Wizards claim former Gonzaga star & Lakers camp body Joel Ayayi off waivers

[NatP4]

NBA.com numbers:

https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1630555/traditional/?Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Showcase&PerMode=Per36

15 points 8 assists 7 rebounds per 36 on 69% TS according to those realGM numbers. Pretty ridiculous.

[FAH1223]

He's playing pretty good ball so far

[WallToWall]

We seem to like Lakers cast-offs. Maybe this is another [tiny] diamond in the rough.

[NatP4]

At some point, we gotta give this guy a shot. He’s killing it in the G-league. 14 points 7.8 assists 6.9 rebounds 70.1% TS.

[payitforward]

This is true. Ayayi is playing absolutely great -- https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1630555/.

[gambitx777]

Ayayi is definitely front of the line to promote to a full contract that's for sure.

Sent from my SM-G991U1 using RealGM mobile app

[nate33]

He's efficient, but I'm not seeing any evidence that he can break down a defense and get them into rotation. It's hard to find much video of him, but from what I've seen, he is playing sound, high IQ basketball, but without any real "wiggle" to his game that leads me to believe he'll be a playmaker at the next level. In particular, his FTA rate is anemic at just 1.1 FTA's/g, and literally zero FTA's in 5 games in December.

Efficient play like that would be nice if he was a 6'-8" multi-position defender. But as a 6-4 guy with a slight frame, we would need him to be a playmaker on offense, not just a complementary guy. Basically, rather than be an alternative to Neto or Holiday, he looks more like a shorter version of KCP.

[NatP4]

He's efficient, but I'm not seeing any evidence that he can break down a defense and get them into rotation. It's hard to find much video of him, but from what I've seen, he is playing sound, high IQ basketball, but without any real "wiggle" to his game that leads me to believe he'll be a playmaker at the next level. In particular, his FTA rate is anemic at just 1.1 FTA's/g, and literally zero FTA's in 5 games in December.

Efficient play like that would be nice if he was a 6'-8" multi-position defender. But as a 6-4 guy with a slight frame, we would need him to be a playmaker on offense, not just a complementary guy. Basically, rather than be an alternative to Neto or Holiday, he looks more like a shorter version of KCP.

He’s not really an initiator. He’s a highly efficient off ball shooter that is elite at cutting and rebounding and plays solid defense. I’ve compared him to KCP all along. That would be a terrific pickup for an undrafted guy. He would make a really good 3rd guard that can play either spot as long as the other guard is more of an initiator.

[nate33]

He's efficient, but I'm not seeing any evidence that he can break down a defense and get them into rotation. It's hard to find much video of him, but from what I've seen, he is playing sound, high IQ basketball, but without any real "wiggle" to his game that leads me to believe he'll be a playmaker at the next level. In particular, his FTA rate is anemic at just 1.1 FTA's/g, and literally zero FTA's in 5 games in December.

Efficient play like that would be nice if he was a 6'-8" multi-position defender. But as a 6-4 guy with a slight frame, we would need him to be a playmaker on offense, not just a complementary guy. Basically, rather than be an alternative to Neto or Holiday, he looks more like a shorter version of KCP.

He’s not really an initiator. He’s a highly efficient off ball shooter that is elite at cutting and rebounding and plays solid defense. I’ve compared him to KCP all along. That would be a terrific pickup for an undrafted guy. He would make a really good 3rd guard that can play either spot as long as the other guard is more of an initiator.

Guard-sized guys who are not initiator's are a dime-a-dozen. The hard part is finding initiators. That's precisely our problem, and it's why we have to play Neto so much. When Beal is out, Neto is our only initiator.

Basically, most teams want their guys to either be initiators, or be tall enough to switch 1 through 4. If you can't do either, there are very few minutes available for you in this league. Basically, you will only find a home on a team that happens to have a unicorn guy who is both tall AND an initiator (guys like Luka and Giannis).

[NatP4]

He's efficient, but I'm not seeing any evidence that he can break down a defense and get them into rotation. It's hard to find much video of him, but from what I've seen, he is playing sound, high IQ basketball, but without any real "wiggle" to his game that leads me to believe he'll be a playmaker at the next level. In particular, his FTA rate is anemic at just 1.1 FTA's/g, and literally zero FTA's in 5 games in December.

Efficient play like that would be nice if he was a 6'-8" multi-position defender. But as a 6-4 guy with a slight frame, we would need him to be a playmaker on offense, not just a complementary guy. Basically, rather than be an alternative to Neto or Holiday, he looks more like a shorter version of KCP.

He’s not really an initiator. He’s a highly efficient off ball shooter that is elite at cutting and rebounding and plays solid defense. I’ve compared him to KCP all along. That would be a terrific pickup for an undrafted guy. He would make a really good 3rd guard that can play either spot as long as the other guard is more of an initiator.

Guard-sized guys who are not initiator's are a dime-a-dozen. The hard part is finding initiators. That's precisely our problem, and it's why we have to play Neto so much. When Beal is out, Neto is our only initiator.

Basically, most teams want their guys to either be initiators, or be tall enough to switch 1 through 4. If you can't do either, there are very few minutes available for you in this league. Basically, you will only find a home on a team that happens to have a unicorn guy who is both tall AND an initiator (guys like Luka and Giannis).

Avdija is going to develop into one of those non-PG initiators. Even still, a guy like Ayayi is highly useful. He’s Otto Porter at the 2 guard position. Josh Hart is a good example. Danny Green, Alex Caruso, KCP, Garrison Mathews Pat Connaughton. We do need another lead guard, but Ayayi is going to be a really good find as an undrafted player.

[pcbothwel]

He’s not really an initiator. He’s a highly efficient off ball shooter that is elite at cutting and rebounding and plays solid defense. I’ve compared him to KCP all along. That would be a terrific pickup for an undrafted guy. He would make a really good 3rd guard that can play either spot as long as the other guard is more of an initiator.

Guard-sized guys who are not initiator's are a dime-a-dozen. The hard part is finding initiators. That's precisely our problem, and it's why we have to play Neto so much. When Beal is out, Neto is our only initiator.

Basically, most teams want their guys to either be initiators, or be tall enough to switch 1 through 4. If you can't do either, there are very few minutes available for you in this league. Basically, you will only find a home on a team that happens to have a unicorn guy who is both tall AND an initiator (guys like Luka and Giannis).

Avdija is going to develop into one of those non-PG initiators. Even still, a guy like Ayayi is highly useful. He’s Otto Porter at the 2 guard position. Josh Hart is a good example. Danny Green, Alex Caruso, KCP, Garrison Mathews Pat Connaughton. We do need another lead guard, but Ayayi is going to be a really good find as an undrafted player.

I think this is the point nate. Even if Ayayi isnt anything more than a rotational 2/3 in the KCP/Gary Trent/Hart mold, those guys routinely make 12-15M annually. If he shows enough to warrant a 3/15M deal, then thats a hell of a premium.

[nate33]

He’s not really an initiator. He’s a highly efficient off ball shooter that is elite at cutting and rebounding and plays solid defense. I’ve compared him to KCP all along. That would be a terrific pickup for an undrafted guy. He would make a really good 3rd guard that can play either spot as long as the other guard is more of an initiator.

Guard-sized guys who are not initiator's are a dime-a-dozen. The hard part is finding initiators. That's precisely our problem, and it's why we have to play Neto so much. When Beal is out, Neto is our only initiator.

Basically, most teams want their guys to either be initiators, or be tall enough to switch 1 through 4. If you can't do either, there are very few minutes available for you in this league. Basically, you will only find a home on a team that happens to have a unicorn guy who is both tall AND an initiator (guys like Luka and Giannis).

Avdija is going to develop into one of those non-PG initiators. Even still, a guy like Ayayi is highly useful. He’s Otto Porter at the 2 guard position. Josh Hart is a good example. Danny Green, Alex Caruso, KCP, Garrison Mathews Pat Connaughton. We do need another lead guard, but Ayayi is going to be a really good find as an undrafted player.

Josh Hart and KCP play small forward. Caruso and Connaughton play alongside a non-guard initiator (DeRozan and Giannis), and they also do well switching onto forwards. The Sixers are struggling playing Danny Green at SG without Ben Simmons as the initiator. It's why they've cut his minutes down to 24 and play Maxey more.

When Avdija gets good enough to become an initiator, it will certainly open up opportunities to play guys like Ayayi. But he won't work in our lineup now.

[nate33]

Guard-sized guys who are not initiator's are a dime-a-dozen. The hard part is finding initiators. That's precisely our problem, and it's why we have to play Neto so much. When Beal is out, Neto is our only initiator.

Basically, most teams want their guys to either be initiators, or be tall enough to switch 1 through 4. If you can't do either, there are very few minutes available for you in this league. Basically, you will only find a home on a team that happens to have a unicorn guy who is both tall AND an initiator (guys like Luka and Giannis).

Avdija is going to develop into one of those non-PG initiators. Even still, a guy like Ayayi is highly useful. He’s Otto Porter at the 2 guard position. Josh Hart is a good example. Danny Green, Alex Caruso, KCP, Garrison Mathews Pat Connaughton. We do need another lead guard, but Ayayi is going to be a really good find as an undrafted player.

I think this is the point nate. Even if Ayayi isnt anything more than a rotational 2/3 in the KCP/Gary Trent/Hart mold, those guys routinely make 12-15M annually. If he shows enough to warrant a 3/15M deal, then thats a hell of a premium.

My point is that he is NOT a 2/3. He only has the size to play 1/2. Guys with 1/2 size who don't initiate are not worth anything in this league unless they are truly elite defensively like prime Pat Beverley or Alex Caruso. And even those guys have to play alongside a Lebron, Kawhi or Derozan type of guy.

Calling him Otto Porter at the 2 misses the point. Otto Porter at the 2 is easily obtainable. What makes Otto Porter interesting is that he can defend 3 and 4.

[NatP4]

Both Josh Hart and KCP have primarily played the 2 in their NBA careers. Ayayi is 6”5 with a 6”8 wingspan. He averaged 8.8 rebounds per 40 in college and 7.0 rebounds per36 in the g-league. Even if he only plays the 1/2, he will still carve out a career as a quality role player.

I’m not even sure what point you are trying to make about Otto Porter? Why would the defensive end of the court matter? Since Ayayi isn’t a primary initiator, it will cause problems for the wizards on defense?? Ayayi can easily guard 1-3.

You really only need one or two primary initiators on the court at any given time. Ayayi would be a great fit next to Beal. Gonzaga had a perfect season with Suggs-Ayayi-Nembhard-Kispert-Timme, only one or two initiators.

I disagree with the take that off ball guards can’t be successful in the NBA. There are plenty of examples. Ayayi is averaging 7.5 assists in the g-league so who knows? You also made the claim that Josh Giddey couldn’t be a primary initiator in the NBA...