2024 NBA Draft Thread

[exstatic]

Topic's efficiency at the rim is very high.

Yeah, that and high creativity can make up for athletic and defensive shortcomings. Just look at the pilsbury doughboy in Dallas.

[Mr. Body]

Tre Jones is a very good FT shooter but poor from range. I'd seen the stat somewhere, but maybe it's mistaken. Maybe it's a good FT shooter who has a larger number of attempts. He only shoots two a game.

SGA isn't an above the rim player, either. He gets to the rim due to speed and hits angles. (He also gets gifted 10 fts a game, which is ing absurd.) That's what Topic does. He's very fast and he knows his angles and how to use his body to create space.

Not my point, really, so much as saying the SFs are all questionable in various ways. I'm not sold on Risacher or Williams at all on defense. We seem to think they'll be defensive stoppers because they fit an archetype. And while they both shoot extremely well (so far) their FT% is pretty concerning, suggests unsustainable range.

[BackHome]

The thing I like about Topic is that he has very good handles he can get in and out of traps all the while not passing just keeping his dribble. The other thing I like is that he finishes around the rim and the big plus he seeks out contact he uses his body very well to shield his shots. You add that he is a great FT shooter and is one of the youngest players in this draft gives you hope he can and will improve

The things that people have questions are his defenses, his mid range game is pretty absent could definitely learn from Parker the tear drop move. And the 3 ball is definitely what is going to make him either a good pick or a great pick a couple of years from now.

[ace3g]

[toki9]

Nepo baby?

[Ariel]

Tre Jones is a very good FT shooter but poor from range. I'd seen the stat somewhere, but maybe it's mistaken. Maybe it's a good FT shooter who has a larger number of attempts. He only shoots two a game.

There are lots of counter examples that refute that, Malaki Branham is another and I'm not even going beyond the current Spurs' roster. I'd use it more as a broad indicator, a necessary condition, but you can't just assume that because he's a great FT shooter he's going to be a great 3pt shooter.

SGA isn't an above the rim player, either. He gets to the rim due to speed and hits angles. (He also gets gifted 10 fts a game, which is ing absurd.) That's what Topic does. He's very fast and he knows his angles and how to use his body to create space.

Again, another flawed comparison. First, both Luka and SGA are incredibly skilled and resourceful, any reference to those guys while trying to make a case for Topic is not really credible. I'm not saying he won't be good, I'm saying there's a lot of room for doubts with him as well, and I'm also far from sold on Risacher (mainly defensively) or Williams (mainly regarding his true upside). I'm not really enamored with any prospect I've seen, but with that said, I'm far less confident in Topic being a homeless man's Luka/SGA, than I am in Dillingham being a poor man's Garland. Sure, he'll get burned on D a lot in the NBA, but that kid is really talented and can flat out play. If we're picking among flawed prospects, his strengths give me more confidence than a lot of the higher profile prospects.

[BackHome]

A great game for Dilly playing 27 minutes and scoring 35 points against a very good defensive team - though they took the loss

[BatManu20]

[Mr. Body]

Watched the Kentucky game.

Continue to be completely unsure about Reed Sheppard. He makes a lot of right plays, hits outlet passes perfectly, gets his hands in to disrupt plays on defense, shoots well, yet I have no idea if it can translate into the NBA. What's more, he seems like a second tier role-player on a team where he's supposed to be a top NBA candidate. I could see him developing, say, if he stayed another year or two, but right now I don't see a high lottery guy. I'm not even sure he's an NBA player rather than a super efficient college player who doesn't actually impact the game that much.

As for Rob Dillingham, he's like the only guy on Kentucky with any juevos. He doesn't lack for confidence, yet he's not always calling his own shot and seems a complete team player, instructing players on both sides of the ball, but then he'll blow defensive assignments himself. He also gets blown by easily despite native personal quickness. Some of the horrible defense has to be Calipari's fault - the team is all over the place. It's hard to tell how much of this can be fixed - Dillingham is a bad defender not just because of height and weight but because he's leaden footed and isn't well coached. How much can be fixed?

Calipari - no idea what this guy is doing. They're missing DJ Wagner, but that guy's a mess, too. The more I watch this draft class the more I just wish they could trade out completely. However, Dillingham's confidence and nature on the court continues to intrigue next to his ability to score. I don't know if this is a bench player only. More to the point, not a guy the Spurs would select.

[Mr. Body]

I mean, Kentucky would have been destroyed in this game, a home game, if Dillingham hadn't gone super saiyan with calling his own shot and keeping them in.

[RC_Drunkford]

this is why I'm high on Dillingham. It's one thing for a player to learn how to shoot catch and shoot 3s. It's a whole nother thing to make those shots off the dribble.

[LeBowen]

As someone who has no idea about any of the upcoming draft players, I'm sold on Dillingham after watching those highlights.

Maxey, Quickley, Herro, SGA, Fox, Jamal Murray, Booker.
Can't go wrong with a Kentucky guard it seems.

[exstatic]

As someone who has no idea about any of the upcoming draft players, I'm sold on Dillingham after watching those highlights.

Maxey, Quickley, Herro, SGA, Fox, Jamal Murray, Booker.
Can't go wrong with a Kentucky guard it seems.

If they get drafted in the first round, early middle or late, they tend to flourish.

[Mr. Body]

You hope his defensive issues are correctable. It's not for a lack of effort or attention. He's not an arrogant player. He gives what the team sorely lacks in a guy who can get his shot any time he wants and isn't sore and scared about it.

[LeBowen]

Chances are high that Spurs will easily get their preferred point guard in the draft.

Hornets, Blazers, Pistons, Grizzlies have long-term point guards.
Raptors might get lucky, but chances of them having a better pick than the Spurs are low.
Leaving only Wizards as a team that also needs a point guard.

And what are the odds that both front offices prefer the same point guard prospect in a draft like this without established order?

[Ignazzz]

Do dream scenario pulling #1 and WAS #4
trade down for #3 and assets

TEAM with #3 will pick and take Sarr with #1
Spurs Nicola NJ still in the range
WAS PG left open WING for spurs with ( i hope) TOR

[Knoxxx]

What about a Wemby/Edey pairing? Sochan can slide to the SF when all 3
are on the floor.

[mo7888]

What about a Wemby/Edey pairing? Sochan can slide to the SF when all 3
are on the floor.

I'm not opposed to Edey per se, but it's just not feasible where we will be drafting. He's just not someone you want in the top 10.

[Ignazzz]

We have got better options.

[Knoxxx]

With Edey I know the knock will be he doesn’t space the floor, but as we get flat out abused near the rim it and watching Collins brick so many 3s and provide so little rim protection and pushed around a lot you can see why I’d view Edey as a large upgrade in my own little twin towers fantasy.

Now of course the mock draft I checked had Edey all the way at pick #30. So the conventional wisdom is he’s not good enough for the pick. Also what matters is what we need the most, and being able to slide Sochan to the 3 spot seems to solve a lot of lineup issues for us. Given the amount of draft assets we have, it does not seem like much of a stretch to acquire a pick in the second part of the draft sufficient to secure Edey.

[mo7888]

With Edey I know the knock will be he doesn’t space the floor, but as we get flat out abused near the rim it and watching Collins brick so many 3s and provide so little rim protection and pushed around a lot you can see why I’d view Edey as a large upgrade in my own little twin towers fantasy.

Now of course the mock draft I checked had Edey all the way at pick #30. So the conventional wisdom is he’s not good enough for the pick. Also what matters is what we need the most, and being able to slide Sochan to the 3 spot seems to solve a lot of lineup issues for us. Given the amount of draft assets we have, it does not seem like much of a stretch to acquire a pick in the second part of the draft sufficient to secure Edey.

You might be able to get Edey with our 2nd rd pick

[CGD]

this is why I'm high on Dillingham. It's one thing for a player to learn how to shoot catch and shoot 3s. It's a whole nother thing to make those shots off the dribble.

Well he’ll have to be elite at that at the next level with what looks to be a negative wingspan (and being 6ft). But JJ Re was able to make it was a T-Rex arms largely because of shooting off movement.

[mo7888]

Matas Buzelis is about to be playing on NBATV if anyone is interested..

[mo7888]

Matas Buzelis is about to be playing on NBATV if anyone is interested..

I like a lot of what i saw from him in the 1st quarter. The team is trash, basically reminds me of a bunch of pee wee chuckers. Buzelis was usually in good position on D and he was a willing rebounder (much more aggressive there than Risacher). He showed good handles and real good change of pace. He can get by his man with relative ease. Court vision may be his strongest attribute. He can just make passes others can't because of his vision. One left handed cross court pass was pretty impressive.

On the negative side, his shot reminds me of Wagner before he got NBA level work little mechanical). I also thought his motor wasn't really as high as I'd like. I think (hope) it's a product of playing with a trash team that doesn't give a damn, but can't be sure.

[Mr. Body]

Edey probably clogs up the lane too much for Wembanyama, although I'd grab him if he slips to the early 2nd. I think he goes late teens, early twenties.

Buzelis may be my focus for a small forward at this point. He's a 'value' buy given how bad Ignite has been for his stock. His form doesnt look terrible and could well be fixed.