2026 NBA Draft

[Shinzaki]

You want points in the paint against Wemby?  Find another Kareem or a similarly sized guy with a sky hook

[gehringer_2]

Just now, Shinzaki said:

You want points in the paint against Wemby?  Find another Kareem or a similarly sized guy with a sky hook

Kareem said the hook was an easy shot to learn but I don't know if most guys would agree -🤔

So with all the help defense in the league today, would the hook be more at risk of a backside block or steal? A lot of people complain that old style/back to the basket play is a lost art in general, but how much of that is because that was a man to man defense league where a Center backing down didn't often have to deal with a (usually  quicker) guy in his face as well as the one behind him?

[Shinzaki]

Yeah...defenses close so quickly today.  Plus with your back to the basket on the sky hook you have to rotate into the shot and ...likely...a defender.  Awful pretty when it goes in though.  I hated playing with my back to the basket.  Played a lot of rec league ball, because I'm 6-5 I got to play a lot of C.  Hated it.  Much preferred to be on a wing facing the basket...so I would generally not play C even ig that's what I was supposed to do.

Players are so quick these days..maybe they need to widen th court and the paint a bit to create more traffic to the rim.  I detest the run to the corners and stand there offense we see so much of today

[Deleterious]

Number six is a pretty big reach for both of those guys.  But the Nets taking Mara would eliminate them from the Duren sweepstakes, most likely.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/draft/

Quote

eam Fit

A few weeks ago I reported that the Nets were drawn to Nate Ament and Aday Mara. That remains true as we enter June, though there are still workouts to be done and there are plenty of teams interested in trading into this spot. For now, Ament gets the nod with this choice given Brooklyn already has so many guards on the roster. Players like Ament who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in the lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country. Then he dealt with an ankle injury that ruined his momentum entering March and severely struggled during the

 

[Deleterious]

 

[buddha]

7 hours ago, Deleterious said:

 

they'll have to trade up if they want morez.

[NorthWoods]

8 minutes ago, buddha said:

they'll have to trade up if they want morez.

IF they were going to trade up, I'd prefer them to try and get up to Mara.   Long term preparation for possible Wemby battles.  Problem is that's probably going to require a move into the top 10.

[buddha]

i dont think the pistons need to worry about wemby at this point.  worry about getting out of the east and putting the best team around cade in the next 3-4 years.

get me an athletic shooter.

 

dont get me wrong, i would take any of the michigan 3 on the pistons, but yaxel would be the one i want most.  yaxel/rez/mara.  i'm not sure if mara ever bulks up enough to last in the nba.  rez is a more athletic isaiah stewart.

[NorthWoods]

1 hour ago, buddha said:

i dont think the pistons need to worry about wemby at this point.  worry about getting out of the east and putting the best team around cade in the next 3-4 years.

get me an athletic shooter.

Fair enough though I think he'd help them get out of the East too.    I just don't see a knockdown shooter at 21.  I see people projecting Stirtz to them and wonder if he can really cut it in the NBA.

[buddha]

1 hour ago, NorthWoods said:

Fair enough though I think he'd help them get out of the East too.    I just don't see a knockdown shooter at 21.  I see people projecting Stirtz to them and wonder if he can really cut it in the NBA.

i'm hoping cam carr slips.

[Deleterious]

That new Vecenie mock is pretty brutal for Atlanta.  Going from the possibility to getting a top pick to drafting Mara?  Yikes.

Two or three weeks ago Vecenie said no way Carr slips to Detroit.  Now he has him going at #20.  Sounds like Sam doesn't like his defense at all.

Honestly, if Carr is the type of guy they can get at 21 they need to make a trade.

[buddha]

38 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

That new Vecenie mock is pretty brutal for Atlanta.  Going from the possibility to getting a top pick to drafting Mara?  Yikes.

Two or three weeks ago Vecenie said no way Carr slips to Detroit.  Now he has him going at #20.  Sounds like Sam doesn't like his defense at all.

Honestly, if Carr is the type of guy they can get at 21 they need to make a trade.

you're just never happy.

[Deleterious]

10 minutes ago, buddha said:

you're just never happy.

I was pretty happy last Wednesday and Friday.

[buddha]

22 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

I was pretty happy last Wednesday and Friday.

youre just happy when you think youre right.

which only supports my previous post of you never being happy.

[Deleterious]

14 minutes ago, buddha said:

youre just happy when you think youre right.

which only supports my previous post of you never being happy.

Yeah, because I never think I'm right.

[buddha]

7 hours ago, Deleterious said:

I was pretty happy last Wednesday and Friday.

how about now?

[Deleterious]

3 minutes ago, buddha said:

how about now?

Oh yeah.  I said Knicks in 6.  Still have an outside shot at being right.  

[RatkoVarda]

4 more

Athletic -- 21. Detroit Pistons (via MIN) Bennett Stirtz | 6-3 guard | 22 years old | Iowa
The two positions I hear most regarding the Pistons are lead guards who can shoot and create offense, or wings/forwards who can shoot. I’ve heard a lot about Stirtz and Anderson as potential fits next to Cade Cunningham as offensive creators who can fire from distance, and then players like Chris Cenac Jr. or Carr. Stirtz ticks the scoring and playmaking boxes and would fit well with the defensive infrastructure in place.

USAToday -- 21. Detroit Pistons (via Timberwolves): Dailyn Swain
After transferring from Xavier to Texas during the offseason and helping lead the Longhorns to the Sweet 16, Dailyn Swain emerged as one of the more intriguing breakout players in college basketball. The All-SEC forward is versatile and contributed across the board on both ends, scoring efficiently in the paint and in transition. Another appealing element is his effectiveness in isolation, where he can create for himself against defenders. Swain is quick, bouncy and a solid rebounder, and his 81.5% free-throw percentage suggests promising shooting touch. While he has three years of college experience, he’s still just 20 years old, the same age as several NCAA freshmen. Expect the Pistons to have serious interest in Swain. Detroit will also strongly consider shooters like Christian Anderson and Isaiah Evans.

ESPN -- 21. Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota)
Isaiah Evans, SG, Duke Evans said at the combine that he was planning to stay in the draft, an unsurprising decision with Duke holding a commitment from Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell to fill a similar role. Evans measured solidly for a wing but weighed in at only 186 pounds and didn't test especially well. He projects as a movement shooter and floor spacer with positional size and long-term upside as he hones that skill set. Though his range is somewhat wide at the moment, he's probably off the board in the back half of the first round. Detroit has a clear need for added shooting around Cade Cunningham and should consider addressing that through the draft. Evans would give them an injection of offense, a need that was apparent throughout the Pistons' playoff run.

Yahoo Sports -- 21. Detroit Pistons Meleek Thomas, 6-3, Arkansas freshman wing
The Pistons need more shooting and more creation. Thomas checks both boxes as a player who never hesitates to fire. Thomas has the confidence to "run for president," according to Arkansas head coach John Calipari. You could see that on the court the way he stepped right into the lead role when Darius Acuff was sidelined at Missouri to close the regular season, and willed Arkansas to the SEC championship game with 29 points against Ole Miss. He's a legit NBA shooter with deep range, a quick release, and creation juice off the bounce. But he doesn't get to the rim, his shot selection drifts into hero-ball, and there are questions about how he'll deal with NBA physicality.

[buddha]

stirtz seems like duncan robinson.  only smaller.

[Deleterious]

 

[Deleterious]