If we really want to open this up and consider all options, I see 6 players who I think should be under consideration at #2. I'll break them up into groups:
If we go offense-first, the best options are Luka Doncic or Marvin Bagley. At 6'8" with the ability to create his own shot anywhere on the floor, get to the free throw line, and setup teammates for easy baskets Doncic is exactly what you look for in a #1 scoring option. A lanky 6'11" forward with explosive athleticism, Marvin Bagley took the college game by storm this year as an 18 year old eclipsing the 30 point mark in 7 of his 32 games. He's more of a straight line driver at this point but he can handle the ball a little and shoot from outside and his athleticism was particularly evident cleaning up misses and contributing 4 offensive rebounds per game. Both players have question marks about their ability to defend in the NBA -- Doncic because of lateral agility and Bagley because of the poor awareness on team defense he showed this season at Duke.
If we go defense-first, the best options are Jaren Jackson and Mo Bamba. Jaren Jackson was everywhere for Michigan State this year, cutting off drives on the perimeter, flying in for blocks from the weakside, and smothering post players in the paint. His rebounding rates were a little low but we're looking at an ideal multi-position switching nightmare for other teams if he's able to translate the same effort and instincts he displayed as a Freshman to the NBA. Mo Bamba, aka "The Wingspan" is your classic all arms boogeyman capable of intimidating opposing guards into circus shots if they dare to venture under his shadow. Far from a one-trick pony though, Bamba also showed an ability to contain ballhandlers on the perimeter and even venture out and contest the three point line where his freakish length made him surprisingly effective. Both players have a developing jumpshot (with Jaren Jackson well ahead of Bamba at the moment) but much of their value will come from what they contribute on the defensive end.
If we go for a balanced lineup, DeAndre Ayton and Mikal Bridges offer significant advantages at both ends. Most of the talk about Ayton has centered (heh) around his abilities on the offensive end and those abilities are jaw dropping. A robust 7'1" and 250 lbs he looks the part of a throwback center but was more often found on the perimeter where his outside jumper and driving ability make him a rare triple threat at the center position. Defensively he's a dominant force on the boards and slides his feet well to cover pick and rolls but too often looked lost or uninterested in rotating to help which is worrying for a big man expected to keystone the defense. I have him here rather than in the offense-first category though because his versatile scoring skills should allow us to slide Giles to PF forming a towering (but still agile) front line and bring in a defensive specialist to fill out the SF position.
Mikal Bridges is more commonly talked about as a high floor low ceiling player projected to go in the 5-10 range of the draft but there is some reason to consider him even at #2. Let's start with the offensive end where Bridges has been able to push his 3pt percentage up to an impressive 43.5% this year on an even more impressive 239 attempts. His sky high .503 3ptAttempt rate (yes he took more three point jumpers than 2pt FGs this year) makes him an ideal plug-and-play fit on the wing for the modern NBA. Across the board his shooting percentages are all elite. Moving to the other end, that massive wingspan has allowed him to wreak havoc with deflections, steals, and some well-timed blocks. He does not impress as an elite athlete which has caused some to question his ceiling but as a solidly fundamental wing who knocks down shots in bunches and covers a lot of ground on the perimeter defensively it's easy to see where he fits on an NBA roster and how he will be effective at the next level. Is that worth a #2 pick? Well, I'll let someone else be the judge of that but I will say that he's the safest bet of these top players to be a plus player on both sides of the floor because he already is one.
What about Trae Young? There is an argument to be made for Trae Young at the top of the draft but I'm not the right person to make it. As much as we talk about best player available, I don't like the idea of investing the highest pick we've had in 29 years on a player that immediately makes last year's #5 pick redundant. Trae and Buddy in the backcourt may be the magic formula that satisfies our owner's Golden State fetish but it's not a move I would endorse.
What about Michael Porter? Again I can understand the logic but I'm really lost on who Porter even is at this point. He was billed as a scoring machine coming out of HS but since he basically had to sit out his entire Freshman season he's now going to have to jump up two levels in one year and try to compete with professionals. That's a huge risk to take at the top[ of the draft. When healthy he displayed a smooth jumper with a quick release, some elusiveness off the bounce, and easy athleticism with a 6'10" frame. Maybe he slides like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and some of you bust out the "I told you so's" when he has similar success. I would give him a chance to prove himself in workouts but unless he looks out of this world impressive he's not a guy I want to see called 2nd overall.
If we go offense-first, the best options are Luka Doncic or Marvin Bagley. At 6'8" with the ability to create his own shot anywhere on the floor, get to the free throw line, and setup teammates for easy baskets Doncic is exactly what you look for in a #1 scoring option. A lanky 6'11" forward with explosive athleticism, Marvin Bagley took the college game by storm this year as an 18 year old eclipsing the 30 point mark in 7 of his 32 games. He's more of a straight line driver at this point but he can handle the ball a little and shoot from outside and his athleticism was particularly evident cleaning up misses and contributing 4 offensive rebounds per game. Both players have question marks about their ability to defend in the NBA -- Doncic because of lateral agility and Bagley because of the poor awareness on team defense he showed this season at Duke.
If we go defense-first, the best options are Jaren Jackson and Mo Bamba. Jaren Jackson was everywhere for Michigan State this year, cutting off drives on the perimeter, flying in for blocks from the weakside, and smothering post players in the paint. His rebounding rates were a little low but we're looking at an ideal multi-position switching nightmare for other teams if he's able to translate the same effort and instincts he displayed as a Freshman to the NBA. Mo Bamba, aka "The Wingspan" is your classic all arms boogeyman capable of intimidating opposing guards into circus shots if they dare to venture under his shadow. Far from a one-trick pony though, Bamba also showed an ability to contain ballhandlers on the perimeter and even venture out and contest the three point line where his freakish length made him surprisingly effective. Both players have a developing jumpshot (with Jaren Jackson well ahead of Bamba at the moment) but much of their value will come from what they contribute on the defensive end.
If we go for a balanced lineup, DeAndre Ayton and Mikal Bridges offer significant advantages at both ends. Most of the talk about Ayton has centered (heh) around his abilities on the offensive end and those abilities are jaw dropping. A robust 7'1" and 250 lbs he looks the part of a throwback center but was more often found on the perimeter where his outside jumper and driving ability make him a rare triple threat at the center position. Defensively he's a dominant force on the boards and slides his feet well to cover pick and rolls but too often looked lost or uninterested in rotating to help which is worrying for a big man expected to keystone the defense. I have him here rather than in the offense-first category though because his versatile scoring skills should allow us to slide Giles to PF forming a towering (but still agile) front line and bring in a defensive specialist to fill out the SF position.
Mikal Bridges is more commonly talked about as a high floor low ceiling player projected to go in the 5-10 range of the draft but there is some reason to consider him even at #2. Let's start with the offensive end where Bridges has been able to push his 3pt percentage up to an impressive 43.5% this year on an even more impressive 239 attempts. His sky high .503 3ptAttempt rate (yes he took more three point jumpers than 2pt FGs this year) makes him an ideal plug-and-play fit on the wing for the modern NBA. Across the board his shooting percentages are all elite. Moving to the other end, that massive wingspan has allowed him to wreak havoc with deflections, steals, and some well-timed blocks. He does not impress as an elite athlete which has caused some to question his ceiling but as a solidly fundamental wing who knocks down shots in bunches and covers a lot of ground on the perimeter defensively it's easy to see where he fits on an NBA roster and how he will be effective at the next level. Is that worth a #2 pick? Well, I'll let someone else be the judge of that but I will say that he's the safest bet of these top players to be a plus player on both sides of the floor because he already is one.
What about Trae Young? There is an argument to be made for Trae Young at the top of the draft but I'm not the right person to make it. As much as we talk about best player available, I don't like the idea of investing the highest pick we've had in 29 years on a player that immediately makes last year's #5 pick redundant. Trae and Buddy in the backcourt may be the magic formula that satisfies our owner's Golden State fetish but it's not a move I would endorse.
What about Michael Porter? Again I can understand the logic but I'm really lost on who Porter even is at this point. He was billed as a scoring machine coming out of HS but since he basically had to sit out his entire Freshman season he's now going to have to jump up two levels in one year and try to compete with professionals. That's a huge risk to take at the top[ of the draft. When healthy he displayed a smooth jumper with a quick release, some elusiveness off the bounce, and easy athleticism with a 6'10" frame. Maybe he slides like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and some of you bust out the "I told you so's" when he has similar success. I would give him a chance to prove himself in workouts but unless he looks out of this world impressive he's not a guy I want to see called 2nd overall.
