Which Team Are You For the Third Pick?

[max215]

#TeamDragan for the win!!!

[ssspence]

Maybe run this a day or two before the draft, because like the Cs, I'm still learning and considering before deciding.

Meanwhile, this Okafor thing baffles me. Can anyone point to the JO comp who is in the NBA's final four right now? How about the final eight (and no Aldridge isn't one)?

Does Westbrook remind you of Okafor? Does Durant? Does Curry? Does Green? Does LeBron? Does DeRozen? Does Lillard? Does Leonard? Does Millsap? Should I keep going?

I think a lot of the guys you mention are singular talents themselves.  You do well to find the best players you can and figure out your path to success, not trying to copy what other teams have done.

I actually think Jahlil could very well one day have the skills to operate on offense like Lamarcus does, though he is definitely limited to the 5 defensively.

In terms of skill right now, he's probably closest to Kanter, though less accomplished on the boards.  I think he has a much higher ceiling than Kanter because of his overall offensive skill and the passing ability he flashed at Duke.


A guy who killed us in the Finals six years ago was not so unlike Jahlil.  Maybe JO is a bit of a throwback talent, but he could bust a lot of trendy small ball lineups over the next few years if given the right opportunity to flourish.

So Okafor compares to Shaq now? No. He's a one dimensional player, unlike the talents listed above. You don't give up a star price to get him.

[PhoSita]

Uh, what Finals were you watching in 2010?

The number three pick isn't necessarily a "star" price if none of the prospects available there have a high likelihood of becoming stars. I agree that I'd rather have a can't miss two way guy instead of Jahlil, but unless Bender really looks amaze balls in workouts, I don't think that kind of guy is gonna be available.

[Casperian]

I am hoping for Dunn or Hield. They are my first choices. Leaning more towards Dunn than Hield at the moment but it is a close call. I rarely gravitate towards older draft prospects high in the lottery anymore but those two both look pretty convincing to me.

I feel we do not enough about Bender against quality competition. I am skeptical about him. I worry that he is more Jerebko than Kirilenko with a jump-shot.

I do not really want Murray but it wouldn't be too bad. He is highly skilled and smart. I am sure he will be reasonably effective even if I doubt his star talent due to lack of explosive athleticism.

I like Jaylen Brown but more towards the end of the top 10 than at 3. Too many holes in his game offensively to go in the top 5.

I am a big fan of trading the pick. Not a fan of J.Okafor. I do not like offense-only centers. I would love to the trade the pick for someone else. Jimmy Butler would be the top target. Nerlens Noel would also be an interesting alternative. I wouldn't mind going after Gobert. See how Utah responds to that. I am not sure how they would react. I'd love to have Gobert.

Pretty much exactly my stance. I'm also usually not a big fan of older prospects high in the draft, but Dunn and Hield are the two most convincing prospects in our range, in my opinion.

I'm not enarmored with Bender, either. I've heard quite a few Porzingis comparisons, but I think that's just lazy. Porzingis is a Center with an outside shot, Bender strikes me more as a very tall SF, and compared to other SF prospects, he's just not all that impressive.

I absolutely hate the Okafor idea. I think he's the biggest trap out there, Josh Smith level of trap. He'll put up good enough stats to be able to demand a max contract, but he just has so many glaring holes I can't ever see him being worth the money he'll command one day. Not to mention that I believe he has immense knucklehead potential. There's a reason why a team as focused on the long-term as the 76ers considers him the most expendable out of their 3 Center prospects.

So, I'm clearly still on team trade the pick somehow, someway. Ideally for a clear upgrade a la Jimmy Butler or Blake Griffin, but I realize the chance of that happening is very low. I also love the Gobert idea. I might even take Favours. Heck, Gordon Hayward wouldn't be terrible, all things considered. Utah is definitely a great candidate for a potential draft night deal.

Lastly, I want to add that I'm still very much in favor of trading the pick for future draft picks. I know we're all sick and tired of words like "treasure chest", and want to have something tangible rather sooner than later, be it an all-star or a young player with high upside, but I genuinely believe the 2017 draft has the potential to be special. There are around 6 players in that class with real star potential, in my opinion. I think the 5th pick in 2017 has about as good a chance to yield a special player as the 1st or 2nd pick this year.

[Evantime34]

From what we've been reading, Philly really wants Dunn (they've expanded their workout list)...and the Lakers really like Bender (Mitch has personally scouted him overseas).

We could end up with Simmons or Ingram, if Danny puts the correct package together....Doubtful, but could happen.

If not, I'm in on Bender for us.

My dream is that Bender ends up at two, then we get whoever is left over between Simmons and Ingram.

[InBradWeTrust]

I'm close to a toss up between Hield and Murray

This team needs outside shooting, I think either of these guys will fit the bill and help supply it

[The One]

I am so torn...I guess it's because Dragan and Jamal are so good at what they do and have a bunch of potential.

51% - Bender
49% - Murray

 

[chambers]

My order:

1) Okafur
2) Buddy or Bender (don't care either one)
3)Brown
4)Murray/Dunn/Poeltl don't care which one.

Right now I think we are taking Hield if Danny is drafting but I think he'll try and trade the pick for Okafur first. Should work out nicely.
If workouts show that Bender or Hield clearly stand out for whatever reason then I might pick preference but I'd be very happy with either.

If we could add Okafur to this young core though I think Stevens could make him a modern Tim Duncan. Kids got the best footwork, amazing hands, amazing post moves, and his jumpshot can be turned into a 3 point shot IMO.

[positivitize]

Buddy scares me.

[TheTruthFot18]

Bender strikes me more as a very tall SF

Could he be like Rashard Lewis? Has pf/c height but is most likely a 3/ stretch 4?

[PhoSita]

Compared to other SF prospects, Bender isn't that impressive, except that his height and length means he will likely be able to play at the 4 and possibly the 5 once he adds muscle.

Look around the league.  How many seven footers can hit threes with frequency and efficiency?  How many seven footers can attack a close-out and also defend 3-5?

I mean look, if you need convincing, again I say just look at what Channing Frye is doing in Cleveland.  Now imagine a guy who can do that and also block shots from the weakside, switch onto wings, and attack a close out with a drive and finish, dribble pull-up, or drive and kick.


Of course, it's no sure thing Bender will be able to be that kind of player.  But that's the upside we're talking about here.  I don't think it's expecting an enormous amount of development either.  He's shown he has those skills, he just needs to bulk up and translate his jumper to the NBA.

[nebist]

Someone convince me that there is any merit to trading for Okafor after the year he just had.  Also, if we do trade for Okafor, there is no way we should have to add anything to the #3 pick.

I think Okafor definitely has some talent (and I did like him as an offensive player out of Duke) but in the past year he has shown the following:
1) Poor professionalism.
2) Poor maturity.
3) Poor overall defense and "rim protection".
4) Poor rebounding.
5) Regression in passing skills (or at least an inability to recognize that his passing is one of the skills that made him so effective -- which reinforces 1 and 2 on this list).

So right now he is a good post scorer that is below average at everything else.  You would literally need the perfect 4 to play next to him.  A player that is athletic/mobile enough to guard on the perimeter so you don't have two bigs who can't switch, a good 3 point shooter for spacing, a good rebounder, and a good rim protector.  The player I just described basically doesn't exist in the world.  So, explain to me why would use our single best asset to acquire a player who would need Superman next to him to be part of a good team?

[Donoghus]

Team Trade the Pick. 

Get someone established in there.  (Just not Okafor)

[chambers]

Just remember that we are trying to get the best asset out of this 3rd pick.
If we bring in Okafur it isn't necessarily because he's the player of the future for us, it means that Danny can use him better than anything else he can get in this draft to get a star player here.
eg if Blake Griffin or some other top 10 guys becomes available, then Okafur has the best foundation for Brad/Danny to work with and develop into that major trade chip like Big AL.

He's not just thinking about who will be the best player for us (although that's certainly a part of it, it's not the whole equation).

[nebist]

Just remember that we are trying to get the best asset out of this 3rd pick.
If we bring in Okafur it isn't necessarily because he's the player of the future for us, it means that Danny can use him better than anything else he can get in this draft to get a star player here.
eg if Blake Griffin or some other top 10 guys becomes available, then Okafur has the best foundation for Brad/Danny to work with and develop into that major trade chip like Big AL.

He's not just thinking about who will be the best player for us (although that's certainly a part of it, it's not the whole equation).

That's a risky way to look at team-building.  It only works if Okafor is good/develops.  If he continues to stagnate, he will lose value every year.  Last year he had more value than Porzingis in trade, this year he does not, etc.  Plus, you have to build a real team and play real games while waiting for this final cure-all trade, which may or may not exist.  I think you have to take players that you like and that you like for YOUR team and trust your judgment.  If you end up selecting players based on what you think the rest of the league will most value, you are going to run into trouble sooner rather than later.  Case in point: Sixers.  They have a team that doesn't work well together.  They are stunting the development of their best players, and now they are totally reliant on third parties to bail them out.