2024 NBA DRAFT THREAD 4

[Raptorfan2012]

Put it this way, it would have still sucked if we ended up with the 8th pick through the lottery because we fell back 2 spots. On the other hand, If we were going to convey, better that we dropped one back.

[Tom_Foolery]

We needed to protect that 6th pick. Lots of people "missed" time.

It's all water under the bridge now.

We are in a bad spot, I'm afraid. FO have a lot of work to do, with even less assets.

Being able to trade next year's pick now, isn't the worst spot to be in. It just depends on who you get back in return.

You're right, but this is a bit of a momentum killer for now.

Regardless who we could have got, it would have been nice to add a young talent.

[tdotrep2]

Imagine ATL trade the number 1 pick for RJ, can their FO justify it by saying "the #1 pick probably wont be as good as RJ Barrett anyway"

sums up the defense of the jak trade... to us in our current situation. Drafting a young player with the 8th pick is substantially more valuable to us, it just is. If this player doesn't pan out then it sucks but we need to be developing these types of talents.

[ArthurVandelay]

It's all water under the bridge now.

We are in a bad spot, I'm afraid. FO have a lot of work to do, with even less assets.

Being able to trade next year's pick now, isn't the worst spot to be in. It just depends on who you get back in return.

You're right, but this is a bit of a momentum killer for now.

Regardless who we could have got, it would have been nice to add a young talent.

Not to be too optimistic because the Raptors situation isn’t ideal, but they are going to add 2 young talents.

As much as everyone craps on this draft, which I don’t necessarily agree with, the one thing I do agree with is the talent differential from 5-25 is likely the smallest it’s been in a long time.

This draft is a crapshoot.

With all that said, I would have loved to select Sarr.

[Basketball_Jones]

Of course we’re not tanking next year. We never were going to. Frankly, it wouldn’t even be possible with IQ, RJ, Gradey, and Scottie. We’re practically a shoe in for the play in at worst. Yet we have absolute **** morons clamouring for another tank year. How dumb can one be?

Maybe we should trade all of our assets for future picks and maybe try to be competitive in the 2030’s, cuz RJ’s not it, IQ’s garbage and Scottie is never going to be a #1 on a winning team. And Scottie could net us a few future firsts. Let’s do that cause Scottie is leaving for nothing otherwise, anyway. Right? Right?

GTFO

This is why I wanted to convey the pick next year. Barring injuries we are probably in the 11-9th range of seeding and fighting for play-in.

The 10th pick just won the lottery...
The concept of being the worst in order to be the best is just simply no longer the case.

A luxury tax team just won the lottery

That’s good then, so that scenario we keep This year and Next year.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

Being able to trade next year's pick now, isn't the worst spot to be in. It just depends on who you get back in return.

You're right, but this is a bit of a momentum killer for now.

Regardless who we could have got, it would have been nice to add a young talent.

Not to be too optimistic because the Raptors situation isn’t ideal, but they are going to add 2 young talents.

As much as everyone craps on this draft, which I don’t necessarily agree with, the one thing I do agree with is the talent differential from 5-25 is likely the smallest it’s been in a long time.

This draft is a crapshoot.

With all that said, I would have loved to select Sarr.

It depends who we get at 19, right. Like, if we get Edey at 19...who cares.

[Dalek]

With results I got:

ATL - Sarr
Wash - Topic or Risasher
HOU - Reed
Spurs - Risasher or Topic
DET - Holland
CHAR - Castle
POR - Clingan

I really think the Spurs draft a PG for the future. Rischarer is like a lessor version on Vassell. To me Topic or Dillingham. I think the Spurs and Wiz won't let Dillingham pass them, as crazy as that sounds.

[WuTang_OG]

With results I got:

ATL - Sarr
Wash - Topic or Risasher
HOU - Reed
Spurs - Risasher or Topic
DET - Holland
CHAR - Castle
POR - Clingan

I really think the Spurs draft a PG for the future. Rischarer is like a lessor version on Vassell. To me Topic or Dillingham. I think the Spurs and Wiz won't let Dillingham pass them, as crazy as that sounds.

Not to high on Dillingham, . If Spurs dont get Topic I think they really go hard at Young.

[Rapsfan07]

Such a bummer. Horrible, horrible trade.

But in any case, the game has changed.

At #19, we need to go with either a guard (Carter or Collier if they drop) or a big (Ware or Holmes). At #31, depending on what you do with #19, you could grab a guard here (Simpson or Sallis) or a wing (Tyson, Watkins).

[Rapsfan07]

With results I got:

ATL - Sarr
Wash - Topic or Risasher
HOU - Reed
Spurs - Risasher or Topic
DET - Holland
CHAR - Castle
POR - Clingan

I really think the Spurs draft a PG for the future. Rischarer is like a lessor version on Vassell. To me Topic or Dillingham. I think the Spurs and Wiz won't let Dillingham pass them, as crazy as that sounds.

It's not crazy at all. I think Dillingham is going to surprise a lot of people. Guaranteed Spurs will take one of these guys at 4.

[WuTang_OG]

vecenie

1. Atlanta Hawks
Alex Sarr | 7-1 big | 19 years old | Perth Wildcats
Sarr emerged early in this draft cycle as a potential No. 1 pick. His performance against the G League Ignite in early September had scouts coming away believing he was the best prospect on the court.

Sarr is a difference-maker on defense who covers a ton of ground with his arms and quick feet, similar to bigs such as Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Cleveland’s Evan Mobley and Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton. He flies around rotating off the ball and can handle himself in a variety of ball-screen coverages, ranging from switching to drop. If he’s waiting at the rim and opponents challenge him, odds are he’ll get contest the shot, if not outright block it.

The other end is the question. Sarr has shown potential as a rim runner in ball screens, but for the most part, his offensive game involves pick-and-pops, and he doesn’t make great screen contact. He’s not a high-impact defensive rebounder, which has led to some questioning if he can consistently play center in the NBA. If Sarr indeed requires a more physical center alongside him, his limited offensive game may be exposed. He’s best served playing next to a floor-spacing five, or he’d need to become a dangerous perimeter shooter himself.

ADVERTISEMENT


There is not really a consensus among teams about what the Hawks will do at the top. I’ve given them Sarr here because they finished in the bottom four on defense last season and have Clint Capela entering the final year of his contract. Sarr makes the most sense, at least.

2. Washington Wizards
Nikola Topić | 6-6 lead guard | 18 years old | Crvena zvezda
Topić returned to play for Crvena zvezda recently following a knee injury that kept him out three months. He’s coming off the bench for a loaded team that features a number of EuroLeague stalwarts, and his games so far have been more in line with a mid-first-round pick as opposed to a top-three guy.

Why is he placed this highly, then? Because in 13 Adriatic League games for Mega Basket before his transfer to Crvena zvezda, Topić averaged 18.6 points and 6.9 assists while shooting 52.4 percent from the field. He’s a dynamic ball-screen distributor and consistently lives in the paint in the Adriatic League, which consists of teams from the six countries that once made up Yugoslavia. He can execute nearly every pass in the book once he gets a downhill advantage and hits teammates with flair and creativity. Topić also scores proficiently at the rim, using inventive touch to finish high off the glass and around rim protectors.

Scouts have consistently brought up two issues with Topić’s game: First, where is he as a shooter? He makes his free throws but is an inconsistent marksman from 3-point range. If he can’t make enough jumpers to keep defenses honest, how will that affect the rest of his game? The second question is whether he can get separation from NBA opponents who are quicker than the slower players who make up the Adriatic League. On the other hand, Topić may benefit from the wider spacing of an NBA game.

The Wizards have shown a willingness to go international under general manager Will Dawkins and need a point guard with Tyus Jones hitting free agency and not necessarily being a top-half-of-the-league starter.

ADVERTISEMENT


3. Houston Rockets
Donovan Clingan | 7-2 center | 20 years old | Connecticut
Clingan had a monster finish to his season, helping to lead Connecticut to the national title while averaging 13.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks over his last 18 games, including 16 points, 9.4 rebounds and three blocks per game in his last seven. After returning from ankle and foot injuries and getting back up to speed, he was one of the most dominant players in college basketball.

Using his enormous frame, Clingan shuts down the paint when he’s in the game. He moves well for his size and is elite in drop coverage defensively, stopping ballhandlers from turning the corner on him and getting to the rim. His ability to backpedal on-balance is rare for his size. When not defending the ball, he makes his presence felt when necessary.

The other part of Clingan’s game that impressed evaluators was his passing. In the back half of the season, he became an excellent dribble-handoff big, as well as a playmaker for cutters and shooters off kickouts. He’s a sharp screener and knows how to play in a modern offense.

Clingan is firmly in the mix, along with all of the players above him, to go No. 1. He was within the NBA’s top-six prospects in the memo to teams outlining who will be allowed access to his medical information.

The Rockets traded for Steven Adams in the spring, but the veteran center only has one year left on his deal. That trade could be taken as a sign that Rockets coach Ime Udoka wants to find a defensive difference-maker on the interior even with Alperen Şengün in the fold. The Rockets are extremely well-stocked with young players across the board, so this pick is a luxury with which they can take the highest impact player available.

4. San Antonio Spurs
Zaccharie Risacher | 6-8 wing/forward | 19 years old | JL Bourg
The French wing has produced at a high level in EuroCup competition. Through May 10, he’s averaging 10.7 points across EuroCup and French League games while shooting 46 percent from the field, 38.7 percent from 3 and 71.9 percent from the free-throw line. He’s rebounding at a reasonable rate for a wing and has shown some passing and decision-making chops, but he’s in the middle of a serious downturn, having made just 22 percent of his 3s since Jan. 31. He has struggled to consistently make an impact in games since then.

The opinions NBA team and scouting personnel have shared with me on Risacher are all over the map. Some still view him as a contender for the No. 1 pick and attribute his downturn to fatigue from playing nearly 60 professional games already this season as a teenager. Others rank him closer to the middle of the top 10, while others view him more in the Nos. 8-12 range. The worry is Risacher might not have enough on-ball upside to warrant a top-five pick, even in this class.

ADVERTISEMENT


Big wings with ball skills, shooting ability and off-ball defensive coverage, however, are hard to find. If you believe in Risacher’s jumper translating despite its recent downturn, his future has a pretty high floor.

The Spurs now have two top-10 picks and can easily look to bolster their depth across the wings and backcourt around Victor Wembanyama. Here, I have them taking Risacher, another Frenchman whose feel for the game, shooting and length would make a lot of sense.

5. Detroit Pistons
Matas Buzelis | 6-10 wing/forward | 19 years old | G League Ignite
Buzelis has benefited from multiple factors all occurring at once in this class.

First, his size, off-ball capabilities and athleticism with the ball in transition make him a high-upside swing in a draft class lacking in them. Second, bigger wings with somewhat similar profiles, such as Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, Memphis’ G.G. Jackson, Washington’s Bilal Coulibaly and Houston’s Cam Whitmore, put together promising rookie seasons while displaying skills they didn’t consistently showcase in their pre-draft seasons.

Still, Buzelis did not have an ideal pre-draft campaign playing on a catastrophically bad G League Ignite team that struggled to compete in games. He averaged 14.1 points per game but only shot 45.5 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from 3, though he upped those numbers to 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 blocks over his last 13 games. He also won some plaudits from scouts for his play in the Rising Stars event at All-Star Weekend, where he helped the G League team upset a roster of NBA rookies and sophomores that included Victor Wembanyama.

There are certainly questions about Buzelis even after his in-season improvement, and shooting is the one that comes up most. Buzelis shot the ball well the season before at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas but hasn’t been consistent during his youth career. While Buzelis was able to fit into an offensive role with G League Ignite instead of pressing the issue, scouts wish they’d have learned more about his ability to create on his own. Additionally, while Buzelis’ off-ball defense has largely won over scouts, he struggled on the ball this past season in large part due to a lack of strength.

The Pistons desperately need a four in their core, and Buzelis profiles well as a good fit next to Cade Cunningham as long as the team believes in his jumper.

go-deeper
GO DEEPER

Why the Pistons should trade the No. 5 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft

6. Charlotte Hornets
Stephon Castle | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | Connecticut
Castle’s performance in the NCAA Tournament, including a 21-point Final Four game and a 15-point national title game, seems to have cemented his status as a top-eight pick. He was included in the No. 2 through No. 6 range of the NBA’s recent memo to teams outlining which will be granted access to his medical information.


Once the calendar turned to 2024, Castle averaged 11.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and three assists over 27 games while shooting 47.6 percent from the field. He was the connective tissue for the best team in the country, playing high-level defense across multiple different player types and initiating the team’s offense at times. He was the only freshman in the country who consistently made an impact for a high-major winning team on both ends of the court.

ADVERTISEMENT


Castle is seen largely as a secondary ballhandler, so his future will be tied to his ability to improve his jumper. Can he consistently knock down shots? He only made 26.7 percent from 3 this past season, and while nothing is broken with his jumper mechanically, he also didn’t consistently knock down shots from distance in the past. If he can make perimeter shots, he has significant upside.

Castle makes a ton of sense for the Hornets as a secondary ballhandler between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. He’s also a tough-minded defender who can take difficult assignments across the perimeter.

7. Portland Trail Blazers
Dalton Knecht | 6-6 wing | 23 years old | Tennessee
Knecht scored at a dizzying pace, averaging 25.5 points in 18 SEC games while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from 3. Overall, he averaged 21.7 points per game on 46 percent from the field, but those stats are dragged down by a stretch during which he played at less than 100 percent following an ankle injury against North Carolina.

Great college players aren’t always great NBA players, but the style of Knecht’s game makes him a likely lottery pick. Everything he does offensively should translate to NBA settings. Not only is he a terrific shooter, proficient in spot-up situations and off movement, but he’s also a higher-end athlete than most floor spacers. He can sky in transition and finish inside with hang time. He simply has a knack for scoring.

The draft gets a bit wild here. I’m not sure any of the remaining top prospects included in the 7-10 range in the NBA’s memo outlining medical information access make a ton of sense for the Blazers. Knecht can knock down shots at a high level next to Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe long term, which would be very valuable.


Dalton Knecht elevates for a floater over Florida’s Alex Condon. (Randy Sartin / USA Today)
8. San Antonio Spurs (via Raptors)
Reed Sheppard | 6-3 guard | 20 years old | Kentucky
Evaluators who work for NBA teams remain all over the map with Sheppard. Some see him as a legitimate top-five prospect, while others peg him more in the later lottery.

The good stuff: Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting an absurd 53.6 percent from the field and 52.1 percent from 3. He also blocked nearly a shot per game and grabbed 2.5 steals. Offensively, Sheppard is potent leading the fast break or delivering hit-ahead passes to his teammates. Those attributes, when combined with his elite shooting, make Sheppard one of the best connective players in this class. His games against Mississippi State (32 points, seven assists and five rebounds on Feb. 27) and Tennessee (27 points, five rebounds and five assists on March 9) were eye-openers for NBA personnel who wanted to see him play more of a primary point guard role.

ADVERTISEMENT


Questions certainly remain. Sheppard is listed at just 6-3, and scouts are skeptical he’s that tall. He lacks the length or athleticism typical of a top-10 pick, and he left a bad final impression by struggling mightily in Kentucky’s first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Oakland. His defense can be hit or miss; he’s disruptive and reads plays incredibly early but also suffers off-ball lapses and can be targeted for mismatches against switches.

Teams must decide if they believe in his production, shooting and basketball IQ or worry that his tools won’t translate? I believe in Sheppard, but I’m not the one making the picks.

The Spurs can get a guard of the future here to pair with Wembanyama. Sheppard would tick multiple boxes for the Spurs, and it would be a home run for them to end up with one of the bigger wings in the lottery.

9. Memphis Grizzlies
Ron Holland | 6-8 wing | 18 years old | G League Ignite
Holland was the Ignite’s most productive player this past season, averaging 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while being one of the team’s few offensive creators. Most of those points, however, came in transition or inefficiently in half-court settings. He had a below-average true shooting percentage and more turnovers than assists as he struggled with his decision-making. That’s somewhat to be expected from an 18-year-old playing professionally for the first time, but it also left evaluators in a tricky spot as they try to determine where to slot him. He also ended up missing the end of the G League season with a thumb injury that held him out of competition as he was improving.

Holland’s motor is what excites NBA teams most. He constantly plays hard, getting the most out of his terrific athleticism by going 100 percent at every moment. His energy can sometimes bite him on defense, when he gets overaggressive and overly physical. But amid the Ignite’s poor season, Holland showed a real capacity for growth that impressed many scouts.

Holland’s range is quite wide, as teams are still trying to figure out his exact NBA niche if his jumper never improves; he hit just 24 percent of his 3s this past season. But it was a good sign that he was placed within the NBA’s top-10 prospects in the memo to teams outlining who will be granted access to his medical information.

10. Utah Jazz
Rob Dillingham | 6-3 guard | 19 years old | Kentucky
Dillingham is a prospect with dizzying highs and significant question marks. Scouts love his touch and elite speed with the ball in his hands. He averaged 15.2 points and 3.9 assists per game this season while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from 3. He maintains control well despite playing at a fast pace, uses a bevy of quick crossovers and maximizes his speed with well-timed hesitation moves to change pace. Evaluators are confident he will be able to separate from his man in the NBA.

ADVERTISEMENT


He’s also listed at 6-3, and many scouts aren’t convinced he’ll even measure that tall at the combine. That lack of size impacts Dillingham as a finisher at times and causes issues on the other end. Dillingham may be the worst defender in the class, given his struggles getting over screens at the point of attack and issues dealing with any mismatch. He also can get distracted off the ball, with poorly timed digs and rotations.

Can Dillingham be a starting point guard, or is he more of a bench sparkplug? Is he a good enough distributor to be the former, or is he too much of a score-first guard? Can he hold up on defense well enough to close key games? I feel confident Dillingham will produce in the NBA, but we’ll see if his output impacts winning.

The Jazz could use another creative guard within the youngest part of their core. Dillingham’s electricity with the ball in his hands, mixed with Keyonte George’s shot making, would be a very fun offensive combo for coach Will Hardy.

11. Chicago Bulls
Isaiah Collier | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | USC
Collier is one of the toughest players to evaluate in this class. He started the season on fire and looked like a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick but tailed off as USC fell apart. He struggled with turnovers and defense before hurting his hand and missing time.

Once he returned, he took the Pac-12 by storm. As USC closed the season as one of the better teams in the Pac-12, Collier averaged 18.7 points and 4.3 assists in his final seven games while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from 3. He was the bruising, powerful, bowling-ball-like driver we saw early in college and throughout his high school career, reaching the foul line to the tune of seven free-throw attempts per night.

Collier is an impressive downhill athlete who lives in the paint and has the wherewithal to hit kickouts and dump-offs for assists. Despite his size and strength, he has not been an impactful defender in any way, struggling to stay in front of opposing guards and wings. There are still questions about his feel for the game and shooting ability. And yet, it’s hard to find players who live at the free-throw line and possess Collier’s sheer force and athleticism.

The Bulls are one of the tougher teams to figure out in the NBA. They have bigger issues to focus on this summer, including DeMar DeRozan’s free agency and Zach LaVine’s future.

ADVERTISEMENT


12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Rockets)
Cody Williams | 6-8 wing | 19 years old | Colorado
The brother of Thunder wing Jalen Williams, Cody Williams profiles as the kind of prized high-end prospect who can pressure the rim, pass, make plays and potentially defend multiple positions.

At 6-8 with long arms, Williams has shown the ability to play some point guard this past season in addition to attacking in transition and slashing from the wing in a straight line. He struggled to finish after an ankle injury sapped a lot of his explosiveness, but in his previous 14 games, he’d been averaging 15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 60.6 percent from the field.

Scouts worry more about Williams’ self-creation upside. These days, NBA wings must be able to create and knock down pull-up jumpers. That’s not a part of Williams’ game right now, and it wasn’t in high school, either. If he can show any upside as a pull-up shooter, NBA teams would feel better about taking him in the top three. Even so, many evaluators have him in the top-six range. However, it was telling that Williams was left off the NBA’s consensus top-10 prospects in this class in the memo to teams outlining who will be allowed access to his medical information.

Oklahoma City can afford to take a flier on another wing like this, and it doesn’t hurt that Williams’ wildly competitive brother would be around to push him.

13. Sacramento Kings
Jared McCain | 6-3 guard | 20 years old | Duke
McCain was seen as a potential one-and-done lottery prospect entering the season, but a slow start made evaluators pause as they waited to see how he’d settle in. Over the last two-thirds of the season, McCain was one of the best freshman scorers in high-major college basketball. Starting with Duke’s Dec. 9 game against Charlotte, McCain averaged 16.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists over his last 28 games. He made 41.6 percent of his 6.4 3-point attempts per game during that span and was consistently getting into the lane in transition or when driving closeouts. Many scouts see McCain being a high-level shooter even by NBA standards, often invoking Seth Curry’s name as a potential comparison.

The key for McCain will be showing he can impact games in other ways. He rebounds well for a small guard and makes good decisions, but there isn’t much margin for error for him considering he’s 6-3 and doesn’t possess a ton of length. The Kings might lose Malik Monk this summer in free agency. McCain would be a good get for this team with his ability to run and provide spacing around De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

14. Portland Trail Blazers (via Warriors)
Tidjane Salaun | 6-9 wing/forward | 18 years old | Cholet
Salaun is a big forward with some perimeter skill. The 6-9 prospect has been productive in the French League and Basketball Champions League this season, averaging 9.5 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 32 percent from behind the 3-point line. He has a smooth stroke and also shows some upside handling the ball in transition.

ADVERTISEMENT


Teams worry about Salaun’s feel for the game and overall skill level, but he’s enormous, plays hard and defends. I get the sense that team evaluators are higher on him than folks in the public. The Blazers love to take shots on upside, as shown by their run of picks under Joe Cronin’s front office, and Salaun would represent a big swing.

15. Miami Heat
Devin Carter | 6-3 guard | 22 years old | Providence
Carter was one of the best players in college basketball this past season. The son of former NBA point guard Anthony Carter, Devin was terrific in the 2022-23 season after transferring from South Carolina but leapt to another level this past campaign.

Carter has always been a terrific defensive player, rightfully nominated as a semifinalist for National Defensive Player of the Year. He is aggressive at the point of attack and has elite off-ball defensive instincts. His athleticism is basketball-functional and allows him to fly around the court. Plus, he processes the game as well as one would expect as the son of a former NBA player.

His biggest jump this past season came on offense. After years of being a questionable shooter, Carter hit 37.7 percent of his nearly seven 3-point attempts per game. His shot is something of a moon ball that arcs high in the air before falling, but it went in this season. He averaged 19.7 points and 8.7 rebounds.

His NBA role projects as a 3-and-D guard who can do a little bit more. That’s a perfect player for the Heat around Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier and others in their backcourt. It also doesn’t hurt that Anthony Carter played four seasons for the Heat and was a player development coach with them for five seasons before being hired by the Grizzlies last year.

16. Philadelphia 76ers
Ja’Kobe Walter | 6-5 wing | 19 years old | Baylor
Walter had an up-and-down season, averaging 14.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He was an inconsistent shooter, although teams don’t worry about his long-term upside there. His shot looks clean and he can make them from a variety of situations.

Teams, however, worry about everything else. Walter isn’t really a lead guard because he doesn’t see the floor well as a passer. Defensively, Walter struggled at times to stay in front of players.

ADVERTISEMENT


Scouts are split on Walter’s upside. Most don’t see him as a star, but they disagree on whether he’s a long-term NBA starter or merely a rotation player. Those who believe he will a high-level shooter despite making just 34.1 percent from 3 last season tend to be buyers. But his range is somewhere from No. 11 down to No. 22 or so, which is lower than what it was earlier in the season.

The 76ers are seen league-wide as a candidate to trade their pick. Either they will need to move their pick for a star, or they’ll need to create enough cap space to add a star and more talent in free agency.


Ja’Kobe Walter rises in the paint for a shot over Seton Hall guard Dre Davis. (Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
17. Los Angeles Lakers
Kyle Filipowski | 7-0 big | 20 years old| Duke
The New Orleans Pelicans can choose to take the Lakers’ selection this year or wait to take it in 2025. That choice needs to be made by the start of June. I project the Pelicans defer to what is perceived as a stronger draft in 2025.

If the Lakers get the pick, Filipowski makes a ton of sense as a big man who can shoot and either pair well with Anthony Davis or serve as a third big. Filipowski averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting about 50 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3 this season. He carried Duke through long stretches of games with his ability to catch the ball on the block and score, but pro scouts find his well-rounded perimeter game more appealing. Filipowski can shoot from the perimeter, attack heavy closeouts and bring the ball up the court in grab-and-go situations. His passing took a nice leap this past season, and he was more comfortable reading the court.

I also think Filipowski’s defense is better than its reputation. The Blue Devils had a top-16 defense in the country this past season, and he usually positions himself well, contests enough shots and can slide his feet a couple of times on an island to stay with wings and even some guards. It’s difficult to find 7-footers who can dribble, pass and shoot. Filipowski can do all three.

18. Orlando Magic
Tristan da Silva | 6-9 forward | 23 years old | Colorado
Da Silva has long been one of my favorites, but scouts have finally come around following his strong finish to the year and play in the NCAA Tournament. Over his final 14 games, da Silva averaged 17.1 points while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from 3. He grabbed 4.6 rebounds, dished out 2.2 assists and grabbed 1.3 steals.

Da Silva is an extremely well-rounded player. He’s made nearly 40 percent from 3 over the last two seasons. He moves well without the ball but can also handle it himself and make good passing decisions. He processes the game quickly and plays at a high speed even if he doesn’t have great athletic tools himself. He isn’t an elite defender, but he’s smart, adequate against other forwards and sharp off the ball. He ticks a lot of boxes that make him profile well as a solid rotation player in today’s NBA.

ADVERTISEMENT


He hits a lot of what the Magic could use in the frontcourt.

19. Toronto Raptors (via Pacers)
Yves Missi | 7-0 big | 20 years old | Baylor
Missi is a project, but he’s one with elite tools that project to a clear NBA role. As a legitimate 7-footer with a 7-5 wingspan, Missi might have the best frame of any low-usage center prospect in the class. He’s a terrific athlete who moves his feet fluidly in space, given his size, and can sky for impressive lob finishes in transition and from the dunker spot underneath the hoop. He blocks shots well and has potential to stick with guards for multiple slides on defense. He made the Big 12 All-Defense team as a freshman while averaging 10.7 points per game on 61 percent from the field.

He profiles as a Clint Capela-style NBA big man who can guard a bit in space once he picks up the nuances of ball-screen coverage and protect the rim with his physical frame. He needs to put on some weight in his lower half and get stronger through his base, as he too often gets moved on the block and can struggle on the defensive glass. But he has the look of a competent defensive starting center if he can reach his ceiling.

The Raptors could use big-man depth behind Jakob Poeltl. They tried to fill that hole by drafting Christian Koloko early in the second round in 2022, but his blood clot issue forced the team to release him.

[WuTang_OG]

Second Round
31. Toronto Raptors (via Pistons): Ryan Dunn | 6-8 wing | 21 years old | Virginia

32. Utah Jazz (via Wizards): Kyshawn George | 6-8 wing | 20 years old | Miami (Fla.)

33. Milwaukee Bucks (via Trail Blazers): Kel’el Ware | 7-0 big | Indiana

34. Portland Trail Blazers (via Hornets): Cam Christie | 6-6 wing | Minnesota

[ontnut]

With the 7th overall pick, the San Antonio Spurs select...

Well, I was off by one pick lol.

The most you could have been off is two picks if you are banking on the pick conveying this year.

[Psubs]

I guess we have to hope the draft is like the 2006 draft with Lamarcus Aldridge being the #1 prospect like Sarr. Bargani is Topic level question marks from a foreign league.

Rajon Rondo at #21 would maybe be Carrington at like 6'4 without shoes with a 6'11 wingspan for defensive potential?

Rondo played 2 years at Kentucky and couldn't shoot but by his prime at age 28 he was able to be around a league average shooter from deep. At least Carrington shoot's FT's in the high 70's and looks like he could shoot over 80. At 18 with an A/T over 2 is pretty good, which both did in college.

If Carrington really measures out at 6'5 without shoes that should boost his stock.

Without the top 10 pick, we should go with the youngest and best potential prospects. Aim for the stars and not treadmill.

#19 Carrington
#31 Chomche

[bballsparkin]

If the Spurs walk away from this draft with Zaccharie Risacher and Reed Sheppard I'd have to think they would consider themselves pretty fortunate.

[DG88]

Looking ahead to the 2025 draft there are some nice looking prospects who could be in the 8-15 range that I'd love to pair with the core.

But back to this draft I know that I like Devin Carter, Jaylon Tyson and DaRon Holmes. Will need to look at others and make a list of my top 5-6 prospects for either pick.

[Psubs]

If the Spurs walk away from this draft with Zaccharie Risacher and Reed Sheppard I'd have to think they would consider themselves pretty fortunate.

If Washington passes on Risacher or Holland, they should be relocated.

If Washington passes on Risacher, then Houston really should take him. Then I see SA taking Topic to setup Wemby.

[Psubs]

Looking ahead to the 2025 draft there are some nice looking prospects who could be in the 8-15 range that I'd love to pair with the core.

But back to this draft I know that I like Devin Carter, Jaylon Tyson and DaRon Holmes. Will need to look at others and make a list of my top 5-6 prospects for either pick.

Devin Carter is a SG/PG that is turning 23 this coming season. I guess at best he's a mini Jalen Williams? He won't be there at 19 but still if the coin toss had us at #16, what makes him a better choice than Carrington?

Carrington is turning 19 this season. A/T over 2. Similar height and wingspan. He does get more deflections, but Carrington could develop that part of his defensive game over the next few years. Carrington is slightly taller but then makes it passable to play beside IQ, whereas Carter might just end up being a Lillard/McCollum pairing.

[WuTang_OG]

Could u imagine being a DET fan.. billy fkin king runnign this for richard grieco lol. and its actually 3rd straight year at 5

Detroit fell to the fifth pick, remarkably, for the second straight year after entering the lottery with the highest possible chance at the top prize. This will mark the third consecutive season Detroit holds the No. 5 pick after the Pistons chose Cunningham with the first selection in 2021. The Pistons also could be a trade possibility at this slot. However, there’s as much uncertainty about which executive will have final say over such a major decision as there is about this class’ premier talent. Detroit has already announced the Pistons are looking to bring in a new president of basketball operations above general manager Troy Weaver, utilizing search firm Turnkey, where former Nets and Sixers executive Billy King plays an integral role in all basketball advisory services.

Potential candidates for the position have been informed they will have the agency to dismiss Weaver from his post, league sources told Yahoo Sports. But the early returns of Detroit’s search have not seemed to net much forward progress for the Pistons. While Detroit hoped to interview Milwaukee lead executive Jon Horst, the Bucks blocked those advances and did not allow Horst permission to do so, sources said. Other names, like former Trail Blazers general manager Neil Olshey, sources said, declined the Pistons’ outreach to interview for the role as well.

[Syd-TK3]

Spurs can leave the draft with a wing and a guard literally the exact 2 things they need