NBA Draft & Off-Season News 2016

[Jay]

I think the draft deserves its own thread. It's only a month away!

What are your thoughts on this year's prospects? Who should Philadelphia take at 1? Who do the Lakers hope Philly take? What should Boston do with pick 3 in what's being called a 2-player draft? Who do you hope your team takes?

Post all your draft thoughts and news here. Its going to be a very interesting one!

[Jay]

I've been trying to work out who I want Boston to take for about a week or two now. It's a very tough call with so many guys on a similar level after Simmons and Ingram. I read as much as I could on the guys being mentioned in the top 10 and narrowed it down to Bender, Hield, Brown, Murray, Dunn, Poeltl and Labissiere - then watched some film on all these guys.

Some quick analysis:
Dragan Bender - 19 year old, 7'1 Power Forward, wingspan of 7'2. Out of Europe, mainly played in the Israeli league last season. He's going at 3 or 4 in most mock drafts. It's tough to find a comparison for him but he's got some traits of Kukoc, Diaw, Kirilenko and Mirotic in there. Playing only 15 minutes a game, it's tough to take much from his numbers but he did shoot 36% from three with 54% of his field goal attempts being from long distance. I'm confident he can be a knockdown shooter at NBA level. His two most impressive attributes in my opinion, is his passing, and his defensive potential. He can lead a fast break, and is a great passer out of the post. On defense, he's an excellent perimeter defender and can switch everything. He needs to become a better interior defender both in the post, and at the rim if he wants to hold up at NBA level though.

Buddy Hield - 22 year old, 6'5 Shooting Guard, 6'9 wingspan. Put up a 29.6 PER this college season, shooting 50% from the field, and 46% from 3pt line. He dominated this college season offensively. He's an incredible shot-maker, has a quick trigger and is elite at shooting off the catch. His versatility on defense worries me. I'm not sure which position he can guard, he's a bit too slow for quick guards, and not big enough to guard a wing scorer.

Jaylen Brown - 20 year old, SG/SF, 6'7 with a 7'0 wingspan. He has incredible physical gifts, giving him a high upside at NBA level. He's strong enough to play small ball 4, gets out in transition, is an explosive leaper, and should develop into a quality rebounder. He gets to the foul-line a ton, and is developing a pretty quick crossover. He's got great potential on D, being able to guard multiple positions and block shots. I think to be a great player in the NBA, it's going to depend on whether he can become a reliable shooter and improves his all-round offensive game.

Jamal Murray - 19 year old, PG/SG, 6'5. Put up 20ppg this year (freshman season) with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, shooting 41% from 3. A PER of 22.9 playing 35 minutes a night is impressive for his age. He's similar to Hield in that he's an excellent shot maker. He translates to be a reliable scorer in the NBA. He's shown flashes of being a good passer, but if he can that into an elite skill, he's going to excellent offensively. I'm a bit worried about who he can guard in the NBA, but with his offensive gifts he doesn't have to be an elite defender, just needs to find a position he can defend consistently. I think he has a very high floor in the NBA.

Kris Dunn - 22 year old, Point Guard, 6'4 with a 6'10 wingspan. 23.5 PER with per 36 stats of 18 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, shooting 37% from three. He has incredible physical tools, he reminded me so much of Russel Westbrook. He's a beast in transition, can play above the rim, excellent cutter and can take his man down into the post. He's a solid playmaker too with good vision out of the PnR and can see over the top of the D to make the correct play. He gambles, and fouls a lot, but he has high upside on defense when he's locked in with his quick feet and long arms. He can score the basketball, perhaps not efficiently at the moment with his high turnovers and relying too heavily on his jump-shot but the talent and mentality is there. If he can become a great 3pt shooter he's going to be a nightmare to guard.

Jakob Poeltl - 21 year old, Centre, 7'1. I didn't know much about this guy but if there's a really good big man prospect here, the Celtics need to take a look. He put up a crazy 31.3 PER in this last college season with per 36 numbers of 20 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, shooting 64% from the field and upped his FT% from the 40s to the 60s. He's really efficient offensively, but he isn't all that advanced on that end which makes it difficult to see him scaling up to the NBA. He doesn't screw up on defense and is a good rebounder. Although he isn't really a high upside guy with his lack of length, and limited strength. I can see him being a really solid rotaion player in the NBA, but not the kind of upside which should make Boston bite at pick 3.

Skal Labissiere - Probably the most interesting prospects with a wide range of opinion as to where he will go. He's a 20 year old freshman, 7'0 PF/C, with a 7'3 wingspan. Has decent bounce for a big guy, with a max vertical of 35, compared to Bender's 27.5. He was actually pretty solid this season, putting up a 18.8 PER but in only 15.8 minutes per game. Per 36 he averaged 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks. I absolutely love his defensive potential, I think he can be a really good shot-blocker in the NBA and also be versatile in the PnR. He moves really well for his size and has reliable hands. I worry about his offensive game, and he hasn't shown much as a passer. But he's the upside pick.



Who I want Boston to take at 3 (in order):
1. Dragan Bender
2. Kris Dunn
3. Jamal Murray
4. Skal Labissiere
5. Buddy Hield
6. Jaylen Brown

UNLEASH THE DRAGAN

[valkorum]

I would love for Dunn to fall to #8 and then the Kings pick him up.  Rumours are pointing to Vlade really liking Hield but surely he will be off the board by #8

[plumdog millionaire]

Check out Marquese Chriss Jay... Really raw (only played 4 years competitively) but actually a good mid range and 3 point shooter which is rare. But the biggest thing is that he's long and really athletic, would love to see him being drafted and groomed into the prototype small ball 4.

He's projected somewhere in the late top 10 so would be considered a reach at 3, but if there is any trade back potential right now I'd like to see him drafted to the Celtics. Right now I prefer him at 6/7 than Bender at 3. Bender just doesn't project to be much of a rebounder or interior defender to be considered a good starter in the playoffs, though the perimeter defence is really intriguing. He might have to be a really tall 4 who will need a Tyson Chandler or Amir Johnson type at all times just to be viable defensively

[Cookie311993]

A lot of talk about Boston wanting to trade pick 3 to Philly for Jahlil Okafor with Philly being interested in Kris Dunn if that trade happens

[Holz]

A lot of talk about Boston wanting to trade pick 3 to Philly for Jahlil Okafor with Philly being interested in Kris Dunn if that trade happens

said it before makes total sense. Okafor has a great offensive game and im not convicned there isnt a place for big men who can score and arent great defenders.

got 2.3 offensive boards a game and 1.2 blocks is decent numbers for a rookie.

clearly will be a 20 10 player

seems to make more sense then punting on bender.

Kris Dunn is interesting so assuming they go Simmons it means they arent playing him point.



so the lineup is Dunn Smith Simmons Embiid Noel? can they do that assuming Embiid is fit.

I guess they can play simmons at point when Dunn is on the bench. Picking up Ingram kinda makes more sense if they go Dunn

[RiOtChEsS]

If i was Boston id prefer to take Bender, his length is something they dont have

He can make them a more dangerous team than Okafor, they have two cheap versions in Olynyk and Sullinger already

[valkorum]

A lot of talk about Boston wanting to trade pick 3 to Philly for Jahlil Okafor with Philly being interested in Kris Dunn if that trade happens

I posted that trade rumour in the NBA thread last week.  Interesting, thats for sure.

[plumdog millionaire]

A lot of talk about Boston wanting to trade pick 3 to Philly for Jahlil Okafor with Philly being interested in Kris Dunn if that trade happens

I posted that trade rumour in the NBA thread last week.  Interesting, thats for sure.

As a Boston and Duke fan please no

[Jay]

A lot of talk about Boston wanting to trade pick 3 to Philly for Jahlil Okafor with Philly being interested in Kris Dunn if that trade happens

I posted that trade rumour in the NBA thread last week.  Interesting, thats for sure.

As a Boston and Duke fan please no

Yeah I'd much prefer Bender to Okafor.

[R.Griffen]

What would 76's do with pick 3? Okafor is better than the pick 3's in this draft.

[Holz]

What would 76's do with pick 3? Okafor is better than the pick 3's in this draft.

pick up a guard which they need. Okafor is better then pick 3 in this draft (this is why Boston should take it) thing is they have plenty of big men.

Embiid could play next years, Saric is coming in and he is a 4.

Saric Embiid Noel Okafur doesnt make sense when you have no guards to give the ball in a guard heavy league.

trading Okafor and something else for an established player makes alot more sense but wont happen.

picking up PG Dunn and then Simmons/Ingram makes alot of sense.

Dunn Smith Ingram Saric Embiidd/Noel.

thats actually a team.

[plumdog millionaire]

What would 76's do with pick 3? Okafor is better than the pick 3's in this draft.

pick up a guard which they need. Okafor is better then pick 3 in this draft (this is why Boston should take it) thing is they have plenty of big men.

Embiid could play next years, Saric is coming in and he is a 4.

Saric Embiid Noel Okafur doesnt make sense when you have no guards to give the ball in a guard heavy league.

trading Okafor and something else for an established player makes alot more sense but wont happen.

picking up PG Dunn and then Simmons/Ingram makes alot of sense.

Dunn Smith Ingram Saric Embiidd/Noel.

thats actually a team.

Not really it's 5 guys who haven't played a meaningful NBA minute. You can't run out 5 inexperienced guys and expect them to learn on the fly. Not even the Thunder did that

[R.Griffen]

i just wouldn't take it, Noel leaving is preference for me. No need to get pick 3 for a point guard when you can get a point guard with pick 7

[plumdog millionaire]

i just wouldn't take it, Noel leaving is preference for me. No need to get pick 3 for a point guard when you can get a point guard with pick 7

How I see it Noel is more likely to be a starter on a contender than Jah