2023 NBA Draft Thread

[Petre1978]

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Adam Spinella is one of the few draft analysts who had Paolo as his No. 1 overall prospect last year, so I pay extra attention to what he has to say.

Here's his latest 2023 Mock of the lottery if you don't care to watch the whole video

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Scoot Henderson
3. Amen Thompson
4. Brandon Miller
5. Nick Smith Jr.
6. Jarace Walker
7. Cam Whitmore
8. Gradey Dick
9. Ausar Thompson
10. Keyonte George
11. Anthony Black
12. Cason Wallace
13. Jalen Hood-Schifino
14. Ryan Rupert

His player analysis is fine.

I just don’t see how the FO can sell me on the idea of Jarace Walker with a #6 pick to Orlando.

Is he a Center at 6’8 220? Maybe if Orlando had Golden State’s offense.

Is he backing up Paolo? Paolo is bigger than him. I don’t get it. If they really want a Center just use the #35 pick (they won’t).

I’m fine with Gradey at pick #8. Sure.

edit: listening to the other prospects in the top 10, I’d be lying if I didn’t want to see Cason Wallace take over at point guard. Pairing him with another shooter (Houstan, Dick) or a guy like Suggs defensively would be interesting.

I agree with you on Dick and Wallace.

As for Wallace i would take him over the Thompsons all day long.
I don't understand why the Thompsons are rated so high without shooting!!!!!

[Petre1978]

Highly interested in Nick Smith Jr. with one of our 2 FRPs.

What do you like about him?

High IQ, high energy with high upside, plays both ends with energy and great awareness. Also great fit being able to play PG and SG. And then there are his basketball skills of course. Negatives: needs to improve his physicality and injuries of course.

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If Smith can let his injury issues behind him he is the man for the Magic

[Petre1978]

Anyone watching this Kansas vs Texas game? Look at how they guard Dick. Even if a teammate of Dick drives to the hoop near him, the guy guarding Dick doesn't even try to swipe the ball because all concentration on defense are on Dick.

Imagine that in the NBA, Paolo or Franz practically can drive one-on-one without help defense because the other team are too scared of helping off Dick.

Dick's spacing an shooting open up so many things on offense.
Wagner and Banchero would be thriving.

[tiderulz]

Adam Spinella is one of the few draft analysts who had Paolo as his No. 1 overall prospect last year, so I pay extra attention to what he has to say.

Here's his latest 2023 Mock of the lottery if you don't care to watch the whole video

1. Victor Wembanyama
2. Scoot Henderson
3. Amen Thompson
4. Brandon Miller
5. Nick Smith Jr.
6. Jarace Walker
7. Cam Whitmore
8. Gradey Dick
9. Ausar Thompson
10. Keyonte George
11. Anthony Black
12. Cason Wallace
13. Jalen Hood-Schifino
14. Ryan Rupert

His player analysis is fine.

I just don’t see how the FO can sell me on the idea of Jarace Walker with a #6 pick to Orlando.

Is he a Center at 6’8 220? Maybe if Orlando had Golden State’s offense.

Is he backing up Paolo? Paolo is bigger than him. I don’t get it. If they really want a Center just use the #35 pick (they won’t).

I’m fine with Gradey at pick #8. Sure.

edit: listening to the other prospects in the top 10, I’d be lying if I didn’t want to see Cason Wallace take over at point guard. Pairing him with another shooter (Houstan, Dick) or a guy like Suggs defensively would be interesting.

I agree with you on Dick and Wallace.

As for Wallace i would take him over the Thompsons all day long.
I don't understand why the Thompsons are rated so high without shooting!!!!!

everyone always tries to oversell athleticism and that a player can "easily" learn to shoot in the nba

[Petre1978]

His player analysis is fine.

I just don’t see how the FO can sell me on the idea of Jarace Walker with a #6 pick to Orlando.

Is he a Center at 6’8 220? Maybe if Orlando had Golden State’s offense.

Is he backing up Paolo? Paolo is bigger than him. I don’t get it. If they really want a Center just use the #35 pick (they won’t).

I’m fine with Gradey at pick #8. Sure.

edit: listening to the other prospects in the top 10, I’d be lying if I didn’t want to see Cason Wallace take over at point guard. Pairing him with another shooter (Houstan, Dick) or a guy like Suggs defensively would be interesting.

I agree with you on Dick and Wallace.

As for Wallace i would take him over the Thompsons all day long.
I don't understand why the Thompsons are rated so high without shooting!!!!!

everyone always tries to oversell athleticism and that a player can "easily" learn to shoot in the nba

I prefer skills over athletic ability.

[Petre1978]

Watch on YouTube

Isaac is done so maybe take a look at Filipowski

[Knightro]

I’m not a huge fan of the twins, but I do think there’s a difference between lacking shooting and lacking skill.

They both lack shooting, perhaps to such an extreme degree that it’s disqualifying, but I don’t necessarily think they lack *skill* if that makes sense.

Both of them are good ball handlers and passers. Some folks think Amen is actually a going to be a point guard at the next level.

[drsd]

Wizards lost so Orlando is now only 3 1/2 games out of a chance to skip the lottery altogether.

Let's go Magic!

..

[KillMonger]

I’m not a huge fan of the twins, but I do think there’s a difference between lacking shooting and lacking skill.

They both lack shooting, perhaps to such an extreme degree that it’s disqualifying, but I don’t necessarily think they lack *skill* if that makes sense.

Both of them are good ball handlers and passers. Some folks think Amen is actually a going to be a point guard at the next level.

they're both pretty tenacious defenders as well....people may disqualify them for the shooting but for me it's not a mistake they're ranked that high

[eyriq]

Wizards lost so Orlando is now only 3 1/2 games out of a chance to skip the lottery altogether.

Let's go Magic!

..

Pacers @ Bulls and Wiz vs Bucks today. Going to be a big day for the play-in race and the tankathon. A Magic win paired with a Wizards loss will have the play-in tantalizing close.

[eyriq]

From the draft board, clyde seems like a legit draft opinion to track.

pre march madness update

1 Victor Wembanyama

2 Scoot Henderson
3 Anthony Black

4 Keyonte George
5 Brandon Miller
6 Nick Smith Jr.
7 Jarace Walker
8 GG Jackson
9 Gradey Dick
10 Taylor Hendricks

11 Cam Whitmore
12 Ausar Thompson
13 Amen Thompson
14 Judah Mintz
15 Jordan Hawkins
16 Rayan Rupert
17 Ricky Council
18 Cason Wallace
19 Kyle Filipowski
20 Trey Alexander

[Petre1978]

I’m not a huge fan of the twins, but I do think there’s a difference between lacking shooting and lacking skill.

They both lack shooting, perhaps to such an extreme degree that it’s disqualifying, but I don’t necessarily think they lack *skill* if that makes sense.

Both of them are good ball handlers and passers. Some folks think Amen is actually a going to be a point guard at the next level.

they're both pretty tenacious defenders as well....people may disqualify them for the shooting but for me it's not a mistake they're ranked that high

Why?

[Petre1978]

From the draft board, clyde seems like a legit draft opinion to track.

pre march madness update

1 Victor Wembanyama

2 Scoot Henderson
3 Anthony Black

4 Keyonte George
5 Brandon Miller
6 Nick Smith Jr.
7 Jarace Walker
8 GG Jackson
9 Gradey Dick
10 Taylor Hendricks

11 Cam Whitmore
12 Ausar Thompson
13 Amen Thompson
14 Judah Mintz
15 Jordan Hawkins
16 Rayan Rupert
17 Ricky Council
18 Cason Wallace
19 Kyle Filipowski
20 Trey Alexander

Who is Clyde?

[eyriq]

From the draft board, clyde seems like a legit draft opinion to track.

pre march madness update

Who is Clyde?

A RealGMer on the NBA Draft board.

[VFX]

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Isaac is done so maybe take a look at Filipowski

As much as I like Flip, there is still no justification for taking a PF/C when Orlando doesn’t have a good back court. Especially with a top 10 pick.

[Rainwater]

I’m not a huge fan of the twins, but I do think there’s a difference between lacking shooting and lacking skill.

They both lack shooting, perhaps to such an extreme degree that it’s disqualifying, but I don’t necessarily think they lack *skill* if that makes sense.

Both of them are good ball handlers and passers. Some folks think Amen is actually a going to be a point guard at the next level.

Completely agree with this been saying it for awhile.

[basketballRob]

How many athletic players that can handle ball are out of the league? The answer is a lot. MCW is barely in the league.

I'm just surprised people are enamored with the Thompson twins.

Dominick Barlow was the best player to come out of OTE last season. He signed a two-way with the tanking Spurs and hasn't been that good.

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[Petre1978]

Watch on YouTube

5. Cam Whitmore
7. Gradey Dick

[eyriq]

An interesting thought; Isaac, Bamba, Chuma, and Cole were all drafted during the Vooch build. Franz, Suggs, Paolo, and Houstan all drafted during the rebuild. Vooch era picks feel like whiffs because they were made under a win now strategy? Is it a consideration in understanding our rebuild roadmap? Fultz was traded for during the Vooch era as well. Out with the old, in with the new?

[drsd]

Wizards lost so Orlando is now only 3 1/2 games out of a chance to skip the lottery altogether.

Let's go Magic!

..

Pacers @ Bulls and Wiz vs Bucks today. Going to be a big day for the play-in race and the tankathon. A Magic win paired with a Wizards loss will have the play-in tantalizing close.

As a Magic fan, I would want the Pacers to CRUSH the Bulls. End Chicago now. Fatality !!!
Look: thius is good both for making the play-ins AND improving Orlando's darft position from the Bulls pick. What's not to love.