2024 Draft

[CFAN38]

Between coaching my daughters teams and watching a lot more women's b-ball (the Clark effect) this past season was the least amount of men's college b-ball I have watched in the past 20years. This has damped my normal NBA draft enthusiasm but I have been going back cherry picking games and players looking for some sleepers / guys I would like to see the Celtics pick. I have also started looking into the lottery projected guys.

First off the lottery is scary and this may be an historically bad top 5. The lottery has some real talent but much like the 2013 draft this draft is lacking in clear top tier (star ceiling talent). This may create an situation where teams have to lean more towards roster fit as the talent at the top will not be transcendent enough to over come poor roster fit.

Looking at Tankathons top 5 as of 4/15 my initial gutter reactions are...

Alex Sarr, scares me as a "trendy pick" Chet and Wemby have made super tall, skinny and super long the it thing. Years ago we saw the run on euro 7's who could in theory shoot and this lead to some major busts while teams searched for the next Dirk.

Zach Risacher, I havent watched much of him but my initial reaction is role player and not a franchise corner stone type piece.

Nikola Topic, he is probably my favorite in the projected top 5. I'm hoping going to try to dive more into his game but he looks to be an interesting. He has great point guard size at 6'6 with a 7'ws and has been productive over seas.

Donovan Clingan, he will be a long term productive starting center. I am going to find some time and research whats the highest a projected defensive anchor type center has gone in the draft. Poeltlt went #9 in 2016. The lottery will dictate if a team in the top 5 values and needs a defensive anchor enough to draft him top 5.

Reed Sheppard, there is a lot to like about Sheppard but I just cant get past the fact that the measurement I have found for him has him at 6'2 in shoes 187lbs with a 6'3 wing span. For comparison Pritchard was 6'2 in shoes 201lbs with a 6'4 wing span at the combine. If he had more length he would the early favorite for my #1 guy but at that size I have concerns with him as a high lottery pick.


As for later in the draft guys who I like for the Celtics

Harrison Ingram, played on ball for Stanford and now plays off ball for UNC. Great positional size and feel for the game. Is improving as a shooter. Could be a nice plug in role player

Adem Bona, athletic defensive center who is raw on offense and fouls to much but could be an elite switching 5. He is not Bam but may be able to defend on the perimeter at that level.     

   

[W8ting2McHale]

I’m wondering if this thread will get buried because everyone thinks it’s last year’s draft and not 2024?

I admittedly didn’t pay much attention to NCAA basketball this year either. I watched some early season games and then the Sweet Sixteen, with not much in between. What I saw was mostly disappointing.

I have seen Donovan Clingan rated higher since the tournament. Some are projecting him as a Top Two prospect. I like him a lot more than Edey, but place him somewhere between a Poeltl and a Plumlee. I think he’s better suited to the NBA, but he’s a role player big, not a star.

Agreed that the top talent is lacking. Clingan would go 10-15 in a normal draft.

Jamal Shead was one of the better players I saw, but he’s undersized at 6’1” and 195.

[Donoghus]

Year updated.

[CFAN38]

Year updated.

thanks for the update

[Donoghus]

Year updated.

thanks for the update

No sweat. I get it. I still think the 90s were a decade ago. 

[Who]

That Clingan guy reminded me of Eric Montross. The way he moved. His limited mobility & quickness. Zubac is probably the closest comparison to him in terms of a succcessful present day NBA player.

I was shocked to see some on ESPN questioning whether he could be the #1 pick.

[CFAN38]

That Clingan guy reminded me of Eric Montross. The way he moved. His limited mobility & quickness. Zubac is probably the closest comparison to him in terms of a succcessful present day NBA player.

I was shocked to see some on ESPN questioning whether he could be the #1 pick.

I was also shocked to hear talk of Clingan at #1 and part of me wonders if that was just to add some draft buzz by name dropping off of the NCAA championship.

While I don't think he should/will go #1 there are some interesting potential fits in the Lottery. The Wizards are a mess and adding a young defensive anchor would be a safe pick in the lottery for a team who has suffered some recent failures. The Grizzlies when healthy have a good roster but have room to add a big to their rotation. The Spurs are also an interesting fit who could end up with two lottery picks. Does Pop entertain the idea of another twin towers?

[Atzar]

I like Dalton Knecht quite a bit.  He's old for a prospect, and people will get hung up on that in an industry that falls in love with potential, but IMO he has "solid long-term starter" written all over him. 

[CFAN38]

I like Dalton Knecht quite a bit.  He's old for a prospect, and people will get hung up on that in an industry that falls in love with potential, but IMO he has "solid long-term starter" written all over him.

Knecht scares me for how high he is projected. He reminds me a little of Nesmith in that he has great vertical pop but lacks lateral quickness. Unlike Nesmith he is an older prospect and isn't likely to have a ceiling much higher then where he currently sits. His lack of steals for a lottery projected wing is also a red flag for me.

This is not to say he wont be a solid pro but as a starting wing I have my concerns. In most drafts I would suspect he would go in to 15-25 range and currently Ringer has him #4! (tankathon #10)   

[liam]

My guys so far:

Tyler Kolek

Adem Bona

DaRon Holmes II

Tristan da Silva

Hunter Sallis

Coleman Hawkins

[goCeltics]

From the Celtic's perspective, I've been intrigued by Juan Nunez, a 6'5 Spanish PG, who plays pro ball in Germany and has performed well in Euro Ball and in the WC last year as a 19-year-old. O'Connor has not got him rated but.

I am also intrigued by Edwards from Kentucky, I see him as a very toolsy guy who went to a team with a lot of talent. 

I see the draft as very flat, the best player could go not in the Lottery or the Second round.

[Who]

I like Dalton Knecht quite a bit.  He's old for a prospect, and people will get hung up on that in an industry that falls in love with potential, but IMO he has "solid long-term starter" written all over him.

Knecht scares me for how high he is projected. He reminds me a little of Nesmith in that he has great vertical pop but lacks lateral quickness. Unlike Nesmith he is an older prospect and isn't likely to have a ceiling much higher then where he currently sits. His lack of steals for a lottery projected wing is also a red flag for me.

This is not to say he wont be a solid pro but as a starting wing I have my concerns. In most drafts I would suspect he would go in to 15-25 range and currently Ringer has him #4! (tankathon #10)

Wow, he really does have cement feet on D. How is he going to defend anybody?

He moves well on offense. Strong offensive game.

[liam]

These are players that I think fit the spots we raft in:

Tyler Kolek: Maybe a little redundant to Pritcharch but I like feisty bulldog point guards like this kid. He is a very good offensive point but needs work on defense, which might never be very good but a nice pick up in the second round...

Adem Bona: Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He doesn't have crazy TIMELORD arms but his game reminds me a little of the TIMELORD. A defensive difference maker but a big nothing on Offensive at this point. A second round project.

DaRon Holmes II : Another defensive big that could use some more muscle. Excellent athlete maybe ready for some bench minutes as soon as next year. 

Tristan da Silva: With some added strength I see Da Silva as a big 3 and D wing player. If you can grab him in the second round he could be a steal. Maybe too much of a risk at 30 but he fills a need for a big (6'9" but only 200lbs) wing off the bench.

Hunter Sallis: I like Sallis a lot but his game is very inconsistent at this point. When he's good he's really good but when he's off he looks really bad. I guess 21 isn't considered young in the NBA draft anymore but I can see him maturing into a real spark plug scorer off the bench for us down the line.

Coleman Hawkins: I like Hawkins as a Al Horford understudy. He does all the little things like Al does including the 3 point shooting. This is the first year his 3 point shooting % is up to a decent level but it shows he can do it. A big 6'10" burly big man.

[mobilija]

That Clingan guy reminded me of Eric Montross. The way he moved. His limited mobility & quickness. Zubac is probably the closest comparison to him in terms of a succcessful present day NBA player.

I was shocked to see some on ESPN questioning whether he could be the #1 pick.

He’s quick in small distances but lacks lateral and longer distance burst.

[CFAN38]

As I dive into this draft I am starting out with the wings and I am quickly coming away confused why Melvin Ajinca isnt more highly rated by the main stream draft media. I haven't been able to find any official measurements on him but he is listed a 6'7-6'8 and 220lbs and physically looks the part of a NBA wing. He also has great shooting numbers from both the 3pt and foul line and will not yet be 20 at the time of the draft.  I have the link below to team USA vs France at the FIBA U19. This game includes projected high lottery picks Sarr, Risacher, Williams along with Ajinca.

I find it hard to believe he is not a lock to go 1st round and cant see why he couldn't crack the top 20. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeI6-P9INSk