GW0509 wrote:

With so many opt outs of HM bigs, I have to think there's a strong chance we hear Castro's name called on draft night.

Slim would be the 3rd GW player drafted in the First 2 rounds of The NBA Draft in the last 65 years

Chris Pederson has Slim going 39th in The NBA Draft

NBA Tankathon site 56th

https://www.tankathon.com/mock-draft

Nic Claxton is the comp I've mentioned a few times.
From the official NBA site good read on the Slim draft analysis:
Castro’s speed is impressive. He covers the floor like a wing despite being nearly seven feet tall, sprinting in transition and arriving at the rim before defenses can set. He was one of the most efficient scorers in college basketball, doing virtually all of his damage at the basket and the free-throw line. What separates him from other run-and-dunk bigs is his feel. Castro reads the floor from the high post, finds cutters with timing passes and can put the ball on the deck to attack when opponents overplay him. On defense, his steal numbers are high for a center, and his lateral quickness lets him switch onto perimeter players. Added strength should only enhance his ability to anchor against bigger matchups and hold ground at the rim.

Projection
Castro projects as a switchable, high-motor center who can run the floor, finish in traffic, facilitate from the short roll and create havoc in passing lanes. His combination of foot speed, playmaking and defensive versatility fits the profile of a modern NBA big. In terms of NBA comparisons, Castro has similarities to Jalen Duren, Nic Claxton and a taller Ausar Thompson.

Miami gave Milwaukee essentially 7 first round picks (4 actual players who were selected in first plus 3 picks) for Giannis. Way better offer than Boston's.

Randle was a salary dump so they had to move back in draft to get someone to take that bad contract.

Giannis won a ring as the lone star and has 2 MVPs

The return was pretty middling

Jaylen Brown just finished 6th in the MVP and has two All NBA Team 2nd teams.

I'd go quality over quantity

Excited to see if where and Castro lands tonight.  Also interested in who goes 1-2-3-4 seems like any of the top 4 in any order. Maybe a few huge trades too

Slim was not picked

Could be better perhaps to see where he signs

Castro did not get drafted. So much for your validation...

I predicted a couple of weeks ago on GW Hoops that Castro would not be drafted. He has no offensive moves or shots away from the basket and I think his dismal play against New Mexico (3 shots for the game) showed a lack of passion. Insiders say our team this year were not that hungry. (Luke Hunger was an exception.)

A few notes:

1) It's a shame that Slim was not drafted (our 20+ year wait continues) but I feel he ends up in an ideal landing spot.  Milwaukee ought to be a young, untested team in rebuilding mode.  A great chance for Slim to find his way onto the roster, and perhaps even into the rotation, if he plays well enough.

2) NBA evaluators watch a ton of film on their prospects.  One bad game is not going to kill a guy's chances, and this most definitely applies to an exhibition game against Georgetown.

3) We tend to think things like "Slim's offensive game isn't polished enough" which is likely of little concern to teams that aren't needing him to be a 20 point per game scorer.  There are plenty of NBA players who are in the league because they possess a special skill or skills that are desirable.  A great example is Mitchell Robinson.  Nobody expects any semblance of a low-post game from Robinson.  To earn his keep, he needs to rebound well, be a disruptive force on defense, and be a legitimate threat to score off of lobs.  Sounds a bit like Slim, does it not?  (I'd even back Slim in a free throw shooting contest against Mr. Robinson.)