"Expert" Mock Drafts

[Roy H.]

Use this post to link to and discuss mock drafts from the various draft professionals that guess at this stuff.

Here's one involving some discussion:

https://sports.yahoo.com/2023-nba-mock-draft-9-latest-projections-after-ncaa-withdrawal-deadline-and-first-round-risers-201711142.html

[Celtics4ever]

Thanks, that was a nice read.

G Terquavion Smith is who they had us picking

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

Highlights on him, looks like he has a real nice stroke

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GHdo4MLsmIM

We all know the dangers of highlights but I liked what I saw.

I doubt he will be there when we pick though

[Goldstar88]

They have Webanyama listed as a 7’4”/209lb Center… Also, not sure the C’s need another 6’4” guard.

[Birdman]

What about Bates at 35? At one time he was projected be a lottery pick, wouldn’t hurt to take a chance on him

[CFAN38]

Use this post to link to and discuss mock drafts from the various draft professionals that guess at this stuff.

Here's one involving some discussion:

https://sports.yahoo.com/2023-nba-mock-draft-9-latest-projections-after-ncaa-withdrawal-deadline-and-first-round-risers-201711142.html

This Yahoo mock misses the mark for the Celtics to project the Cs to take Terquavion Smith makes little sense to me. He is a 165lb combo guard who despite his talents even at his highest ceiling outcome will be a defensive liability in a playoff series.

[Celtics4ever]

You're not likely to get a complete player in the 2nd round.   They all have warts unless you get a lucky pick.   

The Manu Ginobil,  Paul Milsaps, Maurice Cheeks, Toni Kukoc's, Jokic, Draymond Green, Paul Gasol's of the world are the exception not the norm folks.

[Celtics4ever]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/37757403/2023-nba-mock-draft-post-combine-pro-day-impacts-draft-class

They have us taking

Tristan Vukcevic | Partizan | PF/C | Age: 20.2

Team: Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) | Position: PF/C | Class: International

Height 6-11 | Weight: 220

Potential NBA roles: shooter, stretch big, finisher

Draft Projection: Mid to late second round

Strengths:

    Good mobility and agility for size
    Offensive versatility – he can play both in the high or low post
    Shooting ability – potential as a floor spacer
    Good hands – feel for the game

Concerns:

    Average rebounder for size/position
    Lacks physicality – plays smaller on defense
    He is not much of a rim protector
    Doesn't finish well with contact

Questions:

    Can his body develop well enough to compete at the NBA level?
    How tough is he?

Bottom Line:

Tristan Vukcevic struggled to get on the court in Euroleague. Still, he got regular minutes (he started several games, too) in Adriatic League and played quite well when given the opportunity.

Vukcevic is not ready to compete at the NBA level yet, but he has some legit potential thanks to his size and skill set. Above all, he needs to work on his body, as he has a long but weak body with limited core strength and lacks muscle tone. However, he possesses a decent wingspan. He is mobile enough for his size, can get up and down the court well, and can score 1-on-1, but he needs to add some power to his game and perhaps a bit more pop in his legs.

A modern big man with a polished skill set, Vukcevic should translate well to the NBA level as he can play in both the high and low post, and more importantly, he can face-up and shoot it well from out to three-point line helping space the floor. He has a smooth and effortless stroke from long range and a quick release on his shot. He can also put the ball on the deck and drive to the basket quite well, but he needs to finish better with contact. He is a good finisher off cuts to the basket, and he can pick and pop too. He runs the court well and can finish plays in transition.

He showed some nice low post-scoring moves at the youth level, but he has played mostly away from the basket at the pro level. He has an excellent turnaround fadeaway shot but often lacks the strength to finish when you put a body to him. In addition, he doesn't seem to get to the free-throw line much for a big man.

A good passer from both the high and low post, Vukcevic reverses the ball well and is a good passer big-to-big. In addition, he has good hands in general and an excellent feel for the game.

As polished as he is on offense, he still struggles on the defensive end, not just because of his thin build. To begin with, he does not look like a physical player and comes off as too much of a finesse player. He can get overpowered quite easily in the low post. He moves his feet pretty well but does not have much lateral mobility/quickness. He is very foul-prone because of his lack of strength and inexperience. And he is not much of a shot blocker, even at this level.

He is an average rebounder for his size – he rebounds his area well enough. Still, he does not go after the ball aggressively.

Vukcevic still needs time to finish his development and would probably benefit from at least another year in Europe, but this makes him a great stash guy with a 2nd round pick: the fact that he is going to be working under the tutelage of all-time great European coach Zelijko Obradovic makes this an even more intriguing situation for a team willing to roll the dice.

By
Jason Filippi brings 19 years of NBA scouting experience to Draft Digest Pro and serves as a scouting advisor keeping a keen eye on international prospects. Before joining Draft Digest, Filippi held positions as an international scout for the Detroit Pistons and the Miami Heat. He also served as the Director of International Scouting for the Portland Trail Blazers. He is from and currently resides in Bologna, Italy.

https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/nba-draft-former-nba-scout-evaluates-tristan-vukcevic


he sounds like a draft and stash guy if there ever was one.

[Celtics4ever]

The Ringer has us taking  Jaime Jaquez Jr.,  UCLA, Senior


Jaquez would become an instant fan favorite for Celtics fans because of his glue-guy skills, playmaking feel, and hard-nosed defense.

Nifty scorer and hustling defender who just needs an improved jumper to have a fruitful career.
Venn Diagaram Icon
Shades Of
Kevin McHale impressionist


    Hustle
    Feel for the Gamebadge
    Feel for the Game
    Off-Ball Defensebadge
    Off-Ball Defense
    Reboundingbadge
    Rebounding

PLUSES

    The cleanest footwork of anyone in the draft. He can change rhythms like a Tool song, and he uses fakes and pivots to get defenders flying off the floor. With manipulative movements, he’s able to generate space on drives and post-ups at the college level, and it should be translatable to the pros.

    Equipped to bully mismatches in the post because of his size, strength, and array of moves.

    Comfortable pulling up from midrange. He’s made 40.6 percent of dribble-jumper 2s and 36.5 percent of dribble-jumper 3s in four years at UCLA. Add in his 74.5 percent from the line, and there’s reason for optimism that he’ll someday become a reliable shooter off the catch.

    Can make virtually any pass, from lobs to wraparounds to cutters. If he draws attention on drives or post-ups, he stays composed and finds the open man with accurate fastballs.

    Excellent off-ball defender who doesn’t miss rotations. He has a great feel for reading plays and strong fundamentals for executing what he’s seeing.

    Hustles hard defending on the ball. He has a never-give-up attitude, whether he’s sliding with faster players or battling for rebounds against bigs. UCLA has him defend the frontcourt more often, but he’s undersized for the next level and will need to defend more wings.

MINUSES

    Still an iffy 3-point shooter who will need to prove that he can regularly hit catch-and-shoot chances to raise his draft stock. He’s made 31.1 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s in four years at UCLA, per Synergy.

    Needs to maximize his lateral quickness to reach his defensive potential. Even at the college level, he can struggle to keep in front of faster players.

    His lack of verticality and quickness will make it challenging for him to generate space in the NBA. He’s been consistent finishing against length in college but may need to add a floater.

By Mock Draft By Kevin O'Connor

You’re reading Kevin O’Connor’s mock draft, his forecast for how the first 30 picks could unfold on June 22. With the NBA draft lottery now in the books and the San Antonio Spurs winning the first pick, we’re projecting how the first round could unfold. After Victor Wembanyama, this draft is as wide open as can be. Let’s get to the latest mock.

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/mock-draft

[keevsnick]

With the incoming new CBA hitting on late first early second round picks for a franchise like the Celtics that projects as living near the 2nd apron is going to be critical.

I think with two all-nba guys locked up the c's should focus on guys who stand a good chance of being contributors sooner rather than later even if their ceiling isn't all that high. Whether its a shooting big man, or a high defensive potential wing stopper, somebody with a clear skill that will give them a long NBA career as like an 8th man.

[Celtics2021]

With the incoming new CBA hitting on late first early second round picks for a franchise like the Celtics that projects as living near the 2nd apron is going to be critical.

I think with two all-nba guys locked up the c's should focus on guys who stand a good chance of being contributors sooner rather than later even if their ceiling isn't all that high. Whether its a shooting big man, or a high defensive potential wing stopper, somebody with a clear skill that will give them a long NBA career as like an 8th man.

I actually go the other direction.  I think the new CBA is going to push a number of free agent reserves from between the minimum and the mid-level to just the minimum, meaning the C’s will be able to get more from the minimum salary market and thus invest picks in long-term projects.

[keevsnick]

With the incoming new CBA hitting on late first early second round picks for a franchise like the Celtics that projects as living near the 2nd apron is going to be critical.

I think with two all-nba guys locked up the c's should focus on guys who stand a good chance of being contributors sooner rather than later even if their ceiling isn't all that high. Whether its a shooting big man, or a high defensive potential wing stopper, somebody with a clear skill that will give them a long NBA career as like an 8th man.

I actually go the other direction.  I think the new CBA is going to push a number of free agent reserves from between the minimum and the mid-level to just the minimum, meaning the C’s will be able to get more from the minimum salary market and thus invest picks in long-term projects.

Maybe. But the thing about the new rules is that they are sort of focused on pushing down the 6-ish teams currently sitting about what would be the second apron. Players on those teams will have a choice between taking less to stay, or making their money. I expect they'll elect to make their money which will mean leaving teams like the Bucks, Celtics, Clipper, Warriors ect for teams that aren't sitting njear the 2nd apron. There will still be plenty of opportunity to make middle-ish NBA money, it just won't be as prevalent on contending teams.

But we'll see.

[perks-a-beast]

Interesting that mock had the magic taking Anthony black 6th. I hadn’t really considered that option, but the more I think about it ,the more I like the fit.

[BitterJim]

The Ringer has us taking  Jaime Jaquez Jr.,  UCLA, Senior


Jaquez would become an instant fan favorite for Celtics fans because of his glue-guy skills, playmaking feel, and hard-nosed defense.

Nifty scorer and hustling defender who just needs an improved jumper to have a fruitful career.
Venn Diagaram Icon
Shades Of
Kevin McHale impressionist


    Hustle
    Feel for the Gamebadge
    Feel for the Game
    Off-Ball Defensebadge
    Off-Ball Defense
    Reboundingbadge
    Rebounding

PLUSES

    The cleanest footwork of anyone in the draft. He can change rhythms like a Tool song, and he uses fakes and pivots to get defenders flying off the floor. With manipulative movements, he’s able to generate space on drives and post-ups at the college level, and it should be translatable to the pros.

    Equipped to bully mismatches in the post because of his size, strength, and array of moves.

    Comfortable pulling up from midrange. He’s made 40.6 percent of dribble-jumper 2s and 36.5 percent of dribble-jumper 3s in four years at UCLA. Add in his 74.5 percent from the line, and there’s reason for optimism that he’ll someday become a reliable shooter off the catch.

    Can make virtually any pass, from lobs to wraparounds to cutters. If he draws attention on drives or post-ups, he stays composed and finds the open man with accurate fastballs.

    Excellent off-ball defender who doesn’t miss rotations. He has a great feel for reading plays and strong fundamentals for executing what he’s seeing.

    Hustles hard defending on the ball. He has a never-give-up attitude, whether he’s sliding with faster players or battling for rebounds against bigs. UCLA has him defend the frontcourt more often, but he’s undersized for the next level and will need to defend more wings.

MINUSES

    Still an iffy 3-point shooter who will need to prove that he can regularly hit catch-and-shoot chances to raise his draft stock. He’s made 31.1 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s in four years at UCLA, per Synergy.

    Needs to maximize his lateral quickness to reach his defensive potential. Even at the college level, he can struggle to keep in front of faster players.

    His lack of verticality and quickness will make it challenging for him to generate space in the NBA. He’s been consistent finishing against length in college but may need to add a floater.

By Mock Draft By Kevin O'Connor

You’re reading Kevin O’Connor’s mock draft, his forecast for how the first 30 picks could unfold on June 22. With the NBA draft lottery now in the books and the San Antonio Spurs winning the first pick, we’re projecting how the first round could unfold. After Victor Wembanyama, this draft is as wide open as can be. Let’s get to the latest mock.

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/mock-draft

Just to add his measurables:
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 226lb
Age: 22
Wingspan: 6'10"

[Roy H.]

Hoopshype has an "aggregate" mock draft up.  They have the #35 pick as Julian Phillips:

Julian Phillips earned All-SEC Freshman Team honors at Tennessee and intrigues NBA executives as an athletic wing who can become a good defender with some untapped upside as a shooter. He’s worked out with the Blazers, Kings, and Hornets.

“I’m a real versatile wing, can defend multiple positions,” Phillips said after a Hornets workout. “Offensively, I can space the floor, shoot it. So, I think I’m a fit in today’s modern positionless basketball.”

Hoopshype also mentions that the Celtics have worked out Jordan Walsh:

Jordan Walsh is looking to spread his wings after leaving Arkansas.

“Once I got out of Arkansas, I’m now in a position where I don’t have handcuffs on me,” Walsh told ESPN. “I’m able to shoot and make plays for people. I have that flexibility to show that I can do all those things. I was stuck in a role, but now they’ll see the real Jordan. That was a small glimpse of me at the combine.”

Walsh is a versatile defender who can guard four positions. His workout list includes nine teams thus far: Boston, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Detroit, Houston, Memphis, Miami, Orlando, San Antonio, and Utah.

... and Andre Jackson Jr.

Andre Jackson Jr. was a rising candidate heading into the combine, and his stock has only risen since. His versatility as a facilitator and defender appeals to NBA teams. The knock on his game is his outside shooting.

He’s worked out for the Pacers and Blazers and reportedly has upcoming workouts with the Celtics and Nets, per our HoopsHype workout tracker.

... and Chris Livingston

Chris Livingston plans to cancel all upcoming workouts, with some around the league thinking he has a promise, HoopsHype has learned.

Livingston has an NBA physique for a wing with explosiveness and would be a potential upside swing for any team that selects him.

At the combine in Chicago, Livingston compared his game to Jimmy Butler and Jaylen Brown. He met with the Jazz and Pistons at the combine. Since then, Livingston has worked out for the Celtics, Hornets, Lakers, and Pacers.

[CFAN38]

The Ringer has us taking  Jaime Jaquez Jr.,  UCLA, Senior


Jaquez would become an instant fan favorite for Celtics fans because of his glue-guy skills, playmaking feel, and hard-nosed defense.

Nifty scorer and hustling defender who just needs an improved jumper to have a fruitful career.
Venn Diagaram Icon
Shades Of
Kevin McHale impressionist


    Hustle
    Feel for the Gamebadge
    Feel for the Game
    Off-Ball Defensebadge
    Off-Ball Defense
    Reboundingbadge
    Rebounding

PLUSES

    The cleanest footwork of anyone in the draft. He can change rhythms like a Tool song, and he uses fakes and pivots to get defenders flying off the floor. With manipulative movements, he’s able to generate space on drives and post-ups at the college level, and it should be translatable to the pros.

    Equipped to bully mismatches in the post because of his size, strength, and array of moves.

    Comfortable pulling up from midrange. He’s made 40.6 percent of dribble-jumper 2s and 36.5 percent of dribble-jumper 3s in four years at UCLA. Add in his 74.5 percent from the line, and there’s reason for optimism that he’ll someday become a reliable shooter off the catch.

    Can make virtually any pass, from lobs to wraparounds to cutters. If he draws attention on drives or post-ups, he stays composed and finds the open man with accurate fastballs.

    Excellent off-ball defender who doesn’t miss rotations. He has a great feel for reading plays and strong fundamentals for executing what he’s seeing.

    Hustles hard defending on the ball. He has a never-give-up attitude, whether he’s sliding with faster players or battling for rebounds against bigs. UCLA has him defend the frontcourt more often, but he’s undersized for the next level and will need to defend more wings.

MINUSES

    Still an iffy 3-point shooter who will need to prove that he can regularly hit catch-and-shoot chances to raise his draft stock. He’s made 31.1 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s in four years at UCLA, per Synergy.

    Needs to maximize his lateral quickness to reach his defensive potential. Even at the college level, he can struggle to keep in front of faster players.

    His lack of verticality and quickness will make it challenging for him to generate space in the NBA. He’s been consistent finishing against length in college but may need to add a floater.

By Mock Draft By Kevin O'Connor

You’re reading Kevin O’Connor’s mock draft, his forecast for how the first 30 picks could unfold on June 22. With the NBA draft lottery now in the books and the San Antonio Spurs winning the first pick, we’re projecting how the first round could unfold. After Victor Wembanyama, this draft is as wide open as can be. Let’s get to the latest mock.

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/mock-draft

Just to add his measurables:
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 226lb
Age: 22
Wingspan: 6'10"

I will be disappointed if Jaquez is the pick at #35. I like him in the late 2nd or as an UDFA but don't see a ceiling where he ever becomes more then a 10-15 rotation guy. At the #35 pick I would be swinging for a ceiling that could become a valuable player not someone easily replicated on the veteran FA market.

I see Jaquez as a lower prospect in the Grant Williams archetype (3-D 4/3 defensive wing). As a prospect he is older than Grant with an inferior 3pt projection, weaker frame, and was over all an inferior college player.