Post by cop5414 on Aug 10, 2024 23:49:20 GMT
Small Forward Project: A Year for Intrigue Ends in Disapointment
Overall Pick:
#6 Josh Leonard
#8 Nyugen Tran
#9 Jermaine O'Neal Jr
#11 Oscar Wembanyama
#12 Alex Constanza
#23 Sam Raiest
Year 1 has officially ended for the rookie class of 2028. While I certainly wasn't expecting any outrageous numbers or numbers to the likes of A.J. Dybansta from any of these 5 proscpects, I certainly didn't expect such a lackluster performance from all parties. In fact it was such a boring season for said names that I'm required to toss another name in the mix, by the name of Sander Raeist of the Dallas Mavericks. He wasn't a lotto pick, but the name of the game is to determine who found gold and bundy may have gotten it with the #19 overall pick in the draft. Well to much chagrin, I wouldn't say the players are a complete loss quite yet, Raiest was a surprise and we've yet to see of Oscar Wembamyama or Nyugen Tran at starting minutes. Plus each player still has another three years of camp availability. Maybe no superstars, but stars in their own right. We'll kick off this next list of rankings with a victim of an unfortunate TC hit job.
#6 Jermaine O'Neal
Previous ranking: #1
Awards: N/A
Season Stats: N/A
Per 36:
N/A
Ratings:
Inside Scoring: B-
Outside Scoring: B-
Handling: C
Defense: C+
Rebounding: C
Potential: B
Hard not to put a guy who saw zero playing time in Year 1 on the bottom of the list. My god did TC do him so dirty. I don't have his previous rankings post TC, but one Dame Sarr mentorship has somewhat revived his chances of becoming a nice player. Or at least a nice trade piece. Was kind of crazy too see him acquire C's across the board, but it has been recovered mostly to his original form with a bump in is outside scoring, but with the unfortunate decrease in potential grade. If I'm not mistaken, he had an 86 potential grade coming out of the draft, so he's probably hovering in that 76-79 range now. I'd be surprised if he isn't on the move this off-season, under the assumption that the Grizzlies retain Dame Sarr. At this point though, I've got to place him here. He's been essentially held back a year and now has one less camp in comparison to Oscar Wembamyama with (in my opinion) one of the more improtant developmental camps already been used in the mentor.
#5 Oscar Wembanyama
Previous ranking: #4
Awards: N/A
Season Stats:
N/A
Per 36:
N/A
Ratings:
Inside Scoring: B-
Outside Scoring: B-
Handling: C+
Defense: C+
Rebounding: C
Potential: A
Have to see it to believe it first and the other four recieved playing minutes this past season. I am liking Wembanyama's odds of jumping up this list heading into Year 2. Provided that returning General Manager afro takes care of him. As things stand a good TC and camps could give a huge boost compared to where the other stood in their rookie season. Would certainly depend on how his scoring has developed post TC and camps, but I see him as possibly being a 15 ppg & 7rpg in year 1. Which is would be decently above what any other player threw out this past season. Just pray gor a good TC cause after all he'll need to replace the production Dame Sarr.
#4 Alex Constanza
Previous Ranking: #4
Awards: N/A
Season Stats:
Games: 80
MPG: 31.1
PPG: 8.6
RPG: 5.2
APG: 2.3
SPG: 1.3
BPG: 0.2
TOPG: 1.9
FG %: .419
FT %: .714
3P %: .294
Per 36:
PPG: 10.0
APG: 2.7
RPG: 6.0
SPG: 1.5
BPG: 0.2
TOPG: 2.2
Ratings:
Inside Scoring: C+
Outside Scoring: C+
Handling: C+
Defense: B-
Rebounding: C
Potential: B
Honestly, just going by ratings I could probably justify placing him last on this list, but hey he scored 688 more points than the no-shows above. What he really needed in year one was some hefty development in scoring, which neither TC or the Focus on Your Weakness camp provided. Wouldn't make a declaration to give up on him quite yet, afterall I projected him to be more beneficial on the defensive end with what hopefully comes with complimentary scoring. On defense, the perimeter should be where he excells. Won't provide too much in post, but if we just look at the numbers of just matchups against this year's All-League Team small fowards (Buzelis, Murray, and Giddey), they shot 34.3% from beyond the arc in a small sample size. Now aside from his scoring ability the other concerning area in his game would be his rebounding. Coming out of the draft he wasn't the weakest of the original 5, that title belonged Leonard by a noticble margin. His per 36 number show him barely squeaking by the 6.0 rpg threshold. League-wide the SF position is a bit sparse in good rebounders, but given Constanza's current scoring capabilities, him getting more than +32mpg is unlikely at this time. Which for future squad make ups, he seems to be trending more and more towards solid backup role at the 3 and maybe a possible 2 positions if he gets Adapt camp. Still too early to do that, and even with all this needless critque I still find Constanza a nice get for #12 overall.
#3 Nyugen Tran
Previous Rating: #2
Awards: N/A
Season Stats:
Games: 82
MPG: 13.8
PPG: 4.9
RPG: 2.7
APG: 1.5
SPG: 0.4
BPG: 0.2
TOPG: 0.6
FG %: .390
FT %: .692
3P %: .349
Per 36:
PPG: 12.8
APG: 3.9
RPG: 7.0
SPG: 1.0
BPG: 0.5
TOPG: 1.6
Ratings:
Inside Scoring: B-
Outside Scoring: B
Handling: B+
Defense: B
Rebounding: B-
Potential: A
Could have place at #2 but decided not to based on pure bias. Well not really, more or less a punishment for having less playing time than the others, to no fault of his I must add. The Jazz this season were on and still currently are in a playoff push. Tran's mentor Scottie Barnes still gets the starting gig and may very well keep it if josephballin11 decides not to move him this offseason. You know maybe in hopes for an eventual late bloomer? Eh? Would cost him a year of camping and the supercamp, but overall might add a higher targeted total of attribute points towards more desirable areas. Unlikely though, as the Jazz seem to be looking to move on from Scottie Barnes. Tran's per 36 stats look similar to Josh Leonard's and the big plus of course was the rebounding which was the high was his big plus from his draft report. I do find per 36 stats to be slightly misleading in cases like this, because the minutes about triple to his season totals and the larger the sample size generally results in lesser numbers. Regardless, I expect after this next PC, I'll be looking at him as the best of these canidates at the start of year 2. Not sure he'll throw up the 24ppg Raeist if gets to start but he'll be healthy contributer if he gets to start.
#2 Josh Leonard
Previous Ranking: #3
Awards:
2028 - All-Star Rookie Game Participant
2028 - All-Rookie Second Team
Season Stats:
Games: 78
MPG: 29.7
PPG: 11.3
RPG: 5.3
APG: 3.2
SPG: 1.1
BPG: 0.4
TOPG: 1.5
FG %: .417
FT %: .673
3P %: .332
Per 36:
PPG: 13.6
APG: 3.9
RPG: 6.4
SPG: 1.3
BPG: 0.5
TOPG: 1.8
Ratings:
Inside Scoring: B-
Outside Scoring: C+
Handling: B-
Defense: B+
Rebounding: C
Potential: A
I certainly would've liked better, but I won't find myself dissappointed. Look I knew Leonard was a bit of a risk when it came to scoring. His percentages I can live with for now. The 3pt I honestly thought might've worse, the FT% doesn't shock me, given his low jumper rating. Overall percentage I won't complain either, shoots 45% from within the arc. Now focusing on they key thing that had me select over the others, the handles. He spents most of the season listed as either the #1 or #2 option. Something like 1.8 TOPG is something I'd be happy to take if he tops out at around 20ppg. Now Leonard's passing rating was not near as high as the handles, but I will state that the assist production was a tad underwhelming. Part of it is likely a product of being on a bad team. I guess the big hope is that at his peak he gets to that 5.0apg plateau for SF. And well, the PER36 indicates he's basically at 3.9apg, but I'd really like to see a 2.5 assist-to-turnover ratio come into the fold at some point. Then there's the defense to be spoken of, which being a stock producer was not meant to be in play. However, out of the draft his post and perimeter defense sat around +60. The Pistons did indeed suck this past season, but quite surprisingly the defense was arguably top 10 (or at least top 12) defense in the league. Of course a couple of moves late in the season which included Anthony Davis and Felix Okpara helped, but running a Fast to Very Fast pace offense is usually a recpe for disaster (or perfection in this case) for a tanking team. The goal going into next season is to get that jumper fixed, hopefully he can give at least 15ppg on the new look Pistons.
#1 Sam Raiest
Previous Ranking: N/A
Awards:
2028 - All-Star Rookie Game Participant
2028 - All-Rookie Team
Season Stats:
Games: 73
MPG: 36.9
PPG: 23.9
RPG: 6.8
APG: 3.1
SPG: 1.0
BPG: 0.3
TOPG: 2.9
FG %: .465
FT %: .779
3P %: .381
Per 36:
PPG: 23.3
APG: 3.0
RPG: 6.6
SPG: 1.0
BPG: 0.3
TOPG: 2.8
Ratings:
Inside Scoring: B+
Outside Scoring: B+
Handling: C+
Defense: C
Rebounding: C
Potential: B
I was more interested in the players who fell within the lotto, but when you've got a guy averaging 24 a night as a rookie taken 23rd overall, it makes all the other picks foolish. Already 26 in age and probably has in what I assume falls under a low B grade potential, however his score ratings are already sitting at B+ for inside and outside. Fellow GM bundy took advantage of Michael Porter Jr.'s scoring ability and applied a mentor camp. Only downside is not getting a boost to potential like the Jazz gave Tran with the Scottie Barnes mentor. However, being in his mid-twenties, the potential probably doesn't mean near as much. I am rather curious where his athletic ratings lie, as his rebounding wasn't "pathetic" given his postion. If are looking for a current league comparison, he might be Jaylen Brown 2.0, which may be great value in a couple seasons time as the Mavs could possibly decide to trade him rather than give a large extension to a player that will 30 by the time he hits FA. I mean Jaylen Brown's contract wasn't horrendous, so it might just depend on how competetive the Mavs happen to be in three seasons time. That's besides the point, Raiest is the top prize as it stands. Best shooting percentages and rebounds/stocks & assists that matched the others. His only downside has been the turnovers, which probably isn't as bad as it seems since Raiest was the #1 option on a tanking team. So, great pick by the Mavs.
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