2020 NBA Draft Thread

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Are you happy with the Thunder’s draft night decisions?

Poll ended at Thu Nov 19, 2020 7:08 pm

Yes
4
36%
No
2
18%
Not sure
5
45%
 
Total votes: 11

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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#61 » by Osirus89 » Tue Dec 17, 2019 11:22 pm

It's astounding that there is a REALLY high chance OKC will not have a lottery pick this year. If Gallinari isn't moved, it is almost certain that OKC will make the playoffs. The bottom of the west is way weaker than I'm sure most would have predicted.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#62 » by jambalaya » Fri Dec 20, 2019 12:13 am

With top of lottery as shown by mock drafts full of speculative reaches and I'd guess often over-reaches, there might not be as much loss as usual with picking 10-18 instead of much higher. With the talent is this draft appearing fairly flat and fairly weak, I'd give attention to need / fit.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#63 » by ThunderBolt » Mon Dec 23, 2019 5:31 pm

What's the story with Tyrese Haliburton? He's putting up some pretty impressive numbers.
bisme37 wrote:If there were magnets in basketballs so strong they changed the path of the ball as it flew through the air, wouldn't the ball then stick magnetically to the rim when it got there?
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#64 » by jambalaya » Mon Dec 23, 2019 8:30 pm

Unless the tank commences, they'd probably have to move up for Halliburton. But with the number of meh to poor drafting teams, I guess he could fall enough to be available.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#65 » by ThunderBolt » Mon Dec 23, 2019 9:15 pm

jambalaya wrote:Unless the tank commences, they'd probably have to move up for Halliburton. But with the number of meh to poor drafting teams, I guess he could fall enough to be available.

Unless we make it through the trade deadline with the entire roster in tact, our odds are much better at getting a high pick without the worst record with new draft percentages. New Orleans and LAL both ended up much higher than expected despite everyone thinking the knicks had such great odds to get zion.
bisme37 wrote:If there were magnets in basketballs so strong they changed the path of the ball as it flew through the air, wouldn't the ball then stick magnetically to the rim when it got there?
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#66 » by ThunderBolt » Tue Dec 24, 2019 1:28 pm

I see Scottie Lewis as a guy Presti would love. Offensive project that can guard 1-3.
bisme37 wrote:If there were magnets in basketballs so strong they changed the path of the ball as it flew through the air, wouldn't the ball then stick magnetically to the rim when it got there?
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#67 » by jambalaya » Wed Dec 25, 2019 2:39 am

Horrible shooting, almost no assists. Active defense. Yeah that sounds like a Presti project. Again.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#68 » by ThunderBolt » Sun Dec 29, 2019 12:36 pm

Some comments from Sam Vecenie speaking to scouts and others during the g league showcase and cbs sports classic in Vegas. He said every nba team had representation at the event.

Unfortunately for teams that figure to be at the top of the draft, there is not an obvious consensus answer right now. I didn’t take a straw poll or anything, but anecdotally Anthony Edwards was the player mentioned most, with various evaluators singing praises for James Wiseman and the occasional strong belief in LaMelo Ball. No one brought up Cole Anthony for No. 1, but some acknowledged that he’s in the conversation.

But even those answers came with caveats. With Ball, there is a heavy worry about his efficiency and shot selection. There is also a widely held reticence to deal with his father LaVar after what the Lakers went through after selecting Lonzo. Evaluators don’t really care about Wiseman’s decision to skip the rest of the college season from a personal standpoint, but they assuredly would have loved to have seen a larger sample of his game given some always prevalent questions about his on-court intensity. With Edwards, there is a concern about how much his game translates to winning basketball games. His high school team wasn’t super successful, and his approach this season has been seen in scouting circles as a bit laissez-faire. Basically, there is no right answer for scouts at this point.

This is not a normal top of the draft. To help put some things into perspective, I also asked a few people where they thought these players would be taken within the context of the last three drafts. Across the board, evaluators said that none of Wiseman, Edwards, Ball or Anthony would have been taken over Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley, Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, or Jayson Tatum. A couple said that they’re in the same ballpark as R.J. Barrett, but most felt more confident with the Knicks’ rookie.




One player evaluators did note as having helped himself so far this season is Jaden McDaniels at Washington.

Due to the general unrest throughout the lottery, I’d say McDaniels has settled in as the No. 5 guy right now — with a heavy emphasis on right now. The 6-foot-10 forward has been terrific in all of the ways evaluators hoped to see through the first two months of his freshman season. He’s averaging 15.2 points, five rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Plus, unlike some of the more productive big men in the draft — including his teammate Isaiah Stewart — McDaniels plays a perimeter-oriented game that should translate well to the next level as long as he keeps adding to his frame and getting stronger. He’s hitting 37.5 percent from 3 and making free throws at a high clip. Despite a slight frame, scouts have been impressed with his ability to absorb contact and not get shoved away from the spots he wants to get to on the floor when he drives. He’s averaging 3.5 turnovers, in part due to a high and weak handle in tight settings and in part due to a propensity to try to go for home run passes sometimes, but scouts have also been more impressed with his feel for the game than anticipated. He makes creative passes every game that evaluators didn’t quite know were in his toolbox.

The biggest place scouts have been impressed with McDaniels, though, is on defense. Playing within Washington’s 2-3 zone, McDaniels’ ability to use his length and quickness in help defense in order to get deflections and cut off driving lanes has been really impressive.


The consensus at the Showcase was that USC big man Onyeka Okongwu has played himself into real lottery consideration. I’ve long been a fan of him, placing him as a first-rounder in the preseason and at No. 18 on my most recent update two weeks ago. But I don’t think that’s quite high enough based off of the feedback I’ve gotten. I’d have him somewhere in the No. 10 to 12 range right now, as scouts really buy into his mix of toughness, rebounding, rim-running, athleticism, and defense. They’ve also gotten great reports on his character and background, too, something that tracks from the intel I’ve gotten in Los Angeles.
bisme37 wrote:If there were magnets in basketballs so strong they changed the path of the ball as it flew through the air, wouldn't the ball then stick magnetically to the rim when it got there?
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#69 » by jambalaya » Sun Dec 29, 2019 6:15 pm

Okongwu probably should go in top 7 and probably should have been there from the start. That is where I saw him at first look.

I probably wouldn't take Jaden Daniels in top 15, maybe 20 based on first look, though I will look more between now and then. That is recognizing the weak draft class. Very meh BPM.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#70 » by ThunderBolt » Sun Jan 19, 2020 2:06 pm

Thoughts on Isaiah Stewart? Seems to be the more consistent of the two between he and McDaniels.
bisme37 wrote:If there were magnets in basketballs so strong they changed the path of the ball as it flew through the air, wouldn't the ball then stick magnetically to the rim when it got there?
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#71 » by jambalaya » Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:59 am

First take:

Eh...

Need to know his wingspan / vertical reach. Doesn't look impressive. As an inside player, it matters. Not sure he'll do much against bigger / stronger / quicker NBA players

Like Paul Reed better.

If he is best available, I'd consider a trade up or down. Probably will be a handful of guys equal or better left.

I'd quick guess he'll be a mediocre role playing sub. Or not even that. Probably not how he sees himself.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#72 » by ThunderBolt » Sun Jan 26, 2020 1:55 pm

Latest Sam vecenie draft board

Spoiler:
Pos. Age Ht. Wingspan
1 Anthony Edwards, Georgia G 18 6-4 6-8
2 LaMelo Ball, Illawarra Hawks G 18 6-6 N/A
3 Cole Anthony, North Carolina G 19 6-3 6-4
4 James Wiseman, Memphis C 18 7-1 7-6
5 Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky G 18 6-3 6-6
6 Obi Toppin, Dayton F/C 21 6-9 6-11
7 Killian Hayes, Ulm G 18 6-5 N/A
8 Deni Avdija, Maccabi Tel Aviv F 18 6-9 N/A
9 Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State G/W 19 6-5 N/A
10 Jaden McDaniels, Washington F 18 6-10 N/A
11 Onyeka Okongwu, USC F/C 18 6-8 7-0
12 Isaac Okoro, Auburn W 18 6-6 6-9
13 Nico Mannion, Arizona G 19 6-3 N/A
14 R.J. Hampton, New Zealand Breakers G 18 6-5 6-6
15 Isaiah Stewart, Washington W 18 6-6 7-1
16 Precious Achiuwa, Memphis F 19 6-9 7-2
17 Kira Lewis Jr., Alabama G 18 6-3 6-6
18 Paul Reed, DePaul F 21 6-9 7-2
19 Theo Maledon, ASVEL G 18 6-4 N/A
20 Tre Jones, Duke G 20 6-2 6-3
21 Josh Green, Arizona W 19 6-5 6-10
22 Saddiq Bey, Villanova W 20 6-7 N/A
23 Aaron Nesmith, Vanderbilt W 20 6-5 6-10
24 Xavier Tillman, Michigan State F/C 22 6-9 7-1
25 Daniel Oturu, Minnesota C 20 6-10 7-2
26 Matthew Hurt, Duke F 19 6-9 6-11
27 Zeke Nnaji, Arizona C 19 6-10 7-1
28 Cassius Winston, Michigan State G 22 6-1 N?A
29 Joel Ayayi, Gonzaga G 19 6-5 6-10
30 Vernon Carey, Duke C 18 6-10 7-0
31 Isaiah Joe, Arkansas W 19 6-5 N/A
32 Trendon Watford, LSU F 19 6-8 7-2
33 Patrick Williams, Florida State F 18 6-8 7-2
34 Devon Dotson, Kansas G 20 6-2 6-6
35 Jahmi’us Ramsey, Texas Tech G 18 6-4 N/A
36 Jordan Nwora, Louisville F 22 6-7 6-10
37 Devin Vassell, Florida State W 20 6-6 N/A
38 Tyrell Terry, Stanford G 19 6-2 N/A
39 Grant Riller, Charleston G 23 6-3 N/A
40 Ashton Hagans, Kentucky G 20 6-3 6-6
41 Aaron Henry, Michigan State W 20 6-5 6-8
42 Cassius Stanley, Duke W 19 6-6 N/A
43 Jalen Smith, Maryland F/C 20 6-10 7-0
44 Scottie Lewis, Florida W 19 6-5 7-0
45 Aleksei Pokusevski, Olympiacos B
bisme37 wrote:If there were magnets in basketballs so strong they changed the path of the ball as it flew through the air, wouldn't the ball then stick magnetically to the rim when it got there?
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#73 » by thor19 » Sun Jan 26, 2020 3:00 pm

I know we have cp3, dennis and sga if we cant get a good sf or pf in the draft we should draft a pg so this three guard lineup can continue when dennis or cp3 are gone, guys like mannion , maledon rj hampton , haliburton, maxey
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#74 » by ThunderBolt » Sun Jan 26, 2020 3:10 pm

I don’t get the Maxey hype.
bisme37 wrote:If there were magnets in basketballs so strong they changed the path of the ball as it flew through the air, wouldn't the ball then stick magnetically to the rim when it got there?
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#75 » by jambalaya » Sun Jan 26, 2020 3:16 pm

My lightly informed (to date) impression is that the top 5 is comparatively very weak historically and probably quite wrong. I only like a few in top 15 and they are going to other teams so I barely care about their rankings other than to say I have less deference for most internet draft "experts" than ever. If someone has LaMelo #1 or top 3, I am probably not trusting them on anything.

There may be zero future deserving All-Stars in this class.

Toppin. Halliburton and Okongwu seem like reliable choices.

Still getting up to speed on many of the names.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#76 » by Sea2003 » Sun Jan 26, 2020 6:33 pm

At this point, i've given up the idea of wanting to tank. This draft is by far the weakest since 2011. I could see Edwards becoming all-stars in the future but he's too inconsistent and young (He'll be 19 by August). I think we should tank super hard in the next two drafts. Both of them are looking really good.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#77 » by ThunderBolt » Sun Jan 26, 2020 8:06 pm

Other than wiseman, I don’t love many of the potential top ten guys. If we’re in a position to trade up for okongwu, I’d be pretty happy.
bisme37 wrote:If there were magnets in basketballs so strong they changed the path of the ball as it flew through the air, wouldn't the ball then stick magnetically to the rim when it got there?
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#78 » by spearsy23 » Sun Jan 26, 2020 8:29 pm

jambalaya wrote:My lightly informed (to date) impression is that the top 5 is comparatively very weak historically and probably quite wrong. I only like a few in top 15 and they are going to other teams so I barely care about their rankings other than to say I have less deference for most internet draft "experts" than ever. If someone has LaMelo #1 or top 3, I am probably not trusting them on anything.

There may be zero future deserving All-Stars in this class.

Toppin. Halliburton and Okongwu seem like reliable choices.

Still getting up to speed on many of the names.

Has there ever been a draft with no all stars
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#79 » by Kizz Fastfists » Sun Jan 26, 2020 9:04 pm

jambalaya wrote:My lightly informed (to date) impression is that the top 5 is comparatively very weak historically and probably quite wrong. I only like a few in top 15 and they are going to other teams so I barely care about their rankings other than to say I have less deference for most internet draft "experts" than ever. If someone has LaMelo #1 or top 3, I am probably not trusting them on anything.


LaMelo is a bigger Jason Kidd from a prospect perspective. Kidd went #2. There is a case for LaMelo being #1 if you think his 3pt shooting will come around. At worst you are getting a very good ball handler and passer that can guard 1-3. If his name wasn't Ball no one would be critical of being rated as a top prospect. It is like saying Eli Manning was a bad QB because he wasn't Peyton.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#80 » by jambalaya » Mon Jan 27, 2020 1:02 am

LaMelo hardly plays any effective shot defense. He might try to steal and he will drift back to defensive rebound.

He avoids contact on both sides of the court.

I'd criticize a high draft projection for him whatever his last name was based on the tape I've watched and his horrendous shooting stats.

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