2021 NBA Draft Discussion

[Alan_Wilson]

Hardly an all-star cast. People thought that at least in Hurt's case, he wasn't going to improve his draft status if he came back, but I guess that wasn't right.

I don't know what DJ was thinking, but I don't think that was right either.

Neither Hurt nor Bolden would improve their stock by returning for another year. Unfortunately for Hurt, the scouts had him pegged as not athletic enough for the league. That wasn't going to magically change with another season. Bolden developed into a pretty nice rotational defensive player but after three years was in the same boat as Hurt, for different reasons. I doubt another year would have changed the scouts takes on him, and he would have had to share minutes with Vern. I was happy to see him log some minutes for the Cavs last season.

Duval on the other hand is kind of a sad story because he came in with all this hype, fully determined to be a OAD, but scouts quickly saw he couldn't shoot a lick and on top of that had an eye condition iirc. Those concerns tanked any chance of him getting drafted. The draft scouting on him was pretty harsh. FWIW I read in the Goldwire interview that he named Duval as one of his favorite teammates at Duke and I remember after the Kansas elite 8 loss Duval was very emotional. I hated to see his career turn out the way it did.

DJ is the only one that would have been well served by another year, and obviously so, so I can't say I'm entirely sympathetic. I have no idea what his preconceptions going into DUke were, what kind of conversations he had with staff, etc, but him leaving after one season did not sit right.

[hallcity]

Neither Hurt nor Bolden would improve their stock by returning for another year. Unfortunately for Hurt, the scouts had him pegged as not athletic enough for the league. That wasn't going to magically change with another season

If Hurt had felt confident that he would make a half million dollars a year off NIL at Duke I think he would have stuck around. That sounds better to me than being a marginal NBA prospect. Of course, at this point Hurt could do little more than speculate about how much money he would have made off NIL if he had stayed at Duke.

[Acymetric]

If Hurt had felt confident that he would make a half million dollars a year off NIL at Duke I think he would have stuck around. That sounds better to me than being a marginal NBA prospect. Of course, at this point Hurt could do little more than speculate about how much money he would have made off NIL if he had stayed at Duke.

The NIL decision should have come before the draft. Given that it didn't, there should have been a window for players to withdraw from the draft after the NIL rules changed. I don't know that anyone would​ have come back, but they certainly might have.

[CameronDuke]

And I hope that the Duke coaches aren't bashful about reminding players about this. Enough of this "follow your dreams, kid" for every player thinking of jumping. The trend has been to just assume they are gone, but maybe, just maybe, many will wake up to the realization that NBA potential is everywhere these days, and the G league isn't a better option than another year of college. (Especially, because of the new NIL...no G League players are signing big NIL contracts BTW..)

I have often been befuddled by some of these kids’ thinking. I know what I would choose between the following two options: chartered flights, pregame meal spreads fit for a king, the best social media team in the country, practice facilities and weight rooms that rival professional setups, the opportunity to work towards a degree at Duke University, the potential to become a Duke legend and immortal, being coached by Coach K or Jon Scheyer, the chance of playing in an NCAAT, now being able to make money through NIL in college, playing on national television most games, the list goes on and on …

Versus riding the greyhound bus on the Sioux Falls Skyforce to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to take on the Wisconsin Herd.

[SouthernDukie]

I have often been befuddled by some of these kids’ thinking. I know what I would choose between the following two options: chartered flights, pregame meal spreads fit for a king, the best social media team in the country, practice facilities and weight rooms that rival professional setups, the opportunity to work towards a degree at Duke University, the potential to become a Duke legend and immortal, being coached by Coach K or Jon Scheyer, the chance of playing in an NCAAT, now being able to make money through NIL in college, playing on national television most games, the list goes on and on …

Versus riding the greyhound bus on the Sioux Falls Skyforce to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to take on the Wisconsin Herd.

You left out one of the biggest incentives - College Girls. LOL

[CameronDuke]

You left out one of the biggest incentives - College Girls. LOL

That is numbero uno - how could I forget?

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Neither Hurt nor Bolden would improve their stock by returning for another year. Unfortunately for Hurt, the scouts had him pegged as not athletic enough for the league. That wasn't going to magically change with another season.

It's more likely to change with an extra off-season of workouts and another year to prove himself than by simply entering the draft as is.

I don't understand the algorithm that results in decisions like these. Several over the years had me shrugging my shoulders. I am sure that the Duke program has a policy of being supportive of the player's choice (at least for twenty years or so) but I hope that are getting good information and feel good about their decision.

I never saw Hurt as a threat to be a draft pick. I didn't get it. I'm not trying to hate on the guy, he just strikes me as a college ball player. I suspect he could have had a very good season this coming year with lots of personal and team success.

Next play!

[MarkD83]

It's more likely to change with an extra off-season of workouts and another year to prove himself than by simply entering the draft as is.

I don't understand the algorithm that results in decisions like these. Several over the years had me shrugging my shoulders. I am sure that the Duke program has a policy of being supportive of the player's choice (at least for twenty years or so) but I hope that are getting good information and feel good about their decision.

I never saw Hurt as a threat to be a draft pick. I didn't get it. I'm not trying to hate on the guy, he just strikes me as a college ball player. I suspect he could have had a very good season this coming year with lots of personal and team success.

Next play!

I totally agree with the bold statement so I no longer try to figure it out. I have observed that at the start of each year Duke does have 8-10 players on the roster that can play and in general the team has some success. So my thought pattern has changed to not worrying about who goes to the NBA but rather who Duke recruits (either from HS or via the transfer portal).

[CameronBornAndBred]

I’m fascinated, baffled, and amazed that Mason Plumlee is a topic, an item, a trade chip in the draft. Isn’t he in China? Does this mean he gets more millions?

In an ESPN article, people were asked of their thoughts from draft night.

In reply to the question "Which draft-night trade impressed you the most?", Bobby Marks had this answer.

I like what the Charlotte Hornets did before and during the draft. They addressed a glaring need at center when they acquired veteran Mason Plumlee from the Pistons. The Hornets were projected to have $22 million in cap room and used $8.8 million of that on Plumlee, leaving them with $14 million in free agency to upgrade their bench. The trade with New York for the No. 19 pick, an uncharacteristic move for their generally conservative front office, got them a player in Kai Jones that had lottery potential and fills a need. And selecting James Bouknight was not a trade, but the guard is an insurance policy for the likely departure of free agent Malik Monk.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ld-predictions

This puts Mason on a likely playoff team, and I am always a fan of that happening with a Dukie.

[Edouble]

It's more likely to change with an extra off-season of workouts and another year to prove himself than by simply entering the draft as is.

I don't understand the algorithm that results in decisions like these. Several over the years had me shrugging my shoulders. I am sure that the Duke program has a policy of being supportive of the player's choice (at least for twenty years or so) but I hope that are getting good information and feel good about their decision.

I never saw Hurt as a threat to be a draft pick. I didn't get it. I'm not trying to hate on the guy, he just strikes me as a college ball player. I suspect he could have had a very good season this coming year with lots of personal and team success.

Next play!

It is more likely to change for the worse. There were seven college seniors drafted last night. By the time a player gets to be a long-in-the-tooth 22-year old, they become undesirable. Every extra year in college is one less year of potential, one more year to have your game picked apart.

Hurt proved he is a great shooter this year. That is his selling point. He would not be a second round pick in the 2022 draft either. Best for him to get to work and focus 100% on basketball to try to make a push to get into the league or an alternative, lucrative professional position.

[budwom]

I totally agree with the bold statement so I no longer try to figure it out. I have observed that at the start of each year Duke does have 8-10 players on the roster that can play and in general the team has some success. So my thought pattern has changed to not worrying about who goes to the NBA but rather who Duke recruits (either from HS or via the transfer portal).

I think the transition from high school All American to NBA prospect is a tough one mentally. So many of these guys have always succeeded, they have an abundance of confidence, which is good...and sometimes an overabundance which is not so good.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

It is more likely to change for the worse. There were seven college seniors drafted last night. By the time a player gets to be a long-in-the-tooth 22-year old, they become undesirable. Every extra year in college is one less year of potential, one more year to have your game picked apart.

Hurt proved he is a great shooter this year. That is his selling point. He would not be a second round pick in the 2022 draft either. Best for him to get to work and focus 100% on basketball to try to make a push to get into the league or an alternative, lucrative professional position.

Not if the knock on him is that he has peaked and isn't physical enough for the NBA. A other year would give him a chance to improve that perception. Going now just rolls the dice as is.

Exclusively shooting players are not very valuable these days.

[Edouble]

I’m fascinated, baffled, and amazed that Mason Plumlee is a topic, an item, a trade chip in the draft. Isn’t he in China? Does this mean he gets more millions?

Mason is still serving up beers stateside. He hasn't spilled a drop of Baijiu, for his career.

[dukelifer]

It is more likely to change for the worse. There were seven college seniors drafted last night. By the time a player gets to be a long-in-the-tooth 22-year old, they become undesirable. Every extra year in college is one less year of potential, one more year to have your game picked apart.

Hurt proved he is a great shooter this year. That is his selling point. He would not be a second round pick in the 2022 draft either. Best for him to get to work and focus 100% on basketball to try to make a push to get into the league or an alternative, lucrative professional position.

I am pretty sure he can play in Europe and do pretty well there.

[Alan_Wilson]

In an ESPN article, people were asked of their thoughts from draft night.

In reply to the question "Which draft-night trade impressed you the most?", Bobby Marks had this answer.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ld-predictions

This puts Mason on a likely playoff team, and I am always a fan of that happening with a Dukie.

I saw that too and was pleased to see it. Mason has always been undervalued. His passing for a big man may not be Jokic but it is top tier.

[Alan_Wilson]

It is more likely to change for the worse. There were seven college seniors drafted last night. By the time a player gets to be a long-in-the-tooth 22-year old, they become undesirable. Every extra year in college is one less year of potential, one more year to have your game picked apart.

This. I really don;t understand what is so hard to understand about it. For players with legitimate professional aspirations, ie 5 star players like Hurt as opposed to the garden variety student athlete (say Tyler Thornton), staying four years hurts your stock more than helps. Yes there are exceptions like Redick. But those are anomalies. This is not the 1980s anymore.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I saw that too and was pleased to see it. Mason has always been undervalued. His passing for a big man may not be Jokic but it is top tier.

Plus, if Vernon sticks with the Hornets, that gives two Blue Devils to cheer for.

[Acymetric]

This. I really don;t understand what is so hard to understand about it. For players with legitimate professional aspirations, ie 5 star players like Hurt as opposed to the garden variety student athlete (say Tyler Thornton), staying four years hurts your stock more than helps. Yes there are exceptions like Redick. But those are anomalies. This is not the 1980s anymore.

Redick was also a decade and a half ago. He probably isn't a 4 year guy in today's NCAA.

[Alan_Wilson]

Redick was also a decade and a half ago. He probably isn't a 4 year guy in today's NCAA.

True. A lot has changed between then and now. Legitimate 4 year nba prospects are even rarer.

[roywhite]

I’m fascinated, baffled, and amazed that Mason Plumlee is a topic, an item, a trade chip in the draft. Isn’t he in China? Does this mean he gets more millions?

Were you thinking of brother Miles?
After a 7-year NBA career, Miles has been overseas including a brief stop in China. Last seen in Perth, Australia.

Mason has had a productive NBA career, not a high scorer, but versatile enough to record some triple-doubles. Was starter for the Pistons, and should have a significant role with the Hornets.