2019 Draft Discussion

[316Hornets]

Combine Measurements:

Brandon Clarke: 4.9% body fat, 6'8.25" wingspan

F rankings

#1 10.61 second Lane Agility
#1 40.5 inch Max vertical leap (#2 was 2 inches less)
#1 34 inch standing vertical leap

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/nba-draft-combine-2019-measurements-test-results-tacko-fall-top-prospects/wnxhg4r2eqe61ijggvtvzz48r



edit:

Kris Wilkes did beat him in lane agility according to NBA stats
https://stats.nba.com/draft/combine-strength-agility/#!?sort=LANE_AGILITY_TIME&dir=-1

[UNCNYC]

This is my top 10 available from best to worse at each position. A few I am still considering adding in but this is pretty much the top imo at each position in order. I have some rated way lower than the experts and some rated way higher.

PG
Nickeil Alex.-Wal. Virginia Tech 6' 5" 210
B.J. Taylor ucf 6' 2", 195 lbs
William McDowell-White Aust. 6' 5" 183
Kerwin Roach Texas 6' 4" 180
Coby White UNC 6' 5" 185
Carsen Edwards Purdue 6' 1" 200
Ja Morant Murray State 6' 3" 170
Ty Jerome Virginia 6' 5" 195
Jaylen Hands UCLA 6' 3" 170
Darius Garland Vanderbilt 6' 3" 175

SG
Jarrett Culver Texas Tech 6' 5" 190
Matisse Thybulle Washington 6' 5" 195
Jordan Poole Michigan 6' 4" 190
Admiral Schofield Tennessee 6' 5" 238
A.J. Reeves Providence 6' 6" 210
John Petty Alabama 6' 5" 197
Josh Reaves Penn State 6' 4" 210
Romeo Langford Indiana 6' 6" 195
Tyler Herro Kentucky 6' 5" 193
Cam Johnson UNC 6' 9" 210

SF
Rui Hachimura Gonzaga 6' 8" 225
R.J. Barrett Duke 6' 7" 180
De'Andre Hunter Virginia 6' 8" 225
Sekou Doumboya France 6' 9" 210
Nassir Little UNC 6' 7" 215
V.J. King Louisville 6' 6" 190
Deividas Sirvydis Lithuanian 6′ 8″ 190
Jaylen Hoard Wake Forest 6' 8" 195
Kevin Porter USC 6' 5" 195
Killian Tillie Gonzaga 6' 10" 200

PF
Jalen McDaniels San D. St. 6' 10" 195
Zion Williamson Duke 6' 7" 270
Luka Samanic Spain 6' 10" 210
Chuma Okeke Auburn 6′ 8″ 229
Isaiah Roby, Nebraska
Bennie Boatwright USC 6' 10" 230
PJ Washington Kentucky 6' 8" 230
Grant Williams Tennessee 6' 7" 236
Reid Travis Kentucky 6' 8" 245
Simi Shittu Vanderbilt 6' 10" 220

CENTERS
Bol Bol Oregon 7' 2" 220
Bruno Fernando Maryland 6' 10" 245
Mfiondu Kabengele Florida State
Neemias Queta, Utah State
Brandon Clarke Gonzaga 6' 8" 230
Jontay Porter Missouri 6' 11" 240
Tacko Fall UCF 7' 6" 300
Sagaba Konate, West Virginia
Austin Wiley Auburn 6' 11" 260
Shareef O'Neal UCLA 6' 10" 205

[UNCNYC]

In fact I am so impressed with Luka Samanic and Jalen Mcdaniels that I have narrowed our 12th pick down to them. What I would do is trade back to like 25 and whichever was left I would select.

[Najee12]

Clarke has great reaction and knows how to find the ball.

"While Clarke is somewhat undersized compared to most NBA rim protectors, he makes up for his lack of height with his ability to elevate quickly off of one or two feet and stay vertical on his contests."

"Because of his instincts, length, and quickness in space, Clarke is the rare player who can post gaudy block totals while also racking up a decent amount of steals. "

"Clarke’s lack of traditional center height and girth make it tough to imagine him spending many minutes at the five in the NBA, at least when the other team is playing a traditional center. "

"Clarke needs little to no load time to elevate and flush down a dunk at the basket. High-efficiency finishing is extremely important for low-usage, defense-first players"

He seems like a Draymond Green/Robert Covington type of player who can body up 4s and provide great help defense when guys target us with the pick and roll. He didn't shoot many 3s, but his defense potential is elite.

https://www.thestepien.com/2018/12/03/analyzing-brandon-clarkes-nba-potential/

Sounds like a Shawn Marion type?

Shawn Marion was a classic small forward who in his prime averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game while registering among the league leaders in blocked shots and steals. Brandon Clarke reminds me more of Kenyon Martin -- a somewhat undersized power forward/center who played in the interior and was known for his inside toughness.

[JMAC3]

I’m not super high on Clarke right now. Can the Clarke supporters out there tell me what position they think he plays?

He is 23 years old before he plays his first nba game. His swingspan is average for most wing players in the nba. Has no ability to score outside of the paint.

So is the goal to try and develop him into a wing player at 23 years old and teach how to shoot?

Is it to play him at PF where he won’t be able to space the floor at all?

Or is it to play him at Center where he will be at a disadvantage each night height wise, length wise and weight wise?




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[amcoolio]

Even if Luka stays overseas another season I still think he's got to potential to be a better Dario Saric. If the Hornets knew Kemba was leaving he would be the perfect pick. Maybe we can acquire another 1st rounder somehow.

[316Hornets]

I’m not super high on Clarke right now. Can the Clarke supporters out there tell me what position they think he plays?

He is 23 years old before he plays his first nba game. His swingspan is average for most wing players in the nba. Has no ability to score outside of the paint.

So is the goal to try and develop him into a wing player at 23 years old and teach how to shoot?

Is it to play him at PF where he won’t be able to space the floor at all?

Or is it to play him at Center where he will be at a disadvantage each night height wise, length wise and weight wise?




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1. There will be no complete players at #12
2. His age works well because we need someone who can contribute now to coincide with Kemba's prime instead of 3-4 years down the road.
3. He isn't MKG bad at shooting, I don't see him as only a post scorer.
4. In the NBA, he will be able to guard 2-4 with help defense at the 5. His wingspan is short, so he will have to rely on his footwork and reaction time.
5. He will play the 4 in the NBA. Basically, Marvin's role. I think it works if we can get a stretch 5 like Kevin Love.

6. His defense is the reason to get him. Our guards aren't good at switching and keeping their man in front of them. Brandon Clarke will block the crap out of anyone on a free rim run. It will strengthen our defense a great deal and allow Kemba to focus on offense.


2:32 - look at his vertical. This guy will destroy small ball 5s.

Watch on YouTube

;feature=youtu.be

[predators]

I don't see how adding another guy the opposing team doesn't have guard out to the 3 point line is going to help this team win games next year. We already have Zeller/MKG to fill that roll. Brandon Clarke seems more high risk low reward rather than low risk low reward. He's a PF/C in SG/SF body.

[yosemiteben]

I don't see how adding another guy the opposing team doesn't have guard out to the 3 point line is going to help this team win games next year. We already have Zeller/MKG to fill that roll. Brandon Clarke seems more high risk low reward rather than low risk low reward. He's a PF/C in SG/SF body.

Even if this is all there was to it, Clarke would make $10M less than MKG or Cody next season. I don't have confidence in anyone in this draft, so if we emerge with Clarke I won't hate it.

The only thing I'm worried about his wingspan. I still can't get over the fact that a DPOY candidate and best blocker in the NCAA is a 6'8" with a 6'8" wingspan.

[amcoolio]

I wouldn’t mind Clarke if we got rid of MKG Zeller and Biyombo for more useful players

I just don’t want either of those 3 on the team next year

[UNCNYC]

Many think this is a weak draft but I think they will be proven wrong. I think guys like Jalen Hoard have just as much potential if not more than guys like Rui or Barrett who could be top 5 picks. Hoard has an NBA ready game.

My SUUUUPER SLEEPERS at each position are

PG - BJ TAYLOR, KERWIN ROACH, William McDowell-White
SG - Josh Reaves , John Petty
SF - Deividas Sirvydis, Jalen Hoard
PF - Isaiah Roby
C - Neemias Queta

Watch on YouTube

[_tijo_]

Bonnell, Mitch, and JB all have talked about rim protection. I still think we need shooting. ESPECIALLY if Kemba and Lamb leave. We got Monk, who gets lost on D, and uhh... Bacon, Marv, Frank, Batum, Bridges... all of whom are streaky at best. I would probably take NAW or drop back and take Herro.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

The team really needs a lot of stuff. My wish list is literally just "can play on both sides of the court." That pretty much implies being able to stretch the floor though.

Given the rim comments maybe they are hinting Bol Bol or one of the other big men.

[JMAC3]

I’m not super high on Clarke right now. Can the Clarke supporters out there tell me what position they think he plays?

He is 23 years old before he plays his first nba game. His swingspan is average for most wing players in the nba. Has no ability to score outside of the paint.

So is the goal to try and develop him into a wing player at 23 years old and teach how to shoot?

Is it to play him at PF where he won’t be able to space the floor at all?

Or is it to play him at Center where he will be at a disadvantage each night height wise, length wise and weight wise?




Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

1. There will be no complete players at #12
2. His age works well because we need someone who can contribute now to coincide with Kemba's prime instead of 3-4 years down the road.
3. He isn't MKG bad at shooting, I don't see him as only a post scorer.
4. In the NBA, he will be able to guard 2-4 with help defense at the 5. His wingspan is short, so he will have to rely on his footwork and reaction time.
5. He will play the 4 in the NBA. Basically, Marvin's role. I think it works if we can get a stretch 5 like Kevin Love.

6. His defense is the reason to get him. Our guards aren't good at switching and keeping their man in front of them. Brandon Clarke will block the crap out of anyone on a free rim run. It will strengthen our defense a great deal and allow Kemba to focus on offense.


2:32 - look at his vertical. This guy will destroy small ball 5s.

Watch on YouTube

;feature=youtu.be

I don’t think anyone is arguing any player is perfect, but a guy who is already 23 years old to start the year should be way more developed than he is. History shows he is less likely to improve then younger players (please don’t show me a short list of 4 year guys) I’m talking about more often then not.

You showed a video where all he does score inside inside the paint. Half the baskets the guy guarding him doesn’t even move because he is in foul trouble. Which player is worse than MKG offensively right now? Is that really your bar that you compare players to?

Physically he just isn’t built to score in the paint in the NBA he has the same standing reach as Romeo Langford? Can he play center too?

He weighs virtually the same as Nickeil Alexander-Walker and less than Kevin Porter Jr. both will be guards in the nba.

His hands are very small for any player, let alone a post player in the NBA.

Just to compare Cam Reddish weighs more, higher standing reach, longer wingspan- and he is 4 years younger... could he become a 4/5 in the nba?

In three years he made 6 threes total while shooting an average of under 62 percent from the free throw line... I don’t see him all of sudden becoming a stretch 4.

I get he blocked a lot of shots, but he played in a weak conference against other undersized bigs. Offensively he shot a high percentage on a well coached, veteran lead team who understands how to get easy buckets. His only move is to turn over his left shoulder and finish with his right hand. I just don’t love the idea of drafting an older, undersized player who is not very skilled on the perimeter.

I honestly feel like he can be an NBA player, but he is going to have to turn himself into a perimeter player and that will take 3 years. And at the end of the day I don’t want to develop a guy for that long so he can be prime Courtney Lee.



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[SWedd523]

He's the size of a SF with the game of a Center. He's instantly too small to guard or score over anybody and does nothing but give the team a matchup disadvantage to work through.

To take and play a guy like that, you're handicapping your team unless you surround him with elite scoring talent at the other 4 spots. Even then, it's almost required for him to be a **** lock down defender to even be worth playing as a net negative offensive player in the modern NBA.

You have (real) Centers shooting threes now. The game has passed this guy so far behind it isn't funny.

[BigSlam]

He's the size of a SF with the game of a Center. He's instantly too small to guard or score over anybody and does nothing but give the team a matchup disadvantage to work through.

To take and play a guy like that, you're handicapping your team unless you surround him with elite scoring talent at the other 4 spots. Even then, it's almost required for him to be a **** lock down defender to even be worth playing as a net negative offensive player in the modern NBA.

You have (real) Centers shooting threes now. The game has passed this guy so far behind it isn't funny.

Draymond Green might not agree with you.


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[316Hornets]

I’m not super high on Clarke right now. Can the Clarke supporters out there tell me what position they think he plays?

He is 23 years old before he plays his first nba game. His swingspan is average for most wing players in the nba. Has no ability to score outside of the paint.

So is the goal to try and develop him into a wing player at 23 years old and teach how to shoot?

Is it to play him at PF where he won’t be able to space the floor at all?

Or is it to play him at Center where he will be at a disadvantage each night height wise, length wise and weight wise?




Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

1. There will be no complete players at #12
2. His age works well because we need someone who can contribute now to coincide with Kemba's prime instead of 3-4 years down the road.
3. He isn't MKG bad at shooting, I don't see him as only a post scorer.
4. In the NBA, he will be able to guard 2-4 with help defense at the 5. His wingspan is short, so he will have to rely on his footwork and reaction time.
5. He will play the 4 in the NBA. Basically, Marvin's role. I think it works if we can get a stretch 5 like Kevin Love.

6. His defense is the reason to get him. Our guards aren't good at switching and keeping their man in front of them. Brandon Clarke will block the crap out of anyone on a free rim run. It will strengthen our defense a great deal and allow Kemba to focus on offense.


2:32 - look at his vertical. This guy will destroy small ball 5s.

Watch on YouTube

;feature=youtu.be

I don’t think anyone is arguing any player is perfect, but a guy who is already 23 years old to start the year should be way more developed than he is. History shows he is less likely to improve then younger players (please don’t show me a short list of 4 year guys) I’m talking about more often then not.

You showed a video where all he does score inside inside the paint. Half the baskets the guy guarding him doesn’t even move because he is in foul trouble. Which player is worse than MKG offensively right now? Is that really your bar that you compare players to?

Physically he just isn’t built to score in the paint in the NBA he has the same standing reach as Romeo Langford? Can he play center too?

He weighs virtually the same as Nickeil Alexander-Walker and less than Kevin Porter Jr. both will be guards in the nba.

His hands are very small for any player, let alone a post player in the NBA.

Just to compare Cam Reddish weighs more, higher standing reach, longer wingspan- and he is 4 years younger... could he become a 4/5 in the nba?

In three years he made 6 threes total while shooting an average of under 62 percent from the free throw line... I don’t see him all of sudden becoming a stretch 4.

I get he blocked a lot of shots, but he played in a weak conference against other undersized bigs. Offensively he shot a high percentage on a well coached, veteran lead team who understands how to get easy buckets. His only move is to turn over his left shoulder and finish with his right hand. I just don’t love the idea of drafting an older, undersized player who is not very skilled on the perimeter.

I honestly feel like he can be an NBA player, but he is going to have to turn himself into a perimeter player and that will take 3 years. And at the end of the day I don’t want to develop a guy for that long so he can be prime Courtney Lee.



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I think you are expecting too much. This sounds like the criticism for the #1 pick in the draft, not a guy at #12.

Plenty of guys do work in the Post. It's all about having good IQ and using your strengths to advantage. Is he really much different than a guy like Paul Millsap, a guy that was shorter than Clarke when he came in the league.

The weight isn't a big issue. The guy is 4.9% body fat. He could put on 10 pounds in no time if we needed him to.


Truthfully, if you put Miles and Clarke in the same body, they are probably an All-star, so maybe the 2 of them can rub off on each other.

[JMAC3]

He's the size of a SF with the game of a Center. He's instantly too small to guard or score over anybody and does nothing but give the team a matchup disadvantage to work through.

To take and play a guy like that, you're handicapping your team unless you surround him with elite scoring talent at the other 4 spots. Even then, it's almost required for him to be a **** lock down defender to even be worth playing as a net negative offensive player in the modern NBA.

You have (real) Centers shooting threes now. The game has passed this guy so far behind it isn't funny.

Draymond Green might not agree with you.


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Draymond green is a lockdown defender surrounded by 4 shooters?

Also Draymond has way more offensive firepower and just flat way more skilled then Clarke will ever be.

Not one of your better examples


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[SWedd523]

He's the size of a SF with the game of a Center. He's instantly too small to guard or score over anybody and does nothing but give the team a matchup disadvantage to work through.

To take and play a guy like that, you're handicapping your team unless you surround him with elite scoring talent at the other 4 spots. Even then, it's almost required for him to be a **** lock down defender to even be worth playing as a net negative offensive player in the modern NBA.

You have (real) Centers shooting threes now. The game has passed this guy so far behind it isn't funny.

Draymond Green might not agree with you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Draymond green is a lockdown defender surrounded by 4 shooters?

Also Draymond has way more offensive firepower and just flat way more skilled then Clarke will ever be.

Not one of your better examples


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

Yeah lol Draymond is literally in exactly the scenario I said Clarke needs to thrive.

Not to mention they aren't even remotely similar players.

Draymond made 52 threes in college. Clarke made........ (red flag alert) 6

and Dray is an almost non factor from deep despite being on the one roster in the league that will have opposing teams letting him take as many wide open threes as he wants. Don't see how using him as an example bodes well for Clarke's ability to fit into a modern NBA offense.

In addition to being a terrific team defender, Draymond is also one of the more intelligent and better passing bigs in the league, with the ability to operate from the high shoulder and provide spacing for the rest of the offense. Has Clarke shown any face up game in college?


Is Charlotte not one of the very few teams in the league still holding on to the vestiges of early 2000's basketball?

At what point are they going to decide that having players other than your 6 foot tall POINT GUARD scoring points is a viable means of winning games?

How many times have we seen the team fall apart late in games when opposing teams ratchet down on Kemba and the offense implodes?

How many years now have they been playing 4-on-5 on offense because they're trying to mask/justify MKG's existence on the floor?

The team is desperate for any sort of offensive firepower that can help drag them into the modern NBA. I get that the 12 pick is not going to find you a star unless you get lucky and strike gold, but good Lord you're talking about a guy with the length and weight of a SG/SF and the offensive game of an old school PF/C. Is that seriously the best you can do at that spot? Because that sounds like an awful lot of limitations.

They need to be looking for whichever guy they think has the most potential to score 20 points a night and go from there, not looking for an MKG replacement when he (MKG) can't even stay on the floor as-is.

[Liver_Pooty]

Age means nothing to me anymore. For instance I think Cam Johnson from UNC will be one of the better players from this draft in 5 years. Hea "old" by draft standards, but a solid athlete good size and when he shoots he doesn't miss, literally, the guy doesn't miss.