I still need to watch more tape on him, but I like Dejounte a lot. Depending on who gets taken above us, I might even want him at #8. I watch a lot of Pac 12 basketball and Dejounte Murray and Jaylen Brown were far and away the most impressive prospects I saw in the Pac 12 this season. Jakob Poeltl is solid and Ivan Rabb and Marquese Chriss have a lot of talent as well but they didn't jump out of the screen at me as NBA players the same way.
The thing that jumps off the screen when I watch Dejounte play is that he's a special ballhandler. He can use either hand, he can maneuver through traffic, and he's got a knack for using his body to shield defenders away from the ball. He always looks like he's running downhill but not in an out of control way -- he just surprises people with how quickly he can move with the ball and change direction decisively. That's a skill that's going to translate right away and it's a rare skill. The jump shot needs work, he needs to get stronger, he could be better at finishing around the basket but on raw pure physical tools and ability he's already special and that's what I'm looking for. There's something to be said for a consummate system player who gets to their spots, moves the ball, and takes smart shots but the guys I flip out over show something special which elevates them above their peers and I always feel like you can teach fundamentals but you can't teach instincts or physical ability.
If you look at guys like Russell Westbrook or Kyrie Irving in college, there were questions about their ability to run an offense but there was no question about their ability to get to the basket and put pressure on the defense. And both of them have been able to use that scoring threat to create plays for other people. So I don't know that Dejounte is going to be a starting PG -- he's got some playmaking abilities but then he'll get into a scoring mode and stop looking for teammates too. It may be that his role is 6th man combo guard, but that doesn't make him a bad pick at #8. I'll take an elite 6th man over a mediocre starter if it comes to that. And actually, if we plan on keeping Seth Curry than somebody like Dejounte could end up being a perfect foil for his abilities. Jamal Crawford has had a 16 year NBA career (and counting). He's been a 20 point scorer, he just won his 3rd sixth man of the year award. I could see Dejounte having a similar impact in the NBA. He doesn't really have that killer pull-up J which limits his offensive potential right now, but I like how much he harasses ballhandlers on defense so his value isn't just as a scorer.