on off-ball motion plays

Tremendous free throw generator

Adequate playmaker

Decent rebounder for his size

Fair good defender that can get steals and blocks

Gifted athlete

Cons:

Needs to improve his shooting

Needs to improve his free throw shooting

Prone to hoisting up questionable shots

Can tend to over-dribble, is turnover prone

Can have lapses defensively

https://www.nbascoutinglive.com/keon-johnson-scouting-report/

I want to focus on the highlighted line in 'Pros'. I looked it up and sure enough Keon has an incredible 44.7% free throw attempt rate; in other words, from his 9.1FGAs, he generated 3.7FTAs. Of course that's at the college level, but say for a moment he did that at the pro level. This would put him second only to DeMar (47.8% FTr) by a wide margin this season. The next G/F after them was Keldon with 27.8% FTr.

So after DeMar there's a huge drop off, even among the more experienced guards on our team. And regardless of whether he stays, we need more players to step into slashing/FT generating roles. Keon's weaknesses can be improved. What he's great at doing already we need more of, and if development is a matter of improving weaknesses - he only shot 27.1% from 3 and 70.3%FT (we've improved these for many players, so not a concern) as well as maximizing strengths, he has a some we're in need of. Driven defender. Competitor.

Comes across as a grounded guy, well spoken:



(Source: https://www.poundingtherock.com/2021/6/24/22549545/report-the-spurs-have-conducted-a-pre-draft-interview-with-keon-johnson)

He's widely considered a top-ten pick so he'd have to fall to us (has happened before), but I'm no longer so hung up about 'another 6'5" G/F'. We choose the BPA and arrange assets from there.

EDIT to add again:

We did work out Keon Johnson after interviewing him earlier in the process. He's one of three prospects we've been reported to show extra interest in (Kai and Moses, the other two) which, depending on how the draft shakes out may be within our range. He's reportedly one of the names whose stock seems to be dropping, and there's word of our possibly trading back.

We worked out SF/SG Trey Murphy III as well:



More info tomorrow...

EDIT to add:

Lanky sniper SF/SG Trey Murphy III, 21, stands 6'9.25", has a 7' wingspan and uses his quick feet and full frame to get around screens, stay with ball handlers, and cover space to block jumpers. Only 206lbs so bigger opponents are a challenge to guard. Solid cutter. Compact shot from the arc in that he jumps and lands in a small space. Terrific in transition. Averaged 11.3/3.4/2.8 on very good 50.3%FG, excellent 43.3% from 3, and 92.7%FT. Doesn't generate FT chances from his FGAs well, averaging only 21.5%FTr, but it's also in part a function of 4.4 of his total 7.5FGAs coming from the arc. Again, college production, but the 4.4 attempts from 3 would tie him for 4th with Rudy this season. Has the makings of a prototypical 3&D. Projected as a late first to early second round pick.

Experienced a huge growth spurt and transferred schools from Rice University where he played two years to Virginia. Both factors affect play, so having good workouts and Combine can bring his stock up.

It is important to note that he has not been a 3 or 4 wing his whole life, and that he has a lot of upside on both ends for a junior prospect. While age naturally mitigates upside, he should be treated as a late bloomer, because he is. 4-5 inches and 40 pounds of growth in a few years is a huge change, and it gave him tools he had not had for his whole life. He is still learning to use them.

https://advanceprobasketball.com/2021/01/14/trey-murphy/

Pros:

Good shooter, especially from deep

Adequate scorer off the dribble

Adequate low post scorer

Excels at scoring at off-ball motion plays

Very good free throw shooter

Adequate defender

Above average athlete

Cons:

Struggles to consistently create his own shot

Needs to improve his passing ability

Needs to improve his rebounding

Struggles to guard stronger opponents

Not an elite athlete

Played on a very slow-paced team, may struggle to adjust to NBA tempo

https://www.nbascoutinglive.com/trey-murphy-iii-scouting-report/

Murphy was named to the All-ACC Academic Team...

https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/2021/06/25/virginia-trey-murphy-nba-pre-draft-workouts/

Love his interviews. A mature, poised, self-possessed young man:

Trey's begins at 4:35:


From a year ago when he transferred to Virginia:

GREY 1769 wrote:We're in the midst of the Combine. On Thursday, we zoom interviewed raw, athletic prospect PF/C Kai Jones:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

More info tomorrow...

I'd throw a party if we got him. Perfect fit.

I've added details about the games of and interviews with Kai Jones, Keon Johnson, and Trey Murphy III in their respective posts above.

And added to the first post's list is a workout with Haitian-born, French national, 6'6" bruising, athletic blocking marvel PF tweener, Yves Pons, 22:


He's only listed in one of the mocks I checked, and in that one he's a late second rounder right now. Perhaps he can be an undrafted invite? He does provide that crushing inside presence and powerful athleticism to block anything within his considerable jump and 7'.75" wingspan. He can block not only jumpers and floaters in the paint but also hard drivers to the basket. And it's not only his hops and reach that enable him to swat the ball away but his uncanny timing and body control, too.

He averaged 8.7/5.3 along with 1.8 blocks per game but these were on 5.5 fewer MPG than the previous season when he averaged 10.8/5.4 along with 2.4 blocks per game. In 2019-2020 he made a huge jump in minutes and production from his first two college years. By his third year, he shot a respectable 34.9% from 3 (college career high) but only 63.8%FTs. This season his 3-point efficiency dropped considerably to 27.4% yet that of his FTs improved to 78.9% (college career high). Clearly he has both in his tool kit; they just need more of the right shooting coach's eye and reps.

He's one of those solid defense, relentless motor, energy-shifting impact-play providing players. You can see a specific role for him: a tough, athletic, glue guy who is switchable in today's small-ball lineups, someone opponents hate to go up against because of their interior punishment. And if he can hit an occasional post up or 3, all the better. He sort of reminds me of PJ Tucker and the important role he plays.

Strengths: Explosive athlete that elevates very quickly … A strong, physical defender that is unafraid to use his physicality to his advantage in the post … Is able to carve out space when boxing out … Excellent shot blocking timing and challenges everything at the rim. Is able to anticipate shots and block them at their highest point when needed … Has a good motor and doesn’t give up on plays – recovers well after getting out of position. Can hit jump shots when given time and space to spot up … Decent head fake inside to get defenders jumping, allowing him to then elevate over them for scoring opportunities … Has a good understanding of spacing in the modern game, finds open areas and helps create driving lanes for teammates …

Weaknesses: Essentially a 6-6 enter, similar to Chuck Hayes … Classic tweener: lacks the perimeter skills to play on the wing, but also lacks the size to play in the post in many matchups. Not a reliable jump shooter – shot 31.8% from 3 for his career, but only 27.4% as a senior). Despite improved senior year numbers (78.9%) shot below 64% from the free throw line in three of his four seasons … Doesn’t facilitate for others well enough to enhance the offense and get open looks for teammates … Lacks consistency: can completely disappear in all facets of the game for entire games at a time … Performance is often dictated by matchups and opponents’ play style. Can find himself vulnerable when switching against quicker guards in pick and roll situations … Often sets lazy screens within the offense

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/yves-pons/

Good interview with Yves about his improvement through international channels and adjustment to the college game:

GREY 1769 wrote:

Read on Twitter

And water is wet....

It would be great for the Spurs to select me and it would be awesome if I could play for Pop too.

Sorry to be a dick and I understand these guy have to report something, but what else is he going to say?

lol I guess so, gump, though I meant to add that I was going to post some extra info about him later as I did with the other prospects. And so without further ado, here we go.

Since the Spurs are looking at players within and outside our drafting range, I thought I'd take a look at some prospects I like for us outside of the ones we've met or worked out, and outside our range, including range that extends above and below our pick. Lonnie, for instance, was slotted 12th or 14th but fell to us at 18; DJ and especially Keldon were both projected in the lottery and both fell to the end of the first round. Plus we may either move up (less likely) or acquire another pick later in the first round (plausible, and would be great to have in a deep draft).

Last draft there were two, maybe three players I really wanted for us at 11. We drafted one of them in Devin. This draft there are many enticing choices, even if the list includes some 6'5" guards. We have to draft for BPA. Nevertheless, someone like Ziaire Williams can be both BPA and a player that fills a need. He's projected anywhere from mid-first to early second round.

He's got the size, two-way play, three-level scoring game at F that is so appealing. He is 19, 6'9.75", 6'10.25" wingspan, only 188lbs right now so he's all limbs and a frame (wider shoulders) to grow into. Some injuries and the challenges of playing in the midst of a pandemic affected his consistency, but he showed flashes of talent in various aspects of the game: switchable defender who uses his length well in lanes; terrific in transition and off-ball movement; can find team mates well - a willing and unselfish passer; likes to take the mid-range as well as the 3; not the quickest shot release; sometimes takes shots where he turns to the left in the air and lands on his left foot, kicking out the right, especially when contested; not the best ball handler but can create space with a couple of dribbles and side / back step as well as a quick first step and drive to the basket; can become a multi-level scoring threat as well as a multi-position defender. Once he gets stronger, he can be a 3 or small-ball 4.

We need two way players who can eventually fill the create-your-own-shot criteria. I feel like right now we have a great compliment of players, each of whom can step up to have a big night, but no true consistent go-to guy among them. Ziaire has the prototypical all-around game and body type to fill that role. If we draft him, we will need to be patient as he develops to put it all together.

Selected to the 2019 Team USA for FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup. Both parents served in the military: mom in the Army and Air Force; dad in the Marine Corps.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziaire_Williams

It’s not every year that a 5 star one and done first round pick comes out of Stanford but here we are. Zaire is an elite level wing in the Paul George, Rudy Gay mold. He measured an impressive 6-9 3/4 in shoes at the combine, which confirms the rumors that he’s still growing.

Ziaire is a big wing who is making big strides in his game. He’s got all the tools to develop into a high level NBA player including good size for position, excellent length and fluid athleticism.

He’s quick to get above the rim, making it look easy and he flies up and down the court. He’s got big upside and a lot of versatility as a defender thanks to his long arms, agility and good instincts.

He’s not a polished offensive prospect but he’s showing a lot of good signs. His ball handling is becoming a strength and he’s quick with the ball and able to get to his spots. He can shoot it moving to the left or right and has a nice compact and smooth jumper. He gets decent elevation on his jumper, although a bit low on the release. At this point he’s a more than capable 3pt shooter and projects as a high level NBA marksman.

Ziaire is a high energy defender who is a nightmare on the full court press and very disruptive in the passing lanes. His length, quick first step and great anticipation on defense leads to lots of steals and deflections.

He lacks strength at this point and doesn’t finish at the rim very well. He’s athletic but doesn’t have blow by speed and does most of his half court scoring from mid range and out.

https://nbadraftroom.com/p/ziaire-williams/

Well overdue in continuing with this thread. Lots of players have since been worked out or interviewed by the Spurs, but I'd like to pick up with a potential prospect I don't think we've met with yet.

Enter Jalen Johnson. I was surprised to learn that JJ is actually younger (19.6) than Ziaire (19.8) because his body looks so much more mature. Sure part of it is natural build, but Ziaire looks less physically developed. JJ has a great build - a 6'9.25" PF with a 7'0.25" wingspan, and 210lbs.

I'm impressed with his overall game, BBIQ, his physical frame - broad shoulders, solid core and legs, and how he plays at his own pace like his game has its own rhythm that he can't he rushed out of because he sees the plays he wants to make and gets into the right spaces and positions to get it done. Tantalizing talent.


His profile:

Johnson is a versatile player who can play on or off the ball and has legit point guard skills in a 6-9 frame. He excels at initiating the fast break and finding teammates and is a true quarterback of the offense/point forward.

There are a few orange flags with Johnson, as he missed most of his senior year of high school after transferring schools, was sidelined with a foot injury during his time at Duke and then left the program before the end of the season.

Despite these concerns Johnson is still a big time prospect. His length and athleticism allow him to defend multiple positions and he’s a high level rebounder who can hold is own in the paint. His rebounding translated early in his Duke career and his overall strength and athleticism really stood out.

A heady player who makes good reads and is a skilled passer
Has excellent speed and overall athleticism – plays above the rim with ease
Has decent shooting form but is inconsistent. Could take some time to develop this aspect of his game and needs to speed up his jumper.
Has the ability to post up smaller defenders and really uses his size and athleticism well to score in the lane.
Has a smooth mid range game and a soft touch around the basket
Crashes the boards well and can rip and run
Has good length for a perimeter defender and can really lock down his man
Defends at the rim well for a combo forward
Is an overall versatile player on both ends of the floor

https://nbadraftroom.com/p/jalen-johnson/

He sounds like a perfect fit in terms of an on-court player we need. The thing is those 'red flags'. Having left both his HS and college teams, word is the Duke team was relieved about his departure. Some alleged ego issues there. So is it just a young guy needing to mature or a too-set character issue that a pattern of leaving teams for his best interest may point to? Teams doing due diligence will surely be sobered from the seduction his game brings. If it weren't for these red flags, he'd perhaps be in the top half of the lottery if not higher.

So the thing is, he's in our range because of the red flags, but we have to decide whether the background check we do makes us comfortable enough to take him or do we pass because of it? If he's considered the consensus BPA (and I wonder where we rank him based on game alone) by the time we draft, it'll be really interesting to see whether we pick or pass. I trust PATFO either way. If we pick, then we're comfortable with the info we got in the background check and feel we can work with him; if we don't, then we're not and that speaks for itself.

Anyway, here are some highlights:

Less than a week to go before the draft and while the top four, maybe five, prospects are just about set (or at least there hasn't been much movement among them), outside of that range is where the draft continues to be noisy. The draft combine, agency showings of their prospects, individual workouts, prospect withdrawals, and team needs have only made the rest of the first round have a wider variance than before FOs got a closer look at the draftees.

The benefit for us at #12 (should we stay there) is that hopefully someone we once again ranked higher falls to us. Some like Keon Johnson and Jalen Johnson have already been ranked in the latter half of the lottery if not out of it in updated mocks. I'm curious about the intel various journalists are getting for these movements or whether it's one or two prominent ones that others are responding to, but there's not only a slide in some players but a wide range in positions on various drafts.

Throughout the mock updates we've continued to interview and workout prospects. Catching up by date, up first is one of the best 3-point shooters in the draft:


A 6'7", 224lbs SF, Kispert is the third oldest player in the first round, fourth oldest from the projected top 60 so teams know the absolute floor of what they're getting – a 44% from 3 C&S player, good off ball, with muscular if not overwhelming athleticism who needs little time and dribbles to get his shot off.

But his calling card to the NBA is also the knock on him - a main dominant skill is both a high floor and a lower ceiling. Of course, a longer college experience makes for a more NBA ready player and teams with spacing and shooting needs will be thrilled with what he provides. Although we clearly are one of those teams, we are also not the team to draft for a single specific plug and play role. A short 6'7" wingspan and average D have to be mitigated by his efficiency and a team's defense. We have too many holes to fill on our roster, and we've been selecting for versatile BPAs. I'd surprised if we ended up drafting Kispert because of that even though he's been invited to the Green Room and is within our range. I just think that a lottery talent has to have a higher ceiling even if it takes longer to develop it.

PLUSES

Elite shooter both off the catch and the dribble. Quick release from all over the floor. A potential 50-40-90 player.

Creates simple shots for himself. With the ball, he can throw a pump fake then score by attacking closeouts. Without the ball, he has the awareness to find open space for jumpers or cuts to the rim.

Helps facilitate the flow of the offense by making smart, rapid reads.

Reliable, hard-nosed positional defender who puts himself in the right spots, whether in off-ball help situations or in man-to-man matchups.

Strong work ethic, which resulted in massive improvements in each of his four college seasons.

MINUSES

Lacks the handle or athleticism to be a lead ball handler; even in his limited role, he hasn’t displayed a ton of advanced abilities shooting off the dribble.

Can improve lateral quickness on defense to stay in front of opposing guards.

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/

Speaking of Green Room invitees, here's the updated list:



Garuba is listed as being selected by us on some mocks. Not my top 3 choice, but highly enough regarded by mocks to have merited an invite had it been any other year.

I wouldn't mind Kispert but I feel like he is more of a filler player on a good team that needs a shooter. What also red flags me is his athleticism. Yes he is described as hard nosed defensively but we have lots of hard nosed guys like Patty Mills or Drew Eubanks that can't guard a paper bag. One of our biggest problems is that we simply aren't athletic enough and teams that are athletic destroy us.

I think we need to be bold to try to get off the mediocre treadmill and take a shot at someone like Jalen Johnson if he is there. I'm fully aware of the red flags on him but I'm sure the team would do its homework on him. The kid did go to Duke so he cannot be a total A-hole.

I hated DeRozan but if he is gone we are going to need players that can create their own shots even more. The last thing we need is another statue spot up shooter IMO.

I think foreign players like Garuba always get linked to us by lazy reporters because of our past history of drafting foreign players. I admit I don't know much about him at all. When was the last time we drafted a foreign player really high anyway? Besides Luka you have to go all the way back to Milutinov.