Knicks · Other great defenders not talked about in this draft J P Tokoto (page 1)

Again going back to what Ainge was saying yesterday that some of the greatest defenders come under the size of 6-7. J P hasnt even been breached on this forum yet he is ONE of the top 5 defenders of this draft. And if you watched in Chicago he showed offense that he did NOT show at NC. Not offense in practice offense in games. He also has to be one of the top 3 athletes in the draft. We need to open our mind to what pick 4 is or whether trading down with SMART execution will yield better results for the team. This draft it would have to be multi tam trades but I think that can be in play

Let me add this in--it would NOT shock me at all if a guy like Tokoto is actually BETTER than either of RUSSEL or Mudiay in the NBA.

J.P. Tokoto, 6-6, Shooting Guard, North Carolina

13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 3 steals, 5-5 2P, 1-1 3P, 25 minutes

J.P. Tokoto played extremely well, showing off his terrific strengths while minimizing his weaknesses , having a highly efficient and productive outing. He started things off with a steal and dunk in transition, followed that up with a spot-up 3-pointer and a pair of pull-up jumpers, and capped things off with another absolute monster two-foot dunk from outside of the paint.

Tokoto did exactly what he needed to do, playing strong defense, finishing emphatically with his tremendous athleticism, and showing some improvement as an outside shooter, which is a very positive development considering how much he struggled with this part of his game at UNC. Tokoto clearly has been working hard on his mechanics and consistency since electing to enter the draft, and the fact that he was able to step into his shot so confidently and knock down jumpers is a good sign for his future, even if it's obviously a very small sample size.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/#ixzz3c6BuIOSR
http://www.draftexpress.com

I like Tokoto. I thought he was a very high energy player. He is the kind of player that will shine more in the NBA game. He strikes me as more of a role player at this tho. He could develop into more but he's not currently a lead type player like Russell or Mudiay. I would say he's already a much better prospect than Thanasis. I would love to add him to the fold.

Guy is second rounder. Offensive game is raw. He is a great athlete.
Nothing would shock you, after all you are high on about 20 players?

Nalod wrote:Guy is second rounder. Offensive game is raw. He is a great athlete.
Nothing would shock you, after all you are high on about 20 players?

Its a good draft. There is no singular theory here. I probably have 30 scenarios or more. Also with an improved jumpshot he looks all of a 1st rounder at 6.65 with a 40 inch vertical with his full game.

BRIGGS wrote:

Nalod wrote:Guy is second rounder. Offensive game is raw. He is a great athlete.
Nothing would shock you, after all you are high on about 20 players?

Its a good draft. There is no singular theory here. I probably have 30 scenarios or more. Also with an improved jumpshot he looks all of a 1st rounder at 6.65 with a 40 inch vertical with his full game.

What are the prospects of the team picking up additional picks in this draft?

Sangfroid wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

Nalod wrote:Guy is second rounder. Offensive game is raw. He is a great athlete.
Nothing would shock you, after all you are high on about 20 players?

Its a good draft. There is no singular theory here. I probably have 30 scenarios or more. Also with an improved jumpshot he looks all of a 1st rounder at 6.65 with a 40 inch vertical with his full game.

What are the prospects of the team picking up additional picks in this draft?

I read yesterday that the Nets and La are looking for more picks and they control 5. The honesty is this is a unique draft where there is a GREAT deal of quality and it goes well into rd 2. Some years you do mocks and its hard to find 30--it seems you need to pull a few up. This year you have guys in the 50's and not listed who will not only make NBA rosters but being contributing solid players. Also the foreign players group which has been quiet is picking up in the last two weeks.--so there are 45 good players out there this year.

How can we get a pick?

We can take salary on--which is not likely
Trade down--hard to do
Multi asset trade--possible
Trade our 2018 into this draft
Buy a 2 for what will likely be a premium
Trade existing player asset Hardaway?

This guy reminds me of Andre Igudola.

With an addition of a jumpshot--what is the difference between Jp and Andre Igudola?

BRIGGS wrote:

Sangfroid wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

Nalod wrote:Guy is second rounder. Offensive game is raw. He is a great athlete.
Nothing would shock you, after all you are high on about 20 players?

Its a good draft. There is no singular theory here. I probably have 30 scenarios or more. Also with an improved jumpshot he looks all of a 1st rounder at 6.65 with a 40 inch vertical with his full game.

What are the prospects of the team picking up additional picks in this draft?

I read yesterday that the Nets and La are looking for more picks and they control 5. The honesty is this is a unique draft where there is a GREAT deal of quality and it goes well into rd 2. Some years you do mocks and its hard to find 30--it seems you need to pull a few up. This year you have guys in the 50's and not listed who will not only make NBA rosters but being contributing solid players. Also the foreign players group which has been quiet is picking up in the last two weeks.--so there are 45 good players out there this year.

How can we get a pick?

We can take salary on--which is not likely
Trade down--hard to do
Multi asset trade--possible
Trade our 2018 into this draft
Buy a 2 for what will likely be a premium
Trade existing player asset Hardaway?

http://www.lakersnation.com/lakers-rumor...
This article mentions:

The Lakers could pair their 27th or 34th overall pick with the second overall pick to move up to the top spot. They could even throw in a player such as Nick Young if the Timberwolves wanted a player as well. It would make sense for the Timberwolves to pick up another asset if they truly are set on Okafor.

Mitch Kupchak says it’s unlikely the team would bring in three rookies so sacrificing one of their other picks to grab Towns would make a lot of sense. Whether the T-Wolves would really consider doing that remains to be seen, but it may be something worth looking out for.

Have not idea where the writer got the Kupchak comment from.

This article is about the idea that since Saunders likes OK4, supposedly, the Lakers might trade their 2 and 27 to Minny for #1.

If that kind of trade does not go down, Maybe LA wants to trade out of the 1st (at 27) round with us. They have a number of cheap players (Kelly? Davis?) we could use with a trade exception...and I think we still have this year's spending money for trades, but I'm not sure.

If they don't want to do 27, maybe we get 34.

Phil has to put away the Zen stuff and read up on the Kama Sutra... maybe the girlfriend gives him a draft pick for performing well.

The writer also talked about Tokoto in his Twitter feed.

Corey Hansford ‏@TheeCoreyH Jun 1
Tokoto was one of the stars of the combine…great defense, hustle, and rebounding…showed an improved jumper…possibility at 34

WaltLongmire wrote:The writer also talked about Tokoto in his Twitter feed.

Corey Hansford ‏@TheeCoreyH Jun 1
Tokoto was one of the stars of the combine…great defense, hustle, and rebounding…showed an improved jumper…possibility at 34

There are lottery pick characteristics with Tokoto. He avg nearly 6 rebounds and 5 assists to go along with great defense at 6-6+ with a standing 35 inch vertical which probably can assume 40-42 inch depending on the day/. Thats puts him as a top 3 athlete with Andersen and Connughton---but its obvious his athleticism translates to his game--especially on D. Now you throw in an improved jumper--what does he not have that say pick 9 has?

BRIGGS wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:The writer also talked about Tokoto in his Twitter feed.

Corey Hansford ‏@TheeCoreyH Jun 1
Tokoto was one of the stars of the combine…great defense, hustle, and rebounding…showed an improved jumper…possibility at 34

There are lottery pick characteristics with Tokoto. He avg nearly 6 rebounds and 5 assists to go along with great defense at 6-6+ with a standing 35 inch vertical which probably can assume 40-42 inch depending on the day/. Thats puts him as a top 3 athlete with Andersen and Connughton---but its obvious his athleticism translates to his game--especially on D. Now you throw in an improved jumper--what does he not have that say pick 9 has?

I said it with Stein, so I can't be a hypocrite. Guess you want to see the jumper in game competition on a continual basis.

Looked at his stats- 3pt shooting up, and foul shooting up over his 3 years, so it would seem he worked on things while in college.

Lot of intriguing guys to look at...we really need a late 1 or some 2s.

WaltLongmire wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:The writer also talked about Tokoto in his Twitter feed.

Corey Hansford ‏@TheeCoreyH Jun 1
Tokoto was one of the stars of the combine…great defense, hustle, and rebounding…showed an improved jumper…possibility at 34

There are lottery pick characteristics with Tokoto. He avg nearly 6 rebounds and 5 assists to go along with great defense at 6-6+ with a standing 35 inch vertical which probably can assume 40-42 inch depending on the day/. Thats puts him as a top 3 athlete with Andersen and Connughton---but its obvious his athleticism translates to his game--especially on D. Now you throw in an improved jumper--what does he not have that say pick 9 has?

I said it with Stein, so I can't be a hypocrite. Guess you want to see the jumper in game competition on a continual basis.

Looked at his stats- 3pt shooting up, and foul shooting up over his 3 years, so it would seem he worked on things while in college.

Lot of intriguing guys to look at...we really need a late 1 or some 2s.

Yeah but he came into Chicago hitting those jumpers in 2 games--heck he didnt miss a shot 12-12 from the field.

BRIGGS wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:The writer also talked about Tokoto in his Twitter feed.

Corey Hansford ‏@TheeCoreyH Jun 1
Tokoto was one of the stars of the combine…great defense, hustle, and rebounding…showed an improved jumper…possibility at 34

There are lottery pick characteristics with Tokoto. He avg nearly 6 rebounds and 5 assists to go along with great defense at 6-6+ with a standing 35 inch vertical which probably can assume 40-42 inch depending on the day/. Thats puts him as a top 3 athlete with Andersen and Connughton---but its obvious his athleticism translates to his game--especially on D. Now you throw in an improved jumper--what does he not have that say pick 9 has?

I said it with Stein, so I can't be a hypocrite. Guess you want to see the jumper in game competition on a continual basis.

Looked at his stats- 3pt shooting up, and foul shooting up over his 3 years, so it would seem he worked on things while in college.

Lot of intriguing guys to look at...we really need a late 1 or some 2s.

Yeah but he came into Chicago hitting those jumpers in 2 games--heck he didnt miss a shot 12-12 from the field.

He clearly showed improvement in his 3 years. Maybe another Corey Brewer, with a J that is still developing?

Over 6.6 with shoes. He also upped his assists.

Might be someone who moves up because of his workouts- if he really has improved his shot he might go in the late 1st. Good program, good physical specs, and visible improvement over his 3 years in school.

BRIGGS wrote:With an addition of a jumpshot--what is the difference between Jp and Andre Igudola?

Is this a serious question? Iggy had some real handle and could run an offense not quite pg level but more like James Harden does for Houston.

Throw in IQ and intangibles and who knows if they are similar in those aspects.

Another thing: Maybe Tokoto cheated the measuring, similar to how most believe Connington did, but his standing reach is insanely low for someone with that wingspan. Sometimes players cheat the standing reach measurements to get better vert numbers.

Iggy's standing reach is 8'9.5. Even Jimmy Butler has a higher reach and his wingspan is 6'7.5.

yellowboy90 wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:With an addition of a jumpshot--what is the difference between Jp and Andre Igudola?

Is this a serious question? Iggy had some real handle and could run an offense not quite pg level but more like James Harden does for Houston.

Throw in IQ and intangibles and who knows if they are similar in those aspects.

Another thing: Maybe Tokoto cheated the measuring, similar to how most believe Connington did, but his standing reach is insanely low for someone with that wingspan. Sometimes players cheat the standing reach measurements to get better vert numbers.

Iggy's standing reach is 8'9.5. Even Jimmy Butler has a higher reach and his wingspan is 6'7.5.

Cheated the measurements--dude this guy is a top 3 athlete in this draft no doubt. This guy has similar game to Igudola solid ballhandler solid passer solid rebounder and in the NBA hes going to have open space where his athleticism from the guard position will help him explode. Add in an improving jumper and whats the difference?

BRIGGS wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:With an addition of a jumpshot--what is the difference between Jp and Andre Igudola?

Is this a serious question? Iggy had some real handle and could run an offense not quite pg level but more like James Harden does for Houston.

Throw in IQ and intangibles and who knows if they are similar in those aspects.

Another thing: Maybe Tokoto cheated the measuring, similar to how most believe Connington did, but his standing reach is insanely low for someone with that wingspan. Sometimes players cheat the standing reach measurements to get better vert numbers.

Iggy's standing reach is 8'9.5. Even Jimmy Butler has a higher reach and his wingspan is 6'7.5.

Cheated the measurements--dude this guy is a top 3 athlete in this draft no doubt. This guy has similar game to Igudola solid ballhandler solid passer solid rebounder and in the NBA hes going to have open space where his athleticism from the guard position will help him explode. Add in an improving jumper and whats the difference?

So you say him having an 8'4.5 standing reach isn't eye popping? Jimmy Butler was 8'5.5 and I gave you his wingspan. Honestly, he is like a lot of second rounders. Maybe he does become a 3-d guy but right now comparing him to Iggy is a stretch.

Draft Value: Late 1st Round – Early 2nd Round – #25-40

Putting Tokoto’s shooting woes aside, he is a very skilled and athletic player, who can guard multiple positions well, and can make plays in the halfcourt and in transition. A smart team will take Tokoto and try to transition him full-time to the point guard position over a few seasons, allowing his natural skill set to shine through while taking advantage of his size for the position. Tokoto does need to keep working on his ability to knock down jumpers, but if he can make the fixes, some team may get a steal with him in this draft.

http://hoopshabit.com/2015/05/13/scoutin...

Just watched the highlight- wish they had shown him hit a few outside shots.

Showed some nice followthrough in the workout- had to be something during the season which shows he can hit a jumper now and then.

Other than that, there was a lot to like in the video.

I'll stay with Corey Brewer for my modern day comparison, but what about a potential Michael Cooper, for those who remember the Showtime Lakers.

He's clearly a guy whose leaping ability probably caused him to neglect his outside shot as he developed.

If his shot continues to hold up I would think he goes late 1st.

i love this kid...reminds me of KJ McDaniels...he just needs to learn how to shoot

i think he will have a matt barnes type of career. he'll stayin the NBA due to his athletism but be traded around like a nomad. then in his 30s hell figure it all out

Draftnet doesn't even have Michael Qualls getting drafted. If he is going late in the second or undrafted I think he might be the better prospect. He might be the better prospect anyway but for some reason he isn't even listed in their mock. Draftexpress has him going at 48.