Grading the Top 5 Picks from the 2021 NBA Draft
5th Pick — Jalen Suggs (ORL)
C-
Jalen Suggs only played 48 games in his rookie season, so while it isn’t a substantial sample size to evaluate how he will develop, it is not a great sign to have already dealt with various injuries in your first season. Suggs was given much liberty as a consistent member of the starting backcourt alongside Cole Anthony, but was incredibly inconsistent. Additionally, Suggs was horrendously inefficient with an 88 ORtg, shooting about 36% from the field and 21% from downtown. Since it is so early, I am not penalizing him as much because some shot-creating college stars have trouble making the professional transition, but I would still be concerned if I were the Orlando Magic.
4th Pick — Scottie Barnes (TOR)
A+
Scottie Barnes fulfilled the exact archetype that the Toronto Raptors have been seeking for the future team composition. The Raptors have placed their focus on building a squad consisting of lanky, agile and basically position-less players such as Pascal Siakam, Chris Boucher, Precious Achiuwa, OG Anunoby and others, and Barnes fits that mold. Not only does Barnes benefit from his dynamic physical build, but he has shown that he has the skills necessary to be a force on both sides of the floor. Once he adds a consistent jump-shot, there is no telling where his ceiling is.
3rd Pick — Evan Mobley (CLE)
A
Similar to Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley also benefits from being drafted on to a team that was ready to swiftly transition him into an established lineup. Jarrett Allen and Mobley mesh together well as a defensively steadfast unit, where Mobley holds defenders to an average DIFF% of -2.4%. As Mobley takes on a bigger role on the Cleveland Cavaliers, he should see a boost in his offensive production which would complement his already effective defensive game well.
2nd Pick — Jalen Green (HOU)
B-
If you were to ask me what I thought of Jalen Green within the first couple months of the season, it would probably be a similar evaluation as the one I gave to Jalen Suggs, but Green definitely kicked it into second-gear towards the latter half of the regular season. Even though Green’s offensive output is considerably below league-average, and his defensive game is quite lackluster, his raw athletic potential can easily be crafted into an electric scorer. Even though the Houston Rockets only won a single game where Green scored 30+ points, he did so on mostly efficient shooting splits, suggesting that his individual play should not be discounted for the fact that the Rockets are still a rebuilding team.
1st Pick — Cade Cunningham (DET)
A-
Being hailed as the cornerstone of a franchise has its pros and cons, which Cade Cunningham experienced first-hand. The luxury of such a fate is the fact that Cade was able to implement his collegiate stylistic approach without having to forfeit much freedom, but when the ball is constantly in your hands, inconsistent performances are scrutinized heavier. Cade’s inexperience was evident with his occasionally reckless playmaking, as illustrated by his woeful 1.52 AST/TO ratio, but his basic counting stats show a lot of potential for someone who clearly can impact every aspect of the box score.
