The Draft Thread: Ayton Vs Doncic 1

[Bob8]

Come on...he is closer to the camera, that is why he looks like a giant on that photo...easy to understand.

He is 6'8, 230 lbs...on that photo he is bigger than Yao Ming.

I said he’s nearest to the lens, and I’m not talking only about height, he just looks big. It will be interesting to find out what his measurements really is. Last year he was 6’7 without shoes and he was still growing. He could be near 6’9 with shoes. 2 years ago he weighed 227 lbs in P3. I believe he’s over 230 at the moment.

He's a little shorter than Luigi Datome on the left (6'8''). He looks bulky and needs to turn that fat into muscle.

and how you can say that?

[thamadkant]

Doncic.

Overpay for perimeter talent. Go cheap on bigs. Thats formula for success. Do it the other way around (like Pels) and you just make it tough for yourself.

Ayton is a very sexy pick because we associate bigs for franchise players. But bigs aren't valued that much nowadays unlike in the 90s while Ayton has serious red flags on D.

A center who cant play D is like a PG who can't shoot

I think Pelicans just lack shooting around them.


Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaq and Robinson had 2-3 shooters, considered sharp shooters of their era around them at all times.


Pelicans have Mirotic finally and he's the only real sharp shooter around Davis.... Holiday is accurate shooter as well but he is not considered a sharp shooter where he can get 5-6 3s when hot and take over from that range.


Put Klay Thompson and Mirotic around Davis and Cousins and watch them dominate...

[thamadkant]

Draft Ayton

Sign Redick, 2 year 35 Million
Sign Smart

Make Bender watch Mirotic videos and make him a volume 3pt shooter...

[Bob8]

Draft Ayton

Sign Redick, 2 year 35 Million
Sign Smart

Make Bender watch Mirotic videos and make him a volume 3pt shooter...

You can forget about Bender being even close to Mirotic. Mirotic was a star in Euroleague. Bender can't get a club in Eurolegue, if he decides to return. Suns should trade Bender as soon as possible, if he has any value.

[juanc]

Guys please watch Shaq's college highlights efoure you start to compare Ayton to him. I highly doubt that Ayton will be on Anthony Davis and Embiid level(who are the 2 best bigs in the league IMO). He may be on the same level as Towns, but I hope you all have watched how he got exposed vs Houston by Capella. Towns has amazing offensive skills but he is a big liability in the playoff. I give Westbrook more chances to win a championship.

Who would you guys rather draft? The next Towns or the next Nash?

[Bob8]

Gambo is right. Doncic’s teammates don’t respect him and don’t like him as a person.

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/677902/real-madrid-players-talk-about-luka-doncic/

[Worst_to_First]

Do you even have to game plan against bigs these days? Most teams just seem to go out and do modern NBA things on offense and don't seem worried at all when other team does an Aldridge or Embiid isolation in the post. It doesn't even seem worth it to game plan your defense for that anymore, since your own offense is already better than your opponent's if your opponent is going in to post so often that you consider game planning. Just cover their 3 point shooters and cutters and laugh when they go to a post up.

The only thing that matters with Ayton right now, since he already projects well offensively, is if he can defend. Can he switch off quickly on a screen? Can he defend a guard on the perimeter and not give them room to shoot? Can he block shots when helping his teammates and can he also block shots when a guard is driving at him? It's less important that he's "athletic for his size" than it is to be flat out quick enough to do every single one of those things.

Ayton can work well in switch heavy defenses as he actually has good lateral quickness and is capable of guarding the perimeter.

What has to be developed is his defensive awareness if you want him to be a defensive anchor.

The then Charlotte Bobcats had among the best defenses in the league even with Al Jefferson as their Center so I believe this should not be a huge issue as to why you would pass on Ayton.

[Worst_to_First]

Guys please watch Shaq's college highlights efoure you start to compare Ayton to him. I highly doubt that Ayton will be on Anthony Davis and Embiid level(who are the 2 best bigs in the league IMO). He may be on the same level as Towns, but I hope you all have watched how he got exposed vs Houston by Capella. Towns has amazing offensive skills but he is a big liability in the playoff. I give Westbrook more chances to win a championship.

Who would you guys rather draft? The next Towns or the next Nash?

Was a huge fan of KAT but Ayton I believe at the very least will be an athletic version of Towns. That is still an absolute stud.

[TheLogician]

I said he’s nearest to the lens, and I’m not talking only about height, he just looks big. It will be interesting to find out what his measurements really is. Last year he was 6’7 without shoes and he was still growing. He could be near 6’9 with shoes. 2 years ago he weighed 227 lbs in P3. I believe he’s over 230 at the moment.

He's a little shorter than Luigi Datome on the left (6'8''). He looks bulky and needs to turn that fat into muscle.

and how you can say that?

If they meet in the championship game on Sunday you will see I'm right. Or you could do the research ahead of time.

[Bob8]

He's a little shorter than Luigi Datome on the left (6'8''). He looks bulky and needs to turn that fat into muscle.

and how you can say that?

If they meet in the championship game on Sunday you will see I'm right. Or you could do the research ahead of time.

what research? Here you have Reyes and Doncic, Reyes 6'9 without shoes.

[juanc]

Guys please watch Shaq's college highlights efoure you start to compare Ayton to him. I highly doubt that Ayton will be on Anthony Davis and Embiid level(who are the 2 best bigs in the league IMO). He may be on the same level as Towns, but I hope you all have watched how he got exposed vs Houston by Capella. Towns has amazing offensive skills but he is a big liability in the playoff. I give Westbrook more chances to win a championship.

Who would you guys rather draft? The next Towns or the next Nash?

Was a huge fan of KAT but Ayton I believe at the very least will be an athletic version of Towns. That is still an absolute stud.

What do you think of Doncic if I may ask?

[Revived]

Guys please watch Shaq's college highlights efoure you start to compare Ayton to him. I highly doubt that Ayton will be on Anthony Davis and Embiid level(who are the 2 best bigs in the league IMO). He may be on the same level as Towns, but I hope you all have watched how he got exposed vs Houston by Capella. Towns has amazing offensive skills but he is a big liability in the playoff. I give Westbrook more chances to win a championship.

Who would you guys rather draft? The next Towns or the next Nash?

Yeah the Shaq comparison for Ayton does not make sense. While he looks physical, he doesn’t actually play all that physical. He has a more finnese touch to his game which most scouting reports of his show as well.

I agree that Towns is the best comparison for Ayton. And if you asked me 3-4 years ago, I would say **** yes let’s get ourselves a Towns type player. But Towns gets exposed defensively so badly and was useless against Houston has changed my perspective.

But skill set wise, their very similar even though Towns is a better shooter between the two.

[TheLogician]

and how you can say that?

If they meet in the championship game on Sunday you will see I'm right. Or you could do the research ahead of time.

what research? Here you have Reyes and Doncic, Reyes 6'9 without shoes.

Dude, you pick the worst photos. Go watch video and stop trolling.

[Laughing Man]

Ayton is an athletic beast but lack of Defense is a massive problem for a big. That's why you have a big for, without any D he will hinder the team more than help. Yeah he looks good on paper but this guy had all the makings of a good offensive player with no D who cannot measure up to the other bigs.

Doncic is the safer pick, you have to hope Ayton turns into something he currently isn't anywhere near being.

[TheLogician]

KAT is a damn good player and everyone loved him before the playoffs (the first of his career, mind you). Ayton is more athletic, taller, and has a larger wingspan. And his shot is absolutely better than KAT's in college and pros.

[Kerrsed]

Ayton is an athletic beast but lack of Defense is a massive problem for a big. That's why you have a big for, without any D he will hinder the team more than help. Yeah he looks good on paper but this guy had all the makings of a good offensive player with no D who cannot measure up to the other bigs.

Doncic is the safer pick, you have to hope Ayton turns into something he currently isn't anywhere near being.

....and we have to hope that Doncic's game translates to the NBA.

Look, Doncic isnt some defensive god either. He is too slow/unathletic to guard guards in the NBA. So that means he will be guarding SF's, and looking around the league, he is going to have his hands full trying. Pro Doncic people like to throw around Aytons defensive limitations, but dont care to speak on Doncic's and act like it isnt just as big of a question mark, which it is.

[juanc]

KAT is a damn good player and everyone loved him before the playoffs (the first of his career, mind you). Ayton is more athletic, taller, and has a larger wingspan. And his shot is absolutely better than KAT's in college and pros.

I am aware of his measurments. Too bad basketball IQ can't be measured so we would have at least one number that is higher with Doncic than with Ayton.

After watching the tape from Arizona I hate it how I am looking at the offense and trying to discover Ayton and than in the next 2 seconds he comes. Yes he is built like Atlas but he isn't the runner some of you would like him to be

[Kerrsed]

Not sure if this was discussed yet. On NBA radio they discussed Doncic saying he may not come out.

The discussion from the hosts was centered around if this could be him trying to get himself to the team he wants.
In otherwords, Phoenix telling Doncic or his agent, "we want you but want to move down a couple spots and get more assets to make it happen."

I could see the Suns picking Ayton first. Then, if Doncic isn't taken by the Kings, we work to already have deals in place to trade with either Atlanta (more likely since they're in the East) or Memphis perhaps.
I would be curious how much a team would give up to move a few spots to nab him so we got Luca.

This could also be why that "report" about him being a pouter or whiny kid surfaced out of nowhere.

You might want to check out my 1st post in the Conspiracy Thread.

[Mulhollanddrive]

Looking at busts this decade and which of the 3 key categories they lacked:

Athleticism - Zeller, Russell, Okafor, Hezonja, Turner, Johnson
Mentality - Bennett, McLemore, Bender, Fultz, Vesely, Udoh
Skills - Exum, Mudiay, Kidd-Gilchrist, Robinson, Williams

Who is more likely to end up on that list?

Athleticism - Doncic
Mentality - Ayton

I think Ayton is more outgoing and focused on basketball than the other busts in the mental category so I have more faith in him in this model.

[Kerrsed]

How many draft and trade threads are there!?

2 Draft Threads. 1 for Ayton/Doncic and 1 for the #16/#31 picks.

1 Ayton & Doncic Conspiracy Thread.

1 Trade/FA Thread.

1 Board Mock Draft Thread.