The one player I cannot see the Warriors choosing is Anthony Edwards. He won't start and is not an elite shooter despite all the hoopla about his athleticism. But who knows, maybe the Warriors really did see something in him that they want. They said they were disappointed in his workout.
Lamelo is clearly the top talent. He also won't start but fills a glaring need for the backup PG and bench and future playmaker for the Warriors. Hardly any rookie comes in and is picture perfect. Kobe certainly wasn't. Lamelo will also get to play intermittently with Curry & Steph as they get to know his game.
Wiseman is the biggest wild card in years. I love the mystery around this guy since he didn't play college ball. 3 games can't count. But, how do you argue with his size and athleticism. If Kerr can't do something with a player like this, you don't belong in the NBA and we know Kerr belongs! I don't see how we can pass on him barring trading down. I don't want to comment on trade scenarios because who knows what teams will offer and how many are actually interested. All I know is that there are 3 choices to be made and we pick 2nd. WISEMAN. If he doesn't fit, he becomes a trade asset and Myers will find a solution. I can't imagine him not starting right away. He fills a need. Wise choice.
"To be honest," he says, "I can't watch basketball."
He retells the story about the first time he dunked and how it signaled to him that he was talented and could accomplish something he might not have been able to in football, which was his first love. So that's the direction he went, simple as that, hanging up his cleats. "That's all I needed to see," he says.
So when after that did he get into basketball?
"I'm still not really into it," he says. "I love basketball, yeah. It's what I do."
He's not entirely convincing. He says if he were drafted by the NFL tomorrow, he'd let basketball go. "Because you can do anything on the field," he explains. "You can spike the ball. You can dance. You can do all type of disrespectful stuff." In the NBA, he says, "you can't do any of that. You'll get fined."
...
That's the way Edwards consumes basketball, Holland says, in short bursts. When Edwards said he wasn't a fan of basketball, Holland says what he meant is he's not a fan of watching games like he does football. But make no mistake, Holland says, he's a student of the sport, breaking down clips of Bradley Beal's step-back on his iPhone.
I read that, but I also read that they were unimpressed in another report. Which is true? I have no idea. But the idea of Wiseman seems right, high risk/high reward. Not really too risky. So many possibilities. Warriors have played it very quietly. We also have no idea what they are getting offered for the pick. I'm very excited to see the outcome!
I'm real curious to see if the Rockets take the Nets up on this. I know a lot of rumors are nothing, but this seems like a clear case of the players leaking stuff, and now the teams are catching up.
Just really hard for me to imagine that no other team has a better offer than the Nets.
> Brooklyn is throwing the “kitchen sink” at Houston in a potential trade for James Harden, via
@KevinOConnorNBA
“All of it. All Future Picks, all Pick Swaps, and LeVert, and Dinwiddie.”
I think this trade would be Celtics level for the Rockets. Harden’s taste in point guards reminds me of that old friend from college who made the worst choices when we went out.
I hate to see Fertita thinking he’s amazing but this would be an absolute Golden parachute for an organization he tried to drive into a trashpile.
The only hope is that Fertita’s ego to show Harden who is boss outweighs the $$ he’ll save and the rewards he will reap when the Emo Nets inevitably implode.
After trading Covington for 2 first round picks and Ariza, what does New York have to give up for Harden? 6 first round picks, 3 starters, and Staten Island?
Back in March I hated the idea of Toppin but after looking at all the players they could get, if they stay at 2 or trade back a couple slots, I'd take him. I actually think he's less bad defensively than I originally expected, he tries hard and he's smart, he just has physical limitations.
I also like Okongwu, Okoro, Haliburton, Vassell, Williams, and Hayes. Basically if they don't take Toppin I hope they trade down to the 6-11 range. There are some guys lower in the draft who I like as well, particularly Killian Tillie and Tyrell Terry.
Don't want Ball/Edwards/Wiseman/Avdija even though it seems like they might be the first four picks.
Same here. I wonder why the same folks who call out Wiseman for his defensive question marks don't seem very down on Toppin, who seems to be graded by consensus as a worse defender than Wiseman.
For me personally, Wiseman's defensive question marks are about reading the game, whereas Toppin's are about physical limitations. I'm more concerned about the former. Damian Jones was way more athletic than Kevon Looney, but Looney's intellect allowed him to turn into a good defender under Adams' tutelage whereas Jones' inability to read the game was a non-starter.
But I think there are more concerns with Wiseman than defense. Whereas I'm struggling to see any big man that is even close to as good as Toppin projects to be on offense in this draft. I feel like people are hand waving away how much better he is on that end than anyone else. Post ups, short rolls, three point shooting, off ball movement, what is he missing offensively?
I don't think Damian Jones is a good comp for James Wiseman, which is why the former went 30th and the latter is expected to go in the top 3. Watching some highlights of Jones at Vanderbilt vs. the limited highlights of Wiseman further reinforces this opinion. Wiseman's read for the game is more advanced than Jones and he is capable of doing more on the court. Sure, they both are tall, athletic centers but they don't play very similarly. I also don't see Toppin as a good comp for Looney, who was considered a great defender in college and would have likely gone in the top 10 of his draft if it were not for his injuries. Compare that to Toppin, who every draft expert and scout seems to have the same concern about; his lack of lateral quickness and ability to defend at an NBA level. Ron Adams is great but turning Looney into a great defender is easier than turning Toppin into one given what they were coming into the league. Even after Looney's hip injuries and surgeries, he seems a far more fluid defender than Toppin does in his college tape.
You mention his offense in your second point (so did Void) and yes, his offensive game seems polished and NBA-ready, but that's not an argument I was ever trying to have. My post was strictly in regards to his defense and why the same people who have doubts regarding Wiseman's defense don't have the same doubts about Toppin's.
I think those people also have doubts about Toppin's defense, it just doesn't get mentioned as much because his high offensive floor allays some of those concerns -- if he's very good on offense he only has to be average on D to be a good player, whereas with 3-game Wiseman we're really not sure what we're gonna get on either side of the floor. Basically, if Wiseman is only average on D he's probably not going to be a great player, but the same is not necessarily true of Toppin.
I think you made some good points, but there is no indication the Warriors are interested. In fact, none of the sportswriters have Toppin in the top 4. I wonder why the lack of interest?
The one player I cannot see the Warriors choosing is Anthony Edwards. He won't start and is not an elite shooter despite all the hoopla about his athleticism. But who knows, maybe the Warriors really did see something in him that they want. They said they were disappointed in his workout.
Lamelo is clearly the top talent. He also won't start but fills a glaring need for the backup PG and bench and future playmaker for the Warriors. Hardly any rookie comes in and is picture perfect. Kobe certainly wasn't. Lamelo will also get to play intermittently with Curry & Steph as they get to know his game.
Wiseman is the biggest wild card in years. I love the mystery around this guy since he didn't play college ball. 3 games can't count. But, how do you argue with his size and athleticism. If Kerr can't do something with a player like this, you don't belong in the NBA and we know Kerr belongs! I don't see how we can pass on him barring trading down. I don't want to comment on trade scenarios because who knows what teams will offer and how many are actually interested. All I know is that there are 3 choices to be made and we pick 2nd. WISEMAN. If he doesn't fit, he becomes a trade asset and Myers will find a solution. I can't imagine him not starting right away. He fills a need. Wise choice.
agree Wiseman is wisest choice due to elite athleticism as a big
Gotta say, some quotes in this Edwards interview seems like something you don't do before the draft https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30321844/the-pain-promise-top-nba-draft-prospect-anthony-edwards
=============
"To be honest," he says, "I can't watch basketball."
He retells the story about the first time he dunked and how it signaled to him that he was talented and could accomplish something he might not have been able to in football, which was his first love. So that's the direction he went, simple as that, hanging up his cleats. "That's all I needed to see," he says.
So when after that did he get into basketball?
"I'm still not really into it," he says. "I love basketball, yeah. It's what I do."
He's not entirely convincing. He says if he were drafted by the NFL tomorrow, he'd let basketball go. "Because you can do anything on the field," he explains. "You can spike the ball. You can dance. You can do all type of disrespectful stuff." In the NBA, he says, "you can't do any of that. You'll get fined."
...
That's the way Edwards consumes basketball, Holland says, in short bursts. When Edwards said he wasn't a fan of basketball, Holland says what he meant is he's not a fan of watching games like he does football. But make no mistake, Holland says, he's a student of the sport, breaking down clips of Bradley Beal's step-back on his iPhone.
================
Robin Lopez & two wings would make my day brighter this week! One Rookie wing and one TPE, I’ll even take the bad Bridges!
The Dubz actually said Edwards was "a future star" and was a "beast" in his workout
I read that, but I also read that they were unimpressed in another report. Which is true? I have no idea. But the idea of Wiseman seems right, high risk/high reward. Not really too risky. So many possibilities. Warriors have played it very quietly. We also have no idea what they are getting offered for the pick. I'm very excited to see the outcome!
Thank you for bringing some optimism! Last night I may have been in pure panic mode as the contenders gain strength.
I'm real curious to see if the Rockets take the Nets up on this. I know a lot of rumors are nothing, but this seems like a clear case of the players leaking stuff, and now the teams are catching up.
Just really hard for me to imagine that no other team has a better offer than the Nets.
> Brooklyn is throwing the “kitchen sink” at Houston in a potential trade for James Harden, via
@KevinOConnorNBA
“All of it. All Future Picks, all Pick Swaps, and LeVert, and Dinwiddie.”
I think this trade would be Celtics level for the Rockets. Harden’s taste in point guards reminds me of that old friend from college who made the worst choices when we went out.
I hate to see Fertita thinking he’s amazing but this would be an absolute Golden parachute for an organization he tried to drive into a trashpile.
The only hope is that Fertita’s ego to show Harden who is boss outweighs the $$ he’ll save and the rewards he will reap when the Emo Nets inevitably implode.
After trading Covington for 2 first round picks and Ariza, what does New York have to give up for Harden? 6 first round picks, 3 starters, and Staten Island?
well, in their favor, because KD and Kyrie both just wanted in there, they've probably got a fairly deep stockpile of picks - right?
OK, so now I want them all.
Haha, I was going to write up Okongwu, Halliburton and Avdija too but I ran out of time
Back in March I hated the idea of Toppin but after looking at all the players they could get, if they stay at 2 or trade back a couple slots, I'd take him. I actually think he's less bad defensively than I originally expected, he tries hard and he's smart, he just has physical limitations.
I also like Okongwu, Okoro, Haliburton, Vassell, Williams, and Hayes. Basically if they don't take Toppin I hope they trade down to the 6-11 range. There are some guys lower in the draft who I like as well, particularly Killian Tillie and Tyrell Terry.
Don't want Ball/Edwards/Wiseman/Avdija even though it seems like they might be the first four picks.
Patrick really convinced me on Toppin. But like Eric said above, I really want us to trade back - fleece the Knicks for Robinson or something similar.
I remain steadfastly unconvinced on Toppin.
True, never draft a stiff 22 yr old PF!
Same here. I wonder why the same folks who call out Wiseman for his defensive question marks don't seem very down on Toppin, who seems to be graded by consensus as a worse defender than Wiseman.
Toppin's got an elite offensive track record, Wiseman's all question marks. (devil's advocate)
For me personally, Wiseman's defensive question marks are about reading the game, whereas Toppin's are about physical limitations. I'm more concerned about the former. Damian Jones was way more athletic than Kevon Looney, but Looney's intellect allowed him to turn into a good defender under Adams' tutelage whereas Jones' inability to read the game was a non-starter.
But I think there are more concerns with Wiseman than defense. Whereas I'm struggling to see any big man that is even close to as good as Toppin projects to be on offense in this draft. I feel like people are hand waving away how much better he is on that end than anyone else. Post ups, short rolls, three point shooting, off ball movement, what is he missing offensively?
I don't think Damian Jones is a good comp for James Wiseman, which is why the former went 30th and the latter is expected to go in the top 3. Watching some highlights of Jones at Vanderbilt vs. the limited highlights of Wiseman further reinforces this opinion. Wiseman's read for the game is more advanced than Jones and he is capable of doing more on the court. Sure, they both are tall, athletic centers but they don't play very similarly. I also don't see Toppin as a good comp for Looney, who was considered a great defender in college and would have likely gone in the top 10 of his draft if it were not for his injuries. Compare that to Toppin, who every draft expert and scout seems to have the same concern about; his lack of lateral quickness and ability to defend at an NBA level. Ron Adams is great but turning Looney into a great defender is easier than turning Toppin into one given what they were coming into the league. Even after Looney's hip injuries and surgeries, he seems a far more fluid defender than Toppin does in his college tape.
You mention his offense in your second point (so did Void) and yes, his offensive game seems polished and NBA-ready, but that's not an argument I was ever trying to have. My post was strictly in regards to his defense and why the same people who have doubts regarding Wiseman's defense don't have the same doubts about Toppin's.
I think those people also have doubts about Toppin's defense, it just doesn't get mentioned as much because his high offensive floor allays some of those concerns -- if he's very good on offense he only has to be average on D to be a good player, whereas with 3-game Wiseman we're really not sure what we're gonna get on either side of the floor. Basically, if Wiseman is only average on D he's probably not going to be a great player, but the same is not necessarily true of Toppin.
I think you made some good points, but there is no indication the Warriors are interested. In fact, none of the sportswriters have Toppin in the top 4. I wonder why the lack of interest?