2021 NBA Draft: NBA-Ready Players
While collections of superstars and big-money players give teams the best chance to win championships, it does create a dilemma from the middle of the roster on down. One way that a team can afford to spend up on elite players is by consistently nailing their draft picks, securing production at a ridiculously affordable price point. Not all rookies are created equally, however, and all sorts of factors go into a player’s first-year responsibilities. Certain teams have a more dire need for immediate production and can pursue prospects with a game that can hit the ground running, even with a big jump from the NCAA to the NBA ranks. Today we’re going to take a quick look at some players whose games look ready for the big stage — not everyone here is a game-changer, but they may be more equipped to chip in from day one than some of their draft counterparts.
Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga, Freshman
Suggs is expected to go within the first four picks of the draft, in large part because he does everything well. It’s a high-floor package — perhaps the best in the class — but that doesn’t mean that Suggs is working with a lower ceiling by default. He offers an intriguing blend of explosive athleticism and heady patience, with change-of-pace moves that create openings for his burst to embarrass opponents. Suggs also uses that athleticism to great effect defensively, with enough strength to be a menace for opposing guards, enough basketball IQ to rotate well, and enough explosiveness to insert himself into passing lanes or challenge shots down low as a help defender.
While Suggs’ jumper is still a work in progress, and Gonzaga’s overall strength as a team prevented him from needing to showcase more than finishing and 3-point abilities, teams will love the intangibles and attacking mentality. The biggest hurdle beyond the jumper might be Suggs’ need to stay under control a bit more, as his vision and athleticism can often lead to high-risk, high-reward plays on both ends of the floor that might not be tolerated at the next level. To start out, Suggs brings explosiveness to the table and will be a demon in transition, with long-term upside as an elite playmaker and high-level defender. It’s a great baseline.
Chris Duarte, G, Oregon, Senior
Duarte has been one of the big risers in draft season, with rumors circulating that he could be taken in the lottery. Although he’s an older prospect, age 24 before he even hits the court in the NBA, Duarte is a legitimate shooter and plays a mistake-free brand of basketball that will appeal to teams with veteran cores that need a little bit of a boost on the cheap. He shot .424 from deep and .532 overall, showcasing strong finishing ability and elite spacing thanks to diligent mechanics, balance and a feel for how and when to navigate or relocate to give himself open looks. He’s no slouch defensively, either as Duarte possesses strong instincts and is a dependable help defender with a good sense of jumping into passing lanes, which resulted in 1.9 steals per contest as a senior.
It’s a package of skills that can help a team right away, especially in the modern climate. Duarte can knock down shots, hold his own defensively and isn’t a disaster with the ball in his hands despite not being a great playmaker. He should be able to hold a rotation spot from the jump and is someone to monitor for 3-and-D numbers in fantasy, though his appeal figures to be short of standard-league levels barring a huge role to start out.
Moses Moody, F, Arkansas, Freshman
Teams with title hopes might not be able to do better for day-one contributions than Moody, who has the prototypical build of a modern 3-and-D role player. At 6’6″ with a 7’1″ wingspan, Moody averaged 16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting .358 from distance as a freshman. That percentage was even better on catch-and-shoot looks, too, which is good news considering what Moody is expected to do in the NBA. His length and defensive instincts will make him versatile and although he isn’t an astounding athlete, he battles hard and will improve as he adds strength.
Moody has also drawn praise for his off-court demeanor and work ethic, which should ease some of the concern about his weak spots. If he lands with a good development program it wouldn’t be surprising to see Moody round things out quickly. There’s long-term potential for Moody to be an elite 3-and-D fantasy option with a triple-one cash counter line (steals, blocks, 3-pointers) but he’s already proven to be a strong modern wing already, and teams should feel comfortable about having him take on a rotation role from the jump.
Corey Kispert, G/F, Gonzaga, Senior
You could call Kispert the best shooter in the draft and not get much argument. He opened a four-year college career with a .351 mark from distance but improved in each of his campaigns, wrapping it up with an absurd .440 mark as a senior. Over his final two seasons, Kispert shot .439 on nearly 400 longballs. He’s great off the catch and is always ready to rise and fire, working hard to relocate and create openings for his lightning-quick release. As a diligent worker, Kispert built up his game to be a bit more diverse than that of a pure shooting specialist. He’s able to punish closeouts, of which he’ll see many, without getting too ambitious as a ball-handler, and can get up to the rim at times. Kispert is also 6’7″ with decent strength and won’t be bullied off the court defensively.
Although Kispert might not be the quickest player on the floor, he’s smart enough to keep up on defense and should be able to play a more sheltered role to start out. Everything stems from the jumper, however, and knockdown shooters who aren’t defensive turnstiles tend to find their way into minutes. Kispert’s elite skill is going to ensure him a rotation spot, with the other aspects of his game the ones that will determine his ceiling.
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