2023 NBA Draft

[Bob_The_Cat]

I know there has been a bunch of hand wringing over trading a 1st for LeVert but in terms who they’re missing out on in the late 1st, I’d say this is as good of a year to have traded a 1st for a veteran player…

Trading what amounted to an expiring contract of an injured player who was out for the year and the 26th pick for LeVert is straight up robbery. Really it worked out well for both sides. Was hoping we’d be able to pull a similar move with Love this year.

 

[Ohioplayer00]

Sources tell cleveland.com that Akron native Chris Livingston, who is represented by Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports and surprisingly stayed in the draft despite an uneven freshman year at Kentucky, will come to town for a workout next week. Eastern Michigan’s Emoni Bates, once a ballyhooed prep star who started his college career at Memphis before transferring, is also scheduled to work out for Cleveland ahead of the draft.

The front office has invited some others, including Kansas State’s Keyontae Johnson, but he is unlikely to accept, believing he will go much higher than No. 49. Because of Cleveland’s current draft slot, many of these prospects try to limit their pre-draft exposure to places they believe they could end up. That makes it harder to line up pre-draft sessions.

The Cavs will look at all positions, experience and skillsets. Unless there is a ready-made prospect available at No. 49, they will likely target a young player with upside who can start in the G League and develop on a two-way contract -- like Isaiah Mobley.

It’s also hard to predict who will be available that deep into the draft. But Bates, Johnson, Livingston, Tristan Vukcevic, Sidy Cissoko, Marcus Sasser, Amari Bailey, Terquavion Smith, Seth Lundy, Julian Strawther are all names to keep an eye on -- if they are on the board at that time.

Should the Cavs have seller’s remorse when it comes to Kevin Love? Hey, Chris!

The Cavs could have used everything that Kevin Love theoretically brings in their first-round playoff loss against the Knicks.

www.cleveland.com

It was reported late yesterday that Livingston cancelled all of his visits next week. It seems he has gotten a garuntee from a team to be drafted early.

 

[adam81king]

It was reported late yesterday that Livingston cancelled all of his visits next week. It seems he has gotten a garuntee from a team to be drafted early.

That would be a very aggressive guarantee...

 

[Randolphkeys]

Reminds me of the Joshua Primo pick which, obviously, could have gone better. Quite the boner for RC Buford!

 

[CBBI]

It was reported late yesterday that Livingston cancelled all of his visits next week. It seems he has gotten a garuntee from a team to be drafted early.

He might have gotten a guarantee to be drafted period. But I doubt anyone is picking him in the first round.

 

[Randolphkeys]

Anyone know whats going on with Bobi Klintman? Dude supposedly said he wasn't going back to college, but also withdrew from the draft combine. He's absolutely a guy I'd have interest in, but he's got to have a promise from someone or a plan to go overseas.

Klintman spent time with Gradey Dick and Mark Mitchell at Sunrise Christian Academy in high school. He wasn't great in college but he does have a great frame and a solid catch and shoot game. Feels like a first round promise for sure, but he's going to be a long term project.

 

[Ohioplayer00]

He might have gotten a guarantee to be drafted period. But I doubt anyone is picking him in the first round.

It has to be team in the first round otherwise I can’t see him cancelling workouts with teams that have picks in the second round. Because he wouldn’t know where or how high he was going in the second round.

 

[CBBI]

It has to be team in the first round otherwise I can’t see him cancelling workouts with teams that have picks in the second round. Because he wouldn’t know where or how high he was going in the second round.

I don’t think so.

His profile doesn’t really scream draftable player, at least not to me.

I’d imagine someone promised him they’d draft him in the 2nd and would give him some guaranteed money and that was enough for him to shut it down.

With first round contracts only being two years fully guaranteed anyway now (with options on years 3/4), in some ways it’s more beneficial to be a second rounder than a late first because you can get to your second contract quicker.

 

[Benway]

Livingston is with Klutch. I watched his team play St. V in Canton when he was with Oak Hill, (I think Livingston himself was sitting out, having already committed to Kentucky) and 2 Cavs were sitting courtside: Sexton and Garland. (Ostensibly on a recruiting mission.) In any case, I speculate that some groundwork may have been laid.

Still, canceling our workout is probably not a good sign. (He did workout with The Pacers and Lakers and has a past solid rapport with Bron.)

 

[I'mWithDan]

Had some time tonight to catch up on returnees and sort through some of the various sites to collect a complete (enough) list.

The most undervalued guys, relative to profile and current mock draft ADP:

Taylor Hendricks - 7.2 ADP
Dereck Lively II - 16.5 ADP
Leonard Miller - 19.0 ADP
Trayce Jackson-Davis - 30.4 ADP
Brandin Podziemski - 33.2 ADP
Marcus Sasser - 40.4 ADP
Kobe Brown - 46.0 ADP
Adama Sanogo - 53.0 ADP
Jaylen Clark - 53.2 ADP
Toumani Camara - 63.6 ADP
Oscar Tshiebwe - 69.0 ADP (Nice)
Jalen Slawson - 83.3 ADP

All of these guys measure well in PDIFF and they also score efficiently and produce hustle stats.....a great trio for outcomes.

Yes. It is possible to be undervalued, even with an ADP in the top 7. Hendricks should be a top 3 pick.

Dug deep on small forwards, since it is such a need and the guy that really stands out late, given production, frame and skillset is Jalen Slawson. He's older but seems like a potential sleeper.


I'm intrigued.

2023 draft PDIFF numbers, sorted by average draft position among the 5 scouts that I personally think are good at this type of thing.

PDIFF reminder - comparing their production to historical draft peers at their position (positional difference). Players who land above median (.79-.80) see NBA success outcomes swing upward.

1st round ish

2nd round ish

Someone will probably ask on Jalen Pickett......I personally don't love him, even though the model does. Seems like a pretty average ish athlete and he doesn't score efficiently or produce hustle stats, which make his role playing potential far below what his PDIFF score is (at least to me). Maybe he will prove me wrong.

 

[Benway]

So Livingston should be there at 49, Yes!

 

[I'mWithDan]

So Livingston should be there at 49, Yes!

I'm not sure he should even be drafted. It is pretty rough when your one standout skill is low turnover rate, at the position that is the easiest to bubble up in.

Livingston doesn't score, when he does, it is inefficiently. He doesn't draw fouls, he doesn't produce hustle stats, he's below average in every statistical category except turnover rate.

I'd question what we were doing if he was the pick. There are a handful of really intriguing options in that range.....if we pass on them for Livingston, woof.

 

[CleveRocks]

I would not be upset by either a sanago or tshibwe pick. Both see like the kind of guys that come out in the second round but play better at the next level.. I also think they pair well with Mobley..

I could see us " buying " a second rounder to pick up both an SF and one of these PF guys, and perhaps one or both get stashed overseas. Then we bring along Luke and or Diop to see what we have there. I think Diop could have a bigger immediate effect because he is physically ready. Even if he fouls out in 10 minutes he adds to our toughness inside..

 

[I'mWithDan]

I would not be upset by either a sanago or tshibwe pick. Both see like the kind of guys that come out in the second round but play better at the next level.. I also think they pair well with Mobley..

It is definitely a tough draft, where (to me), all of the values look pretty obvious from a profile perspective.

This draft really lacks young, quality depth, so I unfortunately think that the older or more unsexy producers are going to go earlier than they normally would.

The other thing that is tough is, if we are looking for a wing shooter, that list is small. If you are using ADP as the sorting measure and trying to grab someone who also performs well in PDIFF, that is only a list of in our range.

Kobe Brown
Hunter Tyson
Landers Nolley

I'm not sure Tyson is good enough physically but Nolley is pretty interesting. He has a really good shooting profile and the requisite size to play the 3.

 

[I'mWithDan]

And then sorry for spamming the thread here but the lens that I really like viewing role players through is what do you provide if you aren't scoring? This has been a really good indicator for picking guys off who go on to have plus rotational roles in the NBA. So if a player is on this list, they are worth digging in on. If they are a top prospect and also rank well here, they could be a really, really, really good player.

Guys like Lively, Dick, Hendricks, Miller and Walker would stand out from the projected lotto guys. Again, this also shows how Podziemski might be this years Jalen Williams.

You also see a handful of the players that are nice fits for the Cavs: Jackson, Sasser, Clark, Brown, Slawson, Strawther.

Sorted by GS/ADJ.......so this is a stat that measures impact less all scoring measures. So what can a player do if he doesn't get to shoot the ball?

Black is pretty interesting purely as a role player with more limited upside. Seems like someone who has the requisite size, demeanor and decision making to be a rotational wing defender.