NBA Draft 2020

[O_Gardino]

Reminder that the Draft lottery is next Thursday, 20th.

We'll know exactly what our pick is and who is in font of us. I feel like draft order might be more important this year when there's no set top 5. Or 10.

[In2ition]

Does the positive momentum of the bubble Suns roll into lottery luck? They haven't moved up in the draft in 33 yrs. Are they due? I think the Lakers moved up in the lottery 4 out of the 5 yrs they had their pick the past 6 yrs.

[Superbone]

Does the positive momentum of the bubble Suns roll into lottery luck? They haven't moved up in the draft in 33 yrs. Are they due? I think the Lakers moved up in the lottery 4 out of the 5 yrs they had their pick the past 6 yrs.

Unfortunately, no. The Suns in the bubble made their own luck. This is outside of that.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Does the positive momentum of the bubble Suns roll into lottery luck? They haven't moved up in the draft in 33 yrs. Are they due? I think the Lakers moved up in the lottery 4 out of the 5 yrs they had their pick the past 6 yrs.

Unfortunately, no. The Suns in the bubble made their own luck. This is outside of that.

Yeah, just a quick example: Referees really tried to hand over the first Dallas game to the Mavs. We endure it and overcame that. Later with a 6/7-0 record on hand, we even started to get Star calls for Booker. Those last three games, referees stop screwing us sistematically.

The lottery will be conducted business as usual, until the league get something out of rocking the boat for our gain. Not a conspiracionist here, but is not a transparent box either this whole cartel-turning-sports-into-profit-as-entertainment billion dollar system.

[ShelC]

Okongwu is starting to grow on me. Not a shooter (yet?) but looks like the inside player/athlete we want and expect Ayton to be. Seems to have a good feel working in the post, the spin move, the face up and rip thru to get by off the dribble, nice touch with either hand. They could work together if Ayton sticks to the midrange and 3s and we stagger their minutes. I'd still go with Cam/Oubre/Bridges starting at the 3/4 and bring Okongwu off the bench initially, maybe working with either Saric or Baynes if either is kept. He's young, but I think we can add a young big to the mix now who can play off the better players and give us the above the rim, shotblocker, rebounder. He reminds me of Kenyon Martin with his athleticism and shotblocking.

[O_Gardino]

I like Okongwu a lot.

[Superbone]

Okongwu is starting to grow on me. Not a shooter (yet?) but looks like the inside player/athlete we want and expect Ayton to be. Seems to have a good feel working in the post, the spin move, the face up and rip thru to get by off the dribble, nice touch with either hand. They could work together if Ayton sticks to the midrange and 3s and we stagger their minutes. I'd still go with Cam/Oubre/Bridges starting at the 3/4 and bring Okongwu off the bench initially, maybe working with either Saric or Baynes if either is kept. He's young, but I think we can add a young big to the mix now who can play off the better players and give us the above the rim, shotblocker, rebounder. He reminds me of Kenyon Martin with his athleticism and shotblocking.

What you describe is our biggest need at the moment.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Okongwu is starting to grow on me. Not a shooter (yet?) but looks like the inside player/athlete we want and expect Ayton to be. Seems to have a good feel working in the post, the spin move, the face up and rip thru to get by off the dribble, nice touch with either hand. They could work together if Ayton sticks to the midrange and 3s and we stagger their minutes. I'd still go with Cam/Oubre/Bridges starting at the 3/4 and bring Okongwu off the bench initially, maybe working with either Saric or Baynes if either is kept. He's young, but I think we can add a young big to the mix now who can play off the better players and give us the above the rim, shotblocker, rebounder. He reminds me of Kenyon Martin with his athleticism and shotblocking.

What you describe is our biggest need at the moment.

Yeah, like every box in the New PF list. What about his weaknesses?

[O_Gardino]

Okongwu is starting to grow on me. Not a shooter (yet?) but looks like the inside player/athlete we want and expect Ayton to be. Seems to have a good feel working in the post, the spin move, the face up and rip thru to get by off the dribble, nice touch with either hand. They could work together if Ayton sticks to the midrange and 3s and we stagger their minutes. I'd still go with Cam/Oubre/Bridges starting at the 3/4 and bring Okongwu off the bench initially, maybe working with either Saric or Baynes if either is kept. He's young, but I think we can add a young big to the mix now who can play off the better players and give us the above the rim, shotblocker, rebounder. He reminds me of Kenyon Martin with his athleticism and shotblocking.

What you describe is our biggest need at the moment.

Yeah, like every box in the New PF list. What about his weaknesses?

He's not a good outside shooter, although his form looks good enough. And he doesn't really pass because he's so busy dunking. Those two things make him a finisher and not a guy who creates offense at this point.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

I can live with that!!

As I have saying before, we need to balance the the current lack of aggression on the Frontcourt, Ayton can take the high post and leave this guy the rim on offense, the opposite on defense.

[INFORMER]

I don't think Okongwu is that good. He has an average combination of size and athleticism, his offensive game is limited, he isn't really that skilled, and I don't see his shot-blocking translating to the pro level. I'm surprised he is mentioned as a lottery pick.

[ShelC]

I don't know, his athleticism really jumps out at me (no pun intended). Just super quick getting off the floor, above the rim with ease and when he dunks he has the look where he's coming down on the rim instead of reaching up. He's got violent athleticism attacking the rim. It's like the opposite of Ayton. Initiates the contact, moves forward instead of fading away.

He's listed at 6-9 235-245 which used to be the prototype PF size. Now the game is different so his upside as a player may be limited because he's more of that throwback player post player. He shoots a little better than 70% from the FT line so the touch is there. I don't think he'll be a stretch 4, but he's hit shots from the outside and has a good touch. Form could use some work tho. He's not a great passer and for me that usually indicates a player's bball IQ. Also gets some tunnel vision when he's thrown the ball in the post but I don't know that he'd get as many opportunities there anyway.

It's weaker draft overall and not a ton of bigs either so other years he might not have been rated as high. And it's tough to say what his role will be because he was a featured guy at USC. But again, off the bench in a 4/5 role could be perfect for him. I think if a lotto team is taking him to be #1 featured guy, they might be disappointed and he won't look as good.

The biggest concern I'd have is whether or not he was just bigger and more athletic than the players he was going against in college, which made him look good. Had the same concern with Josh Jackson...then those guys get to the league and they can't get those things off against players the same size or bigger with similar athleticism. Okongwu looks different tho. He's not 6-7 210, his post moves look legit, finishes well with either hand, elite athleticism IMO and good defensive timing. Still young and learning, needs to get stronger to hold his position better, not a finished product so this could be a good spot for him. Maybe ceiling Kenyon Martin, floor Richaun Holmes-ish?

Just highlights


Strengths and Weaknesses - This video compares to McDyess


Long video but he breaks down his own gametape.

[Split T]

I’m pretty meh on Okungwu. Don’t think you can play him with Ayton at all. Toppin way higher for me.

[Superbone]

I’m pretty meh on Okungwu. Don’t think you can play him with Ayton at all. Toppin way higher for me.

So, you might say he's Toppin your list? Here's to lottery success!

[ShelC]

I’m pretty meh on Okungwu. Don’t think you can play him with Ayton at all. Toppin way higher for me.

Playing with Ayton would be tricky given the spacing but if Ayton is more and more comfortable in the high post and 3pt line they might be able to work it out down the line. Not sure if it'd be a full time thing tho and certainly not early on.

[Split T]

I’m pretty meh on Okungwu. Don’t think you can play him with Ayton at all. Toppin way higher for me.

So, you might say he's Toppin your list? Here's to lottery success!

Haha, he’s top 3.

[O_Gardino]

Toppin brings a lot more to the table on offense, but Okongwu is much better on the other end of the floor.

I doubt they will both be available for our pick, so it's a bit of a moot point. I'd take Toppin because good offense beats good defense, but I'd be thrilled if Okongwu fell to us at 10.

[ShelC]

Assuming we're in the backend of the lotto with teams like GS, Cleveland, Charlotte, Washington ahead of us they're most likely looking at bigs anyway.

[Split T]

Ya, I think we only have a shot at either if we move into the top 4

[INFORMER]

I think Okongwu finishes explosively, but that athleticism doesn't manifest itself when he is guarded. Instead, his post moves look very mechanical. And it looks like he is a product of having size/athletic advantage on his defenders, which won't be the case in the NBA.