JayBirdHawk

The Best of the NBA’s Next Generation Rankings The 25 best players in the NBA age 25 and under T-15. Trae Young Age: 25 | Top 100 ranking: 35 | Overall score: 32.8 25.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 51.6 eFG%, 54 GP Reason for hope: When it comes to the failures of the Trae Young era in Atlanta, there’s plenty of blame pie to go around—but the Hawks never surrounded Young with enough size or dynamism. Then, in a last-ditch effort to salvage things, they paired him with … another point guard?! Trae’s offense is legit: He’s a genius passer with an innate sense for manipulating defenses. He just needs to curb his worst impulses and find teammates who actually complement him. Reason for doubt: I may not be able to quit Young, but many of his former teammates and coaches have. Young’s insistence on playing his way—dominating the ball, jacking logo 3s, getting torched on defense—isn’t just grating to the people around him; there’s also little evidence that it can lead to winning basketball. Bold prediction: Young will be traded to the Lakers this offseason, form the NBA’s most potent alley-oop connection with Anthony Davis, and help LeBron reach one more NBA Finals with L.A. —Levy-Rubinett https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/5/22/24162049/best-nba-players-25-and-under-rankings

The Best of the NBA’s Next Generation Rankings The 25 best players in the NBA age 25 and under 21. Jalen Johnson Age: 22 | Top 100 ranking: 71 | Overall score: 30.3 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.8 blocks, 56.2 eFG%, 56 GP Reason for hope: Top 1 percent in terms of athleticism and feel for the power forward position. A plus motor. Human highlight reel. Flashed competence from distance this season, albeit at a pretty low volume. The former 20th pick looks more like the premier prospect he was coming out of high school, and a potential building block for the next phase in Atlanta. Reason for doubt: Johnson struggled to stay on the floor this season, missing 26 games due to injury. And he’s ultimately the kind of guy who needs to be set up by plus playmaking, as he lacks a true “bag” on offense: a problem, of course, that may be exacerbated if he’s minus one of the league’s truly best setup guys next season in Trae Young. Bold prediction: Johnson will lead the Hawks in scoring next season. Young’s ball dominance will likely be out the door, and even if Dejounte Murray stays, Quin Snyder will craft an attack centered around the franchise’s true centerpiece. —Wosny Lambre https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/5/22/24162049/best-nba-players-25-and-under-rankings

The Kings met with several players during last week’s NBA draft combine in Chicago, a league source told The Sacramento Bee, confirming a report from Fox 40’s Sean Cunningham. The list of players who met with Kings representatives included Alex Sarr, Donovan Clingan, Dalton Knecht, Ja’Kobe Walter, Cody Williams and Sacramento native Jared McCain. Source: The Sacramento Kings met with these top NBA prospects at draft combine in Chicago (yahoo.com)

DJ received 1 2nd place vote for DPOY!

This made me smile

I was too lazy to do it. lol.

from the future??? been awhile.

And what all the Squawk wants. We just disagree on how we get there - AND THAT'S OK! Doesn't need to be a pissing contest everyday to see who can hit the wall.

This, This, all this!!!!!

It's going go be interesting to see how Minny handles the Dallas 5 out.

Ok. But please don't assign someone else's specific thoughts to me, particularly when my initial response was specific to @REHawksFan in reference 'to people on here'.

Sigh . It's easy to find EXACTLY what I said.

Haven't seen many Post Combine Mocks from the usual suspects as yet: https://hoopshype.com/lists/2024-nba-draft-predictor-the-most-likely-pick-for-each-team/ https://collegesportswire.usatoday.com/lists/2024-nba-mock-draft-lottery-combine-college-basketball/

From the minute we moved up I said the following: ...I don't have the patience to look for older posts, but I like you said, no matter who we took in the draft, it does not preclude the FO from investing in the rest of the roster from an overall.depth and real NBA talent perspective. No one player drafted will vault the team into the top 4 next season.

After DJ resigned he then became ineligible to be traded for 6 months. But IIRC, talks still continued centered around Hunter, AJ and Kobe (he became eligible for trade 30 days after signing his rookie deal in early July to play SL), with Kobe being the sticking point from the rumored reports.

Kings pick is protected 1-12 in 2025, 1-10 in 2026.

Yep. And a reminder that Siakam talks started before the JC trade actually happened in June, then continued all thru the end of August when 'Hawks' said they were comfortable going into the season as is after adding big FA acquisition Wes Matthews and drafting Kobe.

I guess my question now is thinking back did the Hawks do the right thing by signing Murray to the pay cut vs just executing the trade they wanted for Siakam despite him and Murray not wanting the trade. Just food for thought.

Got it.