Five 2014 NBA prospects on the lottery edge

The trade deadline is behind us, and now almost half the league _ and half of the league’s fan base _ starts looking forward to the draft.

By now, we have heard plenty about the much hyped draft class of 2014. Riggin for Wiggins, Sorry for Jabari, Mishandle for Randle and I’m sure there are many more terms out there acting as synonyms for Tankapalooza.

It’s without doubt the most eagerly anticipated class since 2003, and whether or not it lives up to the hype is a matter of opinion.That aside, it still figures to be an incredibly deep draft. And if your team misses out on a lottery pick in 2014, the chances of finding a star or at least a valuable rotation player are actually quiet high. Here comes the proof:

Check out this list of ‘diamonds on the lottery edge’. That is, players selected between picks 14 and 25 from draft classes 2012 to 2008.

2012 – John Henson (pick) #14, Jared Sullinger #21, Terrence Jones #18

2011 – Kawhi Leonard #15, Nikola Vucevic #16, Iman Shumpert #17 Tobias Harris #19 Kenneth Fried #22 Reggie Jackson #24

2010 – Larry Sanders #15, Eric Bledsoe #18, Avery Bradley #19

2009 – Jrue Holiday #17, Ty Lawson #18, Jeff Teague #19, Darren Collison #21

2008 – Roy Hibbert #17, Ryan Anderson #21, Nic Batum #25, Serge Ibaka #24

Pretty impressive, huh? So, who are some of the candidates in the 2014 class?

1. Doug McDermott

Age: 22
College: Creighton
Position: Forward
Key Stats: 25.9 points per game, 7 rebounds, 51% from field, 90% from line and 44% from deep.
NBA Comparison: Somewhere in the ocean between Kyle Korver and Larry Bird.

Some players just have a knack for getting the ball in the bucket, a feel for the game and an understanding of where to be at the right time. Doug is that type of player. He has great offensive instincts, high IQ and an overall advanced offensive game.

Yes, he will be forever fighting off critics off his athleticism and his defense. However, he has intangibles on top of intangibles, can pass, shoot, and as a coach’s son he can fit into a system easily.

When I put together my Mock Lottery recently, McDermott just missed the cut. He has since continued his solid play and his stock appear to have slightly risen across the league. Given a do-over, I probably would have squeezed him in. Across his last 5 games, the Creighton Senior is averaging 32.2 points per game.

2. Willie Cauley-Stein

Age: 20
Position: Center
College: Kentucky
Key Stats: 7.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 3.0 bpg
NBA Comparison: Larry Sanders or Tyson Chandler

At 7 feet and 250 pounds, Cauley-Stein is just a flat out physical specimen. Length, athleticism and shot blocking are the three terms that will follow Willie to the next level. That’s his meal ticket in the NBA.

Like many young big men, he still appears to be pretty raw and needs to refine his offensive game to be able to score consistently. On top of this, he needs to develop into a better rebounder. Six boards a game is a little underwhelming given his physical tools. Perhaps alongside Julius Randle, who gobbles up defensive boards at an elite rate, is a contributing factor to this.

Ideally, I think he could really prosper by staying another year at Kentucky and leading a team that no longer has Randle and the Harrison twins stunting his development.

3. Jerami Grant

Age: 19
Position: Forward
College: Syracuse
Key Stats: 12.5 ppg, 7.2 rebounds
NBA Comparison: Josh Smith

Jerami has spent most of the season in Tyler Ennis’ shadow, probably for good reason. Ennis is a terrific player, a great leader and he will be a solid pro. He deserves all the attention he has garnished. But in his own right, Grant is a very intriguing prospect.

He is an active, solid defender. Possesses lateral quickness and agility that allows him to guard multiple positions. This will help him greatly at the NBA level on pick and roll switches. He also has a soft touch and can tidy things up around the rim effectively.

Patrick Laney of SB Nation recently alluded to the recent ‘hit or miss’ nature of Syracuse players at the next level and made a very valid point. But perhaps his biggest issue going forward will be solidifying himself as either a small forward or power forward. He doesn’t have a clearly defined NBA position at this stage, although I’d lean towards him playing the 3 more than the 4, at least initially.

4. James Young

Age: 18
Position: Guard/Forward
College: Kentucky
Key Stats: 14.3ppg, 4.3rpg, 34% from deep.
NBA Comparison: Nick Young, Corey Brewer or Lance Stephenson

First things first, I think James can be a better player than his NBA comparison and namesake Nick Young. But they are sneakily similar in a few different ways. For better or for worse, both Young’s have the reputations of being ‘chuckers’ that is, guys who throw up some ill-advised shots.