Walker and Doug are back in the saddle discussing the Hornets post-NBA Draft. What did you make of Mitch Kupchak’s comments on Thursday and Friday? Do Brandon Miller’s answers make you feel better about the selection?
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24 Comments
Yall need to give a rest, the whole staff was behind picking Miller and have been for a while. Making it into some conspiracy is just stupid and whiny.
Nick Smith Jr. means we don't have to regret Scoot not being around. If think long term Brandon is a SG/SF more than a small PF and somewhere in between Paul George, Tracy McGrady and Paul Pierce in his prime. The fact we have some depth in the front court (assuming Miles is retained and Gordon stays) means I expect to see him used more on the wings, but long term I think his ability with the ball in his hands and as a secondary distributor could have him playing SG more and more often. A two guard lineup with 6'7 plus guys is theoretically very strong and finished product Lamelo and Brandon could be great on both sides. I would like to see Mitch put together a trade that and gets us a veteran wing. The lineup we have (if Miles is back and Cody is healthy) is actually low key top 15 in the league and I don't think that's a massive exaggeration. We can conceivably be in the playoffs if this offseason is taken seriously and so far it has been.
You may not know this, but he dropped 41 in front of a crowd that was yelling lock him up. What does that tell you about his mentality
Anyone wonder why Portland made a highly edited propaganda video of scoots workout? If they really wanted him they would have never made something like that for the public. Miller was definitely the right pick
You missed the most important question. Does Hugo get fired?
Nnaji is a massive steal, that’s a guy I wanted my blazers to pick. Excited to see how he turns out.
15:45 "deal with an organization that doesnt care what you think"
Well idk, we hated Lamelo and wanted to trade up to get Wiseman in 2020. (Search for it, there are polls) They have teams of professional scouts, have the personal interviews and workouts, and have the player's medical records, they know more than us, the fans who mostly watch highlights and not even watch dozens of full games of these players.
No team should be following strictly what the fanbase says. They should be focused on their their scouting because they're actual professionals, and do the things they think could improve the team. Ever since Mitch was hired the only bad draft was 2021, have some faith on this front office.
I love your podcast guys, but this is disappointing. The copium is too much. The organization did their choice as a whole, not just Jordan. Maybe before you think of a conspiracy theory where Mitch is overturned by Jordan, think of a more possible scenario, where they totaled all the workouts and the game film and the interview and saw how much Miller improved since high school and how much Scoot stagnated in the G League and they just happened to think Miller is the better prospect both now and in the future. Acting like Scoot is for sure the better prospect and only crazy wacky Jordan is capable of making the pick for Miller is just too much mental gymnastics. Just, disappointed.
I disagree that Mitch was on team Scoot. I think there was consensus with the upper brass.
As far as the criticism of Nick Smith Jr. with the 27th pick how “sure thing” of a player are you expecting to get? If it’s not a player in the lottery, they are all “risky” project development players. For the potential he has, it was a great value at the pick IMO.
Also, I don’t want a team to select someone because the “fans” want them. Most fans only watch YouTube highlights.
Nick Smith Jr. feels like another bouknight….
Is mils bridges will be back??
So with Miles, Pj, and Hayward I wonder where Miller gets his mins from
Mitch Kupchak sounds like Joe Biden when he goes on demented rants lol
Good draft overall. Hornets need scoring, and that's what they got in the first round. The center in the second round has great potential. Bailey is a solid pick who will contribute.
Walker and Doug looks like small kids when things didn't go their way, Miller is the right pick, only time will say if it was the right or wrong one – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puCsJLZylsI
I think Melo’s impact in the BMill decision goes understated. If Mitch and Jordan had scoot and miller graded so similar that Melo’s take had impact and Melo clearly wanted BMill that’s going unspoken Melo and Scoot are both puma athletes there was no photo ops no tweets or text nothing . In the MJ call MJ mentioned that Brandon was already texting Melo draft night before the pick if drafting scoot made resigning Melo a question mark the move is draft BMilll even if Mitch wasn’t a fan of the pick this can’t be blame it on MJ power tripping I think they listened to their star here and if Melo is your long term guy you draft Miller
Whew the copium is crazy here. Accept it guys, the team was full in on Brandon since the lottery. Be it either Mitch personally witnessing the 41 point games, his comments after getting the pick during the lottery, and/or all the intel we’ve heard over the past few weeks, it has always been pro-Miller.
I know it’s been said that the Hornets don’t leak and Woj was incorrect last year, but certainly seems that after whoever leaked Scoot’s first workout that the floodgates began to open.
I believe Scoot will have a great career too, but I’m still lost on how so many push this narrative of Scoot being this culture changer/alpha/competitor that only accepts winning when he led a terrible Ignite team with one of the worst offensive ratings in the G-League before shutting it down/quitting on his team. How much is it truly Scoot’s impact/personality/ability versus the selling of PR narrative? I think we’ll have to see how both develop but to say that Scoot was a given bet for an All-NBA career is a crapshoot.
Hornets fans gotta stop lumping Mitch Kupchak's drafting with Rod Higgins and Rich Cho. Look at the dude's lottery picks throughout his career
Andrew Bynum ✅ (All star center and 2 time champion before his knees gave out on him)
Julius Randle ✅ (2 time all star, 2 time all NBA)
D’Angelo Russell ✅ (very good player, snuck into an all star game)
Brandon Ingram ✅ (All star)
Miles Bridges✅(budding star, was in line for a near max contract before the off court incident)
PJ Washington ✅ (Solid starter, Nobody picked after him in that draft should have been clearly selected over him, **Herro's a great scorer but is an atrocious defender**)
Lamelo Ball ✅ (franchise pg)
James Bouknight 🚫 (his only whiff)
Mark Williams ✅ (Looks like a future defensive anchor)
Forget the Hornets suck in the draft narrative. As old, crusty, and awkward as he may be, KUPCHK has been right WAY more often than he's been wrong. Don't put MJ, Cho, and Higgins' stinch on him.
Assuming Miles and PJ return and we've got a solid backup PG, this team should be competing for the playoffs THIS season.
MJ picked Miller knowing it was the unpopular pick. He wants his legacy to be remembered as the guy who passed on scoot to draft a better player but instead the legacy he’ll leave behind is coming into the league 3rd overall behind someone chosen for fit and leaving picking a lesser all time player when their careers are done 2nd overall for fit leaving the better player fall to 3 just how he entered the league. It’s poetic really
MILLER WAS THE BEST PICK IN THIS DRAFT ! Scoot is a FUN player. MILLER shoots the ball so well at 6'9, you don't pass on a Luka to draft a Trae
If Miles and PJ are brought back, how is a rookie (other than Miller) getting minutes? Colby Jones is getting minutes over Martin or McGowens?
I feel that Scoot will be the better player, but I'm not mad about the pick. if he's at worst Brandon Ingram I'd take it,
Amari Bailey is gonna do better than Miller will.