Players projected as 1st round, non-lottery picks:

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#1
Kai Jones: PF/C, 6'11", 215 Lb's, Sophmore, Texas.
22.6 mpg - 8.4 ppg - 57.8% fgp - 41.7% 3pp - 68.3% ftp - 4.8 rpg - 0.6 apg - 0.7 blk's

Jones has grown an inch since arriving at Texas and has improved quite a bit since his freshman year. He plays with a lot of bounce in his game and plays above the rim. Like Bagley, he has a very quick second leap. He's a very good ball handler for a player his size and has shown a proclivity to pass the ball. He has a decent outside shot as you can see by his 3 pt percentage, but only takes around two a game. He has shown the potential to be a good defender either under the basket or on the perimeter where he has quick lateral quickness.

He needs to get stronger if he wants to defend the basket in the NBA, but he plays with intensity. He probably turns the ball over a bit too much, but I'm willing to forgive him due to his aggressiveness. He's a very good rebounder and once again, I think once he gets stronger, his rebounding will only get better. He's not ready to play in the NBA right now, but he has a lot of potential, and could be one of those players you'll wonder why he was drafted so low in a couple of years. The Kings need depth at the five and the four, so Jones is someone I'd certainly consider depending on where were drafting.


 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
#4
Cameron Thomas could be an interesting choice in that range. Potentially has Lou Williams written all over him.
Never saw a shot he didn't like and makes Buddy look like an All-NBA defender. I'm not at all sold on Cam Thomas.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#5
Usman Garuba: PF/SF/C, 6'9", 230 Lb's, 7'2" wingspan, 19 years old, Real Madrid.
17.9 mpg - 4.8 ppg - 55.6% fgp - 33.3% 3pp - 53.3% ftp - 5.0 rpg - 1 apg - 0.7 steals.

I have watched a ton of film, and a couple of games of Garuba, and he certainly peaks my interest, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He doesn't average many minutes and in some games he'll only play a couple of minutes, so I don't pay attention too much to his free throw or three point percentages. It's too small a sampling. However, his jump shot does need some work. It has too many moving parts to it and not enough wrist. His handles need some work as well, but aside from that, he's quite a specimen.

He may be the best defender in this draft. He has a knack for poking the ball away and not fouling. He's a terrific weakside help defender who covers a lot of ground to arrive on time to block a shot. He's an excellent on ball defender, and when he does get beat off the dribble by a smaller quicker player, he never gives up on a play and many times ends up blocking the shot from behind. He a terrific athlete who runs the floor well, and is a very good outlet passer after grabbing a rebound. Matter of fact, he's good passer period.

He's a player who could step on an NBA court and play defense right now. So if you draft him your hoping you can fix his jump shot, or at worse, make it respectable. By all accounts he's very coachable. He already has an NBA body and plays with physicality. He's everything you would be looking for on the defensive side of the ball, and with the Kings defensive woes, I'd be willing to take a gamble that his offense is fixable.

 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#6
Never saw a shot he didn't like and makes Buddy look like an All-NBA defender. I'm not at all sold on Cam Thomas.
Thomas is a black hole who takes a lot of three's, and only hits around 30% of them. No thank you... I'd go after his teammate Jovante Smart over him. Solid combo guard who is shooting around 43% from the three and a tick over 4 assists a game along with 1.2 steals. Thomas averages 0.8 steals and barely one assist a game. Yeah, Thomas scores more ppg, he's a volume shooter but not an efficient one.
 
#7
Usman Garuba: PF/SF/C, 6'9", 230 Lb's, 7'2" wingspan, 19 years old, Real Madrid.
17.9 mpg - 4.8 ppg - 55.6% fgp - 33.3% 3pp - 53.3% ftp - 5.0 rpg - 1 apg - 0.7 steals.

I have watched a ton of film, and a couple of games of Garuba, and he certainly peaks my interest, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He doesn't average many minutes and in some games he'll only play a couple of minutes, so I don't pay attention too much to his free throw or three point percentages. It's too small a sampling. However, his jump shot does need some work. It has too many moving parts to it and not enough wrist. His handles need some work as well, but aside from that, he's quite a specimen.

He may be the best defender in this draft. He has a knack for poking the ball away and not fouling. He's a terrific weakside help defender who covers a lot of ground to arrive on time to block a shot. He's an excellent on ball defender, and when he does get beat off the dribble by a smaller quicker player, he never gives up on a play and many times ends up blocking the shot from behind. He a terrific athlete who runs the floor well, and is a very good outlet passer after grabbing a rebound. Matter of fact, he's good passer period.

He's a player who could step on an NBA court and play defense right now. So if you draft him your hoping you can fix his jump shot, or at worse, make it respectable. By all accounts he's very coachable. He already has an NBA body and plays with physicality. He's everything you would be looking for on the defensive side of the ball, and with the Kings defensive woes, I'd be willing to take a gamble that his offense is fixable.

how do you compare Barnes and Garuba?
 
#8
The more I watch Wagner and his defensive anticipation the more I’m really starting to like this kid. I watched a lot of Butler basketball and he has a similar IQ to Gordon Hayward. Watch the defensive breakdown.

 
#9
Here is another video. Kid does a lot of little things I really like. Notice him tipping the ball to himself on the rebound, his stance and ability to move his feet on defense. I also think his hi IQ and understanding on when to make back-cuts fits extremely well with Haliburton. The thought of Haliburton and Wagner getting hands in the passing line is salivating.

 
#11
I am curious what he can bring on offense at the pro level. He doesn't really create his own shot much and at least to this point he is only an ok shooter. I really like his defense and IQ for sure. I was onboard with us drafting him if we were in the 10-14 range but now that we are in the 5-7 range it seems unlikely we end up with him.
 
#12
I am curious what he can bring on offense at the pro level. He doesn't really create his own shot much and at least to this point he is only an ok shooter. I really like his defense and IQ for sure. I was onboard with us drafting him if we were in the 10-14 range but now that we are in the 5-7 range it seems unlikely we end up with him.
he was a late grower growing at 19 and may still be growing. I suspect he is the Paul Williams of this draft and rises into the 5-8 range. If not us someone else.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#13
how do you compare Barnes and Garuba?
Well, they're around the same height. I mean how do you compare a 19 year old kid with a very good experienced player of Barnes stature. If you asking me if Garuba can eventually become the player Barnes is, that's a tough one to answer right now. Garuba's calling card right now is his defense. He has the athletic ability, desire, and the instincts to be a very good defensive player. Offensively he has a way to go. His jumpshot needs some tweeking, and how well he can improve in that area will determine how good a player he'll be. He has decent to good handles, but they need to improve a little, and he's a good passer.

If you have a choice between Garuba, and Jalen Johnson who do you choose? Garuba has a terrific motor and no one questions his desire. Johnson is more talented right now, but scouts do question his desire. The irony with Johnson is those same scouts that questioned his desire, also criticized him for leaving Duke early to work on his game. So does he lack desire, or is it that he and coach K didn't see eye to eye and he lost desire to play for him. Still not a good look, but there is a difference between not loving the game enough, and not loving your coach.
 
Last edited:
#14
Well, they're around the same height. I mean how do you compare a 19 year old kid with a very good experienced player of Barnes stature. If you asking me if Garuba can eventually become the player Barnes is, that's a tough one to answer right now. Garuba's calling card right now is his defense. He has the athletic ability, desire, and the instincts to be a very good defensive player. Offensively he has a way to go. His jumpshot needs some tweeking, and how well he can improve in that area will determine how good a player he'll be. He has decent to good handles, but they need to improve a little, and he's a good passer.

If you have a choice between Garuba, and Jalen Johnson who do you choose? Garuba has a terrific motor and no one questions his desire. Johnson is more talented right now, but scouts do question his desire. The irony with Johnson is those same scouts that questioned his desire, also criticized him for leaving Duke early to work on his game. So does he lack desire, or is it that he and coach K didn't see eye to eye and he lost desire to play for him. Still not a good look, but there is a difference between not loving the game enough, and not loving your coach.
Sorry for not being clear.... I meant comparing Garuba to Scottie Barnes not Harrison Barnes. They seem similar type players unless you see taking the ball out of Fox’s and Haliburton’s hands.
 
#15
Well, they're around the same height. I mean how do you compare a 19 year old kid with a very good experienced player of Barnes stature. If you asking me if Garuba can eventually become the player Barnes is, that's a tough one to answer right now. Garuba's calling card right now is his defense. He has the athletic ability, desire, and the instincts to be a very good defensive player. Offensively he has a way to go. His jumpshot needs some tweeking, and how well he can improve in that area will determine how good a player he'll be. He has decent to good handles, but they need to improve a little, and he's a good passer.

If you have a choice between Garuba, and Jalen Johnson who do you choose? Garuba has a terrific motor and no one questions his desire. Johnson is more talented right now, but scouts do question his desire. The irony with Johnson is those same scouts that questioned his desire, also criticized him for leaving Duke early to work on his game. So does he lack desire, or is it that he and coach K didn't see eye to eye and he lost desire to play for him. Still not a good look, but there is a difference between not loving the game enough, and not loving your coach.
regarding Johnson, he also left IMG so you have to ask is it a pattern? Why did the team play better when he left? People may well arrive at different answers but I don’t think you can avoid asking the questions.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#16
regarding Johnson, he also left IMG so you have to ask is it a pattern? Why did the team play better when he left? People may well arrive at different answers but I don’t think you can avoid asking the questions.
Not at all. Those are legit questions, and If a GM didn't ask them he wouldn't be doing his job. All I'm saying, is we shouldn't jump to conclusions. The main question for me is the one regarding Duke. Too much has been made of him switching highschools, or leaving IMG. The latter two are done by a lot of young players trying to find the right fit for themselves in a highschool program, or the right training faciltiy where they believe their getting the best training possible. Zion Williamson switched highschools as well, but he didn't bail on Duke.

I'd hate to brand a kid for making a few immature decisions, and I'd hate to pass on him and then have him go on to be a star in the league. I'm trying to see if there's any information out there from his highschool coach. How coachable he was? How did he get along with his teammates? That kind of stuff.
 
#17
Not at all. Those are legit questions, and If a GM didn't ask them he wouldn't be doing his job. All I'm saying, is we shouldn't jump to conclusions. The main question for me is the one regarding Duke. Too much has been made of him switching highschools, or leaving IMG. The latter two are done by a lot of young players trying to find the right fit for themselves in a highschool program, or the right training faciltiy where they believe their getting the best training possible. Zion Williamson switched highschools as well, but he didn't bail on Duke.

I'd hate to brand a kid for making a few immature decisions, and I'd hate to pass on him and then have him go on to be a star in the league. I'm trying to see if there's any information out there from his highschool coach. How coachable he was? How did he get along with his teammates? That kind of stuff.
yeah of course. If you are going to draft a kid you need to do your homework. But let’s face it coaches have incentive for their kids to be drafted high.

but if you are going to pay a kid millions these little things can matter.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#18
Sorry for not being clear.... I meant comparing Garuba to Scottie Barnes not Harrison Barnes. They seem similar type players unless you see taking the ball out of Fox’s and Haliburton’s hands.
Ahhh, that makes more sense. Well as I already stated, I think that right now, Garuba is the better defender, but Barnes is the better passer. Both players have good motors. Both struggle with their jumpshot. I'm not going to say which is better in that area, because both players need a shot doctor to correct some flaws. If I had to bet on one of them developing into a good shooter, I'd probably lean toward Barnes, but by a very slim margin. I've only seen Garuba play twice, and I've seen Barnes play at least 10 times. When you consider that Barnes is getting almost 10 more minutes a game than Garuba, obviously I have a more full opinion of Barnes.

Matter of fact in one of Garuba's games I think he only played about 10 minutes. On the other hand, Garuba is playing against professional players in a very good league.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#19
yeah of course. If you are going to draft a kid you need to do your homework. But let’s face it coaches have incentive for their kids to be drafted high.

but if you are going to pay a kid millions these little things can matter.
Absolutely! Nothing worse than a little thing becoming a big thing.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#20
Franz Wagner: SF/PF, 6'10", 225 Lb's, 6'9" wingspan, Sophomore, Michigan.
31.1 mpg - 13.3 ppg - 50.2% fgp - 39.2% 3pp - 83.6% ftp - 6.4 rpg - 2.9 apg - 1.4 steals.

Well my thunder got stolen when someone posted about Wagner before I was ready to make this post, which was always going to be my next entry. Let me start by saying that I really like Wagner, and he's the kind of player that would fit right in the Kings plans going forward. He has terrific size for a SF. When he finished his last year of highschool he was 6'6" and weighed 190 Lb's. By the time he arrived at Michigan, he had grown to 6'8" and weighed 205 Lb's. This last summer he grew almost another two inches arriving at just a tick below 6'10", and due to a heavy strength program, his weight was up to 225 Lb's.

In my opinion, Franz is a far better player than his brother Moritz, or Mo as he's called. He's a better athlete, a better ball handler, and a much better defender. Most mocks have him going just outside the lottery, but personally, I think he's lottery material. His BBIQ is off the charts. He didn't shoot the ball all that well his freshman year, but worked on his shot all offseason, and now he's a player you have to guard on the perimeter shooting a very good 39% from the three. I think his average is a solid indicator since he takes 3.3 a game, which makes up one third of his shots. He's averaging 61% on his two point attempts.

Wagner used his newly added strength to attack the basket relentlessly, and successfully. He's constantly moving without the ball and if you turn your head guarding him, you'll find him running a backdoor or standing wide open in the corner. He's an excellent passer and operates in the P&R or the give and go flawlessly. His handles are good enough to play SG if he had to. My only knock on him, and it's not really a big issue, is that I think he could grab a few more rebounds, but he plays away from the basket a lot, and I'm sure that factors into it. He's just a very smart basketball player.

Wagner isn't an elite athlete, but he's a good athlete, and makes up for what he might lack with high IQ, which he uses on defense. He's a very good team defender, and better at keeping his man in front of him than one would think. I don't think his defense will be a liability in the NBA. Quite the contrary, I think he'll be a plus defender in the NBA. He reminds me a lot of Haliburton. He knows the enemy and has that anticipation that all good defenders have.

Wagner is exactly the kind of basketball player that the Kings should be looking for. He has great size and plays multiple positions. He had great BBIQ, and comes with a tool box loaded with offensive weapons. He's a very efficient player. At times he reminds me a bit of a taller version of Gordon Haywood. I would have no problem taking him in the 10 to 14 range if that's where were picking. If you get a chance, take in a Michigan game. His teammate Isaiah Liver's is a very good basketball player as well.

 
#21
Franz Wagner: SF/PF, 6'10", 225 Lb's, 6'9" wingspan, Sophomore, Michigan.
31.1 mpg - 13.3 ppg - 50.2% fgp - 39.2% 3pp - 83.6% ftp - 6.4 rpg - 2.9 apg - 1.4 steals.

Well my thunder got stolen when someone posted about Wagner before I was ready to make this post, which was always going to be my next entry. Let me start by saying that I really like Wagner, and he's the kind of player that would fit right in the Kings plans going forward. He has terrific size for a SF. When he finished his last year of highschool he was 6'6" and weighed 190 Lb's. By the time he arrived at Michigan, he had grown to 6'8" and weighed 205 Lb's. This last summer he grew almost another two inches arriving at just a tick below 6'10", and due to a heavy strength program, his weight was up to 225 Lb's.

In my opinion, Franz is a far better player than his brother Moritz, or Mo as he's called. He's a better athlete, a better ball handler, and a much better defender. Most mocks have him going just outside the lottery, but personally, I think he's lottery material. His BBIQ is off the charts. He didn't shoot the ball all that well his freshman year, but worked on his shot all offseason, and now he's a player you have to guard on the perimeter shooting a very good 39% from the three. I think his average is a solid indicator since he takes 3.3 a game, which makes up one third of his shots. He's averaging 61% on his two point attempts.

Wagner used his newly added strength to attack the basket relentlessly, and successfully. He's constantly moving without the ball and if you turn your head guarding him, you'll find him running a backdoor or standing wide open in the corner. He's an excellent passer and operates in the P&R or the give and go flawlessly. His handles are good enough to play SG if he had to. My only knock on him, and it's not really a big issue, is that I think he could grab a few more rebounds, but he plays away from the basket a lot, and I'm sure that factors into it. He's just a very smart basketball player.

Wagner isn't an elite athlete, but he's a good athlete, and makes up for what he might lack with high IQ, which he uses on defense. He's a very good team defender, and better at keeping his man in front of him than one would think. I don't think his defense will be a liability in the NBA. Quite the contrary, I think he'll be a plus defender in the NBA. He reminds me a lot of Haliburton. He knows the enemy and has that anticipation that all good defenders have.

Wagner is exactly the kind of basketball player that the Kings should be looking for. He has great size and plays multiple positions. He had great BBIQ, and comes with a tool box loaded with offensive weapons. He's a very efficient player. At times he reminds me a bit of a taller version of Gordon Haywood. I would have no problem taking him in the 10 to 14 range if that's where were picking. If you get a chance, take in a Michigan game. His teammate Isaiah Liver's is a very good basketball player as well.

Looks like he's gonna be a solid piece on a team
 
#22
Franz Wagner: SF/PF, 6'10", 225 Lb's, 6'9" wingspan, Sophomore, Michigan.
31.1 mpg - 13.3 ppg - 50.2% fgp - 39.2% 3pp - 83.6% ftp - 6.4 rpg - 2.9 apg - 1.4 steals.

Well my thunder got stolen when someone posted about Wagner before I was ready to make this post, which was always going to be my next entry. Let me start by saying that I really like Wagner, and he's the kind of player that would fit right in the Kings plans going forward. He has terrific size for a SF. When he finished his last year of highschool he was 6'6" and weighed 190 Lb's. By the time he arrived at Michigan, he had grown to 6'8" and weighed 205 Lb's. This last summer he grew almost another two inches arriving at just a tick below 6'10", and due to a heavy strength program, his weight was up to 225 Lb's.

In my opinion, Franz is a far better player than his brother Moritz, or Mo as he's called. He's a better athlete, a better ball handler, and a much better defender. Most mocks have him going just outside the lottery, but personally, I think he's lottery material. His BBIQ is off the charts. He didn't shoot the ball all that well his freshman year, but worked on his shot all offseason, and now he's a player you have to guard on the perimeter shooting a very good 39% from the three. I think his average is a solid indicator since he takes 3.3 a game, which makes up one third of his shots. He's averaging 61% on his two point attempts.

Wagner used his newly added strength to attack the basket relentlessly, and successfully. He's constantly moving without the ball and if you turn your head guarding him, you'll find him running a backdoor or standing wide open in the corner. He's an excellent passer and operates in the P&R or the give and go flawlessly. His handles are good enough to play SG if he had to. My only knock on him, and it's not really a big issue, is that I think he could grab a few more rebounds, but he plays away from the basket a lot, and I'm sure that factors into it. He's just a very smart basketball player.

Wagner isn't an elite athlete, but he's a good athlete, and makes up for what he might lack with high IQ, which he uses on defense. He's a very good team defender, and better at keeping his man in front of him than one would think. I don't think his defense will be a liability in the NBA. Quite the contrary, I think he'll be a plus defender in the NBA. He reminds me a lot of Haliburton. He knows the enemy and has that anticipation that all good defenders have.

Wagner is exactly the kind of basketball player that the Kings should be looking for. He has great size and plays multiple positions. He had great BBIQ, and comes with a tool box loaded with offensive weapons. He's a very efficient player. At times he reminds me a bit of a taller version of Gordon Haywood. I would have no problem taking him in the 10 to 14 range if that's where were picking. If you get a chance, take in a Michigan game. His teammate Isaiah Liver's is a very good basketball player as well.

funny you saw Hayward also. My daughter went to Butler so I watched a ton of Hayward games and Wagner is whom i thought also. I don’t think he will be on the board 10-14. He is rising on NBA boards. I’m guessing he goes 6-9
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#23
funny you saw Hayward also. My daughter went to Butler so I watched a ton of Hayward games and Wagner is whom i thought also. I don’t think he will be on the board 10-14. He is rising on NBA boards. I’m guessing he goes 6-9
Well first off, great minds think alike! Your likely right about him moving up the draft boards and we have no idea where the Kings will picking. So one can only hope. One of the things I look for in players that stay in college for more than one year is growth, and Wagner improved dramatically from his Freshman year to his Sophomore year. It shows he worked on his game and his body in the off season. If you can find a player that's already skilled, dedicated to his game, and willing to put the work in, then you have the kind of player you want on your team.

Wagner and Kispert are two players I have targeted as possible SF's for the Kings. I like both, and Kispert is a better shooter right now, but Wagner is a couple of years younger. Both have qualities I'm looking for. It would be a tough choice but I'm probably leaning toward Wagner.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#24
Chris Duarte: SG, 6'6", 190 Lb's, Senior (Will be 24 yr's old at draft time), Oregon.
33.7 mpg - 16.8 ppg - 53.5% fgp - 44.4% 3pp - 80.0% ftp - 4.7 rpg - 2.3 apg - 1.9 steals.

About the only thing Duarte has going against him is his age. Other than that, he's a dam good basketball player who is ready to step in and play in the NBA. He's an extremely efficient player who scored 20 pt's on 10 shots against, I believe Arizona. I watch too many games and they all become a blur. He's a terrific shooter either off the catch, or off the dribble. He can create his own shot and has a very quick release with good form. Some mocks have him going in the 2nd rd, which is ridiculous.

However, if he's sitting there in the 2nd rd when we pick, I grab him in a heartbeat. I suspect he'll go somewhere near the bottom of the 1st rd, so we'll have no chance for him unless we acquire another 1st rounder through a trade. Duarte is also a very good defender with good BBIQ on both ends. On offense he knows when to cut or backdoor. On defense he knows when to play the passing lanes and when to help. He can also fill in at the point in a pinch if needed. He's capable of defending three positions.

He could use some added strength, but even though he's a little on the light side, he doesn't shy away from contact when attacking the basket. I see his floor as the third or fourth guard off the bench and his ceiling as a starter in the NBA. Some scouts have compared him to Joe Harris, and I can see that comparison if your just looking at skill level and style of play. He's one of the best 3 pt shooters in college and he takes over 5 a game. He has good handles and is a good passer. He's not an elite athlete, but a slightly above average athlete with pretty good hops. He's smart and seldom forces shots or passes.

 
#25
Well first off, great minds think alike! Your likely right about him moving up the draft boards and we have no idea where the Kings will picking. So one can only hope. One of the things I look for in players that stay in college for more than one year is growth, and Wagner improved dramatically from his Freshman year to his Sophomore year. It shows he worked on his game and his body in the off season. If you can find a player that's already skilled, dedicated to his game, and willing to put the work in, then you have the kind of player you want on your team.

Wagner and Kispert are two players I have targeted as possible SF's for the Kings. I like both, and Kispert is a better shooter right now, but Wagner is a couple of years younger. Both have qualities I'm looking for. It would be a tough choice but I'm probably leaning toward Wagner.
Even though Wagner is a Sophomore, age wise he is actually younger than Barnes and only .04 years older than Williams.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#26
Even though Wagner is a Sophomore, age wise he is actually younger than Barnes and only .04 years older than Williams.
Yeah, I don't get caught up too much in the age thing, other than as a measuring stick of improvement. Meaning, that if your looking at two players, both sophomore's, you can use the amount of improvement of one over the other as an area of criteria. Of course there are other factors that I look at as well. Does the player fit the kind of system he's playing in. If he's a big, do his guards get him the ball, or are they looking for their own shot etc. (Mobley).

But if one player is 22 years old and another is 19 years old, I could care less. I judge them on their ability. That's why I love Kispert so much. He's a player that I can see coming off the Kings bench (an area of weakness) and putting numbers on the board. Something the Kings are seriously lacking right now. But I see Wagner as the possible replacement for Barnes, but coming off the bench in the short term.
 
#27
Yeah, I don't get caught up too much in the age thing, other than as a measuring stick of improvement. Meaning, that if your looking at two players, both sophomore's, you can use the amount of improvement of one over the other as an area of criteria. Of course there are other factors that I look at as well. Does the player fit the kind of system he's playing in. If he's a big, do his guards get him the ball, or are they looking for their own shot etc. (Mobley).

But if one player is 22 years old and another is 19 years old, I could care less. I judge them on their ability. That's why I love Kispert so much. He's a player that I can see coming off the Kings bench (an area of weakness) and putting numbers on the board. Something the Kings are seriously lacking right now. But I see Wagner as the possible replacement for Barnes, but coming off the bench in the short term.
where age does matter is in terms of physical maturity. A 22 year old is much more likely to be fully grown with man muscle than a 19 year old. Now obviously that isn’t true for all players but with 19 year olds it is a question and one you typically don’t really have to ask or project at 22.
 
#28
where age does matter is in terms of physical maturity. A 22 year old is much more likely to be fully grown with man muscle than a 19 year old. Now obviously that isn’t true for all players but with 19 year olds it is a question and one you typically don’t really have to ask or project at 22.
This partially true. While most men stop getting taller by 19 or 20, their bodies don't finish growing until their mid to late 20s. This is especially true of their upper bodies ( chest area). It is why most hit their prime at around 27 years old.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
#29
Yeah, I don't get caught up too much in the age thing, other than as a measuring stick of improvement. Meaning, that if your looking at two players, both sophomore's, you can use the amount of improvement of one over the other as an area of criteria. Of course there are other factors that I look at as well. Does the player fit the kind of system he's playing in. If he's a big, do his guards get him the ball, or are they looking for their own shot etc. (Mobley).

But if one player is 22 years old and another is 19 years old, I could care less. I judge them on their ability. That's why I love Kispert so much. He's a player that I can see coming off the Kings bench (an area of weakness) and putting numbers on the board. Something the Kings are seriously lacking right now. But I see Wagner as the possible replacement for Barnes, but coming off the bench in the short term.
Yeah, I agree that age is overblown when evaluating prospects. I don't really care if a guy is young for his class or vice versa cause I don't see how it makes a difference. Maybe if you're really concerned that a player is undersized and they're still a teenager that works in their favor as they could still be growing but I try not to penalize prospects for being 21 or 22 if they're dominating. The only thing I do look at age-related is that I try to compare players at the same point in their development. So I'll compare everybody's Freshman year for instance not just look at what they did this season. I think you have to account for the fact that prospects tend to get better with age and allow for a certain degree of expected improvement in your evaluation. That doesn't mean it's a given that everybody is going to improve dramatically though and if a guy makes a huge jump in his Sophomore/Junior/Senior season you've got to trust what you see and remember that they're still very young compared to the average NBA vet.
 
#30
This partially true. While most men stop getting taller by 19 or 20, their bodies don't finish growing until their mid to late 20s. This is especially true of their upper bodies ( chest area). It is why most hit their prime at around 27 years old.
I don’t disagree but, speaking from personal experience, your ability to add muscle while you are still growing is not the same as once you stop. My son is now an Olympic level water polo player but the Cal Coach missed on recruiting him because at 18 he didn’t have much muscle because he was still growing.