Following Potential 2025 Draftees

[Basketball Novice]

I don't hate Kon, but I just think he is very clearly in a different tier than the Ace/Tre/VJ.

I'm gonna have to push back on this. Why can't Kon become just as effective as a player as Ace/Tre/VJ in the nba? He is definitely a more effective player in college according to the stats. The TS% is crazy good at 64%. His style looks unathletic and plodding but who's to say it won't work in the nba? Just because it looks simple and basic doesn't make it any less effective. He plays efficiently knowing exactly what he needs to do on the court. No hesitation, no catching and holding for iso, always just making great basketball plays or getting buckets.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I'm gonna have to push back on this. Why can't Kon become just as effective as a player as Ace/Tre/VJ in the nba? He is definitely a more effective player in college according to the stats. The TS% is crazy good at 64%. His style looks unathletic and plodding but who's to say it won't work in the nba? Just because it looks simple and basic doesn't make it any less effective. He plays efficiently knowing exactly what he needs to do on the court. No hesitation, no catching and holding for iso, always just making great basketball plays or getting buckets.

He’s not saying he can’t be as effective. Kon has some troubling off the dribble and isolation numbers. They are bad bad.

Where as someone like Tre has super impressive numbers in that department.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I don't hate Kon, but I just think he is very clearly in a different tier than the Ace/Tre/VJ.

I have him in that group so its a little different for me. I'm sure fans would be pissed about moving back but if you believe in your guy and that he is there later then I think there could be some real value for a team willing to trade out of what is viewed as tier 3.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I have him in that group so it’s a little different for me. I'm sure fans would be pissed about moving back but if you believe in your guy and that he is there later then I think there could be some real value for a team willing to trade out of what is viewed as tier 3.

I just don’t see having Kon in the same tier. Not as much upside.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Last one... maybe... prolly not. Brooklyn offers 8, 19, and a 2029 NYK pick for 5 because Ace is left and they want him BAD. In this scenario Kon is also available at 8.

Yes.

If I can get a 2028 Knicks pick unprotected I’m taking the hell out of that. Or something juicy like that (maybe a super swap, maybe in an odd year where we have multiple picks?).

I might also trade that if I’m Brooklyn. Ace has Him vibes and they dicked themselves out of the running bad this year.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

I have him in that group so its a little different for me. I'm sure fans would be pissed about moving back but if you believe in your guy and that he is there later then I think there could be some real value for a team willing to trade out of what is viewed as tier 3.

And I don't think that's crazy.

I personally have Kas higher than most. For me though, I recognize that Kas probably isn't as good of a prospect as Tre/Ace/VJ, but I just like him a lot.

 

[KqWIN]

49 NCAA prospects drafted from 2012-2021 in the 3-8 Range:

I classified them into 3 categories:

Hit - Borderline All Star or better, Jamal Murray is the worst "hit"

Starter - Established themselves as a starter level player. Deandre Hunger is the worst "starter"

Bust - Everything worse


15 Hits
15 Starters
19 Busts

Highest Hit:Bust ratio is PG
Highest Bust:Hit ratio is C/Big

I made an arbitrary line of greater than 25% usage or not. Greater than >25% usage is slightly better than players <25%, but it is essentially the same.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I just don’t see having Kon in the same tier. Not as much upside.

That's fine... in this exercise it would be one team trading with a GM that feels the tier is a little wider than what might be consensus. Tre I think has higher upside but its not a lot more... Ace has the highest upside by how that is traditionally measured but might be 10x less likely to hit his ceiling than the others. VJ I just can't figure out. Like jumping high is cool and running fast is cool... but no wiggle. I think there are a lot of scenarios where he looks like Garry Harris pre-injury or Donte DiVincenzo. Vic had change of speed, handle, wiggle.... maybe VJ gets there.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Yes.

If I can get a 2028 Knicks pick unprotected I’m taking the hell out of that. Or something juicy like that (maybe a super swap, maybe in an odd year where we have multiple picks?).

I might also trade that if I’m Brooklyn. Ace has Him vibes and they dicked themselves out of the running bad this year.

Yeah Brooklyn just has like no good young players and I wonder if they are like "we can't sell Kon or Khaman to the fans". They own the odd years of Knicks picks. I think something like 8, 19, NYK pick in 2029 is in the right window.

I know we have a lot of picks... I get it. Adding one extra prospect this year won't kill us and there may be trade up opportunities in the 10-16 range with the picks or you could use one to go get a second draft guy like Ivey, Mathurin, my guy from last year Devin Carter (who was hurt but also was rough when with the varsity squad).

 

[Basketball Novice]

He’s not saying he can’t be as effective. Kon has some troubling off the dribble and isolation numbers. They are bad bad.

Where as someone like Tre has super impressive numbers in that department.

hmmmm, Kon does have some deficiencies in those areas. I don't know how bad but if the numbers are that bad then there might be cause to worry. I can see that.

But we are talking about tiers of players, implying you won't consider those players of a lower tier until everyone from the current tier is taken.

Kon has some warts but so do Ace/VJ/Tre. Is it a matter of solvable warts vs unsolvable warts? Or is it just athleticism puts you in a higher tier no matter what? I am unclear how everyone else defines tiers. Is it not effectiveness and quality that defines tiers? Or perhaps its projecting the effectiveness and quality into the NBA that defines tiers.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

49 NCAA prospects drafted from 2012-2021 in the 3-8 Range:

I classified them into 3 categories:

Hit - Borderline All Star or better, Jamal Murray is the worst "hit"

Starter - Established themselves as a starter level player. Deandre Hunger is the worst "starter"

Bust - Everything worse


15 Hits
15 Starters
19 Busts

Highest Hit:Bust ratio is PG
Highest Bust:Hit ratio is C/Big

I made an arbitrary line of greater than 25% usage or not. Greater than >25% usage is slightly better than players <25%, but it is essentially the same.

Honestly better than I thought it would be. Middle of the lotto is nasty sometimes... honestly I think part of the reason is teams reach for upside based on where they are drafting.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

hmmmm, Kon does have some deficiencies in those areas. I don't know how bad but if the numbers are that bad then there might be cause to worry. I can see that.

But we are talking about tiers of players, implying you won't consider those players of a lower tier until everyone from the current tier is taken.

Kon has some warts but so do Ace/VJ/Tre. Is it a matter of solvable warts vs unsolvable warts? Or is it just athleticism puts you in a higher tier no matter what? I am unclear how everyone else defines tiers. Is it not effectiveness and quality that defines tiers? Or perhaps its projecting the effectiveness and quality into the NBA that defines tiers.

He didn't shoot well off the dribble. In HS and EYBL he did more with the ball in his hands. He will need to figure out the off the dribble shooting. Guy has a laser so I don't think it will be an issue.