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No picks and not many options available via FA. Here's some 2-ways they picked up yesterday:
The upside scenario with Smith is that he does have some sneaky quickness and athleticism, and if he can just tilt his shooting percentages upward a bit more, the mad bombing becomes a legitimate weapon instead of a weird sideshow. Smith also quietly nearly doubled his assist rate from the year before, showing a bit more utility on the ball that could hint at eventually playing point guard full time. He had a high steal rate defensively, and while he can get steamrolled in physical matchups, he at least puts up a fight.
That’s fine to take a chance by the middle of the second round, but I wouldn’t take the plunge any earlier.
Council’s defensive stats are also interesting, with a solid steal rate and the potential to be more at that end. He seemed to take to this more at the combine, heating up the ball on the perimeter. Between his strong frame and lateral quickness, he could have some latent stopper potential if he focuses on that area.
The big issue right now is his shot. Whether it’s on catch-and-shoots or pull-ups, it’s a problem. Council shoots elbow-out and sprays line drives spinning every which way but straight, and it might require a total rebuild to become functional at the pro level. The one piece of good news is that he seems able to align all the stars when perfectly still (witness the free-throw percentage), and that if he ever becomes halfway decent, his pull-up game off the dribble will be a real weapon.
However, at the NBA level, he may be caught between positions. He’s only 6-9 with a 6-11 wingspan, his no-step vertical measured at just 23 1/2 inches, and he hasn’t shown any real instinct for rim protection. He’s not that well-suited to guarding the perimeter either and needs to shoot more consistently from 3 (29.5 percent career on low volume) to make him a believable four at the offensive end.
For that reason, the most likely outcome seems like him being picked in the 50s and put in the freezer for a team to check on in a few years while he develops overseas.
43. Terquavion Smith, 20, 6-3 sophomore SG, NC State
Smith has spent most of the last two years getting first-round buzz, with his case being as a volume 3-point launcher who can provide bench scoring. The problem is there’s no evidence he can actually shoot. His career marks are 35.2 percent from 3 and 70.0 percent from the line; why is this interesting? He’s not a point guard, and he weighs about 13 pounds soaking wet; in most scenarios, he projects as a worse version of Bones Hyland.The upside scenario with Smith is that he does have some sneaky quickness and athleticism, and if he can just tilt his shooting percentages upward a bit more, the mad bombing becomes a legitimate weapon instead of a weird sideshow. Smith also quietly nearly doubled his assist rate from the year before, showing a bit more utility on the ball that could hint at eventually playing point guard full time. He had a high steal rate defensively, and while he can get steamrolled in physical matchups, he at least puts up a fight.
That’s fine to take a chance by the middle of the second round, but I wouldn’t take the plunge any earlier.
48. Ricky Council IV, 21, 6-5 junior SG, Arkansas
This one is a pure eye-test call. Council has caught my eye since his freshman year at Wichita State due to his first-step quickness and ability to elevate for finishes at the end of the play. He didn’t have great numbers from his season with Arkansas, even though he led the team in scoring, but he drew fouls at a very high rate, and his conversion rate at the line (79.4 percent) offers a slight ray of hope that his 3-point shot is fixable.Council’s defensive stats are also interesting, with a solid steal rate and the potential to be more at that end. He seemed to take to this more at the combine, heating up the ball on the perimeter. Between his strong frame and lateral quickness, he could have some latent stopper potential if he focuses on that area.
The big issue right now is his shot. Whether it’s on catch-and-shoots or pull-ups, it’s a problem. Council shoots elbow-out and sprays line drives spinning every which way but straight, and it might require a total rebuild to become functional at the pro level. The one piece of good news is that he seems able to align all the stars when perfectly still (witness the free-throw percentage), and that if he ever becomes halfway decent, his pull-up game off the dribble will be a real weapon.
54. Azuola Tubelis, 21, 6-9 junior PF, Arizona
Tubelis is an NCAA player but also a stash pick thanks to his Lithuanian passport, which makes it easier for a team to draft him now and keep him overseas until needed later. Tubelis was a very effective college big man despite having to share space with another giant post player (Oumar Ballo); he runs the floor well, has good hands and soft short-range touch and hunts the ball on the glass, where he posted an 18.4 percent rebound rate in Pac-12 games.However, at the NBA level, he may be caught between positions. He’s only 6-9 with a 6-11 wingspan, his no-step vertical measured at just 23 1/2 inches, and he hasn’t shown any real instinct for rim protection. He’s not that well-suited to guarding the perimeter either and needs to shoot more consistently from 3 (29.5 percent career on low volume) to make him a believable four at the offensive end.
For that reason, the most likely outcome seems like him being picked in the 50s and put in the freezer for a team to check on in a few years while he develops overseas.
