NBA groups are scrambling to solidify their draft boards with only a week till the 2024 NBA Draft. Whereas reporters and draft analysts launch their “huge boards” and “mock drafts” there’s a stage of uncertainty that makes this draft a thriller. There appears to be a consensus opinion on who the top-10 gamers are, however not in what order they are going to be chosen. Even this week new gamers are being rumored to be drawing the eye of lottery groups.
Over the past month and a few change, Pounding the Rock has profiled the ten prospects most probably to be targets for the San Antonio Spurs. But, in a flat draft class comparable to this one, it doesn’t really feel like we’ve solely coated our bases. Particularly with rumors floating about Cody Williams sneaking into the top-5. So we determined to do a fast catchup on among the different prospects the Spurs might be taking a look at with each of their top-10 choices. These are the blokes that aren’t clearly within the top-10, however may shock us on draft evening.
Cody Williams, 6-foot-8 wing, Colorado
2023-2024 stats: 11.9 factors, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 55.2% FG, 41.5% 3PT, 71.4% FT, 59.5% eFG
Participant comparability: Jaden McDaniels
Williams is the most popular title within the draft proper now. If the Colorado wing is actually elevating into the top-5, it’s most probably based mostly on his upside. The youthful brother of Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder wing, Jalen Williams, is a protracted, toolsy participant. After a powerful begin to his season, suffered an ankle, wrist and face damage that left him banged up for a lot of the Buffaloes’ 2023-24 marketing campaign. Throughout that point he confirmed sufficient upside to entice NBA groups.
Williams is at his finest offensively when he’s getting downhill or slicing to the rim. He shot over 40% from three albeit on low quantity (1.7 makes an attempt per sport.) He doesn’t have a dependable mid-range shot and wanted to be extra aggressive offensively. He confirmed indicators of connective playmaking, however was inconsistent, with a adverse assist-to-turnover ratio. His instincts shifting with out the ball present that he’s a sensible participant. Groups which are excessive on Williams will financial institution on his size and instincts translating to the defensive finish. With a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Williams has the power to be a switchable defender who can contest photographs on the rim and from deep. He wants so as to add some energy to his 178-pound body.
San Antonio may use assistance on the wings. Williams would supply them with a participant who has the potential to house the ground and defend at a excessive stage. Williams, like his brother, might be a late bloomer who matures into his physique 2-3 years down the road. A swing on Williams would seemingly be an upside play, quite than a guess on a year-one contributor.
Ja’Kobe Walter, 6-foot-5 guard, Baylor
2023-2024 stats: 14.5 factors, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 37.6% FG, 34.1% 3PT, 79.2% FT, 47.4% eFG
Participant comparability: Ben McLemore
What do you do with a shot creator who didn’t shoot the ball effectively? Walter got here into this draft as one of many extra intriguing shot-creating prospects. He began out the season on a scorching taking pictures streak, however as defenses adjusted to him, he struggled to hit photographs and took some dangerous ones. Walter is a pure motion shooter who has some juice on pull-ups. However it’s laborious to completely buy-in to a participant whose finest talent is taking pictures whereas he shot sub-35% from three and 40% from the sector.
Defensively, Walter is a blended bag. He’s bought the instruments to be a stable defender, however the tape is inconsistent at finest. He was typically out of place off the ball and will surrender drives whereas guarding one-on-one. The hope is that Walter develops right into a three-and-D prospect. At Baylor, he didn’t show to be nice at both of these expertise.
San Antonio has reportedly labored out Walter. Whereas they’re seemingly simply doing their due-diligence, Walter might be somebody they have a look at in the event that they consider in his taking pictures. The Spurs want all of the shooters and wing defenders they will get. If Walter develops, he may present that.
Jared McCain, 6-foot-3 guard, Duke
2023-2024 stats: 14.3 factors, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 46.2% FG, 41.4% 3PT, 88.5% FT, 57.7% eFG
Participant comparability: Bryn Forbes
McCain is among the finest shooters within the draft. He’s a smaller guard, very like among the different star school gamers within the 2024 class. McCain shot the lights out in his freshman season at Duke, hitting 41.4% of his threes. He can shoot off motion, off the dribble and from deep vary. His shotmaking prowess is the idea for his draft inventory. He’s not a foul rebounder, both.
McCain isn’t a artistic ball-handler and didn’t present the capabilities NBA groups are in search of in some extent guard on the subsequent stage. He’s vulnerable to getting tossed round a bit defensively, however has good instincts off the ball that may result in steals. He’ll most probably be a small taking pictures guard on the subsequent stage, making him a shakier prospect than different small shooters who can even distribute like Reed Sheppard or Rob Dillingham.
If San Antonio is in search of a candy taking pictures guard with the eighth decide, and Sheppard and Dillingham are off the board, McCain might be thought of. His match with the Spurs is shaky as a result of his lack of playmaking.
Carlton “Bub” Carrington, 6-foot-5 guard, Pittsburgh
2023-2024 stats: 13.8 factors, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 41.2% FG, 32.2% 3PT, 78.5% FT, 49.6% eFG
Participant comparability: Slower Coby White
“Bub” Carrington has a talent a variety of NBA groups need – pull-up taking pictures. He has nice poise attending to his spots and hitting open jumpers for a younger guard. The freshman was a great playmaker and shot creator within the decide and roll at Pitt. With plus dimension at 6-foot-5, it’s simple to grasp why NBA groups are intrigued by Carrington. He was an inconsistent scorer in his freshman season who struggled to hit catch and shoot threes. He wasn’t an excellent rim finisher, both. If Carrington hits his upside he might be a jumbo playmaker and shooter within the decide and roll.
Defensively there’s a lot to love. Carrington is an effective display navigator who reads performs effectively and is ready to contest photographs together with his dimension. At 6’5”, he may change into a participant who guards a number of positions.
Carrington may change into a long-term decide and roll associate with Victor Wembanyama. He would take a while to develop, however may repay as an enormous guard adept at discovering Wemby on the roll or discovering his personal shot on pull-ups. If the Spurs elect to draft a developmental guard with one in all their choices, Carrington might be a candidate.
Alex Sarr, 7-foot heart, Perth (NBL)
2023-2024 stats: 9.7 factors, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 52% FG, 29.8% 3PT, 71.4% FT
Participant comparability: Jaren Jackson Jr.
It wouldn’t make a variety of sense for the Spurs to draft one other huge man after taking Wembanyama within the 2023 Draft. Final season, San Antonio realized that taking part in Wembanyama at heart is the perfect path ahead for them. Why draft one other huge that may drive Wemby again to the 4 spot? If that huge man can play alongside Wembanyama at heart, there’s a hypothetical match.
Sarr is a rangy, expert seven-footer who has tantalizing upside. He’s a defensive monster who can follow ball-handlers and erase photographs on the rim. He has the most effective defensive upsides within the 2024 class. He must rebound the ball higher, and discover a distinct offensive talent. He’s proven some capability to place it on the bottom and house the ground from deep, however shot simply 29.8% from deep final season. Proper now his finest offensive function will probably be as a roll man and lob risk within the decide and roll.
The Sarr match subsequent to Wembanyama is fascinating. On one hand, the Spurs would have an superior defensive duo inside and outside. On the opposite, they must determine the way to make these two gamers work collectively offensively with trendy NBA spacing. Sarr is unlikely to fall to San Antonio’s fourth total choice, but when he did, they’d have to think about the match with Wembanyama, no less than for a second.
Donovan Clingan, 7-foot-3 heart, UCONN
2023-2024 stats: 13 factors, 7.4 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 63.9% FG, 25% 3PT, 58.3% FT, 64.3% eFG
Participant comparability: Rudy Gobert
Sarr would give the Spurs some versatility within the entrance courtroom. Clingan could be a guess on dimension. Wembanyama and Clingan would give the Spurs two monster bigs that may lock down the paint for years to return. Clingan would seemingly want to return off the bench, because the match with he and Wembanyama on each ends is murky. It could give the Spurs elite rim safety for 48 minutes a sport, nonetheless.
Clingan is a mammoth at 7-foot-3, 282 kilos with a 7-foot-7 wingspan. He’s an eraser across the rim and a powerful presence on the boards. Clingan confirmed good passing capability on hand-offs and within the brief roll at UCONN. His low submit sport is easy, he’s greater than most posts and he’ll use that to his benefit with dropsteps or hook photographs across the basket. His dimension and energy are his finest property. What’s his offensive upside? He hasn’t confirmed he’s capable of house the ground, though there have been reviews of him taking pictures the ball effectively in draft exercises.
It doesn’t look like Clingan is a powerful match with Wembanyama. Taking part in the 2 of them collectively could be extraordinarily clunky offensively, and is likely to be overkill defensively. If the Spurs wished to certain up their huge man rotation long-term, Clingan might be within the working with the fourth total decide. Though, utilizing a top-5 decide on a back-up heart isn’t essentially the neatest use of the asset.
Earlier Prospects:
Rob Dillingham
Reed Sheppard
Nikola Matter
Zaccharie Risacher
Stephon Citadel
Tidjane Salaun
Ron Holland
Matas Buzelis
Devin Carter
Dalton Knecht
