The 2017 NBA Draft Thread

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

A player to watch:

Caleb Swanigan, 19-yr old Sophomore, Purdue
18.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 56.1% FG, 77.1 %FT, 3.1 turnovers per game


http://www.rotowire.com/cbasketball/player.htm?id=5670&refer=SportsRef

Swanigan powered Purdue with 28 points and 22 rebounds in the overtime loss to Minnesota on Sunday. He hit a layup to send the game to the extra period.

Watch on YouTube

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Caleb-Swanigan-71578/

Standing 6-9 in shoes and 247 pounds with a 7-4 wingspan and 9-1 standing reach, Swanigan's physical profile is intriguing and concerning at once when projecting him to the NBA. He's got a strong lower body and excellent wingspan and reach, which he uses to make an impact as a defensive rebounder and post threat. However, the 19-year old has a very wide frame, is flat-footed and lacks lateral quickness, muscle definition and explosion as a finisher and rim protector.

[Ruzious]

And your guy Justin Patton put on a wow performance against the soon to be former #1 Villanova.

In the no surprise category, NC State's Dennis Smith Jr. did a Westbrook. And if anyone is the next Russell Westbrook, it's DSJ.

[payitforward]

A player to watch:

Caleb Swanigan, 19-yr old Sophomore, Purdue
18.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 56.1% FG, 77.1 %FT, 3.1 turnovers per game

...

How can a guy who does what this guy does at 19 years old be #57 in DR's mock?

[Ruzious]

A player to watch:

Caleb Swanigan, 19-yr old Sophomore, Purdue
18.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 56.1% FG, 77.1 %FT, 3.1 turnovers per game

...

How can a guy who does what this guy does at 19 years old be #57 in DR's mock?

With few exceptions, it seems like when a player has a rep for not being a great athlete, that's the kiss of death for internet mocks. Also, players who have/had weight problems, tend to get down-graded regardless of performance. Caleb had a weight problem coming out of HS - see DeJuan Blair. It'll be important for him to get a body-fat percentage lower than the 12.6 he got at the 2016 NBA combine. He's got to convince GMs that he can defend at the NBA level. Despite his excellent wingspan, he's not a shot-blocker. See Nicholson, Andrew.

[queridiculo]

2017 looks like a loaded draft class, good chance Washington won't have a pick when it's all said and done.

[The Consiglieri]

Decided to look at our schedule preceding the trade deadline. It's pretty damn alarming. A lot of dumpster fire opponents, a lot of home games,

11 home games
9 away games

20 total games, 9 against teams out of the playoff picture as of now. I looked through them and had us standing at -2 to +1 in terms of games under or over .500, and that really, really, really sounds like idiotic trade territory, that really sounds like "save your own arse and torpedo any hopes of a future, territory. In other words, something like GMGM's trade of All Star Center Prospect Filip Forsberg for a bag of stale Doritos and a can of flat tab several years ago. I find myself praying to the gods of long forgotten franchises circling the septic tank to have convinced the owner not to allow our GM to make any trade deadline deals involving draft picks, or John Wall or Otto Porter or Kelly Oubre. But who am I fooling, our owner is a complete and utter moron. What are the chances of that?

[jangles86]

Unless we have a top 5 pick Ernie has zero interest and will probably trade it for someone like Greg Monroe or Thaddeus young

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

A player to watch:

Caleb Swanigan, 19-yr old Sophomore, Purdue
18.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 56.1% FG, 77.1 %FT, 3.1 turnovers per game

...

How can a guy who does what this guy does at 19 years old be #57 in DR's mock?

A better question is how can ccjb so good

[payitforward]

A player to watch:

Caleb Swanigan, 19-yr old Sophomore, Purdue
18.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 56.1% FG, 77.1 %FT, 3.1 turnovers per game
...

How can a guy who does what this guy does at 19 years old be #57 in DR's mock?

A better question is how can ccjb so good

Ok, here's an interesting question -- how many guys whom you pointed at first, and were picked in R2 or went undrafted, are playing in the league (and playing well) right now?

Off the top of my head, I've got Will Barton as a prime example. I think you put him forward first in the run-up to the 2012 draft. I mention him in particular, because I know you liked Crowder & Green as well, but I'm pretty sure you weren't the one who brought them up first. Barton, though, yes -- he was your guy.

Trying to remember about Khris Middleton from that draft, but I don't think any of us were push-push-pushing his name.

How about other drafts? In 2014 you and I both liked Alan Williams a lot. Ditto Khem Birch, but he didn't make it.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

How can a guy who does what this guy does at 19 years old be #57 in DR's mock?

A better question is how can ccjb so good

Ok, here's an interesting question -- how many guys whom you pointed at first, and were picked in R2 or went undrafted, are playing in the league (and playing well) right now?

Off the top of my head, I've got Will Barton as a prime example. I think you put him forward first in the run-up to the 2012 draft. I mention him in particular, because I know you liked Crowder & Green as well, but I'm pretty sure you weren't the one who brought them up first. Barton, though, yes -- he was your guy.

Trying to remember about Khris Middleton from that draft, but I don't think any of us were push-push-pushing his name.

How about other drafts? In 2014 you and I both liked Alan Williams a lot. Ditto Khem Birch, but he didn't make it.

Too busy to answer it now, but there's a bunch.

Even some of my undrafted guys panned out: Marquis Daniels comes to mind.

Kyle Korver was a guy I mentioned being rated too low. He's still in the league.

I've had my share of misses; but, clearly, God has given me a gift with picking below-the-radar guys. I've met a TON of athletes, mostly just in random passing.

Most exhilarating was being instrumental in Morris Almond's Wizards 10-day deal. 6-0 team. His DRtg was phenomenal; yet, the haters on this board didn't want to budge.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Really, really wish Ernie had purchased a 2nd and taken Brogden. Man, he's good and gonna get better.

[Meliorus]

The Rockets lucked out on a late 1st round Capela and early 2nd round Harrell. Something about athletic young bigs...

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

A player to watch:

Caleb Swanigan, 19-yr old Sophomore, Purdue
18.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 56.1% FG, 77.1 %FT, 3.1 turnovers per game


http://www.rotowire.com/cbasketball/player.htm?id=5670&refer=SportsRef

Swanigan powered Purdue with 28 points and 22 rebounds in the overtime loss to Minnesota on Sunday. He hit a layup to send the game to the extra period.

Watch on YouTube

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Caleb-Swanigan-71578/

Standing 6-9 in shoes and 247 pounds with a 7-4 wingspan and 9-1 standing reach, Swanigan's physical profile is intriguing and concerning at once when projecting him to the NBA. He's got a strong lower body and excellent wingspan and reach, which he uses to make an impact as a defensive rebounder and post threat. However, the 19-year old has a very wide frame, is flat-footed and lacks lateral quickness, muscle definition and explosion as a finisher and rim protector.

Watching Purdue and Swanigan right now. Not quite sure what to make of him. He's got some skills, is really unselfish, big 'house," soft jumper, willing passer. But seems a little plodding.

CCJ, how do you project him at the next level? Who are your probable comparables? Zach Randolph? Kwame Brown?

[queridiculo]

Really, really wish Ernie had purchased a 2nd and taken Brogden. Man, he's good and gonna get better.

Bahahaha @Leonsis spending money to buy a pick when he could just buy another arena league team.

Let's be glad the Wizards still have both of their 2017 selections.

[queridiculo]

Swanigan has a ton of skills and looks like a throwback inside with a solid jumper too boot, but I'd worry about his cement feet.

Might be better suited to play as an undersized center, he's quite plodding for an NBA 4.

Has made quite the transformation with his body, so it looks like there's some desire to put in the work, but he still needs to shed quite a few pounds.

I'd worry whether he can stay committed to being in shape when he's not around the team or when he's not getting a lot of playing time as a rook.

Would be a great addition for sure.

[krii]

I'll say it again: let's find a way to acquire 2nd round pick and draft Karnowski from Gonzaga

Old-style center who can't shoot from outside the paint, however in there he converts at .600+ ratio. VERY handy with passing skills (over 4apg per 40), extremely good on defense & one of the most intelligent bigs in the college.

12.8/5.9/2.2/0.4/1.1 and just 1.3 tov on .591 in 22 mpg
PER 40: 23ppg/10.5rpg/3.9apg/0.8spg/1.9bpg
ORtg/DRtg: 122.4/88.2
DWS 1.0, WS/40 .260, DBPM 5.2, BPM 8.9 *

Then turn him into Arvydas Sabonis 2.0 off the bench: feed him down low for easy points off the hacks & layups, find 4 good 3p shooters who he can pass to whilst doubled. On defense let him control the paint (he isn't bad in defending 3p and mobile centers, he has a great footwork for such a big body).

We have Polish centers for another year or two and then, when Gortat gets older, we can acquire some replacement for MG.

It's the week of White and Red: the population of Polish Wizards' fans is rising

* EDITED: stats updated after yesterday's game

[Ruzious]

Really, really wish Ernie had purchased a 2nd and taken Brogden. Man, he's good and gonna get better.

Fwiw, on draft night I called Brogdon the best value pick in the draft and Thon Maker the worst - both Bucks picks perhaps coincidentally. I think I'll be wrong on Maker - he likely is much older than his listed age, but he works so hard that I think/hope he'll have a decent career.

[Ruzious]

Another player who's not even on the mocks that I thinks a really good prospect is Memphis' Dedric Lawson - apologies if someone else has mentioned him. He's a bit of a tweener, but as long as he improves his 3 point shooting, he fits as a stretch 4. He's only a hair over 6'8 225, but he's got a 7'2.5 wingspan and is averaging 2.7 blocks, 10.8 rebounds a game, and 20.8 points a game. And he's 19. He's one of those guys who got a rep for being unathletic, but he averages a combine 4.1 steals + blocks per game. So either he's more athletic than given credit for, or he understands how to make up for the perceived lack o athl. He's got a 33.2 PER without even fully developing his 3 point shot (30.2%). He's even got a 3.8/2.1 assist/to ratio. Probably what killed him draft-wise were his combine numbers - 28 max vert is really bad (along with ugg 22.5 standing vert) and 11% body fat. But he was 18 when he got those numbers. His team site now lists him at 6'9 236 and says he plays some guard. Last 2 games - 6 of 13 from 3. This guy could be a lotto worthy player, imo.

[tontoz]

Really, really wish Ernie had purchased a 2nd and taken Brogden. Man, he's good and gonna get better.

Bahahaha @Leonsis spending money to buy a pick when he could just buy another arena league team.

Let's be glad the Wizards still have both of their 2017 selections.

We still have a long way to go before the trade deadline. Don't jinx us.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Really, really wish Ernie had purchased a 2nd and taken Brogden. Man, he's good and gonna get better.

Brogdon was clearly worthy of a first round pick.

Guys like Brogdon, Valentine, and in this upcoming draft, Josh Hart, are clearly first round picks-- regardless of where DX or other sites rate them.