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NBA Draft Discussion

Yeah I’m surprised with the number of mocks that have Miller above Scoot. I’d take Scoot and feel like I got the number one pick in most drafts.
 
Yeah if you put Scoot and Miller in last year's draft, I feel like it'd go Scoot-Paolo-Chet-Miller-Smith. He seemed like a once-in-X type of guard talent a year or so ago, and I'm not sure why the hype seems to have faded somewhat. Seems like he did pretty much all you'd hope for Ignite, especially given his age.

Feels like a case of people overthinking things with pros and cons lists and shit instead of just taking the clearly better player.
 
Miller feels like the "shiny new thing" that often starts climbing up the draft board around February.

On another note, I'd be interested in hearing a convincing explanation of why the #2 pick is so often garbage. Because, historically it is. You're way better off drafting #3.
 
There are reservations about Scoot's shooting. 28% 3pt, 76% ft in GLeague. Jaden Hardy faced similar questions and his stock tanked (for other reasons as well), but he had a better ft% even in his terrible season. Hardy ended up being very undervalued in retrospect and shot 40% from 3 in the NBA as a rookie.

I view Scoot as a smaller LeBron. No drama. Seems to consume nothing but basketball. Obviously would take him #2.

One guy who I think will enter the top 4 conversation, legitimately or as smokescreen, is Taylor Hendricks. Unfortunate name. Sounds like a white country singer. But potentially a perfect #3 or #4 option for a contender on offense (40% 3pt, 80% ft, but limited creation) that can eventually provide unicornish defense, with upside for more on offense. He'll be both scrutinized and propped up by the promise of the unknown, coming from a college conference with subpar competition and blowing up after not being an elite recruit. He would be my very clear pick for the Pistons at #5, if Miller or Amen don't fall there, perhaps even if they are available.
 
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rome8180 said:
Miller feels like the "shiny new thing" that often starts climbing up the draft board around February.

On another note, I'd be interested in hearing a convincing explanation of why the #2 pick is so often garbage. Because, historically it is. You're way better off drafting #3.
Click to expand...

Purely speculating but I wonder if it's because the team didn't get the obvious #1 prospect (assuming there was one), they feel a necessity to reach for the player with the next highest potential ceiling? Almost an "well I didn't get the best guy but look, I might've gotten the 2nd best guy in the long run" rationale.

The year the Warriors picked 2nd, there wasn't a true clear cut #1 as there were 3 guys vying to be picked 1st with Edwards, Wiseman and LaMelo. I understood (and was for) taking Wiseman 2nd because they had an obvious need for a big guy and he seemed to have the highest upside potential of anyone left in the draft. I think they would've taken Antman if he had fallen to #2. I don't think there was any scenario where LaMelo would've been the pick (despite being a good fit) due to off-court baggage related entirely to his dad talking about all his kids being better than Steph for years. There was too much potential drama for him to be picked. In hindsight, LaMelo was the superior pick and I wish they had gone ahead and moved the 2nd pick for a vet since LaMelo was never likely to be picked by GS.
 
Interesting dynamic for next year’s draft, due to being such a poor crop of prospects at the top, Bronny being in it, and LeBron clearly suggesting he’s open to leaving the Lakers when he has his player option after next season, if not sooner. Givony’s latest top 10 from February:

1. Spurs - Matas Buzelis, GLeague
2. Hornets - Cody Williams, Colorado
3. Pistons - Zaccharie Risacher, France
4. Rockets - Justin Edwards, Kentucky
5. Bulls - Isaiah Collier, USC
6. Jazz - Ron Holland, Texas
7. Wizards - DJ Wagner, Kentucky
8. Pacers - Bilal Coulibaly, France
9. Pelicans (via Lakers) - Kwame Evans, Oregon
10. Magic - Bronny James, USC

Other teams possible/likely to end up near the top of the draft include the Blazers and a 2nd Spurs pick (via Raptors).

I think Bronny’s stock is undervalued here, though it’s not Givony’s job to try to evaluate the team and father dynamics surrounding these prospects. If LeBron is willing to join whatever team drafts Bronny for the minimum contract, then even at age 40, that’s going to make him a very valuable asset to a contender. Off the court, of course he’s a revenue generator for the franchise even if it’s a tanker, but I think LeBron would manipulate the market so that a tanker doesn’t draft Bronny, or at least trades him to a competitive team.

Even the current tankers seem poised to be highly competitive or at least become very interesting after one more year if they’re able to add LeBron for the minimum:

Spurs
Tre Jones-Vassell-Keldon-LeBron-Wembanyama

Pistons
Cunningham-Ivey-Bojan/#5 pick-LeBron-one of their five centers

Hornets
LaMelo-Rozier-#2 pick-LeBron-Mark Williams

Blazers
Lillard-Sharpe-Jaylen Brown (traded for #3 pick and other pieces)-LeBron-Nurkic

But the most intriguing scenario for this board is probably a hypothetical Pelicans team with Zion having gone through European stem cell treatments or massive weight loss from an Ozempic prescription.

Disgruntled star PG (acquired for Alvarado/Trey Murphy/Herb Jones/McCollum/Hayes/Valenciunas/etc.)
Daniels
Ingram
LeBron
Zion
 



DX best fit draft:

1. Spurs - Victor Wembanyama
2. Hornets - Brandon Miller
3. Blazers - Scoot Henderson
4. Rockets - Ausar Thompson
5. Pistons - Jarace Walker
6. Magic - Gradey Dick
7. Pacers - Anthony Black
8. Wizards - Amen Thompson
9. Jazz - Cam Whitmore
10. Mavs - Taylor Hendricks

26. Pacers - Dereck Lively
 
Excitement got the best of me. There is a video in the comments section of the tweet SMTTEM posted that shows Wembanyama juggling basketballs in a 'non-standard' way. It is freakishly cool looking.
 
This was known over a month ago though. This headline makes it sound like the second surgery was just announced. Any effect it had on his draft stock is likely to have already happened.
 
Givony/Woo have Dereck Lively going #10 to the Mavs now.

www.espn.com

2023 NBA mock draft: Why Scoot Henderson is still in play at No. 2

With the draft just over a week away, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo share their latest intel from around the league.
www.espn.com

Whitehead #30 feels low. Any of the bottom feeders near the top of the 2nd round should trade up a few spots if Whitehead is still there as we get into the mid-20s IMO. They won’t find more upside at that point.
 
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