Coke or Pepsi? Zach Snyder or James Gunn? Whataburger Ketchup or Whataburger Spicy Ketchup? Important questions require important answers.
In a recent ESPN poll of NBA executives and scouts, they answered some of the more intriguing questions about the newest crop of incoming players ahead of the season after summer league wrapped up. Optimistic Spurs fan should not find it surprising that league insiders were big fans of the Spurs’ top two picks.
NBA Rookie of the Year
Number one overall pick Cooper Flagg unsurprisingly garnered the most votes for Rookie of the Year, but many of the voters qualified that pick with the prediction that while Flagg may not lead his rookie class in scoring, his impact on the court as a play maker and defensive presence will push him to be the favorite for the award.
“I assume someone like Bailey or Johnson may outscore Cooper as a rookie, but Cooper will make more meaningful contributions that push Dallas into play-in range.”
~ Anonymous Eastern Conference executive
Dylan Harper received the next most votes for RoTY (receiving 2 votes to Flagg’s 17 out of 20 total polled). Harper’s talent, pedigree, draft profile, and draft capital as the number two overall pick no doubt were the reasons that many thought Harper would have been the number one overall pick in this year’s draft if Cooper Flagg was not in the draft as well. Harper, like Flagg, also “suffers” from being dropped into a solid, competent roster where he will not be asked to carry the scoring load.
The draft’s best pick (other than Cooper Flagg)
Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe garnered the most votes (6 for Harper to Edgecombe’s 10) in terms of best value behind the number one overall pick. Reading between the lines, it seems like execs and scouts really liked the top 3 players in this year’s draft. Spurs fans are already salivating at the possibilities of Harper flying down the court alongside the last two rookie of the years Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama.
“[Harper] has some [Manu] Ginobili to his offensive game. If the 3-point shot ever becomes a true weapon [for him], he makes Fox expendable and gives San Antonio a nice trade asset.”
~ Anonymous Western Conference scout
While the Spurs definitely did not expect to land the number two overall pick at the end of the season, they do seem to have a logjam in the back court with De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Devin Vassell also on the roster. Self-proclaimed overly optimistic Spurs fan would tend to think more is better, and depth is a good problem to have. Once the lottery ping pong balls bounced their way, the Spurs did not overthink their pick and simply chose the best player available. In an era of position-less basketball and injuries always being an unfortunate part of the game, the Spurs set themselves up well heading into the season by adding another foundational piece.
The draft’s biggest steal
The top votes for biggest steal of the draft went to Carter Bryant with 5 votes. Bryant projected to go higher than 14, but he dropped and the Spurs scooped him up, adding to their other highly rated draft picks.
“[Bryant] will turn into an impact wing defender that can make 3s and be a part of their core. We’ll look back in several years while the Spurs are winning big, and people will mention them drafting Castle at 4 [in 2024] and Bryant at 14 to pair defensively with Victor as [draft] steals.”
~ Anonymous Eastern Conference scout
Bryant’s summer league clip of him locking down Cooper Flagg was a huge reason for the top votes, and it may prove to be this generation’s Wembanyama v. Holmgren summer league highlight.
By stockpiling draft picks and grabbing value when it drops in your lap, the Spurs are taking a page out of Oklahoma Thunder General Manager Sam Presti’s playbook, which is also a page out of the Spurs’ playbook given Presti’s roots as a former scout and assistant general manager for the Silver and Black. It’s like Kobe Bryant using Michael Jordan’s own moves against him, and Jordan using his own moves against Bryant and so on and so on until the sheer force creates a time loop, and the universe collapses on itself before George R.R. Martin gets to finish the last two books.
On that note, what do you think Pounders? Make your choice below—preferably with Dr Pepper and fries with a gallon of Whataburger Spicy Ketchup.
Poll
Who’s your NBA Rookie of the Year pick?
39%
Cooper Flagg (Mavericks, no. 1)
(90 votes)
48%
Dylan Harper (Spurs, no. 2)
(110 votes)
11%
VJ Edgecombe (Sixers, no. 3)
(27 votes)
227 votes total
Poll
Which rookie — other than Flagg — will prove to be the draft’s best pick?
92%
Dylan Harper (Spurs, no. 2)
(181 votes)
7%
VJ Edgecombe (Sixers, no. 3)
(15 votes)
196 votes total
Poll
Which rookie will be the biggest draft steal?
83%
Carter Bryant (Spurs, no. 14)
(164 votes)
8%
Joan Beringer (Timberwolves, no. 17)
(17 votes)
7%
Kasparus Jakucionis (Heat, no. 20)
(15 votes)
196 votes total