Hal’s Draft Thread

[Hal14]

Oh man. I'm telling you, Roko is gonna be a star. 6'9" bruiser and look how quick/spry he is on this play, as he blows past Alperen Sengun off the dribble. Roko is like a blur on this play, so quick, like a guard. Very quick for a dude who's 6'9", 225 lbs. Definitely looks a step quicker than previous Roko vids I've seen. Clearly the dude has been working on his agility/conditioning/quickness. Makes a nice pass on this play too.

Read on Twitter

Currently no. 12 on my big board.

Maybe we trade up to get him, but I am still advocating picking Maker at 45. Just saying...whoever takes Roko is getting a good one..

[playa-hater]

Players I'm hoping will be there at 45 (in no order):

1. Wieskamp
2. K. Edwards
3. J. Sims
4. Queta
5. Garza
6. Vrenz Bleijenbergh
7. Isaiah Todd
8. Onu

I like this list. perhaps not the exact order. Betting/hoping at least 4 will still be there.

[playa-hater]

I would consider trading up into the early 2nd round and draft these players, if they are not drafted in the 1st round (in no particular order. These are players I feel might be gone way before the 45th pick:

1. Chris Duarte
2. Roko Prkacin
3. JT Thor
4. Quentin Grimes
5. Joe Wieskamp
6. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

I wonder what it would take to trade up. Cash and our 45th would be nice. we don't have too many future seconds. Grant Williams??

[playa-hater]

My current long shot wish list would be acquire a high 2nd (somehow) and draft either Vrenz or JT THor *Big versatile wings.. and with our 45 hope that Wieskamp falls.

I don't care that we might have too many young players. Talent wins. Grow the product well and it can also serve as future trade material when the young players shine.

[Hal14]

Players I'm hoping will be there at 45 (in no order):

1. Wieskamp
2. K. Edwards
3. J. Sims
4. Queta
5. Garza
6. Vrenz Bleijenbergh
7. Isaiah Todd
8. Onu

I like this list. perhaps not the exact order. Betting/hoping at least 4 will still be there.

Onu looked lost, and pretty bad at the g-league elite camp scrimmages. I doubt he gets drafted. He's got a year of eligibility left - he should transfer to a major conference D-I school, work on his game, hit the weight room to make his arms not look like spaghetti and try getting drafted again next year.

[winsomme2]

My current long shot wish list would be acquire a high 2nd (somehow) and draft either Vrenz or JT THor *Big versatile wings.. and with our 45 hope that Wieskamp falls.

I don't care that we might have too many young players. Talent wins. Grow the product well and it can also serve as future trade material when the young players shine.

PHO and ATL are showing this to be the case IMO. Loaded with young talent that they drafted and very exciting to watch.

They are like a breath of fresh air IMO. I was actually hoping that was the Final. Trae grates on me, but you have to have villains.

[playa-hater]

My current long shot wish list would be acquire a high 2nd (somehow) and draft either Vrenz or JT THor *Big versatile wings.. and with our 45 hope that Wieskamp falls.

I don't care that we might have too many young players. Talent wins. Grow the product well and it can also serve as future trade material when the young players shine.

PHO and ATL are showing this to be the case IMO. Loaded with young talent that they drafted and very exciting to watch.

They are like a breath of fresh air IMO. I was actually hoping that was the Final. Trae grates on me, but you have to have villains.

E-X-A-C-T-L-Y

[RickyDizzle]

My current long shot wish list would be acquire a high 2nd (somehow) and draft either Vrenz or JT THor *Big versatile wings.. and with our 45 hope that Wieskamp falls.

I don't care that we might have too many young players. Talent wins. Grow the product well and it can also serve as future trade material when the young players shine.

PHO and ATL are showing this to be the case IMO. Loaded with young talent that they drafted and very exciting to watch.

They are like a breath of fresh air IMO. I was actually hoping that was the Final. Trae grates on me, but you have to have villains.

E-X-A-C-T-L-Y

Was listening to Duncd on and they said something like "Phoenix and Atlanta will be the justification for a lot of bad decisions when teams convince themselves they just need to be 'in the mix " I tend to agree.

I like Phoenix, but they beat Denver without Murray and clippers without Kawhi. In the east Brooklyn was a juggernaut but also not healthy. Sure... there are always injuries, but Phoenix and Atlanta had to have a lot of things go their way to reach the level they did.

[Curmudgeon]

I like Phoenix, but they beat Denver without Murray and clippers without Kawhi. In the east Brooklyn was a juggernaut but also not healthy. Sure... there are always injuries, but Phoenix and Atlanta had to have a lot of things go their way to reach the level they did.

Denver and Brooklyn had to have things go their way too. One star goes down and there is no next man up. Injuries are part of the game and almost always happen, particularly to older guys who have played alot of minutes. It's just a question of which risks a franchise is willing to take. The big name stars (whose brands have benefitted from years of hype by the league) get the press and sell the jerseys. But they don't always win. Harden has never won. Kyrie has one (with LeBron), and Durant has two, on a team that won a championship before he got there.

Chris Paul missed several games in the playoffs, but the Suns won without him. Same thing with the Bucks and Giannis. Those teams had guys step up. Denver and Brooklyn didn't.

[Hal14]

This dude is a freak:

Watch on YouTube

Crazy skillset for a 6'11" dude. Projects as a Anthony Davis/Durant/Garnett/Webber type of player. Not saying he'll be as good as them but he has that type of size/build/skill set.

My current list of top prospects the Celtics should be looking at for the 45th pick who have a good chance of still being on the board:

1) Makur Maker
2) Santi Aldama
3) Moses Wright
4) Joe Wieskamp
5) Vrenz Bleijenbergh
6) Herb Jones
7) Kessler Edwards

Assuming Greg Brown, Robinson-Earl, Thor and Todd will be off the board but if any of them slip then they're in the mix too.

[playa-hater]

This dude is a freak:

Watch on YouTube

Crazy skillset for a 6'11" dude. Projects as a Anthony Davis/Durant/Garnett/Webber type of player. Not saying he'll be as good as them but he has that type of size/build/skill set.

My current list of top prospects the Celtics should be looking at for the 45th pick who have a good chance of still being on the board:

1) Makur Maker
2) Santi Aldama
3) Moses Wright
4) Joe Wieskamp
5) Vrenz Bleijenbergh
6) Herb Jones
7) Kessler Edwards

Assuming Greg Brown, Robinson-Earl, Thor and Todd will be off the board but if any of them slip then they're in the mix too.

Using devil's advocate here, what makes him a "freak" and his highly touted Brother Thon, who has struggled to find a spot, different??

[Hal14]

This dude is a freak:

Watch on YouTube

Crazy skillset for a 6'11" dude. Projects as a Anthony Davis/Durant/Garnett/Webber type of player. Not saying he'll be as good as them but he has that type of size/build/skill set.

My current list of top prospects the Celtics should be looking at for the 45th pick who have a good chance of still being on the board:

1) Makur Maker
2) Santi Aldama
3) Moses Wright
4) Joe Wieskamp
5) Vrenz Bleijenbergh
6) Herb Jones
7) Kessler Edwards

Assuming Greg Brown, Robinson-Earl, Thor and Todd will be off the board but if any of them slip then they're in the mix too.

Using devil's advocate here, what makes him a "freak" and his highly touted Brother Thon, who has struggled to find a spot, different??

He's 6'11", strong as an ox. Can guard 1-5. Can lead the break, handle the ball, 3-level scorer, really nice shooting form with high release. Can shoot off the catch or off the dribble. Has very good post moves. Freak athlete with guard skills, good coordination while also rebounding and blocking shots like a big. Guys like that don't grow on trees.

Coming out of high school he was ranked over Jaden Springer, Sharife Cooper, Cam Thomas, Daishen Nix, Keon Johnson, Marcus Bagley and Isaiah Jackson by ESPN.

As far as why Makur could pan our but his cousin Thon has struggled, IDK, I haven't really looked into Thon much. They're cousins but they're different players. I haven't looked into their similarities/differences but from what I've gathered Thon has had some big games, some flashes of brilliance in the NBA and he's only 24 so could still turn into a good player but it looks like Thon is 7'0" but only 185 lbs which is insanely skinny - that might be part of the reason Thon has struggled in the NBA. Makur on the other hand is 6'11", 232 lbs and from the vids I have seen Makur appears to be much stronger physically..

There's no sure thing or certainty with any of these prospects but I like Maker's upside. Sure, he might turn out to be a bust. But he also might be the next Chris Webber/Durant/AD/Garnett, or at least a slightly worse version of those guys in which case he'd be a crazy steal with 45th pick.

Some team is gonna gamble on Makur either with a late draft pick or as an UDFA - I hope that team is the Celtics.

Here's another video that shows Makur's crazy skillset and athleticism for a dude his size:

Watch on YouTube

[return2glory]

I would consider trading up into the early 2nd round and draft these players, if they are not drafted in the 1st round (in no particular order. These are players I feel might be gone way before the 45th pick:

1. Chris Duarte
2. Roko Prkacin
3. JT Thor
4. Quentin Grimes
5. Joe Wieskamp
6. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

I wonder what it would take to trade up. Cash and our 45th would be nice. we don't have too many future seconds. Grant Williams??

I'm hoping we keep the 45th too.

Carsen Edwards and a future 2nd rounder or cash. I still think Carsen can help a team that uses his skills better.

[return2glory]

Players I'm hoping will be there at 45 (in no order):

1. Wieskamp
2. K. Edwards
3. J. Sims
4. Queta
5. Garza
6. Vrenz Bleijenbergh
7. Isaiah Todd
8. Onu

I like this list. perhaps not the exact order. Betting/hoping at least 4 will still be there.

Yeah, that's not my order either (in no order).

[Bill Lumbergh]

I think Edwards has negative value, and you'd have to attach something to get rid of him, like Edwards, a future second, and perhaps some cash to a team with cap room. Unless he can be packaged with Thompson on his way out, I somewhat expect some minor move to get off Edwards for his roster spot. He's not an NBA player.

[RickyDizzle]

I like Phoenix, but they beat Denver without Murray and clippers without Kawhi. In the east Brooklyn was a juggernaut but also not healthy. Sure... there are always injuries, but Phoenix and Atlanta had to have a lot of things go their way to reach the level they did.

Denver and Brooklyn had to have things go their way too. One star goes down and there is no next man up. Injuries are part of the game and almost always happen, particularly to older guys who have played alot of minutes. It's just a question of which risks a franchise is willing to take. The big name stars (whose brands have benefitted from years of hype by the league) get the press and sell the jerseys. But they don't always win. Harden has never won. Kyrie has one (with LeBron), and Durant has two, on a team that won a championship before he got there.

Chris Paul missed several games in the playoffs, but the Suns won without him. Same thing with the Bucks and Giannis. Those teams had guys step up. Denver and Brooklyn didn't.

All true. I think Phoenix, if they win the championship and bring back Chris Paul, have to be considered a contender next year too. Though Atlanta, if they pony up for Collins, I think their ceiling most years is hosting one series and being a 2nd round out. I do not buy them as an ECF hopeful. My overall point, is one fluky year of exceeding expectations and locking in guys like Collins for huge contracts seems like a quick path to treadmill status.

[Curmudgeon]

I think Edwards has negative value, and you'd have to attach something to get rid of him, like Edwards, a future second, and perhaps some cash to a team with cap room. Unless he can be packaged with Thompson on his way out, I somewhat expect some minor move to get off Edwards for his roster spot. He's not an NBA player.

Just waive him for the roster spot. End of Story. If you stretch the $1.7M left on his deal the amount is trivial.

[Half-Full]

This draft is loaded with bigs. One that I find very intriguing is Sandro Mamukelashvili (Big Mamu), who is a good ball handler, excellent passer, and decent scorer.

Watch on YouTube

https://basketballsocietyonline.com/sandro-mamukelashvili-versatility-should-produce-successful-nba-tenure

[playa-hater]

This draft is loaded with bigs. One that I find very intriguing is Sandro Mamukelashvili (Big Mamu), who is a good ball handler, excellent passer, and decent scorer.

Watch on YouTube

https://basketballsocietyonline.com/sandro-mamukelashvili-versatility-should-produce-successful-nba-tenure

best 2nd rd for Bigs in years and yet I won't consider one unless we trade away at least one of TT or RW.

My mind will not stop screaming for a bigger wing player.

[Hal14]

This draft is loaded with bigs. One that I find very intriguing is Sandro Mamukelashvili (Big Mamu), who is a good ball handler, excellent passer, and decent scorer.

Watch on YouTube

https://basketballsocietyonline.com/sandro-mamukelashvili-versatility-should-produce-successful-nba-tenure

best 2nd rd for Bigs in years and yet I won't consider one unless we trade away at least one of TT or RW.

My mind will not stop screaming for a bigger wing player.

Luckily there's a bunch of those who could be available at 45. Wieskamp, Edwards, Vrenz, Herb Jones, Greg Brown, Livers, Boston. It'll be interesting to see how many of those guys are still available when we're up..

Boston is a guy who it seems like he is slipping in mock drafts. Wieskamp has been going up, up up with a strong showing at the combine (in both the scrimmages as well as testing with his long wingspan, super high vertical leap and really good time in the agility drill).

But Boston didn't participate in the combine - maybe he should have - but if it causes him to slip into our laps we could end up with a steal. He's got some serious talent. There's a dude in the Draft Forum here on realgm who has Boston in his top 15 overall for this draft. Boston is only 19, he needs to put some weight on and needs to refine his game a little - we could take him, not have to use a roster spot on him - use the roster spot on a veteran - put Boston on the g-league team for next season and then asses his progress next offseason and see where he fits in then..maybe put him on the g-league for a 2nd year but I've got a feeling that by the end of year 2 we're gonna want him contributing to the big club..

Boston is 6'7" with a 6'11" wingspan.