2024 Draft Prospect: Reed Sheppard

[MasterIchiro]

How he fits:

1) Spacer (elite hit rate and consistent form)
2) Connector (not a ball stopper, hard to turn over)
3) Can defend the 1 (steals/blocks)
4) Transition threat (outlet passing)
5) Shot maker (50% FG, 83% FT)

Fits with LaMelo, Mark, Brandon.

Wouldn't surprise me if Charlotte would be happy to see him there at 6.

[JustBuzzin]

He's last on my big board of realistic options. If we draft him I will likely be the most disappointed person on this board.

[MasterIchiro]

He's last on my big board of realistic options. If we draft him I will likely be the most disappointed person on this board.

Just saw this thing on Twitter showing Austin Reaves has the highest TS% of any guard in the 3-point era.

If he could defend the one we'd take him on our team.

Reed it and weep!

[JustBuzzin]

He's last on my big board of realistic options. If we draft him I will likely be the most disappointed person on this board.

Just saw this thing on Twitter showing Austin Reaves has the highest TS% of any guard in the 3-point era.

If he could defend the one we'd take him on our team.

Reed it and weep!

#BuzzKill

[MasterIchiro]

He's last on my big board of realistic options. If we draft him I will likely be the most disappointed person on this board.

Just saw this thing on Twitter showing Austin Reaves has the highest TS% of any guard in the 3-point era.

If he could defend the one we'd take him on our team.

Reed it and weep!

#BuzzKill

#CuzBill

[JustBuzzin]

Just saw this thing on Twitter showing Austin Reaves has the highest TS% of any guard in the 3-point era.

If he could defend the one we'd take him on our team.

Reed it and weep!

#BuzzKill

#CuzBill

Jackie Chan>Bruce Lee

[MasterIchiro]

#BuzzKill

#CuzBill

Jackie Chan>Bruce Lee

At acting.

[MasterIchiro]

Read on Twitter

[JustBuzzin]

Austin Reaves has a better handle, he's taller, and he can create off the dribble. Reed is just a better 3pt shooter and he plays defense. Reaves sucks at defense. I don't see the comparison at all.

[MasterIchiro]

Austin Reaves has a better handle, he's taller, and he can create off the dribble. Reed is just a better 3pt shooter and he plays defense. Reaves sucks at defense. I don't see the comparison at all.

The comparison is I thought obviously TS%

Reed posted .699 TS% > Reaves which is historically notable. For guards. Both are guards who score efficiently. Reaves improved his handles, so can Reed. Both are secondary playmakers.

I will take the defense over the creation off the dribble for our lineup as LaMelo & Brandon are elite there.

[JustBuzzin]

Austin Reaves has a better handle, he's taller, and he can create off the dribble. Reed is just a better 3pt shooter and he plays defense. Reaves sucks at defense. I don't see the comparison at all.

The comparison is I thought obviously TS%

Reed posted .699 TS% > Reaves which is historically notable. For guards. Both are guards who score efficiently. Reaves improved his handles, so can Reed. Both are secondary playmakers.

I will take the defense over the creation off the dribble for our lineup as LaMelo & Brandon are elite there.

Is Sheppard coming off the bench in this scenario?

[KingCat]

Even if we wanted him, I don't think he will be there at 6 considering the scarcity of shooting prospects at the top of this draft.

[yosemiteben]

Reed is #1 on my list of guys I want to draft but I totally see why others really don't like him and I have no real reason to be certain those concerns aren't valid. The stocks stats + insane shooting efficiency + vision / creation potential is just super enticing for me.

[Diop]

I’m surprised this is the first dedicated thread for Reed, feels like I’ve read 80 pages of arguments about him

[luciano-davidwesley]

I’m surprised this is the first dedicated thread for Reed, feels like I’ve read 80 pages of arguments about him

Yep. People only create threads for the prospects they like apparently. I also get the feeling that our board as an overall group has quite a contrarian opinion of him as a reflection of the general NBA population. Mocks would support this too.

That's not to say they naysayers are wrong, though my instinct/opinion at this stage is that they are. I could be wrong too. Time will tell.

[SWedd523]

I think he's being talked up as a form of compensating for a weak draft.

1. I think his defensive potential is being highly overrated. he doesn't "defend 1s". He defends other small guys. He's a skinny, T-Rex armed mediocre athlete. He's not imposing any defensive will on any strong ball handler or anyone bigger than him. Who does he guard on this finals? Payton Pritchard? The Hornets need a strong defender they can throw on the opposing teams best perimeter player. That's not what Reed profiles to.

2. He's not a strong scorer nor does he profile as a guy who can reliably break down defenders off the dribble or manufacture his own tough buckets, which means he's going to be relegated to that PJ role of eating scraps off the real primary scoring options. Teams are going to be able to hide weaker defenders on him because he only scares people with perimeter shooting.

3. If we're being honest and picking him because he's a high effort plus shooter who isn't going to be a stopper or a ball dominant player then I don't see why you'd take him over Knecht who is at least NBA size and shows a willingness to attack the rim.

4. I don't see Reed ever making an "All-X" team. it seems defeatist to do that in the top half of the lottery. I can at least squint and see a world where guys like Holland or Williams could be all-stars

[MasterIchiro]

Austin Reaves has a better handle, he's taller, and he can create off the dribble. Reed is just a better 3pt shooter and he plays defense. Reaves sucks at defense. I don't see the comparison at all.

The comparison is I thought obviously TS%

Reed posted .699 TS% > Reaves which is historically notable. For guards. Both are guards who score efficiently. Reaves improved his handles, so can Reed. Both are secondary playmakers.

I will take the defense over the creation off the dribble for our lineup as LaMelo & Brandon are elite there.

Is Sheppard coming off the bench in this scenario?

Yes, I think Mann starts ahead of any prospect selected 6. So, Reed would begin his career in Greensboro. There is some overlap with Nick Smith Jr. which is an argument against him and partly why I consider Castle a better fit.

[Chapelchilla]

Would love it if he is there at 6 for us. But, he won't be. ESPN did a player comparo thing this week and his were -
Best - Steve Nash
Worst - Payton Pritchard.
Granted that is just guess work but compared to most of the the other guys comparos that is basically BPA.

[MasterIchiro]

I’m surprised this is the first dedicated thread for Reed, feels like I’ve read 80 pages of arguments about him

Yep. People only create threads for the prospects they like apparently. I also get the feeling that our board as an overall group has quite a contrarian opinion of him as a reflection of the general NBA population. Mocks would support this too.

That's not to say they naysayers are wrong, though my instinct/opinion at this stage is that they are. I could be wrong too. Time will tell.

I like him so I wanted to discuss him. I searched for his thread and was surprised to find none despite threads dedicated to 8 prospects. I don't think all 8 go ahead of him. So I figure we should be better prepared for him to be the pick.

I can see why Charlotte might be enamored with his efficiency on offense. He can guard opposing PG which is something LaMelo & Miller shouldn't be asked to do. They're not quick enough.

I still prefer Castle because he offers more defensive versatility in guarding 1-3. But I can see a draft where the Hornets prefer Sheppard to Castle.

[Rich4114]

I’d take Sheppard over Castle just because of his shot. But his size concerns me a lot, especially for a team that needs more on ball / perimeter defense.