Yeah, well they should have 10 days ago. All they had to do was split with the Blazers and they couldn't even do that. They won't, but they really should consider resting Green against the bad teams on the schedule because he is starting to get good enough to win games.
Silas doesn't want to lose games. He is concerned about his future employment in the NBA and he wants to look as good as possible as a new and unestablished coach. It will require the general manager coming in and directly discussing it with his coach. When the Mavericks decided that they were going to "tank" for Doncic, the owner of the team and Nelson both came and told Carlisle what their plan was, and not to play players that would win games down the stretch. Short of the Rockets doing the same, Silas is going to keep trying to win. It really isn't on Silas unless he has explicitly been told to not win games.
Lmao it will take Stephen until the last 2-3 games to grasp the real intention of everyone around here. Except the hakeem94 dude. Or he won't.
hakeem94 would would use draft picks to move down in the draft i'm pretty sure. Rockets get the 3rd pick and 16th pick in this draft. Use 16th to move down to 6th pick and get a 2nd round pick because that's the round Jokic was taken.
Givony and Schmitz on 2022 NBA Mock Draft Chet Holmgren | 7-0 PF | Gonzaga | Age: 19.9 | Mock draft: No. 1 Three dubious foul calls in the second half brought Holmgren's college career to an end against Arkansas, as he was forced to watch the final 3½ minutes of his team's season from the bench. Holmgren sat most of the first half, as well, with foul trouble, only playing 23 minutes in total, during which he still posted 11 points, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks and was the only Gonzaga player to finish with a positive plus/minus, an indication of his impact and how much the referees' decision to disqualify him hurt his team's chances of advancing. He showed flashes of his skill level, draining a pair of jump shots, creating from the perimeter, making several resourceful passes, crashing the offensive glass aggressively and, as usual, challenging countless shots in the paint. Still, it's hard not to feel like Holmgren had more to give on the offensive end, as Gonzaga's game plan centered around Drew Timme post-ups and Andrew Nembhard ball screens, with Holmgren usually acting as a complementary floor spacer. Both Timme and especially Nembhard had off nights, which ended up spelling Gonzaga's demise. It's likely we'll see Holmgren in a different role in the NBA, without a traditional back-to-the-basket big man clogging up the paint on every drive, allowing Holmgren to utilize his ballhandling, passing and fluidity as a shot-creator more frequently. Only 20 of Gonzaga's 2,064 (0.97%) half-court possessions this season ended with Holmgren handling the ball in a pick-and-roll or isolation play, per Synergy Sports tracking, a number he might surpass in his very first game in the NBA. To do so, he will need to both gain strength and ramp up his assertiveness, as he often looked content to defer to Gonzaga's older stars and blend into the background, something whichever NBA team that drafts him will certainly work to change and force him out of his comfort zone. On the other end of the floor, Holmgren will likely emerge as an All-Defensive Team contender relatively early in his career, as his length, timing, mobility and toughness both as a rim protector and in covering ground on the perimeter should translate seamlessly to the modern NBA. He was already the most impactful defensive player in the college game as a freshman. Holmgren's early tournament departure, combined with Banchero's sensational performances, likely opened the door even wider to the conversation of who should be the No. 1 pick in the draft. Ultimately, that will likely come down to which team lands that pick on May 17, the night of the NBA draft lottery, and what it values (and already has in place) as an organization. We'll likely never see a prospect quite like Holmgren again at the college level, and whether we saw the full extent of his talent is something we'll fully know in the coming years. -- Givony Paolo Banchero | 6-10 PF/C | Duke | Age: 19.3 | Mock draft: No. 2 Banchero, the only top-seven prospect still playing, had another outstanding NCAA tournament weekend to help guide Duke to the Final Four, where a rematch with archrival North Carolina awaits. He posted 38 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists through two games, shouldering a significant role offensively in key moments and mostly breaking free of the tentativeness that plagued him early in the season. Banchero continued to make a compelling case as the most dangerous shot-creator in this draft class. At 6-foot-10, few can match his combination of strength, footwork and polish in the post, outstanding ballhandling, fluidity and skill creating his own shot on the perimeter -- as he has made 8 of 15 3-pointers and several midrange pull-up jumpers through four NCAA tournament games. Most impressive has been the way Banchero creates good looks for teammates off a live dribble, making several stunning reads when defenders collapse on his isolation attempts or while pushing off the defensive glass in the open court. Having the ability to shoulder a significant offensive load and consistently create high-percentage shots for himself and others is perhaps the most valuable skill a bad NBA team can target, helping him surpass Jabari Smith at No. 2 and giving Banchero a clear avenue to being the No. 1 pick in the draft, depending on which team is fortunate enough to land it. Defensively is where Banchero's fit is a little murkier. His energy and focus fluctuates, as he had some bad possessions guarding the pick-and-roll, was slow to rotate several times to the paint and was clearly the weakest link in Duke's zone while not offering much as a rebounder. With which type of big man a team should pair him and how many minutes he can shoulder as a small-ball center are still open question marks. But 38 games into the season, Banchero's strengths and weaknesses are well-known, and it was noteworthy for scouts to learn more about his basketball character. His willingness to step up in key moments and deliver clutch baskets and assists against two of the top defensive teams in college basketball in Texas Tech and Arkansas was significant from a draft perspective. Banchero can continue to build his candidacy as the No. 1 pick in the draft with another strong weekend at the Final Four in New Orleans. -- Givony
Ben Mathurin | 6-6 SG | Arizona | Age: 19.9 | Mock draft: No. 10 Mathurin's stellar sophomore season ended in underwhelming fashion, as the projected top-10 pick went just 4-for-14 from the field in Arizona's Sweet 16 loss to Houston, missing all six of his shots in the first half while struggling to find consistency on the defensive end against a red-hot Kyler Edwards and a hard-nosed Cougars team. Mathurin was bound for regression after a superhuman performance against TCU in which he looked like a top-five pick, finishing with 30 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists on just 19 shots, while drawing eight fouls in just over 40 minutes. He hammered home a highlight poster dunk, splashed on-the-move 3s, sent the game to overtime with an NBA-range pull-up 3 and even displayed considerable signs of growth as a passer. The last two games of Mathurin's season sum up the 19-year-old potential top-10 pick: He is a somewhat polarizing prospect to NBA executives given the highs that you only see from NBA All-Stars and the lows that leave you wanting more. On the bright side, Mathurin has a clear-cut role at the next level. He has turned his jump shot into a weapon, as he has proved comfortable sprinting off screens and handoffs into elevation 3s that few players in the draft can think to attempt. He drilled yet another pair of highly contested off-screen 3s against Houston that will undoubtedly translate to the NBA. (Mathurin shot 37% from 3 on six attempts per game this season.) Mathurin also knifed through Houston's defense with a pair of straight-line drives that showcased his combination of burst, power and body control. At 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, he has proved vertically explosive off one foot or two feet and has the type of legs and balance teams look for in an off guard. (Jason Richardson comes to mind.) Mathurin also has shown progress as a passer, dropping the ball off to open bigs once he gets a piece of the paint, making one-handed kickouts while on the move to his right hand and throwing lobs out of the pick-and-roll. With all that said, Mathurin had his roller-coaster games during which his shot selection and defensive intensity left much to be desired for long stretches, before eventually flipping a switch and showing signs of life. His defensive motor and overall attention to detail on that end of the floor is his biggest question mark. He completely forgot about the scorching Edwards on several occasions during the Houston loss, including on a crucial possession with the Wildcats down six and mounting a comeback with around two minutes remaining. Mathurin also is regularly caught upright in his stance on the ball, allowing guards to reject screens with little resistance. He is an inconsistent defensive rebounder, as well. Mathurin is more than capable of being the best defender on the floor when he is engaged given his tremendous tools and quickness, yet we simply don't see him unleash it enough. Even so, Mathurin, who is the age of some freshmen, clearly made the right decision coming back to school for another year after testing the waters in 2021, when he might have been selected late in the first round. He expanded his offensive game, improved as a ball handler and passer, became a more consistent threat from 3, added a more reliable floater and played a huge role in Arizona's incredible season that saw the Wildcats rank in the top 10 in offensive efficiency and pace. Despite the rough showing in the loss to Houston, he showed real character in the overtime win over TCU, making winning plays down the stretch that we wouldn't have seen a season ago while putting Arizona on his back late. Mathurin has no shortage of fans in NBA circles, and given his combination of shot-making ability, three-level scoring, league-ready tools and confidence, he has an excellent chance to hear his name called anywhere in the range of pick Nos. 6 to 12, especially for a team in need of youthful legs and scoring punch on the perimeter. The question for NBA decision-makers long term is whether Mathurin projects as a streaky scorer who doesn't always bring it defensively or a true two-way guard who can score the ball at every level, go for 20 points on any given night and add value in the margins as a defender, rebounder and playmaker. -- Schmitz Mark Williams | 7-1 C | Duke | Age: 20.2 | Mock draft: No. 17 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Williams was the most impactful player on the floor in the Elite Eight, and he is in the midst of a phenomenal NCAA tournament, posting 58 points, 35 rebounds and 16 blocks in his four-game run to the Final Four, hitting 25 of 31 shots in that span, 13 of which have been dunks. He is a game-changer on both ends of the floor with his combination of size (7-foot-1) and length (7-foot-8 wingspan), providing a steady offensive presence with his excellent hands, finishing ability and rim protection thanks to his mobility, timing and reach. He is constantly throwing his body around in the paint and hustling to keep plays alive with an insatiable intensity level. Williams' upright stance guarding on the perimeter, occasional struggles with physicality navigating screens and mediocre timing tracking loose balls off the defensive glass weren't as much of an issue this past weekend as they've been in the past. His lack of passing ability (zero assists in the past three games) and shooting range aren't ideal for a big man projecting to the modern NBA game, but there's a clear role for a 20-year-old, lob-catching, rim-protecting center who plays hard and still has room to improve. It will be an interesting litmus test to see how much the NBA values a center in Williams' mold these days, as a decade ago there would be no question that he'd be an easy top-10 pick. It wouldn't be surprising to see Williams still emerge as a lottery candidate, and it's hard to envision him falling out of the top 20 as long as his pre-draft process doesn't reveal any red flags. -- Givony
Jaden Ivey | 6-4 PG/SG | Purdue | Age: 20.1 | Mock draft: No. 4 Ivey's collegiate career came to a screeching halt at the hands of a stout Saint Peter's defense that slowed the dynamic guard in transition, packed the paint and ultimately limited the potential top-five pick to just his third single-digit scoring output of the season: 9 points on 12 shots, with a season-high six turnovers. The Peacocks did a tremendous job of sprinting back in transition and building a wall to deter Ivey's best attribute: his open-court speed. In the half court, Ivey constantly saw multiple bodies, forcing him into kickouts, tough jump passes, contested 3s and off-balance midrange pull-ups. On one hand, Ivey will have way more space to operate at the NBA level, allowing him to unleash his incredible burst while tapping into more of the playmaking potential we saw glimpses of this season. He'll be playing with a far more agile big man than Purdue's Zach Edey. On the other hand, the Boilermakers' loss did further accentuate Ivey's shortcomings as a decision-maker when he isn't able to simply rely on knifing through opposing defenses and get wherever he wants to on the floor. Too often walking around when the ball isn't in his hands, Ivey has a lot of bad habits to address as he transitions to playing alongside more ball-dominant perimeter players at the next level. On top of that, his defensive intensity still needs work, particularly off the ball. He has proved more than capable of containing the ball and using his quick feet and long arms to be disruptive for stretches, but that type of urgency isn't as frequent as you'd hope. Ivey's NCAA tournament as a whole wasn't a disappointment by any stretch. He completed several plays that no other prospect in this class could execute in terms of sheer burst, quickness and leaping ability. He made 38% of his 3s, including a clutch trey against Texas to put the game on ice. He still finished the season averaging 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists on one of the best teams in the Big Ten while all but solidifying himself as a top-five pick. But the fact that he was unable to lift the Boilermakers past Saint Peter's, finished the tournament with twice as many turnovers as assists and at times looked a little too casual in his approach suggests he still has work to do before he can be considered a true franchise lead guard. Before the NCAA tournament, I broke down how Ivey was one of the few players who could potentially crack the top three -- and even the top two -- if he were to lead Purdue to a national title, growing into an on-court leader and primary shot-creator in the process. While he is still an incredibly promising guard prospect perfectly built for the NBA game, Ivey was unable to leapfrog the likes of Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero with his performance in March, leaving it up to the pre-draft process to convince teams he belongs amongst the draft's elite. -- Schmitz AJ Griffin | 6-6 SF/PF | Duke | Age: 18.5 | Mock draft: No. 8 Grant Halverson/Getty Images Griffin has been very much a mixed bag in March (including the ACC tournament), and it was important for him to get back on track after three NCAA tournament games in which he posted just 28 points on 25 field goal attempts while contributing little outside of his remarkable perimeter shooting. Griffin did so in a major way against Arkansas, leading Blue Devils in scoring with 18 points and showing some flashes of shot-creation, but he still had some poor moments defensively and looked limited as a passer and decision-maker. Griffin is in the midst of one of the best perimeter shooting seasons ever from an 18-year-old freshman, converting 46% of his 3-pointers, many of which come on difficult pull-ups and step-back jumpers. The spacing he provides Duke's offense from the perimeter along with his ability to manufacture offense while attacking closeouts and out of complicated ballhandling sequences have been important factors in Duke advancing to the Final Four. He hit 5 of 10 3-pointers against two of the best defenses in the country in Texas Tech and Arkansas this past weekend. Griffin's weaknesses also were on display, as he doesn't have the most functional handle, often needing too many dribbles to get into his jumper, rarely getting to the free throw line, lacking great explosiveness and frequently turning the ball over when faced with help defenders coming with strong digs from the weak side. His passing and overall feel for the game are major question marks at this point, as is his ability to impact the game when his jumpers aren't falling. Defensively, the game clearly moves too fast for him at this stage, as he often is a step late with his reaction time, is prone to falling asleep or gambling out of his stance and struggles with the nuances of off-ball defense. The question NBA teams will ask is how much of that is to be expected considering Griffin's youth and the fact that he barely played any competitive basketball in his final two years of high school due to injury and the pandemic. Wing players with his build, length and shot-making are very difficult to come by, and Griffin had some massive games for Duke this season after initially being on a short leash due to his lack of experience and mistake-prone nature on both ends of the floor. While Griffin's pedigree and background intel (coaches uniformly rave about his approach) will help, medicals also will play a major role in where he is drafted, as he has struggled to stay healthy for significant parts of his career. In the meantime, going out on as strong a note as possible in the Final Four next weekend certainly wouldn't hurt. -- Givony
Hot take: Mark Williams won't be on the board at 17. I think I prefer him over Duren as a p'n'r C and rim roller. His measurements are fantastic, and he impresses despite no offensive role at Duke. Could be the first pure C drafted!
One of my fears with holmgren is his age . Part of his packages that’s so alluring is his advanced bbIQ and defensive maturity . of course his frame / athleticism combo isn’t the nba ideal . mobley had more fluidity and athleticism, even if some of his skills aren’t as advanced. This makes him a better immediate nba defensive fit . Chet has some catching up to do .. which is fine , but I don’t think he’s a once in a generation prospect . The guy saying college basketball won’t see another player like Chet is kinda crazy .. there was just one last year in Mobley , but the season got cut short . I am less sure of Banchero’s background . But it seems like he faced a major step up in terms of competition . smith might have the absolute best tool in the draft in his shot . AND he’s a great bet to be able to do “big man things” on defense (it seems) Though his lack of physicality on offense is a question mark . I might pass on Ivey for someone with a bigger frame , just because we already have green and jc and kpj at guard. Maybe if we get stuck with 6 or 7 and he’s there he might just be BPA by far at that point . I do think he and green are an interesting long term fit and might be able to run teams ragged ... but also playoffs are tougher .
This is how it should be. Front office should tell coach he can't play certain players in certain situations or at all. Coach tries to win under these conditions. It is up to front office to sufficiently stack the deck against a coach.
Detroit and OKC have to play each other. Benefit of Detroit winning: The Rockets can't have the 7th pick as long as Detroit has 1 more win than the Rockets. Benefit of OKC winning: It extends the gap between them and the 3 worst records. Hopefully the Rockets lose out. But any OKC win will cancel out a Rockets win.
I agree. Daryl Morey got a lot of **** for it, but it is common and I believe how it should be. Unfortunately there are a lot of blurred lines with this organization so who knows exactly what is going on.
The only way to truly fix this is to make the lottery a true lottery. All 14 teams have the same odds at the number one pick. That will never happen, so we need to be smart in this situation and keep the tank rolling. Thank God Stone stepped in and shut down Gordon/wood/Schroeder
Holmgren's age isn't a big deal compared to Ivey or Banchero or Smith. It becomes bigger when you compare him to Griffin or Duren because it is two years difference. Also, because Chet is as long as he is, I am not sure you really want him any younger because you don't really want him any longer. His length and reach are close to ideal, at this point he just needs to add core strength. mobley had more fluidity and athleticism, even if some of his skills aren’t as advanced. This makes him a better immediate nba defensive fit . Chet has some catching up to do .. which is fine , but I don’t think he’s a once in a generation prospect . The guy saying college basketball won’t see another player like Chet is kinda crazy .. there was just one last year in Mobley , but the season got cut short .[/QUOTE] Holmgren is a very under-rated athlete. He is very good moving sideways and has an exceptional second step. He also has a surprisingly strong vertical and gets on the ground fast. I wish his shoulders were more broad and he had another 25 lbs on him, but he can add that in time. No, Holmgren isn't a sure fire once in a generation player like Shaq or LeBron. However he does have that type of upside. As far as Mobley is concerned, I loved him at USC and think he has a lot of ability.... but he isn't the same as Holmgren. He couldn't shoot like Chet did in college and he really wasn't as good a passer either. Mobley was quicker and more explosive... and if you want to compare impact, then there will be others better than Chet in the future, but his combo of skills and tools was unique. He went to a very good high school. It is a Catholic all boys school with a small graduating class. However there have been a number of D-1 players from there. Smith can really stroke it, and he has the athleticism to be a good defender at his size but his defensive upside is less than Holmgren. Letting Porter or JC influence who we take at the top of the draft would be a big mistake. Neither player is good enough to have any impact on that decision. What is wrong with Ivey's frame? He is 6'4" with a 6'10" wingspan and has added a lot of muscle, he can defend multiple positions and has a lot of defensive upside. Hell is the Rockets are risk adverse, they should draft Ivey first overall. He has the ability to defend multiple positions. He has shown that his skills will improve based on the last few years. He is the son of a former professional player and major college coach.... he has elite athleticism, he can shoot and always plays hard.
In the unlikely event that Rockets tie with Orlando and Detroit or just Orlando or Just detroit for the worst record, What is the tie breaker? How do they determine which is the team with the worst record and hence can not drop lower than 5th?
