2019 Draft Megathread

tims4wins

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I think some of it is that when Zion was out, RJ didn't dominate like many thought he would. He seems comfortable being the #2 guy and that can be concerning for a top pick. But how much of that is RJ and how much of that is Duke's system? They had no outside shooting, so spreading the floor and letting RJ operate wasn't going to work. In the NBA, he should have more room to operate 1 on 1.

Not that there games are all that similar right now, but he reminds me a bit of Devin Booker. Booker was young for his age and didn't put up monster numbers at Kentucky. He got to the NBA and his game took off.
Not sure I would agree with this characterization - even with Zion in there, Barrett got the ball a ton down the stretch of close games. In the 3 games Duke lost with Zion on the court, Barrett took a combined 9 shots in the last minute, to 1 for Zion. He is comfortable as an alpha. Just not sure he is that good. Duke's lack of shooters really hindered his game though.

I know this is kind of a weird comparison, but in a way his game is similar to LeBron, but with much less strength. He likes to drive, is a good passer, and is a mediocre outside shooter. LeBron with no outside shooters becomes a lot less effective (though still the GOAT). I don't think we saw the best of Barrett this year.
 

RedOctober3829

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Not sure I would agree with this characterization - even with Zion in there, Barrett got the ball a ton down the stretch of close games. In the 3 games Duke lost with Zion on the court, Barrett took a combined 9 shots in the last minute, to 1 for Zion. He is comfortable as an alpha. Just not sure he is that good. Duke's lack of shooters really hindered his game though.

I know this is kind of a weird comparison, but in a way his game is similar to LeBron, but with much less strength. He likes to drive, is a good passer, and is a mediocre outside shooter. LeBron with no outside shooters becomes a lot less effective (though still the GOAT). I don't think we saw the best of Barrett this year.
We did not see the best of anybody this year. They are all 18-19 years old.
 

tims4wins

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We did not see the best of anybody this year. They are all 18-19 years old.
Well I can't argue with that. But I would say that, for instance, Zion was about as he could have been this year. Barrett was not as good as he could have been this year, a lot of which was due to his surrounding cast.
 

HomeRunBaker

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We did not see the best of anybody this year. They are all 18-19 years old.
That’s the thing. People are looking at the results of unfinished products rather than at the skill sets of how these unfinished products project in 5-6 years. I’ll take an NBA-ready athlete who needs improved shooting and strength nearly every time by default. That is the developmental recipe for success.
 

RedOctober3829

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Well I can't argue with that. But I would say that, for instance, Zion was about as he could have been this year. Barrett was not as good as he could have been this year, a lot of which was due to his surrounding cast.
He will be an awesome pro. He will develop a better shot and will fine tune his decision making. Strength wise he will get bigger and more powerful which will help his finishing ability at the rim.
 

ElcaballitoMVP

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Not sure I would agree with this characterization - even with Zion in there, Barrett got the ball a ton down the stretch of close games. In the 3 games Duke lost with Zion on the court, Barrett took a combined 9 shots in the last minute, to 1 for Zion. He is comfortable as an alpha. Just not sure he is that good. Duke's lack of shooters really hindered his game though.
I'll admit, I didn't watch enough of Duke. The times I did see him play, I thought he was great in transition and got a lot of easy buckets that way, but wasn't as strong in the half court. (And my original point about him being more of a #2 looks to be wrong after some research- he was great with Zion out). But even with him getting shots late, I'm not sure that classifies him as an alpha. If you're Coach K are you running anything besides pick and roll with him and Zion in those situations? And if you're the defense, are you letting Zion beat you or RJ? And if they need a 3, they're going to RJ over Zion, aren't they? Some of that may be more situational than him feeling comfortable in the role, but I'll defer to you since I haven't seen him in those situations. I could be completely wrong here.

My main point with my original post is that I think having better shooters at the NBA level will help him improve in the half court. He'll have better spacing and has shown he can get to the rim. Like most young guys, he needs to improve his shot but his mechanics look fine and he's comfortable with the ball in his hands. Like Booker, I think he ends up a better pro than college player. Is he an alpha dog, #1? Who knows.
 

tims4wins

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I'll admit, I didn't watch enough of Duke. The times I did see him play, I thought he was great in transition and got a lot of easy buckets that way, but wasn't as strong in the half court. (And my original point about him being more of a #2 looks to be wrong after some research- he was great with Zion out). But even with him getting shots late, I'm not sure that classifies him as an alpha. If you're Coach K are you running anything besides pick and roll with him and Zion in those situations? And if you're the defense, are you letting Zion beat you or RJ? And if they need a 3, they're going to RJ over Zion, aren't they? Some of that may be more situational than him feeling comfortable in the role, but I'll defer to you since I haven't seen him in those situations. I could be completely wrong here.

My main point with my original post is that I think having better shooters at the NBA level will help him improve in the half court. He'll have better spacing and has shown he can get to the rim. Like most young guys, he needs to improve his shot but his mechanics look fine and he's comfortable with the ball in his hands. Like Booker, I think he ends up a better pro than college player. Is he an alpha dog, #1? Who knows.
He played a lot of hero ball in the close games. He was pretty comfortable in the role, although he didn't have a ton of success.
 

DJnVa

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He will be an awesome pro. He will develop a better shot and will fine tune his decision making. Strength wise he will get bigger and more powerful which will help his finishing ability at the rim.
I agree with you, but it's funny to say a player will get better cuz all he really needs to do is:

1. shoot better
2. make better decisions
3. get bigger
4. get more powerful

:)

I mean, that's also my recipe for making the Association.
 

Auger34

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Apr 23, 2010
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He played a lot of hero ball in the close games. He was pretty comfortable in the role, although he didn't have a ton of success.
t4w, I think you’re a Duke fan as well.

I watched a good amount of their games and agree with your assessment of RJ as an alpha (seemed to relish the role to the point where it was detrimental to the team’s success since he was clearly their 2nd best player) and his tendency to play hero ball.

My question is about the passing/playmaking aspect of his game. He seems to have the capability to be a great passer and to create for teammates. We all saw it when he played for Team Canada.
There were glimpses of it at Duke but they were few and far in between. It seemed like his go to move was to drive into traffic and attempt to draw a foul or make a very difficult 8 footer.

That’s my main concern with him as a prospect. Those difficult 8 footers don’t have a prayer of going in against defenders at the next level. Players as ball dominant as RJ that don’t have an elite skill (athleticism, shooting, passing) generally don’t turn out to be very good NBA players
 

tims4wins

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t4w, I think you’re a Duke fan as well.

I watched a good amount of their games and agree with your assessment of RJ as an alpha (seemed to relish the role to the point where it was detrimental to the team’s success since he was clearly their 2nd best player) and his tendency to play hero ball.

My question is about the passing/playmaking aspect of his game. He seems to have the capability to be a great passer and to create for teammates. We all saw it when he played for Team Canada.
There were glimpses of it at Duke but they were few and far in between. It seemed like his go to move was to drive into traffic and attempt to draw a foul or make a very difficult 8 footer.

That’s my main concern with him as a prospect. Those difficult 8 footers don’t have a prayer of going in against defenders at the next level. Players as ball dominant as RJ that don’t have an elite skill (athleticism, shooting, passing) generally don’t turn out to be very good NBA players
Yes a Duke fan. Agree generally with your assessment, but I think the distribution aspect was hindered by the lack of shooters. When he was driving into the lane, who was he going to kick to to hit an open 3? Not Zion. Not Tre Jones. Not DeLaurier or Bolden or Jack White or Goldwire. Alex O’Connell is a decent shooter but didn’t play a ton. Reddish was really the only guy and he struggled a ton. Very inconsistent. Barrett had 11 assists against VA Tech and another 6 against MSU. I wonder how many wide open 3s were missed off Barrett passes this year. He could have had who knows how many more assists. Or maybe the number is low, I’m not sure. I was very frustrated with Barrett the first half of the year driving so much and not passing. Was that due to lack of confidence in his teammates? Wanting to play hero ball? Other? I have no idea. I do think he is a very skilled driver and passer and both will translate at the next level.
 

HomeRunBaker

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t4w, I think you’re a Duke fan as well.

I watched a good amount of their games and agree with your assessment of RJ as an alpha (seemed to relish the role to the point where it was detrimental to the team’s success since he was clearly their 2nd best player) and his tendency to play hero ball.

[My question is about the passing/playmaking aspect of his game. He seems to have the capability to be a great passer and to create for teammates. We all saw it when he played for Team Canada.
There were glimpses of it at Duke but they were few and far in between. It seemed like his go to move was to drive into traffic and attempt to draw a foul or make a very difficult 8 footer.

That’s my main concern with him as a prospect. Those difficult 8 footers don’t have a prayer of going in against defenders at the next level. Players as ball dominant as RJ that don’t have an elite skill (athleticism, shooting, passing) generally don’t turn out to be very good NBA players
You make it sound like Barrett is a black hole offensively and not the guy who was 6th in the ACC in Assists per game despite not being their primary playmaker. I don’t know about “elite” at the next level but RJ’s passing and shot creation seem to be his strengths not weaknesses.

Of course defenses are going to clog the lane versus the conferences worst 3-point shooting teams resulting in dribble penetration......just like Jaylen at Cal those lanes will now he opened up with better spacing at the next level.
 

Auger34

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Yes a Duke fan. Agree generally with your assessment, but I think the distribution aspect was hindered by the lack of shooters. When he was driving into the lane, who was he going to kick to to hit an open 3? Not Zion. Not Tre Jones. Not DeLaurier or Bolden or Jack White or Goldwire. Alex O’Connell is a decent shooter but didn’t play a ton. Reddish was really the only guy and he struggled a ton. Very inconsistent. Barrett had 11 assists against VA Tech and another 6 against MSU. I wonder how many wide open 3s were missed off Barrett passes this year. He could have had who knows how many more assists. Or maybe the number is low, I’m not sure. I was very frustrated with Barrett the first half of the year driving so much and not passing. Was that due to lack of confidence in his teammates? Wanting to play hero ball? Other? I have no idea. I do think he is a very skilled driver and passer and both will translate at the next level.
That’s a good point. His playmaking and willingness to pass did seem to improve as the year went on
 

DannyDarwinism

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My lottery after the college season:

Tier 1 with a bullet- The Franchise
1. Zion

Tier 2- All Star Potential
2. Ja
3. Culver
4. Barrett (no strong preference between him and Culver)

Tier 3- Good Starters w/outside shot at All-Star
5. Jaxson Hayes
6. Brandon Clarke (destined to be BPM/RPM darling but little shot at All-Star)
7. Coby White

Tier 4
8. Kevin Porter Jr. (high ceiling, very low floor. Maybe I should have Darius Garland here too)
9. De'Andre Hunter (opposite of above)
10. Grant Williams (bigger-playing version of Jae Crowder? Poor-man's Draymond? I dunno, but I love watching this kid. He can be an asset on offense as a screener/popper for a good PnR guard, and he's a great passer. Should probably switch him and Kevin Porter Jr.)

Tier 5
11. Cam Reddish (Jaylen Brown makes the case for gambling on a blue chip prospect with elite physical tools who was terrible in college nonetheless. Should probably have him higher based on tools and position alone, but man was he unimpressive)
12. PJ Washington (Montrezl Harrell garbageman-plus type)
13. Jontay Porter (re-tearing an ACL can't be good, but I have not idea just how bad the long-term prognosis is. Maybe swap Bol Bol here if his foot injury is any less scary)
14. Romeo Langford

I haven't seen any internationals, but Mike Gribanov at The Stepien is a great source of info on them and he has Goga Bitzade at #17 and Sekou Doumbouya at #20.

Guys I'd be happy with the Celtics selecting with either their pick of the Clips pick:

Matisse Thybulle (Incredible defender. Fast hands, faster feet. Only guard on record with DBPM >8; his was 9.8. Averaged 5.7 steals + blocks/game with only 1.7 TOs/game. Very athletic, with decent peripherals. Potential 3&D extraordinaire)

Tyler Herro- Potentially the best shooter in the draft with good size for a SG and a decent handle

Bruno Fernando - Definitely a bit of a throwback big, but he's got a decent shooting touch and can pass. Picked up bball late, so maybe delayed learning curve a la Siakam
 

JakeRae

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Thybulle strikes me as someone capable of being the player people want Ojeleye to be. Also, his FT shooting leaves cause for real optimism about his long term prospects as a shooter. He’s pretty much at the top of my list for the non lottery picks besides guys who might fall.
 

nighthob

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My lottery after the college season:
Tier 2- All Star Potential
2. Ja
3. Culver
4. Barrett (no strong preference between him and Culver)
I actually have Culver #2 on my board. I think he's grown since his last measurements in high school and is closer to 6'7", but with a smaller guard's game still. I like his upside as the prototype of what you want in guys these days, ball skills, shooting, athleticism, length, and the ability to handle the switch everything defense.

Tier 3- Good Starters w/outside shot at All-Star
5. Jaxson Hayes
6. Brandon Clarke (destined to be BPM/RPM darling but little shot at All-Star)
7. Coby White
White's a home run swing, he's one of the guys from this pool that has the ability to become a top 15 player once he fills out. I like Clarke, I think he's the guy everyone was hoping Ty Thomas would be. He's a high floor/low ceiling kind of guy. But if he can learn to spot shoot corner threes his defense is going to make him an all star.

Tier 4
8. Kevin Porter Jr. (high ceiling, very low floor. Maybe I should have Darius Garland here too)
9. De'Andre Hunter (opposite of above)
10. Grant Williams (bigger-playing version of Jae Crowder? Poor-man's Draymond? I dunno, but I love watching this kid. He can be an asset on offense as a screener/popper for a good PnR guard, and he's a great passer. Should probably switch him and Kevin Porter Jr.)
I wish Porter hadn't spent the year injured or suspended so that I could get a better feel for him. He's got serious tools. And even more serious questions about the space between his ears. Getting kicked off of a USC sports team for behavioral issues raises major red flags. Doesn't that normally require attempted murder and/or running a major drug ring?

I love De'Andre Hunter. I agree in general terms with the high floor/low ceiling comment. Except that I think that ceiling is a little higher than you do. (He's clearly a 3&D guy at the next level, but he's going to be really good at it).

Tier 5
11. Cam Reddish (Jaylen Brown makes the case for gambling on a blue chip prospect with elite physical tools who was terrible in college nonetheless. Should probably have him higher based on tools and position alone, but man was he unimpressive)
12. PJ Washington (Montrezl Harrell garbageman-plus type)
13. Jontay Porter (re-tearing an ACL can't be good, but I have not idea just how bad the long-term prognosis is. Maybe swap Bol Bol here if his foot injury is any less scary)
14. Romeo Langford
You missed Keldon Johnson, Nassir Little and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in this section. Little is, basically, the 6'6" Marcus Smart. For better and worse. And like Marcus he might be on his second contract before the jumper really works. But a bigger/longer Marcus is a really good result from a mid first round pick. Johnson plays hard and shoots, which has a lot of value now. He reminds a little of Klay Thompson, though I don't think it's likely that he ever hits that upside.

NAW not only has the greatest name acronym in this pool, but has real potential as a starting guard in the NBA. There are questions about how close he is to his listed 6'5", but he has the physical tools to guard the one spot and a combo guard's game. Avery Bradley he's not. But in a league where there are so many guys with combo guard games I don't think his lack of pure point guard skills is an issue. Here in Boston with Smart, Hayward, and Horford, NAW would be just fine as a long term Irving replacement (if/when Irving and Durant sign with another team). He's near the top of my wish list for the 12-14 pick.

Reddish is a guy that could go anywhere from 4-15 since he's easy to talk yourself into or out of. He spent the entire year playing at half speed. But was it because of a desire to stay healthy for the draft or does he just not give a damn? He's got the talent to be a top 20 guy if he busts ass.

He's probably got a better chance of hitting playing someplace like Boston where he's going to have to bust ass to get on the floor than someplace like Atlanta where they're going to hand him a starting spot regardless. If Boston gets stuck with #9 and Reddish floats I wouldn't mind the Celtics taking the home run swing because athletic 6'8" guys with that sort of length just don't grow on trees.

Thybulle strikes me as someone capable of being the player people want Ojeleye to be. Also, his FT shooting leaves cause for real optimism about his long term prospects as a shooter. He’s pretty much at the top of my list for the non lottery picks besides guys who might fall.
I think a better comparison would be Andre Roberson or Thabo Sefalosha. You sort of hope that he can learn to shoot corner treys because the defense is otherwise outstanding and can carry a lot of offensive suckage.
 

BigSoxFan

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What do people think of Jaxson Hayes? A likely top 7-8 pick who is incredibly raw based on the limited amount I saw him.

I also love, LOVE DeAndre Hunter. I think he has a floor as a star role player but still has upside as a solid 3rd option on a title team.
 

Cellar-Door

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I think a better comparison would be Andre Roberson or Thabo Sefalosha. You sort of hope that he can learn to shoot corner treys because the defense is otherwise outstanding and can carry a lot of offensive suckage.
I can't imagine comparing him to Roberson given that he was a very good FT shooter throughout his college career, and this season aside a pretty decent 3pt shooter (ended up 36% for his career, 36.6/40.5/36.5/30.5 year by year). Offensively I think you're looking more at a Danny Green type. He's not putting it on the floor, but he's ready to bury a 3 when his man cheats off him.
 

HomeRunBaker

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What do people think of Jaxson Hayes? A likely top 7-8 pick who is incredibly raw based on the limited amount I saw him.

I also love, LOVE DeAndre Hunter. I think he has a floor as a star role player but still has upside as a solid 3rd option on a title team.
I love both of these players at the next level. Hunter is being dismissed by many mocks as simply a 3-and-D guy but is so much more.

Hayes is the bastard child of Clint Capela and Jarrett Allen. I don’t expect much from him out of the gate much like Capela however once he adds some strength/size as Capela did it will allow him to channel his inner Jarrett as well. His athleticism and ability to switch onto wings could make him elite in this area.
 

JakeRae

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What do people think of Jaxson Hayes? A likely top 7-8 pick who is incredibly raw based on the limited amount I saw him.

I also love, LOVE DeAndre Hunter. I think he has a floor as a star role player but still has upside as a solid 3rd option on a title team.
They are at the top of the list of guys who shouldn’t be available at 9 but might be and who we should draft if they are and we are stuck with the Memphis pick.
 

chilidawg

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I actually have Culver #2 on my board. I think he's grown since his last measurements in high school and is closer to 6'7", but with a smaller guard's game still. I like his upside as the prototype of what you want in guys these days, ball skills, shooting, athleticism, length, and the ability to handle the switch everything defense.
I just can't get past how bad he was offensively in the final four, except for the last couple minutes of the semi final. I hadn't seen him much before that, and came away unimpressed. Could be a plus defender though.

What about Hachimura? I was quite impressed by him, I think he's got the ability to develop a 3 point shot, and he's already got a great at the basket and mid-range game. I like Clarke a lot too.
 

DannyDarwinism

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You missed Keldon Johnson, Nassir Little and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in this section. Little is, basically, the 6'6" Marcus Smart. For better and worse. And like Marcus he might be on his second contract before the jumper really works. But a bigger/longer Marcus is a really good result from a mid first round pick. Johnson plays hard and shoots, which has a lot of value now. He reminds a little of Klay Thompson, though I don't think it's likely that he ever hits that upside.
NAW and Keldon belong in that tier, they just don't crack my top 14, though they'd probably be next maybe with Rui sandwiched between.

I was bullish on Nas Little coming into the season but he gave Reddish, Shittu and Quentin Grimes a run for the money as the most disappointing freshmen. He can't shoot or pass, was not particularly good at defense to my eye, and generally showed a poor feel for the game. I was hoping he'd be Gerald Wallace (pretty close to "taller Marcus Smart) but he looks more like Stanley Johnson.Think I'd actually prefer Cam Johnson if I'm going with a non Coby White Tar Heel, even if he is old enough to be Nas's father.

I like Keldon Johnson in theory- body type, shooting, competitiveness- and I had high hopes after he looked great in the McD's AA game, but he never stood out when I watched him. Just kind of meh. And for all his tools, averaging just 1.0 steals and 0.2 blocks per 40.

Could definitely be talked into NAW over Kevin Porter Jr. based on decision-making and general make-up. But unlike Darius Garland or Talen Horton-Tucker, two guys I have no read on, I saw KPJ play and he does some shit that make you think he'll be a go-to scorer in the NBA one day. Definitely concerns about his head, but it's hard to know what's really going on, last year's big character-related drop is looking like a future 1st team All-Defensive stalwart for the Knicks. Sometimes you just have to gamble on talent.

I forgot about Chuma Okeke in the "guys I'd be OK with at 20 or 22" section. Kinda similar to De'Andre Hunter, though with a lower floor and ceiling since he’s not as versatile on D (wont be able to guard guards as like Hunter) and doesn’t have Hunter’s handle. Don't know how much to weigh the injury, but I do like his game.

And since I called Ojeleye to the Celtics last year based off Danny's love of combat muscles, I'll plant a flag for Luguentz Dort in the second round this year. Dort strong like ox.
 

TripleOT

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What do people think of Jaxson Hayes? A likely top 7-8 pick who is incredibly raw based on the limited amount I saw him.

I also love, LOVE DeAndre Hunter. I think he has a floor as a star role player but still has upside as a solid 3rd option on a title team.
All Hayes really did at Texas on offense was dunk and make layups. From what I've seen, he's long at can get up to the top floor real quick, even from a standstill. For a skinny frosh, he can finish through contact too. Hayes didn't do much shooting, but was 74% from the FT line. Defensively, he moves real well, has long arms, and is has big time potential as a shotblocker. I love his frame and see him filling out without sacrificing mobility. His father, former NFL TE Jonathan Hayes, went 6-5, 250 pounds. His mom was a basketball star at Drake and averaged 59 ppg in HS lol.

I don't know if the Celtics see Robert Williams as a long term answer as a big and will see Hayes as a duplicate, but i like him at least as much as TimeLord. I can see him developing a real offensive game to go with his defensive chops. He had a late growth spurt and was kind of a basketball afterthought until 2017. Hayes hurt his knee at the end of the year, but it's said to be not structural. I can also see him having value to a rebuilding Pelicans if they trade AD here.
 

HomeRunBaker

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I don't know if the Celtics see Robert Williams as a long term answer as a big and will see Hayes as a duplicate, but i like him at least as much as TimeLord. I can see him developing a real offensive game to go with his defensive chops. He had a late growth spurt and was kind of a basketball afterthought until 2017. Hayes hurt his knee at the end of the year, but it's said to be not structural. I can also see him having value to a rebuilding Pelicans if they trade AD here.
Williams is a project who may or may not ever develop into a reliable rotational big. Hayes has legitimate elite big skills with All-Star potential. If Ainge does like Hayes (as much as I do) he isn’t going to pass on him because Williams is on the roster. They only duplicate one another positionally if Williams shows he’s an NBA player which he hasn’t done yet.
 

Big John

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I like Hunter, but the guy with star potential is Dombouya, and I expect him to go late lottery. I also like Thybulle, who is an elite defender.

And my choice for the real sleeper in this draft is Miye Oni if he stays in. He may be there when the Celtics pick at No. 52, if only because he's already 22 years old.
 

HomeRunBaker

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I like Hunter, but the guy with star potential is Dombouya, and I expect him to go late lottery. I also like Thybulle, who is an elite defender.

And my choice for the real sleeper in this draft is Miye Oni if he stays in. He may be there when the Celtics pick at No. 52, if only because he's already 22 years old.
Yeah this kid is a complete crapshoot and I’m wondering in today’s age of instant gratification, AKA “I need to hit quick on this pick to save my job”, I could see Dombouya dropping.

I’m not really a fan of his game. For such a crazy athlete he isn’t explosive with the ball and seems kinda mechanical in that he cannot create separation with the ball in a crafty way. In this regard I keep thinking back to the same read I had on Dragan Bender prior to his draft who showed these similar limitations. There is no clue I see on his work ethic and he could be a very useful player down the road due to his athleticism if he figures out how to use it once he grows into his body........but today I’d have him much much closer to a Than Maker-type athlete than to a Giannis-type athlete based on whet I’ve seen at the same stages of their careers.
 

oumbi

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Yeah this kid is a complete crapshoot and I’m wondering in today’s age of instant gratification, AKA “I need to hit quick on this pick to save my job”, I could see Dombouya dropping.

I’m not really a fan of his game. For such a crazy athlete he isn’t explosive with the ball and seems kinda mechanical in that he cannot create separation with the ball in a crafty way. In this regard I keep thinking back to the same read I had on Dragan Bender prior to his draft who showed these similar limitations. There is no clue I see on his work ethic and he could be a very useful player down the road due to his athleticism if he figures out how to use it once he grows into his body........but today I’d have him much much closer to a Than Maker-type athlete than to a Giannis-type athlete based on whet I’ve seen at the same stages of their careers.
Just a small change to a good pair of posts. It's Doumbouya, not Dombouya.

i just watched some videos of him, and even if we discount his shooting 100% on all his shots (it is, after all, highlights) i was impressed by his speed, athleticism, and nice shooting touch.

maybe at #9?
 
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Big John

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Oh, I don't see Doumbouya turning into Giannis, but he could be Pascal Siakam, which isn't too shabby. And Doumbouya is six years younger than Siakam.

When a guy with star (or semi-star) potential is available late lottery, you don't settle for the next Kelly Olynyk. Ainge needs to remember that he got it right in 2004.
 

Big John

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Yep, Jefferson the semi-star, who was good enough (along with some other assets) to fetch KG. Folks may not remember but Big Al got off to a huge start for the Wolves and then got hurt.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Yep, Jefferson the semi-star, who was good enough (along with some other assets) to fetch KG. Folks may not remember but Big Al got off to a huge start for the Wolves and then got hurt.
Jefferson got off to a “huge start” with his numbers due in large part to the Grizzlies next best options being Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes, and Rashad McCants on the way to 20-wins. He was the same player as he was in Boston with more touches.
 

Devizier

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Jefferson was such an odd duck, overrated as a young player, underrated as an older guy. He had a pretty respectable 14 year career.

But definitely not worth Kevin Garnett. Thanks, Kevin (McHale).
 

Jimbodandy

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Given the crappy sraft slots tha DA had in that draft, those picks were smart shopping. There were other decent players available, but a shitload more bums.

Al was pretty productive for a 15 pick.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Given the crappy sraft slots tha DA had in that draft, those picks were smart shopping. There were other decent players available, but a shitload more bums.

Al was pretty productive for a 15 pick.
Yes this was a killer draft for the Celtics grabbing 3 productive NBA players in the same first round without having elite draft slots. Another GM could have selected Kirk Snyder, David Harrison, and Andre Emmett with these picks and fan bases wouldn't have lost their minds.

Speaking of losing ones mind......this class sure had their share of mental health issues. Kirk Snyder, Ben Gordon, Delonte, and Robert Swift off the top of my head. Chris Duhon had his notorious alcohol problems, our 2nd round pick Justin Reed did jail time for drug trafficking prior to his premature death caused by cancer, Swift's demise also included a deep dive down the demons cellar, You know your draft class has issues when Tony Allen, Josh Smith, and JR Smith aren't even on your short list of basket cases.
 

nighthob

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Yeah this kid is a complete crapshoot and I’m wondering in today’s age of instant gratification, AKA “I need to hit quick on this pick to save my job”, I could see Dombouya dropping.

I’m not really a fan of his game. For such a crazy athlete he isn’t explosive with the ball and seems kinda mechanical in that he cannot create separation with the ball in a crafty way. In this regard I keep thinking back to the same read I had on Dragan Bender prior to his draft who showed these similar limitations. There is no clue I see on his work ethic and he could be a very useful player down the road due to his athleticism if he figures out how to use it once he grows into his body........but today I’d have him much much closer to a Than Maker-type athlete than to a Giannis-type athlete based on whet I’ve seen at the same stages of their careers.
He's athletic, but you're right in that he hasn't figured out how to use it yet. I think his upside is the player we all wish MaMo was; a long, athletic defender that can hit wide open threes when the ball swings to him. I think he's a legit draft & stash candidate if he's there at #20, although I like Okeke more and think that if he makes a full recovery he's a lot more likely to hit that same projection.

Doumbouya does have some skills that allow you to dream bigger, I'm just skeptical of late bloomers (well, until they actually bloom anyway).
 

HomeRunBaker

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He's athletic, but you're right in that he hasn't figured out how to use it yet. I think his upside is the player we all wish MaMo was; a long, athletic defender that can hit wide open threes when the ball swings to him. I think he's a legit draft & stash candidate if he's there at #20, although I like Okeke more and think that if he makes a full recovery he's a lot more likely to hit that same projection.

Doumbouya does have some skills that allow you to dream bigger, I'm just skeptical of late bloomers (well, until they actually bloom anyway).
Yeah I don’t see the Siakam comp someone referenced above in that he lacks that change of pace shiftiness which makes him so difficult to defend. I keep seeing Thon Maker’s future when I watch tape of this kid.
 

nighthob

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I'm not wild about the Thon Maker comparison either. I think Doumbouya has some legitimate value in the open court, offensively. It's in the halfcourt where I think he's limited to spot shooting (unless he can harness that athleticism). He could just be a late bloomer, and turn into Boris Diaw 2.0 down the line. But, I like Okeke's chances of being a better version of the 3&D F for the pace & space era. So he'd be my preference for a (virtual) draft & stash.
 

TripleOT

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Does anyone else get concerned when seeing a video of an Euro that shows absolutely no jump shooting, or shows all jump shooting and no driving to the hoop?

After the Yabusele bust of a pick, maybe Ainge should stick to the states. BTW, Yabu was "warming up" prior to the second half of game one with the Pacers by flinging up off balanced skyball threes, and a couple of halfcourt heaves to end his warm up. Not a good look.
 

PC Drunken Friar

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Does anyone else get concerned when seeing a video of an Euro that shows absolutely no jump shooting, or shows all jump shooting and no driving to the hoop?

After the Yabusele bust of a pick, maybe Ainge should stick to the states. BTW, Yabu was "warming up" prior to the second half of game one with the Pacers by flinging up off balanced skyball threes, and a couple of halfcourt heaves to end his warm up. Not a good look.
I honestly can't consider any non-top 10 pick a bust. And, half-assed internet research tells me he is 20th in his class according to VORP and 28th according to Win Shares. Playing on a title contender, that ain't that bad and certainly not a "bust".
 

Kliq

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I feel like Siakam is going to be the go-to compt now for every scout/executive/coach/agent trying to sell an athletic but raw prospect because he is the best case scenario (maybe Giannis, but he was still a mid-round pick and his progression is so unrealistic). Kind of like how every skilled scorer that isn't an elite athlete is compared to Paul Pierce, every no-shot PG is Jason Kidd, every short QB is Drew Brees, etc.
 

TripleOT

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I honestly can't consider any non-top 10 pick a bust. And, half-assed internet research tells me he is 20th in his class according to VORP and 28th according to Win Shares. Playing on a title contender, that ain't that bad and certainly not a "bust".
I see him as a bust in that the 20th pick in the draft can't be counted on to even play a couple of quality minutes for a contender. To be fair, when Ainge picked him he was more of a development pick, but he hasn't developed at all in my eyes. I would have rather had some third year college guy who didn't have as much of an upside, but could play a few quality minutes if needed.
 

nighthob

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Boston was in the unique situation of needing players that wouldn't insist on signing deals that year, hence the two draft & stashes.
 

HomeRunBaker

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I'm with nightnob on giving Ainge a complete pass on Yabusele. He was "drafted in the 1st round" but was never considered a 1st round draft pick. He was fortunate enough to find a team in a unique situation of having an extra 1st round pick that they didn't want to use on an active player while being unable to find a player to agree to be stashed. Ainge could have essentially given away the pick but similar to what OKC did with Josh Huestis a few years ago made a verbal agreement that benefitted both sides.
 

Big John

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I'm sorry I mentioned Siakam as a comp for Doumbouya. Siakam is already 25 and played several years at New Mexico State. Doumbouya is still only 19 so yes, he's raw. But he's 6-9, has a body that could easily add 20 lbs (he's 210 at the moment), jumps through the roof, can put the ball on the floor and move without the ball, and has decent post up moves. His three point percentage is iffy (33% from the European distance) but he shoots 75% from the line. He could be a bust, sure, but I don't see anyone who will be there at #14 with a higher ceiling.

As I said earlier, I also like Naz Reid and Kevin Porter (if healthy). Porter can flat out score. Those are two players I think Ainge should target with picks 20 and 22. It will be curious to see who gets selected with Boston's picks if Ainge is drafting for the Pelicans.
 
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mcpickl

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Celtics had Cam Johnson and Justin Robinson among others in for a draft workout today.
This guy is my catnip.

Tall dudes that have to play a position down from their height because they're too thin, but can shoot the hell out of it from the perimeter.

If they can grab him with one of their late picks, I'd dig it.

Feel like he'd be a nice 8th man. Unlikely to be much more than that as an old rookie, but think he's unlikely to be a zero either.