2019 NBA Draft Prep

[Jamaaliver]

Kawhi and Klay comparisons?

1. Those guys are very dissimilar players.
2. I am officially intrigued.

NCAA tournament: Under-the-radar college prospects who could become household names

De’Andre Hunter | SG | sophomore | Virginia

Virginia doesn’t play an entertaining brand of ball, but Hunter is a pro prospect in a number of ways. An efficient scorer averaging 15.1 points on just 10 shots, he’s developed into a catch-and-shoot option while maintaining defensive intensity for a team that demands it. He can guard everyone from point guards to power forwards. If that sounds like he could be a poor man’s Kawhi Leonard, multiple scouts told Yahoo Sports that’s who he reminds them of, making him a likely mid-lottery pick in June.

Yahoo Sports

Spoiler:

Scout evaluates six NBA Draft prospects looking to boost stock during March Madness

De’Andre Hunter | G | Virginia

Hunter is the rare prospect in this draft who came in with a clear checklist of issues he needed to address and actually checked off those issues. Chief among those was his 3-point shooting, and he’s been outstanding, making 48.6 percent on the season.

That has made NBA personnel types more comfortable with projecting Hunter as a starter in the league, an outstanding wing defender who can switch onto bigger forwards and can knock down perimeter shots when left open. If you’re looking for 3-and-D in the lottery, Hunter is your man.

What’s missing from Hunter is more confidence in his 3-point shot — he’s taken only 2.4 per game on the season, and as a guard who is not much of a ball handler or playmaker, he needs to be aggressive off catch-and-shoot opportunities.

The Cavaliers need that from him over tournament season. They’ve won seven straight games, and in that span, Hunter has averaged 18.1 points, upped his 3-point attempts to 3.1 per game and has made 63.6 percent of them.

Scout’s view: "There are not a lot of known commodities in this draft, but he is one. He is such a great defender, and that will translate easily to the league. I like his shooting form. He just needs to trust it more, needs to be able to put the ball on the floor to create that extra space and make those shots. He is very reliant on others to set him up.

"I mean, Klay Thompson was the same way when he first came into the league. I don’t think he is going to be Klay but, hey, that’s a nice ceiling for him."

Sporting News

[EazyRoc]

Kawhi and Klay comparisons?

1. Those guys are very dissimilar players.
2. I am officially intrigued.

NCAA tournament: Under-the-radar college prospects who could become household names

De’Andre Hunter | SG | sophomore | Virginia

Virginia doesn’t play an entertaining brand of ball, but Hunter is a pro prospect in a number of ways. An efficient scorer averaging 15.1 points on just 10 shots, he’s developed into a catch-and-shoot option while maintaining defensive intensity for a team that demands it. He can guard everyone from point guards to power forwards. If that sounds like he could be a poor man’s Kawhi Leonard, multiple scouts told Yahoo Sports that’s who he reminds them of, making him a likely mid-lottery pick in June.

Yahoo Sports

Spoiler:

Scout evaluates six NBA Draft prospects looking to boost stock during March Madness

De’Andre Hunter | G | Virginia

Hunter is the rare prospect in this draft who came in with a clear checklist of issues he needed to address and actually checked off those issues. Chief among those was his 3-point shooting, and he’s been outstanding, making 48.6 percent on the season.

That has made NBA personnel types more comfortable with projecting Hunter as a starter in the league, an outstanding wing defender who can switch onto bigger forwards and can knock down perimeter shots when left open. If you’re looking for 3-and-D in the lottery, Hunter is your man.

What’s missing from Hunter is more confidence in his 3-point shot — he’s taken only 2.4 per game on the season, and as a guard who is not much of a ball handler or playmaker, he needs to be aggressive off catch-and-shoot opportunities.

The Cavaliers need that from him over tournament season. They’ve won seven straight games, and in that span, Hunter has averaged 18.1 points, upped his 3-point attempts to 3.1 per game and has made 63.6 percent of them.

Scout’s view: "There are not a lot of known commodities in this draft, but he is one. He is such a great defender, and that will translate easily to the league. I like his shooting form. He just needs to trust it more, needs to be able to put the ball on the floor to create that extra space and make those shots. He is very reliant on others to set him up.

"I mean, Klay Thompson was the same way when he first came into the league. I don’t think he is going to be Klay but, hey, that’s a nice ceiling for him."

Sporting News

Just remember who said it first

[Indyhawks26]

Watching the Murray State game and checking out Ja morant .Whew kid is going to be special. Smaller Westbrook vision,hops and scorer. Whoever gets him is going to be lucky. Here's a question if the Hawks got the 2nd pick would you take Morant and trade Young. I doubt both could coexist in the back court. I love Young but Morant is a triple double waiting to happen every game.

[Radioblacktive1]

No sir, I can’t imagine a future without Trae. Plus he seems to love it here which we don’t get too often.

[personanongrata]

Watching the Murray State game and checking out Ja morant .Whew kid is going to be special. Smaller Westbrook vision,hops and scorer. Whoever gets him is going to be lucky. Here's a question if the Hawks got the 2nd pick would you take Morant and trade Young. I doubt both could coexist in the back court. I love Young but Morant is a triple double waiting to happen every game.

After Zion, you have to draft him in my opinion. Either trade him or find a way to get him and Trae to work together. But you don't pass on talent like that.

[personanongrata]

No sir, I can’t imagine a future without Trae. Plus he seems to love it here which we don’t get too often.

There is an easy solution. Play Ja and Trae 30 min each, one on the court at all times. 12 min will overlap where they are together. It'll give Trae a chance to learn to play off the ball, same for Ja.

[Hazer]

Watching the Murray State game and checking out Ja morant .Whew kid is going to be special. Smaller Westbrook vision,hops and scorer. Whoever gets him is going to be lucky. Here's a question if the Hawks got the 2nd pick would you take Morant and trade Young. I doubt both could coexist in the back court. I love Young but Morant is a triple double waiting to happen every game.

After Zion, you have to draft him in my opinion. Either trade him or find a way to get him and Trae to work together. But you don't pass on talent like that.

Take him and trade for a star or potential one. What about for JJJ or Carter Jr?

[Spud2nique]

Most people seem smarter with glasses on, not Kenny Smith...

Watch on YouTube

[observer1995]

After watching just a mere few minutes and a half of Ja Morant, I have a new want, to get #2 in the lottery and kick up a bidding war for him, with the highest bidder winning. Heck, maybe in that bidding war, you DO trade out of the draft, although Morant looked so good that with him, the team that gets him might be much better in 19/20.

Barrett doesn't interest me enough to take him instead, but I'm steadily coming around to the idea he might end up becoming a diet James Harden without as good 3 point shooting, it's just going to take him 2-3 seasons.

[personanongrata]

After watching just a mere few minutes and a half of Ja Morant, I have a new want, to get #2 in the lottery and kick up a bidding war for him, with the highest bidder winning. Heck, maybe in that bidding war, you DO trade out of the draft, although Morant looked so good that with him, the team that gets him might be much better in 19/20.

Barrett doesn't interest me enough to take him instead, but I'm steadily coming around to the idea he might end up becoming a diet James Harden without as good 3 point shooting, it's just going to take him 2-3 seasons.

I'm keeping Ja. You draft talent and let your coaches figure it out. Him and Zion are the only guys that look special to me.

[Jamaaliver]

I love this kid.

Read on Twitter

"I was never a great player myself, but no one loves this game more than me. Nobody," Texas Tech Coach Chris Beard said. "Culver loves it as much as I do, and I've only said that about a few players in my career.

"He's a student of the game. That why he's going to be a great pro."

Culver is a crucial part of the Texas Tech equation, leading Tech in scoring, rebounding and assists while ranking second in steals.

His father is a Baptist pastor and Tech's team chaplain, leading the pregame prayer before each home game. Jarrett likes singing gospel songs on the team bus before games, with "God's Got a Blessing" a personal favorite.

"For sure, it kept us humble. We always put God first which helped us a lot," Culver said. "That's kind of made me the person and player I am today, just growing up with them pushing me. I wasn't always bigger than them. They always pushed me to better. They pushed me to be great, actually."

[Jamaaliver]

Option in the 2nd round:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[observer1995]

After watching just a mere few minutes and a half of Ja Morant, I have a new want, to get #2 in the lottery and kick up a bidding war for him, with the highest bidder winning. Heck, maybe in that bidding war, you DO trade out of the draft, although Morant looked so good that with him, the team that gets him might be much better in 19/20.

Barrett doesn't interest me enough to take him instead, but I'm steadily coming around to the idea he might end up becoming a diet James Harden without as good 3 point shooting, it's just going to take him 2-3 seasons.

I'm keeping Ja. You draft talent and let your coaches figure it out. Him and Zion are the only guys that look special to me.

You don't keep him unless you have doubts with Trae (edit: further doubts than the ones that are there). This is the one case in which BPA would not count here.

[King Ken]

Get 2nd pick
Start a bidding war for Morant
Send him to Chicago for a DAL pick-CHI pick swap and Wendell Carter Jr. To Atlanta

Draft Cam Reddish

You got Carter Jr. And Reddish with Trae, John and Kev

[saloonyk8]

I don't think Carter or JJJ will be traded for Morant. It'll be more like 1-2 picks to move up to grab him (with protections). I could see the Knicks, Hawks or Mavs drafting Morant to get value from the pick

[Spud2nique]

Prediction:

One of Zion or Morant will end up playing 41 games (if they remain healthy) at Madison Square Garden next season. The NBA and Silver will make sure of that.

[Indyhawks26]

I can see Williamson and Morant playing in New York and Chicago is my prediction. Have to make those 2 markets have exciting players.

[Jamaaliver]

The Ja Morant Triple-Double Experience Is an Instant March Madness Phenomenon

Murray State’s star just turned this NCAA tournament into an iconic one-man highlight reel

Murray State’s sophomore guard flat-out eviscerated Marquette in an 83-64 rout. Morant finished Thursday’s first-round matchup against the fifth-seeded Golden Eagles with 17 points, 16 assists, and 11 rebounds—the 17th triple-double in tournament history, an achievement that places him alongside casual names like Oscar Robertson, Dwyane Wade, and Shaquille O’Neal in the all-time record books.

Morant is projected as a top-five pick in this summer’s NBA draft because his athleticism is on par with Russell Westbrook and his passing is on par with, well, Westbrook’s teammates when Russ wants the ball. Ja is the only player in college basketball history to average 20 points and 10 assists per game over an entire season, and he put Murray State ahead in the first half by dominating with his dimes, not his buckets.

Read on Twitter

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

If Murray State gets by the Seminoles, Ja could embark on a legendary tournament run, à la Steph Curry with Davidson in 2008. Morant is a rare athlete and a prized NBA draft prospect. Right now, though, all that matters is he’s a genuine March Madness phenomenon.

The Ringer

[Jamaaliver]

I'm not in favor of us keeping this kid, but he's clearly very talented and would be a huge asset to acquire. If we get the #2 pick, we could essentially auction him off to the highest bidder -- and reap a fortune in return.

The Winners and Losers From Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament: Ja Rules, But Where Are the Buzzer-Beaters?

Ja Morant’s triple-double proved he belongs in March Madness. But it was a bad day for Monts and exciting finishes



Winner: Ja Morant

On Thursday, Ja ruled. Despite only taking nine shots, Morant dominated in 12-seed Murray State’s 83-64 demolition of 5-seed Marquette.

Read on Twitter

Morant had 17 points, 16 assists, and 11 rebounds, becoming just the 12th player to record a triple-double in the NCAA tournament, joining a list that includes Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, and Draymond Green. (The NCAA doesn’t recognize Robertson and Johnson because triple-doubles were not recorded until blocks and steals became official stats in the 1980s.) Morant’s vision and passing were the highlights of the game—his 16 assists are tied for fourth most in tournament history.

Ja has now played three games against major-conference competition this season, and he’s averaging 26.7 points, 9.3 assists, and 9.3 rebounds. He thinks he can do better.

Read on Twitter

The Ringer

[personanongrata]

I'm not in favor of us keeping this kid, but he's clearly very talented and would be a huge asset to acquire. If we get the #2 pick, we could essentially auction him off to the highest bidder -- and reap a fortune in return.

The Winners and Losers From Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament: Ja Rules, But Where Are the Buzzer-Beaters?

Ja Morant’s triple-double proved he belongs in March Madness. But it was a bad day for Monts and exciting finishes



Winner: Ja Morant

On Thursday, Ja ruled. Despite only taking nine shots, Morant dominated in 12-seed Murray State’s 83-64 demolition of 5-seed Marquette.

Read on Twitter

Morant had 17 points, 16 assists, and 11 rebounds, becoming just the 12th player to record a triple-double in the NCAA tournament, joining a list that includes Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, and Draymond Green. (The NCAA doesn’t recognize Robertson and Johnson because triple-doubles were not recorded until blocks and steals became official stats in the 1980s.) Morant’s vision and passing were the highlights of the game—his 16 assists are tied for fourth most in tournament history.

Ja has now played three games against major-conference competition this season, and he’s averaging 26.7 points, 9.3 assists, and 9.3 rebounds. He thinks he can do better.

Read on Twitter

The Ringer

It's going to have to more than we got for Luka. Just a protected 1st is not commensurate of a player of this caliber. We will probably get low balled because they know we aren't going to take him.