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2020 NBA Draft

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It's been fun watching film on him. On one hand, at Mississippi State, he's the offensive focal point at PF. He suffered a bit from playing with a mediocre PG and a paint-clogging center, but this gave him the opportunity to showcase his perimeter skills. On the other hand, in the U19 World Cup, he played center in a free-flowing offense led by Haliburton and dominated in that role too. You start to realize, wow, I'm looking at the most versatile offensive big in the class. I'm not sure anyone else comes close. He's not perfect, but man, he can beat you in so many different ways.

Why is he so low? I see late 1st early 2nd round. He is 20 and quite big and strong. He has enough perimeter skills, he really looks like a modern 4. Is it his school? Solid improvement from year to year.

His body is big enough he doesn't seem to fit the tweener label, but he he does make you question if he could play the 3.

Just seems versatile while still being good at typical 4/5 stuff.
 
Why is he so low? I see late 1st early 2nd round. He is 20 and quite big and strong. He has enough perimeter skills, he really looks like a modern 4. Is it his school? Solid improvement from year to year.

His body is big enough he doesn't seem to fit the tweener label, but he he does make you question if he could play the 3.

Just seems versatile while still being good at typical 4/5 stuff.

My only thought is that it must have to do with defense, as he's not a great shot blocker and also isn't a super-switchable guy. I think he'll be decent enough there, though. Here's a fun comparison (per-40):

Perry: 22.3 points (.50/.32/.77 shooting), 13.0 boards, 3.0 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.5 blocks, 3.7 turnovers, 4.0 fouls
Love: 23.6 points (.56/.35/.77 shooting), 14.4 boards, 2.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.9 blocks, 2.7 turnovers, 2.5 fouls

Love slightly better and slightly younger (6 months), but it's pretty close. Very similar frames. I think Perry would've matched him in blocks and rebounds if he had played center (like Love) instead of PF. Could be a worthy successor.
 
Found this guy's channel watching highlights of prospects. If the cavs go for a defensive wing, wouldnt mind vassell and okoro.

I like Vassell and Okoro too, but in terms of perimeter defense specifically, I'm feeling more and more convinced that Green is "the guy" in this draft. Maybe he fouls *slightly* more than I'd like, but other than that, I can't find a single thing to criticize. Strength...quickness...motor...length...fundamentals. He's elite or close to it in every single area.
 
Finished all the remaining 2's and wings who're on my radar, I think. Bane easily the most impressive to me as I took a closer look. Would be an ideal guy to step into the Delly role off the bench.

Link to previous prospects


Desmond Bane

Perimeter offense: 9/10

Elite shooter. Can get his shot in a variety of ways, and has deep range. Can make tough shots, but a very efficient shooter who won't unnecessarily take high-difficulty shots.

Interior offense: 2/10

Pretty poor finisher, and doesn't draw fouls either which is surprising given that he has a nice frame to take contact. Not overly quick or athletic, but what really hurts him here is below-average length.

Team offense: 6/10

High-IQ player who even has some ability to run the offense in a pinch. Not a guy who really breaks down the defense with his passing, his scoring gravity on the perimeter can create openings for teammates and he wastes no time getting them the ball.

Perimeter defense: 5/10

Doesn't have the look of a perimeter stopper, with a stocky frame and short arms, but holds up reasonably well here. Light feet, quick reflexes, and good fundamentals.

Interior defense: 2/10

Strong player with a low center of gravity that makes him tough to move, but lack of length and average vertical athleticism makes it hard for him to make a difference on the glass, and he's not much of a shot blocking threat at all.

Team defense: 6/10

Really high-IQ defensive player, a leader on the court. Not a prototypical NBA body, but gets the most out of his physical tools with hustle, toughness, and active hands.

Overall: 30/60

Tyler Bey

Perimeter offense: 3/10

Newfound 3-point range this year, and good accuracy on a small sample size, but form looks a bit awkward. Pretty much only shoots if left wide open.

Interior offense: 5/10

Good here at the college level, clearly has NBA strength and athleticism as a finisher but relies a lot on these physical advantages as he's not a great ballhandler and doesn't have very good touch. Don't see him developing into a volume scorer, but should be a useful slasher/cutter/energy guy right away.

Team offense: 2/10

Well behind the curve here for an older wing. Poor instincts and poor handle are a recipe for disaster when he has to make a decision in traffic. Can make basic passes when he can slow down and take a moment to survey the court, but that's it.

Perimeter defense: 7/10

Not quite an outlier in terms of quickness, but very good, and long wingspan helps. When beat, athleticism keeps him in the play.

Interior defense: 4/10

Block and rebound numbers are a bit misleading, as he gets most of his blocks in help situations, and played on a team that was seriously starved for rebounding. Good physicality and certainly has the length and athleticism to play with the bigs, but frame isn't quite conducive to holding position inside. Lacks some lower body strength.

Team defense: 7/10

Confidence and production has really taken off in this area, as he's developed into a real leader/anchor. Length, athleticism, and motor lead to a lot of highlight plays. Like night and day compared to watching him on offense, as he seems a step ahead of everyone else reading the court.

Overall: 28/60

CJ Elleby

Perimeter offense: 6/10

A very good shooter off the catch, or off the dribble when he has space, but percentage sagged a bit this year as he took on more of a volume scorer role and put up more low-percentage shots. Somewhat unorthodox mechanics, which seem to break down when rushed.

Interior offense: 2/10

Not a particularly skilled finisher, and not very quick with the ball. To his credit, does have some ability to mix it up and draw fouls or snag offensive boards, but overall not very comfortable inside.

Team offense: 5/10

Took a step back this season after leading the team in assists as a freshman. Genuinely above-average playmaking ability for a wing, but can go into scoring mode and ignore teammates at times.

Perimeter defense: 5/10

Not an outstanding athlete, and could play a bit more physical at times, but overall does a solid job and holds his own.

Interior defense: 3/10

Fairly competent for his size. Plays physical and rebounds well despite lean frame, though he'll certainly struggle against true bigs.

Team defense: 7/10

Really shines here. The rare star who could be accused of conserving energy on offense (shooting jumpers when he should attack) and expending too much on defense. Nimble and energetic, creates tons of steals and more than a few blocks with his active hands.

Overall: 28/60

Ty-Shon Alexander

Perimeter offense: 8/10

Not quite an outlier shooter, but as good as anyone shooting spot-up 3's, and a quality shooter off the dribble and off screens as well.

Interior offense: 2/10

Has a tough time attacking the paint, as he's not especially quick or creative with the ball, and doesn't have a great frame to absorb contact.

Team offense: 5/10

Solid, low-mistake decision maker within his role, but flashes of higher level playmaking are few and far between. Assist rate and turnover rate have both dropped steadily since his freshman year, solidifying him as a 2-guard.

Perimeter defense: 6/10

Quick, tenacious, high-energy perimeter defender, though his gambles don't pay off with steals quite as often as you'd hope. Really excels against smaller guards, can struggle a bit against more physical perimeter players.

Interior defense: 2/10

Competent rebounder for his position, but overall lacks the size and strength to be a factor.

Team defense: 4/10

Decent basketball IQ, but average physical tools limit versatility, and doesn't show the same intensity level as in 1-on-1 situations.

Overall: 27/60

Elijah Hughes

Perimeter offense: 7/10

Very good outside shooter on a variety of playtypes, but poor shot selection disappointing for an older prospect and drags his percentages down some.

Interior offense: 2/10

Surprisingly raw in this area for an older prospect. Decent enough physical tools, but just not a very good handle, and not great touch at the rim. Explains why he settles for jumpers so much.

Team offense: 5/10

Not his calling card by any means, but reasonably solid here. Struggles a bit to blend scoring with facilitating, but can make basic passes and run basic plays when called upon, and generally keeps turnovers under control.

Perimeter defense: 4/10

Adequate physical tools, but tricky to evaluate as he played in Syracuse's zone. Would expect him to struggle against quicker guys due to lack of experience and sub-elite lateral quickness, but shouldn't be a big liability.

Interior defense: 4/10

Pretty solid for a wing, with a decent frame, willingness to take contact, and good enough athleticism and timing to occasionally block shots. Mildly below-average rebounder, possibly due to just-average length.

Team defense: 5/10

Played his role well as the team's veteran leader. Fairly switchable and used his IQ and athleticism to get an adequate number of steals and blocks. Doesn't stand out as having an unusually high motor, athleticism or IQ.

Overall: 27/60

Skylar Mays

Perimeter offense: 7/10

A solid shooter, especially off the catch, but not a crazy volume guy. Picks his spots, and prefers to move the ball rather than take a difficult 3.

Interior offense: 2/10

A crafty scorer with some ability to draw fouls, but not consistently productive in this area. Doesn't have special quickness or ballhandling ability, which will make it tough for him to attack in the NBA, and not an elite finisher at the basket either.

Team offense: 5/10

A smart, unselfish player, but just doesn't have what it takes to run an offense, as demonstrated by the fact that he's transitioned to a primarily off-ball role after playing PG as a freshman. Academic All-American.

Perimeter defense: 5/10

An intense competitor, but just average length and lateral quickness. Gets a solid number of steals, but also gets beat often enough because he just doesn't have much margin for error with his physical tools.

Interior defense: 2/10

Lack of size a big factor. Not especially strong or athletic. Got a decent number of rebounds this season, to his credit, but almost never blocked shots.

Team defense: 6/10

Occasionally guilty of trying to do more than he should with his average physical tools, but this is where his IQ shows the most. Gets plenty of steals with his excellent anticipation, and shows good leadership.

Overall: 27/60

Tres Tinkle

Perimeter offense: 5/10

Capable outside shooter who knows how to use screens to get his shot, but development appears to have plateued. Good enough to make the defense pay, but not elite accuracy.

Interior offense: 3/10

Below-average physical tools hurt him, but pretty crafty here. Makes tough shots at a resonable percentage, and draws fouls at a healthy rate.

Team offense: 5/10

A veteran of the college game, making his 3rd-straight Pac-12 1st team at the tender age 24, and it really shows in his decision making with the ball. Unselfish for a leading scorer, not a point forward but pretty good at finding the open man and rarely turns it over.

Perimeter defense: 4/10

Solid length for a wing, and good fundamentals, but lateral quickness is a question mark. Will likely get burned by quicker ballhandlers.

Interior defense: 3/10

Pretty good frame for a wing, and again, his fundamentals are where you'd expect for an older prospect. Still, there's only so much he can do with his subpar athleticism.

Team defense: 6/10

Looks like the coach's son because he is the coach's son. High-IQ team defender who overcomes physical limitations to rack up steals with his anticipation. Can be guilty of ball watching a little too much, but it pays off often enough.

Overall: 26/60

Jalen Harris

Perimeter offense: 8/10

Loves to shoot off the dribble, and very good at it. Uses a variety of moves to create space, and converts at a good clip. Will likely have to adjust to more of an off-ball role in the NBA, but seems talented enough to be very good in that role too.

Interior offense: 4/10

Efficiency just okay, as he settles a bit more than he should, but a nice athletic finisher on the occasions when he does get all the way to the hoop.

Team offense: 5/10

Not a natural facilitator, but has made nice strides in this area to compliment his excellent scoring game. Keeps his head up and will make the defense pay for collapsing on him by finding the open man, even if the position and timing on the pass isn't always perfect.

Perimeter defense: 3/10

Has the physical tools and athleticism to be decent, but disappointing effort level and fundamentals hold him back.

Interior defense: 2/10

Has some toughness to his game and rebounds fairly well, but almost never blocks shots despite solid vertical pop. Just doesn't have a great mentality guarding guys 1-on-1.

Team defense: 4/10

Has the IQ and athleticism to be decent here, but not a disciplined defender who's locked in on every play. Focus comes and goes.

Overall: 26/60

Justinian Jessup

Perimeter offense: 9/10

An elite marksman with deep range. Had an off year by his standards, shooting only 40% on 8 attempts per game. Doesn't have the athleticism to create space, but also doesn't need much space to get his shot off.

Interior offense: 1/10

Just about as bad as you'd expect. Skinny frame and lack of all-around athleticism makes him pretty ineffective inside the arc.

Team offense: 5/10

Nothing special, but does everything you'd want from a shooting specialist. Has enough ballhandling ability and court vision to make the right basketball play, and almost never turns the ball over.

Perimeter defense: 4/10

Mediocre athleticism certainly hurts him, but not as bad as you might expect. Nice competitiveness, even if he gets burned by quicker guards, and sharp reflexes.

Interior defense: 1/10

Simply too weak and vertically challenged to be a factor inside.

Team defense: 6/10

Surprisingly capable team defender. High IQ and high motor, actually led his team in both steals and blocks. Will presumably fail in some scenarios that put his below-average athleticism to the test, but it won't be for lack of effort.

Overall: 26/60

Robert Woodard

Perimeter offense: 4/10

Improving outside shooter, though high percentage this year seems a little fluky, and partly reflects that defenses didn't immediately recognize him as a 3-point threat. Safe bet to be a reasonably accurate catch-and-shoot guy, but slow-ish methodical release limits upside here.

Interior offense: 4/10

Great frame for a wing, but not a very deft ballhandler or finisher, and surprisingly poor at drawing fouls. More effective in an off-ball role, where he's a good offensive rebounder and cutter.

Team offense: 3/10

Fairly raw here. Decent at making the basic pass as an off-ball player, but struggled with decision making as he spent more time handling the ball.

Perimeter defense: 5/10

A good athlete overall, but doesn't appear to have special lateral quickness, and still getting his sea legs learning to guard smaller perimeter players here. Can be decent here with experience.

Interior defense: 5/10

Lacks the size to really match up against true bigs, but good strength and physicality, and has the athleticism to elevate for blocks and rebounds, though he's not elite in either area.

Team defense: 5/10

Physical tools give him nice versatility here and allow him to make some highlight plays. Decent IQ, but not special. Occasionally misses rotations due to lapses in focus/effort, and not especially active playing passing lanes.

Overall: 26/60

Vit Krejci

Perimeter offense: 5/10

Small sample size and spotty free throw shooting makes it tough to give a precise evaluating here. Given his solid mechanics, most likely outcome is that he'll be average here.

Interior offense: 2/10

Some good basic tools with decent length, quickness, and vertical athleticism, but doesn't have an NBA body at this stage, and ballhandling skills are pretty basic.

Team offense: 6/10

Tough sledding at times playing against a high level of compeition in the Spanish ACB league, but also showed really exciting flashes of advanced and creative passes. Plays with energy and flair.

Perimeter defense: 5/10

Fundamentals are raw, but nice physical tools. Very light on his feet, and good length. With proper development should be average or even good.

Interior defense: 2/10

Length and energy level make him respectable on the boards, but slender frame really not conducive to defending larger players.

Team defense: 5/10

Quickness and motor give him potential here, and he seems to have a decent basketball IQ, but not consistently locked in defensively. Could be a good team defender if he adds muscle and improves his focus.

Overall: 25/60

Isaiah Joe

Perimeter offense: 8/10

Accuracy lagged a bit this year, but should be taken in context with comically high volume. If he can rein in the shot selection just a bit, he'll be an impact shooter for a very long time.

Interior offense: 1/10

Practically allergic to attacking the rim. Will only attempt it if offered a wide open lane. Lacks strength, and 1-on-1 game is totally built on creating airspace for jumpers, not for getting downhill, which can make him rather predictable.

Team offense: 4/10

Clearly has the ability to make basic passes, but apparently chooses not to when he's in the zone, taking a difficult shot himself instead of making the play for an open teammate. On the bright side, doesn't throw many bad passes either.

Perimeter defense: 5/10

Quick hands and long arms make him a pesky 1-on-1 defender, but skinny frame makes him vulnerable, and not an outlier in terms of quickness or intensity.

Interior defense: 2/10

Decent height and length totally negated by his lack of strength. Rarely blocks shots, and a non-factor on the glass.

Team defense: 5/10

As on offense, *generally* a high-IQ team defender, though he has moments where the effort isn't quite there. Combination of length and quickness, while not elite, gives him enough to work with here.

Overall: 25/60
 
A few more:

Jaden McDaniels

Perimeter offense: 6/10

Potential to be an ideal floor spacing wing with a high, picture-perfect release. Accuracy still a work in progress, may want to stick to pure catch-and-shoot for now.

Interior offense: 3/10

Length and quickness with the ball give him tantalizing upside, but rarely able to make the most of these physical advantages. Not great at adjusting on the fly, and totally lacks physicality as a finisher.

Team offense: 2/10

An absolute turnover machine. Had the ball in his hands way too much, and defenses feasted on his loose handle and poor decision making. Will need to transition to a purely off-ball role in the NBA.

Perimeter defense: 5/10

A bit of an enigma here, as he's very long and light on his feet, but wasn't a lockdown perimeter defender by any means. Doesn't always use his length well to contain, and effort comes and goes. Wide range of possible outcomes here.

Interior defense: 4/10

A genuine shotblocking threat thanks to his length and athleticism, but gets pushed all over the place because of his frail frame and poor fundamentals. Average rebounder for a wing, at best.

Team defense: 4/10

Makes a decent number of plays, especially blocks, as a help defender, but overall doesn't live up to the promise of his physical tools here either. Fundamentals need work. Quicker players and stronger players too often catch him off-balance and attack his body to draw fouls.

Overall: 24/60

Cassius Stanley

Perimeter offense: 5/10

Doesn't seem to have a ton of natural talent as a shooter, but has developed a totally respectable set shot that should translate to the NBA. Will usually drive rather than shoot a contested J.

Interior offense: 5/10

Athleticism shines here, as he throws down highlight reel dunks and is very active on the offensive glass. Not a great finisher, however, when he doesn't have the opportunity to finish strong, and doesn't have a good enough handle to be a big dribble drive threat.

Team offense: 3/10

Can make basic passes on the perimeter, but get serious tunnel vision when he drives. This is unfortunate because defenses shamelessly collapse and force him into tough shots or turnovers.

Perimeter defense: 4/10

Average at best despite athleticism. Surprisingly raw fundamentals for his age, and more concerningly, doesn't seem to have a great reaction time.

Interior defense: 4/10

Athleticim showed more in the paint, as he actually recorded more blocks than steals, but here too his fundamentals need work. Not strong enough to hold position, so relies on pure athleticism to make plays.

Team defense: 3/10

Has all the physical tools to be a good team defender, but lacks the awareness and instincts to consistently make use of them. Leaves shooters open or otherwise is out of position too often. Only really useful as a weakside shotblocker.

Overall: 24/60

Jordan Nwora

Perimeter offense: 7/10

Very good shooter with developing ability to shoot off movement. Form not particularly conducive to shooting off the dribble, but not a huge deal since he figures to be an off-ball player anyway.

Interior offense: 3/10

Has an nice solid NBA frame, which allows him to take contact and carve out space in the paint, but finishing efficiency is pretty poor as he lacks vertical athleticism and isn't unusually skilled with the ball either.

Team offense: 2/10

Disappointing for an older prospect. Little passing ability except when stationary on the perimeter, and even then he's not great.

Perimeter defense: 4/10

Not glaringly bad, but pretty pedestrian. Not disruptive, and average-at-best lateral quickness.

Interior defense: 4/10

Pretty good frame for a wing, and comfortable using it to hold his ground even against bigs. Won't give up anything easy, but unfortunately lacks the length and vertical athleticism to meaningfully contest.

Team defense: 4/10

Again, not glaringly bad, but just not much of a playmaker. Won't gamble for steals or blocks, simply blends in most of the time.

Overall: 24/60

Yoeli Childs

Perimeter offense: 5/10

Had quite an unusual season, as he shot nearly as well from 3 (49%) as he did from the line (54%). Reality is pretty mundane though: he's simply a solid catch-and-shoot floor spacer.

Interior offense: 5/10

Very skilled scorer with a nice, strong frame for a big wing, but not always able to use it to maximum effect. Ball slows him down a bit, so not sure he'll reliably create his own offense in the NBA, but could be very good in a versatile energy guy kind of role (e.g. can set screens and then either roll or pop).

Team offense: 3/10

Showed decent passing ability, but I worry that the NBA game will move too quickly for him here. Probably only want him making basic passes.

Perimeter defense: 3/10

Some good athletic tools, but lateral quickness apparently isn't one of them. Struggles more than you'd expect for a player with his physique.

Interior defense: 5/10

Pretty solid, especially on the glass, but poor shotblocking is a big disappointment here, and probably rules out potential to be a small-ball C.

Team defense: 3/10

Good motor, but disappointing production considering he was at such an athletic advantage playing in a minor conference. Didn't appear to process the game quickly despite being one of the older guys on the court.

Overall: 24/60

EDIT: Updated summary

37-38: Ball, Haliburton

33-35: Okongwu, Vassell, Edwards, Hayes, Green

30-32: Wiseman, Pokusevski, Okoro, Tillman, Jones, Flynn, Perry, Smith, Reed, Bane

28-29: Avdija, Maledon, Carey, Bey, Bolmaro, Dotson, Jones, Lewis Jr., Hampton, Hinton, Williams, Achiuwa, Anthony, Mannion, Queen, Diane, Tillie, Knight, Nnaji, Bey, Elleby (probably a few more will find their way into this group, especially PGs who I haven't finished looking at)

26-27: Ramsey, Toppin, Oturu, Diakite, Simonovic, Stewart, Jones, Alexander, Hughes, Mays, Nesmith, Maxey, Petrusev, Yurtseven, Tinkle, Harris, Jessup, Woodard (definitely several more in this group)

Obviously these ratings aren't perfectly precise, but roughly speaking:

Ball/Haliburton I'd be thrilled to get at #5

33-35 tier I'd be alright with at #5 or thrilled to get in a trade-down
30-32 tier I'd be lukewarm on at #5 but happy to pick up in the teens or late first
28-29 guys I'd be happy to see in the rotation but wouldn't want to spend big to get them
26-27 guys are would be worth kicking the tires on but don't trust them to be positive impact or worthwhile projects
25 and below (not listed) I think would be actively detrimental to have around
 
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I really feel like Josh Green is getting slept on in this draft.

I see an even better Kelly Oubre.
 

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