2018 NBA Draft Thread

[specialsauce]

Drafting Bridges would just be McD making the same mistakes over and over again. You can’t completely ignore your roster when you draft. You need to draft with intention of building a cohesive unit. Booker Bridges and Jackson play the same positions. Unless you plan on Booker being the full time PG there are no minutes available for Bridges and once again we’d have a logjam

[In2ition]

Drafting Bridges would just be McD making the same mistakes over and over again. You can’t completely ignore your roster when you draft. You need to draft with intention of building a cohesive unit. Booker Bridges and Jackson play the same positions. Unless you plan on Booker being the full time PG there are no minutes available for Bridges and once again we’d have a logjam

Agreed.

Btw, did you know that Popeye Jones' son plays in the NHL?

[Split T]

If we move Warren I'd be ok with it. Bridges is a switch wing that can cover all 3 perimeter spots and possibly play some small ball 4. He could easily cover backup minutes for both Jackson and Booker, plus play alongside them in either a small ball lineup or a Booker at PG lineup.

I think there are higher ceiling options and I wouldn't pick him top 5, but if we ended up 6-8, I'd consider him. I'd also happily move up and draft him in addition to whoever we pick top 5

[specialsauce]

Drafting Bridges would just be McD making the same mistakes over and over again. You can’t completely ignore your roster when you draft. You need to draft with intention of building a cohesive unit. Booker Bridges and Jackson play the same positions. Unless you plan on Booker being the full time PG there are no minutes available for Bridges and once again we’d have a logjam

Agreed.

Btw, did you know that Popeye Jones' son plays in the NHL?

Oh yeah? You mean my son? Lol. Never knew that. Wonder if he looks as scary.

[specialsauce]

If we move Warren I'd be ok with it. Bridges is a switch wing that can cover all 3 perimeter spots and possibly play some small ball 4. He could easily cover backup minutes for both Jackson and Booker, plus play alongside them in either a small ball lineup or a Booker at PG lineup.

I think there are higher ceiling options and I wouldn't pick him top 5, but if we ended up 6-8, I'd consider him. I'd also happily move up and draft him in addition to whoever we pick top 5

If we’re drafting in the top 10 to pick up yet another backup player, just kill me right now and put me out of my misery.

[Split T]

He'd probably start as a backup but he's a definite long term starter. And you have to take what the draft gives you. I'm not advocating drafting him over Ayton, Doncic, Bagley, JJJ, and Porter, but if my choices were Young, Bridges, Bamba, and Carter, I'd consider him. He provides shooting and defense, our two biggest needs.

[specialsauce]

Except he provides them at the wrong positions. I’m looking for a starter for the long term. We’re not starting Booker, Jackson and Bridges together. I’d rather just trade the pick for an established 1, 4 or 5

[Split T]

I'm fine with that. I'm that scenario I presented, I'd probably take Carter and Bamba over Bridges anyways and maybe Trae as well. I just don't think we should write him off because he is a 2/3.

A dream scenario would be to get a 4/5 with our top pick (Ayton/Bagley/JJJ) use Warren and one of the Mia/Mil picks to move up and grab a wing that can shoot (Bridges) then use the other pick on a PG that can shoot (holiday, Milton, Shamet, SGA)

The switchiness and shooting ability of a Milton/Booker/Jackson/Bridges/JJJ lineup would be incredible. Switch Milton for SGA or JJJ for Ayton and it still works. Holiday and Shamet aren't as big, but they can both really shoot as well.

[specialsauce]

My opinion still stands that you can’t play Bridges or Jackson at the 4, therefore the value of having him on our team significantly drops. I want us to have our 5 starters before we worry about using our best assets on bench players.

You can completely write him off because he’s a 2/3. It’s not fantasy basketball, the pieces have to fit and there’s only so many minutes to go around. Having Embiid, Towns, Gobert, Cousins and Davis on one team completely diminishes the value of all those players to that one team.

[Split T]

What makes you think Bridges can't play the 4? He's listed at 6'7 210 with a 7'2 wingspan. There are plenty of guys that play pf at that size.

[specialsauce]

Seriously? Now you’re just trying to fit a square peg into a round hole because you like him so much. He’s 210 pounds and averages under 6 rebounds per game. Devin Booker is 6’6 with a 7 foot wingspan and 205 pounds, might as well play him at PF. There are not plenty of guys that play PF at that size. And his game isn’t the type to be conducive to gaining 35 pounds.

[Split T]

This isn't 2000, you don't need a 6'10 240 pound pf in today's game. He's essentially the same size as Shawn Marion who we played at pf for years. Draymond, Aaron Gordon, Harrison Barnes, Melo, Kuzma, Tatum, Ingram, Marvin Williams. All guys at similar height/wingspan that play pf.

I don't even know why I'm debating this so much, I don't love Bridges as much as you may think I do. I just wouldn't automatically pick a pg like Trae or sexton over him because we don't need a wing. Likewise at pf/c with bamba and Carter.

Also, booker does not have a 7'0 wingspan, its 6'8

[specialsauce]

Draymond is 230 pounds.

Gordon is 6’9 220 pounds.

Melo is 6’8 240 pounds

Tatum plays SF.

Kuzma is 6’9 220 pounds

Harrison Barnes is 6’8 and plays SF.

Brandon Ingram is 6’9. And plays SF.

Marvin williams sucks and shouldn’t even be mentioned ever on this site.

We get demolished when we try Jackson and Warren together on the boards. Bridges would be even worse at the 4.

[specialsauce]

The Celtics have Horford at PF. The Warriors have Durant at SF who is a monster. The Spurs have Aldridge. The Pelicans have Davis and Cousins. The Cavs have Love. The Sixers have Saric. Jazz have Favors. Bucks have Greek Freak. Nuggets have Millsap. Raptors with Ibaka. Pistons with Griffin.

Times haven’t changed my friend. Power forwards are still big and tall

[Split T]

Barnes plays 63% of his minutes at PF
Tatum plays 25% of his minutes at PF

And ya, those guys outweigh Bridges, but they are also NBA vets. The only official measurement we have on Bridges comes when he was 16 and he measured 6'6 with a 7'1 wingspan. He's most likely grown and will add strength in the NBA.

I think there is a good chance he's capable of playing minutes at the 4.

[specialsauce]

Barnes plays 63% of his minutes at PF
Tatum plays 25% of his minutes at PF

And ya, those guys outweigh Bridges, but they are also NBA vets. The only official measurement we have on Bridges comes when he was 16 and he measured 6'6 with a 7'1 wingspan. He's most likely grown and will add strength in the NBA.

I think there is a good chance he's capable of playing minutes at the 4.

Lol. There’s no way in hell he can guard the above players. You picked a guy who plays 25% of his minutes at PF to compare him to. Your other comparisons (other than Melo) are from the worst teams in the league.

There’s absolutely no chance he can guard and contend on the boards with Love, Greek Freak, Durant/Green, Favors/Gobert, Davis/Cousins, Aldridge, Saric/Embiid, Etc. No chance.

[TOO]

What makes you think Bridges can't play the 4? He's listed at 6'7 210 with a 7'2 wingspan. There are plenty of guys that play pf at that size.

There isn't though. Sure, there was Marion, but he was a SF who rebounded like a PF, he wasn't a PF. To be an undersized 4, you have to be be strong as hell, long, and either really smart or really athletic. Bridges is a 3.

[Split T]

The Celtics have Horford at PF. The Warriors have Durant at SF who is a monster. The Spurs have Aldridge. The Pelicans have Davis and Cousins. The Cavs have Love. The Sixers have Saric. Jazz have Favors. Bucks have Greek Freak. Nuggets have Millsap. Raptors with Ibaka. Pistons with Griffin.

Times haven’t changed my friend. Power forwards are still big and tall

Al Horford has been listed as a C his whole career and has played 83% of his career minutes at C.

Durant and Giannis are freaks

Aldridge plays 58% of his minutes at C

I'm not afraid of Love using his size.

Ibaka is a skinny jump shooter, again not afraid.

Saric is also a perimeter 4

Millsap is 6'7, maybe 6'8

The pelicans, jazz, Spurs and pistons are pretty much the only teams that use two traditional bigs.

Even still, Davis sees half his minutes at the 5. Favors plays 65% of his minutes at the 5 this year. Joe Ingles plays 47% of his minutes at the 4.

[Split T]

What makes you think Bridges can't play the 4? He's listed at 6'7 210 with a 7'2 wingspan. There are plenty of guys that play pf at that size.

There isn't though. Sure, there was Marion, but he was a SF who rebounded like a PF, he wasn't a PF. To be an undersized 4, you have to be be strong as hell, long, and either really smart or really athletic. Bridges is a 3.

He's definitely a 3, I'm just saying he could play minutes as a small ball 4.

[TOO]

Anyone doubting Sexton still? Flat out carrying Bama in the SEC tourney. Him and Holiday both turning it on at the right now, Holiday especially.