I’m not overly excited about this draft because I have no confidence that JJ will have the patience to allow whoever we pick the grace to play through their mistakes.
Unless its one of the NBA ready guys. Veesaar is both a horizontal and vertical spacer. He's probably about average in terms of rim protection, like Hayes though. Down the line, he could survive with Luka in the starting lineup like KAT to Brunsen. Might have to swap out Reaves and Lebron for 3 and D in the next couple seasons. We shoudl get that a-list big to hold us over in the mean time though. Or Vessaar gets included in a trade for said big.
I’d be disappointed if we make the pick and don’t trade it. We go from having 3 picks to 2. I’m not sure any of the guys at 25 are difference makers, maybe they can develop into something but I’m not so optimistic on that front.
i agree it's more valuable in trade, but this isn't like the jhs year, where i REALLY wanted to move out or down (and i think the FO did, too). there should be at least one guy whom i'd be excited about at 25. but yeah, if we make the pick it might be a fallback. i just hope we have a parachute strategy if our targets are gone and we can't trade the pick.
Yeah I don't want to use the pick too. #25 is near 2nd round, I prefer to use the pick as an asset and take a couple fliers in the 2nd round. I think NOLA should be very interested in a 1st. Them, Houston, Phoenix, Portland, Orlando and Indiana are the teams without a FRP. They are the ones who need one the most. Other teams are in a latter stage of their built, but Phoenix may be interested too. Portland may want to have some cost controlled assets as their Avdija, Clingan and Camara core starts to shape I'd like to turn the #25 into a top7 rotation player (at Rui talent level right away). Worst case scenario I'd probably trade it just for Missi. It would be like picking Missi with the #25 but getting a kid you know more about and can play sooner as he had already some NBA burn. Ideally we get more from it
mike is generally right on, and i agree that i love jefferson and think he's sort of a can't miss nba player. like i'll be shocked if he just washes out. he's not at all the archetype i or most of us have been pining for, but he can just play. makes a lot of sense if we have to lose rui in FA, too, as he's similarly sized. not the shooter rui is, but much higher hoop iq, great passer. not exciting in terms of upside or fit, but after some big whiffs in the first round... edit: mike also further sold me on reed, and sold me on thornton, whom i hadn't seen at all but he likes for the reasons i mentioned sharpe. interestingly, the ringer has those two ranked 40 and 41.
