5 Boom-or-Bust Prospects the Spurs Could Pick in the Draft

[timvp]

https://www.spurstalk.com/boom-or-bust-prospects-san-antonio-spurs-2022-nba-draft/

Thinking of Dieng at nine keeps me up at night, I'm not going to lie.

[John B]

I’d take my chances on Davis at 9 and Dieng at 25. Although I hardly think Davis is a boom-or-bust candidate, because of his tenacity on the court plus his 100% competitiveness. Something is just bound to be right with that competitive attitude.

Dieng on the other hand scares me with his seemingly “soft” attitude. He has Diaw-esque skills-set, but also could be Diaw’s laissez-faire attitude. But if he puts it together, the kid could be very special.

[Marco]

Please no Dieng, AJ Griffin, PBJ and Kessler.

[kjhip1]

Essentially the FO has three picks to sort something out in the 1st round. I guess the mystery in all this is what trade they pull off on draft night. Can’t realistically see them keeping all four draft picks. Something’s got to give. The FO cannot afford to screw this up.

[Dejounte]

I think it’s a given that our three picks will become two. As bizarre as it sounds, the Spurs don’t just give up on time they spent on their gleague projects, whom are right now DJ Steward, Cacok, Woodard, and maybe even KBD. There are only so many roster spots and the Spurs value continuity.

[JPB]

I’d take my chances on Davis at 9 and Dieng at 25. Although I hardly think Davis is a boom-or-bust candidate, because of his tenacity on the court plus his 100% competitiveness. Something is just bound to be right with that competitive attitude.

Dieng on the other hand scares me with his seemingly “soft” attitude. He has Diaw-esque skills-set, but also could be Diaw’s laissez-faire attitude. But if he puts it together, the kid could be very special.

No offesne but Boris had 5 Diengs in every finger. Actually, they're pretty different players. Boris was MVP of the french league at 18 and was already a do-it-all BB scientist... Dieng is a still very raw, soft young player, with a suspect/work in progress shoot, limited off ball game (questions on his BBIQ)... He is the definition of potential, basically due to his size (that can actually become a disavantage since he wouldn't be quick enough for a wing and too soft for a big in the NBA) would take years to develop or not...

He's not that high regarded in France, and definitely not like TP, Boris or Batum at his age, but precisely preceived as a raw player with potential, which we know NBA GMs are obsessed with nowadays.

So yeah, you're right... Maybe taking a flier on him at 20 or 25 but in a draft where spurs can't afford to fail, it's a huge pass on Dieng at 9. Too risky.

[TimmehC]

Thanks for the writeup, timvp!

I'm all in on Davis. He seems extremely Spurs-y and he puts in the work by all accounts. That FT percentage tells me that Chip can probably fix his shotmaking, and the development team is very good at getting players to clean up their mistakes over time.

Conversely, I want no part of Dieng(Livio Jean Charles part II) or Hardy(worse Primo). I mostly trust the Spurs FO, but sometimes they see certain prospects with rose-colored glasses and it all goes to shit.

[CGD]

Deing at 9 should keep you up at night.

Its clear that there is a big fat demarcation line starting at 9 in this draft and because of that I can see the Spurs talking themselves into a player mocked way later in the draft. Deing, Jalen Williams, Mark Williams all come to mind.

[Dejounte]

Yeah, 12 to 16 is “way later in the draft” from 9. Give me a break.

[Mr. Body]

I'm a bit interested in Hardy. If the feel is that he can get rid of his bad decision making and get better at defense. But he's riding a lot of "But he was ranked #5 in the draft at the beginning of the season!" lines. I'm getting annoyed with the "he was good in high school" narratives.

[SAGirl]

I share the concerns with Dieng and do not want him at 9 bc of a very high bust potential. If he's available later in the first and they like him a lot, sure, but as he is I think he's more likely to bust than pan out. That's how low I am on him. He reminded me of Livio Jean Charles bc he was all just physical tools but couldn't do anything well enough to be an NBA player.

You are right with the Samanic comparison as well in that the shooting and skills are all theoretical. He hasn't shown that those skills are nearly good enough and he needs a to improve in several areas to become an NBA player, otherwise you can't play him. His upside is not through the roof either, so I am not up for that risk at 9. If he puts things together he could be a Nic Batum type, but it's likely he's nowhere near as good of a shooter.

He could develop of course, but it's going to take time. Risky choice at 9.

[Dex]

timvp, I can't help but notice that 4 out of 5 of these prospects are SG, and from the reports I've been reading here, the Spurs seem to be eyeing another guard.

Is there fire to this smoke, and if so, what does that say about the future of Murray, Walker (probably already gone), Primo, Jones, Richardson, and Langford?

I know consensus is you draft for best talent available, but we spent last season with a logjam at guard and sorely need size at the forward positions, and free agency hasn't exactly been kind to the Spurs in the past few years.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

I don’t think Davis belongs in this group. To me he has a high floor because of his defense, ballhandling, intangibles and overall effort. Even if his shot doesn’t improve enough he still offers a lot in a sort of a Derrick White way. He’s the exact type of player who could grow within a couple of years to be able to play 30+ minutes in the playoffs in today’s NBA, which you can’t say for a lot of players projected to go around 9.

That said, I believe in his shot and that his inefficiency is mostly due to the situation he was in. My issue with his game is that he may not be able to get enough separation against elite athletes or get to the rim at all.

[BatManu20]

Yea been saying Dieng at 9 would suck a fat one but that I could see the Spurs going full-Spurs on Draft night and doing it. Let’s hope they’re smarter than that. The fact they haven’t had him in for a workout at all gives me some hope.

[Ice009]

No offesne but Boris had 5 Diengs in every finger. Actually, they're pretty different players. Boris was MVP of the french league at 18 and was already a do-it-all BB scientist... Dieng is a still very raw, soft young player, with a suspect/work in progress shoot, limited off ball game (questions on his BBIQ)... He is the definition of potential, basically due to his size (that can actually become a disavantage since he wouldn't be quick enough for a wing and too soft for a big in the NBA) would take years to develop or not...

He's not that high regarded in France, and definitely not like TP, Boris or Batum at his age, but precisely preceived as a raw player with potential, which we know NBA GMs are obsessed with nowadays.

So yeah, you're right... Maybe taking a flier on him at 20 or 25 but in a draft where spurs can't afford to fail, it's a huge pass on Dieng at 9. Too risky.

Thanks for this very informative/honest take on him. Great info. I was very interested in him, but I had visions of Boris Diaw and TP. It seems like it would be very risky to take him at number 9. I don't think I'd have a problem with it if he's still there on the board with one of the other first round picks. I really liked a lot of the french players that played in the NBA, so I kind of don't view them objectively enough. Even a guy like Ronny Turiaf who didn't have great stats, I would have liked to have had him on the Spurs.

[The Truth #6]

Should I be relieved that Tari Eason isn’t on this list? Lol.

[John B]

No offesne but Boris had 5 Diengs in every finger. Actually, they're pretty different players. Boris was MVP of the french league at 18 and was already a do-it-all BB scientist... Dieng is a still very raw, soft young player, with a suspect/work in progress shoot, limited off ball game (questions on his BBIQ)... He is the definition of potential, basically due to his size (that can actually become a disavantage since he wouldn't be quick enough for a wing and too soft for a big in the NBA) would take years to develop or not...

He's not that high regarded in France, and definitely not like TP, Boris or Batum at his age, but precisely preceived as a raw player with potential, which we know NBA GMs are obsessed with nowadays.

So yeah, you're right... Maybe taking a flier on him at 20 or 25 but in a draft where spurs can't afford to fail, it's a huge pass on Dieng at 9. Too risky.

I always thought Boris would’ve been multiple All-Star had he care more. He had all the skills and had the vertical higher than Amare, on his flip flop. But he was a journeyman before he got to tge Sours, and averaged 8 pts. Come on. The guy had more potential than that. And do you see him throw dunks thunderously or send his defender flying? Just look ar his body if that’s not the body of someone who had one too many chocolat croissant.

That’s the point I’m making. Yes Boris found success. But he could’ve been so much more. And I’m afraid Dieng could take the same with his “soft” around the basket. BUT, it could be just the finesse side of him. Still I want him to have tenacity, be more aggressive if I would draft him at 25.

[DPG21920]

My original dream was SA trading into another lottery pick and getting Sochan + Eason. Now my dream I’ve landed on is Johnny + Sochan. That would be a dream draft for me. If Johnny isn’t the guy at 9 I hope it’s Sochan

[The Truth #6]

Davis + Sochan = a dream scenario considering how many bad ways this could go.

[Mr. Body]

Yeah, I hope the Spurs are aggressive getting into the late lottery area. I see that Tier as running into that range and worth jumping.

[BatManu20]

Should I be relieved that Tari Eason isn’t on this list? Lol.

Eason is likely going in that 15-18 range. Houston at 17 apparently really likes him. So if the Spurs actually wanted him, they’d likely have to move up with Atlanta at 16 at the latest.

[Brazil]

I always thought Boris would’ve been multiple All-Star had he care more. He had all the skills and had the vertical higher than Amare, on his flip flop. But he was a journeyman before he got to tge Sours, and averaged 8 pts. Come on. The guy had more potential than that. And do you see him throw dunks thunderously or send his defender flying? Just look ar his body if that’s not the body of someone who had one too many chocolat croissant.

That’s the point I’m making. Yes Boris found success. But he could’ve been so much more. And I’m afraid Dieng could take the same with his “soft” around the basket. BUT, it could be just the finesse side of him. Still I want him to have tenacity, be more aggressive if I would draft him at 25.

Dieng is the typical high ceiling low floor prospect.. Spurs should not draft him at 9. He is typically a middle second round pick.

Dieng like Boris is viewing bb different than american players, their goal is absolutely not to score but play as a team. They rather share the ball than scoring. Dieng needs to bulk up a lot but could lose his quickness for it. At this point he is a 2/3 years development away to contribute even lightly to any ambitious nba team. Defense is the biggest issue he can't defend smaller players due to lacking lateral quickness and he cannot stay in front of strong forwards or centers, he is bullied literally near the basket. I've seen him play with INSEP, I've never thought of him being a NBA player tbh but would not be the first time I'm wrong.

[SAGirl]

Thanks for the report Brazil. He gave me Livio Jean Charles vibes. I also could be wrong but I'd pass.

[jjspur]

Every year around this time, we usually discuss who the spurs will pick with their one 1st round pick, but this year we have 3 . Instead of arguing over a few options for a pick, we're talking about a dozen players if not more for the picks. Possibilities with trades of a pick or two also add to the mix. It's enough to give you a head ache.

The spurs have never had so many choices or possibilities to change things in one draft night. I'm just hoping from 4 choices we get a least two right. This year we had a lot of dead salary that we paid out to athletes that did next to nothing for us, hopefully we get something back for our financial efforts.

We did the first part of taking on salary for picks, now lets make the good draft selections or even trades (even though the spurs hardly ever trade on draft night). Make it a good night tomorrow, its a great opportunity to move the franchise in a positive direction.

[Dex]

Every year around this time, we usually discuss who the spurs will pick with their one 1st round pick, but this year we have 3 . Instead of arguing over a few options for a pick, we're talking about a dozen players if not more for the picks. Possibilities with trades of a pick or two also add to the mix. It's enough to give you a head ache.

The spurs have never had so many choices or possibilities to change things in one draft night. I'm just hoping from 4 choices we get a least two right. This year we had a lot of dead salary that we paid out to athletes that did next to nothing for us, hopefully we get something back for our financial efforts.

We did the first part of taking on salary for picks, now lets make the good draft selections or even trades (even though the spurs hardly ever trade on draft night). Make it a good night tomorrow, its a great opportunity to move the franchise in a positive direction.

LOL this is why I don't follow the draft too closely. Definitely one of the most exciting drafts we've had in a long time, but there are about a thousand possibilities for what could happen tomorrow night...some people will be happy and some people won't.

I'll watch the draft, we will all speculate for a few months, and then we'll see how the cards play out. Not losing any sleep over it.

[Brazil]

Thanks for the report Brazil. He gave me Livio Jean Charles vibes. I also could be wrong but I'd pass.

There are some similarities indeed even though Dieng has a higher ceiling than Jean Charles and viewed as a much better prospect. Livio entered the draft a bit older if I remember correctly he played a while for ASVEL. would hate a Spurs pick at 9, no way Dieng contribute in the short term so he would go to Austin and that would be a waste of first round.

[rjv]

sounds like dieng could very well be just dung.

[jjspur]

Dieng sounds like a player the spurs would take . He's foreign and has "potential". Where have we heard that fairy tale before. Don't care if the spurs take Dieng , just not at 9 or 20 or maybe even 25. The 38th pick sounds about right to take a chance on him. He won't be there but that's OK. Let another team take a chance on him, so the spurs don't get tempted to spend another pick on "potential".
We need talent now, not talent that is 2 years away from being cut due to lack of potential, effort or talent. :lobt2:

[CGD]

Dieng sounds like a player the spurs would take . He's foreign and has "potential". Where have we heard that fairy tale before. Don't care if the spurs take Dieng , just not at 9 or 20 or maybe even 25. The 38th pick sounds about right to take a chance on him. He won't be there but that's OK. Let another team take a chance on him, so the spurs don't get tempted to spend another pick on "potential".
We need talent now, not talent that is 2 years away from being cut due to lack of potential, effort or talent. :lobt2:

That hasnt been the case since Kyle Anderson in 2014 man.
Except for Luka, all other picks that played for the Spurs since went to American universities.

[SAGirl]

That hasnt been the case since Kyle Anderson in 2014 man.
Except for Luka, all other picks that played for the Spurs since went to American universities.
I dont even know why you bring Kyle up in this context. Like he's American, played in an American university, and wasn't drafted on being foreign and on potential. He was a 30th pick of the draft and yielded value for where he was picked. Coming into a veteran team winning a championship just the season before, what did you expect tbh?

The true gamble was Luka.

[timvp]

timvp, I can't help but notice that 4 out of 5 of these prospects are SG, and from the reports I've been reading here, the Spurs seem to be eyeing another guard.

Is there fire to this smoke, and if so, what does that say about the future of Murray, Walker (probably already gone), Primo, Jones, Richardson, and Langford?

I know consensus is you draft for best talent available, but we spent last season with a logjam at guard and sorely need size at the forward positions, and free agency hasn't exactly been kind to the Spurs in the past few years.

Optimally, I think the Spurs would like to draft something other than a shooting guard -- but this draft just so happens to be stacked with shooting guard prospects. It's just some unlucky randomness. If you look back at the 2020 draft, the only two shooting guards in the top 20 picks were Anthony Edwards and Devin Vassell -- so I guess this year's position dispersal is just things evening out.

If the Spurs truly go best player available in this draft, they'll likely end up with a couple shooting guards. I don't think that says much about the future of Murray, Vassell, Primo, Jones, etc. That said, if the Spurs draft at shooting guard at 9, that's probably the nail in the coffin for Walker's return. Even drafting a shooting guard at 20 might sound the end of Walker's stay in SA.

[timvp]

I don’t think Davis belongs in this group. To me he has a high floor because of his defense, ballhandling, intangibles and overall effort. Even if his shot doesn’t improve enough he still offers a lot in a sort of a Derrick White way. He’s the exact type of player who could grow within a couple of years to be able to play 30+ minutes in the playoffs in today’s NBA, which you can’t say for a lot of players projected to go around 9.

That said, I believe in his shot and that his inefficiency is mostly due to the situation he was in. My issue with his game is that he may not be able to get enough separation against elite athletes or get to the rim at all.

I know a lot of people see Johnny Davis as having a high floor -- but I disagree. I also don't see the comparison to White. White has always had a league average-ish true shooting percentage of around 56%. At Colorado, White's true shooting percentage was 63.5%. Davis's true shooting percentage last season at Wisconsin was 52.3%. Furthermore, White is a strong playmaker and passer, while Davis is non-playmaker and a poor passer at this point.

If Davis doesn't become more efficient, I don't think there's enough else in his game for him to lean on -- at least at this point in his development. He's a good defender and great rebounder for a 6-foot-6 perimeter player but I don't think that's enough for him to remain in the league without improvements elsewhere.

Like you alluded to, Davis might not be able to get separation in the NBA. If that results in him forcing even tougher shots than he attempted at Wisconsin, that true shooting percentage could plummet even more.

The hope is that he is able to utilize the added space in the NBA and the improved talent around him to fine tune his shot selection. I'm reasonably confident that will happen, which is why I'd fine with the Spurs taking him at 9.

[DAF86]

What's the deal with this Sharpe kid? From what I understood, he was a beast on high school, then didn't play in college, but since he was such a beast on HS he's still a lottery pick. Is this right?

Why didn't he play in college, injuries?

If he would have played in college, and done as expected, is it safe to say he could have been the top pick or around that area? If so, then I think this guy is a risk the Spurs can't pass at 9.

[Mr. Body]

What's the deal with this Sharpe kid? From what I understood, he was a beast on high school, then didn't play in college, but since he was such a beast on HS he's still a lottery pick. Is this right?

Why didn't he play in college, injuries?

If he would have played in college, and done as expected, is it safe to say he could have been the top pick or around that area? If so, then I think this guy is a risk the Spurs can't pass at 9.

Shaeden Sharpe? Who's that?

[Drom John]

I dont even know why you bring Kyle up in this context. Like he's American, played in an American university, and wasn't drafted on being foreign and on potential. He was a 30th pick of the draft and yielded value for where he was picked. Coming into a veteran team winning a championship just the season before, what did you expect tbh?

The true gamble was Luka.

I read CGD to mean starting with Kyle Anderson the Spurs have been US collegiate focus, with 2013 being Livio Jean-Charles.

[Uriel]

FWIW, ESPN’s mock currently has us taking Sharpe at #9.

[timvp]

What's the deal with this Sharpe kid? From what I understood, he was a beast on high school, then didn't play in college, but since he was such a beast on HS he's still a lottery pick. Is this right?Mostly, yeah. Though I wouldn't say he was a beast in high school. He went from a top 100 kid to number one after playing well for a couple months in high school. It's not even like he dominated four years in high school.


Why didn't he play in college, injuries?He reclassified at the last second and graduated high school early. He ended up joining Kentucky later than most incoming freshman. It was thought that Sharpe would eventually play -- but he never did.


If he would have played in college, and done as expected, is it safe to say he could have been the top pick or around that area? If so, then I think this guy is a risk the Spurs can't pass at 9.

If he would have played well at Kentucky, he could have been the number one pick, yes.

[CGD]

I dont even know why you bring Kyle up in this context. Like he's American, played in an American university, and wasn't drafted on being foreign and on potential. He was a 30th pick of the draft and yielded value for where he was picked. Coming into a veteran team winning a championship just the season before, what did you expect tbh?

The true gamble was Luka.

That’s my point. Spurs haven’t been speculating/gambling on foreign prospects, as the poster I was responding to suggests, since 2014.

[timvp]

FWIW, ESPN’s mock currently has us taking Sharpe at #9.

Everyone else seems to have Sharpe going 7 to Portland. I wonder if Givony is doing Mike Schmitz a solid and concealing Portland's true intentions.

[DPG21920]

Everyone else seems to have Sharpe going 7 to Portland. I wonder if Givony is doing Mike Schmitz a solid and concealing Portland's true intentions.

How likely is it we see SA trade up from 9 or trade up for another lottery pick?

[John B]

I think Sharpe is going to Portland and might even advising him how to answer the media, to get some team disinterested. While I don’t think he’s not a boom-or-bust candidate, still he’s not the player I see will draft due to character.

[John B]

I honestly think Nicola Jovic should’ve been in this list. He’s another guard in PF body, but might or might not well translate to NBA

[timvp]

How likely is it we see SA trade up from 9 or trade up for another lottery pick?

https://i.imgur.com/BmLxENE.jpg

[John B]

https://i.imgur.com/BmLxENE.jpg

Can you resend? It's kinda blurry https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/clientscript/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/images/smilies/lmao.gif

[DPG21920]

https://i.imgur.com/BmLxENE.jpg

My man

[TD 21]

I'd say Davis is high floor because I view him as similar to Rivers in probably a worst case scenario. Decent enough size/athleticism, something of a jack of all trades/master of none type. He hasn't had a good career per se, but he has lasted a decade and running, most of which as a rotation player.

[TimmehC]

https://i.imgur.com/BmLxENE.jpg

This shit is my opioids.

Also,

Dieng's agent called Brian Wright during the zoom conference this morning. (https://twitter.com/NicYarbro/status/1539710862537248770?t=PuujwnY6QMp5vAjlAop8fg&s=19)

[SAGirl]

I read CGD (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=17088) to mean starting with Kyle Anderson the Spurs have been US collegiate focus, with 2013 being Livio Jean-Charles.
oh thanks that wasn't really clear. I misunderstood. :toast

[SAGirl]

Everyone else seems to have Sharpe going 7 to Portland. I wonder if Givony is doing Mike Schmitz a solid and concealing Portland's true intentions.
It could be. I think Mr. Body's head will explode and we will not hear from him in a few days. Someone will have to go check up on him tbh if the team drafts Sharpe.

Then we will see the thread: "You son of a bitch, I am in!" make a come back.

[Mr. Body]

It could be. I think Mr. Body's head will explode and we will not hear from him in a few days. Someone will have to go check up on him tbh if the team drafts Sharpe.

Then we will see the thread: "You son of a bitch, I am in!" make a come back.

There is nothing I'm more certain of than the Spurs not...

Actually, I have a question. Are people brain damaged? Are you brain damaged? Why do you think this franchise, built on Robinson and Duncan, who got burned by Kawhi, who was a comparative saint in relation to how Sharpe has been acting, is going to go for Sharpe? Are you a fucking moron?

[SAGirl]

There is nothing I'm more certain of than the Spurs not...

Actually, I have a question. Are people brain damaged? Are you brain damaged? Why do you think this franchise, built on Robinson and Duncan, who got burned by Kawhi, who was a comparative saint in relation to how Sharpe has been acting, is going to go for Sharpe? Are you a fucking moron?
Do you have some sense of humor Mr. B?

[jjspur]

That’s my point. Spurs haven’t been speculating/gambling on foreign prospects, as the poster I was responding to suggests, since 2014.

The Luka Sammich pick is still on people's minds simply because he was let go after only two years and that a number of players were taken after Luka and are still playing in the NBA.
Livio was a gamble and a bust, but the spurs had a lot of talent on the team back ten so it didn't sting as much. Luka was a huge game considering there wasn't that much talent on the team. (Aldridge & DeRozen isn't that much). Funny how the 29th pick in the same draft is still on the team and Luka isn't. Thankfully someone did their homework on Keldon and its paid off.

Point is, non lottery teams with lots of talent can afford to gamble with a first round pick, teams in the lottery that don't have that much talent (like the spurs) shouldn't. Every year there are players that don't pan out and the spurs have been very lucky to have only a few busts. Thank you spurs front office.

There is nothing wrong with picking a safe pick. They're not flashy but they usually have long steady careers. Even moving up with additional picks to select a well known player is also a good strategy. However swinging for the fences with a player that next to no one has heard of or gets selected on pure potential, well sometimes you just swing hard and strike out . Sometimes we have to fight the urge to gamble and just make a good pick. It will more than likely pay off in the long run and isn't that what we all want.

[RC_Drunkford]

I know a lot of people see Johnny Davis as having a high floor -- but I disagree. I also don't see the comparison to White. White has always had a league average-ish true shooting percentage of around 56%. At Colorado, White's true shooting percentage was 63.5%. Davis's true shooting percentage last season at Wisconsin was 52.3%. Furthermore, White is a strong playmaker and passer, while Davis is non-playmaker and a poor passer at this point.

If Davis doesn't become more efficient, I don't think there's enough else in his game for him to lean on -- at least at this point in his development. He's a good defender and great rebounder for a 6-foot-6 perimeter player but I don't think that's enough for him to remain in the league without improvements elsewhere.

Like you alluded to, Davis might not be able to get separation in the NBA. If that results in him forcing even tougher shots than he attempted at Wisconsin, that true shooting percentage could plummet even more.

The hope is that he is able to utilize the added space in the NBA and the improved talent around him to fine tune his shot selection. I'm reasonably confident that will happen, which is why I'd fine with the Spurs taking him at 9.

A player who's a good defender, plays hard all the time on both ends and can knock down open 3s will always have a career in the NBA tbh. I think his ceiling is a questionmark, but he will have a long NBA career

[MI21]

timvp, I promise bruh, based on what I've seen, Ousmane Dieng sucks. I would be reluctant to take him at 25 - taking him at 9 would be an all-time bad decision.

[timvp]

timvp, I promise bruh, based on what I've seen, Ousmane Dieng sucks. I would be reluctant to take him at 25 - taking him at 9 would be an all-time bad decision.

Yeah, man, Dieng at 9 would be destined to be a disaster. The more I've watched him, the more I dislike him as a prospect. Pop would hate him so much it'd almost be comical :lol

[offset formation]

Utterly disagree with your take on Dieng. When I read your take about him being soft, I was like, what?? I've watched plenty of tape on him and never found his game soft. He's a bit of a finesse player and has developed a floater but neither offensively nor defensively have I seen any evidence he's soft or afraid of contact. So I watched your attached tape and also found zero evidence of this.

Also, his aggression is much superb to Samanic and his talent is on another level. And I say that as someone that very much wanted and hoped for Samanich to succeed. And I felt that way about him because if you strike gold there where the Spurs so desperately need help, you've improved the team overnight. Of course he needs to fill out, and work on his game as all of these kids do, but there's a really odd theme on this board that picking Dieng is a redo of Samanich or even Primo. Primo can't beat his man. Samanich had zero inside game and a very questionable motor. Take those personality and game deficiencies away from Dieng, as he has shown not to have those proclivities, and the kid shows to have a very promising future.

I wonder how much of the knock on Dieng is that he's a Frenchman where soft is almost considered a personality trait for them. Tony clearly was a bull dog. Dieng has that look to me. And if we came away with someone with his skillset and added the right other pieces, he could end up being precisely who we needed. OKC and a few other teams, perhaps including PATFO appear to be very high on the kid.



And there's next to zero chance he makes it to 20.

[offset formation]

There is nothing I'm more certain of than the Spurs not...

Actually, I have a question. Are people brain damaged? Are you brain damaged? Why do you think this franchise, built on Robinson and Duncan, who got burned by Kawhi, who was a comparative saint in relation to how Sharpe has been acting, is going to go for Sharpe? Are you a fucking moron?

Yup, I think there's absolutely a near zero chance the Spurs select Sharpe, at least at 9, or maybe even 20. I have a feeling that however fair, nephew forever negated selecting a player of questionable or unknown character that high.

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sounds like dieng could very well be just dung.

Do your own research or film study if you have some time. This is a foolish conclusion that seems to be gaining momentum on here in the last 4 or 5 days. Watch the tape attached to LJ's article. Tell me if you see a kid afraid of contact or a smart player that instead of being a bull in a china shop like Keldon, you see a guy that has great body control and is able to pull up for floaters. He's shown plenty of ability to beat his on-ball defender in *set defenses*, something Primo has almost never shown.

He has a really nice touch on that floater and it would undoubtedly get better as would his 3pt%. Kid has a very high floor which is what this team desperately needs. And imagine his game 3 yrs from now when he's got a bit more meat on him and has developed a bit of back to the basket game.

If he's available at 9, and we skip him, it will be every bit as much a mistake as was passing on Sengun last draft for Primo.

[T Park]

Dieng’s Shooting form is like dragging nails across a chalk board. Bringing the ball from one side of his stomach to the other and slow AF is just, yikes.

[John B]

Do your own research or film study if you have some time. This is a foolish conclusion that seems to be gaining momentum on here in the last 4 or 5 days. Watch the tape attached to LJ's article. Tell me if you see a kid afraid of contact or a smart player that instead of being a bull in a china shop like Keldon, you see a guy that has great body control and is able to pull up for floaters. He's shown plenty of ability to beat his on-ball defender in *set defenses*, something Primo has almost never shown.

He has a really nice touch on that floater and it would undoubtedly get better as would his 3pt%. Kid has a very high floor which is what this team desperately needs. And imagine his game 3 yrs from now when he's got a bit more meat on him and has developed a bit of back to the basket game.

If he's available at 9, and we skip him, it will be every bit as much a mistake as was passing on Sengun last draft for Primo.

I too have concerns on Dieng being “soft,” but I do like his skill set. But he is a big risk at 9 imo. I would love to take him at 20-25. I think he is a lot like Primo that he is at least a 3 years project. I just don’t think that shoukd be Spurs route right now for lottery picks, but get someone who can contribute relatively sooner, i.e. Davis, Sochan, Duren