Can't believe I'm intensely rooting for the pick to land at #11. Although it's early, seems to me one of 11 guys could be guaranteed high level contributor (regardless of how long it takes them to acclimate, etc.)
Those 11 are the obvious big 3: Wiseman, Ball, Edwards
and:
C. Anthony
Haliburton
Okongwu
Toppin
Hampton
Mannion
Avdija
McDaniels
I'd be excited about any of those and feel good on draft night. From that list I'd be least excited about Mannion, but what do I know?
If Killian Hayes is a lock to be good then then there are not 11 but 12 guys I'd feel safe and happy about snagging.
So starting at pick 12 or 13 is where it seems like any pick we make will be more of a wait and see feeling rather than an excited feeling. If we are picking at 12 and Mannion or Hayes are there, I wouldn't mind trading down for a big and another asset...Paul Reed plus asset, Isaiah Steward plus asset, Vernon Carey plus asset, Amar Sylla gamble plus asset, etc...
(Sylla: maybe the one guy outside the top 11 that I would allow myself to feel excited about...along with Reed to a lesser extent--less risk but less excitement in the case of Reed).
In any case, tonight is the night Memphis moves to a 500 record...