Does it Really Matter Where We Pick After the Top 4?

Giddey, Kuminga and Wagner are way better prospects than Mitchell.

No point in trying to make sense of a Tilman organization. Just expect incompetence.

 

Defender of women and against rape culture.

Has no problem describing a black youngster as too ghetto.

funny.

 

My Big Board stands as is (before workouts or interviews):

Top Tier (Either):
Chet/Jabari Smith (fractional Jabari preference)

2nd Tier:
Jaden Ivey

3rd Tier:
Banchero
________________
4th Tier (players reserved for 5-8)
A J Griffin
Keegan Murray
Benn Mathurin
Tari Eason
*No preference*
_______________

Brooklyn Pick (I'm wishing for any of):
Patrick Baldwin
Mark Williams
E J Liddell (what I wanted Cam Oliver to be)
Wendell Moore
*move back if necessary*

Yes I'm ok with any of these two players (4th Tier or better & Nets pick).....
makes the Rockets exponentially better moving forward.

 

All of the top 5 have question marks.

Chet - skinny, didn't do well in the NCAA tournament. Looks like just another guy
Banchero - defense
Ivey - played terribly in the last game
Smith - seems one dimensional

 

Would you prefer the term knucklehead? I don't think Duren has it between the ears.

I'd call Chris "Birdman" Andersen or Jason Williams ghetto too.

Defending women from rape is a much bigger issue than you are creating here.

 

I would prefer u don't use dog whistles or derogatory term to describe a player.


U could have just said he lacks the skills or makes too many low iq plays to warrant drafting so high.

 

Definitely on the side of getting the highest pick possible, but using history as a guideline, who you select is more important. Too often, its the 2nd or 4th or 6th guy who ends up having the best NBA career.

That said, even if you do stellar homework and know just who you want, that guy has to be there when you pick. With the #1, its not an issue.

 

Did you intentionally leave Deandre Ayton off the list because it didn't fit your narrative?

 

But it does matter where you pick, because who you pick is directly influenced by where. If the "who" you wanted isn't there when it's your turn to pick, you have to settle. And settling isn't good.

Context matters.

Keep talking up the Miami Heat, now losers of 4 straight. Meanwhile, sandwiching them are Philly and Boston. Philly is led by Embiid and Harden (#1 overall pick and a #3 overall pick), while Boston is led by a #3 overall pick in Tatum (who Boston would have picked #1 overall that year if they had a choice) and another #3 overall pick in Jaylen Brown. Marcus Smart is also a #6 overall pick.

Context matters.

The Bucks are the reigning champs, yep. Not to take away from their accomplishment, but they almost lost to a team that had Durant, Irving and Harden, who went #2, #1 and #3 overall in their drafts. #3 didn't look right for the majority of the playoffs, #1 got hurt because he landed on Giannis' foot. Bucks would have lost if #2's shoe size was slightly smaller.

Context matters.

Keep talking up teams with great regular season records. Until the Heat and Grizzlies actually do something, tanking so you can pick higher, is the way to go.

 

The cousin of Cliff Paul was also picked #4 in his draft, and is more of an MVP candidate to his team than Booker. But of course, that also doesn't fit his narrative.

edit: ninja'd by @vator

 

Highest pick always matter.

Even if you think Stone is trash who can't distinguish between gems and coal, he can dangle the pick to a gm who thinks they can and get a little extra to justify the tanking.

Sounds pathetic, but you can't dismiss any options you have and just "give up" at intentionally giving up.

When we tank, man up and follow through to it at the end. Eat all the dirt it comes with even if the picks suck.

 

First of all, the only people that can answer this question are the Rockets.

If the Rockets equally-weight the value of 5-10 in this year's draft (unlikely), then why wouldn't they want the 5th pick? They could trade back to somebody that may want a higher pick and value a player higher up in the draft. Or maybe collect future compensation and/or another player. There is value in the pick itself beyond the player you think could go there this year. Look at Houston moving into #16 to get Sengun. For me, this is moot, since I doubt anybody actually values 5-10 equally. They may say "in the end, nobody really knows how 5-10 are going to turn out and it may be all over the place in terms of their futures", but in their minds, they have a hunch some may be better than others. A higher pick guarantees they get that pick.

Another way to look at it is there's a new car with 10 miles on the dealer's lot and another with 2,000 miles that has been used as a demo vehicle by the dealership. If the dealer says "I'll give you either one for $20,000". Most people are going to pick the one with the fewer/least miles even though there's no guarantee it'll be the one that'll be the most reliable in the long-run. In the same way, there's no guarantee how any of these players 5-10 are going to turn out, but... I want my choice because I don't value them exactly the same.

Also, in your example above, you're looking back in time with hindsight glasses. We can look back in time and say that about many drafts or what teams should have done. The fact of the matter is, pretty much everybody in the US has a top-4 that's similar for this year. It very well could be that 2 or 3 of those guys end up as duds.... in hindsight.

 

Not calling you out. Just curious how you know this. Very limited info on him.

 

yes, anyone who doesn't say yes isn't paying attention.

If Shaedon Sharpe enters this draft it's a 5 man draft.

if he doesn't? It's a four man draft but who wouldn't want their pick of the rest whether than Griffin, Murray, Mathurin or someone else.

Rockets have been the worst team all year and now their braindead coach wants to pad his winning percentage because this will probably be his only gig as a HC unless someone is a fool.

nothing needed.

Kobe didn't go to college, KG didn't go to college, LeBron didn't go to college. He was #1-#3 in his class depending on who you ask.

He will end up going top 2 if he enters, he is immensely talented and is probably the most flawless player in the draft.

There is nothing to nit pick. He has size, length, shooting, passing, athleticism.

 

who gives a **** where he was mocked to draft? we aren't experts but the higher the pick the better. there is no argument against a higher pick, I don't care that this superstar was picked 14th or that was picked 30th, that means 13 and 29 teams ****ed up.

drafting 4 means you get the fourth pick.

idgaf if the guy is mocked 35th. you get to pick the fourth guy.

 

Of course it matters, they could easily grab a guy at 5 who ends up being a top 3 player from this draft.