Draft Thread Part 4

[OAKLEY_2]

Kai Jones I like better than Sengun without question. For the reasons Morse Code wrote. He looks like a player waiting to become strong to become special.

[bballsparkin]

Lol that is the laziest comparison I’ve seen for him yet. They both shoot 3s (not efficiently at all for one of them) and block shots and are tall, but other than that there’s no similarities. He’s insanely athletic and gets in a stance to guard guards. He clamped up Cade in isolation, Jared butler, and many more. Myles Turner is not doing that and he would be lucky to make it to half court by the time Kai Jones is catching his fast break lob. Completely different players.

He looks like a project. Yet if that's the guy the Raptors pick I will be excited. I think the FO has earned that trust. Kai does show some exciting qualities like you mentioned. And you can't teach height.

[mademan]

In general, im against project bigs, but i see the appeal of Kai Jones. He has some ridiculous mobility and guard like agility for a guy his size. Ive only seen highlights and havent really watched full games, how is his aggression and tenacity? Does he have a great motor?

[mademan]

we definitely need a c who can handle big bodies, guys like brook freakin lopez were killing us all season

Brook wasn't a problem (we swept that mini-series in Milwaukee). It was RoLo who just crushed us in the last game against the Wizards. Fouling him didn't work, because he makes all his FTs.

But you can get size anywhere for the MLE or less. The emphasis with a draft pick should be on acquiring talent.

I'd honestly take Gasol back for the min if he's upset at the DNP's he got in LA

[bballsparkin]

This is not a real time solution for being thin up the middle. At least not anytime soon. He is an 18 year old. It could take him 5 years and he really is not any kind of player you build around so his timeline is whack with what we have. He's not the one for a pick 7 or 8. I think he is a 15th overall pick at best. I would take all of Moody, Mitchell, Keon and Giddey over him without batting an eye. I would also have to weigh if we think he projects better than Kai Jones.

We need talent. I have concerns with Segun defensively as well, yet, there is no denying the talent. The Raptors can play him as a bench big. It could give Siakam some more rest ideally. And NN could experiment with lineups. I don't see how you say he's not the pick with certainty then throw in Giddey or even Keon. All three of their careers will depend on how each player develops their shots. Personally, I'm leaning with Moody with the 7-10 pick atm.

[WuTang_CMB]

we definitely need a c who can handle big bodies, guys like brook freakin lopez were killing us all season

Brook wasn't a problem (we swept that mini-series in Milwaukee). It was RoLo who just crushed us in the last game against the Wizards. Fouling him didn't work, because he makes all his FTs.

But you can get size anywhere for the MLE or less. The emphasis with a draft pick should be on acquiring talent.

I'd honestly take Gasol back for the min if he's upset at the DNP's he got in LA

I wouldn't. HE can't even move. Made me sick watching him in the bubble.

[bballsparkin]

Drafted Centres that are still playing since 2011
2011: Kanter, Tristan Thompson, Jonas Valancuinas, Bizmack, Vucevic (5)
2012: Anthony Davis, Drummond, Meyers Leonard (suspended), Miles Plumlee (4)
2013: Cody Zeller, Alex Len, Nerlens Noel, Steven Adams, Kelly Olynyk, Dieng, Rudy Gobert, Muscala (8)
2014: Embiid, Nurkic, Johnny OB, Jokic, Dwight Powell (5)
2015: KA Towns, J. Okafor, Porzingis, Cauley-Stein, Myles Turner (5)
2016: Poetl, Damian Jones, Ivica Zubac (3)
2017: Zac Collins, Jarrett Allen, Isaiah Hartenstein, Bam (4)
2018, DeAndre Ayton, Wendell Carter, Mitchell Robinson (3)
2019: Jaxon Hayes, Goga Bidatze, Bol Bol (3)
2020: James Wiseman, Pokusevski, Nnaji, Azabuike, Oturo, (5)

Not seeing an upside trend for centres going forward in terms lotto selections - Mobley nothwithstanding. In bold players you would actually wish to have with a lotto pick.

We're talking about pick 7-10 here. I'd say JV is worthy of that. I would hope for better than Jarret Allen with our pick. AD, Rudy G, Embiid, KAT, Bam, for all of them a case can be made that they are worthy of top 5 selections in drafts considered to be good.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Drafted Centres that are still playing since 2011
2011: Kanter, Tristan Thompson, Jonas Valancuinas, Bizmack, Vucevic (5)
2012: Anthony Davis, Drummond, Meyers Leonard (suspended), Miles Plumlee (4)
2013: Cody Zeller, Alex Len, Nerlens Noel, Steven Adams, Kelly Olynyk, Dieng, Rudy Gobert, Muscala (8)
2014: Embiid, Nurkic, Johnny OB, Jokic, Dwight Powell (5)
2015: KA Towns, J. Okafor, Porzingis, Cauley-Stein, Myles Turner (5)
2016: Poetl, Damian Jones, Ivica Zubac (3)
2017: Zac Collins, Jarrett Allen, Isaiah Hartenstein, Bam (4)
2018, DeAndre Ayton, Wendell Carter, Mitchell Robinson (3)
2019: Jaxon Hayes, Goga Bidatze, Bol Bol (3)
2020: James Wiseman, Pokusevski, Nnaji, Azabuike, Oturo, (5)

Not seeing an upside trend for centres going forward in terms lotto selections - Mobley nothwithstanding. In bold players you would actually wish to have with a lotto pick.

We're talking about pick 7-10 here. I'd say JV is worthy of that. I would hope for better than Jarret Allen with our pick. AD, Rudy G, Embiid, KAT, Bam, for all of them a case can be made that they are worthy of top 5 selections in drafts considered to be good.

I'm actually confused by his bolded selections. Who wouldn't want Jokic? Or Ayton? If you want like for like negative comparables, Okafor is the best one, and even then he had almost a 1:2 Assist to Turnover ratio, shot 50% from the line, didn't take his conditioning seriously and was getting into street fights as a rookie. We don't know much about Sengun, but we know he had 100 assists to 90 TOs, shoots + 80% from the line, dropped 20 lbs last year and, if he's being drafted by the Raptors we know he wouldn't be competing for minutes with two high lotto picks that play the exact same position as him.

[Indeed]

In general, im against project bigs, but i see the appeal of Kai Jones. He has some ridiculous mobility and guard like agility for a guy his size. Ive only seen highlights and havent really watched full games, how is his aggression and tenacity? Does he have a great motor?

He has great motor, the concern is his basketball IQ as he started late with basketball (Boucher type).

[Indeed]

Lol that is the laziest comparison I’ve seen for him yet. They both shoot 3s (not efficiently at all for one of them) and block shots and are tall, but other than that there’s no similarities. He’s insanely athletic and gets in a stance to guard guards. He clamped up Cade in isolation, Jared butler, and many more. Myles Turner is not doing that and he would be lucky to make it to half court by the time Kai Jones is catching his fast break lob. Completely different players.

He looks like a project. Yet if that's the guy the Raptors pick I will be excited. I think the FO has earned that trust. Kai does show some exciting qualities like you mentioned. And you can't teach height.

I am not sure who is not a project. The most NBA ready is Davion Mitchell (and Cade, Suggs?), anyone else would take a year or two for guards (Keon Johnson, James Bouknight, etc.), and two to three years for bigs (Barnes, Sengun, etc.) to develop before taking a rotation role.

[nowayguy]

It's so refreshing to have a lottery pick while also trusting scouts and coaches to identify and develop talent. I like certain players but will be happy with whoever the Raptors management selects.

I remember the 2011 draft and how disappointing it was that the Raptors didn't end up with a Top 2 pick. I thought the Raptors had missed their chance to draft a special talent (couldn't have imagined Klay, Kawhi, and Kemba all becoming multiple-time all-stars) and that they would be stuck in the late lottery for years.

Almost every year, basically hoping and praying that the team would get lucky and end up with the number #1 pick. So glad that those days are in the past.

[raptor jesus]

It's so refreshing to have a lottery pick while also trusting scouts and coaches to identify and develop talent. I like certain players but will be happy with whoever the Raptors management selects.

I remember the 2011 draft and how disappointing it was that the Raptors didn't end up with a Top 2 pick. I thought the Raptors had missed their chance to draft a special talent (couldn't have imagined Klay, Kawhi, and Kemba all becoming multiple-time all-stars) and that they would be stuck in the late lottery for years.

Almost every year, basically hoping and praying that the team would get lucky and end up with the number #1 pick. So glad that those days are in the past.

Sometimes not moving up can be a blessing. In that draft, the Raps would've taken Derrick Williams, as it was seen as a two-player draft (along with Kyrie) and BC even echoed that sentiment. Instead, the Raps drop two slots to five and get a solid player in JV, whom they are able to deal down the line for a missing title piece in Gasol.

[WuTang_CMB]

Read on Twitter

JAlen Green, Kuminga, Bouknight, Barnes all attendinmg

[alpngso]

Read on Twitter

JAlen Green, Kuminga, Bouknight, Barnes all attendinmg

Surprised Mobley is gonna be there

[PD28]

Read on Twitter

JAlen Green, Kuminga, Bouknight, Barnes all attendinmg

Looking forward to see if Jalen Green lives up to the athletic hype

[hyper316]

Jalen Green vs Keon Johnson

[JShuttlesworth]

No idea why Mobley is showing up, unless he thinks his measurements make him a lock to fall no lower than #2

[Dalek]

Read on Twitter

JAlen Green, Kuminga, Bouknight, Barnes all attendinmg

Looking forward to see if Jalen Green lives up to the athletic hype

No Combine attendance likely due to Olympic commitments or promises from a team or maybe they are going back for another year:

Chris Duarte
Franz Wagner
Josh Giddey
Mojave King
Alperen Sengun
Usman Garuba
Filip Petrušev
Juhann Begarin
Vrenz Bliejenberg
Joel Ayayi
Rokas Jokubaitis
Carlos Alocen
Yoan Makoundou
Amar Sylla


Not sure if these guys will get measured in Europe - there used to be Eurocamp. It is a weird year because of the Olympics so that may not happen.

Looking at this list of 69; if you were to include the guys above and lesser known players in Europe or those in the G-League camp, there might be only 45 of these guys that get drafted. This is such a great draft year, but also one where you might get a really decent undrafted guy.

[WuTang_CMB]

Im pretty sure the top tier guys wont play in the games (if there are any) and just do the measurements

[Dalek]

Lol that is the laziest comparison I’ve seen for him yet. They both shoot 3s (not efficiently at all for one of them) and block shots and are tall, but other than that there’s no similarities. He’s insanely athletic and gets in a stance to guard guards. He clamped up Cade in isolation, Jared butler, and many more. Myles Turner is not doing that and he would be lucky to make it to half court by the time Kai Jones is catching his fast break lob. Completely different players.

He looks like a project. Yet if that's the guy the Raptors pick I will be excited. I think the FO has earned that trust. Kai does show some exciting qualities like you mentioned. And you can't teach height.

I am not sure who is not a project. The most NBA ready is Davion Mitchell (and Cade, Suggs?), anyone else would take a year or two for guards (Keon Johnson, James Bouknight, etc.), and two to three years for bigs (Barnes, Sengun, etc.) to develop before taking a rotation role.

I think there are guys that can contribute right away:

Franz Wagner
Chris Duarte
Moses Moody
Alperen Sengun
Usman Garuba

Both bigs can rebound and physically they can at least play bench units. These guys were already playing at a high level in Europe.

Wagner can easily step in and play given how much experience he has had with NT and Michigan, plus he is strong enough and his size/wingspan should allow him to guard multiple positions.

Moody looks like a good role player. Definitely 3 and D and he should be passable on defense because of that wingspan and overall he knows how to fit into a team. He played Monteverde and was a superstar role-player there.

Duarte should not take too long, just like Desmond Bane or Brogdan.