RealGM

I would like for us to play a game call State Your Case. This game will revolve around the draft as it's 10 days away. The way this game will work will be as follows:

1. The draft game will be focused on the draft lottery of the teams currently involve.

1. Minnesota Timberwolves
2. Golden State Warriors
3. Charlotte Hornets
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Detroit Pistons
8. New York Knicks
9. Washington Wizards
10. Phoenix Suns
11. San Antonio Spurs
12. Sacramento Kings
13. New Orleans Pelicans
14. Boston Celtics

The rules are simple. Select the incoming player who you feel best should go to each lottery team. It can be based on best player available or position needed. In addition to choosing said player, you get to call the shots to determine if said player despite getting selected by said team should also get traded to another team. It can based on current rumors in the NBA or use your own creativity in this exercise. Keep in mind, your creativity has to be reasonable and beneficial for respective teams who may find themselves involve in your trade scenario. Keep in mind that this draft will be one of the most unpredictable drafts in a long time. It's clear that no player is truly define to go according to current mock drafts. Some players willl be subjected to falling in the draft i.e. Micheal Porter Jr.( fell out of top 5 draft to the Nuggets in 2018) or Deyonta Davis(fell out of 2017 lottery and currently not in the league)

There is no winners or losers in this game. It's all for fun and gives us an opportunity to "State Your Case."

This is kinda tough since I think there will be a lot of movement. But rough try:

1. Minnesota Timberwolves - Edwards. I think Ball is the best player in this draft but I'm lower on Edwards than most. Edwards also fits their team better.
2. Golden State Warriors - Wiseman. They need a stud center and seem to have him pegged as that guy.
3. Charlotte Hornets - Onyeka. This is a shocker, but the Hornets seem set on taking a big. They want Wiseman but seem like they may be okay settling for Ony.
4. Chicago Bulls - Ball. BPA by far and there is some rumored interest in him.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers - Okoro. Honestly the Cavs need everything but since they have some young guards and potentially Drummond then a wing makes some sense.
6. Atlanta Hawks - Halliburton. He provides elite shooting to put around Trae and can play the backup PG role as well.
7. Detroit Pistons - Toppin. BPA even though he may overlap some with Sekou.
8. New York Knicks - Killian Hayes. They need a PG and Hayes has a chance to be a solid starter.
9. Washington Wizards - Deni. BPA and they could use a wing. Beal and Wall are holding down the guard spots with Troy in reserve.
10. Phoenix Suns - Vassell. BPA and adds some more 3&D versatility that you can put around Booker.
11. San Antonio Spurs - Patrick Williams. Can Pop find Kawhi 2.0?
12. Sacramento Kings - Nesmith. I think they move Buddy which moves Bogdan to starting SG. They could use a true SF and find one who helps replace Buddy's shooting.
13. New Orleans Pelicans - Poku. They are taking a flyer on someone who could be a complete bust or a unicorn to pair with Zion, but given their pick stash they can afford to take a risk.
14. Boston Celtics - Precious. Their biggest need is a better big rotation and of the options left Precious may be the best.

1. Ball or Edwards depending on trade down options, with the possibility of Minnesota keeping ball as their pick.

2. Wiseman -

3. Edwards, Ball or Onyeka + FRP, if they trade up to land Wiseman #1, which would change everything.

4. Hayes or Deni

5. Toppin -

6. Haliburton, Vassell or Onyeka + FRP - potential trade up for Edwards #1, which would change everything

7. Williams - draft promise, potential trade down for additional value.

8. Vassell, Haliburton, Hayes -

9. Onyeka - if no trades

10. Hayes or Deni

1. T'Wolves- Anthony Edwards BPA

2. Warriors- James Wiseman (draft rights traded to Knicks) BPA

3. Hornets- Onyeka Okongwu (draft rights traded to Celtics)

4. Bulls- Deni Avidja Future asset SF of the future for the Bulls

5. Cavaliers- Obi Toppin With the Cavs adding Toppin here should signal the inevitable move of Kevin Love out of the Cavs.

6. Atl- Patrick Williams (draft rights traded to Pelicans)

7. Pistons- Killian Hayes best PG available as Pistons look to build the foundation with Hayes with his skills set for the future.

8. Knicks- Issac Okoro (draft rights traded to Warriors)

9. Wizards- LaMelo Ball -concerns of maturity, effort, and fully realize potential lands Melo barely in the top ten.

10. Suns- Tyrese Halliburton Needs a future PG to eventually succeed Rubio

11. Spurs- Saddiq Bey- Solid two way player who is NBA ready and will look to improve his game overall for the duration with the Spurs.

12. Kings- Devin Vassell - 3&D player the Kings can utilize to bolster some improvements around the Kings schemes.

13. Pelicans- Aaron Nesmith Nesmith should help the Pelicans as a well needed shooter to help improve the Pels offense potentially off the bench.

14. Celtics - Jalen Smith (draft rights traded to Hornets) BPA


Following trades

The Warriors trade the draft rights of James Wiseman and Andrew Wiggins to the NYK for the draft rights to Issac Okoro, Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle, and Elfrid Payton. The Knicks get the center of the future in Wiseman and Wiggins to help bolster the starting lineup. The Warriors cash in on their assets to gain some starter and bench quality in the players they received in return.


The Hornets trade the draft rights to Onyeka Okongwu to the Celtics for the draft rights of Jalen Smith, #26 Daniel Oturu, and #30 Jahmius Ramsey.

The Celtics get to cash in on their assets and acquire the center they need in Okongwu to bolster their defense, rebounding, and points in the paint. The Hornets go from selecting at #3 to acquiring 3 first round draft picks. As they need everything, why not go for your biggest needs. defense, rebounding, attitude, offense, and energy.



The Hawks trade the draft rights to Patrick Williams and Kevin Huerter to the Pelicans for Jrue Holliday.

The Hawks gain the vet they need in Holliday who is a two player and can be reliable towards helping the Hawks take a step further towards a playoff run in the future. The Pels gain future assets as they gain more offensive production in Huerter and gain a two way draft asset in Williams.

VCfor3 wrote:This is kinda tough since I think there will be a lot of movement. But rough try:

1. Minnesota Timberwolves - Edwards. I think Ball is the best player in this draft but I'm lower on Edwards than most. Edwards also fits their team better.
2. Golden State Warriors - Wiseman. They need a stud center and seem to have him pegged as that guy.
3. Charlotte Hornets - Onyeka. This is a shocker, but the Hornets seem set on taking a big. They want Wiseman but seem like they may be okay settling for Ony.
4. Chicago Bulls - Ball. BPA by far and there is some rumored interest in him.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers - Okoro. Honestly the Cavs need everything but since they have some young guards and potentially Drummond then a wing makes some sense.
6. Atlanta Hawks - Halliburton. He provides elite shooting to put around Trae and can play the backup PG role as well.
7. Detroit Pistons - Toppin. BPA even though he may overlap some with Sekou.
8. New York Knicks - Killian Hayes. They need a PG and Hayes has a chance to be a solid starter.
9. Washington Wizards - Deni. BPA and they could use a wing. Beal and Wall are holding down the guard spots with Troy in reserve.
10. Phoenix Suns - Vassell. BPA and adds some more 3&D versatility that you can put around Booker.
11. San Antonio Spurs - Patrick Williams. Can Pop find Kawhi 2.0?
12. Sacramento Kings - Nesmith. I think they move Buddy which moves Bogdan to starting SG. They could use a true SF and find one who helps replace Buddy's shooting.
13. New Orleans Pelicans - Poku. They are taking a flyer on someone who could be a complete bust or a unicorn to pair with Zion, but given their pick stash they can afford to take a risk.
14. Boston Celtics - Precious. Their biggest need is a better big rotation and of the options left Precious may be the best.

I actually like your idea of Okongwu to Charlotte as he would be the ideal big man they could definitely use in Charlotte. However, I looked over at Charlotte roster and realize they need to plug in a lot of issues on both ends of the hardwood along wit hmorale, leadership, toughness, and some attitude. My thoughts is that they are sitting on an opportunity to use the 3rd pick in this unpredictable draft to acquire more assets for the future foundation. I did such scenario with the Boston/Charlotte trade in my post. I think both teams win out. Especially Charlotte as they gain more assets to build on their future.

Whole Truth wrote:1. Ball or Edwards depending on trade down options, with the possibility of Minnesota keeping ball as their pick.

2. Wiseman -

3. Edwards, Ball or Onyeka + FRP, if they trade up to land Wiseman #1, which would change everything.

4. Hayes or Deni

5. Toppin -

6. Haliburton, Vassell or Onyeka + FRP - potential trade up for Edwards #1, which would change everything

7. Williams - draft promise, potential trade down for additional value.

8. Vassell, Haliburton, Hayes -

9. Onyeka - if no trades

10. Hayes or Deni

I see where you're pulled with Deni being picked at 4th or going down to 10th. The same with Hayes and Okongwu.

What are your thoughts on Deni in terms of his potential along with Okongwu and Hayes?