Better late than never?
So if you are unaware, I posted an article on some of the promising 2nd round NBA Draft picks last year.
By last year, I mean 2019's draft.
My timelines on writing this piece are absolute shit, but I will not apologize.
Either way, I figured we'd run back the concept of that article, for this one I am currently writing. Journalism brilliance personified.
The necessary thing to do would be to check on our 2019 2nd round picks I vouched for, just to see if my money is where my mouth is.
(I have no money, feel free to reference the first piece if you need to remember just exactly why I picked them out.)
Eric Paschall - Rookie of the GODDAMN Year candidate Eric Paschall had an insane first campaign with the Golden State Warriors. He was one of the only bright spots for the injury plagued squad.
"Paschall, 23, averaged 14.0 points on 49.7% shooting from the field, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists over 60 games during his rookie season in 2019-20. In 26 games as a starter he averaged 17.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in 32.7 minutes per game." - NBA.com
The "tweener", or undersized 4 role has become incredibly valuable in today's NBA. Eric Paschall is the dictionary definition of a tweener, and he's playing within a Golden State offence that absolutely thrives off their multi-time all-star tweener Draymond Green. You just knew Steve Kerr was going to make this one work, well actually I KNEW that he would, you might've not even known who Eric Paschall was, you filthy casual.
I am horrible at being right, sorry.
Solid rebounder, decent enough long distance threat, jumps out of the gym, built like a freezer full of bison and cinderblocks.
Carson Edwards - Yes I accept the full responsibility of possibly heaving up a brick on this one. Carson did not see the floor much at all, he hit like 7 3's in a pre-season game though so I'll drink to that. Payton Pritchard is Boston's most recent draft pick, and he looks excellent so far. Outstanding career at Oregon, underrated playmaker and athlete, shoots the cover off the ball. This however, is NOT good news for Carson. Boston's guard rotation might be set without his presence on the court.
Ignas Brazdeikas- He is finally in somewhat of a bench role for the Knicks as you read this disgraceful piece of writing. He did not get the opportunity I thought he might have last season, which I can blame on the Knicks being a complete fucking disaster instead of taking this one on the chin. Iggy didn't play at all really, hopefully the G-league minutes pay off this season. Tom Thibodeau loves nothing more than playing his starting 5 guys 46 minutes a game, so were selling all the stock we have in Iggy having moderate success with the Knicks.
Go kick rocks James Dolan.
Admiral Schofield - He played some minutes, which is more than I can say for Carson and Iggy. We call that a win, small victory maybe?
For some reason I'm always drawn to the draft picks built like a brick shithouse.
Quindarry Weatherspoon - Similar to Admiral Schofield's season, except he actually played some significant minutes in the bubble. For his sparse amount of total minutes for the season, I'd say he looked good. He had some really nice moments in the bubble. He tries really hard on the defensive end too, which is funny when you say it out loud.
Like, are there players that don't try on the defensive end in the NBA, Marcus?
Yes. It's one of my favorite things to see in an NBA game.
The Spurs now have Derrick White, Lonnie Walker IV, Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson, Luka Samanic, Quindarry Weatherspoon, and Tre Jones as a young core to move forward with.
Sounds like smoke.
Ok I'll preface my picks for this years draft by saying this; the draft class seems weak. I was almost counting on a few guys going in the 2nd round so I could write about them. To my chagrin, Payton Pritchard and Malachi Flynn were selected 26th and 29th respectively, they completely deserve to be that high up in the draft, I am just a selfish little man.
There was a plethora of questions about the top 3 picks abilities on the court, you could imagine that the 2nd round might have a cluster of much more troubling questions.
I might answer some of those questions, but the product I deliver could be as disappointing as Chance's last album.
(The only acceptable songs on "The Big Day' by Chance the Rapper are "Do You Remember" and "Eternal" because it has Smino in it. "Hot Shower" is acceptable because it's completely ridiculous, but nothing else measures up to anything on his previous albums. You can fight me about this but I'll likely file a claim for assault charges because I am a complete bastard. You need a correctional institute anyways if you think that album compares to anything else he's ever made.)
Enough bullshit, here we go.
Theo Maledon
OKC Thunder - Point Guard
LDLC ASVEL Stats
7.4 ppg, 3.1 apg, 1.8 rpg, 45.6 FG%, 36.7 3P%,
Pick #34
Theo Maledon is like if someone ironed out Tony Parker on a canvas and stretched him up to 6'5 with a 6'9 wingspan. You might be thinking that's an obvious comparison because they're both French, but there's clearly some inspiration in Maledon's game that reflects the all-time great. His ability to get in the lane with relative simplicity is super reminiscent of Tony, the push shots and creativity with his right hand just hammers that point home. Destination also plays a part in whether 2nd round picks succeed, and OKC seems to be an excellent breeding ground for developing talent at this stage. He's already getting an excellent opportunity in a backup point guard role with the Thunder, posting similar stats to his time in Europe.
"Marcus, those stats aren't that great"
Well yes, those stats were formed in only 17 minutes per game. Euroleague teams don't usually overload prospects with minutes, that league is way too competitive to throw most young players into the inferno. If prospects ARE getting minutes at that level, you usually have a superstar in the making (Luka Doncic). Per 36 minutes, Theo would have been closer to 15 ppg/ 6 apg / 4 rpg splits. Theo's advantages lie in his already progressing jumpshot, and his length + pace of play. Unlike Tony Parker, Theo slows the game down to methodically break down a defense, taking time to read ball screens and off-ball action. Plus he appears to be reliable in a catch and shoot situation, something Tony Parker really had to work on. 36.7% is a more than acceptable percentage for a long point guard, he needs to improve his footwork if he wants to buff that, but the mechanics are all there.
Defensively, he should be able to catch on relatively quick with his frame. His lackadaisical nature on that side of the ball was labeled a weakness in his game in the pre-draft videos. If engagement and positioning are his main issues, theoretically it could be an easy fix. Take some lessons from Luguentz Dort, the Whirlpool refrigerator that moves at mach speed.
The aspect of being able to get to YOUR spots on the court isn't something thought about enough when grading a player. That's arguably what made Tony Parker incredible, he could murder you with his right hand only, and eventually pull-up going left. If you can't keep someone from getting to their specific strengths on regular basis, that displays the savvy and IQ necessary to have a long NBA career.
Tyler Bey
Dallas Mavericks - Combo Forward
University of Colorado Stats
13.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.2 bpg, 53 FG%, 41.9 3P%
Pick #36
Tyler Bey is blocks, dunks, steals, the occasional long ball, just a highlight. I found myself watching Colorado play a lot more than I intended to last year, it's mainly because Tyler would be murdering guys. Easily one of the best defenders in the draft, he's 6'7 with a 7'1 wingspan, making him ideal for that end of the floor. He's absolutely a tweener (in between a 3 and a 4 position wise), but if we've learned anything from Eric Paschall, the tweener role is trending heavily.
Tyler is a fast-break demon, runs the floor beautifully to spike some lob passes through the orange ring and damn near through the fucking floor. His 3 point stroke looks good, he just didn't put up a volume amount of long balls in college (13/31 from 3). It is promising looking at his form, if he gets up a good amount of reps then we're looking at 3 and D prospect. He doesn't have much of a handle, and isn't incredibly dangerous in a half court motion set. That's not where he makes his money though, he's pure energy, and he scores with pure energy. His activity on the glass is impressive, and his athletic prowess allows him to get downhill easy enough.
The real selling point is the defense however, and the Mavericks could really improve in that area of the floor. Tyler can guard any position, especially since the NBA is moving away from back-to-the-basket 5's. He was the Pac-12 defensive player of the year for a reason, not only displaying overt athleticism, but his intellect in reading plays and help-side defense. For me, it was must watch TV having him pack someone's lunch at the rim on one end, just to sprint down to the other end, and put someone in a body bag while catching a lob. If he irons out that long ball, we have ourselves a spicy version of Robert Covington.
Xavier Tillman
Memphis Grizzlies - Power Forward/Centre
Michigan State Stats
13.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.1 bpg, 55 FG%, 26 3P%
Pick #35
Xavier Tillman is a high IQ player, that's often what you're going to get out of someone in Tom Izzo's program. He finds immediate value on Memphis due to his defensive awareness and playmaking ability as a big. Xavier isn't what I'd call an athlete, but that didn't stop him from having 2.1 blocks per game, along with 1.2 steals per game. Your timing and understanding has to be elite for you to consistently produce those stats with limited athletic ability. The 3 assists per game displays his ability to find the best possible shot, he's a very easy guy to throw into any lineup because of his abilities. Though he's only 6'8 with a 7'1 wingspan, Xavier still plays huge. His finishing around the rim would make you think he's closer to being 7 feet tall, but he's undersized. He shot 68.1% around the basket, and 79.4% when you put him in a pick and roll. That's an exceptional roll man, almost reminding me of Montrezl Harrel's ability around the rim despite his size.
The best part about his pick and roll skills has to be the passing though, that's such a necessary skill that big boys need to have in today's NBA. He can catch the ball as he's rolling, and easily hit a corner man for a wide open 3. He's capable of throwing lob passes if the help-side defense commits. His intelligence on both ends make him a valuable piece for any team, a very suitable addition to the "grindhouse" of Memphis, if they ever choose to rep that again.
HIs jump shot definitely needs work, but his somewhat consistent mechanics displays some promise. The motion of his shot is clean, he did however shoot it with 2 hands occasionally at Michigan State, raising a tiny red flag. The type of red flag that's up when your blind date says she's not familiar with Taylor Swift's early work, so her favourite song is "bad blood", causing you to dine and dash on her ass. Give Xavier a chance to prove he knows all the lyrics to "forever & always", give his jumpshot a chance.
Xavier has an extremely sound back to the basket game, I have doubts whether he will be able to showcase that in today's NBA. Nonetheless, It's a plus having someone to throw down on the block for a 4 foot hook shot.
Skylar Mayes
Atlanta Hawks - Combo Guard
Louisiana State Stats
16.7 pgg, 5.0 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.2 spg, 49.1 FG%, 39.4 3P%
Pick #50
Skylar is someone I started paying close attention to after ESPN did a special surrounding him, and the tragic death of his best friend and teammate Wayde Sims. That LSU team was incredibly entertaining to watch in 2019 with Tremont Waters and Skylar sharing the backcourt. He was statistically one of the best pick and roll players in college basketball, which is incredible for someone who's technically a combo guard. His offensive repertoire seems to have very little holes in it, being 6'4 and weighing 205 lbs helps his NBA profile. He's strong enough to take contact and finished around the rim at a 55% clip, which is exceptional for his build. His long distance shot is super clean and he can fire it off whether he's coming off a ball screen or a pin down action. His handle is tight, and he can change direction efficiently with spins and behind the back dribbles. He shows flashes of powerful athleticism, it's not really his trademark, but he will baptize you in the lane if you give him a runway. Power is an underrated trait to have as a rookie, and Skylar definitely has the power to bully players on both ends.
Defensively you'd think he was limited, he's not overly long, but he's an absolute dog. His frame allows him to use pure strength and grit to keep someone in front of him. he creates a lot of turnovers just by being active in a help-side scenario, and will rip you if you dance with the ball in front of him. Atlanta needs more dogs, especially with the teams main knocks being on the defensive side of the ball. Unfortunately, the backcourt situation in Atlanta is a bit loaded, opportunities may be tough to come by.
That's not really an issue, we're looking for long term development in our 2nd round picks. There must be evidence that someone can progress, and I don't believe that Skylar is even close to his ceiling. Whether he stays with Atlanta or gets shipped off somewhere else eventually, keep his name in the back of your mind.
Sam Merrill
Milwaukee Bucks - Shooting Guard
Utah State Stats
19.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.9 apg, 46.1 FG%, 40.0 3P%
Pick #60
Bold strategy talking about the very last pick in the draft Cotton, let's see how it pays off.
Y'all know that I'm partial to the shooters, and Sam Merrill is a flat out flamethrower. His footwork and off-ball IQ is something to behold, especially for not being fast whatsoever. Sam's methodical pace kind of reminds of a shorter Danilo Gallinari, meaning he's still going to be effective despite his lack of speed. His ability to come off screening actions, catch high, and lace it with minimal space puts him in a very small category of elite shooters in college basketball. He may not get an opportunity to put the ball on the deck that much, but he's one of the most effective pull-up shooters in this years draft. He can create space with his body or his surprisingly tight handle, and again, needs barely any space to shoot it.
Milwaukee literally could not have enough shooters, with the Greek Demi-God commanding so much attention in the lane, kick-outs should be a focal point of Milwaukee's offense.
Is it a focal point? I really can't tell, Milwaukee confuses me.
Sam's ability to create space off the ball should be opening Mike Budenholzer's eyes a little bit. Milwaukee has plenty of guys who can spot up shoot, but not many that can shoot off the move. If the paint is packed in on Giannis, you want someone who is no-questions-asked going to set the neighborhood on fire from deep. Currently, I have several questions about Milwaukee's actual potential from outside, with Khris Middleton being the exception.
Will Sam struggle on defense? Probably, but a team like the Bucks should be able to cover for that with pure length. I don't understand why the "will he be able to play defense" question is such a hot debate in the draft, because half of the NBA can't defend, clearly there's some value trumping a defensive liability. Sam is a smart passer, he doesn't have any flash to his passes but he makes the correct decision when the ball is in his hands. He will supplement your offense positively no matter what, and he's much more of a natural shooter on the move than Bryn Forbes is. If defense is the issue than so be it, don't come crying to me when y'all lose in the conference finals again.
Never forget that the state of Wisconsin deserves nothing.
Hope y'all enjoyed, I took my time putting this article out. Mainly because none of these dudes had any summer league ball, and barely any pre-season either. Wanting to get a better look at picks isn't a crime right?
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