Big Board 1.0: First Look at Who the San Antonio Spurs Will Target in the Lottery

[slick'81]

Yeah I know....I'm just saying that I'm not upset about losing the coin flip because the end result in the lottery is way more important.


all about the luck now

[BackHome]

I got the following:

1. Wemb
2. Henderson
3. Miller
4. Walker
5. Cam
6. Hendricks

I will be honest I can not tell where to put the Twins just not enough film to watch

[Ariel]

Hope we get Wemby, but if we land a top 2/3 pick and a trade back for Orlando's picks (right now at 6 and 11) allows us to get 2 of Cam Whitmore, Taylor Hendricks and Anthony Black, that's a very good option in my book. I see all 3 of those guys as good rotation players at the very least, most probable outcome being above average starters with a chance at all star level. If we use our pick, I'd also be willing to package Toronto's pick + Charlotte's pick + a boatload of seconds if they land us Hendricks in the lower half of the lottery (if he gets to 10 I think Dallas takes him).

[BackHome]

Yeah at pick 6 you probably have two of these three players available- Cam, Walker, Hendricks. If we stay at 11 then your probably looking at Dick and George. So if a trade down does happen I wonder who our pick at 6 would be and do we stay at 11 as Dick and George are both legit or do we trade back up but I have a feeling Hendricks wii go between 7-9 - What would we pay for that ?.

[Mr. Body]

Yeah at pick 6 you probably have two of these three players available- Cam, Walker, Hendricks. If we stay at 11 then your probably looking at Dick and George. So if a trade down does happen I wonder who our pick at 6 would be and do we stay at 11 as Dick and George are both legit or do we trade back up but I have a feeling Hendricks wii go between 7-9 - What would we pay for that ?.

I doubt Orlando makes that trade. I feel like it's like how obsessed we got last year about Charlotte trading their two picks to get ours.

But... My gut right now is that Hendricks will rise during the draft process. I think Dick will also go top 8. The player that should be around 11 that is still underrated is Bufkin. And then there's Hawkins.

[Mr. Body]

I take back what I just said. Looking at it again, the top 8 look sort of clear-ish right now.

Wembanyama
Henderson
Miller
Thompson
Thompson
Whitmore
Jarace
xxxx

With xxxx being a lot of players, and that order not being determined yet. Right now it seems like Black is getting a lot of love for top 8. I do think Hendricks will pop in combines. That does mean Dick sits lower.

Cason Wallace might be one of those Kentucky guards who does better in the pros than in NCAA.

[R. DeMurre]

On the other hand, Sacramento is going to the second round with De'aron fox and sabonis. It doesn't take much to get that level of talent but passing on guards looking for Curry level of HOF talent is dumb. Just find a plausible all star and try to build a team from that

Also who is this good shooting good defense SF /PF that Won't go top 3?


True, but the Kings are also likely just as successful with a leading duo of Sabonis & Haliburton, & possibly with a higher ceiling.. it's Sabonis who's the leading impact player on that team, not Fox. Chris Paul and Allen Iverson are good examples of supposedly generational talents who could never lead their teams to titles-- not because they weren't very good players, but because it's extremely difficult to win an NBA championship with a #1 option who is <6'3" and isn't Steph Curry. If someone like Houston offered, say, Tari Eason to move up to #2, a team like the Spurs could be moving forward with Eason + Brandon Miller/Taylor Hendricks/Cason Wallace, which statistically could be a better bet than going with just Scoot. Hell, a few scouts & draftniks now are speculating that Wallace could be a better longterm project than Scoot period, which I don't think is entirely out of the question. If Scoot eventually = John Wall, is the prospect of having him in San Antonio for the next decade really that exciting?

[barakz21]

Assuming we don’t get Wemby, I’d throw the kitchen sink at whoever gets him. 23 frp+ 1 or 1 extra 24 frp (not the spurs’), possibly a 25 frp (or srp if it’ll get done)+KJ. That’s what I would do on 2K. We get Wemby, create more opportunities for Dev to grow further as a wing scorer and carve out more minutes for Bran.

Of course, this isn’t 2K and idk probably even the AI will cuss me out with that trade offer lol

[exstatic]

Assuming we don’t get Wemby, I’d throw the kitchen sink at whoever gets him. 23 frp+ 1 or 1 extra 24 frp (not the spurs’), possibly a 25 frp (or srp if it’ll get done)+KJ. That’s what I would do on 2K. We get Wemby, create more opportunities for Dev to grow further as a wing scorer and carve out more minutes for Bran.

Of course, this isn’t 2K and idk probably even the AI will cuss me out with that trade offer lol

No one is trading pick #1.

[mo7888]

I take back what I just said. Looking at it again, the top 8 look sort of clear-ish right now.

Wembanyama
Henderson
Miller
Thompson
Thompson
Whitmore
Jarace
xxxx

With xxxx being a lot of players, and that order not being determined yet. Right now it seems like Black is getting a lot of love for top 8. I do think Hendricks will pop in combines. That does mean Dick sits lower.

Cason Wallace might be one of those Kentucky guards who does better in the pros than in NCAA.

I think that's pretty much where things stand right now. I'd say Gradey Dick's top 8 prospects is going to come down to his athletic testing numbers. If he tests well he'll be in there.

[barakz21]

No one is trading pick #1.

I agree, especially with a generational prospect. Even when there’s no generational prospect to speak of in a draft class, I don’t think teams were THAT likely to trade #1 picks. I followed the Spurs and the NBA since 01, and I could only remember the Celts trading that #1 pick back in ‘17 (although I can’t recall if people deemed that class as strong or weak at that time).

[exstatic]

I agree, especially with a generational prospect. Even when there’s no generational prospect to speak of in a draft class, I don’t think teams were THAT likely to trade #1 picks. I followed the Spurs and the NBA since 01, and I could only remember the Celts trading that #1 pick back in ‘17 (although I can’t recall if people deemed that class as strong or weak at that time).

Wiggins was traded a month after the draft (for some reason, you have to wait that long if you don't trade a pick during the draft) for KLove at LeBron's behest after he bolted Miami and returned to Cleveland.

[Mr. Body]

I think that's pretty much where things stand right now. I'd say Gradey Dick's top 8 prospects is going to come down to his athletic testing numbers. If he tests well he'll be in there.

Yeah, I really thought Dick had a great shot at top 8. I suppose he still does - there's always surprises and movement - but typing out what appears likeliest right now there seems to be a lot of solidity there. Of course I could see teams picking him over one of the Thompson twins, that sort of thing.

[mo7888]

Yeah, I really thought Dick had a great shot at top 8. I suppose he still does - there's always surprises and movement - but typing out what appears likeliest right now there seems to be a lot of solidity there. Of course I could see teams picking him over one of the Thompson twins, that sort of thing.

I've got him a spot ahead of Ausar right now, but part of that is I'm thinking his athletic numbers, while not what Ausar's are, will be close enough that his superior shooting touch will elevate him.

[The Truth #6]

Falling to 6 or 7 and drafting Dick is probably the worst possible scenario I can imagine. Don’t want that dude even if we were to trade back, which feels like another bad idea.

[scott]

I doubt Orlando makes that trade. I feel like it's like how obsessed we got last year about Charlotte trading their two picks to get ours.

But... My gut right now is that Hendricks will rise during the draft process. I think Dick will also go top 8. The player that should be around 11 that is still underrated is Bufkin. And then there's Hawkins.

I think this board is on to the fact that Orlando probably doesn't want to take two rookies in this draft, though I think we might be wrong in assuming they'd want to consolidate to move up (though I think a Brandon Miller-type is a great fit for them). Orlando may rather be in a good position to trade one of those picks for an impact vet to push them over the edge in terms of becoming a playoff team. Or better yet - can they consolidate both of those picks, along with another future pick, and do a Dejounte-like acquisition: border-line all star, but who's arrow is pointing up and is still relatively young? Not sure who fits that bill that could be available. Or maybe Chicago is ready to pull the plug and will do Lavine for those two picks?

[offset formation]

After admittedly doing zero research this year on potential draftees, a friend sent me some highlights of a kid that there's a teammate of Wembanyama named Bilal Coulibaly.

He's arguably the second best player on the board as he just declared. Better than Miller and Scoot in my minds eye.

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1649054895109181451?s=19

[cd98]

If the Spurs don't get the number one pick, expect another year of tanking. I mean, we aren't going to win 50 games next season if we get the number one pick, but resting "injured" starters is what we can expect next year if we don't. That said, I don't think the Spurs can survive many years of tanking because fans are fairweather here. Spurs stink for a while and then people move on to other things.

[exstatic]

If the Spurs don't get the number one pick, expect another year of tanking. I mean, we aren't going to win 50 games next season if we get the number one pick, but resting "injured" starters is what we can expect next year if we don't. That said, I don't think the Spurs can survive many years of tanking because fans are fairweather here. Spurs stink for a while and then people move on to other things.

Nope. A lottery year? Sure, but they won't be dumping games like they did this year. What for? A 14% chance at who?

[mo7888]

I think this board is on to the fact that Orlando probably doesn't want to take two rookies in this draft, though I think we might be wrong in assuming they'd want to consolidate to move up (though I think a Brandon Miller-type is a great fit for them). Orlando may rather be in a good position to trade one of those picks for an impact vet to push them over the edge in terms of becoming a playoff team. Or better yet - can they consolidate both of those picks, along with another future pick, and do a Dejounte-like acquisition: border-line all star, but who's arrow is pointing up and is still relatively young? Not sure who fits that bill that could be available. Or maybe Chicago is ready to pull the plug and will do Lavine for those two picks?

Orlando has alot of options... and yes, many of us don't think they want two rookies... if they go for a vet or maybe even a young player already in the league to fit their time-line I've got to think its a 2 guard or maybe a PG. Their front court seems pretty set to me.

[scott]

Nope. A lottery year? Sure, but they won't be dumping games like they did this year. What for? A 14% chance at who?

Things can change a lot in the course of a year, you never know. But if the Spurs are sitting near the bottom of the table come the ASG Break, I could see them switching to the same kind of lineup shenanigans they did this year. I do generally agree, however, that the mindset going into the season should and will be different.

[exstatic]

Things can change a lot in the course of a year, you never know. But if the Spurs are sitting near the bottom of the table come the ASG Break, I could see them switching to the same kind of lineup shenanigans they did this year. I do generally agree, however, that the mindset going into the season should and will be different.

Zion was known a year out. Wemby was known a year out. The transformation prospects are seen over the horizon. I'm not just interested in the #1 pick, I'm interested in the #1 pick when it means something.

The difference between 3 and 6 this year was 12 games. Depending on where we land this year, we may not win more than 12 additional games, even if we try. Position #6 has a 37.2% chance at top 4 and a 9% chance at #1. I'll take that while developing our young players.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Nope. A lottery year? Sure, but they won't be dumping games like they did this year. What for? A 14% chance at who?

Agreed. Should the Spurs be so fortuitous I'd expect them to start making personnel moves towards legitimacy pretty quickly.

[Mr. Body]

I'm on the side of not another year tanking. Magically they'll care about defense again. Even if it won't be superb, they'll get after teams on that end. They won't sit players for long periods. They may land in the 33-38 wins range. I don't think that's out of the realm of possibility. Those are the 5-10 picks this year, teams like Portland, Washington, Indiana, etc., and I don't think the Spurs are that much worse than those teams. Unlike what pundits say, this team has a good amount of talent, but it's very young. They should be closer to what they were at the beginning of this year when they beat Minnesota twice and Philadelphia.

[LeBowen]

I'm on the side of not another year tanking. Magically they'll care about defense again. Even if it won't be superb, they'll get after teams on that end. They won't sit players for long periods. They may land in the 33-38 wins range. I don't think that's out of the realm of possibility. Those are the 5-10 picks this year, teams like Portland, Washington, Indiana, etc., and I don't think the Spurs are that much worse than those teams. Unlike what pundits say, this team has a good amount of talent, but it's very young. They should be closer to what they were at the beginning of this year when they beat Minnesota twice and Philadelphia.

This season was a blatant tank and took a lot of effort to finish top3 with all the DNPs. Luckily for us, noone cares about the Spurs, but if a big market team threw away so many games on purpose, it would talked about daily.

Tanking would also be bad for everyone's development. We talked about it already, if we get a good player in the draft and everyone keeps improving, with a few more veterans and reclametion projects, it's easily a team similar to this season's Jazz or Pacers.
No big moves, just save the cap space and make a big trade in 2024.

Still, gotta wait until the 16th to see what the future holds. Not getting a top3 pick would be really bad.

[The Truth #6]

For me, too soon to say. Depends whom they draft and how that player develops during the year. Lots of factors. Do we trade anyone for more picks, for example, and does that lower our winning potential.

[scott]

I'm on the side of not another year tanking. Magically they'll care about defense again. Even if it won't be superb, they'll get after teams on that end. They won't sit players for long periods. They may land in the 33-38 wins range. I don't think that's out of the realm of possibility. Those are the 5-10 picks this year, teams like Portland, Washington, Indiana, etc., and I don't think the Spurs are that much worse than those teams. Unlike what pundits say, this team has a good amount of talent, but it's very young. They should be closer to what they were at the beginning of this year when they beat Minnesota twice and Philadelphia.

Agreed, with the caveat being that come the ASG Break, if we have the 5th worst record, go ahead and pull a Portland and start jockeying for draft position (this is essentially what this board wanted to do last season instead of pushing for the play-in with DJM). You probably don't have to do much, since our team obviously not be very good if we have the 5th worst record.

[JPB]

Agreed, with the caveat being that come the ASG Break, we have the 5nd worst record, go ahead and pull a Portland and start jockeying for draft position (this is essentially what this board wanted to do last season instead of pushing for the play-in with DJM). You probably don't have to do much, since our team obviously not be very good if we have the 5th worst record.

Yeah but there's no Wemby next year so you lose another year to add some mid to late lottery pick to the chest. Portland and Dallas stopped playing BB those last 10 games also for little chance at Wemby. Does it put you in better position than if you don't wait another year of semi tanking? I don't believe so. You won't put Sochan and Collins in a cage again those last ten RS games to pull a Portland. These guys are hungry. So are Devin, Branham and co... And does Pop want to go that road again?

[CGD]

After admittedly doing zero research this year on potential draftees, a friend sent me some highlights of a kid that there's a teammate of Wembanyama named Bilal Coulibaly.

He's arguably the second best player on the board as he just declared. Better than Miller and Scoot in my minds eye.

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1649054895109181451?s=19

This guy is gonna get that Ousman Deing hype the two weeks before the draft and get picked late lottery. Watch

[scott]

Yeah but there's no Wemby next year so you lose another year to add some mid to late lottery pick to the chest. Portland and Dallas stopped playing BB those last 10 games also for little chance at Wemby. Does it put you in better position than if you don't wait another year of semi tanking? I don't believe so. You won't put Sochan and Collins in a cage again those last ten RS games to pull a Portland. These guys are hungry. So are Devin, Branham and co... And does Pop want to go that road again?

The year is already lost at that point, and we'll have proven that we still suck. I'm not really concerned about Zack Collins' psyche in this hypothetical. Portland has been doing this same routine for years, not just because of Wemby. Better picks are better picks, regardless of whether Wemby is the top prize. Late season draft positioning has existed in years other than 1997, 2003 and 2023.

[CGD]

I take back what I just said. Looking at it again, the top 8 look sort of clear-ish right now.

Wembanyama
Henderson
Miller
Thompson
Thompson
Whitmore
Jarace
xxxx

With xxxx being a lot of players, and that order not being determined yet. Right now it seems like Black is getting a lot of love for top 8. I do think Hendricks will pop in combines. That does mean Dick sits lower.

Cason Wallace might be one of those Kentucky guards who does better in the pros than in NCAA.

I get a gut feeling spurs aren’t that into Scoot. Less about Scoot himself and more about where they think the league is going, which is in favor of rangy or athletic wings that can also facilitate the offense. Like I don’t think they’re just messing around with Sochan running point. Wouldn’t be surprised if they take a Thompson brother at #2 for example (or whoever the best wing is).

[offset formation]

I think he goes top 8. His ceiling is sky high. 18. 6'8" 7'3" Huge hops. That wingspan. Playing alongside Wembanyama and starting to elevate his game. I'd draft him over Scoot and Miller for different reasons but take him nonetheless.

[Mr. Body]

The year is already lost at that point, and we'll have proven that we still suck. I'm not really concerned about Zack Collins' psyche in this hypothetical. Portland has been doing this same routine for years, not just because of Wemby. Better picks are better picks, regardless of whether Wemby is the top prize. Late season draft positioning has existed in years other than 1997, 2003 and 2023.

Why the gloom and doom if we don't get Wembanyama?

[Mr. Body]

I get a gut feeling spurs aren’t that into Scoot. Less about Scoot himself and more about where they think the league is going, which is in favor of rangy or athletic wings that can also facilitate the offense. Like I don’t think they’re just messing around with Sochan running point. Wouldn’t be surprised if they take a Thompson brother at #2 for example (or whoever the best wing is).

I just have a problem seeing the Spurs with a ball-dominant, very high usage guard. A lot standing around and watching one player do things. Personally I'm getting more into what the Knicks are putting together. Not them exactly, but having multiple threats at the guard position - Grimes, Quickly, Hart, Brunson. It's a mess to cover and they might be onto something. I haven't checked the numbers, but none of them seem to be high usage.

[scott]

Why the gloom and doom if we don't get Wembanyama?

It's not all doom and gloom at all, it's a hypothetical.

Again, I stated that we don't go into next year tanking (regardless of who our pick is), but *if* we find ourselves at the bottom of the standings and out of the play-in chase at the ASG Break, then it's time to Portland it up and start thinking about draft position. This is a pretty straightforward and pragmatic approach. Whether or not there is a perceived generational player at #1 doesn't really change the pragmatism in this.

[BacktoBasics]

I just have a problem seeing the Spurs with a ball-dominant, very high usage guard. A lot standing around and watching one player do things. Personally I'm getting more into what the Knicks are putting together. Not them exactly, but having multiple threats at the guard position - Grimes, Quickly, Hart, Brunson. It's a mess to cover and they might be onto something. I haven't checked the numbers, but none of them seem to be high usage.

This speaks to drafting Miller. In the tourney when things weren’t going well. Miller came out and got teammates involved. He’s not self centric. He actually looked good when he took to setting guys up and playing off movement.

[Mr. Body]

This speaks to drafting Miller. In the tourney when things weren’t going well. Miller came out and got teammates involved. He’s not self centric. He actually looked good when he took to setting guys up and playing off movement.

I have no idea how what I was advocating lead to thinking of Miller. He cannot do most of what those guards can do. He has to learn how to dribble, first of all. And create shots for himself. Also, he had one of the worst tournaments any high profile player has had in a long, long time. Not just his last game. All three of them were absurdly bad.

[barakz21]

So a lot of the discussion on the draft related threads talk about character/personality/attitude. How about Wemby? Character wise, would he be a good fit on the Spurs? I only ever saw one interview of him and he strikes me as someone who’s got a good head on his shoulder at a young age. Reminds me of a once young PG the Spurs drafted way back when. And speaking of character or maturity (for the lack of a better word), who do you think are the prospects who have that
in spades but also has the skills and abilities we’d want in our highest pick since Timmy?

[JPB]

The year is already lost at that point, and we'll have proven that we still suck. I'm not really concerned about Zack Collins' psyche in this hypothetical. Portland has been doing this same routine for years, not just because of Wemby. Better picks are better picks, regardless of whether Wemby is the top prize. Late season draft positioning has existed in years other than 1997, 2003 and 2023.

Indeed Portland has done this for year, but for what results? Not sure they're in better place now and how many years away from potentially contending. they've been irrelevant ever since LMA left and they blew it up by trading Batum too. I don't want spurs to be the next Portland and navigate in perpetual rebuilding.

[Ariel]

Indeed Portland has done this for year, but for what results? Not sure they're in better place now and how many years away from potentially contending. they've been irrelevant ever since LMA left and they blew it up by trading Batum too. I don't want spurs to be the next Portland and navigate in perpetual rebuilding.
Since 2010 Portland has had 4 top 10 picks: Lillard (no. 6 in 2012), CJ McCollum (no. 10 in 2013), Zach Collins (no. 10 in 2017) and Shaedon Sharpe (no. 7 in 2022). Not that many, not that high, and scary to think what the last 10 years would have been without those picks.

[Mr. Body]

Since 2010 Portland has had 4 top 10 picks: Lillard (no. 6 in 2012), CJ McCollum (no. 10 in 2013), Zach Collins (no. 10 in 2017) and Shaedon Sharpe (no. 7 in 2022). Not that many, not that high, and scary to think what the last 10 years would have been without those picks.

Those first two were incredible picks. Particularly impressed with Lillard. Collins was a good pick, not at the same level, but it didn't work out for them. He's flashing his potential with the Spurs. They blew the Sharpe pick. He may be good as a scorer, but his knowledge of the game forces him to strictly play in the corners and get lobs on breaks and broken plays. He's also a very poor defender. I suppose there's a long timeline where he catches up with the rest of his draft class.

[rascal]

Sharpe had a defensive rating of 121
Sochan had a defensive rating of 120

So they were close.

Neither were good this year

[Mr. Body]

Sharpe had a defensive rating of 121
Sochan had a defensive rating of 120

So they were close.

Neither were good this year

Spurs as a team didn't play defense. That was their tank. Sharpe just doesn't know how.

[JPB]

It's not all doom and gloom at all, it's a hypothetical.

Again, I stated that we don't go into next year tanking (regardless of who our pick is), but *if* we find ourselves at the bottom of the standings and out of the play-in chase at the ASG Break, then it's time to Portland it up and start thinking about draft position. This is a pretty straightforward and pragmatic approach. Whether or not there is a perceived generational player at #1 doesn't really change the pragmatism in this.

Pragmatism is one thing but at some point it you do'nt build a winning culture and give everyone something to eat and be exciting about, you build a losing culture that might be hard to change. It affects the internal and external perception of your franchise and their players. No matter what, that's a loser move, you're giving up (like Dallas did). Most players are competitors and that's their career, and I'm not sure some spurs players who already had to accept everyone wanted them to lose to this year will accept to fold again and miss a chance at playing at the highest level of their sport in the PO, or at least try, just so their team get another pick and push further away an hypothetical time of revelancy that they might not even see because they'll be traded with said pick...

Can't remember what spur twitted at the start of the season that they would surprise some people this year (after all the Wemby buzz and fans wanting the tank) but that's where these guys are... You can't use them and ask to "waste" 3 or 4 years of their career so a franchise they might not belonf to anymore start to contend. that's why unless you really hit the jackpot several times in the draft, building a contender that way is really hard, specially in SA (where it's hard to get and/or keep) stars.

[scott]

Pragmatism is one thing but at some point it you do'nt build a winning culture and give everyone something to eat and be exciting about, you build a losing culture that might be hard to change. It affects the internal and external perception of your franchise and their players. No matter what, that's a loser move, you're giving up (like Dallas did). Most players are competitors and that's their career, and I'm not sure some spurs players who already had to accept everyone wanted them to lose to this year will accept to fold again and miss a chance at playing at the highest level of their sport in the PO, or at least try, just so their team get another pick and push further away an hypothetical time of revelancy that they might not even see because they'll be traded with said pick...

Can't remember what spur twitted at the start of the season that they would surprise some people this year (after all the Wemby buzz and fans wanting the tank) but that's where these guys are... You can't use them and ask to "waste" 3 or 4 years of their career so a franchise they might not belonf to anymore start to contend. that's why unless you really hit the jackpot several times in the draft, building a contender that way is really hard, specially in SA (where it's hard to get and/or keep) stars.

I don't disagree with the concepts here, but this is likely to be a prolonged rebuild, not a one-year deal and then we turn it around (though certainly we can all root for Wemby to come in and lead us to the same kind of turnaround we saw in 89 and 97). So if the team still stinks next year, it is in the franchise's best interest to play for draft position if all hope is already vanquished. It is the same argument people had in DJM's last season: are those extra meaningless wins at the end of the season worth a worse pick? At least in the case of DJM's final season, we were a play-in team (and you can argue that yes, that is worth it).

All I'm saying is that if we find ourselves out of the play-in after the ASG Break, then it is time to start thinking about draft positioning. Pretty straight forward. But if you want to chase meaningless wins because it might help Blake Wesley's confidence or some shit, then go right ahead.

[Ariel]

Those first two were incredible picks. Particularly impressed with Lillard. Collins was a good pick, not at the same level, but it didn't work out for them. He's flashing his potential with the Spurs. They blew the Sharpe pick. He may be good as a scorer, but his knowledge of the game forces him to strictly play in the corners and get lobs on breaks and broken plays. He's also a very poor defender. I suppose there's a long timeline where he catches up with the rest of his draft class.
I don't buy into Sharpe being a franchise player, he's too one dimensional for that, but with that said, his scoring potential is very high and he's going to be an important piece for them moving forward. He's not a bust, in terms of where he was drafted. Still would take Sochan for the Spurs, though, like I said many times, one dimensional, scoring guards are much easier to come by than long and versatile 2 way wings that can do a bit of everything and exhibit great basketball IQ.

[Mr. Body]

I don't buy into Sharpe being a franchise player, he's too one dimensional for that, but with that said, his scoring potential is very high and he's going to be an important piece for them moving forward. He's not a bust, in terms of where he was drafted. Still would take Sochan for the Spurs, though, like I said many times, one dimensional, scoring guards are much easier to come by than long and versatile 2 way wings that can do a bit of everything and exhibit great basketball IQ.

Running to the rim and dunking it or shooting a deep three is something he's very good at. I don't think he's a disaster by any means. But scoring in more than those basic forms requires a lot of understanding. This counts as even basic pic-n-roll facilitation. He just has a long way to go. He wasted an entire year tooling around the Kentucky gym looking really cool and generating John Calipari quotes. The problem with players who aren't prepared is that getting court time and the reps needed is hard to achieve in the NBA. A team basically has to give up on winning many of thoes possessions.

Right now he's like a 3-and-D guy with high upside and little defense.

[BatManu20]

Future Spur Amen Thompson has officially declared for the draft.

1649524770495512576

[slick'81]

Future Spur Amen Thompson has officially declared for the draft.

1649524770495512576

Can i get a amen!?

[Mr. Body]

"Thank you for your thoughts, Amen. Now, turning to your brother. Ausar, what the fuck is an Ausar?"

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Can i get a amen!?

Amen has that look of a future NBA star.

[JPB]

Amen has that look of a future NBA star.

Yeah, Amen is gonna a be a god.

[slick'81]

Yeah, Amen is gonna a be a god.


shiiit, ill settle for jesus on the spurs at this point

[scott]

"Thank you for your thoughts, Amen. Now, turning to your brother. Ausar, what the fuck is an Ausar?"

I think it's another name for Osiris, the mothafuckin Egyptian God of the Underword and Judge of the Dead. Pretty badass name, tbqh

[Mr. Body]

I think it's another name for Osiris, the mothafuckin Egyptian God of the Underword and Judge of the Dead. Pretty badass name, tbqh

I wonder if they're one of those God Shamgod families who think the sun shines out of their ass because they're holy and shit. And their kids wind up being unbearable.

[Mr. Body]

It occurs to me that Amen Thompson and Anthony Black have really similar profiles. A little crazy on the outside, but true.

- Similar size at 6'7"
- Not great shooters
- Good passers
- Good defensive potential

Now, there are differences. Black isn't in the same city, much less ballpark, in terms of athleticism. Black is a much better shooter and isn't even that great. Black is probably a better ballhandler and defender at this point. (He's also younger.)

Thinking about them together gets into what one's draft philosophy is. I feel like the road to becoming a long-lasting, winning basketball player is much clearer for Anthony Black. Which I'll go ahead and call his floor. He'll probably - to me - contribute sooner. Amen will likely have longer to go, a sad fact we're learning about these OTE and G-Ignite prospects. But his ceiling is extremely high.

Personally, ceiling doesn't matter as much to me when it's this nebulous quality. Do I think Amen or Ausar's basketball abilities are likely to catch up and match their athletic gifts? No, I don't. But where do I place them? Certainly they have some basketball skills.

It just frightens me watching scouting videos that say things like "Defensive potential: god-tier tools to be a league-wide stopper" or whatever. And then later: "Weaknesses: defensive awareness."

It's, like, not every athletic marvel is an outstanding defender. Just having incredible materials doesn't make a great house. Why isn't he a fantastic defender already? Why is he only potential right now? It seems like we hear it a lot -- tools to be a defensive marvel -- but it's a lack of something that they are not showing it yet. Lack of effort? Sometimes, maybe not for Amen. Or just not having quite the instincts for the game, the quick twitch of hands and eye, the knack for positioning where you are already where you need to be.

That's not to slag Amen. I just see a long road and so many universes where he doesn't hit on so many of those question marks. Anyway, interesting to realize their game profiles are a bit close.

[tonight...you]

Future Spur Amen Thompson has officially declared for the draft.

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Watching highlights like this where they have to replay the same play 3-4 times is like those 90's martial arts flicks that shows the same spinning kick 4 times back-to-back before the guy goes down like some JCVD in his prime stuff.

[BackHome]

I would buy on Amen if he had a decent free throw percentage but he doesn’t I don’t understand how you you want to make it in the NBA as a PG and you have problems hitting Free Throws - As my coach used to say “They Named FREE for a reason” meaning they easy and you better hit them. Like I said he is 20 years old and his shooting is terrible its not like he hasn’t been able to have access to good coaches in the last few years so something is wrong.

[wildbill2u]

I don't think you take anyone as a top 10 lottery pick who has yet to show ANY superior skill set, just "potential" because of great physical ability. As Charles Barkley says, "Deer can run fast and jump high, but you don't find any of them playing in the NBA." Let's not waste a high lottery pick based on "potential development" because of sheer physical attributes.

We've had a few players with great physical abilities come into the Spurs organization, but ultimately fail to stick because their potential was based on sheer physicality that never developed into full on NBA skill sets. On the other hand, we've seen some players without great physical abilities go on to longer than average careers because they had actual BB skills that were more useful to some team than their physical ability.

[Ariel]

I would buy on Amen if he had a decent free throw percentage but he doesn’t I don’t understand how you you want to make it in the NBA as a PG and you have problems hitting Free Throws - As my coach used to say “They Named FREE for a reason” meaning they easy and you better hit them. Like I said he is 20 years old and his shooting is terrible its not like he hasn’t been able to have access to good coaches in the last few years so something is wrong.
Yup. Awful shooting all around from all levels, plus mediocre finishing except in transition (which are over represented in OTE), plus playing mediocre teenagers 2 years younger = a prayer he's going to make it big in the NBA. Seriously, I keep hearing how these guys are going to be future superstars, what does a credible path to that looks like, when:
1) defenders will sag off of you and dare you to shoot (just watch how they play Westbrook), which will make it difficult for you to get to the basket and create for others.
2) even if you get to the basket, you have problems finishing now, imagine when you find multiple players bigger and stronger than you're used to.
3) even if you're fouled and get to the line, you'll have trouble making the other team pay for it.
I think their path to success is riddled with obstacles that won't be easy to overcome... I don't get where all the confidence comes from.

[BackHome]

If we fall out of the top two I think the only guys I would consider would be:

Miller - Not going to happen PC
Cam - One of the youngest of players has good floor with very high potential and like I said is only 18 years old
Walker - High floor has good potential a lot of talk about what he can do in practice vs what Houston wanted him to do in games
Hendricks - Miller without the baggage?
Dick - If his shuttle and measurements are good I would not mind him if we at back end of our draft he Excels in the 3 point game

[Thomas82]

I understand not wanting to set yourself up for disappointment, but most of the Spurs fans on social media don't think we have a chance in hell at winning the lottery.

[slick'81]

I understand not wanting to set yourself up for disappointment, but most of the Spurs fans on social media don't think we have a chance in hell at winning the lottery.


i dont think anyone does here either

[Degoat]

If the spurs don’t get a top 3 pick… I want Taylor Hendricks

[Ariel]

If we fall out of the top two I think the only guys I would consider would be:

Miller - Not going to happen PC
Cam - One of the youngest of players has good floor with very high potential and like I said is only 18 years old
Walker - High floor has good potential a lot of talk about what he can do in practice vs what Houston wanted him to do in games
Hendricks - Miller without the baggage?
Dick - If his shuttle and measurements are good I would not mind him if we at back end of our draft he Excels in the 3 point game
Seems like you're salivating for a Dick with size. I'd rather explore other options, but to each their own I guess. :lol

[Thomas82]

i dont think anyone does here either

Right, but these people are overly pessimistic.