So with us getting the 4th pick, who are you liking as potential trade down targets? I'm really enamored with Walker from UH, hometown baby, and potentially Whitmore. Definitely want nothing to do with non-shooter glorified flashy guys in the Thompson twins right now. We need defense and shooting more than anything. So who you got and would you like to select Whitmore or Walker at 4 or trade down?
Orlando picks 6 and 11. If you don't want Amen or Whitmore trade back with Orlando. Some scouts will see Thompson as trash others as a potential star. In this scenario the hope is that Orlando sees him as the latter. Try to get 6 and 11. Cason Wallace/Grady Dick/Derrick Lively. Take the best 2 of these 3 that are available. Solid role player potential. Then do what you can via free agency and trade to fill in the blanks.
We have 7 picks in the last 2 years, are we really going to dilute it further by adding 2-3 more kids? You flat out cannot make the playoffs like that imo. We will also tank the value of several of those picks who won't get minutes (and who WOULD get minutes on many other NBA teams) or we will have to trade them at their lowest value ever - right after two tanking seasons with no spacing and rim protection. For me this is the worst thing we can do with the pick (trading down) UNLESS the organization commits to playing all the youngsters and does not demand that we make the playoffs in the upcoming season i.e. one more season of development. I can be fine with that if it's part of a greater strategy, but I think 99% of the board would not be.
Cason Wallace, Taylor Hendricks are two players worth trading back for, but we need to identify the 2nd best player in this draft and go balls to the wall to get him. That may mean trading up or staying put. It’s unlikely to mean trading back.
Honestly if they had a damn PG on the roster to at least get them in their sets I think the young kids they already have would look so much better. My #1 trade down target would be Cason Wallace. He's going to bring defense, 3 pt shooting and he moves the damn ball. I also have a thing for Kentucky guards. My other trade down targets would probably be Hendricks and/or Whitmore but honestly I think PG is the bigger long term issue to address regardless of the Harden situation.
