[EspressoParticipant]

 Can we have a specific discussion on this?

 

I havent kept up with cbb this year. 

 

DROP SOME KNOWLEDGE ON ME. i wanna hear it all!!!!

 

 

 

 

[MopgrassParticipant]

I assume the creator of this website gets bored from time to time and shuffles the guys at the top. Zion is the guy. 

[The GoatParticipant]

It’s only Zion at the top at the moment for most teams cos you’re not looking at just the player,  its all the media hype and fan expectation. Even if you need a PG, you love Ja and have number one, it’s probably better to still take Zion and trade down than pass altogether without picking up another asset – prime example being what the Hawks did with Luka and Trae.

If nothing changes between now and the draft, it’d probably have to be Phoenix or Orlando holding the top pick for Ja to be selected outright over Zion without a deal. I like him as a player though, could be anything. I also still have concerns on what Zion does if that explosive jump disappears via injury and generally if he doesn’t work as a 4. He’s awesome to watch though and he may just be incredible from day one even though I’ve regularly been bashing him as a cross between Rodney Rogers and Harold Miner.

[Arc12345Participant]

If you do that, you’ll end up exactly like the Hawks. Regretting your decision.

Take Zion.

  

[The GoatParticipant]

 Luka is incredible but I think Atlanta knew what they were doing and they seem happy with Trae. He’s playing regularly, he’s getting reps with other young guys and now the Hawks get another lottery pick too. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the Hawks did the exact same thing again if given the chance, even with hindsight.  

[HitsterParticipant]

 I think GOAT has hit the nail on the head, it is the team who drafts first biggest need which would determine who they take out of Zion, Ja and possibly RJ. Also whether they can fill that need just as easily via FA if they decide to go BPA and can fit him in without causing a backlog or hindering his or others development.

Phoenix need a PG but Zion fits naturally alongside Ayton so they could honestly take either.

Cleveland have Sexton so I’d figure they’d be Zion or RJ.

Knicks could make a case for any of the three so take BPA.

Chicago have a young backcourt and a young frontcourt so again it might be BPA.

Atlanta could go either way but Zion would seem more logical to me for them.

 

 

 

 

 

[HobbyOGParticipant]

 Zion number 1 and it’s not debatable..end of the day he’ll put people in the seats. Owners care about money before they care about all of the other stuff. 

[nigelnycParticipant]

Zion Williamson reminds me of Terrence Jones (2012 #18 pick).  I could be wrong but only time will tell.   

[OhCanada-Participant]

 I actually like that comparison, except hes better at everything 20 pounds bigger and way more explosive and athletic.

[nigelnycParticipant]

 Terrence Jones shot 33% from 3pt line during his college career.  Zion Williamson is shooting 29%.  

Terrence Jones shot 64% from free throw line, Zion Williamson is shooting 67%.  

Same height…Williamson, yes more explosive but those rim-shaking dunks are not happening against the curent crop of nba centers and power forwards. In addition there isn’t another PF in the ACC predicted to go in the first round so he is playing against watered down talent.  

I wouldn’t take him with my first pick.  

 

[HobbyOGParticipant]

 Zion on the ball defense is better then Jones. Jones looked very confused on D in college and worst in the NBA. Zion also stronger, can go to the hole anytime he wanted. Jones was and is slower then Zion..terrible comparsion. 

[nigelnycParticipant]

Not to interupt the original premise of the thread but Terrance Jones played with a defensive unit that included Anthony Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist. Jones led the team in rebounds 7 of their 40 games. He was active on the boards. They won the national championship losing only two games and one of those was by 1 point. If his defense wasn’t there in college he would have been on the bench instead of starting. By the way, he AVG. 19 points and 7 rebounds in the G league last year…not that shabby.  Maybe his attitude problem did not translate to Pros. I guess we will wait and see with Zion. I wouldn’t waste my #1 pick on an athletic guy who can’t shoot…all I am saying. 

   

[HobbyOGParticipant]

 Did you see him play at Kentucky after AD and all those Studs left??? His defense was terrible. 

[nigelnycParticipant]

 What are you talking about???  He was in the SAME Draft as Anthony Davis (#1) and Michael Kidd Gilchrist (#2) and was the starting power forward. Last year he played for the Golden State G-League team which could probably beat Duke by at least 20 if they played each other. 

[StephGoneStephParticipant]

 Zion is getting 22 and 9 while Jones got 12 and 7 as a freshman. Zion is also  getting way more assists blocks and steals. Neither players is much of a 3pt shooter as a freshman but Zion is shooting 68% (!) overall compared to 50 for Jones. 

 

It seems like you cherry picked the two stats where they are similar but everywhere else Zion blows Jones out of the water. There are some similarities in playing style, but not in college performance.

 

[nigelnycParticipant]

Duke (currently) and Kentucky (from that time) two teams built totally different. AD "only" averaged 14 and 10 as a freshman, I guess Zion is better than him as well.  They way your touting him I you must expect Zion to avg. 20 and 10 and starting day one!  I am thinking more like 10 and 6 if you are lucky.  Nothing wrong with a difference in opinion.  For every buyer of stock there is also a seller.  

[StephGoneStephParticipant]

I never made any claims about what Zion was going to do in the NBA. I just thought it was strange that you brought up two (slighly obscure) stats in which the two were similar to make your case while ignoring the stats in which Zion looks clearly superior.

[nigelnycParticipant]

 Well…to go back to the original thread…Zion great athlete can’t deny that.  IMO he is putting up great stats against inferior ACC talent this year as opposed to the ACC talent in past years.  I would not waste my number 1 pick on him OR Ja Morant. I would trade down. I am waiting to see how that 280 lb. frame gets back on defense and then back on offense in the current pace of the NBA and how long it holds up.  

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Trade down to where? And for who?

[nigelnycParticipant]

I don’t have a good answer right now.  Throughout history lot of guys shine when the lights get brighter (the tournament) and you can separate the elite talent from the average and mediocre. Some guys that killed it in the tournament and solidified their place in the draft that come to mind are Antonio McDyess, Dwayne Wade and Stephen Curry. 

 

 

[JordanC20Participant]

 Nobody except Zion or Barrett should be in consideration for #1..nuff said. 

[holefillers1Participant]

I would take Morant over Barrett.  Explosive two way guard over a volume shooter any day of the week.  I am still unsure if all of Zion’s skill set will translate to the NBA.  He isn’t taking any 3D wings off the dribble.  His ball handling is nice in transition but his half court offense is basically lobs and put back dunks outside of backing down his man in the post.  Zion has good vision but is not a great shooter.  Honestly I think his game will translate the way Draymond’s has.  He will get you 20pts through hustle plays but if you think he will be your number one option then you will be disappointed.  He may be able to improve his game as is the expectation of every prospect but I believe this is why he was mocked third to open the season.  My comp is now leaning toward a Draymond Green/Andre Igoudala.  This is based on impact of the game and not best case/worst case.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 I like to post wacky mock drafts as much as anybody, and my top 7 last year was — in order (I think) — Mitchell Robinson, Kostas Antetekounmpo, Donte Inferno, Collin Sexton, Mikal Bridges, Mo Bamba, and Kevin Huerter, but I think it is Zion at 1 and nobody is really close.  Not even a super-big RJ Barrett fan (what if he is closer to Tony Wrotten than Kobe?), and am really considering moving De’Andre Hunter up to 2.  

Ja is a guy I think COULD be boom/bust with a likely outcome being somewhere between J Will and Will Barton (if you take the BEST of both that is still a heck of a player and probably an all star), and he could go 2 — or he could go 7.  But, a lot of guys are like that.

Tre Jones is my other sleeper value pick in the lotto.  

I really like Mac McClung, too.  He gives me some DeJuan Wagner vibes but in a good way.  

The All-Volunteer Army of Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield looks good.  With Duke resembling a mash up of Liverpool’s Fab Four and the Jordan/Pippen/Rodman/Kukoc Bulls, a UT Knoxville team featuring a Bernard King/Adrian Dantley tribute band does something for me.  King went to UT, and the Admiral is doing an admirable job as an impersonator.  Yep, Grant Williams is a sneaky cover-band-worthy version of Adrian Dantley.

I have no idea what to do with Reddish/Little.  Or, Culver/Romeo Langford for that matter.  "Trendy" bigs like Brandon Clarke and Jaxon Hayes are volatile stocks on my internal big boards, too.

If my job is on the line and I wind up in 2 in this draft?  I think I trade down, take a couple of "sure things" or at least 2 guys with high floors in De’Andre Hunter and Tre Jones and I ask for future picks/cash, too.

Some of the lottery might depend on where the Hawks pick winds up as well as the Mavs pick — Hunter would be a good "high floor" small forward for them, then they should look into taking a big man with the other pick.  So, I am guessing that would be either Jaxson Hayes or Bol Bol.  

Depending on who is picking at 2, either RJ or Ja SHOULD probably end up in those spots in some order with things starting to get REALLY interesting starting at 4.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[holefillers1Participant]

This draft reminds me of 2010. John Wall was the consensus top pick but you look at picks five, nine and ten to find studs in Cousins, Hayward and PG-13.   

[HobbyOGParticipant]

 I don’t think this draft is that deep compared to 2010. 

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