2021 Draft Thread

[FNQ]

Via the wiretap:

The Golden State Warriors are not expected to select Davion Mitchell at No. 7, sources tell Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.

Mitchell had been linked with the Warriors due to his defensive abilities and the expectation he could contribute more quickly due to him being an older draft prospect.

Josh Giddey is believed to be one of Golden State's main targets though Jonathan Kuminga and Keon Johnson are also in the conversation.

Great news if true, but I think it's just KOC speculating.

Also, Giddey at 7 is like a bad joke. It's extremely high for him. Keon as well.

One landmine dodged. Weird trio of players listed afterwards though. Giddey at 7 would be just as bad as Mitchell or Bouknight.. who's name wasnt mentioned, which is also a win. But Keon Johnson being in play is definitely not one either.

[shazam_guy]

Yeah, I'm not down with Giddey. I'm not sure I'd want him at 14, where he quite possibly will be available. And at least in a few mocks I've seen, people seem to be agreeing now that the best Tenn. choice is Springer, not Keon. I'd be fine with JS at 14 -- bit of a reach, but I think he's going to be a really solid, versatile player. Keon is a bit too Oubre for me in such a rich mid-draft.

[WESCO]

Please goodness no bouknight or giddey.

[Old_Blue]

Yeah, I'm not down with Giddey. I'm not sure I'd want him at 14, where he quite possibly will be available. And at least in a few mocks I've seen, people seem to be agreeing now that the best Tenn. choice is Springer, not Keon. I'd be fine with JS at 14 -- bit of a reach, but I think he's going to be a really solid, versatile player. Keon is a bit too Oubre for me in such a rich mid-draft.

Giddey's not going to be available at #14. That's why I'm torn about him. #7 does seem too high for him. Memphis will probably pluck him at #10. It would be interesting to see the ball movement with Morant and Giddey on the court at the same time.

[The-Power]

I dont think its a smokescreen tbh, plus I doubt the effectiveness of using one in the first place. I dont believe any of the top 6 picks are for sale, at least to move down. So there's no need to pumpfake anyone, especially since Bouknight seems to be on OKC's radar right now anyways. Plus, with Myers drafting Poole before, and seeing some success with it, they might have locked into to that tweener guard, no defense archetype.

But consider that the top 4 picks are pretty locked in, and then the #5 and #6 picks are held by teams with multiple picks in the 1st (ORL 5/8, OKC 6/16/18) and both have a huge need for star power, not depth. So I dont think tipping our hand is really a big deal.. and I'm really hoping OKC's interest in Jamal Crawford is legit

I agree in that I don't fully buy that smokescreens work or used – at least not as often as fans would want to believe – but I will say one thing: especially because Orlando has picks 5 and 8, and OKC has pick 6 plus they might be able to trade up with 16 and 18, it would be useful to have those teams believe we like a prospect that they like. This would then be the case if they believed the player we like will not be available with their second pick, which might cause them to play it safe and use the earlier pick for that prospect while we could draft who we actually want to draft. Or we could use the threat of drafting a certain coveted player as leverage to get a better deal for our pick. I don't necessarily think this is happening right now but us being wedged in between two teams with multiple picks would at least make an effective smokescreen useful in certain (very specific) contexts.

[The-Power]

I really don't want Bouknight or Keon at 7... I get Bouknights scoring potential, but even then he is what, Monta Ellis at best?

The list of guys i'd currently be happy with at 7 are Kuminga, Wagner, Moody, Giddey. I really want Kuminga to fall to 7 because it seems near impossible to determine for certainty who of the others should be the pick.

I'm fully with you here except that I'd scratch Giddey from the list. No Bouknight or Keon at 7, and a priority list of Kuminga, Wagner and Moody (in some order) – that I support wholeheartedly.

[FNQ]

re: the #10 pick and moving down w/MEM:

So Kevin O Connor is the one who said that Memphis was targetting Bouknight or Kuminga, but I cant find anyone else corroborating it without linking it back to him. However a lot of Memphis beat reporters are still banging the drum that its Moody, and that does fit because at SF, they dont have anyone like him

And this is where I point out that Memphis has had a very, very good track record of draft picks in the past 4 seasons:

2017 - Dillon Brooks (45)
2018 - JJJ (4), Jevon Carter (32)
2019 - Ja Morant (2), Brandon Clarke (21)
2020 - Desmond Bane (30), Xavier Tillman (35)

Out of 7 picks, both 1sts and 2nds, they have: a franchise player (Ja), a potential franchise guy/all-star type (JJJ), a quality starter (Brooks), 3 good role players with starter upside (Clarke, Bane, Tillman), and only one miss (Jevon) - a 2nd rounder.

So maybe if Memphis is moving up.. pay attention to who they actually want. They have been great at identifying NBA talent and putting them into a system that works well for them. Unsurprisingly they are one of the best defensive teams in the league and got better via this trade as well.

[Twinkie defense]

Who we taking Reggae?

[GSWFan1994]

I think at 7 it's between Kuminga, Bouknight and Moody. One of those 3 will be a Warrior.

At 14 I can't get a grasp yet. I hope it's JJ.

Picks 11-13 are a grey area, hardly any info on them.

[FNQ]

Who we taking Reggae?

If I had to guess right now its Kuminga and then we take a shooter at 14. I think we'd take Kuminga over Bouknight if the weird scenario happened where both were at 7 as well

But if it were me, I'd be taking Moody at 7 and make some tough decision at 14. If Knicks are willing to trade 19/21 for 14 on draft day, I'd do that and try and grab Garuba as a Draymond backup, and then one of the middle rounders who are falling (Springer, Sengun, Ziaire, JJ, Trey Murphy, etc etc

[FNQ]

I dont think its a smokescreen tbh, plus I doubt the effectiveness of using one in the first place. I dont believe any of the top 6 picks are for sale, at least to move down. So there's no need to pumpfake anyone, especially since Bouknight seems to be on OKC's radar right now anyways. Plus, with Myers drafting Poole before, and seeing some success with it, they might have locked into to that tweener guard, no defense archetype.

But consider that the top 4 picks are pretty locked in, and then the #5 and #6 picks are held by teams with multiple picks in the 1st (ORL 5/8, OKC 6/16/18) and both have a huge need for star power, not depth. So I dont think tipping our hand is really a big deal.. and I'm really hoping OKC's interest in Jamal Crawford is legit

I agree in that I don't fully buy that smokescreens work or used – at least not as often as fans would want to believe – but I will say one thing: especially because Orlando has picks 5 and 8, and OKC has pick 6 plus they might be able to trade up with 16 and 18, it would be useful to have those teams believe we like a prospect that they like. This would then be the case if they believed the player we like will not be available with their second pick, which might cause them to play it safe and use the earlier pick for that prospect while we could draft who we actually want to draft. Or we could use the threat of drafting a certain coveted player as leverage to get a better deal for our pick. I don't necessarily think this is happening right now but us being wedged in between two teams with multiple picks would at least make an effective smokescreen useful in certain (very specific) contexts.

Oh in general absolutely. I just dont think there's any point in our current scenario. If we did use one with Bouknight and convinced OKC to grab him at 6, then that's just a master class of manipulation. But I'm believing the reports more and more about who we want at 7 - Kuminga or Bouknight. Kuminga I could live with. Bouknight.. I'll have to learn to like him, because it sure wont be natural

[Old_Blue]

re: the #10 pick and moving down w/MEM:

So Kevin O Connor is the one who said that Memphis was targetting Bouknight or Kuminga, but I cant find anyone else corroborating it without linking it back to him. However a lot of Memphis beat reporters are still banging the drum that its Moody, and that does fit because at SF, they dont have anyone like him

And this is where I point out that Memphis has had a very, very good track record of draft picks in the past 4 seasons:

2017 - Dillon Brooks (45)
2018 - JJJ (4), Jevon Carter (32)
2019 - Ja Morant (2), Brandon Clarke (21)
2020 - Desmond Bane (30), Xavier Tillman (35)

Out of 7 picks, both 1sts and 2nds, they have: a franchise player (Ja), a potential franchise guy/all-star type (JJJ), a quality starter (Brooks), 3 good role players with starter upside (Clarke, Bane, Tillman), and only one miss (Jevon) - a 2nd rounder.

So maybe if Memphis is moving up.. pay attention to who they actually want. They have been great at identifying NBA talent and putting them into a system that works well for them. Unsurprisingly they are one of the best defensive teams in the league and got better via this trade as well.

So, presuming the Warriors were willing to swap #7 for Memphis' #10 and Memphis took Kuminga at #7, what do the Warriors do at #10? Moody could well be gone by #10. The only way I see the Warriors making this trade is if they're targeting Giddey.

[FNQ]

So, presuming the Warriors were willing to swap #7 for Memphis' #10 and Memphis took Kuminga at #7, what do the Warriors do at #10? Moody could well be gone by #10. The only way I see the Warriors making this trade is if they're targeting Giddey.

I love Moody but he's less of a concern if Bane & Tillman come our way - most likely the only way I'd do it. Then you can draft a guy like Keon, JJ, or even Ziaire with a lot less stress on them to be immediate contributors.

I'm not saying its what I'd do. The whole point of the above is that Memphis seems to be targeting Moody more than anyone else, and they have a history of absolutely nailing it when it comes to draft picks and their fit on their team

[Old_Blue]

So, presuming the Warriors were willing to swap #7 for Memphis' #10 and Memphis took Kuminga at #7, what do the Warriors do at #10? Moody could well be gone by #10. The only way I see the Warriors making this trade is if they're targeting Giddey.

I love Moody but he's less of a concern if Bane & Tillman come our way - most likely the only way I'd do it. Then you can draft a guy like Keon, JJ, or even Ziaire with a lot less stress on them to be immediate contributors.

I'm not saying its what I'd do. The whole point of the above is that Memphis seems to be targeting Moody more than anyone else, and they have a history of absolutely nailing it when it comes to draft picks and their fit on their team

If Memphis is targeting Moody, then at #10 they might be in no man's land. They might have to make another trade.

[FNQ]

So, presuming the Warriors were willing to swap #7 for Memphis' #10 and Memphis took Kuminga at #7, what do the Warriors do at #10? Moody could well be gone by #10. The only way I see the Warriors making this trade is if they're targeting Giddey.

I love Moody but he's less of a concern if Bane & Tillman come our way - most likely the only way I'd do it. Then you can draft a guy like Keon, JJ, or even Ziaire with a lot less stress on them to be immediate contributors.

I'm not saying its what I'd do. The whole point of the above is that Memphis seems to be targeting Moody more than anyone else, and they have a history of absolutely nailing it when it comes to draft picks and their fit on their team

If Memphis is targeting Moody, then at #10 they might be in no man's land. They might have to make another trade.

Thus the rumors. And if they were targeting Moody, then claiming it was for Bouknight/Kuminga would be a stroke of genius on their part, because the Warriors might have the interest at 7 and may feel safe that ORL or SAC isnt taking him (for whatever reason).

That's why I want 2 quality role players with starter upside if I'm going down from 7 to 10. Take Moody, but it will cost you

[Old_Blue]

Thus the rumors. And if they were targeting Moody, then claiming it was for Bouknight/Kuminga would be a stroke of genius on their part, because the Warriors might have the interest at 7 and may feel safe that ORL or SAC isnt taking him (for whatever reason).

That's why I want 2 quality role players with starter upside if I'm going down from 7 to 10. Take Moody, but it will cost you

I've read reports that Memphis might actually be interested in Giddey. Were the Warrior to take him at #7 and Memphis then takes Moody at #10, it sets the table for a post draft trade. Another way you might end up getting your role players from Memphis.

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/mock-draft

[TB]

I have a feeling we are going to draft Mitchell at 14. What team in top 13 outside of us have been linked to him? When I look at those teams and their rosters, I can maybe see some interest from the Grizz, Spurs, or Pacers... but thats entirely as a 6th man type.

And by the way I'd include the Warriors in the category of "why do they have interest in Mitchell as a lotto pick"...

If I was mocking what I think teams SHOULD do, I don't think i'd be drafting Mitchell until 19 with the Knicks.

[FNQ]

Thus the rumors. And if they were targeting Moody, then claiming it was for Bouknight/Kuminga would be a stroke of genius on their part, because the Warriors might have the interest at 7 and may feel safe that ORL or SAC isnt taking him (for whatever reason).

That's why I want 2 quality role players with starter upside if I'm going down from 7 to 10. Take Moody, but it will cost you

I've read reports that Memphis might actually be interested in Giddey. Were the Warrior to take him at #7 and Memphis then takes Moody at #10, it sets the table for a post draft trade. Another way you might end up getting your role players from Memphis.

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/mock-draft

I dont think Giddey fits what they're trying to do.. that team is all about defense. They definitely could use another ballhandler, but handlers are so deep in this draft (though not at the top).. Giddey screams smokescreen to me. I'm still taken aback by him being in the lottery, because it will take so much for him to actually contribute. And unlike Slo-Mo, Giddey's got a stubby wingspan relative to his height, limiting defensive potential. I think the only team in the lotto that should be legitimately interested is Charlotte, so they can pair him with Rozier whenever LaMelo is off the court. Maybe IND I guess, to pair with Brogdon in the same way

[clyde21]

Maybe one interesting tidbit from Myers press conference: he noted that the evidence since 2015 suggests that drafting players 22 years and older has not turned out so well for the teams. Of course he's also saying that everybody is to be evaluated individually but that was perhaps the most clear information about their thought process going into the draft.

He was also noting how some of the younger prospects these days are as ready to contribute as older prospects (I'm paraphrasing here), and that they are also thinking about more than next year in that they might be interested in someone who they think can be a contributor in year two. Again, it doesn't say much and essentially keeps all options open but it suggests that the ‘the Warriors are going to draft an old prospect because he must be more ready’ narrative might have been overblown (as I always hoped and expected).

of course not...people don't realize those guys are 22 years old for a reason, its because they were never really good enough to get looks early, and then when they are seniors playing against 18 year olds they start looking like men out there and tend to get overdrafted.

that's not to say juniors/seniors can't be great prospects (i love Butler for example), but you have to be pretty careful with these guys because they are more often than not pretty close to their ceiling. they are fine picks later in the draft but if you are picking lotto or top20 generally your aim should be higher.

Obi being drafted in the top 10 last year was pretty laughable.

Damian Lillard and Dwyane Wade were drafted as 22 year-old rookies. They turned out to be quite good.

yes

[clyde21]

Wiseman/7/14 to 3 for Mobley...DO IT NOW

Cavs would never go for it tho.

Read on Twitter