Say Jabari and Chet are off the board and we're sitting there on draft night with the third overall pick. Is Paolo still a no-brainer for most of you, because I'm not so sure anymore. @DaDakota often mentions Houston having to one day decide between KPJ or JG and the Rockets picking third or lower could significantly accelerate that decision as Ivey and others are going to have to be considered. Selfishly I'm hoping we luck into the top two, but I'd be happy anywhere in the top 5.
I pretty much agree, this is a two horse race - Holmgren or Smith. Banchero just isn't in the same league as the other two. Good player, fundamentally sound but just not dominant in anything. Top 2 or bust.
Barnes and Mobley aren't in this draft though. Things are different draft to draft. But super prospects are super prospects. I believe Chet is. Jabari is probably close, like the same level Cade was.
Point was the 5th pick could be valuable...... Darius Garland IIRC was taken at 5th. I do not really care whom we pick as long as it is a star level player. The freaking FO is so mediocre at scouting that a 5th might be soul crushing because they can't find talent with their blind eyes. I would be okay with AJ Griffin if they slide to that spot.
It's exactly like you said. 5 would be soul crushing because there's enough uncertainty there for our trash FO to mess it up. At least with top picks there's enough material to know you're making a relatively safe choice. The bar for that is different in every draft but for this one I'd put it at 2.
Let's see where the record ends up being......first. Some have Chet at 1 so you could only get Jabari. If Detroit gets 1 again and Houston 2 that would be a likely coincidence. Mobley refused to work out for Houston, remember?
Ivey is probably the one I would take over Banchero. It would make things interesting as you have to move either KPJ or Green to the bench or trade one of them if Ivey hits. Would still be at disadvantage in height, so might as well take AJ Griffin.
I’m ok with BPA but would be nice if they can guard big forwards on the perimeter and have a large wingspan.
I've been watching a lot of Duke lately and Paolo just disappears for long stretches. For a guy who's supposed to be the best player on the court, he's not making much of an impact, and even worse when his shot isn't falling. I'm not so sure he's the best player on that team much less in the nation / draft.
So mediocre at scouting? JGup, Sengun, Tate, KJM, Matthews, KPJ say hello. You are basing this all on the Dipo and JA mistakes and I guess you’re proclamation as Green as a bust. They are very good at scouting.
If I had a choice I'd take Smith to make up for the lapse in judgment in not taking Mobley. I wouldn't be opposed to Chet either--his potential on defense is hard to pass up.
