DRAFT TALK Thread: Looking Like Lonzo

More Possible First Rounders

SCOFF: Scoring efficiency
PAFF: Passing efficiency
HUFF: Hustle efficiency
CAPS: Positional Efficiency
--Note: these aren't defensive stats for the most part. Sorted by positional efficiency, which wouldn't be my only consideration - defense is important.

WINGS
Justin Jackson 6.2 SCOFF, 2.9 PAFF, 2.6 HUFF, 73 WING
--Solid scorer, solid passer, so-so hustle, and not much of a defender. Sounds like a longer JC with a worse handle.

Luke Kennard 6.3 SCOFF, 2.5 PAFF, 2.4 HUFF, 70 WING
--Good shooting efficiency, good scorer, so-so passing, decent hustle for a wing. Nothing really blows me away about him.

Donovan Mitchell 5.9 SCOFF, 2.7 PAFF, 3.0 HUFF 68 WING (66 PG)
--Allegedly a good defender, but after two years in college, he doesn't have anything impressive to show for himself. He's a good athlete, but his size and lack of PG skills make him probably a combo guard at best and a SG on defense.

BIGS
John Collins 7.1 SCOFF, 1.3 PAFF, 4.0 HUFF 110 BIG
--Monstrous scoring and hustle, horrendous passing. The comparisons on him make little sense (Wilcox, Damian Jones) given his scoring ability. He's intriguing for sure.

TJ Leaf 6.3 SCOFF, 2.7 PAFF, 3.2 HUFF, 91 BIG
--I don't get the "Nick Collison" comparison. Leaf hit more threes in one season in college than Collison did in college, more than Collison has in a decade in the NBA. A good shooter, smart decision-maker, and maybe not much else.

OG Anunoby 5.8 SCOFF, 2.3 PAFF, 3.7 HUFF, 90 BIG (66 WING)
--I guess he projects as a stretch four. If his defense is as good as it is supposed to be, he can do that. I'm just not thrilled about him.

Justin Patton 6.2 SCOFF, 2.0 PAFF, 3.4 HUFF, 89 BIG
--Raw, with great athleticism for a seven footer, already a good scorer. Lots of upside. Really intriguing.

Harry Giles 5.2 SCOFF, 1.7 PAFF, 3.9 HUFF, 82 BIG
--Lots of injuries means a tiny body of work for such a big dude. Solid but unimpressive numbers with a question mark for injuries.

Jarrett Allen 5.7 SCOFF, 1.5 PAFF, 3.5 HUFF, 79 BIG
--Doesn't stand out in terms of the numbers. Compared to Lorenzen Wright, but I don't think he has Wright's offensive game (and that's not saying too much).

 

Patton is a well kept secret right now. He's a completely moldable young talent with a great fire in him. He might be the best Center in the draft in a few years.

OG I think is a 3/4 in college. He looks like a more skilled version of my guy Ojeleye. I actually really love Anunoby and watched a bunch of him when I first saw his name in the draft. He's going to be a stud defender at the 3/4 spot. The biggest questionmark for him actually might be health. He's had some trouble staying on the floor.

Leaf to me is going to end up being a reach. I think he's tough, he's just not very strong. Leaf likes to mix it up down low, but with NBA size he's going to get pushed around. He better have a fully translated 3 ball to make the transition.

I'm shocked at how high Kennard is going. He must look fantastic in workouts and interview like a congressmen.

Zach and John Collins are both really interesting prospects. John is a more athletic, stronger, but a little smaller. He's more of a traditional big. Zach is super interesting to me. He's got a frame that can be built on. I don't think he's afraid to mix it up, just weak right now physically but that could change. He can shoot outside, switch pretty well on the perimeter for a man his size, and is fairly athletic around the rim himself. I honestly have him going in or near the top 10 this draft. We'll see what happens.

 

The only thing I find sort of interesting with that is: shouldn't we be hoarding assets for next summer? Boy we must be ultra confident we're getting George this summer along with probably another player as well...

But really there's some great talent in this draft. I'd trade Clarkson/#28/next year's 2nd rounder to move up if there's a kid we're sold on. That leaves us very, very few assets to make a trade with the Pacers, but Rob and Magic must know there's no chance he's going somewhere else.

 

That's the same thing I'm saying, I'm just a year in the future. Eventually we'll have to pick which of these kids we want and which to flip for more established pieces. That is of course unless our scouting department hits homeruns on every pick.