Moderators: montestewart, LyricalRico, nate33
Ruzious wrote:I'm rooting for Mannion for 2 reasons: 1 is his game is a lot of fun to watch. 2 is a strange reason - If he grew a longer goatee and lighten his hair a little, he'd look almost exactly like Layne Staley - one of my favorite singers of all time.
I just worry about small thin short-armed players making it in the NBA and being durable. Then again, Steve Nash was kinda good for a long time.
payitforward wrote:Ruzious wrote:I'm rooting for Mannion for 2 reasons: 1 is his game is a lot of fun to watch. 2 is a strange reason - If he grew a longer goatee and lighten his hair a little, he'd look almost exactly like Layne Staley - one of my favorite singers of all time.
I just worry about small thin short-armed players making it in the NBA and being durable. Then again, Steve Nash was kinda good for a long time.
True -- but he didn't look like Layne Staley.
Ruzious wrote:Illmatic12 wrote:Potential solution to the Wizards hole at SF: Watched Isaac Okoro (Auburn wing) play today , this is another prospect who’s being severely underrated. From the scouting stuff I’ve read its surprising his name hasn’t come up more.
Okoro is 6’6 with a powerful frame and he looks like an absolute lockdown defender out there. But what’s impressive is how active & high IQ he is as a help defender anticipating every move ahead of time. He plays a lot like Bonga actually, but instead of being a stringbean he has a strong powerful frame so the havoc he’s causing is so much more destructive. It’s the exact player the Wiz are missing in the starting lineup; someone who isn’t worried about offense, all they care about is setting the tone on D and will fly around racking up blocks/steals/deflections.
On offense he has a straight up broken shot (even bricking FTs) so that needs work. However you can see has a very quick first step , dribbling skills and good passing vision which he utilized to make unselfish drive + kick plays and keep the ball moving. He has the IQ to know when to cut to the dunker’s spot or in moving around off ball to compensate for his lack of shooting. Putting him into our system and floor spacing, he would come along quickly and make an impact early on.
The obvious comp that jumped out to me was a young Jimmy Butler, because of the first step + playmaking/handle any team who drafts Okoro can potentially develop him into an offensive star. But at worst, I see a more dynamic version of Justise Winslow as his floor. Very impressed and I’ll continue to watch out for him as a target for the Wiz.
He's out of the Chuma Okeke Auburn mold - except he's a wing rather than a PF and a little more athletic. His physical strength really sticks out for a 6'6 wing player. He uses his strength better than Winslow. But ultimately, it comes down to developing a consistent 3, imo.
SI.comJeremy Woo wrote:LaMelo Ball Builds His Case as the Potential No. 1 Pick
While LaMelo Ball has been in the limelight for years, it's getting harder to ignore his candidacy to be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft
Although 18-year-old LaMelo Ball’s fame often precedes him, in this case, it’s worth emphasizing that there’s real substance behind it. With triple-doubles in his last two games for Illawarra, Ball has begun to bolster his case as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft. He’s forcing the issue not by riding excess hype, but with his remarkable play.
The looming scenario in which LaMelo is the first player off the board in June is not altogether a surprise—the hoops industry has been keyed in on Ball with a straight face since the summertime, and top decision-makers have continued making the pilgrimage across the Pacific to see for themselves. As a big point guard with an unusually intrinsic aptitude for facilitating offense, it was little secret that he was well ahead of the curve in all facets for a player his age—teams had an understanding he’d be a lottery-caliber prospect—but there was little thought given to exactly how productive he would be already.
In NBA circles, not much of a consensus has formed with regard to the top spot...it’s getting harder to ignore what Ball is doing. It has to be noted that Illawarra is just 3–9 in league play and in last place, with all three wins coming against one opponent, Cairns, against whom Ball posted last week’s 32-point, 13-assist, 11-rebound triple-double. Still, he’s been one of the most productive players in the entire league of late: in five November games, Ball averaged 23.2 points, 8.4 assists and 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
While it’s clear Ball will end up an early selection in a relatively thin lottery, there are echoes of skepticism tied to his candidacy at #1. “[The first pick] shooting sub-40% from the field and sub-30% from three? That’s crazy,” one Western Conference executive emphasized. For all his highlight-caliber plays and big totals, Ball is shooting 38.9% from the field and just 27.9% on threes as of Monday, in addition to 70% on less than four free throw attempts per game. He shot 1-of-11 from three during Saturday’s triple-double against the Breakers and fellow projected lottery pick R.J. Hampton. Watch Ball play and you can tell he’s improved, but the greater statistical sample at the end of the season will tell a big part of the story.Spoiler:
When you watch Ball play, it’s sometimes hard to temper the enthusiasm. He plays with flourish and intelligence, even when the results aren’t always there. The idea of building an uptempo attack around a 6’6” play-maker is something both coaching staffs and fans can get behind. Ball’s efficiency struggles point to serious risk, but it’s hard to argue in earnest that anyone else in the draft has the innate basketball chops to match his upside as a shot creator if things click.
Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:Jalen Smith. I like his game. He reminds me of Jerami Grant.
Sent from my SM-A205U using RealGM mobile app
Jamaaliver wrote:SI.comSpoiler:
In NBA circles, not much of a consensus has formed with regard to the top spot...it’s getting harder to ignore what Ball is doing. It has to be noted that Illawarra is just 3–9 in league play and in last place, with all three wins coming against one opponent, Cairns, against whom Ball posted last week’s 32-point, 13-assist, 11-rebound triple-double. Still, he’s been one of the most productive players in the entire league of late: in five November games, Ball averaged 23.2 points, 8.4 assists and 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
While it’s clear Ball will end up an early selection in a relatively thin lottery, there are echoes of skepticism tied to his candidacy at #1. “[The first pick] shooting sub-40% from the field and sub-30% from three? That’s crazy,” one Western Conference executive emphasized. For all his highlight-caliber plays and big totals, Ball is shooting 38.9% from the field and just 27.9% on threes as of Monday, in addition to 70% on less than four free throw attempts per game. He shot 1-of-11 from three during Saturday’s triple-double against the Breakers and fellow projected lottery pick R.J. Hampton. Watch Ball play and you can tell he’s improved, but the greater statistical sample at the end of the season will tell a big part of the story.Spoiler:
When you watch Ball play, it’s sometimes hard to temper the enthusiasm. He plays with flourish and intelligence, even when the results aren’t always there. The idea of building an uptempo attack around a 6’6” play-maker is something both coaching staffs and fans can get behind. Ball’s efficiency struggles point to serious risk, but it’s hard to argue in earnest that anyone else in the draft has the innate basketball chops to match his upside as a shot creator if things click.
Dat2U wrote:Anthony Edwards reminds me of a more explosive & less herky/jerky version of Lance Stephenson.
I question if his motor consistently runs hot. I also question the feel and decision making. In a weak draft though he visually has the look of a top 5 pick.
I've not found a draft prospect that I'm really excited about as of yet. LaMelo has the "it" factor but he clearly has flaws in his game and is not a clean fit in DC. Wiseman has great physical tools but as Ayton's experience showed, the old school C has limited value if he's not a shot creator or elite defender.
queridiculo wrote:I don't understand the hype about Anthony Edwards. Hasn't proven he can be a leading man, forever the second banana.
Steer clear.Spoiler:
