How Great is the 2017 draft class?

[Hoop Head]

Do you really think that Earl Watson during the season is doing college scouting?

He may not be full on scouting but I'm sure he's watched a number of college games this year. He probably caught the UCLA vs Washington game since it involved 2 of the top prospects in this draft going head to head, plus UCLA is his Alma Mater so I'm sure he has a vested interest in watching them play anyways. If he watched the tournament he saw Ball and Jackson a lot and they don't fit that bill but Fultz does, who was absent from the tournament. If you only saw one game from Fultz, like the Washington vs UCLA game, you saw him get outplayed by Ball and then miss the next UCLA game.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Yeah, I don't think he's doing in-depth scouting right now, but I'm sure the Suns management is having conversations about the players for whom they are tanking.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Fultz checks every box of that description except defender, Ball only checks playmaker (in transition).
Fultz is very athletic, has a 6'10 wingspan same as Jackson and how on earth is he not a playmaker? If anything Fultz is a far better playmaker than Ball because he can create for others and for himself in the halfcourt and transition.


Watson does not make the pick anyway.

Fultz is really the only one though that fits the only criteria Watson named as not a need - volume scorer.

That said, I don't think the Suns stray from fultz due to that. I was just laughing at Watson saying they need a "fit" with their team and then basically saying we need everything but scoring. Gee, that narrows it down none at all.

 

[slinslin]

Fultz is not a volume scorer lol

Efficient and a higher assist rate than Ball despite horrible teammates.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Fultz is not a volume scorer lol

Efficient and a higher assist rate than Ball despite horrible teammates.

I just want to make sure you are fully aware of what assist rate is. It is the amount of teammates' field goals that are assisted by that player. That is not proof of being a better passer, but only that the ball is in his hands more than it is for Ball.

I just see that stat thrown around when talking about these two prospects as if it somehow proves that Fultz is a better passer, but it doesn't do that. It simply shows that Fultz has a higher usage than Ball.

 

[elindholm]

I'm trusting McD. He's made some mistakes, but he knows how to draft.

I guess. A lot of this board preferred Chriss to Bender, and while I realize that Bender has a few supporters here, it sure looks like Chriss was the better prospect. So McDonough whiffed on that one, then happened to get lucky when he found an opportunity to trade up for Chriss. That's good overall management of the draft, but not good drafting per se.

 

[Hoop Head]

I guess. A lot of this board preferred Chriss to Bender, and while I realize that Bender has a few supporters here, it sure looks like Chriss was the better prospect. So McDonough whiffed on that one, then happened to get lucky when he found an opportunity to trade up for Chriss. That's good overall management of the draft, but not good drafting per se.

Drafting Booker and Warren at the end of the lottery were great picks. If those drafts were redone surely they'd both be much higher. You could say they fell to us but I know Booker wasn't that highly regarded of a prospect. I think McD is above average when it comes to the draft. He did the right thing also in moving up for Chriss where he did and drafting Bender where he did as well. Chriss shouldn't have gone top 5, it wasn't until after the All Star break that he looked like a legit NBA player. Throwing him to the wolves by starting him within the first month of the season helped his development a lot. Bender on the hand has been hurt but has looked good when he's gotten time. Everyone knew he was more of a project than immediate producer. I don't think his value has been hurt that much either despite a not so great rookie season because all of the scouting reports on him were correct, he's a project who will take a couple of years. Getting Chriss ensured that we're covered at PF if Bender never pans out but Bender could also play Center next to Chriss.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Drafting Booker and Warren at the end of the lottery were great picks. If those drafts were redone surely they'd both be much higher. You could say they fell to us but I know Booker wasn't that highly regarded of a prospect. I think McD is above average when it comes to the draft. He did the right thing also in moving up for Chriss where he did and drafting Bender where he did as well. Chriss shouldn't have gone top 5, it wasn't until after the All Star break that he looked like a legit NBA player. Throwing him to the wolves by starting him within the first month of the season helped his development a lot. Bender on the hand has been hurt but has looked good when he's gotten time. Everyone knew he was more of a project than immediate producer. I don't think his value has been hurt that much either despite a not so great rookie season because all of the scouting reports on him were correct, he's a project who will take a couple of years. Getting Chriss ensured that we're covered at PF if Bender never pans out but Bender could also play Center next to Chriss.

I do believe that both players were pretty much the most highly regarded prospects remaining on the board when the Suns picked. I remember thinking that McD wasn't getting cute. He was just taking what seemed to be the obvious pick at the moment.

That is a commendable thing to do though.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's way too early to say the Suns whiffed on Bender. When Chriss fell in the draft to #8, McDonough was smart enough to give the Kings an attractive trade package for the pick. Drafting Bender, Chriss and Ulis in the same draft is way more than luck.

 

[3rdside]

I guess. A lot of this board preferred Chriss to Bender, and while I realize that Bender has a few supporters here, it sure looks like Chriss was the better prospect. So McDonough whiffed on that one, then happened to get lucky when he found an opportunity to trade up for Chriss. That's good overall management of the draft, but not good drafting per se.

My understanding was a little different - I got the impression McD liked both Bender and Chriss but took a view that Bender wouldn't last till #8 whereas Chriss might. That is, he gambled on the the mock drafts being correct, took Bender at #4, and won when Chriss was still there at #8.

I definitely preferred Chriss at #4, was lukewarm when I saw Bender's name even though I didn't hate the pick, but over the moon when I saw the Chriss part unfold.

 

[3rdside]

Although that doesn't tie in with Draftexpress's mock (http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2016/) but it does with NBADraft.net's (http://www.nbadraft.net/2016mock_draft) so maybe he did whiff.

Can't justify why I thought that but I vaguely recall hearing an explanation along those lines either on draft night or pretty soon after.

 

[Mainstreet]

Although that doesn't tie in with Draftexpress's mock (http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2016/) but it does with NBADraft.net's (http://www.nbadraft.net/2016mock_draft) so maybe he did whiff.

Can't justify why I thought that but I vaguely recall hearing an explanation along those lines either on draft night or pretty soon after.

Leaving out the mention of mocks on your earlier post (#135), I think you were very close to accurate in that McDonough knew Bender wouldn't last until #8. Thus McDonough guessed correctly and he was able to trade for Chriss later. It involved some luck though.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I guess. A lot of this board preferred Chriss to Bender, and while I realize that Bender has a few supporters here, it sure looks like Chriss was the better prospect. So McDonough whiffed on that one, then happened to get lucky when he found an opportunity to trade up for Chriss. That's good overall management of the draft, but not good drafting per se.

If you like two players and find a way to get both, I would not call that a whiff. It really doesn't matter who you picked first as long as you got both.

 

[slinslin]

I guess. A lot of this board preferred Chriss to Bender, and while I realize that Bender has a few supporters here, it sure looks like Chriss was the better prospect. So McDonough whiffed on that one, then happened to get lucky when he found an opportunity to trade up for Chriss. That's good overall management of the draft, but not good drafting per se.

From the post draft interview it certainly sounded like Chriss was McDonoughs pick.

He basically said that they would have drafted Chriss 4th but Denver was going to pick Bender at
#7 while Chriss would very likely make it to #8 and that their draft room was split between Chriss and Bender.

 

[Mainstreet]

If you like two players and find a way to get both, I would not call that a whiff. It really doesn't matter who you picked first as long as you got both.

Exactly. McDonough wanted both and he got both.

So if McDonough knew Denver wanted Bender at #4, then he effectively stopped that from happening. Plus, he thought Chriss would slide and give him chance to trade for him.

Pretty cagey I must say.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Don't look now...but the Lakers are up by 15 on the Spurs. Their leading scorer? Tyler Ennis.

Won't hold up, but still crazy.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Lakers hanging tough! Up by 6 with 6 minutes to go!

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Now up 11 behind the formidable duo of Tyler Ennis and David Nwaba!

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Go Lakers! Up by 16 on the Spurs with 3:33 to go!!!

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

You must be registered for see images attach

Lakers
ON THE COURT FG 3PT REB AST PF PTS
T. EnnisPG 8-12 3-4 0 6 2 19
T. RobinsonPF 3-7 0-0 7 0 3 7
T. BlackC 2-3 0-0 7 1 1 5
D. NwabaPG 3-7 0-0 3 3 0 6
M. World PeaceSF 2-5 1-1 1 0 1 5

If you can't tank with this lineup, who can you tank with?! Hahaha

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

No! How did this happen? It's a 5 point game now. This one is on me.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Rejoice!!! The Lakers are going to win this game!!!

 

[overseascardfan]

Wasn't BKY on a 2 game winning streak last week? But I believe their pick conveys to BOS...yeah?

 

[Ronin]

CBS Sports NBA‏ @CBSSportsNBA
NBA Draft: Kansas' Josh Jackson reportedly 'gaining traction' as potential No. 1 pick (link: http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-draft-kansas-josh-jackson-reportedly-gaining-traction-as-potential-no-1-pick/) cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-d…

 

[Sunburn]

On Tankathon and Lottery Mock Draft Generator, the 6'ers keep making out like bandits. As it stands right now, the Lakers have less than a 50% chance of keeping their pick. This draft would be so ridiculously exciting if we still had the Laker's pick.......sigh.