2019 NBA Draft Prep

[Spud2nique]

Can Tacko Fall be the Mark Eaton to our Trae/Collins, Stockton and Malone thing going on with us?

I’m not loving the guy but when you have a penetrating lead guard like Trae that can easily navigate into the paint, it sets up easy looks for huge men.

Still gotta watch the camping out in the lane but if he was craft we’d have something going.

Thoughts?

No lol. 110 games started and .432 FT%.

Well that answers that.

[Buzzard]

Can Tacko Fall be the Mark Eaton to our Trae/Collins, Stockton and Malone thing going on with us?

I’m not loving the guy but when you have a penetrating lead guard like Trae that can easily navigate into the paint, it sets up easy looks for huge men.

Still gotta watch the camping out in the lane but if he was craft we’d have something going.

Thoughts?

No lol. 110 games started and .432 FT%.

Well that answers that.

I see him going 59th at nbadraft.net. Don't see him being drafted anywhere else.

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

Your Florida State guy is a decent plan B, but trying to mind morph with what Schlenk has said he looks for (and has obtained), neither he nor the Texas kid are good ball movers.

Bruno Fernando (also 7-4 wingspan) has shown himself to be that. And if I recall correctly, at mid-season, he was named as a candidate for Big 10 defensive player of the year, or something like that... so he's generally regarded as a defensive force. Strong frame, great hops, can hit from the arc, and a team leader.

From all I see, he's being vastly underrated, and as best I can guess, he's being penalized for how raw his game was in his freshman season, rather than rewarded for the obvious hard work he put-in last off-season.

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

Read on Twitter

Spoiler:

I liked what I saw in the post-season, and though he's not quite as tall as Prince (this says he's 6-8, but everything I've seen lists him 6-7), he has a great build, and if he make serious improvement on his handles, he could eclipse Prince's production eventually.

[King Ken]

I think he will clearly be better than Prince but is Otto Porter type worth a top 5 pick?

[Buzzard]

Your Florida State guy is a decent plan B, but trying to mind morph with what Schlenk has said he looks for (and has obtained), neither he nor the Texas kid are good ball movers.

Bruno Fernando (also 7-4 wingspan) has shown himself to be that. And if I recall correctly, at mid-season, he was named as a candidate for Big 10 defensive player of the year, or something like that... so he's generally regarded as a defensive force. Strong frame, great hops, can hit from the arc, and a team leader.

From all I see, he's being vastly underrated, and as best I can guess, he's being penalized for how raw his game was in his freshman season, rather than rewarded for the obvious hard work he put-in last off-season.

I like Bruno too, and nbadraft.net has him going 13th, dropping from 9th. Some have him dropping all the way down to 28th and 30th. I think the Bucks, Spurs, GSW etc... would love seeing him still available.

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

Conventional wisdom as we sit here today seems to say we should expect to be drafting at #6 and #9.

Attempting more mind melding with Schlenk...

1. I'm going to attempt to trade #6 to a team that me and my scouts agree project to be drafting in the #1-#8 range next season... giving me a mulligan to acquire a player whose ceiling we deem to be potentially elite, because

(a) the only one I feel really for-certain about in this draft is Williamson and

(b) the only ones I feel have a possible elite cornerstone (ie, legit MVP candidate in multiple years) ceiling are Fernando, Bol and Reddish (... a lot of potential ASG participants, mind you, but that is their ceiling)... and of those, Bol and Reddish have such a floor that I feel very insecure drafting either one of those until sometime after #10.

2. I'll use #9 on Bruno Fernando.

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

I think he will clearly be better than Prince

I'm one who believes Prince will be better than Prince... that he's another year away still from hitting his ceiling.

[kg01]

I think he will clearly be better than Prince

I'm one who believes Prince will be better than Prince... that he's another year away still from hitting his ceiling.

The only part that gives me pause is Prince's age. He's too close to his 'ceiling'/prime for me to just assume another year = him being better. This may just be what he is.

That said, I don't see Hunter being better than Prince now or ever. More useful? Sure. Better? Nah.

Lastly, I want you to soak this in, @sturt. Bathe in it. Bask in the joy of it.

This will be one of the few times my post will exceed yours in total word count.

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

And you should be proud of your progress, kg... I know I am... hehe

[jayu70]

Can Tacko Fall be the Mark Eaton to our Trae/Collins, Stockton and Malone thing going on with us?

I’m not loving the guy but when you have a penetrating lead guard like Trae that can easily navigate into the paint, it sets up easy looks for huge men.

Still gotta watch the camping out in the lane but if he was craft we’d have something going.

Thoughts?

Just bring back Edy

[jayu70]

He can always return with the new rules if he goes undrafted

Yep. Best rule the NCAA has had in a long time.

This is a massive step in the right direction. My only concern in this scenario would be if he gets underdrafted. Whereas a 1st round pick has 3 years guaranteed and a team would spend multiple years investing in his development, if he goes in the mid to late 2nd round, there's a good chance he only gets a modest chance to prove himself and is likely relegated to the G-League for a big chunk of that period.

I still think Coach Self and the Big 12 are a better way to improve development and draft stock than the minor leagues. And playing at Kansas seems much more ideal than playing in College Park or Ft Wayne.

Either way, I wish him the best.

That is true and valid concern.
However, I gather that some kids don't want to be in college. They'll prefer to just play ball and make money in GL with a chance to make the big leagues.
They don't always have the best people advising them though.

[observer1995]

Hunter doesn't really have a particularly high ceiling to me, and Prince might even have a higher ceiling (that I don't believe he'll reach honestly and Chris K hinted that a rookie extension for him is "very doubtful", which is why I'll be talking about a potential trade of him over the offseason), but next year I think he could average 8-10 PPG while the stuff he can do takes a while to translate, with the ability to average 13-16 PPG, while shooting 38-40% from three once he gets used to the deeper three point line, and honestly likely playing better defense than Prince.

I do honestly understand the worries though of being a Virginia player. He's normally probably a mid first round pick, but in this draft he's not because of how weak it is, and not just due to tourney performances.

[Jamaaliver]

That is true and valid concern.
However, I gather that some kids don't want to be in college. They'll prefer to just play ball and make money in GL with a chance to make the big leagues.
They don't always have the best people advising them though.

UNDERSTOOD. And all too true.

I do wonder if guys like Tyler Dorsey would have preferred staying in a D-1 situation like Oregon for another year or 2 rather than riding the bench in Atlanta or starring in Erie, Pennsylvania.



NOTE: The career Jalen Brunson had seems like it would be the ideal scenario for guys not guaranteed to be drafted in the 1st round to the NBA. Individual accolades as a collegiate, national title(s), came into a bad pro team in the 2nd round and found a rotation spot within a couple of months because he was such a polished/finished product.

Obviously everyone can't have that special of a career, but the team success, individual success and experience seem more likely to translate and payoff long term than the pure potential a guy like Q Grimes brings.

Spoiler:

I also don't think these guys realize how lonely it gets as a pro in a new city. At college, you have thousands of peers to interact with.
Not too many 19 year old millionaires in Inidanapolis or Fort Wayne or College Park to rub elbows with.

Just ask Omari.

[King Ken]

That is true and valid concern.
However, I gather that some kids don't want to be in college. They'll prefer to just play ball and make money in GL with a chance to make the big leagues.
They don't always have the best people advising them though.

UNDERSTOOD. And all too true.

I do wonder if guys like Tyler Dorsey would have preferred staying in a D-1 situation like Oregon for another year or 2 rather than riding the bench in Atlanta or starring in Erie, Pennsylvania.



NOTE: The career Jalen Brunson had seems like it would be the ideal scenario for guys not guaranteed to be drafted in the 1st round to the NBA. Individual accolades as a collegiate, national title(s), came into a bad pro team in the 2nd round and found a rotation spot within a couple of months because he was such a polished/finished product.

Obviously everyone can't have that special of a career, but the team success, individual success and experience those bring seem more likely to translate and payoff long term than the pure potential a guy like Q Grimes brings.

Spoiler:

I also don't think these guys realize how lonely it gets as a pro in a new city. At college, you have thousands of peers to interact with.
Not too many 19 year old millionaires in Inidanapolis or Fort Wayne or College Park to rub elbows with.

Just ask Omari.

It's not about development. Its about money.

[Jamaaliver]

^Sadly, this is all too true.

Even more unfortunate, a ton of these kids will still end up broke by the time they turn 30.

According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article, 78% of National Football League (NFL) players are either bankrupt or are under financial stress within two years of retirement and an estimated 60% of National Basketball Association (NBA) players go bankrupt within five years after leaving their sport.

Here

[Jamaaliver]

Quentin Grimes Declares for 2019 NBA Draft After 1 Season at Kansas



Kansas point guard Quentin Grimes declared his eligibility for the 2019 NBA draft on Twitter Wednesday after one season with the Jayhawks.

Grimes' decision to enter the 2019 NBA draft is a bit surprising, as he currently looks like a second-round prospect if he gets drafted at all.

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has Grimes at No. 66 on his big board, while Jeremy Woo of SI.com didn't put him among his top-80 players on March 13. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman didn't have him among his top-75 players back in March either, while ESPN.com has him at No. 80.

It's possible that Grimes could go through the draft process and return to Kansas if he doesn't get positive feedback or if he goes undrafted.

Bleacher Report

[Spud2nique]

Quentin Grimes Declares for 2019 NBA Draft After 1 Season at Kansas



Kansas point guard Quentin Grimes declared his eligibility for the 2019 NBA draft on Twitter Wednesday after one season with the Jayhawks.

Grimes' decision to enter the 2019 NBA draft is a bit surprising, as he currently looks like a second-round prospect if he gets drafted at all.

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has Grimes at No. 66 on his big board, while Jeremy Woo of SI.com didn't put him among his top-80 players on March 13. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman didn't have him among his top-75 players back in March either, while ESPN.com has him at No. 80.

It's possible that Grimes could go through the draft process and return to Kansas if he doesn't get positive feedback or if he goes undrafted.

Bleacher Report

This is the one guy I don’t have on my radar at all. Maybe not the only one but he doesn’t seem like a Hawk fit, I may be wrong.

[kg01]

Question on Hayes (TX). What makes him better than Gafford? If we want a big, I'd just wait to get Gafford.

[marco102]

Question on Hayes (TX). What makes him better than Gafford? If we want a big, I'd just wait to get Gafford.

Hayes appears to be what Gafford currently is. Gafford is more experience. Hayes is much rawer and has, that always so great, more upside. Hayes is a way better free throw shooter and since he's so raw there be more potential there offensively with NBA development.

That's just my two cents which in the grand scheme of things means absolutely nothing.