Wizards 2019 Draft thread. (Tank for Zion, or OTHER NAME HERE)

[80sballboy]

i still don't really get the zion hype. he can't shoot, so where are you going to play him? undersized PF? the last hyperathlete who couldn't shoot that panned out is... Blake Griffin? and he's 6'10.

i'd be much happier with a guy like deandre hunter from UVa, a legit 6'7 with good athleticism and 3 point range.

How is he undersized PF at 285 lb? He's coming into the NBA as the 2nd heaviest player in the league only behid Boban Marjanovic!

Giannis can't shoot. Boy he sucks doesn't he?

Ben Simmons won't shoot. Boy he sucks too.

Both of them are freaks of nature. Zion is the same way, the difference is they have length and athleticism while Zion has power and athleticism. Comparing Zion to Blake is a disservice to what Zion has done thus far. The highest recorded PER and BPM on record for a Division college prospect!

The NBA is about mismatches and Zion is a walking mismatch at ANY position. The hype is real bro.

Dat I'm 99.9% with you on Zion. But I also have nightmares of Rodney Rogers, short but incredibly athletic power forwards, who were supposed to be the next Sir Charles. Larry Johnson was the closest until back problems killed his career. Length is everything in the NBA. It's more of a finesse game now. Maybe his raw strength will just eat up the lanky power forwards and he's a pretty smart kid. Seems like a hard worker. Probably depends on where he goes so they can surround him with lankier athletes.

[Ruzious]

Fascinating article on Matisse Thybulle - an amazing defensive player.

https://www.thestepien.com/2019/01/06/draft-notes-understanding-matisse-thybulle/

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

UVA is really fun to watch.

They just play the game right.

And Hunter and Jerome are for real.

[Ruzious]

UVA is really fun to watch.

They just play the game right.

And Hunter and Jerome are for real.

Is there anything Ty Jerome isn't good at? I'm not sure he's not a better prospect than Brogdon was. I'm thinking Braxton Key will be their secret weapon in the NCAA tournament.

[popper]

UVA vs. Duke Saturday 6 pm. The recent Syracuse upset of Duke may give VA some hope.

[Shoe]

Nassir Little looks like Gerald Wallace, a defensive slasher and great dunker.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

UVA is really fun to watch.

They just play the game right.

And Hunter and Jerome are for real.

Is there anything Ty Jerome isn't good at? I'm not sure he's not a better prospect than Brogdon was. I'm thinking Braxton Key will be their secret weapon in the NCAA tournament.

Jerome will earn a paycheck in the league.

He is big and quicker than he looks. He's incredibly smart and competitive with great skills. And he has giant, giant eggs.

[pcbothwel]

Nassir Little looks like Gerald Wallace, a defensive slasher and great dunker.

He's going to be a really good pro. He might actually fall in the early teens

[Ruzious]

Nassir Little looks like Gerald Wallace, a defensive slasher and great dunker.

He's going to be a really good pro. He might actually fall in the early teens

Every preseason mock I saw had him in the top 5, and when I first saw UNC play this season, he was a big disappointment. He is not a good offensive player. Then again, he is a teenager. But in this day and age, it's harder and harder to make it in the NBA without a jump shot - let alone 3 point range. And remember, Wallace did eventually learn to shoot jumpers - Little might, but then again I wouldn't assume he will. If I'm a GM, I don't consider him in the lottery.

[Ruzious]

A poor mans (but how poor I don't know) Zion Williamson is East Carolina's Jayden Garnder at 6'6 245 https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/frosh-watch-east-carolinas-jayden-gardner-wins-freshman-of-the-week-honors-after-absurd-35-and-20-performances/ and just getting noticed. CBSSports named him National freshman of the week. He had a 35 point/20 rebound game playing against 7'6 300 lb Taco Fall.

[pcbothwel]

Nassir Little looks like Gerald Wallace, a defensive slasher and great dunker.

He's going to be a really good pro. He might actually fall in the early teens

Every preseason mock I saw had him in the top 5, and when I first saw UNC play this season, he was a big disappointment. He is not a good offensive player. Then again, he is a teenager. But in this day and age, it's harder and harder to make it in the NBA without a jump shot - let alone 3 point range. And remember, Wallace did eventually learn to shoot jumpers - Little might, but then again I wouldn't assume he will. If I'm a GM, I don't consider him in the lottery.

After 10, his floor is simply too high to ignore.
Zion, Barrett, Bol, Doumbouya, Morant, or Garland are the only guys that appear to be a tier above Little... But little has a profile that simply doesnt fail.

Size and athlete: 6'7 with 7'2 wingspan at 220 lbs. Imagine Oubre with 15-20 lbs. A longer/more athletic Stanley Johnson or RHJ.
Motor/Defense/IQ: Absolute killer that wants to out work you all around. The cherry on top is his BBIQ/situational awareness is very high

Simply put, I think his ceiling is an AS and elite defensive player that guards 4 positions. His floor is Gerald Wallace/RHJ... which is a guy that plays 10+ years in this league. You simply cant ignore that. He is a better prospect than Jaylen Brown was coming out.

His style will transition perfect to the NBA

[Ruzious]

True of false? The biggest asset in the NBA next season will be Zion Williamson on the first year of his NBA rookie deal.

[nate33]

True of false? The biggest asset in the NBA next season will be Zion Williamson on the first year of his NBA rookie deal.

I'd still put Giannis ahead of him. He's got two more years left on his contract, he seems to like it in Milwaukee, and the supermax extension will make it more lucrative that he stays. So he'll probably be in Milwaukee for at least another 6 years. And he has a legitimate chance of being a top 5 player of all time.

I'd probably put Doncic ahead of Zion too. Doncic is already doing it at the NBA level and also shows the rare ability to make his teammates better. There is still some doubt about Zion on that front. He'll definitely be really good, but he might be more like the next Dominique Wilkins than the next Lebron James.

Most other players in the league are too old to have as much value as Zion, or their contract situations are too uncertain.

[dckingsfan]

↑↑↑↑

Those that don't realize that Milwaukee is going to be very good for a very long time... well.

And yes to Doncic - interesting that they are now doing a total rebuild around him. Trying to move Smith so that he can take over the PG.

And I think Zion will be in that category above not the Wilkins category (but I am not in the league of the other posters on this board knowing the value of the college players. Although I definitely know Doncic's value).

I also think that Domantas Sabonis has the possibility to get in that group. That is scary for the east if Zion is drafted by an eastern team.

Nikola Jokic could also be in that category eventually.

Edit: The combination of Embiid and Simons should also be in the discussion.

[nate33]

↑↑↑↑

Those that don't realize that Milwaukee is going to be very good for a very long time... well.

And yes to Doncic - interesting that they are now doing a total rebuild around him. Trying to move Smith so that he can take over the PG.

And I think Zion will be in that category above not the Wilkins category (but I am not in the league of the other posters on this board knowing the value of the college players. Although I definitely know Doncic's value).

I also think that Domantas Sabonis has the possibility to get in that group. That is scary for the east if Zion is drafted by an eastern team.

Nikola Jokic could also be in that category eventually.

Edit: The combination of Embiid and Simons should also be in the discussion.

I agree than Embiid should be in the discussion.

Sabonis is a nice player, but I don't think he is at this level. He's not even starting. But he's certainly an underrated guy who might emerge as a legit star in short order.

Jokic is an elite offensive player, but his defensive liabilities are still a major problem when it comes to the playoffs. I think that's going to limit him from ever being a top 5 player, whereas I can easily see Zion as a top 5 player.

[dckingsfan]

↑↑↑↑

Those that don't realize that Milwaukee is going to be very good for a very long time... well.

And yes to Doncic - interesting that they are now doing a total rebuild around him. Trying to move Smith so that he can take over the PG.

And I think Zion will be in that category above not the Wilkins category (but I am not in the league of the other posters on this board knowing the value of the college players. Although I definitely know Doncic's value).

I also think that Domantas Sabonis has the possibility to get in that group. That is scary for the east if Zion is drafted by an eastern team.

Nikola Jokic could also be in that category eventually.

Edit: The combination of Embiid and Simons should also be in the discussion.

I agree than Embiid should be in the discussion.

Sabonis is a nice player, but I don't think he is at this level. He's not even starting. But he's certainly an underrated guy who might emerge as a legit star in short order.

Jokic is an elite offensive player, but his defensive liabilities are still a major problem when it comes to the playoffs. I think that's going to limit him from ever being a top 5 player, whereas I can easily see Zion as a top 5 player.

So, Sabonis first - if you look at his trajectory - he is damn close and I think he jumps into that category next year. TSS .664, he passes well and has made a huge jump on D.

Correct on Jokic but... Harden. Some guys are so good on the offensive end that you can build around that...

And getting back to the Wizards - if Zion ends up in the east, then Giannis (which you correctly point out); Zion; Sabonis; and Embiid and Simons. Ouch!

[Ruzious]

Speaking of Jokic, it's amazing he was the 41st pick in the 14 draft - a draft so not good that the first 2 picks were Wiggins and Parker. Embiid would have been #1 if not for the likelidhood that he was damaged goods. Denver picked Nurkic 16th and Jokic 41st - they got their kics that draft. Houston went a Capela with the 25th pick. Other than that. it was a bad draft.

[dckingsfan]

Speaking of Jokic, it's amazing he was the 41st pick in the 14 draft - a draft so not good that the first 2 picks were Wiggins and Parker. Embiid would have been #1 if not for the likelidhood that he was damaged goods. Denver picked Nurkic 16th and Jokic 41st - they got their kics that draft. Houston went a Capela with the 25th pick. Other than that. it was a bad draft.

[nate33]

Speaking of Jokic, it's amazing he was the 41st pick in the 14 draft - a draft so not good that the first 2 picks were Wiggins and Parker. Embiid would have been #1 if not for the likelidhood that he was damaged goods. Denver picked Nurkic 16th and Jokic 41st - they got their kics that draft. Houston went a Capela with the 25th pick. Other than that. it was a bad draft.

It would sure be nice if we could, just once, find a legit All-Star caliber player (or better yet, a superstar) with a pick outside of the top 5. Can't we, just once, find a Kawhi Leonard, or Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Nikola Jokic, or Damian Lillard, or Klay Thompson, or Rudy Gay, or Paul George, or Domantas Sabonis?

The last time EG did something like that was freaking Michael Redd 19 years ago. And Redd was only a borderline All Star.

[Ruzious]

Speaking of Jokic, it's amazing he was the 41st pick in the 14 draft - a draft so not good that the first 2 picks were Wiggins and Parker. Embiid would have been #1 if not for the likelidhood that he was damaged goods. Denver picked Nurkic 16th and Jokic 41st - they got their kics that draft. Houston went a Capela with the 25th pick. Other than that. it was a bad draft.

It would sure be nice if we could, just once, find a legit All-Star caliber player (or better yet, a superstar) with a pick outside of the top 5. Can't we, just once, find a Kawhi Leonard, or Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Nikola Jokic, or Damian Lillard, or Klay Thompson, or Rudy Gay, or Paul George, or Domantas Sabonis?

The last time EG did something like that was freaking Michael Redd 19 years ago. And Redd was only a borderline All Star.

He got Redd, and I think the next draft he got Gadzuric in the 2nd round, and I thought - he's a 2nd round expert. And now, he couldn't care less about the 2nd round.