Official 2017 Draft Thread - Something Positive To Look Forward To

[puppa bear]

Anyone else unimpressed with Dennis Smith? I'll take Monk over him without a second thought.

After Monk's last game, I think he could go top 3. I can't think of any current or former NBA player who shoots and makes 3's as much as Monk does while also being very athletic.

Monk's last game was great. Im not trying to take anything away from that game, it was a blast to watch. But Im not ready to put Monk as this sharp shooter type player yet. He has always been a very streaky shooter in the past and prior to this last game he was shooting 38% from 3.

I couldnt take Monk in the top 5 of this draft. He still has very questionable shot selection, his handle leaves a lot to be desired and hes not a good defender. His size worries me at the 2 and its hard not to get a smaller JR Smith feel from him. Not trying to say he wont be a legit good player, I think he will. I just feel like there are 5-6 guys in this class that can be legit #1 or great #2s on a really good team. I cant see Monk ever being a #1 on a good team. Should be a really great scorer though no doubt.

Yea' Monk not a top 5'er from anybody but reaching teams

Luckily the league's got some of those

Smith's swagger reminds me of Lin, not Lin-sanity Lin but normal Lin. Looks more comfortable off the ball

Watch on YouTube

100% agree with both of you, and think that Booker doing what he is doing will make a few more of those teams willing to reach on a shooter with potential. If Monk can lift his 3p% through he year and have some great workouts I can see a team or 2 having him higher than he should be.

[DayofMourning]

More on Tacko Fall:

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2016/12/16/the-basketball-infant-7-foot-6-tacko-falls-basketball-journey-is-just-getting-started/

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

[Feel_the_Heat15]

After Monk's last game, I think he could go top 3. I can't think of any current or former NBA player who shoots and makes 3's as much as Monk does while also being very athletic.

Monk's last game was great. Im not trying to take anything away from that game, it was a blast to watch. But Im not ready to put Monk as this sharp shooter type player yet. He has always been a very streaky shooter in the past and prior to this last game he was shooting 38% from 3.

I couldnt take Monk in the top 5 of this draft. He still has very questionable shot selection, his handle leaves a lot to be desired and hes not a good defender. His size worries me at the 2 and its hard not to get a smaller JR Smith feel from him. Not trying to say he wont be a legit good player, I think he will. I just feel like there are 5-6 guys in this class that can be legit #1 or great #2s on a really good team. I cant see Monk ever being a #1 on a good team. Should be a really great scorer though no doubt.

Yea' Monk not a top 5'er from anybody but reaching teams

Luckily the league's got some of those

Smith's swagger reminds me of Lin, not Lin-sanity Lin but normal Lin. Looks more comfortable off the ball

Watch on YouTube

100% agree with both of you, and think that Booker doing what he is doing will make a few more of those teams willing to reach on a shooter with potential. If Monk can lift his 3p% through he year and have some great workouts I can see a team or 2 having him higher than he should be.

Jamal Murray was the 7th pick last draft and Monk's putting up even better numbers right now than Murray did his freshman season. DX has Monk going top 5 right now and they haven't updated their mock draft for weeks. Also, Monk most likely won't be playing the SG position much in the NBA. Steph Curry was averaging 2.8 assists as a SG his freshman season and then he improved his ball-handling enough to play PG in the pros. Why can't we see Monk most likely doing the same? Guess what, Curry also had very questionable shot selection and he still does putting up shots from 30+ feet out. If Monk can play the PG position you're going to be looking at a future all-star.

[King_Supreme]

How well is Monk at creating his own shot?

[DayofMourning]

How well is Monk at creating his own shot?

That's what he does. He's a very good shooter, so he can get his shot off in tight spots.

I'd say his lack of length is the only drawback as a shooter right now. I believe that plays a part in his off games. He's definitely not prototype, but that only means so much. He's going to find his spots to score in the NBA and make the most of them.

There's some good discussion about him on the Draft forum right now. Fischella has a good handle on what he brings to the plate I think.

Link to Draft forum Monk discussion: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1499543&start=40

[Duke4life831]

How well is Monk at creating his own shot?

He can get his shot off as well as anyone in the draft. His handle is going to limit him though. Hes not a guy you can give the ball to and clear out and hes going to get his shot consistently. Hes more along the lines of Klay or JR where they can shoot very well off the move, they can put the ball down real quick and do a nice step back to create space. I think hes going to be a great off ball scorer and in todays game those type of players are becoming so valuable. They can fit in with a team that is all about ball movement or they can pair up nicely with a ball dominant player.

[Duke4life831]

Monk's last game was great. Im not trying to take anything away from that game, it was a blast to watch. But Im not ready to put Monk as this sharp shooter type player yet. He has always been a very streaky shooter in the past and prior to this last game he was shooting 38% from 3.

I couldnt take Monk in the top 5 of this draft. He still has very questionable shot selection, his handle leaves a lot to be desired and hes not a good defender. His size worries me at the 2 and its hard not to get a smaller JR Smith feel from him. Not trying to say he wont be a legit good player, I think he will. I just feel like there are 5-6 guys in this class that can be legit #1 or great #2s on a really good team. I cant see Monk ever being a #1 on a good team. Should be a really great scorer though no doubt.

Yea' Monk not a top 5'er from anybody but reaching teams

Luckily the league's got some of those

Smith's swagger reminds me of Lin, not Lin-sanity Lin but normal Lin. Looks more comfortable off the ball

Watch on YouTube

100% agree with both of you, and think that Booker doing what he is doing will make a few more of those teams willing to reach on a shooter with potential. If Monk can lift his 3p% through he year and have some great workouts I can see a team or 2 having him higher than he should be.

Jamal Murray was the 7th pick last draft and Monk's putting up even better numbers right now than Murray did his freshman season. DX has Monk going top 5 right now and they haven't updated their mock draft for weeks. Also, Monk most likely won't be playing the SG position much in the NBA. Steph Curry was averaging 2.8 assists as a SG his freshman season and then he improved his ball-handling enough to play PG in the pros. Why can't we see Monk most likely doing the same? Guess what, Curry also had very questionable shot selection and he still does putting up shots from 30+ feet out. If Monk can play the PG position you're going to be looking at a future all-star.

Just because an all time great was able to do something doesnt mean you should expect another prospect to be able to do the same. Again to caution people, Monk is a streaky 3 point shooter, again he was shooting 38% from deep before this last game. Not bad at all but not some once in a generation type shooter. The only way I think you want Monk as your PG is if you have a guy like Simmons or Lebron as your primary ball handler and facilitator. Monk has pretty questionable handles especially in the half court, theyre very loose.

I like Monk a lot as a prospect, I like him a lot more than Murray or any of the guards in last years draft. One of his best attributes is his ability to move off the ball, its by far the best out of anyone in this draft. He moves great off the ball and is a really good catch and shoot player, plus hes a freak athlete. I still think his best comparison is JR Smith with his head screwed on right.

[JWG324]

All i'm gonna say is the same concerns people had with Curry are being said about Monk. "Terrible size", "Won't be able to defend in the pros", "Bad shot selection", "Not a true PG", etc. I'm not comparing him to Curry, but i'm just saying these "concerns" may not be all that concerning. If Monk develops good ball handling skills, he can be all star. That's the only weakness i see in his game.

And you guys keep mentioning he shot 38% from 3s before last game like it doesn't count. Well, now he's at 42% while shooting more than 8 3s a game. His style is exactly what the NBA is transitioning to while possessing elite athleticism. If Fultz, Ball, and JJ are gone, Monk is my guy.

[Feel_the_Heat15]

All i'm gonna say is the same concerns people had with Curry are being said about Monk. "Terrible size", "Won't be able to defend in the pros", "Bad shot selection", "Not a true PG", etc. I'm not comparing him to Curry, but i'm just saying these "concerns" may not be all that concerning. If Monk develops good ball handling skills, he can be all star. That's the only weakness i see in his game.

And you guys keep mentioning he shot 38% from 3s before last game like it doesn't count. Well, now he's at 42% while shooting more than 8 3s a game. His style is exactly what the NBA is transitioning to while possessing elite athleticism. If Fultz, Ball, and JJ are gone, Monk is my guy.

At worst Monk will be the 7th pick. Tatum has only played 3 games and he's been pretty good lately. Things could change depending on how well Giles plays too.

[KingDavid]

Monk's last game was great. Im not trying to take anything away from that game, it was a blast to watch. But Im not ready to put Monk as this sharp shooter type player yet. He has always been a very streaky shooter in the past and prior to this last game he was shooting 38% from 3.

I couldnt take Monk in the top 5 of this draft. He still has very questionable shot selection, his handle leaves a lot to be desired and hes not a good defender. His size worries me at the 2 and its hard not to get a smaller JR Smith feel from him. Not trying to say he wont be a legit good player, I think he will. I just feel like there are 5-6 guys in this class that can be legit #1 or great #2s on a really good team. I cant see Monk ever being a #1 on a good team. Should be a really great scorer though no doubt.

Yea' Monk not a top 5'er from anybody but reaching teams

Luckily the league's got some of those

Smith's swagger reminds me of Lin, not Lin-sanity Lin but normal Lin. Looks more comfortable off the ball

Watch on YouTube

100% agree with both of you, and think that Booker doing what he is doing will make a few more of those teams willing to reach on a shooter with potential. If Monk can lift his 3p% through he year and have some great workouts I can see a team or 2 having him higher than he should be.

Jamal Murray was the 7th pick last draft and Monk's putting up even better numbers right now than Murray did his freshman season. DX has Monk going top 5 right now and they haven't updated their mock draft for weeks. Also, Monk most likely won't be playing the SG position much in the NBA. Steph Curry was averaging 2.8 assists as a SG his freshman season and then he improved his ball-handling enough to play PG in the pros. Why can't we see Monk most likely doing the same? Guess what, Curry also had very questionable shot selection and he still does putting up shots from 30+ feet out. If Monk can play the PG position you're going to be looking at a future all-star.

Curry's speedy jumpshot is why his dribbling is so lethal.

[Duke4life831]

All i'm gonna say is the same concerns people had with Curry are being said about Monk. "Terrible size", "Won't be able to defend in the pros", "Bad shot selection", "Not a true PG", etc. I'm not comparing him to Curry, but i'm just saying these "concerns" may not be all that concerning. If Monk develops good ball handling skills, he can be all star. That's the only weakness i see in his game.

And you guys keep mentioning he shot 38% from 3s before last game like it doesn't count. Well, now he's at 42% while shooting more than 8 3s a game. His style is exactly what the NBA is transitioning to while possessing elite athleticism. If Fultz, Ball, and JJ are gone, Monk is my guy.

I think Monk is a really good player. But hes never been known as a knock down shooter. He has always been known as a really streaky shooter. I bring up the 38% to kinda show that even with a great start to the season hes still been streaky. You gotta look at his history a little bit and cant put all the eggs in the basket over his current % especially after a game like that this early in the season where its still going to have a sizeable affect on his averages.

I just dont think you can say look he has the same flaws as Curry, Curry was able to get over them so why cant Monk. All time greats tend to be the exception not the rule most of the time. For every Curry you get plenty of OJ Mayos who had the same issues, bad shot selection, questionable size so hoping he could turn into a PG and so on. Its kind of like the thing you hear with a lot of players, like Rubio and Wall, we heard they were just a jumpshot away and people always bring up the guys that learned to shoot. But every guy that learned to shoot there are plenty that never did.

I like Monk a lot because the skills he has should transfer over to the NBA very well. Hes a great athlete, he moves extremely well off the ball and is a good catch and shoot player. Just from that right there he has the chance to be JR Smith with his head screwed on right which is a great role player to have in todays game with the importance of ball movement and 3 point shooting.

[DayofMourning]

Harry Giles is actually playing in a basketball game...right...now.

[Cmon_Son-_-]

http://es.pn/2gVBSuY
This is why I hate Duke

[puppa bear]

http://es.pn/2gVBSuY
This is why I hate Duke

That's terrible reporting - the slo-mo at the end clearly shows the defenders leg clips Allen's left foot as it comes through.
Not a foul & he totally should have finished through that contact, but the reporting (title & text) is just chitty.

[leoshes]

Are talking about both offense, & defense? Because half the game is played on the defensive end.

Markannen is reported to have the potential to defend pick and rolls efficiently. I'm not saying he's going to become Bosh, but some of the things he can potentially do are skills that Bosh possessed(shooting, driving to the hoop, pick and roll defense, post fadeaway).

Ive seen him play a few times, & for me he is to slow footed to be a good defender. He will make a better C, then PF.

[puppa bear]

Are talking about both offense, & defense? Because half the game is played on the defensive end.

Markannen is reported to have the potential to defend pick and rolls efficiently. I'm not saying he's going to become Bosh, but some of the things he can potentially do are skills that Bosh possessed(shooting, driving to the hoop, pick and roll defense, post fadeaway).

Ive seen him play a few times, & for me he is to slow footed to be a good defender. He will make a better C, then PF.

I've been wondering if Love is a better college comparison than Bosh for Markkanen. I can't say I've watched enough Love college vids to say for sure, but he came into the league with a slower step than Bosh & had the potential for range, but hadn't developed it fully yet (37% at UCLA). Also, he has that same "is he better as a C" quality - but Love measured significantly shorter in college. Both had issues identified around defending the pick and roll, and moving quick enough on the perimeter.

Rebounding and BBIQ are the two parts where I'm too lazy to check the comparisons right now. Both were huge for Love at UCLA and basically the things that got him drafted so high.

[leoshes]

Markannen is reported to have the potential to defend pick and rolls efficiently. I'm not saying he's going to become Bosh, but some of the things he can potentially do are skills that Bosh possessed(shooting, driving to the hoop, pick and roll defense, post fadeaway).

Ive seen him play a few times, & for me he is to slow footed to be a good defender. He will make a better C, then PF.

I've been wondering if Love is a better college comparison than Bosh for Markkanen. I can't say I've watched enough Love college vids to say for sure, but he came into the league with a slower step than Bosh & had the potential for range, but hadn't developed it fully yet (37% at UCLA). Also, he has that same "is he better as a C" quality - but Love measured significantly shorter in college. Both had issues identified around defending the pick and roll, and moving quick enough on the perimeter.

Rebounding and BBIQ are the two parts where I'm too lazy to check the comparisons right now. Both were huge for Love at UCLA and basically the things that got him drafted so high.

Yeah, a taller Love without the rebounding, & passing. From what i've read most have him somewhere around Nikola Mirotic/Ryan Anderson/almost Porzingis type of player. If you have any other comparisons that you've found on other draft sites please post them.

[DayofMourning]

Harry Giles highlight video from last nights game.

Watch on YouTube

[DayofMourning]

Watch on YouTube

[DayofMourning]

Markkanen at 9
Fultz at 11