NBASupes

His flop of a pick was worth it just due to the trade.

Hard to say we were off on Bamba. He is crazy talented and dominated us. We all knew Bamba would need time and I think we need to be willing to give him more time as he really improved this year metrics wise. Josh Jackson was a bust. I wasn't that high on him and had questions about him offensively from the jump. I can't say I hit on him because he's been a bust and I just projected a backup type but I wasn't off.

Poku mania

His roster is ass. I don't want to Cam ever at the 3. He's really not that good at the 3. His offensive game is Lou Williams like, 3pt/FAr/PPT based. Hunter will fit perfectly at the 3 next year.

I can't blame Kyrie for feeling that way but if his team was actually contending, would he be so bold?

Bad game but we won without Trae - https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201912300ORL.html Great stats, lost by 35 points. His defense was horrific this game but so was everyone else https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201912280CHI.html Bad stats and got whooped https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201910310ATL.html Career game for John, sensational game, beat the Clippers https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202001220ATL.html Bad game and whooped https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202001120BRK.html Great stats, low impact game https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202002070BOS.html Very good game, very good impact https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202003060WAS.html Without Trae, John defense has been better but offense is hit or miss without Trae. John is a consistent offensive player so that does have a lot of value.

In the last four years My three biggest hits Ja Morant - Spot on, a lot of internet scouts were down on him. I was sky high on him. 7.5/9.5 Mikal Bridges - I was much higher on him. 7.5/8.5 and I believe I was spot on. He hasn't improved his shot as projected but everything on pace. Jaylen Brown - Spot on. 5.5/8.5 with a couple swings. Hasn't hit a swing yet but is a 8.5 and close to hitting both. My three biggest misses Lonzo Ball 7/8.5 with four swings. He three of his four swings. Shouldn't he be a 10 potential and a 8.5 at the least. His offense didn't translate at all and while he did score 20/8 with exceptional efficiency on March and is a perfect fit with Zion, he hasn't been close to my projections. Marvin Bagley III - 7/10. Boy was I wrong. Injuries have hurt him but he doesn't look like a lock MVP right now at all. Maybe I need to revisit this one next year. R.J. Barrett - I lowered his grade when he went to NY and was right to do it because it's a bad fit. Sadly, what is R.J. fit in the modern NBA is a legit and real question. One that even in a better fit might be difficult to answer.

I need a lot more data than this. Touches, minutes, FG%, efficiency and 7 games isn't much of a sample size either.

It's all about personal scouting at that point. My swings are only what I considered substantial which is why it's worth a .5. But others just feel it value to their floor, mid outcome, and ceiling. They don't use a points system like I do.

Kevin over Reddish in year 2? Collins isn't a product of Trae to a large degree??? He is starting to be that journalist who's friends with guys more than one that just does his job like he used to do.

Believe it or not, hitting on swings is the biggest reason guys overachieved. Its things players always had the potential to do even in lower levels but they haven't perfected it yet. Some guys even have hidden swings where they showed no signs of doing at other levels. If you haven't been following John Collins closely, you wouldn't think he would have a shooting swing for example. Same with Harden and playmaking. Current players on our team swings John: offensive impact- Not close yet and shooting - he hit this swing. Trae: shooting and finishing. He has hit on finishing. He showed flashes in college but had bad percentages. Cam has four swings. Shooting, playmaking, offensive and defensive impact. He has hit on none so far. Kevin has two swings. Volume shooting and playmaking. He's hit on one. Bruno has shooting and playmaking. Hunter has two swings: offensive and defensive impact. He hit on both swings as a college player but the NBA is another level. Goodwin has two wings: shooting and defensive impact. Players at his level rarely hit on swings at this level. They usually hit on them before they got here which is why they are finally here. Because we are a PDS team, playmaking and shooting is very important to us and we look for potential to these types of things. Swings can be more valuable than potential but potential is FAR more reliable. Most players don't hit on their NBA swings.

Another thing we need to be honest about is Obi Toppin defense. He's nowhere near as bad as Jabari Parker or other defensive scrubs out there. At the end of the day, his defensive metrics are decent at the college level. He favorably compares to Dwight Powell and several others who are known as marginal to decent defensive players today. I get it, his lateral quickness is ass, his body form doesn't do him any favors with his Amar'e back and his ability just doesn't transfer well from offense to defense. But he's already a solid defensive playmaker with a potential swing to be an excellent one for his position, he's got great hands that translates on both ends to a degree, he is very comfortable defending on the perimeter and he's smart. If I had to say who he would be like defending the perimeter, it would be like Kevin Huerter for his position. Just more playmaking. That's it. We all watch Kevin. We know he has the BBIQ, he's more comfortable defending on the perimeter than most of our guys outside of Cam and Graham but his lack of lateral quickness and physical tools hamper him on defense. Kevin and Obi close outs are pretty awful. TheStepien and ESPN have rightfully killed Toppin on defense but even both have said this nugget for Toppin on defense. ESPN - Has fairly sharp defensive instincts even though he's a bit limited on that end. Plays the passing lanes and is comfortable protecting the rim in a pinch. Spent most of the season playing center and has decent verticality and shot-blocking timing when he's fully engaged. TheStepien - Needs work all around, but there are some weak-side rotation flashes, interior helps on drives, and some perimeter rotations. Would like to see him talk a bit more on defense paying attention to everything happening on the court, so he be an effective back-bone to the defense…which, being the big who has everything happening in front of him, is an important skill to have because (in theory) he can see most of what is happening on the court – he doesn’t do a bad job talking, but it’s usually only when he’s involved in the play (cross-screens, wanting a switch, etc). Not a good rim protector, but shows flashes of both awareness and quickness getting off the ground (which when coupled with his elite pop, can make him an effective rim protector when he’s zoned in). However, at a whole, his awareness needs work, has to help better and rotate better to the ball. Shows flashes of good post up defense, but needs to learn proper leg positioning – needs to keep his leg underneath the posting up player’s hamstrings / glutes. There are flashes of quick hip turns / feet even with the bad stance he currently has, but they are few and far between – there might be another level of quickness to unlock here with hip mobility work (and improving his overall stance), working on his stance, and improving balance / coordination. Like I said, he has limited defensive potential. I project him to top out at a 6 and for a PF, that's not good at all. He does have one defensive swing which is defensive playmaking that he can potentially reach. Even then, I wouldn't exactly count on him reaching it but it's close enough to where he can sooner than later. Here are the list of career defensive's 6s: Frank Kaminsky, Kelly Olynyk, Cody Zeller, Kevin Love, Trey Lyles, Markieff Morris. He compares very favorably on defense to Kelly Olynyk based on college metrics. For me, I don't think he will reach his defensive potential playing with Trae Young of a 6 and I think he will hit a 6 based on hitting his defensive playmaking swing if he played in Atlanta. I do think Obi would be better on defense playing for other teams than the Hawks. That said, to maximize his offensive value, Atlanta is the perfect fit offensively along with GS. Realistically, a 6.5 is highly possible for Toppin in Chicago and San Antonio on defense. Most of these teams in the top 10, are bad fits defensively for Toppin. While Capela is an excellent fit for him on defense, Trae completely erases that. Offensively, Atlanta is tied as his best fit with Golden State. It's just that his defensive fit in Golden State is even worse than in Atlanta. Him playing the 5 on defense is a terrible situation and one that should be avoided at all cost no matter which team. That's my take on this. I should be easy to see why I love the kid. He's an offensive gem.

TS is doing great in that area. I was just speaking to our impact metrics. We aren't really on OKC path but we are on MIN path, we need to make sure we can get on the right path for long term impact metrics. That includes everyone mainly outside of Trae

8.5 offensive players over the years have lived up to potential and exceeded it. Sure Buddy Hield just lived up to potential but the rest became superstars when no one really expected it. When your offense is this highly rated, why not. I can see your point on a big with more balanced, I do. Shit, that tends to be what I like 9 out of 10 times as well. To say I disagree with that statement is a lie. 100% lie. The difference is he's an offensive 8.5. 9.5 offensive potential. He just needs to gain experience. Plus he gets a +.5 for fit with Trae Young and Capela. That's an offensive 10 without hitting just one of his swings. Basically he would Trae Young like at the 4 production and impact wise. That's extremely appealing to me. That's two elite offensive WAR types. I could argue he would be a much better fit offensively than Collins is just due to his playmaking, first step and ability to beat his man consistently with his first step, and his ability to draw and handle double teams as well as his scheme versatility we haven't had in Atlanta since Sap and to this degree since Horford. Two of some of the best scheme versatile bigs in NBA history. So yes, the reason why I am higher on Toppin is because I do see a generational offensive PF prospect. That's why we are so indifferent on this. I don't even think you think he's better than John or will be better than John on offense. I think he's already better than John offensively, he just needs experience to be obviously better than John. So that's why I am going so f***ing hard on this because once I see what I need to see, I know that it needs to be done. That said, don't get it twisted. I still want to keep John into 2020. I would rather keep him and see our offseason options. I also know John gives us the best chance to win next year as a PF, make no mistake about it at this time and he should play 28 to 30 mpg as well. He is easily the best player in this draft floor wise. Who else could it be? Hayes? Haliburton? Those are the only other two players with similar floors to Toppin. I guess you could make a case for those two.

Sadly, both were overrated by me. That said, Bruno has two realistic swings to get there. Cam had four swings which he might get there for some of them and he has fit that's greatly in his favor.

https://watchstadium.com/jeff-goodmans-2020-nba-mock-draft-2-0-05-06-2020/ http://www.nbadraftroom.com/p/2020-nba-mock-draft.html https://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2020/05/20/2020-nba-mock-draft-opi-toppin-anthony-edwards/

I am not sure I see Brooks or Denzel but I agree with you on the last part.

It would be amazing if he hit 10. Considering he's at 9 in year two means it's very realistic but I've seen a lot of early highly rated players get stuck as well. Trae just got to keep improving. Harden also is a 13.9 WAR player with a 1.5 defensive RAPTOR. To say he's a bad defender just wouldn't be accurate. His defensive RPM is a positive and tied with D. Graham. I can't say Trae can be a 10 because Harden's a 10. There is a major gap at this moment. The benefit of Trae is his offensive impact is already insanely elite due to his scoring/playmaking.

I like Bey's 3&D potential as a big wing down the road. He's worth a mid 1st. Without question.

Rating System: Now/Potential Review of the Hawks: Rating system: 5 - Average G-League player 5.5 - High end G-League player (two way) 14th-17th man 6 - 11-12th man (Spending time in the G-League, NBA player and has NBA ability) 6.5 - 8th-10th man (Quality rotational player) 7 - 6th -7th man (Borderline Starter) 7.5 (Starter) Very good player. Has a defined game and ability. Role player. Solid player. 8 - (Starter) Excellent player. High end role player. Champions level starter. Provides consistency. Gives confidence to the coaching staff. Could be supremely talented but lack the consistency needed to be a champions level starter. 8.5 - (Low end All Star) Super player. Makes everyone better. Coach can count on him. Seen as a franchise piece. 9 - (Legit All Star) Great impact. Reliable. Can carry units. Teams will offer him the max. A must to retain. 9.5 - (Legit All Star) MVP candidate, brings it at a rare ATG level. Has flaws but plays to his strengths to the 10th degree and is unstoppable. 10. (Superstar) This is James Harden, this is Giannis. This is Westbrook in his MVP season. HOF - LeBron James, Tim Duncan, MJ, Kobe, Magic, Bird, etc. This is a legend. This player made a significant impact on the game. His success speaks for itself. You gotta earn HOF ceiling. Not even Zion just gets it. Swing Skills - Swing Skills are worth .5 points which is significant. Fit - 7 is - 1 point, 7.5 is -0.5, 8, 8.5, and 9 doesn't give you any points, 9.5 is worth 0.5 and 10 is worth 1 point. 2015 Marcus Eriksson - Grade: NA Rookie Grade 1st half: NA Rookie Grade 2nd half: NA Regraded for today: 5.5 - Elite world class shooter but he's not a NBA player overall. I could see him being a pretty good G-League player right now and we have signed guys to 10 days just as good as him but he's in the best situation for his game. Dimitrios Agravanis- Grade: NA Rookie Grade 1st half: NA Rookie Grade 2nd half: NA Regraded for today: 5 - He never really developed into more than a role player at the European level. Not a NBA player whatsoever. 2016 Taurean Prince - Grade: 7/8 - Looking back at it, I completely overrated Prince based on his highlights and Summer League. His realistic grade was 6.5/7.5 which is exactly where he ended up at. Rookie Grade 1st half: 5.5, like most Bud rooks, he didn't play much and needed more development. He played in the G-League. Most rookies take a major step back in the NBA in the 1st half just getting adjusted. Rookie Grade 2nd half: 6.5, he played very well. Defense was decent. Offensively, he showed flashes that he could be the answer at SF. Regraded for today: 7, he's regressed a little bit in Brooklyn due to personnel and role. He still is a 7.5 talent but his production is closer to 6.5 than 7.5. He had one swing which was shooting, he reached it with us in his last Hawk season but seems to have lost it this year. He never became the defender I projected him to be out of Baylor. Year 1 defense was fool's gold. DeAndre' Bembry - Grade: 5.5/8.5 - Looking back at it, I completely overrated Bembry's potential based on his swings. I've learned with Cam Reddish, swings should NOT go into potential. His realistic grade was 5.5/7 which he hasn't reached yet. Rookie Grade 1st half: NA Rookie Grade 2nd half: NA Regraded for today: 6.5, his lack of shooting to even a below average level plus limited mental development has crushed Bembry's potential. I do think Bembry was loaded with swings skills and had a lot more potential than he has displayed. Bembry had three swings and hit none of em. 2017 John Collins - Grade: 6.5/8.5 - Looking back at it, I completely overrated Collins' potential based on swings. His realistic grade was 6.5/7.5 with two swings. He hit one swing (shooting) and hasn't came close on the 2nd one which is offensive impact. He does get .5 for fit which means John is a 8.5 Rookie Grade 1st half: 6.5 Rookie Grade 2nd half: 6.5 Regraded for today: 8.5, His realistic grade was 6.5/7.5 with two swings. He hit one swing (shooting) and hasn't came close on the 2nd one which is offensive impact. He does get .5 for fit which means John is a 8.5. The issue is, John hasn't impacted the game like a 8.5, my guess is John maybe overrated by me with a 8.5. Maybe he's a 8 masking production of a 8.5. He is an offensive 8.5 and defensive 6.5 by my charts. Tough... Tyler Dorsey - Grade: 6/6.5 - I was spot-on with Dorsey. His realistic grade is no different. Rookie Grade 1st half: 6 Rookie Grade 2nd half: 6 Regraded for today: 6, he never really improved in the NBA and he's now in Europe. He just didn't have the prerequisites he needed for the league. It's a miss but it happens a lot. There was a lot to like about Dorsey, he was a good college player. If you watched our first summer league, him and Trae was on the same level overall even though the level of talent gap was wider than the Sahara. 2018 Trae Young - Grade: 6/9 - Looking back at it, I completely hit it on the head with Young. His realistic grade was 6/9 with two swings (elite shooting and finishing). He hit one swing (finishing) and hasn't hit elite shooting yet. He does get .5 for fit. Rookie Grade 1st half: 5.5, he had one of the worst 1st halves in the NBA for awhile. Collin Sexton was worse but near him. The rest just never played that much if they were bad. Rookie Grade 2nd half: 8.5, he had a tremendous jump and even hit a swing. I've never seen someone improve so much in a short time but the talent was always there. Regraded for today: 9 with a 9.5 potential. He still hasn't peak his improved yet and still has a swing but he's hit a swing, has a 9.5 fit in Atlanta, and is one of the faces of the league. STEAL! I do not see him being a 10 fit because of his defense, I still can see him hitting his swing and improving overall. He could be a legit superstar MVP top 3-5 yearly in Atlanta. Kevin Huerter - Grade: 6/7.5 - He has an amazing rookie year. I didn't see it coming. He even hit on one of this two swings (playmaking and volume shooting) I graded him correctly, he just quickly improved. Rookie Grade 1st half: 7.5 Rookie Grade 2nd half: 7 Regraded for today: 7, he regressed a lot this year but last year might have been an anomaly, he was on a track to be better than Bradley Beal and a number of other prospects who were superior to Kevin. I still think he can be an elite 6th man. Maybe his potential was overrated by me as a prospect. Maybe his potential is a 7 with him hitting the swing and being a 7.5 if everything works. He still hasn't hit his ceiling yet, I hope. Omari Spellman - Grade: 6.5/7.5 - Omari is a prime example of having the skills and talent while lacking work ethic, mentality, or the IQ to really be great. He had two swings (shooting and playmaking) and came nowhere close to either. Rookie Grade 1st half: 6.5 Rookie Grade 2nd half: 6.5 Regraded for today: 6.5 with the impact of a 5.5. Hasn't improved much. Mentally is not a pro yet. Just not a NBA prospect even if the skills and talent is there. 2019 De'Andre Hunter - Grade: 7.5/8 - Spot-on. Highest floor in the class but was going to need at least a year to transition into a SF. Best position is PF right now where he's a 7.5 right now. He's more of a 6.5 at SF but still has a 8 potential at 3 positions which is amazing. He had three swings (Shooting volume, offensive impact, and defensive impact) Swings aren't exactly realistic but maybe he could reach one of them. Rookie Grade 1st half: 7 Rookie Grade 2nd half: 7 Regraded for today: No change. He played like a 7 but flashed 8 potential at the 3. His impact was more like a 6.5 but that's normal considering his minutes and the level of difficulty in his role. Cam Reddish - Grade: 7.5/9.5 - Looking back at it, I completely overrated Reddish potential based on his long term fit. He wasn't a 9.5 or 10 fit with us this year but he did end a 9 fit and flashed 9.5 fit. His realistic grade was 6.5/8.5 with four swings. Most in his draft class. Rookie Grade 1st half: 5.5 Rookie Grade 2nd half: 7.5 Regraded for today: 7.5, he ended the year extremely strong. He does have four swings (shooting, playmaking, offensive and defensive impact), realistically could hit three out of four. He also has a chance at being a 9.5 fit next year and a 10 fit if his defense becomes special. I've said it so many times, Cam can be our best overall player in time. Sooner than later. Bruno Fernando - Grade: 5/8.5 - Bruno floor was insanely low for a number of reasons but his ceiling is freakishly high. I did overrate his potential. It's a 7.5 but he has two swings (shooting and playmaking) and I believe he can realistic reach both. Rookie Grade 1st half: 5.5 Rookie Grade 2nd half: 5 Regraded for today: 5, he looked a lot better before John. John came back, made him play defense like a 4 and had Bruno looking like a dumb fool. Bruno showed flashes before JC of being a good defender down the road as a center. Bruno's potential is a 7.5 with two realistic swings. He was a good pick for us. We just need to develop him correctly. We wasted a year of his development this year due to our situation at center. Overall, we have drafted exceptionally well during the TS era.

He's not a PDS guy but watch for Nesmith. I really think he's similar to Michael Redd

We love dunks in Atlanta

He's flash and substance but let's not take the best player in college Basketball who fits what we do.

It would be great but I am becoming more skeptical of late for us.