You Can Only Keep 3 From The 2018 Draft, Who Ya Got?
I enjoyed this exercise so much last week we're back for another round, this time talking 2018 Draft. We still have the same unknowns as last time in regards to not really knowing what we are picking for. Could be a 3 on 3 tournament, could be three building blocks of a full roster, you're just going to have to use your imagination. What I do know is this choice was pretty easy for me with really only one omission making me feel slightly uneasy. Here's my three
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Right off the bat I'm starting with SGA because to me he might just be the best all around player of this group. Remember that time he threw up a 20/20/10 triple double back in January? What a monster. Did you know SGA shoots 57% in clutch situations this season and has found himself in 40 such games. That's the second most in the entire NBA. He also has a 94 Drtg in clutch situations, which is the lowest rating in the entire NBA of players who have had at least 40 clutch time moments. He is blossoming into a two way stud right before our eyes, has great size at the point guard position and I feel like if he had stayed in LAC or was in a lot of different markets other than OKC he'd be getting even more love. Guy is a stud.
2. Trae Young
I mean let's be real here, the dude is averaging 29.6/4.3/9.3/1.1 while making 3.4 3PM a night. He's the only All Star from this draft not named Luka, he is must watch TV on a nightly basis, and if you don't have fun watching Trae Young play you're just being a hater. I recognize that defensively it's about as big a disaster as you can have, but I don't care. I'm not passing up on a nightly 30/10 with a guy that is the closest thing we have to consistent Steph Curry bombs by someone who isn't Steph Curry. Defenses have to respect his shooting which opens everything else up. Plus he's an elite level passer which doesn't hurt.
3. Deandre Ayton
A few weeks ago I did a Start/Bench/Cut with young bigs, and in that exercise I took Ayton over JJJ so I'm sure as shit not going to change my mind now. In my opinion Ayton is the best big on the board and is having himself a monster second season despite being suspended. The man is a walking 20/10 putting up 19/12/1.9 a night while shooting 54% from the floor. He's not the shot blocker that maybe someone like Mitchell Robinson is, but Ayton can more than hold his own on the defensive end and still gives you good rim protection. He averages more points, rebounds, assists, and blocks with better Ortg and Drtg than JJJ, the only thing he doesn't do is shoot threes, but that's why I have Trae Young.
I look at my three and I have a do it all 6'5 PG/SG in SGA, I have the shooting and passing I need from Trae Young who can either run P&R with Ayton all day or just do Trae Young shit and bomb it from 35 feet. Then you add in the best overall big on the board and I think that's a pretty solid three no matter how you want to slice it. Now, the one tough part for me was not finding a spot for MPJ somehow. I think his ceiling is crazy high and he has shown flashes in his limited appearances this year with DEN. There's just too much unknown there for me to bump one of the three other guys who are much more proven at this stage.
So now I'll ask you. Is your three the same as mine? If not, who are you rolling with and why.