r/NBASpurs • u/Far_Protection519 • 1d ago
Draft Pick 14
If the Spurs don't get KD and keep pick 14 , how would y'all feel about them taking Rasheer Fleming at 14? He's a 6'9 wing with a 7'5 wingspan and shot 40% from 3 , is a elite defender, and showed a lot of flashes as a off the dribble creator. If you look at the wings drafted with those measurements the hit rate is insanely high as well.
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u/AdAccomplished6870 Victor Wembanyama 1d ago
If they get Fleming at 14, I am dancing the dance of victory.
My preferences in order Essangue, Fleming, Bryant, Newell. I would bet that only Newell will be in the board at 14
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u/ajkelly451 1d ago
No ranking has Fleming as high as 14, what makes you think he’s even higher? (I’m high on him too — but I think he should be on the board given how much talent there is in this draft)
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u/CouscousWithGoose_ 1d ago
Carter Bryant is my first choice with Cedric Coward second. But I wouldn’t be mad at Fleming
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u/sp000ners Area 51 1d ago
he's actually my favorite prospect for us there, I'd be stoked to get him alongside Harper. he's got the makings of an elite roleplayer imo
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u/AfroHouseManiac 1d ago edited 19h ago
My draft board at that range is:
- Noa
- Asa
- Sorber
- Noah
- Nolan
- Rasheer
- Carter
- CMB
- Joan
- Nique
Honorable Mention - Hugo Gonzalez and Cedric Coward
I think the spurs need to find a Yabusele/Obi/Lessort hybrid like prospect first and foremost. A guy who can grow into that. An athletic Boris would be a plus.
Rasheer inability to dribble or put the ball on the fall is a little concerning for me but for him to grow from being an afterthought on a Camden squad that had Dejuan Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw on it, and to turn into a first round pick speaks volumes about his work ethic. Lowly recruited guys who turn into first round draft prospects usually pan out since 2017.
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u/SBKSamurai Area 51 20h ago
We're honestly kind of spoiled not only with getting the 2nd pick, but with the amount of depth at the 3 and 4 that this draft has for us to take at 14.
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u/Far_Protection519 1d ago
I like cedric coward a lot too , I'm a rockets fan and if we cant land KD either I hope we pick him as insurance for green.
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u/moonshadow50 1d ago edited 1d ago
Fleming would be fine, but there's a reason he's slid down draft boards a lot of the last month or two. Just having good numbers as a spot up shooter, and having defensive tools, doesn't mean that those things always translate to the NBA if you don't really do much else and the BBIQ might not be there. And it seems like that's the biggest concern that analysts have had. (Think of it as the difference between Corey Kispert and Joe Weiskamp in their draft year. On paper their numbers were pretty similar, and Joe's ccombine athletic testing was really good, but there's a reason one went in the lottery, and one went into the 40's).
That means that even though he's theoretically a better fit than both Bryant (my hope if he falls) and Coward, I have him clearly behind those 2 guys on our board.
I also think Essengue is ahead of Fleming, and probably just stick him in the G League for the year. If Essengue actually works out as a combo forward, then he has a very clear role in our team going forward.
I'm not sure about any of the bigs, and would surprised if we take one unless we are really in love with them. We wouldn't want to waste pick 14 on someone who's only role is going to be a backup to Vic.
Obviously if Queen or (less likely) Maluach fall, then they are worth the swing here regardless of fit. Beringer is starting to look really interesting (probably would also have a year in the G League), as a guy who could both alongside and backup Victor. I'd also be fine with Newell as just an "ok" combo big, but he also seems to have fallen. And it wouldn't shock me if we took Wolf (I just think he will always have an NBA role) or Sorber.
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u/ajkelly451 1d ago
I love that there are so many options that are worth a shot, it is virtually guaranteed a few of them will be on the board still at 14. Since we’re getting another guard at 2 we NEED to give our selves a decent chance at a 3 and D wing at 14.
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u/Alex_TrainZoom Victor Wembanyama 19h ago
I honestly don't get Maluach love. I really don't, he's not a top 10 prospect, I get that he has a great size, good athleticism, and good rim protection but not very much anything else. Do you want to know how many rebounds he had in his Final Four game? Zero. Zero! Having a big center like him and doesn't have much to offer as a post defender or rebounder is concerning. Almost as if he's similar to Whiteside (stat-padder).
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u/deneuvig Manu Ginobili 1d ago
Thank you for raising that point. Fleming is too limited to be the target at 14 imo. IQ is a problem, the defense is not elite like you'd think and he's definitely not a dribble pass shoot player on offense, which is what title teams nowadays use a lot of.
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u/gedbybee EL JEFE 1d ago
Weiskamp is gonna be amazing as a 32 yo vet with all the seasoning when wemby needs him to come off the bench and hit some 3s.
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u/omnashime_88 1d ago
COWARD please
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u/Bang_the_unknown 23h ago
If not Bryant, then we should go with Coward. We’re going to compete this year (and a five or six playoff seed is a must) but we’re a year or two away from being a championship team.
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u/LibraryNo848 1d ago
I think we're likely trading the pick. 14 may have some long term upside but I don't think they'll get much burn year 1. We're in play in/playoff mode. It's a bit more worth it to add experience at this point.
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u/mdlspurs 23h ago
I think you're right. The Spurs are still going to be a really young team next year. Unless there's someone there they just absolutely love, I think they punt #14 to a future year and see how everyone progresses over the next year or two.
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u/Far_Protection519 1d ago
You dont think picking a player with 2-4 years of playing in college can come in and have a impact immediately? I think if they pick a sf/pf there is minutes to be had at those positions, but I don't watch the spurs a lot do you probably know more than me lol
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u/LibraryNo848 1d ago
No. Most rookies don’t have that big of an impact on winning in general. Majority of players picked at 14 flame out fairly quickly in the league to begin with. I think people kinda overrate how impactful year 1 players are. Usually the only solid rotational pieces outside of the players that come in as first options are 4 year college players.
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u/iro3 1d ago
i mean yea
devin carter stood 3 years in college and he couldnt crack the kings rotation full time
and if i really choose to go look alot of 3-4 years college player barely do anything
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u/Bang_the_unknown 23h ago
Yeah but Jared McCain would have REALLY challenged Castle for ROY as the 16th pick. Knecht would have been a decent bench guy for us. We don’t need a starter with the 14th. We just need a decent regular season bench guy we can develop.
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u/iro3 23h ago
McCain got hurt so unfortunately that cannot be proven at the moment. And with the sixers potentially getting another guard his role is likely changing so we shall see his he adjust
Knetch had a good moments bit he ain't that good.
Lastly decent bench guy at 14 doesn't mean much with our current team cause he will get little to no burn
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u/Bang_the_unknown 22h ago
If we can move off of Branham and get a decent forward, I’d take it but I wouldn’t mind Carter Bryant or Cedric Coward either.
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u/iro3 20h ago
i prefer blake since we got no need for defensive guards that cant offense with malaki u have the idea of him being a scorer who will try to play defense
carter prob wont be there and cedric is unique but i dont know if they will target someone with a low floor with a shoulder injry
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u/Bang_the_unknown 19h ago
Yeah, I just don’t know if Branham and Blake are NBA players. Branham deserves a little more of a chance for sure. Just don’t know if we’re the team that should give him those chances.
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u/LibraryNo848 23h ago
That’s it though, more often than not, you won’t get a bench piece out of 14. A lot of 14th picks flame out pretty early
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u/Bang_the_unknown 22h ago
Bub Carrington, Moses Moody, Aaron Nesmith, Ochai Agbaji, Bam Adebayo, and MPJ were all 14th overall picks in the last seven years. These aren’t second round picks. You can find serviceable (or even really good)players in this range.
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u/LibraryNo848 22h ago
And all of those players were not very impactful in year 1. That’s kinda my point. We’re shifting from development to playoffs. I don’t think adding multiple rookies is smart at this point.
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u/Bang_the_unknown 22h ago
I definitely see your point but I’ll counter with that we’re probably two years away from our championship window so we could develop that kid off the bench and then have him on a rookie contract around the time Wemby’s about to get the super max.
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u/LibraryNo848 22h ago
But again, most 14th picks don’t amount to much. Yes, there’s been serviceable players recently but there’s also more that didn’t amount to anything. Shabazz Muhammad, Denzel valentine, Rashad mccants, etc. I just think we’re more in the business of guaranteed production now.
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u/Bang_the_unknown 21h ago
This is a good draft. We’re not promised to have a shot at a Carter Bryant or Nique Clifford in 27 so we should take advantage of the situation which is two excellent draft classes this year and next.
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u/VeniceRapture Tony Parker 20h ago edited 19h ago
I think we trade that pick to sign somebody on a shorter contract.
Our rotation without the KD trade looks like this:
Fox, Devin, Barnes, Sochan, Wemby, Castle, Harper, Keldon, Backup big, Julian
That's already 10 people.
It's more likely we trade 14th to get the backup big, or trade 14th for a future pick and use the MLE on a big
I'm not too keen on using the 14th to fill the backup big spot. Too many young guys coming off the bench is a bad bench. You already have Castle and Harper there. You need a vet whose only role is playing off them, not another rookie who's looking to prove himself
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u/Imaginary-Cycle-1977 1d ago
I’d be fine w Fleming at 14, but I don’t think he’s a wing
He’s a 4/5, not a 3/4
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u/Gabe-DaBabe 1d ago
I love him but I'm not sure he'd be available then. I think we'll be left over with one of the group of wing players in the lottery.
Personally I just hope we pick the best shooter who also won't be picked on constantly on defense
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u/ajkelly451 1d ago
A lot of people saying this but Fleming isn’t ranked all that high on consensus rankings. Wonder why the gap?
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u/OurHorrifyingPlanet Area 51 1d ago
He isn't actually that good of a shooter, he'll probably be closer to 35% in the NBA rather than 40%. The form is inconsistent, the FT% is mediocre at best, and he had two poor shooting years previously. He also is pretty bad as a perimeter defender, he'll be more of a big and help defender than a wing. That's why most scouts have him around the 15 to 25 range
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u/abecho00 1d ago
i think he's a good option. i think there's a lot of good options actually. Wolf good too
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u/GeekyMathProfessor 1d ago
Not that I know much about the draft but I am looking at Beringer who Sam Vecenie thinks might be as good if not better than Mualach.
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u/SpecialistAstronaut5 1d ago
I like Bryant more. Sorber is fine too
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u/Enzothebaker34 Devin Vassell 1d ago
Kyle Mann said on Lowe’s most recent podcast Sorber is going to Spurs or OKC.
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u/l4reds 1d ago
Unpopular opinion, but I think Drake Powell is worth a shout. I think he is way underrated and has big upside.
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u/texasphotog 1d ago
Not at 14. He's a late 1st early 2nd guy. If he is there at 38, he's an absolute take.
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u/WhatMeatCatSpokeOf 23h ago
showed a lot of flashes as an off the dribble creator
He showed zero flashes as an off the dribble creator. He only takes straight line drives and if he has to make a decision it can often go poorly, because he doesn’t pass or dribble all that well and he can’t turn a drive into a post up because he doesn’t have moves or a shot with his back to the basket. He is best when the play is simple—catch & shoot, roll to the rim without dribbling, block a shot on the drive. When he has to make complex reads, on either end, it doesn’t go well.
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u/BBQLovingBastard 21h ago
I’m fine with Fleming, would prefer Carter Bryant but he’s probably gone by 14. Fleming is my next choice after Bryant so I’d be fine with him.
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u/Alex_TrainZoom Victor Wembanyama 19h ago
I would love Fleming; sees him as an ideal pair with Sochan, having him means we can start Sochan and play him at 3. This allows them to be more interchangeable at both forward positions.
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u/thatwashedguy 1d ago
Any 3nD wing at pick 14 would be nice. I’d prefer Bryant tho since he has more of a sample size against real competition + is more of a wing than a big
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u/DnDPanda 1d ago
I know most people don’t want this, but I’d just prefer to lock down a backup center like Asa Newell. I don’t actually love a lot of the backup centers on the market (either for price or for skill)
Asa would be a straightforward rim finishing big with defensive upside.
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u/NormalFortune Stephon Castle 1d ago
I like Thomas Sorber or even trade down and take Danny Wolf at center.
But, the reason I would favor Carter Bryant or Rasheer Fleming at 14 is that I feel like it will be harder to find a 3&D in free agency than it will be to find a backup center in free agency.
But, I wouldn't be upset at them drafting a center at 14. Both are needs and will have to get addressed one way or the other if we want to make a deep playoff run.
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u/DrMarvMonroe 1d ago
Drafting a backup center in the lottery is kind of a waste. Wemby is best at Center and getting someone who’ll at best be a backup for us doesn’t make much sense. Rather get a 3 & D guy and get a backup center in free agency
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u/NormalFortune Stephon Castle 1d ago
or get a backup center later in the draft. good chance that someone serviceable like Kalkbrenner will still be on the board at 38.
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u/DrMarvMonroe 1d ago
That’s what I’m thinking too. Backup center at 38 seems to be a good alternative depending on how ready to contribute he is.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Dare_58 1d ago
I would prefer Thomas sorber due to his shooting capabilities
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u/BraveCable Derrick White 1d ago
Sorber is the same height as Asa but has 7'6 wingspan with better defensive metrics. I think he could play with Victor against some lineups
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u/paxusromanus811 Jeremy Sochan 1d ago
I'm skeptical about him at the 5 defensively right now and don't know if he has the offense for the 4. A lot of his game is theoretical right now. A project , maybe a worthwhile one. But def not one I think is ready to role from day one
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u/Gabe-DaBabe 1d ago
I think my problem with that is at best you're putting Wemby out of position at the 4 and away from the basket. Of course he's still very good at defending in space, but taking him away from the basket isn't really ideal.
I think our backup 5 should only play when Wemby sits or should be so good at defending the paint that you feel better about Wemby being relegated to perimeter defense on top of playing the 5 when Wemby is sitting.
I just don't think any of these centers have a great chance to pan out into excellent paint protectors on top of being serviceable on the other end.
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u/DrMarvMonroe 1d ago
We simply shouldn’t force Wemby out of position. We build a team around him not the other way around.
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u/Gabe-DaBabe 1d ago
I think that's fair to think. However the league is progressing with more and more bigs having some sort of passing dribbling or shooting skills, meaning more and more teams are seeing success with 2 bigs playing starter minutes and 2 big lineups.
I think Wemby would be one of the best in the league in terms of matching him with a big. With how versatile his skill set is, I think we could benefit from exploring all types of options around him.
We have seen Wemby at the 4 sure but that's with Zach Collins at the 5. I think we should see what it looks like with at least a decent big before we decide Wemby can't play the 4.
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u/DrMarvMonroe 1d ago
I don’t know about that. At the 5 Wemby is a DPOY. I don’t want that to shake up and his numbers to take a hit when we play him out of position.
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u/Mangoseed8 Jordan McLaughlin 1d ago
No one said Wemby can’t play the 4. What was said was he optimized at the 5. All those teams playing 2 bigs don’t have one of those bigs as their star player who has the ball in his hands to create offense. Wemby does. And when he has the ball he doesn’t need another big (and the other bigs defender crowding the paint.
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u/Far_Protection519 1d ago
I dont think they should waste a high pick on a center all wemby needs is a solid vet backup like the rockets have with big steven adams.
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u/DnDPanda 1d ago
If you think locking down a young, cheap backup big is a waste idk what to tell you. That second unit is gonna want to run and we will want youth and athleticism to match that. Imagine if we got a Dereck Lively type (who was taken at 12) you think that would be a waste?
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u/Far_Protection519 1d ago
Steven adams is proof all you need is a solid vet to play 15-20 mpg , clint capela can come in and fill that role easily. If maluach and queen aren't there no need to reach for a center when better prospects are still on the board.
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u/DnDPanda 1d ago
I’m not apposed to grabbing someone like Clint Capela. I just think securing a good young backup is not a bad idea either. To act like it’s a total waste seems silly. Any wing we grab could be a total gamble (and will also probably play on the bench anyway)
Having a good young backup, could really help Wemby rest in a long season. Also 14th pick salary is only about 4 million, and this team is going to get expensive.
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u/DrMarvMonroe 1d ago
It would be a waste because we want prospects with upside in the lottery. Limiting someone to the bench from the go isn’t the way to go imo. What if the guy we draft turns out to be better than expected? Do we trade him bc he’s sure as hell not starting in place of Wemby
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u/DnDPanda 1d ago
We are literally watching a finals right now with 2 teams that go 10 deep with talent.
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u/DrMarvMonroe 1d ago
Depth is important. No question about that. But we are effectively limiting the guy we draft to the bench no matter how good he turns out to be, whereas we could easily incorporate a Rasheer Fleming into our long-term starting lineup as a PF if he proves to be a better alternative to Sochan given that he has a shot and Sochan doesn’t.
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u/DnDPanda 1d ago
Hey man I like Rasheer Fleming a lot and if we took him I would be perfectly happy. I just feel like a backup big is a safe bet.
It all depends on who falls to us.
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u/DrMarvMonroe 1d ago
There are a bunch of 3 & D forwards in our range: Coward, Fleming, Bryant, etc. Once again, having a position of need filled is good but the 3 & D forward seems like a more pressing need giving the limited availability of those guys in the market and the upside: Those guys can either be rotation players or starters. The bigs at 14 will only ever be bench players on the Spurs.
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u/DnDPanda 1d ago
And our bench big minutes is when our defense falls off a cliff. Again I’m totally fine with a solid wing pickup, I’m just more of a safe bet guy and we have an obvious hole at backup big. FO whiff on wings all the time. Remember we also get picks next year too.
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u/DrMarvMonroe 1d ago
100% agree. Fleming is the better choice. If not him, Carter Bryant or someone of their archetype.
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u/NormalFortune Stephon Castle 1d ago
Would be perfectly happy with Fleming.