The Official 2023 Draft Thread

[gambitx777]

All we need to do is trade the #8 pick for the 2 players who will be considered in 10 years to be the consensus best players in the rest of the draft. It’s so easy!

Well I don't think it's that easy but when a lot of people can watch filmy on podziemski and go wow this kids wild but the knock on him is that small school thing. Idk I don't like that either. I'd rather try my luck with cheaper players than blow. Lot of money on a guy like Anthony black .


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[Dat2U]

All I've read here is historical analysis about how great trading down is every year yet nothing is relevant to how this CURRENT YEARS' draft will go. Who cares if the 30th pick hit 8 years ago. How does that apply in 2023? What you can you infer from the types of players that were overlooked and how can this be used to predict what players might be overlooked this year? Lets graduate from the superficial analysis of simply looking at who was drafted where and lets get into the how & why to finally advance this debate and hopefully provide some real insight into who might overlooked next in next month's draft.

[NatP4]

All we need to do is trade the #8 pick for the 2 players who will be considered in 10 years to be the consensus best players in the rest of the draft. It’s so easy!

Well I don't think it's that easy but when a lot of people can watch filmy on podziemski and go wow this kids wild but the knock on him is that small school thing. Idk I don't like that either. I'd rather try my luck with cheaper players than blow. Lot of money on a guy like Anthony black .


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Beal to the Lakers for 17

Morris to the Clippers for 30

8 for 16&28

16: Bilal Coulibaly
17: Brandin Podziemski
28: Sidy Cissoko
30: Noah Clowney
42: Zach Edey

[doclinkin]

All I've read here is historical analysis about how great trading down is every year yet nothing is relevant to how this CURRENT YEARS' draft will go. Who cares if the 30th pick hit 8 years ago. How does that apply in 2023? What you can you infer from the types of players that were overlooked and how can this be used to predict what players might be overlooked this year? Lets graduate from the superficial analysis of simply looking at who was drafted where and lets get into the how & why to finally advance this debate and hopefully provide some real insight into who might overlooked next in next month's draft.

One note: with the last minute swap out of our GM it looks like we are behind other teams in working out players.

https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/lists/2023-nba-draft-workout-tracker-prospects/

I'm fine with that. Under Tommy it seems like we put perhaps too much emphasis on whether a guy interviews well vs if they can play the game. I am curious to see who has been a fast riser following workouts though. Who looks good in a gym guarded by a chair or undersized assistant coach: Any intel?

[Dat2U]

All we need to do is trade the #8 pick for the 2 players who will be considered in 10 years to be the consensus best players in the rest of the draft. It’s so easy!

Well I don't think it's that easy but when a lot of people can watch filmy on podziemski and go wow this kids wild but the knock on him is that small school thing. Idk I don't like that either. I'd rather try my luck with cheaper players than blow. Lot of money on a guy like Anthony black .


Sent from my SM-G991U1 using RealGM mobile app

Beal to the Lakers for 17

Morris to the Clippers for 30

8 for 16&28

16: Bilal Coulibaly
17: Brandin Podziemski
28: Sidy Cissoko
30: Noah Clowney
42: Zach Edey

Im not getting into trading Beal for the 17th pick lol but why draft two SGs & two Cs? I'm not sure that's ideal to have two rookies at rhe same position fighting for opportunities, minutes & attention. Clowney can't space the floor yet so sharing it with Edey isn't ideal. Both Podz & Cissoko are 6-5 so one sliding to SF isn't great either.

[gambitx777]

All we need to do is trade the #8 pick for the 2 players who will be considered in 10 years to be the consensus best players in the rest of the draft. It’s so easy!

Well I don't think it's that easy but when a lot of people can watch filmy on podziemski and go wow this kids wild but the knock on him is that small school thing. Idk I don't like that either. I'd rather try my luck with cheaper players than blow. Lot of money on a guy like Anthony black .


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Beal to the Lakers for 17

Morris to the Clippers for 30

8 for 16&28

16: Bilal Coulibaly
17: Brandin Podziemski
28: Sidy Cissoko
30: Noah Clowney
42: Zach Edey

Well if I get 17 or 19 form the Lakers or heat in a Beal trade. And 30 from the clippers I'm just gonna keep 8 or make a small and take Wallace at 8 or target him at say 12 or 14. then take Bilal mid round and hope pod is there at 30 I think a lot of gms are sus at one year of good production at a small school most of those small school guys unless they really just look like a world beater or have several years of that production don't just crack the first round. I think pod will be there at 30.

Lots of good bigs in the second round better than or equal to edy and clowny so I don't think thos guys are nessesities.

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[DCZards]

Zards... You just cherry picked 18 of the best out of 130 players taken from 8-20 in 10 drafts! & you didn't even include SGA. Oh, & of course you didn't include Jerome Robinson! Trading down, one would also have "miss out on the opportunity to draft" Jerome.

Yes, I cherry-picked, PIF. But isn’t that exactly what you do when you give us your lists of the good players the Zards could have drafted over the years if they had only traded down? I don’t recall you ever naming the awful players that they might have drafted if they had traded down.

Yes, good players can be found when you’re drafting between 21-60 even an occasional all-star or all-NBA player. But most of the players drafted in that range turn out to be role players…at best.

This is not an argument against trading down…but it is an argument for recognizing that your chances/odds of drafting an all-star or all-NBA player are infinitely better when you’re drafting in the top 20. That matters a lot in a star-driven league like the NBA.

[NatP4]

Well I don't think it's that easy but when a lot of people can watch filmy on podziemski and go wow this kids wild but the knock on him is that small school thing. Idk I don't like that either. I'd rather try my luck with cheaper players than blow. Lot of money on a guy like Anthony black .


Sent from my SM-G991U1 using RealGM mobile app

Beal to the Lakers for 17

Morris to the Clippers for 30

8 for 16&28

16: Bilal Coulibaly
17: Brandin Podziemski
28: Sidy Cissoko
30: Noah Clowney
42: Zach Edey

Well if I get 17 or 19 form the Lakers or heat in a Beal trade. And 30 from the clippers I'm just gonna keep 8 or make a small and take Wallace at 8 or target him at say 12 or 14. then take Bilal mid round and hope pod is there at 30 I think a lot of gms are sus at one year of good production at a small school most of those small school guys unless they really just look like a world beater or have several years of that production don't just crack the first round. I think pod will be there at 30.

Lots of good bigs in the second round better than or equal to edy and clowny so I don't think thos guys are nessesities.

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I mean that would be great. Maybe the basketball gods give us Ausar at 8(I know you are not a fan)

8: Ausar
17: Coulibaly
30: Podziemski
42: Clowney
57: Edey

Would be a ridiculously good outcome.

I think Coulibaly goes top 10, Podziemski goes around 16. I’m looking for Ausar or Coulibaly at 8. Final answer

[NatP4]

Well I don't think it's that easy but when a lot of people can watch filmy on podziemski and go wow this kids wild but the knock on him is that small school thing. Idk I don't like that either. I'd rather try my luck with cheaper players than blow. Lot of money on a guy like Anthony black .


Sent from my SM-G991U1 using RealGM mobile app

Beal to the Lakers for 17

Morris to the Clippers for 30

8 for 16&28

16: Bilal Coulibaly
17: Brandin Podziemski
28: Sidy Cissoko
30: Noah Clowney
42: Zach Edey

Im not getting into trading Beal for the 17th pick lol but why draft two SGs & two Cs? I'm not sure that's ideal to have two rookies at rhe same position fighting for opportunities, minutes & attention. Clowney can't space the floor yet so sharing it with Edey isn't ideal. Both Podz & Cissoko are 6-5 so one sliding to SF isn't great either.

Clowney is just a hustle/energy guy in the form of a Kevon Looney type at first. Edey is probably in the G-League for awhile. Podz is a true PG in my view.

Not that any of that matters. The wizards suck and just need talent. Who cares about fit

[gambitx777]

Beal to the Lakers for 17

Morris to the Clippers for 30

8 for 16&28

16: Bilal Coulibaly
17: Brandin Podziemski
28: Sidy Cissoko
30: Noah Clowney
42: Zach Edey

Well if I get 17 or 19 form the Lakers or heat in a Beal trade. And 30 from the clippers I'm just gonna keep 8 or make a small and take Wallace at 8 or target him at say 12 or 14. then take Bilal mid round and hope pod is there at 30 I think a lot of gms are sus at one year of good production at a small school most of those small school guys unless they really just look like a world beater or have several years of that production don't just crack the first round. I think pod will be there at 30.

Lots of good bigs in the second round better than or equal to edy and clowny so I don't think thos guys are nessesities.

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I mean that would be great. Maybe the basketball gods give us Ausar at 8(I know you are not a fan)

8: Ausar
17: Coulibaly
30: Podziemski
42: Clowney
57: Edey

Would be a ridiculously good outcome.

I think Coulibaly goes top 10, Podziemski goes around 16. I’m looking for Ausar or Coulibaly at 8. Final answer

Man I'm on the same page with you as pod and Bilal. I think those two are gonna be two of the top ten players in the draft 10 years form now. But I don't think they get drafted that high. The league is in love with the hyper athletic tweener positionless NBA creata player guys.

That's not these guys
Bilal is a pure SF and a good one but he was over shadowed by being on a team with a generational guy like wemby and wasn't featured much. That way he's gonna slip

Pod is a pure combo guard, great numbers and great combine showing. but, he was terrible at a big school and only had one year of good production at a small back water school like Santa Clara. That doesn't build confidence.

I hope I'm right and a smart team, hopefully ours can help identify this and take advantage of the value situation.

That being said I wouldn't be upset at all with a reach on Bilal or pod. But you shouldn't pay 5 bucks when you can get it for 2 lol.

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[Dat2U]

All I've read here is historical analysis about how great trading down is every year yet nothing is relevant to how this CURRENT YEARS' draft will go. Who cares if the 30th pick hit 8 years ago. How does that apply in 2023? What you can you infer from the types of players that were overlooked and how can this be used to predict what players might be overlooked this year? Lets graduate from the superficial analysis of simply looking at who was drafted where and lets get into the how & why to finally advance this debate and hopefully provide some real insight into who might overlooked next in next month's draft.

One note: with the last minute swap out of our GM it looks like we are behind other teams in working out players.

https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/lists/2023-nba-draft-workout-tracker-prospects/

I'm fine with that. Under Tommy it seems like we put perhaps too much emphasis on whether a guy interviews well vs if they can play the game. I am curious to see who has been a fast riser following workouts though. Who looks good in a gym guarded by a chair or undersized assistant coach: Any intel?

Oh Shepp was huge on interviews. He was looking for guys that lived & breathed the game and could speak to that love eloquently. Johnny, Corey, Deni, Rui & even Isaiah were some of the nicest, well spoken young men you could meet watching them interview. All low drama guys which seemed to be Shepp's overcompensating after watching Ernie struggle with knuckleheads in the locker room.

[Dat2U]

I do like Podz & Coulibaly as well. I think both are worth picks in the mid-to teens. I would not reach at 8 for either. As mentioned I do see a clear top 7. I would prefer getting one of those 7 and acquiring another 1st using Deni, Gaff, Delon or Monte to take some bad salary in return to get it done.

[NatP4]

On the contrary, every team in the league has been to metro 92 games, and Bilal has played in a lot of them. He fits the profile if those super athletic switch everything kinda guys with shot creating potential.

You sorta have a consensus too 5-6 guys, then after that, someone will reach on Coulibaly, just like Scottie Barnes a few years back. Bet he goes 8ish.

[NatP4]

I do like Podz & Coulibaly as well. I think both are worth picks in the mid-to teens. I would not reach at 8 for either. As mentioned I do see a clear top 7. I would prefer getting one of those 7 and acquiring another 1st using Deni, Gaff, Delon or Monte to take some bad salary in return to get it done.

Sounds like you would be happy with this?? Beal for a mid 1st (plus other assets and filler), Monte for 30, and this:

8: Ausar
Mid 1st: Bilal
Late 1st: Podz

That’s adding a ton of talent.

[gambitx777]

On the contrary, every team in the league has been to metro 92 games, and Bilal has played in a lot of them. He fits the profile if those super athletic switch everything kinda guys with shot creating potential.

You sorta have a consensus too 5-6 guys, then after that, someone will reach on Coulibaly, just like Scottie Barnes a few years back. Bet he goes 8ish.

Yeah but it's just how life works if you park a Nissan GT-R ( great car, costs more than what I bought my first house for), next to a Bugatti the Nissan looks like dog ****.

I agree I think the safe bet is to acquire mid round picks and go after both of them there.

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[Dat2U]

I do like Podz & Coulibaly as well. I think both are worth picks in the mid-to teens. I would not reach at 8 for either. As mentioned I do see a clear top 7. I would prefer getting one of those 7 and acquiring another 1st using Deni, Gaff, Delon or Monte to take some bad salary in return to get it done.

Sounds like you would be happy with this?? Beal for a mid 1st (plus other assets and filler), Monte for 30, and this:

8: Ausar
Mid 1st: Bilal
Late 1st: Podz

That’s adding a ton of talent.

Yes. I'd be pleased with a draft like that. Might even try Ausur at PG.

[Jay81]

I do like Podz & Coulibaly as well. I think both are worth picks in the mid-to teens. I would not reach at 8 for either. As mentioned I do see a clear top 7. I would prefer getting one of those 7 and acquiring another 1st using Deni, Gaff, Delon or Monte to take some bad salary in return to get it done.

Sounds like you would be happy with this?? Beal for a mid 1st (plus other assets and filler), Monte for 30, and this:

8: Ausar
Mid 1st: Bilal
Late 1st: Podz

That’s adding a ton of talent.

Yes. I'd be pleased with a draft like that. Might even try Ausur at PG.

this team is desperate for an all star. You have to really swing for the fences even you miss. They cant afford to take a solid player like Anthony Black

[80sballboy]

ESPN's Mock Draft for today. They have Ausar going 6 to Orlando and Whitmore going 5 to Detroit. At 7, they have Walker.

8. Washington Wizards
Anthony Black
Arkansas
PG/SG
Age: 19.3

Black shot the ball well at his recent pro day, presumably a good sign for his pre-draft process, as he'll need to persuade prospective teams his jumper can reach a level that makes him an adequate off-ball threat. The Wizards, now under the leadership of former Clippers general manager Michael Winger, will presumably swing on the best prospect available but have long been seeking greater stability at lead guard, and could fulfill both criteria with this pick. Black's positional size, feel and two-way upside vibe with where the NBA game seems to be headed. -- Woo

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/37757403/2023-nba-mock-draft-post-combine-pro-day-impacts-draft-class

[payitforward]

The problem is that you don't; you simply don't. I.e. GMs don't -- & that's my premise. We have to deal with the reality as it actually went down, not the hindsight-driven knowledge of what would have been best.

Whew… “Mr. Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda” talking about dealing with reality and not hindsight. I’m floored!

Hindsight is an important self-correction tool, at least in my experience.

Have you ever thought back on something you did, something in your own life, & regretted it? Can be for any reason.
I know I have.

Or the opposite, of course -- think back over a situation you dealt with well, & then try to learn from that?

No different in this case.

But, I took you to be doing something a bit different w/ your list of players. Of course we know who turned out well from the 2015 draft. But, we can't pick in that draft any more.

In any case, your argument proved my point rather than casting doubt on it. I.e. it illustrated that the best players in the league -- leaving out guys taken 1-3 -- don't come preponderantly from those oh so precious (people think so anyway) single-digit lottery picks.

In that 2015 draft, GMs took Jahlil Okafor, Mario Hezonja, Willie Cauley-Stein, Emmanuel Mudiay, Stanley Johnson, Frank Kaminsky, Justise Winslow & Trey Lyles before Phoenix nabbed Booker. &, really, I should include KP as well.

H*ll, Terry Rozier, Delon Wright, Bobby Portis, RH-J, Tyus Jones, Larry Nance Jr., Kevon Looney, Montrezl Harrell, Richaun Holmes, Josh Richardson, Pat Connaughton, & Norman Powell have all been better -- a whole lot better in many cases -- than most of those guys!

Of course, just as good players are found all over the draft, so too bad players are found all over the draft.

If I own the #8 pick, & I trade it back for, say the #15 & the #26 picks, am I likely to do better? You bet. Pretty much every single year.

[Rafael122]

Apparently Walker canceled his pro day and if he doesn't have any workouts scheduled moving forward, there's a good chance someone gave him a promise. I'll be curious to see who it is b/c most mocks have linked Walker to the Pistons.