Official 2019 NBA Draft Thread

[ZeusWillJudge]

Personally, I think the Spurs were looking to trade up to get Cam Johnson. He was the best shooter in the draft, and has legit SF size. When he got taken at 11, it was straight to Plan B. And I think this draft says that Milutinov is coming over.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I know a scout for the Sixers. They wanted Luka at 20, he wouldn't have made it to us at 29. So it's one data point but it's clear he wouldn't have fallen. Johnson's set to be a Danny Green replacement for us if Chip can improve his shot.

Unfortunately, we threw away pick 49, watched him in SEC play against A&M and he'll never make it out of Austin unless the Spurs just need to kill some regular season minutes.

As an aside, it's disgusting to me to watch Golden State buy a pick year after year in the second round. Spurs need to adjust to the new way of doing things that elite teams like GS are doing in the draft and do the same. Yeah I know we're small market but damnit budget that 2.5 million and go get yourself a guy that slips to the second, those picks can be bought.

[objective]

Metu was guaranteed last year and is guaranteed this year. Besides him, I think Bertans and Blair are the only such second-rounders over the past 11 drafts. Blossomgame was offered a min deal but passed it up as per his agreement with PATFO. Weatherspoon may well do something similar. But that's not the point. Since everyone knows Porter won't be able to play this year, he wasn't going to get cut. Any team drafting him would know his situation and should be ready to wait. I know we've been speaking in the hypothetical, so I'll offer slightly different but definitely related scenario: Teams were interested in drafting him in the second round, but he wasn't willing to be stashed in the d-league for a year. He is more inclined to take on his own rehab (again) and then pick his team next year when he's healthy.

If he does think this, I think it's foolish for the reasons I said. I don't see a team wanting him for anything less than a three-year deal with only that first year guaranteed. Maybe someone like the Mavs are willing to give him a four-year deal with two guaranteed. They're weird like that.

Blossomgame I'm sure was offered the unguaranteed minimum, but the threat is there that he would have been cut had he signed it. I can't imagine the Spurs offered him a guaranteed min deal while at the same time convincing him to play for 28k in the g-league. You can't even get a modest apartment in Austin for the that kind of money.

Anyways, I'm sure there will be some media coverage the next 48 hours that could shed some light on the whole thing either way. Maybe it's medicals, maybe it was his decision in some fashion, I guess we'll see

[objective]

As an aside, it's disgusting to me to watch Golden State buy a pick year after year in the second round. Spurs need to adjust to the new way of doing things that elite teams like GS are doing in the draft and do the same. Yeah I know we're small market but damnit budget that 2.5 million and go get yourself a guy that slips to the second, those picks can be bought.

Spurs have to save that money for when they pay Masai to take Dejounte or Derrick

[SAGirl]

That's how it looks to me, too. I hope I am wrong. But it seems like the Spurs found a way to turn a mediocre draft into something less. Especially when the Spurs owned 2 first round picks for the first time in forever, the results are just uninspiring at this point. Maybe both guys tear up the summer league and the D League and play a few spot minutes in SA...

Told you not to get excited about the rumors of a trade.

I think I am a little disappointed not bc of the merits of each pick but bc the guys will need time to develop (naturally) and I don't think they will help much next year.

[Chinook]

Blossomgame I'm sure was offered the unguaranteed minimum, but the threat is there that he would have been cut had he signed it. I can't imagine the Spurs offered him a guaranteed min deal while at the same time convincing him to play for 28k in the g-league. You can't even get a modest apartment in Austin for the that kind of money.

Anyways, I'm sure there will be some media coverage the next 48 hours that could shed some light on the whole thing either way. Maybe it's medicals, maybe it was his decision in some fashion, I guess we'll see

Indeed Jaron was offered a non-guaranteed min deal, as are all second-rounders. The first year, he passed on it to play in Austin. The second year, he took it, got cut, went back to Austin, then got a deal with another club. Something similar happened with DeShaun Thomas. Shame about him, btb. He may have had a niche in today's league.

Anyways, yeah, we'll see. I expect to see SA bring in a couple of UDFAs too to go along with Weatherspoon. They tend to use at least a couple of their assignment slots from training camp each year.

[FkLA]

Have to drop Belli this off-season. Ideally, you'd drop both Belli and Wombat but we all know Pop's pet isn't going anywhere.

PG/SG: White, Instagram Baller, Forbes
SG/SF: DePression, Walker
Combo Forwards: Gay, Samanic, MLE signing
Bigs: LMA, Poetl, Bertans
Coach's Pet: Wombat

That's a pretty deep squad, tbf.

[Chomag]

overall Not the weakest draft ever by the Spurs but in terms of team needs and unless FO is planning on offloading a few current players then this would be an F. Nah kidding but maybe a D-

[ZeusWillJudge]

Unfortunately, we threw away pick 49, watched him in SEC play against A&M and he'll never make it out of Austin unless the Spurs just need to kill some regular season minutes.

I think you're wrong about Weatherspoon. He'll be in Austin this year, but I think he's got a shot at making the roster next year. I've got a short list of potential UFA's that would be worth bringing in, and he was on it because I didn't think he'd be drafted. (Partly because of his age.)

Forbes has one of the silkiest strokes ever, but Weatherspoon's is pretty damn good. He could be a legit 40% 3P shooter, and that's enough to at least get him some looks. He's a pretty solid, willing defender - which always helps with Pop. And he's got pretty good hops, and I thought he had an NBA-ready body. He played really well at the Portsmouth Invitational, and that's exactly where the Spurs got sold on Derick White.

Most of the guys that were left were crap-shoot types, and the Spurs can go after them as UFA's anyway.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Have to drop Belli this off-season. Ideally, you'd drop both Belli and Wombat but we all know Pop's pet isn't going anywhere.

PG/SG: White, Instagram Baller, Forbes
SG/SF: DePression, Walker
Combo Forwards: Gay, Samanic, MLE signing
Bigs: LMA, Poetl, Bertans
Coach's Pet: Wombat

That's a pretty deep squad, tbf.

You left off Milutinov. I think he's coming more than ever now.

[Chinook]

Have to drop Belli this off-season. Ideally, you'd drop both Belli and Wombat but we all know Pop's pet isn't going anywhere.

PG/SG: White, Instagram Baller, Forbes
SG/SF: DePression, Walker
Combo Forwards: Gay, Samanic, MLE signing
Bigs: LMA, Poetl, Bertans
Coach's Pet: Wombat

That's a pretty deep squad, tbf.

I think the Spurs consider Samanic to be a PF/C like LMA. He's definitely more there than Bertans is. I don't really like the depth of that squad. They've got to get rid of some of the mediocre guys and upgrade a spot or two. Still pushing for a trade involving Bertans and Beli, but adding Mills would also be nice.

[Jsmythe]

I know a scout for the Sixers. They wanted Luka at 20, he wouldn't have made it to us at 29. So it's one data point but it's clear he wouldn't have fallen.

I think this is what happened. They knew Samanic wouldn't last until 29. And they liked Samanic better than anyone else that was still there at 19. What I'm curious about is what they would have done if someone else they liked more slipped to 19 (Bitadze, Okeke, Doumboya, etc). Would they have tried to trade up to 20-22 to get both Samanic and the other guy? Or just let Samanic go to another team?

At 29, I think Keldon Johnson was a good value pick. On most mocks, he was somewhere in the 15-20 range. He was arguably the best player available at the time.

The 49th pick I'm guessing was prearranged. I wasn't expecting much from it but I wonder if Weatherspoon will ever make the team or will he eventually be let go ala Blossomgame?

[Mugen]

Yeah, you have to move Bertans and Beli (I'd be good with Forbes too of course) and bring in a combo forward that can defend either position...somebody like Ariza/Aminu would be nice....

Dejounte/Fatty
DWhite/Forbes/Lonnie
Derozan/MLE Combo Forward/Lonnie/Keldon
Gay/MLE Combo Forward/Samancic
LMA/Poetl/Samancic

Metu/Eubanks are expendable (though I'm fine keeping Drew as the third big).....

Probably a 2nd round exit team unless the 3 guards make giant leaps next season....

[FkLA]

I think the Spurs consider Samanic to be a PF/C like LMA. He's definitely more there than Bertans is. I don't really like the depth of that squad. They've got to get rid of some of the mediocre guys and upgrade a spot or two. Still pushing for a trade involving Bertans and Beli, but adding Mills would also be nice.

Idk man. His frame and skills are more perimeter oriented from everything I've seen. And during his post-draft interview he himself compared his game to KD (a little delusional) and Kirilenko. I'm sure he'll play plenty of small ball 4 but I can't see him playing the 5 at all.

Bertans to me is more of a big because he's really just strictly a stretch 4. He doesn't really have the handles to play the 3.

[SAGirl]

You left off Milutinov. I think he's coming more than ever now.

I have to ask bc I am curious, why do you think this?

[Indianman]

I wonder what the Cavs were thinking. They have 3 undersized PGs to show for their picks. Collin Sexton(last year), Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr.

We're in a better, yet congruent boat with DJ, Lonnie and DWhite. Cheer up people. Things could have been a lot worse.

[Chinook]

I have to ask bc I am curious, why do you think this?

Seems like he thought PATFO would have drafted a center had they given up on Milutinov. They certainly had their chances to do just that. Maybe they passed because they are going to have Nikola on the team too along with Poeltl and Aldridge. Not sure I'm as confident as ZWJ seems to be, but I certainly agree the odds on Nik joining the squad a higher now than they were this time six hours ago.

[SAGirl]

Seems like he thought PATFO would have drafted a center had they given up on Milutinov. They certainly had their chances to do just that. Maybe they passed because they are going to have Nikola on the team too along with Poeltl and Aldridge. Not sure I'm as confident as ZWJ seems to be, but I certainly agree the odds on Nik joining the squad a higher now than they were this time six hours ago.

Thanks for the response. It would be nice to know where they stand with Milutinov.

I stopped paying attention to him as much as I used to bc I started believing once his rookie scale deal became non compelling that he just wasn't coming over.

He might have perhaps changed his mind?

[Chinook]

Thanks for the response. It would be nice to know where they stand with Milutinov.

I stopped paying attention to him as much as I used to bc I started believing once his rookie scale deal became non compelling that he just wasn't coming over.

He might have perhaps changed his mind?

Think it's a timing issue more than anything. He wasn't ready before this most recent contract. Now, he's ready, but the Spurs haven't wanted to prioritize the MLE to bring him over. I think they still have better ways to use it. But they can justify bringing him over this year if they're ever going to. They need Poeltl insurance.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Seems like he thought PATFO would have drafted a center had they given up on Milutinov. They certainly had their chances to do just that. Maybe they passed because they are going to have Nikola on the team too along with Poeltl and Aldridge. Not sure I'm as confident as ZWJ seems to be, but I certainly agree the odds on Nik joining the squad a higher now than they were this time six hours ago.

That's pretty much it.

I know most everyone thinks their main target was Bitadze. But I really think the rumors of them trading up were for Cam Johnson. He was the best shooter in the draft, by far. With his height, and that kind of 3P threat, their biggest need would have been another big man, and Milutinov would solve that.

Everyone was surprised when Johnson went at 11 - even his teammate. When the Spurs turn came, they didn't seem to hesitate moving to Plan B, which was Samanic. If

they were feeling desperate for another big, Claxton, Fernando, and Gafford were all on the board. Not to mention the possibility of picking for someone else in exchange for a serviceable big (of whom there are more than a couple in play right now).

Again, because I think they plan on Milutinov coming over.

And if there's not some weird personality issue like him feeling slighted or something, I think he will.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Thanks for the response. It would be nice to know where they stand with Milutinov.

Everything I hear from my friends who really follow Euro play, plus every press tidbit I've read all say that he is absolutely ready to make the move. Like seriously ready, maybe to the point of getting his feelings hurt if they don't bring him over this year. Rumors are worth what you pay for them, but I get the feeling these have wings.

[Jsmythe]

Fansided calls the Spurs draft losers:

https://fansided.com/2019/06/21/nba-...ners-losers/7/

Luka Samanic was an incredibly Spurs pick, but he’s not exactly super exciting as a 6-foot-11 big that is a supposed floor spacer and passer, but doesn’t really do well with either. He seems like more of a project, as does Keldon Johnson, who they took at No. 29. Johnson, in particular, is an incredibly un-Spursy pick, an undersized three who doesn’t make high-level decisions, drifts in and out of games, and is a 3-and-D prospect that isn’t very good at either. Combine that with last year’s draft — Lonnie Walker didn’t appear to be a stellar fit even before his injury, and Chimezie Metu was mostly a forgettable disaster — and we could be seeing the cracks in the armor for the Spurs’ draft scouting. All good runs must eventually end, after all.

[John B]

Fansided calls the Spurs draft losers:

https://fansided.com/2019/06/21/nba-...ners-losers/7/

Everybody’s catching up

[slick'81]

Fansided calls the Spurs draft losers:

https://fansided.com/2019/06/21/nba-...ners-losers/7/

Ouch

[spurraider21]

Hopefully Belli, Wombat, and Forbes are on their way out over the next two years. Then the direction of this pick makes more sense.

doesnt have to make sense. why did we draft white and re-sign forbes one offseason after giving patty his contract?