2023 NBA Draft Megathread

[fishonjazz]

Well, those are not mutually exclusive.

What separates Steph from others besides the shooting is that he doesn’t pound the air out of the ball. The best approach is to have crazy on-ball prowess but allow your team to run an actual offense. This is also what made every Chauncey Billups team so strangely good relative to their on-paper roster. Sharing the ball is more than just racking up assists.

The Mavericks were really good without Luka last year in the playoffs. They were better with him, but I honestly didn’t think they were a ton better with him. They didn’t just add him on top of what they were doing well, they dumped a lot of what was working well so he could dribble the air out of the ball. That’s a limitation on the ceiling of the team as much as anything else is.

Yep. Which is why I say that if he has a better supporting cast then maybe he allows the team to run an actual offense. Maybe he pounds the air out of the ball cause he kinda has to. Maybe its even a coaching issue.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Right and then trade every future pick we have.

You are tying yourself into crazy pretzels to make a max cap slot nothing or a negative. It’s wild.

But you do you.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Is it Luka’s fault they traded their depth and defense for Kyrie?

They traded for Kyrie cuz they weren’t good and he was likely grilling them about it.

 

[fishonjazz]

I consider guys who can shoot 3s, play good D and don't need the ball in his hands a whole lot to impact the game as “3D wings”. Jaylen Brown, for example. KD, Kawhi and Tatum would also fit into that category. You can be both a star and 3D wing, not “either...or”.

And yes, 3D wings are the most coveted. You can win a chip without ball-hog like Harden or Westbrick. But you would 100% need 3D wings to win it.

Nah 3 and D implies a great defender that spaces the floor and shoots primarily threes. Tatum, Kawhi, durant and Brown are much much more than that. They are primary scorers and ball handlers. They are the highest volume/usage players on their teams.
Covington is 3 and D. Royce oneal is 3 and D. we are trying to make Ochai 3 and D.

 

[fishonjazz]

He'd turn into Kevin Love on LeBron's Cavs.

So you are saying we would win a championship? Im totally down with that

 

[fishonjazz]

And how are the Mavericks doing this year and every other year?

As good as or better than most teams in the nba.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Yep. Which is why I say that if he has a better supporting cast then maybe he allows the team to run an actual offense. Maybe he pounds the air out of the ball cause he kinda has to. Maybe its even a coaching issue.

Sure. But it’s also a chicken-egg thing. Tough to build trust when your default is to not extend it in the first place. But also, if he can’t/won’t do that with Kyrie then that is certainly not a positive indicator on the prospects of him learning to play off ball.

 

[NUMBERICA]

As good as or better than most teams in the nba.

Mediocre, correct.

 

[fishonjazz]

Sure. But it’s also a chicken-egg thing. Tough to build trust when your default is to not extend it in the first place. But also, if he can’t/won’t do that with Kyrie then that is certainly not a positive indicator on the prospects of him learning to play off ball.

Good post.
I would be curious to see the usage numbers on luka before and after kyrie though.

 

[fishonjazz]

Mediocre, correct.

Agreed. He hasn't had a lot of all stars around him for sure. Im not sure who in the nba has made his team better than a yearly playoff team with no other all stars but Im guessing there aren't a lot of players on that list.

I mean I guess you could have a less ball dominant star like derozan and he would carry his team to a title this season..........

 

[Elizah Huge]

You are tying yourself into crazy pretzels to make a max cap slot nothing or a negative. It’s wild.

But you do you.

Huh? A max cap slot is extremely valuable if you have a player that will sign here or if we trade for one. How do we trade for one?

 

[NUMBERICA]

Are there any good PGs that can shoot a basketball in this draft? That’s the single piece that will most help a Lauri/Kessler build. I’m not a draftnik but I don’t see a good prospect in if that type.

 

[Elizah Huge]

Go back the last 20 years. You don’t win a championship without having a top-6/top-7 player in the league. To pass on trading for one because the player we would draft could potentially become one is ludicrous. This was a fun discussion but Dallas would never do it anyways unless Luka requested a trade.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Huh? A max cap slot is extremely valuable if you have a player that will sign here or if we trade for one. How do we trade for one?

You’re overthinking this and that is not my point. My point is simply that there is literal opportunity cost with Luka relative to Wemby in the form of $30 million in cap. Do with that cap whatever you want.

 

[Elizah Huge]

Agreed. He hasn't had a lot of all stars around him for sure. Im not sure who in the nba has made his team better than a yearly playoff team with no other all stars but Im guessing there aren't a lot of players on that list.

I mean I guess you could have a less ball dominant star like derozan and he would carry his team to a title this season..........

That list is extremely short… LeBron… who else?

 

[sip]

Nah 3 and D implies a great defender that spaces the floor and shoots primarily threes. Tatum, Kawhi, durant and Brown are much much more than that. They are primary scorers and ball handlers. They are the highest volume/usage players on their teams.
Covington is 3 and D. Royce oneal is 3 and D. we are trying to make Ochai 3 and D.

Yep. I view 3 and D guys as having that very defined role.

 

[fishonjazz]

I think the question should't be "would you rather have wemby or luka?", it should be would you rather have Wemby or a current, young, top 5 player in the league. I will take the sure thing young superstar vs the maybe/hopefully.

 

[sip]

Go back the last 20 years. You don’t win a championship without having a top-6/top-7 player in the league. To pass on trading for one because the player we would draft could potentially become one is ludicrous. This was a fun discussion but Dallas would never do it anyways unless Luka requested a trade.

That is certainly the truth.

 

[whatthe]

I think the question should't be "would you rather have wemby or luka?", it should be would you rather have Wemby or a current, young, top 5 player in the league. I will take the sure thing young superstar vs the maybe/hopefully.

I would rather have Luka over Scoot. If the Jazz get Wemby then I would roll the dice and keep him.

 

[fishonjazz]

Yep. I view 3 and D guys as having that very defined role.

So does basically everyone. I mean if KD is 3 and D then so is basically everyone. I saw luka play defense a few times and he shoots threes so he is 3 and D. Kessler is shooting 100% from 3 and plays defense so he is 3 and D. Etc.