2020 Draft

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah, surely I can't be the only one who sees Edwards and is immediately reminded of Shabazz Muhammad?

So you're thinking he's the kind of player that can go scoreless for 15 games and then score 30 against the Suns?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

This draft is just absolutely awful. There will be some surprises down the line from it, but at face value it’s putrid.

 

[Raze]

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Deni Avdija is another interesting name in this draft. He has primarily played SF but if it is true that he is up to 6'10" 225 then he definitely has the size to play a modern day 4. On defense his strength will be a concern but as the above video shows, he definitely has some solid post defense.

Yeah, so I'm going to totally rescind my earlier statement on who I'd take #1 as I'm accumulating time on film. I spent the better part of last night watching film on Deni. Then watched again today with a friend who loves to scout and we both came away very impressed. (FWI, he had Luka as his clear #1 as I had him #2 behind Ayton. So far, he saw something I didn't... but there's still time for me to be right )

Deni is currently my favorite player of this bunch. His motor runs high. He has GREAT form on his shot with a quick release. Actually, it's near perfect. He has excellent handles for a 6'10 player and I love his vision. My jaw dropped numerous times while watching him. He is ALWAYS in attack mode (think exact opposite of Dragan). He's not overpowering but uses his quickness and agility to finish. He shows excellent footwork in the post and displays great feel for his defender. He displays a myriad of low post finishes with both hands. There is a lot to like here. Certainly there's questions about his lack of experience, but the same could be said about all the other 19 year olds in this draft.

After the snoozefest I endured watching Edwards, Ball, Wiseman, Obi, Anthony, Mannion... etc, I was excited to watch Deni's film. I actually want to watch some more as I scrape what I can together.

 

[Mainstreet]

The film quality of Deni is better in this video. He has a motor that won't quit.

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[JerkFace]

Yeah, so I'm going to totally rescind my earlier statement on who I'd take #1 as I'm accumulating time on film. I spent the better part of last night watching film on Deni. Then watched again today with a friend who loves to scout and we both came away very impressed. (FWI, he had Luka as his clear #1 as I had him #2 behind Ayton. So far, he saw something I didn't... but there's still time for me to be right )

Deni is currently my favorite player of this bunch. His motor runs high. He has GREAT form on his shot with a quick release. Actually, it's near perfect. He has excellent handles for a 6'10 player and I love his vision. My jaw dropped numerous times while watching him. He is ALWAYS in attack mode (think exact opposite of Dragan). He's not overpowering but uses his quickness and agility to finish. He shows excellent footwork in the post and displays great feel for his defender. He displays a myriad of low post finishes with both hands. There is a lot to like here. Certainly there's questions about his lack of experience, but the same could be said about all the other 19 year olds in this draft.

After the snoozefest I endured watching Edwards, Ball, Wiseman, Obi, Anthony, Mannion... etc, I was excited to watch Deni's film. I actually want to watch some more as I scrape what I can together.

Deni is high on my list as well but I just have a hard time committing to a player if I haven’t seen at least a few full games of them. I am having trouble finding anything more than highlights of him (same problem with Killian Hayes). The highlights are super impressive though. When all is said and done I fully expect him to be one of the top draft picks, so our only chance for him to to get lucky with the ping pong balls.

 

[Carolinacacti]

After Len and Bender the Suns are due...............

 

[BC867]

After Len and Bender the Suns are due...............

Yes, no more LenBenders. Or is that bed-wetters? Or blenders? Or lenders?

No, not lenders. We already have a bunch who have screwed up the Suns.

 

[SunnyBaller]

Yeah, so I'm going to totally rescind my earlier statement on who I'd take #1 as I'm accumulating time on film. I spent the better part of last night watching film on Deni. Then watched again today with a friend who loves to scout and we both came away very impressed. (FWI, he had Luka as his clear #1 as I had him #2 behind Ayton. So far, he saw something I didn't... but there's still time for me to be right )

Deni is currently my favorite player of this bunch. His motor runs high. He has GREAT form on his shot with a quick release. Actually, it's near perfect. He has excellent handles for a 6'10 player and I love his vision. My jaw dropped numerous times while watching him. He is ALWAYS in attack mode (think exact opposite of Dragan). He's not overpowering but uses his quickness and agility to finish. He shows excellent footwork in the post and displays great feel for his defender. He displays a myriad of low post finishes with both hands. There is a lot to like here. Certainly there's questions about his lack of experience, but the same could be said about all the other 19 year olds in this draft.

After the snoozefest I endured watching Edwards, Ball, Wiseman, Obi, Anthony, Mannion... etc, I was excited to watch Deni's film. I actually want to watch some more as I scrape what I can together.

I'm not disagreeing about Deni but I am curious to what you mean by snoozefest ? I mean I don't like lemelo at all because of his poor shooting and lack of defense but his playmaking is incredibly flashy and fun to watch, obi although flawed defensively as well is also incredibly fun to watch this year

 

[SunnyBaller]

Yeah, so I'm going to totally rescind my earlier statement on who I'd take #1 as I'm accumulating time on film. I spent the better part of last night watching film on Deni. Then watched again today with a friend who loves to scout and we both came away very impressed. (FWI, he had Luka as his clear #1 as I had him #2 behind Ayton. So far, he saw something I didn't... but there's still time for me to be right )

Deni is currently my favorite player of this bunch. His motor runs high. He has GREAT form on his shot with a quick release. Actually, it's near perfect. He has excellent handles for a 6'10 player and I love his vision. My jaw dropped numerous times while watching him. He is ALWAYS in attack mode (think exact opposite of Dragan). He's not overpowering but uses his quickness and agility to finish. He shows excellent footwork in the post and displays great feel for his defender. He displays a myriad of low post finishes with both hands. There is a lot to like here. Certainly there's questions about his lack of experience, but the same could be said about all the other 19 year olds in this draft.

After the snoozefest I endured watching Edwards, Ball, Wiseman, Obi, Anthony, Mannion... etc, I was excited to watch Deni's film. I actually want to watch some more as I scrape what I can together.

I'm not disagreeing about Deni but I am curious to what you mean by snoozefest ? I mean I don't like lemelo at all because of his poor shooting and lack of defense but his playmaking is incredibly flashy and fun to watch, obi although flawed defensively as well is also incredibly fun to watch this year

 

[Raze]

Deni is high on my list as well but I just have a hard time committing to a player if I haven’t seen at least a few full games of them. I am having trouble finding anything more than highlights of him (same problem with Killian Hayes). The highlights are super impressive though. When all is said and done I fully expect him to be one of the top draft picks, so our only chance for him to to get lucky with the ping pong balls.

Not a ton of minutes (I don't think he plays the second half, only the 2nd quarter. He's #8. He enters at the 11:40 mark.), but you can still see his vision and excellent release. At one point he has a one handed pass on the perimeter that leads to an assist (16:55). It's extremely smooth and on target. His other assist is also at the top of the key when he threads the needle to a guy in the post (13:50). His motor is always running though.

They almost exclusively ask him to park in the corner like Bruce Bowen so you don't see much of his off ball movement. But when he does it's full throttle.

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[JCSunsfan]

So you're thinking he's the kind of player that can go scoreless for 15 games and then score 30 against the Suns?

Exactly. When I saw him I immediately felt he was a prospect on the level of Kevin Knox. I never could understand why Knox was picked where he was.

 

[JCSunsfan]

This draft is just absolutely awful. There will be some surprises down the line from it, but at face value it’s putrid.

I agree. If we were forced to pick #1, I would have a hard time deciding between Ball and Wiseman and both this players have major warts.

I have been watching a lot of video of Ball. His shot is fixable. Ring the elbows in and get his left thumb off of the Ball. His rhythm with his shot is excellent. He is an excellent passer and he plays with a ton of confidence—way more than Lonzo. I am warming. He is a big pg, which helps.

think pre-injury Shaun Livingston. Halliburton reminds me of Brogdon.

 

[Raze]

I'm not disagreeing about Deni but I am curious to what you mean by snoozefest ? I mean I don't like lemelo at all because of his poor shooting and lack of defense but his playmaking is incredibly flashy and fun to watch, obi although flawed defensively as well is also incredibly fun to watch this year

I only meant I wasn't excited when watching their film. I've been watching film and scouting athletes for over 25 years (purely for the love) and in order for me to get truly excited I look for things that are transcendental. (Like I did with Nash at the Desert Classic or Kobe from poor HS clips. Or even Mahomes or Dak in the NFL [I'm not bragging here, if needed I'll be happy to add the litany of ones I was completely wrong on too... Trent Richardson anyone?])

If I only watched highlights I'd certainly be entertained. But highlights ignore D and off ball movement and vision and screens and, most importantly, passion. Some of these prospects are beyond horrible at the nuances of the game and it drives me nuts. Plus, some look like the sport is just a means to make money and not a love.

I love seeing a guy poor his heart out on the floor and do all the little things that prove he's a winner. I see a lot of that in Deni, but saw very little of that in the others (with the exception of Lamelo's handles and vision which I pointed out above. However, if you want to vomit watch him play D or shoot). Obi is fun to watch when he's dunking, however beyond frustrating to watch when positioning for a rebound or blocking shots.

 

[AZCrazy]

Deni looked like Kevin Durant in those highlights. If only.

 

[Raze]

The film quality of Deni is better in this video. He has a motor that won't quit.

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That baseline move at 2:17 is ridiculous. Post seal, solid two feet reception, fluid power dribble transition to baseline drive, under defenders arms, switches hands in one motion, finishes with off hand. Ridiculous.

You don't see that every day.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

That baseline move at 2:17 is ridiculous. Post seal, solid two feet reception, fluid power dribble transition to baseline drive, under defenders arms, switches hands in one motion, finishes with off hand. Ridiculous.

You don't see that every day.

That was the move that convinced me he has game. His handles look excellent for a guy of his size. He’s very fluid. Doesn’t seem like an ultra-athletic guy, but nice use of off speed movement and good timing defensively. Looks comfortable shooting with range. That said it’s all highlights so a huge grain of salt.

 

[elindholm]

After Len and Bender the Suns are due...............

If only there were a similarity between those two players, suggesting a pattern that could perhaps be learned from.

 

[elindholm]

I have been watching a lot of video of Ball. His shot is fixable. Ring the elbows in and get his left thumb off of the Ball. His rhythm with his shot is excellent. He is an excellent passer and he plays with a ton of confidence—way more than Lonzo. I am warming. He is a big pg, which helps.

Don't Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball have the same father? Or have we forgotten what the Balls' real problem is?

 

[Russ Smith]

Yeah, surely I can't be the only one who sees Edwards and is immediately reminded of Shabazz Muhammad?

Much better body than Bazz though. Bazz is/was really top heavy you could see he had almost no lateral quickness he just overpowered guys. and he's so left handed I agree Edwards is inefficient but he's a better athlete, much better honestly than Bazz. His mechanics are good he just takes lots of really bad shots. I watched Georgia beat Auburn and I thought how can a team with this much athletic ability be sub 500, combination of good conference and youth I guess. It's weird the guy who coached them last year is drawing raves at Cal for his coaching job there, and the guy who coaches them now has always been considered to be a good coach who just had other issues(dirty recruiting among them). But they sure look like a very poorly coached team and they take a ton of terrible shots.

Edwards is on my short list for the Warriors but yeah the shot selection is not good he'd have to really change his approach. But given the situation at Georgia it's not a shock he plays that way IMO

 

[JCSunsfan]

That baseline move at 2:17 is ridiculous. Post seal, solid two feet reception, fluid power dribble transition to baseline drive, under defenders arms, switches hands in one motion, finishes with off hand. Ridiculous.

You don't see that every day.

The story on this guy is almost exactly the same as Bender. Great highlight clips, but his stats and usage are so low, you have no real understanding of his ability.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/players/deni-avdija-1.html

Maybe as a second round pick or something.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Don't Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball have the same father? Or have we forgotten what the Balls' real problem is?

That is an issue. Although Lonzo seems to have risen above that.

 

[Sunburn]

That is an issue. Although Lonzo seems to have risen above that.

Ball senior just relaunched his Big Baller Brand, most likely looking to capitalize upon the drafting of Lamelo. I wouldnt put it past him to display the same antics we saw with Lonzo.

 

[elindholm]

That is an issue. Although Lonzo seems to have risen above that.

We must be talking about different Lonzo Balls.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Ball senior just relaunched his Big Baller Brand, most likely looking to capitalize upon the drafting of Lamelo. I wouldnt put it past him to display the same antics we saw with Lonzo.

I think the public has tired of him. He would be a non-issue if ESPN had not given him a voice. His novelty has worn off. I think he will be less of an issue with LaMelo than he was with Lonzo. I think it would be a mistake to overlook LaMelo just because of his father.

That, said, LaMelo's game has warts. His shooting stroke is a problem, his defense is a problem, and his shooting efficiency is a problem. His passing is right there with Rubio and Luka though. He is going to end up as a 6-8 or taller pg which is intriguing in itself.

 

[JCSunsfan]

We must be talking about different Lonzo Balls.

Lonzo does not seem to affected much by his father at this point, or am I missing something.