2024-2025 College Basketball / NBA Draft

[mjkvol]

my motto (which is worth **** nothing lol) is to always reach for the stars instead of just taking safe dudes.

I remember back in the day when it was Thad vs Al Thorton. Thad never became that star but Thorton was out of the league in a few seasons.

I generally agree with that in the lottery, but I just don't see a potential superstar in the lottery part of this draft after Flagg and Harper unless it comes in a surprise later pick. The only exception might be Edgecombe. I love the idea of a Kon because he just looks like a do everything player you want to have on a winning team.

[SixthStreet]

I've decided I don't really care if we lose the pick. The 7th pick is going to be a rotation player with no star equity. It's just a two person draft and blah everyone else.

There's a part of me that thinks the 6th pick is actually the worst outcome. Rather just pay off OKC with 7 this year if we don't get 1 or 2.

[stormi]

I’m not sure what the exact word is, but doesn’t it feel off to just add another high-floor guy to a group that already includes Oubre, Yabusele, McCain, Grimes, Bona and Edwards?

We’re in a position where it makes more sense to take a big swing, someone with real upside. It’s a hedge against Embiid’s knee issues and George’s decline. A pick like that could re-engage the fanbase. So when the current core ever falls apart, at least we’ll have a young, raw talent to dream on while we shift into tank mode and raw player have his moments while this team struggles to win.

I don't actually leverage floor vs ceiling in my prospect eval. It feels like a cop out to artificially grant a worse basketball player phantom scouting points they haven't actually earned.

Sometimes you don't actually need to overthink who's just better. This is how Jayson Tatum gets overlooked for being 'boring' compared to the tantalizing and high flying and objectively worse Josh Jackson who the vocal majority of this fanbase wanted us to select #3.

For me though Edgecombe loses a lot of allure depending on how he measures at the combine. Anything sub Derrick White and I have to dock him points. There's just no chance he can scale up as a defender as a 6'3 guard.

The guy in the top 10 with exponential boom potential is Maluach. You're betting on the tools and the touch coupled with his age and the fact that he hadn't touched a basketball until the start of the 2020s.

[Iverson Armband]

I’m not sure what the exact word is, but doesn’t it feel off to just add another high-floor guy to a group that already includes Oubre, Yabusele, McCain, Grimes, Bona and Edwards?

We’re in a position where it makes more sense to take a big swing, someone with real upside. It’s a hedge against Embiid’s knee issues and George’s decline. A pick like that could re-engage the fanbase. So when the current core ever falls apart, at least we’ll have a young, raw talent to dream on while we shift into tank mode and raw player have his moments while this team struggles to win.

I don't actually leverage floor vs ceiling in my prospect eval. It feels like a cop out to artificially grant a worse basketball player phantom scouting points they haven't actually earned.

Sometimes you don't actually need to overthink who's just better. This is how Jayson Tatum gets overlooked for being 'boring' compared to the tantalizing and high flying and objectively worse Josh Jackson who the vocal majority of this fanbase wanted us to select #3.

For me though Edgecombe loses a lot of allure depending on how he measures at the combine. Anything sub Derrick White and I have to dock him points. There's just no chance he can scale up as a defender as a 6'3 guard.

The guy in the top 10 with exponential boom potential is Maluach. You're betting on the tools and the touch coupled with his age and the fact that he hadn't touched a basketball until the start of the 2020s.

Edgecomb starts getting real DeAnthony Meltonish at 6’3.

[the_process]

I’m not sure what the exact word is, but doesn’t it feel off to just add another high-floor guy to a group that already includes Oubre, Yabusele, McCain, Grimes, Bona and Edwards?

We’re in a position where it makes more sense to take a big swing, someone with real upside. It’s a hedge against Embiid’s knee issues and George’s decline. A pick like that could re-engage the fanbase. So when the current core ever falls apart, at least we’ll have a young, raw talent to dream on while we shift into tank mode and raw player have his moments while this team struggles to win.

I don't actually leverage floor vs ceiling in my prospect eval. It feels like a cop out to artificially grant a worse basketball player phantom scouting points they haven't actually earned.

Sometimes you don't actually need to overthink who's just better. This is how Jayson Tatum gets overlooked for being 'boring' compared to the tantalizing and high flying and objectively worse Josh was Jackson who the vocal majority of this fanbase wanted us to select #3.

For me though Edgecombe loses a lot of allure depending on how he measures at the combine. Anything sub Derrick White and I have to dock him points. There's just no chance he can scale up as a defender as a 6'3 guard.

The guy in the top 10 with exponential boom potential is Maluach. You're betting on the tools and the touch coupled with his age and the fact that he hadn't touched a basketball until the start of the 2020s.

I had Jonathan Issac, who also would have been not such a great pick

If the pick lands 3-6, I would trade down for multiple picks. SA at 8 and 15 would be my first call. You probably need 3 or 4 to get that done. BKN has 4 picks, so lots of options there.

[Mik317]

VJ is a small Wiggins who might actually like basketball. That athleticism is an elite swing skill but stacking 6'2 to 6'3 guards as your core just feels like a bad idea.

BUT if we don't get 1 or 2...I am okay with anything. I personally don't see any star upside after that BUT great scouts and gms should be able to find some gems no matter what.

which is why you look for elite traits or outlier physicals and hope that the dude can add something you don't expect on top of that...which points to Malluach but idk i am kinda over bigmen lol and that performance against Houston was bad.

but honestly just having a top pick to overhype for a bit will be great lol

[76ciology]

I think the big difference came down to Josh Jackson’s off-court issues and poor work ethic, versus Tatum landing in the Celtics’ system.

If Jackson had no off-court problems, had a strong work ethic, had an agreement with Drew Hanlen not to train Jayson Tatum, and ended up in the Celtics’ program, maybe he’d be just as good as Tatum today.

On the flip side, if Tatum had off-court issues, a weak work ethic, had Ben Simmons’ brother as his personal trainer and was drafted by the Suns, Kings, or Pistons, he might’ve ended up with a similar career path to Josh Jackson.

But heading into the league, without the benefit of info we knew now, I’d say both guys had almost the same chance to be successful.

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[76ciology]

VJ’s size isn’t a concern for me, as long as he becomes a high-level offensive player who’s worth the effort to hide on defense, like how the Hawks do with Trae Young or the Cavs with Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell. He has the tools.. he’s explosive, quick, and can shoot. But right now, he doesn’t seem like a reliable shot creator yet. That is the part of his game where he has to develop.

[Negrodamus]

Josh also shot 56% from FT with a goofy ass jumper. I'd consider him in the late lottery, but for those shooting reasons alone, I was completely out.

[Stanford]

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Damn, is this guy available in this year's draft?

[76ciology]

Josh also shot 56% from FT with a goofy ass jumper. I'd consider him in the late lottery, but for those shooting reasons alone, I was completely out.

Yeah, this one though. While Tatum was like a 40% 3pt shooter in his rookie year.

[Mik317]

VJ’s size isn’t a concern for me, as long as he becomes a high-level offensive player who’s worth the effort to hide on defense, like how the Hawks do with Trae Young or the Cavs with Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell. He has the tools.. he’s explosive, quick, and can shoot. But right now, he doesn’t seem like a reliable shot creator yet. That is the part of his game where he has to develop.

Doesn't have that flexibility from what I've seen. Stiff hips

[stormi]

The Jackson stuff is exactly why you don't overthink who's simply better at the sport. Everyone now claims it was preposterous to have lined Jackson up side by side with Tatum, but that wasn't the case in 2017.

There's also a conspiracy that Ainge and co. prefered Jackson at #3 and he blew them off for a pre-draft meetings and workouts. He didn't want to be a cog, he wanted to be the foundation of a team.

This is where the Ace Bailey conundrum comes into play. He's definitely more modernized than Jackson though so his style is more bust-proof.

[stormi]

VJ’s size isn’t a concern for me, as long as he becomes a high-level offensive player who’s worth the effort to hide on defense, like how the Hawks do with Trae Young or the Cavs with Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell. He has the tools.. he’s explosive, quick, and can shoot. But right now, he doesn’t seem like a reliable shot creator yet. That is the part of his game where he has to develop.

There's a value reduction if his key skill is guarding the perimeter without the size and strength to switch on-to wings like Smart/Holiday/White.

The Melton comp above is fantastic. Now, Melton is undeniably a great player even with his deficiencies, he was one of the worst finishers at the rim I've ever seen and couldn't hit a wide open three when we were crying out for one in a winnable G6 against Boston. You don't use a top five pick on De'Anthony Melton, but you do for prime Smart / current Derrick White.

In theory though he's the archetypal backcourt mate for Maxey or McCain or Grimes, not each other.

[Negrodamus]

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If we're taking Kon, at minimum I need him to shave his head.

[76ciology]

VJ’s size isn’t a concern for me, as long as he becomes a high-level offensive player who’s worth the effort to hide on defense, like how the Hawks do with Trae Young or the Cavs with Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell. He has the tools.. he’s explosive, quick, and can shoot. But right now, he doesn’t seem like a reliable shot creator yet. That is the part of his game where he has to develop.

There's a value reduction if his key skill is guarding the perimeter without the size and strength to switch on-to wings like Smart/Holiday/White.

The Melton comp above is fantastic. Now, Melton is undeniably a great player even with his deficiencies, he was one of the worst finishers at the rim I've ever seen and couldn't hit a wide open three when we were crying out for one in a winnable G6 against Boston. You don't use a top five pick on De'Anthony Melton, but you do for prime Smart / current Derrick White.

In theory though he's the archetypal backcourt mate for Maxey or McCain or Grimes, not each other.

Eric Bledsoe perhaps? 6’1 with 6’7” ws and explosive leaper?

For me, his swing skill is either defending wings or becoming a playmaker/scoring guard. There’s more financial upside in the latter, and it’s a more natural fit for both him and whichever team drafts him.

A strong fit would be the Hornets, LaMelo’s size lets VJ guard point guards, play off the ball, and operate as a tertiary creator.

[stormi]

VJ’s size isn’t a concern for me, as long as he becomes a high-level offensive player who’s worth the effort to hide on defense, like how the Hawks do with Trae Young or the Cavs with Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell. He has the tools.. he’s explosive, quick, and can shoot. But right now, he doesn’t seem like a reliable shot creator yet. That is the part of his game where he has to develop.

There's a value reduction if his key skill is guarding the perimeter without the size and strength to switch on-to wings like Smart/Holiday/White.

The Melton comp above is fantastic. Now, Melton is undeniably a great player even with his deficiencies, he was one of the worst finishers at the rim I've ever seen and couldn't hit a wide open three when we were crying out for one in a winnable G6 against Boston. You don't use a top five pick on De'Anthony Melton, but you do for prime Smart / current Derrick White.

In theory though he's the archetypal backcourt mate for Maxey or McCain or Grimes, not each other.

Eric Bledsoe perhaps? 6’1 with 6’7” ws and explosive leaper?

For me, his swing skill is either defending wings or becoming a playmaker/scoring guard. There’s more financial upside in the latter, and it’s a more natural fit for both him and whichever team drafts him.

A strong fit would be the Hornets, LaMelo’s size lets VJ guard point guards, play off the ball, and operate as a tertiary creator.

I agree wholeheartedly. Any squad where you're asking VJ to be the secondary ballhandler and primary defender is the most ideal. His scoring bag is a WIP but he's a good connective passer, can attack closeouts and I buy the shooting upside long term (off the catch anyways).

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/jalen-suggs-1.html
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/vj-edgecombe-1.html

Suggs is another one of those guys of this mold, VJ doesn't have Suggs' on the ball creation upside but he makes up for it in other areas. He looks clearly taller than Suggs as well.

[Iverson Armband]

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If we're taking Kon, at minimum I need him to shave his head.

I just can’t take him serious with that SuperCuts thing he has going on.

[stormi]

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If we're taking Kon, at minimum I need him to shave his head.

I just can’t take him serious with that SuperCuts thing he has going on.

+++ draft stock to the keen eye

#ethicalhoops #bucketsoverbitchez

[76ciology]

Regarding Maluach’s fit with our team. He can play alongside Yabu at the four, and if the shooting holds up, I’d love to see him paired with Bona too.

As an elite lob threat, he’d open up the paint for our guards. Rim protectors would have to respect him, giving our backcourt cleaner looks at the rim similar to how Capela or Zubac helps Trae or Harden score in the paint.

And when it comes to Embiid, I see a Dirk-Tyson Chandler dynamic. Maluach could take the load on defense, letting Embiid conserve energy while still stretching the floor on offense.