Game6Conley
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Oh today would've been the lottery btw.
Following Potential 2020 draftees
- Thread starter Game6Conley
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I didn't have time to watch much college bball during the season. I'm checking out the players now as I get geeked out about the draft. There's plenty of game tape on youtube, obviously, and it doesn't take long to see what a player can do and can't do.
Handlogten's Heros
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I agree but not falling in love with the guy who had a big game in the tournament might properly skew judgement to make them inadvertently clued in.
I don't have a lot of guys I hate or love this draft... just please Jazz don't take an average backup center.
I just look at the Jazz roster at the SF/PF/C positions and I feel like we could use a guy who provides athleticism, size, defensive versatility.
That's why I'm high on the idea of guys like Paul Reed and Precious Achiuwa. They can compliment the roster we already have by providing a different element. They are better and more versatile defenders than Bogey. They are bigger than Royce. They are more athletic than Joe. They are more mobile than Tony Bradley. I feel like they shown enough of a raw ability to shoot that you could get away with putting them next to Rudy situationally if they continue development. If they were to pan out the way they project they would make an impact on this roster because they bring something different that we could really use. Ya know what I mean?
That's why I'm high on the idea of guys like Paul Reed and Precious Achiuwa. They can compliment the roster we already have by providing a different element. They are better and more versatile defenders than Bogey. They are bigger than Royce. They are more athletic than Joe. They are more mobile than Tony Bradley. I feel like they shown enough of a raw ability to shoot that you could get away with putting them next to Rudy situationally if they continue development. If they were to pan out the way they project they would make an impact on this roster because they bring something different that we could really use. Ya know what I mean?
You're right that we need an elite, 2-way forward between Mitchell and Gobert. We need some size, toughness and physicality. Paul Reed looks interesting to me. However, if someone can't shoot well enough to do their part in spacing the floor and knocking down open shots, I don't think he's going to play. Royce didn't get on the court until his shot was consistent enough. Quin wants shooting and ball movement, so much so that Georges Niang gets regular rotation minutes.
A few other guys---
Patrick Williams is the 6'8" athletic wing with a 6'11" wingspan who shows some promise as a shooter and ball mover, but he's likely to get picked in the teens.
Tyler Bey is a pretty prototypical 6'7" with a 7'1" foot wingspan. He's an athletic, defensive combo-forward who probably is going to be a quicker, more versatile version of Larry Nance. But he doesn't shoot.
Robert Woodard is a tough 6'7" 230-lb wing who has some versatility, but his shooting is suspect too. He reminds me of the post-injury version of Rudy Gay.
Jaden McDaniels is a long, skilled wing who might fall into our range, but he's the epitome of a soft, finesse player--like Rodney Hood soft.
Not sure if the Jazz will find a player they really like from this group, other than Williams. I think it's likely that the Jazz will draft a guard to play next to Mitchell in a year or two.
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Elijah Hughes is interesting. He's not quite as big as these other guys we're talking about. But he is 6'6 and looks to have decent length. 22 years old. Smooth athlete. Has some ball skills and flashes some shot creation ability. But the thing I love is his shot. Great touch. Almost nothing but net every time it goes in. Defense is a bit of an unknown because of the Syracuse zone.
Game6Conley
Well-Known Member
This really isnt a good take/evaluation... ... If anything, he's over-aggressive...
He avoids contact and doesn't finish well at the rim. He needs to gain strength to be able to drive to open up his game. He's so-so at getting to the line.
Below are the players the Jazz have drafted in the 20s during the past 20 years. I've bolded the players who have had the best careers as starters in the league.
1999 - Andrei Kirilenko
1999 - Scott Padgett
2000 - Deshaun Stevenson
2001 - Raul Lopez
2004 - Pavel Podkolzin
2007 - Morris Almond
2008 - Kosta Kofous
2009 - Eric Maynor
2013 - Rudy Gobert
2014 - Rodney Hood
2017 - Tony Bradley
2018 - Grayson Allen
Of these 12 players drafted, the two best players were the foreigners who were underdeveloped physically. Kirilenko stayed overseas for 2 years before coming over. Gobert was a polarizing prospect who lasted all the way to the 27th pick. Then the third best player was an athletic kid drafted right out of high school.
When you're drafting in the 20s, quite often you have to look around the fringes for guys who are a bit undervalued, either because they're overseas or because they're young and unproven. Or, you can draft more mainstream college players and expect them to be backups.
1999 - Andrei Kirilenko
1999 - Scott Padgett
2000 - Deshaun Stevenson
2001 - Raul Lopez
2004 - Pavel Podkolzin
2007 - Morris Almond
2008 - Kosta Kofous
2009 - Eric Maynor
2013 - Rudy Gobert
2014 - Rodney Hood
2017 - Tony Bradley
2018 - Grayson Allen
Of these 12 players drafted, the two best players were the foreigners who were underdeveloped physically. Kirilenko stayed overseas for 2 years before coming over. Gobert was a polarizing prospect who lasted all the way to the 27th pick. Then the third best player was an athletic kid drafted right out of high school.
When you're drafting in the 20s, quite often you have to look around the fringes for guys who are a bit undervalued, either because they're overseas or because they're young and unproven. Or, you can draft more mainstream college players and expect them to be backups.
Game6Conley
Well-Known Member
yup.
I agree with a lot of this. At the same time, I wouldn't just draft a guy because he's young and unproven with hopes and prayers of a future star dancing in your head. Youth doesn't necessarily mean more potential. Also it's not really a bad thing to get a solid bench guy in the 20's. So I wouldn't disqualify an older player for that reason either. Only around 20 players from each draft spend any meaningful time in the league on average. Some will be younger prospects, some will be older. Many will just be rotation guys.
One of the big things I look at is does the prospect have a skill or trait that is good enough that a team will put them on the floor early? Do they have something that allows them to fit a role? If they do then I'm intrigued no matter what the age is. If they don't then I'm not, no matter what the age is.