Official 2021 NBA Draft Thread

[basketballRob]

Guys now that we have a mid lotto pick or hopefully a 6-10 pick( aside from our first oick of Cade )if Vuc does us a solid and implode CHI (lol) we should watch more games. We have moody, butler duarte barnes and others to keep track of.

We have to root for Sacramento, New Orleans, Toronto, and that group to pass them. Chicago does have a brutal schedule.

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[RookieStar]

Guys now that we have a mid lotto pick or hopefully a 6-10 pick( aside from our first oick of Cade )if Vuc does us a solid and implode CHI (lol) we should watch more games. We have moody, butler duarte barnes and others to keep track of.

We have to root for Sacramento, New Orleans, Toronto, and that group to pass them. Chicago does have a brutal schedule.

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I played tankathon earlier... i got CHI with the #1 twice!!! But at least 6x at the #10 spot lol

I think TOR and NO passes them. Sacramneto... I think they will fall off..

[billy5783]

They're pick is top 4 protected.

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T-Wolves is top 3 protected. They both needed to lose tonight. Rockets wanted that L a lot more.

I know they have reasons to tank, but I still think the Wolves are primed to win games down the stretch.

They are getting Malik Beasley back on Saturday from his 12 game suspension and appear to be set to get D'Angelo Russell by the middle of next week.

You could do a heck of a lot worse than Russell/Beasley/Edwards/McDaniels/Towns with Rubio/Nowell/Hernangomez/Reid off the bench.

The Russell/Beasley/Edwards/Towns foursome (their four best guys) haven't really played together this year at all, but that's about to happen in the next few games.

I tend to think they are gonna try to win here on out. They have the talent.

It's been said before, but eventually its going to wear on a talent like Towns to lose like this.

[billy5783]

The biggest test for our tank and draft positioning will come with the game against the Lakers on Sunday, and games we have remaining against the Rockets, Cavs, Pistons, & Timberwolves.

Going 1-4 or worse against the group would be huge.

Fully agree. Include the Wizards in there too, but I think they are starting to play slightly better.

I had some moments of concern last night about how well we would tank down the stretch. But honestly I think last night came down to our guys being really eager to prove something and I honestly thought that Portland played really lazy outside of a few stretches. Proud of our guys effort but definitely don't think it's gonna result in games this close as often as I feared at times in the game.

[Skybox]

T-Wolves is top 3 protected. They both needed to lose tonight. Rockets wanted that L a lot more.

I know they have reasons to tank, but I still think the Wolves are primed to win games down the stretch.

They are getting Malik Beasley back on Saturday from his 12 game suspension and appear to be set to get D'Angelo Russell by the middle of next week.

You could do a heck of a lot worse than Russell/Beasley/Edwards/McDaniels/Towns with Rubio/Nowell/Hernangomez/Reid off the bench.

The Russell/Beasley/Edwards/Towns foursome (their four best guys) haven't really played together this year at all, but that's about to happen in the next few games.

I tend to think they are gonna try to win here on out. They have the talent.

It's been said before, but eventually its going to wear on a talent like Towns to lose like this.

Agreed...that looks like a talented team on paper, getting MORE top picks isn't the answer - they've got to start delivering...I'd say their coach is on the hot seat because the GM probably feels like he's given him a lot to work with.

[MagicFan101]

T-Wolves is top 3 protected. They both needed to lose tonight. Rockets wanted that L a lot more.

I know they have reasons to tank, but I still think the Wolves are primed to win games down the stretch.

They are getting Malik Beasley back on Saturday from his 12 game suspension and appear to be set to get D'Angelo Russell by the middle of next week.

You could do a heck of a lot worse than Russell/Beasley/Edwards/McDaniels/Towns with Rubio/Nowell/Hernangomez/Reid off the bench.

The Russell/Beasley/Edwards/Towns foursome (their four best guys) haven't really played together this year at all, but that's about to happen in the next few games.

I tend to think they are gonna try to win here on out. They have the talent.

It's been said before, but eventually its going to wear on a talent like Towns to lose like this.

I simply don’t agree with this narrative.

What is happening in Minny is NOT the same as for other teams.

- They are a young team
- Anthony Edwards looks really good
- They have won when they had their full core together
- They might add yet another top player to their core

This is not a roster which is “stalled” as Orlando had by reaching the playoffs with no realistic chance at going deeper than round 1. Minny is a young team loaded with untapped potential.

Also, I’m not sure how much Towns was even focused on Basketball this year. His off the court life was brutal these past 12 months.

[Knightro]

I simply don’t agree with this narrative.

What is happening in Minny is NOT the same as for other teams.

- They are a young team
- Anthony Edwards looks really good
- They have won when they had their full core together
- They might add yet another top player to their core

This is not a roster which is “stalled” as Orlando had by reaching the playoffs with no realistic chance at going deeper than round 1. Minny is a young team loaded with untapped potential.

Also, I’m not sure how much Towns was even focused on Basketball this year. His off the court life was brutal these past 12 months.

I don’t disagree with any of your points here, but I’m still hard pressed to believe that the Wolves have a mandate to tank (at least not yet) because they fired Saunders for losing too much.

Like if they wanted to nearly guaranteed they’d retain their 2021 pick, wouldn’t they have just kept Saunders who was leading them to losses almost every night and then dumped him after the year?

If they beat Houston tonight they’d be on about a 27 win pace over an 82 game season with Finch, compared to the 18 win pace they were on with Saunders. Not insignificant to the bottom of the standings race.

But unless they start actively sitting healthy players immediately, which most hardcore tankers don’t even do until the last few weeks of the season, I still think they’re going to win at a better clip in the immediate short term than they have been with Beasley back tonight and Russell back in a couple games.

[MagicFan101]

I simply don’t agree with this narrative.

What is happening in Minny is NOT the same as for other teams.

- They are a young team
- Anthony Edwards looks really good
- They have won when they had their full core together
- They might add yet another top player to their core

This is not a roster which is “stalled” as Orlando had by reaching the playoffs with no realistic chance at going deeper than round 1. Minny is a young team loaded with untapped potential.

Also, I’m not sure how much Towns was even focused on Basketball this year. His off the court life was brutal these past 12 months.

I don’t disagree with any of your points here, but I’m still hard pressed to believe that the Wolves have a mandate to tank (at least not yet) because they fired Saunders for losing too much.

Like if they wanted to nearly guaranteed they’d retain their 2021 pick, wouldn’t they have just kept Saunders who was leading them to losses almost every night and then dumped him after the year?

If they beat Houston tonight they’d be on about a 27 win pace over an 82 game season with Finch, compared to the 18 win pace they were on with Saunders. Not insignificant to the bottom of the standings race.

But unless they start actively sitting healthy players immediately, which most hardcore tankers don’t even do until the last few weeks of the season, I still think they’re going to win at a better clip in the immediate short term than they have been with Beasley back tonight and Russell back in a couple games.

Only they know their goal for tanking vs winning.

What I’m discussing here is how much of a toll this losing is taking on their players. I don’t think it has reached the point for them that they want to give up and blow it up. I think there is still a lot of optimism for the future in Minny.

To me, talk of Towns wanting out any time soon is very premature.

[billy5783]

I simply don’t agree with this narrative.

What is happening in Minny is NOT the same as for other teams.

- They are a young team
- Anthony Edwards looks really good
- They have won when they had their full core together
- They might add yet another top player to their core

This is not a roster which is “stalled” as Orlando had by reaching the playoffs with no realistic chance at going deeper than round 1. Minny is a young team loaded with untapped potential.

Also, I’m not sure how much Towns was even focused on Basketball this year. His off the court life was brutal these past 12 months.

I don’t disagree with any of your points here, but I’m still hard pressed to believe that the Wolves have a mandate to tank (at least not yet) because they fired Saunders for losing too much.

Like if they wanted to nearly guaranteed they’d retain their 2021 pick, wouldn’t they have just kept Saunders who was leading them to losses almost every night and then dumped him after the year?

If they beat Houston tonight they’d be on about a 27 win pace over an 82 game season with Finch, compared to the 18 win pace they were on with Saunders. Not insignificant to the bottom of the standings race.

But unless they start actively sitting healthy players immediately, which most hardcore tankers don’t even do until the last few weeks of the season, I still think they’re going to win at a better clip in the immediate short term than they have been with Beasley back tonight and Russell back in a couple games.

Only they know their goal for tanking vs winning.

What I’m discussing here is how much of a toll this losing is taking on their players. I don’t think it has reached the point for them that they want to give up and blow it up. I think there is still a lot of optimism for the future in Minny.

To me, talk of Towns wanting out any time soon is very premature.

I definitely don't think he is gonna demand a trade this year or anything, but losing wears on every high caliber player. And with players of that caliber the organization eventually has to show they are headed in the right direction, which is why I think they will start winning some more games when they get D-Lo and Beasley back.

[VFX]

Now that Orlando has likely a top 4 pick and Chicago’s pick (likely 10-15). Who does everyone like in that range if not packaged to trade up?

Springer, K. Johnson, Moody, Bouknight, Z. Williams, Kai Jones, Christopher, Butler all seem like names we could be hearing around that pick.

[basketballRob]

Now that Orlando has likely a top 4 pick and Chicago’s pick (likely 10-15). Who does everyone like in that range if not packaged to trade up?

Springer, K. Johnson, Moody, Bouknight, Z. Williams, Kai Jones, Christopher, Butler all seem like names we could be hearing around that pick.

Kispert is probably the best shooter in the draft.

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[basketballRob]

Read on Twitter

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[CarraT]

When is the lottery btw? Couldnt find any date...

[nymets1]

I just keep hearing Mobley, There's a pair of Mobley's brother on the USC team (Evan and Isaiah)

Evan Mobley is listed as 7 feet 0, 210 pounds, freshman
Isaiah Mobley is listed as 6 feet 10, 235 pounds, sophmore

Evan is the higher rated brother, but i've watched USC's 2 game in the NCAA tournament and it looks like Isaiah is just as good as Evan.

[RookieStar]

Now that Orlando has likely a top 4 pick and Chicago’s pick (likely 10-15). Who does everyone like in that range if not packaged to trade up?

Springer, K. Johnson, Moody, Bouknight, Z. Williams, Kai Jones, Christopher, Butler all seem like names we could be hearing around that pick.

ORL draft pick #1 - Cade
ORL draft (via CHI) # 10 - Moody , Krispert ,Bouknight , Zaire
ORL draft # 31 - Matt Hurt

[RookieStar]

I just keep hearing Mobley, There's a pair of Mobley's brother on the USC team (Evan and Isaiah)

Evan Mobley is listed as 7 feet 0, 210 pounds, freshman
Isaiah Mobley is listed as 6 feet 10, 235 pounds, sophmore

Evan is the higher rated brother, but i've watched USC's 2 game in the NCAA tournament and it looks like Isaiah is just as good as Evan.

MAybe for the tourney but if you watched from the beginning, the offense runs through Evan

[basketballRob]

Isaiah is 2 years older also and has developed his 3PT shot a little more. That's good to know Evan will probably develop his also. Plus his BPM is around 13.7 and that's about the highest I remember since Anthony Davis 16.5. Suggs is 9.1 and Cunningham 8.1.

Edit: Zion had a 20.1 BPM.

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[ogmagicfan]

Guys now that we have a mid lotto pick or hopefully a 6-10 pick( aside from our first oick of Cade )if Vuc does us a solid and implode CHI (lol) we should watch more games. We have moody, butler duarte barnes and others to keep track of.

We have to root for Sacramento, New Orleans, Toronto, and that group to pass them. Chicago does have a brutal schedule.

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Worst I’d want the Bulls doing is 8th worst, which gives them a 23.5% at a top 4 pick.

If they end up being the 7th worst their odds at a top 4 pick jump to 31.9%.

Relevant since the Chicago pick is top 4 protected.

[MagicFan101]

http://www.tankathon.com/remaining_schedule_strength

Chicago is projected to have a tougher remaining SOS than us. Should be good for our new pick.

[basketballRob]

http://www.tankathon.com/remaining_schedule_strength

Chicago is projected to have a tougher remaining SOS than us. Should be good for our new pick.

Looks like Washington and Detroit both have easy schedules remaining.

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