David Levine
Posts: 71284
Joined: 7/14/2007
From: Las Vegas
Status: online
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This looks like a perfect draft to find bench players. Very little (if any star power in this one). I'd be looking to trade down with Denver or Boston to grab a couple guys and maximize our chances because I'm not sure I've ever felt less comfortable picking who will or won't succeed in a draft. My current targets (in no particular order): Brice Johnson: Defense, energy and rebounds. Should hopefully be able to guard big 3s and small 4s, while still letting us maintain a rebounding edge. Not much offense, but he can hit his FTs. The ideal version of him is a perfect fit between Drew and Towns. BUT...I'm not sure he has the mass to bang, and games like last night are red flags, as he was unable to get anything going against guys 5" shorter than him. Tim Luwawu: Crazy athlete, great NBA body with super long arms, offense coming around. He's young and raw, but he could end up being a guy who can defend 1-4. Potentially a swingman version of Giannis. Maybe even a bit of Kawhi. Needs to work on his handle, and his outside shooting needs to be more consistent. May be too much of a project for a team with Drew and Zach already on it. Absolutely love his upside. Taurean Prince: Glue guy that may be this year's Jae Crowder. I worry about his rebounding, but he should be able to defend those big 3s and small 4s that absolutely kill us. Denzel Valentine: Love him, but he scares the crap out of me too. Almost as good of a shooter as Hield, but much better rebounder and playmaker. Legit PG instincts/ability which is fantastic as a secondary ballhandler. But a well below average athlete, and not a very willing or able defender. Might be a guy who can lead a second unit. I think he's a tier below the first 3 guys for me. Thoughts on other guys: I like Ivan Rabb as a project PF. Tyler Ulis is a stud. Currently the best player on Kentucky (although not the one with the most upside), but its going to be TOUGH for him to make it at his size. He does have elite speed, but at 5'8, you better be a monster to be more than a roleplayer. Sabonis is interesting. He can rebound the hell out of the ball, has some scoring, and he dominated, likely lottery pick, Poelti head-to-head. But I'm not sure he has the length or quickness to defend the PF position at the next level. Maybe he's a poor-man's Zach Randolph? Buddy Hield I like in a trade down, but IMO, he's bad value in the Top 8. He's much more Anthony Morrow than Steph Curry. Great shooter with icewater in his veins, but not a guy to create offense for himself or others, and doesn't really do anything other than shoot at an NBA level. Not a guy I really want, but wouldn't be too upset getting him. The guy that scares the shit out of me is Henry Ellenson. A "stretch" 4 that is projected to be taken around our pick. The idealized version of him is very much a need. A 3pt shooting, rebounding PF. But he's only a 29% 3pt shooter, he's a good, but not great, rebounder, and while he has good length, he doesn't appear to be enough of an athlete to provide much defense at PF. IMO, he's a poor man's Ryan Anderson.
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