Everything 2018 NBA draft

[Apollo]

Ayton in college was a historically bad defensive big man. Booker can't defend worth a damn. They are going to struggle on that end.

Ayton is 7'1" 260lbs and was asked to defend guards out on the perimeter a lot because they played him out of position at the 4. He will play his natural position in the NBA more than likely. Moving him in closer to the basket probably bumps up his block rate a lot(his first knock by his detractors) and secondly, it reduces instances where he's defending guards out on the perimeter. Just as some players have skills hidden because of the system, others can have weaknesses amplified by the system. If the Suns want to play him as a PF they deserve to fail. He sure does look like The Admiral on offense.

Booker is young, there's still hope. Worst case they're still really fun to watch.

[Barolt]

Ayton is 7'1" 260lbs and was asked to defend guards out on the perimeter a lot because they played him out of position at the 4. He will play his natural position in the NBA more than likely. Moving him in closer to the basket probably bumps up his block rate a lot(his first knock by his detractors) and secondly, it reduces instances where he's defending guards out on the perimeter. Just as some players have skills hidden because of the system, others can have weaknesses amplified by the system. If the Suns want to play him as a PF they deserve to fail. He sure does look like The Admiral on offense.

Booker is young, there's still hope. Worst case they're still really fun to watch.

The thing is, like I said, Ayton doesn't grade out badly on defense, he grades out HISTORICALLY badly. As in, no big, projected in the lottery, since 2010 has graded out worse or even close.

He grades out worse than Jahlil Okafor, worse than Anthony Bennett defensively. And plus-minus statistics are built to make big men look good.

[Scraptor]

I'm on board for trading him. I'm telling you this Grizzlies thing is a fantasy.

I feel like everyone is forgetting that John Hollinger is the number 2 guy in Memphis.

Who the hell is John Hollinger!? #Clown

— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) October 25, 2012

[Apollo]

The thing is, like I said, Ayton doesn't grade out badly on defense, he grades out HISTORICALLY badly. As in, no big, projected in the lottery, since 2010 has graded out worse or even close.

He grades out worse than Jahlil Okafor, worse than Anthony Bennett defensively. And plus-minus statistics are built to make big men look good.

He's only 19 though and he has all the physical tools and athleticism to be effective. He also has a well rounded game on offense, something Okafor and Bennett don't have. No doubt defense doesn't come naturally but if it can be coached in anyone it can be coached into a 19 year old 7'1' 260lb freak athlete. I'd take that bet.

[Apollo]

Also Okafor is a poor athlete and Bennett wasn't much better. Bennett played out of shape.

[LJ2]

I feel like everyone is forgetting that John Hollinger is the number 2 guy in Memphis.

Who the hell is John Hollinger!? #Clown

— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) October 25, 2012

hahaha! Well that is the end of that story.

[Apollo]

hahaha! Well that is the end of that story.

Poor Hollinger's analytics hasn't been able to give them an edge in the back end of the draft. It's tough picking back there though.

[Barolt]

I feel like everyone is forgetting that John Hollinger is the number 2 guy in Memphis.

Who the hell is John Hollinger!? #Clown

— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) October 25, 2012

A lot can change in six years though. I just don't buy that this six-year old tweet rules everything out.

[Rudy Bargnani]

hahaha! Well that is the end of that story.

Is it though? I mean I agree with why Memphis shouldn’t trade the #4 pick. But it’s been reported they are shopping Parsons and #4.
They should have traded Gasol last year for a pick/picks.

What does #4 and parsons get you? I mean if you’re making that trade you’re probably looking for an asset that can contribute immediately. If they trade that package Derozan is a possibility.

[Fuchan]

Why the need to unload Parsons I wonder, I always considered him a decent player. I guess the contract is pretty big for his production, but next year is the last year of the deal is it not?

[LJ2]

Also, I can't see a small market team like Memphis passing up on a high lottery pick. This is as high a pick as they've had since the Thabeet pick in 2009.

[Scraptor]

A lot can change in six years though. I just don't buy that this six-year old tweet rules everything out.

That's not the point of the tweet. The tweet was made in response to Hollinger ranking DeMar poorly based on analytics.

Hollinger still being so high up in Memphis likely means they still take an analytics-based approach. Hollinger sees all the same stuff you see (and more) when you use analytics to question the value of DeMar DeRozan.

So I wouldn't hold your breath for Memphis trading with us.

[DanH]

I feel like everyone is forgetting that John Hollinger is the number 2 guy in Memphis.

Who the hell is John Hollinger!? #Clown

— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) October 25, 2012

In the 2011-12 season, DeRozan had a PER of 12.8. Hollinger, the creator of PER, somewhat unsurprisingly ranked DeRozan as a below average player (average PER is 15).

In the 2017-18 season, DeRozan had a PER of 21.0, and over the past three seasons averaged a PER of 22.

DeRozan was 15th in minutes played, and among the top 100 players in minutes played (2000+ MP total), he ranked 15th in PER.

That's a very different player from the one that Hollinger was less than high on early in his career.

[Rudy Bargnani]

That's not the point of the tweet. The tweet was made in response to Hollinger ranking DeMar poorly based on analytics.

Hollinger still being so high up in Memphis likely means they still take an analytics-based approach. Hollinger sees all the same stuff you see (and more) when you use analytics to question the value of DeMar DeRozan.

So I wouldn't hold your breath for Memphis trading with us.

My recollection was that Hollinger predicted the raps would win 33 games. Derozan disagreed.

[Barolt]

That's not the point of the tweet. The tweet was made in response to Hollinger ranking DeMar poorly based on analytics.

Hollinger still being so high up in Memphis likely means they still take an analytics-based approach. Hollinger sees all the same stuff you see (and more) when you use analytics to question the value of DeMar DeRozan.

So I wouldn't hold your breath for Memphis trading with us.

Hollinger still works for the owner who declared that they would win 50 games, and if he's told to get them there, he might have to do what makes the owner happy.