Quick thoughts on the draft:
1) Doncic and Mikal Bridges are the two players who interest me most. Whichever teams get them have players built to play in the modern NBA.
2) Most of these big guys will be busts. In a few years we'll be looking back wondering why anyone thought they'd be good. If Sacramento picks MB3, I'm taking that as a sign that franchise will lose forever.
3) This could be a draft where the real winners are the teams that trade their picks.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
I think Sacramento bites the bullet on Porter. That leaves Atlanta with a huge decision in Doncic and Bagley.Originally Posted by M2
Bagley I think has the highest boom or bust potential in this draft. Best case scenario he’s Anthony Davis. Worst case Marvin Williams. I’m going to say it’ll likely be the latter.
1) Doncic and Bridges are the two projected lottery picks, IMO, most likely to help a projected contending playoff team - like Philly- take the next step, given, as you stated, their abilities to adapt to today's game. Their ceilings, OTOH, vary according to the draft "experts" out there, which brings me to the next point...
2) The projected top ten or so have very high ceilings, and most of the aforementioned projected "bigs" - including Michael Porter Jr, who is projected by some as a combo forward, so I wouldn't classify him as a "big", despite the fact that he's 6'10" - comprise the list.
Deandre Ayton could be this generation's David Robinson; he could be the Hornets' version of Dwight Howard.
Luka Doncic could be a cross between Manu Ginobili and Tracy McGrady; he could be Tyreke Evans or Nicolas Batum.
Jaren Jackson Jr. could be a better rim-protecting version of Rasheed Wallace, a better rebounding Myles Turner, or a very rich-man's Anthony Randolph.
Marvin Bagley III could be this generation's (read: stretching the floor) Kevin Garnett or peak Chris Bosh, or circa '16 Julius Randle.
Mohamed Bamba could be Dikembe Mutombo / Rudy Gobert with three-point range, or (as of today) Nerlens Noel.
Wendell Carter Jr. could be Al Horford or post '16 Greg Monroe.
Mikal Bridges (and I listed him, along with Doncic, for the sake of comparison) could be Otto Porter Jr. or Robert Covington.
It should also be noted that Robert Williams -projected to go somewhere in the teens - could be Clint Capela, fellow former Texas A&M Aggie DeAndre Jordan or the next Amir Johnson.
3) It's a projected deep draft from this standpoint: as much value in the second round (even deep into said round) as #20 or so to #30, but very, very top heavy. You'll likely see teams with multiple picks trading up, selling second-rounders, or teams with no second-round picks, trading down, given the depth of the draft. And, yes, "win now" teams pulling legal cap stunts, while dealing picks for veterans. Who knows what will transpire on Thursday.
One thing for certain, projecting an NBA Draft -particularly factoring in potential trades - is an exercise in futility, but I'll try again with a two-round mock before the draft.
Whatever you do, do your best to not allow the struggles of life to interfere with the pleasures of living.
Kingspoint (06-18-2018)
Assuming he can remain relatively healthy, comps for Porter Jr. are all over the place:
Best case: Kevin Durrant (Don't hold your breath on that one)
Worst case: Michael Beasley (Far below expectations, but still useful)
Likely case: Healthy/In-their-prime versions of Luol Deng or Danny Granger (All-Star-level, but not All-NBA-level player that falls short of "Franchise" player, but, by no means, a "bad" pick)
Even factoring in future maturity, Bagley may not be able to protect the rim like Anthony Davis (that's a rather high bar) or stretch the floor like either A.D or M.W, but based upon possible impact on the game - and not necessarily playing styles - they're both good comps.
Whatever you do, do your best to not allow the struggles of life to interfere with the pleasures of living.
https://larrybrownsports.com/basketb...ference/449859Kawhi Leonard will almost certainly try to pick his next team if he is successful in forcing his way out of San Antonio, but that does not mean the Spurs have any interest in granting him his wish.
According to NBA reporter Chris Sheridan, there is a “0 percent chance” Gregg Popovich and the Spurs will entertain the idea of trading Leonard to the Los Angeles Lakers or any other Western Conference team.
Leonard doesn’t have a no-trade clause, so the Spurs don’t have to trade him anywhere they don’t want to.
Whatever you do, do your best to not allow the struggles of life to interfere with the pleasures of living.
How the Spurs drove Leonard to leave by overplaying their hand
https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/1558913Playing for the San Antonio Spurs is similar to playing with LeBron James in that both parties are infallible.
That means if anything goes wrong, as with the case of Kawhi Leonard's trade request, the blame falls squarely on the other side. It can't possibly be the fault of the best organization in basketball, and it must be that Leonard has gone mad.
The prevailing narrative is that Leonard and his greedy uncle-turned-manager Dennis Robertson are silly for wanting to leave. Leonard's otherwise unblemished name was dragged through the mud over the last six months as he recovered from a quad injury, even though there's plenty of fault to go around on both sides.
San Antonio is hardly blameless. The Spurs alienated their franchise player, overplayed the "Spurs mystique" that faded after Tim Duncan retired, took shots at Leonard through the media, and now they're about to face a harsh reality going forward.
Their failure was driven by two key mistakes.
Whatever you do, do your best to not allow the struggles of life to interfere with the pleasures of living.
https://clutchpoints.com/bucks-rumor...jabari-parker/The Milwaukee Bucks could be looking to package two of their star players in recently-acquired point guard Eric Bledsoe and injury-plagued forward Jabari Parker, according to fantasy guru Chris Sheridan of GetMoreSports.
“I expect the Bucks to move Eric Bledsoe and Jabari Parker, because Giannis Antetokounmpo does not enjoy playing alongside those two.”
The Bucks could try and make the move in the following days, before the start or during the NBA Draft, but it remains a tall ask for this team, given that the two represent a large part of their rotation.
This could be a potential package for the San Antonio Spurs if they choose to trade Kawhi Leonard, as Sheridan has given “zero chance” that the organization will trade their star forward to another Western Conference team, given a decade-long rule.
- - - Updated - - -
LeBron James could become a free agent if he chooses to decline his $35.6 million player option. ESPN hosted a "NBA Mock Draft Special" on Monday night where various analysts went through the first round and predicted where they think certain players will go. Adrian Wojnarowski participated in the mock draft process, but had some very interesting things to say about the Cleveland Cavaliers and James' future with the team. Wojnarowski reported that the Cavaliers "don't want to mortgage the future on the hope that they can convince LeBron to stay."
"They don’t want to mortgage the future on the hope that they can convince LeBron to stay," Wojnarowski said. "They don’t want to take on more contracts, trade out more young players. If LeBron leaves, that eighth pick is going to be a building block for the post-LeBron era. They didn’t do it at the trade deadline and they’re not doing it now, which is to just take on more money and roll the dice and then be stuck with something that they really don’t want long-term because LeBron walks out the door."
https://247sports.com/Article/Adrian...tay-119154100/
Whatever you do, do your best to not allow the struggles of life to interfere with the pleasures of living.
Saw Jalen Rose insisting at least one of Towns and Wiggins won't be back in Minnesota. I think Toronto might do something insane for Wiggins (e.g. DeRo).
The Wolves and Bucks could be two of the most interesting teams this winter. Would be super-funny if the Bucks moved Bledsoe and then dealt for Terry Rozier.
Last edited by M2; 06-19-2018 at 06:03 PM.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
I don't understand how the Cavs are supposed to approach this pick if they don't know what Lebron is doing. They have to know at this point right?
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
I saw where they said the pick won’t be used to keep LeBron happy but to build toward the future.
Regardless of what LeBron does, I'd trade the pick for a real player. Could they ball it up with some other stuff for Kemba?
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
I could see the Bucks being a sleeper team for Kawhi, but the problem is could he and Giannis coexist?
I'm thinking absolutely yes. Those two plus Middleton would be like the 3 Wings of Doom.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
Any trade would likely center around Eric Bledsoe, who I can’t see as a Poppovich player. Malcolm Brogdon would be a better fit but I don’t see the Bucks giving him up (plus it would take Bledsoe’s salary to make it work anyways).
Bucks get:
Leonard and Mills
Spurs get:
Bledsoe, Snell, Maker and pick #17
or
Leonard and Derrick White and a future second round pick swap option (Bucks option) for Middleton, either Maker or D.J Wilson - who may be the better player than Maker in the long run - Brogdan and pick #17
Granted, I'd only be inclined to do so were I Milwaukee if I'm convinced Leonard will resign. But the opportunity to play with the Greek Freak, who can play virtually any position, and proceed to wreak havoc on the East - if not the NBA, given the Buck's ability (along with San Antonio and Utah) to develop young players with a versatile roster, may appeal to him.
Whatever you do, do your best to not allow the struggles of life to interfere with the pleasures of living.
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