the more i think about it, the more i like exum and the more i don't like parker. while it's widely regarded that top3 is embiid/wiggins/parker, i think i'd rank mine as 1) Embiid, 2) Wiggins and 3) Exum.
I really hope the C's land one (or possibly 2
) of them.
Unfortunately there is no way to land both. The only way would be to trade Rondo for a top five pick but I doubt he would fetch that. Also, even if Brooklyn falters, misses the playoffs and then gets lucky in the lottery, that pick would go to Atlanta.
I wish there were long videos of Exum available besides the Hoop Summit game. While it's nice that he showed he belonged with the best America has to offer in his age group, the game itself is still a chaotic mess with terrible transition defense, which is where the international team carved the US up. There's only so much to take away from that game. Still, he's very intriguing with his size, basketball IQ, passing ability, handle and athleticism.
One thing that's given me pause about Exum was a video from his last ever high school game. When I had seen him previously, he was capable of breaking down defenders at will. In that video however, players who should've had no chance of containing him were able to stay chest to chest with him. That was kind of alarming.
I still like Parker a lot and see him as a for multiple all-star but it's distressing to see how big his backside has gotten. I used to think Pierce had the biggest backside of any swingman I've seen. Parker's is on another level. Then again, imagine what improved conditioning and 15 fewer pounds could do him.