DRAFT TALK Thread: Looking Like Lonzo

If Philly does that, they are DUMB! Way too much.

If Philly calls Boston's bluff, I think Boston takes Jackson. So do we take Fultz or Ball ? If Philly wants Fultz that bad, they can give us our pick back and we'll "settle" for Ball.

 

Except when that one way to play also happens to be the same way that the Warriors play, the Spurs play, and that Luke wants the team to play, and Lonzo plays better than anyone else coming out of college this year or in recent years.

Drafting Ball is not turning our back on Russell (I hope that's not the intention). Russell sees himself as more of a versatile combo guard. Playing with Ball is not going to diminish Russell but enhance him.

I watched UCLA closely this last year primarily because of the Ball effect. He absolutely was the primary reason for the huge turn around. The other two 1st rounders from that team should buy him a very nice dinner for putting them in a position to be drafted so high. The strength of schedule thing only applies to their great regular season record. It doesn't account for their success in the tournament.

You have reduced his value to "a 19 year old PG with exceptional passing skills." That's like saying Elvis was an exceptional singer. Lots of people can sing, but only a handful can change a culture. That's what Lonzo did for UCLA last year. His coach says it, his teammates say it, it's the truth. This team needs a culture change like that. It's what Magic did for the 80s Lakers. He didn't just pass really well. He changed the culture. If Lonzo can be just half for this team of what Magic was for that team then he is well worth the #2 pick.

 

If Lonzo were a transcendent talent - like Elvis (I love Elvis, but he wasn't a great singer or musician and didn't write songs, by the way), then he'd be the consensus number one. I won't even engage with any arguments that include the claim that he's that talent.

Fox can push the tempo better than Lonzo, for what it's worth. But at any rate, no rookie Pg except possibly Fultz is coming in to change a team in the next two years.

 

LA fans are overhyping Ball. That's my suggestion.

 

I don't like that trade at all for Philadelphia. Sure you get Fultz and I like Fultz, but you're giving up now probably 3 lottery picks? At least two probably lottery picks? Huge chance.

 

Well said. There's also a pro-Russell contingent who is determined to hate Ball because he's perceived as a threat, which is silly. Anyone who has scouted Ball, looked at his statistics, or just watched a few games would know he's not a threat to Russell he's an enhancement for Russell. It's not like Russell suddenly takes a backseat. Lonzo Ball has the lowest Usage Rate of any of the young guards in college. He's a kid eager to get everyone else the ball. Not to mention Lonzo's shooting would benefit Russell too by opening the floor more.

Whatever though. We'll see if the Lakers take him and if they do, people will see quickly what Ball is all about.

 

High standard. Freddie Mercury's range was one of my first serious exposures to music. Like I said - I love Elvis. I'll even go great voice. not musician or song writer.

 

:MitchQFT:

 

I need to see who wrote Suspicious Minds. My favorite Elvis song.

 

No worries if you choose not to engage.

I am asserting that Lonzo is a transcendent talent of a unique kind. That does not make him an auto-consensus #1. Looking back we can all agree that Magic was THE transcendent talent in his draft year, yet the single greatest NBA talent evaluater of all time, the Logo wanted to draft a great player in Moncrief with the #1 pick. It took Dr. Buss making a gambler's gut call decision to override him.

Fox is a solid player, and if we trade down, I'd settle for him. But it's not just pushing the tempo. It's making the right pass in the right moment to the right player. There's a reason why Ball's assist numbers were significantly higher than Fox. It's also being able to consistently hit the 3 ball when the ball comes back to the passer. Lonzo's numbers prove that he can, Fox has yet to show he can even hit an NCAA 3 ball consistently let alone an NBA three.

 

Anyone who has watched basketball knows a below average defender and unsustainable shooting percent when they see them. Ball is going to be a fine player - he'll start somewhere and have a long career. And anyone who can read knows that the only reason to talk about Russell in this thread is a) to say don't trade him for any of these players and b) to discuss the "way" this team should play. If 55 year old Tony Parker and Manu can run "this offense," then we don't even need a player in the mold of Magic. We do need shooting and defense though.

 

Did Brown make you forget that JC and Zubac were?

 

Fox isn't even my guy. In fact, I don't have a guy. I'm highest on Collins relative to his mock position, for what it's worth. It's as if some are doing the thing others are accusing me of - seeing this as a Ball vs. X debate. It's not. Trade down because there is no clear game changer. Get more value from the picks.

There's a clear history of getting better value by trading down. There's a clear history of finding the best talent with a consensus number one. Pointing out exceptions to the rule doesn't change the facts. If so, everyone would draft Tom Brady.

 

Mark James. He also co-wrote "Always on My Mind." My favorite Elvis song is Kentucky Rain.

 

I won't lose sleep over all this, but while it's true that I'm not sold on Lonzo, I'm not loving the suggestion that I'm the one who's biased unfairly here. Trade down. Gain assets. Gain flexibility. Be happy