2018 NBA Draft Thread

[JCSunsfan]

1. Ayton
2. Young
3. Bamba
4. Jackson
5. Doncic
6. Bagley
7. Porter

Obviously, I am having serious doubts about Doncic and Bagley. Depending on now the rest of the year goes, I could see Jackson and Bamba switching places.

Doncic now at 15.8 ppg, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, .331 from three. Yes. Its the second best league in the world and he is only 18. But its reasonable to think that his stats and impact will be lower in the NBA, at least for a few years. So, now he is beginning to look more like a longer term project, with huge upside. No way do I want to draft a player and next year this time be hoping he will develop like I am hoping JJ will. To me, Ayton and Young will have the biggest immediate impact. Bamba will too, just with his shot-blocking.

[TOO]

1. Ayton
2. Young
3. Bamba
4. Jackson
5. Doncic
6. Bagley
7. Porter

Obviously, I am having serious doubts about Doncic and Bagley. Depending on now the rest of the year goes, I could see Jackson and Bamba switching places.

Doncic now at 15.8 ppg, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, .331 from three. Yes. Its the second best league in the world and he is only 18. But its reasonable to think that his stats and impact will be lower in the NBA, at least for a few years. So, now he is beginning to look more like a longer term project, with huge upside. No way do I want to draft a player and next year this time be hoping he will develop like I am hoping JJ will. To me, Ayton and Young will have the biggest immediate impact. Bamba will too, just with his shot-blocking.

I think Doncic's stats will be better than you think. He know's how to play within the flow of the game already, I think offensively his transition will be an easy one. Much like Tatum this year, Doncic just looks like he has it down on the offensive end.

[Shabazz]

1. Ayton
2. Young
3. Bamba
4. Jackson
5. Doncic
6. Bagley
7. Porter

Obviously, I am having serious doubts about Doncic and Bagley. Depending on now the rest of the year goes, I could see Jackson and Bamba switching places.

Doncic now at 15.8 ppg, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, .331 from three. Yes. Its the second best league in the world and he is only 18. But its reasonable to think that his stats and impact will be lower in the NBA, at least for a few years. So, now he is beginning to look more like a longer term project, with huge upside. No way do I want to draft a player and next year this time be hoping he will develop like I am hoping JJ will. To me, Ayton and Young will have the biggest immediate impact. Bamba will too, just with his shot-blocking.

Take a look at Kristaps' ACB stats. As a 19-year old (1 year older than Doncic) his per-36 numbers were 18.8/7.7/.9. He averaged 14 and 7 his rookie year.

Doncic is at 22.9/8.1/6.7 per 36. He'll be fine.

[Hermen]

1. Ayton
2. Young
3. Bamba
4. Jackson
5. Doncic
6. Bagley
7. Porter

Obviously, I am having serious doubts about Doncic and Bagley. Depending on now the rest of the year goes, I could see Jackson and Bamba switching places.

Doncic now at 15.8 ppg, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, .331 from three. Yes. Its the second best league in the world and he is only 18. But its reasonable to think that his stats and impact will be lower in the NBA, at least for a few years. So, now he is beginning to look more like a longer term project, with huge upside. No way do I want to draft a player and next year this time be hoping he will develop like I am hoping JJ will. To me, Ayton and Young will have the biggest immediate impact. Bamba will too, just with his shot-blocking.

Take a look at Kristaps' ACB stats. As a 19-year old (1 year older than Doncic) his per-36 numbers were 18.8/7.7/.9. He averaged 14 and 7 his rookie year.

Doncic is at 22.9/8.1/6.7 per 36. He'll be fine.

Yes, a thing to note about per-game stats in Europe is that the game is shorter and pace slower. And assists are not given as freely.

[ShelC]

Doncic also isn't 7-3.

[TOO]

Doncic also isn't 7-3.

And?

[Shabazz]

Doncic also isn't 7-3.

He’s still a better rebounder than KP.

[n4th4n]

Doncic is my no-brainer #1. We need a legit offensive running mate for Booker. At the moment, we have no one even close to that on the roster.

[JCSunsfan]

1. Ayton
2. Young
3. Bamba
4. Jackson
5. Doncic
6. Bagley
7. Porter

Obviously, I am having serious doubts about Doncic and Bagley. Depending on now the rest of the year goes, I could see Jackson and Bamba switching places.

Doncic now at 15.8 ppg, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, .331 from three. Yes. Its the second best league in the world and he is only 18. But its reasonable to think that his stats and impact will be lower in the NBA, at least for a few years. So, now he is beginning to look more like a longer term project, with huge upside. No way do I want to draft a player and next year this time be hoping he will develop like I am hoping JJ will. To me, Ayton and Young will have the biggest immediate impact. Bamba will too, just with his shot-blocking.

Take a look at Kristaps' ACB stats. As a 19-year old (1 year older than Doncic) his per-36 numbers were 18.8/7.7/.9. He averaged 14 and 7 his rookie year.

Doncic is at 22.9/8.1/6.7 per 36. He'll be fine.

Yes, a thing to note about per-game stats in Europe is that the game is shorter and pace slower. And assists are not given as freely.

The thing that concerns me about Doncic is his shooting percentages. I understand the per game stats in Europe usually run lower, but his efficiency is a problem, especially from 3. Honestly. If I had the #1 pick right now, I would probably take Young. I think he will be the best impact player of all these.

[Split T]

He's 18 years old playing in the 2nd best professional league in the world and shooting 35% from 3. Pretty much what Booker did as a 19 year old. Doncic is fine as a shooter. What I worry about is can he defend anyone and is he quick enough off the dribble. I think his best bet is to turn into a point forward and play the 4 on D. Play a Draymond like role on offense with more skill than Draymond.

[O_Gardino]

1. Ayton
2. Young
3. Bamba
4. Jackson
5. Doncic
6. Bagley
7. Porter

Obviously, I am having serious doubts about Doncic and Bagley. Depending on now the rest of the year goes, I could see Jackson and Bamba switching places.

Doncic now at 15.8 ppg, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, .331 from three. Yes. Its the second best league in the world and he is only 18. But its reasonable to think that his stats and impact will be lower in the NBA, at least for a few years. So, now he is beginning to look more like a longer term project, with huge upside. No way do I want to draft a player and next year this time be hoping he will develop like I am hoping JJ will. To me, Ayton and Young will have the biggest immediate impact. Bamba will too, just with his shot-blocking.

Take a look at Kristaps' ACB stats. As a 19-year old (1 year older than Doncic) his per-36 numbers were 18.8/7.7/.9. He averaged 14 and 7 his rookie year.

Doncic is at 22.9/8.1/6.7 per 36. He'll be fine.

Yes, a thing to note about per-game stats in Europe is that the game is shorter and pace slower. And assists are not given as freely.

The thing that concerns me about Doncic is his shooting percentages. I understand the per game stats in Europe usually run lower, but his efficiency is a problem, especially from 3. Honestly. If I had the #1 pick right now, I would probably take Young. I think he will be the best impact player of all these.

I don't know if I would take Doncic or Young, although I lean toward Doncic, but Young is making quite an impression.

But, JC, I'm having trouble going with you on this worry trip about the shooting efficiency and Luka being a project. He's 18. He's going to be a project. He's shooting 46.9/33.1/84.3 against very god competition. Those % are awfully similar to HOF nba payers. Looks to me like a project who is ready to take the next step.

[JCSunsfan]

He's 18 years old playing in the 2nd best professional league in the world and shooting 35% from 3. Pretty much what Booker did as a 19 year old. Doncic is fine as a shooter. What I worry about is can he defend anyone and is he quick enough off the dribble. I think his best bet is to turn into a point forward and play the 4 on D. Play a Draymond like role on offense with more skill than Draymond.

Actually, its 33% and its falling. That coupled with his average athleticism, I can see him ending up as a good player, but not the superstar player we would like to get from this draft.

[Split T]

Still, shooting is one of the last things to worry about with Doncic. He also shot 39% as a 16 year old. If you've watched him play, his shot looks fantastic. Worry about his foot speed and who he's going to guard.

[In2ition]

Still, shooting is one of the last things to worry about with Doncic. He also shot 39% as a 16 year old. If you've watched him play, his shot looks fantastic. Worry about his foot speed and who he's going to guard.

I know that we've compared players before over the years to Bird and it's always turned out to be a bad comparison, but to me Doncic is the closest I've ever seen to him.

[specialsauce]

I was completely against us drafting Bender. Most of these European projects end up sucking and are drafted purely on their height. Watching and following Doncic I have no doubt he is more of a KP, Dirk level prospect than he is Bender, Tskitishvilli, etc. I would love to get him

[Split T]

I don't know that I've seen someone like Doncic in the NBA. I am too young to have watched Bird. 6'8 pg's don't come around much. Magic, Bird, Hill, Penny, LeBron, Simmons, Draymond, turkoglu. Magic, Hill, Penny, LeBron, and Simmons are/were better athletes.

Bird is probably the absolute ceiling that he almost definitely won't reach. He could be a sorta Draymond/Turkoglu combo. Obviously not the defender that Draymond is, but hopefully better than Turkoglu.

Draymond is basically a 12/7/7 guy. Turkoglu was a 20/5/5 guy in his best season and shot 40% from 3. Is 20/7/7 with good shooting splits a reasonable ceiling? Too early to tell if he can be a .50/.40/.90 guy, but I'm not going to be surprised if he comes close.

[JCSunsfan]

I don't know that I've seen someone like Doncic in the NBA. I am too young to have watched Bird. 6'8 pg's don't come around much. Magic, Bird, Hill, Penny, LeBron, Simmons, Draymond, T******u. Magic, Hill, Penny, LeBron, and Simmons are/were better athletes.

Bird is probably the absolute ceiling that he almost definitely won't reach. He could be a sorta Draymond/T******u combo. Obviously not the defender that Draymond is, but hopefully better than T******u.

Draymond is basically a 12/7/7 guy. T******u was a 20/5/5 guy in his best season and shot 40% from 3. Is 20/7/7 with good shooting splits a reasonable ceiling? Too early to tell if he can be a .50/.40/.90 guy, but I'm not going to be surprised if he comes close.

Everyone seems to have him listed as a SG. Yet we are convinced he can be a pg. Maybe he can. The player in the NBA that he reminds me of the most is, well, Devin Booker--maybe with slightly less of a shooting touch. The size and skill set is similar. As far as big pg's go, Magic was more of an average athlete. But he did have size and he was very strong. We will see.

[Split T]

We'll see how doncic measures out. I think I heard that he is up to 6'8 with a decent wingspan. So he's bigger than booker and a more gifted passer. Booker is a good passer with good court vision. Doncic is elite. So yes I think he'd have no problem playing pg on offense. I don't want him defending guards though. I'd rather put him on either the 3 or the 4, depending on the matchup. i am hoping he ends up big enough to defend 4's full time.

[Split T]

All I can find is that he supposedly measured a 8'9.5 standing reach in the summer of 2016. Which is a little small for the 4, but not terrible. He's essentially the same size as Joe Johnson. He was only 16 then, so maybe he's grown a little.

https://nbajam7.wordpress.com/2017/09/1 ... 018-draft/

[Shabazz]

I think you play him at PG and cross-match him and Jackson on defense.