2021 Historical Draft: How Does My Team Look?

[Jvalin]

Phoenix Suns post trade:

PG: Tony Parker
SG: Clyde Drexler
SF: Danny Granger
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: DeAndre Jordan

Sixth Man: Devin Booker

Imo, both Drexler and Parker are bad fits next to Giannis. In a vacuum, you won the trade. Given that you are building around Giannis, I believe your team got worse.

Reggie was literally the perfect fit next to Giannis. Drexler and Parker are slashers. You also have DeAndre who scores the vast majority of his points via dunks and putbacks. Basically, 4 of your 5 starters are scoring a big percentage of their points in the paint. I believe your team would have a serious issue with spacing, especially in the playoffs where the pace of the game slows down.

[Moranis]

Through 7 Rounds here are the Raptors

Guards - Tiny Archibald 73
Wings - Predrag "Peja" Stojakovic 04, Chet Walker 67, Kiki Vandeweghe 87
Bigs - Karl Malone 97, Ben Wallace 04, Spencer Haywood 73

I really like how this team is shaping up.  Love the fit and overall talent.

I loved the Chet Walker draft pick. I had him high on my draft board. Somewhere around 7th among SFs. I thought he'd be a 3rd-4th round pick. That was a great pickup.

I am unsure of playing the 3 SFs together though. I thought a true SG would have served you better.

I don't think I'd play 3 SF's together except in extremely rare circumstances.  My starters are Tiny, Chet, Peja, Mailman, Big Ben.  In those moments when I need shooting, right now it would be Tiny, Kiki, Peja, Mailman, Driftwood (yes that is actually a nickname of Spencer Haywood).  Now there may be a few situations where I only have 1 of my bigs on the floor in a small ball type situation and in that I might have Chet, Peja, and Kiki next to the big, but I think that would be extremely rare because defensively I don't really want Peja and Kiki on the floor together.  And it would probably be a later round pick out there.  I love the idea of Kiki and Peja in a late game offensive situation though as that provide an incredible amount of floor spacing and I think would really allow Malone and Tiny to work the 2 man game to perfection.

[nickagneta]

Phoenix Suns post trade:

PG: Tony Parker
SG: Clyde Drexler
SF: Danny Granger
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: DeAndre Jordan

Sixth Man: Devin Booker

Imo, both Drexler and Parker are bad fits next to Giannis. In a vacuum, you won the trade. Given that you are building around Giannis, I believe your team got worse.

Reggie was literally the perfect fit next to Giannis. Drexler and Parker are slashers. You also have DeAndre who scores the vast majority of his points via dunks and putbacks. Basically, 4 of your 5 starters are scoring a big percentage of their points in the paint. I believe your team would have a serious issue with spacing, especially in the playoffs where the pace of the game slows down.

I don't see why slashers, who also are very good outside shooters and great passers, wouldn't work with Giannis. I see it as a good thing since we could send off ball cuts while Giannis is doing his thing. The off ball movement and off ball screens will play a huge part on thiteam that will also have constant motion.

Also, this team will have a deadly small ball rotation with Giannis at the five and that lineup will play a lot.

[Who]

I know that Clyde was the best player in the draft, but I am able to improve my bench depth dramatically by makin the deal, and for me Reggie fits my team really well as his ability to shoot the 3 really spreads open the floor for Gervin to offense.

Mookie/Lowry
Miller
Gervin/McGinnis
Hawkins
Ibaka/Laimbeer

I just realized as I was reading that - wow, Reggie Miller and George Gervin, that must be the skinniest SG-SF partnership ever!

And Connie Hawkins at PF! Oh boy, that is a whole lot of skinny. I don't know if that means anything or not. But it would certainly be fun to see them playing together.

I look at your team and I see so many combinations / lineups of players and it is so difficult to see which are the best ones. Your team has a flat(ish) talent level. More so than anyone else I reckon.

I was wondering about:

PG: Mookie, Lowry
SG: Reggie Miller, Gervin
SF: Connie Hawkins
PF: George McGinnis
 C: Bill Laimbeer, Ibaka

I was wondering about McGinnis as a starter to get some more muscle in there. Get some rebounding and physicality. I really like the idea of McGinnis next to Laimbeer also.

But I don't know.

This team could lineup in so many different ways and maintain a similar standard. Gervin could start or come off the bench. Same with Reggie. Same with Connie Hawkins. Or McGinnis. Mookie and Lowry are of a similar talent level at PG. Laimbeer (physicality) and Ibaka (quickness) provide different things but offer similarities in defense / floor spacing. So many different lineup choices.

This an interesting team. Difficult to figure the best plan of attack but also adjustable to many different styles / opponents.

You could also go smaller again

PG: Blaylock
SG: Reggie Miller
SF: Gervin
PF: Connie Hawkins
 C: George McGinnis

Give guys who can all handle & push the ball. Uptempo run and gun basketball. Even faster and more aggressive than your team's regular uptempo b'ball.

[Jvalin]

Phoenix Suns post trade:

PG: Tony Parker
SG: Clyde Drexler
SF: Danny Granger
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: DeAndre Jordan

Sixth Man: Devin Booker

Imo, both Drexler and Parker are bad fits next to Giannis. In a vacuum, you won the trade. Given that you are building around Giannis, I believe your team got worse.

Reggie was literally the perfect fit next to Giannis. Drexler and Parker are slashers. You also have DeAndre who scores the vast majority of his points via dunks and putbacks. Basically, 4 of your 5 starters are scoring a big percentage of their points in the paint. I believe your team would have a serious issue with spacing, especially in the playoffs where the pace of the game slows down.

I don't see why slashers, who also are very good outside shooters and great passers, wouldn't work with Giannis. I see it as a good thing since we could send off ball cuts while Giannis is doing his thing. The off ball movement and off ball screens will play a huge part on thiteam that will also have constant motion.

Also, this team will have a deadly small ball rotation with Giannis at the five and that lineup will play a lot.

Neither Drexler nor Parker were good 3pt shooters.

3P% - career average
Drexler: 31.8
Parker: 32.4

More importantly, they weren't even attempting many threes. Most of the times they were putting the ball on the floor and they were attacking the basket.

3pt attempt rate (percentage of FG attempts from 3pt range) - career average
Drexler: 14.7%
Parker: 10.1%

In comparison, here's the 3pt attempt rate of the Bucks starting PG the last 3 seasons (can't name him cause he's eligible to be drafted).

2017/18: 36.6%
2018/19: 38.8%
2019/20: 30.6%

Mind you, this guy ain't even a good 3pt shooter.

And here is the respective number from the Bucks starting SG last season (can't name him either).

2019/20: 70.4% !

He weren't playing for the Bucks prior to last season. His career average is 52%. Imo, the SG guy is exactly the type of player you should have put next to Giannis. You had the perfect player for that role, yet you traded him away.

[Who]

McGinnis is such a strange player. Like a more talented version of Antoine Walker. They both do so many good things and so many bad things every night.

Their talent is hypnotizing.

I love watching McGinnis play.

Infuriating and brilliant at the same time.

[Somebody]

Houston Rockets rotation after 7 rounds:
PG: Terry Porter, Gus Williams
SG: Jimmy Butler
SF: Bob Dandridge, Cliff Hagan
PF: Draymond Green
C: Rudy Gobert, Domantas Sabonis

Going to alternate Porter and Gus based on the matchup (Porter will start against small guards). Hagan will provide shooting, massive scoring and nifty playmaking to the second unit with his work in the playoffs as a T-1 option next to Pettit in the late 50s/early 60s and Sabonis will give us flexibility in the frontcourt as either a bruising C or PF who's mobile enough to defend the perimeter.

[Darth_Yoda]

McGinnis is such a strange player. Like a more talented version of Antoine Walker. They both do so many good things and so many bad things every night.

Their talent is hypnotizing.

I love watching McGinnis play.

Infuriating and brilliant at the same time.

Only ever seen him in replays and highlights, but my god, those flashes were brilliant. Overall a positive impact on the floor for certain, just needed the right players around him.

One of the reasons I have him rolling with Lowry and Bill Laimbeer, Those 2 guys have really high BBall iq and their playstyle would have allowed McGinnis to be pointed in the right direction.

[Darth_Yoda]

I know that Clyde was the best player in the draft, but I am able to improve my bench depth dramatically by makin the deal, and for me Reggie fits my team really well as his ability to shoot the 3 really spreads open the floor for Gervin to offense.

Mookie/Lowry
Miller
Gervin/McGinnis
Hawkins
Ibaka/Laimbeer

I just realized as I was reading that - wow, Reggie Miller and George Gervin, that must be the skinniest SG-SF partnership ever!

And Connie Hawkins at PF! Oh boy, that is a whole lot of skinny. I don't know if that means anything or not. But it would certainly be fun to see them playing together.

I look at your team and I see so many combinations / lineups of players and it is so difficult to see which are the best ones. Your team has a flat(ish) talent level. More so than anyone else I reckon.

I was wondering about:

PG: Mookie, Lowry
SG: Reggie Miller, Gervin
SF: Connie Hawkins
PF: George McGinnis
 C: Bill Laimbeer, Ibaka

I was wondering about McGinnis as a starter to get some more muscle in there. Get some rebounding and physicality. I really like the idea of McGinnis next to Laimbeer also.

But I don't know.

This team could lineup in so many different ways and maintain a similar standard. Gervin could start or come off the bench. Same with Reggie. Same with Connie Hawkins. Or McGinnis. Mookie and Lowry are of a similar talent level at PG. Laimbeer (physicality) and Ibaka (quickness) provide different things but offer similarities in defense / floor spacing. So many different lineup choices.

This an interesting team. Difficult to figure the best plan of attack but also adjustable to many different styles / opponents.

You could also go smaller again

PG: Blaylock
SG: Reggie Miller
SF: Gervin
PF: Connie Hawkins
 C: George McGinnis

Give guys who can all handle & push the ball. Uptempo run and gun basketball. Even faster and more aggressive than your team's regular uptempo b'ball.

With picking late, I kind of felt I needed to pick a team with alot of options to be able to try and match against the teams with, imo, better high end talent.

I do really like my teams versatility, and if playing in the modern age, I think that the speed can overcome some of the issues. My team should be able to run for days and days.

Then if I need to slow it down I can, hopefully if my next few picks plan out, go for a much more half court, tough offense as well.

Lowry
Gervin
McGinnis
Ibaka
Laimbeer

Either way, this game has been alot of fun.

[nickagneta]

Phoenix Suns post trade:

PG: Tony Parker
SG: Clyde Drexler
SF: Danny Granger
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: DeAndre Jordan

Sixth Man: Devin Booker

Imo, both Drexler and Parker are bad fits next to Giannis. In a vacuum, you won the trade. Given that you are building around Giannis, I believe your team got worse.

Reggie was literally the perfect fit next to Giannis. Drexler and Parker are slashers. You also have DeAndre who scores the vast majority of his points via dunks and putbacks. Basically, 4 of your 5 starters are scoring a big percentage of their points in the paint. I believe your team would have a serious issue with spacing, especially in the playoffs where the pace of the game slows down.

I don't see why slashers, who also are very good outside shooters and great passers, wouldn't work with Giannis. I see it as a good thing since we could send off ball cuts while Giannis is doing his thing. The off ball movement and off ball screens will play a huge part on thiteam that will also have constant motion.

Also, this team will have a deadly small ball rotation with Giannis at the five and that lineup will play a lot.

Neither Drexler nor Parker were good 3pt shooters.

3P% - career average
Drexler: 31.8
Parker: 32.4

More importantly, they weren't even attempting many threes. Most of the times they were putting the ball on the floor and they were attacking the basket.

3pt attempt rate (percentage of FG attempts from 3pt range) - career average
Drexler: 14.7%
Parker: 10.1%

In comparison, here's the 3pt attempt rate of the Bucks starting PG the last 3 seasons (can't name him cause he's eligible to be drafted).

2017/18: 36.6%
2018/19: 38.8%
2019/20: 30.6%

Mind you, this guy ain't even a good 3pt shooter.

And here is the respective number from the Bucks starting SG last season (can't name him either).

2019/20: 70.4% !

He weren't playing for the Bucks prior to last season. His career average is 52%. Imo, the SG guy is exactly the type of player you should have put next to Giannis. You had the perfect player for that role, yet you traded him away.

Well, I don't plan on running Giannis in the exact same system, so I don't need Clyde or Parker chucking threes only. They have more diverse games and in the years I am going to select both had above average years shooting the three and excellent years hitting in the 16-23 foot area.

You can spread a floor shooting 20 footers as well as threes.

It would be a waste of talent making Parker and Clyde shoot 35% of their shots from three. I have a different vision planned.

Also, I plan on having a fast paced team pushing the transition game. And with my starters or even my Parker-Booker-Clyde- Granger-Giannis lineup that should be deadly.

[Darth_Yoda]

Phoenix Suns post trade:

PG: Tony Parker
SG: Clyde Drexler
SF: Danny Granger
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: DeAndre Jordan

Sixth Man: Devin Booker

Imo, both Drexler and Parker are bad fits next to Giannis. In a vacuum, you won the trade. Given that you are building around Giannis, I believe your team got worse.

Reggie was literally the perfect fit next to Giannis. Drexler and Parker are slashers. You also have DeAndre who scores the vast majority of his points via dunks and putbacks. Basically, 4 of your 5 starters are scoring a big percentage of their points in the paint. I believe your team would have a serious issue with spacing, especially in the playoffs where the pace of the game slows down.

I don't see why slashers, who also are very good outside shooters and great passers, wouldn't work with Giannis. I see it as a good thing since we could send off ball cuts while Giannis is doing his thing. The off ball movement and off ball screens will play a huge part on thiteam that will also have constant motion.

Also, this team will have a deadly small ball rotation with Giannis at the five and that lineup will play a lot.

Neither Drexler nor Parker were good 3pt shooters.

3P% - career average
Drexler: 31.8
Parker: 32.4

More importantly, they weren't even attempting many threes. Most of the times they were putting the ball on the floor and they were attacking the basket.

3pt attempt rate (percentage of FG attempts from 3pt range) - career average
Drexler: 14.7%
Parker: 10.1%

In comparison, here's the 3pt attempt rate of the Bucks starting PG the last 3 seasons (can't name him cause he's eligible to be drafted).

2017/18: 36.6%
2018/19: 38.8%
2019/20: 30.6%

Mind you, this guy ain't even a good 3pt shooter.

And here is the respective number from the Bucks starting SG last season (can't name him either).

2019/20: 70.4% !

He weren't playing for the Bucks prior to last season. His career average is 52%. Imo, the SG guy is exactly the type of player you should have put next to Giannis. You had the perfect player for that role, yet you traded him away.

Well, I don't plan on running Giannis in the exact same system, so I don't need Clyde or Parker chucking threes only. They have more diverse games and in the years I am going to select both had above average years shooting the three and excellent years hitting in the 16-23 foot area.

You can spread a floor shooting 20 footers as well as threes.

It would be a waste of talent making Parker and Clyde shoot 35% of their shots from three. I have a different vision planned.

Also, I plan on having a fast paced team pushing the transition game. And with my starters or even my Parker-Booker-Clyde- Granger-Giannis lineup that should be deadly.

I will raise you a Blaylock - Reggie - Gervin - Hawkins - McGinnis

that would be an awesome fun game to watch, very ABA

[Who]

Also, I plan on having a fast paced team pushing the transition game. And with my starters or even my Parker-Booker-Clyde- Granger-Giannis lineup that should be deadly.

Man, that is a killer lineup.

How do you defend that? You can't. You can only try to out-score it and that's going to be hard to do.

[Jvalin]

Phoenix Suns post trade:

PG: Tony Parker
SG: Clyde Drexler
SF: Danny Granger
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: DeAndre Jordan

Sixth Man: Devin Booker

Imo, both Drexler and Parker are bad fits next to Giannis. In a vacuum, you won the trade. Given that you are building around Giannis, I believe your team got worse.

Reggie was literally the perfect fit next to Giannis. Drexler and Parker are slashers. You also have DeAndre who scores the vast majority of his points via dunks and putbacks. Basically, 4 of your 5 starters are scoring a big percentage of their points in the paint. I believe your team would have a serious issue with spacing, especially in the playoffs where the pace of the game slows down.

I don't see why slashers, who also are very good outside shooters and great passers, wouldn't work with Giannis. I see it as a good thing since we could send off ball cuts while Giannis is doing his thing. The off ball movement and off ball screens will play a huge part on thiteam that will also have constant motion.

Also, this team will have a deadly small ball rotation with Giannis at the five and that lineup will play a lot.

Neither Drexler nor Parker were good 3pt shooters.

3P% - career average
Drexler: 31.8
Parker: 32.4

More importantly, they weren't even attempting many threes. Most of the times they were putting the ball on the floor and they were attacking the basket.

3pt attempt rate (percentage of FG attempts from 3pt range) - career average
Drexler: 14.7%
Parker: 10.1%

In comparison, here's the 3pt attempt rate of the Bucks starting PG the last 3 seasons (can't name him cause he's eligible to be drafted).

2017/18: 36.6%
2018/19: 38.8%
2019/20: 30.6%

Mind you, this guy ain't even a good 3pt shooter.

And here is the respective number from the Bucks starting SG last season (can't name him either).

2019/20: 70.4% !

He weren't playing for the Bucks prior to last season. His career average is 52%. Imo, the SG guy is exactly the type of player you should have put next to Giannis. You had the perfect player for that role, yet you traded him away.

Well, I don't plan on running Giannis in the exact same system, so I don't need Clyde or Parker chucking threes only. They have more diverse games and in the years I am going to select both had above average years shooting the three and excellent years hitting in the 16-23 foot area.

You can spread a floor shooting 20 footers as well as threes.

It would be a waste of talent making Parker and Clyde shoot 35% of their shots from three. I have a different vision planned.

Also, I plan on having a fast paced team pushing the transition game. And with my starters or even my Parker-Booker-Clyde- Granger-Giannis lineup that should be deadly.

The mid-range shot is hands down the worst shot in basketball. If the plan is to run a mid-range heavy offense, imo that's a recipe for disaster.

Parker's go-to move was the two foot floater. Drexler was a very dynamic finisher. He loved attacking the basket. Good luck trying to put them in a position to succeed. Chances are that the opposing big men will be close to the basket cause Giannis and Jordan score the majority of their points in the paint.

Planning to play fast is one thing, but the opposing teams aren't just gonna let you run at will. For instance, the Rockets and the Wizards are perfectly suited to slow you down. Playoff games are usually won in the half court, not in the open court.

[Moranis]

Also, I plan on having a fast paced team pushing the transition game. And with my starters or even my Parker-Booker-Clyde- Granger-Giannis lineup that should be deadly.

Man, that is a killer lineup.

How do you defend that? You can't. You can only try to out-score it and that's going to be hard to do.

I think that is when you go big to counteract as that is a pretty small lineup and I certainly wouldn't want Giannis guarding true centers for very long.  Good way for him to end up worn out or injured.

[nickagneta]

Also, I plan on having a fast paced team pushing the transition game. And with my starters or even my Parker-Booker-Clyde- Granger-Giannis lineup that should be deadly.

Man, that is a killer lineup.

How do you defend that? You can't. You can only try to out-score it and that's going to be hard to do.

I think that is when you go big to counteract as that is a pretty small lineup and I certainly wouldn't want Giannis guarding true centers for very long.  Good way for him to end up worn out or injured.

Giannis is 6'11" 245 lbs and is probably the 3rd strongest player in this draft after Moses and Artis Gilmore. The Freak would be able to hang with those guys just fine for the 6-8 minutes per half that we would be using him there.

Also, Giannis would run those guys into the ground.

Giannis gets the defensive rebound, instantly sprints with the ball down court, and for 2-3 seconds the opposition is playing 4 on our 5 and its lights out. Those 2-3 seconds are that important before the opposition can get all 5 set on defense.