2018 NBA Draft Talk

[valkorum]

Was chatting with some Kings fans in the US and one of them made a very good point that I thought could be a good discussion point.  This has been centered around the discussion that Doncic is not considered athletic enough to play in the NBA. 


List of players listed as not athletic enough (pre draft)
Jayson Tatum - 2017
Devin Booker - 2015
D'Angelo Russell - 2015
Dario Saric - 2014
Doug McDermott - 2014
Gary Harris - 2014
CJ McCollum - 2013
Otto Porter - 2013
Trey Burke - 2013
Klay Thompson - 2011
Jimmer Fredette - 2011
Evan Turner - 2010
Gordon Hayward - 2010
James Harden - 2009
Stephen Curry - 2009
Ricky Rubio - 2009
Danilo Gallinari - 2008


List of players considered to have a high athleticism (pre draft)
Jonathan Issac - 2017
Frank Ntilikina - 2017
Kris Dunn - 2016 - 2016
Marquese Chriss - 2016
Emmanuel Mudiay - 2015
Justice Winslow - 2015
Andrew Wiggins - 2014
Aaron Grodon - 2014
Elfrid Payton - 2014
Nerlens Noel - 2013
Ben McLemore - 2013
Thomas Robinson - 2012

[R.Griffen]

My time of the year where I care about NBA then I can go back to focusing on college ball. Will post something similar to last year which players will have instant impact who has the biggest potential.

A few names I really like are Kyhri Thomas (3 and D guy) terrific defender, can defend from PG to SF and can crate his own offence. Will be mid to late first round. Another one is Tony Carr other than the NBA is filled with small guards who can shoot Carr is one of the best in the class. Doesn’t have the added agility, playmaking and defensive skills that some in the draft have but this guys a pure shot market.


I have always been a fan of the pure basketball player eg Tatum over Jackson I was a massive fan of because of the instant impact. The proplem with the players that are “athletic” is either they were just athletes or missing something from their game. Not too many just athletic guys who can’t do much else in this draft. However the names you provided below is a reason why I rated Markkanan, Dillon Brooks, Josh Hart etc much higher than where they were picked up

[R.Griffen]

Very interesting in the back end of the draft now. The depth is gone, the Frank Jackson, Tony Bradley types aren’t there and most people picked in the second round would be ready to make an instant impact being 22 rather than 19. However the senior class was much better than last year which could see only a few play minutes and the rest are back to the Gleague. NBA missed out big time with guys like Tyus Battle, Lindell Wiggington that’s only about 2 of 10-15 players being nearly as good as the seniors but with more time to grow and have bigger potentials  decided to return to college. Weak draft in 2019 these guys will go first round next year but would have been handy for teams to grab this year. Good for the players, bad NBA.

Obviously there is Ayton, Doncic, Bagley at the top, with Bamba, Jackson jr, MPJ, Carter and the guards(Knox, SGA, Young, Sexton, Bridges) could go anywhere from 4-12. The next few are floaters and it really is only 3 or 4 then we could see the next 20 or so picks could be in any order. None of those are safe first round picks reason why so much talent returned to make sure of the first round money in 2019

[Jay]

@Valk - how will you feel when Sacramento pass on the best 18 year old basketball player since LeBron to take a 6'11 guy who can't shoot or play defense?

[j959]

@Valk - how will you feel when Sacramento pass on the best 18 year old basketball player since LeBron to take a 6'11 guy who can't shoot or play defense?

I'm not quite sure why Doncic is dropping apart from the fact that cos he's still playing Euro season that he hasn't been able to work out for any teams - but surely his playing in the Euroleagues should be sufficient for teams to work out what he can do??

I get why Kings are interested in Bagley, Phoenix might have gone for him if we were picking lower as the proverbial 'hindsight' best player in the draft 5-10yrs down the track … but as per Valk's post above, most of the 'non-athletics' can shoot and the NBA is a shooters league (finally) now … :D

Bagley apparently did well in the combine (that right?) as well as team workouts ...

Surely Phoenix can't f*ck this draft up this time … but given Suns' poor luck draft-wise generally speaking, I'm just praying like mad that Ayton isn't the next Oden … that would be worst case and best case, Embiid-lite w/out the injuries ... ;)

As a Suns fan, i'm still ok with Jackson over Taytum cos we need a potential two-way lockdown wing defender … Taytum was always going to be more polished than Jackson initially, but again we needed the potential D and the thought was that Jackson's still got more development in him, whereas Taytum is where he's at, which is obviously still quality, but do you take a Ray Allen type or Kawhi Leonard type, is how I'd see it ...

[jvalles69]

1. Ayton to Suns
2. Bagley Jnr to Kings
3. Doncic to Hawks, but traded to Mavs
4. Jackson Jnr to Griz
5. Young to Mavs, but traded to Hawks
6. Bamba to Magic
7. Carter Jnr to Bulls
8. Sexton to Cavs
9. Knox to Knicks
10. Mikal Bridges to 76ers
11. Gilgeous-Alexander to Hornets, but traded to Clips
12. Miles Bridges to Clips, but traded to Hornets

[Mat0369]

Should have taken Porter. Although his medicals must be a mess for him to keep falling.

[Mat0369]

And we have had another two picks go by and Porter is still on the board. Something has to be seriously wrong for no one to have taken a punt on him so far.

[valkorum]

Interesting that the Kings take Bagley

So now we have all of these players in the front court.

WCS
Skal
Giles
Bagley
Koufos
Z-Bo
Jakar Sampson

Someone will have to be moved on

[jvalles69]

Denver finally take Porter...a lot of scoring on that team!  :o

[R.Griffen]

Unbelievable how did Walker last until Spurs

[valkorum]

Big Question:  Does anyone draft LaVar LiAngelo Ball

[Hawka]

All that Mikal Bridges talk and hes gone in an hour aha

LiAngelo? someone will take him for the laughs surely

[jvalles69]

This Robert Williams kid still not taken, meant to be in the mould of Capela they say, but sounds like he rubbed everyone the wrong way with his attitude.

[Holz]

All that Mikal Bridges talk and hes gone in an hour aha

LiAngelo? someone will take him for the laughs surely

makes no sense to me, you pick the perfect ready 3 and D player to help you push for the ECF crown and then you trade it for a raw guy and a later pick.

to me Suns should have taken the raw upside kid and the Sixers should have taken the older 3 and D guy