2020 Draft - Part II

[payitforward]

Grrrrr. Here is Kevin Broom's analysis written just before the draft -- I missed it, & I'm guessing most of you did as well. He grades draft prospects based on his YODA analysis tool It's very worth reading:

Def. worth a read: https://www.bulletsforever.com/2020/11/18/21571471/wizards-2020-nba-draft-according-to-yoda

Why my "growl above? This should explain it:

Nate Hinton, who’s expected to be available in the second round — and who could go undrafted — ranks sixth (in the whole draft using YODA).... I did a ton of extra research, looking for a reason to downgrade him. Ultimately, I didn’t find it. He reminds me of other players who rated well in YODA, fell to the second round and went on to be productive professionals — players like Jae Crowder, Danny Green and Will Barton.

In the comments, someone asked whether we should simply wait & sign Hinton if he went undrafted. Kevin replied:

I wouldn't risk it. College players like him have tended to be productive in the NBA. I’d pick him at 37 or buy another pick in the 40s and take him there.

More or less what I wrote... & I really wish we'd done it!

[WizarDynasty]

Wow wiz another homerun. Nba allowed Rui and Deni to fall to us. Leonsis and Beal are lucky pendulants. Going to be really enjoyable watching wiz for at 5 or 6 years. Good times.

[payitforward]

A couple of things for WizDynasty (where are you, man?):

1. Jahmi'us Ramsey: https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/2020/12/05/sacramento-kings-sign-jahmius-ramsey-rookie-contract/ -- WD was talking this kid up as someone worth buying a late R1 pick in order to take him. Instead he dropped to #43 where he was taken by the Kings, who have signed him to a 3-year contract with the first 2 years fully guaranteed!

Obviously, we could have taken him at #37, or if we'd traded down some, maybe we could have gotten him & one of the other high-value picks later in R2 -- perhaps we could have gotten both Ramsay & Winston, who knows...?

It'll be worth paying attention to how he works out.

2. Precious Achiuwa: https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/2020/12/04/bam-adebayo-thinks-precious-achiuwa-can-be-better-than-him-as-a-rookie/ -- Achiuwa was clearly WD's favorite player in the 2020 draft. Bam Adebayo thinks he can be special.

Another guy to watch.

[Dat2U]

Ok. So, really, it's Okongwu, Haliburton or Hayes. If they're not there, trade down (to 14 by default...). If no trade is possible, then it's one of Nesmith, Achiuwa, Hampton or S. Bey.

If we trade down to 14, pick 1 of the above if available. &, in fact, it's almost impossible to imagine that all 4 would be gone. If, somehow, they all are, then Paul Reed in a fall-back.

That trade down would have brought us (presumably) 2 late-R1 picks. We'd pick 2 of Reed, Flynn, Bane, Carey, Tillman, Stanley.

@ #37, we'd pick whoever was still around from any of the lists above, or...?

A few notable names missing from your lists: Jalen Smith, Isaiah Stewart, Poku, Nnaji, Green, Maxey, T. Bey, Daniel Oturu. Do they fit anywhere?

If that Boston trade happens, it looks to me like we might walk away with Achiuwa, Reed, Flynn & one of the guys left on your list (Tillman, Stanley, T. Bey, Carey)

We don't have a later R2 pick, but if we wind up with one, say by flipping Wagner for it, & we come away with Achiuwa, Reed, Flynn, Tillman & Nate Hinton.... that would be amazing. I would immediately buy out Schofield. Make Hinton a 2-way player & keep Garrison Mathews there as well. Re-sign Bertans if possible, & sign someone for the MLE -- WC-S perhaps?

Jalen Smith is a decent prospect. There are a lot of C prospects. A lot of Cs available in FA. And likely a lot of Cs available in trade. Jalen may make a very solid backup big but I've seen nothing that makes him standout physically or skillwise from the rest. Same goes for guys like Stewart, Nnaji or Oturu.

Five bigs in this draft stand out to me. Okongwu, Wiseman, Achuiwa, Carey Jr. & Tillman. I'd be less inclined to draft a big outside of those 5 although I'm sure more than a few are capable of playing in the league.

Poku is too much of a mystery to me. I worry when agents go out of a way to hide a kid. Also I don't necessarily dislike the prospects of Green, Maxey & T. Bey... I'm just not huge fans of them.

Ideal draft for me:
9. PG Tyrese Haliburton
37. C Xavier Tillman
Trade Wagner for 2nd use it on Jaden McDaniels. I like his raw toolkit as a Brandon Ingram type SF. A couple of years from doing anything but a nice high upside prospect to develop in our system.

[Ruzious]

After a predictably horrific start, Poku is starting to make progress. he still has a very long way to go, but the light is coming on.

[Ruzious]

Speaking of which, that's gotta leave a mark - ouch! Kid's got guts.

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[Dat2U]

Speaking of which, that's gotta leave a mark - ouch! Kid's got guts.

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I love how OKC is developing him. Letting test the limits of his abilities and skill without fear of getting pulled for every mistake. They are going to get the most of this kid.

I remember Dallas did the same thing with Dirk is rookie year. They let him crash and burn but gave him the confidence to let him figure out and he, much like Poku, got better throughout his rookie year.

[pcbothwel]

Speaking of which, that's gotta leave a mark - ouch! Kid's got guts.

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I love how OKC is developing him. Letting test the limits of his abilities and skill without fear of getting pulled for every mistake. They are going to get the most of this kid.

I remember Dallas did the same thing with Dirk is rookie year. They let him crash and burn but gave him the confidence to let him figure out and he, much like Poku, got better throughout his rookie year.

Yeah. I like Deni, but I had Poku as my "Giannis pick".

9/22/20:

9 for 14, 26, & 47.

14: Poku
26: Bane (Bey as backup pick)
37: Tillman (Flynn as backup)
47: Flynn (Mays, Riller, Hinton as backup)

That said, I appear to have some hits and misses:
Right: I didnt like Wiseman, Okoro, Toppin, McDaniels, Woodard, and lukewarm on Nesmith
I liked Okongwu, Deni, Vassell, Haliburton, Poku, Maxey, Quickly, Pritchard, Bane, Reed, Flynn, Tillman

Wrong: I didnt like Ball or Saddiq Bey... While I did like Hayes or Lewis (Though both are of the youngest players in the draft, so they have time to prove me right. lol)

[FAH1223]

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[Kanyewest]

Tommy Shepherd drafted the wrong Big 12 player of the year.

[FAH1223]

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