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Doncic is playing against much tougher competition than any of those NCAA guys and is kicking ass. I’m not worried about him making the transition. He's probably the most NBA-ready of the top picks.

https://twitter.com/espn/status/983800556182532097

Cap wrote:Doncic is playing against much tougher competition than any of those NCAA guys and is kicking ass. I’m not worried about him making the transition. He's probably the most NBA-ready of the top picks.

I don't doubt that he's ready for the NBA, I just think he's in for an adjustment period when it comes to the athleticism of the game. The college guys are too, but they see more elite level athletes than Doncic has.

Again, I'm not saying don't draft Doncic, I think he's a great prospect. How his athleticism translates is still a question. As others have said, Nash made it work, Harden made it work, Doncic can make it work. I think harden is actually a decent model for him to follow. Doncic is a little taller, but both have strong physical bodies and Doncic should be able to use his like harden does.

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/984082438916722688 I wouldn't mind taking a look at this guy at 31

Split T wrote:

Cap wrote:Doncic is playing against much tougher competition than any of those NCAA guys and is kicking ass. I’m not worried about him making the transition. He's probably the most NBA-ready of the top picks.

I don't doubt that he's ready for the NBA, I just think he's in for an adjustment period when it comes to the athleticism of the game. The college guys are too, but they see more elite level athletes than Doncic has.

Again, I'm not saying don't draft Doncic, I think he's a great prospect. How his athleticism translates is still a question. As others have said, Nash made it work, Harden made it work, Doncic can make it work. I think harden is actually a decent model for him to follow. Doncic is a little taller, but both have strong physical bodies and Doncic should be able to use his like harden does.

I'm not saying he is great here or that the Thunder are giving full effort but this was over 2 years ago when Doncic was 17. It is interesting to watch.

People, have you seen Booker and Jackson 'endorsing' Ayton?

Ring_Wanted wrote:People, have you seen Booker and Jackson 'endorsing' Ayton?

I am fairly confident that the Suns pick Ayton IF they get the first pick. No harm in a great consolation prize if it comes to that. The fact that many would pick Doncic first makes first or second pick nearly equal...

azsportsfan wrote:

Ring_Wanted wrote:People, have you seen Booker and Jackson 'endorsing' Ayton?

I am fairly confident that the Suns pick Ayton IF they get the first pick. No harm in a great consolation prize if it comes to that. The fact that many would pick Doncic first makes first or second pick nearly equal...

Same here. Even Bagley at #3 would be a terrific proposition.

Just don’t give me the fourth pick and I’ll be happy.

I’m torn, and thus happy with 1 or 2.
I like the possibility of a real dominant Big in Ayton but I’m also keen to see Donic play with Booker & Jackson as a trio because I think they would be brilliant together.

Not too up do date with Bagley but have seen more positives about him and Bamba as the season came to an end.

I think I can live with the #1 or #2 pick. We'll get Doncic or Ayton for sure if we get one of those two. I think if we get #3 or 4 I'll be pretty depressed. But I have to prepare myself for the significant chance that that may happen. I think Bagley would be a big step down from the two others.

Marty [Mori Chu] wrote:I think I can live with the #1 or #2 pick. We'll get Doncic or Ayton for sure if we get one of those two. I think if we get #3 or 4 I'll be pretty depressed. But I have to prepare myself for the significant chance that that may happen. I think Bagley would be a big step down from the two others.

I agree in general. My level of disappointment goes in two tiers. 1-2 v 3. Then 3 v 4.

Split T wrote: ESPN's most recent mock draft has us taking Ayton at 1, Kevin Knox at 15, and Aaron Holiday at 16.

Bumping this because Givony has Aaron Holiday at #17 in his latest mock draft. He also has the pick conveying to us at #17 even though it doesn't. He has us taking Zhaire Smith at #16. He's listed as a SF though I suppose he could be a 3&D 2-guard. I'm not all that enamored in taking another wing unless it's Luka.

Apparently Sarver was in Spain watching Luka play today.

carey wrote:

Split T wrote: ESPN's most recent mock draft has us taking Ayton at 1, Kevin Knox at 15, and Aaron Holiday at 16.

Bumping this because Givony has Aaron Holiday at #17 in his latest mock draft. He also has the pick conveying to us at #17 even though it doesn't. He has us taking Zhaire Smith at #16. He's listed as a SF though I suppose he could be a 3&D 2-guard. I'm not all that enamored in taking another wing unless it's Luka.

Zhaire is an interesting prospect, but like you said, we're kinda stacked at the wing right now. Especially with ones who are questionable shooters. Zhaire shot a great percentage from 3, but it was in very limited attempts and I don't think he's a 3 pt threat in the NBA yet. He's a freak athlete though. I'd like to have him as a prospect, he's like a more advanced Derrick Jones Jr, but there are other players in that range that make more sense for us right now.

Shabazz wrote:Apparently Sarver was in Spain watching Luka play today.

Interesting. I wouldn't think he would go there until the lottery assured us 1 or 2. Or is their season done before the end of May?

carey wrote:

Shabazz wrote:Apparently Sarver was in Spain watching Luka play today.

Interesting. I wouldn't think he would go there until the lottery assured us 1 or 2. Or is their season done before the end of May?

The article posted the other day mentioned that Doncic would struggle to schedule workouts before the draft, given his team obligations in Euroleague and local tournament, and the team interest in retain him, so maybe Sarver traveled to stablish a relation that could allow us to get a date even if we fall out of Top2.

Imagine after the nightmare of falling to #3 or #4, that we could get him to work out for us, while refusing to do it for the others citing schedule conflicts? Even at #2, that could force the other teams hand, like the Celtics last year.

Bad thing the Goran saga makes it unlikely, but it’s worth the shot.

Wasn't there a story this year that McD patched things up with Dragic?

How do people view the prospects this year compared to similar guys from the last few years.

As prospects, how do you rank Ayton in comparison to Towns and Embiid, okafor?

Doncic and Porter compared to Simmons, Ingram, Tatum, Jackson, wiggins?

Bagley, JJJ, and Bamba to Porzingis, Giannis, Gordon, Jabari, Bender?

Trae and Sexton compared to Fultz, Ball, Fox, Ntilikina, Smith, Russell, Oladipo?

I've been trying to rank my favorite guys each year in the draft to help me remember how we viewed them as prospects.

I saw Towns as a better prospect than Ayton, but I have Ayton even with how I viewed Embiid predraft.

The next group I'd rank Simmons, Doncic, Jackson, Ingram, Tatum, Wiggins based on how I saw them pre draft.

The PF group goes Bagley, Porzingis, Gordon, Jabari, JJJ, Bamba, Giannis, Bender.

The PG group I have Fultz, Russell, Oladipo, Ball, Fox, Ntilikina, Trae, Smith, Sexton.

I was obviously wrong about Giannis, I liked him, but I had no clue he'd be this good. I also loved Kristaps but he's been better than I thought. I loved Russell too, but he's been a little underwhelming.

I think it's fun to compare and helps give perspective. Simmons was my highest rated prospect of the past 5 drafts. My overall top list would go like this:

Simmons
Towns
Embiid/Ayton/Fultz
Doncic/Bagley
Porzingis/Gordon
Russell/Jackson/Ingram

Where do you guys put this year's class in comparison?

Split T wrote:Wasn't there a story this year that McD patched things up with Dragic?

Really?

That would be great for all if it was for real. First time a heard about such thing, can any one put up a link to see if it wasn’t just FO’s lip service? But it would be really futile to go after Doncic if the feud is still there and they really are close friends, so it plausible that it is true.