I couldn’t agree more. By using NBA sites, you are agreeing to our revised :privacyPolicy and :termsOfUse, including our :cookiePolicy"}; The views on this page do not necessarily represent the views of the NBA or its clubs. Can he play off the ball, or are you drafting him with the expectation that he is the guy who will have the ball in his hands? but had modest scoring nights in the two games he faced Kentucky. How Much Does RJ Barrett’s Three-Point Development Mean to His Personal Progress? 1 pick, Your default site has been set for 7 days, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/39/27/ef_ehy0kyw02wye115syvvs166gb.jpeg?t=888552698&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/37/9a/tymax_1f832wc8mb95117lznwpvxcq5s.png?t=969952979&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/f9/a4/harsimran-kaur_5g2ztsxvl5rb1xkh584q9laa7.jpeg?t=-1151320843&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/5f/64/fred-vanvleet-111112-ftr-getty_mez10nsevmlb10n6tlz9ac4kb.jpg?t=-1123238491&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/4c/ef/chris-paul-101112-ftr-getty_haviujmdbpb31a1okalsbr5nt.jpg?t=-1151514939&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/60/a2/dirk-nowitzki_1gw9e0yo8xzyk15j978tayhl6n.jpeg?t=-1233746555&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/fa/ea/daigneault_9n9lkdlqj8601ricpf564puf6.jpg?t=-1157152459&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/61/a3/holiday-russell-101120-ftr-getty_ojla6mr6y7bv16133rm8el7ty.jpg?t=-1168884395&w=500. [Getty Images] Maxey is a prolific scoring guard that could provide a scoring punch off the bench – that tells you all you need to know for his comparisons. They will go in with at least two picks, and Kristaps Porzingis missing the early portion of the season could bump that Dallas pick towards the backend of the teens. It is very rare for a rookie to dominate the ball so Maxey (and Kira for that matter) will not be burdened with controlling the offense immediately. I feel confident Kira can offer an even better offense, but how are you feeling about his defensive potential? I’m actually relatively optimistic about Kira on the defensive end, because he fights hard and uses his speed to navigate screens and blow up actions. Conley had 87 steals in his 39 games as a collegiate player, while Kira had 84 steals in 65 total games spanning his freshman and sophomore years.

Granted, it’s not a perfect comparison. Maxey appears to be the easy answer for all the reasons we have outlined, namely his two-way effectiveness, but I think it might hurt him.

EC: That’s a very good question. Tyrese Maxey entered college guns blazing, lighting up the preseason number one Michigan State Spartans with a 26-point performance in the season-opening game that firmly established himself on the NBA radar. Plays like: Lou Williams, Dennis Schroder. Even as a staunch Maxey supporter I can’t really explain that. The views expressed here do not represent those of the NBA or its clubs. The rumblings of adding the quirky Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, possible unwillingness to include Kevin Knox in a Chris Paul package lead me to believe that Madison Square Garden will be a safe haven for Coach Cal’s guys. This is where Kira gains the advantage in the argument. He has no problem running an offence in the halfcourt or pushing the ball in transition. I’m pretty high on Kira’s passing, because I think his practical ability to get accurate passes off with either hand at full speed (and what a full speed it is!) Regardless of who joins the fray in 2021, Thibodeau will have a heavy need for a lightning bolt guard who can collapse a defense or blow by his matchup with ease; it is simply something the Knicks have not had at their disposal for as long as I can remember. If the Knicks should decide (or if, given the limited free agent market, it’s decided for them) that they’re going to be patient (read: tank) for one more year, it’s worth noting that while Cade Cunningham is the undisputed number-one prospect in the country, a lot of the appeal of the loaded 2021 draft class comes in the form of scoring wings. https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/6c/75/toppin-collins_4ehoc5noj2n41rnkfy1ilhluh.jpeg?t=1207072293&w=500&quality=80, Plays like: John Collins, Amar'e Stoudemire. Another concerning element of Maxey's game is the fact that he got a lot of his offence in transition feasting on easy buckets but in the half-court was far less lethal. His athleticism makes him more like Anunoby. Ditto for Ntilikina, who will hopefully relocate to the corners and do a lot more of this. Toppin is super athletic with a soft shooting touch – a prototypical power forward in today's NBA. window.gdprTextData.text = "NBA sites use cookies and similar technologies. Avdija is a playmaking point forward, similar to that of Hayward or Turkoglu. If we’re just talking about the fit with the core players (who, for the sake of this conversation, we’ll define as Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, and, to a much lesser extent, Frankie Smokes), I think Kira is pretty clearly the guy.

Projected NBA Draft Position: Late first round. I think there’s a decent chance Maxey is faced with a similar sort of soul searching if he doesn’t end up being drafted by a team that can start him out with a limited role while quietly building out the consistency of his jump shot and playmaking.

Speed kills or Kentucky konnections? Changes stride length, great extension, versatile floater game. Knicks Draft: The Best and Worst of the Past Two Decades. I think if taken with a grain of salt, we can assume that the Offseason App valued Maxey’s two-way contributions right away, since it’s probably easier and in a way more valuable to be a low-usage, two-way player than a higher-usage rookie point guard, especially since point guard is a position that takes time to become good at at the NBA level, unless you’re Ja Morant or Trae Young.

Maxey is a disruptor in the truest sense. The ability to finish at the rim is where I think Maxey adds immense value. By using NBA sites, you are agreeing to our revised Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Use<\/a>, including our Cookie Policy<\/a>"; Can Tyrese Maxey's knack for scoring turn him into a lottery pick? And I am so happy you mentioned 2021 because I think it should be towards the front of everyone’s minds, more than some might like to admit.

Projected lottery picks Anthony Edwards (Georgia) and Tyrese Maxey (Kentucky) will participate in a televised Pro Day ahead of the NBA Draft, including a 20-minute workout with half and full … There were far too many times the ball stuck, far too many long jumpers and too little easy buckets. Tyrese Maxey entered college guns blazing, lighting up the preseason number one Michigan State Spartans with a 26-point performance in the season-opening game that firmly established himself on the NBA radar.

So while I’m pretty confident that Lewis eventually becomes around an average defender, maybe even above average, I don’t think even the most optimistic projections would have Lewis as a high-end defender, and so in that regard, Maxey has the clear edge. Muscular at 200 pounds Maxey really knows how to initiate contact in the air to create the space he needs and with a 6'5.5" wingspan he can hold the ball out wide and away from defenders to complete layups. For where each player is projected to be selected, check out our latest 2020 NBA Mock Draft. Then there are the freakishly skilled bigs like Evan Mobley, Jalen Johnson, and Scottie Barnes. He handles the ball like McCollum but can also come off screens and knock down shots like Curry. [Getty Images] So while I’m pretty confident that Lewis eventually becomes around an average defender, maybe even above average, I don’t think even the most optimistic projections would have Lewis as a high-end defender, and so in that regard, Maxey has the clear edge. MC: The Kentucky guard bump is real, and a tried and true system. The results were a bit of a shocker to me with Maxey generating the best outcome and Kira the lowest. I’ll end on this, though. EC: I couldn’t agree more. Maxey is a disruptor in the truest sense. For that reason alone, the Magic should give Tyrese Maxey a long look. When you take away what Maxey was able to do in transition and look at only what he accomplished in the half court he's far less of an explosive offensive player and it's something NBA front offices will have to weigh when deciding his value. Cal had Maxey routinely guard the opposing team’s best player, including Anthony Edwards on a few occasions.

Plays like: Lou Williams, Dennis Schroder. »READ: Kira Lewis Jr. has serious speed, but will he have a legit impact on the game? Of course, being an effective off-ball player requires more than just the ability to shoot.