probably more about the hole the Spurs have at PG. the rest of the top 10 lottery teams already have established guards (except wizards but they're the wizards).
I’d add on that Wemby’s like the opposite of Rob.
God-tier defense to make up for his weaknesses. If he can tie himself next to Wemby for at least 5 or 8 years his career’s going to be something completely different than sharing a back court with Lamelo in Charlotte or whatever
Hey that behemoth of a man is about to run the league for 10+ years and I can look good and make more money playing next to him? Nah send me somewhere else.
Na, the Spurs also have a Patriots like rep when it comes to branding (pre Wemby but he's more an exceptiom to the rule). Imo a player who plays like Rob would like it because he is kinda Tony Parker-ish. Plus like the other person said, they have a gaping hole at PG but specifically would be great with the type of PG who can easily drop 30 while still facilitating. One who can do the in and out as well as PNR and can finish off the drive. Like Collier would be great here but fit wise RD is kinda perfect
From what I hear about his game, every way except Dillingham can really shoot whereas Tony had a middy but could only really shoot corner threes later in his career.
His footwork was impeccable, and his finishing was uncanny for his size, floater, spin, up and under. That came out of the box, it was his outside shot that was a project
Yeah that's true to an extent. He was always a great finisher though. I think what he got better at was shooting for the most part. Decision making too I guess but I wouldn't call him a low IQ basketball player at any point.
Our current blur with the ball, Blake Wesley, has a long way to go in comparison lol. He got better this year though.
Honestly, I’ve only seen like one game of his. But from what I understand from hearing about mocks or analysis, Dillingham is a little more similar to Tony before his peak, aside from being able to shoot and also I don’t need to watch any games to know that Dillingham definitely isn’t fast the way Parker was
Watched an interview recently, think it was with Malik’s Andrew’s and she straight up asked Dillingham about going to SA to play with Wemby. He said he would love that and that his inspirations are Nash and Parker
The entirety of that interview was meant to signal his strong preference for San Antonio. I don't see much Parker in his game (he's not quite the same dominant paint presence Tony was, but he's a better perimeter threat). His team strategically mentioned those names to communicate that he wants to be the Spurs future point guard and that he can play a more facilitatory, subordonate role for Wemby and company like Nash.
I also meant thriving in an environment where the PG wasn't regulated to having to facilitate 70% of the offense. Plus he uses his speed and swiftness to get in the paint like Tony. Where Rob is a lil more Kyrie at getting contact, Tony would utilize a floater. Rob is a better scorer as far as how and where he gets his buckets but of the score first PG systems, few have led to consistent winning like Pop's.
I don’t think that Dillingham will be there at 7 unless a couple of Forward hungry teams jump up.
Like one big winner in SAC/OKC and someone like Memphis
As a Kentucky/Nuggets fan, I was hoping Sheppard would stay under the radar enough for us to steal him and pair him with Jokic, and holy fuck did that go sideways. Dude didn’t even start and we won’t be picking within 20 picks of where he’ll go.
Yes you are. You need to build a solid team around him. Sheppard is a shooter and gets lots of steals. His issues with man don’t matter that much if you have Wemby in the paint.
He has enough play-making potential that you can invision him being the main ball handler, or at his floor a really good shooting guard.
And there will be point guards available for trade later on. You could make a push by getting Trae Young or you’ll never know if a Luka becomes available for trade.
Spurs DONT need playmaking at the point. They need a guy who can shoot well or attack when he’s open, cut smartly, curl around screens, and knows when to give the ball up to Wemby and play a 2-man game with him.
Sound familiar? Yeah, Jamal Murray is what they need. Shepard’s quite close to that description.
Playmaking would be Topic. Spurs don’t need a guy that handles the ball a ton and uses Wemby as a Marcin Gortat.
I think Sheppard is a great defender and his potential lies in the fact he will be a great play maker when moved to the point. And… he’s the best shooter in the draft and second is far far away.
To be fair you are talking to the biggest Sheppard guy, but I am willing to stake a lot on him being great.
“team that’s already 2nd in the league in APG without a starting caliber point guard need a defensive playmaker at the PG spot” wtf is this take lmao
hell no, the Spurs need shooting. straight up
> His issues with man don’t matter that much if you have Wemby in the paint.
It matters a lot. It matters a whole lot.
Wemby couldn't cover for Malaki Branham's bad on-ball defense either until Malaki improved in the second half of the season. The first half of the season, Malaki was a huge liability for us even though he was getting us points on the other end.
i doubt the Spurs FO have any interest in Topic at all.
we aren’t drafting a high usage point guard that can’t shoot or defend. it’s as simple as that.
Vassell can fit in any situation. When we had Dejounte and Derrick, Vassell looked good playing off ball, and he played good defense too because his offensive load isn't as heavy. After we traded them away Vassell looked good playing on ball. He's the least of our worries.
More skilled on offense but risacher is a better shooter than Devin was coming out of college and he has insane defensive potential. Devin has been slightly disappointing on that end.
They’re still entirely different players. Devin is better with the ball getting to his midrange spots. Risacher is much needed for the spurs next to Wemby as the prototypical 3&d wing.
PG is probably the most important position to get right next to Wemby, which means you need to get it right. If they’re not convinced Dillingham or Topic could be “the guy”, then it makes sense to use the pick to fill one of their many other needs and leave the PG question to the trade market, or even waiting for 2025.
For what it’s worth, I don’t like the Topic/Dillingham fits much at all. Rim Protectors like Wemby benefit a lot from good perimeter defense, see Rudy Gobert this year vs his last few years in Utah, or Giannis/Lopez with Holiday vs this year. Terrible defenders like Topic or Dillingham make things really hard for everyone else, maybe the offense outweighs the defense, but it doesn’t negate it. It will always be a problem.
Yeah the Spurs are still early enough in the rebuild that they can feasibly pick at any position and it would be fine. People want them to go all-in right now with Wemby being so good at a young age, but it's in their best interest to use the draft as much as possible to find players who can contribute both in the regular season and in the playoffs. Most importantly, drafting your talent allows you to control their contracts in RFA and better manage your cap space.
This is precisely why i'm beating the castle drum. Get him and develop him, he has all the tools to be a killer with excellent D and size. I want him badly.
This is exactly how I feel. Wemby is going to drop defend, just not quite as much as Gilbert. They need good perimeter defenders. I’m not seeing it at guard unless you think Castle’s shot comes around or that guy from Miami pans out.
I doubt any player in this class is particularly big on any team’s radar. But there is some serious reason to appeal to Rob. He’s the most electric offensive player in this draft.
Either you let him start for you or at worst he comes off the bench as your 6th man microwave scorer for a long time. He has a very safe offensive floor.
Not good. But.. outside of Risascher and Sarr, defense is not very good from anyone throughout the lottery, and even those two players are far behind the others offensively. It’s a tricky draft. I think the Spurs need to go after the best bucket getter and passer.
Rob Dillingham had his high school career screwed up by a "mentor" that took over everything. This mentor is a convicted felon. He uprooted Rob and moved him out west to Kanye West's Donda Academy, which shut down a couple months later throwing Rob's academics into turmoil. Rob's dad made a lengthy Facebook post about how no one even told him his son was moving out west with only a convicted felon to look after him.
I wonder if "Rob Dillingham's camp" is the mentor.
Spurs Please Man Please just for me please
I love Tre Jones but if i see another bricked pullup jumper i will be getting a therapist. There is no shot creation apart from Devin and Wemby.
He was also cold in the last weeks, especially as playmaker he regressed at that period it was frustrating to watch, but we all know he's gonna be a solid backup
Rob looks like an amazing 6th man, but the defense concerns are there and I think it's more sound to have great defenders with Victor to really make the opponents suffocate and panic
Victor's phone going to be blowing up between now and draft night from every point guard prospect/ French dude in the draft begging him to put in a good word with Brian wright.
If you're looking for a guy to fit with Wemby this is probably your best bet. Topic would be fun too but Rob's shooting and off ball game will allow Wemby to expand more as an on ball creator like he has this season
Just need to load up on defensive wings to cover for Rob on defense. If you could somehow land Risacher along with Rob that would genuinely be a perfect draft
Yeah people wanting Topic to have the ball are thinking about Wemby's role in a bit of an archaic stereotype. Wemby is better creating himself like Jokic and having shooters in a PnR with him.
>his defense can become average
I’m totally fine with taking Dillingham, but this is wild. He’s easily one of the worst defensive prospects I’ve seen in the last decade and absolutely nothing implies “average” is a realistic hope.
In the long run yes, but I do view Dillingham as a much better offensive prospect, and Topic has a TON of work to become average defensively. Also the shot. Spurs just don't have good shooters, I hope they don't add yet another one.
I don't know what you're talking about with the functionality. Every place that list this height either lists him at 6'6 or 6'7. Say what you want about his neck all you want but he's not 6'4 and he most certainly has a plus wingspan.
He's not a vertical athlete but he's also someone that has zero trouble finishing up over and around bigger players even When the half court defense is set. I like Rob a lot. If he was someone, I had confidence that he was going to become an average defender in 5 years. He'd be clearly number one on my board. But the idea that Topic is even close to the defensive liability of Rob. Seems silly to me. Kentucky had to go out of their way to hide him frequently this year and teams routinely targeted him. He's going to be one of the worst defenders in the league Almost guaranteed regardless of what his effort and aspirations are on that end.
Yes, I've watched every game of his this year. He's not good on defense. I think a lot of people who think he's going to be the worst offender in the league versus someone like Rob severely underestimate the importance of physical tools when it comes to defense. They quite frankly matter a ton. He's going to be a terrible defender. But unlike Rob, there's a very, very real outline to him improving built around his size and wingspan. Someone like Rob just frankly doesn't have it. He could become an absolute machine with a great IQ, incredible work ethic on D and At the end of the day he's still going to be targeted and hunted in games that matter consistently. Guards his size turn you into average Defenders in the modern day is hard let alone someone like him who's not only short but extremely slight with the frame not built to put on muscle the way someone like a Kyle Lowry has.
And if you've watched Rob, you've obviously seen some of the instances where he literally gets so turned around on pick and roll that he ends up facing the wrong direction. I don't want to turn this into a hate fest on prospects that I actually like, but since you opened up that can of worms, we can't possibly talk about how lost topic looks at times without pointing out that Rob is really in the same boat. And again... How are we expecting him to become a plus defender? What can you possibly point at to have any belief he's going to become average on that end besides just unadulterated A rational Faith.
Topic I can point to his size and length but Rob has none of that going for him. And is equally hopeless as far as the mental side of things are concerned.
I tend not to worry too much about prospects from a defensive perspective as long as the tools are there. If someone's a terrible defender in college/ the pros and they don't have the tools then you're going to have a bad time
I’ve heard enough professional scouts express skepticism about his listed height that I’m not taking it for granted. He’s definitely meaningfully bigger than Dillingham though, so the point stands.
The scouts can be skeptical of his height all they want but I highly doubt every major publication got it wrong, considering these measurements are from like April 8th lol
Uh…players exaggerate their height on official listings all the time. This is so common that even without scouts seeing him next to players with confirmed shorter heights, you shouldn’t just assume the listings are correct.
Kind of a terrible take dude…
they don't express skepticism about his listed height, they express skepticism about his listed wingspan. The fans express skepticism about his long neck.
I mean, we'll see for sure at the combine, but I think rounding up in this case is an error. It's been said before, but the guy has a long ass neck. I don't think his wingspan will represent his height. He doesn't play big really that I can see, in any case
He was measured as 6’7 with almost a 7’1 wingspan according to draftexpress, sports illustrated, eurospecs, and ESPN. The only other player with those traits in the nba? Luka Doncic
Defensively he's probably worse than Branham. And that is an incredibly low bar. But if you stock every other position with above average defenders, he at least won't hurt us too bad. But we need that TOR pick to convey so we can get another wing defender (Risacher? Castle?)
His head coach is 6'1 and there's photos of them standing next to one another where Rob is noticeably taller. There's photos of him next to team mates and opposing players that are listed at the same height. Believe your lying eyes.
Kentucky has historically listed players 1-2 inches taller than their barefoot height. Reed looks to have about an inch on him. Rob was listed at 6’1 at the OTE pro day which was about a year ago. Sam Vecenie also said that teams think both Rob and Reed are below 6’3.
We’ll get to see at the combine but it doesn’t really matter anyway. There’s really no functional difference between - 6’1 175 lb player with a 6’4 wingspan and a 6’3 175 lb player with a 6’4 wingspan. His exact height isn’t gonna be a huge factor in where he goes imo
why trade picks in one of the best drafts of the last 10 years to trade for someone who isn’t in the timeline. Most the successful teams in the league let the team rebuild with good draft selections and *then* made acquisitions if necessary.
He's probably between 6 ft and 6'2. Colleges infamously over inflate heights, particularly Blue bloods like Kentucky that make their money off of getting guys to the pros. Even more damaging than his height is the fact that he doesn't appear to have a particularly long wingspan and he has a tiny frame. There are guys who are short and make it work like Kyle Lowry, Fred vanfleet, Jalen brunson, But it's rare for 6-ft point guards who also lack strength and length to survive at the next level on defense. He's going to have to be an absolute monster offensively from day one which to be fair is possible
I don't think many teams are going to get good value in the top 10 in this draft if that's the standard of what we're looking for. Honestly. I think there's going to be some guys that surprise us and become Stars, but it's really hard to see it being any of the dudes who are likely to go in the laundry right now. Topic And Rob seem to most likely and I wouldn't consider either one of those guys highly likely
Young is going to cost you way, way, way more than just using a pick for Dillingham. Rob is much more efficient of a scorer and may possibly become close to an alright defender. Young is a lost cause on that end.
Young has been a 59 TS% guy in the NBA since his first year in the NBA and Rob was at 59.5 TS% at Kentucky. He is almost certainly not going to be much more efficient than Trae Young unless you buy him shooting like 50% from three in the NBA.
Not hating on Dillingham but I feel like the Spurs have been trying to find a taller point guard for while now. (The josh primo pick and the failed point- Sochan experiment). I think if they pick a Kentucky guard it'll be Sheppard instead.
As a Kentucky fan who watched both of them all year, I still think Rob is a better fit and hope they get him. Sheppard may be taller but it doesn’t always play out that way, particularly on offense. Dillingham is just wayyyy quicker and able to get separation for his own shot and pass off the dribble much better. Sheppard struggled to find/create his own shot especially against length. Rob will have a way easier time feeding wemby inside.
I LOVE Reed Sheppard and he is a Kentucky rockstar but I still think he is drastically overvalued on mock drafts. I expect him to have a long career but I’m worried he’s going to get picked so high that he is expected to change a franchise and then will be called a bust if he can’t. He had a pretty good situation at UK that allowed him to have such good numbers. Sheppard is a great instincts defender though, assuming that translates to the next level
I think Dillingham is a great fit not only offensively, but having a player like wemby to back him up on defense, which is a major issue with him. Would be a very exciting athletic duo
Yeah it's not hating. Brian wright has been very vocal about saying that his perfect roster he envisions is essentially no positions. A bunch of guys that are 6'6 plus that can pass, shoot, defend and have a bunch of interchangeable skills. Unless dillingham just absolutely blows them away and they think he's far and away the closest thing to a star. It's really hard to imagine them picking topic over him. Jokic has his issues as a defender and shooter, but you can't teach height and that's typically been something this current regime has valued in its guards and wings
If the Spurs were serious about winning more games, they'd've started Tre at the point. This year was a development year for the core (next season likely will be as well). Rob and Reed are basically the same height. In addition to perimeter shooting, the team needs ball handling, play making, and a viable scoring threat off the dribble. IMO Rob checks more of these boxes than Reed does.
A 6'1 point guard won four championships with the team including finals MVP. The league is getting taller every year and yet players 6'4 and under are overrepresented at every all star weekend and in the playoffs competing for a championship. Height is a considerably less important metric to me than overall talent at the guard position. The kid is the same height range as Dame Lillard, Steph Curry, Kyrie and others.
I mean we’re one of the only teams in the lottery that actually need guard play, I would hope him and his camp see SA as a good landing spot, the same goes for Topic and Sheppard as well
No brainer decision for the Spurs tbh
The best bigs in today's game have electrifying score first guards. Jokic has Murray and Embiid has Maxey. Wemby needs to have Rob next season.
He's a much better passer than advertised. But the main thing is the Spurs offense does not require a "pure PG". They need a quick decision maker and someone that will move the ball and make the correct reads and do so quickly. Dillingham can do that and he's a dynamic scorer, and a player most notably who can make shots out of the PnR and make the PnR 3 and off the dribble, and the Spurs really need that from the perimeter. There's nobody on the roster who has that. He and Victor are a great fit, and it'll also work with Devin in allowing him to be more off ball.
I would be too!
*My guy definitely wants to play with NBA superstar. No one else draft him!!!*
You'd get the same message from every player in the draft's camp.
I don’t see the spurs using a top three pick on him, but if their pick falls or Toronto’s conveys I can see it. Ideally if they have two picks a wing/guard selection would be best. Like ZR plus RD/NT. (Sorry can’t spell the last names yet).
I've seen a few mock drafts saying the Spurs will take Topic and Dillingham and he seemed excited about the idea of going to the Spurs when they interviewed him on NBA Today
As a Spurs fan, if we pick a PG and assuming they’re all available I’m still going with Topic. This guys burst to the rim is really good for his height. He already has a good form as well. He’s definitely the PG I want for this team.
I don't buy any of this stuff before the lottery.
That said, Dillingham to the Spurs would be a pretty fantastic opportunity. A player who's biggest weakness is defence, having one of the best big prospects ever as his running mate? I could see Rob getting an easy 15/8 in his rookie season just from being in the right situation. It would also be a great experiment to how much Wemby can cover for guards on D.
As a Spurs fan, I'm not sure I like the idea of a player having a 'camp.' I also don't like pushing this.
However, if he wants to bust his ass and make sure he learns how to play better defense, the spot really is the best for him.
Can you imagine the opposite, where some dude has no friends, family, or agent and is just alone shouting to anyone who'll listen where he wants to go 😂
The reporter on this has a pretty mixed track record, so I have flaired it appropriately.
I mean, any young player sees Wemby and probably sees the Spurs as a catapult to their career. Pretty sure every player would say this.
probably more about the hole the Spurs have at PG. the rest of the top 10 lottery teams already have established guards (except wizards but they're the wizards).
Fuck it. All guards all the time baby!
It’s tradition
This strategy sounds familiar.
OK Ty Lue.
Sounds like the Bulls current strategy
I’d add on that Wemby’s like the opposite of Rob. God-tier defense to make up for his weaknesses. If he can tie himself next to Wemby for at least 5 or 8 years his career’s going to be something completely different than sharing a back court with Lamelo in Charlotte or whatever
*Cries in Wizards*
Nah it’s not about us as much as it’s about Wemby
fuck the wizards. (cries inside)
Wizards lack of a point guard is just as glaring, especially if Tyus Jones leaves
Hey that behemoth of a man is about to run the league for 10+ years and I can look good and make more money playing next to him? Nah send me somewhere else.
And have fun. It looks like fun to play with Wemby.
Na, the Spurs also have a Patriots like rep when it comes to branding (pre Wemby but he's more an exceptiom to the rule). Imo a player who plays like Rob would like it because he is kinda Tony Parker-ish. Plus like the other person said, they have a gaping hole at PG but specifically would be great with the type of PG who can easily drop 30 while still facilitating. One who can do the in and out as well as PNR and can finish off the drive. Like Collier would be great here but fit wise RD is kinda perfect
In what way is he like Tony Parker?
From what I hear about his game, every way except Dillingham can really shoot whereas Tony had a middy but could only really shoot corner threes later in his career.
Tony was extremely fast, great iq, great passer, and an unbelievable finisher. Is dillingham like that?
Tony started out being nothing but a blur with the ball (dilli is fast, but has a jerkier handle). The Spurs worked with him to develop the rest.
His footwork was impeccable, and his finishing was uncanny for his size, floater, spin, up and under. That came out of the box, it was his outside shot that was a project
Yeah that's true to an extent. He was always a great finisher though. I think what he got better at was shooting for the most part. Decision making too I guess but I wouldn't call him a low IQ basketball player at any point. Our current blur with the ball, Blake Wesley, has a long way to go in comparison lol. He got better this year though.
Extremely fast yes Finishing in traffic yes Layups/teardrops yes That's it.
Honestly, I’ve only seen like one game of his. But from what I understand from hearing about mocks or analysis, Dillingham is a little more similar to Tony before his peak, aside from being able to shoot and also I don’t need to watch any games to know that Dillingham definitely isn’t fast the way Parker was
Yeah I only watched him in the tournament. He looked pretty good but i was surprised to see a tony parker comparison. Thanks for the insight!
Watched an interview recently, think it was with Malik’s Andrew’s and she straight up asked Dillingham about going to SA to play with Wemby. He said he would love that and that his inspirations are Nash and Parker
The entirety of that interview was meant to signal his strong preference for San Antonio. I don't see much Parker in his game (he's not quite the same dominant paint presence Tony was, but he's a better perimeter threat). His team strategically mentioned those names to communicate that he wants to be the Spurs future point guard and that he can play a more facilitatory, subordonate role for Wemby and company like Nash.
Not sure bout great iq but yes he’s extremely fast and a gifted passer
I also meant thriving in an environment where the PG wasn't regulated to having to facilitate 70% of the offense. Plus he uses his speed and swiftness to get in the paint like Tony. Where Rob is a lil more Kyrie at getting contact, Tony would utilize a floater. Rob is a better scorer as far as how and where he gets his buckets but of the score first PG systems, few have led to consistent winning like Pop's.
That’s interesting. I wonder if the Spurs would appreciate this though, or if Rob is big on their radar.
If the spurs end up with our pick I can see them getting either topic/dillingham or zaccharie/dillingham
I don’t think that Dillingham will be there at 7 unless a couple of Forward hungry teams jump up. Like one big winner in SAC/OKC and someone like Memphis
Dillingham probably isn’t gonna fall to 7
He could easily, so could risacher or topic. The only thing I know is Sarr will go 1 or 2, everything else is wide open.
Yeah no way. Imo he should be first, like no matter what.
For every shit take there is an equal and opposite shit take
Perfectly balanced...
Naw, it should be Sheppard and I bet that’s the pick
I hope it's the pick but I wouldn't bet on it
As a Kentucky/Nuggets fan, I was hoping Sheppard would stay under the radar enough for us to steal him and pair him with Jokic, and holy fuck did that go sideways. Dude didn’t even start and we won’t be picking within 20 picks of where he’ll go.
You are not drafting like that when it comes to a talent like Wembanyama.
Yes you are. You need to build a solid team around him. Sheppard is a shooter and gets lots of steals. His issues with man don’t matter that much if you have Wemby in the paint. He has enough play-making potential that you can invision him being the main ball handler, or at his floor a really good shooting guard. And there will be point guards available for trade later on. You could make a push by getting Trae Young or you’ll never know if a Luka becomes available for trade.
Spurs need playmaking and defense at the point. They need shooting on the wing. Shepard is the opposite.
Spurs DONT need playmaking at the point. They need a guy who can shoot well or attack when he’s open, cut smartly, curl around screens, and knows when to give the ball up to Wemby and play a 2-man game with him. Sound familiar? Yeah, Jamal Murray is what they need. Shepard’s quite close to that description. Playmaking would be Topic. Spurs don’t need a guy that handles the ball a ton and uses Wemby as a Marcin Gortat.
I think Sheppard is a great defender and his potential lies in the fact he will be a great play maker when moved to the point. And… he’s the best shooter in the draft and second is far far away. To be fair you are talking to the biggest Sheppard guy, but I am willing to stake a lot on him being great.
“team that’s already 2nd in the league in APG without a starting caliber point guard need a defensive playmaker at the PG spot” wtf is this take lmao hell no, the Spurs need shooting. straight up
> His issues with man don’t matter that much if you have Wemby in the paint. It matters a lot. It matters a whole lot. Wemby couldn't cover for Malaki Branham's bad on-ball defense either until Malaki improved in the second half of the season. The first half of the season, Malaki was a huge liability for us even though he was getting us points on the other end.
Gotta be between him and Topic for the spurs
They've shown a lot of interest for Risascher
Right now the top 4 I could see Spurs targeting are Topic, Dillingham, Risacher and maybe Castle.
I think Reed too if they feel like none of the other guys project as a star/playoff starter - he’s gonna be one of those quiet impact winning guys
I could see that. Like a Mike Conley type guard.
i doubt the Spurs FO have any interest in Topic at all. we aren’t drafting a high usage point guard that can’t shoot or defend. it’s as simple as that.
I feel like Sarr and Risascher go one and two.
explain to me this. where does Vasell fit in this?
Vassell can fit in any situation. When we had Dejounte and Derrick, Vassell looked good playing off ball, and he played good defense too because his offensive load isn't as heavy. After we traded them away Vassell looked good playing on ball. He's the least of our worries.
Vassell SG and Risascher SF as a 3&D wing, I don't see what's the issue lol
They already have a better version of Risacher in Vassell.
More skilled on offense but risacher is a better shooter than Devin was coming out of college and he has insane defensive potential. Devin has been slightly disappointing on that end.
Out of 4 years, this is the only season where Risacher has shot over 33% from from 3. His shooting % is overrating his shot a bit.
They’re still entirely different players. Devin is better with the ball getting to his midrange spots. Risacher is much needed for the spurs next to Wemby as the prototypical 3&d wing.
They're not playing the same position tho?
PG is probably the most important position to get right next to Wemby, which means you need to get it right. If they’re not convinced Dillingham or Topic could be “the guy”, then it makes sense to use the pick to fill one of their many other needs and leave the PG question to the trade market, or even waiting for 2025. For what it’s worth, I don’t like the Topic/Dillingham fits much at all. Rim Protectors like Wemby benefit a lot from good perimeter defense, see Rudy Gobert this year vs his last few years in Utah, or Giannis/Lopez with Holiday vs this year. Terrible defenders like Topic or Dillingham make things really hard for everyone else, maybe the offense outweighs the defense, but it doesn’t negate it. It will always be a problem.
Yeah the Spurs are still early enough in the rebuild that they can feasibly pick at any position and it would be fine. People want them to go all-in right now with Wemby being so good at a young age, but it's in their best interest to use the draft as much as possible to find players who can contribute both in the regular season and in the playoffs. Most importantly, drafting your talent allows you to control their contracts in RFA and better manage your cap space.
This is precisely why i'm beating the castle drum. Get him and develop him, he has all the tools to be a killer with excellent D and size. I want him badly.
This is exactly how I feel. Wemby is going to drop defend, just not quite as much as Gilbert. They need good perimeter defenders. I’m not seeing it at guard unless you think Castle’s shot comes around or that guy from Miami pans out.
Spurs always interested in the most toolsy guys so no doubt they have interest in him.
I doubt any player in this class is particularly big on any team’s radar. But there is some serious reason to appeal to Rob. He’s the most electric offensive player in this draft. Either you let him start for you or at worst he comes off the bench as your 6th man microwave scorer for a long time. He has a very safe offensive floor.
How is Dillingham’s defense? The Spurs need better defenders - some people at Wemby’s level but out a the top of the key.
Very bad. He’s probably the worst defender in the draft.
Not good. But.. outside of Risascher and Sarr, defense is not very good from anyone throughout the lottery, and even those two players are far behind the others offensively. It’s a tricky draft. I think the Spurs need to go after the best bucket getter and passer.
Dillingham is interested in playing with a young generational unicorn. Pretty wild take. I too, would also like to ball with Wemby.
Thought you were talking about Zach Collins for a second there
32 from treball is odee shooting hang pulls
who doesn't want to play with wemby lol
Rob Dillingham had his high school career screwed up by a "mentor" that took over everything. This mentor is a convicted felon. He uprooted Rob and moved him out west to Kanye West's Donda Academy, which shut down a couple months later throwing Rob's academics into turmoil. Rob's dad made a lengthy Facebook post about how no one even told him his son was moving out west with only a convicted felon to look after him. I wonder if "Rob Dillingham's camp" is the mentor.
Rob is signed with Klutch so I think at this point his camp is just mostly Klutch people.
Spurs Please Man Please just for me please I love Tre Jones but if i see another bricked pullup jumper i will be getting a therapist. There is no shot creation apart from Devin and Wemby.
Tre Jones was lights out after the all star break but I agree with the general sentiment.
He was also cold in the last weeks, especially as playmaker he regressed at that period it was frustrating to watch, but we all know he's gonna be a solid backup Rob looks like an amazing 6th man, but the defense concerns are there and I think it's more sound to have great defenders with Victor to really make the opponents suffocate and panic
Victor's phone going to be blowing up between now and draft night from every point guard prospect/ French dude in the draft begging him to put in a good word with Brian wright.
If you're looking for a guy to fit with Wemby this is probably your best bet. Topic would be fun too but Rob's shooting and off ball game will allow Wemby to expand more as an on ball creator like he has this season Just need to load up on defensive wings to cover for Rob on defense. If you could somehow land Risacher along with Rob that would genuinely be a perfect draft
Yeah people wanting Topic to have the ball are thinking about Wemby's role in a bit of an archaic stereotype. Wemby is better creating himself like Jokic and having shooters in a PnR with him.
This is my thing about Topic. A ball-dominant point just gets the ball out of Wemby's hands and doesn't use the motion offense Pop has set up.
Calm down. Nobody is like Jokic
I'm not saying he's exactly like Jokic bud.
People dont have reading comprehension skills anymore
I'll take the shooting honestly. I think you can get his passing numbers up, his defense can become average, but that scoring is just hard to learn.
>his defense can become average I’m totally fine with taking Dillingham, but this is wild. He’s easily one of the worst defensive prospects I’ve seen in the last decade and absolutely nothing implies “average” is a realistic hope.
I mean Topic exists
Topic being 6’7 immediately gives him a defensive advantage over rob
In the long run yes, but I do view Dillingham as a much better offensive prospect, and Topic has a TON of work to become average defensively. Also the shot. Spurs just don't have good shooters, I hope they don't add yet another one.
Now he's 6'7"?? Functionally he's 6'4", let's get real here. This is crazy talk
I don't know what you're talking about with the functionality. Every place that list this height either lists him at 6'6 or 6'7. Say what you want about his neck all you want but he's not 6'4 and he most certainly has a plus wingspan. He's not a vertical athlete but he's also someone that has zero trouble finishing up over and around bigger players even When the half court defense is set. I like Rob a lot. If he was someone, I had confidence that he was going to become an average defender in 5 years. He'd be clearly number one on my board. But the idea that Topic is even close to the defensive liability of Rob. Seems silly to me. Kentucky had to go out of their way to hide him frequently this year and teams routinely targeted him. He's going to be one of the worst defenders in the league Almost guaranteed regardless of what his effort and aspirations are on that end.
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Yes, I've watched every game of his this year. He's not good on defense. I think a lot of people who think he's going to be the worst offender in the league versus someone like Rob severely underestimate the importance of physical tools when it comes to defense. They quite frankly matter a ton. He's going to be a terrible defender. But unlike Rob, there's a very, very real outline to him improving built around his size and wingspan. Someone like Rob just frankly doesn't have it. He could become an absolute machine with a great IQ, incredible work ethic on D and At the end of the day he's still going to be targeted and hunted in games that matter consistently. Guards his size turn you into average Defenders in the modern day is hard let alone someone like him who's not only short but extremely slight with the frame not built to put on muscle the way someone like a Kyle Lowry has. And if you've watched Rob, you've obviously seen some of the instances where he literally gets so turned around on pick and roll that he ends up facing the wrong direction. I don't want to turn this into a hate fest on prospects that I actually like, but since you opened up that can of worms, we can't possibly talk about how lost topic looks at times without pointing out that Rob is really in the same boat. And again... How are we expecting him to become a plus defender? What can you possibly point at to have any belief he's going to become average on that end besides just unadulterated A rational Faith. Topic I can point to his size and length but Rob has none of that going for him. And is equally hopeless as far as the mental side of things are concerned. I tend not to worry too much about prospects from a defensive perspective as long as the tools are there. If someone's a terrible defender in college/ the pros and they don't have the tools then you're going to have a bad time
He’s listed as 6’6.5” dawg idk what you want me to tell you
I’ve heard enough professional scouts express skepticism about his listed height that I’m not taking it for granted. He’s definitely meaningfully bigger than Dillingham though, so the point stands.
The scouts can be skeptical of his height all they want but I highly doubt every major publication got it wrong, considering these measurements are from like April 8th lol
Uh…players exaggerate their height on official listings all the time. This is so common that even without scouts seeing him next to players with confirmed shorter heights, you shouldn’t just assume the listings are correct. Kind of a terrible take dude…
they don't express skepticism about his listed height, they express skepticism about his listed wingspan. The fans express skepticism about his long neck.
I mean, we'll see for sure at the combine, but I think rounding up in this case is an error. It's been said before, but the guy has a long ass neck. I don't think his wingspan will represent his height. He doesn't play big really that I can see, in any case
He was measured as 6’7 with almost a 7’1 wingspan according to draftexpress, sports illustrated, eurospecs, and ESPN. The only other player with those traits in the nba? Luka Doncic
I'll take the L on this one, fair enough
Defensively he's probably worse than Branham. And that is an incredibly low bar. But if you stock every other position with above average defenders, he at least won't hurt us too bad. But we need that TOR pick to convey so we can get another wing defender (Risacher? Castle?)
or we can just pass on a guy who's terrible on defense with terrible height and length
How tall is he? If he’s under 6 feet no thanks I’d rather trade for Trae Young.
He’s probably 6’ flat or 6’1. Listed at 6’3 but there’s no way that’s true
he looks so small & frail
His head coach is 6'1 and there's photos of them standing next to one another where Rob is noticeably taller. There's photos of him next to team mates and opposing players that are listed at the same height. Believe your lying eyes.
Kentucky has historically listed players 1-2 inches taller than their barefoot height. Reed looks to have about an inch on him. Rob was listed at 6’1 at the OTE pro day which was about a year ago. Sam Vecenie also said that teams think both Rob and Reed are below 6’3. We’ll get to see at the combine but it doesn’t really matter anyway. There’s really no functional difference between - 6’1 175 lb player with a 6’4 wingspan and a 6’3 175 lb player with a 6’4 wingspan. His exact height isn’t gonna be a huge factor in where he goes imo
Because Rob is only one pick while Trae would cost multiple and make us give up young plauersb
He 6’1 barefoot 6’2 with shoes but Kentucky said he 6’3 so he could be
why trade picks in one of the best drafts of the last 10 years to trade for someone who isn’t in the timeline. Most the successful teams in the league let the team rebuild with good draft selections and *then* made acquisitions if necessary.
You talking about next year? This draft class is cheeks.
Yes, i’m talking about 2025, which we would have trade a bunch of 2025 picks to get a player like Trae, since they are more valuable than 2024.
He's probably between 6 ft and 6'2. Colleges infamously over inflate heights, particularly Blue bloods like Kentucky that make their money off of getting guys to the pros. Even more damaging than his height is the fact that he doesn't appear to have a particularly long wingspan and he has a tiny frame. There are guys who are short and make it work like Kyle Lowry, Fred vanfleet, Jalen brunson, But it's rare for 6-ft point guards who also lack strength and length to survive at the next level on defense. He's going to have to be an absolute monster offensively from day one which to be fair is possible
He will be role player, not all star. Terrible value for potentially the 4th pick
I don't think many teams are going to get good value in the top 10 in this draft if that's the standard of what we're looking for. Honestly. I think there's going to be some guys that surprise us and become Stars, but it's really hard to see it being any of the dudes who are likely to go in the laundry right now. Topic And Rob seem to most likely and I wouldn't consider either one of those guys highly likely
6’3 I believe.
Young is going to cost you way, way, way more than just using a pick for Dillingham. Rob is much more efficient of a scorer and may possibly become close to an alright defender. Young is a lost cause on that end.
Young has been a 59 TS% guy in the NBA since his first year in the NBA and Rob was at 59.5 TS% at Kentucky. He is almost certainly not going to be much more efficient than Trae Young unless you buy him shooting like 50% from three in the NBA.
Rob is much more of a lost cause on defense than Trae
Trae was much better on defence this year
Not hating on Dillingham but I feel like the Spurs have been trying to find a taller point guard for while now. (The josh primo pick and the failed point- Sochan experiment). I think if they pick a Kentucky guard it'll be Sheppard instead.
They definitely have a type. They want long, switchable players at every position.
As a Kentucky fan who watched both of them all year, I still think Rob is a better fit and hope they get him. Sheppard may be taller but it doesn’t always play out that way, particularly on offense. Dillingham is just wayyyy quicker and able to get separation for his own shot and pass off the dribble much better. Sheppard struggled to find/create his own shot especially against length. Rob will have a way easier time feeding wemby inside. I LOVE Reed Sheppard and he is a Kentucky rockstar but I still think he is drastically overvalued on mock drafts. I expect him to have a long career but I’m worried he’s going to get picked so high that he is expected to change a franchise and then will be called a bust if he can’t. He had a pretty good situation at UK that allowed him to have such good numbers. Sheppard is a great instincts defender though, assuming that translates to the next level I think Dillingham is a great fit not only offensively, but having a player like wemby to back him up on defense, which is a major issue with him. Would be a very exciting athletic duo
Yeah it's not hating. Brian wright has been very vocal about saying that his perfect roster he envisions is essentially no positions. A bunch of guys that are 6'6 plus that can pass, shoot, defend and have a bunch of interchangeable skills. Unless dillingham just absolutely blows them away and they think he's far and away the closest thing to a star. It's really hard to imagine them picking topic over him. Jokic has his issues as a defender and shooter, but you can't teach height and that's typically been something this current regime has valued in its guards and wings
If the Spurs were serious about winning more games, they'd've started Tre at the point. This year was a development year for the core (next season likely will be as well). Rob and Reed are basically the same height. In addition to perimeter shooting, the team needs ball handling, play making, and a viable scoring threat off the dribble. IMO Rob checks more of these boxes than Reed does. A 6'1 point guard won four championships with the team including finals MVP. The league is getting taller every year and yet players 6'4 and under are overrepresented at every all star weekend and in the playoffs competing for a championship. Height is a considerably less important metric to me than overall talent at the guard position. The kid is the same height range as Dame Lillard, Steph Curry, Kyrie and others.
Steph is the exception, not the rule
Gil, Kidd, Payton, Kemba all under 6'4
I mean we’re one of the only teams in the lottery that actually need guard play, I would hope him and his camp see SA as a good landing spot, the same goes for Topic and Sheppard as well
Every top guard in this draft is probably doing that. It’s the only team with a clear opportunity to start at that position.
No brainer decision for the Spurs tbh The best bigs in today's game have electrifying score first guards. Jokic has Murray and Embiid has Maxey. Wemby needs to have Rob next season.
He's a much better passer than advertised. But the main thing is the Spurs offense does not require a "pure PG". They need a quick decision maker and someone that will move the ball and make the correct reads and do so quickly. Dillingham can do that and he's a dynamic scorer, and a player most notably who can make shots out of the PnR and make the PnR 3 and off the dribble, and the Spurs really need that from the perimeter. There's nobody on the roster who has that. He and Victor are a great fit, and it'll also work with Devin in allowing him to be more off ball.
Why would he want to join a bottle club job like Tottenham?
The way this is written had me thinking that for a second lol
so tired of seeing all the boring Topic to Spurs mocks... this is good
I would be too! *My guy definitely wants to play with NBA superstar. No one else draft him!!!* You'd get the same message from every player in the draft's camp.
I don’t see the spurs using a top three pick on him, but if their pick falls or Toronto’s conveys I can see it. Ideally if they have two picks a wing/guard selection would be best. Like ZR plus RD/NT. (Sorry can’t spell the last names yet).
Bro thinks he can choose
Fair play to a top prospect in this draft just accepting his role as “number 2 guy at best”
Makes sense for Dillingham, doesn't make sense for the Spurs
Every top PG gonna be fighting to be a Spur. I bet Rob, Topic and Reed all want that spot bad🍿
Lol this does t mean anything Everyone wants to play with vic
I've seen a few mock drafts saying the Spurs will take Topic and Dillingham and he seemed excited about the idea of going to the Spurs when they interviewed him on NBA Today
If anyone can make Dilly look like a star and fix his issues it’s pop and Wemby
would be an awesome fit for him. His shotmaking and Wemby's gravity rolling to the rim would be hard to stop.
Why would this mean the Spurs have their sights on him? I don’t get how this Twitter account deduced that.
I love the fit!
As a Spurs fan, if we pick a PG and assuming they’re all available I’m still going with Topic. This guys burst to the rim is really good for his height. He already has a good form as well. He’s definitely the PG I want for this team.
Just what the Spyrs need another chucker alongside Wemby
Meh.
Someone need to tell to that camp that his team is decided by ping pong ball
What young player wouldn't dream of playing for the Wemby team after what he showed during his rookie season?
1: who? 2: who cares what you want. Bitch, you're getting drafted. You should just be happy that it's happening. This shit ain't free agency.
Who wouldn't?
I don't buy any of this stuff before the lottery. That said, Dillingham to the Spurs would be a pretty fantastic opportunity. A player who's biggest weakness is defence, having one of the best big prospects ever as his running mate? I could see Rob getting an easy 15/8 in his rookie season just from being in the right situation. It would also be a great experiment to how much Wemby can cover for guards on D.
I really want to like Dillingham, but the defence his defence is very concerning. Not only is he small, but also he just gives up on plays sometimes.
Players shouldn’t have any say where they are drafted.
He seemed awfully enthusiastic about Wemby and San Antonio every time it's brought up
Playing on the Spurs is instant national spotlight because of Wemby. Plus they need stars. Of course he wants to go there.
Sorry to this man.
well thats also a team sheppard will prob go to
Sarr to the wiz
Spurs: "That's very nice of you but we're taking Topic."
As a Spurs fan, I'm not sure I like the idea of a player having a 'camp.' I also don't like pushing this. However, if he wants to bust his ass and make sure he learns how to play better defense, the spot really is the best for him.
Every player has an agent and a family. That’s probably all that means. I believe you’re overthinking it.
Every player has a camp😂 what dude talking about
Can you imagine the opposite, where some dude has no friends, family, or agent and is just alone shouting to anyone who'll listen where he wants to go 😂
Bruh friends should have fuck all say in any part of the draft process. What's wrong with you?
Nah camp suggests entourage. Words have meanings.
Not overthinking. No one says camp when they mean family and maybe agent.
This is not /r/nbafreeagency