Random Thoughts After Spurs Land Two Lottery Picks in the 2024 NBA Draft

[JPB]

Almost zero chance they take Topic. Amen already fills the PG of the future who cant shoot role.

I think the pick is 50/50 Sheppard v Clingan tbh. They're gonna look at their division + West and see Wemby, Zion, and Joker and realize they'll need a true big to guard them which is why I ultimately think it'll be Clingan.

I do think the Wizards go Topic tbh.

That Chet guy doesn't look bad either. But that's a good point.

[4lifecowboy]

1 Because he isnt the best player in this draft. 2 We don't need a Devin clone.

[exstatic]

lol Spurs are not going anywhere near Shannon after the Pr*mo debacle. I doubt he even interviews or works out with them.

Same with Miles Bridges, even though he’s unrestricted and the right archetype.

[2centsworth]

Good content.

[baseline bum]

Almost zero chance they take Topic. Amen already fills the PG of the future who cant shoot role.

I think the pick is 50/50 Sheppard v Clingan tbh. They're gonna look at their division + West and see Wemby, Zion, and Joker and realize they'll need a true big to guard them which is why I ultimately think it'll be Clingan.

I do think the Wizards go Topic tbh.

Yeah Amen is everything Topic is plus elite defense and athleticism.

[baseline bum]

Rockets are going to take a point. Not sure why this is debatable. FVV's deal ends after this season (well, team option). They can grab a guy to be the sixth man this year and then take the reigns next season. Let FVV walk or trade him to someone interested.

The Rockets have a point way better than anyone else in this draft in Amen Thompson.

[Mugen]

That Chet guy doesn't look bad either. But that's a good point.

I don't think you'll need a traditional big to guard Chet tbh but yeah add him to the list. KAT as well I guess.

Yeah Amen is everything Topic is plus elite defense and athleticism.

Amen doesn't have the handle, the playmaking, nor the BBIQ that Topic has. I also think Topic eventually figures out a 3pt shoot to the point he's above average in that regard. Amen is the better prospect as a 99th percentile athlete but I'd be shocked if ever becomes an average shooter in the league tbh.

[Manuismyhomeboy]

We need this skill set so bad!

[CorrectCrusader]

[rascal]

I don't think you'll need a traditional big to guard Chet tbh but yeah add him to the list. KAT as well I guess.



Amen doesn't have the handle, the playmaking, nor the BBIQ that Topic has. I also think Topic eventually figures out a 3pt shoot to the point he's above average in that regard. Amen is the better prospect as a 99th percentile athlete but I'd be shocked if ever becomes an average shooter in the league tbh.

BBIQ how do you figure one guy has BBIQ and another guy doesn't? White players are always seen as having high BBIQ.

[CorrectCrusader]

Castle is apparently 6'2 lmao wtf

[PhantomDashCam]

From Hoopshype:

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-draf...for-each-team/

Following Victor Wembanyama’s Rookie of the Year campaign, armed with a projected $20-26 million in cap space, and now four picks in this year’s draft (4, 8, 35, 48), the San Antonio Spurs are positioning themselves to improve around their franchise cornerstone.When asked by HoopsHype’s Cyro Asseo de Choch if the Spurs plan on being aggressive to improve the team now, Spurs executive Brian Wright replied, “I think that’s always the strategy. We want to understand the draft from top to bottom, whether that’s moving up or moving back. We’ll look to be as active as we always are.”
While San Antonio will be aggressive in its due diligence to improve the team now, the franchise has more future flexibility with Devonte’ Graham’s contract expiring in 2025, and Zach Collins coming off the books in 2026, both before Wembanyama will eventually command a maximum salary.
Currently, San Antonio’s biggest need is finding a long-term point guard to pair with Wembanyama and Devin Vassell as part of the team’s core, given the inconsistent role Tre Jones had last season.
Reed Sheppard is a name to keep an eye on for the Spurs in the draft along with Nikola Topic if he’s still on the board.
As for Trae Young trade speculation, as noted in the Hawks section above, league sources said the Hawks and Spurs didn’t have substantive conversations about such a trade before the deadline. Those same league sources cast doubt ahead of the lottery regarding that changing in the future.

[scott]

Probably, and I can't predict what they're gonna do, but I'm not sure they're gonna give up on Branham and Wesley that easily, which would be 2 lost picks only after 2 years, even though they were 20s pick...

I don't know where both could have been picked this year (maybe lottery) but if spurs pick another two who happen to be meh in an average dradt, that becomes a problem and that's where the "proven talent vs. picks" debate chimes in, and why picks have lost trade value throughout the year in the NBA (and why teams have to heavily pack them to get a star in return)... If you keep "losing" picks on players who won't do it, you not only don't improve the roster but degrade your trading abilities.

That's also what a team like Detroit must be thnking and I ofc do hope whoever spurs would pick this year would succeed, but I also believe trading one or two of the picks for provent talent (or a star in a bigger trade) to improve this team around Wemby is definitely something PATFO won't exclude.

To clarify, I don't think the Spurs need to force themselves to move off of Blake and Bran at this point, but let's say you draft Dillingham and Juan Nunez in this draft, and Nunez completely outperforms Blake in camp and pre-season. At that point Blake is easy to move on from. Sucks to give up on a former FRP, but it sucks more to pass on better players because you're afraid of moving on from FRPs.

[DPG21920]

To clarify, I don't think the Spurs need to force themselves to move off of Blake and Bran at this point, but let's say you draft Dillingham and Juan Nunez in this draft, and Nunez completely outperforms Blake in camp and pre-season. At that point Blake is easy to move on from. Sucks to give up on a former FRP, but it sucks more to pass on better players because you're afraid of moving on from FRPs.

Yup - it’s all a sunk cost now. Those guys have to earn spots on this team and if someone comes in with better ceiling and talent (which is likely with all the picks SA has coming up) then they are gone and who cares.

[itzsoweezee]

Yikes!

[Seventyniner]

The FO cut Samanic and let Lonnie walk. I don't think they are prone to the Sunk Cost Fallacy.

[RC_Drunkford]

oh our scrubs gon have to work their asses off to stay on the team. There won't be any job security with 2 top 10 picks coming in. Champagnie, Branham and Wesley are all up to losing their spot in the rotation.

[exstatic]

The FO cut Samanic and let Lonnie walk. I don't think they are prone to the Sunk Cost Fallacy.

They also non-extended Kyle, and removed his restriction so that he could cash out more than they wanted to pay.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

There's maybe 5-6 guys on this squad who should consider themselves safe. Everyone else should be cuttable / tradeable.

[Kevin]

Yeah Bran and Blake can go. JC made really nice strides in the second half of the season on defense and could be a 3 & D guy moving forward.

[CGD]

I knew it. That 6’1” looks generous too, but that’s probably more about the slight frame.

[JPB]

To clarify, I don't think the Spurs need to force themselves to move off of Blake and Bran at this point, but let's say you draft Dillingham and Juan Nunez in this draft, and Nunez completely outperforms Blake in camp and pre-season. At that point Blake is easy to move on from. Sucks to give up on a former FRP, but it sucks more to pass on better players because you're afraid of moving on from FRPs.

Oh I agree with that, my point was rather using the picks to trade rather than draft.

[tbdog]

I read topic suffered serious knee injury. Anyone that follows that can comment?

[Anonymous Cowherd]

I like the write-up, but as it looks at likely narratives and how that works for us (agreed), it also therefore neatly dodges a difficult and also interesting scenario:

If Sarr is still available at 4, should we / do we take him?
Same question, Clingan.


(And same question, slimmer odds but with this draft don't rule it out - if one of them is available at 8 and we didn't take one at 4, should we / do we then? Surely, yes?)

[Russ]

I like the write-up, but as it looks at likely narratives and how that works for us (agreed), it also therefore neatly dodges a difficult and also interesting scenario:

If Sarr is still available at 4, should we / do we take him?
Same question, Clingan.


(And same question, slimmer odds but with this draft don't rule it out - if one of them is available at 8 and we didn't take one at 4, should we / do we then? Surely, yes?)

If Sarr is (somehow) available at 4, you hand convey the pick to Adam Silver by a paid courier accompanied by a cardiologist just in case.