2024 NBA Draft Thread (Early)

I know that the focus is on who is in the draft but what about what a given teams' needs are compared to what pick they have?

I'm thinking about the Bulls, what if there are no trades before the deadline? Once the draft order is set and teams pretty much know what their roster looks like, next June which team that fell short of the conference finals with at least one maybe 2 picks will see Alex Caruso as a low cost expiring addition that's of more value to them than the #14, 20, or 28 pick? Likewise what team has a spot that they think Demar DeRozan fills but they don't have the cap space to slot him into? Do they have the combination of youth and expiring contracts PLUS the FRPs in 2024 and/or 25 to send the Bulls in a S&T?

chitowndish · Post #89 » by **chitowndish** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 3:09 pm

Just started looking at these guys because I was looking at football prospects and Kel'el Ware seems really interesting as a well rounded C he can defend the interior well, score from the post and outside but it sounds like he struggles defending in space the further out he gets on the perimeter. I think I may be ok with that though because everything else looks good and having a C that can shoot to drag the other big out of the paint is pretty valuable too and we aren't going to get everything with our pick.

Another interesting one is Yves Messi who sounds like an all around great defender that can defend the basket to the perimeter and be a great help defender, sounds like a nice guy to clean up shots around the basket and good lob threat but doesn't sound like he has much of a polished offense or 3pt shot. Again I may be able to live with this because we have pretty good shooting out of our other players and having an elite switchable big taking pressure off our perimeter would be amazing for this team and it allows you to play more offensively focused perimeter players.

Overall I think I like the idea of Kel'el because it does sound like he's mobile just may struggle with the real quick guys which I think just about any big will and if he's a great rim protector I don't want him messing around on the perimeter too much anyway so his weakness falls into a way I wouldn't try and prioritize on using him but may be a way for people to pick on him pulling him into switches. It's definitely a negative and one that may potentially be able to be exploited but not a horrible one and I think anyone we draft here is going to have some negatives. Sounds like he would be far better at this than Vuc it's just a natural weakness of bigs that a few of them can overcome but often those players have other weaknesses in their games like shooting which can also be exploited. I didn't really look at wings or guards I know I should focus on BPA but a well rounded big is such a big need and they are so hard to get any other way that it would take a lot for me to not pick up a big.

Chi town · Post #90 » by **Chi town** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 4:51 pm

chitowndish wrote:Just started looking at these guys because I was looking at football prospects and Kel'el Ware seems really interesting as a well rounded C he can defend the interior well, score from the post and outside but it sounds like he struggles defending in space the further out he gets on the perimeter. I think I may be ok with that though because everything else looks good and having a C that can shoot to drag the other big out of the paint is pretty valuable too and we aren't going to get everything with our pick.

Another interesting one is Yves Messi who sounds like an all around great defender that can defend the basket to the perimeter and be a great help defender, sounds like a nice guy to clean up shots around the basket and good lob threat but doesn't sound like he has much of a polished offense or 3pt shot. Again I may be able to live with this because we have pretty good shooting out of our other players and having an elite switchable big taking pressure off our perimeter would be amazing for this team and it allows you to play more offensively focused perimeter players.

Overall I think I like the idea of Kel'el because it does sound like he's mobile just may struggle with the real quick guys which I think just about any big will and if he's a great rim protector I don't want him messing around on the perimeter too much anyway so his weakness falls into a way I wouldn't try and prioritize on using him but may be a way for people to pick on him pulling him into switches. It's definitely a negative and one that may potentially be able to be exploited but not a horrible one and I think anyone we draft here is going to have some negatives. Sounds like he would be far better at this than Vuc it's just a natural weakness of bigs that a few of them can overcome but often those players have other weaknesses in their games like shooting which can also be exploited. I didn't really look at wings or guards I know I should focus on BPA but a well rounded big is such a big need and they are so hard to get any other way that it would take a lot for me to not pick up a big.

As a Hoosier alum I’ve watched almost all of Ware’s mins. His 3 ball is butter he just doesn’t get many looks because IU’s guards are the worst in the country. Awful.

Ware is a rim protector, rim runner if he had a PG, and good rebounder. He lacks fire. His motor can run low at times. That’s his only drawback. I think he will be a Jarret Allen type with a 3 ball.

Will be fun to see what he does against Edey tonight.

2weekswithpay · Post #91 » by **2weekswithpay** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 6:44 pm

ChettheJet wrote:I know that the focus is on who is in the draft but what about what a given teams' needs are compared to what pick they have?

I'm thinking about the Bulls, what if there are no trades before the deadline? Once the draft order is set and teams pretty much know what their roster looks like, next June which team that fell short of the conference finals with at least one maybe 2 picks will see Alex Caruso as a low cost expiring addition that's of more value to them than the #14, 20, or 28 pick? Likewise what team has a spot that they think Demar DeRozan fills but they don't have the cap space to slot him into? Do they have the combination of youth and expiring contracts PLUS the FRPs in 2024 and/or 25 to send the Bulls in a S&T?

Working out a S&T for Demar is hard and doesn't sound favorable to most contending teams. A S&T hard caps you, you can't use the taxpayer MLE, and all S&Ts must be for at least 3 seasons. Giving up assets to sign a declining Demar to a new 3-year deal seems like a tough pill to swallow.

Caruso will always have suitors, getting a FRP for him isn't an issue.

TheSuzerain · Post #92 » by **TheSuzerain** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 1:46 am

Edey >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ware

What an utter beatdown.

Rose2Boozer · Post #93 » by **Rose2Boozer** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 5:25 am

TheSuzerain wrote:Edey >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ware

What an utter beatdown.

Ware is trash. There's nothing I hate more than a low motor big. I can only imagine the nightmare of watching a Williams/Ware big man combo. Yuck, two physically imposing low motor bums.

TheSuzerain · Post #94 » by **TheSuzerain** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 1:55 pm

Rose2Boozer wrote:
TheSuzerain wrote:Edey >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ware

What an utter beatdown.

Ware is trash. There's nothing I hate more than a low motor big. I can only imagine the nightmare of watching a Williams/Ware big man combo. Yuck, two physically imposing low motor bums.

Yeah to be honest my reaction from that game is do not draft Ware in a hundred years.

At most, be the team that signs him after he fails at his first stop.

Repeat 3-peat · Post #95 » by **Repeat 3-peat** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 12:58 am

Watch on YouTube

Chi town · Post #96 » by **Chi town** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 1:32 am

Repeat 3-peat wrote:

Watch on YouTube

I see a lot of Grayson Allen.

Muzbar · Post #97 » by **Muzbar** » Thu Jan 18, 2024 10:58 am

Chi town wrote:
Repeat 3-peat wrote:

Watch on YouTube

I see a lot of Grayson Allen.

Keep him away from Caruso!

boozapalooza · Post #98 » by **boozapalooza** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 5:33 am

Read on Twitter

Wow, the highlight clip in here is extremely impressive. 7-2 and shooting the rock like that with good passing and rim protection. I think this kid fits the mold for what AK’s looking for in a big man. Could be a future Bull if were lucky.

Chi town · Post #99 » by **Chi town** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 11:10 pm

boozapalooza wrote:

Read on Twitter

Wow, the highlight clip in here is extremely impressive. 7-2 and shooting the rock like that with good passing and rim protection. I think this kid fits the mold for what AK’s looking for in a big man. Could be a future Bull if were lucky.

Aussie Freshman Furphy for Kansas and Big Z for UK certainly strengthens the lottery.

I like this draft. High ceiling talent but with low floors and no clear cut top pick like Zion etc.

Remember Sengun went 16th.

https://youtu.be/Pxqst15DQ6o?si=uMSZX9ea3YG0qafI

Chi town · Post #100 » by **Chi town** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 11:12 pm

This is the draft to get a C and shooting.

I’ll take Big Z or Edey.

Shepherd, Furphy, Knelt, Walter.

We need two picks inside the top 20.