Draft Thread Part 2

[Psubs]

Are you guys as scared about potentially picking Wagner as I am? Part of me sees the potential, but I feel like he won’t amount to anything special in the league due to his athleticism. I’m really torn because all the guys in our range hat have star potential have holes in their game that make me uncomfortable taking them. I wish there was another Kuminga type prospect in our range who has a super high ceiling.

Wagner could be like Detlef Schremp, do everything above average kind of player that helps you win. Though be maybe not be good enough to start over OG or Siakam even 4 years down the line.

Kuminga didn't perform well in the GLeague games and got hurt. If anyone falls out of the top 5 it might be him.

I could see different reasons why a team would take Barnes, Giddey or Mitchell ahead of Kuminga. Heck even Jalen Suggs I could see a shocker.

Remember Dion Waiters, Johnny Flynn, Anthony Bennett! Heck even Patrick Williams as more of a project, helped to bump Haliburton down.

[Gold Dragon]

As someone who loves elite defenders, it is very reassuring that at least one of Mitchell, Moody and Barnes will likely be available with our pick and they all look like great fits in our system.

I'd add Keon as his defense and effort on that end is elite. I think if anything we'll be drafting someone who is a plus defender.

I saw Keon's scouting videos after I wrote that post and was going to edit the post to add him.

This lottery seems to have a lot of players who have low bust potential. Not sure how many will actually end up being in the top tier star level players but I don't see too many being out of the league any time soon. I think that is rare in the NBA draft where a lot of lottery picks are raw athletic projects.

Defense is often what keeps prospects from making it in the NBA but the number of players in this draft who already look like they will be pretty decent NBA defenders from day 1 while still having some ball handling, shooting and athleticism to contribute on offense is surprisingly high.

[vanhill]

Assume Cade, mobley, Green and Suggs are not available..i would pick Jalen Johnson if the raps has the 7-8 pick.
He is 6'9", athletic with good shooting touch, able to rebound and distribute the ball with good guard skills His season cut short but he still had a pretty nice all around stats line.
11.2pts, 52%fg, 44% 3pt, 6 reb, 2 asts, 1 steal and 1 block per game.
inconsistency could be one of the concerns that he fell in the draft board, but he is definitely someone we can take a look.
he could be the steal of the draft! Draft Jalen!

Watch on YouTube

[Stromile12]

getting into the top 4 would be amazing, hopefully luck is on our side draft lottery night. Gimme, green, mobley, cade or suggs.

[Morse Code]

If Masai and co believe in Jalen Johnson’s character, I’d love to pick him depending on where our pick falls. A lot will rest on whether he truly gives up on his teams or if there are other reasons why he has this history of leaving teams. Skill wise I think he would be a great fit.

[Morse Code]

Stay far far away from Barnes unless we’re planning on a complete rebuild, because his fit with Pascal would be atrocious.

[vanhill]

Stay far far away from Barnes unless we’re planning on a complete rebuild, because his fit with Pascal would be atrocious.

i second that. even his video highlight is not impressive. oh well..

[Psubs]

If Masai and co believe in Jalen Johnson’s character, I’d love to pick him depending on where our pick falls. A lot will rest on whether he truly gives up on his teams or if there are other reasons why he has this history of leaving teams. Skill wise I think he would be a great fit.

I wonder if he also wanted to keep his 3pt % high, like Wiseman only playing 3 games. Though Wiseman does shot touch from 3 in the pros.

[Raptorfan2012]

If Masai and co believe in Jalen Johnson’s character, I’d love to pick him depending on where our pick falls. A lot will rest on whether he truly gives up on his teams or if there are other reasons why he has this history of leaving teams. Skill wise I think he would be a great fit.

Raptors don't have a good track record with quitters though - Vince, Hedo, and Pascal as of late.

[vanhill]

If Masai and co believe in Jalen Johnson’s character, I’d love to pick him depending on where our pick falls. A lot will rest on whether he truly gives up on his teams or if there are other reasons why he has this history of leaving teams. Skill wise I think he would be a great fit.

Raptors don't have a good track record with quitters though - Vince, Hedo, and Pascal as of late.

True. He is a risky pick but his upside seems legit. We can pick him up only if we have the 7-9 pick.

[Dalek]

If Masai and co believe in Jalen Johnson’s character, I’d love to pick him depending on where our pick falls. A lot will rest on whether he truly gives up on his teams or if there are other reasons why he has this history of leaving teams. Skill wise I think he would be a great fit.

Johnson switched to three different highschools and quit on Duke. Something is up with this guy when Coach K says the following:

As soon as Jalen Johnson chucked a pass some 10 feet off target late in the Bellarmine game, Mike Krzyzewski said to his staff what looked to be a harsh four-word description for the frustrating uber-athlete, including one particularly harsh four-letter word. It doesn’t take a lip-reading expert to decipher from the telecast what the 41st-year Duke chief appeared to note to his crew:

“He’s so [expletive] soft.”

https://balldurham.com/2020/12/08/duke-basketball-mind-games-jalen-johnson/4/

[Dalek]

If Masai and co believe in Jalen Johnson’s character, I’d love to pick him depending on where our pick falls. A lot will rest on whether he truly gives up on his teams or if there are other reasons why he has this history of leaving teams. Skill wise I think he would be a great fit.

Raptors don't have a good track record with quitters though - Vince, Hedo, and Pascal as of late.

What makes you want to call Pascal a quitter? I know he may not make great decisions but I don't see any reason why you would call him a quitter. The guy plays his heart out every game and outplayed Kawhi last night in what is in all likelihood a meaningless game.

[DAcReator]

Watch on YouTube

Not sure if this guy has been brought up yet, but my guy is hitting clean fade away jumpers with beautiful form and unblockable release. Also has spot up jumpers moving like a SF but listed as a PF

[DAcReator]

Watch on YouTube

More of his shooting stoke. Thing of beauty

[Spates]

Outside of their name and number I don't think Davion and Donovan should really be getting compared that much

Do you have any thoughts on Davion? I can't help but think of him as a smaller Marcus Smart, and at his size maybe Pat Bev.

I'm not sure why Jared Butler isn't considered the better prospect out of the Baylor backcourt.

[Badonkadonk]

Stay far far away from Barnes unless we’re planning on a complete rebuild, because his fit with Pascal would be atrocious.

i second that. even his video highlight is not impressive. oh well..

Nah, Barnes has been playing since he was tiny, went to Montverde (actually averaged close to 5 assists and was more of a playmaker), played in global U17 tournies etc.

Basically he's been hooping all his life and there is a smoothness to his game that is missing from guys who started late. I don't see the Pascal comparison.

I actually think his capacity for growth on the offensive end is large, and see him at least on par with Kuminga. Unfortunately, I think he'll be gone by the 8th pick, but I'm all-in on Barnes.

[Indeed]

Outside of their name and number I don't think Davion and Donovan should really be getting compared that much

Do you have any thoughts on Davion? I can't help but think of him as a smaller Marcus Smart, and at his size maybe Pat Bev.

I'm not sure why Jared Butler isn't considered the better prospect out of the Baylor backcourt.

Elite quickness / first step with strong frame.

He needs advance ball handling, and will need to improve his vision and passing (dishing and kickout), but the quickness plus size may allow him to go where he wants if his shooting is real.

[Morse Code]

Stay far far away from Barnes unless we’re planning on a complete rebuild, because his fit with Pascal would be atrocious.

i second that. even his video highlight is not impressive. oh well..

Nah, Barnes has been playing since he was tiny, went to Montverde (actually averaged close to 5 assists and was more of a playmaker), played in global U17 tournies etc.

Basically he's been hooping all his life and there is a smoothness to his game that is missing from guys who started late. I don't see the Pascal comparison.

I actually think his capacity for growth on the offensive end is large, and see him at least on par with Kuminga. Unfortunately, I think he'll be gone by the 8th pick, but I'm all-in on Barnes.

So why can’t he score at all then? Can’t shoot 3’s, mid range, floaters, can barely hit standing layups. Don’t get me started on his post hooks smh. Remember how Philly “guarded” Pascal in the playoffs? Picture that, but with absolutely zero hope he’ll be able to hit a shot. He’s Ben Simmons with less explosiveness, less handle, the same shooting, and even less touch around the rim. He’s going to be a problem for whatever team drafts him unless they are packed full of scoring threats.

[Mark_83]

Random question but would you guys trade Malachi for the same exact pick in this draft? You lose the development time, which is bad, but is there a guy projected to go at that spot or near it right now that you'd rather have?

[ATLTimekeeper]

I went through the Ringer's top 25 players and added a bunch of other stars that didn't make the cut and filtered them through WS/48 in their draft year. There's only 5 that had a WS/48 lower than Jayson Tatum's .168.

SGA .167
DeMar .144
Jrue Holiday .138
Jaylen Brown .117
Zach LaVine .111

I bring this up because Cade and Barnes are both in the .160s, Keon Johnson is around .124. So they're the low end of guys you can hope to break out into stars in the NBA (just filtered through this one metric). Everyone else is higher and 3/4s of stars are >.190.

Just food for thought. The NCAA lotto prospects that are >.190 are Mobley, Kispert, Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell, Wagner, Suggs and Moses Moody.