Your 2022 NBA Draft Prospect

[The Moose]

Alot of people bearish on Ivey. Seems like the majority of piston boards i read and nba twitter is on the bear side of him. I'm still feeling fairly bullish and hes firmly in 5 potential all star players i see in the draft.

I would love to see the conversation if we landed say pick 3 and heard he was looking like the guy we wanted and then selected him. I think selecting Ivey before pick 4 or us taking Chet like pick 1 are going to lead to the best discussions. Chets so damn polarizing even though hes been considered that high all year it would be some fun debates.

there are a few things that have me bearish on Ivey

Firstly is his ability to play as a lead guard/creator at the next level. In todays NBA I would be hesitant to have a lead ball handler be in that 6'2-6'3 range that Ivey seems to be. He's considered a combo guard, but thats primarily because he doesn't have the skills to be a point guard, not because of his size or versatility. We've seen hyper athletic guys in this frame before like Westbrook, Rose, Ja. I suppose that would be the absolute ceiling for Ivey, but the problem is all of those guys were better processors and playmakers than Ivey. The processing, playmaking and creating for others is a major concern for me with Ivey. It allowed the others to play as point guards and lead ball handlers and I don't see it with him. Without it, I think it caps him as secondary action sort of guy or secondary creator.

I think Donovan Mitchell is a more realistic ceiling in terms of playmaking but he was so far ahead of Ivey as a shooter, especially off the dribble. The shooting and in between game really concern me for Ivey. I think he's ok as a catch and shoot guy from 3, but anything other than that looks really really rough. He has zero touch in that sort of 5-10 feet range where guys like Morant feast.
The way I see Ivey right now is someone that is going to try to attack the basket using speed/quickness and if can't get there, he's in trouble. He can't pull up, he struggles to make the right read if the d collapses and really doesn't have that much in his bag. As a sophomore that concerns me because he had those same concerns as a freshman.

Then there is the defensive side, where despite being a freak athlete and having an athletic advantage over pretty much everyone he guarded, he wasn't impactful. Very low steal rate for someone with his athletic tools and at his position, it was lower than even someone like Paolo. Gives me questions about his engagement and just his overall defensive instincts. I think in theory he can be a good defender, but right now he certainly isn't.

Now, those points are more related to him as a prospect in a vacuum. But the obvious additional point to reference is his fit in the lineup next to Cade. I've seen people say that he could be used as a 2nd side action guy, who attacks shifting and scrambling defences, taking advantage of his speed. I actually do think he would fit pretty well in this role, because it mitigates his playmaking duties and average ball handling and allows him to leverage his first step and speed. Think of someone like Maxey, but even still Ivey would need to improve his perimeter shot making off the dribble to play this role effectively. Even assuming his shot gets there eventually, the problem for me is whether or not someone in this role is worth a top 5 pick. For me, its not

[tmorgan]

Great post, Moose. The one guy I absolutely do not want the Pistons drafting is Ivey. I think he’ll hurt more than help our offensive growth. I’d rather have Eason or Daniels, even if Ivey drops and we’re stuck with the 6th or 7th pick.

[The Moose]

I'm definitely in the minority here who prefer Paolo over Jabari, I think this guy summed up my general thinking pretty well

If a prospect is consistently creating open windows in the half court, by generating advantages, I’m more open to putting stock into their transition playmaking. As I’ve very clearly noted to this point, Paolo does that and Jabari does not. In addition to his leg up as a processor, Paolo is more than capable of collapsing the defense – given that he isn’t settling for jumpers. It’s no secret that his playmaking has leveled up in recent months, and I think his uptick in aggressiveness as an inside scorer also deserves some credit for that leap. Banchero is definitely seeing things quicker but he’s also creating more windows than he did earlier in the year. His impact and gravity can be felt on a possession-by-possession basis, even if the ball isn’t going through the net.

The same can’t be said about Jabari. His shotmaking is tantalizing. Sometimes I don’t even have adjectives to describe it. There is an inherent fear-of-missing-out with Jabari because his scoring looks that special. When watching him play the mid-range hits with my friends, they often say “how do you even guard that?” or “you just have to contest and pray.” At the next level, I fear defenses will do just that.

Jabari’s mark on the game – when he has it going – is loud. The buckets are very impressive and you remember them as such. But when you take a large step back, his impact is somewhat made in a vacuum. If he’s making shots, he’ll kill you. If he isn’t, he won’t. His per-game impact is a sliding scale that is directly correlated to whether his tough jumpers went in or not. Don’t get me wrong, there is very real value in tough shotmaking. The need for someone to essentially create something out of nothing and be able to get their game off no matter the circumstances is Jabari’s calling card.

Is that enough, though? There’s no doubt Jabari’s shotmaking provides him with a high floor, as that skill certainly isn’t going away or losing much value. But we’re talking about the top of the draft. That’s where you look for superstars. My concern with Jabari is that his lack of advantage creation, given his shaky handle and lack of triple threat bag, enables the defense to wash their hands of him. They’ll throw out their lankiest defender, try to muck things up as much as possible and contest to hope for the best.

Superstars and offensive hubs are always engaging multiple defenders, I fear that Jabari might not do that. The advantage of sending another defender to make his contested jumper even more contested, doesn’t outweigh the negatives of potentially giving him access to playmaking windows and causing rotations that he (probably) wouldn’t have incurred otherwise. You stay home, stay disciplined and roll with the punches as they come. No matter how demoralizing they can be.

With Paolo, that option simply doesn’t exist. Whether you like it or not, he is going to collapse your defense. There will be times where he’ll force your hand to double-team, and there will unquestionably be times where he sends you into a scramble frenzy. When it comes to demanding the attention of multiple defenders, and forcing the defense to adjust their plans in hopes to contain you, Paolo is just on another level – especially projection-wise.

But even with everything we know now, is there an outcome where it… doesn’t matter? Despite the inability to bend defenses or create advantages, could the shotmaking just be that good? Absolutely. Jabari is very quietly a captivating case study of what you value as an evaluator and what you think can be improved. Massive developments in handling or driving process are higher hurdles to me, which is why I’m still content with not fully buying Smith as a potential offensive hub. But he has a special skill. At 18, it’s already special. There is a world where he refines the edges, making the necessary marginal improvements to truly unlock his offensive potential – fueled by the jumper. In that world, I look pretty stupid. We have to split our hairs somewhere, though.

Deciphering where you stand with these two prospects is a process versus results exercise. Wonkier isn’t necessarily the right word, but Paolo’s projection is less simple than Jabari’s. And that’s the most intriguing part to me! Jabari has a single skill that you can hang your hat on. It’s undoubtedly very good, and tall shooters, especially those who can get it off the bounce, are valuable. Paolo is the opposite, there are so many ways where it could work. That’s what I’m hanging my hat on.

I could see Banchero being utilized as a DHO operator who preys on jumpy defenders, a post-up threat who feasts on smaller 4s or a mid-post initiator who carves up POA defenders with one of the best footwork packages in the league. There is a large variety of ways in which Paolo could be an elite player. His highest outcome is probably a combination of them all!

There are undeniably moments where Jabari looks special, but my FOMO actually lies with Paolo. Jabari would need to make significant strides as a handler or standstill creator to generate consistent advantages. Whereas Paolo, he kinda… just needs to become a little more comfortable in this newfound role? Banchero’s handle is functional, his footwork is pristine and he’ll be capable of physically overwhelming opponents from day one. The necessary improvements are far more feasible and realistic. They become even more attainable when you consider how far Paolo has come as a perimeter creator in the last few years.

- https://www.thestepien.com/2022/02/15/jabari-vs-paolo-examining-their-biggest-difference/

Not trying to knock Jabari either, he's still number 2 for me and I'll be very excited to draft him, I just can't put him above Paolo
Watching the playoffs, the best players are all matchup hunting on offense. I think Paolo has the skill set to do this, I worry Jabari won't.

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Even these clips, is this really an effective way to "punish switches"? He's not really getting anywhere backing down small defenders and it always ends in an extremely difficult shot. Jabari is good enough to make these at a decent clip, but I can't help but feel its a fairly one dimensional attack. The difficulty of his overall shot profile within the 3pt line is why his 2pt % is historically low for a 6'10 player. His lack of wiggle and overall stiffness as a driver, subpar handle, lack of burst all bring questions about how much of an offensive threat he can be outside of being a shooter.

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The reason he's still number 2 for me is the obvious elite 3pt shooting and I buy him as perimeter defender. He's a very useful piece for any team, I just don't think he projects to have that same overall offensive impact that Paolo projects

[buzzkilloton]

Alot of people bearish on Ivey. Seems like the majority of piston boards i read and nba twitter is on the bear side of him. I'm still feeling fairly bullish and hes firmly in 5 potential all star players i see in the draft.

I would love to see the conversation if we landed say pick 3 and heard he was looking like the guy we wanted and then selected him. I think selecting Ivey before pick 4 or us taking Chet like pick 1 are going to lead to the best discussions. Chets so damn polarizing even though hes been considered that high all year it would be some fun debates.

there are a few things that have me bearish on Ivey

Firstly is his ability to play as a lead guard/creator at the next level. In todays NBA I would be hesitant to have a lead ball handler be in that 6'2-6'3 range that Ivey seems to be. He's considered a combo guard, but thats primarily because he doesn't have the skills to be a point guard, not because of his size or versatility. We've seen hyper athletic guys in this frame before like Westbrook, Rose, Ja. I suppose that would be the absolute ceiling for Ivey, but the problem is all of those guys were better processors and playmakers than Ivey. The processing, playmaking and creating for others is a major concern for me with Ivey. It allowed the others to play as point guards and lead ball handlers and I don't see it with him. Without it, I think it caps him as secondary action sort of guy or secondary creator.

I think Donovan Mitchell is a more realistic ceiling in terms of playmaking but he was so far ahead of Ivey as a shooter, especially off the dribble. The shooting and in between game really concern me for Ivey. I think he's ok as a catch and shoot guy from 3, but anything other than that looks really really rough. He has zero touch in that sort of 5-10 feet range where guys like Morant feast.
The way I see Ivey right now is someone that is going to try to attack the basket using speed/quickness and if can't get there, he's in trouble. He can't pull up, he struggles to make the right read if the d collapses and really doesn't have that much in his bag. As a sophomore that concerns me because he had those same concerns as a freshman.

Then there is the defensive side, where despite being a freak athlete and having an athletic advantage over pretty much everyone he guarded, he wasn't impactful. Very low steal rate for someone with his athletic tools and at his position, it was lower than even someone like Paolo. Gives me questions about his engagement and just his overall defensive instincts. I think in theory he can be a good defender, but right now he certainly isn't.

Now, those points are more related to him as a prospect in a vacuum. But the obvious additional point to reference is his fit in the lineup next to Cade. I've seen people say that he could be used as a 2nd side action guy, who attacks shifting and scrambling defences, taking advantage of his speed. I actually do think he would fit pretty well in this role, because it mitigates his playmaking duties and average ball handling and allows him to leverage his first step and speed. Think of someone like Maxey, but even still Ivey would need to improve his perimeter shot making off the dribble to play this role effectively. Even assuming his shot gets there eventually, the problem for me is whether or not someone in this role is worth a top 5 pick. For me, its not

Yeah D.Mitch is the best comp but D.Mitch still had a more well rounded game. OTOH Ivey is a more special athlete and D.Mitch is a damn good athlete himself. I still cant figure out why D.Mitch is so bad on defense hes short but his wingspan is absurdly long. Maybe he figures it out on defense but thats neither here nor there.

Iveys going to have to be coached up and improve on some areas for sure. Like you said defensive engagement then the shooting, ball handling, and decision making. The bust risk is pretty high on him. That said hes going to be what a top 5 or so athlete at guard right away? Hes really something heading downhill and he legit floats in the air.

I actually think he can be pretty damn effective in that role. The thing is he can play that role without being a ball stopper. Catch and shoots and quick give and goes with him slashing downhill would work well with Cade. He just needs to improve the shot which is ofc a question mark but he did improve in his 2nd season so we could expect to see more improvements.

You mentioned Westbrook and Ja hes not the playmaker those guys were. Actually I'd say the ceiling for his player type would be D.Wade. Wade was 6'4 not a lead guard and couldnt shoot either. Of course not saying hes D.Wade by any means just thats the ceiling of what this archetype could be. I think D.Mitch is the outcome you're hoping for but with better defense. I do think he could be the best player in this draft and its a completely fine pick at 4 but I get he has alot of wart and many are bearish.

[buzzkilloton]

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[MotownMadness]

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Man I secretly really want this kid, i just feel like we would pass on him.

[buzzkilloton]

Man I secretly really want this kid, i just feel like we would pass on him.

I feel the same as you. James Edwards wrote us up picking at 6 and he had us taking Mathurin over him. I know alot of us like Sharpe so we should be prepped for a little downer on draft night now if we pick 5-7.

[Pharaoh]

Man I secretly really want this kid, i just feel like we would pass on him.

I feel the same as you. James Edwards wrote us up picking at 6 and he had us taking Mathurin over him. I know alot of us like Sharpe so we should be prepped for a little downer on draft night now if we pick 5-7.

Yeah I saw that.

Disappointed cause I got Sharpe top 4

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[The Moose]

Man I secretly really want this kid, i just feel like we would pass on him.

I feel the same as you. James Edwards wrote us up picking at 6 and he had us taking Mathurin over him. I know alot of us like Sharpe so we should be prepped for a little downer on draft night now if we pick 5-7.

We should get a clearer picture on Sharpe in the next few weeks. Teams haven't been able to speak to him yet or have him in for private workouts + measurements

it will be very interesting to see where he ends up

[whitehops]

We should get a clearer picture on Sharpe in the next few weeks. Teams haven't been able to speak to him yet or have him in for private workouts + measurements

it will be very interesting to see where he ends up

it'll be interesting to see how much he does at the combine this week. he'll obviously talk to teams and such but for us fans it'd help if he participated in the measurements and testing at least.

[NYPiston]

New Edwards draft article today. Sounds like were currently not high on Sharpe. That or Weaver could be keeping that close to his chest.

Ivey on the rise a bit. Makes since to me as Edwards brought up multiple times with Ivey its his upside. Some of the other prospects at the top are more high floor plays. We need stars which is why we hopefully end up with high grades on Sharpe.

I spoiler quoted some of the stuff if interested. He ran some spots out where we pick xxx thought it was somewhat interesting.


"The NBA’s 2022 NBA Draft Lottery will take place Tuesday, May 17, and the Pistons enter the annual event tied for the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick. If that outcome presents itself for Detroit, I’ve gotten the sense that Chet Holmgren is the favorite in the clubhouse among some in the Pistons front office, although others still need more convincing. It also appears that Auburn’s Jabari Smith is in play to go No. 1. After those two, Duke’s Paolo Banchero, Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and Iowa’s Keegan Murray vary in order, depending on who you talk to, and round out what I believe to be the top five on the Pistons’ big board."

Big board is-
1.Chet
2.Smith
3.Paolo
4.Ivey
5.Murray
6.Mathurin
7.I take it hes saying Sharpe would be 7

Spoiler:

With the No. 6 pick, I’ve got the Pistons selecting Iowa forward Keegan Murray. Not only is Murray arguably the best player available at this spot, but he can be a Jerami Grant replacement if Detroit elects to move the veteran forward this summer or doesn’t sign him to an extension. Murray, who’s 6-foot-8, averaged 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 55 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3 as a sophomore. He’s not invisible without the ball. He cuts well. He makes smart basketball plays. He may never be an All-Star, but I’m fairly confident he’ll be, at minimum, a good NBA player for a long time. He doesn’t have the highest ceiling of the names listed above, but I believe he has one of the highest floors.

Spoiler:

At No. 4, I’ve got the Pistons taking Purdue guard Jaden Ivey. If presented this scenario a few weeks ago, I would have taken Murray without hesitation. And while I still believe there’s a 50 percent chance Murray would be the pick over Ivey, I get the sense that not everyone in Detroit is sold on the Iowa product. To some, even though Ivey may possess a lower floor than Murray, the upside the explosive Boilermaker guard carries outweighs that. Ivey addresses the need for athleticism on Detroit’s roster, and he was a pretty good spot-up shooter in college. Ivey’s lack of playmaking for others is concerning, particularly for a roster that doesn’t have many natural playmakers, but maybe a little coaching can get him to show improvements in that facet of his game.

Spoiler:

Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for … I have Detroit selecting Arizona wing Bennedict Mathurin in this scenario. Obviously, this is the second-worst outcome available to the Pistons, who can’t drop lower than No. 7. However, Mathurin does have fans in Detroit’s front office and addresses two glaring weaknesses on the roster: perimeter athleticism and 3-point shooting. Multiple front office folks have told me that Mathurin is “the best wing” in the draft, and that was after it was clear Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe would be in the pool of players. Mathurin likely won’t ever be an All-Star, but I’m confident he’ll be a good NBA wing for many, many years if the shooting translates to the next level with no hiccups. Detroit needs to address the guard spot next to Cunningham, and though Mathurin doesn’t project to be an initiator of offense, he is an underrated playmaker for others and carries an efficient game.

Edwards has flip flopped on this so many times that I'm starting to question his credibility.

First, he had Murray at 3 over Banchero, then he had Murray at 4, Sharpe at 5 and Ivey at 7 just a couple of weeks ago I believe and now he had Ivey at 4, Murray at 5 and Sharpe somewhere down the totem pole? He's pretty connected with certain things but I think we should take his draft board with a grain of salt.
Ultimately, it seems like a coin flip between the 2nd tier prospects.

[NYPiston]

there are a few things that have me bearish on Ivey

Firstly is his ability to play as a lead guard/creator at the next level. In todays NBA I would be hesitant to have a lead ball handler be in that 6'2-6'3 range that Ivey seems to be. He's considered a combo guard, but thats primarily because he doesn't have the skills to be a point guard, not because of his size or versatility. We've seen hyper athletic guys in this frame before like Westbrook, Rose, Ja. I suppose that would be the absolute ceiling for Ivey, but the problem is all of those guys were better processors and playmakers than Ivey. The processing, playmaking and creating for others is a major concern for me with Ivey. It allowed the others to play as point guards and lead ball handlers and I don't see it with him. Without it, I think it caps him as secondary action sort of guy or secondary creator.

I think Donovan Mitchell is a more realistic ceiling in terms of playmaking but he was so far ahead of Ivey as a shooter, especially off the dribble. The shooting and in between game really concern me for Ivey. I think he's ok as a catch and shoot guy from 3, but anything other than that looks really really rough. He has zero touch in that sort of 5-10 feet range where guys like Morant feast.
The way I see Ivey right now is someone that is going to try to attack the basket using speed/quickness and if can't get there, he's in trouble. He can't pull up, he struggles to make the right read if the d collapses and really doesn't have that much in his bag. As a sophomore that concerns me because he had those same concerns as a freshman.

Then there is the defensive side, where despite being a freak athlete and having an athletic advantage over pretty much everyone he guarded, he wasn't impactful. Very low steal rate for someone with his athletic tools and at his position, it was lower than even someone like Paolo. Gives me questions about his engagement and just his overall defensive instincts. I think in theory he can be a good defender, but right now he certainly isn't.

Now, those points are more related to him as a prospect in a vacuum. But the obvious additional point to reference is his fit in the lineup next to Cade. I've seen people say that he could be used as a 2nd side action guy, who attacks shifting and scrambling defences, taking advantage of his speed. I actually do think he would fit pretty well in this role, because it mitigates his playmaking duties and average ball handling and allows him to leverage his first step and speed. Think of someone like Maxey, but even still Ivey would need to improve his perimeter shot making off the dribble to play this role effectively. Even assuming his shot gets there eventually, the problem for me is whether or not someone in this role is worth a top 5 pick. For me, its not

Well said.

My two biggest issues with Ivey, some of what you touched on already, is that he doesn't have the creation skills to be a lead guard (which is fine when you're playing alongside Cade Cunningham) but he also doesn't shoot well enough to be a 2 so he's kind of a tweener. Also, he lacks basketball IQ, when he's not putting his head down and driving hard to the rim, what does he have to fall back on in a half court game? The mid range game is lacking, the long range shooting is erratic and he struggles with knowing where to go on the court at times, just kind of floats aimlessly at times.

Don't get me wrong, there's also a lot to like about his game. A++++ athleticism, not afraid of the big moment, excellent finisher, high end defensive potential with his length and athleticism and has pretty good instincts on that end but I worry about that he would disrupt offensive flow at the NBA level kind of like Westbrook in some ways especially on a team where you need a #2 option that can play off of your elite shot creator in Cade, not send the offense into chaos. His potential if he puts it together is sky high but there's quite a bit of risk that comes with him as well. Not sure if he's the best fit for this particular team.
I'd have him ahead of Murray probably but he's a firm #5 for me behind the 2 bigs, Sharpe and Mathurin.

[buzzkilloton]

N

]

Edwards has flip flopped on this so many times that I'm starting to question his credibility.

First, he had Murray at 3 over Banchero, then he had Murray at 4, Sharpe at 5 and Ivey at 7 just a couple of weeks ago I believe and now he had Ivey at 4, Murray at 5 and Sharpe somewhere down the totem pole? He's pretty connected with certain things but I think we should take his draft board with a grain of salt.
Ultimately, it seems like a coin flip between the 2nd tier prospects.

You do realize the Pistons have went into drafts in the past debating who they would take with our lotto pick till the last seconds of the clock right? If his draft board wasnt changing as he talked to diff nba people, picked up new film, and other information he wouldnt be doing his job very well.

[Homelander87]

I continue to say that I want Paolo. He’s the perfect stretch 4 in todays NBA

I would argue that Jabari Smith is the perfect stretch 4 in today's game. Blocks shots, rebounds, and shoots the hell out of the ball.

Banchero doesn't have the best of outside shots.

He’s my #2 behind Banchero. Banchero just has a better first step and better overall offensive game

[MotownMadness]

I do wonder if Jabari will be as efficient at the next level with all those contested jumpers he makes. I guess he should be fine but he'll just shoot with a defender in his grill.

[zeebneeb]

I continue to say that I want Paolo. He’s the perfect stretch 4 in todays NBA

I would argue that Jabari Smith is the perfect stretch 4 in today's game. Blocks shots, rebounds, and shoots the hell out of the ball.

Banchero doesn't have the best of outside shots.

He’s my #2 behind Banchero. Banchero just has a better first step and better overall offensive game

You know what's weird? I agree, and at the same time hate it.

The paring of Cade and Banchero would be amazing, offensively and I don't think anyone thinks otherwise, but I think I speak for a fair amount of people here, in that they, like myself, fear he is Blake Griffin 2.0, and it's hard to win a title with a player like that.(Amare Stoudemire)

If Banchero can play actual defense, then he is going to be amazing, flat-out. It will be lob-city all over the place in Detroit, with him and Bagley on the team, something many have wanted since watching Cade first play.

My concerns with Banchero are limited solely to his 3-point shot, and his defense.

[whitehops]

My concerns with Banchero are limited solely to his 3-point shot, and his defense.

i've been going back and forth on all the top prospects but i think there is value in having a jumbo PF. usually with a jumbo PF you're usually sacrificing three point shooting and especially play making. with banchero obviously his shooting is underdeveloped but he would let us have another big body on the floor and actually be a plus play making-wise.

one reason i think his size is a huge plus is that the three MVP candidates are giannis, jokic and embiid. they're all 27/28 and with giannis and embiid in the eastern conference pretty much we need big bodies to defend them come playoff time. giannis especially toyed with us this season and made it look like he was playing a high school team since he was way bigger than any of our players and way more athletic.

chet would be ideal to match up with all three once (if) he can get his strength to an adequate level but before that there's a good chance he would get ragdolled by them.

[mattao313]

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LoL not trying to be a hater but what exactly does this show us? I'm sure Isaiah Stewart would look the same in a empty gym too.

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[The Moose]

My concerns with Banchero are limited solely to his 3-point shot, and his defense.

i've been going back and forth on all the top prospects but i think there is value in having a jumbo PF. usually with a jumbo PF you're usually sacrificing three point shooting and especially play making. with banchero obviously his shooting is underdeveloped but he would let us have another big body on the floor and actually be a plus play making-wise.

one reason i think his size is a huge plus is that the three MVP candidates are giannis, jokic and embiid. they're all 27/28 and with giannis and embiid in the eastern conference pretty much we need big bodies to defend them come playoff time. giannis especially toyed with us this season and made it look like he was playing a high school team since he was way bigger than any of our players and way more athletic.

chet would be ideal to match up with all three once (if) he can get his strength to an adequate level but before that there's a good chance he would get ragdolled by them.

One thing I’ll say about Paolo. I can’t help but feel he has a lot more juice that he didn’t get to show at Duke. Especially as a jumbo initiator/creator.

I think playing at Duke with a more traditional system with some very capable players surrounding him actually hid some of Paolo's potential.
Firstly I think Paolo can be a legit threat as a pnr handler, he very rarely got to show this at Duke. Its certainly not out of the question that this can be a part of his offense at the NBA level.
At Duke he only got to be the pnr handler on 5% of his possessions. Funnily enough Coach K used Tatum in a similar way who also only had 5% possessions as a pnr handler.
Now in the NBA , Tatum has regularly been at 20%+ possessions as the pnr handler.

Secondly, I think Paolo can be a serious grab and go/coast to coast threat in transition ala Simmons. Maybe not to that level, but certainly think it’s a serious threat for him.
He rarely got the chance to show this at Duke who consistently play in the half court and run Coach K's sets. They are not an uptempo team by any stretch

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Just look at some of these clips
A more nba style, contemporary coached ncaa team might have emphasised these particular aspects of Paolo's game in a way that Coach K was never going to.

[The Moose]

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This guy is making some really good draft content