That problem doesn’t get any easier with the upcoming avalanche of picks over the next two years. Something has to give. Players have to be discarded, picks have to be consolidated, something.
a lot will give. the spurs basically have keldon and last year's first rounders under contract beyond 24-25
other than vassell and maybe zollins, nobody else on the roster right now can realistically be seen at this point as a piece going forward. mcdermott? graham? tre? mamu? langford? KBD?
we will have room to accommodate those FRPs. bigger concern is being able to make good use of all the second rounders. using them to trade up and consolidate picks is easier said than done imo
A name to keep an eye on that I haven’t really seen mentioned in this thread is Amari Bailey. He’s a crafty, lefty combo-guard out of UCLA who just turned 19 a couple months ago so he has some upside to him. 6’4 192 lbs. with a 6’7 wingspan. His strengths are his slashing ability and his on-ball defense. Shot 39% from 3 last year so he shows promise there. Wasn’t asked to score a lot playing on that talented UCLA team so only averaged 11 PPG, but I think he’ll improve in that department with more touches and seasoning. Needs to clean up his TO’s too, but he’s a kid who I think the Spurs could be interested in as a developmental Guard prospect.
I can only hope we draft Kobe Bufkin and Kobe Brown.
The more I watch him, the more I like him tbh. One of my sleeper picks at 33. He’s a better playmaker than the stats show cause UCLA had a 5th year Senior starting at PG in Tyger Campbell so Bailey had to play off-ball more than he would’ve liked. But he shows some true PG skills in some of these highlights. I bet he’s on the Spurs radar tbh.
Sell the second rounders. All of them. We have NINETEEN that fall between this draft and 2029. The THIRTEEN FRPs that fall in that same period are going to be tough enough to develop, evaluate, and if need be, jettison.
definitely worth to take a swing at him with a 2nd rounder
Very Derrick White'ish
I like Bailey a lot. Think he'll go back to school if he doesn't get a promise in the first round, though.
I think the pull-out deadline is midnight today.
I like Bufkin as the target for the second 1st rounder tbh. I think he's shooting up draft boards though, not sure if he can be had in the teens anymore.
Long been a fan, but the secret is out. He, Lively, and Gradey may be pushing top 10. Maybe not for Lively and Bufkin, but they are likely lottery picks.
Yeah, it's weird that a league so bent on 3-point shooting would have this guy projected as a potential lottery pick. Can't shoot anything from outside of about 6 feet. Yeah, as a stash pick in the second round he'd be worth it, but I can't see a team burning their first round pick on him.
Interesting to compare Podziemski's combine testing numbers to Anthony Black's-- they're nearly identical but Black is considered "athletic," while athleticism is being used over and over as Podz's one glaring weakness. I like both guys, but I wonder if the differences between them aren't being exaggerated by biased eye tests.
Lane Agility
Podz: 11.16
Black: 11.04
Shuttle Run
Podz: 3.20
Black: NA
Three Quarter Sprint
Podz: 3.21
Black: 3.35
Standing Vertical
Podz: 31.5
Black: 32.0
Max Vertical
Podz: 39
Black: 39.0
It's the same with Kobe Bufkin. He's scouted as an "athlete," but Podz beat his times in every measureable test at the combine.
Last edited by R. DeMurre; 05-31-2023 at 05:08 PM.
Black isn't as athletic as you think.
I'm not saying he is-- just pointing out that the "athletically challenged" tag is regularly given to Podz, but rarely to Black or Bufkin. Saying Podz has great basketball skills, but lacks athleticism seems like a meme now.
https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/comb...rength-agility
It's how they look on the court.
Olympic athletes could have impressive jumping and sprint numbers but look very unathletic on the court.
Last edited by rascal; 05-31-2023 at 05:35 PM.
Right-- that's exactly what I'm saying.
Combine scores are pointless. Do you know how far Stephen Curry's three quarters sprint was? 3.28.
Does that make Podz a better athlete than him?
Do we think the Celtics lost to the Heart because of land agility times?
Does anybody look at Steph and scream...athlete? I think we look at him and say...there's a basketball player that's highly skilled...
I also don't think they're pointless, but they aren't the 'be all end all' either.... there's just one piece of information that goes in the mix...
Curry is a good athlete. He's quick.
But the point is none of these numbers matter. No one brings them up after drafts. If there's an outlet, that's one thing, otherwise they become excuses for GMs to convince themselves when choices aren't clear.
In the end, the game is called basketball. What matters most is if you know how to play it and how you can improve.
A lot if athletes sitting on their asses during the playoffs because they can't contribute.
Right, but that's precisely my point. Podz is seen as "knowing how to play" and producing on the court with his BB IQ.
From the latest ESPN mock:
33. San Antonio Spurs
Gregory Jackson II | South Carolina | PF | Age: 18.4
44. San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto)
Jalen Wilson | Kansas | SF/PF | Age: 22.5
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/sto...ts-draft-class
FWIW, I’m completely on board with drafting a PF at #33, as backup 4 is sneakily one of the team’s biggest needs right now.
I think they're both very smart players. Podz has been a bit worse as a defender, but not bad. I agree that players get pigeonholed due to outward characteristics.
Ultimately the relatively small gradations in lane scores don't matter if a player makes reactions or sees what's happening before the faster guy. It doesn't matter how fast you are if you can't use it to any advantage. It doesn't matter if you're a bit slower if you're already where the ball is. I call it the Jared Dudley rule. You might lose a couple of possessions because some dude is absurdly quick, but then you've won twenty others because you're absurdly smart.
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