Three perennial losers–Suns, Nuggets, and Magic–did themselves proud.
1. Phoenix Suns: DeAndre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Elie Okobo, George King
A ton of pressure goes along with having the #1 overall pick in a draft. Drafting a bust is a GM’s worst nightmare. And, historically speaking, many of the worst #1 picks have been big men.
I think DeAndre Ayton breaks that mold. At 7’1” with a 7’6” wingspan Ayton is akin to David Robinson and perhaps even Hakeem Olajuwon.
DeAndre Ayton (photo, Yibada)
In college, Ayton’s size, strength, and athleticism allowed him to overwhelm bigs in Sean Miller’s offense at Arizona. He averaged 20 points and 11 assists last season, which is even more impressive than it sounds. Ayton often played out of position at power forward because Arizona had another seven-footer in Dusan Ristic.
Ayton can dominate in the paint and knock down outside shots, which is an essential quality in today’s NBA. Ayton may not be a quality NBA defender yet, but he’ll surely develop under the tutelage of Tyson Chandler, a former defensive POY.
Next, the Suns drafted Zhaire Smith but traded him in a surprise deal to Philadelphia for Mikal Bridges. Phoenix got a steal. Bridges is an athletically gifted 6’7” small forward/shooting guard from Villanova. His athleticism, along with a 7’5” wingspan, made him one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball. To top it off, Bridges can shoot the three (43% after a slow start last season) and is an efficient scorer (never below 50%). (Note: My only problem with Bridges is that he isn’t on the Knicks.)
To cap off an excellent night, the Suns snagged two players in the second round–Elie Okobo and George King. In Okobo (31st pick), the Suns may have found their point guard of the future. Okobo, an international player, is an explosive lefty guard who will develop nicely behind Brandon Knight.
King, a 24-year-old and the oldest player selected in the draft, is a marksman and pure shooter, having shot 46% from three-point range his sophomore year at Colorado. Just like a Danny Green, King may never be a pure scorer, but his excellent defense could allow him to make a career as a premier “3-and-D” player.
Bottom Line: Although the Suns finished last in the wild West, give this team time. With Devin Booker at shooting guard, Josh Jackson and Mikal Bridges at forward, and Ayton holding down the center, the Suns are a reliable point guard away from being a scary team.
2. Denver Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr., Jarred Vanderbilt, Thomas Welsh
Last year, Michael Porter Jr. was considered to be a potential #1 overall pick. This year, though, teams passed on him early. He fell out of the lottery and eventually landed with the Nuggets at #14. How could a generational talent be selected so late?
“Injury” is the answer. He missed most of his freshman season at Missouri with the same back surgery that Steve Kerr and Tiger Woods underwent. If not for that, Porter Jr. most likely would have been a top-three talent. That means drafting Porter Jr. was a risk. In fact, there’s no guarantee that Porter Jr. will even appear in a game this season.
Courtesy: Rock M Nation
But why not roll the dice at #14? It could turn out to be a high risk/high reward move.
When asked about his play style, Porter Jr. says his game is a combination of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant. Maybe that’s just ego talking because Porter Jr. has little experience past high school.
The 6-foot-10 small forward was the #1 consensus college recruit following a senior year when he averaged monster numbers–36.2 points and 16.2 rebounds a game. He’s an elite athlete with excellent dunking ability and exceptional shooting skills. As long as he stays healthy–and that was the main concern for NBA GMs–Porter Jr’s floor could be similar to a Danilo Gallinari and his ceiling could be as high as a Joe Johnson–and, yes, maybe even Kevin Durant.
Next, the Nuggets acquired Jarred Vanderbilt (Kentucky) from the Orlando Magic in exchange for their second-round pick, Justin Jackson. Similar to Porter Jr., Vanderbilt’s college career was injury-limited. Last season, the 6-foot-9 forward averaged just 5.9 points in 14 games. Vanderbilt, a lefty, was a bit of a point-forward in high school because of his ability to run an offense. He’s made for the NBA with his defensive motor and a rare ability to defend any position.
Finally, with the 58th pick, the Nuggets drafted Thomas Welsh (UCLA). Welsh is a seven-footer who’s capable of hitting a three-pointer. He also has a high basketball IQ. While some think he’s nothing special, Welsh is a smart player who developed well in his four years in Westwood.
Bottom Line: Michael Porter Jr. was too risky for many NBA teams. But Nuggets’ GM Arturas Karnisovas will look like a genius if Porter stays healthy and plays to his potential. My take is that Porter Jr. was the biggest steal in the draft. He’ll be a force alongside Nikola Jokic.
3. Orlando Magic: Mohamed Bamba, Melvin Frazier, Justin Jackson
Mo Bamba (Texas) is my favorite player in this draft. Bamba, who looks like he was assembled in a factory, is a perfect NBA center. He broke Rudy Gobert’s record for the longest wingspan at the NBA combine–7’10”–and has a body that seemingly extends forever. He’s a defensive monster, a rim protector, who had 3.7 blocks per game.
Mo Bamba doing what he does so well (photo, FanRag Sports)
However, limitless arms aren’t the only things that make Bamba great. Unlike Kendrick Perkins, Bamba isn’t the typical clumsy seven-footer. He’s graceful and agile enough to move around the paint and block shots with ease. While offensively he has yet to develop to his potential, Bamba showed flashed in the post last season. One reason: his shooting mechanics improved.
Next, the Magic went the forward route, selecting Melvin Frazier (Tulane). Frazier improved his three-point percentage enormously last year–from 11% to 38.5%. At 6’6”, Frazier is quick and versatile defensively–enough of both to guard forwards and guards. Though he may never be a starter, he projects to be another strong “3 and D” player off the bench.
Orlando wrapped up their night by acquiring Justin Jackson (Maryland), another player whose career was cut short by injury. The bright spot is that Jackson shot 43.8% from three-point range as a freshman. He is athletic with a 7’3” wingspan. If his shooting returns to what it was during his freshman year, then Jackson could be another good “3 and D” player.
Bottom Line: Mo Bamba is the centerpiece of Orlando’s rebuild–a throwback to the time that centers dominated the league. I think he’ll be a candidate for defensive POY and develop into a premier shot-blocker.
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Honorable Mentions: Dallas Mavericks (Luka Donic), San Antonio Spurs (Lonnie Walker IV)
