I am probably the only one. And to be fair, I have zero knowledge of what Bailey is like as a worker and human being. But just from a talent perspective, I have him very high on my board. To me, he is 1B with Flagg. I mean I would draft Flagg over him for the Spurs just bc he already has a high basketball IQ and I think would develop very quickly as a pro even without great coaching.
But if the Spurs were a more buttoned up and serious organization then I would take Bailey. Assuming he has no character flaws and works his ass off in the gym. The problem with the Spurs is just an overall organizational one so I think it’s going to be harder to fix this franchise than most people on this board assume. Offensively, we are just poorly run. I mean we are in year 2 of Wemby and it still seemed like the franchise had no idea how to get him easy open looks or run sets to put him in positions of strength. The only player who could was ancient CP3 and I think that’s more on CP3 being good rather than the Spurs offense itself. But that’s a different story I guess so back to Bailey.
Ace Bailey to me is a unicorn of a player. He has a very high release point, a pure looking shot, and his size at 6’10 as well as his reach is just something even NBA players don’t see that often. He could be a KD type of player if he puts is all together. I’m really impressed with him. I’d trade him for Castle due to his size, his skillset, and his shot making. Plus he’s a good rebounder too. I think he’d be a perfect 3 for our team
I DGAF where his release point is if his shooting splits are 46/34/69. Durant’s were 47/40/81. That’s a of a difference, and makes me think you’re seeing a Durant where there isn’t one because he’s tall. To me, hes a lot closer to being Emoni Bates, another guy where people squinted and saw Durant, than Kevin Durant.
I don't know if you could put ten Ace Baileys together and get Kevin Durant. Maybe no fewer than eight.
Yep, this has been exactly my line of thinking. I gave up what I think the Spurs should do, and started to think about how I can predict what they will do based on history. Following this approach is better for my mental health, tbh. We all follow this team for a reason, for reasons we probably don’t like to admit. If anything, it’s more fun to Sherlock Holmes this and figure what the Spurs are likely to do.
Fleming has the perfect profile to be the kind of role player that would help Spurs but you had to wonder if he is good enough basketball player for the NBA. His end of the season was really bad. It's forgivable for a freshman. For a junior, it's way more problematic.
Noa Essengue is a player to keep an eye on until the end of the season in Germany. He has been more productive than expected with Ulm and he has even started to shoot well the ball. If he has a good end of the season, I wouldn't be surprised to see him being picked in the top10.
WF, wing-forward (2 and 3 and 4)
1. Cooper Flagg
2. Egor Demin
F, forward (3 and 4)
1. Ace Bailey
2. Carter Bryant
3. Noah Penda
4. Noa Essengue
5. Liam McNeeley
FC, forward-center (4 and 5)
1. Sorber
2. Queen
3. Wolf
4. CMB
5. Fleming
6. Yaxel Lendeborg
7. Asa Newell
Ace is the best of the group he’s in (although it’s a very low bar) in this class. He’s in the “forward” archetype, guys who aren’t likely to handle the ball a ton and create for others. I actually moved Cooper to the WF category since I realized he will be doing a lot more ballhandling than I first thought.
As far as predictability goes, I think the Spurs normally trade or sign guys in the F category. Egor Demin is the one likely to be available that fits the mold the Spurs normally go for with his versatility and passing. However, I think it’s equal chance that they go for a FC guy since that’s the team’s greatest need with Mamu and Bassey both out and Biyombo unlikely to return.
Here is a redraft with Castle at #1:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...a-rookie-class
Also of note for those of us that liked Edey more than Clingan, they have him rated a tad higher at 7 v 8.
Of course only time will tell since we acquired Fox, while remaining in dire need of help at C. Still fun to imagine what an Edey/Wemby duo would have wreaked on opposing teams.
I love that you have Sorber over Queen. I'm hoping we can get him with the ATL pick. Essengue has exceeded expectations and is still playing, and well, which may raise his stock.
I'm stunned that they have Reed at #5. There's still a lot of faith in a guy I think was late lottery. As for us, I'd take Clingan over Edey. I like Edey, but Clingan's defensive impact is getting overlooked. He's going to be really good.
I don't see that at all. Durant might have been the most polished 19 year-old I have ever seen and there is no way I'd even begin to put Bailey anywhere near a jack of all trades like Flagg. IDK 34.6% from the three and 70% at the line don't make me think sharpshooter and he's Mr NoIntangibles. I can't draft a guy #3 because he's 6'10" with a good wingspan much less put him in the same ballpark as an absolute elite talent in Flagg. If the Spurs end up getting the #4 pick and Edgecombe has been taken I'm burning up the phone lines trying to trade the pick. I see lesser Risacher more than Durant in Bailey.
Fleming is a junior but fairly young for one. will still be 20 at the time of the draft
i probably phrased that very poorly. I don’t mean he will be as good as KD is. I just meant that I can see him developing into a player type like KD. If i remember correctly, and this was a long time ago so I might be wrong, KD really struggled as a rookie in the league. He was on a horrible team and getting torched in defense and being pushed out of his spots on offense. I think he’d shot horribly that year too. KD is the better prospect. And he’s a genius. But I can see a world where Bailey puts it all together and becomes very very difficult to cover.
Now is he a black hole on offense with little playmaking ability. Yes. Have I been killing Vassell for being the same thing on offense. Yes I have been. The difference though is age. 6 years in and this is what Vassell is just going to be for his career. There’s very little (if any) upside to DVs game anymore. Bailey can be taught how to play defense. He has the tools to be a pretty good defender and definitely the foot speed, length, and height to become an above average one. He, like I said earlier, has the tools to be good offensively as well and I think quite an offensive player. I don’t think he will ever be a playmaker on offense.
For this current Spurs organization, they should not draft Bailey bc they aren’t a serious organization. Our player development is below average, our assistant coaches are below average, our coaching is below average, and we haven’t really show a propensity for winning in going on 7 years now. Bailey will fail if he isn’t nurtured correctly. Flagg is a genius. He will succeed anywhere. It’s just a matter of him going to a ty organization like NO, SA, Was, Chi where he will be a B+ type of player, or a decent organization like Toronto and Portland. Or maybe he turns around the Hornets somehow? Idk but I see him being a good player regardless. Actually now that I think about it, if Bailey doesn’t end up in Portland or Toronto or Utah then he will be a huge disappointment. It sucks for 19 year olds that the only grown up organizations don’t pick them. OKC being the outlier.
I no longer know the point of my postother than the Spurs need to shake up the organization. Get real coaching and then pick Bailey. None of it is happening anyway since we are getting Flagg so it’s a moot point and Pop is staying on President.
We can't even be sure that Fleming is an NBA player. Him becoming Naz Reid is basically best case scenario, i.e. his ceiling. He's a good option with the ATL pick, but no way am I picking him in the top 10.
Bailey is more like Ingram or MPJ, but nowhere close to KD. I got him 4th on my board. Definitely agree with the Spurs being a poorly run organization. We're basically the WCF Wizards.
I’d like for us to identify opposing GMs who think this way and just trade with them.
For example, if MIN thought Fleming would be better than Naz, and Fleming was sitting there at #14 and would trade us Naz for Fleming, I’d do that in a heartbeat.
Prey on opposing GMs who value mystery boxes over sure things.
I'll definitely be celebrating if spurs are able to snatch essengue at 14. Seems like the perfect gamble. With fears, Kon, queen, and Malauch at #8, i'll be happy with.
If Sheppard was in this draft, who here thinks where he would land, and who would you take, kon vs. sheppard? (trying to get optimistic for the inevitable)
I wouldn't draft Sheppard last year and I wouldn't draft Sheppard this year. Knueppel is like the player people think Reed Sheppard was supposed to be. Knueppel can actually dribble the basketball, shoot on the move, and not get bounced around like a tiny rubber ball.
Sheppard takes over the past year have proven that most people don't understand there are so many unathletic guards who are good shooters out there, but it doesn't really matter when they can't get their shot off in the NBA.
Sheppard's absolute ceiling is Steve Kerr. He can't even be Patty Mills because Patty could dribble the ball and beat his man.
The era of shooters who can't do anything else is over. They just get abused over and over again.
RC- Drunkford, you're kidding me if you don't think Fleming an NBA player.
He can shoot 3s at 4 to 5 feet behind 3-point line with an hand on his face.
This kind of shooting will translate into NBA. Very hard to close out.
With hard close-out, he can drive to the basket and dunk. very efficient.
Of course Minnesota will not trade Naz for Fleming because Fleming will need to years to reach Naz's level of play.
Essengue is exciting too. So tall but moves like a guard. Will slow down many 2s and 3s.
But you never know if he can put more muscle on and defend 4s.
His 3-point shot is a question mark, just like most prospects except Kon, Fleming, etc.
No one is taking Sheppard over Kon or even entertaining the idea. You give Kon Flaggs physical tools and he probably goes #1 ahead of him.
In theory he is. Practically the jury is out and we don't know. He has all the tools, but you are talking about the guy like he's been in the league for 10 years.
I'm all in at Bailey with the 3rd pick if the spurs get the third pick. Listed at 6'10 and can knock down shots and is a strong finisher at the rim is just what the Spurs need.
Don't let them talk you away from Bailey spurraider21. A lot of these loud mouths in here don't have the best track record in who they like as prospects.
Even if he ends up like Ingram that would be excellent for the Spurs. I don't expect him to be as good as KD but he is similar in height(listed only 1 inch shorter) and I like his shooting form and perimeter shot upside ability and he can finish at the rim.
These draft picks are made with who has more upside potential and Bailey has far more than a player like Kon Kneuppel who most in here are high on.
Similar Games, both are primarily catch and shoot offensive players.
I've seen tape on this guy and most of his baskets are catch and shoot shots witht the occasional hesitation drive to the basket and step back shot.
Kon has more size so he won't struggle to get off shots as much as Sheppard but will struggle with his lack of vertical lift in the NBA making him more of a primarily a catch and shoot perimeter threat.
There is value in those players but I don't see him as a strong option for a starter in the NBA and for sure not at SF where the spurs need to upgrade.
I have a way better track record than you, that’s for sure. When have you made a call that wasn’t consensus or obvious? Never. You’re just saying what everyone else is saying, tbh. If someone wanted a better, more fleshed out and non-racist take, they can just read an ESPN article on the 2025 draft. You’re not very original.
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