2019 NBA Draft Prep

[jayu70]

The Bembry we saw in OT, who's the comparable wing but with better offense and handles?

Great question!!!

And a tough one, too. I've come to think of Bembry as our version of Marcus Smart. Tough, strong, smart. But lacking in shooting or hops. I don't know that there's a perfect analog for him in this draft.


I think Jarrett Culver's most likely outcome is Bembry with a semi-reliable jump shot. He's a do-everything, swiss army knife kinda player who can play on ball, off-ball, defend and pass. And he's great running the pick-and-roll.

He doesn't have Bembry's first step and is even less of an athlete, though.




A player whose game is comparable to what we saw out of Bembry last night? Pushing the ball in transition, finishing at the rim off back door cuts, attacking close outs and drawing fouls in the paint, guarding the best opposing player with energy...


Zion? :dontknow:

I'll take it

[Jamaaliver]

I'm impressed we haven't heard much complaining from this kid or his parents about how he's being used. He looks...bad. He should go back to school for another year of seasoning.

But, if he's as miserable as I'd guess he is -- and he's still a sure fire lottery pick -- it seems most likely he'll go into the draft and get picked up off of potential.

Read on Twitter

[Spud2nique]

I’m still not spending our first or the Mavs on a center. I want 2 wings from this wing heavy draft. We can draft a center with our second rounder pick. Hayes and Bruno need to show me more.

[Spud2nique]

Trae+Zion= The End (for the rest of the league)

[King Ken]

^If you're looking for a Center who complements Collins...it's Jontay Porter.

He's not as athletic as Collins but is a top passer and shooter. He's a surprisingly adept shot blocker. And has the girth to bang with opposing Centers.

Spoiler:

Pre-injury Scouting Report:

10. Jontay Porter, Missouri C, Sophomore



Expectations have risen for Jontay Porter, who returned to Missouri despite earning an invite to May's NBA combine and having had a chance to go in the first round in 2018.

The scouting lens picks up his shooting, passing and shot-blocking skills for a center. At 18 years old, Porter finished as one of two players in the country to average at least one three-point make, 1.5 blocks and two assists per game, per Sports Reference.

He also had the highest body fat percentage at the combine, as well as the slowest three-quarter sprint and lowest max vertical (tied).

Porter will need to show he's improved his body, and it wouldn't hurt if he demonstrated more shot creation and execution around the basket. But he checks the boxes NBA teams now value in centers.

Bleacher Report

Jontay Porter’s injury shouldn’t weaken his draft stock

Jontay Porter will miss the college basketball season with an ACL and MCL tear. While it shouldn’t hurt his draft stock, the injury dampens an already weak 2019 NBA Draft class

The 2019 college basketball season was dealt a big blow in October when Missouri sophomore center Jontay Porter tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee during a scrimmage...

The injury is an obvious downer for college basketball fans and NBA Draft geeks. He also was projected to be a potential top-10 prospect for many draft scouts entering the season. In a weak class, Porter’s high-level skill and potential as a stretch-5 stood out and losing the chance to see expected skill progression as a shooter, defender, and passer is very disappointing.

Helping Porter along the way is his skill set, the main reason to have optimism about his long-term value as a prospect. Porter’s athleticism was already a question; he was considered a high-level prospect despite it, thanks to his high level of skill on the offensive end. Porter is a potential lottery pick because of his decision-making coupled with his shooting touch as a pick-and-pop threat. He is certainly more Nikola Jokic than Anthony Davis.

If he can get back to an admittedly low baseline of athleticism, he should be fine as a prospect.

The Stepback

Offensively but defensively, he doesn't defend well in space nor is he a rim protector. But he does fit the pass, shoot, and dribble quota

[King Ken]

I'm impressed we haven't heard much complaining from this kid or his parents about how he's being used. He looks...bad. He should go back to school for another year of seasoning.

But, if he's as miserable as I'd guess he is -- and he's still a sure fire lottery pick -- it seems most likely he'll go into the draft and get picked up off of potential.

Read on Twitter

He has a low feel for the game. I think this would be the issue anywhere he signed in college. Part of the reason GMs love the one and done rule. You can have a poor feel for the game and still get drafted very high.

[King Ken]

The Bembry we saw in OT, who's the comparable wing but with better offense and handles?

Great question!!!

And a tough one, too. I've come to think of Bembry as our version of Marcus Smart. Tough, strong, smart. But lacking in shooting or hops. I don't know that there's a perfect analog for him in this draft.


I think Jarrett Culver's most likely outcome is Bembry with a semi-reliable jump shot. He's a do-everything, swiss army knife kinda player who can play on ball, off-ball, defend and pass. And he's great running the pick-and-roll.

He doesn't have Bembry's first step and is even less of an athlete, though.




A player whose game is comparable to what we saw out of Bembry last night? Pushing the ball in transition, finishing at the rim off back door cuts, attacking close outs and drawing fouls in the paint, guarding the best opposing player with energy...


Zion?

Culver should be a better finisher as well.

[Jamaaliver]

His lack of fire is disheartening, but this kid checks all the boxes Trav looks for and fits in the lineup and offense flawlessly.

Read on Twitter

My ideal draft is now Cam Reddish, Sekou Doumboya, Jontay Porter and Ty Jerome.

That's defense, shooting, depth, playmaking at 2-5 spots.

It'd likely require us to luck into a top-3 pick for Cam and trade Taurean and 2nd rounders to get both Jontay and Sekou.

[King Ken]

His lack of fire is disheartening, but this kid checks all the boxes Trav looks for and fits in the lineup and offense flawlessly.

Read on Twitter

My ideal draft is now Cam Reddish, Sekou Doumboya, Jontay Porter and Ty Jerome.

That's defense, shooting, depth, playmaking at 2-5 spots.

It'd likely require us to luck into a top-3 pick for Cam and trade Taurean and 2nd rounders to get both Jontay and Sekou.

Cam has fire, but his personality is like Kevin. They don't have the superstar personality, just guys for the most part who do what you ask of them.

[Jamaaliver]

Cam has fire, but his personality is like Kevin. They don't have the superstar personality, just guys for the most part who do what you ask of them.

In truth, this is actually what draws me to him.

We can safely say that this is now Trae's team. Trae's franchise.

An alpha scorer like RJ might come in and muck up the offense trying to take over and dominate the ball.

Cam Reddish as a secondary wing creator might be right up his alley. We can offer more touches on offense than he gets now, but none of the weight and responsibility.




But he might get swayed by another team a few years from now that he's being under utilized, and then get tempted to walk away like when Joe Johnson left the Suns. (Their personalities are even pretty comparable.)

[atlantabbq99]

Rivals.com

I have Fernando as the 2nd best center in the draft behind Bol. He might be worth the 5th pick only because the biggest need for the Hawks right now is a defensive center to pair with Collins.

Fernando reminds me of a bigger Charles Oakley.

His strengths are:
-Great at setting picks
-Wide shoulders and very strong
-Good shooting mechanics which can be seen in his free throw shooting
-Has the mental and physical foundation to be an anchor on defense
-Above average basketball IQ in the sense that he is looking to play team ball and not just lower his head and bully his way in.

Weaknesses:
-Not a super athlete in quickness and vertical
-He gets blocks, but doesn't have a 40 inch vertical like Dwight or Amare
-Lack of lateral quickness could be a problem when he switches and guards the perimeter
-No guard skills like Jokic or Draymond
-Poor when running the fast break or doesn't always run the fast break
-Currently no 3pt shot

Fernando doesn't take many 3pt shots or 18 foot jump shots, but when he does, he has good form. He is an immovable object, but that also affects his quickness. He is no Jokic when it comes to passing but what i love about the guy is that before he does anything, he will look at the floor and teammates and see if he can make a pass before making a move to take his own shot, so he is making an effort in playing team ball and not me ball. He has a good jump shot although on the college level, he doesn't use it that much, but I can see him easily developing an Oakley/Horford jump shot once he gets into the NBA.

Call me crazy, but I can kind of see that he has 0.0001% chance of becoming Karl Malone, but realistically I think he has a 50% chance of becoming Jusuf Nurkic.

That's a good player but is that a player you want to pair with Collins who struggles in space on D.

I actually have Bol at #5 (depending on the medical)

[atlantabbq99]

Rivals.com

I have Fernando as the 2nd best center in the draft behind Bol. He might be worth the 5th pick only because the biggest need for the Hawks right now is a defensive center to pair with Collins.

Fernando reminds me of a bigger Charles Oakley.

His strengths are:
-Great at setting picks
-Wide shoulders and very strong
-Good shooting mechanics which can be seen in his free throw shooting
-Has the mental and physical foundation to be an anchor on defense
-Above average basketball IQ in the sense that he is looking to play team ball and not just lower his head and bully his way in.

Weaknesses:
-Not a super athlete in quickness and vertical
-He gets blocks, but doesn't have a 40 inch vertical like Dwight or Amare
-Lack of lateral quickness could be a problem when he switches and guards the perimeter
-No guard skills like Jokic or Draymond
-Poor when running the fast break or doesn't always run the fast break
-Currently no 3pt shot

Fernando doesn't take many 3pt shots or 18 foot jump shots, but when he does, he has good form. He is an immovable object, but that also affects his quickness. He is no Jokic when it comes to passing but what i love about the guy is that before he does anything, he will look at the floor and teammates and see if he can make a pass before making a move to take his own shot, so he is making an effort in playing team ball and not me ball. He has a good jump shot although on the college level, he doesn't use it that much, but I can see him easily developing an Oakley/Horford jump shot once he gets into the NBA.

Call me crazy, but I can kind of see that he has 0.0001% chance of becoming Karl Malone, but realistically I think he has a 50% chance of becoming Jusuf Nurkic.

Worth it with the Dallas pick, not the BPA at Hawks pick. Never draft for need with your first pick, only with bonus picks.

Marvin Williams, Salim Stoudamire .......... Chris Paul

[atlantabbq99]

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

This is the same guy who said that Sexton is better than Trae Young.

Jay Williams is turning out to be one of the dumbest sports analyist today, getting on the same level of low overall IQ as Steven A Smtih.....

Watch on YouTube

[Jamaaliver]

Man, Fansided runs these things almost weekly, now.

2019 NBA Mock Draft

5. Jarrett Culver |G/F | Texas Tech
Atlanta Hawks



Culver is the heartbeat of the Red Raiders’ no-middle defensive scheme that will have them switching, playing zone and locking down in man coverage all over the course of a few minutes. The sophomore’s ability to read and react is a big part of why it works. The mobility in Culver’s hips and his lower body strength allow him to rotate in and out of the paint to condense the floor for the opponent and still recover back out to the perimeter to corral a ball-handler. As you see in the sequence above, he can finish plays out on defense by staying attached on drives and reading opportunities for blocked shots and deflections.

Read on Twitter

The talent isn’t as natural on offense. Culver has a solid handle for his size but is not a natural playmaker. The handle in its current state wouldn’t be functional for a lead ball-handler in the NBA and most of Culver’s playmaking comes as a result of his size, which allows him to pass over and around the defense rather than a step ahead of it.

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

He is growing, and coming back to school under Chris Beard looks like the right decision for Culver, who last year was a spot-up shooter and transition finisher with no playmaking responsibility. As you see above, Culver’s footwork is improving and he’s getting more confident taking 3s off the bounce. Transitioning to the NBA, Culver will likely slot down as a role player early on but if he can develop his handle and shooting ability we could see an exciting jumbo playmaker in time.



8. Nassir Little | F | North Carolina
Atlanta Hawks

Little is aggressive, you have to give him that. Still limited to a bench role that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon, Little is going hard the minute he steps on the court, calling for the ball, jacking shots and generally trying to do a little too much. That leads to Little falling out of position and hurting North Carolina at times.

Spoiler:

Watch on YouTube

When Little is in rhythm and turning defense into offense, he looks spectacular. But when he is forced to adjust to the game and his teammates and settle into a lesser role, Little struggles. With poor steal numbers and an inconsistent jumper, Little is just not the player we thought he would be over the summer, when he won the McDonald’s All-American Game MVP award and headed — alongside a nice freshman class — to Chapel Hill.

That said, Atlanta has developed its young players nicely the past two seasons and they need a big, versatile athlete like Little to balance their core defensively.

[King Ken]

I think NBA interest is at an all time high

[Jamaaliver]

Center prospects who'd pair well with Collins:

NOT: Goga's 'highlight reel' is one of the least enticing I've ever seen.

No. 11. Goga Bitadze (Georgia, C, 1999)

Watch on YouTube

A breakout season and lack of obvious NBA prospects in college basketball help push Goga Bitadze up the board.

The 19-year-old center has been one of the Adriatic League's top producers while averaging 13.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks through eight Euroleague games.

Though he isn't a creative scorer or flashy athlete, Bitadize has been effective using his hands, footwork and mobility around the basket, where he's a versatile finishing target. Flashes of improved shooting range (15-of-39 on threes combined) only add to his appeal.

Bitadze may never be a switchy or high-impact defender, but that isn't a big enough drawback when evaluating prospects in the teens or 20s. He comes off as a high-floor, worst-case reserve big man with plenty of room to develop.

No. 10. Jontay Porter (Missouri, C, Sophomore)



Jontay Porter's appeal may be growing even while he recovers from a torn ACL.

The draft's third and fourth tiers appear wide-open. Other big names are similarly sidelined by injuries, and there's a general lack of star power and in-season development from a majority of potential NBA prospects.

Porter, who won't turn 20 until November, earned an invite to the NBA combine last year, turning heads with a coveted mix of three-point shooting, passing and shot-blocking.

The long-term scouting lens sees past his knee injury and underdeveloped body and instead detects a stretch-5 suited for the NBA. There will be a line at the door for his medical reports before the draft.

Bleacher Report

[atlantabbq99]

No. 10. Jontay Porter (Missouri, C, Sophomore)



Jontay Porter's appeal may be growing even while he recovers from a torn ACL.

The draft's third and fourth tiers appear wide-open. Other big names are similarly sidelined by injuries, and there's a general lack of star power and in-season development from a majority of potential NBA prospects.

Porter, who won't turn 20 until November, earned an invite to the NBA combine last year, turning heads with a coveted mix of three-point shooting, passing and shot-blocking.

The long-term scouting lens sees past his knee injury and underdeveloped body and instead detects a stretch-5 suited for the NBA. There will be a line at the door for his medical reports before the draft.

Bleacher Report

I'm okay with foot, ankle, wrist, and hand injuries, but for spine or knee injuries, for me it automatically drops you down to a 2nd round pick, no matter how talented you are.

In regards to history, I can't think of a case that turned out well, especially for bigs.

[Hazer]

I have Fernando as the 2nd best center in the draft behind Bol. He might be worth the 5th pick only because the biggest need for the Hawks right now is a defensive center to pair with Collins.

Fernando reminds me of a bigger Charles Oakley.

His strengths are:
-Great at setting picks
-Wide shoulders and very strong
-Good shooting mechanics which can be seen in his free throw shooting
-Has the mental and physical foundation to be an anchor on defense
-Above average basketball IQ in the sense that he is looking to play team ball and not just lower his head and bully his way in.

Weaknesses:
-Not a super athlete in quickness and vertical
-He gets blocks, but doesn't have a 40 inch vertical like Dwight or Amare
-Lack of lateral quickness could be a problem when he switches and guards the perimeter
-No guard skills like Jokic or Draymond
-Poor when running the fast break or doesn't always run the fast break
-Currently no 3pt shot

Fernando doesn't take many 3pt shots or 18 foot jump shots, but when he does, he has good form. He is an immovable object, but that also affects his quickness. He is no Jokic when it comes to passing but what i love about the guy is that before he does anything, he will look at the floor and teammates and see if he can make a pass before making a move to take his own shot, so he is making an effort in playing team ball and not me ball. He has a good jump shot although on the college level, he doesn't use it that much, but I can see him easily developing an Oakley/Horford jump shot once he gets into the NBA.

Call me crazy, but I can kind of see that he has 0.0001% chance of becoming Karl Malone, but realistically I think he has a 50% chance of becoming Jusuf Nurkic.

Worth it with the Dallas pick, not the BPA at Hawks pick. Never draft for need with your first pick, only with bonus picks.

Marvin Williams, Salim Stoudamire .......... Chris Paul

Marvin was the “consensus” BPA (for lack of a better word, since there really wasn’t a uniform consensus in ‘05) at that pick, but we all had a feeling there were holes in that. You take YOUR scouting BPA, not the consensus BPA. Hindsight is 20/20, but CP3 was the BPA there. And some execs knew it, just not ours unfortunately. Schkenk is more draft savvy than BK, I trust him to pick the REAL BPA.

[Hazer]

No. 10. Jontay Porter (Missouri, C, Sophomore)



Jontay Porter's appeal may be growing even while he recovers from a torn ACL.

The draft's third and fourth tiers appear wide-open. Other big names are similarly sidelined by injuries, and there's a general lack of star power and in-season development from a majority of potential NBA prospects.

Porter, who won't turn 20 until November, earned an invite to the NBA combine last year, turning heads with a coveted mix of three-point shooting, passing and shot-blocking.

The long-term scouting lens sees past his knee injury and underdeveloped body and instead detects a stretch-5 suited for the NBA. There will be a line at the door for his medical reports before the draft.

Bleacher Report

I'm okay with foot, ankle, wrist, and hand injuries, but for spine or knee injuries, for me it automatically drops you down to a 2nd round pick, no matter how talented you are.

In regards to history, I can't think of a case that turned out well, especially for bigs.

Jontay would be perfect for the Hawks. But besides his older brother’s back issues, he has 2 sisters “medically retired” from basketball both due to knee injuries. They’re all very good players, but just too brittle.

[EazyRoc]

Bleacher Report

I'm okay with foot, ankle, wrist, and hand injuries, but for spine or knee injuries, for me it automatically drops you down to a 2nd round pick, no matter how talented you are.

In regards to history, I can't think of a case that turned out well, especially for bigs.

Jontay would be perfect for the Hawks. But besides his older brother’s back issues, he has 2 sisters “medically retired” from basketball both due to knee injuries. They’re all very good players, but just too brittle.

This is what scares me the most. His game wasn’t based on athleticism so the injury in and of itself didn’t scare me all the way away. However, fragility looks like it runs in the family lol.