Diabate to Clippers 13th pick of the second round

Submitted by m goblue on June 23rd, 2022 at 11:48 PM

See Title. Good for him.

mfan_in_ohio

June 23rd, 2022 at 11:57 PM ^

Describing both Michigan players drafted as “upside picks” is another way of saying “they kind of sucked from time to time last year but this team thinks they’ll get a lot better.”

AC1997

June 24th, 2022 at 12:09 AM ^

Yeah, and that's true.  But clearly the NBA just starts throwing darts after a while.  David Roddy was a first round pick and taken way before Liddell.  The ND shooting guard who can't shoot was a first rounder.  Patrick Baldwin set all time disaster records for his physical performance at the combine and was a first rounder.  The Knicks gave up a lottery pick for a future late first rounder and $9M.  

 

I don't get it.  

CityOfKlompton

June 24th, 2022 at 1:04 AM ^

Or maybe, just maybe, NBA GMs kind of know what they're doing for the most part?

This is the same board that:

  • Thought Troy Weaver had lost his mind signing Jerami Grant
  • Thought the 2020 draft was mediocre at best for the Pistons on draft night
  • Thought Jordan Poole would flop because he left too early
  • Wondered how any sane NBA team would draft Scottie Barnes at #4

bronxblue

June 24th, 2022 at 7:58 AM ^

1.  Weaver signing Grant didn't really make the Pistons any better, and so if that's considered a "success" because they were able to trade him years later for a pick that they then swung into another pick that turned into the 13th pick in this draft, that's some 7D chess going on.

2.  Bey and Stewart have been nice finds (via trades), but Hayes - the actual pick - has been pretty bad and I'm not sure what his future looks like in Detroit.

3.  Yes, we were all wrong about Poole, though I do wonder how he'll look when asked to carry more of the load.  When Curry was out this year the Warriors were well below .500 and Poole's on/off splits were about as good at Looney and Payton II.  I think he's turned into a good NBA player but he was also a first -round pick who went to one of the best teams in the league.  I'm not sure he'd be nearly as successful on another team.  

4.  Barnes surprised a lot of people being that good.

 

Fans certainly aren't 100% right.  But I can also point to the 2020 NBA draft  (as just one example) for some lowlights by NBA GMs, such as Cleveland taking Okoro #5, Williams from FSU #4, and letting guys like Haliburton and (especially) Desmond Bane go later than they should.

My point is we may well be wrong but at least with guys like Poole and Barnes you saw them have success in college - you could see how they'd be good on the pros.  Houstan had one mediocre year in college and has clear deficiencies.  Maybe the pros will unlock that potential and he'll succeed, but presuming that because some guys were successful while being doubted ignores the MANY times that wasn't true.

Perkis-Size Me

June 24th, 2022 at 12:48 PM ^

I think its usually that after the first five picks or so, you're usually not going to find a player that you're realistically going to have on your roster from Day 1. They're guys who will likely be spending time in the developmental league. 

The NBA draft from year to year seems pretty top-heavy, so unless you own one of those first few picks where you feel confident in knowing you're getting a Day 1 starter, it doesn't surprise me that teams just decide to swing for the fences on guys with a lot of potential and hope they pan out. 

tspoon

June 25th, 2022 at 1:49 PM ^

The clown show that is the Knicks were doing anything to get cap room in order to go all-in for … {wait for it} … Jalen Brunson.

I sure wish Jalen Brunson had come to Michigan over Nova.  Love that guy as a player.

He sure has improved as a pro.  I’m sure it has nothing to do with playing alongside Luka.

New York has their own Luka for him to play alongside, right?  Isn’t that the plan?

Oh wait.

BuddhaBlue

June 24th, 2022 at 1:30 PM ^

Well, he gets to be a relatively rich kid in Los Angeles. Don't know much about the Clips besides the two max players, but looking at their roster, seems like their front court could use some help (obviously, that's why they drafted him). Good luck Moussa!