Labissiere question

[Smart457]

What if Labissiere lives up to the early hype and becomes just as good as Ingram and Simmons. Will you be upset if Ainge passes him up with the 3rd to fifth pick?

I figure we should get this out of the way so we don't have another Giannis Antetokounpo situation with people complaining after the fact.

I'll start by saying that I'll be ok since he seems so soft. The guy however has some crazy potential but I won't criticize Ainge for missing out on him if he passes, just because the guy looked so lost playing college ball. It's a tough one.

[alldaboston]

I think we will hear about it even though literally every mock draft has him sliding big time. I'd be fine to trade up to get him, though.

[Csfan1984]

Passing on any player that becomes a better player than the one you draft always hurts.

Oh and I was in the anyone but KO camp but really wanted Gobert or Giannis. Both those guys turned out well.

I'm a big Lab fan but he hasn't shown he should be picked top 5. Simmons, Ingram, Murray, Heild and Dunn will likely go top 5.

[Big333223]

I still like the idea of drafting Skal for the upside but we can get him later in the draft. It doesn't sound like he's going in the top 10. If we can trade up with the 16 and 23 and draft him in the 10-12 range, I'd be good with that.

[Eddie20]

I wonder if Skal is being overrated simply for being a freshman. However, he's already 20. Yet a junior center like Damian Jones is also 20 and projected to go much lower than Skal. This despite being very productive averaging 13.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.6 bpg, on 59% shooting in just 26.2 mpg. If he were an older freshman like Skal would his stock improve as a result?

[Roy H.]

My guess is that this is something that we never have to worry about, because nothing about this kid screams "superstar". 

No, I will not be upset if Danny declines to reach on him.  I generally don't judge Danny in hindsight.  The reason so many were upset about missing on Giannis was that we wanted him *before* the draft.

[Smart457]

I still like the idea of drafting Skal for the upside but we can get him later in the draft. It doesn't sound like he's going in the top 10. If we can trade up with the 16 and 23 and draft him in the 10-12 range, I'd be good with that.

I like the prospects around the 16th pick but I'm not sure the 23rd has a ton of value. Might be tough to move up by packaging those picks.

[alldaboston]

I wonder if Skal is being overrated simply for being a freshman. However, he's already 20. Yet a junior center like Damian Jones is also 20 and projected to go much lower than Skal. This despite being very productive averaging 13.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.6 bpg, on 59% shooting in just 26.2 mpg. If he were an older freshman like Skal would his stock improve as a result?

Whoa. That's really interesting, and something I hadn't thought about.

I gues Skal just has this "freshman aura" or whatever around him that's keeping him this high up.

[PhoSita]

Lab is Thabeet 2.0

[Smart457]

My guess is that this is something that we never have to worry about, because nothing about this kid screams "superstar". 

No, I will not be upset if Danny declines to reach on him.  I generally don't judge Danny in hindsight.  The reason so many were upset about missing on Giannis was that we wanted him *before* the draft.

I think if we had the 9th to 12th pick that a lot of people would be hoping for Lab there. The guy has incredible length, athleticism, soft touch, decent shot blocker. The ability is there.

Flip it around to Giannis. If we had the 5th pick, not many would be asking for Giannis there.

[Denis998]

I think Skal and KAT have quite similar play styles, both being stretch 4 type players. Both players were pigeon holed into certain roles during their time in Kentucky. Difference in the two players is that KAT was worlds better than Skal in the traditional "Big Man" role, and skyrocketed to the top of the draft. I think that once Skal gets drafted, his role will change to more of a perimeter player, somewhat like Channing Fry. In Kentucky they used him as a low post/pick and pop player, I think he has an ability to be more than that. Maybe somewhat Giannis like.

[Roy H.]

My guess is that this is something that we never have to worry about, because nothing about this kid screams "superstar". 

No, I will not be upset if Danny declines to reach on him.  I generally don't judge Danny in hindsight.  The reason so many were upset about missing on Giannis was that we wanted him *before* the draft.

I think if we had the 9th to 12th pick that a lot of people would be hoping for Lab there. The guy has incredible length, athleticism, soft touch, decent shot blocker. The ability is there.

Flip it around to Giannis. If we had the 5th pick, not many would be asking for Giannis there.

Well, right.  Draft position matters.  It makes more sense to gamble on no-production upside at #12 than it does at #3.

If Labissiere is there at #16, take him.