Cooper Flagg

[rand]

I'm watching college hoops this weekend so just chucking in stray college hoops thoughts.
1. NBA refs are far better at applying the rulebook.
2. The NCAA has a way better rulebook.
3. Penny Hardaway recruited a lot of talent to Memphis but if that Witchita game I just watched was right he;s a lousy coach.
4. NCAAF fans say the college portal has made their game worse but is has improved college hoops.
5. 2 24 Minute halfs >> 4 quarters.
6. Strange for an old to me that the SEC is now the top college hoops conference.

The portal along with practically unlimited transferring and NIL markets have resulted in a much more efficient distribution of talent but they have nearly annihilated the sport as it was socially and culturally. The chaos in roster turnover created by annual unrestricted free agency for all players is almost unbelievable.

[NYPiston]

Can’t give you specifics, but yeah, I think the #1 overall pick team could be tempted to give up Flagg. He’s not an essentially impossible guy to trade for like rookie LeBron or Wemby. I’m sure OKC could create a big enough pile to generate interest, though I imagine it would need to include Williams or Holmgren, not just picks that likely won’t be lottery.

Nobody is trading that pick. Flagg while maybe not a "generational" prospect like Shaq, Lebron, Wemby is as surefire a franchise prospect as an 18 year old can get, arguably the most complete prospect we've seen. Nobody is giving that up for a bunch of question mark picks.

[scrabbarista]

Can’t give you specifics, but yeah, I think the #1 overall pick team could be tempted to give up Flagg. He’s not an essentially impossible guy to trade for like rookie LeBron or Wemby. I’m sure OKC could create a big enough pile to generate interest, though I imagine it would need to include Williams or Holmgren, not just picks that likely won’t be lottery.

Nobody is trading that pick. Flagg while maybe not a "generational" prospect like Shaq, Lebron, Wemby is as surefire a franchise prospect as an 18 year old can get, arguably the most complete prospect we've seen. Nobody is giving that up for a bunch of question mark picks.

But Luka got traded.

[tmorgan]

Can’t give you specifics, but yeah, I think the #1 overall pick team could be tempted to give up Flagg. He’s not an essentially impossible guy to trade for like rookie LeBron or Wemby. I’m sure OKC could create a big enough pile to generate interest, though I imagine it would need to include Williams or Holmgren, not just picks that likely won’t be lottery.

Nobody is trading that pick. Flagg while maybe not a "generational" prospect like Shaq, Lebron, Wemby is as surefire a franchise prospect as an 18 year old can get, arguably the most complete prospect we've seen. Nobody is giving that up for a bunch of question mark picks.

I mean, did you even read what you quoted from me?

[NYPiston]

Can’t give you specifics, but yeah, I think the #1 overall pick team could be tempted to give up Flagg. He’s not an essentially impossible guy to trade for like rookie LeBron or Wemby. I’m sure OKC could create a big enough pile to generate interest, though I imagine it would need to include Williams or Holmgren, not just picks that likely won’t be lottery.

I mean, did you even read what you quoted from me?

Yes I read it, the bolded in particular. The moment a team wins The Flagg Lottery, that pick becomes untouchable because you're not getting an SGA-level player for that pick so why trade it?
Injury prone Chet or Williams while a very good player but not somebody you take as a centerpiece for one of the best prospects in a long time is not going to tempt any team IMO to trade Cooper Flagg. The combination of All NBA upside and cheap rookie contract for 4 years is one of the most valuable assets in the league.

[Hook_Em]

Cooper is saving this from being the worst draft ever.

[tmorgan]

I mean, did you even read what you quoted from me?

Yes I read it, the bolded in particular. The moment a team wins The Flagg Lottery, that pick becomes untouchable because you're not getting an SGA-level player for that pick so why trade it?
Injury prone Chet or Williams while a very good player but not somebody you take as a centerpiece for one of the best prospects in a long time is not going to tempt any team IMO to trade Cooper Flagg. The combination of All NBA upside and cheap rookie contract for 4 years is one of the most valuable assets in the league.

I agree that the pick likely isn’t traded. There’s a lot of risk on both sides of a #1 pick trade, and the GMs involved would need to have more guts than any of them likely have.

I disagree that Flagg is anywhere near that category of ‘nope, forget it, not even going to discuss it” prospect like Wemby or LeBron. If the package contained a young all-star and numerous picks, it could happen. OKC has the ammo, but likely not the real need to do it.

[NYPiston]

I agree that the pick likely isn’t traded. There’s a lot of risk on both sides of a #1 pick trade, and the GMs involved would need to have more guts than any of them likely have.

I disagree that Flagg is anywhere near that category of ‘nope, forget it, not even going to discuss it” prospect like Wemby or LeBron. If the package contained a young all-star and numerous picks, it could happen. OKC has the ammo, but likely not the real need to do it.

The marketability of Flagg alone, no matter what you think of him as a prospect, in addition to his All NBA upside is what makes the pick untouchable. I just can't see a bad team in desperate need of a marketable star trading it for a second tier star and picks. Now if a good or mid team on a good trajectory that's only a few complimentary pieces away won the draft lottery then that might change the outlook but no way is a bad team giving up Cooper Flagg IMO.

[JJ_PR]

He reminds me of Franz.

[scrabbarista]

Cooper is saving this from being the worst draft ever.

What about The Fabulous Derik Queen?!?!?!?!?

[Handlez]

He reminds me of Franz.

I haven't watched Franz much.

Is he a bully? Because Cooper is. Bully in a good way, obviously. Cooper is quite strong and dislodges opponents.

I thought Franz was finesse? I don't know.

[JJ_PR]

He reminds me of Franz.

I haven't watched Franz much.

Is he a bully? Because Cooper is. Bully in a good way, obviously. Cooper is quite strong and dislodges opponents.

I thought Franz was finesse? I don't know.

They share a lot of similarities, like being able to play in the perimeter at near 7-feet tall.

[Ice Man]

He reminds me of Franz.

I haven't watched Franz much.

Is he a bully? Because Cooper is. Bully in a good way, obviously. Cooper is quite strong and dislodges opponents.

I thought Franz was finesse? I don't know.

They share a lot of similarities, like being able to play in the perimeter at near 7-feet tall.

If you made the comparison before this season, to 3rd year Franz, I would have said that Cooper is a different and better type of player. But Franz took a BIG step up this year, particularly with creation, as his assist % has skyrocketed. 27/6/5 per 36 minutes is special. So yeah, I would say that's a pretty good offensive match, with Cooper projecting to be a somewhat better rebounder and inside scorer, because he's gonna be a truck when he fills out.

[tmorgan]

Franz and Flagg really aren’t much alike at all, if you’re talking about playstyle.

[namlede]

As an OKC fan I’d trade Chet, JDub, 4 future 1sts for Flagg, that’s how high I am on him. Still not sure the team with #1 accepts that offer.

If we get Phillys pick at #7 it might change things

[Special_Puppy]

He reminds me of Franz.

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=kXz47zZ_dZNjyZ0pjPEBWQ

[Special_Puppy]

As an OKC fan I’d trade Chet, JDub, 4 future 1sts for Flagg, that’s how high I am on him. Still not sure the team with #1 accepts that offer.

If we get Phillys pick at #7 it might change things

That trade only makes sense if you think Flagg is going to be better than a player like Luka

[Synciere]

Cooper is saving this from being the worst draft ever.

I se a lot of bad mouthing of this draft but I attribute that to less people knowing enough about these players. I think Harper and Bailey both have real chances to be All NBA type players very early in their careers.

[Special_Puppy]

Cooper is saving this from being the worst draft ever.

I se a lot of bad mouthing of this draft but I attribute that to less people knowing enough about these players. I think Harper and Bailey both have real chances to be All NBA type players very early in their careers.

The conventional wisdom about this draft coming into this season was that it was very strong at the top even outside of Flagg. Who is underperforming expectations so far?

[EmpireFalls]

Cooper is saving this from being the worst draft ever.

I se a lot of bad mouthing of this draft but I attribute that to less people knowing enough about these players. I think Harper and Bailey both have real chances to be All NBA type players very early in their careers.

It’s not, don’t listen to that clown. It isn’t even the worst draft of the past 2 years - 2024 was and will be much worse. So either this guy has no historical basis or he’s just making things up.

I’d put it around equal to 2022 and 2020 as well, but probably below 2021 and 2023.