I don’t disagree with the formulation, I’d disagree you’d get the three to buy in.
As I’ve written in a billion words in the NBA thread, Jordan has value in the regular season.
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With Brown and Tatum getting big money, maybe you can pry away Derrick White. Alec Burks for White? Saves them 8mil (probably more if they are over the luxury tax threshold.) Those are the kind of players I want. Solid role players with 2-3 years on their contract to fit around the young players.
I think they sort of need an offensively inclined guy which Burks fits more than white.
The Celtics guard to get would be Brogdon (from a fit perspective, but I don’t see the need to go get a pricey guard really)
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Agreed re: offense being a bigger priority. They have a toooon of possessions to hand out and some really terrible options to give them to. They’re young and energetic, they should play better D on accident if they’re at all competitive.
One of the weirder moves re: defense, was to take a short but quantifiably pretty darn good defensive center and made him run around the three point line, hiring 17 horrific defensive centers to replace him
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This guy any good?
He tore up a Michigan elite camp with Pete Nance back in 2017.
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I’ve talked myself into an out of Cam Whitmore, Ausar Thompson, Jarace Walker and Taylor Hendricks at 5. And I’m sure some would throw Anthony Black in there. Not a lot of separation between prospects in this tier,
Personally, I think Whitmore is the guy if he’s there.
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I lean that way too. Partly because every flaw or red flag I hand wave away because of his age. But then I wonder if I’m doing that too much.
Whitmore is at the top of my list. The more I dive into it too, I don’t see why Houston would take him at 4 and pass on Amen. They need a lead guard and Amen fits that role, even if he can’t shoot. They might trade the pick too, but I don’t see who is giving them a star player to take Whitmore at 4.
Hard to watch Whitmore fling himself into double teams with shooters open in the corner. I really like Hendricks, especially with that skillset at that length. But I also get that Whitmore is younger and has more runway.
That’s the worry as it seems like the others (Walker in particular) seem like high IQ players.
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I just really like Hendricks. I don’t see that Walker’s defensive upside is so much bigger than that of Hendricks, who has, clearly, a much better shot. A bankable 3&D guy who does both really well is maybe not a guy with star potential but it’s a really important player to have, especially with his length. So many teams make due with guys who give you one or the other. So many teams roll the dice on higher-ceiling guys and never get their hands on a shotmaking defender like this.
I’m with you on Hendricks. Hendricks gives you high floor as a prospect but has high ceiling because of his size/athleticism combination. If you think he can scale up his offensive game, he would be a great pick for any team who needs a 3 and D wing players.
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Far from clear that his ceiling is a hard one, too. Just because Whitmore is younger doesn’t mean Hendricks still isn’t young.
Same. I’ve heard rumblings of Nova coaching staff being frustrated with Whitmore but that’s just hearsay. It worries me though.
Hendricks is 19 and is still incredibly young. It’s not like he’s a college junior/senior entering the draft.
Taking Hendricks at 5 is like taking Isaiah Livers at 5. Solid contributor as a 3 and D but come on, Isaiah is never going to develop a handle.
As high as anyone is or isn’t on Ivey and Cunningham, they’re success as stars is obviously not guaranteed, and I think you end up taking the guy at your slot who you think just has the best shot of being a star. To me, that’s Whitmore over Hendricks. I see Hendricks as a “fit” pick, but at this point we’re “fitting” into a 17 win team.
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