Originally Posted by
Pelicanidae
For me, it depends who we pick with our first pick. If we're assuming that we're packaging our 2nd rounders together to move up to say, the 27th spot, and we therefore have something like #13 and #27, that is.
So let's say that we have #13 and #27 for the sake of argument. There are so many moving parts. For example, if we're planning on keeping Redick, Moore, Frank, etc, then I don't really care to draft another guard. But if we're considering letting Frank and Moore go, then all of a sudden a guard prospect becomes much more intriguing.
At the same time, we have a terminal lack of depth at the wing, which might be the most important area in the NBA right now. And, as you point out, with Jax being a year or two away and the question marks surrounding Favors (does he come back, if he does how much is he going to cost, how long is the deal, etc) we might well be in need of a big too.
So, all of that is just preamble for me to say: my targets for this team in the late first round, maybe at something like #27, depend on who we pick with our main pick at #13 or so. If we need a guard because we're letting all our surplus guys go, I would want Grant Riller, if he's still on the board. He's not perfect and he's a little older, but he can play on or off the ball, he's an acceptable passer, a good shooter, and he is an elite driver which would give us a good option to put opposite Lonzo, who is an elite passer and an improving shooter but who can't drive with any consistency.
If we need a wing/forward, I would be looking at Leandro Bolmaro, but there's also an argument for Aaron Nesmith or even reaching on someone like Desmond Bane. Obviously we're assuming that, at the end of the first round, targets like Okoro are long gone.
For a big, there are plenty of good options. If Killian Tillie is still on the board, he'd be someone that I would assume would provide almost surefire value straight off the bat as a rookie, but he's probably never going to be a star and he's had injury issues at college so I could also understand why some would be hesitant. If you want to try and just swing for hidden-gem-upside, then if Aleksej Pokusevski is still on the board then he could be a good shout, but a few people have been moving him up their boards recently so maybe not. Xavier Tillman might be on the board still then, if he falls a little, and he's kind of a Favors-esque player but would obviously be considerably cheaper and younger, so that's for consideration too.
Obviously if we ended up picking Okoro at #13, then I'd be less concerned about picking a wing/forward at #27 and would prefer to pick up a big or something, but if (and this will not happen) Okongwu somehow falls to #13, then I'd want to grab him there and maybe swing for Bolmaro in the late first. It all depends on what we do with our own pick, but there are definitely interesting options out there.