Spurs Select G Malaki Branham with the 20th Pick in the 2022 NBA Draft

[FuzzyLumpkins]

And here is another example of things you know nothing about, yet comment on anyway. The Spurs get no credit for Wemby in the current analysis because the current analysis only goes through the 2021 season (since players need time to be evaluated).

I don't need to explain the methodology, it's all already explained in the link. Feel free to disagree, no one will care.

Sure but the method still would not consider Wemby at any point. It is highly subjective as evidence by the one quote we have from the piece.

and yes we all know you would love to rest on some apparent expertise. its really just laziness and ignorance.

[rascal]

welp, that is what i get for thinking he proved me wrong by playing well...

he fooled me lol

That's to be expected from a Spurs Homer.

[LeBowen]

lololol kudos to Brian Wright and the rest of the FO for getting it right between picking Wemby and not some dude named Scoot who wears googles. They really threaded the needle on that decision.

My biggest concern are their shots in the dark and picks noone could've predicted.
Attempted masterstrokes that turned into wasted picks.
Keldon kind of cancelled out Samanic being a disgraceful pick, but picking Primo ahead of Sengun?
Why pass on Sengun after all those random Euros they picked?

I don't blame them for picking Devin over SGA because we still had both DJ and Derrick on the roster at the time, but picking Sochan ahead of Jalen Williams really hurts.

While Malaki and Blake picks are reasonable gambles, it looks like neither one will be good enough and that's a failure, you'd expect at least one to be a good pick.

[Pauleta14]

This is the inconvenient truth bomb, backed up with data science that I've posted numerous times in this forum. Here it is again for those who may have missed it: https://towardsdatascience.com/which...g-20070ccd1702. Cliff's Notes version: The Spurs used to be among the best, but since 2018 they've very much been average.

So, either the Spurs scouting prowess has regressed, or their development department has (or potentially both). The only third explanation is that just just gotten extremely unlucky.

Either way, questions should be asked and it's certainly not a trend that gives me a lot of confidence that we're going to draft our way to success.

There isn’t any mystery really…

Its a natural (negative) effect of constant turnovers at so many positions for so many years.

It’s actually impressive that they managed to keep a high level for so long. It was just meant to happen, you can’t always be lucky with ur new recruits

Many companies end up bankrupt bc if that phenomenon bc once the incompetent ppl are in place they become super hard to get rid of bc they usually know they’re and focus on relationships and networks to keep their positions.

[ambchang]

Yeah, my bad for expecting him to be better than being literally the worst defensive player in the league.
There's a massive chasm between being a servicable bench player for a bad team and being a rotation piece for a playoff team.

Right now he's not ea servicable bench player for one of the worst teams in the league.



Also wrote about this many times.
It's like nephew s bagging us ruined the entire front office.
Look at our draft record since 2018, I don't think drafting two players that worked out with 8 picks is a record that's good enough to keep the fans from raising some questions.
Yeah, Jeremy might be decent, but again nothing that special for 9th pick.

The only truth is that PATFO went from one of the, if not the best front offices at drafting to an average one, if that.
They kept pulling all-time greats out of their ass with worse picks, now we can't get a quality starter with lottery picks.

We went from defense being the first, second and third most important thing, to having 1.5 useful defenders in the rotation.

Look at the thunders draft record. Of the players they drafted in the last few years, holmgren was a no brainer, giddey is ok at 6th; and J dub was absolutely out of the park. Other than that the drafting is meh.

For the spurs, wemby was a no brainer, dejounte Derrick and keldon were incredible given the draft position, Tre jones was fantastic. Sochan is meh so far, primo and Luka were disappointments, Malaki and Wesley were meh. Then sissiko and Barlow are tbds. That’s a pretty decent track record in the last few years. Could it have been better? Sure, with the benefit of hindsight.

[LeBowen]

Look at the thunders draft record. Of the players they drafted in the last few years, holmgren was a no brainer, giddey is ok at 6th; and J dub was absolutely out of the park. Other than that the drafting is meh.

For the spurs, wemby was a no brainer, dejounte Derrick and keldon were incredible given the draft position, Tre jones was fantastic. Sochan is meh so far, primo and Luka were disappointments, Malaki and Wesley were meh. Then sissiko and Barlow are tbds. That’s a pretty decent track record in the last few years. Could it have been better? Sure, with the benefit of hindsight.

I didn't include Derrick and DJ because as I said, it feels like the entire front office crumbled after nephew did what he did.
Thunder isn't that great at drafting, but Presti is way better than PATFO at brute forcing it.
Brute forcing as in ac ulating enough pick so that even with average drafting, they simply can't fail due to sheer quan y of their picks.

I still think PATFO is great at developing players, if not one of the best in the league, but drafting and trading leaves a lot to be desired.
Actually, even development evaluation will have to wait a year or two because Chip left.

I'm sure they'll develop Branham into the best possible version of him, but the issue is that the best version of Branham isn't good enough for a playoff team.

[Atl Spur]

I didn't include Derrick and DJ because as I said, it feels like the entire front office crumbled after nephew did what he did.
Thunder isn't that great at drafting, but Presti is way better than PATFO at brute forcing it.
Brute forcing as in ac ulating enough pick so that even with average drafting, they simply can't fail due to sheer quan y of their picks.

I still think PATFO is great at developing players, if not one of the best in the league, but drafting and trading leaves a lot to be desired.
Actually, even development evaluation will have to wait a year or two because Chip left.

I'm sure they'll develop Branham into the best possible version of him, but the issue is that the best version of Branham isn't good enough for a playoff team.

And you know how this 20yrs old kid will end up professionally? Bro please tell me you are kidding!

[ambchang]

I didn't include Derrick and DJ because as I said, it feels like the entire front office crumbled after nephew did what he did.
Thunder isn't that great at drafting, but Presti is way better than PATFO at brute forcing it.
Brute forcing as in ac ulating enough pick so that even with average drafting, they simply can't fail due to sheer quan y of their picks.

I still think PATFO is great at developing players, if not one of the best in the league, but drafting and trading leaves a lot to be desired.
Actually, even development evaluation will have to wait a year or two because Chip left.

I'm sure they'll develop Branham into the best possible version of him, but the issue is that the best version of Branham isn't good enough for a playoff team.

I am not sure having Kawhi as some demarcation point makes sense, yet .... And using it to take away at two of their best players drafted is arbitrary , but to each their own.

If Thunder isn't good at drafting, then who is? I am not seeing FO who consistently hit it out of the park with their drafting, which is the point, you win some you lose some, and the Spurs, other than Primo, didn't really have any huge missteps (even Luka was a swing and miss, I am OK with that). All their drafted players were, at the least, solid relative to their positions. Besides, the Spurs pretty much have some of the best picks coming up in the next 5 or 6 years (other than the Thunder) precisely because they had some pretty good trades. OKC started off with Durant, Harden, Westbrook and ibaka, and they had to sell because that core didnt' work out. The Spurs ran Duncan, Ginobili and Parker to the end of life, then nephew pulled the rug under them. Unless you are saying the Spurs should have blew it up with the big 3 had some value and started then, which would cause riots on the streets.

As for Branham, i sort of agree with you to some degree, but then that depends on the development. If his full potential is realized, he can be a smooth volume scorer off the bench for a decent team, like a poor man's Jamal Crawford, and that isn't too bad with a 20th pick.

[MannyIsGod]

Does anyone remember when some idiots tried to dunk on people because branham had a few abnormally high scoring games despite the dozens upon dozens of games where the guy didn't look like an NBA rotation player?

[spurraider21]

Does anyone remember when some idiots tried to dunk on people because branham had a few abnormally high scoring games despite the dozens upon dozens of games where the guy didn't look like an NBA rotation player?

same people that thought sochan became bruce bowen overnight

[SpursGuy91]

Other players consistently get trashed for being low iq chuckers and somehow don’t realize Branham is exactly that. That coupled with his weak first step, underwhelming size and awful effort on defense should be obvious but are somehow overlooked, still haven’t figured it out honestly.

[onechance87]

Other players consistently get trashed for being low iq chuckers and somehow don’t realize Branham is exactly that. That coupled with his weak first step, underwhelming size and awful effort on defense should be obvious but are somehow overlooked, still haven’t figured it out honestly.

not sure what people see in branham...Guy is bad and should not be out on the court.Dude seems lost and has no awareness of
whats going on.No talent or iq

[Atl Spur]

Does anyone remember when some idiots tried to dunk on people because branham had a few abnormally high scoring games despite the dozens upon dozens of games where the guy didn't look like an NBA rotation player?

Please remind us I’ll be clear, I stick by the kid being ok sooner than later; now you don’t have to be cute.

[Atl Spur]

same people that thought sochan became bruce bowen overnight

Overnight? When it’s all said and done he should definitely be better than Brucey B!

[MannyIsGod]

Please remind us I’ll be clear, I stick by the kid being ok sooner than later; now you don’t have to be cute.

You were plenty clear before. There's no reason to expect him to be good at any point in his career. Is it beyond the realm of possibily? Of course not, he could improve, but he's been incredibly poor both of his years and he's regressed in year two. The Spurs have a lot of youth and are about to have another high draft pick or two this offseason so I don't think Branham is in line to be given a long time to develop. At least not for the Spurs. Unless you think that 3 good games are a reason to believe in him (lol which its apparent some of you foolishly do) then there's absolutely no reason to be optimistic with him.

[The Truth #6]

Branham definitely seems skilled, but it feels like his problems are from his personality and possibly low confidence. Too nice and passive. Maybe Pop needs to call him out occasionally to wake him up. Mixed in with praise here and there at dinner over chianti et cetera.

[Atl Spur]

You were plenty clear before. There's no reason to expect him to be good at any point in his career. Is it beyond the realm of possibily? Of course not, he could improve, but he's been incredibly poor both of his years and he's regressed in year two. The Spurs have a lot of youth and are about to have another high draft pick or two this offseason so I don't think Branham is in line to be given a long time to develop. At least not for the Spurs. Unless you think that 3 good games are a reason to believe in him (lol which its apparent some of you foolishly do) then there's absolutely no reason to be optimistic with him.

This won’t age well….

[Mr. Body]

This won’t age well….

Manny has never said anything that's been remotely correct on these forums. He's been a steaming piss baby for years. Don't worry about it.

[vy65]

Manny’s not wrong. This dude blows. He had a handful of good games that approximated 15% of this season and the PATFO youth rally declared him as the second coming. He’s awful defensively and single handedly got kyrie going tonight. He doesn’t do anything particularly well, is one of the lower iq players on the team - which says something - and has done nothing in the past two years to demonstrate he’s worth further review. I understand the knee jerk reaction to “dear leader” the front office, but this dude is straight up awful.

[Mr. Body]

Manny’s not wrong. This dude blows. He had a handful of good games that approximated 15% of this season and the PATFO youth rally declared him as the second coming. He’s awful defensively and single handedly got kyrie going tonight. He doesn’t do anything particularly well, is one of the lower iq players on the team - which says something - and has done nothing in the past two years to demonstrate he’s worth further review. I understand the knee jerk reaction to “dear leader” the front office, but this dude is straight up awful.

[JPB]

I stumbled about game 4 of the 2007 finals on YT yesterday.

anyone sincerely believing anybody not named Victor on his team has a chance to be even remotely close to belong in the same category as the big 3 and can cons ute the core of a contender is plain delusional. They're just not from the same species and that's something you can see pretty much their very first day, all the more after two years. Watching the special talent, the skills, the IQ, the drive, the class, compe iveness TP, Manu and Tim had and imagining Branham, Sochan, Blake or even Devin could ever reach a quarter of that, no matter how you "develop them," is pure inconsciousness. Man, that's brutal, and nothing against them but they're just randos in the NBA.

[duncan2150]

I stumbled about game 4 of the 2007 finals on YT yesterday.

anyone sincerely believing anybody not named Victor ont his team has a chance to be even remotely close to belong in the same category as the big 3 and can cons ute the core of a contender is plain delusonal. They're just not from the same species an that's something you can see pretty much their very first day, all the more after two years. Watching the special talent, the skills, the IQ, the drive, the class, compe iveness TP, Manu and Tim had and imagining Branham, Sochan, or Devin could ever reach a quarter of that, no matter how you "develop them," is pure inconsciousness. Man, that's brutal.

You're comparing hall of fame players to our young players ?

[JPB]

You're comparing hall of fame players to our young players ?

Yep, the core of NBA champions is mostly made of future HOFers, and all stars anyway for sure. And there's no core or future all stars on the current team, which is the point. Not even necessarily reaching big 3 level, but somehow not too far to contend.

But current guys are just not in the same universe, so seeing people imagining there's a core here and it's worth developing them or that current analyses about them are not gonna age well, as if they were gonna become anything else that average role players is delusional and homerism.

[ambchang]

I stumbled about game 4 of the 2007 finals on YT yesterday.

anyone sincerely believing anybody not named Victor on his team has a chance to be even remotely close to belong in the same category as the big 3 and can cons ute the core of a contender is plain delusional. They're just not from the same species and that's something you can see pretty much their very first day, all the more after two years. Watching the special talent, the skills, the IQ, the drive, the class, compe iveness TP, Manu and Tim had and imagining Branham, Sochan, Blake or even Devin could ever reach a quarter of that, no matter how you "develop them," is pure inconsciousness. Man, that's brutal, and nothing against them but they're just randos in the NBA.

2007 wasn’t Tony or manus first or second year. In fact Tony was panned regularly in his first few years for being thrown into the starting role way too soon. Manu was playing out of control and didn’t get the name turnobili for nothing. But guess what, they learned and improved.

Go rewrite history some more.

Note: I don’t believe anyone on the spurs not named victor will be anywhere remotely close to Tony or manu either. I don’t think Trae young can be as well.

[JPB]

2007 wasn’t Tony or manus first or second year. In fact Tony was panned regularly in his first few years for being thrown into the starting role way too soon. Manu was playing out of control and didn’t get the name turnobili for nothing. But guess what, they learned and improved.

Go rewrite history some more.

Note: I don’t believe anyone on the spurs not named victor will be anywhere remotely close to Tony or manu either. I don’t think Trae young can be as well.

I invite you to read again cos you're obviously missing the whole point... Ofc, no one is pretending TP and Manu were playing HOFer basketball in their first years.

Although talking about rewritting history, nobody really panned TP for taking the starting job over Antonio freaking Daniels and both him and Manu (who entered the NBA as a euro star) were doing great in their first years already, winning a le in his second year for TP and first for Manu... you know.

But the main point is you could see very early they had something special, TP with his incredible speed, the tear drops, the fearlessness, and Manu for his energy and fearlessness too, among other things. And very importantly, you could see they were smart players, they got it, they felt BB, the court vision, the awareness, demeanor and at ude on the court and the compe iveness, independently of godam "development" which seems to be some kind of buoy some people hold on to to try to convincee themselves that, "yeah, after 2 4 or 5 years in the NBA", Keldon, Blake or Brnaham didn't show any of that, but "development will transform them into all stars...

there's a reason why HOFers and guys like the big 3 are rare, and none of the current kids besides Wemby has it. they're not from that race, and you can't teach that. We gotta stop believing "development" is gonna make these players who they are not. Blake is not a TP in the making and Malaki is not Manu in the making. Sochan is no future Boris (french league MVP at 18) either.