-I've been watching dem Baylor boys. For Spurs purposes, I like Butler better than Mitc . Stroke looks really good. Low release but it's so fast that I don't think it'll matter. Strong instincts on both ends with a superior basketball IQ. He's an inch taller and a year younger than Mitc . Butler could easily slide into a bench role as the new age version of Mills/Forbes. If his shooting is as good as advertised, the rest of the game should make him a strong bench player for years. The issue with Butler is his ceiling isn't that enticing. I'd feel better drafting him at around 20 than in the lottery. But, then again, if you just want a dude who knows how to play basketball without any major flaws and you think Duarte is too old, Butler is one of the better prospects remaining in that scenario. Don't see him being a starter but he should be a useful bench piece. He also gets bonus points because he checks that high-character box the Spurs look for.
-Mitc ... it'd be difficult for me to co-sign spending a lottery pick on him. Strip away the national championship media hype and he's basically a worse version of Derrick White at Colorado. Impressive defender but I think his shooting could have been a fluke (low free throw percentage, low shooting percentages before this season). Being a bad rebounder and bad at getting to the line are two more red flags. He was old and physically mature, so he had built in advantages that wouldn't translate to the NBA. A team that needs a defensive point guard could use him but can the Spurs pick him when he might not even be better than Tre Jones? Jones put up similar states when he was two years younger. Obviously, Mitc has more of an NBA body but Jones has a legitimate chance of being better than him down the line. Even if you take Jones out of the equation, Mitc looks like a backup guard with attributes that aren't the most useful in the modern NBA and don't fit what the Spurs have in place.
I agree with almost all of that on Butler. I've got him higher than Mitc as well. I see a little George Hill in his game (not that level though). I'd rather go with a higher upside pick but if we fall back a bit he's not a bad option.
FA to be McDermott for the Pacers had 31 pts tonight including 6 3pters. He'll only be 30 next season and makes less than $8m on his final year. He seems like a good Spurs system player and at 6'7 could alievate some of the missing scoring once DeRozan leaves.
After this loss against Celtics and with White out and Murray probably out next game against Philly I am thinking we fall 9 to 11 so I will have to adjust my old picks me thinks
FA to be McDermott for the Pacers had 31 pts tonight including 6 3pters. He'll only be 30 next season and makes less than $8m on his final year. He seems like a good Spurs system player and at 6'7 could alievate some of the missing scoring once DeRozan leaves.
McDermottis a win now move due to age and area of need. I like him. He would suit playing with DDR and no where near a replacement.
IF the Spurs draft Giddey, it creates an awkward situation with Dejounte Murray. DM is still growing, but I see a ceiling for him as the person in control of the ball, and he isn’t the star we need. Like DDR, DM needs the ball in his hands. Honestly, I see similar ceilings. We’ve seen the challenges with DM dominating the ball, but it hasn’t been discussed much. It’s felt quietly in White’s absence. So, if we would draft Giddey, should they trade DM at the same time? They wouldn’t of course. But this draft needs to be done with some semblance of a vision for the team. I have doubts the FO is ready to make big decisions. Maybe it’s too early of course, but this season has been a headache of roster/playing time decisions. Not looking forward to more years of this lack of direction. Maybe it truly is focusing on defense. I like that. But I have doubts about DM’s ability to adapt to team’s needs in the same way I do with DDR, basically.
Just throwing out ideas.
I like what I've seen from Giddey, but I have to agree-- it might make an awkward fit. I think all three of White, Murray, and Giddey are better with the ball in their hands, and none of them are great three point shooters. I like that White never hesitates on open threes any more (unlike too many other Spurs), but none of these three are top rank shooters from three, so putting them in a position where they're off ball and camping at the three point line could be counter-productive. But I guess if he's seen as a replacement for Lonnie or Mills it could work.
I like what I've seen from Giddey, but I have to agree-- it might make an awkward fit. I think all three of White, Murray, and Giddey are better with the ball in their hands, and none of them are great three point shooters. I like that White never hesitates on open threes any more (unlike too many other Spurs), but none of these three are top rank shooters from three, so putting them in a position where they're off ball and camping at the three point line could be counter-productive. But I guess if he's seen as a replacement for Lonnie or Mills it could work.
I'm not against Giddey or DM, really. I suppose I'm acknowledging that not everyone can have the ball all the time and having a great distributor seems like a good idea in general. Maybe Giddey would keep the ball moving and everyone is happy and DM transforms more into a 2 guard, that would be my hope, but egos are involved, so I'm dubious. DM works hard and it's impossible not to have egos in order to succeed unless you are Ginobili or Duncan, basically.
Anyway, I suppose my overall question is to see where the FO is taking the team.
I can see Jared Butler for that sixth man Patty role or a designated shooter Bryn role in that starting lineup. After Moody and Wagner , Butler maybe the next high floor player with some upside. Hard to find that combination of versatile shooting with maybe plus defense. Duarte is another good pick on that mold. Too much question marks on prospects 6 onwards that getting that high floor prospect with creation upside might be the better play.
For Spurs purposes, I like Butler better than Mitc . Stroke looks really good. Low release but it's so fast that I don't think it'll matter. Strong instincts on both ends with a superior basketball IQ. He's an inch taller and a year younger than Mitc . Butler could easily slide into a bench role as the new age version of Mills/Forbes. If his shooting is as good as advertised, the rest of the game should make him a strong bench player for years. The issue with Butler is his ceiling isn't that enticing. I'd feel better drafting him at around 20 than in the lottery. But, then again, if you just want a dude who knows how to play basketball without any major flaws and you think Duarte is too old, Butler is one of the better prospects remaining in that scenario. Don't see him being a starter but he should be a useful bench piece. He also gets bonus points because he checks that high-character box the Spurs look for.
Same. Though the consensus is that the Spurs are teeming with young guards, as I've said ad nauseam, it's not really true. Outside of the entrenched Murray and White (who will be 27 when he next plays and is injury prone), Walker IV is probably unlikely to be extended, Johnson and Vassell are wings and at least for now, Jones is a depth piece.
No matter how much they value Mills' intangibles, his recent play could be the start of his decline and either way, that's coming sooner than later. It doesn't make sense to pay probably 3/$36Mish to dissuade him from signing for the MLE with an aspiring contender.
Same. Though the consensus is that the Spurs are teeming with young guards, as I've said ad nauseam, it's not really true. Outside of the entrenched Murray and White (who will be 27 when he next plays and is injury prone), Walker IV is probably unlikely to be extended, Johnson and Vassell are wings and at least for now, Jones is a depth piece.
No matter how much they value Mills' intangibles, his recent play could be the start of his decline and either way, that's coming sooner than later. It doesn't make sense to pay probably 3/$36Mish to dissuade him from signing for the MLE with an aspiring contender.
I would not mind a Baylor guard who was the Big 12 Player of the year in Butler. I don't think the Spurs are set at guard just yet. They have players that still have not established themselves (Mostly Walker) and Mills and DDR may not come back.
I think a combination of trades, draft picks and FA signings will result in several new rotation players next year. Front court help would be nice but no position (outside of the 5) should be off the table. I would not take a 5 because I don't know of anyone who would be able to impact the game adequately. GSW is still trying to figure out Wiseman, who was very high in the lottery last year.
Another fallen angel to take a look at is Greg Brown. His stock dropped in part because of his immaturity and in part because of the dysfunctional situation at UT.
Still, he has high-end physical tools, size (6'9"), hops, quickness, in short, an elite athlete.
One knock on him as a big time recruit out of HS was his shooting, i.e., he couldn't even hit .50% of free throws. He hit .708% at Texas, a nice improvement.
He also hit a somewhat promising .330% form three despite not being used in anything approaching a set rotation. (He ended up in the great Shaka Smart's ample doghouse.)
He could a bust --the character issues need to be tracked down carefully -- but he has upside and Brown is unlike most of the upside players the Spurs already have and most of the upside players already critiqued in this draft, i.e., he 's bigger.
He has also fallen so far in most mocks that he should be available wherever the Spurs draft.
Another fallen angel to take a look at is Greg Brown. His stock dropped in part because of his immaturity and in part because of the dysfunctional situation at UT.
Still, he has high-end physical tools, size (6'9"), hops, quickness, in short, an elite athlete.
One knock on him as a big time recruit out of HS was his shooting, i.e., he couldn't even hit .50% of free throws. He hit .708% at Texas, a nice improvement.
He also hit a somewhat promising .330% form three despite not being used in anything approaching a set rotation. (He ended up in the great Shaka Smart's ample doghouse.)
He could a bust --the character issues need to be tracked down carefully -- but he has upside and Brown is unlike most of the upside players the Spurs already have and most of the upside players already critiqued in this draft, i.e., he 's bigger.
He has also fallen so far in most mocks that he should be available wherever the Spurs draft.
Dude is a mental midget and not a winner tbh. He's destined for overseas.
Another fallen angel to take a look at is Greg Brown. His stock dropped in part because of his immaturity and in part because of the dysfunctional situation at UT.
Still, he has high-end physical tools, size (6'9"), hops, quickness, in short, an elite athlete.
One knock on him as a big time recruit out of HS was his shooting, i.e., he couldn't even hit .50% of free throws. He hit .708% at Texas, a nice improvement.
He also hit a somewhat promising .330% form three despite not being used in anything approaching a set rotation. (He ended up in the great Shaka Smart's ample doghouse.)
He could a bust --the character issues need to be tracked down carefully -- but he has upside and Brown is unlike most of the upside players the Spurs already have and most of the upside players already critiqued in this draft, i.e., he 's bigger.
He has also fallen so far in most mocks that he should be available wherever the Spurs draft.
Not even the UT prospect I like. Sometimes, a distressed asset is just distressed, and not a bargain.
Greg Brown is a great athlete and supposedly a really good kid ... but, man, he's just clueless. He's one of the worst passers I've ever seen. Brown would need to play PF in the NBA due to his size so he'll have to know how to pass at least a little bit. But he just doesn't know how. His 6-to-1 turnover-to-assist ratio begins to paint the picture of how little feel he has on offense.
I'm a fan of drafting high-ceiling athletes but Brown is too far away from being anything useful. And even if he matures, his size limits his upside. My guess is he'll measure 6-foot-8.5 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan. Meh size and literally no transferable skills? I wouldn't like Brown in the lottery. His athleticism can only take him so far -- especially these days when Stromile Swift-esque power forwards are worth next to nothing on the open market. You need your PF to be skilled basketball players these days ... and that will only become more and more vital in forthcoming years, IMO. Going with an athlete project at PF is no longer a smart play in the draft.
We lack an Athletic big wing.Some one that is atleast 6'8 and has the ability to be a solid maybe even a lockdown defenders against guys likes Tatum, Lebron, George. We lack size at this position and this should be our main goal.
Greg Brown is a great athlete and supposedly a really good kid ... but, man, he's just clueless. He's one of the worst passers I've ever seen. Brown would need to play PF in the NBA due to his size so he'll have to know how to pass at least a little bit. But he just doesn't know how. His 6-to-1 turnover-to-assist ratio begins to paint the picture of how little feel he has on offense.
I'm a fan of drafting high-ceiling athletes but Brown is too far away from being anything useful. And even if he matures, his size limits his upside. My guess is he'll measure 6-foot-8.5 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan. Meh size and literally no transferable skills? I wouldn't like Brown in the lottery. His athleticism can only take him so far -- especially these days when Stromile Swift-esque power forwards are worth next to nothing on the open market. You need your PF to be skilled basketball players these days ... and that will only become more and more vital in forthcoming years, IMO. Going with an athlete project at PF is no longer a smart play in the draft.
Being lured into the Greg Brown fan-club was the farthest thing from my original intent, but what the hey . . .
The kid can clearly play D and he's 6'8" or maybe even 6'9".
If (a big "if" I admit) he can become a three-point shooter he might be a 6'9" 3 & D guy, valuable in and of itself -- especially the way this D-challenged Spurs roster is currently constructed.
And if he can be a 3 & D guy it begs the question -- how good a "passer" was Bruce Bowen, anyway?
13 would be a good spot to nab a decent player. After 15 or 16, I'm afraid what's left are short combo guards (with not enough talent to differentiate from our current guards) and low IQ bigs.
Guys with skills like Vrenz will likely be available, like most drafts. Garuba is ranked as the #1 PF on a few sites, and even linked to the Spurs, but then you read his profile and it paints a vague picture of why he’s actually good. High ceiling et cetera. You see Vrenz and it feels like high floor and high ceiling. Interesting.
You start to really like this kid ? he was the first foreign prospect i saw with sengun. I like the fact that he's young, playing well in a good league, looks complete : can do a lot of things.
Intriguing prospect, i was less on him because he's low on some mocks but i still like him.
Guys with skills like Vrenz will likely be available, like most drafts. Garuba is ranked as the #1 PF on a few sites, and even linked to the Spurs, but then you read his profile and it paints a vague picture of why he’s actually good. High ceiling et cetera. You see Vrenz and it feels like high floor and high ceiling. Interesting.
Anyone who’s interested in Garuba should really read the story of Mike Mamula and the Philadelphia Eagles. He blew away every workout at the combine, and they used a very high pick on him. It turned out that he was just a workout wonder, and didn’t play football all that well.
You start to really like this kid ? he was the first foreign prospect i saw with sengun. I like the fact that he's young, playing well in a good league, looks complete : can do a lot of things.
Intriguing prospect, i was less on him because he's low on some mocks but i still like him.
He's alright. He's a Keldon clone to me. I view it as a realistic fit for the Spurs:
1) He won't jump ahead of Luka in the rotation - so the whole hierarchy thing can continue
2) Seems to fit the modern PF prototype
3) Big bro, little bro dynamic with him and Luka = Improved chemistry
He's alright. He's a Keldon clone to me. I view it as a realistic fit for the Spurs:
1) He won't jump ahead of Luka in the rotation - so the whole hierarchy thing can continue
2) Seems to fit the modern PF prototype
3) Big bro, little bro dynamic with him and Luka = Improved chemistry