2018 NBA Draft

[Magnum_3_Ball]

We were talking about Trae Young the other day. I heard someone on one of the Ringer podcasts say that Trae Young is a gamble in this draft because either the things he does in college he'll be able to do in the NBA, or those things won't work in the NBA & he won't make it. His co-host said he could see some middle ground in his range of outcomes were Trae Young is deep on the bench & comes in once every 15 games or so & lights it up. Fwiw, I remember these same things being said about Steph Curry, in particular the deep bench & lighting it up once every blue moon comment.

I think there's a lot of truth to this, though. Someone on here asked me why would I gamble on Trae Young if I'm the Mavs and all my other Tier 1 players are gone when I pick but Trae is still there. Because Trae's ceiling is what he's doing in college does work in the NBA & he's a megastar. If he's a megastar, I don't care about fit.

On the other hand, I won't be surprised if Trae Young never sees his 2nd NBA contract.

[tap2390]

Originally Posted by Magnum_3_Ball

We were talking about Trae Young the other day. I heard someone on one of the Ringer podcasts say that Trae Young is a gamble in this draft because either the things he does in college he'll be able to do in the NBA, or those things won't work in the NBA & he won't make it. His co-host said he could see some middle ground in his range of outcomes were Trae Young is deep on the bench & comes in once every 15 games or so & lights it up. Fwiw, I remember these same things being said about Steph Curry, in particular the deep bench & lighting it up once every blue moon comment.

I think there's a lot of truth to this, though. Someone on here asked me why would I gamble on Trae Young if I'm the Mavs and all my other Tier 1 players are gone when I pick but Trae is still there. Because Trae's ceiling is what he's doing in college does work in the NBA & he's a megastar. If he's a megastar, I don't care about fit.

On the other hand, I won't be surprised if Trae Young never sees his 2nd NBA contract.

IMO I would take Mikal Bridges or Gary Trent Jr. over Young. Young’s game just doesn’t translate to the next level. He’s absolutely abysmal on defense. His recent inefficient offense gets a pass because OU doesn’t have anyone else who can create offense, but if he’s struggling against college defenders keying on him, how will he hold up against NBA guys? He will be physically outmatched every game. He’s shot above 40% just 5 of 13 games during the New Year. I think it’s pretty clear he’s going to go the way of Trey Burke and Jonny Flynn.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Originally Posted by tap2390

IMO I would take Mikal Bridges or Gary Trent Jr. over Young. Young’s game just doesn’t translate to the next level. He’s absolutely abysmal on defense. His recent inefficient offense gets a pass because OU doesn’t have anyone else who can create offense, but if he’s struggling against college defenders keying on him, how will he hold up against NBA guys? He will be physically outmatched every game. He’s shot above 40% just 5 of 13 games during the New Year. I think it’s pretty clear he’s going to go the way of Trey Burke and Jonny Flynn.

He's a guy you could look back 5 years from now & say he shouldn't of been drafted in the 1st round, when compared to the other players taken. Or, he could be a guy, like Steph, who you look back and say "How was he not the 1st player taken?" I don't think any of the other top tier players have that wide a range of outcomes.

I can see even lower ranked players than Mikal Bridges and Gary Trent Jr who I could conceivably make a case for taking over Young. That said, his defense isn't a factor for me. He's not been a great college defender this year, and I agree with the guy from the Ringer his NBA future will hinge on whether you believe he can do the same things he's doing right now in college at the NBA level. Since he's not a good defender now in college, it's a moot point.

I don't know. I was pretty high on Trae Young, but that comment by the guy on the Ringer podcast is making me think.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Been wondering this for awhile now. There's been some blowback here to my Sam Hinkie-like tank at all costs stance.

Whoever your top guy is in this draft, imagine him reaching his ceiling in his NBA career. Keeping that in mind, how far would you be willing to go if you were in charge to ensure the Mavs lost enough games down the stretch to secure your top draft prospect?

For me I would do anything. Literally anything. I don't think very many people here would go that far. Even with me not knowing that my top draft targets will reach their ceiling, I'd do almost anything. I think the only thing I wouldn't do is bench Dirk to keep him from reaching milestones. Short of that I'd do anything else.

[Bryan_Wilson]

Originally Posted by Magnum_3_Ball

Been wondering this for awhile now. There's been some blowback here to my Sam Hinkie-like tank at all costs stance.

Whoever your top guy is in this draft, imagine him reaching his ceiling in his NBA career. Keeping that in mind, how far would you be willing to go if you were in charge to ensure the Mavs lost enough games down the stretch to secure your top draft prospect?

For me I would do anything. Literally anything. I don't think very many people here would go that far. Even with me not knowing that my top draft targets will reach their ceiling, I'd do almost anything. I think the only thing I wouldn't do is bench Dirk to keep him from reaching milestones. Short of that I'd do anything else.

Honestly if they just limit JJ's mins to 15-18 mins I'm positive everything resolves itself. He played 30mins against Sac for no reason at all. He was a +8 in a 5 point loss. He constantly plays 22-26mins and he's almost always at or near our top in +-. If they limited JJ nothing more would need to be done. I wish they would also limit Barnes and Wes to 28 or less but that's not going to happen. But Wes and Barnes are also almost always among our lowest in +-. I'm not the biggest +- fan but for the most part their impacts are just as much a negative towards a win. Barnes can impact more than Wes imo, so I would love to see him get 28 or less mins but it's mainly JJ who needs to stop playing so much.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

Honestly if they just limit JJ's mins to 15-18 mins I'm positive everything resolves itself. He played 30mins against Sac for no reason at all. He was a +8 in a 5 point loss. He constantly plays 22-26mins and he's almost always at or near our top in +-. If they limited JJ nothing more would need to be done. I wish they would also limit Barnes and Wes to 28 or less but that's not going to happen. But Wes and Barnes are also almost always among our lowest in +-. I'm not the biggest +- fan but for the most part their impacts are just as much a negative towards a win. Barnes can impact more than Wes imo, so I would love to see him get 28 or less mins but it's mainly JJ who needs to stop playing so much.

I agree. I'm trying to see how far fans will go tho.

Whoever is at the top of your wishlist for the Mavs draft pick this year, imagine they become a league MVP. They reach their ceiling.

Would you be willing to bench JJ Barea for the rest of the season if it meant the Mavs are able to draft your future league MVP? If you say no, then the Mavs win too many games & drop down in the draft order, unable to draft the future league MVP.

What if it meant the Mavs had to sit Harrison Barnes for the rest of the season. Would you go that far also?

[Magnum_3_Ball]

I heard ppl talking about Isaac Bonga on other forums before, but I never realized he's a PG. Didn't realize he's grown to 6-10, either.

Kid plays professional basketball in the German league & he's Jaren Jackson's age, barely 18 yrs old by 3 months. He's a high risk, fairly high reward player who's being mocked in the early 2nd round. If a player like Chandler Hutchinson, Keita Bates-Diop, Troy Brown or another player in that ilk doesn't fall to us with our early 2nd round pick, then I really like taking this kid. And by most updated mocks that I'm seeing those guys, along with others who have been mentioned, are off the board by the early 2nd already. Bonga comes with so much risk that he's been holding steady in the early 2nd.

[hayth.james.g]

For whatever reason, I am having a hard time getting excited about Jaren Jackson Jr. Quite a few people I follow and respect are high on him, but when I watch his tape I struggle to buy in.

Do we believe he is a lock in for All NBA/Superstar?

I see it with Ayton and Dnocic. Even with Bagley I see it because his offensive game has that kind of potential. What am I missing here...

Edit: I should add in I would be excited to get him in the 5-7 range. But right now he is trending in the top 3.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Originally Posted by hayth.james.g

For whatever reason, I am having a hard time getting excited about Jaren Jackson Jr. Quite a few people I follow and respect are high on him, but when I watch his tape I struggle to buy in.

Do we believe he is a lock in for All NBA/Superstar?

I see it with Ayton and Dnocic. Even with Bagley I see it because his offensive game has that kind of potential. What am I missing here...

Edit: I should add in I would be excited to get him in the 5-7 range. But right now he is trending in the top 3.

I'm super high on Jaren Jackson Jr. To be honest, I'm getting to the point where I secretly hope he's the Mavs' pick; even though, I know Doncic & Ayton's ceilings are so incredibly high. I think Jaren Jackson Jr's floor is the highest of any player in the draft. I would say that he is a lock for All-NBA defensive team at some point in his career, barring injury.

However, I can see why someone would have trouble seeing him as a top 3 pick.

#1 - I think he's in the Kawhi Leonard mold of "NBA superstar" in that A) he's a two-way player & good defense is harder to recognize than good offense. A lot of times you only realize or better said appreciate how good a player is defensively until you have to go without that player & watch someone play defense in his place. But, if you look closely, you'll see defensive plays that stand out. I remember watching him vs Maryland. Terrapins were making a late push in that game, and JJJ made an incredible weakside block at the rim to protect a 2 possession lead with under a minute to go in the game. And B) He's not flashy. I've watched JJJ play the 2nd half vs Maryland, the whole game vs Indiana, and the 1st half vs Purdue, plus his highlight packages on Youtube. The only play I've ever seen from him on the offensive end that took my breath away was a put back dunk vs Minnesota. But that doesn't mean he hasn't impressed me offensively. I can tell his dad, a former NBA player, or somebody has been working with that kid because he's almost always in the right place on offense & he makes good decisions with the ball. He doesn't force shots, he stays within himself. That type of thing doesn't leap off the screen at you like a Doncic behind-the-back pass does, but it's just as impressive for a kid his age.

#2 - His age. He's one of the youngest players in this class, so people are projecting his value based on that sliding scale, which doesn't show up on the screen, necessarily, when you watch him play. There's even some thought that he might continue to grow from his listed height of 6-10/6-11 (depending on where you look) to 7-0/7-1, which again is project-able value that you can't see on the screen right now.

#3 - His game translates perfectly to the modern NBA. Players like Trae Young, Marvin Bagley III, Mo Bamba, and especially players further down the rankings their success is going to be influenced by what situation/what team they go to. A big part of Jaren Jackson Jr's appeal is that he, like Mikal Bridges, will be successful on any team you put him on. Every team can use elite defenders who also are consistent shooters with NBA 3 point range. JJJ in particular has the perfect combination of size, length, and agility to really guard all 5 positions. There's no player like him in this year's draft or really any draft that I can remember. Maybe KG was like that. He's over-aggressive & gets into too much foul trouble, but again because of his age I think scouts are cutting him some slack on that figuring he'll learn & cut down on those mistakes.


Edit: I think another big reason why some are having trouble seeing JJJ as a top 3 pick is he isn't putting up eye-popping stats. He's not the #1 option on MSU's offense. He's not #2 or #3 either really, and because of his aggressive play, he's gotten 4 or more fouls in 15 of the 29 games he's played. He's been limited to 22 min per game. So, while he's had some eye-popping #s at times, like his 6 first half blocks vs Indiana or the 27 pt 6 reb 5 treys 3 blks game vs Minnesota, he doesn't consistently produce a line in the box score that grabs your attention the way Trae Young or Marvin Bagley do. But, if you take his averages to per 36 min, then they're very eye-popping: 18.8 ppg 9.6 rpg 2.1 apg 2.0 treys (on 43.8% shooting) 5.4 bpg 1.1 spg 3.1 TOs

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Magnum_3_Ball

I'm super high on Jaren Jackson Jr. To be honest, I'm getting to the point where I secretly hope he's the Mavs' pick; even though, I know Doncic & Ayton's ceilings are so incredibly high. I think Jaren Jackson Jr's floor is the highest of any player in the draft. I would say that he is a lock for All-NBA defensive team at some point in his career, barring injury.

I agree with all of this post, really think JJJ could be an excellent fit here.

Here's who I want most on the Mavs (players like Trae Young omitted because I just don't think he fits):

DeAndre Ayton
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Michael Porter (if 100%, otherwise remove him completely from the list)
Luka Doncic
Marvin Bagley
Mo Bamba
Mikal Bridges

That's it, anybody else and I riot.

[tap2390]

Originally Posted by Underdog

I agree with all of this post, really think JJJ could be an excellent fit here.

Here's who I want most on the Mavs (players like Trae Young omitted because I just don't think he fits):

DeAndre Ayton
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Michael Porter (if 100%, otherwise remove him completely from the list)
Luka Doncic
Marvin Bagley
Mo Bamba
Mikal Bridges

That's it, anybody else and I riot.

This is pretty much my list verbatim, however depending on how Porter Jr., looks I'd consider him at #1.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

I saw a mock with Trae Young going to Orlando, and it made me think of an extra element to his value.

I think people forget that before Steph Curry was drafted by Golden State they were no more desirable a destination for free agents than any other bottom feeder. Several fortuitous events occurred to help the Warriors become what they are today, but it all started with Steph.

I could actually see the same thing happening with Trae in a place like Orlando. The weather is nice. You're a big deal in that city. You're close to Miami. Close to Atlanta. In 5 years time, it could be a very light conference just Celts, Sixers & Bucks to contend with.

Not saying all of this is likely or anything, but it's fair to include it in Trae's upside. Does drafting Mo Bamba bring that type of excitement to a franchise that a player like Kevin Durant leaves as a free agent to sign with Mo Bamba's team? Marvin Bagley? I don't think so. The only guy I can see having that kind of impact is Luka Doncic.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Just heard Daryl Morey say something interesting on Bill Simmons' podcast. He said in recruiting free agents it's #1, #2, and #3 who is the star player they're going to play with? Then #4 he said players are getting smarter & realizing the Western Conference has been better than the East for so long because the West has better owners, so #4 is who is the owner. #5 is the organization and #6 is the coach.

So, which players in this draft do you guys think will be the most attractive to other FAs to come to Dallas and play with in 4-5 years?

Because for me I like a guy like Jaren Jackson Jr the most (I think) at this point, but I don't know if guys get will get super psyched to come play with him. That probably falls more towards players like Doncic & Trae Young, maybe even Ayton. But, I don't know. What do you guys think?

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Magnum_3_Ball

Just heard Daryl Morey say something interesting on Bill Simmons' podcast. He said in recruiting free agents it's #1, #2, and #3 who is the star player they're going to play with? Then #4 he said players are getting smarter & realizing the Western Conference has been better than the East for so long because the West has better owners, so #4 is who is the owner. #5 is the organization and #6 is the coach.

So, which players in this draft do you guys think will be the most attractive to other FAs to come to Dallas and play with in 4-5 years?

Because for me I like a guy like Jaren Jackson Jr the most (I think) at this point, but I don't know if guys get will get super psyched to come play with him. That probably falls more towards players like Doncic & Trae Young, maybe even Ayton. But, I don't know. What do you guys think?

I think guys will be psyched to play with Dennis, so I'm not too concerned about the hype factor with Jaren Jackson Jr. -- I'm perfectly fine with JJJ being Draymond to DSJ's Curry... Although I do think Ayton is going to bring that hype. Still not sure about Doncic, it really depends on how his game translates to the NBA -- I could see him being in the same ballpark as Bagley, hype-wise.

Still think Porter's game probably tops the hype list if he's 100% -- dude is exactly the type of player everyone wants to team up with.

[tap2390]

Trae Young with another sub-40% shooting night (3/13, 1/6 from three) for 11 points, 9 assists, 5 turnovers. The more I watch him play the more I’m convinced he’s closer to Barea than Curry.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by tap2390

Trae Young with another sub-40% shooting night (3/13, 1/6 from three) for 11 points, 9 assists, 5 turnovers. The more I watch him play the more I’m convinced he’s closer to Barea than Curry.

Still think he could be real good. When open he shoots a crazy percentage and opposing teams have basically decided to four-man zone with one man assigned just to Young or throw double teams at Young even when it means leaving teammates open. Young is on a team with basically no other talent. I think if Steph Curry were on that team, he may perform similarly or perhaps even worse. At least Young seems slightly more advanced at his ability to run an offense.

I don't want him on the Mavs, but I think a lot of his decline has more to do with the fact that teams have realized that they can play him 5-on-1, because he's the only real threat on that team. Give him a three point shooter or two and someone who can get open for the lob and I still think he could be putting up 28-14

[Magnum_3_Ball]

It's also fair to point out Curry was a Junior by the time he came to light at Davidson. Trae Young was like a month into his freshman season when he started getting the coaches stay up all night for a week trying to figure out how to stop him.

Young's performance of late is concerning for sure, but some context is also needed.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Wendell Carter seems like the perfect Rick guy, but his ceiling doesn't look as high as Jackson or Ayton. I migggght pick him over Bagley as the draft nears, but that would be a tough call. I'm actually on the fence with all three of Bamba, Carter, and Bagley right now. I'd take Jackson over them, but otherwise, tough choices when it comes to lottery big men.

I still think Bamba has Mutumbo-type of defensive potential which could be elite in and of itself. Mavs sooooo desperately need defense and rebounding that it's hard to ignore this.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Wendell Carter seems like the perfect Rick guy, but his ceiling doesn't look as high as Jackson or Ayton. I migggght pick him over Bagley as the draft nears, but that would be a tough call. I'm actually on the fence with all three of Bamba, Carter, and Bagley right now. I'd take Jackson over them, but otherwise, tough choices when it comes to lottery big men.

I'm just not seeing it with Wendell Carter -- I'd rather have either of the Bridges... Sell me on him, what am I not seeing here?

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by Underdog

I'm just not seeing it with Wendell Carter -- I'd rather have either of the Bridges... Sell me on him, what am I not seeing here?

Well that's the thing, I mean, there is really nothing overly special about him. He seems like a high fundamental type of guy whose potential might give you a solid 15//10/1.5 every night. I kinda see him as this year's John Collins with better defense and more range. Also a halfway decent passer. Solid, skilled, not sexy. Not seeing superstar potential, but that doesn't mean he can't be a really good pick.

And you know, if the Mavs fall lets say to 5-7 in the draft, then I definitely think it's worth considering him.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Well that's the thing, I mean, there is really nothing overly special about him. He seems like a high fundamental type of guy whose potential might give you a solid 15//10/1.5 every night. I kinda see him as this year's John Collins with better defense and more range. Also a halfway decent passer. Solid, skilled, not sexy. Not seeing superstar potential, but that doesn't mean he can't be a really good pick.

And you know, if the Mavs fall lets say to 5-7 in the draft, then I definitely think it's worth considering him.

Carter is all floor and no ceiling; a jack of all trades, but master of none. I see a similar floor with Bamba/Mikal/Miles, but they actually have the potential to be elite in certain facets of the game... I definitely wouldn't draft him in the 5-7 range, not considering the talent on the board:

1) DeAndre Ayton
2) Jaren Jackson
3) Michael Porter
4) Luka Doncic
5) Marvin Bagley
6) Mo Bamba
7) Mikal Bridges
8) Trae Young
9) Miles Bridges

Maybe #10, but if the Mavs pick this far down, then something will have gone horribly wrong with the rest of the season.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Going back to the topic of guys who would help recruit FAs down the line.

I watched this video awhile back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlcYYcOKtjM

It's a video of McDonald's All Americans from last year (Ayton, Porter Jr, Bamba, Trae Young, etc), and you see a lot of their personalities. It's 40 min long, and a lot of it is guys just horsing around, having fun, with a "behind the scenes" feel to it.

Billy Preston really stands out as a guy who all the other players seem to like. He's actually someone I've had my eye since I first saw this like 6 weeks ago. He's now played in a few games overseas, and even though he never played in a game at Kansas, he did go through practices & he credits Bill Self with helping him grow as a player. I also think he showed a tremendous amount of maturity being a good teammate & cheering on the guys even though he was severely disappointed he couldn't play & the NCAA was dragging their feet to make a decision.

Plus, he's very talented. He's a guy I would look at with our first pick early in the 2nd round, and would pray is still there with the Portland pick late in the 2nd. I could see him falling out of the draft & going undrafted, and I could also see him coming into the draft combine & turning heads, pushing himself back into the 1st round.

[Underdog]

Holy crap, these Jaren Jackson Jr. highlights from the first half...

Defense: https://twitter.com/MavsHighlights/s...09824785272832
Offense: https://twitter.com/MavsHighlights/s...10485874700290

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Holy crap, these Jaren Jackson Jr. highlights from the first half...

Defense: https://twitter.com/MavsHighlights/s...09824785272832
Offense: https://twitter.com/MavsHighlights/s...10485874700290

I really don't think it's insane to think that he might go number 1. 2 is a lock at this point.

[hayth.james.g]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Holy crap, these Jaren Jackson Jr. highlights from the first half...

Defense: https://twitter.com/MavsHighlights/s...09824785272832
Offense: https://twitter.com/MavsHighlights/s...10485874700290

8 points, 5 blocks, 4 rebounds, 4 fouls in 18 minutes.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by hayth.james.g

8 points, 5 blocks, 4 rebounds, 4 fouls in 18 minutes.

Yeah, the fouls are concerning, but that's something that should improve with age/experience... 5 blocks in 18 minutes though! Speaking of which, I found this interesting stat today:

Bamba: 815 minutes, 106 blocks
Jackson: 660 minutes, 100 blocks

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Originally Posted by hayth.james.g

8 points, 5 blocks, 4 rebounds, 4 fouls in 18 minutes.

I don't think you're going to find JJJ's value on a stat line.

Originally Posted by Underdog

Yeah, the fouls are concerning, but that's something that should improve with age/experience... 5 blocks in 18 minutes though! Speaking of which, I found this interesting stat today:

Bamba: 815 minutes, 106 blocks
Jackson: 660 minutes, 100 blocks

Furthering your point on his fouls...

I'd have to watch more Michigan State basketball to be sure of this, but the Spartans have lost 3 games all year. It's not like his fouls are costing them wins. What I mean by that is I don't know that the coaching staff is really telling him to slow down on the fouls. Maybe they don't mind his aggressive play, or at least they're not making as great an effort to coach him up in this respect as his future NBA team will.

Bottom line, as with any of these top prospects, he has some things to work on & there's no guarantee that JJJ or any of them will be successful overcoming these problems, so you just know that going in.

You have to look at the raw talent and the skills. JJJ 43.8% from 3 and 79% FTs this year, plus his block rate per min is the highest in the country & he excels in PnR defense, plus he handles perimeter defense as a 6-11 big. There's no other player in this draft who can say all of that.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Well and generally players that go for blocks tend to be more prone to fouls.

That's why I'm impressed by Bamba. He averages 4.1 blocks a game and yet 2.6 pfs. And he plays high minutes so that number is almost incredible.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Bamba for sure is impressive as a blocks machine. His wingspan alone is jaw dropping, and he really knows how to use his wingspan, his timing, ambidexterity, it's all very impressive. I just don't think Bamba has any other parts of his game that are near as impressive. The rest of his game all hinges on potential.

[hayth.james.g]

Originally Posted by Magnum_3_Ball

Bamba for sure is impressive as a blocks machine. His wingspan alone is jaw dropping, and he really knows how to use his wingspan, his timing, ambidexterity, it's all very impressive. I just don't think Bamba has any other parts of his game that are near as impressive. The rest of his game all hinges on potential.

Averaging 18 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks per game over the last 8 games is not purely potential. Especially if you take in consideration how much growth we have seen in his game over the course of a year.

Also keep in mind who he is surrounded with compared to JJJ at Michigan State.

I've already stated that I am not fully on board the JJJ train. Right now I would be good with him at 4-7. I do understand the well made point that he has an under stated game that will A. Translate well to the NBA and B. Fit well on the Mavs roster. I just believe he is benefiting greatly from a fantastic situation which allows him to put up great efficiency numbers that we tend to fall in love with.

I want to point out that it's not like I don't like the guy... I just don't see him ahead of Ayton, Doncic, or Porter. I consider Bagley, Bamba, and him to be the next tier with it being a toss up between Bamba and him. And I have something in the back of my head telling me that Bagley is going to reenter the conversation come the end of March as a top 3 prospect.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Originally Posted by hayth.james.g

Averaging 18 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks per game over the last 8 games is not purely potential. Especially if you take in consideration how much growth we have seen in his game over the course of a year.

Also keep in mind who he is surrounded with compared to JJJ at Michigan State.

I've already stated that I am not fully on board the JJJ train. Right now I would be good with him at 4-7. I do understand the well made point that he has an under stated game that will A. Translate well to the NBA and B. Fit well on the Mavs roster. I just believe he is benefiting greatly from a fantastic situation which allows him to put up great efficiency numbers that we tend to fall in love with.

I want to point out that it's not like I don't like the guy... I just don't see him ahead of Ayton, Doncic, or Porter. I consider Bagley, Bamba, and him to be the next tier with it being a toss up between Bamba and him. And I have something in the back of my head telling me that Bagley is going to reenter the conversation come the end of March as a top 3 prospect.

I guess we all have the guys we like more than others. JJJ's teammates are maybe more accomplished, but Texas has serious talent on its roster. Kerwin Roach is a projected 2nd round draft pick. Matt Coleman was a top 35 player in the country last year. Jericho Sims was a top 70 player. For the first half of the year he played with Jones who was a late 1st round projected pick in some mocks.

When I look at Bamba compared to JJJ, it's not just stats. I've seen Bamba take plays off. I haven't seen JJJ do that. JJJ defends the pick n roll and the perimeter far better than Bamba, it's not even close. That doesn't show up in the box score, other than 2 pts for the opponent. And one of the best things I've read about Bamba to describe his game is he avoids contact & relies on his height & reach to grab rebounds over opponents. He's not a guy who plants his rear on somebody every time a shot goes up & boxs out. Sometimes he's going all out & like I said sometimes he takes plays off.

I get being apprehensive about JJJ. He's got a lot to prove still too, but I just like what he's showing me so far better.

As far as Bagley having a March Madness that bumps up his draft stock, Kemba Walker is the only player I can ever remember where it's worked out for a player whose draft stock was bumped up based on late tournament runs. Not saying you're wrong about that, but if I'm the Mavs I steer clear.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Jay Bilas just released a primer March Madness article on espn.com. He listed the following players as under-publicized players who have impressed him this season:

Mike Daum, South Dakota State
Fletcher Magee, Wofford
Tony Carr, Penn State
Jaylen Adams, St. Bonaventure
Peyton Aldridge, Davidson
Justin Robinson, Virginia Tech
Mo Wagner, Michigan
Aaron Holiday, UCLA
Gary Clark, Cincinnati
Omer Yurtseven, NC State
Ray Spalding, Louisville

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Texas just dropped an important game to K State tonight. They're 1-4 in their last 5, and finish out the season vs Ok State, @ Kansas, and vs West Virginia. Very little chance they win the Big 12 tournament for the automatic bid.

If they're bounced early in the Big 12 tourney, and/or finish the season 0-3, they may not even make the NIT. We might only have 4 more games left to evaluate Mo Bamba. Draft Express currently has him ranked #3 overall, but I feel like if he finishes the season like this he'll be out of sight, out of mind & could really fall in the draft to 7th, 8th or somewhere in that range.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Originally Posted by Magnum_3_Ball

This was about Kendall Stephens, 6-7 Senior SG from Nevada. Kid can flat out shoot the rock. Was the ESPN100 65th ranked player coming out of high school. Signed with Purdue & transferred to Nevada after his Junior year.

Really doesn't do anything else. He's not a guy that would get drafted. He's literally just a 3 point shooter. I even saw him on one screen running the baseline where he was completely wide open underneath the basket, but he was in autopilot mode & just kept on running to the corner. A few minutes later the exact same thing happened, a teammate saw him & made the pass, Stephens was still on autopilot mode & the pass sailed out of bounds. So, he doesn't even seem all that aware of situational offense.

That said, he has incredible range. He was 4/4 on 3s in the first half & 3 of them were 4-5 feet behind the NBA 3-point line. He has no fear. He just catches & shoots. The announcers said his coach, Eric Musselman (former Warriors & Kings coach), said he doesn't just have the green light, he has the neon green light to shoot.

I definitely would be in favor of extending him an invite to summer camp & seeing how he can develop. I'm pretty sure the kid isn't an NBA player because he's very lanky & not exceptionally athletic. But, I'm also positive he's going to be playing professional basketball somewhere overseas. That kind of range, quick release, no fear/hesitation, and size. Legit shooter.

Originally Posted by Magnum_3_Ball

nbadraft.net just made Kendall Stephens their last player taken in their latest mock draft update.

Feeling like I have an eye for talent or something over here. Lol.

Kendall Stephens tonight: 30 pts 9/16 FGs 7/16 treys 5/5 FTs 3 rebs 1 asst 2 stls 2 blks 1 TO

Granted it was vs San Jose State (3-23 on the season), but 7 treys. Stephens has hit 3 or more treys in 23 games this season. He's only played in 29 games, and of the 6 games he didn't hit 3 or more treys, he played less than 20 min in all 6 of them & didn't even attempt three 3pt FGs in 2 of them. He averages 3.5 treys per game & is shooting 45.3% from 3. He also is fearless, shoots from deep behind the NBA 3 point line even, and in the games I've seen, a lot of his makes are like Steph they're so true they barely move the net.

[Underdog]

This is excellent news and hopefully gives us enough time to evaluate him before the draft...

@JonRothstein: Missouri freshman Michael Porter Jr. has been fully cleared for all basketball activities, per a source.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

I could totally be wrong about Michael Porter Jr, and he could wind up being Kevin Durant 2.0, and I mean you never know there's always advancements in medical science. 15 years ago a torn ACL meant you wouldn't come back the same player again. Now it doesn't mean that at all.

But, I'm hoping Porter Jr doesn't play well & is pushed down out of the top 10 where the Mavs don't even have to consider him. That doesn't even have to happen via a re-injury. Some people questioned his handles before the injury & others questioned his strength. I think the handles thing is going to be way more likely to push him down the draft board, so I hope he looks like he doesn't belong out there.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

The Bulls are sitting Robin Lopez now. They're a team, though, who I think can actually be better if they sit some of their vets; at least on some nights. If I'm the Bulls, I wanna see how well Markkanen & Portis play together. Their lack of a gifted PG (unless you consider Kris Dunn that) hurts them, but they may experiment with LaVine at the point some, kinda like PHX wants to do with Booker. See if he can become a Harden-like presence.

Heck, if I were them, I'd fool around & see if Portis can play any 3, defend opposing 2s & 3s... I'd flip Markkanen to 3 & to the 5, mix it up & use this time to see what the young guys can do.

But if you put a healthy LaVine out there with Markkanen & Portis, you have a team that can fool around some nights & win a few games.

It's sad, but outside of DSJ, the Mavs really don't have any young guys to experiment with like this. Not with the talent of the 3 Bulls players. Which is why this upcoming draft is so make or break for us.

[Underdog]

@JonRothstein:Arizona's Allonzo Trier has been declared ineligible by the NCAA, per release. Trier tested positive for a banned substance in January. Arizona will appeal.


Wow, huge blow to Arizona... Trier looked like a second round possibility for us. Oh well, more touches for Ayton I guess.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Finally some good news concerning the Nets. DeAngelo Russell is back in the starting lineup. He played better in his last 3 games before the break. I seriously hope this means he's going to start approaching the 21 ppg scorer he was earlier in the year. We NEED the Nets to win a couple games & fly past us in the standings.

[Magnum_3_Ball]

Originally Posted by Underdog

@JonRothstein:Arizona's Allonzo Trier has been declared ineligible by the NCAA, per release. Trier tested positive for a banned substance in January. Arizona will appeal.


Wow, huge blow to Arizona... Trier looked like a second round possibility for us. Oh well, more touches for Ayton I guess.

Man, that is a big blow for Arizona. The Wildcats offense essentially ran through Trier. I hope Miller is smart enough to give Ayton more touches. I have a feeling this is going to tell us more about Rawle Alkins than anybody, though.