2024 NBA Draft Thread

[jesterbobman]

No, it wouldn't.

I've asked many times and not a single poster who wants Sheppard ever replied.
How would you fit him into this roster?

If we assume that Devin and Wemby as starters are set in stone, how exactly would you fit Sheppard in there?
We need a point of attack defender for star point guards. We need spacing and we need someone to run the team, an actual playmaker.

Sheppard offers just spacing and takes up a guard position, meaning that he'd be a viable solution only if it's Castle+Sheppard draft combo, but odds of either one being available at #8 are very low.
But there's also a question mark above Castle's playmaking skills, he's not a point guard as of now. And neither is Sheppard.
Having Castle would also mean Jeremy has to move to the bench and we'd need another shooter at PF.

Sheppard is a good fit only for teams that have a point guard (forward) with size.
Finding undersized shooters that don't do much else is fairly easy.

?-Devin-?-?-Wemby
Two ? have to be good defenders.
Two ? have to be good shooters.
One ? has to be a POA defender.
One ? has to be a primary playmaker.

Obviously, one player can fill more than one need.
Adding Jeremy to the starting lineup makes things even more difficult.
If we're to win some actual basketball games, that is.

Decent fan of Sheppard, though I acknowledge his weaknesses. I think he offers a lot of what Lonzo offers, as a helper on D (obviously not the 1:1 defender and doesn't have the size), a boost to transition scoring with hit aheads, a secondary half court creator who you want next to another primary, though, shoots the ever living out of the ball.

I'd be fine drafting Sheppard. I think the team will opt to be a relatively egalitarian offense, with Wemby involved a lot in the half court, ala Jokic in Denver. That reduces the need for a primary playmaker (though, obviously you'd love to get someone who can do that, you're not going to say no if there was a Luka level prospect in this draft).

The fit in the starting lineup would be Sheppard - Vassell - SF (I'd try and pry Okoro away from the Cavs) - Sochan - Wemby. Not a locked in, long term starting lineup, but I don't think we know our starting lineup now for le teams. That's going to change over time.

Offensively, run things through Wemby a lot, with inverted pick and rolls / handoffs with each of the players being a sufficient dribbler / passer / playmaker, and shooting in 3 of the 4 non-wemby spots. Sheppard is a good enough off ball player to move and cut and be valuable with and without the ball. Defensively, a bit weak. Not going to be a le team. Okoro could take on POA responsibilities, but you're going to have to put Sheppard on someone, and if there's a big team he'll be hunted. He's a weak 1:1 defender, who was (very) valuable as a helper.

Also possible that Sheppard isn't good enough to be a starter (it happens), and he moves to a bench role, as a movement shooter who generates defensive events and can handle bench level defensive assignments.

[objective]

Decent fan of Sheppard, though I acknowledge his weaknesses. I think he offers a lot of what Lonzo offers, as a helper on D (obviously not the 1:1 defender and doesn't have the size), a boost to transition scoring with hit aheads, a secondary half court creator who you want next to another primary, though, shoots the ever living out of the ball.

I'd be fine drafting Sheppard. I think the team will opt to be a relatively egalitarian offense, with Wemby involved a lot in the half court, ala Jokic in Denver. That reduces the need for a primary playmaker (though, obviously you'd love to get someone who can do that, you're not going to say no if there was a Luka level prospect in this draft).

The fit in the starting lineup would be Sheppard - Vassell - SF (I'd try and pry Okoro away from the Cavs) - Sochan - Wemby. Not a locked in, long term starting lineup, but I don't think we know our starting lineup now for le teams. That's going to change over time.

Offensively, run things through Wemby a lot, with inverted pick and rolls / handoffs with each of the players being a sufficient dribbler / passer / playmaker, and shooting in 3 of the 4 non-wemby spots. Sheppard is a good enough off ball player to move and cut and be valuable with and without the ball. Defensively, a bit weak. Not going to be a le team. Okoro could take on POA responsibilities, but you're going to have to put Sheppard on someone, and if there's a big team he'll be hunted. He's a weak 1:1 defender, who was (very) valuable as a helper.

Also possible that Sheppard isn't good enough to be a starter (it happens), and he moves to a bench role, as a movement shooter who generates defensive events and can handle bench level defensive assignments.

I agree with this.

Wemby likes having chances to playmake, that's part of not being pigeonholed as a classic center.

Sheppard should be good enough to do close to what Jones was doing on ball but with the bonus of deadly shooting

His POA defense was bad as a freshman. Give him some time and teaching to get better.

[Extra Stout]

I am enjoying the takes saying that a guy who shoots over 50% from 3 only fits on certain teams.

[TD 21]

Castle will begin the year as the starter at pg with the Topic injury. Will see how Topic's injury progresses but he'll get off to a slower start than Castle.

Topic will eventually work his way into playing pg with Castle moving over to play some at both the 1 and 2.

Great idea, have virtually every moment where they're both active of at least one ball handling guard on the floor who can't shoot and that's not even factoring in Jones and Sochan.

Just what a team that hasn't been able to shoot in the better part of a decade needs needs.

[MaNu4Tres]

What will it take to trade up from 8 to 2?

[CorrectCrusader]

If you want to stealth tank then drafting Topic is no brainer