2024 NBA Draft Thread

[LUKE23]

Love Shannon, Jr. despite the off court stuff, think he's going to be a great pro. I do realize we would need to trade up for him. I do like KyShawn George a lot as well, but think he goes teens.

Would love to get out of the draft with a playable wing and a rotational big. I'd be good with Edey but wouldn't move up for him.

[Karsenmitsche]

Way too early for draft talk but Ryan Dunn might be the wing answer. Extreme athleticism and probably the best defender in the draft. Projected to go mid 20s.

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Pulling this over from the closed News thread.

Dunn is interesting and very well might be there when the Bucks pick in the first round. Outside shot that he'd be available for the second round, but probably not.

He certainly fits everyone's desire to get younger and more athletic. HOO BOY is he athletic and long. Ridiculous defender. Good kid and teammate, too.

The massive problem - and the reason he isn't a lottery pick - is that he has ZERO offensive game. None. Can't shoot, like really can't shoot. Magnitudes worse than Giannis. And for a guy who is as quick and athletic as he is, he has no handles, so he never puts the ball on the floor and drives to the basket. All of his points were on dunks, oops, putbacks, and layups. Even in situations where he got the ball a few feet from the basket, but was guarded, he had no ability to just put up a little shot off the glass or something. Runs the floor tremendously, but again, it's all to get dunks. If he got fouled on a transition attempt, he was making one free throw, max.

It was clearly a mental thing with him. His freshman year, he didn't get a ton of playing time, but did show some ability to hit threes and do more on offense. He supposedly had a good jumper in high school.

The good thing is, from reading some things he said after the season, he is well aware of his shortcomings and did admit it was a mental thing. Sounds like he's going to work really hard to improve his offensive game.

I honestly don't know what I would do if I were the Bucks and he's there at #23. He would be a wonderful addition with his elite athleticism, length, energy, and defensive skills. The kind of guy we need. But his complete absence of an offensive game would be tough to deal with. If he figures it out and becomes an adequate offensive player, he would be a steal in the late first round. Will be interesting to see how her performs at pre-draft camps, tryouts, etc.

I think he fairs ok in comparison to a guy like Vanderbilt. I love the edge he plays with and of course the physical traits. Vanderbilt is more skilled, but it's not like he gets touches, so that difference probably doesn't matter much.

I also think we have to keep in mind that with guys like him, they don't need much skill to be effective. He can be an ehh ball handler and still kill guys off the dribble in a straight line because he's so long and explosive and aggressive at the rim.

I totally understand the concerns with him, but they wouldn't keep me from taking him in the lottery in this draft. He's a wow athlete and competitor. That can get you a long way.

Yeah you’re not getting a perfect player in the 20s regardless. Give me someone who fills a massive need (both in terms of defense AND athleticism) and bet on player development getting him viable enough on the offensive end. Him and Giannis in the same lineup would terrorize teams on the defensive end.

The issue is the free throw shooting for me. With ajax he was in the 70s where as Dunn has been right around 50%. Which is usually the stat you can look to for potential of developing a three point shot.

[msiris]

Draft productive college scorers. Guys that are confident and can create the own shot. No more flyers.

[Matches Malone]

Tristan da Silva seems interesting. Fluid shooter and has some nice playmaking in his game.

[Badgerlander]

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[neiLz]

which team is willing to give up a late lotto pick for bobby or brook? need to pull a spurs and target a young guy and hopefully hit like they did with kawhi a few years back.

[pifhluk23]

If we don't trade our picks (which we should) I want Cam Spencer and hope he turns into TJ McConnell. I would use our 2nd on him.

[Ron Swanson]

which team is willing to give up a late lotto pick for bobby or brook? need to pull a spurs and target a young guy and hopefully hit like they did with kawhi a few years back.

Brook to OKC for #12
Bobby to Sacramento for #13

Probably the two most likely scenarios. I'd be targeting Devin Carter and Jared McCain.

[pifhluk23]

Idk why we would trade for picks if the goal is to run it back. Rookies are like 1% chance to contribute to an 8 man playoff rotation.

[German Athens]

Idk why we would trade for picks if the goal is to run it back. Rookies are like 1% chance to contribute to an 8 man playoff rotation.

We say this every year, and then a good player gets drafted in the back half of the lottery who contributes immediately.

It’s very risky, considering our lack of ability to identify the right talent, but it’s also not irrational

[German Athens]

This isn’t something I’m advocating for, because I think it would severely limit our ability to make additional moves, but I think OKC has enough cap space, that we could trade Brook for just #12, and then potentially get all the way under the tax.

[SirChurros]

which team is willing to give up a late lotto pick for bobby or brook? need to pull a spurs and target a young guy and hopefully hit like they did with kawhi a few years back.

Brook to OKC for #12
Bobby to Sacramento for #13

Probably the two most likely scenarios. I'd be targeting Devin Carter and Jared McCain.

I don't think you need to trade up to the lottery for McCain. Unless he has a great combine, I see him going in the 20s. I think he'll be a late first steal a la Maxey.

[Ron Swanson]

This isn’t something I’m advocating for, because I think it would severely limit our ability to make additional moves, but I think OKC has enough cap space, that we could trade Brook for just #12, and then potentially get all the way under the tax.

Brook is your biggest salary chip available in order to get 1-2 playoff rotation pieces in that 25-30 age range. Just getting a pick and cap savings back for him is a non-starter. What we should be looking at are trades where we flip Brook and both our picks for a "solid player, bad contract" distressed asset type guy (Cam Johnson, Kuzma, DeAndre Hunter) while keeping #12.

[German Athens]

This isn’t something I’m advocating for, because I think it would severely limit our ability to make additional moves, but I think OKC has enough cap space, that we could trade Brook for just #12, and then potentially get all the way under the tax.

Brook is your biggest salary chip available in order to get 1-2 playoff rotation pieces in that 25-30 age range. Just getting a pick and cap savings back for him is a non-starter. What we should be looking at are trades where we flip Brook and both our picks for a "solid player, bad contract" distressed asset type guy (Cam Johnson, Kuzma, DeAndre Hunter) while keeping #12.

Yes, I would much rather go this route. I was just pointing out a pathway that the organization could take if they wanted, that I didn’t think was a possibility until I looked up our cap situation a moment ago.

[jschligs]

Idk why we would trade for picks if the goal is to run it back. Rookies are like 1% chance to contribute to an 8 man playoff rotation.

Just not true at all. I’ve watched LaRavia play big minutes for Denver, Jaquez Jr play for Miami, Maxey for Philly all as rookies and there are plenty more. Hell, I’d argue Ajax should’ve played a few more minutes for the Bucks. It happens regularly.

[msiris]

Idk why we would trade for picks if the goal is to run it back. Rookies are like 1% chance to contribute to an 8 man playoff rotation.

Its more about playing them in the regular season so we don't have to ask the older guys to play 38 minutes a game.

[emunney]

If we don't trade our picks (which we should) I want Cam Spencer and hope he turns into TJ McConnell. I would use our 2nd on him.

Not to double up on the white-on-white comps, but Spencer is very much like a less athletic Grayson Allen.

[emunney]

Idk why we would trade for picks if the goal is to run it back. Rookies are like 1% chance to contribute to an 8 man playoff rotation.

Just not true at all. I’ve watched LaRavia play big minutes for Denver, Jaquez Jr play for Miami, Maxey for Philly all as rookies and there are plenty more. Hell, I’d argue Ajax should’ve played a few more minutes for the Bucks. It happens regularly.

You're thinking of Braun for Denver but it's a good call out. It's possible to get a guy you can play right away. It's not common, though.

If there's a guy you have a lot of conviction about, you make the pick(s), or you do what you can to move up to get them. If not, the play is to trade the picks for somebody you do feel good about. If THAT fails, you can try to trade for future picks. The overriding principle is trusting your evaluations.

If you're thinking about it like a roulette wheel, a pure game of chance, you're in the wrong business. This is a competition and you have to believe you're better.

[emunney]

Idk why we would trade for picks if the goal is to run it back. Rookies are like 1% chance to contribute to an 8 man playoff rotation.

Its more about playing them in the regular season so we don't have to ask the older guys to play 38 minutes a game.

This is a fair point, but it's still true that most drafted guys are not capable of filling those minutes as well as any number of veterans who will not be on rosters to start the season. Better to go that route if that's your goal.

[Ron Swanson]

Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are 10-13 minute bench guys in the playoffs putting up 47% and 39% TS respectively. I'd prioritize keeping one of our two picks, but neither guy has been better than AJJ and we need to stop deluding ourselves with these expectations of rookies contributing to a championship run. Whoever the GM is, he's not doing his job if we're not actively shopping the 23rd pick starting right now.