2018/2019 NBA draft talk: Who should be our target? (Poll)

[OrlChamps2030]

I go the other way on Zion.

Love his athleticism, love his potential skill set offensively, but I’m terrified his body is going to go the other way and he’s gonna routinely be a guy who’s struggling to stay in shape.

Beyond that, I just don’t know who he can guard in the NBA. Not really tall or long enough to be a rim protector or rim deterrent, but proabably lacking the lateral quickness to cover wings.

Tweeners can be devastating offensively, but unfortunately the same goes in reverse defensively.

My initial reaction is that he’s a 5 offensively and probably a 3/4 defensively. Interesting combo.

I don’t really get why you consider him a 5 offensively?

What do you consider Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac offensively?

[Knightro]

I don’t really get why you consider him a 5 offensively?

What do you consider Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac offensively?

Isaac IMO should be playing the 5. That's obviously not happening now that Bamba is here, but I have long suggested Isaac would be most effective in the modern NBA space and space small ball era as a stretch 5.

Gordon's a capable enough perimeter shooter.

I just don't really believe in Zion's jumper yet. I don't think he's a guy who will space the floor offensively, thus making him a center on the offensive end of the floor. I also think his athleticism advantage plays the best against bigs who are just going to be too slow to do anything with him.

A lacking jumper doesn't mean he can't be a super effective player anyway.

[OrlChamps2030]

I don’t really get why you consider him a 5 offensively?

What do you consider Aaron Gordon and Jonathan Isaac offensively?

Isaac IMO should be playing the 5. That's obviously not happening now that Bamba is here, but I have long suggested Isaac would be most effective in the modern NBA space and space small ball era as a stretch 5.

Gordon's a capable enough perimeter shooter.

I just don't really believe in Zion's jumper yet. I don't think he's a guy who will space the floor offensively, thus making him a center on the offensive end of the floor. I also think his athleticism advantage plays the best against bigs who are just going to be too slow to do anything with him.

A lacking jumper doesn't mean he can't be a super effective player anyway.

Aaron Gordon was a bad shooter in college, he shot 41% from the FT line.

I guess we’ll have to see how the season goes, but Zion appears to have a natural feel for the game resulting in more than functional ball handling, exceptional slashing, footwork, and good vision. All things Aaron Gordon lacks. Zion definitely looks like he’ll have no problem playing the 4 I’m just curious to see how his jumper looks in regards to playing the 3.

It seems like people are having a difficult time believing their own eyes when it comes to Zion. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction

[Knightro]

Aaron Gordon was a bad shooter in college, he shot 41% from the FT line.

I guess we’ll have to see how the season goes, but Zion appears to have a natural feel for the game resulting in more than functional ball handling, exceptional slashing, footwork, and good vision. All things Aaron Gordon lacks. Zion definitely looks like he’ll have no problem playing the 4 I’m just curious to see how his jumper looks in regards to playing the 3.

It seems like people are having a difficult time believing their own eyes when it comes to Zion. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction

I'm not really even disagreeing with you.

Zion doesn't have to become a great shooter to be wildly successful with his other skills. He just can't be an unwilling shooter and he has to eventually become passable out there.

If he does those two things, he'll be fine.

I still think his ball handling and athleticism combination play up the best against big men. I don't really see a scenario where he guards threes. I would have him guard 5s and play the 5 and just devastate people.

[Skin]

Zion is a Superstar. A unique one, but he will be a 3/4 in the NBA. No tweener. He will defend just fine. He has the bulk so he won't be backed down easily and can hold his ground. Length won't be a huge issue because he's explosive off the ground. Will be what he needs to be... a good team defender, help defender. Ideal playing with a tall defensive center.

But we will have no chance at him. We keep winning enough to stay in the NBA abyss.

[Duke4life831]

Zion is getting to the point where you take him no matter who you have on your team and you adjust your roster around him. This guy is crazy.

[VFX]

Zion is getting to the point where you take him no matter who you have on your team and you adjust your roster around him. This guy is crazy.

He might truly answer the question “what if Lebron played in college?”. Crazy.

[Duke4life831]

Zion is getting to the point where you take him no matter who you have on your team and you adjust your roster around him. This guy is crazy.

He might truly answer the question “what if Lebron played in college?”. Crazy.

He's the closest thing. He has a good handle and I love his vision. But neither are on LeBron's level. But one thing he has over LeBron at this age in my opinion, he isn't nearly as ball dominant as LeBron. Zion can have a huge impact even without having to dominate the ball.

[VFX]

Zion is getting to the point where you take him no matter who you have on your team and you adjust your roster around him. This guy is crazy.

He might truly answer the question “what if Lebron played in college?”. Crazy.

He's the closest thing. He has a good handle and I love his vision. But neither are on LeBron's level. But one thing he has over LeBron at this age in my opinion, he isn't nearly as ball dominant as LeBron. Zion can have a huge impact even without having to dominate the ball.

Yes. He’s essentially a less ball dominant Lebron / Barkley that can play 3/4/5. If he develops a decent shot , it’s over.

[Duke4life831]

He might truly answer the question “what if Lebron played in college?”. Crazy.

He's the closest thing. He has a good handle and I love his vision. But neither are on LeBron's level. But one thing he has over LeBron at this age in my opinion, he isn't nearly as ball dominant as LeBron. Zion can have a huge impact even without having to dominate the ball.

Yes. He’s essentially a less ball dominant Lebron / Barkley that can play 3/4/5. If he develops a decent shot , it’s over.

The jump shot would definitely take him to the next level. But I also think he is going to a guy like Giannis that even without a consistent, teams won't be able to stay in front of him.

And unlike Simmons, Zion is willing to take a jumper. And the jumper is workable and not completely broken.

[PrimeThyme]

We are not going to be close to drafting any of these Duke kids, so once again I'm not even going to bother getting my hopes up. Love what im seeing from all 3 tho.

[VFX]

We are not going to be close to drafting any of these Duke kids, so once again I'm not even going to bother getting my hopes up. Love what im seeing from all 3 tho.

So sad and true. Might as well be looking in 6-13 range. This group will probably overdeliver,still miss the playoffs, and be a completely different roster next year ultimately resulting in nothing.

[PrimeThyme]

We are not going to be close to drafting any of these Duke kids, so once again I'm not even going to bother getting my hopes up. Love what im seeing from all 3 tho.

So sad and true. Might as well be looking in 6-13 range. This group will probably overdeliver,still miss the playoffs, and be a completely different roster next year ultimately resulting in nothing.

Pretty much exactly what I'm expecting. I expect them to rack up some pointless wins post-All-star break like they always do to knock us out of the top 5 range. I'm kind of keying in on Langford right now, but even he will go in the 5-7 range. Not sure we will be there either.

Its tough being a fan of this franchise. No more lottery luck left to mask the flaws we have always had as an organization.

[VFX]

We are not going to be close to drafting any of these Duke kids, so once again I'm not even going to bother getting my hopes up. Love what im seeing from all 3 tho.

So sad and true. Might as well be looking in 6-13 range. This group will probably overdeliver,still miss the playoffs, and be a completely different roster next year ultimately resulting in nothing.

Pretty much exactly what I'm expecting. I expect them to rack up some pointless wins post-All-star break like they always do to knock us out of the top 5 range. I'm kind of keying in on Langford right now, but even he will go in the 5-7 range. Not sure we will be there either. Its tough being a fan of this franchise. No more lottery luck left to mask the flaws we have always had as an organization.

Even if Langford is available at 7, and Orlando is on the clock, this FO is taking Bol Bol or Sekou Doumbouya considering they don’t draft on positional need or actual basketball skill.

[PrimeThyme]

So sad and true. Might as well be looking in 6-13 range. This group will probably overdeliver,still miss the playoffs, and be a completely different roster next year ultimately resulting in nothing.

Pretty much exactly what I'm expecting. I expect them to rack up some pointless wins post-All-star break like they always do to knock us out of the top 5 range. I'm kind of keying in on Langford right now, but even he will go in the 5-7 range. Not sure we will be there either. Its tough being a fan of this franchise. No more lottery luck left to mask the flaws we have always had as an organization.

Even if Langford is available at 7, and Orlando is on the clock, this FO is taking Bol Bol or Sekou Doumbouya considering they don’t draft on positional need or actual basketball skill.

I could see Doumbouya. Especially considering Isaacs future is up in the air right now with his ankle issues. As much as I doubt them, I still couldn't see them drafting Bol Bol though. Bamba has been encouraging and I don't see a future at PF or SF for Bol Bol.

[OrlandoDream]

I think we will be in Darius Garland range. He is projected to be a late lottery pick. We are not picking top 10 this year imo. I see us having a season like when Skiles was here.

[DiplomaticMagic]

We're not getting any of the Duke 3 or Langford

[Nemesis21]

We're not getting any of the Duke 3 or Langford

[Knightro]

You guys do realize that the team with the 7th worst record only has a 5.8% lesser chance at the top pick than the worst team in the league?

That gap used to be 20%.

I expect there to be a ton of movement in the lottery this year and many years moving forward. They're drawing 4 spots instead of 3 and everyone's odds are a lot more even.

There's very little incentive to full blown tank anymore. The five worst teams essentially all have the same odds of hitting the lotto and the teams just past them are closer than ever before.

[swarlesbarkley]

Obviously it's the best to be one of the worst 4 teams in the league in terms of the lottery, but the new rules make it so the teams with the 5-8th worst record have a pretty great shot at a top 4 pick now (the 5th worst having a 42% chance and the 8th worst having a 27% chance).

The most likely drafting position for the worst record in the league now? 5th at nearly 48%.