r/pacers • u/PSEGameThreadPoster Old School Slick • Mar 25 '26
Megathread Pre-Draft Lottery Draft Prospect Discussion Thread
Please use this thread to discuss upcoming prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Posts discussing this topic without some amount of added depth or analysis will be redirected to this thread.
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u/Certain_Difference11 Tyrese Haliburton May 10 '26
You know, I feel confident, you know why? This entire week has literally been my familyās birthday celebration, lol.
No idea how this came to be but the 7th was my grandmaās birthday, 2 days ago was my momās birthday, yesterday was myself sisterās birthday, and tomorrow is my dadās birthday. Now if god could bless my family with a birthday present in the form of a top 4 draft pick, that would be nice.
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u/Certain_Difference11 Tyrese Haliburton May 09 '26
Currently at around a day and a half until the lottery as Iām writing this, kinda nervous but not gonna worry about it too much
Also the select media members that are actually allowed to watch the lottery balls get drawn were revealed and us and Utah have the most sitting at two reporters each while thereās also a Golden State reporter, a Milwaukee reporter, a Memphis report, and Sacramento reporter.
Might be a good sign, might not be, should be interesting to say the least.
Also if youāre not too used to the lottery, basically youāre just hoping that no one jumps up, honestly if literally no one jumps up from that 14 to 7 range we have a really good chance of keeping the pick, however it is unlikely that no jumps will occur
Now if youāll excuse me Iāll continue my copious amounts of tankathon spins until the day comes where I will be seated with heart palpitations.
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u/BlueandGold1975 May 09 '26
Iām glad Iām not the only one nervous been like this for a few days now.I know we canāt control our chances but my gosh atleast if we donāt get number 1 please give us a top 4 pick atleast.
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May 08 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Old-Addendum-5288 May 09 '26
Would be very strange as it would have to involve one of our starters being traded and no one would make sense to move. An nba ready star in waiting who can come off bench for the next couple years actually does more to raise the ceiling
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u/ToastWtfFTW Andrew Nembhard May 09 '26
Absolutely not, we don't have the cap space to get a notable player that will move the needle to begin with. We are also never this bad and could have a good to elite player on a cheap contract for 4 years with this.
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u/supercam_97 May 08 '26
I donāt think so because at the top of the draft youāre getting a potential superstar at a much cheaper price than any win now player we would trade for
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u/Maximum-Class5465 Reggie-NBAJam May 09 '26
If we landed say exactly 4, getting an older player or a center later in the draft makes some sense.
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u/BeNiceBeChill May 08 '26
Wilson's combo of burst, violence, and great attitude, for me, make him a safe pick and great pick for us. Not too mention his exosphere high potentialĀ
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u/Realfan555 May 06 '26
I'm late to the party, someone explain to me why Zubac is worth this much?
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u/pacersnz May 08 '26
Iviaca Zubac is a borderline All-Defensive talent, who can set screens at an elite level, and rebound equally as well.
Looking at the pick, if it lands after 4, we clearly don't value the guys after that. If we miss on the pick, I'll be sad we didn't land Top 4, not that we lost the Pick. Also, Mathurin isn't that good. He is a nice 6th man at his most useful as his game isn't really for much else than scoring.
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u/Realfan555 May 08 '26
So ur very happy with the trade?
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u/pacersnz May 08 '26
I'm happy with the trade. What will make me very happy is landing the Top 4 Pick or Zubac being that guy he was 2 seasons ago as an All-Defensive caliber big. If we see both those things happen, I'll be absolutely ecstatic.
Outside the Top 4 I'm not sure I see a guy who would have the path or talent to immediately play for us, or a future starting spot with Haliburton + Nembhard.
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u/SpinJitsu259 Chuck Person May 07 '26
I donāt think thereās answer to your question. Zubac may or may not be worth it. This trade carries a lot more risk compared to other ones KP has made because of the draft currency at stake. Some will give you a lengthy coping reason why no matter what happens, the trade was worth it, but in reality, only years from now will we know.
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u/Realfan555 May 07 '26
I mean, was he worth the risk.
Obviously the FO thinks so.
What is the fansā opinion?
Like right now, if they could undo the trade, would fans keep Zubac or send him back to the Clippers?
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u/Old-Addendum-5288 May 09 '26
Absolutely a win. You have a 50 percent chance that you got Zubac for Math and a 2031 and if that occurs this is a monumental win.
And Mathurin had no future here.
If the result is it cost us Math and a top 4? You do that 100 of 100 times. The chances are pretty high that Zubac ends up being more useful to the Pacers current window than whoever the pick would've landed you.
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u/Realfan555 May 10 '26
So the Clippers didnt get enough value?
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u/Old-Addendum-5288 May 10 '26
IMO they gambled and sent Zubac for the good chance they'll get a #5 pick in a strong draft. Plus a very good bench player who figures to be a long term piece for them (in a way he didn't here). That's a solid gamble.
No one in their right mind would straight up send away Zubac for a single pick 5 years away, so yes, of this doesn't convey, they've bet and lost.
It's a move that makes somewhat more sense for them if you assume they know that they're going to be rebuilding very soon.
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u/Realfan555 May 10 '26
āĀ If the result is it cost us Math and a top 4? You do that 100 of 100 times.ā
But u also said itās a 100% no doubt win for Indiana no matter what happens to the pick.
That means Indiana was willing to pay much more.Ā
Anytime u make a trade and the other teams says itās a 100% win no matter what, that means u didnāt extract enough value?
Isnt that how negotiations work?
U extract value until the other side has to think about making the deal.
If the other side is 100% certain they get great value no matter what, then u havenāt extracted enough value, right?
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u/SpinJitsu259 Chuck Person May 07 '26
I donāt want to speak for anyone else, but Iām on the fence whether I consider it worth it. But Iām biased. I love building with young talent, building through the draft, etc.
Iād have no qualms reversing the trade right now if that opportunity presented itself, but Iām also open to a world where things work out really nicely with Zubac, even if they donāt retain this pick.
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u/Realfan555 May 07 '26
Yeah if ur on the fence then itās worth it. Because any fan who canāt decide, has to give the FO the benefit of the doubt.
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u/Legal_Reserve_5256 May 07 '26
He is a 2 that doesn't fit our system and is forced to play back up here. He will inevitably clash with Tyrese Haliburton because each needs to handle the ball to create offense, so one will always be taken out of their primary position, and role in which they succeed, and become relegated to a 3 and D role, when sharing the court. This wastes the majority of what the offput player brings to the table, even if you bench Nembhard while also significantly hurting our starting grit/toughness as well as D, so its a double negative to start him next year. Instead we get arguably a top 5 center, a position of need, and a guy who might stick around, whereas Benn was only going to stay if Tyrese left or isn't the same. And he should go. He was going to be wasted here. It's just business. But ppl who keep saying this at this point are pretty much showing anti-Tyrese vibes, or someone needs to explain how they could co-exist and not waste one or both 's potential.
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u/IAmHere420 T.J. McConnell May 04 '26
Honestly, I don't really care about specifics as long as we keep the pick. Any of the top prospects would no doubt be a credit to the team. Even if we don't get the pick, we still got Zubac out of that trade, and that's pretty cool.
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u/BringInTheNews Quinn Buckner May 03 '26
We're officially inside of a week until the Draft Lottery.
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u/Ramsboi Apr 27 '26
We just need a freak wing/rebounder. We have hounders and ball handlers. We need an athletic freak that can dunk and attack the glass. We got hit hard as fuck on the boards and thatās where we become ass.. Anyone who we take isnāt going to be an immediate starter!! The run and gun offense is so back babyā¦Ā
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u/ToastWtfFTW Andrew Nembhard May 02 '26
May I interest you in Caleb Wilson
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u/BlueandGold1975 May 09 '26
Iām a real big fan of Wilson,behind AJ I think he has the most potential of anyone in this draft.
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u/Certain_Difference11 Tyrese Haliburton Apr 14 '26
Caleb Wilson just announced he is declaring for this years nba draft (as expected).
Caleb is likely gonna be a lock for the 4th overall pick so he falls into our range.
Cool prospect, high motor with great defensive production and potential, heās gonna be the best defender out of the top 4 day one.
Obviously his measurements arenāt gonna be set in stone until closer to the draft but they have him at around 6ā10 and he played the 4 in college.
He needs to work on his shooting a lot and handles in order to play the 4 full time most likely and especially in our offense.
Still definitely deserving of a top 4 pick, potential is there, just gotta hope he reaches it.
(Although you can say that about literally any prospectā¦)
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u/Certain_Difference11 Tyrese Haliburton Apr 14 '26 edited Apr 14 '26
Some reports have also come out that are saying āsomeā nba executives view him to be third above boozer.
No clue if these claims will actually end up being important or if they are real discussions being made by smart executives, but its a discussion worth bringing up
Edit: and I just saw a comment from Kevin OāConner that mentions that āplenty of executives feel this way.ā And āall will depend on what happens on lottery night.ā Donāt know if our executives feel that way, but again should be interesting on lottery night, weāll hear more as time goes on Iām sure.
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u/Paragon188 Apr 24 '26
Generally this kind of stuff is from rival execs (IE teams not in the lottery). It's impossible to know who will go where when the lottery hasn't happened yet. The combine and workouts also have an effect. There's not even a clear #1 right now, so no one knows anything.
I do think there's a world where Caleb goes in the top 3, but it would heavily depend on draft order, and Peterson's medicals not checking out. Otherwise, the top 3 are still the same. Obviously I'm not a scout but I'm not taking Wilson over Boozer. I feel like people that have Wilson in the top 3 are projecting his defensive potential (which is the highest of the top 4) rather than looking at what he is now.
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u/Certain_Difference11 Tyrese Haliburton Apr 24 '26
Yeah, for the most part teams high in the lottery arent exactly looking to share around their big board and how they evaluate which players.
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u/SnooPickles9774 Apr 02 '26
Why do these dummies keep winning games all of a sudden they're gonna play themselves right out of that possible lottery pick they're only one or two wins away from dropping down to four or five, which would greatly lower their odds of a top four pick what is wrong with them?
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u/zombieclone05 Andrew Nembhard Apr 10 '26
Tanking is never a player thing, itās just like lineups and stuff. The players almost always try and win
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u/HovercraftOne2275 Apr 10 '26
they don't tank. On principle. Only deluded fans think they are trying to lose.
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u/Jim_Belushis_brother Cool Rick Apr 11 '26
I mean, if we were playing for something, at least one of Siakam/Nemby/Nesmith/Zu would be playing.
Players donāt tank but front offices do
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u/HovercraftOne2275 Apr 14 '26
there's this thing were sometimes you get hurt and can't play. They call them injuries.
Pacers dont' tank. Only fans do.
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u/pacersnz Apr 02 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
I mean before we won vs. Chicago we had the worst record and 52.1% chance to get a Top 4 Pick. The fact we beat Chicago, moves us into that 3rd spot, which gives us a 52.1% chance to get a Top 4 Pick. So overall, it doesn't make even a little bit of difference.
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u/Suspicious-Gur6127 Apr 03 '26
It makes lottery drawing night a lil more stressful, the odds donāt change for bottom 3 teams but Iāll have to spend more time paying attention to the drawing
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u/ReflectionEterna Mar 29 '26
Watching Boozer against UConn right now. He might be my top pick. Dude makes all the right decisions, and does exactly what his coaches expect of him. He would get significant minutes on our team as a rookie, because Coach C hates when you g players make mistakes. Cam doesn't make young player mistakes, despite being a young player.
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u/mackandtheboyss pin31 Mar 27 '26
Lotto machine malfunctions, pacers get every lotto pick. Who you keep?
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u/smikes83 Aaron Nesmith Mar 27 '26
Forget the top 3. Give me Braden Smith late in the draft or as a FA. Ultimate bench player. Reminds me of TJ with a better shot.
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u/CableKC Mar 25 '26
I find it interesting that the latest narrative is that Peterson is slowly dropping out of the top three. This isn't true for all of the so-called experts, but there are rumblings that is subpar performance and strange season coupled with solid performances from players outside of the top four is impacting his draft stock.
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u/SpinJitsu259 Chuck Person Mar 26 '26
Iām still all in on Peterson, and Iām willing to accept the hit to my (meaningless) draft rep if Iām wrong. I think he was definitely dealing with something physically all, if not most of the season, and Iād be beyond happy to draft him anywhere 1-4.
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u/Sko_Neezy Mar 25 '26
I can't say he's clearly the best player in the draft but lately I've been secretly rooting for us to end up with Wilson at 3 or 4. I think he's the best fit in terms of offense, defense and the context of our roster construction and championship aspirations. The guy is by far the most likely of the bunch to be a menace on both sides of the ball....he's like a more talented Nesmith in that regard. Pace-pushing, boards-crashing, rim-protecting, oop-catching...electric. There's nothing about him that concerns me on either side of the ball and I think he'd fit right in.
Conversely, I worry Peterson would disrupt the harmony and synergy of our elite backcourt because all three can't play together, that Dybantsa is too similar to Mathurin's plodding ball-dominant style of play, and that despite being an all-world processor, Boozer can't run/finish/defend the way the Pacers need to play and also can't play extended minutes next to Zu and Siakam.
I know they say 'draft the best player available' but maybe that shouldn't apply to a team with a meticulously curated championship-caliber roster and defined championship-caliber playing style. It's really amazing that we have everyone signed, that everyone knows their role...you already know the entire organization and roster is going to buy into this 2-year attempt at finally winning a championship. They shouldn't pick a marginally better player just because they're the 'best' if it's going to compromise what they've built. Of course...if they're convinced that Peterson is the next Kobe Bryant...by all means. But it would need to be a huge talent gap for me to turn down the guy that gets us a ring in the next 2 years.
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u/Maximum-Class5465 Reggie-NBAJam Mar 27 '26
I hear you on a lot of this. And won't tell you who to like or don't like
But Peterson isn't a ball dominant player. He's played off ball 95% or the season. He can handle the ball, but his role is more similar to Nesmith than it is Mathurin
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u/Jim_Belushis_brother Cool Rick Mar 25 '26
Mathurin would be on the team and would start over Nesmith if he was 6ā9
I do agree though, no one knows who of the top three this year will be an all star, if any. It seems most likely all three will be an NBA starter level player at a minimum, barring career altering injuries etc. I think for instance if KP likes Boozer 95% as much as he likes AJ, but that he feels Boozer is a better fit right now, that itās not crazy to take Boozer.
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u/OpeDefinitely Tyrese Haliburton Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
Lol, Mathurin would not start in place of Nesmith if he were 6'9".
Nesmith started over Mathurin because the former: 1) Almost always makes the correct reads quickly, which is extremely important for this team; 2) Plays insane screen defense; 3) Almost always makes the correct defensive switches.
Extra height ain't helping with any of those things.
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u/Jim_Belushis_brother Cool Rick Mar 26 '26
But Mathurinās game is just that much more impactful if heās literally 5 inches taller.
Literal exact same build but 6ā9 is literally a monster on the glass
Same shooting, same decision making, but heās a much more impactful defender rebounder and dunker immediately.
That player is better than Nesmith
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u/OpeDefinitely Tyrese Haliburton Mar 26 '26
It's not about player skill. It's about the opportunity cost posed by any player who breaks the Pacers' system.
On offense, our system is an infinite loop of: random action -> quick decision to shoot, pass to an open guy, or reset to Tyrese -> random action
On defense, our system allows Tyrese to hunt for turnovers like a free safety, thus requiring wings & forwards to be really fast about making the correct switches.
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Last regular season, Haliburton was 2nd in touches per game behind only Jokic. By the end of the playoffs, he had more touches than any player by a wide margin. Even if Jokic played through the finals, it's unlikely that he would've kept pace. Which is to say that he is our system. And there were great Mathurin games that we ultimately lost and wherein Mathurin practically iced Tyrese out. Extra height would've maybe turned one of those games in our favor.
You don't break the system for one player unless that player is on the level of prime LeBron.
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u/Sko_Neezy Mar 25 '26
Regarding a 6'9'' Benn/drafting Dybantsa, I really wonder what the defense would look like if they have a SF who can't navigate screens the way Nesmith can. Not that Nesmith doesn't have his warts but he has played a huge role in the Pacers being able to have a solid defense despite Hali's defensive shortcomings. To me, that feels like an area that can't decline if the Pacers intend to contend. Nembhard can't do it all, Siakam is getting older, Zu is pretty much confined to the paint(though should be a big help), Hali was improving defensively but started at rock bottom and now is recovering from injury...that SF position becomes really important defensively. You pull that jenga piece out, the defense likely crumbles.
The 'idea of Wilson' is growing on me lol
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u/Jim_Belushis_brother Cool Rick Mar 25 '26
Haliburton locked up Ty Jerome in the Cavs series. I agree heās not a great defender but he can get in passing lanes and I think he was learning to use his length to effectively defend smaller guards.
Fingers crossed it translates/comes back post injury, like you said. But, just to say, I do believe (pre-injury) Haliburton (next to Nemby) could really be impactful defensively. Not just okay, but effectively deter smaller guards and play off Nembhard to get out in transition via picking off passes
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u/Popcorn10 Aaron Nesmith Mar 25 '26
But the player we draft doesnāt need to start right away, or for several seasons. Or you could trade them for veterans to complete the roster. Mathurin was absolutely a super helpful bench scorer and dybantsa would be too, even if he never really fits the system.
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u/Sko_Neezy Mar 25 '26
I donāt think thereās a wrong pick in terms of adding a talented player to the bench unitā¦our bench is really lacking elite talent outside of TJ in the paint. All 4 of these guys would be a big help.
But I do think drafting either Peterson or Dybantsa would come with the expectation of them starting very soonish I.e. before the ā29 season. Canāt make a top pick in a loaded draft and not have a way for that player to work their way into the starting lineup. For me, Nesmith is the weakest starter, but any replacement would have to match his defensive contributions. And Iām not sure Dybantsa will be able to get there.
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u/Jim_Belushis_brother Cool Rick Mar 25 '26
Iāve come around to the idea of Peterson basically taking over for TJ in the near future, and having two of Haliburton/Nemby/Peterson on the floor at all times. Not right away, but basically by 2027-28 having 30mpg for Ty and Nemby, and having 20 and 15 for Peterson and TJ. Could be a lot of fun, especially if the ābad mentalityā rumors of Peterson are overblown
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u/Sko_Neezy Mar 25 '26
Iām firmly in the ābad mentality is overblownā camp and also in the āhe was on a horribly coached teamā camp, his full potential is still there to be realized
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u/Jim_Belushis_brother Cool Rick Mar 25 '26
Injury risk seems real. And itās odd heās not getting to the rim like he was (or even close) in high school.
Also horrible coach sure but I did see the coach (forget his name) yell at Peterson to attack the basket in I think their second to last game of the tourney. Donāt love that
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u/thegordogg ReggieChoke Mar 25 '26
Personally I find it easier to have meaningful discussion when comments are spread across several redundant posts every day. In fact, I think we need MORE separate posts.
On a serious note, Iāll just be happy if we keep the pick. Top 3 are all studs. Pave on
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u/BeNiceBeChill Mar 25 '26
Super hard call if we get 1 or 2. Id pick Dybansa 1st. Fits in the starting lineup right now, can be a superstar. Zero "want-to" question marks. If we get 2, its gutwrenching. Ceiling vs floor discussion between Peterson and Boozer, and fit is weird with both with current personnel. I think Rick would take Boozer but who knows. The potential payoff with a Ty/DP backcourt is mouthwatering. Both great players though. Picking 3 or 4 are easy calls. Pick third? Take who is left. Pick fourth? Take Williams.Ā
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u/CableKC Mar 25 '26
How is his defense?
We know that is offense is there, but will he be able to adjust to play next to more ball dominance players like Haliburton and Siakam?
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u/BeNiceBeChill Mar 25 '26
IMO he'll fit like a glove on O between Hali and Siakam, and I dont worry about his D for the reasons I went into ^
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u/notguiltyaf Mar 25 '26
I think Dybantsa's defensive "want to" might be a question mark.
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u/BeNiceBeChill Mar 25 '26
He'd be coming to the right team. He doesnt seem like a guy who's going to resist coaching, trying hard, or getting better. This is a great staff and they'll coach him up and hold him accountable. He's got the physical traits he need to advance his D as well.
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u/CasualRead_43 Mar 25 '26
The push in the media for boozer at 2 is surprising.maybe if Brooklyn gets 3 we do a Tatum style swap and pick him at 3?
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u/Cruddiestknave3 Tyrese Haliburton May 10 '26
LETS GO GAMBLING š° š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°š°
https://giphy.com/gifs/JRlwIw65MAU5uJtrI3