2024 NBA DRAFT THREAD 3

[God Squad]

Not going to lie. If we got a lotto pick I would be so tempted to draft Rob Dillingham. By far the most entertaining prospect this year who just pops on film. The handle and decision making lead me to think he can be another Kyrie. He is just a fast processor.

Even if the fit with IQ is weird, I'd imagine his game is going to blow up in the NBA with more spacing.

I've said it before, but I see Kyrie/Garland.

[gerrit4]

If IQ wasn't on this team I'd absolutely be all over Dillingham. Guy is pure hooper and the highest offensive scoring potential in the draft

I'd still be all over him. He's probably the best mix of upside and "sure thing" in the draft. I get that the defence will be atrocious with he and IQ on the court (although IQ did seem to want to put on muscle and become more like Jrue), I'd still do it just for the sake of getting the talent.

From a fit perspective, we need a big player that can shoot (like Risacher, Williams, as well as hypothetically Buzelis and Sarr), but really this team just needs talent and depth. Rob could probably come in and be our back-up PG and still find a way to 30 minutes per game.

[Gavin_TDThree]

McCain at 19 would be solid. Does he have any playmaking juice?

[Psubs]

McCain at 19 would be solid. Does he have any playmaking juice?

At least as much as JFL.

[Gavin_TDThree]

McCain at 19 would be solid. Does he have any playmaking juice?

At least as much as JFL.

well that's not very inspiring hahah

[Dalek]

Sixers lost with Embiid averaging 30 while Maxey averaged: 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists a game, on 49/40/89% shooting. I call attention to Maxey because he is 23 and managed to do this over a back and forth series. He had a 47 point game. I don't think we have that type of player in IQ who is more of a pull-up threat but not a finisher.

To hang in the NBA requires some firepower. A player who is not going to drop 30 once in a while, but is capable every night.

Dillingham, despite the defensive struggles could get that cool 30 any time. Defenses will struggle to keep up.

JaKobe Walter is someone I am late on. He isn't a big time athlete but he knows how to get separation and can really score. He reminds me of the similar inefficiency of Cam Thomas. Why I like him is his defensive upside and frame. There is a higher to be unlocked with him.

Hunter Sallis is a really smooth scorer. If we want to go that route, he is the option that could be around at 31.

Can any of these guys by age 23 hit that Maxey ceiling?

[grant101]

McCain at 19 would be solid. Does he have any playmaking juice?

I don't think he's a natural, but he also wasn't asked to do it a lot at Duke. I think there's some untapped potential there.

What he is though is a stone-cold assassin from three - off the bounce, off the catch, off movement. There is no way he doesn't go on to become one of the league's best shooters. He also seems like a really good teammate and fun guy to cheer for.

IMO it would be malpractice if one of Collier, Carter or Mccain is there at 19 and we don't take them.

[canada_dry]

Yea but nash was playing on a literally broken back and noone knew it.

Im high on Reed. But slow down lol

Oh wow, I never heard that before. Nash also came into the league on a Suns team that had KJ and Kidd on it. Hard to get much burn a team with those two in front of you.

Yeah nash mentioned it on his all the smoke interview. After his first year in dallas (that didn't go well) one day he had to be wheelchaired out of a practice and They were like yeah dude your back been broken, we can fix that but you also have a (seperate?) chronic back issue you'll have to deal with the rest of your career.

Thats why hed never sit on the bench while on the suns. Always on the floor . Also what messed up his lakers tenure.



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[PhilBlackson]

That's all true sort of, but what makes him better than Devin Carter? I'm fully aware that McCain is the better shooter of C&S and creation, but Devin has him beaten all around. Better defender, a better passer, better athletically and a better rebounder.

I feel like if anyone liked Podz last year, then Carter should also be high on peoples board.

I really, really like Carter too, I just like McCain's fit & upside offensively a bit more.

Spoiler:

Of course I see all the same things everyone else does with DC. He just looks like a winning player along the lines of guys like Podz, DWhite and Jasquez. I'm sure by me saying that will make anyone who reads it think all the more reason to draft him instead lol. Again I get it, I don't think the team would be wrong in taking him and I'd be perfectly fine/happy with them doing so. My only slight concern is that he only has a single season shooting at a decent (not elite) clip, he had 2 seasons shooting UNDER 30%. While he does seem to "play bigger" than his height, I do have a little concern his shooting numbers may drop again against better competition in the NBA. I know his game isn't reliant on his shooting & has really good versatility but that can't be forgotten.

While I think DC would fit nicely, could even maybe play him alongside IQ here & there....I just think McCain makes for pretty much easy replication of IQ's skillset so the team can run the same sets and wouldn't have to switch up their style of play much. McCain is an ELITE shooter with a quick release that is without question very valuable in today's game. I just think he'd keep the floor more open for Scottie & RJ and given his added strength but similar skillset and again quicker release, I wouldn't be surprised if in time he pushed IQ for the starting spot. IQ really needs to set his feet, has a fairly wide stance and needs a bit more time/space to get his shot off, McCain it flies out, obv NOT the level of Steph but when you can shoot over 41% and there's little time to respond it just does have a gravity on the defence...then combine that with Gradey, it could be lights out. But overall I could see McCain making IQ more dispensable to upgrade the roster at other positions down the line or act as a good piece himself in a larger trade.

But again I'll be really happy with drafting either guy, it's just a matter of preference I guess.

Good write-up. Yeah, I asked because I'm personally stuck on who to draft at 19. I'm fully behind the idea of drafting BPA at 6, a guard at 19, and a big at 31. But which guard to draft is giving me pause. I'm not as high on Collier as a few here, so for me it's between McCain and Carter.

I'm leaning Carter, but that's because I really value two way play. But I need to dive more into McCain's film I think.

In terms of a big at 31, I'm not too picky and will likely take whoever falls (Holmes, Ware, Comeche), or draft whichever wing falls ( Jaylon, Dunn, H.Sallis, K.George, J.Watkins). IMO we'll have options at 31

Yeah at 19, McCain is easily my favorite pick right now but I honestly don't think he'll drop that far once teams get him in for workouts & see him splashing 3s with a quick release. I think whoever misses out on Sheppard will likely snatch him up after.

Carter for me, falls into a group of players I'd be fine with drafting and I would see a case for any of them ie/ Saluan, Smith, Walter - guys who'd likely be good rotation pieces with some potential to be more than that. I also have some split feelings about Collier (who I don't think will be there anyways) because so much of his game is predicated on getting to the rim and we already have RJ and Scottie doing that where really I want another floor spacer with whoever we select at that pick. For me, after McCain, I still like Ware a little bit more than the names I've mentioned.

Kelly isn't gonna be on this team forever & the trade off when he's on the court is he lacks the size to protect the rim & rebound. Ware should be able to blend basically majority (not all, as he'll have to work on his passing) of what both Kelly & Yak bring. Both those guys are great vets but in 3-4 years they'll be done and we'll still need a big that space the floor, rebound and defend the rim. Ware could essentially become our "Myles Turner" who I thought was almost the ideal fit for Scottie except Kel'El is more of a lob threat which again should be an additional way to space things out. Plus he's only 21, it's not like we can't develop him more but just looking towards the present/future...big bigs have made a return lol we're going to at least need the length against guys like Biid, Giannis, Vic, Chet, Mobley, Gobert etc etc. I know he's not a perfect prospect but if he were he wouldn't be available at 19 lol but there's a lot there to work with.

At 31, it would depend if we did in fact draft Ware, if not then Chomche is at the top of my list because he just has rare physical traits. Some posters are clueless when they say "what he's not 7+ft", he doesn't have to be...he's VERY strong & athletic with REALLY good defensive instincts. Yes he's raw offensively but defensively, no he has the makings to be a top rim protector. He has really quick feet for a player his size & strength and great lift off the ground. He's another guy who could have the fit of a Turner or what I think would be a more accurate comparison - a young Ibaka due to the extra strength and bounce.

If we draft Ware at 19 though, then I'd favor guys like Carrington, Tyson, George, Watkins -- I'd really actually be hoping one of DaSilva or Furphy fall to this pick, I like both but not enough to take 19th as see both on the high end being roleplayers. I'd pass on Dunn, he looks like a SF/PF Thybulle to me. I don't have much faith in his jumper at all, I don't like the look of his mechanics so I wouldn't want another player that shrinks the floor. I know bit of a blab but that's how I see the draft until we reach the combine and see if guys look like they've added to their game. I'm just a little disappointed in how slow Yang looked in his last game but I still give him at least a HM at the DET pick lol

[PhilBlackson]

If IQ wasn't on this team I'd absolutely be all over Dillingham. Guy is pure hooper and the highest offensive scoring potential in the draft

I'd still be all over him. He's probably the best mix of upside and "sure thing" in the draft. I get that the defence will be atrocious with he and IQ on the court (although IQ did seem to want to put on muscle and become more like Jrue), I'd still do it just for the sake of getting the talent.

From a fit perspective, we need a big player that can shoot (like Risacher, Williams, as well as hypothetically Buzelis and Sarr), but really this team just needs talent and depth. Rob could probably come in and be our back-up PG and still find a way to 30 minutes per game.

I love Rob's potential, I think he can be better than IQ as he's shown more off the dribble at a younger age and looks to be able to hit off balance jumpers much easier than I've seen IQ do but unfortunately I wouldn't agree with taking him top 6 considering IQ is here unless we had a S&T planned for IQ that would net us another good young player or future lottery pick (which personally I wouldn't be opposed to). But I just don't think that would be a wise use of resources being our likely only shot at a high lottery pick for the forseeable future and our obvious need for another bigger wing at either SF/PF.

I feel like if we keep our pick is must be one of Holland, Buzelis, Risacher or unlikely Sarr (unless we did in fact win the lottery). We just can't overload the PG position then still be badly missing a wing to help Scottie defend the perimeter. Again I'd be more than open to doing a S&T of IQ to either get another potential lottery pick OR maybe we add our remaining picks to get someone like Trey Murphy (in absolute dream scenario) or maybe BI (with a handshake agreement that he'll re-sign)...but the idea would be to target another wing. But we can't squander a top 5-6 pick on getting a backup, that's just not wise asset management.

[Pointgod]

If IQ wasn't on this team I'd absolutely be all over Dillingham. Guy is pure hooper and the highest offensive scoring potential in the draft

I'd still be all over him. He's probably the best mix of upside and "sure thing" in the draft. I get that the defence will be atrocious with he and IQ on the court (although IQ did seem to want to put on muscle and become more like Jrue), I'd still do it just for the sake of getting the talent.

From a fit perspective, we need a big player that can shoot (like Risacher, Williams, as well as hypothetically Buzelis and Sarr), but really this team just needs talent and depth. Rob could probably come in and be our back-up PG and still find a way to 30 minutes per game.

I’m not a draft expert but I always believe that you draft the BPA and not for fit, unless there’s a small difference in upside then you draft for fit. I’m always reminded of when the Bucks drafted Bogut over Chris Paul because they already had TJ Ford. Worse case scenario Dillingham comes off the bench like Quickley did for a couple season then one of them is traded.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

McCain at 19 would be solid. Does he have any playmaking juice?

I don't think he's a natural, but he also wasn't asked to do it a lot at Duke. I think there's some untapped potential there.

What he is though is a stone-cold assassin from three - off the bounce, off the catch, off movement. There is no way he doesn't go on to become one of the league's best shooters. He also seems like a really good teammate and fun guy to cheer for.

IMO it would be malpractice if one of Collier, Carter or Mccain is there at 19 and we don't take them.

McCain has some sneaky upside as a passer. He had 4 AST/G in HS and while he'll never be an offensive engine there's at least a chance he can become a secondary playmaker OTD because of his excellent ability to use his powerful frame along with his change of pace and ability to shield defenders.

He's definitely one of the players I'd love to get in this draft because he brings a lot to your franchise including his infectious character and competitiveness. There are 0 worries about him busting his rear end non-stop to become the absolute greatest version of himself that he can be. He was recruited by coaches who know talent like Bill Self, Mark Few and Kelvin Sampson. Sampson said that "McCain has zero weaknesses offensively" and that "nobody works harder than him" and that he's an extremely tough kid. I'd take it with a grain of salt because Sampson throws out high praise for a lot of people but McCain in particular he seemed enamored with.

Overall you have to do a lot of projection with McCain in the hope he becomes more than just a volume 3 shooter but if you buy into his competitive fire which I do, you will view him as someone who will eventually be able to improve his REB% and AST% which would give him the value needed to justify taking a 6'3 shooting specialist. He's going to be a peak -1 or best outcome -0.5 on defense probably so he absolutely will need to use his strong frame to bully his way to grabbing more boards and make smart decisions with the ball in his hands to keep his AST:TO high. I have zero concerns about his shooting he's a legit 40% on volume player and as someone mentioned earlier he could thrive even more playing next to guys who force a ton of turnovers and can get him transition 3 looks where he buries you. He's a really good runner though and knows how to use his body to create advantages and open looks. He's smart.

In terms of statistical production we could see him as somewhat of a combo guard version of Cameron Johnson with poorer D. I really hope McCain finds a way to become a better defender.

[Dalek]

Diving into Ja'Kobe Walter, to me he is very comparable to Cam Thomas. Both SGs who are jumpshot dependent, volume scorers who had fairly inefficient college careers, but showed a knack to get to the line.

Thomas vastly improved efficiency coming to the league but his defense never improved. Ja'Kobe has middling defense and better overall tools than Thomas mainly because of his frame and 6'10 wingspan. Both guys are not big time run and jump athletes, but they just have that scorer's knack.

Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor, age 19, 6'5, 195 lbs
Highest RSCI rank 8 (Link Academy)

14.5 PPG 4.4 REB 1.4 AST
BPM 4.2
DBPM 0.4
TS% 54
AST% 8
USG 22
FTR 49
FT 79 (183 attempts)
3P 34% (214 attempts)

Cam Thomas, LSU age 18, 6'4, 210 lbs
Highest RSCI rank 22 (Oak Hill Academy)

23 PPG 3.4 REB 1.4 AST
BPM 5.3
DBPM -1.2
TS% 55
AST% 8
USG 29
FTR 44
FT 88% (220 attempts)
3P 33% (209 attempts)

Cam Thomas just finished his season averaging 22.5/3/3 on 44/36/86 at age 22. He probably should have been picked higher than 27. If Walter drops to 19, he seems like a good bet. Overall, I think with some NBA level player development he could be similar type of scorer with possible average to good defense.

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[Thaddy]

McCain at 19 would be solid. Does he have any playmaking juice?

At least as much as JFL.

AST% was 10 in a Trent Jr like role. That's impressive and his skillset there can be improved. He was a 92nd percentile scorer as the ball handler in the pick and roll. He's much better than JFL.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

McCain at 19 would be solid. Does he have any playmaking juice?

At least as much as JFL.

AST% was 10 in a Trent Jr like role. That's impressive and his skillset there can be improved. He was a 92nd percentile scorer as the ball handler in the pick and roll. He's much better than JFL.

He's a lot craftier than Trent Jr because of how powerful his body is and how good he is at leveraging his strength to create advantages in a ton of ways. He's an absolute tank of a guard and his lower body strength plays a big role in his shot mechanics and how consistent he is with his energy transfer. He also was one of the most proficient half-court rim finishers of any projected 1st round guard it's just that he doesn't exactly get to the rim a ton but still got there at a decent rate and made improvements getting there as the year went on. His midrange touch is adequate with room for improvement.

[Psubs]

Sixers lost with Embiid averaging 30 while Maxey averaged: 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists a game, on 49/40/89% shooting. I call attention to Maxey because he is 23 and managed to do this over a back and forth series. He had a 47 point game. I don't think we have that type of player in IQ who is more of a pull-up threat but not a finisher.

To hang in the NBA requires some firepower. A player who is not going to drop 30 once in a while, but is capable every night.

Dillingham, despite the defensive struggles could get that cool 30 any time. Defenses will struggle to keep up.

JaKobe Walter is someone I am late on. He isn't a big time athlete but he knows how to get separation and can really score. He reminds me of the similar inefficiency of Cam Thomas. Why I like him is his defensive upside and frame. There is a higher to be unlocked with him.

Hunter Sallis is a really smooth scorer. If we want to go that route, he is the option that could be around at 31.

Can any of these guys by age 23 hit that Maxey ceiling?

They LOST! So let's look at Brunson, OG and good role players. They may trade Randle in the summer.

No one should pay Tobias Harris over the MLE. I guess the 76ers will offer Paul George money and fill the roster with the exemptions.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Morey screwed over Harden to max out 34 year old Paul George would be interesting.

imo Dillingham has Maxey potential, and I already think he's a true point with a better scoring bag. I would love to see him with Wemby. Otherwise, I think he needs a veteran defensive-minded team. Like, Memphis has the bones to take him in and have him cook off the bench. If he went to us or Washington, he's gonna look like Cam Thomas.

[Dalek]

Sixers lost with Embiid averaging 30 while Maxey averaged: 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists a game, on 49/40/89% shooting. I call attention to Maxey because he is 23 and managed to do this over a back and forth series. He had a 47 point game. I don't think we have that type of player in IQ who is more of a pull-up threat but not a finisher.

To hang in the NBA requires some firepower. A player who is not going to drop 30 once in a while, but is capable every night.

Dillingham, despite the defensive struggles could get that cool 30 any time. Defenses will struggle to keep up.

JaKobe Walter is someone I am late on. He isn't a big time athlete but he knows how to get separation and can really score. He reminds me of the similar inefficiency of Cam Thomas. Why I like him is his defensive upside and frame. There is a higher to be unlocked with him.

Hunter Sallis is a really smooth scorer. If we want to go that route, he is the option that could be around at 31.

Can any of these guys by age 23 hit that Maxey ceiling?

They LOST! So let's look at Brunson, OG and good role players. They may trade Randle in the summer.

No one should pay Tobias Harris over the MLE. I guess the 76ers will offer Paul George money and fill the roster with the exemptions.

I think it easy to dunk on the Sixers, but that series was really down to the wire most games and guys like DiVincenzo and Hart hitting fluky shots.

I like the Knicks, but it is a model like the Heat. You can bash your way through teams each year, but it is hard to win a title that way because your role players will have impact variances from game to game or season to season. Look at Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin last year versus this year?

Knicks might get through Boston this year to the Finals, but it is just a good run which doesn't seem sustainable long-term unless they get a true second star.

Overall, my point is that you need two elite scorers to even compete now. Maxey playing out of his mind only drove his team so far, but at age 23 he looks like a very sustainable high level scorer.

[MEDIC]

Sixers lost with Embiid averaging 30 while Maxey averaged: 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists a game, on 49/40/89% shooting. I call attention to Maxey because he is 23 and managed to do this over a back and forth series. He had a 47 point game. I don't think we have that type of player in IQ who is more of a pull-up threat but not a finisher.

To hang in the NBA requires some firepower. A player who is not going to drop 30 once in a while, but is capable every night.

Dillingham, despite the defensive struggles could get that cool 30 any time. Defenses will struggle to keep up.

JaKobe Walter is someone I am late on. He isn't a big time athlete but he knows how to get separation and can really score. He reminds me of the similar inefficiency of Cam Thomas. Why I like him is his defensive upside and frame. There is a higher to be unlocked with him.

Hunter Sallis is a really smooth scorer. If we want to go that route, he is the option that could be around at 31.

Can any of these guys by age 23 hit that Maxey ceiling?

They LOST! So let's look at Brunson, OG and good role players. They may trade Randle in the summer.

No one should pay Tobias Harris over the MLE. I guess the 76ers will offer Paul George money and fill the roster with the exemptions.

If they can come away from the draft with the equivalent of Hart, DiVincenzo & Mitchell Robinson, that would go a long way towards building for the future. That's why I keep saying they have to nail all these picks. I am not big on taking high risk players in this draft.

Maybe Castle is one of those guys if he can develop a 3 point shot. Maybe Walter or Carter is the other.

[CazOnReal]

I'm so sick of people pointing to Maxey for a Rob comparison when Tyrese's lack of defense has been a problem, especially when Embiid went down and he struggled to create offense so his flaws became all the more apparent as a #2 or #1 option.

And as it's been pointed out already: The 76ers lost

They had Super Rob in Maxey and an MVP candidate, and they lost to a more well rounded team with strong defensive wings who can shoot the 3. That's the kind of team we should be trying to make i.e. "find our new O.G." aka. draft Ryan Dunn and hope he can learn to shoot.