Official 2019 Draft thread

[kg01]

7 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

LOL....I figured as much with the Avatar.  I'm a little biased because I have a connection with the kid (I wouldn't say I'm personally close with him but one of his mentors is one of my close friends). 

Anyway, as a player, he has a ton of potential, imo.  He has good length - blocks a lot of shots - can rebound, pass, and dribble.  UGA had no PG on the team this year so a lot of the plays ran through Nic which show his ball handling potential.  He has a limited jump shot but he's shown enough to think he has the potential to be a competent stretch 5.  

For me, he'd be a defensive big that can protect the rim first.  His offense would be secondary but would come over time.  He's raw.  Needed another year in school but decided to take a chance with a weak draft.  

Thanks.  How would you compare him to Gafford?  I see Gafford as decidedly further along and could be had in round 2.  He's older but his game is more defined on both ends than Claxton, IIUC.

[kg01]

College guy Jon Rothstein on NBARadio this morning.  Asked about Bol.  Said his issues are stamina and defense ("I can't see who he's gonna guard at the NBA level.")

Sleeper/steal: Ty Jerome.  Said he should be a lottery pick (that's a lil' skrong).

[Thomas]

25 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

LOL....I figured as much with the Avatar.  I'm a little biased because I have a connection with the kid (I wouldn't say I'm personally close with him but one of his mentors is one of my close friends). 

Anyway, as a player, he has a ton of potential, imo.  He has good length - blocks a lot of shots - can rebound, pass, and dribble.  UGA had no PG on the team this year so a lot of the plays ran through Nic which show his ball handling potential.  He has a limited jump shot but he's shown enough to think he has the potential to be a competent stretch 5.  

For me, he'd be a defensive big that can protect the rim first.  His offense would be secondary but would come over time.  He's raw.  Needed another year in school but decided to take a chance with a weak draft.  

Thought he was at least tied for the best passer on the team when watching games. Has a good feel for it. Of course that says something about my Dawgs point guards level of passing skills over all too. Believe he would be a good investment but just not paying off much for a couple of years.

[Spud2nique]

34 minutes ago, kg01 said:

One-a y'all explain this dude to me.  When I saw him play he just looked like a 'guy'.  I tried watching more but I have red/black color blindness. 

These are profound statements.  I'll read the tea leaves and say

(a) we're probably going to pass on someone the eggsperts think we should take,

(b) although Heurter is a part of the core, we could still take a 2 and

(c) for some reason, in news which may shock and dismay some (lookin at you @Spud2nique), I think that uncoachable statement refers to my guy Goga the Destroyer .  He just seemed to know too much in his interviews, gave me a 'know-it-all'y vibe.  Haha, somebody revive spud2.  Hey, I could be wrong.  I'd still take him.

Claxton looks like a poor man’s Mikki Moore. Easy pass for me.

(c) Goga the gigolo?  

 

[Spud2nique]

5 minutes ago, kg01 said:

College guy Jon Rothstein on NBARadio this morning.  Asked about Bol.  Said his issues are stamina and defense ("I can't see who he's gonna guard at the NBA level.")

Sleeper/steal: Ty Jerome.  Said he should be a lottery pick (that's a lil' skrong).

Ty Jerome has Schlenk’s stank all over him. Seems like a kid that gets picked last on the playground @JayBirdHawk But really shows out when they are picked. 

3....

 

2..

  

[NBASupes]

Hidden Elite areas for prospects draftable to the Hawks:

Culver- ankle flexibility and the ability to attack skinny. Can really make late rotations pay when he can attack so skinny.

Subtle off the ball movement speed. Reggie Miller like. To me his best overall trait as I can see it translating. If he had a quick release and could shoot, he would be deadly.

Culver athletic without the ball is very fast and has good jumping ability when explosiveness is not involved and has time to gather. This does help nominal moments moreso than key but still helps.

Reddish: 

Elite in space player. He is elite in space like Ben Simmons is elite in the open court. His abilities and tools and smoothness plays well in space. 

Elite stride speed. His stride is elite. This matters a lot for transition play on both ends.

Feel for space. This is an underrated elite trait that Klay Thompson and Iso Joe Johnson had. Open or in the half court. He has an elite feel for space.

Elite off balance attacker, he can attack an off balance defender with ease. 

Elite hand speed, his hand speed is elite on both ends. This is good for steals, difficult layups,  playing the passing lane, shooting rotation quickness, wrist actions 

Hunter

Defending covering a lot of ground- You will hear ppl talk about Hunter lateral quickness isn't special, blah blah but he covers a shit ton of ground. 7'2 wingspan at 230 with great spatial and BBIQ, he covers so much ground with his strides that he will be an effective defender regardless 

In general, he covers a lot of ground. 

Ability to see things three to four steps before it happens- His ability to play within and out while Al Horfording and not Josh Smithing is elite.

Movement, he moves extremely well for his size, kind of reminds me of P.J. Tucker but Hunter is actually skilled.

Tremendous bend with strength, he bumps you off your spot as good as Kawhi bumps you to his. He doesn't have the skill of Leonard on O to do it on that end but he does it defensively and he is a nightmare for matchups as he can guard 1-4 like a P.J. Tucker.

Little's elite strengths aren't so hidden. Which is why he isn't a system based player.

Hayes 

Elite spatial athletic ability. Runs in space like a NFL route runner. Excellent bend and cuts on breaks and just is a nightmare athletically to deal with.

Feel for space. He has an elite feel for space. Tyson Chandler was another who did. I felt Robin Lopez always felt space well maybe not at an elite level.

Movement explosiveness. Not the most explosive prospect but his movement explosiveness is very impressive. I think it's why his rebounding looks blah but his finishing is WOW! He is as good as any big I've ever seen in movement to the basketball with a pop!

Bruno -

Passing with pressure from the post.

Sekou -

Footwork

Agility on the perimeter and in traffic

Speed with motor. This is why he always gets the Siakam comparisons. This is where they mirror each other.

I do write up for the others in the evening.

 

[Spud2nique]

Before I wanted Cam more than Culver. But when I look at the complete games of each, I’m wanting Culver now over Cam but it’s still super close.

Culver just seems like a special kid and one that might end up the jewel of this draft when we look back at it.

[NBASupes]

7 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Before I wanted Cam more than Culver. But when I look at the complete games of each, I’m wanting Culver now over Cam but it’s still super close.

Culver just seems like a special kid and one that might end up the jewel of this draft when we look back at it.

I still don't want Culver. Especially at the price tag listed. 

[kg01]

26 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Claxton looks like a poor man’s Mikki Moore. Easy pass for me.

(c) Goga the gigolo?  

 

Mikki Moore?  Ew.

[Spud2nique]

1 minute ago, NBASupes said:

I still don't want Culver. Especially at the price tag listed. 

I don’t know man he’s got it all and the one thing I constantly come back to is that the dude lives in the gym. We have a player that also lives in the gym in Trae. 

Trae+Culver Supes...it’s growing on me..

[Spud2nique]

3 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

I still don't want Culver. Especially at the price tag listed. 

Also, to me, if you have a certain guy in mind, the price tag 🏷 should not be a concern. Like if we walking around Bev Hills Rodeo Dr. and my lady wants a Gucci bag , if it’s stylin, she gettin that Gooch.

4 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Mikki Moore?  Ew.

Exactly.

[NBASupes]

1 minute ago, Spud2nique said:

Also, to me, if you have a certain guy in mind, the price tag 🏷 should not be a concern. Like if we walking around Bev Hills Rodeo Dr. and my lady wants a Gucci bag , if it’s stylin, she gettin that Gooch.

Exactly.

He is an extremely high risk at this price tag. I would hate Travis for this and I know the kid won't live up to it.

[Spud2nique]

1 minute ago, NBASupes said:

He is an extremely high risk at this price tag. I would hate Travis for this and I know the kid won't live up to it.

He won’t live up to it as in he will be a starter or a compete bust? The latter seems almost impossible to me.

[kg01]

3 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

He is an extremely high risk at this price tag. I would hate Travis for this and I know the kid won't live up to it.

KSupes, this is an emergency.  Say it ain't so ....

This smells fake as heyul, honestly.

[AHF]

3 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Also, to me, if you have a certain guy in mind, the price tag 🏷 should not be a concern. Like if we walking around Bev Hills Rodeo Dr. and my lady wants a Gucci bag , if it’s stylin, she gettin that Gooch.

Exactly.

It is also a price discussion unless you are talking about someone like Jordan or Kareem or Duncan or LeBron, etc. early in their career who is clearly a generational player.  Even then, I'd be wary of a deal like the Nets made with Boston or LA made with NO, particularly if not in a market where you can expect hot free agent interest.  What that price is depends on the rest of the draft board, though.  Giving up 6 picks for Giannis could be well worth it but might not be.  Depends who is out there.  If your alternative is our last draft with 4 first round picks then, yeah, deal them all for Giannis and consider it a bargain!  If your alternative is the ability to draft Kawhi Leonard and Steve Nash then you pass.

[Spud2nique]

1 minute ago, kg01 said:

KSupes, this is an emergency.  Say it ain't so ....

This smells fake as heyul, honestly.

Does DS5 know you used his stuff?  

[thecampster]

4 minutes ago, kg01 said:

KSupes, this is an emergency.  Say it ain't so ....

This smells fake as heyul, honestly.

Nope they need cap relief.

[Spud2nique]

1 minute ago, AHF said:

It is also a price discussion unless you are talking about someone like Jordan or Kareem or Duncan or LeBron, etc. early in their career who is clearly a generational player.  Even then, I'd be wary of a deal like the Nets made with Boston or LA made with NO, particularly if not in a market where you can expect hot free agent interest.  What that price is depends on the rest of the draft board, though.  Giving up 6 picks for Giannis could be well worth it but might not be.  Depends who is out there.  If your alternative is our last draft with 4 first round picks then, yeah, deal them all for Giannis and consider it a bargain!  If your alternative is the ability to draft Kawhi Leonard and Steve Nash then you pass.

True. Good points. I would say this price tag of giving 10 and 17 to slide up and take Culver, if that indeed is Schlenk’s guy, isn’t too steep of a price. 

To your point though, I totally agree that the decision also lies in what you can get out of the rest of the draft. i.e. Giannis being the prize unless there’s a Kawhi. In our situation, I guess we have to have whether we want Culver enough to pay a little more.

[AHF]

1 minute ago, Spud2nique said:

True. Good points. I would say this price tag of giving 10 and 17 to slide up and take Culver, if that indeed is Schlenk’s guy, isn’t too steep of a price. 

To your point though, I totally agree that the decision also lies in what you can get out of the rest of the draft. i.e. Giannis being the prize unless there’s a Kawhi. In our situation, I guess we have to have whether we want Culver enough to pay a little more.

I don't disagree with you.  10 and 17 to get "Schlenk's guy" is fine with me.  Even better if we then end up with both Culver and one of Hunter or Reddish since I have my doubts about both Culver and Huerter's ability to defend SFs.

[NBASupes]

8 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

He won’t live up to it as in he will be a starter or a compete bust? The latter seems almost impossible to me.

If you want my truth, here it is. Hawks got one job to do. Get Cam Reddish. If they want to trade 10/17/35 and take on contracts for Culver or Hunter, IDGAF. Just when #8 is here and I see Cam with the Hawks and with them in preseason. I will then look at this as, okay, we just like this player a ton and didn't want to miss on him. I am fine with that but don't f*** this up. Last year, we were lucky. Traded a generational player luckily for another. This year, you got one job. Land Cam. After that, do what you like.