2023 NBA Draft Megathread

[Handlogten's Heros]

I don't think a team would need to promise a pick as high as #16 to keep Klintman in the draft. I could see Brooklyn, who needs size, doing it though.

Any team with multiple picks are candidates for that type of thing. I think Brooklyn, Indiana and Utah are all candidates. If I was putting money on it though... I would bet its Portland with Mike Schmitz being the brain power behind it. They have the 24th pick.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

That's a good point.

But there is little risk in going to the combine to do measurements and testing along with interviews, so safe to say (if the promise is real and not just his camp trying to create a scarcity thing) he got promised by a team that is desirable to be on for a young developing player (which I think Utah would fall under).

He's likely in the range of guys they would want to play though... so I agree there is little risk but might worry about the perception there. I think there is likely a promise as the scarcity thing could go so wrong.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Thunder at 12 is probably Klintman's ceiling. Seems like a player the Thunder would value. His agent rep's Ousmane Dieng. The Thunder took Dieng a handful of spots ahead of his projected spot.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

He's likely in the range of guys they would want to play though... so I agree there is little risk but might worry about the perception there. I think there is likely a promise as the scarcity thing could go so wrong.

Tons of players sit out the scrimmages that you'd think should play. Dont think it really matters all that much. Klintman has the hype train behind him right now. He's a prototype player that all NBA teams want.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Also think Memphis at 25 is a very Klintman type team.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Bobi Klintman pulls out of the combine but already told awake he’s not returning. Could mean a promise, transfer portal, or as Vecenie mentions the strategy of not playing basketball to add “mystery man” points.

KOC has him at 15….I’m not even interested in him at 28.



View: https://twitter.com/sam_vecenie/status/1658101900762312707?s=46&t=O8QgyEFSLCb2qd3SCki2Cw

KOC is really leaning into hype/take-artistry lately and it’s honestly a bummer. I’m starving for legit insight that isn’t price-gated and it looks like the world lost what might’ve been one the few sources earlier but most certainly is not any longer.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Thunder at 12 is probably Klintman's ceiling. Seems like a player the Thunder would value. His agent rep's Ousmane Dieng. The Thunder took Dieng a handful of spots ahead of his projected spot.

Seems very Thundery… not sure why they’d make such a strong promise at 12 but maybe they think he was going to go crazy at the combine.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

KOC is really leaning into hype/take-artistry lately and it’s honestly a bummer. I’m starving for legit insight that isn’t price-gated and it looks like the world lost what might’ve been one the few sources earlier but most certainly is not any longer.

Because he likes Klintman at 15? This draft is so fluid post top 12 or so that actual team's big boards are going to be extremely different 15-30.

 

[NUMBERICA]

KOC’s latest big board update:

Black at 6
Hendricks at 7
Whitmore at 9
Bufkin at 10
Klintman at 14
Miller at 15
Bilal at 17

Three dudes that weren’t even on his board at all a month ago are going 10, 14, and 17 = KOC is straight coasting. Knows less than several here.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Also think Memphis at 25 is a very Klintman type team.

And they actually play their prospects so could be pretty desirable… very well could be them… they’ve wanted that type of guy… that’s a good call.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Two dudes that weren’t even on his board at all a month ago are going 10 and 17 = KOC is straight coasting. Knows less than many here.

I really dont get calling KOC for this. If he was a dude milking his board and updating it weekly for clicks it'd be one thing, but he is putting out a monthly ranking. A lot can change month to month.

 

[KqWIN]

KOC is really leaning into hype/take-artistry lately and it’s honestly a bummer. I’m starving for legit insight that isn’t price-gated and it looks like the world lost what might’ve been one the few sources earlier but most certainly is not any longer.

I do feel like some of this Klintman hype is bc it's makes for more buzzy articles/tweets when you have this "man of mystery" very few have heard about.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Two dudes that weren’t even on his board at all a month ago are going 10 and 17 = KOC is straight coasting. Knows less than many here.

I don’t know if he’s coasting or spread too thin… he does seem pretty reactive this year. Had the UConn kid real high after the national championship.

He’s always been one that kinda goes his own way a little… had Killian Hayes famously number 1 a few years ago. Maybe since he’s late to the party on a couple guys he overreacts… IDK. I think he’s less well sourced than many dudes and is a part time draft guy now while being more an nba generalist.

 

[NUMBERICA]

I really dont get calling KOC for this. If he was a dude milking his board and updating it weekly for clicks it'd be one thing, but he is putting out a monthly ranking. A lot can change month to month.

They weren’t even on his top-50 a month ago.

Ain’t nothing wrong being a casual unless your job and public persona is being an expert.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

They weren’t even on his top-50 a month ago.

Ain’t nothing wrong being a casual unless your job and public persona is being an expert.

Klintman declared 6 weeks ago. I'm pretty sure he declared after KOC's previous big board iteration was released, and if he didnt, they were very close to each other.

So KOC did his homework on a prospect that not a lot of people had their eye on and now he has an opinion. That sounds pretty responsible to me.

 

[KqWIN]

They weren’t even on his top-50 a month ago.

Ain’t nothing wrong being a casual unless your job and public persona is being an expert.

Is that his public persona? I always felt like his thing was making content that wasn't necessarily coming from an expert/analyst voice, but more like one of your buddies or just some guy. He has a similar narrative voice to Bill Simmons, the "sports guy". He's an expert in the same way that guy at the bar is an expert.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Big Boards should be pretty differnet person to person because I assure you they are pretty different team to team.

Klintman at 15 is very reasonable. He's super skilled and has a great NBA body and athletic profile. He's the closest thing to Kuzma since Kuzma got drafted IMO but he has actual defensive upside unlike Kuzma.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Is that his public persona? I always felt like his thing was making content that wasn't necessarily coming from an expert/analyst voice, but more like one of your buddies or just some guy. He has a similar narrative voice to Bill Simmons, the "sports guy". He's an expert in the same way that guy at the bar is an expert.

The space he occupies is that between an expert and an analyst. I don’t think he’s very much like Simmons at all who is mostly a writer/comic that loves basketball history.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

“I’m declaring for the draft while maintaining my eligibility at Wake Forest,” Klintman told The Athletic. “I am looking to learn what teams think about me, trying to find a team that has a good track record of player development. I’m just trying to find a good fit for me. I recognize that I have a lot of room to grow with my game, and I want to reach my full potential. I think I can do that in the NBA, but I want to find the right situation, which is why I’m also maintaining my eligibility.”

This was from Vecenie's article on Klintman after he declared. Sounds like he found that team.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

The space he occupies is that between an expert and an analyst. I don’t think he’s very much like Simmons at all who is mostly a writer/comic that loves basketball history.

KOC was basically the Ringer's replacement for Zach Lowe after he went to ESPN. KOC has been following the draft for years before he got to the Ringer. He isnt just a draft guy, but he is definitely the draft guy on The Ringer.

I like KOC a lot and think he's one of the better draft people. Not that I agree with everything he says, but I think his reasonings and process are better than most.