2023 Annual JazzFanz Current Players Draft - Quarterfinals: Team D vs. Team L

[Thee Jazz Fan]

This is from the ringer on just how good Kawhi Leonard was down the stretch last year

Kawhi Leonard Is Back—and the NBA Should Be Petrified

One of the most devastating two-way forces in NBA history is looking like his old self once again. That could spell trouble for the rest of the league.

www.theringer.com

He was really good down the stretch. You can’t just expect a pro athlete to come back 100% after an ACL injury. Look at Ronald Acuña Jr two years ago. He came back from an ACL injury and was a shell of his former self this year. He’s putting up historic numbers on the way to possibly being NL MVP.

 

[sip]

Based on what I saw last year Kawhi is not the same guy he was 5 years ago, even if healthy.

If so, then team L has the two best players on the court. Ant might be the best guard in the NBA next year, if you count both offense and defense.

Defensively he is not the same player but offensively he was awesome last year once he got going. He is also still a good defender but not the all world defender that he was with the spurs.

 

[sip]

I feel like the construction of team D was great. Defensively they have the ability to switch things up and do a good job of guarding every team in this tourney. Offensively I love the way guys compliment each other and they have a great mix of get you bucket scorers and complimentary scorers. Injuries are the only concern and that could have a huge impact on mid-season voting.

For team L I love the wings but don't trust the bigs at all. I think we see a pretty big step back from Lopez, Horford and Green this year. It is crazy to think that Lopez is entering year 16 and Horford year 17. I still vividly remember them in college.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Lmao he was out the year before with an ACL. They brought him back slowly but by years end he was fully back. 23pts a game due to the clips easing him back in due to the ACL recovery almost 7 reb a game nearly 4 ast shot 41% from 3 on 4 attempts and shot 51% fg on 16 attempts. And those numbers would be much better had it not been for the ACL recovery. He’s fine.

Exactly… hit went to the top gear for 25 games or so and then broke again. This year he’s coming off a knee surgery again… he has a degenerative knee condition… all I’m saying is he can be a top 10 player in the league if he can get decent health… he used to be consensus top 3 guy… some of the edge has dulled on the blade and I would not be shocked to see him fade hard from here. Since he’s been in LA he’s won one or two playoff series? Tough to bet on his health even in a one year bet.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

This is from the ringer on just how good Kawhi Leonard was down the stretch last year

Kawhi Leonard Is Back—and the NBA Should Be Petrified

One of the most devastating two-way forces in NBA history is looking like his old self once again. That could spell trouble for the rest of the league.

www.theringer.com

He was really good down the stretch. You can’t just expect a pro athlete to come back 100% after an ACL injury. Look at Ronald Acuña Jr two years ago. He came back from an ACL injury and was a shell of his former self this year. He’s putting up historic numbers on the way to possibly being NL MVP.

So we can expect him to come back from his meniscus injury but not ACL? Dude is broken. Put him in bubble wrap until the playoffs and pray he can string together 15-20 games.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Oh wow I said team D by mistake. Meant team L. Fixed.

I don’t think people are as high on Luka as they were a year ago and Ant is mid glow up. In a few months folks will see.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I feel like the construction of team D was great. Defensively they have the ability to switch things up and do a good job of guarding every team in this tourney. Offensively I love the way guys compliment each other and they have a great mix of get you bucket scorers and complimentary scorers. Injuries are the only concern and that could have a huge impact on mid-season voting.

For team L I love the wings but don't trust the bigs at all. I think we see a pretty big step back from Lopez, Horford and Green this year. It is crazy to think that Lopez is entering year 16 and Horford year 17. I still vividly remember them in college.

Outside of Green the other guys haven’t shown sides of aging in the last couple years. Also Chet supplements them and relieves the minutes burden. I get they old but dudes are aging better these days.

Team D is a paper tiger… then you get in season and all dem dudes hurt… I get it though… preseason hope springs eternal.

 

[KqWIN]

I agree… just don’t think he was all the way up to his standard for most of the year. When he can get solid injury luck for a sustained period he has some good runs… but that’s been the challenge. He’s still great… like one of the best… at his peak though it was more like “is he the best player in the league?” That’s all I’m trying to say really. I’m not sure he has as high of a peak as he has in the past. No one is arguing he isn’t great… you can be great and lose a little bit and still be great.

That's fair, there was a time when Kawhi might have been top 1 in the league so if falling from there is losing his fastball can't disagree. But even now, if Kawhi is healthy he might be in my top 3 guys of players I want on my team. He's shown that he's still a dominant player when he suits up. In this exercise, he'd be in my top 8 guys even with the injuries. He's still that good.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

That's fair, there was a time when Kawhi might have been top 1 in the league so if falling from there is losing his fastball can't disagree. But even now, if Kawhi is healthy he might be in my top 3 guys of players I want on my team. He's shown that he's still a dominant player when he suits up. In this exercise, he'd be in my top 8 guys even with the injuries. He's still that good.

That’s basically where I am. I think he’s a first round pick in this exercise but I’d be worried if I built around him… his replacement is Deandre Hunter if he’s out… and it’s really a when he’s out… not an if. He will be out at some point during the regular season or playoffs… just hope you get the timing right and catch lightning in a bottle.

 

[KqWIN]

Outside of Green the other guys haven’t shown sides of aging in the last couple years. Also Chet supplements them and relieves the minutes burden. I get they old but dudes are aging better these days.

Team D is a paper tiger… then you get in season and all dem dudes hurt… I get it though… preseason hope springs eternal.

Tbh, I think team L is more about preseason hopes. Ant could definitely skyrocket this year, but up until this point I honestly think he's been a tad overrated. He can be a top 10-15 player, maybe even better, but I don't think he even a top 30 player last season. I don't think you're crazy if you think Ant is going to break out, he's one of the more likely players to do so, but like I said in the previous round I think a lot of Team L's case rests on him developing a ton from last year. To a lesser extent this applies to McDaniels as well. He's a fine player, but he was just....ok last season. Good defender but was still a negative on offense despite being efficient in a tiny role. If you really believe in those guys I can see picking team L, but it is hope and projecting the future. Then you got Chet (who I love but is still unknown) and you also have injury concerns with Middleton and Hayward.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Tbh, I think team L is more about preseason hopes. Ant could definitely skyrocket this year, but up until this point I honestly think he's been a tad overrated. He can be a top 10-15 player, maybe even better, but I don't think he even a top 30 player last season. I don't think you're crazy if you think Ant is going to break out, he's one of the more likely players to do so, but like I said in the previous round I think a lot of Team L's case rests on him developing a ton from last year. To a lesser extent this applies to McDaniels as well. He's a fine player, but he was just....ok last season. Good defender but was still a negative on offense despite being efficient in a tiny role. If you really believe in those guys I can see picking team L, but it is hope and projecting the future. Then you got Chet (who I love but is still unknown) and you also have injury concerns with Middleton and Hayward.

Ant is a top 30 guy lol... stahp... Yes a young player getting better is a bit of a projection but even if he doesn't get better he is really durable... also one thing about good young players is they generally get better (crazy concept). When I say hope I mean cross your fingers and grit your teeth type of hope "well let's hope Kawhi stays healthy" or "maybe Rudy can develop a jumper"or "maybe my son will put in the liner after he takes the trash out" like these events are really really unlikely but sure.

If Ant "breaks out" he's a top 5-10 guy you'd want in a playoff series... if he just makes some solid improvement he will jump into the 10-15 category-ish.

Jaden isn't just a good defender imo... I think he is All-NBA level... and will improve but also just get more shine for his work there. With Luka and Ant I need guys that just want to star in their role... not guys that want to get outside of that... so someone that works well in a tiny offensive role while being a world class perimeter defender is great.

Chet is a bit of a flier (in this exercise). With your 7th or 8th picks I think its fine betting on some upside plays.

If both of those guys (ant and jaden) were stocks I'd buy the **** out of them... if Kawhi was a stock I'd short the **** out of it as the downside is so much more likely and so much lower.

 

[KqWIN]

Ant is a top 30 guy lol... stahp... Yes a young player getting better is a bit of a projection but even if he doesn't get better he is really durable... also one thing about good young players is they generally get better (crazy concept). When I say hope I mean cross your fingers and grit your teeth type of hope "well let's hope Kawhi stays healthy" or "maybe Rudy can develop a jumper"or "maybe my son will put in the liner after he takes the trash out" like these events are really really unlikely but sure.

If Ant "breaks out" he's a top 5-10 guy you'd want in a playoff series... if he just makes some solid improvement he will jump into the 10-15 category-ish.

Jaden isn't just a good defender imo... I think he is All-NBA level... and will improve but also just get more shine for his work there. With Luka and Ant I need guys that just want to star in their role... not guys that want to get outside of that... so someone that works well in a tiny offensive role while being a world class perimeter defender is great.

Chet is a bit of a flier (in this exercise). With your 7th or 8th picks I think its fine betting on some upside plays.

If both of those guys (ant and jaden) were stocks I'd buy the **** out of them... if Kawhi was a stock I'd short the **** out of it as the downside is so much more likely and so much lower.

Ant could be a top 30 player next season, in fact that’s my expectation. But I don’t think he was a top 30 player last season and many metrics would say he wasn’t close. The thing about Ant and Jaden is that if they were as good as people said they were, the Wolves would have been better than they were. Rudy is a flawed player who was not very good last season. But I’m positive that whatever blame Rudy deserves, he will actually get double the blame and he will serve as the scapegoat for others.

IMO, Team L requires that Ant takes a big leap to take the advantage in this matchup. I expect Ant to take a step, but it would take a giant leap to get into a top 10ish player. He’s capable of doing so, but I while I would bet on improvement that sizable jump would be too big for me to bet on.