I was with you there in trading up for Scoot but I didn’t think he was surefire enough to warrant that many assets given his size, injury history but I still think Fred teaching Scoot would take us closer to our long term solution at PG if we are playing more traditionally. Amen can be REALLY special but I don’t think he is ever going to get to that place where he is more valuable on the perimeter offensively than he is now as a “Unicorn Guard” - a guard who can play like a big(and has a big’s range) but has elite guard skills.
Amen playing in the Draymond role for this team would be “DyNasty.” Amen playing in the Ben Simmons/Scottie Pippen role for this team would also be “DyNasty.” Essentially he has morphed into what the Pacers thought they were getting in Jarace Walker while playing out of position.
I dont analyze players on game logs, especially on bad teams. Scoot is a fast processor of the game and he's being relied on much more than day Amen is or Cam who have veterans setting them up. Scoot has to do it on his own. Next year he'll get Shaedon Sharpe back and hopefully another shooter in the draft and via free agency. Simons needs to get traded for a PF though because that is a tiny backcourt, I don't care how stout Scoot is. He's going to be really good. These accounts ******** on rookies are toxic AF. I'd probably package Simons + their pick for Lauri Markkanen if I was the Blazers though. Also not sold on Shaedon Sharpe at all.
Sharpe is more like a KJ Martin Jr than a Jalen Green. Has little ball skills, isn't really fast or quick with the ball. Can jump out of the gym though.
From what I remember of the news coming out around that time, the Rockets probably leaned towards Scoot if they had the #2/3 pick. But the trade-up price was not worth their perception of the difference between Scoot and Amen. And they became more enamored with Amen over the whole pre-draft process. It's impossible to know who they'd take if they had the choice, because Scoot was never getting past Portland and never bothered to work out for the Rockets.
Doubt Blazers give up on him after time season. Teams rarely give up on first and second pick overalls after one season. Even ones as bad as Bennet
I don’t think so either. While I am sure they are disappointed he has had a forgettable first year, he still has a lot of skills and talent.
Here we go: Spoiler https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/39906470/nba-draft-2024-projecting-30-best-prospects 1. Donovan Clingan | UConn | C Top 100: No. 3 Stats: No. 3 Consensus: 3.7 WARP Clingan had the top stats-based projection heading into last year's NCAA tournament while coming off the bench on the national championship winner behind NBA-bound Adama Sanogo. Clingan's strong productivity in that role has translated into dominance as a sophomore starter, particularly during the NCAA tournament run. The 7-foot-2 Clingan would be just the third draft pick in my database projected to block at least 6% of opponent 2-point attempts and secure at least 20% of available defensive rebounds, joining Mo Bamba and Victor Wembanyama. Because he's moved all the way up to third in the top 100, Clingan now has the top overall projection despite dropping to third in the stats-only version. 2. Reed Sheppard | Kentucky | G Top 100: No. 7 Stats: No. 1 Consensus: 3.7 WARP Although Sheppard's 52% 3-point shooting (on a robust sample of 144 attempts) is regressed down to a projected 39% as an NBA rookie, that's still the best projection for any player since Doug McDermott -- who had multiple years of college data -- in 2014. Sheppard's projected 2.5 steals per 100 plays, second among players in this year's top 100, is almost as impressive as his shooting. Thanks largely to those key skills, Sheppard has the best stats-only projection in this year's draft. 3. Alex Sarr | Perth | C Top 100: No. 2 Stats: No. 4 Consensus: 3.6 WARP Sarr's stats-only projection is slightly better than the median No. 1 pick in the past 12 drafts. Playing in the Australian NBL at 18 years old, Sarr averaged 20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per 36 minutes this season. Despite shooting just 30% on 3s, Sarr's 71% accuracy at the line suggests he has the potential to develop into a stretch 5 in time. 4. Zach Edey | Purdue | C Top 100: No. 14 Stats: No. 2 Consensus: 3.1 WARP Nobody doubts that Edey has been the best player in college basketball. The question is how his skills will translate to the NBA at 7-4. One interesting data point: No college player with a usage projection as high as Edey's has been drafted in the past 12 years. The two players ahead of him, Marquette guard Markus Howard and former Purdue teammate Trevion Williams, played go-to roles that didn't carry over in the NBA. (Williams has yet to play in the league, while Howard did on a two-way contract.) Nonetheless, Edey's dominance has earned him a spot in the first round after he chose to return for his fourth season at Purdue. And, after moving up in the top 100, Edey is the fourth and final player in the top tier of my projections. 5. Zaccharie Risacher | Bourg | SF Top 100: No. 1 Stats: No. 81 Consensus: 2.2 WARP On the plus side, Risacher -- currently atop ESPN's draft rankings -- averaged 13.1 PPG in just 24 minutes per game during EuroCup play at 18 years old (he turned 19 on Monday), making 57% of his 2s and 56% of his 3s. That performance was out of line with Risacher's play in the French LNB Pro A, however, as he shot just 51% on 2s and 34% on 3s. And a 69% career free throw shooting percentage across all first-division competition suggests Risacher's 3-point hot streak in EuroCup play might not be legitimate. 6. Ja'Kobe Walter | Baylor | SG Top 100: No. 12 Stats: No. 8 Consensus: 2.2 WARP Walter's 3-point shooting will be a make-or-break skill. Nearly 60% of his shot attempts came from 3 at Baylor, and Walter hit them at a middling 34% clip. His 79% accuracy at the free throw line is more encouraging, and Walter could be more selective at the NBA level after launching 6.3 per game this season. Because the rest of Walter's game is somewhat limited, including 42% shooting from 2, he'll need to become a dangerous 3-point threat to play up to this projection. 7. Rob Dillingham | Kentucky | G Top 100: No. 4 Stats: No. 29 Consensus: 2.2 WARP Playing primarily alongside Sheppard off the bench for Kentucky, Dillingham had a 30% usage rate that was second-highest among Division I freshmen behind Notre Dame's Markus Burton according to Sports-Reference.com. Given that heavy load, Dillingham was highly efficient, ranking in the top 10 in true shooting percentage (.595) among freshmen with a 30% usage or higher since 2009-10. Dillingham shot 44% on 3s, not far behind Sheppard's mark. 8. Johnny Furphy | Kansas | SF Top 100: No. 28 Stats: No. 4 Consensus: 2.0 WARP Recruited from Australia, Furphy emerged as a starter over the second half of the season. For a freshman wing, Furphy's .609 true shooting percentage was terrific, and more the product of sustainably high 2-point accuracy (64%) than a 3-point hot streak. Furphy's form suggests he could improve on his 35% 3-point shooting as well. Add in good size (a listed 6-9) and Furphy could grow into a multi-positional threat. 9. Nikola Topic | Red Star | PG Top 100: No. 5 Stats: No. 43 Consensus: 1.9 WARP The top-rated prospect whose team is still in action, Topic could improve his projection if he can return from a knee injury suffered in early January just after joining EuroLeague side Red Star. Topic shot well inside the arc in his first extended action in the Adriatic Basketball Association while on loan to Mega MIS, making 67% of his 2s, but his stats-only projection is held back by poor 3-point shooting and low rates of steals and blocks. 10. Stephon Castle | UConn | G Top 100: No. 9 Stats: No. 27 Consensus: 1.8 WARP The top freshman on the national champion UConn, Castle played an important role throughout the NCAA tournament with his activity on both ends. From a statistical standpoint, Castle's 27% 3-point shooting is something of a concern, but he was solid at the free throw line (75.5%) and shot well enough from 2 (54%) to be reasonably efficient anyway. 11. Isaiah Collier | USC | PG Top 100: No. 11 Stats: No. 26 Consensus: 1.7 WARP Collier benefits from the inclusion of stats from the Nike EYBL AAU competitions. Based solely on his EYBL performance, Collier would rank fifth, helping explain why he entered the season projected as a top-five pick. Collier didn't perform at the same level as a freshman at USC and struggled with his turnovers -- his NCAA performance still makes up the bulk of his projection because he played just 221 minutes in EYBL games. 12. Jared McCain | Duke | G Top 100: No. 19 Stats: No. 13 Consensus: 1.7 WARP Another strong shooting freshman, McCain knocked down 41% of his 3-point attempts with an even better free throw percentage (88.5%) than Sheppard. At 6-3, McCain will have to demonstrate more playmaking ability than we saw alongside a pair of other ballhandling guards (Tyrese Proctor and Jeremy Roach) at Duke. Still, his fit looks strong alongside a bigger lead ball handler who can allow McCain to defend point guards. 13. Kyshawn George | Miami | G/F Top 100: No. 24 Stats: No. 10 Consensus: 1.6 WARP A native of Switzerland who played in France before coming to the U.S. for college, George shot 41% on 3s and used his size (listed 6-8) to accumulate steals and blocks at good rates. He'll have to improve his finishing inside the arc after shooting just 47% on 2s and is already 20, more typical for a sophomore than a freshman. 14. Kyle Filipowski | Duke | F/C Top 100: No. 16 Stats: No. 25 Consensus: 1.5 WARP After choosing to return for his sophomore season at Duke, Filipowski made solid strides across the board, improving his shooting percentages inside and beyond the arc and doubling his block rate on the defensive end. Filipowski could stand to develop his finishing, having shot just 59% within five feet, according to Synergy Sports tracking. 15. Tidjane Salaun | Cholet | SF Top 100: No. 15 Stats: No. 36 Consensus: 1.4 WARP Having played just 17 minutes total at the Pro A level last season, Salaun has averaged 22 MPG at 18 years old. He's shown 3-point range, making more than one per game at a 35% clip, but 39% accuracy inside the arc is a concern.
Spoiler 16. Payton Sandfort | Iowa | SF Top 100: No. 35 Stats: No. 12 Consensus: 1.4 WARP The latest in a line of NBA prospects from Iowa -- which has had a forward drafted in each of the last three years, first Joe Wieskamp and more recently twins Keegan and Kris Murray -- Sandfort stepped into a featured role with both Murrays now in the NBA. As a full-time starter, he shot a career-high 38% on 3s. A career 90% accuracy at the foul line suggests room for more growth as a shooter, which may be necessary to offset low rates of steals and blocks. 17. Matas Buzelis | G League Ignite | F Top 100: No. 6 Stats: No. 86 Consensus: 1.4 WARP Of the three G League Ignite prospects projected to go in the first round, Buzelis has the weakest stats-only projection. He scored with below-average efficiency during the regular season due to 27% accuracy beyond the arc, and shot worse than 70% from the foul line. Buzelis was better there during Showcase Cup play. Buzelis is a strong shot blocker for a forward and did a solid job of avoiding turnovers, but rates this high solely because of his top 100 ranking. 18. Tyler Smith | G League Ignite | F/C Top 100: No. 21 Stats: No. 24 Consensus: 1.4 WARP Despite entering the season with less hype than teammates Buzelis and Ron Holland, Smith was the most effective player in the final season of Ignite on a per-minute basis. He shot 56% on 2s and 36% on 3s during the regular season, showing stretch 5 potential. To achieve that, Smith will have to improve his rim protection, having recorded blocks at a below-average rate for a center. 19. Ron Holland | G League Ignite | SF Top 100: No. 13 Stats: No. 56 Consensus: 1.3 WARP Although Ignite's dismal record left questions about how it translates, Holland was productive in the 29 games he played across the regular season and Showcase, leading Ignite with 20.6 PPG during the regular season. By getting to the free throw line, Holland maintained solid efficiency despite 24% 3-point shooting. He also filled out the box score with strong rates of rebounds, steals and blocks. 20. Devin Carter | Providence | G Top 100: No. 17 Stats: No. 38 Consensus: 1.3 WARP The son of longtime NBA guard Anthony Carter, Devin inherited his dad's physical defense but looks like the more complete offensive player after becoming a 38% 3-point shooter as a junior. (Anthony never averaged more than 7.8 PPG in 13 NBA seasons.) Perhaps Devin's best skill is his rebounding ability. At 6-3, he led the Big East in defensive rebound percentage this season. 21. Ryan Dunn | Virginia | F Top 100: No. 31 Stats: No. 23 Consensus: 1.2 WARP The top-rated defensive prospect in the top 100, Dunn has swatted more than 10% of opponent 2-point attempts in each of his two seasons at Virginia. Dunn is also mobile enough to defend on the perimeter, reflected by his strong steal rates. His projections, and draft stock, are limited by a lack of range. Dunn shot 7-of-35 on 3s and is a 52.5% career foul shooter. As a full-time post player, Dunn's slight frame (he's listed at 208 pounds) and below-average defensive rebounding are concerns. 22. Carlton Carrington | Pittsburgh | G Top 100: No. 25 Stats: No. 34 Consensus: 1.2 WARP The youngest American prospect in the top 100, Carrington was productive as a starter from Day 1, averaging 13.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 4.1 APG. His projection is limited by a lack of defensive playmaking -- he had just 19 steals and eight blocks in nearly 1,100 minutes. 23. Kam Jones | Marquette | SG Top 100: No. 67 Stats: No. 15 Consensus: 1.0 WARP Jones rates as Marquette's top prospect, ahead of his two teammates with higher top-100 rankings (Tyler Kolek, at No. 29, and Oso Ighodaro one spot ahead at No. 66). The Golden Eagles' top scorer at 17.2 PPG, Jones was also highly efficient, making better than 40% of his 3s and nearly 60% of his 2-point attempts. His steal rate is also strong, offsetting limited contributions as a rebounder and passer. 24. Baylor Scheierman | Creighton | SF Top 100: No. 38 Stats: No. 32 Consensus: 1.0 WARP At 23, Scheierman is the highest-rated fifth-year senior in the top 30 of my projections. Although age is a key factor, Scheierman still rates well because of his productive play early in his college career at South Dakota State before transferring to Creighton. We also have a robust sample to know that Scheierman, a 39% career 3-point shooter, is strong beyond the arc and a terrific perimeter player rebounder. 25. Alex Karaban | UConn | F Top 100: No. 41 Stats: No. 30 Consensus: 0.9 WARP The third Husky in my top 30, Karaban played a larger role offensively after starting on last year's national champion squad as a redshirt freshman. He remained highly efficient, shooting 64% on 2-point attempts and 88.5% on free throws. Karaban is also a good enough shot blocker to play small-ball 5 regularly when Clingan was sidelined midseason. 26. Justin Edwards | Kentucky | SF Top 100: No. 30 Stats: No. 44 Consensus: 0.9 WARP More so than any other player in this year's draft, Edwards reflects the importance of EYBL performance in these projections. He'd rank fourth among top 100 prospects who played in the EYBL based solely on his play there, compared to eighth among the same group looking strictly at NCAA performance. Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony is a good example of the lingering predictive power of EYBL play despite an underwhelming freshman campaign. 27. Cody Williams | Colorado | SG Top 100: No. 10 Stats: No. 103 Consensus: 0.9 WARP Like fellow Pac-12 prospect Collier, Williams rated stronger coming into the season based on his EYBL performance -- in Williams' case, actually a larger sample of minutes than he played at Colorado as a freshman. His NCAA season was uneven, as Williams made 59% of his 2s and 41.5% of his 3s but generated few assists and steals. 28. Kobe Johnson | USC | SG Top 100: No. 74 Stats: No. 20 Consensus: 0.9 WARP The younger brother of Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, Johnson posted on social media last week that he's committed to transfer to crosstown rival UCLA if he withdraws from the NBA draft. Having shot 33% career on 3s, Johnson needs to improve his shooting to fill a 3-and-D role in the NBA, but his steal rate is the best of any player in the top 100 -- a strong indicator of NBA defensive potential. 29. Yves Missi | Baylor | C Top 100: No. 20 Stats: No. 75 Consensus: 0.9 WARP It's easy to see the NBA role Missi could fill as an above-the-rim finisher with good positional size and athleticism. His stats-only projection is held back by shooting 61% from the field, middling for a center of that ilk, as well as just 13 assists in 780 minutes this season. 30. Zvonomir Ivisic | Kentucky | C/F Top 100: No. 65 Stats: No. 22 Consensus: 0.8 WARP Limited to 176 minutes this season because he wasn't cleared until mid-January, Ivisic flashed enough potential to consider drafting him before a Clingan-style breakout as a sophomore. He blocked 12% of opponents' 2-point attempts and shot 67% on 2s in addition to flashing 3-point range (6-of-16 beyond the arc). At 20, however, Ivisic is older than Clingan.
I was told by a group of people here that he was better on the basketball court than KPj day-one.... I responded he wasn't even better than Josh Christopher day-one
I would treat Zach Edey like Lukà Garza or Drew Timme. Get them In the second round. Their stamina is very limited initially
He has shown flashes, a handful of 20+ point games and one 30-point game, but definitely a disappointing rookie season given how NBA-ready he was supposed to be. Between Scoot and Jalen's inconsistency, definitely has me rethinking the preparatory value of the G-League. It seems like Division I college and European leagues are better for getting guys ready for the NBA. I would be extra-cautious about drafting any of the top guys from the Ignite in this year's class and expecting them to be ready to contribute. With all of that said I still think Scoot is a very good prospect, you can't read too much into a rookie's performance level. If he continues to suck next year, I will seriously revise my opinion of him.
Why can't gleague igniters shoot 3's. Jalen can't shoot consistently from there, Scoot is straight up bad from 3
He was better than KPJ day one - he didn't beat the **** out of his girlfriend in a hotel and get released.... Henderson actually made an NBA team roster this season, KPJ didn't. Same with Josh Christopher, who isn't even in the NBA anymore. So - Scoot had a terrible season, but it was better than those two other clowns.
