i can't see the Rockets being able to trade up. Orlando fanbase would go nuts if they don't take Jabari with the number 1 pick.
I get what you're saying but the only way I see a big name going to OKC is via trade (ala Paul George).
Probably true. But I'm leaving room for the possibility of them signing one guy if the rest of the team is there and they had the cap space. However, Presti has already proven very adept at turning cap space into gold. I'm convinced if Ivey is there at 4 he's going to offer Sac SGA and do a small reset with Ivey and the cap space replacing SGA. We have to consider that possibility. I seriously doubt a better player than SGA, already signed for 5 seasons going forward, will be available for that 4th pick for Sacramento. I think OKC is in the catbird's seat for that pick with SGA. If the draft goes Jabari/Chet and we're on the clock and take Ivey then trading SGA for Paolo is not nearly as appealing for OKC. That puts them in a slight bind next year if they win the lottery and Wembanyana is there at #1. They'll either need to trade down (and likely miss the #2 pick in 2023) or they'll need to trade one of Chet/Paolo, the player that has shown the least, for a much diminished return. We need to forego Paolo if he's the last of the three bigs in this year's draft. Take Ivey. Then peddle away Wood, EGo, Nwaba, and Tate for as much future pick value and cap space as possible. Buy out Wall for a $15+ million savings. Sign Hartenstein outright for nothing. (Or force the Clippers to give us a future second to sign-and-trade him.) Trade #17 down for a lower first/high second rounder and a first in 23 or 24. Draft Leonard Miller (project) or Dom Barlow (second round steal). Sign Trevlin to 4-year deal for about $10 million. Sign Anthony Lamb to a 4-year deal non-guaranteed after yr 1. Carry $40 million of cap space into the season and just wait.
The prize of this draft for us is Chet. Not Jabari. Not Paolo or Ivey. But Chet. So for OKC to get Ivey it should cost them Chet. They should have to choose between Chet or Ivey and Paolo. We've already got Sengun. He's already proven he's an offensive beast down low and he's only 19. He's already proven it. So there's no need to go get another guy with mostly duplicating skills with questionable motor. Sengun has a proven motor. We need to build around Jalen and Sengun. Add great pieces around them that enhance their game. A great shooting floor spreading 4-man with great length that can switch almost everywhere and is a great recover/help defender and rim protector is the ideal piece around Sengun and Jalen. Chet fits the bill. Wembanyana fits the bill. (And Hartenstein fits the bill from a free agent perspective.) If we force OKC to take Ivey at 2, then we take Chet at 3 and go to work on 2023. If OKC takes Chet, then we take Ivey and force them to abandon the possiblity of SGA for Ivey. They've got to do SGA for Paolo and have a logjam of primary bigs or they've got to forego moving SGA for Paolo. Or they have to trade SGA for #4, then peddle Paolo to the highest bidder. (Good luck getting a lottery team to agree to give them a 2023 lottery pick for Paolo at 4. We need to take Ivey at 3 if he's there. And we need to put it out there that we're taking Ivey, probably the day of the draft, forcing OKC to have to make decisions.
So you’re basically arguing we take Chet or Ivey? I’m not following where the need for OKC to trade SGA comes from. Is there a chance they want Paolo to pair with him? Seems like a good combo, as does Green/Banchero.
OKC will trade SGA for Ivey if Ivey is there at 4. Dump the big salary. And have $40 million of cap space to play with again.
SGA is their developed Ivey. I don't see them trading SGA (like at all). It would set them back (like years) He's like their Jalen Green, Green is ready for his rookie extension. OKC is not necessarily a preferred free agent destination, so when you have a budding star, you pay to keep him and hope to grow a few more. SGA is also age 23. People talking like Presti think SGA is a toxic asset. I don't think that's how Thunder view him at all. If Ivey is drafted, they just play him off the bench or throw a three guard lineup. There's lots of ways around it. SGA is their main guy and highest paid. Whereas ours most paid Wall (likely gone) and Wood might also be gone. Our young core is only 1-2 years in. If SGA is healthy and Presti decided to cash in his picks for another proven, they are more ready and nimble to go to a play-in than we are. All this Ivey talk is fine, but if I had to bet, he's taking one of the three bigs.
When you know you're going to be a lottery pick in the NBA draft many players don't go as hard as they could offensively/defensively because they don't want to get injured. With that being said, I'd wait to judge how Paulo is on the defensive end. I think there's another level there. Rockets should be happy with the #3 pick and not waste assets trading up.
Solid question. I'd definitely have some concerns about SGA if I'm OKC. His shooting splits and TS% took a major hit last season, he's often hurt, he's still not a good on-ball defender, etc.
His counting stats are good, and before last year his efficiency was good. But it seems as the main guy his efficiency slipped which should be expected. I dont watch any okc games tho tbh, so i dont have a grasp of how good he truly is. I know his defense use to be lackluster, is it improved? How good of a facilitator is he or is he more of a 2nd playmaker type? How serious or fluky are his injuries? If okc had any concerns, it would be wise to look forward to cashing in on his value.
No, a million times no. Number 1 - Sengun has not proven to be a player to build around - yet, he is promising but his slowness of footspeed is a major detractor and he struggled mightily against taller players......let's see what happens now that the league will adjust. Chet is the star of the draft, his uniqueness is too much to pass up, he is the number 1 target. Ivey? I mean people want him to be JA, but he is not.....and we have SO MANY GOOD GUARDS already.......Jabari or Paolo are the pick...if Chet is gone.....we don't need ANOTHER developing guard.....we are set. DD
Presti doesn't view SGA as toxic at all. He gave SGA a max deal. Presti views SGA as a max player that can likely get him another max player on a rookie contract for the next 4 seasons and give him back a ton of cap room to play with too. That's Presti.
You'd be 100% correct if Jabari was 6'6. If Jabari were 6'6 or under he is likely not a top 3 pick. Similarly, if Paolo was 6'6 or under he would not be a top 3 pick. It is only because Jabari is 6'10 with very good length (7'1 wingspan), an unblockable jumper with elite 42% 3P and an energy fiend as switch defender that makes him so potent and intriguing to so many NBA teams. Paolo is only a top 3 pick because of his unique size (6'10 255 with 7'0.25 wingspan) + his guard skills (dribble, pass, vision) + plus 2 level scoring. Calling Jabari just another 3-D player is inaccurate.
He doesn't need to do anything else. For now. Like Paolo's 3P%, Jabari can also improve. If Ariza could learn to dribble drive, so can Jabari. Jabari's 3ball % at 6'10 is ELITE. A big with such an unblockable jumper doesn't come around very often.
Right I get all that, but we're talking archetype here. You say he isnt a 3&D player and cite his height which I dont think has any bearing honestly. Jabari surely is not a stretch big - he's a wing. A supersized wing who happens to specialize in hitting 3's and playing great defense. When I see Jabari getting through traffic with his handle I'll concur. Learning how to dribble at an NBA level is a lot harder then just shooting better IMO.
Agree to disagree. Elite 3P shooting cannot just be learned either. The labels are inconsequential imo. Jabari is a 6'10 player with unblockable jumper all the way to beyond the arc. And he can play sticky switch defense 1-4 right now. With another 10-15 lbs he can defend 1-5. How many 6'10 elite 3 AND plus D players are there in NBA anyway? The ability to dribble with his range would just be another weapon in an already deadly arsenal. Learning to dribble isnt even as necessary as Paolo improving his defense AND his 3P%. I'd argue that improving those 2 skills to even NBA average have greater degree of difficulty than improving ability to drive to rim more.
