The Real 2019 NBA Draft Thread

[thedoper]

I guess us and Milwaukee are the only teams in the NBA that wouldn't trade our top player for Zion then. How would we be any different with Zion if our top dog was a suspect defender? Even though most of the Zion performance points to a potentially game changing defender. This is kind of a mute topic I suppose because no way any team gets rid of Zion and the reality is that we're landing the top pick this year anyway. Go Wolves.

[Monster]

I finally watched this video breakdown of Zion that a former NBA video coordinator did. I do think there are some things to iron out BUT I also recognize the guy is what 19? Giannis once looked like a clueless talented disaster. I'd expect Zion to improve his game. I think some of his current skills especially ball handling and shooting get overrated at times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayPffzELdlQ

Would I trade Towns straight up for Zion? (Not much to talk about so why not...) One thing that could make it even easier to say sure why not is if Towns makes all NBA and then if this is a straight 1 for 1 deal suddenly you have what around 20 million extra to spend under the luxury tax for a couple years? On the other hand what if Zion isn't really a very good 3 point shooter? That could make him much less dynamic. FWIW Sam Mitchell RAVED about Zion as a person on Wolfson's podcast. I wonder what a fantasy basketball person would do if there was a Zion for Town deal on the table. Sometimes it's interesting to look at things through that lens.

Hopefully we find a nice player in the draft and build around Towns. It really feels like we might actually have something legit as an organization right now. Fingers crossed.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Shooting is the most important skill in the modern era of basketball and there is no chance Minnesota would trade arguably the best shooting big man of all-time for a flashy, big upside, 280-pound NBA unknown. I like Zion as much as anyone, really, but the matchup problems Towns creates are more problematic for defenses than what Zion brings. Zion will be an All-Star player one day, but Towns' ability to shoot (and make) from anywhere on the floor makes me believe his upside is still higher.

[Porckchop]

Individual defense is a bit overrated in my eyes. To have all the tools to defend is ultimately diminished if the rest of the moving parts aren't doing their jobs. How do you guard your guy well when the rest of the defense is breaking down? Would Jordan or Pippen have been near the defenders they were had they not trusted the other guys to pull their weight? Durant wasn't considered a defensive guy until he joined up with a team that collectively played good team defense.

[Monster]

Individual defense is a bit overrated in my eyes. To have all the tools to defend is ultimately diminished if the rest of the moving parts aren't doing their jobs. How do you guard your guy well when the rest of the defense is breaking down? Would Jordan or Pippen have been near the defenders they were had they not trusted the other guys to pull their weight? Durant wasn't considered a defensive guy until he joined up with a team that collectively played good team defense.

You know that OKC had multiple top 10 defensive teams when Durant was there right?

I don't exactly disagree to some point of what you are saying but I could flip the idea and say team defense of overrated if you have the individual defenders. OKC for years always has at least 1 if not 2 good wing defenders in Sefelosha/Roberson and a defensive center Perkins/Adams for years they had Ibaka. Durant then a year of Dipo before adding Paul George plus they have a guy at PG named Westbrook who isn't bad at defense. Golden state has Draymond Iggy Durant Klay Thompson and personally I think Curry is often underrated on that end. Is it just some magic system that makes a good defense? It would be kind of embarrassing not to be pretty good with a DPOY award type guy and some other good defensive players on the perimeter not to mention GS tends to employ at least one rim protecting big on their roster. Just sayin.

[bleedspeed]

Picking 11th. I like Darius Garland for us, but doubt we get a chance to draft him without a trade.

https://basketballsocietyonline.com/who-are-the-best-shooters-in-the-2019-nba-draft
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2835912-best-and-worst-landing-spots-for-top-projected-2019-nba-draft-picks

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

Picking 11th. I like Darius Garland for us, but doubt we get a chance to draft him without a trade.

https://basketballsocietyonline.com/who-are-the-best-shooters-in-the-2019-nba-draft
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2835912-best-and-worst-landing-spots-for-top-projected-2019-nba-draft-picks

Garland left the combine due to rumors of a lottery promise.

My guess is Chicago. They basically give a promise every year.