2019 Draft Megathread

DannyDarwinism

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Jul 7, 2007
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Not sure where this goes but a good list of young players (pre-FA/rookie-scale contracts).

Tatum #3, Brown #13

Kuzma not making the Top 50 made my day.


https://theathletic.com/1860883/2020/06/25/nba-rookie-scale-prospects-ranking-the-top-50-prospects/
Vecenie’s always worth a read for me. Goes to show the young talent pool is deep when a guy like John Collins come in at #20, and a guy like Donte Divincenzo- playing well in a solid role for a dominant team doesn’t crack the top 50.

A little help for us non-subscribers?
There’s a free 30 day trial, but - spoiler alert- Paschanimal doesn’t make the cut. He explains in the comments that he’s too old and doesn’t shoot well enough. I’d be interested to see what he’d have for, say 50-75.
 

benhogan

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A little help for us non-subscribers?
It's a lengthy piece and goes in-depth on each player. I'll cut and paste anything you want to see in particular.

Top 10
1. Luka
2. Zion
3. Tatum
4. Simmons
5. Trae
6. Ingram (??? don't like him this high)
7. Ja
8. Pascal
9. Donovan
10. Bam


48. Culver
49. Garland
50. Rui

No GSW youngsters on it.

Bridges, Shamet, Bogdanovich, Melton, Donte, Kuzma, Dunn, Paschall, Jaxson Hayes didn't crack the top 50.

Out of all the subs, the Athletic is the most "worth it" IMO
 
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lostjumper

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I know Zion has a ton of potential, but he's only played 19 games and has had a knee injury. I don't think he should be that high. Tatum has proved himself in the playoffs, and has multiple years of success.
 

snowmanny

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Dec 8, 2005
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Note: #1-3 Are in Tier 1 Potential to be Franchise Players on a Championship Team

#4-9 Are in Tier 2 Potential HOFers

#10 Is top of Tier 3.

On Tatum:

“Tatum has quickly become one of the absolute best young players in the NBA. He’s a monster two-way wing who had already established himself as a future All-Star coming into the year, and then made that leap into legitimate stardom by the time the calendar rolled over to 2020. Following a three-game losing streak, the Celtics returned to Boston on Jan. 11 and needed to regroup. At that point it seems like the lightbulb turned on for Tatum and he realized that he needed to be the guy to lead the way on offense. He dropped 41 points that night in a monster 35-point victory against the Pelicans, and from there just looked like a totally different type of player. Over his final 23 games before the shutdown, Tatum averaged 27.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He hit 49 percent of his shots from the field, including 45.5 percent of the nearly eight 3-point attempts per game that he was taking. He became one of the absolute best offensive players in the NBA, a creative force who seemed to be morphing into the kind of guy who could carry Boston to multiple playoff series victories.”

He later says Tatum needs to improve finishing at the rim and passing.

On Ingram at 6:

“Ingram was arguably the breakout star of the 2019-20 season, making the All-Star game and establishing himself as a clear max-level player as he enters restricted free agency. Should we have seen this coming? Honestly, there were signs in his final year with the Lakers. In his final 23 games in the 2018-19 season, Ingram averaged 21 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 54.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from 3. Those numbers match up pretty well to the numbers he posted this year. … I’m extremely high on this type of player because it’s just so hard to find league-wide”

ED: I’ll add the closing paragraph of the long piece on Brown:

“I think I would bet on Brown making a few All-Star games at some point, and he’s perfectly suited to his role right now in Boston, where he can be the third-best offensive player on a really good team and take on tough defensive assignments against the league’s best bigger wings — something extremely valuable that I’ll go on to talk about later on with regard to Semi Ojeleye. Finding big, two-way wings like Brown and Tatum is extremely difficult. The Celtics are in an exceptionally good position over the next five years with those two leading the way.”
 
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Scoops Bolling

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Jun 19, 2007
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I know Zion has a ton of potential, but he's only played 19 games and has had a knee injury. I don't think he should be that high. Tatum has proved himself in the playoffs, and has multiple years of success.
Zion stepped onto a NBA floor and immediately slapped up a 60+% TS% on higher usage than Tatum. He's pretty much putting up the same type of season as Tatum has this year...as a 19 year old rookie. Frankly, I'd have it as:

1: Zion
2: Tatum
3: Luca

Luca's defense is easily the worst of the three, and his ceiling on that end of the court is also the lowest.
 

nighthob

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Luca’s defense is so biblically awful it’s hard to tell his defensive ceiling from his floor.
 

DannyDarwinism

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On the other hand, 29/9/9 as the engine of the best offense- by far- in the league is pretty, pretty good for a 21 year old.
 

Sam Ray Not

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It's a lengthy piece and goes in-depth on each player. I'll cut and paste anything you want to see in particular.

Top 10
1. Luka
2. Zion
3. Tatum
4. Simmons
5. Trae
6. Ingram (??? don't like him this high)
7. Ja
8. Pascal
9. Donovan
10. Bam


48. Culver
49. Garland
50. Rui

No GSW youngsters on it.

Bridges, Shamet, Bogdanovich, Melton, Donte, Kuzma, Dunn, Paschall, Jaxson Hayes didn't crack the top 50.

Out of all the subs, the Athletic is the most "worth it" IMO
I was gonna say I cared about the whole list, not just where Eric Paschall ranked on it ... but then I realized I’d be lying, haha.

I actually had a momentary thrill when I saw Pascal at #8 ... and then I was all like, d’oh.

Fwiw, I‘d put Zion behind Luka, Simmons, Tatum, Siakam, and probably even Ja — for now, anyway. He needs to show that he can hold up physically for more than a handful of games; and he lacks Tatum’s and Simmons’ versatility as a defender. Yeah, Luka can’t defend, but D is less important from your primary ballhandler. You can surround Luka, Simmons, or Ja with long defenders, whereas Zion needs to play alongside a true PG, so will be expected to carry more of his team’s defensive burden.

If Zion proves he can stay healthy and starts to show some Draymondian qualities as a defender, he shoots to the top of the list.

Edit: if I promise to subscribe to the Athletic, will you reveal #11-47?
 
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benhogan

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I was gonna say I cared about the whole list, not just where Eric Paschall ranked on it ... but then I realized I’d be lying, haha.

I actually had a momentary thrill when I saw Pascal at #8 ... and then I was all like, d’oh.

Fwiw, I‘d put Zion behind Luka, Simmons, Tatum, Siakam, and probably even Ja — for now, anyway. He needs to show that he can hold up physically for more than a handful of games; and he lacks Tatum’s and Simmons’ versatility as a defender. Yeah, Luka can’t defend, but D is less important from your primary ballhandler. You can surround Luka, Simmons, or Ja with long defenders, whereas Zion needs to play alongside a true PG, so will be expected to carry more of his team’s defensive burden.

If Zion proves he can stay healthy and starts to show some Draymondian qualities as a defender, he shoots to the top of the list.

Edit: if I promise to subscribe to the Athletic, will you reveal #11-47?
You probably don't want to subscribe after I show you Vecenie's Rookie Scale Team Rankings

https://theathletic.com/1255114/2020/06/22/sam-vecenies-2019-nba-rookie-scale-prospect-rankings/
Updated Final team rankings

1. New Orleans Pelicans
2. Boston Celtics
3. Memphis Grizzlies
4. Atlanta Hawks
5. Dallas Mavericks
6. Sacramento Kings
7. Toronto Raptors
8. Philadelphia 76ers
9. Phoenix Suns
10. Chicago Bulls

11. Denver Nuggets
12. San Antonio Spurs
13. Utah Jazz
14. Brooklyn Nets
15. New York Knicks
16. Orlando Magic
17. Cleveland Cavaliers
18. Miami Heat
19. Indiana Pacers
20. Minnesota Timberwolves

21. Oklahoma City Thunder
22. Portland Trail Blazers
23. Charlotte Hornets
24. Detroit Pistons
25. LA Clippers
26. Los Angeles Lakers
27. Washington Wizards
28. Milwaukee Bucks
29. Golden State Warriors
30. Houston Rockets
 

slamminsammya

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You can surround Luka, Simmons, or Ja with long defenders, whereas Zion needs to play alongside a true PG, so will be expected to carry more of his team’s defensive burden.
Wait, one of these is not like the other. Isn't Simmons one of the best defenders in the NBA right now? Or is that just me that thinks that?
 

Kliq

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I think as a question of who I'd want on my team for the next 10 years, I'd go Luka, Tatum, Zion and I'd be hard pressed to change my mind.

Luka is averaging a relatively efficient 29-9-9 at 21 years old. His team is by far the most efficient offense in the NBA with Dallas averaging 116 ppg per 100 possessions, next closest is Houston at 113. To put that in perspective, the gap between Dallas at #1 and Houston at #2 is the same as the gap between Houston at #2 and Memphis at #20. And it isn't like Luka is playing with the Dream Team either. His major flaws are his defense (a work in progress but you can hide him because of his size) and his strangely poor three point shooting (career 32% with over 1,000 attempts).

Tatum is much, much better defensively but also isn't in the same stratosphere as a playmaker. MVP Tatum is probably putting up numbers like Luka is at 21.

Zion is fun and I suppose you could argue you have more years with him on a team-friendly contract, but he needs to show A LOT more before I put him ahead of Luka or Tatum. We all know Zion could bull his way to the basket, but a bunch of questions, from conditioning, to health, to his outside shot, to his defense, to his decision making are all big questions and it is going to take some time before he sells me enough on those things before I put him with Luka and Tatum.

I'd have Simmons ahead of Zion as well. Simmons needs to get out of Philly and get on his own team because he is a very unique player and needs to be on a team crafted around him and not a 7 footer in the post.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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I think as a question of who I'd want on my team for the next 10 years, I'd go Luka, Tatum, Zion and I'd be hard pressed to change my mind.

Luka is averaging a relatively efficient 29-9-9 at 21 years old. His team is by far the most efficient offense in the NBA with Dallas averaging 116 ppg per 100 possessions, next closest is Houston at 113. To put that in perspective, the gap between Dallas at #1 and Houston at #2 is the same as the gap between Houston at #2 and Memphis at #20. And it isn't like Luka is playing with the Dream Team either. His major flaws are his defense (a work in progress but you can hide him because of his size) and his strangely poor three point shooting (career 32% with over 1,000 attempts).

Tatum is much, much better defensively but also isn't in the same stratosphere as a playmaker. MVP Tatum is probably putting up numbers like Luka is at 21.

Zion is fun and I suppose you could argue you have more years with him on a team-friendly contract, but he needs to show A LOT more before I put him ahead of Luka or Tatum. We all know Zion could bull his way to the basket, but a bunch of questions, from conditioning, to health, to his outside shot, to his defense, to his decision making are all big questions and it is going to take some time before he sells me enough on those things before I put him with Luka and Tatum.

I'd have Simmons ahead of Zion as well. Simmons needs to get out of Philly and get on his own team because he is a very unique player and needs to be on a team crafted around him and not a 7 footer in the post.
Agree across the board. I would just add that I wouldn't rule out Tatum improving his playmaking just yet. That would certainly change things for me.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Wait, one of these is not like the other. Isn't Simmons one of the best defenders in the NBA right now? Or is that just me that thinks that?
You’re definitely not the only one! Sorry if I wasn’t clear — just noting that Simmons checks both defensive boxes: like Tatum, he’s an elite, uber-versatile defender (possibly a bit better on that end than Tatum) and like Luka, he can be your full-time primary ball handler, so doesn’t need to share the floor with a little PG.

Shooting is the only reason he’s not #1 on my list, but of course not being able (or willing?) to shoot is a pretty big flaw, particularly in a PG.

Edit: whoops, I mean he’s not the list at all cos he’s not a rookie scale guy. But if he could shoot at average PG level I’d take him over anyone on the rookie-scale list.
 
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nighthob

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Jul 15, 2005
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A Simmons/Tatum/Brown trio would run roughshod over the NBA. It’s a pity that it can’t happen for another five years or so.