2017 NBA Draft: Does this class have a franchise player?

[SHAQATTACK]

Giles has the gifts

If his body can hold up .....I feel more confident every time I see him move.

With the miracle they did putting Noel and Embiid back together .....I feel a lot better about the miracles of modern medicine and leg , knee , and such injuries.

[green_bballers13]

I'm sure there's a perennial all-star in the draft.  A top-15 player who will put up big numbers and will be clearly the best player on his team.

I don't think there's a Duncan / Lebron type (and would disagree that Davis is in that category). Those are once in a generation players.

I totally agree. Too many fans are quick to look at KAT, Wiggins, AD, etc. as future top 20 players of all time. As a general rule, I think that convo can start after your first ring. Not really their fault, but these guys are competing for the worst record in the NBA. Not the right trajectory.

These are my favorite players, in this order:

1) Giles
2) Tatum
3) Jackson
4) Fultz
5) Ball

I think Danny would prob add Monk and subtract Giles from that group, in reference to his top 4-5 guys comment.

It is waaaaay to early to project any of them as future all stars, let alone franchise players.

[liam]

Against all good judgement I really like Monk. He definitely could be Buddy Hield 2 but he's more athletic. Maybe he's just another good collage shooter that won't translate to NBA but there's just something about him when I watch him play... There's still a lot of collage ball to be played...

[clevelandceltic]

I'm sure there's a perennial all-star in the draft.  A top-15 player who will put up big numbers and will be clearly the best player on his team.

I don't think there's a Duncan / Lebron type (and would disagree that Davis is in that category). Those are once in a generation players.

I totally agree. Too many fans are quick to look at KAT, Wiggins, AD, etc. as future top 20 players of all time. As a general rule, I think that convo can start after your first ring. Not really their fault, but these guys are competing for the worst record in the NBA. Not the right trajectory.

These are my favorite players, in this order:

1) Giles
2) Tatum
3) Jackson
4) Fultz
5) Ball

I think Danny would prob add Monk and subtract Giles from that group, in reference to his top 4-5 guys comment.

It is waaaaay to early to project any of them as future all stars, let alone franchise players.

Why do yo think he has MOnk in his top 5

[saltlover]

I do think Fultz has franchise potential.  Not a lock -- we haven't had that since James.  But he's capable of being elite on both ends of the court.  Only question I have on him is his drive -- franchise players have that extra gear, and I haven't seen it from him.  But he's got the the skillset and the physical tools to go with them.  I'd like him here, however, because we have multiple players with that edge (IT and Smart), so if it's something that can be cultivated, he could develop it here.

I like Giles also, but I very much question his defensive awareness.  It could just be from lack of recent playing due to injury, but it's a deficiency all the same, and one that could keep him from seeing consistent minutes.

[green_bballers13]

I'm sure there's a perennial all-star in the draft.  A top-15 player who will put up big numbers and will be clearly the best player on his team.

I don't think there's a Duncan / Lebron type (and would disagree that Davis is in that category). Those are once in a generation players.

I totally agree. Too many fans are quick to look at KAT, Wiggins, AD, etc. as future top 20 players of all time. As a general rule, I think that convo can start after your first ring. Not really their fault, but these guys are competing for the worst record in the NBA. Not the right trajectory.

These are my favorite players, in this order:

1) Giles
2) Tatum
3) Jackson
4) Fultz
5) Ball

I think Danny would prob add Monk and subtract Giles from that group, in reference to his top 4-5 guys comment.

It is waaaaay to early to project any of them as future all stars, let alone franchise players.

Why do yo think he has MOnk in his top 5

Monk has proven to be a high volume college scorer. Besides IT, we don't have one. Maybe Danny has changed from the guy who selected a productive college player in Kelly Olynyk over a project (Harry Giles, Dragan Bender, etc.). I hope so. We need start swinging for the fences.

[LarBrd33]

There has been a lot of hype for this 2017 draft class, and it looks like we will have a top 3 pick. My question is, is there a franchise player in this draft, like Lebron, Anthony Davis, Tim Duncan, type? I see a lot of point guards projected at the top, but when is the last time we had a top tier franchise player as a point guard in this league? Is there someone in this draft worth building a championship team around, or is it instead a deep top tier with many very good players but no franchise players?

Great question Harry.  The only consensus I seem to read right now is that this draft is loaded with quality players up top and there are several prospects better than the Jaylen/Dunn/Hield/Bender/Murray/Chriss tier we were selecting at with the #3 pick this year.  Like, based on what I've read I'm under the impression that there are several Tier 1/2 prospects in the top 8-10 picks. 

But what I can't get clarity on is if any of these guys are Tier 1 "franchise player potential" prospects like Towns, Simmons, Embiid, Davis, LeBron, etc. 

I did see someone that suggested Markelle Fultz is a better/more athletic version of D'Angelo Russell.  That sounds like a backhanded compliment, but for context it should be noted that Russell is a better prospect than any player on this team under the age of 25.  Kid has legit star potential.  We're seeing a glimpse of it right now.  His last 5 games he's averaged 21 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals with 47%/40%/76% shooting.  He's only 20 years old.   If that's the type of player Russell is going to be long-term... and if Fultz is a better prospect than that, I'd much rather have Markelle Fultz than trade that pick + other assets for an older non-superstar like Jimmy Butler.  Fultz is the one on everyone's radar right now, but he's not even currently looked at as the consensus #1 pick.  He's not at the top of every mock right now.  So if there are multiple players with "rich man D'Angelo Russell" level potential, I'm very comfortable just keeping that pick and hoping for the best.

As more info comes out about this draft, my opinion could change for the better or worse. 

I brought this up last year...  opinions can change dramatically between January and the draft.  If you go back to January of 2015, the top 3 picks on nbadraft.net are listed as Okafor, Mudiay and Stanley Johnson.  They had Towns going 6th and Porzingis going 12th.    Draftexpress didn't have Towns in the top 2 either.  Flash forward months later and TOwns was widely regarded as a transcendent prospect and consensus #1 pick.   

I went back and looked at previous years and it was similar results.  Mocks evolved considerably between Jan and the draft.  Anthony Davis wasn't even listed at the top of mocks in Jan of 2012.   NBAdraft.net had Drummond going 1st.

So who knows who might rise up the draft ranks in the coming months.  It's still really early.

[slamtheking]

there may not be a franchise player but there certainly seems to several 'building block' players in the draft. 

[clevelandceltic]

WHo knows if there is a franchise player in this draft. I saw if you are going to draft a player, take the best one available and hope they turn into a star or can bring you a star in the future.

[The One]

Is a franchise player a top 5 player in a franchise's history?

Just wondering...

[RockinRyA]

I think some people are mistaking franchise players as transcendent superstars. Franchise players doesnt have to be Lebron, Kobe, KG, Duncan, Shaq. They can be Paul Pierce or Tracy McGrady. Im fine with that.

[footey]

I'm not as excited about this draft as the so called experts. Maybe because of the dearth of big men, or the fact I haven't watched much college b-ball, and am relying on DE tape summaries, which are helpful but just not the same thing.  I do like the depth of quality players at the top. It takes some of the pressure off of having to get the top 1 or 2 picks or bust, which has seemed to be the story the last few drafts.

Still very intrigued by Giles. I love his motor.  I could see him becoming a really good 4/5 big in the NBA, he attacks the boards, he has nice foot work, he is quick, athletic and long.  His knees of course are an issue, but am trying to look past that, and now that he is playing again, he seems to have retained his explosiveness and agility. 

Over time I would imagine he is going to get better and better.  Barring another injury setback, would not at all be surprised to see him rise up to a top 3 pick come draft time.  Fultz seems to have a lock on 1 pick.

[mef730]

I think some people are mistaking franchise players as transcendent superstars. Franchise players doesnt have to be Lebron, Kobe, KG, Duncan, Shaq. They can be Paul Pierce or Tracy McGrady. Im fine with that.

Exactly. Depends on how you define franchise. If you need Anthony Davis, the early answer would appear to be no. If you want Paul Pierce, Fultz and a healthy Giles would probably get you there.

Speaking of Giles: I don't have a medical degree (Well, actually, I do have access to the internet. Isn't that the same thing these days?) but, for somebody who is more educated in these things, is Giles's injury the type that you can fully heal from, or are we going to have this issue again in two years?

Mike

[coffee425]

I am an unabashed Harry Giles proponent. Jeff Goodman said that Giles was, other than Anthony Davis, the best prospect he had ever seen.

I mean, he thought we should draft Kris Dunn and he cant even stay on the floor for a terrible timberwolves team.

[Mattybriand]

Huge grain of salt

But

Fultz strikes me as a John Wall type talent, maybe better. watching him play is fun he is the type of player who can take over games...

But to compare him to Lebron type talent is crazy.. Lebron has amazing "Genetics" he's the size of Karl Malone but is also one of the fastest players in the league...


With that being said I'm highly intrigued with Giles!