The Spurs were awful with Wemby at center, in large part because of the spacing issues created by the Collins-Wemby combo. It can work, but Clingan and Wemby both need to improve their shooting.
Agreed. If Wemby doesn’t become an above average 3 pt shooter, his career will be as a perennial all-star candidate not a superstar. No reason to believe he won’t.
(1:22:24) Sam and Bryce go over this, and I agree with them. Certainly Wemby *could* play PF, but not playing him as the center on defense takes away Wemby's superpower on PnR/rim defense. Also putting him next to a slow, not highly skilled (on offense in terms of dribble-pass-shoot skills) big man will limit the offensive scheme. Putting Wemby as the 5 with 4 other skilled, athletic players allows for a 5 out system that doesn't give up a ton on defense (relative to how most teams would need to do it). Wemby for sure needs to get stronger and all that, but I do think this is the best way to utilize his talents. Of course, if the Spurs want to screw it up by minimizing his impact, I'm all for it. But yeah, I don't know if I fully buy those rumors either. Definitely sounds more like smokescreens to throw off other teams working trades.
1:16 Givony: “We’ve had Risacher number one for pretty much the entire cycle and that’s who most of the NBA expects to be picked number one either with Atlanta or San Antonio. Most NBA teams I talk to have Risacher number one but not all. Some have Sarr. Risacher is probably the guy for either of those teams.” 10:14 Givony: “I’ve been told that it’s not so much that Sarr doesn’t want to play for Atlanta as much as he prefers to play for the Wizards. Maybe that’s semantics or a polite way of saying it. 12:41 Windhorst: “From what I understand, I really don’t think the Hawks are taking Clingan if they stay at one. If they traded back, he would be an interesting player for them. I would be surprised. 13:10 Windhorst: This #3 pick has been dangled as available. Houston may end up keeping it but there is a reason why. What do you see at that spot and why it’s pivotal. 13:28 Givony: First moment Houston moved up, you already started hearing trade rumors around this pick. Rockets are in win-now mode. They have a lot of young players. It’s a very young team. Their preference would be another star, especially a star on the wing. Is that Jimmy Butler, Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram, Marcus Smart? It seems obvious if the right offer came along, they’d be very happy to move the pick but it has to be the right offer because there is value for this pick. The teams that want to move up for is Donovan Clingan. The draft starts here. If Houston stands pat, feels like Reed Sheppard is the guy. 15:24 Clingan injury history a concern? Givony: Not that I’ve heard. Teams are still meeting with doctors but haven’t heard any major red flags with any guys in the draft. 16:33 Why has Sheppard risen up and why would Houston or another team take him top 5? Givony: The NBA is looking for shooting, feel and guys who know how to play with other good players. Sheppard checks all those boxes. He’s the best shooter in this draft. He’s versatile with the way he shoots. Very good feel out of PnR. Not as aggressive or prolific a shot creator as we sometimes hope. Unselfish player, wants to get others involved. Sometimes had the brakes on at Kentucky. Came off the bench, said he was a legacy recruit, many didn’t think he would even play his first year. For us to be having this conversation shows how far he has come. The wiring is special. The way he carries himself on and off the court. The confidence he plays with. Reed Sheppard will be a big time player in the NBA. 23:49 Windhorst: Rockets are very active in trade talks. Every year you hear teams are active then they’re on the clock and announce the pick. That said, the Rockets are being active and looks like in conversations I’ve heard are looking to move out of 3 and maybe stay in the lottery but they are looking for a veteran player to help them now. 24:49 MacMahon: We did talk about this in March when they were playing well. This is a team that has put together good young talent that isn’t eager to add another young player to the mix. If something makes sense, they would look towards a win-now player. Doesn’t mean they won’t stay at 3 but they are exploring the alternatives. In March, you thought that pick would be 8/9/10. Ping pong balls bounced Houston’s way. You will know the value of 3 after what the Hawks do. If it’s not Clingan first, he will be available at 3 and there will be multiple suitors. One team that has come up a lot is Memphis. They have the 9th pick and glaring need at center. 26:50 Windhorst: It’s not a secret that they love Clingan and won’t be able to get him at 9. 27:04 MacMahon: There is a player on the Grizzlies roster who Ime Udoka has a history and fondness for. One thing out there is Marcus Smart moving to Houston. That’s what the Rockets are exploring. If they’re moving someone part of their young core now, it’d have to be for a lead dog. If Mitchell wasn’t going to extend, the Rockets absolutely would be interested but they won’t move one of their core guys just for a lateral move. It’d have to be for a big swing. 28:00 Windhorst: Houston’s cap position fluctuates because they have $25M in non-guaranteed contracts. Their free agent strategy may hinge on what they can trade for in/around the draft. 30:20 MacMahon: Amen Thompson is the guy when talking to people with the Rockets late in the season and after the season, he’s the young player they’re most excited about. He doesn’t necessarily play a position. He guards every position. Offensively, that’s where it gets interesting with him. When he thrived, it was after Sengun got hurt and Jabari was playing the 5 and their roll man offensively was Amen. They’re extremely high on him. He’s absolutely the epitome of an Ime Udoka guy. Stud defender, gritty guy, but interesting fit offensively. Just scratching the surface of his potential. 33:47 Windhorst: Houston is one of the more fascinating teams over the next couple weeks that doesn’t come into the headlines. One other thing, they have two rookie extension candidates. What happens with those guys? 34:52 MacMahon: Those are interesting scenarios. I don’t have a great feel for the likelihood of either getting an extension. Jalen Green is very interesting. He finished the year strong but for most of last year didn’t have a very good year. He wasn’t playing down the stretch of games or even entire fourth quarters. Then you get into does he fit into the mold of what Udoka wants. This team will be built in the vision of Udoka. I’m not quite sure. I said in March I’m not sure both are long term fits. It may be one or the other or maybe neither. Sengun is another fascinating case. Great numbers, borderline all-star case, they did play their best basketball after he got hurt. I don’t think it’s fair to call that cause and effect thing but there are fit things. Windhorst: It’s something to consider if he comes to the table and says I want a max contract. MacMahon: If he’s on the floor, you have to run the offense through him and build a defense to protect him. When he got hurt, Jabari I don’t think you want him full time playing center but showed the ability in stretches. I mentioned Thompson playing the 5. Again, those will be interesting situations to keep an eye on. 36:55 Bontemps: Sengun has a lot of comparisons in a lot of ways to Sabonis. Good player but if he’s one of your key players, you have a bit of a ceiling on what your team can be. We’ll see if Sengun can be a bigger, better defensive fit long term. As for Jalen Green, he’s essentially had one good month in his career. He was incredible in March. He has not been good otherwise. 42% from the field, 33% from three, volume scorer, doesn’t really guard, not someone I’m excited to give money to long term. If someone has a great March, like the Rockets had a great March, a lot of times teams aren’t that interested in winning or teams are getting ready for the playoffs. It could be fools gold. I would not be rushing to give Green a ton of money. If I had to guess, of the two, he’s the one not extended.
In other words we aren’t gonna give up the world to move up for Clingan. Or at least we gotta act like it.
Clingan is this year's Jabari Smith Jr. Reed is short but he brings 3 point shooting and passing to the team. That's more important than shot blocking and rebounding.
Marcus Smart isn't a lead dog. No one from the young 6 players should be traded for him, not even Jalen Green. Marcus Smart and the 9th for the 3rd and the 44th makes some sense.
Givony talks about going to UConn games 2 hours early to watch Stephon Castle (projected #4 pick) warm up, trying to film 3 or 4 consecutive makes to post on instagram, and how it took 30-40 minutes to even get 2 consecutive makes from Castle — "this is alarming"
