Sixers-Pelicans Lottery Thread

[PhillyPhreak54]

Jerami Grant...nice

[ice grillin you]

The analytics perspective

Grant isn't ready for the NBA, according to the numbers. There's basically no track record for success among players like Grant who are 6-foot-8 and under, do not shoot 3-pointers and are so inaccurate on 2-pointers (50.6 percent last season).

The closest comparison is Travis Leslie, a second-round pick who has played 45 career minutes in the NBA. Stretching a bit, Grant can point to Luc Richard Mbah a Moute as a relative success story, but Mbah a Moute is one of the league's best perimeter stoppers. Grant is unlikely to be so good. Unless he develops 3-point range, his career is not likely to go anywhere.

At the same time, history suggests leaving now is probably the right move for Grant. His stock, currently in the middle to late first round, could slide if he fails to show rapid improvement as an upperclassmen and scouts start asking harder questions about how his game translates to the NBA.

The scouting perspective

Grant is a combo forward prospect with good length and athleticism, but he lacks a defined role at the next level. While he was an efficient scorer at the collegiate level (and improved greatly from his freshman to sophomore seasons), Grant is one of those prospects who make me wonder if I'm missing something that everyone else sees.

While there's no denying Grant's athleticism and ability to finish, the rest of his game is a work-in-progress.

He runs the floor well in transition, gets to the front of the rim and finishes with power and explosiveness. He likes to mix it up in traffic and finishes well through contact, though he always tries to finish with his right hand on layups. Plus, Grant has a nice little tear-drop floater that he unleashes from time to time, which will help at the next level when going against bigger defenders.

However, he isn't very creative off the dribble, looking for straight-line drives with long strides. If he encounters defensive resistance, his only counter is a right-to-left spin move. His range doesn't quite extend to college 3-point land, but to his credit he knows his limitation and doesn't get enamored with the midrange jumper. Even though he often pops or shallow dives on pick-and-rolls, he'll put the ball on the floor after the catch and attack. Also, he's a terrific offensive rebounder who capitalizes on second-chance opportunities.

Defensively, as a Syracuse product he will have to fight the same death sentence that every fellow alum suffers from, as the Orange's 2-3 zone traditionally has not produced NBA-caliber defenders. Grant has decent defensive awareness but poor technique, leading to blow-bys off his closeouts. He is an underwhelming defensive rebounder, but part of that comes from playing the wing in the 2-3 zone. However, historically there hasn't been much improvement from college to the pros for other Syracuse guys in that regard.

The NBA front-office perspective

Grant is one of the most athletic players in the draft. When you are 6-7 with length, explosive leaping ability and the later quickness of a guard, NBA scouts are going to give you multiple looks.

He has a strong motor, attacks the rim and has the ability to guard the 2, 3 and 4, which also has a strong appeal to NBA scouts. But his lack of offensive skills somewhat dampens that enthusiasm.

Grant has the makings of a midrange jumper (though it's still inconsistent), but other than that, he doesn't have much of an offensive game. He has no 3-point shot to speak of and can't really create his own shot off the dribble yet.

The question for Grant: Can he go from elite athlete to something more? NBA players need to have the ability to score at the next level; it's hard for them to get on the floor if they can't. I think teams are going to give him a long look in the 12-20 range, but his long-term potential is dependent on developing small forward skills either in the D-League or practice.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Hinkie and Chip love each other. All about athletic freaks.

[Eagles_Legendz]

That entire analysis of Grant seems to assume he goes in the mid first round range.  Don't mind a flier on someone in the 2nd round with elite athleticism hoping he puts other stuff together while realizing it's a longshot.

[Eagles_Legendz]

DX - who does those scouting videos igy linked - had Embiid 1 overall, Saric 13, McDaniels 18, Grant 22.

[ice grillin you]

not that it matters at all because they have years to get some but i just cant get over how bad of a shooting team the sixers are at this moment....its beyond comprehension really

[ice grillin you]

poor mans shabazz napier

[Eagles_Legendz]

traded for Pierre Jackson? who they picked last year at 42.

[ice grillin you]

please pick jabari brown and at least have a shooter on the training camp roster

[PhillyPhreak54]

Nemanja Dangubich

I know nothing about him.

lololol "not a good shooter"

Hinkie hates jumpers?

[Eagles_Legendz]

"not a great shooter" - ha

[Eagles_Legendz]

no JMM.  how far has his stock fallen since arriving at UNC?

[PhillyPhreak54]

Is Hinkie part Serbian?

Only logical explanation for all these dudes.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Got 58 and 60 now

Spurs took Jordan McRae for the Sixers

[Eagles_Legendz]

7 2nd round picks.

Hahaha.