2018 NBA Draft Thread

[Split T]

For those worried about us going on a run and killing our draft pick, here's some schedule info:

Warriors: 4 games remaining
Rockets: 3 games
Spurs: 1 game
Thunder: 2 games
Nuggets: 2 games
Blazers: 2 games
Pelicans: 2 games
Celtics: 1 game
Cavs: 2 games
Heat:1 game
Pistons: 1 game
Pacers: 2 games
Bucks: 1 game

That's 24 of our 40 games against current playoff teams, and 10 against the 4 probable conference finalists.

Of the 16 non playoff opponents, 8 are against teams with better records than us.

Clippers: 2 games
Knicks: 1 game
Jazz: 3 games
Hornets: 2 games

That leaves 8 games the rest of the season against teams worse than us:

Mavs: 2 games
Kings: 1 game
Grizz: 2 games
Lakers: 1 game
Magic: 1 game
Hawks: 1 game

Currently, only 2 games separate us at #9 from the Kings at #4. I suspect we settle around 6th or 7th worst in the league at the end of the season. 6th worst would give us a 21.% chance at a top 3 pick while 7th would give us a 15% shot. If we can somehow beat the odds and grab a top 3 pick, I am very optimistic about our future. I think we will have all the core piece and flexibility we need to start taking major steps towards the playoffs. Next year we may still be in the high lotto (11-14 range), but that might be our last year watching the playoffs from the outside.

Ya I don't really see us moving back any further than we currently are in the lottery unless we do something drastic (trade for Kemba)

We're currently tied with Brooklyn for 8/9.

Important to remember for next year, the lottery odds change. Top 4 picks are available and the percentages are more evenly spread out.

[O_Gardino]

Cool. I'll check him out.

I think there will be a good role-player PG available with the miami pick. If Trae and Donic are off the board, we don't have to panic and get the next best PG. We can take the BPA, even if it is Mikal Bridges.

I think we end up in the 7-9 range. I'll assume Doncic, Ayton, Bagley, Young, and Bamba are gone. That leaves us with some combination of Porter (probably only if he still has injury question marks) Jackson, Sexton, both Bridges, and Carter.

Mikal Bridges doesn't make a whole lot of sense from a roster standpoint. Booker/Warren are our best players and we just drafted Jackson/Reed last year, but I think he's going to be a really good player. An elite 3D guy and a great fit alongside Booker. I'd take him and figure out who gets to stay later. Also, if we plan to utilize Booker at PG, you could play Booker, Bridges, Jackson, and Warren all at the same time.

I really like Carter too. I don't envision stardom from him, but he could be a Monroe like player with better mobility, better range, and better defense.

So those are my two guys I'd look at if we miss out on the top guys. I wouldn't hate Sexton, but like you said, we can get a PG later.

At this point, I would draft Mikal and trade Warren.

[Hermen]

It looks like the end of the year will be tanktastic for ~10 teams.

[Ring_Wanted]

It looks like the end of the year will be tanktastic for ~10 teams.

No doubt. Everybody loves the top5 of this draft. 3 wins can make all the difference. We are already late with out homework and the worst part is we are repeating a course.

[Split T]

Trae did it again. 43 points, 11 boards, 7 assists. 15/27 from the field, 10/18 from 3

[O_Gardino]

Trae did it again. 43 points, 11 boards, 7 assists. 15/27 from the field, 10/18 from 3

Not that I'm a draft guru, but he wasn't even on my radar at the beginning of the season.

[Split T]

He wasn't really in anyone's

[Shabazz]

Ridiculous.

[youtube][/youtube]

[TOO]

He wasn't really in anyone's

Well he was a 5 star recruit, so I don't think anyone is THAT surprised he blew up. However nobody forecasted this. What he's doing is ridiculous, and no, I don't think there is any chance he's this effective in the NBA.

[Split T]

He wasn't really in anyone's

Well he was a 5 star recruit, so I don't think anyone is THAT surprised he blew up. However nobody forecasted this. What he's doing is ridiculous, and no, I don't think there is any chance he's this effective in the NBA.

True, his blow up isn't completely out of nowhere, I just don't think anyone really was expecting one and done from him and especially not top half of the lotto. He wasn't showing up on mock drafts before the season started. ESPN, for instance, did not include him in their top 25 freshman. Even after he was blowing up it took awhile for people to move him into the lotto and he stayed behind Sexton for awhile. ESPN actually still has him behind Sexton. Now there is legitimate talk of him as the #1 pick. My guess is he ends up more 3/4 but the right team lands 1 or 2 and he could go that high.

Edit: just checked and he wasn't even mentioned on here until page 18 and in December.

[Mori Chu]

I would take Trae Young #1 but we will pick more like #8 and he won't be there at #8 so it's a moot point.

[TOO]

I would take Trae Young #1 but we will pick more like #8 and he won't be there at #8 so it's a moot point.

A small, thin PG, who will have all sorts of trouble with defending in the NBA, and had a lot of problems against Jevon Carter (He's already an NBA level defender) over Bagley/Ayton? Gimme the big guy. I love what I've seen from Young, but I can't take a PG over a big personally. Especially if it's Ayton.

[1tinsoldier]

Young is not "small and thin" for a pg. and we need a pg
Ayton is big and agile and can shoot. and we need a center
either looks like superstar material

damn it, i just found out the new draft percentages take effect in 2019!

[Cap]

damn it, i just found out the new draft percentages take effect in 2019!

You didn't seriously think the NBA was going to make a rule change that benefits the Suns, did you?

[TOO]

Young is not "small and thin" for a pg. and we need a pg
Ayton is big and agile and can shoot. and we need a center
either looks like superstar material

damn it, i just found out the new draft percentages take effect in 2019!

Have you seen Young? Hes a skinny little dude. Might be 180 soaking wet.

[Split T]

If we didn't already have Booker, I could see taking Young over Ayton, but we do have Booker. I think the overall impact of what Ayton will be able to do is bigger than what Young will offer. I think Ayton loses some value if you can't put good perimeter players around him, but Booker is a franchise level guard and Booker/Ayton would be a more mutually beneficial relationship than Booker/Young.

For the record, I do love young, just don't think I'd take him over Ayton right now.

[TOO]

If we didn't already have Booker, I could see taking Young over Ayton, but we do have Booker. I think the overall impact of what Ayton will be able to do is bigger than what Young will offer. I think Ayton loses some value if you can't put good perimeter players around him, but Booker is a franchise level guard and Booker/Ayton would be a more mutually beneficial relationship than Booker/Young.

For the record, I do love young, just don't think I'd take him over Ayton right now.

Ayton can transform an NBA team, Doncic might be able to as well, I don't think Young does. PG is a position that matters no doubt, but unless we're talking Magic here, I'm not taking one 1st overall. Especially one that isn't overly explosive and has a tendency to hoist up ridiculous shots.

[Split T]

Steph Curry is the reason he's a candidate for the first pick. Curry showed that shoot first pg's who launch from crazy distances can be elite players and transform teams. I don't know if Trae will ever be Steph, the answer is probably not, but it's within the realm of possibilities. He's got the shooting range and he's skilled enough as a ball handler to create space. He is smaller than Curry though and Curry is a phenomenal finisher around the basket despite his small frame.

My guess is Trae ends up more like 2017 IT than Steph. By that I don't necessarily mean style of play, IT is incredible at getting into the paint and using his body, but in overall impact. I think Trae will be a great offensive player, possibly even carrying an offense like IT did, but he'll be pretty poor defensively and ultimately not enough if he's your best player.

[O_Gardino]

For me, it's still Doncic, then Young, then everyone else. But Young might climb to #1.

When I first started watching Young, I complained about his release point and flat shot. Well, his release point hasn't changed, but his shot has a ton of arc on it now. You can see with how he shoots and moves on the court that his legs are getting stronger. And his game just gets better as his body gets better.

Doncic, on the other hand, seems quicker, especially on D. The early knock on him was that he couldn't keep up with NBA wing players, but now I have no concerns about that.

[O_Gardino]

In case you thought Young was just a lucky long distance chucker, check these highlights. 22 assists, and he operates in the paint for most of his points. This kid can dribble and read the floor.

[youtube][/youtube]

(This is from a month ago, but I just saw it today. Sorry for old news.)