Absurdly early 2018 NBA Draft Thread

[jayu70]

You're both wrong. Jam likes Wendell, not JJJ.

This is true. I actually admire how vociferously Jamaal has beaten the Wendell drum despite the fact that there's next to no chance that we end up with him

Jamaal likes Wendell yes we all knew...Brad likes JJJ...Jamaal is Brad and Brad is Jamaal. So if Brad likes JJJ, wouldn’t there stand a chance that Jamaal likes JJJ?

[ATLHoops97]

Very excited for the draft on Thursday, hoping management doesn't find a way to screw this up. My wish list for the Hawks would be as followed:

1. Doncic
2. Young
3. Bagley
4. Porter
5. Bamba

If they draft anybody else I will be pretty let down, and if they draft JJJ I will probably flip **** and go crazy. Plz don't do that hawks lmao.

[Radioblacktive1]

Got a bad feeling about JJJ. The last time I was staunchly against drafting somebody on our radar was Adreian Payne. I feel almost exactly the same way about JJJ so I'm trying to mentally prepare for Silver to announce him as our pick.

[jayu70]

Got a bad feeling about JJJ. The last time I was staunchly against drafting somebody on our radar was Adreian Payne. I feel almost exactly the same way about JJJ so I'm trying to mentally prepare for Silver to announce him as our pick.

Wasn't AP a MichSt player too?

[Radioblacktive1]

Got a bad feeling about JJJ. The last time I was staunchly against drafting somebody on our radar was Adreian Payne. I feel almost exactly the same way about JJJ so I'm trying to mentally prepare for Silver to announce him as our pick.

Wasn't AP a MichSt player too?

Hey look at that. He sure was.

[Spud2nique]

93 hours away who ya got at #3 if we stand Patrick?

I got Bagley for us...Kings are bluffing they go Luka

[pacehawk]

93 hours away who ya got at #3 if we stand Patrick?

I got Bagley for us...Kings are bluffing they go Luka

Hoping for:
Luka!
Bagley or
Bamba

[Archx]

I don't think Luka will fall to you guys. There was a picture on twitter but was quickly taken down of him, Vlade, Kings owner and other Kings guys who went out for a dinner in Spain 3 weeks ago. Vlade has scouted Doncic in person more than anyone.... I would be really shocked if Kings pass on him.

[Jamaaliver]

93 hours away who ya got at #3 if we stand Patrick?

I got Bagley for us...Kings are bluffing they go Luka

I just can't get past the feeling that if we draft Bagley a year after drafting Bagley...Collins is inevitably getting traded.

There's just so much overlap there.

Spoiler:

NOTE: IN an era where every player needs to be able to shoot, pass and defend -- it feels risky to draft a guy (Bagley) who does none of those things.

[Jamaaliver]

Brad (jam) likes JJJ.

This isn't true...

I didn't even include him in my top-10 list for this draft.

Wait...you don’t have JJJ in ur top 10?

Dude...we've already discussed this.

Spoiler:

Jamaal, what's your top 10 prospects?

I've been hesitant to go on record. I've analyzed these kids so much I'm going crazy:

Top Tier

1) Ayton - All Time talent and potential. But I suspect he is not prepared for the rigors of fame. He also seems kinda lazy.

2) Doncic - Great passer, above avg ball skills for his size, capable shooter, unselfish, competitive. But the lack of foot speed is an issue.

3) M Porter, Jr. - Before the injury, he was the consensus #1 player coming into the draft class. His agility, size and shooting make him a formidable offensive weapon. He needs to get stronger and improve the ball handling. He also has a polarizing personality that rubs teammates wrong. Rarely passes the ball. He has the game of Glen Rice with the ego/confidence of Carmelo.

4) Bagley III - The production will be there. He's just naturally gifted. But the holes in his game are real and he'll have trouble in the playoffs where teams can out scheme his production. He should be a more effective perimeter defender.

Second Tier

5) Mo Bamba - He may not be Gobert/Mutombo. But he'll rebound and block shots like crazy. He is very weak and has to improve his offense. He clearly can impact a game, but can he decide a playoff series or carry a franchise? Doubtful.

6) Trae Young - A gamble that should put up numbers...but may not be efficient enough to win behind. His defense will be so terrible, the offense may not matter. Will have to play a similar role to Isaiah Thomas in Boston. He'll need teammates willing to defer and cover for him defensively.

7) Wendell Carter - Unspectacular. But few holes in his game. Will impact games and series, but won't have elite stat production. BOLD Statement alert: Possibly the best 2-way player in this draft.

The Rest

8) MIkal Bridges - Great defender with a solid shooting game. He'll make some star a great sidekick. Reminiscent of Eddie Jones. Has no playmaking skills.

9) Collin Sexton - A bulldog with the ball in his hands. Will look great in transition and put up impressive regular season stats. Will be out schemed in postseason play as he doesn't create for others or shoot from deep well. Suffers from Russ Westbrook syndrome. For better and Worse.

10) A tie between Lonnie Walker IV and Shai Kidd Gilgeous. Lonnie has a chance to be the best SG from this draft and the best two way SG in the league. Brings all the tools to be great. Still learning how to play high level basketball. He projects somewhere between Bradley Beal and Wes Mathews. (All Star scorer or 3 & D standout)

Shai has great size and solid ball skills. Should improve to above avg starter at PG or SG.

Honorable Mention: The homie Miles Bridges. He may be Jae Crowder 2018. Or the second coming of Draymond. It depends on the coach and system.

Excuse my prodding here...I’d be the last (first) one to get on you about anything but can you explain to me how Wendell Carter will impact a series but Bamba cannot?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jamaal likes Wendell yes we all knew...Brad likes JJJ...Jamaal is Brad and Brad is Jamaal. So if Brad likes JJJ, wouldn’t there stand a chance that Jamaal likes JJJ?

[Jamaaliver]

B Rowland stepping up the caliber of his guests this offseason:

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

The Case for Wendell Carter Jr. Over Marvin Bagley III

Why the less-heralded Duke freshman big may be the one teams should want in the 2018 NBA draft




At the NBA draft combine in Chicago in May, I asked some executives whether they had Carter ranked ahead of Bagley. Some did. Others felt it was a toss-up. Only one said it’d be silly to put Carter ahead of Bagley.

Publicly, Bagley is almost universally considered the better prospect than Carter. Here’s why I think Carter is the better long-term prospect:

A Clear Advantage on Defense

Carter’s defense gives him a strong foundation to build on.. At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-4.5 wingspan and 251-pound frame, he has ideal physical measurements for a big man. Carter knows when and where to be on the floor, and it shows in his understanding of angles and timing. He knows how to contest shots using his long arms, and how to do it without fouling. His pick-and-roll defensive technique needs to come a long way; he stands too upright, so speedy college guards blew by him. But when he moves laterally on the balls of his feet, he looks like a potential Al Horford–type defender.

Carter is strong and big enough to handle the rigors of defending the post. we so often focus on a big man’s ability to defend the perimeter, which is indeed critical. But they still need to excel at defending their counterparts: the Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Anthony Davis types.

Bagley’s case is the opposite; he gets pushed around inside. Bagley's perimeter technique is worse than Carter’s, and he’s usually a beat slow reacting to movement and rotations. Bagley’s body is so lean that even some larger wings overpowered him on perimeter drives.

Carter won’t ever be a dominant shot blocker like Rudy Gobert or an elite switchable defender like Draymond Green, but his tools pave a lane toward a Horfordesque level of defensive production. The lane is less clear for Bagley.




Less Risk on Offense

Bagley undeniably has higher offensive upside than Carter. Bagley could fill a role like Amar’e Stoudemire did in his prime. Carter can do a lot of the same things. He’s already a better screener, and his wider frame will make it harder for guards to fight through his picks. He’s not as explosive inside, but he’s not ground-bound like Jahlil Okafor.

Neither Bagley nor Carter currently possess a wide array of post moves. Both of them utilize a jump hook.
Both bigs need to prove they can shoot from NBA range; Bagley shot 39.7 percent from 3 last season, while Carter hit 41.3 percent of his 3s. But the sample sizes are small.

Carter is the best passing big who will go in the lottery. He’s no Nikola Jokic, or even Horford, but he’s very good at making advanced reads on the short roll or from the post. Duke inverted its offense at times by having Carter play from the high post to feed Bagley inside with accurate entry passes and some stylish dimes.



An Easier Fit in a Playoff Lineup

NBA players must be able to affect both ends of the floor to thrive deep into the playoffs. Weaknesses will be exploited, so coaches need to find the lineups that can best minimize holes. This balancing act is where I give an edge to Carter.

Carter, who projects as a more reliable defender and more of a plug-and-play offensive player. Bagley and Carter aren’t all that similar offensively. Bagley is the lob threat and interior finisher, who could become a focal point if something other than his offensive rebounding—like his jumper—develops into a supreme skill. Carter is more of a low-maintenance, complementary piece who actively affects winning with screening, passing, and spacing.

Carter gets the edge on my board. Check back in four years to find out whether that was the right call.

The Ringer

[Spud2nique]

I wouldn’t mind..Ayton would be Mike Vick!

https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2018/6/18/17471402/nba-mock-draft-2018-perfect-pick-michael-porter-jr-luka-doncic-marvin-bagley-phoenix-suns

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

Watch on YouTube

[Spud2nique]

Read on Twitter

Watch on YouTube

Not too much knowledge or info on either of these guys they are off my radar. The second guy Musa reminds me of a mix between Viktor Khryapa and Linas Kleiza. Viktor didn’t pan out in the nba but Linas has some good years with the Nuggets. I believed he even scored over 40 once.

Musa looks nice. Can he defend?

[Jamaaliver]

Not too much knowledge or info on either of these guys they are off my radar.

The second guy Musa reminds me of a mix between Viktor Khryapa and Linas Kleiza. Viktor didn’t pan out in the nba but Linas has some good years with the Nuggets. I believed he even scored over 40 once.

Musa looks nice. Can he defend?

Musa can defend no one. Which definitely caps his upside. But he should be an effective scorer off the bench hitting from outside and midrange.

Okobo is somewhere between Barbosa and a young Tony Parker. He only recently switched to playing PG, so he too often looks for his own shot. But he has natural ball skills and when he gets hot...can carry a team offensively for stretches.


NOTE: Okobo is a much better 3-pt shooter than young Tony Parker.

[kg01]

Musa looks nice. Can he defend?

No and he has a bad attitude. Don't be mesmerized by these offense-only clips, spud. If Okogie got a-hold of this guy, he would've folded him up, put him in a suitcase and dropped him off on Real Madrid's doorstep so he can build his hype back up to try again next year.

[Spud2nique]

Not too much knowledge or info on either of these guys they are off my radar.

The second guy Musa reminds me of a mix between Viktor Khryapa and Linas Kleiza. Viktor didn’t pan out in the nba but Linas has some good years with the Nuggets. I believed he even scored over 40 once.

Musa looks nice. Can he defend?

Musa can defend no one. Which definitely caps his upside. But he should be an effective scorer off the bench hitting from outside and midrange.

Okobo is somewhere between Barbosa and a young Tony Parker. He only recently switched to playing PG, so he too often looks for his own shot. But he has natural ball skills and when he gets hot...can carry a team offensively for stretches.


NOTE: Okobo is a much better 3-pt shooter than young Tony Parker.

I’m a fan of the Brazilian blur as well as TP. I think the only part I hated about Parker was his inability to shoot from the outside for the first few years. Other than that he was a great facilitator on a championship caliber team for 15+ years.

I’m assuming we are looking at both of these guys with picks 30 or 34?

[Spud2nique]

You know how players recruit players, I say we start recruiting countries and go all international!

#3 Luka Doncic
#19 Dzanan Musa
#30 Rodions Kurucs
#34 Elie Okobo

Thoughts?

[King Ken]

This isn't true...

I didn't even include him in my top-10 list for this draft.

Wait...you don’t have JJJ in ur top 10?

Dude...we've already discussed this.

Spoiler:

I've been hesitant to go on record. I've analyzed these kids so much I'm going crazy:

Top Tier

1) Ayton - All Time talent and potential. But I suspect he is not prepared for the rigors of fame. He also seems kinda lazy.

2) Doncic - Great passer, above avg ball skills for his size, capable shooter, unselfish, competitive. But the lack of foot speed is an issue.

3) M Porter, Jr. - Before the injury, he was the consensus #1 player coming into the draft class. His agility, size and shooting make him a formidable offensive weapon. He needs to get stronger and improve the ball handling. He also has a polarizing personality that rubs teammates wrong. Rarely passes the ball. He has the game of Glen Rice with the ego/confidence of Carmelo.

4) Bagley III - The production will be there. He's just naturally gifted. But the holes in his game are real and he'll have trouble in the playoffs where teams can out scheme his production. He should be a more effective perimeter defender.

Second Tier

5) Mo Bamba - He may not be Gobert/Mutombo. But he'll rebound and block shots like crazy. He is very weak and has to improve his offense. He clearly can impact a game, but can he decide a playoff series or carry a franchise? Doubtful.

6) Trae Young - A gamble that should put up numbers...but may not be efficient enough to win behind. His defense will be so terrible, the offense may not matter. Will have to play a similar role to Isaiah Thomas in Boston. He'll need teammates willing to defer and cover for him defensively.

7) Wendell Carter - Unspectacular. But few holes in his game. Will impact games and series, but won't have elite stat production. BOLD Statement alert: Possibly the best 2-way player in this draft.

The Rest

8) MIkal Bridges - Great defender with a solid shooting game. He'll make some star a great sidekick. Reminiscent of Eddie Jones. Has no playmaking skills.

9) Collin Sexton - A bulldog with the ball in his hands. Will look great in transition and put up impressive regular season stats. Will be out schemed in postseason play as he doesn't create for others or shoot from deep well. Suffers from Russ Westbrook syndrome. For better and Worse.

10) A tie between Lonnie Walker IV and Shai Kidd Gilgeous. Lonnie has a chance to be the best SG from this draft and the best two way SG in the league. Brings all the tools to be great. Still learning how to play high level basketball. He projects somewhere between Bradley Beal and Wes Mathews. (All Star scorer or 3 & D standout)

Shai has great size and solid ball skills. Should improve to above avg starter at PG or SG.

Honorable Mention: The homie Miles Bridges. He may be Jae Crowder 2018. Or the second coming of Draymond. It depends on the coach and system.

Excuse my prodding here...I’d be the last (first) one to get on you about anything but can you explain to me how Wendell Carter will impact a series but Bamba cannot?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jamaal likes Wendell yes we all knew...Brad likes JJJ...Jamaal is Brad and Brad is Jamaal. So if Brad likes JJJ, wouldn’t there stand a chance that Jamaal likes JJJ?

You type like Brad talks. Just a natural assumption