The SB Nation mock draft is an annual custom. Contributors from workforce websites and consultants from across the community make picks for his or her favourite franchise in a no-trades-allowed mock. You need to try the outcomes as a result of there have been some surprises.
Final yr, the decide for the Spurs was apparent. They had been choosing first and Victor Wembanyama was there. This yr, it was more durable to make choices, as there have been a number of good candidates at each fourth and eighth. In the long run, Pounding the Rock picked Stephon Citadel with San Antonio’s highest decide.
Citadel has been linked to the Spurs within the predraft course of. He’s a 19-year-old guard who wants to enhance on offense however may supply quite a bit on the opposite finish from the beginning. The popular decide at that vary was Reed Sheppard however he was off the board by then. Right here’s why we picked Citadel:
Citadel’s rumored want to be some extent guard within the NBA may scare off loads of groups, however most likely not the one which trotted out Jeremy Sochan as initiator final season. The questionable capturing is a critical concern however Citadel’s defensive versatility and secondary playmaking must be helpful it doesn’t matter what place he finally ends up enjoying.
Is Citadel really some extent guard? The reply is, most likely not. At the least not within the conventional sense. However the Spurs seemingly don’t care. Gregg Popovich appears to like large ball handlers. Final season 6’8 ahead Jeremy Sochan ran level earlier than 6’5 wing Malaki Branham changed him on the ball. The smaller Tre Jones took over solely after the others struggled. Earlier than final season Pop gave Joshua Primo the ball within the second unit and after parting methods with Primo Josh Richardson acquired the project. Each had been 6’5 wings. And naturally, Manu Ginobili was the principle playmaker off the bench for years. For the Spurs, Citadel at level guard is smart.
Offensively, the match shouldn’t be very best, as Citadel shouldn’t be a great three-point shooter and doesn’t have the killer first step to get previous defenders who go underneath screens. Fortuitously for Citadel, he’d be becoming a member of a workforce that has a fringe creator in place already in Devin Vassell and a screener that calls for the eye of the complete protection in Victor Wembanyama. He wouldn’t should be the engine of the offense if he performs level guard. He’d solely should get the offense into its units, push the tempo and discover methods to punish opponents who focus an excessive amount of on containing Wemby.
On the opposite finish, Citadel ought to assist the Spurs tremendously. He’s a incredible defender already, enjoying with physicality on that finish and capable of guard all perimeter positions. His dimension and wingspan must also permit him to not require additional assist even when guarding forwards, which might carry defensive versatility to a workforce that likes to modify quite a bit. Citadel could possibly be a Marcus Sensible-type defender, and if his shot develops as Sensible’s did, the place he performs gained’t matter.
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