Pick #14 - Strategies

[objective]

WTF does it mean for a draft prospect to be listed as a "potential Duke recruit"? Isn't everyone on the planet technically a potential Duke recruit?

I think it's because of the transfer portal and NIL money .... I think some guys have agreements and $$$ amounts already in place in case they don't like their draft buzz and go back to school.

[scott]

I wonder if trading #8 last year was in small part due to not wanting two rookies to have to worry about so they could focus exclusively on developing Castle… or if it was truly a matter of liking the MIN deal/not liking what was on the board.

If it was a matter of development (maybe they didn’t love the experience with 3 rookies with Sochan/Branham/Wesley), then they might look to trade out of #14 as well.

[RC_Drunkford]

you either use the pick on a forward or a back up C. Bryant and Fleming are my top options in that range. I'd rather pick a back up C with our 2nd rounder, but not sure if we are taking on 3 rookies.

[John B]

If they keep Dylan, Fleming is the perfect Naz Reid type here at 14, the same 9’1 standing reach who can shoot 3 and play D.

The problem is he might rise with that Combine measurement.

[Raven]

trade for sure, but otherwise it has to be a center.

[Robz4000]

you either use the pick on a forward or a back up C. Bryant and Fleming are my top options in that range. I'd rather pick a back up C with our 2nd rounder, but not sure if we are taking on 3 rookies.

They need an experienced backup C regardless imo.

[Robz4000]

If they can get a package like they got for #8 last year they should take it imo.

[Mal]

I would like Esengue with the pick

[exstatic]

This is gonna be a trade for cash smh

Uh, no. We haven’t sold a first round pick in decades.

[RC_Drunkford]

They need an experienced backup C regardless imo.

sure but we'll also need a 3rd one and I'd like to pick a big in the 2nd round for that role. I don't think Charles Bassey's knees will hold up. They won't bring him back.

[buttsR4rebounding]

I was thinking. Lets say we keep #2. Would we see if Brooklyn would trade Cam for #14?

Brooklyn already has the 8th, 19th, 26th and 27th picks in this draft. Getting the 14th pick for Cam seems like a non-starter. In fact, I think it is more likely that they would be interested in trading 19 and 26 for 14 if the Spurs are interested which I doubt they would be. I look for the Nets to be either consolidating picks or trading out picks for future drafts not taking on more picks.

[mo7888]

I'd go McNeeley, Fleming, or Essengue, leaning towards the first two.

That's where I'm at too, especially if McNeely is still available. Get a serviceable big in the 2nd.

[Manu&Duncan fan]

Fleming at 14.

This kid play with fire in his eyes.

Plus, very humble and soft-spoken. Like a typical spur.

[mo7888]

Ok...here me out...

#14 + Devin + Keldon to Philly for #3 + PG

[baseline bum]

Ok...here me out...

#14 + Devin + Keldon to Philly for #3 + PG

Philly's not giving up the #3 pick just to get out of three years of PG13.

[mo7888]

Philly's not giving up the #3 pick just to get out of three years of PG13.

Maybe, but I'm not sure. It didn't work for them last year and they need depth. It might require adding Sochan or another asset, but I doubt it'll take much more than that since Morey's job is on a short-term leash, not a longterm one.

[Russ]

Since there is no doubt who the Spurs will (and should) take at #2, the #14 pick becomes even more interesting and potentially critical to the team's future.

Here's a list of players available at #14 through the end of the First Round according to the latest mocks by NBADraft.net and Tankathon.

Note that many of these guys were favorites on this board even at #8 if the Spurs had retained that pick.

First, NBADraft.net:

Joan Beringer 6-10 230 PF/C France Intl.
Rasheer Fleming 6-9 240 PF/C St. Joseph's Jr.
Asa Newell 6-10 220 PF Georgia Fr.
Liam McNeeley 6-7 210 SF UConn Fr.
Will Riley 6-8 180 SF Illinois Fr.
Nique Clifford 6-6 200 SG Colorado St. Sr.
Khaman Maluach 7-2 250 C Duke Fr.
Tahaad Pettiford 6-1 170 PG Auburn Fr.
Boogie Fland 6-2 175 PG/SG Arkansas Fr.
Yaxel Lendeborg 6-9 250 PF/C UAB Sr.
Carter Bryant 6-8 220 SF Arizona Fr.
Collin Murray-Boyles 6-7 245 PF/C South Carolina So.
Jase Richardson 6-3 180 PG/SG Michigan St. Fr.
Noah Penda 6-6 215 SG/SF France Intl.
Walter Clayton 6-4 190 PG Florida Sr.
Labaron Philon 6-4 180 PG Alabama Fr.
Hugo Gonzalez 6-6 200 SG Spain Intl.

According to Tankathon:

Noa Essengue
Liam McNeeley
Egor Demin
Nolan Traore
Thomas Sorber
Carter Bryant
Rasheer Fleming
Ben Saraf
Joan Beringer
Danny Wolf
Nique Clifford
Will Riley
Yaxel Lendeborg
Walter Clayton Jr.
Labaron Philon
Kam Jones
Johni Broome

This could be a crucial decision that we all scrutinize in retrospect -- the Spurs need to nail it.

[Bruno]

i like bryant a lot, but he has no on-ball game or ball handling to speak of. neither does Fleming, but its more forgivable when you have that kind of size. i dont really see high upside in Newell. Essengue is at least intriguing and his shooting has come alive a bit, but man, if we are taking Harper, i really want the next pick to have shooting as one of his strengths, not one of his swing skills

Right now, there isn't a single player to me that is a no-brainer to be picked at 14th by Spurs. Lack of shooting is a true issue for some of theses prospects. Not having on ball skills is less an issue to me because Spurs won't need that for him with all the playmakers they will have.

Trading the pick for a vet is fine by me.

[Mr. Body]

I wonder if trading #8 last year was in small part due to not wanting two rookies to have to worry about so they could focus exclusively on developing Castle… or if it was truly a matter of liking the MIN deal/not liking what was on the board.

If it was a matter of development (maybe they didn’t love the experience with 3 rookies with Sochan/Branham/Wesley), then they might look to trade out of #14 as well.

By accounts, they had someone in mind they wanted to take. Open question who that was. But they did advertise they were interested in offers. This came out publicly, which is unusual for them. If Minnesota didn't give the kind of offer they wanted, they would probably have taken their guy.

[mo7888]

Right now, there isn't a single player to me that is a no-brainer to be picked at 14th by Spurs. Lack of shooting is a true issue for some of theses prospects. Not having on ball skills is less an issue to me because Spurs won't need that for him with all the playmakers they will have.

Trading the pick for a vet is fine by me.

I'm good with trading it for a vet, using it on a big that drops (Queen/Sorber), but other than that I just prioritize who I think will be a consistent deep threat.

[Mr. Body]

I don't think I want to trade this pick for a vet, but Harper really changes everything. We don't need to swing for upside because, well, it's here. I still want to go for upside, personally, nonetheless. It would be hard for me to pass on an Egon Demin or take a swing on those Bryant guys. Problem is that pick is fairly expensive salary-wise for a non sure thing.

[Kurik]

Fleming or Bryant would be my top choices if available.

I’d be cool with CMB or Sorber if the above aren’t available.

I think all 4 could play a healthy number of minutes off the bench right away.

[spurraider21]

[vy65]

Spurs likely taking Harper at #2 will result in them playing a lot of 3 guards lineup. It makes a player, who is primary a SF, like McNeeley, less attractive than before the lottery.

Fleming's profile is even more perfect now for Spurs. Spurs fifth player alongside Fox, Harper, Castle and Wembanyama can play a Bowen like role on the offensive end. The main question about Fleming is whether or not he is a good player behind his great profile.

Spurs could gamble on some young high upside prospect like Asa Newell, Carter Bryant, Essengue or even Beringer.

Excellent thoughts. You'd think with 3 dynamic guards, you'd want a Bowen-type 3/D long PF next to Wemby. I don't know the comparative strengths/weaknesses between Fleming/CMB/Bryant/Essengue/McNeely, but it sounds like there will be several prospects that could fit a position of need at 14. There is a lot of anticipation that some combination (hopefully most) of Vessell/Keldon/Sochan/Branham/Blake will be gone too, so I think it becomes more important to use the pick than to move off of it given the team's needs.

[Russ]

The trouble with Fleming is the what I call the Jalen Williams OKC problem.

You draft an older player who hits the ground running and looks like a brilliant pick, a steal.

But as good as he is, he still has a ceiling that is what it is.

Then you have to pay him at some point, maybe the max.

Then a bargain becomes a dilemma.

The key with a guy like Jalen Williams or Fleming is timing.

If you're a mature winning team, you can pick those guys, use them and then let them walk.

But if you're a young emerging team, and you make them one of your building blocks, then you may have a problem.

The question is, what stage are the Spurs at now?

I think the Spurs are a year or so away from taking a guy like Fleming.