Where do Podziemski and Jackson-Davis rank in a too-soon re-draft of the 2023 NBA Draft?

Premature exuberance: if not now then when?

Even though the Warriors had a disappointing ending to the Christmas game against the Nuggets, Brandin Podziemski turned heads with a high profile / high energy / high box score game.

This has a couple of people musing about where BP (#19 in reality) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (#57 in reality) would fall in a re-draft of the 2023 NBA Draft.

Fansided re-Draft

Fansided re-drafted the entire first round with these results:

#11. Brandin Podziemski

Original Pick: Jett Howard

Brandin Podziemski was recently promoted to the Warriors' starting five over Andrew Wiggins. That's more related to Wiggins than Podziemski, perhaps, but the rookie has been a plainly beneficial presence for a team that wants to contend. He competes hard on defense, making up for athletic limitations with I.Q. and effort. On offense, Podziemski hits 40.0 percent of his 3s and processes the game at a high level, amplifying Golden State's stars with his rapid-fire passes and selfless attitude

#30. Trayce Jackson-Davis

Original Pick: Kobe Brown

Is Trayce Jackson-Davis about to start at center for the Warriors? Golden State's youth revolution continues. There was no reason for Jackson-Davis to fall to No. 57 in the first place. The Clippers strike gold on a day-one backup center with the potential to take over Ivica Zubac's role somewhere down the line.

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor re-draft

O'Connor tweeted:

Where does Brandin Podziemski go in a 2023 NBA re-draft today? I'm thinking as high as 3rd and not any lower than 7th. A lottery lock for sure, so Podz is looking like a steal for the Warriors as the 19th pick.

Yahoo adds:

This season, Podziemski has played 23 games and recently earned a spot in the starting lineup to replace a struggling Andrew Wiggins. Over the last seven games, the rookie is averaging 10.8 points on 43.9-percent shooting, with 6.9 rebounds, 4.4 and 2.1 steals in that span.

His five steals in Golden State's loss to the Nuggets on Monday made him the first Warriors rookie with four or more steals in a game since Klay Thompson in 2012.

Podziemski also joins Ben Simmons, DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall as the only NBA rookies over the last 15 years to tally 13 or more points, nine or more rebounds, six or more assists and five or more steals in a single game as he finished Monday's contest with 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals.

DNHQ’s 2023 pre-draft big board

BP and TJD did not fare well in the 2023 DNHQ Draft Tournament, both being knocked out in the first round.

They did better in void’s collaborative big board for DNHQ, with DNHQ ranking projected non-lottery picks thus:

1. Dereck Lively II

2. Leonard Miller

3. Bilal Coulibaly

4. Trayce Jackson-Davis

5. Brandin Podziemski

2023 NBA Draft live reactions by Apricot and DNHQ

In case you are wondering, here is a link to my draft day commentary as well as links to everyone’s live reaction threads responding to both the stunning Poole-CP3 trade and the pick-by-pick progress of the actual 2023 NBA Draft.

Here are some of my instant reaction comments from 2023 Draft Day.

Chris Paul for Jordan Poole and Ryan Rollins trade

• This is a damned inconsiderate trade. Don't they know how long it will take to scrub everything I've ever written about CP3

• I'm still in the shock phase, but a distant rational voice in my head says that if you ignore 1. my feelings about Chris Paul, 2. my assumption that Poole could attract more in trade... (we really had to throw in picks?) then this trade rocks.

  • Poole was a dazzling overpaid Jamal Crawford who we couldn't play in the playoffs and who has a permanent grudge against Dray.

  • Ryan Rollins I've never been sold on.

  • CP3 is a (evil) basketball genius with an expiring (soon) contract. This move makes it much more possible financially and capwise to keep the championship core together.

  • But all the other parts of my brain are busy shoving that rational part into a closet, so I'm not at all well

• This trade was so shocking that I actually forgot the draft was happening in a few hours.

• Still emotionally grappling with CP3 news, but the scheme fit is ok. CP3 is best running the PNR, but Steph, Klay and Wiggs are all good off-ball. CP3 has decent career catch and shoot % on low volume. CP3 is also a (evil) bball genius. Now, is he washed? Can he stay healthy?

• hahaha CP3 was already voted Honorary Warriors Villain For Life. Will he be the first in history to achieve that *and* Honorary Warrior For Life?

Brandin Podziemski

• PODZ NATION ASSEMBLE at #19

• I have the feeling I'm going to have irrational good feelings about Podz. I hope I can dig into some game video of him soon.

• Haha people here are salty about this Podz pick. I am cautiously optimistic.

Trayce Jackson-Davis

• At this point [around pick 40] is it too much to hope that Trayce Jackson-Davis has a handshake deal to come to GSW as an undrafted free agent? [Narrator: he and Belilaugh spoke it into existence.]

• [why trade PBJ for TJD??] TJD was one of the most productive players in college basketball. PBJ was a guy who was terrible in college, not good in the G-League, so-so in spot minutes with GSW occasionally showing no fear in gunning threes, but also could not guard a roller chair. I, like many, had high hopes for PBJ, so I didn't want him gone, but that's the case without sentiment.

• I can easily imagine TJD passing out of the post to all the off-ball cutters and then making actual post moves to bail out the possession. I can imagine him being effective on the short roll. I can also imagine him being a rim protector. I don't know if he'll stick or be overwhelmed by game speed, but he's just perfect for what the Warriors want to do. He just might be too short to guard centers and too slow to stop getting picked on by guards.

Overall on the draft

• From a strict emotional perspective, I am lukewarm but cautiously optimistic on adding Podz and very excited we added TJD in the second round.

• Warriors take TJD with #57 pick, trade PBJ to WAS. A big victory for the analytics department, as Trayce and Brandin (#19) are two of the most productive college players that look not athletic enough for the NBA.

  • Yes, TJD is athletic in the sense he can get up for lobs and block shots. It's fairer to say he's considered too short and too slow on the perimeter, plus bad jumper. I'm personally thrilled about the pick

Analytics Darlings

I’m not saying that the analytics group has taken over or anything weird like that. The whole concept of Myers vs Dunleavy drafts is really jumping to conclusions. However, just to emphasize how much analytics models love these picks, you can look at this nice comparison graphic of multiple models.

• Podz was rated the #9 prospect in aggregate by models, with one model rating him #2 and one rating him #3.

• TJD was rated the #30 prospect with a couple of enthusiastic models rating him #2 and #9.