2023 Draft Discussion Part 4

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[Dalek]

Sam Vecenie recently did a mock on his pod

1. V Wembanyama
2. S Henderson
3. Amen Thompson
4. B Miller
5. C Whitmore
6. T Hendricks
7. J Walker
8. A Black
9. Ausar Thompson
10. C Wallace
11. G Dick
12. L Miller
13. K Bufkin
14. D Lively
15. GG Jackson
16. B Sensabaugh
17. K George
18. N Smith Jr
19. K Murray
20. J Hood-Schifino
21. S Cissoko
22. D Whitehead
23. J Hawkins
24. N Clowney
25. C Jones
26. B Klintman
27. J Howard
28. R Rupert
29. M Lewis
30. A. Jackson

Not going to hate on the Bufkin pick because he addresses a need as a driver.

Surprised to see Vecenie have Miller drafted by OKC at 12. Guess he likes the idea of Miller as a Poku type pick. I personally think OKC goes with more shooting upside.

I wonder if we will see more boards with Miller higher than GG and Brice?

Feels like Thon Maker mocked in the 20's and Milwaukee reaching at #10. Though they can't regret it since the butterfly effect might have them not winning any championships. We can't regret drafting Poeltl over Sabonis either. Though maybe San Antonio takes Sabonis instead of Poeltl for Kawhi? Really Milwaukee should've drafted Sabonis.

Good point about the 2016 draft. There were a lot of huge swings for players that didn't work out especially from 12-30 picks - much like this year where we have a lot of questionable prospects.

Thon Maker was such a hyped prospect who really only played Canadian high school ball, but he had a unicorn type skillset that was so coveted at that time. It still is now, but people are better drafters now. I remember being so mad we didn't draft Sabonis. Him and JV might have been destroyed on defense, but it would have been a better pick.

I do disagree with what you are alluding to with Miller being like Thon Maker. There is a lot of film of Miller playing against grown men, much like Sidy and Scoot so we are not depending on grainy film in a Ontario high school and him workout against a chair in an empty gym. Averaging a double-double at 19 on decent efficiency is a good first step.

I don't completely trust the numbers because the G-League is a minimal defense league, but looking at the growth of Miller from where he was at the Combine to where he ended in G-League is impressive and maybe even unprecedented. He also has a large frame which will be scary by 21 or 22 when he adds more weight. He seems like a good worker and a good coachable person. Huge potential meets productivity and ideal NBA size and athleticism make him a worthwhile gamble for me.

[OakleyDokely]

I'd be worried about the Thompson twins considering they were 20 year old's playing against garbage competition and both are projected as top 10 picks despite not having functional jump shots.

[ArthurVandelay]

I'd be worried about the Thompson twins considering they were 20 year old's playing against garbage competition and both are projected as top 10 picks despite not having functional jump shots.

Even if they become stars, I’d sleep fine at night having passed them over. Too much risk for me.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Not going to hate on the Bufkin pick because he addresses a need as a driver.

Surprised to see Vecenie have Miller drafted by OKC at 12. Guess he likes the idea of Miller as a Poku type pick. I personally think OKC goes with more shooting upside.

I wonder if we will see more boards with Miller higher than GG and Brice?

Feels like Thon Maker mocked in the 20's and Milwaukee reaching at #10. Though they can't regret it since the butterfly effect might have them not winning any championships. We can't regret drafting Poeltl over Sabonis either. Though maybe San Antonio takes Sabonis instead of Poeltl for Kawhi? Really Milwaukee should've drafted Sabonis.

Good point about the 2016 draft. There were a lot of huge swings for players that didn't work out especially from 12-30 picks - much like this year where we have a lot of questionable prospects.

Thon Maker was such a hyped prospect who really only played Canadian high school ball, but he had a unicorn type skillset that was so coveted at that time. It still is now, but people are better drafters now. I remember being so mad we didn't draft Sabonis. Him and JV might have been destroyed on defense, but it would have been a better pick.

I do disagree with what you are alluding to with Miller being like Thon Maker. There is a lot of film of Miller playing against grown men, much like Sidy and Scoot so we are not depending on grainy film in a Ontario high school and him workout against a chair in an empty gym. Averaging a double-double at 19 on decent efficiency is a good first step.

I don't completely trust the numbers because the G-League is a minimal defense league, but looking at the growth of Miller from where he was at the Combine to where he ended in G-League is impressive and maybe even unprecedented. He also has a large frame which will be scary by 21 or 22 when he adds more weight. He seems like a good worker and a good coachable person. Huge potential meets productivity and ideal NBA size and athleticism make him a worthwhile gamble for me.

When Thon Maker was 25 he averaged 8 points in the Gleague. At 19 Miller averaged 18. I think Miller was the highest scoring teenager in the Gleague history, or at least very close. He should be in the mix.

[OakleyDokely]

TS%:

Leonard Miller (g league): .643
Amen Thompson (overtime elite): .608
Ausar Thompson (overtime elite): .554

[HumbleRen]

Leonard Miller is going to have a good career I think.

I just hope it's on another team, not ours lol.

[mademan]

Miller is efficient and he's active. That along with his physical profile means he'll be a player in this league. We just cant keep drafting big wings tho. We need guards in the worst way

[BoyzNTheHood]

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Dude been playing on a shoddy foot the entire year

That explains a lot. His injury history is concerning but there’s no other reason he wouldn’t have been a lottery pick if he wasn’t misused while playing hurt all season. Before this season whenever he got with his peers he showed out.

[Kevin Willis]

Prefer Nnaji over Koloko. Oh well.

[Dalek]

Miller is efficient and he's active. That along with his physical profile means he'll be a player in this league. We just cant keep drafting big wings tho. We need guards in the worst way

I agree we need guards, but from what I have seen on this board and draft twitter, this is not the draft to get excited about guard prospects. Outside of Amen Thompson you have Anthony Black (real concerns about his fit as a weak shooter), and Cason Wallace (not a high level floor general or scorer). I'd be happy with all three, but they are all likely not in our range.

At 13, we have to just take the best player available and think about fit for sure. I will say Miller fits our archetype and is almost a guy you can see elements of OG and Scottie in just being bigger than both.

I do think we need to get a guard in the worst way and my preferred method is via trade. I hate to trade OG, but if he could get Toronto the guard of the future, we have to do it. Guys like Andrew Nembhard+Hield, Tyrese Maxey, Dyson Daniels all could be a centerpieces in an OG trade along with other assets. If you don't like trading OG, then Siakam is the next logical one, but you need a lot of salary from the other team to make things work. The Clippers might make sense with Siakam because they have a lot of big contracts and questions on whether it all works given the health of Kawhi and George.

[Dalek]

Leonard Miller is going to have a good career I think.

I just hope it's on another team, not ours lol.

We tend to say this about almost every decent Canadian prospect and then years later we want to trade for them (SGA, Jamal, Barrett, Nembhard). He would be the highest drafted Canadian in our history and there is some real talent in there to be more than a role player.

Man is from Scarborough - how cool would that be? I am biased slightly being from there, but he will get a lot of local media exposure in the lead up to the draft. I am guessing at a time of roster/coaching uncertainty, the FO will want to win back some fans with a move like this which combines talent and him being a Canadian.

[HumbleRen]

Leonard Miller is going to have a good career I think.

I just hope it's on another team, not ours lol.

We tend to say this about almost every decent Canadian prospect and then years later we want to trade for them (SGA, Jamal, Barrett, Nembhard). He would be the highest drafted Canadian in our history and there is some real talent in there to be more than a role player.

Man is from Scarborough - how cool would that be? I am biased slightly being from there, but he will get a lot of local media exposure in the lead up to the draft. I am guessing at a time of roster/coaching uncertainty, the FO will want to win back some fans with a move like this which combines talent and him being a Canadian.

I’m cool on him man lol.

I’m not gonna hate it if we draft him, I just don’t have him in my top 3 choice at 13.

[DreamTeam09]

You gotta look a miller differently, like Sam said, this is basically his 2nd year or 1.5yrs to be exact at being 6'10. When I was working with him a few yrs ago he was like 6'5 6'6 and not really an NBA prospect, and that was less than 2yrs ago. He's made leaps and strides that are basically unheard of.

Still he's not the baller we need

[mihaic]

If we had 3 picks we coulda drafted Lively Black Dick.

[mihaic]

Leonard Miller is going to have a good career I think.

I just hope it's on another team, not ours lol.

We tend to say this about almost every decent Canadian prospect and then years later we want to trade for them (SGA, Jamal, Barrett, Nembhard). He would be the highest drafted Canadian in our history and there is some real talent in there to be more than a role player.

Man is from Scarborough - how cool would that be? I am biased slightly being from there, but he will get a lot of local media exposure in the lead up to the draft. I am guessing at a time of roster/coaching uncertainty, the FO will want to win back some fans with a move like this which combines talent and him being a Canadian.

I’m cool on him man lol.

I’m not gonna hate it if we draft him, I just don’t have him in my top 3 choice at 13.

Honestly I liked Miller's game more than Cissoko (potential-wise) based on the game I saw live in Sauga, 905 vs Ignite.

[Mark_83]

Prefer Nnaji over Koloko. Oh well.

I prefer Lively over both. I think he's Nic Claxton 2.0.

[Mark_83]

Leonard Miller is going to have a good career I think.

I just hope it's on another team, not ours lol.

We tend to say this about almost every decent Canadian prospect and then years later we want to trade for them (SGA, Jamal, Barrett, Nembhard). He would be the highest drafted Canadian in our history and there is some real talent in there to be more than a role player.

Man is from Scarborough - how cool would that be? I am biased slightly being from there, but he will get a lot of local media exposure in the lead up to the draft. I am guessing at a time of roster/coaching uncertainty, the FO will want to win back some fans with a move like this which combines talent and him being a Canadian.

I’m cool on him man lol.

I’m not gonna hate it if we draft him, I just don’t have him in my top 3 choice at 13.

Same. I'll live with it, but I'm not super high on him. I'd rather Cissoko of the G-League guys.

[BoyzNTheHood]

Prefer Nnaji over Koloko. Oh well.

I prefer Lively over both. I think he's Nic Claxton 2.0.

Adem Bona is an incredible defender to consider as well