09 draft onwards

[barakz21]

So, I never really cared much about the chatter leading up drafts, except for the 09 and the upcoming one. I’m curious as to who you guys wanted the spurs to get in each of the drafts starting 09?

[K...]

What an odd question

[JeffDuncan]

There's just no way I can go through all those drafts to identify the funniest looking players with the biggest foreheads. Sorry.

[timvp]

In before Butler, Brogdon, Jokic, Whiteside, et al.

[ZeusWillJudge]

I wanted the Spurs to pick Wes Iwundu at 29 in 2017, but White turned out to be a much better pick.
I wanted Ivica Zubac in 2016, but the Spurs took Murray. Both look like they will turn out to be good picks.
I liked Larry Nance Jr. in 2015, but if Milutinov comes over and does well, that could still be advantage Spurs.
I liked Jerami Grant in 2014, but Kyle Anderson was about as good as anyone from 30 down other than Jokic.
I didn't like the LJC pick in 2013, but the only player picked after him that has amounted to much was Allen Crabbe.

Probably the biggest miss during that time was Jokic. But all things considered, the Spurs have been amazing with all those late picks they've had.


If you really want to play What-If on old drafts, there's an easy way to do it. Go to Basketball-Reference, and look at each draft for the players who got picked after the Spurs' picks. And look at the "total minutes played" column. And what you're going to find is that there just aren't very many players that the Spurs passed on who wound up getting significant NBA minutes. A few... but not very damn many. The two recent years where a lot of players drafted in the second round wound up playing significant NBA minutes are 2012 and 2009. The Spurs didn't have a first round pick in either one of those drafts, so you can't really talk about who they overlooked.

2009 was an unusual draft, because a number of second round picks have gotten some significant minutes in the NBA. Among them: DaJuan Blair, Danny Green, Patty Mills, and Dante Cunningham. There's also one second round guy from that 2012 draft class that I want the Spurs to sign as a FA this offseason - Darius Miller.

[ceperez]

I wanted the Spurs to pick Wes Iwundu at 29 in 2017, but White turned out to be a much better pick.
I wanted Ivica Zubac in 2016, but the Spurs took Murray. Both look like they will turn out to be good picks.
I liked Larry Nance Jr. in 2015, but if Milutinov comes over and does well, that could still be advantage Spurs.
I liked Jerami Grant in 2014, but Kyle Anderson was about as good as anyone from 30 down other than Jokic.
I didn't like the LJC pick in 2013, but the only player picked after him that has amounted to much was Allen Crabbe.

Probably the biggest miss during that time was Jokic. But all things considered, the Spurs have been amazing with all those late picks they've had.


If you really want to play What-If on old drafts, there's an easy way to do it. Go to Basketball-Reference, and look at each draft for the players who got picked after the Spurs' picks. And look at the "total minutes played" column. And what you're going to find is that there just aren't very many players that the Spurs passed on who wound up getting significant NBA minutes. A few... but not very damn many. The two recent years where a lot of players drafted in the second round wound up playing significant NBA minutes are 2012 and 2009. The Spurs didn't have a first round pick in either one of those drafts, so you can't really talk about who they overlooked.

2009 was an unusual draft, because a number of second round picks have gotten some significant minutes in the NBA. Among them: DaJuan Blair, Danny Green, Patty Mills, and Dante Cunningham. There's also one second round guy from that 2012 draft class that I want the Spurs to sign as a FA this offseason - Darius Miller.

Excellent post. Tells you how slim the picking actually are after the first round.

Let's be honest, Jokic was an overweight player when he as drafted.

Spurs also missed out on Brogdon and there's also Jimmy Butler that they missed out on.

Spurs drafting is still pretty good. But there are other teams that have also been drafting much better. OKC with Sam Presti (the guy who picked Parker and Manu) is one example. GSW still drafts well even when they pick high.

This year though, there seems to be a lot of good talent (on paper) that could land the #18 and #29. Honestly, Spurs should rebuild around Derrick White and start unloading assets for this years draft picks. Aldridge and DeRozan are good regular season players, but don't have the mental constitution to take the team to the promised land.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Spurs drafting is still pretty good. But there are other teams that have also been drafting much better. OKC with Sam Presti (the guy who picked Parker and Manu) is one example. GSW still drafts well even when they pick high.


The key - the one and only key - is that SA has drafted later, on average, than every other team in the league for the last 20 years.

Since you mentioned that OKC has been drafting better (two of the last three years they haven't had a first round pick), have a look at their average draft position. Since 2008, OKC picked in the lottery four times and got Harden, Westbrook, Steven Adams and... Cameron Payne. How many times did the Spurs pick in the lottery during that time? Zero. OKC have also had four picks in the 18-21 range. The Spurs would have killed to draft that high. From 98 until 2017, the Spurs only had one pick better than 24, and that was James Anderson (20) in 2010. If you go back and look at who came after Anderson the best are guys like Greivis Vasquez and Hassan Whiteside.

OKC got a few good players with their later first round picks, where the Spurs were drafting EVERY year. But they also got a lot of guys like Roddy Beaubois, Quincy Pondexter, Craig Brackens, Perry Jones, Perry Jones, Archie Goowin, Josh Huestis, and Mitch McGary.

Look at any team you want to. They occasionally stumble onto a sleeper late in the first round, but most of their damage is done in the lottery positions. And the Spurs haven't had a lottery pick since Duncan in '97.


But, yeah, I think this draft has a chance to be like the 09 and 12 drafts, where some decent players come in the middle of the draft. The Spurs have a better chance than any team of finding them. I just wish they had a couple of picks in the early second round.

[Drom John]

Top of my board when the first expected Spurs pick was made (I did not expect the Hill/Leonard trade)

2009 DeJuan Blair
2010 Hassan Whiteside
2011 Shelvin Mack
2012 Marcus Denmon
2013 Jeff Withey
2014 Nikola Jokic
2015 R.J. Hunter
2016 Zhou Qi (or Fred Van Vleet if you doubted Zhou's age by even one year)
2017 Monte Morris
2018 Dzana Musa

[barakz21]

What an odd question

Yeah, I was just curious. As far as I can remember, I don’t remember ST discussing THIS much about potential spurs draftees. Or it’s just me not paying that much attention.

[K...]

The key - the one and only key - is that SA has drafted later, on average, than every other team in the league for the last 20 years.


OKC got a few good players with their later first round picks, where the Spurs were drafting EVERY year. But they also got a lot of guys like Roddy Beaubois, Quincy Pondexter, Craig Brackens, Perry Jones, Perry Jones, Archie Goowin, Josh Huestis, and Mitch McGary.




But, yeah, I think this draft has a chance to be like the 09 and 12 drafts, where some decent players come in the middle of the draft. The Spurs have a better chance than any team of finding them. I just wish they had a couple of picks in the early second round.



Roddy was a Mavs pick. He was a quick guard that succumbed with injury. Like James Anderson, an by argument about picking them shouldn't be based on their actual careers because of injury not apparent at the time of the draft. Both those players would have had decent floors based on what they showed in the nba

[FkLA]

In before Butler, Brogdon, Jokic, Whiteside, et al.

Close enough:


Top of my board when the first expected Spurs pick was made (I did not expect the Hill/Leonard trade)

2009 DeJuan Blair
2010 Hassan Whiteside
2011 Shelvin Mack
2012 Marcus Denmon
2013 Jeff Withey
2014 Nikola Jokic
2015 R.J. Hunter
2016 Zhou Qi (or Fred Van Vleet if you doubted Zhou's age by even one year)
2017 Monte Morris
2018 Dzana Musa

Just lol at having a fat midget who went undrafted second on your big board at #29 in 2016. Very believable.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Roddy was a Mavs pick. He was a quick guard that succumbed with injury. Like James Anderson, an by argument about picking them shouldn't be based on their actual careers because of injury not apparent at the time of the draft. Both those players would have had decent floors based on what they showed in the nba


Beaubois was a half-assed player who had some good games against the Spurs. He never had a season with as much as 9 points per game or 3 AST per game. And he didn't "succumb with injury" - he's still playing in Europe, where he actually does average double digit PPG.

The point, which you clearly missed, is that the key to a good draft is to pick in the lottery. The Spurs have done more with those 21-30 picks than anyone in the league, by far. And when you look at who came after the Spurs late picks, they haven't left much on the table.

[phxspurfan]

09 Blair / happy w/pick
10 didn't care
11 Parsons, IT (who was a stud in college, albeit undersized)
12 not a good pick/didn't care
13 Allen Crabbe (another stud in college)
14 Glenn Robinson II, Clarkson
15 RJ Hunter, Harrell
16 Murray / happy w/pick, also liked Brogdon since everyone saw him ball out in NCAA
17 Josh Hart (Who Booty (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02JMBhxufJw))
18 happy w/pick (Walker), Robert Williams, Jalen Brunson

[Play Boban]

2009: Patrick Beverly
2010: Hassan Whiteside
2011: Kawhi Leonard
2012: Robert Sacre
2013: Rudy Gobert
2014: Nikola Jokic
2015: Pat Connaughton
2016: Malcolm Brogdon
2017: Monte Morris
2018: Landry Shamet