2024 NBA DRAFT THREAD 4

[TorontoBarneys]

Grizzlies are reportedly shopping #9 pick for an upgrade at C.

Poeltl for #9? Would Masai go for it?

[WuTang_OG]

Grizzlies are reportedly shopping #9 pick for an upgrade at C.

Poeltl for #9? Would Masai go for it?

No

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

If you look a lot of the top scorers in the NBA that played in the NCAA, what a lot of them have in common is that they were above average from an efficiency standpoint in college. It's pretty rare for someone who was an inefficient college player to suddenly become an efficient NBA player.

Even some of the elite guys that dropped outside the 10 like SGA, Booker, Hali etc were efficient college scorers. Find the efficient scorers who are maybe getting downgraded because of size or athletic ability or wingspan or age and those are usually the sleepers.

There's only one guy who comes close to fitting that mold who has that kind of mix of poise, basketball resume, production and competitiveness and it's Jared McCain.

Granted he's just a lower tier of player because of a variety of things which have been discussed but he's one of the guys that's being overlooked as a guy who really screams "I'm a damn good basketball player" yet people have all sorts of nonsense players ranked ahead of him. He's cut from the same cloth as those guys in terms of mentality and approach.

There are only two players who previously won California HS player of the year back to back - Evan Mobley and Jrue Holiday. Jared became the 3rd.

Again the hope is that he can tap into his rebounding prowess and also get more shots off using craft and footwork. He can run the P&R and finishes at a high rate at the rim. He'll need to keep working on his AST:TO but already is good at ball protection and has some awareness and ability as a passer. There are all kinds of avenues for him to end up one of the 10 best players from this class.

In my opinion though he's unobtainable and Pat Riley would draft him in a heartbeat.

[Rapsfan07]

Grizzlies are reportedly shopping #9 pick for an upgrade at C.

Poeltl for #9? Would Masai go for it?

No

He should but he won't.

[aminiaturebuddha]

If you look a lot of the top scorers in the NBA that played in the NCAA, what a lot of them have in common is that they were above average from an efficiency standpoint in college. It's pretty rare for someone who was an inefficient college player to suddenly become an efficient NBA player.

Even some of the elite guys that dropped outside the 10 like SGA, Booker, Hali etc were efficient college scorers. Find the efficient scorers who are maybe getting downgraded because of size or athletic ability or wingspan or age and those are usually the sleepers.

There's only one guy who comes close to fitting that mold who has that kind of mix of poise, basketball resume, production and competitiveness and it's Jared McCain.

Granted he's just a lower tier of player because of a variety of things which have been discussed but he's one of the guys that's being overlooked as a guy who really screams "I'm a damn good basketball player" yet people have all sorts of nonsense players ranked ahead of him. He's cut from the same cloth as those guys in terms of mentality and approach.

There are only two players who previously won California HS player of the year back to back - Evan Mobley and Jrue Holiday. Jared became the 3rd.

Again the hope is that he can tap into his rebounding prowess and also get more shots off using craft and footwork. He can run the P&R and finishes at a high rate at the rim. He'll need to keep working on his AST:TO but already is good at ball protection and has some awareness and ability as a passer. There are all kinds of avenues for him to end up one of the 10 best players from this class.

In my opinion though he's unobtainable and Pat Riley would draft him in a heartbeat.

He's one of my favourites in the draft as well, but I've pretty much given up hope that he'll be available for the Raptors. Not only will Miami be interested, but I have a feeling he won't even get that far.

For instance, if Sacramento believe they're going to lose Malik Monk and need to replace his shooting, McCain will almost certainly be the best of the options available to them when they draft at 13. And I could even see him going as high as 8 to the Spurs, and there's no way he gets passed the 76ers at 16 (if they keep the pick). I'd say his range is 8-16, and you're probably right, he'll end up justifying a pick that high.

[Dalek]

At 19 Collier is clearly better than Carington.

At pick number 19 or 19 years of age?

Collier is almost a year older than Carrington. Collier's A/T seems like he's more of combo-guard than a PG like Carrington.

I'd rate Collier higher than Carrington for a number of reasons. Collier has a 49.7 FTR and a 2.9 Stl%. He is also showed well yesterday too:

6’2.5” (without shoes)
204.6lbs
6’4.75” wingspan

3.04 second 3/4 court sprint. (1st overall) / Bub had 3.28 (11)

College Stats: 16.3PTS, 2.9REB, 4.3AST, 49% FG | 34% 3P

We have a huge need for paint touches and creation skill which Collier offers. We probably don't need another Immanuel Quickley which is what Carrington is. I really like Bub but his lack of finishing, freethrows and poor defense is worrying. He might develop into that, but I think physically he is going to struggle with the physicality of the NBA.

[SpezNc]

Grizzlies are reportedly shopping #9 pick for an upgrade at C.

Poeltl for #9? Would Masai go for it?

No

But can you imagine . This would almost cancel “his mistake” of trading for Poeltl .

But yeah ! Not happening!

[MEDIC]

I was onboard with keeping the pick. Now I am kinda glad it has moved to the Spurs.

I think Jakob is more valuable than anything we could have gotten at 8. I really like Yaks game & would be kinda sad to see him go.

Plus.......I think we can get good value at 19 & we retain a future asset for trades, etc.

[WuTang_OG]

Grizzlies are reportedly shopping #9 pick for an upgrade at C.

Poeltl for #9? Would Masai go for it?

No

He should but he won't.

meh shyt top 10 , plus we will still be scrap next season

[ItsDanger]

Grizzlies are reportedly shopping #9 pick for an upgrade at C.

Poeltl for #9? Would Masai go for it?

A top 10 centre and championship piece should be worth the 9th pick in a weak draft. Shouldn't it? I'd do this deal but maybe they angle for a pick around 20th in '25 draft.

[bobbyp3588]

Grizzlies are reportedly shopping #9 pick for an upgrade at C.

Poeltl for #9? Would Masai go for it?

No

But can you imagine . This would almost cancel “his mistake” of trading for Poeltl .

But yeah ! Not happening!

Why do you say no?

I know that Yak has been cool with “rebuilding”, but It’s not what he and his agent signed up for. If he in fact, would prefer to play for a contender, the Grizz fit the bill and Masai could generate some great optics by moving him.

What would that deal look like though? That’s $20mil they’d have to match and it would be nice to get a bit of extra sweetener.

Yak

For

#9 (Holland)
Kennard
Zaire Williams (the sweetener to take a flier on)

How’s that on the overall?

[ArthurVandelay]

No

But can you imagine . This would almost cancel “his mistake” of trading for Poeltl .

But yeah ! Not happening!

Why do you say no?

I know that Yak has been cool with “rebuilding”, but It’s not what he and his agent signed up for. If he in fact, would prefer to play for a contender, the Grizz fit the bill and Masai could generate some great optics by moving him.

What would that deal look like though? That’s $20mil they’d have to match and it would be nice to get a bit of extra sweetener.

Yak

For

#9 (Holland)
Kennard
Zaire Williams (the sweetener to take a flier on)

How’s that on the overall?

Memphis says no.

They are still a luxury tax team.

They need to off load Clarke if they are taking on Poeltl imo

[WuTang_OG]

Who stood out during drills and scrimmages?
Bronny James, PG, USC: With dozens of cameras tracking his every move, James had an overwhelmingly positive first day in Chicago, showing he more than deserves to be in attendance. He is in excellent shape, clearly having put on some good bulk from the end of the season. James tested extremely well athletically, with a 40.5-inch inch vertical leap that placed him fourth highest among combine participants, a 32-inch no step vertical (top-10ish mark), a 3.02 second time in the shuttle run drill, 3.09 seconds in the three-quarter court sprint, and 10.96 seconds in the pro lane agility drill -- all solid marks relative to his peers. More impressive was how well he shot in drills, demonstrating a clean, compact stroke and outstanding accuracy in the 3-point star shooting drills (19-for-25, second best behind UConn's Alex Karaban) as well as the off-movement 3-point shooting drill, hitting 77% of his attempts in the side-mid-side pull-up shooting drill.

While he looked bouncy in the transition drills, he showed some of his limitations as a ball handler and playmaker in the half-court pick-and-roll live action competition, where he was unlucky to run into one of the best defenders in college basketball in Providence's Carter, as well as some extremely mobile big men (such as Arizona's Keshad Johnson, who had an outstanding day in his own right) who were making life miserable on opponents every play. This was a positive day for James, who looks to be in outstanding shape and has quite a bit to gain in the 5-on-5 scrimmaging Tuesday and Wednesday. -- Givony

Zach Edey, C, Purdue: Edey, ranked No. 14 in our Top 100, measured exceptionally well as expected -- 7-foot-5 in shoes, with a near 7-foot-11 wingspan, 299 pounds and a 9-foot-7.5 standing reach -- unprecedented figures that we learned at last year's NBA draft combine before Edey withdrew from the draft. But he also tested better than last year, shaving off time from last year's pro lane agility drill, and measuring a solid vertical leap and three-quarter court sprint time, showing the significant improvement he has made with his conditioning and mobility since electing to return to Purdue for his senior season.

He also put on a pretty impressive showing in shooting drills, hitting 3s off movement, spotting up and pulling up off the dribble, showing some real potential in that area as he has long insisted he possesses. Edey has quite a few fans around the NBA at this point, and there are plenty of executives who say they have him ranked as a lottery pick, or even as a top-10 prospect because of how well he rates in their analytics models. -- Givony


Zach Edey, a center out of Purdue, works out during the NBA draft combine on Monday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. Kamil Krzaczynski/NBAE via Getty Images
Devin Carter, PG, Providence: Carter (No. 17 in our Top 100) was our highest-ranked prospect to participate in Monday's optional 4-on-4 component, which, unsurprisingly proved to be a good decision. Known for his toughness and physical style of play, Carter was his usual self in the drill setting, battling defensively and raising the energy level of others on the floor. He also tested quite well, recording an unofficial 42-inch max vertical (tied with Reed Sheppard and Trentyn Flowers for top mark), 35-inch standing vertical (also tied for the top score), and setting a combine record for three-quarter court sprint time.

While he won't play in scrimmages this week, a solid day at the combine helped back up Carter's reputation as one of the draft's top defenders and athletes. He'll be a strong consideration for teams searching for NBA-ready backcourt help, and presuming he takes this momentum into private workouts, Carter could feasibly come off the board as high as the late lottery. -- Woo


It's early, but there's injury news to share
Rob Dillingham, PG, Kentucky: Dillingham, a projected top-five pick who ranks No. 4 in our Top 100, wasn't able to fully participate in the draft combine Monday. He sprained his ankle in a workout two weeks ago, Klutch Sports agent Lucas Newton told ESPN, and is expected to be out for another two to four weeks. Even with a more conservative timetable, Dillingham should have enough days available before the June 26 draft to conduct workouts with teams as needed, though he may not need to do more than a handful given his draft projections. -- Givony

Nikola Topic, PG, Serbia: While players in Chicago were going through shooting drills, NBA executives could be seen nearly simultaneously pulling up their phones and witnessing a scary sight via social media as Topic went down with what appeared to be a serious injury in Game 1 of the Adriatic League finals in Belgrade, Serbia. In early January, Topic suffered a sprained left knee ligament, which cost him nearly 3½ months of action. Monday, he appeared to reinjure the same knee, looking unable to put any weight as he limped off the court in obvious distress. A postgame examination revealed Topic avoided serious injury, sources told ESPN, and will not require surgery. His injury is being described as a left knee sprain. A source told ESPN that Topic "froze up" after feeling pain in his previously injured knee, but recovered quickly in the locker room.

While this injury will keep Topic, who is ranked No. 5 in our Top 100, out of the remainder of the Adriatic League finals, he is still expected to be a full participant in a Global NBA pre-draft camp that the league is organizing in Treviso, Italy, from June 4-6. NBA teams will be taking a close look at the medical examination that will be conducted at this NBA combine equivalent in Treviso, which will be dispersed to teams picking in the top-15 portion of the draft according to new rules that were put in place in the CBA signed in 2023. -- Givony

[Rapsfan07]

No

He should but he won't.

meh shyt top 10 , plus we will still be scrap next season

then why keep an asset like Poeltl on the books? Might as well move him, get some value early in his contract and get the long term dollars off the books.

[Dalek]

I was onboard with keeping the pick. Now I am kinda glad it has moved to the Spurs.

I think Jakob is more valuable than anything we could have gotten at 8. I really like Yaks game & would be kinda sad to see him go.

Plus.......I think we can get good value at 19 & we retain a future asset for trades, etc.

I like Jak, but he is a stop-gap C. He is really good at a few things, but his lack of offense and poor freethrow shooting prevent him from closing games. I don't know of a lot of teams that would start him other than maybe the Warriors. The last two years, Jak's defense has even declined.

Raptors do have to look at the bigger picture at some point. If Scottie is going to be most effective in the paint and not a high level three point scorer, then we need to surround him with shooting.

Example, the Grizzlies had Steven Adams and with him they had great defense, but they made a decision to move on from him for salary relief. We can do better than that with Poeltl since he isn't coming off any major injuries.

In the draft, we could prioritize getting some better floor spacing like Kyle Filipowski if we are lucky, but there are other options as well.

[OakleyDokely]

I was onboard with keeping the pick. Now I am kinda glad it has moved to the Spurs.

I think Jakob is more valuable than anything we could have gotten at 8. I really like Yaks game & would be kinda sad to see him go.

Plus.......I think we can get good value at 19 & we retain a future asset for trades, etc.

The 8th pick is probably the equivalent to a mid 1st last year.

These are the guys who were taken between 13th - 20th last year and all these guys (maybe minus Hood-Schifino) would be in play at 8 or higher:

Dick
Hawkins
Bufkin
George
Hood-Schifino
Jaquez Jr.
Podziemski
Whitmore

Would any of the teams of these players trade their guy for #8? Not likely, with the exception of the Lakers.

I think there's a great opportunity to get some solid players (at all spots), but it's really lacking in (obvious) star talent.

[WuTang_OG]

He should but he won't.

meh shyt top 10 , plus we will still be scrap next season

then why keep an asset like Poeltl on the books? Might as well move him, get some value early in his contract and get the long term dollars off the books.

I think Poeltl will eventually get dealt just not this off-season. In their eyes, they need a functional centre in order to improve guys like IQ, Scottie, RJ.

[Rapsfan07]

No

But can you imagine . This would almost cancel “his mistake” of trading for Poeltl .

But yeah ! Not happening!

Why do you say no?

I know that Yak has been cool with “rebuilding”, but It’s not what he and his agent signed up for. If he in fact, would prefer to play for a contender, the Grizz fit the bill and Masai could generate some great optics by moving him.

What would that deal look like though? That’s $20mil they’d have to match and it would be nice to get a bit of extra sweetener.

Yak

For

#9 (Holland)
Kennard
Zaire Williams (the sweetener to take a flier on)

How’s that on the overall?

They won't trade Williams and nor should they. They need to keep their wing depth.

The easiest deal for everyone is Poeltl + McDaniels for Kennard, Clarke & Watanabe. Gets Memphis out of the tax and gives them a quality defensive starting C. Toronto takes Holland at #9, gets Clarke for PF depth and Kennard who is an expiring shooter.

[alpngso]

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[Rapsfan07]

meh shyt top 10 , plus we will still be scrap next season

then why keep an asset like Poeltl on the books? Might as well move him, get some value early in his contract and get the long term dollars off the books.

I think Poeltl will eventually get dealt just not this off-season. In their eyes, they need a functional centre in order to improve guys like IQ, Scottie, RJ.

We can grab Capela from the Hawks then. He does basically the same thing, shorter contract and with the Hawks poised to take Sarr and already committed to Okongwu, they won't need him anymore.

S&T Trent for Capela and maybe a smaller asset.