It's pretty funny watching the obliteration of the players we might get at pick 3 and the ordination of players we might get at pick 17. Reminds me of football fans dragging on the starting QB and making the backup into the next Brady. Anyway, I'm happy with any of the three at the top. The best thing about them is they all seem to be smart basketball players. If you have a bunch of skilled and smart players, you can cover weaknesses and exploit strengths more efficiently than if you were relying on physical skills alone. Get a group of smart and skilled ballers together and let them play. They'll figure it out.
I always find Hollinger interesting and worth listening to, but I don't agree with him on everything and his overall record on the draft is really spotted. He has his orthodoxy and sticks to it. I don't think that Chet is as good as Mobley as far as quickness on switches. However I have seen probably 85% of his games in college and he was far better than the majority of players at the 5. Also, he is weird in that his first step defensively is mediocre, but he has an exceptional second step. There were a number of times that he would have his man go by him on the switch, and he would catch up on the second step to block or alter the shot. He did the same thing as a help defender, which is also hard to measure. I know that I saw a number of times where Timme would be in the way when Chet would switch. As far as post defense, there were times that guys like Duren would knock him off his base and get position and score. However, statistically he defended very well in the block one on one. He always battled and even when knocked off of kilter he would still sometimes block the shot or distract. My concern isn't his ability to switch, or his post defense or even his ability to score. Even if he never becomes a guy that puts the ball on the floor and creates, he is going to score a lot from 3 (where his shot isn't going to be blocked), on the offensive boards on put backs and as a cutter. That is a lot of modern offense..... my concern with him in the short term is whether or not he can play with the energy he does over 80+ games a season. Over time he will adjust and get stronger, but he may miss some games early in his career though.
The situations at Duke and Gonzaga are very different. Regardless of who Gonzaga was bringing in as a freshman, they were running the offense through Drew Timme. That is what they did all season, and Holmgren did what was asked of him. Having said that, even with a more limited role, Holmgren was their best player. If Holmgren struggles defensively, then he will be a poor draft pick. His most valuable asset is his ability to defend at a high level against different line ups. You take that away and he isn't anything special.
That's an interesting thought. How would you feel if it cost you the 17 to get there? I honestly wouldn't feel all that different. It's worth also considering the challenge with having 4 first rounders on the same time scale -- they all come due for free agency at the same time. If you can consolidate and balance that out, that's worth something. I like Sengun a lot, but don't view him as irreplaceable. I struggle seeing Sengun ever being a passable switch defender -- I think Banchero could get there. I view Banchero more and more like Blake Griffin defensively -- slightly different era, but the Clippers were fine by surrounding him with DAJ and Chris Paul.Especially if Banchero develops his 3-ball earlier in his career, that is a pretty special talent.
We should definitely try Sengun as a 6th man with some overlap with the starting group. He would have more freedom to run the offense off the bench and show us his full playmaking skills.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't see Banchero as a player whose limitations are so egregious that he can never adjust to being a plus defender. I know others speak of Sengun, but Sengun's weakness is speed. Players are liable to get past him, which is a problem with switching him onto perimeter players (though his catch up speed has impressed me). Banchero doesn't have that issue, and although his college stats may show defensive weaknesses, I don't think that has to be how he performs in the NBA. Now does that mean he'll be a great defender in his rookie season? Probably not. We suck, so even a good defender is going to look bad on this team right now. But if this team acquires more skilled players, I don't see why his future has to be defined by a single season with Duke.
Almost all of the advanced statistics favor Holmgren over Banchero. Second, Mobley in college wasn't a better offensive player than Chet Holmgren. Mobley was a poor shooter from any distance at USC. The advanced offensive and defensive stats favor Holmgren over Mobley as well.... and I say that as someone that really liked Mobley coming out of college. You apparently are not familiar with how Gonzaga runs their program. Timme was an upper classman and they were going to run the offense through him regardless and ball handling duties were going to be handled by their upper class point guard. I'm not sure were you got 12/10 for what Holmgren will average in his career? Even in a freshman year where he had to defer, per 100 pos he averaged: 29/20/4/2/7 ......... Mobley averaged: 25/15/2/3/5 ....... Banchero averaged: 30/16/6/2/2 Do I think that Chet will average 25/12/3 as his ceiling? He certainly can average more blocks and probably more rebounds as a ceiling.... will he get 25 a night? I don't know.... but I do know with his length, 3 point shooting on volume, offensive rebounding, ability to cut to the basket off ball he can get more than 12 points a night.
Banchero will be fine defensively if the Rockets have an elite wing defender and a very good center defender next to him. Banchero will be fine, possibly even good as a man defender. His problem is that he isn't a good rim protector..... so we are more restricted in the players we have to put around him. Had the Rockets drafted Mobley last year, I would probably be pushing for Banchero. I would deal #17 and possibly Sengun for Eason depending on the evaluation of Eason by the scouting department. If they tell me he will be a plus team defender and likely a starter for the next decade, then I jump at that.... Eason is at a position of need for the Rockets, especially if they get Banchero.... I would then be locked into Green, Banchero and Eason..... and the others are players that remain to be seen. Maybe Porter makes a leap this season.
I like Sengun, but I don't think that Banchero and Sengun can play together. If I am drafting Banchero at #3, he is the long term starter playing 30-35 minutes a night. The Rockets have a need for a long wing or two regardless of who they take at #3. This draft is exceptionally strong for wings and if Eason is that good, then I do what it takes to get him. Green/Eason/Banchero is a pretty good trifecta and that still leaves possible long term fits like Porter and Christopher and Martin off the bench.
The only hang up I have with Holmgren is health concerns. You have to wonder how his rail thin frame and style of play will hold up in the NBA. Like he may do fine for the first couple of years but if he is getting slammed down hard every other game like does in college thats a big ass red flag for me. Game wise there should be no issue with Holmgren, guys like Davis Bertans saw play what more Holmgren? If you look at his college stats his efficiency is insane, some of thst will def translate to the NBA.
9 man rotation where we move up into the top 10 using Wood, Tate, Garuba, and #17. We clear some roster spots for the rookies/young players, we look to move EG again by the mid season deadline, look to move KPJ (I'm just not the biggest fan), and look to upgrade with another 3&D player (maybe that will become KMJ). Obviously our issues won't be solved in one draft or offseason but I'd like a facsimile of this to start the season. I think a roster like this would put us in the 8-15 range. Green KPJ Kyle Anderson Eason/Sochan Banchero EG Christopher KMJ Sengun
With Pablo and Green on the same team we would need a great shooter to make our offense a big threat.
Starting to get hope for this, hopefully your source in the FO is giving you information on if we aiming for Banchero and Eason.
So would you say Coach K was a "win at all costs" guy who has to navigate the "one and dones" and try to put out a cohesive product every year and Mark Few is a "team first coach" who is going to value his upperclassmen more than pedigree freshmen players with more talent or skill and forego wins in order to achieve that? If I were to entertain the idea that Chet was the best player on his team then its strange to me that a coach wouldnt want to maximize the potential of the team as a whole while highlighting the best player at the same time. During critical games players will have to go off script a good deal as Coach K says it all the time and allowing these kids to be great instead of boxing them in feels like it would be best for all parties especially when you are saying that the best player on the team wasnt used as he should have been. Doesnt seem to add up, but I tip my hat to Mark Few if he was willing to lose games in order to teach team concepts.