2019 NBA Draft Prep

[Jamaaliver]

Someone has a promise...

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[Spud2nique]

Someone has a promise...

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Ya I think they mentioned last week he had a promise. I wonder where in the draft. Guessing around 15-20 somewhere. Man, I’m scared this kid is gonna be dynamite. Lloyd would be in love with this kid given his notoriety for D.

I’m in love with a lotta prospects. This is a beautiful time in spring.

[Geaux_Hawks]

Omg Hakeem? No..noted but wow. I’ll eat crow if he right.

He's that mobile. He's that athletic. He's not that gifted unfortunately.

Not totally sure what you mean by "gifted," but maybe you mean something about instincts. And maybe you'd be right about that.

But he's also going to compensate to some degree because he can shoot from distance... and maybe Olajuwon could have did the same if he'd been asked, but he wasn't and he didn't.

And Bruno's going to be a force on the boards and as a rim defender because of those arms that almost drag the floor, and a vertical jump that ranked in the top 5 as I recall at the combine.

He's what Jaxson Hayes isn't yet, but what every Hayes fan thinks he'll become. I just think Bruno is a better package because his size plays better in today's game.

Some will maybe react, "Yeah, that's what we're trying to tell you about Bol... as talented as he is, his body/size is just not well-suited for today's game."

But/and my reply is still the same... you're right, if they try to use Bol as a traditional 5, that's not going to work out well. Bol, used effectively, will be to the wing what Magic Johnson was to the point.

Simply not the same 2 way talent Hakeem was. Bruno is going to be a good player imo, but Hakeem level is a bit of a stretch. Lacks the ability to space the floor, lacks advanced post moves if any beyond a baby hook, not so strong handles, but will be a strong rebounder and defender. He's got soft touch around the rim, and can finish strong due to his athleticism and strength. Other than that, you're not getting much from him, and upside is limited on that end. He's got the form to develop more as a shooter, but I still don't see him coming close to Hakeem from mid-range. Feel and awareness in the post isn't the best. I could keep going, but to sum it up, he has a long road ahead of him if he ever wanted to be Hakeem. I like the kid fwiw, and wouldn't mind him at 10.

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

"Ability to space the floor".... um, you lost me there... how does a player who gets virtually all of his points in the paint his whole career lay claim to being able to "space the floor?"... if anything, that's a plus in Bruno's column. Don't get me wrong, this is mostly projection on my part, but there are fundamentals that mirror Olajuwon at the same age... assuming you're old enough to remember him at UH.

[Spud2nique]

"Ability to space the floor".... um, you lost me there... how does a player who gets virtually all of his points in the paint his whole career lay claim to being able to "space the floor?"... if anything, that's a plus in Bruno's column. Don't get me wrong, this is mostly projection on my part, but there are fundamentals that mirror Olajuwon at the same age... assuming you're old enough to remember him at UH.

I’m old enough. I lived in Houston from 81-86, he’s not Hakeem. It’s borderline insulting to make this comparison. As an older person, shame on you for dimensioning and tarnishing the Dream’s legendary status.

[Geaux_Hawks]

"Ability to space the floor".... um, you lost me there... how does a player who gets virtually all of his points in the paint his whole career lay claim to being able to "space the floor?"... if anything, that's a plus in Bruno's column. Don't get me wrong, this is mostly projection on my part, but there are fundamentals that mirror Olajuwon at the same age... assuming you're old enough to remember him at UH.

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Hakeem could space the floor if he needed to. Dude was hitting spinning, fade-away jumpers. He just had the ability to make life easier by dominating in the paint. Bruno doesn't have this kind of ability. I don't see the fundamentals that would mirror Olajuwon. I wasn't even born to watch Hakeem in college, but watching a few highlights, I still don't see it.

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

"Ability to space the floor".... um, you lost me there... how does a player who gets virtually all of his points in the paint his whole career lay claim to being able to "space the floor?"... if anything, that's a plus in Bruno's column. Don't get me wrong, this is mostly projection on my part, but there are fundamentals that mirror Olajuwon at the same age... assuming you're old enough to remember him at UH.

I’m old enough. I lived in Houston from 81-86, he’s not Hakeem. It’s borderline insulting to make this comparison. As an older person, shame on you for dimensioning and tarnishing the Dream’s legendary status.

Daaaaang, Spud. You're old. (hehe)

No, seriously, remove the name from the uniforms, and just watch these two clips, and THEN tell me that Cougar Olajuwon is something more special than Terp Fernando.

Double dog dare ya.

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Watch on YouTube

Olajuwon has the 8 foot jumper down pat, and that's probably his advantage b/t the two, but then, Fernando puts the ball on the floor in a way that Olajuwon didn't... and can shoot from the arc... not that Olajuwon couldn't necessarily, but it was a different time and a different game when the 5 was practically anchored to the low post.

Other than that, they're both ferocious around the rim.

No sacrilege at all to note the similarities. That's all they are. No one's putting Bruno in a Springfield MA exhibit just yet.

[Spud2nique]

"Ability to space the floor".... um, you lost me there... how does a player who gets virtually all of his points in the paint his whole career lay claim to being able to "space the floor?"... if anything, that's a plus in Bruno's column. Don't get me wrong, this is mostly projection on my part, but there are fundamentals that mirror Olajuwon at the same age... assuming you're old enough to remember him at UH.

I’m old enough. I lived in Houston from 81-86, he’s not Hakeem. It’s borderline insulting to make this comparison. As an older person, shame on you for dimensioning and tarnishing the Dream’s legendary status.

Daaaaang, Spud. You're old. (hehe)

No, seriously, remove the name from the uniforms, and just watch these two clips, and THEN tell me that Cougar Olajuwon is something more special than Terp Fernando.

Double dog dare ya.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

Olajuwon has the 8 foot jumper down pat, and that's probably his advantage b/t the two, but then, Fernando puts the ball on the floor in a way that Olajuwon didn't... and can shoot from the arc... not that Olajuwon couldn't necessarily, but it was a different time and a different game when the 5 was practically anchored to the low post.

Other than that, they're both ferocious around the rim.

No sacrilege at all to note the similarities. That's all they are. No one's putting Bruno in a Springfield MA exhibit just yet.

I was a rockets fan from 81-86 but as a young kid just learning the game. Loved the Dream and Sampson.

[Spud2nique]

Ok it’s no wonder why I want Clarke. His fav food (burritos), shoe (Jordan 4’s), fav pastime (video games) and who he wants in finals (raptors>warriors) are the same...

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[_s_t_u_r_t_]

I was a rockets fan from 81-86 but as a young kid just learning the game. Loved the Dream and Sampson.

Oh. Not so old then.

Olajuwon and I were in college at the same time.

[Geaux_Hawks]

As a modern 5, I think Bruno will certainly flourish and again, I would take him at 10. I don't see Hakeem when I watch Bruno though. May have similar highlights, but Bruno doesn't look like someone that could be reminiscent of Hakeem. Bruno plays with high energy, which makes his dunk and blocks so emphatic.

[Spud2nique]

I was a rockets fan from 81-86 but as a young kid just learning the game. Loved the Dream and Sampson.

Oh. Not so old then.

Olajuwon and I were in college at the same time.

I’m not 56 or anything but old enough to remember Hakeem’s fluid movements. Bruno’s movements are not graceful and fluid I’m sorry. I mean he might excel as a power guy but he’s not gonna have Hakeem footwork, touch on his shot, blocking prowess or many other aspects. Hakeem was special you can’t throw a guy’s name and compare with the dream, it’s disrespectful, specially when the prospect is not even a top 5 pick, I mean it bothered me when they did it with Embiid but with him you can at least see a bit of Hakeem.

[Jamaaliver]

Bruno’s movements are not graceful and fluid I’m sorry. ...Hakeem was special you can’t throw a guy’s name and compare with the dream, it’s disrespectful, specially when the prospect is not even a top 5 pick.

Yeah, the Fernando love has gotten ridiculous. He looks like a useful piece. But there's a reason he's a mid to late first rounder.

[Jamaaliver]

Rival fanbase's scouting report -- A really solid piece.

Comparing De’Andre Hunter and Jarrett Culver

De’Andre Hunter and Jarrett Culver are similar prospects that could make sense for the Cavs



Jarrett Culver and De’Andre Hunter are both popular options to be selected in the top-10 of the 2019 NBA Draft. Two-way wings are one of the most scarce resources in the NBA, and you need multiple to be successful. But which player is better?

Both are sophomores, with Culver clocking in slightly younger at 20 than the redshirted, 21-year old Hunter. They both were among the best defensive wings in college basketball this year, and their value in the NBA is built on the expectation that they will be solid defenders at the very least. They make good reads and decisions on the offensive end, and there’s potential increased value for them through some avenue — Hunter by shooting off the catch, and Culver through on ball driving.

Finishing and driving

This looks like a push on the surface of things, as it’s a huge strength for both. Hunter finished at a 68.6 percent clip this year, per Hoop Math, while Culver finished at 67 percent at the rim. These are both strong wings with good frames and excellent touch around the rim, and it’s reasonable to project both to be solid finishers at the NBA level, especially as off-ball finishers. But when you add in the ability to finish on drives, you see an added layer that demonstrates why Culver might have creation upside. Hunter is a solid but unspectacular driver, best at using his size to leverage positioning and dribble out of getting smothered.

But in the open floor, Hunter is a more limited ball-handler. He doesn’t have great shake off the dribble, and he struggles out of the pick and roll to explode to the rim against contact. Compare that to Culver, who isn’t an ideal ball-handler, certainly, but accelerates far more efficiently headed towards the rim. He also shows excellent body control to change shot angles at the rim

Edge: Culver

Spoiler:

Spot-up shooting

Culver shot 34.1% on three-pointers on 305 attempts over two seasons; Hunter hit 41.9% on 160 attempts. While Hunter had far fewer attempts, he is the much more established spot-up threat, with good mechanics off the catch and legitimately threatening relocation skill on the perimeter.

Hunter’s quick, high release is optimal for his type of shot selection on the perimeter, and his ability to replicate his upper body mechanics with varying levels of footwork is an interesting potential wrinkle.

Culver, meanwhile, didn’t hit a high percentage on threes this year. But his spot up footwork is pretty solid, and he has much better form off the catch than off the dribble. Both should be able to become useful spot-up shooters at the NBA level, but Culver’s is probably more of a projection. The hitch at the top of his shot is an issue, and he just doesn’t look as functional as Hunter does at the NBA level.

Edge: Hunter

Pull-up shooting

This probably one of the weaker areas for both. Culver gets a lot of scrutiny for his struggles with shooting off the dribble, primarily because of the hitch in his mechanics in combination with his dribbling limitations. This is a huge swing skill for Culver, given how important pull-up shooting is to being a primary initiator. But when comparing these two, Hunter’s far behind given he barely took any pull-up mid-range shots, much less pull-up threes. Culver somehow has the more pressing need to become a good pull-up shooter and is significantly ahead of Hunter in this category as well.

Edge: Culver

Overall

Hunter and Culver are similar, but Culver has a more functional skill set for the NBA level. He’s a more flexible and fluid athlete, which does matter for on-ball performance and defensive switching. Hunter’s pluses will likely make him an immediate success — solid on-ball defense and three-point shooting is a good recipe for earning early minutes.

But Culver has much more upside because of the areas where he has an edge. For the Cavs, Hunter is definitely the safer option between the two, as he’s likely to be a strong sixth or seventh man at worst. But Culver has much more room for development, and should be considered to have much better upside because of it.

Edge: Culver

Cavs Fansided

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

I was a rockets fan from 81-86 but as a young kid just learning the game. Loved the Dream and Sampson.

Oh. Not so old then.

Olajuwon and I were in college at the same time.

I’m not 56 or anything but old enough to remember Hakeem’s fluid movements. Bruno’s movements are not graceful and fluid I’m sorry. I mean he might excel as a power guy but he’s not gonna have Hakeem footwork, touch on his shot, blocking prowess or many other aspects. Hakeem was special you can’t throw a guy’s name and compare with the dream, it’s disrespectful, specially when the prospect is not even a top 5 pick, I mean it bothered me when they did it with Embiid but with him you can at least see a bit of Hakeem.

Spud, you know what you know about Hakeem largely based on what we all know about what he did in a Rockets uniform.

To my point, you have to mentally make the effort to separate that from what was seen in him as a college player, and just look at him at that point and Fernando at this point.

And when you do that, ***to the contrary*** he has arguably even better footwork than Hakeem because we can actually see him moving in space, whereas Hakeem did not... blocking prowess absolutely similar... as acknowledged above, the one area where Hakeem esteemed himself at UH over what Bruno has at UM is the touch on his shot that you just mentioned.

Getting a bit too defensive with all the "disrespectful" talk... it's not like we're talking deity here. It's just basketball.

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

Bruno’s movements are not graceful and fluid I’m sorry. ...Hakeem was special you can’t throw a guy’s name and compare with the dream, it’s disrespectful, specially when the prospect is not even a top 5 pick.

Yeah, the Fernando love has gotten ridiculous. He looks like a useful piece. But there's a reason he's a mid to late first rounder.

These things ebb and flow, of course. Just within the last two months, he's also been as high as the #5-#10 range, assuming one takes all mock drafters so seriously, as I know you do. Who knows, he still could catch fire and get back to that earlier hype... but I hope not because he'll be such a good value where he's currently getting slotted by those folks.

[kerrypack]

Hakeem was also supersmart and had a high bbiq. Difficult to forecast that in a guy. Sounds like Bruno has developed quickly.

[Spud2nique]

Oh. Not so old then.

Olajuwon and I were in college at the same time.

I’m not 56 or anything but old enough to remember Hakeem’s fluid movements. Bruno’s movements are not graceful and fluid I’m sorry. I mean he might excel as a power guy but he’s not gonna have Hakeem footwork, touch on his shot, blocking prowess or many other aspects. Hakeem was special you can’t throw a guy’s name and compare with the dream, it’s disrespectful, specially when the prospect is not even a top 5 pick, I mean it bothered me when they did it with Embiid but with him you can at least see a bit of Hakeem.

Spud, you know what you know about Hakeem largely based on what we all know about what he did in a Rockets uniform.

To my point, you have to mentally make the effort to separate that from what was seen in him as a college player, and just look at him at that point and Fernando at this point.

And when you do that, ***to the contrary*** he has arguably even better footwork than Hakeem because we can actually see him moving in space, whereas Hakeem did not... blocking prowess absolutely similar... as acknowledged above, the one area where Hakeem esteemed himself at UH over what Bruno has at UM is the touch on his shot that you just mentioned.

Getting a bit too defensive with all the "disrespectful" talk... it's not like we're talking deity here. It's just basketball.

Oh...well I’m not intelligent enough to separate Rockets Hakeem from Phi Slama Jama.

Sturt, I hate to say this but....I’m really really good at evaluating talent.

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[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

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