Official Draft Thread 2015-16

[Yunsen]

Pure bias obviously but depending on where our or Dallas' pick ends up and if he declares, I'd like us to take a chance on Domantas Sabonis. Extremely athletic, great rebounder and good around the rim. Some will say he's playing against bench players but he plays with starters a lot and finishes games with Karnowski on the bench instead of him. I think he can guard down to most SF's in the NBA unless he heavily bulks up, which he probably will. His biggest issue right now is no outside jumpshot. He doesn't need a 3 point shot but if he can develop a 15-18 foot shot he'll become much more effective offensively. The other issue with him is maturity. He'll get visibly frustrated if calls goes against him and it'll effect his play somewhat. I've seen mocks with him around top 8 but more realistically if he declares he'll go somewhere around 15-20.

[Bar Fight]

If this boy ever gets a jumpshot....

21/20/7 tonight. Really hope Brooklyn goes on a 20 game losing streak.

[ddb]

If this boy ever gets a jumpshot....

He will. I really dont understand why people are nitpicking with Simmons? No prospect is perfect. This dude will literally **** on Wiggins, Parker and anyone else... he is a franchise altering superstar in the making, and if the lakers somehow keep their pick and land him I will literally puke.

[GoCeltics123]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/chadfordinsider/status/668955685179121664[/tweet]

[bucknersrevenge]

I need to see him prove that he can shoot. The next shot he takes outside 15 feet will be his first. So far he's just been a better athlete than everyone else. We could certainly use more athletes in our frontcourt on this team mind you but I would like to see him against UK, a real frontcourt that he can't just jump over.

[Edug27]

I need to see him prove that he can shoot. The next shot he takes outside 15 feet will be his first. So far he's just been a better athlete than everyone else. We could certainly use more athletes in our frontcourt on this team mind you but I would like to see him against UK, a real frontcourt that he can't just jump over.

Wiggins never played Kentucky. Also, check out the teams Anthony Davis faced during his only college season.

[Ben-N1ce]

I need to see him prove that he can shoot. The next shot he takes outside 15 feet will be his first. So far he's just been a better athlete than everyone else. We could certainly use more athletes in our frontcourt on this team mind you but I would like to see him against UK, a real frontcourt that he can't just jump over.

That may be true but people that big who can dribble and pass are a true rarity.

[bucknersrevenge]

I need to see him prove that he can shoot. The next shot he takes outside 15 feet will be his first. So far he's just been a better athlete than everyone else. We could certainly use more athletes in our frontcourt on this team mind you but I would like to see him against UK, a real frontcourt that he can't just jump over.

Wiggins never played Kentucky. Also, check out the teams Anthony Davis faced during his only college season.

I don't recall the concerns about Wiggins jumpshot being as vocal. Nor Davis, or a bg. I could be misremembering but don't rec anyway. Either way, not saying that Simmons couldn't wind up a fine shooter. Just at the moment I have no body of work to judge his ability on yet. At the moment, how different is he as a player from Rondae Hollis-Jefferson? If he has a jumpshot that changes things. The growing ideology of this being shooter's league I think cannot be overstated.

[DarkAzcura]

I need to see him prove that he can shoot. The next shot he takes outside 15 feet will be his first. So far he's just been a better athlete than everyone else. We could certainly use more athletes in our frontcourt on this team mind you but I would like to see him against UK, a real frontcourt that he can't just jump over.

Wiggins never played Kentucky. Also, check out the teams Anthony Davis faced during his only college season.

I don't recall the concerns about Wiggins jumpshot being as vocal. Nor Davis, or a bg. I could be misremembering but don't rec anyway. Either way, not saying that Simmons couldn't wind up a fine shooter. Just at the moment I have no body of work to judge his ability on yet. At the moment, how different is he as a player from Rondae Hollis-Jefferson? If he has a jumpshot that changes things. The growing ideology of this being shooter's league I think cannot be overstated.

Yeah, him not even attempting a jumpshot is interesting, but he is so overpowering right now that to me it's a good thing that he isn't settling. We'll see how he does against tougher competition as you noted.

Anyway, he's pretty different than RHJ in general. Simmons is way better at handling the ball. He has complete point guard ability. RHJ averaged like 1 or 2 APG in college, and he averaged half the amount of points. Simmons' ability to get to the rim and create on fastbreaks is pretty crazy for someone his size.

Anywho, I do wish we had more to go by for his jumpshot but unfortunately we do not. It's only been ~5 games, but he is shooting 81% from the FT line so at the least I don't think his mechanics are completely broken. At the least, there is something to work with.

There were some concerns about Davis' offensive game also. I never understood it, but it wasn't until the Team USA camp that Davis started to turn peoples' heads about his offensive potential.

[Murta]

Kevin O'Connor ‏@KevinOConnorNBA 3h3 hours ago
Simmons, Skal, and Dragan are impressive prospects. But NBA Draft "saviors" won't always save your team's soul: http://abt.cm/1NLYAyQ

Ed Isaacson ‏@nbadraftblog 3h3 hours ago
@KevinOConnorNBA Simmons’ strength is he will make very good players great. He needs a star with him at the NBA level

Kevin O'Connor ‏@KevinOConnorNBA 2h2 hours ago
@nbadraftblog Agreed. I like him. But I don't see him as a true "star." Maybe if he develops a jumper, but that's a big if. Many guys don't.

Kevin O'Connor ‏@KevinOConnorNBA 2h2 hours ago
@nbadraftblog I think you said it best -- he turns good players into great players. That's an awesome player to have. But savior? Not quite.

Ed Isaacson ‏@nbadraftblog 36m36 minutes ago
@KevinOConnorNBA It’s going to be a long, long season with people overblowing his actual capabilities

Kevin O'Connor ‏@KevinOConnorNBA 34m34 minutes ago
@nbadraftblog I didn't watch last night's game -- I will tonight -- but were Magic/Oscar comps tossed out on the broadcast? Or just Twitter?

Ed Isaacson ‏@nbadraftblog 34m34 minutes ago
@KevinOConnorNBA I was there, so I don’t know what was on the broadcast, but Twitter was going with a more Magic/LeBron hybrid

This all the way. Unfortunately, this is one of the least interesting college basketball season in recent years which means ALL the attention on Simmons. His NCAA career will hide more things than reveal because he plays in a role he will dominate because of his athleticism and impressive body, but it won't be his role in the NBA.

The difference between LeBron and Simmons' shooting is that James was always a willing shooter, even when he was young and not very good at shooting. Simmons tries not to use his shot because he knows it is not good.

[Slartibartfast]

Kevin O'Connor ‏@KevinOConnorNBA 3h3 hours ago
Simmons, Skal, and Dragan are impressive prospects. But NBA Draft "saviors" won't always save your team's soul: http://abt.cm/1NLYAyQ

Ed Isaacson ‏@nbadraftblog 3h3 hours ago
@KevinOConnorNBA Simmons’ strength is he will make very good players great. He needs a star with him at the NBA level

Kevin O'Connor ‏@KevinOConnorNBA 2h2 hours ago
@nbadraftblog Agreed. I like him. But I don't see him as a true "star." Maybe if he develops a jumper, but that's a big if. Many guys don't.

Kevin O'Connor ‏@KevinOConnorNBA 2h2 hours ago
@nbadraftblog I think you said it best -- he turns good players into great players. That's an awesome player to have. But savior? Not quite.

Ed Isaacson ‏@nbadraftblog 36m36 minutes ago
@KevinOConnorNBA It’s going to be a long, long season with people overblowing his actual capabilities

Kevin O'Connor ‏@KevinOConnorNBA 34m34 minutes ago
@nbadraftblog I didn't watch last night's game -- I will tonight -- but were Magic/Oscar comps tossed out on the broadcast? Or just Twitter?

Ed Isaacson ‏@nbadraftblog 34m34 minutes ago
@KevinOConnorNBA I was there, so I don’t know what was on the broadcast, but Twitter was going with a more Magic/LeBron hybrid

This all the way. Unfortunately, this is one of the least interesting college basketball season in recent years which means ALL the attention on Simmons. His NCAA career will hide more things than reveal because he plays in a role he will dominate because of his athleticism and impressive body, but it won't be his role in the NBA.

The difference between LeBron and Simmons' shooting is that James was always a willing shooter, even when he was young and not very good at shooting. Simmons tries not to use his shot because he knows it is not good.

As long as people insist on projecting him as a 3, I think there will be naysayers. But as a 4 these jump-shooting concerns are way overblown. A 6'10 guy who can defend the 4 spot at a high level, rebound at an elite rate, go coast to coast and pass or finish would be a true star at PF.

[Banks2Pierce]

Yeah, if you evaluate him as a 4, is he not just doing the same exact thing that Blake Griffin did with a bit less physicality and better passing/playmaking?

[No-Man]

Simmons doesnt really play elite defense, much less as a PF.
That is going to be a liability.

But Blake played always from inside in college, Simmons has not post game to speak of, nor a perimeter game, he always plays facing up, and of course he is not the animal that Blake is/was.

[165bows]

Do we know he can defend the four though? I mean, he'll be fine against the small ball stretch fours around but I don't think he will be good at defending the actual big men.

[Murta]

Yeah, if you evaluate him as a 4, is he not just doing the same exact thing that Blake Griffin did with a bit less physicality and better passing/playmaking?

Yeah, that's exactly what type of player Simmons will be, a top 12 NBA player, but not generational talent that gets teams with handful of legit NBA players into Finals like LeBron did in 2007/2015. Can he win multiple titles as the best player on his team? Absolutely, but he'll need a good surrounding cast. The difference between LeBron and Griffin/Melo is big.
Ed and Kevin probably went too far saying he won't be a star, because he will. But he doesn't appear to be single-handedly-winning-50+-games type of player that some many people want/expect him to be.

[FakeScreenName123]

Simmons reminds me of Giannis w/ a little less athleticism and with a rare passing ability. He's a 1/2/3/4.

The shooting thing is a concern. He's shooting jumpshots nearly completely one handed and has no clue where the ball is going to land once it hits the rim. He has no confidence in it right now.

Do we know he can defend the four though? I mean, he'll be fine against the small ball stretch fours around but I don't think he will be good at defending the actual big men.

He'll be able to guard someone at the 2-4 spot in every game depending upon matchup.

[Banks2Pierce]

But Blake played always from inside in college, Simmons has not post game to speak of, nor a perimeter game, he always plays facing up, and of course he is not the animal that Blake is/was.

Yeah, I mean as far as getting orebs and cuts and essentially out-athleting everyone around the rim. Simmons seems to be able to dribble from an iso into a post-up, which has value.

He has been the best defensive rebounder in ball, which is part of defense. Also up with the guards in steal rate. I have concerns about him being put into the mixer in screens and that type of thing, but I still thinking we're looking at a good defender here.

[DarkAzcura]

I still think people are outhinking themselves when it comes to his jumpshot. He'll never be Durant or probably won't pull up for jump shots, but it's surprising to see so many editors I really respect be scared of his jumpshot. Guys with broken mechanics don't shoot 80% from the line. They are right to say not many people develop a jumper, but a large majority of those who do not ever develop a shot had broken mechanics in the first place and never shot from the FT line well (Rondo...). I'm not saying it's an automatic that he will have a decent jumper just based off of his FT%, but I do think the whole "broken jumper" should ease up a bit, imo. We'll see. His other attributes are just too good to deny..his handle really is incredible.

[FakeScreenName123]

I still think people are outhinking themselves when it comes to his jumpshot. He'll never be Durant or probably won't pull up for jump shots, but it's surprising to see so many editors I really respect be scared of his jumpshot. Guys with broken mechanics don't shoot 80% from the line. They are right to say not many people develop a jumper, but a large majority of those who do not ever develop a shot had broken mechanics in the first place and never shot from the FT line well (Rondo...). I'm not saying it's an automatic that he will have a decent jumper just based off of his FT%, but I do think the whole "broken jumper" should ease up a bit, imo. We'll see. His other attributes are just too good to deny..his handle really is incredible.

I agree. Kawhi had a broken jumpshot in college.


It's a possible skill to improve. I am of the opinion that other skills he currently exhibits are harder to improve. Jump shooting is still hard to improve. Winning is hard.

[Slartibartfast]

Simmons doesnt really play elite defense, much less as a PF.
That is going to be a liability.

But Blake played always from inside in college, Simmons has not post game to speak of, nor a perimeter game, he always plays facing up, and of course he is not the animal that Blake is/was.

He's averaging 15 boards per game - that makes him some kind of animal, even if not the same family as Blake.

And we're not evaluating his defensive ability now, but his potential. Thad Young, by his own admission, didn't even try to play D in college and turned into a very solid team defender if undersized man defender in the NBA. Simmons reminds me of a bigger Thad defensively.