Wizards 2019 Draft Thread - Part II

[Ruzious]

I'd love to see the Wizards sign Yovel Zoosman -- very gifted prospect from Israel. I was a bit surprised to see him totally passed over in the draft.

We are probably too tight salary-wise, but the other guy it might make sense to sign is Jontay Porter.

It's probably going to be a long slow process for Jontay to recover. He was never an explosive athlete to begin with. Hopefully, he regains the modest athleticicsm he used to have. Between him and his talented brother and sister, they must have about 10 serious injuries. His ability to get and stay healthy is problematic, unfortunately.

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I'd love to see the Wizards sign Yovel Zoosman -- very gifted prospect from Israel. I was a bit surprised to see him totally passed over in the draft.

We are probably too tight salary-wise, but the other guy it might make sense to sign is Jontay Porter.

It's probably going to be a long slow process for Jontay to recover. He was never an explosive athlete to begin with. Hopefully, he regains the modest athleticicsm he used to have. Between him and his talented brother and sister, they must have about 10 serious injuries. His ability to get and stay healthy is problematic, unfortunately.

True enough. Anyway we can't afford the luxury of another guy who can't play this season.

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A very lengthy scouting report on Zoosman is not very good other than comments about his 7-1 wingspan.
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2019/5/10/18537306/yovel-zoosman-2019-nba-draft-scouting-report-atlanta-hawks

Thanks.... Oh well, at least we have Garrison the Pale.

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This is an odd question, as it comes way too late. But I'd be interested in responses anyway.

Could we have traded our 2020 R1 pick (next year's pick) to the Celtics for their #s 14, 20 & 22? & if so, would/should we have done it?

Obviously, the idea depends on a general perception that this year's draft was "weak" but next year's is supposed to be "strong" & "deep."

We'd have been able to pick, for example, Doumboya, Brandon Clarke & Grant Williams. Along with Rui & Admiral.

Or, what I would have done: traded the #14 to the Sixers for their #s 24, 33, 34 & a R2 pick next year. Then I'd have taken Clarke & Williams, traded the #24 & Howard to the Suns for Milwaukee's 2020 R1 pick (as the Celtics did -- including Baynes where we'd have sent Howard), & taken Carsen Edwards & Bol Bol. Still do the deal that got us Schofield.

We come out of the draft with Rui Hachimura, Brandon Clarke, Grant Williams, Carsen Edwards, Bol Bol, Admiral Schofield, a R1 pick in the 20's next year, & a high R2 pick next year. But w/o our own R1 pick next year.

Then, during the coming season, Bol Bol kills it, & I trade him for a high R1 pick next year.

What? A man can dream, right?

[Dat2U]

Sekou is still about my 5th or 6th choice at 9. I think he'll be rotation worthy player but I don't see Siakam.

If Bol plays 60 games a season he'll be a more impactful player.

I still like Goga as the safe choice in a trade down. Bol is riskier with a higher ceiling.

Herro doesn't get a lot of talk but he's a sleeper. The best shooter in the draft. He's the safest perimeter player available. He's not just a spot up shooter either. He can shoot off the dribble or on the move. Has some playmaking skills as well. Can run a P&R.


Clarke is still the hardest guy for me to peg but his defense and rebounding will translate.

I could live with P.J. Washington. He's the safest guy at a position of need. Old school with 3 pt range and a high motor. Should be a bigger & better version of P-Pat earlier in his career.

Anyone else is kinda disappointing.

Jaxson Hayes is completely redundant and unnecessary with Bryant. Low skilled rim runners can be found on the cheap.

Cam Reddish is my biggest worry. Nassir Little's lack of feel is 2nd. Romeo Langford's broken shot and decision making is 3rd. Rui Hachimura is Mike Scott without the edge or tattoos and if Kevin Porter Jr has a career as distinguished as Nick Young, he'll be lucky.

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Sekou is still about my 5th or 6th choice at 9. I think he'll be rotation worthy player but I don't see Siakam.

If Bol plays 60 games a season he'll be a more impactful player.

I still like Goga as the safe choice in a trade down. Bol is riskier with a higher ceiling.

Herro doesn't get a lot of talk but he's a sleeper.
The best shooter in the draft. He's the safest perimeter player available. He's not just a spot up shooter either. He can shoot off the dribble or on the move. Has some playmaking skills as well. Can run a P&R.

Clarke is still the hardest guy for me to peg but his defense and rebounding will translate.
I could live with P.J. Washington. He's the safest guy at a position of need. Old school with 3 pt range and a high motor. Should be a bigger & better version of P-Pat earlier in his career.

Anyone else is kinda disappointing.
Jaxson Hayes is completely redundant and unnecessary with Bryant. Low skilled rim runners can be found on the cheap. Cam Reddish is my biggest worry. Nassir Little's lack of feel is 2nd. Romeo Langford's broken shot and decision making is 3rd.

Rui Hachimura is Mike Scott without the edge or tattoos
and if Kevin Porter Jr has a career as distinguished as Nick Young, he'll be lucky.

Just thought I'd make all your calls a little easier to read. Herro has definitely looked good!

Wish you were here regularly, Dat.

[Ruzious]

So, speaking of the 2019 draft, Boston's now saying they were set to take Herro at 14 when he was picked at 13, and they had the 22 pick while Brandon Clarke went 21st. Not to mention they picked Thybulle at 20 and then let Philly have him - so I won't even bring that up. I mean... sometimes trading up is the right thing to do - and Ainge had the assets to do so. I think he subscribes to the Pif theory of trading down - which has worked well. But with Herro and Clarke, they'd have swept Miami.

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So, speaking of the 2019 draft, Boston's now saying they were set to take Herro at 14 when he was picked at 13, and they had the 22 pick while Brandon Clarke went 21st. Not to mention they picked Thybulle at 20 and then let Philly have him - so I won't even bring that up. I mean... sometimes trading up is the right thing to do - and Ainge had the assets to do so. I think he subscribes to the Pif theory of trading down - which has worked well.

This is not about trading up or trading down -- it's about the picks you do make & the fact that other people can be smart too.

Not to mention lucky! A lot happens which no one can imagine will happen -- let alone expect!

After all, Ainge could have taken Clarke at 14, then taken & kept Thybulle at 20. He'd still have had #22. As it is, he got the #24 pick & Carsen Edwards for the rights to Thybulle, then he used that #24 to facilitate trading away Aron Baynes's salary -- & he still came away with this year's #30 in that deal!

As to Herro, nobody would have traded up for him! He was good not great as a Freshman. He shot 35.5% on college 3-pointers. Then he shot 38.9% on the tougher NBA 3-pointer.

For that matter, it's not like he had some incredible rookie year overall -- he didn't. He scored 1.5 more points per 40 minutes than an average wing -- but he did it using something over 1.5 more possessions than an average wing. Nothing else stands out.

Don't get me wrong -- that's good for a rookie, & Tyler Herro is a terrific young player with a shot to be really really good. He's only 20 years old! & he is the difference maker for Miami so far -- no question about it!

I certainly had Herro rated well above Rui Hachimura -- though below Clarke, where I still do rate him.

...with Herro and Clarke, (the Celtics would) have swept Miami....

Clarke would have been enough for Boston to beat them. Clarke & Thybulle? No problem. They had no chance to pick Herro.

[Ruzious]

As to Herro, nobody would have traded up for him! He was good not great as a Freshman. He shot 35.5% on college 3-pointers. Then he shot 38.9% on the tougher NBA 3-pointer.

Pif, SCOUTING... is something teams do - in addition to looking at numbers. Come visit the Draft forum (where they have a most excellent humble moderator, btw). There's a thread there on who was the best Kentucky prospect last season. There were a couple of posters who clearly got that Herro was that good. They could see past his college freshman 3 point shooting percentage. NBA GM's should be (and are) as smart as them and certainly have more resources. There's an article on RealGM that says Boston was targeting him at 14, so obviously they wanted him. If they wanted him that badly, they should have traded up 1 to get him and not settled for... Romeo Langford.

Clarke would have been enough for Boston to beat them. Clarke & Thybulle? No problem. They had no chance to pick Herro.

That's not true. Pish tosh I say.

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As to Herro, nobody would have traded up for him! He was good not great as a Freshman. He shot 35.5% on college 3-pointers. Then he shot 38.9% on the tougher NBA 3-pointer.

Pif, SCOUTING... is something teams do - in addition to looking at numbers. Come visit the Draft forum (where they have a most excellent humble moderator, btw). There's a thread there on who was the best Kentucky prospect last season. There were a couple of posters who clearly got that Herro was that good. They could see past his college freshman 3 point shooting percentage. NBA GM's should be (and are) as smart as them and certainly have more resources. There's an article on RealGM that says Boston was targeting him at 14, so obviously they wanted him. If they wanted him that badly, they should have traded up 1 to get him and not settled for... Romeo Langford.

Clarke would have been enough for Boston to beat them. Clarke & Thybulle? No problem. They had no chance to pick Herro.

That's not true. Pish tosh I say.

Ruz -- we have a very good measure of the results scouting can give you overall. Accuracy of the draft pick order compared to order of how good the players wind up. Which is... let's just say all over the place -- not b/c scouts are bad but because so many things affect any kid's future.

Seems probable to me that Boston got snookered somehow into thinking that Miami had a different target. Plus, they didn't have to pick Romeo Langford! Again, imagine they'd picked Clarke & Thybulle & kept them

Still... you are right all the same. They should have traded up -- with us. They could have picked Herro at #9, & we'd have gotten Clarke & Thybulle -- and be a lot further along on our rebuild!

[Ruzious]

Still... you are right all the same. They should have traded up -- with us. They could have picked Herro at #9, & we'd have gotten Clarke & Thybulle -- and be a lot further along on our rebuild!

Indeed - a perfect Pif-style move; dare I say a Herroic move. No? Ok, I won't say it.

[wall_glizzy]

We don't need to give any credence to, let alone discuss, Danny Ainge's annual announcement that he was this close to making what would've turned out to be a prescient move.

We don't really need to talk about the fact that he offered six picks, including four future firsts, to the Hornets for their #9 all for the privilege of picking Justise Winslow, either, but whenever the above happens it springs to mind.

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He did? Good thing for the Celtics that they didn't take the deal.

Of course, Danny has put together a pretty good team, right?

In fairness, this wasn't Danny talking about his almost-prescience but a report from people in the room that everybody groaned when the Heat took Herro.