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payitforward wrote:...which is not a great idea, since the protections on it in '23 mean it may not go that year or any other year.

If you really think we don't need the guy we can get, picking at #9 (the usual!) for example, then trade down. There is value in every draft. No exceptions. Which you know as well as I do!

We'd have to be a terrible team through 2026 to not lose a FRP. I know there's value in the pick - as everyone else knows - but you can't treat every draft as if one size fits all. At some point, you have to actually look at your roster and see if the parts fit. And if they don't, it's not a matter of trading pieces on the New York Stock Exchange. If the Wiz can make a trade for Hali, it likely requires thinking outside the box, because he'd be an extraordinary fit in addition to being a very good player.

Tankathon bumped Wendell Moore to 19!!! Such an interesting prospect. Awful for 2 full seasons, couldn’t score at all or make a shot, now he’s a triple double threat shooting over 60% on 2s and 41% from 3.

He’s still only going to be 20 on draft night. Putting up 16-5-6 per36 on 64% TS.

I don’t see a lottery level talent, but I think he’s going to be a really good pro. Understands how to generate offense in the pick and roll at an advanced level. Reminds me of Jimmy Butler in that sense.

Ruzious wrote:

payitforward wrote:...which is not a great idea, since the protections on it in '23 mean it may not go that year or any other year.

If you really think we don't need the guy we can get, picking at #9 (the usual!) for example, then trade down. There is value in every draft. No exceptions. Which you know as well as I do!

We'd have to be a terrible team through 2026 to not lose a FRP. I know there's value in the pick - as everyone else knows - but you can't treat every draft as if one size fits all. At some point, you have to actually look at your roster and see if the parts fit. And if they don't, it's not a matter of trading pieces on the New York Stock Exchange. If the Wiz can make a trade for Hali, it likely requires thinking outside the box, because he'd be an extraordinary fit in addition to being a very good player.

Of course you are right. Haliburton is worth it.

But I disagree about the draft. I think you always take the bpa & never consider fit (i.e. position). You draft for value & trade for fit. &, when you trade, the better the guy(s) you can offer, the better the player you'll get back at the position of need. Of course, if you rate a few players on the same tier & one of them plays the position where you have need... pick him. Goes w/o saying.

I can see the other POV as well, Ruz -- every pick involves uncertainty; you don't really know for sure who the bpa is. At least if you pick at a position of need, then if the player succeeds you've solved a genuine problem. Makes some sense.

NatP4 wrote:TyTy Washington is going to finish in the top 10. He absolutely dominated a really good Tennessee team yesterday. His TS is up to 59% while maintaining a 5.4-2.0 assist to turnover.

He’s still really old for a freshman, but he’s probably the best true point guard in this class. I’m not sure he even has any competition for that title.

TyTy easily being the best shows how bad the PG position is for the 2022 draft . Last year had so much depth at the position, and this year is a disaster.

Ruzious wrote:

NatP4 wrote:TyTy Washington is going to finish in the top 10. He absolutely dominated a really good Tennessee team yesterday. His TS is up to 59% while maintaining a 5.4-2.0 assist to turnover.

He’s still really old for a freshman, but he’s probably the best true point guard in this class. I’m not sure he even has any competition for that title.

TyTy easily being the best shows how bad the PG position is for the 2022 draft . Last year had so much depth at the position, and this year is a disaster.

I’m pretty convinced that Washington and Chandler are the only two NBA caliber PGs in this draft.

Daniels and Ivey as well, if you consider them PGs

Shaedon Sharpe is definitely going to enter the draft, so that will bump everyone down and add another elite guard prospect.

I would probably rank him above everyone besides possibly Holmgren.

I would tier the 1st round like this as of now:

Tier 1:
Sharpe
Holmgren

Tier 2:
Ivey
Brown
Murray
Daniels
Eason
Banchero
Smith
Griffin

Tier 3:
Washington
Mathurin
Sochan
Davis
Williams
Kessler
Braun

Massive gap between Sharpe&Holmgren and everyone else, but tons of guys in tier 2 this year. Huge drop off after tier 3, basically no depth in the draft.

NatP4 wrote:I would tier the 1st round like this as of now:

Tier 1:
Sharpe
Holmgren

Tier 2:
Ivey
Brown
Murray
Daniels
Eason
Banchero
Smith
Griffin

Tier 3:
Washington
Mathurin
Sochan
Davis
Williams
Kessler
Braun

Massive gap between Sharpe&Holmgren and everyone else, but tons of guys in tier 2 this year. Huge drop off after tier 3, basically no depth in the draft.

Opposite of the 2021 draft.

Wizards might go 1-9 in the next 10 before the All Star Break.

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/2022-nba-mock-draft-40-where-does-shaedon-sharpe-rank-among-top-prospects?cid=sm_npd_rsn_dc_twt_mn

16
Washington Wizards: Patrick Baldwin Jr.

Team: Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Year: Freshman
Position: SF/PF
Height/Weight: 6'9, 220 lbs

Patrick Baldwin Jr. is going to be working against himself all season by ensuring his averages and shooting percentages remain at an elite level. Any dip while playing at Milwaukee-Wisconsin and his draft stock will tumble. All signs point to him being just fine, but he has to be the best player on the floor every night.

80sballboy wrote:https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/2022-nba-mock-draft-40-where-does-shaedon-sharpe-rank-among-top-prospects?cid=sm_npd_rsn_dc_twt_mn

16
Washington Wizards: Patrick Baldwin Jr.

Team: Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Year: Freshman
Position: SF/PF
Height/Weight: 6'9, 220 lbs

Patrick Baldwin Jr. is going to be working against himself all season by ensuring his averages and shooting percentages remain at an elite level. Any dip while playing at Milwaukee-Wisconsin and his draft stock will tumble. All signs point to him being just fine, but he has to be the best player on the floor every night.

Brutally bad choice. Yet another just ok PF for the Wiz roster. I'm not sure he's even any better than Isaiah Todd.

Keegan Murray just keeps dropping in every mock I see. Tankathon has him going 12th to us now. Completely ridiculous. That guy is going to dominate the NBA.

Another guy flying way under the radar is Dyson Daniels. I see him mocked in the 15-20 range. He’s stuffing the stat sheet and dominating in terms of on/off numbers in the Gleague as an 18 year old. Stock is WAY up on Johnny Davis and Benedict Mathurin, to the point where both are wildly overrated now, and guys like Daniels and TyTy Washington are being overlooked.

Shaedon Sharpe is generally ranked after Banchero, Smith, and Ivey, and that is completely off IMO. Sharpe is going to be the best player in this draft, you really only need to watch 5 minutes of his high school highlights to see that. Gerald Green level athleticism, offensive instincts like a Paul George. Killer instinct. Absolute freak. Keeps his head down and just plays, no showboating or immature stuff. Football background. How many wing players can you just give the ball to and let them create their own offense? Only a handful of superstar players. Sharpe is one of those guys with loads of defensive potential and all the intangibles.

Still think the wiz should just send Beal to Memphis for a couple of their 1st round picks in this current draft. Tank our way into a chance at Sharpe and set ourself up for either trading up for Murray or getting Dyson Daniels.

Sharpe is what people thought they were getting with Jalen Green last year.

Illinois Kofi Cockburn has great size and is very skilled offensively. Would be a steal in the late first round

I think Kofi's going to fall in the draft similarly to Charles Bassey and Luka Garza. He's a traditional big man, not good on switching to the perimeter on defense.

i've seen him in round two in most mocks.

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:I think Kofi's going to fall in the draft similarly to Charles Bassey and Luka Garza. He's a traditional big man, not good on switching to the perimeter on defense.

i've seen him in round two in most mocks.

It's crazy that there's seemingly no desire for big men like him in the league.

When you watch him play against college competition he doesn't stand as particularly fluid on the defense end but he doesn't necessarily embarrass himself in pnr coverage because he plays with great awareness of his limitations and makes up for them playing solid technique.

He understands the angles and the timing and does a good job recovery.

Whether that holds up against NBA speed and athleticism is a legit concern, but I'd take a flyer on a guy like him because it's rare to find physically gifted players like him that play fundamentally sound.

Just looking at him box out and work on the boards tells you a bit about him as a player.

He always finds a man whether he's got good position or not.

His passing and completely lack of perimeter skills or even jump hooks is a red flag, but nothing that some time in the gym can't fix.

I wouldn't be mad taking a flyer on him.

queridiculo wrote:

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:I think Kofi's going to fall in the draft similarly to Charles Bassey and Luka Garza. He's a traditional big man, not good on switching to the perimeter on defense.

i've seen him in round two in most mocks.

It's crazy that there's seemingly no desire for big men like him in the league.

When you watch him play against college competition he doesn't stand as particularly fluid on the defense end but he doesn't necessarily embarrass himself in pnr coverage because he plays with great awareness of his limitations and makes up for them playing solid technique.

He understands the angles and the timing and does a good job recovery.

Whether that holds up against NBA speed and athleticism is a legit concern, but I'd take a flyer on a guy like him because it's rare to find physically gifted players like him that play fundamentally sound.

Just looking at him box out and work on the boards tells you a bit about him as a player.

He always finds a man whether he's got good position or not.

His passing and completely lack of perimeter skills or even jump hooks is a red flag, but nothing that some time in the gym can't fix.

I wouldn't be mad taking a flyer on him.

I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on him if we had a late first, or early second-round pick. There are so many good bigs in the league now. It's not just Embiid and Jokic. Not stars, but a lot of Vucevic's, Nurkic's, even Drummond when he plays is a double-double monster, Valanciunas, Adams, Gobert, KAT, Ayton, Jarrett Allen, Capela, Bam. So much for centers not being important anymore. If you don't have one, you can get overwhelmed on the boards. Most of them are much bigger than Gafford and Bryant. I wouldn't mind a Kofi just to bang with those guys and take up space. Maybe he'd be a poor man's Drummond with at least offensive moves.

80sballboy wrote:

queridiculo wrote:

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:I think Kofi's going to fall in the draft similarly to Charles Bassey and Luka Garza. He's a traditional big man, not good on switching to the perimeter on defense.

i've seen him in round two in most mocks.

It's crazy that there's seemingly no desire for big men like him in the league.

When you watch him play against college competition he doesn't stand as particularly fluid on the defense end but he doesn't necessarily embarrass himself in pnr coverage because he plays with great awareness of his limitations and makes up for them playing solid technique.

He understands the angles and the timing and does a good job recovery.

Whether that holds up against NBA speed and athleticism is a legit concern, but I'd take a flyer on a guy like him because it's rare to find physically gifted players like him that play fundamentally sound.

Just looking at him box out and work on the boards tells you a bit about him as a player.

He always finds a man whether he's got good position or not.

His passing and completely lack of perimeter skills or even jump hooks is a red flag, but nothing that some time in the gym can't fix.

I wouldn't be mad taking a flyer on him.

I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on him if we had a late first, or early second-round pick. There are so many good bigs in the league now. It's not just Embiid and Jokic. Not stars, but a lot of Vucevic's, Nurkic's, even Drummond when he plays is a double-double monster, Valanciunas, Adams, Gobert, KAT, Ayton, Jarrett Allen, Capela, Bam. So much for centers not being important anymore. If you don't have one, you can get overwhelmed on the boards. Most of them are much bigger than Gafford and Bryant. I wouldn't mind a Kofi just to bang with those guys and take up space. Maybe he'd be a poor man's Drummond with at least offensive moves.

The game is changing. Something I pointed out a couple years ago was likely to happen (more 3FGS = more rebounds = teams that can rebound and score on the interior will beat the outside gunners even if you just let them shoot) has been accelerated by rules changes. Now that they allow clutching and grabbing on the outside, defenders are not scared to body up on a shooter. Teams are missing more of those outside shots, and on penetration they are not being given easy fouls. The half second extra time you get with the physical play slowing them down, allows bigs to recover better. Its harder to foul those bigs out of the game simply by running into them.

We have seen smart teams going Big. We see Masai building an entire team out of athletic guys 6'9" tall. The contending teams all can go Big now. Combo guards and tweeners are no longer the weapon you need in your arsenal. You are going to need players who can score down low, and a guy to get them the ball. My read is that Bigs and true point guards are once again on the rise. Also: if you have athletic guys who can play a face-up game from the perimeter, shooting and driving both, then you have the sort of player that is still tough to counter. Stretch 4's are still key to open up the interior for your dominant Big to get free. You need that space not just to drive, but to open passing lanes and to prevent double teams on your Bigs underneath.

Walker Kessler just had a game with 4 steals and 8 blocks.

Auburn is #1.

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:Walker Kessler just had a game with 4 steals and 8 blocks.

Auburn is #1.

He's averaging 6.8 blocks and 1.8 steals per 40 minutes.

Both of the top 2 PF's in college play next to outstanding college centers. Otherwise, they might have been forced to play center in college. I'm guessing they both chose their schools in part because they'd be sure they wouldn't have to play C in college.

What I said about Kofi Cockburn....I dunno, man.

Tonight against ranked Wisconsin Kofi C had 37points, 12 rebounds.

16/19 FG shooting.

That'll improve one's draft stock in a hurry, more games like that.