Potential draft bargains: 2019

[payitforward]

Spoiler:

John Wall: will he?/won't he?
Brad Beal: should we?/shouldn't we?
New GM: will we have one? Do we really need one?

We have had our toy trains circling the same little track for weeks now. Doc has gotten really tired of it. He's wishing we had Hands back here. I don't blame him.

Personally, I think John Wall's contract is a bargain, but I doubt Brad Beal will ever come back from John's injury.

As to a new GM, here's what I don't understand -- why don't we buy a Mercedes instead? A used Mercedes is better than a new GM of any description, right?

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, here is the real question:

Who are the biggest potential bargains in this year's draft? Guys who will be taken way too low for how well they wind up performing in the league?

I mean guys drafted from outside the lottery in R1 down to the end of R2 (or who we should keep an eye on b/c they will go undrafted & then we should sign one or more of them)?

If you want to state reasons for your bargain choices, that's great. If not, ok too....

So far:

Shamorie Ponds
Mamadi Diakite
Dedric Lawson
Cameron Johnson
Brandon Clarke (if he falls outside the lottery)

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

OK. I’ll play.

I’ll start the bidding at Shamorie Ponds. And double down on Mamadhi Diakite.

[nate33]

Dedric Lawson and Cameron Johnson

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I believe that Brandon Clarke may fall out of the lottery b/c of his measurements at the Combine. IMO, he's going to be terrific, so that will make him an enormous bargain anywhere outside the lottery.

[youngWizzy]

Guys who will be drafted but should be valued higher

Neemias Queta
Dedric Lawson
Ty Jerome
Dylan Windler
Mfiondu Kabengele
Jontay Porter
Talen Horton-Tucker

Guys who might not be drafted but should be valued higher

Daquan Jeffries
Terance Mann
Jalen Lecque'
Naz Reid

[payitforward]

Two more interesting guys:

Quinndary Weatherspoon -- 4-year shooting guard out of Mississippi State.
Moses Brown -- UCLA Center. One and done.

[I_Like_Dirt]

Brandon Clarke (if he falls outside the lottery)

Honestly, I think if he falls outside the top 10 he becomes a ridiculous value. I don't see him as a future superstar but I do see him as someone in the vicinity of Montrezl Harrell or Pascal Siakam in terms of talent level and position. And like those guys I mentioned, I do think he's got some allstar potential there, too.

[payitforward]

Brandon Clarke (if he falls outside the lottery)

Honestly, I think if he falls outside the top 10 he becomes a ridiculous value. I don't see him as a future superstar but I do see him as someone in the vicinity of Montrezl Harrell or Pascal Siakam in terms of talent level and position. And like those guys I mentioned, I do think he's got some allstar potential there, too.

Well, I love the guy, though I don't see the Harrell/Siakam comparison.

I brought him up in this thread -- which I started. Since I said it was intended to find guys outside the lottery, I couldn't mention him except on that basis.

[gravytrain24]

My bargains would be Cameron Johnson, Kabengele, Jerome, T. Mann, Iggy Brazdelis

[Ruzious]

Guys who will be drafted but should be valued higher

Neemias Queta
Dedric Lawson
Ty Jerome
Dylan Windler
Mfiondu Kabengele
Jontay Porter
Talen Horton-Tucker

Guys who might not be drafted but should be valued higher

Daquan Jeffries
Terance Mann
Jalen Lecque'
Naz Reid

Great choices. I'd add Chuma Okeke to the first group. Probably Grant Williams too - though he might get picked higher than I think.

[I_Like_Dirt]

Well, I love the guy, though I don't see the Harrell/Siakam comparison.

I brought him up in this thread -- which I started. Since I said it was intended to find guys outside the lottery, I couldn't mention him except on that basis.

I was careful to suggest more in terms of position and talent level rather than game. I find game comparisons are often tricky and dangerous things when it comes to the draft. Honestly, both Siakam and Harrell are rather unique players in the league right now and don't compare well to each other so much. Draymond Green is another guy like that. I see Clarke being another of those unique guys that doesn't necessarily have a comparison but who also finds ways to be supremely versatile and effective on both ends of the floor from the PF spot.

[Ruzious]

A player we might be able to get as an undrafted free agent is Rayjon Tucker - http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/3908819/rayjon-tuckera smaller school 2 who looks athletic, has good size, and made 41% of his 3's.

[Dat2U]

Clarke - I think he slips to mid-late 1st round
Kabengele
Windler
K. Johnson
D. Lawson
Ponds
Happ
Konate

[pancakes3]

Tacko Fall can give you Boban minutes. I don't know about a bargain, but he's a very intriguing second round talent.

Diakete is slated to go undrafted, and as a FA, he'd be a bargain for sure but in all likelihood, he'll go back to UVa.

CJ Massinburg, Admiral Schoefield, and Ethan Happ are a trio of seniors that have probably hit their potential, but would be very solid contributors, especially since they won't have to be "the man" anymore. If you consider the Brogdon pick at 36th overall a bargain, then yeah, these three guys are all potential bargains. You can lump Dedric Lawson in here too, but he's not a senior.

Carson Edwards is more of a boom/bust Jodie Meeks type bargain, but his game really demands the ball whereas the other guys can fill a supporting role more easily.

But I think all these guys are bargains in the sense that they are journeymen-type players who can carve out a career. I don't see any Ginobili's or Parkers in this draft.

[payitforward]

Well, I love the guy, though I don't see the Harrell/Siakam comparison.

I brought him up in this thread -- which I started. Since I said it was intended to find guys outside the lottery, I couldn't mention him except on that basis.

I was careful to suggest more in terms of position and talent level rather than game. I find game comparisons are often tricky and dangerous things when it comes to the draft. Honestly, both Siakam and Harrell are rather unique players in the league right now and don't compare well to each other so much. Draymond Green is another guy like that. I see Clarke being another of those unique guys that doesn't necessarily have a comparison but who also finds ways to be supremely versatile and effective on both ends of the floor from the PF spot.

Well done... that makes perfect sense to me.

[payitforward]

So far, Dedric Lawson has been mentioned several times. Here's a good piece on him (from the POV of the Bulls maybe taking him in R2): https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/why-bulls-should-take-dedric-lawson-no-38-pick

Dylan Windler is another high-value, potential bargain. Here's coverage on him (from a Hawks pov): https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2019/5/25/18635841/dylan-windler-2019-nba-draft-scouting-report-atlanta-hawks-belmont-shooting

Here's the full list of draft analyses at that site, btw -- & it's got a lot of intelligent analysis: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2019/4/27/18286590/atlanta-hawks-2019-nba-draft-scouting-report-series-list-players-prospects-profiles

[Dat2U]

Tacko Fall can give you Boban minutes. I don't know about a bargain, but he's a very intriguing second round talent.

Diakete is slated to go undrafted, and as a FA, he'd be a bargain for sure but in all likelihood, he'll go back to UVa.

CJ Massinburg, Admiral Schoefield, and Ethan Happ are a trio of seniors that have probably hit their potential, but would be very solid contributors, especially since they won't have to be "the man" anymore. If you consider the Brogdon pick at 36th overall a bargain, then yeah, these three guys are all potential bargains. You can lump Dedric Lawson in here too, but he's not a senior.

Carson Edwards is more of a boom/bust Jodie Meeks type bargain, but his game really demands the ball whereas the other guys can fill a supporting role more easily.

But I think all these guys are bargains in the sense that they are journeymen-type players who can carve out a career. I don't see any Ginobili's or Parkers in this draft.

The difference between Boban and Tacko is offensive skill. Boban is extremely skilled 15 ft and has excellent touch. He is also a bit more mobile.

Tacko is literally statue who can only finish around the rim. The 3-second rule is going to be a huge issue for him defensively. He's not going to he able to defend or rebound outside his immediate area which limits his defensive impact. Maybe 5-10 years ago someone this immobile could work, but not in today's game.

[dckingsfan]

I would say Luka Samanic if he indeed moves to late in the second round.

Not much help for the college players.

[queridiculo]

There are going to be some good players available in the 2nd round and assuming the age restriction is axed, next year might turn out to be even better.

Great drafts to be on the outside looking in when the 2nd day comes around.

[youngWizzy]

Add Cameron Johnson, and two athletic bigs in Nicolas Claxton and Donta Hall to my list.