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SALT LAKE CITY — The draft is now coming closer. Last week there was a look at the top centers for the Jazz. This week it will be about power forwards. There won't be any cross over, so some might translate a little differently, but this is the place they are most commonly listed.
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The Jazz's situation with their big men is interesting. They don't really need to take anyone high with Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors as their future down low. However, they only have Jeremy Evans behind them, so they need someone to be the third assuming they don't bring back on of their exiting free agents.
The nice thing about Kanter and Favors is that they can and have played both positions, so the Jazz could grab a power forward or a center and fill the need. The center class this year is better than the group of power forwards in the meat of the draft.
This isn't about the best power forwards in the draft, but ones that will be around when the Jazz pick and would make a bit of sense. There aren't that many high end talents, but the Jazz really could have their pick if they were looking that way.
Here are the top-5 power forwards:
Brandon Davies:Sr. BYU
Now don't groan yet, this isn't simply a homer pick. Davies realistically fits a need. This isn't a first-round selection it is about their second-round pick. He is full of blemishes that people around here have seen. He never really became the guy despite being at BYU forever.
Was he never taught to take the lead and does it matter? He isn't going to be the main guy. He hustles most of the time and is an athletic player, not freakish but solid. He'll rebound and defend. He is 6-9 with a wingspan of 7-2, so he is a longer player.
He might be a bit of a combine darling though. He wasn't even expected to be drafted until the won the MVP in Portsmouth. In the three games in the invitational he scored 20.6 points and 9.3 rebounds. If that is the player he is and he was trying to be a little more laid back at BYU he might be a gem. If he is the player at BYU he will still be solid and worth a second-round pick.
Kenny Kadji:Sr. MiamiKadji is 24, but still has a bit of upside to his game. He is 6-11, but plays better outside than inside. He is a stretch four. He is a good shooter who could cause match up problems, especially with a dominant low post complement.
He could be a more athletic Matt Bonner. That is more of a compliment than it sounds. If he was in the game other teams would always have to adjust to him and keep an eye on him. He can handle the ball and moves pretty well.
He isn't a pure shooter though. His shot doesn't look good going up, but it does going in. He shot 42 percent from behind the arc his junior year and 35 percent his senior year.
He is from Cameroon, so he might not have all the skills engrained in him, but if he could be coached up a bit he has all the potential to contribute for years. For how long he is he isn't a great defender, but is serviceable especially for a backup big.
He is another player that would be in the range of their second-round pick, or an undrafted signing.
Livio Jean-Charles:19 y.o. French Guiana
Jean-Charles is an interesting study. While not doing a full break down he has the ability to be great and the red flags that will make people wonder why. He is 6-9 with a 7-2 wingspan and runs so elegantly. He works hard, has tremendous leaping ability and is long.
So, why isn't he a solid pick? Well his numbers for his team, ASVEL in France, are 3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 14 minutes of play. He is listed more as a power forward, but isn't a strong enough player. He doesn't have an consistent outside shot to play small forward.
But he exploded at the Nike Hoop Summit. Against the USA Junior National Team he scored 27 points and grabbed 13 boards. Teams were already raving about what he could do during the practice and he out shined that. He might not be a star, but he can do so many little things that he could have an Andrei Kirilenko type career. He isn't as talented as AK was, but that is the type of player he is.
He would be a favorite for the Jazz fans because of the little things he does, but will probably add to their headache for what he can't do. He has been racing up draft boards, so he might be in play for the Jazz's second pick in the first round.
Rudy Gobert20 y.o. France
Gobert might be French for long. He is a thin and long 7-1 forward. Oh and he has a 7-9 wingspan. He might be more of a center, but doesn't have the bulk to guard big bodies. He is only 220 lbs or so. The NBA comparison is Shawn Bradley and they are pretty accurate.
However, where Bradley was tall and didn't have any real supporting athleticism, Gobert can actually move pretty well. There are worries about his maturity and whether he will actually put on some weight. He has good ball skills and can actually catch the ball, which seems difficult for many big men these days.
Everything he does happens around the basket. He won't step out and shoot, but he can set up outside then slide down after setting a pick. He has some moves down low, but his offensive game is just being taller than others and throwing down.
Like others in the late first of this draft he can play half of the game, defense, right away and if his offense and his bulk can catch up he could be a steal late in the first. Probably not an option with the 14th pick, but could be a steal or an absolute bust with the 21st.
Mason Plumlee:Sr. Duke
This would be the lone pick that the Jazz would look at with the 14th pick. The 6-10 forward from Duke can do a little bit of everything, but even as a senior at Duke he wasn't the guy. His arms are shorter than his height. He's got intangibles and all the tools to become a great player.
The problem is that, pardon the cliché, he is who he is. He doesn't have a lot of versatility. He will work hard but that will only take him so far. He can't create his own shot if it isn't a simple bullying down low.
He plays shorter than his frame on offense. On defense he does a lot of good though. He will hold his own on defense against most anyone. While he might not get much better than who is he right now he can play very well right now.
He can shoot pretty well, he can jump, he can defend and he can work with the ball. Smart and aggressive while being a worker who can grab rebounds. The Jazz could do a lot worse for a third big man.
He once was a lock to be top-5 or 10. Now he could slip and this could be a player the Jazz pull the trigger on.
There are the power forwards. There is a steep drop after the first few picks at power forward depending on how what position the handful of tweeners are placed. Next week will be a look at small forwards to take a look at.
