2018 Hawksquawk Dynasty Draft - Picks and Discussion

[lethalweapon3]

In the 4th Round, with the 40th Pick in the 2018 Hawksquawk Summer Dynasty Draft, the Lethal Tender selects:

No, see, Lauri Elias Markkanen (Power Forward, 7'0", 230 lbs., Age 21), in America, when we simply ask you to find a way to blend in, we mean with your Tender teammates. We don’t mean into the wall!

He’s among the many European prospects who watched from afar, as a child, while a seven-foot legend grew in stature by perfecting his outside jumper to become an offensive tour de force. Now, Lauri Markkanen comes ashore, and the man from Helsinki is already giving opponents hell sinking threes. And that’s not all.

Markkanen defied early expectations by out-ranking all the newest 2017 draftees with 7.5 rebounds per game (2^nd-overall among all rookies). He also tied for third among the 2017 draft class with 15.2 points per contest, more than anyone drafted ahead of him. Strengthening that scoring tally was an ample green-light from the three-point line, where Lauri Love shot a respectable 36.2 3FG%, including 41.1 percent during the rare times his underwhelming team won games last season.

As is often the case with most rookies, Lauri has to become a stronger finisher around the paint, as shooting 34.3 FG% between 3 and 10 feet from the rim won’t cut it long-term. Victor Oladipo and Joel Embiid will demand double-teams, so there will be times Markkanen will be open or lightly defended at the wing, and he must make sharp decisions on when to catch-and-shoot, and when to drive to the hoop.

Drawing fouls when choosing the latter will be advantageous with his solid 84.3 FT%, but Paul can help him expand his threat as a disher, too (a paltry 6.4 assist percent last season, albeit with some lousy passing options sharing the floor). His second-place finish in the All-Star Weekend’s Skills Challenge demonstrated the 21-year-old has more versatile skills yet to be fully-unearthed.

Markkanen also possesses the size to become a stronger on-ball defender in the paint. That will be needed to take pressure, and particularly the necessity of fouling, off Embiid. Alongside the right co-forward, defensive improvements can make the jump-shooting seven-footer useful as a backup “small” forward, or as a backup center in stretchy small-ball lineups.

He wasn’t supposed to be relied on much during his rookie campaign, but a spate of unfortunate events pushed Markkanen to the forefront. Now, even with a more reliable cast surrounding him in 2018-19, it will be hard to keep the Finnish forward off the center stage. Don't be such a wallflower, Lauri!

The floor now belongs to the Spud-dazzling @Spud2nique!

~lw3

[Buzzard]

32 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

In the 4th Round, with the 40th Pick in the 2018 Hawksquawk Summer Dynasty Draft, the Lethal Tender selects:

No, see, Lauri Elias Markkanen (Power Forward, 7'0", 230 lbs., Age 21), in America, when we simply ask you to find a way to blend in, we mean with your Tender teammates. We don’t mean into the wall!

Now that we’ve got some steady wi-fi around here, expect much more on The Finnisher in the coming days. He's the real Future of Awesome, comcast!

The floor now belongs to the Spud-dazzling @Spud2nique!

~lw3

Good pick and damn I am glad I took a 2nd big at 24. Eight picks from now there's going to be a lot of hoping for upside left.

[Spud2nique]

La Tanqueta...Big Spain ...and I just came up with this myself (pat on back) The Spanish Elvis of Memphis. Do they have a statue of him out there yet?

 

He’s the next best thing to BBQ dry rub ribs...yuuumm..combo that with this Grizzled vet of 10 years, all with Memphis showing he is and has been the face of the franchise for a decade now at FedExForum. Beyond stats, the guy does what it takes to win. He can score the ball inside and is a nice outside threat as well and getting better and better each year like a fine Spanish wine. Averages of 17 pts, 8 boards and 4 assists...oh on the assists, I’m not saying he’s as good as Arvydas by any means..(I’d lightly slap myself) but he’s very crafty.

 

He’s also a guy that can play until he’s 42. He’s transformed his body and lost a ton of weight and has maintained it, shows that he is consistently disciplined and we encourage that for our roster and humans all around the world. 

 

He even looks like a Grizzly bear a bit.

 

Pick #41 in the SDD, the Spud(whatever ur wine drinkers feelin word wise here)sters..

Ps Keep it clean for the kids...

 

Select:

MARC GASOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yPFZoWMIos

 

((^EDIT: changed YouTube to a link since its shows and references an undrafted player. ~lw3))

 

[Spud2nique]

@HopefulHawksFan is up next!

[Buzzard]

8 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

La Tanqueta...Big Spain ...and I just came up with this myself (pat on back) The Spanish Elvis of Memphis. Do they have a statue of him out there yet?

 

He’s the next best thing to BBQ dry rub ribs...yuuumm..combo that with this Grizzled vet of 10 years, all with Memphis showing he is and has been the face of the franchise for a decade now at FedExForum. Beyond stats, the guy does what it takes to win. He can score the ball inside and is a nice outside threat as well and getting better and better each year like a fine Spanish wine. Averages of 17 pts, 8 boards and 4 assists...oh on the assists, I’m not saying he’s as good as Arvydas by any means..(I’d lightly slap myself) but he’s very crafty.

 

He’s also a guy that can play until he’s 42. He’s transformed his body and lost a ton of weight and has maintained it, shows that he is consistently disciplined and we encourage that for our roster and humans all around the world. 

 

He even looks like a Grizzly bear a bit.

 

Pick #41 in the SDD, the Spud(whatever ur wine drinkers feelin word wise here)sters..

Ps Keep it clean for the kids...

 

Select:

MARC GASOL

 

 

There is a lot of quality bigs in the NBA. Great Pick @Spud2nique

[Buzzard]

Hopeful was here earlier and I sent a courtesy PM a couple of hours ago, By my count, 3:00 pm is the deadline, then it will be @AHF

[lethalweapon3]

My memory's like a goldfish's, but going 40-plus picks from the start without a missed one has to be a record.

~lw3

[Buzzard]

Hopeful was here three hours ago. I sent another courtesy PM about 15 minutes ago.

[AHF]

Am I on now?  In between errands

[Buzzard]

1 minute ago, AHF said:

Am I on now?  In between errands

Yes, officially at 3:00 pm

[AHF]

18 minutes ago, Buzzard said:

Yes, officially at 3:00 pm

The I’ll do writeup later but continuing my age 28 trend and taking:

Demar Derozan

@capstone21 and @HopefulHawksFan are on the clock

[Buzzard]

Just now, AHF said:

The I’ll do writeup later but continuing my age 28 trend and taking:

Demar Derozan

@capstone21 and @HopefulHawksFan are on the clock

You got another star and very late in the draft. I would have taken him if he'd a dropped to me just on general principle alone.

[capstone21]

57 minutes ago, Buzzard said:

You got another star and very late in the draft. I would have taken him if he'd a dropped to me just on general principle alone.

Me too ... he should have gone before this ... nice steal

[Buzzard]

Just now, capstone21 said:

Me too ... he should have gone before this ... nice steal

No doubt. I would have duplicated SG's in a heartbeat and tried to swing a trade later if possible. If no trade, let coach figure it out. Having Beal and DeRozan would be a nice problem to have.

[capstone21]

Captone’s Crew selects:

DeAndre Jordan 7’0 center

Jordan answers the Crews biggest pressing needs...rebounding (15 rpg) and rim protection.  This mobile center is going to love receiving lobs from Wall as he dashes down the court.  One of the best defensive centers in the league ... we now have great interior and perimeter defense.  Good luck trying to score against this team!

[capstone21]

@TheNorthCydeRises is up

[Buzzard]

1 minute ago, capstone21 said:

Captone’s Crew selects:

DeAndre Jordan 7’0 center

Jordan answers the Crews biggest pressing needs...rebounding (15 rpg) and rim protection.  This mobile center is going to love receiving lobs from Wall as he dashes down the court.  One of the best defensive centers in the league ... we now have great interior and perimeter defense.  Good luck trying to score against this team!

Great Pick! 12 Team drafts are so deep. I think the players going right now are off the charts. You could make up a mini super team from the 4th and 5th round alone.

[Buzzard]

Due to the trade It is @pimp and still on the clock @HopefulHawksFan

[pimp]

With the next pick in the draft, the Atlanta Air Force selects Kevin Love



17.6 ppg - 9.3 rpg  .458 fg% - .415 3pt %
With Lebron gone from Cleveland, Kevin will be a #1 option again, and might start back 
putting up those beastly numbers that use too in Minny.

He will fit nicely on my team next to Drummond because of his 3pt shooting.  41%
With Love and Drummond, teams wont be getting very many second chance points ,as they are 2 of the best rebounders at their positions.

G.  Kyrie Irving
F. Kawhi Leonard
PF. Kevin Love
C. Andre Drummond

[pimp]

@JayBirdHawk should be next.