Who is SpursTalk's favorite 2020 draft prospect heading into September?

[rankingtear]

Still don't see the value of picking a 21 year old energy big at 11. He has to be exceptional at his role to even stay in the league, that's the reality of the modern NBA unfortunately. Even if he is above average there is no trade value there.

[Chinook]

For sure, Precious needs to be at least a positional defender to really have value. That said, there are totally three-and-D PFs in the league. Guarding the best 4 or 5 on the other side is valuable, and if that player can hold their own against the big wings, that's even better. With White and Johnson, the other positions are already spoken for. That said, I'd be more hesitant to re-up Poeltl. They'll need a center who can score or at least space the floor. Jakob and Precious are different players, but I don't think they can co-exist.

[Dejounte]

For sure, Precious needs to be at least a positional defender to really have value. That said, there are totally three-and-D PFs in the league. Guarding the best 4 or 5 on the other side is valuable, and if that player can hold their own against the big wings, that's even better. With White and Johnson, the other positions are already spoken for. That said, I'd be more hesitant to re-up Poeltl. They'll need a center who can score or at least space the floor. Jakob and Precious are different players, but I don't think they can co-exist.

Some people seem OK with our PF situation for the future... Trey Lyles fits seamlessly into the offense but is a big softie and can't be depended on to make stops, Rudy Gay is dumb as bricks and has costed us several games with stupid turnovers, and sometimes LaMarcus (when he plays spot minutes at PF) is too slow laterally. The outlook at the 4 spot is bad.

[Chinook]

Some people seem OK with our PF situation for the future... Trey Lyles fits seamlessly into the offense but is a big softie and can't be depended on to make stops, Rudy Gay is dumb as bricks and has costed us several games with stupid turnovers, and sometimes LaMarcus (when he plays spot minutes at PF) is too slow laterally. The outlook at the 4 spot is bad.

I agree the team needs some oomph at the four. I actually think the depth is fine with Gay, Lyles and Sam. But it would be nice to get either a star or strong role-player from the draft to compete with Lyles, keep Gay in his sixth-man role/let the team trade him and to remove any reliance on Sam's development. I think Precious has a chance to do that if he can do enough on offense. Only issue I have about him (in a bubble) is that I don't think he'd start. I think Topping would for sure start and Williams would have a chance. If Poke is the pick and comes over, I'd expect him to have a chance at starting too. Precious? No. I think he'd go to Austin. The team can afford it, but I'd hate to see both young forwards relegated to the d-league in back-to-back years.

[rankingtear]

If someone drafts him in the lottery they're probably thinking the shot and playmaking develops to atleast an acceptable level to play the 4. After 1 -2 years of development and he tops out as a Jerami Grant type player, is it worth it for the 11th pick and 1-2 years of development , when Jerami Grant trade value is a late first in the same draft.

[Dejounte]

I agree the team needs some oomph at the four. I actually think the depth is fine with Gay, Lyles and Sam. But it would be nice to get either a star or strong role-player from the draft to compete with Lyles, keep Gay in his sixth-man role/let the team trade him and to remove any reliance on Sam's development. I think Precious has a chance to do that if he can do enough on offense. Only issue I have about him (in a bubble) is that I don't think he'd start. I think Topping would for sure start and Williams would have a chance. If Poke is the pick and comes over, I'd expect him to have a chance at starting too. Precious? No. I think he'd go to Austin. The team can afford it, but I'd hate to see both young forwards relegated to the d-league in back-to-back years.

You really think Poku would start with his frame? After all the flak Luka received for not being strong enough from the coaches?

[Dejounte]

Players from the poll who I think would start at some point during their rookie year with the Spurs: Aaron Nesmith, Jalen Smith

Then the obvious ones from the top 10 who aren't likely to drop: Toppin, Okoro, Deni, Okongwu

[talkspurs]

Why do you think Bey would not start. He shoots 3s so he could play SF and push DDR back to sg or could play PF and start DJm and white.

[BackHome]

You really think Poku would start with his frame? After all the flak Luka received for not being strong enough from the coaches?

If Pop is back I don’t see anyone getting playing time until mid or late into the season we all know they going to G League.

[DAF86]

Yeah, Saddiq Bey is probably the safest bet at an immediate contributor. He's also a sure thing at being nothing more than a 3-D guy on the NBA.

[Dejounte]

If Pop is back I don’t see anyone getting playing time until mid or late into the season we all know they going to G League.

Well yeah. Hence why I said at some point during their rookie year.

Though let's be honest... Keldon was on his way to be a legit rotation player with or without covid. He was getting more and more minutes.

[KobesAchilles]

Yeah, Saddiq Bey is probably the safest bet at an immediate contributor. He's also a sure thing at being nothing more than a 3-D guy on the NBA.

I mean what are we going for? That’s the question I keep asking in this years draft. Bc a 3&D pretty much guarantees us playoffs next year. Assuming (and this is a BIG mutha in assumption) Pop does right and gets rid of Forbes, Marco, and Lyles. Also Pop needs to bench Murray (the second biggest if of them all). But a starting line up of White, KJ, Bey, DDR, LMA, and Poetl doesn’t sound too bad to me. Especially with Lonnie, DJ, Mills, Gay, and Eubanks of the bench.

If it’s to win a championship then we probably shouldn’t draft a SF in this years draft bc none of them are good enough. We go for a rim protector, transition scorer (to actually give us the option to have a big man run the floor), and someone we can run a pick and roll and actually dives and finishes. To me, that’s Precious. We can figure out the SF in next years draft and probably pick up an extra pick when we trade Murray

**edit** I have 6 people in my starting line up but you get the gist anyway

[Sugus]

22 is going to be what they call the double draft. It will contain the last one and done class, and the first HS class in quite a while. I’d trade our pick in next years draft for a 22 first rounder.

Wasn't '21 supposed to be the double draft? I could've sworn I heard a ton about it sometime back, which was what made that famous Miami '21 pick so valuable. I hadn't heard that about '22, do you have a source? Just for curiosity's sake.

In any case, we can tank next season and in 2022. Maybe not tank, but miss the playoffs. Spurs need all the young talent they can get right now, tbh. We could also take on some bad money that summer since all our contracts are off the books (provided the FO is willing to spend it, which I know is a pipe dream) to get additional picks. In any case, both classes project to be miles better than this years' which is why I don't particularly want to shoot for the stars with our #11.

[DAF86]

I mean what are we going for? That’s the question I keep asking in this years draft. Bc a 3&D pretty much guarantees us playoffs next year. Assuming (and this is a BIG mutha in assumption) Pop does right and gets rid of Forbes, Marco, and Lyles. Also Pop needs to bench Murray (the second biggest if of them all). But a starting line up of White, KJ, Bey, DDR, LMA, and Poetl doesn’t sound too bad to me. Especially with Lonnie, DJ, Mills, Gay, and Eubanks of the bench.

If it’s to win a championship then we probably shouldn’t draft a SF in this years draft bc none of them are good enough. We go for a rim protector, transition scorer (to actually give us the option to have a big man run the floor), and someone we can run a pick and roll and actually dives and finishes. To me, that’s Precious. We can figure out the SF in next years draft and probably pick up an extra pick when we trade Murray

**edit** I have 6 people in my starting line up but you get the gist anyway

I'm not against drafting a 3 and D ceiling guy, tbh. In fact, that's the mindset I started this scouting process with, but then I saw Pokusevski and I fell for his upside. Though, I wouldn't be mad if the Spurs do go the 3 and D route and end up drafting someone like Bey or Vassell. There are plenty of interesting prospects around 11, I'm sure the Spurs will pick someone worth getting your hopes up for.

[Sugus]

Sorry Sugus I read it wrong about tanking my bad. Yeah when watching Poku I keep thinking of Dallas and wondering if he can physically handle the NBA it sucks for Dallas to have all that money invested in a player who may go down at any game it’s not a question of will it’s a question of when he will go down.

Another thing I like about Precious is he definitely has that Dog in him he ain’t going to get punked and definitely won’t back down from Morris the Spurs Could always use more toughness.

On a side note check out a YouTube - Best Fit For NBA Draft by Sub Me In Coach. Pretty good video think us might like it.

All good my man. Yeah, Porzingis' max was always a risky contract, albeit a necessary one if Dallas wanted to retain him long-term. Personally, I wouldn't have made it, since Luka is so young that you can take a couple years to wait for a better opportunity while he develops and isn't close to his prime. That contract has huge albatross risk. I see Poku having a similar player trajectory - sometimes it's not about the plays and whether he can play or not, but the in-betweens: the bumps, the bruises, the wear-and-tear, the grind. Bodies like Poku's just aren't made for long-term basketball, and while the ceiling is high, I don't really want the Spurs to invest their highest pick in years on such a bust-likely prospect. I think Poku's bound to go in the mid to late first round, depending on his medicals and combine results; so if the Spurs would trade down with Boston, I wouldn't be opposed to using a pick on him.

Agreed on Precious. Having a big man that can put up a fight, be gritty and aggressive on D, and hustle, is what this team needs. Jakob is good for many things, but far too soft. I don't know how well he and Precious would fit (it's not like you'd pass on Achiuwa just for his fit with Jakob anyways) but I know that, if he becomes what I envision of him, I'd much rather have Precious than Jakob starting moving forward, at either the 4 or small ball 5 which I think is an underrated part of his drafting profile when people talk about him. The league is trending far away from players like Jakob, and closer each day to big men like Achiuwa, imo.

I'll check that video, thanks for the rec!

[Sugus]

If it’s to win a championship then we probably shouldn’t draft a SF in this years draft bc none of them are good enough. We go for a rim protector, transition scorer (to actually give us the option to have a big man run the floor), and someone we can run a pick and roll and actually dives and finishes. To me, that’s Precious. We can figure out the SF in next years draft and probably pick up an extra pick when we trade Murray

This is my ideal scenario, down to the trading Murray while his value is high for another pick. Spurs shouldn't be desperate to make the playoffs next season, nor draft with our present roster in mind, where the three most important vet players to next year's hypothetical playoff push would be gone after the season. Trade for the future, develop, wait for your chance. At least that's what I hope RC is thinking...

[Chinook]

You really think Poku would start with his frame? After all the flak Luka received for not being strong enough from the coaches?

That's if Poke is drafted at 11. If he's drafted late in the first or in the second, no. If the Spurs like him enough to take him at 11, that would suggest they're buying into his talent and think he just needs to gain muscle. There's no reason to put him in the d-league if that's the case. Poke is ALWAYS going to be skinny, and he's not going to stop being way too skinny for years. He's going to have to learn how to play around that, and there's no reason why he can't start doing that immediately. MAYBE Pop would play him at the back-up three starting out. But there's no doubt in my mind that the Spurs aren't going to take someone thinking they have star upside and then put them in the d-league.

[ZeusWillJudge]

I just read a comment in another thread that Saddiq Bey is "just" a tall Wes Matthews. I think a lot of people have this idea that the Spurs are going to get the next Giannis with the 11th pick in a weak draft. That's fine if it happens. But remember that Milwaukee went 15-67 the year after they drafted Giannis, and got the #2 pick in the next draft. Then they went 41-41 the next year. I would love to see the Spurs commit to that kind of rebuild, but I don't think most of you would.

Pokusevski has skills, but not the mad physical skills Giannis had. He doesn't have THAT kind of upside, and there's no way he's going to show before about Year 3. I'd take a "tall Wes Matthews" right now, and the #2 pick next draft, and never look back. Especially if the Tall Wes Matthews can drain 3's the way Bey can.

[Brazil]

Yes.... that's absolutely why we should vote for him... His name will bring balance to all... He is the chosen one

[exstatic]

Wasn't '21 supposed to be the double draft? I could've sworn I heard a ton about it sometime back, which was what made that famous Miami '21 pick so valuable. I hadn't heard that about '22, do you have a source? Just for curiosity's sake.

In any case, we can tank next season and in 2022. Maybe not tank, but miss the playoffs. Spurs need all the young talent they can get right now, tbh. We could also take on some bad money that summer since all our contracts are off the books (provided the FO is willing to spend it, which I know is a pipe dream) to get additional picks. In any case, both classes project to be miles better than this years' which is why I don't particularly want to shoot for the stars with our #11.

It was originally going to be 2021, but the NBA, and the NBAPA couldn’t reach agreement to alter the CBA quick enough for that draft.

[exstatic]

I just read a comment in another thread that Saddiq Bey is "just" a tall Wes Matthews. I think a lot of people have this idea that the Spurs are going to get the next Giannis with the 11th pick in a weak draft. That's fine if it happens. But remember that Milwaukee went 15-67 the year after they drafted Giannis, and got the #2 pick in the next draft. Then they went 41-41 the next year. I would love to see the Spurs commit to that kind of rebuild, but I don't think most of you would.

Pokusevski has skills, but not the mad physical skills Giannis had. He doesn't have THAT kind of upside, and there's no way he's going to show before about Year 3. I'd take a "tall Wes Matthews" right now, and the #2 pick next draft, and never look back. Especially if the Tall Wes Matthews can drain 3's the way Bey can.

The thing is, MIL isn’t on this track without rolling the dice on a skinny illegal African kid playing in a Greek league. They wouldn’t be where they are now if they had clenched up, and drafted a taller Wes Mathews. That #2 pick turned into a dud.

[ZeusWillJudge]

The thing is, MIL isn’t on this track without rolling the dice on a skinny illegal African kid playing in a Greek league. They wouldn’t be where they are now if they had clenched up, and drafted a taller Wes Mathews. That #2 pick turned into a dud.

LOL. Some of you just like to argue with anything and everything.

The Bucks committed to a rebuild strategy. If the Spurs are willing to do that, fine. But that would mean making some moves - like with DDR, Aldridge, or both. I said in another thread that if the Spurs take Pokusevski, it means that they are committing to an actual rebuild - or at least it should mean that. If you're going to roll the dice, then roll the ing dice. But, yeah, if Giannis was a miss, then Milwaukee would have been screwed. Just like the Spurs will be if they throw this #11 pick at Pokusevski.

But don't try to conflate Poku and Giannis. Giannis had incredible lateral movement, and could jump out of the gym. He had a 12-inch hand span... bigger than Kawhi's. He was 6'9", and the same weight as 7' Pokusevski, but he showed lots of signs that he wasn't done growing. And he fell as low as he did in the draft because teams were still drafting lots of Centers - I think there were six C's that got drafted ahead of Giannis that year, just as the league was really changing. At 14, Giannis was a value pick as much as a swing for the fence.

[exstatic]

LOL. Some of you just like to argue with anything and everything.

The Bucks committed to a rebuild strategy. If the Spurs are willing to do that, fine. But that would mean making some moves - like with DDR, Aldridge, or both. I said in another thread that if the Spurs take Pokusevski, it means that they are committing to an actual rebuild - or at least it should mean that. If you're going to roll the dice, then roll the ing dice. But, yeah, if Giannis was a miss, then Milwaukee would have been screwed. Just like the Spurs will be if they throw this #11 pick at Pokusevski.

But don't try to conflate Poku and Giannis. Giannis had incredible lateral movement, and could jump out of the gym. He had a 12-inch hand span... bigger than Kawhi's. He was 6'9", and the same weight as 7' Pokusevski, but he showed lots of signs that he wasn't done growing. And he fell as low as he did in the draft because teams were still drafting lots of Centers - I think there were six C's that got drafted ahead of Giannis that year, just as the league was really changing. At 14, Giannis was a value pick as much as a swing for the fence.

I’m not averse to a rebuild, but if you’re going to, swing for the ing fence. Start your rebuild with a possible unicorn, not a taller Wes Matthews. Either way, you’re in for a few years of , but I’d rather be developing a possible unicorn than playing it safe watching Wes Matthews other self.

[XDT76]

I see Aaron Nesmith being quite popular in the poll, but not much people talk about him. I have an impression that he is somewhat a Beli 2.0 can anyone provide a more in depth view about him?

[Dejounte]

I see Aaron Nesmith being quite popular in the poll, but not much people talk about him. I have an impression that he is somewhat a Beli 2.0 can anyone provide a more in depth view about him?

He's much more than just a spot up shooter. He navigates screens like McCollum and has a variety of moves when scoring from inside the arc. He's a threat from anywhere and can be a legit scorer.