Official BKN Pick Watch Thread 2016 Season [3.0]

[Curmudgeon]

I'm one of Bender's biggest advocates but I'll be the first to admit he isn't ready today for the NBA. He will likely have to stay in Israel for at least one more year, maybe two.

[sully00]

I'm one of Bender's biggest advocates but I'll be the first to admit he isn't ready today for the NBA. He will likely have to stay in Israel for at least one more year, maybe two.

Do you think this based on his contract or development? Either way I am not interested, no way you draft this kid at 3 to wait for him for two years.

[Andrew McCeltic]

After watching 30 minutes of video on Bender I have several qualms about drafting him:

1) His hands look somewhere in the range of poor to average. He struggles to catch the ball and seems to lose control of the ball a bit in his shooting motion. Not sure how much can be taught and how much is due to possibly small hand size.
2) His jump shot start much lower than guys like Porzingis and Nowitzki. When it comes to shooting stroke, it's always debatable if it can or should be fixed.
3) His reach is very unimpressive. I think he has a 7"2 wingspan, which is significantly lower than Porzingis' 7"6. This will limit his upside.

All said, I would still take Bender at #3. His athleticism and shooting ability quickly jump out. He seems to have good instincts on defense, although most of what I watched doesn't appear to be against the best competition. However, I wouldn't be particularly happy with the pick unless he shows a lot more before the draft.

Don't know his hand size.. The shot's not there for him consistently, but it looks like it will be there with repetitions. His shooting stats aren't great. The thing about his game is that it doesn't look raw, it looks shaky- he's not clumsy, he's the opposite, and so all the variation in his movements seems like it will go away the more he drills and repeats stuff.

He's supposedly a motivated, hard-working kid, too. And a good passer.

Anyone remember Jonathan Bender, btw?

[galipeautim]

After watching 30 minutes of video on Bender I have several qualms about drafting him:

1) His hands look somewhere in the range of poor to average. He struggles to catch the ball and seems to lose control of the ball a bit in his shooting motion. Not sure how much can be taught and how much is due to possibly small hand size.
2) His jump shot start much lower than guys like Porzingis and Nowitzki. When it comes to shooting stroke, it's always debatable if it can or should be fixed.
3) His reach is very unimpressive. I think he has a 7"2 wingspan, which is significantly lower than Porzingis' 7"6. This will limit his upside.

All said, I would still take Bender at #3. His athleticism and shooting ability quickly jump out. He seems to have good instincts on defense, although most of what I watched doesn't appear to be against the best competition. However, I wouldn't be particularly happy with the pick unless he shows a lot more before the draft.

Don't know his hand size.. The shot's not there for him consistently, but it looks like it will be there with repetitions. His shooting stats aren't great. The thing about his game is that it doesn't look raw, it looks shaky- he's not clumsy, he's the opposite, and so all the variation in his movements seems like it will go away the more he drills and repeats stuff.

He's supposedly a motivated, hard-working kid, too. And a good passer.

Anyone remember Jonathan Bender, btw?[/quote

I actually wasn't concerned about the shooting touch at all, which looks great. I was concerned that Bender's shot begins around his chest before he moves the ball up. Porzingis and Dirk both have a very high starting point for their shot, which makes them virtually unstoppable if they are on. If Bender can't fix that issue then he will be limited to post moves and catch-and-shoot.

[DoubleHappiness]

Jonathan Bender scouting report:
Strengths - Dunking
Weaknesses - The game of basketball

[Curmudgeon]

I'm one of Bender's biggest advocates but I'll be the first to admit he isn't ready today for the NBA. He will likely have to stay in Israel for at least one more year, maybe two.

Do you think this based on his contract or development? Either way I am not interested, no way you draft this kid at 3 to wait for him for two years.

He needs to grow into his body. He's 18 years old, 7-1, 225. Ingram, who weighs 195 at the moment, has the same issues.

Why wouldn't you wait a year or two for a player who might become the best 7 footer in the NBA? Do you see any player in this draft who might propel the Celtics to the NBA finals next year? I don't. Simmons is interesting because 6-10 players with point guard skills are always interesting. But he's not a shooter and needs to mature as well, As for the other possibilities, they are all risks and I don't see anyone with the upside of Bender-- and it's not even close. Bender could be Kevin McHale with 3 point range.

If you draft Murray or Hield, whose minutes will they take? Those guys might not even crack the rotation on a team that values defense.

[Andrew McCeltic]

I don't want to hype him, but Bender's passing, his 3-point range, and his ability to move facing the basket actually make him a little more like Bird. But there were also a whole slew of do-everything big men who went at the top of drafts in the mid 80's who turned out to be busts. Michael Smith, I think, was one..

[Andrew McCeltic]

Anyway if you're really concerned about getting an impact guy, that's why trading the pick is on the table. Draft the guy with a ten percent chance of being a superstar, the guy with a 40 percent chance of making two all-star teams, or trade for Cousins or Butler or Favors?

[Curmudgeon]

Cousins, Butler or Favors will cost you much more than the pick. What are you willing to pay?

[Murta]

I'm one of Bender's biggest advocates but I'll be the first to admit he isn't ready today for the NBA. He will likely have to stay in Israel for at least one more year, maybe two.

Do you think this based on his contract or development? Either way I am not interested, no way you draft this kid at 3 to wait for him for two years.

He needs to grow into his body. He's 18 years old, 7-1, 225. Ingram, who weighs 195 at the moment, has the same issues.

Why wouldn't you wait a year or two for a player who might become the best 7 footer in the NBA? Do you see any player in this draft who might propel the Celtics to the NBA finals next year? I don't. Simmons is interesting because 6-10 players with point guard skills are always interesting. But he's not a shooter and needs to mature as well, As for the other possibilities, they are all risks and I don't see anyone with the upside of Bender-- and it's not even close. Bender could be Kevin McHale with 3 point range.

If you draft Murray or Hield, whose minutes will they take? Those guys might not even crack the rotation on a team that values defense.

I don't think there's even a remote chance Bender would be drafted and stay in Europe. If he wants to stay in Europe, he's gonna pull out of the draft.

If you draft Murray or Hield, whose minutes will they take? Those guys might not even crack the rotation on a team that values defense.

Yep. As much as it pains to say it, Dunn, Brown and Pöltl are better options Cs have if Ainge doesn't like Bender.
I'm a big fan of Murray, but in a different setting since Thomas is here to stay. Smart - Murray, on the other hand, is pretty enticing if the other team has a PG/SG/SF on whom you can hide Murray on D and have Crowder guard the 2nd one. But I don't see Thomas - Murray or Murray - Bradley being good options because the 1st would have troubles on D and the 2nd troubles to create. Should we really trade half to team's biggest strength just to fit one player? Similarly with Hield, with the exception I rate him lower than Murray.

[sully00]

I'm one of Bender's biggest advocates but I'll be the first to admit he isn't ready today for the NBA. He will likely have to stay in Israel for at least one more year, maybe two.

Do you think this based on his contract or development? Either way I am not interested, no way you draft this kid at 3 to wait for him for two years.

He needs to grow into his body. He's 18 years old, 7-1, 225. Ingram, who weighs 195 at the moment, has the same issues.

Why wouldn't you wait a year or two for a player who might become the best 7 footer in the NBA? Do you see any player in this draft who might propel the Celtics to the NBA finals next year? I don't. Simmons is interesting because 6-10 players with point guard skills are always interesting. But he's not a shooter and needs to mature as well, As for the other possibilities, they are all risks and I don't see anyone with the upside of Bender-- and it's not even close. Bender could be Kevin McHale with 3 point range.

If you draft Murray or Hield, whose minutes will they take? Those guys might not even crack the rotation on a team that values defense.

Yeah I think I would look to trade the pick. I can wait for Bender to develop I am not waiting for him to develop in Israel, there is too little history of players developing in in that league and translating to the NBA.

While it is a roster nightmare to an extent I would also be willing to take Dunn. They are going to draft a PG in this draft again with 8 picks anyhow. If we are keeping the pick you take the BPA, I don't dislike Bender but there are as many questions as answers with him at this point.

[Curmudgeon]

Well sure, but there are questions with every player in this draft. However, quite apart from the consensus top picks, I see quite a few players in this draft with huge potential upside (and yes, risk as well). Labissiere is obviously one, and I would add Luwawu, Korkmaz, Damian Jones, Hernangomez, Qi, Dejounte Murray, Stone, Maker, Papagiannis and Siakam.

If you are risk adverse, you select guys like Zizic (who I think can step in a be productive immediately like Jokic did for the Nuggets last year), or seniors like Brogdon, LeVert, Bryce Johnson, Valentine and Prince.

The odds are that we pick from #3 to #5, and I predict much moaning and groaning here later this evening. But this isn't a two player draft. It's a 60 player draft.

[Falstaff]

I also expect a lot of hand-wringing this evening. However, it's funny how much the goalposts have been moved on this pick since the beginning of the season. Back then, the argument was whether the Nets would be bad enough to deliver a top 5 pick. Most considered that the best case scenario. But now that it's a 95% possibility that the pick lands top 5, it'll be a disaster if it's not top 2. I'll be disappointed when the C's don't land top 2, but I'll also be reminding myself that an extra top 5 pick is no small consolation prize.

[Andrew McCeltic]

Well sure, but there are questions with every player in this draft. However, quite apart from the consensus top picks, I see quite a few players in this draft with huge potential upside (and yes, risk as well). Labissiere is obviously one, and I would add Luwawu, Korkmaz, Damian Jones, Hernangomez, Qi, Dejounte Murray, Stone, Maker, Papagiannis and Siakam.

If you are risk adverse, you select guys like Zizic (who I think can step in a be productive immediately like Jokic did for the Nuggets last year), or seniors like Brogdon, LeVert, Bryce Johnson, Valentine and Prince.

The odds are that we pick from #3 to #5, and I predict much moaning and groaning here later this evening. But this isn't a two player draft. It's a 60 player draft.

Don't know about all those names- I'd agree on Skal, Korkmaz, Damian Jones, maybe Deyonta Davis, who isn't on your list, maybe Qi, because he's such an unknown commodity, and maybe Murray.

Stone sounds like Kevin Seraphin. Maker is hype. Like Murray, but he's a long, long term project, look at him if he's there at 31 or 35.

Hernangomez is a center? Height isn't the same thing as upside.. No, a 6'9 3/4, sounds promising-

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Juan-Hernangomez-73096/

Guerschon Yabusele could rise after workouts, I like him at 16, sounds like a French Leon Powe without the injuries. Ellenson is intriguing, too, sort of Greg Monroe with a jumpshot.

[Curmudgeon]

I wouldn't sleep on Siakam, who was one of the most productive players in college basketball last year. He's 6-9 with a 7-3 wingspan and a 37 inch vertical. He lacks offensive polish, but he plays with alot of energy. Downside is that he's 22.

I also like Jarrod Uthoff with one of the second round picks in the 50's. He might be the best pure shooter in the draft.

[31to6]

We should talk prospects in the other draft thread. "Pick watch" is different.

Also please remove your persons from my grassy area.

[jbs]

The Ringers lottery show on Pericope (live): https://www.periscope.tv/w/1zqJVkgpbzYxB Bill Simmons and friends.

[lon3lytoaster]

I just wish it would leak so I don't have to watch.

[165bows]

Bobby Marks guesses Charlotte won't be able to re-sign Lin, since they don't have Bird Rights.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/summer-agenda--charlotte-hornets-181625203.html

Seems a good bet to land in Brooklyn IMO.

[ConstableGeneva]

If Nets new coach Atkinson is to be believed, Lopez is going to be a building block of the team.