Pick #14 - Strategies

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I could see the Spurs liking Beringer over Sober and Fleming if they decide to go big man and Maluach is gone.

Coward is still my guy if he is there at 14.

Starting to like Essengue who has overtaken Carter Bryant for me.

Yeah, with his measurements HT - 6'11 no shoes - Wing Span - 7'5 - and Standing reach "9'3" - Anyone we pick at 14 is not going to be getting major minutes so I am OK with picking for upside. We still need a Vet big but also having someone on development would be a nice to have.

[Mr. Body]

Saw a mock draft that had Knueppel slip to 11.

I don't think that happens, at all, but it's a reason I don't know why there's a speed to get a Durant trade done. Maybe that's the risk and they have to include the 14.

But it provides the case of what happens when a guy like that starts dropping into range, what the Spurs might put out there to move up. The Spurs treasure trove of FRPs right now isn't really a trove. They have a single pick lined up for every year going forward. That's cool -- they're almost all tagged as linked with another team possibly being bad. Swaps with Dallas, Boston, Sacto, and Atlanta.

So, they can't jump up using FRPs. I don't know if throwing SRPs at, say, Portland, would do it. We saw OKC swap with DAL a few years ago by taking on salary.

But, yeah, I'd absolutely jump to grab a Kon Knueppel if he's dropping.

[rascal]

Saw a mock draft that had Knueppel slip to 11.

I don't think that happens, at all, but it's a reason I don't know why there's a speed to get a Durant trade done. Maybe that's the risk and they have to include the 14.

But it provides the case of what happens when a guy like that starts dropping into range, what the Spurs might put out there to move up. The Spurs treasure trove of FRPs right now isn't really a trove. They have a single pick lined up for every year going forward. That's cool -- they're almost all tagged as linked with another team possibly being bad. Swaps with Dallas, Boston, Sacto, and Atlanta.

So, they can't jump up using FRPs. I don't know if throwing SRPs at, say, Portland, would do it. We saw OKC swap with DAL a few years ago by taking on salary.

But, yeah, I'd absolutely jump to grab a Kon Knueppel if he's dropping.

Why do you want Kon if the Spurs are drafting Harper? Where will he get the minutes? I don't like him at all especially at SF. I want shooters but who are athletic. No more slow play from the Spurs. Need players quick in transistion.

[Mr. Body]

Why do you want Kon if the Spurs are drafting Harper? Where will he get the minutes? I don't like him at all especially at SF. I want shooters but who are athletic. No more slow play from the Spurs. Need players quick in transistion.

You underrate Kon's athleticism, we know that. We don't need transition players - we have plenty of those. Kon can play wing just fine. You're the guy who keeps saying McNeeley is the pick here and Kon is like an actually proven McNeeley.

He's a knock-down shooter with good defense and strong secondary creator capabilities, that's why. Sure, he's probably stuck on the bench for the time being, but that's the fate of anyone we get at 14 anyway. I'd much rather get a Kon than any of the project SFs, easily. And I'm basically assuming that Fox will be moved in two or three years.

[Mr. Body]

The question isn't necessarily Kon himself but 'a Kon Knueppel' -- meaning if there is anyone they want at say 11, what they use to move.

[rascal]

You underrate Kon's athleticism, we know that. We don't need transition players - we have plenty of those. Kon can play wing just fine. You're the guy who keeps saying McNeeley is the pick here and Kon is like an actually proven McNeeley.

He's a knock-down shooter with good defense and strong secondary creator capabilities, that's why. Sure, he's probably stuck on the bench for the time being, but that's the fate of anyone we get at 14 anyway. I'd much rather get a Kon than any of the project SFs, easily. And I'm basically assuming that Fox will be moved in two or three years.

McNeeley is quicker and more athletic than Kon. McNeeley has SF size, Kon doesn't. McNeeley also jumps better and is quicker, generally overall more athletic.

Kon will get eaten alive in the NBA at SF. Too small with no vertical lift. McNeeley will shoot close to as well as Kon. Kon would have done nothing trying to carry that UCONN team. McNeeley would be a top ten pick had he played on Duke.

McNeeley is going to be the pick at 14 for the Spurs. Kon will get drafted earlier than 14 and that's a good thing just like it was a good thing Sheppard was drafted before the Spurs pick last year. Many in here would have drafted Sheppard over Castle.

Kon isn't worth trading any assets for to move up, just draft McNeeley, Fleming, Newell, Sorber, Bryant. There are plenty of better options for SF or PF at 14 than another backup 2 guard.

[mo7888]

McNeeley is quicker and more athletic than Kon. McNeeley has SF size, Kon doesn't. McNeeley also jumps better and is quicker, generally overall more athletic.

Kon will get eaten alive in the NBA at SF. Too small with no vertical lift. McNeeley will shoot close to as well as Kon. Kon would have done nothing trying to carry that UCONN team. McNeeley would be a top ten pick had he played on Duke.

McNeeley is going to be the pick at 14 for the Spurs. Kon will get drafted earlier than 14 and that's a good thing just like it was a good thing Sheppard was drafted before the Spurs pick last year. Many in here would have drafted Sheppard over Castle.

Kon isn't worth trading any assets for to move up, just draft McNeeley, Fleming, Newell, Sorber, Bryant. There are plenty of better options for SF or PF at 14 than another backup 2 guard.

They are literally 1.75" apart in size. The rest is fiction (and that from someone who has Liam top 10 and in the same tier as Kon). You might as well predict that Shaedon is an all-star this year. You'd have as good of a chance of being right.

[scott]

At the risk of coming across as a hater, I also think Kon would get eaten alive as a SF. I’m personally not interested in him… but I’m also not interested in people named Liam. Coward is becoming my dream at 14 if we actually make a pick.

[scottspurs]

Kon is very thick 6’6 and jumped a 36.5 inch vertical at the combine make up. He will be fine playing the 3 and honestly it might be the preferred position for some teams. He should be able to add some serious strength to his frame. He is a 2/3 for me and can probably play some 4 down the line once he puts on strength.

[Degoat]

Nique Clifford is starting to rise up on my board, older prospect but offers a lot

[SpursBills]

Am I missing something with Coward? Seems like he's gotten a ton of hype recently. I get the 7'2" wingspan and the shooting numbers, but the last time the guy played a full season he had a defensive BPR of 0 and his team had a better defensive rating with him on the bench compared to when he was playing as a 20 year old junior against a -1.7 net rating SOS. Admittedly I'm not grinding Eastern Washington tape from last season or anything, but is there anything on film that suggests he's a very good defender? Or does the optimism come from 6 games this year against Eastern Washington, Northern Colorado, Idaho, Bradley, Portland State, and lone power 5 school Iowa where he was terrible?

[Mr. Body]

Am I missing something with Coward? Seems like he's gotten a ton of hype recently. I get the 7'2" wingspan and the shooting numbers, but the last time the guy played a full season he had a defensive BPR of 0 and his team had a better defensive rating with him on the bench compared to when he was playing as a 20 year old junior against a -1.7 net rating SOS. Admittedly I'm not grinding Eastern Washington tape from last season or anything, but is there anything on film that suggests he's a very good defender? Or does the optimism come from 6 games this year against Eastern Washington, Northern Colorado, Idaho, Bradley, Portland State, and lone power 5 school Iowa where he was terrible?

Same. He reads a lot like Primo to me. You have to believe his combine changes everything that came before and I'm not sure about that.

[rascal]

Kon is very thick 6’6 and jumped a 36.5 inch vertical at the combine make up. He will be fine playing the 3 and honestly it might be the preferred position for some teams. He should be able to add some serious strength to his frame. He is a 2/3 for me and can probably play some 4 down the line once he puts on strength.

Kon's lane agility time is the worst among non-frontcourt players in this class and bottom 10 among non-frontcourt players that tested in the past 5 years.

Good luck if you think he's going to be a solid play at SF in the NBA.

[scottspurs]

Kon's lane agility time is the worst among non-frontcourt players in this class and bottom 10 among non-frontcourt players that tested in the past 5 years.

Good luck if you think he's going to be a solid play at SF in the NBA.

He had no problem moving his feet on tape and staying in front of quicker players so I’ll trust the tape. He knows how to position himself. Very high IQ. He is plus defender. A two-way player that impacts winning.

[scottspurs]

Cedric Coward is definitely still learning defense but he has the tools. Great shooter with a perfect release. If the shoulder checks out and you believe he will develop a handle he has super high upside. His floor is very high because of the shooting. 3 and D starter is his floor. Safe pick

[Mr. Body]

Kon's lane agility time is the worst among non-frontcourt players in this class and bottom 10 among non-frontcourt players that tested in the past 5 years.

Good luck if you think he's going to be a solid play at SF in the NBA.

Not gonna say I don't care about the combine, but this stuff is overblown. Queen had horrible athletic measurements, but if you actually watch the games he was shredding players. The combine completely fails to measure basketball qualities.

If TJ McConnell can be a difference maker in the freaking Finals while not being a huge athlete, Kon won't have much problem in the NBA.

[Mr. Body]

Cedric Coward is definitely still learning defense but he has the tools. Great shooter with a perfect release. If the shoulder checks out and you believe he will develop a handle he has super high upside. His floor is very high because of the shooting. 3 and D starter is his floor. Safe pick

So he's good except for having to learn to play defense and learning to dribble the ball.

[scottspurs]

So he's good except for having to learn to play defense and learning to dribble the ball.

not necessarily learn defense just understand it better so he can be better. The defensive schemes he played in were very basic. So it will be a jump in the NBA. He actually was very good as a post defender. He also showed flashes as a ball handler. He just needs to improve. His tape although limited is amazing. He does so much well. There is a reason he is not a top 5 prospect. He does have flaws and you can poke holes but what he does really well translates. 70 true shooting percentage from a wing can’t be ignored. You can poke holes at all these players. I have Coward at 8 on my board. After 1st watching I had him at 23 but he slowly kept creeping up the more I watched and learned.

That said the rumors that he is dominating workouts has me believing he won’t be there at 8. He apparently made Nigue Clifford and Carter Bryant look really bad. I think he goes to the Raptors at 9, Rockets at 10 or Blazers at 11. He won’t make it past that.

[SpursFan86]

How do people here feel about Nique Clifford? I personally think he’s on the same tier as Coward tbh…hardly discussed though which is interesting to me.

I prefer Bryant/Coward but don’t think Nique is super far behind, although he’s being treated like an entirely different level of prospect which I’m not sure about.

[RC_Drunkford]

Coward destroyed prospects in draft workouts last year. He‘s the steal of the draft. I don’t want OKC to get him. He won‘t fall past them at #15

[Mnky]

Saw a mock draft that had Knueppel slip to 11.

I don't think that happens, at all, but it's a reason I don't know why there's a speed to get a Durant trade done. Maybe that's the risk and they have to include the 14.

But it provides the case of what happens when a guy like that starts dropping into range, what the Spurs might put out there to move up. The Spurs treasure trove of FRPs right now isn't really a trove. They have a single pick lined up for every year going forward. That's cool -- they're almost all tagged as linked with another team possibly being bad. Swaps with Dallas, Boston, Sacto, and Atlanta.

So, they can't jump up using FRPs. I don't know if throwing SRPs at, say, Portland, would do it. We saw OKC swap with DAL a few years ago by taking on salary.

But, yeah, I'd absolutely jump to grab a Kon Knueppel if he's dropping.

If you have Fox, Durant and Wemby for the next 3 years, those next 3 picks are absolutely a trove.

[Mr. Body]

If you have Fox, Durant and Wemby for the next 3 years, those next 3 picks are absolutely a trove.

Huh?

[scottspurs]

How do people here feel about Nique Clifford? I personally think he’s on the same tier as Coward tbh…hardly discussed though which is interesting to me.

I prefer Bryant/Coward but don’t think Nique is super far behind, although he’s being treated like an entirely different level of prospect which I’m not sure about.

Derek White vibes! Swiss Army knife

[Vienna]

I like to bring up one aspect, that AFAIK hasn't been discussed yet.

a team can use a 1st round pick for a draft & stash project as well. so Spurs could choose to go the draft&stash route with the #14 pick.

this would make sense, if they have either Essengue, or Beringer as targets.

and it would make a lot of sense. both are a year younger than most college freshmen. both very likely wouldn't get much NBA playing time in their first year. (or first two years)

and the team saves money and a roster spot.

[Ditty]

I love the idea of trading up for Kon for #14 and a 2029 minimum protected 1st round pick to jump a few spots.

I would also be ecstatic with Coward. I believe he is the real deal and agree that his floor is a 3&D player.

However, I did love Devin Carter, and he really struggled in SAC this year, also coming off a shoulder injury.

If they had the choice, I think the Spurs would take the chance on the overall upside with Essengue over Coward.

I don't see us taking a chance on a big man with Sober's foot injury or Fleming's upside.