Jaden McDaniels

[Lipoli390]

Say, where do you guys think Jaden would have been drafted, if he was coming out this year and given his development this past couple of years? Maybe that's a dumb hypothetical and not fair to this year's draftees, since McDaniels has had a couple of years of pro experience. But I started to think about it after seeing the stats from the pro-am game the other day. Paulo and Chet are special, freak athletes... but so is Jaden, especially now.

I'd rank him behind those guys and Ivey, but I don't think I'd have anyone else above him.

If Jaden had been in this year's draft he would have been a Junior. Being an upperclassman would probably reduce his value somewhat. However, assuming a similar level of development in the past two seasons, he probably would have put up really impressive college numbers. And he's be uncharacteristically young for a college junior. So he's definitely be a high lottery pick. I think it's likely he would have been selected 4th or 6th. Here's how I'd slot him relative to top players selected in this year's draft:

1. Banchero
2. Holmgren
3. Jabari Smith
4. Keegan Murray or Jaden McDaniels
5. Jaden Ivey
6. Keegan Murray or Jaden McDaniels

It's possible he would have fallen below Mathurin, but that's as far down as I'd see him getting drafted this year. Jaden was considered a likely top 10 pick at the start of his freshman season, so surprise that some of us would consider him a lottery pick if he had come out this year. Young players often develop at different rates. And McDaniels was young for his class to begin with. By all accounts, his issue as a freshman was a lack of maturity manifest in failure to adequately control his emotions. I've never considered that issue to be a red flag or even a yellow one. I worry about the prospects who seem to lack emotions, not those who just need to learn how to control them.

Rosas got a high lottery talent with the 28th pick two years ago. I suspect, as Larry Brown said, that Connelly got a high lottery talent with this year's 45th pick and that we'll be slotting Josh Minott somewhere in the top 10 of the 2024 NBA draft two years from now.

[Q-is-here]

Jaden may grade out as a lottery pick right now, but his value is still tilted more toward potential than production. I think what he's done first and foremost is established a fairly high floor. He is a legit rotation player that is a plus defender on a winning team. That is definitely meeting or exceeding expectations for a late round pick. Offensively, he was still a negative asset if you look at the whole of last year. Now folks are betting on him putting the finishing touches on his defense (i.e. less fouling) and taking a leap offensively.

[TAFKASP]

Rosas got a high lottery talent with the 28th pick two years ago. I suspect, as Larry Brown said, that Connelly got a high lottery talent with this year's 45th pick and that we'll be slotting Josh Minott somewhere in the top 10 of the 2024 NBA draft two years from now.

A refreshing change from all those years of getting a high second round talent with a lottery pick!

[Lipoli390]

Jaden may grade out as a lottery pick right now, but his value is still tilted more toward potential than production. I think what he's done first and foremost is established a fairly high floor. He is a legit rotation player that is a plus defender on a winning team. That is definitely meeting or exceeding expectations for a late round pick. Offensively, he was still a negative asset if you look at the whole of last year. Now folks are betting on him putting the finishing touches on his defense (i.e. less fouling) and taking a leap offensively.

Q - I agree that his value is still tilted toward potential. His potential would make him a high lottery pick this year. His production makes him a valuable NBA rotation player/starter. McDaniels was labeled a boom or bust prospect coming out of college. That label has proved to be wrong because, as you noted, he's already shown a high floor. The boom potential is still there, but he's clearly not a bust.

Regarding the boom potential, I'll note that Jaden is four months younger than Paul George was when Paul was entering his third NBA season. Paul didn't show much offensively his first two seasons, averaging 7.8 points and 12.1 points -respectively in each of those seasons. He took a pretty big leap offensively his third season when he averaged 17.4 points. But it wasn't until his 4th season that he started averaging 20+ points per game. One difference between the two is that Paul George started showing his 3-prowess in his second season at 38.5% on a limited 3.5 attempts per game. So Jaden is behind Paul George in developing that aspect of his game. But they are very similar in every other key aspect of their development. I also recall that one of the knocks on Paul George coming out of college was his handle. He's one of the few players I've seen who significantly improved his handle after coming to the NBA. That's another area of Jaden's improvement. Jaden had a decent handle coming out of college and I think he's clearly improved in that area.

We still need to be patient with Jaden. This season might be a breakout one for him, but it may not. I think his 4th and 5th seasons are the ones to watch. That's when I think he'll break out as a borderline all-star. Many of us have compared him to Scottie Pippen. That's probably not quite on the mark. I think the Paul George comparison is a better one.

[Q-is-here]

Well, you have a much more optimistic take on Jaden than I do Lip. I just don't see the Paul George or Scottie Pippen ceiling. I think someone like Mikal Bridges is a more realistic ceiling, which would still make him a fantastic player for the Wolves.

[Lipoli390]

Well, you have a much more optimistic take on Jaden than I do Lip. I just don't see the Paul George or Scottie Pippen ceiling. I think someone like Mikal Bridges is a more realistic ceiling, which would still make him a fantastic player for the Wolves.

I've backed off my Scottie Pippen ceiling. :) I just don't Jaden becoming the rebounder, playmaker or overall force that Pippen was in his day. But I'll stand by my Paul George ceiling. Nevertheless, I'm fine with the Mika's Bridges ceiling. :)

[Monster]

Well, you have a much more optimistic take on Jaden than I do Lip. I just don't see the Paul George or Scottie Pippen ceiling. I think someone like Mikal Bridges is a more realistic ceiling, which would still make him a fantastic player for the Wolves.

I've backed off my Scottie Pippen ceiling. :) I just don't Jaden becoming the rebounder, playmaker or overall force that Pippen was in his day. But I'll stand by my Paul George ceiling. Nevertheless, I'm fine with the Mika's Bridges ceiling. :)

Regardless the ceiling is the roof!!!