2017 Orlando Magic Draft Preview: Who is T.J. Leaf?

The Good

The first place to start with T.J. Leaf is that he plays like a modern power forward.

Power forwards in the NBA today are versatile and athletic. They can attack some off the dribble and hit the 3-pointer. They do not look very much like the gritty, tough defenders of yesteryear.

This is the perfect time for Leaf to step into the NBA. His value likely would not be any higher.

Leaf was a strong 3-point shooter at UCLA and was smart deciding when to attack off the dribble. Opponents knew they had to close out hard on Leaf and he was able to easily sidestep or drive off those closeouts to get to the basket. On the move, he was able to get to the basket and score fairly easily.

He is not merely a spot-up shooter. That is an important thing to note about him. He will not be a stand-still stretch-4. Leaf looks to get to the basket when he can.

And once there, he can finish above the rim a bit. He has surprising athleticism and will finish with a thunderous jam when he gets close to the basket. This in addition to a deft touch on the move off his drives.

Leaf also will attack the glass aggressively. He was able to go out of his area for rebounds and come flying in to grab boards. That enabled him to work closer to the basket.

He is certainly an opportunist. He knows the right time to attack to time himself for rebounds and for dives and cuts tot he basket to receive lobs too.

That makes Leaf valuable within an offense. He will provide the team that drafts him plenty of versatility and ability to stretch the floor and work close to the basket.