EIM86
Starter
Maybe not a "star" in traditional sense, but I'm drafting Shane Battier at 4 all day everyday of the week. You need the horses up top, but you don't win titles without those guys.
Hence why you’re a couch GM lol
Maybe not a "star" in traditional sense, but I'm drafting Shane Battier at 4 all day everyday of the week. You need the horses up top, but you don't win titles without those guys.
Hence why you’re a couch GM lol
Hence why you’re a couch GM lol
It depends on the draft though. Battier would be a SUPER valuable player in todays league and he was 6th in the "Kwame" draft. You could nitpick a few names behind him going over him but that was a pretty weak draft overall. I agree with @kb02 no way does Murray have those defensive chops on the perimeter. If he did he'd be in the top 3.
I'm just a Couch GM here, but Battier would be significantly better in today's game than he was during his time. Perfect guy you could plug at the 4 with elite switchability and wing defense and space on offense.
Guys like him, Marion, Peja, AK47. Just a decade too early before their talents could be fully utilized by the modern game.
My point was it’s pure guess at this point with Monte feeding us next to nothing. I’m okay with that, but mentioned Holmgren and Daniels as they are both strong defensive players at their positions. One would be considered a fall to us the other a riser or even a possible trade back. I originally didn’t want anything to do with Holmgren but have warmed up to the idea.Based on what though? Your own preference? I would take Ivey or Mathurin if given the chance and I hope we don't take Holmgren or Daniels even if they are available. Mock drafts create the illusion of consensus but the only buzz around Sacramento is that no one has any idea what we're going to do and the reason the mock drafts are so frequently inaccurate is that the online consensus doesn't really matter anyway -- GMs are going to pick whoever they and their scouts prefer and that has nothing to do with the online consensus.
I'm just a Couch GM here, but Battier would be significantly better in today's game than he was during his time. Perfect guy you could plug at the 4 with elite switchability and wing defense and space on offense.
Guys like him, Marion, Peja, AK47. Just a decade too early before their talents could be fully utilized by the modern game.
You’re forgetting Doug Christie. Otherwise known as Dyson Daniels 1.0 (less 2 inches).
I'm just a Couch GM here, but Battier would be significantly better in today's game than he was during his time. Perfect guy you could plug at the 4 with elite switchability and wing defense and space on offense.
Guys like him, Marion, Peja, AK47. Just a decade too early before their talents could be fully utilized by the modern game.
To be fair, I think Doug could probably guard a lot of modern 4s in the current league.Doug isn't bad either. He doesn't have Doug's shooting, but I think he's got far higher defensive versatility/upside to defend up to the 3/4. Closer in body type too over a bulldog like Smart.
My point was it’s pure guess at this point with Monte feeding us next to nothing. I’m okay with that, but mentioned Holmgren and Daniels as they are both strong defensive players at their positions. One would be considered a fall to us the other a riser or even a possible trade back. I originally didn’t want anything to do with Holmgren but have warmed up to the idea.
A backcourt of Fox and Ivey sounds exciting to me but I keep hearing the same arguments how it may not work. Daniels on the other hand, if he’s as good as advertised should work, the guy has size and will likely play some 3 in the future. Mathurin, honestly since we jumped to 4 I haven’t really considered him. At 7 or 8 I was thinking great, position of need and great athlete, but again who knows. If he turned out to be the steal of this draft it wouldn’t surprise.
Maybe it’s this group of talent or the fact were picking 4, sort of where the mystery begins, thats making this a tough one to call.
We’re seeing guys like Otto Porter and PJ Tucker absolutely wreck offensive game plans in the postseason and Battier was probably a better better player than either of them.
Player comps to anyone who is no longer in the league is a dangerous game in general. The league has changed so much in the last five years alone. People keep comparing Jabari Smith Jr to Rashard Lewis like it’s a bad thing but Lewis would be a perennial all-star/all-NBA guy in today’s game.
For my part, all I mean by the comparison is that I don't see evidence of a killer instinct. Rashard Lewis was a guy who played 16 years in the league, made a couple of All Star teams, and consistently got his points. Maybe in a more three-point focused league he averages 22-25 ppg instead of 18-20 ppg and that puts him in the conversation for more end of the year awards but when you're facing down Steph and Klay in the playoffs and the only chance you have is if someone puts the team on their back and gets you 40 in a must-win game, is he going to do that? I don't see it.
I think Keegan Murray has that level of fight in him though which is why I would rank him above Smith. It's not that I'm saying "Rashard Lewis" is a bad player, I'm just questioning if Smith is a guy you really want at #1 overall and pushing back a bit on the narrative that Smith is a player you can't pass on or the perfect fit for the Kings that we should trade up for (or pray that he falls to us) and Murray is a safer pick who has limited upside.
That's true about both Smith and Lewis, the thing that Smith has that Keegan/Shard don't/didn't is legit potential to lock down 1-4 in a league where if you don't switch, you might as well just hope for misses. Is that worth number 1? Eh, maybe in this draft, in this era. Also, if Keegan doesn't have a reliable first step then it won't matter how much fight he has. That's what separates elite wings from tweeners.
Doug isn't bad either. He doesn't have Doug's shooting, but I think he's got far higher defensive versatility/upside to defend up to the 3/4. Closer in body type too over a bulldog like Smart.
Regarding the importance of fit, how many people thought Lebron, AD and westbrook would dominate? Harden and westbrook? How did the pairings work? Not well by all estimates? Fit matters. And if you can't move fox and are committed to winning now, then you dont draft ivey. There are plenty of teams that want him, so move down to get pieces or draft someone else. Those are the options. If you want to get BPA, then at least for now, dont expect to win.
2002 Western Conference Finals. In OT Game 7,Christie missed the shots....and that is why we lost to the Lakers. I witnessed. Is what is is. Some of you guys will remember. And much like Roger Craig..."He's a fumbler"You’re forgetting Doug Christie. Otherwise known as Dyson Daniels 1.0 (less 2 inches).
2002 Western Conference Finals. In OT Game 7,Christie missed the shots....and that is why we lost to the Lakers. I witnessed. Is what is is. Some of you guys will remember. And much like Roger Craig..."He's a fumbler"
You can get Battier tier players from the late 1st, 2nd round or even undrafted e.g Dorian Finney Smith/Wes Matthews/Jae Crowder no way you draft a Shane Battier at 4 even in this era..Maybe not a "star" in traditional sense, but I'm drafting Shane Battier at 4 all day everyday of the week. You need the horses up top, but you don't win titles without those guys.
Yes, but Doug redeemed himself a couple years later in Game 7 against the Timberwolves in 2004. 9-17 (3-5 from 3) for a team leading 21 points. Peja, clutch as ever, shot 3-for-12.2002 Western Conference Finals. In OT Game 7,Christie missed the shots....and that is why we lost to the Lakers. I witnessed. Is what is is. Some of you guys will remember. And much like Roger Craig..."He's a fumbler"
Yes, but Doug redeemed himself a couple years later in Game 7 against the Timberwolves in 2004. 9-17 (3-5 from 3) for a team leading 21 points. Peja, clutch as ever, shot 3-for-12.
but, where were we? I like Daniels. My chaos prediction has one of the “top 3” falling to 4 but Monte takes someone like Daniels anyway. But I can’t help the feeling that you want a little more star power than Doug Christie at the 4th pick.
Agreed and the Suns definitely have no shot if you ask me. Without CP3, that’s a lottery team.With this stroke of luck and max space coming, I'd rather Monte build for a championship. Potential star talent at 4 and max space is the way it's done. Shoot for the middle and stay there and Fox/Sabonis are probably gone at some point anyway. Rely on any of these rookies to get this team into the play in and it's probably looking drab anyway. That should be doable without the pick. Look how quick windows can close. The Suns being a prime example. It's not closed but shutting potentially.
Agreed and the Suns definitely have no shot if you ask me. Without CP3, that’s a lottery team.