2022 NBA Draft Discussion

I think Smith’s profile soars if he becomes a serious plus defensively, which is on the table. I think he’s always going to be more of a possession finisher (the most logical comp to him is healthy Michael Porter Jr.)

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Yep. His PnR potential was always part of the scouting report

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If I don’t overthink it I get Chet #1 every time lol

I don’t think Jabari will need a plus handle to be an absolute monster. He’s going to have so much size and shooting by the time he’s 24 that any catch he makes will be dangerous. He just needs to get to cromulence and that seems pretty doable.

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Go back and watch Poole’s highlights at Michigan. He always had the ability to get to the basket on iso plays

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Jabari might never get a great handle but if he can even get a competent one, with his size and shooting and defense? That’s a player you can win a championship with

Even if he doesn’t, the shooting, size and defense combo is a winning player

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Yeah, I mean, Porter with a non-compromised back and respectable defense is…pretty darn valuable. I think I’d take Paolo over him (mmmmmaaayyyybe Chet), but Smith appears to be one of the more bust-proof picks I can recall, which, I think we can agree Chet is going to carry some worry in that regard.

Why would you take Paolo over him?

thanks for the reminder to mute Woj on twitter. I’ll never understand the obsession and fascination to announce draft picks seconds before Silver takes the podium. Seems like a fruitless and otherwise waste of time on his end.

I feel like it’s been a pretty effective promotional thing for him.

I get it is a promotional tool for him. However, the draft is aired on ESPN. He’s an ESPN employee. I gotta think him spoiling every draft pick takes away from the intrigue in the overall broadcast.

He’s a more developed basketball player and does a lot of things better than Jabari.

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If he didn’t do it, Shams or Steiny Mo would

Yep Sham does this too. ESPN doesn’t want to get scooped by other guys either

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valid. I guess its just the nature of the business.

Yeah. There was one year that ESPN had him stop, but Shams was doing it anyway so like 10 picks in Woj said eff it and started doing the now infamous “Team X is feeling strongly about selecting Player Y with the XX pick of the draft” and all the variations

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he had a ridiculous first step and jab step even at Michiganhttps://thumbs.gfycat.com/IcyIdioticGnat-max-1mb.gif

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but not defense or shooting. two pretty important things!

Yeah, I get the safety net Rashard Lewis-type projection for Jabari. And Jabari is better defensively and he had a ridiculously good shooting season.

I just think that you can look at Banchero and see something more as he puts it all together. Just my opinion, though.

The lack of any real off the dribble ability and poor 2-point shooting numbers give me pause about Jabari as a No. 1 pick type.

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Wasn’t Jabari’s poor 2-point shooting a product of basically always settling for face-up jumpers (but being comparatively good at these shots) and being sort of loathe to go towards the hoop? I guess it’s been said he’s not the best finisher at the rim too.