Zach Edey, 7-4

[azcatz11]

Edey's defense is his offense. Remember when the Clippers played super smallball in the playoffs because Gobert couldn't make them pay? Edey is getting buckets at an insanely efficient rate if that's tried against him. Probably wouldn't use a first on him but he could be a really valuable mismatch tool to have if used intelligently

You’re giving up all of those points defensively. He can’t play defense in the nba. There’s no shot in hell

[Big J]

Edey's defense is his offense. Remember when the Clippers played super smallball in the playoffs because Gobert couldn't make them pay? Edey is getting buckets at an insanely efficient rate if that's tried against him. Probably wouldn't use a first on him but he could be a really valuable mismatch tool to have if used intelligently

I remember when the Clippers had to bench Zubak in the playoffs because Luka kept targeting him. Multiply Zubaks defensive terribleness by 10 and you have Edey.

[Klomp]

Edey's defense is his offense. Remember when the Clippers played super smallball in the playoffs because Gobert couldn't make them pay? Edey is getting buckets at an insanely efficient rate if that's tried against him. Probably wouldn't use a first on him but he could be a really valuable mismatch tool to have if used intelligently

I remember when the Clippers had to bench Zubak in the playoffs because Luka kept targeting him. Multiply Zubaks defensive terribleness by 10 and you have Edey.

It's impossible to "multiply defensive terribleness" in basketball. There is no 30-point shot. Whether it's on Zach Edey, Joel Embiid or Giannis, the most points an offensive player can make on a field goal is 3 points.

[TheSuzerain]

Edey's defense is his offense. Remember when the Clippers played super smallball in the playoffs because Gobert couldn't make them pay? Edey is getting buckets at an insanely efficient rate if that's tried against him. Probably wouldn't use a first on him but he could be a really valuable mismatch tool to have if used intelligently

You’re giving up all of those points defensively. He can’t play defense in the nba. There’s no shot in hell

Everybody is giving up all those points defensively. Nobody is playing very effective defense these days.

Edey won't/can't defend the perimeter, but there is a definite ceiling on how efficient offense can be on the perimeter.

If Edey can be a useful deterrant around the restricted area (which I think is attainable if he improves his positioning a bit), I think he'll be "good enough" defensively. He already projects as an elite D-Rebounder and he doesn't send players to the line.

[Big J]

Edey's defense is his offense. Remember when the Clippers played super smallball in the playoffs because Gobert couldn't make them pay? Edey is getting buckets at an insanely efficient rate if that's tried against him. Probably wouldn't use a first on him but he could be a really valuable mismatch tool to have if used intelligently

You’re giving up all of those points defensively. He can’t play defense in the nba. There’s no shot in hell

Everybody is giving up all those points defensively. Nobody is playing very effective defense these days.

Edey won't/can't defend the perimeter, but there is a definite ceiling on how efficient offense can be on the perimeter.

If Edey can be a useful deterrant around the restricted area (which I think is attainable if he improves his positioning a bit), I think he'll be "good enough" defensively. He already projects as an elite D-Rebounder and he doesn't send players to the line.

There is a difference between wide open 3's and ones that are minimally challenged. It will be wide open 3 after wide open 3 any time he's on the court.

[The-Power]

Everybody is giving up all those points defensively. Nobody is playing very effective defense these days.

Huh? There absolutely still is effective and ineffective defense, just as there has always been. The difference is just that the threshold for what we consider effective defense in terms of DRTG has shifted. That's because offenses have become much more sophisticated and talented, and defending effectively has become tougher as a result. Which, in turn, actually makes it more important than ever to not have your defenses compromised by playing highly exploitable players. In other words, the offensive evolution of the game makes players like Edey more – not less – problematic to play.

[ItsDanger]

It's clear people don't comprehend scarcity. What if he does well and you're
wrong? Are you going to draft another 7'4, 300lb guy with a PER of 40 next year? There isn't one. But go ahead and draft another wing or guard project with 80%+ fail rate.

[ItsDanger]

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These charts showcase an outlier. Which means no one really knows what will happen when surrounded by actual NBA talent.

[sisibilio]

Edey's defense is his offense. Remember when the Clippers played super smallball in the playoffs because Gobert couldn't make them pay? Edey is getting buckets at an insanely efficient rate if that's tried against him. Probably wouldn't use a first on him but he could be a really valuable mismatch tool to have if used intelligently

I remember when the Clippers had to bench Zubak in the playoffs because Luka kept targeting him. Multiply Zubaks defensive terribleness by 10 and you have Edey.

It's impossible to "multiply defensive terribleness" in basketball. There is no 30-point shot. Whether it's on Zach Edey, Joel Embiid or Giannis, the most points an offensive player can make on a field goal is 3 points.

Boban is one of the most effective scorers in NBA history and he's still unplayable.

[8305]

I think Edey could be an interesting rotation piece. The player you look to when Embiid is killing you.
If he can evolve his game (a possibility given his newness to the game) step out further on the floor, set picks, hit the mid range shot, be a killer roll to the basket player. On a team that figures out how use a zone defense an evolved Edey could be more than a rotational player.

[Big J]

Putting him in the middle of a 2-3 zone is probably the only way he's playable, but then again how many teams are going to be devising entire defensive schemes just to hide him when he can't even shoot 3s?

[ItsDanger]

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No brainer in the 2nd round.

[atlantabbq99]

Zach Edey, old school big but is probably the best in the draft at setting screens, i have a feeling of all the bigs, he would work well with a dominate pick n roll ball handler. Would be a great back up center and guy on the bench, and maybe one day could be a 25mpg starter.

Even though he is huge, Z has some touch and has a decent jumpshot, is a much better free throw shooter than Gobert and Kessler.

Z is not a gimmick player, he is an actual legit basketball player and yes he is 100 times better than Tacko Fall.

Edey is great at setting the pick and roll but the biggest concern is his ability to defend the pick and roll at the NBA level.

Z's Floor would be Boban, his ceiling could be a slightly better or better rebounding Zydrunas Ilgauskas

[GreatWhiteStiff]

I remember when the Clippers had to bench Zubak in the playoffs because Luka kept targeting him. Multiply Zubaks defensive terribleness by 10 and you have Edey.

It's impossible to "multiply defensive terribleness" in basketball. There is no 30-point shot. Whether it's on Zach Edey, Joel Embiid or Giannis, the most points an offensive player can make on a field goal is 3 points.

Boban is one of the most effective scorers in NBA history and he's still unplayable.

How much better is JV than Edey, defensively? JV gets starter's minutes and nice contracts and is playing for a contender. I have to admit JV moves his feet somewhat well, particularly as a young lithuanian player. Possibly Edey gives you similar offense to JV. It's going to be interesting to see if he can play in the nba or not, I'm not really sure.

It's crazy that Aaron Grey was getting minutes less than a decade ago.

Dominant/Dominate are two different words and are spelled differently. I should put this in my sig, it annoying me is a me problem, though.

[Hal14]

Zach Edey, old school big but is probably the best in the draft at setting screens, i have a feeling of all the bigs, he would work well with a dominate pick n roll ball handler. Would be a great back up center and guy on the bench, and maybe one day could be a 25mpg starter.

Even though he is huge, Z has some touch and has a decent jumpshot, is a much better free throw shooter than Gobert and Kessler.

Z is not a gimmick player, he is an actual legit basketball player and yes he is 100 times better than Tacko Fall.

Edey is great at setting the pick and roll but the biggest concern is his ability to defend the pick and roll at the NBA level.

Z's Floor would be Boban, his ceiling could be a slightly better or better rebounding Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Ilgauskus was a pretty good big man like 15 years ago. But I don't know what type of player he'd be in today's game..

[Dat2U]

The next Boban. Huge, skilled & Insanely efficient big who tries but will struggle to defend in space. Skilled bigs with range will eat him alive. Also will shine in limited minutes as a productive scorer & rebounder. I could see a bad team giving him extended run and enjoying the show until its time acutally win and start defending.

Worth a pick in the 30s to 40s in this draft.

[Goldbum]

I see himmin Portland with the 2nd round pick. The Blazers need size in a big way. I don't think he ever plays more than 12 minutes a game in the PNW but that's 12 less minutes of being disgustingly under sized.

[TheDraftGuy]

I see himmin Portland with the 2nd round pick. The Blazers need size in a big way. I don't think he ever plays more than 12 minutes a game in the PNW but that's 12 less minutes of being disgustingly under sized.

Portland is EXACTLY who I feel should take him.

Ideally, Portland acquires a Thompson twin/Hendricks/Walker and Edey.

Either that or the Hornets could use a combination like this to put next to LaMelo.

Now, here's a neat stat. Some may find it arbitrary but as a threshold type stat, it hasn't really failed (you're free to go out and do your own comparisons):

Basically, traditional centers of the modern era (1980-now) who, as college freshmen that play significant minutes on their Div I caliber team, averaged 12/8.5 on mid-50 FG% per 28 minutes (Shaq's minutes, he was my template here).....have all practically gone on to become quality centers.

Of those who meet that criteria and demonstrated elite athleticism, footwork, skills (aka top prospects): Shaq, Robinson, Hakeem, Sampson, Embiid, KAT, Ayton, Oden

Of those who meet that criteria, in general (proven themselves relative to their draft position): DeMarcus Cousins, Robert Williams III, Wendell Carter Jr, Hassan Whiteside.

Young and promising players like Jalen Duren, Walker Kessler, and maybe Holmgren if you count him as a traditional center, have also met this benchmark.

None of these guys are truly failures as players/talents. A player like Whiteside may be the worst player listed but his problem wasn't his size or skills so much as his effort/IQ.

To me, what that stat demonstrates is that if you show elite productivity as a freshmen, you're simply so far ahead of your peers that you'll succeed in the NBA.

Now, Zach Edey barely misses this cut off point by .1 rebound. In which case, I think you may allow lee way here because I don't think 8.4 rebounds versus 8.5 rebounds is a big enough drop off point that Edey is disqualified.

Personally, I was big on Duren and Kessler. They seem to be doing well, so far. I can see something similar for Zach Edey.

I think, at worst, you'll get an Enes Kanter/Hassan Whiteside type player who can put up stats but struggle defensively. That's a decent starter and high quality bench guy.

At best, you get the next Jokic - a quality center prospect who was skipped out on simply for being too slow and unathletic to keep up in the modern NBA.

[ItsDanger]

1 on 1, he can score on his hook shot or drop step, left or right, from 10' out, against maybe anybody in NBA, except 1 or 2 perhaps. Below is the physical reality, Lively 7'1, 7'8 wingspan can't block it. Not every big C has that touch from distance, that's a huge edge. At 300 lbs with strong legs, you're not moving him off the block unless he wants to be moved. In NBA, I expect his screen actions to be very effective.



For him to succeed, it requires the proper roster mix.

[babyjax13]

Been rewatching a lot of Edey and I don't think he is draftable. He has feathery touch within a really limited range. If balls are low, if he has to dribble, if he gets thrown off balance even a tiny bit, he can't hold onto the ball. He has terrible lateral speed, I don't even know if you can run him as a drop big because even if he drops guards can still blow by him. You basically have to commit to playing zone with him, IMO. He has very good end to end speed for his size, but that doesn't matter too much when you look at the shortcomings. You have to hope that an 8-foot jump hook becomes an elite NBA weapon, but considering how you have to slow down your offense to accommodate what he does & I don't see him as being high volume enough or efficient enough to justify that, considering everything you will give up. He also has poor vision and coordination as a passer. If I end up wrong definitely willing to own it, but would be shocked if he ends up as more than a deep bench player.