Official 2020 NBA Draft Thread

[jezzerinho]

With such a flat draft and a lot of possible movement in prospect rankings leading right up to the draft, I would love to get up to around 8 or 9 (Knicks, Wizards). There'll be a top prospect at a position of need there for sure and a choice of some other less consensus picks.

I don't think there's a ton of gain in trading up further unless they're absolutely set on one player, which would surprise given how there's nobody really shouting complete prospect.

[IllMagic04]

Lewis, Maxey and Terry should all be available where we pick. Hopefully we take one of them.

Those numbers on Terry are exciting. If he can remain efficient, he could contribute from day 1.

At this moment Id roll the dice on Terry. No way our FO takes him though for obvious reasons.

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[tiderulz]

Vecenie has a Mock 7.1 what he’s hearing.

Magic went Kira Lewis at 15


Others names- Nesmith 12 to Kings. Bey 13 to Nola, Maxey 18 to Dallas. Terry 35th 76ers

my problem with our front office, they have no contingent plans. If Lewis is gone, watch them trade the pick.

A couple of years ago, news was they locked on Devonte Graham. Graham goes 1 pick before us, still on the board is Shake Milton (who i wanted) and would fill our needs, and the front office drafts Melvin Frazier who duplicated skills on the roster and Justin Jackson who will likely never play in the NBA.

[OrlChamps2030]

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Makes a good case for Maxey. Listening to his interview with Mike Schmitz, he was always a PG and was asked to move to SG at Kentucky, because of the depth they had at PG. Luckily he didn't shoot a great 3 pt percentage last year or he'd be a lottery pick.

I'm not sold on Cole Anthony, one he's older and two he has the same standing reach as DJ.

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Maxey is my guy. Coach Cal has a system and he forces dudes into it to get best for the college team. We could very easily play Maxey + Fultz same time and wouldn’t be devastating either.

There’s a lot to like with his game.

Watch on YouTube

I’ve really come around on Maxey. I think he’s another Kentucky guard that can do more than he showed in college. Also think he is a better shooter than the %’s show

[thelead]

I'm intrigued by Malachi Flynn after looking him up. Wouldn't mind snagging him up with a 2nd round pick.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

I'm intrigued by Malachi Flynn after looking him up. Wouldn't mind snagging him up with a 2nd round pick.

Flynn Howard Nwora Mane Scrubb are my 2nd round looks

[jezzerinho]

I like Trevelin Queen and Paul Reed in the 2nd.

[basketballRob]

Maxey might be a better defender than he showed at Kentucky. In 2017 Eybl he averaged 1.5 stls and 2018 2.7 stls and won defensive player of the year. Also shot good percentages from 3 and FT line.

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[The Effect]

I'm intrigued by Malachi Flynn after looking him up. Wouldn't mind snagging him up with a 2nd round pick.

Flynn Howard Nwora Mane Scrubb are my 2nd round looks

Hope we find a way to buy a 2nd rounder and get both flynn and Mane

[Bensational]

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-mock-draft-anthony-edwards-lamelo-ball-james-wiseman-obi-toppin/

Here's Hoopshype's latest Mock Draft aggregate rankings with the risers and fallers from the previous aggregate update on July 6th.

Players Rising
Obi Toppin 4 (was 5)
Deni Avdija 5 (was 6)
Tyrese Haliburton 7 (was 9)
Aaron Nesmith 11 (was 13)
Patrick Williams 12 (was 14)
Saddiq Bey 13 (was 19)
Jalen Smith 20 (was 25)
Aleksej Pokuševski 22 (was 28)
Tyrell Terry 23 (was 32)
Leandro Bolmaro 25 (was 31)
Desmond Bane 29 (was 47)
Malachi Flynn 33 (was 44)
Xavier Tillman 35 (was 49)
Isaiah Joe 44 (was unranked)

Players Falling
Onyeka Okongwu 6 (was 4)
Killian Hayes 9 (was 7)
Precious Achiuwa 14 (was 12)
Cole Anthony 15 (was 11)
Nico Mannion 28 (was 23)
Vernon Carey 32 (was 26)
Zeke Nnaji 34 (was 29)
Devon Dotson 36 (was 30)
Cassius Stanley 41 (was 33)
Paul Reed 45 (was 37)
Immanuel Quickley 47 (was 38)
Reggie Perry 50 (was 40)

I wonder if Poku will go all the way up to us on the mocks. Seems like a good way to pick and trade for some decent assets.

I think there is a good chance he is gone before we pick. He is a classic 'it just takes one team to fall in love with him' kind of guy.

It's all about the body with him. You don't have to worry about him figuring out the game. He is advanced enough as a distributor that you just know it's going to work. Will his dribble be functional? I don't know. He can clearly handle the ball in the open floor, but I don't know if he can initiate from the pick-and-roll. Can you let him work from the post? I don't know. It looks promising, but his frame is going to make that difficult against NBA bigs. Will he be a plus shooter? I don't know that either. I just know that he has the vision and length to find open guys and passing lanes. His understanding is exceptional for his size and age. Can he defend anyone? Maybe not, but he posted a solid rebounding rate and terrific block and steal percentages. He will disrupt at the defensive end.

I think that if you were certain that he would develop a body that would be able to withstand the rigors of the NBA, he would be a certainty to go in the top half of the lottery. In a class as weak as this one, I think someone is going to make that bet. Given how things have played out with Isaac and Bamba, I don't think it will be us.

Now that a lot of bigs are transitioning to being able to shoot from the perimeter (even if only on wide open looks), I feel like the next trend in bigs will be their capacity to put the ball on the floor. Jokic is the elite standard, but even in these playoffs, seeing Vuc and Lopez pick their moments to put the ball on the floor on a hard perimeter close out generated some very easy buckets for them both.

I feel like Pok would have the advantage against most bigs trying to backpedal off the perimeter, but if they played him down to forward, I don't think he has the first step to get by them. But he could still likely help move the defense around whilst generating a look for an opportunistic cutter.

I would be inclined to swap Bamba for him, if given the chance. But my recent feelings towards Bamba are likely tainted by the way we've underutilized him, and his health. So maybe I'm lower on him than I should be. Or maybe I'm just higher on Pok?

[Skin]

I wonder if Poku will go all the way up to us on the mocks. Seems like a good way to pick and trade for some decent assets.

I think there is a good chance he is gone before we pick. He is a classic 'it just takes one team to fall in love with him' kind of guy.

It's all about the body with him. You don't have to worry about him figuring out the game. He is advanced enough as a distributor that you just know it's going to work. Will his dribble be functional? I don't know. He can clearly handle the ball in the open floor, but I don't know if he can initiate from the pick-and-roll. Can you let him work from the post? I don't know. It looks promising, but his frame is going to make that difficult against NBA bigs. Will he be a plus shooter? I don't know that either. I just know that he has the vision and length to find open guys and passing lanes. His understanding is exceptional for his size and age. Can he defend anyone? Maybe not, but he posted a solid rebounding rate and terrific block and steal percentages. He will disrupt at the defensive end.

I think that if you were certain that he would develop a body that would be able to withstand the rigors of the NBA, he would be a certainty to go in the top half of the lottery. In a class as weak as this one, I think someone is going to make that bet. Given how things have played out with Isaac and Bamba, I don't think it will be us.

Now that a lot of bigs are transitioning to being able to shoot from the perimeter (even if only on wide open looks), I feel like the next trend in bigs will be their capacity to put the ball on the floor. Jokic is the elite standard, but even in these playoffs, seeing Vuc and Lopez pick their moments to put the ball on the floor on a hard perimeter close out generated some very easy buckets for them both.

I feel like Pok would have the advantage against most bigs trying to backpedal off the perimeter, but if they played him down to forward, I don't think he has the first step to get by them. But he could still likely help move the defense around whilst generating a look for an opportunistic cutter.

I would be inclined to swap Bamba for him, if given the chance. But my recent feelings towards Bamba are likely tainted by the way we've underutilized him, and his health. So maybe I'm lower on him than I should be. Or maybe I'm just higher on Pok?

I love Poku, but if you're projecting him at Center, then yeeesh. He's 5 years away from being 5 years away.

I think his best spot is on the wing where he doesn't have to deal with the paint so much. There he might be 2 years away from being 2 years away. lol. I can't tell if that's really hyperbole or not... but yeah, he would help the Magic IF the Magic are interested in modernizing themselves.

A sweet ballhandling, playmaking 7 footer would be just what the doctor ordered for us. Fitting in exactly with WeHam's building of the Orlando Long Bois. But this is why I LOVE Poku (not just like...) With modernization and Denver on the mind, I would even venture to try him out at SG. Why the hell not? His quickness and length, not physicality is where his defensive strengths lie. If SG is our biggest need and he's one of the best players available for us then I'm doing homework on ALL his potential to see if he could do it. If he's just a SF, then that's ok too. But I can't see him thriving as an NBA big man. Height alone doesn't dictate that for me.

[J the Drafter]

I think there is a good chance he is gone before we pick. He is a classic 'it just takes one team to fall in love with him' kind of guy.

It's all about the body with him. You don't have to worry about him figuring out the game. He is advanced enough as a distributor that you just know it's going to work. Will his dribble be functional? I don't know. He can clearly handle the ball in the open floor, but I don't know if he can initiate from the pick-and-roll. Can you let him work from the post? I don't know. It looks promising, but his frame is going to make that difficult against NBA bigs. Will he be a plus shooter? I don't know that either. I just know that he has the vision and length to find open guys and passing lanes. His understanding is exceptional for his size and age. Can he defend anyone? Maybe not, but he posted a solid rebounding rate and terrific block and steal percentages. He will disrupt at the defensive end.

I think that if you were certain that he would develop a body that would be able to withstand the rigors of the NBA, he would be a certainty to go in the top half of the lottery. In a class as weak as this one, I think someone is going to make that bet. Given how things have played out with Isaac and Bamba, I don't think it will be us.

Now that a lot of bigs are transitioning to being able to shoot from the perimeter (even if only on wide open looks), I feel like the next trend in bigs will be their capacity to put the ball on the floor. Jokic is the elite standard, but even in these playoffs, seeing Vuc and Lopez pick their moments to put the ball on the floor on a hard perimeter close out generated some very easy buckets for them both.

I feel like Pok would have the advantage against most bigs trying to backpedal off the perimeter, but if they played him down to forward, I don't think he has the first step to get by them. But he could still likely help move the defense around whilst generating a look for an opportunistic cutter.

I would be inclined to swap Bamba for him, if given the chance. But my recent feelings towards Bamba are likely tainted by the way we've underutilized him, and his health. So maybe I'm lower on him than I should be. Or maybe I'm just higher on Pok?

I love Poku, but if you're projecting him at Center, then yeeesh. He's 5 years away from being 5 years away.

I think his best spot is on the wing where he doesn't have to deal with the paint so much. There he might be 2 years away from being 2 years away. lol. I can't tell if that's really hyperbole or not... but yeah, he would help the Magic IF the Magic are interested in modernizing themselves.

A sweet ballhandling, playmaking 7 footer would be just what the doctor ordered for us. Fitting in exactly with WeHam's building of the Orlando Long Bois. But this is why I LOVE Poku (not just like...) With modernization and Denver on the mind, I would even venture to try him out at SG. Why the hell not? His quickness and length, not physicality is where his defensive strengths lie. If SG is our biggest need and he's one of the best players available for us then I'm doing homework on ALL his potential to see if he could do it. If he's just a SF, then that's ok too. But I can't see him thriving as an NBA big man. Height alone doesn't dictate that for me.

Poku’s frame is more suited to the wing than it is to a big man spot, unless he puts on a lot of weight. Do you think he can handle the rigors of defending shooting guards? He’s certainly got a lot of length to use there. He should also be able to shoot over any guard as well.

[Skin]

Now that a lot of bigs are transitioning to being able to shoot from the perimeter (even if only on wide open looks), I feel like the next trend in bigs will be their capacity to put the ball on the floor. Jokic is the elite standard, but even in these playoffs, seeing Vuc and Lopez pick their moments to put the ball on the floor on a hard perimeter close out generated some very easy buckets for them both.

I feel like Pok would have the advantage against most bigs trying to backpedal off the perimeter, but if they played him down to forward, I don't think he has the first step to get by them. But he could still likely help move the defense around whilst generating a look for an opportunistic cutter.

I would be inclined to swap Bamba for him, if given the chance. But my recent feelings towards Bamba are likely tainted by the way we've underutilized him, and his health. So maybe I'm lower on him than I should be. Or maybe I'm just higher on Pok?

I love Poku, but if you're projecting him at Center, then yeeesh. He's 5 years away from being 5 years away.

I think his best spot is on the wing where he doesn't have to deal with the paint so much. There he might be 2 years away from being 2 years away. lol. I can't tell if that's really hyperbole or not... but yeah, he would help the Magic IF the Magic are interested in modernizing themselves.

A sweet ballhandling, playmaking 7 footer would be just what the doctor ordered for us. Fitting in exactly with WeHam's building of the Orlando Long Bois. But this is why I LOVE Poku (not just like...) With modernization and Denver on the mind, I would even venture to try him out at SG. Why the hell not? His quickness and length, not physicality is where his defensive strengths lie. If SG is our biggest need and he's one of the best players available for us then I'm doing homework on ALL his potential to see if he could do it. If he's just a SF, then that's ok too. But I can't see him thriving as an NBA big man. Height alone doesn't dictate that for me.

Poku’s frame is more suited to the wing than it is to a big man spot, unless he puts on a lot of weight. Do you think he can handle the rigors of defending shooting guards? He’s certainly got a lot of length to use there. He should also be able to shoot over any guard as well.

His mobility is the key. I wouldn't try to bulk him up too much and slow him down. Keep him lean, trim, fit and fast. That's what makes him special. Without that, meh. I actually think his defense against wings will be fine. His agility and long arms will be a plus. I'm more worried about his offense. He's a raw cat. The level of competition was very low. His shot shows promise but he may be a sub .300 3pt shooter until he develops his game more. The upside is tantalizing, as is his passing vision. But he's also turnover prone. It's going to be a waiting game but it may pay off big time. I don't see a big bust though. He can positively affect the game without the ball or without shooting and he offers all kinds of roster flexibility for a good coach.

[Bensational]

Now that a lot of bigs are transitioning to being able to shoot from the perimeter (even if only on wide open looks), I feel like the next trend in bigs will be their capacity to put the ball on the floor. Jokic is the elite standard, but even in these playoffs, seeing Vuc and Lopez pick their moments to put the ball on the floor on a hard perimeter close out generated some very easy buckets for them both.

I feel like Pok would have the advantage against most bigs trying to backpedal off the perimeter, but if they played him down to forward, I don't think he has the first step to get by them. But he could still likely help move the defense around whilst generating a look for an opportunistic cutter.

I would be inclined to swap Bamba for him, if given the chance. But my recent feelings towards Bamba are likely tainted by the way we've underutilized him, and his health. So maybe I'm lower on him than I should be. Or maybe I'm just higher on Pok?

I love Poku, but if you're projecting him at Center, then yeeesh. He's 5 years away from being 5 years away.

I think his best spot is on the wing where he doesn't have to deal with the paint so much. There he might be 2 years away from being 2 years away. lol. I can't tell if that's really hyperbole or not... but yeah, he would help the Magic IF the Magic are interested in modernizing themselves.

A sweet ballhandling, playmaking 7 footer would be just what the doctor ordered for us. Fitting in exactly with WeHam's building of the Orlando Long Bois. But this is why I LOVE Poku (not just like...) With modernization and Denver on the mind, I would even venture to try him out at SG. Why the hell not? His quickness and length, not physicality is where his defensive strengths lie. If SG is our biggest need and he's one of the best players available for us then I'm doing homework on ALL his potential to see if he could do it. If he's just a SF, then that's ok too. But I can't see him thriving as an NBA big man. Height alone doesn't dictate that for me.

SG?



Jokes. I love that movie.

To me, his best spot will be where he's the least liability on defense, in the short term. I've seen in his scouting clips that defending the perimeter is a weakness of his. He's more of a weakside recovery shot blocker than anything else, which would suggest PF on most matchups. But if he's not defending an on-ball 3, he could probably handle the matchup. He'd get abused at SG.

Maybe if you had a lineup that could switch to allow him to defend the slowest forward, then on offense he could play whatever 'position' you like. Their defense may not offer up a SG to cover him.

Personally, I'd like to try groom him into a Hedo-esque player. He likely won't be the same. In the footage I've seen, he doesn't have a first step or much burst, and a lot of his moves actually just set up a pass rather than a bucket. That's because he's actually a pretty weak scorer. Can't finish through contact. Can't shoot the 3 consistently. Is mostly at his best on the break, or handling whilst a defense is still settling. He might be able to beat a C off the dribble, and some of the slower-footed 4's. Regardless, he'll be able to see over most defenders, and he has the vision and instincts of who to hit, and can move with the ball enough to find the look or man he needs to.

He needs to find a way to score, other than fast breaks. Gotta tighten that jump shot, or learn to finish through contact. I have hopes for him. But, he would be another shooting challenged player added to the fold - and another big man. I can't imagine the reaction will go down well.

[J the Drafter]

But, he would be another shooting challenged player added to the fold - and another big man. I can't imagine the reaction will go down well.

I don’t think people are being reasonable about the “we draft bigs” thing. Isaac and Okeke are long forwards who can guard multiple positions. They both move too well to be pigeonholed as power forwards, even if they have the weight or reach to cover that position.

[Bensational]

But, he would be another shooting challenged player added to the fold - and another big man. I can't imagine the reaction will go down well.

I don’t think people are being reasonable about the “we draft bigs” thing. Isaac and Okeke are long forwards who can guard multiple positions. They both move too well to be pigeonholed as power forwards, even if they have the weight or reach to cover that position.

I think it's more a reaction to just not adding skilled players, position regardless. Then it becomes a bit magnified when we realise they don't even project to develop into on-ball playmakers.

I just want to see someone who can play on the court and stay on the court. That's likely beef shared with coaching, too.

[zaymon]

But, he would be another shooting challenged player added to the fold - and another big man. I can't imagine the reaction will go down well.

I don’t think people are being reasonable about the “we draft bigs” thing. Isaac and Okeke are long forwards who can guard multiple positions. They both move too well to be pigeonholed as power forwards, even if they have the weight or reach to cover that position.

I think it's more a reaction to just not adding skilled players, position regardless. Then it becomes a bit magnified when we realise they don't even project to develop into on-ball playmakers.

I just want to see someone who can play on the court and stay on the court. That's likely beef shared with coaching, too.

We drafted very raw prospects with Isaac and Bamba, but Okeke is different, he is skilled for a forward. I have no doubt that Weltman will draft bpa regardless of current skill level, but he will think twice about next project like Mo.
I dont see many raw, unskilled guys in our range maybe outside Hampton, Williams.

[Skin]

Now that a lot of bigs are transitioning to being able to shoot from the perimeter (even if only on wide open looks), I feel like the next trend in bigs will be their capacity to put the ball on the floor. Jokic is the elite standard, but even in these playoffs, seeing Vuc and Lopez pick their moments to put the ball on the floor on a hard perimeter close out generated some very easy buckets for them both.

I feel like Pok would have the advantage against most bigs trying to backpedal off the perimeter, but if they played him down to forward, I don't think he has the first step to get by them. But he could still likely help move the defense around whilst generating a look for an opportunistic cutter.

I would be inclined to swap Bamba for him, if given the chance. But my recent feelings towards Bamba are likely tainted by the way we've underutilized him, and his health. So maybe I'm lower on him than I should be. Or maybe I'm just higher on Pok?

I love Poku, but if you're projecting him at Center, then yeeesh. He's 5 years away from being 5 years away.

I think his best spot is on the wing where he doesn't have to deal with the paint so much. There he might be 2 years away from being 2 years away. lol. I can't tell if that's really hyperbole or not... but yeah, he would help the Magic IF the Magic are interested in modernizing themselves.

A sweet ballhandling, playmaking 7 footer would be just what the doctor ordered for us. Fitting in exactly with WeHam's building of the Orlando Long Bois. But this is why I LOVE Poku (not just like...) With modernization and Denver on the mind, I would even venture to try him out at SG. Why the hell not? His quickness and length, not physicality is where his defensive strengths lie. If SG is our biggest need and he's one of the best players available for us then I'm doing homework on ALL his potential to see if he could do it. If he's just a SF, then that's ok too. But I can't see him thriving as an NBA big man. Height alone doesn't dictate that for me.

SG?



Jokes. I love that movie.

To me, his best spot will be where he's the least liability on defense, in the short term. I've seen in his scouting clips that defending the perimeter is a weakness of his. He's more of a weakside recovery shot blocker than anything else, which would suggest PF on most matchups. But if he's not defending an on-ball 3, he could probably handle the matchup. He'd get abused at SG.

Maybe if you had a lineup that could switch to allow him to defend the slowest forward, then on offense he could play whatever 'position' you like. Their defense may not offer up a SG to cover him.

Personally, I'd like to try groom him into a Hedo-esque player. He likely won't be the same. In the footage I've seen, he doesn't have a first step or much burst, and a lot of his moves actually just set up a pass rather than a bucket. That's because he's actually a pretty weak scorer. Can't finish through contact. Can't shoot the 3 consistently. Is mostly at his best on the break, or handling whilst a defense is still settling. He might be able to beat a C off the dribble, and some of the slower-footed 4's. Regardless, he'll be able to see over most defenders, and he has the vision and instincts of who to hit, and can move with the ball enough to find the look or man he needs to.

He needs to find a way to score, other than fast breaks. Gotta tighten that jump shot, or learn to finish through contact. I have hopes for him. But, he would be another shooting challenged player added to the fold - and another big man. I can't imagine the reaction will go down well.

Crazy can be good! Is it insanity....? Uh hell yeah, probably... no doubt the risk of failure exists.... but the experiment could be genius! You just have to be comfortable with plan B.

I said before that I'd even consider playing Okeke as a 2 in certain line ups...or against certain opponents. The playoffs are all about creating mismatches. Unconventional basketball can lead to surprising success. Same reasons why people like Vassell as a 3D off ball SG is the same mold I would experiment with Okeke. Space the floor, provide tough D...

Imagine if Poku could play PG on occasion. My mind gets crazy thinking of out of the box scenarios. If we have players as conventional fits then the exploration of unconventional fits can be more openly accepted. I'm not trying to suggest Poku at Guard is a permanent full time idea. I already said his strength is in giving us roster versatility.

[Xatticus]

If WeHam decide to make a play on our backcourt via trade or draft, I think they make moves with Fultz largely at the centre of them.

So as much as I'd love for us to draft Kira, I don't think we take another PG in the draft. Most likely someone with SG size at least.

Which brings me back to the Killian Hayes smoke. Maybe there's more heat under it than we thought? He's probably within range to trade up for, if we packaged the 15 and Fournier. A team like Atlanta, or Phoenix would probably snap that up.

That allows WeHam to keep an experienced front court to anchor the 'playoff standards', and gives Fultz a young running mate who can allow him to be more ball dominant. Ross off the bench to stabilise.

Up front, I'm not a big fan of Hayes'. But whoever we draft next will be lumped with the baggage of all my expectations regardless.

I think Joe would be an interesting get in the 2nd. I don’t really like him as a prospect that much, but he has a nice complementary skill set to Fultz. He is the antithesis to Iwundu in that he will never pass up a decent shot. He has a ridiculous 3PAr for someone with relatively high usage. He definitely settles at the offensive end. His shot can get better, especially off of screens, but there is no reason why it shouldn’t. He can be a Ross or Duncan Robinson type if he gets better coming off of screens. He’s a decent defender, but he is really weak. He’ll get bullied by physical guards, so he’d fit nicely alongside someone like Fultz that can guard up a position.

Again, I don’t love him as a prospect. He isn’t my type of player and I’d greatly prefer to get a playmaker out of this draft. If you could turn him into a ball mover, improve his strength, and improve his shooting coming off of screens, you would have a really nice weapon at the offensive end.

[Xatticus]

I love Poku, but if you're projecting him at Center, then yeeesh. He's 5 years away from being 5 years away.

I think his best spot is on the wing where he doesn't have to deal with the paint so much. There he might be 2 years away from being 2 years away. lol. I can't tell if that's really hyperbole or not... but yeah, he would help the Magic IF the Magic are interested in modernizing themselves.

A sweet ballhandling, playmaking 7 footer would be just what the doctor ordered for us. Fitting in exactly with WeHam's building of the Orlando Long Bois. But this is why I LOVE Poku (not just like...) With modernization and Denver on the mind, I would even venture to try him out at SG. Why the hell not? His quickness and length, not physicality is where his defensive strengths lie. If SG is our biggest need and he's one of the best players available for us then I'm doing homework on ALL his potential to see if he could do it. If he's just a SF, then that's ok too. But I can't see him thriving as an NBA big man. Height alone doesn't dictate that for me.

SG?



Jokes. I love that movie.

To me, his best spot will be where he's the least liability on defense, in the short term. I've seen in his scouting clips that defending the perimeter is a weakness of his. He's more of a weakside recovery shot blocker than anything else, which would suggest PF on most matchups. But if he's not defending an on-ball 3, he could probably handle the matchup. He'd get abused at SG.

Maybe if you had a lineup that could switch to allow him to defend the slowest forward, then on offense he could play whatever 'position' you like. Their defense may not offer up a SG to cover him.

Personally, I'd like to try groom him into a Hedo-esque player. He likely won't be the same. In the footage I've seen, he doesn't have a first step or much burst, and a lot of his moves actually just set up a pass rather than a bucket. That's because he's actually a pretty weak scorer. Can't finish through contact. Can't shoot the 3 consistently. Is mostly at his best on the break, or handling whilst a defense is still settling. He might be able to beat a C off the dribble, and some of the slower-footed 4's. Regardless, he'll be able to see over most defenders, and he has the vision and instincts of who to hit, and can move with the ball enough to find the look or man he needs to.

He needs to find a way to score, other than fast breaks. Gotta tighten that jump shot, or learn to finish through contact. I have hopes for him. But, he would be another shooting challenged player added to the fold - and another big man. I can't imagine the reaction will go down well.

Crazy can be good! Is it insanity....? Uh hell yeah, probably... no doubt the risk of failure exists.... but the experiment could be genius! You just have to be comfortable with plan B.

I said before that I'd even consider playing Okeke as a 2 in certain line ups...or against certain opponents. The playoffs are all about creating mismatches. Unconventional basketball can lead to surprising success. Same reasons why people like Vassell as a 3D off ball SG is the same mold I would experiment with Okeke. Space the floor, provide tough D...

Imagine if Poku could play PG on occasion. My mind gets crazy thinking of out of the box scenarios. If we have players as conventional fits then the exploration of unconventional fits can be more openly accepted. I'm not trying to suggest Poku at Guard is a permanent full time idea. I already said his strength is in giving us roster versatility.

You can call him whatever you want to, but there is no way he ends up guarding PGs or chasing guys around screens. He looks to all the world as someone you want defending off the ball against a Danny Green type where he can use his length and IQ to provide help. He might be alright at the four. He is weak now, but he seems to know how to use the little physicality that he has. He can shuffle his feet a bit. He probably ends up as something comparable to Porzingis defensively. You’ll want to maximize his ability to help and minimize his exposure to anyone that can bully him or draw him out on an island.