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Problem is the deadline to withdraw is in late May and I don't think teams can start trading again until the days leading up to the draft.
Besides Embiid got picked 3rd with a blown knee so him Flagg getting hurt isn’t that big a deal. He will still be a top 5 pick even if injured
Problem is the deadline to withdraw is in late May and I don't think teams can start trading again until the days leading up to the draft.
They can start trading on Monday if they're eliminated from the playoffs
Yup. A little known loophole that once you’re eliminated from the post season, either by missing the playoffs or being knocked out, you can trade with any other team under the same cir stances.
Damn always thought there was a moratorium until around the draft. Well that makes more interesting. So is salary matching based on this year's or next year's contracts?
And look at Embiid’s career injury rate. Teams might not be interested in going down that path. It probably doesn’t end well.
I think Kenyon Martin went #1 overall even after getting hurt in college.
I mean, if I'm looking at playing next to a complete joke of a player in Lamello Ball and totally questionable players otherwise, with a bad coach, and a joke of a franchise overall in a city that doesn't give a about them in Charlotte, I see if my agent can force a trade or just go back to Duke. There's no big question here.
Anyone who thinks there's even a tiny chance that Flagg goes back to Duke is out of touch with reality. Even if he's that stupid there will be people in his entourage who'd advise him.
NIL money does change some things for players in the latter stages of the first/early second round though. Non seniors who are projected to go in the second round now have more leverage to demand guaranteed deals, instead of two-way contracts, so it messes up the order in the second round. Players aren't drafted based on a who is better order but on how they fit the specific team, which is why we're seeing so many trades with second round picks. In last season's draft only a couple of teams used their own second, which is wild.
For high/mid first round picks though NIL money shouldn't make a difference.
Getting picked the #1 overall is in itself a huge honor and part of one’s legacy as a basketball player. I doubt an alpha would not grab that huge honor.
totally agree. and people are ignoring one point: if Flagg plays this card, what guarrantee does he have, that 2026 he didn‘t end up with the same team, or even a worse situation. would he go back to school again? do this dance till he is 23? he will stay in the draft, no matter what team won the lottery.
The point isn't for Flagg to actually go back to school and hope someone more to his liking is in a position to draft him next year, the point would be for him make it seem like a credible enough of a threat to force the team with the #1 pick to trade him to a destination more to his liking.
This will naturally result in a game of chicken, but it would somewhat damaging to the player's reputation, and if his bluff gets called then he's off to a bad start with his new team, so the stakes are high.
I don't think Flagg will be the guy to play this game, but I think we will see it play out for a Top 4 pick in the next few years.
No, you're right. My comment was specifically about him going back to Duke if he didn't like the team lucking into #1, which some people think is a legit possibility.
Now, can he, or somebody in his position in the future, use some leverage to guide themselves to a different team via trade, sure. Definitely a possibility, but without knowing Flagg at all obviously, from everything I've heard from him I don't think he's that kinda guy. It could happen especially in drafts that have a few amazing prospects at the top, like 2026, but in this one where it's a clear cut number 1 it'd be almost impossible to balance a trade.
I don't see Flagg doing this , but in an interview last summer, I got the feeling, that he could very well be a guy that forces a trade to a big market later on (he seemed in live with LA).
Name a better duo than NBA fans and imaginary scenarios based on no actual evidence.
From a week ago.
For some, it might be a lot of pressure. I don't know if everyone wants to go number 1 (some might be more comfortable going 2 or 3). A true Alpha player who thinks he's the best would, but not everyone is made up that way. Just ask the guys that busted out who were picked number 1 if they liked the pressure and expectations that went along with it.
Cooper could also be a guy that doesn't care about that (nothing to do with the pressure in his case) and cares more about winning.
Last edited by Ice009; 04-13-2025 at 04:09 AM.
Starting to think that unless the Spurs end up in the top 4 or they're ready to trade Vassell/Keldon, they should trade their pick tbh. Draft Fleming with the Hawks' pick and work the FA market.
It will be awhile before the Spurs will have another high pick of its own. I’d rather they swing big and possibly draft another core player along the same timeline as Wemby. Fox is 28 and will age out way before Wemby and Castle. The Spurs would need that potential 3rd option to eventually replace Fox.
Combine will prolly alter my opinion but as of now I'm not seeing any potential core players outside Kon or Johnson who will most likely be gone by the time the Spurs pick. If they can turn the #8 pick into a 203132 unprotected pick and swap again or better I'd be for it.
For me the Spurs biggest need is a big body who can help Wemby against the Zubac’s and Jokic’s of the league. Any combinations of Queen, Sorber, Wolf, Fleming works for me. Queen, Sorber are both beast in the middle. Fleming is an athletic defensive big who can hit 3’s. Wolf is a 7 footer 250 facilitator who can hit 3’s and also led in rebounds and blocked shots.
Champ has done a wonderful job as Danny Green 3nD role. So taking Kon is nice but not a priority for me. I’d rather take Queen or Sorber with Spurs pick, and Fleming or Wolf with ATL’s pick. And a backup PG in the 2nd round. Vassell can play the Manu role or be traded.
Fox, CP3, Wesley, SRP
Castle, Vassell
Barnes/Champ, Keldon
Wemby, Fleming, Sochan,
Queen/Sorber/Wolf, Mamu, Bismack
Wow! this is impressive. I underestimated Kon. Didn't know he is such a good passer.Here's some Kon propaganda:
Courtesy of Ben Pfeifer https://x.com/bjpf_
"Big time passes" subjectively qualified as "high level passes with respect to vision, anticipation, placement, usually tight window high value passes"
Top left is strictly play finishers
Bottom right are high level connectors / secondary creator potential
With regards to Kon, I'm starting to see the vision. I definitely see the concerns - we'll see how he measures out at the combine, but I would prefer not to have him be the long term 3 as I don't think he offers enough length. He and Castle can probably survive as the 2-3 for the first couple years of their development, but if he were drafted I actually think he may offer enough playmaking to pair with Castle as the 1-2.
I don't think he's globally unathletic, as he moves decently well side to side, but the man's got no vertical pop (2! dunks on the entire season for a guy who's allegedly 6'7"). He compensates for it with pretty good finishing off of 2 feet but that pump fake move that he does is going to get scouted instantly in the league. One interesting comp for him which may reflect a potential pathway to success is Jared McCain. McCain also had a relatively short wingspan but a stockier build, high volume 3 point shooter, masked creation upside, and was a pretty good 2 foot finisher who utilized his strength to control guys on the dribble. He also lacked a certain amount of vertical pop (33" max vert, 2 dunks on the season). Kon is definitely bigger which gives him a physical advantage, but McCain (and Desmond Bane for that matter) seemed to have an exceptionally quick release which is an important micro-skill if you are trying to leverage your shooting.
The other hope with Kon is that he looks like he's still carrying a little bit of baby fat, although I'm not sure if that's just how he looks. You wonder if there are some athleticism gains that can be made.
Regardless, last year one of the draft avenues I was hoping for was to take McCain at #8 if the spurs took Castle at 4. If you see Kon as a bigger version of McCain who can also moonlight occasionally as a 3, that's a long term piece you can keep well beyond Fox's expiration date.
..........
I'm leaning on this as well
Also Fleming plus Wolf is intriguing
Also Fleming plus Wolf is intriguing
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