Ausar’s shooting mechanics is a lot better than Amen and shot 39% from 3 in the OTE playoff. Small sample size but it’s a promising development plus Ausar is a better defender than Amen.
Amen is a better athlete of the two but both are long and athletic so it’s nitpicking IMO. Despite Amen is projected to be a PG, his handle isn’t where you like to be and their halfcourt isn’t great due to how the league is played. I’m just not sure how both Thompson twins fare in the halfcourt setting especially in PnR situation. Shooting are both of their biggest swing skill. If Amen goes to a team that lacks spacing, he’ll have trouble panning out so landing spot is important for him. Same with Ausar but it’s less important because he’s a wing player. However, shooting is a huge swing skill for Ausar or he’ll be similar to Thybulle which isn’t the worst thing to be as a player but it limits his upside as a prospect.
Similar to Ausar except with better defense. He’s super young (I think he’s turning 19 pretty soon) and raw (I think he started relatively late compared to the prospects in the draft). He’s exactly the high upside prospect with lot of room to grow that late lottery teams should swing for the fence.
Something tells me there will be plenty of criticism at draft time…because, ya know…humans.
I’m not passionately against any of the players in that range, the success of the franchise clearly lies in Cade and Ivey after the ping pong balls fell as they did. This pick can certainly make the franchise, but I don’t think it can break it, if that makes sense.
Wemby: Durant cross-bred with Gobert
Scoot: Brandon Roy, intact knees
Miller: Paul George
Whitnore: Jalen Brown
Amen: Jumbo Westbrook / grounded (like personality wise) Ben Simmons
Black: Jason Kidd
Hendricks: Like…JJJ before they realized how much offensive juice he had?
Dick: Klay
Walker: OG
(Don’t yell at me or second spectrum me because I thought about this for 30 seconds)
Once the Pistons got screwed with the fifth pick, I set myself up for low expectations because I’m not sure if anyone they pick there is going to have a major impact. My preference would just be for something different with whoever they pick so that it brings some variety to the skills and talent on their team. I know you can never have enough of certain types of players, but I love for them to pick something different.
Ausar is growing on me. I understand the risk and limitations, but Pistons could use a good athlete/defender on the wing and it seems he fits that as his floor.
Also, I am now at the point where I need to consider the alternative (Walker) and I’d prefer to take a shot on Ausar’s upside over Walker’s seemingly limited ceiling.
Both Thompson twins raised their FT% from the 50’s to mid 60’s this year, shot more threes, and shot more accurately (neither well)
They both are universally lauded for being good kids.
I think you can argue that they’ll improve their shooting, which isn’t to say they’ll be shooters.
Wemby is his own thing, but the capital A Athletes you hear discussed in this draft are Scoot, the Thompsons, and Whitmore, with the Thompsons both ranking the highest