2024 NBA DRAFT THREAD 3

[OakleyDokely]

Topic/IQ actually works as a backcourt because IQ can play off ball and Topic provides some much needed size and rim pressure.

[Gavin_TDThree]

Its Sarr, Topic, Reed for me. Topic is so underrated rn its not even funny

I keep going back and forth on Reed. He makes the game look so easy but I'm unsure how he will scale up to NBA competition. Sarr and Topic I'm sold on.

Holland really intrigues me

[alpngso]

Topic and Reed are the two most anti Raptor-sy pick in top 10. I can’t see it

[Gavin_TDThree]

Topic and Reed are the two most anti Raptor-sy pick in top 10. I can’t see it

Reed yes Topic I think not as much. Raptors love someone with the physical tools they can build off of. Topic has those big guard physical tools we like.

Sarr/Holland are very raptors-esque picks though

[WuTang_OG]

Its Sarr, Topic, Reed for me. Topic is so underrated rn its not even funny

I keep going back and forth on Reed. He makes the game look so easy but I'm unsure how he will scale up to NBA competition. Sarr and Topic I'm sold on.

Holland really intrigues me

I got Holland in there too. We need a wing defender with offensive upside to add to this group

[pharring]

What am I missing on Topic? Other than him being "tall-ish" for a PG and everyone wanting to see a "tall-ish" PG, I'm not seeing a lot in his stats or highlights to get overly excited about.

[Rapsfan07]

What am I missing on Topic? Other than him being "tall-ish" for a PG and everyone wanting to see a "tall-ish" PG, I'm not seeing a lot in his stats or highlights to get overly excited about.

I'm asking myself the same question.

[OAKLEY_2]

What am I missing on Topic? Other than him being "tall-ish" for a PG and everyone wanting to see a "tall-ish" PG, I'm not seeing a lot in his stats or highlights to get overly excited about.

Exceptional distributor. Decent shooter. A point guard that rebounds and blocks we just don't see every day. Def has a motor. It is a bases loaded home run if we were to ever draft him. I see him as a prospect having a complete game.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

What am I missing on Topic? Other than him being "tall-ish" for a PG and everyone wanting to see a "tall-ish" PG, I'm not seeing a lot in his stats or highlights to get overly excited about.

Here's what's attractive about Topic:

-Highest isolation TS%+Volume/2 of any 18 year old prospect in recent memory in a decent professional league
-AST:TO has steadily climbed each year while going up against increasingly difficult competition, can make high DOD passes
-Operates like a tornado in the open court and can intricately navigate floor off screens in the HC
-Has annihilated kids his own age group both at club and international level
-Uses change of pace, hesitations and other tricks to gain advantages
-89% FT shooter, 34% 3PT shooter over past 2 years
-Apparently good basketball character and possesses good bloodlines

He has a ton to clean up just like everyone else and if he can't develop a midrange pullup J for use before help comes to seal off rim there's the floater he can work on and a variety of other counters. Has he really even had to work on anything with how easily he has been able to just get to the hole? Challenges will force him to adapt and strengthen him in the long run. He's not going to win ROTY and a number of Serbian professionals have suggested he will need a solid period of time to adapt to the NBA. Once he understands what he can get away with he'll be able to control the pace and impose his will and imprint in a consistent and effective way. The high end outcome is more enticing than that of others being thrown around at the top (unless you believe that Cody Williams, a historically poorer shooter than Topic, is actually the next T-Mac) and he has feel and solid dimensions.

[pharring]

What am I missing on Topic? Other than him being "tall-ish" for a PG and everyone wanting to see a "tall-ish" PG, I'm not seeing a lot in his stats or highlights to get overly excited about.

Here's what's attractive about Topic:

-Highest isolation TS%+Volume/2 of any 18 year old prospect in recent memory in a decent professional league
-AST:TO has steadily climbed each year while going up against increasingly difficult competition, can make high DOD passes
-Operates like a tornado in the open court and can intricately navigate floor off screens in the HC
-Has annihilated kids his own age group both at club and international level
-Uses change of pace, hesitations and other tricks to gain advantages
-89% FT shooter, 34% 3PT shooter over past 2 years
-Apparently good basketball character and possesses good bloodlines

He has a ton to clean up just like everyone else and if he can't develop a midrange pullup J for use before help comes to seal off rim there's the floater he can work on and a variety of other counters. Has he really even had to work on anything with how easily he has been able to just get to the hole? Challenges will force him to adapt and strengthen him in the long run. He's not going to win ROTY and a number of Serbian professionals have suggested he will need a solid period of time to adapt to the NBA. Once he understands what he can get away with he'll be able to control the pace and impose his will and imprint in a consistent and effective way. The high end outcome is more enticing than that of others being thrown around at the top (unless you believe that Cody Williams, a historically poorer shooter than Topic, is actually the next T-Mac) and he has feel and solid dimensions.

I appreciate this summary. And I do highly support looking for young players holding their own in overseas leagues as a means of identifying potential stars and sleepers.

The one description you have provided that I am just not seeing is "tornado". His best highlights strike me as an 18-year old Jose Calderon with a bit more height and a slower shot trigger. I'm not going to label him Roko but the vibe is there. Just not seeing anything explosive about Topic. Which is fine. Nothing explosive about Luka either.

[WuTang_OG]

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[Thaddy]

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Edey being a top 15 pick would make someone drop at 19. If you look at Edey competing against Chet and team USA you can see how behind he is. When an opposing player is driving from the corner to the basket, Edey isn't able to rotate from the opposite block fast enough. That's pretty concerning and makes me question his rim protection ability against NBA level agility and drives.

[Psubs]

Ron Holland is my #1 want with the early pick. He looks at least like a taller Derozan that has moves that are 2 years ahead of Derozan's development. I guess he looks like a quicker bouncier RJ Barrett.

[Raptorfan2012]

Ron Holland is my #1 want with the early pick. He looks at least like a taller Derozan that has moves that are 2 years ahead of Derozan's development. I guess he looks like a quicker bouncier RJ Barrett.

Holland is no. 2 behind Sarrs for me. He is that big wing/SF that we are looking for. Honestly, if we can't get Sarrs or Holland, I am fine with just conveying the pick to the Spurs - there really isn't anyone else I really want at the Top 6 (except maybe Matis; I will be fine with taking him at 3-6).

[ItsDanger]

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[SpezNc]

Read on Twitter

I am not a basketball scout therefore my opinion is to be taken with a grain of salt. But I am not sure I buy the argument that a lottery pick this season would be drafted 10-30 in a normal draft . This seems like an hyperbole imo.

On my end there is three is type of bad drafts.

: weak at the top
: lack depth
: weak the top and lack depth.

As a simpler way I kinda prefer to drop a player 3-5 spots to take into consideration it’s weaker draft.

Like 2023 draft by example:

This would mean the draft either start with Amen Thompson or Anthony Black .

This means Gradey Dick that was consensus #10 player could be ranked as high as 5 in a consensus 2024 draft.

Let’s say the gap is 5. This means the top of the draft would be Black, Coulibaly, Walker, Hendricks and Wallace.

Do really the main 5 guys in this draft is lower than that group of five?

Also it seems to have much more international talent this season.

I am wondering if the scouts are mixing up the potential of the USA crop or the top crop.

Like in the NHL, it’s not unusual to label a draft weak if it’s strong at the international but weak in north america.

Anyway, I can’t wait for draft lottery

[Fairview4Life]

Watch on YouTube

Why does he look like a 50 year old Kevin McHale with Thinner disease?

Or he just ordered the death of Shoshannah's family after drinking a tall glass of milk.

[Yallbecrazy]

Read on Twitter

I am not a basketball scout therefore my opinion is to be taken with a grain of salt. But I am not sure I buy the argument that a lottery pick would be drafted 10-30 in a normal. This seems like an hyperbole imo.

On my end there is three is type of bad drafts.

: weak at the top
: lack depth
: weak the top and lack depth.

On my end as a simpler way I kinda prefer to drop a player 3-5 spots to take into consideration it’s weaker draft.

Like 2023 draft.

This would mean the draft either start with Amen Thompson or Anthony Black .

This means Gradey Dick that was consensus #10 player could be ranked as high as 5 in a consensus 2024 draft.

Let’s say the gap is 5. This means the top of the draft would be Black, Coulibaly, Walker, Hendricks and Wallace.

Do really the main 5 guys in this draft is lower than that group of five?

Also it seems to have much more international talent this season.

I am wondering if the scouts are mixing up the potential of the USA crop or the top crop.

Like in the NHL, it’s not unusual to label a draft weak if it’s strong at the international but weak in north america.

Anyway, I can’t wait for draft lottery

2023 was considered a very weak draft too, but it had Victor at the top. It originally had Scoot too, but he fell off as a prospect and there wasn't anybody to replace him so he still went #3.

[Psubs]

Ron Holland is my #1 want with the early pick. He looks at least like a taller Derozan that has moves that are 2 years ahead of Derozan's development. I guess he looks like a quicker bouncier RJ Barrett.

Holland is no. 2 behind Sarrs for me. He is that big wing/SF that we are looking for. Honestly, if we can't get Sarrs or Holland, I am fine with just conveying the pick to the Spurs - there really isn't anyone else I really want at the Top 6 (except maybe Matis; I will be fine with taking him at 3-6).

We'lll wait for the measurements, but if he measures 6'8 without shoes, he could be like a TMac. Also still being 18, might grow another inch like Scottie.

Watching clips, he has a good floater, lefty finger-roll, dunk from standstill, euro step already and can crossover someone on the fastbreak without losing much forward momentum. Just has a lot of tools that had him as potential #1 before season started.

Watch on YouTube

[Dalek]

I think people are obsessing too much over this lottery pick. Odds are it conveys to San Antonio. They have a 56% likelihood of getting the pick. Recent draft lotto history for pick 6:

2014: Los Angeles Lakers fell to 7. (Julius Randle)

2015: Sacramento Kings stayed at 6 (drafted Willie Cauley-Stein).

2016: New Orleans Pelicans stayed at 6 (Buddy Hield).

2017: Minnesota Timberwolves dropped to 7 (Lauri Markkanen).

2018: Chicago Bulls dropped to 7 (Wendell Carter Jr.)

2019: Washington Wizards dropped to 9 (Rui Hachimura).

2020: New York Knicks dropped to 8 (Obi Toppin).

2021: Golden State Warriors dropped to 7 (Jonathan Kuminga).

2022: Portland Trail Blazers dropped to 7 (Shaedon Sharpe).

2023: Orlando Magic stayed at 6 (Anthony Black).

So that's 7/10 draft lotteries went the wrong way for those picking at 6. It is kind of the most cursed pick and I am not going to get all tied up in knots fretting over Topic over Sheppard - no point.