Rocco Zikarsky

[Rusty Kuntz]

Welcome to the Wolves Rocco! I’m really liking this pick, you can’t teach size.

[Rusty Kuntz]

[mlhouse]

He didn't even start for his Australian team and struggled with the physicality of that league. He also was injured all the time.

[somuchyummy]

He didn't even start for his Australian team and struggled with the physicality of that league. He also was injured all the time.

What do you suppose it's like being 7-4 260 lbs at age 18? Super coordinated and all grown up into your man strength? Or kind of gawky and awkward?

[Beef Supreme]

He didn't even start for his Australian team and struggled with the physicality of that league. He also was injured all the time.

What do you suppose it's like being 7-4 260 lbs at age 18? Super coordinated and all grown up into your man strength? Or kind of gawky and awkward?

Most people that size really struggle with lower body problems.

It’s worth the gamble on him, I guess. But staying at 31 and making a safer pick probably made more sense to me.

But we’ll see how it plays out.

[mlhouse]

He didn't even start for his Australian team and struggled with the physicality of that league. He also was injured all the time.

What do you suppose it's like being 7-4 260 lbs at age 18? Super coordinated and all grown up into your man strength? Or kind of gawky and awkward?

AS I said, it will take at least 4 years before he is NBA ready. It would be foolish to bring him over next season even on a 2 way contract. Let him get better in Australia and maybe after 2-3 years move to a higher level Euro league. That is the best course for him.

But if he wasn't strong enough for the Australian NBL Future Star league, how is he even prepared for even the GLeague.

I doubt be will ever play for the Wolves but they should prepare for a long road like Bjelica who did not play for the Wolves for 6 seasons after being drafted. But he became a decent NBA player and made $35 million in his career. ROCCO should study that development timeline.

[somuchyummy]

I wish we would have stayed at 36 and just taken either Raynaud or Chazz Lanier.

[mlhouse]

I wish we would have stayed at 36 and just taken either Raynaud or Chazz Lanier.

Where would Chazz Lanier have been on their depth chart? Two way deal?

Reynard I see in baseball terms like a AAAA player. A good AAA player but just doesn't have something to make it work at the highest level. I think Luka Garza is kind of same class of player.

Reynard is a pretty good perimeter shooter with really nice touch. Inside, he has that little baby hook. But does he have the athleticism to survive in the paint against NBA talent? He hits the not quite MLB curve ball well, but not the major league level.

I am not against the ROCCO development curve and giving him a chance. I don't want to rush him. IN 4 years, maybe even 5, lets see what we got. In baseball, that would be going up the minor league levels step by step.

[somuchyummy]

He would have been on the depth chart if we looked to move DDV. Another big volume three point shooter and not a kid. So I could see an eventual depth chart at SG being Ant/Clark/Lanier. Probably start the year on a two way - see how it goes. Besides the three point prowess, Lanier also has very decent NBA athleticism - so projecting good things for him isn't entirely out in left field.

Raynaud - with an A - I think will be a decent backup big man in the league. Which is perfectly a great outcome for a 36th pick. I disagree with you about him being a Luka level player. Runs better, puts the ball on the floor better, is bigger. I think he will have fewer of the downsides that Luka has and that prevents him from being a legit NBA minutes option.

As for the late Rocco pick, I am interested to see if Javon Small pans out - who got selected a few picks later. I'm not sure how he tips any needle that Tristan Newton doesn't tip - but there are certainly people who think Small can be a good NBA player.

[mlhouse]

He would have been on the depth chart if we looked to move DDV. Another big volume three point shooter and not a kid. So I could see an eventual depth chart at SG being Ant/Clark/Lanier. Probably start the year on a two way - see how it goes. Besides the three point prowess, Lanier also has very decent NBA athleticism - so projecting good things for him isn't entirely out in left field.

Raynaud - with an A - I think will be a decent backup big man in the league. Which is perfectly a great outcome for a 36th pick. I disagree with you about him being a Luka level player. Runs better, puts the ball on the floor better, is bigger. I think he will have fewer of the downsides that Luka has and that prevents him from being a legit NBA minutes option.

As for the late Rocco pick, I am interested to see if Javon Small pans out - who got selected a few picks later. I'm not sure how he tips any needle that Tristan Newton doesn't tip - but there are certainly people who think Small can be a good NBA player.

I didnt compare Raynaud's game to Luka, just what level of a player he is. The AAAA baseball level is a guy who is good at the lower levels but just not good enough to be a major league guy. I suspect Raynaud will not be as effective in all aspects of his game like he was at Stanford, and because of that just isn't quite good enough.

[LordNu]

See how he goes in the NBL next season. Will be happy to watch him develop here. Bullets have some strong bigs ahead of him.

[mlhouse]

See how he goes in the NBL next season. Will be happy to watch him develop here. Bullets have some strong bigs ahead of him.

And that is by far the best course for him. Stay in Brisbane for at least 2 years. Then I would actually like him to go to Europe to play in a senior Euro league. The added 30 lbs of mass should make him more effective next year the NBL.

[Sportsrgreat]

What a stupid pick! Let’s draft two people that can’t possibly compete now?

[somuchyummy]

For a contending team, a 17 and 45 generally aren't going to contribute right away. You add that in FA.

[minnemike]

For a contending team, a 17 and 45 generally aren't going to contribute right away. You add that in FA.

Exactly…. Maybe a wing at those spots, but not with this roster stacked with wings.

If the wolves lose NAW, Shannon and/or Clark are just itching for those minutes. Not sure you find a guy better at those draft slots. And then you don’t want lesser rookies sitting the bench behind them. FA vets are a better guarantee for a win now roster.

But the main thing here to consider long term is they had all positions except C stacked with young talent ready to play. Now they have all positions stacked and balanced.

[HeHateMe]

Rooting for him, would be a fun story to see this guy pan out.. especially if he can show some stuff offensively.

Iowa Wolves will be worth tuning into this year.

[jffl_commish]

GL in Iowa.

[Wide left]

For a contending team, a 17 and 45 generally aren't going to contribute right away. You add that in FA.

Name more than 4 players from this draft that could crack the top 8 or even 9 rotation spots on this team. The Wolves are deep, no rookie available to them is going to beat out Shannon, Clark, Dillingham or even Minot. Drafting a couple of higher ceiling prospects that could potentially play a role in 2-3 years was absolutely the right decision.

[somuchyummy]

For a contending team, a 17 and 45 generally aren't going to contribute right away. You add that in FA.

Name more than 4 players from this draft that could crack the top 8 or even 9 rotation spots on this team. The Wolves are deep, no rookie available to them is going to beat out Shannon, Clark, Dillingham or even Minot. Drafting a couple of higher ceiling prospects that could potentially play a role in 2-3 years was absolutely the right decision.

Exactly. You can't neglect the long game just because you're currently in the short one.

[witljon]

He didn't even start for his Australian team and struggled with the physicality of that league. He also was injured all the time.

What do you suppose it's like being 7-4 260 lbs at age 18? Super coordinated and all grown up into your man strength? Or kind of gawky and awkward?

Most people that size really struggle with lower body problems.

It’s worth the gamble on him, I guess. But staying at 31 and making a safer pick probably made more sense to me.

But we’ll see how it plays out.

Yeah, I was hoping Rasheer Fleming was going to be our pick or a trade for a future 1st.

[aztimberwolves]

What do you suppose it's like being 7-4 260 lbs at age 18? Super coordinated and all grown up into your man strength? Or kind of gawky and awkward?

Most people that size really struggle with lower body problems.

It’s worth the gamble on him, I guess. But staying at 31 and making a safer pick probably made more sense to me.

But we’ll see how it plays out.

Yeah, I was hoping Rasheer Fleming was going to be our pick or a trade for a future 1st.

I do t think any team was offering a 1st. Boston had the very next pick and got 2 2’d rounders. Obviously that was what the price was for 31 and 32. And someone brought up a good point that 31 would have wanted a guaranteed contract and we probably don’t want to give that l.

[witljon]

Most people that size really struggle with lower body problems.

It’s worth the gamble on him, I guess. But staying at 31 and making a safer pick probably made more sense to me.

But we’ll see how it plays out.

Yeah, I was hoping Rasheer Fleming was going to be our pick or a trade for a future 1st.

I do t think any team was offering a 1st. Boston had the very next pick and got 2 2’d rounders. Obviously that was what the price was for 31 and 32. And someone brought up a good point that 31 would have wanted a guaranteed contract and we probably don’t want to give that l.

I’m just saying I preferred just taking Fleming when there was no offer of a future 1st. Obviously the Wolves weren’t high enough on him, but the team that traded for him was. And we probably had no spot for him on the roster.

[weimy froob]

Most people that size really struggle with lower body problems.

It’s worth the gamble on him, I guess. But staying at 31 and making a safer pick probably made more sense to me.

But we’ll see how it plays out.

Yeah, I was hoping Rasheer Fleming was going to be our pick or a trade for a future 1st.

I do t think any team was offering a 1st. Boston had the very next pick and got 2 2’d rounders. Obviously that was what the price was for 31 and 32. And someone brought up a good point that 31 would have wanted a guaranteed contract and we probably don’t want to give that l.

Jace frederick
@JaceFrederick
Someone told Matt Lloyd that Toronto received offers of future 1sts for No. 31 last year

[thinktank]

Enjoy. Rocco draining threes and getting coached. His legs aren’t great but his upper body is fantastic.

https://youtube.com/shorts/zJYRgC5-wO8? ... 0_vFWTCTVr

[aztimberwolves]

Yeah, I was hoping Rasheer Fleming was going to be our pick or a trade for a future 1st.

I do t think any team was offering a 1st. Boston had the very next pick and got 2 2’d rounders. Obviously that was what the price was for 31 and 32. And someone brought up a good point that 31 would have wanted a guaranteed contract and we probably don’t want to give that l.

Jace frederick
@JaceFrederick
Someone told Matt Lloyd that Toronto received offers of future 1sts for No. 31 last year

That was last year. Minnesota and Baston wernt so fortunate this year. Obviously no one offered a 1st or else they would have taken it. Boston got the same deal we did so that was obviously the market offer for those picks.

[mlhouse]

What do you suppose it's like being 7-4 260 lbs at age 18? Super coordinated and all grown up into your man strength? Or kind of gawky and awkward?

Most people that size really struggle with lower body problems.

It’s worth the gamble on him, I guess. But staying at 31 and making a safer pick probably made more sense to me.

But we’ll see how it plays out.

Yeah, I was hoping Rasheer Fleming was going to be our pick or a trade for a future 1st.

I would have just drafted Fleming. But they already knew they would resign Naz Reid. That would have made Fleming mostly redundant.

The biggest thing for ROCCO is that he added 30 lbs, from 227 to 257, and still had solid mobility at the Draft Combine. He lacked mass playing in NBL and was pushed around a lot. But the added bulk should help him. I still would prefer he just stay in Australia for at least one year, if not several to hone his game.

[witljon]

Welcome to the Wolves Rocco! I’m really liking this pick, you can’t teach size.

To go from 7 to 45, reality must have set in
once they actually seen him play.

[thinktank]

I think the college season takes precedence over the Olympiad, right or wrong.

[weimy froob]

Alan Horton
@WolvesRadio
The masked man — Rocco Zikarsky took an elbow from James Wiseman last game & had
to have his nose reset. He’ll wear the mask tonight vs. Knicks.

[bubu dubu.]

Welcome to the Wolves Rocco! I’m really liking this pick, you can’t teach size.

To go from 7 to 45, reality must have set in
once they actually seen him play.

Probably had a lot more to do with lack of playing time than skill, and those two things do not go hand in hand in the NBL. For example if he were to play college ball in the states, he's probably on a team getting 20+ mpg playing against other 19 year olds, instead he played in the NBL sitting behind two of the better centers in the league (one listed as the 22nd best player in the league according to a Fox sports article I just read), playing with and against guys in their prime.