Following Potential 2025 Draftees

[NAOS_pt2]

Kasparas has yet another good game against a top team, and this time on the road with a big W. 16-6-6

Oh, and that was in 22 minutes due to foul trouble lmfao. Dude might have had a triple double if he played his usual minutes.

#3 on my board (as of now)

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Keyonte is the only (semi) real thing that the Jazz got out of 2 years of tanking. If he is already being penciled as a temporary placeholder to be soon upgraded/traded... then it's just sad.

Keyonte could be the 3rd or 4th starter on a solid playoff team, or he could be a 6th man. He can come in, make some shots and work as a secondary creator, but he's not a guy the Jazz need to plan around when they're drafting at the top of the lottery. Harper, Jakucionis and Fears are all more natural options at the 1. Tre Johnson and Ace Bailey should both be better options at the 2.

 

[NAOS_pt2]

it seems every year there is a prospect or three people simply overthink. maybe their warts are more visible or whatever - I have no idea.

At the end of the story, Bailey is one of the youngest dudes in the draft and he’s averaging 20 and 8.

side note: who had on their bingo card Bailey averaging more blocks per game than Cooper Flagg?

putting him at ~7 in a deep draft isn't much of a knock on his skills. I'd be waaay more down with him if I could evaluate his playmaking skills. The big problem is that there isn't much data to evaluate. Dude can definitely make shots, though.

 

[Thee Jazz Fan]

Look I don’t watch college ball much. I just looked at Flagg’s stats. They don’t jump out to me as some can’t miss stud. Dude can’t shoot.

Do most here still consider him as the sure thing #1 pick?

As of now if I have the #1 pick I’m take Harper.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

it seems every year there is a prospect or three people simply overthink. maybe their warts are more visible or whatever - I have no idea.

At the end of the story, Bailey is one of the youngest dudes in the draft and he’s averaging 20 and 8.

side note: who had on their bingo card Bailey averaging more blocks per game than Cooper Flagg?

He's talented, no doubt. Would be nice if he'd pass a bit more and take some easier shots. People are just trying to envision the role he'll play. Looks like he'll play off the ball, space the floor, and attack some closeouts. His lack of handle and self-creation is holding him back. Then there's the question of whether coaches will want him to shoot these turnaround, fade-aways. His numbers are affected by the difficult shot diet that he tends to settle for. Also, what's with his FTs?

 

[NAOS_pt2]

Keyonte could be the 3rd or 4th starter on a solid playoff team, or he could be a 6th man. He can come in, make some shots and work as a secondary creator, but he's not a guy the Jazz need to plan around when they're drafting at the top of the lottery. Harper, Jakucionis and Fears are all more natural options at the 1. Tre Johnson and Ace Bailey should both be better options at the 2.

When we drafted Keyonte, I never thought he'd end up the lead guard/playmaker. I think he'd thrive in a system where he's a secondary playmaker/scorer. Basically, he'd be better off if someone else created an initial advantage that he could exploit with a drive, pass, or shot.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

When we drafted Keyonte, I never thought he'd end up the lead guard/playmaker. I think he'd thrive in a system where he's a secondary playmaker/scorer. Basically, he'd be better off if someone else created an initial advantage that he could exploit with a drive, pass, or shot.

Right, he's more comfortable and efficient when he isn't trying to run an offense and he can just focus on scoring the ball.

 

[seattlejazzfan]

He's talented, no doubt. Would be nice if he'd pass a bit more and take some easier shots. People are just trying to envision the role he'll play. Looks like he'll play off the ball, space the floor, and attack some closeouts. His lack of handle and self-creation is holding him back. Then there's the question of whether coaches will want him to shoot these turnaround, fade-aways.

i think this is sorta what i'm getting at. people point to things like handle, self creation, lack of assists - the dude is putting up 20 ppg as one of the youngest freshmen in the country. at a certain point, maybe the dude just gets it done. and if you don't think handle is something an extremely young player can improve greatly on, i don't know what to tell you. why do we pretend these OADs are finished products? it's as if we form opinions, our minds can't be changed, so we subconsciously pretend that's just who they are.

also, let's be clear - he shoots those turnaround fadeaways because his teammates aren't getting him open looks. i'm sure he'd love to shoot wide open catch and shoot threes all day.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

When we drafted Keyonte, I never thought he'd end up the lead guard/playmaker. I think he'd thrive in a system where he's a secondary playmaker/scorer. Basically, he'd be better off if someone else created an initial advantage that he could exploit with a drive, pass, or shot.

Yup... fine with the pg experiment as it gives him reps and ya never know but he's likely an undersized 2 that is an above average passer for that position.

 

[KqWIN]

lol @ the idea that dbpm tells a story about individual defense. Adorable.

Watch the games.

Watched the game(s). I’d say if you think he’s been a really good defender, watch the games. See how useless that comment is?

I think Ace can be just fine as a defender in the NBA, but he’s not playing a ton of great defense in college. Moments? Yes, but not consistently. He’s part of the reason they aren’t good on defense. They sit in a zone and he’s…sometimes interested. Overall he’s not been a great defender at the college level.

Now of course, he’s not being asked to play defense. But that still does not equate to playing really good defense.

 

[KqWIN]

Yup... fine with the pg experiment as it gives him reps and ya never know but he's likely an undersized 2 that is an above average passer for that position.

Positions don’t really matter. Key needs to improve his on ball ability badly. Don’t care if that counts as him being a PG or not.

 

[KqWIN]

He's talented, no doubt. Would be nice if he'd pass a bit more and take some easier shots. People are just trying to envision the role he'll play. Looks like he'll play off the ball, space the floor, and attack some closeouts. His lack of handle and self-creation is holding him back. Then there's the question of whether coaches will want him to shoot these turnaround, fade-aways. His numbers are affected by the difficult shot diet that he tends to settle for. Also, what's with his FTs?

He will certainly play a different role in the NBA, but the thing about envisioning him in an off ball role is that he hasn’t actually demonstrated those skills. The main one is obviously shooting where his FT% is awful, his volume is mediocre/poor, and his actual percentage isn’t great either. Many people compare him to the elite of the elite tall shooters, but I don’t find it to be a convincing argument because you would never compare someone else who has been this bad to elite shooters.

IMO, if you’re drafting him it’s because that shot making is so elite…which it actually is. He doesn’t come with much else, some raw potential in other areas, but it’s really the only area where he’s demonstrated a ton of ability.

I greatly worry about his overall basketball IQ and just generally question the effectiveness/value of being an incredible shot maker who does not get efficient shots for himself or others. There are some examples, Melo/LMA etc. But those are the elite of the elite, tough way to make a living.