Post by Majic on Mar 22, 2022 14:58:23 GMT -5
This is arguably one of the more disappointing draft classes in recent memory. The #1 overall pick is one of the better players we have seen but the rest of the class has not lived up to the hype.
This can be especially painful for some of the teams that went all in for this class, or had multiple first round draft picks. Let's take a look at how the top 10 picks unfolded and what we would have done differently with the benefit of hindsight. I had planned to initially look at the first 15 picks but I will be honest, I struggled to fill out the top 10. Ended up having 3 second rounders jump into the first round and a lot of shakeup.
So, with that, here is the 3020 Redraft:
1. Indiana Pacers (from Charlotte Bobcats) - Larry Bird SF 6'9'' 220 21 B+ B- C, C, B- A, Indiana State
Redraft Pick: Larry Bird SF 6'9'' 220 21 B+ B- C, C, B- A, Indiana State
Majic Comments: This is the easiest decision in this redraft as Larry has the highest WS total, most points and elite rebounding numbers. As I mentioned in the intro, Bird has lived up to his billing as the #1 pick and should continue to be a stud for many years. Not much to dislike if you are the Pacers.
Druce Comments: Definitely a no brainer. Bird is a legitimate stud. There really isn’t a ton more to say. He does everything well.
2. New York Knicks - Clemon Johnson C 6'10'' 240 21 B+ C- C, B- B- B, Florida A&M
Redraft Pick: Butch Lee PG 6'0'' 185 21 C, C+ B+ C+ D, B, Marquette
Majic Comments: Butch is second in WS for this class and not far behind Larry, but that could also be due to his position. However, Butch has been a big reason for the resurgance in Charlotte and continue to provide great value for a 7th overall pick. You can nitpick small parts of his game but overall Butch is a high end PG and should continue to provide good production. You can talk about positional value as the Knicks still had Kyrie in his prime but there is a big drop off after these first two picks. I am sure the Knicks would have preferred to have an asset with the upside that Lee has shown.
Druce Comments: Really no argument from me on this selection. This draft was dog shit in hindsight. I’m not in love with Butch as a player, but his ranking in this class is appropriate. Would love to see him score more efficiently. Yes he’s got low turnovers, solid assist numbers and is a willing scorer, but I wouldn’t put him in the top tier or two of point guards in the league.
3. Vancouver Grizzlies (from Milwaukee Bucks) - Reggie Theus SG 6'6'' 195 20 B+ C+ C, C+ C, B, UNLV
Redraft Pick: Purvis Short SF 6'7'' 209 20 B+ C, C, C, B- B, Jackson State
Majic Comments: This is where things get interesting as there is a noticeable drop off. Lee and Bird have compiled over 30 WS to this point while the rest of this next group drops down to 18 or less. I am going with Purvis for this pick as he has a little bit more sustained success. Freeman Williams has slightly more WS and had a breakout season, but I think its fair to go with the more proven player. I know that Druce struggled with this pick and ultimately selected Theus, but I am sure he would prefer to have Short right now.
Druce Comments: Purvis is a solid player. I’d actually consider him at 1.2. Solid if unspectacular rebounding, doesn’t turn it over, very efficient scorer. Pretty much the best you can hope for in this shit heap. He’d fit in very nicely with the current Grizz group.
4. Utah Jazz (from Indiana Pacers) - Purvis Short SF 6'7'' 209 20 B+ C, C, C, B- B, Jackson State
Redraft Pick: Freeman Williams SG 6'4'' 190 22 B, C+ C, C+ C, C, Portland State
Majic Comments: Easily the biggest mover on the board, Freeman jumps up from the second round and ends up going top 5. This might be a bit of a projection or gamble, but I am willing to take the risk. He has started this season in a bit of a slump but I am willing to bank on he %’s coming up. Even in limited minutes his first 2 years he showed good efficiency before blowing up last season. He chips in on the defensive end and is an adequate enough rebounder for the position.
Druce Comments: Williams has proven to be a very good player in an outside offense. His outside blooming to an A certainly supports that. Not a fit for every team per se but at the least a very viable starting shooting guard for most.
5. Vancouver Grizzlies - Mychal Thompson C 6'10'' 226 23 B- C, C, C, B- B, Minnesota
Redraft Pick: Reggie Theus SG 6'6'' 195 20 B+ C+ C, C+ C, B, UNLV
Majic Comments: I struggled with this pick more than I thought I would but ultimately settled on Theus. Listen, he is a fine player and a quality starter for any number of teams. But for me, he just lacks that extra gear that you might hope to get with a top 5 pick. THere isn't one specific category that really stands out and you would prefer his scoring to be a bit more efficient.
Druce Comments: Honestly I’d rather have Sanders, Apke, and maybe Judkins here. Theus sucks, he never got any better and I’m willing to bet got worse at a few things through tc. I thought at the very least he’d end up a top tier scorer, but he hasn’t. Fuck Hang Time and fuck Reggie Theus.
6. Charlotte Hornets - Jerome Whitehead C 6'10'' 220 21 C+ C, C- B+ C+ C, Marquette
Redraft Pick: Frankie Sanders SF 6'6'' 200 21 B, C, C- C+ C+ C, Southern
Majic Comments: This really came down to 2 players for me and I ended up picking Frankie. This is another high riser as Frankie jumps from the top of the second round all the way up to the #6 pick of the draft. That shows just how lackluster this class has been. Frankie was a bit overshadowed on the Sonics but has blossomed since joining the Blazers. He is an extremely efficient scorer and has an overall well rounded game. He may never be a true star for a team but he is an overqualified 3rd wing.
Druce Comments: His per36 of 23/8 on 1.249 p/tsa this season is exceptional. I’d love to have him on my team. Turns it over a bit much but I can live w/it. One of the best #3 wings in the league I’d imagine.
7. Charlotte Hornets (from Washington Bullets) - Butch Lee PG 6'0'' 185 21 C, C+ B+ C+ D, B, Marquette
Redraft Pick: Clemon Johnson C 6'10'' 240 21 B+ C- C, B- B- B, Florida A&M
Majic Comments: Clemon has a decent fall in our redraft, falling from the 2nd overall pick down to the 7th spot, and in my opinion could have fallen even more. Clemon is your old school no score big that puts up strong rebounding and blocking numbers. He fits perfectly with an outside focus team but doesn't really slot into a traditional big role. Its not my position of choice and I would probably go a different route, but I understand some GM’s like it.
Druce Comments: I’d take Apke here personally. He’s essentially Frankie Sanders with better defense but not quite as efficient. Any wing with A inside is going to be a valuable asset in the league and that's what Rick has. Clemon is just blah to me. Solid 3rd big who doesn’t turn it over and blocks some shots. I’m not entirely sure why Majic calls him a no score big considering his per36 is 19ppg. A solid player no doubt, but one that exists with more frequency in the league.
8. Vancouver Grizzlies (from Portland Trail Blazers) - Mo Cheeks PG 6'1'' 180 21 C+ C, A- B+ D, B, West Texas A&M
Redraft Pick: Jack Givens SF 6'5'' 205 21 C+ B- C, C+ C+ C, Kentucky
Majic Comments: Look at that, another 2nd rounder jumping up into the top 10, did I mention this class was lackluster? I feel like Jack is a little overlooked, or at least underrated, in terms of his skill. Jack is a solid player and with increased minutes the last 2 years his production has increased. He has A- inside scoring and a B+ outside, that's a nice building block to look at moving forward. Similar to Frankie he won't be a star but can provide solid depth for a contending team.
Druce Comments: Givens has an impressive stat line with the Hawks though you’d like to see the efficiency higher. I’d probably take him over Theus as well. Theus sucks ass.
9. Utah Jazz - Ricky Gallon C 7'0'' 220 21 B- C- C- B+ C+ B, Post Defense Louisville
Redraft Pick: Jerome Whitehead C 6'10'' 220 21 C+ C, C- B+ C+ C, Marquette
Majic Comments: Thi is another defensive rebounding big who is easily the best shot blocker of the class. I slotted him behind Clemon as his efficiency is far worse, even if he isnt shooting much I would still prefer it to be somewhat efficient. Whitehead is the best defensive big in the class and its worth taking a shot on him at this point.
Druce Comments: Whitehead fits in very well in Charlotte. He has 2 jobs and does them both well. Rebound and block shots. Fecta got himself a nice compliment to his scorers in Whitehead.
10. Vancouver Grizzlies (from Cleveland Cavaliers) - Jeff Judkins SF 6'6'' 185 22 B, C, C- C, C+ A, Oklahoma Special Utah
Redraft Pick: Rick Apke SF 6'8'' 195 21 C+ C, C, C+ C, A, Creighton
Majic Comments: We round out the top 10 with our third second rounder jumping up. Rick’s profile strength was potential and it looks like TC helped him alot. Apke’s efficiency has yo-yoed throughout his career but even at his worst he was a solid contributor. He is having a career year now that he is surrounded by better talent, so he could be just tapping into another gear. I could easily see another team liking him more than some of the others ahead of him.
Druce Comments: Like I previously stated I’d have picked Apke quite a bit earlier here. Very nice player with solid scoring and defense. I’m done drafting fucking profile players.
This can be especially painful for some of the teams that went all in for this class, or had multiple first round draft picks. Let's take a look at how the top 10 picks unfolded and what we would have done differently with the benefit of hindsight. I had planned to initially look at the first 15 picks but I will be honest, I struggled to fill out the top 10. Ended up having 3 second rounders jump into the first round and a lot of shakeup.
So, with that, here is the 3020 Redraft:
1. Indiana Pacers (from Charlotte Bobcats) - Larry Bird SF 6'9'' 220 21 B+ B- C, C, B- A, Indiana State
Redraft Pick: Larry Bird SF 6'9'' 220 21 B+ B- C, C, B- A, Indiana State
Majic Comments: This is the easiest decision in this redraft as Larry has the highest WS total, most points and elite rebounding numbers. As I mentioned in the intro, Bird has lived up to his billing as the #1 pick and should continue to be a stud for many years. Not much to dislike if you are the Pacers.
Druce Comments: Definitely a no brainer. Bird is a legitimate stud. There really isn’t a ton more to say. He does everything well.
2. New York Knicks - Clemon Johnson C 6'10'' 240 21 B+ C- C, B- B- B, Florida A&M
Redraft Pick: Butch Lee PG 6'0'' 185 21 C, C+ B+ C+ D, B, Marquette
Majic Comments: Butch is second in WS for this class and not far behind Larry, but that could also be due to his position. However, Butch has been a big reason for the resurgance in Charlotte and continue to provide great value for a 7th overall pick. You can nitpick small parts of his game but overall Butch is a high end PG and should continue to provide good production. You can talk about positional value as the Knicks still had Kyrie in his prime but there is a big drop off after these first two picks. I am sure the Knicks would have preferred to have an asset with the upside that Lee has shown.
Druce Comments: Really no argument from me on this selection. This draft was dog shit in hindsight. I’m not in love with Butch as a player, but his ranking in this class is appropriate. Would love to see him score more efficiently. Yes he’s got low turnovers, solid assist numbers and is a willing scorer, but I wouldn’t put him in the top tier or two of point guards in the league.
3. Vancouver Grizzlies (from Milwaukee Bucks) - Reggie Theus SG 6'6'' 195 20 B+ C+ C, C+ C, B, UNLV
Redraft Pick: Purvis Short SF 6'7'' 209 20 B+ C, C, C, B- B, Jackson State
Majic Comments: This is where things get interesting as there is a noticeable drop off. Lee and Bird have compiled over 30 WS to this point while the rest of this next group drops down to 18 or less. I am going with Purvis for this pick as he has a little bit more sustained success. Freeman Williams has slightly more WS and had a breakout season, but I think its fair to go with the more proven player. I know that Druce struggled with this pick and ultimately selected Theus, but I am sure he would prefer to have Short right now.
Druce Comments: Purvis is a solid player. I’d actually consider him at 1.2. Solid if unspectacular rebounding, doesn’t turn it over, very efficient scorer. Pretty much the best you can hope for in this shit heap. He’d fit in very nicely with the current Grizz group.
4. Utah Jazz (from Indiana Pacers) - Purvis Short SF 6'7'' 209 20 B+ C, C, C, B- B, Jackson State
Redraft Pick: Freeman Williams SG 6'4'' 190 22 B, C+ C, C+ C, C, Portland State
Majic Comments: Easily the biggest mover on the board, Freeman jumps up from the second round and ends up going top 5. This might be a bit of a projection or gamble, but I am willing to take the risk. He has started this season in a bit of a slump but I am willing to bank on he %’s coming up. Even in limited minutes his first 2 years he showed good efficiency before blowing up last season. He chips in on the defensive end and is an adequate enough rebounder for the position.
Druce Comments: Williams has proven to be a very good player in an outside offense. His outside blooming to an A certainly supports that. Not a fit for every team per se but at the least a very viable starting shooting guard for most.
5. Vancouver Grizzlies - Mychal Thompson C 6'10'' 226 23 B- C, C, C, B- B, Minnesota
Redraft Pick: Reggie Theus SG 6'6'' 195 20 B+ C+ C, C+ C, B, UNLV
Majic Comments: I struggled with this pick more than I thought I would but ultimately settled on Theus. Listen, he is a fine player and a quality starter for any number of teams. But for me, he just lacks that extra gear that you might hope to get with a top 5 pick. THere isn't one specific category that really stands out and you would prefer his scoring to be a bit more efficient.
Druce Comments: Honestly I’d rather have Sanders, Apke, and maybe Judkins here. Theus sucks, he never got any better and I’m willing to bet got worse at a few things through tc. I thought at the very least he’d end up a top tier scorer, but he hasn’t. Fuck Hang Time and fuck Reggie Theus.
6. Charlotte Hornets - Jerome Whitehead C 6'10'' 220 21 C+ C, C- B+ C+ C, Marquette
Redraft Pick: Frankie Sanders SF 6'6'' 200 21 B, C, C- C+ C+ C, Southern
Majic Comments: This really came down to 2 players for me and I ended up picking Frankie. This is another high riser as Frankie jumps from the top of the second round all the way up to the #6 pick of the draft. That shows just how lackluster this class has been. Frankie was a bit overshadowed on the Sonics but has blossomed since joining the Blazers. He is an extremely efficient scorer and has an overall well rounded game. He may never be a true star for a team but he is an overqualified 3rd wing.
Druce Comments: His per36 of 23/8 on 1.249 p/tsa this season is exceptional. I’d love to have him on my team. Turns it over a bit much but I can live w/it. One of the best #3 wings in the league I’d imagine.
7. Charlotte Hornets (from Washington Bullets) - Butch Lee PG 6'0'' 185 21 C, C+ B+ C+ D, B, Marquette
Redraft Pick: Clemon Johnson C 6'10'' 240 21 B+ C- C, B- B- B, Florida A&M
Majic Comments: Clemon has a decent fall in our redraft, falling from the 2nd overall pick down to the 7th spot, and in my opinion could have fallen even more. Clemon is your old school no score big that puts up strong rebounding and blocking numbers. He fits perfectly with an outside focus team but doesn't really slot into a traditional big role. Its not my position of choice and I would probably go a different route, but I understand some GM’s like it.
Druce Comments: I’d take Apke here personally. He’s essentially Frankie Sanders with better defense but not quite as efficient. Any wing with A inside is going to be a valuable asset in the league and that's what Rick has. Clemon is just blah to me. Solid 3rd big who doesn’t turn it over and blocks some shots. I’m not entirely sure why Majic calls him a no score big considering his per36 is 19ppg. A solid player no doubt, but one that exists with more frequency in the league.
8. Vancouver Grizzlies (from Portland Trail Blazers) - Mo Cheeks PG 6'1'' 180 21 C+ C, A- B+ D, B, West Texas A&M
Redraft Pick: Jack Givens SF 6'5'' 205 21 C+ B- C, C+ C+ C, Kentucky
Majic Comments: Look at that, another 2nd rounder jumping up into the top 10, did I mention this class was lackluster? I feel like Jack is a little overlooked, or at least underrated, in terms of his skill. Jack is a solid player and with increased minutes the last 2 years his production has increased. He has A- inside scoring and a B+ outside, that's a nice building block to look at moving forward. Similar to Frankie he won't be a star but can provide solid depth for a contending team.
Druce Comments: Givens has an impressive stat line with the Hawks though you’d like to see the efficiency higher. I’d probably take him over Theus as well. Theus sucks ass.
9. Utah Jazz - Ricky Gallon C 7'0'' 220 21 B- C- C- B+ C+ B, Post Defense Louisville
Redraft Pick: Jerome Whitehead C 6'10'' 220 21 C+ C, C- B+ C+ C, Marquette
Majic Comments: Thi is another defensive rebounding big who is easily the best shot blocker of the class. I slotted him behind Clemon as his efficiency is far worse, even if he isnt shooting much I would still prefer it to be somewhat efficient. Whitehead is the best defensive big in the class and its worth taking a shot on him at this point.
Druce Comments: Whitehead fits in very well in Charlotte. He has 2 jobs and does them both well. Rebound and block shots. Fecta got himself a nice compliment to his scorers in Whitehead.
10. Vancouver Grizzlies (from Cleveland Cavaliers) - Jeff Judkins SF 6'6'' 185 22 B, C, C- C, C+ A, Oklahoma Special Utah
Redraft Pick: Rick Apke SF 6'8'' 195 21 C+ C, C, C+ C, A, Creighton
Majic Comments: We round out the top 10 with our third second rounder jumping up. Rick’s profile strength was potential and it looks like TC helped him alot. Apke’s efficiency has yo-yoed throughout his career but even at his worst he was a solid contributor. He is having a career year now that he is surrounded by better talent, so he could be just tapping into another gear. I could easily see another team liking him more than some of the others ahead of him.
Druce Comments: Like I previously stated I’d have picked Apke quite a bit earlier here. Very nice player with solid scoring and defense. I’m done drafting fucking profile players.
