NBA Lottery Predictions

[MHSL82]

The negatives are his assist to turnover ratio, his free-throw shooting isn’t good, and his shooting percentage went down, even though his three-point shooting went up. I like that he played four years and in some areas got better. They say his combine was good.

I want someone who averages more than 15 points per game at the college level. Obviously, there are players who averaged below that that do well in the NBA and vice versa. But all the prospects I’ve seen average less than that for picks nine through 28. This guy would be not the ninth pick or anything.

Ben Sheppard - Indiana Pacers Guard - ESPN

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[nuraman00]

Duncan is considered better, Weybanyama is treated like the next coming, and Robinson was great. I guess Robinson may be the weakest argument? Note that I don’t like Duncan as much because he averaged so few points, peaking only once or twice about 23.9 or something.

Embiid and Anthony Davis were also treated like the next coming.

It appears Towns comparisons aren't as lofty, as I see comparisons like Aldridge, Pau Gasol, Bogut, and Vlade Divac.

Whereas with Anthony Davis, I see comparisons like Kevin Garnett and Chris Bosh.

And Embiid's is Tim Duncan and "Akeem" (without the H) Olajuwon.

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So, Popovich could have tanked for Davis and Embiid.

 

[nuraman00]

I know if I were to say Popovich wasn’t proven as a coach and just got places because of his players, that would be a bad take. I just don’t like that he got Duncan (yes, I know both sides of the tank job for Duncan) and Weybanyama. I don’t consider Leonard, Aldridge, to be the same category as Duncan and what Weybanyama is supposed to be and Embiid, Davis, etc. I don’t see as the Spurs missing out. I mean, we’re the Spurs in the lottery the years Davis or Embiid were drafted?

Isn't this the point? He won 61 games with a roster with Leonard and Aldridge, and Duncan retired.

So he won a lot of games with no superstar.

Also, Embiid and Davis were projected as lofty as Weybanyama, so the Spurs could have / should have, the same way they allegedly did for Duncan and Robinson.

 

[nuraman00]

Ok, now I’m happy he is going to the Spurs:

Why does this make you happy?

Is that a picture of Liam Parker?

 

[nuraman00]

Did you see he pumped his fist and smiled when the Houston Rockets got fourth? (Meaning he wasn’t going there.) Could this be because of his Spurs support or is it because of the Rockets? He liked San Antonio because of Tony Parker being French.

I will rewatch for this.

 

[nuraman00]

https://www.kens5.com/article/sports/nba/spurs/tiktoker-discovers-nba-loophole-eligible-selected-upcoming-nba-draft-san-antonio-spurs/

What did this say? Link doesn't work anymore.

 

[nuraman00]

The negatives are his assist to turnover ratio, his free-throw shooting isn’t good, and his shooting percentage went down, even though his three-point shooting went up. I like that he played four years and in some areas got better. They say his combine was good.

I want someone who averages more than 15 points per game at the college level. Obviously, there are players who averaged below that that do well in the NBA and vice versa. But all the prospects I’ve seen average less than that for picks nine through 28. This guy would be not the ninth pick or anything.

Ben Sheppard - Indiana Pacers Guard - ESPN

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I'll watch video of him and report later.

 

[MHSL82]

Why does this make you happy?

Is that a picture of Liam Parker?

That is Weybanyama. He rooted for the Spurs years ago as a kid. So it’s fitting he goes there.

 

[MHSL82]

What did this say? Link doesn't work anymore.

A person figured out a way to enter the NBA draft without playing basketball at the college or high school level so he’s in the draft even though he won’t be picked. He’s in law school so he read the collective bargaining agreement on what to do to enter into the draft.

 

[MHSL82]

Isn't this the point? He won 61 games with a roster with Leonard and Aldridge, and Duncan retired.

So he won a lot of games with no superstar.

Also, Embiid and Davis were projected as lofty as Weybanyama, so the Spurs could have / should have, the same way they allegedly did for Duncan and Robinson.

I don’t agree. I feel like this for Weybanyama and Duncan is a lot higher than everyone else. Can you listed. I mean, there was a scout who said that someone was going to be the next Jordan.

Plus, I don’t think that San Antonio was in position to take those other years without being more obvious about it. Maybe I’m wrong, but I felt that Popovic was more successful than those years where they could have gone for Embiid.

 

[MHSL82]

Isn't this the point? He won 61 games with a roster with Leonard and Aldridge, and Duncan retired.

So he won a lot of games with no superstar.

Also, Embiid and Davis were projected as lofty as Weybanyama, so the Spurs could have / should have, the same way they allegedly did for Duncan and Robinson.

There are coaches who have won won championship before who are less than Popovich and didn’t get a Duncan and Robinson. triple M, my point was that he wasn’t a good coach. I just meant that Popovich got Duncan and Robinson just like I guess Sloan got Stockton and Malone… just not at the top of the draft after people thought they tanked.

 

[MHSL82]

The negatives are his assist to turnover ratio, his free-throw shooting isn’t good, and his shooting percentage went down, even though his three-point shooting went up. I like that he played four years and in some areas got better. They say his combine was good.

I want someone who averages more than 15 points per game at the college level. Obviously, there are players who averaged below that that do well in the NBA and vice versa. But all the prospects I’ve seen average less than that for picks nine through 28. This guy would be not the ninth pick or anything.

Ben Sheppard - Indiana Pacers Guard - ESPN

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So Ben Sheppard and Bufkin are the players I want to draft: Kobe Bufkin Stats, News, Bio | ESPN

Bufkin increased minutes 3x and increased all stats by more than 3x. Shot well from 3, improved FG% to 48%+, and shot 84% from the line.

Kobe Bufkin Stats, News, Bio | ESPN

Latest on Michigan Wolverines guard Kobe Bufkin including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN

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[nuraman00]

I don’t agree. I feel like this for Weybanyama and Duncan is a lot higher than everyone else. Can you listed. I mean, there was a scout who said that someone was going to be the next Jordan.

Plus, I don’t think that San Antonio was in position to take those other years without being more obvious about it. Maybe I’m wrong, but I felt that Popovic was more successful than those years where they could have gone for Embiid.

What was obvious about going for Wembanyama? The Spurs were just a bad team. And have been for 3 years in a row.

With regards to the year Duncan was drafted, there's rumors that Robinson was healthy enough to play at some point in the season, and could have come back. It likely wouldn't have mattered, since their team was bad enough in the standings. They would not have made the playoffs at that point anyways.

So it's kind of like what a lot of teams (Pacers, etc.) do. When they are that far out of it, they rest their normal starters and play younger players.

It's like the Warriors a few years ago when Thompson was out all year and Curry for most of the year. Maybe Curry could have come back for a few games, but at that point, they were far out of the playoffs. They ended up getting the #2 pick.

 

[MHSL82]

What was obvious about going for Wembanyama? The Spurs were just a bad team. And have been for 3 years in a row.

With regards to the year Duncan was drafted, there's rumors that Robinson was healthy enough to play at some point in the season, and could have come back. It likely wouldn't have mattered, since their team was bad enough in the standings. They would not have made the playoffs at that point anyways.

So it's kind of like what a lot of teams (Pacers, etc.) do. When they are that far out of it, they rest their normal starters and play younger players.

It's like the Warriors a few years ago when Thompson was out all year and Curry for most of the year. Maybe Curry could have come back for a few games, but at that point, they were far out of the playoffs. They ended up getting the #2 pick.

They tanked each time and the picks they got were generational (pending this one). You know I don’t like Duncan much and I know Robinson’s career seems to be maybe a bit nostalgia/old school bias by me to hold him up that high. So maybe one can say they didn’t luck out as high as I make it seem. (Yes, I am at the same time saying they ranked for them as being great and got great players but putting them down to say maybe I’m wrong.. just like I spoke out of both sides of my mouth on Popovich being lucky and a great coach.) I’m not going to be consistent nor like them. They ranked in my opinion not by being bad but being bad enough to select high and lucked out not to get the third pick instead.

But Wenbayama was a Spurs fan before so oh well, I’m happy for him.

 

[MHSL82]

 

[MHSL82]

 

[nuraman00]

They ranked in my opinion not by being bad but being bad enough to select high and lucked out not to get the third pick instead.

They had the 2nd worst record in the league. They lost the coin flip to Houston, so they had the 3rd best odds.

Did you think their roster should have done better?

Also how is this different than 2012? Charlotte was by far the worst team in the league with 7 wins. New Orleans with the 3rd best odds with 21 wins, won the lottery and got a generational talent in Anthony Davis. The predraft comparison to Davis was generational talent Kevin Garnett.

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I think it's more annoying when a non bottom 3 or 4 team wins the lottery, than if a bottom or 4 team wins it.


As for the Spurs in 1997, I present to you Golden State in 2020. Golden State had no Thompson all year, and Curry played 5 games. They had the worst record in the league.

You have a franchise player hurt almost all year, then a team is probably going to be the worst team in the league. I don't call that tanking, but bad injury luck. There might not have been a franchise player available that year, but the result is the same: No franchise player means the team is probably going to be very bad.

 

[nuraman00]

I know Robinson’s career seems to be maybe a bit nostalgia/old school bias by me to hold him up that high.

I don't think it's bias. Robinson was really good.

Patrick Ewing is the fraud. If he didn't play for New York, he would possibly not be in the Hall Of Fame.

 

[MHSL82]

They had the 2nd worst record in the league. They lost the coin flip to Houston, so they had the 3rd best odds.

There was an expansion team that year or the year before, who somehow agreed to not be eligible for the first pick so now, so they had the third lowest record, but the second highest chance. Or something like that. I read it in a “spurs taking was a myth” article.

I know it’s annoying, but you’re not going to convince me. They tanked as far as I believe. I don’t care. This may be because I think Popovich is a great coach who could have won more and yes, I know, he was younger with less experience then.

 

[MHSL82]