The Kon Knueppel Thread

[KingCat]

The guys in our range have significant flaws one way or another. But Kon is probably the best *basketball player* of the group, in other words, he's the smartest/highest IQ player available.

That alone gives him some merit.

As our last 3 1st round picks (TJ,Kai,Bou) were/are all very bad *basketball players*. Bouknight was halfway asleep every game of his career. Kai was crazy. And TJ is, well, a baby deer.

We can't afford to keep whiffing on these picks. If you told future me that whoever we pick will be a solid double in 2-3 years (I interpret that as good/above average starter) then I'd be pretty happy with that.

I agree wholeheartedly. That worked well for Ammo, Frank, and Zeller

guys who are just smart *basketball players* who definitely didn't have massive baked in hurdles from Day 1 that they were never able to overcome.

We can play this what about game all day long. Here's what it boils down to though. Do guys with Kon's archetype ever become great players? Do guys with Ace's? VJ? Tre?

Again, this team is trash, has been trash, and will always be trash unless they strike gold in the draft because we know they're A. never going to sign a star and B. nobody is trading stars for guys like Kon.

It's a non starter

Genuinely hilarious how our awful drafting has made this fan base flop back and forth from "I'm so tired of safe picks, we gotta start going for upside (2004 to 2013) to "We keep swinging for the fences and missing, we gotta go safe" (2021 to present).

I really cannot understand the pro Kon argument that "he knows how to play basketball".

It makes it seem like people are trying to paint Tre, VJ, and Ace as Bismack.

I just can't imagine a world where 5 years from now a team with a tip 5 pick is going "man I cant believe we passed on Kon"

[KingCat]

I once again need to reiterate that missing out on the combine has been a blessing on his draft stock.

[fatlever]

I don't think anyone we draft this year is going to move the needle one way or the other on whether or not melo stays. I think all of these guys should be viewed as complementary players. Almost all rookies are usually pretty terrible And rarely contribute to winning basketball.
getting melo help Comes in the form of using the draft picks we have saved up in the future to trade for an actual veteran.

Not trying to totally turn this into a melo thread, As I've said before on other threads I think they need to make a decision by the All Star break whether or not to go for it and build around melo By using some of those future first round picks to get some actual solid NBA players next to him. Or to blow it up and to build around miller And whatever draft picks we get coming back in a trade.

So then I assume you advocate for trading the pick in a package for someone like a Lauri or leveraging future picks for someone like Harper hoping he can be that guy?

If we're at **** or get off the pot territory (and I agree with you. I totally think we're about half a season of diarrhea basketball away from a giant **** show) then staying pat at 4 is probably the wrong move.

ive said multiple times recently my #1 option is trading up to 2 for harper

mr preferred route, as of today, subject to change tomorrow
1. trade up to 2
2. draft vj or trade up to 3 to secure him, if need be
3. kon or tre
4. trade back to 6-8
5. ace
6. move the team to buffalo

[fatlever]

for the sanity of this board for the next 5 years, its probably best the team look elsewhere. lol.

kon/tre are my 4th options... just saying.

i do think some are undervaluing strength, and fantastic two-foot balance, footwork, in terms of paint finishing, but whatever. lines in the sand are drawn it seems.

im fine with any of my top 5 draft day options. then we hold our breath and hope we didnt **** up like we usually do.

[JMAC3]

It is hard to evaluate Kon because he played in a cushy environment on both ends of the floor. Sure his defense at times looks great, but he also has Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach behind him covering the rim. Duke as a whole was huge team for college, so every single game they were bigger, faster and more talented than their opponent. None of that will be the case on Charlotte, he will have LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams as his surrounding defenders. Proctor and Sion could take quicker guards so Kon usually had an easier matchup- again probably won't be case in Charlotte

On offense, he played off the best player in college basketball- so teams were never focused on him. He took 40 more open threes than guys like VJ and Tre Johnson. I also think we underestimate how much of a cheat code Maluach is for him, anytime he drives he can just loft the ball 12 feet in the air and Maluach can go get it, that isn't the case in the NBA when you actually have legit 7 footers on the other team instead of the 6-8 and 6-9 "centers" of college basketball. Most of his drives the floor is completely spread, no defenders in the gaps because Duke had 3 40% three point shooters on the wing in Evans, James and Proctor. I can't think of an easier situation for a player to succeed in college.

Maybe I am wrong, but there is a reason that guys typically need good handles, elite quickness or elite size to be successful in the NBA. Kon might just be him and the most underrated player of all time and he can just continue to make work what has worked but I just don't see it as translatable.

He will be a good spot up shooter, but the fact that he has basically no pull up game right now moves him even further down the list for me. His most translatable skill to the NBA outside of shooting to me is as a lob thrower but even that I don't know if he sees the same level of success with a more even playfield and not the biggest center at all times surrounded by 4 other NBA players.

[JMAC3]

Just comparing him to the guys playing in the finals.

Aaron Nesmith is maybe what you hope you get from Kon offensively to me, but he is nowhere near the explosive athlete that makes Nesmith such an impactful defender.

Caruso, maybe offensively again. Make open shots, give you a few passes here and there and a couple nice drives.. but again Caruso is a defensive player that has elite physical tools.

Lu Dort? Again nowhere near the athlete, but yeah offensively they both can make open threes.

The numbers don't lie, Kon has the same straight line speed and side to side movement as this years Center class.

[fatlever]

ESPN's latest mock draft has the Hornets taking kon

"Knueppel has some real fans among NBA teams in this portion of the draft, with proponents highlighting his elite movement and spot-up shooting (emphasis on his ability to shoot off movement as opposed to his actual movement), defensive smarts and playmaking, as well as an analytics-friendly profile that shines through in team draft models. Knueppel's feel for the game, selfless style of play, strength and toughness should make him easy to play with, especially alongside the likes of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, who he appears to complement quite well.

The Hornets and Jazz are two teams that appear to have interest in him, with his floor seemingly no lower than No. 8. He's the type of prospect a playoff-caliber team could also target in a trade, as he has a plug-and-play skill set and looks likely to bring value throughout his cost-controlled rookie-scale contract. -- Givony"

Sent from my SM-G973U using RealGM mobile app

[yosemiteben]

I dont believe you actually think...I just don't. That's just silly and contrary to any real world.

That's not going to be part of his game and you know it.

I promise you I'm more knowledgeable about myself and what I think than you are. It's fine to have a contrary take or to disagree with mine, but I very much do not appreciate you acting like I'm just lying for, what, internet reasons I guess?

No reason to make it personal or act like I don't actually believe what I'm saying. You think no rational person could believe he's going to be able to finish at the rim, I disagree. Fine to leave it there.

[KingCat]

Every draft has an super unatheletic shooter who will be different cause "he can dribble and knows how to play" only to end up another Joe Harris.

[JMAC3]

I keep seeing mock drafts saying he is a great fit on the Hornets... why? because he plays shooting guard? LaMelo and him make no sense at all as defensive backcourt where neither one can really guard point guards and neither one should be guarding the Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, Ant Edwards of the world. The thing he does best, is what LaMelo and Miller are already good at which is shooting open threes.

At least with Tre Johnson even though he can't really defend at a high level he can handle the ball, be another guy that can shoot a three pointer off a pick n roll and to me has the upside to score 20-25 ppg at some point in his career.

Are there people who think Kon can score 20-25 ppg in his career?

[Chapelchilla]

Every draft has an super unatheletic shooter who will be different cause "he can dribble and knows how to play" only to end up another Joe Harris.

As a mid career Starter Harris averaged 14/4/2.3 shooting 55% from 2 pt 45% from 3 during his pre-injury Nets years. Signed a 4/75 million off those numbers too. That's not exactly useless. Then he got hurt.

And -
Kon looks more creative, sturdier and passes better. He was a Rivals top 10 recruit. Consensus lottery pick.
Harris took 4 years of college to be named as ACC tourney MVP and was ranked in the 30's as a recruit and picked 33.

[KingCat]

Every draft has an super unatheletic shooter who will be different cause "he can dribble and knows how to play" only to end up another Joe Harris.

As a mid career Starter Harris averaged 14/4/2.3 shooting 55% from 2 pt 45% from 3 during his pre-injury Nets years. Signed a 4/75 million off those numbers too. That's not exactly useless. Then he got hurt.

And -
Kon looks more creative, sturdier and passes better. He was a Rivals top 10 recruit. Consensus lottery pick.
Harris took 4 years of college to be named as ACC tourney MVP and was ranked in the 30's as a recruit and picked 33.

A lot of career role players look like strong, creative ball handlers at a colliegate level but then quickly find out their handle tricks and skills get quickly figured out by NBA defenders.

I'll eat crow if Kon's on ball skill is ever good enough at an NBA to be top 3 usage% on a playoff team.

We gotta remember the Hornets are picking at 4, not 12. A lot of us our still shining at losing out on flagg but let's remember this is still considered a strong draft. Ideally you aim higher than a player of Kon's archetype when picking at 4 in a good draft.

[SWedd523]

I dont believe you actually think...I just don't. That's just silly and contrary to any real world.

That's not going to be part of his game and you know it.

I promise you I'm more knowledgeable about myself and what I think than you are. It's fine to have a contrary take or to disagree with mine, but I very much do not appreciate you acting like I'm just lying for, what, internet reasons I guess?

No reason to make it personal or act like I don't actually believe what I'm saying. You think no rational person could believe he's going to be able to finish at the rim, I disagree. Fine to leave it there.

Taking that and turning it "personal" says a lot more about you than anything else IMO

I'm definitely cool leaving it there

[fatlever]

Read on Twitter

[JMAC3]

Turns the corner? There isn't a defender within 5 feet of him when he comes off the screen lmao

[KingCat]

Everyone stating he is some can't miss prospect with such a high floor...

Has even a single poster on this board said this?

It seems abundantly obvious that his athleticism and ability to create with NBA defenses, and to hold his own 1 on 1 on defense, is the big question mark. I think most if not everyone here is aware of this.

No one is calling him can't miss, but number 4 it was many are calling a good draft means you value his potential fairly high

[yosemiteben]

I dont believe you actually think...I just don't. That's just silly and contrary to any real world.

That's not going to be part of his game and you know it.

I promise you I'm more knowledgeable about myself and what I think than you are. It's fine to have a contrary take or to disagree with mine, but I very much do not appreciate you acting like I'm just lying for, what, internet reasons I guess?

No reason to make it personal or act like I don't actually believe what I'm saying. You think no rational person could believe he's going to be able to finish at the rim, I disagree. Fine to leave it there.

Taking that and turning it "personal" says a lot more about you than anything else IMO

I'm definitely cool leaving it there

To be clear, yes I do take you telling me I'm lying or being disingenuous about my takes personally and will continue to do that going forward. As a mod I would equally apply that across the board, there's no need for that.

One can disagree without the "I know you're lying and you know you're wrong but still saying it" stuff.

If anyone is in here making disingenuous takes, that is called trolling and I encourage reporting that so the mods can deal with it. That's not what I'm doing.

[GoBobs]

Everyone stating he is some can't miss prospect with such a high floor...

Has even a single poster on this board said this?

It seems abundantly obvious that his athleticism and ability to create with NBA defenses, and to hold his own 1 on 1 on defense, is the big question mark. I think most if not everyone here is aware of this.

No one is calling him can't miss, but number 4 it was many are calling a good draft means you value his potential fairly high

I believe he is the most can’t miss guy in the draft. The question is if he is low ceiling.

[Braggins]

I'm just ready for the draft to be over and see who they pick. I haven't really had anything to add to the convo for a while so I'll post this.

Watch on YouTube

[Snidely FC]

Watched most of Duke's games this year (wife is an alum) and was smitten with Kon's exceptional feel for the game. It's the kind of thing that doesn't show up in stats. You've all seen on the Hornets, for instance, Grant Williams make a big difference in team play without putting up big stats. That kind of influence on the game is what I'm talking about.

But I am not heedless to the difference between great college players and great pros. Especially watching the IND and OKC defenders whip around the floor these playoffs.

Even though I thoroughly enjoyed watching him play last year, for me Kon is behind Ace and VJ (and Tre, Fears, Jak, Bryant). But with Ace being a weenie and PHI apparently high on VJ, I just want to address the narrative that Kon can't possibly be a great pro.

Chris Mullin and Wally Szczerbiak are precursors who used advanced feel to overcome slow feet or suspect athleticism for storied careers. (Would point out that they went 7 and 6 in the draft)

But also want to add that Kon's freshman college stats were very similar to movement shooter Klay Thompson (pick #11) freshman college stats. Can you tell who's who?

Player A 6'6 200 lbs
.413 3pt%
.42 fg%
.511 efg%
.90 ft%
12.5 ppg
1.9 apg
1.5 stocks
4.2 rebs

Player B 6'6 217 lbs
.406 3pt%
.479 fg%
.59 efg%
.914 ft%
14.4 ppg
2.7 apg
1.2 stocks
4.0 rebs




(A: Klay B:Kon)
I'm a Kon fan and even though I would not take him at 4 I also see no reason why he can't be an impactful pro. Because of his exceptional feel I think he's a guy who at the very least Hornets fans will enjoy watching.