Camden wrote:I think the Wolves are pretty set at point guard in the present and future as I believe D'Angelo Russell is quietly one of the more dynamic lead guards in the league, and Jordan McLaughlin is a quality backup at the position, BUT...
I really like Tyrell Terry. I probably have him higher on my board than most that I've seen and I think he'll easily outperform his draft slot. We've debated about who the best shooter is in this draft and I think it's this kid. Spot-up, catch-and-shoot, coming off screens, off the dribble -- he's more than capable in different situations.
Terry shot 40.8-percent from three on 4.9 attempts per game. That's not necessarily blistering, but it's quite good especially for a freshman. Ironically, it's the same three-point percentage that Jamal Murray shot at Kentucky several years ago albeit on less attempts. Terry shot 42-percent from deep on spot-up threes (38 attempts) and 57.9-percent off screens (11 attempts) in his lone season at Stanford. Obviously, you'd like to see those attempts higher, but they help paint the picture of what his strengths are.
Terry's also quietly an elite finisher at the rim -- 61.5-percent shooting at the rim -- and a sneaky good defender despite his slight frame. He reminds me of Tyus Jones on that end, actually.
I like him a lot in this class and the Wolves have reportedly been in contact with him quite a bit during the draft process according to the local guys we rely on for news. I've seen Terry projected to go in the 20's and even as low as the early second-round. Personally, I like him at the back end of the lottery.
Good analysis, Cam. I also read and agree with your other post where you accurately call out his weaknesses.
Regarding Terry's weight, I'll note that Allen Iverson played in the NBA at 165 pounds and he's in the hall of fame. Of course, I'm not suggesting that Terry is the next Iverson, but you get the point. At 160 lbs now, I anticipate Terry bulking up to at least 170 with muscle and no loss of quickness. In fact, adding some fast-twitch muscle might make him a bit quicker.
I'd be strongly inclined to take Terry at #17 if Saddiq Bey and Patrick Williams are off the board. However, you make a good point about need. Like you, I really like McLaughlin as our backup PG. I also think Culver showed him can play some lead guard and part of his value going forward will be his ability to grow into a player who can provide some minutes at that position. So I'm not sold on Terry from a need perspective. But I'm not sure we're at at point where we can count on McLaughlin or Culver to back up DLO. And we could certainly benefit from Terry's shooting. What I like most about Terry is his competitive intensity and high basketball IQ. The more I look at successful draft picks, the more I see those two qualities as the main drivers of NBA success.