Re: Post Draft Hangover Thread

[dboss]

Last year I looked at the draft and was not remotely pleased with the selections.

What a difference a year makes.

I would suggest that you watch some film on Nesmith and Pritchard.

Unlike last year these two are shot makers.

Nesmith numbers are so good that maybe we see them more in the context of watching a video game.  He is a perfect fit for the Celtics.  He can score from everywhere around the perimeter.  His shot does not change as he has very consistent mechanics.  He can score off the bounce and can get his shot off on floaters.  He knows how to use screens.  After just one year at Vandy he has a lot of things to learn but shooting is not one of them.  This kid is an excellent shooter.  We need that.

I saw film on Pritchard  earlier in the year but I forgot about him.  Danny however did not.  He does not give us much improvement of size in the backcourt but he has really good PG skills.  He has a solid handle including change of pace, cross over and Eurostep skills.  He can shoot the deep, deep 3 off the bounce, the pull up 3 and the step back 3.  He has good passing skills and should be effective running our PNR.  

Both of these players will quickly learn that they have to be solid on defense.  

Overall these additions may not be what we thought they should be but they look like the type of players on other teams that we drool about and lament how Danny missed on them.

The big man upgrade has not happened yet.  Danny focused on an infusion of offense because our bench was lethargic last year.  I think Celtics fans will be pleasantly surprised by how good these 2 can be.

Danny picked up a future draft pick although I was hoping for Oturo at 30.  The GH mystery is unsolved as of this second but I think we will see something of consequence happen soon.

I am giving Danny a solid B for adding two NBA level scorers.

Like all draft classes we will hope for the best and they will either stick or slide.

[KyleCleric]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/these-3-nba-draft-prospects-are-perfect-fits-for-the-modern-league/

These 3 NBA Draft Prospects Are Perfect Fits For The Modern League

The 2020 NBA draft class contains no obvious franchise player. Instead, there are question marks attached to almost every potential lottery pick. Teams will choose from volatile, ball-dominant playmakers, imposing big men who aren’t well-rounded, tantalizing athletes who either can’t shoot or don’t defend and speedy, undersized floor generals.

Outside these specific categories are three modernistic wings — Villanova’s Saddiq Bey, Florida State’s Devin Vassell and Vanderbilt’s Aaron Nesmith — who have been pegged by most mock drafts as worthy of a late lottery pick. They deserve to be held in a higher regard. Each prospect has a wingspan that stretches to nearly 7 feet, defensive awareness and a precise 3-point shot as their most attractive attributes, making them tailor-made for an NBA that for the past half-decade has put a premium on such traits.

These three players aren’t projected to become the featured options in a top-10 offense. They might not make the unteachable, can’t-miss plays that immediately imbue an entire fan base with hope. Instead, their initial appeal is in the comfort of certainty: Bey, Vassell and Nesmith would make sense anywhere — and their skills are as necessary as they should be coveted.

Until further notice, there’s no such thing as having too many good 3-point shooters — in a league where the average 3-point rate grows every year — who can defend multiple positions. At the same time, the “3-and-D” label that’s been written across these players’ foreheads over the past couple of months undersells everything else they can already do, along with the skills they might still develop.

At worst, these players could become complementary pieces — think Danny Green, Jae Crowder or Robert Covington — who could conveniently see a ton of minutes regardless of the opponent. (According to KenPom, Bey finished eighth in the Big East, in conference play, in the share of his team’s minutes he was on the floor.) At best, they could turn into longtime, solid staples for whichever team selects them, if not reliable scoring options in their own right who are capable of an All-Star appearance or two. (Think Klay Thompson, Khris Middleton or a slightly larger Buddy Hield with defensive chops.)

Inject one of these players into a sterile Atlanta defense that, according to Second Spectrum, allowed a league-worst 1.18 points per possession when switching screens, and it would be more difficult for offenses to single out and attack targets like Trae Young. And on the other end, the Hawks averaged the third-fewest off-ball screens per 100 possessions last season, so adding Nesmith, Vassell or Bey could diversify a predictable pick-and-roll attack.

The New York Knicks (eighth pick), Detroit Pistons (seventh), San Antonio Spurs (11th) and Chicago Bulls (fourth) are all in search of a shot-creating centerpiece, but each team is likely facing a lengthy rebuild regardless of who they take in this draft. Why not solidify their foundation now by locking down a two-way cog who answers more questions than he creates — the exact type of player who will contribute to a potential playoff-caliber team in the near future?

Accurate long-range shooters who aren’t weak links on defense have become obligatory in the postseason, and when those players are also able to confidently attack closeouts, run secondary pick and rolls, get to the rim off a dribble handoff, or even punish a mismatch in the post, they raise their team’s floor and ceiling. Bey is an ideal example.

He’s a rangy, strong, 6-foot-8 forward (with a 6-foot-11 wingspan) who drained a staggering 45.1 percent — fourth-best in the NCAA and first in the Big East — of the 5.6 threes he launched per game last season. (According to KenPom, Bey also finished 85th overall in effective field-goal percentage (58.5) and first in offensive rating in the Big East (119.0) among all players whose usage rate was at least 20 percent.)

Bey can function in any offensive or defensive system, rebound, move the ball and, if all goes well, eventually make decisions with it in his hands. On offense, Villanova coach Jay Wright believes Bey can even play some point guard, while his defense could be even more versatile. Last season, Bey was an across-the-board stopper, according to Wildcat assistant coach Kyle Neptune: “If it was the point guard, Saddiq would guard him. If it was a two or three man, Saddiq would guard them. If the best player was a four man, Saddiq would guard him, too.”

It’s easy to imagine a player like Bey immediately helping a playoff team by widening driving lanes for his teammates, operating off the ball and covering one of the opponent’s better options every night — or at least switching onto them and being able to handle his own. The Philadelphia 76ers (21st), Dallas Mavericks (18th), Portland Trail Blazers (16th) and Brooklyn Nets (19th) could use some or all of what he brings to the table. (If the Golden State Warriors aren’t in love with any of the top prospects, they wouldn’t be foolish to trade down and select Bey — or Vassell and Nesmith.)

But these teams will probably need to trade up from the back half of the first round if they want Bey, who also makes sense on several teams that haven’t seen the postseason in years. The Atlanta Hawks (sixth), Washington Wizards (ninth), New Orleans Pelicans (13th) and Phoenix Suns (10th) are a few examples: Each one has already molded their style of play around a high-usage All-Star. If Bey, Vassell and Nesmith end up on one or more of these teams, they won’t need the ball. That should be seen as a feature, not a bug.

Furthermore, according to Second Spectrum, the Suns, Spurs, Charlotte Hornets (third) and Bulls allowed the fourth-, fifth-, sixth- and seventh-most points per possessions guarding isolations last season. The Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers surrendered the third- and second-most, respectively. Improving perimeter defense is a must for each of these lottery teams.

For that reason alone, Vassell, who has been pegged as one of the best defensive players in the entire draft, makes sense for all these teams. Along with having a wiry 6-foot-7 frame with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, his off-ball awareness makes it seem as if six defenders are on the floor. Whether he’s trailing ball-handlers over screens, ducking under them and then recovering, or chasing JJ Redick-esque shooting guards from sideline to sideline, Vassell should display his value from the jump.

Just as important: He made 41.7 percent of his threes in two seasons as a Seminole. It wasn’t at the same volume as Bey or Nesmith (only 3.5 tries per game last year), but as a sophomore, Vassell finished second in offensive rating (126.9) and sixth in true shooting percentage (58.5) in the ACC. Nationwide, he had the 16th-lowest turnover rate (8.2 percent), according to KenPom. Along with Bey, Vassell can excel inside an important role while having the size, physical tools and skill to someday expand beyond it.

Here’s what Florida State assistant coach Stan Jones recently said about his development: “He’s got great basketball IQ. He’s a great finisher in transition. He’s got an unbelievable ability to go left or right, take one or two dribbles and get his primary defender up in the air a little bit. And he’s a killer on midrange jumpers.”

Nesmith’s draw skews a bit less toward his ability to lock down multiple positions and more toward his potential as the most dangerous outside shooter on the board. Before a foot injury ended his sophomore season, the 6-foot-6 wing drilled a scorching 52 percent of his threes (60 of 115 overall). He only made 33.7 percent of them as a freshman, granting fair skepticism of that small sample size. But the long-range baskets he did make weren’t all wide open and off the catch.

Instead, in part by studying how Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum create space with their footwork, Nesmith has incorporated some helpful sidesteps and stepbacks into his own repertoire, stretching his own value outside a traditional 3-and-D weapon. Those rapid-fire responses against NBA-level athleticism will go a long way in winning the constant one-on-one battles that take place 28 feet from the basket.

On the other end, with his 6-foot-11 wingspan, Nesmith is confident that he can not only stay on the floor, but also improve whichever defense absorbs him. “I’m strong,” he told USA Today’s Bryan Kalbrosky. “I can guard the four on most teams, and maybe even one through five on teams that like to play small ball.”

There are important areas of basketball where these three don’t shine, and itchier GMs may reach for the brawny, rim-running 7-footer or a guard who may one day offer a tsunami of scoring options all by himself. Talent and upside are often too enticing to pass up. But Bey, Vassell and Nesmith are equipped with an invaluable amount of skill and size, enough to elevate their surroundings and simplify their teammates’ responsibilities whenever they share the floor.

In a league that craves the offensive gravity and defensive versatility each one promises to offer, it shouldn’t be a surprise if more than one is off the board before the first 10 picks are announced. And at the same time, if all three don’t go in the lottery, every team that leaves them sitting in a virtual green room may live to regret it. Bey, Vassell and Nesmith have exactly what every team needs to win in today’s NBA.

[dboss]

I also want to mention that Pritchard was 1st team All American. That just might reveal something to ponder.

Brad Stevens, ever positive, had nothing but good things to say about Nesmith and Pritchard

Coach Brad Stevens said, “The way he can run off screens and shoot the ball, the worker that he is, the time he puts into his game, his size, which gives him some positional versatility as he becomes more comfortable with how we defend, will hopefully allow him to guard multiple positions.”

“Payton is a knockdown shooter as well that can do a lot of things with the basketball.”

Brad's comments are spot on.

[kdp59]

Overall these additions may not be what we thought they should be but they look like the type of players on other teams that we drool about and lament how Danny missed on them

come on now take those green goggles off, they have fogged up on ya!


Nesmith was OK...but no way anyone thinks Pritchard was a good pick there.

I doubt he's better than Waters to be honest.

[worcester]

I very much think Nesmith will be a good defender and an offensive phenom. PP will stun you all with his competency as a rookie. PP will get a lot of fans in Boston. I am all in on both picks, and I am not just anyone. I am someone who got to drink Sangria with Bob Heckler in Spain!

[KyleCleric]

It’s weird that we still don’t know what happened with the 30th pick

[bobheckler]

I very much think Nesmith will be a good defender and an offensive phenom. PP will stun you all with his competency as a rookie. PP will get a lot of fans in Boston. I am all in on both picks, and I am not just anyone. I am someone who got to drink Sangria with Bob Heckler in Spain!

Worcester,

Good times, good times.  Don't forget about that lunch in Baiona, Spain.  You had your first taste of paella and chiparones and even helped me kill a bottle of wine (I did most of the lifting, as usual).  I remember it as being US$34 walking out the door and that included the bottle.  Then we hoofed it down the marina road to that 4-star, but underwhelming to me, hotel with the beach behind it.

Next morning we woke up early, got an early start before the sun rose and figured out why we always seemed to be walking alone and didn't see other peregrinos.  It's because they were smart enough to get some miles behind them before the sun got too high. Start early, finish early, relax for an hour and then have the strength to go out and walk around town.


Bob


.

[bobheckler]

It’s weird that we still don’t know what happened with the 30th pick

Kyle,

Two 2nd rounders. Not sure which years but does it really matter? They're 2nd rounders.


Bob


.

[gyso]

It’s weird that we still don’t know what happened with the 30th pick

Danny traded it for a couple future 2nd round picks to avoid the salary cost of a 1st round pick this season.  

Plus he thinks that adding three rookies to our roster would make us too young, but adding only two is just right.  

[KyleCleric]

Except details haven’t been announced. It should have by now

[dboss]

Overall these additions may not be what we thought they should be but they look like the type of players on other teams that we drool about and lament how Danny missed on them

come on now take those green goggles off, they have fogged up on ya!


Nesmith was OK...but no way anyone thinks Pritchard was a good pick there.

I doubt he's better than Waters to be honest.

kdp59

I am the one least likely to feel good about Danny drafting guys.

Nesmith is a sniper and that is a skill we have needed off the bench for a long time. He is arguably the best shooter in this draft. His handle and defense will need work.

The intriguing guy for me is Pritchard. He has a better handle than any of our rotation point guards and he can shoot off the bounce. Edwards has no meaningful PG skills and is not particularly good off the bounce. He cannot get his shot off. Waters is really too short. Wannamaker is not a break down the defense ball handler. I do believe that Pritchard is an upgrade at the point for us.

I took off my Green tinted goggles and saw the same thing.

Like every new draft class, we will get a chance to see how well they measure up. This is a particularly tough upcoming season for any rookie. Under normal situations we are getting ready to watch some summer league games. This year the rookies do no get to jump from the frying pan into the fire. They will go right into the fire.

When the season begins Langford will be out and GH may be gone so we should get an early look at Nesmith. Pritchard is a 4 year college player with 1st team All-American credentials. I really do not think that's a fluke. We do not know if Wanamaker is retained so this kid could get his minutes. Wanamaker of course is a real solid defender with strength and size, something that Pritchard lacks. the only knock on Pritchard is his lack of athleticism.

Danny's focus was to add 2 prospects with above average shooting and scoring skills. I think that he did that so I will wait and see how those qualities become realized or not.

[kdp59]

just giving you some heat dboss....

[bobheckler]

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
about 2 hours ago
I already like Nesmith’s game, but this video of him saying “green bean” has sealed the deal. pic.twitter.com/u0x4J7NKY6

https://twitter.com/i/status/1329476316106813440


Bob


.

[dboss]

just giving you some heat dboss....

of course you are. and you do it well.

Every year we go through this ritual. Danny would have traded up but he did not see a deal worth making. His new additions are unproven commodities. At least I feel confident that he did add some scoring. Danny has a habit of reaching for something that is not there so it is pretty easy to throw our hands in the air in yet another WTF expression.

He could have drafted Precious at 14. But our glaring weakness was a lack of Bench scoring. None of his picks from last year were good shooters. Edwards had some flair but his PG size body minus his PG skills do not translate into an off guard option. Remember he could not get his shot off over length. Langford simply could not shoot because he has a broken shot. Williams cannot shoot because he cannot shoot. And Waters is too small.

I guess you could say that my optimism is partly related to a bust of a draft glass last year.

[dboss]

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
about 2 hours ago
I already like Nesmith’s game, but this video of him saying “green bean” has sealed the deal. pic.twitter.com/u0x4J7NKY6

https://twitter.com/i/status/1329476316106813440


Bob


.

I read something about comparisons between him and khris Middleton who has been a mentor for him. This makes sense since they are both from Charleston, SC and both attended the Porter-Gaud prep school

[NYCelt]

Overall these additions may not be what we thought they should be but they look like the type of players on other teams that we drool about and lament how Danny missed on them

come on now take those green goggles off, they have fogged up on ya!


Nesmith was OK...but no way anyone thinks Pritchard was a good pick there.

I doubt he's better than Waters to be honest.

With you here.

I like Nesmith for what he is. We needed a shooter off the bench and got one. That is what he does. No illusion he turns in much of a defensive performance but that's OK too. It's not why we got him.

Pritchard is a mystery to me. Because he actually stuck around 4 years, we've seen a lot of his games. Oregon games are often a great late-night winter staple. He can contribute shooting and can pass, and that's where it begins and ends. This is in no way a complete package at point guard. How any review can say that he is, I just don't know. Add to that his size, but then again I suppose we needed a small point guard for a change. By my estimation 4 PGs taken after him have looked better from what I've seen and a couple only had an interrupted season. Not a Kemba Walker replacement for the future or a backup off the bench that can challenge Wannamaker now. Best case he's another shooter off the bench, because I can't ever see he him becoming a starter in the NBA. Maybe makes up for Edwards in that regard, if we're lucky.

So in addition to addressing the PG need so wonderfully, I do have to say I admire the way we added a big man to bolster the bench, just in case

Let's say I'm waiting for the big trade announcement. The only answer I can see is that one is coming.

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