2023 NBA Draft Megathread

[Handlogten's Heros]

Like that Sam is coming around on some of my dudes, Walker/Hawkins

This one felt like a mock where he wanted to shake things up a little... I think I heard him say as much in a pod. So Rupert, JHS, and some others might be higher than where they ultimately end up. I think we end up in the 8/9 range and picking between Ausar/George/Smith Jr./Wallace/Black.. I think a top 6 is kinda firming up.

 

[sip]

https://theathletic.com/4156999/2023/02/16/nba-mock-draft-walker-wembanyama-henderson/

Babe wakeup... new Vecenie mock just dropped... highlights

Jarace up to #5 in Orlando

Black up to 7 with Washington... Vecenie shares my basically exact thoughts...

At the end of the day, I just buy Black being an impact player at the next level because of the way he impacts the game. He’s a monster defender both at the point of attack and as a switchable player up and down the lineup. Offensively, he puts pressure on the rim at a high level because of how quickly he can get downhill. But moreover, all of this is paired with terrific processing speed. He reads and reacts to what’s happening at a super high level. You see this most in his passing ability, when he hits the right guy almost every time while on the move. It’s not an accident that Arkansas is 15 points per 100 possessions better when Black is on the court versus when he’s off it per Pivot Analysis, and he’s the only player on Arkansas with whom the team is better both on offense and defense when he’s on the court. He makes his teammates better, and his presence helps his team. Teams are coming around on Black for these reasons, but he’ll need to prove that his shot isn’t entirely broken during the pre-draft process. The mechanics don’t look awesome, but he doesn’t seem to have bad touch. He’ll just need to show he can make improvement there, and he’ll go in the top 10.

Jazz take Rupert at 13... not a fan...

Jalen Hood Schifino goes at 14... the highest I've seen him.

Jazz take Kris Murray at 16... with Sensabaugh, Hendo, Hawkins, Lewis, Whitehead, GG (I hate GG but would understand the pick at least) on the board... I would literally throw up if this happened.

Dereck Lively at 26... Filipowski on the board still. I actually am cool taking a center there as I think Lively has upside and is an elite rim protector. If we had Robert Williams backing up Kessler that's okay by me. Would like be happier to see Terquavion Smith or Leonard Miller here.

I would be seriously pissed if we took Lively over Fili. I need to see a lot more from Lively before I think he is any different than Dok and Damian Jones.

 

[Bodhi]

Like that Sam is coming around on some of my dudes, Walker/Hawkins

And my boy JHS.

 

[Bodhi]

I would love to land Black and Hendo... but I would settle for JHS and Hendo. I haven't watched Rupert much at all but I just see Thabo Sefolosha when I do... and Thabo is great and all but I'd be aiming higher.

I do think the mocks firm up a bit but you see how fluid things are between like 5 and 20 ish and I think there are going to be some dudes that slip through the cracks.

I would take a flier on Rupert only VERY late and if most of my favs there were already gone. Dudes ceiling is ok'ish, but the floor is low/flame out in a few years level.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

This one felt like a mock where he wanted to shake things up a little... I think I heard him say as much in a pod. So Rupert, JHS, and some others might be higher than where they ultimately end up. I think we end up in the 8/9 range and picking between Ausar/George/Smith Jr./Wallace/Black.. I think a top 6 is kinda firming up.

Rupert's highlights are intriguing. I liked the context Sam added of him being a starter on one of the better teams. I ranked him in the top 20 of my last big board just because I liked the tools and the age.

I would be seriously pissed if we took Lively over Fili. I need to see a lot more from Lively before I think he is any different than Dok and Damian Jones.

I think mocks just generally do better numbers than big boards do. I doubt Sam is actually thinking too hard about team fit.

But Lively is very freaking good. He could be better than Kessler in 4 years. He's an elite shot blocker with elite size and elite athleticism who seems to be a worker. I probably wouldn't draft him, certainly not over Flip, but after that name there aren't a ton of high level talents to draft and Lively is a high level talent.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Rupert's highlights are intriguing. I liked the context Sam added of him being a starter on one of the better teams. I ranked him in the top 20 of my last big board just because I liked the tools and the age.

I think mocks just generally do better numbers than big boards do. I doubt Sam is actually thinking too hard about team fit.

But Lively is very freaking good. He could be better than Kessler in 4 years. He's an elite shot blocker with elite size and elite athleticism who seems to be a worker. I probably wouldn't draft him, certainly not over Flip, but after that name there aren't a ton of high level talents to draft and Lively is a high level talent.

Rupert is more a guy I'd look at in the 20s or with the Minny pick. I don't think we actually end up 13th and will take a swing on a higher tier more upside prospect.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I would be seriously pissed if we took Lively over Fili. I need to see a lot more from Lively before I think he is any different than Dok and Damian Jones.

I'd prefer Lively... highly ranked prospect who hasn't sucked. I think Duke as a program may end up really struggling now that Coach K is gone. I just have a hard time projecting what Fili is in the NBA. Lively would have a clear role as a rim protector and rim roller.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Rupert is more a guy I'd look at in the 20s or with the Minny pick. I don't think we actually end up 13th and will take a swing on a higher tier more upside prospect.

Yeah, 13 would be high for my taste, but the writeup on him is a very good sales job. 18 year old with potentia/elite length to be an elite defender who wants to work and be a team first guy who is already contributing to winning on a professional level for a competitive team? Sign me up.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Yeah, 13 would be high for my taste, but the writeup on him is a very good sales job. 18 year old with potentia/elite length to be an elite defender who wants to work and be a team first guy who is already contributing to winning on a professional level for a competitive team? Sign me up.

I'd be happy to take him with the Minny pick... if Hendo isn't there.

 

[Bodhi]

I'd be happy to take him with the Minny pick... if Hendo isn't there.

Barf emoji

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Barf emoji

Not a Rupert fan huh.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Gobert and Rupert rhyme so he has to be good

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Gobert and Rupert rhyme so he has to be good

Don't draft anyone that rhymes with Bradley or Azubuike.

 

[Bodhi]

Not a Rupert fan huh.

I see the tools but even before his injury he shot poorly, but after, dude couldnt hit the broad side of a barn, from almost any distance. Again, I'd be interested late (only if we had dudes like Wallace or other dudes ready to go before him) but not with other projects picked in the same draft.

I think he could be a really good defender and he has flashes as a facilitator but im just not sold he wont be a liability on the offensive side of the ball if he cant shoot.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

One thing I recently noticed about OTE: they don't use refs to inbound the ball. So if a turnover or made basket happens, the players can just get it and go. That's a big reason why on the highlights you will see a ton of fastbreeaks without players back

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I see the tools but even before his injury he shot poorly, but after, dude couldnt hit the broad side of a barn, from almost any distance. Again, I'd be interested late (only if we had dudes like Wallace or other dudes ready to go before him) but not with other projects picked in the same draft.

I think he could be a really good defender and he has flashes as a facilitator but im just not sold he wont be a liability on the offensive side of the ball if he cant shoot.

He at least looks OK/natural ball in hand. I wanted to be a Jordan Walsh truther but after watching him it's just all kinds of awkward to the point where I don't see a ton of room for growth. I see room for growth with Rupert.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

My new comp for Amen is skinny THT with elite athleticism

 

[Eddie Zero]

Black is pretty overrated imo. He is going to be about as impactful as Cade Cunningham offensively at best, who was a massive overpick by the looks of it.
Maybe he becomes more than that, and it gets him looks top 10.If based on a decent bb iq as is anyway. But I would not draft a meh shooting, meh ball handling, secondary creator, whos team is barely in the top 25- despite his ranking by most suggesting he makes his team better and is some elite defender.
All I am saying is he is overrated in general, not that he isn't worth drafting and developing late lottery.
There are many other options in this draft that seem like higher upside choices, at least one or two should be there with our first pick which just got better after Sexton got hurt.

I mean if you want a higher floor 2 way guard who can make some plays and run your offense as needed, but is not the primary ball handler, I would much rather draft the better shooting Colby Jones late teens, than waste a pick at 9 or 10 on Black who will take longer to develop. Especially not when I could have drafted an elite shooter like Hawkins, or a monster upside prospect like Hendricks, Jett or Ausar.

 

[Bawse Dawg]

What do you guys consider the cut off for 'we got an elite type prospect'. Let's take Scoot and Victor of the board, so #3-#? how many players get you saying 'Jazz did enough tanking to get a pick good enough that we potentially got an awesome player.

I don't know anything, but starting to recognize names and definitely know the type of player I'm looking for. So I could definitely get excited about Black for example. He's #10 on Tankathon. #3-#10
Thompson
Miller
Thompson
Smith Jr.
Walker
George
Whitmore
Black

With #11 being Gradey Dick. Dick would definitely feel like a tier below the kind of prospect I'd want (I don't know anything). Back to the original question, how many of those dudes get you hyped about being our top pick? Is it just Miller or a Thompson twin? Are there dudes you would add to the list? How close does this board lineup with your own?

Black is pretty overrated imo. He is going to be about as impactful as Cade Cunningham offensively at best, who was a massive overpick by the looks of it.

What? Is Cade not awesome? And isn't Black good on defense? So Cade on offense with good defense upside? Cade was putting up 20/6/6...

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Black is pretty overrated imo. He is going to be about as impactful as Cade Cunningham offensively at best, who was a massive overpick by the looks of it.
Maybe he becomes more than that, and it gets him looks top 10.If based on a decent bb iq as is anyway. But I would not draft a meh shooting, meh ball handling, secondary creator, whos team is barely in the top 25- despite his ranking by most suggesting he makes his team better and is some elite defender.
All I am saying is he is overrated in general, not that he isn't worth drafting and developing late lottery.
There are many other options in this draft that seem like higher upside choices, at least one or two should be there with our first pick which just got better after Sexton got hurt.

I mean if you want a higher floor 2 way guard who can make some plays and run your offense as needed, but is not the primary ball handler, I would much rather draft the better shooting Colby Jones late teens, than waste a pick at 9 or 10 on Black who will take longer to develop. Especially not when I could have drafted an elite shooter like Hawkins, or a monster upside prospect like Hendricks, Jett or Ausar.

Not sure comping Black to Cade is the bucket of water you seem to think it is