Portland Trail Blazers: A way-too-early look at perfect picks in the 2020 NBA Draft
F. Florida State University. Patrick Williams. 3. Scouting Report. player. 435. Pick Analysis
It feels a little too ballsy to say that the Portland Trail Blazers are stuck in no man’s land. But basketball purgatory isn’t too far off, given how they’ve walked the tightrope between dangerous postseason contender and a team that misses the postseason altogether. But at full health, only subtle tweaks are needed. And that helps begin to explain how seamless Patrick Williams’ fit would be as a Blazer in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Before he steps foot on an NBA court, Williams will ― as The Rock used to say on SmackDown! ― “know his role.” He excelled for the Seminoles’ second unit, averaging 16.2 points per 40 minutes, which in itself is a major accomplishment for a freshman.
It be irresponsible to not discuss a few of the nasty offensive droughts he struggled through. From Jan. 1 to Feb. 4, he struggled to crack double-figures and shot 27.3 percent. But like most of these prospects, he was peaking at the right time, averaging 11.5 points over his last ten. He would have had enough momentum to cover the state of Florida heading into the March Madness tournament.
Williams will be one of the most interesting defensive players in the 2020 NBA Draft, depending on who you ask. Excellence as a weak-side shot blocker will do him well; he ranked No. 5 in block rate among those in the ACC, and he can thank his 6-foot-11 wingspan for that. But he pairs that with smarts as an intelligent team defender, too. On the other hand, he must get quicker laterally.
Scheme-wise, Williams should fit comfortably in Stotts’ system. The Seminoles ran a motion offense with nuances similar to the Blazers. And in those cases where Portland runs four-out with Nurkic in the post, the ACC Sixth Man of the Year is enough of a talented shooter to make defenses pay, especially if the release quickens.