NBA Draft: Winners, Losers and More
Aug 14, 2019 0:05:09 GMT 2
Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, and 3 more like this
Post by Portland TrailBlazers on Aug 14, 2019 0:05:09 GMT 2
With the 2019 NBA Draft in the books, it's time to sort through the carnage and pick the winners and losers from your pathetic squads!!
Atlanta Hawks:
After a 2018-19 season that turned out to be a complete shit show with bad bad bad trades and overrated FA signings, the fantasy Gods decided that they had to reward our friend with Zion!!! Teams almost always enter a rebuild after such a disgusting season, but the Hawks are in the rare position to compete and rebuild simultaneously. They may not be a true title contender for a few more years, but they head into 2019-20 with a combination of roster flexibility and future draft capital that'll carry them through much of the next few years. Meanwhile, the league invited 22 players to the green room and Cameron Johnson wasn't one of them but he went 11th overall, go figure!
Los Angeles Lakers:
Much like the team picking ahead of them, simply drafting Ja Morant second overall makes Lakers a winner. But adding Coby White, Cam Reddish and Eric Paschal looks like quite the haul for another team that stacked up on overrated veterans (hello Dragon!) and primadonas (hello Boogie!). With White, it is all about fit. He didn't go any higher than expected, but he joins a point-guard-needy team that, despite being terrible for the last two seasons, has a nice young core in place. White-Zach LaVine-Otto Porter-Lauri Markkanen-Wendell Carter is formidable, young starting five.
Once faced with a bleak future , the Lakers now have one of the best young backcourts in the league and if Morant is as talented as many believe, the Lakers will have positioned itself to be among the contenders-in-waiting once the current guard of elites phases out.
Minnesota Wolves:
Brandon Clarke was named the 2019 Summer League MVP, validating what many industry experts thought was a steal on Draft night. He averaged 14.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.2 steals and 1.6 blocks on .570 shooting across five games so far, all in only 21.4 mpg. Clarke has increased his stock as much as anyone in Vegas, though the presence of Jaren Jackson Jr. could make it hard for him to carve out huge minutes from the jump. Still, there's a chance that Clarke puts himself on the standard-league map and he can be considered a late-round flier in competitive formats.
Phoenix Suns:
The Suns sure looked like a punch box bag last year but the draft night delivered to them a stud and a couple intriguing prospects. The Suns didn’t hesitate to make Hachimura a lottery pick, contrary to plenty of scouts who saw him as an one-dimensional talent, but the ex-Gonzaga star didn’t disappoint, flashing a smooth-looking jumper and putting his mark on the defensive end of the floor. The Japanese-born power forward wasn’t considered a reliable perimeter shooter but he showed an expanded range and an overall understanding of his strengths and limitations during the summer league where he averaged 19.3 points, 7.0 rebounds 0.7 assists and 1.7 blocks on 50 percent shooting in 3 games and 31.7 minutes per contest. He is a great kid and a late bloomer so I do expect him to surprise a lot of people in his rookie season. Samanic impressed NBA teams with his ballhandling and playmaking ability and he was able to validate these skills in the summer league as one of the youngest guys in Vegas. His offensive game is skilled enough to stay on the floor and become a threat but the lack of strength is the main issue and the Spurs will likely take the time with him. I don’t expect him to see the floor too much this year but he should be stashed in deep dynasty leagues. As for Daniel Gafford, feel free to buy the hype!
Boston Celtics:
The Celtics somehow managed to turn No 5, 12, 14 and 17 into a bunch of risky selections like Hunter, Hayes, Doumbouya and Grant Williams, NONE of which has All-Star potential written all over him. This draft actually reminded me of how the Wolves had multiple lottery picks a few years ago and opted to take Johnny Flynn ahead of Steph Curry (facepalm). Let’s just blame Facebook and move on right?
Denver Nuggets:
Bol Bol and Nicolas Claxton are the two biggest IFS of this draft class. Claxton ended up in a not so favorable basketball situation with the Nets, who have a young center in Jarrett Allen and fantasy cancer DeAndre Jordan. All things considered, it wasn't terribly surprising to see Bol slip to Round 2, but it also wouldn't have been shocking if he went in the top 20. He had perhaps the widest range of any prospect coming into the night, and the draft broke about as badly as it could have for the 7-3 freshman. Still, he ends up in an interesting spot with the Nuggets, who will make him their second consecutive big-name reclamation project but on a two-way contract, which tells you a lot about the level of thin ice he is sitting on. Thybulle meanwhile is known as a strong defensive prospect and gives the Sixers a lockdown defender on the wing. He was a two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He averaged 2.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game in his college career for Washington. This gives the Sixers defensive versatility and bench depth but will likely not have a fantasy role in standard leagues during year one. Big picture situation though, ALL picks are consistent with Denver’s 10 year plan!
Collin Sexton:
The Cavs taking Darius Garland at No. 5 doesn't mean Sexton is suddenly expendable, but it does speak to how the Cavs view his ability to run the show. Sexton's raw scoring numbers as a rookie were impressive -- and he shot the three much better than expected, but he was historically bad as a passer and struggled on the defensive end, belying his collegiate reputation. Of the 184 players who played at least 1,000 minutes and had an assist rate lower than 17 percent last season, only 45 were guards, and only five of those guards – Sexton, Tyler Johnson, Frank Jackson, George Hill and Quinn Cook – claim point guard as their primary position. And if we want to go even further, Sexton is virtually the only rookie point guard in history to average at least 30 minutes and fewer than three assists per game.Given where the Cavs are at from a pure talent perspective, Sexton is still a top asset, but he may be staring at a transition to more of a primary off-ball role next season. Let’s introduce the term sell-high to the Warriors!
Kris Dunn:
The Coby White pick may not be the end of Dunn in Chicago, but the former No. 5 overall pick is certainly on the hot seat. Dunn demonstrated some encouraging progress two seasons ago following a trade from Minnesota, but he stalled out last season, struggling to shoot just 42.5 percent from the floor. Dunn still has one year left on his contract before a 2020-21 qualifying offer, but with White and Satoransky now in place, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Bulls shop Dunn -- who is SIX years older than White -- to what would be his third team in four seasons.
Random Thoughts
* Portland taking Chuma Okeke was an interesting one. He's coming off of a torn ACL just five months ago, but there's plenty to like in terms of longer-term upside.
* Opinions on Nassir Little are split to the point that I can't call this a "win" for Portland, but getting an athlete of his caliber so late in the first round is rare. While going to a deeper team in Portland may mean a slower development path for Little, that may be what's best in the long-term.
Peace out and don’t forget to mark your guys as un-tradable in your trade blocks!! Your teams are so good there is no need for a change!
WINNERS
Atlanta Hawks:
After a 2018-19 season that turned out to be a complete shit show with bad bad bad trades and overrated FA signings, the fantasy Gods decided that they had to reward our friend with Zion!!! Teams almost always enter a rebuild after such a disgusting season, but the Hawks are in the rare position to compete and rebuild simultaneously. They may not be a true title contender for a few more years, but they head into 2019-20 with a combination of roster flexibility and future draft capital that'll carry them through much of the next few years. Meanwhile, the league invited 22 players to the green room and Cameron Johnson wasn't one of them but he went 11th overall, go figure!
Los Angeles Lakers:
Much like the team picking ahead of them, simply drafting Ja Morant second overall makes Lakers a winner. But adding Coby White, Cam Reddish and Eric Paschal looks like quite the haul for another team that stacked up on overrated veterans (hello Dragon!) and primadonas (hello Boogie!). With White, it is all about fit. He didn't go any higher than expected, but he joins a point-guard-needy team that, despite being terrible for the last two seasons, has a nice young core in place. White-Zach LaVine-Otto Porter-Lauri Markkanen-Wendell Carter is formidable, young starting five.
Once faced with a bleak future , the Lakers now have one of the best young backcourts in the league and if Morant is as talented as many believe, the Lakers will have positioned itself to be among the contenders-in-waiting once the current guard of elites phases out.
Minnesota Wolves:
Brandon Clarke was named the 2019 Summer League MVP, validating what many industry experts thought was a steal on Draft night. He averaged 14.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.2 steals and 1.6 blocks on .570 shooting across five games so far, all in only 21.4 mpg. Clarke has increased his stock as much as anyone in Vegas, though the presence of Jaren Jackson Jr. could make it hard for him to carve out huge minutes from the jump. Still, there's a chance that Clarke puts himself on the standard-league map and he can be considered a late-round flier in competitive formats.
Phoenix Suns:
The Suns sure looked like a punch box bag last year but the draft night delivered to them a stud and a couple intriguing prospects. The Suns didn’t hesitate to make Hachimura a lottery pick, contrary to plenty of scouts who saw him as an one-dimensional talent, but the ex-Gonzaga star didn’t disappoint, flashing a smooth-looking jumper and putting his mark on the defensive end of the floor. The Japanese-born power forward wasn’t considered a reliable perimeter shooter but he showed an expanded range and an overall understanding of his strengths and limitations during the summer league where he averaged 19.3 points, 7.0 rebounds 0.7 assists and 1.7 blocks on 50 percent shooting in 3 games and 31.7 minutes per contest. He is a great kid and a late bloomer so I do expect him to surprise a lot of people in his rookie season. Samanic impressed NBA teams with his ballhandling and playmaking ability and he was able to validate these skills in the summer league as one of the youngest guys in Vegas. His offensive game is skilled enough to stay on the floor and become a threat but the lack of strength is the main issue and the Spurs will likely take the time with him. I don’t expect him to see the floor too much this year but he should be stashed in deep dynasty leagues. As for Daniel Gafford, feel free to buy the hype!
LOSERS (yes you!!)
Boston Celtics:
The Celtics somehow managed to turn No 5, 12, 14 and 17 into a bunch of risky selections like Hunter, Hayes, Doumbouya and Grant Williams, NONE of which has All-Star potential written all over him. This draft actually reminded me of how the Wolves had multiple lottery picks a few years ago and opted to take Johnny Flynn ahead of Steph Curry (facepalm). Let’s just blame Facebook and move on right?
Denver Nuggets:
Bol Bol and Nicolas Claxton are the two biggest IFS of this draft class. Claxton ended up in a not so favorable basketball situation with the Nets, who have a young center in Jarrett Allen and fantasy cancer DeAndre Jordan. All things considered, it wasn't terribly surprising to see Bol slip to Round 2, but it also wouldn't have been shocking if he went in the top 20. He had perhaps the widest range of any prospect coming into the night, and the draft broke about as badly as it could have for the 7-3 freshman. Still, he ends up in an interesting spot with the Nuggets, who will make him their second consecutive big-name reclamation project but on a two-way contract, which tells you a lot about the level of thin ice he is sitting on. Thybulle meanwhile is known as a strong defensive prospect and gives the Sixers a lockdown defender on the wing. He was a two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He averaged 2.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game in his college career for Washington. This gives the Sixers defensive versatility and bench depth but will likely not have a fantasy role in standard leagues during year one. Big picture situation though, ALL picks are consistent with Denver’s 10 year plan!
Collin Sexton:
The Cavs taking Darius Garland at No. 5 doesn't mean Sexton is suddenly expendable, but it does speak to how the Cavs view his ability to run the show. Sexton's raw scoring numbers as a rookie were impressive -- and he shot the three much better than expected, but he was historically bad as a passer and struggled on the defensive end, belying his collegiate reputation. Of the 184 players who played at least 1,000 minutes and had an assist rate lower than 17 percent last season, only 45 were guards, and only five of those guards – Sexton, Tyler Johnson, Frank Jackson, George Hill and Quinn Cook – claim point guard as their primary position. And if we want to go even further, Sexton is virtually the only rookie point guard in history to average at least 30 minutes and fewer than three assists per game.Given where the Cavs are at from a pure talent perspective, Sexton is still a top asset, but he may be staring at a transition to more of a primary off-ball role next season. Let’s introduce the term sell-high to the Warriors!
Kris Dunn:
The Coby White pick may not be the end of Dunn in Chicago, but the former No. 5 overall pick is certainly on the hot seat. Dunn demonstrated some encouraging progress two seasons ago following a trade from Minnesota, but he stalled out last season, struggling to shoot just 42.5 percent from the floor. Dunn still has one year left on his contract before a 2020-21 qualifying offer, but with White and Satoransky now in place, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Bulls shop Dunn -- who is SIX years older than White -- to what would be his third team in four seasons.
Random Thoughts
* Portland taking Chuma Okeke was an interesting one. He's coming off of a torn ACL just five months ago, but there's plenty to like in terms of longer-term upside.
* Opinions on Nassir Little are split to the point that I can't call this a "win" for Portland, but getting an athlete of his caliber so late in the first round is rare. While going to a deeper team in Portland may mean a slower development path for Little, that may be what's best in the long-term.
Peace out and don’t forget to mark your guys as un-tradable in your trade blocks!! Your teams are so good there is no need for a change!