The Cooper Flagg draft is here. Will there be any blockbuster trades? NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman and NBA insider Jake Fischer join college basketball analysts Carter Elliott and Greg Waddell to break down and grade first-round picks as soon as they happen.
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>> NBA FANS, WELCOME TO THE 2025 NBA DRAFT. WE ARE HERE TO WATCH ALONG WITH YOU. I’M YOUR HOST, GREG WADDELL AND THIS IS MY COHOST CARTER ELLIOTT, WE HAVE GOT A GREAT TIME WITH US TONIGHT. THE DALLAS MAVERICKS AROUND THE CLUB. THE DRAFT HAS ALREADY BEGUN. WE WILL BE REACTING FOR THE ENTIRE FIRST ROUND TONIGHT. WE WILL BE BACK TOMORROW NIGHT FOR THE SECOND ROUND AS WELL. THAT SHOULD BE A NIGHT FULL OF SURPRISESS. WE WERE TALKING TO JAKE FISHER. FISHES IN THE FISHABLE AT BLEACHER REPORT STUDIOS IN NEW YORK CITY. HE WAS TELLING US HE EXPECTS CHAOS BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE FIRST ROUND. WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING THAT ONE? >> A LOT OF CHAOS BUT IT WILL NOT GET GOING EARLY, YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT FOR THE CHAOS. EVERYONE, THE UNSPOKEN THING IS COOPER FLAGG IS SET TO BE THE NUMBER ONE PICK FOR THE DALLAS MAVERICKS. THERE’S GOING TO BE ALL TYPES OF CHAOS. THERE COULD BE TEAMS MOVING UP FOR PLAYERS LIKE CASEY BAILEY. IT SHOULD BE A FUN NIGHT FOR THE NBA. >> HARRISON WAS THE ARCHITECT OF THE MOST CHAOTIC MOMENT OF THE NBA SEASON THIS YEAR. WHEN HE TRADED LUKA DONCIC TO THE LAKERS. WHEN THE TRADE BROKE, WE HAD THE SAME REACTION AS EVERYONE ELSE, WHAT IS GOING ON? COULD YOU HAVE EVER IMAGINED THE DALLAS MAVERICKS WOULD BE THE TEAM WAITING TO SELECT COOPER FLAGG JUST MONTHS AFTER THE LUKA DONCIC STRAIGHT? >> I DIDN’T KNOW I WOULD BE HERE AND I DID NOT KNOW DALLAS WOULD BE BLESSED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET COOPER FLAGG. EVERYTHING WORKED OUT, THEY STILL HAVE SOME STARS ON THE TEAM, KYRIE IRVING WILL GET BACK HEALTHY NEXT YEAR AND ANTHONY DAVIS. YOU COMBINE THAT WITH A GENERATIONAL PROSPECT IN COOPER FLAGG. THE DALLAS MAVERICKS ARE RIGHT BACK TO COOKING WITH HOT GREASE. >> USED THE G WORD, THAT IS A CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC FOR SOMEONE LIKE COOPER FLAGG. >> IT IS NOT, COOPER FLAGG IS A GENERATIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYER. IT’S TAKING PEOPLE MORE TIME TO USE THAT G WORD, BUT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL, HE AFFECTS THE GAME IN SO MANY WAYS AND HE IS STILL 18 YEARS OLD. HIS BEST BASKETBALL IS STILL AHEAD OF HIM. >> WAS THE LAST GENERATIONAL PROSPECT? — WHO WAS THE LAST GENERATIONAL PROSPECT? COOPER FLAGG IS PHENOMENAL. HE HAS NO ZACHARY R. IS ZION WILLIAMSON GENERATIONAL? >> WHAT IS AN NBA DRAFT WITHOUT CALLING A PROSPECT GENERATIONAL? WE KNOW HOW THE STORY GOES. THE LAST ONE WAS ZION WILLIAMSON. YOU’VE GOT THE LEBRON COMPARISONS. THAT IS PROBABLY THE LAST PLAYER THAT GOT THAT GENERATIONAL TAG. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS BETTER COMING OUT OF DO, ZION WILLIAMSON OR COOPER FLAGG? >> ZION WAS MORE EXCITING AND COOPER FLAGG IS THE BETTER BASKETBALL PLAYER. >> HE WAS THE MOST PRODUCTIVE PLAYER AND HIS TEAM HAD MORE SUCCESS. THEY MADE THE FINAL. WE WERE IN SAN ANTONIO FOR THE FINAL FOR THIS YEAR, MY FIRST TIME SEEING COOPER FLAGG IN PERSON. I DON’T KNOW THAT I SENT A PLAYER IMPACT MORE ELEMENTS OF A COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAME IN MY LIFE THAN COOPER FLAGG. >> HE TICKS ALL BOXES. HE HAS EVERYTHING A BASKETBALL TEAM, AN NBA TEAM AND AGM TRULY WANT TO CHANGE AROUND A FRANCHISE BOARD AND GET A FRANCHISE OVER THE HUMP. >> IF WE WANT TO GET NITPICKY, WHAT IS THERE TO NITPICK ABOUT COOPER FLAGG? >> THE BALLHANDLING COULD GO A LITTLE BIT A WAYS, HE HAD A COUPLE TURN OVER ISSUES AND LATE GAME YOU SAW THAT HE WANTED TO BE A BAY BLADE, A LOT OF SPIN MOVES. THAT IS HIM BEING MORE YOUTHFUL. HE WILL LEARN TO BE IN THOSE SITUATIONS. HE WANTED THOSE MOMENTS. HE DID NOT SHY AWAY FROM IT. PROBABLY MORE BALLHANDLING WOULD GO A LONG WAY FOR HIM. >> MAY BE IMPORTANTLY WE SHOULD KNOW COOPER FLAGG HAS DECIDED TO GET SOME FACIAL HAIR ADDED TO HIS GAME, THAT IS ANY DEVELOPMENT. ARE YOU BUYING COOPER FLAGG WITH A BEARD AS AN UPGRADED VERSION? >> I WILL NEED A FULL BEARD BUT RIGHT NOW THE GOATEE IS DOING WONDERS FOR ME. >> IT IS LOOKING GOOD. YOU SEE WHEN COOPER FLAGG WAS AT DUKE, HE WAS THE MOST COMPLETE PLAYER, 19 POINTS, 7.5 REBOUNDS, 40% FROM THE FLOOR BEER BUT I THINK THE JUMPER WILL TRANSLATE WELL. HERE WE HAVE ADAM SILVER TO THE PODIUM TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FIRST PICK IN THE DRAFT. AND GUESS WHAT, CARTER? IT WILL BE DUKE’S COOPER FLAGG. HE IS OFFICIALLY A MAVERICK. >> YOU LOSE LUKA DONCIC AND GET PROVIDED WITH COOPER FLAGG, I DON’T THINK IT GETS MUCH BETTER THAN THAT. >> ARE YOU EXPECTING DALLAS TO BE COMPETITIVE IMMEDIATELY? >> I AM, WHEN YOU HAVE ANTHONY DAVIS, YOU ARE AND ON IT. >> COOPER FLAGG, DALLAS MAVERICK. DALLAS MIGHT BE COMPETITIVE BETWEEN KYRIE IRVING AND DAVIS, COOPER FLAGG MIGHT HAVE THIS TEAM BACK IN NBA TITLE CONTENTION, IS THAT CRAZY TO SAY? >> NOT CRAZY AT ALL. YOU HAVE A SHORT WINDOW WITH THEM BEING ON THE OLDER SIDE. KLAY THOMPSON ON THE TEAM AS WELL. COOPER FLAGG CAN LEARN A LOT FROM THOSE GUYS AND BE A PART OF THEM. HE WON’T BE ASKED TO DO TOO MUCH OR STILL STARS ON THAT TEAM. THE TEAM IS AGING A LITTLE BIT. YOU’VE GOT A WINDOW WHERE IF I AM NICKEL HARRISON, I’M THINKING NBA TITLE. YOU HAVE A PLAYER WITH COOPER FLAGG’S TALENT. >> IT JUST SOUNDS SO WRONG TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD, HARRISON THINKING NBA TITLE SIX MONTHS AFTER TRADING LUKA DONCIC. >> IT GAVE ME A WARM FUZZY FEELING INSIDE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I BELIEVE IT. >> WE’VE GOT OUR EXPERT IN THE HOUSE, JONATHAN WASSERMAN WILL BE HERE ALL NIGHT HELPING US BREAK DOWN EACH OF THESE TAKE SPIRIT I’M EXPECTING A GOOD GRADE FOR COOPER FLAGG. CAN YOU CONFIRM? >> A+. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PROSPECTS I’VE EVER SEEN. I SAID THAT WHEN HE WAS 15 YEARS OLD. I REMEMBER SEEING HIM IN A GAME WHEN HE WAS 16 SAYING THIS IS THE BEST AMERICAN PROSPECT I THINK I’VE EVER SEEN. EVEN WHEN I WATCHED ZION AT THE SAME AGE — I DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS GOING TO BE WHAT HE WAS. BUT EVERY YEAR, COOPER FLAGG GETS BETTER. 50 THREE’S THIS YEAR. HE GOT SO MUCH BETTER ON THE BALL. HE WAS ALWAYS KNOWN FOR THE ATHLETICISM, THE DEFENSE, THE INTANGIBLES, PASSING AND STINKS. WE HAVE SEEN THE ODDBALL DEVELOPMENT — PASSING INSTINCTS. WE HAVE SEEN THE ODDBALL DEVELOPMENT. IF THERE’S ANY QUESTION BEFORE HE GOT TO DUKE, CAN HE BE AN ELITE SUPERSTAR AND BEAT ALL THE HYPE? IT WAS CAN HE VIA NUMBER ONE OPTION, CAN HE BE A NUMBER ONE SHOOTER? >> PLAYERS COME TO MIND — >> WHAT PLAYERS COME TO MIND? >> THE WANT TO HAVE BEEN USING IS KAWHI LEONARD IN TERMS OF HE ‘S — HE’S GOT THE SAME GAME GOING, THEY ARE SIMILAR IN SIZE. NOT THE MOST CREATIVE ONE ON ONE GUYS BUT THEY WILL STILL GET YOU 20 PLUS. IT IS A HARD GUY TO FIND A CONFLICT WITH. HE’S A MIX OF A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT GUYS. AFTER SIX MONTHS OF GOING THROUGH AND CYCLING THROUGH THE DINETTES AND TATUMS, IF YOU MUST THEM ALTOGETHER, YOU GOT SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE KAWHI LEONARD. >> THOSE ARE PLAYERS THAT CHANGE FRANCHISES ONE CHAMPIONSHIP — AND WON CHAMPIONSHIPS. THE MOMENT HE STEPPED ON THE DUKE FLOOR, PEOPLE WERE WAITING FOR HIM TO FAIL AND HE JUST GOT BETTER AND BETTER THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. BEING IN THAT SPOT, A LOT OF PRESSURE, HE ANSWERED THE CALL AT EVERY STEP. >> WITH THE FIRST OVERALL PICK, NORMALLY YOU GO TO A PLACE THAT IS NOT IMMEDIATELY READY TO COMPETE. OBVIOUSLY DALLAS HAS SUPERSTARS ON THE ROSTER. IS THIS WHAT IS BEST FOR COOPER FLAGG? CAN HE HELP THE TEAM COMPETE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL RIGHT AWAY? >> I DON’T THINK THERE WAS A BETTER SITUATION — A BETTER TEAM FOR HIM TO GO TO THAN DALLAS. HE GETS TO GO TO A SPOT WHERE HE’S GOT SOME VETERAN TALENT TO PLAY OFF BUT HE ALSO HAS A CHANCE TO GET THE BALL. WITH KYRIE IRVING OUT, THE PRESSURE TO WIN IS OFF. HE’S GOT A PERFECT STORM OF OPPORTUNITY AND PRESSURE AND GUYS TO PLAY OFF. IT’S A PERFECT SITUATION. I SAT ON THE PREDRAFT SHOW, WITH KADRI OUT, HE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO PLAY WITH THE BALL A LITTLE BIT AND EXPERIMENT WITH ISOLATIONS AND SCORE. THE OFFENSE WILL STILL RUN THROUGH THE VETERANS BUT I THINK HE WILL GET A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE TO DEVELOP ON THE BALL FOR A VETERAN TEAM. >> HE MAKES THE FIFTH DUKE PLAYER DRAFTED THE FIRST OVERALL SENSE PAOLO BANCHERO — SINCE PAOLO BANCHERO. IT IS A CORONATION FOR THE WORST PLAYER — BEST PLAYER IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL. THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS ARE NOW ON THE CLOCK AT 2:00. I THINK WE ALL EXPECT THAT DYLAN HARPER IS THE PLAY HERE. THERE WAS EARLY BUZZ SAN ANTONIO MAY EXPLORE TREATING THIS PICK, POSSIBLY GET INTO SOME SUPERSTAR CONVERSATIONS. BUT THE IDEA OF PAIRING VICTOR WITH DYLAN HARPER IS TOO MUCH TO PASS UP, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE IN THE SHOES OF THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS GM? >> YOU DON’T WANT TO OVERTHINK IT, DYLAN HARPER IN ANY UNDER DRAFT IS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE DRAFT PICK WHAT I’M — BUT UNFORTUNATELY HE IS IN THE SAME DRAFT AS COOPER FLAGG. YOU PICK THE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE WHICH IS DYLAN HARPER AND YOU JUST MAKE IT WORK. IT GIVES YOU FLEXIBILITY. DO YOU WANT TO LEAN INTO DYLAN HARPER OR STEPHON CASTLE, MAYBE FOX BECOMES EXPENDABLE? IF YOU TAKE THE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE, YOU JUST MAKE IT WORK IF YOU ARE THE SPURS. >> I’M LOOKING AT WASSERMAN’S BIG BOARD RIGHT NOW, HE DOES HAVE DYLAN HARPER AT TWO. CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH YOUR GENERAL BEST AVAILABLE HERE ANOTHER THAT WE ARE PAST THE COOPER FLAGG TAKE? >> AT THIS POINT I THINK IT IS HARPER AND THEN A GAP. YOU CAN GO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS HERE — I HAVE VJ AT THREE, SOME TEAMS HAVE ACE, TRE JOHNSON AND THE MIX, I AM IN THE MINORITY WITH NOA ESSENGUE. . I’M WITH YOU GUYS, YOU TAKE THE BEST PLAYER WERE AVAILABLE AND YOU FIGURE IT OUT LATER. >> THAT’S WHAT THE SPURS HAVE DONE, THE PIC IS IN, DYLAN HARPER FROM RUTGERS IS A SAN ANTONIO SPUR. 6’5″, 213 POUND FRESHMAN WITH A KNACK FOR HITTING CLUTCH SHOTS WHEN YOU NEED THEM MOST. THAT WAS AN UP-AND-DOWN YEAR FOR RUTGERS LAST SEASON. WHEN HARPER WAS HEALTHY, HE DID HAVE A BOUT WITH THE FLU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON THAT HAMPERED HIM — WHEN HE WAS AT FULL STRENGTH, THERE WAS NOT A BETTER GUARD AND ALL OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL. >> HE’S A BIG BODYGUARD, 6’5″ WITH GOOD LENGTH. >> YOU COULD SAY THE ONLY QUESTION IS THE FIT. IS IT GOING TO IMPACT HIS DEVELOPMENT? WILL HE MAXIMIZE HIS POTENTIAL AND REALLY HIT HIS STRIDE PLAYING WITH FOX WHO WILL HAVE THE BALL MORE? THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY REASON. IT’S JUST NOT THE PERFECT FIT ON PAPER. BUT HE IS THE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE. I’M PRETTY CONFIDENT HE WILL FIGURE IT OUT. I SET IT A COUPLE TIMES ON LAST NIGHTS SHOW AND TODAY, HE WAS A 39% CATCH TO SHOOT A GUY. HE TAKES TRIPLE HANDOFFS PRETTY WELL. HE IS SIX FOOT SIX AND SHE WAS, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH HIM PLAYING THE TWO GUARD SLOT IF YOU A GUARD — CONSIDER FOX A GUARD. HARPER IS SO GOOD AT CREATING ADVANTAGES AND GETTING DOWNHILL. HE IS AN OUTSTANDING FINISHER AROUND THE HOOP. ONCE HE STARTS GOING AND GETS GOING, HAS CONFIDENCE IS PUMPING, HE WILL START DRILLING JUMPERS OFF THE DRIBBLE, OFF THE CASH FROM A COUPLE FEET BEHIND THE YARD, SHOOTING PERCENTAGES, GREAT FROM DEEP, BUT I’M NOT REALLY WORRIED, HE IS TOO GOOD OF A SHOP MAKER TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE PERCENTAGES. THERE’S NO QUESTION HE IS AN ALL-STAR CALIBER GUARD. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HOW HE FITS WITH FOX AND HOW MUCH PRESSURE THE TWO OF THEM PUT ON THE RIM BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE DEFENSES BACKPEDALING A LOT. >> I HAVE HEARD SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER AND CUNNINGHAM, WHAT IS YOUR BEST PLAYER COMFORT DYLAN HARPER? >> I WILL GO WITH CUNNINGHAM, THE GUYS YOU JUST THROUGHOUT THERE — THREE OUT THERE, HE IS A JUMBO BALL HANDLER. HE IS GREAT AT CREATING, HE CAN SHOOT OFF THE DRIBBLE GUARD OF PERCENTAGES, HE IS EXCELLENT AROUND THE RIM. HE HAS NOT KNOWN AS MUCH FOR PLAYMAKING. CADE WAS A BETTER PLAYMAKER COMING OUT OF OKLAHOMA STATE, MORE OF A NATURAL PASSER. BUT I’M NOT WORRIED. HE WILL GET YOU SIX ASSISTS PER GAME AND HE IS SMART ENOUGH TO READ THE GAME AND BECOME THAT PASSER WHEN THE GAME CALLS FOR IT. AND WHEN YOU HAVE DE’AARON FOX, THAT CAN HANDLE THE WORKLOAD WITH HIM, I’M NOT TOO WORRIED. I LIKE THE COMPLICATION, BUT A BIGGER JALEN BRUNSON, HE IS SIMILAR TO A JAMES HARDEN, BUT YOU CAN MAKE AN ARGUMENT FOR ALL THREE OF THOSE GUYS, CADE MAKES SENSE AS WELL. >> A LOT OF FANTASTIC NBA CALIBER PLAYERS. THAT TRACKS BASED ON WHAT WE SAW AT RUTGERS. WASS MENTIONED IT’S NOT JUST FOX BUT IT’S ALSO CASTLE. IF YOU REMEMBER ONE DRAFT CYCLE, CASTLE AND HIS CAMP WERE VERY LOUD ON THE FACT THAT HE HAS A POINT GUARD, THAT’S NOT WHAT HE PLAYED AT UCONN. IT WAS USED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS WITH SAN ANTONIO. BRINGING IN FOX, YOU DON’T BANK ON CASTLE TO BE A FULL-TIME POINT GUARD, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK FOX AND CASTLE ARE THINKING SITTING AT HOME WATCHING DYLAN HARPER BE PICKED TO THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS? >> THERE’S INITIAL SHOCK VALUE, THEY WERE SAYING, WAIT, I THOUGHT I WAS POINT GUARD. I THINK THIS GIVES THE SPURS A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY. YOU DON’T WANT TO OVERTHINK IT. DYLAN HARPER IS THAT GOOD, YOU CANNOT TEACH THAT SIZE. YOU SAW THE WINGSPAN AT 6’10”. I THINK THEY WILL MAKE IT WORK. IF THERE AN ORGANIZATION THAT I TRUST TO MAKE IT WORK AS A SAN ANTONIO SPURS, THEY ARE EXTREMELY WELL-RUN, THEY WILL DO WHAT’S BEST AND PUT DYLAN HARPER IN THE BEST POSITION AND HAVE A REALLY GOOD FUN YOUNG CORE WITH NOW DYLAN HARPER IN THE MIX. >> I’M GLAD THEY DID NOT PRESS THE NUCLEAR BUTTON HERE, WHICH WOULD’VE BEEN LESS NOT EVEN SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WITH ALL OF THESE GUARDS — LET’S MAKE A MOVE, A SENSE OF URGENCY, IT’S FINE, MIDDLE OF THE SEASON, YOU WILL HEAR PROBLEMS FOR ME BUT YOU’VE GOT TO SEE WHAT YOU’VE GOT. IF YOU COMPARE HIM AND VICTOR, FOR THE NEXT DECADE, THAT MAY BE THE TEAM THIS ENTIRE SPORT RUNS THROUGH, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON YOUR OTHER GUARDS AT THIS POINT. CASTLE IS STILL YOUNG, TOO. I APPLAUD THE SPURS TO THIS MOVE. THIS LEADS US TO THE THIRD OVERALL PICK. THE SIXERS ARE ON THE CLOCK — THE 76ERS ON THE CLUB. WE KNEW THAT COOPER FLAGG WAS GOING OFF THE BOARD AND THAT DYLAN HARPER WAS GOING OFF THE BOARD AT TWO. I SIT HERE RIGHT ON THIS BEAUTIFUL COUCH AT THE BLEACHER REPORT STUDIO, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PHILADELPHIA 76ERS ARE GOING TO DO. DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO, WASS? >> I HAVE A GUESS. I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE VJ EDGECOMB. HE IS MY BEST PROSPECT AVAILABLE. A BIG STORYLINE WAS ACE BAILEY CANCER AND HIS WORK OUT WITH FILI. WILL THAT DETER THEM? I DON’T KNOW. I THINK THAT VJ IS A BETTER FIT WITH HIS DEFENSE AND EXPLOSIVENESS, HE IS VERY SKILLED BUT I THINK THE SIGN UP ESPECIALLY WITH JOEL EMBIID, THEY ARE MISSING SOME SPEED AND SOME POP AROUND THE BASKET, SO I THINK VJ EDGECOMB MAKES SENSE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, BUT LET’S SEE, THAT PIG HAS GOT TO BE ANY MINUTE NOW. >> IF THERE WAS A TEAM LOOKING TO TRY AND MOVE UP AND MAKE A PLAY HERE, PHILLY WAS THE OPTION I THINK BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THESE NECK SUCCESS EFFECTS ARE GOING TO DO. WE HAVE HEARD RUMORS OF KON KNUEPPEL TO CHARLOTTE. BUT IF YOU WANTED TO MOVE UP FOR A GUIDE, PHILLY SEEMED A PRIME TARGET TO DO THAT. >> I THINK HE BRINGS SOME ATHLETIC POP TO THE TEAM. TYRESE MAXEY HAS THE ELITE SPEED BUT MCCAIN IS MORE OF A SHOOTER. VJ EDGECOMB HAS THAT QUICK TWITCH ATHLETICISM THAT YOU SEE FROM GUYS LIKE RUSSELL WESTBROOK AND ANTHONY EDWARDS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, HE IS ABLE TO GET ABOVE THE RIM AND ATTACK AT A HIGH LEVEL AND COMPETES ON THE DEFENSIVE END AS WELL AVERAGING UNDER TWO STEALS A GAME AT BAYLOR, HE HAS GOT — HE HAS A GOOD FIT FOR THE 76ERS. — HE IS A GOOD FIT FOR THE 76ERS. >> THE PIC IS IN, THE PHILADELPHIA 76ERS HAVE SELECTED VJ EDGECOMB. VJ EDGECOMB IS THE PICK. I HAVE TO BE HONEST, I HEAR YOU TALK THROUGH IT, I SEE THE REASONS FOR VJ, IS A PHENOMENAL PROSPECT, ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLAYERS TO WATCH AT BAYLOR LAST YEAR, THIS FEELS SIMILAR TO SAN ANTONIO’S DECISION WITH DYLAN HARPER POSITIONALLY. YOU’VE GOT A BIT OF A LOGJAM WITH TYRESE MAXEY AND MCCABE AND NOW VJ EDGECOMB. NONE OF THEM, I CONSIDER PURE REPORT CARDS — PURE POINT GUARDS, THEY CAN ALL CERTAINLY DO DIFFERENT THINGS. IT WORKS, IT’S GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY FUN TO WATCH BEER THAT I AM A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED THEY DID NOT TALK THEM SUBS INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. WHAT IS YOUR GRADE FOR THIS ONE? >> THIS IS A B+. I LIKE VJ EDGECOMB. I’M NOT SURE THAT I SEE A SUPERSTAR. BUT I THINK THAT THIS PORTION OF THE DRAFT, IT IS HARD TO FIND ONE. I’M NOT IN LOVE WITH THIS SECTION OF THE DRAFT, BUT I THINK HE IS THE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE, AND I’M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE POSITION STUFF AND THE LOGJAM. 6’5″ VENTURES, SIX FOOT WINGSPAN, WITH A GUY LIKE VJ EDGECOMB WHO WAS SO QUICK AND EXPLOSIVE, HE CAN GUARD OTHER TEAMS’ WINGS. I KNOW PAUL GEORGE IS THERE. I AM STILL THINKING ABOUT LONG. EVEN IF YOU BRING VJ EDGECOMB OFF THE BENCH FOR THIS UPCOMING SEASON, WORK HIM AS AN ENERGY OR A SPARK PLUG — LOOKING AT HIS GAME, I THINK HE IS AGAIN ONE OF THE SAFEST SPECS ON THE DRAFT AND OF COURSE THERE’S LEVELS OF UPSIDE HE CAN REACH IF HE IMPROVES HIS POLO GAME — PULL UP GAME. HE IS OFTEN HIGH ABOVE THE RIM FOR THE EASY ONES. BUT I THINK HE’S IMPROVED A LOT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF GAMES WITH HIS SHOT. I HEAR GREAT THINGS ABOUT HIM IN TERMS OF CHARACTER AND WORK ETHIC AND HE IS HUMBLE. HE WENT TO LOU I GOT TO WATCH HIM IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO A VERY SAFE PICK IN THIS DRAFT, SOMEBODY THAT FITS VERY EASILY WITH ANYBODY, EVEN A TEAM THAT ALREADY HAS TWO GUARDS. AND I THINK HE IS THE BEST PROSPECT AVAILABLE. >> ELITE ATHLETE. WHAT IS YOUR BEST PLAYER COMP FOR HIM? >> VICTOR OLADIPO. THIS IS WHAT I HAD FROM WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I HAD HIM WAVERED AS A SMALL VERSION OF WHAT ANDREW WIGGINS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE — BUT VICTOR OLADIPO WAS A CRAZY ATHLETE IN HIS PRIME AND HE STARTED OFF AS NOT REALLY A SKILLED GUY, HE WAS MORE OF AN ENERGIZER WHEN HE WAS A FRESHMAN IN INDIANA AND OVER THE COURSE OF HIS NBA CAREER HE DEVELOPED INTO A MORE OF A CREATOR AND A THREE LEVEL SCORER, SOMEBODY WHO CAN GET YOU FIVE ASSISTS. WE DIDN’T TALK ABOUT VJ EDGECOMB ‘S ASSISTS, HE IS A GOOD DECISION MAKER AND PASTOR. I WOULD NOT CALL HIM A PLAYMAKER YET BUT THERE IS A LEVEL OF PLAY MAKING THAT HE CAN GET TO. THESE GUYS ARE IN SIMILAR TRAJECTORIES. MAY HAVE SIMILAR PHYSICAL TOOLS, ATHLETIC ABILITIES AND SKILL SETS AT THE SAME AGE. HE MIGHT BE AN ENERGIZER GUY IN THE BEGINNING OF HIS CAREER, BUT I THINK THERE’S A 20.5 ASSISTS GUY THAT HE COULD BE IF HE CONTINUES ON THE RIGHT TRACK. >> YOU JUST COMP TIME TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE COLLEGE GUARDS OF ALL TIME, VICTOR OLADIPO. I STILL HAVE THAT MEMORY OF THAT MISSED THE DONKEY HAD AGAINST MICHIGAN — THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME. >> WE ARE SO LOCKED IN RIGHT NOW. THE PROBLEM WITH THE COMP IS I HAVE NOT SEEN VJ EDGECOMB MISSED MANY OF HIS DUNKS, WHEN HE DOES GET UP THERE, HE USUALLY CLOSES THE DEAL. IT TAKES ME BACK TO LAST SUMMER WHEN HE WAS WITH THE BAHAMIAN NATIONAL TEAM, VJ EDGECOMB WAS THE STANDUP PERFORMER IN THOSE GAMES. >> MANY CAME AWAY FROM WATCHING THAT TEAM AND SAID THE YOUNG VJ EDGECOMB JUNIOR, THE RISING FRESHMEN FOR BAYLOR WAS THE BEST PLAYER THERE, AND HIS HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE TOURNAMENT, WITH SOME NBA SPACING, THAT INVOLVED IN IT, YOU GOT TO SEE WHAT A HIGH LEVEL ATHLETE HE CAN BE. HE WILL BE BETTER THAN HE WAS AT BAYLOR. >> A VERY C1 THAT LEADS US TO THE FOURTH PICK, THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS ARE ON THE CLOCK COMPUTER — ON THE CLOCK. >> THEY HAVE SOME TALENT, BRANDON MILLER WAS ABLE TO SHOW SOME THINGS BUT MELO BALL IS THE FRANCHISE CORNER PIECE BUT MANY PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONING WHERE CAN A TEAM WITH THE BALL, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? I DON’T THINK YOU CAN DENY THE SKILL AND TALENT BUT CHARLOTTE IS A TEAM THAT HASN’T WON A LOT OF GAMES THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THEY HAD THE TALENT WHERE THEY SHOULD BE BETTER. I THINK THEY MAYBE WANT TO FIND A CONNECTOR PIECE FOR THE STAR PIECES, LIKE MILLER AND BALL. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THEY GO. >> KON KNUEPPEL IS MANY PEOPLE’S FAVORITE CONNECTOR PIECE. I COULD SEE THE ARGUMENT THEY SHOULD SUIT — SHOOT FOR UPSIDE. IF YOU BELIEVE THERE ARE PLAYERS IN THE DRAFT COULD BE THE STAR, MAYBE ROLL THE DICE. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT, WAS? >> MELLO IS PROBABLY NOT GONNA GO UNTIL EIGHT OR NINE. THERE’S BEEN SO MUCH SMOKE FROM KON KNUEPPEL. I ONLY DON’T BELIEVE IT. I PUT HIM ON MY BOARD BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT NBA PEOPLE WERE TELLING ME BUT I’M SUSPICIOUS. I THINK THERE ARE HIGHER UPS ON THE BOARD THAN KON. ACE, NOAH, TREY JOHNSON. KON KNUEPPEL SEEMS TO BE THE PROFESSIONAL, AUTHORITY AND HIGH IQ BUT MAYBE THEY GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. MAYBE THEY GO WITH A SAFER PICK. >> WOULD BE A BIT OF A DEPARTURE FROM PAST CHARLOTTE PICKS TO GO THE COMPLEMENT RATE, SAFE ROUTE. I WOULD LISTEN TO THE ARGUMENT THAT’S WHAT THEY NEED TO OPTIMIZE THIS CORE GROUP, THEY NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN PLAY WITHOUT THE BALL. THE PICK IS IN, LET’S SEE WHO CHARLOTTE HAS SELECTED. THEY HAVE TAKEN KON KNUEPPEL. OK. WAS, I THINK YOU ALLUDED TO THIS BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF SMOKE THIS WOULD BE THE PICK AND YOUR WORDS IS WHAT I FELT ALL WEEK, IT WAS A MUST HARD TO BELIEVE THE SMOKE WAS THIS LOUD. IT HAS LED TO FIRE AND KON KNUEPPEL HAS BEEN SELECTED, IS THIS TOO HIGH? >> I’M NOT GOING TO SAY IT’S TOO HIGH ONLY BECAUSE HE’S A SURE THING. I THINK CHARLOTTE CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS. TO THINK MAYBE A MONTH AGO, AS I SAID KON KNUEPPEL WAS GOING TO GO BEFORE TREY JOHNSON OR BAILEY, I WOULD’VE SAID YOU ARE CRAZY. I GUESS THIS GOT OUT AND HE IS A GREAT PLAYER. I THINK HE’S GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHOW MORE IN THE NBA THAN HE DID AT DUKE AND I THINK IF YOU DIVE DEEP INTO THE TAPE YOU SEE A GUY WHO CAN PLAY IN PICK AND ROLL SITUATIONS. HE’S GOT GREAT IQ AND USES HIS BODY WELL INSIDE THE ARC. HE CARVES OUT DEFENDERS. HE IS NOT JUST A SHOOTER, HE CAN GET BUCKETS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS AND I THINK AS HE GETS STRONGER AND PROBABLY ADDS MORE ATHLETICISM TO HIS LEGS AND QUICKNESS, HE WILL START TO SHOW A LITTLE MORE CREATIVITY IN HIS GAME BUT YOU CAN’T GO WRONG WITH HIM. HE’S A CLASSIC PLUG AND PLAY GUY. I THINK THERE ARE HIGHER UPSIDE PROSPECTS ON THE BOARD. MY GRADE WILL REFLECT THAT. I THINK WE GO WITH A B. THIS IS A SAFE PICK, YOU CAN’T GO WRONG. I WOULD’VE LIKED TO SEE THEM TAKE MORE OF A GAMBLE BUT IT’S NOT MY MONEY, NOT MY TEAM IF THEY LOSE. IT’S NOT MY FAULT. [LAUGHTER] I CAN AFFORD TO TAKE GAMBLES. I THINK CHARLOTTE AFTER THAT SALON PICK CANNOT. THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM, HE’S JUST NOT THE MOST EXCITING NUMBER. >> BARE MINIMUM SOME FANS AND CHARLOTTE WILL BE EXCITED TO CONTINUE ROOTING FOR THEIR GUY. WHAT IS YOUR PLAYER COMP? >> CAMERON JOHNSON IS THE MORE REALISTIC COMPARISON, BANE IS A CEILING COMPARISON. THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR, JOHNSON WAS A SHOTMAKING SPECIALIST AND I THINK THAT’S WHAT KON WILL BE. CAMERON AVERAGES 3.5 ASSISTS PER GAME. I THINK WE WILL SEE THAT WITH KON IN CHARLOTTE. THEY NEED TO TAKE SOME PRESSURE OFF OF MELLO. TOO MANY INJURIES. HE’S A VOLATILE TYPE OF PLAYER AND I THINK KON, UNDERRATED PLAYMAKER, WILL GET SOME EXTRA BALL SCREEN REPS, TAKE SOME PRESSURE OFF. BAIN IS THE OUTCOME IF HE BECOMES A LITTLE MORE PROLIFIC. >> YOU WATCHED DUKE A TON AS DID I THIS YEAR AND IT WAS A TALKING POINT EARLY IN THE SEASON, WE FELT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH THROUGH KON. BY THE END OF THE YEAR I THINK HE WON US OVER A LITTLE BIT BUT WHERE DO YOU STAND WITH HIM AS A PLAYER AND HOW WE HE WILL BE USED? >> HE’S AN UNDERRATED PLAYMAKER. THE COACH TRUSTED HIM IN BIG MOMENTS AND HE HAD THE BALL IN KON’S HANDS. I THINK IT WAS RIGHT, GOT HIM TO A FINAL FOUR. >> THEY STILL HAD LATE GAME ISSUES. >> I CAN’T BELIEVE CHARLOTTE IS TRYING TO FIND THE PERFECT PUZZLE PIECE AS IF THEY HAVE GREAT PUZZLE PIECES. THAT’S MY INTERPRETATION. YOU MAKE THIS PICK IF YOU THINK YOUR CORE IS READY TO WIN AND IT WORKED AT DUKE BECAUSE KON WAS THE GLUE. I DON’T VIEW WHAT CHARLOTTE HAS AS THAT, I THINK THEY STILL NEED TO SHOOT FOR UPSIDE. MAYBE I’M WRONG. I DON’T THINK HE WILL BE A BUST, HE’S ONE OF THE SAFEST TICS IN THE DRAFT BUT I AM A LITTLE STUNNED CHARLOTTE IS LOOKING FOR THE HIGH FLOOR GUY TO FIT IN WITH BALL. >> THEY NEED SOME SAFETY ON THAT TEAM, THEY HAVE TOO MUCH VOLATILITY. SAFE FLOOR, DELETE SHOOTER. BALL IS AN ASSISTANT GUY — ASSIST GUY. >> IN MY OVER PARAPHRASING YOU TO SAY THEY NEED SOMEONE THAT HAS THEIR HEAD ON STRAIGHT? YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT KON. >> I THINK THAT GOES ALONG WAY AS A HORNETS FAN, I THINK THEY TRULY NEED TO THAT. BEING THAT SAFE PICK I THINK WILL GO A LONG WAY AND MAKING SURE THE MAKEUP OF THE TEAM HAS THEIR HEAD ON STRAIGHT. >> ARE YOU GOING TO START SPELLING YOUR NAME WITH A K. >> IF I START SHOOTING LIKE HIM. >> PLEASE GET A K FOR CARTER’S NAME. OK, PICK FIVE. TREY JOHNSON — TRE JOHNSON STILL IN THE MIX. THIS TEAM COULD PULL THE TRIGGER ON ACE BAILEY AND IT FEELS LIKE THAT’S THE BIG JUMPING OFF POINT. WE SAID THE DRAFT BEGINS AT 3:00 BUT I THINK WE WILL KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING’S GOING TO MOVE WHEN WE FIGURE OUT WHERE ACE BAILEY LANDS. IS ACE BAILEY IN THE MIX FOR YOU, WAS? >> HE’S GOT TO BE. THE BIG QUESTION IS WILL A TEAM TAKE HIM DESPITE THAT HE DOESN’T — DIDN’T VISIT BEFOREHAND? SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY HE BLEW OFF WORK, WHY SHOULD WE TAKE HIM? THERE AREN’T MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS CHARACTER, THAT’S A MEDIA THING AND HE MADE HIMSELF AN EASY TARGET BY NOT GOING TO THESE WORKOUTS. THE QUESTION, WHO IS THE BEST PLAYER ON YOUR BOARD REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY WORKED OUT, AND TOLD IT’S BETWEEN JEREMIAH FEARS AND TRE JOHNSON. I HAD FEARS ON MY LAST DRAFT, I CHANGED IT FROM JOHNSON. I’VE HEARD CONFLICTING THINGS. I KNOW FEARS HAD A GREAT WORKOUT IN UTAH AND TRE DID VISIT THEM AS WELL. UTAH IS BRINGING IN AUSTEN TO RUN THINGS AND IS PROBABLY NOT TIED TO A LOT OF GUYS ON THE ROSTER. GUYS NOT WORRIED ABOUT LOGJAMS. THAT’S WHY I HAD FEARS AS THE FAVORITE BUT THEY CAN GO IN THREE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND NONE OF THEM WOULD BE SURPRISING. >> YOU ARE THE GM OF THE JAZZ, WHO ARE YOU TAKING? >> JEREMIAH FEARS, I THINK HE’S DYNAMIC AND IT WAS POINTED OUT, THEY NEED SOMEONE DYNAMIC. WORST RECORD IN THE NBA REWARDED WITH THE FIFTH PICK IN THE DRAFT. THEY NEED SOMETHING TO CHANGE THE FRANCHISE AND JEREMIAH FEARS IS YOUNG, DYNAMIC, AND I THINK THAT’S A PLAYER THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR FRANCHISE. >> THE UTAH JAZZ HAVE MADE THEIR SELECTION WITH THE FIFTH OVERALL PICK. THEY ARE PULLING THE TRIGGER. THE ACE BAILEY BLUFF HAS RESULTED IN HIM GOING TO UTAH, A PLACE HE DECLINED TO WORK OUT FOR. I THINK THIS WILL SURPRISE A LOT OF PEOPLE. I THINK MANY EXPECTED HIM TO COME OFF THE BOARD AT SIX AT THE EARLIEST AND HIM AND HIS TEAM WERE TRYING TO GET HIM TO DROP IN THE DRAFT, APPARENTLY THAT WAS A FAILED MISSION AS UTAH HAS DECIDED TO SHOOT FOR THE UPSIDE OF A GUY THAT CAME INTO THE DRAFT PROCESS QUITE FRANKLY AS THE CONSENSUS THIRD NAME ON THE BOARD. HE TANKED HIS STATUS AND THAT’S WHERE WE ARE AND HE WILL HEAD TO UTAH AND IT WILL BE FASCINATING TO SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT. WHAT IS YOUR LIVE REACTION? IS THIS A GOOD RISK? >> IT IS, I THINK THEY CALLED — HE CALLED — THEY CALLED HIS BLUFF. LIKE YOU SAID, CONSENSUS THIRD PLAYER IN THE DRAFT AND THEY GET HIM AT FIVE FOR UTAH. THIS IS REALLY GOOD VALUE FOR UTAH. WAS, WHAT GRADE DID YOU GIVE IT? >> B+. I THINK JOHNSON IS A BETTER PROSPECT BUT I REALLY LIKE UTAH IGNORING THE WORKOUT STUFF AND JUST TAKING THE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE. ACE HAS PLENTY OF UPSIDE, STILL 18 YEARS OLD. I’M DYING TO KNOW WHAT HIS REACTION IS RIGHT NOW. IF THIS IS AN OUTCOME HE WANTED. HE CANCELED THE PHILADELPHIA WORKOUT AND TO ME THAT SUGGESTS HE IS GOOD GOING ANYWHERE FOR 5, 6, 7 — SEEMED LIKE HE JUST DIDN’T WANT TO GO TO PHILLY. I REALLY DON’T KNOW WHAT HIS MINDSET IS. BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ACE BAILEY THE PLAYER. HE’S SIX FOOT SOCKS, SO REALISTICALLY 6’9″ IN SHOES AND ONE OF THE MOST SKILLED SHOT MAKERS I’VE SEEN. DOES THAT SKILLED SHOT MAKING TRANSLATE TO EFFICIENT OFFENSE AT THE NBA LEVEL? GETTING TO THE BASKET IS NOT SOMETHING HE DID GREAT AT RUTGERS. HE HAD 61 TURNOVERS AND 38 ASSISTS AND THESE ARE AREAS HE HAS TO CHANGE. BUT I THINK YOU CAN PUT UP POINTS RIGHT AWAY JUST WITH HIS SHOOTING. THIS IS A B+ PICK. THERE IS SOMEBODY I LIKE BETTER BUT IN TERMS OF VALUE AT NUMBER FIVE OVERALL YOU CAN’T REALLY COMPLAIN, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE UTAH. YOU GOT TO GO WITH YOUR BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE AND NOT WORRY ABOUT FIT, ALTHOUGH I THINK HE FEELS A SOLID NEED AND YOU JUST HOPE HE DOESN’T DEVELOP BAD HABITS BEING ON THE WORST TEAM IN THE NBA. I’M CURIOUS WHAT UTAH DOES WITH THE REST OF THE ROSTER IF THEY CONTINUE TO BUILD WITH WHO THEY CURRENTLY HAVE OR IF THEY TRADE AND GO BACKWARDS A LITTLE BIT. IT’S HARD TO SAY HOW GREAT I FEEL ABOUT THIS PAIRING BUT FROM AN INDIVIDUAL PICK IN A VACUUM, YES. >> WE ARE GOING TO GO LIVE FROM THE FISHBOWL, WE HAVE JAKE FISHER, OUR INSIDER, WORKING THE PHONES ALL NIGHT, AND I HEAR HE HAS SOMETHING FOR US. >> WHAT’S UP? GOOD TO FINALLY TALK TO YOU. IT’S BEEN BUSY. THE PHONE IS BUZZING. IT’S INTERESTING, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE HIGH FLOOR OF KON KNUEPPEL AT NUMBER FOUR WITH CHARLOTTE. THERE WAS A TON OF ABUZZ THIS MORNING THAT CHARLOTTE AND UTAH WERE TALKING TRADE WITH WASHINGTON. IT WAS PRETTY WELL-KNOWN THAT IS BAILEY, HIS PREFERRED HOME WAS WASHINGTON. THE HIGH FOUR ASPECT YOU MENTIONED, REMEMBER THE PICK LAST YEAR WITH TJ? HAS IT WORKED OUT SO FAR? I THINK WANTING TO GET A HIGH FLOOR, HIGH CHARACTER PLAYER WAS SOMETHING CHARLOTTE VALUED BUT ALSO THE HORNETS TO MY UNDERSTANDING WERE CONCERNED THAT IF THEY DID POTENTIALLY MAKE A TRADE WITH WASHINGTON AT SIX, ACE BAILEY WOULD HAVE GONE FOUR IN THAT SCENARIO. THE HORNETS WERE AFRAID THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TAKEN KON KNUEPPEL. NOW IT’S CURIOUS AS WAS WAS MENTIONED, WHICH DIRECTION WASHINGTON WILL GO WITH THESE TWO GUARDS OF FEARS AND JOHNSON. NOW WE WAIT. >> FASCINATING. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE. WAS, YOU MENTIONED THE TOUGH SHOT MAKING WITH ACE BAILEY. 22 SHOTS A GAME OF TOUGH CONTESTED FADEAWAYS BUT THEY WENT IN OR THAN YOU WOULD EXPECT AND HE’S HAD SOME CRAZY PLAYER COMPS THROUGH THE YEARS. WHAT IS YOURS? >> MICHAEL PORTER JR. I DON’T SEE THE TYPE OF PLAYMAKING CARRYING OVER WITH PREVIOUS COMPS. I THINK HE’S MORE OF A MICHAEL PORTER JR. ROLE AS A PERIMETER SCORING, MAYBE A SMALL BALL FOURTH, HE ADDS MORE BULK. HE’S NOT A GOOD ENOUGH CREATOR FOR ME TO GIVE HIM THAT WING CAPACITY. HIS SIZE AND SHOTMAKING, HE WILL BE PLUG AND PLAY. I THINK HE WILL PLAY MORE OFF THE BALL THAN SOME OF HIS PRETTY HIGHLIGHTS SUGGEST. HOPEFULLY UTAH, OR IF THEY CAN’T ADD SOMETHING, THEIR GUARDS CAN DEVELOP TO MAKE THE GAME A LITTLE EASIER FOR ACE. I THINK HE INS UP BEING — ENDS UP BEING MORE OF AN OFF BALL. LESS WORRIED ABOUT THE TUNNEL VISION AND LACK OF PLAYING, HE JUST DOESN’T HAVE A LOT OF MARGIN FOR ERROR. BUT HE IS AN INCREDIBLE SHOT MAKER AND MICHAEL PORTER JR. IN HIS PRIME WHEN NOT HURT IS A VALUABLE SHOT MAKER FOR ONE OF THE TOP TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE. >> I LOVE THAT COMP, THE TANTALIZING SHOTMAKING STUFF IS THERE, AND IF THERE WAS A PLAYER MOST LIKELY TO THINK THE EARTH IS FLAT, WHAT AND IT BE ACE BAILEY? [LAUGHTER] >> TWO PLAYERS THAT HAVE NEVER SEEN A SHOT THEY DON’T LIKE. >> THE WIZARDS HAVE BEEN ON THE CLOCK, WE’VE BEEN TALKING SO MUCH IS BAILEY, I WAS SHOCKED HE CAME OFF THE BOARD AT FIVE. I THINK THE WIZARDS WERE SITTING ON HIM, WHO KNOWS WHERE HE GOES NEXT. I’M TOLD THE PICK IS IN FOR THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS. LET’S SEE WHO THEY ARE GOING WITH. THE WIZARDS WILL TAKE TRE JOHNSON AT SIX. OK, ANOTHER TOUGH SHOT MAKER, EXTREME SCORING PROWESS. YOU WERE AN HONORARY LONGHORN THIS YEAR, YOU DUBBED YOURSELF THAT NAME AND JOHNSON WAS A BIG REASON WHY. >> ELITE SCORE, TOP OF THE SCOUTING REPORT FOR TEXAS ON A NINE TONIGHT BASIS AND EFFICIENT AND HOW HE CREATED HIS SHOTS, HE SHOT EVERYWHERE ON THE COURT AND HE ALSO COULD JUST FILL UP A COMPLETE MICROWAVE SCORE. YOU PUT HIM AT THE WING OR GUARD SPOT AND YOU’RE GOING TO GET I THINK 20 POINTS A NIGHT THE MINUTE HE STEPS IN THE NBA KEMBA MAYBE THE BEST SCORER IN THIS CLASS. >> HIGH PRAISE. WAS, WHAT IS YOUR LIVE GREAT FOR JOHNSON AND THE WIZARDS? >> I DIDN’T EXPECT THEM TO TAKE NOAH SEND GUY — NOA. I THINK JOHNSON IS A SURE THING, I LOVE HIS COMPETITIVENESS, I KNOW HE HUNTS FOR SHOTS BUT WASHINGTON NEEDS THAT, THEY NEED SOMEONE THAT CAN PUT THE BALL IN THE BASKET. I THINK WITH C.J. MCCOLLUM, THEY LIKE THAT PARA HIM. THEY WILL HAVE A LOT OF FIREPOWER. CJ IS EXCELLENT TO LEARN FROM. HE WILL BE A GREAT VETERAN PRESENCE FOR JOHNSON, WHO IS VERY COMPETITIVE. I’VE BEEN WATCHING JOHNSON SINCE HE WAS 16 YEARS OLD PLAYING WITH USA BASKETBALL AND HE HAS THE KILLER INSTINCT, HE WANTS TO BE GREAT. FROM AN ACTUAL BASKETBALL A VALUATION STANDPOINT, 6’6″ IN CHOOSE, 6’10” WAYNE — WING SPAN. ONE OF THE MOST POLISHED PERIMETER SCORES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DRAFTS IN TERMS OF FOOTWORK, STEPS, CREATING, SEPARATING AND HE’S ALSO AN OUTSTANDING SHOT MAKER, NOT JUST PULLING UP, HE’S GOT FLOATERS, HE’S GOT FOLLOW WAYS. — FALL AWAYS. HIS RIM PRESSURE HAS GOT TO BE BETTER. I’M NOT CONCERNED ENOUGH IN THAT DEPARTMENT AND I’M NOT GONNA NITPICK. I THINK HE WAS A BETTER PLAY MAKER THAN HE HAD TO SHOW AT TEXAS. THE FLASHES OF PLAY MAKING I SAW SUGGEST HE HAS A COUPLE MORE ASSISTS PER GAME HE CAN REACH AT THE NBA LEVEL AND WITH WASHINGTON HE WILL GET THE OPPORTUNITY. >> DELETE SCORE AND PLAYER, I LOVE BEING ON THE SAME PAGE, I WAS GIDDY LISTENING TO YOU TALK. WHAT IS YOUR PLAYER COMP? >> I LIKE TYLER HERRO. PRINTER UNDERSCORE OUT OF KENTUCKY, VERY SIMILAR MEASUREMENTS. JOHNSON HAS A BIGGER WINGSPAN. DEFENSIVELY I THINK HE’S PRETTY TOUGH ON THE BALL BUT THE WAY HERRO HAS BECOME AN ALL-STAR TYPE SCORER, AND I THINK JOHNSON IS UNDERRATED IN THAT DEPARTMENT. YOU PUT THE BALL IN HIS HANDS AND HE COULD MAKE MORE PLAYS THAN THE CLASSIC STEPBACK AND PULL-UP DROP SHOT. THAT’S THE TYPE OF TRAJECTORY WE CAN SEE WITH TRE JOHNSON. IT MIGHT TAKE A COUPLE YEARS TO GET THERE BUT HE’S GONNA BE SOME BUDDY WHO CAN GET TO 15 POINTS REALLY QUICK WITH THAT DANGEROUS AND VERY REFINED PERIMETER SCORING. >> SOME OF THE RECENT TRANSACTIONS THE WIZARDS HAVE MADE, C.J. MCCOLLUM, WINICK IS IN AND JOHNSON ADDED TO THE MIX AS JORDAN POOLE DEPARTS. I AM A JORDAN POOLE GUY, TREY JOHNSON OR TOWARD AND PULL THREE YEARS FROM NOW? >> I THINK JOHNSON. HE WILL BRING HIGH-LEVEL SHOTMAKING, COMPETES ON THE DEFENSIVE END LIKE WAS POINTED OUT A LOT OF GAMES I SAW HIM LOCK IN. YOU DON’T SEE THAT FROM A LOT OF PLAYERS. YOU GOTTA FEEL GOOD IF YOU ARE THE WIZARDS. >> A GOOD PICK AND IT SEEMS LIKE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL RATERS — RATINGS FROM THE PANEL. WAS, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE GRADED HIS OUTFIT TO THE DRAFT? ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? NOT PLAYER FIT, THE OUTFIT. >> I DON’T CARE HOW TRENDY SHORTS ARE. YOU FAIL IN THE FASHION DEPARTMENT WITH SHORTS, EVEN IF IT’S 100 DEGREES AND IT PROBABLY IS WHERE THEY ARE. IT’S 100 DEGREES EVERYWHERE FEELS LIKE. I AM OUT ON SHORTS, CERTAINLY ON DRAFT NIGHT. THERE IT IS, OH MY GOODNESS. >> I KIND OF WANT TO STEP IN AND THAT IS AN A PLUS, THAT’S A GREAT FIT, I LOVE THE LOAFERS AND THE BUNCH TO SOCKS, THAT’S HOW YOU MAKE A STATEMENT. THAT IS HOW STARS DRESS. >> HE LOOKS LIKE WEDNESDAY FROM THE ADDAMS FAMILY. >> THERE’S NO WAY YOU EXPECT ME TO GET THAT REFERENCE. KNOW YOUR PERSONNEL, PLEASE. >> THE WIZARDS TRADE WITH THE PELICANS. THE PELICANS NOW ON THE CLOCK GOOD SEVENTH OVERALL. LET’S CHECK IN WITH THE BIG BOARD. WE TALKED NOA, WE HAVEN’T TALKED ABOUT SOME OTHER GUYS. WHO IS HIGHEST ON THE BIG BOARD RIGHT NOW YOU THINK IS IN PLAY FOR THE PELICANS AT SEVEN? >> JEREMIAH FEARS. I’M PRETTY CONFIDENT THE PELICANS LOVE FEARS. THEY DID NOT EXPECT HIM TO BE THERE AT NUMBER SEVEN. THEY ALSO LIKE MALUACH. FROM MY SOURCES AROUND NEW ORLEANS, THEY WERE NOT EXPECTING FEARS TO MAKE IT PAST UTAH. THAT’S MY GUESS OF WHO THEY WOULD TAKE. >> THEY HAVE OPTIONS. THEY ARE PIECES AND THEY JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF DIRECTION AND I THINK APIECE LIKE A JEREMIAH FEARS WOULD BE GOOD. EVEN MALUACH. I LIKE THE SPOT THE PELICANS ARE IN. I DON’T WANT TO JINX THEM AND SAY THEY CAN’T MESS IT UP BUT THEY HAVE GOOD OPTIONS THAT COULD BRING THEIR TEAM TOGETHER. >> NEVER SAY THE PELICANS CAN’T MESS SOMETHING UP. >> I BELIEVE IN THEM. >> THE PELICANS HAVE MADE THEIR SELECTION AT SEVENTH OVERALL. LET’S SEE WHO IT IS. IT IS JEREMIAH FEARS. GOOD CALL, WAS. ONE OF THE MOST ELECTRIC PLAYERS IN ALL OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL LAST SEASON, A KID I BELIEVE MORE THAN ANYBODY IN THIS DRAFT CLASS THAT ON HIMSELF AND WON. WITH EVERYTHING HE’S OPERATED IN THE LAST CALENDAR YEAR. HE WASN’T EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL LAST SEASON. HE RECLASSIFIED UP A YEAR AND WAS COMMITTED TO ILLINOIS BEFORE HE RECLASSIFIED. D COMMITS FROM ILLINOIS, ENDS UP AT OKLAHOMA. THE TEAM WAS VERY DYNAMIC AND HE WAS AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE. WE SEEN SO MANY RECLASSIFICATION ATTEMPTS FAIL AND FEARS IS ALMOST A UNICORN IN THAT SITUATION, WORKING OUT AS WELL AS HE DID AND SKYROCKETING UP THE DRAFT BOARDS. YOU ARE HUGE JEREMIAH FEARS FAN. >> TWO YEARS AGO WE TALKED TO HIS FATHER’S AND HE SAID HE WAS ONE AND DONE AND WE BLINKED A LITTLE BIT AT THAT ONE, BUT HE DOUBLED DOWN ON HIMSELF, HE SHOWED WHAT HE CAN DO AS A REQUEST FRESHMAN TO BE A SUCCESSFUL AS HE WAS IN A CONFERENCE AS HARD AS THE SEC. I THINK IT’S A GREAT PICK FOR THE PELICANS. WAS, WHAT GRADE WOULD YOU GIVE THIS? >> A-. IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR NEW ORLEANS. UPSIDE WORTHY OF A NUMBER SEVEN OVERALL PICK. SUPER EXPLOSIVE, THIS GUY GETS TO ANY SPOT HE WANTS TO. HE DOESN’T TURN 19 UNTIL OCTOBER I THINK. HE’S HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE BEING A HIGH USAGE NUMBER ONE OPTION ON THE POOR OKLAHOMA TEAM. HE GETS TO THE BASKET AND IS VERY GOOD IN THE MIDRANGE AREA, SHOT 85% FROM THE LINE AND THESE ARE GOOD INDICATORS HE CAN IMPROVE HIS THREE-POINT SHOT. HE WILL PROBABLY GO THROUGH SOME GROWING PAINS AS A TEENAGE STARTING POINT GUARD, PARTICULARLY IF HE’S PLAYING WITH JORDAN POOLE. WE HAVE TOOK SLAIN THAT TRADE ON ANOTHER DATE WHEN WE HAVE MORE TIME. IN A VACUUM I THINK HE’S AN EXCITING GUARD PROSPECT. SOMEBODY WHO CREATES ADVANTAGES, SUPER EXPLOSIVE, DEFENSE BACKPEDALING AND SOMEONE WHO WILL MAKE THE PLAYS WITH THE BALL IN HIS HANDS. BUT YOU’VE GOT TO BE PATIENT WITH THE LEAD BALLHANDLERS THAT DON’T PLAYOFF THE BALL. TAKE FEARS, YOU’VE GOT TO GIVE HIM THE BALL AND LET HIM PLAY THROUGH MISTAKES AND EXPERIMENT. HE’S GOT TO IMPROVE HIS DECISION-MAKING. THERE WAS A SIMILAR SCOUTING REPORT FOR ANOTHER PLAYER AND IT TOOK HIM TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT AND THAT WILL BE THE SAME CASE FOR FEARS. BUT JEREMIAH, THINKING LONG-TERM, THEY’RE SO MUCH WEIGHT HE COULD ADD TO HIS FRAME AND SO MUCH TO IMPROVE IN TERMS OF CONSISTENCY. NOW HE HAS SOME GUYS AROUND HIM WHERE HE WON’T HAVE TO DO AS MUCH WITH THE BALL. HE CAN SETTLE INTO A CORNERBACK ROLL AND SET THE TABLE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO FORCE THE ISSUE ON ONE. >> A LOT OF YOUR FEARS ABOUT THE JUMP SAW — JUMP SHOT. HE DIDN’T SHOOT GREAT FROM THREE IN COLLEGE BUT IT’S A LOT OF DYNAMIC SHOT ATTEMPTS, CREATING SEPARATION AND OFF-BALANCE MOVEMENT AND I THINK THERE’S HOPE FOR HIM AS A SHOOTER IN THE NBA. WHAT IS YOUR COMP? >> I COMPARED HIM TO MURRAY. HE’S OUT WITH AN INJURY RIGHT NOW. MY REASONING IS, THERE MIGHT BE DIFFERENCES IN THEIR GAMES BUT I THINK THEY ARE SIMILAR IN TERMS OF QUICKNESS OFF THE BOUNCE. THE LEVEL OF PLAYMAKERS THEY ARE, THEY CAN STILL GET YOU FIVE ASSISTS PER GAME BASED ON CREATIVITY. THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DEFENSE OF CONSISTENCY AND THE THREE-POINT RANGE. THEY ARE BOTH PRETTY FUNCTIONAL AND THE MIDRANGE IN TERMS OF GETTING TO THEIR SPOTS AND STOPPING AND POPPING. MURRAY IS CONSIDERED A GOOD EXCITING GUARD IN THE NBA, HE’S NOT REALLY AN ALL-STAR GUARD AND I HAD THE PRE-DRAFT CONFIDENCE TO SAY JEREMIAH WILL BE AN ALL-STAR GUARD. I THINK HE CAN BE A SOLID START IN CALIBER GUARD AND I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT NEW ORLEANS BUILDS THIS TO MAKE THE GAME EASIER FOR HIM. THE >> JORDAN POOLE A RECENT TRANSACTION FOR THE PELICANS, INTERESTING WITH JEREMIAH FEARS. HOW DO YOU SEE THAT WORKING OUT? >> IT WILL BE INTERESTING BECAUSE JORDAN POOLE WANTS TO HAVE THE BALL IN HIS HANDS AS WELL. JEREMIAH FEARS OPERATES BETTER WITH THE BALL IN HIS HANDS. BUT WE’VE GOT TO SAY THIS — HOW FUN IS FEARS AND POOLE? I WOULD BUY TICKETS TO THAT. >> SO WHAT I. — WOULD I. WHEN YOU PAIR THEM TOGETHER, LET’S NOT ACT LIKE ZION WILLIAMSON IS NOT HIGH ON THE EXCITEMENT SCALE. AS I SAY THAT OUT LOUD, STARTING TO LOSE A LITTLE FAITH IN THIS CORE. I THINK WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THIS, BACK TO THE POINT ABOUT JEREMIAH BEING A GUY WHO BET ON HIMSELF, HE BET ON HIMSELF AND CHOSE TO GO OKLAHOMA KNOWING WHAT THE ROSTER LOOKS LIKE AT THE TIME TO PUT HIMSELF IN A SPOT TO ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS INDIVIDUALLY. SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT I THINK HE’S IN A SIMILAR SPOT. IF JEREMIAH FEARS IS WHO HE BELIEVES HE HAS, HE WILL BE A STUD IN NEW ORLEANS. WE’VE GOT THE EIGHTH PICK ON THE CLOCK RIGHT NOW, THE BROOKLYN NETS, THE SELECTION IS IN. STAND UP, RUSSIA. EGOR DEMIN IS OFF THE BOARD. 6’8″ POINT GUARD WHO MADE THE MOST OF HIS TIME IN PROVO. I DON’T KNOW THAT I SAW THIS COMING, YOU SURPRISED TO SEE HIM COME OFF THE BOARD THIS HIGH? >> I’M HAPPY FOR HIM BUT I AM A LITTLE SHOCKED. OTHER GUARDS WERE PROJECTED TO GO BEFORE HIM. THE SIZE AND THE PLAYMAKING FOR A GUARD LIKE EGOR DEMIN, I THINK THE PASSING ABILITY IS SOMETHING THE NETS MIGHT WANT TO LEAN INTO ESPECIALLY WITH A LOT OF SHOT HAPPY GUARDS. WAS, WHAT GRADE WOULD YOU GIVE HIM AND ARE YOU SURPRISED? >> I’M SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED. I GIVE IT A C. I DON’T LIKE THE FIT. I’M NOT AS HIGH ON DEMIN AS CLEARLY BROOKLYN IS. BUT UNTIL — BEFORE I BASH A TEENAGE KID, WHAT’S TALK ABOUT HIS MONEYMAKER, 6’9″ AND SOCKS. HE HAS A VERY UNIQUE DOMINATION OF POSITIONAL SIZE AND PASSING INSTINCTS. IF ONE THING TRANSLATES, YOU CAN BANK ON PASSING AND THAT ALWAYS CARRIES OVER AND I THINK ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE THIS TYPE OF HEIGHT TO PASS OVER DEFENSES AND THIS HANDLE, WHICH I THINK IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR HIM TO BE A PRIMARY BALLHANDLING GUARD AND THAT’S PRESUMABLY WHAT BROOKLYN HAS DONE HERE, THEY WANT HIM TO BE THE GUY WHO RUNS THE OFFENSE. I’M GUESSING THEY ARE BUYING HIS DEVELOPMENT. THAT HIS SHOT WILL GET BETTER BECAUSE IF THEY WEREN’T BUYING THAT THEY WOULDN’T TAKE HIM AT NUMBER EIGHT OVERALL. MY CONCERNS WITH EGOR DEMIN IS HE IS TOUGH TO MOVE AROUND. IF YOU TAKE HIM, YOU HAVE TO GIVE HIM THE BALL AND THAT MEANS GIVING THE BALL TO A POOR SHOOTER WHO IS VERY CASUAL WITH HIS DECISION-MAKING. I WOULDN’T BE SO AGAINST THIS PIC IF YOU WENT TO A TEAM THAT HAD TALENT AROUND HIM. IF YOU WENT TO A TEAM THAT HAD VETERANS AND HE COULD KIND OF PLAY QUARTERBACK AND DISH THE BALL AND TAKE WITH THE DEFENSE GIVES HIM. BUT HE’S GOING TO A TEAM THAT HAS NOBODY RIGHT NOW AND I THINK CAM JOHNSON ISN’T UNDER CONTRACT RIGHT NOW FOR BROOKLYN. I DON’T LOVE IT IN A VACUUM, HE’S CLOSER TO 20 ON MY INDIVIDUAL BOARD BUT I DON’T LIKE HIM FOR BROOKLYN AT NUMBER EIGHT. FIVE PICKS, I THOUGHT THEY COULD’VE GOTTEN CREATIVE. SOMETHING TO THING ABOUT. YOU TAKE A GUY YOU REALLY WANT, YOU TAKE THOSE CHANCES AND APPARENTLY THEY REALLY WANTED DEMIN, WHICH TO ME SUGGESTS HE WILL GET BETTER AS A SHOOTER AND DECISION-MAKER, BUT HIS JUMP NEEDS A LOT OF WORK. EVERY TIME HE WAS CONTESTED IT SEEMED LIKE HE DIDN’T HAVE A CHANCE TO WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE COMPARISON AND LITTLE BIT BUT I HAVE SOME ISSUES. >> YOU CAN EMPLOY NEED TO TAKE THE HARD QUESTIONS FOR YOU. AS I HEAR YOU TAKE IT THROUGH THAT, IS HE AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE? >> THIS IS A C. AN F MEANS I DON’T THINK THIS GUY IS AN NBA PLAYER. THIS IS AN NBA PLAYMAKER, I JUST THINK THERE WERE BETTER OPTIONS ON THE BOARD AND I THINK DESPITE THE IDEA OF A 6’10” MIGHT SUGGEST, THERE’S A LOT OF UPSIDE, I WOULD DISAGREE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF UPSIDE. I THINK PASSING IS WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE TABLE AND AM A LITTLE SKEPTICAL THAT THE PERIMETER SCORING OF HIS GAME TRANSLATES AND SOME OF THE DECISION-MAKING IS HEAD SCRATCHING, LIKE I CAN’T BELIEVE HE JUST MADE THAT PASS. A LOT WILL NEED TO CHANGE AND IMPROVE FOR HIM TO BE THE PLAYER I’M ASSUMING BROOKLYN THINKS HE CAN BE. >> CARTER AND I SPEAK IN PASS OR FAIL RUBRIC. WHAT IS YOUR PLAYER COMP? HUGE POINT GUARD. >> GOT TO BE JOSH GIDDEY. ANOTHER BIG BALLHANDLER. THEY SHARE SIMILAR SCOUTING REPORTS. PRE-DRAFT I SHOULD SAY. I THINK JOSH GIDDEY HAS GOTTEN BETTER WITH HIS GOING SO MAYBE THERE IS A CHANCE FORDEMIN. BUT JOSH GIDDEY HAD SOME PROBLEMS THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF HIS CAREER. THE PROBLEM WITH DEMIN’S YOU CAN PUT HIM OFF THE BALL, AND THAT REDUCES YOUR FLEXIBILITY IN BUILDING A ROSTER. JOSH GIDDEY HAS GOTTEN MUCH BETTER, I DON’T WATCH AS MUCH NBA AS I’M SURE A LOT OF THE LISTENERS AT HOME AND YOU GUYS BUT THAT’S THE ARCHITECT I SEE, IF YOU ARE BROOKLYN, KHAMAN MALUACH IS ON THE BOARD. >> I’M HOPEFUL THAT IF YOU WANT TO ROOT FOR EGOR DEMIN, MAY THE SAME WAY THAT JOSH GIDDEY GOT TO CHICAGO, MAYBE THAT SOMETHING EGOR CAN STEP INTO. LET’S CHECK IN WITH JAKE FISHER. EGOR DEMIN AT EIGHT TO THE BROOKLYN NETS. >> WHAT’S UP? SIFTING THROUGH A TON OF STUFF. KHAMAN MALUACH ON THE BOARD AT NINE IS A SITUATION TORONTO WAS HOPING FOR EITHER TO TAKE HIM OR FACILITATE A TRADE DOWN. SAN ANTONIO WAS MENTIONED AS A SUITOR. ATLANTA, PHOENIX. WAITING TO SEE WHAT COMES BUT EGOR DEMIN AT NUMBER EIGHT, HE WAS SOMEONE, THE WORD ALL ALONG WAS THAT BROOKLYN LOVED HIM, FROM TALKING TO THE BYU COACHING STAFF, THE NETS SENT THE MOST AMOUNT OF CONSISTENT PERSONNEL OUT TO PROVO TO CHECK ON HIM. HE HAD AN EARLY WORK OUT THERE AND I THINK IN THEORY, THE FACT THAT HE’S A MORE ON MALL PLAYMAKER, THERE IS A DEARTH, THERE’S NO FRANCHISE POINT GUARD BROOKLYN. HE WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD HIS WINGS. HE’S ALSO AN INTERESTING KID. HE SPEAKS MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, COMES FROM RUSSIA, SPENT SOME TIME AT MADRID BEFORE HE CAME HERE. HE’S DATING THE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR IN THE BIG 12. I THINK BROOKLYN LIKES THE PERSON, THE MIND, THE HARD WORKER, THE CREATIVE PERSONALITY AS MUCH AS THE PLAYER AND I THINK — HE WAS NOT EXPECTED TO GO AT EIGHT, PEOPLE THOUGHT THE BROOKLYN INTEREST WAS GOING TO COME DOWN AT 19 BUT THEY JUMP UP AND HE IS THE ONE REAL SURPRISE OF THE DRAFT. THERE WAS A TOP EIGHT EVERYONE WAS EXPECTING AND NOW KHAMAN MALUACH IS SLIDING DOWN THE BOARD. NOT IN THE TOP EIGHT AS WELL. EGOR DEMIN AT THE BROOKLYN SEEMS LIKE A STRONG THING AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE PHOENIX CAN TAKE THEIR CENTER OF THE FUTURE. >> THANK YOU, JAKE FISHER. WE WATCHED A LOT OF UI YOU BASKETBALL THIS YEAR AND EGOR, WHEN HE WAS ON HIS A GAME, HE FELT LIKE AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE, AS BIGGEST HE WAS AND THE WAY HE COULD CONTROL THE GAME. WE ALSO SAW HIM SHY AWAY AND SOME OF THE BIGGEST MOMENTS. I FOUND MYSELF WONDERING WHY THE BALL WAS IN SOMEONE ELSE’S HANDS WHEN YOU HAVE A POTENTIAL TOP EIGHT, 6’8″ NBA DRAFT PROSPECT SITTING THERE. IT FELT LIKE HE STEPPED OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT AT TIMES, MAYBE TWO UNSELFISH. >> A LITTLE TENTATIVE BUT I THINK HE CONFIGURED IT OUT — CAN FIGURE IT OUT. >> OK, THE PICK AT NINE IS IN, THE TORONTO RAPTORS ARE TAKING: MURRAY-BOYLES AT NINE. MAY I INTEREST YOU IN A 6’7″ CENTER. I DON’T MEAN TO DOWNPLAY HIS GAME, UBER PRODUCTIVE AT SOUTH CAROLINA BUT AFTER HEARING A LOT ABOUT THE RAPTORS INFATUATION WITH MALUACH, I’M STUNNED THEY WENT FOR THE SMALLER SIZED CENTER WHEN THEY HAVE THIS SEVEN FOOTER SITTING THERE. ARE YOU SHOCKED THAT CMB IS COMING OFF THE BOARD FIRST? >> I AM, THAT THE RAPTORS ARE SEEMINGLY ACQUIRING WING PIECES. DIDN’T SEE THIS COMING BUT WE SAW MURRAY-BOYLES IN THE APRIL HIGHLIGHT, HE IS SAID TO BE THIS THREE AND D GUY. WAS, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE FIT AND WHAT GRADE WOULD YOU GIVE HIM, ARE YOU SHOCKED AT ALL? >> SHOCKED ONLY BECAUSE THERE’S BEEN NO BUZZ OR LINKS FROM MURRAY-BOYLES TO TORONTO WHEN TORONTO HAD LINKS TO MALUACH AND NOA ESSENGUE. THE FIT IS QUESTION WILL, THEY WILL HAVE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES BUT ASIDE FROM NOA, I THINK MURRAY-BOYLES IS THE HIGHEST RATED PROSPECT ON MY BOARD. ONE OF THE GUYS CALLED HIM A CENTER AND ONE OF YOU CALLED HIM A WING AND THUS THE TYPE OF GUY HE IS. HE’S SO OUT-OF-THE-BOX AND HE CAN BE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLAYERS. THAT’S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT HIM. REALISTICALLY HE’S GOING TO PLAY POWER FORWARD, THAT’S HIS NATURAL POSITION. HE HAS POWERFUL, HE CAN HANDLE THE BALL IN EITHER DIRECTION, OUTSTANDING HANDS AROUND THE BASKET, GOOD REBOUNDER IN VERY GOOD PASSER, WHICH HE DOESN’T GET ENOUGH CREDIT FOR. I’VE HEARD DRAYMOND GREEN COMPARISONS IN TERMS OF BODY TYPE AND ABILITY TO GUARD BIGS. I’M GIVING THIS AN A. I WILL PREFACE THAT BY SAYING THEY HAVE TO MAKE SOME TYPE OF DEAL. YOU JUST TRADED FOR INGRAM, YOU HAVE SCOTTIE BARNES. THERE’S NO ROOM FOR HIM IN THE LINEUP AT THE MOMENT UNLESS YOU DO SOMETHING WEIRD LIKE LATE A 6’7″ GUY AT CENTER AND MOVE SCOTTIE BARNES TO FIVE. BUT MY PHILOSOPHY IS YOU FIGURE THAT OUT LATER, YOU TAKE THE BEST GUY AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE FLEX ABILITY AND TIME DOWN THE ROAD TO MAKE CHANGES. THERE’S A LOT OF BUZZ ABOUT THE IDEA OF TRADING R.J. BARRETT BUT I REALLY LIKE MURRAY-BOYLES. HE’S NOT A SHOOTER. AT THE COMBINE HE WAS DRILLING, HE HAS A VERY SOFT TOUCH. EVEN IF HE’S NOT A THREE-POINT SHOOTER EARLY ON I THINK HE’S SO GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES WITHIN 16, 18 FEET, PLAY BULLY BALL, SPIN, HE HAS ALL OF THESE TRICKS UP HIS SLEEVE AND VERY IMPOSING PHYSICAL PROFILE. BIG HANDS. HE’S KIND OF AN OUTLIER. ON PAPER HE MAKES NO SENSE AS A 6’7″ BIG GUY WHO DOESN’T SHOOT BUT I LOVE WHAT HE DOES WELL. >> EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE, CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM HIM. IT WILL BE INTERESTING, THOSE TORONTO NAMES IN THE LINEUP, THE VARIOUS THINGS THEY COULD DO, POSITIONAL VERSATILITY WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS AND WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE. WHAT IS YOUR PLAYER COMP? >> HE LOOKS JUST LIKE JULIUS RANDLE FROM KENTUCKY. JULIUS RANDLE BECAME A THREE-POINT SHOT MAKER. BULLIES WITH THE BALL WHO CAN TRANSITION. GOOD CONTACT AROUND THE BASKET. SOME PLAYMAKING ABILITY. THESE ARE VERY SIMILAR PLAYERS AT THE SAME POINTS OF THEIR CAREER. LET’S SEE IF MURRAY-BOYLES CAN MAKE THE SAME ADJUSTMENTS TO HIS GAME. >> I LIKE THAT, I SEE THE VISION FOR SURE. WE ARE GOING TO MAKE TO THE — MOVE TO THE 10TH OVERALL PICK, THE HOUSTON ROCKETS ON THE CLOCK, THIS IS THE PICK THAT IS PROPOSED TO GO TO THE PHOENIX SUNS FROM THE KEVIN DURANT TRADE THIS WEEK. PHOENIX WILL GET THIS AT 10 IF NOTHING ELSE CHANGES BUT TECHNICALLY IT’S THE ROCKETS ON THE CLOCK. THINKING OF PHOENIX, WHAT SHOULD THEY BE LOOKING FOR? >> I THINK THEY’VE REACHED THE MAX LIMIT FOR SHOOTING GUARDS, AND I THINK THEY HAVE GREAT OPTIONS. I THINK THEY NEED SOMEONE DOWN LOW GOOD LAST SEASON, THEY HAVE SOME THE GOT SOME MINUTES AND I THINK THEY COULD USE SOME FRONT CORE HEALTH WITH THE PLETHORA OF GUARDS. THEY COULD HAVE SOME FRONT CORE DEFENSE OF VERSATILITY AS WELL. >> WAS, YOU’VE HAD THE SAME GUY ON TOP OF YOUR BOARD FOR A FEW PICKS NOW, NOA ESSENGUE. DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR HIM TO COME OFF THE BOARD? >> I HEARD THAT PHOENIX IS INTRIGUED BY HIM BUT THEY DIDN’T THINK HE WAS GONNA BE AVAILABLE AT NUMBER 10 SO I’M CURIOUS IF THEY GO IN THAT DIRECTION. I THINK THEY SHOULD. THIS TEAM IS NOT READY TO COMPETE. I THINK YOU GOTTA BE THINKING ABOUT LONG-TERM AND GET SOME YOUNG GUYS. MALUACH WILL BE THE POPULAR NAME AND WE WILL SEE WHAT DIRECTION THEY GO. I THINK BOTH WOULD BE FINE OPTIONS THIS LATE IN THE DRAFT. >> IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT MALUACH IS FALLING AT THIS POINT? IF HE GETS PAST 10, TO ME THAT WOULD BE A FAIR TERM TO USE. I’M A LITTLE STUNNED HE HASN’T COME OFF THE BOARD AT. >> I HAD A SCOUT TEXT ME AFTER HIS PROTEC, NO WAY THIS GUY IS TAKEN IN THE TOP 5 — HIS PRO DAY, NO WAY THIS GUY IS TAKEN IN THE TOP FIVE. >> INTERESTING SOME GUYS THAT CAME OFF THE BOARD EARLY. THE TICKET IS IN FOR HOUSTON, GOING TO PHOENIX, THEY ARE TAKING KHAMAN MALUACH. I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE, GOOD VALUE IN MY MIND FOR THE DUKE CENTER, 7’1″, MAN MAN IS THE NICKNAME AND HE IS A GROWN MAN IN AN 18-YEAR-OLD BODY. >> THEY ARE GETTING AN ELITE PROTECTOR, NOT JUST BLOCKING SHOTS BUT AFFECTING EVERYTHING. ANYTIME YOU YOU WATCH A DUKE BASKETBALL GAME THIS YEAR, PEOPLE WERE THINKING IN THE BACK OF THE MIND THAT HE WAS AT THE RIM. GREAT TIMING, GREAT ANTICIPATION ON BLOCKING SHOTS, HE IS A RIM THREAT, POINT GUARD PLAY, AND HE’S SCRATCHING THE SURFACE OF WHAT HE CAN DO. HE DID WHAT DUKE NEEDED HIM TO DO AT A HIGH LEVEL. I THINK HE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND EVENTUALLY BE ONE OF THE ELITE CENTERS IN THE NBA. >> SOME PEOPLE LOVE THE SHOOTING UPSIDE, HE DID MAKE 43-POINTERS AT DUKE, SHOT GREAT FROM THE FREE-THROW LINE, 77% FOR A SEVEN FOOT BIG MAN. WE HAVE A TRADE TO ANNOUNCE, THAT SOUNDS LIKE JAKE FISHER’S MUSIC? NO, NOT GOING TO TAKE FISHER. ANY IDEAS? >> I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO THE FISHBOWL. >> I’M SORRY. THE HORNETS ARE TREATING MARK WILLIAMS TO THE PHOENIX SUNS FOR 29 TONIGHT AND A 2029 FIRST ROUND PICK. OK. NOT ONLY ARE WE GETTING MAN MAN BUT WE ARE GETTING MARK WILLIAMS. I HAVE WORD WE CAN GO TO TAKE FISHER. HELP US MAKE SENSE OF THIS, WHAT IS GOING ON? >> I’M TRYING TO SIFT THROUGH IF MALUACH IS GOING TO STAY IN PHOENIX. MARK WILLIAMS IS GOING TO THE SONS AND AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE NEED FOR PHOENIX TO HAVE A CENTER, THAT’S BEEN CONSISTENT FROM THE MOMENT PHOENIX ENDED THEIR SEASON SHORT OF THE TOURNAMENT, THEY HAD MOVED A PLAYER TO CHARLOTTE. THERE IS SYNERGY BETWEEN THE SONS FRONT OFFICE AND THE HORNETS FRONT OFFICE MAKING TRADES. KHAMAN MALUACH IS GOING TO STAY IN PHOENIX RIGHT NOW AND THE SONS JUST IN A MASSIVE TWO MAN PUNCH GET THEIR TWO CENTERS OF THE FUTURE. MARK WILLIAMS, EVERYONE PROBABLY REMEMBERS THE SHOCKING DEAL AT THE END OF THE TRADING DEADLINE IN FEBRUARY WITH THE LAKERS FOR DALTON KNECHT AND THE LAKERS ULTIMATELY RESCINDED THE DEAL DUE TO MARK WILLIAMS’S MEDICAL. WORK WILLIAMS BEING A DENTAL TRADE CANDIDATE WAS SOMETHING EVERYONE IN THE LEAGUE, TO USE A FUNNY EXPRESSION, HAD ON THEIR BINGO CARD, BUT IT WASN’T REALLY OUT THERE UNTIL I GOT WORD LITERALLY TWO MINUTES BEFORE NEWS BROKE. JUST THINK ABOUT IT ON A HUMAN LEVEL. MARK WILLIAMS A SICKLY GOT BROKEN UP WITH BY THE ONE-FAMILY HE KNEW THEY PUT HIM IN A DIFFERENT HOME AND THEN THEY HAD WELCOME HIM BACK. I THINK EVERYONE WAS PROFESSIONAL ABOUT THE SITUATION BUT I KNOW ON THE MARK WILLIAMS SIDE OF THINGS, THEY WERE ALWAYS LOOKING IN KIND OF HOPING I THINK THAT HE WOULD GET MOVED AGAIN THIS SUMMER. IT WAS JUST AN AWKWARD SITUATION TO GO BACK TO A TEAM THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE FRANCHISE CENTER, THE CENTER OF THE FUTURE AND THEY WENT BEHIND HER BACK AND TRADED YOU TO THE LAKERS AND THEN WELCOMED YOU BACK. IN THEORY, CHARLOTTE AT THE TIME THOUGHT THEY WERE DOING RIGHT BY MARK, WHY NOT LET THIS 23-YEAR-OLD KID STAR TO LUKA DONCIC? NOW HE GETS PROBABLY A WAY BETTER SITUATION IN TERMS OF RUNWAY FOR GROWTH AND NOT NECESSARILY HAVING TO WIN AGAINST LEBRON JAMES. TO BRING IT BACK TO PHOENIX OVERALL, THE SONS WANTED TO GET INTO THIS RANGE OF THE DRAFT, PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THEY WANTED TO ACHIEVE IN THE KEVIN DURANT TRADE TALKS, THEY WERE TALKING TO TORONTO, MINNESOTA. THIS 10TH PICK — IT WAS ORIGINALLY THEIR PICK FROM HOUSTON. THE ROCKETS TOLD ME THAT WAS THE SONS — SUNS’S NUMBER ONE ASSET AND THEY WANTED A BIG MAN ALL ALONG. THEY WERE LOOKING AT BIG MEN ALL THE WAY DOWN AT 29 AND NOW THAT TICKET GOES TO CHARLOTTE. THAT’S INTERESTING. THE HORNETS HAVE THE 33RD PICK AND 34TH PICK AT THE TOP OF THE SECOND ROUND. THEY WERE ALREADY BEING DISCUSSED AS A LIKELY TRADE SCENARIO WITH THE THREE OR 34 SO NOW THEY HAVE THREE PICKS IN A FIVE PICK RANGE AND ALREADY PROJECTED TO TRADE ONE. I’M KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR THE HORNETS BEING ANOTHER TRADE CANDIDATE. >> OK, THANK YOU JAKE FISHER FOR THE UPDATES. WE CALL THAT IN THE BUSINESS THE BROTHERHOOD TWO FOR ONE. IN A 10 SECOND SPAN. >> IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, I DON’T WANT HIM TO BECOME MARK WILLIAMS. I THINK ON PAPER WORK WILLIAMS SHOULD BE THE DEFENSE OF THREAT BUT MAY BE A LITTLE UNDERWHELMING AT TIMES BUT I THINK THE FRONTCOURT, THAT’S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO HAVE AND IN THE SPAN OF A MINUTE, I THINK THE PHOENIX SUNS GET THEIR STARTING CENTER AND BACKUP CENTER. >> THAT 2029 FIRST FROM PHOENIX COULD BE WORTH SOMETHING. I THINK CHARLOTTE GOT A NICE RETURN FOR UNLOADING MARK WILLIAMS. >> CHARLOTTE DID WHAT? >> THEY GOT SOMETHING GOOD. >> WOW. >> CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THEY DO AT 29. WE ARE THROUGH THE FIRST 10 PICKS IN THE NBA DRAFT. MAN MAN HAS COME OFF THE BOARD. I DON’T KNOW, THIS FELT LIKE A CHALKY TOP 10, NO MAJOR SURPRISES, A FEW PHONE CALLS AND A FEW MOVES MADE BUT I THINK THE CHAOS BUILD COMING IN WILL MAYBE PICK UP. THAT’S MY GUT FEEL, WHAT’S YOUR REACTION? >> EGOR EIGHT SURPRISE ME A LITTLE BIT. I WOULD LIKE FOR SOME CHAOS TO ENSUE. >> WE GET CHAOS BECAUSE THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS, ON THE CLOCK AT 11, ARE TREATING CEDRIC COWARD TO THE MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES. CEDRIC CALVERT WILL BE THE 11TH PICK IN THE DRAFT AND HE’S GOING TO MEMPHIS COURTESY OF PORTLAND. OK, THERE IS SOME CHAOS, I’M GETTING ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT GOOD — MY SEAT. WAS, YOUR REACTION? >> IT LOOKS LIKE THEY TRIED TO GET AHEAD OF THE PACK AND NOT TAKE ANY CHANCES. I LOVE CEDRIC COWARD. A WEIRD GUY TO LOVE BECAUSE HE ONLY PLAYED SIX GAMES THIS YEAR BUT HE’S GROWN ON ME, GOING BACK AND WATCHING TAPE. INTERESTING STORY, D3 GUY, GOES TO EASTERN WASHINGTON AND THEN WASHINGTON STATE, ONLY PLAYED SIX GAMES THIS YEAR, SHOWS UP AT THE COMBINE, MEASURES ALMOST IDENTICALLY TO JALEN WILLIAMS. YOU WATCH THE TAPE AND YOU WERE LIKE I GET IT. THE EYE TEST IS HE IS A VERY GOOD PLAYER AND NOBODY LISTENED TO HIM SPEAK AND HIS STORY. THE JOURNEY HE’S BEEN ON. THIS IS A VERY CONVINCING HUMAN BEING. HE PROBABLY CRUSHED ALL THESE INTERVIEWS AND I THINK THAT’S A BIG PART WHY HE MOVED UP, NOT JUST THE MEASUREMENTS BUT HE’S VERY CONVINCING. WELL SPOKEN AND A GREAT BELIEF SYSTEM. I LIKE THIS PICTURE. I PUT HIM IN THE TOP 10 ON MY BOARD. ME AND MEMPHIS ARE SEEING I TIE — EYE TO EYE. HE HAS A VERY COVETED ARCHETYPE, COMBO FORWARD, HE HAS A SMALL FORWARDS GAME, TOUGH AROUND THE BASKET, MIDRANGE SHOT, SHOT 40% FROM THREE. 1.7 BLOCKS IN THE SMALL SAMPLE SIZE THERE’S A LITTLE BIT OF RISK WITH A GUY WHO DID NOT PLAY AGAINST HIGH LEVEL COMPETITION BUT IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR EYE TEST, YOU SEE A STARTING CALIBER NBA PLAYER AND I WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE THE CHANCE. >> 7’2″ WINGSPAN, ARGUABLY THE BIGGEST RISER OF THE DRAFT CYCLE AND I HEAR THAT JAKE FISHER HAS THE DETAILS INSIDE THE FISHBOWL. WHAT HAPPENED? >> WE ARE SWIMMING AROUND. THIS IS PROBABLY I WOULD SAY A SURPRISING HAUL THE TRAIL BLAZERS JUST GOT NUMBER 11, CEDRIC COWARD, TRADED TO MEMPHIS FOR THE NUMBER 16 PICK, IF YOU REMEMBER THE GRIZZLIES ACQUIRED FROM ORLANDO. A FUTURE FIRST-ROUND OR I’M TOLD, 2028, AND TWO SECOND-ROUND PICKS. THIS IS FROM WHAT I’M READING ABOUT FROM GETTING TEXTS FROM GUYS AROUND THE LEAGUE, PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED, IT’S A STEEP PRICE TO MOVE UP FIVE PICKS BUT IS NOT SO SHOCKING TO ME THE PORTLAND IS MOVING DOWN. THE BLAZERS I THINK OF ALL THE TEAMS IN THIS ROUND, PROBABLY WERE THE MOST INTRIGUED BY MOVING BACK OUTSIDE OF TORONTO, LARGELY BECAUSE THEY HAVE A WELL-ROUNDED ROSTER ALREADY. THEY KIND OF ARE A FANTASY TEAM. FANTASY FOOTBALL IS LOADED WITH ALL TYPE OF POSITIONS AND THEY DON’T HAVE A CLEAR-CUT START. — STAR. BUT THE FACT — I’M GETTING WORD NOA ESSENGUE IS GOING TO BE THE PICK FOR CHICAGO AT NUMBER 12. THIS IS AN INTERESTING MOVE FROM MEMPHIS, BEING THAT THEY HAVE A PRETTY BIG WING DEARTH. IT’S NOT SO SHOCKING TO SEE MEMPHIS DO THIS EITHER BECAUSE THE GRIZZLIES HAVE SUCH A HISTORY OF MOVING UP, MOVING DOWN, TRADING OUT FIRST ROUND. FEW YEARS AGO THEY TRADED UP THE NUMBER 10 PICK AND TOOK ZION WILLIAMSON THEY WERE A VERY CLEAR TRADE CANDIDATE. I’M SURPRISED IT’S FOR COWARD. BUT TO WAS’S POINT, OKC NUMBER 15 RIGHT BEFORE MEMPHIS. MEMPHIS HAD TO GET THIS HIGH TO GET HIM BECAUSE THERE WAS BUZZ ALL OVER THE PLACE. CEDRIC COWARD TO MY UNDERSTANDING DIDN’T WANT TO GO TO BROOKLYN. SO IT’S FUNNY THAT HE IS BEING PICKED BY PORTLAND BUT BEING SENT OUT THE DOOR. BACK TO YOU GUYS. >> THANK YOU. TO QUICKLY RESET, MEMPHIS GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF GUARD/WING REFILL AFTER THE DESMOND BANE TRADE. HERE COMES CEDRIC COWARD. WITH THE CHICAGO BULLS ON THE CLOCK AT 12, IT IS GOING TO BE NOAH ESSENGUE. I’M ASSUMING YOU ARE AT HIGH ON HIM BUT WHAT YOUR GRADE? >> YES. THE SECOND YOUNGEST PROSPECT IN THE DRAFT. 6’10”. DOES A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING AND KEEPS GETTING BETTER. THROUGH THE SKILLS ASIDE AND HE’S STILL GOING TO GIVE YOU EASY BASKETS. HER ON THE FLOOR, DEFEND MULTIPLE POSITIONS. HE DOESN’T TURN 19 UNTIL CHRISTMAS. BUT HE WAS PLAYING IN THE FINALS IN GERMANY AND AVERAGING DOUBLE DIGIT POINTS. TO BE ABLE TO AVERAGE DOUBLE-DIGIT POINTS WHEN YOU HAVE A LIMITED SKILL LEVEL TELLS YOU ABOUT HIS NATURAL TALENT. THERE IS SO MUCH ROOM TO GROW AS A SHOT MAKER. EVERY GAME, A COUPLE OF THESE FLASHES. HE HAD A COUPLE NICE STRETCHES FROM DOWNTOWN. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHO NO MATTER WHAT YOU LOOK AT THE BOX SCORE AND HE’S PUTTING UP NUMBERS. THIS IS AN A GRADE FOR ME. HE’S GOT A LOT OF UPSIDE. IN CHICAGO THEY’VE BEEN STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE FOR A LONG TIME. I’M GLAD THEY DID NOT GO WITH AN OLDER GUY. THEY HAVE TO THINK LONG TERM AND I THINK NOA HAS THE HIGHEST UPSIDE ON THE BOARD. I HAD HIM TOP FIVE ON MY INDIVIDUAL BOARD. VERY INTERESTING PLAYER, I JUST THINK YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE PATIENCE WITH HIS DEVELOPMENT. >> A GUY WHO IS 6’10”, JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE, BUT THAT HIGH CEILING IS ENTICING TOO MANY TEAMS. WITH A PLAYER COMP YOU WOULD GIVE FOR HIM? >> HE REMINDS ME A LOT OF PASCAL SIAKAM. I REMEMBER HIM AT THE NBA COMBINE AND HE WAS BEATING GUYS DOWN THE FLOOR, USING HIS PHYSICAL TOOLS, OPTIMIZING EVERY LITTLE INCH AND EVERY LITTLE BURST OF ATHLETICISM. OVER THE COURSE OF SIAKAM’S CAREER, HE BECAME A GUY TO GIVE THE BALL TO. HE BECAME A SHOOTER, POST PLAYER, THE GUY YOU COULD SEPARATE WITH THE PULL AND FOLLOWINGS. YOU’VE SEEN FLASHES OF THAT WITH NOA WHO I THINK HAS A SIMILAR BODY TYPE. OF COURSE IT WILL TAKE A COUPLE YEARS FOR HIM TO REACH A LEVEL LIKE SIAKAM BUT THAT’S THE LEVEL HE HAS THE RIGHT TOOLS AND THE SKILLS. >> YOU MENTIONED IT BRIEFLY BUT IT WAS A STORYLINE WITH NOA THAT HE OPTED TO LEAVE HIS TEAM DURING THE GERMAN FINALS TO BE AT THE NBA DRAFT. IT WAS THAT A MISTAKE? DO YOU CARE ABOUT THAT? SOME PEOPLE WERE UP IN ARMS AND SOME PEOPLE WERE NOT. WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> THIS IS THE SILLIEST — I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW MANY PEOPLE. THE WORLD IS ANGRY. THE KID IS ABOUT TO GET DRAFTED. THE GERMAN LEAGUE FINALS I GUESS , BUT IT WON’T BE IN FIVE YEARS. NOBODY WILL REMEMBER IT. I JUST THINK THAT TEAMS DID NOT REALLY CARE ABOUT IT. THEY ARE THINKING LONG-TERM WITH THE KID. IT’S NOT A REFLECTION OF HIS CHARACTER. THIS WAS NOT A BIG DEAL. THESE MINUTES IN THE LAST COUPLE GAMES WERE DOWN A LOT. NOT REALLY SCORING MUCH FOR GETTING INVOLVED MUCH. MAYBE HE WILL HAVE SOME REGRET. BUT NOBODY WILL REMEMBER THIS A COUPLE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. >> IF I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHAKE ADAM SILVER’S HAND, I WOULD ABANDON ALL ASPECTS OF MY LIFE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I HAVE BEEN TIPPED. WE HAVE ANOTHER TRADE. I ASK FOR CHAOS AND WE ARE GETTING CHAOS. LET’S GO TO FISH. NEW ORLEANS IS TRADING UP TO NUMBER 13 TO TAKE DAIRY QUEEN — DERIK QUEEN. >> ON THE SAME TEAM AND JORDAN POOLE? AM I A PELICAN FAN? [LAUGHTER] >> I MIGHT NEED A JERSEY SENT TO ME IMMEDIATELY. >> YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS? THIS IS TROY WEAVER DOING ALL THE THINGS WE LOOK IN NEW ORLEANS RIGHT NOW. NEW ORLEANS TO 13. WHAT HAPPENING HERE? >> THIS IS TROY WEAVER. SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PLAYER PERSONNEL, THE NUMBER TWO BEHIND JOE DUMARS IN NEW ORLEANS WHO IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE TOP TALENT EVALUATOR SCOUTS IN THE LEAGUE. EVEN THOUGH HIS PISTONS TENURE DID NOT WORK OUT SO WELL BUT THE WORD WAS REALLY STRONG. I WOULD SAY STARTING AROUND MONDAY NIGHT, TUESDAY MORNING, THAT NEW ORLEANS WAS EVEN CONSIDERING TAKING DERIK QUEEN AS HIGH AS NUMBER SEVEN. THE FACT THAT HE WAS STILL HERE ON THE BOARD I THINK MAKES TON OF SENSE. IT SEEMED PRETTY CLEAR THIS WAS THEIR GUY. I THINK THE PELICANS WOULD HAVE TAKEN ANY OF QUEEN OR FEARS OR MOLLY WATCH. TO COME AWAY WITH BOTH OR TWO OF THOSE THREE GUYS AT THE ONLY REAL COST SO FAR IS A PICK THINK, THE 23 PICK FROM INDIANA, I THINK THE PRICE IS FAIR. IT’S CHEAPER THAN WHAT WE SAW MEMPHIS PAY TO GET CEDRIC COWARD OUT OF PORTLAND. THE DEAL NEW ORLEANS DID YESTERDAY FOR JORDAN POOLE ON A VALUE STANDPOINT, THE CAP FRIENDS AROUND THE LEAGUE THOUGHT THAT WAS A HEAD SCRATCHER. SO FAR I THINK ALL THE DRIVE HEADS WILL BE, I’M SURE AT THE END OF THIS NIGHT, I’M EXPECTING THEY WILL SAY THE PELICANS ARE A WINNER SO FAR. >> THANK YOU. THIS TAKES ME BACK TO A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. THIS WAS A MOVE WE SAW HIM PULL IN THE PAST. HE TRADED UP INTO THE TEENS TO SELECT JALEN DUREN AND ULTIMATELY THAT HAS BECOME DEVELOPMENTAL TO HELP THE PISTONS TURN THE CORNER. MAYBE WE CAN SEE THIS WORK OUT IN THE LONG RUN. MAYBE ZION WILLIAMS IS STILL THERE. LET’S THROW IT BACK. GIVE US THE BREAKDOWN. ONCE THE GRADE FOR DERIK QUEEN AT 13? >> I LIKE THIS PICK. I’VE GONE BACK AND FORTH GOING BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL BUT I LIKE THIS PARTICULARLY BECAUSE IT’S THE SECOND PICK WHO CAN AFFORD TO TAKE A BIT OF A GAMBLE. I’M GIVING THIS IN A. IT GIVES NEW ORLEANS ANOTHER OPTION IN THE HALF-COURT. HIS BALLHANDLING, THE ABILITY TO FACE UP LIKE THAT, I DID NOT SEE THAT. THAT SURPRISED ME. WE WILL GET TO HIS COMP IN A SECOND BUT THAT’S THE REASON I THINK HE HAS MORE OFFENSIVE UPSIDE THAN HE INITIALLY THOUGHT , MORE OF THE HEAVY FOOTED BACK TO THE BASKET GUY BUT HE CAN FACE YOU UP AND HANDLE THE BALL. HE’S GOT GREAT FOOTWORK AND GREAT TOUCH WITH BOTH HANDS. I THINK HE’S A VERY UNDERRATED PASSER. TO GIVE NEW ORLEANS ANOTHER WEAPON LIKE THAT AFTER YOU GET FEARS, QUEEN IS A HIGH-RISK, HIGH REWARD GUY. VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT NEW ORLEANS HAS DONE TODAY AFTER A QUESTIONABLE MOVE YESTERDAY. >> DERIK QUEEN, A GUY WITH HIGH LEVEL SKILL, USING THAT FRAME. KIND OF UNIQUE IN HIS SKILL SET. WHAT PLAYER COMP WOULD YOU GIVE HIM? >> HE REMINDS ME OF SENGUN. THAT’S PROBABLY A BEST CASE OUTCOME. ASIDE FROM THE TWO INCHES IN HEIGHT, THEIR SCOUTING REPORTS ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL. ONE OF THE REASONS SENGUN WASN’T SO HIGHLY REGARDED, HE WAS KIND OF LIKE A BACK TO THE BASKET OLD-SCHOOL GUY. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT QUEEN WAS COMING INTO THE SEASON AS WE SEE IN THE NBA. SENGUN HAS A MORANT FACEUP GAME. WE SAW MORE PASSING. BOTH OF THEM HAVE DEFENSIVE LIMITATIONS BUT THEIR OFFENSE IS SO GOOD THAT IT DOESN’T MATTER, AS LONG AS YOU PUT THEM ON A GOOD DEFENSIVE TEAM. MAYBE ADD MORE DEFENSIVE PIECES TO MAKE A ROSTER A MORE REALISTIC CONTENDER. BUT OFFENSIVELY I THINK THAT’S A PRETTY GOOD COMP WITH HOW THEY DEFIED THE ODDS AND KIND OF WIN WITH MAYBE MORE OLD-SCHOOL GAMES. >>’S COACH AT MARYLAND SAYS IT’S LIKE HAVING A 6’11” POINT GUARD. CERTAINLY OUT OF SENGUN, YOU’VE SEEN SIGNS OF THAT. I LIKE THAT COMP QUITE A BIT AND I LOVE WHAT NEW ORLEANS HAS DONE. I THINK THAT’S RIGHT, WE WILL SEE THEM NEAR THE TOP OF THE WINNERS LIST WHEN THE NIGHT ENDS. LET’S DO A QUICK RESET HERE AS WE ARE HEADING INTO THE 14TH PICK. SAN ANTONIO SPURS WILL BE ON THE CLOCK. I ASKED FOR CHAOS AND WE’VE GOTTEN CHAOS. CEDRIC COWARD HEADED TO MEMPHIS WITH THE 11TH PICK AND NOA ESSENGUE TO CHICAGO AND DERIK QUEEN TO NEW ORLEANS AT 13. REASONABLE UPSIDE VETS FROM ALL THREE TEAMS THAT HAVE MADE MOVES INTO THE TEAMS, WHICH ONE DO YOU LIKE MOST? WHICH GAMBLE IS YOUR FAVORITE? >> I HAVE TO GO WITH DERIK QUEEN. HE FITS EXTREMELY WELL WITH THE FRONT COURT, HE WILL PAIR WELL WITH THE GUARDS. ALSO TREY MURPHY MIGHT BE ON THE VERGE OF STARDOM. AND ZION WILLIAMS WHEN HEALTHY, PEOPLE DON’T GIVE HIM ENOUGH CREDIT HOW HE CAN DOMINATE NBA BASKETBALL GAMES. IF HE STAYS HEALTHY, YOU HAVE THIS YOUNG, FUN COURT IN NEW ORLEANS THAT YOU CAN BANK ON MAKING A RUN. >> COUNTERPOINT, QUICKLY, I WILL DO THE THING WHERE YOU PLAY DEVILS ADVOCATE. I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE ALL THESE PLAYERS. IS IT A LITTLE TOO FUN? IS A PAIRING OF JEREMIAH FEARS, JORDAN POOLE, ZION WILLIAMSON AND DERIK QUEEN A LITTLE TOO FUN. >> WE HAVE THE WEIGHT BOURBON STREET, WE AVOID BEIGNETS, WE WILL BE FINE. MAKE IT WORK. >> EASIER SAID THAN DONE FOR YOU AND ME AND I THINK A FEW OF THE PLAYERS WE JUST NAMED. THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS ARE ON THE CLOCK AT 14. A REMINDER, THEY ALREADY HAVE DYLAN HARPER WHO THEY SELECTED WITH THE SECOND PICK IN THE DRAFT AND NOW THEY’RE POINT GUARD IS FULL. WHAT SHOULD THE SPURS BE LOOKING AT HERE BASED ON WITH AVAILABLE ON THE BOARD? >> I WILL SAY I HAD A SOURCE TOLD ME BEFORE THE BN DRAFT — THE DRAFT IT YOU ON BARRINGER HE WOULD NOT GET PICKED. YOU JUST DRAFTED DYLAN HARPER. I LIKE CLIFFORD A LOT. I THINK WHEN B IS AT A POINT IN HIS CAREER WHERE LET’S START WINNING GAMES HERE. I LOVE RICHARDSON AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT’S MY BEST AVAILABLE. WHO WOULD SEE WHAT SAN ANTONIO DOES. >> THE PICK IS IN, SAN ANTONIO HAS MADE THEIR SELECTION. THE 14TH OVERALL PICK, THE SPURS WILL BE SELECTING CARTER BRYANT. CARTER BRYANT, A TON OF UPSIDE HERE, ONE SEASON AT ARIZONA. HE CAME OUT STRONG NEAR THE END OF THE SEASON. DELETE SKILLS, ATHLETICISM WITH THE VERY BEST IN THE DRAFT. WHAT IS THE CARTER BRYANT BREAKDOWN? >> I THINK A TWO-WAY IMPACT PLAYER. WHAT HE CAN DO DEFENSIVELY IT SETS THE TONE. ONLY 105 ATTEMPTS FROM THREE-POINT RANGE BUT WAS ABLE TO KNOCK IT DOWN AT A 37% CLICK. HE’S JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE. HE HAS THE FLASHES AND THE FRAME. MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICAN, TOP 20 RECRUIT. WHEN YOU HEAR CARTER BRYANT SPEAK, IT’S HARD NOT TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THAT KID. HE HAS HIS HEAD ON RIGHT, HE’S A COMPETITOR. OBVIOUSLY A CULTURE FIT HERE. CARTER BRYANT FITS WITH THE SPURS EASILY. >> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PAIRING QUARTER BROOK — CARTER BRYANT WITH VICTOR WELTON — VICTOR WEMBANYAMA. WHAT YOUR GRADE? >> THIS IS A B GRADE FOR ME. I THINK HE FITS. I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE PATHWAY TO HIGH UPSIDE IS FOR CARTER BRYANT. GOOD SIZE WING, CRAZY ATHLETIC, SHOT MAKER. THERE’S NO REAL PLAYMAKING I DO LIKE THE FIT IN SAN ANTONIO. I DO THINK THEY GET THE MOST OUT OF THEIR PROSPECTS. NOW WITH HARPER AND FOXX AND WENDY — WEMBY, HE WILL PLAY TO THEIR STRENGTHS. HE WILL BE A THREE AND D GUY FOR SAN ANTONIO. THOSE PLAYERS OF COURSE ARE VERY VALUABLE. I DON’T SEE ANY REAL STAR POTENTIAL WITH HIM BUT HE CAN BE A STARTING SMALL FORWARD IN THE NBA FOR A LONG TIME. >> IS A PICK THAT MAKE SENSE FROM A FOR PERSPECTIVE. I ALSO THINK WITH ALL OF THESE GUARDS ESPECIALLY WITH DYLAN HARPER IS WHAT YOU BELIEVE HIM TO BE, YOU NEED GUYS TO AFFECT THE GAME WITHOUT THE BALL IN THEIR HANDS AND CARTER BRYANT IS EXACTLY THAT. I’M TALKING MYSELF INTO THIS AS WE GO HERE. WHAT IS YOUR PLAYER COMP? >> I WENT WITH MARCUS MORRIS. THAT MIGHT SEEM A LITTLE ODD. IF YOU HAVE ANY OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, THROW THEM OUT THERE. TO ME KIND OF A THREE AND D WING, BROUGHT SOME TOUGHNESS. HE COULD SCORE BUT YOU NEVER GIVE THE BALL TO MARCUS MORRIS AND SAY GO GET ME BUCKETS. I THINK HE’S A COMPLEMENTARY SCORING WEAPON. HE’S A GOOD SOLID, THREE AND D ROLE PLAYER. HE NEVER REALLY HIT A LOT OF UPSIDE. JUST A GOOD, SOLID ROLE PLAYER. THAT’S KIND OF WHO I PICTURED. >> WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH MARCUS MORRIS’S FROM HIS DAYS WITH THE PISTONS. DO YOU SEE THIS PATH? >> I DO SEE IT WITH THE ROLL. A GUY YOU CAN PUT OUT THERE, SMALL FORWARDS, HE WILL COMPETE AND DEFEND AT A HIGH LEVEL. HE WILL BE SOMEONE WHO CAN EFFECT AND DO THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO WINNING BASKETBALL. THE QUESTION IS, HOW WAS IT GOING TO LINEUP? IT CAN ONLY TAKE YOU SO FAR. HE AVERAGED JUST UNDER SEVEN POINTS A GAME. A TEAM HE ONLY PLAYED 19 MINUTES. THERE WAS TIMES NEAR THE END OF THE SEASON WHERE HE GOT A BIGGER OPPORTUNITY AND YOU WERE ABLE TO SEE WHY COACH AT ARIZONA WAS A BIT HESITANT. >> IF WE ARE LOOKING AFTER THREE AND D WINGS, YOU COULD HAVE GONE CLIFFORD, LIAM MCNEALY POTENTIALLY. GUYS THAT I THINK HAVE MORE OFFENSIVE READINESS. THIS IS WHAT I THINK WE WILL LOOK BACK ON HIM IN A COUPLE YEARS. EITHER HE WILL HIT HIS FULL POTENTIAL AND THE SPURS WILL LOOK LIKE GENIUSES OR WE MIGHT LOOK BACK WONDERING HOW DID CARTER BRYANT GO 14TH IN THE DRAFT WHEN THERE ARE NICE PIECES IN THE TOP 20? SPEAKING OF BEST AVAILABLE, LET’S GO BACK TO WASSERMAN’S BIG FORWARD. KASPARAS JAKUCIONIS, HE CAN DO A LOT OF WHAT EGOR DEMIN DID. A LOT OF REGARDS. ARE WE ABOUT TO SEE A RUN OF GUARDS? >> I DON’T KNOW, I THINK BARRINGER WILL BE THE PICK FOR OKLAHOMA CITY. MAYBE THEY WILL STASH HIM AND SAVE A COUPLE BLOCKS. NO ROOKIE IN OKLAHOMA CITY WILL BE PLAYING ON THAT CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER. BY THE WAY, OKLAHOMA CITY DOESN’T REALLY USUALLY PAY ATTENTION TO NEEDS AT 15 IN THE DRAFT. SO LET’S SEE WHAT THEY DO IF THEY GO GUARD, IF THEY GO OLD. THERE’S A LOT OF OPTIONS. >> CERTAINLY A TON. LET’S PUT YOU BACK IN THE G.M.’S SHOES. WHAT WOULD YOU DO? >> I THINK A HIGH BLOCKS GUY, HE’S JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE ON WHAT HE CAN DO, A DEVELOPMENTAL PIECE. OKLAHOMA CITY COMING OFF THEIR CHAMPIONSHIP, THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO BUILD A TEAM. THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO GET PAID. THEY MIGHT TAKE A GUY LIKE BEHRINGER AND POSSIBLY STASH HIM. >> WHEN IS THE LAST TIME SAM PRESTI MISSED? IT WOULD BE ENTICING. I WANT TO DO A QUICK MOMENT AND MAKE THE CASE FOR A GUY AT THE TOP LOSS ON THE BIG BOARD, JASE RICHARDSON. I WAS THINKING I WAS HIGH ON JASE FOR A WHILE AS HE IS THE ACCORDING TO CONSENSUS MICROGRAPHS IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS. IT’S GREAT, HEARTWARMING TO SEE YOU ARE STILL HOLDING STRONG ABOARD THE BANDWAGON WITH ME. I WOULD LOVE THE FIT FOR HIM ON A CONTENDER TYPE TEAM THAT’S NOT GOING TO ASK HIM TO DO TOO MUCH. . I DON’T KNOW THAT OKLAHOMA CITY HAS A NEED FOR HIM OR ANYONE RIGHT NOW BUT SEEING HIM ON THE BIG BOARD AND SEEING THE CLOCK INTRIGUES ME. CAN YOU TALK ME THROUGH WHY YOU HAVE JASE SO HIGH HERE? KIND OF ANTI-CONSENSUS. >> KNOWS HOW TO PLAY, BIG-TIME SHOOTER, TOUGH DEFENDER WITH THE BEST FINISHING GUARDS. EVERYBODY JUMPED OFF THE WAGON. HE WAS JUST UNDER SIX. >> THE PICK IS IN FROM OKLAHOMA CITY. LET’S SEE WITH THE CHAMPS WILL DO AT 15. THE THUNDER HAVE SELECTED THOMAS LORBER — SORBER AT 15. A CENTER FROM GEORGETOWN WHO HAS TREMENDOUS UPSIDE. THERE IS TANTALIZING DEFENSIVE STUFF, A GUY WHO CAN BE A LOB THREAT, FINISHER AND A GUY WHO I THINK IS SCRATCHING THE SURFACE. I KNOW YOU ARE A BIG SORBER FAN BEFORE HE EVEN GOT TO GEORGETOWN. I LOVE THIS PICK FOR THE THUNDER. YOU HAVE A SEVEN FOOTER WHO WHEN HE WAS HEALTHY FOR GEORGETOWN, HE WAS A DOUBLE DOUBLE MACHINE. UNDER 15 POINTS, UNDER NINE REBOUNDS A GAME, EFFICIENT. HE’S JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE OF WHAT HE CAN BE. YOU LOOK AT THIS FOR THE THUNDER ROSTER, YOU HAVE CHET HOLMGREN STARTING CENTER AND ANOTHER SEVEN FOOTER WITH THOMAS SORBER WHO CAN CONTRIBUTE, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD SPOT AND A GOOD FRANCHISE FOR HIM. I THINK HE CAN BE A CONTRIBUTOR IN THE FRONT COURT DEPENDING ON HOW THE ROSTER PLAYS OUT HERE. WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE A GREAT FOR THOMAS SORBER GOING 15 TO THE CHAMPS? >> AT 15 TO OKLAHOMA CITY, OF BEING. NOTHING TOO EXCITING ABOUT HIS GAME. I DO THINK THERE’S PROBABLY A PATHWAY TO BACK UP CENTER MINUTES AT OKLAHOMA CITY. I USUALLY BASICALLY JUST TRUST WHOEVER THEY PICK. 7’6″ WING SPAN, VERY GOOD IN THE POSTERIOR. BIG TIME FINISHER. THE DEFENSIVE PLAY MAKING WAS A HUGE PLUS AND PROBABLY A BIG REASON WHY THEY TOOK HIM. PASSING IS A VERY UNDERRATED ASPECT OF HIS GAME. HE AVERAGED OVER TWO ASSISTS PER GAME. HE CAN FIND CUTTERS AND SHOOTERS AND RUN OFFENSE. AT 6’9″, HE DOESN’T HAVE YOUR IDEAL SIZE FOR A GUY WHO CAN ONLY PLAY CENTER AND WILL PROBABLY NOT BE A POWER FORWARD. HE DID NOT SHOOT THE BALL PARTICULARLY WELL DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE TOOK A DECENT AMOUNT OF JUMPERS. BUT I THINK HE’S GOING TO BE MORE OF A DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST WHO GIVES YOU OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS AND EASY BUCKETS AND MAKES NICE PASSES PER GAME. I CAN’T SEE IT GO TO AUCTION IN THE OFFENSE THOUGH. >> 6-37 FROM THREE IN HIS ONE YEAR AT GEORGETOWN, SO STILL WORKING ON THE JUMPER EVEN THOUGH HE DID GET THE ATTEMPTS UP. WHAT IS YOUR PLAYER COMP YOU LIKE? >> I COMPARE HIM TO ONYEKA OKONGWU. THEY WERE POST PLAYERS WHO MEASURED A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN NBA GUYS AND WOULD HOPE FOR A CENTER WHO IS NOT REALLY A SHOOTER BUT I THINK THAT’S WHAT HIS ROLE WILL BE. OKONGWU HAS TURNED INTO A NICE PICK AND ROLL FINISHER, OFFENSIVE REBOUNDER, HIGH ENERGY AROUND THE HOOP. NOT GO TO AUCTION IN THE OFFENSE BUT IF YOU’RE OKLAHOMA CITY, YOU DON’T REALLY NEED THAT. SO WHEN YOU CAN RELY TO COME OFF THE BENCH AND MAKE SOME PLAYS WITHOUT REALLY NEEDING YOUR NUMBER CALLED. >> ONE THING I LOVED ABOUT SORBER IN HIS ONE YEAR AT GEORGETOWN, HE WAS ON THE FLOOR A TON. I THINK 31 MINUTES A GAME. FOR BEING AN UNDERSIZED BIG, HE WAS NEVER IN FOUL TROUBLE. I DO FEEL LIKE THAT COULD TRANSLATE EVEN IN A BENCH ROLE AT OKLAHOMA CITY, GAMES WERE MAY BE CHET HOLMGREN GETS TO EARLY FOUL TROUBLE. WHAT DO YOU THINK HIS ROLE WOULD BE AT OKLAHOMA CITY? IS HE GOING TO BE IN THE ROTATION IMMEDIATELY? >> I DON’T KNOW. THEY HAVE HARTENSTEIN. THEY HAVE CHET HOLMGREN WHO WILL HAVE A FULL OFF-SEASON COMING OFF THAT HIP INJURY. BUT THEY CAN BRING ALONG LORBER SLOWLY. TO YOUR POINT FOR A YOUNG BIG CANNOT FOUL, THAT IS A SKILL IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL. I THINK IT POINTS TO HIS BASKETBALL IQ AND THE TIMING HE HAS. I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF ROOM FOR HIM TO GROW. I LIKE THAT COMP. OKONGWU HAS TURNED INTO A SOLID BIG IN THE NBA. >> WE ARE TO THE 16TH PICK IN THE FIRST ROUND. REMEMBER, THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MEMPHIS, BUT MEMPHIS HAS MOVED UP WITH PORTLAND TO GET CEDRIC COWARD ALREADY. SO THIS PICK WILL GO TO PORTLAND BARRING ANY ADDITIONAL CHANGES. GOOD LUCK TO THE TEAMS DRAFTING AND THE SECOND HALF OF THE FIRST ROUND. SOME PLAYERS ON THE BIG BOARD, WE’VE SEEN A THE BEST FRONTCOURT PLAYERS COME OFF THE BOARD ALREADY. JOAN BERINGER IS STILL AVAILABLE. NEWELL AS WELL. AT SOME POINT SOME GUARDS WILL HAVE TO START COMING OFF THE BOARD. >> IT BRINGS SOMEWHAT OF A TEAR TO MY EYE TO SEE THE FRONTCOURT PLAYERS GET SOME LOVE. A LOT OF BIGS AND BIG WINGS AS WELL. >> EARLIER WE WERE DISCUSSING PORTLAND’S ROSTER. THEY HAVE A LOT OF BE OPTIONS. WHY NOT SWING FOR THE FENCES? SEVEN FOOTER HANSEN NIANG HAS BEEN SELECTED WITH THE 16TH OVERALL PICK. THIS IS THE SHOCK OF THE DRAFT. THIS IS A FASCINATING PLAYER. THERE ARE SOME JAW-DROPPING VISUALS WITH HANSEN. HE GOT PEOPLE’S ATTENTION OF THE COMBINE. YOU CAN SQUINT AND SEE MASSIVE UPSIDE BUT AT 16TH AND THE DRAFT, I DON’T KNOW THAT ANYONE SAW THAT COMING. WHAT IS YOUR INSTANT REACTION? >> WOW. I GOT A CALL BEFORE THE DRAFT SAYING I THINK YOU HAVE TO MOVE HIM UP. BROOKLYN IS EYEING HIM AT 36. THIS IS 20 PICKS EARLIER THAN THAT. THIS IS THE BIG SHOCKER SO FAR. THIS IS PROBABLY BASED OF WHAT HE DID AT THE NBA, BUDDY, WHICH WAS SHOW THAT HE BELONGS — THE NBA COMBINE WHICH WAS A SHOW THAT HE BELONGS. PERSONALLY IN A VACUUM I HAVE TO GIVE THIS A C+. I THINK IT’S A REACH. THEY PROBABLY COULD HAVE GOT HIM LATER. SO PORTLAND OBVIOUSLY HAS A LOT OF CONFIDENCE THAT HIS GAME WILL TRANSLATE FROM CHINA WHERE THE LEVEL OF ATHLETICISM IS A THREE COMPARED TO ATTEND IN THE NBA. — 810 IN THE NBA. BUT LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT HE DOES WELL. HE’S A HIGHLY SKILLED SEVEN FOOTER. EVEN TALLER AND SHE WAS HE’S GOT A GREAT LITTLE POSTGAME. HE’S A VERY GOOD PASSER. HE MADE ALMOST 20 THREES THIS YEAR. I DON’T THINK THE SKULL PART WAS THE QUESTION. IT WAS WHETHER HE CAN EXECUTE THAT SKILL AGAINST A DIFFERENT CALIBER OF ATHLETE AND HUMAN BEING AND SOME OF THESE NBA CENTERS WE HAVE, BUT PORTLAND WAS CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL TRANSLATE. BUT THIS IS, WE THOUGHT CEDRIC COWARD WAS RISK REWARD BUT THIS IS THE BIGGEST BOOM OR BUST PICK I CAN REMEMBER. THIS IS LIKE THON MAKER GOING 10 OR PUPPY ON HIS GOING 13. THIS IS A SHOCKER TO ME. SKILL HAS TRANSLATED PRETTY WELL AND THE ATHLETICISM IS A LITTLE OVERBLOWN THE PAST HANDFUL OF YEARS. MAYBE THEY KNOW SOMETHING I DON’T. I KNOW THE GUYS IN PORTLAND ARE VERY SMART SO WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. THE BLAZERS ARE SUDDENLY MOVED UP BY LEAGUE PASS RANKINGS. ALSO IF YOU PORTLAND, DIDN’T THEY TAKE CLEANED HIM — WHEN HE’S GOING TO PLAY UNLESS I’M MISSING SOMETHING HERE. BUT THIS IS A WILD PICK FOR A LOT OF REASONS. >> IT’S BAFFLING ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU NAME THE PLAYERS ON THE DEPTH CHART. MAYBE THIS IS COMPLETELY DEVELOPMENTAL. IF I’M DONOVAN CLINGING WATCHING THIS HAPPEN, I’M LIKE, WHAT IS GOING ON? I THOUGHT I WAS THE CENTER OF THE FUTURE. WHAT IS THE PLAYER COMP HERE FOR YANG? >> I USED ANDREW BOGUT LIKE OLDER VERSION. I CAN USE A VERY POOR MAN’S VERSION OF MARC GASOL. JUST NOT GREAT ATHLETES BUT THEY ARE ABLE TO EXECUTE AROUND THE BASKET WITH DIFFERENT VARIETY OF CRAFT AND STRENGTH. BUT THIS IT — I’M KIND OF SPEECHLESS HERE. I DID NOT THINK WE WOULD SPEAK ABOUT PLAYER COMPS FOR HANSEN YANG. BUT HE IS FUN TO WATCH. WHAT HIS HIGHLIGHTS IN CHINA. HE’S GOT A VERY INTERESTING SKILL SET FOR A GUY HIS SIZE. HE CAN REALLY EXECUTE WITH THE WAY HE MOVES. HE DID SHOW AT THE NBA COMBINE THAT IT LOOKS LIKE HE BELONGED AND CLEARLY THE BLAZERS BOUGHT INTO WHAT THEY SAW >>. >>A LOT OF INTRIGUE WITH YENG FOR SURE. I SECOND THE NOTION TO WATCH HIGHLIGHTS IF YOUR. EARLIER TONIGHT, TAYLOR ROOKS WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH THE NUMBER ONE OVERALL PICK COOPER FLAGG. LET’S GO HERE WHAT SHE WAS ABLE TO GET COOPER. >> COOPER FLAGG, NUMBER ONE AFTER MONTHS OF ANTICIPATION AND NUMBER ONE OVERALL PICK. WHAT IS HITTING YOU THE HARDEST IN THIS MOMENT? >> I THINK IT’S JUST THE EMOTION THIS NIGHT. SO MUCH ANTICIPATION, SO MUCH BUILDUP. SEEING MY MOM CRIED, HUGGING MY FAMILY, IT IS A SURREAL MOMENT. YOU SEE SO MANY PEOPLE GO THROUGH EACH YEAR AND IT’S CRAZY. >> AS YOU WATCH THE EMOTIONS ON YOUR MOM’S FACE, WHAT EMOTIONS DID IT BRING OUT OF YOU? >> IT BROUGHT A LOT OF EMOTIONS OUT. IT MADE ME WANT TO CRY BUT I MOVED ON QUICK, SOME OTHER BROTHERS, BUT MY MOM MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME AND SHE IS MY BIGGEST SUPPORTER AND MY BIGGEST HELPER. >> THAT’S BEAUTIFUL. AND YOU ARE GOING TO SUCH A GREAT SITUATION IN DALLAS. YOU ARE NOT EVEN BEING ASKED TO CARRY EVERY BUILDING TEAM, YOU ARE GOING TO A TEAM WITH REAL FINALS EXPERIENCE AND A LOT OF TALENT. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE SITUATION YOU’RE STEPPING INTO? >> IT’S INCREDIBLE. I FEEL BLESSED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY. IS NOT NORMAL TO BE ABLE TO GO TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I’M REALLY EXCITED TO BE A SPONGE. I’M LEARNING AS MUCH AS I CAN. I’M REALLY EXCITED TO JUST START LEARNING. >> WHAT A DEFENSIVE DUO. YOU AND A.D. HOW WILL YOU COMPLEMENT HIM? >> WHATEVER I CAN. WHATEVER COACH NEEDS ME TO DO. HE’S A GREAT PLAYER AND DOES SO MUCH IMPACT WINNING. I WILL TRY TO COMPLEMENT AS MUCH AS I CAN. >> I CAN’T GET OVER COOPER FLAGG’S NEW BEARD. I’M WATCHING A TOTALLY DIFFERENT NEW KID. >> ALSO SHOUT OUT TO THAT HAT. FANTASTIC. HE’S GOING TO BE SO GOOD. HE’S READY. >> HE’S GOING TO BE A SPONGE. ANY TIME YOU HEAR THE NUMBER ONE PICK TALK ABOUT I’M GOING TO BE A SPONGE, YOU HAVE A GOOD PLAYER. MY HEAD IS SPINNING. THEY JUST TOOK HANSEN YANG 16TH. I DON’T KNOW WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT. REGROUPING HERE. MIDWAY THROUGH THE FIRST ROUND. MINNESOTA IS ON THE CLOCK AT 17. THERE’S A BUNCH OF GREAT GUARDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW. KASPARAS JAKUCIONIS, NIQUE CLIFFORD, LEAH MCNEALY. STILL INTRIGUING FRONTCOURT OPTIONS AS WELL. THERE WE HAD IT. THERE IT IS. ANOTHER FRONTCOURT GUY, JOAN BERINGER IS THE PICK FOR THE WOLVES AT 17. A GUY THAT SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT WOULD GO IN THE LOTTERY. HE’S FALLEN TO MINNESOTA BUT I THINK THIS IS PRETTY GOOD VALUE BASED ON MANY PREDRAFT EXPECTATIONS. WE HAVE A TWEET UP RIDNOUR ABOUT SOME PRODUCTION FROM BERINGER. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO GRADE IT? >> THIS IS A B PLUS. BIG-TIME ATHLETE. LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT HE DOES. THERE’S LIMITATIONS TO HIS GAME. NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A LOT OF SCORING OR CREATIVITY OR PASSION. BUT YOU PUT HIM IN A PLACE LIKE MINNESOTA WHERE HE’S GOING TO BE A BACKUP CENTER AND HIS JOB IS TO COME IN AND RUN THE FLOOR AND GIVE YOU EASY BASKETS AND DEFEND. I DON’T SEE HOW AND 15 OR 20 MINUTES A GAME HE CAN’T DO THAT RIGHT AWAY. HE WAS DOING IT IN SLOVENIA PLAYING 20 MINUTES A GAME. THERE’S A LOT OF GUYS JUST LIKE HIM OUT THERE, AND THERE’S HIGH TRANSLATE ABILITY WHEN IT COMES TO SEVEN FOOTERS THAT MOVE LIKE HIM AND HAVE THAT KIND OF PRODUCTION, PARTICULARLY IN A PRO. I LIKE THE PICK. I GUESS THEY NEEDED SOME DEPTH AT CENTER POSITION AND THEY WILL GET IN THE FORM OF DEFENSE. >> I THINK BERINGER IS A PLAYER THAT COULD FIT IN THAT MOLD. WHAT IS THE PLAYER COMP YOU COULD HAVE? >> NICOLAS CLAXTON. A ROOM PROTECTOR WHO CAN SWITCH AWAY FROM THE BASKET. THAT’S WHAT IS GOING TO BE. THERE WERE A COUPLE FLASHES OF WHAT CLAXTON JUST SHOWED. HE’S ONLY 19 YEARS OLD SO THERE IS SOME EXTRA OFFENSE HE CAN HAVE. DID MAKE A COUPLE OF THOSE MIDRANGE JUMP SHOTS OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS. BUT I THINK CLAXTON IS OUT THERE REALLY TO DEFEND AWAY FROM THE BASKET, PROTECT THE ROOMS. THAT’S WHAT I THINK BERINGER IS GOOD TO HANG HIS HAT ON. >> OUI OUI. I’VE BEEN WAITING TO DO THAT AND THROW A LITTLE FRENCH ON YOU. EARLIER WE SPECULATED ON A PAIRING BETWEEN BERINGER AND THE SPURS. IN MY HEAD THAT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE COMPARING A FRENCH CENTER WITH VICTOR WEMBANYAMA, INSTEAD HE ENDS UP IN MINNESOTA PEERING A FRENCH CENTER WITH RUDY GOBERT IN THEORY, I DON’T HATE THAT. A LITTLE MENTORSHIP. ANOTHER FRENCHMAN, POSSIBLY GOING TO TAKE BERINGER UNDER HIS WING. DO YOU THINK THAT COULD HELP BERINGER GET OFF TO A GOOD START? >> I DO, A YOUNG KID FAR FROM HOME, SOME FAMILIARITY WITH RUDY GOBERT. AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO FIND IT A LITTLE FUN TO POKE AT RUDY GOBERT, HE’S A HIGH LEVEL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN THE NBA, MADE A LOT OF MONEY. I THINK THERE ARE CERTAINLY THINGS BERINGER CAN LEARN FROM HIM. BEING A YOUNG KID AWAY FROM HOME IN A GROWN MAN’S LEAK IN THE NBA, I THINK HAVING THAT, HIS COUNTRYMEN WITH HIM, THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY. >> ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM? HOW DO YOU SAY ELEPHANT IN FRENCH? ANYTIME YOU CAN TAKE A CENTER THAT AVERAGED FOUR AND FOUR IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE DRAFT, DON’T YOU HAVE TO DO IT? >> BUT WHAT IF THAT BECOMES 10-10? >> THOSE WERE YOUR OTHER NUMBERS, LOOK IT UP. I’M INTRIGUED. WITH THE INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTS, WE ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THESE GUYS COME TO AMERICA. A LOT OF THEM HELP THE DRAFT STOCK BY HAVING THEM THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS. CERTAINLY IT’S NOT A PREREQUISITE COMING TO THE NBA AND BEING A HIGH-QUALITY PLAYER. IT IS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO DEMONSTRATE SOME LEVEL OF SERIES PRODUCTION WHEREVER YOU ARE PRIMARILY PLAYING BASKETBALL, I LOOK AT YOU A LITTLE BIT SIDEWAYS. THAT’S HARD TO GET OVER WITH BERINGER. I LIKE THE TAPE, AND THEN I JUST SEE THAT FOR AND FOR SCREAMING AT ME. >> WHEN HE WAS PLAYING THE YOUTH TOURNAMENTS, HE WAS A PRODUCTIVE PLAYER AVERAGING 10 AND FIVE, SO THERE WAS SOME PRODUCTIVITY OF THE LOWER LEVEL. HE’S IN A HIGH-LEVEL LEAGUE. GIVE HIM A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK. >> YOU’RE RIGHT. IT’S HARD FOR ME. I’M SORRY. LET’S MOVE ON. WE HAVE THE WASHINGTON ON THE CLOCK NOW AT 18. I JUST KEEP SAYING AT SOME POINT, GUARDS HAVE TO COME OFF THE BOARD AND TEAMS KEEP LAUGHING IN MY FACE DRAFTING FRONTCOURT PLAYERS. I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN ANYMORE. MAYBE IT’S TIME FOR MORE CHAOS. >> I THINK IT’S TIME FOR THE GUARDS. JASE RICHARDSON IS STARING ME IN THE FACE. I THINK THAT IS SOMEONE THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE WIZARDS. HE’S HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE. I DON’T CARE IF HE IS SIX FOOT IN SOCKS. >> I NEED THOSE LIFTS TO MAKE ME A LITTLE TALLER THAN 5’6″. >> YOU PLAY AND SHE WAS. THAT IS THE WAY BASKETBALL IS PLAYED. I JUST THINK WASHINGTON IS IN A SPOT WHERE THEY CAN GET REALLY GOOD VALUE. >> IF YOU ARE A TEAM THAT WANTED A GUARD, THERE ARE SOME PRETTY GOOD GUARDS. OR YOU CAN JUST GO WITH ASA NUMERAL. WHAT SHOULD WASHINGTON DO HERE? >> I GUESS BOB CARRINGTON IS PROBABLY A BIG PART OF THEIR FUTURE AND TREY JOHNSON IS THEIR STARTING SHOOTING GUARD. ASA NEWELL WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE HERE. OF COURSE I LIKE CHEESE. I DOUBT THEY WOULD TAKE HIM NOW WITH BOB — BUB AND WITH TRE. LIAM MCNEELY IS AN OPTION. I LOVE WALTER CLAYTON BUT HARD TO PICK ANOTHER GUARD HERE. >> WE HAVE NEWS THAT THE PICK IS IN. THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS SELECTION AT 18 IS ON THE WAY. WALTER CLAYTON, NATIONAL CHAMPION. HE WAS MR. MARCH THIS YEAR. HE DOMINATED IN THE CLUTCH, TIMELY SHOTMAKING, EXCLUSIVE STEPBACK’S. WHEN HE GETS GOING, HE IS JUST AN UNSTOPPABLE SCORING DYNAMO. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON WALTER CLAYTON HERE TO THE WIZARDS? >> ELITE SHOOTER AND DELETE SCORER OF THE BASKETBALL. WE GREW UP WATCHING THE KEMBA WALKER’S OF THE WORLD. WALTER CLAYTON’S RUN WITH FLORIDA TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAVE ME THE SAME FUZZY FEELING INSIDE. HE CAN SCORE AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL, THE SHOTMAKING IS TIMELY. ALSO WHEN WE GOT TO POST AND THEY NEEDED SOMEONE TO MAKE A PLAY, WALTER CLAYTON SAID IT IS WALTER CLAYTON TIME. I GOT US. I’M A BIG FAN. WHAT DO YOU GIVE THE GRADE FOR WALTER CLAYTON GOING TO THE WIZARDS AT THIS SPOT? >> I GIVE THIS AND A MINUS. I KNOW I JUST TALKED ABOUT HAVING TOO MANY GUARDS, BUT THE WIZARDS ARE STARTING FROM SCRATCH. YOU HAVE TO GO BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE. COLLECT THESE ASSETS AND WORRY ABOUT HOW TO SORT THEM OUT LATER ON. CLAYTON WAS UP THERE WITH SOME OF MY BEST PROSPECTS AVAILABLE, BUT HE’S GOING TO GIVE THEM A LEVEL OF TOUGHNESS THAT I THINK THE ROSTER LACKS. I FORGOT THEY HAVE MACCALLUM AS WELL NOW. A PERFECT GUY FOR CLAYTON TO LEARN FROM. HE’S ONE OF THE BEST SHOT MAKERS . OUTSTANDING SHOT MAKER, SO TOUGH. HE WANTS THE BALL IN LATE GAME SITUATIONS. HE’S GOT OTHER GUARDS THAT CAN DO A LITTLE PLAYMAKING FOR HIM. I THINK HE’S A SCORER AT HEART. I LOVE HIS TOUGHNESS AND HIS ABILITY TO PLAY OFF THE BALL, A VERY GOOD SPOT UP AND MOVEMENT SHOOTER. NOT AN 18-YEAR-OLD KID WHO WILL NEED FIVE YEARS TO GET WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE. CLAYTON SHOULD BE ABLE TO PLAY RIGHT AWAY COMING OFF THAT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. >> I’M TRYING TO PUT MYSELF IN A WIZARDS FAN SHOES AND RESPECTFULLY TO ANY OF THE PLAYERS CURRENTLY ON THE ROSTER, I DON’T KNOW THERE’S MUCH EXCITEMENT WITH SOME OF THEM. COMING INTO DRAFT NIGHT THAT IS. YOU JUST ADDED TREY JOHNSON AND WALTER CLAYTON IN THE SAME DRAFT. AS A STARTING POINT, THAT WILL GET YOUR FANS EXCITED. YOU HAVE GUYS THAT ARE ELECTRIC SCORERS AND WATCHING THEM GROW AS A PARENT CAN BE EXTREMELY DYNAMIC AND FUN. ON THAT NOTE, THIS PICK WILL GET TRADED SO FORGET EVERYTHING I JUST SAID. APPARENTLY WALTER CLAYTON MAY NOT BE GOING TO WASHINGTON. MORE FOR YOU ON THIS IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT CHAOS, THE NBA DRAFT. >> I KNOW WE ASKED FOR CHAOS BUT IS THERE SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH? >> RIGHT WHEN I TALKED MYSELF INTO GOOD THINGS FOR THE WIZARDS, THE UNIVERSE HIT ME IN THE FACE. HERE WE HAVE IT. SHOUT OUT TO FISH. SENDING 21, 40 THREE AND TWO FUTURE SECOND-ROUND PICKS TO WASHINGTON FOR WALTER CLAYTON, UTAH. SO. WALTER CLAYTON TO THE UTAH JAZZ. DOES THIS CHANGE ANY OF YOUR WALTER CLAYTON RESPONSES HERE? >> I STILL THINK THEY NEED GUARDS WITH SCORING POP. THEY HAVE GUARDS LIKE COLLIN SEXTON AND JORDAN CLARKSON. BUT I THINK WALTER CLAYTON CAN BRING MORE. HE GETS LABELED AS A SCORER BUT HE DOES A REALLY GOOD THINGS. YOU LOOK BACK TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, HIS SHOT WAS NOT NECESSARILY FALLING BUT HE WAS ABLE TO IMPACT THE GAME. I THINK WALTER CLAYTON IS A VERY UNDERAPPRECIATED GUARD WHICH IS CRAZY TO SAY FOR SOMEONE WHO WON A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. I THINK HE BRINGS SOME GOOD VALUE. >> TAKE EVERYTHING I SET ABOUT TREY JOHNSON AND WALTER CLAYTON AND APPLY IT TO ACE BAILEY. UTAH, YOU ARE EXCITED. LET’S GO TO THE FISHBOWL. JAKE FISHER, HELP US MAKE SENSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. >> YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT CHAOS. WE WERE EXPECTING SO MANY OF THESE PICKS TO BE OPEN FOR TRADE, FROM NINE ON DOWN AND WE ARE STILL EXPECTING THERE TO BE PLENTY OF TRADE OPPORTUNITY. UTAH DEFINITELY HAD CLEARLY DESIGNS ON TAKING WALTER CLAYTON AT NUMBER 21. THERE WAS SOME FEAR HE WOULD GO AS HIGH AS WASHINGTON AND EVEN FEAR HE WOULD GO AS HIGH AS 17 THE MINNESOTA. THE JAZZ I THINK WERE ALSO A SPOT THAT DEPENDING ON WHO WAS GOING TO BE ON THE BOARD AT 21, CERTAIN TEAMS THOUGHT COULD BE A TRADE OUT ENTIRELY FOR A TEAM LIKE SACRAMENTO. IF WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP VIEWERS AT HOME PREPARED FOR MORE POSSIBLE MOVEMENT, THAT IS STILL MISSING PIECE. THE KINGS HAVE BEEN CALLING AGENTS FOR DAYS NOW SAYING THEY EXPECT TO HAVE A SELECTION SOMEWHERE IN THIS RANGE. NOW THAT WE ARE APPROACHING THE EARLY 20’S, AND ANOTHER TEAM PURPORTEDLY LOOKING FOR A LATE FIRST-ROUND PICK IS NEW YORK, THE KNICKS. BROOKLYN HAS FOUR MORE PICKS COMING, ON THE CLOCK AT 19TH. THERE’S PLENTY MORE TRADE OPPORTUNITY. BOSTON AT 28 IS ANOTHER TRADE POTENTIAL OUT OR UP. THERE’S A LOT, A LOT STILL TO COME. BUT WITH CLAYTON, I THINK THAT NOTABLY IS A GUY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SACRAMENTO TARGET. JASE RICHARDSON WILL BE MY PREDICTION AS OF NOW. IF WE DO SEE THE KINGS MOVE INTO A LATE FIRST-ROUND PICK, MY HUNCH WOULD BE JASE RICHARDSON IS THE LEADING CANDIDATE FOR THAT SPOT. BUT FOR NOW, THE JAZZ I THINK ARE SUPER HAPPY TO GET A LEAD GUARD HERE. AS WE TALKED ABOUT, THEY WERE A TEAM THAT REALLY LIKED JEREMIAH FEARS IN TREY JOHNSON AT NUMBER FIVE. I THINK THEY WERE A TEAM EVEN TALKING TO SACRAMENTO ABOUT DEVIN CARTER, THE NUMBER 13 PICK FROM A YEAR AGO. THEY GET A REAL POTENTIAL STARTING POINT GUARD HERE. THERE WAS SOME QUESTION AS TO WHETHER GEORGE IS MORE OF A BACKUP GUARD THAN A STARTER. WE WILL JUST KEEP SEEING HOW THE TRADES UNFOLD BUT BROOKLYN NOW IS ANOTHER HOT SPOT TO WATCH. NO ONE WAS EXPECTING THEM TO TAKE FIVE ROOKIES OUT OF THIS. I THINK THERE’S A CHANCE THEY DO END UP OVERALL HAVING FOUR ROOKIES COMING OUT OF TONIGHT’S DRAFT. 25 ORLANDO, 24 OKLAHOMA CITY. THE THUNDER ARE PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE’S PICKS FOR THE NUMBER ONE LIKELY TEAM TO BE TRADED OUT OF THIS RANGE. WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED. WE CAN SEE A HANDFUL OF ORDEALS. STAY TUNED. >> SO WHAT YOU’RE SAYING IS WE SHOULD KEEP YOU ON STANDBY. >> I’M HERE ALL NIGHT. >> LOVELY. THANK YOU FOR THE INTEL. WHAT IS YOUR PLAYER COMP FOR WALTER CLAYTON? >> HOW ABOUT PAYTON PRITCHARD? I THINK THAT’S A REALISTIC OUTCOME. OF COURSE THERE IS A HIGHER UPSIDE OUTCOME LIKE FRED VANVLEET BUT I THINK PRICHARD IS REALISTIC. HE’S GOING TO BRING TOUGHNESS AND SHOTMAKING, A LITTLE BIT OF PLAYMAKING. A LITTLE BIT UNDERSIZED AS A SCORER, NOT REALLY A TRUE POINT GUARD. BUT I THINK THAT’S A TYPE OF ROLE HE’S GOING TO PLAY. WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT UTAH DOES. THEY HAVE A LOT OF GUARDS NOW. NONE OF THEM ARE OBVIOUS KEEPERS. WE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE KEYON TO GEORGE R, WE STILL HAVE SEXTON AND CLARKSON. IF THEY KEEP THESE GUYS I THINK OFF THE BENCH, CLAYTON TAKES THAT PRICHARD ROLL. IF THEY START CLEARING OUT SPACE TO GIVE CLAYTON AN OPPORTUNITY TO START OR BE MORE OF A HIGH USAGE GUIDE, THEN OF COURSE THERE IS A CHANCE THE ON BALL REP DEVELOPMENT ALLOWS HIM TO BECOME MORE OF A FRED VANVLEET TYPE. >> I LIKE IT. PAYTON PRITCHARD, A GUY WHO HAS HELPED WIN NBA CHAMPIONSHIPS. WALTER CLAYTON, A CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVEN GUARD AS WELL. LET’S RECAP WHAT’S GOING ON HERE. CEDRIC COWARD, NOA ESSENGUE, DERIK QUEEN, CARTER BRYANT, THOMAS SORBER, HANSEN YANG, JOAN BERINGER, WALTER CLAYTON. NOW WE ARE UP TO THE BROOKLYN NETS. BROOKLYN HAD A BUNCH OF PICKS BEFORE THE ROUND CONCLUDES. BROOKLYN TOOK EGOR DEMIN AT EIGHT. THAT WAS A SURPRISE. THERE’S A NAME THAT HAS FALLEN TO 19 THAT HAS A HISTORY WITH EGOR DEMIN AND A GAME PRETTY SIMILAR. NOW I’M THINKING ABOUT BROOKLYN POSSIBLY TRYING TO PAIR BECAUSE FEAR — KASPARAS JAKUCIONIS. CONSIDER ME INTRIGUED. >> YOU NEED SOMEONE TO MAKE SHOTS. THE NETS WHO MIGHT WANT TO DO THAT. >> THEY ARE TAKING NOLAN TRAORE . A DIFFERENT INTERNATIONAL POINT GUARD THAN THE ONE I JUST CAMPAIGNED FOR. TO BROOKLYN NETS SELECTIONS, AND INTERNATIONAL BASED SELECTIONS. IS THIS SOMETHING YOU LIKE? >> I’M CONFUSED BY THIS ONE. I LIKE TREY ORY AS A PROSPECT BUT WITH THE EGOR DEMIN PICK, YOU SEEMINGLY NEED HIM OR WANT HIM TO HAVE THE BALL IN HIS HANDS. >> IT TOOK ME A SECOND TO REMEMBER. IT’S HARD TO PICTURE THIS FIGURE LIKE YOU SAID. THIS IS A B-. THESE ARE TWO GUYS WHO NEED THE BALL AND NEITHER OF THEM OFFER A LOT OF VALUE OFF THE BALL. LET’S TALK ABOUT NOLAN TRAORE. OVERSEAS AT 19 YEARS OLD. HE’S A VERY MATURE POINT GUARD. HE NEEDS TO IMPROVE HIS SHOT. BUT IN THE COURSE OF THE SEASON WE SAW THAT ARE SHOOTING AND ADJUSTMENTS AS A FINISHER. I DO THINK HE’S GOT STARTING POINT GUARD POTENTIAL. THE FIT WITH DEMIN ON PAPER MAKES NO SENSE. IT DOESN’T HURT TO HAVE TWO PLAYMAKERS ON THE FLOOR. BUT NEITHER OF THEM REALLY HAVE THE SKILL SET TO PLAY OFF THE BALL. AND DEFENSIVELY I WORRY ABOUT BOTH OF THEM. SO THIS IS NOT MY FAVORITE PICK, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I LIKE TRAORE. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THE EXPLANATION. I ALWAYS SAY BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE, BUT THERE’S A COUPLE OF SITUATIONS WHERE YOU REALLY HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION. IF YOU THINK IT WILL STUNT A PLAYER’S DEVELOPMENT, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS. LET’S SEE IF HE STICKS HERE. I WANT TO GIVE THE EXPLANATION BEHIND DEMIN AND TRAORE. >> NOT EXACTLY THE MOST STRAIGHTFORWARD PIECE. WHAT IS YOUR PLAYER COMP? I AGREE, I REALLY LIKE HIM COMING INTO THE PAST CALENDAR YEAR, A LOT OF US WOULD HAVE THOUGHT MAYBE HE GOES TO THE LOTTERY OR THE TOP 10. STILL A GUY WITH A LOT OF UPSIDE. WHAT IS YOUR PLAYER COMP? >> KIND OF LIKE LONZO BALL IS WHAT HE REMINDED ME OF. NOT REALLY LIKE A BREAKDOWN GUARD. HE’S GOT GREAT VISION. PLAYS AT HIS OWN LITTLE PACE. HE’S NOT CRAZY EXPLOSIVE. NOT REALLY A GREAT SCORER. THE HOPE FOR TRAORE IS HE COMES — BECOMES THE SAME LEVEL OF SHOOTER THAT LONZO BALL WAS IN HIS PRIME. THIS IS JUST A GOOD PIECE TO HAVE. BUT I DON’T SEE A TOT OF UPSIDE. NOW I THINK HE’S REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO TRANSITION TO BE MORE OF A LONZO BALL AND MORE OF A COMBO. >> MORE BROOKLYN PIX TO COME BEFORE THE FIRST ROUND ENDS. WE WILL SEE WHAT OTHER SURPRISES THEY HAVE IN STORE FOR US. AND NOW I’M HERE AND WE HAVE THE MIAMI HEAT PICK AT 20 IN. WE WILL FIND OUT IN JUST A MOMENT. WE DO NOT, NEVER MIND. A LOT OF THINGS ARE MOVING. IT’S A FLUID SITUATION. FROM MIAMI THE CLOCK AT 20. LET’S RESET THE BOARD. CLIFFORD, MCNEALY, ASA NEWELL STILL HERE. ANY NAMES JUMP OUT? >> MIAMI HAS BAM ADEBAYO AND TYLER HERRO BUT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THAT THIRD PERSON. I JUST THINK THEY NEED TO ADD SOMEBODY ELSE WHO CAN PROVIDE SCORING AND PLAYMAKING. MAYBE JASE RICHARDSON. IT’S GOT TO BE TIME HERE SOON. >> THEY ARE TRYING TO GET UP AND GET HIM, THAT HAS TO MAKE YOU FEEL WARM AND FUZZY. >> I’M GETTING ANTSY. >> KASPARAS D-FISH ONIS DROPPING , THAT WHAT YOU SAW? >> ESPECIALLY THE POINT GUARDS, I THINK HIS NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. IN THE BIG TEN HE MADE AN IMPACT. >>>> THERE YOU HAVE IT, GREAT SEGUE. THE MIAMI HEAT HAVE TAKEN KASPARAS JAKUCIONIS. WE WATCHED HIM A TON AT ILLINOIS. WHEN HE’S MAKING SHOTS FROM OUTSIDE, HE’S UNSTOPPABLE. BUT HE’S PRETTY DEPENDENT ON THOSE TOUGH STEPBACK JUMP SHOTS. HE’S A GUY THAT DID GET BIT WITH THE TURNOVER BUG A LITTLE BIT BUT HARD TO FIND A MORE ELECTRIC PASS FIRST POINT GUARD THAT CAN GET TO 20 POINTS ANY GIVEN GAME. JUST GOT HIM 12 SPOTS LOWER THAN BROOKLYN TO EGOR DEMIN. WHAT IS YOUR GRADE FOR THIS? >> THIS IS GOOD VALUE. I DID NOT THINK HE WOULD SLIP INTO THE 20’S. I THINK HE FILLS AN IMMEDIATE HOLE FOR MIAMI. I THINK THIS IS A B+. GOOD SIZE, STRONG SHOT MAKER. I THINK THE ONLY QUESTION IS THE ATHLETICISM, GOING TO CREATE SEPARATION ON THE COURT. BUT OFFENSIVELY, GREAT FEEL FOR THE GAME, HIGHEST SKILL LEVEL. 6’6″ AND SHOES, HE’S GOT THE SHOTMAKING AND VERSATILITY. HE LOVES GOING TO THE STEP BACK AND HE HAS MADE RANGE FROM NOISE. HE IS NOT EXCLUSIVE AT THE RIM BUT VERY CLEVER AND CRAFTY. HE IS SOMEONE WHO FINDS WAYS TO COMPENSATE FOR ATHLETIC LIMITATIONS. I THINK MIAMI IS A VERY FAVORABLE LANDING SPOT FOR HIM AND I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF HE CAN BE A STARTING POINT GUARD. >> REALLY GREAT PASSING GAME. C1 A LOT OF THE TIMES THAT WAS GOING IN. WHAT IS A GOOD PRO COMP YOU HAVE FOR HIM? >> I AM DOING WITH COBY WHITE. HE IS A BIG-TIME SCORER. I THINK SHE FALLS SHORT OF ALL-STAR CALIBER. HE HAS GOOD SIZE FOR THE POSITION. YOU CAN ALSO TAKE OVER WITH HIS CREATIVITY. THESE ARE COMBINATION GUARDS WITH SIMILAR MEASUREMENTS. SOME OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. >> HE IS A KID WHO I THINK GOOD NBA PLAYERS WILL LOVE PLAYING WITH. BECAUSE OF HIS LACK OF SELFISHNESS. HE WAS GOING TO MAKE THE PLAY. WHETHER IT WAS GOOD OR BAD. I AM ROOTING FOR HIM. I WAS SO IMPRESSED BY WHAT HE DID. WE HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THE 20TH PICK. WE ARE TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY THROUGH THE FIRST ROUND. >> I LOVE QUEEN. THE PICK THAT JUST HAPPENED, PAIRING HIM WITH TYLER HERRO. HE WAS DOING GREAT THINGS LAST SEASON. IT IS A TOUGHER SHOT. I LIKE HOW THEY PAIRED TOGETHER. I THINK THE FIT AND VALUE EVERYTHING REALLY WORKS. I KIND OF LOVE IT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. >> WHAT COMES OUT TO YOU? >> I LOVE NOA AS A GUY I HAD NEAR MY TOP FIVE. THE COWARD SELECTION AND TRADE WAS REALLY INTERESTING. MEANT TO SEND MUCH CONFIDENCE. HE HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL. >> GOOD ANSWERS FROM BOTH OF YOU. I’M STICKING WITH QUEEN. >> YOU ARE HEADED TO SAN ANTONIO. TELL ME THE EMOTIONS YOU FELT AS YOU WALK ACROSS THAT STAGE? >> EVERYTHING CAME IN AT ONE TIME. >> PEOPLE HAVE SAID THIS COULD BE SPECIAL. >> IT WILL BE VERY SPECIAL. HE IS EVERYTHING YOU WANTED A BIG MAN. HE DOES EVERYTHING. >> THEY ARE PRETTY DEEP IN THE BACKCOURT. WHAT COULD YOUR ROLE LOOK LIKE? >> THE GAME WILL OPEN UP FOR THEM. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. WE ARE GOING OUT THERE AND PLAYING FREELY. >> I COULD LISTEN TO HIM ALL DAY. YOU HAVE TO ADMIRE THE CONFIDENCE. >> THEY GOT A REALLY GOOD PLAYER. >> WE ARE INTO THE 20’S. THE 21ST SELECTION WILL BE MADE BY THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS. WE HAVE OR THAT THE PICK IS IN. WILL RILEY WILL BE THE SELECTION. BACK-TO-BACK ILLINOIS PRODUCTS COMING OFF THE BOARD. WILL RILEY REALLY EMERGED LATE IN THE SEASON. COMING OFF THE BENCH. HE HAD AN ENORMOUS MONTH OF NOVEMBER. I THINK HE DESERVES CRACKING THE FIRST ROUND. WHAT IS WASHINGTON GETTING WITH HIM? >> HE HAD TO DISCOVER HIS GAME A LITTLE BIT MORE. HE SHOWED SOME PLAYMAKING ALONG WITH THE SCORING ABILITY THAT HE HAD. THE THREE-POINTER STRUGGLED A LITTLE BIT. HE IS A VERY INTRIGUING PROSPECT. I THINK THE WIZARDS WILL HAVE A LOT OF FUN SEEING HIM GROW. >> I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE SHOOTING. HE HAS DEEP RANGE, GREAT TOUCH IN THE MIDRANGE. HE IS STRONG AROUND THE BASKET. THAT COULD BE INTERESTING. IF HE CONTINUES TO DEVELOP. THERE IS CERTAINLY A LOT OF SCORING UPSIDE. HE CAN CREATE HIS SHOT. I THINK HE IS MORE OF AN IDEA. HE IS SO YOUNG. HE STILL HAS TIME. >> THEIR SCOUTING REPORTS ARE VERY SIMILAR. LOOK AT THIS. THE NUMBERS ARE ALSO IDENTICAL. THEY ARE NOT VERY EXPLOSIVE. BUT THEY ARE HIGH SKILL GUYS. WE SAW THESE FLASHES. I THINK I USED THE SAME EXACT PHRASE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. EVERYBODY PICTURES WHAT HE WILL LOOK LIKE IN A FEW YEARS. HE IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING THAT YET. A BIG WING THAT CAN PASS OFF OF THE DRIBBLE. HE REALLY STRUGGLES WITH EXPLOSIVENESS. I THINK THEIR SCOUTING REPORTS ARE VERY SIMILAR. >> THEY WERE TIED TOGETHER FOR BETTER OR WORSE. IN THERE ONE YEAR AT ILLINOIS. IT IS WORTH REMEMBERING PART OF THE REASON WE DID NOT SEE MORE OF HIS PLAYMAKING WAS THE FACT THAT HIS TEAMMATE WAS NEXT TO HIM. AND HE IS SUCH A HIGH LEVEL PLAYMAKER. WHO WOULD YOU BET ON TO HAVE A BETTER NBA CAREER? >> I THINK I WOULD GO WITH WILL RILEY. HE DID NOT MISS SHOTS. I THINK HE DID A GOOD JOB. HE PUT ON SOME WEIGHT. HE IS A LATE BLOOMER. I THINK HE HAS A HIGHER CEILING. >> I WANTED TO COME INTO THE DRAFT WITH THE SAME ANSWER AS YOU. BUT ONE OF THEM IS WITH THE MIAMI HEAT IN ONE OF THEM IS WITH THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS. THEY HAVE FUN BUT I’M NOT SURE THAT’S THE FRANCHISE I WANT TO BET ON INVESTING IN PLAYER DEVELOPMENT. I HOPE THAT I AM WRONG. TO THE 22ND PICK. WE TECHNICALLY HAVE ATLANTA ON THE CLOCK BUT REMEMBER THIS IS THAT PICK THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE KRISTAPS PORZINGIS TRADE. THIS PICK WILL GO TO BROOKLYN. ONE OF MANY THAT THEY HAVE IN THIS FIRST ROUND. BROOKLYN TO BUILD AN ENTIRE TEAM IN THIS FIRST ROUND. I STILL SEE RICHARDSON STARING AT US. >> THE NETS ROSTER JUST NEEDS TALENT AND PLAYERS. I THINK THEY WOULD STILL BE CHECKING THAT OUT. PICK SOMEONE WHO COULD BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER. >> IF THEY WANTED TO KEEP LOADING UP ON PLAYMAKERS, THEY COULD TAKE SARAF OR WOLF AND MAKE US MORE CONFUSED. WHAT IS THE RIGHT MOVE HERE FOR BROOKLYN? >> YOU HAVE TO GO WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE HERE. BROOKLYN JUST STARTING FROM SCRATCH. YOU HAVE TO ADD SOME SHOOTING. RICHARDSON IS MY BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE. I ALSO LOVE CLIFFORD. THAT IS NOT WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN ON PAPER. BUT I LIKE HIM AS A PROSPECT. MAYBE IT MAKES SENSE. >> QUITE A FEW OPTIONS HERE THAT YOU COULD SURROUND YOUR POINT GUARDS WITH. IF YOU REALLY WANT SHOOTING, LANIER IS ONE OF THE BEST SHOOTERS IN THIS DRAFT. WE WILL SEE. WHAT WOULD YOU DO HERE? >> THEY DRAFTED POINT GUARDS. I AM STILL REALLY CONFUSED BY THAT. THEY NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN KNOCK DOWN SOME SHOTS. A HIGH VOLUME THREE-POINT SHOOTER. THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS AVAILABLE HERE. >> IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PART OF HAVING SO MANY FIRST-ROUND PICKS. THEY WENT OUTSIDE OF THE 10 BEST AVAILABLE. THEY ARE TAKING DRAKE POWELL. THIS SUMMER AND THE LEAD UP PROCESS TO THE DRAFT, HE MENTIONED HE FELT HE WAS NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW WHAT HE COULD DO. AND THAT IS WHAT HE WAS LEAVING NORTH CAROLINA INSTEAD OF RETURNING. MANY THOUGHT HE WOULD RETURN. HE CHOSE NOT TO. APPARENTLY BETTING ON HIMSELF HAS YIELDED WHAT HE IS AFTER. HE GOES 20 SECOND OVERALL. A LITTLE HIGHER-THAN-EXPECTED. >> I AM SURPRISED TO SEE HIM GO HERE. HE WAS ABLE TO SHOW SOMETHING IN NORTH CAROLINA. I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT HIS ROLE BE. I AM SURPRISED TO SEE HIM GO THIS HIGH. I THINK ARE SOME UPSIDE THINGS WITH HIM. HE MIGHT BE A GUY WHO DOES A LITTLE BIT MORE AND SHOWS A LITTLE BIT MORE. I AM A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED TO SEE HIM GO THIS HIGH. >> THIS IS A B. I HAVE THE NETS TAKING HIM BUT AT 27. THEY COULD HAVE WAITED FOR HIM. BUT IF THAT IS A GOT A WANTED AND THEY DIDN’T WANT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES, I UNDERSTAND THAT. HE IS AN EXCITING PROSPECT IN TERMS OF HIS ATHLETIC ABILITY. AND THE ROOM HE HAS TO GROW ON THE BALL. I HOPE HE GETS SOME ON BALL OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE A LITTLE BIT. THOSE GUYS WILL BE VERY BALL DOMINANT. THIS LATE IN THE DRAFT IT IS HARD TO STOP NITPICKING. I HAD THEM AS A LOTTERY PICK. HE HAS MOSTLY BEEN A SPOT AT THE GUY. A SEVEN FOOT WINGSPAN. >> YOU MENTIONED THE VERTICAL. THE INTANGIBLES ARE THERE. HE WILL TELL YOU HE WANTS TO HAVE THE BALL IN HIS HANDS. THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MORE BAFFLING ASSEMBLIES OF SELECTIONS TONIGHT. WHAT BROOKLYN HAS DONE. >> THIS IS YOUR CLASSIC OFFENSIVE SPECIALISTS. HE SHOULD GET MINUTES. THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF MINUTES TO GO AROUND AND BROOKLYN. HE WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND HIS OFFENSIVE SKILL SET TO THE POINT WHERE ROYCE O’NEALE DOES NOT OFTEN. HE COULD BE A DEFENSIVE WING SPECIALIST. >> IT IS A REASONABLE BET THAT ANYONE ON THAT TEAM LAST YEAR MIGHT LOOK BETTER IN A NEW ENVIRONMENT. THAT IS FAIR TO SAY PART OF THE NEW ENVIRONMENT NEEDS TO BE CONDUCIVE TO WHAT THE PLAYER DOES. HE IS STILL ON THE ROSTER. THEY SEEM TO BE STAYING STRONG. >> THEY SHOULD DRAFT US. >> I NEED THE BALL IN MY HANDS. I NEED TO BE A CREATOR. >> COMING UP NEXT WE HAVE THE 23RD PICK. IT IS TECHNICALLY THE PELICANS ON THE CLOCK BUT A REMINDER THAT THIS PICK WILL GO TO THE ATLANTA HAWKS. THEY ARE UP NEXT AT 23. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR HERE? >> BEFORE THE STRAW STARTED I HONESTLY LOVE THAT IDEA. HE COULD BE REALLY GOOD WITH THE HAWKS. WE SAW WHAT TRAE YOUNG WAS ABLE TO DO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN HE JOHN COLLINS. HE CAN BRING THAT SAME TENDENCY. I WILL BE INTERESTED TO SEE IF HE COMES OFF THE BOARD. >> IT IS INTERESTING, YOU THINK ABOUT ATLANTA MOVING OUT OF NUMBER 13. YOU DROP 10 SPOTS. YOU MUST HAVE SOMEONE THAT YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF? THERE WAS SOME BUZZ. ATLANTA IS PICKING NEWELL. TALK ME THROUGH WHAT THEY ARE GETTING WITH HIM. >> HE WAS ON A GEORGIA TEAM THAT I DIDN’T THINK WOULD BE THE MOST TALENTED. HE STOOD OUT EVERY TIME I SAW HIM ON THE FLOOR. I REMEMBER THE GAME HE HAD AGAINST AUBURN. HE WAS TAKING IT TO THEM. SHOWING SOME PICK AND POP. YOU COULD SEE THE POTENTIAL WITH HIM. THE LEAPING ABILITY. HE IS SOMEONE WHO IS SCRATCHING THE SURFACE. >> I LOVE THIS PICK. THIS IS THE GREAT PICK. A GREAT FIT FOR ATLANTA. I THOUGHT HE WOULD BE AN OPTION FOR THEM. TO GET HIM HERE IS A GOOD VALUE. HE IS A BASKET MACHINE. ALWAYS FINDS A WAY TO PUT HIMSELF IN POSITION TO PICK UP EASY BUCKETS. HE HAS A NICE TOUCH. I GOT TO SEE HIM WORK OUT INDIVIDUALLY. HE WAS BANGING THREES LEFT AND RIGHT. HE WILL GIVE YOU EASY BUCKETS. HE WILL BE A VERY EASY TARGET FOR TRAE YOUNG. THIS IS A GUY WHO IS NOT VERY CREATIVE. I LOVE THE CONSISTENT EFFORT. THIS IS A GREAT PICK. I REALLY LIKE THE FIT. >> THAT I SEE JOHN COLLINS IS THE COUNT — COMP? >> YOU DID. HE WILL BE A LOB TARGET. SOME OF YOU CAN STRETCH THE FLOOR AND KNOCKED DOWN THE THREE-POINTER. HE WILL CRASH THE GLASS AND GET YOU OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS. I THINK THE HOPE IS HE IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER DEFENSIVELY. HE CAN PLAY CENTER. >> I. WE ARE LONG OVERDUE FOR AN UPDATE. WE HAVE MORE ON THE ATLANTA APPROACH. IT IS REALLY INTERESTING SAYING ALL THIS WHEELING AND DEALING. IT IS HAPPENING WITH OKLAHOMA CITY RIGHT NOW. THEY WERE EXPECTING THE HAWKS TO DO SOMETHING. AT THIS POINT THE HAWKS ARE STILL MOVING AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREATS. THE KINGS HAVE BEEN SUPER ACTIVE IN TELLING AGENTS THEY WILL BE TRADING SOMEWHERE HERE. OKLAHOMA CITY WAS ONE OF THE KEY SPOTS. THEY NEED A STARTING POINT GUARD. THERE WAS A THOUGHT HE WOULD BE THIS GUY. IF HE WAS AVAILABLE. I AM CURIOUS WHAT THIS SPELLS OUT FOR THE FUTURE IN SACRAMENTO. WE ALSO REPORTED LAST NIGHT THAT THE KINGS HAVE EMERGED AS A LEADING CONTENDER TO STEAL DENNIS SCHRODER AWAY FROM THE PISTONS IN FREE AGENCY. SACRAMENTO DOES FINALLY FIND THEIR PICK LATE IN THE FIRST ROUND. STAY TUNED FOR THAT. >> THANK YOU. IF YOU WALK INTO CONSPIRACY THEORIES, HE WAS IN A PURPLE SUIT TONIGHT. IT IS NOT RICHARD SAID WE EXPECTED. WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR HIS NAME TO BE CALLED. DO YOU LIKE CLIFFORD HERE TO THE KINGS? >> I LOVE IT. I THINK I’VE TALKED ABOUT HIM MORE THAN ANY OTHER PROSPECT. I LIKE IT FOR SACRAMENTO. I LIKE IT IN TERMS OF VALUE. THIS GUY DOES IT ALL. HE WILL BE A PLUG AND PLAY A GUY WHO WILL GIVE YOU MINUTES RIGHT AWAY. JUST BASED ON VERSATILITY. I LIKE WHAT HE DID THIS YEAR WITH HIS ON BALL DEVELOPMENT. HE WENT TO A NUMBER ONE OPTION. ONE OF THE MOST ACCURATE PULL UP SHOOTERS IN THE COUNTRY. VERY GOOD BALL SCREEN OPERATOR. SOMEONE WHO CAN GUARD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT POSITIONS. HE BRINGS A LOT TO THE TABLE. IF YOU ARE SACRAMENTO, I THINK THERE IS VALUE IN BRINGING A GUIDE WILL GIVE YOU MINUTES RIGHT AWAY. HE IS THAT GUY. >> HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE PLAYER. ALMOST 19 POINTS PER GAME. I GUY WHO CAN COME IN AND CONTRIBUTE RIGHT AWAY. WHO IS YOUR COMPARISON FOR HIM? >> I BELIEVE IT IS JOSH HART. THAT IS WHO I HAVE BEEN GOING WITH. AND CODY MARTIN. THESE ARE BIG WINGS WHO CAN SCORE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. YOU CAN MOVE THEM AROUND TO DIFFERENT POSITIONS. THEY CAN BE YOUR GLUE GUYS AND ALSO GO GET YOU BUCKETS. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT TRANSLATES IN TERMS OF ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS HE MADE OVER THE PAST YEAR. HE IS SOMEONE WITH A VERY HIGH FLOOR. I THINK HE MADE ON METH IMPROVEMENTS OFF THE DRIBBLE. HE CRASHES THE GLASS. HE DOES SO MANY THINGS. I AM A BIG FAN OF HIS NAME. HE IS NBA READY. >> THIS TEAM DID NOT EVEN HAVE THIS PICK COMING INTO THE ROUND. GOOD WORK BY THE SACRAMENTO KINGS. THIS LEADS US TO THE 25TH PICK. THE ORLANDO MAGIC ARE ON THE CLOCK. WE HAVE SEEN THEM ALREADY START TO SHIFT TOWARD A WIN NOW APPROACH WITH THE DESMOND BANE TRADE. THEY ARE ADDING THE NUMBER ONE PLAYER ON YOUR BIG BOARD. RICHARDSON IS OFF THE BOARD TO THE MAGIC. YOU ARE A MICHIGAN STATE FAN. YOU HAVE AN ENORMOUS SMILE ON YOUR FACE RIGHT NOW. TELL MAGIC FANS WHAT THEY ARE GETTING. >> THEY ARE GETTING A GUY WHO KNOWS HOW TO PLAY THE GAME OF BASKETBALL. WHEN HE WAS ON THE FLOOR, YOU WERE IMPRESSED. HE JUST HAS SO MUCH THAT I THINK CONTRIBUTES TO WINNING BASKETBALL. AND I THINK HE CAN DO A LOT MORE. WHAT HE DIDN’T GET A CHANCE TO DO IT MICHIGAN STATE. HIGH-LEVEL SHOOTER AND SENATOR — FISHER. HE TRULY KNOWS HOW TO PLAY THE GAME OF BASKETBALL. I HOPE YOUR GRADE ON THIS ONE IS HOT IT. BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE THIS PICK. >> I LOVE THIS PICK. >> I LIKE WHERE WE ARE AT. >> HE MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR THIS PARTICULAR TEAM. HE WAS THE BEST PROSPECT ON MY BOARD. I HAD A TOP 10. HE IS THE SAME SIZE AS TYRESE MAXEY THERE’S ENOUGH EVIDENCE THAT GUYS LIKE THIS CAN SUCCEED. I KNOW HE PLAYED A LOT OFF THE BALL. HE WAS INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT IN THAT ROLE. HE PICKED THE RIGHT TIMES TO ATTACK. THERE WAS A GAME AGAINST OREGON. HE WENT OFF FOR 27 POINTS. YOU SAW ALL KINDS OF NEW CREATIVITY. THERE IS A LOT MORE CREATION THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE. IN THE MEANTIME, A VERY EASY FITS. A GUY WHO KNOWS HOW TO PLAY. HE IS A TEST DEFENDER. ONE OF THE TOP OF THE FINISHING GUARDS IN THE COUNTRY. EVEN THOUGH HE IS UNDERSIZED. I LOVE HIS GAME AND HIS APPROACH. I THINK HE WILL SHOW A LOT MORE IN THE NBA. >> IT WAS AN INTERESTING YEAR FOR HIM AT MICHIGAN GIVEN A LOT OF THE STUFF YOU JUST LAID OUT. HE WAS A KID WHO WAS WAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. HE WAS ON A CONSENSUS ALL-AMERICAN. BUT IT WAS EVIDENCE ONCE THE SEASON STARTED THAT HE WAS THE MOST DOMINANT PLAYER. HE PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE AN NBA POINT GUARD. BUT HE WAS A SHOOTING GUARD IT MICHIGAN STATE. ANYTIME HE WAS UP AGAINST THE BEST OF THE BEST, HE GOT THE BEST OF THEM. ANY OF THE NAMES THAT CAME AHEAD OF HIM. HE DOES, MISTAKES. HE IS ALWAYS IN THE RIGHT SPOT. IT’S IMPORTANT THAT HE ENDS UP ON A TEAM THAT IS READY TO WIN. AND HE CAN CONTRIBUTE. I THINK SHE WILL HAVE A REAL ARMY CORPS IN THE MIX. I THINK HE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT ORLANDO WANTS TO DO RIGHT AWAY. WHAT IS YOUR PLAYER COMPARISON? HIS FATHER WAS A LONGTIME NBA VETERAN. >> HE REMINDS ME A LOT OF REED SHEPHERD. I’M NOT PUTTING TOO MUCH STOCK INTO SIZE. THESE GUYS ARE SO EFFICIENT. SO SMART AND SKILLED. WE HAVE NOT REALLY SEEN IT YET. HE DID NOT HAVE MUCH OF AN OPPORTUNITY. BUT I THINK IT IS THE SAME IDEA. THESE GUYS HAVE SO MUCH MORE CREATION IN THEIR GAME. A GREAT SHOOTER. SPOTTING UP. GOOD DECISION MAKER. GREAT TOUCH AROUND THE HOOP. I THINK THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR PLAYERS. >> I LIKE THAT. A LOT OF OUTCOMES FOR HIM BUT I THINK ALL OF THEM HAVE HIM BEING A PRODUCTIVE PLAYER TO THE ORLANDO MAGIC. FIVE PICKS LEFT IN THE FIRST ROUND. WE ARE BACK TO BROOKLYN FOR THEIR FOURTH PICK IN THE FIRST ROUND. THEY HAVE BACK TO BACK PICKS. LET’S CHECK IN WITH YOUR UPDATED THE BOARD. YOU HAVE GONZALES. WOLF. FLEMING. MANY PEOPLE HAVE SPLIT OPINIONS ON THOSE GUYS. IF THESE GUYS FALL TO THE SECOND ROUND, I WOULD BE MILDLY SURPRISED. >> DID IS INTERESTING TO SEE SOME OF THESE GUYS STILL AVAILABLE. LIKE DANNY WOLF. HE IS A CREATIVE PLAYMAKER. A LOT OF VERSATILITY. GIVEN IN THE NEXT SELECTED, I AM VERY INTRIGUED TO SEE WHICH WAY THEY GO HERE. SOME OF THESE SHOOTERS AVAILABLE COULD REALLY DO WELL. I THINK THEY NEED SOMEONE TO BENEFIT FROM THE PLAYMAKERS THEY HAVE SELECTED SO FAR. >> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT NEEDING SHOOTING. >> I THINK THEY HAVE BEEN GETTING SCREEN THAT A LOT IN THIS DRAFT SO FAR AND THEY HAVE NOT LISTENED SO FAR. SO I THINK THE SCREAMS ARE FALLING ON DEAD YEARS. >> IF HE DOESN’T GO IN ONE OF THESE TEXTS, I WILL BE VERY CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THEY PERFECT PLAYER FIT IN A PERFECT SKILL SET TO EVERYTHING ELSE THEY’VE ALREADY ADDED TODAY. AND THIS IS GOOD VALUE. A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT HE COULD SNEAK IN THE LOTTERY BUT NOW HE IS SITTING HERE AT 26. I THINK HE SHOULD BE ONE OF THOSE PIGS. DO YOU AGREE WITH ME? >> THAT WOULD BE MY PICK. THE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE. THEY NEED SHOTMAKING. WE WILL SEE. THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER CRAZY SELECTION. HE IS RIGHT THERE. MCNEALY MAKES US SO MUCH SENSE WHEN YOU CONSIDER ELSE IS ON THE BOARD. >> IT IS INTERESTING. WE WILL SEE WHAT BROOKLYN DOES. YOUR GUY RICHARDSON JUST WENT. DANNY WOLF IS MY GUY. HE IS STILL AVAILABLE. ARE YOU SURPRISED HE HAS SLID DOWN? >> I THINK NBA TEAMS FALL IN LOVE WITH GUYS WHO HAVE SIZE AND PASSING ABILITY. HE WAS ONE OF THE BETTER PASSING BIG MEN IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL LAST SEASON. I THINK HE DIDN’T GET ENOUGH CREDIT. I AM A BIT SURPRISED TO SEE THEM FALL AS LOW. BUT I THINK THIS COULD BE OF BENEFIT. >> HERE WE HAVE IT. THAT PICKED IS IN HAND IT IS SARAF TO THE BROOKLYN NETS. WE ARE ALL CHUCKLING. IS THIS A BIT AT THIS POINT? >> I KNOW YOU HAVE NOT DIPPED INTO THAT FOR YOUR GRADES. I THINK THE FIT NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THEY HAVE DONE THIS. HE NEEDS THE BALL IN HIS HANDS. HE IS A CREATIVE PLAYER. IS THIS THE MOMENT? >> WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE 26TH PICK, I DON’T THINK YOU WORRY ABOUT FIT ANYMORE. YOU ARE LOOKING FOR VALUE. THE BEST GUY AVAILABLE. THESE GUYS MIGHT NOT PAN OUT. I DO LIKE HIM. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. HE PLAYS IN GAME FIVE OF THE GERMAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS TOMORROW. SHE WAS READY. HE BOOKED A COUPLE OF FLIGHTS TO MAKE IT TO THE DRAFT. THAT WOULD’VE BEEN PRETTY COOL. VERY CRAFTY PLAYMAKER. HE IS A LOT OF FUN WITH THE BALL IN HIS HANDS. TREMENDOUS PASSER. ALL THE DIFFERENT BREEDS HE CAN MAKE. EXCELLENT BALL HANDLER. RELENTLESS AND GETTING TO HIS SPOTS. HE IS NOT PARTICULARLY EXPLOSIVE AROUND THE BASKET. BUT GIVE HIM THE BALL AND HE WILL MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN. YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT HE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE BALL. IT IS A WILD COLLECTION OF PROSPECTS THEY ARE PUTTING TOGETHER. WE WILL SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT. BROOKLYN IS JUST COLLECTING ASSETS. HE WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE OVERSEAS. >> A FASCINATING APPROACH BY BROOKLYN. IT IS AN INCREDIBLY SIMILAR ARCHETYPE. DYNAMIC POINT GUARDS WHO CAN SCORE. BUT MAYBE HAVE QUESTIONS ON HOW GOOD THEIR SHOT WILL BE AT THE NBA LEVEL. I AM STUNNED WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. NOTHING AGAINST HIM AS A PROSPECT. I CAN’T IMAGINE IF ALL THREE OF THESE PLAYERS MAKE IT TO BROOKLYN, GAME ONE OF NEXT SEASON, THAT THIS IS NOW AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO ANY OF THEM EMERGING AS A PRODUCTIVE PLAYER. I DON’T KNOW IF THAT IS TOO HARSH. I AM GINGERLY STUMPED AT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TODAY. >> IT IS CATCHING ME BY SURPRISE. CAM THOMAS WILL CERTAINLY SHOOT IT FOR THAT TEAM. IS THERE A PLAYER COMPARISON THAT COMES TO MIND? >> STYLISTICALLY, MANU GINOBILI. HIS GAME IS VERY SIMILAR IN TERMS OF CREATIVITY, CONFIDENCE, CRAFTINESS, TOUGH SHOTMAKING. GINOBILI IS A HALL OF FAME TYPE PLAYER. THIS IS MORE IN TERMS OF HOW THEY PLAY. MAYBE SARAF WILL BE LIKE A SIXTH MAN. HE CAN BRING A SPARK OF OFFENSE. >> WE JUST SPOILED THE NEXT BROOKLYN NETS PICK. THAT SELECTION IS ALSO IN. IT IS A POINT GUARD. DANNY WOLF FROM MICHIGAN. HE WILL GO TO BROOKLYN. THIS IS JUST INSANE. I TRULY DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO WITH ALL OF THESE PAST FIRST PLAYERS. MY BIGGEST QUESTION FOR DANNY WOLF HITS HIS JUMP SHOT. I AM TRYING TO THINK OF A COLLECTION OF PLAYERS YOU COULD PUT AROUND HIM THAT WOULD BE A WORST FIT FOR HIM AND I CANNOT THINK OF IT. I AM AT A LOSS FOR WORDS. YOU ARE SEEING DANNY EMOTIONAL GETTING — DANNY WOLF GETTING EMOTIONAL ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT HERE. >> HE IS A REALLY GOOD REBOUNDER. LAST SEASON HE WAS THEIR BEST PLAYER. YOU SEE THE SHOT CREATION STUFF HE HAS. HE IS A DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS PLAYER. HE CAN FILL UP THE STAT SHEET. HE DOES THINGS DEFENSIVELY AS WELL. A UNICORN TYPE PLAYER. WHAT GRADE WOULD YOU GIVE FOR THIS ONE? >> THIS IS WILD. I AM GRADING THIS ON AN INDIVIDUAL PROSPECT EVALUATION. AT THIS POINT I WANT TO SWITCH IT HERE AND SAY BROOKLYN AND IS BUILDING AN IDENTITY HERE. THEY CLEARLY HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS BEFORE THE DRAFT. THEY WANT ALL OF THEIR PLAYERS ON THE FLOOR TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. MAYBE THAT WILL GIVE THEM AN ADVANTAGE. THAT OTHER TEAMS CANNOT MATCH. MAYBE YOU COULD PUT HIM AS A POINT WEIGHING. YOU COULD TECHNICALLY PLAY ALL FOUR OF THESE GUYS ON THE FLOOR AT THE SAME TIME BASED ON THEIR SIZES BUT NONE OF THEM ARE GREAT SHOOTERS. YOU HAVE GUYS WHO CAN ATTACK WHOEVER THEY ARE GUARDING. NONE OF THEM HAVE CONSISTENT THREE-POINT RANGE. THIS IS A FASCINATING ASSEMBLY OF PLAYERS. I CANNOT WAIT TO WATCH THEIR SUMMER LEAGUE TEAM AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS HERE. HIS DEFICIENCY HAS ALWAYS BEEN CLOSER TO 30%. HE WAS A GOOD REBOUNDER. NOT A GREAT ATHLETE. HE CAN SCORE IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS. SOME TEAMS DO NOT THINK HE IS A STARTING CALIBER PRO. BROOKLYN RIGHT NOW THIS HAS TO BE THE NUMBER ONE BIGGEST STORYLINE IN TERMS OF THIS TYPE OF ROSTER THEY ARE PUTTING TOGETHER. >> HE IS EXTREMELY DYNAMIC. I ALMOST WANT TO EVALUATE HIM SEPARATELY FROM THE REST OF THIS BROOKLYN CLASS. IT IS HARD FOR ME TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW. AT TIMES I THOUGHT HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST UNSTOPPABLE OFFENSIVE ENGINES IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL LAST YEAR. WILL THAT TRANSLATE TO THE NBA? REALISTICALLY IT WILL HAVE TO BE LEADING A SECOND UNIT. THAT IS MY OPINION. THERE ARE SO MANY DOWNSIDES. HE CAN BE EXTREMELY TURNOVER PRONE. HE IS NOT A GREAT POST PLAYER. YOU HAVE TO LET HIM PICK AND ROLL AS A BALLHANDLER. I DON’T KNOW WHAT NBA TEAM WILL ALLOW HIM TO DO THAT. WE WILL SEE WHERE THIS GOES. MAYBE YOU CAN TALK ME INTO THIS. >> I WENT WITH KELLY OLYNYK. SIMILAR SKILL SETS. WOLF HAS TO BECOME A MORE CONSISTENT SHOOTER. THESE ARE FORWARD TO CAN HANDLE THE BALL. THEY WILL PROBABLY NOT BE GREAT DEFENDERS FOR SUPER PHYSICAL. KELLY OLYNYK HOUSE LASTED A LONG TIME THE NBA AND I THINK WILL SCAN AS WELL BUT THERE IS A CAP TO THEIR CEILINGS. THAT IS A MORE REALISTIC OUTCOME. >> THREE PICKS LEFT IN THE FIRST HALF — ROUND. THE BOSTON CELTICS ARE ON THE CLOCK. GONZALEZ IS STILL AVAILABLE. HE WILL BE THE PICK. FOR BOSTON. HE HAS BEEN CLOSE TO THE TOP OF YOUR BIG BOARD FOR QUITE A WHILE. LET’S THROW IT STRAIGHT TO YOU ON THIS ONE. >> I LIKE IT. HE DID NOT PLAY MUCH. BUT THERE IS A LOT OF EVIDENCE IN TAKE BEFORE HE GOT THERE THIS YEAR. HE PLAYED IN A FEW INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS. HE IS ATHLETIC. HIGH ENERGY. STRONG DEFENSIVE TOOLS. HE SHOWS FLASHES OF BEING-ISH SHOT MAKER. UNFORTUNATELY THIS YEAR HE DID NOT HAVE THOSE TOGETHER. HE IS ONLY PLAYING A COUPLE OF MINUTES PER GAME. BUT I LIKE THIS PICK LONG TERM FOR BOSTON. THIS IS A GUY WHO HAS BEEN EXCELLENT. HE HAS ATHLETICISM. WE SEE THE SKILL FLASHES. HE JUST NEEDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN SOME CONFIDENCE AND RHYTHM. HE HAS REALLY STARTED TO COME TOGETHER. HE COULD BE MORE OF A SUPPORTING CAST GUIDE. HE IS VERY YOUNG. I AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF HE GETS MORE PLAYING TIME. >> IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD TO SEE HIM GET SOME REPS. HE HAD A HARD TIME BREAKING THROUGH. BUT I DID SEE SOME GOOD THINGS THAT THE YOUTH LEVEL. HE IS A PLAYMAKER. IS THERE A GOOD COMPARISON FOR HIM? >> I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF JONATHAN KUMINGA. IT MIGHT BE TOUGH TO SEE BUT I THINK THEY HAVE SIMILAR SCOUTING REPORTS. ATHLETIC. THEY CAN GET DOWNHILL. THEY NEEDED THE SKILL LEVEL TO CATCH UP. THE DECISION MAKING CAN BE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE. WE SAW FLASHES OFFENSIVELY FOR BOTH OF THESE GUYS. THEY CAN SHARPEN THEIR OFFENSE OF GAMES. THE SKILL SET IS THERE. THE SKILL LEVEL IS NOT. >> I LIKE HOW THERE ARE DIFFERENT PATHS FOR BOSTON TO GO. YOU ALLUDED TO IT. IF THEY WANT TO BRING HIM RIGHT OVER AND PUT THE BALL IN HIS HANDS, WE DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE BOSTON APPROACH WILL BE THIS YEAR. THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO BE COMPETITIVE. WE WILL WAIT AND SEE. IT IS A MOVE THAT CAN WORK NO MATTER WHAT DIRECTION THEY GO. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE HIM WAIT A COUPLE OF YEARS, THAT IS FINE. I THINK THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY THAT WORKS IN BOSTON’S FAVOR. IT IS GOOD VALUE. WE ARE UP TO NUMBER 29. THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS ARE ON THE CLOCK. THIS PICK COMES TO MIND FROM THE PHOENIX SUNS. THAT WAS THE MARK WILLIAMS TRADE. THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS RECEIVED THIS PICK. ARE THEY GOING TO BE BACKFILLING THE BIG MAN HERE AT THIS POINT? OR SHOULD THEY GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION? >> THEY COULD KEEP IT VERY SAFE. HE CAN SHOOT THE BALL WELL. IT IS ANOTHER GUY WHO CAN BRING SOME SIZE AND SHOOTING. THAT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING PAIRING. >> THEY GOT ANOTHER FIRST-ROUND PICK IN THE MARK WILLIAMS DEAL. THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY COME OUT. >> AFTER THIS WE HAVE THE CLIPPERS. AND THAT WILL BE THE CONCLUSION OF OUR FIRST ROUND. WE ARE SEEING THE NAMES ON YOUR BIG BOARD. STILL QUITE A FEW QUALITY PLAYERS AVAILABLE. THIS IS A DRAFT THAT HAS SOME DEPTH TO IT IN THE 30’S. SOME QUALITY OPTIONS AVAILABLE. WE WILL BE BACK TOMORROW FOR THE SECOND ROUND. SO STAY TUNED IF YOU ENJOYED TONIGHT. WE WILL BE BACK TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT. AS WE REFLECT ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED TONIGHT, WHAT JUMPS OUT AS THE BIGGEST STORYLINE? >> I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES. I LOVE WHAT THE PELICANS STATED. I THOUGHT THEY HAD A REALLY GOOD DRAFT. THEY GOT SOME GOOD VALUE. GETTING QUEEN. TO PAIR WITH SOME OF THE PIECES. I REALLY LIKE WHAT THEY HAVE DONE SO FAR. >> WE HAVE A PICK BEING MADE. IT IS IN. IT IS MCNEELEY. HIS DRAFT SLIDE IS OVER. VERY CLEARLY CHARLOTTE HAD A VISION OF WHAT THEY WANTED OUT OF THIS DRAFT. I THINK THEY ADDED A COUPLE OF TALENT. BRENDAN: HE IS ONE OF THOSE GUYS. HE WAS ON ONE OF THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS OF ALL TIME. GOOD SIZE. HE REBOUNDS BETTER THAN HE GETS CREDIT FOR. HE STRUGGLED WITH THE SHOT A LITTLE BIT. HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST SHOOTERS. I THINK IT WILL TRANSLATE. >> THIS IS A GOOD PICK. SOMEONE THEY CAN USE. GOOD VALUE. HE BRINGS A LOT THAT CHARLOTTE CAN USE. COMPETITIVE NESTS, A LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM. MATURITY. THEY CAN USE GUYS LIKE THIS. WHO BRINGS STABILITY, SHOTMAKING , GOOD DECISION-MAKING. HE DOES NOT HAVE MUCH CREATIVITY TO HIS GAME. BUT THAT SHOWS HOW GOOD A FIT HE IS AND HOW ADAPTABLE HIS GAME IS. HE WAS GOOD AT RUNNING OFF OF SCREENS. HE HAS SUCH AN EASY GAME. NOT A TON OF UPSIDE BUT AT NUMBER 29 YOU ARE NOT GETTING A STAR. YOU ARE GETTING SOMEONE WHO FITS EXACTLY WHAT THE ORGANIZATION WANTS. >> HE PLAYED THROUGH SOME INJURIES LAST YEAR. I THINK IT AFFECTED HIS SHOOTING AT TIMES. HE IS A GUY WHO HAS TO MAKE SHOTS TO FULFILL WHATEVER VALUE YOU SEE IN HIM. THERE ARE VARIOUS OBVIOUS REASONS SOME OF HIS SHOTS DID NOT GO DOWN IF YOU WATCHED HIS SEASON. DO YOU SEE HAVE HIM AS MORE THAN JUST A SHOOTER? >> THESE ARE COMPLEMENTARY STORES. I FEEL LIKE HE IS MORE THAN JUST A SHOOTER. HE IS THE TYPE OF GUY WHO WILL GET YOU 20 POINTS. HE IS VERY GOOD IN TRANSITION DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE IS NOT A GREAT ATHLETE. NOT JUST EASY BUCKETS. BUT HE KNOWS HOW TO GET TO THE CORNERS. GET OUT FOR THOSE QUICK RELEASE THREES. HE KNOWS HOW TO READ THE GAME. PUT HIMSELF IN POSITION TO GET A GOOD LOOK. NOT A HIGH LEVEL CREATOR BUT SOMEBODY WHO CAN GET YOU A POINTS PER GAME. BE A VALUABLE STARTING COMPLEMENTARY SCORER. THAT IS THE DIRECTION I SEE HIS CAREER GOING. >> I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT WHAT CHARLOTTE DID TONIGHT, THEY ADDED A COUPLE OF GUYS WILL BE GREAT TEAMMATES. THEY HAVE GREAT INTANGIBLES. FIRST GUYS OFF THE BENCH. >> SAFE. SOMETHING THEY NEEDED. >> I DID NOT LOVE THE IDEA OF KO N GOING AS HIGH AS HE DID. I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE HIGHER ON HIM. I THINK BOLSTERING THAT DRAFT OR THE FIRST ROUND THAT DRAFT LATE MAKES ME LIKE THAT TAKE MORE. THAT YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF SHOTS AT WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO DO. I THINK AS WE CONCLUDE THIS FIRST ROUND, ONE THING YOU HAVE TO SAY TO A LOT OF GENERAL MANAGERS AROUND THE LEAGUE IS THERE WERE VERY CLEAR VISIONS OF WHAT THEY WANTED TO COME OUT AS. YOU SAW IT BROKEN JUST STATED. THEY WANTED SIZE AND A LOT OF PLAYMAKING. THEY GOT THAT EVEN IF WE WANT TO QUESTION IT. CHARLOTTE JUST DID A VERSION OF THOSE. DRAFTING GUYS THAT WILL PLAY A VERY SIMILAR ROLE FOR THEM. YOU CAN’T KNOCK THE HE GAME PLANS. THAT LEADS US TO THE FINAL PICK OF THE FIRST ROUND. THE CLIPPERS ARE ON THE CLOCK. WHAT TO THEY NEED? WE ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT. THE TICKET IS IN. THE KENT STATE CENTER IS OFF THE BOARD. HE SKYROCKETED THANKS TO SOME CRAZY MEASUREMENTS AT THE DRAFT COMBINE. YOU CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THOSE RESULTS THAT GOT HIM IN THIS POSITION. >> THIS IS ONE OF THE CRAZIER STORYLINES OF THE DRAFT. TO SAY HE IS A FIRST-ROUND PICK. I GOT TO SEE HIM WORK OUT IN CHICAGO HE WAS MEETING SOME OF HIS AGENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME. PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW HIM UNTIL A WEEK BEFORE THE COMBINE. HE IS LONG AND TALL. A BIG-TIME ATHLETE. A SHOT BLOCKER. WE KNOW WHAT HE CAN DO. WE KNOW HE CAN DO. HE’S NOT GOING TO PUT THE BALL ON THE FULL LOWER — THE FLOOR. HE’S NOT GOING TO MAKE DECISIONS. IT IS HARD TO CRITICIZE THE NUMBER 30 OVERALL PICK. YOU TAKE A CHANCE ON A GUY WHOSE ATHLETICISM AND GAME IS VERY TRANSLATABLE. A LOB CATCHER. HE CAN THROW EASY BUCKETS. AND PROTECTS THE BASKETBALL. HE HAD A VERY HIGH BLOCK PERCENTAGE. IT IS FASCINATING HOW FEW SCOUTS WERE FAMILIAR WITH HIM BEFORE HE SHOWED UP TO CHICAGO. ONE OF THE CRAZIEST RISES I THINK I’VE EVER SEEN. COVERING THE DRAFT IN TERMS OF HOW UNFAMILIAR PEOPLE WERE WITH HIM. TWO NOW BEING A FIRST-ROUND PICK AFTER THE SEASON FINISHED. SOME WILD PICKS HERE. SOME WILD DEVELOPMENTS SINCE THE SEASON ENDED. IT SHOWS THAT THE PRE-DRAFT PROCESS MATTERS. WE PUT STOCK INTO WHAT HAPPENS. WE WILL SEE IF HE GETS SOME PLAYING TIME. >> DON’T LET ANYONE EVER TELL YOU THAT THE COMBINE AND THESE PREDRAFT WORKOUT INTERVIEWS DON’T MATTER. HE IS A CLEAR CASE OF THAT. HE WAS ABLE TO SHOW HIS TOOLS. DO YOU HAVE A GOOD COMPARISON FOR HIM? >> JAXSON HAYES I THINK IS A VERY EASY ONE. IN TERMS OF WHERE HIS LEVEL OF POLISH IT IS. AT THIS POINT HE IS JUST AN ATHLETE. WE DON’T KNOW HOW WELL HE WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY THE GAME. HE WILL DO THE THINGS HE DOES WHICH IS RUN THE FLOOR, BE A LOB TARGET, USE HIS ATHLETICISM, WHETHER HE CAN RAISE HIS CEILING WILL DEPEND ON HIS LEVEL OF DEFENSIVE IMPACT. THE TO PLAY VERY HIGH ABOVE THE RIM. THIS WAS THE SAME WAY COMING OUT OF TEXAS. THEY CRAZY LEAPER WITH A LOT OF SPRAYING AND BOUNDS. PHYSICALLY IMPOSING. HE POPPED OFF THE SCREEN. A LOT OF TIMES WE ASKED, WHO IS THIS GUY? WHY IS HE NOT ON DRAFT BOARDS? A LOT OF PEOPLE SPECULATED HE COULD BE A BIG WINNER. MAYBE SIGN A DEAL WITH THE BLUEBLOOD PROGRAM. HE SAID NO. I WANT TO BE AN NBA PLAYER RIGHT NOW. HE WAS TAKEN WITH THE FINAL PICK OF THE FIRST ROUND. LET’S LOOK BACKWARD. LET’S RECAP EVERYTHING WE SAW TONIGHT. AND THEN WE WILL GO THROUGH A GIVE SOME WINNERS AND LOSERS. WE WENT CHALK EARLY. WHEN A’S DAILY CAME OFF THE BOARD AT NUMBER FIVE, THAT FELT LIKE THE BIG JUMPING OFF POINT THAT SET THE FIRST THE GROUNDED MOTION. DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PICK HERE THAT JUMPS OUT? >> FEARS GOING TO THE PELICAN. I THINK THEY NEED A DYNAMIC GUARD ON THAT TEAM. I THINK FEARS BRINGS SOME PLAYMAKING ABILITY AND VERSATILITY. HE IS STILL SO YOUNG AND GETTING BETTER. I THINK THAT FIT WITH THAT TEAM, THERE ARE THINGS TO BE EXCITED ABOUT IF YOU ARE A PELICANS FAN. >> WHAT WAS THE BEST AND WORST VALUE PICK OF THESE FIRST 10? >> I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM. TO BECOME AN ESTABLISHED STAR AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY. HOW ABOUT JOHNSON? I MET HIM IN WASHINGTON. HE CAN LEARN FROM C.J. MCCOLLUM. THAT WILL BE VERY VALUABLE. >> OK. ALL RIGHT. THINGS GOT MORE INTERESTING FROM THERE. THAT GOT US THROUGH THE FIRST 10. THEN WE HAVE THE COWARD TRADE. HE WILL BE MAKING HIS WAY TO MEMPHIS. WE STARTED TO SEE A COUPLE OF INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTS COME OFF THE BOARD. I THINK THE MOST SHOCKING MOMENT WAS NUMBER 16 OVERALL TO PORTLAND. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST TAKE AWAY WITH THIS ONE. >> I WILL AVOID HIM. I WILL NOT TRASH PORTLAND. I THINK THE NUMBER 20 PICK FOR MIAMI WAS A SURPRISE. JUST SUCH A PERFECT LANDING SPOT IN TERMS OF A STARTING POINT GUARD SLOT BEING AVAILABLE FOR HIM. I LOVE THAT PICK. I DON’T WANT TO TAKE OF ALL OF THE NAMES HERE. THE COWARD PICK WAS FASCINATING. IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY GAVE UP TO GET HIM. >> DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE FROM THIS GROUP? >> I LIKE KASPARAS. I WILL GO AHEAD AND SAY IT, THEY HAVE OTHER CENTERS ON THAT ROSTER. I’M PRETTY SURE ROBERT WILLIAMS IS STILL ON THE TEAM. I AM SO CONFUSED. I LIKE THE PLAYER BUT TO SIT MAKES NO SENSE. I DON’T MIND THROWING MYSELF OUT THERE ON THAT ONE. >> AND THEY TRADED DOWN. THEY WERE SITTING AT 11. I’M NOT SAYING THOSE GUYS ARE GUARANTEED TO BE BETTER FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, IT IS INTERESTING. YOU DROP FIVE SPOTS THINKING YOU ARE PROBABLY STILL GOING TO GET A GUY WHO WAS LOCKED IN THIS GENERAL RANGE. THIS IS A FASCINATING MOVE. LET’S MOVE TO THE FINAL 10 TIX OF THE FIRST ROUND. THE 10 WE JUST WRAPPED UP. WILL RILEY OFF THE BOARD AT 21. I LIKE THAT VALUE. TO ME THE STORY HERE WAS BROOKLYN. I TRULY CANNOT BELIEVE THEY SPENT STAY FIVE PICKS ON FOUR PASS FIRST, BALL DOMINANT PLAYERS. WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU? >> I LOVE NUMBER 24 NUMBER 25 BEING BACK-TO-BACK. I DON’T THINK I HAVE EVER DONE THAT. I LOVE THEM. I LOVE RICHARDSON. HE WAS TOP 10 ON MY PERSONAL BOARD. THAT IS A SPOT WHERE THEY CAN USE HIM. AND BE ABLE TO PLAY. I’M A BIG FAN OF THAT. >> I REALLY LIKE THESE PICKS. THAT WAS A MONUMENTAL MOMENT. I LIKE WILL RILEY. GOING TO THE WIZARDS. I THINK THEY DID SOME GOOD THINGS EARLY IN THE DRAFT. I AM SO INTRIGUED WITH HIS POTENTIAL. I THINK WASHINGTON MIGHT LOOK BACK ON THIS FIVE YEARS FROM NOW AND BE THANKFUL THAT THEY GOT WILL RILEY. I REALLY LIKE THAT PICK. >> I TOTALLY AGREED. WE WILL WRAP THE SHOW TONIGHT WITH ONE WINNER AND ONE LOSER EACH. GIVE US YOURS. >> I WILL GO AHEAD AND GO WITH A PELICANS. IF THEY GET THE VISION CLEAR ON WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH THAT TEAM, AS FAR AS COACHING AND FRONT OFFICE DIRECTION, THEY CAN REALLY PULL THE RIGHT STRINGS AND MAYBE MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN NOW. SO BROOKLYN NETS HAVE TO SHOW ME SOMETHING. THAT TEAM WILL BE A TEAM THAT IS SUBJECT TO A LOT OF SHOT CLOCK THIS YEAR. NO ONE WANTING TO SHOOT THE BASKETBALL. I UNDERSTAND THE VISION MIGHT BE HAVE A BUNCH OF GUYS WHO WANT TO MAKE THE EXTRA PASS. BUT AT SOME POINT OF AN TO SHOOT A BASKETBALL. I AM JUST A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED ON THE VISION FOR THEM IN THIS ONE. >> MY WINNER OF THE NIGHT WAS CAM THOMAS. WAS ANYONE HAPPIER THAN HIM? >> HE WILL SHOOT. CONGRATS TO THAT MAN. >> ON A SERIOUS NOTE, I LIKE THE JAZZ. I THINK THEY WILL BE EXCITED. MY LOSER HAS TO BE PORTLAND. MAYBE THIS DOES GET CLIPPED. I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY TRADED DOWN AND THAT WAS THE MOVE. WE WILL GO TO YOU NEXT. GIVE US YOUR WINNER AND LOSER. >> I WILL GO WITH CHARLOTTE. I THINK THEY HAVE A SURE FIRE ASSET WHO WILL IMPROVE THAT TEAM. THEN THEY ADD ANOTHER FIRST-ROUND PICK. COMING UP NEXT YEAR. TO GET THOSE GUYS AND ADD ANOTHER FIRST-ROUND PICK, I AM ABSOLUTELY EXCITED. THERE ARE NOT TOO MANY LOSERS. THIS IS A PRETTY STRONG FIRST ROUND. MAYBE THE LOSER IS THE NUMBER 29 PICK. LOSING OUT ON A DECENT CHUNK OF MONEY. HE WAS PROJECTED TO GO MUCH EARLIER. TOP 24 AT LEAST. HE LOSES A BIT OF CASH. OTHERWISE IT IS HARD TO FIND A CLEAR CUT LOSER. BESIDES THE TWO OBVIOUS ONES. >> DO YOU HEAR THAT? THAT IS THE MUSIC. LET’S GO BACK TO HIM FOR OUR FIRST — FINAL WINNER AND LOSER OF THE NIGHT. >> THE WINNER, NUMBER ONE, THE MOST FINANCIAL WINNER POSSIBLE TONIGHT. IN ORDER FOR HIM TO GO BACK TO CHARLOTTE IN THAT TRADE HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT. PHOENIX HAD TWO EXERCISES $8.1 MILLION TEAM OPTION TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. HE GOT A FREE PAYDAY TONIGHT. JUST TO GET TRADED BACK TO THE TEAM HE WAS AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR. THAT IS A HUGE VICTORY FOR HIM. I LIKE WHAT PHOENIX DID. TO GET MYKEL WILLIAMS — MARK WILLIAMS. I LIKE WHAT PHOENIX DID OVERALL. ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE KEVIN DURANT RETURN. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD 72 HOURS OF WORK. I HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR HIM AS A PHILLY NATIVE MYSELF. STILL BEING ON THE BOARD IS A TOUGH LOSS FOR HIM. HE WAS IN BROOKLYN TONIGHT TO MY UNDERSTANDING AND HE DOES NOT LEAVE BARCLAYS CENTER WITH A DRAFT HAT ON HIS HEAD. I DON’T EXPECT HIM TO STAY AROUND ON THE BOARD MUCH LONGER INTO THE SECOND ROUND. THAT’S A TOUGH FALL FOR HIM. >> THAT IS A GREAT NAME. AT NAME WE EXPECT TO GO EARLY TOMORROW. YOU CAN WATCH US AGAIN. WE WILL BE BACK TO THE SECOND NIGHT OF THE NBA DRAFT. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU PUT INTO MAKING THIS SHOW POSSIBLE. I HAD A BLAST, WE HOPE YOU HAD A BLAST WATCHING ALONG WITH US. TUNE BACK IN TOMORROW NIGHT. WE WILL SEE YOU TOMORROW. ♪
23 Comments
Algorithm finally did something right
Came for the thumbnail, stayed for the vibes
You just earned a new subscriber
Pure talent. No words
The way you explained this is SO clear. Thank you
I ve had this on repeat all day
I can t stop smiling watching this
That transition at 3:12 was chefs kiss
Came for the thumbnail, stayed for the vibes
Your consistency is inspiring—keep going
I learned more in 10 minutes than hours of Googling
Who else is here before this blows up
Your consistency is inspiring—keep going
Great job, this video was very useful!
I didn t expect to love this as much as I do
I can t stop smiling watching this
This is going straight into my favorites playlist
Fantastic video, really appreciate your effort!
Look, if Kyrie, Klay and AD stay healthy and you adding Cooper to that. Watch out for the Mavs.
“This is a B”
COachjones (Honey Bun) looking like the NBA had a great class
Second round day. Cheering for Dink Pate!
crazy amount of bots lmfao sad !