2023 Clippers Pick

D-Mo was a former 20th pick.

 

Whoever we choose with that pick will know his rights.

 

It might be a bit late for it to be a true trade asset at this point. When you get within the draft year of a pick it’s less currency and more of an actualized human talent you can evaluate based on the draft boards and the real players in that range.

To be honest about your second point, the reality is the Rockets have been lucky as hell the past two years to get picks 2, and 3 with the new lotto odds the way they are. I think Rockets fans should expect the worst and hope for the best. This is a part of playing the lotto odds.

A big reason why the team was still trying to win games later in the season is because I’m sure the front office realized Wemby/Scoot etc are out of their control at this point and the odds are their core this year will be their core talent next year so it’s to their benefit to just focus on Bari, Jalen, etc.‘s development because next year it’s probably still going to be on their shoulders to make or break the Rockets’ future the next 4 years.

 

Obviously, #20 is not a slam dunk pick, but it’s not trash either. Good players are available. Last year, Malaki Branham was drafted at #20 and Walker Kessler at #22.

 

Hopefully this draft is as deep as last year.

 

It is not as deep as last year, after 21 or 22 prospects it bottoms out. I hope we can get Lively from Duke, we need a shot blocker…young or old.

 

If that’s the case, I’m glad the Rockets are at least picking 20th.

 

Would be shocked if the Rockets kept this pick. Last thing we need here is another rookie.

 

They may want to see who is there before trading it away. For example, Dereck Lively or Dariq Whitehead might be there.

 

#20 + KPJ might get us #25

 

According to this, #2 plus #20 = #1. Maybe we can get lucky and land at #2.

 

Another example of why these numbers are off. A team would laugh at us if we tried to trade #2 and #20 for #1.

 

Trade value difference between #1 and #2 THIS YEAR is way more than 940 points.

 

No one is perfect of course, but Stone is one of the best GMs we've had when it comes to the draft so I trust him here. Criticisms aside, this is the same guy who made a trade to draft Kenyon Martin Jr fresh out of high school at the 52nd pick.

 

The pick could be traded, but we could also keep it if we make other trades. For example, this draft class has a ton of interesting guard prospects, and if KPJ goes away it might be smart to take a flyer on one of them as a backup combo guard.

 

This year don't look as deep. The talent drop big time after top 10. We need size. Other than Dereck Lively II, there isn't much.

 

Yes, it is a draft class that is very lacking in big men, and only has a couple of true playmaking point guards as well (Scoot and Amen). But IMO it is a very stacked draft class for combo guards and wings. The talent drops off outside the top 5-7 or so, but after that it's just a lot of good prospects all the way down almost to the end of the first round. When you have guys like Nick Smith and Dariq Whitehead potentially dropping into the 20s on some boards, you know there is a lot of talent here.

 

I see the 20th pick as a potential Euro Stash. I'm sure there is some Top euro dude out there they've been keeping their eye on (like Sengun) who they can hold the rights to and let him grow for a few more years before bringing over. Every position on this team has some young player already being developed for it so why bring in another rookie now. Draft 'n Stash this year.

Someone ranked these guys #4 and $5 on top international prospects. Could be worth a look or they could trade back and pick one up.

4. Ousmane Ndiaye (2004, 6-11, F/C, Bonn)

Coming from Germany’s 3rd division, where he averaged almost a double-double with 2 blocks per game at the age of 17, Ousmane Ndiaye is the definition of a diamond in the rough. The forward from Senegali is long, with good mobility and coordination for his size and… raw. But he is intriguing.

Ndiaye has shown flashes of a future NBA player, showing a lot of positives and negatives. He is great in the open court – but has problems finishing in traffic. Has nice shooting mechanics – but he is an inconsistent shooter. Has shown flashes of good court vision – but turnover prone. He can protect the rim and has good defensive instincts- but he loses focus.
It’s more than obvious that Ndiaye is years away from being ready. He has to work on his game. But he is one of the most intriguing prospects of his generation.

5. James Nnaji (2004, 6-10, C, Barcelona)

Strong like an ox with an NBA ready body, James Nnaji has earned some fans around scout circles, having already earned some playing time in Barcelona. Standing at 6-10 with a ridiculous 7-7 wingspan and good level of athleticism, the Nigerian center has all the tools to become an interesting prospect. A rim runner, with a basic Post Up game who can protect the rim.

There are some hurdles in Nnaji’s way. He is still raw and his decision making needs work. What’s more concerning though is whether he will actually have the chance to demonstrate his skill set and improve, since he will have to fight for playing time on a European powerhouse like Barcelona, a team that – especially the last couple of years – is seemingly trying to… hide its prospects instead of showcasing them.