NBA Draft 2020 Thread

[cd021]

Sounds like Hampton has a lot of similar traits to Walker.

Walker's actually the player that I thought of when I watched videos of Hampton. Very high ceiling tbh. If he's available Spurs shouldn't hesitate to draft him.

[Russ]

Pop and Duncan cannot change the trend. Only Silver can.

You're right. Bad ratings will likely end the three-point era before anything else.

[sasaint]

You're right. Bad ratings will likely end the three-point era before anything else.

Yours is the second allusion I have seen to bad or declining ratings recently. Are the NBA's rating declining? I don't really follow that stuff. I know the Spurs ratings have been declining for a couple of years at my house...

[daslicer]

Yours is the second allusion I have seen to bad or declining ratings recently. Are the NBA's rating declining? I don't really follow that stuff. I know the Spurs ratings have been declining for a couple of years at my house...

TV Ratings were down this year and the worst in a long time from what I was reading a few weeks ago.

[sasaint]

TV Ratings were down this year and the worst in a long time from what I was reading a few weeks ago.

Silver will probably conclude that he needs to speed the game up.

[Prime BEEF]

TV Ratings were down this year and the worst in a long time from what I was reading a few weeks ago.

IMO there are too many teams which waters down the average talent on each team. Really need to contract about 4 teams but at least get rid of 2.

[daslicer]

IMO there are too many teams which waters down the average talent on each team. Really need to contract about 4 teams but at least get rid of 2.

I think it's the perfect storm of a a bunch of factors that has caused ratings to go down. In no particular order here are the factors which I think has caused it:
1. Youtube highlights have made it so that fans don't have to tune into games now because whatever they missed can be accessible right in front of them on youtube.
2. Fans of today I feel have more awareness of how only 4-5 players are capable of winning it all. If your team doesn't have one of those players then there is no chance for contention so why even watch.
3. The media alienates fans of small market teams by always taking shots at the small market and saying their star player should leave. Even right now we are hearing how Giannis needs to leave Milwaukee to play in a bigger market. You never hear this type of in baseball or football. So if your team is not in NYC,LA,Miami,Bay Area, then prepare to hear an onslaught of why your team's star player should leave.
4. Due to social media age the players today are just not likable like 20-30 years ago but that's due to social media. Back in the day you didn't know about these players lives off the court but today you do. Casual fan can't relate to young spoiled millionaires who complain about just about everything.
5. Player empowerment in the sense that these guys can decide not to play whenever they don't want to play. They can hijack your team and force a trade. Stuff like this turns off regular people.
6. Relates to point 5. Players change teams too often that a fan base can't form an emotional connection with these players. When I was kid growing up in the 90's you had guys like Ewing,Malone,Hakeem, Reggie Miiller, Stockton who had played with their franchise for 10 years or longer. Today that's a rarity. Usually these guys are gone after years 7.
7. Racial dynamics. Race is very polarizing right now. The NBA has always been a super black league but we have gotten to the point where both sides have jumped to the extreme. When I say this you'll have racist fans at games that will scream racial slurs which is terrible. On the other side you can't give straight up criticism to these players or else you are deemed a racist if the player is black. I feel if #2 was white the Spurs could have gone at him more aggressively without fear of racial tension but because he was black they had to pretty much take the abuse from him and his Uncle through the media.
8. The rule changes have made the league very generic in the sense every team plays the same style of basketball. It works with casual fans in the short term but eventually it fizzles out and they start to tune out.
9. The China situation was a very bad look for the league politically. I think caused some fans not to care anymore about the NBA.
10. The regular season no longer means anything any more to most fans. The media to a large part has killed enthusiasm for the regular season by downplaying it 24/7. If you say a product is crappy all the time then people won't want it. So most fans don't really watch the games and just wait for the playoffs.
11. Lebron is getting old and the league doesn't have anybody yet who can be the new face of the league. If he doesn't go to the finals this year expect Final ratings to be down.

[dbestpro]

The point that all the teams are clones is real. The league needs a team to hate. I would love to see a team that focuses on defense first and plays as hard as the bad boy Pistons did. It would be so much fun to watch the primadonnas of the league have to play real ball with Mahorn, Lambeer and Oakley type players. It just boggles the basketball mind that Harden is considered such a great player because he can make 20 free throws a game.

[talkspurs]

I think it's the perfect storm of a a bunch of factors that has caused ratings to go down. In no particular order here are the factors which I think has caused it:
1. Youtube highlights have made it so that fans don't have to tune into games now because whatever they missed can be accessible right in front of them on youtube.
2. Fans of today I feel have more awareness of how only 4-5 players are capable of winning it all. If your team doesn't have one of those players then there is no chance for contention so why even watch.
3. The media alienates fans of small market teams by always taking shots at the small market and saying their star player should leave. Even right now we are hearing how Giannis needs to leave Milwaukee to play in a bigger market. You never hear this type of in baseball or football. So if your team is not in NYC,LA,Miami,Bay Area, then prepare to hear an onslaught of why your team's star player should leave.
4. Due to social media age the players today are just not likable like 20-30 years ago but that's due to social media. Back in the day you didn't know about these players lives off the court but today you do. Casual fan can't relate to young spoiled millionaires who complain about just about everything.
5. Player empowerment in the sense that these guys can decide not to play whenever they don't want to play. They can hijack your team and force a trade. Stuff like this turns off regular people.
6. Relates to point 5. Players change teams too often that a fan base can't form an emotional connection with these players. When I was kid growing up in the 90's you had guys like Ewing,Malone,Hakeem, Reggie Miiller, Stockton who had played with their franchise for 10 years or longer. Today that's a rarity. Usually these guys are gone after years 7.
7. Racial dynamics. Race is very polarizing right now. The NBA has always been a super black league but we have gotten to the point where both sides have jumped to the extreme. When I say this you'll have racist fans at games that will scream racial slurs which is terrible. On the other side you can't give straight up criticism to these players or else you are deemed a racist if the player is black. I feel if #2 was white the Spurs could have gone at him more aggressively without fear of racial tension but because he was black they had to pretty much take the abuse from him and his Uncle through the media.
8. The rule changes have made the league very generic in the sense every team plays the same style of basketball. It works with casual fans in the short term but eventually it fizzles out and they start to tune out.
9. The China situation was a very bad look for the league politically. I think caused some fans not to care anymore about the NBA.
10. The regular season no longer means anything any more to most fans. The media to a large part has killed enthusiasm for the regular season by downplaying it 24/7. If you say a product is crappy all the time then people won't want it. So most fans don't really watch the games and just wait for the playoffs.
11. Lebron is getting old and the league doesn't have anybody yet who can be the new face of the league. If he doesn't go to the finals this year expect Final ratings to be down.

I agree with the first 10. 11 is marketing. they can find someone else just have not wanted to.
I would also add Player politics talking about it turns off people and related is them talking about wanting more for the poor but making so much money. While a lot of players donate some of the money they make they also live extravagant lifestyles. I am not saying this is wrong but they say one thing and do another.

[SAGirl]

I think it's the perfect storm of a a bunch of factors that has caused ratings to go down. In no particular order here are the factors which I think has caused it:
1. Youtube highlights have made it so that fans don't have to tune into games now because whatever they missed can be accessible right in front of them on youtube.
2. Fans of today I feel have more awareness of how only 4-5 players are capable of winning it all. If your team doesn't have one of those players then there is no chance for contention so why even watch.
3. The media alienates fans of small market teams by always taking shots at the small market and saying their star player should leave. Even right now we are hearing how Giannis needs to leave Milwaukee to play in a bigger market. You never hear this type of in baseball or football. So if your team is not in NYC,LA,Miami,Bay Area, then prepare to hear an onslaught of why your team's star player should leave.
4. Due to social media age the players today are just not likable like 20-30 years ago but that's due to social media. Back in the day you didn't know about these players lives off the court but today you do. Casual fan can't relate to young spoiled millionaires who complain about just about everything.
5. Player empowerment in the sense that these guys can decide not to play whenever they don't want to play. They can hijack your team and force a trade. Stuff like this turns off regular people.
6. Relates to point 5. Players change teams too often that a fan base can't form an emotional connection with these players. When I was kid growing up in the 90's you had guys like Ewing,Malone,Hakeem, Reggie Miiller, Stockton who had played with their franchise for 10 years or longer. Today that's a rarity. Usually these guys are gone after years 7.
7. Racial dynamics. Race is very polarizing right now. The NBA has always been a super black league but we have gotten to the point where both sides have jumped to the extreme. When I say this you'll have racist fans at games that will scream racial slurs which is terrible. On the other side you can't give straight up criticism to these players or else you are deemed a racist if the player is black. I feel if #2 was white the Spurs could have gone at him more aggressively without fear of racial tension but because he was black they had to pretty much take the abuse from him and his Uncle through the media.
8. The rule changes have made the league very generic in the sense every team plays the same style of basketball. It works with casual fans in the short term but eventually it fizzles out and they start to tune out.
9. The China situation was a very bad look for the league politically. I think caused some fans not to care anymore about the NBA.
10. The regular season no longer means anything any more to most fans. The media to a large part has killed enthusiasm for the regular season by downplaying it 24/7. If you say a product is crappy all the time then people won't want it. So most fans don't really watch the games and just wait for the playoffs.
11. Lebron is getting old and the league doesn't have anybody yet who can be the new face of the league. If he doesn't go to the finals this year expect Final ratings to be down.

You didn’t add

GSW sucking this year has likely caused a huge fan base they had to tune off.

Durant also is injured.

[Drom John]

Watch them take Mannion.

That would be a megamiss.

Forbes: Updated 2020 NBA Mock Draft: Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Deni Avdija And James Wiseman Round Out The Top Four
Tommy Beer, Feb 17, 2020, 09:21am

13. San Antonio Spurs: Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona, - Freshman

Mannion's struggles this season have caused his stock to dip a bit. However, although he may not have a superstar ceiling, because of his solid all-around game and intangibles, most scouts agree that he is an extremely safe pick with a high floor. The Spurs have young, talented guards in Dejounte Murray and Derrick White, but Mannion seems like he'd be a great fit in their system.

[Kobe'sAchilles]

You didn’t add

GSW sucking this year has likely caused a huge fan base they had to tune off.

Durant also is injured.

Ratings were down 20% last year too though. Plus both LA teams are front runners for the le, so this should be an upyear if anything for the league. Silver has done a lot of good things for the league, the problem is that the players are letting him down. Lebron, KD, Steph, Harden, Kyrie, Kawhi, these are all players who have literally said (or their actions have said) that the regular season doesn't matter. Until that mindset changes, at least perception wise, there is no real fix for this.

[BackHome]

Is this a ratings thread or a draft thread I am confused?

[daslicer]

I agree with the first 10. 11 is marketing. they can find someone else just have not wanted to.
I would also add Player politics talking about it turns off people and related is them talking about wanting more for the poor but making so much money. While a lot of players donate some of the money they make they also live extravagant lifestyles. I am not saying this is wrong but they say one thing and do another.

1. Right now the problem is there is no current young player for the league to market as the face of the league. Some would say it should be Giannis but the problem with Giannis is that he's a foreigner so it makes it harder to sell him to casual fans. There has been a push by the media to try to make #2 that guy but it has failed miserably due to him having zero charisma and load management. Right now there is nobody under the age of 30 the league can push. It could take a few years before they can find that new guy to market. I can tell they are hoping it will be Zion judging by all the hype he's getting.

2. I definitely agree with you on the players politics offending people especially when they say they care and understand the plight of the poor but then say stupid things such as "The regular season is too long and I don't feel I should have to play that many games." or "My life is very hard and difficult."

[daslicer]

Ratings were down 20% last year too though. Plus both LA teams are front runners for the le, so this should be an upyear if anything for the league. Silver has done a lot of good things for the league, the problem is that the players are letting him down. Lebron, KD, Steph, Harden, Kyrie, Kawhi, these are all players who have literally said (or their actions have said) that the regular season doesn't matter. Until that mindset changes, at least perception wise, there is no real fix for this.

Agreed I was going to give a similar response but you have already said what I was going to say. Just like you said the Lakers are a contender but TV ratings are down which is not a good sign. In the past whenever the Lakers have been contenders the ratings have always been up. Also most Warrior fans are also Laker fans so there shouldn't be a drop off.

[Drom John]

Bleacher Report: 2020 NBA Mock Draft: No. 1 Spot Up for Grabs 1 Month Before NCAA Tournament
Jonathan Wasserman, February 18, 2020

13. San Antonio Spurs: Nico Mannion (Arizona, PG, Freshman)

Mannion would be a complement to Dejounte Murray in San Antonio with his sharper passing and shooting. He's in a slump and lacks advantageous physical tools that Hayes and Anthony possess, but his skill level and compe iveness remain attractive for an NBA guard.

[TimDunkem]

Totally should grab another guard when you have one in DD masquerading as a SF, you have DJ and White, Mills is a Spur for life, Belli will probably get minimum deals here until he retires too, and you're about to give Bryan Fobbes a new contract. Totally.

[Drom John]

ESPN as cited by SB Nation A Sea of Blue

13. Spurs - RJ Hampton

[Drom John]

UPROXX: DimeMag: 2020 NBA Mock Draft: The Race For Who Will Be The Top Pick Remains Wide Open
Brad Rowland, February 17, 2020

12. San Antonio Spurs – Obi Toppin (C/F, Dayton)

Toppin has been lights-out at Dayton this season, carving out a clear path to a top-15 selection in this year’s draft. Offensively, he is rivaled only by Okongwu in terms of effectiveness and efficiency for a big man, and Toppin’s offensive skill set is varied and impressive. In San Antonio, he’d fit a role immediately with room to grow beyond that, and they don’t shy away from taking older players when needed.

[Spurs Homer]

when are these bums scheduled to lose again and continue the draft countdown?


bums have been on vacation longer than schoolteachers -

[JuneJive]

Okoro looks great and is definetly in my top 5 this draft.

[rascal]

The Spurs need to move into the top 10.

[look_at_g_shred]

Could the spurs use the draft pic and LMA to move up 2? 3? Spots? I guess it depends on the team. Maybe like Sac..I think there was interest in during the deadline..

[Drom John]

Fansided: Busting Brackets: NBA Draft 2020: Lottery shakeups highlight new mock draft
Brian Rauf 2 hours ago AKA 20 February 2020

13
Precious Achiuwa
PF, San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio has a history of taking some very talented, yet raw, players and developing them into quality NBA guys (Dejounte Murray and Kawhi Leonard, for example). Achiuwa has all the raw ability in the world as an uber-athletic four-man, but his skill set is still undefined. The Spurs could get that out of him and have a potential gem on their hands.

[Drom John]

Hashtag Basketball: Meet the top 60 prospects of the 2020 NBA Draft.
With scouting reports from Tyler Metcalf Last updated: February 19, 2020
Ranking without teams

13. Tyrese Maxey

6'2 | 190lbs | SG | Kentucky

NBA Comparison (playing style)

Lou Williams, 2018 Derrick Rose, Malik Monk

Tyrese Maxey is one of the most impressive pure scorers in the country. He is incredibly quick and doesn't struggle to get his shot. When he is playing off-ball, his quickness and change of pace make it incredibly difficult for defenders to stay with him. When he has the ball, his lightning-quick first step can get him to the rim with ease or he can utilize a crippling stepback to create space for a jumper. Maxey's shooting can be streaky though and he will need to continue to work on creating more space for his jumpers because his low release point could be an issue at the next level. As a playmaker, Maxey is pretty limited. He doesn't make many bad passes, but he also doesn't look to create for his teammates too often. On the defensive end, Maxey's quickness makes him a tenacious on-ball defender. Unfortunately, this same quickness gets him into a lot of trouble too. He can get caught ball watching, over-rotating, and jumping at too many pump fakes. If he can improve his defensive discipline, he will become a much more effective defender.

Strengths

Scoring, quickness, off-ball movement, rebounding

Weaknesses

Streaky shooter, playmaking, defensive discipline