My gut is Mali is gone.

[Consigliere]

So hiring an Agent not looking back? Seems strange.

Even with the new rules this scenario is a bit of a Catch-22. For second tier prospects (think beyond Top 20 picks) Bird in the Hand may be a compelling reason to leave. If you can get a guarantee that an NBA team will draft you and honor a two year deal, depending on career goals and values that may be enough of an enticement. NBA drafts on potential, not productivity and returning to school to develop skills won't make you taller, much quicker or increase your ceiling all that much. It will only make you older. Even so, the difference between $2M guaranteed today or $10M potential next year just isn;t that substantial. Both are life changing opportunities.

Unfortunately, the odds of getting such a guarantee are much greater if you hire an agent. At least I'm sure that's what the agents say.

 

[Madbiker]

Neither Ford or DraftExpress have him as even a 2nd round pick currently. So hard to see him getting told he will be a 1st rounder. Declare, go to the combine, but don't hire an agent would be the best way to go. Hope he gets and listens to some solid advice. Before the UVa game I don't think anyone saw him as a draftable player this year. And 1 game probably doesn't change that.

 

[Cusefannotindc]

 

[AZOrange]

He's making the right decision to get feedback. I think it's dumb that players in other programs aren't.

I tend to agree but from what ive been hearing there's a bit of a concern about blowing your real true chance...retreads not welcome type of thing

 

[SUFan44]

Even with the new rules this scenario is a bit of a Catch-22. For second tier prospects (think beyond Top 20 picks) Bird in the Hand may be a compelling reason to leave. If you can get a guarantee that an NBA team will draft you and honor a two year deal, depending on career goals and values that may be enough of an enticement. NBA drafts on potential, not productivity and returning to school to develop skills won't make you taller, much quicker or increase your ceiling all that much. It will only make you older. Even so, the difference between $2M guaranteed today or $10M potential next year just isn;t that substantial. Both are life changing opportunities.

Unfortunately, the odds of getting such a guarantee are much greater if you hire an agent. At least I'm sure that's what the agents say.

You don't think the difference between $2M this year vs. $10M next year is substantial?

With taxes, agent fees, personal trainer fees and the first paycheck spending spree, that $2M isn't going to last forever and is not as life changing an opportunity as it appears on paper.

Again, I'm not advocating one way or another for anyone to leave or not leave but that statement is simply not true.

 

[Alsacs]

I shudder to think of the damage our fans do to our players on twitter.

Mal obviously wants to go to the NBA. I subscribe to the theory that these players owe us nothing because they aren't paid. If the kid can get drafted in the first round they should always go if they want to get paid but this kid isn't a first round pick this year. I don't get it. Let him declare and see it himself. If he declares and sees he isn't a first round pick and doesn't come back the kid will have to work a lot harder.

 

[Orange2389]

i expect mali to sign an agent today

 

[AZOrange]

i expect mali to sign an agent today

he gone

 

[Nicknack]

I'm just hoping that her gut tells me something.

 

[Knicks411]

was waiting for this

 

[Ryand877]

i expect mali to sign an agent today

I highly hope you are kidding.

 

[pearl31]

The best we can hope for is that he makes an informed decision based on the results of workout. If he's graded as a first round talent and he bounces, fair enough.

exactly this

 

[IthacaMatt]

That's a guarantee of millions of dollars...

Now if he doesn't go before 30...he's looking at no real guarantees...

Not "millions", more like "a million", if he goes 20-30 in the draft.

 

[cybercuse]

Juts my gut from what I am hearing

What you are hearing and your gut is not accurate...He will test but is NOT leaving! End of Story! GO CUSE! FINAL FOUR PHOENIX!!!!!

 

[MSOrange]

What you are hearing and your gut is not accurate...He will test but is NOT leaving! End of Story! GO CUSE! FINAL FOUR PHOENIX!!!!!

Hulk??

 

[orangenirvana]

i expect mali to sign an agent today

I highly hope you are kidding.

I assumed his post was just bad grammar and translated his message as: "I expect to take a trip to Mali, Africa and must find a travel agent to sign today."

Have fun on your trip, Orange2389! Mali is a wonderful destination.

http://www.fodors.com/community/africa-the-middle-east/travel-agents-in-mali.cfm

 

[JoeSU]

Juts my gut from what I am hearing

And your gut is never wrong?

 

[Consigliere]

You don't think the difference between $2M this year vs. $10M next year is substantial?

With taxes, agent fees, personal trainer fees and the first paycheck spending spree, that $2M isn't going to last forever and is not as life changing an opportunity as it appears on paper.

Again, I'm not advocating one way or another for anyone to leave or not leave but that statement is simply not true.

Should have qualified that. From the perspective of a 20 year old kid from a disadvantaged or modest background I don't think it is. Particularly when it's fairly immediate vs. waiting a year and the risks involved in waiting (injury, substandard performance.)

This is an ever changing landscape. It used to be that you had to be a mature talented player to jump early. Then it was a guaranteed lottery pick. Then it was sure fire first rounder. Now it's show potential and get a back room promise for a second round selection and guarantee and you start the clock on the NBA rookie salary scale. Logic be damned we've seen it too many times over the last few years.

 

[Briancuse]

We can't afford to lose him.

 

[jsshap]

He doesn't shoot it well, he can't finish at the rim consistently, and his defense is a question mark because he plays zone. I said in another thread I think his raw talent is worth a look in the second round (I'm hardly a scout).

If he comes back and he kills it (likely IMO) he's a lottery pick.

So you think at this point he is worth a second round pick, but if he comes back its likely he gets to the lottery next year? That does not really make sense to me. In other words, if an NBA GM had that exact same view, and Richardson was in this year's draft, it would make no sense to bypass someone in the back half of the first round who you expected to be in the lottery the following year.

For my part, as much as I like both of their games, I am not convinced that either Richardson or Lydon will have longtime NBA careers. They definitely might, and I hope like hell they both do (regardless of when they leave) but unlike many I don't think its a foregone conclusion that they will be lottery picks one day; and if that is the NBA consensus, I would think it makes a lot of sense for them both to go this year (if financial security is deemed more important that the college and college basketball experience) as that would seem to make them a lock to go first round.

 

[HOFCeluck]

So you think at this point he is worth a second round pick, but if he comes back its likely he gets to the lottery next year? That does not really make sense to me. In other words, if an NBA GM had that exact same view, and Richardson was in this year's draft, it would make no sense to bypass someone in the back half of the first round who you expected to be in the lottery the following year.

For my part, as much as I like both of their games, I am not convinced that either Richardson or Lydon will have longtime NBA careers. They definitely might, and I hope like hell they both do (regardless of when they leave) but unlike many I don't think its a foregone conclusion that they will be lottery picks one day; and if that is the NBA consensus, I would think it makes a lot of sense for them both to go this year (if financial security is deemed more important that the college and college basketball experience) as that would seem to make them a lock to go first round.

Fine, then lets just say hes got a far better shot at a guaranteed contract in 2017 than 2016.

 

[Briancuse]

Fine, then lets just say hes got a far better shot at a guaranteed contract in 2017 than 2016.

He might not even get drafted this year, so no question.

 

[Janner]

Does anyone know how the NBA evaluation works? How many people are evaluating the player? Do the players receive a report detailing their strengths/weakness? Are they graded out like a combine? Are they informed if/where they would likely be drafted (ex. 20-25 range)?

I know if I was in their shoes I would want a report as substantive and detailed as possible breaking down how they arrived at the end evaluation that they did.

 

[Nicknack]

Does anyone know how the NBA evaluation works? How many people are evaluating the player? Do the players receive a report detailing their strengths/weakness? Are they graded out like a combine? Are they informed if/where they would likely be drafted (ex. 20-25 range)?

I know if I was in their shoes I would want a report as substantive and detailed as possible breaking down how they arrived at the end evaluation that they did.

Sure, I can answer that.

This guy and his gut evaluates the talent. That is all.

 

[ClamOtto]

So you think at this point he is worth a second round pick, but if he comes back its likely he gets to the lottery next year? That does not really make sense to me. In other words, if an NBA GM had that exact same view, and Richardson was in this year's draft, it would make no sense to bypass someone in the back half of the first round who you expected to be in the lottery the following year.

For my part, as much as I like both of their games, I am not convinced that either Richardson or Lydon will have longtime NBA careers. They definitely might, and I hope like hell they both do (regardless of when they leave) but unlike many I don't think its a foregone conclusion that they will be lottery picks one day; and if that is the NBA consensus, I would think it makes a lot of sense for them both to go this year (if financial security is deemed more important that the college and college basketball experience) as that would seem to make them a lock to go first round.

I get what you're saying, but if there was no information value from another year in school, all the draft picks would be freshman because the scouts would be able to tell whether they'd be lottery quality in the future. Last year three upperclassmen went in the lottery (Cauley-Stein, Kaminsky and Payne). I don't remember the 2014 draft discussion but presumably none of them would have been lottery picks if they came out a year earlier. I also wonder if the D'Angelo Russell experience will have an influence - he has the skills to play now but not the maturity. Another year in college might have prevented some headaches.