Event 2017 NBA draft thread - April 2017 edition

[Orion Bailey]

I think the thing I like most about Justin Jackson is his presence on the floor. Always seems alert, aggressive and decisive.

Basically the opposite of AC.

And I just don't think he fails.

The board hasn't thanked me for bringing this guy to light.



Yeah. Watched some more film on him this morning. I really think we need to target this guy. I think he will take a year to get integrated but by next season could be our starting three and really help Dame and CJ.
Use Harkless's good contract in a combo trade to dump a Turner/Crabbe Salary.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

The board hasn't thanked me for bringing this guy to light.



Yeah. Watched some more film on him this morning. I really think we need to target this guy. I think he will take a year to get integrated but by next season could be our starting three and really help Dame and CJ.
Use Harkless's good contract in a combo trade to dump a Turner/Crabbe Salary.

I'm not sure what you are suggesting. Trading two rotation players and a draft pick to move up and draft Jackson?

 

[Orion Bailey]

I'm not sure what you are suggesting. Trading two rotation players and a draft pick to move up and draft Jackson?

Sorry. Only on my second cup of coffee.

2 separate moves. Take our picks and do what we need to do with them to move into the position to draft Jackson.
Then trade Harkless and either Crabbe or Turner for a backup big or an upgrade at PF. Hell, Id swap Aminu/Leonard for Harkless but we have to include one of Turner/Crabbe. If we can get a second round pick or future first out of it, that would be gold.

Can we do a Leonard/Aminu/Crabbe for Tyson Chandler & ...how about this?

If you include Ezeli's $6 mill off the books, this gets us under the cap with money to sign our draftees and then we need to go into next season and figure out by the trade deadline, what else needs to be done to re-sign Nurk.
I think this puts some veteran presence on our roster, improves our D and continues to provide young guns for the future.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Sorry. Only on my second cup of coffee.

2 separate moves. Take our picks and do what we need to do with them to move into the position to draft Jackson.
Then trade Harkless and either Crabbe or Turner for a backup big or an upgrade at PF. Hell, Id swap Aminu/Leonard for Harkless but we have to include one of Turner/Crabbe. If we can get a second round pick or future first out of it, that would be gold.

Can we do a Leonard/Aminu/Crabbe for Tyson Chandler & ...how about this?

If you include Ezeli's $6 mill off the books, this gets us under the cap with money to sign our draftees and then we need to go into next season and figure out by the trade deadline, what else needs to be done to re-sign Nurk.
I think this puts some veteran presence on our roster, improves our D and continues to provide young guns for the future.

View attachment 14083

I don't want to cause any trouble here, Orion. But you want to trade two rotation players for a 34 year old just so we can get rid of Leonard's contract? I'd rather just let Paul Allen pay the luxury tax for a couple years.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Well actually I see we would get some other guys back, although two of them are pretty old. How good has Bender been; I haven't paid much attention.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I don't want to cause any trouble here, Orion. But you want to trade two rotation players for a 34 year old just so we can get rid of Leonard's contract? I'd rather just let Paul Allen pay the luxury tax for a couple years.

Trouble? Haha. No trouble man, we just talking.

I wasnt on the Chandler bandwagon at first, but I think he would be a more than serviceable backup for Nurk. He is off the books as of 2019, so after we sign Nurk, the year after Chandler is off the books and maybe one of our young draftees becomes a serviceable backup C, or we have found another.

Chandler for 15-18 minutes a game would be perfect for him I think. And this isn't just to shed Leonards contract. More importantly its to shed Crabbe's contract ( he has to agree to this trade I beleive).

This move shores up our D and puts us much in a much closer position to re-sign Nurk.

 

[tester551]

I think the thing I like most about Justin Jackson is his presence on the floor. Always seems alert, aggressive and decisive.

Basically the opposite of AC.

And I just don't think he fails.

Really? I just don't see it at all. The games I've seen, he hasn't stood out to me at all. Not aggressive. When looking at his stat line, again he doesn't stand out at all.

 

[BonesJones]

I see Bones was talking about him back in December. Your "lessons" go back further?

Yessir!

 

[BonesJones]

The Willy Hernangomez in this draft. Still a few years away but if he's there with the Memphis pick you have to take him.

I think he'll be there at 26 so I'd rather wait on him.

 

[JDC]

Really? I just don't see it at all. The games I've seen, he hasn't stood out to me at all. Not aggressive. When looking at his stat line, again he doesn't stand out at all.

I guess we've just watched different games.

He's has limitations, but I think has some very clear strengths and overall a nice combination offensive IQ off the ball, positional size, pedigree and great AST/TO ratio which is an underrated stat for projecting role/rotational level players.

He's not a side to side, break you down player either, but makes good use of hesitation moves and knows how to manipulate the defense off of curl cuts and make a play for himself or others. This is one of the areas I think he differs from a guy like Crabbe plus I think he's a much better open court athlete (better straight line speed + one-foot leaper).

 

[JDC]

Mushidi is a wild card pick. A talented but rough around the edges type prospect.

Had some reported attitude issues early on in his pro career, but the swagger/confidence he plays for a kid not even 19 yet is definitely intriguing. Has some handle an feel to his game too which is huge when projecting higher ceiling wings but needs to really tighten things up (pretty high and loose with the ball) and is just a high risk/turnover player right now in those situations.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The board hasn't thanked me for bringing this guy to light.



Yeah. Watched some more film on him this morning. I really think we need to target this guy. I think he will take a year to get integrated but by next season could be our starting three and really help Dame and CJ.
Use Harkless's good contract in a combo trade to dump a Turner/Crabbe Salary.

Thanked you? Really? Some people...

 

[BonesJones]

Thanked you? Really? Some people...

For real, what's with some people asking to be thanked for bringing up prospects after guys like me, you, and Fez were discussing them?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

For real, what's with some people asking to be thanked for bringing up prospects after guys like me, you, and Fez were discussing them?

I'm pretty sure that's the joke on this one. OB has cited me pointing JJ out to him previously. Gotta assume the smiley was there for a reason.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Thanked you? Really? Some people...

For real, what's with some people asking to be thanked for bringing up prospects after guys like me, you, and Fez were discussing them?

I'm pretty sure that's the joke on this one. OB has cited me pointing JJ out to him previously. Gotta assume the smiley was there for a reason.

I was having a little fun at @MickZagger's expense. All in good fun. I knew @PtldPlatypus would get it.

 

[Orion Bailey]

On the serious, one of the bigger reason im on the JJ bandwagon is because he has a few years of college experience. I think the one and done is killing the NBA. Too many high first rounders who fizzle out because they haven't been battle tested in the college level for a few years. JJ is a Junior and he looks and acts like it on the court in my opinion. He will come to the team more mature than most of these freshmen and I think that will allow him to have more of an immediate impact and step into a starting role after only a year of playing backup.
He fills a position of need and replaces that high priced position with a rookie contract. We use that position, whether we consider that to be Crabbe/ET/Turner, in conjunction with Harkless to make a trade to find a back up Center(See my trade proposal for Chandler Parsons).

These moves will keep a good young rotation around and help our pocketbook to re-sign Nurk and provide flexibility to fill in the gaps.

But Jackson and Nurk would be the Key. Along with a continually developing Vonleh.

Entering Next Year(Lets say it took Harkless and our first two picks to get JJ):

Dame/Napier/Quarterman
CJ/Crabbe/Connaughton
Turner/JJ/Layman
Vonleh/Aminu/Leonard
Nurk/Davis/Anzejs Pasecniks(our #26 pick)

By the trade deadline we make a trade with Phoenix and we end up looking like the following:

Dame/Napier/Quarterman
CJ/Barbosa/Connaughton
Turner/JJ/Dudley
Vonleh/Davis/Bender
Nurk/Chandler/Pasecniks

We will need to ride this through for a season, barring minor tweaks, but after 2018-2019 season, the year after next, we lose both Chandler and Dudleys' contracts, or we can use them at the trade deadline to grab players of need from teams that might want salary dumps. It will depend on how we look at that point.

We are somewhat limited on options, but not completely hogtied. In order to maintain momentum we will probably need to bring in an older vet or two on big contracts to make up for our overpriced young guys. But we need to do it right , in a fashion that does not make us take steps back and provides growth potential for the future.

Chandler brings championship experience and veteran presence in the lockeroom as well as a toughness none of our players really exhibit currently. He will shore up our bench interior defense.

Barbosa also brings championship experience and along with Dudley, will bring much needed experience to our bench, especially if Turner is moved to the starting lineup for the next couple of years.

In three years time, Dame will be 29, CJ 28, Nurk 25, Vonleh 24, JJ 25. That's a pretty damned good starting lineup and core if you ask me and you could ride that out for the next 5-8 years if played right because of the age spread if played right financially.

 

[JDC]

To be clear, I wouldn't be a big fan of Justin Jackson with our pick.

His ceiling is probably the 12th-15th best player in this draft meaning the value there would be pretty low. Just think he's one of the safer picks and although this team still needs some high end talent, a pick of his ilk wouldn't be the worst idea considering our cap situation and would offer us some added flexibility towards other off-season moves.

I've made these points clear earlier in this thread and in others, but just didn't want my defense of him to cloud my actual evaluation of him as a prospect.

 

[BonesJones]

I was already a Semi Ojeleye fan, but this video has completely sold me on him.

 

[JDC]

Anybody who's watched Semi play (full games, not mixes or "breakdowns") knows he's nothing like Draymond Green. The guy averaged .5 stls/.5 blks per 40 this year.

There are numerous other reasons why this comp is ridiculous, but they aren't worth getting into.

 

[BonesJones]

Anybody who's watched Semi play (full games, not mixes or "breakdowns") knows he's nothing like Draymond Green. The guy averaged .5 stls/.5 blks per 40 this year.

There are numerous other reasons why this comp is ridiculous, but they aren't worth getting into.

I have watched him play full games, and the comparison didn't really talk about defense. Defensively, they are different, as Ojeleye's 6'9 winspan pales in comparison to Green's 7'3 wingspan. That is the biggest difference in the disparity in their steal and block totals, as Semi is a very solid defender otherwise.

While Green was a much better passer than Ojeleye, Ojeleye is very efficient. 53% from 2pt, 42% from 3pt, 62 TS% in college.

Comparison is that they're both 6'7, strong, tweener forwards, that can handle the ball and shoot. I guess it's just mostly body type.

Even if you don't agree that he is a Draymond-like prospect, he does have the tools to be a very good player. The athleticism, strength, finishing ability, handle, shooting stroke, and solid defense are a great toolset for a prospect to have.

 

[JDC]

I have watched him play full games, and the comparison didn't really talk about defense. Defensively, they are different, as Ojeleye's 6'9 winspan pales in comparison to Green's 7'3 wingspan. That is the biggest difference in the disparity in their steal and block totals, as Semi is a very solid defender otherwise.

While Green was a much better passer than Ojeleye, Ojeleye is very efficient. 53% from 2pt, 42% from 3pt, 62 TS% in college.

Comparison is that they're both 6'7, strong, tweener forwards, that can handle the ball and shoot. I guess it's just mostly body type.

Even if you don't agree that he is a Draymond-like prospect, he does have the tools to be a very good player. The athleticism, strength, finishing ability, handle, shooting stroke, and solid defense are a great toolset for a prospect to have.

Thing is, I don't think he's a good defender at all--isn't a presence on the interior and I don't think he's fluid enough to guard high level perimeter players--and looked like a guy that had trouble finish anything in traffic that wasn't a dunk (and even that wasn't always a guarantee). I don't know if he has small hands, bad ball control or what but he can put up some UGLY misses if he doesn't have clear sight of the rim.

Also don't think he has the handle/feel/shooting versatility to be that dynamic offensively.

To be fair, I'll be the first to admit that I have a bit of an irrational hate for him as a prospect (Josh Hart is my other guy in this category). I just don't think either are natural basketball players and are going to find it a lot harder to make their games work at the NBA level than most people think.

People wanting to compare them to Draymond Green and Malcolm Brogdon doesn't help either...

 

[BBert]

I was already a Semi Ojeleye fan, but this video has completely sold me on him.

Sold

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I was already a Semi Ojeleye fan, but this video has completely sold me on him.

That was very impressive.

 

[oldfisherman]

I was already a Semi Ojeleye fan, but this video has completely sold me on him.

Semi would be a very good fit on this roster. Good find BJ.

 

[TBpup]

If Semi is still around at #26, I definitely pick him up.

 

[stampedehero]

What do you guys think of the big Polish center starting for Gonzaga? His backup, Zach Collins, is a much better nba prospect IMO, but Pryzemek is flying under the rader. 7-1, 300 pounds, he could back up Nurk.

It seems he could be a Pekovic quality player. I think the pendelum might be starting to swing the other way, as far as big men go. So many teams are going "small" and don't have big men that can really guard the post. And as we've seen, big guys with a post game can have their way down low.

I'd be happy to see portland take him with their 2nd or 3rd pick.

From that vid clip, I did not see his passing game. Maybe he is proficient but the plays that set him high or low post had no pass options. The defenders were probably 80 pounds lighter too. He would be a fan favorite (in Milwaukee)

 

[stampedehero]

No, I mean Pekovic. He's not athletic either, wasn't a shot blocker, but I would have loved to have him coming off our bench vs anyone else we have on this team.

I think you can see the similarities here:

He is as big as an oak tree and can make free throws. We need more huge Europeans.