2024 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

[JennetteMcCurdy]

Don’t underestimate some GM’s ability to trade up for an overhyped player. These top picks will become household names soon enough, and the hype train will be off and running. Pistons will have offers for their pick. How good? We’ll see…..

[whitehops]

Hard to get value trading down when the draft is seen as a crapshoot.

The flip side of that is I’ve never been less concerned about falling in the lottery.

unless teams having a smaller gap in their tiers i could even see the higher picks being less attractive than usual because you have to pay the 3rd pick (for example) $8M+ a year instead of $4M/year for a comparable prospect at 13.

obviously a team would rather have the higher pick but probably decide it's not worth it to make the jump.

[Snakebites]

Hard to get value trading down when the draft is seen as a crapshoot.

The flip side of that is I’ve never been less concerned about falling in the lottery.

unless teams having a smaller gap in their tiers i could even see the higher picks being less attractive than usual because you have to pay the 3rd pick (for example) $8M+ a year instead of $4M/year for a comparable prospect at 13.

obviously a team would rather have the higher pick but probably decide it's not worth it to make the jump.

I doubt it’ll reach a point where the top picks are straight up considered less valuable- there’s still value in being able to get the right pick. It’s possible on draft day the situation will be different

Less likely this year though. And I can’t imagine the 1 to 4 gap yielding a whole other pick worth of value.

[Mr Peanut]

If I get pick 1... the only other option than Risacher is to trade #1 to Portland for Grant, #4, and #14.

Adding Jerami Grant,
#4 (Risacher, Sheppard, Topic)
#14 (Filipowski, Ulrich Chomche)

Would be a great haul

Risacher should not be an option if we land #1. He’s shot something like 28% the last 4 months from 3 and he has a bad FT% around 70% which suggests he was just having a hot streak and is not an actual shooter. He also can’t create for himself, isn’t a top tier athlete and has more question marks than answers at this point.

As I mentioned months ago ITT his shooting metrics dont line up with being a strong shooter. At that time he was shooting 47.5% from 3pter and had alot of pick 1 buzz. Since I said that his 3pt numbers have fell alot. He ended up shooting 75% FT and 35% 3pt this season.

He doesnt have any on ball creation or handles. His 3pt shooting is going to be average. Hes a solid athlete and he should be a + defender.

Pretty tall at 6'9 but has a terrible wingspan for his height only 6'10. To put it into perspective Cade is 6'6 and he has a 7foot wingspan, Kawhi is 6'6 with a 7'3 wingspan, LBJ 7ft wingspan, our boy T.Prince was 6'9 had a 7'2 wingspan.

The thing is this draft is so crappy its hard for me to say anyone who has him as their pick 1 is wrong. Its either draft your fav role player like Risacher or take a dice roll on a long shot and hope they get there. I have no faith in Troy Weaver picking the correct player so I say trade the pick.

Where are you getting your Risacher numbers from?

He's played 46 games this season between the Eurocup and LNB Pro A. If you put the stats together he has shot 42.6% from three on 3.4 attempts per game. His overall FT% is a little less than what you quoted, at 72%.

I can't comprehend how anyone can predict his 3 point shooting to be average when he is currently shooting over 40% in professional leagues predominantly as an 18 year old (only turned 19 three weeks ago).

[buzzkilloton]

Risacher should not be an option if we land #1. He’s shot something like 28% the last 4 months from 3 and he has a bad FT% around 70% which suggests he was just having a hot streak and is not an actual shooter. He also can’t create for himself, isn’t a top tier .

Where are you getting your Risacher numbers from?

He's played 46 games this season between the Eurocup and LNB Pro A. If you put the stats together he has shot 42.6% from three on 3.4 attempts per game. His overall FT% is a little less than what you quoted, at 72%.

I can't comprehend how anyone can predict his 3 point shooting to be average when he is currently shooting over 40% in professional leagues predominantly as an 18 year old (only turned 19 three weeks ago).

I was using the 29 game sample of the LNB pro as thats where most of the recent games have been played and the bigger sample size by far of his season. If I was considering the Eurocup I would be just as concerned about his shooting being down at 66% FT down there as well but its only 17 games.

Regardless of it being a professional league or not elite shooters dont shoot 70% from the FT line very often. Its not like hes being covered on the FT line or something. Also its not going to become easier to shoot playing even better professionals in the NBA.

When a player is limited on offense outside of everything but shooting and is shooting 70%ish from FT and you see 35% from 3pt in a bunch of recent games that is a red flag. Its not just some posters here with the shooting concerns fwiw. Go read some the recent scouting reports its now becoming a universal question mark.

[Mr Peanut]

Where are you getting your Risacher numbers from?

He's played 46 games this season between the Eurocup and LNB Pro A. If you put the stats together he has shot 42.6% from three on 3.4 attempts per game. His overall FT% is a little less than what you quoted, at 72%.

I can't comprehend how anyone can predict his 3 point shooting to be average when he is currently shooting over 40% in professional leagues predominantly as an 18 year old (only turned 19 three weeks ago).

I was using the 29 game sample of the LNB pro as thats where most of the recent games have been played and the bigger sample size by far of his season. If I was considering the Eurocup I would be just as concerned about his shooting being down at 66% FT down there as well but its only 17 games.

Regardless of it being a professional league or not elite shooters dont shoot 70% from the FT line very often. Its not like hes being covered on the FT line or something. Also its not going to become easier to shoot playing even better professionals in the NBA.

When a player is limited on offense outside of everything but shooting and is shooting 70%ish from FT and you see 35% from 3pt in a bunch of recent games that is a red flag. Its not just some posters here with the shooting concerns fwiw. Go read some the recent scouting reports its now becoming a universal question mark.

The LNB Pro A league and Eurocup have been played simultaneously alongside each other. For reference there's been eight LNB Pro A games in the past two months and six Eurocup games. I don't think the latter's stats should be discounted from his three point shooting stats just because it doesn't fit the narrative people are trying to expound.

And no, it won't become easier to shoot when he gets to the NBA but he also will continue to get older, gain experience and get used to the pace of this league which will help immensely.

And I don't think there's any denying he has had a recent slump in his shooting (appreciating that most shooters tend to go through slumps at some point), but it feels like people are using his recent numbers as the sole determinator of his proficiency in that area.

If we more appropriately use the larger sample size, we are left with a player who has just turned 19 who has been shot 42.5% from three on reasonable volume in 46 games this season, who looks like he will be at least an average defender. We can acknowledge the concerns with his shot creation and even his FT%, but in this draft his archetype will get serious consideration to be selected in the top 3 and even the first pick.

[buzzkilloton]

.

The LNB Pro A league and Eurocup have been played simultaneously alongside each other. For reference there's been eight LNB Pro A games in the past two months and six Eurocup games. I don't think the latter's stats should be discounted from his three point shooting stats just because it doesn't fit the narrative people are trying to expound.

And no, it won't become easier to shoot when he gets to the NBA but he also will continue to get older, gain experience and get used to the pace of this league which will help immensely.

And I don't think there's any denying he has had a recent slump in his shooting (appreciating that most shooters tend to go through slumps at some point), but it feels like people are using his recent numbers as the sole determinator of his proficiency in that area.

If we more appropriately use the larger sample size, we are left with a player who has just turned 19 who has been shot 42.5% from three on reasonable volume in 46 games this season, who looks like he will be at least an average defender. We can acknowledge the concerns with his shot creation and even his FT%, but in this draft his archetype will get serious consideration to be selected in the top 3 and even the first pick.

These are all fair enough points.

I'm not going to specifically say having him 1 or top 3 in this specific class is wrong or anything. Just to me hes not there I prefer some other guys over him but its not like those other guys are worlds ahead or anything. For me its just a very flat lotto this year.

[The Moose]

Where are you getting your Risacher numbers from?

He's played 46 games this season between the Eurocup and LNB Pro A. If you put the stats together he has shot 42.6% from three on 3.4 attempts per game. His overall FT% is a little less than what you quoted, at 72%.

I can't comprehend how anyone can predict his 3 point shooting to be average when he is currently shooting over 40% in professional leagues predominantly as an 18 year old (only turned 19 three weeks ago).

I was using the 29 game sample of the LNB pro as thats where most of the recent games have been played and the bigger sample size by far of his season. If I was considering the Eurocup I would be just as concerned about his shooting being down at 66% FT down there as well but its only 17 games.

Regardless of it being a professional league or not elite shooters dont shoot 70% from the FT line very often. Its not like hes being covered on the FT line or something. Also its not going to become easier to shoot playing even better professionals in the NBA.

When a player is limited on offense outside of everything but shooting and is shooting 70%ish from FT and you see 35% from 3pt in a bunch of recent games that is a red flag. Its not just some posters here with the shooting concerns fwiw. Go read some the recent scouting reports its now becoming a universal question mark.

He's played 55 games this year total

He's 74/191 from 3 and 108/150 FT, so 38.7% 3PT and 72% FT.

And in reality, that is basically in line with all the data points available for him.
163 games for him in the database for the past 3 years.

In 163 games :
176/483 3pt = 36.4% 3pt
209/287 FT = 72.8% FT

Personally I don't buy that he's an elite shooting prospect though, he was never that before this season. I think it's more likely he just had a crazy hot streak in the middle of this season, and is regressing to his mean, which is an above average shooter, but not elite.

He's a mid to late lotto guy to me

[Mr Peanut]

I was using the 29 game sample of the LNB pro as thats where most of the recent games have been played and the bigger sample size by far of his season. If I was considering the Eurocup I would be just as concerned about his shooting being down at 66% FT down there as well but its only 17 games.

Regardless of it being a professional league or not elite shooters dont shoot 70% from the FT line very often. Its not like hes being covered on the FT line or something. Also its not going to become easier to shoot playing even better professionals in the NBA.

When a player is limited on offense outside of everything but shooting and is shooting 70%ish from FT and you see 35% from 3pt in a bunch of recent games that is a red flag. Its not just some posters here with the shooting concerns fwiw. Go read some the recent scouting reports its now becoming a universal question mark.

He's played 55 games this year total

He's 74/191 from 3 and 108/150 FT, so 38.7% 3PT and 72% FT.

And in reality, that is basically in line with all the data points available for him.
163 games for him in the database for the past 3 years.

In 163 games :
176/483 3pt = 36.4% 3pt
209/287 FT = 72.8% FT

Personally I don't buy that he's an elite shooting prospect though, he was never that before this season. I think it's more likely he just had a crazy hot streak in the middle of this season, and is regressing to his mean, which is an above average shooter, but not elite.

He's a mid to late lotto guy to me

We're starting to split hairs a little, but he's played 46 games this season as per Basketball Reference (https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/zaccharie-risacher-1.html). Where's your source for 55 games?

And I'm sure you probably realize that the prior seasons you are referencing in 2021/22 and 2022/23 are seasons where he was 16-17 years old and then 17-18 years old respectively. Playing in a professional basketball league with guys up to double his age and more, and still averaging 36% from three.

I'm not out here saying he's going to be a deadeye shooter in the NBA; there's a very good chance he isn't. But it does seem odd to me that people are so keen to put a cap on players' ceilings based on their stats as a teenager, going as far back as when they're 16 years old.

[The Moose]

I was using the 29 game sample of the LNB pro as thats where most of the recent games have been played and the bigger sample size by far of his season. If I was considering the Eurocup I would be just as concerned about his shooting being down at 66% FT down there as well but its only 17 games.

Regardless of it being a professional league or not elite shooters dont shoot 70% from the FT line very often. Its not like hes being covered on the FT line or something. Also its not going to become easier to shoot playing even better professionals in the NBA.

When a player is limited on offense outside of everything but shooting and is shooting 70%ish from FT and you see 35% from 3pt in a bunch of recent games that is a red flag. Its not just some posters here with the shooting concerns fwiw. Go read some the recent scouting reports its now becoming a universal question mark.

He's played 55 games this year total

He's 74/191 from 3 and 108/150 FT, so 38.7% 3PT and 72% FT.

And in reality, that is basically in line with all the data points available for him.
163 games for him in the database for the past 3 years.

In 163 games :
176/483 3pt = 36.4% 3pt
209/287 FT = 72.8% FT

Personally I don't buy that he's an elite shooting prospect though, he was never that before this season. I think it's more likely he just had a crazy hot streak in the middle of this season, and is regressing to his mean, which is an above average shooter, but not elite.

He's a mid to late lotto guy to me

We're starting to split hairs a little, but he's played 46 games this season as per Basketball Reference (https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/zaccharie-risacher-1.html). Where's your source for 55 games?

And I'm sure you probably realize that the prior seasons you are referencing in 2021/22 and 2022/23 are seasons where he was 16-17 years old and then 17-18 years old respectively. Playing in a professional basketball league with guys up to double his age and more, and still averaging 36% from three.

I'm not out here saying he's going to be a deadeye shooter in the NBA; there's a very good chance he isn't. But it does seem odd to me that people are so keen to put a cap on players' ceilings based on their stats as a teenager, going as far back as when they're 16 years old.

https://www.proballers.com/basketball/player/212368/zaccharie-risacher

From here, 29 French League games + 3 playoff games + 23 Eurocup games

Most of his stats in the database are from this season and then his past seasons playing in the junior French league. So yeah he’s done pretty well for an 18/19 yr old this year in a pro league, but the majority of the rest of his stats are across competitions where he is playing roughly his own age group.

I only go back so far to show we have a large sample size of him not being an elite shooting prospect, but a solid to good one, which is fine. But if I’m taking a 3&D wing that high in the draft, they need to be really elite shooters imo.

I wasn’t in the draft Jabari at 1 canp back in 2022, but he is the type of shooting level I would expect from a 3 and D wing in the top 3 of a draft. I don’t see Risacher as that calibre personally

[BDM22]

This draft coming after the Wemby draft and the Chet/Paolo draft sure is depressing. I feel like the #1 pick is going to be a bad contract on day one and it all seems like such a crapshoot. I'm sure there will be a star or two in there, but this feels like one of those drafts where they're randomly selected in the late 20's.

[JennetteMcCurdy]

Roaches and Sheppard seem to be the only two lotto guys who can shoot - please let’s take one of them. Not another brick layer!

[Snakebites]

Roaches and Sheppard seem to be the only two lotto guys who can shoot - please let’s take one of them. Not another brick layer!

Yeah at this point to me you either take a guy who can shoot or you trade the pick for someone who can shoot.

I guess you could also trade existing pieces for shooters. Or all of the above. Right now we’ve got exactly one reliable outside shooter- Fontecchio. That is categorically unacceptable. And we need more than adding guys like Joe Harris and Monte Morris.

This front office group (new and old) needs to be sent to the basketball equivalent of the shadow realm if we don’t start the season with a group of guys around Cade who can shoot.

[aad]

Roaches and Sheppard seem to be the only two lotto guys who can shoot - please let’s take one of them. Not another brick layer!

Yeah at this point to me you either take a guy who can shoot or you trade the pick for someone who can shoot.

I guess you could also trade existing pieces for shooters. Or all of the above. Right now we’ve got exactly one reliable outside shooter- Fontecchio. That is categorically unacceptable. And we need more than adding guys like Joe Harris and Monte Morris.

Grimes can really shoot too he was just injured I watched him in New York shoot the lights out before his injury

This front office group (new and old) needs to be sent to the basketball equivalent of the shadow realm if we don’t start the season with a group of guys around Cade who can shoot.

[aad]

Roaches and Sheppard seem to be the only two lotto guys who can shoot - please let’s take one of them. Not another brick layer!

Yeah at this point to me you either take a guy who can shoot or you trade the pick for someone who can shoot.

I guess you could also trade existing pieces for shooters. Or all of the above. Right now we’ve got exactly one reliable outside shooter- Fontecchio. That is categorically unacceptable. And we need more than adding guys like Joe Harris and Monte Morris.


This front office group (new and old) needs to be sent to the basketball equivalent of the shadow realm if we don’t start the season with a group of guys around Cade who can shoot.

Grimes can really shoot too he was just injured

[Snakebites]

Yeah at this point to me you either take a guy who can shoot or you trade the pick for someone who can shoot.

I guess you could also trade existing pieces for shooters. Or all of the above. Right now we’ve got exactly one reliable outside shooter- Fontecchio. That is categorically unacceptable. And we need more than adding guys like Joe Harris and Monte Morris.


This front office group (new and old) needs to be sent to the basketball equivalent of the shadow realm if we don’t start the season with a group of guys around Cade who can shoot.

Grimes can really shoot too he was just injured

Grimes was fairly unreliable and declined as a shooter last year in New York too.

And injury or no he hasn’t proven himself enough to count on him as a shooter to plan based on it. There’s also no telling how healthy he’ll be next year.

Even at his best he’s a spot up shooter, which would be useful but it’s not the same.

We need more shooting. That shouldn’t be a controversial take. Shooting makes Cade’s scoring and P/R more effective- that’s how you unlock him.

[A_dub06]

If I get pick 1... the only other option than Risacher is to trade #1 to Portland for Grant, #4, and #14.

Adding Jerami Grant,
#4 (Risacher, Sheppard, Topic)
#14 (Filipowski, Ulrich Chomche)

Would be a great haul

Risacher should not be an option if we land #1. He’s shot something like 28% the last 4 months from 3 and he has a bad FT% around 70% which suggests he was just having a hot streak and is not an actual shooter. He also can’t create for himself, isn’t a top tier athlete and has more question marks than answers at this point.

Just to fact check, he's shot 32% from three on 3.8 attempts per game over the past four months in the two different leagues (Eurocup and LNB Pro A) he's played in. Only a few percentage points difference to what you said, but that difference affects the interpretation.

Looking at the larger sample size of his season, he has shot 43% from three on 3.4 attempts per game between the aforementioned leagues. The majority of those stats came as an 18 year old playing in a pro league (he turned 19 three weeks ago).

I agree in most drafts he wouldn't be in #1 pick consideration. But this draft doesn't have anything close to a consensus #1 pick and every prospect in consideration has significant flaws, including Risacher.

If Risacher's realistic projection is an elite 3 and D guy, given we are itching for players like that to surround Cade with, then I am absolutely considering taking him first.

My bad on the 3pt%, but 28%-32% from the FIBA 3pt line is extremely worrying when you factor in his bad FT% which is a rough stat used to project shooting at the NBA level. For a prospect who’s intrigue is largely based around his shooting as a bigger wing that is deeply concerning and I would rather pick Sarr who at the very least will be able to defend well on day 1.

[theBigLip]

Grimes can really shoot too he was just injured

Grimes was fairly unreliable and declined as a shooter last year in New York too.

And injury or no he hasn’t proven himself enough to count on him as a shooter to plan based on it. There’s also no telling how healthy he’ll be next year.

Even at his best he’s a spot up shooter, which would be useful but it’s not the same.

We need more shooting. That shouldn’t be a controversial take. Shooting makes Cade’s scoring and P/R more effective- that’s how you unlock him.

I don’t want to draft a Kennard. Even if you are a great shooter, it still takes a few years to get open and get your shot. So it is essential we get top shooters via trades/FA. Draft picks are like planting seeds - it takes awhile and you’re never quite sure what you will get.

As for Grimes, I’m surprised he’s not getting surgery, but apparently he can get 100% without it. I’m going to wait and see what he can do when healthy. Just not enough info right now to have expectations.

[zeebneeb]

I'm really starting to come around on Reed Sheppard. Watching the Knicks/Sixers series, im seeing two smaller guards(Brunson 6'2 Maxey 6'2)just absolutely dominate the game. Sheppard besides being the best college shooter of all-time, has an excellent driving game, amd passing game. He reminds me of a blend of John Stockton, and Stephen Curry.

This is an excellent breakdown.

https://youtu.be/FdJ_j2ZxXUg?si=Zpri6gv9QdPJ-zpZ


He would be amazing next to Cade.

Here is another covering offense/playmaking/defense.

https://youtu.be/2ohk_0JW6fU?si=W_sVd9RcKOMuHQ64

This kid is an unreal shooter, great playmaker, especially in transition, and an absolute dog defensively.

[MotownMadness]

I'm really starting to come around on Reed Sheppard. Watching the Knicks/Sixers series, im seeing two smaller guards(Brunson 6'2 Maxey 6'2)just absolutely dominate the game. Sheppard besides being the best college shooter of all-time, has an excellent driving game, amd passing game. He reminds me of a blend of John Stockton, and Stephen Curry.

This is an excellent breakdown.

https://youtu.be/FdJ_j2ZxXUg?si=Zpri6gv9QdPJ-zpZ


He would be amazing next to Cade.

We'll probably regret not taking him