Detroit Pistons & NBA Talk

It seems reflective of his weaknesses. Doesn’t really have any moves to get to the rim at all. He’s gonna face you up and literally always take a jumper. https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/tcrwgt/is_jabari_smith_the_most_rimaverse_forward/

So him not playing college ball in a year where he was supposed to be playing high school ball will be held against him??

He’s a much more polished player at the age of 18 than Ivey was. Ivey came back for a 2nd year and is now going to be a lottery pick. If Sharpe was to spend 2 years at college he would be a top 2 pick?? Heck he’s a lock for the lottery as it is.

Yes, it should be held against him because he hasn’t played live competition in over a year and we don’t know if:

  • he has functional athleticism (this is Ivey’s biggest advantage over him because Ivey’s athleticism is functional)
  • Is a primary creator or secondary creator
  • has good BBIQ
  • can handle pressure from defense
  • he’s a ball hog or not

There’s a lot of things that are unknown about Sharpe and it’s all potential from high school which is a year ago. I rather not take the risk at top 4-5 and isn’t in the same tier as the top 4 prospects.

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I agree with this because Detroit has Cade. With a #1 option on the roster and a guy to build around, taking a safer pick in the top-5 makes sense. As fans, we can want the unknown because at its best, Cade + Sharpe could vault Detroit to Phoenix level. But who knows if that happens and taking guys who have shown they are the best at the college level and are pretty safe bets to be good NBA players is what is needed on the roster.

Exactly, they cannot afford to miss in this draft. Their clock is already starting on the Pistons with Cade in fold.

So you’re probably right but I have a theory on this. Walker Kessler was essentially just standing near the rim at all times for that team. I think that sort of dissuaded him from driving into traffic, cuz I do feel like the moves and ability are there. I just watched a ton of Smith game film for a project last week and there’s some rip through blow by stuff that the numbers definitely don’t reflect.

I’m hoping NBA spacing will do him wonders. Will be interesting to follow at the next level for sure.

I get it. But no one was forcing them to draft these high school players. If teams wanted more tape then just draft a college player.

Again, that you don’t know this doesn’t mean a potential drafting team does not.

I am not advocating for the Piston to draft (or not to draft) Sharpe, because I, like you, can only base an impression on YouTube mixtapes. If anyone of us were to make this selection, we’d be operating in the dark compared to any other prospect.

Troy Weaver will have spent hours watching him play against competition stronger than college ball in a closed gym.

UMHOOPS PISTONS DRAFT BOARD
1 - Jabari Smith
2 - Chet Holmgren
3a - Paolo Banchero
3b - Jaden Ivey
5 - ???

Banchero edged out Ivey in the last poll. The two had 86% of the votes and I think about 4 votes out of 63 separated them so if no one has an objection, we’ll jump to five. Only three more polls (because Pistons can’t fall below seven) so I’m expanding the board. Which of the following would you want the Pistons to take?

  • Keegan Murray
  • Shaedon Sharpe
  • Bennedict Mathurin
  • Jalen Duren
  • Johnny Davis
  • TyTy Washington
  • Dyson Daniels
  • Jeremy Sochan
  • Tari Eason
  • Ochai Agbaji

0 voters

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You keep saying it but it’s not a good substitute for live competition. I fail to see your point. How is he reacting to defense keying on him, how he operates in PnR, how is he doing off the ball? This won’t tell them much from closed gym where he pretty much is playing on scout team to prep UK for games.

I used to work for D1 schools in both football and basketball. Closed gym practices doesn’t offer much tape for Sharpe except coachability and work ethic.

My vote is Keegan Murray here. Not a sexy pick, but he’s a skilled all around player who seems like he’d fit well into the culture Weaver is trying to establish. He’ll work hard, won’t cause drama, and will do whatever role he’s asked. I’d be temped to take a big swing on Sharpe here too, but like mentioned above, getting a guy you think will be a consistent pro is always a good choice. I like Mathurin too, but this high I’d want a SG who offers more ball handling and can be a secondary creator behind Cade.

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You just should post you dislike Shaedon Sharpe.

I don’t dislike him. I dislike the idea of drafting him at top 5 especially when people are advocating for him over the top 4 prospects. Pistons can’t afford to miss out with this pick.

The NBA is much happier drafting college busts in the top-5 like Anthony Bennett, Greg Oden, Hasheem Thabeet, Derrick Williams, and Pistons Legend Josh Jackson.

I’d guess the hit/miss ratio hasn’t changed all that much since they added those restrictions. Now, it did make the college game more star-studded, so I selfishly like it.

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Yep the list of college busts that were drafted high is very long. Thomas Robinson, Jahlil Okafor, Jabari Parker to name a few more recent examples. You can find examples to fit whatever theory you’re trying to prove. As a GM, you just have to trust your evaluation

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And if they fall to 6?

I would be hesitant but considering the meh next tier, he would be in consideration. I am pushing back on Sharpe big time because of people wanting him at top 3/4 which is way too rich for my blood. To me, there’s a clear tier of top 4 prospects and there’s a huge gap after them. If Pistons are out of range, I would reluctantly consider Sharpe along with Mathurian, Duren, etc.

Pistons have a good young core and need a near sure thing to be the 2nd star to go with Cade. Missing out on this pick would set back the rebuild timeline and could potentially push Cade not to stick with the Pistons. Sharpe may have the highest ceiling (it is debatable IMO) but he also has the lowest floor out of all the prospects in the draft.

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I’m with you. You take Chet’s HS tape and people would have been picking him first overall this decade. Plus, maybe it’s just me, but Shaedon’s HS tape, while impressive, doesn’t look that out of the ordinary for a 5 star prospect?

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I haven’t seen alot of people - Pistons fans or otherwise - wanting Sharpe in the top 4. I think only one poster suggested Sharpe inside 5. I think he gets intriguing at ~5, but I’m sure we’ll get a clearer picture after the combine and players workout for individual teams and the draft analysts get wind of some opinions.

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It is, literally, live competition. These teams stage games with G-League personnel to watch them play. I am not discussing closed-gym workouts at UK, I am talking about pre/post combine workouts held by NBA teams.