2019/20 Players' Transactions: Breaking News , Trades, Free Agents, And Rumors

Adams was a solid pick at 12 and Roberson was a real nice pick at 26.

 

But where they're picking, getting those 2 where they typically are drafting isn't terrible. They aren't great at drafting, but we can't expect every team to grab guys late like the Lakers and Spurs.

 

Spurs drafts have been a little overrated lately. They're typically pretty good, but here's their picks the last few years:
(2017) #29- Derrick White
(2017) #59- Jaron Blossomgame*
(2016) #29- Dejounte Murray
(2015) #26- Nikola Miliutinov*
(2015) #55- Cady Lalanne*
(2014) #30- Kyle Anderson
(2014) #58- Jordan McRae (cut him)
(2014) #60- Cory Jefferson (cut him)
(2013) #28- Livio Jean-Charles*
(2013) #58- Deshaun Thomas*
(2012) #15- Kawhi Leonard**
(2012) #59- Marcus Denmon*
(2011) #29- Cory Joseph
(2011) #59- Adam Hanga*
(2010) #20- James Anderson
(2010) #49- Ryan Richards*

*- hasn't played any NBA minutes

So 7/15 of their guys haven't played in the NBA in the last 8 years. They cut McRae and Jefferson so they never played for the Spurs. James Anderson lasted 87 games in 2.12 seasons with the team. Derrick White has been underwhelming. So far Murray is okay and Anderson is somehow okay. Cory Joseph is their best pick in the last 8 seasons though.

**- Keep in mind they traded for Kawhi.

If you want to compare... Here's our picks outside the lottery in the last 8 years:

2017- Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, Thomas Bryant
2016- Ivica Zubac
2015- Larry Nance Jr., Anthony Brown
2014- Jordan Clarkson**
2013- Ryan Kelly
2012- Robert Sacre
2011- Darius Morris, Andrew Goudelock, Chuckwudibere Maduabum, Ater Majok
2010- Devin Ebanks, Derrick Caracter

**- Keep in mind we traded for Clarkson

I'm not saying we hit gold with every pick or that we traded for Kawhi, but at least we got use out of everyone except Maduabum, Majok, and Caracter. Heck we got great use out of Sacre for the last pick. It's rare to find two winners in the late 1st/2nd round like Clarkson and Nance. And of course this draft was magnificent work by our scouting department.

 

Can't forget Randle in 2014

 

If we didn't have years remaining where GSW will be a force to be reckon with I would consider moving all those pieces for AD. But given GSW's foreseeable dominance I feel like we have to keep our young guys - Ball, Hart, Kuz, and Ingram in tact so that when that shadow fades away are guys will be just entering their prime years

 

Yeah I didn't include the lottery picks because then of course we "win" even though they actually win because they've been competitive than us in recent years.

Otherwise we include-

2014 (#7) Randle vs. 62 wins for the Spurs
2015 (#2) D'Angelo Russell vs. 55 wins for the Spurs
2016 (#2) Brandon Ingram vs. 67 wins for the Spurs
2017 (#2) Lonzo Ball vs. 61 wins for the Spurs

 

The Spurs haven't been quite as proficient lately. I do count Kawhi for them and Clarkson for us because they traded for them before the season actually started. It's sort of like Kobe. Did we draft Kobe? No. But we traded for him before he played an NBA minute which means he was our pick more or less. Only point I was trying to make is the Thunder haven't been horrible at drafting. They've been OK.

 

They find useful players all over the draft. The Thunder are actually a really good scouting team. Their ability to draft well is what lets them avoid overpaying for their role players. Once a guy does well and develops, they let another team pay him and replace him in the draft.

 

You guys realize I included them in the list right?

You made me double check and make sure I did... I separated them because when looking at draft lists, those names don't tend to show up and they weren't taken with that team's draft pick. It's still scouting and it's still talent evaluation...

...which is why they're on the list...