The NBA Draft Thread

[buc em]

Ben Simmons performance vs Oklahoma might be the most underwhelming display I've ever seen from a premier talent. He didn't even have a bad game, but it's the fact that he chose to take 7 total shots being guarded by RYAN SPANGLER. Attacked once and it resulted in a reverse jam. Even the 1 jumper he hit, he was initially open but had to dribble into it. Purely off impact, he was the 4th or 5th best player on the court. Hield, Cousins, Spangler, and Quarterman all had better games.

For those that want to compare the 2, here's footage of a young Lamar at Rhode Island:



Who has the ball in crunch time? Lamar. Who hits the game winning 3? Lamar. Ben Simmons isn't that guy. If LSU needs a bucket late- It's Quarterman, Hornsby, or even Blakeney that's taking the shot.

I'll take Kansas State Michael Beasley over Simmons.

I agree with every word of this.

 

[Retroballer]

Thon Maker 25th in the DX 2017...

He's going to try to claim international status and try to get in the 2016 draft. Plus he'll be 19 at draft time. He might be old enough anyway.

 

[tvobach]

I don't understand why Buddy Hield isn't projected to be a higher draft pick...someone wanna weigh in here? Is it simply because of age?

 

[pmatic]

Yep, ageism. Although he has the argument that he's produced since being a sophomore. He's not a guy that suddenly produced his junior and senior years when he's older than the competition.

 

[phillie]

I don't think Buddy Hield's game translates as well to the NBA game as it does for him in college.  He is an undersized SG without any sort of  athleticism or quickness.  We have seen dominate scoring undersized SG's in college that didn't amount to much in the NBA.  He fits the mold of this type.  He has a chance to be a nice contributor off of the bench and be a 6th man, Randy Foye type of player.

 

[dat dude chris]

Where is Hield projected at? Late 1st round or lottery? Id like for my Sixers to draft him. We need guards who can shoot

 

[Retroballer]

Where is Hield projected at? Late 1st round or lottery? Id like for my Sixers to draft him. We need guards who can shoot

Late Lotto to mid first would be my guess.

 

[al3xis]

Buddy should go lottery in a weak draft. He's absolutely an elite, elite shooter now - off catch, off bounce, anything. He's slightly bigger than a guy like JJ Redick. He's 6'5 215 with a 6'8 wingspan - that's just fine to play 2G.

This is another age guy but I'd expect Dorian Finney Smith to get a bit of buzz the next few months. Can't handle the ball at all but keeps shooting 3's at a high rate and his versatility on defense is something everyone will be intrigued with, I'd think.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Buddy Heilds future depends on whether you think he's a true talent 40% shooter, or a 37% shooter.

Because I'm not sure I believe he is JJ Reddick level shooter.

 

[B Sox]

Feels like a lot of people want to make excuses for D'Angelo. He shows flashes....but there are some real concerns with his game. Particularly his lack of a first step and explosiveness. You can't name one elite PG that can't beat their man off the dribble. He's not as good of a shooter as advertised, turnover prone, horrible on defense, doesn't penetrate or probe....and lacks effort. Real concerns. What I do like is he has a good touch, good feel for the game, great vision and anticipation and rebounds well on the defensive end. Of course the LA situation isn't ideal to thrive in...but there are some legit concerns about his game going forward.

Yeah, I think some people projected too high of a ceiling for him, which is the issue. The draft class was really weak, and he just so happened to be one of the better players, so he went high. Anyone that watched Russell in college knew he didn't have that elite explosiveness. He got a lot of buckets due to his craftiness and feel for the game. Kind of like a smaller, less explosive Harden almost. It's unfair to compare him to the super athletes like Wall/Russ/Rose or the sharp shooters like Curry/Irving. I think his ceiling probably ends up being more of a Mike Conley type, and maybe not quite as good as that. He's 19 and is playing the hardest position in modern basketball with a coach that doesn't seem to care for him. Not the most ideal situation. I think he'll be fine though...

 

[B Sox]

I know NBADraft.net isn't the greatest site, but they do have him 7th, which is pretty fair for him, I think...Teams are going to end up deciding between he and Jamal Murray it seems like.

 

[youngthundercat]

Ben Simmons performance vs Oklahoma might be the most underwhelming display I've ever seen from a premier talent. He didn't even have a bad game, but it's the fact that he chose to take 7 total shots being guarded by RYAN SPANGLER. Attacked once and it resulted in a reverse jam. Even the 1 jumper he hit, he was initially open but had to dribble into it. Purely off impact, he was the 4th or 5th best player on the court. Hield, Cousins, Spangler, and Quarterman all had better games.

For those that want to compare the 2, here's footage of a young Lamar at Rhode Island:

Who has the ball in crunch time? Lamar. Who hits the game winning 3? Lamar. Ben Simmons isn't that guy. If LSU needs a bucket late- It's Quarterman, Hornsby, or even Blakeney that's taking the shot.

I'll take Kansas State Michael Beasley over Simmons.

relax bruh hes 17, he will get better. 

 

[pmatic]

20.

 

[buc em]

relax bruh hes 17, he will get better. 

He's 19, he'll be 20 in July

 

[frshstunna]

Buddy going top 10 in this draft ...his age , the fact that he's seen as just a scorer and uncertainty whether his shooting is going to continue at this high of a level is why he's not a top 3 lock

And all these hot takes about Simmons in crunch time from the Oklahoma game ...guess y'all ain't see the other ones where he won the game down the stretch or was pretty much the sole reason why the team won ...Simmons is the type of player that doesn't like to force action too much , and he's still averging 20

 

[dacomeup]

Way too early to pull back on DLo. He's literally playing for one of the most incompetent HC's in basketball history. Everything that he's doing is in spite of his HC. He's flashed enough this year for me to still believe.

 

[jpzx]

Way too early to pull back on DLo. He's literally playing for one of the most incompetent HC's in basketball history. Everything that he's doing is in spite of his HC. He's flashed enough this year for me to still believe.

Believe in him becoming a competent player? Believe in him becoming star... superstar? Or can you still believe in him, and adjust the ceiling you had for him coming in? To be honest, the concerns were there before he was drafted but people chose to ignore them, and now he's been drafted between two future HOFs and - TBH - D'Angelo's currently performing up to expectations for himself at this point.

People wanted him at No. 2, and suddenly what should have been expected of him coming into the NBA has become known and it's a problem because well, he went No. 2.

 

[dacomeup]

 

Way too early to pull back on DLo. He's literally playing for one of the most incompetent HC's in basketball history. Everything that he's doing is in spite of his HC. He's flashed enough this year for me to still believe.

Believe in him becoming a competent player? Believe in him becoming star... superstar? Or can you still believe in him, and adjust the ceiling you had for him coming in? To be honest, the concerns were there before he was drafted but people chose to ignore them, and now he's been drafted between two future HOFs and D'Angelo's currently performing up to expectations for himself at this point.

I still believe in him becoming a star. He's a 19 year old who's adjusting to playing the toughest position in basketball under the most incompetent coach on this level. His Per 36 numbers matchup decently with a bunch of the star PGs in the league. Who chose to ignore the flaws? Statistical projections had him as a high risk, high reward prospect. He had the biggest boom or bust among the top potential guys, which completely makes sense given his position and skillset.

Minus Chris Paul, there hasn't been on PG coming into the league that didn't have a "turnover issue". Feel for the game is there. Of course, he's going to shoot it better. Not rearing back on him whatsoever, though. Hoping him to be Harden was always the absolute best case scenario for any projection. 

 

[worldbeefreeg]

Russell is going to be great with time. Making an impact as a young guard is so hard, much harder compared to coming in as a forward. Kid will be a star.

Wasn't that long ago people were pumping that John Wall sucks thread on here but you guys love yourself some hot takes.

 

[frshstunna]

Can't see Russell being a star , solid/borderline all star sure ...Kris Dunn has more star potential then him imo

 

[dacomeup]

I honestly haven't seen Kris Dunn play much, but isn't he a terrible jump shooter? 69% free throw shooter in his best year, so it's unlikely that he'll be a good shooter from 3 in the L. What has he shown that's going to make him a better prospect than DLo? Dunn is 21 and Russell is 19. Russell would've went higher than him in the draft. It's just very unlikely based purely off of the numbers that he's a better prospect.

 

[B Sox]

I like Dunn, and think he will be a good NBA player, but it's a little crazy to just tab him as being a better prospect than Russell with the age gap. Kris Dunn is 2 full years older than Russell, and their college numbers are very similar across all categories, despite one being a freshmen and one being a senior.

 

[wavycrocket]

Ben Simmons heard the critics tonight

 

[frshstunna]

Yea Dunn is older older and all that so of course he'll be seen as a worse prospect ...I just said I think Dunn has a better chance to be a star than Russell in the league ...if Dunn is even a decent shooter , his quickness/explosiveness/ athleticism combo is better than what Russell offering...don't think either will be stars but Dunn has a better chance imo

 

[dacomeup]

Yea Dunn is older older and all that so of course he'll be seen as a worse prospect ...I just said I think Dunn has a better chance to be a star than Russell in the league ...if Dunn is even a decent shooter , his quickness/explosiveness/ athleticism combo is better than what Russell offering...don't think either will be stars but Dunn has a better chance imo

Huh?.. So if you think that he's a better prospect, then how does he have lesser chance of becoming a star?