Reply With Quote
Luka’s footwork and coordination alone at that height warrants an c; throw in his ball handling.....
Well said my friend!! Some people are dumber than rocks.....
Luka’s footwork and coordination alone at that height warrants an c; throw in his ball handling.....
High ceiling prospect.
Drafting at 19 is a matter of opinion which way to go. Get a solid, all around, not great but probably pretty good player or get a guy who's ceiling is NBA all-star or 6th man of the year potential while also knowing the guy could bust completely.
That decision depends on the current state of your team. A team w/ a solid foundation, other potential all-stars and good defense can afford to take the risk. Can the 2023 and beyond Spurs? When Gay, DeRozan and LMA are gone and the draft pics from this and the past 2 years ARE the team, will Luka be worth the risk?
That is my question.
There were better or at least projected to be better/safer/higher floor players available at 19. Quite a few IMO. Luka at 29 is a good pick - almost a steal; but at 19 he's a reach. But more importantly, when Anthony Davis and Kawhi are in the West in 3 years, who's gonna defend them for 40 minutes? Some 6'8" SF prospect we haven't drafted yet? When Harden comes off the pick and roll, is Luka guarding his step back? Westbrook and George (even a slower one) gonna be problems too? Luka Doncic and Porzingas? , not even sure about Booker, Ayton and Oubre.
Last edited by Tyrone Jenkins; 06-21-2019 at 08:55 AM.
These are the guys the Spurs could have had rather than Samanic and still have got Keldon Johnson at 29.
20 Matisse Thybulle
Washington
SF
21 Brandon Clarke
Gonzaga
PF
22 Grant Williams
Tennessee
PF
23 Darius Bazley
USA
SF
24 Ty Jerome
Virginia
SG
25 Nassir Little
North Carolina
SF
26 Dylan Windler
Belmont
SF
27 Mfiondu Kabengele
Florida State
C
28 Jordan Poole
Michigan
SG
The only one I would have definitely taken over Samanic was Little (maybe Kabengele). And Samanic may be better than them.
Getting Samanic and KJ was a home run as far as I'm concerned (even if the order seems reversed).
He's 19 and doesn't hit 20 until January. He's still growing into his body. His wingspan isn't going to get longer though! He's got elite vertical and he's 6'10". Also should have good fundamentals coming from European basketball. I like the gamble that seeks upside.
ESPN https://www.espn.com/nba/draft/rounds
Luka 29
OVR RK
Pre-Draft Analysis
Strengths
- Great size for a modern big man at 6-11 with an improved frame and an 8-11 standing reach, which should allow him to play either big spot as he continues to mature physically. Extremely light on his feet. Incredible coordination for a player his size. Moves fluidly on both ends of the floor. Capable of playing above the rim in space.
- Does a little bit of everything on offense. Can push off the break, make a standstill 3, attack slower-footed bigs off the dribble, operate in the post and make basic reads. Agility, positional handle and shooting potential should make him a tough cover with NBA spacing. Can move him all over the floor because of his mobility and skill level.
- Greatly improved defensive toughness. Has the feet to switch comfortably on the perimeter.
Improvement areas
- Can do a little bit of everything but doesn't quite have an elite skill. Career 31.9% from 3 on 332 attempts. Mechanics break down a bit when he's heavily contested. Confidence seems to come and go from the perimeter. Can make basic reads but not quite a great passer -- 2.0 assists and 3.0 turnovers per 40 minutes in 49 games last season. When he's not making shots, what does he do at a high level offensively?
- Doesn't always handle adversity well. When he misses his first couple shots, the wheels can come off quickly. Severe highs and lows over the course of his career.
- Doesn't always play through contact well. Can he finish through NBA physicality and over length? How will he react to defending the league's more traditional bigs?
Full scouting report Insider
Post-Draft Analysis
The Spurs have a long track record of drafting international players, and they decided to do it once again in picking Luka Samanic, one of the biggest standouts at this year's NBA combine. The Spurs have very little depth at the forward spots and might be able to spoon-feed minutes fairly early on to the Croatian player who is at an early stage of development physically and needs to continue to improve his skill level and basketball IQ.
Question marks about his toughness caused his stock to drop from the lottery to the second round in the midst of a difficult season in Slovenia, but he was able to rebound from that with a strong pre-draft process. His ability to make 3-point shots, switch on screens and create his own shot from the perimeter are attractive, considering he stands 6-foot-11. -- Jonathan Givony
Keldon
Pre-Draft Analysis
Strengths
- Has good physical tools for an NBA wing at 6-6, 216 pounds with a 6-9 wingspan and 8-8 standing reach. Strength and length should allow him to slide up to the power forward position at times in smaller lineups
- Aggressive, versatile player on both ends of the floor. Powerful attacking in a straight line or in the open floor. Capable outside shooter with feet set.
- Highly compe ive rebounder and defender. Plays with toughness, intensity and confidence. Has a relatively high floor thanks to his dimensions, ability to guard and make an open shot.
Improvement areas
- Not yet a dynamic shooter at this stage, especially pulling up off the dribble or on the move. Has improved, but he's still very streaky (38% from 3; 70% on free throws). Doesn't have the quickest release.
- Powerful, but not an especially fluid or explosive athlete creating in the half-court. Struggles to create high-percentage offense for himself or others when he can't get by opponents in a straight line. Average passer.
- Energetic defender, but not the rangiest or most instinctive player around. Struggles at times to stay in front of smaller and quicker players.
Full scouting report Insider
Post-Draft Analysis
Keldon Johnson's surprising slide was halted by the Spurs, who always are on the lookout for toughness, perimeter shooting and defensive versatility. With very little depth at the small forward position, Johnson could push for minutes immediately, depending on which direction they head in free agency. -- Jonathan Givony
I think Spurs did pretty darn well when you consider fit. We comlpain because everybody's board and opinion on this year's draft is very and it's because the players all look like boom and bust prospects. Samanic I am positive as well as Johnson Spurs have dome of the nest tools out of the draft theyve had to work with since Kawhi. Let's see what happens because theoretically Spurs filled out exactly what they needed minus a bit more ready-to-play guys. Samanic/Gay/Bertans at PF, DeRozan, Johnson, Walker IV at SF, Murray, White, Forbes, Walker IV at 1 and 2. Well balanced roster set in two years. Need a veteran wing/pf to compete right away. Samanic makes Bertans very expendavle imo, so many we can pick up that player via sign and trades or with exception.
This draft only three players are guaranteed not to be a bust it was a weak draft I would be interested to see how many of the first rounders are out of the NBA in 3 years.
If a player is the top guy on your board at 19, and you have no reasonable offers to trade back (without guarantee that team right behind them like Boston or OKC doesn’t snatch him) and you can’t trade up from 29 to a spot you think you can get him at, then you draft him there.
Once Okeke went, and he went very early, the only other guy I liked at that spot was Thybulle. And Okeke is out most of next year, and in the Spurs system that likely meant two redshirt years.
Some wanted Clarke but I view him as a tweeter. Not an ideal fit at either SF or PF.
spurs have broken draft promises before..........it recently happend a few drafts ago with a virgina tech player..........his aunt went to twitter to call out popovicj & rc for lying
Terrible take, will not recommend to friends.They were never going to take an athletic black American with some questionable character issues when an upstanding white Euro was available. Luka wasn't even at the top of their board...Goga was ahead of him
The Kawhi situation has soured Pop and Buford on athletic black Americans for the foreseeable future. Accountability would go a long way but PATFO prefer to put their heads in the sand and double down on the Euros instead. I wouldn't have a problem with this strategy if they were good Euros like the Mavs players but the ones we're mostly targeting are scrubs without any star ceiling.
Spurs picked him for a reason, he is obviously the player they wanted if he was there at 19 considering how long RC has been scouting him. most of you were crying when spurs drafted White too
Most scouting reports will tell you that Nassar Little is ing trash and was terrible at UNC. He's not a smart player and will struggle for floor time on whatever team he joined. Regardless of Samanic being a reach, the Spurs weren't going to pick Little. That dude showed his true colors when he had to play legit compe ion. Forget all that HS phenom . It doesn't translate.
How can anyone actually be critical of this team's draft history? Has any front office in the NBA ever done better?
Yes, drafting Murray, White and Walker late in round one in three successive drafts is lazy.
Just stop.
Jokers ignore that and pretend the Spurs just drafted Yinka Dare and Alfrederick Hughes. This team just made the playoffs for like the 30th straight year. There’s ample cause to delete about half the posters here for rank stupidity.
Not saying it’s perfect but losing your about mid to late 1st round picks when maybe 30% of all 1st rounders end up being actual NBA players is re ed.
Thanks so much for sharing. Samanic is a pick based on potential rather than track record.
Spurs need to gamble a little on potential at this point so I am fine with that.
The guy is very young and needs to develop in the areas where his “potential” project him as a great modern big. He should be interesting to watch develop at least, I hope.
ST boiled down, tbh.
we missed out on a perfect draft by one spot, Goga and Kelden would have been a perfect draft, now it's only B-...
The Spurs seldom make trades. Way too conservative of an organization.
Solid post. Agree completely
None of them want to eat sh** if he's the next euro star. But I had no problem calling it a likely terrible pick, tbh.
They see Kristaps Porzingis. Except someone that doesn’t think he’s god’s gift to basketball and wants to be treated like one.
Spoken like Ike someone who has no ducking clue what’s going on. It takes two teams to make trades dip .
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
