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2023 NBA Draft Megathread

I think Dick is gonna be awesome in the league. Big shooter who knows how to cut. Dick has a big finishing package at the rim. His offball movement is phenomenal.

Will have to learn to defend… may not do much more than score and make good passes… but I think he will have gravity all over the court. Give me Dick all day.
 
Scoot gonna be phenomenal. Has the nuclear athleticism with the cerebral game. Can't overthink it.
I thought more about it.

This team couldn't win a ring with Stockton (and Malone) back in the day.
Phenomenal smaller PG's such as CP3, Derrick Rose, Nash, etc have never won championships.
We all know Don, another small guard, didn't get close to it here.

I'm ready to kick off this new iteration of the Jazz by drafting some bigger players. I'm sticking with Victor, Amen, Miller, Whitmore types if they get lucky enough to end up with a top 4 pick. They can always fill in the guards later.
 
I thought more about it.

This team couldn't win a ring with Stockton (and Malone) back in the day.
Phenomenal smaller PG's such as CP3, Derrick Rose, Nash, etc have never won championships.
We all know Don, another small guard, didn't get close to it here.

I'm ready to kick off this new iteration of the Jazz by drafting some bigger players. I'm sticking with Victor, Amen, Miller, Whitmore types if they get lucky enough to end up with a top 4 pick. They can always fill in the guards later.
He's not small though... he's 6'2" or 6'3" with a 6'9" wingspan. He's also just built. Shorter than D Wade but not by much. Those types can win titles I believe. Rose derailed by injuries... Nash doesn't have Scoot's athleticism. Steph is a small point guard and he's done alright.

Scoot has just as a much better chance to be the #1 guy on a title team than Amen, Miller, or Whitmore... if that is the main reason you are thinking we should go another route. He's got shades of Ja and shades of CP and shades of prime Rose. He seems to have a great head on his shoulders. Before Giannis and Steph those projected player archetypes hadn't really won titles. IMO it is Wemby, Scoot, then the others (who I like).
 
He's not small though... he's 6'2" or 6'3" with a 6'9" wingspan. He's also just built. Shorter than D Wade but not by much. Those types can win titles I believe. Rose derailed by injuries... Nash doesn't have Scoot's athleticism. Steph is a small point guard and he's done alright.

Scoot has just as a much better chance to be the #1 guy on a title team than Amen, Miller, or Whitmore... if that is the main reason you are thinking we should go another route. He's got shades of Ja and shades of CP and shades of prime Rose. He seems to have a great head on his shoulders. Before Giannis and Steph those projected player archetypes hadn't really won titles. IMO it is Wemby, Scoot, then the others (who I like).
Yeah, if you are elite your size shouldnt be that much of an issue as long as you try on defense.

You just cant have the mid-range guys, like Collin Sexton, who are small.
 
He's not small though... he's 6'2" or 6'3" with a 6'9" wingspan. He's also just built. Shorter than D Wade but not by much. Those types can win titles I believe. Rose derailed by injuries... Nash doesn't have Scoot's athleticism. Steph is a small point guard and he's done alright.

Scoot has just as a much better chance to be the #1 guy on a title team than Amen, Miller, or Whitmore... if that is the main reason you are thinking we should go another route. He's got shades of Ja and shades of CP and shades of prime Rose. He seems to have a great head on his shoulders. Before Giannis and Steph those projected player archetypes hadn't really won titles. IMO it is Wemby, Scoot, then the others (who I like).

Pretty much this. He’s fine size wise. Guys under 6’4 can’t win titles until they do. All it takes is for Ja to make a run one year for people to rethink that.
 
Pretty much this. He’s fine size wise. Guys under 6’4 can’t win titles until they do. All it takes is for Ja to make a run one year for people to rethink that.

Well like it said in the post you quoted, steph.


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Wade too. Rose makes the Finals if LeBron doesn’t join Miami. I just hate that narrative. Give me dudes regardless of their size.
Yep. Sometimes you just run into all time greats and there is nothing you can do about it. I'm sure Kevin Johnson is viewed quite a bit differently if the suns with the title in 93.
 
Wade too. Rose makes the Finals if LeBron doesn’t join Miami. I just hate that narrative. Give me dudes regardless of their size.

There is significant evidence at this point, that if your best player and lead scorer is a small guard (e.g., 6'3"), it is very rare and very difficult to win at the highest level. The reason is that the guard can usually be slowed down, if not stifled, by long defensive wings, and they are forced to take low-percentage shots. Examples include: Allen Iverson, Derrick Rose, Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell, ... and I think it's going to be the same for other younger guys like Ja Morant.

Ideally, a small guard is your #2 guy, like Kyrie playing next to Lebron or Tony Parker playing next to Tim Duncan. However, there cases where the small guard can be the lead guy if there's enough support around him. Examples would be Dwayne Wade with support from Shaq, or Isiah Thomas with support from Joe Dumars and Bill Laimbeer.

Today's league is dominated by big, dynamic, athletic wings who can't be stopped from getting where they want on the floor and making a play. That said, I'd have no problem taking Scoot if the Jazz had the opportunity, but the goal would be to pair him with a game-changing big or big wing.
 
There is significant evidence at this point, that if your best player and lead scorer is a small guard (e.g., 6'3"), it is very rare and very difficult to win at the highest level. The reason is that the guard can usually be slowed down, if not stifled, by long defensive wings, and they are forced to take low-percentage shots. Examples include: Allen Iverson, Derrick Rose, Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell, ... and I think it's going to be the same for other younger guys like Ja Morant.

Ideally, a small guard is your #2 guy, like Kyrie playing next to Lebron or Tony Parker playing next to Tim Duncan. However, there cases where the small guard can be the lead guy if there's enough support around him. Examples would be Dwayne Wade with support from Shaq, or Isiah Thomas with support from Joe Dumars and Bill Laimbeer.

Today's league is dominated by big, dynamic, athletic wings who can't be stopped from getting where they want on the floor and making a play. That said, I'd have no problem taking Scoot if the Jazz had the opportunity, but the goal would be to pair him with a game-changing big or big wing.
So Steph isn't enough evidence. There have also been a lot of star wings that didn't get the job done. The issue is the measuring stick... if you are just going to say titles then you need to get a top 5 player in the league... sometimes that looks like Steph, sometimes like Lebron, sometimes like Shaq or Duncan or Giannis. It isn't just a wing, guard, big man thing. The wing is an advantage because it allows for some additional flexibility and 2 way impact. But the small guards haven't been stifled in the playoffs by these big wings. Steph just buried the Celtics for hells sake.

Every title team needs support and lots of things. MJ had Pippen, Kukoc and Rodman for hells sakes and he's seen as the GOAT. Scoot is a couple talent levels above the guys behind him imo... its a no brainer if you land at #2.

Winning a title requires talent across the board and a fair amount of luck.
 
So Steph isn't enough evidence. There have also been a lot of star wings that didn't get the job done. The issue is the measuring stick... if you are just going to say titles then you need to get a top 5 player in the league... sometimes that looks like Steph, sometimes like Lebron, sometimes like Shaq or Duncan or Giannis. It isn't just a wing, guard, big man thing. The wing is an advantage because it allows for some additional flexibility and 2 way impact. But the small guards haven't been stifled in the playoffs by these big wings. Steph just buried the Celtics for hells sake.

Every title team needs support and lots of things. MJ had Pippen, Kukoc and Rodman for hells sakes and he's seen as the GOAT. Scoot is a couple talent levels above the guys behind him imo... its a no brainer if you land at #2.

Winning a title requires talent across the board and a fair amount of luck.

Steph is such an outlier. I mean, sure, if you can get a guard who singlehandedly stretches the defense and draws a double-team 35 feet out go ahead and grab him. He makes things easier for everyone else. But even that Warriors team doesn't beat Lebron's Cavs without Kevin Durant. FWIW, I don't think the Ws would have beaten Giannis and the Bucks this past year either. Middleton's injury probably stopped the Bucks from repeating, imo.

The Warriors run a unique system that actually relies on Draymond as the fulcrum. They're very much a system team. You saw a few years ago that even when Steph played at an MVP level the Warriors were still eliminated in the Play-in by the Lakers and Grizzlies. Steph can't carry a team by himself. The Warriors need all cylinders firing for their system to work. The Ws' defense was the biggest reason the Ws beat the Celtics this year.

If you asked me whether I'd rather have Steph Curry or Giannis, I'm taking Giannis. Giannis can break the paint, draw defenders and make plays at the rim against just about anyone. Then there's his defense as well.

At the end of the day, you want a guy who is unstoppable, or as close to it as you can get.
 
I want the Jazz to target two way players, even if they are thought to be lower ceiling players. If there has to be a compromise I would prefer we target a defensive player with some offensive upside vs the other way around.
 
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