Live Thread: 2018 NBA Draft (#DoYouFeelIt?)

2018-06-21 Off By EvilGenius

I’ll admit it… my heart’s just not in this draft. Not because there aren’t a ton of terrific young prospects to choose from, even at the 8th spot where the Cavaliers find themselves… but because I’m finding it hard to enjoy it with the ever-present spectre of another LeBron James “decision” looming over it. With such a disparate group of players potentially available (from bigs to smalls to every swing man in between), the wrinkle that makes it even harder to evaluate who best suits this team… is the uncertainty of whether or not the pick in question will be sharing the court with the King. Do they complement his style… or will they suddenly have the weight of a franchise foisted upon their young shoulders. Hard to say.

Fortunately for me (and for the rest of you) we have a terrific staff here at C:tB who have been breaking down the potential candidates over the last week or two. The three remaining have generated some fairly polarizing views.

Apologies in advance, but I’m going to crib from the ESPN strengths and weaknesses since I have limited time before the draft starts…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB8uoq7Kq9A

Trae Young

Is he the next Steph? Or, is he the next Shabazz Napier? No college prospect moves the needle more between boom and bust for most NBA experts.

Strengths (courtesy of ESPN)

Deadly pull-up shooter with deep range. Loves transition quick hitters. Kills pick-and-roll under coverages.
Shifty ball handler who has it on a string. Uses his pull-up threat to set up the rest of his game. Has a knack for drawing fouls despite his size.
Excellent passer (9.8 assists per 40 with a not-so-inspiring supporting cast). Should look even better with NBA spacing and talent around him.

Weaknesses (courtesy of ESPN)

Underwhelming physical profile for a starting NBA point guard. How much will he be able to fill out? Lack of elite physical tools along with uninspiring effort lead to serious questions about who he’ll be able to defend at the NBA level. While partially due to role, he showed a lack of toughness defensively at Oklahoma.
Struggles to finish in traffic against length and athleticism. Relied heavily on getting to the free throw line at the collegiate level — 9.7 times per 40 — but his efficiency took a dive when the whistles dried up.
Brilliant court vision but can be careless with the ball, especially in a crowd. Lack of elite size limits his ability to see over the top of the defense. Gets bumped off his spots. Turned the ball over on 20.6 percent of pick-and-roll possessions.

My Take

If LeBron sticks around, Young could develop into something special, and probably wouldn’t be any worse than what the Cavs have had defensively at the point over the last couple of years. If LeBron bolts, Young does not exactly seem like the kind of cornerstone talent the team can build around. I hope they steer clear, but I could totally see the Cavs believing in Young as a sort of hail mary/Shabazz Napier kind of play. His ceiling also could be valuable in potential trades regardless of what LeBron decides.

Wendell Carter, Jr.

Is he the next Al Horford? Or, the next Al Jefferson? WCJ is a very large dude with a nice offensive touch, who doesn’t really do anything all that remarkable on the floor.

Strengths (courtesy of ESPN)

Strong physical profile. Powerful and explosive off two feet. Uses verticality to protect the rim.
Polished, versatile, intelligent player on both ends of the floor. Has soft hands to go along with strong footwork and touch. Good shooting mechanics; made 19 of 46 3s (41 percent) to go along with 74 percent of his free throws. Good passer and rebounder.
Lauded for his outstanding intangibles as a worker and teammate. Has a very high floor.

Weaknesses (courtesy of ESPN)

Not as explosive as some of his peers. Floor is high, but ceiling is also lower.
Looks heavy-footed at times trying to defend in space. Might struggle to step out in pick-and-roll situations. Has good instincts, but will need to continue to hone his technique.
Doesn’t always play with the type of physicality and confidence you might hope, especially in pressure-packed situations. Comfortable blending in.

My Take

Unless the Cavs go against what they’ve said publicly about wanting to hang onto Kevin Love, whether LeBron decides to leave or not, WCJ seems more like a redundancy of skills the Cavs already possess.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Is he the next Shaun Livingston (pre-injury)? Or, the next Michael Carter Williams? SGA is a tall, lanky and sneaky good finisher from the PG position, but is he a reach at #8?

Strengths (courtesy of ESPN)

Elite size and length for a lead guard. Slithery athlete who gets to spots on the floor with long strides. Impressive side-to-side agility.
Polished ball-screen player. Splits screens instinctually. Good pace as a facilitator. Can pass or finish with either hand. Crafty around the rim. Improved standstill shooter.
Tools to become a multi-positional defender in time. Good instincts.

Weaknesses (courtesy of ESPN)

Not overly explosive or physical. Gets by on skill and craft. PG skills could still use some polish.
How will he score in the half court? Slow, flat-footed pull-up that’s easy to contest.
Not always the defender he could be. Reaches rather than contains. Level of toughness is inconsistent.

My Take

While I’m a fan of tall point guards (especially ones with seven foot wingspans), I’m also a fan of point guards who can shoot. SGA is not going to impress many with his current ability to put the ball in the hole, except on layups… at least at the moment. While he could develop into a solid two-way PG, he’s not the kind of three point gunner that LeBron will have patience for if he stays. SGA could be a decent choice for a rebuilding team, but I’d prefer Collin Sexton’s game and motor over his.

So, there you have the last three candidates who might be available to the Cavs when they pick tonight. Of course, they could always move up or down the draft board with a trade tonight (as high as maybe Memphis at 4 if they want to take on Chandler Parson’s albatross contract… or down to 11 if they want to try to snag Kemba Walker and Nic Batum with a salary/pick swap with Charlotte).

We’ll do our best to keep this thread updated with all of tonight’s picks as they’re announced, or trades along the way. So please, hang out and follow along… no matter if your heart’s in it or not.

The Phoenix Suns are on the clock…

Staying in Arizona!

The Phoenix Suns select center Deandre Ayton with the No. 1 pick. pic.twitter.com/VLuPNefePI

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 21, 2018

Sacramento’s crowned a new king! 👑#NBADraft pic.twitter.com/Kpq744Jocy

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 21, 2018

Luka Doncic is selected at No. 3 and will be traded to the Dallas Mavericks! pic.twitter.com/BfcKVsnzfK

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 21, 2018

4. Memphis Grizzlies: Jaren Jackson Jr. #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/MekA3iqMkc

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 21, 2018

With the 5th pick of the 2018 #NBADraft the @dallasmavs select…@TheTraeYoung! pic.twitter.com/mISUHDDDSg

— NBA (@NBA) June 22, 2018

Mo Bamba taken No. 6 overall by the Magic in the 2018 #NBADraft https://t.co/BNH0eFselK pic.twitter.com/vC3446DZw0

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 22, 2018

The former Blue Devil is headed to Chicago after being selected No. 7 overall! pic.twitter.com/SoDGNV0T39

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 22, 2018

A new guard will be getting buckets in Cleveland!

Collin Sexton goes No. 8 to the Cavs pic.twitter.com/E5oWyLfr8o

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 22, 2018

The New York Knicks take former Wildcat at No. 9! pic.twitter.com/VEGFAh5kMX

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 22, 2018

Mikal Bridges stays in Pennsylvania and goes No. 10 overall to the Sixers! pic.twitter.com/irH7brXzbK

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 22, 2018

11. Charlotte Hornets: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/bJTx5P7GwM

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

Miles Bridges goes No. 12 to Hornets (via Clippers) pic.twitter.com/zzoYrw37Va

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 22, 2018

13. Los Angeles Clippers: Jerome Robinson #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/uIegHpIj1Q

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

Michael Porter Jr. selected No. 14 overall by the Nuggets in the 2018 #NBADraft https://t.co/BNH0eFselK pic.twitter.com/HONkc2GxOo

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 22, 2018

15. Washington Wizards: Troy Brown #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/kcmx8eHTNW

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

16. Philadelphia 76ers (via Phoenix & Miami): Zhaire Smith #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/zKK9YWT58F

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

The Final Four MOP is off the board!

Donte DiVincenzo goes No. 17 to the Bucks pic.twitter.com/GKm4JFGYXb

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 22, 2018

https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1009971633484951552

19. Atlanta Hawks: Kevin Huerter #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/5khE0coC52

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

20. Minnesota Timberwolves: Josh Okogie #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/WOVnxZfUff

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

21. Utah Jazz: Grayson Allen #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/sGIw0gLY9Z

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

22. Chicago Bulls: Chandler Hutchison #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/sXanwCdz6Q

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

23. Indiana Pacers: Aaron Holiday #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/eq55fLxqUF

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

24. Portland Trail Blazers: Anfernee Simons #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/AZQxz5Hv0G

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

25. Los Angeles Lakers (via Cleveland): Moritz Wagner #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/pilCrM3Ype

— RealGM (@RealGM) June 22, 2018

Landry Shamet selected No. 26 overall by the Sixers in the 2018 #NBADraft https://t.co/YTgFmGOLp1 pic.twitter.com/61RifFje3I

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 22, 2018