2020 NBA Draft

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

170 college 3's and shot 42% from the newly extended line.

He also was 19/42 from NBA range (45%) this past season.

Repeatability of mechanics doesn't always mean it esthetically looks perfect but if you ignore the load of his shot and focus on his base, his forward momentum through his jump, off hand off the ball and a high release / follow through, it all looks good to me. Also looks like a shot he's going to easily be able to get off against a contest.

Don't fall victim to the esthetic of him loading behind his head. This is a really nice sequence at initiation and release. Don't be distracted by the middle part.

He doesn't seem to be on the Cavs radar so far though

 

[I'mWithDan]

He doesn't seem to be on the Cavs radar so far though

Yeah, tough to say. I think the Cavs have done a good job playing their cards pretty close to the vest thus far.

When I look at prospects, I tend to just look at them as a more objective 3rd party though. I tend to not think only about the Cavs but there are obviously certain players I like more than others and I hope those are the guys the Cavs also pursue. But if they don't, that is fine.

One really interesting aspect of this draft will be the elapsed time and how that will actually help weed out some guys who just aren't workers. I have a few friends in league circles and I think the person helping themselves the most, from what I can tell, is Wiseman. Big men inherently need to "learn" to work and I have heard a few friends raving about his training reports. I'm really curious to see what happens on the clock for GSW. I suspect if Edwards goes #1, that GSW is going to get a lot of calls on Wiseman. At least, that is what I understand to be true relative to some smart people being pretty enamored with his pre-draft work.

 

[Cavatt]

Yeah, tough to say. I think the Cavs have done a good job playing their cards pretty close to the vest thus far.

When I look at prospects, I tend to just look at them as a more objective 3rd party though. I tend to not think only about the Cavs but there are obviously certain players I like more than others and I hope those are the guys the Cavs also pursue. But if they don't, that is fine.

One really interesting aspect of this draft will be the elapsed time and how that will actually help weed out some guys who just aren't workers. I have a few friends in league circles and I think the person helping themselves the most, from what I can tell, is Wiseman. Big men inherently need to "learn" to work and I have heard a few friends raving about his training reports. I'm really curious to see what happens on the clock for GSW. I suspect if Edwards goes #1, that GSW is going to get a lot of calls on Wiseman. At least, that is what I understand to be true relative to some smart people being pretty enamored with his pre-draft work.

You said that about Edwards before that people were in love with his work ethic. He has been talked about the least. Do you still think that?

 

[I'mWithDan]

You said that about Edwards before that people were in love with his work ethic. He has been talked about the least. Do you still think that?

Edwards has been exceptionally quiet through this process. I don't know if that was by design or not. Possible he is just head down working, as his only recent public basketball related post was him just looking trimmed down and absolutely shredded in a gym.

I'm more on the fence with Edwards but I have friends who are in scouting circles who still just love him. Warriors have been a leaky faucet during this leadup, so it is tough to tell what it is they are trying to accomplish.....but the handful of people I still text with say that they think the Warriors will take Edwards.

 

[Cavatt]

Edwards has been exceptionally quiet through this process. I don't know if that was by design or not. Possible he is just head down working, as his only recent public basketball related post was him just looking trimmed down and absolutely shredded in a gym.

I'm more on the fence with Edwards but I have friends who are in scouting circles who still just love him. Warriors have been a leaky faucet during this leadup, so it is tough to tell what it is they are trying to accomplish.....but the handful of people I still text with say that they think the Warriors will take Edwards.

I keep hearing that he is the only one that everyone thinks is top 3, but everyone in the top 3 want someone else to take him.

 

[BankShot]

I'm still fixated on Okongwu at #5 because of his length, elite explosion, soft touch around the rim and switch-ability. I also think he will develop some perimeter skills over time. But if Wiseman drops, which I don't think will happen, I'd be thrilled with him, he is, by far, #1 on my board...an all-NBA ceiling is hard to pass-up.

I think we'll be looking at Okongwu, Toppin or Okoro as our options, which is a no-brainer for me. I could live with Toppin because he is a legit NBA scorer from day one but I think Big O will be more of an overall game changer. I like Okoro, but not at #5, more of a Romeo Langford type that would be a big score mid first round.

 

[I'mWithDan]

I keep hearing that he is the only one that everyone thinks is top 3, but everyone in the top 3 want someone else to take him.

The pitch I have been given is that he has a much higher floor than given credit for. And it is rare to get a high floor guy with elite athletic traits. That is the particular reason some of the guys I know like him so much, relative to what they perceive his work ethic and attitude to be.

Some people may disagree with that assessment but if you think you can simply coach the long mid range shots he takes out of him, his shooting numbers get a lot more palatable for a guy with his scoring potential and finishing skill.

 

[Nathan S]

The pitch I have been given is that he has a much higher floor than given credit for. And it is rare to get a high floor guy with elite athletic traits. That is the particular reason some of the guys I know like him so much, relative to what they perceive his work ethic and attitude to be.

Some people may disagree with that assessment but if you think you can simply coach the long mid range shots he takes out of him, his shooting numbers get a lot more palatable for a guy with his scoring potential and finishing skill.

Where's the high floor for Edwards? If he doesn't develop into a primary scorer type, then you're looking at a SG who's an okay shooter, an okay passer, and an okay defender. Basically a dime-a-dozen player. He's a classic boom/bust guy in my opinion.

 

[I'mWithDan]

Where's the high floor for Edwards? If he doesn't develop into a primary scorer type, then you're looking at a SG who's an okay shooter, an okay passer, and an okay defender. Basically a dime-a-dozen player. He's a classic boom/bust guy in my opinion.

It probably depends on what you consider to be a high floor. Most consider good NBA starter as a high floor in a subpar draft. The bar to that at SG isn’t especially high.

If you isolate his shooting and assume long mid range can be coached out of him, he’s really not a bad shooter. He has good FT markers at all levels, he shot I think 33% from charted NBA range and he finished at a near 70% clip at the rim.

I’m more skeptical of him but NBA scouts seem to think he’s going to have no problem scoring at the NBA level. Guess we’ll see.

 

[Nathan S]

It probably depends on what you consider to be a high floor. Most consider good NBA starter as a high floor in a subpar draft. The bar to that at SG isn’t especially high.

If you isolate his shooting and assume long mid range can be coached out of him, he’s really not a bad shooter. He has good FT markers at all levels, he shot I think 33% from charted NBA range and he finished at a near 70% clip at the rim.

I’m more skeptical of him but NBA scouts seem to think he’s going to have no problem scoring at the NBA level. Guess we’ll see.

I don't think his shooting numbers are bad, it's just that people are talking about him in the top-3, and it's hard to get excited about "not bad" when you're drafting that high. If you look at possible first rounders at SG/SF, he's average at best in that department. His success seems to hinge on him having untapped elite finishing ability, but if that's not the case, he doesn't separate himself from the pack in any way.

 

[Futuredome]

Toppin sucks. Guys like that don't win titles. I take the guy who falls with high upside.

 

[cabs]

Every single mock draft I've seen recently has us taking Toppin

 

[RonG]

Every single mock draft I've seen recently has us taking Toppin

2020 NBA Mock Draft: Obi Toppin goes to Warriors at No. 2 just ahead of LaMelo Ball to Hornets at No. 3

Matt Norlander's latest mock draft has Anthony Edwards going No. 1 to the Timberwolves

www.cbssports.com

CBS from today. some wag

 

[Nathan S]

Really hate the intensifying confusion over height in shoes vs. height in socks. Like, people have been spouting off the last month about how Tyrell Terry recently measured 6'3". But is that 6'3" in shoes (likely 6'1" in socks and then rounded up), or 6'3" in socks (possibly 6'5" in shoes)? Huge difference because it basically determines whether or not he can credibly play SG, but who knows?

 

[cabs]

I'll be so disappointed if we draft Toppin, he looks like a complete stiff on defence. Most of his scores are dunks. He can hit wide open 3's but he bricks badly on semi contested shots, extra length in NBA is gonna hurt him. He also can't make any moving shots. Just can't understand why we would have any interest.