*** Official 2018-19 Draft Thread ***

[Stork311]

Duke/UNC coming up on ESPN at 8. How many 1st round picks playing in this game? Cameron is going to be nuts.

The more talented Jones is one for sure...

[Thrillkill]

trying to get in the head of patrick beverley. he'll be 31 next year - making $5M this season. free agency in the summer. do you look to resign with houston, a better team - and be the guy behind harden and paul? or does the idea of starting for the wolves hold interest? what do you guys think - does a two year deal at $7.5M/yr bring him over? in the end, both the wolves and the rockets aren't in serious contention for a title - so the lure of a ring isn't there in either scenario.

Dude, Beverley is one of my all time favorite self mad mad men. Towns and Wigs would immediately cry and ask for trades. Beverley wants to win. He will look at the Towns vs Butler fiasco and laugh at an offer from us.

[Thrillkill]

Duke/UNC coming up on ESPN at 8. How many 1st round picks playing in this game? Cameron is going to be nuts.

The more talented Jones is one for sure...

I could see him learning from his brother and returning.

[Stork311]

Duke/UNC coming up on ESPN at 8. How many 1st round picks playing in this game? Cameron is going to be nuts.

The more talented Jones is one for sure...

I could see him learning from his brother and returning.

Hot take...

First time I have seen LSU. This Naz Reid cat is a man. No history on him...but love the way he is getting after it in a physical game vs Florida.

[KevinBaconIsNotMyHero]

trying to get in the head of patrick beverley. he'll be 31 next year - making $5M this season. free agency in the summer. do you look to resign with houston, a better team - and be the guy behind harden and paul? or does the idea of starting for the wolves hold interest? what do you guys think - does a two year deal at $7.5M/yr bring him over? in the end, both the wolves and the rockets aren't in serious contention for a title - so the lure of a ring isn't there in either scenario.

Maybe we can convince him to come here based on our awesome weather.

you're right, it does suck. about as much as houston does in the summer.

It was a joke based on the weather today. Not a serious indictment of Minnesota.

[somuchyummy]

fair enough. i shoveled my driveway twice today so my humor radar was obviously on the fritz.

[somuchyummy]

trying to get in the head of patrick beverley. he'll be 31 next year - making $5M this season. free agency in the summer. do you look to resign with houston, a better team - and be the guy behind harden and paul? or does the idea of starting for the wolves hold interest? what do you guys think - does a two year deal at $7.5M/yr bring him over? in the end, both the wolves and the rockets aren't in serious contention for a title - so the lure of a ring isn't there in either scenario.

Dude, Beverley is one of my all time favorite self mad mad men. Towns and Wigs would immediately cry and ask for trades. Beverley wants to win. He will look at the Towns vs Butler fiasco and laugh at an offer from us.

my bad - i was thinking for some reason (post-shoveling delirium perhaps) that beverley was with houston. but even more to the point, he's with the clippers - who just lost avery bradley, but still have shai, sweet lou and our guy landry shamet also at the point. the clips are also not exactly knocking on the door of a championship - hanging on by the skin of their teeth to the 8th spot in the west. yes, he comes here and has to do some heavy lifting with kat and wiggins - but he'd also be playing D with covington, okogie, maybe a couple of new defensive draftees, maybe taj, maybe deng - with the promise of a starting job and a bump in pay, i don't think it's out of the question that he'd look at an offer more than twice. comparing beverley to butler isn't on target either - yes, both want to win badly and both are very vocal, but beverley has never vied for being a team's #1. he's a role player, he knows it and there wouldn't be any competition for "who's #1?" - like there was between KAT and butler.

[jffl_commish]

The Duke/UNC game took a horrible turn 33 seconds in. Hopefully the Zion knee injury isn't serious.

[Thrillkill]

The Duke/UNC game took a horrible turn 33 seconds in. Hopefully the Zion knee injury isn't serious.

Kind of looked like hamstring. Hope it's not bad.

[jffl_commish]

The Duke/UNC game took a horrible turn 33 seconds in. Hopefully the Zion knee injury isn't serious.

Kind of looked like hamstring. Hope it's not bad.

They're saying he's out with a knee injury, but that's about it for news.

I've never seen a shoe blow out like that before. Crazy.

[Thrillkill]

The Duke/UNC game took a horrible turn 33 seconds in. Hopefully the Zion knee injury isn't serious.

Kind of looked like hamstring. Hope it's not bad.

They're saying he's out with a knee injury, but that's about it for news.

I've never seen a shoe blow out like that before. Crazy.

280 lbs and bionic legs will do that. Will make a good shoe commercial when he signs his billion dollar deal with whoever didn't make that shoe.

[flexbuffchest]

That'd suck if it was anything serious. Hope he doesn't wear that brand of shoe again. The universe is going against you if your shoe blows up and you get injured because of it.

[shoteh]

That'd suck if it was anything serious. Hope he doesn't wear that brand of shoe again. The universe is going against you if your shoe blows up and you get injured because of it.

Nikes

[somuchyummy]

That'd suck if it was anything serious. Hope he doesn't wear that brand of shoe again. The universe is going against you if your shoe blows up and you get injured because of it.

Nikes

Just Blew It

[HeHateMe]

Duke/UNC coming up on ESPN at 8. How many 1st round picks playing in this game? Cameron is going to be nuts.

The more talented Jones is one for sure...

I like Tre -- wonder if he gets tired from playing the entire game. All around solid player but can't shoot. I am very curious what he does after the season.

[boxter432]

That'd suck if it was anything serious. Hope he doesn't wear that brand of shoe again. The universe is going against you if your shoe blows up and you get injured because of it.

[MEDIA=twitter]1098398627607838720[/MEDIA]

[jffl_commish]

Duke/UNC coming up on ESPN at 8. How many 1st round picks playing in this game? Cameron is going to be nuts.

The more talented Jones is one for sure...

I like Tre -- wonder if he gets tired from playing the entire game. All around solid player but can't shoot. I am very curious what he does after the season.

I like him a lot. Great defensively and leading his team. Hopefully the shot comes along, for his sake.

[somuchyummy]

trying to get in the head of patrick beverley. he'll be 31 next year - making $5M this season. free agency in the summer. do you look to resign with houston, a better team - and be the guy behind harden and paul? or does the idea of starting for the wolves hold interest? what do you guys think - does a two year deal at $7.5M/yr bring him over? in the end, both the wolves and the rockets aren't in serious contention for a title - so the lure of a ring isn't there in either scenario.

Dude, Beverley is one of my all time favorite self mad mad men. Towns and Wigs would immediately cry and ask for trades. Beverley wants to win. He will look at the Towns vs Butler fiasco and laugh at an offer from us.

my bad - i was thinking for some reason (post-shoveling delirium perhaps) that beverley was with houston. but even more to the point, he's with the clippers - who just lost avery bradley, but still have shai, sweet lou and our guy landry shamet also at the point. the clips are also not exactly knocking on the door of a championship - hanging on by the skin of their teeth to the 8th spot in the west. yes, he comes here and has to do some heavy lifting with kat and wiggins - but he'd also be playing D with covington, okogie, maybe a couple of new defensive draftees, maybe taj, maybe deng - with the promise of a starting job and a bump in pay, i don't think it's out of the question that he'd look at an offer more than twice. comparing beverley to butler isn't on target either - yes, both want to win badly and both are very vocal, but beverley has never vied for being a team's #1. he's a role player, he knows it and there wouldn't be any competition for "who's #1?" - like there was between KAT and butler.

and one last thing - for a 30 yr old guy who's played PG for most of his career to have a CAREER average of just 4.3 assists PER 36 MINS makes me think he'd be grateful for a team to offer him the starter's keys. i'm also wondering if that average might be bad enough to sink all the other good things he'd bring to the team. can beverley run an offense?

[Stork311]

Naz Reid....went back and have been watching some LSU stuff. Dig this guy...great handle for a big guy. Pro body. Likes to mix it up. Agressive late game player. Tell me why I’m wrong...

[mlhouse]

It is still early but the my preliminary choice for our pick woudl be Deandre Hunter from Virginia.

Solid team player who looks like a NBA small forward. Good shooter who will work within any offense. A guy who is a solid defender and from what I have seen a real intelligent defender.

He probably doesn't have the upside of some guys, but he would be a very good rotational guy and eventual starter. I think he could be another Rober Covington type player.

his comparison is often covington. i like him a lot too - and would always think that two covs is better than one. otoh though, i've been so pleasantly surprised by what deng has shown in these past weeks - i see him as a serious one or even two year decent option as our bench SF. can even play a little small ball 4. so hunter's appeal is lessening for me in favor of an athletic shot-blocking rebounding big to back up saric in the event (probable) that taj leaves.

Preferring Deng to drafting Hunter is a really strange opinion to me. NO way do I let the at best average small sample of a 33 year old guy no one else wanted influence any of our ongoing roster decisions.

Hunter gives you a player that is as good of a shooter as Deng as a low end, a guy that can add value in the offense without the ball, and a much superior defender who has a chance to develop into an elite defender that can legitimately be a 4 position defender.

It isn't even a choice.

[KevinBaconIsNotMyHero]

Naz Reid....went back and have been watching some LSU stuff. Dig this guy...great handle for a big guy. Pro body. Likes to mix it up. Agressive late game player. Tell me why I’m wrong...

He's an interesting offensive big, who's probably the worst defensive big in his draft area of the 1st round. I've only watched him live twice but he reminds me of a more athletic Enes Kanter. He's big, strong and his scoring ability as a center is very good. But he's terrible in space, doesn't have lateral quickness on the perimeter, and doesn't contest shots well at the rim. He's a below average defensive player which you don't want your 5 in the NBA to be. I will say he's also a very good passer out of the post. He's very smart and can feel the double coming especially when you watch his highlights.

[somuchyummy]

It is still early but the my preliminary choice for our pick woudl be Deandre Hunter from Virginia.

Solid team player who looks like a NBA small forward. Good shooter who will work within any offense. A guy who is a solid defender and from what I have seen a real intelligent defender.

He probably doesn't have the upside of some guys, but he would be a very good rotational guy and eventual starter. I think he could be another Rober Covington type player.

his comparison is often covington. i like him a lot too - and would always think that two covs is better than one. otoh though, i've been so pleasantly surprised by what deng has shown in these past weeks - i see him as a serious one or even two year decent option as our bench SF. can even play a little small ball 4. so hunter's appeal is lessening for me in favor of an athletic shot-blocking rebounding big to back up saric in the event (probable) that taj leaves.

Preferring Deng to drafting Hunter is a really strange opinion to me. NO way do I let the at best average small sample of a 33 year old guy no one else wanted influence any of our ongoing roster decisions.

Hunter gives you a player that is as good of a shooter as Deng as a low end, a guy that can add value in the offense without the ball, and a much superior defender who has a chance to develop into an elite defender that can legitimately be a 4 position defender.


It isn't even a choice.

first of all, calling hunter (who i think can be a really good nba baller) a "much superior defender" to deng is just wrong. luol still has the fire and, at the present moment, has a background of nba D wisdom that hunter hasn't even sniffed yet. plus he's got a size advantage on hunter that gives him the upper hand when doing the small ball 4 thing. not that hunter won't be a good player - i just think (with cov and deng and don't forget KBD who looked pretty nice last night) adding hunter to this mix is IMO just pouring SF gravy on top of more SF gravy.

i also think brandon clarke has more positional flexibility than deandre hunter - and that BC will also be a really good nba baller. i think both taj and tolly will probably be gone next year - so we'll have .....um...... saric at the 4. IMO brandon clarke will be there at our pick and has the skillset to add immediate value to the team as saric's second. AND as maybe stated earlier, i think enough of brandon clarke to think that he, more than hunter, has the chance to actually be a four position defender in the league.

yes, it is about $$ and roster balance. and that's important. KAT's big deal kicks in next year and we need to figure out ways to add good players on great deals to make the roster work. i think we'll be able to afford deng (he's still getting a shitload of cash from LA next year) and we won't be able to afford what taj will want. plus - unlike the jimmy butler crap - i think deng would actually enjoy a mentorship role with younger players - namely brandon clarke and KBD.

[Thrillkill]

his comparison is often covington. i like him a lot too - and would always think that two covs is better than one. otoh though, i've been so pleasantly surprised by what deng has shown in these past weeks - i see him as a serious one or even two year decent option as our bench SF. can even play a little small ball 4. so hunter's appeal is lessening for me in favor of an athletic shot-blocking rebounding big to back up saric in the event (probable) that taj leaves.

Preferring Deng to drafting Hunter is a really strange opinion to me. NO way do I let the at best average small sample of a 33 year old guy no one else wanted influence any of our ongoing roster decisions.

Hunter gives you a player that is as good of a shooter as Deng as a low end, a guy that can add value in the offense without the ball, and a much superior defender who has a chance to develop into an elite defender that can legitimately be a 4 position defender.


It isn't even a choice.

first of all, calling hunter (who i think can be a really good nba baller) a "much superior defender" to deng is just wrong. luol still has the fire and, at the present moment, has a background of nba D wisdom that hunter hasn't even sniffed yet. plus he's got a size advantage on hunter that gives him the upper hand when doing the small ball 4 thing. not that hunter won't be a good player - i just think (with cov and deng and don't forget KBD who looked pretty nice last night) adding hunter to this mix is IMO just pouring SF gravy on top of more SF gravy.

i also think brandon clarke has more positional flexibility than deandre hunter - and that BC will also be a really good nba baller. i think both taj and tolly will probably be gone next year - so we'll have .....um...... saric at the 4. IMO brandon clarke will be there at our pick and has the skillset to add immediate value to the team as saric's second. AND as maybe stated earlier, i think enough of brandon clarke to think that he, more than hunter, has the chance to actually be a four position defender in the league.

yes, it is about $$ and roster balance. and that's important. KAT's big deal kicks in next year and we need to figure out ways to add good players on great deals to make the roster work. i think we'll be able to afford deng (he's still getting a shitload of cash from LA next year) and we won't be able to afford what taj will want. plus - unlike the jimmy butler crap - i think deng would actually enjoy a mentorship role with younger players - namely brandon clarke and KBD.

I tend to forget KBD when factoring roster makup and still was thinking we are stacked at the wing. We hopefully get a decent look at him to see if he warrants making decisions with him in mind. Even if not you have to figure 30 minutes a night are going to be taken by Wigs and Covington. How are you not giving most of the rest to Okogie. We pretty much have only MLE and 1st rounder if we want to add legit pieces. Really can't be doubling and trippling down when we have legit problems. Having a 5th wing sitting on the bench doesn't get us a stop of defensive rebound. The only way I don't take a defensive big is if Garland falls to us.

[KevinBaconIsNotMyHero]

Texas Tech is destroying Kansas. Jarrett Culver playing well.

[Thrillkill]

Gonna have to move PJ Washington into the group of bigs in consideration. Never really got why he was so highly thought of last year coming in but man has he been coming on. Not sure he's quite the defender I want but his all around game has improved in every way. Reminds me a lot of a young David West.

[mlhouse]

his comparison is often covington. i like him a lot too - and would always think that two covs is better than one. otoh though, i've been so pleasantly surprised by what deng has shown in these past weeks - i see him as a serious one or even two year decent option as our bench SF. can even play a little small ball 4. so hunter's appeal is lessening for me in favor of an athletic shot-blocking rebounding big to back up saric in the event (probable) that taj leaves.

Preferring Deng to drafting Hunter is a really strange opinion to me. NO way do I let the at best average small sample of a 33 year old guy no one else wanted influence any of our ongoing roster decisions.

Hunter gives you a player that is as good of a shooter as Deng as a low end, a guy that can add value in the offense without the ball, and a much superior defender who has a chance to develop into an elite defender that can legitimately be a 4 position defender.


It isn't even a choice.

first of all, calling hunter (who i think can be a really good nba baller) a "much superior defender" to deng is just wrong. luol still has the fire and, at the present moment, has a background of nba D wisdom that hunter hasn't even sniffed yet. plus he's got a size advantage on hunter that gives him the upper hand when doing the small ball 4 thing. not that hunter won't be a good player - i just think (with cov and deng and don't forget KBD who looked pretty nice last night) adding hunter to this mix is IMO just pouring SF gravy on top of more SF gravy.

i also think brandon clarke has more positional flexibility than deandre hunter - and that BC will also be a really good nba baller. i think both taj and tolly will probably be gone next year - so we'll have .....um...... saric at the 4. IMO brandon clarke will be there at our pick and has the skillset to add immediate value to the team as saric's second. AND as maybe stated earlier, i think enough of brandon clarke to think that he, more than hunter, has the chance to actually be a four position defender in the league.

yes, it is about $$ and roster balance. and that's important. KAT's big deal kicks in next year and we need to figure out ways to add good players on great deals to make the roster work. i think we'll be able to afford deng (he's still getting a shitload of cash from LA next year) and we won't be able to afford what taj will want. plus - unlike the jimmy butler crap - i think deng would actually enjoy a mentorship role with younger players - namely brandon clarke and KBD.

Clarke isn't a good enough offensive player and completely lacks shooting range to take him over DeAndre Hunter.

I take Hunter every time over Clarke and that wuold be a consensus.

With respect to KBD, if he develops he is going to be on the "4" side of the defensive spectrum so I don't see Hunter being an incompatible selection to him.

[somuchyummy]

just disagree. deandre hunter is a very good defender - brandon clarke is one of the best defenders in all of college ball - plus i think clarke projects out more as a PF who can play other spots, while hunter is more of a SF who can play other spots. clarke is clearly the superior athlete - hunter clearly the superior shooter from three. and you're downplaying clarke's offense - he's not the first option on his team, oftentimes he's more the third option. yet, the efficiency is undeniable - 70% on his twos compared to a very nice 55% for hunter. yes, that means that clarke - thru his extraordinary athleticism is finishing super well at the rim - so maybe he has an incomplete offensive arsenal, but the rap on hunter is that he's simply a straight line drive guy who is also an incomplete package on O. clarke does pretty well for being a poor offensive player IYO - per 40 numbers of 24/12/3 with 1.8 steals and 4.4 blocks compared to hunter's per 40 numbers of 20/7/3 with 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks. you're selling clarke short. he's not chopped liver by any stretch and would be a great addition to our PF group.

[mglviks]

Point Guard of the future would be great.

Coby White or Darius Garland?
Who do you prefer between those 2?

[somuchyummy]

probably white because i can at least watch him play. plus garland, for all his gifts, seems to be very slight of frame and i'm frankly tired of guys on our team that obviously look like they should spend the next 2 years just pumping iron. plus i saw a comp for him once that was - "jeff teague".

mostly though, i'd rather get a defensive big PF type in the first round - and then luck out with a good second round PG prospect to bring up as our backup. i think tyus would do well to consider playing elsewhere, i think rose's time is up, also bayless' - and if we could get a great offensive talent like carsen edwards or markus howard to be the bench sparkplug scorer - i'd be cool with it.

[Thrillkill]

Preferring Deng to drafting Hunter is a really strange opinion to me. NO way do I let the at best average small sample of a 33 year old guy no one else wanted influence any of our ongoing roster decisions.

Hunter gives you a player that is as good of a shooter as Deng as a low end, a guy that can add value in the offense without the ball, and a much superior defender who has a chance to develop into an elite defender that can legitimately be a 4 position defender.


It isn't even a choice.

first of all, calling hunter (who i think can be a really good nba baller) a "much superior defender" to deng is just wrong. luol still has the fire and, at the present moment, has a background of nba D wisdom that hunter hasn't even sniffed yet. plus he's got a size advantage on hunter that gives him the upper hand when doing the small ball 4 thing. not that hunter won't be a good player - i just think (with cov and deng and don't forget KBD who looked pretty nice last night) adding hunter to this mix is IMO just pouring SF gravy on top of more SF gravy.

i also think brandon clarke has more positional flexibility than deandre hunter - and that BC will also be a really good nba baller. i think both taj and tolly will probably be gone next year - so we'll have .....um...... saric at the 4. IMO brandon clarke will be there at our pick and has the skillset to add immediate value to the team as saric's second. AND as maybe stated earlier, i think enough of brandon clarke to think that he, more than hunter, has the chance to actually be a four position defender in the league.

yes, it is about $$ and roster balance. and that's important. KAT's big deal kicks in next year and we need to figure out ways to add good players on great deals to make the roster work. i think we'll be able to afford deng (he's still getting a shitload of cash from LA next year) and we won't be able to afford what taj will want. plus - unlike the jimmy butler crap - i think deng would actually enjoy a mentorship role with younger players - namely brandon clarke and KBD.

Clarke isn't a good enough offensive player and completely lacks shooting range to take him over DeAndre Hunter.

I take Hunter every time over Clarke and that wuold be a consensus.

With respect to KBD, if he develops he is going to be on the "4" side of the defensive spectrum so I don't see Hunter being an incompatible selection to him.

Where to begin. Clarke not good enough offensively? Well they literally both take exactly 9.9 shots a game. Clarke scores 1.4 more points in 4 less minutes.

We are desperate for interior and pick and roll Defense. Hunter is some highly rated defensive genius? He averages 1.1 blk+stl. Clarke averages 4.2.

We are absolute shit at defensive rebounding Clarke averages 3 more boards in 4 less minutes.

KBD is absolutely a 3 that can play some 4 not the other way around.