thedoper wrote:Draft picks should all be about talent. If Tatum falls he is that guy. Otherwise we take Monk or DSJ. Positional fit and intanglibles pale in comparison to talent in my mind when drafting a player. You sign hustle/glue guys. You draft the guy who has the most talent who can be a star. The great thing about this draft is there may be multiple players who could end up having a big impact.
I totally agree draft picks should all be about talent. But there are key talents other than iso scoring that every team needs. For my money, getting the best, most versatile defender, the best 3 point shooter, and the best shot intimidator are equally valuable to the best scorer. This is why I'd put Monk or
possibly even Markkanen into the conversation for the 7 pick as the best 3 point shooters, that's why I'd consider trading down for Anunoby as the best, most versatile defender, and that's why I was kind of interested in Jeanne as a shot-blocker before the unfortunate diagnosis, and why Anigbogu and Zach Collins interest me a bit for the same reason. All three of those are crucial skills in the NBA, and they've become even more important in recent years, even as isolation and mid-range play has shrunk in importance.
Guys like Markkanen, Anunoby, Anigbogu, and Collins are definitely less likely to get voted to an All-Star game than Tatum (I do think Monk could potentially become an All Star), but I feel like the impact they could have could be as valuable as Tatum's, or even more valuable on a team like ours (with the exception of Makkanen though, who I think is going to get destroyed defensively, so he needs to end up on a great defensive team, which isn't us). Given our roster's makeup with LaVine, Wiggins and Towns already, I feel like we need versatile defense, 3 point shooting, and shot intimidation more than iso scoring, so I can see seriously considering getting the guy who can do one of those the best over the best scorer. I'm not saying draft for fit over talent. I'm saying defense, 3 point shooting, and shot-blocking are ALSO talents. And if somebody is as good at defense, as good at 3 point shooting, or as good at shot-blocking as Tatum is at iso scoring, then I'd consider them even.
It's kind of my hope, assuming Jackson is gone at 7 and Anunoby keeps dropping far enough on big boards, that we could trade down and get Anunoby plus a first rounder next year to make up for the loss of next year's pick!
In terms of drafting scorers and signing free agents to do the rest, I'm not sure it's that easy to sign guys who are very good in those three areas, especially these days. Likewise, scorers like Carmelo and Rudy Gay earned reputations over the years for not helping their teams despite their scoring, and the league is starting to recognize this. Today, very good scorers like Okafor and Kanter are almost definitely available because they don't help in other ways, and guys who used to be dismissed as role players are being recognized for the importance of their contributions.
Now that I've laid out the case for not automatically taking him if he's there at 7, watch Tatum become the next Paul Pierce or Paul George!
