2023 NBA Draft Megathread

[Handlogten's Heros]

It means Dariq will miss his first summer league and probably fall training camp. Assuming he heals up well enough it puts him a bit behind the curve in his rookie season and he'll need to come along a bit slower.

Anyone that takes him should view his rookie year as a redshirt year.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

It means Dariq will miss his first summer league and probably fall training camp. Assuming he heals up well enough it puts him a bit behind the curve in his rookie season and he'll need to come along a bit slower.

For most teams drafting in the 13-20 range that isnt a big deal.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

it's not just a run of the mill surgery - it's a second surgery for the same injury. yes, it will cause him to drop. if you don't think nba teams see that as a red flag, i want some of what you're drinking.

Teams tend to be very conservative in the draft process with injuries. I would not be shocked to see Whitehead fall to the second round. I think late teens early 20s was his most likely range based on mocks... 10 spots or so is pretty reasonable.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Anyone that takes him should view his rookie year as a redshirt year.

Love that this got the eyeroll from Cy... dude will miss summer league and likely be ramping up during camp but might also miss training camp. A rookie trying to catch up while rehabbing isn't likely to contribute or get much PT unless its is garbage time. I'd plan on him being in the G League most of the year and if things go really well maybe he gets into the very end of the rotation. Have it be a pre-rookie season and if he surprises you then great.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Love that this got the eyeroll from Cy... dude will miss summer league and likely be ramping up during camp but might also miss training camp. A rookie trying to catch up while rehabbing isn't likely to contribute or get much PT unless its is garbage time. I'd plan on him being in the G League most of the year and if things go really well maybe he gets into the very end of the rotation. Have it be a pre-rookie season and if he surprises you then great.

Because it was eye-roll worthy.

I also don't know who was drafting Whitehead pre-surgery announcement thinking he was going to be an immediate contributor when he will still be 18 years old until August. He was always going to be a project/development pick, so I really dont think his timeline being held back 5 months or so is a huge deal.

 

[Ron Mexico]

What is the most amount of first round picks a team has ever had control of? Narrow it down to within x amount of time, could that be the current Jazz or does someone like Houston or the Thunder have us beat in recent history?

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Because it was eye-roll worthy.

I also don't know who was drafting Whitehead pre-surgery announcement thinking he was going to be an immediate contributor when he will still be 18 years old until August. He was always going to be a project/development pick, so I really dont think his timeline being held back 5 months or so is a huge deal.

Not really... I think when you draft a guy you hope he can earn a back end of the rotation spot. So you are hoping they are able to compete for that spot. Whitehead likely won't be viewed like that given he will be playing catch up and the priority will be getting him healthy and acclimated to the NBA versus getting him some evaluation time.

He is young but he wouldn't have been viewed like a Bilal level project... especially since he has at least one nba skill that could allow him to get some court time. It just adds a few steps to his process now and I would adjust expectations accordingly.

Like some team may have been expecting he could have an AJ Griffin like rookie year... I'd say that is off the table at this point.

 

[KqWIN]

This is a weird conversation to me. Of course Dariq's second injury is going to effect his draft stock. The extent to which it matters will vary from team to team, but it can't be seen as a positive. If you're high on Dariq Whitehead and want to draft, there's a good chance you believe that the foot thing was holding him back in the first place so of course the second surgery is cause for concern.

Idk what it is about this draft cycle, but when something is an obvious concern people will just turn it into nothing or even turn it into a positive.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

What is the most amount of first round picks a team has ever had control of? Narrow it down to within x amount of time, could that be the current Jazz or does someone like Houston or the Thunder have us beat in recent history?

Celtics had a ton of picks too but I'd say the Thunder and Jazz are probably a close tie.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

This is a weird conversation to me. Of course Dariq's second injury is going to effect his draft stock. The extent to which it matters will vary from team to team, but it can't be seen as a positive. If you're high on Dariq Whitehead and want to draft, there's a good chance you believe that the foot thing was holding him back in the first place so of course the second surgery is cause for concern.

Idk what it is about this draft cycle, but when something is an obvious concern people will just turn it into nothing or even turn it into a positive.

I'd say its 5-10 spots minimum... unless someone really loved him and felt crazy confident on the medicals. The medical red flag guys that stick out to me are Kevon Looney, Malcolm Brogdon, and Jared Butler... all slipped pretty far (don't remember Brogdon's projected range).

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Porter Jr. and Sullinger are other guys who had red flags. I'd say Porter Jr. fell 6-7 spots further than he would have gone otherwise... Sullinger - IDK.

I would bet a team like Memphis at 25, Indiana at 26, Charlotte at 27, or Utah at 28 are Whitehead's most likely destinations. If the second surgery is considered a success and there isn't some structural issue. If the news is that his foot is a ticking time bomb like they said with Brogdon... well then he may last into the second round.

 

[KqWIN]

Porter Jr. and Sullinger are other guys who had red flags. I'd say Porter Jr. fell 6-7 spots further than he would have gone otherwise... Sullinger - IDK.

I would bet a team like Memphis at 25, Indiana at 26, Charlotte at 27, or Utah at 28 are Whitehead's most likely destinations. If the second surgery is considered a success and there isn't some structural issue. If the news is that his foot is a ticking time bomb like they said with Brogdon... well then he may last into the second round.

Your mention of Sullinger made me thing, does Ainge have a higher tolerance for medical red flag guys?

Suillinger
Timelord
Langford
Nesmith

I believe all of these guys had some injury concerns in their evaluation.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Your mention of Sullinger made me thing, does Ainge have a higher tolerance for medical red flag guys?

Suillinger
Timelord
Langford
Nesmith

I believe all of these guys had some injury concerns in their evaluation.

Good pull... Forgot about Timelord.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Not really... I think when you draft a guy you hope he can earn a back end of the rotation spot. So you are hoping they are able to compete for that spot. Whitehead likely won't be viewed like that given he will be playing catch up and the priority will be getting him healthy and acclimated to the NBA versus getting him some evaluation time.

He is young but he wouldn't have been viewed like a Bilal level project... especially since he has at least one nba skill that could allow him to get some court time. It just adds a few steps to his process now and I would adjust expectations accordingly.

Like some team may have been expecting he could have an AJ Griffin like rookie year... I'd say that is off the table at this point.

I'm sure NBA teams would love for that to be the case, but I doubt many of them actually think that unless they are strategically going after upperclassmen thought to be NBA ready.

There's plenty of teams between Utah's 9th pick and Utah's 28th pick who have multiple picks this draft, tons of picks over years, or arent the kind of teams who are in need of a rookie to be a rotation player in the first few months.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

View: https://twitter.com/MavsDraft/status/1655400143376510976

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I'm sure NBA teams would love for that to be the case, but I doubt many of them actually think that unless they are strategically going after upperclassmen thought to be NBA ready.

There's plenty of teams between Utah's 9th pick and Utah's 28th pick who have multiple picks this draft, tons of picks over years, or arent the kind of teams who are in need of a rookie to be a rotation player in the first few months.

It isn't just about being a rotation player this year. Its that the evaluation of where that player is should be delayed. His first step in his NBA evaluation won't be "can this kid play". It will be let's get this kid healthy, then in game shape, then let's see what he can do. If he physically isn't ready 2 months into the season then practice time has evaporated and he'd have to be pretty special to contribute at that point. Even the projects like Bilal can get on court and potentially "pop". The redshirt comment is really how I think you'd just push back how you evaluate the kid by a year. 1 setback and he might not log even garbage time.

I think he would have gotten looks starting at 12ish without any kind of red flag... likely goes somewhere between 16-23. I think with this news he is likely 7-10 spots further down on the list. Miami at #18 might be the earliest I could see someone picking him. If we get different follow up news I will change my guess one way or another.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Presented without context. Barring the massive 3pt rate difference and FT%, kind of similar.

 

[Jingled]

View: https://twitter.com/Barlowe500/status/1655646045508968448

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

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Presented without context. Barring the massive 3pt rate difference and FT%, kind of similar.

A blind comparison without context... this behavior is disgusting.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Sounds like Bilal won't be able to workout for NBA teams. Teams will have to draft him based off his role player potential because he doesn't really show the advanced skills most teams desire out of lottery prospects on the main team.