The Official 2023 Draft Thread

NatP4 · Post #61 » by **NatP4** » Sat Feb 4, 2023 5:29 pm

Sensabaugh at 15 would be the steal of the century. He might be the best player in the draft.

NatP4 · Post #62 » by **NatP4** » Sat Feb 4, 2023 8:51 pm

Dat2U wrote:First attempt at a top 25 in order, tiered and as always, subject to change up to draft day.

HOF TIER: CE Victor Wembamyama

1st Tier Scoot Henderson

2nd Tier PG Amen Thompson
2nd Tier SF Brandon Miller
2nd Tier SG Ausur Thompson

3rd Tier SF Gradey Dick
3rd Tier SF Brice Sensabaugh
3rd Tier SG Jett Howard
3rd Tier SF Anthony Black
3rd Tier PG Nick Smith Jr
3rd Tier SF Maxwell Lewis
3rd Tier PG Cason Wallace
3rd Tier PF Jarace Walker
3rd Tier PG Cason Wallace
3rd Tier SG Keyonte George
3rd Tier PF Cam Whitmore
3rd Tier SF Dariq Whitehead
3rd Tier PF Kris Murray

4th Tier SG Rayan Rupert
4th Tier SF Leonard Miller
4th Tier SF Jalen Wilson
4th Tier SG Colby Jones
4th Tier CE Kyle Filipowski
4th Tier PF Taylor Hendricks
4th Tier SG Terquavion Smith

Agree with most of this. Just a couple questions:

1. Where is Jordan Hawkins? I would assume you just haven’t watched film on him yet or something? But 20.5 points on 60% TS at age 20. Plays solid defense, takes a TON of 3s. I like him late lottery.

2. Another guy, Noah Clowney from Bama. 18 years old but rebounds like a maniac and plays quality defense. Draws a ton of free throws and takes a ton of 3s, if those would fall he’s putting up great efficiency. What do you think of him?

Seems like an overall SUPER weak draft to me. There is a surplus of wings or 2/3s that can score, and a bunch plodding Cs in round 2, but another massive shortage on PGs and true primary initiators.

NatP4 · Post #63 » by **NatP4** » Sat Feb 4, 2023 8:54 pm

I’ve been beating this drum for years, but Trayce Jackson Davis is a lock to be a quality role player in the NBA. He’s 23 years old so it’s certainly not an upside play, but he is literally averaging 22-12-4-3 on 61% TS. He’s a plug and play NBA backup 5.

Jaylen Clark&TJD should be our targets in round 2. A lot like Keon Ellis and Xavier Tillman from recent years.

FAH1223 · Post #64 » by **FAH1223** » Sat Feb 4, 2023 10:17 pm

NatP4 wrote:Sensabaugh at 15 would be the steal of the century. He might be the best player in the draft.

Read on Twitter

NatP4 · Post #65 » by **NatP4** » Sun Feb 5, 2023 7:13 pm

I have no idea how to evaluate the Thompson bros, OT elite looks like AAU scrimmages. Total joke. Really unsure about Scoot also, but if you assume it goes Wemb/Scoot/Thompson bros/Miller, then there is ZERO doubt that Sensabaugh is the guy at 6.

My gut tells me he’s gonna be better than everyone but Victor. Primary option scorer from day 1. Would slot in perfectly next to Beal on the wing.

19 years olds never come in and put up 26 points per 36 on ridiculous 62.5% TS in a quality conference. He’s been better than Haliburton and Ivey at a younger age in the same conference on a significantly worse team.

His playmaking numbers would be a lot better if he didn’t play on one of the worst offensive teams in the country. His role is also to just put his down and score.

doclinkin · Post #66 » by **doclinkin** » Tue Feb 7, 2023 1:59 am

2nd Round I like Arizona's 'Zoo' Azuolas Tubelis as a stretch 4. He's putting up a damn good year.

And agreed on Dale Davis' boy Trayce Jackson-Davis. Young man just knows how to play. Smart rotations on defense, good read/react instincts in general. This is an instant professional.

Not in our draft range unless we trade into the mid-1st round, but Maxwell Lewis caught my eye too. All key stats are improving from fresh to sophomore year despite significantly increased usage.

Jstock12 · Post #67 » by **Jstock12** » Tue Feb 7, 2023 11:40 am

doclinkin wrote:2nd Round I like Arizona's 'Zoo' Azuolas Tubelis as a stretch 4. He's putting up a damn good year.

And agreed on Dale Davis' boy Trayce Jackson-Davis. Young man just knows how to play. Smart rotations on defense, good read/react instincts in general. This is an instant professional.

Not in our draft range unless we trade into the mid-1st round, but Maxwell Lewis caught my eye too. All key stats are improving from fresh to sophomore year despite significantly increased usage.

I'm a big fan of my countryman Tubelis, but I'll be the first to tell you that he's not a stretch four yet. That shot of his (despite this season's percentage) is very much a work in progress. Around 95% of his shots come from either the restricted area or the paint. Defensively, transition to the NBA will also be quite challenging as he doesn't have the best lateral quickness out there.

Despite this, he's still a pretty unique prospect in the sense that he's among leaders in the whole NCAA in both the paint scoring AND fast break scoring (the only guy to be this high on both lists despite being a big man). It's honestly quite difficult for me to remember a big man who runs the floor so well. Absolute machine in transition.

Read on Twitter

He also had a 40 point (on 16/21 shooting) performance against Oregon recently:

Watch on YouTube

NatP4 · Post #68 » by **NatP4** » Tue Feb 14, 2023 4:00 pm

Jarace Walker is like a Sochan clone but with shooting ability. Same exact physical build, motor/effort, basketball IQ, some playmaking, versatility, great defender.

I would like him in the 8-12 range. Think he’s eventually a quality starting PF that can guard 1-5 and space the floor.

NatP4 · Post #69 » by **NatP4** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 11:22 am

If we keep the pick, Bilal Coulibaly is the guy. No question.

doclinkin · Post #70 » by **doclinkin** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 12:57 pm

Potential 2nd round steal due to ACL tear. Trevon Brazile.

Watch on YouTube

Dat2U · Post #71 » by **Dat2U** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 5:51 pm

I'm locking Amen Thompson into the 3rd spot and that's with me not being sold on his jumper after an extended look at him. He's just incredibly quick twitch... probably a better athlete than Scoot tho and he's 5 inches taller. I also think his court vision is special but I don't think Amen will ever be an elite scorer. He might not need to be as he's still likely to get into the lane at will to create for others and be a terror on defense.

Frichuela · Post #72 » by **Frichuela** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 8:34 pm

We may want to forget looking at 1st round candidates. I fear that, if the mid-3 of the Wizards stay healthy, we are surely making the playoffs. This is from the Athletic's latest power rankings and about the Morris-Beal-Kuz-Porzingis-Gafford line-up:

"Takeaway: I had a whole plan to break down their quarter-by-quarter performance, and then I was talking with Mo Dakhil about a Wizards lineup I can get behind. I guess the lineup of Monte Morris, Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, Kristaps Porzingis, and Daniel Gafford had to be +9.0 per 100 possessions. Turns out it’s even better. That lineup is +23.0 points per 100 possessions! The problem? They’ve only played 75 total minutes this season. How is that possible? I know stumbled into the Gafford-Porzingis pairing, and they’ve had some injuries, but this is a lineup that can’t be stopped in a small sample size. Free this lineup!"

We do have Chicago's 2nd rounder though to look at 2nd round prospects...This pick is right now at #37...

GoneShammGone · Post #73 » by **GoneShammGone** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 9:14 pm

Frichuela wrote:We may want to forget looking at 1st round candidates. I fear that, if the mid-3 of the Wizards stay healthy, we are surely making the playoffs. This is from the Athletic's latest power rankings and about the Morris-Beal-Kuz-Porzingis-Gafford line-up:

"Takeaway: I had a whole plan to break down their quarter-by-quarter performance, and then I was talking with Mo Dakhil about a Wizards lineup I can get behind. I guess the lineup of Monte Morris, Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, Kristaps Porzingis, and Daniel Gafford had to be +9.0 per 100 possessions. Turns out it’s even better. That lineup is +23.0 points per 100 possessions! The problem? They’ve only played 75 total minutes this season. How is that possible? I know stumbled into the Gafford-Porzingis pairing, and they’ve had some injuries, but this is a lineup that can’t be stopped in a small sample size. Free this lineup!"

We do have Chicago's 2nd rounder though to look at 2nd round prospects...This pick is right now at #37...

Yeah, I expect us to make the playoffs. Outside shot at the sixth seed, but most likely seventh or eighth by winning one play-in game. So with that in mind, question is: what asset do we have that we can turn into a first round pick? Seems to me the only two possible options are Corey and Gaff. Gafford has been part of our most productive lineups this season, and he is relatively cheap for the next couple years, and likely to get even better. So I'm not hoping he gets moved. Corey, on the other hand, does a few things really well (shoot, move without the ball), but how much better is he likely to get? Does it make sense to reset the clock on his contract by trading him and the Chicago pick for a mid-first? Would Corey and the pick get us a mid-first? If it were possible I think I would do it.

Frichuela · Post #74 » by **Frichuela** » Tue Feb 21, 2023 9:26 pm

GoneShammGone wrote:
Frichuela wrote:We may want to forget looking at 1st round candidates. I fear that, if the mid-3 of the Wizards stay healthy, we are surely making the playoffs. This is from the Athletic's latest power rankings and about the Morris-Beal-Kuz-Porzingis-Gafford line-up:

"Takeaway: I had a whole plan to break down their quarter-by-quarter performance, and then I was talking with Mo Dakhil about a Wizards lineup I can get behind. I guess the lineup of Monte Morris, Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, Kristaps Porzingis, and Daniel Gafford had to be +9.0 per 100 possessions. Turns out it’s even better. That lineup is +23.0 points per 100 possessions! The problem? They’ve only played 75 total minutes this season. How is that possible? I know stumbled into the Gafford-Porzingis pairing, and they’ve had some injuries, but this is a lineup that can’t be stopped in a small sample size. Free this lineup!"

We do have Chicago's 2nd rounder though to look at 2nd round prospects...This pick is right now at #37...

Yeah, I expect us to make the playoffs. Outside shot at the sixth seed, but most likely seventh or eighth by winning one play-in game. So with that in mind, question is: what asset do we have that we can turn into a first round pick? Seems to me the only two possible options are Corey and Gaff. Gafford has been part of our most productive lineups this season, and he is relatively cheap for the next couple years, and likely to get even better. So I'm not hoping he gets moved. Corey, on the other hand, does a few things really well (shoot, move without the ball), but how much better is he likely to get? Does it make sense to reset the clock on his contract by trading him and the Chicago pick for a mid-first? Would Corey and the pick get us a mid-first? If it were possible I think I would do it.

This would be an awesome outcome. Looking at who could be interested in such trade maybe the Jazz? They own 3 1st run picks this draft. Their Minny pick is currently sloted at #16...now.. would they be so keen on Kispert to do so?

Other than the Jazz, maybe the Lakers??? (currently at #17 from the Pels swap). They may seek a good 3pt shooter given their current shooting woes...

gambitx777 · Post #75 » by **gambitx777** » Wed Feb 22, 2023 8:44 am

So it's looking like we won't have a first this year unless we loose a bunch of trade for one. What are we thinking about second rounders and undrafted guys?

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payitforward · Post #76 » by **payitforward** » Wed Feb 22, 2023 9:31 pm

The Knicks have our R2 pick this year (I don't recollect why...), but we have the Bulls pick in the 2d round (the 2d of the 2 R2 picks they gave us for Sato), which looks like it might be @#37.

Right now, https://nbadraftroom.com/p/2023-2nd-round/ shows us taking DaRon Holmes II -- https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/daron-holmesii-1.html -- at that spot.

Here's hoping we do something to acquire an additional R2 pick.

payitforward · Post #77 » by **payitforward** » Wed Feb 22, 2023 9:47 pm

I haven't started looking at this year's draft prospects, not at all really. That said, off the numbers this kid looks like a potential R2 steal if he's on the board for us:

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/brandin-podziemski-1.html

doclinkin · Post #78 » by **doclinkin** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:30 am

payitforward wrote:I haven't started looking at this year's draft prospects, not at all really. That said, off the numbers this kid looks like a potential R2 steal if he's on the board for us:

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/brandin-podziemski-1.html

Watch on YouTube

;t=109s

Ok I can see it. Nice floater, misdirection footwork, silky shot, quick release.

doclinkin · Post #79 » by **doclinkin** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:42 am

payitforward wrote:The Knicks have our R2 pick this year (I don't recollect why...), but we have the Bulls pick in the 2d round (the 2d of the 2 R2 picks they gave us for Sato), which looks like it might be @#37.

Right now, https://nbadraftroom.com/p/2023-2nd-round/ shows us taking DaRon Holmes II -- https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/daron-holmesii-1.html -- at that spot.

Here's hoping we do something to acquire an additional R2 pick.

Holmes popped up on a couple searches. I like his improvement in FT and 3FG %. He's active on both ends. In interviews seems like he thinks the game, references watching Draymond as a model. Interesting physical profile, long long arms. But I have doubts about his offense at the next level. He's dunking from a standstill deep in the paint. That shot is swallowed up by interior Bigs in the NBA.

doclinkin · Post #80 » by **doclinkin** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:52 am

Pretending we fail in the play-in games and have to pick in the mid first round. I'm eyeballing:

Taylor Hendricks.

Watch on YouTube

;t=75s

Norchad Ormier.

Watch on YouTube

And with the ethics of a vulture, wondering if Brandon Miller falls in the first round due to his driving a gun to the site of a murder. But Ted would never let Tommy pick him.