2023 NBA Draft – Thurs, 8PM, June 22

[165bows]

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Didn't the Spurs just take a guy they had to cut for being a delinquent?

[Hal14]

Should be in the neighborhood of Kel'el Ware. A potential Rob Williams replacement whonis healthy and is willing to shoot a jumper

In the mid to late 2nd round, Ware might not be a bad pick.

He would fit the mold of the JD Davison pick last year. By that I mean a guy who going into his freshman season was considered a lottery pick, but then had an up and down freshman season, coach didn't use him the right way, showed some impressive flashes but overall underperformed - ends up going mid to late 2nd round instead of lottery.

Ware actually reminds me a little bit of Brook Lopez. And isn't a guy like Brook Lopez someone that pretty much every NBA team wants right now? A 7-footer who can protect the rim, do a little bit of switching defensively, catch lobs, run DHO's, hit 3's and offer some decent moves and touch around the basket.

Mid to late 2nd round, Ware would be a low risk / high reward pick.

[ConstableGeneva]

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[BK_2020]

Should be in the neighborhood of Kel'el Ware. A potential Rob Williams replacement whonis healthy and is willing to shoot a jumper

In the mid to late 2nd round, Ware might not be a bad pick.

He would fit the mold of the JD Davison pick last year. By that I mean a guy who going into his freshman season was considered a lottery pick, but then had an up and down freshman season, coach didn't use him the right way, showed some impressive flashes but overall underperformed - ends up going mid to late 2nd round instead of lottery.

Ware actually reminds me a little bit of Brook Lopez. And isn't a guy like Brook Lopez someone that pretty much every NBA team wants right now? A 7-footer who can protect the rim, do a little bit of switching defensively, catch lobs, run DHO's, hit 3's and offer some decent moves and touch around the basket.

Mid to late 2nd round, Ware would be a low risk / high reward pick.

Brook Lopez is strictly a drop big who shoots stand still threes but sometimes punishes mismatches inside. He can't stay with anyone and he's not going to run DHOs effectively because he can't threaten the rim with the dribble.

[Hal14]

Should be in the neighborhood of Kel'el Ware. A potential Rob Williams replacement whonis healthy and is willing to shoot a jumper

In the mid to late 2nd round, Ware might not be a bad pick.

He would fit the mold of the JD Davison pick last year. By that I mean a guy who going into his freshman season was considered a lottery pick, but then had an up and down freshman season, coach didn't use him the right way, showed some impressive flashes but overall underperformed - ends up going mid to late 2nd round instead of lottery.

Ware actually reminds me a little bit of Brook Lopez. And isn't a guy like Brook Lopez someone that pretty much every NBA team wants right now? A 7-footer who can protect the rim, do a little bit of switching defensively, catch lobs, run DHO's, hit 3's and offer some decent moves and touch around the basket.

Mid to late 2nd round, Ware would be a low risk / high reward pick.

Brook Lopez is strictly a drop big who shoots stand still threes but sometimes punishes mismatches inside. He can't stay with anyone and he's not going to run DHOs effectively because he can't threaten the rim with the dribble.

Plenty of bigs run DHO's who aren't much of a threat to drive it to the rim - like Rob, for example. Kornet too..

Point is, bigs who are 7-foot, can protect the rim, shoot the 3 and provide value in multiple ways on both ends of the floor are very valuable. Ware might be a project, but he has the upside to be that type of player. And he's likely to be available late in the draft.

[Hal14]

Kevin McCullar looked very good in Kansas' win last night. Definitely a guy to keep an eye on in the 2nd round, if we go for a wing.

Remember, we worked him out before the draft last year so there's that familiarity and prior interest. And he was quoted in an interview that one player he looks up to and tries to play like is Marcus Smart.

And the way Kansas was moving the ball last night. Wow, it was a thing of beauty. Can't go wrong grabbing a guy off that team.

They could end up winning the national title for the 2nd year in a row.

[Kalela]

I'm very high on Noah Clowney. #16 player on my big board. I like the versatility - he can play the 4 or the 5. Can play alongside pretty much any big, or put him at the 5 alongside a smaller 4 like Tatum. Whatever.

This mock has him going 31st. If we get that 33rd pick (via houston) and he's still there, you absolutely take Clowney.

https://www.nba.com/news/bleacher-report-mock-draft-march-2023

Last year's draft, we took a freshman from the university of alabama, so Brad can stay consistent here.

Only shooting 28% from 3 on the season. But he's a better shooter than that % suggests. Got off to a rough start early in the season (adjusting to the college game, the deeper 3 pt line, etc.) but over his past 13 games he's shooting 34% from 3 on good volume (15/44).

I know that might not seem great but for a 6'10" big man who's only a freshman (one of the youngest players in this draft class too, doesn't turn 19 till july) and played a gauntlet of a schedule in the SEC and tough non-conference games, 34% from 3 is actually very good.

Overall, he's just a really tough player. Can play physical, can rebound, block shots, plays hard. And is 1 of the 3 best players on Bama - the #1 ranked team in the country.

I might even try to trade up to get him. Saw some rumors that we may be able to flip Pritchard to a team who is likely to have a late 1st round pick..

I like him too. I think he will go pretty high. Way higher than most mock drafts currently have him. We really need to get the Al Horford future replacement while Al is still here so they can learn from him.

[djFan71]

CHI beat MIN and Cs take care of business against POR would be a beautiful night for the 2nd rounder.

And HOU wins.

[DavorFanCroatia]

So for now is
#33 from Rockets
#36 from Blazers
#50 goes to OKC for Muscala
#59 goes to WAS

Is this correct? But if Spurs have more wins in last 12 games then Rockets then we will have only Blazers 2nd rounder?

[Hal14]

So for now is
#33 from Rockets
#36 from Blazers
#50 goes to OKC for Muscala
#59 goes to WAS

Is this correct? But if Spurs have more wins in last 12 games then Rockets then we will have only Blazers 2nd rounder?

If the rockets pick ends up being 31 or 32, then we get a different 2nd rounder in this draft - so either way we have 2 2nd rounders in this draft - that's my understanding, at least.

[Curmudgeon]

LOL, Zach Edey will probably be available when the Celtics pick.

[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

LOL, Zach Edey will probably be available when the Celtics pick.

No one casts aspersions on Zach Edey on my watch... LOL.

Yeah, Purdue tanked like the Celts versus the Warriors in the Finals.
That was rough.
But it wasn't Edey's fault, 21 & 14 is pretty darn good.
It was the rest of the team that completely sucked.

But Edey can be a dominant NBA player in terms of low post scoring and rebounding.
Defense will never be a super strong point, but he's smart and will improve at it.
And I have this theory, with Wemby set to revolutionize the game, you're going to need
Extra Tall players who can at least put a body on him.

Zach's going to be a good NBA player who will cause mismatches and would be a fine pick by the Cs...

[165bows]

So Brandon Miller is going two or three, what do people think? And is he too toxic for a team to chance or no?

[threrf23]

So Brandon Miller is going two or three, what do people think? And is he too toxic for a team to chance or no?

Is he toxic at all?

That one incident is obviously a bad look, but from what I have read of it, I wouldn't necessarily hold it against him in and of itself. It seems unclear that he had any clue what his friend/teammate was dragging him into.

(edit - having said that, I'm not that familiar with him, he is old for his class, #11 RCSI nothing special...top prospects who were old for their class include guys like OJ Mayo and Josh Jackson, and more generally those ranked near but not at the top of their classes are often really talented guys that fail to deliver on their upside)

[Patsfan1081]

Bilal Coulibaly looks like a classic Stevens pick. Draft and stash guy, super young (doesn't turn 19 until July), plus size for his position (6'6, listed at 230lbs although that feels generous, 7'3 wingspan) and pretty raw.

He's starting to get minutes with the first team at Boulogne Levallois and he had his best game last week.

Watch on YouTube

Someone to keep an eye on.

Hard to put too much stock into mock drafts this far out but ESPN just came out with their 2024 mock draft and they have projected Coulibaly to go 8th in 2024 if he doesn't declare this year. I'm liking this pick more and more for the Celtics. Hopefully I still feel that way after watching him play live next week

Kid looks like someone who would stand out at the combine and rise up draft boards.in a perfect scenario both Houston and Portland’s pick convey in the mid 30’s and Brad could possibly get back into the first round. This team desperately needs some cheap young talent. I could see both Grant and PP leaving this offseason, leaving Julian B as possibly the only rookie contract player.

[Hal14]

They've been mentioned on here already, but if we go for a big man in the 2nd round, a couple of names to keep on the radar:

-Trayce Jackson-Davis
-Adama Sanogo

Another intriguing big man option in the 2nd round: Oso Ighodaro. Kind of a small ball 5 at 6'9". But he's arguably the best passing big man in the draft. The upside is being a true offensive hub who you can run an offense through - works best in the high post but you can put him in the low post, mid post, on the elbows or even on the wing and let him survey the floor, make the right read, hit the open man or attack off the bounce.

Good, switchable defender who moves well for a dude of his size.

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There's a bunch of intriguing bigs who will likely be available in the 2nd round. Although at this point I'm giving up on Lively - it seems like a certainty he'll go in the 1st round. Clowney will likely go 1st round too, but I am still holding out a little but of hope that he could be there with the 33rd pick.

[165bows]

Tankathon has Boston taking Jamie Jaquez currently at #36:

https://www.tankathon.com/players/jaime-jaquez-jr

If he isn't the buyout wing guy we all wanted last month I don't know who is.

[Kalela]

Tankathon has Boston taking Jamie Jaquez currently at #36:

https://www.tankathon.com/players/jaime-jaquez-jr

If he isn't the buyout wing guy we all wanted last month I don't know who is.

UCLA guy. Reminds me a LITTLE bit of Grant Williams.

[Hal14]

Tankathon has Boston taking Jamie Jaquez currently at #36:

https://www.tankathon.com/players/jaime-jaquez-jr

If he isn't the buyout wing guy we all wanted last month I don't know who is.

UCLA guy. Reminds me a LITTLE bit of Grant Williams.

I suppose they're similar in terms of size/build/quickness/athleticism.

But Grant was only 20 when he got drafted. Jaquez is 22 so Grant had more upside. Grant has also developed into a 40% 3 pt shooter on good volume. It's hard to project that for Jaquez, considering he's 22 & has been down around 30% from 3 for each of the past 2 seasons.

Grant is also a better defender and stronger physically. Whereas Jaquez has a better handle, more "bag" of moves with the ball to create a shot and get to the rim, better touch on his shot near rim and in mid range area.

No Ceilings posted a mock like a week ago where they had us taking Jaquez too.

IDK, I'm not super high on Jaquez since he's an older prospect at age 22 who has been a poor outside shooter, doesn't have great quickness or athleticism..good but not great defender, good but not great passer and gets a lot of his value from back to the basket post ups, which isn't nearly as valuable in the NBA.

At the same time, I could also see him developing into a pretty good role player wing in the NBA - a lot hinges on him improving his outside shot, though.

From watching him, he does seem really tough, though. Tough, physical, doesn't back down from anyone. Can take some contact and not be phased by it. Seems really competitive. There's some nice intangibles there.

I'll be watching him in UCLA's next game for sure.

[djFan71]

Rooting for ORL tonight against the Knicks. They're only 2 wins behind POR. If HOU, POR and ORL (and possibly a coin flip or 2) cooperate it's not inconceivable we could get 33 & 35.