Garbageman's Guide to the 2019 Draft Class

[garbageman]

Garbageman's Guide To The 2019 Draft Class

Whether your team got knocked out of the playoffs or missed them completely, there's always next year, and there are plenty of players declaring their eligibility for the 2019 PBSL draft who have loads of potential. While none of them are projected as highly as Julio De La Rosa, the 2019 draft class seems pretty balanced with likely lotto picks distributed among all shapes and sizes after last year's point guard parade. The simputer has already given us our projected order, and as always, it's offering some interesting takes that I don't think a human GM would agree with. Let's take a look at each of these players:


THE SIMPUTER'S PROJECTIONS

14. Charles Royster - 21 y/o - 6'10" - C - Colorado State
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player133.htm

PROS:
* Excellent potential in inside scoring and defensive rebounding
* Decent speed and ok size for a modern day PBSL center

CONS:
* His defensive game is not very strong and can be exploited
* For a player who will be primarily in the paint with the ability to draw fouls, he'll need to greatly improve his FT shooting.

SUMMARY: Charles Royster is the type of player who (unless TC kills him) will be relegated to vet mins on competing teams with an inside. The simputer was way too generous to Royster. While he might be the best yellow potential option at center, there are plenty of better players to choose from at different positions who were snubbed by whatever criteria the simputer uses to generate the draft preview. I'd expect him to go in the late 1st round unless a complete team just needs a backup center.


13. Edward Adorno - 19 y/o - 6'9" - PF - Michigan State
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player212.htm

PROS:
* Ideal inside player with ability to make it to the line and drain free throws
* Very athletic

CONS:
* He's a power forward who can't rebound
* He's a power forward who can't defend

SUMMARY: While Adorno is incredibly one sided, he looks like he's going to grow into an incredible role player on a fast paced team. 13th pick seems like it could be a little bit low for him. He'll probably go a few spots ahead of that, but not much further. While he won't get boosted ahead of a blue potential player, he could turn into a great late lotto value. At 19, he's got plenty of training camps to develop his potential, but a bad training camp could really debilitate him if it hits one of the few things that Ed does really well.


12. David McClanahan - 18 y/o - 6'4" - SG - Connecticut
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player298.htm

PROS:
* Good potential from downtown
* Great quickness, strength, and jumping for his position...only yellow potential SG with athleticism at this level

CONS:
* Projected to be average at best in every other category
* Not a good shot creator or ball handler, so he'll be worthless without a facilitator

SUMMARY: Declaring for the draft after one season at UCONN might be a regrettable move for McClanahan, who despite having a strong freshman year, looks a little undercooked for the PBSL. As it stands, he doesn't look cut out to be a starter (time will tell), and his success in the league relies on his athleticism and his ability to learn. If he can be a threat off the ball, he could be a solid contributor for the right team, but I'd be surprised if he cracked the top 20, let alone the lotto.


11. Carl Johnson - 22 y/o - 6'9" - PF - Iowa
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player91.htm

PROS:
* Comes into the league ready to score with an 80 inside
* Great strength
* Should make the leader board in blocks

CONS:
* Fits the 6'9 guy with sub-30 qkn mold
* Can't rebound
* Weak post defensive potential

SUMMARY: Carl Johnson will go no later than 11th. Despite his shortcomings in some key areas, He looks similar to this year's Arthur Hardie, who proved himself phenomenally efficient for the Kings in his first year. Once the blue potential players are gone, Johnson would make a great fit for a late lotto team poised to start competing soon and could be a potential 6th man of the year candidate by the end of his rookie contract. He could pass for a center in a small ball lineup if his offensive rebounding improves.


10. Alvin Briseno - 19 y/o - 6'9" - PF - Duke
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player146.htm

PROS:
* Will be a menace on the defensive end with solid potential in post defense and incredible potential on the defensive boards, blocks, and steals
* His ability to score on the inside and his ability to shoot free throws make him a solid potential two-way player

CONS:
* Weak on the offensive boards

SUMMARY: Alvin Briseno will easily go higher than Pulley and Swan despite what the draft preview says. His average +/- at Duke last year was 10, and granted it was Duke, and granted he didn't score much for the Blue Demons, his defense makes a profound impact on the game. GMs around the league have liked him from workouts, and while his athleticism isn't off the charts, he's a much quicker power forward than most of his counterparts coming into the league these days, and in a league where quickness is king, that could go a long way.


9. Timothy Pulley - 20 y/o - 6'11" - C - Richmond
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player102.htm

PROS:
* Excellent rebounding and blocking potential
* Excellent inside scoring ability

CONS:
* Speed and strength both are underdeveloped
* Lousy post-defense

SUMMARY: Timothy Pulley is a solid late lotto pick, but if the simputer is wrong about him being picked 9th, he's not going to be picked earlier than that. There aren't a lot of players in his expected draft position who can do what he does on the boards, but the trade-off is that he's not athletic and his post defense skill leaves a lot to be desired. He'll go to the first team out of the blue that could use a potential starting center, but it'll be a while before he's contributing at full force.


8. Ronald Burr - 23 y/o - 6'7" - SF - Cincinatti
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player259.htm

PROS:
* Comes to the draft pretty well developed already
* Very good scoring ability, especially from the perimeter

CONS:
* Could be a defensive liability, especially in the wrong scheme

SUMMARY: With Ronald Burr, you pretty much know what you're going to get right out of the gate. He's projected at 8th but I imagine he'll do better than that as the only currently green player on the draft board. GMs are impatient, and 6'7" small forwards are perceived to be somewhat of a rarity. Burr would be much better served if he had the athleticism to play a tweener role, but he might lack the quickness to dip down to SG, and he lacks the muscle to move up to PF. He's a small forward through and through, and I'd be slightly surprised if he wasn't a top 5 draft pick just because he'll get the best production per dollar value out of his rookie contract.


7. Derek Silva - 18 y/o - 6'6" - SF - Duke
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player115.htm

PROS:
* Very solid offensive potential
* 18 years old

CONS:
* Poor stamina
* Undersized for SF/underslow for SG
* 18 years old

SUMMARY: While some, including the simputer would argue that Silva is a better pick than Ronald Burr, this article writer would have them flipped. Silva is a better shot creator, and he's also going to be decent enough on the defensive end to not be a tear in his team's defensive fabric. At 18, he's going to take a lot of time to develop, though, and for a team with patience to wait until he's out of his rookie contract, Burr could pay off. However, that's a long ways away. For a rebuilding team with picks still to gather in years to come, he might be a solid choice, but at 6'6 with inferior athleticism, I feel like most teams go Burr.


6. Joshua Swan - 19 y/o - 6'5" - SG - Duquesne
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player218.htm

PROS:
* Fantastic quickness
* Reliable scoring ability

CONS:
* Not defensively focused
* Bad with ball movement

SUMMARY: While Joshua Swan is not going to be picked earlier than 9th, he puts the S in SG. He'll be a lot quicker than his defender 9 times out of 10, and on a team with a good facilitator, he'll put up a lot of buckets. Unfortunately, that's about all you'll get from him. Still, he could work out like Lonzo Ball (Bobcats, not Bucks). He doesn't have the ability to create his own shot, but he'll score a lot of points despite being a turnover risk. For a team that needs scorers (but has other things in place), Swan would be a solid choice around the back 9 of the lottery picks. However, there are a handful of guys already mentioned on this list who might make smarter picks.


5. John Martin - 19 y/o - 6'5" - SG - San Jose State
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player67.htm

PROS:
* Lockdown defender
* Great athleticism
* Good shooter
* Can move the ball

CONS:
* Nothing TOO damning, but could be a little better at creating his own shot

SUMMARY: John Martin looks like he'll be a true two-way player, and I'd be surprised if he fell to 5. I think he's a top 3 pick. While his offense isn't elite level, for a shooting guard, he can drain it from beyond the arc, and he has sufficient potential everywhere he needs it and then some. His work on the defensive glass is superior to most his size, and he can defend guys a lot bigger than he is. While his game might have some slight weak spots, there aren't any areas where he'll be a liability. His athleticism and passing also make him versatile enough to warrant a look at time playing PG in a pinch.


4. Jose Carney - 18 y/o - 7'0" - C - Pittsburgh
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player57.htm

PROS:
* True seven footer with mobility
* Good (not elite) at big man stuff
* Can handle and pass

CONS:
* Nothing glaring, but not exceptional in any category

SUMMARY: Jose Carney is a solid player and a safe pick for anyone wanting to secure a good option at C for years to come. His athleticism is all there, his inside scoring, defensive boardwork, post defense, and blocking skills are all sufficient, and after being ranked 3rd coming out of high school by the FBCB scouting service, Jose has stayed on course. He's not quite good enough to be the foundation of a team, but for a team with a couple of star portential players already, he'll definitely help lay the foundation going forward. Because of his inability to be a game changer for any team, I think he might fall to 5 or 6, but he'll be a smart pick for whatever team ends up with him.


3. Don Silverman - 19 y/o - 6'2" - PG - Houston
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player175.htm

PROS:
* Very good athleticism
* Excellent distributor with good ball handling skills to boot
* Solid D
* Can grow into a great 3 point shooter

CONS:
* Not going to create his own shot
* If yarmulke falls off during game, could be slipping hazard

SUMMARY: While I think Silverman could've waited a year or two to declare for the draft, if players were allowed to coem in out of high school, he could've easily fit into last year's draft class. His potentials remind me a lot of Ricky Rubio if Rubio traded some height for an ability to drain it from deep. He's a PG that's going to be a great team leader one day, but after last year's draft, it seems like future PGs aren't really as hot a commodity as they once were. He'll go to the first team in the draft without a future PG, but as it stands right now, that might not be in the top 3 unless the Kings trade for some win now talent.


2. Ty Perez - 20 y/o - 7'2" - C - Central Michigan
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player179.htm

PROS:
* 7'2
* Rebounding and Defense will be elite
* Good inside scoring

CONS:
* Slow (but what do you expect)
* College numbers show a lack of effort

SUMMARY: If Ty Perez does worse than the simputer projects at #2, I'll be shocked. While he's not the most offensive-minded Center, he'll get pently of buckets putting back offensive rebounds and using his height under the basket. However, it's the other end where Ty will shine. At full potential, Ty Perez is the type of C that helps a team win championships. He still has a lot of development to undergo before he can be the true force he's projected to be, but as long as the team that drafts him handles him as a valued piece of the future, he'll get there.


1. Damion Williams - 20 y/o - 6'5" - SG - Alabama
http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player55.htm

PROS:
* Most dominant scorer this draft class has to offer
* Fantastic athleticism

CONS:
* Ballhandling leaves a lot to be desired
* Below average on the defensive end

SUMMARY: There must be something special about the Alabama native for the simputer to pick him first overall to a team that picked their SG of the future last year in James Gebhart. It's obvious what that something special is: offense. Williams projects to be an unstoppable force from anywhere due to his offensive touch and athleticism. Without the reputation for two way play, however, the top overall pick might not be a lock for Damion, though. For my money, the Jazz might be better off with a number of players other than DW. But the draft lotto hasn't happened yet, so team needs aside, the question is whether Williams' offense is good enough to put him pound for pound as a better future asset than a guy like Ty Perer or a more well rounded player like Don Silverman or John Martin.


THE SIMPUTER'S LOTTO MISSES

1. Ellsworth Gallo: http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player315.htm

Quick Scouting: A SF with good size and athleticism for the position. Average scoring and better defense against inside focused opponents than perimeter shooters.

2. Carl Jarboe: http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player534.htm

Quick Scouting: Probably won't crack the lotto, but don't sleep on him if you're just outside. He does a number of things well, and the only areas where he's below C range are ones you don't care about at the 4 spot.

3. James O'Connor: http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player242.htm

Quick Scouting: Despite weak athleticism, James O'Connor has the propensity to score from anywhere and defensive ability anywhere on the court as well. He'll need to really focus on his athleticism, but if he does that, he'll be much better than he looks by color rating.

4. Joseph Williams: http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player767.htm

Quick Scouting: He won't make the lotto as a 7'1 C who can't block, but he's too good to fall to the second round. As a C, he projects to be better than the average PBSL C is today, and though he isn't elite anywhere, he's average or above average in most categories. His FT shooting is way better than it should be for a 7'1 dude.

5, Judson Williams: http://pbsl.ijbl.net/players/player99.htm

Quick Scouting: He's a power forward who can bang inside and get boards. His defense is average at best, but his athleticism isn't bad, and he's got the right skillset to be able to make plenty of baskets on the inside. He also looks a lot like David McClanahan, so maybe the simputer got confused with it's lotto guesses.


FUNNIEST NAMES

Billie Billy
Man Juarez
Rudolph Matt
Eckbert Winkler


GARBAGEMAN'S PROJECTED LOTTO DRAFT ORDER

14. James O'Connor
13. Joshua Swan
12. Judson Williams
11. Edward Adorno
10. Carl Johnson
9. Timothy Pulley
8. Derek Silva
7. Jose Carney
6. Ronald Burr
5. Damion Williams
4. Alvin Briseno
3. Don Silverman
2. John Martin
1. Ty Perez

[ballsohard]

5 Points You're capped out sir