2019 NBA Draft

[I'mWithDan]

Zion, Reddish, and Jones showed some of their weaknesses, but used their strengths to bring Duke back in the end. Really fun game.

Oh yeah, Barrett...he kinda sucked. Worried about him. Not sure he holds off Morant for #2...

I thought last night was a positive for Barrett, even though I am a little cooler on him. Still think he’s #2 over Morant just given positional scarcity / his overall versatility.

Last night was the first time I saw Barrett defer after a poor half, which I think is a nice sign of maturity. He played solid defense, tried to chip in where he could but made a concerted effort to get both Reddish and Zion the ball, when they had it going. College is really stingy with assists but he was charted as having 7 NBA assists last night. And there were a few plays where he called for the ball on the perimeter, simply in an effort to then dump it in to Zion.

He was I think 2/5 from the field with 5 points, 1 steal and 2 assists. Looks pedestrian but he had a stretch of the game where he made 4 of the biggest plays during the comeback. He made the transition euro to finally get it to 10 points. UL answered on the next possession to push it back to 12. Ensuing Duke posession Cam didn’t take a great shot but Barrett corralled an offensive rebound and the sequence led to Zion going to the line, getting it back down to 10. That was a potential back breaking stretch for Duke if UL pushes it back to 14-15. 90 seconds later he had the anticipatory weak side steal that led to his layup, cutting it to 5. And then his between the legs drop off to Cam capped them coming all the way back. He scored, assisted or made plays that directly attributed to 9 of the 17 points during that key stretch and he didn’t force a single play after not having a great game to that point. He also deferred to his teammate (Cam), when I think 6 weeks ago, he probably forces his own offense in a 3 point game. If he gets killed for Gonzaga, he gets credit for what was described above.

For me, last night was a good scouting tape for Barrett but a pedestrian box score. UL opened the door and after a bad 30+ minutes, Barrett shook it off and made a handful of key plays to help swing the game. I agree there is more concern today with him than there was a few months ago but there’s still just no way I’m taking JA over him. Not when consideration positional value / scaricity. JA certainly has the tools to be as good or better but I just don’t value PG’s at the top of the draft. You can get them every year, at every lottery slot. Maybe someone can talk me out of that opinion.

 

[Green Lantern]

Car accident is being nice. It was similar to the first time a defense saw the forward pass in football. That was so embarrassing by Louisville.

Cardinals were cruising and let the pressure get to them.
They did nothing to apply pressure to Duke and xcontinue to do what got them that big lead.
I was interested in seeing if Duke was going to make a nasty run or fold.
When they started to apply pressure(watching the Cards PG just turn his back and dribble right into a double-team)the Cards choked.

 

[Green Lantern]

I was half listening to Jeff Phelps today and he's got it all wrong think cavs need to win more games etc and add another piece instead of
tanking for Zion, justifying his rational that the odds are not as good having the worst record to get the best pick etc.
It isn't so much about winning the lottery as it is ensuring the worst pick you have is still in the top 5

Cavs may or may not get Williams, but this where they've got to do a huge job of evaluating and get the BPA when they do select.
Yet they are still going to need to add pieces via trades.

 

[I'mWithDan]

The one positive trend line for Barrett, for people who are more pessimistic about him, he has shown marked improvement as an outside shooter.

In conference play (11 games), he's shooting 38% on nearly 80 3PT attempts.....and he looks far more willing and confident to take them. His 3PT rate has been a really nice .391 (+.052).....which has led to a small uptick in his EFG in conference play. His in conference 3PTR, 3PT%, FT% are all up almost 5%, which is a nice positive indicator for his shooting potential. Almost all his other numbers are steady too, against increased competition in ACC play (22.2 PPG, 7.1 REB, 3.5 AST, 1.1 STL+BLK)......he just does a lot of things well.

He's maybe not the 1B people were hoping (to Zion's 1A) but Barrett just seems like a lock to be a really good NBA player, who can potentially be a multi-year All-Star if his shooting indicators are real here.

 

[Ohio]

Oh yeah, Barrett...he kinda sucked. Worried about him. Not sure he holds off Morant for #2...

...It was his first "bad" game in a month.

 

[Nathan S]

I thought last night was a positive for Barrett, even though I am a little cooler on him. Still think he’s #2 over Morant just given positional scarcity / his overall versatility.

Last night was the first time I saw Barrett defer after a poor half, which I think is a nice sign of maturity. He played solid defense, tried to chip in where he could but made a concerted effort to get both Reddish and Zion the ball, when they had it going. College is really stingy with assists but he was charted as having 7 NBA assists last night. And there were a few plays where he called for the ball on the perimeter, simply in an effort to then dump it in to Zion.

He was I think 2/5 from the field with 5 points, 1 steal and 2 assists. Looks pedestrian but he had a stretch of the game where he made 4 of the biggest plays during the comeback. He made the transition euro to finally get it to 10 points. UL answered on the next possession to push it back to 12. Ensuing Duke posession Cam didn’t take a great shot but Barrett corralled an offensive rebound and the sequence led to Zion going to the line, getting it back down to 10. That was a potential back breaking stretch for Duke if UL pushes it back to 14-15. 90 seconds later he had the anticipatory weak side steal that led to his layup, cutting it to 5. And then his between the legs drop off to Cam capped them coming all the way back. He scored, assisted or made plays that directly attributed to 9 of the 17 points during that key stretch and he didn’t force a single play after not having a great game to that point. He also deferred to his teammate (Cam), when I think 6 weeks ago, he probably forces his own offense in a 3 point game. If he gets killed for Gonzaga, he gets credit for what was described above.

For me, last night was a good scouting tape for Barrett but a pedestrian box score. UL opened the door and after a bad 30+ minutes, Barrett shook it off and made a handful of key plays to help swing the game. I agree there is more concern today with him than there was a few months ago but there’s still just no way I’m taking JA over him. Not when consideration positional value / scaricity. JA certainly has the tools to be as good or better but I just don’t value PG’s at the top of the draft. You can get them every year, at every lottery slot. Maybe someone can talk me out of that opinion.

Sure, he made a handful of key plays...you don't come back like that unless everyone's playing well. But Reddish and Zion made the lion's share of the big shots, and Jones is the guy who made every Louisville player afraid of his own shadow. Barrett just played good, fundamental basketball and didn't force anything.

As for why you would draft PGs in the high lottery, I'll offer that the best players in the NBA by any measure are disproportionately point guards. Many of the guys who aren't point guards are point forwards, or...whatever Jokic is. Of course, Barrett clearly has point forward potential, so he's in that conversation too.

...It was his first "bad" game in a month.

I think it's a bit of an "identity crisis" moment for him as a prospect. Over the last several games he's dropped his usage rate significantly from earlier in the season, when he was easily averaging 20 shots per game. With Zion trending ever upward and Reddish getting his groove back, does Barrett stay in his current backseat role? If so, will it eventually translate to better assist:TO numbers and better defense, or not? Will it substantially change how people see him as a prospect?

Of course, the other half of the equation is whether Morant (or some other darkhorse) can finish the season strong enough to make GMs think. But I certainly think it's possible. Zion-RJ going 1-2 is looking like less of a lock every day.

 

[Ohio]

I think it's a bit of an "identity crisis" moment for him as a prospect. Over the last several games he's dropped his usage rate significantly from earlier in the season, when he was easily averaging 20 shots per game. With Zion trending ever upward and Reddish getting his groove back, does Barrett stay in his current backseat role? If so, will it eventually translate to better assist:TO numbers and better defense, or not? Will it substantially change how people see him as a prospect?

Of course, the other half of the equation is whether Morant (or some other darkhorse) can finish the season strong enough to make GMs think. But I certainly think it's possible. Zion-RJ going 1-2 is looking like less of a lock every day.

Oh, okay. I agree with all that.

RJ vs Ja for #2 could definitely be the debate of the draft.

 

[Nathan S]

Oh, okay. I agree with all that.

RJ vs Ja for #2 could definitely be the debate of the draft.

Yeah, maybe "sucked" and "worried about him" was a bad choice of words. It's all relative. For a guy who won all the national POY awards in high school, yeah, games like this are pretty concerning. But if you put him on a level playing field with everyone not named Zion Williamson, he's still the best all-around prospect in the draft.

 

[I'mWithDan]

Sure, he made a handful of key plays...you don't come back like that unless everyone's playing well. But Reddish and Zion made the lion's share of the big shots, and Jones is the guy who made every Louisville player afraid of his own shadow. Barrett just played good, fundamental basketball and didn't force anything.

Yes. But he's crushed if he does the opposite and mildly praised if he exhibits maturity and awareness to allow his teammates to assume larger roles on nights he doesn't have it. That is all I was pointing out. The ability to be a good teammate and make contributions elsewhere and at the most opportune times on an off night (as a 1 or 1A offensive option).

As for why you would draft PGs in the high lottery, I'll offer that the best players in the NBA by any measure are disproportionately point guards. Many of the guys who aren't point guards are point forwards, or...whatever Jokic is. Of course, Barrett clearly has point forward potential, so he's in that conversation too.

I think we are possibly saying the same thing but thinking about it differently.

The sheer volume of available NBA PG prospects, year to year, dwarfs that of point forwards. If you make a list of best PG's, it's pretty long.....if you make a list of best point forwards, who is the 4th or 5th best guy in the league? Ingles? I'd much rather gamble on Barrett hitting his ceiling than taking a PG ahead of him, that I think you can get in just about every draft.

Lets say you pass on Barrett, what are your options next year for a similar player? Is there even a single NBA point forward in the 2020 lottery?

Now pass on Morant, what are your options next year for a similar player? There's 3-4 possible lottery guys at PG (Maledon, Mannion, Hayes, Anthony), who are athletic and have size. I like JA but he's just not a transcendent player at a position that is typically not scarce year to year.

If JA were a 40% high volume 3PT shooter, then yeah.....you could talk me in to him over Barrett.....but is Morant's ceiling one of the 2-3 best PG in the NBA? Just that upper echelon of lead guard? Can he supplant Kyrie or Lillard? As young guys entering their prime? If not, I'd much rather have Barrett, even if he's merely the 5th, 6th, 7th best point forward.

 

[CavsFan07]

Reddish has comfortably solidified himself back into the top 5 after some really horrific games early on.

I like him. My board still goes something like:

1.) Zion
2.) Morant
3.) RJ or Cam

After that I start to get a little nervous.

 

[Nathan S]

Yes. But he's crushed if he does the opposite and mildly praised if he exhibits maturity and awareness to allow his teammates to assume larger roles on nights he doesn't have it. That is all I was pointing out. The ability to be a good teammate and make contributions elsewhere and at the most opportune times on an off night (as a 1 or 1A offensive option).

Sure, like I said above, it's all relative. For a mid-first round guy, what you described is certainly a breath of fresh air. For a guy of Barrett's reputation, it's unremarkable to me.

I think we are possibly saying the same thing but thinking about it differently.

The sheer volume of available NBA PG prospects, year to year, dwarfs that of point forwards. If you make a list of best PG's, it's pretty long.....if you make a list of best point forwards, who is the 4th or 5th best guy in the league? Ingles? I'd much rather gamble on Barrett hitting his ceiling than taking a PG ahead of him, that I think you can get in just about every draft.

Lets say you pass on Barrett, what are your options next year for a similar player? Is there even a single NBA point forward in the 2020 lottery?

Now pass on Morant, what are your options next year for a similar player? There's 3-4 possible lottery guys at PG (Maledon, Mannion, Hayes, Anthony), who are athletic and have size. I like JA but he's just not a transcendent player at a position that is typically not scarce year to year.

If JA were a 40% high volume 3PT shooter, then yeah.....you could talk me in to him over Barrett.....but is Morant's ceiling one of the 2-3 best PG in the NBA? Just that upper echelon of lead guard? Can he supplant Kyrie or Lillard? As young guys entering their prime? If not, I'd much rather have Barrett, even if he's merely the 5th, 6th, 7th best point forward.

That's why I'm high on guys like Culver, Williams, and Horton-Tucker, because they look like they have just an outside chance of developing into point forward types. I think we're pretty close to being on the same page on this. Young superstar PGs aren't actually that numerous though...you have Fox, and then...? Mitchell, maybe? Russell or Ball? I think it's certainly possible that Morant could be the best of the bunch.

 

[Nathan S]

Still skeptical of Reddish for what it's worth. Crazy decision to give him the ball driving to the basket at the end of the game...he was out of control as he always is when he attacks the basket in the halfcourt, and was about to be trapped under the basket with 6'11" Malik Williams in his face if he hadn't been fouled.

Could be one of the very best 3&D guys in the NBA if his jumpshot gets more consistent, but the rest of his game is so raw that it seems like a stretch to expect anything more out of him.

 

[Ozone]

ESPN just dropped a new mock.
1. Zion
2. RJ
3. Morant
4. Reddish
5. Langford
6. Garland
7. Little
8. Culver
9. Hunter
10. Doumbouya
11. Hayes

17. PJ Washington
18. KZ Okpala
19. Brandon Clarke
20. Kevin Porter Jr

22. Goga Bitadze
23. Grant Williams
24. Tre Jones
25. Coby White

Not a whole ton else notable. Fair bit of shuffling in the second round as far as adding in new guys.

My biggest takeaway is that I have no idea how Kevin Porter isn't considered a consensus top 10 guy in this draft. They usually have write-ups on the biggest movers in their mocks, and they did expound on Porter... but didn't add anything new in regards to off the court intel causing the drop in ranking. Just the worse play of late. His pure talent is about as good as anyone in this draft not named Zion, and in THIS class I don't see how a team wouldn't want to take a gamble with him higher up in the draft.

Another takeaway I had is Coby White still being all the way down at 25 despite his play of late. I thought for sure he'd be close to a late lottery guy on their newest mock, but he's still hanging in the back half of the second round. I like him a lot, and still don't expect him to be there... he's undersized for a 2 (where I think he should play), but can defend PGs reasonably well. You could find worse fits next to Sexton, but the Cavs would probably have one of the smallest backcourts in the league if they started him with Collin. I also expect their first draft pick to somewhat dictate what position they'd target with the Houston pick, despite needing help at just about every position.

He wasn't ranked because he's more of a 2020 guy, but they also had a nice write up on DePaul's Paul Reed - whom I mentioned like a week ago in here as a guy I liked.

Relatively anonymous upon committing to DePaul out of high school, Reed has exploded against Big East competition this season, looking like one of the most improved players in the country. He has firmly established himself as a NBA prospect thanks to not only his impressive productivity but also his outstanding physical tools and budding versatility.

Standing 6-foot-9 with a long wingspan, a frame that should fill out in time and good athletic ability, Reed has a nice framework for a power forward prospect. He has a pretty long leash at DePaul to try different things offensively, which has likely contributed to his rapid development. You regularly see him grabbing and going off the defensive glass, taking open jumpers and creating his own shot with long strides and rangy footwork. He's not the most polished player -- his decision-making and overall feel can look a little shaky at times -- but it's tough not to be impressed with his productivity. He's also making 95 percent of his free throw attempts in conference play.

Reed's mobility, length and instincts really shine through on the defensive end, as he's often tasked with defending guards and wings. He shows impressive ability to cover ground, slide his feet and contest shots on the perimeter. The next step for him will be to improve his awareness and focus. He isn't always consistent on defense, which is surprising considering his excellent rebounding numbers.

Reed has done a nice job of putting himself on the NBA radar and could be on the verge of emerging as a potential first-round prospect in 2020 if he has a good summer in the weight room, continues to improve his shooting range and is able to help DePaul win some games.

ESPN needs better mock makers...

 

[Ozone]

I’m not ashamed to admit that I follow this pretty closely and had no clue who he was.

That’s not to say he isn’t any good, I just haven’t heard anyone talk about him.

You heard it here first then I guess . he was pulled by Self from redshirt status and has been killing it.
nobody expected him to be in the draft so that's why you haven't heard about him I guess.
top 5 prospect is not at all a reach in this draft and top 10 in most.
here's a link that came out today ( after I posted the inevitable news)
https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/02/kansas-ochai-agbaji-nba-draft-lottery

 

[Nathan S]

Surprised Alpha Diallo isn't getting more love. Leading a fairly solid Providence team in points (by a lot), rebounds (by a lot), assists, and steals. Good athlete, good size and length for a wing, and he can shoot the 3. Not particularly efficient at 53% true shooting, but it's not hard to imagine how he could be efficient as a roleplayer at the next level. Seems like he'd be a smart grab in the second round if he declares.