2016 NBA Draft

[og15]

It might or it might not solve the SF problem to get those two, but there's a higher chance with two young win prospects. My idea here is that the SF position is the teams biggest need, so the best chance of finding a suitable player at the position is to have multiple options of young guys.

Those guys you mentioned are certainly guys that could all be helpful, nice list.

[nickhx2]

yeah i think getting multiple SF's not only gives you more chances at landing someone good, but also provides flexibility for different situations. i haven't seen doc really do that kind of stuff (really thought that was the whole point of this past offseason with lance/smith/wes/cole pickups), so i don't expect it. but still possible in case he changes his philosophy wrt bench units.

[Ranma]

Generally speaking, I don't like passing over BPA (Best Player Available) for the sake of fit and filling a need. One of the most under-rated things about drafting prospects is the developmental work put in after selecting them and Doc has been wholly guilty of this negligence. His first two draft picks were older prospects with limited upside who were supposed to contribute immediately, but Reggie Bullock and C.J. Wilcox have been works-in-progress under Doc's watch. It's been so bad, that Doc has practically abandoned the draft. If it weren't for the Stepien Rule, he'd likely have traded away both of our picks by now.

Having said that, I think this draft looks to be lining up to where our priorities of filling needs and taking the BPA will converge. Given our draft positions, we have a pretty decent shot at having good wing and center prospects available, which are two areas of need for us. If taking two wing players happen to be the two best available, great. Taking two centers, on the other hand, would be a bit questionable, but I guess it points to the degree of our respective needs.

Oh, I just found out that Furkan Korkmaz's buyout actually helps his draft status as he didn't have an escape clause before, but word on the street is that if he doesn't get a pre-draft assurance that he'll be taken in the lottery, he'll withdraw by June 15th and try his hand at the 2017 NBA Draft. Also, there seems to be a few other intriguing draft-and-stash candidates who might be available like Petr Cornelie, but given our circumstances and the talent available, they're not high priorities for me. Korkmaz is the only one I'm readily willing to make a commitment in the 2nd round while I'd have to debate a bit for Cornelie.

DX's Jonathan Givony has us taking Ivica Zubac in a recent mock draft and I have to admit to being intrigued at such a proposition. Also, if Tyler Ulis falls to us in the 2nd round, I might have to give him consideration since he's arguably the best pure PG of this draft class even with his diminutive stature.

Jonathan Givony, Yahoo! Sports (5/11/16)

25. LA Clippers
Ivica Zubac | C | Cibona Zagreb, Adriatic League
19 | 7-1, 265
Insider info: The Clippers will need to find some rotation big men to play behind DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, especially because Cole Aldrich has probably outplayed his $1.2 million team option. Zubac could very well have gone 10-15 spots higher had he waited another year. He simply isn’t very well known due to changing clubs and being ineligible to play for most of the season. His size, toughness and budding skill make him a project worth investing in long term.

Version II: The Vertical's 2016 NBA Mock Draft


Jonathan Givony, DraftExpress.com (7/18/15)

Ivica Zubac, 7'0, Cibona Zagreb, Croatia, 1997

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Great size at 7-0
-Strong frame
-Above average athlete for a player his size
-Can play above the rim. Catches lob passes. Can finish impressively off two feet
-Soft, reliable hands. Catches everything
-Moves off the ball well. Knows how to present himself around the rim
-Great touch around the basket
-Shows some ability to score with back to the basket. Uses strength to back down weaker players
-Solid footwork in the low post. Can utilize some spin moves and score with hook shots
-Good feel for the game. Can find open man. Passes out of double teams.
-Active on offensive glass
-Shows some nice mobility defensively. Can cover ground

Weaknesses:
-Good athlete overall, but is not incredibly explosive
-Late bloomer who is somewhat unpolished
-Made just 59% of free throw attempts at U19s
-Not a great rim protector (1.3 per-40)
-Not a great defensive rebounder
-Lacks some experience on defense, particularly in pick and roll situations. Somewhat upright in stance

Very limited stepping outside of the paint defensively on pick and roll. Not a great athlete.

Outlook: Big, strong, competitive big man who had a phenomenal tournament despite being almost completely unknown coming in. Took advantage of injuries and absences on Croatia's roster and ended up posting the #1 PER in the tournament (33.7), scoring 27 points per-40 minutes on an outrageous 72% TS%. Will likely see solid playing time in the Adriatic League next season with Cibona, and be tracked closely by scouts to see how he fares against older players. Had his two worst games of the tournament against the US, even if he still scored a solid 24 points and pulled down 17 rebounds in 56 minutes of action.

2015 FIBA U19 World Championship Scouting Reports: Centers


Stefanos Makris, NBAdraft.net (4/12/16)

NBA Comparison: Zan Tabak
Strengths: Great size and length for his position… Good wingspan (7-4 feet)… Solid and relatively mobile athlete for his size… Due to his strong frame and body structure has the potential to increase his muscle tone … When he has time to gather he can finish strong at the rim… Runs the floor well for a Big… Possesses soft hands and makes difficult catches on the move and in traffic… Has the ability to play above the rim due to his size and length… Over time has developed some post moves… Can turn over both shoulders and even use an “Up and Under” move… Can finish at the rim equally well with either hand… Can finish through contact… Footwork in the post is above average for a guy his age, experience level and size… Good on Pick and Roll situations as the screener… Moves well without the ball… Great offensive rebounder… Although numbers can’t reflect this, he actually has shown great court vision and has the potential to become a good passer… Great offensive rebounder… Improving defensive rebounder… Good shot blocker, with the ability to alter shots with his length and size… Above average weak side defender… Shooting mechanics and Ft% suggest that he can become a good mid-range shooter through time…

Weaknesses: Not overly athletic… Already had two major injuries (a broken foot in 2014 and an injured knee in 2015), so there is the fear he might be considered injury prone… He is still familiarizing himself with his body, so he can’t really control it… Relies too much on size and length… Not a threat beyond 5-7 feet from the basket… He must be able to mix it up on offense and add more counter moves with his back to the basket… At times, he looks too keen to pass the ball when he is posting up, which leads to turnovers, although experience and playing time will fix this problem… Has problems finishing against long defenders… When he sets screens on Pick And Roll Situations he has the tendency to move his hips and as a result he is called for a lot of offensive fouls… Footwork and lateral quickness need a lot of work on defense… He is a willing defender, but has problems defending the Pick And Roll against quick guards… On Defense, he is at times too focused on the ball and loses sight of his man… Considered an average defensive rebounder at the time… Good, but not great shot blocker…

NBAdraft.net Profile: Ivica Zubac


[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw9binwhqBM[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J2-hGlzqmI[/youtube]

[nickhx2]

generally agree you shouldn't skip BPA. but kind of would suck if we had to take yet another SG.

[Quake Griffin]

If only Luwawu would fall to us like draftnet says.

why couldnt we have just missed the playoffs this year?
smfh.

[Ranma]

Jonathan Givony, Yahoo Sports (5/16/16)

“From what I can tell, there are 30 potential NBA rotation players sitting there in the 15-45 range,” one general manager told The Vertical in Chicago. “What this class lacks in star power it more than makes up for with depth.”

The pool of high-level basketball talent has been getting deeper and deeper for years now, not just in the United States but also internationally. Over a quarter of the players currently projected to be drafted are international prospects. A shortage of roster spots in the NBA may cause some of that talent to overflow and spill over next year into the NBA Development League. There will be many good players going undrafted as well, some of whom will end up making the NBA (60 undrafted players are currently on NBA rosters).
...

Because of how little separation there is between the various groups of prospects this year, expect this to be an especially wild draft night in terms of players falling or rising relative from where they are projected. There is very little consensus among teams about which players are best, especially once you get outside of the top 15 prospects or so.

What’s especially difficult is that many players who are described by some NBA teams as not being serious prospects at all are viewed as being the exact opposite by other franchises. You can ask 30 different teams about the same player and get thirty different opinions, with wildly different draft ranges. The adage of, “It only takes one team to like you,” means we could see some major surprises on draft night.

The Lessons of the NBA Draft Combine

[Ranma]

David Aldridge, NBA.com (3/21/16)

The SEC agreed, giving Ulis both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors this season. And his abilities in the open court will get him more than a passing look at the next level.
...

Ulis was fourth in the country in Offensive Win Shares (5.4) and seventh in total Win Shares (7.1, tied with Duke's Grayson Allen). He led the SEC in assists and minutes played. And he shot 167 free throws, just 32 fewer than the much taller and much more hyped Ben Simmons from LSU.

"I think he's terrific," said a Southwest Division fan. "The way the rules are written today, the little guard is much more in play. Executives prefer the bigger, stronger guy, but with the rules and the three-point shot, that's much more in play. There was some stat where he had played something like 84 minutes with two turnovers (Ulis had just 69 turnovers in 35 games this season). I think he's a really good player."

Said a Northwest Division exec: "He's probably the best pure point guard maybe even in the draft. He really controls the tempo of the game. He makes his guys better. He's got to shoot the ball a little better because of his size and he's got to learn to finish better in the paint. But he probably had the best year out of all of those guys -- even Kris Dunn. So I think he's helped himself. It's just whether a coach and a team will be comfortable with a 5-9 point guard."

Providence's Dunn Tops Unique Class of Playmakers

[Ranma]

David Aldridge, NBA.com (4/4/16)

He averages just under 15 points in 31 minutes of play per game, but Luwawu's calling card is going to be defense and spot-up shooting.

"He's going to have to make it as a 3-and-D guy," a Central Division man says. "That league isn't very athletic. So he looks more athletic maybe than he would in the NBA ... he's taken a good step forward this year. He's a bit inconsistent. High turnover player. But he has the potential to do more offensively."
,,,

"A very good athlete," a Northwest Division man said. "He can really guard. And he's a greatly improved shooter. When he was younger, the hole in his game was, is he going to shoot it well enough? And he has. It's not the greatest competition in the world, but it's not the worst. Good size. Legit 6-7 with length, and guards, and makes enough shots. And he's young. He's going to get selected in that 15-22 range."
...

"He's a better shooter than Sefolosha was, but he's kind of gangly, the same way," the GM said. "He has abilities to defend. I think he's better offensively. His shot is better. But Sefolosha is bigger, probably an inch, inch and a half. And Sefolosha just had this way about him. He could do one thing well and he was kind of like, 'let me just defend, and I'll figure out the rest as I go along.'"

Sooners' Hield Clear-Cut Best Among Shooting Guards Crop

[Ranma]

David Aldridge, NBA.com (4/19/16)

"He's gotten much, much better," said a college coach whose team played Baylor this year. "Each year he's gotten better and better. He's been able to add things to his game. I would say he's got to be a three, that big wing. He's got long arms, good wingspan. He's a streak shooter, not a good shooter. I'd say he's more of a scorer than a shooter. He's not going to blow by you, but he can get by you because he's so long. He's not going to straight line drive you."

Prince led Baylor in scoring and to a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the Bears were upset by 12th-seeded Yale in the first round.

"His comfort level for most of his life was at the four," a Western Conference scout said. "Now he's morphing into a three. He dribbles it better than I thought. He shoots it decently. I don't know if he's changing your life, but if you're taking him in the 20s, he's a nice player. He can rebound. He can guard a little bit."
...

Bembry was outstanding all season, winning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors as well as making the A-10's All Defensive Team, with averages of 17 points per game, 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists. He was third in the nation in total minutes played (1,341) and teamed with senior forward Isaiah Miles to lead St. Joe's.

"He's terrific," a Northwest Division man says. "But he's small. I look at him as more of a two. I just call them wings. For me, they're almost interchangeable. He's really good. He's not a great shooter. He's a hell of a player. He can really pass, and I don't mean a little bit. I mean, he can really pass. He can really rebound. He can guard. I don't think his shot (just 27 percent on threes last season) is broken. It's a confidence thing with him; he misses a couple and I think he gets gun shy. But he's going to go in the first round. I think he goes ahead of Prince. But I don't know."

Duke's Wiry Ingram Tops in a Group Filled with Potential

[Ranma]

David Aldridge, NBA.com (5/2/16)

"Whoever's going to get him is going to get a real steal," a Southwest Division executive said. "He can trail and shoot the three. He's a tough, physical player. What I like about him is he has a good wingspan, more than seven feet, and he plays above the rim, unlike his brother, who plays more below the rim. He's extremely light on his feet. He runs the floor very well and he isn't afraid to put a body on you and put the wood on you. His transition to our league, two things always translate to our league -- assists, like Ricky Rubio, and rebounds and toughness. This guy rebounds."

And Hernangomez was credible enough on 3-pointers (27 of 77, 35 percent) that he could be an athletic 3-and-D type guy down the road.

"He can really, really shoot," a longtime scout said. "Quick release. He'll be a pick and pop guy. You can use him almost like a Marvin Williams, you can use him at the three and at the four. He can make plays off the dribble. I think he's super skilled. The team he played on was not very disciplined -- they had two selfish point guards, so I don't think his numbers were great this year ... I think he's going to come over right away. The way he shoots it, and the way the league is going, I think he could be valuable."

LSU's Simmons Tops List of Pliable Talent in Frontcourt

[Ranma]

David Aldridge, NBA.com (5/16/16)

He also excelled for that silver medal-winning Croatian team, averaging 15.8 points, 12.9 rebounds and 3 blocks per game. Zubac started this year for Mega Leks, averaging 12 points and 5 rebounds per game.

Zubac is not a great shooter, but he's crafty around the basket, and his size and length should make him a decent rebounding prospect.

Zubac would follow in the footsteps of Nikola Jokic, who played for Mega Leks for three years before being taken in the second round of the 2014 Draft by Denver, and who is now one of the Nuggets' core players going forward.

Poeltl Stands Out in Big Man Class That Must Find Its Way

[Quake Griffin]

David Aldridge, NBA.com (4/4/16)

He averages just under 15 points in 31 minutes of play per game, but Luwawu's calling card is going to be defense and spot-up shooting.

"He's going to have to make it as a 3-and-D guy," a Central Division man says. "That league isn't very athletic. So he looks more athletic maybe than he would in the NBA ... he's taken a good step forward this year. He's a bit inconsistent. High turnover player. But he has the potential to do more offensively."
,,,

"A very good athlete," a Northwest Division man said. "He can really guard. And he's a greatly improved shooter. When he was younger, the hole in his game was, is he going to shoot it well enough? And he has. It's not the greatest competition in the world, but it's not the worst. Good size. Legit 6-7 with length, and guards, and makes enough shots. And he's young. He's going to get selected in that 15-22 range."
...

"He's a better shooter than Sefolosha was, but he's kind of gangly, the same way," the GM said. "He has abilities to defend. I think he's better offensively. His shot is better. But Sefolosha is bigger, probably an inch, inch and a half. And Sefolosha just had this way about him. He could do one thing well and he was kind of like, 'let me just defend, and I'll figure out the rest as I go along.'"

Sooners' Hield Clear-Cut Best Among Shooting Guards Crop

He's the guy man.

Draft Express had his wing sspan at 7'2"
I dunno how you move up in an NBA draft but we have to get him.

[mkwest]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/RowanKavner/status/732647447667695616[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/latbbolch/status/732651338748678144[/tweet]


[tweet]https://twitter.com/JaronBgame/status/732264376594485249[/tweet]
Draft Express

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHAd7Jt01CA[/youtube]


Isaiah Taylor - Draft Express
NBADraft.net
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxuoJWc_B6s[/youtube]

Robert Carter - Draft Express

[Ranma]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/JaronBgame/status/732264376594485249[/tweet]
Draft Express

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHAd7Jt01CA[/youtube]

From the little I've read and the video posted above, Jaron Blossomgame is a big-time athlete with some other skills still in development. Like Taurean Prince, he's transitioning from playing power forward to small forward, but is not as far along. He's a very sexy pick in the 2nd round, but 33rd overall might be a bit too high to nab him at that selection slot given the projected talent that should be available around then.

There's talk that he is likely to return to school to improve his draft stock with further refinement of his skill set as a wing, but I got to say if we had a lower pick in the 2nd round, he'd be quite the tempting proposition as a project.

[Quake Griffin]

I get how NFL teams move up in drafts.

Is there any way for NBA teams to move up in drafts?

[Ranma]

I get how NFL teams move up in drafts.

Is there any way for NBA teams to move up in drafts?

Theoretically, Boston having 3 picks in the first round including 3rd overall along with 5 second-round picks including 2 of the first 5 picks of that round would have the firepower to trade up to 1st overall. While there is a clear-cut separation after the top 2 picks, it's not like either Ingram or Simmons is a generational talent.

A generationally talented 1st overall pick like LeBron James, Tim Duncan, or Shaquille O' Neal are practically untouchable given the likelihood of them being superstars under team control on a rookie-scale contract. At the same time, you can't typically get a true superstar like, say Blake Griffin or Kevin Durant, in trade for a 1st overall pick like Kyrie Irving, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Bennett, or Andrew Wiggins during their respective draft years.

It depends on the talent available and the projected value assessment. The Spurs traded George Hill for a package that included 2011 15th overall pick Kawhi Leonard, a second-rounder, and a former second-round player. The trade was obviously a coup for San Antonio but the consensus opinion at the time was that Indiana made out as the winners of that transaction. Even Spurs GM R.C. Buford was "scared s-less" that they over-reached. However, San Antonio's pre-draft intelligence pegged Leonard as an ideal fit for its system while he was generally considered to be a role player by the draft community, NBA talent evaluators included.

With there being only 2 rounds in the draft and teams typically not armed with multiple first-rounders in their coffers, it would normally be harder to trade up in the draft unless you include an established NBA player.

Personally, I think Brandon Ingram is the only prospect worthy of the 1st overall pick in this draft class but he's hardly a generational talent, comparisons to Kevin Durant notwithstanding. If I were the Lakers or even Sixers, I would consider trading down with Boston for multiple picks.

[mttwlsn16]

Too bad Lakers didnt get the 4th pick. Would have been golden.

[nickhx2]

i was really hoping that would happen. oh well

[Ranma]

As another anecdote, Chris Webber, the 1st overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft, was traded by the Orlando Magic to the Golden State Warriors for the 3rd overall pick that year (Anfernee Hardaway) and 3 future first-round picks in 1996, 1998, and 2000. The funny thing is that the trade was prompted by Shaq calling for the Magic brass to bring Penny back in for another workout after working out with him full-speed on the set of Blue Chips. Penny wowed the Magic during his private workout, which prompted them to change their mind in having Webber be their top target just hours before the draft. This resulted in other teams following suit in taking their pre-draft private workouts more seriously such as the Lakers with Kobe Bryant, the Suns with Amar'e Stoudemire, and the Pistons with Darko Milicic.

The funny thing is that Webber would go on to be traded again for another huge haul. This time from Golden State to Washington for Tom Gugliotta and 3 future first-round picks again in 1996, 1998, and 2000. I believe a couple of those picks were the Warriors' previous picks traded to Orlando in the first Webber deal.

While Webber had the longer NBA career, I was a fan of Anfernee Hardaway's from the get-go as one of the most talented players to ever play the game. Even though Hardaway was my favorite prospect in the 1993 draft, I wouldn't have taken him 1st overall but would have traded down to get him. Orlando's haul was beyond what I thought was possible. Using this template, I was hoping the Clippers would trade down from the 1st overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft to Denver's 3rd overall slot position in order to draft Vince Carter. Instead we took Michael Olowokandi, whom I preferred Mike Bibby over back then.

[mkwest]

As another anecdote, Chris Webber, the 1st overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft, was traded by the Orlando Magic to the Golden State Warriors for the 3rd overall pick that year (Anfernee Hardaway) and 3 future first-round picks in 1996, 1998, and 2000. The funny thing is that the trade was prompted by Shaq calling for the Magic brass to bring Penny back in for another workout after working out with him full-speed on the set of Blue Chips. Penny wowed the Magic during his private workout, which prompted them to change their mind in having Webber be their top target just hours before the draft. This resulted in other teams following suit in taking their pre-draft private workouts more seriously such as the Lakers with Kobe Bryant, the Suns with Amar'e Stoudemire, and the Pistons with Darko Milicic.

The funny thing is that Webber would go on to be traded again for another huge haul. This time from Golden State to Washington for Tom Gugliotta and 3 future first-round picks again in 1996, 1998, and 2000. I believe a couple of those picks were the Warriors' previous picks traded to Orlando in the first Webber deal.

While Webber had the longer NBA career, I was a fan of Anfernee's Hardaway from the get-go as one of the most talented players to ever play the game. Even though Hardaway was my favorite prospect in the 1993 draft, I wouldn't have taken him 1st overall but would have traded down to get him. Orlando's haul was beyond what I thought was possible. Using this template, I was hoping the Clippers would trade down from the 1st overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft to Denver's 3rd overall slot position in order to draft Vince Carter. Instead we took Michael Olowokandi, whom I preferred Mike Bibby over back then.

Coincidentally, the pick used for Carter was one of the 1st rounds picks traded by the Warriors to Orlando for Chris Webber.