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Locke going all-in on Kobe Bufkin. What are your thoughts?

SoberasHotRod said:
I really like Bufkin, but I'll admit you have to kind of imagine some things to see the high upside. He played mostly off ball, so it's not certain he'll be able to be more than just a rotation level combo guard.

His most impressive stats were his rim finishing, which I think he's going to have to get a lot stronger to be as effective in the NBA.

He doesn't really have any weaknesses though, so he seems like a safe bet to be pretty good in the NBA.
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He had two parts to his season... he played more ball in hand after nepotism... I mean they discovered that the offense was better working through him and Jett took more of a back seat.
 
It's weird that Locke would be this loud and obvious in his support for Bufkin. I'd wonder if it's a smokescreen, but I too am pretty confident in Bufkin being a solid guard in the league. Several years back, Locke was very overt in his support for Trey Lyles, then it turned out that the Jazz drafted Lyles.

Maybe the idea is to throw people off the trail of Bilal Coulibaly?
 
Ferguson_Mellochill said:
It's weird that Locke would be this loud and obvious in his support for Bufkin. I'd wonder if it's a smokescreen, but I too am pretty confident in Bufkin being a solid guard in the league. Several years back, Locke was very overt in his support for Trey Lyles, then it turned out that the Jazz drafted Lyles.

Maybe the idea is to throw people off the trail of Bilal Coulibaly?
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You think a team would trade up into the top-8 to take Bilal?
 
Ferguson_Mellochill said:
It's weird that Locke would be this loud and obvious in his support for Bufkin. I'd wonder if it's a smokescreen, but I too am pretty confident in Bufkin being a solid guard in the league. Several years back, Locke was very overt in his support for Trey Lyles, then it turned out that the Jazz drafted Lyles.

Maybe the idea is to throw people off the trail of Bilal Coulibaly?
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Not sure how well Locke is able to read the tea leaves under DA (not saying he can or can’t, just saying I legitimately don’t know) but it’s definitely a different era than the DL regime. Unclear what that all means for Locke’s insights.
 
infection said:
Not sure how well Locke is able to read the tea leaves under DA (not saying he can or can’t, just saying I legitimately don’t know) but it’s definitely a different era than the DL regime. Unclear what that all means for Locke’s insights.
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Locke can't be completely disconnected from the organization. He works for them. He also can't telegraph who the Jazz are planning to pick without some good reason. If he's announcing to the world that the Jazz are comfortable drafting Bufkin at #9, then maybe this is a message to teams that are trying to get the Jazz to trade up with them to soften the market.

There might also be a game of chicken going on with OKC. The Jazz reportedly like Bilal, and so a rumor circulates that OKC may have promised him at 12. (If the Jazz want Bilal, they'll have to take him at #9, so they can't trade 9 in a deal to move up.) Bufkin appears in a photo working out with SGA, and the Jazz go loud about being interested in Bufkin. When in reality, both the Jazz and OKC are trying to move up to draft Jarace Walker.
 
The Jazz may need to move 16 and 28 to move up. Any pick better than 14 gets them a player with some skill.

Players like Dick and Bufkin seem just out of range with where they fall, but getting either after our first pick would be terrific.
 
There was a time where Locke's "guy" was drafted every year by the Jazz. Whether that was conscious/sub-conscious or intentional/unintentional I don't think that is a thing anymore with a whole new regime.

It's hard to not like Bufkin. At #9? I have him a tier down but it's not the most offensive pick. He is younger than a lot of the Freshman this year. I would feel more strongly about taking a wing at #9 (Bilal, Hendricks, Dick) and taking whatever guard falls (George, Bufkin, Wallace).
 
Certainly think there will be better guys available at #9 but I do like him. His strengths speak for themselves and he strikes me as a "high floor" guy.

My hope is a top wing/forward falls to us at 9, and if we moved up from 16 to 12-13 for KB, I'd be fine with that.
 
PresidioTrojan said:
Certainly think there will be better guys available at #9 but I do like him. His strengths speak for themselves and he strikes me as a "high floor" guy.

My hope is a top wing/forward falls to us at 9, and if we moved up from 16 to 12-13 for KB, I'd be fine with that.
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From reading all the draft related threads I think the vast majority of jazzfanz feels this way. I think most of us want a top wing/forward with the first pick and then a pg with the second pick. I know that is how I feel. I would love the first pick to be Cam, Hendricks, Walker, Bilal (in that order). Second pick Im hoping for Wallace, black (dont freak out eliza maybe we trade up), bufkin, george etc.
 
He makes a compelling and entertaining case. I would be cool with it but a little disappointed. Maybe that’s just because I’ve been slightly resistant to believing some of the hype. Just weird to me that no one gave a **** for most of the year and his counting stats are okay.

I don’t know what I’m talking about. But I’m cool with it. Would rather he be the 2nd of the Jazz’s picks (trading up if necessary).
 
fishonjazz said:
From reading all the draft related threads I think the vast majority of jazzfanz feels this way. I think most of us want a top wing/forward with the first pick and then a pg with the second pick. I know that is how I feel. I would love the first pick to be Cam, Hendricks, Walker, Bilal (in that order). Second pick Im hoping for Wallace, black (dont freak out eliza maybe we trade up), bufkin, george etc.
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Given where the Jazz are sitting and how the draft seems to be shaking out, if the Jazz can't trade up for Whitmore or Walker, I would take Bufkin at #9 and then either Bilal or GG at #16. I'd be willing to package #16 and #28 to move up to #14 or #13 if that helps. But word is that the Jazz haven't been considering GG.

An alternative would be like you described, but I think the Jazz would need to try (hard) to get #10 from Dallas. Take a wing and a guard with back-to-back picks (e.g., Hendricks/Bufkin or Bufkin/Coulibaly).
 
Not sure why even I’m hesitant to take him at #9….Bufkin is great on paper+film. If anyone becomes a star in this draft I think it’s a surprise, but his path to star is so simple to see. He’s already amazing at the basket, his 3 ball is a little suspect but his FT% is 85%, he’s a good stocks guy, has position size, plays with and without the ball.

If you’re shooting for a star player in this range I think Bufkin is as good as a bet as any.
 
KqWIN said:
Not sure why even I’m hesitant to take him at #9….Bufkin is great on paper+film. If anyone becomes a star in this draft I think it’s a surprise, but his path to star is so simple to see. He’s already amazing at the basket, his 3 ball is a little suspect but his FT% is 85%, he’s a good stocks guy, has position size, plays with and without the ball.

If you’re shooting for a star player in this range I think Bufkin is as good as a bet as any.
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That's why I got him as my guy in the draft and especially for the Jazz at 9. I think he has a clear path to stardom. Of course nothing is certain, but you don't have to even squint to see how he will be really successful in the league. He has the skill, the ballhandling, the shot looks good and FT% indicator is one of the highest in the draft... his defense was surprisingly solid and he actually does make some of those winning plays that don't go on the stat sheet too...
 
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