Official BKN Pick Watch Thread 2016 Season [3.0]

[FakeScreenName123]

Doubt Hezonja or Gordon end up better than what Butler is now.

I'll take that bet.

[Fidel Sarcasmo]

Hezonja will be an offensive dagger as he develops. That's the guy who got away when it's all said and done with this draft. He wants the ball in crunch time. I love that trait.

[klemen4]

Looks like Nets will sign one of top 2 european PG:

- Nando De Colo (Euroleague MVP)
- Malcolm Delaney

Malcolm Delaney is the leader of a Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar team that is making its first Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four appearance. In his second Euroleague campaign, Delaney has broken the competition's single-season records for minutes played (965) and fouls drawn (187), and is on pace to set new ones for free throws made (131) and attempted (156). He also ranked among the league leaders in three-pointers made (second, 62), performance index rating (third, 19.3 per game), scoring (fourth, 15.8 ppg.) and assists (sixth, 5.7 apg.). Along with his 3.4 rebounds per game, Delaney improved on his previous averages in every major category. Delaney was chosen MVP for October and earned back-to-back weekly MVP honors to start the Top 16, when his 31 points against Cedevita Zagreb marked the most scored by any Euroleague player this season. Delaney now joins Nando De Colo as the first players ever to earn both All-Euroleague First Team and All-Eurocup First Team selections.

Nando De Colo took the Euroleague by storm this season, his second with CSKA Moscow. He led the competition in scoring (18.9 ppg.) and performance index rating (24.0 per game). He is only the second player to accumulate an index rating of more than 600 in a Euroleague campaign, and with 473 points so far is in range to break Alphonso Ford's all-time record of 495 points in a single season. But that's not all De Colo has done while helping CSKA reach the Final Four. His 124 free throws made and 137 attempted were both the second-most in the competition. He ranked sixth in free throw accuracy (90.5%) and three-point accuracy (46.2%) and ninth in assists (4.9 apg.). De Colo averaged career-highs in scoring, index rating, free throw, two-point and three-point shots made, assists, and rebounds (3.6 rpg.). He earned weekly MVP honors three times and was chosen as the MVP for February. This is second consecutive All-Euroleague selection for De Colo, who joins Malcolm Delaney as the first players ever to earn both All-Euroleague First Team and All-Eurocup First Team selections.

A lot of known names this season in first and second Euroleague teams:

The All-Euroleague First Team is made up of Malcolm Delaney of Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, Nando De Colo and Milos Teodosic of CSKA Moscow, Jan Vesely of Fenerbahce Istanbul and Ioannis Bourousis of Laboral Kutxa Vitoria Gasteiz.

Fenerbahce has two more players on the All-Euroleague Second Team, Luigi Datome and Ekpe Udoh, who are joined by Quincy Miller of Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade, Anthony Randolph of Lokomotiv and Gustavo Ayon of Real Madrid. De Colo and Teodosic are the only returning players from the 2014-15 All-Euroleague teams.

[ConstableGeneva]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/731263642361073664[/tweet]I hear Danny's willing to trade the 35th pick for the earliest unprotected future 1st rounder the Nets or Knicks have.

[The Corey's]

I'd trade all 5 of our second round picks to the nets for even a top 15 protected first.

[Andrew McCeltic]

'buy' means cash, happens plenty. We're not going to dump a second-rounder when they're non-guaranteed, but if the Knicks or Nets want the 23rd pick, they'll have to give up a future 1st.

I wonder if we could pick for Brooklyn at 16/23, then trade those picks after the draft to make '17 unprotected, '18 swap rights, and '19 top 10 protected...

[Andrew McCeltic]

Hezonja or Gordon may not end up better than Butler is now, but in three years, they may be good enough to be better than an older Butler with more miles and injuries.

As for whether Orlando would trade Gordon, probably not.. but a high draft pick can shake things loose, teams fall in love with players, even when they shouldn't, and the prospect of getting an elite talent loosens purse strings.

We'll find out more Tuesday night, but if we're picking third.. I think a lot of teams are going to be infatuated with Kris Dunn, maybe even a team picking ahead of us. And Hield is the kind of prospect who, whether he should or not, is going to make a vet-loaded playoff team throw assets at you.

[mbsnmisc]

Looks like Nets will sign one of top 2 european PG:

- Nando De Colo (Euroleague MVP)
- Malcolm Delaney

Malcolm Delaney is the leader of a Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar team that is making its first Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four appearance. In his second Euroleague campaign, Delaney has broken the competition's single-season records for minutes played (965) and fouls drawn (187), and is on pace to set new ones for free throws made (131) and attempted (156). He also ranked among the league leaders in three-pointers made (second, 62), performance index rating (third, 19.3 per game), scoring (fourth, 15.8 ppg.) and assists (sixth, 5.7 apg.). Along with his 3.4 rebounds per game, Delaney improved on his previous averages in every major category. Delaney was chosen MVP for October and earned back-to-back weekly MVP honors to start the Top 16, when his 31 points against Cedevita Zagreb marked the most scored by any Euroleague player this season. Delaney now joins Nando De Colo as the first players ever to earn both All-Euroleague First Team and All-Eurocup First Team selections.

Nando De Colo took the Euroleague by storm this season, his second with CSKA Moscow. He led the competition in scoring (18.9 ppg.) and performance index rating (24.0 per game). He is only the second player to accumulate an index rating of more than 600 in a Euroleague campaign, and with 473 points so far is in range to break Alphonso Ford's all-time record of 495 points in a single season. But that's not all De Colo has done while helping CSKA reach the Final Four. His 124 free throws made and 137 attempted were both the second-most in the competition. He ranked sixth in free throw accuracy (90.5%) and three-point accuracy (46.2%) and ninth in assists (4.9 apg.). De Colo averaged career-highs in scoring, index rating, free throw, two-point and three-point shots made, assists, and rebounds (3.6 rpg.). He earned weekly MVP honors three times and was chosen as the MVP for February. This is second consecutive All-Euroleague selection for De Colo, who joins Malcolm Delaney as the first players ever to earn both All-Euroleague First Team and All-Eurocup First Team selections.

A lot of known names this season in first and second Euroleague teams:

The All-Euroleague First Team is made up of Malcolm Delaney of Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, Nando De Colo and Milos Teodosic of CSKA Moscow, Jan Vesely of Fenerbahce Istanbul and Ioannis Bourousis of Laboral Kutxa Vitoria Gasteiz.

Fenerbahce has two more players on the All-Euroleague Second Team, Luigi Datome and Ekpe Udoh, who are joined by Quincy Miller of Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade, Anthony Randolph of Lokomotiv and Gustavo Ayon of Real Madrid. De Colo and Teodosic are the only returning players from the 2014-15 All-Euroleague teams.

What is your opinion of these two point guards ? Are they legit NBA starters ?

[klemen4]

De Colo was Euroleague MVP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hllxek1-V88

I think he is somewhere in Dragič quality range, not so explosive, but a better % shooter. He had just amazing season stats wise, probably one of the best ever in Euroleague. Still will be only 29 in June, has NBA experience playing for SAS/TOR. Probably he was not ready a few years ago, but now is.

games: 26
min: 27:39
points: 19.3
FG: 56.4%
3PT: 46.4%
FT: 90.9%
REB: 3.6
ASIST: 4.9
PER: 24.2

Unreal %, if this guy can not play in NBA I do not know.

[rickrolled]

De Colo was Euroleague MVP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hllxek1-V88

I think he is somewhere in Dragič quality range, not so explosive, but a better % shooter. He had just amazing season stats wise, probably one of the best ever in Euroleague. Still will be only 29 in June, has NBA experience playing for SAS/TOR. Probably he was not ready a few years ago, but now is.

games: 26
min: 27:39
points: 19.3
FG: 56.4%
3PT: 46.4%
FT: 90.9%
REB: 3.6
ASIST: 4.9
PER: 24.2

Unreal %, if this guy can not play in NBA I do not know.

He's a scrub in the NBA, top euro player pfftt.

[mbsnmisc]

De Colo was Euroleague MVP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hllxek1-V88

I think he is somewhere in Dragič quality range, not so explosive, but a better % shooter. He had just amazing season stats wise, probably one of the best ever in Euroleague. Still will be only 29 in June, has NBA experience playing for SAS/TOR. Probably he was not ready a few years ago, but now is.

games: 26
min: 27:39
points: 19.3
FG: 56.4%
3PT: 46.4%
FT: 90.9%
REB: 3.6
ASIST: 4.9
PER: 24.2

Unreal %, if this guy can not play in NBA I do not know.

He's a scrub in the NBA, top euro player pfftt.

I looked him up, he didn't do much in the NBA. I guess the jury is out.

[The Corey's]

I'm trying to contain my excitement but with only two days to go, I'm grown increasingly impatient

[Curmudgeon]

The jury is out on Malcolm Delaney as well. I have not seen him play in Europe, but he was the best guard in the ACC in 2010 and 2011 when he was at Virginia Tech.

[Avalanche]

If the Nets are relying on Nando De Colo to fix their point guard problems... the '17 pick is already looking good

[mbsnmisc]

If the Nets are relying on Nando De Colo to fix their point guard problems... the '17 pick is already looking good

I was talking hoops with my 16 year old son today and mentioned De Colo. He burst into laughter. We looked up his stats with Toronto and the Spurs. I know he is older, but I will be surprised if he approaches league average. I am not putting down the European game, every year it seems more foreign players make an impact. I just don't see it with this guy.

[sully00]

Last thing I want Ainge to draft with the Nets' pick is some project that could end up like Fab Melo. Too much riding on this pick.

I think what they would do if they were targeting Skal is draft whoever at #4 or #5, then make a draft night trade with whoever drafts Skal later in the lottery. Boston in this scenario acquires another asset or player as well.

Let me be clear. This is NOT plan A, B, C or D. All this means is that I heard Danny likes Skal

3/4 (Dunn? Murray?) to SAC for WCS/Skal?

3/4 to ORL for 11 (Skal) and Gordon or Hezonja?

Skal is going to drop to the late single digits like Drummond did, and like Amare did- unless Phoenix or New Orleans reaches for him.

I watched some of his March minutes, he's legit. Has to get his mental awareness up to the pro and NBA pace- James Young proves how tough that can be. But good measurements, great fluidity, hasn't been playing long. Projects as a smooth scoring big man.. Looks like Lamarcus Aldridge with more defensive potential. Or a much rawer young Al Jefferson.

Would be fun to see us wind up with a couple of blue-chippers for once (say Skal, Hezonja, plus Horford and another player in free agency). Think we should win and develop at the same time.

3 for Jimmy Butler makes us interesting, but three years from now we wish we have Skal/Hezonja.

Danny could hit a grand slam this offseason, needs to hit a home run at worst. Otherwise we look back on this summer for a decade regretting what might have been.

Hezonja is one thing and is probably the least available player on the Magic they love him But Skal is 20 he is the same age as Aaron Gordon. I am fine with burning a pick on him this whole draft is a crapshoot outside of the top 2 but the fact that Calipari and his Kentucky to the Lottery program are at risk with Skal does not mean you want to get involved there. I bet you will here about how much Danny Ainge loves him between now and the draft because he wants him to go before 16.

Kid should have gone to a school that would have given him more burn but I think he was also kind of exposed.

[brackdan70]

'buy' means cash, happens plenty. We're not going to dump a second-rounder when they're non-guaranteed, but if the Knicks or Nets want the 23rd pick, they'll have to give up a future 1st.

I wonder if we could pick for Brooklyn at 16/23, then trade those picks after the draft to make '17 unprotected, '18 swap rights, and '19 top 10 protected...

i could see us selling one of the later picks in the 50s...unless we end up trading some of the others away.

[3pt %]

Interesting point from Kevin Pelton in his chat. The locked in rookie scale makes these some of the most valuable picks going forward considering the potential increase in rookie pay under the future CBA.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/52141/nba-insider-kevin-pelton

[Andrew McCeltic]

Right, it is easy to forget Skal's already 20.. I think Amare was 19 coming out of high school, though.. Skal's strength right now is his scoring, and it's possible he'll be able to do more catching and making his move in an NBA system with better spacing.

[galipeautim]

After watching 30 minutes of video on Bender I have several qualms about drafting him:

1) His hands look somewhere in the range of poor to average. He struggles to catch the ball and seems to lose control of the ball a bit in his shooting motion. Not sure how much can be taught and how much is due to possibly small hand size.
2) His jump shot start much lower than guys like Porzingis and Nowitzki. When it comes to shooting stroke, it's always debatable if it can or should be fixed.
3) His reach is very unimpressive. I think he has a 7"2 wingspan, which is significantly lower than Porzingis' 7"6. This will limit his upside.

All said, I would still take Bender at #3. His athleticism and shooting ability quickly jump out. He seems to have good instincts on defense, although most of what I watched doesn't appear to be against the best competition. However, I wouldn't be particularly happy with the pick unless he shows a lot more before the draft.