So... Draft Prospects?

It's just my best attempt at describing the pressure I imagine goes along with the great side of having the #1 pick. Towns was the best player in the draft, but we have needed a PG for a long time too. My comparison was attempting to point out that Simmons seems to be most people's top player in this draft, but we also badly need a SF, and someone who will fit in with players we have. I can only hope that first we KEEP the pick (it'd be a luxury of a problem to have), and then that draft workouts help clarify things for us if we have the #1. Simmons may not be the best player, it may be Ingram, I hope the workouts and stuff clarify that like they did with Towns/Russell/Okafor.

 

Max and Marcellus talk about this sort of thing all the time. When there's one dude that's way in front in the beginning of the season, the media starts to pull him back to the pack to create intrigue (so they can sell their articles/opinions). They were talking about Wentz/Goff. Goff was the consensus best QB all season so they started pumping up Wentz. When someone is the #1 by a wide margin at the beginning, you start to look for the chinks in their armor. And then you start looking at reasons other people might go first. Andrew Luck was #1 by a large margin, then RGIII had a real good season and it actually became a debate. Same with Manning/Leaf way back in the Day. I even remember after the Syracuse run Melo had, people were thinking maybe Melo over Lebron.

But in the end, the consensus #1 is usually chosen. And he usually ends up being the far better player because, well, everyone KNEW it when they were first introduced, but time allows anyone to talk themselves out of things (in any walk of life).

Simmons will go #1. I have zero doubt in my mind.

 

Yeah. He's not going to tank and lose millions of dollars over the life of that first contract (difference between the 1st and 2nd pick), just to avoid the 76ers who have at best a 25% chance.

 

I don't think he would do this, that's an incredibly risky move with millions on the line. What I saw watching him was a guy who didn't really have the selfishness to take over like he could. He was a freshman and he deferred to some upperclassmen who were good, but not great. I've heard some analysts say this could be because he grew up and played in Australia (mostly) until he was a sophomore, and international ball tends to be more team ball. It could be a good thing if he's a team first player, and it could also be looked at as a negative if you take him #1 and you want an alpha star and he isn't that.

I was looking forward to seeing him at the combine, but unfortunately he won't be there

 

Fortunately, we have Russell who is a definite alpha. The only downside to Simmons is as has been mentioned before, probably is the end of Randle here. I'm sure we'd give it a shot, but in this wide open 3-ball league, one of your starting forwards needs to be able to hit a shot from outside of 8 feet. It could get even worse if we were to sign DeRozan.

 

The only one of those guys on DraftExpress board is Yogi Farrell although they've looked into most of those guys.

I appreciate this scouting department so much. These guys go deep to make sure they've got an idea of everyone on the board.