Thank Nation! Pre-Lottery: Denver 9th, NY pick 7th (PART 4)

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Dallas holds the tie breaker over Portland. It's the difference between playing the Clippers or OKC. Expect Portland to play hard and win.

Sac will lose to Houston who are trying to secure the 8th seed. Hopefully Bucks beat Indy at home but who knows they are garbage.

These coin tosses usually happen right after the season is over, do they not?

[whatamoron]

Seriously asking, anybody watch interviews of Skal? Why is his mental makeup seen as a negative? Just from those highlight videos I can see he can be immature and loves to celebrate his dunks and blocks, but nothing much more than Biyombo would, right? Why is he not seen as a higher level prospect?

From watching Skal during March Madness it appears to me he has the offensive abilities that would put him at the top of his
cohort for his position.
Yes he had a bad season but his games during the tournament indicated that he could be an above average player in the NBA.
He also played (much) better to close his season out.
However the stumbling block and questions about him are does he have the desire, motivation, and wiliness to be coached.
As a first round draft pick there will be many temptations, distractions, and money to challenge his development.
So does Skal have the personality and strength of character overcome this and succeed?
So far it appears most the assessments of him don't think he can, that's why he has fallen out of favor in the draft projections.
But if you believe the opposite is true then he would be great pick at either 8-11.

[delk11]

I want Sabonis at 9 unless someone like Jaylen Brown drops, which is possible. I see a bit of Pau Gasol in him. Love his IQ and he can shoot the three.

[brownbobcat]

Dallas holds the tie breaker over Portland. It's the difference between playing the Clippers or OKC. Expect Portland to play hard and win.

Sac will lose to Houston who are trying to secure the 8th seed. Hopefully Bucks beat Indy at home but who knows they are garbage.

These coin tosses usually happen right after the season is over, do they not?

Yes, after the season ends. Indiana should be resting their guys for the playoffs, but it's not like the Bucks have anything to play for either so they may rest guys too.

[RyderMike]

IT COULD HAPPEN.

I just ran a simulator 20 or 30 times to get this...

Now keep doing it until we get 2nd.

I didn't actually run it lol. Just cut and pasted the desired results haha

[CoachJReturns]

Dallas holds the tie breaker over Portland. It's the difference between playing the Clippers or OKC. Expect Portland to play hard and win.

Sac will lose to Houston who are trying to secure the 8th seed. Hopefully Bucks beat Indy at home but who knows they are garbage.

These coin tosses usually happen right after the season is over, do they not?

This is good news. We saw how a motivated team could destroy Denver on Monday when Utah had their playoff position on the line. Hopefully Lilard takes this game as another opportunity to remind anyone who doesn't think he's an all-star just how good he is.

[Gold Dragon]

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2015/03/04/demetrius-jackson-notre-dame-fighting-irish-acc

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/columnists/gregg-doyel/2016/03/28/doyel-emotional-end-demetrius-jackson/82332784/

Casey is going to love scouting Demetrius Jackson who has a pretty amazing story. He may not have the measurables but like Lowry and Derozan, he has that drive, fight and the mental aspect of the game that turns good players into great ones.

He will fit so well into the Raptors system.

If we can trade Wright for Covington, draft Jackson and Bentil (whose story and skills Masai will have trouble resisting) we would have a really balanced young roster with great fits.

JV/BB/BeBe
Covington/2Pat/Bentil
DMC/Powell/Bruno
DD/Ross
KL/CoJo/Jackson

Jackson and Powell would be deadly together in a few years.

[Kevin Willis]

If for some luck of nature we get in top 3 - wow, now that would be interesting on what the Raptors would do.

[raptor jesus]

I could probably talk myself into Skal, but I'm leery. Luwawu, Rabb, and even Davis look like safer picks imo.

[Detective]

I ran the simulation on a couple of different draft software sites, and got pretty much the same as the thread title for most of the returns. That is the NYC pick being 7th, and DEN swapping their 9th overall.

What was kind of disturbing to see, is the amount of times that NYC pick ended up either Top 3 or No. 1 overall, with the DEN pick remaining at 9th.

[CoachJReturns]

If for some luck of nature we get in top 3 - wow, now that would be interesting on what the Raptors would do.

Keep it unless someone like Durant or at least Favors can be acquired. Masai is a pretty smart and practical guy. Unless it's a trade that would make us the favorites to reach the finals immediately for the next couple years, I can't see him trading it.

[MEDIC]

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2015/03/04/demetrius-jackson-notre-dame-fighting-irish-acc

Awesome story - the guy has been through a lot. Thanks for sharing. He's exactly the type of personality Masai & Casey both fall for. Gives me greater hope that they will draft him. I'd love to see him on this roster. He would fit in perfectly.

Jackson and Powell would be deadly together in a few years.

I've been thinking the same thing. A prime Jackson & Powell could be a very strong back court.

[CoachJReturns]

I ran the simulation on a couple of different draft software sites, and got pretty much the same as the thread title for most of the returns. That is the NYC pick being 7th, and DEN swapping their 9th overall.

What was kind of disturbing to see, is the amount of times that NYC pick ended up either Top 3 or No. 1 overall, with the DEN pick remaining at 9th.

I wouldn't even be mad if Denver won the first pick. I'd prefer them, or even our own division rival Celtics over teams like Philly and Sacramento who are a total joke now. Anyone remember when Philadelphia and Sacramento were great teams? Man I feel old. lol.

[Badonkadonk]

I ran the simulation on a couple of different draft software sites, and got pretty much the same as the thread title for most of the returns. That is the NYC pick being 7th, and DEN swapping their 9th overall.

What was kind of disturbing to see, is the amount of times that NYC pick ended up either Top 3 or No. 1 overall, with the DEN pick remaining at 9th.

I wouldn't even be mad if Denver won the first pick. I'd prefer them, or even our own division rival Celtics over teams like Philly and Sacramento who are a total joke now. Anyone remember when Philadelphia and Sacramento were great teams? Man I feel old. lol.

I remember when the Clippers were terrible for 20+ years in a row, save for a couple of bright spots.

They were the original poster children for the draft being a crapshoot and the very definition of terrible management.

Even with all of the success they've had the past 10 or so years, the Clippers lifetime W/L % as a franchise is 0.395.

THEY make me feel old.

[RonaldArtest]

I ran the simulation on a couple of different draft software sites, and got pretty much the same as the thread title for most of the returns. That is the NYC pick being 7th, and DEN swapping their 9th overall.

What was kind of disturbing to see, is the amount of times that NYC pick ended up either Top 3 or No. 1 overall, with the DEN pick remaining at 9th.

I wouldn't even be mad if Denver won the first pick. I'd prefer them, or even our own division rival Celtics over teams like Philly and Sacramento who are a total joke now. Anyone remember when Philadelphia and Sacramento were great teams? Man I feel old. lol.

I remember when the Clippers were terrible for 20+ years in a row, save for a couple of bright spots.

They were the original poster children for the draft being a crapshoot and the very definition of terrible management.

Even with all of the success they've had the past 10 or so years, the Clippers lifetime W/L % as a franchise is 0.395.

THEY make me feel old.

Yup, lots of fans wearing brown paper bags over their head at games. Heck not too long ago GS was a laughing stock and look at how they turned it around.

[OAKLEY_2]

Wondering if we get the 8th or 9th pick whether we could do a swap with NOLA. Say our 8th and 26 plus TRoss for the 6th, the 38th and the 42nd. That should give us Hield or Murray and make this lotto pick MUCH more special. Then we can take some fliers in the second round like Chinanu Onuaku and Wayne Selden who can be stashed for a year. Ross could slide in as a replacement for departing Eric Gordon.

[artsncrafts]

So what has to happen for us today to not get 10th?

[Lunchpailhero1]

I want Sabonis at 9 unless someone like Jaylen Brown drops, which is possible. I see a bit of Pau Gasol in him. Love his IQ and he can shoot the three.

People tend to place a lot on potential and measurables when picking guys, which deters people from picking guys like Sabonis. But if he can play basketball and he has a good IQ, its always worth a look. I would consider him , but I wouldnt pick him above Luwawu.

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I ran the simulation on a couple of different draft software sites, and got pretty much the same as the thread title for most of the returns. That is the NYC pick being 7th, and DEN swapping their 9th overall.

What was kind of disturbing to see, is the amount of times that NYC pick ended up either Top 3 or No. 1 overall, with the DEN pick remaining at 9th.

I wouldn't even be mad if Denver won the first pick. I'd prefer them, or even our own division rival Celtics over teams like Philly and Sacramento who are a total joke now. Anyone remember when Philadelphia and Sacramento were great teams? Man I feel old. lol.

I remember when the Clippers were terrible for 20+ years in a row, save for a couple of bright spots.

They were the original poster children for the draft being a crapshoot and the very definition of terrible management.

Even with all of the success they've had the past 10 or so years, the Clippers lifetime W/L % as a franchise is 0.395.

THEY make me feel old.

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So what has to happen for us today to not get 10th?

a Bucks win and Denver loss.