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2020 NBA Draft from The Athletic ($)

SaveFerris

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Dec 21, 2001
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Interesting article in The Athletic on the 2020 prediction for the NBA draft. It doesn’t have CJ Elleby going in either round. Someone asked about him in comments and the response from the writer wasn’t exactly positive.

Sam Vecenie
STAFF
2h ago

@Kellen O. Elleby has been good this year in Kyle Smith's new scheme. Having said that, he's also shooting 36% from the field in Pac-12 play, and when he got invited to the G League Elite Camp last year, was among the worst guys in attendance. Think he's still a year away.


https://theathletic.com/1603325/202...raft-version-3-0-post-trade-deadline-edition/
 
Hope that is true and that CJ actually believes it. As a noon ball junkie at the UI, I talked to a lot of the Vandal players who had somehow been convinced by somebody that they were going to be drafted or at least offered an NBA contract as an undrafted player. My skepticism was usually taken as a sign of how out of it I was although one player did actually listen to me and later thanked me for my advice to stick around for another year. Hopefully CJ sticks around for another year.
 
Hope that is true and that CJ actually believes it. As a noon ball junkie at the UI, I talked to a lot of the Vandal players who had somehow been convinced by somebody that they were going to be drafted or at least offered an NBA contract as an undrafted player. My skepticism was usually taken as a sign of how out of it I was although one player did actually listen to me and later thanked me for my advice to stick around for another year. Hopefully CJ sticks around for another year.
Keep Eric Dickerson away from Pullman please
 
This source brings up a valid point, a point me and others have made on why Elleby needs 1 more year.

However, but that said, most sources project Elleby as about a 24,25,26 of 1st round to last pick of 1st round to 1st pick of 2nd round.

That may sound good, but its not.

There is about a 25% to 35% to 43% chance that Elleby could SLIDE down to 2nd round, an or not get drafted.

Thats happened a LOT to a LOT of players that were in CJ's situation, and had CJ's projection.

And even if he gets drafted 1st round, he may not be ready to make a roster.

On the other hand if CJ stays, he would probably go about 13,14,15,16 in 1st round at best, and 22nd of 1st round at worst with SLIDE room where at ultimate worst, still gets drafted 1st round.

And he can get injury insurance.

So he not only makes more money by staying, he would also have a better chance to make a roster, etc.

Smith knows this, Klay knows this, experts in the NBA will tell CJ this.

So because of that, this, there is about a 43% to 73% chance that CJ will stay.

If he leaves he would be taking a huge risk,gamble, on maybe getting drafted 2nd round, maybe not getting drafted at all, maybe not making a roster.

Only way CJ should or would leave is if ALL the EXPERTS, ETC, UNIVERSALLY projected him CJ to be drafted in Top 21, Top 22.

A 23rd pick of 1st round to last pick of 1st round to 1st pick of 2nd round is NOT good enough of a projection to leave, enter draft, because IF Slide, YOUR IN A LOT OF TROUBLE, AND ITS A HUGE, GAMBLE RISK.

BETTER TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEARS DRAFT WHERE GO 13TH TO 16TH TO 21, 22.
 
If he is a first round pick he doesn’t have to worry about making a rooster.. first round picks are guaranteed 2 year close to 2 million a year. I personally think CJ can play in the NBA in the right situation on the right team. Hopefully he is enjoying his time at WSU both on and off the court and makes the decision to return and try to be part of something special. I really don’t think returning will help or hinder his pro prospects( barring injury). He has a big decision ahead of him and I wish him the best either way.
 
I really don’t think returning will help or hinder his pro prospects( barring injury). He has a big decision ahead of him and I wish him the best either way.
That's the key and because there is essentially no gain to coming back I can see why he would opt to go. He just has to be ok with the potential downside of the decision.

One thing mentioned on the broadcast last night I found interesting. Cronin apparently made a comment to MacLean that CJ can't go left. Again, if he came back to work on that part of his game I don't think it suddenly makes him a first rounder but that would impact where or whether he drafted at all.
 
When I heard the comment about Elleby not being able to go left. I originally thought it meant they can’t let him go left, because he’s left handed but watching the rest of the game I noticed they were playing him to take away the right hand drive. Interesting ...
 
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