2021 NBA Draft Preview (new thread)

[LogGrad98]

I never understood the barefoot thing. You don't play barefooted. I understand that some players would put lifts in their shoes but a 6-4 barefooted is still 6-5 when in shoes.

Just like you don't play with the top of your head.

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It's just to eliminate ambiguity. You can't fudge barefoot measurements, but hey we put Donovan in 4" platforms and now he's 6'6".

 

[Chargers Jazz Angels]

The way I'd answer this is that it's less important for what matters (comparing players to one another) whether the height is accurate absolutely as translated to the basketball court; instead it's more important to understand how players height relates to one another.

If you could guarantee that someone's height measured in shoes never changes throughout their career (that they never use different types of shoes than the ones they measure with at the combine, for example), then you could just as well use the height in shoes as a good way to properly compare one player's height to another. Otherwise, we're stuck with shoes-off height as the best way to make the player-to-player comparison.

EDIT: As long as some players seemingly add 2.25" to their barefoot height with shoes, while others add as little as .75", the height in shoes measurement is just too misleading to help us usefully compare one player to another (again assuming that players will sometimes change shoes, which I don't know why I shouldn't assume).

I understand what you are saying and I was not trying to be critical of you. Just stating an observation.

I agree these people that gain 2 inches with shoes on is ridiculous. I was just saying.



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[Saint Cy of JFC]

The Ringer's 2024 NBA Draft Guide

Who will go no. 1 this year? The race couldn't be more open. We rank the top prospects in this year’s class and unveil our latest mock draft.

nbadraft.theringer.com

Pretty crazy new Kevin O'Connor big board. Cam Thomas at 9 and Isaiah Todd at 21 are the biggest changes I see.

Other notables: Austin Reeves up to 35. Jalen Johnson and Jared Butler fall to 26/27.

 

[Hekate]

The Ringer's 2024 NBA Draft Guide

Who will go no. 1 this year? The race couldn't be more open. We rank the top prospects in this year’s class and unveil our latest mock draft.

nbadraft.theringer.com

Pretty crazy new Kevin O'Connor big board. Cam Thomas at 9 and Isaiah Todd at 21 are the biggest changes I see.

Other notables: Austin Reeves up to 35. Jalen Johnson and Jared Butler fall to 26/27.

Good to see him extend his big board to 50 but it still feels incomplete. He just has too many side gigs to fully focus on draft.

Todd at 21 feels way too high but I wouldn't be surprised if Cam Thomas got selected between 9-15 range.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Christopher has some Donovan Mitchell qualities to him. Very affable and says the right thing. I would be excited to see what Utah could do with their player development with Christopher. I think he has all the talent, just needs to iron out the fine details of his game.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

It's a bit corny, but I do put value in Christopher being a super highly ranked HS player who decided to play in Combine scrimmages and showed out.

 

[LoPo]

I think we need this guy....

Athletic at-rim finisher who thrives in the open floor. He also displays excellent awareness cutting off-ball to get open for dump-offs or lobs.
Skilled ball handler who has great passing vision. He can bring the ball up the floor off defensive rebounds.
In the half-court, he could thrive in scheme screening for a dynamic shot-making guard by setting picks and rolling to the basket.
Improved his shooting mechanics as a senior and shot the best percentage of his career from 3 and the line.
Elite defensive potential as a switchable player. He can lock down quicker guards due to his quickness and fundamentals sliding laterally, but he’s also strong enough to bother bigger wings and forwards.
Good rim protection. He excels at jumping vertically with opponents to alter their shots without fouling.
There’s small-ball center potential in him. Headsy off-ball player who understands proper angles when fighting around screens or defending the pick-and-roll.
He recognizes opponent actions to make proper rotations, and with his length and athleticism he frequently racks up blocks and steals.

"Leaner Draymond Green or Andre Roberson"

 

[Keefe]

Christopher has some Donovan Mitchell qualities to him. Very affable and says the right thing. I would be excited to see what Utah could do with their player development with Christopher. I think he has all the talent, just needs to iron out the fine details of his game.

I like his ability to get into the lane. That’s nearly impossible to teach and maybe thee most important quality in a guard. His stats aren’t too dissimilar to Jaylen Brown coming out. But idk. The kid seems to have bad tunnel vision.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I think we need this guy....

Athletic at-rim finisher who thrives in the open floor. He also displays excellent awareness cutting off-ball to get open for dump-offs or lobs.
Skilled ball handler who has great passing vision. He can bring the ball up the floor off defensive rebounds.
In the half-court, he could thrive in scheme screening for a dynamic shot-making guard by setting picks and rolling to the basket.
Improved his shooting mechanics as a senior and shot the best percentage of his career from 3 and the line.
Elite defensive potential as a switchable player. He can lock down quicker guards due to his quickness and fundamentals sliding laterally, but he’s also strong enough to bother bigger wings and forwards.
Good rim protection. He excels at jumping vertically with opponents to alter their shots without fouling.
There’s small-ball center potential in him. Headsy off-ball player who understands proper angles when fighting around screens or defending the pick-and-roll.
He recognizes opponent actions to make proper rotations, and with his length and athleticism he frequently racks up blocks and steals.

"Leaner Draymond Green or Andre Roberson"

They forgot choke artist when the game is on the line.

 

[LoPo]

They forgot choke artist when the game is on the line.

He missed some free throws. It happens.

The team isn't nearly as good without him. It's a 2nd rounder - we need a quality player not some pie in the sky "he could be this" project.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

It's a bit corny, but I do put value in Christopher being a super highly ranked HS player who decided to play in Combine scrimmages and showed out.

Its kinda corny but kinda not. I would want guys that want to play basketball... I love playing... an agent would have a really hard time talking me out of playing in that type of situation... I would want in.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Good to see him extend his big board to 50 but it still feels incomplete. He just has too many side gigs to fully focus on draft.

Todd at 21 feels way too high but I wouldn't be surprised if Cam Thomas got selected between 9-15 range.

KOC is fine... I mostly just love the look/feel of his draft guide. Its pretty great.

 

[Avery]

Seems like a guy like Greg Brown probably deserves a bit more attention around #30 as well. He'd fit the bill on that stretch four that we've been missing.

Really wish we had another high 2nd rounder.

 

[idiot]

The Ringer's 2024 NBA Draft Guide

Who will go no. 1 this year? The race couldn't be more open. We rank the top prospects in this year’s class and unveil our latest mock draft.

nbadraft.theringer.com

Pretty crazy new Kevin O'Connor big board. Cam Thomas at 9 and Isaiah Todd at 21 are the biggest changes I see.

Other notables: Austin Reeves up to 35. Jalen Johnson and Jared Butler fall to 26/27.

Also Trey Murphy went from not in top 30 (if I recall correctly) to #14, with a description that makes it sound like there's no way he'd ever make it to #30.

 

[idiot]

Also Trey Murphy went from not in top 30 (if I recall correctly) to #14, with a description that makes it sound like there's no way he'd ever make it to #30.

Other notable additions to KOC's top 30:
- Roko at 29
- Thor at 30

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

My favorite part of draft analysis is when every player 6'8 and above can be a small-ball center

 

[idiot]

My favorite part of draft analysis is when every player 6'8 and above can be a small-ball center

Yeah, he had that going for Trey Murphy, too -- even more of a stretch than for Herb Jones, imo.

 

[LoPo]

Yeah, he had that going for Trey Murphy, too -- even more of a stretch than for Herb Jones, imo.

I think the Draymond comp for Herb Jones is pretty spot on. Many similarities there. Maybe not personality, but many others. Style for sure. Will be interesting if Jones can hit that ceiling.

Whoever gets Jones is gonna get a contributor.

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[Handlogten's Heros]

Seems like a guy like Greg Brown probably deserves a bit more attention around #30 as well. He'd fit the bill on that stretch four that we've been missing.

Really wish we had another high 2nd rounder.

Unless someone we love falls... I would bet we move back and get a couple seconds in this draft. A few years ago I think the #30 pick was moved for 4 seconds. If we could nab two picks in the 30s or early 40s and a future second (that projects to be solid) I'd be all in on a move like that... again assuming a guy we love doesn't fall. If Butler, Thor, and maybe Ayo were there those are guys I'd want to take and try to buy a pick in the 40s.

 

[idiot]

After looking at KOC's revised big board, I'm wondering who you all would get excited for if they started sliding relative to expectations on draft night (and to be realistic, someone who's usually in the 10- early 20s range) -- the kind of player you'd be demanding on this board that JL find a way to move up to pick?

For me, it's probably Kai Jones (who has slid in KOC's big board, I think). I managed to watch Austin Reaves vs Texas, when Jones had his best game. Jones's talent looked so much better than anyone else's on the court that day. I understand that he did far worse in most of the other games; I also I fell for Perry Jones back in the day, so I'm a sucker for long, agile PFs with ball skills and shot-blocking potential. But that's someone I'd probably be willing to chase (though I really doubt he'll slide far enough for the Jazz to even consider it). (He also attended a year at DM's alma mater, Brewster Academy.)

On the other side, is there anyone you'd recommend that the Jazz stay away from even if they "slid" all the way to #30? For me?: maybe Isaiah Jackson or Shariffe Cooper (mostly for fit reasons), maybe Jalen Johnson.