Say we miss the playoffs (still imo highly likely) and retain our draft pick, would you rather keep the pick and draft a player or trade the pick to a team in desperate need of young talent like Brooklyn for Brook Lopez or to a team like Milwaukee who may want to clear cap (Monroe) and still add talent?
Trade for something proven. We have enough lottery questions marks regarding guidance and developing. Hell NO is gonna have to hire two complete coaching staffs to handle all of the development required.
This is one I'll definitely leave for Olshey, as I don't watch NCAA. With that said, of course it depends on who's available at our pick and what the trade option is. Given my quirks I'd probably vote to use the pick on Sabonis or Bender over trading it for Lopez/Monroe.
For a front office that knows it's job, the draft is still the most cost-effective way to add talent. Even if you use that talent in a trade (RHJ) it is still an asset. Look at all the all-stars of the past 20 years....how may were NOT drafted? Complaining that some bad players are picked in the draft does not negate all the good players who come from the draft.
Unless we are in the top 5 (we won't be) I'd trade it, if possible, for a proven talent who can help next season. And even if we are I still might trade it, depending on the offer, for the same reason.
Given the spirited play from NOP and DEN lately it's possible we end up with the 6th worst record...or the #8 seed. With the 6th worst record I wouldn't be surprised to see us with a Top 4 pick. But I think the spectrum we fall within is cemented between 6th worst and 8th seed - it won't get better or worse than that.
Bottom line: I'd rather have an at least somewhat proven player than an unproven draft pick who may or may not be able to contribute to a playoff team for a year or two or three. And I'd dangle the draft pick to see if we can catch something. At the same time, if we get and keep the pick, and get one in the top 5-6, I'd be excited and be homerifically certain he's a future HOF'er!
All I know is that's it'd be DAMN tough to pass up someone with the name Dragan Bender OR the offspring of the greatest basketball player in Earth's history.
I would roll the dice on the pick. But I would also understand that the player will probably take 3 years before he is ready to help take us to the next level. I am not seeing a lot of college players who are going to jump in and give us that 3rd elite scorer that we need. I agree with the logic in building a franchise through the draft, but even the players who go all 4 years of college often need time, let alone the young "one and done's" who often have the most upside, but are also not close to being ready right now. I did watch Jaylen Brown a lot last weekend and I am back on that band wagon. But he still needs to improve his outside shot.... by a lot.
I'm equally comfortable with either direction, given Olshey's ability to find gems in the draft and poach undervalued talent from other teams.
