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SALT LAKE CITY — The lottery is over, the Jazz will draft at 14 so there are no surprises in terms of sudden superstars to draft. In the past two weeks the power forwards and centers were looked at for the Jazz.
This week the focus will be on the small forwards in this draft. This is the most interesting position in the draft for the Jazz because this is the one spot that the Jazz really don't a player. They have Gordon Hayward as their starter, even though he might be better at shooting guard, they have Marvin Williams and if they wanted depth at the position they can just bring back DeMarre Carroll.
That being said there is still a chance the Jazz will grab the best player available who might be a small forward. This isn't about the best small forwards, but the best fits for the Jazz in any of their draft picks.
The small forward position could be the weakest position in the draft, but it is really deep and there could be a few players who slide in the second round. Here are the top-5 for the Jazz to take a look at.
5. Giannis Adetokounmpo:18 y.o. Greece
Adetokounmpo is as hard to project as his name is hard to spell or pronounce. On that subject there are multiple spellings out there for his name. He is a 6-9 long small forward who can do a little bit of everything, but might not be able to do anything in an NBA arena. He is expected to be a first round pick, but might struggle in the D-League.
So, why would the Jazz draft him? Potential.
He has a little bit of everything on offense. He initiates offense, he can play off the ball, he has some moves down low and he can finish on fast breaks. He is 6-9, but still might gain another few inches, he has a 7-2 wingspan. He could become a Paul George type small forward, playing closer to 7-0. And he has amazing upside.
He played basically every position for his team, from point guard to power forward.
However, that upside isn't anything more than potential right now. He has at times dominated, but he is playing against far inferior competition. Most of the players he is playing against wouldn't make the D-League. He isn't a great shooter, granted he can shoot. He can improve, but he could remind people more of Marvin Williams than Kevin Durant.
He lacks defensive consistency and work against high level competition. The reason he is five on the list is that he would require at least the 21st pick. If the Jazz could snag him with their second round pick it would be a steal. He might be more of a draft and stash player, either in Europe or the D-League. He might not play for two to three years, but if his potential comes to fruition he could be close to a superstar.
4. Dario Saric:19 y.o. Croatia
This is the best player on this list, but is he worth the top pick for the Jazz? That is why he is fourth on the list. He also has a special spot for looking like Walter White, Jr. in Breaking Bad. He is a 6-10 small forward who can control the ball with the best forwards around.
He can rebound, control the ball and is a very smart player. He could be a problem for smaller players defending him. He is a lot like Dirk Nowitzki, but more of a slasher to Dirk's shooter. He could be a star if he gets a better shot. He is more of a facilitator than scorer.
He is the standard European player. Tall and long with a silky skill set. He is putting up gaudy numbers in his playoffs. Is that due to inferior competition or is he really that good? It is hard to project. Is he worth the top pick assuming there is a point guard on the board at the time?
3. Reggie Bullock:Jr. North Carolina:
This is going to be a player who will play in the league for years much like Shane Battier or Robert Horry. In the right system he could be a lot like what Kawhi Leonard is to the Spurs. He isn't as good of a defender as Leonard, but he is a better shooter.
He actually might be one of the best shooters in the draft. He is as good a shooter as there is in this draft. He will catch and shoot. He will play a great brand of team ball and defend with his life. He will attack the glass and pull down rebounds for his team. He played with stars at North Carolina and didn't care about being a role player.
He isn't going to stop a big body. He is 6-7 in shoes and plays at that height. He isn't long, but not short, just average for who he is. He has to get stronger to be a big minute guy. He would have time with the Jazz to do so.
He isn't a superstar who has a good attacking game either to keep teams honest. If there isn't another player to attack the lane he won't be able to create his own shot all the time. He is best on the perimeter on offense. He also doesn't have the overall explosion. But if he had these things he would be a top-5 pick instead the Jazz would take a look at him with the 21st pick.
2. James Ennis:Sr. Long Beach State
He is a player the Jazz have already looked at in their first workout. He is a small forward who the Jazz could easily get with their second round pick. He is a good shooter. Shooting just under 50 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc.
He scored 16.5 points per game his senior year. He isn't an elite athlete, but a really good one. He could be a solid role player. If he becomes a good defender he could be a good player. He has long arms. He played at a small college and is still raw. Doesn't have a high basketball IQ.
For what the Jazz need he could be a great piece if they wanted to take a small forward to add some depth late in the draft or maybe even as an undrafted free agent.
1. Andre Roberson:Jr. Colorado
Roberson cold be a value pick among value picks. If he slides down to where the Jazz draft in the second round he could be the next Paul Millsap. Speaking of Millsap, Roberson is a 6-7 forward who grabs rebounds at an great rate, he averaged 11 per game his sophomore and junior years. He can jump and time shots so well it doesn't matter who else is in there.
He is all over mock draft boards, some have him late first round and some don't have him getting drafted. The biggest reason is the same reason why Millsap's future is up in the air, what position is he really? He is a light and short power forward, but that is where his skill set lies. He is a nicely sized athletic small forward, but isn't a great shooter to keep defenses honest.
He will struggle against big fours and making him sit on the perimeter on defense is taking away his best attribute. He is probably a poor knockoff of Millsap and Kawhi Leonard. He has a great motor and will do anything that people want him to do. A better outside shot makes him a top-15 pick at small forward. Three more inches and he is a starting power forward for years.
If he can continue to develop his game, especially as a small forward he could be a really great player. If he doesn't get a better offensive game, he could be a role player.
He is the top small forward if the Jazz can have him slide down, if they take him with their second first he could still be a good player, maybe not the value though. Oh, and he played with Alec Burks in college.
Shabazz Muhammad is another player that could be there, but he might not fit as a Jazz man. Next week the shooting guards will be looked at.
