Absurdly early 2018 NBA Draft Thread

[Jamaaliver]

I definitely understand the Ayton comparisons to KG at this age, but his style and frame seems right on par with David Robinson.

In about five years, when he's bulked even more, he's gonna be a perfect recreation of Poppovich's David. (that was an art joke. I think.)

He's not The Admiral just yet, though. So, we'll just call him the Lieutenant. (That was a Navy joke. I think.)


Bagley projects to be somewhere between Giannis, KG and Lamar Odom. My interest is officially piqued.




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[ATL Boy]

Ayton looks so fluid out there in that 7 foot frame. If he figures out his supposed motor issues, the sky will be the limit for him in the NBA.


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[jayu70]

Which I had time to watch college bball.
I'll have to catch up here.

[MaceCase]

Which I had time to watch college bball.
I'll have to catch up here.

Yea, there are YouTube pages that give full recaps on the prospects but not just their dunking highlights. We’re talking travels, botched layups and clanged jumpers too. Both Bagley and Ayton missed their jumper attempts but their releases are smooth, natural, and were on line. I’ve been higher on Ayton but I was enjoying the confidence that Bagley pushes the ball up court.

[Spud2nique]

1/6 of the season is through..let's tank hard..but remember, play hard and play together but understand that we need as many ping pong balls as possible for this last tank type draft.... and it's a good one. Enjoy the ride and improve everyday and build.

Mase...I initially thought I liked Bagley better for the last few months but Ayton is growing on me like it's nobody's biz. I like them both...if either is a Hawk I'm happy.

[Spud2nique]

Or Luka, Porter and Bamba..#top5orbust

[atlantabbq99]

I would love to get Ayton here and get Mutombo and Duncan to come in and work with the guy and give him some defensive tips and concepts.

[Jamaaliver]

A guy slowly moving up my draft boards:

Read on Twitter

Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Virginia Tech, PG/SG, Freshman)

Flying under the radar relative to the other top freshmen, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is in position to surprise and even make a case to go in the first round.

He first raised his stock in summer 2016 by shooting 57.4 percent at Adidas Nations and leading the U18 Americas Championship with 17.4 points per game.

He'll now run the show at Virginia Tech. A scoring playmaker, Alexander-Walker projects as a combo—a skilled ball-handler who can create or work off the ball as a shooter.

This kid has some skill and has largely gone under the radar because of the buzz surrounding the big five. He feels like a Schlenk/Budenholzer player.

[Jamaaliver]

From The Ringer -- the one true heir to Grantland.

The NBA Fan’s Guide to the Best Prospects in College Basketball

DeAndre Ayton, Arizona, C

What to watch for: a tantalizing prospect who has the makings of being one of the league’s next great big men. Standing at 7-foot-1 with a near 7-foot-6 wingspan--Ayton has excellent shooting potential; he’s a physical specimen with the offensive skill set of the league’s prototypical big men.

What to be concerned about: Discipline is an issue for Ayton. It’s likely his upside will be determined by his situation and environment.

Marvin Bagley III, Duke, C/F

What to watch for: Bagley is a hyper-athletic lefty who dominates the paint. At 6-foot-11, he can flush lob dunks or finish with touch using either hand. With such an explosive first step, he’s a force attacking closeouts from the post or the 3-point line

What to be concerned about: The key for Bagley this season is to show his jumper is for real and that he can maintain such a high motor.

[Jamaaliver]

Michael Porter Jr., Missouri, F

What to watch for: Porter can shoot better than any of the players discussed so far. He’s athletic. He knows how and when to cut. He can handle the ball in transition and fly in for putback dunks. Porter is going to score a lot of points, and that’ll keep him fixed near the top of the class.

What to be concerned about: Michael Porter’s handle is extremely weak, and he’s often caught settling for deep-midrange jumpers. Developing the ability to extend his shot to the 3-point line should be a priority, but it’s equally important he develop the ability to get to the rim and draw more fouls.

Miles Bridges, Michigan State, Soph., F

What to watch for: Bridges is arguably both the best athlete and most resilient player in college basketball. He plays hard, complementary basketball as a cutter, rebounder, and defender.

What to be concerned about: There’s little doubt as to whether Bridges will carve out an NBA career. The real question is whether he’ll be a glue guy or a superstar. If Bridges’s improved spot-up shooting starts translating to off-the-dribble scoring, he could be quite special.

[Spud2nique]

Stop your making me drool this morning...

[kg01]

Stop your making me drool this morning...

While I don't have the same reaction that spud2 has to these teenage boys , I must admit it's pretty cool to imagine us attaining some high-end talent either via draft or trading a lotto pick for an established young star.

Makes these L's worthwhile I guess.

[Ball4life32]

How do y’all think Ayton fits next to Collins? I’m still unsure if Collins fits as a 4 or 5 in Bud’s system.

[Jamaaliver]

How do y’all think Ayton fits next to Collins? I’m still unsure if Collins fits as a 4 or 5 in Bud’s system.

Great question:

I think Ayton's shooting range means it won't be an awful fit. But it doesn't feel like a perfect match, either.

I think they could play together on a playoff team, but for a deep playoff run against elite competition, seems like opposing coaches might exploit the combo.

In the new pace and space NBA, both those kids are likely best suited for Center. Which means we'd likely have to choose between them at some point down the line.

[kg01]

Just some '18 draft stuff to chew on ...

https://www.si.com/nba/nba-mock-draft-2018

2. Atlanta Hawks HAWKS | LUKA DONCIC, G, REAL MADRID | 18 YEARS OLD

Perhaps the most complete and accomplished European draft prospect we’ve ever seen, Doncic’s body of work is hard to argue with. He’s made big strides as a shooter this year and is dominating the Euroleague in his third go-around (21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists through five games) at the ripe age of 18. He’s a savvy lead ball-handler and playmaker and easy to peg as the most NBA-ready player in this class. He may not possess the same athletic upside as other top prospects, but Doncic is a safe bet to have a long, productive career wherever he lands. He’s worth the price of a Euroleague TV subscription, if you want to do some scouting of your own.

ETA: Although I don't think we'll be making 3 selections, I'll include their thoughts on the other 2 picks.

(Does that explanation sufficiently fool anyone into thinking I didn't just forget about the other picks?)

20.Atlanta Hawks HAWKS* | DZANAN MUSA, F, KK CEDEVITA | 18 YEARS OLD

*Atlanta owns Minnesota’s lottery-protected 2018 first-round pick.

A sweet-shooting wing, Musa has been dominant for Bosnia coming up as a teenager and possesses intuitive ability to score the ball. He’s only 18 and has been a contributor for Cedevita Zagreb in the Adriatic League for a couple of seasons. He stared at this year’s Adidas Eurocamp as well, displaying a more well-rounded game than some expected, and appears a likely first-rounder at this stage. He has a ways to go, but his scoring ability, experience and advanced profile makes him an intriguing long-term stock.

29. Atlanta Hawks HAWKS* | RODIONS KURUCS, G/F, FC BARCELONA B | 19 YEARS OLD

*Atlanta owns Houston’s top-three protected 2018 first-round pick.

After pulling out of the 2017 draft (where he was projected to be a late first-round pick), Kurucs returns to Europe hoping to earn additional playing time and improve his case. He’s still playing for Barcelona’s B team, which isn’t a great sign, but improved production at that level will help his case. A strong wing player who has shown impressive flashes and versatility, the Latvian product needs to show all-around improvement in order to cement his value. As a big ball-handler who can space the floor, Kurucs fits the NBA bill.

Lastly, them having us pick 3 Euros is just lazy on their part.

[Jamaaliver]

Just some '18 draft stuff to chew on ...

Lastly, them having us pick 3 Euros is just lazy on their part.

indeed.


Add'L note:

Shake Milton is a guy I could see being useful to us long term. He's a 6'6" PG with 3-point range. And would be a matchup nightmare for opposing teams.

Shake Milton, PG, SMU | Jr.

Milton has been on draft radars for a while, but struggled with consistency last season in a bigger role at SMU. He’s a legitimate 6’6” lead ballhandler with a 6’11” wingspan and has potential to impact the game defensively with those measurables. He shot 42% from three last year, but just 45% from two, an anomaly that should sort itself out this season in a telling manner. His strengths and potential versatility make a lot of sense when it comes to pacing and spacing, and there’s a definite chance Milton takes a leap this year and delivers on his promise.

SI.com

[jayu70]

Just some '18 draft stuff to chew on ...

https://www.si.com/nba/nba-mock-draft-2018

2. Atlanta Hawks HAWKS | LUKA DONCIC, G, REAL MADRID | 18 YEARS OLD

Perhaps the most complete and accomplished European draft prospect we’ve ever seen, Doncic’s body of work is hard to argue with. He’s made big strides as a shooter this year and is dominating the Euroleague in his third go-around (21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists through five games) at the ripe age of 18. He’s a savvy lead ball-handler and playmaker and easy to peg as the most NBA-ready player in this class. He may not possess the same athletic upside as other top prospects, but Doncic is a safe bet to have a long, productive career wherever he lands. He’s worth the price of a Euroleague TV subscription, if you want to do some scouting of your own.

ETA: Although I don't think we'll be making 3 selections, I'll include their thoughts on the other 2 picks.

(Does that explanation sufficiently fool anyone into thinking I didn't just forget about the other picks?)

20.Atlanta Hawks HAWKS* | DZANAN MUSA, F, KK CEDEVITA | 18 YEARS OLD

*Atlanta owns Minnesota’s lottery-protected 2018 first-round pick.

A sweet-shooting wing, Musa has been dominant for Bosnia coming up as a teenager and possesses intuitive ability to score the ball. He’s only 18 and has been a contributor for Cedevita Zagreb in the Adriatic League for a couple of seasons. He stared at this year’s Adidas Eurocamp as well, displaying a more well-rounded game than some expected, and appears a likely first-rounder at this stage. He has a ways to go, but his scoring ability, experience and advanced profile makes him an intriguing long-term stock.

29. Atlanta Hawks HAWKS* | RODIONS KURUCS, G/F, FC BARCELONA B | 19 YEARS OLD

*Atlanta owns Houston’s top-three protected 2018 first-round pick.

After pulling out of the 2017 draft (where he was projected to be a late first-round pick), Kurucs returns to Europe hoping to earn additional playing time and improve his case. He’s still playing for Barcelona’s B team, which isn’t a great sign, but improved production at that level will help his case. A strong wing player who has shown impressive flashes and versatility, the Latvian product needs to show all-around improvement in order to cement his value. As a big ball-handler who can space the floor, Kurucs fits the NBA bill.

Lastly, them having us pick 3 Euros is just lazy on their part.

Yeah, Hawks not taking 3 Euros and I don't think we use all 3 1st.
We'll pick 1 Euro who will more than likely be draft and stashed.
If we can't combine the picks and move up, we can trade one of the picks for a another future 1st pick - pick swap.

[kg01]

Just some '18 draft stuff to chew on ...

Lastly, them having us pick 3 Euros is just lazy on their part.

indeed.


Add'L note:

Shake Milton is a guy I could see being useful to us long term. He's a 6'6" PG with 3-point range. And would be a matchup nightmare for opposing teams.

Shake Milton, PG, SMU | Jr.

Milton has been on draft radars for a while, but struggled with consistency last season in a bigger role at SMU. He’s a legitimate 6’6” lead ballhandler with a 6’11” wingspan and has potential to impact the game defensively with those measurables. He shot 42% from three last year, but just 45% from two, an anomaly that should sort itself out this season in a telling manner. His strengths and potential versatility make a lot of sense when it comes to pacing and spacing, and there’s a definite chance Milton takes a leap this year and delivers on his promise.

SI.com

Lemme guess, per them, Spurs take a shooting big man or a Euro ... yep. Lazy.

I see right through you on this Shake Milton guy, Jammmmmaliver. Taking a point since you want to trade Dennis. Can't fool me, bro.

That description reminds me of Elfrid Payton for some reason. And there's no way I take a "shooter" who's struggling with his shot at the college level.

[Jamaaliver]

Lemme guess, per them, Spurs take a shooting big man or a Euro ... yep. Lazy.

I see right through you on this Shake Milton guy, Jammmmmaliver. Taking a point since you want to trade Dennis. Can't fool me, bro.

That description reminds me of Elfrid Payton for some reason. And there's no way I take a "shooter" who's struggling with his shot at the college level.

Elfrid Payton?!? What?!?

[kg01]

Lemme guess, per them, Spurs take a shooting big man or a Euro ... yep. Lazy.

I see right through you on this Shake Milton guy, Jammmmmaliver. Taking a point since you want to trade Dennis. Can't fool me, bro.

That description reminds me of Elfrid Payton for some reason. And there's no way I take a "shooter" who's struggling with his shot at the college level.

Elfrid Payton?!? What?!?

I know.

I'm just saying, whenever I think of a tall(ish) point guard who can't really shoot, I think of Elfrid Payton for some reason. Then I think of that awful hair ... then I think that anyone who purposely wears a hairstyle that hangs in his face all while struggling with shooting, is not a person who values his craft. (Sorry Elfrid, you cannot tell me your hair doesn't block your view when shooting.)
Then I just get mad 'cause I hate Payton's hair.

Gah, now I'm mad. I blame you, Jammmmmaliver.