Following 2018 draftees

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So it's very possible that we could be picking 6 or later given that we don't look like we're tanking. At that point, you have to consider Bamba, the Bridges, Knox, Carter and maybe even Young/Sexton just on talent. I hope it doesn't come down to that. I like a lot of those guys, but it will be much harder to find the star among them than it will be with Ayton/Doncic/Bagley/Porter.
I’m not considering Knox that dude isn’t good but after the top 7 I like Carter, Malik Bridges, then Miles Bridges. That’s 10 we’re not dropping past 10.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
So it's very possible that we could be picking 6 or later given that we don't look like we're tanking. At that point, you have to consider Bamba, the Bridges, Knox, Carter and maybe even Young/Sexton just on talent. I hope it doesn't come down to that. I like a lot of those guys, but it will be much harder to find the star among them than it will be with Ayton/Doncic/Bagley/Porter.
I think that if you draft Bamba, you have to know who your getting. Let me put it this way. The Kings are trying to develop a team that moves the ball, and have players that move without the ball. Bamba simply doesn't fit into that type of system. At least not right now. He's not a good passer, or should I say, that he seldom tries to pass the ball once it's in his hands. He appears to have tunnel vision most of the time. I've counted more than a hundred times he's gotten the ball while well guarded, and there's been a teammate wide open on the perimeter who he's either ignored, or simply didn't see.

Instead of kicking the ball to the open man, he attempted a clumsy shot at the basket. I think Bamba is going to be a good player on a team where he is a good fit. At team that doesn't need him to do much other than defend the basket and rebound. While that may sound sexy to a lot of fans on the forum, the Kings are looking for more than that from their center. All Bamba would do on the Kings is crowd the lane and hurt the spacing. Say what you want about Willie, but he's quite comfortable away from the basket, and he's shown himself to be a good passer. From what I've heard, their saying that once on the floor, Giles will be the best passer on the team. We'll see.

My point is, I don't think the Kings will be interested in Bamba for the reasons I've stated. He's probably more of a project than any of the other players in the top ten. He may have one of the highest ceilings, but he has a fairly low floor as well.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
I’m not considering Knox that dude isn’t good but after the top 7 I like Carter, Malik Bridges, then Miles Bridges. That’s 10 we’re not dropping past 10.
Yeah, there's no way I put Knox in the same tier with Carter and Mikal. Both players are far better players than Knox is right now. Knox has been very inconsistent, and the one thing about both Carter and Mikal Bridges, especially Bridges, has been their consistency. Some of Carter's lower stat games have been because of playing second fiddle to Bagley. There is after all, just one ball to shoot or rebound.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
Yes I have seen him play and his IQ really popped of the screen. I'm sure you have watched more than I have so I'm looking out for some of his worse games. But Goldsteins draft model also has him #4 so I feel quite comfortable where he is on my board right now.
Oh and by the way, I really like Mikal Bridges dont get me wrong. In fact I would have taken him in the lottery last year already :)
Yeah, I would say that the major difference between Porter (Jontay) and Gafford and Williams, is that he has a better all around skill set. Williams is more of a Capela type player, and I'm not sure if he'll ever be more than that, which is fine on the right team. And by no means am I saying he will be as good as Capela. I've been disappointed in Williams this season because I've seen no improvement from last season. I think Gafford, with time will develop into a more rounded player than Williams. Bottom line is, that if I had to pick one of the three that would be the best fit for the Kings, it probably would be Porter.

You could run the ball through Porter, but I'm not sure you would want to do that with the other two. At least not right now. Bamba falls under that same umbrella. If you watch Bamba play, they never run the ball through him.
 
I think that if you draft Bamba, you have to know who your getting. Let me put it this way. The Kings are trying to develop a team that moves the ball, and have players that move without the ball. Bamba simply doesn't fit into that type of system. At least not right now. He's not a good passer, or should I say, that he seldom tries to pass the ball once it's in his hands. He appears to have tunnel vision most of the time. I've counted more than a hundred times he's gotten the ball while well guarded, and there's been a teammate wide open on the perimeter who he's either ignored, or simply didn't see.

Instead of kicking the ball to the open man, he attempted a clumsy shot at the basket. I think Bamba is going to be a good player on a team where he is a good fit. At team that doesn't need him to do much other than defend the basket and rebound. While that may sound sexy to a lot of fans on the forum, the Kings are looking for more than that from their center. All Bamba would do on the Kings is crowd the lane and hurt the spacing. Say what you want about Willie, but he's quite comfortable away from the basket, and he's shown himself to be a good passer. From what I've heard, their saying that once on the floor, Giles will be the best passer on the team. We'll see.

My point is, I don't think the Kings will be interested in Bamba for the reasons I've stated. He's probably more of a project than any of the other players in the top ten. He may have one of the highest ceilings, but he has a fairly low floor as well.
I don't necessarily disagree with anything you just said, but he still has to come into consideration for me. If you look at guys like Drummond, Jordan, Capela, Whiteside, and Gobert, most of them weren't nearly as productive as Bamba at the same stage, and Bamba's has arguably superior physical traits than all of those guys. I think he shows some promise with his jumper and can be much better than Willie offensively, excluding the passing. Yeah, you might have to wait a while for Bamba to come along, but let's be honest, we're not going to be good any time soon if we don't get a star in this draft. And that's far from guaranteed with the other guys.

I'm not saying we should definitely take Bamba, but he has to be in the conversation. He's probably not my number 1 choice at that spot, but I'd consider him.
 
I don't necessarily disagree with anything you just said, but he still has to come into consideration for me. If you look at guys like Drummond, Jordan, Capela, Whiteside, and Gobert, most of them weren't nearly as productive as Bamba at the same stage, and Bamba's has arguably superior physical traits than all of those guys. I think he shows some promise with his jumper and can be much better than Willie offensively, excluding the passing. Yeah, you might have to wait a while for Bamba to come along, but let's be honest, we're not going to be good any time soon if we don't get a star in this draft. And that's far from guaranteed with the other guys.

I'm not saying we should definitely take Bamba, but he has to be in the conversation. He's probably not my number 1 choice at that spot, but I'd consider him.
I think the passing is the key sticking point, if we are indeed building the team in a similar mold as that of our glory years. I mentioned how great Bamba was playing at the end of Jan, and I think he is going to be a great player. I would not hate him as our pick and would be excited, but he might not be the best fit to "complete" the team as envisioned.

If Bamba could become an intuitive passer in a high motion high passing offense then sign me up twice. His defense is what I covet. Someone called him "Like a 7 foot spider that just catches you in his web". A presence like that under the basket, with another 7 footer that can rotate onto any position and give them trouble in Willie, added with our potentially dynamic back court we have would be something.
 
I don't necessarily disagree with anything you just said, but he still has to come into consideration for me. If you look at guys like Drummond, Jordan, Capela, Whiteside, and Gobert, most of them weren't nearly as productive as Bamba at the same stage, and Bamba's has arguably superior physical traits than all of those guys. I think he shows some promise with his jumper and can be much better than Willie offensively, excluding the passing. Yeah, you might have to wait a while for Bamba to come along, but let's be honest, we're not going to be good any time soon if we don't get a star in this draft. And that's far from guaranteed with the other guys.

I'm not saying we should definitely take Bamba, but he has to be in the conversation. He's probably not my number 1 choice at that spot, but I'd consider him.
Yeah I think there's an important distinction with Bamba about him on offense. He's absolutely a raw offensive prospect, but he has the talent is actually there for him to be a good offensive player at the next level. He's got decent footwork, good form on his shot and his athleticism/length will certainly help him adjust quicker than most other big men.

Even so, if you get DeAndre Jordan or Tyson Chandler with a jumper on offense, that's perfectly fine with me if he can fulfill his immense upside on defense and on the glass. People seem to think that 10-12 PPG on 65%+ TS isn't good on offense for some reason.
 
Anyone watch Porters game? I just saw the stats thats he was 5-17 which isnt too surprising. What did you think of him?
I caught it yeah. Didn't have a good game at all, but that's to be expected. I'm not going to put any stock into how he performs down the stretch. He's going to be out of game shape and obviously going to be rusty. But we did catch a glimpse how talented he can be.

I do think him coming back and playing shows a lot of guts as a competitor, even if it isn't the smartest move for his NBA future. It should alleviate some concern about his injury too, which is a good thing.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
I caught it yeah. Didn't have a good game at all, but that's to be expected. I'm not going to put any stock into how he performs down the stretch. He's going to be out of game shape and obviously going to be rusty. But we did catch a glimpse how talented he can be.

I do think him coming back and playing shows a lot of guts as a competitor, even if it isn't the smartest move for his NBA future. It should alleviate some concern about his injury too, which is a good thing.
I kinda view Porter's time here like I did Kyrie's stint with Duke in his brief excursion into NCAA basketball. It's nice I get to see him play but I'm not going to let any obviously bad "time away from the game" basketball affect how I view the guy as a longterm prospect.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
I took in Porter's game as well. And I wouldn't say he had a bad game when you consider everything. He definitely looked like a player that hadn't played in a full game since his last game in highschool. He did display his handles a bit, although you could tell he was rusty and a little loose with the ball. The main thing that leaped out at me was his lack of explosiveness around the basket. He had no legs at all, which I'm sure was affecting his three point shot as well.

His first basket was a dunk on a pass from his brother on a breakaway. But later when right under the basket when he tried to dunk the ball on a put back, he couldn't get the ball over the rim. I'm sure in his mind he was going to dunk the ball, but his legs said excuse me, not today! So basically I'm agreeing with everyone else. He looked liked I expected him to look. Out of basketball shape, and with all his skills needing some re-tuning.

His brother on the other hand looked very good, and is making everyone stand up and take notice. He's definitely moving up my list. Jontay could be the player that everyone is talking about a year later, wondering how they could have missed on him. Or not! He's not quite the athlete that Williams and Gafford are, but he's a good athlete, and he's more skilled than either of them. In an ironic way, Michael's injury has given Jontay a chance to take the spotlight and shine.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
My team just got demolished by DeAndre Ayton in the Pac12 championship game and I didn't even mind. :) I haven't seen a big man dominate like this in the entire time I've been watching college ball (since about 2005). And I still don't know if I can pass on Luka Doncic at #1. Ayton and Doncic might be the best draft prospects since LeBron in 2003. Two teams are going to be very happy on draft day.

 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
My team just got demolished by DeAndre Ayton in the Pac12 championship game and I didn't even mind. :) I haven't seen a big man dominate like this in the entire time I've been watching college ball (since about 2005). And I still don't know if I can pass on Luka Doncic at #1. Ayton and Doncic might be the best draft prospects since LeBron in 2003. Two teams are going to be very happy on draft day.

Just had a visit from Cruzdude, and we watched several games I had recorded. And to sum up Ayton, I told him that Ayton, in his freshman year at Arizona is a better player than Cousins was in his freshman year at Kentucky. Of course I thought the same thing of Karl Anthony Towns, and he's turning out to be a pretty damm good player. I would say that Ayton and Towns are about equal in their freshman years. Of course they're different, but skill against skill, I'd say their fairly equal.

So if your using Towns and Cousins as a measuring stick, I'd say that Ayton is a pretty safe bet. I watched Bamba in his conference tournament games and he has improved in some areas. He still has tunnel vision with the ball when out at the top of the key with the ball. He doesn't seem to see cutters, or if he does, he reacts a bit too late. or not at all. He doesn't make terrible passes, the problem is, he just doesn't seem capable of creative passes. At least not now. He does rebound well, but I suspect that will decline in the NBA for a while until he adds some muscle. His long range potential is extremely high, but it's going to take some time.

In the conference championship game for Villanova, Bridges continued his stellar play with 25 points, only 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. He went 9 of 13 overall and 4 of 7 from the three. His one block came while guarding the other teams center on a postup. The dude tried to bully Bridges in to the basket and couldn't, so he tried to go straight up for a shot and Bridges blocked it. He one of the those players that's fun to watch on defense.

Kentucky has gone from a team that I thought was struggling to make the tournament, to a team that no one in the tournament wants to play. They're peaking at the right time. Gilgeous Alexander continued to play out of his mind in their conference final with 29 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. I still think he's more of a combo guard than strictly a PG, but regardless of what you want to call him, he's a hell of a basketball player.

One last comment on Ayton, who was terrific in his conference final game with 32 pts and 18 rebounds. The one thing that bugs me is his slow reaction on defense at times. It's as if he's slow to read the play. He'll be in the key, and he'll be watching an opposing player beat his man baseline, and do nothing, while there was still time to stop the ball. He does this 4 or 5 times a game. I'm nit picking, but it's one of those things that bugs me.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
Just had a visit from Cruzdude, and we watched several games I had recorded. And to sum up Ayton, I told him that Ayton, in his freshman year at Arizona is a better player than Cousins was in his freshman year at Kentucky. Of course I thought the same thing of Karl Anthony Towns, and he's turning out to be a pretty damm good player. I would say that Ayton and Towns are about equal in their freshman years. Of course they're different, but skill against skill, I'd say their fairly equal.

So if your using Towns and Cousins as a measuring stick, I'd say that Ayton is a pretty safe bet. I watched Bamba in his conference tournament games and he has improved in some areas. He still has tunnel vision with the ball when out at the top of the key with the ball. He doesn't seem to see cutters, or if he does, he reacts a bit too late. or not at all. He doesn't make terrible passes, the problem is, he just doesn't seem capable of creative passes. At least not now. He does rebound well, but I suspect that will decline in the NBA for a while until he adds some muscle. His long range potential is extremely high, but it's going to take some time.

In the conference championship game for Villanova, Bridges continued his stellar play with 25 points, only 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. He went 9 of 13 overall and 4 of 7 from the three. His one block came while guarding the other teams center on a postup. The dude tried to bully Bridges in to the basket and couldn't, so he tried to go straight up for a shot and Bridges blocked it. He one of the those players that's fun to watch on defense.

Kentucky has gone from a team that I thought was struggling to make the tournament, to a team that no one in the tournament wants to play. They're peaking at the right time. Gilgeous Alexander continued to play out of his mind in their conference final with 29 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. I still think he's more of a combo guard than strictly a PG, but regardless of what you want to call him, he's a hell of a basketball player.

One last comment on Ayton, who was terrific in his conference final game with 32 pts and 18 rebounds. The one thing that bugs me is his slow reaction on defense at times. It's as if he's slow to read the play. He'll be in the key, and he'll be watching an opposing player beat his man baseline, and do nothing, while there was still time to stop the ball. He does this 4 or 5 times a game. I'm nit picking, but it's one of those things that bugs me.
Great insights bajaden! I agree about Bamba's passing game -- it's basically non-existent, in that he doesn't really look for teammates when he has the ball. That's one of my biggest concerns with him -- his awareness on team defense is pretty good I think but he's got a long way to go on the other end. He's basically just a finisher right now but that's not a terrible start considering his physical tools. Actually, that's one of the big reasons I keep moving Wendell Carter Jr. up my list. He's surprisingly effective at passing out of the post and his outside jumper has been money all season. He doesn't have impressive physical tools but in every other way he's a perfect prospect for the C position.

Mikal Bridges has impressed me more over the last month than any other prospect (well, except for Ayton). I've come all the way around on him from wondering if he was just on a hot streak to wondering if he'll be able to maintain the same production going up a level to now feeling like he's one of the safest picks in the draft. This is a perfect example of how much the NBA game has changed in 15 years. Back when we were battling the Lakers in the playoffs every year I would have said that Bridges will get pushed around when he gets to the NBA. But the way fouls are called now, strength is of limited value on defense. It's all about moving your feet, disrupting passing lanes, making quick switches and getting out to contest jumpers. And Bridges passes with flying colors in every one of those areas. It'll be interesting to see how his skillset is valued by GMs. I suspect actual NBA teams will put him higher on their boards than all of the mock draft folks because he can really get after it on defense and doesn't really have any weaknesses.

Ayton is not without a few concerns, chief among them is that a guy with his physical profile is expected to dominate on both ends and he's got little intensity on defense. He can move his feet well enough and he's got a long wingspan when he puts himself in position to contest shots but he gives up on plays way too easily. I can talk myself into believing that the ability is there if you can get him to flip the switch and stay engaged but unfortunately lack of effort on defense is a habit that's not easily broken. It's frustrating to watch a guy with that physical ability hover two steps away from a play and do nothing when with a little effort he could at least make the offensive player take a more difficult shot or even force them to pass it out. It's too bad there's no way to hybridize Ayton's offensive skillset with Bamba's block hunting. If we do end up with Ayton somehow my first task would be to figure out what makes him mad and then get him to bring that edge to the defensive side of the floor. Where's the Zenmaster when you need him!
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
Great insights bajaden! I agree about Bamba's passing game -- it's basically non-existent, in that he doesn't really look for teammates when he has the ball. That's one of my biggest concerns with him -- his awareness on team defense is pretty good I think but he's got a long way to go on the other end. He's basically just a finisher right now but that's not a terrible start considering his physical tools. Actually, that's one of the big reasons I keep moving Wendell Carter Jr. up my list. He's surprisingly effective at passing out of the post and his outside jumper has been money all season. He doesn't have impressive physical tools but in every other way he's a perfect prospect for the C position.

Mikal Bridges has impressed me more over the last month than any other prospect (well, except for Ayton). I've come all the way around on him from wondering if he was just on a hot streak to wondering if he'll be able to maintain the same production going up a level to now feeling like he's one of the safest picks in the draft. This is a perfect example of how much the NBA game has changed in 15 years. Back when we were battling the Lakers in the playoffs every year I would have said that Bridges will get pushed around when he gets to the NBA. But the way fouls are called now, strength is of limited value on defense. It's all about moving your feet, disrupting passing lanes, making quick switches and getting out to contest jumpers. And Bridges passes with flying colors in every one of those areas. It'll be interesting to see how his skillset is valued by GMs. I suspect actual NBA teams will put him higher on their boards than all of the mock draft folks because he can really get after it on defense and doesn't really have any weaknesses.

Ayton is not without a few concerns, chief among them is that a guy with his physical profile is expected to dominate on both ends and he's got little intensity on defense. He can move his feet well enough and he's got a long wingspan when he puts himself in position to contest shots but he gives up on plays way too easily. I can talk myself into believing that the ability is there if you can get him to flip the switch and stay engaged but unfortunately lack of effort on defense is a habit that's not easily broken. It's frustrating to watch a guy with that physical ability hover two steps away from a play and do nothing when with a little effort he could at least make the offensive player take a more difficult shot or even force them to pass it out. It's too bad there's no way to hybridize Ayton's offensive skillset with Bamba's block hunting. If we do end up with Ayton somehow my first task would be to figure out what makes him mad and then get him to bring that edge to the defensive side of the floor. Where's the Zenmaster when you need him!
Well, I have nothing to add to what you said, other than to echo your concerns about Ayton. I would love to ask Miller if he's given Ayton instructions to stay out of foul trouble and that's the reason we see such poor reactions by Ayton. As good a game as he had in the championship game, his defensive lapses stood out like a sore thumb. What's so frustrating, is that he has all the tools in his tool box to be a great defender. If you have one of the top two picks in the draft you can't pass on him, but you have to pray that his defensive gaff's are an aberration.
 
Mikal Bridges was very impressive vs. Providence. Showed improving creation ability at the end and was running more pick and rolls.


Wendell Carter is also growing on me. The eye-test and statistical translations allign. He could be very valuable to the Kings if the plan is to keep Joerger going forward. He would be very good at the high post, passing and spacing the floor.
 
What's your view on Sexton, anybody?
Downhill player that will be able to get his shot at the next level, but lacks vision to make teammates better. A range of potential NBA outcomes but likeliest is as a 6th man on a good team who can close games when hot and a big stats guy on a bad team. IOW, one of those players who has a beguiling 12-year career, often slightly overpaid, never quite making the leap people expect.

I don’t fancy him for the Kings—not at this stage. Now, the above description could have easily been applied to Bobby Jackson, so we’ll see about Sexton in the future, but I would not draft him.
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
That video of Br
Mikal Bridges was very impressive vs. Providence. Showed improving creation ability at the end and was running more pick and rolls.


Wendell Carter is also growing on me. The eye-test and statistical translations allign. He could be very valuable to the Kings if the plan is to keep Joerger going forward. He would be very good at the high post, passing and spacing the floor.
That video of Bridges doesn't impress me. Doesn't look quick enough for the NBA.

Carter might be pretty good at the 5 in the NBA.
 
Why do they have NBA guys as analysts and commentators in the NCAA tourney? They barely even watch college ball.

I can't wait for their great analysis and mesmerizing calls on Jared Jackson Jr, Winston Carter, Shai Gorgeous-Alexander and Michael Bridges.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
That video of Br


That video of Bridges doesn't impress me. Doesn't look quick enough for the NBA.

Carter might be pretty good at the 5 in the NBA.
Carter would fit the small ball five image. He's 6'9" and around 250 lb's. As I said in an earlier post, it's a shame that he's on the same team with Bagley. It's hard to stand out when your on the floor with Bagley, and he's getting most of the touches. Not a knock on Bagley mind you, just the way it is. If Carter had opted for Kentucky, who tried to recruit him, he would have been the star of that team. Anyway, I see him as a stretch four mostly but a player that can play some small ball five as well.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
What's your view on Sexton, anybody?
Sexton is more of a shoot first PG, or at least that's how he's played at Alabama. He's lightning quick, but not quite as quick as Fox. Like Fox coming out of college, he has a questionable three point shot. I don't think he's quite as good a defender as Fox was at Kentucky. Like Fox, he's very good at getting to the basket and finishing. I would say it's between him and Young as to who is the best PG in this draft, although Alexander might have something to say about that. Young, who isn't near the athlete that Sexton is, is far more skilled overall, and a incredible passer as well as being a far better outside shooter. So pick your poison....
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
Mikal Bridges was very impressive vs. Providence. Showed improving creation ability at the end and was running more pick and rolls.


Wendell Carter is also growing on me. The eye-test and statistical translations allign. He could be very valuable to the Kings if the plan is to keep Joerger going forward. He would be very good at the high post, passing and spacing the floor.
Not to nit pick, but Bridges has been doing what he did against Providence all year long. Don't know what happened in the off season, but he went from just being a top defender, and a terrific spot up 3 pt shooter, to a player that suddenly had a post up game, made you pay for close outs, and who started hitting three's off of screens and off the dribble. Whatever magic pill he took, it turned him from being looked at as a three and D player, to a 2nd or 3rd option player in a rotation. Scouts that thought they knew what he was, are now wondering just how high his ceiling is?
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
Carter would fit the small ball five image. He's 6'9" and around 250 lb's. As I said in an earlier post, it's a shame that he's on the same team with Bagley. It's hard to stand out when your on the floor with Bagley, and he's getting most of the touches. Not a knock on Bagley mind you, just the way it is. If Carter had opted for Kentucky, who tried to recruit him, he would have been the star of that team. Anyway, I see him as a stretch four mostly but a player that can play some small ball five as well.
Can he guard stretch 4s? That's what he's going to have to do in the NBA if he plays that position.
 
Not to nit pick, but Bridges has been doing what he did against Providence all year long. Don't know what happened in the off season, but he went from just being a top defender, and a terrific spot up 3 pt shooter, to a player that suddenly had a post up game, made you pay for close outs, and who started hitting three's off of screens and off the dribble. Whatever magic pill he took, it turned him from being looked at as a three and D player, to a 2nd or 3rd option player in a rotation. Scouts that thought they knew what he was, are now wondering just how high his ceiling is?

Yep, he is #4 on my Kings centric big board. Just a perfect fit for our program. He would also allow us to get pretty creative in how we address the frontcourt going forward, as he fits with any style of play. We would have a solid core and be poised to attract a top free agent this summer or in 2019. We could also use our cap space to absorb a very good veteran that someone needs to shed in a rebuild.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
Can he guard stretch 4s? That's what he's going to have to do in the NBA if he plays that position.
Well we won't know until he does it, but my opinion is yes. Carter is a fundamentally solid player, more so than Bagley in my opinion. Bagley makes up for lack of basics at times with his unworldly athleticism. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Bagley is unskilled or doesn't have fundamental skills, but that Carter is better in that area. There's no doubt that Carter right now is a better defender than Bagley. Everyone gets excited about Bagley's 11 rebounds a game, but Carter is pulling down 9 rebounds a game. Carter blocks 2.1 shots against Bagley's 1 blocked shot a game. Bagley has his 3 pt average up to 38%, which is good, but Carter is shooting 44% from the three.

My point is, that Carter is a very very good player, but because he plays on Duke, he's overshadowed by Bagley, who is hard not to notice when he's on the floor. He has a flair for the dramatic. I think to some extent, both players have some skills that aren't being displayed because of the system both are playing in. I think that if Carter for some reason stayed another year at Duke he would be a top five player in next years draft. Don't think that's going to happen though.

My question about Bagley, and I suppose others have the same question, is how much will his hustle game help him at the next level. A lot of what he accomplishes comes off of his hustle. He simply out quick's and out jumps the opposition for rebounds. He scores a lot of points on putbacks, alley oops, and fast breaks. He does have a decent post game, but once again, it's based on out quicking rather than out muscling the defender. Which is OK. The key for Bagley is his outside shot. If he becomes consistent, then he's entirely different player and almost unguardable.

I guess my main point is, that Bagley's biggest attribute is his motor. That along with his athleticism makes him who he is. I'm a skill set guy, so I hate putting all my eggs in the hustle basket. On the other hand, I wouldn't bet against him
 
I watched the Arizona game and I still just don't see what it is that everyone likes so much about Ayton. He just seems so passive and plays so lackadaisical a lot of the time. He goes from looking like he knows what he's doing one play to looking like he's never played a minute of basketball in his life the next. He spends entirely way too much time just standing and watching everything happen in front of him instead of going and making it happen.

If something crazy happened and the Kings moved up in the draft, I think I'd take Bagley over him. Like Bajaden said, you'd hate to put all your eggs in the hustle basket but I just can't sit through another 3 or 4 years of passive play by one of our players. The difference is Bagley involves himself in every aspect of the play if he can get there while Ayton only involves himself if the play comes to him.
 
A pretty large chunk of the Wildcats forgot how to play basketball today. Trier in particular was just awful, so of course Buffalo could focus all energy on Ayton. His best games were when Ristic could ball and force teams to defend both players. You may be right though - if he winds up on a turd NBA team he may just be eaten alive with no help. Wouldn't be the first player that happens to.
 
I watched the Arizona game and I still just don't see what it is that everyone likes so much about Ayton. He just seems so passive and plays so lackadaisical a lot of the time. He goes from looking like he knows what he's doing one play to looking like he's never played a minute of basketball in his life the next. He spends entirely way too much time just standing and watching everything happen in front of him instead of going and making it happen.

If something crazy happened and the Kings moved up in the draft, I think I'd take Bagley over him. Like Bajaden said, you'd hate to put all your eggs in the hustle basket but I just can't sit through another 3 or 4 years of passive play by one of our players. The difference is Bagley involves himself in every aspect of the play if he can get there while Ayton only involves himself if the play comes to him.
Yes, exactly that. I'm not too high on him either based on film. I mean you have got to keep him in the top 5 of your board just for the chance that he figures out defense and that Zona's system was that bad for him. There are also not that many players that could bump him down. But still, I think the risk attached to him is way higher than people think. If he doesnt figure out defense your team will go nowhere. And on offense your team is going to play through the post. So the offense might not be great either. Of course, he could also improve a lot on defense and be a game-changer on offense that feasts in the "small-ball era" because you can't guard him one-on-one and if you double him, he passes out to open shooters.
 
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