2024 NBA Draft Lottery Thread (Sunday 5/12 3pm ET on ABC)

[dkb964]

Wow congratulations Atlanta !

This makes a Trae trade more likely now.

Why? How does that affect Trae?

Does Trae stink? I do not watch many Hawks games.

[ChuckChilly]

The hawks should really think of rebuilding at this point. They have been mediocre for a while now. Trae is due for a big contract but doesn’t seem like the guy that can get them over the hump. Why spend the money? Whoever they draft will not help immediately. They should just trade Trae and Murray for a haul of picks and start the rebuild process.

The Hawks owner wants butts in the seats. That is the part that most people on the outside looking in don't think about. Its all championship or tank to them.

[ConSarnit]

The league, the fans of the team, the media that has to cover the team, and the players that have to play on those teams.

There’s a reason they’re trying to abolish it.

That's BS played up by media. There should be incentive by league to improve bad teams quickly as possible so they aren't at the bottom for so long that hurts fan interest in the long run. The tanking narrative from a business perspective presented on boards like this are completely from a self centered viewpoint.

You’re simply wrong.

If you were right, there wouldn’t be a lottery.

The league doesn’t really care if the teams at the bottom stay at the bottom (as far as small market teams go). I’ll go as far as to say it’s better for the league for Charlotte’s and Detroit’s to be perennial losers. The league makes their money off of large market teams. These teams basically subsidize the small market teams. They are also the teams that generally are the top choice of free agents. It’s far better for the league if Detroit botches a draft if that increases the odds of a really good player being available to be drafted by a large market team.

Basically, if you have Silver truth serum and gave him the choice between DET and LAL alternating being bad every 5 years OR DET being bad for 20 years straight while LAL stays good he’d choose DET staying a bottom feeder every time. Somebody has to be bad and it’s far better for the league if it’s the small market teams.

[Chuck Everett]

I love how fans come in here and just concede that their teams/NBA management have no idea what they are doing. People act like All NBA players and all stars aren't drafted in non top 5 picks every single year. If your team doesn't have the ability to scout properly than that's on them, making it easy by praying for a #1 pick or doing what most of you do and saying the draft is trash doesn't change that.

Right now in the playoffs you are watching teams led by Brunson (33rd pick) Haliburton (12) Pascal (27) Donovan (13) Jokic (41) Gobert (27) SGA (11) and you could go on and on.

The 4x DPoY was drafted 27
The 3x MVP 41
2x MVP Giannis 15
2x MVP Curry was drafted 7th

7 of the last Championships have been won by teams whose best players where not considered stars, and had meteoric rises. Jimmy Butler was drafted 30th and dragged his team to 2 finals.

Just admit you have no faith in your teams GM to find talent, stop saying the players are trash.

What if Holland turns into a Paul George/Butler type player?
Knecht turns into Klay?
Sarr into Porzingus?
Collier into Brunson?
Castle into Smart?
Clingan Gobert?

Yall have no idea, that's what makes following the nba and draft so fun. We get to see what these kids are made of once they get to the big show.

NBA fans are the most impatient in sports. Even after the success of SGA and Brunson turning into All-NBA caliber players after years in the league, they still expect the players coming into the league to be finished products. No one actually improves with experience. Third year players might as well retire.

[Rainwater]

The hawks should really think of rebuilding at this point. They have been mediocre for a while now. Trae is due for a big contract but doesn’t seem like the guy that can get them over the hump. Why spend the money? Whoever they draft will not help immediately. They should just trade Trae and Murray for a haul of picks and start the rebuild process.

The Hawks owner wants butts in the seats. That is the part that most people on the outside looking in don't think about. Its all championship or tank to them.

According to Woj this may not be the case....

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Watch on YouTube

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[CIN-C-STAR]

I love how fans come in here and just concede that their teams/NBA management have no idea what they are doing. People act like All NBA players and all stars aren't drafted in non top 5 picks every single year. If your team doesn't have the ability to scout properly than that's on them, making it easy by praying for a #1 pick or doing what most of you do and saying the draft is trash doesn't change that.

Right now in the playoffs you are watching teams led by Brunson (33rd pick) Haliburton (12) Pascal (27) Donovan (13) Jokic (41) Gobert (27) SGA (11) and you could go on and on.

The 4x DPoY was drafted 27
The 3x MVP 41
2x MVP Giannis 15
2x MVP Curry was drafted 7th

7 of the last Championships have been won by teams whose best players where not considered stars, and had meteoric rises. Jimmy Butler was drafted 30th and dragged his team to 2 finals.

Just admit you have no faith in your teams GM to find talent, stop saying the players are trash.

What if Holland turns into a Paul George/Butler type player?
Knecht turns into Klay?
Sarr into Porzingus?
Collier into Brunson?
Castle into Smart?
Clingan Gobert?

Yall have no idea, that's what makes following the nba and draft so fun. We get to see what these kids are made of once they get to the big show.

NBA fans are the most impatient in sports. Even after the success of SGA and Brunson turning into All-NBA caliber players after years in the league, they still expect the players coming into the league to be finished products. No one actually improves with experience. Third year players might as well retire.

Jeremy Sochan, a #9 pick, is considered trash by most because he couldn't play point guard, a position he'd never played before, by his 2nd year in the league

[CIN-C-STAR]

Alright now that I'm an expert after 15 minutes of research, I want the Spurs to take Topic and Buzelis, or Knecht if Buzelis is gone.
Anything else and they are morons who should all be fired

[Chuck Everett]

Alright now that I'm an expert after 15 minutes of research, I want the Spurs to take Topic and Buzelis, or Knecht if Buzelis is gone.
Anything else and they are morons who should all be fired

I want to like Buzelis, I really do, but his physique, lateral quickness and wingspan worry me. What is his position and who can he defend? I am hopeful that what I saw in the G-League was just growing pains as he adjusted to playing against grown men, but for a guy who is probably going to have to be a role player, he doesn't do many role player things.

[Decipher]

Going to be interesting to see whether any hype develops around some of the draft picks before draft night

Will be funny to see a high pick (even #1) be introduced to the fans and everyone is “whatever”

[Chuck Everett]

NBA fans are the most impatient in sports. Even after the success of SGA and Brunson turning into All-NBA caliber players after years in the league, they still expect the players coming into the league to be finished products. No one actually improves with experience. Third year players might as well retire.

Jeremy Sochan, a #9 pick, is considered trash by most because he couldn't play point guard, a position he'd never played before, by his 2nd year in the league

Sochan's rookie year apparently has no value to those people. Sochan's versatility would help a lot of teams. Pop was just on his Dr. Frankenstein **** this past season. I think Jeremy's role as a switchable PF can work and he also can work in a uber-big lineup with someone like Mamu at the 4 (here's hoping Spurs keep him). I can kind of get what Pop was going for with him, because this kid has a lot of versatility and if he can tap it effectively, you're looking at someone who can literally give you all kinds of wild stats in any given game. I don't believe he's feast or famine either. Like I could see him having 14 rebounds and 8 points or 25 points and 7 steals. The organization is wise to develop him with an idea not to limit what he can do (same as what they did with Wemby).

[CIN-C-STAR]

Alright now that I'm an expert after 15 minutes of research, I want the Spurs to take Topic and Buzelis, or Knecht if Buzelis is gone.
Anything else and they are morons who should all be fired

I want to like Buzelis, I really do, but his physique, lateral quickness and wingspan worry me. What is his position and who can he defend? I am hopeful that what I saw in the G-League was just growing pains as he adjusted to playing against grown men, but for a guy who is probably going to have to be a role player, he doesn't do many role player things.

This past G League Ignite season was a disaster, just an ill-fitting team with no direction.
It literally led to the end of the G League lol.
And on top of that he had to battle back from an ankle injury sustained early in the season.
He's raw for sure, and has both boom and bust potential. Imo it's worth it for the Spurs to use one of their picks on someone w long-term upside, and he's still only 19, was a 5-star recruit, has pedigree, and has flashed some "unicorn" skill and potential.
I think he can develop into a stretch 4. I know he shot terribly from 3 in the G League but he had to make the jump from the high school line to the NBA 3-point line on a team w bad spacing. He was a good 3-point shooter in high school and is an ok free throw shooter.
But again, I see the bust potential as well.

[Chuck Everett]

Alright now that I'm an expert after 15 minutes of research, I want the Spurs to take Topic and Buzelis, or Knecht if Buzelis is gone.
Anything else and they are morons who should all be fired

I want to like Buzelis, I really do, but his physique, lateral quickness and wingspan worry me. What is his position and who can he defend? I am hopeful that what I saw in the G-League was just growing pains as he adjusted to playing against grown men, but for a guy who is probably going to have to be a role player, he doesn't do many role player things.

This past G League Ignite season was a disaster, just an ill-fitting team with no direction.
It literally led to the end of the G League lol.
And on top of that he had to battle back from an ankle injury sustained early in the season.
He's raw for sure, and has both boom and bust potential. Imo it's worth it for the Spurs to use one of their picks on someone w long-term upside, and he's still only 19, was a 5-star recruit, has pedigree, and has flashed some "unicorn" skill and potential.
I think he can develop into a stretch 4. I know he shot terribly from 3 in the G League but he had to make the jump from the high school line to the NBA 3-point line on a team w bad spacing. He was a good 3-point shooter in high school and is an ok free throw shooter.
But again, I see the bust potential as well.

That's the thing, I don't even see him becoming a bust. I am just wracking my brain to see where the star potential is. Like, what is the best outcome a team is hoping for here? To become like a Cam Johnson type? That to me is a best case scenario. I shudder to see him being defended by the Thompson twins or Jaden McDaniels or Lu Dort. If he gets drafted by the Spurs, I have no doubt he will spend a lot of time in Austin.

Full disclosure, I am okay with a Cam Johnson on a rookie contract. But beyond that, I wouldn't want him no my team. Because these types just don't end up being more than a guy at the next level.

[KGDirkTD_Fan]

I haven't spent much time with the draft prospects, not sure if it makes sense for the Spurs but it would be cool to see another international heavy Spurs team with Topic.

[LordCovington33]

Congrats to Atlanta for getting #1. It shows the new system with the reduced odds is working.

[drone3]

Sarr looks like a great fit for the Hawks. They just need to surround Trae with D

[jkvonny]

With this draft class? Doubt it. NBA couldn't care less this year. So the results actually feel genuine lol.

Last year however is a different story. Of all the teams, of course the Spurs get gifted another generational talent.

Don't worry about conspiracy theorists. They can't be convinced otherwise even the opposite of what they claim occurs every single year.

New York knicks pretty much dropped in the lottery every year yet nba is rigged. Lol.

the other owners actively hate Dolan and want him to sell the franchise. Have you not been paying attention? If the Knicks had an owner the league liked they'd be getting gifted high picks and FAs would be choosing to go there.

Knicks havent won an NBA title since 1973. Pre Dolan years.

[FarBeyondDriven]

Alright now that I'm an expert after 15 minutes of research, I want the Spurs to take Topic and Buzelis, or Knecht if Buzelis is gone.
Anything else and they are morons who should all be fired

I want to like Buzelis, I really do, but his physique, lateral quickness and wingspan worry me. What is his position and who can he defend? I am hopeful that what I saw in the G-League was just growing pains as he adjusted to playing against grown men, but for a guy who is probably going to have to be a role player, he doesn't do many role player things.

This past G League Ignite season was a disaster, just an ill-fitting team with no direction.
It literally led to the end of the G League lol.
And on top of that he had to battle back from an ankle injury sustained early in the season.
He's raw for sure, and has both boom and bust potential. Imo it's worth it for the Spurs to use one of their picks on someone w long-term upside, and he's still only 19, was a 5-star recruit, has pedigree, and has flashed some "unicorn" skill and potential.
I think he can develop into a stretch 4. I know he shot terribly from 3 in the G League but he had to make the jump from the high school line to the NBA 3-point line on a team w bad spacing. He was a good 3-point shooter in high school and is an ok free throw shooter.
But again, I see the bust potential as well.

it's really made evaluating its prospects more difficult. Not impossible, it just requires more imagination. Almansa is a 6'10" 240 lb center that dominated international tournaments when some of the offense was running through him, he was able to face up and take guys off the dribble and he was pounding the glass. At just 18 y/o you could see from watching him there that with a reliable jumper he could have some Sabonis to his upside. But once with the Ignite he became an afterthought and wasn't utilized like he might at the next level. So he remains a mystery. Hopefully the combine can give us a clearer picture to go on.

Holland, one of the youngest players in the draft, was thrust into a playmakers role (by design or due to lack of PGs) and he struggled with turnovers early in the season because he's ultra competitive and was often trying to do too much. It didn't help that many turnovers were the fault of his teammates. He still got credited with them though and detractors use these stats to crap on him. An 18 y/o shooting from NBA distance was going to struggle but people don't care. He's labeled as a guy who can't shoot on top of being a poor playmaker. A strong combine and good measurements (at least 6'6" without shoes and near a 7' wingspan) could vault him back atop Big Boards.

My comp for Buzelis is Keegan Murray with similar size, athleticism and he has some of the same flaws as well. He's not quite quick enough to defend guards and he's not quite big enough to man the 4. So he's in that very shallow range of defending all but the best 3s and some of the worst 4s. Keegan is a valuable piece. I'm not sure he's actually a #3 on a championship team though. If that's what Buzelis can develop into that's obviously worth drafting. He's clearly not the shooter Keegan was but his shot doesn't look broken and he's younger than Keegan when he went #4. So Buzelis should go anywhere in the lottery imo.

[mariller]

League needs to change the odds again. Current system is too weighted towards bottom end teams staying bad. If the drafts aren't very deep with high upside, these teams could flounder for a long time.

Yuck. The exact opposite of what the league needs to do.

encouraging teams to tank is gross behaviour.

Some teams are just bad and need talent. The current system isn't working for teams picking out of top few spots. Who gives a **** if some teams tank?

What do you mean system is not working? Wizards got #2, Detroit got #5, are those not high picks? Will those not help?

[Wingy]

Oh please, don't give us this crap. The Pistons have gotten screwed more than every other team outside of that one time in the Cade draft going back decades so we have a reason to complain. All this suffering for 4 straight #5 picks. Garbage

Thats the result of tanking. So as he said stop tanking lol

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

If you honestly believe the pistons were actively tanking instead of just having a terribly inept front office you clearly know nothing about the NBA and should take a seat on the bench. Anyone with half a brain can see the pistons actually wanted to take a step forward this season, Weaver stated as much before the season.

So fire Weaver. Or better, sell the team.

Instead of constantly rewarding incompetence, those that suck should just get out and exit the whole game if you can’t put a half way decent product on the floor.

Raises the floor and quality of the product across the whole league for all fans if the worst owners and FOs aren’t rewarded. Lottery’s fine to me.

[Rainwater]

Wow congratulations Atlanta !

This makes a Trae trade more likely now.

Why? How does that affect Trae?

Does Trae stink? I do not watch many Hawks games.

There is a real chance he gets traded per the wiretap, he is just not a #1 guy.