Lurker

Yeah I put two of the Hawks-y picks that would have me be "ehh as the 19th pick" at 31, might as well also add Motley. There is just so much talent that may be interesting role players at least in this draft.

I really wasn't feeling it until I watched that Auburn kick return that didn't affect my team and I was trying hard not to laugh very hard.

He is not in the Southeast.

I think I've settled on this: First round in general (maybe you can move up): Prizes to me would be Zach Collins, Isaiah Hartenstein, or Justin Patton. They all need time but they're good prospects. It may just be Hartenstein available at 19 but again, maybe you move up. A step down but still good: Ivan Rabb, Bam Adebayo, TJ Leaf, Donovan Mitchell, and more. Hawks-y picks but ehhh for me: Jonathan Motley, Caleb Swanigan, Josh Hart. 31: Whoever is available of the following: Josh Hart, Caleb Swanigan, Tyler Lydon, Sindarius Thornwell, and PJ Dozier. There are more players that you can talk about but this is what I touched on. This thread may belong more in NBA Draft Talk.

Can't wait until we have the PR nightmare of Dwight Howard being benched in a playoff series!

2016 Toronto is weaker than any version of Cleveland with LeBron, even this one. 2016 Miami is stronger than this year's Toronto. 2016 Atlanta is weaker than this year's Washington. 2016 Boston is much better than this year's Atlanta, it's not even close. I agree on Charlotte vs Milwaukee. 2016 Indiana is much stronger than 2017 Indiana. I agree on Chicago. It's not a case in which its like SEC football in "oh, we all beat each other up and it hurt some teams' records!!!!!" The East is Cleveland, maybe Washington, and six or seven weak sisters that are much, much worse than maybe two teams.

I don't even like Al Horford at all! I'm just saying, the 1-8 in the Eastern Conference is a lot weaker than it was last year.

Here's your difference between the two clubs this season (Boston/Atlanta): Boston: Gets Al Horford and basically stays the same. A team that wins due to their effort which doesn't work in the playoffs. Atlanta: Gets Dwight Howard and gets a lot worse. This was an Eastern Conference that was a lot weaker, and if it was last year's Eastern Conference, Atlanta is likely a 33-49 team. This is not clamoring for Horford, but I'd really rather have a willing dive center, they don't even need to be a passer.

Again, Humphries is awful at everything lmao. I don't care that he had a "good" Cleveland series last spring, that was a good series out of left field. He's trash and will change jack diddly squat if he plays. This isn't a good matchup. It's a good matchup in theory for the frontcourt, but it sneakily isn't as big of a win as you'd think. Howard should win in the stats but he's going to lose big in what matters against Gortat and Morris always gets parked in the middle of Millsap's head. Unless Millsap sits down and shuts up, this is a Wiz sweep or in 5 in just as embarrassing fashion as Toronto from 2015.

Millsap allowed himself to be taken out of the game on his own in the 3rd by being frustrated over not getting calls and what Markieff was doing against him on the defensive end (remember, I didn't watch this game, this is what I'm getting from his own comments and what I saw on social media). The Hawks would lose the backcourt matchup even if Jeff was at PG anyway, likely by a lot. It is vital that Millsap shuts up about the referees right now. I'll say what I said again, but the stuff that he said only fuels Washington's players and if he continues to whine about it, like Lowry a couple years back, the Hawks are well on their way to a total embarrassment like that Toronto-Washington series.

Wall isn't as bad as he has been before on mid range jumpers. It and Gortat lobs are more desirable than the other options but someone in the media said you have to respect him in the mid range now and the Hawks need to trash their defensive gameplan completely.

I just looked. I see a lot of both Howard and Millsap looking old in those highlights.

Let me look at the highlights to be the breaker here in a few moments with this argument.

Giving it some thought, if there actually does happen to be a starting lineup change this time, it's going to likely be Howard being put on the bench and Ilyasova starting, which is going to be an absolute PR NIGHTMARE in Atlanta media. There are more issues than the half court defense but with me comparing some of Wall's strengths to Westbrook's in my head, it might make sense to at least try to do what the Hawks did against Westbrook after the first 3 quarters against him. Which was go small (Howard did not play one minute of the last 5 quarters in the 2 game OKC series) and switch everything. Westbrook dropped 40+ in the second game but it was effective as he was baited into more of one on one scoring. It might not work but might end up being worth a try. I'm not just talking about the defensive end, I'm talking about what was done on the offensive end, which with what I read on social media, Millsap was trying for the first half. Even if you don't go to the OKC gameplan on defense, Howard either has to fight for more offensive rebounds, or he has to have his minutes limited for the rest of the series.

It might just be speculation but it's a lot of two and two being put together of "why would Bud want a center like Howard with his system?" Word around the block is it might have been more Grant Hill's efforts than anyone.

Nate McMillan is a dumdum for reinserting Monta into his starting rotation.

Word on the street was this might not have been his choice.

That doesn't really clarify what I'm unsure about. I KNOW that sign and trades are possible, I am not sure you can do it and package a sign and trade player with other players.

Bruh...

Muscala is fairly weak inside if he has to deal with bigs but he actually does what a big man is supposed to do in the modern PNR.

You can't perform a THJ sign and trade and package him with other players, at least I think you can't. Your only choice is basically to combine Dennis/Taurean and multiple picks, and see if Chicago bites on Butler. That's dangerous to do though. You try to do that, then come up with more than just Butler, Howard, and maybe a resigned Millsap on the team.

Dennis had about 4 or 5 very stupid defensive plays and at least one play in which he simply just got out physicaled and is why I've said he can't guard big guards. He can't guard big guards, he can't guard off ball guards, he can guard guards that play finesse when motivated. The bigger problem was in transition.

I cannot deemphasize how important it is that: 1. Dennis play his own game and not get worried about Wall likely outplaying him (from what I gather, he didn't worry about it for at least the first game). 2. Paul Millsap to not get frustrated about how the refs are calling things on him and let himself be taken out of the game. I cannot emphasize #2 enough here. That's how you get series like Washington vs Toronto from 2015. It's been a while since I've watched major stretches of gameplay from those games, but from what I remember, guys like Kyle Lowry allowed bad referee calls to take themselves out of impacting the game positively. Thus, that series ended up being a huge embarrassment for Toronto and it caused them to make significant changes over the offseason.

That'd be interesting to look at. Most of his best moments on offense came in pushing the pace and off of the ball where he doesn't have to create his own shot.

In general, with the PGs in this draft that I know about from college, you get a general idea with all of them: Markelle Fultz: I haven't seen much of him, but I know that he is a special all around talent. He has the tools to be a good defensive player in the future and is already good offensively. Can be baited into 1v1 on offense and while he's already good offensively, he still needs to develop some more moves. Lonzo Ball: Savvy passer and excellent at pushing the tempo. Very questionable defensively, also very questionable with his own offense. Can he get around defenders that have more lateral speed in the NBA? De'Aaron Fox: Very aggressive score first PG that was the guy that fueled Kentucky last year. Already a very good defender, too. He can pass, but he's an aggressive score first PG that has quite a bit of love for the game. Dennis Smith Jr: I didn't see much of him, but from what I do know, he's also an aggressive score first PG. He can do both, but he's more of a scorer.