In the same way that mid-2000s NBA GMs went on fruitless gold mines for the “next Dirk Nowitzki,” it always felt to me that those wheels would begin turning as teams searched for players that fit that Kevin Durant / Brandon Ingram type mold, potentially starting with the 2020 NBA Draft.
Jaden McDaniels’ freshman season at Washington didn’t amaze to the level we would have hoped, but spend a minute or two indulging in highlights, and you’ll see the type of player that, with fine tuning, would be an offensive juggernaut at the professional level.
Recent seasons have suggested that the NBA is still investigating just how far it can go take the “small ball” era in the NBA. McDaniels could be a victim to that; he won’t be able to defend bulkier “4s” with his 200-pound frame, which limits his lineup versatility. But, as a Huskies forward, Washington was a +5.7 with him playing small forward.
O’Connor likened him to a Rashard Lewis, one of the NBA’s more underrated, transcendent stretch bigs of the past generation. McDaniels has the handle, and can post-up, but he will need to improve upon both shot selection ― he shot just 40.5 percent in his freshman season, much lower than players of his archetype ― and while the herky-jerky dribbling style is nice, his release points feel awkward at times.
The potential is there, though. Despite a suboptimal true shooting percentage, McDaniels has NBA-ready numbers. Per NBA.com, he averages 1.18 points per catch-and-shoot in half-court settings.
Before Ariza’s arrival and Trent Jr.’s bubble breakout, the idea of drafting a scoring forward seemed much more reasonable. McDaniels could be an excellent long-term play. He’s probably my favorite prospect in this upcoming 2020 NBA Draft, and if he were on the board, I’d take my stab at him.