Thoughts on DaQuan Jeffries?

twslam07

twslam07

All-Star
#1
#1
NBA Combine Measurements
Age = 22 years old
Weight = 215.6 lbs (71% percentile among SFs in his draft class)
Body Fat % = 3.9% (94% percentile among SFs in his draft class)
Hand Length = 9.5" (100% percentile among SFs in his draft class)
Hand Width = 10.25" (100% percentile among SFs in his draft class)
Height w/o Shoes = 6'4" (12% percentile among SFs in his draft class)
Height w/ Shoes = 6'5" (6% percentile among SFs in his draft class)
Wingspan = 6'11.25" (47% percentile among SFs in his draft class)
Standing Reach = 8'8" (53% percentile among SFs in his draft class)

College & G-League Per36 Stats
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Scouting Write Up
Coming out of college, he seemed like a high IQ player who didn't force the issue. He wasn't an outstanding playmaker, but he's a decent passer & a willing passer. He's been a pretty consistent 3PT shooter & FT shooter (although those %s dipped during his G-League stint) which bodes well for his potential in the NBA as a floor spacer. He's a good finisher inside (as evident by his 2P% in college). He's not going to be a go-to scorer (obviously), but he's not a sieve offensively by any means.

Rebounding is obviously a plus with him averaging 7-8 REB per36 (considering his size). Defensively, he was great. Good communicator & motor on that end of the floor. Knows where to be on defense and has some decent shotblocking ability from the weakside.

Athletically, he's got great length/standing reach for his height. He's also very strong with his compact, 215 lbs frame. He reportedly has a 42 inch vertical. Although I'm not sure how reliable that is, but he was in some dunk competitions so maybe it has some validity. He doesn't seem to be exceptionally quick laterally, but his IQ, positioning, fundamentals, length, & strength help make up for it defensively.


General
I thought he looked very good yesterday. I was bummed that we didn't draft him with our 2nd round pick but was happy to hear we got him on a two-way. I think he could be a starting SF in this league that sticks to his role and provides floor spacing, defense, & rebounding. I'm looking forward to zooming in on his defense against quicker players to see if he can overcome his lateral quickness and be an effective defender on NBA SFs. Otherwise, his role in the NBA will likely be a bench, small-ball PF.
 
twslam07

twslam07

All-Star
#4
#4
DesertFox said:
He seems like a less hyped Miles Bridges. Like almost every position nowadays, his 3 pt shooting could be the difference between having a Kent Bazemore career or bouncing as a 12th man.
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Bridges is an interesting comparison. Similar bulk/strength, good vertical, decent shooter, decent defender, etc.
 
F

Folsomkingsfan

Starter
#6
#6
twslam07 said:
What do you think limits him as being a deep roster guy (most likely)?
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Is there anything about him that would prove otherwise? He isn't/wasn't a hyped prospect and he's not exactly young for a rookie, turning 23 next month. At this point teams probably won't look to develop him at all. Adding to that, he doesn't have any standout skills. He's an OK shooter, good rebounder, probably above average IQ player. But isn't a great defender and decision maker. His ceiling is probably pretty moderate. He probably won't lose you games if you play him a lot, but is he worth taking an established player or intriguing young talent out of the rotation for?
 
Telemachus

Telemachus

Starter
#7
#7
Folsomkingsfan said:
Is there anything about him that would prove otherwise? He isn't/wasn't a hyped prospect and he's not exactly young for a rookie, turning 23 next month. At this point teams probably won't look to develop him at all. Adding to that, he doesn't have any standout skills. He's an OK shooter, good rebounder, probably above average IQ player. But isn't a great defender and decision maker. His ceiling is probably pretty moderate. He probably won't lose you games if you play him a lot, but is he worth taking an established player or intriguing young talent out of the rotation for?
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Actually, his forte coming out of college was his great defense. He played very good defense in the G League this year as well.
 
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VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#8
#8
I've liked him since he first donned a Kings jersey. I don't think he'll ever be an all-star but I think in the right circumstances he can be a good solid role-player, someone who goes out and does his job whenever his number is called. There really aren't that many of those kinds of players floating around, so I think we're lucky to have him. The idea that we shouldn't use him because there might be some 'intriguing young talent' out there doesn't really resonate with me. That sounds suspiciously like the "grass is always greener" syndrome to me, something I detest.
 
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twslam07

twslam07

All-Star
#9
#9
Folsomkingsfan said:
Is there anything about him that would prove otherwise? He isn't/wasn't a hyped prospect and he's not exactly young for a rookie, turning 23 next month. At this point teams probably won't look to develop him at all. Adding to that, he doesn't have any standout skills. He's an OK shooter, good rebounder, probably above average IQ player. But isn't a great defender and decision maker. His ceiling is probably pretty moderate. He probably won't lose you games if you play him a lot, but is he worth taking an established player or intriguing young talent out of the rotation for?
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I disagree with both of these.

Also, how can you say he has above average IQ but in the next breath say he's not a great decision maker? I think his decision making is just fine.

As for his defense, it's his calling card and what he is known most for so I'm curious what makes you question his defensive ability when it was arguably his best attribute coming out of college?
 
jcassio

jcassio

Starter
#11
#11
King Baller said:
Jeffries looked pretty good in this one scrimmage. He plays defense pretty well, hits the 3 and has a little game around the hoop, what is not to like?
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Exactly. What’s not to like about him?
He might even be ahead of our two draft picks from last year in terms of ability to contribute right now.
I don’t understand why at this point so many Kingsfans feel it necessary to declare “he’ll never be a starter,” or “he’ll never be an all star.” Why throw out limitations like that when you just don’t know? Y’all in fear of us cutting Fox loose because this guy may become Vivek’s fav?
 
VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#12
#12
jcassio said:
Exactly. What’s not to like about him?
He might even be ahead of our two draft picks from last year in terms of ability to contribute right now.
I don’t understand why at this point so many Kingsfans feel it necessary to declare “he’ll never be a starter,” or “he’ll never be an all star.” Why throw out limitations like that when you just don’t know? Y’all in fear of us cutting Fox loose because this guy may become Vivek’s fav?
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In my mind, I don't understand why those two criteria are the only requirements. There are a number of good role players who had very successful careers without ever being a starter or an all-star. It seems around here people tend to forget just how important those players are to a team's success. A good role player won't break the bank come contract time and they actually make it easier to keep some of those top tier players around.
 
bajaden

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#13
#13
Folsomkingsfan said:
Is there anything about him that would prove otherwise? He isn't/wasn't a hyped prospect and he's not exactly young for a rookie, turning 23 next month. At this point teams probably won't look to develop him at all. Adding to that, he doesn't have any standout skills. He's an OK shooter, good rebounder, probably above average IQ player. But isn't a great defender and decision maker. His ceiling is probably pretty moderate. He probably won't lose you games if you play him a lot, but is he worth taking an established player or intriguing young talent out of the rotation for?
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First, get your facts straight. Jeffries was known as one of the best defenders in college that year, and a much better athlete than most suspected. He was at the top of my list for possible 2nd rd picks by the Kings that year and I was a happy camper when we acquired him on a two way. He has the potential to be another Kent Bazemore, and maybe a better shooter than Bazemore. Jeffries shot just a tick under 40% his freshman year in college. After sitting out a year he shot an almost identical percentage his 2nd year. His final year he shot just a tick under 37%, so he's shown the potential to be a outside shooter.

He wasn't heavily recruited coming out of highschool and got lost a bit in the shuffle, but he improved every year in college. He's developed into a very solid player that doesn't make many mistakes. He knows where he's supposed to be on the floor. He always makes smart decisions when it comes to defensive rotations. The idea that a player is incapable of improving because he's 23 years old is pure nonsense. Prior to the beginning of the one and done era, almost all players coming into the NBA were 22 or 23 years old, many of which are in the HOF.
 
F

Folsomkingsfan

Starter
#14
#14
twslam07 said:
I disagree with both of these.

Also, how can you say he has above average IQ but in the next breath say he's not a great decision maker? I think his decision making is just fine.

As for his defense, it's his calling card and what he is known most for so I'm curious what makes you question his defensive ability when it was arguably his best attribute coming out of college?
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By decision maker I meant passer, bad choice of words. He's got good shot selection and knows when to get rid of the ball so credit to him there.

Also regarding his defense, I've seen him play maybe 4 or 5 games in my life, all G-League and then yesterday. Never seen him play in college so no idea what his defense was like there. From what I saw he knows when to switch and fights through screens well. But he struggled when guarding shorter and faster or taller guys, which will happen often because he's sort of a tweener, though that's not as detrimental as it was. He also reaches a lot and has some issues with fouls.

Again, I don't really know the guy well. This is all going off my own eye test. Going by what others are saying he has a good amount of potential and is highly capable I guess. If that's the case then I hope we can find a way to give him some consistent minutes to see for sure. That being said I'm not sure where he would even find minutes at the SG and SF position. Which brings me back to my original comment. Is he talented enough to take minutes from Hield, Bogdan, Bazemore, and Barnes?
 
twslam07

twslam07

All-Star
#15
#15
Folsomkingsfan said:
By decision maker I meant passer, bad choice of words. He's got good shot selection and knows when to get rid of the ball so credit to him there.

Also regarding his defense, I've seen him play maybe 4 or 5 games in my life, all G-League and then yesterday. Never seen him play in college so no idea what his defense was like there. From what I saw he knows when to switch and fights through screens well. But he struggled when guarding shorter and faster or taller guys, which will happen often because he's sort of a tweener, though that's not as detrimental as it was. He also reaches a lot and has some issues with fouls.

Again, I don't really know the guy well. This is all going off my own eye test. Going by what others are saying he has a good amount of potential and is highly capable I guess. If that's the case then I hope we can find a way to give him some consistent minutes to see for sure. That being said I'm not sure where he would even find minutes at the SG and SF position. Which brings me back to my original comment. Is he talented enough to take minutes from Hield, Bogdan, Bazemore, and Barnes?
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Well I don't see Jeffries as a SG/SF. I see him as a SF/PF. His standing reach is solid for a NBA SF, and if he really has a 40+ inch vertical, it'll feel like he's playing bigger. So not only is his length and vertical good, but his strength is good as well which should come in handy when he swings up to PF. His rebounding ability doesn't make him a liability at PF either, and he's good with defensive rotations, help defense, and weakside blocks.

I don't see why he couldn't end up finding minutes at SF/PF especially considering Bazemore, Len, & Giles are all expiring at the end of the year. That leaves you with Bagley, Holmes, Bjelica, & Parker at PF/C (and I'd rather not play Parker any minutes) and Barnes at SF. It would appear there would be some minutes for a guy that plays SF/PF.



I may feel like I'm hyping him up a lot, but @bajaden & I were both high on this guy coming out of college. He was great defensively in college, has good measurables/athleticism, was consistently knocking down 3s, had a good motor, and played smart. For a scouting novice like me, he seemed like an easy pick, but to my surprise, he went undrafted. But also to my surprise, we got him with a two-way deal.

Needless to say, I'm happy to see him getting some time. I thought I was going to dread watching the Kings again with Fox, Bagley, Barnes, & Holmes out, but my interest has come back as I really want to see how Jeffries fairs against some legitimate NBA players.
 
E

ESP47

All-Star
#16
#16
He kind of has the same strengths and weaknesses as Justin James. I think both players only need one thing to stick around in this league as a rotational player and that's shooting. They have most everything else covered other than a consistent shot.
 
D

dude12

Hall of Famer
#17
#17
Folsomkingsfan said:
Is there anything about him that would prove otherwise? He isn't/wasn't a hyped prospect and he's not exactly young for a rookie, turning 23 next month. At this point teams probably won't look to develop him at all. Adding to that, he doesn't have any standout skills. He's an OK shooter, good rebounder, probably above average IQ player. But isn't a great defender and decision maker. His ceiling is probably pretty moderate. He probably won't lose you games if you play him a lot, but is he worth taking an established player or intriguing young talent out of the rotation for?
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Agree with much of the points here. When I say deep roster guy, that’s not an insult. Is he a 8 man rotation guy? Is he a starter material at some point? Who will he be guarding at this level? Is he a garbage guy/hustle guy like Jakarr Sampson?

I mean we have a small sample size at the NBA level to go on. College is one thing. G-League is another. Can he replicate his G-League performance when more freak athletes are on the floor. Incredible wingspan and strong body. I guess it’s going to come down to who He can guard. In an age of positionless basketball And smaller lineups it gives him a chance. I’ll stick to my original statement, that if we are playing the percentages, he’s a deep roster guy.
 
Tetsujin

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#18
#18
VF21 said:
In my mind, I don't understand why those two criteria are the only requirements. There are a number of good role players who had very successful careers without ever being a starter or an all-star. It seems around here people tend to forget just how important those players are to a team's success. A good role player won't break the bank come contract time and they actually make it easier to keep some of those top tier players around.
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A player can only be either a future MVP candidate or pure garbage. Those are apparently the two options now.
 
Tetsujin

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#19
#19
ESP47 said:
He kind of has the same strengths and weaknesses as Justin James. I think both players only need one thing to stick around in this league as a rotational player and that's shooting. They have most everything else covered other than a consistent shot.
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And in this day and age, you don’t even need a particular consistent shot to stay in the league so long as you can defend and stay out of a number one option’s way.
 
ockingsfan

ockingsfan

Starter
#21
#21
If Kent Bazemore is too expensive to re-sign this summer. I think we have a young potential replacement in DaQuan Jeffries for the 3 and D SF/SG spot.

Very similar build and game to Bazemore. Similar stories too, both undrafted after solid college careers.

Jeffries should really soak in as much knowledge from Bazemore these next few weeks as he can. I can see them have similar career trajectories.
 
Larry89

Larry89

Disgruntled Kings Fan
#23
#23
Looks incredibly strong and athletic, insane wingspan as well. Looks like the makings of a PJ Tucker/Tony Allen, good shooting as well. I wouldn't mind him getting minutes at all as his defense has been quite surprising, decent at the 3 in a smallball lineup if we have HB at 4 and someone like richaun or len at 5.
 
T

The_Jamal

Hall of Famer
#24
#24
Larry89 said:
Looks incredibly strong and athletic, insane wingspan as well. Looks like the makings of a PJ Tucker/Tony Allen, good shooting as well. I wouldn't mind him getting minutes at all as his defense has been quite surprising, decent at the 3 in a smallball lineup if we have HB at 4 and someone like richaun or len at 5.
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Ohhh that's a super interesting comp. Similar build to PJ as well, with more bounce than young PJ had.
 
Tetsujin

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#26
#26
Larry89 said:
I just noticed how much bigger he looked than all of our wings.. I don't think he is 215lbs.. looks like he weighs a lot more
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I made the comparison in the first scrimmage but physically Daquan reminds me of a Bonzi/RonRon wing who are physically built like small classic power forwards than your typical quick wing. It should be noted that Jeffries had an insane 3.9% body fat reading at the combine so he’s not fat, just big muscled.
 
jcassio

jcassio

Starter
#27
#27
I'm feeling more and more confident that Jeffries can be a quality starter for us - as soon as... next season. But Barnes is also a quality starter for us (although not all-star material). The only way they can both be quality starters on the same team is for Jeffries to be the small forward and Barnes to be the power forward. (Or use more flexible titles like "wing" and "forward.") Their ability to capably defend 3-4 positions makes them a great combination. I also like Justin James a lot. He overlaps with Jeffries a bit, but with some experience, I think he can also become a valuable contributor at both ends of the floor. And he can capably defend the 1-3 positions. A lot to like.
 
M

mac

All-Star
#28
#28
jcassio said:
I'm feeling more and more confident that Jeffries can be a quality starter for us - as soon as... next season. But Barnes is also a quality starter for us (although not all-star material). The only way they can both be quality starters on the same team is for Jeffries to be the small forward and Barnes to be the power forward. (Or use more flexible titles like "wing" and "forward.") Their ability to capably defend 3-4 positions makes them a great combination. I also like Justin James a lot. He overlaps with Jeffries a bit, but with some experience, I think he can also become a valuable contributor at both ends of the floor. And he can capably defend the 1-3 positions. A lot to like.
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While I applaud your optimism, this kind of blind homerism is what leads people to say dumb things like "I wouldn't trade DeMarcus Cousins for 29 year old LeBron", and also why we're probably not making the playoffs next year either.
 
jcassio

jcassio

Starter
#29
#29
mac said:
While I applaud your optimism, this kind of blind homerism is what leads people to say dumb things like "I wouldn't trade DeMarcus Cousins for 29 year old LeBron", and also why we're probably not making the playoffs next year either.
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Blind homerism, eh? I think anyone watching Jeffries who doesn't see the talent is another kind of blind.
 
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