How do you project Jalen Suggs now?

[Skin]

Many of us, including myself celebrated on Draft Day 2021 like we had won the lottery because we felt so lucky that for once, in a long loooooooong time, a player we needed and wanted made it to us. When Suggs made it past Toronto and the words out of Adam Silver's mouth was "the Orlando Magic select Guard, Jalen Suggs from the University of Gonzaga", it was like Christmas morning as a 6 year old child all over again.

One year later, there are questions on his shooting woes, questions on his position, questions on whether or not he can even be a starter in this league. My how the mighty hopes have fallen!

Critics around the league have long questioned the Magic's ability to develop players and put them in the right position to succeed. Certainly the case of Suggs has only given them more ammo. Will the Magic bust their stereotype of not being able to properly play/use/develop players? Or will they be what they think we are?

Where are you now in terms of making a fair assessment on the future of Jalen Suggs?

[tiderulz]

want to see 1 more year before i project. if you had a gun to my head, future starting PG.

[KillMonger]

Need to see more, at least one fully healthy season...he only played like half the season...I'm still very high on Suggs

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[Audi]

Definitely needs more time and I’m willing to give it. Motor is there 100% just needs the rim to widen.

[MasterGMer]

I voted for All Star SG, because I have the PG spot for someone else.

I think he needs to work on his shooting a lot and that will improve by staying in the league long.

[tooler]

Marcus Smart but likable.

[RookieStar]

Now? Future star Guard for our team. Lol

Seriously though, too early. Ill give him a final "test" after his 3rd year.

[Bensational]

I see future all star. I see a top tier defender presently, and in the future I see his jump shot and floor general skills evolving and improving. But he’ll need a better team around him and more clearly defined roles before that starts to reveal itself.

[thelead]

We’ll know by the end of the season.

[SOUL]

Waiting for pepe's reply

I will just say future starter for now but intrigued by him. I think his defense and energy can already put him in a Marcus Smart sort of tier in a few years.. obviously Smart is also a horrendous shooter but he can also get hot from three at times. But if he refines his game a bit and improves that can easily change.

[DiplomaticMagic]

He still can be Marcus Smart like with the ceiling of a Jrue Holiday.

[pepe1991]

Waiting for pepe's reply

I will just say future starter for now but intrigued by him. I think his defense and energy can already put him in a Marcus Smart sort of tier in a few years.. obviously Smart is also a horrendous shooter but he can also get hot from three at times. But if he refines his game a bit and improves that can easily change.

I mean look.
Smart would not be Smart if he ended up on Kings or any team without that historic decorations that Celtics have.
He is blown out of proportions about his defense, even in seasons when he , by stats, isn't playing good defense ( last year ).

Further more, Smart only started about 60% games in his career.
On top of that, since he joined nba, to this date he played with :
Isaiah Thomas, during 3 years, where he was objectivlly worst player than Avery Bradley, and his backup
Kyrie Irving, who is 7 times allstar
Kemba Walker- 4 times allstar
Gordon Hayward
Jaylen Brown


Even when you see who Basketball reference is suggesting as "similar players" you have to laugh at names. Atkins,Greg Anthony, Mike Gale...

And this is where situation matters more than individual player. From day he was drafted, to present day, in 7 out of 8 years they have positive record. In one they don't, they were 40-42 team and they still made playoffs.
Marcus Smart, individually, isn't even better player than some Terry Rozier . HIs PER for this year was up par with Alec Burks, Malik Monk.... But than Celtics go to finals ...and narrative changes. Despite him pretty much sucking against Heat. It doesn't matter. He will be first dog to bark about him "leading" team ( Literally did that days ago).


Let's not get this twisted, he is career 38% FG guy, on 51% TS who averages 4,8 assists on 2,4 turnovers. There isn't anything great about him. He is modern day Derek Fisher. Whole his career he was mediocrity. But won 4 rings as starter. They would probably won all 5 without him or replacing him with somebody equally mediocre, but hey, 5 time nba champion .
Still doesn't change fact that i don't want my 5th overall pick comparison to be - Derek Fisher.

[SOUL]

I don't think Smart is his ceiling though. I think with slight improvements and continuation of his defense, he can get there by sheer hard work.

It's hard to play that game though. You can say Draymond wouldn't be as effective in other lineups either but he's also (or used to be) the engine that lets everybody else do their jobs. If you can do certain things really well like play defense, hustle, or in Draymond's case initiate the offense.. it really enables the other guys to do what they do best, versus just taking a "better" player like Rozier and slotting him in even though the team might be worse overall with a better player.

There shouldn't be a devaluing of great role players in the league. I'm not saying Suggs will 10)% be a role player, just that on a team each guy is going to have to play a role.. especially on a championship team. I can see him slotting in well and being an impact guy like that more than I can see him being a star, but we'll see.

[Ralof]

what i saw last year was really really worrying.
not just the quantity but the quality of mistakes was impressing in negative terms.

idk where i can project him right now,elite defense could guarantee him a place in the 12 every night,but to be even just a rotational player he has to improve dramatically in basically everything on offense,except playmaking.

[basketballRob]

Usually, the first half of the season a rookie guard is getting used to playing in the NBA and puts up poor numbers. Suggs only played half of the season.

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[p0peye]

It is too early to slot him anywhere yet.

His current skillset is suited for a role of defender and hustle player of a bygone era, as he needs a reliable 3PT shot to play that now (aka 3&D player). If his shot does not improve by midseason of year 3, I would think Smart to be his ceiling, but as mentioned that role today has limitations and works in some teams better than others.

[JBSouthpaw]

I'd like for him to get to somewhere around 31-32% on threes this year.
cut down on turnovers
finish a bit better
get the whistles he deserves.

Otherwise, what will separate him and Iwundu level bench guy?

[VFX]

Future starter - possible Allstar starting PG.

[Magic4champ]

He is a future all star. He has the dawg in him to improve. With increasing personnel talent we have the ability to increase our pace. Year to is about being comfortable with his teammate and opponents. Adjustment of rookies on the speed of the game, the talent level of the league and gauging on what skills that needs to improvement. He is a player that has the mental toughness to excel Marcus Smarts.

[Skybox]

Last year was disappointing but not damning, IMO. I think his future is ORL Magic starting PG. Having said that, this is a critical year for him to settle down and play like he can...If we hadn't picked him, he would not have dropped. He's got all of the measurables & intangibles- he just needs to adjust a bit and his performance will shift dramatically. Specifically, on THIS team, which will now be dominated offensively by Paolo and Franz' creation and passing, we won't need (or even want) a ball-dominant, game-dominant Chris Paul type. Suggs' defense, toughness, BBIQ, and, even if limited, PG skills make him a great fit when his overall offensive game improves. The way to wreck this "development season" is to put him at shooting guard with Fultz...I like both their games, but they make each other and the whole team worse unless Suggs' shooting just 'clicks' overnight and he becomes an above average SG (could happen). I think he should back up Fultz (if Suggs doesn't have a great summer) or move Fultz out of his way. It's a problem...and that's not even bringing in Cole to the conversation.

I'm betting on Suggs but the way this FO moves like a glacier, I sadly expect to watch another year of offensive chaos. I feel it's unnecessary this time. Fultz' deal is much more attractive as a chip than I realized. Some other team can try him out with very little risk. I also understand the real risk is moving Fultz and counting on Suggs. I could get excited about trading either one, but I would expect a BIG return for Suggs (which may not yet be realistic).

Pepe talking about the DPOY, who led his not very deep roster to the Finals, like he's a scrub. He's not Chris Paul, but geez