The Orlando Magic reportedly have taken a very close look at Kristaps Porzingis. What do we think of this 7-foot Latvian stretch-4.
As we have wound closer to the Draft, Kristaps Porzingis has emerged as a player many teams are focusing on.
The 7-foot Latvian center came into the Draft with a reputation for having athleticism and having the ability to spread the floor with his jumper. He has a rare combination of offensive talents for a 7-footer. Few players like him seem capable of stepping out to the perimeter like Porzingis prepared to do.
The inclination is to compare Porzingis to a guy like Dirk Nowitzki. It seems every foreign player of Porzingis’ type has faced that impossible comparison. At one point Danilo Gallinari, Andrea Bargnani, NIkoloz Tskitishvili and a whole bunch of disappointing or no-name prospects were supposed to be “the next Dirk Nowitzki.”
For whatever reason, these types of players have worked inconsistently. They never lived up to the expectation.
But every time, the draft prospects suck everyone back in. And after that workout last week in Las Vegas, it seems everyone — scouts, teams, general managers, executives, fans — are ready to jump on board.
The question of whether this guy will be the one that breaks that mold is still up in the air. No one is quite sure who he is or what he will become. All they can do now is begin to put the pieces together and figure out where he fits in this league.
Next: The Good
The Good
Kristaps Porzingis is getting the positive draft buzz, and it is incredibly well deserved.
Guys with his kind of talent and ability are so rare. It is why everyone gets so excited when they do come around — even if the dream of it working out is just that.
The NBA is so much a game about versatility and athleticism. Many of those players that failed lacked something that did not translate to the NBA game. They had one defined skill and that skill did not reach the NBA.
Porzingis has several NBA-quality skills, there does not seem to be that. He seems to have versatility and the ability to go inside-out, a dual dimension many other big men do not have. It is the holy grail in so many ways.
Hardwood Houdini
That is what makes Porzingis all the more enticing.
When you watch video of him, the skills become apparent. His jumper is fluid with the high release you expect from a 7-footer who can shoot jumpers. He has athleticism and a desire to stuff the ball. There does not appear to be much fear in him, which goes against the stereotype of European big men.
In other words, Porzingis has the shooting ability to match his desire to get into the post. He has the post game to play down low, if not the strength (more on that in a moment). He is pretty fluid as an offensive player in either position when given the chance.
His athleticism also means he can run the floor well. And he can finish.
It just feels like this guy is different in some way. Maybe that is a tired storyline when it comes to European big men. The way this guy plays just seems to be different than the usual mold.
That is the reason to get excited.
Next: The Bad
The Bad
The ghosts of European big men of the past haunt Porzingis.
He does a great job trying to recognize it and say he will break the mold. He knows what the story is against him and the perception and stereotype he has to fight and disprove. He will be spending much of his first years in the league doing that.
Yet, all of those concerns seem perfectly valid.
For all the physical tools Porzingis has and all the skill, he lacks strength and he still looks like a teenager. Well, he is, but that is beside the point.
You are never quite sure how a guy will take to NBA weight training programs and how they will grow up and how they will handle the rigors of 82 games. Porzingis seems to raise even more questions with how he looks at the moment.
The plain and short of it is all the talk of going into the post and going against that perception is not going to happen until he puts on some weight. It could be a rough rookie year for that reason. His resolve will certainly be tested. And, if the Magic draft him and stick to their focus on winning, it could mean he stays on the perimeter a lot.
Porzingis’ growth and development will come mainly in his second year as he continues to build strength and have a better idea about his fit in the league.
At worst, he is a stretch-4 with a good shot and decent enough athleticism to cover other stretch-4s who gets bullied in the post. That happens if he never puts on the muscle. Still, that seems like a pretty good player. Maybe not the one you can pair perfectly with Nikola Vucevic defensively, but one you can still work with.
Or maybe even worse, his shooting game does not extend out to the NBA 3-point line and his shooting does not properly spread the floor, forcing him into the post where his lack of strength becomes a bigger weakness.
The truth is though, no one ever really knows whether their 3-point shooting extends that far until they get into a game.
Next: Brett's Take
Brett’s Take
"Porzingis’ skill set will enable him to thrive at the 4-spot, and he has the mobility that he could stay there for his entire career if he never does add the necessary bulk to body up NBA centers. At just 220 pounds, he is far too thin to body up on the blocks, but he may never have to. Porzingis, aside from his strength limitations, also has no back to the basket game to speak of. What he lacks there, he makes up for with coordination and athleticism, neither of which are necessarily synonymous with a player of his size. He shoots the ball well from the mid-range, which will bode well in pick-and-pop plays."
Draft Sites Say . . .
"It’s not easy to find a legit 7-footer with great length and high level athleticism … If you consider how well he runs the floor and his skill level then you can understand why Porzingis is considered one of the most intriguing International players in recent years … A high level shooter, with a high release, very natural and quick with deep range. The main issue for Pozingis is his strength, and while he has more physicality than some people might think, he will need to get much stronger to hold his own defensively in the post and actually build up on his offensive post game (that is currently not a strength) … He has a narrow frame with thin shoulders, sort of like Joakim Noah had, so adding good bulk and carrying it will be paramount … Right now he is not a good finisher at the rim, but with more upper body and lower body strength he could start to really take fully advantage of his skills."
"Porzingis is one of the most unique players in this draft class, showing an impressive combination of height, length, fluidity and skills. He’s very mobile for his size, capable of playing above the rim with ease and able to cover ground quickly moving from the perimeter to the paint. Besides his physical attributes, the most appealing part of Porzingis’ game revolves around his feathery touch from the perimeter. He has beautiful shooting mechanics, complete with deep range, a quick release, and the ability to make shots either coming off screens or as a floor-spacer with his feet set. It’s virtually impossible to contest his shot at over 7-feet with his high release point, and he’s hitting an outstanding 43% of his 136 catch and shoot attempts thus far this season, including 38% of his 3-pointers (33/87 in 38 games). If the defense closes out too aggressively, he can put the ball down in a straight line and make his way to the basket, sometimes for a very impressive finish."
Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel
"Porzingis, a 7-foot power forward with a soft shooting touch, appears likely to be selected early in Thursday’s NBA Draft. The Los Angeles Lakers might consider drafting him with the second overall pick. He also might be in play for the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3 or the New York Knicks at No. 4. Many NBA observers expect the Orlando Magic to use the fifth overall pick to select Porzingis if he’s still available."
"The Magic have apparently been high on Porzingis throughout the entire process, and really would love for him to fall to No. 5. He would be a perfect fit as a rim protector next to Nikola Vucevic and a floor spacer with Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton in the background. But more than that, he’d give the Magic a genuine potential all-star, something the roster currently lacks. He might take a couple of years, but the upside here is totally worth it for the Magic."
Yannis Koutroupis, Basketball Insiders
"Oozing potential with a tremendous amount of physical gifts. Mobile for his size with a solid jump shot that he’s comfortable utilizing out to the three-point line. Can be used in a variety of different ways offensively once he can hold his own on the low block. . . . On the frail side, especially for someone who teams could hope to use at center in stretches. Not known for his physicality or toughness. Defense."
"When you look at Kristaps Porzingis work within an offense, it’s hard not to love the guy. He can shoot well from mid range and even has a few razzle-dazzle post moves that would confuse solid defenders in the NBA. Something tells me this guy is going to be different from most of the foreign prospects before him, but another side of me realizes that he is severely underweight to be successful under the basket in the NBA."
"Porzingis, who just worked out for general managers this week in Las Vegas, has been drawing rave reviews since coming stateside. Porzingis has one of the higher upsides in the draft, and his shooting and shot blocking would fit in well with Nikola Vucevic in the frontcourt."
"Hennigan has scouted Porzingis four times in person, which is a strong signal of Orlando’s interest in him. After withdrawing from last year’s draft, Porzingis comes in even more polished and ready to contribute in the NBA as a rookie. Some scouts believe Porzingis could go in the top three, but if he falls here, this should be a great get for the Magic. Reminiscent of Nikola Mirotic with his diverse offensive repertoire, Porzingis will have some GMs salivating at the thought of a 7-footer who can have the offense run through him in the mid-range and post area or step out and knock it down from the arc."
"This should be a no-brainer for GM Rob Hennigan and the Magic. Porzingis is a skilled 7-foot Latvian, and one high-ranking NBA executive told me he might have as much upside as anyone in the draft — and that includes Towns. The Magic have enough guys who are perimeter shot-challenged. They need another scorer, and that’s Porzingis"
"The Magic have too many guards who cannot shoot and too many bigs who cannot defend. Porzingis projects to give a little of both. Porzingis is an ideal partner for both Elfrid Payton and Nikola Vucevic. His workouts have been outstanding and are backed up by solid production in Europe at age 19."
"Porzingis and Vucevic make a nice pair, making up for each other’s weakness. Porzingis can offer the rim protection and Vucevic can do most of the rebounding. If Gordon, Payton and Oladipo are on the court, none of them being great shooters, Porzingis will provide the much needed spacing with his excellent shot. Plus he provides a little insurance if Harris bolts in free agency."
"Porzingis needs to get stronger but he has ability to score from the paint to the 3-point line as a 7-footer. He would have been a mid-first round pick last year."
Tony Xypteras, Crossover Chronicles
"The Magic hired a new head coach since my last mock draft, but I refuse to remove Kristaps Porzingis from this position. You could argue that Scott Skiles will target Willie Cauley-Stein for his defensive prowess, but the Magic drafted with a defensive mindset in their last three first-round selections: Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton, and Victor Oladipo. Cauley-Stein wouldn’t surprise me here, but I’m giving them the dynamic Latvian for now."
"I watched the Magic play quite a bit last season, and something was painfully evident: the team needs a power forward to play alongside Nikola Vucevic. Porzingis, who is a young 7-foot international player, is looked upon fondly by NBA scouts and since Vucevic is a fellow international player, the fit might make even more sense. While the first four prospects in this year’s draft are somewhat set in stone, from No. 5 on, it gets significantly more difficult to project what teams may be thinking."
Next: Final Take
Final Take
The talent is undoubtedly there.
Porzingis has all the skills, size, athleticism and everything you would want to believe he can do everything that is advertised. The international game is just so different though and the exposure is so much lower that there still remains mystery. And a cultural gap to divide.
He does not fit the cultural gap problem. He has been preparing for this opportunity for a year since he pulled his name out of last year’s Draft.
Back then, he was a mid-Lottery pick. Now he is a top-five guy. He has clearly improved and convinced at least enough scouts to move him up draft boards. The composite of skills he has does not usually come in that body.
In today’s NBA, he seems to be the perfect fit. Athleticism and shooting in a big body. If things all fall into place, he could be that kind of transcendent talent.
Things rarely all fall into place that perfectly.
Still, Porzingis has plenty of skills to fall back on should he not become that superstar. More than that, he fits a need with the Magic. They need a floor spacer and a power forward with some athleticism and rim-protecting ability, someone who can slide quickly over and protect the basket.
The worries about his weight and strength can be alleviated with time and work. There is no reason to think Porzingis cannot accomplish that. It just comes down to biology if it happens. And he is young enough to continue developing and improving his weaknesses.
Porzingis is a high-reward draft pick if he turns out good. At five, that is really what you want. And, in the short term, he seems to have at least one NBA-level skill to make him valuable immediately. Something the Magic should be looking at intently.
Next: Kristaps Porzingis linked to Magic in many mock drafts