03-28-2026, 09:01 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-28-2026, 09:14 AM by ThisIStheYear.)
(03-28-2026, 08:33 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: Thanks for following up with the Burries stats when Bradley is off the floor...very encouraging. Given the very real possibility that Acuff, Flemings and Wagler are off the board when we draft, the discussion may be less about how Burries compares to them and more about how he compares to Brown, Philon, Lendebord and Ament. BTW, if Burries is 6'3", then Acuff is 6'0" of 6'1" at the most. There is a noticeable difference between them.
I do think we have to account for Flagg spending some time on the ball in a similar way to what we see from players like Tatum, Kawhi or Avdija. That doesn't mean we don't need another player who can create for others. I just wonder how "pure" of a PG it has to be given what I think Flagg will be doing. If Kyrie were available, the starting lineup would be Kyrie, Christie, Forward, Flagg and a Center. I don't think we'd be complaining that Kyrie isn't "pure" enough despite the fact that many have pointed out that Kyrie isn't a "pure" PG.
I think a lot of our offensive issues would be remedied by having another self/others creator (like Kyrie) on the floor. I'm not saying Burries is Kyrie, but I do think he can fit into a guard rotation with Kyrie and Christie - maybe not as well as Wagler, but he can be on the floor with either Christie/Flagg or Kyrie/Flagg. Could we run minutes with NAW/Flagg? Booker/Flagg? Those seem to be the comps. The answer is probably more about what Flagg is than what Burries is.
Burries, Brown, Philon, and even Yaxel and Steinbach have practically the same potential as Acuff, Flemings, and Wagler. Some people even still like Ament. If the Mavs don’t move up in the lottery, it doesn’t matter what pick they have. Burries would be a worthy pick at 5 (I have him 6 after Acuff), but he could easily go 10th (because he’s an old frosh). It’s the most clustered group of good prospects down to pick 13 we’ve ever seen.
And, a healthy Lively (BPM around 9), goes about 20 in this draft I think, maybe lower. He’s probably the same tier as the current Duke center, but due to his chronic injury problems won’t have as good a career, unfortunately. Lively has the sort of injury history that is fatal for a big man’s career.