2020 Draft

[pcbothwel]

Assuming we have options on the same tier i definitely want a guard. We have nothing behind Wall and Beal. A 3rd guard with promise could help us a lot.

I'd prefer a true small forward, somebody 6-8 or so who can switch 1 through 4 defensively and hit 3's. Ideally, he would be a future superstar in the Paul George mold, but even if we merely get the next Robert Covington, it would help a great deal. Troy Brown can be our 3rd guard.

I'd be happy with a future lineup of:
Guards: Beal, Wall, Brown
Forwards: Hachimura, Future Paul George, Bertans
Centers: Bryant, Wagner

It would be awesome if Wagner bulks up a bit more and becomes Gortat with a 3-point shot on offense and a Varejao type of pest on defense.

I think every team in the league is looking for a Paul George type of player.. big , athletic wing players who can defend 1-4 and shoot are the #1 commodity in the current NBA . Guys like that rarely come around and any prospect who remotely resembles such a player will be highly coveted (hence Deandre Hunter being drafted #4)

Unfortunately that mold of player simply doesn't exist in this year's draft prospect crop.. you mostly have combo guards (Anthony, Edwards, Hampton, Ball, Maxey etc) and traditional bigs (Wiseman, Achiuwa, Stewart) .. the most promising two-way wing prospect imo is Florida product Scottie Lewis , who might be a bit undersized by those standards.

This is why I've long suggested the possibility of trading for Aaron Gordon , if the Wizards decide that they aren't a fan of this draft they could use their pick to get a deal done. Gordon is the athletic wing defender that every contending playoff team needs to have + still young enough to grow with our core. Another possible option would be kicking the tires on an OG Anunoby trade, although I wouldn't trade our lotto pick for just him.

I'd rather just take our chances in the draft and the Full MLE for getting out Guard and Wing.

Royce O'Neale, Louis King, Dillon Brooks, Iwundu, Derrick Jones Jr., Korkmaz, Pat Connaughton, RHJ are all FA wings this summer under 26. If you do your homework, you can find which one or two of these guys can breakout as a legit 7th man on a contender.

Personally, I love Connaughton & O'Neale as the 3 & D types. Both 26 and know how to play the game.

WAAYYY too much Guard talent in this draft to pass up. Even outside the top 3-4, you got Maledon, Hampton, Maxey, and Hayes as legit lotto talent.
Outside of that, I LOVE Tre Jones and to a lesser extent Devon Dotson

[prime1time]

Assuming we have options on the same tier i definitely want a guard. We have nothing behind Wall and Beal. A 3rd guard with promise could help us a lot.

I'd prefer a true small forward, somebody 6-8 or so who can switch 1 through 4 defensively and hit 3's. Ideally, he would be a future superstar in the Paul George mold, but even if we merely get the next Robert Covington, it would help a great deal. Troy Brown can be our 3rd guard.

I'd be happy with a future lineup of:
Guards: Beal, Wall, Brown
Forwards: Hachimura, Future Paul George, Bertans
Centers: Bryant, Wagner

It would be awesome if Wagner bulks up a bit more and becomes Gortat with a 3-point shot on offense and a Varejao type of pest on defense.

I think every team in the league is looking for a Paul George type of player.. big , athletic wing players who can defend 1-4 and shoot are the #1 commodity in the current NBA . Guys like that rarely come around and any prospect who remotely resembles such a player will be highly coveted (hence Deandre Hunter being drafted #4)

Unfortunately that mold of player simply doesn't exist in this year's draft prospect crop.. you mostly have combo guards (Anthony, Edwards, Hampton, Ball, Maxey etc) and traditional bigs (Wiseman, Achiuwa, Stewart) .. the most promising two-way wing prospect imo is Florida product Scottie Lewis , who might be a bit undersized by those standards.

This is why I've long suggested the possibility of trading for Aaron Gordon , if the Wizards decide that they aren't a fan of this draft they could use their pick to get a deal done. Gordon is the athletic wing defender that every contending playoff team needs to have + still young enough to grow with our core. Another possible option would be kicking the tires on an OG Anunoby trade, although I wouldn't trade our lotto pick for just him.

Beal’s next contract will be for 50 million a year. The benefit of having a guy on a rookie contract is simply too large to trade for Aaron Gordon. Also, we simply don’t know what John will be when he returns. A PG type would be nice, but it is no way shape or form a deal breaker. Take BPA, bring him into our culture and continue to grow the team around Brad.

[Ruzious]

I'd prefer a true small forward, somebody 6-8 or so who can switch 1 through 4 defensively and hit 3's. Ideally, he would be a future superstar in the Paul George mold, but even if we merely get the next Robert Covington, it would help a great deal. Troy Brown can be our 3rd guard.

I'd be happy with a future lineup of:
Guards: Beal, Wall, Brown
Forwards: Hachimura, Future Paul George, Bertans
Centers: Bryant, Wagner

It would be awesome if Wagner bulks up a bit more and becomes Gortat with a 3-point shot on offense and a Varejao type of pest on defense.

I think every team in the league is looking for a Paul George type of player.. big , athletic wing players who can defend 1-4 and shoot are the #1 commodity in the current NBA . Guys like that rarely come around and any prospect who remotely resembles such a player will be highly coveted (hence Deandre Hunter being drafted #4)

Unfortunately that mold of player simply doesn't exist in this year's draft prospect crop.. you mostly have combo guards (Anthony, Edwards, Hampton, Ball, Maxey etc) and traditional bigs (Wiseman, Achiuwa, Stewart) .. the most promising two-way wing prospect imo is Florida product Scottie Lewis , who might be a bit undersized by those standards.

This is why I've long suggested the possibility of trading for Aaron Gordon , if the Wizards decide that they aren't a fan of this draft they could use their pick to get a deal done. Gordon is the athletic wing defender that every contending playoff team needs to have + still young enough to grow with our core. Another possible option would be kicking the tires on an OG Anunoby trade, although I wouldn't trade our lotto pick for just him.

I'd rather just take our chances in the draft and the Full MLE for getting out Guard and Wing.

Royce O'Neale, Louis King, Dillon Brooks, Iwundu, Derrick Jones Jr., Korkmaz, Pat Connaughton, RHJ are all FA wings this summer under 26. If you do your homework, you can find which one or two of these guys can breakout as a legit 7th man on a contender.

Personally, I love Connaughton & O'Neale as the 3 & D types. Both 26 and know how to play the game.

WAAYYY too much Guard talent in this draft to pass up. Even outside the top 3-4, you got Maledon, Hampton, Maxey, and Hayes as legit lotto talent.
Outside of that, I LOVE Tre Jones and to a lesser extent Devon Dotson

Connaughton's a good discussion subject. He was a higher regarded baseball prospect (with a 97 MPH fastball) than a basketball prospect. Against all odds, he chose basketball and wasn't very good, but he kept workin and workin and has made himself a legit NBA player. At 6'5 and not a ball-handler, he didn't really have a position and couldn't guard anyone at first, but he's become a decent defender at the 3 and can jump about as well as any 3 in the game. At first, he doesn't pass any eye test, but the more you watch, you see - he's actually a pretty good athlete. He has a 3ball, but it's inconsistent - which is probably hurt by his inconsistent playing time. And he's great at keeping teammates loose and a great interviewee - probably has a future as a broadcaster. He's a player - he'll help with rebounding and passing - will never be a star and probably not a starter - but he'll help his team win.

[pcbothwel]

4 Guards in my top 5 (Cole, Edwards, Ball, Mannion)... with Hampton, Maxey, Maledon, and Tre Jones all lotto talent as well.

BTW... Mannion is going to be a star and I might move him above Ball as my 3rd best player. He has so many Steph Curry qualities.
- High IQ on both ends of the court that is a much better defender than his tools suggest.
- Great shooter and savvy scorer
- GREAT off ball movement setting screens for teammates and creating space to shoot
- Sees angles for passing lanes, but really just overall spacial awareness that all elite scorers have (Curry, Harden, Doncic, etc.)

[pcbothwel]

Adding on to the above...
Tre Jones and Isaiah Joe are both going to be legit starters in NBA. I wouldn't hesitate to trade back and pick one of them outside the lotto if we picked up a top 20 pick in 2021/22 as well.

[prime1time]

4 Guards in my top 5 (Cole, Edwards, Ball, Mannion)... with Hampton, Maxey, Maledon, and Tre Jones all lotto talent as well.

BTW... Mannion is going to be a star and I might move him above Ball as my 3rd best player. He has so many Steph Curry qualities.
- High IQ on both ends of the court that is a much better defender than his tools suggest.
- Great shooter and savvy scorer
- GREAT off ball movement setting screens for teammates and creating space to shoot
- Sees angles for passing lanes, but really just overall spacial awareness that all elite scorers have (Curry, Harden, Doncic, etc.)

Mannion might have Curry esque qualities, but let's remember what Steph was doing in college. Need to see more from Mannion before I put him in that top tier.

[pcbothwel]

4 Guards in my top 5 (Cole, Edwards, Ball, Mannion)... with Hampton, Maxey, Maledon, and Tre Jones all lotto talent as well.

BTW... Mannion is going to be a star and I might move him above Ball as my 3rd best player. He has so many Steph Curry qualities.
- High IQ on both ends of the court that is a much better defender than his tools suggest.
- Great shooter and savvy scorer
- GREAT off ball movement setting screens for teammates and creating space to shoot
- Sees angles for passing lanes, but really just overall spacial awareness that all elite scorers have (Curry, Harden, Doncic, etc.)

Mannion might have Curry esque qualities, but let's remember what Steph was doing in college. Need to see more from Mannion before I put him in that top tier.

Lets remember that Steph played Furman, Charleston, and Chattanooga...
Steph is an extreme outlier, but there are qualities that make him great that Mannion shares.

Watch on YouTube

Constant movement, touch floaters, off ball screens, confident/smooth 3 ball, spacial awareness.... He's special.

This is going to be an Epic Guard/PG class... but Mannion and Tre Jones are going to be the ones GM's will probably regret not taking. (Isaiah Joe too, but he's a classic SG).

If we arent sold on any one player at our pick, I wouldnt hesitate to trade back and pick up a 2021/22 pick and a young wing.
I.e. Trade 6 to Suns for 16, Bridges, 2022 first

Draft Tre Jones and Joe this year and bring back Bertans
Wall
Beal
Brown
Rui
Bryant

Bench: Jones, Joe, Bridges, Bertans, Wagner
3 first round picks in the next 2 years...

[pancakes3]

Tre Jones, lol. I'm sure GMs are going to be tripping over themselves in passing over the second coming of Austin Rivers.

people joke on UVa players a lot but Diakete and Huff are going to do things in the league. Diakete is going to be a better Bam Adebayo and seeing as he's slotted as an early 2nd rounder, that's a steal.

[pcbothwel]

Tre Jones, lol. I'm sure GMs are going to be tripping over themselves in passing over the second coming of Austin Rivers.

people joke on UVa players a lot but Diakete and Huff are going to do things in the league. Diakete is going to be a better Bam Adebayo and seeing as he's slotted as an early 2nd rounder, that's a steal.

Wow... two players that went to the same school damn near a decade apart... must mean they're the same

Jones is better than Rivers at almost every facet of basketball... He reminds me of Lowry actually.
I compared all 3 below... and lets just say your Rivers comp is... OFF

http://www.tankathon.com/players/compare?players=tre-jones--kyle-lowry--austin-rivers

[Illmatic12]

Jaden McDaniels (UW freshman SF/PF) is absolutely mesmerizing . Watching one of their games and his NBA potential jumps off the screen - think Jonathan Isaac but more offensive polish at the same age.

If the Wiz can position themselves to draft him I would be ecstatic.

[prime1time]

Watch on YouTube

[prime1time]

Jaden McDaniels (UW freshman SF/PF) is absolutely mesmerizing . Watching one of their games and his NBA potential jumps off the screen - think Jonathan Isaac but more offensive polish at the same age.

If the Wiz can position themselves to draft him I would be ecstatic.

First time hearing about him, so I watched some clips. I like his game. I can see the Isaac comparisons. At the same time he's pretty raw offensively. If he can follow the same improvement path of Isaac, in 2-3 years he might be a big time contributor. He'll need to add strength and refine his offensive game. The paradox with players so athletically gifted like McDaniels is that when they start going against better competition, things that worked at the previous level no longer work. So you end up seeing a lot of awkward drives and plays. From what I've seen this draft is pretty deep. I'd have no problem taking McDaniels though.

Watch on YouTube

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[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

NBA Draft Stock Watch: Five Freshman Playing Their Way Into the One-and-Done Picture

College basketball's freshman class appears to be a much stronger group than expected. At the start of the season, these five players are trending upward going into the 2020 NBA Draft

...one early trend that should offer a degree of relief is the fact that the current college freshman class has by and large performed well. At this point, it’s fair to expect that talented underclassmen on the cusp of the draft will test the waters, given that they’re permitted to sign with agents and still return to college with little to no consequence.

And with that in mind, here are five freshmen playing their way into the one-and-done picture.

Isaac Okoro, SF, Auburn

Spoiler:

Watching Okoro play in high school, there was little question he possessed the physical traits to play in the NBA. He has always been an impactful defender on the perimeter, with a great build and substantial physical strength—he’s now listed at 6’6” and 225 pounds. For a player his size, Okoro is unusually light on his feet, capable of changing directions in pursuit, disrupting plays with his instincts, and simply occupying space from a visual perspective that takes away options for whoever he’s guarding. It’s no surprise that he’s immediately thrived within an athletic, high-pressure Auburn defense. His engine has been running at a high level each game.

Still, those were elements of his skill set that always made sense. It’s Okoro’s quality on the offensive end that’s accelerating his timeline to the pros. A series of impressive performances (albeit against inferior competition) have showcased a decent level of decision-making competence and maturity. Okoro has been opportunistic and effective attacking the basket, shooting 71.8% on two-point attempts and playing with a degree of confidence and self-awareness when it comes to shot selection. He’s strong and explosive getting downhill. Conversely, he’s not a great jump shooter, having made just 2-of-11 threes and 10-of-17 free throws through five games. Still, the simple fact he’s not a lost cause in that area helps supplement his other strengths.

As NBA teams continue on a constant search for impactful, versatile defenders, the stuff Okoro brings to the table vibes nicely. And as more highly-ranked freshman wings continue to struggle out of the gate, he stands to gain greatly this season, particularly if he can iron out some of the shooting concerns. He doesn’t figure to be at Auburn long, as things stand.

Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC

Spoiler:

Okongwu enjoyed a highly successful career at Chino Hills, where he started for four seasons, won three state titles and overlapped with the Ball brothers, building a reputation as an extremely productive rebounder and dominant force within five feet of the basket. Through his first four college games, even against inferior competition, it’s extremely obvious that his distinct strengths translate in college, and that they bode well for his chances at finding an NBA role sooner than later. Low-maintenance bigs who are willing to rim-run, rebound, finish and protect the basket are always in high demand, particularly so with the way the league is trending. There’s little question Okongwu should be able to do all those things at a high level.

Listed at 6’9”, Okongwu won’t be the most physically imposing or most skilled center available, but at some point his sheer productivity will speak for itself. He’s explosive off the floor, leaning on unusually quick second-and-third jumps in combination with great hands and long arms to win rebounds amid chaos. Okongwu will chase down balls outside his area, alter shots and catch lobs, and while he doesn’t boast great versatility in terms of role, he’s the rare big who makes that type of impact natively, without ever needing to be fed touches. It wouldn’t be a shock if he led the country in rebounding. There’s nothing supremely nuanced about his game—he just gets it done. Teams will have to weigh how much room for growth there is here, but even without an added long-term skill component or a consistent jumper, Okongwu already has the basic tools that point to a useful role, particularly if utilized in the right system. This feels like a no-brainer.

Jahmi’us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech

Spoiler:

With an NBA-type build at 6’4”, appealing toughness and a strong capacity to score, Ramsey was an obvious immediate-impact prospect coming into the season. Over the summer, he scored 44 points in an exhibition game in the Bahamas against Serbian talent factory Mega Leks, a fairly convincing bread crumb that he might be Texas Tech’s leading scorer. And, well, nothing he’s done against (clears throat) Eastern Illinois, Bethune Cookman and Houston Baptist suggests otherwise. But Ramsey’s skill set, build and intangibles create a degree of floor that seems likely to hold up over the course of the season, and he should be considered squarely on the one-and-done map at this point as a utilitarian two-guard who can fit neatly into a range of lineups. His strengths should translate somewhat cleanly at the next level.

Most impressive in the early going has been Ramsey’s capacity to catch and shoot, as he’s hit 7-of-13 threes with a clean, quick release. As long as he’s able to keep up a strong clip, it sets him up to effectively attack closeouts—he doesn’t have a particularly creative handle, but he’s comfortable going downhill on a line, knows where he’s effective and how to use his size on the interior. Ramsey is capable of some on-ball playmaking, but projects best in a secondary role long-term, and has the chops to contribute in that way off one or two dribbles. He plays an appealing, cool-headed style of offense, and to this point hasn’t had to hijack the offense at all in order to produce. Defensively, he’s big and long enough to match up with taller wing players, if not laterally quick enough to stick with all smaller, quicker guards. He’s racked up steals and rebounds by simple dint of playing hard. His overall level of poise so far points to the fact he may be ready ahead of schedule.

SI.com

[Ruzious]

4 Guards in my top 5 (Cole, Edwards, Ball, Mannion)... with Hampton, Maxey, Maledon, and Tre Jones all lotto talent as well.

BTW... Mannion is going to be a star and I might move him above Ball as my 3rd best player. He has so many Steph Curry qualities.
- High IQ on both ends of the court that is a much better defender than his tools suggest.
- Great shooter and savvy scorer
- GREAT off ball movement setting screens for teammates and creating space to shoot
- Sees angles for passing lanes, but really just overall spacial awareness that all elite scorers have (Curry, Harden, Doncic, etc.)

Mannion might have Curry esque qualities, but let's remember what Steph was doing in college. Need to see more from Mannion before I put him in that top tier.

Lets remember that Steph played Furman, Charleston, and Chattanooga...
Steph is an extreme outlier, but there are qualities that make him great that Mannion shares.

Watch on YouTube

Constant movement, touch floaters, off ball screens, confident/smooth 3 ball, spacial awareness.... He's special.

This is going to be an Epic Guard/PG class... but Mannion and Tre Jones are going to be the ones GM's will probably regret not taking. (Isaiah Joe too, but he's a classic SG).

If we arent sold on any one player at our pick, I wouldnt hesitate to trade back and pick up a 2021/22 pick and a young wing.
I.e. Trade 6 to Suns for 16, Bridges, 2022 first

Draft Tre Jones and Joe this year and bring back Bertans
Wall
Beal
Brown
Rui
Bryant

Bench: Jones, Joe, Bridges, Bertans, Wagner
3 first round picks in the next 2 years...

I'm rooting for Mannion for 2 reasons: 1 is his game is a lot of fun to watch. 2 is a strange reason - If he grew a longer goatee and lighten his hair a little, he'd look almost exactly like Layne Staley - one of my favorite singers of all time.

I just worry about small thin short-armed players making it in the NBA and being durable. Then again, Steve Nash was kinda good for a long time.

[Illmatic12]

Potential solution to the Wizards hole at SF: Watched Isaac Okoro (Auburn wing) play today , this is another prospect who’s being severely underrated. From the scouting stuff I’ve read its surprising his name hasn’t come up more.

Okoro is 6’6 with a powerful frame and he looks like an absolute lockdown defender out there. But what’s impressive is how active & high IQ he is as a help defender anticipating every move ahead of time. He plays a lot like Bonga actually, but instead of being a stringbean he has a strong powerful frame so the havoc he’s causing is so much more destructive. It’s the exact player the Wiz are missing in the starting lineup; someone who isn’t worried about offense, all they care about is setting the tone on D and will fly around racking up blocks/steals/deflections.

On offense he has a straight up broken shot (even bricking FTs) so that needs work. However you can see has a very quick first step , dribbling skills and good passing vision which he utilized to make unselfish drive + kick plays and keep the ball moving. He has the IQ to know when to cut to the dunker’s spot or in moving around off ball to compensate for his lack of shooting. Putting him into our system and floor spacing, he would come along quickly and make an impact early on.

The obvious comp that jumped out to me was a young Jimmy Butler, because of the first step + playmaking/handle any team who drafts Okoro can potentially develop him into an offensive star. But at worst, I see a more dynamic version of Justise Winslow as his floor. Very impressed and I’ll continue to watch out for him as a target for the Wiz.

[Jamaaliver]

From The Stepien

Deni Avdija Scouting Report

Overall Outlook:

Avdija’s size can only improve, and he’s already demonstrated superior IQ levels, reaction times, and “feel” compared to many of the NBA’s long-term vets. If he’s able to see natural progression in his off-the-dribble scoring and can steady his jump shot percentages, Deni can quickly and easily evolve into a strong Secondary Creator type who provides supplemental all-around production. He may not be at the top of my list in the upcoming NBA draft, but he’s certainly worth strong consideration.



Offense

Pluses

• Absurd passing ability for his age. Enormous transition threat, catalyzed by his ability to make instant reads following the defensive rebound–here he can thread the needle long-distance, or utilize his entire body to fire missiles from the length of the court. Hits the skip pass with regularity. Passes out of the post comfortably. Habitually hits the roller in stride. Passing is backed with desirable overall velocity, featuring excellent accuracy to hit his shooters right in the pocket
• Plus-level handle, especially at his height of 6’7.5″(?). Comfortably involves the left hand. Has flashed some advanced dribble-moves in traffic, however seldom seen. Throws out low-sitting rapid-fire dribbles which often assist in step-back creation
• Projects to be an outstanding cutter in the right circumstances. Immediately recognizes defensive give and quickly slides into the lane to exploit. Throws in fakes off-ball. Overall potential here is upped by his quick acceleration rate
• Legitimate equity as both and off- and on-ball scorer. This is largely thanks to his size paired with solid fundamentals, coordination levels, and feel. May not excel in any one particular facet of scoring, but shows talent around the basket, in the pick-and-roll, and in spotting up alike (has exhibited the ability to pull up from NBA 3P-range off the dribble, while incorporating step-backs)

Minuses

• Can improve drastically as a finisher. Struggles to get lift in the lane (note a curious affinity for a right-footed leap); pinballs between his opponents as his strength levels don’t allow for any separation. Demonstrates craft and touch, but the non-existence of a left hand hurts his dynamism here
• In-between game is lacking. Evidence of a dribble pull-up is virtually nonexistent; floaters are rarely accessed. Does not face up following the entry pass
• Has shown understanding of how to seal off weak side help rotation, but has close to zero interest in screen-setting for teammates

Spoiler:

Defense

Pluses

• Size and lateral speed transect at a point that give upside for three-position defensive versatility. While revealing some signs of stiffness in a stance and with sudden East-West shifts, shows decent lateral speed for size
• Isn’t an above-the-rim rebounder, nor is he especially physical on the glass, but demonstrates generally good feel here. Size will also help rack up numbers when matched with smaller guards of a similar prototype
• Excellent reaction time: deflections, loose balls, incoming opposition

Minuses

• Too often seen using arms to reach/hold after the initial couple steps while moving laterally–this invites fouls and blow-bys. Would hope for a cleaner transition from a lateral slide to a turn-and-run
• Needs to do a much better job of monitoring weak side activity and with rotating in accordance
• Doesn’t have the bulk to bang with post players

[Ruzious]

Potential solution to the Wizards hole at SF: Watched Isaac Okoro (Auburn wing) play today , this is another prospect who’s being severely underrated. From the scouting stuff I’ve read its surprising his name hasn’t come up more.

Okoro is 6’6 with a powerful frame and he looks like an absolute lockdown defender out there. But what’s impressive is how active & high IQ he is as a help defender anticipating every move ahead of time. He plays a lot like Bonga actually, but instead of being a stringbean he has a strong powerful frame so the havoc he’s causing is so much more destructive. It’s the exact player the Wiz are missing in the starting lineup; someone who isn’t worried about offense, all they care about is setting the tone on D and will fly around racking up blocks/steals/deflections.

On offense he has a straight up broken shot (even bricking FTs) so that needs work. However you can see has a very quick first step , dribbling skills and good passing vision which he utilized to make unselfish drive + kick plays and keep the ball moving. He has the IQ to know when to cut to the dunker’s spot or in moving around off ball to compensate for his lack of shooting. Putting him into our system and floor spacing, he would come along quickly and make an impact early on.

The obvious comp that jumped out to me was a young Jimmy Butler, because of the first step + playmaking/handle any team who drafts Okoro can potentially develop him into an offensive star. But at worst, I see a more dynamic version of Justise Winslow as his floor. Very impressed and I’ll continue to watch out for him as a target for the Wiz.

He's out of the Chuma Okeke Auburn mold - except he's a wing rather than a PF and a little more athletic. His physical strength really sticks out for a 6'6 wing player. He uses his strength better than Winslow. But ultimately, it comes down to developing a consistent 3, imo.

[Ruzious]

From The Stepien

Deni Avdija Scouting Report

Overall Outlook:

Avdija’s size can only improve, and he’s already demonstrated superior IQ levels, reaction times, and “feel” compared to many of the NBA’s long-term vets. If he’s able to see natural progression in his off-the-dribble scoring and can steady his jump shot percentages, Deni can quickly and easily evolve into a strong Secondary Creator type who provides supplemental all-around production. He may not be at the top of my list in the upcoming NBA draft, but he’s certainly worth strong consideration.



Offense

Pluses

• Absurd passing ability for his age. Enormous transition threat, catalyzed by his ability to make instant reads following the defensive rebound–here he can thread the needle long-distance, or utilize his entire body to fire missiles from the length of the court. Hits the skip pass with regularity. Passes out of the post comfortably. Habitually hits the roller in stride. Passing is backed with desirable overall velocity, featuring excellent accuracy to hit his shooters right in the pocket
• Plus-level handle, especially at his height of 6’7.5″(?). Comfortably involves the left hand. Has flashed some advanced dribble-moves in traffic, however seldom seen. Throws out low-sitting rapid-fire dribbles which often assist in step-back creation
• Projects to be an outstanding cutter in the right circumstances. Immediately recognizes defensive give and quickly slides into the lane to exploit. Throws in fakes off-ball. Overall potential here is upped by his quick acceleration rate
• Legitimate equity as both and off- and on-ball scorer. This is largely thanks to his size paired with solid fundamentals, coordination levels, and feel. May not excel in any one particular facet of scoring, but shows talent around the basket, in the pick-and-roll, and in spotting up alike (has exhibited the ability to pull up from NBA 3P-range off the dribble, while incorporating step-backs)

Minuses

• Can improve drastically as a finisher. Struggles to get lift in the lane (note a curious affinity for a right-footed leap); pinballs between his opponents as his strength levels don’t allow for any separation. Demonstrates craft and touch, but the non-existence of a left hand hurts his dynamism here
• In-between game is lacking. Evidence of a dribble pull-up is virtually nonexistent; floaters are rarely accessed. Does not face up following the entry pass
• Has shown understanding of how to seal off weak side help rotation, but has close to zero interest in screen-setting for teammates

Spoiler:

Defense

Pluses

• Size and lateral speed transect at a point that give upside for three-position defensive versatility. While revealing some signs of stiffness in a stance and with sudden East-West shifts, shows decent lateral speed for size
• Isn’t an above-the-rim rebounder, nor is he especially physical on the glass, but demonstrates generally good feel here. Size will also help rack up numbers when matched with smaller guards of a similar prototype
• Excellent reaction time: deflections, loose balls, incoming opposition

Minuses

• Too often seen using arms to reach/hold after the initial couple steps while moving laterally–this invites fouls and blow-bys. Would hope for a cleaner transition from a lateral slide to a turn-and-run
• Needs to do a much better job of monitoring weak side activity and with rotating in accordance
• Doesn’t have the bulk to bang with post players

Definitely a possibility for the Wiz. I'd like to hear comparisons of him to Ball. Note, Avdija plays with a good PG. I don't know if that effects how he's used or if that even matters.