If there's one thing I've learned from the all-powerful entity known as "Vegas," it's when the Public feels strongly about something, the best move is to bet the opposite. So when the predominantly New York crowd erupted with boos upon hearing the name Kristaps Porzingis Thursday night, I couldn't help but smile to myself. I think many ignorant Knicks fans will be in for a nice surprise.
While I can certainly accept the consensus that Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor are two of the top three players in this draft class, I actually disagree with many who have PG D'Angelo Russell in that trio. I actually believe Porzingis, the 7-foot-1 forward/center from Latvia, is the third-best player in the class. Before I get to what I have against Russell, let's talk about Porzingis' many strengths...
The first thing that jumps out at me about Porzingis' game tape is that he catches-and-shoots like a two-guard. We've seen foreign-born bigs shoot from the perimeter before -- Andrea Bargnani, Yi Jianlian, Nikoloz Tskitishvili and more of the like -- but I've never seen THIS before. This is a 7-foot-1 kid coming off screens and releasing his shot as quickly as some solid shooting guards who are already in the NBA. Porzingis is not solely a stand-still shooter; he has rather amazing shot versatility. Offensively, I honestly think he could contribute right away. The question is will Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher throw him immediately into the fire? I think they should. Only time will tell.
Porzingis also has EXCELLENT hands. Normally young, 7-plus guys need a ton of work on their catching and overall ball skills. They usually have the length and athleticism, but lack the necessary touch and smoothness to excel right out of the gate. That certainly isn't the case here. Porzingis moves very well without the ball and catches with ease when cutting. His long arms and sure hands make him difficult to contest when he catches off a curl and rolls to the rim to flush it down. I've been referring to him as a "giant guard" and for now, offensively, that's what he is at the NBA level. Of course he will have to bulk up over time in order to hold his own defensively against power 4s and 5s, but I think he can flip-flop between 3s and 4s for the time being. A good coaching staff would be able to find the right opportunities for him to play immediately out of the gate. Not sure if the Knicks have that kind of staff, but I hope they'll give him a chance to play alongside a group that will likely include Carmelo Anthony, Greg Monroe and David West.
So what do I have against D'Angelo Russell? Well nothing personal, but, I think everything he does on the court is too slow to be elite at a world-class level. I mean, this is a kid who was selected No. 2 overall, he's supposed to be a franchise-type player, and I just don't see how he could be. He's not fast in terms of actual foot speed, and his moves are slow-ish and very deliberate. I don't see him breaking down tough, professional perimeter defense too easily. Guys like Pat Beverley, John Wall and Mike Conley will eat him alive.
Shooting wise, Russell shows some ability to play off the ball, but his release is low and unimpressive. He seems to be able to make shots, but I definitely wouldn't refer to him as a "shooter." What I see is a weak point guard class, and teams desperately searching for something in a pile of nothing. I CANNOT believe the Lakers passed on Okafor for Russell, especially considering the fact that Jordan Clarkson -- who is young, explosive and also a combo guard -- is already one of the cornerstones of their roster. They must really believe they have a good chance to move Clarkson and Julius Randle (and others) in a package for DeMarcus Cousins. Either that or they are confident they will land LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Brook Lopez, DeAndre Jordan, Kevin Love and/or the aforementioned Monroe.
I also really like PG Jerian Grant from Notre Dame, whom Phil nabbed later in the first round. It was a strong showing for the Knicks, as well as my Nets who I didn't have a chance to get to. Maybe next time.
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