If the Spurs draft 11th

[TD 21]

If true, with the possible exception of Achiuwa, they'd obviously have to trade back, with the Celtics (14, 26, 30) as clear candidates.

I'd probably prefer they stand pat, but I could understand the argument of trading 11 for 14 and 26 and ending up with Smith and Bane, for example.

[duncan2150]

If true, with the possible exception of Achiuwa, they'd obviously have to trade back, with the Celtics (14, 26, 30) as clear candidates.

I'd probably prefer they stand pat, but I could understand the argument of trading 11 for 14 and 26 and ending up with Smith and Bane, for example.

Would be a good scenario, moving down while having one more pick.

[DAF86]

Lmao I ing called it!

Meh, doesn't really mean anything. Last season, a lot of folks were rumoured for the Spurs and they went with a guy that nobody had in mind in Samanic.

[DAF86]

Out of the four mentioned in the report,

Jalen Smith has the least flaws to fix (or has the least question marks). His lower body needs work, and once it has, will enable him to improve his foot speed. I've seen him working on this in social media, so that's a good sign. He plays with a great understanding of organized basketball. He shoots 3s in a myriad of ways which make him an advanced level prospect. I honestly think he's on equal footing with Okongu -- Okongwu has better lateral movement, but can't shoot threes, while Jalen is the opposite.

Isaiah Stewart has questions marks about his ability to defend on a switch. This is primarily because his college team played zone. He's a big body who is super effective in the post. He's shown an ability to shoot 3s (only spot ups), but not as good as Jalen. Will he be quick enough to expand his defensive role to guarding stretch 4s?

Precious Achiuwa's problem is between the ears. He seems like the Dejounte Murray of the PF position. A lot of flashes of elite skill supported by their freak bodies. However, doesn't know where to be at times, reckless, and boneheaded plays. So will the Spurs think they can instill a basketball mind into this young man like they're trying to do with Murray? If they succeed, they will have a uva player. Precious plays like he's never been coached in his life at times (similar to Poku).

I have not watched as much of Oturu as I have the others, but from what I have watched, he's a net zero when he doesn't have the ball in his hands. Average on defense, doesnt move around very much on offense.

Why do you like so many undersized bigmen that can't really defend full time on the perimeter, tbh?

[duncan2150]

Meh, doesn't really mean anything. Last season, a lot of folks were rumoured for the Spurs and they went with a guy that nobody had in mind in Samanic.

Samanic had a dinner with pop and rc during the process. He was on the spurs radar.

[DAF86]

Anything coming from inside the Spurs right now is what they want put out there.

Meaning: not their real targets. This is what teams do every year come draft time.

[DAF86]

Samanic had a dinner with pop and rc during the process. He was on the spurs radar.

But wasn't know untill afterwards, tbh. Definitely not this early on the process.

[Dejounte]

Meh, doesn't really mean anything. Last season, a lot of folks were rumoured for the Spurs and they went with a guy that nobody had in mind in Samanic.

That's not true. There were reports of them scouting Samanic.

[Dejounte]

Why do you like so many undersized bigmen that can't really defend full time on the perimeter, tbh?

How is Jalen undersized? How is Oturu undersized? off, dude. You're so annoying.

There's literally no big men who's reputed for being able to guard the perimeter full time. Onyeka is the only one who comes close.

[cd021]

But wasn't know untill afterwards, tbh. Definitely not this early on the process.

Yeah Samanic was linked to the Spurs pretty early on. He even posted something on IG about them following a workout. it seemed pretty clear that the Spurs were going to use one of their picks on him.

[Dejounte]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pou...d-luka-samanic

Almost two months before the draft.

[DAF86]

I guess I was wrong then. I just remember everybody being dumbfounded on draft night when they went with Samanic at 19.

[XDT76]

I guess I was wrong then. I just remember everybody being dumbfounded on draft night when they went with Samanic at 19.

That's because most thought Spurs would go for him at 29 and go for someone more ready at 19. However as KJ slips to 29, I think it is okay as no one will really be as upset if KJ is chosen at 19 and Luka at 29. The only difference would be their pay would swap.

[SpurPadre]

I guess I was wrong then. I just remember everybody being dumbfounded on draft night when they went with Samanic at 19.

Maybe the expectation was that we were going to be drafted with the 29th pick instead of 19th.

[BackHome]

Yep it was when he was picked that surprised everyone I guess they felt like he wouldn’t be there late in the draft and that he was worth it to pick really early.

[Kurgan]

That's because most thought Spurs would go for him at 29 and go for someone more ready at 19. However as KJ slips to 29, I think it is okay as no one will really be as upset if KJ is chosen at 19 and Luka at 29. The only difference would be their pay would swap.

As disappointing as he's been, it's fair to give him another year or two to figure it out. Lonnie was drafted higher(18th pick) and he still hasn't put it all together after two years with the Spurs.

[ZeusWillJudge]

That's not true. There were reports of them scouting Samanic.

There were at least two reports of RC being overseas in the gym where Luka was playing. It could have been about some other player, but it was pretty much understood that he was looking at Luka.

[JuneJive]

Jalen is the pick, it would seem as a reach at #11, but I think he could even go in the top 10.

[Dejounte]

Jalen is the pick, it would seem as a reach at #11, but I think he could even go in the top 10.

He's a riser. A big who has good interior D with solid 3 point shooting? Not to mention all the intangibles. Very valuable.

[XDT76]

As disappointing as he's been, it's fair to give him another year or two to figure it out. Lonnie was drafted higher(18th pick) and he still hasn't put it all together after two years with the Spurs.

Oh don't get me wrong, I was just answering to why people are surprise when Luka was drafted at 19

[Chinook]

I guess I was wrong then. I just remember everybody being dumbfounded on draft night when they went with Samanic at 19.

I don't remember him being a surprise in that way. Just as people are projecting the Spurs to draft "some unknown Euro" as a half-joke in this draft, they were saying it last draft. The best candidates for that were Sam and Goga (who went one pick ahead). I was "dumbfounded" because I thought the board had broken down very well for them to pick among some good options, with Clarke being a guy I had in my top five. But no, it was a completely predictable pick. Not saying the odds were like over 50 percent, but he was definitely the plurality guess at that point.

[Thomas82]

OK, here’s the skinny. Anyone saying they’re getting info from inside the Spurs is lying. SA runs one of the tightest draft ships in the league. You might get a snippet during trade or FA season, but not draft time. They’ve had to play tight defense for decades to keep teams from snagging their players.

And sometimes that still wasn't enough. The years that come to mind for me are 2008 (Nic Batum/Serge Ibaka) and 2013 (Rudy Gobert). If I'm not mistaken, the Spurs actually wanted Tony Bradley in 2017 before the Lakers took him 1 spot ahead of us. But it looks like we got the better end of that deal.

[Uriel]

Weren’t we also rumored to be trying to trade up to get Lonnie Walker, only for him to fall into our laps?

Also, I remember the Spurs were widely expected to pick Bertans in 2011 and they did.

[Dejounte]

Weren’t we also rumored to be trying to trade up to get Lonnie Walker, only for him to fall into our laps?

Also, I remember the Spurs were widely expected to pick Bertans in 2011 and they did.

Rumors can't be true though unless it aligns with who *I* want for the Spurs.

[Dejounte]

41 more days... Hope we get someone good.