Oklahoma State star and potential No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham formally announced on Thursday that he will enter the 2021 NBA draft, writes Cliff Brunt of The Associated Press.
The 6’8″ freshman guard was one of the most dynamic players in the nation during his first and only college season, averaging a conference-best 20.1 PPG to go along with 6.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.6 SPG. He had a shooting line of .438/.400/.846 in his 27 games with the Cowboys (35.4 MPG), winning the Wayman Tisdale Award as the NCAA’s top freshman.
Although Oklahoma State had a relatively early exit from the NCAA tournament, falling in the second round to Oregon State, that 80-70 defeat didn’t reflect poorly on Cunningham, who scored 24 points in the losing effort.
There are a handful of impressive young players expected to join Cunningham at the top of draft boards this year, including Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, Jalen Green, and Jonathan Kuminga. However, Cunningham has long been considered by draft experts to be the top prospect in the 2021 class and is the strong favorite to be the first player off the board on July 29.
As Jonathan Givony of ESPN notes in his scouting report of Cunningham, there are still some questions about whether the 19-year-old can be the go-to offensive creator for an NBA team. However, Cunningham’s size, physical tools, improved shooting touch, and defensive versatility make him a potential two-way force, says Givony.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
suggs goes number 1 after winning ncaa championship at gonzaga.
Baylor over Gonzaga.
They have to get past Houston first.
I love Houston’s defense.
Suggs is the guy I wanted for the Knicks (still do); not that he’s better than CC, but a better fit and (at the time) was likely more obtainable. The Knicks have enough draft assets to trade up, but probably not from outside the top 10 into the top 3 or so. At this point, I don’t think Suggs will be there after the top 3 or so, whether Gonzaga wins it all or not. Nor will CC, btw.
Suggs, Green anyone of those players would be an upgrade on the Knicks.
Lots of talented players, but I wouldn’t have a lot of interest in trading up for any of them except Suggs or CC. Rather just make the picks I have.
Would you trade 4 Firsts to move up for Green or Suggs?
Warriors have a chance to get one of them
Knicks get Suggs or Green
Warriors get
2 Knicks Firsts
2 Mavs Firsts
Yes, for Suggs. Although any remote Knick 1st was top 1-4 protected until at least 2024.
In other news we breathe oxygen
My original prediction by order
Cade
Suggs
Green
Kuminga
Mobley
Am I the only one that doesn’t seem much in Mobley? I see Chris Boucher of the Raptors. Maybe not as good LOL. I’m sure I’ll get corrected as I always do around this time of year.
As I said, Rockets should be hunting for teenagers
I read that Rockets are targeting Cade, the teenager
According to rumor story, Rockets are discussing buyout with John Wall
Trade deadline
The asking price for John Wall is unknown
I would guess
one good young player
2 future Firsts
Garbage contract salary release
Asking price is always crazy high
The Rockets are not going to buy out Wall. If they are lucky enough to get Cade we could see an unprecedented turnaround in Houston next season.
What is your next nickname if Rockets buyout Wall?
“BlewUpRocks4Har en” …..
Cade should go #1, he’s a big time talent. But for all the next PG pub he gets. His 3.5 ast a gm is Weak.
I see Suggs as more a true PG who runs team. Teams are not really interested in true PGs unless they are the next CP3. It’s why you see so many scoring PGs in NBA right now. They think they can do it by just putting out as much talent. They want versatility and interchangeable positionless players. It’s kind of what Warriors made popular with Curry. I’m a tru believer of a real PG. You need a player to help manage team and always be in a team mode to compete. This is a team game and a real PG is a big piece for that O n D.
Cade is that guy that can play 1-3 and do it well. Got excellent vision and is a good passer. I would want him to play the wing at the 3. Only team who might not take him first is Detroit. They have Hayes who is more a true PG and has excellent size. With their need for a Center. I trade down and take Mobley probably at 2.
The Pistons would take Cade #1 in a heartbeat. Hayes has proven absolutely nothing yet. And he’d have to have proven a hell of a lot to expect the team to not take the best player available.
But then again you’re the same guy that tried to tell me that I underestimate Drummond, even though I’ve probably seen him play 100x more games than you have. So you probably won’t believe me. But as someone that knows this team a lot better than you do, they’d absolutely love the chance to draft Cade.
He’s not much better than Mobley. They already have Grant at the 3. I know today it’s fashionable to not see true talent in a big. Mobley is more advanced than Wiseman imo. He just needs his body to mature. He’s the next great center with Wiseman. Plus Pistons have Stewart who’s excellent piece next to Mobley. Plus trading down and getting an asset is also a plus. Considering you are already dissing Hayes only tells, shows your hurt feelings. Or lack of knowledge of his game. I guarantee he will be a top PG in 3-4 yrs. Think a better Russell.
Pistons never developed Drummond the right way. They just let him play and payed him. You only ever talked about his worth cause of the contract. Even if he’s not worth the money he’s still a starting center. And that is value, leading the league in rebounding is a huge value. 18 n 14 is huge value. I never said he was a max guy. But that’s what you judged on. So yes that’s understanding his worth. You’ll see now we’ll all see what Bron will bring out the guy.
I said Pistons are one who didn’t need to take him #1. There are pro scouts who don’t think he’s the #1 pick. If you’re an adult you learn to accept different opinions. It doesn’t mean we know better. I’ve had the NBA pkg for decades. I watch a lot of ball. Mostly my team of course. Plus whats their to know about Pistons Drummond yrs. They’ve blown it all up. And got NOTHING for their 28 million dollar player. If you read what I say. And I do say what I mean. I’ve said Pistons had best draft last yr. I can’t argue if you want Cade #1. But why talk down Hayes. Same as talking down Drummond cause he took Pistons money and hurt your feelings. Man up kid.
And we will both watch Drummond and Lakers along with the Pistons Franchise …..
Man, you’re really stuck on believing that you know more about everything than everyone else, aren’t you? So much so that you can’t even listen to what others are saying.
I didn’t dis Hayes. I just stated a fact that he hasn’t proven anything yet. To pass up the best player in a draft because MAYBE the 7th overall pick from last year, that had a disappointing start to his season before suffering a major injury could MAYBE block him the tiniest bit makes absolutely no sense. The NBA is not a league where you can pass up the best player available because you have slightly more of a need elsewhere.
And your argument makes even less sense when just before that you are arguing that you don’t see Cade as a PG anyway.
Be honest, if you’re capable of doing so. How many games have you actually watched Drummond play? I’ve watched hundreds, and without a doubt I know more about what the Pistons did and didn’t try to do with him than you do, as you clearly don’t follow them. So what gives you the ego to think that you know so much better than people that have so much more knowledge about a given subject than you do?
Are you a flat earther too? You know better than all those scientists, because, gosh darn it, it just seems like the world is flat to you?
And FYI, my problem with Drummond has nothing to do with money. It’s him wasting his talent. If you put an above average NBA brain with an above average work ethic into his body he’d be a dominant all-pro, defensive POTY every year type of center. If you put Drummond’s brain into an average NBA player ‘s body he wouldn’t even sniff the NBA.
He’s coasted by his entire life with minimal effort. He was the worst free throw shooter of all time for the first 5 years of his career, and back then I still gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed that it must just be physically impossible for him to improve in that regard, because if not why wouldn’t he have done so after a full career in high school, college, and 5 years in the NBA?
Then there were rumors of the team making him shoot granny shots at the free throw line and all of a sudden in one off-season he improved from a 38% FT shooter to a 60% FT shooter. Where was the effort before this?
And yet you blame the Pistons for never trying to develop him, despite that being their #1 priority every single year of his career.
sounds like drummond is andrew bynum without the injuries excuse.
He’s an all-time great rebounder that’s super fast for a big guy. Unfortunately he’s never been able to develop a post game, and he thinks he’s an all-time great at everything. (see him entering the skills competition as a dribbler and spending off-seasons working on his 3-point shot instead of his post game at either end)
Forces up lots of bad shots. Turns the ball over in bad ways. Pouts if he misses a few shots and then takes possessions off on the defensive end. Never was able to develop a post-game or become the dominant defensive player he should be. (He’s still above average overall, but gets torched by anyone that’s actually good at scoring down low)
He’s a good pickup for the Lakers. But man, was he frustrating to watch night in and night out. We thought we’d build our team around him, but his true ceiling is a #3 or #4 guy on a championship contender. And one that will still leave you frustrated by boneheaded plays quite often.
Or to put it simply, if he tried to be DeAndre Jordan he’d be a better version of him. But instead he thinks he’s like Michael Jordan or something.
His biggest problem (aside from basketball IQ and work ethic) is not knowing his limitations. It’s possible Lebron can change that. But it wouldn’t be surprising if he can’t. He’s kind of like a bigger version of JR Smith.
#1 Kuminga
#2 Green
#3 Cunningham
#4 Mobley
#5 Suggs
I think Mobley is going to be a bust. I just don’t see it when I watch him play. He can’t manhandle guys in college what’s going to happen in the pros? Chris Boucher?