2015-16 Brooklyn Nets (caretakers of the Ben Simmons pick)

[bowiac]

538 posted their preview of the Nets, which is somehow even more pessimistic for their season prospects than I was. They project a 25 win season, which puts them squarely within contention to give the Celtics 25% of the lottery balls.
 
I'm a bit more optimistic, as I don't expect them to give Bargnani that many minutes if he keeps playing that badly, but still, it's bleak when your point guards are Shane Larkin and Jarrett Jack. Is there an upside story for them? What is it?

 

[nighthob]

Honestly that team is a Brook Lopez injury away from competing with the Sixers. And given Pouffy's injury history I'm optimistic.

 

[ALiveH]

Bropez might be an all-time great nickname.  So they have that going for them...
 
Aside from Lopez, Johnson & Young, everyone else on their roster looks mediocre or worse.
 
Lopez staying healthy & productive or not is the biggest wildcard - a 5-win swing factor by itself.  If that happens, the projection probably rises to 30 wins.  If he breaks his foot (again) or something early in the season, they may struggle to even win 25.
 
Young & Johnson - you pretty much know what you're getting & they've historically been durable.
 
Apart from that, tough to see where the upside surprise will come from.  Robinson was drafted high & is entering his prime but hasn't shown too much exciting thus far in his career.  Hollis-Jefferson might someday be good but almost definitely not this year as a rookie.

 

[nighthob]

I also expect JJ to begin asking for a trade or buyout by Christmas.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Upside? One year closer to clearing the books and making the team more attractive to buyers. One year closer to having another first rounder, albeit swapped. One year closer to selling the fan base on being "in" on every FA.

This is a roster of role players and one above average starter with foot problems and an allergy to defense. And the role players aren't even that good. Oh, and they open the season with something like 11 of their first 15 games on the road.

Contract year Brook and Thad are now fat contract Brook and Thad. Can't wait.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

The Nets are 0-4 after dropping a close one at home to the previously winless Bucks. Bucks were running away with it until like 8 straight turnovers by Plumlee and Vasquez.

The Nets head to Atlanta on Wednesday and will be on the road for 7 of their next 9, including a mini WC swing. Dream start for them...sorry, I meant us. Dream start for us.

 

[Manzivino]

Brooklyn loses at home to Milwaukee to fall to 0-4, having lost by margins of 15, 27, 10 and 7. So far they are who we thought they were.
 
 

The Nets are 0-4 after dropping a close one at home to the previously winless Bucks. Bucks were running away with it until like 8 straight turnovers by Plumlee and Vasquez.

The Nets head to Atlanta on Wednesday and will be on the road for 7 of their next 9, including a mini WC swing. Dream start for them...sorry, I meant us. Dream start for us.

 
They have a couple of winnable games coming up in their next 5 (Lakers @ home, @ Kings) but their schedule is brutal and they have not looked good.

 

[EL Jeffe]

Make that 0-5.
 
Ben Simmons or Skal Labissiere would be mighty nice building blocks. Then again, maybe Ainge throws that pick into a Paul George package.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Epic showdown at Barclays tomorrow night as the Nets host the Lakers. Sadly I think Brooklyn probably wins this one, but I'm not sure they'll be favored in another game this month. Having watched much more of this team than anyone should ever have to, they are capable of semi-decent play for short stretches. Pretty much anytime the other team puts the foot on the gas, though, they turn the ball over, can't get stops and get run off the floor.
 
JJ is super-cooked. The backcourt is probably the worst in the league and will be destroyed by guards all season while having very little shooting ability of their own. Lopez is doing what he usually does but still disappears plenty. They have trouble getting him the ball as often as they should because the guards are an awesome combination of terrible yet prone to hero ball. Thad is fine but should never ever be any team's second-best player. Probably should look to trade him for a pick...nobody is signing there to play with him (or Lopez for that matter). RHJ looks good in limited minutes as the defensive energy guy we knew he was, but Hollins refuses to force-feed him minutes for some reason. The Nets' faithful are jumping all over Hollins while ignoring that the talent level on the team is just horrendous.
 
Because of the pick situation they'll be hard-pressed to outtank Philly and LAL but most of the teams they finished ahead last year are very clearly better teams this year - Orlando, Indy, Miami, Detroit, NYK. Hornets should be better too. Even in the West you have several teams looking feistier than expected like Minny, Denver and Portland. Can't wait to see what happens is Brooklyn finishes the month at something like 3-14.
 
Remember, this is all happening with the team at 100% health. 

 

[PC Drunken Friar]

Epic showdown at Barclays tomorrow night as the Nets host the Lakers. Sadly I think Brooklyn probably wins this one, but I'm not sure they'll be favored in another game this month. Having watched much more of this team than anyone should ever have to, they are capable of semi-decent play for short stretches. Pretty much anytime the other team puts the foot on the gas, though, they turn the ball over, can't get stops and get run off the floor.
 
JJ is super-cooked. The backcourt is probably the worst in the league and will be destroyed by guards all season while having very little shooting ability of their own. Lopez is doing what he usually does but still disappears plenty. They have trouble getting him the ball as often as they should because the guards are an awesome combination of terrible yet prone to hero ball. Thad is fine but should never ever be any team's second-best player. Probably should look to trade him for a pick...nobody is signing there to play with him (or Lopez for that matter). RHJ looks good in limited minutes as the defensive energy guy we knew he was, but Hollins refuses to force-feed him minutes for some reason. The Nets' faithful are jumping all over Hollins while ignoring that the talent level on the team is just horrendous.
 
Because of the pick situation they'll be hard-pressed to outtank Philly and LAL but most of the teams they finished ahead last year are very clearly better teams this year - Orlando, Indy, Miami, Detroit, NYK. Hornets should be better too. Even in the West you have several teams looking feistier than expected like Minny, Denver and Portland. Can't wait to see what happens is Brooklyn finishes the month at something like 3-14.
 
Remember, this is all happening with the team at 100% health. 

In regards to the tanking, I read recently that they should tank.  Just because they have no 1st Rd pick doesn't mean they should not be sellers.  They have some OK pieces and they should move them for picks to start rebuilding.  The embarrassment of trading away the #1 pick for nothing is bad, but it will be worse if they do nothing for the next 3 years.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

After the Lakers game, the Nets hit the road for 8 of their next 10.  Mixed in is a home-and-home with the Celtics the week before Thanksgiving.......ironically the only game in this stretch where they will be favored or a pick 'em will be the home game against us.
 
These Brooklyn games are the biggest ones of our season.

 

[nighthob]

Because of the pick situation they'll be hard-pressed to outtank Philly and LAL but most of the teams they finished ahead last year are very clearly better teams this year - Orlando, Indy, Miami, Detroit, NYK. Hornets should be better too. Even in the West you have several teams looking feistier than expected like Minny, Denver and Portland. Can't wait to see what happens is Brooklyn finishes the month at something like 3-14.
 
Remember, this is all happening with the team at 100% health.

Not only that the Knicks don't have a first this year so they're going to be going all out too, and with a better roster. Right now Boston looks like it's in the catbird seat with the Nets looking like an easy bottom three squad once JJ Sr. forces his way out of Dodge and Little JJ's act wears thin enough that they ship him out just to keep him from infecting the few kids on the roster. Dallas is looking like a 38-42 win team, as is Minnesota, meaning two late lottery picks added to the stash.

 

[moondog80]

Not only that the Knicks don't have a first this year so they're going to be going all out too, and with a better roster. Right now Boston looks like it's in the catbird seat with the Nets looking like an easy bottom three squad once JJ Sr. forces his way out of Dodge and Little JJ's act wears thin enough that they ship him out just to keep him from infecting the few kids on the roster. Dallas is looking like a 38-42 win team, as is Minnesota, meaning two late lottery picks added to the stash.

 
Has a team ever had 4 lottery picks?  That's definitely in play this year.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

That should provide us a much needed talent infusion IF Ainge selects high upside guys rather than established older players with low ceilings like Sullinger and Olynyk.  My head spun on draft night and still spins today with the Olynyk pick over a high upside athletic freak who could grow into an impact player. He left Antetokounmpo, Schroeder, and Gobert on the board.....three athletic freaks with the high upside of their ball skills and physical skills growing with time.  Olynyk and Sully already had developed skill sets and bodies.
 
We were also one year off from having all these picks. The 2015 draft class is going to go down as one of the best ever when all is said and done.  Scary what many of these teenagers are doing already......Towns, Mudiay, Porzingis, Okafor, Cauley-Stein, etc.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

nevermind.

 

[nighthob]

That should provide us a much needed talent infusion IF Ainge selects high upside guys rather than established older players with low ceilings like Sullinger and Olynyk.  My head spun on draft night and still spins today with the Olynyk pick over a high upside athletic freak who could grow into an impact player. He left Antetokounmpo, Schroeder, and Gobert on the board.....three athletic freaks with the high upside of their ball skills and physical skills growing with time.  Olynyk and Sully already had developed skill sets and bodies.

In fairness Sullinger came from the crapshoot part of the draft and they did make an upside pick behind him. My board at that point had names that I was disappointed they didn't take, but while I did have Crowder and Green on mine, the list was headed by Quincy Miller and Tony Wroten.

 

[bowiac]

As noted, Sullinger was picked 21, and the upside guys taken after him, including Fab Melo, have mostly been total bombs. The guys taken after Sullinger who blew up were Khris Middleton and Draymond Green, i.e., guys with developed skillsets and bodies. They just had skillsets developed for the "modern" game.
 
Olynyk on the other hand, seems like every upside guy taken after him has turned into an asset other than Archie Goodwin.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

That should provide us a much needed talent infusion IF Ainge selects high upside guys rather than established older players with low ceilings like Sullinger and Olynyk.  My head spun on draft night and still spins today with the Olynyk pick over a high upside athletic freak who could grow into an impact player. He left Antetokounmpo, Schroeder, and Gobert on the board.....three athletic freaks with the high upside of their ball skills and physical skills growing with time.  Olynyk and Sully already had developed skill sets and bodies.
 
We were also one year off from having all these picks. The 2015 draft class is going to go down as one of the best ever when all is said and done.  Scary what many of these teenagers are doing already......Towns, Mudiay, Porzingis, Okafor, Cauley-Stein, etc.

I don't think he can be faulted for taking Sully, but the Olynyk pick (over Antetokgjdoblbpdpkvsvodbldpo, or even Schroeder) was an out and out gaffe. (And I actually think Olynyk is a decent player).

 

[HomeRunBaker]

The Sully pick wasn't as bad since this fit Ainge's tendency to draft a low ceiling guy with a high upside guy in the same draft and he did same with Melo that year and he was a good talent at that spot.  It wasn't like Draymond or the guy I liked as a flyer Khris Middleton were logical 1st rounders and neither fit your prototypical high ceiling guy anyway.  The problem with the Olynyk pick was that we desperately needed a high ceiling guy, didn't have a 2nd #1 pick, and choose him over Antetokounmpo, Schoeder, Gobert, or Muhammad.  This isn't revisionist history as I'm fine with the Melo pick as many flawed college 7-footers are late bloomers like a DeAndre. There was probably a 90% chance that Olynyk makes it to a 2nd contract while someone like Gobert could have easily been a Melo........but you can pick up an Olynyk on the cheap whenever you want, he literally serves no purpose on a rebuilding team.

 

[Grin&MartyBarret]

The Sully pick wasn't as bad since this fit Ainge's tendency to draft a low ceiling guy with a high upside guy in the same draft and he did same with Melo that year and he was a good talent at that spot.  It wasn't like Draymond or the guy I liked as a flyer Khris Middleton were logical 1st rounders and neither fit your prototypical high ceiling guy anyway.  The problem with the Olynyk pick was that we desperately needed a high ceiling guy, didn't have a 2nd #1 pick, and choose him over Antetokounmpo, Schoeder, Gobert, or Muhammad.  This isn't revisionist history as I'm fine with the Melo pick as many flawed college 7-footers are late bloomers like a DeAndre. There was probably a 90% chance that Olynyk makes it to a 2nd contract while someone like Gobert could have easily been a Melo........but you can pick up an Olynyk on the cheap whenever you want, he literally serves no purpose on a rebuilding team.

 
Can you really pick up a 7 footer who can stretch the floor on the cheap anytime you want? I think everybody here is severely underestimating how high a ceiling any 7'0 player who can shoot like Olynyk has. He hasn't been the player they hoped--though he's been solid and shown flashes--but that doesn't mean he didn't have a high ceiling. 

 

[bowiac]

Can you really pick up a 7 footer who can stretch the floor on the cheap anytime you want? I think everybody here is severely underestimating how high a ceiling any 7'0 player who can shoot like Olynyk has. He hasn't been the player they hoped--though he's been solid and shown flashes--but that doesn't mean he didn't have a high ceiling. 

I agree people are selling Olynyk short here. He's a good player - better than I ever thought he would be. He stretches the floor, and while he's never going to be a rim protector, he's active and surprisingly quick on defense.
 
That pick is annoying because the guys taken after him look so good, but it's not like Olynyk is some kind of 8th man or something.

 

[moondog80]

That should provide us a much needed talent infusion IF Ainge selects high upside guys rather than established older players with low ceilings like Sullinger and Olynyk.  My head spun on draft night and still spins today with the Olynyk pick over a high upside athletic freak who could grow into an impact player. He left Antetokounmpo, Schroeder, and Gobert on the board.....three athletic freaks with the high upside of their ball skills and physical skills growing with time.  Olynyk and Sully already had developed skill sets and bodies.
 
We were also one year off from having all these picks. The 2015 draft class is going to go down as one of the best ever when all is said and done.  Scary what many of these teenagers are doing already......Towns, Mudiay, Porzingis, Okafor, Cauley-Stein, etc.

They don't need an influx of talent, they need a consolidation.  It's already impossible for James Young and Terry Rozier to get on the floor, what's going to happen next year when they have 3 or 4 more 1st rounders?  Would Rudy Gobert have gotten a chance to develop here?  That 4-for-1 deal can't happen soon enough, Danny!

 

[nighthob]

They don't need an influx of talent, they need a consolidation.  It's already impossible for James Young and Terry Rozier to get on the floor, what's going to happen next year when they have 3 or 4 more 1st rounders?  Would Rudy Gobert have gotten a chance to develop here?  That 4-for-1 deal can't happen soon enough, Danny!

They desperately need guys with the talent, and size, to be quality NBA starters. Right now they really have one such player, and he needs another year of seasoning. It's tough to get more than four playoff games out of a roster whose best player is a 5'7" combo guard that couldn't defend Sam Hinkie to a room full of 76er fans.

 

[bowiac]

Amir Johnson is sad.

 

[southshoresoxfan]

I think Olynyk is literally the definition of an 8th man.

 

[OCST]

The Nets-Lakers game tonight is sparsely attended and has the ambiance of a Jiffy Lube lobby

 

[JBJ_HOF]

LAL tried to give that game away hard, maybe the Bucks can run the Nets out of the building tomorrow.

 

[moondog80]

What's awesome is with no first round picks, the Nets have no way of getting better, so they almost have to trade Lopez for picks (which makes them worse short term). This is could Herschel Walker-esque.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Brooklyn sucks but this was still a pretty shocking loss. LAL were in control for most of the 2nd half and only some really sloppy play and heroball kept it from being another double digit Nets loss. Against a bottom 3 team. At home.

 

[JBJ_HOF]

 

[leetinsley38]

What's awesome is with no first round picks, the Nets have no way of getting better, so they almost have to trade Lopez for picks (which makes them worse short term). This is could Herschel Walker-esque.

Agreed. Danny should grease the skids if Brooklyn can't get it done themselves. We can offer picks (our own or maybe some other less valuable ones) and spin Lopez off for someone we actually want (don't think he fits w Stevens style). We have picks to spare and further ensures Brooklyn sucks for the next couple years.

 

[moondog80]

Agreed. Danny should grease the skids if Brooklyn can't get it done themselves. We can offer picks (our own or maybe some other less valuable ones) and spin Lopez off for someone we actually want (don't think he fits w Stevens style). We have picks to spare and further ensures Brooklyn sucks for the next couple years.

I guess the only thing is Brooklyn wants the Cs to suck next year since they'll likely end with our pick.

 

[southshoresoxfan]

Im salivating thinking about Brooklyn at 1...Dallas at 8...Minny at 13 and Celtics around 17/18.

 

[ishmael]

Im salivating thinking about Brooklyn at 1...Dallas at 8...Minny at 13 and Celtics around 17/18.

Gonna be very hard to thread the needle on that MN pick. They have three in a row coming up against the East: should be a good test of how improved they are over last year.

Dallas has the talent to land in that 8-16 spot, but health will be the biggest factor with Wes Matthews, Deron, Parsons, and Dirk all either injury prone or old.

 

[SoxScout]

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

There aren't many things that can make an 0-7 team significantly worse than they already are. This would be one of them. Brooklyn can't score without Lopez. Like, at all. Even tonight's 86 was inflated by a bunch of garbage time points when the game was decided.

 

[Sprowl]

There aren't many things that can make an 0-7 team significantly worse than they already are. This would be one of them. Brooklyn can't score without Lopez. Like, at all. Even tonight's 86 was inflated by a bunch of garbage time points when the game was decided.

Bropez indeed. This should be a season-long Schadenfreude special. We've got so many ill wishes, there are scarcely enough losses to go around.

 

[BigSoxFan]

I mean, it's a near certainty that we're getting a top 5 pick this year with Brooklyn. I'll be watching a lot of college hoops this year. Minnesota is looking improved so that top 12 protected pick may become a reality and there's little chance that the Mavericks keep their top 7 protected pick as well. When it's all said and done, I think we'll get a top 3-4 pick with Brooklyn, a top 10-14 pick with our own, and two picks in the teens with Dallas and Minnesota's picks. Literally anyone who plays college hoops this year is in play for us. Exciting.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

That's great and all but unless that top 3-4 pick hits they should be consolidating the rest, stashing European players or moving them to future years. They don't need more role players that come in the teens. I guess they could take huge boom or bust guys, but they're running out of roster space.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

That's great and all but unless that top 3-4 pick hits they should be consolidating the rest, stashing European players or moving them to future years. They don't need more role players that come in the teens. I guess they could take huge boom or bust guys, but they're running out of roster space.

Too bad MJ just had to have Kaminsky. There should be other similar opportunities. A hypothetical "perfect results" package of 9, 13 and 17 is much better than the 16, 28, future DAL pick and future MEM pick they were probably offering last year.

If Brooklyn had one great centerpiece player they would actually be the perfect team with whom to consolidate. No talent, no assets and would kill for a bunch of decent picks. Alas, they have nothing.

 

[Nick Kaufman]

Too bad MJ just had to have Kaminsky. There should be other similar opportunities. A hypothetical "perfect results" package of 9, 13 and 17 is much better than the 16, 28, future DAL pick and future MEM pick they were probably offering last year.

If Brooklyn had one great centerpiece player they would actually be the perfect team with whom to consolidate. No talent, no assets and would kill for a bunch of decent picks. Alas, they have nothing.

I was looking at the Kings the other day and I was hoping that Cousins for a bunch of our good players + draft picks would work for them. I mean, if Cauley Stein becomes their defensive anchor that should gel well with someone like Olynyk right?

 

[Eddie Jurak]

I agree people are selling Olynyk short here. He's a good player - better than I ever thought he would be. He stretches the floor, and while he's never going to be a rim protector, he's active and surprisingly quick on defense.

That pick is annoying because the guys taken after him look so good, but it's not like Olynyk is some kind of 8th man or something.

I think you are right that Olynyk is a good player, more than an 8th man. But...

If he severely sprains a few locks of hair and is lost for the season, what happens? IMO, the Celtics without him are, more or less, about the same as the Celtics with him. His minutes go to some combination of Zeller, Lee, Jerebko, and small lineups, and at the end of the day (giving Stevens credit for going with his best options for replacing those minutes) they are about as good as the would have been before.

Good player, but on a team that goes nearly 15 deep in good players.

Given Danny's proven ability to find Olynyk-caliber players, he'd have been better off to swing for the fences and draft Giannis.

 

[Grin&MartyBarret]

I think you are right that Olynyk is a good player, more than an 8th man. But...

If he severely sprains a few locks of hair and is lost for the season, what happens? IMO, the Celtics without him are, more or less, about the same as the Celtics with him. His minutes go to some combination of Zeller, Lee, Jerebko, and small lineups, and at the end of the day (giving Stevens credit for going with his best options for replacing those minutes) they are about as good as the would have been before.

Good player, but on a team that goes nearly 15 deep in good players.

Given Danny's proven ability to find Olynyk-caliber players, he'd have been better off to swing for the fences and draft Giannis.

The point is, that a 7 footer that can shoot threes is a swing for the fences. Why is the assumption that Ainge drafted Olynyk knowing Olynyk would be exactly what he is now?

 

[southshoresoxfan]

What in gods name has Kelly Olynyk shown you guys to suggest hes good? He cant defend an NBA position lacks athleticism and is often passive. He could vanish into thin air and this team wouldnt lose or win 1 more game

 

[Grin&MartyBarret]

What in gods name has Kelly Olynyk shown you guys to suggest hes good? He cant defend an NBA position lacks athleticism and is often passive. He could vanish into thin air and this team wouldnt lose or win 1 more game

Whether or not he's good is irrelevant to the discussion. My point is just that it's ridiculous hindsight to act like Ainge taking him was an instance in which he valued getting an Olynyk level rotation player over a high potential guy like Giannis or Gobert. A 7 footer who can stretch the floor has the potential to be a hugely valuable player; that Olynyk hasn't panned out as well as Gobert doesn't make the pick any less of a swing for the fences.

 

[Fishy1]

Too bad MJ just had to have Kaminsky. There should be other similar opportunities. A hypothetical "perfect results" package of 9, 13 and 17 is much better than the 16, 28, future DAL pick and future MEM pick they were probably offering last year.

If Brooklyn had one great centerpiece player they would actually be the perfect team with whom to consolidate. No talent, no assets and would kill for a bunch of decent picks. Alas, they have nothing.

It's fine. The wonderful thing about us having their 2015 pick and the rights to trade with them next year is they're not going to be adding good enough next year or the year after that to bring them closer to mediocrity. For fuck's sake, we could, in theory, have three number on picks in a row. It's unlikely, but not that unlikely. Joe Johnson will be all the toastier for having spent another year in the oven, Lopez will be a year footier.

The "roster crunch" isn't a problem for that reason. Danny will consolidate and pick as he sees fit, depending upon the availability of trade partners and what he can get for guys like Sullinger, Lee, and even Bradley and Crowder. But none of that matters compared to the Brooklyn picks.

As for Olynyk, anybody who's paying attention when he's on the floor knows how good he can be. It's not just that he stretches the floor; he also has a drive and kick game rare for some one his size. Defenses have to collapse on him and when they do he's a skilled enough passer to find the weak side guy or the man in the corner. Him and Thomas were a terror on defenses last year precisely because Thomas could get to the rim while opposing centers were caught in no-man's land worrying about Olynyk draining threes on them. He was fucking awful defensively his first year and for a good chunk of his second, but he's improved immensely. He's still bad at altering shots at the rim, but he's gotten a lot better at helping on D and moves his feet a lot better than people give him credit for.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

Whether or not he's good is irrelevant to the discussion. My point is just that it's ridiculous hindsight to act like Ainge taking him was an instance in which he valued getting an Olynyk level rotation player over a high potential guy like Giannis or Gobert. A 7 footer who can stretch the floor has the potential to be a hugely valuable player; that Olynyk hasn't panned out as well as Gobert doesn't make the pick any less of a swing for the fences.

First you have to understand what gives a player a high ceiling and with few exceptions it is tied to their basketball skills catching up to their freakish length and athleticism. Skill levels can be improved......shooting, ballhandling, understanding how to play the game......and those who are behind in these areas but have elite length and athleticism have the highest ceiling of growth. A player like Olynyk who was a very good college player due to the abovementioned skills already equaling or exceeding his athleticism doesn't have as much room to improve in these areas......he is essentially what he is compared to the night and day that Giannis is today compared to two years ago while still having a ton of room to grow as a player. This isn't hindsight it is the risk/reward of a high upside guy like Giannis making an impact.......you can find Olynyk's growing on trees all around the league, they aren't hard to come by.

 

[Grin&MartyBarret]

First you have to understand what gives a player a high ceiling and with few exceptions it is tied to their basketball skills catching up to their freakish length and athleticism. Skill levels can be improved......shooting, ballhandling, understanding how to play the game......and those who are behind in these areas but have elite length and athleticism have the highest ceiling of growth. A player like Olynyk who was a very good college player due to the abovementioned skills already equaling or exceeding his athleticism doesn't have as much room to improve in these areas......he is essentially what he is compared to the night and day that Giannis is today compared to two years ago while still having a ton of room to grow as a player. This isn't hindsight it is the risk/reward of a high upside guy like Giannis making an impact.......you can find Olynyk's growing on trees all around the league, they aren't hard to come by.

You keep saying this, I don't think it's true. Which is also why I think the Olynyk pick was a "swing for the fences", "high upside" pick, despite his lack of athleticism.

You can count on a single hand the number of 7'0 guys who can shoot the three as well as Olynyk. Does that alone make him elite? No. But it gives him a skill set that's unique enough that were he to improve a few other parts of his game, could make him a hugely valuable player. I don't believe that one has to have elite athleticism and length to have high upside, nor do I think that you have to come into the league without basic shooting/ball handling skills.

 

[JakeRae]

I mean, it's a near certainty that we're getting a top 5 pick this year with Brooklyn. I'll be watching a lot of college hoops this year. Minnesota is looking improved so that top 12 protected pick may become a reality and there's little chance that the Mavericks keep their top 7 protected pick as well. When it's all said and done, I think we'll get a top 3-4 pick with Brooklyn, a top 10-14 pick with our own, and two picks in the teens with Dallas and Minnesota's picks. Literally anyone who plays college hoops this year is in play for us. Exciting.

I agree on Brooklyn being a near lock for a top 5 pick. I also think it's quite unlikely Dallas ends up in their protected range. I disagree with regard to Minnesota and Boston. Minnesota looks like they have a chance to be a playoff, or near playoff, team, but it is too early to feel confident in that. Boston, on the other hand, was a playoff team last year, improved over the offseason, and has shown nothing so far to raise doubts that they are a likely playoff team again this year. It's still an open question if they are one of the better teams in the East or a roughly .500 team that backs into the playoffs, but I'd be pretty surprised if they end up in the lottery with their own pick.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

You keep saying this, I don't think it's true. Which is also why I think the Olynyk pick was a "swing for the fences", "high upside" pick, despite his lack of athleticism.

You can count on a single hand the number of 7'0 guys who can shoot the three as well as Olynyk. Does that alone make him elite? No. But it gives him a skill set that's unique enough that were he to improve a few other parts of his game, could make him a hugely valuable player. I don't believe that one has to have elite athleticism and length to have high upside, nor do I think that you have to come into the league without basic shooting/ball handling skills.

The very definition of a player with a high ceiling is one with elite length and athleticism.....I don't know how else to say it.

Olynyk is a 35% 3-point shooter which is standard for a stretch-big and the fact that he stands 7-feet tall has to be taken with a grain of salt as he doesn't possess the skills of a typical 7-footer. He's a terrible rebounder for that size, terrible shot blocker, and not quick/athletic so while "he's a 7-footer with a competent 3-point shot" his ceiling is very limited as to how good an NBA player he can be due to his physical limitations that cannot improve. That is what defines him as a classic "low ceiling" player which doesn't mean he can't be effective in the league it simply limits how good he really can be.

Yes, Olynyk "could" be hugely valuable as a stretch-big but again......these guys are all over the place. Crazy length and athleticism like Giannis and Rudy are rare and IF they develop their skills you have something special who can be All-Star caliber player.....that is the definition of a high ceiling and not a 7-foot stretch-big who can't develop his length and athleticism.