Bajaden's final 2023 Mock Draft

bajaden · Jun 16, 2023

I want to preface this mock draft by saying this is probably the most difficult mock draft I've ever done. Once you get past the first 10 or 11 picks, it becomes a total crapshoot! There are players that I have going in the thirties that could go in the twenties, and vice versa. Regardless of whether the Kings draft your favorite player or mine, they should get a good player. Bear in mind, that I have players going where I think they'll go, not where I might draft that player. In simple terms, my big board is quite a bit different than this mock draft. The heights listed are based on the typical shoe worn by NBA players adds about an inch and a half in height. So, without further ado:

1. Spurs: Victor Wembayama: C/PF/SF, 7'5", 229 Lbs, 7'8" wingspan, Metropolitans
32.1 mpg - 21.6 ppg - 47.0% fgp - 27.5% 3pp - 82.8% ftp - 10.4 rpg - 2.4 apg - 3.0 blk's
Wembayama is the obvious choice so there's not much to say other than he needs to get stronger, and improve his 3 pt shot. He shoots off balance a lot of the time and I think that's partly responsible for his poor percentage. If he stays healthy, he's likely a future HOF player.

2. Hornets: Brandon Miller: SF, 6'9", 200 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Freshman, Alabama
32.6 mpg - 18.8 ppg - 43.0% fgp - 38.4% 3pp - 85.9% ftp - 8.2 rpg - 2.1 apg - 0.9 blk's
Personally, I think the Hornets should take Henderson, but all the rumors point to taking Miller, who no doubt is a better fit. Time will tell whether they made the right choice. Miller is the total package! A three level scorer who defends and rebounds!

3. Portland: Scoot Henderson: PG, 6'3", 195 Lb's, Wingspan NA, G-League Ignite
30.7 mpg - 16.5 ppg - 42.9% fgp - 27.5% 3pp - 76.4% ftp - 5.4 rpg - 6.5 apg - 1.1 stl's
I think there's a high possibility that Portland trades this pick for an established player, or trades down. Perhaps with Houston who would love to acquire Henderson. Should be interesting! Scoot is an exciting player to watch and is impossible to stop when going downhill with a head of steam. Needs to improve his outside shot.

4. Rockets: Amen Thompson: SF/SG/PG, 6'7", 214 Lb's, 6'11" wingspan, Overtime Elite
27.2 mpg - 16.3 ppg - 56.8% fgp - 23.3% 3pp - 64.6% ftp - 6.5 rpg - 6.2 apg - 2.4 stl's - 0.8 blk's
I'm not as high on the Thompson twins as a lot of people are. Neither of them can shoot, and they played in a league with very poor competition going up against the equivalent of highschool teams. The Rockets need a player that can bring some on court discipline, and Amen should help in that area. He's one of the best athlete's in the draft and has an explosive first step off the dribble. He has the potential to be a lock down defender.

5. Pistons: Jarace Walker: PF, 6'8", 240 Lb's, 7'2.5" Wingspan, Freshman, Houston
27.6 mpg - 11.2 ppg - 46.5% fgp - 34.8% 3pp - 66.3% ftp - 6.8 rpg - 1.8 apg - 1.0 stl's - 1.3 blk's
Jarace is one of my favorite players in the draft. He's one of the best defenders as well, and a very good rebounder. I fail to understand how he was used at Houston, but I feel the didn't get a chance to really showcase his entire tool box. He's a terrific athlete who can make an immediate impact defensively on any team that drafts him.

6. Magic: Cam Whitemore: SF, 6'7", 232 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Freshman, Villanova
27.3 mpg - 12.5 ppg - 47.8% fgp - 34.3% - 70.3% ftp - 5.3 rpg - 0.7 apg - 1.4 stl's
Whitemore is a deceptive athlete. At first glance he doesn't look like an elite athlete, and then he blows right by you. He'a a good finisher and uses his big body to bully his way to the basket on post up's. I think he's a better shooter than his stats indicate. My main criticism would be that needs improve his passing and his ability to create for others.

7. Pacers: Taylor Hendricks: PF, 6'9.75", 213 Lb's, 7'0.5" wingspan, Freshman, UCF
34.7 mpg - 15.1 ppg - 47.8% fgp - 39.4% 3pp - 78.2% ftp - 7.0 rpg - 1.4 apg - 0.9 blk's - 1.7 blk's
Hendricks is one of the surprise players this season, and when they do a redraft a couple of years from now, he may end up being the best player out of this draft. He has tremendous upside, and he's darned good right now.Hendricks and Haliburten is a dream pairing and should be fun to watch.

8. Wizards: Cason Wallace: PG/SG, 6'4", 193 Lb's, 6'8.5" Wingspan, Freshman, Kentucky
32.2 mpg - 11.7 ppg - 44.6% fgp - 34.6% 3pp - 75.7% ftp - 3.7 rpg - 4.3 apg - 2.0 stl's
Cason is one of the best defensive players in the draft. He can play on or off the ball. Very smart player who is a master of the floater. The first third of the season he was shooting over 40% from three, and then he suffered an in game back injury, but decided to keep playing through the rest of the season. However it affected his shot, and his ability to finish at the basket, one of his pre injury strengths. He's a very smart player who knows how to play the game. Plus, he has that dog in him!

9. Jazz: Grady Dick: SF, 6'8", 205 Lb's, 6'8.75" Wingspan, Freshman, Kansas
32.7 mpg - 14.1 ppg - 44.2% fgp - 40.3% 3pp - 85.4% ftp - 5.1 rpg - 1.7 apg - 1.4 stl's
Dick is one of the better shooters in the draft, and certainly helps the Jazz rebuild. Can he defend at the NBA level? He needs to get stronger, but in the meantime, he's a deadly catch and shoot player who I think can become a three level scorer in the league.

10. Mav's: Anthony Black: SF/SG/PG, 6'7.25", 210 Lb's, 6'7.5" Wingspan, Freshman, Arkansas
34.9 mpg - 12.8 ppg - 45.3% fgp - 30.1% 3pp - 70.5% ftp - 5.1 rpg - 3.9 apg - 2.1 stl's - 0.6 blk's
It's possible that Black goes higher, or lower. He's an excellent defender with great anticipation. Terrific passer who can create for others. His only major flaw is his outside shot, which doesn't look broken to me. I think with time he can become a respectable shooter. He has all the tools. He can guard four positions, depending on the matchup. I also think there's the possibility that the Mav's trade this pick for an established player.

11. Magic: Ausur Thompson: SF, 6'7", 207 Lb's, 6'11" Wingspan, Overtime Elite
27.1 mpg - 14.7 ppg - 50.4% fgp - 21.7% 3pp - 64.1% ftp - 8.2 rpg - 3.0 apg - 1.7 stl's - 2.2 blk's
Ausur is very much like his brother. Neither can shoot the ball and neither are good freethrow shooters. I Ausur's shooting form looks better than Amen's, but his results are nearly the same. Like his brother he has the tools to be a lock down defender. A good passer, but not as skilled as his brother in that area. In some ways I like Ausur better than Amen. On a personal level when judging players, I have a problem with players that can't shoot the ball. But, Lebron couldn't shoot when he came into the league either, and he's been pretty good!

12. Thunder: Bibil Coulibaly: SF/SG, 6'6", 230 Lb's, 7'2" Wingspan, 18 yr's old, Levailois
19.7 mpg - 5.9 ppg - 53.6% fgp - 37.5% 3pp - 60.7% ftp - 3.3 rpg - 0.9 apg - 0.9 stl's
Coulibaly is a fast riser and the rumor is that the Thunder is lusting after him. Take his stat's with a grain of salt because, as with a lot of European players, they play in more than one league in a given season. In Coulibaly's case, he played in three different leagues, and I believe these are the stats from the under 19 league and it contained his best 3 pt percentages. However, he barely took more than one a game, so take that for what's its worth. He's a very good fluid athlete, who always seems to be on balance. Very good defender with a huge wingspan. I think his shot is a bit suspect, but he's very young with plenty of time to figure things out. This high, he's a swing for the fences pick, but the reward could be great!

13, Raptors: Dereck Lively: Center, 7'1", 230 Lb's, 7'8" Wingspan, Freshman, Duke
20.6 mpg - 5.2 ppg - 65.8% fgp - 15.4% 3pp - 60.0% ftp - 5.4 rpg - 1.1 apg - 2.4 blk's - 0.5 stl's
The Raptors suffered last season because they didn't have a real center on their team. While they made a trade to get Poeltl, he's a unrestricted freeagent, so Lively would give them some insurance. I'm not buying stock in Lively's 3 pt shot just yet, and he's a bit suspect defending away from the basket, but he'll certainly help they're overall defense.

14. Pelicans: Jalen Hood-Schifino: PG/SG, 6'5.75", 216 Lb's, 6'10.25", Freshman, Indiana
33.1 mpg - 13.5 ppg - 41.7% fgp - 33.3% 3pp - 77.6% ftp - 4.1 rpg - 3.7 apg - 0.8 stl's
I think Schifino is a good fit on the Pelicans. He's more of a combo guard than a true PG, and he has the size to play both spots, and he can probably guard up to SF. I think he's capable of being a better 3pt shooter than his stats indicate. He was one of the reasons that Indiana was such a good team this past season. I know some mocks have him going lower than this, but I really like him and his versatility.

15. Hawks: Leonard Miller: PF/SF, 6'10.75", 7'2" Wingspan, G-League Ignite
30.6 mpg - 17.9 ppg - 55.6% fgp - 32.7% 3pp - 79.2% ftp - 10.9 rpg - 1.5 apg - 0.9 stl's
The Hawks need front court help and Miller a player they can't pass up at this point. Miller is the most improved player from last year in my opinion. He went from a player that looked like he didn't have a clue, to a potential lottery pick. He was outstanding the last third of the season. He defended extremely well and was one of the best rebounders in that league. He has good handles and started to show off some passing skills. He has great upside!

bajaden · Jun 16, 2023

16. Jazz: Kobe Bufkin: SG, 6'5.75", 186 Lb's, 6'7.75" Wingspan, Sophomore, Michigan
34.0 mpg - 14.0 ppg - 48.2% fgp - 35.5% 3pp - 84.9% ftp - 4.5 rpg - 2.9 apg - 1.3 stl's - 0.7 blk's
Bufkin is going to be a very good NBA player. He reminds me of Keegan Murray from last year, in that he's not great at any one thing, but he's pretty good at just about everything. It's hard to find a weakness in his game. He'd be a good fit on just about any team no matter the style they played. If you want to question, or bring up a reason for not drafting him, it would likely be whether he has much upside left. Doesn't matter to me, he's a good player right now.

17. Lakers: Jett Howard: SF/PF, 6'8", 220 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Freshman, Michigan
31.8 mpg - 14.2 ppg - 41.4% fgp - 36.8% 3pp - 80.0% ftp - 2.8 rpg - 2.0 apg - 0.7 stl's
The Lakers need shooters, and Howard fills the bill. Howard shot over 40% for the first half the season, but once into conference play, and the defenses tightened up, his percentages started to decline a little. He has good handles for a big man, but he seldom attacks the basket and he's a terrible rebounder. There's a rumor, which may be true, that he played a good part of the season with a bad ankle or foot injury. If so, that could explain a few things. None the less, he can shoot the rock, and the Lakers are in dire need of that.

18. Heat: Jordan Hawkins: SG, 6'5.75", 186 Lb's, 6'6.75" Wingspan, Sophomore, UCONN
29.4 mpg - 16.2 ppg - 40.9% fgp - 38.8% 3pp - 88.7% ftp - 3.8 rpg - 1.3 apg - 0.7 stl's
Hawkins is one of the better shooters in the draft. I call him perpetual motion because he never stops moving. If you're going to guard him you better have your track shoes on and be prepared to run 20 miles in the game. He's capable of coming off screens going right or left, where he can stop on a dime and square up for the shot. He's a fun player to watch, and will have a chance to do what Christian Braun did this past season. Win an NCCA championship and then an NBA championship back to back.

19. Warriors: Ben Sheppard: SG/PG/SF, 6'6", 185 Lb's, 6'7.75", Senior, Belmont
34.4 mpg - 18.8 ppg - 47.5% fgp - 41.5% 3pp - 68.4% ftp - 5.2 rpg -2.9 apg - 1.4 stl's
Sheppard is a player that will fit right in the Warriors system. He shot lights out from three on 6 attempts a game. He's a very versatile player who can play three positions and can guard all three positions. He's a solid defender and a good rebounder for his size. He has that dog in him. You'll see him diving into the stands for a loose ball. He's one of my favorites and I would love him on the Kings, along with about 5 or 6 others! He's a player that the Warriors can plug in and let him play right away.

20. Rockets: Kris Murray: PF/SF, 6'9", 225 Lb's, 6'11.75" Wingspan, Junior, Iowa
34.9 mpg - 20.2 ppg - 47.6% fgp - 33.5% 3pp - 72.9% ftp - 7.9 rpg - 2.0 apg - 1.0 stl's - 1.2 blk's
Kris is almost, but not quite as good as Keegan. He put up a similar stat line except for his 3 pt percentages. I think Keegan was a slightly better rebounder and handler than Kris, but they're games are very similar. Kris is a very intelligent player who like his brother, doesn't make many mistakes. Like Keegan, despite being the number one option on the team, and the focus of the defense, he hardly turned the ball over.

21. Nets: Keyonte George: PG, 6'4", 185 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Freshman, Baylor
28.6 mpg - 15.3 ppg - 37.6% fgp - 33.8% 3pp - 79.3% ftp - 4.2 rpg - 2.8 apg - 1.1 stl's
Most scouts think George is more of a SG than a PG. He struggled with his outside shot this past season, and one can argue that he didn't score the ball efficiently period. While true, he did start playing much better the last third of the season. You're betting on his upside at this point, because Marcus Sasser is a better player right now, except that Sasser is a senior. George was considered a lottery pick when the season began, probably top ten. He's a very good athlete and has all the tools to succeed. I think with some hard work, he'll be fine, and maybe a steal at this spot.

22. Dariq Whitehead: SF, 6'7.25", 217 Lb's, 6'10.25", Freshman, Duke
20.6 mpg - 8.3 ppg - 42.1% fgp - 42.9% 3pp - 79.3% ftp - 2.4 rpg - 1.0 apg - 0.8 stl's
Whitehead is another player who could be a steal this low in the first round. He only played 20 minutes a game and that's probably because he was recovering from a foot injury, which apparently didn't heal properly because he had season ending surgery on the same foot. What he did prove this season though was that he was a very good outside shooter, shooting over 40% from three on 3.5 attempts a game. Which isn't bad in 20 minutes of playing time. He also defended well, bad foot or not. If you watch his highschool tapes, you can see how the injury affected him. If he can recover that athleticism, then you do have a steal.

23. Portland: Brandin Podziemski: SG/PG, 6'5.25", 203 Lb's, 6'5.5" Wingspan, Sophomore, Santa Clara
36.0 mpg - 19.9 ppg - 48.3% fgp - 43.8% 3pp - 77.1% ftp - 8.8 rpg - 3.7 apg - 1.8 stl's - 0.5 blk's
Podziemski put up some gaudy stats this past season. He proved to be a lights out shooter, but look at the 8.8 rebounds he grabbed every game as a 6'5" guard. He's a very good ballhandler and an excellent passer. He can create for himself, and for his teammates. He can run the point if you need him. He'd actually be a good fit on the Kings. He also proved to be a good athlete at the combine showing off a good max vertical, and one of the better times in the agility drills. The Trailblazers will fall in love with Brandin, as will the fans. He has one of the best floater games I've ever seen.

24. Kings: Maxwell Lewis: SF, 6'7.75", 207 Lb's, 7'0" Wingspan, Sophomore, Pepperdine
31.4 mpt - 17.1 ppg - 46.8% fgp - 34.8% 3pp - 78.7% ftp - 5.7 rpg - 2.8 apg - 0.8 stl's - 0.8 blk's
I have to admit that as much as I like Lewis, I was tempted to go with Trace Jackson-Davis here. He's more ready to play, and certainly fits a great need for the Kings. But at the end of the day I went with the player who I think has the most upside, and I believe that Lewis can be a star in this league in a few years. He shot over 40% from three for over half the year, until conference play started. Then he was being double and triple teamed because he was the offense for Pepperdine. But even then, he shot 41% from three on uncontested open three's.
He has very good handles and loves attacking the basket, where he's a good finisher. He's a three level scorer who also can come off a screen with a head of steam, stop on a dime and hit a shot. hIs defense has been criticized, but his on ball defense is pretty good. It's his off ball defense that he needs to really improve. He tends to ball watch and look for a play on the ball while his man slips away. That's correctable. He has all the tools to be a good defender. Some can argue for a different player that was available, but, it's my mock draft so I'll pick who I want.

25. Grizzlies: Brice Sensabaugh: SF/SG, 6'6", 235 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Freshman, Ohio St.
24.5 mpg - 16.3 ppg - 48.0% fgp - 40.5% 3pp - 83.0% ftp - 5.4 rpg - 1.2 apg - 0.5 stl's
Sensabaugh's nick name is Buckets. The man can score. He may not be the best athlete in the world, but he can get his shot anytime he wants. At least in college. He knows how to use his big body to create space, especially in the mid-range, where he's almost automatic. He's a good finisher and I wish he would attack the basket a little more where again, he knows how to use his body to his advantage. He showed off the ability to pass the ball, and he's a decent rebounder. How good a defender he can be is anyone's guess. He held his own at Ohio St, but when switched up on a PG, I think he will be in trouble. But I could be wrong!

26. Pacers: Trace Jackson-Davis: C/PF, 6'9.75", 240 Lb's, 7'1" Wingspan, Senior, Indiana
34.5 mpg - 20.9 ppg - 58.1% fgp - oo.o% 3pp - 69.5% ftp - 10.8 rpg - 4.0 apg - 0.8 stl's -2.9 blk's
Davis put up great stats across the board except for the 3 pt shot, where he took none all season. He did display the ability to shoot the three at the combine, but if that possible in a game, who knows? He's one of the best shotblockers in college. Everyone raves about Lively's shot blocking ability, and rightly so, but Davis averaged more blocked shots per game than Lively did. Granted, he did play more minutes. I might add that Davis played in one of the toughest conferences in college and went up against several 7 footers, including one 7'4" center for Purdue, and out played him. He'll be a good fit on the Pacers giving them a big man who can pass the ball.

27. Hornets: Nick Smith: SG, 6'5", 185 Lb's, 6'9" Wingspan, Freshman, Arkansas
25.8 mpg - 12.5 ppg - 37.6% fgp - 33.8% 3pp - 74.0% ftp - 1.6 rpg - 1.7 apg - 0.8 stl's
Obviously Smith didn't have the kind of year he wanted to have. He was recovering from an injury and was very inconsistent all year until maybe the last 5 or 6 games where he looked like the player everyone thought he could be. He's another player who could end up being a huge steal at 27. He was considered a top five pick at one point. The truth might lie somewhere in between. All I can say is that I saw flashes at times that gave me hope that that's who he really is. It would be a giant shot in the arm for the Hornets if he ends up being the top five pick.

28. Jazz: Colby Jones: SF/SG, 6'6", 199 Lb's, 6'8" Wingspan, Junior, Xavior
34.0 mpg - 15.0 ppg - 50.9% fgp - 37.8% 3pp - 65.3% ftp - 5.7 rpg - 4.4 apg - 1.3 stl's - 0.7 blk's
Colby should probably go higher than this all things considered. The Jazz are getting a very good basketball player at this stage. Jones is sort of a jack of all trades. Similar to Kobe Bufkin, where hs's really good at just about everything, but not great at any one thing. He's a very smart and efficient player. He's the consummate team player. He's a good, but not great athlete. He's an excellent passer and could be the secondary ball handler on a team. He should have a very good NBA career.

29. Pacers: Oliver-Maxence Prosper: SF, 6'8.25", 7'1" Wingspan, Junior, Marquette
29.1 mpg - 12.5 ppg - 51.2% fgp - 33.9% 3pp - 73.5% ftp - 4.7 rpg - 0.7 apg - 0.9 stl's
I like Prosper quite a bit, but I'am adverse to non shooters. He's borderline with me at essentially 34% from three. But he's a very talented player with a great motor. He's stated that he doesn't care about his individual stats, he just wants to win. Hard to argue with that. He's a very good athlete and a good defender. He's also a pretty good mid-range shooter so if he can improve his 3 pt shot he could be a legit 3 and D player.

30. Clippers: G.G. Jackson: PF, 6'9.75", 215 Lb's, 6'11.5" Wingspan, Freshman, South Carolina
31.9 mpg - 15.4 ppg - 38.4% fgp - 32.4% 3pp - 67.7% ftp - 5.9 rpg - 0.8 apg - 0.8 stl's - 0.8 blk's
Where do I begin? I'm not a big fan of Jackson, at least right now. He would have been better served if he had opted to play for G-League Ignite where he would have gotten NBA coaching. But he went to S. Carolina, where they made him the man. In my opinion, he developed bad habits. He was a ball stopper and never saw a shot he didn't like. Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh on him since I believe he's the youngest player in the draft. It wouldn't shock me to see him go in the 2nd rd, and it wouldn't shock me to see him go in the lottery.

Second Round to follow:

Capt. Factorial · Jun 16, 2023

So I carefully read down through pick #23 and then asked myself who of the remaining players you were going to pick for the Kings. "Well," I said, "A lot of people like Prosper, and Nick Smith Jr. had former lotto consideration and is still available. TJD seems like a Monte McNair pick. But Baja loves Max Lewis, and he hasn't had anybody pick Max Lewis yet...because he was saving him for the Kings. It's Max."

I win!

Ozymandias · Jun 17, 2023

Oh cool. Lemme reserve a spot right here. Spicy mock for whats sure to be a spicy draft, I cant fade the thought that all these mocks are going to take into account 0 trades and then 20 trades are gonna happen n keep messing the order.

I sure hope we dont take Max Lewis over Nick Smith though honestly.

Also this scenario I believe teams would be going crazy trying to trade up to #10 for Anthony Black, especially the Spurs trying to pair him with Wemby.

I particularly like the Leonard Miller at 15 selection. I actually think he doesnt get nearly enough mention for the Kings at 24, I feel like that is such a lucky scenario for the Kings.. I'm actually really hoping he somehow he falls to us, if he did I'd sure feel like we got a 15th pick caliber player at 24.

Ozymandias · Jun 17, 2023

As for Prosper being a non-shooter, all indications are that hes shooting it well for teams in workouts. He shot 68% at the rim no? so I'd argue him standing at the 3pt line chucking up shots would be poor shot selection... MArquette moved the ball around so well too it's not about getting certain guys looks its about the team getting a good look... He was the 4th option offense..

I'd certainly argue last season was a very big step in the right direction n that uptick in 3pt shooting does coincide with his leapfrogging up the board, 34% isnt a bad % for him, so calling him a non-shooter, I'm not really sure where that comes from, that sounds like your a year behind the times saying that... Ya know, that was a very good team he played for, he was the 4th option offense at Marquette and he was asked to slash and hustle, so I mean --- are we holding his feet to the fire over stuff he wasnt asked to prioritize? I think that might be the case

Is he supposed to go like "Shaka Smart, my coach, wants me to do this, but the NBA execs/fans/scouts want to see me let it fly from 3, so I'm gonna let it fly!"

I mean idk I feel like if the Kings draft him at 24 its to have him deter other teams 3pt shooters, much more so than to drain 3's on offense, we've got plenty of offense already here... Max Lewis represents an all offense pick.. So idk, when I look at how we got smacked out of the playoffs to me its the rebounding(see the Mike Brown quote in my sig) or defense, our offense was damn good.

Prosper completely smothered those big east players you have projected higher in the semi-finals and finals of the big east tournament -- Colby Jones and Jordan Hawkins combined to shoot 5-22 from the field in those 2 high stakes matchups and 1/11 from 3. Colby Jones was held to 7 points in the big east championship game. Thats why we'd select him here. If he shoots 33% from 3 or 35 or 36 from 3 is kind of inconsequential in comparison, he's a hustle player. What matters most about his 3pt shot is there's been marked progress, so its strange to me to see it framed negatively.

I dropped so many posts about Marquette during the season AND most all of them went unresponded to around here so It tickles me so to see those who chose to be silent for months now forced to talk about him because ESPN's board changed. Stuff like that is why I love the draft process.

I actually percieve such HEAVY west-coast bias around here, and especially in the case of Maxence Prosper... No one wanted to talk about this guy when he was projected in the 70's now that he's got 1st rd buzz were all of a sudden gonna start posting about him and say negative things? I refuse to believe I'm actually looking at objective opinions when it comes to him... How many Marquette games did people watch around here?

Dont the big east games start really early for you californians? dont you guys have crazy traffic? I'd figure most californians would be on their way back from work driving when many of the big east games go off... IDK, I dont believe people saw this kid play around here, seems like a game of telephone is happening to me.

But I guess to justify taking an all offense pick at 24 you need to kind of not think highly of players who are well suited to contribute in areas like defense and rebounding like Prosper... IDK, this just seems back-handed to me..

funkykingston · Jun 17, 2023

Ozymandias said:

Marquette as a team didn't shoot all that well from outside, but they defended the three really well and Prosper was certainly a significant part of that.Yes, statistically he shot around 34% from three (as Baja noted) but not on high volume and not under pressure. Teams didn't sag off him to the extent that they did with Andre Jackson Jr or Jordan Walsh, but the scouting report for most teams was definitely that they were okay letting him shoot from outside.

Prosper doesn't need to be a knock down shooter. But as we saw with the Lakers essentially benching Vanderbilt in the playoffs after he was part of their huge 2nd half turnaround, he'll need to shoot well enough to stay on the floor. I think he can get there.

My bigger concern with Prosper (who I like a lot), is actually his rebounding, and to a lesser extent, his rim protection. The latter could be chalked up more to scheme, but I don't expect him to become a substantial shotblocker in the NBA. But for a guy with his measurables and motor/hustle, his work on the glass causes me a bit of pause. It's not as if he was playing alongside some monster rebounder that sucked up all the caroms. In fact, Marquette was a pretty terrible rebounding team overall. I mean, Prosper barely averaged more boards than Tyler Kolek.

So unless he starts gobbling up rebounds as a pro, that's still a team weakness outside of Sabonis.

Ozymandias · Jun 17, 2023

I wish I had a youtube video of that 3rd quarter from game 7.

So I could make a thread

'Strictly judging on what you see from this 3rd quarter, what to do the kings need to do to ensure these issues dont fester again next year'

n then I could just stick around in that thread and post NOWHERE ELSE... Cuz I swear people have somehow completely subtracted blowing our 2-0 lead, or getting punked in the 3rd quarter, at home in game 7 from their analysis

Put Max Lewis on the roster for the last playoff series, whats he do for us? I say, not much at all, sits on the bench..

Ozymandias · Jun 17, 2023

funkykingston said:

But Funky answer me this.... those things you just listed ---- for months and months and months and months people here used those very same concerns to justify wanting to take Emoni Bates over Propser with the 54th pick, right?

So why am I to listen to people double downing on their negativity when theres 10,000 Jordan Walsh posts here, and now Prosper is projected higher on every board (and Prosper is a more explosive athelete)

Am I to believe our forum posters here, who mostly cant even be bothered to watch the games, know better than the insiders leaking stuff or reports from the combine?

CLEARLY this is a player whos merits have gone OVER THE HEADS of people around here, if they couldnt even be convinced he was a good pick at 54 with the way we got knocked out of the playoffs......

The fact that everyone wasnt super gung-ho about taking O-Max at 54 is all I need to know about what people think of him here, now yall are just trying to save face n keep up with the joneses.

The ultimate thing is too you guys keep bringing up his stats!!! EVERYONES CONCERNED ABOUT HIS BASIC STATS...you guys didnt watch this player, i know it, you know it.... I've been keeping an eye on this player for years!!! To you guys he's like an up and comer some new name, some late-riser, HES A JUNIOR, he's been around.

I watched like almost every single Marquette game this season and theres AMPLE RECEIPTS in the other thread too..

Like are you guys are gonna be absolutely shocked to see 230lb 40" vert 7'2 wingspan player getting blocks and rebounds. I say have some imagination.

I'll bring it up one last time lots of the negativity aimed at Prosper reminds me of the nonsense people used to say trying to justify not taking OG Anunoby in the lottery..

Lets go over the list of more Skilled players, guys with better 3pt shooting percentages that went ahead of OG Anunoby in the 2017 draft

-Anunoby slides to Toronto at 23

Josh Jackson, Frank Ntilikina, Dennis SMith Jr, Zach Collins, Justin Jackson, Justin Patton (he had good shooting %s maybe yall would've liked him in this draft!), DJ Wilson, TJ Leaf, Harry Giles, Terrance Furgeson all go before Anunoby.

LETS TRADE THE WHOLE FARM FOR OG instead of just drafting O-Max at 24----- Thats brilliant! thats VALUE!

funkykingston · Jun 17, 2023

Ozymandias said:

I think I saw one Marquette game this season. I didn't even start looking at Prosper until you kept bringing him up. And then I loved the idea of taking him at 54. I was still on board with taking him at 38. At 24? Possibly, depending on how the board looks at that point. He checks a lot of boxes. But he's not a strong rebounder. His numbers say that, but he also doesn't show great fundamentals on the glass from what I've watched the last few weeks as I got up to speed on draft prospects. His boards mostly come as the result of his activity, not from boxing out and high pointing the ball.

And I'm not sure what Emoni Bates has to do with anything. I'm not a fan at 54, let alone at 24 and I never have been. In the right circumstances he might be a player for a team that needs a shot creator but he doesn't address any of the Kings issues and they aren't as established an organization/culture to start feeling like they take on guys who clearly need maturing and to be pointed in the right direction.

I'm not arguing that you've seen a lot more of Prosper than I have. So you tell me why a 6'8"junior with his tools had a 10% rebounding rate (significantly lower than Kris Murray and a bit lower even than Max Lewis) for a Marquette team that was 318th in rebounds this season. And that's not sarcasm. If you think he'll be a substantially better rebounder on the NBA level, I'd love to know what makes you think that.

Ozymandias · Jun 17, 2023

How does Leonard Miller go from 27th on your last mock to 15 on this one?

The fact that so many people parade around here like they've got all the solutions, and yet Leonard Miller at 24 doesnt really seem to excite people speaks volumes to me.

Ozymandias · Jun 17, 2023

This guy had Max Lewis over Kobe Bufkin in his last mock btw... I actually dont trust this guys mocks for crap, way too much confirming previous biases going on, WAY too much BLATANT west coast bias. Its like someone who wants to call the shot from far away so he just keeps repeating the initial shotcall, trying to like speak it into existence.

IDK I perceive this guys methodology as simply "i'm high on this player, so i'm gonna dig my feet in the sand over it and ride it out!" n I dont trust that for crap, thats lazy in my book, thatas the justification process of someone who doesnt watch remotely as many games as me, I watch literally 1000 college basketball games per season, I have 3 tv's and 3 desktop computers, work from home, so I dont trust that people actually watch the games, the closer you get to these convos the more you know they arent watching.. so we've gone from the predraft process to the season to the postseason and his favorites remain mostly the same. IDK im unimpressed, guy has nothing to tell me I dont already know.. I feel like

the fact that you had Adem Bona in the first rd on you last one when Clingan didnt even pull out speaks volumes to me, such an unabashed west coast homer, that was before UConn won the chip, bet ya didnt see that one coming! the fact that people prance around here like this dude is even remotely trying to be objective, beyond preposterous. All the players who are like way higher on the board are from the west coast, its not some coincidence... its called recency bias... Guy claims to be a Kentucky fan too, well look at that Cason Wallace way higher on the board, actually bringing up Tshiebwe, I'd say not only is this guy biased but he's extremely biased...

whos the other outlier from the last 1st rd mock ---- Julian Strawther..... another west coast player (seeing a pattern here?!)

You can tell these mocks were written from someone on the west coast..

For the Kings to actually justify taking Max Lewis there (and not just waiting to see if he falls to 38) it would seem he'd just have to be their favorite guy, simple as that, nothing else makes much sense. To me this little paragraph u add into these mocks is crap, dripping with too much favoritism, the blurbs are too much about the players, not enough about the teams. IDK i'm so unimpressed not even with the results or the final mock, but the methodology reminds me of when Killmonger says the line "This is your King?" in Black Panther.

I mean if I stood here season after season I'll bludgeon this dude Baja in these convos... He stands no chance to remain as some beacon of accuracy with me around... But its ok... I will be de-activating this account shortly n never returning here.. I find a new team to root for now that the Kings are good enough. Have your Baja, but heed my warnings, his opinions are dripping with west coast favoritism type of bias, I mean, I watch 5x the amount of games that guy does.

Satudays go by in the draftees threads and I'm the only one making posts about the 20 crazy games that day.. Then the draft rolls around and anyone who isnt on a west coast team gets treated with some stinkeye. this forum sucks.. I'm out.. Max Lewis over Kobe Bufkin in the last mock... Adem Bona in the first round!

The thing with Adem Bona in the first round. thats like such a you dont really know what your talking about type of thing, signals loud and clear "I'm just playing favorites and don't care to even attempt being objective". Adem Bona is a very well known commodity been on the map for years and years and years, for you to put him in the first rd of you last mock is basically a "I know something that everyone else doesnt" pick, and you dont, never had any decent justification for it either, very clearly a case of you just whimsically being biased towards west coast players.

Ur just back handed too "Oh I really like Prosper" no you dont, your just saying that to cover your tracks... I mean maybe your surrounded with a bunch of gullible fools who buy this stuff n eat it up, but i'm not that guy. Puts Nick Smith at 27 "Oh he could be really good!" --- this is insultingly stupid, ur mocks would be better without these writeups.

This is more of a matter of a writing excecise for this guy, how to be on the fence and be risk adverse, this is no mock this is much closer to a big board, there's no attempt at accuracy here.. this is someone with their feet dug in the sand playing favorites. Reminds me of the conversations I have with my 3 year old neice "I dont like this" "I like this" type of analysis. The way this guy does his mocks is how you underrate the international players every single year, thats why I know his methodology is woefully flawed to the point where its useless to me.

funkykingston · Jun 17, 2023

Ozymandias said:

I just don't see Miller slipping past the Heat and Warriors. I loved Hendricks early in the season but once it was clear he was going to be long gone by the Kings pick, I pivoted to other guys. Similar with Miller. I think his range is from about 15-20 but even if he slipped, I don't see the Nets passing on him twice in a row. I'd love it if he fell, I just don't see it happening.

One exciting thing about Miller is that due to his late growth spurt he still doesn't even play like a big.

If a team can get him focused and committed to being a better off ball defender and weakside shotblocker he'd be a great fit next to Sabonis. If he can extend his shooting range he'd be ideal.

Capt. Factorial · Jun 17, 2023

Baja has been doing this a very long time, and he's the biggest and best draft hound around here. He watches more college hoops than I could even dream of watching, and he's usually, but not always, correct in his player assessments.

The best thing about Baja is that when you disagree with him he likes to discuss it. He'll make his case and he'll listen to yours and usually both people come away with a fuller perspective than when they started. What he doesn't do when someone disagrees with him is try to belittle them, go around saying they are stupid or biased or unobjective, repeatedly puff his chest and claim to know more than everybody else and act like nobody else is allowed to have a differing opinion on the basis of his own majestic insight. It's a true sign of character, and Baja is a class act.

Ozymandias · Jun 17, 2023

Capt. Factorial said:

SOmeone whos not a draft hound themselves would say he's the best... He's not a draft hounds draft hound... He's a casual fans draft hound, Ya know, easily impressed gullible types.

If thats the best this forum has to offer this place is pitiful n i should leave. n I will, this offseason is the end for me here.

Adem Bona in the first round... Do you know how horrible a take that is? He thinks he knows better than everyone else on the topic of Adem Bona ---- yet his explanation is the same crap as everyone elses... Bells and whistles went off in my head.. I knew my days were numbered on this forum when i saw Adem Bona in the first round just a few months ago... So unimpressed.. Lemme put it this way, this guy lives on the west coast, is biased towards the west coast, and I from New York, still keep a better track of the west coast than he.

n the thing is to you guys, he's infallible! n really this forum is woefully dead, n most of the posters who show up do so to complain, so you mods to keep this place from sounding like even less of an echo chamber than it already is need to tread this guy like he's infallible or else this place will continue to just serve as some place the fans mostly go to complain... so hey thats the bed you guys made, go sleep in it.

This is the same guy who had Derek Lively in the 2nd round!! Derek Lively was beneath Trayce Jackson Davis on his board!! Yeah he knows his stuff for sure. Brilliant!

If he's so smart why did i beat him to the punch on so many topics then? He's piggybacking my mocks on Podziemski.

"The best" that guy doesnt care.... He doesnt care half as much an 8th as much as me... You think that guy cares about this stuff really? HAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHA thats rich! To me, I see just some writing exercise where he gets to be biased about his favorite basketball players in a 100 mile radius, you think he's the best ---- he's not concerned about being the best at all... your just easily impressed! the only thing that matters to yall is that his name is on it, you dont give a damn about the contents whatsoever, your just trying to farm engagement for your forum and most of your members post things you guys dont want to be constantly engaged on, like negativity and demarcus cousins and that racist pig redheaded play by play guy.

Ozymandias · Jun 17, 2023

Go look at the last mocks we posted...

Ya know who I had as my speculative 1st rd pick? Bobi Klintman... Spot ****ing on... There were no mocks at the time on the internet with Klintmann in the first either.. N the receipts are here on this forum time stamped.

He had Adem Bona in the first in his last one... which I just cant get over, Baja will always be "The Adem Bona in the first rd" guy to me.

I literally rest my case... My arguemnt isnt even that I know more than him, I dont care about that, I'd prefer he knew more than me so I could learn n find something interesting --- decidedly thats not the case though, thats why this sucks, if there was someone who was as bright as you guys claimed to be here, I'd stay, but there isnt, there's nothing active for me to learn here other than some of the overseas posters bringing up new names, this place is like a dormant volcano to me. My argument is that his west coast bias would prevent him from ever really reaching a level where I'd find something interesting, what I've seen so far gives me no confidence in that whatsoever.

Meanwhile if you actually dig thru posts youll find one where I called UConn's frontcourt being way too much for teams to handle in march, way back during the out of conference schedule! So while this guy stood here the entire season mostly repeating the same exact names I made so much progress, n now I look at his mock and its sitll so similar, its headscratching to me.

The Serbian poster has better posts than Baja far as I'm concerned. If I had to choose someone elses analysis on this forum over mine, I'd choose his serbiangoat over Baja --- Baja is woefully west coast biased, If your going to be biased I'd prefer someone who might be biased towards the overseas guys as that covers a whole lot more ground/potential candidates.

Ya know who I had as my speculative 1st rd pick a few mocks earlier... Brandin Podziemski... there definitely no mocks at the time on the internet with Podz in the first..

There's certainly a post from WAY BACK at the start of the season where I pointed out "there's no fkin way there are 76 players better than Podz in this draft" but yeah calls like that are meaningless to the average joe here..

I say sit in your ignorance... Often times I see people who are supposed to be adults pulling similar moves as soiling their diapers and then sitting in it ands whining about it like someone did this to you.. The methodology is flawed here, so you need more time for trial and error it seems, we all do, I just find my self to be a bit further along in that progression.

But yeah yeah yeah, that guy knows what he's talking about! Bajaden is to this forums draft discussions as Xi Jinping is to the country of China.

He's super high on Trayce Jackson Davis and yet hates on Maxence Prosper for his 3pt shooting... My goodness.. There's nothing for me here on this forum... The fact this guy cant admit that Prosper could do most of the things he'd hope Jackson-Davis would do is so bizarre to me, I think honestly he's made it personal instead of objective, I don't believe thats an objective opinion.

He seems to me ultimately like someone who really cares about being right... the same players he was talking about preseason are the same exact ones he's still talking about now... It STINKS if you ask me.. thats not what this is about.. "Bajaden's mock" i say the most important part of this guys mock to him is his name at the top, not the names on the list, certainly the mods around here feel the same way.

ESP47 · Jun 17, 2023

I've been waiting for the inevitable mental breakdown to happen and here we are.

Sucks because I do enjoy reading your content but you've got a lot of growing up to do. Pretty sure this same meltdown happened a few years back as well. Maybe one day you'll realize that people are allowed to have different opinions and discuss them like adults. This stuff is supposed to be enjoyable so if it's not enjoyable, find something else to do or go do your thing somewhere else. We'll miss your takes on college players but we certainly won't miss the rest of the unnecessary drama that comes along with it. Good riddance.

whozit · Jun 17, 2023

Ozymandias said:

Go look at the last mocks we posted...

Ya know who I had as my speculative 1st rd pick? Bobi Klintman... Spot ****ing on... There were no mocks at the time on the internet with Klintmann in the first either.. N the receipts are here on this forum time stamped.

He had Adem Bona in the first in his last one... which I just cant get over, Baja will always be "The Adem Bona in the first rd" guy to me.

I literally rest my case... My arguemnt isnt even that I know more than him, I dont care about that, I'd prefer he knew more than me so I could learn n find something interesting --- decidedly thats not the case though, thats why this sucks, if there was someone who was as bright as you guys claimed to be here, I'd stay, but there isnt, there's nothing active for me to learn here other than some of the overseas posters bringing up new names, this place is like a dormant volcano to me. My argument is that his west coast bias would prevent him from ever really reaching a level where I'd find something interesting, what I've seen so far gives me no confidence in that whatsoever.

Meanwhile if you actually dig thru posts youll find one where I called UConn's frontcourt being way too much for teams to handle in march, way back during the out of conference schedule! So while this guy stood here the entire season mostly repeating the same exact names I made so much progress, n now I look at his mock and its sitll so similar, its headscratching to me.

The Serbian poster has better posts than Baja far as I'm concerned. If I had to choose someone elses analysis on this forum over mine, I'd choose his serbiangoat over Baja --- Baja is woefully west coast biased, If your going to be biased I'd prefer someone who might be biased towards the overseas guys as that covers a whole lot more ground/potential candidates.

Ya know who I had as my speculative 1st rd pick a few mocks earlier... Brandin Podziemski... there definitely no mocks at the time on the internet with Podz in the first..

There's certainly a post from WAY BACK at the start of the season where I pointed out "there's no fkin way there are 76 players better than Podz in this draft" but yeah calls like that are meaningless to the average joe here..

I say sit in your ignorance... Often times I see people who are supposed to be adults pulling similar moves as soiling their diapers and then sitting in it ands whining about it like someone did this to you.. The methodology is flawed here, so you need more time for trial and error it seems, we all do, I just find my self to be a bit further along in that progression.

But yeah yeah yeah, that guy knows what he's talking about! Bajaden is to this forums draft discussions as Xi Jinping is to the country of China.

He's super high on Trayce Jackson Davis and yet hates on Maxence Prosper for his 3pt shooting... My goodness.. There's nothing for me here on this forum... The fact this guy cant admit that Prosper could do most of the things he'd hope Jackson-Davis would do is so bizarre to me, I think honestly he's made it personal instead of objective, I don't believe thats an objective opinion.

He seems to me ultimately like someone who really cares about being right... the same players he was talking about preseason are the same exact ones he's still talking about now... It STINKS if you ask me.. thats not what this is about.. "Bajaden's mock" i say the most important part of this guys mock to him is his name at the top, not the names on the list, certainly the mods around here feel the same way.

I am not a west coast biased individual. Live in the Eastern time zone. I also don't put squat towards analysis because I really don't have anything to add.

What I am confused about is why all of a sudden you are making things personal. I have enjoyed your takes along with Baja's along with Serbiagoat (forgive the spelling) along with others. In terms of Bajaden, he doesn't post nearly as much as he used to. That may be before your time. I don’t know how old he is but I have a strong feeling that he makes me look young and that I am not. Just look at the title of the thread and take that to heart, just one giving his opinion and nothing more.

You are an intelligent poster who apparently has done his homework and done it for a good while. But you are unfortunately sounding a lot like Blob. Personally I liked the older version of Ozymandosis ..... he was a pleasure to read.

Capt. Factorial · Jun 17, 2023

Well, that was unfortunate.

I'm not going to take those posts down - I think they should be a visible reminder of how not to behave. (Although it's possible another mod might take them down, or if Baja asks I would gladly remove them.)

Needless to say, Ozy won't be replying in any of Bajaden's threads anymore. Whether he follows through on his threat to leave is, for now, up to him.

macadocious · Jun 17, 2023

These last couple days have just been weird. What is it with this board sometimes? lol

funkykingston · Jun 17, 2023

Back to actual mock draft discussion.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Nets take Dariq Whitehead AND Nick Smith at 21 & 22 if both are on the board. They seem like Sean Marks type upside swings to me.

I don't see Anthony Black lasting to #10 and I don't like the fit with him and Luka (and potentially Kyrie) if he did go to the Mavs. I think Orlando could potentially grab him, but Washington also makes a lot of sense to begin a rebuild.

If the draft actually shook out this way I'd be tempted to trade #24 and maybe #54 or cash to the Pacers for #29 and #32 assuming they like a guy a few spots earlier and want to consolidate picks (likely with Carlisle as the coach) since the idea of OMax Prosper at 29 and there would still be a lot of guys I really like on the board at that point that could be scooped up with #32 and #38. James Nnaji would likely be next on my board, with Clowney, Jackson Jr, Rupert and Vukcevic following along with guys like Cissoko and the Julians (Phillips and Strawther). One of those guys may even be there at 38, but otherwise I still like Jordan Walsh. I don't love the fit of Jaime Jacquez on the Kings, but I think he'd be fantastic value at 38, even if I don't know who he guards on the NBA level. Just too many intangibles and leadership potential to pass up on IMO.

miltonap · Jun 17, 2023

Ozymandias said:

Oh cool. Lemme reserve a spot right here. Spicy mock for whats sure to be a spicy draft, I cant fade the thought that all these mocks are going to take into account 0 trades and then 20 trades are gonna happen n keep messing the order.

I sure hope we dont take Max Lewis over Nick Smith though honestly.

Also this scenario I believe teams would be going crazy trying to trade up to #10 for Anthony Black, especially the Spurs trying to pair him with Wemby.

I particularly like the Leonard Miller at 15 selection. I actually think he doesnt get nearly enough mention for the Kings at 24, I feel like that is such a lucky scenario for the Kings.. I'm actually really hoping he somehow he falls to us, if he did I'd sure feel like we got a 15th pick caliber player at 24.

I'm not a fan of Leonard Miller at all

SacTownKid · Jun 17, 2023

Ozymandias said:

Isn't Nick Smith a little or a lot like Monk though? You can't really have more than one of those types, there just isn't going to be minutes. As a fallback once Monk falls of the books it could work. Lewis has that old adage going for him, you can't teach size. Lewis falls into the exact window of opportunity on this team if he keeps getting stronger at SG/SF.

SacTownKid · Jun 17, 2023

miltonap said:

Yeah, I'm kind of meh on him. I think he needs to go to a team looking to tank where he can get a lot of minutes to try things and see where he stands with NBA athleticism going up against him.

bajaden · Jun 17, 2023

Second Round:

31. Pistons: Sidy Cissoko: SF, 6'7", 223 Lb's, 6'9.75" Wingspan, G-League Ignite

32. Pacers: Marcus Sasser: PG, 6'2.75", 195 Lb's, 6'7" Wingspan, Houston

33. Spurs: Rayan Rupert: SF/SG, 6'7.25", 190 Lb's, 7'2" Wingspan, NZ Breakers

34. Hornets: Noah Clowney: PF/C, 6'10", 210 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Freshman, Alabama

35. Celtics: Julian Strawther: SF, 6'7.5", 205 Lb's, 6'9.25" Wingspan, Junior, Gonzaga

36. Magic: Tristan Vukcevic: PF/C, 6'11.25", 223 Lb's, 7'2.5" Wingspan, 20 yr's old, Partizan

37. Nuggets: Keyontae Johnson: SG/SF, 6'6", 229 Lb's, 6'11" Wingspan, Kansas St.

38. Kings: Kobe Brown: SF/PF, 6'8", 252 Lb's, 7'1" Wingspan, Senior, Missouri
29.3 mpg - 15.8 ppg - 55.3% fgp - 45.5% 3pp - 79.2% ftp - 6.4 rpg - 2.5 apg - 1.5 stl's

39. Hornets: James Nnaji: C/PF, 6'10", 225 Lb's, 7'7" Wingspan, 19 yr's old, Barcelona

40. Nuggets: Terquavion Smith, PG, 6'4", 165 Lb's, 6'6.75" Wingspan, Sophomore, N.C. State

41. Hornets: Amari Bailey: SG/PG, 6'4.75", 185 Lb's, 6'7" Wingspan, Freshman, UCLA

42. Wizards: Julian Phillips: SF, 6'9.25", 196 Lb's, 6'11.5" Wingspan, Freshman, Tennessee

43. Blazers: Jordan Walsh: SF, 6'7.25", 205 Lb's, 7'1.25" Wingspan, Freshman, Arkansas

44. Spurs: Chris Livingston: SF/SG, 6'7.5", 220 Lb's, 6'11.25" Wingspan, Freshman, Kentucky

45. Grizzlies: Jaime Jaquez: SF, 6'7.5", 225 Lb's, 6'9.5" Wingspan, Senior, UCLA

46. Hawks: Jalen Wilson: SF, 6'7", 230 Lb's, 6'8" Wingspan, Senior, Kansas

47. Lakers: Emoni Bates: SF, 6'10", 201 Lb's, 6'9" Wingspan, Sophomore, Eastern Michigan

48. Clippers: Ricky Council: SF, 6'6.5", 208 Lb's, 6'9" Wingspan, Junior, Arkansas

49. Cav's: Jalen Slawson: SF, 6'8", 221 Lb's, 6'11.75" Wingspan, Senior, Furman

50. Thunder: Hunter Tyson: SF, 6'8", 215 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Senior, Clemson

51. Net's: Isaiah Wong: SG/PG, 6'3", 189 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Senior, Miami

52. Suns: Seth Lundy: SG/SF, 6'5.5", 214 Lb's, 6'10.25" Wingspan, Senior, Penn St.

53. T.Wolves: Tucker DeVries: SF, 6'7", 210 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Sophomore, Drake

54. Kings: Landers Nolley: SF, 6'7", 220 Lb's, 6'11" Wingspan, Senior, Cincinnati
32.1 mpg - 16.8 ppg - 44.7% fgp - 41.7% 3pp (on 6.4 attempts a game) - 75% ftp - 5.8 rpg - 2.6 apg - 1.0 stl's
Nolly loves playing defense. He plays with an edge and loves trash talking. He's also a deadly shooter

55. Pacers: Toumani Camara: SF, 6'8.5", 220 Lb's, 7'0.5" Wingspan, Senior, Dayton

56. Grizzlies" Adama Sanogo: PF/C, 6'9", 257 Lb's, 7'2.75" Wingspan, Junior, UCONN

57. Wizards: D'Moi Hodge: SG/PG, 6'4", 180 Lb's, 6'5.5" Wingspan, Junior, Missouri

58. Bucks: Mouhamed Gueye: C, 6'11", 220 Lb's, Wingspan NA, Junior, Washington St.

59. Forfeited

60. Forfeited

Capt. Factorial · Jun 17, 2023

funkykingston said:

By all the mocks, the 20-40 range in this draft seems pretty unsettled, so dropping 5 spots to #29 might still net the same guy you originally wanted. I would guess that for a 29/32 return we'd probably have to send out 24/38 though. I guess it would depend on how desperate the Pacers were to get their man at #24. Then again, the Pacers actually have 12 guys under contract for next year and they're sitting on #7, #26, #29, and #32 - no way they can use those all so packaging to move up wouldn't necessarily be a problem for them. But they might try to do something like package 26/29 to move up a bit higher than 24. For my part I think I'd like to take a shot at 26/29 rather than 24/38, but I don't know why the Pacers do that without something extra for them. I'm sure they'd like to dump the Theis contract (which isn't that bad, but they're not using him) but we just don't have a match. I'm just trying to figure out what we could give them to induce 26/29 coming back but I'm not seeing much.

miltonap · Jun 17, 2023

SacTownKid said:

He reminds me of a guy where he LOOKS like everything you would want in a kind of super utility awesome length super athletic type but honestly I think he'll bust.

I pay a lot of attention to whether a guy looks like he can actually ball, as in knows how to play the game of basketball and I think if that's not there then there's really no point in getting hyped about them.

I'd much rather have someone way less athletic but that looks like they actually know how to play the game of basketball because at least then I know they have a shot, role player or not.

Capt. Factorial · Jun 17, 2023

bajaden said:

Now that's an interesting name. He's not really getting a lot of buzz but I liked him two years ago at Memphis, was sure he was going to be a second rounder but instead he bolted from the Tigers and put up a great senior season at Cincy. Seems to fit the Monte profile, ready to contribute soon. Could definitely give Kessler Edwards a run for his money.

funkykingston · Jun 17, 2023

Capt. Factorial said:

By all the mocks, the 20-40 range in this draft seems pretty unsettled, so dropping 5 spots to #29 might still net the same guy you originally wanted. I would guess that for a 29/32 return we'd probably have to send out 24/38 though. I guess it would depend on how desperate the Pacers were to get their man at #24. Then again, the Pacers actually have 12 guys under contract for next year and they're sitting on #7, #26, #29, and #32 - no way they can use those all so packaging to move up wouldn't necessarily be a problem for them. But they might try to do something like package 26/29 to move up a bit higher than 24. For my part I think I'd like to take a shot at 26/29 rather than 24/38, but I don't know why the Pacers do that without something extra for them. I'm sure they'd like to dump the Theis contract (which isn't that bad, but they're not using him) but we just don't have a match. I'm just trying to figure out what we could give them to induce 26/29 coming back but I'm not seeing much.

I'm not sure what it would take to pry #32 from the Pacers. I just think there's a lot of value in this draft in that range and I also think Rick Carlisle would absolutely hate having four rookies.

funkykingston · Jun 17, 2023

Also, the more I think about it Jaquez to the Grizzlies as somewhat of a Dillon Brooks replacement just makes a ton of sense.

Again, I don't think he's a great fit with the Kings, but I think one or more teams will love Jaime enough that he goes in the late first.

Capt. Factorial · Jun 17, 2023

funkykingston said:

Yes!

Bajaden's final 2023 Mock Draft

Hall of Famer

Hall of Famer

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All-Star

All-Star

Super Moderator

All-Star

All-Star

Super Moderator

All-Star

All-Star

Super Moderator

ceterum censeo delendum esse Argentum

All-Star

All-Star

All-Star

Starter

ceterum censeo delendum esse Argentum

Starter

Super Moderator

Starter

Hall of Famer

Hall of Famer

Hall of Famer

ceterum censeo delendum esse Argentum

Starter

ceterum censeo delendum esse Argentum

Super Moderator

Super Moderator

ceterum censeo delendum esse Argentum