2021 NBA Draft Thread

[KingCat]

Having a problem predicting what we will do this draft considering I have no idea where the team sees itself. Are we truly in a win now mode? The East is looking a bit rougher next year. I mean just looking ahead, the Hawks, Celtics, Nets, Bulls, Pacers, Heat, Bucks, Knicks, 76ers, and Wizards will be gunning for a playoff spot. Unless Miles truly makes a big jump next season, I don't see us making the playoffs.

If we are truly in a win now scenario, then I imagine we go for Krispert, Mitchell, or Wagner, or trade the pick for a impactful vet

If we still feel we need to rebuild, then I imagine we got for a Kai Jones, Jalen Johnson, Keon Johnson, or try to trade Hayward to Golden State for their picks.

Hard to navigate where the team is gonna go from here. Like I said, I don't like our odds of making the playoffs next year bearing some major steps by Miles and/or PJ, but also tanking has proven to not be the option in building a championship team.

[SWedd523]

I hope they aren't in win now mode. The roster is very far from being championship quality. They desperately need at least one other star level player before they consider consolidating assets or searching for role players.

[UNCNYC]

If there was one player that I covet that the jury is still out on that player for me is Moses Moody. I was one of if not the first to post Moody and I did so more so because of his NAME rather than being a fan of his actual game. Not to knock the guys talent because he has it but I think if his name were lets say

Gerald Taylor or Mike Jones (nothing wrong with these names just more common) he might get less of a buzz from most.

I am a fan of his but I believe his name greatly contributes to that. If he were a Joe Smith I doubt I would rank him Tops out of this list

James Bouknight
Jarod Butler
Ayo Dosunmu
David Duke
Nah’Shon Hyland
Joe Smith

I think his name, and safeness contribute to him being a SAFE pick with home-run capabilities. Once again I don't knock his potential, just don't know if I or some would rank him as high without the impact of his name.

[Diop]

they made comments on how they were ahead of schedule in the rebuild last year, so it wouldn't surprise me if they look for more win now pieces.

[Diop]

i real concerns over Moody's hairline though

[UNCNYC]

i real concerns over Moody's hairline though

Lol, easy now it's too early lmao.

But things like that were actually a concern of mine with him. I saw nothing much outside of his name and SAFENESS. I would watch his highlights and then walk away not blown away.

[SpearNMgicHelmt]

I think what we need more than anything else is toughness. We played fun, entertaining basketball last year, with highlights galore, but right at the end when we really needed to win one game, other teams beat us up and took our lunch money. I first started noticing the lack of toughness against the Knicks because of their style of play. Its a trait you've got whether your shots are falling right then or not.

Miles, Biz, and the twins are tough. Cody is tough in the sense that he can get pummeled and get right back up, but he's not dishing it out. Miles is the only one of those in our long-term plans.

[LofJ]

I think the two seconds we own and cash are enough to trade up into the 2nd. The 35th and 36th picks owned by the Thunder are probably for sale. Tre Mann or Miles McBride would be good pickups there for Graham/Monk insurance.

[JMAC3]

I hope they aren't in win now mode. The roster is very far from being championship quality. They desperately need at least one other star level player before they consider consolidating assets or searching for role players.

This is a bad attitude in my mind. You do not become a championship contender over night, it is a ladder of success.

We are picking 11th this year, based on our performance and growth from our young guys this past year this should be our last year in the lottery. Meaning we likely aren't going to have any more top 10 picks for awhile.

We need to start winning games and change the culture of Charlotte basketball if we want to keep Melo long-term.

[UNCNYC]

I think the two seconds we own and cash are enough to trade up into the 2nd. The 35th and 36th picks owned by the Thunder are probably for sale. Tre Mann or Miles McBride would be good pickups there for Graham/Monk insurance.

Couldn't agree more with those selections. As you know I LOVE Tre Manns game and Miles McBride is a pesky little dude that could be a fun player to root for.

I don't fear losing Graham or Monk at all due to there being so many guards of their calibar that will be available even if we kept 57 and 58 in this draft.

[UNCNYC]

If we were to get pick 35, players that could realistically be there that I like are

Tre Mann
Ayo Dosunmu
Primo
Nah’Shon Hyland - He reminds me of Emmanual Quickly / Tyrese Maxey

Trey Murphy III - anything is possible. I just RECENTLY started seeing his stock high but most of the year it wasn't

Jericho Sims
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl - Doesn't get much mention but could be a hygh-brid Center option

[SWedd523]

I hope they aren't in win now mode. The roster is very far from being championship quality. They desperately need at least one other star level player before they consider consolidating assets or searching for role players.

This is a bad attitude in my mind. You do not become a championship contender over night, it is a ladder of success.

We are picking 11th this year, based on our performance and growth from our young guys this past year this should be our last year in the lottery. Meaning we likely aren't going to have any more top 10 picks for awhile.

We need to start winning games and change the culture of Charlotte basketball if we want to keep Melo long-term.

Last time we took that mindset with our up-and-coming PG (Kemba), they maxed out at two playoff appearances, wasted Kemba's rookie years, then wasted his youth, then lost him in FA.


Time before that, we got the Crash/Jax/Felton trio that maxed out at one playoff appearance and got swept.

Charlotte basketball has tried so hard to break even and be respectable that the FO (Jordan) has routinely destroyed flexibility and growth potential to bring in vets on expensive and/or long contracts.

They aren't a major market. They need to need gold on multiple drafts or steal young talent from someone (a la a potential GSW Wiseman trade) and THEN bring in vets who want to buy into that potential.

Flexibility is massive for small markets. The teams that leverage cap space and trades set themselves up better than scrambling to be respectable.

[JMAC3]

Last time we took that mindset with our up-and-coming PG (Kemba), they maxed out at two playoff appearances, wasted Kemba's rookie years, then wasted his youth, then lost him in FA.

Time before that, we got the Crash/Jax/Felton trio that maxed out at one playoff appearance and got swept.

Charlotte basketball has tried so hard to break even and be respectable that the FO (Jordan) has routinely destroyed flexibility and growth potential to bring in vets on expensive and/or long contracts.

They aren't a major market. They need to need gold on multiple drafts or steal young talent from someone (a la a potential GSW Wiseman trade) and THEN bring in vets who want to buy into that potential.

Flexibility is massive for small markets. The teams that leverage cap space and trades set themselves up better than scrambling to be respectable.

Right... this team is nothing like either of those teams tho.

Kemba had no help... Crash/Jax/Felton was a team full of vets with no upside.

Hayward/Rozier are better running mates than Kemba ever had lol. Kemba had Henderson or Lamb and Jefferson on his last legs.

We have a ROY, two versatile forwards that are 23 years old to start the year and all three of these guys should get better...

Oh and we have the 11th pick in a supposed deep draft. oh and 30 million in cap space to spend still.

[UNCNYC]

This is a guy who we should DEFINATELY look at drafting. Aaron Wiggins. He might be there at #57. I have been a fan of his for a while. His flaw imo is that he is a bit unselfish or not aggressive enough. To me he is quite similar to Trey Murphy III without the hype. Simmons won KING OF THE COURT a few years back. He was the best one on one player there against other high profiled guys.

As far as Fandom goes if we were to draft

LaMelo
Bouknight
Wiggins
Miles
Sims

That would be beyond exciting.

Watch on YouTube

[JMAC3]

My top 18 right now if draft was tonight

TIER 1- 3 most likely to win ROY and be the best player
1. Cade- size, shooting, passing.. even if he isn't a superstar the floor is so high.
2. Jalen Green- the best pure scorer in the draft, great kid who wants to be the best.
3. Mobley- skilled, huge, but a bit lower based on current game style and he seems to have a passive demeanor.
Tier 2- superstar potential, but more flags
4 Scottie Barnes- amazing size, smart, clutch gene and plays both ends.
5. Jalen Suggs- still like him, but his size knocks him a bit compared to Barnes when it comes to pure upside.
6. Kuminga- has some Paul George in him, but the floor is Aminu low.
Tier 3- All-star potential
7. Jalen Johnson- best mix of size, speed, skill in the draft potentially with Barnes. More character concerns than Barnes tho
8. Keon Johnson- bulldog, great athlete, high motor. Skills aren't bad but a drop-off compared to guys ahead of him.
9. Kai Jones- Maybe would have the best 2 min mixtape of all these guys, lacks consistency and production though.
10. Josh Giddey- passing, size, decent shooting. If he was a better athlete he would be top 5.
11. Moody- not the best athlete, but two way player with elite length. Shoots it well enough to be a star on offense someday.
Tier 4- See more as borderline starters/role players
12. Kispert- great shooter, high iq. Defense and playmaking probably never get there.
13. Bouknight- shoot looks better than stats which is head scratching, good size but not great. Might be higher later for me.
14. Wagner- Could be a solid two way player like Moody, but Moody is just better on offense right now and younger.
15. Davion- small, old, shooting might be a mirage and not sure he is a true point guard in NBA.
16. Garuba- Best all around defender in the draft? offense is rough. Mainly just lobs and wide open threes right now.
17. JT Thor- Thon Maker 2.0?
18. Sengun- shorter for a center, not a leaper, not a three point shooter. Great production though.

I’m not really looking at anyone else at this point.

Added a few notes.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

I'm not getting too attached to #11 this year. Feels like there's a decent chance of a trade.

[LofJ]

I'm not getting too attached to #11 this year. Feels like there's a decent chance of a trade.

That likely means Rozier is going out with 11. Other than Turner there aren't a lot of guys making less than $20 million that are worth that (and potentially available). Unless we pull the trigger on Turner I think the 11th pick will suit up as a Hornet.

I also think the Pacers value Washington more than the 11th pick. They've always preferred proven players to draft picks.

[Diop]

Watch on YouTube

It’s this type of footwork that has me liking Sims, he would be our best defensive big in the pick n roll and catches the ball better than Biyombo. I could see him running with ball

[BigSlam]

Watch on YouTube

It’s this type of footwork that has me liking Sims, he would be our best defensive big in the pick n roll and catches the ball better than Biyombo. I could see him running with ball

Kai Jones defends the perimeter like that as well....but also takes (and makes) 3's, is also a little taller, has a much longer standing reach and is 2 1/2 years younger than Sims.

They both do have pretty awesome 1st names and killer hair though.

[UNCNYC]

Watch on YouTube

It’s this type of footwork that has me liking Sims, he would be our best defensive big in the pick n roll and catches the ball better than Biyombo. I could see him running with ball

Kai Jones defends the perimeter like that as well....but also takes (and makes) 3's, is also a little taller, has a much longer standing reach and is 2 1/2 years younger than Sims.

They both do have pretty awesome 1st names and killer hair though.

Lmao @ the name and hair... Yes Kai Jones is awesome. Iv'e posted about him quite a few times over the years when some would view him as a nobody . I am weird in a way that once a player gets popular I move on lmao. I barely have interest in bouknight, Mann, or Kai anymore lmaoooo.

BTW Sims signed with an Agent yesterday along with Josh Primo. This is an extended video of Sims which someone cared waaaay too much to make lol. It is litterally nearly 2 hours of footage of him. What I do like about it is, it starts with offense and shows footage of complete games so you see how he performed in those games.

Watch on YouTube