2021 Draft thread. Woo! 15th pick here we come! Hoo. Ray.

[Ruzious]

I have a weird feeling that if Franz Wagner isn't there, the pick is Alperen Şengün or Roko Prkacin. Tommy likes his international players.

I hope not mate

And if he wants to choose international then give me Garuba who is athletic, great defender already and has good upside.

Garuba's athletic in terms of having good feet for a powerful player, but he's not particularly explosive, imo. He reminds me mostly of a taller PJ Tucker.

[doclinkin]

I have a weird feeling that if Franz Wagner isn't there, the pick is Alperen Şengün or Roko Prkacin. Tommy likes his international players.

I hope not mate

And if he wants to choose international then give me Garuba who is athletic, great defender already and has good upside.

Garuba's athletic in terms of having good feet for a powerful player, but he's not particularly explosive, imo. He reminds me mostly of a taller PJ Tucker.

I don't hate Sengun. He's got precocious footwork for an 18 year old. 80% from the FT line, and while his 3FG stroke isn't there yet, it looks like he could develop, not broken, just lacking reps. Active defender with solid steals and blocks, willing passer. As one of the youngest players in this draft his skillset is pretty advanced and looks like it will translate. Smart cuts. Makes NBA plays already. He's got a head start on most young Bigs. He knows what he is doing out there. If Wiseman had Sengun's game he would've been ROY. If Deni could finish like Sengun he wouldn't have passed up many of the shots he did. I don't think he lasts to 15 though. And he adds another young big to a front court that is already trying to develop and find minutes for the guys we have. If we pick him it's because he fell and we are listening to offers from teams lower down. Or we are dangling one of the guys we have as trade bait.

[penbeast0]

I have a weird feeling that if Franz Wagner isn't there, the pick is Alperen Şengün or Roko Prkacin. Tommy likes his international players.

I hope not mate

And if he wants to choose international then give me Garuba who is athletic, great defender already and has good upside.

Garuba's athletic in terms of having good feet for a powerful player, but he's not particularly explosive, imo. He reminds me mostly of a taller PJ Tucker.

At 15, a taller PJ Tucker would be a great draft if he lives up to it.

[Mizerooskie]

I guess I'd be in the minority in being very, very happy with Cooper?

I see the appeal but his shooting form makes me nervous. Also, his size is another drawback.

His FT% is indicative of a much better shooter than his 3P% suggests. Form issues are generally correctable, particular in a player that just turned 20 and has plenty of strength to add.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

I hope not mate

And if he wants to choose international then give me Garuba who is athletic, great defender already and has good upside.

Garuba's athletic in terms of having good feet for a powerful player, but he's not particularly explosive, imo. He reminds me mostly of a taller PJ Tucker.

I don't hate Sengun. He's got precocious footwork for an 18 year old. 80% from the FT line, and while his 3FG stroke isn't there yet, it looks like he could develop, not broken, just lacking reps. Active defender with solid steals and blocks, willing passer. As one of the youngest players in this draft his skillset is pretty advanced and looks like it will translate. Smart cuts. Makes NBA plays already. He's got a head start on most young Bigs. He knows what he is doing out there. If Wiseman had Sengun's game he would've been ROY. If Deni could finish like Sengun he wouldn't have passed up many of the shots he did. I don't think he lasts to 15 though. And he adds another young big to a front court that is already trying to develop and find minutes for the guys we have. If we pick him it's because he fell and we are listening to offers from teams lower down. Or we are dangling one of the guys we have as trade bait.

I can absolutely see Sengun being our pick it he drops to us (ala Deni). And I'd be ok with it, like I convinced myself I was ok with Deni, although it's not necessarily a player I wanted, it's hard to argue with the value your getting at that spot if a player with talent and upside falls to you.f

My expectation though is our pick comes up and there are players on the board that several of us really want and are like oh it's gotta be it's a no brainer.... Then our pick is someone we weren't expecting, maybe someone mocked 5-10 spots lower (like Rui), with the talk from Tommy about how he was the guy they wanted all along and had him at the top of their board. Maybe someone like Murphy for example, who supposedly has been very impressive in his interviews. Or Cooper. Or an international player like Bleijenbergh.

Just keep in mind Tommys board is likely to be very different than these mocks we see.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

I have a weird feeling that if Franz Wagner isn't there, the pick is Alperen Şengün or Roko Prkacin. Tommy likes his international players.

I hope not mate

And if he wants to choose international then give me Garuba who is athletic, great defender already and has good upside.

Garuba's athletic in terms of having good feet for a powerful player, but he's not particularly explosive, imo. He reminds me mostly of a taller PJ Tucker.

Watch on YouTube

[SUPERBALLMAN]

I guess I'd be in the minority in being very, very happy with Cooper?

I like Cooper. If he's our pick I'll be excited to see him in action.

But I think McBride is going to be better...

[SUPERBALLMAN]

This draft is so deep mid 1st to mid 2nd round.

I've already expressed my ideal draft scenario to trade down with someone like NY (21 & 32) to come out with McBride and Wieskamp both of who I think are going to be major steals.

And even with that, I'd love to add another 2nd rounder to add some interior D with someone like Queta.

But to illustrate... here's some players NBA Draft Room has slotted 16-30 and I'd be ok if not happy with at 15....

Kispert
Thor
Duarte
Murphy
Jackson
Springer
MCBRIDE
Butler
Hyland

[payitforward]

Looks like I have a convert in SUPERBALLMAN. Trading down is always good. & best when served with a freshly-bought additional R2 pick.

Now let me explain how I think we can geet 6 rookies out of this draft -- as we obviously could have last year (why don't they listen to me???)!

[Dat2U]

Looks like I have a convert in SUPERBALLMAN. Trading down is always good. & best when served with a freshly-bought additional R2 pick.

Now let me explain how I think we can geet 6 rookies out of this draft -- as we obviously could have last year (why don't they listen to me???)!

Because no GM or coach wants six rookies ... especially a team that isn't headed to the lottery next year.

[Shoe]

All the international players are bad fits with Westbrook. None of them are shooters.

The intriguing underclassmen like Moody, Bouknight, J. Johnson, K. Johnson will be gone by 15.

Kispert, Mitchell, Duarte are probably who play best with Westbrook.

[payitforward]

Looks like I have a convert in SUPERBALLMAN. Trading down is always good. & best when served with a freshly-bought additional R2 pick.

Now let me explain how I think we can geet 6 rookies out of this draft -- as we obviously could have last year (why don't they listen to me???)!

Because no GM or coach wants six rookies ... especially a team that isn't headed to the lottery next year.

In that case... fire the coach!

Dat -- don't lose your sense of humor, brother! Do I get ruffled when someone jokingly suggests that I am trying to figure out a series of trade-downs that gets us the entirety of R2?

You are right -- no team would be able to absorb 6 rookies. Nor will any team be likely to test that statement!

But, absolutely any team can absorb 2 rookies. &, w/o taking a close look team by team, I'd bet that almost every team could absorb 3 rookies. Certainly (obviously) if one of them was a 2 way player. After all, it's the #13, 14 & 15 players who'd be pushed out.

In any case, there is no question whatever about the Wizards: we'd have no trouble absorbing 2 rookies &, really, no more trouble absorbing a 3d one.

If we pick up Gill's option, sign Mathews (say for $2m), & add the #15 pick, we'll have 11 players at @$124.5m. If we use our exceptions to add 2 FAs for a total of, say, $9m, we'll be @$2.5m below the tax with only 13 players -- say a vet minimum guy & a 2d rookie. Or 2 more rookies instead.

Now... all this may change -- we might trade Bertans, for example. But... it's a long shot.

[payitforward]

All the international players are bad fits with Westbrook. None of them are shooters.

The intriguing underclassmen like Moody, Bouknight, J. Johnson, K. Johnson will be gone by 15.

Kispert, Mitchell, Duarte are probably who play best with Westbrook.

Why would we draft specifically for fit with Westbrook? He turns 33 in November. Are we going to contend for a title with Russ as the center of the team?

Are you suggesting we should draft the player who'll help the soonest? Instead of the one with the best chance to have a high-level NBA career?

Respectfully, I can't see why to do that.

Now, maybe Kispert is that guy, the one we think has the best overall potential, when #15 comes up! If so, great -- grab him.

Unless, that is, you can acquire even more long-term value by trading down (assuming the right trade is available), in which case, it seems obvious, do it. &, to me, that's almost always the case. So, I'd be seeking a trade down. Which doesn't mean, of course, that I'd be able to find one I liked -- but I'd look, that's for sure.

[Shoe]

All the international players are bad fits with Westbrook. None of them are shooters.

The intriguing underclassmen like Moody, Bouknight, J. Johnson, K. Johnson will be gone by 15.

Kispert, Mitchell, Duarte are probably who play best with Westbrook.

Why would we draft specifically for fit with Westbrook? He turns 33 in November. Are we going to contend for a title with Russ as the center of the team?

Are you suggesting we should draft the player who'll help the soonest? Instead of the one with the best chance to have a high-level NBA career?

Respectfully, I can't see why to do that.

Now, maybe Kispert is that guy, the one we think has the best overall potential, when #15 comes up! If so, great -- grab him.

Unless, that is, you can acquire even more long-term value by trading down (assuming the right trade is available), in which case, it seems obvious, do it. &, to me, that's almost always the case. So, I'd be seeking a trade down. Which doesn't mean, of course, that I'd be able to find one I liked -- but I'd look, that's for sure.

Good question. I personally wouldn't, but if they think a good season and playoff run would help keep Beal then maybe they look for more immediate impact. I should add that I agree with you on trading down.

[Ruzious]

Looks like I have a convert in SUPERBALLMAN. Trading down is always good. & best when served with a freshly-bought additional R2 pick.

Now let me explain how I think we can geet 6 rookies out of this draft -- as we obviously could have last year (why don't they listen to me???)!

Because no GM or coach wants six rookies ... especially a team that isn't headed to the lottery next year.

Some of the better value picks are players 22 and 23 years old, and presumably they'll be closer to being able to contribute than some of the 19 year olds that will be picked higher. And having 2 enormous salaries on the books makes it almost a necessity to hit on some 2nd rounders. I'd actually like to have 5 rookies this coming season - most being 22 or 23 years old.

[80sballboy]

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[Ruzious]

Some plusses and minuses on PF Moses Wright... only 6'9 in shoes, so he may have trouble switching on centers. Perfectly fine size to match up against PF's, has a solid 7'0.75" wingspan, great shape with 5.6% body fat, good 38" max vert. Here's highlights from his big game against Duke. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=moses+wright+combine&&view=detail&mid=A8C0C8F596DFA1B1B457A8C0C8F596DFA1B1B457&&FORM=VDRVSR

[gambitx777]

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Is the younger brother better than mo? He's smaller , more athletic, a little bit better of a ranger shooter.... By a tad.

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[FAH1223]

Just take Duarte and be done with it.

[gambitx777]

Just take Duarte and be done with it.

Seems a bit high at 15? Are we jimmy butlering /agent zeroing him by putting him in the 25/35 range


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