Roko has more ways he can develop his game, for sure. As an 18 year-old, he should be able to improve his defense.
2021 NBA Draft Preview (new thread)
- Thread starter Ferguson_Mellochill
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Roko has more ways he can develop his game, for sure. As an 18 year-old, he should be able to improve his defense.
I think you draft Roko to play a role like Marcus Morris and see how much he can expand his game.
Both Thor and Brown are young projects at this stage. They each need two years of development. Both are athletic, have good measurables and play with energy. Both can have an impact on the defensive end and should be able to switch on the perimeter. I think you take the one who projects to be a better shooter, rebounder and ball mover. You take the one who is more willing to work hard to improve and play a role.
Right now, both of them have somewhat disappointing steal rates and rebound rates considering their tools.
LoPo
Well-Known Member
If we "run it back", we don't need a 3 point threat. We need a fantastic switch defender. Almost every draftee in our range is an athlete with potential. I believe that Herb Jones will bring NBA quality perimeter defending right away. We desperately need that.
Huh? I think rebounding is the only reason I'd be able to talk myself into Brown at #30 (though it would require big leaps of faith in other areas). Brown's a terrific rebounder (far better as a defensive rebounder, and just a bit better, by rate, as a total rebounder than Derrick Favors was as a freshman.)
I think more than just a "fantastic switch defender," we need a long, rangy, switchable guy who can be solid both on defense and playable within our offense. That means someone who can create/finish/shoot sufficiently not to be played off the floor. The Clippers handed it to us not only because we couldn't hold up defensively (though that certainly was a problem), but because almost everyone they had that could switch defensively was also a decent offensive threat (esp. with Mann having the series of his life).
Whether Herb Jones is someone that Quin will trust to play offensively, I'm not sure. He might be. But he might also be Ronnie Brewer unplayable on offense during the playoffs. I think I'd take him over Greg Brown, however; ... hmm -- close call on that one.
I will say that, shooting (and already being a senior) aside, I love what Herb Jones does as far as playing winning basketball.
Looking at CBS top 100 players list before the season makes it hard to be excited for the draft, low key, lol.
Of their top 100 list 30 were either former #1 overall picks or top 5 picks and 26 were former lottery picks.
In their top 25 players only Kawhi, Giannis, Butler, and Jokic were non-lottery picks.
So basically unless you have a top 5 pick or lottery pick, the player you take will probably not be very good.
Of their top 100 list 30 were either former #1 overall picks or top 5 picks and 26 were former lottery picks.
In their top 25 players only Kawhi, Giannis, Butler, and Jokic were non-lottery picks.
So basically unless you have a top 5 pick or lottery pick, the player you take will probably not be very good.
So if you're picking outside of the lottery in the 1st round drafting a PG or defensive big probably won't net you a good starter as Lowry and Holiday are the only PG's and Rudy is the only defensive big. If you are going to take a big, looking for one that's already pretty developed offensively is the move, although it's an outlier to hit on one of those guys either as Collins, Vuc, and Nurkic were the only 3.
8/14 of those guys that panned out into good players were 6'6"+ wings with 6'10"+ wingspans.
The only non-lottery potential first round picks that fit that mold are Joshua Primo, Joe Wieskamp, JT Thor, Trey Murphy, Ziaire Williams, Roko Prkacin, and Greg Brown
8/14 of those guys that panned out into good players were 6'6"+ wings with 6'10"+ wingspans.
The only non-lottery potential first round picks that fit that mold are Joshua Primo, Joe Wieskamp, JT Thor, Trey Murphy, Ziaire Williams, Roko Prkacin, and Greg Brown
LoPo
Well-Known Member
We are talking about the #30 pick or a 2nd rounder we go out and buy. If we can get a guy with a high end NBA skill, I think we should do it. Like the post above references, great players rarely come out of late picks and 2nd rounders. What I'm looking for with our pick is a perimeter defense specialist. I think Herb Jones is that guy almost right away.
The icing on the cake is that he loves to work and he does the things that don't always show up in the box score.
We could try to get a guy with a more complete skill set, but I don't think that guy would be there ready to help us come playoff time. He's going to be too raw on offense and not quite ready on defense.
There are a few others you're missing, like Jokic, Jerami Grant and Christian Wood, imo.
What they have in common are:
a) prototypical size and physical tools, even if they're underdeveloped
b) strong work ethic to raise their skill level
c) outside the NCAA Power Conferences, meaning they're less publicized and a bit off the radar.
Jazz have done well in the past drafting underdeveloped Euro players in the 20s, like Gobert and Kirilenko.