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The fact that I don’t even remember the guy and you remember how I felt about him….I don’t even know how to process that. Like, I am sure you are right, but why you would know or remember that is beyond me. Can you help me recall who my 4th grade teacher was? Lol
I have a weird selective memory lol like I can remember Shamit Dua hating the Lakers trade and not being a fan of BI at all when we first got him. Also I remember Ryan Schwan rap verse and you guys hoping we trade for Eric Bledsoe when Boogie was at his wedding lol
Now, I KNOW I never loved Knox. I have had some great draft hits, and some bad misses (loved Kris Dunn and didnt like Jaylen Brown at all). I have gotten better in recent years and it has because I have realized the second contract is the issue. It places a timeline on the pick and the guy has to hit big or be gone, and because of that you gotta look for guys who can impact the games in multiple ways. A guy who is versatile on both sides in the ways he can impact a game, has high character, and real room to grow in a specific way. You cant take a guy like AJ Griffin who only impacts the game in one way currently and just hope everything grows. You take a guy like Daniels who has the size, the in between game, can grab 18 rebs in a game, can meet guys at the rim, can switch multiple positions, can be a good secondary playmaker, and just needs to make his shot more conisitant to unlock everything and be the NBA's version of a 5 tool player
I'm set on Daniels, too. But Mathurin would be great, too, in a different way. If both are there at #8, that would mean someone like AJ Griffin, Sochan, or Duren jumped up to the top 7. Interesting scenario.
Side note -- could Malaki Brahnam be a super-riser and be the surprise pick at #8 ? He checks all the boxes, like a more athletic, better-shooting NAW.
A difference is that Branham is an awesome finisher. Great percentages everywhere. I don't think he's shown the same passing flashes that made NAW interesting, but in terms of dribble game and size, pretty similar and he is as good a shooter and at-rim finisher as anyone in this class. I think he can also be a killer in the midrange.
Last edited by Biasvasospasm; 05-29-2022 at 12:41 PM.
don't be. you would be getting an athletic scorer who can shoot instead of someone who is isn't. while defenders are nice, the name of the nba game is scoring
So it sounds like they aren’t getting much traction in trade up convos and that they are starting to lock in on guys at 8 and based on their intel on who is most likely to go top 7, Daniels, Mathurin, and AJ Griffin are the main three they are looking at if they stay at 8. Yes, Griffin. Some in the FO really like him.
Also open to slight trade downs where they could get one of those guys or Dieng or Branham, who they also like a lot. Anyway, that is the latest about three and a half weeks out. Curious how Griffin is performing in private workouts because several teams in the league really like him apparently.
Personally, I got 7 guys I would be really excited about. Of course, the Pels pick 8th. Daniels should be right there with those other consensus top 6. Just gotta hope someone else loves Duren or Griffin or Mathurin.
If my top 7 are gone, I would have trade downs lined up. And if those 7 are gone, I think I would have several buyers looking to move up for the top big as 9, 10, 11, and 13 all would have a need at center.
While I'm not personally enamored with Griffin, I don't really understand the amount of vitriol being directed his way. Yes, he'd be drafted more on potential than what he's shown so far, but no one seems to mind that with Sharpe or some other prospects.
As for Mathurin, I've come down off of him a good bit the more I watch him. His defense is really meh, and sometimes just plain bad. I've noticed that he also has a tendancy to put his teamates in a bad spot to avoid looking bad himself. I mean nothing major, but just little nit picks that irritate me when I watch a lot of college athletes raised on aau ball (or whatever passes for aau up in Canada).
Last edited by Freyfamilyreuni; 05-31-2022 at 10:58 AM.
The issue with Griffin, for me, is when his shot isn’t falling (or he is taking shots), what else is he doing? Defense, both on and off, is a negative. Doesn’t get to the line. Won’t rebound or get assists.
Preferring X guy over Y guy is not showering Y guy with vitriol. We talk about Griffin vs guys in the 15-20 range and the talk about him would be positive. It’s like if you debated Jabari Smith vs Tari Eason. You wouldn’t be hating on Eason. One guy is just better than the other. Same goes for Griffin when discussing prospects in the 6-10 range IMO
Not a popular opinion, but I would be totally fine with Griffin. He's a ridiculous shooter with a versatile jumpshot and unreal touch, and he has great size and strength for a wing. Unlike Mathurin, he has enough of a handle that there is on-ball creator upside. He has defensive possessions which are cover-your-eyes bad, but recently in the lottery it has been very hard to predict who becomes a good defender. Guys like RJ Barrett, Ben Simmons, and Jaylen Brown were really not good in college but have adapted just fine to the NBA defensively. Conversely, guys like De'Aron Fox, Donovan Mitchell, and Zion who were impactful defenders in college have been poor defenders at best in the NBA. It's not a get out of jail free card and you can't disregard his awful defensive movement skills, but he is so good as a shooter and has enough strength and handle a possibility exists for star upside and that's worth taking at 8. I'd be okay with Branham at 8 for the same reasons.
Less okay with Duren. Haven't watched all that much Memphis, but an undersized unskilled player who can really only play 5 doesn't seem like a great use of resources this high in the draft. If Pels draft him, I'll be hoping he's Bam but am extremely skeptical.
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