Appropriately early 2020 NBA Draft Thread

[Jamaaliver]

A Pascal Siakam-clone?

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20. Amar Sylla, F/C, Oostende

Height: 6’9” | Weight: 190 | Age: 18

After moving from Real Madrid to find more playing time in Belgium, Sylla has begun to play much better over the past few weeks. He’s a uniquely gifted defensive prospect, with great length and mobility and a natural capacity to block shots. The game has yet to totally slow down for him, but his athletic ability and instincts are strong, and as his frame matures, there’s ample upside here. The simple fact that he’s logging heavy minutes on a team allowing him double-digit shots per game is great for his development. Sylla’s upside makes him an appealing, if somewhat raw prospect, and the chance to develop him should be an intriguing option, particularly given the way this draft class is shaping up.

SI.com

[Jamaaliver]

A prospect for the 2nd round, should we choose to buy or trade for one next summer:

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[Jamaaliver]

The top of the 2020 draft in a nutshell:

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[Radioblacktive1]

Punt.

[kg01]

Punt.

Yeah, entice some other jackleg to trade us something useful in exchange for the empty box aka draft pick.

[Jamaaliver]

Yeah, entice some other jackleg to trade us something useful in exchange for the empty box aka draft pick.

Gfycat Video - Click to Play

[Jamaaliver]

I really think the Obi Toppin kid out of Dayton is going to produce at the NBA level...comparably to John Collins. They're very close in size, age, skillset. Getting him outside the top-10 could be a huge boon for any team. I think it'd be worth it to trade back for him and pickup a future draft pick in the process.

Obi Toppin (No. 10)

Toppin has helped himself as much as anyone this year, jumping from near the end of the first round into the lottery range. Simply put, I think you could pop him into an NBA game right now offensively, and he could help a team. [He's]...an athletic big man who can finish above the rim, that can space the floor, and [is] able to put the ball on the deck.

it’s hard to imagine a combo big man whose tape is more translatable to the NBA than Toppin’s. In part, it’s because of how Dayton utilizes him. But also, it’s a luxury he affords Dayton alone as the best inside-out offensive big in college basketball. He’s averaging 21.4 points while shooting an absurd 65.7 percent from the field. Part of the reason it’s so absurd is that he also takes three 3-pointers per game, knocking them down at a 41.7 percent clip. Essentially, Toppin is an unstoppable force.

I think the athleticism is the place to start, because it’s genuinely pretty different from most combo bigs...the dexterity and body control also allows him to put the ball on the deck without flying into opposing players. At 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds, Toppin morphs power, explosiveness and fluidity as well as any big in the country. His footwork in pick-and-rolls is pristine...

I think he has a real case as the No. 2 big man in this class behind Wiseman. Basically, Toppin’s scoring game at the college level is complete, and as you’ll see below, most of it comes in situations very replicable to what he’ll see in the NBA.

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The Athletic

[shakes0]

Wiseman officially done for the year at Memphis. Quit school to sign with agent.

Sucks, I was really hoping to see a lot of him after the suspension lifted. I can't think of anyone else projected top 10 we need more than this guy.

[Jamaaliver]

Wiseman officially done for the year at Memphis. Quit school to sign with agent.

Sucks, I was really hoping to see a lot of him after the suspension lifted. I can't think of anyone else projected top 10 we need more than this guy.

This really makes me question everything about the dude and his decision-making.

I would have respected it more if he'd just played professionally overseas or even sat out the year.

Quitting on the team mid-season...hoo boy. I could see him pulling the same nonsense heading into his Restricted Free Agency in a few years.

[shakes0]

Wiseman officially done for the year at Memphis. Quit school to sign with agent.

Sucks, I was really hoping to see a lot of him after the suspension lifted. I can't think of anyone else projected top 10 we need more than this guy.

This really makes me question everything about the dude and his decision-making.

I would have respected it more if he'd just played professionally overseas or even sat out the year.

Quitting on the team mid-season...hoo boy. I could see him pulling the same nonsense heading into his Restricted Free Agency in a few years.

I don't read any of that into this. Simply put, he's pissed at the NCAA for suspending him and fining him and figures, screw it, why do I even need this? Doesn't have to pay $11,500 if he turns pro right now. In fact, he can start getting paid legitimately now.

You're overthinking this.

[kg01]

Wiseman officially done for the year at Memphis. Quit school to sign with agent.

Sucks, I was really hoping to see a lot of him after the suspension lifted. I can't think of anyone else projected top 10 we need more than this guy.

This really makes me question everything about the dude and his decision-making.

I would have respected it more if he'd just played professionally overseas or even sat out the year.

Quitting on the team mid-season...hoo boy. I could see him pulling the same nonsense heading into his Restricted Free Agency in a few years.

Whoa, whoa, whoa ... remember the NCAA was forcing him to pay $11,000 to charity to regain eligibility. What college freshman, who needed money to move to Memphis and who isn't allowed to work by the NCAA, has 5-figures to spare?

Were they basically asking him to cheat again?

To me, this doesn't fall under the 'quit on his team' column. This falls under the 'NCAA tried to set it up so's he can't come back even if he wanted to' column.

[Jamaaliver]

^Noted.

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[Jamaaliver]

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[kg01]

^Noted.

That's it? I think a written, notarized apology is in order but that's just me.

Honestly, I don't care. I don't want us to use our pick anyway. Trade it, baybee. Even if it's the top pick.

[Jamaaliver]

^Noted.

That's it? I think a written, notarized apology is in order but that's just me.

Honestly, I don't care. I don't want us to use our pick anyway. Trade it, baybee. Even if it's the top pick.

I still have concerns regarding this kid and his decision-making. (I've seen a lot of moderate red flags along the way.)

Rebuilding is long and hard. Doing it behind one-and-done teenagers is exhausting. We definitely need another long-term piece, though.

[jayu70]

Wiseman officially done for the year at Memphis. Quit school to sign with agent.

Sucks, I was really hoping to see a lot of him after the suspension lifted. I can't think of anyone else projected top 10 we need more than this guy.

This really makes me question everything about the dude and his decision-making.

I would have respected it more if he'd just played professionally overseas or even sat out the year.

Quitting on the team mid-season...hoo boy. I could see him pulling the same nonsense heading into his Restricted Free Agency in a few years.

Whoa, whoa, whoa ... remember the NCAA was forcing him to pay $11,000 to charity to regain eligibility. What college freshman, who needed money to move to Memphis and who isn't allowed to work by the NCAA, has 5-figures to spare?

Were they basically asking him to cheat again?

To me, this doesn't fall under the 'quit on his team' column. This falls under the 'NCAA tried to set it up so's he can't come back even if he wanted to' column.

Agreed. Then they'll investigate where he got the $11,500 from.
He should have decided once they added the monetaey stipulation to just leave.

[kg01]

^Noted.

That's it? I think a written, notarized apology is in order but that's just me.

Honestly, I don't care. I don't want us to use our pick anyway. Trade it, baybee. Even if it's the top pick.

I still have concerns regarding this kid and his decision-making. (I've seen a lot of moderate red flags along the way.)

Rebuilding is long and hard. Doing it behind one-and-done teenagers is exhausting. We definitely need another long-term piece, though.

Eh, this smells like you tryna be right but I'm not gonna fight you on it (right now).

As I said, I don't want us to use our pick so we happen to be of the same mind (right now) w.r.t adding more youngs.

Trade the pick, Travis.

[Jamaaliver]

Eh, this smells like you tryna be right but I'm not gonna fight you on it (right now).

As much as I love keeping score and being right...

I don't really know enough to have a hard opinion of him.

(I really hate being so reliant on 19 year olds and the 5 months they spend in college nowadays.)

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

That's it? I think a written, notarized apology is in order but that's just me.

Honestly, I don't care. I don't want us to use our pick anyway. Trade it, baybee. Even if it's the top pick.

I still have concerns regarding this kid and his decision-making. (I've seen a lot of moderate red flags along the way.)

Rebuilding is long and hard. Doing it behind one-and-done teenagers is exhausting. We definitely need another long-term piece, though.

Eh, this smells like you tryna be right but I'm not gonna fight you on it (right now).

FTR, this guy's concerns really echo my own on Wiseman.

Spoiler:

I'd be higher on Wiseman if a) his IQ wasn't super suspect b) his motor/physicality didn't run hot/cold that much

He reminds me of Drummond in those aspects (not same prospects overall)

Also his skill level just isn't there, he tries stuff but nowhere close

I think he can be a top10 Center maybe, but to be a high draft pick you need to gimme more to rely on projecting him as a top5 Center, he just hasn't, not in HS, nor in his brief college stint

Soomeone will take him top3-5 for sure, but to me he belongs in the teens

I've seen enough red flags before now to question his long term upside. His decision-making (and that of his family) since moving to Memphis doesn't really give me more confidence that we should place the hopes of our franchise on his back.