Appropriately early 2020 NBA Draft Thread

[Jamaaliver]

Looks like the NBA reconsidered and allowed this to take place:

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[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

Why James Wiseman might not be worth the No. 1 pick hype

James Wiseman was the nation’s top recruit for 2019 and sits atop many NBA Mock Drafts. A closer look reveals he may not be worth that level of praise

James Wiseman was the top-ranked recruit for 2019 on most sites and ESPN has pegged him to go No. 1 in the 2020 NBA Draft. Pretty much every informed member of Draft Twitter disagrees with those sentiments and most have him outside the top 10 of their Big Board.

At 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan and skillful coordination/fluidity for a big man, Wiseman’s supporters dream about his ceiling as a scorer. Occasionally, he flashes a potent face-up game and long-range shooting. What curbs those flashes is actual production and abhorrent decision-making. Wiseman has the confidence of an outlier shot maker but lacks the shooting talent to warrant it. That dichotomy generates clips like these:

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He aspires to be a modern big with ball-handling, pull-up shooting and floor-spacing talents. He plays like one but it hasn’t been kind to his efficiency and exhibits discouraging self-awareness for a guy slated to go first overall in June.

There has to be some understanding of your own offensive strengths and Wiseman’s habits don’t suggest he knows who he truly is. In 21 EYBL games between April 2018 and July 2018, he averaged 15.2 points on 52.7 percent true shooting. Such low efficiency and raw scoring output is concerning for a player wielding NBA-caliber size and length. Take a look at how his efficiency compares to some other bigs:

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Across that same string of EYBL games, he went 56-of-101 (55.4 percent) from the free-throw line and 4-of-27 (14.8 percent) from 3-point range. Neither number suggests a forthcoming evolution.

One statistic from EYBL that supports Wiseman is 39 blocks in 21 games, implying a reputation as a solid rim-protector. To many, that’s exactly who the 18-year-old is on paper: a future defensive anchor and perennial All-Defensive Team member. That’s just not how I’ve seen it shake out on tape.

Wiseman certainly accumulates a healthy number of blocks, though it seems to originate from poor discipline and features an inability to stay vertical on contests. He’ll pounce on subtle shot fakes or unnecessarily pursue blocks, sometimes to the detriment of his team.

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What’s most concerning is how often Wiseman jumps against dudes significantly smaller than him. He has a 7-foot-6 wingspan and 9-foot-3.5 standing reach. Rarely should he leave his feet and yet, it regularly occurs when guards or wings enter the paint. It’s another example of him mitigating his size advantage. Generally, stars maximize their physical tools but Wiseman, on both ends, seems to do the opposite at an alarming rate.

Fansided

[Jamaaliver]

Our missing piece?

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[marco102]

Our missing piece?

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I'm all for this. I believe in his defensive potential more than his offensive potential, but his theoretical fit will be perfect with John.

Wiseman, John, Hunter, Cam, Tre is a perfect starting lineup with offense and defense. I'm willing to switch Hunter and Cam.

Also, keep and eye on Tre Mann at Florida. He'd be a great backup to Trae. Similar game styles. He should be there for the Net's pick.

[EazyRoc]

Not saying we draft him...but LaMelo is starting to buzz in Australia. I told y’all he’s got the same quality of “it factor” as Trae.

[Jamaaliver]

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[CP War Hawks]

Makur should be entering the draft portal in a class desolate of big man talent. The name could scare some off, but I like the cross between Embiid and KG in his game. Still keep an eye on Queta and Bassey.

[kg01]

Makur should be entering the draft portal in a class desolate of big man talent. The name could scare some off, but I like the cross between Embiid and KG in his game. Still keep an eye on Queta and Bassey.

Hey, instead of Embiid, can you cross kg with Taylor Rooks?

[Jamaaliver]

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10. Atlanta Hawks: RJ Hampton (New Zealand Breakers, PG/SG, 2001)

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It's been an up-and-down start for RJ Hampton with the New Zealand Breakers. But since he's only 18 years old, the positives outweigh the negatives.

He looked like he belonged during his first two pro games in Australia's NBL, flashing shot-making skill, playmaking and finishing athleticism at the rim.

The 6'5" combo guard had a more difficult time when the Breakers visited the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies for a pair of exhibition games. NBA scouts attended those preseason outings to watch Hampton shoot a combined 3-of-19.

But he's well-rounded and mature with excellent positional tools, and if he's able to put up numbers in the NBL that are similar to those freshmen are registering in the NCAA, he'll position himself as a safe top-20 bet.


20. Atlanta Hawks (via Nets): Matthew Hurt (Duke, PF, Freshman)

Hurt will hear the "needs to add strength" critique all season long, but his skills will buy him time with scouts. His shooting and passing will pop for a 6'9" forward, and his basketball IQ and vision show on quick-read assists. He'll also receive a green light to initiate the break off defensive rebounds, as he can handle the ball and make plays off the dribble.

He'll be looking to show teams he can slide his feet around the perimeter. And though he may get pushed around inside as a freshman, he can compensate with timing and coordination blocking shots.

[Jamaaliver]

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[DrCoach]

So if Hawks are really GS East

Pg -Trae- Curry
Sg- Huerter- Klay
Sf- Reddish - Barnes or Iggy?
Pf- Hunter- Green
C- Collins- Cousins ?

That would leave
Livingston- Ethan? Big PG- Theo?
Durant - Parker? Precious. Jaden McDaniels?
Iggy?- Deni?

[Jamaaliver]

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LaMelo Ball, who has been playing in Australia’s National Basketball League for the last month, has become one of the most fascinating NBA draft prospects in recent years.

LaMelo could end up going as high in the 2020 draft as his older brother Lonzo did in 2017, when he was the no. 2 overall pick. He has just taken a completely different path to get there. LaMelo came to Australia as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, which is designed to draw attention to the league by making it a place for NBA prospects to wait out the one-and-done rule. The NBL is considered a midtier league worldwide by NBA front offices. The level of play is higher than in China, where fringe NBA players can put up MVP-caliber numbers, but below the EuroLeague.

Ball has been given the keys to the offense. The amount of trust that LaMelo has earned from his teammates and coaches is one of his most impressive accomplishments in Australia. The NBL wants to showcase its American prospects, but the teams those players are on are still trying to win. He turned 18 in August, making him one of the youngest prospects in this year’s draft class, yet he’s already a difference-maker in a league with players more than a decade older than him.

It’s easy to see why. He’s a supersize point guard (6-foot-7, 190 pounds) with elite playmaking ability who can make every pass in the book. One of the big concerns about how he would fare in the NBL has been whether his style would fit within a team concept. That has not been an issue, at least so far. He is third in the league in assists this season (5.7 per game) and rarely turns the ball over (2.1 per game) despite making so many difficult passes. LaMelo makes fewer mistakes than most veteran point guards. He controls the tempo of the game and rarely gets rattled by the defense. He’s third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.4:1) among the players in the top 10 in assists in the NBL.

There is little doubt that his playmaking will translate to the NBA. What the teams picking at the top of the 2020 draft will have to figure out is whether he will have the same scoring issues that plague Lonzo, who has averaged 10.2 points per game on 38.1 percent shooting in his first three seasons. Ball’s jumper will determine both his ceiling and his floor at the next level.

LaMelo’s offensive game is built on his ability to make off-the-dribble 30-footers. But he doesn’t have the burst to beat elite defenders off the bounce if they can play a step off him. Luka Doncic is a good comparison. Like LaMelo, he’s an average athlete by NBA standards with an otherworldly combination of size, basketball IQ, and playmaking ability. But Doncic still needs the threat of his 3-point shot to be a primary scorer in the NBA. The Mavericks guard is shooting 32.6 percent from 3 on 7.2 attempts per game in his NBA career. Those shots open up the rest of his game. If LaMelo can’t at least match those percentages, then he will only be so effective with the ball in his hands.

If LaMelo can’t be a primary option, than he must at least be able to knock down spot-up 3s in an off-ball role. Not doing so was one of the biggest things that held Lonzo back in his two seasons with the Lakers; he struggled to mesh with Brandon Ingram and LeBron James because he couldn’t threaten the defense when they were playing with the ball. While both Ball brothers are deadly when attacking closeouts, it doesn’t matter if defenses don’t have to closeout on them.

[King Ken]

Welp! Looks like we are back here again. Who are the top centers for 2020?

[Jamaaliver]

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