2024 NBA Draft Prospects

[HadAnEffectHere]

My current list of guys the Jazz could draft at 10 (ranked in order of likeliness)

-Matas Buzelis
-Cody Williams
-Ron Holland
-Tidjane Salaun
-Isaiah Collier
-Yves Missi
-Bub Carrington

Buzelis and Salaun are awful to be clear, but they seem like traditional Ainge picks.

[Catchall]

I think AJ Johnson is a 1st-rd level talent. I liken him to a Costco Kirkland brand version of Zach Lavine. He's not as long and explosive as Zach, but can do much of the same stuff.

Read on Twitter

[Catchall]

My current list of guys the Jazz could draft at 10 (ranked in order of likeliness)

-Matas Buzelis
-Cody Williams
-Ron Holland
-Tidjane Salaun
-Isaiah Collier
-Yves Missi
-Bub Carrington

Buzelis and Salaun are awful to be clear, but they seem like traditional Ainge picks.

That's probably fair. I think it's going to be one of Williams, Holland or Salaun, maybe Knecht at 10. However, I also think the Jazz are looking at 5s. They interviewed Sarr, Clingan and Edey at the Combine.

I could also see the Jazz package their picks to move up to the low 20s for someone like Carter, Filipowski or Ware (if they believe in him).

[HadAnEffectHere]

My current list of guys the Jazz could draft at 10 (ranked in order of likeliness)

-Matas Buzelis
-Cody Williams
-Ron Holland
-Tidjane Salaun
-Isaiah Collier
-Yves Missi
-Bub Carrington

Buzelis and Salaun are awful to be clear, but they seem like traditional Ainge picks.

That's probably fair. I think it's going to be one of Williams, Holland or Salaun, maybe Knecht at 10. However, I also think the Jazz are looking at 5s. They interviewed Sarr, Clingan and Edey at the Combine.

I could also see the Jazz package their picks to move up to the low 20s for someone like Carter, Filipowski or Ware (if they believe in him).

I mean, Sarr, Clingan, and Edey are just in the Jazz's range. Sarr has a chance to drop to 10 if he shoots really badly in workouts, Clingan could drop to 10 with bad medicals, and Edey's range starts at 9. I think the Jazz don't like Kessler and would be fine replacing him if they really like one of the center prospects and they're available, but we'll see.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Sarah Todd said the Jazz really like Kyshawn George and Reed Sheppard fwiw.

I think they'll have to trade up from 29 to get George.

[Catchall]

Sarah Todd said the Jazz really like Kyshawn George and Reed Sheppard fwiw.

I think they'll have to trade up from 29 to get George.

If you look at who the Ainge regime likes to draft, it's guys who reliably shoot the ball. That's why I have some doubts about them taking Castle.

Incidentally, the DesNews article didn't mention the Jazz meeting with Buzelis or Walter. Not sure if that means anything.

I do think the Jazz are discussing trade scenarios with Lauri. I'm not saying they'll pull the trigger, but around the league teams think that Lauri might be gettable. I could see the Jazz having a discussion with Atlanta about the #1 pick, at least as an exercise. It's just speculation, but it could be a reason why they met with Sarr.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Sarr's range is way bigger than people think. There are huge questions with him on offense and if he struggles in workouts, he could fall to 7 or 9.

[Hoops Addict]

This mock has Salaun going #7.......he is 18, so he will get better.....tall, 7-4 reach, athletic..can shoot....for the NBA the defense and shooting translates......he passes the eye test for being fluid and he can defend.
https://nbadraftroom.com/p/2024-nba-mock-draft/

Read on Twitter

[Hoops Addict]

https://youtu.be/iWDKMSOVqEo?si=77Bqmai7A3AwX6hb

[HadAnEffectHere]

https://youtu.be/iWDKMSOVqEo?si=77Bqmai7A3AwX6hb

1. It's very plausible we draft him
2. This guy is the worst pure basketball player ever likely to be picked in the lottery.

He could improve and has improved a lot over the season, but he is bad at legitimately all aspects of basketball and isn't even close in most areas. He also has a pretty limited ceiling due to his inability to dribble or block shots.

Salaun defensively is like a several several several year project with minimal defensive upside and his offense is worse.

[HadAnEffectHere]

I do worry a lot that because Ainge missed out on Coulibaly last year (who was the guy he wanted) that he'll get Salaun to try to make up for that.

... Salaun is a lot worse than Coulibaly.

He will be a better long-term shooter, but he's massively worse at everything else.

[HadAnEffectHere]

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/1cvsayd/siderythere_are_whispers_of_stephon_castle_and/

Seems like Castle and his agent are considering sabotaging his draft stock by refusing to work out for teams with PGs so that he is assured of playing PG in the NBA.

This would leave the Wizards, Spurs, Jazz, and Bulls as the only viable teams in the lottery for him.

[Catchall]

Sarah Todd said the Jazz really like Kyshawn George and Reed Sheppard fwiw.

I think they'll have to trade up from 29 to get George.

The thing that Reed and George have in common is that they can really shoot, including from deep range. They also aren't defensive liabilities. Kyshawn could be in play at #10. Don't be shocked.

[Catchall]

I do worry a lot that because Ainge missed out on Coulibaly last year (who was the guy he wanted) that he'll get Salaun to try to make up for that.

... Salaun is a lot worse than Coulibaly.

He will be a better long-term shooter, but he's massively worse at everything else.

I generally agree with this. Coulibaly has elite measurables, elite athleticism, elite defense, and the ability to use his physical advantages on the offensive end, all at age 18. Salaun's appeal is mostly his size/length and high energy level. He shows some flashes of feel and shooting, but otherwise his skill level is actually fairly limited.

[Catchall]

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/1cvsayd/siderythere_are_whispers_of_stephon_castle_and/

Seems like Castle and his agent are considering sabotaging his draft stock by refusing to work out for teams with PGs so that he is assured of playing PG in the NBA.

This would leave the Wizards, Spurs, Jazz, and Bulls as the only viable teams in the lottery for him.

If I were the Jazz, I wouldn't commit to Castle playing at point guard. He doesn't beat people off the dribble, he doesn't get all the way to the rim, and he's a limited shooter. Not exactly a good formula for a point guard. I'm wondering if he's just trying to avoid Charlotte and Detroit.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Sarah Todd said the Jazz really like Kyshawn George and Reed Sheppard fwiw.

I think they'll have to trade up from 29 to get George.

The thing that Reed and George have in common is that they can really shoot, including from deep range. They also aren't defensive liabilities.

Yeah, I would not be confident about Sheppard or George being able to defend in the NBA. They have huge lateral quickness concerns for their size.

[Catchall]

Sarah Todd said the Jazz really like Kyshawn George and Reed Sheppard fwiw.

I think they'll have to trade up from 29 to get George.

The thing that Reed and George have in common is that they can really shoot, including from deep range. They also aren't defensive liabilities.

Yeah, I would not be confident about Sheppard or George being able to defend in the NBA. They have huge lateral quickness concerns for their size.

Sheppard is just small. George is a fairly disciplined positional defender with solid length. He shouldn't be a problem defensively.

[MalonesElbows]

This will be the draft and stash class. Won’t be surprised if Utah doesn’t trade out of these late picks or drafts Euros who will stay in Europe for a few years.

The Jazz will never do that again after Ante Tomic.

[SoCalJazzFan]

My interest in Stephon Castle is still piqued, particularly as a PG. He is nearly 6'7" and played PG in HS and played SG at UConn as they already had a starting PG. His stance on not wanting to be drafted by a team with a starting PG can be concerning as a sign of bad attitude, or viewed as him having perspective of the position that he is most likely to succeed in the NBA.

Here is a link to an article about him in HS. https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/high-school-notebook-stephon-castle-is-on-the-rise He was shooting 31% from 3 (not great, but better than the 27% at UConn). The clip is from a game against a highly rated team where he scored 41pts. The clip is pretty much him scoring.

I will be interested to hear how he does in workouts and if his distance shooting has come around. Also, I'd like to hear how his playmaking is and we didn't see much of that at UConn.

I don't have a list of favorites for the Jazz to draft yet, but I see Castle as a possibility, particularly if they are willing to move up. He could certainly play alongside Keyonte.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Castle next to Keyonte is completely uninteresting as Castle's entire appeal is that he can play PG while being big enough not to be exploited by wings like Luka and Tatum.

If you put Keyonte out there, this benefit is completely nullified because those wings will just go after Keyonte.

Castle is way too slow and unathletic to ever be much of a scoring option, his whole appeal is playing PG.

He also has no shot in the NBA unless he becomes an elite elite shooter.

Any of Castle, Collier, Sheppard, Dillingham, or Topic is a soft giving up on Keyonte (which is fine as Keyonte has minimal upside).