Ed Wood wrote:I don't disagree that having Achiuwa as a best value proposition at 9 is something somebody gcould reasonably feel with the Wizards on the clock tomorrow. It's not something I will, because it doesn't square with my view of Achiuwa as a prospect, but I am hardly the last word on the matter. I was more generally observing that people tend to have somewhat internally inconsistent bands of tolerance for papering over the flaws in prospects - Achiuwa is easy enough for me to turn to for that illustration because I'm distinctly lower on him than a fair few of the rest of us.
Admittedly not especially relatedly - it is interesting to me that being "late to the game" is essentially universally attached to a player with positive connotations. I understand the second verse to that couplet - less prior experience to get them to where they are promises more opportunity to get farther with time forthcoming. That said, in almost any other context the same background would essentially just be a disadvantage - less time in the game in aggregate and less during important developmental years. It's just interesting how narrative can shape evidence (which I am by no means immune to).
It's his being late to the game that makes him a freak.
Normally guys that size are pegged as centers and are slow footed because they are forced into the post. they are given the opportunity to develop their speed and agility. They are usually forced into body banging and lower leg strength. If you look at his foot movement, it is very atypical of a guy with a 9'2 standing reach. His motor is also very unusual for a post player.
You can also see with his touch around the basket that he hasn't been shooting close range shots all of his life. But the elite first step, the response to other players and seeing ball movement and tracking angles, he shows all of that. He also reads the other players motions and responds well, probably a trait developed through soccer. His speeding up and down the court is a feature of soccer, Big man are never pushed to run up and down the court and break neck speed. Certainly not a player with a 9'2 wingspan.
Again the guy is freak, if you ever played fantasy basketball, there are certain traits that make a player help you win a league. When you see certain combination of stats such as high field goal percentage, high rebounds, and high free throw percentage and high blocks, you are dealing with a very unusual player. Usually players that get alot of rebounds typically are poor free throw shooters. A player with high field goal percentage usually does shoot a high volume of threes but steph curry...shooting 300 3 pointers and still close to .50 shooting is amazing.
Achiuwa has traits along the line of a curry or a ad. AD shoots high free throw percentage and high field goal percentage with volume adn blocks shots. Very rare to find that in NBA. Achiuwa has guard feet, 9'2 standing reach, a high motor for fighting for rebounds, and he glues his team together non verbally. Most teams don't have John Wall as point guard and bradley beal...combined with poor perimeter defense and rebounding needs.
We traded for Trevor Ariza for this exact reason and fortunately the player we need is being undervalued and drops to us because teams in front of us aren't at the development point of the wizards. Wizards have worked very hard for decades and drafts years just to get to this point.
I think Leonsis will understand this dynamic. He has built the capitals into a championship team. And his wizards are on the brink of domination. We have the player we need, media attention can't force us to take on edwards, wiseman, and bell...who really aren't good fits for this team. Edwards mimics beal, wiseman is 4 years off...and has no desire to bang in post and rebound, and ball is duplication of wall. Alot dynamics, let's just hope Shepherd doesn't try to get cute and think that Achiuwa is going to fall because the others GM's are dumb. Many people wanted to get Paul George picked at 10 in 2010. There hasn't been a player like paul 8'11 standing reach defensive lockdown...with guard feet and offensive upside...-- K.Leonard...maybe..arguable...otto porter 8'9 standing reach...still 5 inches below 9'2...we all see how that worked out...Grunfeld tried with OUbre...but oubre was only 8'6 standing reach..almost 6 inches shorter than achiuwa
brandon ingram 9'1 standing reach..he went 2nd overall in the draft. then ben simmons 9'1 standing reach. 1st overall. Johnathan issac standing reach over 9ft. jayson tatum 8'11 standing reach.
We as wizards fans at pick 9 are in a very rare position where a player with 9ft plus standing reach is available at position 9. Historically a player like this is easily gone by our pick. Aberrations for conditions of the draft have put players above him but it should not decrease his inherent value in our eyes as washington wizards fans who consume the game. A player like this with 9'0 standing reach and elite defense has not been available for over a decade in the draft due to us being to good, or there was another position of need that was more important like drafting wall or Paul George.
So trading down and trusting that other GM's have reported to the NBA who they are going to pick and thus the pick order is set? From my understanding this is the only way to ensure that you get guy who is normally gone in most drafts.
Players with elite foot speed and standing reach are retain their value as they age. hopefully Leonsis ensures that Shepherd not gamble and convince him that there are other players even close to AChiuwa in value...as long as Achiuwa doesn't have a huge mental problem like aka Royce White.. airplane fear...or anti social can't get along with team mates.. I think Leonsis can start to see the how it all connects.
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