Should Wizards be Concerned with Alex Sarr

[Billl]

Never a great sign when your 7ft draft pick is shooting 29%. Obviously, jacking all those 3's isn't helping, but he's only 37% from 2. He is blocking shots, so that's something to build on. The problem is that overall lack of strength and physicality. There is definitely a place in the league for a defensive minded, shot blocking center, but you really want that guy to be finishing at the rim and occupying a lot of paint space too. He' still young obviously, so maybe he'll fill out and learn to play that style, but he looks like more of a perimeter oriented guy who currently can't hit shots.

[cupcakesnake]

This guy is just another iteration of Mo Bamba. Will get a highlight defensive play here and there, but in the grand scheme he's too unskilled to play as a forward and too weak to play C.

I'd say this is a fair description of him right now at age 19.

Sarr has a really good frame though, with broad shoulders. I think he'll get considerably stronger than Mo Bamba in time. Also, Sarr has exceptional hip mobility and can move much better on the perimeter than Mo Bamba. He can provide Mo Bamba's shot blocking while also being a switchable defender who can guard wings.

Agreed. Both in his draft tape and now in the NBA, Sarr's main appeal is being a giant frame with great hip mobility and quick feet. It really pops off the screen and is an elite tool for a big. No question marks there.

It's just... everything else that's a question mark. Wants to be a perimeter driver but really doesn't like contact. Wants to shoot but can't shoot. It's very hard to project what his offensive game can be without him correcting one of these things. None of his physical tools will translate on offense without a major correction.

As a prospect he reminds me of Will Cauley-Stein. Freakishly mobile giant but a total mystery box on offense. Cauley-Stein had off court issues (substance abuse) so we really didn't get to see him fail just on a basketball basis. Sarr is young and has plenty of time to flip the script on some of his flaws and become a good basketball player. The defensive potential is just too obvious.

[Jadoogar]

Does any rookie look good so far?
Raptors have a couple second rounders that look like rotation players but i'm not seeing any potential allstars so far.

[CBS7]

Does any rookie look good so far?
Raptors have a couple second rounders that look like rotation players but i'm not seeing any potential allstars so far.

Super early, but only 3 guys have played 50+ minutes and have a positive BPM (mogbo, dunn, clingan)

[AFM]

Does any rookie look good so far?
Raptors have a couple second rounders that look like rotation players but i'm not seeing any potential allstars so far.

Bub Carrington

[Jadoogar]

Does any rookie look good so far?
Raptors have a couple second rounders that look like rotation players but i'm not seeing any potential allstars so far.

Super early, but only 3 guys have played 50+ minutes and have a positive BPM (mogbo, dunn, clingan)

I don't even care about plus minus. It's rare for rookies to have positive impact on the floor, even really good rookies are generally negatives on the floor.

but no one has really even shown flashes of start potential yet.

[BigGargamel]

Does any rookie look good so far?
Raptors have a couple second rounders that look like rotation players but i'm not seeing any potential allstars so far.

That was basically the thought of this draft class since the beginning though. No one was hailed as an All Star, but it should be pretty solid from a role player/depth standpoint.

Sarr is basically what the scouting report said. Solid defensively already, nice length but a major work in progress offensively. I like his confidence to shoot the ball, even if it's not falling. He's actually looked a little better than I initially thought.

[bkkrh]

Does any rookie look good so far?
Raptors have a couple second rounders that look like rotation players but i'm not seeing any potential allstars so far.

Super early, but only 3 guys have played 50+ minutes and have a positive BPM (mogbo, dunn, clingan)

I don't even care about plus minus. It's rare for rookies to have positive impact on the floor, even really good rookies are generally negatives on the floor.

but no one has really even shown flashes of start potential yet.

Yeah, I have to say I don't recall any rookie class that through the bench looked so bad besides Carrington. You always expect some up and downs, but it's really not a good sign when from 11 lottery picks that got some playing time 7 average 5 points or less.

Atm Sarr and Risacher are definitely on the more decent side of that class.

[GSP]

Does any rookie look good so far?
Raptors have a couple second rounders that look like rotation players but i'm not seeing any potential allstars so far.

Ryan Dunn looks amazing for Phoenix. All a sudden this mofo can shoot when he was one of the worst shooters in college. He was already accepted as best defender in draft w/ offense hes shown in Buds system hes steal of draft

[GSP]

I knew he was a bust when he had that 0/15 game in summer league. Maybe he turns it around maybe not but i dont think so. Games like that are massive red flags............how do u go 0/15 in summer league that **** crazy for 2nd pick too

[FAH1223]

"He's a project" is just a nice way of saying he can't play.

He can play. His defense is already good enough for the NBA.

Offensively, he IS a project.

[UcanUwill]

I knew he was a bust when he had that 0/15 game in summer league. Maybe he turns it around maybe not but i dont think so. Games like that are massive red flags............how do u go 0/15 in summer league that **** crazy for 2nd pick too

His shot selection for 7'1 guy is suspect, but games like that can happen, he missed shots in one game and thats all it was.

[AFM]

Dont sleep on this young fella

Watch on YouTube

[Lo Wang]

Absolutely.

Anybody who makes Bronnie look better is an absolute bust. Didn't he go 0/15 or something? How does a 7 foot guy miss 15 straight shots in games that don't even matter?

[Jamaaliver]

His shot selection for 7'1 guy is suspect, but games like that can happen, he missed shots in one game and thats all it was.

Suspect indeed...

Read on Twitter

[Tripod]

Just remember how bad Gradey Dick looked last year up including the G League until Jan. Then all that practice started showing on games and things turned around and have continued this year.

Guys are super young....give them time

[nate33]

His shot selection for 7'1 guy is suspect, but games like that can happen, he missed shots in one game and thats all it was.

Suspect indeed...

Read on Twitter

No doubt.

He is an absolute liability on offense. He has poor hands on the roll and a lousy touch near the rim. He is also a pretty poor screen setter. There just isn't much you can do with him right now except park him behind the 3-point line and hope that he can hit a high enough percentage that teams won't ignore him.

These problems were obvious in Summer League and preseason. It's not a surprise. He is working on things and is showing some incremental improvement at initiating contact when he drives to the basket, but it's going to take some time. Probably, a lot of time.

For now, I'm mostly focused on his defense. He is very promising on that front with his mobility and effort. His main problem on defense is a lack of strength, which should improve with age. His awareness and defensive rotations are already improving. Hopefully, by next season, he'll be a plus defender at the most important defensive position in basketball. If he is still a lousy offensive player at that point, I can live with it. The offense is going to take a lot of work.

[Karate Diop]

Just remember how bad Gradey Dick looked last year up including the G League until Jan. Then all that practice started showing on games and things turned around and have continued this year.

Guys are super young....give them time

I think it's more so that nobody trusts the Wizards to develop anybody and having Poole and Kuzma as your veteran leaders is only going to lead to bad things for the younger players...

[nate33]

Just remember how bad Gradey Dick looked last year up including the G League until Jan. Then all that practice started showing on games and things turned around and have continued this year.

Guys are super young....give them time

I think it's more so that nobody trusts the Wizards to develop anybody and having Poole and Kuzma as your veteran leaders is only going to lead to bad things for the younger players...

The Wizards, under new management, are developing their players very nicely. Bilal has been terrific in Year 2 (and is still only 20 years old). Carrington is in contention for ROTY. Kyshawn George had a terrible start, making just 2 of his first 22 3PA's over the first 5 games; but since then has averaged 15 points, 5 boards and 3 assists on a .584 TS% over the last 5 games.

[Bornstellar]

I only saw his game against SA the other night where Wemby dropped 50 on him, but, I think he has some really nice defensive potential and solid offensive upside but man, his three point shot is terrible. Spurs were not even guarding him on the line and basically daring him to shoot. He's a rookie so plenty of time to improve but his offense has a looooooong way to go