Every day at one point or another here at The Sports Fan Journal, our scattered, yet gathered staff comes together to debate the merits of a great many things. These meetings take place within our legendary eOffices....also known as Slack.
And great many Earth-moving subjects take place within the digital fortress that are the TSFJ e-Offices. Sometimes its sports, sometimes food and sometimes its simply each other. Whatever the topic may be, its always worth a peak to see what's going down at any given moment.
This afternoon's topic was, of course, tonight's NBA Draft. And as the hopes, dreams and potentially nasty realities of the Draft get closer and closer, here's where The Fam's minds were at headed into one of the most anticipated nights of the NBA year.
Participants: Ed The Sports Fan, Logan Murdock, Jonathan Tillman, Kyle Madson and Matt Whitener
(The meeting is already in progress....)
kylemadson [2:00 PM]
Dude in the newsroom right now just totally writing off Lonzo. Like- not even entertaining the idea he'll be good.
If LaVar Ball was just a regular human- Lonzo would've got serious consideration at No. 1 overall IMO #HOTTAKE
loganmmurdock [3:42 PM]
I still can't get over the fact he led them dudes to a 9 win season
jtillman4987 [3:45 PM]
Eh.
Paul George's Fresno State teams were ass
ed [3:47 PM]
Yeah but that's Fresno State.
Lorenzo Romar might be one of the biggest fraud head coaches ever.
jtillman4987 [3:47 PM]
And the Pac ‘however many teams’ was loaded as f**k
Agree on Romar. Brilliant recruiter. Terrible developer of talent
loganmmurdock [3:49 PM]
But if you compare him to Lonzo... UCLA was a 15 win team before he stepped foot on campus. They went 31-5 last year
ed [3:49 PM]
Dejounte Murray and Marquese Chriss were on that roster last year, went 8th and 29th overall, they went 19-15. Like, I know that having good players doesn't mean automatic winning, but seeing the net impact of Lonzo on UCLA is incredible. And the net in effect of Markelle is maddening
I mean sh*t. Ben Simmons won 19 games on a shit LSU squad
loganmmurdock [3:52 PM]
And beat Kentucky that year.
jtillman4987 [3:52 PM]
I agree on all fronts.
loganmmurdock [3:52 PM]
I don't think Fultz has even won on any level he's been on
stubbs [3:52 PM]
9 wins!
jtillman4987 [3:52 PM]
A bigger front: if they think you can play, you're a high prospect.
You don't say this about the international players
ed [3:53 PM]
What's wild is that the next group of PGs behind Fultz and Ball are...like really f*****g good.
Fox. Smith, Jr. Ntilinika.
Like, how many PGs would you take before you decided to take Kris Dunn from last year?
loganmmurdock [3:55 PM]
Lol. Some folks had such high hopes for Dunn.
Fox would wipe the floor with homie
ed [3:55 PM]
I mean, I'm not down on Dunn...but, I just don't know what translates from year to year always.
loganmmurdock [3:56 PM]
And it sucks to say... his age isn't helping him.
jtillman4987 [3:56 PM]
I think the ceiling is still high for Dunn
ed [3:56 PM]
Minnesota was doing everything in their power to give Dunn the PG job.
Rubio's a good PG. Hell, I kinda wish OKC would look at him to play alongside Russ.
Rubio's going to land on a squad and randomly make a team better than we ever imagined.
loganmmurdock [3:57 PM]
Yo, I really like this Fox kid from Kentucky
ed [3:57 PM]
Fox is fun man.
loganmmurdock [3:58 PM]
Just needs that jumper and he'll be straight. He'll be fun to watch in Sacramento.
ed [3:58 PM]
I actually think Fultz is perfect for Philly because they don't have to pressure him to play PG.
jtillman4987 [3:58 PM]
Fox is wonderful. Dennis Smith might be the most explosive of them all, and that's after a knee surgery
ed [3:58 PM]
That's the thing to me, is that I think the draft is going to work to fit what their teams need and want to do. Fultz is the combo guard Philly's been dying for.
Lonzo's the combo guard the Lakers/Magic/Walton's been dying for.
I think...Josh Jackson is the wing defender Boston wants. Can guard 1-4, elite defender. room to grow with his shot.
loganmmurdock [4:00 PM]
Josh Jackson's the one they're comparing to Kawhi?
jtillman4987 [4:00 PM]
Would rather have Tatum than Jackson
Kinda bummed Tatum rose up the board.
ed [4:04 PM]
this stood out to me, from the homie tjarks.
Whole thing on Jayson Tatum here too: https://www.theringer.com/2017/6/22/16044270/2017-nba-draft-jayson-tatum-duke-debate-552b94ebc7e6
jtillman4987 [4:05 PM]
Yeah. Fair. But..is Josh Jackson a superstar? I'm not asking as a dick. I generally want an answer.
Potential* superstar. Keep in mind, Kawhi was not labeled that. Kawhi has worked at it.
ed [4:07 PM]
No clue. We're all guessing.
Hell. Tatum and Kennard weren't even the best hauls from their recruiting class. Was supposed to be Harry Giles.
I don't think Josh Jackson knows how to play basketball yet. He's out there doing stuff, and defensively he has great instincts.
jtillman4987 [4:09 PM]
I don't think anyone being drafted knows how to play basketball yet
cheapseatfan [4:09 PM]
I think Jackson could be a massive difference maker on a team that is trying to get it done now. The Celts would benefit greatly by having him in the fold.
ed [4:09 PM]
I watched him against OU, he should've carved the Sooners up.
cheapseatfan [4:09 PM]
And if Boston is serious about a Gordon Hayward run, Tatum doesn't add much that won't be there and ready to contribute at a higher clip sooner.
ed [4:11 PM]
But, he has more “Upside” than most.
Well, eh. Lonzo does….or at least he's at a higher level.
Funny thing is, I think Phoenix needs Jayson Tatum more. They can't score for shit.
cheapseatfan [4:12 PM]
Phoenix is perfect for Tatum.
ed [4:13 PM]
I think after the top 10 picks, folks are gonna be sad.
jtillman4987 [4:13 PM]
If Lonzo Ball's mind is the same at 29 like it is at 19, he will not be a star. Even LeBron James had to learn how to play basketball.
ed [4:13 PM]
Yes, totally fair Till. Not fighting you in that way.
For whatever reason, hearing the Knicks are high on Markannen terrifies me.
jtillman4987 [4:14 PM]
Phoenix drafting Tatum makes TJ Warren...
ed [4:15 PM]
A teammate? Lol
TJ Warren's cool. They still need him.
But he's a dude.
cheapseatfan [4:15 PM]
Best spots in the Top 10 for Jayson are Phoenix, Orlando and Boston, in that order.
But Boston needs Jackson more.
ed [4:16 PM]
But watch, DJ Wilson and Justin Jackson are going to get some high yella super juice in 4 hours and rise on everybody's boards. Harry Giles might rise too.
cheapseatfan [4:21 PM]
I need Justin Jackson to make it to Chicago.
kylemadson [3:24 PM]
Josh Jackson is probably Andre Iguodala if all goes right tbh
[End....for now]
