payitforward wrote:doc -- what's your take on Armando Bacot as a R2 pick? Think Richaun Holmes plus. His junior numbers were some of the best I've ever seen.
He's also very articulate, obviously a smart kid. Can talk the game, & can talk other stuff too. Yet, nbadraftroom has him at #76 -- that makes zero sense to me.
His game reminds me of Taj Gibson coming out of college. Low-post, veteran footwork, floor bound, smart. Sturdy, not a high flyer. But productive.
We commonly see dominant NCAA frontcourt players have humdrum careers in the NBA unless they have some other skill that helps them stand out. Bacot has never developed a 3pt shot, no big deal since it is not a part of the college game, but his FT% has stayed flat as well in the mid-high 60's. Coaches reward scorers nowadays, and Bigs who don't show any range to their game cause spacing issues. He's got pretty decent assist and steal numbers for a frontcourt-only player, a good indicator of the ability to play defense at the next level.
Sure, late 2nd round why not, seems a functional front court player. He looks like he could have a career in the NBA. A coach will trust him to do what he does. He will be playable on defense from the start. But if Carey can't get on court for us, I don't see Bacot as a guy with better chances unless he adds new wrinkles to his game.
Still a younger longer Gibson is not a bad player. Maybe the 2 big experiment opens up space for him to do what he does on this team in particular. Or any team relying on a face-up center. Idk.
EDIT. Looking at his game log though, this is a player who loves the big games. Competitor. Yeah I can see him as a steal late on a team that is shoring up the back end of their bench with low-floor types with good attitude.
