2019 NBA Draft Prep

Post #681 » by **Jamaaliver** » Thu Jan 17, 2019 1:10 pm

2019 NBA Mock Draft: Could the Hawks jumpstart their rebuild in 2019?

5. Nassir Little | F | North Carolina

Along with selecting De’Andre Hunter with their other pick in the lottery, here we have the Hawks doubling down on big, athletic forwards by nabbing Little. The problems continue to mount for Little at North Carolina as his team struggles to acclimate to life without Joel Berry and Theo Pinson. For teams looking to draft Little, his wildly tiny role and accordingly limited production could limit his options at the top of the draft. If anyone is going to fall on draft night in June, it will be Little unless he shows out in March.

However, the outline of a solid player is clear in Little. He is a willing 3-point shooter who can smack blocks away at the rim and finish inside. Little is making 57 percent of his 2-point attempts this year and blocking nearly 3 percent of opponent shots when he’s on the court.

Atlanta would prefer everyone on the court to be able to space the floor and while Little doesn’t quite check that box yet, his 3-point volume (3.8 attempts per 40 minutes) and decent free-throw percentage show he could grow into a floor-spacer in time under NBA coaching. Little plugs many other holes for Atlanta, additionally. He is capable of playing the four alongside the more offensive-minded John Collins or Omari Spellman and protecting the rim. He is also one of the younger players in his class, meaning he will add bulk and length moving forward for the Hawks, who are undersized at just about every position in.

Bringing in shooting is just one part of building the Hawks into Warriors East. Atlanta also needs to build a versatile defense, which Little would them do.

10. De'Andre Hunter | F | Virginia

...finding a 3-and-D wing is vital for the Hawks as they fill out the roster around limited defenders Trae Young and Kevin Huerter.

In Hunter, the Hawks would find a smart, versatile replacement for Prince to develop alongside Huerter, Young and the rest of Atlanta’s core. General manager Travis Schlenck has made no secret of his intention to build this team in the image of Golden State, where he began his career. No one matches Draymond Green or Andre Iguodala, two unique talents that can playmake and lock down defensively, but Hunter is the type of prospect you grab if you want to imitate what the Warriors have developed.

The sophomore is shooting a spectacular 44 percent on 3s, trading in some of his turnovers from last year for assists in a bigger role for unbeaten Virginia. Translating that defense-first, low-usage role from Virginia to Atlanta would be a natural fit for Hunter on the Hawks.

Hazer · Post #682 » by **Hazer** » Thu Jan 17, 2019 5:03 pm

Duke4life831 wrote:
Hazer wrote:
Duke4life831 wrote:
Ya honestly you got slim pickings in this draft when it comes to bigs. Next year you got Wiseman, but after that you have your old style bigs with Stewart and Carey who dont really seem like ideal bigs in todays game. Last year was the hotbed for bigs, stacked in the top 10 and even had high risk high reward guys like Robert Williams and Mitchell Robinson late. This year really doesnt have that. This is definitely a wing heavy draft through and through. I mean if youre just looking for a versatile big defender.

Brandon Clarke is the best defender in this class. But at 6'8 he isnt going to be the guy you want starting at the 5.

Thoughts on Fernando?

I think he will be around for awhile but not an impact player. Not identical games but I kind of expect an Ian Mahinmi kind of career. I think he can be your big strong big you bring off your bench (think Baynes for Boston). He isn't going to bring you any offense, I don't see big time shot blocker either. Just a big strong body that will play solid defense for 15-20 minutes.

Based on his freshman year, I’d tend to agree. But he’s 15pts/10reb/2asst/2blk in 28 mins starting for a top 20 Maryland team this year, seems to have elevated his game to the next level. Shooting 69%/40%/75% which is pretty much elite for big men, although an extremely small sample on the 3s. 7’5” wingspan, can run the floor, has very good (not great) athleticism, bangs/dunks with authority, has a good looking stroke, seems to be eat up with dawg. Keeping my eye on him, interesting prospect. Although I think C might be where Hawks eventually persue a star trade/FA, with the lure of playing alongside Collins and being fed by Trae and Huerter.

Post #683 » by **Jamaaliver** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 1:07 pm

Read on Twitter

Post #684 » by **Jamaaliver** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 1:16 pm

This a nice breakdown of all the top prospects we're likely considering:

Read on Twitter

5. DE’ANDRE HUNTER, Virginia

I may be higher on Hunter than anyone else. He checks all the boxes for what NBA teams are looking for these days — he’s a well-built, athletic, 6-foot-7 wing that can guard up and guard down while being an uber-efficient offensive weapon that makes threes (44.4 percent) and can attack closeouts and get to the rim. He’s already 21 years old (a redshirt sophomore), but I do think he’s better than his numbers indicate. He’s the third option for Virginia offensively right now with Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy on the roster, which is also a sign that he’ll be willing to accept a role on a team where he’s not the No. 1 option. My guess is that he’ll fall to the back end of the top ten, if not the back end of the lottery, and whoever ends up with him will be getting a steal.

6. JARRETT CULVER, Texas Tech

Culver is one of the highest floor prospects in this draft. I believe that any team taking him is more or less locked into getting a starting-caliber NBA wing. He’s listed at 6-foot-5 (and might be closer to 6-foot-7) and has added some strength to his frame. He’s been terrific as a pick-and-roll option this year and he can really shooting the ball from the perimeter. I’m not sure he’s great shooting off the dribble, and I think he’s ceiling defensively is lower than some will realize, which limits his upside. I don’t think he’s an all-star, but I do think he’s one of the safest picks in the draft. In a year with so much uncertainty, that has value.

Spoiler:

Post #685 » by **Jamaaliver** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 4:49 pm

Read on Twitter

personanongrata · Post #686 » by **personanongrata** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 5:02 pm

We need some lotto luck.

Post #687 » by **Jamaaliver** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 5:48 pm

azuresou1 wrote:I'm chipping in late and I know some of these posts are from a month ago so there wasn't the benefit of seeing more games... but y'all trippin if you don't think Zion Williamson is going to be special in the pros.

...Basically, I see him as a hybrid of Barkley and LeBron sans the god-tier passing. How high do you take a guy like that?

Over the years, I have come to greatly respect your opinion on young prospects.

Apropos of that, any thoughts on RJ Barrett?

He looks questionable (nay, actively, bad) at Duke. But his tape and accomplishments prior to this season at pretty much every level has been enough to keep him as a top prospect in the eyes of most scouts.

What's your take on him as a whole?

Post #688 » by **Jamaaliver** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 5:59 pm

The Feats of Zion

It’s hard to capture the Duke phenom in words, so we tried stats instead. Here are the numbers behind one of the greatest freshman seasons in college basketball history

It’s not supposed to work this way. The most explosive athlete isn’t supposed to be the most well-rounded player on the floor. The guy who might have lost a tooth on the backboard shouldn’t execute fundamentals like a veteran.

Zion is filling up the box score with averages of 21.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.9 blocks. This gives him a chance to become the only freshman on record to average at least 20-9-2-2-1. Also of note is that Williamson is doing all of this in just 26.8 minutes a game.

Williamson is the only player to post a BPM over 20—meaning he’s more than 20 points better than an average player over 100 possessions—and the players behind him on the list are a who’s who of great college basketball players this decade.

Davis, Towns, and Oladipo were each All-NBA players last season. The eye test says it won’t be long before Williamson joins them. And, in this case, the numbers absolutely agree.

The Ringer

azuresou1 · Post #689 » by **azuresou1** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 6:14 pm

Jamaaliver wrote:
azuresou1 wrote:I'm chipping in late and I know some of these posts are from a month ago so there wasn't the benefit of seeing more games... but y'all trippin if you don't think Zion Williamson is going to be special in the pros.

...Basically, I see him as a hybrid of Barkley and LeBron sans the god-tier passing. How high do you take a guy like that?

Over the years, I have come to greatly respect your opinion on young prospects.

Apropos of that, any thoughts on RJ Barrett?

He looks questionable (nay, actively, bad) at Duke. But his tape and accomplishments prior to this season at pretty much every level has been enough to keep him as a top prospect in the eyes of most scouts.

What's your take on him as a whole?

Barrett's clearly skilled, but I don't see what all the hype is about, and certainly not as a prospective Top 3 pick.

He looks to me like a worse version of DeRozan:

* Same ball-dominant, shot-heavy playstyle

* Bad shooting for a guard

* Weak ball-handling

* Has tunnel vision and Not really a playmaker for how much usage he gets

* Not as explosive as DeRozan

I simply don't like him as a prospect. I think he is a guy whose playstyle is conducive to being 'the guy,' but who simply isn't good enough to be 'the alpha.' I get shades of Wiggins, except I liked Wiggins more due to his athleticism.

I also don't like RJ as a fit for our roster. I think our current core has some clear current construction and talent, with Trae being the primary ball handler (if not scorer), Huerter being a shooting specialist, and JTB being the pick and roll man. If you believe Prince is part of our long term core (I think it can go either way), he's the jack-of-all-trades glue guy. Zion is an unconventional fit, but you can make a case that due to the talent we go full-time small ball and just run teams off the court. Cam Reddish I think is a perfect fit if he doesn't get lazy, as an archetypal star wing (we would then look to retain a guy like Dedmon, but better).

Post #690 » by **Jamaaliver** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 6:21 pm

An alternative to Cam Reddish:

2019 NBA Draft Prospects: Why KZ Okpala has caught the eye of NBA evaluators

For the last three years, few players have looked more like an NBA prospect than Stanford sophomore forward KZ Okpala. Now standing 6-foot-9, 220 pounds with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Okpala has the physical dimensions that executives dream of — especially when they’re paired with the perimeter skill Okpala possesses.

So why is Okpala just now bursting onto the scene as a potential first-round pick if he was to declare for the 2019 NBA Draft?

Here’s why Okpala looks to be a terrific fit in the modern NBA, and what he’s done to put himself on their radar.

Much Improved Shooter

The biggest leap in Okpala’s game this season has been that of his jump shot, particularly off the catch. This season, he’s seen improved numbers across the board even beyond the 47.9 percent mark from deep. He’s 17 of 32 on catch-and-shoot opportunities this year, already tripling his made number of attempts from last season while posting an outrageous 79.2 effective field goal percentage on such looks.

Terrific Ball-Handler for Size

When Okpala was younger, he was known more for his driving ability. This summer, as the Stanford coaching staff worked with Okpala to get better bend prior to catching the ball, they found that not only did that help his ability to shoot it, but it also helped his burst as a driver getting around defenders. The first place you see it is in his talent for attacking closeouts.

Not the most explosive vertical athlete, Okpala’s isn’t the best finisher in a crowd. Despite his size, length and fluidity combination, he’s only made 53.9 percent of his half-court shots at the basket this season, a below-average number...

However, he has shown some pretty interesting instincts as a pick-and-roll play-maker.

Overall Evaluation

The package of skills and potential here, in my opinion, is tantalizing for the modern NBA. He’s 6-foot-9 with length and fluidity, can shoot it from distance, can attack off the bounce, has some potential to play in ball-screens, and has building blocks to work with on defense. It’s topped off by a kid who is highly intelligent and motivated to become the best he possibly can. At 19, Okpala is young for a sophomore, only about four months older than Cam Reddish.

One fault that has been discussed in NBA front offices about Okpala is that he doesn’t seem to communicate with his teammates on the floor, and seems to march to the beat of his own drum. Another question NBA scouts pose is in regard to how tough he is. He sees himself more as a 2 or 3 as opposed to the position he’s likely to play in the NBA, the 4.

The Athletic

King Ken · Post #691 » by **King Ken** » Sat Jan 19, 2019 2:02 am

Jamaaliver wrote:

Read on Twitter

I like R.J. a lot more than most. But I am not sold on his fit with us.

King Ken · Post #692 » by **King Ken** » Sat Jan 19, 2019 2:04 am

Jamaaliver wrote:This a nice breakdown of all the top prospects we're likely considering:

Read on Twitter

5. DE’ANDRE HUNTER, Virginia

I may be higher on Hunter than anyone else. He checks all the boxes for what NBA teams are looking for these days — he’s a well-built, athletic, 6-foot-7 wing that can guard up and guard down while being an uber-efficient offensive weapon that makes threes (44.4 percent) and can attack closeouts and get to the rim. He’s already 21 years old (a redshirt sophomore), but I do think he’s better than his numbers indicate. He’s the third option for Virginia offensively right now with Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy on the roster, which is also a sign that he’ll be willing to accept a role on a team where he’s not the No. 1 option. My guess is that he’ll fall to the back end of the top ten, if not the back end of the lottery, and whoever ends up with him will be getting a steal.

6. JARRETT CULVER, Texas Tech

Culver is one of the highest floor prospects in this draft. I believe that any team taking him is more or less locked into getting a starting-caliber NBA wing. He’s listed at 6-foot-5 (and might be closer to 6-foot-7) and has added some strength to his frame. He’s been terrific as a pick-and-roll option this year and he can really shooting the ball from the perimeter. I’m not sure he’s great shooting off the dribble, and I think he’s ceiling defensively is lower than some will realize, which limits his upside. I don’t think he’s an all-star, but I do think he’s one of the safest picks in the draft. In a year with so much uncertainty, that has value.

Spoiler:
8. ROMEO LANGFORD, Indiana

I’m torn on what to think of Romeo Langford as a prospect. The physical tools are there. He has the prototype frame for an NBA wing, and more than anything throughout the season, I’ve been impressed with the toughness he displays on the defensive end of the floor. Archie Miller has used him as a stopper, putting him on an opponent’s best scorer, whether they are a big wing or a point guard. At 6-foot-6 with a sturdy frame, there’s even some potential for Langford to play the four in small lineups.

Offensively, he’s terrific at getting to the foul line and is an unbelievable finisher around the rim, but the concern for me is his shooting ability, which is pretty surprising when discussing one of the greatest scorers to ever come out of the state of Indiana. He’s shooting 23.8 percent from three this season and he has some weird wrist action on his release that leads me to believe that he will one day need to retool his shooting stroke. But with everything else that he brings to the table, it might be the smart move to bet on him figuring that out in time.

16. JAXSON HAYES, Texas

There is no player in the country that has improved their draft stock more than Hayes, who did not even start a high school basketball game until his senior season. He’s very, very raw, but he has the size, the build, the length and the athleticism that you want out of an NBA five — his dad was an NFL tight end, and Hayes is built like someone that would have followed that path, but he didn’t stop growing until he hit 6-foot-11. He’s mobile, he had sensational hands and he’s been unstoppable at times as a roller in ball-screen actions.

And he’s raw, which means that he has a long way to go but that he can be developed however an NBA team sees fit. Sometimes a blank canvas is better than a player that already has bad habits ingrained.

I agree with this

CP War Hawks · Post #693 » by **CP War Hawks** » Sun Jan 20, 2019 5:06 pm

The Duke guys don't seem like a good fit for us sans zion. Few months back I likened rj to a rich man's baze. High floor but his ceiling feels very limited. Another dud game from reddish. Could be another mw24 in the making. Whatever he becomes, it's too long of a road for my taste.

I prefer freaks to fit between Collins and huert. Dudes like okpala and hachimura. Not pure small forwards but capable combo forwards that can play small ball alongside John or spell him considering his foul rate and injury potential. One of these two could prove too irresistible for schlenk with the latter 1st.

Elephant in the room is morant. If they fall in love with him, do you trade Trae. Does Trae for Bamba and future 1st tickle your fancy?

Spud2nique · Post #694 » by **Spud2nique** » Sun Jan 20, 2019 7:08 pm

I haven’t wanted a prospect so much since Lebron and before that, Shaq as I do Zion.

Spud2nique · Post #695 » by **Spud2nique** » Sun Jan 20, 2019 7:10 pm

Sadly, I’m preparing myself for Zion to the Knicks or Bulls. Even though it’s our turn!!!!

Post #696 » by **Jamaaliver** » Sun Jan 20, 2019 9:34 pm

This kid seems to have played himself into the top-4 selections...maybe even top-3.

As we already have our PG of the future, this definitely benefits us as one of the top swingmen likely falls to us.

Read on Twitter

CP War Hawks · Post #697 » by **CP War Hawks** » Sun Jan 20, 2019 10:01 pm

Look out for that dude Jordan Nwora. He's starting to put it all together right now.

Post #698 » by **HMFFL** » Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:27 am

Mock Draft

2. Atlanta Hawks - Cameron Reddish, G, Duke

Reddish is the least heralded of Duke’s trio of superstar freshmen, but he might be the most natural fit in today’s NBA. At 6’8 with a 7’1 wingspan, Reddish has a guard’s game. He has a natural jump shot with deep range, starting the year by hitting 44 percent of his threes and 94 percent of his free throws. His length makes him a factor in the passing lanes and an ideal candidate for the switch-heavy defenses of the modern era.

https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2018/11/27/18108801/nba-mock-draft-2019-zion-williamson-cleveland-cavaliers-rj-barrett-duke-cam-reddish

Sent from my SM-N920P using RealGM mobile app

jayu70 · Post #699 » by **jayu70** » Mon Jan 21, 2019 4:13 pm

Who are the 'Draft and Stash' players in this draft?
Hawks currently have 3 2nd round picks and I can't see us using all 3 of them on guys who'll be on the roster next season.

kg01 · Post #700 » by **kg01** » Mon Jan 21, 2019 4:36 pm

Spud2nique wrote:I haven’t wanted a prospect so much since Lebron and before that, Shaq as I do Zion.

I get it with that kid but I also still don't get it.

I'm fine with us missing on him. I mean, no one can tell me what his offense is at the next level. Once folks realize he can't shoot ... then what?

He'll absolutely be the loudest rookie next year. He'll obviously make some big-time, highlight plays. I dunno man. I see the sizzle, waiting for the steak.

What direction should Hawks go with their lottery picks?