2020 Offseason & Free Agency Thread

[smood999]

Just from today:

1. Cade Cunningham | 6-7, lead ballhandler | 19 years old, freshman | Oklahoma State
As mentioned above, I love the talent at the top of the 2021 NBA Draft. It’s a considerably deeper draft within the top half of the lottery than the 2020 iteration was. And yet, I still think of it as “The Cade Cunningham Draft” at this stage. He’s not only one of the best prospects I’ve evaluated at the high school level, but also one of my favorite players to watch. Everything about Cunningham looks likely to translate at a high level in the NBA, and he gets better every time I see him.

I wrote about Cunningham two-and-a-half years ago, back when I first saw him at Pangos All-American camp, and was stunned that he was considered just a borderline top-20 prospect in his recruiting class. That’s no longer the case. Over those nearly 30 months since I started writing about him, Cunningham has gone from being a future NBA wing with high feel for the game to a legit lead ballhandler who was the best player at the U19 World Cup as an underage player last year — while sharing a backcourt with 2020 lottery picks Kira Lewis Jr. and Tyrese Haliburton and emerging as the clear top dog.

He’s 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot wingspan, but plays point guard. His handle is very strong technically, and he’s rarely out of rhythm as a ballhandler. You can’t speed him up because of how well he plays through contact at his size. If you give him a ball screen and let him get downhill, he’ll go through guys at the rim and finish using his length to extend.

His best skill, though, is his passing ability. Cunningham can hit every read out of spread or side pick-and-rolls. He hits cross-corner kickouts and baseline drive-and-drifts with ease. He knows how to draw help defenders to hit the easy little drop off to his big. He whips one-handed passes with both his right and left hands. Everything is just so polished. In Oklahoma State’s spread offense under Mike Boynton, Cunningham is going to average seven assists per night with ease as long as his teammates hit shots.

On top of that, Cunningham is a diligent defender who really does an excellent job of reading what offensive players want to do, and making their life tough with his length. Unsurprisingly, he’s also great at using that length to create deflections and get into passing lanes.

The only real issue here is that he’s been a bit of an inconsistent shooter throughout his career. But a source at Oklahoma State told me that he’s come to preseason workouts and been the team’s second-best shooter behind 3-point marksman Ferron Flavors. If Cunningham is really a shooter now, it’s kind of a wrap for opponents because there isn’t really an easy way to stop him. I’d bet on Cunningham averaging something in the ballpark of 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists at Oklahoma State this season, and being in the mix to win the national player of the year award. He is the big lead ballhandler that everyone is looking for, plus he has a real winner’s mentality that consistently leads to positive team play and good results.

https://theathletic.com/2214823/2020...pect-rankings/

[HeartOfStarks]

Haha you know it’s true, we get boned every year.

Hope this time it’s different though. I (as everyone here well knows) still have faith in ol Frankie and a

Cade-Frank-RJ-Obi-Mitch

Group could be incredible if they all develop properly & gel. Feel like Cade is going to be that Doncic/Trae/Lillard type where he’s pulling up from three 10 times a game and hitting them at close to 40% which when you have that guy who’s also a ridiculous playmaker it just literally changes everything.

[xxplayerxx23]

He is way over rated. We were talking about Cole Anthony last year this time and I like Cole but please stop. 99% of these high school kids are overrated. There is no high school ball being played so all you see is Cade playing against AAU kids who probably didn't make the high school team.

I post several links to film on Cade and he is slow footed and not that great of a passer. Kid can shoot but the Knicks just drafted a proven guard who can shoot from Kentucky. A guy we actually got to see play against real competition.

It's a lot of people here who don't want Russell Westbrook for 3 years but are willing to tank and waist another year for Cade Cunningham....LMAO

Cmon Knicks fans

Westy kills young players and LOL if you’re playing aau your good enough to play Hs ball lol

[smood999]

but yeah, don't get your hopes up....nothing good ever happens to the Knicks.

[xxplayerxx23]

Actually the best high school player now is a junior Emoni Bates and a senior Chet Holgren is a little behind him, ( has to put on some weight )

Bates has superstar written all over him

[xxplayerxx23]

Those guys aren’t eligible until 2022 and 2023. That’s like saying Zion isn’t Zion because Doncic existed. It would’ve been a similar situation had Doncic gone to HS in the US.

It happens. Bates could be better but that doesn’t diminish how good Cade is. Cade is 100% viewed in the same light as Doncic and Zion and an absolute game changer.

Yep

[xxplayerxx23]

Pretty much every scout is tagging Cade as a generational talent so I think you’re off here.

He’s a 6’7 PG who plays both ends of the court, seems to have an extremely high IQ & scores at three levels, including a great stroke from three.

This would be the biggest misfire in recent memory if the scouts are off here. Everything about him says star.

I read his 3 point shot was good but didn’t see great. Yeah if he’s legit from everywhere how is he not a prospect worth tanking for lol

[xxplayerxx23]

Some of you guys don't know about Cade, but you are going to learn. Elite talent and the number one pick in a loaded draft. I can't wait for the draft and the Knicks resurgence.

I think green has a shot at #1. Kid is a stud too

[xxplayerxx23]

but yeah, don't get your hopes up....nothing good ever happens to the Knicks.

One day it will

[east fb knicks]

but yeah, don't get your hopes up....nothing good ever happens to the Knicks.

Idk if its cade or bust they are a bunch of great prospects in that draft and we got 2 first id say we are in a great position 😉

[Garrett2010]

I think green has a shot at #1. Kid is a stud too

Green will be great too but I think he goes #2.

[HeartOfStarks]

I read his 3 point shot was good but didn’t see great. Yeah if he’s legit from everywhere how is he not a prospect worth tanking for lol

I’ve been hearing/reading the same thing Smood just posted, that most recently he showed up to camp or whatever they have and his three ball is now also just a complete weapon.

He’s going to be a monster barring some out of nowhere regression which I do not foresee

[xxplayerxx23]

Alot of variables come into to play

Also the irony is the guy luka who you worship was traded

Luka is different. Luka came from overseas and people questioned whether he can ball. Had luka went to a college and played how he plays nobody even thinks about trading him and he’s a sun. Totally different. Luka also is great so I don’t get why you think he’s less than a superstar it’s kinda funny

[Garrett2010]

Haha you know it’s true, we get boned every year.

Hope this time it’s different though. I (as everyone here well knows) still have faith in ol Frankie and a

Cade-Frank-RJ-Obi-Mitch

Group could be incredible if they all develop properly & gel. Feel like Cade is going to be that Doncic/Trae/Lillard type where he’s pulling up from three 10 times a game and hitting them at close to 40% which when you have that guy who’s also a ridiculous playmaker it just literally changes everything.

We will still be fine though. The draft this so loaded. I'm still thinking about trading up that Dallas pick into the top 15. We could get an elite SG and a potential all star at PG.

[smood999]

Idk if its cade or bust they are a bunch of great prospects in that draft and we got 2 first id say we are in a great position 😉

It's not Cade or bust, that's what makes it such a good draft class.

Also from the same article:

The 2021 NBA Draft process begins in earnest this week as college basketball teams tip off games and scouts look on knowing that the 2021 class looks, throughout the lottery, to have much more upside than the 2020 one did.

And indeed, this is a draft worth tanking for. I’d ballpark it at five players who are currently tracking ahead of anyone in the 2020 NBA Draft and thus would have been likely to be selected at No. 1 in that class. And realistically, there are even more players than those who are particularly interesting and seem to have higher upsides.