He's gotten better and better every year. His shot release (form)/inability to create for himself as a freshman and then watching him this year (today) is startling.
Wow that kid can shoot! Loved how he drove it a few times and was able to finish at the basket. He got by his man pretty easily. He'd be a perfect fit with D-LO. We'd finally have some floor spacing. Had a sweet step back and fade away so he can create off the dribble, drive it, and catch and shoot and play off ball.
At the three I'd still prefer a trade honestly. I like Hield, but I worry about fit. Unless we're moving Clarkson, there's no need for another guard in that ilk.
I agree. He plays a plays a position where we actually have two players at that provide similar things. Not in the cards for him to be a Laker I doubt.
I had a boner for Sabonis early this season from last year's or very early this year's video clips on him. CAN NOT discount or ignore the positive effect and input on his transition from high school up through the one or (two) (?) college years .... into the NBA ..... that having an all world class Big Man "for the ages" in his own Pops ....will help him out going forward,.
Im happy with ingram or simmons...But I also say look for a trade if we pick 3rd.....Lets just hope we keep the pick!!
My thoughts exactly, I'd trade down for Hields if it we were getting someone else via trade for Clarkson.
i think hield is going to be really good. just not the sort of dude you bet against. he'll probably get taken too low and blow away the higher picks for the first few years.
Could be. I still like Jalyen Brown even though he had an absolutely horrible showing in the Tournament. I think his workouts will help boost his draft stock again. I also would like to have Poetl in for a workout. He's an enormous body, makes good decisions... I'm not sure he's a starter, but I could see him having an Alex Len type of growth once his body matures.
Agreed. I like Jakob as well. But definitely agree with you on Brown. I kinda took a little sarcastic swipe at him earlier in the thread, but he's got something there. Usually I would try to avoid guys who are athletic freaks but can't shoot, especially in today's pace-n-space league. But if you can teach him to shoot....a big if....you could have the next Leonard or Butler on your hands. And honestly, with Russell, Clarkson, Randle and two max spots, he's not a back breaker for the franchise I'd he misses. Until further information presents itself I think he is absolutely worth the pick at 3 if that's where we end up.
He's at least worth a look. I'm not sure what kind of trade value is at #3, but if there's nothing worth jumping for then Jaylen deserves a workout. The list for me is short: Jaylen Brown Dragan Bender Jakob Poetl Kris Dunn I'm not huge on Dunn, but he's talented enough that you give him a workout and see if maybe we have to take him there based on talent alone. I don't think so, but I'd like to see the workout just to be sure.
i think that's probably the list, but i'd add hield. i'm not nuts about poeltl. seems like the kind of guy you can pick up on the cheap in vet FA. if you're not going to be great on d and the boards, you better be pau gasol on offense to go really high in the draft as a big, and i don't think he's that. i guess it's similar to how i felt about kaminsky last year: if you're drafting later (outside the top 5-ish), then maybe. but not in the top 3.
I tend to agree, but I'd like to see the workout anyway. There's just not that many talented kids in this draft and I want to cast a wide net to make sure we get the best of what's left after Ingram and Simmons go. I'm not high on Bender either for what it's worth.
I would not be upset if we added Hield. And I think the longer Oklahoma is in the tourney and he's blowing people away, the more likely it will be that some team falls in love with him to where they might be willing to give up A LOT to get him.
For what it's worth on Ben's "length" issue: Julius Randle Ben Simmons 6'9" height 6'10" 250 weight 240 7' wingspan 7'0.25" 8'9.5" standing reach 9'0.25" 9.4% body fat 7.9% 29" no step vert 37" 35.5" max vert 41.5" Julius' numbers are from the Combine and Simmons' are from his college so those aren't 100% official. Still, Julius handles things fine with his length and he's shorter than Simmons. Julius' measurements are a lot like Griffin's too who plays PF just fine in the NBA. The real issue for me is that Simmons' game is a lot like Julius with way better vision and way less aggression around the rim. I'm not sure they fit together at all unless Simmons and/or Julius magically starts shooting the ball a lot better this summer. If the Lakers get Simmons, I expect them to look to trade Julius probably or vice versa.