Likewise Chet and Jabari aren't really like Kevin Garnett and Kawhi respectively, yet you had no problem with that? You disagree that Paolo has the most "Batman" potential in a draft that maybe full of "Robins"?
If you really feel that way then you’d have to seriously consider if Keegan Murray is the better player. Luka apparently didn’t warrant the consensus #1 pick either. It’s not really about a comparison to another player. It is extremely hard for players to get to the level we are talking about. Everyone in the NBA was the best their whole lives. Measurables and skill only take you so far. Look at Andrew Wiggins. Great players are cerebral players. The mentality is everything. Paolo has been a killer at every level through college. He’s still in consideration at #1 and it’s not because of his defense. This guy was getting mentored from a young age by NBA vets and he’s gym rat. NBA players from Seattle are generally pretty great. If a guy is that skilled at 6’10 250 and I believe what I’m seeing, I’m taking him in a “weak draft” and asking questions later.
Not betting on Green to be a plus defender, just doesnt have the length or physicality. But his upside as plus scorer is through the roof. That is good enough. Banchero should be one to commit to being a plus defender, he has more than enough length, physicality and athleticism. As much as I like Sengun, he will eventually have to be moved with commitment to Banchero. And that is okay. As long as Green-Banchero is surrounded by elite 2 way players to maximize their success.
Interesting. I want to see Green when he’s 25. Let’s see how strong he can get. Even if Banchero was a plus defender, we’d still need someone who can block shots. It’s hard to sign stars in free agency. Not only is there competition but more and more stars are signing super max deals. Star role players and veterans sign with star players. These days Jerami Grant has a say where he wants to be traded to. The pull of a Green Paolo combo could give us that advantage.
I think it's totally reasonable to pound the table for one guy, and I mentioned that in my reply. And if you are convinced that any one player will develop into a superstar, then literally nothing else matters, you go get that guy. My point is that a 50th percentile outcome Jabari, and a 50th percentile Chet are still very valuable role players, potentially championship starters. A 50th percentile outcome Paolo might get stuck in this position where he's an amazing playmaker and scorer, but he's not quite good enough to be the man, and doesn't contribute enough in other facets of the game to fit into the construction of a team. So paradoxically, he might develop into the best individual player of the three, but it's hard to make everything else fit around him. I actually am much more drawn to Jabari being potentially the best switchable wing defensive player in the draft who already has a carrying skill on offense at 19. There are a ton of things that he needs to work on, but the shooting is no joke at such an early age. De'Andre Hunter was a redshirt sophomore, and if anything, should be much more of a warning against Keegan Murray. Middleton, Thompson, and Siakam didn't become even league average players until age 23-24. If Jabari is successful, it's probably not going to be running off of screens, but it could easily be extending his range out to 28'+ and being the first pick and pop guy who can shoot from the logo. It could be as a post player who builds everything off the turnaround jumper like Kevin Garnett to compensate for lack of strength. The point with Jabari is that you could build an entire defense around his skills on that end, and as long as he's passable on the other side, that is a damn good player who can fit on any team. It's asking a lot for Jabari to develop into an all-defensive team candidate to be worthy of the #1 pick, but there doesn't really seem to be any roadblocks that might prevent that outside of injury or just a misevaluation of his talent. I'm not referring to Josh Smith's entire career or his defense, just his offensive role in that magical playoff run he had with the Rockets where he was able to flourish with James Harden and Dwight Howard on the court, made smart decisions, was actually making his threes (although not his freethrows), and looked utterly unguardable by power forwards. He was noticeably heavier and less bouncy than his early career with Atlanta by the time he got to Houston; still one of the best leapers in the league, but with athleticism much closer to where Banchero will be early on in his career. I'm not a college b-ball fan in general. All I can go off of is how the players look as they move, and what it reminds me of throughout Rockets history. I absolutely don't mean it as a slight to Banchero to compare him to Smoove on offense. Smith was always doing one incredible thing, followed up by 2-3 completely headscratching decisions. I envision Banchero's best output to be doing all the good things Smith did while eliminating the chucked 3s, bad isos, and patented pull up 20 foot bricks. Smith with good game sense and a jumpshot is probablly an All-NBA team contender every year. I refer to these highlights of Smith in 2015 on the Rockets. It's him playing the dunker role off of passes from a superstar 2 guard. Receiving the pocket pass as the screener and then making a second pass to a dunker or an open wing. Facing up against power forwards and blowing by them with spin moves and jabs. Spoonfeeding Dwight so many alley oops that Tyson Chandler decided he'd rather move to Phoenix than play next to Dirk any more. Getting down in the post and punishing mismatches. And most importantly, him canning trail threes and open looks off of passes from Harden. It's a highlight film, so it obviously cuts out all the inconsistency (and the 50% FT shooting) that made Smith a limited player. But this is kind of the role I envision Paolo being able to accomplish all the time as an outside-in attacking big, except doing it all the time, rather than once in a 13-year career.
I don’t think any have Batman potential in spades, out of any of them Chet has the highest upside. Chet would be the closest to his comp, but even then KG wasn’t a Batman and it would still take a lot for him to reach that level.
If only we had a 19 year old big man with NBA experience blocking shots at a more than respectable rate.
Most of the comparisons people have been making for Paolo remind me of the old lazy Jalen Green takes from a year ago. Bradley Beal and Zach Lavine. Now it's Blake Griffin and Josh Smith or Boozer. Paolo isn't like those players at all except his body kind of looks like theirs. He's a true point forward and the only other point forward in the league that has his skillset is literally Lebron. He's insanely unique. He'd probably demand the offense change (in a good way) around his skillset. No matter his situation he's always been able to adapt to what he's been asked to do (kinda like Harden) because he's just a savvy basketball mind. He has his limitations defensively right now but can be solved with coaching and want. People really think he's Othella Harrington laterally. I'm not sure I see a situation where Jabari Smith becomes a better overall basketball player than Paolo. He never has been and his amazing shooting was nowhere to be found when it mattered most (against a double digit seed no less). Rockets are really in a situation where the best player in the draft will fall to them at 3rd.
My money is on Pao. I remember seeing ZIon in Duke and Scottie Barnes in college and thinking they can't bully ball like that in the NBA, they have no real skills. Pao looks 10x more skiled, determined, and stronger than those 2.
I disagree. He is less athletic than LeBron and less of a gifted scorer as Luka but there is shades of both players in Paolo's game. That doesn't mean he's those guys, but there are some small similarities. The way he controls pace, reads the defense and creates opportunities for others is the reason why I think comparing him to someone like Harden or Manu makes more sense than comparing him to Blake Griffin. Harden averaged less than 4 assists in his 2 seasons at ASU, he wasn't some savant playmaker when he first started either but the flashes were there. BG was a playmaker for couple of seasons when his athleticism was gone. Where BG had to adapt to become a playmaker, Paolo has been playing the guard role since he started playing basketball. Guard is his natural position. He was a QB so reading the court is something he has practiced in various environments. The fact that he's going to get drafted after Jabari is bizarre. I underrated Paolo in February but he's a special talent and should be in the conversation with Chet for BPA (I would take Chet without a doubt).
Yeah, we will disagree. He’s not anywhere near the player Luka or Lebron is in any capacity. He’s also not Harden. Paolo is not going to be given the keys to an offense on any team, he is way more 4 than 3. Like I said, if he averages more than 5 assists in any season I would be surprised.
