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Jackpotting Around - Episode 29 - Draft SZN with Cy

Just listened to some of the pod. I'd be surprised if the Jazz passed on Ace Bailey for Edgecombe. I think if the Jazz are drafting 3rd and the draft unfolds like that, they'll take Ace Bailey in the hopes that he can develop into a versatile Jayson Tatum-like scoring wing.

The problem with Edgecombe is his size, which doesn't allow him truly own his space and get where he wants on the floor. He's starting to show more shift and burst off the dribble, but he's not as advanced offensively as guys like Mitchell, CJ McCollum, Brunson, etc. who can really cut with a low center of gravity and get where they want on the floor. I do think Edgecombe is very likely to be the 4th player taken.
 
Ferguson_Mellochill said:
Just listened to some of the pod. I'd be surprised if the Jazz passed on Ace Bailey for Edgecombe. I think if the Jazz are drafting 3rd and the draft unfolds like that, they'll take Ace Bailey in the hopes that he can develop into a versatile Jayson Tatum-like scoring wing.

The problem with Edgecombe is his size, which doesn't allow him truly own his space and get where he wants on the floor. He's starting to show more shift and burst off the dribble, but he's not as advanced offensively as guys like Mitchell, CJ McCollum, Brunson, etc. who can really cut with a low center of gravity and get where they want on the floor. I do think Edgecombe is very likely to be the 4th player taken.
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But VJ is far more advanced than Mitchell was as a Freshman and has shown exponential growth mid-season.
 
KqWIN said:
I think that if we're willing to eyeball something, we really shouldn't be stressing about a half inch or whatever. We all know that the true test of height is standing next Luka Doncic in a photo.
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I've kind of already written him down if that makes sense. I am not stressed about an inch or so with him. However folks want to define positions is fine by me but he's a traditional non-pg guard to me. I don't think he will be great at guarding bigger wings but I think he will be fine with most backcourt assignments. I don't think he has to be the smallest guy in your starting lineup so can run with another guard who is a pg that is pg sized.

As of right now I think I would take Ace over him but I think its going to be a debate all through draft season.
 
Handlogten's Heros said:
I've kind of already written him down if that makes sense. I am not stressed about an inch or so with him. However folks want to define positions is fine by me but he's a traditional non-pg guard to me. I don't think he will be great at guarding bigger wings but I think he will be fine with most backcourt assignments. I don't think he has to be the smallest guy in your starting lineup so can run with another guard who is a pg that is pg sized.

As of right now I think I would take Ace over him but I think its going to be a debate all through draft season.
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I think this is the correct way to think about it. The idea of sitting on the edge of our seats to learn if VJ is 6'3 or 6'3.5 like it means so much is missing the forest for the trees.

I do think we are stressing a little too much about VJ's size. I am not the one to care about position labels, but if you're calling him a "PG" he will be one of the most physically gifted PG in the league the day he gets drafted. If you're a position stickler and want to strictly call him a "SG", there are still plenty of very good defensive players that are not that big and also not primary ball handlers.

IMO, Alex Caruso has basically been the best perimeter defender in the league for the past 5 seasons and he's got a 6'6 wingspan. I feel like half of the elite perimeter guys would be butchered for shrinkflation. I'm not saying he will become one of those elite defenders or that more size wouldn't help him, but I'm not seeing it as much of a limiting factor as people make it out to be. He's also an alien type athlete, so that helps.
 
KqWIN said:
I think this is the correct way to think about it. The idea of sitting on the edge of our seats to learn if VJ is 6'3 or 6'3.5 like it means so much is missing the forest for the trees.

I do think we are stressing a little too much about VJ's size. I am not the one to care about position labels, but if you're calling him a "PG" he will be one of the most physically gifted PG in the league the day he gets drafted. If you're a position stickler and want to strictly call him a "SG", there are still plenty of very good defensive players that are not that big and also not primary ball handlers.

IMO, Alex Caruso has basically been the best perimeter defender in the league for the past 5 seasons and he's got a 6'6 wingspan. I feel like half of the elite perimeter guys would be butchered for shrinkflation. I'm not saying he will become one of those elite defenders or that more size wouldn't help him, but I'm not seeing it as much of a limiting factor as people make it out to be. He's also an alien type athlete, so that helps.
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With VJ I also think (based on reports) he is a very serious worker and I think you can see that with the improvement in his performances. We don't have first hand knowledge but he seems like someone that will get the best out of what he has. No idea of what Ace is like and it seems like the reports point to him being a good kid/worker... maybe just a slow processor.

I think at 3 or 4 I'd be really happy with either guy. So I've got like a 50% chance at being happy.
 
Handlogten's Heros said:
I remember wanting to watch this movie so bad as a kid because it was advertised as having so much more basketball than it actually did. First time I got tricked into a chick flick. 8/10 and this is one of the most memorable scenes.
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It had enough. I mean, Kareem thrown out of his farewell game was good enough for the whole movie.
 
Handlogten's Heros said:
With VJ I also think (based on reports) he is a very serious worker and I think you can see that with the improvement in his performances. We don't have first hand knowledge but he seems like someone that will get the best out of what he has. No idea of what Ace is like and it seems like the reports point to him being a good kid/worker... maybe just a slow processor.

I think at 3 or 4 I'd be really happy with either guy. So I've got like a 50% chance at being happy.
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I mentioned this in the other thread, but it's hard for me to get a good reading on Harper and Ace's bball IQ/feel. I definitely think they're in an environment where they don't get much pushback and that allows some bad habits/suboptimal play to happen. Nobody at Rutgers is going to tell them they're doing anything wrong. With Harper, I think he has a decent feel and IQ, but the situation with bad teammates+no structure makes for some ugly basketball/decision making....but that can be cleaned up. With Ace, I think he might be in a bad situation, but I also think he might just have very low feel/BBIQ. I guess what I'm saying is that when I see Harper dribble the air out of the ball aimlessly, I think it's something he can adjust quickly to in a better environment and with better players around him. When Ace turns on the blinders and chucks up a contested jumper 2 inches in front of the 3 point line I think that might just be the way he is.

Both seem like good kids, but I'm not sure how much of that you can just teach and what the effects are of developing with bad habits. Keyonte is constantly lauded for his work ethic stuff like off the court, but I think a lifetime of being a pampered AAU baller has had irreversible effects on some of his habits. To your point, I think VJ shows signs of great habits even when there's a lot of stink around him.
 
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