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#561 » by WestbrookGOATed » Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:17 am

Man the more I watch and learn about Theo Maledon the more excited I get. Shy humble kid that can straight up ball. He may end up being better than SGA.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#562 » by ThunderBolt » Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:22 am

Best2EverDoIt wrote:
ThunderBolt wrote:
Read on Twitter
Curious to see what we do with him. I think he's a great defender and a pretty cool dude overall. Could be a good mentor. But I bet we send him to a playoff team by the trade deadline for some kind of draft compensation lol.

I’m not sure if he can net an asset. He might be a buyout guy if he doesn’t want to stay here.
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#563 » by ThunderBolt » Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:23 am

Best2EverDoIt wrote:Man the more I watch and learn about Theo Maledon the more excited I get. Shy humble kid that can straight up ball. He may end up being better than SGA.

Definitely more skilled than athletic. Highlight videos look really good but most do, I suppose.
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#564 » by WestbrookGOATed » Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:55 am

ThunderBolt wrote:
Best2EverDoIt wrote:
ThunderBolt wrote:
Read on Twitter
Curious to see what we do with him. I think he's a great defender and a pretty cool dude overall. Could be a good mentor. But I bet we send him to a playoff team by the trade deadline for some kind of draft compensation lol.

I’m not sure if he can net an asset. He might be a buyout guy if he doesn’t want to stay here.
Good point, can't see too many teams that would be willing to pay 16 mil for him. Didn't even realize what he's going to be making.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#565 » by Old Man Game » Fri Nov 20, 2020 1:33 pm

Me personally, body type and skills aside, it just is more persuasive to see a kid like Theo that's been balling in France versus the second tier greek league. I know Giannis came from there also but by in large, I don't think the competition is very good there. Mid-major college competition might be better. Hell, JUCO college competition might be better.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#566 » by Old Man Game » Fri Nov 20, 2020 1:36 pm

In terms of Poku and who does he remind you of, hate to say this, but watching his highlights I got a Andrea Bargnani vibe. Hopefully he's Dirk instead but something about his game looked the part.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#567 » by spearsy23 » Fri Nov 20, 2020 1:51 pm

Old Man Game wrote:In terms of Poku and who does he remind you of, hate to say this, but watching his highlights I got a Andrea Bargnani vibe. Hopefully he's Dirk instead but something about his game looked the part.

He's a plus rebounder. A more athletic Bargnani that rebounds would be a nice player, I'd be pretty happy with that at 17.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#568 » by a-French-Fan » Fri Nov 20, 2020 1:53 pm

Old Man Game wrote:Me personally, body type and skills aside, it just is more persuasive to see a kid like Theo that's been balling in France versus the second tier greek league. I know Giannis came from there also but by in large, I don't think the competition is very good there. Mid-major college competition might be better. Hell, JUCO college competition might be better.


I don't think mid-major college competition might be better than 2d greek league. We are talking about professionnal players, don't forget it.
In France, I often heard than the level of NCAA1 coulf be equal to Pro B (second level) [and we have a lot of of Pro B's players who playedd NCAA first]. So maybe 2d greek is not equal to pro B and or top NCAA1, but I don't think that junior college competition could be better than 2nd division in Greece.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#569 » by ThunderBolt » Fri Nov 20, 2020 2:08 pm

Old Man Game wrote:Me personally, body type and skills aside, it just is more persuasive to see a kid like Theo that's been balling in France versus the second tier greek league. I know Giannis came from there also but by in large, I don't think the competition is very good there. Mid-major college competition might be better. Hell, JUCO college competition might be better.

I think his skills will translate if he stays healthy. When I look at his body I think of the fall that tore KP's acl. I think he's a better shooter than his percentages show. Scouts say he didn't have the greatest shot selection. If one of the three picks becomes a rotation player, that's not horribly for where we picked.
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#570 » by ThunderBolt » Fri Nov 20, 2020 2:19 pm

Going by highlight videos only, Vit Krejci looks like the most impressive of the three.
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#571 » by Old Man Game » Fri Nov 20, 2020 2:37 pm

a-French-Fan wrote:
Old Man Game wrote:Me personally, body type and skills aside, it just is more persuasive to see a kid like Theo that's been balling in France versus the second tier greek league. I know Giannis came from there also but by in large, I don't think the competition is very good there. Mid-major college competition might be better. Hell, JUCO college competition might be better.


I don't think mid-major college competition might be better than 2d greek league. We are talking about professionnal players, don't forget it.
In France, I often heard than the level of NCAA1 coulf be equal to Pro B (second level) [and we have a lot of of Pro B's players who playedd NCAA first]. So maybe 2d greek is not equal to pro B and or top NCAA1, but I don't think that junior college competition could be better than 2nd division in Greece.


Yeah, the age of the competition is a caveat I'll acknowledge and makes it likely tougher than the skillsets accordingly. [Even if the skillset was similar age, experience, sheer bulk, would likely make competing against same harder]
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#572 » by Mickey8 » Fri Nov 20, 2020 8:18 pm

Its not about who looks the most impressive right now ,the Czech player is the oldest too and more mature than other two , but you better pray Pokusevski becomes what Presti think he can, because Thunder gave a lot to acquire him , I think Pokusevski is basketball wise the most talented player out of three, that's why he was chosen highest by the club, but he's way too green and we know about his physical deficiencies , lack of strength, being very thin etc. I think its a good thing that he will come to OKC right away, so they can put him on the strength program, he might even see some action next season too.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#573 » by ThunderBolt » Fri Nov 20, 2020 8:34 pm

Mickey8 wrote:Its not about who looks the most impressive right now ,the Czech player is the oldest too and more mature than other two , but you better pray Pokusevski becomes what Presti think he can, because Thunder gave a lot to acquire him , I think Pokusevski is basketball wise the most talented player out of three, that's why he was chosen highest by the club, but he's way too green and we know about his physical deficiencies , lack of strength, being very thin etc. I think its a good thing that he will come to OKC right away, so they can put him on the strength program, he might even see some action next season too.

No, we really didn't
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#574 » by Mickey8 » Fri Nov 20, 2020 8:50 pm

Two first round picks , plus Thunder have drafted Pokusevski at #17, I think that's quite a lot, if he doesn't pan out and one or two players that were selected behind him do , then you will look back and say we gave a lot in this year NBA Draft for the player who was definition of a project coming into the league .
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#575 » by PhilBlackson » Fri Nov 20, 2020 9:41 pm

Forget Poku, Maledon is the steal.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#576 » by Mickey8 » Fri Nov 20, 2020 9:58 pm

Its much easier to develop guard then a 7 foot player who is playing on the perimeter ,if Thunder succeed in that Presti will look like a genius once again , at least Pokusevski will get the chance since Presti like him a lot, like Jonathan Giovani said on Zach Lowe podcast, Pokusevski is the top 5 player in this NBA Draft talent wise but his body is so frail , its all about his body development .
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#577 » by jake_swivel » Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:12 pm

Mickey8 wrote:Two first round picks , plus Thunder have drafted Pokusevski at #17, I think that's quite a lot, if he doesn't pan out and one or two players that were selected behind him do , then you will look back and say we gave a lot in this year NBA Draft for the player who was definition of a project coming into the league .


Two late first rounders in a normal draft isn’t a lot and this was a pretty bad draft. If you have two late firsts and one of them stays in the league past their first contract, that’s about par for the course. If poku is out of the league in five years, it’ll suck but it won’t be surprising or a big deal for the thunder.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#578 » by ThunderBolt » Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:25 pm

Mickey8 wrote:Two first round picks , plus Thunder have drafted Pokusevski at #17, I think that's quite a lot, if he doesn't pan out and one or two players that were selected behind him do , then you will look back and say we gave a lot in this year NBA Draft for the player who was definition of a project coming into the league .

You can look at any draft and find players picked afterwards that are better. That doesn't necessarily mean prior picks are all bad picks, like with Giannis and Butler being later in the draft. I think 28 & 25 for 17 is a fair price for both sides. Time will tell but its just not time to panic. We've been committed to a rebuild for 6 days now.
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#579 » by B8RcDeMktfxC » Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:26 pm

a-French-Fan wrote:
spearsy23 wrote:I'm excited now, maledon was a guy I wanted.

Full disclosure, last time I was more excited about a 2nd rounder than a first was semaj over mcgary

And maybe you expected him instead of Poku at first round.
Poku is a great potential but essentially played in greek 2d level, not euroleague...
Maledon is the steal of this draft. This guy only speaks on the court, and with an injury at the beginning of last season, COVID crisis when he reached his level, and a draft process off the court, he felt. But I couldn't imagine such a fall. I mean IMO he is same level than Killian Hayes. But I imagine playing Euroleague or Eurocup is the same thing in GMs' mind ...

I have to agree with this take - and the diagnosis. #34 for Maledon is absurdly low - I have him as better than Hayes at this point and I don't see that much difference in potential.
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Re: 2020 NBA Draft Thread 

Post#580 » by Dadouv47 » Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:42 pm

Mickey8 wrote:Its not about who looks the most impressive right now ,the Czech player is the oldest too and more mature than other two , but you better pray Pokusevski becomes what Presti think he can, because Thunder gave a lot to acquire him , I think Pokusevski is basketball wise the most talented player out of three, that's why he was chosen highest by the club, but he's way too green and we know about his physical deficiencies , lack of strength, being very thin etc. I think its a good thing that he will come to OKC right away, so they can put him on the strength program, he might even see some action next season too.


I was the first one to say here that we overpaid to get him but we didn't give THAT much. He's just a gamble that Presti took with all those assets. We will need to pray about the guys we will draft in the next years.

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