2019 NBA Draft Prep

[gundysmullet]

I chose trade the picks. I think Reddish has bust written all over him, I live in the Carolinas and have seen every one of Dukes games, way too many red flags for me with him. I propose Baze, Huerter (who went to nearby Maryland), 8 and 10 to Wizards for Bradley Beal, who seems like he's gotta be 33, but is only turning 26 next month.

PG: Young
SG: Beal
SF: Prince
PF: Collins
C: Len

Young, exciting team!

[jayu70]

I chose trade the picks. I think Reddish has bust written all over him, I live in the Carolinas and have seen every one of Dukes games, way too many red flags for me with him. I propose Baze, Huerter (who went to nearby Maryland), 8 and 10 to Wizards for Bradley Beal, who seems like he's gotta be 33, but is only turning 26 next month.

PG: Young
SG: Beal
SF: Prince
PF: Collins
C: Len

Young, exciting team!

Two top 10 picks AND Huerter? I'd pass.

[Radioblacktive1]

I chose trade the picks. I think Reddish has bust written all over him, I live in the Carolinas and have seen every one of Dukes games, way too many red flags for me with him. I propose Baze, Huerter (who went to nearby Maryland), 8 and 10 to Wizards for Bradley Beal, who seems like he's gotta be 33, but is only turning 26 next month.

PG: Young
SG: Beal
SF: Prince
PF: Collins
C: Len

Young, exciting team!

???

[gundysmullet]

I chose trade the picks. I think Reddish has bust written all over him, I live in the Carolinas and have seen every one of Dukes games, way too many red flags for me with him. I propose Baze, Huerter (who went to nearby Maryland), 8 and 10 to Wizards for Bradley Beal, who seems like he's gotta be 33, but is only turning 26 next month.

PG: Young
SG: Beal
SF: Prince
PF: Collins
C: Len

Young, exciting team!

Two top 10 picks AND Huerter? I'd pass.

Two top 10 picks in what may consider to be one of the worst drafts in years, plus Huerter for a top 5 sg who's only gonna turn 26 next month. Name 5 better backcourts under 28 in the NBA than Young/Beal.

[Spud2nique]

I chose trade the picks. I think Reddish has bust written all over him, I live in the Carolinas and have seen every one of Dukes games, way too many red flags for me with him. I propose Baze, Huerter (who went to nearby Maryland), 8 and 10 to Wizards for Bradley Beal, who seems like he's gotta be 33, but is only turning 26 next month.

PG: Young
SG: Beal
SF: Prince
PF: Collins
C: Len

Young, exciting team!

Two top 10 picks AND Huerter? I'd pass.

Two top 10 picks in what may consider to be one of the worst drafts in years, plus Huerter for a top 5 sg who's only gonna turn 26 next month. Name 5 better backcourts under 28 in the NBA than Young/Beal.

Huerter is 26 next month as much as kg is a 19 year old hot waitress in Vegas. Nah bro you either trolling or go check ur facts..damn man 26??? Wtf

[King Ken]

I chose trade the picks. I think Reddish has bust written all over him, I live in the Carolinas and have seen every one of Dukes games, way too many red flags for me with him. I propose Baze, Huerter (who went to nearby Maryland), 8 and 10 to Wizards for Bradley Beal, who seems like he's gotta be 33, but is only turning 26 next month.

PG: Young
SG: Beal
SF: Prince
PF: Collins
C: Len

Young, exciting team!

E-Z Pass

[Spud2nique]

Two top 10 picks AND Huerter? I'd pass.

Two top 10 picks in what may consider to be one of the worst drafts in years, plus Huerter for a top 5 sg who's only gonna turn 26 next month. Name 5 better backcourts under 28 in the NBA than Young/Beal.

Huerter is 26 next month as much as kg is a 19 year old hot waitress in Vegas. Nah bro you either trolling or go check ur facts..damn man 26??? Wtf

My bad u meant Beal...nah I’m good. Btw are u kg’s little sista? He loves Beal too.

[King Ken]

I chose trade the picks. I think Reddish has bust written all over him, I live in the Carolinas and have seen every one of Dukes games, way too many red flags for me with him. I propose Baze, Huerter (who went to nearby Maryland), 8 and 10 to Wizards for Bradley Beal, who seems like he's gotta be 33, but is only turning 26 next month.

PG: Young
SG: Beal
SF: Prince
PF: Collins
C: Len

Young, exciting team!

Two top 10 picks AND Huerter? I'd pass.

Two top 10 picks in what may consider to be one of the worst drafts in years, plus Huerter for a top 5 sg who's only gonna turn 26 next month. Name 5 better backcourts under 28 in the NBA than Young/Beal.

[gundysmullet]

I notice this in a lot of social media outlets nowadays; when people disagree with you, instead of posting a well-thought-out logic-based argument they post GIFs and Memes. That tells me that they were dealing with emotion and don’t have a definitive answer as to why they disagree.

[King Ken]

I notice this in a lot of social media outlets nowadays; when people disagree with you, instead of posting a well-thought-out logic-based argument they post GIFs and Memes. That tells me that they were dealing with emotion and don’t have a definitive answer as to why they disagree.

We notice low quality newbie trolls are always the loudest and nowhere to be found following rules or making any type of sense ever. As a response, we just freepost. You use fire to deal with rats and trolls like yourself.

[gundysmullet]

I notice this in a lot of social media outlets nowadays; when people disagree with you, instead of posting a well-thought-out logic-based argument they post GIFs and Memes. That tells me that they were dealing with emotion and don’t have a definitive answer as to why they disagree.

We notice low quality newbie trolls are always the loudest and nowhere to be found following rules or making any type of sense ever. As a response, we just freepost. You use fire to deal with rats and trolls like yourself.

Why so angry? You disagree with my proposal, no problem at all. But gimme logical, fact based reasons as to why, not memes and GIFs of early 90's sitcoms. Make your case.

[King Ken]

[EazyRoc]

The idea is legit. Chill on him. This is how we treat people who come discuss the Hawks ?

God damn it ain’t a lot of people who really want to talk about the Hawks.

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

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[_s_t_u_r_t_]

People are missing the boat on his perimeter defense. Other people are right to point out that anything he lacks in lateral movement is made up in the fact that he doesn't have to play his man as closely as others would have to play him in order to be effective... not just his height but his wingspan just seriously erodes the perimeter player's angles to make passes or hit shots.

See 0:37 for one example.

But they also miss the boat because long before Bol ever arrived at Oregon, coach Dana Altman was instituting all sorts of zone defenses... as he did in previous stints at Creighton and at my alma mater, Marshall... but those people will talk as-if it's something Altman just came up with to try to cover for Bol... not true. And so this is yet another way in which his one month season seriously limits assessment, because *every* freshman that walks into the Oregon program has some learning pains before finally getting comfortable and just being able to play instead of think.

[King Ken]

Bol wasn't good on defense even in just a short time period.

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

Bol wasn't good on defense even in just a short time period.

I don't get the seeming determination to bury Bol with shade.

I also don't get the self-delusion that one can defeat a developed argument just by repeating a conclusion over and over again.

But I do get why you'd feel it important to do something... can't just let that visual evidence (0:37 clip) go.

[King Ken]

Bol wasn't good on defense even in just a short time period.

I don't get the seeming determination to bury Bol with shade.

I also don't get the self-delusion that one can defeat a developed argument just by repeating a conclusion over and over again.

But I do get why you'd feel it important to do something... can't just let that visual evidence (0:37 clip) go.

He is in my top 10 of my board on the same tier with Cam, White, Garland. I clearly like him but to say that he would good fit on a team where we got Trae and John just isn't the truth.

[marco102]

From the Athletic

With exactly a month to go until the draft, one high-ranking Hawks official told The Athletic he believes Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, RJ Barrett, Darius Garland and Coby White will be off the board when the team picks at No. 8. Both Phoenix and Chicago desperately need point guards, and both Garland and White are the next best options behind Morant, who likely will be drafted No. 2 by Memphis. Los Angeles also could be in play for Garland at No. 4.

From what I’ve heard from people inside the Hawks’ organization, it would be a surprise if the team didn’t select a wing with its pick at No. 8. If White and Garland do, in fact, go before the Hawks’ selection, the team would be in position to get one of its top three wing targets.

With that said, let’s take a look at some of the players who have been mentioned to me as being in play for picks No. 8 and No. 10.

https://theathletic.com/985224/2019/05/20/who-the-hawks-might-take-with-their-two-top-10-draft-picks/

[Ice Trae]

Here's the full article marco102 posted if anyone wanted to read it all. Found it on the nba draft reddit earlier today

Spoiler:

When I was in Chicago last week for the NBA Draft Lottery, I had a chance to talk with Dallas Mavericks assistant general manager Keith Grant, who was the team’s representative inside the drawing room.

Grant sat there pretty bored until it was OK to leave the room. There was no excitement to feel as part of the Mavericks’ organization after their pick conveyed to the Hawks. Those inside the drawing room — 12 media members, 15 team representatives (Philadelphia had a rep just in case Sacramento won the lottery, which would have meant the Kings’ pick would transfer to the Sixers) and a few league officials — can’t leave until the ESPN broadcast is over. So, for roughly an hour, those inside the room had nothing to do but eat and talk.

Grant told me that Dallas hoped to delay the pick from conveying for at least one more year because the team would have liked to add another young piece next to Luka Dončić and Kristaps Porzingis.

Grant also told me the organization views the draft-day deal last year between Dallas and Atlanta that sent Dončič to the Mavericks in exchange for Trae Young and a top-five protected pick as a win-win for both teams. I followed up by asking him if he was just saying that to be politically correct.

“We actually do believe that,” Grant said. “We evaluated every player and thought Luka was our guy. Atlanta obviously had Trae as theirs, and so we had a deal.”

The deal was contingent on Dončić being available at No. 3 and Young at No. 5. If either went before the other, no deal would have happened. Hours before the draft actually started, both teams had agreed to the terms in place, but nothing was solidified until each player was on the board for both teams.

And that trade was obviously the centerpiece for both of the franchises moving forward.

I start with that because the draft is somewhat unpredictable. Teams can only go into draft night with hope that everything goes their way, and very rarely does it actually happen. It’s the general manager’s job (and those heavily involved in the process) to work the phones and receive as much information as possible to develop an educated guess at the moves other teams will make.

With exactly a month to go until the draft, one high-ranking Hawks official told The Athletic he believes Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, RJ Barrett, Darius Garland and Coby White will be off the board when the team picks at No. 8. Both Phoenix and Chicago desperately need point guards, and both Garland and White are the next best options behind Morant, who likely will be drafted No. 2 by Memphis. Los Angeles also could be in play for Garland at No. 4.

From what I’ve heard from people inside the Hawks’ organization, it would be a surprise if the team didn’t select a wing with its pick at No. 8. If White and Garland do, in fact, go before the Hawks’ selection, the team would be in position to get one of its top three wing targets.

With that said, let’s take a look at some of the players who have been mentioned to me as being in play for picks No. 8 and No. 10.

No. 8

Jarrett Culver, 6-foot-6 wing, sophomore, Texas Tech

It’s probably unlikely Culver is still on the board when the Hawks do make their pick. He can go as high as No. 4 to the Lakers, but if he falls to No. 8, it would be difficult for the team to pass on him because of how well he would fit on the current roster, especially alongside Young.

Here’s what The Athletic’s draft expert Sam Vecenie wrote about Culver:

“He’s a terrific ball-handler and playmaker, with the ability to get to his pull-up jumper with ease,” Vecenie wrote. “He’s also improved dramatically as a jump shooter, going from a left-eye dominant sling shooter to a shooter who brings the ball up from the middle of his body and can knock down shots. He still needs to iron out a few things at the top of the jumper, including a small hitch. Overall though, it’s easy to imagine him as the 2-guard, secondary ball-handler, given his size at 6-foot-6 and creativity.”

Cam Reddish, 6-8 forward, freshman, Duke

I think the first time I heard about the team’s interest in Reddish was back in January when someone close to the organization randomly approached me before one of the Hawks’ games and told me I needed to go home after the game and check the highlights of Duke’s game that night and specifically watch how Reddish operated.

There are only a few players in this draft who would beautifully complement what the Hawks currently have on their roster and how they play as well as Reddish would.

Like many other players in this draft, Reddish is a bit polarizing because of how inefficient he was at Duke and how he sometimes disappeared during many games. Reddish shot 35.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3. He also wasn’t as effective at finishing at the rim as he should have been, but when you look at the roster around him, there weren’t many threats to shoot from 3, so teams could close on him in the paint without fear of leaving a man open in the corner.

There are some players who aren’t as good in college as they are once they get into the league because of the system they played in, or their teammates around them didn’t particularly suit their strengths. With what Reddish does well, there’s not much doubt from those inside the organization that his full potential would be unlocked playing alongside Young, John Collins and Kevin Huerter.

De’Andre Hunter, 6-8 forward, sophomore, Virginia

Outside of Williamson, Hunter might be the best defender in this draft. The Hawks like how Hunter can guard four positions at a high level, which is not something anyone on the current roster can do. Hunter also shot 43.8 percent from 3 on nearly three attempts per game.

Unlike Culver and Reddish, Hunter isn’t seen as someone who can be a secondary creator to Young, but that’s not necessarily a negative. The Hawks, if Hunter did fall to them at No. 8, would be drafting him mainly to immediately become one of the team’s best on-ball defenders.

Nassir Little, 6-6 wing, freshman, North Carolina

If Culver, Reddish and Hunter are off the board when the Hawks do pick at No. 8, Little seems like the safest pick. There are some concerns about him from those across the league because of his lack of production at North Carolina. Little appeared in 36 games and averaged 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds. More concerning than that, he shot 26.9 percent from 3 and 77 percent from the free-throw line — both very poor marks for a player of his size.

It’s not all negative with Little. He’s one of the most athletic players in this draft and certainly has the potential to be a two-way star in this league. At some point, the Hawks are going to have to address their defensive issues, and Little would be able to help on that end of the floor as he does have the flexibility to guard multiple positions at a high level. Little was one of the players who interviewed with the Hawks while in Chicago.

No. 10

Jaxson Hayes, 6-11 center, freshman, Texas

Since the majority of my offseason focus has shifted to draft coverage for the Hawks, I’ve said on multiple occasions how I don’t see the fit between Atlanta and Hayes.

When I asked Lloyd Pierce about Dewayne Dedmon’s unrestricted free agency and whether he considered re-signing Dedmond to be a priority, Pierce mentioned how difficult it would be for the team to have a center who couldn’t shoot 3s. During this season, Dedmon, and Alex Len helped create the shot profile Pierce and the team wanted because of the spacing both of those players provided by being able to stretch the floor.

Hayes hasn’t shown that he can be a shooter just yet, but a source told me that it wouldn’t prevent the team from drafting Hayes if he ended up being the best available player on their board.

“Roster building isn’t always about trying to perfectly pair up guys,” the source said.

The roster is too young to start worrying about ideal fits, so that’s why Hayes, who’s projected as a low-usage, rim-protecting center, is in play for the Hawks.

Atlanta had one of the worst defenses in the league this season, and Hayes, with his 7-foot-4 wingspan, has the footwork and lateral mobility to defend on the perimeter, which would help mask Collins’ deficiency on that end.

Bruno Fernando, 6-10 center, sophomore, Maryland

Fernando isn’t someone we have talked about as being a potential target for the Hawks, but multiple people have mentioned he’s in play for the team. I don’t think the Hawks would take him at No. 10, but trading the Mavericks pick to move down and acquire more assets is in play for the team.

Vecenie has Fernando projected 29th to San Antonio right now, but the Maryland center did make a good impression during his interview with the team in Chicago at the draft combine.

“He has ball skills to be able to run dribble hand-offs and short rolls offensively, can make the right reads as a passer, and has the potential to add a mid-range jumper,” Vecenie wrote about Fernando. “Defensively, he’s a big body with length inside, but needs to add more instinctual awareness as a weak-side help defender.”

tl;dr: Hawks like Culver, Reddish, Hunter, Little at 8
Hayes and Fernando with 10