timvp
06-27-2013, 06:30 PM
Honestly, the Spurs losing in the NBA finals is still pretty damn painful so it's difficult to switch gears to the draft. Yes, that's emo -- but, damn, the Spurs were so very close.
Anyways, San Antonio is in their standard position on draft day. They have late picks in both the first and second round. At those spots in the draft, the only goal is to draft a player who they believe has NBA potential. Statistically speaking, it's unlikely either pick will yield a player that will make any sort of impact -- but the Spurs will once again hope to strike gold.
Since the Spurs also have potential cap space, they may decide simply to trade away their first round pick in order to open up a bit more room. They may also trade their pick for an established player.
The most likely scenario, though, is the Spurs keep their pick and hope someone they like will fall into their lap.
Who are the targeted players? Let's break it down into two groups.
Unlikely Fallers
These players are unlikely to fall to 28 but would be great value if they do slip that far.
Lucas Nogueira
The native of Brazil would be an outstanding gamble late in the first round.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
It's very unlikely he'll fall -- but he'd be an automatic selection at 28.
Mason Plumlee
NBA teams could be scared off by his age. If he's at 28, you probably have to draft him.
Shabazz Muhammad
He has a ton of question marks but the reward far outweighs the risk late in the first.
Players that Fit the Mold
For one reason or another, these players seem most Spurs-like.
Tim Hardaway Jr.
His dad is Pop's favorite player of all-time.
Phil Pressey
His dad was also a favorite of Pop's as a player and then became a Spurs assistant coach.
Rudy Gobert
A Frenchman (the Spurs love those) who could either become the next Alexis Ajinca or the hybrid of Tyson Chandler and JaVale McGee.
Livio Jean-Charles
Another Frenchman who seemingly has enough athleticism to became an NBA player within a few years.
Erick Green
Scorer-extraordinaire who the Spurs have been rumored to be interested in.
Tony Snell
Kawhi Leonard's high school teammate could fit as a multi-talented bench shooting guard.
Gorgui Dieng
Very good defender who is probably the only plug-and-play big late in the first.
Mike Muscala
Advanced stats love this bigman out of Bucknell.
Nate Wolters
Another player who advanced stats love.
Glen Rice Jr.
The Spurs pay a lot of attention to the D-League and surely have scouted Rice heavily.
Tony Mitchell
He played his college ball in North Texas so the Spurs probably have a better feel for him than most.
Myck Kabongo
Like Cory Joseph, he's was a highly-touted PG who mistakenly went to UT only to see his stock plummet.
In the second round, any of the above players would be a solid pick. If not, expect the Spurs to pick a player who is willing to play in Europe for at least one season.
Of course, knowing the Spurs, this will happen:
1) They pick someone surprising.
2) We all question their sanity and point out players we would have rather they drafted.
3) The player does better than expected.
4) We all pretend that's who we wanted the Spurs to draft in the first place.
Anyways, San Antonio is in their standard position on draft day. They have late picks in both the first and second round. At those spots in the draft, the only goal is to draft a player who they believe has NBA potential. Statistically speaking, it's unlikely either pick will yield a player that will make any sort of impact -- but the Spurs will once again hope to strike gold.
Since the Spurs also have potential cap space, they may decide simply to trade away their first round pick in order to open up a bit more room. They may also trade their pick for an established player.
The most likely scenario, though, is the Spurs keep their pick and hope someone they like will fall into their lap.
Who are the targeted players? Let's break it down into two groups.
Unlikely Fallers
These players are unlikely to fall to 28 but would be great value if they do slip that far.
Lucas Nogueira
The native of Brazil would be an outstanding gamble late in the first round.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
It's very unlikely he'll fall -- but he'd be an automatic selection at 28.
Mason Plumlee
NBA teams could be scared off by his age. If he's at 28, you probably have to draft him.
Shabazz Muhammad
He has a ton of question marks but the reward far outweighs the risk late in the first.
Players that Fit the Mold
For one reason or another, these players seem most Spurs-like.
Tim Hardaway Jr.
His dad is Pop's favorite player of all-time.
Phil Pressey
His dad was also a favorite of Pop's as a player and then became a Spurs assistant coach.
Rudy Gobert
A Frenchman (the Spurs love those) who could either become the next Alexis Ajinca or the hybrid of Tyson Chandler and JaVale McGee.
Livio Jean-Charles
Another Frenchman who seemingly has enough athleticism to became an NBA player within a few years.
Erick Green
Scorer-extraordinaire who the Spurs have been rumored to be interested in.
Tony Snell
Kawhi Leonard's high school teammate could fit as a multi-talented bench shooting guard.
Gorgui Dieng
Very good defender who is probably the only plug-and-play big late in the first.
Mike Muscala
Advanced stats love this bigman out of Bucknell.
Nate Wolters
Another player who advanced stats love.
Glen Rice Jr.
The Spurs pay a lot of attention to the D-League and surely have scouted Rice heavily.
Tony Mitchell
He played his college ball in North Texas so the Spurs probably have a better feel for him than most.
Myck Kabongo
Like Cory Joseph, he's was a highly-touted PG who mistakenly went to UT only to see his stock plummet.
In the second round, any of the above players would be a solid pick. If not, expect the Spurs to pick a player who is willing to play in Europe for at least one season.
Of course, knowing the Spurs, this will happen:
1) They pick someone surprising.
2) We all question their sanity and point out players we would have rather they drafted.
3) The player does better than expected.
4) We all pretend that's who we wanted the Spurs to draft in the first place.