Spurs Draft Discussion: 2019 NBA Draft

[cd021]

i don't See one mock where bitadze is here with raptors pick ( except CBS one). I agrée with You they Will probably Target a wing but as they go with the BPA we Will See

I have only seen him as a very late first and no higher thus far. I think he'll be around at the raptors pick tbh

[pad300]

I like Spurs going for Windler. I think he could be a contributor sometime next year.

I'm not a fan. Yeah, he's a decent shooter, and has good rebounding numbers, and they call him a Guard. But in practice, he's playing PF not at G: he plays on Belmont, of their top 6 players in minutes played, there is one 6'11" C, Dylan at 6'8", and 4 guards at 6'0", 6'2", 6'4" and 6'3". It's not surprising that he's got good rebounding #'s.

[Chinook]

I have only seen him as a very late first and no higher thus far. I think he'll be around at the raptors pick tbh

I agree with Dunc that Goga has moved up to the low-20s. He could well be around at 29 given the general value of centers and the potential for a run on wings after the lottery. He rose a lot in the mocks I had followed this year. I think more than a lot of players, Goga having a good combine with affect his status. He needs to show what he can do against NBA athletes and in an NBA-style compe ion. If he doesn't show off special talent, then his stock will fall behind guys to fit more teams' needs. If he can show potential as a four, then he may go a lot higher.

[r0drig0lac]

I want Doumbouya as first choice

[exstatic]

I want Doumbouya as first choice

He'll likely be gone.

[Fusternino]

Duombouya's stock has fallen a lot. Low counting stats. I still think our pick + Forbes gets it done to move to 13-16.

[Drom John]

Sports Illustrated: 2019 NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Projecting All 60 Picks After March Madness
By Jeremy Woo April 09, 2019

20.San Antonio Spurs Spurs: Cam Johnson, SF, North Carolina

Height: 6’8" | Weight: 210 | Senior

The unflashy but dangerous Johnson could help San Antonio immediately as a specialist, and they might have a need for a bigger wing like him if Rudy Gay departs. He had an outstanding senior year for the Tar Heels after getting fully healthy, and although he’s already 23, he should be able to help a team next season. Johnson doesn’t come with a crazy ceiling, but he might be an above-average specialist. He’ll need to be in order to mask his issues defensively.

29.San Antonio Spurs Spurs (via Raptors): Neemias Queta, C, Utah State

Height: 6’11" | Weight: 240 | Freshman

Queta has yet to declare for the draft, but if he does, there will likely be interest from teams drafting in the late first round thanks to his potential as a rim protector. He’s raw, but the Portuguese import was extremely impactful as a true freshman and is a natural interior defender with real length to contest shots. Another season at Utah State could help, but he’d be a good flier for someone right now. The Spurs, of course, are no stranger to international talent.

48. Spurs: Dedric Lawson, PF, Kansas

[Drom John]

Bleacher Report: 2019 NBA Mock Draft: Predicting 1st-Round Results Post-NCAA Tournament
Jonathan Wasserman
April 9, 2019

20. San Antonio: Grant Williams (Tennessee, PF, Junior)

A 6'7", 236-pound "big man" without any explosion, Williams doesn't scream upside. But he shouldn't need to at No. 20 overall, where the Spurs can feel good about adding a tough, high-IQ role player. He has shown the ability to create significant separation as a scorer around the key, while his passing, rebounding and defense jump out as translatable, ancillary strengths.

29. San Antonio Spurs (via Raptors): Matisse Thybulle (Washington, SG/SF, Senior)

Thybulle's 3.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per game pop off the scouting report, and the film shows instincts and anticipation that back up the stats. He's one of the draft's most intriguing defensive prospects who's shooting (career 35.8 percent 3PT) could make or break his NBA potential. The gamble is worth it for San Antonio this late.

[Drom John]

The Big Lead: 2019 NBA Mock Draft: Zion Williamson Goes To The Knicks and Ja Morant Lands With The Suns
By: Ryan Phillips | 2 hours ago [AKA 9 April 2019]

20. San Antonio Spurs: Goga Bitadze, C, Georgia

Goga Bitadze is 6’11” and 251 pounds but can step out on the floor and hit shots. He can handle the ball a bit and pass pretty well for a center. He’s not fleet of foot or likely to ever be a great on-ball defender away from the paint, but he can protect the rim.

The Spurs need some depth on the interior and Bitadze has some upside as well.

29. San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto): Eric Paschall, F, Villanova

Eric Paschall is 6’8″ and a massive 260 pounds. He’s a load down low but he’s athletic and versatile. He’s got a good jumper, hitting 34.8 percent from 3-point range and 74.6 percent from the free throw line. He can defend and was a key piece of Villanova’s le team in 2018.

He’s the kind of tough, smart player Gregg Popovich loves.

[Drom John]

Tennessean: 2019 NBA Mock Draft, post-national championship edition
Nicklaus Gray, Nashville Tennessean Published 6:00 a.m. CT April 9, 2019 | Updated 10:05 a.m. CT April 9, 2019

20. San Antonio Spurs — P.J. Washington, Forward, Kentucky

Imagine Washington leading the Spurs' second unit as an inside-out option, then playing alongside LaMarcus Aldridge at times. Much like others around this part of the draft, if his shooting improves a tick, he can be really good.

29. San Antonio Spurs — Tyler Herro, Guard, Kentucky

Kentucky's third first-round pick of this mock is the best shooter of the bunch. He works hard defensively, but will give up size to nearly every wing in the NBA. But drafting Herro is drafting his jump shot.

[Drom John]

NJ.com: Latest NBA Mock Draft 2019: Zion Williamson to Knicks? Ja Morant or RJ Barrett at No. 2? Sixers get ACC wing?
By Zack Rosenblatt | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com | Posted April 09, 2019 at 05:45 AM | Updated April 09, 2019 at 07:22 AM

20. San Antonio Spurs: F Cameron Johnson, North Carolina

Johnson is one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft with good size (6-9, 210) and a smooth shooting stroke (45.7 percent from three). The Spurs have to replace Rudy Gay, too.

29. San Antonio Spurs (via Raptors): C Goga Bitadze, Republic of Georgia

The Spurs are always liable to take a chance on a long-term project, especially international, and Bitadze fits the bill.

[Drom John]

Def Pen: 2019 NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Post-NCAA Tournament Edition
April 9, 201910 minute read Gabe Esquivel

20. San Antonio Spurs
Goga Bitadze: Big- Mega Bemax

Status: Undeclared

The Spurs and a skilled foreign prospect always seem like a great pair. Goga Bitadze is a 6-foot-11 big man who has flashed some shooting touch but makes plays on both ends with high-level feel. He may not be the most switchable big man that NBA teams crave, but he shouldn’t be a total liability in that regard, and possesses enough length and IQ to partially compensate for some of the athletic shortcomings.

29. San Antonio Spurs (Via Toronto Raptors)
KZ Okpala: Big- Stanford

Status: Undeclared

KZ Okpala offers a modern take on the power forward position, with the ability to shoot the ball from deep as well as put it on the floor. Okpala will need to refine his ball skills as well as overall defensive awareness.

[Twisted_Dawg]

Duombouya's stock has fallen a lot. Low counting stats. I still think our pick + Forbes gets it done to move to 13-16.

If we do pick 18-20, I wonder by trading that pick and Forbes, how many spots that lets us move up? I guess it depends on the trading partner and their opinion of Forbes. I agree with you, I think it only moves us up 4-5 spots max. I'm fine with that.

[Twisted_Dawg]

Hey Drom John,
Thanks for all the updates and great work! Much appreciated!

[ZeusWillJudge]

Sports Illustrated: 2019 NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Projecting All 60 Picks After March Madness
By Jeremy Woo April 09, 2019

20.San Antonio Spurs Spurs: Cam Johnson, SF, North Carolina

Height: 6’8" | Weight: 210 | Senior

29.San Antonio Spurs Spurs (via Raptors): Neemias Queta, C, Utah State

Height: 6’11" | Weight: 240 | Freshman

48. Spurs: Dedric Lawson, PF, Kansas

I hope SI is right. I said above, I think Cam Johnson is their guy with their first pick now. I don't like Queta, but SI doesn't have Okeke in the first round. And Dedric Lawson just declared - he would be one of a good use of that second round pick if he makes it that far.

Yeah, gimme Cam Johnson, Okeke, and Dedric Lawson and I'd call it a good draft.

[duncan2150]

Would be interesting to see where our pick ends, we could be something like 19 to 22 ( Boston will play only reserves guys tonight except brown , Indiana could lost their last game too and maybe we will be above okc, imo we will finish 6th or 7th)

[sasaint]

I hope SI is right. I said above, I think Cam Johnson is their guy with their first pick now. I don't like Queta, but SI doesn't have Okeke in the first round. And Dedric Lawson just declared - he would be one of a good use of that second round pick if he makes it that far.

Yeah, gimme Cam Johnson, Okeke, and Dedric Lawson and I'd call it a good draft.

I would call that a dream draft. But in a league that is evolving into teams playing 3-4 6’6”-6’8” multi-position players it would be just like Pop to build a roster of 6’3”-6’5” guys complemented by 2 or 3 6’11” traditional 5s.

[MoSpur02]

This

[TD 21]

I think Aldridge should be happy in SA. For some odd reason, though, he seems to view leaving Portland as a mistake. I'm just not as certain as you are that he won't want out, though I do agree he likely will play out both years.

I don't think the Spurs will let the Leonard trade stop them from letting Poeltl walk if the money doesn't make sense. Poe is a pretty prototypical modern big, so I see him getting way more interest than someone like Brook Lopez did. It's just more of a timing issue than anything. The Spurs let go of legit rotation players in both of the previous years they used cap space. Even if they don't sink it all on a big fish, they aren't likely to return all of Bertans, Beli, Forbes, Murray, DeRozan and Poeltl in that off-season.

Again, I don't think Gay views SA as a necessary partner. He "gave up money" to go to a contender, and the Spurs don't look to be that right now. Sure, he seems to like it in SA, and he has friends on the team. But both sides had to agree to a one-year deal, and I think that lack of commitment is telling.

I know your views on the modern NBA. Pop doesn't seem to share them. He's not playing Poeltl and LMA together to change things up. He's doing it because he believes in the potential of that unit. Even though it's not hard to find a third center, it's not easy to find centers that can make a lineup with LMA work. Like Kanter may well be a good backup center next year, but if Poeltl gets hurt, he's not going to be able to start next to Aldridge. Pop COULD go small in response, but I don't think he'd want to (even though it's up in the air if Murray's return would even allow for two bigs). Getting a third center who could play with Aldridge and maybe Poeltl would be Pop's dream, and such a player isn't nearly as easy to find as the scrapheap centers. I get that you don't believe that Goga, Bol or Porter can play that sort of role. But PATFO might think differently, especially after a year of development.

Who needs a center, has significant cap space and will prioritize it on a restricted (which means overpaying), role playing one?

The only one who matterd to them like Poeltl will, wasn't going to be tenable on the current roster.

At least one of Belinelli and Forbes are definitely gone after next season. Poeltl and Bertans will be prioritized. DeRozan is probably more likely to re-sign than not, but that'll be tied to Aldridge's future + the development of the 3 young guards.

He wanted to be on a stable, drama free, playoff team, that had a chance of going on a run. There was only 1-2 contenders (you can debate the Rockets; I'd argue they weren't).

I don't. I think it was unclear how the team would look at the time and what he was worth going forward. Both of those things have been cleared up.

Yet he toggles between playing strictly 1 big lineups or 2 big lineups for roughly 12 mpg, depending on the match-up. That's pushing it as is. Any more is untenable and they know it, even if they don't like it.

[Mr. Body]

If we do pick 18-20, I wonder by trading that pick and Forbes, how many spots that lets us move up? I guess it depends on the trading partner and their opinion of Forbes. I agree with you, I think it only moves us up 4-5 spots max. I'm fine with that.

You think a passable bench guy who may be out of the league soon will move a team up slots in the draft?

[Mr. Body]

Tennessean: 2019 NBA Mock Draft, post-national championship edition
Nicklaus Gray, Nashville Tennessean Published 6:00 a.m. CT April 9, 2019 | Updated 10:05 a.m. CT April 9, 2019

The Spurs are NEVER going to draft two players from Kentucky. I'd be surprised if they draft even one.

[timvp]

Boston tried to tank tonight but they still won. That's good news because it means the worst the Spurs pick can be now is 21. Current range is 18 to 21.

[R. DeMurre]

Boston tried to tank tonight but they still won. That's good news because it means the worst the Spurs pick can be now is 21. Current range is 18 to 21.

[Dejounte]

The only way we can get 18 is if we lose the next game and become 8th seed right?

[timvp]

Raptors and Warriors both won. If Warriors can win their final game (@MEM), then a coin flip will decide whether the Spurs get 28 or 29.

I'd imagine the Grizzlies would be the favorites though. The Warriors will be on a back-to-back, will have nothing to play for and Kerr will be extra paranoid because Steph Curry got hurt tonight.