2024 NBA Draft Thread

[Mr. Body]

Wemby didn't play with a real big the first part of the year. Collins is worthless.

Regardless of your opinion of Collins, it didn't work for Victor.

[buttsR4rebounding]

The first part of the year pretty much showed that Wembanyama can't co-exist with another big, much less a non-shooter.

It actually showed he can’t play without a competent point guard.

[Mr. Body]

It actually showed he can’t play without a competent point guard.

Maybe it showed more than one thing. Crazy, huh.

[sfernald]

One of the reasons I'm not big on Sarr is my French Foreign Fraud theory, which hasn't really failed me with regard to first round picks

The theory goes that the domestic French league is plenty good with exposure, coaching, and money that legit French prospects stay in France and get noticed and scouted appropriately.

But players who leave France for other lesser leagues do it because they're not good enough to stand out in France. So by leaving for other leagues, they get noticed and pop with that extra notoriety of, "ooh, he's french!". And that is what happens and people defend it not realizing that the most legit French guys don't need to go elsewhere. Wemby was fine in France, Batum, Fournier, Coulibaly, Gobert, Parker, if a French player in a French league is legit, he'll get a first round grade.

When a player goes somewhere else, that should be a red flag: Timothy Luwawu-Cabarot, ABA fraud. Killian Hayes: German league fraud. Ousmane Dieng, on his way to being an Australian fraud. And now Sarr. Even Cissoko, if taken in the first round, probably would have been a g-league fraud.

Just a theory I have but I think it works.

I think the verdict is still out on Ousmane Dieng. It’s really hard to find him minutes on that Okc roster, but he’s been starting to be more aggressive and make his threes. He’s only 20 and everyone knew drafting him he was going to be a big project. The problem is Okc doesn’t have time or space for projects. As it is though he’s killing it in the gleague now. Good signs. Hopefully he gets a big opportunity next year if not on Okc he’s be great on the Spurs.

[exstatic]

I think the verdict is still out on Ousmane Dieng. It’s really hard to find him minutes on that Okc roster, but he’s been starting to be more aggressive and make his threes. He’s only 20 and everyone knew drafting him he was going to be a big project. The problem is Okc doesn’t have time or space for projects. As it is though he’s killing it in the gleague now. Good signs. Hopefully he gets a big opportunity next year if not on Okc he’s be great on the Spurs.

You’d think if you spent three FRPs on a player, you’d find minutes to develop him unless he were absolute trash.

[scott]

Nuñez is a true good young player. He was the starting PG of the Spanish national team last summer at the world cup while being only 19 years old. He is a good pick and roll PG with a questionable jump shot. I haven't seen enough of him to really tell you more. BTW, he isn't playing in Spain, Ratiopharm Ulm is a German team.

What Spurs will do with their two second round picks will obviously depend a lot on the available roster spots they have. Draft and Stash might be an option but signing a two way contract might be another one. Spurs' three two way players (Bouyea, Duke Jr. and Gray) aren't really legit NBA prospects: the two-way pipeline is empty.
I think the most likely for the Lakers second round pick is a two way player.
For their own second round pick, I guess it will depend a lot on whether or not Spurs get the Raptors first round pick.

I would like Nunez as a potential draft and stash... but does that align with Nunez's plans?

Seems weird that the Spurs seem disinterested in high SRPs (having traded away #38 and #33 the last two years). My only guess is that they go into the second round with a short list of players they are interested in and don't deviate much from that if those guys aren't there.

[scott]

How does Sarr compare to Jalen Duren? Based solely on reading people's takes, seems like they are pretty similar players. But Duren was always a guy talked about late lotto, not #1 overall potentially.

[exstatic]

How does Sarr compare to Jalen Duren? Based solely on reading people's takes, seems like they are pretty similar players. But Duren was always a guy talked about late lotto, not #1 overall potentially.

Duran was always thought of as an A++ athlete. Sarr has had some chatter about his ability to finish above the rim. If you’re raw,you’d better ing be an elite athlete.

[sfernald]

You’d think if you spent three FRPs on a player, you’d find minutes to develop him unless he were absolute trash.

The primary reason for paying three firsts for that pick was to prevent a team from moving up and getting JDub. They specially did the pick more to block other teams from nabbing JDub. In fact that’s why they didn’t risk taking him with the traded pick cause they didn’t want to lose him in case something bad happened with the trade.

So yeah well well worth it for one of the most promising young players in the league.

We won’t know the verdict on Dieng until he hits 23+.

[sfernald]

Duran was always thought of as an A++ athlete. Sarr has had some chatter about his ability to finish above the rim. If you’re raw,you’d better ing be an elite athlete.

I personally think Sarr will end up being like a more athletic but less skilled version of Chet. I think his jumper will develop and so will his three pointer and he will be able to guard bigs down low and also guard perimeter players to the three point line. And lots and lots of help side blocks. Think 7’1” 3&D wing like prime Wiggins. Won’t ever have a crazy handle to be a playmaker but will be a terrific fit next to Wemby in his final form.

[baseline bum]

I personally think Sarr will end up being like a more athletic but less skilled version of Chet. I think his jumper will develop and so will his three pointer and he will be able to guard bigs down low and also guard perimeter players to the three point line. And lots and lots of help side blocks. Think 7’1” 3&D wing like prime Wiggins. Won’t ever have a crazy handle to be a playmaker but will be a terrific fit next to Wemby in his final form.

As an OKC fan I can't believe you'd insult Chet by comparing Sarr to him. Chet's a future MVP candidate and if it wasn't for Wemby he'd be the runaway best rookie since Doncic. I can't ever see Sarr shooting like Holmgren or having the tight handles Chet has and he's nowhere near the shotblocker Chet is either.

[exstatic]

As an OKC fan I can't believe you'd insult Chet by comparing Sarr to him. Chet's a future MVP candidate and if it wasn't for Wemby he'd be the runaway best rookie since Doncic. I can't ever see Sarr shooting like Holmgren or having the tight handles Chet has and he's nowhere near the shotblocker Chet is either.

Wow.

[sfernald]

As an OKC fan I can't believe you'd insult Chet by comparing Sarr to him. Chet's a future MVP candidate and if it wasn't for Wemby he'd be the runaway best rookie since Doncic. I can't ever see Sarr shooting like Holmgren or having the tight handles Chet has and he's nowhere near the shotblocker Chet is either.

I didn’t mean to say that he would be as good as Chet, (add “Poor Man’s Chet” in your head if you want) just that that was his archetype which is a very useful player in the league today.

[exstatic]

I didn’t mean to say that he would be as good as Chet, (add “Poor Man’s Chet” in your head if you want) just that that was his archetype which is a very useful player in the league today.

Unskilled bigs aren’t useful.

[Bruno]

But players who leave France for other lesser leagues do it because they're not good enough to stand out in France.

That's the main issue with your theory: most of these players didn't leave France because they weren't good enough:
- Ousmane Dieng was at the end of his high school cycle and had to find a new team. His agent put him in the Australian league.
- Kylian Hayes left France mostly because he was facing a 6 weeks suspension after a feud with french federation over youth NT.
- Cissoko and Sarr left France when they were 14 years old to join very high level teams in Spain.

These players weren't failing in France. However, I think french prospect were, and maybe still are, overrated by NBA teams.

I agree with you that it's worrisome to see a prospect leaving a good team/league to shine at a lower level and you have to look closely at that. Regarding Sarr, that worrisome moment was when he was 16 years old and left Real Madrid to join the overtime elite league.

What I find also worrisome is players coming from showcase teams/leagues: Mega Basket in Serbia, G-league Ignite, Overtime Elite league and Next Stars program in Australia.

[Bruno]

A player that is really intriguing me lately is Devin Carter. He is a couple of years older than most of the other players but there are a lot to like about him.
The main issue is that taking him with the Raptors pick, if it conveys, seems to be too much of a reach and he should be long gone before Spurs second round pick.

[scott]

A player that is really intriguing me lately is Devin Carter. He is a couple of years older than most of the other players but there are a lot to like about him.
The main issue is that taking him with the Raptors pick, if it conveys, seems to be too much of a reach and he should be long gone before Spurs second round pick.

I guess the good news is that 1) the Spurs have shown no hesitation in reaching if it's the guy they like and 2) in this draft, is anyone really a reach?

[Knoxxx]

Spurs should take Edey at 33 or maybe they need to trade up for him a little?

[Russ]

How does Sarr compare to Jalen Duren? Based solely on reading people's takes, seems like they are pretty similar players. But Duren was always a guy talked about late lotto, not #1 overall potentially.

Duren is bigger build and seems way more physical than Sarr.

Athleticism? Who knows. Depends on how you define it. Explosiveness?

Perhaps sometimes people confuse physicality with athleticism.

[CGD]

Spurs should take Edey at 33 or maybe they need to trade up for him a little?

Edey will get roasted on D in the NBA. He just doesn’t have the foot speed at all to hang at the next level.

[onechance87]

Spurs should take Edey at 33 or maybe they need to trade up for him a little?

edy is to slow...Rather try to get a project pg at 33

[CGD]

^ at #33 I hope they go the other way actually: a seasoned college player (not Eddy).

[TrainOfThought5]

edy is to slow...Rather try to get a project pg at 33

bronny James you say? Comes with an All NBA SF to solve that problem too.

[Dejounte]

edy is to slow...Rather try to get a project pg at 33

What makes you think a project pg at 33 will be any better than Wesley & Tre? Those two were picked around that position. What is it about the unknown that makes us believe it’s better than what we have today? We’re lucky Tre turned out to be as good as he is given his draft spot. To hope that lightning will strike twice is pointless.

[onechance87]

What makes you think a project pg at 33 will be any better than Wesley & Tre? Those two were picked around that position. What is it about the unknown that makes us believe it’s better than what we have today? We’re lucky Tre turned out to be as good as he is given his draft spot. To hope that lightning will strike twice is pointless.

This team needs a pg.If its not by trade or free agency,Its gonna have to be thru the draft.Ive seen enough of branham,wesley and tre
to know they cant help wemby or this team to the next level of being decent.