draft profiles

atlafinberg

The Hawks hold the rights to multiple picks in the upcoming June 20 NBA Draft. At Hawks.com, we'll be talking to some of the writers and bloggers who watched some of this year's key prospects most closely. 

JD King (@DBRTweetz), who covers Duke basketball for Duke Basketball Report (@DBRsbn), gives us an in-depth look into freshman forward, Cam Reddish's NBA potential. 

Draft Profile: Is Cam Reddish The Poster Child For Positionless Basketball?

Cam Reddish is one of the most talented yet debated players likely to be picked in the lottery. 

After he chose Duke, he said one of the reasons he did was because he understood that he had to improve his intensity and defense.  

Most of the criticism Reddish took this year wasn’t about defense so on that score he succeeded. He was, quietly, one of Duke’s best  defenders.  

And that’s saying a lot because Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and most of all Tre Jones were all outstanding defenders on that Duke team. So were Javin DeLaurier, Marques Bolden,  Jack White and Jordan Goldwire.

Being a good defender in that group really says a lot. 

Reddish is long-armed and his intensity on defense was pretty good. He was able to guard anyone other than bulky post players. He didn’t have to all that much - Jones’s ferocious defense took most point guards out of games and the others all defended their positions well -  but on defense Reddish was like the queen on a chess board. He’s just immensely flexible on that end of the court. 

Most of the questions came on the offensive end. 

Reddish made his bones on the offensive end with no less than John Calipari saying that he was the embodiment of the concept of positionless basketball. 

Duke got a hint of it in the season opener against Kentucky when Reddish, Barrett, Williamson and Jones all led the break at various times. It was like a team with four point guards, all different sizes and with overlapping skills. 

For the season, Reddish shot 35.6% from the floor, 33.3% from the line and 77.2% from the line.  

One theory was that he was too passive and with powerful offensive teammates like Williamson and Barrett on the team, he was willing to let them be the dominant offensive performers. 

There’s some truth to that. Both of those guys did a great job dealing with other talented players and they had a special bond. But Williamson was unstoppable when he had the ball and Barrett, who was always heavily defended, took a lot of shots and was probably asked to do so. 

When you watch Reddish shoot he has a pure stroke. It’s really quite elegant. So why didn’t he connect more? 

One theory is injuries. He had to sit out Duke’s summer tour in Canada with a hip issue and after the season had surgery for something termed a core injury. We really don’t know much about that injury. We do know that a core injury would affect your ability to move quickly and to stretch freely which could affect your shot. 

So that’s one for the scouts and technicians to look at. For the rest of us, consider this, and you can look it up if you’re dubious: when games got tight, Reddish shot better. 

This was most obvious when he hit the game winner against Florida State on the road but he hit a lot of big shots late in tight games.

If we were considering Reddish we’d probably ask about any issues he had this past season, look at his form and figure he can do better, particularly once he matures physically. For all his talent, he’s still very thin, which is what you’d expect from an 18-year-old who is 6-9. 

What we’d focus on would be his defense and his versatility. He can play a minimum of three positions, he’s a legitimate backup point guard if not more, and he has good range. 

And he has become an excellent defender. 

Calipari was fundamentally right: Reddish is a poster child for position less basketball.  His versatility and skill set would make him a great fit for the Hawks. 

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atlwbryant

The Hawks hold the rights to the #3, #19, #30 and #34 picks in the upcoming June 21 NBA Draft. At Hawks.com, we'll be talking to some of the writers and bloggers who watched some of this year's key prospects most closely.

Today we speak to Ryan O'Bleness (@RyanOBleness), assistant site manager of The Only Colors (@TheOnlyColors), SB Nation's website for Michigan State Spartans sports, about freshman center Jaren Jackson Jr.:

Jaren Jackson Jr. is incredible on the defensive side of the ball, and truly has the potential to be NBA All-Defensive First Team in the next few years. His incredible length and timing allows him to block shots at a phenomenal rate -- he shattered the Michigan State single season record for blocks in a season, finishing with 106 blocks (the old record was 72 blocks). Additionally, in only one season at MSU, Jackson ranks in the top-10 all-time in career blocks for the Spartans. Jackson has the ability to switch and doesn't back down from guarding anybody on the floor, including out on the perimeter. He received both Big Ten Freshman of The Year and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors. 

Jackson can also score from both the post and from the outside. In fact, he shot nearly 40 percent from three-point range on 96 attempts. He is versatile on both ends of the floor. He also has great NBA pedigree, as his father Jaren Jackson Sr, was a 13-year NBA veteran, and won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs. The best part about Jackson is that he is such a young prospect (doesn't turn 19 until September 15), he is only going to get better and grow fundamentally, intellectually and physically. 

I truly believe Jackson is the best two-way prospect in this year's draft. He is the kind of player who can come in right away and become a role player for an NBA team, with a great chance to start immediately depending on where he is drafted (such as Atlanta). He is currently looked at as a stretch-four, with the ability to shoot the basketball from mid-range and deep, and space the floor. However, his 6-foot-11-inch frame, and 7-foot-five-inch wing span (per the NBA Combine) also gives him the ability to play center. While I mentioned he can score from the post, he didn't have a ton of opportunities to show off his full-post arsenal during his college career, and that may be something he would like to strive to get better at. 

Jackson is not the type to put up eye-popping numbers in any one category, and I think some people have an issue with that, but what he does is stuff the stat sheet everywhere. During his one season at MSU, Jackson averaged 10.9 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game, 3.0 blocks per game and 1.1 assists per game in 35 games (with 34 starts). He also shot 51 percent from the floor, nearly 80 percent from the free throw line and, as I mentioned above, shot just below 40 percent from three-point land. 

The first thing that immediately comes to my mind is that he needs to improve his strength. Going along with my first point, his physicality and demeanor will need to take a step up against NBA competition. I've also heard a few people call Jackson a bit of a "tweener" (position-wise), but like I said, I think he makes a great stretch-four that defenses will have to pay attention to. 

One other knock on Jackson is more of an aesthetics thing, as he has an odd-looking shot, which analysts sometimes refer to as a "moonball." His release point is low and his shot lacks a lot of rotation, but it works for him. He may need to work on the release point and his tendency to sometimes rush his shots, but that's nothing that NBA coaching can't fix. Jackson is still learning, and I think things like his basketball IQ, passing vision and ability to handle the double-team better are all things he can improve on with time. 

What style of play suits his game best? 

Again, I see him as a stretch-four who can space the floor and create matchup problems for less athletic power forwards guarding him, with the ability to play in the post as well. He's an explosive, albeit raw, athlete who also has the ability to run the floor on fast breaks and catch ally-oops, so a more up-tempo team that likes to run would work out well for him. Jackson is a great candidate for pick-and-rolls as well, since the defense will have to respect his mid-range shooting ability and of course at the rim. 

He's solid at finishing at the hoop, and can finish with either hand, so his versatility gives him the opportunity to fit into many different offensive schemes. 

Obviously, his ability to guard pretty much anybody on the floor makes him a great asset on the defensive end, too, and his NBA coaches will feel great about defending against pick-and-roll plays since he can switch and use his length and incredible timing to alter/block shots. 

To which current or past NBA player would you compare him to? 

I've most often heard Jackson compared to Marvin Williams of the Charlotte Hornets and Serge Ibaka of the Toronto Raptors, both of those make sense in certain ways, and he has been compared to few others as well. It's hard to compare Jackson because his game is so versatile and his defensive prowess is unlike anything we've seen come out of the draft at his position in a quite a while. With all of that said, I think a good comparison for Jackson is a more-athletic upside Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers. Turner is a 6-foot-11 big man who shoots nearly 35 percent from deep, 78 percent from the free throw line and averages 12.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and nearly 2 blocks per game thus far in his NBA career. Their college stats are very close as well. 

Of course, Turner is a more-polished player after spending three seasons in the league now, and I wouldn't expect Jackson to be able to produce at the same rate as a rookie, but I think he will be there in the near future. The best thing about Jackson is his ceiling is much higher than that. 

There are some who believe Jaren Jackson Jr. is going to be the best big in this year's extremely talented draft class.

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Draft Profile: Will Jaren Jackson Jr.'s Two-Way Ability Transfer?

The Hawks hold the rights to the #3, #19, #30 and #34 picks in the upcoming June 21 NBA Draft. At Hawks.com, we'll be talking to some of the writers and bloggers who watched some of this year's key prospects most closely. 

Today we'll talk about University of Texas center Mo Bamba with Cody Daniel (@CodyDanielSBN) , Co-Editor of Burnt Orange Nation.

When Bamba’s strengths are discussed, everything obviously begins with his shot-blocking and rebounding ability, thanks in large part to his mind-boggling 8-foot wingspan. At Texas, Bamba averaged 4.9 blocks and 14 rebounds per 40 minutes. He’s willing to contest outside and has the lateral quickness to do so, which will be essential in today’s NBA. On the other end of the court, his offense isn’t exactly worth writing home about at this point, but Bamba is capable and willing to stretch the floor out to the perimeter, although more consistency would be ideal. To that end, Bamba is tremendously intelligent and that should help as he continues to learn the intricacies of the game and develop, especially offensively where he’s not quite as naturally impactful.

How does his game translate to the NBA?

Bamba’s game should translate pretty smoothly considering that his floor is that of an elite shot-blocker. At the very least, even should Bamba’s offensive game never develops, he’s a guy who’s going to erase and alter a lot of looks around the rim and provide an offense with a massive lob target that teams will likely fall asleep on early. It also helps that he’s an exceptional floor runner and will find looks in transition. If flashes of Bamba’s freshman season and various offseason workouts are a sign of things to come, he’ll eventually get to a point where he looks the part of an ideal modern-day center who protects the paint and can provide points out to the perimeter.  

The most obvious answer is to bulk up and become more consistently competent on the offensive end, and various reports and profiles have detailed Bamba’s effort to address both areas since declaring for the draft. An improved diet and re-shaping his shooting form have been among the strategies to that end. Beyond that, even once he adds bulk, Bamba will need to show a greater level of comfort fighting through physicality around the rim on offense, and his motor can be inconsistent, although that may have simply been due to Bamba eyeing the NBA from the time he committed to Texas. As is, Bamba is an elite defensive prospect, and once his frame fills out and he finds his touch offensively, Bamba has the potential to become one of the the league’s best young bigs. 

What style of play suits his game best?

Bamba’s athleticism and rim-running ability allow him to impress in up-tempo situations, but ideally, he would be at his best in the half court, both offensively and defensively. The defensive aspect is obvious given his length and defensive instincts once he is able to dissect an opposing offense. As far as his offense is concerned, Bamba’s upside will be found as a face-up scorer who will often work off the block and out to the elbow.

To which current or past NBA player would you compare him?

Considering his length and limited offensive ability at this point in his progression, the Rudy Gobert comparisons are the most common and make the most sense. Nerlens Noel also comes to mind mind as a lanky, underweight rim-protector with the length, athleticism and sheer instincts to overcome not being quite as sturdy as he should be, at least until he gets bigger in a few years. However, I believe Bamba’s offensive ceiling is quite clearly much higher than Gobert, and obviously Noel, and Bamba has said publicly that he hopes to mold his game after Joel Embiid. 

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Draft Profile: How Will Mo Bamba Perform in the NBA?

Today we talk to JD King (@DBRTweetz) of the Duke Basketball Report  SB Nation's site for Duke University sports, about freshman forward Marvin Bagley III:

Bagley first of all has a ton of athleticism. He’s 6-11 and is as bouncy as any big guy I’ve ever seen in person. He’s an amazing rebounder. His second jump is ridiculous. He’s also a very good passer, something he never got enough credit for at Duke. He’s got a nice hook shot and if you leave him alone he has three point range. He’s not quick on that shot yet but he can hit it. 

He also runs like a dream. And don’t underestimate his desire. He’s way ahead of most kids his age but he keeps working to get better. That’s perhaps his best attribute. 

Personally, I think he’ll be fine. He runs like a deer, he can get his own dinner, so to speak, because he’s such tremendous rebounder. He could seriously get 14-18 a game with no assists. His strengths should outweigh any flaws he has. And everyone has some flaws to their game. 

The first thing he needs to do is to get stronger. He got pushed around a fair amount at the end of the year and couldn’t figure out how to handle getting pounded. But that should take care of itself. If I were dealing with his conditioning, aside from the normal stuff, I’d have him swimming a lot to increase his power from top to bottom. But his trainers will know what to do with him. 

He needs a more reliable outside shot and his defense needs work. He got criticized for not blocking shots but that was kind of stupid. Any guy who jumps like that can be a shotblocker. It’s more a question of being in position. He either didn’t understand Duke’s defense or didn’t want to put effort in. Given that he’s a worker with a desire to be great, I’d bet on the former. If he were at Duke for longer he’d master defense too.  

He has a reliable jump hook but could probably vary his repertoire a bit. 

A guy with his motor and hops would do well on a running team. His best bet for that is probably Sacramento if he goes that early. Putting him with De’Aaron Fox, Willie Cauley-Stein and a healthy Harry Giles would be a lot of fun to watch. I’m sure he’d be fine on a more deliberate team like the Celtics, but he’s made for the open court. He’s also a very good ballhandler for a 6-11 guy who went coast-to-coast fairly often at Duke. 

That’s tough. As a rebounder I’d compare him to Rodman, who also had an amazing second hop. He’s still really lean so he’s bit like a young Kevin Durant, but Durant has a better perimeter game and he’s not really skinny anymore. 

Every so often when he went up for a hook, he reminded me just a bit of young Kareem but he’s not Kareem. He’s got some of Olajuwon’s speed but he’s not a center. He’s a forward. 

Maybe a solid way to put it would be that he’s got Rodman’s rebounding and is quick off his feet like former UNC and NBA star Antawn Jamison. Jay Bilas once studied a UNC game tape and figured out that Jamison scored something like 25 points in 17 seconds. Part of that was because Ed Cota was a brilliant passer who got him the ball in precisely the right spot, but still, Jamison got up that quickly. When he got the ball in scoring position, he just went up so quickly. 

It’s not a perfect comparison but he’s a pretty unique player and those are the guys you compare people to, not the other way around. Bagley’s coach at Duke, Mike Krzyzewski, said that he had coached the best players in the NBA and that Bagley was on that level. I’m not nearly as knowledgeable but I know I’ve never seen anyone quite like him in my life.

Actually now that I think about it he reminds me a bit of the late Bison Dele aka Brian Williams, or at least a young version of Dele. Dele could do anything he wanted on the basketball court but was never in love with the game. It’s fair to say Bagley is. 

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Draft Profile: What Will Marvin Bagley III Bring To The NBA?

Today we talk to Austin Green (@LosCrossovers) of the EuroLeague Adventures podcast about pick-and-roll prodigy Luka Doncic of Real Madrid.

Luka is an incredibly good passer and pick-and-roll playmaker with a high basketball IQ. His feel for the game is amazing. He understands timing and angles on an instinctive level that you often don't see from 10-year NBA vets, let alone a teenager. He has the creative mind of someone like Manu Ginobili, but in a 6-foot-8, 230-pound body. 

He is a versatile scorer who can shoot threes, convert floaters and mid-range jumpers and score in the post. He is great at grabbing defensive rebounds and pushing the ball up in transition, looking to feed teammates, hit pull-up threes or attack the basket if defenders don't stop his momentum. 

He's a better athlete than he gets credit for, and he's a smart defender who makes the right rotations and isn't afraid to challenge shots at the rim. 

Perhaps most importantly, he is poised and confident in big moments. He will enter the NBA with about 200 professional games behind him, including championships at every level in Europe with his club Real Madrid and the Slovenian national team. He has been put in many pressure-filled situations throughout his young career, and he has usually delivered. When he does face adversity, he has consistently shown that he can overcome it by learning and improving from his struggles. 

His game will translate very well. The NBA is a fast-paced, pick-and-roll, three-point shooting league, and that suits Luka's style perfectly. He is a fantastic pick-and-roll player who is great at finding shooters at the three-point line and big men rolling to the rim. He can see over the top of defenses at 6-foot-8, and he's strong enough to throw passes that most perimeter players simply can't. Only elite-level guys like LeBron James, James Harden and Ben Simmons can make the type of passes that you'll see Luka make on a regular basis. 

He's also a versatile player who can play multiple positions. If you want him to bring the ball up-court and initiate the offense, he can do that. If you want him to play off ball and spot up for threes or run off screens, he can do that. If you want him to post up, he can do that. He will find a way to fit with just about any players you pair him with. 

Luka's biggest weakness right now is his lateral quickness. He will struggle to stay in front of most NBA point guards and the quicker wings. He'll get burned at times, but I think he's smart enough and athletic enough to eventually become a decent NBA defender. He'll probably never be great, but he won't be horrible either. 

On the offensive end, he sometimes struggles to beat guys off the dribble. He often tries to do too many moves, crossing over two or three or four times when he should just make one quick move and pull-up or pass the ball. He had a ton of creative responsibility for Real Madrid, and he often had to create something out of nothing late in the shot clock. Sometimes the results were ugly.

I think if he improves his diet, improves his conditioning and gets a little more explosive, he can improve on these weaknesses. 

Luka likes to get up and down the court and play kind of a free-flowing game. He is great at attacking moving defenses, both in transition and in the half-court. 

I think the best situation for him is a fast-paced team with a quick point guard already in place. Luka is at his best as a secondary creator, with another PG (like Goran Dragic with Slovenia) initiating the offense. That gets the defense moving, and Luka is elite at picking apart a moving defense. When the starting PG sits, Luka can slide over to the primary ball-handler spot, and if he gets the defensive rebound, he should be pushing it up in transition regardless of who else is on the court.

His body reminds me of Joe Johnson or Paul Pierce -- 6-foot-8, strong, great skills and timing and footwork, but not particularly explosive. And like I said, he has the creative and savvy mind of someone like Manu Ginobili.

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Draft Profile: Will Luka Doncic Take The NBA By Storm?

The Hawks hold the rights to the #3, #19, #30 and #34 picks in the upcoming June 21 NBA Draft. At Hawks.com, we'll be talking to some of the writers and bloggers who watched some of this year's key prospects most closely. 

Today we speak to Jack Shields (@jlarryshields), editor-in-chief of Crimson &amp; Cream Machine, SB Nation's site for University of Oklahoma sports, about freshman guard Trae Young:

He can do a number of things at a high level, but the one thing that obviously stands out is his shooting range. As is the case with Steph Curry, the guy is a legitimate threat to hit anything within 30 feet of the basket. A few things that are often overlooked, however, are his abilities as a distributor and his knack for getting to the basket. Young led the nation in scoring as a freshman, but he also led the nation with 8.8 assists per contest per contest and tied the NCAA record with 22 dimes in a single game back in December. On top of that, he's a fantastic ball handler who has a knack for getting past the first defender, drawing contact and getting to the line, where he converted on over 86 percent of his attempts last season.  

I think the guy I mentioned earlier -- Steph Curry -- sort of paved the way for players of Young's mold to be considered elite point-guard prospects at the next level. However, Curry was far from a finished product when he entered the NBA, and Young will have to make similar strides with his body (even though he has already added 11 lbs. since the end of the season) and his defense. He could end up having a great career in the Association, but he's going to need a few years to develop in those two areas in particular.   

A guy of his size lack who lacks pure athleticism will probably never be an elite defender in the NBA, but there are strides he can make that will allow him to avoid being a liability on that end. Smaller point guards have to approach things a bit differently, and he could end up being pretty pesky if he can learn a few tricks of the trade. Additionally, his shot selection is something that often leaves a bit to be desired. When the offense begins to stagnate, he can get into the habit of taking a few too many of those deep three-point attempts, which often translates to a wasted offensive possession. There were times in which he was the only viable offensive weapon on the court at Oklahoma and often felt like he had to go for the home run, so hopefully he'll be surrounded by some decent pieces who can help him move past that tendency.   

An up-tempo team that likes to get out and run would probably suit him, as he's capable of doing incredible things in transition. That's not to say, however, that he isn't capable of thriving in the half-court game, but his skill set is clearly suited for a team that will allow him to put open-court passing prowess on full display. A team that likes to spread the floor and set off-ball screens -- similar to what's seen with Golden State -- would also be a plus. 

Curry is the first name that comes to mind for most people, but labeling him as Curry 2.0 would be a bit of an oversimplification. He's always tried to model his game after Steve Nash, and that often manifests itself when he makes the spectacular pass or finishes a contested attempt at the rim -- the latter of which he's surprisingly adept at doing. He's also a bit better in those two areas than Curry was by the time he left Davidson. Having said that Curry is still probably the best comparison due to his body type and shooting range. 

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Draft Profile: Is Trae Young The Next Steph Curry?

Today we speak to Alec Lewis, former Missouri beat writer for the Columbia Missourian, about University of Missouri freshman Michael Porter Jr.

Michael Porter Jr. scores the basketball. Period. Over the course of his high school years — prior to his undergoing the microdiscectomy procedure on his back this past year — Porter Jr. built his reputation with the ball in his hands. He hits the 3-ball.

He can attack the basket. He can play a bit out of the post. Health contingent, one of Porter Jr.’s strengths at the next level will clearly be his athleticism and his rebounding ability. But regardless, you can guarantee he will score the basketball.

What was his most memorable moment in college?

Sitting at his locker after Missouri lost to Florida State in the NCAA Tournament, Porter Jr. answered questions with tears in his eyes. He’d just lost his second-straight game — in what was only his third college game — and it was apparent how much he wanted to help Missouri. That’s why he made the decision to return after months of rehab. And it was interesting to see how much the loss hurt him.

Simply looking at Porter Jr.’s measurables from the NBA Draft Combine — 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot wingspan — it’s easy to see why Porter Jr.’s game translates to the NBA. He’s long, he can take the ball off of the bounce and has the athleticism to elevate. In today’s NBA, with switching on defense and with what’s needed on offense, Porter Jr. has exactly what you need.

Without a doubt, Michael Porter Jr. must improve his strength at the NBA level. In high school, with his size, Porter Jr. muscled defenders out of the lane to score. Not to mention, defensively, his height allowed him to tower over defenders. To defend at the NBA level — something I think Porter Jr. could make a strength out of in the NBA — he needs to put on some muscle. Being a star and the focal point of the team all of his basketball life, I also think it will be interesting to see how he adjusts and develops in an NBA system.

Michael Porter Jr. will thrive playing uptempo with his ability to score, but I also think he has the ability to play in isolation. I think the coach who can foster the most defensive growth in Porter Jr. will benefit the most.

To which current or past NBA player would you compare him?

I think the NBA players that are most similar to Michael Porter Jr. are Otto Porter Jr. — no relation, although that would be quite fit — or Harrison Barnes. Both have similar body types, and they each share Michael Porter Jr.’s ability to score.

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Draft Profile: Will Michael Porter Jr. Meet NBA Expectations?

Today we speak to Ryan Kelapire (@RKelapire), a managing editor for Arizona Desert Swarm, SB Nation's site for University of Arizona sports, about freshman center DeAndre Ayton:

The better question would be: What doesn't Deandre Ayton do well?

In all seriousness, Ayton's best attributes are his size and athleticism. He's a legitimate 7-foot-1 center with long arms, good bounce and the mobility of a guard.

He's also really strong – he was listed at 260 pounds at Arizona – which allowed him to make easy work of college big men, who just physically weren't able to keep up with him.

But Ayton is skilled, too. He has a great feel for the game, especially as a passer. He is able – and willing – to pass out of double teams, which he saw constantly at Arizona.

Ayton can score from all three levels at the court but is at his best around the basket where he has nice touch and footwork. That said, he does have the ability to step out and the shoot threes. He shot 34 percent from that range at Arizona.

Ayton has everything you want in a modern big man, especially offensively. He can rim run, he can shoot, he can score on both the low- and high-block, and he is a team player.

While he wasn't a great defender at Arizona, he showed flashes of dominance. His length, size, and athleticism give him the ability to protect the rim as well as check small players around the perimeter.

So if you had to draw up an ideal center for the modern era of basketball, Ayton would come to mind.

Defensively is where Ayton has the most room for growth. Again, his physical tools give him a ton of potential on that end of the floor, but it seems like he's still learning the nuances of the game.

He didn't show great instincts as a shot blocker – he averaged 1.9 per game, which isn't that impressive for someone like him – and sometimes had difficulty defending screens and off the dribble.

It is worth noting that Ayton played the 4 at Arizona because they had another 7-footer alongside him, which put him in a difficult role defensively. 

He was often guarding small-ball 4s instead of players his own size. Sometimes he did a good job of that; other times he didn't.

He struggled in the NCAA Tournament, which was one reason why Arizona lost to 13th-seeded Buffalo in the first round.

Ayton's jumper is still a work in progress, too. He can definitely shoot and his stroke is smooth, but it might take a year or two before opposing teams get overly concerned about him taking 3s.

He shot a decent number of them at Arizona, but took fewer and fewer as the year went on, as it became clear that it was best to get him the ball close to the hoop.

His mid-range jumper is solid, but sometimes he gets a little too trigger happy. 

I think Ayton would be best as the center in a four-out, uptempo system.

Since he played alongside another center at Arizona, he didn't always have a lot of room to operate on the block (especially because teams often played zone). That hindered his offensive ability a little bit, though he still averaged over 20 points per game.

But if you get Ayton in space or in transition, he will be a tough cover. And if you put shooters around him, he will have no issue getting them the ball when/if the defense converges.

Ayton reminds me of Joel Embiid (without the injuries). Their heights, weights, and wingspans are similar, and both are very mobile and athletic.

Plus, Ayton's numbers in college are nearly identical to Embiid's in 2017-18.

I think Ayton is more polished at this stage of his career offensively than Embiid was, but Embiid has a knack for shot-blocking that Ayton has yet to develop.