nixluva wrote:
Phil really made sure to take a look at a lot of players and he kept things pretty secretive. Phil was actually pretty crafty this summer. The deals for Jerian and Willy were also pretty nice. I would say that he wasn't the "out of his depth" GM that many kept suggesting he was gonna be. Phil went about doing his job with solid precision.

Even the initial report that Jackson had sent a group to scout Porzingis came out of nowhere- he was clearly doing more than was reported, and had certain ideas about what he was looking for in a potential draft pick...physically, skill-wise, character related, and even family background. All of our picks actually have family members who played pro ball either here or overseas, which I consider significant.

The importance of the Jackson/Gaines relationship can't be overestimated at this point, either. Galloway, KP, probably Hernangomez, and even Ndour have been linked to him. Not sure we can think about Jackson and the draft without considering Gaines at this point.