Im sure any team will offer him the $775K right away. Its up to him if he wants to pay the extra $2.5M out of pocket or not. He's young and doesnt have much career earnings in Europe yet so hard to say if he can even afford that at this point (although Im sure an agent would set up a loan or something if he really wanted to come over).
And each year he waits, it's just going to be more out of his pocket. They really need to have an understanding that he will come over immediately. If he ends up falling to the second round, it's pretty much a lost cause. He won't have a guaranteed NBA contract, and the value of whatever he gets would not be enough to cover what he would owe on the buyout. Then it's Llull Part II.
His participation in the Olympics could be clouding that since teams aren't able to get him in for workouts/interviews to address his willingness to move to the NBA right away. Could be another reason why his stock seems to be falling just a bit the last week/few days.
That's my dream draft. If it's not those two, the team still needs to target length, defense and shooting.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-nba-mock-draft-top-4-picks-coming-into-focus 2. Houston Rockets: Jalen Green (G League Ignite, SG, 2002) Jalen Green has been linked to the Houston Rockets since early in the process. League sources believe he'll be the pick at No. 2 barring any last-minute trades. In need of more weapons offensively, Green gives Houston a potential No. 1 overall scoring option. He is elite athletically and dramatically improved his handle and footwork for creation, while his shot-making in the G League bubble looked legitimate and translatable. With Green and Kevin Porter Jr., the Rockets suddenly have two explosive wings to build with. 23. Houston Rockets: Jalen Johnson (Duke, PF, Freshman) 24. Houston Rockets: Tre Mann (Florida, PG/SG, Sophomore) Teams expect Johnson to slip. The Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans are possible landing spots in the top 20. Otherwise, the Lakers and Rockets may be happy to buy low on a playmaking 4.
reminded me of wiggins & lavine of minny champions, very explosive no defense duo, marketable as hell
How could 2021 playoffs affect what teams are looking for? We asked nine prospects in this year’s NBA Draft The Athletic asked a variation of the same question to several players during media availability over the last month: If you’ve been watching the playoffs, what do you think teams are looking for from a player at your position to be able to do well and be competitive in the postseason? Here are their answers. Corey Kispert, Wing, Gonzaga, 6-foot-7, No. 18 on Sam Vecenie’s Big Board “Make open shots when they’re called upon. That’s the No. 1 thing. When closeouts happen and shots go away, take one or two dribbles into the paint and make reads from there. It’s really not too much to ask because we’re asking those elite playmakers to be scorers as well. It’s doing the right thing and knocking down the open shots.” Franz Wagner, Wing/Forward, Michigan, 6-foot-9, No. 14 “Two-way players are really important. If you look at Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cam Johnson, I think those three. I think, to be a good two-way player on the wing, obviously, you have to defend really well. You saw Mikal Bridges sometimes guard the point guard or most of the time the main players on the other team. Also, shoot the ball well. There’s a lot of good shot-creators, one-on-one players in the NBA and to give them more space and time to operate, I think it’s important to have shooting on the wing and on the perimeter. I think those two things (are) what make those three really good.” Jalen Johnson, Forward, Duke, 6-foot-9, No. 25 “I think defending. That was the main takeaway I got from these playoffs. I’m from Milwaukee so I was watching the Bucks throughout the whole playoffs. Watching Giannis and how he impacts the whole game. Just making winning plays, I think that’s the biggest thing.” Isaiah Jackson, Center, Kentucky, 6-foot-10, No. 26 “Just bringing it every day. Bringing that competitiveness. Playing hard every day. I think Giannis showed a lot of that in this Finals. Just playing with energy the whole game, just playing athletically and not stopping. Not letting go of the rope, because he could have given up but he kept going. That’s something I can do as well and bring to a team.” Kai Jones, Center, Texas, 6-foot-11, No. 19 “For a guy like me, with my size, they want somebody who can really defend and rebound and finish plays around the rim, at a base. I think I can do all three of those things — I know I can. That’s what teams that have had a lot of success like the Bucks and the Suns, their big men, they really rebound the ball and can defend as well. Also, having people in general that can knock down shots from outside, knock down the 3-pointer. I play like the 4 and will probably play some 3 in the NBA too. So just being able to shoot and sprint the floor and defend, so those are the biggest things being a two-way player.” Josh Primo, Guard/Wing, Alabama, 6-foot-5, No. 34 “The biggest thing is being able to guard multiple positions. I’m seeing a lot of plays where guys come off ball screens and they’re looking for those switches. That’s something that Luka Doncic did really well this year. Just being a player that’s able to guard when put on a switch is something I want to do when I come into the league. That’s something that I’ve been working on, just being able to guard 1-4.” Matthew Hurt, Forward, Duke, 6-foot-9, No. 60 “Just to be versatile. A lot of teams can go smaller, switch 1-4, switch 1-5. I feel like basketball is going to be going in that direction, if not now then soon. Just be versatile and also spacing the floor as well. That’s key for the star players that are in the league to get more space to him, to make him have more space or to kick it to the open guy. So I feel like just the spacing and the versatility on defense, switching 1-through-4 and 1-through-5.” Sharife Cooper, Guard, Auburn, 6-foot-1, No. 24 “Just watching guys like Trae, guys like Chris Paul, guys that can elevate their teammates, ultimate leaders. They’re both different but they both make it work in the aspect that they’re both leaders and command that respect. I feel like it’s multiple ways as a point guard that you can make it work depending on which team you play for but I definitely watch those two guys… Just how Trae gets in the lane, his floater, You see his 3-point ability, his 3-point shot. That ultimately drags out the defense and gives them that lane and I take that from his game. And Chris Paul, just a maestro on the pick-and-roll, getting to the mid-range, getting to a spot, using his body, making his teammates better. Taking those two things from those two players is what I try to take for my game.” Trey Murphy III, Wing/Forward, Virginia, 6-foot-9, No. 16 “I’ve been watching a lot. If you look at the Phoenix Suns, for example — Mikal, Cam, Crowder, those guys are all spacing the floor out, hitting 3s and defending at a high level. You can see that’s really the formula of what teams really want now. I feel like I do that at a high level, being a good athlete, being able to defend, as well as being able to shoot the ball at a high level.”
Stone and Troy Weaver are playing chess before the NBA Draft https://www.thedreamshake.com/2021/...pistons-are-playing-chess-2021-nba-draftafael
The Athletic Beat Reporters Mock 1. Detroit Pistons - Cade Cunningham 2. Houston Rockets - Jalen Green | 6-6 guard | 19 years old | G League Ignite At 6-foot-6, Green already possesses the athleticism and explosiveness to excel at the next level. Many have lauded his ability to score from all three levels in the half court but it’s his unselfishness, work ethic and will to improve that will see him mesh well with Kevin Porter Jr. for years to come. The presence of John Wall will serve as an impactful mentor and teacher, while head coach Stephen Silas places him in the best opportunities to succeed, improving his playmaking and defense. On the court, Green will give Silas options. He has the size to play in a three-guard lineup alongside Wall and Porter Jr., allowing Houston to have multiple capable ballhandlers and different points of attack. Because of his scoring savvy, Silas can stagger lineups with him and other offensive options like Christian Wood and Eric Gordon, assuming the latter is on the opening night roster. Defensively, he’ll need to learn the ins and outs of a switching scheme but his time spent under G League Ignite coach Brian Shaw prepared him for the pros. The coming year should be an exciting one in Houston. – Kelly Iko 3. Cleveland Cavaliers - Evan Mobley 4. Toronto Raptors - Jalen Suggs 5. Orlando Magic - Scottie Barnes 6. Oklahoma City Thunder - Moses Moody 7. Golden State Warriors - Jonathan Kuminga 8. Orlando Magic - James Bouknight 9. Sacramento Kings - Alperen Sengun 10. Memphis Grizzlies - Josh Giddey 11. Charlotte Hornets - Jalen Johnson 12. San Antonio Spurs - Trey Murphy 13. Indiana Pacers - Corey Kispert 14. Golden State Warriors - Davion Mitchell 15. Washington Wizards - Franz Wagner 16. Oklahoma City Thunder - Usman Garuba 17. New Orleans Pelicans - Chris Duarte 18. Oklahoma City Thunder - Jared Butler 19. New York Knicks - Kai Jones 20. Atlanta Hawks - Keon Johnson 21. New York - Tre Mann 22. Los Angeles Lakers - Ziaire Williams 23. Houston Rockets - Miles McBride | 6-2 guard | 20 years old, sophomore | West Virginia I’m guilty of being a bit higher on McBride than others but there’s a lot to like with this young man. Houston fell off a cliff defensively once the injuries kicked in last season and there aren’t too many more lockdown guards than McBride. He’s undersized but the length, quick-twitch skills and motor are insane. In some ways, he’ll be able to cover up for Green and Porter’s deficiencies. Think a shorter Jrue Holiday. McBride should be a solid rotational piece in Houston. – Kelly Iko 24. Houston Rockets - Ayo Dosunmu | 6-5 guard | 21 years old, junior | Illinois At pick 24, the Rockets should just be in the business of collecting talent. Dosunmu has the potential to be a versatile, small ball switchable piece, something that appeals to Silas. He had a solid combine showing and should pair nicely with other wings on the roster in Danuel House Jr., Jae’Sean Tate and K.J. Martin. Green, Dosunmu and McBride is an excellent draft night haul and should steer the Rockets forward for years to come. – Kelly Iko 25. Los Angeles Clippers - Jaden Springer 26. Denver Nuggets - Joshua Primo 27. Brooklyn Nets - Day’Ron Sharpe 28. Philadelphia 76ers - Cam Thomas 29. Phoenix Suns - Sharife Cooper 30. Utah Jazz - Quentin Grimes
Some of these picks in the mocks don't make sense, but it's okay. We should be able to get at least 2 guys we all like.
2. Rockets: Jalen Green, SG, G League Ignite Height: 6' 5" | Weight: 185 | Age: 19 | Freshman No surprise here, but league sources view Green as an essential lock to Houston at No. 2. He worked out for the Rockets this week, and a mutual comfort level appears to have formed between them. Houston explored trading the pick, but settled on Green, who was also the only projected top pick to work out for the Rockets, which expedited the matchmaking process. Another notable tidbit: sources say Green has built a friendship with Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr., dating back to their time in the G League bubble, which should inspire at least some level of confidence that their similar styles of play can coexist. Green has major upside as a scorer, and has been viewed as the Rockets’ preferred choice dating back to lottery night. 23. Rockets (from Blazers): Usman Garuba, F/C, Real Madrid (Spain) Height: 6' 8" | Weight: 230 | Age: 19 It’s generally expected that the Rockets will make a move involving one or both of their selections in the 20s. Teams are all over the board on Garuba, who has one of the most intriguing defensive profiles in the draft, but is lagging behind in terms of ball skills at this point, leading to questions over what his eventual role might be on that end of the floor. Houston is no stranger to experimenting in the frontcourt, with P.J. Tucker Jae’Sean Tate having carved out careers with the Rockets as unconventional bigs. You can see Garuba eventually playing a similar role, but wielding better positional size and tools. Concerns over how far away Garuba might be on offense could see him drop into this range. 24. Rockets (from Bucks): Joshua Primo, SG, Alabama Height: 6' 5" | Weight: 190 | Age: 18 | Freshman It’s unclear whether the Rockets will actually make this pick, but making a long-term investment in a younger player does fit with their timeline. After a strong showing at the combine and impressive pre-draft process behind closed doors, Primo now looks like a lock to land somewhere in the first round, with his range beginning in the late teens and running down into the 20s. He’s demonstrated a more diverse offensive game than he showed in a spot-up role at Alabama, with combo guard skills and an impressive level of poise and focus. The fact he’s the youngest draft-eligible prospect adds a layer of appeal as a long-term project, and he’s in the mix for teams that can afford to be patient. Primo has starter-level upside in the long run.
Watched almost every Alabama game this year. Their coach Nate Oats brought a Rocket's style offense. Primo did need 1 more year to be able to showcase certain skillsets, but he is more polished than what is being written and doesn't have any glaring weaknesses outside of staying away from nagging minor injuries. He is a solid defender with a 6'9+ wingspan. His role offensively was to play off the ball and keep the floor spread. He can hit contested threes and has a quick release. He has a high IQ and does not force bad shots unless he's forced to do so at the end of a shot clock. Even then, he has a very nice step back 3 that he consistently hits. Wouldn't be shocked if he goes higher.
