2019 NBA Draft Prep

[atlantabbq99]

^ Bol is my number one for center, for number two, I have Fernando over Hayes. Fernando can be a rich man's Marreese Speights. Hayes is just another JaVale McGee.

[Jamaaliver]

A lot of people are saying Hayes but Hayes/Collins frontcourt doesn’t work to me. It will clog the paint and you’re banking on Hayes learning to shoot. He is also a below average rebounder and isnt a a very good passer. Not seeing how he fits.

Agreed. Jaxson could develop into a Clint Capela type player, but he doesn't fit in our current front court.

I'd consider him at #10 as he could make a strong trade chip down the line. But their are concerns regarding fit that can't be ignored.

[EazyRoc]

A lot of people are saying Hayes but Hayes/Collins frontcourt doesn’t work to me. It will clog the paint and you’re banking on Hayes learning to shoot. He is also a below average rebounder and isnt a a very good passer. Not seeing how he fits.

JC is already developing as a shooter. Hayes has potential as a shooter. The reality is improving jumpshots is the one skill that is getting increasingly easy to improve in the NBA. I think he will level out as at least an avg rebounder. Right now he’s a little weak so that makes it harder for him to bang in the paint. He could be the ideal fit next to JC. He still does have to improve as a passer, but we’re talking about a 19 yo high potential project. He’s got All Defensive potential and projects to be capable of hitting the 3 in the future.

[personanongrata]

A lot of people are saying Hayes but Hayes/Collins frontcourt doesn’t work to me. It will clog the paint and you’re banking on Hayes learning to shoot. He is also a below average rebounder and isnt a a very good passer. Not seeing how he fits.

Teams always think guys can learn to shoot. Not so. Shooting is a gift. You can get a little better, but for the most part either you have it or you don't.

[EazyRoc]

A lot of people are saying Hayes but Hayes/Collins frontcourt doesn’t work to me. It will clog the paint and you’re banking on Hayes learning to shoot. He is also a below average rebounder and isnt a a very good passer. Not seeing how he fits.

Teams always think guys can learn to shoot. Not so. Shooting is a gift. You can get a little better, but for the most part either you have it or you don't.

That isn’t true. We’ve seen countless examples of bad shooters developing into avg-above avg shooters. It’s not guaranteed EVERYONE can improve, but there’s been several guys who’ve made big time strides in their shooting ability.

[personanongrata]

Hayes is not a Schlenk type at all. D/P/S? He cant do either.

[personanongrata]

A lot of people are saying Hayes but Hayes/Collins frontcourt doesn’t work to me. It will clog the paint and you’re banking on Hayes learning to shoot. He is also a below average rebounder and isnt a a very good passer. Not seeing how he fits.

Teams always think guys can learn to shoot. Not so. Shooting is a gift. You can get a little better, but for the most part either you have it or you don't.

That isn’t true. We’ve seen countless examples of bad shooters developing into avg-above avg shooters. It’s not guaranteed EVERYONE can improve, but there’s been several guys who’ve made big time strides in their shooting ability.

There are exceptions of course, but for the most part bad shooters remain below average shooters. I would be very reluctant to draft a guy that cant shoot in today's NBA and expect much more than a defensive role player. It's a very important skill.

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

8. Atlanta Hawks — Cam Reddish

6-8 forward, freshman, Duke

This season didn’t exactly go to plan for Reddish. Despite being an athletic 6-foot-8 forward who can handle the ball and shoot from distance, he shot 35.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3. Traditionally, sub-40 percent from 2-point range is a major red flag for guards and their long-term success as a scorer inside. I’m honestly not sure that I can remember a player of Reddish’s height struggling this mightily inside. In the NBA, he’s going to get better driving lanes, and fewer bodies collapsing in on him. But he also needs to improve, as well. He needs to work on tightening up his handle, which can be ripped a bit too easily at times. His lower body mechanics on his jump shot also could stand to tighten up, as he sometimes loads off-balance into shots.

At the end of the day, though, NBA teams should probably bet on his talent. It’s rare for players to have this type of ball skill at his size. Reddish would represent an upside play for the Hawks, who are believed to be fans of Reddish. Atlanta falling all the way to No. 8 and potentially being able to acquire him would be a huge victory for the team.


10. Atlanta Hawks —Jaxson Hayes

6-11 center, freshman, Texas

A 6-foot-11 center with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, many evaluators around the NBA believe that Hayes has potential to be the type of low-usage, rim-running, shot-blocking center that every NBA team is looking for right now. He also possesses the footwork and lateral mobility to potentially defend a bit out on the perimeter, and some short-roll ball-handling ability. Basically, Hayes is like a combination of a Steven Adams and Clint Capela starter kit, both of whom have morphed into above-average starting NBA centers who can create an impact on both ends. The Hawks are an intelligently run organization led by general manager Travis Schlenk, whose background is with the Golden State title teams. Those teams tended to value low-usage, rim-protecting centers. It’s easy to see Schlenk valuing Hayes as one of those types with his second first-round pick, the one acquired in the deal for Trae Young.

[EazyRoc]

Teams always think guys can learn to shoot. Not so. Shooting is a gift. You can get a little better, but for the most part either you have it or you don't.

That isn’t true. We’ve seen countless examples of bad shooters developing into avg-above avg shooters. It’s not guaranteed EVERYONE can improve, but there’s been several guys who’ve made big time strides in their shooting ability.

There are exceptions of course, but for the most part bad shooters remain below average shooters. I would be very reluctant to draft a guy that cant shoot in today's NBA and expect much more than a defensive role player. It's a very important skill.

That isn’t true. Bad shooters remaining bad is the exception. Look at our own roster and see how many players went from being below avg or even non existent shooters to at least average.

[EazyRoc]

Look at our own roster as a microcosm of the whole league.

Deadmon, Collins, Len, Bazemore are all guys who’ve made big improvements in their perimeter shooting.

Bembry is the only poor shooter we have that doesn’t look like he will be better.

[King Ken]

A lot of people are saying Hayes but Hayes/Collins frontcourt doesn’t work to me. It will clog the paint and you’re banking on Hayes learning to shoot. He is also a below average rebounder and isnt a a very good passer. Not seeing how he fits.

I seen Hayes shoot threes in warmups. He had a lot more potential to shoot threes than Collins out of college. He has a good shooting touch, good form for a big and is a good FT. He might be a rim runner and a rim protector but he shoots better than Adams and Capela ever did.

[King Ken]

Hayes is not a Schlenk type at all. D/P/S? He cant do either.

PDS is not a requirement for a 5 in the GS based DPS system. Not as much as rim protection and screening and protecting the paint. But in Schlenk system, all players have to shoot.

Where Hayes will need improvement is defensive communication like all rookies, rebounding effort or just focus on boxing out and improving his passing skills.

He is more raw than polished at this stage.

[Ball4life32]

A lot of people are saying Hayes but Hayes/Collins frontcourt doesn’t work to me. It will clog the paint and you’re banking on Hayes learning to shoot. He is also a below average rebounder and isnt a a very good passer. Not seeing how he fits.

I seen Hayes shoot threes in warmups. He had a lot more potential to shoot threes than Collins out of college. He has a good shooting touch, good form for a big and is a good FT. He might be a rim runner and a rim protector but he shoots better than Adams and Capela ever did.

Shooting 3’s in warmups is definitely isn’t the same as in game. I remember people hyping Bamba’s 3 point shot last year because he could shoot 3’s in warmups.

I’m not saying he wouldn’t be able to add it to his game and he did have a good FT% like you said but I don’t believe it’s worth the risk. He also has no ability to handle ball or pass and is a below average rebounder. He fits better with someone like Lauri than Collins.

[kg01]

My boy Isola rooting for us. This morning said we deserved better based on the way we ran our season. Not tanking, competing. Scalabrine also said he hopes we get good players since we weren't one of the teams tanking.

Thas' why you my boy, Isola.

[Ball4life32]

Look at our own roster as a microcosm of the whole league.

Deadmon, Collins, Len, Bazemore are all guys who’ve made big improvements in their perimeter shooting.

Bembry is the only poor shooter we have that doesn’t look like he will be better.

Bazemore shot 32% from 3 last year. Len/Dedmon made improvements but they’re still streaky shooters. It’s not like they’ve turned into elite shooters. Those two guys are stopgaps and were never the future next to Collins anyway. Hayes can improve his shot and still be a low % / low efficient shooter.

[King Ken]

Look at our own roster as a microcosm of the whole league.

Deadmon, Collins, Len, Bazemore are all guys who’ve made big improvements in their perimeter shooting.

Bembry is the only poor shooter we have that doesn’t look like he will be better.

Bazemore shot 32% from 3 last year. Len/Dedmon made improvements but they’re still streaky shooters. It’s not like they’ve turned into elite shooters. Those two guys are stopgaps and were never the future next to Collins anyway. Hayes can improve his shot and still be a low % / low efficient shooter.

Hayes has a lot more potential with his jumper than Bazemore.

[EazyRoc]

Look at our own roster as a microcosm of the whole league.

Deadmon, Collins, Len, Bazemore are all guys who’ve made big improvements in their perimeter shooting.

Bembry is the only poor shooter we have that doesn’t look like he will be better.

Bazemore shot 32% from 3 last year. Len/Dedmon made improvements but they’re still streaky shooters. It’s not like they’ve turned into elite shooters. Those two guys are stopgaps and were never the future next to Collins anyway. Hayes can improve his shot and still be a low % / low efficient shooter.

The idea isn’t about going from bad to elite but bad to avg-above avg. Baze shot damn near 40% with a vet. PG, coach, and defined role. I bring those other guys up to show it is more likely that a player can develop into an avg shooter than it is that they won’t. In Hayes case, I think he could become an above avg. shooter with time & reps. There’s nothing that indicates he cannot be in my eyes.

[EazyRoc]

A lot of people are saying Hayes but Hayes/Collins frontcourt doesn’t work to me. It will clog the paint and you’re banking on Hayes learning to shoot. He is also a below average rebounder and isnt a a very good passer. Not seeing how he fits.

I seen Hayes shoot threes in warmups. He had a lot more potential to shoot threes than Collins out of college. He has a good shooting touch, good form for a big and is a good FT. He might be a rim runner and a rim protector but he shoots better than Adams and Capela ever did.

Shooting 3’s in warmups is definitely isn’t the same as in game. I remember people hyping Bamba’s 3 point shot last year because he could shoot 3’s in warmups.

I’m not saying he wouldn’t be able to add it to his game and he did have a good FT% like you said but I don’t believe it’s worth the risk. He also has no ability to handle ball or pass and is a below average rebounder. He fits better with someone like Lauri than Collins.

Collins needs someone next to him who can both protect the rim and hit spot up perimeter jumpers. It’s highly possible that he can do both in the NBA at a high level with time. He’s raw, but he doesn’t have a broken shot and has already shown very high defensive potential.