2021 NBA Draft Discussion

[Pelicanidae]

�� New Orleans

— Vrenz Bleijenbergh (@Vrenzzz) July 15, 2021

Vrenz got a workout for New Orleans.

He's a mixed prospect, I definitely wouldn't take him top 20, but if he's hanging around in the 2nd round he wouldn't be a bad pickup. 6'11 with some ball skills, needs to improve his finishing but projects well as a shooter despite poor FT efficiency (shot 38% from deep on 7 attempts per 36 this year). Healthy steal and block percentages and while he's not quite the 6'11 Point Guard he claims in his Twitter bio, he does have the ability to put the ball on the floor a little and pass. Super skinny, needs to add like 30lbs, and has defensive issues as a big because of it, but there are some things there. If we end up keeping the 40th pick or whatever I'd take him, barring anyone better sliding hard.

[Silverfoxx]

�� New Orleans

— Vrenz Bleijenbergh (@Vrenzzz) July 15, 2021

Vrenz got a workout for New Orleans.

He's a mixed prospect, I definitely wouldn't take him top 20, but if he's hanging around in the 2nd round he wouldn't be a bad pickup. 6'11 with some ball skills, needs to improve his finishing but projects well as a shooter despite poor FT efficiency (shot 38% from deep on 7 attempts per 36 this year). Healthy steal and block percentages and while he's not quite the 6'11 Point Guard he claims in his Twitter bio, he does have the ability to put the ball on the floor a little and pass. Super skinny, needs to add like 30lbs, and has defensive issues as a big because of it, but there are some things there. If we end up keeping the 40th pick or whatever I'd take him, barring anyone better sliding hard.

I'm actually zeroing in on JT Thor and Deuce McBride. I would trade back and try to aquire both, but if not, I'm actually one of the few that would actually take JT Thor with our 10 pick. Can see him going in the teens and would not want to miss out on his potential.

[fullcourtpress]

id be stoked with this haul

MOSES MOODY
ROCKO PRACKIN
TREY MURPHY
AUSTIN REAVes

[hornetzplaya]

My opinion, we're only drafting 2 players this draft. Maybe a third but that would be a draft & stash guy.

[Eman5805]

Unless we find a guy with special talent and skill that went unidentified, no one we take will see the court. Unless a lot of bad things happen.

[As I See It]

Unless we find a guy with special talent and skill that went unidentified, no one we take will see the court. Unless a lot of bad things happen.

There are a lot of holes on our roster (well documented even in this thread). Corey Kispert would play right away, and play a lot. This said, I prefer to trade the pick for a big veteran defender (we saw how the defense improved a bit when the team traded for James Johnson last year). Zion and Ingram's 'swiss cheese' defense will continue to hold this team back for awhile.

[MichaelMcNamara]

I cant see a world where any rookie starts the year in our rotation. Actually, maybe one world - if we make a 3 or 4 for 1 type of swap, then maybe a rookie is our 7th or 8th man
But as is, with expected moves, I cant see a rookie starting the year in our top 9

[Pelicanidae]

id be stoked with this haul

MOSES MOODY
ROCKO PRACKIN
TREY MURPHY
AUSTIN REAVes

Fully endorsing the spelling of Roko Prkačin's name as ''ROCKO PRACKIN''

[donato]

Lolol

[fullcourtpress]

If we use the pick at 10, he should be in the rotation

kispert
moody
booknight
franz wegner

would all be in the rotation. there are several that wouldnt, but those would be playing imo

[fullcourtpress]

heck we had two rookies in the rotation last year. and kira's spot surely isn't solidified

[tdcreator]

I watched a couple interviews and really want Zaire Williams and Trey Murphy so I want a trade down.

[Pelicanidae]

Side note: Jared Butler was officially medically cleared by the NBA to be drafted, which is big for him. It wasn't disclosed exactly why he was referred to the medical panel, and it's been a tightly kept secret for years, but it's long been known he has some medical issue. You can find out what it is if you dig hard enough, but I can't remember it right now and can't be bothered to do the research.

In any case, he's a top 20 pick imo. The best handle in the class, bar none; super advanced and developed with lots of versatility and efficacy. Good shooting prospect: shot 41% on 6 per game this year, shot 39% on nearly 7 a game last year. Career 78% FT shooter, albeit it mediocre volume from the stripe. He's never going to be a lockdown defender in the NBA but he's improved consistently over his three years in college and was legitimately good this last year for Baylor. Playmaking has developed considerably over the years and while I don't think he's the starting lead ball-handler on an elite team, he can play off ball pretty well and I would have no issue with him leading a team off the bench or having him play alongside another, taller ballhandler. Sitting him next to someone like Luka would be pretty wild, for example.

Glad his health issues don't appear to be career ending.

[DroopyDawg]

Side note: Jared Butler was officially medically cleared by the NBA to be drafted, which is big for him. It wasn't disclosed exactly why he was referred to the medical panel, and it's been a tightly kept secret for years, but it's long been known he has some medical issue. You can find out what it is if you dig hard enough, but I can't remember it right now and can't be bothered to do the research.

In any case, he's a top 20 pick imo. The best handle in the class, bar none; super advanced and developed with lots of versatility and efficacy. Good shooting prospect: shot 41% on 6 per game this year, shot 39% on nearly 7 a game last year. Career 78% FT shooter, albeit it mediocre volume from the stripe. He's never going to be a lockdown defender in the NBA but he's improved consistently over his three years in college and was legitimately good this last year for Baylor. Playmaking has developed considerably over the years and while I don't think he's the starting lead ball-handler on an elite team, he can play off ball pretty well and I would have no issue with him leading a team off the bench or having him play alongside another, taller ballhandler. Sitting him next to someone like Luka would be pretty wild, for example.

Glad his health issues don't appear to be career ending.

Kid is impressive. His heart condition may scare some teams off even with the clearance, but I hope he gets his chance.

[tdcreator]

If we don’t get springer and he falls to the second round, I’d love to have him. He could be our 3rd PG after we get Lillard. ��

[Pelicanidae]

If we don’t get springer and he falls to the second round, I’d love to have him. He could be our 3rd PG after we get Lillard. ��

Springer should be a top 10 pick. If he falls to the second round it's going to be worse than when Maxey fell to the 20s last year. Criminal negligence.

[fullcourtpress]

Side note: Jared Butler was officially medically cleared by the NBA to be drafted, which is big for him. It wasn't disclosed exactly why he was referred to the medical panel, and it's been a tightly kept secret for years, but it's long been known he has some medical issue. You can find out what it is if you dig hard enough, but I can't remember it right now and can't be bothered to do the research.

In any case, he's a top 20 pick imo. The best handle in the class, bar none; super advanced and developed with lots of versatility and efficacy. Good shooting prospect: shot 41% on 6 per game this year, shot 39% on nearly 7 a game last year. Career 78% FT shooter, albeit it mediocre volume from the stripe. He's never going to be a lockdown defender in the NBA but he's improved consistently over his three years in college and was legitimately good this last year for Baylor. Playmaking has developed considerably over the years and while I don't think he's the starting lead ball-handler on an elite team, he can play off ball pretty well and I would have no issue with him leading a team off the bench or having him play alongside another, taller ballhandler. Sitting him next to someone like Luka would be pretty wild, for example.

Glad his health issues don't appear to be career ending.

he's kinda like a better Etuan Moore

[fullcourtpress]

RIP
to all the true centers out there

charles bassey and luka garza would have been freaggin lotto picks a decade or so ago

they shoulda tried to enter the league a few years back

[socbe7]

I cant see a world where any rookie starts the year in our rotation. Actually, maybe one world - if we make a 3 or 4 for 1 type of swap, then maybe a rookie is our 7th or 8th man
But as is, with expected moves, I cant see a rookie starting the year in our top 9

Jalen Suggs can start for this team. Scottie Barnes, Davion Mitchell and Chris Duarte (in that order) could be in our top 9 depending on the other moves made this offseason.

[socbe7]

Springer should be a top 10 pick. If he falls to the second round it's going to be worse than when Maxey fell to the 20s last year. Criminal negligence.

I don't see Springer as a top 20 player in this draft.

[Pelicanidae]

he's kinda like a better Etuan Moore

If E'twaun Moore was about 35 times better on-ball

[Pelicanidae]

I don't see Springer as a top 20 player in this draft.

Well, I disagree *shrug* He's very good.

[Pelicanidae]

I feel like my tiers at this point are something like this.

Tier 1
- Cade

Tier 2
- Mobley
- Green

Tier 3
- Suggs
- Springer
- Moody
- Giddey

Tier 4
- Sharife Cooper
- Jalen Johnson
- Scottie Barnes
- Roko Prkacin
- Franz Wagner
- Keon Johnson
- Jonathan Kuminga
- Usman Garuba
- Alperen Sengun

Tier 5
- Ziaire Williams
- JT Thor
- Corey Kispert
- Jared Butler
- James Bouknight
- Bones Hyland
- Kai Jones
- Deuce McBride
- Tre Mann
- Davion Mitchell
- Josh Christopher
- Isaiah Jackson
- Trey Murphy
- Chris Duarte

Something like that

[msusousaphone]

Jalen Suggs can start for this team. Scottie Barnes, Davion Mitchell and Chris Duarte (in that order) could be in our top 9 depending on the other moves made this offseason.

I took his post as accounting for future FA moves. We're bound to bring in a couple of guys. And I agree with MM. With our young talent already on our team and after we pull in a vet or two and hopefully usher Bled off someplace else....I just don't see a rookie breaking through. The size of our treasure trove of assets and the youth currently on our team cannot be overstated.

[MichaelMcNamara]

Lets say a mild offseason. You trade Bledsoe for someone like Taurean Prince. You keep Lonzo because nobody wants to give you picks in a S&T. Bring back Hart too because nobody is beating down his door. Sign someone like a Burks or a Bobby Portis with the MLE. Bring Willy back. Again, nothing major. But now you got:

NAW-Lonzo-Kira-Naji-Burks-Ingram-Hart-Zion-Prince-Adams-Hayes-Willy

Thats 12 guys. Havent included Didi, who our FO wants to see get some reps. Now, you take Moody or Wagner or even Kispert at 10, lets say. What 4 guys are they definietly playing over right away? We giving Hart DNP's? And Naji? Kira not gonna get minutes too?

The issue when people think of rookies is that they think of who they will be ONE DAY and then mistakenly put that projection into day 1 and think they could/should play above guys who arent great, but are better players right now. Barring 3-5 of those guys I listed not being on the roster and them not being replaced with anybody of value, we arent gonna have rookies in our regular rotation for at least the first half of the season. Not in a year where they are dead set on getting into the playoffs