Post by IanBoyd on May 1, 2017 10:59:03 GMT -6
Taking another look at the 3043 Draft now that the players have played out their rookie contracts.
1.1 Ben Simmons - F - Heat
Starting Grades: Ben Simmons PF 6'10'' 240 19 B+ C B C+ B+ A
Current Grades: Ben Simmons SF 6'11'' 245 22 A- B- B A- A- A (+8)
Original Slot: 1.1 (Heat)
Selected by the commissioner on behalf of the CompuHeat for the transition to canes and turned out to the be no brainer selection at 1.1 overall. The knock on Simmons coming into the draft was his outside shooting and shot blocking; fast forward 3 years, the stretch forward out of LSU has developed a three point shot, attempting about 2 triples a game and is blocking 1.5 shots a game. In his contract season, Simmons has become a legitimate 30/10 type of SF and should command a max from anyone with cap space.
1.2 Kris Dunn - PG - Lakers
Starting Grades: Kris Dunn PG 6'4'' 210 22 B- C+ B B+ C B
Current Grades: Kris Dunn PG 6'4'' 220 25 B A- A A+ C B (+11)
Original Slot: 1.7 (Jazz)
Inexplicably fell to the 7th slot into the laps of Utah due to teams ahead of the Jazz either having drafted a PG the previous year or still in the middle of a tank. Dunn has made the most out of the snubbing, improving the most out of anyone in the lottery with a monstrous +11 over the course of 3 seasons. Now as an expiring rookie, Kris has improved on his outside shooting by leaps and bounds, going from 23 made threes in his rookie season to well on his way to be on pace for 170+ made threes this year in 82 games.
1.3 Ben Bentil - F - Spurs
Starting Grades: Ben Bentil PF 6'9' 235 21 B- C+ D C+ B- B
Current Grades: Ben Bentil SF 6'9'' 235 24 B B- D+ B B+ B (+7)
Original Slot: 2.20 (Bullets)
The sleeper pick of what is an otherwise disappointing draft, Ben Bentil was selected with the final 10 picks in the 2nd round as a non profile PF that has benefited tremendously with the move to SF. Despite only improving by +7, his on the field production is nothing to sneeze at. Currently on a team friendly 8 mil deal with the Blazers due to entering FA a year early, Bentil is one of the most efficient scorers in the league and chips in close to 3 bleals a game. By far the best pick in the draft.
1.4 Skoal Labissiere - C - Raptors
Starting Grades: Skoal Labissiere C 6'11'' 225 20 B- C- D+ B- C+ A
Current Grades: Skoal Labissiere C 6'11'' 235 23 B+ C- C- A- B C (+8)
Original Slot: 1.28 (Hornets)
Another high riser in the hindsight lotto, the artist previously known as Skai picked up a corporate sponsorship, legally changed his name and became the best d/r big in the class. Averaging over 3.7 blocks per 36, Skoal as he's called nowadays will likely be a candidate for an overpay from teams needing major help in the shot blocking department (Bobcats) should he hit free agency.
1.5 Jaylen Brown - SF - Celtics
Starting Grades: Jaylen Brown SF 6'5'' 225 20 B C C B- C+ A
Current Grades: Jaylen Brown SF 6'7'' 225 23 B B C+ B+ B B (+8)
Original Slot 1.6 (Nuggets)
Was once considered perhaps the worst pick in the lottery by dirt, Jaylen Brown has had the most drastic transformation on the court of anyone else in the lottery. Gone are the days of him shooting 39% as a rookie and GMs around the league wondering if he'll be the next great tanking wing ala Jake Shuttlesworth. Currently averaging 23 points and close to 11 rebounds shooting at 48% FG, Jaylen only needs cut down on the turnovers by about 1 to 1.5 a game before he's in the conversation as a bonafide max wing player.
1.6 Jamaal Murray - SG - Nuggets
Starting Grades: Jamal Murray SG 6'4'' 207 20 C+ B C+ C+ C A
Current Grades: Jamal Murray SG 6'4'' 207 23 B A- B B C B (+8)
Original Slot: 1.4 (Raptors)
Starting to see the dropoff in production right now in the lottery. Murray performed well enough in the summit to warrant being drafted ahead of the more polished Buddy Hield...and that's about the extent of his accolades. An undersized shooting guard that scores at slightly below league average efficiency and plays no defense to speak of, Murray appears to be a MLE tier backup wing player until he can improve either his FG% or shot blocking.
1.7 Brandon Ingram - SF - Jazz
Starting Grades: Brandon Ingram SF 6'9'' 190 19 B- B C B- C+ A
Current Grades: Brandon Ingram SF 6'10'' 205 22 B- A- C B+ B- A (+5)
Original Slot 1.2 (Lakers)
Once considered the best prospect in a 2 player draft, Brandon Ingram has done absolutely nothing to warrant such praises. Despite being capped out in the scoring categories of Inside and Jumpshot since his rookie season, Ingram has a serious case of the Maggette syndrome, perhaps as a result of his incredibly low strength that never saw much growth. Though he has a 6'10'' frame that most SGs would kill for, Ingram barely attempts 2 FTs per game. The only redeeming trait is that at 22 years old, its perhaps still not too late to salvage his career to make use of that tall frame.
1.8 AJ Hammons - C - Hawks
Starting Grades: AJ Hammons C 7'0'' 260 23 B- C C B B- C
Current Grades: AJ Hammons C 7'0'' 260 26 C+ C C+ B+ B+ C (+3)
Original Slot: 1.19 (Lakers)
Missed by most GMs despite a stellar summit performance on the defensive end, AJ Hammons is as advertised: a d/r big that perhaps shoots a bit too much with a few too many turnovers. But with a sublime 90% FT effective jump shot, Hammons only needs to cut down on the turnovers to be well worth a starting position on a contender.
1.9 Cheick Diallo - PF - Raptors
Starting Grades: Cheick Diallo PF 6'9'' 220 20 C+ D D B B A
Current Grades: Cheick Diallo C 6'9'' 225 23 C+ D+ D+ A A- C (+6)
Original Slot: 1.23 (Grizzlies)
Not much to say about Diallo, he's your standard d/r big that's slotted slightly behind Hammons due to his size and jump shot, at worst a rotational 3rd big. Will be making at least a MLE for the next 10-12 years.
1.10 Buddy Hield - SG - Spurs
Starting Grades: Buddy Hield SG 6'4'' 215 22 B- B+ C C+ C B
Current Grades: Buddy Hield SF 6'4'' 215 25 C+ A- C B C B (+2)
Original Slot: 1.5 (Celtics)
The least growth of anyone in the lottery, his defense would make Jamaal Murray draw MKG comparisons. But he can get some buckets, likely a 3rd wing MLE journeyman for the rest of his career. Still a better pick than the original 1.10 pick of Denzel Valentine.
1.11 Diamond Stone - C - Nets
Starting Grades: Diamond Stone C 6'11'' 255 20 B- C D C+ B- B
Current Grades: Diamond Stone C 6'11'' 23 255 B C D- B- B B (+2)
Original Slot: 1.15 (Celtics)
This ain't your daddy's d/r Stone, but still blocks close to 3.5 shots per 36. Shoots way too much and turns it over too many times to be an elite d/r like Mystic was.
1.12 Thon Maker - C - Magic
Starting Grades: Thon Maker C 7'1'' 216 19 B- C+ C B- B- A
Current Grades: Thon Maker C 7'2'' 221 22 B- C C+ B A- B (+4)
Original Slot 1.3 (Spurs)
Is he still playing overseas? With some more upgrades in his d/r attributes, he could probably become at least a decent 3rd big...maybe
1.13 Daniel Hamilton - SG - Nets
Starting Grades: Daniel Hamilton SG 6'7'' 195 20 B- C+ C+ C+ B- B
Current Grades: Daniel Hamilton SG 6'7'' 195 23 B B- C+ A- C+ B (+5)
Original Slot 1.21 (Raptors)
This is a garbage draft, A- defense as a SG that might play some defense is good enough for the lottery.
Best pick: Ben Bentil (2.20 Bullets)
Worst pick: Picks 8-14 in any order (Malik Beasley, Dragan Bender, Denzel Valentine, Taurean Prince, Wade Baldwin, Caris Levert, Jake Layman)
Overall Comment: Extremely top heavy draft with 2 elite max players, 2-3 solid pieces in Bentil and the d/r bigs, then a whole bag of shit.
Overall Grade: B-
