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2018 NBA Draft - June 21

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Jackson is starting to come along offensively, it seems. Hes getting more and more involved in the offense and while he's still kinda awkward, there are more and more flashes where he looks good.Judging by comments he made earlier in the year, I think Izzo wanted him to focus on Defense to begin the season and then slowly integrate the rest of his game. He was known as a 3 point shooter coming out of high school but outside of his one game against Duke and to a lesser extent Uconn it hasn't really shown. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts getting more set plays in the offense going forward where he ends up taking the open 3.
 
Jackson is starting to come along offensively, it seems. Hes getting more and more involved in the offense and while he's still kinda awkward, there are more and more flashes where he looks good.Judging by comments he made earlier in the year, I think Izzo wanted him to focus on Defense to begin the season and then slowly integrate the rest of his game. He was known as a 3 point shooter coming out of high school but outside of his one game against Duke and to a lesser extent Uconn it hasn't really shown. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts getting more set plays in the offense going forward where he ends up taking the open 3.

Liking him more and more...I still have him a half step behind Bamba/Ayton in the race for the #2 spot, but I'm not sure why other than reputation. He's shown a lot more offense than Bamba and a lot more defense than Ayton, and he's more than a full year younger than them. His jumpshot looks better than his current 29% 3-point shooting suggests...I expect that number to tick into the mid 30's at least by the end of the season, and his draft stock will follow.
 
Liking him more and more...I still have him a half step behind Bamba/Ayton in the race for the #2 spot, but I'm not sure why other than reputation. He's shown a lot more offense than Bamba and a lot more defense than Ayton, and he's more than a full year younger than them. His jumpshot looks better than his current 29% 3-point shooting suggests...I expect that number to tick into the mid 30's at least by the end of the season, and his draft stock will follow.

What sells it for me is just how much space he covers defensively in the halfcourt. It of course helps that the 3 point line is closer on the college level, but the kid just feels like he's helping off his own man on two other guys on the weakside at times. He's also very vocal and constantly communicating on defense and guiding traffic. At this point I honestly feel like he could be an elite defensive anchor on an NBA team in 2-3 seasons with the proper coaching and team culture. He doesn't have the same defensive upside as Bamba I think, but right now I think him reaching his potential is much more of a certainty than Bamba.
 
I would suggest NBA enforces a new rule: NBA finalists get top5 draft odds each year. This is really additional value to the RS fandom.
Ps: You guys are great at this reports/observations/info.
 
A guy I've not seen mentioned yet that made his debut last night is Rawle Alkins from Arizona. A lot of people have him going undrafted, but I think he's got an interesting skillset.

He's pretty versitile. Small at 6'5 but has decent length and good size, should be able to defend 3 positions eventually. Can pass really well and is a capable shooter off the catch.

He's worth just keeping an eye on while watching Ayton at least. I think he'd fit in very well in today's NBA as a role player. If he has a good year and shoots the ball well, I can even see him getting taken in the first round possibly.
 
Becoming evident to me that this draft is deep as hell with top-end talent. Guys like Sexton/Jackson are projected anywhere from 7-13 depending where you look....
 
Becoming evident to me that this draft is deep as hell with top-end talent. Guys like Sexton/Jackson are projected anywhere from 7-13 depending where you look....

I think it's highly likely that Jackson ends up projecting higher than 7 by the time the season has ended. He's simply put the best and most impactful all round defensive player in college basketball right now, and he's slowly starting to pick it up offensively. He doesn't have quite the same upside as Bamba but he has all the size, smarts and natural ability to be a DPOY type player in a few seasons, provided he ends up on a team with a good culture, and he is still good enough already that I think he can be an instant impact player on that side of the ball in the pro's right off the bat.
 
Funny thing with Bridges...he's very passive for stretches on offense, but you can't blame him because he's playing on a hyper-talented team that doesn't always need him to be "the man" the way you expect an upperclassman lottery prospect to be. It's nice in a way because we get an unusually clear picture of how he'll look as a rookie playing a 3&D role, but it makes it harder to gauge how much star potential he has.

It'll be interesting to see if that changes at all in the NCAA tourney. Last year he went scoreless in Nova's upset loss in the second round...this year can he take on a starring role and lead his team to the championship?
 
Utah's situation interests me. Specifically Favors. For argument's sake let's say Gasol doesn't get dealt.

We get outbid on Deandre Jordan.

I'd still like a big guy.

They obviously don't want to pay him. If they let him to to free agency, they'll lose him for nothing.


Shumpert+Zizic for Favors

Shump + Cavs 1st for Favors

Downside: Really no room for both TT and Favors on this team. Favors much more offensively skilled, but doesn't have that elite skill that TT has and doesn't play as hard. Not as versatile defensively, but definitely better at protecting the paint. TT would truly have no role on the team and I'm not sure if that's the best avenue to take with him if he's still on the team because you actively de-value his contract and risk some locker room tension from a Klutch client and someone who is part of the core of what we've done for a long time.

More downside: Gotta think re-signing Favors could be tough. Though at least youd have his bird rights and he might end up having to re-sign because there wont be a lot of cap space and not sure who's gonna spend big chunks of it on him...

Upside: Really would like a "bully" in the paint that can pick&roll, has some skill on offense, and can rebound and protect the paint. Tristan's offensively ineptitude was a central part of GS's gameplan to render him useless. If Favors gets the ball in that kinda space off a PnR he's going to score or at least kick it to the obvious/easy target. Favors fits the bill. And if it doesn't work out, you're not married to him long term.


Not sure Utah will actually do it unless they slip out of the playoff race though. They'd love to make the playoffs even without Gordon.
 
Utah's situation interests me. Specifically Favors. For argument's sake let's say Gasol doesn't get dealt.

We get outbid on Deandre Jordan.

I'd still like a big guy.

They obviously don't want to pay him. If they let him to to free agency, they'll lose him for nothing.


Shumpert+Zizic for Favors

Shump + Cavs 1st for Favors

Downside: Really no room for both TT and Favors on this team. Favors much more offensively skilled, but doesn't have that elite skill that TT has and doesn't play as hard. Not as versatile defensively, but definitely better at protecting the paint. TT would truly have no role on the team and I'm not sure if that's the best avenue to take with him if he's still on the team because you actively de-value his contract and risk some locker room tension from a Klutch client and someone who is part of the core of what we've done for a long time.

More downside: Gotta think re-signing Favors could be tough. Though at least youd have his bird rights and he might end up having to re-sign because there wont be a lot of cap space and not sure who's gonna spend big chunks of it on him...

Upside: Really would like a "bully" in the paint that can pick&roll, has some skill on offense, and can rebound and protect the paint. Tristan's offensively ineptitude was a central part of GS's gameplan to render him useless. If Favors gets the ball in that kinda space off a PnR he's going to score or at least kick it to the obvious/easy target. Favors fits the bill. And if it doesn't work out, you're not married to him long term.


Not sure Utah will actually do it unless they slip out of the playoff race though. They'd love to make the playoffs even without Gordon.
He doesn't rebound as well as Tristan, but he's a better defender with much more offensive skill. He's actually a pretty good shooter from deep two. He should be able to extend that to three like Horford has with that funky mcgunk set shot of his.
 
Doncic with the full court 3 to end the 3rd q. And poster dunk to open the final q.
 
Doncic with the full court 3 to end the 3rd q. And poster dunk to open the final q.

A lot of his 3's are high degree of difficulty...not normally to that extent, of course, but this is a good time to note that he's definitely a better shooter than his 35.4% 3-point percentage suggests.

Here's the 3-pointer:


Oh, and his handle might be improving too:


EDIT: full highlights

 
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Utah's situation interests me. Specifically Favors. For argument's sake let's say Gasol doesn't get dealt.

We get outbid on Deandre Jordan.

I'd still like a big guy.

They obviously don't want to pay him. If they let him to to free agency, they'll lose him for nothing.


Shumpert+Zizic for Favors

Shump + Cavs 1st for Favors

Downside: Really no room for both TT and Favors on this team. Favors much more offensively skilled, but doesn't have that elite skill that TT has and doesn't play as hard. Not as versatile defensively, but definitely better at protecting the paint. TT would truly have no role on the team and I'm not sure if that's the best avenue to take with him if he's still on the team because you actively de-value his contract and risk some locker room tension from a Klutch client and someone who is part of the core of what we've done for a long time.

More downside: Gotta think re-signing Favors could be tough. Though at least youd have his bird rights and he might end up having to re-sign because there wont be a lot of cap space and not sure who's gonna spend big chunks of it on him...

Upside: Really would like a "bully" in the paint that can pick&roll, has some skill on offense, and can rebound and protect the paint. Tristan's offensively ineptitude was a central part of GS's gameplan to render him useless. If Favors gets the ball in that kinda space off a PnR he's going to score or at least kick it to the obvious/easy target. Favors fits the bill. And if it doesn't work out, you're not married to him long term.


Not sure Utah will actually do it unless they slip out of the playoff race though. They'd love to make the playoffs even without Gordon.
I think the though of Derrick Favor has always been greater than the actual player. Lengthy, strong and pretty smart. Except he's been a career underachiever.
 
I think the though of Derrick Favor has always been greater than the actual player. Lengthy, strong and pretty smart. Except he's been a career underachiever.

I agree, but the exact same things could have been said about Jeff Green and to a lesser extent Derrick Williams before they came to the Cavs. Playing off LeBron in our system brings the best out of these guys.
 

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