The NBA is about offense and if you buy into the idea that Jabari is going to eventually become a good shot creator it makes sense to take him over Chet. I personally would go Chet but I get the logic for Jabari if you think he can the next great unguardable shooter.
Tbh I haven't really seen the "weak draft class" narrative being pushed much by the respectable draft analysts on the internet recently. I think there's a general acknowledgment that there aren't any top top tier blue-chippers, but the closer we get to the draft I'm starting to feel like there's a healthy number of prospects that people are bullish on.
Imagine having him 6th and worrying that he'll be there when we pick at 3. I'm having recurring nightmares at this point.
My hunch is that Portland takes Murray themselves if he's there at 7. He gives them a young prospect who fits positional need and should also be able to contribute right away, which fits their "win now" mindset. Mike Schmitz also loves Murray, and while he apparently won't be joining the Blazers officially until after the draft, I have no doubt they'll be weighing this opinion when selecting.
DEFENSE MATTERS It's simple - add more 2 way switchable defenders to team and team improves defensively. Even with a bad system or bad coach. Praying some playoff caliber team defensive system will magically appear on team filled with mediocre to average defenders is going to solve anything because players are going to play harder or coach will finally have an epiphany on defense is braindead. Just acquire better defenders around Green-Banchero. Sengun off the bench.
Lets watch Chet operate in space. Curious what some of our resident analysts see when watching this short snippet of what some people think will be the norm for him in the NBA. Some glaring things stand out to me.
1. Orlando Magic: Jabari Smith (Auburn, PF, Freshman) 2. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga, PF/C, Freshman) 3. Houston Rockets: Paolo Banchero (Duke, PF, Freshman) 4. Sacramento Kings: Jaden Ivey (Purdue, PG/SG, Sophomore) 5. Detroit Pistons: Keegan Murray (Iowa, PF, Sophomore) Smith the presumed favorite at No. 1; teams nervous about Holmgren Assumptions by scouts and executives all lean toward the Orlando Magic taking Smith. Shooting and defense give him an edge over Banchero, and there is some fear from teams when it comes to the 195-pound Holmgren, who's also a year older than Smith. Scouts also expect Smith to help close the deal with the Magic during interviews and his likely visit to Orlando. After making 79 threes (42.0 percent) and 42 pull-ups (40.0 percent), per Synergy Sports, he has a case as the best shooting freshman big to ever enter a draft. And that's an obvious draw to a Magic team that finished No. 28 in three-point percentage. Rival teams suspecting OKC may have interest in Ivey We've heard to keep an ear out for OKC's potential interest in Ivey at No. 2. While Holmgren has been perceived as a top-three pick all season, some scouts prefer Ivey. His fit isn't ideal for a roster that already has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey, but a team who sees Ivey as a surefire star won't pass on him due to fit questions. Of course, there is a difference between OKC being high on Ivey and actually making the pick with Holmgren and Banchero on the board. Houston Rockets looking at stress-free decision at No. 3 Sources say Houston isn't feeling pressure at No. 3. While there is no indication of what their top three looks like, the Rockets are operating in best-player-available mode, and it sounds as if they'll be happy with whomever falls to them. 6. Indiana Pacers: AJ Griffin (Duke, SF, Freshman) 7. Portland Trail Blazers: Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona, SG/SF, Sophomore) 8. New Orleans Pelicans (via Lakers): Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite, PG/SG, 2003) 9. San Antonio Spurs: Johnny Davis (Wisconsin, SG, Sophomore) 10. Washington Wizards: Shaedon Sharpe (Kentucky, SG, Freshman) 11. New York Knicks: Malaki Branham (Ohio State, SG, Freshman) 12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers): Jalen Duren (Memphis, C, Freshman) 13. Charlotte Hornets: Jeremy Sochan (Baylor, PF, Freshman) 14. Cleveland Cavaliers: Ochai Agbaji (Kansas, SG/SF, Senior) Daniels surging into top-8 mix Teams are under the impression that the Daniels buzz is real. His draft ceiling has been said to have risen into the Nos. 4-8 range after he measured like a wing (6'7½" in shoes), recorded the combine's fastest shuttle run, put on a convincing shooting clinic at his pro day and impressed in interviews. The fact that he's so versatile and interchangeable between positions 1-4 also eliminates fit concerns with most teams. Branham's draft range now looking like Nos. 8-14 Daniels' name is hotter, but Branham's is also trending. Not everyone is convinced, but there is still a lot of interest in the freshman who's a year younger than Johnny Davis, measured longer and was more efficient from three, the mid-range and at the rim. Teams think that he can go as high as No. 8 and that he's a better bet to go in the lottery than be on the board at No. 15. Teams watching old film of Shaedon Sharpe The Pistons and others are going back to the AAU tape of Sharpe, who didn't play a minute this season. He looked good at his pro day, but teams acknowledge that his athleticism and shot-making were made for the one-on-none workout, and his agency did a good job of putting Sharpe in position to showcase his strengths. Talent alone right now has him in the mix for lottery teams, including Detroit at No. 5. However, despite an enticing mix of bounce and shooting skills, the film shows a player who struggles to create going north-south and relies heavily on low-percentage dribble jumpers. Limited confidence in Sharpe's feel or ability to make teammates better could lead to teams feeling more comfortable with prospects like Murray, Griffin, Davis and Mathurin. 15. Charlotte Hornets (via Pelicans): Mark Williams (Duke, C, Sophomore) 16. Atlanta Hawks: Tari Eason (LSU, PF, Sophomore) 17: Houston Rockets (via Nets): Jalen Williams (Santa Clara, PG/SG, Junior) 18. Chicago Bulls: EJ Liddell (Ohio State, PF, Junior) 19. Minnesota Timberwolves: MarJon Beauchamp (G League Ignite, SF, 2000) 20. San Antonio Spurs (via Raptors): Ousmane Dieng (New Zealand Breakers, SG/SF, 2003) Jalen Williams climbing Williams' potential rise was a hot topic in Chicago at the NBA combine. Some scouts have mentioned him as a top-20 or even potential lottery pick. And some of that talk started even before scrimmages, where he helped further validate the buzz. It's difficult to pinpoint what's caused the sudden spike in interest, although it happens with certain prospects every predraft process. Last year it was Trey Murphy III and Chris Duarte. Williams measuring a 7'2¼" wingspan certainly stood out. But with the value of versatility at an all-time high, the amount of boxes he checks is obviously appealing, as Williams projects as an interchangeable guard and wing who can run pick-and-rolls, pass and catch-and-shoot. Dieng buzzing, but not everyone on board Dieng's rise became a common talking point after a late-season breakout in the NBL. The idea of a 6'9" wing who can handle and shot-make is obviously enticing, and his productive stretch from March to April came at a time when teams were looking/hoping for new talent to emerge. But not every team is buying the hype. Some think he's merely an idea, or that he's too raw and underdeveloped physically to confidently invest in. All it takes is one team to see upside that's worth spending a few years trying to unlock. It wouldn't be a total shock if Dieng went in the late lottery. But he's not a sure thing to land there. He may make more sense for a team that has multiple first-round picks to gamble with. 21. Denver Nuggets: TyTy Washington (Kentucky, PG/SG, Freshman) 22. Memphis Grizzlies (via Jazz): Terquavion Smith (North Carolina State, PG/SG, Freshman) 23. Brooklyn Nets (via 76ers): Dalen Terry (Arizona, PG/SG, Sophomore) 24. Milwaukee Bucks: Jake LaRavia (Wake Forest, PF, Junior) 25. San Antonio Spurs (via Bucks): Ismael Kamagate (Paris Basketball, C, 2001) 26. Dallas Mavericks: Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Milwaukee, SF/PF, Freshman) 27. Miami Heat: Kennedy Chandler (Tennessee, PG, Freshman) 28. Golden State Warriors: Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke, SG/SF, Junior) 29. Memphis Grizzlies: Walker Kessler (Auburn, C, Sophomore) 30. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Suns): Blake Wesley (Notre Dame, SG, Freshman) Washington candidate to slip One general manager at the combine expressed disappointment in Washington not scrimmaging. Confidence in him has faded, despite the possibility that an ankle injury had something to do with his underwhelming second half the year. In some scouts' minds, Washington is closer to the late first round than the late lottery. Smith going first round Smith was a huge winner at the combine, where he dropped 17 points in the opening scrimmage before shutting it down. Microwave scoring types are in, and scouts have started to picture Smith as another version of Bones Hyland, Jordan Poole or Anfernee Simons. He was trending toward the first-round discussion before arriving in Chicago. Now the question is how early in the first round will he go? LaRavia has fans After some convincing shooting during Wednesday's combine drills, LaRavia backed out of scrimmaging. While there is no indication of a promise, interest is snowballing and teams are gaining confidence in his NBA fit. Scouts see a pro, especially those who buy his jump shot. We're also hearing positive feedback regarding his workout performances. Despite scouts acknowledging that he isn't the greatest athlete, "he's just a really good basketball player" has been a commonly expressed sentiment. […2nd round blahblahblah…]
I don’t have ESPN+ but luckily, others do. Has the Rockets taking Paolo Banchero & TyTy Washington “Ivey's candidacy is also under consideration here, as the idea of constructing arguably the most explosive backcourt in the NBA is said to be intriguing for Rockets brass.”
