Re: 2023 Draft Prospect discussion Part II

[Psubs]

Any undraft candidate scouting report?
Jeremy Roach
Boogie Ellis

Miami - Jordan Miller and Isaiah Wong
Xavier - Souley Boum

Roach from Duke can't shoot and really needs to go back for his senior year for the free education. His A/T has gotten worse at 1.5 from 2 last season. He has shot under 33% from college 3 in each of his 3 seasons. He would struggle in the GLeague if he turned pro.

I guess Boogie Ellis would be a decent shooter to give a shot but not sure if he can beat out Flynn. I guess he's like a Wong combo guard off the bench.

[Psubs]

Podziemski was Mr. Basketball in Wisconson. It's not like he is some nobody that's killing it in a weak conference. I expect him to get into the 1st by the workout stage.

Ya, him and Colby Jones are similar prospects with only their current year shooting really well over 40% from 3, so we'll have to see how they perform under the pressure of the combine. Both should be late 1st picks.

I think the Jazz (with the Philly pick currently at #27), should consider Podziemski.

Colby Jones could go as high as #20 or #21 to Brooklyn as someone to eventually take over from Dinwiddie.

[Indeed]

Any undraft candidate scouting report?
Jeremy Roach
Boogie Ellis

Miami - Jordan Miller and Isaiah Wong
Xavier - Souley Boum

Roach from Duke can't shoot and really needs to go back for his senior year for the free education. His A/T has gotten worse at 1.5 from 2 last season. He has shot under 33% from college 3 in each of his 3 seasons. He would struggle in the GLeague if he turned pro.

I guess Boogie Ellis would be a decent shooter to give a shot but not sure if he can beat out Flynn. I guess he's like a Wong combo guard off the bench.

Looks like there more options at the PG spot in undraft. Mike Miles is another option I guess.
That I believe we are better off drafting a wing for our 1st round pick.

[Kevin Willis]

Any undraft candidate scouting report?
Jeremy Roach
Boogie Ellis

Miami - Jordan Miller and Isaiah Wong
Xavier - Souley Boum

Roach from Duke can't shoot and really needs to go back for his senior year for the free education. His A/T has gotten worse at 1.5 from 2 last season. He has shot under 33% from college 3 in each of his 3 seasons. He would struggle in the GLeague if he turned pro.

I guess Boogie Ellis would be a decent shooter to give a shot but not sure if he can beat out Flynn. I guess he's like a Wong combo guard off the bench.

Looks like there more options at the PG spot in undraft. Mike Miles is another option I guess.
That I believe we are better off drafting a wing for our 1st round pick.

Jalen Pickett

[ItsDanger]

Watch on YouTube

Questionable defense. 3 pt shot form is improving. Need to see more offhand.

[Rapsfan07]

Hendricks is likely a SF in the NBA than can play some PF and spot C.

Sidy is shooting 35% from NBA 3 ,which is better than most of the Raptor regulars (only Trent and OG are shooting better). Last year he was not hugging the line with the international 3. Scoot is shooting 27% from 3.

Cissoko is a SG/SF in the NBA and might be able to run the team like Franz Wagner at 6'10. Anyways, I would look to consolidate Boucher, Thaddeus, Otto, Flynn. Maybe trade them all for Gordon Hayward and 2nd pick (or can they squeeze the #29 pick from Denver)? Sorry couldn't find anyone better right now.

PG FVV - Barnes - Dowtin/Banton
SG OG - Trent - Cissoko - Colby Jones
SF Siakam - Hayward - Harper?
PF Barnes - Precious - OG
C Poeltl - Precious - Koloko

Toronto is able to bring Cissoko along slowly and have him continue to play in the GLeague with the 905.

I don't see it bro. If you watch Hendricks, his offense almost always a) assisted and b) either from the dunkers spot or spot up shooting from 3. He does it extremely well, mind you. I think he can guard both forward spots without a hitch but he looks to me like you'll get the most out of him at the 4.

I see you have Jones in your depth chart. If we managed to get a late first, I would absolutely take him over Cissoko at this point.

Do you know why Podziemski is ranked so low? Dude seems like a monster and guaranteed a role in the NBA unless there's something I'm not seeing or don't know.

I guess had to transfer to a weaker conference but the WCC is decent. He seems like a better prospect than Lewis, JHS and maybe on par with Jordan Hawkins. lol

Watch on YouTube

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/2023-01-05-03-pepperdine.html
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/2023-02-23-03-santa-clara.html

He's dominated Maxwell Lewis in 2 matchups in 2023. Maybe Santa Clara is just the better team?

He makes some really amazing passes on the break full court even. Can see him being a backup combo guard in the future. If he had another season of data could be a possible Malcom Brogdon. I think he's slightly behind Colby Jones in terms of SG rankings.

Podziemski was Mr. Basketball in Wisconson. It's not like he is some nobody that's killing it in a weak conference. I expect him to get into the 1st by the workout stage.

I agree. Unless there are some health or character issues there, I'd probably take him in the 25-30 for sure. Definitely over guys like Clowney and Hood-Schifino.

[Rapsfan07]

Podziemski was Mr. Basketball in Wisconson. It's not like he is some nobody that's killing it in a weak conference. I expect him to get into the 1st by the workout stage.

Ya, him and Colby Jones are similar prospects with only their current year shooting really well over 40% from 3, so we'll have to see how they perform under the pressure of the combine. Both should be late 1st picks.

I think the Jazz (with the Philly pick currently at #27), should consider Podziemski.

Colby Jones could go as high as #20 or #21 to Brooklyn as someone to eventually take over from Dinwiddie.

I completely agree.

The good thing is both Jones and Podziemski are doing it on significant volume. Podziemski is taking just under 6 3pt attempts per game and making 43% of them and 40% of his FGA's are 3pt shots. Jones is shooting around 3 a game and making 40% of them but 31% of his FGAs are 3pt attempts. I'd like to see Jones shoot it a bit more but I'll take it.

[Rapsfan07]

Watch on YouTube

Questionable defense. 3 pt shot form is improving. Need to see more offhand.

Saw him yesterday. Seems like more of toolsy guy than a skills guy. With the depth of prospects around that late first range, I don't think I'd consider Miller there.

[ItsDanger]

Watch on YouTube

Questionable defense. 3 pt shot form is improving. Need to see more offhand.

Saw him yesterday. Seems like more of toolsy guy than a skills guy. With the depth of prospects around that late first range, I don't think I'd consider Miller there.

I might consider it depending on the roster makeup. Miller has a touch, hits FTs, rebounds, is very slippery in traffic. Still some big question marks on 3 pt shooting, defense and overall feel for the game on both ends. Will be a polarizing prospect. Some will hate, but some will be interested.

[ArthurVandelay]

Any undraft candidate scouting report?
Jeremy Roach
Boogie Ellis

Jaylen Clark

[Dalek]

I'm completely sold on Maxwell Lewis with the Raps' 1st rounder, just have to hope he is available and another team doesn't view him as a diamond in the rough. He shows flashes of EVERYTHING including making impact plays on defense. The Raps are all about internal growth and development so if you take him you have all the tools to work with regardless of his inconsistency thus far in his short collegiate career. He's long but agile enough to be a legit 2 guard in the league. He covers tons of ground with his stride even though he isn't an explosive athlete he's a good one and his stride helps him get from point A to point B quickly. He can drive both sides and finish with both hands. He legit has shown the ability to be a complete player, score at all 3 levels on offense while being able to move his feet and stick with his man on defense.

Also he sounds like he has a decent head on his shoulders, pretty well spoken in interviews.

Not seeing it. Turnover prone, bad shooting numbers, poor defender. There are better guys in that same range. I'd actually not like the pick if he was who we got in the first round. He seems like he'll need a lot of work to become a winning player.

Watched a fair bit more of Lewis and on second look there is something intriguing there. As Rejected' mentioned, he isn't that explosive (although he is over 20 dunks on the year), but he has that NBA scorer's knack of getting into the cracks of a defense. His build, and inside scoring remind me mostly of Shai just the way he can get to his spots. I see a Shai comp because when he drives it is pretty herky jerky. He goes left and then can suddenly stop and either pull-up or pumpfake. He has some really nice footwork, although it does seem to get him in trouble at times with refs who call travels on him. Obviously, a player like him will have to adapt to NBA length and defense, but he has some natural scoring skill.

Honestly, he could surprise people in the NBA. On a crap team like Pepperdine he has the whole team's attention. In the NBA people will leave this guy unguarded and I think he will be a deadly shooter with space. All his numbers seems to be quite efficient at the three levels - especially when he isn't guarded tight.

On the other end is the question. He hasn't always been solid there, but he has defensive length and size and at times can play pesky on ball defense. I want a 3 level scorer with this pick, and Lewis shows a lot for a sophomore player.

Read on Twitter

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

Maxwell Lewis has all the tools to be a solid defender in the NBA and it's not like he doesn't try. He's coachable and Pepperdine looks like a god awful basketball program that hasn't really helped him with much other than providing him with a gym. I'd rather a player with a wicked offensive toolkit than a defensive one. You cannot teach skill traits as easily as you can teach effort based ones like defense. Last thing this team needs is to be stuck with another 3+D player who is gonna "work on their game" and by the time they're in their prime they're still stuck being **** offensively. Raptors will go nowhere with that.

Remember, this kid is a late bloomer which usually bodes extremely well for development. The Raptors need to try to hit a homerun, they need a guard and they need 3 level scoring ability and this kid has constantly flashed the ability to score in a myriad of ways all over the court and looks like he has it in him to do it efficiently which is what makes great players great.

You can make the same argument for Podziemski, the difference though is that he is not nearly as creative or athletic which might cap his ability to impact games in the NBA. Lewis can blow by his man more easily, has a much more difficult shot to contest, shows a wider variety of moves in the midrange, more creative finishing ability, etc... Podziemski clearly has the more efficient and mature game right now in terms of consistency, 3 point shooting, his handle, passing and defense so he is a much safer pick but the return on Maxwell could be a lot higher.

I would be happy with either player TBH these are the kids that make sense and not the Jett Howards of the draft.

[Psubs]

Podziemski was Mr. Basketball in Wisconson. It's not like he is some nobody that's killing it in a weak conference. I expect him to get into the 1st by the workout stage.

Ya, him and Colby Jones are similar prospects with only their current year shooting really well over 40% from 3, so we'll have to see how they perform under the pressure of the combine. Both should be late 1st picks.

I think the Jazz (with the Philly pick currently at #27), should consider Podziemski.

Colby Jones could go as high as #20 or #21 to Brooklyn as someone to eventually take over from Dinwiddie.

I completely agree.

The good thing is both Jones and Podziemski are doing it on significant volume. Podziemski is taking just under 6 3pt attempts per game and making 43% of them and 40% of his FGA's are 3pt shots. Jones is shooting around 3 a game and making 40% of them but 31% of his FGAs are 3pt attempts. I'd like to see Jones shoot it a bit more but I'll take it.

Xavier is a senior heavy team with Boum AND Kunkel as 5th year players that shoot 40% from 3, so Colby is unselfish. Whoa actually even their bigs shoot over 40% from 3, though on less attempts.

[Psubs]

Any undraft candidate scouting report?
Jeremy Roach
Boogie Ellis

Jaylen Clark

Clark will return for his sophomore season if he doesn't get a 1st round promise which I don't think he'll get. Will he repeat his steals numbers?

[Psubs]

Maxwell Lewis has all the tools to be a solid defender in the NBA and it's not like he doesn't try. He's coachable and Pepperdine looks like a god awful basketball program that hasn't really helped him with much other than providing him with a gym. I'd rather a player with a wicked offensive toolkit than a defensive one. You cannot teach skill traits as easily as you can teach effort based ones like defense. Last thing this team needs is to be stuck with another 3+D player who is gonna "work on their game" and by the time they're in their prime they're still stuck being **** offensively. Raptors will go nowhere with that.

Remember, this kid is a late bloomer which usually bodes extremely well for development. The Raptors need to try to hit a homerun, they need a guard and they need 3 level scoring ability and this kid has constantly flashed the ability to score in a myriad of ways all over the court and looks like he has it in him to do it efficiently which is what makes great players great.

You can make the same argument for Podziemski, the difference though is that he is not nearly as creative or athletic which might cap his ability to impact games in the NBA. Lewis can blow by his man more easily, has a much more difficult shot to contest, shows a wider variety of moves in the midrange, more creative finishing ability, etc... Podziemski clearly has the more efficient and mature game right now in terms of consistency, 3 point shooting, his handle, passing and defense so he is a much safer pick but the return on Maxwell could be a lot higher.

I would be happy with either player TBH these are the kids that make sense and not the Jett Howards of the draft.

If you want to hit a HR, I'd rather give Emoni Bates a chance over Lewis. If Bates can add strength over the next few years, damn!

Bates shoot 78% FTs and 33% from NBA range like Trae Young. Essentially a 6'9 Jamal Crawford.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

I'm completely sold on Maxwell Lewis with the Raps' 1st rounder, just have to hope he is available and another team doesn't view him as a diamond in the rough. He shows flashes of EVERYTHING including making impact plays on defense. The Raps are all about internal growth and development so if you take him you have all the tools to work with regardless of his inconsistency thus far in his short collegiate career. He's long but agile enough to be a legit 2 guard in the league. He covers tons of ground with his stride even though he isn't an explosive athlete he's a good one and his stride helps him get from point A to point B quickly. He can drive both sides and finish with both hands. He legit has shown the ability to be a complete player, score at all 3 levels on offense while being able to move his feet and stick with his man on defense.

Also he sounds like he has a decent head on his shoulders, pretty well spoken in interviews.

Not seeing it. Turnover prone, bad shooting numbers, poor defender. There are better guys in that same range. I'd actually not like the pick if he was who we got in the first round. He seems like he'll need a lot of work to become a winning player.

Watched a fair bit more of Lewis and on second look there is something intriguing there. As Rejected' mentioned, he isn't that explosive (although he is over 20 dunks on the year), but he has that NBA scorer's knack of getting into the cracks of a defense. His build, and inside scoring remind me mostly of Shai just the way he can get to his spots. I see a Shai comp because when he drives it is pretty herky jerky. He goes left and then can suddenly stop and either pull-up or pumpfake. He has some really nice footwork, although it does seem to get him in trouble at times with refs who call travels on him. Obviously, a player like him will have to adapt to NBA length and defense, but he has some natural scoring skill.

Honestly, he could surprise people in the NBA. On a crap team like Pepperdine he has the whole team's attention. In the NBA people will leave this guy unguarded and I think he will be a deadly shooter with space. All his numbers seems to be quite efficient at the three levels - especially when he isn't guarded tight.

On the other end is the question. He hasn't always been solid there, but he has defensive length and size and at times can play pesky on ball defense. I want a 3 level scorer with this pick, and Lewis shows a lot for a sophomore player.

Read on Twitter

The amount of tricks in his bag is impressive for a 20 year old. Can drive both ways and finish with both hands, hit catch and shoot shots from all over the court, can hit stepback shots, fadeaways, reverse layups, eurostep layups, spin move layups, can pump fake, hit bank shots, shows understanding as a cutter, etc..

He just has a lot of natural talent as a scorer, it's undeniable. Looks like a guy who if you envision a developed form of him might be able to get to his spots on the court easily and get shots off that the defense can't do much about. You wish his handle was tighter but hey that's why he's not a projected top 10 pick.

[Psubs]

Oooooh what about the 5th year player from Detroit Mercy, Antoine Davis.

6'1 SG that can score. Maybe Eddie House 2.0?

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/antoine-davis-2.html

Undrafted but maybe joins the GLeague or plays in a foreign league professionally?

[WuTang_CMB]

Watch on YouTube

Questionable defense. 3 pt shot form is improving. Need to see more offhand.

Saw him yesterday. Seems like more of toolsy guy than a skills guy. With the depth of prospects around that late first range, I don't think I'd consider Miller there.

Don't like his game at all. Good decision by him to go to the G-League though - his game is more suited there.

If he went to college, he'd struggle.

[ItsDanger]

Lewis conference stats are mediocre at best. He does show some talent but I don't see a well rounded game. Needs more progression in his offense.

[Dalek]

If you want to hit a HR, I'd rather give Emoni Bates a chance over Lewis. If Bates can add strength over the next few years, damn!

Bates shoot 78% FTs and 33% from NBA range like Trae Young. Essentially a 6'9 Jamal Crawford.

Bates had a felony gun charge. With all the Ja Morant concerns, I don't think Toronto would even consider a guy like that. They dropped TD and Harris when they got into legal trouble, so I doubt they take on a guy with a recent history.

Bates also was a disaster in his recruiting process. Could have played for Michigan State then backed out, then even Michigan offered him a spot and he decides to play for Eastern Michigan. He has a world of talent but some serious character flaws. Perfect for Memphis if you ask me. Toronto just doesn't do headcases.

The character concerns are probably why Bates is mostly considered a second rounder. Toronto doesn't even have a second. Are you considering Bates as mid first rounder?