2024 Draft Prospects

[Rich4114]

Listen, if we are going to upgrade C via free agency or some other means and have a real C rotation next season between Mark Williams and someone not Nick Richards, then fine don't use a lottery pick on a C. But really, this draft is unique in that you can pick a guy based on position, almost randomly and it's got the same odds of popping for you than taking any of the wings.

As far as Reed or Dillingham, for a team seriously lacking in the perimeter defense department -- that would almost be laughable. If we aren't going Clingan/Edey then size/defense needs to be prioritized still.

Also just saw a report that says Atlanta is considering Risacher with the top pick. Would make things interesting and would be very on brand for this draft. Who grabs Sarr if that's the case? Have to assume Washington would or he wouldn't make it beyond Houston. Also makes it much more likely Clingan is there at 6 in that scenario.

[Snidely FC]

Are you guys watching the same playoffs I am?

Teams are winning because of Luka, Kyrie, Tatum, Brown, SGA, Haliburton. Why would you not take an upside swing at a wing or an oversized guard with a Top 6 pick?

People are going to say there are no obvious stars like those guys in this draft. So let me put it another way, why when you have the rare opportunity of a #6 pick would you take a swing at someone whose upside is Rudy Gobert over one whose upside is Jaylen Brown?

[Rich4114]

Are you guys watching the same playoffs I am?

Teams are winning because of Luka, Kyrie, Tatum, Brown, SGA, Haliburton. Why would you not take an upside swing at a wing or an oversized guard with a Top 6 pick?

People are going to say there are no obvious stars like those guys in this draft. So let me put it another way, why when you have the rare opportunity of a #6 pick would you take a swing at someone whose upside is Rudy Gobert over one whose upside is Jaylen Brown?

Are you suggesting it's better to have Jaylen Brown over Rudy Gobert based on how these playoffs have gone?

[JMAC3]

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pro day at CAA, empty gym but Reed can certainly shoot 3's. Pro range. Goes thru the 3 pt contest shooting drill at the end and I think he hit 21/25 by my count. I think I would prefer a center but sharp shooting is a useful skill.

If I had to bet 100 bucks whether he was the starting pg for Vermont Catamounts or a top 5 pick, I am putting my money down before you finish the sentence.

I'm struggling to find relevance for this comment

I am saying it's just a bunch of open shooting. There is a guy on Tiktok that can make 90/100 threes. Reed is moving at 30% game speed with no defender, he should be making shots.

I want to see him getting downhill, showing off a handle and finishing above the rim. Otherwise, this is just late lottery stuff from a small guard.

[GoBobs]

Here is the list of guys with a 9'6'' standing reach or better in the last 25 years, beside each guy I am going to put the number of points they averaged the year before the came to the NBA, lange agility and 3/4 court sprint.

1. Tako Fall 11 pts, 13.01, 3.78
2. Mo Bamba 13 pts, did not test
3. Mark Williams 11 pts, did not test
4. Bol Bol, 21 pts (9 games), did not test
5. Zach Edey 25 pts, 11.19, 3.42
6. Donavan Clingan 13 pts, 12.06, 3.46
7. Javale McGee 14 pts, 12.75, 3.25
8. Pavel Podkolzin ?, 13.40, 3.8
9. Chris Marcus 14 pt career average, did not test
10. Rudy Gobert 8 pts, 12.85, 3.57

a couple other guys that were close
Brook Lopez (9'5'' reach) 19 pts, 12.77, 3.57
Demarcus Cousins (9'5") 15 pts, 11.40, 3.55
Whiteside (9'5") 13 pts, 11.83, 3.54
DeAndre Jordan (9'5.5") 8 pts,12.30, 3.27

This is 25 years worth of data. Edey is an extreme outlier in size, mobility and college production. Clingan is also an outlier in size and mobility compared to the other guys.

Now lets look at the weight

Tacko - 288
Bamba - 225
Mark W - 242
Bol Bol - 208
Edey - 299
Clingan - 282
McGee - 241
Gobert - 237
Cousins - 291
Whiteside - 226
Lopez - 258
DeAndre Jordan - 250

So Edey has the fastest lane agility despite being the heaviest player. Only DeAndre Jordan and McGee have a faster 3/4 court sprint.

Who knows what athletic testing means, but when you have outlier size, athletic testing, and outlier production it is time to pay attention.

[JustBuzzin]

Here is the list of guys with a 9'6'' standing reach or better in the last 25 years, beside each guy I am going to put the number of points they averaged the year before the came to the NBA, lange agility and 3/4 court sprint.

1. Tako Fall 11 pts, 13.01, 3.78
2. Mo Bamba 13 pts, did not test
3. Mark Williams 11 pts, did not test
4. Bol Bol, 21 pts (9 games), did not test
5. Zach Edey 25 pts, 11.19, 3.42
6. Donavan Clingan 13 pts, 12.06, 3.46
7. Javale McGee 14 pts, 12.75, 3.25
8. Pavel Podkolzin ?, 13.40, 3.8
9. Chris Marcus 14 pt career average, did not test
10. Rudy Gobert 8 pts, 12.85, 3.57

a couple other guys that were close
Brook Lopez (9'5'' reach) 19 pts, 12.77, 3.57
Demarcus Cousins (9'5") 15 pts, 11.40, 3.55
Whiteside (9'5") 13 pts, 11.83, 3.54
DeAndre Jordan (9'5.5") 8 pts,12.30, 3.27

This is 25 years worth of data. Edey is an extreme outlier in size, mobility and college production. Clingan is also an outlier in size and mobility compared to the other guys.

Now lets look at the weight

Tacko - 288
Bamba - 225
Mark W - 242
Bol Bol - 208
Edey - 299
Clingan - 282
McGee - 241
Gobert - 237
Cousins - 291
Whiteside - 226
Lopez - 258
DeAndre Jordan - 250

So Edey has the fastest lane agility despite being the heaviest player. Only DeAndre Jordan and McGee have a faster 3/4 court sprint.

Who knows what athletic testing means, but when you have outlier size, athletic testing, and outlier production it is time to pay attention.

Are you selling me if we draft Edey we will have the next Kobe/Shaq with Miller/Edey?

[Snidely FC]

Are you guys watching the same playoffs I am?

Teams are winning because of Luka, Kyrie, Tatum, Brown, SGA, Haliburton. Why would you not take an upside swing at a wing or an oversized guard with a Top 6 pick?

People are going to say there are no obvious stars like those guys in this draft. So let me put it another way, why when you have the rare opportunity of a #6 pick would you take a swing at someone whose upside is Rudy Gobert over one whose upside is Jaylen Brown?

Are you suggesting it's better to have Jaylen Brown over Rudy Gobert based on how these playoffs have gone?

100%

and apologies for forgetting to include Ant Edwards among the differentiators above, a serious omission on my part

[Chapelchilla]

The Timberwolves would not still be in the playoffs without Gobert so a couple of bigs is necessary to win. Dallas has Lively, Gafford and PJ, Minn has Reid, KAT AND Gobert, Indy has Turner and Siakim. Boston has 4 great players around Horford so is an outlier size wise.
We need NBA quality Bigs to even make the playoffs. We have none when Mark is hurt.

[Rich4114]

The Timberwolves would not still be in the playoffs without Gobert so a couple of bigs is necessary to win. Dallas has Lively, Gafford and PJ, Minn has Reid, KAT AND Gobert, Indy has Turner and Siakim. Boston has 4 great players around Horford so is an outlier size wise.
We need NBA quality Bigs to even make the playoffs. We have none when Mark is hurt.

This 1000%. And I would argue that while Ant, Halifraud, Luka/Kyrie get all of the attention in these playoffs from the media, there is NO WAY their teams would be positioned to get this far without their size. Especially MN who has a front court rotation of Naz Reid, KAT, Gobert and Jayden McDaniels. That is why they are tops in defense and why Ant even has the opportunity to get this exposure.

It's roster construction and it turns out that being bigger / taller than everyone else is still an advantage in basketball.

It's not the ONLY way to do it. You can win without size, but you need elite shooting then. What elite shooters are in this draft? Reed Sheppard?

[Bassman]

Reading ESPN + article regarding their player rankings following the combine AND scrimmage/pro day workouts. Made me start thinking about who the biggest VALUE picks may be in this draft? Not deep down in the picking order, but near lottery or just below.
Which of these players can be better performers than their pick position? I’d suggest Zack Edey and Devin Carter.

Edey is going to be a much better NBA center than some people are expecting. His impact at college level is unquestionable. His measurables, testing numbers and recent workout are supporting his ability to play next level. ESPN article says there are some within top 10 who like him, but he will ultimately have to prove himself. Said his interviews were excellent, exhibited dedication and toughness. He plans to assert himself physically, not backing down at the next level. For the Hornets Mark and Zach would give us a 1A/1B combo to eventually match up with the best bigs in the east. Edey is a swing for the fences (at a lower pick remember), but his ceiling potential is possibly even higher than Clingan’s. Of course, his floor could also be lower than Donovan, but I don’t see him being a bust with his size and skill set. Worst case, key reserve rotational center.

Devin Carter is rising up the boards post workouts. He already had a very good combine, excellent athleticism and defense to go with good shooting. His ball distribution is good. Also, he has strong self confidence, some dawg! Matched with other players he showed real promise for PG play at the league level. Could be a good fit next to Melo…at least better than Sheppard or Dillingham. Per another article; “Devin Carter is a 6-foot-3 guard that decalred for the draft after his junior season at Providence. He had a breakout year, posting averages of 19.7 PPG and 3.6 APG while shooting 37.7% from beyond the arc. Most mock drafts have Carter coming off the board in the middle of the first round. Heading into the NBA, Carter has a lot of the same measurements that De'Anthony Melton had when he was in the combine. Both stood at 6-foot-3 and have a wingspan of 6-foot-8.” Questions remain: is he another combo guard, still too small, fit and role? Or does he keep rising in every category as he has for his three years at Providence? Carter just seems to have those characteristics and mentality necessary for NBA success.

[amcoolio]

just say No to drafting a Backup (pun intended) for Mark Williams with a Top 6 pick

At this point there's no evidence Mark is a good starter. Position needs an upgrade. Guards and wings may win in the playoffs but good center play/rebounding/defense gets you to the playoffs, and that is what this team needs.

I don't think this team has the balls to take Edey at 6, so it doesn't matter.

[JDR720]

Personally, I'd rather bring over Nnaji than use a top 6 pick on a C.

Edey is interesting because he has a more unique skillset. But there are lot's of Clingan types out there. I still don't see any real argument on why Edey shouldn't be ranked over Clingan.

He's bigger, more skilled, and tested better athletically.

[yosemiteben]

just say No to drafting a Backup (pun intended) for Mark Williams with a Top 6 pick

At this point there's no evidence Mark is a good starter.

In his first season in an NBA rotation he averaged basically 13 pts and 10 bds in just 27 mpg as a starter on solid efficiency and had a significant impact defensively.

That's evidence.

[amcoolio]

just say No to drafting a Backup (pun intended) for Mark Williams with a Top 6 pick

At this point there's no evidence Mark is a good starter.

In his first season in an NBA rotation he averaged basically 13 pts and 10 bds in just 27 mpg as a starter on solid efficiency and had a significant impact defensively.

That's evidence.

He's played 62 games in 2 years and has struggled to get to 30 mpg. That's Robert Williams territory, a lot of us just don't want to admit it yet. The position needs an upgrade

I like Mark, want it to work out, but we absolutely cannot rely on him being a starter or playing Gobert minutes

[GoBobs]

just say No to drafting a Backup (pun intended) for Mark Williams with a Top 6 pick

At this point there's no evidence Mark is a good starter.

In his first season in an NBA rotation he averaged basically 13 pts and 10 bds in just 27 mpg as a starter on solid efficiency and had a significant impact defensively.

That's evidence.

Player A: 13 pt 10 reb 1.1 blk 67% true shooting in 26 min

Player B: 10 pt 8 reb 1.1 blk 71% ture shooting in 26 min

Spoiler:

Player A Mark Williams Player B Nick Richards

[MPM]

Ok doke. Been travelin' so just now catching up. At #6, Sarr is gone but there are a few mocks that don't have Topic in the top 6, so let's say Topic if he's available, Holland if he's not, but my new third option? Salaun. Yep - my reach. Just the swingiest of swing for the fences - I see really big upside. He's had a good french playoffs. I might - might - even prefer him to Holland due to his size and 3 point shot (but would still go Holland). If we go Topic or Wing/Forward, I like the idea of targeting Valuncianas in FA (think JMAC brought this up?). Don't want Sheppard, Knecht, Dillingham even if they all have a good chance of being contributing pros. Could be convinced on Clingan, Castle or Buz, but they aren't currently passing my gut test, whatever that is.

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[yosemiteben]

At this point there's no evidence Mark is a good starter.

In his first season in an NBA rotation he averaged basically 13 pts and 10 bds in just 27 mpg as a starter on solid efficiency and had a significant impact defensively.

That's evidence.

He's played 62 games in 2 years and has struggled to get to 30 mpg. That's Robert Williams territory, a lot of us just don't want to admit it yet. The position needs an upgrade

I like Mark, want it to work out, but we absolutely cannot rely on him being a starter or playing Gobert minutes

I agree that games played is an issue, although only counting NBA games isn't really fair considering he was in the G League or a DNP CD for most of his rookie year. It's not the case that he had injury issues year 1.

There is obviously risk due to his back injury, but I don't think it's fair to say there's no evidence that he could be a quality starter.

At this point there's no evidence Mark is a good starter.

In his first season in an NBA rotation he averaged basically 13 pts and 10 bds in just 27 mpg as a starter on solid efficiency and had a significant impact defensively.

That's evidence.

Player A: 13 pt 10 reb 1.1 blk 67% true shooting in 26 min

Player B: 10 pt 8 reb 1.1 blk 71% ture shooting in 26 min

Spoiler:

Player A Mark Williams Player B Nick Richards

Ok? Nick also had solid statistical production and is a rotation worthy center, but his box stats weren't as impressive and he has no where close to the same level of defensive impact.

Mark is also 4 years younger than Nick and, as I already said, was in his first season actually being a part of an NBA rotation.

[GoBobs]

I agree, Mark was a little bit better. He is a little bit younger. Sometimes around here it feels like people think Mark was this all star level player who just couldn't stay healthy and Nick is a scrub that belongs in the G league. That isn't true either. The production is pretty close.

I like Mark. I hope he comes back and turns into an allstar for us. I don't know if he has the personality to want to be the man on his team or not. Some guys are more content with a complimentry role.

I like Nick also. He is cheap and we should keep him. I just think having 3 centers is a good idea. Somebody is going to be hurt during the season and you don't want to be calling up Mensah. Nick Richards is only cheap this coming year and the next year.

[wilson115]

If I had to bet 100 bucks whether he was the starting pg for Vermont Catamounts or a top 5 pick, I am putting my money down before you finish the sentence.

I'm struggling to find relevance for this comment

I am saying it's just a bunch of open shooting. There is a guy on Tiktok that can make 90/100 threes. Reed is moving at 30% game speed with no defender, he should be making shots.

I want to see him getting downhill, showing off a handle and finishing above the rim. Otherwise, this is just late lottery stuff from a small guard.

Well, looking at it outside a vacuum, the jump shot holds up in real games. X isn't what it used to be but it's there if you need it.

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[Heelsfan119]

I don’t necessarily have a problem with Reed but we already have undersized guards on the roster. We need length and athleticism.