With the NBA Draft on the horizon TODAY, it is time to take a look at who the T-Wolves could select. Leading up to the event we will be doing prospect profiles on potential players the Wolves could end up taking with the 13th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Today, in what is our last 2014 Draft Profile piece, we are taking a look at Zach LaVine out of UCLA.
This is going to be a very quick Draft Profile* piece on Zach LaVine since the actual NBA Draft is in a few hours, and I’m going to be at Target Center watching it there, because like Kanye West, “my life is dope and I do dope sh*t” (except not really).
As so many have said, basically LaVine is a really raw player in the draft. He has the athleticism to be a superstar. Essentially he is a boom or bust guy.
And given where the T-Wolves are (looking to rebuild), you can afford to take a flyer on a boom or bust guy with the 13th pick. You can afford to screw up 13th overall picks – you can’t afford to screw up 2nd, 4th and 6th overall picks (hi Derrick Williams, Wes Johnson and Jonny Flynn). I wouldn’t be opposed to drafting LaVine, and would totally understand the draft pick. I just hope he booms.
Of the six draft profiles I have done here are the rankings:
The top three I WANT. Like real bad. Ennis and Payne I am not as thrilled about, but I would understand the selection, and if we draft Rodney Hood my reaction will be the following:
See here is to tonight T-Wolves fans. Let’s see what happens. Til then, I’ll leave you with highlights of LaVine dunking. (HOW'S HE MAKE IT LOOK SO EASY TO DUNK BETWEEN YOUR LEGS?!?!?!?)
*I apparently use the term “Draft Profile” loosely if this counts a “Draft Profile”.
With the NBA Draft on the horizon, it is time to take a look at who the T-Wolves could select. Leading up to the event we will be doing prospect profiles on potential players the Wolves could end up taking with the 13th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Today, we are taking a look at Rodney Hood out of Duke.
If Basketball didn’t include defense, Rodney Hood would be a top 10 prospect in this year’s NBA draft. Whereas Gary Harris is a prospect with the potential to be a great three and d guy, Hood has the potential to be as much of a game changer on the offensive end as he does at becoming a liability on the other.
That’s not to say he’s a risky pick. He’s not. He will have a successful career in the NBA. This is not one of those rookies who will be out of the league in four years. If you can shoot as well as he can, there will be a spot for you. Though that spot, considering his dismal defensive deficiencies (#alliteration), may not be in the starting five. Instead, it might be off the bench, coming in as a spark plug shooter who can drain a couple of quick threes, drive the lane and hit some floaters, and set teammates up for easy buckets.
Strengths
A silky athlete with a lefty jumper that’s smooth like buttah, the kid shot 42% from three last year for Duke while taking nearly five a game. Hood, standing at 6-8, has the height to be a solid wing in the NBA. His height allows him to shoot over smaller defenders. This was put to great use, as evident by the fact that according to Draft Express, of the 85 pull up jump shots he attempted, 43% of them went in. That pull up jump shot percentage ranked #1 among all college prospects in Draft Express’ Top 100 Rankings.
Hood doesn’t play out of control, often taking what the defense gives him. He also displays a great feel for the game as evident by the fact he is an efficient offensive player – both in scoring the ball and moving it around. From Draft Express:
“Hood has a solid feel for the game, as he rarely turns the ball over (10% turnover rate), and posted the third best PPR (Pure Point Rating = a sabermetric that measures one’s Point Guard passing abilities) among small forwards in our Top-100. He's unselfish, sees the floor well, and executes offensively in the half-court, which his next coach will certainly appreciate."
The good news is that, as you can tell, the kid has a lot of strengths on the offensive end. The bad news – the offensive end is the only place where his strengths reside.
Weaknesses
Defense, Defense and more defense. I’d like to think his lack of prowess on the other end of the floor was due to his frame. His identical height to wingspan ratio doesn’t provide him with any favors, and his skinny frame allows stronger players to bully him inside. But given the fact he does display adequate lateral quickness, I really chalk this up to him not having a motor on the defensive end of the floor. Countless times in the video the kid fails to get into proper defensive position. That can’t happen! No matter how bad you are on D, you can at the very least start out on a possession in good position.
Outside of defense, there still are a few weaknesses in his offensive game. He is an above average ball handler at best, and he doesn’t drive enough to the basket (as evident by the fact he didn’t get to the free throw line a lot). Also, some worry about his ability to score inside the three point arc. From Draft Express:
“His very low 2-point percentage (49%) doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence in his ability to develop into a high volume shot-creator inside the arc at the NBA level, as he's not a terribly advanced ball-handler and avoids finishing around the basket with his right hand like the plague.”
Listen, I hate the mid range apparently as much as Hood hates finishing at the rim with his right hand. But you do need to be decent at it, just to keep the defense honest. So yes, this is something Hood should work on. But only after he gets his defense figured out.
Final Word
I’m not high on Rodney Hood. As great of an offensive tandem he and Rubio might make, he’s soon turning 22 years old, and with defense being this much of an issue for him, I wonder what upside there is. Honestly T-Wolves, stay away from Hood. Of all the guys I have profiled to date, he ranks at the very bottom. I know there are fans of him out there, but I frankly am just not one of them. If the T-Wolves do draft Hood, I hope I can look back at this piece in a couple years and laugh at how wrong I was.
Up next we take a look at Zach LaVine. Why? Because it gives me an excuse to watch really cool dunks at work for about an hour and say I’m doing research.
With the NBA Draft on the horizon, it is time to take a look at who the T-Wolves could select. Leading up to the event we will be doing prospect profiles on potential players the Wolves could end up taking with the 13th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Today, we are taking a look at Gary Harris out of Michigan State.
Like obtaining superstars, Three and D guys are key to winning NBA titles. While obviously not as important, they are a puzzle piece every team with championship aspirations need. And if Gary Harris somehow manages to fall to the Timberwolves, the T-Wolves would be able acquire a puzzle piece that, if it panned out, could play a large role in the franchise’s future success. So here’s to hoping that the kid from Fishers Indiana can find himself one day fishing in the land of 10,000 lakes (I can’t believe I got paid to write that sentence either. Also, I apologize for the ‘fishing’ word play – it’s something I really need to cast aside and stop baiting myself into).
Strengths
His shot – and no, not to be confused with his shooting (stats say it isn’t terrific), but scouts really like his shot. Similar to Bradley Beal a few years ago, while the shooting percentage isn’t bonkers (both players shot less than 36% from three in their final season of college ball before entering the draft), scouts think, that like Beal, Harris’ stroke has the potential to make him a three-point marksman.
Also his defense is terrific. He can man up one on one just as well as he can disrupt passing lanes and come up with steals (he averaged just around 2 steals a game last year). From Draft Express:
“Harris is also an excellent defender, capable of guarding both backcourt positions. He has outstanding fundamentals on this end of the floor, always getting in a low stance and putting very good effort in, and showing excellent awareness both on and off the ball. A physical player who uses his strong frame well, Harris has very good anticipation skills, which allows him to get in the passing lanes regularly and even come up with an occasional block.”
Meanwhile, on the other side of the floor, while he isn’t great at creating his own shot - especially when going at a guy one on one - he can do so occasionally in a pinch using his strong frame. That said, he supplements his average shot creation ability with the ability to run off of screens with precision. Combine that with his beautiful stroke, and you got yourself a dangerous half court player on the offensive end.
Despite just being 19 years old (he turns 20 in September), the kid, according to scouts, already has a high basketball IQ (scouts point to his low turnover rate as evidence). With being so young and already having such significant strengths in his game solidified, one wonders just how good the kid could become if he were to work on his weaknesses. And speaking of which…
Weaknesses
He is an average athlete with average physical tools. Like his height (6’5’’ on a good day) and wingspan (6’7’’), his explosiveness doesn’t wow you. It becomes evident in isolation situations and when tries to drive that this is a weakness in his game. Plus, his inability to find success when driving and in isolation is only compounded by the fact his ball handling skills, like his athleticism, is average at best.
Due to these limitations Harris struggles to get to the rim. Worse though, is that when he does get to the rim, stats show that he more often than not fails to convert. From Draft Express:
“He converted only 25 shots at the rim in the half court in 35 games this season, and did so on middling efficiency, hitting 45.5% of his shots at the rim in these settings, a very poor rate.”
Because of this he has to rely heavily on his jump shot – which isn’t necessarily an issue, given the fact his shot is one of his game’s greatest strengths. However, the issue here is, is that despite having a high basketball IQ, he often settles for long twos and other low percentage shots.
Final Word
Considering his high b-ball IQ, and the fact the kid is coachable, the shot selection issue should be an easy fix. And considering how young he is, his ball handling skills can be improved with training. Obviously his average athleticism and physical attributes are always going to be an issue, but improving his dribbling should help him develop into a better driver and iso player. While driving and isolation is never going to be his strong suit, hopefully with some improved ball handles, it won’t be as much of a weakness.
As Wolves fans can tell you from their experience with Ricky Rubio, Harris’ inability to finish effectively at the rim is worrisome. In fact, this is the weakness in his game that has me the most concerned.
Regardless of that apprehension, I would still love it if the Wolves drafted him. He and Rubio would make a great defensive backcourt tandem. Meanwhile, minus the whole finishing shots at the rim thing, it sounds like a match made in heaven on the offensive end. I mean, if you’re a sharp shooter who can run off of screens but struggles to create your own shot one on one, you want to play with Ricky. He’ll create shots for you. The two would be perfect together. Let’s hope Harris is still on the board so the T-Wolves can drop him a line and reel him in (I promise that’s my last fishing pun).
Next up we will take a look at Jabari Parker’s running mate, Rodney Hood. Another sharp shooting wing the Wolves could use.
With the NBA Draft on the horizon, it is time to take a look at who the T-Wolves could select. Leading up to the event we will be doing prospect profiles on potential players the Wolves could end up taking with the 13th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Today, we are taking a look at Adreian Payne out of Michigan State.
I am not the biggest college basketball fan. I don’t watch every game like I (try) to do with the NBA. Whereas I can name you 20 NBA players off the top of my head in a matter of minutes, I would struggle to do the same with college players. Sure, I’d get the big ones like Wiggins, Parker and Embiid – but that’s about it. So for many of these rookie profiles pieces, I am just now introducing myself to the player. And by ‘introducing myself to the player’, I mean spending a couple hours reading articles and watching videos highlights. So when I began my research on Adreian Payne and my first glimpse of his was this:
I was all like this:
And then when I found out he can shoot the three and was a 6-10 stretch four with a 7-4 wingspan, my mind was blown. Soon, I quickly realized my heart was set on Payne. I even drafted a closing to this article that read: “GIVE HIM TO ME. I WANT ADREIAN PAYNE ON THE T-WOLVES. HE WILL BE THE FUTURE FOUR WE NEED. MY HEART DOESN'T NEED LOVE WHEN ALL IT WANTS IS PAYNE."
But then the part of the research where I read articles and scouting reports began. And the more I read, the less and less enthusiastic I became. Suddenly, Payne wasn’t so appealing. No longer was I drooling like my dog watching me eat a hamburger. Before, I really wanted him. Now “I-don’t-really-want-him-but-if-we-got-him-I’d-understand-that-said-I-wouldn’t-be-thrilled-about-it-but-hopefully-I’d-be-incorrect-in-my-analysis-of-him-and-Payne-would-prove-me-wrong-by-being-good.”
Strengths
The kid does have game. What I love about him is that he’s pretty good at the two most efficient shots in basketball (dunks and threes). You already know about his dunking ability, but his three point shooting, while not as impressive, is more than solid. In his first two college seasons at Michigan State, Payne attempted only three 3-pointers. In his junior season he shot a total of 42, hitting 16 treys. He upped that again during his senior year, taking 104 threes and hitting 44 of them. Combine the two seasons in which he started attempting at least one three point shot a game, and Payne is a career 41.2% three point shooter. That should translate into him being a solid three pointer in the NBA (Though let me be clear: if he shoots any where close to 40% from three in the NBA, this kid will be more than a solid three point shooter).
That said, what makes Payne special is that he can score efficiently in a variety of ways. From Draft Express on his senior year shooting efficiency and versatile scoring ability:
“His 61% TS% (true shooting percentage = a measure of shooting efficiency that takes into account field goals, 3-point field goals, and free throws) ranked 13th overall among Top-100 prospects, and he was utilized in an incredibly wide variety of ways this season, be it posting up, running the floor (or trailing) in transition, finishing as a roll-man or cutter around the basket, spotting up and knocking down open jumpers on the perimeter, or attacking closeouts with strong takes to the basket or a pump-fake and one-dribble pull-up.”
While I already touched on his ability to shoot the three, I have yet to talk about his ability to finish at the rim (at least outside of dunking). And according to Draft Express, he was also good at that. Here is a direct quote:
“(He) ranked as one of the best ‘around the basket’ finishers in college basketball in the half-court. Payne converted an outstanding 70% of his attempts in these situations, thanks to his big hands, long arms and explosive leaping ability.”
As you can tell, Payne was a really good offensive player in college. And if even half of his abilities can decently translate to the faster paced game that is the NBA, he will be a solid player in the league. Now, if more than half translates, who knows how good he could be. That said, there are weaknesses in his game that may prevent his abilities from translating at all. And that is why, as I explained in the opening, my opinion of him has changed so dramatically.
(Couldn’t fit this anywhere, but it should be noted that he’s a high character guy. No, like, he’s seriously a good dude. Read this and it will make your day and make you believe there is still good in the world. RIP Lacey Holsworth).
Weaknesses
I worry about whether or not his shot will translate well. While his form is consistent, due to a big dip he has in his gather, his release is slow. Obviously if he has time to get his feet set Payne is fine, but considering he played in the Big 10 (not exactly the most fast paced basketball conference in the NCAA), I do have my concerns about his shot being effective in the faster paced NBA.
Also, given his physical gifts (being 6-10, having a 7-4 wingspan and a freakish leaping ability) one would think he would dominate the boards. Yet, instead, he doesn’t. In fact, his defensive rebounding percentage ranked behind Kyle ‘Slo-Mo’ Anderson – a player whose nickname is based on the fact he is unathletic.
But why is that? Why is someone like Payne not dominating boards? Because of the two following MAJOR ISSUES:
1. He has, according to draft express, a very weak lower body 2. He has smaller lungs than the average person his size.
These are two major issues because you need lower body strength to box people out and establish position. Also you need effort and stamina to rebound. And if you have small lungs, you physically can’t exert as much effort as someone of the same body type with regular sized lungs, because if you do, you will get tired quicker, and therefore you will lose stamina – which you need to rebound consistently throughout the game – quicker than your opponent.
Another weakness in his game is that, despite playing four years of college ball and gaining all that experience, he still lacks defensive awareness. From Bright Side Of The Sun:
“His understanding of and feel for the game on the defensive end isn't where it needs to be. He can get turned around, lose his man, fail to make the right rotation and end up just lost at times defensively.”
All rookies have their weaknesses - even top five picks. But at 23 years old, to have this many weaknesses in your game is a tad disconcerting. A GM wonders, how much room does a 23 year old rookie have to grow? What’s his potential? If Payne was 19 or 20, I’d be thrilled about where he is. To have already developed an outside J by then would make GM’s think, “wow, this kid has even more upside and room to grow.” But to only have just developed a solid three at the age of 23, you wonder how much is left. What upside does a 23-year-old rookie with weaknesses you wouldn’t think a four-year college player would be linked to (i.e. defensive awareness issues) have? That’s the gamble you’re taking with Payne. That said, drafting an older rookie can work. Just look at Gorgui Dieng.
Final Word
Given the types of body transformations we’ve seen with NBA players (Kevin Love comes to mind), I think Payne’s lower body strength issue could be easily fixed over a summer of strength training with an NBA level trainer. So could the dip in his shot – it’s not like his shot needs massive reconstruction surgery. The issue with him is that he is 23 years old, and not 19 or 20. Because if he were a younger age and was the same player he is today, scouts would fall in love with him and he probably wouldn’t even be available with the 13th pick. But instead, thanks to his age, here we are thinking the Timberwolves may select Adreian Payne.
I wouldn’t be as thrilled with pick as I would be if we were to take Kyle Anderson, but, that said, I’d understand the pick. Payne, if he can improve upon his lower body strength, could be a steal in the NBA draft. I just wonder why, at the age of 23 and having spent the last four years in college, he still lacks lower body strength. Did they not have a strength program at Michigan State? Did the Spartans training facility have a busted leg press? I would like to know!
Having already taken a look at draftees playing the position of PG (Tyler Ennis), SF (Kyle Anderson) and just now PF, it is time to next take a look at the position of SG. And continuing with the theme if taking a look at Michigan State Spartans, the next player getting a draft profile is Garry Harris, who, if the T-wolves are lucky, will fall to them on draft night.
With the NBA Draft on the horizon, it is time to take a look at who the T-Wolves could draft. Leading up to the event we will be doing prospect profiles on potential players the Wolves could end up taking with the 13th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Today, we are taking a look at Kyle Anderson out of UCLA.
I have a fascination with tall players who have the ball handling skills and court vision capabilities of a point guard. Versatility and having a skill set that isn’t usually seen in a player of a certain height gets me excited. Doing things that aren’t typically done by someone of a certain body type (or position), being different and unique – those are the qualities in a player I, as a fan, look for. It should therefore then comes as no surprise, that out of all in the players in the upcoming 2014 NBA Draft, Kyle Anderson fascinates me the most.
Strengths
He is a point guard trapped in a 6’9’’ forwards body. He is unselfish and, as evident by the fact he averaged 6.6 assists per game last season (which translated to 7.9 per 40 minutes –the best among any position in his class likely to get drafted according to Sactown Royalty), he is arguably the best player in the draft at finding and setting his teammates up to score. And it’s not just his passing ability that is great, it’s also his rebounding. From Sactown Royalty:
"His 25.5% defensive rebounding rate was better than many power forward/centers in the class; better than Julius Randle (24.7%), Aaron Gordon (19.3%) and Doug McDermott (17.8%)."
Also, while not a knockdown shooter, he is ever improving (as evident by the fact he went from shooting 41.6% from the floor his freshman year to 48% last season).
In the ever-evolving modern NBA, it is clear that the more capable ball handlers you have on the floor the better – and the more capable ball handlers who can setup their teammates effectively the better also. So, as it appears, Kyle Anderson seems to be a sure thing in the modern NBA. However, as his nickname of ‘Slo-Mo’ suggests, he does have some glaring issues in the athleticism department that have some scouts thinking he will be out of the league in a few years.
Weaknesses
So which way is it? His drawback is that he isn’t very athletic. He is, as his nickname suggests, slow. And despite having a 7’2’’ wingspan, is a defensive liability. That said, I think, if put in the right scheme, his liabilities could be masked (like were he playing behind a rim protector by the name of Gorgui Dieng). Also, despite his shooting improvements, he has a slow release that some scouts are dubious of (especially in regards to it translating successfully into the NBA, given how much faster the game is compared to college).
Final Word
Despite these concerns, as I stated earlier, I have a soft spot for a guy like Anderson. The kid is a point forward at heart. And he brings great versatility to the court, and considering how much of a non-facilitator Shabazz is, having two guys who can spread the ball around the floor effectively in Rubio and Anderson does seem appealing on the offensive end (and as the Spurs showed in the Finals, there’s no such thing as putting too many guys who know how to distribute the ball well on the court). If you ask me, a future backcourt of Rubio, Shabazz and Anderson sounds nice and it would go a long way in the inevitable rebuild that is likely to start once Love is traded. Also, in case you haven't been able to tell by now, I simply have a thing for players like Anderson - and thus I would be thrilled if the T-Wolves drafted him.
Up next we take a look at Adreian Payne, a stretch four the Wolves could use, considering they’re more than likely losing the best stretch four in the game soon.
With the NBA Draft a little less than two weeks away, it is time to take a look at who the T-Wolves could draft. Leading up to the event we will be doing prospect profiles on potential players the Wolves could end up taking with the 13th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. To start out with I decided to profile Tyler Ennis, a point guard out of Syracuse
Given the situation the T-Wolves currently find themselves in (rock bottom), the front office should go by the following rule: draft the best player available.
Even if that means drafting a point guard. If the front office believes that the best player available when they are on the clock is a point guard, they should draft a point guard and worry about the internet exploding and Bill Simmons getting an aneurysm some other time.
Ricky Rubio is expendable. Everyone on this roster is. Now, is there a great point guard in this draft? Possibly in Marcus Smart, but the chances of him being on the board at 13 is about as likely as Dave Blatt becoming a Timberwolves assistant coach.
But my point being made here is that the T-Wolves flat out need players. Does the thought of drafting Tyler Ennis, a point guard out of Syracuse, disturb me? YES. I don’t have many prejudices in life, my parents taught me to treat people as equal no matter their appearance, creed, orientation or walk of life, but given the recent history the T-Wolves have had with drafting Orangemen (See Johnson, Wes and Flynn, Jonny) I have a prejudice towards Syracuse players like bigoted basketball fans have towards drafting players out of Europe. I’m sorry, I can’t help it. I’m trying to get over it. Maybe MCW will change my stance because Dion Waiters sure as heck didn’t. But hey, if Tyler Ennis is drafted by the T-Wolves and he is good, then my Agent Orangemen PTSD will be forever cured.
And if you think the thought of the T-Wolves drafting Ennis is absurd, it’s not. In fact, a mock draft by Matt Moore of CBS Sports had the T-Wolves drafting the young point guard (that version of his mock draft has since disappeared, but there is evidence of Moore having the T-Wolves taking Ennis on this page on the T-Wolves website). Having already stated my opinion on the thought of drafting an Orangemen, setting those admitted(ly horrible) prejudices aside, the youngster does have some game. He also has some warning signs.
Ennis’ Strengths:
+ A pure point guard with great passing ability, court vision and handle
+ Confidence, poise and maturity for his age
+ A more than solid wingspan at 6’7’’
+ Defensive intangibles that allow him to wreck havoc on team defense (kid knows how to get steals on steals on steals, be that by intercepting passing lanes or helping an interior defender by clawing the ball out from opposing big men posting up)
+ Shows promise as a perimeter shooter (meaning he has solid mechanics and potential to improve)
Ennis’ Weaknesses:
- Needs to improve jump shot
- Lacks elite athleticism. It’s average.
- Given the use of the zone by Syracuse, his abilities as a man-to-man defender are up in the air at the moment, and frankly, according to Draft Express, he sounds as if to be just an average one on one defender.
Analysis: Is it just me, or, minus the fact he has good shooting mechanics, does Ennis sounds eerily like Ricky Rubio coming into the draft? Obviously he is not (at the moment) as good as Ricky, but look over his weaknesses and strengths again. THEY LOOK LIKE RICKY’S!
Regardless, having two Ricky’s wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing (especially if one of them learns how to shoot). We do need a backup point guard (JJ is not cutting it) and Ennis would fill that void. While I wouldn’t draft the kid, if the front office does, I wouldn’t throw a fit - though if he turns out to be a bust, my Agent Orangemen PTSD will only become more severe. That said, I think there will be better players available at the 13th spot. And one of those players, who I will be writing about next, is Klye Anderson.
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