2023 draft is the key even more than 2022. Look for Stone to make moves to maximize our lottery odds in 2023 through trades that either gain us 2023 picks or pick swap rights in our favor.
Here is the site I have been using to sniff out names to investigate https://nbadraftroom.com/p/2023-nba-mock-draft/ I have next year as our final year of tanking. We should be aiming for another guaranteed top five pick.
If you miss out on Amen, you could grab Ausar. lol. I can't wait for the 80's references. "He's hurt! Doctor Doctor!" "What a dunk! Hold me now!" What's crazy is, as talented as they are, most mock drafts probably don't have either in the top 5 for the 2023 draft. But as usual, those things get turned on their heads after a year.
I think playing in the OTE kept their hype down among mainstream consciousness. OTE is definitely more popular among "the youth", but for the most part, following the league and watching the games is kind of difficult unless you're really plugged in on social media. But yeah they look like future monsters. 6'6ish super athletes that play 1-3, potential to be legit stars on both ends. I think Amen is the creative on-ball playmaker while Ausar is the finisher and defender? But yeah, both have the talent to do it all.
The last few years i have read they will start allowing HS players into draft. Anything going on with that?
I remember reading about them and one of them was saying he passes more, has the more attacker mentality, and the other is more of the scorer (sounded weird, but ok). He also said he was always looking to pass while the other was the defender that wanted to pick you up full-court on defense. I can't remember which was what, but eh... I try to not get too caught up in this stuff a year or two ahead. There are too many things that can change or "top-3 studs!" that end up somehow being journeymen NBA players in a few years. The guys that are ranked ahead of the Thompson Twins are pretty good players, too, so who knows. I think I'll just wait instead of getting caught up in Twitter hysteria and marketing. lol.
If the Rockets get a top 2 pick then their selection is pretty obvious (#1 Wemby and #2 Scoot). Thigs get pretty dicey at 3. Being risk averse, I am not feeling Amen at that spot when his shot appears broken and the competition that he has been dominating is younger and less skilled than he is. Also, I am not sure that he has played in an actual competitive game in the past year plus (where the game was in doubt in the second half). He is just so much better than the OTE comp. He did play well in a few tune up games over seas so there is that. For me, I am taking Anthony Black and then either Maxwell Lewis, Adem Bona or Jordan Walsh using the Milwaukee pick. Obviously draft stock is fluid but as of today they would probably have to move up for Lewis. Lewis is a bit like a Trey Murphy with less length. He is having a monster year shooting the pill for Pepperdine and looking like a lottery talent. He would be a guy I tried to develop into a second option off the bench in the NBA. Bona, I think, would be a great big to come off the bench against other second units. Big and mobile, he would be a heck of rim runner and shot blocker for 15 to 20 minutes behind Sengun. Walsh (who is currently a teammate of Anthony Black on Arkansas) is spindly, explosive wing at 6'9'' with a 7'4'' wingspan. I think his floor is a Corey Brewer type but I think he has room to be much more than that. Lewis Bona Walsh
